They walked over to where the wedding party was gathering on the platform. Soris walked up the stairs first and Valora smiled as he approached. "Ooh! Soris! There you are. I was afraid you'd run off."

"No, I'm here, with Nelaros' blushing bride in tow!"

Nelaros smiled as Kallian moved to stand next to her. "You look radiant."

"It looks like everyone's ready." Soris said as Mother Boann walked up the platform.

"Good luck, Soris." Kallian said after taking a deep breath.

"You too, Cousin. Maybe this won't be so bad, after all." Soris assured.

The moment those words exited Soris' lips, Kallian knew that something was definitely going to go wrong. She wrapped her hand around Nelaros' and looked into his handsome face, trying to smile.

Valendrian then looked over the crowd that had gathered. "Friends and family, today we celebrate not only this joining, but also our bonds of kin and kind. We are a free people, but that was not always so. Andraste, the Maker's prophet, freed us from the bonds of slavery. As our community grows, remember that our own strength lies in commitment to tradition and to each other."

Mother Boann then took her place. "Thank you, Valendrian. Now, let us begin. In the name of the Maker, who brought us this world, and in whose name we shall say the Chant of Light, I—" She was interrupted as Soris pointed to the armed men approaching the platform. Mother Boann turned around, surprised to see Vaughan leading them. "Milord? This is… an unexpected surprise."

"Sorry to interrupt, Mother, but I'm having a party and we're dreadfully short of female guests." Vaughan laughed.

"Milord, this is a wedding!" Mother Boann protested.

"Ha!" Vaughan scoffed. "If you want address your pets and have tea parties, that's your business. But don't pretend this is a proper wedding. Now, we're here for a good time, aren't we boys?" Vaughan smiled lustfully.

His two companions joined in the laughter. "Just a good time with the ladies, that's all."

Vaughan began to point to the women. "Let's take those two, the one in the tight dress, and… where's the bitch that bottled me?"

"Over here, Lord Vaughan!" He grabbed Shianni.

"Let me go, you stuffed-shirt son of a—"

Vaughan laughed. "Oh, I'll enjoy taming her. And see the pretty bride..." He smirked as he eyed Kallian

Nelaros placed himself between Vaughan and Kallian. "Don't worry. I won't let them take you!"

There was no way Kallian would be dragged off by this pig, not without a fight at least. "I can handle myself! We have to fight!"

Vaughan eyed Kallianr hungrily. "Ah, yes… such a well-formed little thing."

"You villain!" Nelaros snarled.

"That's quite enough." Vaughan laughed. "I'm sure we all want to avoid further… um, unpleasantness."

Kallian glared up at him. "Don't you dare touch me! I'll kill you!"

Vaughan laughed. "Ha! This one has spirit!" He then licked his lips. "Oh, we're going to have some fun."

One of Vaughan's men then approached her and smacked her across her face and everything went black.


Kallian's head was spinning she came to and the first thing she heard was Nola's voice. "Maker keep us, Maker protect us, Maker keep us, Maker protect us—"

"Stop it! You're driving me insane!" Shianni's angry voice sounded off.

Kallian then opened her eyes and found herself in a cell and obviously the bolt was barred from the outside. Nola was on her knees praying and Shianni, Valora and an unknown bridesmaid were relieved, when she began to get up.

"Oh, thank the Maker you've come to. We were so worried." Shianni said as she helped her up.

"Is everyone all right?" Kallian asked, groaning and rubbing her head.

"We scared but unharmed. So far." Valora said. She then looked over to the door. "They locked us in here to wait until that… bastard is "ready for us"."

Kallian then got to her feet, Shianni had to study her so she wouldn't fall. "Then we need to get out of here!"

"Forgive me if I don't hold my breath. The door is locked and solid, and we're unharmed!" One of the bridesmaids cried out.

During all this time Nola was still praying. "Maker keep us, Maker protect us, Maker keep us, Maker protect us—"

Shianni groaned. "Great! Now this, again."

The bridesmaid turned to Kallian. "Look, we'll… do what they want, go home, and try to forget this ever happened!"

"She's right. It'll be worse if we resist." Valora agreed.

"It will be worse if we don't!" Shianni protested.

They then heard someone behind the door and could hear the jingle of keys.

"Someone's coming!" Nola said.

Kallian turned and looked at the girls. "If you see an opportunity, take it."

The door open and several heavily armed soldiers walked into the room. "Hello, wenches—we're your escort to Lord Vaughan's little party."

Nola got to her feet. "Stay away from us!" She screamed.

Next thing they knew, the captain swung his sword and struck Nola. They watched in horror as she fell to the ground, blood pouring on the ground.

"You killed her!" The bridesmaid gasped.

The captain began to clean his sword as if nothing happened. "I suppose that's what happens when you try teaching whores some respect." He then turned to his men. "Now, you grab the little flower cowering in the corner. Horace and I'll take the homely bride and the drunk." He glanced between Kallian and two of the guards. "You two, bind the last one. She's the scrapper."

The captain left with men leaving Kallian with the two guards. They began to approach, but instead of running, she stood her ground.

"Don't worry; we'll be perfect gentlemen." One of them said.

"Now, you heard the captain. Be a good little wench or you'll end up like your friend, there." The other one advised.

Kallian raised her fists ready to fight. "Try it. See what part you lose first."

"Ha! Horace was right: she's a scrapper!"

Then suddenly she saw Soris appeared behind the door with a sword in his hand. "Uh… hello?"

The guards turned and looked at each other and amusement. "Oh, look at this. A little elfling with a stolen sword."

They began to advance towards Soris, but then he tossed the sword across the ground between them and Kallian caught it. At first the guards weren't too worried that was until she began swinging it around like a master.

"Oh, sod."

The two guards charged at her, but suddenly one of them got a bolt through the neck and Kallian disarmed the other one and plunged the sword right through his chest. She looked up to see that Soris was holding a crossbow in his hand.

Soris then saw the Nola's lifeless body and knelt beside it. "I… can't believe they killed her!" He then looked up at her, his face for worry. "Are you all right? They… didn't hurt you, did they?"

"Nothing rattles me. You know that." Kallian assured him, putting her hand on his shoulder

Soris looked relieved. "Thank the Maker! Hopefully we can still save the others!"

Kallian then looked at the crossbow in his hand and the sword in hers, wondering where he had gotten the weapons. "What do we have to work with?"

"That Grey Warden, Duncan, gave Nelaros and me his sword and crossbow, but that's all we have." Soris explained.

Kallian blinked at him. "Why didn't Duncan or his recruits come?"

"His recruits did want to assist, but he said they couldn't interfere. Something about the Grey Wardens being neutral." Soris shrugged.

Kallian groaned. "Lucky us, we have nothing to lose."

Soris nodded. "Agreed. Nelaros is guarding the end of the hall. Let's figure this out with him."


They then rushed out the cell and found themselves in the kitchen. They didn't get very far because the cooks noticed them and turned very angry.

"What's this? I don't recognize you, elf." He then saw the blood on her face. "Wait…is that blood?" He then looked at them and horror. "Your bandits! Rebels! Outlaws! The guards will make quick work of… unngghhh."

He never finished that sentence, because one of the servants hit him on the back of the head with a frying pan.

The servant looked at them with a small smile on his face. "You've no idea how long that shem's had it coming."

Kallian gave him a respected nod. "I'm Kallian. This is Soris."

"I'm Adwen, the cook's assistant." Adwen's eyes lit up on recognition as he looked at Kallian. "You're one of the girls they brought in, aren't you? They took the others to Lord Vaughan's room. You should hurry. He's not… gentle… with women." Kallian shivered, wondering what Shianni and the other women must have been going through at the moment. "Now, if you excuse me, I'm getting out of here before the storm hits." Adwen ran off, which seemed like a wise idea.

Before entering into the next room, Kallian looked through the keyhole and saw several guards playing cards. She then cleaned the blood off her face and Soris, placed her sword down before grabbing a pitcher and poured a bottle rat poison into it. Soris got the idea and smile as she entered into the next room.

The guards were still playing cards when one of them spotted her. "You there, elf! I need another drink. Anyone else?"

"Sure, to celebrate taking all your money." One of them laughed.

The guard glared at him. "Stop counting and start shuffling." He then saw the both Kallian and Soris hadn't moved a muscle. "What are you waiting for? Get us those drinks! I'll blacken your eye if you don't move your arse."

"I have your drinks right here."

"Why didn't you say so?"

"Would you prefer I pour, or answer?"

"Don't give me your back-talk, knife-ear! Pour and get out!"

Kallian kept his face an expressionless mask as she filled the tankards. The guards began drinking almost before she was done pouring.

"Ungh—That's a nasty kick there. Drink in, boys; it'll put hair on your chest."

One guard began to cough. "Nasty kick, indeed—" He then toppled over, lifeless.

One guard looked at his tankard realizing what she done. "What's in here, you little… rat—" He almost made it to his feet just as Kallian placed the pitcher down.

Soris then entered the room giving her back her sword. "Nice work! Now, let's go before anyone else comes."


Their luck didn't hold as a guard saw them before they could take more than two steps into the hall. Kallian could hear Soris gulp. She on the other hand drew the blade Duncan had loaned Soris and charged towards the guard. She easily parried the guard's strikes and lifted the blade high enough for her to drive a knife into his ribs. Soris stared at her as he took the soldier's sword. She must have been frightening sight with her wedding dress covered in blood and holding a longsword in her hand.

They just opened the door into the next hallway and watched as a guard struck Nelaros with his sword. It was the guard captain she met earlier and he looked at them as they entered. "See? I told you there'd be more. Elves run in packs, like rodents."

"Should we keep the knife-eared bitch, alive?"

The guard-captain shook his head. "They killed our boys. She dies."

Kallian clutched her sword in anger. "You killed Nelaros!"

The guard captain laughed. "He squealed like a stuck pig when he died. Let's see if you do, too."

It was then that she let her anger out upon the guards. A guard swung his sword at her, but she easily blocked it and swung her blade across his stomach and she could see the surprised look on his face when he fell. The second guard hesitated and that was a fatal mistake. Soris fired a bolt from his crossbow and it lodged itself into his throat.

She then made her way over to Nelaros' body as the captain raised a shield. She then made a dash towards him and he swung his sword down upon, but she took a sideways step to the right and spun around and swung her sword right over his shoulders. Before the captain could raise his shield, his head was sliced from his body.

Soris then approached Nelaros body. "Nelaros… I'm so sorry."

Kallian approached his body and closed his eyes. If they had been married, she knew she probably would have loved him. "He died to save me."

Soris nodded and got to his feet. "Let's make sure it wasn't in vain."


After cutting their way through more guards, they soon found the room where the other girls were being held. They open the door and found Vaughan looking over Shianni, her clothes torn, apparently, they arrive just in time before he could do anything horrible to them.

"My, my. What have we here?" Vaughan smiled.

His companion smirked. "Don't worry; we'll make short work of these two."

"Quiet, you idiot!" Vaughan whirled at him, glaring before turning to Kallian and Soris again. "They're covered with enough blood to fill a tub. What do you think that means?" He reached for his sword.

Kallian smirked as she swung her sword around. "It means your guards are dead."

Vaughan raised his hands, trying to be diplomatic. "All right, let's not be too hasty here." Kallian's eyes turned up on Shianni, who was covering herself up as tears staining her face. "Surely we can talk this over..."

She couldn't believe this shem, first he kidnapped her from a wedding, then he attempted to rape her and her friends and then his guards killed her betrothal. "You really think you can talk your way out of this?"

Shianni sobbed. "Please, just… get me out of here! I want to go home!"

Vaughan kept his composure. "Think for a minute. Kill me, and you ruin more lives than just your own. By dawn, the city will run red with elven blood. Think about it. You know how this ends. Or we could talk this through..." He looked at her sword. "Now that you have my undivided attention."

Kallian considered. She wanted him to pay but she couldn't let Shianni get harmed. "If you have something to say, say it."

"Here's our situation. You are skilled, obviously. We fight here, perhaps you could even manage to kill us…" Vaughan turned to face the portrait of his father, Arl Urien. "My father won't let that go. Your pigsty of an alienage will be burned to the ground." He then turned around to face Kallian and Soris, smirking. "Or you turn and walk away… with forty sovereigns added to your purses. You take that money and leave Denerim tonight. No repercussions, and you can go wherever you like."

Kallian growled. Surely there was a catch. "What about the women? Will you let them go?"

Vaughan smirked with lustful face. "The women stay. They'll go home tomorrow, slightly worse for wear, and you'll be long gone. That's the deal. Take it or leave it."

Kallian reached for her sword. "I'm going to enjoy killing you."

Vaughan's face turned red as he scoffed. "Bah! I always regret talking to knife-ears! Now I'll just gut your ignorant carcasses, instead!"

Vaughan swung his blade at her, but Kallian easily blocked it and then elbowed him in the face as he staggered. Before he could do anything else, she impaled him with her other blade. Then his two companions charged at her, but they didn't stand a much better chance.

She easily disarmed one of his lackeys easily and then cut his head off with both blades. The second just stood there looking at her in fear before a bolt struck him in the stomach.

Soris' face was almost green as he panted, both of them covered in blood. "He… he's dead. Tell me we did the right thing, Cousin."

She looked at Vaughan's body. "He forced my hand."

"That's true." Soris acknowledged. "I… I'll check the back room for the others. Shianni needs you."

Kallian sheated her blades as she knelt next to Shianni. She had no idea what to say and then she grabbed his arm. "Don't leave me alone… please… please, take me home." Shianni sobbed.

Kallian placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a sympathetic look. "Everything will be all right."

Shianni looked at Kallian hand and looked into her eyes. "So much blood. I… I can't stand looking at it. It's… everywhere." She then looked to the bodies of Vaughan and his two lackeys. "You killed them, didn't you? You killed them all?"

Kallian met her eyes. "I did what had to be done."

Shianni's smile was vicious. "Good. Good..."

Valora was the first to emerge from the other room. "Is... she going to be all right?"

Kallian looked as Shianni's lips quivered. "I hope so."

"Shianni's strong. She will recover." Valora assured. She then grabbed a cloak from a hook on the wall and placed it over Shianni.

"Uh… we should go. Soon. As in now." Soris said, looking at the door fearfully.

Kallian nodded. "Good thought."

Soris reloaded the crossbow. "I'll take the rear guard. I can't wait to leave this place."