Denerim – Promoted Pawn

Serenity POV

For all that it was entertaining, it was laughably easy. They had even left the armor just sitting there, as if waiting for someone to try this.

I wandered to the private chambers of the Empress, making sure that my steps were confident, but not arrogant, and that my demeanor was relaxed, but alert. The guards I passed barely looked at me, acknowledging me with a simple nod at most.

And, when I reached my destination, all I had to do was briefly catch the eyes of one of the solders on duty and nod to the door. He took that to mean I was relieving him and gladly gave me his post.

This is how I got to eavesdrop on the Empress Celene's private negotiation and learn more about Orlesian diction, which was perfect.

Though, I really couldn't tell how serious they were about this 'fashion crime'?

"All guards dismissed," the Empress declared once her guest left. "Save the one in the alcove." That meant me. Uh oh, this might be interesting.

Despite the minor panic, I remained perfectly relaxed. That was the key, to not look surprised. Guards just followed orders.

"Well," the Empress began with they all disappeared. "I do not recall having females among my guards."

"Aw, you saw through it!" I pouted, discarding the act. "How did you figure it out?"

"Well, it took more than a few glances," she laughed. "But I decided your face was too feminine to be a man and then there's your hair color." Ah, red hair, so very distinctive. I thought I hidden that well enough though, darn.

"Alas, I can do nothing about that." I shook my head in regret. "I'd hope the helmet would shadow my face enough."

"What are you doing here? And who are you exactly?"

"I was bored, your Imperial Majesty." I gave her a courtly bow, or as best of one I could manage. "I am Serenity, ma'am, Bryce Cousland's youngest."

She laughed again and gestured to the seat her guest had vacated. "Sit down with me, Serenity, and do take off that helmet. I'm sorry we haven't met sooner. Please, tell me how you managed this?"

I had her laughing throughout the entire tale and she insisted I have luncheon with her the next day. I agreed, of course, as I'd learn more about her, and her kingdom, than Papa would this way.

The entire point of me playing this masquerade, if the truth must be told.

I woke up all at once, not the least bit groggy. That being said, I felt almost uncomfortably light and held up my arms. No gauntlets, just rough linen sleeves and fresh bandages on my hands. No armor in general, as I soon learned, but I was dressed in pants.

My armor had probably been melted down by this point. It surprisingly hurt to think that, but, then again, I had worn that armor since the beginning.

I wondered where I was. Cauthrien had me knocked out before arriving, to keep me from talking my way out. Smart woman, she is.

Soft woman, too, as I quickly found out. At the foot of the cot, Oriana's bracelets, my earrings, the chain with Hespith's and Irminric's rings, and the Lady's hairpiece were resting in a neat pile.

Putting on the jewelry, I was barely hiding a grin. Well, well, this is an unexpected stroke of luck. Good for me, but bad for the guards. Specifically, the one outside my cell door. After all, these were Antivan bracelets, each bead filled with deadly poison.

…Okay, I could probably kill the guard with a punch, but that'll make a lot of noise and, more than likely, cover me in blood. Not helpful for an escaping prisoner.

That being said, I'm sure the others are preparing their own little rescue. So, should I be a good little damsel in distress and wait patiently, despite having enough brains to escape myself or…

Yeah, I was already standing up and calling for the guard before the thought was completed.

"Um… Sir?" I called hesitantly.

"If you aren't bleeding, I don't care!" he immediately snapped, stepping a little too close. Seriously, I could probably get him here.

But, too much noise. "That's just it, sir. I'm not sure."

"How can you not be sure if you're not bleeding?" He pointed at my shirt. "There's no red on it."

"Internal bleeding doesn't stain clothes." I whimpered, brushing a hand over my lower back. "It hurts a lot and I thought I saw bruising."

"And Ser Cauthrien did say you weren't to die in the cell." He sighed wearily. "Oh, all right. Give me a second."

While he was working the cell door open, I popped one of the beads open and took out the small little pellet of pure poison. Have to do this quick. I have no idea whether this poison could infect me through my skin and I definitely didn't have the antidote on hand. Oh, I wish I had thought to ask Oriana just what kind of poison she put in these things.

The door opened and he stepped inside. He didn't even close the door. "Now…" He leered at me. Uh oh. "Where is this bruise?"

"Lower back," I repeated. I lifted my shirt a little, as if to help him see.

He stepped a little closer and started to say something.

As soon as he opened his mouth, though, I jumped forward and dropped the poison bead down his throat and snapped his jaw shut. He didn't even have time to choke, just collapsed, twitched a bit, and went still. A quick check confirmed he was, in fact, dead. Wow, Oriana, you didn't skimp on the poison.

Then, as Riordan had done back at the Estate, I stripped the dead guard of his armor and donned it. A little big on me, but not enough that I'll be hurting.

With that, I exited the cell, locked the corpse within, and strode out of the prison area. That's when I learned where I was: Fort Drakon.

Loghain had ordered Cauthrien to not take chances, it seems.

So, apparently, new recruits were arriving by the day. The guards saw a new person with slightly unfitting armor and immediately assumed she was one. By the way, yes, that person was me. So, I was brought directly to the Captain. Luckily, the helmet covered my hair perfectly and no one would think twice about the feminine face; females were allowed to join the guard in Fereldan.

While I was being escorted, though, I learned something very important and interesting.

All the rumors said that the Warden (I) had been taken to the highest security area in the facility. That means that she (I) had been given the ultimate sentence: death without trial. All of this meant I shouldn't have been able to escape and that I really should have already been dead. After all, all prisoners under that much security were taken to the torture chamber within hours.

Yet I wasn't. I had been given time to sleep. Cauthrien had even left me my jewelry and gave me clothes. It's almost as if she was expecting, maybe even hoping, that I'd get out.

What an interesting thought. What an interesting thought indeed.

Unfortunately, I did not have the time to focus on it as I was being introduced to the Captain right as I realized this.

"Name," he asked, hunting for an inkwell.

"Flemeth," I answered, putting a trace of an Orlesian accent in my voice. Why was that the first name I thought of? The Captain shot me a look and I shrugged. "My maman… she was obsessed with the legend. My father tried to tell her that it was not a good name for a Fereldan girl, but she put her foot down." I sighed. "Stubborn woman, but it was one of the few things she left me. Well, that and the accent."

"I was about to ask." The Captain made a few notes. "Fereldan born?"

"I grew up in a small village not far from Redcliffe," I told him. "You might not know of it, but it's called Farsway. It has a modicum amount of fame as-"

"A grower of grapes for wine," the Captain finished. He gave me a piercing look. "What kind again?"

"The best white wine in Fereldan," I declared proudly. "Why, even King Maric drank it. Oh, it's so much fun to make it and-"

"I'm afraid I don't have the time to listen to this at the moment," the Captain interrupted. "And neither do you. Inspection is within a few minutes and you're missing your sword." Yeah, I wonder what did happen to… okay, well, besides being stuck in the stone floor.

"Yes, ser!" I bowed awkwardly and made to leave. I purposely tripped over my own feet, forcing one of the other guards to catch me. "Oops?"

"You don't have to run!" he laughed. "Head to the stores just down the hall. There are two others that will be going for inspection, and your first patrol, with you. They'll help you; don't fret."

"Yes, ser," I replied shyly before slipping down the hall. I briefly toyed with the idea of just heading out right then, but overhearing something about a password killed that plan. Looks like I need to find these other two men and tag along after them.

I found them plotting something over the grain barrels. "Um, hello?"

"Gah!" They both jumped and nearly broke one of the barrels. "Who are you?" one asked. I'll name him… Un. The other shall be 'Deux'.

"A new guard too," I answered brightly. "I was told you two would know what was needed?"

"Regulation swords," Un answered. "That's all that's needed once you've got the uniform."

"But, what are we going to do about him?" Duex asked worriedly. "He's still miffed with us."

"We need the swords, though." Un smiled. "I'm sure he'd understand."

"He got yelled at because of us. By Teyrn Loghain. You really think he'd understand?"

"Why don't I talk with him?" I asked with a winning smile. "He does not know me, yes?"

The two looked so relieved that I almost guilty for using them to get out.

So, instead of talking more, I left the room and went to the stores.

There was a single guard there, muttering about Loghain. I walked up to him and said in my most convincing voice, "Captain's orders, I'm relieving you now."

"Thank the Maker," he breathed. "I've been here all morning." He left and I grabbed the three regulation swords and walked away.

And if the rest of the weapons mysteriously turned up in random parts of the fort, I know nothing. Really, truly.

I was having way too much fun with this.

"Here you go!" I cheerfully handed the two their swords and buckled my own to the waist. "So, what now?"

"Inspection." Un and Duex grabbed my arms and quickly dragged me back to the captain.

The guard just inside looked relieved. "You three are just barely on time."

"Sorry," I said. "Difficulties acquiring the swords."

"The assistant quartermaster holding grudges again?" The guard rolled his eyes, but shooed us in without another word.

The Captain was already standing in front of his desk. As the three of us lined up (Un and Duex on either side of me), he walked towards us. "So, you think you're ready to go on your first patrol, do you?"

"Ser, yes, ser!" I responded brightly, with a proper salute.

"That's what I like to hear!" He laughed. "Enthusiasm is always important." His eyes sharpened on Un. "Stand up straight, soldier! The King's Own men don't slouch!"

"Sorry, sir," Un mumbled, embarrassed. I bit back the urge to tell him one of the numerous tricks I was taught to keep a perfect poise.

"And you!" Captain rounded on Duex. "Stop fidgeting! You are not being paid to fidget!"

"Yes, sir!" Duex yelled, saluting.

I almost laughed with Un muttered, "Kiss arse."

"I expect you three back here by sunup," Captain continued. "Maker watch over you and get out of here."

The three of us saluted and began to walk down the hall. I merely listened to Duex tease Un about his unfitting armor, thinking rapidly. This is where things can get difficult, depending on how closely they watch the new recruits.

To my luck (and surprise) there was nothing about that. No means of identifying yourself, no secret handshake or anything.

Just a simple exchange. "Password?"

"Rabbit!" The password was really…? Wow. Okay then.

They didn't even have individual passwords, like I had been expecting (I even had a plan figured out for obtaining one). No, it was one group password and so long as one person knew it, everyone could go through.

This is the highest security facility? Why don't we have more criminals escaping?

I'll deal with that later.

As we exited the fort and began to patrol the surrounding area, I could barely contain my smirk. Now, where would a good place to sneak off be?

Author's note:

Chapters up until the Landsmeet proper might come out very quickly; I've had them planned out for a while, and I like this section of the game, so they get written very fast.

I have to say, this is one of my favorite sequences. Just because of how ridiculously easy it is… and how hysterically amusing that it is that easy to sneak out of what is, supposedly, a high security area. Unfortunately, because it's so easy, I didn't have many ideas! ^^; Hopefully it wasn't too boring or bad

So, who actually remembers the bracelets? They were first mentioned in chapter 2b and last mentioned… I think chapter 14? Somewhere around there.

The "names" for the guards are taken from the French words for 'one' and 'two'.

Speaking of names, chapter names:
Trapped Queen – References Anora
Crowing Pawn – References the nobles whose vote you obtain through the Crows
Betraying Bishop – References Howe, the "bishop" who betrayed the Couslands
Captured Queen – References both Anora and Serenity, queen pieces who have been captured by the other side
Promoted Pawn – References Serenity, both her old mentality of her being a pawn herself and how the queen piece can return even after capture

So, next chapter: Agrona's POV of what they've been doing since.