Part 4: Justice
Chapter 29: Games
"No matter what you say, Zevran, I will not accept your 'Antivan Massage'."
"That is a topic for later-"
"A topic for never."
"-but I digress. I have a personal question of you, if I may."
Aedan narrowed his eyes. "How personal?"
Despite having traveled with his companions almost six months now, Aedan still had not told any of them of his past. Only Zevran knew by prior research. The elf had kept his mouth shut so far, save for the occasional snide remark or sinister suggestion.
"You know I don't like personal questions."
"Seems a little unfair," said Zevran. "After all, everyone else seems to come to vent to you regarding their personal problems."
"Like what?" scoffed Aedan.
"Wynne's whole 'I'm an abomination' thing, Sten butchering an entire innocent family, Leliana's past of a bard, and that minor thing of Alistair being heir to the throne."
"I call that a standard week."
Indeed, the past month had been tumultuous. After collapsing on the road, Wynne had revealed her earlier death and subsequent encounter with a Spirit of Faith. A few weeks after, Leliana revealed her past as a bard, and how her former mentor had betrayed her. Of course, then there was Alistair's whole prince business.
"We really can't get anyone normal can we?" Aedan sighed, rubbing his temples. He raised a single finger. "Fine. One question so you don't start badgering me."
"Then I have a question regarding our future battles."
"Shoot."
"Word of advice. Never say 'shoot' to an assassin. Gets us all jittery. At some point, you plan to heal Arl Eamon and have him call the landsmeet."
"That's the plan…however abstract and impossible it may seem."
"And, without a doubt, we will meet Loghain, and his right hand man, in person."
Aedan paused. "Probably."
"While eliminating Loghain before we beat him at the landsmeet would be a political setback, Howe is a slippery bastard and will try to kill us. Would it not be in our best interest to kill him first? We can even pin it on one of Loghain's allies and make it a win win situation."
"No."
"...No?"
"No."
"It is strange that the deadliest out of all of us is opposed to killing, even his own mortal enemy."
"He deserves to die, no doubt. It's just...do I have the right? The authority?" Aedan clenched his fist, thinking back on past events. Half a year had past, yet at times the red hot anger still surged through his chest. "I want him to pay for what he did to my family, but I also want to clear my their name. I'm not going to do that unless I bring him through the proper channels, to the courts."
The elven assassin gave a small smile at Aedan's naivety. "Warden, the only true justice is the one that's carved out with your own bloodied han-"
Just then Zevran twitched his head right, and an arrow zoomed past his ear.
"Ambush!" yelled Aedan, drawing out his sword and shield.
"Told you it was bad luck to say shoot."
What truly bothered Aedan wasn't the fact that Adair resided in the dungeons beneath the estate. The man had been bound and chained sufficiently. What bothered him was that someone needed to go and feed the man every day. According to his father, the prisoner was Aedan's fault anyways, so Aedan was tasked with Adair's care. Even then, Nan and the other servants felt uncomfortable being near such a dangerous criminal, so only Aedan had the nerves to interact with Adair.
Aedan picked up the platter of food Nan had left on the counter. In contrast to the simple scraps left for Adair, Nan had prepared quite the lavish care package for Teharel and Hijaya. Aedan had visited the two and Jarat several times over the past few weeks, despite his father's new disdain for the elf. Aedan suspected that Nan had a soft spot for that geezer of an elf, considering how well made the food was.
On his way to the dungeon, Aedan heard a familiar voice bickering with his father. Aedan hugged the wall and tried his best to listen in without being seen.
"Bryce, we cannot delay this any further. The criminal known as Victor must be handed over to us. It's the law; he's an attempted kingslayer."
"I know that, Loghain. I also know that according the records, Victor already payed for his crimes; they allegedly tortured him for information, then executed him, and yet the man still lives, and until a few weeks ago, ran free and almost killed my children."
"This angers me as much as you. I cannot stomach the fact that Maric's attempted killer roamed free whilst the rest of us were fed a lie. Believe me, Bryce, I had no part in this."
"You're an honorable man, I wouldn't suspect you of a thing, but why are you pushing for this to happen?"
"It's not me. The rest of the Landsmeet are clamoring for Victor's public trial and execution."
"Do you know who could have arranged for Victor's release?"
"I have no idea. The guard is heading an investigation into every major noble that could have done this- including you and me. To think, one of these ungrateful nobles dared to release Victor; who do they think freed this country?"
Whilst Loghain and his father bickered, Aedan scrambled for the dungeon doors. Eavesdropping wasn't considered proper, and to be caught by Loghain would embarrass Aedan too much. He made sure to shut the entrance to the dungeon as quietly as possible.
Making his way through the dungeon, Aedan couldn't help but feel sorry for the currently sleeping Victor. Granted, he had tried to kill the king, but his decided method of execution perturbed Aedan. For a man's death to be some sort show to be watched didn't sit quite right with Aedan. He didn't quite know if the magnitude of Victor's crime justified the public event.
At the end of the hallway, greeting him with a sinister smile, was Adair. Aedan avoided eye contact with the man whilst he undid the door lock.
"Good morning to you."
Aedan stayed silent.
"I see you're still mad about that 'trying to kill Teharel' bit. That was weeks ago, just let it go."
"Shut up and eat." Aedan stuffed the bread loaf into Adair's mouth. He neglected to segment it, so Adair stayed silent whilst he slowly whittled the bread down in his mouth. After a few moments, Aedan snarled, "You deserve to rot in prison for what you did."
"And what did I do? I roughed up a few guards and maimed an elf. Sounds like a standard petty crook to me; they might give me a month or so." Adair rolled his eyes up in thought and smiled. "Well, I did kill a bunch of crooks getting into D's hideout, so hell, the crown might even get rid of my sentence, maybe even give me a medal."
"Shut up."
"But what I deserve...hmm. For what I've done before, by some standards of justice I deserve to be put to death." Adair grimaced. "By those standards, Teharel should also be put to death."
"Teharel's not like that."
"What you don't know about Teharel could fill a book. Literally. I assume that you've taken Teharel's oh so precious intel."
Aedan needed to be careful. He paused before answering, "No. I handed it over to the Ferelden government."
The bound man tilted his head and sneered nastily. "Look at you, thinking you can lie to me. I can see it in your expressions that you have it. You seem like a shrew young lad- you know exactly what will happen if me, Victor, or that intel gets handed over to the Fereldan government."
Finally Aedan faced towards the man. "What's your game here, Adair?"
"Perhaps I'm just taking a little vacation. I reckon I could break out of these restraints if I really tried."
Aedan sneered. "If you're so strong, why didn't they send you to kill King Maric instead of-"
His eyes widened at his sudden realization.
They had to have known how strong Victor was. I, who hadn't even been trained by Teharel yet, managed to take him down. If Adair had done it none of us would have had a chance. They sent Victor knowing that he'd probably fail.
Adair smiled knowingly. The gesture sent a chill down Aedan's spine and he unconsciously took a step back.
"Little Cousland, I think it's only fair that since you're giving me room and board, I pay you back with a little something...and you seem like a good kid, willing to stick up for his friends."
Still that smile persisted. Aedan tried his best to control his breathing, to make it look like he still held control. And yet, although Adair had been bound by chains and leather, Aedan still felt like the man controlled the very room. He watched Adair's restraints. "Didn't think a man like you had values," he said with a false chuckle.
"Every man has his values. Don't be stupid. And because I believe you're someone worth saving, that I'm going to give you a warning."
Although Adair had been smiling and joking before, now he bore a darkened demeanor whilst grimacing. "You best be careful. I may be your deadliest enemy, but I'm certainly not your worst."
Aedan disliked entering abandoned warehouses in Denerim at night. Nothing good had happened to him in such places.
After the ambush, the group had discovered that Leliana's former mentor, Marjolaine, had sent the assassins. The very same woman who framed Leliana and had her tortured and almost killed. Using information from the beaten enemies, Leliana had tracked down Marjolaine's hideout to a certain seedy district in Denerim. Only her, Aedan, and Zevran had entered, with the rest keeping watch outside.
What bothered Aedan the most was the way Leliana had asked for his help. "I...I need to settle this. Please," she had said to him, looking quite pained. Leliana had always seemed wistful ever since she left the Chantry, but now she truly looked sad. Aedan couldn't refuse.
His eyes darted around for the ambush that Marjolaine had no doubt planned. He spotted several traps by the hallways doors, and heavily armed guards surrounded the group.
"Move aside, dogs." Despite the harsh words, the Orlesian voice had a certain grace and even appealing tone, unlike Isolde's shrill shrieks. Two guards side-stepped to reveal a woman clad in a traditional Orlesian dress. Her frills seemed unfit for battle, but Aedan knew looks could be deceiving. As she took a step forward, he saw the dress stretch a bit across her legs and the outline of leather armor underneath.
Marjolaine had on a familiar smile. That same knowing smile of Adair's that always mocked him. Aedan scowled. He tired of getting pulled around by the generation before him.
"What terrible friends you have, Leliana," chided Marjolaine. :Look at that expression, like a dog. No manners. Just like all Fereldans, he smells like one too."
Aedan smiled back at her. He too had been taught that special sour smile. "At least I don't smell like someone tripped in a pool of perfume mixed with cat piss. It's very, how do you Orlesians say it, last season."
The edge of Marjolaine's smile wavered.
"What do you want, Majorlaine? Why did you come back?" Leliana's voice trembled. Her body had gone tense. Aedan had never seen the woman get so worked up.
"Because of you, Leliana. Because you know my secrets." The woman paced back and forth. Too much movement: Aedan stood on edge, his hand itching for his sword. "Did you think I would not watch? I wondered what you were doing in that little Chantry of yours, playing the good girl. You sent no communications, and I thought you had given up. Then you joined up with this man."
Majorlaine's eyes fell upon Aedan. "Do not think your exploits have not reached my ears, boy."
Aedan shrugged and made a lackadaisical expression. "I'm just your simple run of the mill Warden."
Marjolaine's smile dissipated. "I took note of you before that." After one last cold glare, Marjolaine turned back to Leliana with that wretched smile. "My little Leliana, you're up to something, and I will not let the secrets in your head take me down."
Leliana scoffed. "You think that I'm trying to take you down? I'm done with you Marjolaine. Done with all of this."
Zevran placed his hand on Leliana's shoulder. "Leliana. You know she'll never stop chasing you."
Are they-
The two looked sideways at Aedan. In that brief moment while their eyes met, all three drew their weapons. The other two ducked behind Aedan and his shield while a volley of arrows rained down on them. Aedan winced as several grazed his legs. Soldiers rushed at them from all angles. Surrounded, Leliana flipped through the air over their heads, and barreled towards Marjolaine. Whilst Aedan took care of the heavy-hitters, Leliana dueled Marjolaine in a fight of daggers and high-kicks. Zevran slithered over to the mages and dodged their fireballs left and right. Closer and closer the elf got, until in a blink of an eye his blade sunk into their backs.
Beset from all side, Aedan threw down a smoke bomb. The vial shattered and noxious grey smoke poured out. He battered the men's heads with his shield and sliced at their legs. Although their random, frenzied blows occasionally hit him, the group of soldiers one by one fell coughing and bleeding to Aedan's rampage, albeit still alive.
The warden winced at the fresh gashes on his arm; fighting non-lethally took a lot of effort, as it allowed more time for his attackers to assail him, so he took a lot more blows. Aedan looked over at Leliana to see her matching Marjolaine in combat. The two combined into one blur of limbs and steel. Right as Aedan ran over to go help, Leliana kicked Marjolaine against the wall, and retreated backwards. She pulled a throwing knife out of her hand and raised it.
Everything slowed.
Leliana's blade hesitated. In that split second, her former mentor leaped forward. Aedan could see it. The graceful arc of a hidden wrist blade gliding towards Leliana's heart. It seemed so natural, almost as if Majorlaine was dancing.
Not again.
He didn't even think. The entirety of his being jerked forward, an unnatural force in comparison to Marjolaine's refined attacks.
He felt a slight resistance as the edge of his sword pierced her chest. He glanced at the woman's face; she looked just as shocked as him. Aedan's momentum carried the two right into the wooden wall. He could hear the splintering of wood as his sword pierced the wall.
His fingers felt numb. His stomach churned. Marjolaine's blood trickled down from her mouth. Aedan's trembling hands pulled the sword out. The woman's body slumped down against the wall. Her blood painted his sword dark scarlet.
"You've gotten soft, Leliana. Had to have this boy here do your dirty work," sputtered Marjolaine. Her breathing slowed. The light began to fade from her eyes. Yet she still had on that wretched smile.
A tear ran down Leliana's cheek. Her eyes watered. She knelt down and held her former lover's, her former's teacher's, and former enemy's hand in her own. "I...Marjolaine...why couldn't you have just stopped? Why couldn't you have let me live my life?" She squeezed a little tighter.
"Because I knew you'd come to kill me. The game we played never ends, Leliana." With those last venomous words, Marjolaine gasped one last time. The scarlet stain had spread far on her fine dress. Her body twitched, then fell limp. Neither Aedan nor Leliana spoke. The only noise was from Aedan's sword, as Marjolaine's blood dripped from its edge.
Author Notes
ChocolateTruffles: With last chapter, I didn't want Aedan to be too angst-ridden, so I did leave out a lot of his thoughts on that on purpose; kudos on noticing. The next few chapters Howe's betrayal will weigh more heavily on Aedan's mind though (albeit not too angsty. I don't like too angsty).
TLMonkey: Alright, this time I went through and I'm pretty sure I have no/few errors. If I do, I give you permission to bring down the hammer of shame upon me and call me out on it. Glad you like the humor writing; I always enjoyed party dynamics, so I really like writing the witty parts.
MegaKilo69: Welcome to reading the story, hope you enjoy!
JordanMathias: Glad you find the beginning interesting! Hopefully I've gotten better over time and the latter chapters are even better.
Guest: Well, here's the next update. I'm staying pretty well on schedule, no?
