Dragon Age Origins: A Grey Wardens Tale.
Chapter 12: Beginnings of Comradery
The lava-lit red walls of the cavernous location glowed with ominous light as Darkspawn marched along a wide path that clearly rose upwards to an entryway where natural light seeped through between the opening that the hundreds if not thousands of monsters marched through; each bellowing a battle cry as uncountable black steel weapons were raised as the gigantic monster took flight with a mighty draconic roar.
Snapping up awake in a comfortable bed with soft mattresses, fur sheets and feather pillows; groggy from the nightmare as Aeden glanced down at himself finding within a yurt with fine beds and dressers arranged for the three of them and that he'd been undressed and laid into the bed he sat in with nothing but his undergarments, the setting feeling comfortably familiar as he rose up but felt like he wasn't alone within the walls of the tent as he spotted two other beds on either side on his own: both occupied.
To Aeden's left lay Kallian; her fiery red hair messy as it was apparent that she'd never slept in such a fine bed as she slept with her right arm raised over her head and a peaceful expression on her face, and to Aeden's right slept Neria; her body curled up into a ball-like position as she was apparently sucking on her thumb as she slept.
"Those two are rather cute" Aeden spoke quietly to himself before realising what he'd said and slapping himself in the face for daring to tempt himself with such thoughts of their beauty; silently rising to his feet as his affection and attraction to Elves shown through as he searched for his Armour only to find that three new sets of clothing had been laid out, he recognised Kallian's Outfit and Daggers on a table at the foot of her own bed and the robes of a Mage at the foot of Neria's bed but his own was almost entirely different: the outfit awaiting him was very lightweight chainmail and armour plates that was embossed with The Silver Griffon; the emblem of The Grey Wardens but his Family Heirlooms: his Sword and Shield remained with the new armour.
Upon dressing himself; Aeden caught a glimpse of himself in a tall standing mirror that had been set up for the purposes of the new armour and outfits, finding that his new armour was worked from fine Steel and was surprisingly lightweight and exact to his body's measurements, his Family Sword and Shield sat at the foot of his bed but didn't pick up his armaments as Kallian began to stir and rose from her sleep.
"Sorry, did I wake you up?" Aeden spoke carefully; leaving his gloves and armaments behind as he stepped closer to Kallian, sitting at the foot of her bed but noticing that she pulled back and away from him to maintain some distance from somebody of a Noble bloodline.
"No, I woke briefly a few hours ago only to fall asleep again… I'm not used to such fine bedding" Kallian answered with a hand rubbing her eyes; lifting herself up to a seating position but left herself covered up via her sheets.
"What did you sleep on in The Alienage? …If its ok to ask?" Aeden asked carefully; he honestly had no idea what life in an Alienage was like as the Elf Servants his family employed were given their own accommodations, regular meals and good beds to sleep in.
"I used to sleep on a wooden cot… the straw pillow smelled but it made do, and my sheets were just a patchwork made from old clothes and pieces of fabric we foraged from the Merchant's toss-outs and charitable donations from The Chantry" Kallian stared at Aeden with one eye whilst rubbing the sleep out of the other before answering; speaking slowly about her old life that had been ripped away from her on the very day that had supposed to have been her wedding day.
"Life sounds difficult in The Alienage… I pray that you might return there someday" Aeden spoke with care in his voice; not realising how sincere he was being to her as he truly wished her a chance to return to her home and to her family once the looming battle was won.
"As do I Aeden, thank you" Kallian spoke with the first honestly warm smile Aeden had seen from her; since meeting she'd only ever spoken to him with distasteful words and hateful glares but she seemed so friendly now but as she spoke; Aeden noticed that her sheets had lowered and he could see her small orb-like breasts though covered by the black undergarment she still wore.
"Kallian… You should get dressed… I can see you" Aeden spoke as he reluctantly covered his eyes with his left hand as he backed out from the accommodation to give her some privacy.
Kallian tilted her head slightly before spotting her own reflection in the mirror and realising that she'd almost flashed him her chest even though she was still wearing her undergarments, her cheeks flushing red as she pulled the sheet back over her head and screamed into her pillow out of embarrassment and her negligence.
Neria let out a snort in her sleep whilst Kallian slipped out from her bed to dress herself in the outfit and gear she'd received from The Blacksmith yesterday only now she owned the addition of a new battle corset embroidered with The Silver Griffon: The Mark of a Grey Warden.
After checking her new battle corset; Kallian tied the corset to her frame allowing her skinny physic to be shown off by the tight-fitting bodysuit as she slipped on her boots and lastly her wedding band but left her daggers behind alongside Aeden's own weaponry.
"I'm dressed!" Kallian spoke as she exited the yurt; finding Aeden leaning against a wall, his eyes widening as he saw her as if seeing her in her bodysuit for the first time; able to make out every curve to her skinny body.
"That didn't take long; you look good" Aeden smiled warmly as he spoke; his line of sight floating down her appearance until he spotted the ring on her finger, the simple yet plain silver wedding band.
"Not so bad yourself" Kallian smiled as she stepped away from the yurt thus leaving Neria to sleep in a while longer thus having Aeden to herself though she noticed that he was looking her over until locking onto her ring only to cover her ring with her other hand.
"Want to get some breakfast? They're still serving over in The Mess Hall" Aeden spoke suddenly; having caught the scent of cooking meat and eggs from their yurt and witnessing some Templar's heading back to their posts with a handful of meat-stuffed bread rolls.
"Sure; I'm starving" Kallian spoke with a noticeable bit of drool seeping from between her lips at the prospect of food; Aeden offering his hand to her though she merely stared at him as they began to walk together.
The Mess Hall.
Upon entering; the scent of freshly scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, hot bread rolls and hot tea filled one of the few remaining intact structures within Ostagar's Walls, The Mess Hall having been set up in what had once been a grand hall with Elven Chefs working over a large cooking station as they shifted various breakfast foods from the open-fire grills or ovens to a serving platter for those of The Army and Wardens to eat.
"Oh; you are two of the three New Grey Wardens are you not? We have a table reserved for you both" A Kings Guard spoke as Aeden and Kallian crossed through an arch-shaped doorway; offering a beckoning hand to the pair as a long banquet table had been separated from the rest with a fine silk tablecloth laid over the rough wood and fine silver plates and utensils sat waiting to be used.
"A reserved table? That's new" Kallian thought to herself; back in Denerim she'd had to make do by sitting in the dirt or on the floor when taking meals, her trained eyes noticing a cold look in The Kings Guard's eye as he guided two Elf Servants in worn-out, dirty clothes deliver them both a hot cup of tea and to take their plates and fill them up, Kallian noticed the hungry look in their eyes as they too longed for the full plate of food.
"Hey! Guard!" Aeden shouted; slamming a fist down on the table to make sure The Kings Guard was paying him attention though his fist make Kallian jump to from his sheer force as the table tremored under his fist.
"Yes Warden Aeden?" The Kings Guard spoke as he stood to attention with his noticeably features being his bushy beard and cold eyes; The Elves stopped in their traces as an expression of fear lit up on their faces in fear that they'd already made a critical mistake in their work that hadn't gone unnoticed by Kallian or Aeden himself.
"Make sure those Elves get fed and a long break from work! And a proper meal at that!" Aeden shouted his order; leading to Kallian and The Elf Servants to stare at the Noble-born man in shock of his act of compassion towards Elves and their wellbeing.
"Yes Warden; whatever you wish" The Kings Guard spoke with a nod of his head; marching off whilst his expression hardened at having been ordered to treat a mere servant kindly by a Grey Warden of all things.
"You're just making that order to impress me… aren't you" Kallian spoke with suspicion in her voice; her green eyes burrowing into Aeden's as she sought out some ulterior motive, her fingers distinctly touching her wedding band.
"Actually no; my family have always treated the Elves we employed with respect" Aeden raised his hands as he spoke; making sure to speak slowly so Kallian heard his every word over the sounds of mugs being clanged in toasts and utensils against plates.
"I see; so most Noble Families don't just tread on my kind" Kallian spoke slowly; her eyes moving away from Aeden as it dawned on her that she'd been treating him unfairly for his Noble Birth when she had had no idea of his standing when it came to Elves.
"I cannot speak for all, but The Cousland Family has always treated Elves with dignity" Aeden spoke normally as he overlooked the return of Kallian's suspicion of him; the hostility she'd expressed on their first meeting in Lothering was slowly disappearing but their comradery still had a long road to being able to rely on each other in a life-or-death battle.
Kallian sat silently as she noticed The Kings Guard that Aeden had ordered had taken the place of an Elf at the service table along with three other Knights that had replaced The Elf Servants, her immediate thought being that her kind had been dispatched but turned her attention back to Aeden as he spoke to her again as one Kings Guard delivered them cups of fresh tea.
"Kallian; I notice that my Noble Heritage doesn't seem to bother you now, is that because we passed The Joining together?" Aeden spoke as they awaited their plates to return with full servings of everything available; his right hand moving to his cup of freshly brewed tea and lifting it to his lips.
"I heard what The Seniors said about your family… how they were betrayed by your allies, you and I aren't so different in how much we've both lost in a short time… I still dislike Humans, but you aren't so bad" Kallian spoke as she reached out with her right hand and touching Aeden's left in an act of compassion for her new friend; quickly withdrawing her hand as Aeden glanced to her hand and back to her as she shot him with a friendly smirk.
"I'm glad to hear that" Aeden spoke with a matching smirk; his mind crossing with questions about the wedding ring on her finger but felt it was still too early in their new comradery to ask about something that must have been painful for her based on what The Senior's had said last night about her own losses.
"In all my life… I've never seen a plate so full" Kallian spoke in awe as an Elf Servant brought her and Aeden their plates loaded full of bacon, sausages, scrambled eggs, a hot bread roll with melting butter and beans whereas a breakfast in The Alienage had been a slice or two of buttery bread and eggs if they were lucky.
"Well; its yours, don't wait on my account" Aeden spoke with a smile as he gazed upon the wonderous expression on Kallian's face as if she was a child experiencing their first banquet much like Owain had when he'd attended his first banquet.
Kallian stared down at her plate with ravenous hunger in her green eyes; her hands raised as she prepared to eat with naught but her hands until remembering her manners; her hands sliding towards the fork and knife on either side of her plate as she used the utensils to carefully piece together a chunk of scrambled eggs, bacon and a sausage end all onto one fork which impressed even Aeden.
Aeden smiled and waited as Kallian forked the mouthful of breakfast food into her mouth; the explosion of flavours expressed by the look of joy on her face, soon lifting his fork and eating as a man of refinement would eat, carefully eating his meal one piece at a time and not stuffing his face like the many Knights and Mages at other tables.
"Well, you two seem to be enjoying yourselves" spoke a familiar cheery voice from behind Aeden's back.
"Alistair! Come! Join us" Aeden shouted with a cheer as he realised the voice was Alistair as he sank into the seat beside Aeden with his own plate full of bacon, eggs and beans with his bread roll; his meal already half-eaten by the time he'd joined his fellows.
"Yes; please do" Kallian spoke with a friendly smile; her sudden openness surprising even Alistair by how much she'd changed since yesterday as she'd been so cold to Humans.
"Good to see you two are getting along better" Aeden spoke with a smirk; he'd seen Knights like Alistair before as men with so much charm to their appearance and ways of speaking that caused women to flock to be around such a man as Alistair struck the same with his charm and humour but Neria's comparison to King Cailan was indeed becoming more noticeable.
"How did you sleep? Any dreams?" Alistair enquired out of the blue; shooting them both with a knowing look and a smirk as he observed them both turn to stare back at him, Aeden nearly choking on his tea while Kallian stared with egg yolk dripping from her lips and down her chin.
"Actually yes… how did you know?" Aeden stated as he recalled his initial vision of that lava-lit cavern and the hordes of bloodthirsty Darkspawn and the Dragon-like Shadow that had roared so loudly that he'd sworn he'd been standing in that cavern.
"All Wardens have dreams, visions or nightmares after passing The Joining; its normally visions of one's family or The Darkspawn themselves" Alistair spoke informatively; a smirk spreading on his lips as he spoke as he had expected them to have dreams.
"Good morning fellow Wardens!" screamed the voice of Neria; dressed in her new Warden Robes: a set of green and silver robes that bore The Silver Griffon on each shoulder, her call catching the attention of those on nearby tables but the Knights and Mages ignored her as she slipped into the seats of the reserved table.
"Neria! Join us" Alistair shouted back; booting the chair across from him out from under the table as Neria gave a turn of her hand as a silver whisp of her Magic caused the chair to glide over the ground and seat her of its own accord before gliding back to the table resulting in a round of applause from a group of Mages sat at another table.
"I wasn't too happy to wake up alone back there; why didn't you wake me!" Neria spoke slowly; bending low over the table as she stared questioningly at Aeden and Kallian who'd diverted their lines of sight to each other out of shame.
"Sorry about that;' we just didn't want to disturb you" Aeden spoke for both himself and Kallian; both having left together but a pang of guilt for leaving Neria behind to not disturb her sleep weighed heavily on his heart.
"That's appreciated but I'd still rather have not been left alone" Neria gave a warm smile as she appreciated their concerns but then pouted cutely as they'd left her behind.
"You were saying about dreams Alistair?" Kallian shook her head to bat out the images she'd seen during her sleep not wishing to recount the horror she'd experienced.
"I had one! I saw a… friend named Jowen; bowing low and begging for his life at the tip of a sword, he fled The Circle Tower just before I left to come here" Neria spoke up with her arm waving in the air; pointing her fork whilst half a sausage stayed stunk on the prongs to Alistair as she recounted only for Alistair to lean forward and snatch the sausage from Neria's fork much to Aeden's and Kallian's roaring laughter and Neria's silent scream of shock.
Alistair, Aeden and Kallian all glanced to each other as Neria had paused before mentioning Jowen; guessing that she and this mysterious Jowen had been good friends prior to her recruitment but the reasons behind his escape remained a mystery to them but known to Neria and The Senior Wardens alone.
"On the first night of being a Grey Warden its common to have dreams or visions of The Darkspawn or somebody that you deeply cared for; sounds like you experienced the latter" Alistair explained; an involuntary shiver running down his spine as he recalled his own first night as a Grey Warden and the images of Darkspawn overrunning the caverns underground and their bloodthirsty roars still haunted him.
"Not to change the subject, but what happened to Daveth and Jory? I mean their bodies" Kallian spoke to change the subject; not wishing to speak on her own dreams as she'd dreamt of her home burning, The Alienage engulfed in fire as a horde of shadows with black weapons butchered her family and friends with nobody to defend them.
Alistair sat silently for a long minute before answering Kallian; knowing that the graves were unmarked and their armour and weapons had been stripped by Elf Servants working for The Blacksmith before they'd been left to rest, "They've been buried over near the South Gate; the soil there is soft and easily dug up, I do suggest going to visit their graves before sundown.
"What's happening at sundown?" Neria asked; curious why they had a deadline to visit a pair of graves.
"The Battle to end The Blight; as Wardens we'll be called upon to participate in the battle as The King's Scouting Party has sighted The Darkspawn Horde marching towards us" Alistair spoke with a gleam in his bright blue eyes; a hunger for real battle evident in his excited tone of voice.
Aeden's eyes widened as Alistair mentioned The King's Scouting Party; recalling how Fergus was a part of that party of soldiers and they had likely returned to Ostagar from searching The Kocari Wilds, "Alistair, where is this Search Party now? My Brother was a part of that group"
"You have a Brother?" Kallian spoke suddenly; seeing yet another similarity between Aeden and herself; both having brothers that still lived in this world when their old lives had been torn away.
"Yes; Fergus left Highever with The King's Guard a few hours before the assault on the castle" Aeden recounted the last evening of the life he once knew prior to the assault that had killed everyone he had once loved.
"You mean Fergus Cousland? He's a member of The Kings Guard" Alistair spoke without realising how much of an idiot he was for not figuring out that Aeden and Fergus were brothers, the realisation dawning on him as he slapped himself on the forehead for his own idiocy.
"Where is he now?!" Aeden rose from his seat with his voice raised; drawing attention from the allied forces gathered in The Mess Hall only to turn back to their meals and ignore The Warden's Table's commotion.
"I assume he's with King Cailan and Teryn Loghain" Alistair have a short answer with just an assumption as to the location of Aeden's Brother.
"If I may… I want to see him as soon as possible" Aeden raised his hands and clasped his palms together as if he was praying as he spoke, Kallian and Neria both watching him with looks of concern.
"That'll be fine; King Cailan will want to meet our newest Wardens after all" Alistair gave another short answer; taking a drink from his tea and emptying the cup and pointed in the direction he should go in to find The King's own accommodations.
"Fine with me… I'd like to meet your brother as I hope that you'll meet mine someday" Kallian answered with unusual politeness towards Aeden causing Neria to stare with a shocked expression due to sudden confusion as to when Kallian and Aeden had become friendly when Kallian had been so hostile just yesterday.
Alistair glanced between Aeden and Kallian; noticing that the City-Born Elf was being noticeably nicer to her Fellow-Warden even though he was of the Noble Bloodlines she despised but Kallian now appeared closer to Aeden now that she knew of their similar Origins of having lost their past lives to having survived The Joining together and bear the duty of the Grey Wardens.
Neria stared at the pair; smiling widely as she saw friendship blooming between the once hateful Elf and the Noble Human, feeling happy that the icy wall Kallian had initially put up was slowly melting.
"Alistair, Kallian, Neria, if you excuse me; I'm going to go see my brother" Aeden spoke as he rose from the table, leaving in a fast walk before anyone had a chance to speak due to his eagerness.
"Sure; I actually need to go visit a latrine" Kallian spoke as she too left the table upon realising she'd not been since before departing Ostagar for The Wilds.
"Have fun" Neria called out to the pair as they left The Mess Hall, looking towards Alistair who was struggling to hold in his laughter caused by her cluelessness whilst holding his face in his palms from sheer amusement and holding in his laughter.
Kallian.
Kallian crossed the mess hall to find a row of wooden outhouses only to spot several dozen Elf Servants sat on wooden benches and stools with plates bearing a suitable meal and cups of tea between the large number of Elves, The Elves appearing happy to have a chance to rest their bodies and fill their bellies.
"Nice to see Aeden's words were carried out" Kallian muttered to herself as she entered the outhouse only to leave five minutes later and spot that The Elf Servants were still merrily enjoying their meal and break time, opting to leave them alone as she slowly walked towards The Courtyard where she heard Aeden's voice, ducking behind a ruined pillar as she spotted Aeden himself speaking with a man in green-tinted armour with short, cropped black hair but with similar facial features.
"Hello again Young Lass" spoke a gruff voice from behind; Kallian gritting her teeth thinking it was Alistair and turned around the slap him for his voice-changing trick only to realise it was The Blacksmith who'd outfitted her yesterday.
Kallian turned on the spot to see The Blacksmith who'd fitted her with her Outfit and Daggers; taking his hand in greeting as she turned her attention from Aeden and his Brother when she swore she heard Aeden speak her name but The Blacksmith now held her foremost attention.
"I heard you passed The Joining; I believe that congratulations are in order" The Blacksmith spoke with a wide grin shining through his beard, his leather apron appearing slightly more scorched than yesterday.
"Thank you; I believe you offered to tell me more about Elder Valendrien once I saw you again" Kallian spoke calmly; trying not to show too much appreciation for Humans after sparking a friendly bond to Aeden and Alistair as fellow Wardens.
"That I did; have a seat young lass" The Blacksmith shrugged off Kallian's calm but cool response; knowing about the history preceding her conscription into The Grey Wardens and patting the seat of a wooden bench facing a series of hacked-apart training dummies.
"How did such a great man settle for life as our leader… our Hahren in The Alienage?" Kallian questioned; Valendrien had been a leader to her people in the City and held that position even in The Royal Court though he held no true power nor sway over The Arl's and Teyrn's that met during gatherings.
"King Maric offered him a place by his side in The Royal Palace for his loyal service but Valendrien turned it down to aid his own people; your people, I have no doubt he did much for you and your family when you were young?" The Blacksmith spoke; drawing on what Valendrien had spoken of though he never had a reason to disbelieve anything he said though he knew that there was something he'd never revealed.
"Yes he did, he ensured that Shianni and I nor any other children never went hungry even when he or my father were starving; I've always felt guilty that the children were fed while adults made do with scraps or partially rotten produce… so once I was old enough to earn money I tried to pay Valendrien back but he always refused my coins" Kallen recounted her first job as a Horse Cleaner; earning little in money but her every attempt to return was met with rejection and her coins went to feeding her own family or the new children that had been born and raised as she was.
"You have lived a difficult life but you've grown strong, though I don't know what happened to bring you here to The Grey Wardens, I do know that they have a strong young woman in their ranks now"
Kallian opened her mouth to give her thanks but halted as she'd already shown acceptance of Humans with Aeden and Alistair but The Blacksmith was someone she barely knew and only spoke to because he knew Valendrien, rising from her seat as she eyed the Training Dummy on the opposite side of the courtyard.
"I see that look; take this and try to hit that dummy's head from here, it was Valendrien's signature move" The Blacksmith spoke with a grin showing through his grey beard; holding out a fine silver knife to Kallian.
Holding the knife carefully in her right hand; she had seen Valendrien perform his knife throw many times over her life as he performed it during the Feast Day celebration every winter, the arc of the blade would glide to either the left or right and put an enemy off their guard believing the throw was a miss only for the knife to strike from a blind-spot, she'd attempted the manoeuvre when she'd began learning the art of knife-fighting but always failed to the point that she'd on two occasions nearly killed her neighbour's cat.
"Give it a try" The Blacksmith spoke with an encouraging tone; placing the knife in Kallian's hand and watching her change in posture as she began the motions for a knife throw.
Kallian arced her arm back with her fingertips gripping the handle of the knife before throwing it so the blade spun through the air and arcing towards the left before embedding itself in a wooden post and missing the dummy head entirely.
"Knew I couldn't do it…" Kallina spoke with a slump in her shoulders but quickly correcting her posture.
"You'll get it someday, such skills naturally come to you in the heat of battle" The Blacksmith spoke through a grunt as he rose to his feet; returning to work without another word to continue forging armour plates before sundown.
Kallian stared down at the knife embedded in the post; pulling the small blade out and attempting the throw again only to miss again, pulling the blade out and trying again and again until the sun had fully risen to the midday apex.
Aeden.
Standing outside The King's Tent with panting breaths; Aeden could hear the voices of King Cailin and Teryn Loghain along with the voices of several others but ignored what they were speaking until a figure stepped outside, a woman with tied-back back hair and green-tinted armour but her expression was one of suspicion.
"Hello; I am Cauthrien: right hand of Teryn Loghain, what business do you have here?" The Woman spoke by giving her own identification but her right hand remained on the hilt of her weapon: a broadsword of Steel and a Veridium inlay on the grip.
"I don't mean to eavesdrop; I just wish to see my brother" Aeden spoke carefully as Cauthrien looked at him like she was ready to cut him down even though he was unarmed and it was against the honour shared between Warriors or Knights.
"And who might your brother be?" Cauthrien spoke with a hint of suspicion as she eyed The Grey Warden Griffon on his armour but still kept a hand on her weapon.
Aeden bit his lip as he spoke; praying that Fergus may indeed be inside The King's Tent, "Fergus Cousland".
Cauthrien's eyes widened as soon as she heard the Cousland name; instantly dropping to her knees in a deep, apologetic bow to a member of the esteemed order and a highborn family, "I apologise Warden; I failed to realise who you were".
"Rise; you were only doing your job" Aeden spoke with the authority his family name granted him; he disliked using his name to get what he wanted but he needed to see his brother before the battle.
"Please come inside; King Cailan is eager to meet one of the new Wardens" Cauthrien spoke; striding past Aeden as she pulled open the curtain and opening the entry to The King's own accommodations.
"Thank you" Aeden gave his thanks as Cauthrien held open the tent's border to its interior; crossing the threshold and entering what he could only explain as being a war council.
Upon crossing the threshold of The Kings Tent; within stood a large war table with a map of the vast plans with a number of wooden pieces representing The Allied Forces including The Grey Wardens while small black stones clearly represented The Darkspawn, gathered around the table stood Sers Duncan, Claude, Dalila and another Warden that Aeden didn't know but stood in simple robes of a man who'd only just risen from his bed.
"I refuse! We fought and shed blood to drive back the Orlaisians from our land alongside King Maric! And you would have us invite them back to face a threat that we can handle ourselves! I will not stand by this decision" Loghain shouted from across one side of The War Table to King Cailan; his face red from shouting as his black hair flicked over his brow as he spotted that Aeden had entered the council.
Aeden bowed his head to Loghain before his eyes found his brother, Fergus stood in the corner behind King Cailan in his Summerstone Armour emblazoned with The Cousland Crest on his breastplate; his eyes lighting up as he saw his brother standing there before his King only to hold himself back from expressing his happiness to see his younger sibling again.
"Ser Fergus! You are granted leave to speak with your sibling" Loghain spoke with an annoyed tone of voice; his eyes darting to the emblem on Aeden's armour and grimacing as the young Cousland had succeeded in becoming a Grey Warden.
"Thank you Teryn" Fergus gave a respectful bow of his head to a man of higher rank than him before speed walking away from the war table and wrapping an arm over his brother's shoulders and pulling him out of the council.
"Brother! Where have you been?! I was told you were sleeping off The Joining" Fergus yelled as soon as he and Aeden were out in the open, ignoring that Cauthrien was watching them before shutting the barrier curtain.
"I'm sorry; I would have come to see you sooner but The Recruits and I had to undergo a excursion into The Wilds before we could even begin The Joining" Aeden apologised; having hoped to see Fergus immediately after arriving in Ostagar but had to seek out Alistair and receive a briefing on their trial.
"So you're a Warden now… to think you would succeed in their tests, how bad were they?" Fergus spoke with another pat to Aeden's back; beckoning over a Human Servant: a man with a stocky build who was carrying around a string of multiple water-sacks, spotting Fergus' gesture and the emblems carried on their armour; The Servant hurried over and gave them both a sack to drink from.
With a deep breath Aeden recited the journey to Ostagar, the brief camping night, his arrival and meeting his fellow Grey Wardens and even speaking of the horror of facing The Darkspawn for the first time and how nightmare-inducing their black weapons and bloodlust were but left out his encounter with Morrigan, Flemeth or the true nature of The Joining that had taken the lives of Daveth and Jory.
"Sounds like you've been through a lot in a short time; I heard what happened to our family from King Cailan" Fergus spoke with a glumness to his voice; indicating to Aeden that he'd been grieving for his family but had to set aside his grief for his King.
"I intend to punish Howe for what he's done, he'll feel the weight of every life he took at Highever when I plunge my blade into his gut and watch the light of his eyes fade" Aeden spoke loudly not caring who overheard; his eyes flashing with venomous hatred for Howe and at his cowardice by not being present at Highever for his act of betrayal.
"No brother… you mustn't, as a Warden you are no longer a Cousland; you are more than our family now as you serve a higher purpose than I do as your older brother and new head of the family" Fergus spoke; seeing the flames of hate burn in his younger brother's eyes and quelled the hate with words that shocked Aeden to his core.
Aeden stared in abject shock in his brother; the hatred of Rendon Howe still burning in his heart but he knew deep down that Fergus was right… avenging his family was the job of a Cousland and that role was left to Fergus now whilst he must stand by The Wardens and face The Darkspawn in the battle tonight.
"Tell me about your new friends… I hear they're Elves" Fergus smirked as he spoke of Elves; knowing too well how Aeden had had a crush of their Elfish chambermaid as children and retained that attraction to Elves his whole life.
"They're both great, Neria is a talented Mage and I shudder to think what he full magical strength may be, as for Kallian… she has had a difficult life that I cannot even begin to understand but whenever I try to reach out to her she shuts me down… but this morning she seems friendlier"
"And which one do you like?" Fergus spoke with a knowing grin; he'd heard that two female Elves had passed The Joining alongside Aeden.
"Fergus! I'm not going to do anything to them, they are comrades-in-arms and fellow Wardens" Aeden snapped as soon as he saw Fergus' grin; his cheeks flushing red from embarrassment.
"Are you going to be fighting tonight?" Aeden asked; he wished and hopes that Fergus would not be fighting tonight as the last remaining family member he had left and didn't want to him to fall in battle even though all Knights would prefer that they would meet The Maker by falling in a glorious battle as he suspected even Jory would have preferred over his untimely fate by Duncan's blade.
"I think so; as a Grey Warden I must battle The Darkspawn" Aeden spoke calmly; resolving to stand at The Wardens' side until his last breath and battle to keep an entire world safe from a monstrous, nightmarish creature he didn't wish even the youngest child to witness.
"I know you will and you will win, I will be fighting as part of King Cailan's Guard Unit I will be standing by to keep The King safe from harm" Fergus spoke; banging his fist against his breastplate as a display of his role and title as Kings Guard.
"Just don't take any risks, especially any that endanger yourself" Aeden spoke a warning that Fergus had given Aeden countless times as a child; speaking on that Fergus may be in a fragile state of mind given the traumatic news that their whole family was now dead.
"I'll try Aeden…" Fergus gave another brave smile before a look of mourning overcame his normally happy-go-lucky expression, only then Aeden noticed the dried tear lines on his cheeks.
"When did you hear about our Family?" Aeden asked; the pain of having witnessed the slain bodies of Fergus' wife and child and fought for survival before their parents had given their own lives to ensure his own survival.
"I heard about the matter when you arrived yesterday and King Cailan gave me time to compose myself before war council meetings, but of course I am distressed, my wife and son are dead and I also desire vengeance for their lives; but if I'm thinking about that instead of doing my job then I will fail and The King's life will be lost"
"I'm sorry I couldn't protect them… there were so many lives lost and my own might have been lost too if not for Duncan" Aeden spoke glumly; he thought about passing The Family Sword that he'd left back in the yurt over to Fergus as the senior of the two sons, debating on passing the weapon over but he wouldn't have a weapon for the battle tonight.
"Worry not; you are alive and as long as we both live, our family will live on" Fergus spoke with happiness that his younger brother was still alive; also happy that as long as they lived then there was a chance for the Cousland Family to continue into the future.
"Fergus… I have our Cousland Family Sword; I want you to carry it into battle as the new head of our family" Aeden reluctantly spoke; holding back his emotions as he offered the weapon bequeathed to him by Bryce Cousland to his older brother as the rightful heir as he could no longer claim The Cousland Name.
Fergus felt lost for words; he'd thought that their family heirloom had been lost to looters and sold for a petty amount of gold that would have been less than half its true value, but to hear that Aeden was carrying the weapon and had it back at the accommodation yurts was a sign from The Maker that their family will survive.
"As happy as it would make me to wield that sword… it'll be better held by your hands as a reminder of where you came from as you rise the ranks and become a Warden Commander" Fergus spoke kindly; speaking of what their father would have wanted for Aeden if he'd lived to see Aeden succeed and become a Grey Warden.
"You really think I can rise that far?" Aeden spoke with disbelief; the rank currently held by Ser Duncan that Fergus believed that Aeden would eventually rise to.
"You know I do" Fergus grinned with brotherly pride as he gripped Aeden's shoulder.
Aeden couldn't help but smile as he found his one remaining family member; hours passed as the two openly discussed their respective journeys from Highever to Ostagar, Aeden's violent first meeting with Kallian that had resulted in her knee planting in his groin and how friendly yet familiar Neria appeared to him, and Fergus' passing through Redcliffe and Lothering with very little fanfare as part of a Kings Guard unit but did recall seeing a curious Chantry Sister with shoulder-length ginger hair that wandered around with a Bow slung over her shoulder in Lothering that appeared to be watching and waiting as their troupe marched on by.
Neria.
Upon leaving The Mess Hall and leaving Alistair to speak with some Templars he seemingly knew; following after a group of Mages before catching sight of a tall partially crumbled statue of a Mage; the stone's carving depicting old style Magi Robes of flowing cloak and a hooded cowl with no discernible facial features after crumbling but the circular head of the statue's staff remained, the sight of the statue reminded her of The Artifacts Chamber under The Circle Tower and the strange weapon that had called to her.
"That staff called out to me; the one that rested in The Artifacts Chamber… Irving called it a dangerous weapon that once belonged to a Tevinter Magister and Wynne called them the fathers of Blood Magic and founders of all forbidden practices within The Circle of Magi, but what as it called?" Neria thought to herself; recalling that the staff that stood within a thick glass case, a weapon that resonated with powerful magic that made her want the shatter the glass with a presentation of her own magical skill to prove herself to an ancient magical weapon like that staff were often ones that chooses their own wielders and she was certain that she had been chosen.
"The Spellkeeper… a staff of Blackened Sylph Wood and was supposedly painted red with the blood of those sacrificed in Blood Magic Artes" Neria touched her chin with her fingertips as she thought more of the weapon that called out to her; recalling its name from a tag that had been tied to the shaft of the weapon but her memory was brief as she'd been preoccupied by Jowen's search for The Phylactery Chamber and leading him into a trap, something she still regretted and hoped to apologise for in the future if she ever saw him again.
"Neria!" screamed a voice followed by a pair of hurrying footsteps before a pair of warm arms wrapped around Neria from behind and pulled her into a loving embrace.
Neria's train of thought and the whispering temptations from that day in The Artifacts Chamber dashed as a pair of warm, motherly arms wrapped around her from behind, turning his vision from the tall mage statue as she met the warm gaze of Wynne.
"I'm so happy that you survived my young Warden" Wynne spoke lovingly as if speaking to a daughter; her cheeks and rings around her eyes slightly red from crying due to her happiness when Warden Dalila had informed her of Neria's success.
"Wynne!" Neria screamed as she wrapped her arms around Wynne and embraced her elderly teacher with all her affection after having undergone The Joining and witnessed the deaths of two good men that she had enjoyed the company of, her hug returned by Wynne as she too embraced Neria like a mother would hug a daughter.
"How did the others and I get into that yurt?" Neria asked; her own awakening having been lonely as Aeden and Kallian had left her alone but that had been settled due to good intentions, having awoken in naught but a white nightgown with no explanation as to who changed her clothes.
"That would have been Dalila, she used her own skill at Spiritual Spells to levitate your sleeping bodies and place you int0o those beds, I sat by your side for a few hours before needing to sleep myself"
"Wynne… who changed my clothes?" Neria asked as she had woken in a white nightgown and no idea where her original robes had gone when they'd been stained with blood and mud after trekking in The Wilds.
"That would have been the Elf Servants; they ensured that you and your new friends were comfortable sleeping and left your new Warden Uniforms" Wynne explained; her eyes lingering on The Silver Griffon Emblem as she'd seen many Mages wear it but only one had survived long enough to be reunited with her years after The Joining.
"Speaking of… I like the new robes, the Silver Griffon on my shoulders will take some getting used to" Neria thought; turning her upper body to catch sight of the emblems sown onto the robes when her Circle Robes that she'd worn for the majority of her life had been so plain by comparison.
"It was the same for Dalila when she became a Warden, she too was a student of mine" Wynne spoke calmly; her long life and memory allowed her to recall everyone she'd ever taught, her memory of Dalila as an assertive young woman leaving The Tower alongside The Grey Wardens only to reappear years later as a hardened Battle Mage had made her proud and a little scared of her magical might.
"Were you two students together? You and Irving… and Gregor seemed to know her well" Neria blurted out; misunderstanding Wynne's story but hesitating to mention Gregor.
"I believe I can answer that" spoke a voice from behind Neria, Neria turning to meet the walking figure of Dalila herself: dressed in a black robe with blue thread-lines under light plates of armour.
"Hello Dalila; always nice to see you" Wynne spoke calmly with a hint of annoyance that Dalila always appeared when her name was spoken.
"Wynne; always a pleasure, Wynne was my teacher; much like as she was for you in The Circle Tower" Dalila spoke solemnly but respectfully to her past teacher; a friendly smile appearing and vanishing as quickly as a gust of wind as a tense air settled between the former student and teacher pair.
Wait, but how? You are so…" Neria blinked several times as she tried to work out how Wynne was Dalila's Teacher when both Mages were rather aged; believing that all Circle Teachers were Senior Mages.
"You can say it Neria; we are both Wardens now… I'm old" Dalila spoke with a grin; though she used Magic to preserve her youthful beauty, her age lines hinted through in the form of crows' feet and along her cheeks.
"I meant to say aged; but I thought only Senior Mages were teachers" Neria stammered out of embarrassment as her cheeks turned pink drawing a half-laugh from Dalila for causing Neria's nervous reaction.
"I… I became a Teacher at a young age Neria, from the beginning I only wanted to teach" Wynne paused before speaking a half-truth; drawing a suspicious look from Dalila and confused looks from Neria as Wynne continued and told her desire to teach.
"Makes sense" Neria spoke with a wide childish grin causing Dalila to stare in dumbfounded shock at how thick-skulled Neria could be and her inability to read a situation.
"Pardon the intrusion… but Master Alistair is looking for you Miss Neria" spoke a low but nervous voice; the source being a small and thin Elf Girl with blonde hair and big aqua eyes while dressed in a simple frock with no patterns that Neria had seen eating a full meal alongside many other Elves.
"Oh; sorry, I have to leave" Neria spoke with a sudden excitedness as Alistair had been looking for her.
"Of course child; go" Wynne gave a nod of her head; now wishing to keep the young Alistair and the servant waiting.
"Thanks Wynne, Lady Dalila" Neria spoke as she threw her arms around Wynne and hugging her warmly; then giving a respectful bow of her head to Dalila as a Warden of superior rank before following after The Elf Servant.
"Can I ask, does Neria know about you?" Dalila waited until Neria was gone before speaking; her midnight eyes glaring at Wynne with a knowing stare, her hand tightening on her Staff as she turned her stance to face Wynne directly.
"Please don't mention that in front of Neria… she's not ready to know about the secret to my long life, if she knew my secret then she'd try replicate what happened and try to bond with one like I have" Wynne spoke slowly as her eyes looked down to her old, withered hands, her life having extended long after an incident that should have ended her life but she lived on thanks to a chance encounter.
"You are right Wynne… Irving knew and allowed you to stay in The Circle Tower; but you should have died on that day but you didn't, the girl will attempt to do the same if she learns now" Dalila spoke with a sigh; knowing that Wynne's secret wasn't hers to tell.
"Thank you Dalila; I would rather that she not follow in my footsteps and walk her own path through the perils of a Mages life outside of The Circle" Wynne spoke quietly so none of the nearby Elf Servants overheard; speaking on her greatest fear that her Students might try to replicate her incident and fail.
"Perils such as?" Dalila spoke coldly; shooting an accusing glance at Wynne as both her hands gripped her Staff, knowing that Wynne was speaking on past students who'd mysteriously vanished leaving only bloody robes behind.
"Like you… just as you know my secret, I know yours" Wynne spoke with an uncharacteristically stern expression as she stared with knowing eyes at Dalila, Dalila herself staring back with a dark and dangerous stare as purple lightning sparked around her irises as the very shadows cast by the statues seemed to grow darker.
"Our secrets aren't mine to tell" Dalila spoke with a cold tone of voice; blinking her eyes slowly as the purple lightning and dark shadow receded as she turned her back on Wynne and walked away, Wynne standing alone in the chamber but not completely alone as the warm feeling she always carried in her heart remained but the dark presence she'd sensed had vanished as quickly as Dalila had.
Alistair.
Standing before two freshly dug and unmarked graves, Alistair stood with two wooden crosses that he drove into the soil until they stood up firmly as markers to the two men who had been laid to rest after dying the night before.
"Hello Alistair; is this where our friends have been buried?" Neria spoke carefully so not to be too blunt; holding a handful of wildflowers that she carefully set on the freshly laid soil.
"Thanks for coming Neria; it's never easy leaving Joining Candidates to rest so I'm glad you're here" Alistair spoke as he rose from kneeling before the two graves and meeting Neria who passed him by to lay the wildflowers.
"Aren't Aeden or Kallian coming? She was somehow less cold to Daveth" Neria enquired; looking around her for her fellow Grey Wardens as only she and Alistair stood present.
"Aeden is with his brother… and Kallian is hearing stories from a Blacksmith… that one is rather interesting" Alistair spoke; tilting his head as he wondered about the strange connection between a City Elf and a Blacksmith who hailed from a village outside Denerim.
"What would Kallian want to hear from a Blacksmith?" Neria snapped around after laying the wildflowers; clearly stunned to hear what Kallian was doing.
"Good question" Alistair could only confirm what they both were thinking.
"As a matter of fact; he promised to tell me about his past with Elder Valendrien" spoke Kallian's voice from behind Alistair and Neria; answering their matching thought processes with the facts as she joined them.
"Nice to see you joining us; is Aeden coming too?" Alistair spoke cheerfully for having two of the three newest Wardens for the service to lay their fallen friends to rest.
"I doubt it, I saw him on my way here and he's still talking to his brother" Kallian answered; having seen Aeden and Fergus drinking from water sacks whilst talking and discussing their family and futures.
"Sorry I'm late, Fergus really talked my ears off" Aeden's voice sounded from behind Kallian; Neria and Alistair turning with a wide smile as Aeden joined them leaving Kallian a little stunned that he would leave his brother behind for a memorial rite.
"Glad to see you're all here, mind if I speak the farewell" Alistair smiled widely as he clapped hand on Aeden's shoulder; getting to business as the midday sun was rising to its apex quickly and the orders for tonight's battle would be assigned within the next few hours leaving him eager to attend such a meeting.
"Go right ahead" Neria chimed in; she'd attended her fair share of funeral speeches due to Mage Apprentices unable to endure the confines of The Tower and constant guard of Templar Knights only to fling themselves out a window or off the root of The Tower in an attempt to escape only to fall to their deaths, the last having been a close friend.
"Of course Alistair; please do the honours" Aeden spoke with more politeness than Neria's bluntness.
"Maker and Andraste high above; we Grey Wardens stand here to lay two promising men to rest, may their brilliant souls stand before your golden throne and be welcomed into a realm of peace and tranquillity, though we did not know these two brave men long; their names shall live forever in our memory" Alistair spoke calmly and solemnly; his hands meeting in prayer as Aeden, Kallian and Neria joining in prayer but staying silent until Alistair finished his short speech.
"That was well spoken" Kallian spoke as she held her hands together in mourning; joining in prayer for the souls of their fallen fellows.
"It's nice that they've been given graves" Neria spoke blankly; the Mage Apprentices who'd lost their own lives in failed escape attempts only had their names engraved on the outside walls of The Circle Tower with no grave or marker on the site of their fate so seeing the graves for Daveth and Jory came as a relief and a sign that the people in the outside world did care for the respect those that had died.
"Don't fallen warriors be set out to the water in a boat and then a flaming arrow is fired to send them on their way?" Kallian asked; curious as to why Daveth and Jory had not been given the traditional rites for a fallen warrior in arms.
"That's only for warriors who die in battle, it's a tribute to the people they gave their lives to serve and protect" Alistair corrected Kallian; speaking honestly but denying that Daveth and Jory didn't deserve such a send-off.
"Really? I would say that they both deserve such rites" Kallian exclaimed; her brow furrowing in frustration that the bodies of Daveth and Jory weren't given the funeral they earned by being brave enough to fight by their sides against Wolves, Darkspawn and The Joining itself.
"I agree with you; why don't we perform those rites once we win tonight" Alistair spoke up; being one to have observed as Servants of both Human and Elf Races dug the graves and laid the bodies to rest before retiring to his own bed.
"Ooh; I want to do that too" Neria chimed in; her attitude one of an excited child or the sheltered worldly-ignorant girl that she truly was.
Aeden smiled as he walked alongside his new friends and comrades; allowing himself to view them as a family comprised brothers/sisters-in-arms that would fight by his side until their own time to depart this world, Kallian catching Aeden's line of sight and curtly nodding her head as the two along with Neria and Alistair all walked together to share another meal before the looming evening where everything would change.
Later That Day.
As the hours of the day wore on; only the sounds of training drills, the work of servants, the holler of merry troops being fed, and the prayer-full speeches of Chantry Sisters filled the courts of Ostagar until the sun began its descent and streaks of orange rays spread across the skies, all who had make the long journey to Ostagar fell silent as the long night would soon begin, the moment of eerie silence reached even The New Wardens as Aeden, Kallian, Neria and Alistair stood under the watchful gaze of Sers Duncan, Claude and Dalila as they awaited their orders and roles for the battle as they knew by the dreams they'd experienced that The Darkspawn were on their way and all they desired was to raze the world to ashes and kill every last living thing in the path of destruction that followed.
