The Other Couslin
Chapter 2
Sorry for the long break, I hope to update on a more regular basis. Once again I do not own Dragon age or any of it's wonderful characters. I hope you enjoy.
The night was quiet and peaceful as I settled into my soft warm bed. Sundance was cuddled up to my side snoring softly in her sleep. I was exhausted from the days roller coaster of emotional events. My mind was racing and foggy at the same time. I had already packed my valuables in a knapsack and hid them under my bed. I also packed some basic clothing that I knew I would need to travel for a few days until we found a place to settle.
After father and Uncle Rendon marched off tomorrow I would pretend to feel ill and pardon myself to go lay down. When I was alone I would change into my traveling clothes and use my balcony to climb onto the roof. Once I was near the garden I would use the arbor to climb down and meet Rory who will already have Sundance and my horse Lady ready for travel. No one will come looking for me until dinner and by then we would already be long gone.
I couldn't believe that Rory wanted to run away with me! Our life together would be hard at first but I know we can make it. Once I am married it doesn't matter what my parents do. My mind was made up and as I drifted off to sleep I knew there was nothing that could stop us.
The sound of Sundance growling startled me awake. She hardly ever growled and the sound alone sent goosebumps along my skin and had me bolting upright in bed fully awake and alert.
"What's wrong girl?" I asked her trying to calm my frantically beating heart. Something was very very wrong. She turned towards me and whined and turned back to the door letting out a louder more vicious growl and barred her sharp white teeth at the door. I jumped from the bed dressing quickly as I began to hear noises from the other side of the door.
My heart jumped to my throat as the door was thrown open and a soldier with a bloody blade sprinted into my room looking towards the bed in which I should have been sleeping. Before he had time to move Sundance flew at him, knocking him to the ground. The mans scream of terror quickly turned into a sickening gargling noise as she ripped his throat out without pause.
I was completely frozen in fear and shock. I knew that armor... Uncle Rendon's men wore that armor... Time seemed to stop as I watched the blood pool under the now dead man. This wasn't right, why would one of Uncle Rendon's men try to hurt me? What was going on? I jolted back to reality as I heard more screams close by. I quickly grabbed the bags I had packed as Sundance paced anxiously by the door.
"Adara!" That was Aedan's voice! Him and my mother came running from the direction of Fergus and Orianna's room but I didn't see her or little Oren, my nephew. I was surprised to see my mother in her battle dress and both her and my brother were splattered with blood. Aedan engulfed me in a tight hug as he held back sobs. I looked to mother in confusion and saw tears running openly down her face.
"What's happening?" I asked.
"Howe has betrayed us!" Aedan growled, "he is using our troops being called away to take the castle and he is killing everyone even..." at this his voice broke and he looked back towards our eldest brothers room.
"No..." I whispered shaking my head back and forth. "Not Oren... Uncle Rendon wouldn't.." Mother cut me off quickly.
"He is not your uncle Adara! He is nothing to you! He has ordered his men to kill your sister in law and nephew and anyone else who crosses their paths!" my mother would have gotten in my face if it wasn't for my brother. "Your father never came to bed, we must find him" she finished turning away from me and walking toward the end of the hall.
"Stay behind me, there are more soldiers ahead" Aedan said pushing me behind him gently. Mother, Aedan, and Scamp moved cautiously to the door listening for sounds on the other side. Sundance stepped protectively in front of me like a shield. I was shaking like a leaf as they opened the door to reveal more of Howes' soldiers on the other side. I froze in terror as the soldiers rushed for my mother and brother. The sound of metal on metal rang out and the screams and gargles of dying men. I knew my brother was a talented fighter but watching him fight with such ferocity was both awe inspiring and terrifying to watch. Aedan and Scamp made quick work of any soldier they came across with mother firing her arrows from the rear of the room.
We slowly made our way down to the hall clearing out room after room of Howes' men, saving who they could. For so many of the servants and soldiers we were too late. We would clear out a room only to find those loyal to our family laying on the floor in a pool of their own blood. We found mine and my brothers' tutor Aldous in the library as always, it was both heart breaking and comforting that he died here among the books we loved so much.
Before going into the hall Aedan and mother went into the treasury to get the family sword and armor. I grabbed as much gold as I could knowing we would need it once we escaped the castle. Aedan handed me a dagger and I looked at him like a scared little rabbit. I didn't know how to wield a blade of any kind, mother made sure of that. Seeing her in armor with a bow in hand made me resent her even more. She was such a hypocrite, she knew how to fight and protect herself, yet here I stood practically defenseless depending on others to protect me.
We quickly made our way to the hall and Aedan threw open the door. There were men fighting everywhere. Aedan engaged the first man he came across and mother began firing her arrows so quickly I could barely keep up with her movements. Sundance stayed in front of me but never engaged an enemy making sure I was protected. I scanned the room looking for father when my heart stopped.
Rory was across the room battling 2 men at the same time, and from his movements I could tell he was beginning to tire. I couldn't breathe as I watched him narrowly dodge blows that would have ended him. He beheaded one man and I wanted to cheer, but the cheer quickly turned into a scream as the other mans blade sliced his left arm. When he heard me scream his head snapped around looking around in horror. The man used his distracted state to knock Rory to the ground disarming him in the process.
"Rory!" I screamed his name as I ran toward him not caring what would happen to me. Before I knew what I was doing I had taken the man by surprise and shoved the dagger Aedan had given me into the mans neck. Blood sprayed all over me as I stood there watching the life drain from the mans eyes and he clawed at his neck trying to stop the bleeding. After the man had slumped to the ground I began to shake. I had just taken a mans life. I looked at my blood stained hands and the dagger I was still clutching tighly. Rory rose to his feet and wrapped me in his arms, running his hands up and down my body making sure I was uninjured. The fighting died down as the enemy within the hall was defeated.
"Go man the gates! Keep those bastards out as long as you can!" Rory sent commands to his men. I relaxed into his embrace as my brother came running up to us with mother following close behind. She took one look at me and Rory and opened her mouth when banging on the main gates echoed throughout the hall. Mother frowned deeply and glared at Rory.
"Your Ladyship, my lord, you're all alive. I was certain Howe's men has gotten through." Rory said with relief.
"They did get through, my sister in law and nephew are dead," Aedan told him holding back tears.
"When I realized what was happening it was all I could do to shut the gates. But they wont keep Howes' men out for long. If you have another way out of the castle use it quickly." Rory explained.
"Ser Gilmore have you seen my father, mother said he never came to bed" Aedan asked.
"Last I saw him the Teryn was badly wounded,I urged him not to go but he was determined to find you. He went towards the kitchen, I believe he thought to find you at the servants exit in the larder."
"Bless you Ser Gilmore, maker watch over you" my mother said turning to leave.
"Maker watch over us all" Rory replied to my mother then released me. He looked at me lovingly and ran towards the gates. What was he doing? I ran to where he was giving orders, Aedan following right behind me.
"Rory, what are you doing? Come with me." I urged trying to grab his hand.
"I can't my love, if I leave, Howes' men will break through before you have a chance to escape, I must stay." Rory cupped my cheek gently. Tears ran down my face as I shook my head.
"Then I am staying with you, I wont leave you!" I cried.
"NO! You will go with you brother and live, live for the both of us Adara." he tried to reason with me.
"I wont! I would rather die by your side then live without you!" I was becoming irrational.
"Adara!" Rory raised his voice and grabbed me by my arms and shook me slightly.
"My love you can't stay, knowing I couldn't protect you would drive me mad, at least this way I will die knowing you are safe. What would you do if Howes' men decided to keep you as a pet instead of kill you right away? I don't want to think of you at the mercy of your enemies. Please my love, go with Aedan, find your father, and get out of here as fast as you can, do it for me, please" He looked into my eyes pleading with me. "I love you Adara" Rory pulled me close and kissed me hard and fast, the kind of kiss that you know means goodbye. He looked over my shoulder and nodded and I felt hard steel hit and my whole world began to spin and I collapsed.
"You are a good man Rory, thank you for everything my friend" my brother scooped me up and threw me over his shoulder, the world was still spinning as he left the hall with me screaming Rory's name. Aedan ran faster than I ever seen him making his way down the halls to the kitchen. Even with me slung across his shoulder he moved with purpose.
I stayed still hoping he would put me down so I could make a break for it and get back to Rory. When he ran throught the door of the kitchen he stopped dead in his tracks and gasped. I looked to see what he was staring at and my heart broke again. There laying on the floor like a broken doll was Nan, my Nan. I tried to squirm out of Aedan's tight grip.
"Nan!" I screamed her name helplessly. Please Maker not her too!
"She's gone Adara..." My mother said bending down to close her lifeless eyes. She then moved quickly to the larder door and ran inside and I heard her talking to someone. All I could do was cry as Aedan carried me away from the woman who was more like a mother to me than my own.
"We can't just leave her like this Aedan we can't!" I struggled to get down but he just tightened his hold.
"There is nothing either of us can do about Nan, she would want us to live, she loved us like her own.." he trailed off walking into the larder. Mother was kneeling down to where father was laying on the floor. There was so much blood, I quickly started tearing strips of cloth from my skirt to try to stem the flow. Everything Nan had taught me about healing seemed to be useless. I was so focused on father's injuries I jumped when Aedan put his hand on my shoulder telling me we had to go now. The Grey Warden Duncan was also there looking down at me curiously. What had I missed?
"Come on Adara we have to go, have you not been listening? Howe's men have the castle surrounded, if we don't leave now we will die." Aedan said trying to get me to move.
"Ok, come on father I will help you stand" I said reaching for his arm.
"No my little Flame, your mother and I won't be going with you, we will only slow you down. Did you not hear anything we just said. You must leave now, they have broken through" My father said urgently.
"Broken through!" I said panicing, "Rory!" I turned to run back to the gate when Aedan snatched me up again with me kicking and screaming, fighting him every breath.
"ADARA!" Father's voice sliced through my whole body and I turned to look at him and my mother, "You must go now, before it is too late..." His voice softned and tears sprang to his and mothers eyes. "We love you little Flame, go and live. Don't let Howe win. Take care of your brothers"
"I love you both too" I choked out as Aedan ran out of the servants entrance and out into the night. The last I saw of my parents they were holding each other tightly. We made it to the stables without being seen and saddled and loaded our horses. Sundance and Scamp paced whining at the sounds of screams filling the night.
"We must hurry, they are focusing on taking the castle, I don't see any soldiers near the gates" Duncan whispered.
Duncan had thankfully grabbed my bags which I had dropped in the Hall. Rory had told him where we were and gave him my things. Even facing certain death he was looking out for me. Rory.. my heart broke even more, my Rory.
"Come on little sister" Aedan helped me onto Lady and we quickly rode out the back gate. Duncan was right, there were no soldiers guarding the gates, their entire focus was inside now. As we rode I turned back and looked at my home, I felt like I was in the fade stuck in a horrible nightmare. When I had went to sleep that night I had been filled with hope and love. A bright future ahead of me and the man I love. Now all that remained of that dream was blood and despair.
