"Until when?" Caleb strode into Sebastian's office, dodging the guard that tried to grab him. If he was to be treated as a guest, he had every intention of abusing the privilege.

"Your fathers are somewhere in the city." Sebastian turned towards him. "Are they merely looking for you, or do they have another reason to be here?"

"I asked a question first." He folded his arms and narrowed his eyes.

"You..." Sebastian gave a slow shake of his head. "Are definitely Hawke's son. I have sent a message to Kirkwall. Once your parents and the Inquisition have left my city, peacefully, I will send you, Gavren, Leandra, and Kels on your way."

"What about Loghain, Naomin, Melavan, and Alai?"

"I will be turning the elves over to the Divine."

"Well that's a..." Caleb frowned. "And Loghain?" When Sebastian failed to meet his eyes, Caleb took another step forward. "And Loghain?"

"He will be remaining in my custody."

"Why?" Caleb shook his head. "He can be an asshole but he's never done anything to you. Maker, he's technically not even four years old yet." He leaned on Sebastian's desk. "Is it because of the mark?"

"He is no longer your concern." Sebastian gestured at one of his guards.

"The only way I'm leaving without an answer is if you have them drag me." Caleb glared. "He's my friend."

"Caleb..."

"He's my friend." Caleb stared at Sebastian. "Who is he to you?"

"If he was that good a friend, you'd know." Sebastian leaned on the other side of the desk. "If the information he gave me proves to be accurate, then..." Sebastian straightened and turned to stare at the fire.

"Then what?"

"Then Loghain's fate will be in the hands of his father."

Caleb blinked. "What the hell does Nathaniel Howe have to do with this?"

"His father isn't Howe." Sebastian didn't turn around. "His father is the abomination that destroyed Kirkwall's chantry and plunged the world into war."

"His..." Caleb sat down heavily in the chair. "Anders?"

"It's been the better part of ten years..." Sebastian nodded. "But he will pay for his crime."

"Or what?" Caleb leaned forward.

"Or his son will never see daylight again."

"Wow." Caleb stood, and gave Sebastian a disgusted look. "Elthina would be so proud."

#

"That still won't get the cells open." Brehan shook his head at Salla.

"Gavren will handle getting the cells open." Kieran nodded confidently. "The difficulty is going to be getting to Caleb. He is in the main part of the palace rather than in the cells."

"Why would he be there?" Tisallan raised an eyebrow.

"Because..." Salla sighed. "Because Sebastian would never hurt me or Caleb."

"He set fire to a building you were in." Tisallan shook his head.

Brehan glanced at Tisallan. "And the only reason your friend Melavan is alive is because Caleb stepped between him and Sebastian. Salla is right. Sebastian won't hurt Caleb." He turned his eyes back to Salla. "I won't pretend the sentinels aren't in danger from him, but I sincerely doubt he'd hurt any of the other children."

"Loghain." Kieran narrowed his eyes.

"Why would he hurt Loghain?" Duncan asked.

"To hurt Anders."

"Why would..." Agatha's eyes widened. "Oh."

Kieran tilted his head, and then turned to stare at Brehan. "I suggest you do not misuse this information."

"Fenedhis, I intend to pretend this conversation never -"

A squirrel suddenly rushed into the middle of their group and started chittering madly. Kieran stared at it. "Now?" It chittered again. "Well, that's going to require a change in plans." It squeaked. "Go to Trian." The squirrel immediately rushed away.

"My squirrel is a little rusty, but I think he just said the cult is about to hit the palace?" Salla raised an eyebrow. Another day she'd have laughed at the dumbfounded look on Brehan's face.

"They are already inside." Kieran straightened up. "And Abelas is on the move as well."

Jerath growled. "We won't have time for stealth."

"Take Agatha with you." Brehan nodded to him. "I'll get the gates." When Salla gave him a surprised look, he shook his head. "We don't have time for a new plan, so yours better work."

"Ir enaste, Dirthari." Tisallan rose.

Kieran took a deep breath, and his eyes glowed slightly. "It is time."

#

He felt the moment they were beyond the ward, but let the guards taken him the rest of the way down the stairs. The manacle on his wrists were solid and heavy. Out of the corner of his eye, he examined his captors. The one to his left was close enough to his height and build. There was a slight touch of another magic to him. Time then. Loghain took a deep breath, and pulled the Fade around him. His hands phased through the manacle, and he caught it easily.

Then he whirled and smashed it into the face of the man next to him.

#

Carver staggered slightly, and then he turned to the others. "Change of plans. The palace is about to come under attack. They need our help."

"Let's move." Cullen started for the palace.

#

Gavren felt a touch to his magic. It wasn't as strong as it had been in the temple, but it still reinforced his own magic. Just enough of an edge. "There is our signal. Noamin, Alai, be ready with barriers."

He stood, and drew deep. Loghain and Caleb had been dragged away. Perhaps Starkhaven needed a message sent.

#

The sound had them all turn. Lenore felt her jaw drop. Stones and debris were raining down from what had a few seconds ago been Starkhaven's guard tower. The entire top level had been blown apart. Before the stones could hit the ground they suddenly began to whirl as if they were feathers caught in a whirlwind. And then they were all striking some target she couldn't see.

#

"Holy shit." Kels looked around at the open air around them. "Holy shit."

Gavren let the green light continue to glow around his hands as he turned towards where the guards were standing, staring with open mouths. "Drop your weapons." He let the magic trail up his arms in green flames. "And run."

They did.

#

"Maker's breath." Brehan stared up. "What was that?"

Kieran smiled. "Gavren has decided to make some noise."

#

"All hell just broke loose." Agatha glanced up.

"That would be the signal then." Duncan fitted an arrow to his bow, and nodded to Jerath.

Jerath returned the nod before kicking the door open.

#

Caleb caught the edge of the desk as the building shook. Sebastian immediately leaped to his feet. "What was..."

"Your grace..." A guard rushed into the room. "The palace is under attack."

Sebastian drew his bow. "Send additional forces to the cells."

"We should take this one back to his quarters." She grabbed Caleb's arm, and started to pull him away.

Caleb started to follow, and then he saw the blood on the back of her armor. "Sebastian, she's not a guard." He yanked his arm away, and she started to reach for him again.

An arrow took her in the throat, and she fell. "Get down." Sebastian yelled as he took aim at the men who began rushing into the room. Caleb dove to the ground and rolled behind the desk.

#

Leandra picked up a sword, and kicked a shield towards Alai. The elven woman strapped it to her arm and smiled fiercely. Gavren looked up from where he'd just finished casting the healing spell on Melavan. Kels immediately caught the elven man's arm and put it over his shoulder, supporting his weight.

"Plan?" Naomin asked, moving into a protective position near Kels.

"Duncan, Jerath, and Agatha are heading towards the main hall." Gavren picked up a sword of his own.

She tested the heft of the blade, and gave a satisfied smile. "Ten gold says we get there first."

#

The cult had clearly expanded its numbers with mercenaries. Loghain freed his sword from his foe's ribcage. Not very talented mercenaries though. Clearly they'd decided to go for quantity over quality.

Fortunately, wearing the armor of a Starkhaven guard meant the other Starkhaven guards simply assumed he was one of them. Not a particularly wise assumption to be sure, but it was making his life easier. He only had to fight the people actually attacking him.

He was halfway to the gate when he heard a couple of the cultists yell something about killing the prince. A vexed growl escaped him.

#

Duncan's arrow caught the enemy mage in the chest. Jerath spun in, using his shield to stun a cultist. Agatha promptly moved in to stab him. She stayed at his back, covering his flanks as they moved in. They were most of the way through the room when a group of qunari entered. Immediately their saarebas began to glow.

And then their saarebas was charcoal. Duncan laughed. "We were just coming to rescue you."

Leandra grinned in response. "Less talking, more stabbing."

Gavren gestured with one hand, and all the qunari were suddenly pulled into a tight circle, crashing into each other. He made a punching motion, and then they were on the ground, easy prey for the warriors. "We need to find Loghain and Caleb."

Jerath frowned. "Loghain isn't with you?"

#

Caleb barely managed to get the sword up in time to parry a blow aimed at Sebastian's back. His counter-strike did little damage to the mercenary, but it did provide enough of a distraction for Sebastian to put an arrow in him. "Are you hurt?" Sebastian asked.

"No." Caleb shook his head. "You?"

"I've had far worse." Sebastian touched his shoulder, and gestured for him to follow. "I need to get you to safety."

"You said Papa is here. If we get to him, he'll help."

"I'm fairly confident your fathers are not happy with me at the moment."

"Yeah, imagine how they are feeling about me." Caleb looked around and frowned. "Where the hell are your guards?"

"Searching the city for the rest of your friends." Sebastian growled.

"Well..." Caleb swallowed as another group of mercenaries started down the hallway towards them. "Shit."

Sebastian reached for another arrow, and then hesitated. "Lady Davena?"

The woman leading the mercenaries smiled at him. "We've no quarrel with you, Prince Vael. We are here for the boy."

Immediately Sebastian stepped in front of Caleb. "No."

She spread her hands, and gave a half bow. Magic started to glow around her hands. "We've been good friends to you these past few years, my prince. You can keep the Mac Tir lad. And our allegiance."

He nocked an arrow to his bow, and drew it back. "Maker bless your children in their hour of need."

Caleb hefted his sword, noting unpleasantly that Sebastian was down to three arrows. "This is not going to be fun."

Something hit the mercenaries from behind. Sebastian took advantage of the distraction to put an arrow in the mage's throat. A man in the armor of the Starkhaven guard took the head off one of the mercenaries as Sebastian fired his last two arrows. As soon as the guard had downed the last of them, Sebastian began retrieving arrows. "Thank the Maker, he sent you just in time."

"Oh, the Maker had nothing to do with me."

"Loghain?" Caleb's jaw dropped.

The knight tossed Sebastian a full quiver. "This is really not how I planned to spend my afternoon." He hefted his sword. "Let's get you two out of trouble, shall we?"

#

"Loghain has retrieved Caleb," Kieran reported.

"I think we are done here. The gates are open. Our folks can get in, and Duncan can get the others out." Salla nodded.

"Time to rejoin your companions then." Tisallan started back towards the hallway.

"Or better yet, your folks." Brehan shook his head. "Tisallan, surely you can reason with -" He went silent as other sentinels stepped out of the shadows. Considering Tisallan's immediate reaction was to step in front of Kieran, he had to assume these were not allies. He moved to stand between them and Salla.

"Tisallan."

"Abelas."

The yellow eyes of Abelas turned towards him. "And you would be Brehan. It would be best if the two of you stood down. I have no desire to harm either of you."

"Abelas, you know me far better than that." Tisallan shifted his grip on his blades. "The only way you come to them is through me."

"I am disappointed. I never thought you would be a traitor to your own kind."

"Traitor?" Tisallan laughed. "From you, that's a compliment."

"I will regret this, old friend." Abelas waved a hand. "Masal din'an." Magic glowed around his hands.

Brehan felt a spell slide off the barrier one of the mages must have placed on him. He hefted his axe as two sentinels came towards him. Spells from Kieran and Salla struck against the barriers of the sentinels. He parried a blow and slammed the pommel of his axe into the face of a sentinel, shattering the man's nose and sending him staggering backwards. Tisallan parried a blow with one of his swords, and gutted his attacker with the other.

A spell from Abelas struck Kieran, sending the man to the ground. He heard Tisallan shout a warcry in response. He parried another blow, keeping the sentinel from getting past him to the downed mage.

The rest of the sentinels started to move in, and abruptly froze in their tracks. Abelas's eyes widened.

A voice came from behind him, from Kieran's position. A voice that was decidedly not Kieran's. It was deep, resonating in his bones. "Andaran atisha'an." Brehan turned to see Kieran back on his feet. His eyes burned with emerald fire that sent curls of pale green smoke trailing upwards. The same energy trailed over his entire body in a web of power. In his hand a staff of green fade-stone was forming. His lips curled into something between a snarl and a smile. "Da'len."