Chapter 33 Maker Save the Queen
Just after Loghain left, an elven woman came into Arl Eamon's Estate asking for help, claiming to be the queen's handmaid. It seems Rendon Howe has imprisoned the queen in his estate. So now me, Darrian, Zevran, Kitsune and the newly recruited Jowan have disguised ourselves as Howe's soldiers and are following the handmaid Erlina into Rendon Howe's estate to rescue the queen.
Outside Arl Rendon Howe's Estate
When we got to Howe's estate, there's a crowd gathering at the main door.
"Why are all these people here?" Asked Darrian.
Jowan: "A strike?"
"The estate is in poor repair. The new arl has not been very prompt in paying his workmen." Answered Elina. "We're entering through the servants' door, follow me."
In front of the servants' entrance
Erlina: "I will distract the guards, once they are gone, move quickly."
The whole thing is just so odd. Rendan Howe, an Arl, from what I can understand, is equal to a count in Astora, imprisons the queen of Ferelden, who is also the daughter of his master Loghain. And this Erlina, she somehow managed to sneak out five sets of uniforms and heavy armors… I'd be surprised if this wasn't a trap.
"Do any of you think this is suspicious?"
"Why of course this is suspicious, Sir Baldwin. That handmaid was able to smuggle out five sets of heavy armors but not a queen?" Said Zevran.
"Save the queen first, then we'll worry about whatever else later." Replied Darrian.
When the two guards leave their posts and then walk out of sight, we immediately rush in through the door.
Inside Rendon Howe's Estate
Once we were all inside, we stayed by the door and waited for Erlina to return.
"How old do I look to you?" I asked Kitsune, and she turns to look at me once and then turns her head away again.
Jowan: "Ha, hah."
"Are you alright?" I asked Jowan.
Jowan: "I'm.. out of breath… I never wore… armor… before."
We didn't even bring our usual weapons. To complete the disguise, all of us either have a combination of sword and shield, or dual swords and crossbow. Good thing I'm proficient with a sword and shield.
"Control your breathing, that will help. And how old do I look to you?"
Jowan: "Huh?"
Just then, the door opened and the maid returned, way faster than I expected.
Erlina: "Ah! It took me forever to be rid of those two!"
Really? But you came in right after we did.
Darrian: "Alright, where's the queen?"
Darrian leads the rescue party because he's been here before. It seems this is the place Duncan told me about, where Darrian killed a noble's son and ten guards. I actually didn't want to be in the same team as Darrian anymore, but Aedan disagreed, saying something about a party needing balance and harmony.
"She is in a guest room off the main hall. Andraste guides us." Said Erlina the maid.
In front of the guest room
"The Grey Warden is here, my lady." Said Erlina, talking to a glowing door.
"Thank the Maker! I would greet you properly, but I'm afraid we've had… a setback." Said the glowing door. I know the door isn't talking, it's the person behind the door.
"Queen Anora I presume?" Said Zevran, Bowing to the door.
Darrian: "What sort of setback?"
"My "host" was not content with leaving me under heavy guard. He's sealed the door with magic."
Darrian turns to me, Jowan and Kitsune. "Can you do anything about this?"
Kitsune: "I can only open physical locks."
Jowan: "This magic is too advanced for me."
"Of course it is." Said Zevran with a smile.
I take a closer look at the door and touch the barrier.
"I could destroy the whole door… no, the entire foundation, and everything around it."
Darrian: "What? And have the whole castle know we are here? I'm talking about just quietly removing the magic."
Jowan: "The only way I know how to remove a magical barrier is to kill the caster."
Darrian: "Three mages, and no one knows how to dispell a barrier."
"What three mages?" Asked Kitsune.
Darrian: "What?"
Kitsune: "What?
Oh right, Kitsune is a shinobi. She practices something called ninjitsu, a combination of techniques, tactics, tools and chemicals to trick people into thinking they have supernatural power. She didn't tell me this, I just happen to have that information inside of me, either because I adsorbed a shinobi's soul or someone who is familiar with shinobi at one point in time.
Zevran: "If only Alistair were here, or Morrigan."
Darrian turns to Erlina. "You didn't know about this?"
Erlina: "It wasn't here when I left."
Anora: "Find the mage, he'll likely be at Howe's side."
Zevran: "So either way, we still might need to fight the whole castle."
Jowan: "What do we do?"
Darrian: "We'll find the mage."
Erlina: "Teyrn Howe will probably be in his rooms. They're at the end of the hall, on the left."
Dungeon
Room at end of the hall she said. That room leads to the basement, and like in any old fashioned castle, the dungeon.
"What? Who goes-" Said a random guard.
Kitsune immediately dashes forward and with a quick draw of her sword, cut the guard's throat open.
"Hello? You out there! Let me out!" Said a voice inside the cell by the dead guard.
We walk in front of the cell and saw a middle aged man.
"Who are you?" Asked Darrian.
"I'm Riordan, senior Warden of Jaden." Said the man.
"Is he telling the truth?" I turn and asked Darrian and Jowen.
"How should I know?" Said Jowen.
"You can sense Darkspawns because of their tainted blood, right? And the Darkspawns can sense you for the same reason." That's how they found and ambushed us a few days ago. "By that logic shouldn't one Gray Warden be able to sense another?"
Darrian: "Can we? Duncan and Alistair never told me anything about this."
"You are… Yes, I can sense it… the taint." Said the imprisoned man.
"I wasn't asking you." I then turn back to Darrian and Jowen. "Try and sense the taint, like you do with Darkspawns."
Imprisoned Warden Riordan: "The taints in us are weak compared to the Darkspawns, you need years of training to be able to sense other Gray Wardens."
"Then you will stay in the cell until we can prove your claim."
Imprisoned Warden Riordan?: "I have no reason to lie to you."
Since when do people needed a reason to lie?
Zevran: "You seem to be a little overly cautious."
"I don't think so. He is in a cell for a reason."
Last time I let someone out of his cell, that person killed a defenseless crippled Fire Keeper. And when Aedan let someone out, that person tried to kill Darrian and become leader.
Imprisoned Warden Riordan: "I'm in a cell because Rendon Howe is an evil and shortsighted man."
"Nothing against you, but just because you're in a really evil person's dungeon, doesn't mean that you are trustworthy."
The Warden tries to reach for the dead guard, but I immediately pull the body away.
I then turn to Darrian and Jowen. "Well?"
Darrian: "I think I can sense something…" He walks closer and grabs the man's hand. "Yes, he has the taint."
"Well?" The imprisoned Warden said to me.
"See what?"
Riordan: "I think you owe me an apology."
"About…. What?"
Riordan: "That I was trying to deceive you."
"I did not say you were a liar, it's not personal. I just needed proof before I can believe you."
I then kick the guard's body over to him. He quickly takes the key from the guard and opens the cell, then strips the guard of his armor and weapon. As he's pulling on the guard's armor, Jowen heals him, and he told us he was sent to Denerim to find out what happened in Fereldan. When he arrived, he was offered a drink, and somehow got captured.
Darrian: "Do you want to stay with us, or leave? Arl Eamon's Estate is safe, you can stay there."
Riordan: "I'm coming with you, I want to pay Howe back for his "kind" hospitality."
Torture Chamber
Kitsune and Zevran slowly sneak into the room, while me and Darrian ready our crossbows. They sneaked behind two torturers and killed them, the third torturer saw what happened and was about to scream but was shot right through the cheek by Darrian. Kitsune immediately move on to the men and used her hand to cover his mouth, killed him and gently lower him to the floor.
"Haven't you had enough? I already told you! I don't know anything!" Said the man bound to a rack.
After we killed all the torturers, we found another naked man, restrained to a rack.
"We are not Howe's men." Said Darrian.
Man on a rack: "You can't fool me, you're just trying to trick me!"
"If anyone's tricking anyone here, it's you. You are supposed to have been tortured, but I don't see a wound on you."
Kitsune: "There are many ways to torture a person without leaving any wounds."
Tortured man: "She's right! I was denied sleep for days!"
"Why waste time keeping someone awake for days when they can uses a faster method?"
"Howe's probably thought he was more valuable alive and intact." Said Zevran. He then turns to the tortured man. "Tell me, who are you?'
Tortured man: "You're really not Howe's men?"
Zevran: "You are free to believe anything you want."
"I am Oswyn, son of Bann Sighard, of the Dragon's Peak Bannorn." Answered the man.
Zevran: "Ah! A noble. Of course. They always get special treatment."
Oswyn: "I Was Denied Sleep For Days!"
Zevran: "You should be happy you still have all your fingers and teeth."
Darrian: "So why are you here?"
Oswyn: "One soldier returning from Ostager was my wet nurse's son. We have been friends since birth. He told me his unit was ordered to turn their backs on the king at Ostager… Before the Darkspawn overwhelmed him. The next day, he disappeared. When I went to search for him… I accepted a drink from a stranger and ended up here."
"The same thing happened to you right?" I asked Rendon but he ignores me.
"Let him go." Said Darrian.
After Zevran cut him loose, he strips the armor from one of the soldiers.
"Do you want to come with us or escape on your own. Just so you know, there are still soldiers upstairs. But you might be able to sneak pass them with the armor you're wearing."
"Where are you going?"
"To kill Howe." Said Darrian.
"Then I am coming with you." Said Oswyn with a smile as he picks up his axe.
To be continued
