Chapter 6

It was like a nightmare, one from which there was no awakening.

Honestly, he was praying that all he was seeing wasn't real; a cruel illusion conjured by a demon of the Fade who successfully ensnared him in his sleep. Every second that passed, he prayed to the Maker that what he was seeing wasn't real.

But he knew.

For all his prayers, for all his desperate pleas, he knew there was no waking from this nightmare.

And as he fought through the crowds of traitorous Howe soldiers, Aedan Cousland knew the person, the boy, he went to bed as a few hours ago was dead, alongside the members of House Cousland.

He had fallen into the pleasant abyss of sleep, after quite a lengthy session with one Iona, lady-in-waiting to Lady Landra. She had risen from the bed first, startled by the distant commotion. His hound, Dogmeat, was growling by the door causing her curious nature to see what all the fuss was about.

Too late his sleep-addled mind placed the noise as fighting. He tried to warn her, he swore he did, but was two seconds too late. She had opened the door and received a blade through the heart. The sudden death of his lover jerked Aedan from his bed, his near naked state barely registering.

As per Dogmeat's training, he had immediately noticed the threat to his master and attacked, leaping upon the man who murdered his master's elf mate and proceeded to rip his throat out. The shouts from outside his room told Aedan the bastard's compatriots were shocked by the man's demise. He took advantage of their shock, almost leaping across the room to grab his weapons that hung from their stand.

Now armed, he turned to the door and saw Dogmeat was growling at someone covered by his opened door. Tensing his leg, he brought it up and kicked the door with all the strength he could muster. The door traveled a few inches before hitting someone behind it hard enough to rattle the nails. The tell-tale crunch of bone and a man's scream was heard before he collapsed into Aedan's room. Clutching his broken nose in pain, the last thing he was when he looked up was the righteous fury of Aedan Cousland as he brought his sword down on the man's head.

Aedan, for his part, did a good job of stomaching the fact he had just killed his first man, the first time he had ever used his training and weapons on another person with the intent of killing. But he didn't have time to dwell on it. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw two more soldiers in the hall, wielding bows, and ready to fire. In the nick of time, he jumped to the side of the doorframe, just as two arrows shot through the space he occupied moments ago and impaled themselves on the wall above his bed.

His training kicking in, Aedan ran out of his room to close the distance between him and his two attackers before they could ready their bows again. Reaching the closest of the two, Aedan swung his sword to knock the man's bow off target, causing him to fire his arrow harmlessly over his shoulder. Caught off guard, the man had no time to stop Aedan's dagger from being thrust up into his throat.

His victory was short lived, however, when, over the shoulder of the dead guard in his arms, Aedan saw the man aiming his bow directly at Aedan's chest through his dead compatriot's body. But before he could release his arrow, the massive brown fur figure of Dogmeat tackled the man to the ground, his razor-sharp teeth seeking out its second victim's throat. Within seconds the man was dead and Dogmeat was licking his chops in satisfaction.

Grimly amused, Aedan's focus homed in on the fact that he had just killed two people in the span of a few seconds in nothing but his sleeping pants. He would've laughed if the implications of what just happened hadn't hit him like a battering ram.

Arl Howe had betrayed them! Taken advantage of the fact their army was marching south.

Aedan was startled out of his hatred-induced thoughts by the sound of a door slamming open. Bringing his swords up as he turned to face the new potential threat, he was relieved to see it was his mother, dressed in her own set of light chainmail armor with her favorite bow and quiver of arrows on her back and her family dagger strapped to her left hip.

"Darling!" she shouted as she sprinted across the room and wrapped him in the tightest hug she could handle. After a few seconds, she released him and moved back a little. After calming her breathing she said, "When I heard the fighting outside the room I feared the worst. Are you alright?", she asked as she ran her eyes over him in motherly concern, searching for the slightest injury.

"I'm fine, Mother," he said, "but Iona…they…"

"Iona? Lady Landra's lady-in-waiting?"

All Aedan could manage in response was a nod in the direction of his room. Reluctantly parting from her son, Lady Eleanor couldn't help the shocked gasp she let out when she saw the still bleeding corpse of the elf woman they met only earlier in the day.

Funny; if they weren't currently being besieged, Aedan was sure that would be a shock of catching her son's lover in his room.

Turning away from the gruesome sight and moving back to her son's side. Before she could say anything, however, Aedan spoke. "I'll be fine, Mother, for now."

Aedan harshly shook his head, eager to snap his mind back to the present. What he found afterwards…the sights he saw he would never forget. The bodies of his dear sister-in-law and nephew, the pained scream of his mother when he foolishly didn't try to stop her form entering, too engrossed in his own shock, and the bodies of Lady Landra and her son, not to mention all the servants and guards mercilessly cut down and left to bleed…

It was horrific.

And as Aedan removed the head of yet another Howe soldier, three words kept running through his mind; urging him onwards and feeding his fury: Howe will pay!

Once they reached it, they all but kicked the door into the Main Hall, fully prepared to take on a small army, but were surprised by what they saw.

Standing in the center of the room was Ahab, fully armed and dressed as the first day he arrived; and every day since. He was shouting orders at the clearly terrified, but stalwart, guards who were running back and forth, seemingly more eager to fulfill the outsider's orders than keep the Howe soldiers out.

"Keep that gate shut as long as you can! Make them fight for every inch they gain! If you can walk, you can fight! Move!"

Sensing their approach, Ahab turned and said, "Aedan! Your Ladyship! It's good to see you alive! Your Teyrn will be relieved to see you."

"Where is my father?" Aedan asked. "We thought he would be here."

"He was," Ahab replied. "Your father and I were talking shortly before the attack started. We both came here to fortify the gate, but he left a little while ago to find you two." A loud banging at the gate drew his attention momentarily. "Bar that gate as well as you can then form up a firing line here!" he drew an imaginary line with his finger three feet away from him. "When they break that gate open, and they will, I want a volley of arrows raining down on them before they even step foot in this castle!"

"Yes, ser!" was the collective response of all the guards in the room.

Aedan was surprised how readily all these men, who were supposed to be sworn to his family's service, followed Ahab's orders. But, then again, that tone of his did broker no room for argument. Not that Aedan had any problem with Ahab taking charge right now. Every minute he kept the Howe army at bay was another minute he had to find his father.

"Where did my husband go?" Eleanor asked once they had Ahab's attention again, also having no problem with Ahab ordering her guards about.

"I don't know, Lady Eleanor. We came here together, but once we had some handle on the situation he left. He was determined to find you two before Howe's men did. He went out the door towards the kitchen. Do you have some sort of secret passage out of the castle there?"

"Yes, we do!" Eleanor exclaimed. "There's a passage hidden in the larder that leads a safe distance outside of the city."

"Good." Ahab said. "You two need to find the Teyrn and get out of here."

Another loud bang was heard on the door, only this time the loud cracking noise of the makeshift barricade holding it back accompanied it. "Now." Ahab said as he turned and headed for the gate. "We'll hold them here as long as we can."

"Ahab, no!" Aedan said, grabbing his arm. "This isn't your fight! You can come with us! We'll escape together!"

Another bang on the gate almost broke it off its hinges, the remaining pieces of the barricade being all that held the invaders back. "You don't have time to waste arguing with me," Ahab said as he checked his MRS rifle. "You want to live? You'll leave. Now." The finality in his voice left no room for argument, and Aedan wasn't sure he had the will to keep going, not with the threat of imminent death hanging over him and his mother.

Fortunately, he didn't have to make the decision. "Aedan," his mother said, placing a hand on his shoulder, "he's right. We have to go."

Taking a deep breath, Aedan said, "Thank you, Ahab. And I'm sorry."

"I'll accept your apology if you live, Aedan."

Taking the dismissal, Aedan headed for the north door leading to the kitchens. Just as he shut the door behind him, the last bang was heard, breaking the door down. With his head bowed and his eyes shut, he sent a quick prayer to the Maker asking for forgiveness that he abandoned a friend.

Within the Great Hall, time had slowed down to a crawl. The gate was still falling, debris still flying, and the arrows sent by the Cousland guards a second ago still flying. A blur settled over the world in the edges of Big Boss' vision and his heart rate slowed to life-threatening levels were this any other moment.

Bringing up his rifle, Big Boss' eyes homed in on the first enemy head he could see. Taking a deep breath, he pulled the trigger.

After leaving Ahab behind in the Main Hall to deal with the main force of Howe's soldiers, Aedan, Eleanor, and Dogmeat hurried down the passageway in the direction of the kitchen. They barely managed a few feet before they ran into an outnumbered pair of Cousland guards being overwhelmed by several Howe soldiers and…was that a mage?

Where in the Fade did Howe get a mage?!

Said mage casting a fireball in his direction, forcing him to snap out of his incredulity and push his mother and himself behind some debris for cover.

"Mother, can you hit that mage from here?"

"Can I?" she said, somehow smirking despite the situation. "Boy, who do you think you're talking to?"

Smirking back, Aedan looked over their cover and saw that one of the Cousland guards was dead and the other was about to join him. "I'll charge them, Mother, you take out their mage."

He didn't give her time to protest, as he was already moving out of cover and using his family shield as a moving one, but if he had stayed, he would've seen his mother not about to protest at all, but smile. Of course, she was terrified of her youngest son getting hurt, even dying, but she came from a family of fighters, such as her husband, and seeing her baby boy grown up and fighting for his home made her proud.

That did not mean she was ever eager, nor looking forward to, the day that her youngest son had his first day in battle. Her and her husband had done all they could to make sure he was ready for this day; provided for him, taught him, had him trained, and provided him with weapons and armor suited to his training. But so many things could go wrong; so many she didn't dare think of any as her son charged the small line of enemies like a one-man battering ram.

With skills and instincts she kept honed for years despite no need for their use, Eleanor Cousland, the daughter of the Storm Giant, and Lady of Highever, drew back her bowstring and fired.

The bow hit its mark and the mage went down quickly with an arrow through his neck.

A good thing too, as the mage was preparing a particularly devastating spell aimed at her "little boy", who was cutting his way through the group of Howe's soldiers, much to her pride.

Within a few minutes, the two Couslands, their dog, and the surviving guard had finished off the small mob of soldiers. After leaning against the wall to catch his breath for a few seconds, Aedan pushed off and asked the guard, "What's your name?"

"E-Edwin, m-my lord."

"Edwin, as of right now, you are officially relieved from my family's service. Go, before Howe's men break through and slaughter everyone left. My only caveat is that you save as many as you can on your way out."

It took a few seconds for his words to process in the terrified guard's mind, but once they did, the man pushed off the wall, straightened, and said, "I hope you won't hold it against me, my lord and lady, if I accept your offer. I'm…afraid, and I want to live."

"Neither of us will hold it against you," Eleanor said, coming to stand by her son. "Go and remember us."

"I will, your Ladyship. I will never forget the Couslands."

With that, the man turned and bolted, searching for any escape that might spare him from the slaughter.

"Did I do the right thing?" Aedan asked. "Ahab could've used his help."

Smiling sadly, Eleanor put a hand on her son's shoulder and said, "That's up to you to decide. Now come on, we have to find your father."

Fortunately for the trio, there were only three more soldiers that stood between them and the kitchen. After a quick application of Eleanor's bow firing at the furthest one, Dogmeat tackling the closest one, and Aedan bashing the third's head in with his shield, nothing stood between them and the kitchen.

The kitchen was blessedly empty, allowing them to proceed to the larder with no trouble. Being the middle of the night and they had no torches, they did not see the Teyrn lying in the shadows until he called out to him.

"There…you both are." He said, barely getting the words out as he gripped his side in pain. His words drew his family's attention to where he was lying in a corner of the room in a puddle of his own blood.

"Bryce/Father!" Eleanor and Aedan shouted, respectfully, as they ran across the room to his side. Dogmeat was beside Aedan the whole time, though at a small distance.

"Maker's blood, what's happening?" Eleanor asked. "You're bleeding!"

"I…was looking…for you two," he barely managed in-between pained groans. "Howe's men…found me first. Almost…did me in…right there."

"How did you get here, Father?" Aedan asked, barely keeping his panic under control. "You can barely move!"

"Shortly after…I left Ahab at…the Main Hall…Duncan…found me. Brought me here."

"And left you lying in your own blood?!" Eleanor asked, also barely having a grip on her own panic. "We must get you out of here!"

"I…I won't survive the standing, I think."

"Then we'll have to drag you out, Father!" Aedan stated.

"Heh…only…if you're willing to leave pieces of me behind, pup."

"Bryce," Eleanor shrieked, "this is no time for jokes! Ahab's done a good job reinforcing the gates, but it won't last. We must leave now!"

"Someone…must reach Fergus…tell him what happened." Bryce groaned out. "I…wish I could."

"Bryce, no!" Eleanor said. "The servant's passage is right here! We can flee together, find you healing magic!"

"The castle…is surrounded…I cannot make it."

"I'm afraid the Teyrn is correct." A new, familiar voice said, joining the conversation. Aedan jumped to his feet his hands reaching for his sword, which fell in relief when he saw Duncan entering the room. After closing and locking the door behind him, Duncan came to kneel beside the grieving family. "Howe's men have not yet discovered this exit, but they surround the castle. Getting past will be difficult."

"You are…Duncan, then? The Grey Warden?" Eleanor asked, having not met him during his arrival.

"Yes, your Ladyship. Forgive me, I tried to reach you sooner, but Howe's men are many and I was delayed."

"My youngest son helped me get here, Maker be praised."

"I am not surprised," Duncan said, responding to the Teyrna and praising Aedan as he turned to him.

"Duncan, can you do something about Howe?" he asked.

"Not here, not now, I am afraid. There are too many men, and they've proven to be as willing to kill me as they are all of you. Flight is the only option."

The sound of fighting approached, prompting Eleanor to speak. "Whatever is to be done now, it must be quick! They are coming!"

"Duncan…" Bryce forced himself to speak, "you are under no obligation to me, but I beg you…take my wife and son to safety!"

"I will, you Lordship," Duncan replied, "But, I fear I must ask for something in return."

"Anything!"

"What is happening here pales in comparison to the evil now loose in this world. I came to your castle seeking a recruit. The darkspawn threat demands that I leave with one."

"I…understand."

Something in the way his father looked at him as he said those words made Aedan's blood go cold. "Are you talking about me?"

"You fought your way to your father through Howe's men," Duncan responded. "I think the Maker's intention is clear." Turning back to Bryce, he continued. "I will take the Teyrna and your son to Ostagar to tell Fergus and the King what happened. Then, your son joins the Grey Wardens."

Hate dripped from the words in Bryce's response. "So long as justice comes to Howe…I agree."

"Then I offer you a place within the Grey Wardens, Aedan Cousland. Fight with us."

"My duty is to take revenge on Arl Howe, Duncan! I can't forsake that!" Aedan almost shouted.

"We will inform the king, and he will punish Howe. I am sorry, but a Grey Warden's duties take precedence even over vengeance."

"Howe undoubtedly thinks he'll use the chaos to…advance himself." Bryce said, trying to convince his son, when just hours ago he would've done the opposite. "Make him wrong, pup. See that justice is done. Our family…always does our duty first. The darkspawn must be defeated. You must go. For your own sake, and for Ferelden's."

"I will, Father," Aedan vowed, his voice nothing but resolute. "For you."

"Bryce," Eleanor said, "are…you sure?"

"Our son will not die of Howe's treachery. He will live and make his mark on the world."

"Darling," she said to Aedan, "go with Duncan. You have a better chance to escape without me."

"Eleanor…" Bryce tried to argue.

"Hush, Bryce. I'll kill every bastard that comes through that door to buy them time. But I won't abandon you. Not now, not ever."

"Mother!' Aedan shouted. "I won't let you sacrifice yourself!"

"My place is with your father. At his side, to death, and beyond." There was no room in her tone for argument.

"I'm…so sorry it's…come to this, my love." Bryce said, leaning into his wife.

Adjusting to make him more comfortable, Eleanor said, "We had a good life, and did all we could. It's up to our children now."

"Then…go, pup. Warn your brother. And know that we love you both. You do us proud."

A loud banging not too far away alarmed Duncan, who, despite wishing they had more time, squeezed Aedan's shoulder. Taking the hint, he stood up, but couldn't move, his eyes glued to his parents. The loud barking of a dog, likely one of Arl Howe's war hounds, could be heard in the next room. He took one last look at his parents, committing their faces to memory, and followed after Duncan into the servant's passage; his disgust with himself only growing as he had abandoned three people he cared about in the span of less than an hour.

"May the Maker watch over you, my boy," Bryce prayed, hoping it would be heard.

Since Aedan and Duncan had fled through the servant's passage, the fighting in the next room hadn't stopped, only intensified somehow. Bryce, much as he was loathing to think this, thought that Howe's men would've overrun the token force that was left protecting the castle. A stab of pain in his side brought his thoughts back down to his hand, where he was futilely trying to keep his life force from leaking out of his body.

The soldier responsible was lucky, pulling a knife out of nowhere after Bryce thought he had disarmed him, which left him open for receiving it. The soldier responsible paid for it, however, with Bryce's now lost sword coming up to cut his throat open. As the corpse fell back, however, his dead grip pulled the knife out with him.

Bryce was a soldier. He had fought wars, and he had seen wounds from the superficial to the life-threatening, and he knew that pulling a knife out of a stab wound with no preparation to treat it was the worst thing one could do. Not that he did it on purpose.

But right now, he was going to bleed out in his own larder, with his wife by his side, while Howe's men descended on them like vultures.

"What is taking them so long?" Eleanor said with venom in her voice. "They are here for our heads. Why prolong the inevitable?"

Bryce didn't know, but he had a feeling the reason Howe's soldiers were taking so long to arrive wasn't by choice. The shouts he was hearing didn't sound like soldiers taking glee in easy kills, but furious and fearful trainees faced off against a superior warrior.

Just when Eleanor was about to get up and try taking them on by surprise, an explosion was heard, so close it shook the very building they were in; dust falling from the ceiling and the pained sounds of men caught in it were heard.

Apart from the pained groans of some survivors, silence reigned after a few seconds. But then the sounds of footsteps approached the door. Bryce and Eleanor tensed up, ready to face their deaths with defiance…

…until the door was pushed open and DD walked in.

Neither of the Couslands were expecting the unusual wolf look-alike dog to appear as he hadn't been seen ever since the fighting started, but the blood stains around the dog's mouth and claws were clear indicators that the dog had taken his fair share of traitors' lives, somehow.

And then, like thunder following lightning, Big Boss strolled into the room with that confident gait of his, like all was right in the world. His appearance had barely changed since they both last saw him, apart from the fact he was almost completely soaked in blood and still looked completely unaffected. He barely blinked when his eyes settled on the wounded and bleeding form of the Teyrn on the other side of the room.

"Your Lordship!" he said, managing a bit of tone change in concern as he came to the Teyrn's side. "Lady Eleanor," he addressed her. "Where is Aedan?"

Speaking for the both of them, Eleanor said, "He left with Duncan a short while ago. We stayed behind because we would only slow him down."

It never ceased to amaze him the lengths parents would go to spare their children the horrors of war and death. He had seen it all the time; war zones were not the most forgiving places and battle left orphans of everyone. Parents suddenly became childless and children were suddenly alone amidst a valley of death.

These two people, whom he had come to respect in such a short amount of time, had willingly stayed behind to face torture and death at the hands of a traitor so their son, likely their only living heir left, could escape.

That was something he could understand.

"Lady Eleanor," Ahab said as he came to the couple's side, "I need you to move."

That cause her to blink. "I'm sorry?"

"Your husband is bleeding out, ma'am." Ahab stated as he rummaged around in his backpack for supplies. "If I don't do something to stop it, he'll bleed to death."

"I'm afraid…there's little to be done, Ahab. Though…I do appreciate your effort." The Teyrn groaned.

Ignoring him, Ahab said to Eleanor, "I need you to lay his head down in your lap." Addressing Bryce, he said, "Your Lordship, I need you to lay flat on your back."

"Stop…wasting time…Ahab. You need to…flee before Howe's men find you."

"Your Lordship, with all due respect, shut the hell up and let me work."

His harsh and disrespecting words would've earned him Eleanor's wrath any other day, but if their guest had the means to save her husband's life, then she could tolerate a few insults.

Ahab, for his part, was desperately trying to remember his medical training from before he was Big Boss. He knew he could do something about this wound, but the pressing fact that they could be swarmed by more Howe soldiers than even he could handle unprepared prevented him from doing more than stick a figurative band-aid on the Teyrn.

"Bryce," he said, using the man's first name for the first time to get his attention, "listen, I can help you, but not here. We're going to get swarmed by enemy soldiers any second. So, we're going to have to move you."

"No…I'll just-"

"I've carried men and women out of war zones far more chaotic than this, Bryce, and in much worst conditions too. I can save your life, but I need to trust me."

Nothing was said for a few seconds. "I do trust you…Ahab. Illogical as it may be, I do."

"Lady Eleanor?" he said to the Teyrna, wordlessly asking if she did.

Though she would not claim to be as well acquainted with their guest as her husband or sons, the way they spoke of him painted him in a favorable light. She had lost everything in the span of a couple hours, apart from her husband though she knew he could be lost any second. If Ahab could save his life, then perhaps they could be spared the horrible fate that awaits them.

Perhaps with Ahab's help, they could take justice on Howe.

Her answer was a nod of her head.

That was all Ahab needed. Finding what he was looking for in his backpack, he pulled a small plastic container out, half filled with pills, and some gauze. "Alright Bryce, here's what we're going to do; I can't take care of that wound here, so I'm just going to have to cover it until we get somewhere safe. In here," he held the container out, "are pain killers. I'm going to give you a mild does of these to make this easier on you." Opening both containers, he shook two pills from each and said, "Chew them to make swallowing easier."

With barely enough energy to stay awake, much less fight it, Bryce allowed the pills to be put in his mouth where he did his best to chew them. As he did that, Ahab gently, but firmly, pried his hand from his side to get a good look at it. "Okay," he said to himself.

"How bad is it?" Eleanor asked, her voice frantic now that the faintest glimmer of hope was present.

"Bad," he replied, "but nothing that can't be fixed if we get him out of here in time." Pulling out his iDroid, Ahab brought up the map of the area around Castle Cousland and started looking for a safe place to request an extraction. Adjusting his radio to Pequod's signal, he dialed it and hoped Pequod had come straight back after dropping off Ocelot hours ago.

He let out a sigh of relief when the call connected. "Pequod here."

"Pequod, I'm sending you the coordinates for an LZ. I've got the Teyrn here wounded and the Teyrna. The castle is being besieged by enemy soldiers and we need an exfil ASAP."

"Understood, Boss. I had to return to Mother Base for a refuel, but I'm about fifteen minutes out."

"Make it ten," he replied, ending the call.

Looking back to the Couslands, he was relieved to see Bryce already relaxing because of the pain medication, but Eleanor was staring at him with a look of shock, likely because of his iDroid. Cursing himself for being careless, he said, "Lady Eleanor, I'm going to wrap your husband's wound and carry him out of here. I need you to keep an eye on the kitchen just in case someone comes in. If they do, I need you to take care of them. This will only take a couple minutes."

Nodding, Eleanor stood up, grabbing her bow as she did, and moved to the door leading to the kitchen. "DD," she heard Ahab from where her husband still lay. Turning, she saw him talking to his dog. "Go." He nodded in the direction of Eleanor.

In response, the dog stood up from where he sat obediently in the middle of the room and ran into the kitchen. At first Eleanor didn't understand what exactly Ahab expected his dog to do, until she saw him take guard by the door leading into the kitchen. She was yet again surprised by Big Boss when she realized he managed to order his dog to keep watch with her with just a couple of words.

"Who are you really, Ahab?" she said to herself.

Seconds felt like eternity, and the noise of fighting in the castle eventually ceased, replaced by the sounds of marching. Eleanor did her best to keep her feelings under wraps, knowing that meant everyone was likely dead, but she couldn't help the tears that threatened to obstruct her vision.

"Eleanor," she heard Ahab say from behind her. Turning, she saw him standing with her husband slung over his shoulders, "let's go."

Nodding, she moved to the entrance to the servant's passage. Drawing her dagger, she entered first. Summoning DD with a whistle, the mascot of Diamond Dogs bounded into the room. "Go," Ahab said, this time nodding toward the tunnel. Trusting his master implicitly, DD carefully entered the dark tunnel. Looking back, Ahab gently placed a parting gift for Howe's soldiers in front of the door before descending into the tunnel himself.

Several minutes passed before any more Howe soldiers found the room, but when they did, they were greeted by the sight of the passageway leading to the kitchen littered with the bodies of their dead comrades. After stepping over them and into the larder, they saw a strange box on the floor. It was a rectangular metal box on four legs with an eerie red light shining out the front of it in their direction.

"What's that?" one of them asked who was brave enough to approach it.

He was just exiting the tunnel when Big Boss heard the explosive results of the M-21 D-Mine he left behind for them. Shaking his head in grim satisfaction, Big Boss found they had come out somewhere outside the castle, but still close enough to see it from a small distance.

"My home…" he heard Eleanor say, and he understood. They could see the flames and smoke rising into the night sky from where they were. He understood if she thought there was no way for them to recover from this.

"Come on, Lady Eleanor." He said. "We have to get moving."

Nodding, she spared one last mournful look for her home and the people she was abandoning and followed Ahab into the forest.

Big Boss wasn't naïve enough to think that this would be the part where things would get easy; after all, he was carrying the wounded Teyrn on his shoulders, forcing him to result to his tranquilizer gun if they came across any enemies, while escorting the Teyrna who was very likely on the verge of a breakdown. Memories of the true Big Boss leading a wounded EVA through the forest on the mission that would earn him his legendary name ran through the phantom's mind.

"Stay close," he whispered to the lady. "Where we're going is not too far, but we can't risk running into any enemy soldiers now."

The Teyrna silently agreed, and Big Boss quickly took his iDroid out to check the distance and suitability of the chosen LZ. So far, according to the drone flying thousands of feet overhead, the LZ was only a few minutes' walk away and there was no massive amount of movement in the area, but Big Boss knew better than to blindly trust even his own people's reports. Just because there weren't any soldiers in the immediate area, did not mean there weren't other things instead.

Forest animals, rogues, bandits, or even darkspawn; all potential enemies that he would have to keep an eye out for while ensuring the safety of his employers.

As the distance between the group and the besieged castle widened, the sounds of destruction and battle also decreased. Soon, there was nothing to be heard but the sounds of their footsteps in the forest.

When they stepped into a clearing after a few minutes of silent walking, Big Boss heard the distinctive sound of a helicopter approaching. Big Boss' radio crackled to life. "This is Pequod. Arriving at LZ."

And then the welcome sight of modern technology appeared over the tree line, Pequod hovering several dozen feet in the air as he slowed down from traveling over 250 mph to reach Big Boss' designated LZ without making him wait too long.

"W-What is…by the Maker…"

Big Boss winced as he remembered his conscious companion from Ferelden was completely ignorant of the marvels of technology. Unfortunately, he was prevented from saying anything to appease her when Pequod spoke to him over the radio again as he lowered the helicopter to the ground.

"Boss! We got movement in the tree line behind you!"

Spinning around as quickly as he could without jostling the mostly unconscious Teyrn too much, Big Boss drew his tranquilizer gun, privately wishing he had a sidearm more suited for damage and searched for said intruder.

"Where Pequod?" he demanded as his gun darted back and forth, looking for any sign of movement in the foliage, made nearly impossible by the helicopter's rotors creating a small tornado in the foliage.

"Boss! Get in the chopper! Now!"

Not one to disregard a sensible suggestion, even from a subordinate in a less than respectful tone, Big Boss' sense of danger immediately spiked when the nightmarish figure of a creature he had seen once, only a few days ago, burst into the clearing.

A darkspawn.

"Darkspawn!" Eleanor nearly shouted, though he was grateful she wasn't shocked still.

"Get in!" he shouted, both to Eleanor and DD, who was growling nearby at the darkspawn, ready to pounce.

Being accustomed to the helicopter and getting in during intense moments, such as when they were under fire, DD was able to climb onto the footstep and leap into the helicopter without any trouble. Lady Eleanor Cousland, however, was a different story. Though the immediate threat of the darkspawn spurred her into action, she was still completely fearful of the flying…thing that Ahab clearly knew and DD was comfortable with leaping into the large opening on its side.

"Lady Eleanor," Ahab shouted over the roar of the flying metal contraption, drawing her attention, "get inside the helicopter now or we're all going to die!" Movement in the distance drew her eyes back to the tree line as a small crowd of darkspawn had emerged in the seconds since she last looked. Looking back up to the metal contraption Ahab called a "helicopter", she decided to take her chances with Ahab rather than the darkspawn. Following DD's example, she placed one foot on the step and pulled herself up, almost falling back out from the sheer strangeness of it.

"Move!" Ahab shouted behind her.

Turning and backing up, she saw that he was about to follow her in but needed to place her husband down first.

She was about to reach down to help when Ahab unceremoniously, but gently, tossed him into the helicopter before hauling himself up and sitting on the edge. She saw him attach a rope from the helicopter to his belt, which she deduced would keep him from falling out.

More pressing, however, was the crowd of darkspawn charging across the clearing toward them.

For his part, Big Boss was only mildly concerned. Though he couldn't claim to be an expert, yet, on darkspawn, he knew that they ultimately came from infecting other people; humans, elves, dwarves. And as such, at least share some of their weaknesses.

Such as an aversion to the unstoppable power of the 7.62x51 mm bullet fired at rate of 2,000 to 6,000 rounds per minute from the M134 Minigun attached to either side of Pequod's helicopter.

Before the small darkspawn mob could even make it halfway across the clearing to them, they were cut down by a hail of Minigun fire. "Get us out of here, Pequod!" he shouted in the direction of the cockpit. Whether Pequod somehow heard him over the Minigun's fire or not didn't matter as the helicopter immediately started rising above the clearing and the few darkspawn not cut to ribbons by Big Boss' Minigun.

"Departing area." Pequod said over the radio. "Returning to Mother Base."

Taking that as confirmation they were safe, Big Boss deactivated the Minigun, causing it to slide to the side of the helicopter in its waiting position, and stood up to close the door. Taking a breath once it was safely locked into position, Big Boss felt a weight fall off his shoulders he didn't realize had been there since stepping off Pequod only a few days ago.

Unfortunately, even though the immediate danger was dealt with, Big Boss still had a few problems to deal with. Two, to be exact, which was the Teyrn who was lying on the flor of the helicopter out cold, and his wife who, if her facial expression was anything to go by, was likely catatonic by all the sudden changes in the last few hours.

"What…what…what is this…thing?" Eleanor asked, feeling remarkably out of her depth, one of the few times in her life as a matter of fact.

Making himself as approachable as possible, which he knew was almost impossible considering his weapons, blood-spattered clothes, and scarred facial features, he said, "I'll explain everything, Eleanor. I promise. But right now, I need to take care of your husband now or else he'll bleed out just when we finally got to safety."

There was a flicker of doubt on her face when he said they were "safe", but she managed to keep her questions to herself and even give him a bit of room to work, taking a seat at the far end of the "helicopter" near a strange man who appeared to be controlling it somehow. Peeking over his shoulder, she was just further overwhelmed by her increasingly impossible foreign surroundings. "Is this…are we…is this contraption…magic?" she asked, fear and awe in her voice; fear from the potential of being surrounded by magic, whether of her own land or not, and awe when she saw the view afforded to their…captain(?)...at the head of the helicopter.

Even from the tallest point in Caste Cousland, or the crow's nest of the ships she sailed in her younger days, Eleanor had never seen the world from a bird's eye view as she was now.

Seeing Eleanor momentarily preoccupied, Big Boss took this opportunity to get some help. He activated his radio and waited for an answer.

"Boss!" Miller exclaimed over his earpiece. "What happened?! The last thing you tell me was the castle was under siege! Are you alright?"

"I'm alright, Miller." Big Boss assured him. "But the Teyrn isn't. It looks like he got stabbed in the abdomen during the chaos, likely by a knife. A sword would've gone all the way through his body."

"Damn it!" Miller shouted. Realizing his reaction, he quickly composed himself and said, "Alright, Boss. Stab wound. Hope you remember your in-field medical training. You need to sterilize and seal the wound, which will give the Teyrn alive long enough to be brought to Mother Base where he can be operated on. How long ago was he stabbed?"

That was an excellent question. Big Boss wasn't there when he was stabbed; if he was then he wouldn't have gotten stabbed in the first place, but it couldn't have been more than two hours ago.

"Two hours ago, at most. He got stabbed after we split up so he could find his family."

"And he's not gone into shock yet? Impressive."

"I gave him a dose of painkillers, large enough to be able to move him out of the castle so we could get to Pequod. I bandaged his wound before we left, but it looks like it did little good. The wound is still open and bleeding."

"Then you have to work fast, Boss." Miller stated. "It's only a miracle he's still alive. What you need is some disinfectant, styptic, sutures, and bandages. Once you've disinfected the wound, you need to stop the bleeding. That's where the styptic comes in. Apply enough to stop the bleeding, and then you need to suture the wound. Wrap enough bandages around him once you're done and keep him comfortable. The next few minutes will determine whether the man lives or dies, Snake. We need him."

"I know, Miller," Big Boss said before cutting the connection. Looking down at the barely conscious form of the Teyrn, he took a deep breath and said, "Sorry, Bryce, this is going to hurt."

It took a few seconds to retrieve the necessary medical supplies from the helicopter's first aid kit, but now he was kneeling over the Teyrn's body as close as he could with an open bottle of disinfectant in his hand. On an internal signal, he suddenly tipped the bottle over, pouring a liberal amount onto the wound. Normally, an injured person receiving so much disinfectant on an open wound like Bryce's would be creaming and spasming in pain, but his half-conscious pain-killer induced state reduced that to some grunts of discomfort.

Years of training and practical experience kicked in as Big Boss's former alter ego of medic for MSF rose to the surface, his organic right hand weaving the threaded needle back and forth through the Teyrn's wounded skin. With the wound safely closed and the suture secure, Big Boss proceeded to cover it with fresh bandages.

"Lady Eleanor," he said, aware that she was keeping a close eye on him throughout his little procedure though she didn't interrupt once, much to his relief, "I need to wrap these bandages around his waist to cover the wound. I need your help keeping him sitting upright for that."

The reason for his asking was twofold; yes, he did need help holding the man upright, securely wrapping bandages around a human torso was a two-hand job, but he saw that Lady Eleanor needed to be doing something. She was barely keeping it together as it was. Asking her to help treat her husband may not have been the ideal choice, but it was important that she keep distracted. If she simply sat in her seat for the rest of the ride home, she would go crazy. He got her to safety, now he needed her sane.

It seemed his intuition was right as she seemed to take on a new life when he asked her. As gently as he could, Big Boss pulled Bryce to a sitting position, holding him until Eleanor got to a comfortable position to hold him against her. Once she did, he slowly transitioned the weight of the Teyrn to her and, once he was sure she could hold him, proceeded to wrap Bryce's wound. Without the threat of being discovered or the danger of the Teyrn dying of blood loss, Big Boss was able to take him time, slowly wrapping the wound until the majority of the Teyrn's torso was covered with bandages.

Once he was done, he checked his ties one last time and, once assured the Teyrn would not start bleeding again until they got to Mother Base, nodded. "He's safe, Lady Eleanor. Your husband will live."

His words seemed to trigger something in her; she gasped, and carefully clutched her husband to her chest, gripping him like a security blanket as tears began to fall from her eyes. "Why?" she began to whisper under her breath, over and over, seemingly not expecting an answer as she kept repeating it.

Taking a breath, Big Boss decided to give the two some space and stood up as much as he could in the helicopter and moved to his own seat at the back of the cabin. He blinked when he saw DD was patiently sitting at attention next to his seat, having completely forgotten his faithful buddy was here at all. Another thing that amazed him about his wolf-dog hybrid friend, he was way too aware for a dog.

Not that he minded.

Gently petting DD's head, causing him to whine in pleasure at the attention, Big Boss took his seat, leaning back to truly relax for the first time since leaving Mother Base. His hand still idly scratching DD's head, he allowed his eyes to slowly close; exhaustion demanding he rest.

Before long, Big Boss was asleep.

Images plagued him, the mind of Venom Snake.

Here, in his own mind, unconscious and unguarded, his subconscious was free to run wild; tormenting him with memories, of those he knew, those he lost…and those he failed.

Prevalent among those were two women.

One with pale skin and platinum blonde hair, dressed in a schoolgirl uniform; consisting of a dark blue suit jacket, white shirt, ribbon bow tie, blue knee-length skirt, and brown boots. Her posture painted her as the innocent schoolgirl she appeared to be, but Venom knew better; knew what she really was.

But he had failed her.

When the true Big Boss saved her from Cipher and ordered him to save her, he failed. His success at finding the first bomb hidden in her stomach made him think the danger was past. He missed the second one, and she sacrificed herself to save them, save him, save the Boss.

Her words rang around in his ears, words he could not possibly have ever heard her speak, yet he heard them. Her farewell, and last words.

Paz faded then, replaced by someone he, Venom Snake, not Naked Snake, truly cared for.

Tall, thin, dressed in the bare minimum covering her modesty, torn stockings, boots, and equipment harness holding her sniper rifle. Her brown hair lazily ties back in a ponytail, much like his own, and a gaze she reserved for him that said more than words ever could.

Quiet, in all her glory.

He remembered everything, all the times they were together. From that fateful night in Cyprus when he woke up to see her stalking into his hospital room like a predator hunting wounded prey, to the angelic look she had and the angelic voice he never knew she possessed when she spoke to save his life, she had been haunting him.

Relationships were not something Venom Snake had prioritized before becoming Big Boss, and after he was, they were the last thing on his mind. But meeting her, fighting beside her, getting to know her on a level he never had with anyone…

…there were no words.

He remembered the times they were together in the very helicopter he was sleeping in, the way she teased him with her body language to get a rise out of him. He remembered all the times she came through for him in the nick of time; sniping an enemy just before he could sound an alarm, scouting a site out so he wouldn't go in blind, and proving herself without words.

But most of all, perhaps most importantly, he remembered her voice; her sweet, melodic voice he had only heard speak two times before. Her humming had become music to his ears, not to mention her primary means of communicating in the field but hearing her speak was something special in and of itself.

Boss…

The first time was at the hospital in Cyprus, just after she had strangled the nurse and doctor who saved his life. Calling in through her radio to report her status, her voice was nothing but cold, calculating, professional. He would never forget that moment as one of the few times in his life Death had almost claimed him and he was helpless to do anything about it, but it was easily overshadowed by the last time he had seen her.

Boss.

That night in the desert, trapped and surrounded in the Afghanistan desert by Soviet soldiers, he had seen the cobra snake too late. She had spoken then, directing Pequod to their location to save him, before disappearing into the desert, to die alone.

Boss!

Sometimes, he thought he could still hear…

"Boss!"

Big Boss jerked awake. His eye instinctively scanned the immediate area for potential dangers, only to be reminded that he was still safe in Pequod's helicopter. Lady Eleanor was still on the floor, dutifully keeping watch over her husband, though she was looking at him in concern, and DD was whining in worry at his master's inattentiveness. When he shook his head to wake up though, DD couldn't help half-jumping on him and licking his face.

"Finally," Pequod said. "Sorry to wake you, Boss, but we're coming up on Mother Base. ETA: one minute."

After managing to settle DD down and wipe his face of dog drool, he replied, "Got it," before getting up from his seat.

"Are you alright, Ahab?" Eleanor asked, her voice tinged with concern for her savior.

"Fine," Ahab curtly said. After a moment, he added, "Just...a dream. That's all it was."

"Dreams hold great significance, Ahab," Eleanor replied cryptically. "Especially considering what may be lurking within."

Her words worried him, but he didn't have time to think on it too long as Pequod announced, "We're home, Boss!" DD bared in agreement, and he slid open the door before sitting on the edge, strapping himself to the helicopter, and looking out over the expanse of Mother Base. Behind him, he felt Lady Eleanor shift on the floor to come up just behind him.

Her shock at the sight was apparent as he heard her gasp in awe at the man-made islands in the middle of the ocean. "Incredible…is this…?" her voice trailed off as her attention was drawn to a squadron of helicopter flying by in the not-too-far-off-distance hauling several shipping containers of unprocessed materials in the direction of the Base Development Platforms.

"Lady Eleanor," Big Boss said with a chuckle, "welcome to Mother Base."

It took a couple minutes for them to reach Medical Platform 1, but when they did, Big Boss was pleased to see Miller waiting for him along with a team of doctors and a stretcher just waiting for the chopper to land. Once it did and Pequod had cut the engines, Big Boss slid out of the chopper, DD bounding out from behind him, running in circles at finally feeling the familiar rough surface of home.

Smirking at his buddy's antics, he focused his attention on his approaching XO.

"Boss!" Miller called out over the noise of the still winding chopper rotors. "It's good to have you back."

"Thanks," he replied while stepping aside for the medical team to roll the stretcher up to the chopper. "Wait," he said, stopping them from grabbing the Teyrn's unconscious body out of the hands of his distraught wife. "Just a second."

Stepping back up to the chopper, he leaned in and said, "Lady Eleanor?"

At some point during their descent, she had retreated further into the chopper, clutching her husband's form to her like a lifeline, which it probably was. "Yes?" she timidly replied.

"We've landed. It's safe for you to come out."

She didn't reply for a few seconds. "And Bryce? What about…?"

"I have a team of doctors here ready to make sure your husband lives for a good long while. But they need to take him out of the helicopter and bring him to Surgery."

Another few seconds of silence before she hesitantly released her husband's body and made for the door. He held his hand out, his organic one, and helped her down to the ground. He couldn't help but note that, despite the circumstances, she still looked like a noble lady being helped out of a carriage. Once she was confident that the ground she stood on was real and wouldn't give way into the ocean, she allowed Ahab to move her to the side and let the army of strange men and women descend on her defenseless husband.

"Lady Eleanor, I presume?" Miller said, limping over to them.

"Yes," she said, taking a breath before tearing her gaze from the helicopter to the speaker. "I am-"

She was cut off from continuing, however, when she saw the empty left sleeve flapping in the wind.

"It's rude to stare, you know," Miller said, intended as a joke.

Eleanor's eyes widened then, surprised by herself. It was not the first time she had seen the cost of war and she didn't know what came over herself. "I apologize, ser," she bowed. "I-"

Miller cut her off with a wave. "It's fine," he chuckled, "got used to this a long time ago."

It was at that moment that the team of medics hurried past them towards the main building of Medical Platform 1 and Eleanor's focus was drawn to the rapidly disappearing form of her husband. Taking pity on her, having been there when her world crumbled around them, he said, "Your husband is being taken care of, Lady Eleanor. If you don't mind, I'd like one of our doctors to take a look at you too, just to make sure you're fine."

Lady Eleanor nodded mutely in response and Miller said, "Please, follow me, my lady."

As Miller and his entourage escorted Lady Eleanor Cousland off, Big Boss took a deep breath of crisp ocean air, not realizing how much he missed it. The seat air, the sound of cranes and machinery, the constant footsteps of the men and women under his command moving back and forth, doing their duties to keep Mother Base operational, and their eager and awed voices greeting him as he passed.

Call him narcissistic but considering that back on Earth every country in the world wanted him dead, it felt nice to be respected in an unfearful way.

"Boss!" one of his soldiers said, snapping him out of his thoughts. Turning, he saw one of the Medical Platforms Security Guards approaching him. "It's good to see you, Boss." He said while saluting. After Boss saluted him back, he said, "Sorry to disturb you, Boss, but Ocelot called earlier today and said you'd want this when you arrived." Reaching into one of his pockets, the soldier pulled out a natural cigar and held it out to him.

Taking it, Big Boss habitually brought it beneath his nose, taking a deep whiff in appreciation. As the rich loamy smell wafted into his sinuses, the memory of how he had gotten it came to mind.

It was roughly a month after Skull Face was killed and Sahelanthropus defeated. Miller had urgently called him back to Mother Base for an unnamed emergency. When he landed, no one was waiting to greet him, and the entirety of Command Platform 1 seemed deserted. Immediately on guard, he unhooked his sidearm holster and slowly ventured forth.

The first explosion had him drawing his pistol, looking for his attacker. But when he didn't feel the pain of being shot and his mind registered the next few explosions as neither gunshots nor acts of sabotage, he relaxed slightly. When the music started playing and Miller, Ocelot, Code Talker, and a small crowd started coming around the corners singing "Happy Birthday", he got what they were trying to do.

He smirked, shaking his head, and holstered his pistol and straightening up from his combat stance. The crowd quickly enveloped him, several of his soldiers patting him on the back, congratulating him, and a couple particularly brave female staffers kissing him on the cheek, blushing as they fled into the safety of the crowd afterwards.

When the cake was rolled out and he blew out the candles, someone broke out a case of tequila and things became a little blurry after that.

Once things had calmed down and everyone had safely returned to their posts, rooms, or been sent to the infirmary, he had taken a walk to clear his mind. And then, after Quiet's little show of marksmanship, he had turned and saw the massive wooden containers behind him were filled with real cigars.

She didn't have to say anything.

They never did.

He was holding one of those cigars in his hand. Sticking it between his teeth, he started patting his pockets for his lighter when the security guard said, "Here, Boss," as he pulled out a lighter.

Nodding in thanks, he leaned forward as the guard clicked the flame on. A few puffs later, Boss was leaning his head back slightly, holding the fumes in his lungs. After a few seconds, he let the cloud out and the guard saluted as he returned to his duties. Clicking his radio on, he called Miller, who answered after a couple rings.

"Yes, Boss?"

"I'm going to grab a couple hours of shut-eye. Let me know when the Teyrn is safe and the wife is ready to talk. Make sure I'm there before you discuss anything."

"You got it, Boss. They're prepping him for surgery now. There are a couple reports you need to read, but I'll let you get some sleep first. We'll also need to discuss the results of your excursion to the mainland."

"We will." He said, cutting the connection.

Taking one last puff from the stub of his cigar, before dropping it and stomping the flame out, he headed for Command Platform 1; specifically, the CO's quarters.

What was normally about a ten to fifteen-minute drive between platforms seemed to whizz by as Big Boss drove one of the base's jeeps across the mile-long bridge. The sound of wind rushing by, combined with the cooling feeling of wind whipping through his mostly unkept hair and the heavy smell of sea air, provided an odd type of comfort only those in love with the sea could appreciate.

Within minutes of arriving at Command Platform 1, Big Boss had the door to his quarters securely locked behind him. Looking around the room, he was struck with the reminder of how little time he spent here. Being Big Boss, he was, of course, given the largest and arguably nicest personal quarters in all of Mother Base. His own personal shower with around-the-clock hot and cold water, a comfortable bed, a fully stocked and operational galley, and one hell of a view of Mother Base in its entirety.

Considering Big Boss' habit of working one mission after another with very rare breaks, it was understandable if this suite went unused for weeks at a time.

However, the suite was the last thing on Big Boss' mind at the moment. After removing and placing his weapons and gear on the large desk placed against the wall opposite his bed, he headed for his shower, removing his uniform as he went. A few minutes later, he collapsed on his bed and let his mind wander and his eye shut.

An incessant ringing was what roused Big Boss from the arms of Morpheus. It took longer than he was accustomed to wake up enough to force his eyes open, but when they were he focused on the alarm clock on his nightstand and was appalled to see "1221". This was probably the latest he slept in his entire life.

Awake now, he practically jumped out of bed to reach the radio he left on his desk the previous day. Slipping the earpiece on, he accepted the call. "What?" he answered, his rough voice extra gravelly from just waking up.

"Well, that's a hell of a way to answer the phone," the voice of Miller said in one of his rare lighthearted moments. "I tried calling you earlier, but assumed you were sleeping when you didn't answer. The medical team managed to repair the damage to the Teyrn's stomach."

"How is he?" Big Boss asked as he pulled his standard Olive fatigues out of his closet and got dressed.

"Short term: he'll be fine, but he got lucky. Stab wounds like this are dependent on what's done in the first few minutes. You saved his life, Boss."

"Good. How is he now?"

"He's still sleeping from the surgery, but the doctors say he will be fine. He's got several weeks at least of follow-up exams and probably several rounds with a physical therapist and counselor before they give him a clean bill of health."

"Some good news," he muttered, more to himself but loud enough for Miller to hear his acknowledgment. He tightened the last strap of his prosthetic arm to his torso, and started arming himself, more out of habit than an expectation to go into the field today.

"Yeah. Anyways, the Lady's focus has been mostly on her husband's condition. She practically bent the ear of the guard I put on her with questions about how her husband is doing. She answered them, of course, Lady Cousland is not our prisoner, and she saw him when he was brought out of surgery."

"Hmm," Big Boss replied nonchalantly, sliding his backup knife into his holster at the small of his back. "Where are you now?"

"At Medical Platform 1. I got here earlier today and came to check on our guests in person. The Lady's been asking for you, by the way. Might want to get over here soon."

"On my way."