Judy thank you.
I breathed. But the breaths were coming too fast. I felt like I did at Ostagar. Overwhelmed and panicked. And then I heard it. A hair-raising howl followed by a low-pitched moan and another hackle raising long howl.
I looked a Teyrn, who was on his haunches with his head tilted back to the double moons and howling like a wolf. The howl slowly died out. The hound lowered his head and gave me a measured look before barking. I took a shuttering breath. And then a deeper one. I felt my body expand and I held it for a second. The key in my palm felt heavy.
Calmer I reached through the bars and put the key in the lock and turned. The door swung out with my weight against it. Quickly I moved to the cell holding Teyrn and freed him before turning to let the king out of his cell.
He pulled me into a hug. To comfort me and to assure himself I was all right and said, "You are going to learn how to use a weapon. You will never be defenseless again because you can't access your magic."
Nodding I agreed. I turned back to the cell I was imprisoned in and stepped over the still smoldering body to get at the blade I had tried to use before. We were bound to run into more soldiers and Cailan needed a weapon.
We needed to find the rest of our possessions. The books on magic were important as one taught healing. Something I was going to make time to study. My staff had been our only weapon. As was Morien's armor. Cailan had wanted to give it to his family as well as make the man a Bann for the child his betrothed was carrying.
We practically ran until we came to the main Jailors room and stopped dead in our tracks. There sitting at the table playing a card game were two Templars in armor. They examined us laughing at some private joke.
"Cade look what we have here. A mage who murdered her jailors."
"Definitely a blood mage. I say we take her to Aeonar and collect the bounty."
"Over my dead body," Cailan said holding the long sword assuming a fighting stance. Teyrn growled menacingly his hackles raised and crouched to attack.
The templars laughed and mocked "You don't say. Just who in the Maker's Name are you?"
"The King of Ferelden!"
"Well I guess we don't have a problem then. They Grey Wardens murdered the king at Ostagar. But you, poor man, you have been thralled by a wicked, wicked mage into believing such nonsense."
I didn't know what to think. I knew everyone believed Cailan was dead but why would they think the Wardens killed him. It was a massive battle with many casualties.
"I am very much alive … and I am telling you that this mage is only guilty of defending herself."
"They died by magic. Therefore, she murdered them. She probably lured them into her cell with promises of the flesh and killed them." Cade said unsympathetically coming gracefully to his feet and drawing his sword.
It was then I realized that the Templars had been out here all this time … and they had quit using their talents and allowed me to kill the men. Or worse they would have stood by and allowed them to rape me. "You heard the entire thing and did nothing. You permitted my mana so I could use magic. You wanted me to kill them, so you could charge me with being a blood mage."
Cailan studied the men for a moment and then spat on the ground. "You disgust me. Templars are supposed to protect the mages. Not harm them. When I get back to …"
He didn't get to finish his threat as the Templar called Cade had pulled his blade and lunged at us.
Bryne jumped up from the table knocking over his chair to assist his fellow Templar who was losing the battle against both Teyrn and Cailan. He'd hoped to even the odds and assist his friend when a jolt of electricity passed through him.
In pain he turned on the mage only to have her hit him in the chest with the chair. The wood splintered and drove him backwards tripping over Teyrn.
On his back he held his hands up and begged for mercy. To which Cailin impaled him with his own sword and said, "You've shown no mercy, why should I?"
We were in sync as we looted the bodies for items needed. I started on the two templars in front of me while Cailan walked back to the holding cells and rummaged our previous attackers.
When he came back, he walked over to the basin to wash off his spoils. There were seventy silver coins, two rings and an injury potion. To that I added four lyrium potions, one injury potion and a healing balm as well as both swords two amulets and ten gold sovereigns.
Our possessions and looted goods gathered and placed in our bags we removed the armor from the Templars. We would escape town by pretending to be the Chantry's soldiers. It would give us armor and weapons as well as hide our identities. That was until the next batch of guards found the bodies. Or the Templar who'd captured us came looking for her companions.
On our way out of town we passed several of the Bann's guards who paid no attention to us in our disguises and let us leave town unmolested.
Once away from public eyes I removed the armor. It was too heavy for me to walk in. And if we were seen I would just pretend to be a mage he was returning to the tower.