Chapter 32

Keran tightly clutched the large key to the gates of the Gallows' Courtyard, while he hurried as fast as he could through the sparsely lit corridors. He anxiously ducked in every corner and splash of darkness available to stay out of sight. His heart was hammering in his chest and little hot tentacles of nervousness were crawling over his skin as if he had fallen into an ants' nest, the little insects venomously biting every part of his body they could reach. He shivered. He never had thought an outwardly simple task as opening the gates would be this scary.

The omnipresent bronze slaves' statues, at best unpleasant to look at in daylight, were sinister figures in the gloom, seemingly ready to pounce upon him. He could almost hear their wails, uttered in utmost misery and pain, and he shivered some more. He imagined that at every moment he could feel the cold gauntlet of the Knight Commander gripping the scruff of his neck and he almost jumped when somewhere behind him he heard a door open and close. For a few tense moments he stood still, pressed against a pillar in the shadows, until he was certain the muffled footsteps moved away from him. He scolded himself for this childish and almost superstitious fright. With a last irritated scowl on the dooming statues and despite his fears, he soldiered on. He had to let the Guardsmen and militia in, whatever the cost.

Orsino had been fretting for hours, pacing to and fro in his study, contemplating about what to do. Oblivious of what had happened down in the dungeons and in the Amell estate only hours earlier, let alone he knew a Tevinter army was marching upon Kirkwall, he had been weighing his chances, wishing he could see the outcome in advance. Yes, it could be the rebels or opposition or whatever they should be called would win, but what would be the consequences for him? Cullen and Thrask knew about the part he had played and he feared for his hide, once this was over and they would be the victors. He had no doubt they would punish him severely.

Weeks before he'd had some cautious though constructive conversations with Thrask about the movement the latter was trying to raise and although the Templar had not involved him entirely, he had enough knowledge of his plans to let him hang. Not to mention he, or rather his contacts, found out Thrask worked now together with Anders and his MUM. He had considered it some kind of insurance if things would go wrong, but that shouldn't count any longer would the Knight Commander be defeated.

Meredith's reaction was much more difficult to predict but, on the other hand, he couldn't imagine she would imprison or kill him for revealing a conspiracy against her. Did he, however, really want to play the ugly role of a traitor? That was a hardest decision to take. And how would he be able to dispose of Meredith afterwards? And that brought him to Marius.

He still didn't know what the squirt, or rather the Tevinter Imperium, was up to but he was pretty sure he, or they, wouldn't like it when he put a spoke in the wheel of their schemes. And until he had found a way to fend off Marius's mind magic, it probably was better to avoid him on the whole. What would the senate do anyway when they found out their plans had gone wrong? Send a Crow to assassinate him? He could hardly believe that.

Orsino opened his cabinet and poured himself a strong brandy which he downed in one go. He took a deep sigh and cut the knot.

Conrad Tulli had to admit the Guard Captain had succeeded in not only retaining her own calm, the moment the devastating news of the approach of the Tevinter army got delivered, or rather to get her calm back, but also of everyone else's in the Keep. Her face had become a stony mask and her demeanour had within moments changed into the personification of steel determination and unshakeable authority. He grudgingly admired her for it.

'Get Donnic,' she ordered the messenger, 'and a bucket of cold water.' She pointed at the Tevinter mage. 'It's high time we wake him up.' She turned to the Grand Cleric who still was sitting in her office. The difference was Elthina had sat down as a human being and, after the message had been delivered, had become some kind of marble statue, caught in her own terror. 'I think it is best you stay in the Keep, Your Grace, I will give instructions to prepare a room for you.'

Elthina shook herself back to life and started to protest, though feebly, as if the protest was uttered out of some sort of habit. For some reason Tulli recognised that habit; her pride as Grand Cleric was related to the arrogance all nobles in Kirkwall shared. And he realised at the same moment the Guard Captain would waltz over every objection. 'That is out of the question, I will not leave my –' Elthina said with a small voice.

Aveline interrupted her with an impatient gesture. 'Of course you won't and you don't have to. How many Templars are there left in the Chantry?'

The Grand Cleric blinked her eyes, visibly overwhelmed by the Guard Captain's stern conduct. 'Besides my bodyguard there are ten more, guarding the temple. But I can't -'

'Good. I'll send a Guardsman to tell them to escort the Chantry Sisters and Brothers to the Keep. If things go wrong you will all be safest in here. And if you insist on praying, you can make use of the former Viscount's private chapel. Your Templars can come in handy in another way. I don't doubt the Tevinters have mages in their ranks and we need men to contain them.' Without waiting for an answer she addressed Conrad Tulli. 'How many marksmen do you have at your disposal?'

He also blinked, completely flabbergasted. She took him by surprise and he almost stuttered. 'I, I'm not certain.'

Aveline rolled her eyes. 'And you call yourself a commander?'

'It was Edgert who held the command,' he said defensively. He felt three inches high by now. Especially because she regarded him with a look that could only be described as pitiful. Marksmen. Why hadn't he thought of marksmen? Inwardly he frowned. Why should he have thought of marksmen? The Guard Captain would deliver the answer not half an hour later.

'Right. Donnic, get Edgert the Hound out of his prison,' she told her husband who just entered the room, 'and if he only as much as tries to utter a protest or an insult, you have my full permission to kick him in the ass.' She turned to Conrad Tulli. 'And you muster all the militia that are available to defend the city and send your fellow snoo– nobles to my office,' she ordered him. 'Now!' she hollered when the man hesitated. 'We have an extremely perilous situation at hand and no time to argue!' He flew out of the room as if he had been launched.

Aveline turned back to the Grand Cleric. 'Please, Your Grace, if you will be so good as to leave? This room will be a war counsel within a few minutes. But I'd like to keep your personal Templars here, in case that weasel over there tries something unholy again.' And once more her look lingered upon the Tevinter mage.

That same moment the messenger came in with a filled bucket which left Elthina no time to object. She more or less fled the room, almost in the same way Conrad Tulli had done before her. 'Throw the water over that thing in the corner,' Aveline said grimly.

Marius definitely had had more pleasant ways of waking up, instead of being drenched in ice cold water and meeting the dark unyielding glaring eyes of the Guard Captain directly after. 'Don't you even begin to think about using your foul magic,' she hissed, stooping over him, 'because these Templars won't hesitate for one second to smite you or whatever they do to incapacitate you. Or would you rather I let fetch Fenris so he can beat the shit out of your miserable body? I think I'd prefer the last option myself; it would be quite a show to behold.' It was a gamble but she was as good as sure the Tevinter whoreson didn't know Fenris wasn't nearby to make his life a living hell.

Marius cringed and Aveline grinned nastily. 'I see you understand what I mean.' She stood straight when Edgert de Montfort was ushered in by Donnic. To her satisfaction she saw the first sported a black eye.

'I demand to know –' the Hound started haughtily.

'Shut your mouth,' Aveline barked and to his own amazement he did. 'I have more important issues to deal with at the moment than your misplaced wounded pride. Wait for your turn.' She hauled Marius on his feet at the collar of his soaked tunic and planted him roughly on a chair. A puddle of water began to form under the piece of furniture. 'And now you are going to explain what a Tevinter army is doing on Kirkwall soil,' she snarled. 'Make it short and quick.'

Edgert de Montfort almost choked. And was more than happy to hear the Guard Captain's interrogation. He found out very soon she was much better at it than he was.

Orsino opened the door to his room, strode into the corridor and immediately collided with Keran. The young Templar squealed with fright, stumbled and dropped the key he was holding. For one terrible moment he thought one of the terrifying statues had come to life to attack him. He went rigid. He could only stare at the key that had been trusted to him and now flew out of his grasp. The object described an almost perfect curve through the air, made a summersault and landed on the floor. The clang with which the heavy key fell on the tiles seemed to be deafening. Keran had stared at the course the key had taken, he had tried to catch it but although he just came to life a moment before the key had hit the ground, he failed to catch the object only by inches. He but just stifled a scream. Only then he noticed Orsino's presence.

The mage had grabbed Keran's arm to steady him and now they both stared at the iron object lying on the floor, Keran with rising panic, Orsino with fast growing understanding.

'What are you doing, running through the Gallows at this hour of night with the key to the gates in your hands?'

Keran wasn't capable to answer; he had blanched and was trembling all over his body. All of his already stretched nerves paralysed him for some precious moments. Orsino ducked, snatched up the key and pulled the young man into his office. He clicked the door shut behind them. He tried to order his thoughts. It could be the young man had delivered the solution, the answer to his predicament, right into his lap. 'Sit down, lad,' he said with a sugary voice, 'and calm yourself; I won't bite you.'

Keran more or less collapsed on the chair in front of the desk and took a big gulp of air. He pulled himself together and courageously said, 'First Enchanter, I really have to go.'

'And why is that, son; what's the hurry?' Even though he stood with his back to the young Templar, he could feel the uneasiness he radiated. He had taken another glass and filled it with a generous amount of brandy. He added a small splash of arcane poison from a little slender phial. The boy knew too much about his deeds; that was to say, he knew about the letter he had written to the Tevinter Imperium and that was dangerous enough. If he was going to hand him over to Meredith, he'd better enslave him first and be certain he would tell her his personal scrambled version of what had happened. Without mentioning the involvement of the Tevinter Imperium. To be completely on the safe side, he crushed the delicate phial between his fingers and made a little cut in the palm of his right hand. Blood magic, so forbidden and so easy to get access to. At least, with the right, not permitted, knowledge.

In the meantime Keran wrecked his brain to come up with a plausible excuse.

Orsino proffered him the glass with the mix of brandy and arcane poison. 'Take this,' he said, 'to ease the shock.' He smiled reassuringly. At the same time he applied a mild form of the forbidden blood magic. Enough to leave Keran defenceless.

Without thinking Keran accepted the glass and took a large quaff to lessen his nerves. 'There is a girl,' he tried desperately, 'in Lowtown, my sister's girlfriend, I love her. I, er, I, er I promised her we would meet tonight. I need that key. Please ...' It wasn't even a total lie; he did love Elisa who was indeed his sister's most intimate female friend, although she never spared him a second glance.

'Of course,' Orsino mumbled, 'I understand. We have all been young.' He grinned predatorily. 'But we both know you're lying, don't we. Who is waiting at the other side of the gates? Or should I ask how many?' His voice had become cold as ice within a heartbeat.

Keran grew cold as well. But before he could act, Orsino applied another wave of blood magic to chain him. Together with the effect of the poison, it was enough to disable him. Not only the young man wasn't capable of numbing his magic any longer, he also was put out of action. He might not know how to wield mind magic, but the application of blood magic would make Keran obedient and subjected. He walked around the desk and took the arm of the young Templar in a firm grip. He yanked him up and started to push him out of the office.

In a flash Keran saw what the First Enchanter was about to do. He fought against it but then found his body and mind didn't respond. He realised the brandy he had accepted had been contaminated. While he was dragged into the Knight Commander's office on the other side of the corridor, his eyes opened wide with panic. 'My girlfriend,' he tried anew but was immediately cut short.

'Shut up,' Orsino hissed.

Why does he do this, what has he to gain? He is the wrongdoer, not me. But how much he tried, he could not express himself properly. And it didn't help the Knight Commander's harsh and crazy intension now focused on him.

Meredith rose from her chair, her face an angry question mark.

'What is the meaning of this?' she snapped.

'Look at him,' Orsino said triumphantly, 'and look at a little traitor. I assure you he has a very interesting story to tell.'

Marius babbled frantically and the words tumbled over each other in his haste to spill the beans. 'My task was to seed chaos and in the midst of the turmoil our army would strike,' he ended, his voice pitched high. He expected Fenris's lightning blue wrath any moment now.

Aveline looked frostily down on him. 'My congratulations,' she grumbled with icy sarcasm, 'it seems you have succeeded, though probably not in the way you wanted.'

'I say we finish him off right here and now,' de Montfort said with disgust.

'No,' Aveline growled, 'he can serve a better purpose.' She put her face close to Marius's. 'You have a choice here, you grimy piece of nugshit. Either you help us fight that Tevinter army, or better the mages they undoubtedly have with them, or I kill you right on the spot myself,' she snarled.

'I will fight with you,' Marius shrieked.

'No!' de Montfort objected loudly. 'It is too risky; he will turn against us!'

'I'll make sure he will have a Templar with him at all times,' Aveline said darkly.

'Even so –'

She turned fast as a viper and the Hound almost got blasted away by her furious glare. 'Can you give me a contingent of mages to battle alongside us?' she spat.

He staggered back but nonetheless managed, 'We could make an appeal to the Knight Commander.'

Aveline laughed sardonically. 'What a splendid idea to ask that lunatic for favours! You know as well as I do she would rather see the city overrun by enemies than let just one mage get out of the Circle. But besides that, I'm afraid she's occupied at the moment. By trying to cope with an attack on the Gallows to be precise. So, since we can't make use of either the Circle mages or the Templars, we have to make do with what we can get our hands upon. And that involves Marius, ironically the only mage available at the moment.' She left him wordless and turned her attention to the other nobles who in the meantime had entered her office.

'Ladies and gentlemen,' she said with grim brightness, 'I want you to sort out everyone who can hold a bow or can throw a spear and send them to the Hightown Gate. They will be our first and probably most important defences.'

'And what about Lowtown?' Lady Reinhardt said. 'Are we going to leave the citizens down there to their lot?'

'As if you would care one bit,' Aveline couldn't help comment. Lady Reinhardt bristled but the Guard Captain didn't pay it any heed. 'Lowtown is only accessible through Hightown or via the Docks. And one can reach the docks only by the small canal between the rocks Kirkwall is famous for. I assure you the chains are already down. My scouts have not reported any fleet manoeuvres and even if that would have escaped their attention, no ship can sail into the harbour, so Lowtown is safe.' She let an uncompromising look wander from one worried face to the other. 'I rally my guardsmen, you rally your men. There is no time for discussion, there is only time to act. The enemy will reach our gate within half an hour.'

With that she marched out of the room, Donnic at her heals. She hauled Marius with her. No way would she lose him out of her sight.