Prologue: Betrayal

Chapter 7: Noble Blood

Shadow sighed and looked Lyna straight into her beautiful blue eyes that shined in the moonlight. "Being a Grey Warden isn't about heroism. It's not about being noticed and getting paraded through Denerim for your good deeds. The deeds you perform are neither good nor bad. Neither light nor dark. Neutrality is kept among the Grey Wardens, our only sworn enemy are the Darkspawn that threaten us all, and creatures such as the demons from the Fade. Were you conscripted in another time, your deeds would have fallen unnoticed by the world."

Lyna nodded slowly, but tilted her head as a new question revealed itself in her mind. "What if one of the national leaders becomes corrupt? Starts slaying his own people for the fun of it?"

"Politics are not in our interest, but if it threatens our domain it is a threat we must involve ourselves in. If we are say, in a castle, and a jealous Lord besieges it… We must involve ourselves to ensure the greater good is dealt and that we can get out. Which doesn't always mean fighting the belligerent." Shadow replied, his gaze softer than it always had been. "Now, hit the floor. Three hundred in three minutes."

"Three hundred?! Who do you think I am?!" The elf gasped in shock.

"A procrastinator. Get to work, earn your title as a Grey Warden. Just because we're in the clear now, and can rest before Ostagar, doesn't mean we will." Shadow grumbled with a small smirk finding itself onto his hardened face.

Time: 09:00 Hours

"So, we're heading to Highever for the Cousland children?" Darrian asked Duncan as the two rode on horseback towards the castle.

They were going at a steady pace so they could have a conversation before they arrived. After all, Duncan needed to make sure the young Tabris knew how to act so he did not blow the cover they needed. So, the Warden-Commander smiled and nodded slowly.

"Yes, though we are going to be pretending to arrive there in order to inspect Ser Gilmore. You will play your part as my recruit, and it is most imperative you do not speak of any ulterior motives I have shared with you regarding recruiting the Teyrn's children. That would not sit kindly with him." Duncan responded in his usual wise and quite smooth voice.

Darrian smiled, "Act like I'm just a recruit who knows nothing more than having been recruited to fight Darkspawn until I die. I think I can pull that off."

"It should not be too difficult for you, Darrian. After all, that is precisely what has happened. Do not make me regret trusting you with this information. Besides, I'm sure the Teyrn will already know I am looking at his children as potential recruits. Not that it will change his opinion on the matter. So, we shall still focus on Ser Gilmore." Duncan continued on, "Let us make haste. Midday is fast approaching and I want to be there before the Teyrn and his men leave for Ostagar."

So they continued their journey in relative silence. Hours had passed before Castle Cousland was in their sights and, whilst he had grown up in Denerim, Darrian felt small compared to the castle. It was as if the aura of the men who stood watch over the entire castle seeped into his heart. Honor, strength, justice, law, courage, all were things one could feel when in the shadow of the castle. The portcullis opened along with the reinforced wooden doors behind it. It was such a grand welcoming, as numerous soldiers stood at attention and four stood to greet them personally. The two men rode their horses forward for a few feet before stopping to be addressed by the men.

"Ah! Warden-Commander! We were told to expect you. This is the recruit that you said would be accompanying you, I take it?" One of the soldiers, an older man and most likely a veteran of the rebellion against Orlais.

Duncan chuckled, "Please, just call me Duncan and yes, this is my recruit. We have come from Denerim. It was quite the journey."

The soldier nodded, "Aye, I bet. How fares Denerim? We haven't heard much, other than the King has marched down to Ostagar."

"It is quite well, though it is as corrupt and dangerous as ever. The only real safe place to be is the merchant district, and even that is dangerous." Duncan replied.

"So, not much has changed." The soldier chuckled in response, "Well, head on in to the stables. Teyrn Cousland awaits you in the main hall. Oh, and Duncan? Word of warning; Arl Howe is here."

Duncan smiled and nodded despite the news. He had a feeling that the Arl being there would be a very bad situation. Rendon's father, Tarleton, had fought with the Orlesians, and in doing so gave his support to the occupation of Ferelden. The Cousland's hung the man and practically beat his dangling corpse when the war was over. Whilst Rendon hadn't really shown any hostility towards the Cousland's for the death of his father, no child would allow such a thing to go without thinking of avenging their loved one and no doubt inspiration.

As they entered Castle Cousland that was all Duncan could think about. Rendon would no doubt hinder his progress just by being there. It wasn't something that could really be avoided if it had proven to be true in these next few hours, or even days. The overall state of Ferelden was a weakened one, Duncan had to admit. If he were one of Ferelden nobility, he would probably see all the potential the Darkspawn in the south represented. With the King and his attention turned to Ostagar, a power grab was more than likely. Such a thing was almost a fact.

They stabled their horses and headed inside the main hall where they found Teyrn Bryce Cousland talking with his youngest son and Arl Howe. Well, the guard at the portcullis was correct. The Arl was there. He slowly stopped Darrian and with a quiet voice, spoke to him.

"Here we are. Stay close beside me, and only speak if you are addressed. Otherwise, allow me to do the talking. Understood?" The Warden-Commander asked as he crossed his arms.

Tabris nodded, "Yes, Commander."

"Good. Come on, then." Duncan said as he allowed his hands to fall back down to his side.

He turned around and headed straight for the group of people. When he arrived, he immediately caught the attention of young Aedan Cousland. The young man looked like he longed for battle. He was tall, strongly built, and had the gaze of desire for adventure. His well kept dirty blonde hair complimented his eyes very well. The only thing that one could complain about his visage was the fact that it didn't look that great without facial hair. Though, being nobility he had to keep it trimmed unless out on the battlefield. No, the young Cousland often had to attend meetings and courts. Neither of which thrilled him like getting down into the pit with the men and training.

"So this is the Grey Warden, father?" He asked in an intrigued tone.

"Indeed he is, pup. This is Duncan, Warden-Commander of the Ferelden Grey Wardens. With him, I believe, is his latest recruit from Denerim. I apologize, I do not believe I know your name." Bryce said as he looked at the elf.

Darrian bowed before straightening back up. "My name is Darrian Tabris, Your Lordship." He said crisply, not wanting to get into trouble by being defiant.

That was the one thing all elves knew about human nobility. One wrongly phrased sentence could mean a life or death sentence. All it took was one wrong word, and it was possible to end up dead where you stood. At least, that's how it was in the Denerim Alienage. He hated that place, and he couldn't for the life of him understand why his father insisted on staying there. Sure, living off of the land like, or with the Dalish couldn't have been easy. But, it would have been a hell of a lot easier to do that than get abused all day long for your entire life like he had. They wouldn't even permit him one happy occasion there, no, the nobles had to come and kidnap his bride. Perhaps that was for the best, though. He didn't like thinking about what Shianni had thought about the marriage. Those two had become close in their time together, especially since his sister left the family at the age of ten.

"Nice to meet you, Darrian. An elf joining the Grey Wardens?" Aedan said with a smile, "I'm glad to know that we are well protected from the Darkspawn."

Oh, it was no secret that the Cousland boy had an unlikely respect for the elves. Ever since he saved the family of an elder veteran who just so happened to be an elf, he often went behind his family's back to learn under him. Eventually, the Couslands actually hired the elvish man to train their children when they found out that Aedan, who was only fourteen at the time, could topple one of their most strengthened soldiers. Such a thing was not public knowledge, however, due to the fact that if any other noble family with their heads up their rears found out it would only cause an issue for the Cousland family.

Darrian smiled and bowed again, only briefly this time. "Your words honor, and inspire me, my Lord."

"Please, just call me Aedan." The young man said before turning to his father. "So who are they here to inspect? Me, I hope."

Bryce nearly choked at hearing what his son had just said. "What?! Oh no, no, pup, I'm not so careless as to send both of my sons into battle." He said with a nervous chuckle.

"Why, I think it's a rather good idea. If I were here for recruits, I'd look at your children." Howe said with a sneer. "More Aedan and young Elissa than Fergus."

Bryce sighed, "Be that as it may, it changes nothing. I'm not going to have all of my children be sent off to battle whilst my home is unguarded."

"That is most alright, Teyrn Cousland," Duncan chuckled, "I understand. Where is this Ser Gilmore, if I may ask? I believe he is the one who I am here to inspect."

Bryce nodded with a smile, "Of course, Duncan, but please stay and rest for awhile. You can meet him after dinner. You've only just arrived, and I know Elissa will want to meet you."

"Why, of course. Thank you for your hospitality." Duncan said, "Where may we stay for the evening?"

"Our guest housing, of course. Pup, why don't you show them the way there?" The Teyrn asked as he turned to his son.

Aedan's eyes lit up with joy at the idea, "Of course, father! Come with me, Wardens. It's a short walk, but well worth it. We've actually just had it cleaned and prepared for your arrival." With that having been said, the young man took the lead of the two Wardens and they left the main hall. As they walked through the streets Aedan decided to inform the Wardens of all that had been going on around Highever and Castle Cousland in the past month.

"We had a breach in security in one of our secret vaults earlier this week. Guards say that some woman dressed in black, ragged clothing pulled it off. I don't see how one person could have operated such a heist however, as we had stationed twenty guards around the vault. Of which, only four were visible. When we got there, all of our men were severely injured, not killed, and we found hardly any tracks. No one is that good…" He said with a sigh, taking a right turn onto another street.

Darrian shrugged, "Perhaps it was the Dalish? They are light on their feet, they are known to know how to cover their tracks, and don't always kill."

"That's a good suggestion, but I don't think the Dalish would really want anything to do with what was in that vault." Aedan replied.

Duncan spoke up, "I do not mean to sound like a fanatic, but perhaps it was a person corrupted by the Darkspawn? Me and a comrade of mine investigated a break in for one of Arl Eamon's vaults, and when we got there we found around fifteen Hurlocks waiting for us as well as a ghoul. Female."

"Was she human?" Aedan asked, stopping in his tracks.

"No, she was a dwarf." Duncan replied, "Why?"

"The woman who infiltrated our vault was a human. There were no Darkspawn to be discovered, and they aren't exactly the most stealthiest of beings." Aedan said with a low grumble before continuing to lead them to their housing.

Duncan chuckled, "That is not true. Just because the bulk of them travel in hordes does not mean they are not masters of stealth. Shrieks, for instance, can appear behind you at any moment and unless you are a Warden, you may not be able to react quick enough to save your own life."

"I suppose that's true." Aedan said before opening up a door to a rather large looking house. "Here we are. Your home for as long as you stay here in Castle Cousland."

Duncan and Darrian both bowed before entering the house. "Thank you, Aedan." Duncan said with a smile as he inspected the house. He had seen plenty of worse places to sleep than this.

"You are welcome, Grey Wardens. I wish I could stay and talk, but I've a message to deliver to my brother before he sets off to Ostagar. I'll see you at dinner tonight." Aedan said with a bow of his own before taking off.

Darrian closed the door and looked over at Duncan who was already in the pantry. "Are you kidding me?" He asked, "Darkspawn are now doing things bandits and outlaws usually do?"

Duncan chuckled as he found a jar, shaking it to hear a rattling noise. "Not all Darkspawn are low in intelligence. In fact, many of them are quite intelligent beings. The Logosha, for instance, are a large and organized group of Darkspawn. Though, even we Wardens are not sure of what their purpose may be. The Logosha are all capable of speaking our languages, and have proven to be very powerful."

"Great. So I signed my soul over to death. Great." Darrian sighed as he moved to join the Warden who was browsing around.

Duncan smiled as he glanced over at the Elf. "If my memory serves me correctly, you didn't sign anything. It was either join the Wardens or get executed for you, my friend. I chose the former for you."

Darrian let out a grumble as he found the dishes. "That's not very fair."

"By that time, young Tabris, your life was not your own to control. It was quite literally either execution or this, there was nothing you could do. I didn't want to see your life go to waste, so forgive me." Duncan replied quickly, and Darrian saw where he came from.

It partly warmed up the elf's heart. Duncan had seemed to care somewhat about his life, despite the fact they didn't know nothing about each other. He guessed that was what it would be like with all of the Wardens when they met. Pasts didn't matter, only the present and future would matter to them. They were an order that based themselves around vigilance. In order to be vigilant against any Darkspawn uprising, your previous life had to leave you completely. To think he was condemned to such a lousy lifestyle… it upset him somewhat.

"So… We've quite some time until sundown when I expect they'll have supper. What shall we do?" Darrian asked, looking over at the Warden-Commander with a thoughtful expression on his face. "I was thinking perhaps we could watch some training in action?"

"Ah, pardon me, friend, but when it comes time to oversee the sparring sessions I'd prefer you stay with Elissa Cousland. I'm sure Bryce would agree, actually, as she is one to get into trouble if unsupervised." Duncan replied with a smile, "Though she doesn't care if she's being watched while getting into trouble. I'm sure you wouldn't mind."

"Actually, I do. I want to see action, to see how these noblemen are trained to fight. I do not, however, want to babysit." The young elf protested.

Duncan laughed, "If you truly think that you are babysitting her, Darrian, you will be mistaken. You'll be chasing her. Just make sure you two don't stray too far from the castle. Such a thing would not be good, especially with all that is going on in this world right now."

"Ugh, whatever you say. Just as long as she doesn't treat me like a slave I'll be fine with her." The elf huffed, closing the cupboards and heading upstairs to the bedrooms.

The young Tabris was dreading 'chasing' that girl, whoever she was, as much as he was looking forward to it. It would definitely prove itself to be interesting; chasing after a noblewoman without having guards chasing after him. Last time he tried following nobility, he ended up with a slap on his wrists if a spiked chain could qualify as a 'slap'. He still had the marks to prove it. Then again, from what he had gathered from Aedan, the Couslands were rather open minded when it came to elves. As long as they acted honorably, which would be no issue with Darrian. Even he had to admit that not many elves acted with honor.

He entered a room right to the left when he reached the top of the stairs. It was a somewhat large room, with a dresser, desk, bed, and even a small table with two chairs he guessed were used to eat small and private meals. The desk even had a mirror on it. Never before had he seen such rich housing. The bed itself looked comfortable compared to his old bunk bed he shared with his father. The young elf fell onto the bed and let out a loud hiss of appeasement. The bed felt so soft and welcoming under him.

"Well, Darrian, I believe you just found a good way to pass the time…" He mumbled to himself, closing his eyes and wondering what they would have for supper. They were feasting with nobility, after all, something he had never done before in his entire life.

Time: 21:30 Hours

"We Wardens aren't really permitted to have any relations outside of the friendships we forge with others of our kind. No lovers, no children, no family. Hell, we can't even really dedicate ourselves to ourselves. We dedicate ourselves to our goals, our duties as Grey Wardens. We fight the enemies of civilization. Whether it be from within civilization itself or the Darkspawn. Though it is nearly always the Darkspawn, unless some rowdy bunch decides to try and work with forces beyond the skillsets of Templars or soldiers." Shadow mumbled to Lyna, his tone very serious and calm.

"But, why is it so limited? Why can't we have families?" The Dalish woman asked.

Shadow huffed, "Say you and I were a couple, and we were dispatched on a mission that involved taking on the Darkspawn in order to save the farm of an elderly couple. Would you have it in your heart to let me go for the sake of the innocents, or would you have it in your heart to save the one you love?" He asked.

"I... I..." She stammered, why of all things, was that his example?!

The Warden nodded. "That is why the Grey Wardens prefer not to have relations. Whilst we are out to protect each other, innocent lives come before all else. In the time you thought about your decision, both myself and the elderly couple have already been slaughtered by our foe."

"That's harsh!" Lyna grumbled in frustration.

"That's fact." Shadow replied with a sigh.

"So why aren't you in the dining hall with your companion?" Elissa, a young seventeen year old woman with long reddish-blonde hair asked Darrian as they walked through the grassy plains that surrounded Castle Cousland.

Darrian chuckled, shaking his head slowly. "If I am to tell you the truth, my Lady, I am under orders to accompany you tonight."

She looked over at him with a raised eyebrow, curiosity coursing through her quite visibly. "And who ordered this? My father, or your companion?"

"Both." He responded rather hastily. "According to Duncan, your father didn't trust you to be alone and Duncan then ordered me to accompany you. I can't say I mind the assignment, however, as you are rather good company."

Elissa scoffed as they continued to walk, "He is just too protective. I got ambushed by bandits last year. Ever since, he's been freaking out about my safety... I even killed those who ambushed me!"

Darrian bit his lip in thought, so she could fight? Impressive, given the fact her body structure didn't really suggest that much. She was rather tiny compared to Darrian or Duncan, and that was saying something as elves are usually built to be fast, and agile. Though Darrian wasn't like other elves, and actually preferred strength as much as agility. Elissa caught his gaze as he was examining her, and he quickly looked away to try and act as if he hadn't been stealing glances at her.

"Oh, please don't tell me you're one of those elves." She teased.

"Of... Of course not! I'm a Grey Warden recruit, even if I was one of 'those' elves, it wouldn't matter. Grey Wardens can't have families, nor normal and peaceful lives, really. We're doomed to constantly fight the Darkspawn." Darrian said, his voice rather heavy as if he was holding something back.

"Well, aren't you jumpy." She giggled, "I just can't believe he trusts my life in the hands of an elf... not to be offensive to you." Elissa said. "I've no quarrel with your kind, in fact, I know plenty of good elves. It's just that... well, put simply, when I was one year of age an elvish assassin from Antiva killed my aunt. Zevran, our investigator said his name was. Up until Aedan and his mentor became a thing, my father trusted no elf with no human's life just because one elf killed his sister." She explained hastily so he didn't get the wrong idea about her.

Darrian frowned though nodded as he understood what she meant now. They walked in silence for awhile. The only noises that were heard were the rustling of the grass and leaves, wildlife, and even the shore that was not too far away. They were in the grassland that separated the woods and Bannorn from the shore of the Waking Sea.

He finally spoke up, "I can understand that. Unfortunately many of my kind are as bad if not worse than the humans when it comes to racism. Some of us are just belligerents who think that killing will send the humans a clear message."

"Thank you for understanding," Elissa said softly, "Like I said, I'm really not hateful of your people. I hate members of your kind like I hate members of my own. I am unlike many other nobles, Ser Darrian, I think equality is the road to go. Poor, or rich. Human, or elf... it matters not. We are all equal. We all bleed the same, eat the same, drink the same."

"I'd be weary of what you call your... or our equals, Darkspawn bleed and more than likely eat and drink as well." Darrian chuckled, attempting to lighten the mood.

"Oh stop it, smart one." Elissa said with a quiet laugh.

She was busy quietly thinking through the situation she was currently in. Never before had she ever had company on her little journeys as everyone was always busy doing their own thing. Her brothers trained or partied with the soldiers. Her father had a land to run, people to govern. Her mother was busy taking care of both her brothers and father. Whilst this man, this elf, was under strict orders to just accompany her. She couldn't help but feel joy in his company.

Darian chuckled as he heard her laugh. "So, tell me more of this 'breach' your brother told me about. I am most curious."

"Oh, some bandits or whatever just wounded our men, broke into our vault and stole an old rusty metal relic in the shape of a dragon's skull." Elissa said with a shrug, "I never knew why we bothered keeping it locked up so tight. The thing was just a useless old piece of rubbish."

"I hope you are right… if it had some importance and got into the dirty hands of thieves… I fear for the future." Darrian said with a small sigh.

She nodded slowly, "Well, if I am to be completely honest, I am not entirely sure of the origin of that relic. All I know is that the Couslands have protected it for countless years, since before my great grandfather, in fact. There used to be a writ that was in the vault with it. However, I believe either my father or grandfather moved it out of the vault."

"Shall we go to the beach, my lady? See the sunset on the sea." The elf asked with a small smile on his face.

"My, Ser Tabris, that almost sounds romantic of you. Surely that isn't your intent? I'm a completely innocent lady." The young woman with fiery blonde hair said.

"Of course not! I just would like to see the sunset, and since I am tasked with watching over you, I figure we could see it together." He replied as he cleared his throat.

She giggled before leading him towards the shoreline. Despite not actually admitting or showing it, she liked the idea of seeing the sunset with someone. It was difficult to see nature properly behind the walls of the Castle. The issue with getting out was that her father's men always caught her, usually due to Aedan's assistance. Sometimes the young lady swore her brother just didn't want to see her happy. In her heart, she knew that he was only watching after her whilst also throwing a bit of brotherly love into her life. Fergus, on the other hand, he had other ways of showing her that he cared. Such as persuading people, much like their father, to let her get away with things easier than she normally would.

An hour had passed and the sunset had long since vanished over the horizon, yet still the two remained on the shore. Why they did, neither of them knew. Neither of them really cared. To them, it felt like a peaceful place to be. It felt as if they had managed to avoid their sworn duties whilst they were on the shore together.

"There they are! Seize them!" A harsh voice tore them from their peaceful state.

Immediately reacting to this, Darrian swooped up and drew the sword Duncan had given him just in case trouble happened to cross his path. Trouble like the large group of men that stood before them. Closer inspection through the darkness revealed them to be Howe's men. That could only mean one thing...

"Duncan was right...!" Darrian growled, "Elissa, stay back, I have this under control."

The girl chuckled before shaking her head slowly, "No, I'll help you. Wait... what?!" She exclaimed looking over at the castle, which had smoke rising from it.

Immediately she had tried to run to the castle to find and save her family, but Darrian stopped her right in her tracks by wrapping his one arm around her and pulling her into his body. He could understand where she was coming from, as he had kind of been in a similar position as her back in Denerim. Unfortunately, his logic and orders forbade him to allow her the same vengeance he had taken into his own hands. At least for the moment. The elf had a feeling that no matter what would happened there that night would not go without revenge for long. The Couslands were known for always avenging the deaths of their kin, and as pessimistic as it may have sounded, with an army that size the Couslands within the castle walls no doubt died. Unless, of course, they found Duncan just in time to be saved.

"Not right now, Elissa. We've more pressing matters to attend to. You head back into that castle, you're dead. Understand? They will kill you without hesitation." Darrian warned her with a sigh. "I'll take you to Lothering. Duncan told me that is where all of the recruits for the Grey Wardens are meeting up. He is still inside that castle, and if he is alive, that is where he will take your family and any survivors he can. Trust me."

The two of them unknowingly allowed the soldiers to surround them. Four of them closed in to try and take hold of the two, however, by that time both Darrian and Elissa were alerted to their presence. Armor wasn't exactly the most quietest thing in the world, especially plate and mail. Darrian sprung into action and quickly engaged the four men in combat. He was fast, much faster than the human soldiers. They were wearing traditional plate armor and no doubt had been assigned to front line combat. Why they were out near the shore was an question beyond the young elf, but he had hardly the time to analyze anything other than their armor for weak points. Having seen the make of the armor being nothing more than the common plate, he immediately saw the weaknesses. It hadn't been that long ago since he had killed many guards wearing the same armor. Two of the men found his sword slashing into and through their necks, one of them unfortunately went after Elissa.

Darrian feared for this companion's safety, but his fear was wasted when she drew a dagger. She grabbed the soldier's arm and pulled him towards her, something most would consider reckless, and had she not been quick the man would have stabbed her straight in the gut. Skillfully, however, she prevented this fate by bashing the sword away with her dagger and stabbing it at an angle through the weakness at under the arm. In order for the plate armor to offer mobility and some comfort, there had to be a section without plate where the wearer's armpit was. Otherwise, it'd just make their arms ache and restrict their movement more than it already was. Generally, when heavily armored opponents were present, it meant that they were very powerful but at the expense of reduced mobility. They could take somewhat more damage than normal soldiers, and deliver fatal blows should they manage to get a hit in with their weapons. But they were countered easily by skillful and agile opponents; exactly what Elissa herself trained to be.

"What are you lot standing around for?! Help me!" The remaining man called out before getting kicked onto his back, another unfavorable position for plated men. On their backs, they were in the same predicament as turtles.

Darrian quickly finished the man off, recovering just in time to deal with his remaining comrades. In truth, the 'remaining' forces were more or less the original force of at least twenty now. Four had been killed, but both Darrian and Elissa were still outnumbered. It'd be a true test of their skills to get out of their current situation alive. Either that, or luck. But Darrian didn't believe in luck, as he felt he could only ever rely on himself to get something done right. Not some unseen force of the world. The fight began, and even in the starting stages it proved to be tiring.

The two went against all kinds of opponents. Howe must have really wanted them dead, it was either that or they were very unlucky. If Darrian had to choose, he would have picked both. The fight had dragged on, and it pushed both Elissa and Darrian onto the defensive. Whilst they had to strike back in order to thin their ranks before they themselves weakened, there were so many that they had to primarily focus on surviving each of the soldiers' blows. It got to the point they were literally back to back in order to avoid getting surprised. At that time, they had added six new corpses to the body count.

"Things aren't looking good, Ser Darrian..." Elissa huffed, hastily deflecting and skillfully riposting one of the soldiers. Luckily enough, it was enough to finish the lightly armored man off.

Darrian growled, kicking his own attacker back into the others. "I am in the same situation as you; I can see that." He replied before cleaving the head off of a soldier's body. "We need to finish these fools hastily and make our exit."

"That would be great, if my family wasn't still trapped inside the castle!" Elissa retorted before blocking an attack.

"Your family is probably dead by now, Elissa, we don't have the time nor the resources to go into the castle to look for them. We'd get caught and executed." The elf said smoothly before running his blade straight into the throat of a soldier.

"And what would you have us do?! Grow wings and fly?!" The Lady asked, growing very impatient and agitated.

"There is a forest on your doorstep, we'll run into it. With the cover of night, no one would be able to follow us unless we let someone in this group survive." Darrian reasoned before headbutting a lightly armored man, quickly cutting him down.

The fight continued on for a few more minutes until it came down to their final opponent. With their minor wounds aching and their entire bodies exhausted, they pooled their energy and took him on as a team. Darrian cleaved the veteran's legs out from under him, and as the man fell, Elissa quickly slammed her dagger down into his screaming mouth. She ripped the weapon from the man's mouth and stood up, both her and Darrian panting heavily from their fight. Darrian was soaked in blood that was not his own, but he had a few good cuts on him from the battle. He was not equipped to fight a battle like that. At least, he wasn't yet. He still had his wedding clothes on, and whilst that may have worked for the guards the men there were trained to kill. Not protect.

"So the woods, yeah?" Elissa asked.

"Yes. Let's go before more arrive." Darrian said before rushing towards her, taking her hand and leading her hastily towards the cover of the trees and wildlife. Whilst wildlife itself was dangerous, he would rather take his chances with the wild and the Dalish than with an army laying siege to a castle. He just hoped Duncan and the Couslands made it out okay.

Time: 22:00 Hours

"Whilst we Wardens are able to act freely when out in the field, we are all trained in what to do. Whilst not all situations will grant you the ability to carry out our teachings, it is good for you to have a guideline." Shadow told Lyna as he stared into the fire. "Our topic for right now will be recruitment. If you are ever assigned to go out and find recruits for our Order, you are to remain neutral and observe for a brief period of time. Should you find what you are looking for, you can approach them and ask them to join us. You are offered two courses of action from the start. The simplest one is simply requesting they join. In the event they say no and we are desperate, or they are in trouble with the law of the land, you have an ace up your sleeve that any and all members of civilization must accept; The Rite of Conscription. If the person is about to be executed, you hold the right to be able to rush up and stop it, demanding that he be placed under your watch and care so that he can become a Grey Warden and find his death fighting Darkspawn and the other threats we face."

Lyna's eyes widened. "Are you serious?"

The Warden nodded, "Indeed. Continuing on, our neutrality whilst recruiting should remain a priority. However, there are times that direct intervention is necessary. For instance, if you have multiple recruits and you must only pick one, you observe them in intense scenarios. Whether artificial or genuine, though you may ever act to assist them in any way. There are two exceptions to this rule. One being if the Darkspawn are involved. When recruiting, you are generally not going to send your recruits up against Darkspawn that early in. You can, but that's a bit harsh. This scenario is one you may act on in order to help them out. The second is if their lives are legitimately in danger. For instance, the invasion example from earlier."

"What about if both scenarios happen?" She asked with interest.

"Then I hope you brought a lot of energy and skill with you on your recruitment mission." Shadow replied, turning his head to look her straight in the eyes.

"Hold the line, men! Don't let them breach the main hall!" Ser Gilmore called out as the guards rushed to ensure the door did not get pushed open. It was no simple task as they only had ten men to hold back what was likely an entire army.

The young gentleman turned and addressed Duncan and Aedan. "My Lord, Warden-Commander. What brings you two here, I thought you'd have used the secret tunnel by now?" He asked.

Aedan shook his head, "No, we were looking for anyone in need of help whilst searching for my parents."

"Ah, well your parents headed for the tunnel. Though I can't guarantee they made it. Both of them ordered me to stay here and hold this position with all of the men I could get. I had some patrol the streets, but still, somehow Howe's men keep on getting behind our lines of defense and I fear that unless something is done we will be surrounded and lose the castle." Gilmore said with worry.

Aedan nodded and sighed before looking at Duncan. "We can't let that happen."

The Warden-Commander nodded as he stroked his mustache. "You are right about that, but... I don't think we will be able to. Ser Gilmore, how many men do we have at the ready?"

"Thirty battle hardened men in this hall, ten injured but capable of fighting if needed, and anyone else still fighting on the streets." The Knight informed the two of them.

Aedan's face lit up, "How many does Howe have?" He asked quickly.

"The first report we got from the wall? He has around one hundred able fighters. It's only a section of his forces, our scouts say the rest continued their march to Ostagar, most likely to avoid suspicion." The man replied with a shrug, "Why?"

"Or Denerim..." Duncan muttered to himself, "Because, Ser Gilmore, this brilliant young man is forming a strategy."

Aedan nodded before moving over to the table, Gilmore and Duncan both following to see what he had in mind. "Alright, so this is the layout of the entire castle. You say they have one hundred men, which means that they are trying to capture our castle quick and clean. But, if they only have one hundred or so men here, that would mean that they couldn't possibly risk sending them all in at once, not to mention our courtyard is not large enough to support that many men. Especially if their plan is to siege the castle. We have thirty men here, forty including the wounded and who knows how many of the active garrison still fighting. We're inside a castle, it's meant to resist siege with less men than preferred.

If we have some men stay back to hold the doors whilst we all get situated outside of this hall, they'll have no choice but to funnel their way to us. We could lead them back towards my home, that way they have only one way to progress rather than three. It's a choke point and I believe we have the manpower to pull this off."

A whooshing sound was heard and it alerted all of the men to its sudden and unexplained occurrence. Everyone turned to the center of the room save for those who were holding the door. What they saw was terrifying. A strange anomaly with a purple outline and dark core appeared, and from it emerged multiple ghostly whispers. Duncan growled and narrowed his eyes. He sensed Darkspawn.

"A very good plan indeed, young Cousland. Though, I am afraid it is for nothing." A feminine voice spoke, "Arl Rendon Howe will become the new master of this castle, and you will become an exile with all of the others whom this Grey Warden seeks. You are smart, however, and there is no such thing as a single-path choice. Step through this portal and join me before we slaughter your friends. Or, die with them either now or later."

As the woman finished her proposition, multiple large Hurlocks stepped through the portal. Duncan recognized their markings instantly, as well as their abnormal appearance compared to other Darkspawn. The Logosha. Immediately the guards that were available rushed to attack the Darkspawn and close their portal, but they proved more of a threat than the guards had originally anticipated. The lady behind the portal simply giggled.

"Your subconscious decision speaks for itself. A true decision is not based off of thought, at least one that is out of necessity or desire. Fight well, Cousland. I know we will meet again. Our fates are intertwined. Logosha, kill them all. Leave none alive, unless you manage to get your hands on the young Lord." The woman concluded before the portal vanished, leaving ten Darkspawn behind.

They roared loudly, and what had once been defensive fighting on their part turned into an offensive frenzy. The guards, having not expected such an immediate change in posture, were overwhelmed and suffered heavy casualties. What was once thirty men dropped to seventeen. Nearly half of them were killed in the span of five minutes. That was not good. During the fight, Aedan noticed that the men holding the door were beginning to lose strength.

"Gilmore! Take whoever is available and hold the door, Duncan and I will take care of these Darkspawn scum!" Aedan commanded, quickly killing the Logosha that was attacking Ser Gilmore.

"Right away!" Gilmore said before grabbing two guards and rushing over to assist in holding Howe's army back.

What was supposed to be a rather peaceful night before Bryce Cousland left turned out to be a night from the Black City itself. Howe would pay for all he had done. Treachery was not something any of the Couslands took lightly, and Howe would soon find that out personally. The Logosha were strong, but soon only four remained. Though at that time, only ten of the guards were able to fight them.

"We need to hold this position for as long as we can! Ser Gilmore, keep those doors shut!" Aedan called out as he bashed a Darkspawn in the face with his shield, knocking it down to the ground where he quickly ran it through with his sword.

"Understood, Lord Cousland!" The knight replied, pushing against the door as best he could.

Duncan quickly engaged one of the three remaining Darkspawn, killing it but not switching to the nearest threat in time. This costed the remaining men their lives as the large Hurlock cleaved through all ten of them with unimaginable strength.

"Shit!" Aedan roared, quickly cutting the Logosha warrior's legs.

The Darkspawn fell, but before his back hit the ground Aedan quickly slashed again to decapitate it. This was a successful maneuver and the Darkspawn was no more. He finished just in time to see Duncan deliver a series of vicious stabs and slices, eventually ended it by tearing out the Darkspawn's throat. The creature fell backwards and a pool of blood formed under it. The Warden-Commander turned around and let out a loud huff, panting heavily.

"Aedan, we just lost the entire garrison, there is no way we are able to fall back and hold Howe's men. The siege has been successful, I need to get you out of here before the Couslands lose a son." Duncan said with a sigh.

"I'm not leaving my men behind. We fight together, we die together. That is the pact I've made with them." Aedan protested, turning to face the injured men. "Quick, all of you who can stand and hold themselves. I want you over to that door, helping keep it s-" He began to order before a loud crash was heard.

Debris from the doors as well as the men holding it went flying into the grand hall. "Howe has breached the door!" One of the guards called out, the injured men and women getting their weapons ready. "Hold them back! Protect Lord Cousland!"

Gilmore quickly got up to his feet along with the survivors of the blast, engaging the overwhelming force in combat. "Too late..." Duncan sighed before readying his weapons and rushing in to lend some aid.

Aedan followed the Warden-Commander. This would be their final stand against the invading forces. The Cousland guards were well trained, which was more than most nobles could say about their guards. They knew discipline, they knew that their orders came before the preservation of their lives. The battle that followed was long and bloody. Halfway through Aedan ordered the men to fall back to the choke point he had come up with earlier, and they successfully did so. They only lost four men since the door was breached, and Howe's siege was coming to a quick end. The strategy proved to work. An hour later, only thirty five men remained, though Howe's men signaled a retreat. They left ten behind to cover the retreat of the twenty five others.

Soon only five remained, and Ser Gilmore quickly slaughtered one of the soldiers. The man had exposed himself in an attempt to do a powerful overhead strike. The second Gilmore went after quickly got cut down by both him and Aedan. Duncan himself, however, used his sword and dagger to dispatch two of the soldiers simultaneously. The remaining one quickly dropped his weapons and threw his arms up in the air.

"I surrender! I surrender! Please, in the name of the Maker have mercy on me!" He cried out. "I have a wife, kids... please don't..."

Duncan did nothing but sheathe his weapons, and Ser Gilmore did the same. Aedan, however, approached the man until he was face to face with him. He shook his head, a look of disgust on his face.

"So too did the countless men you and your comrades have slaughtered. You call yourself a soldier, die like one." He ordered before kicking the man onto his back and quickly stomping on his head to finish him off.

Duncan looked at the execution expressionless and Ser Gilmore simply looked away. "Brutal, but efficient." He said tiredly, "Maker... I don't want to think about how many we've lost."

"Not as much as you would think, Ser." Duncan said as he spotted several of Howe's men rushing back to them. They were cut down by arrows, and shortly after a large group of Cousland soldiers were seen marching through the streets.

When they arrived, their leader saluted Aedan who simply looked at the man with tired eyes. "My Lord Cousland, I apologize we didn't make it back here earlier. We all saw the smoke and headed back, gathering up and pushing in to the castle. We see that you have taken care of the attackers, however."

"Were there any survivors?" Aedan asked weakly as he thought about all who had died.

"Plenty, my Lord. Though we have many to bury, I don't think we've lost too many. Howe, that bastard, a lot of the corpses we've seen were either our men taken by surprise or innocent men and women." The man said with a groan. "What are your orders, my Lord?"

Aedan shook his head. "I want men manning the walls. I want to know if so much as a messenger appears at our gates. I want patrols running through the entire castle searching for survivors and wounded. If they are with Howe, put them down. My mother and father must be found as well. Set up very small patrols to watch over our lands, and for those old enough to fight; conscript them, arm them, train them, and have them ready for war." He ordered.

"Understood, my Lord. I'll go to the grand hall and take care of all of that." The soldier replied.

Duncan nodded, "I will go with him, if you have no need of me at the moment, Lord Cousland. I should dispose of the Darkspawn corpses properly before they do damage. Ser Gilmore, I want you to rest up. You have proven your worth to me as a Grey Warden, and would like to know if you still wished to become one of us. Don't worry, Aedan, I will keep watch as well. I know that you probably do not want to become a Grey Warden any longer due to your new duties. Get some rest, you deserve it. Not to mention you look very ill."

Aedan nodded slowly, turning and heading back up to where it all had began for him. He opened the door and slowly made his way inside, but saw a sickening sight. "NO!" He shouted, rushing over to a gathering of corpses.

Hearing the scream from outside, both Ser Gilmore and Duncan redirected themselves and rushed into the home of the Teyrn. Their eyes widened at what they saw. The bodies of the Teyrn, Teyrna, Oren and Oriana. Their bodies were placed so they made a triangle with Bryce in the center of it. Implanted in his chest was a corrupted sword. Darkspawn in origin. Aedan had broken down crying at Oren's side, and Duncan took a step forward.

"The symbol of the Logosha." He muttered.

"We are done... for now... We will meet again, Aedan. Enjoy my gift to you..." A quiet whisper said, audible to everyone in the room. It was a chilling voice, feminine and somewhat dead if dead were a sound.

"Gift? Gift?! How is this a gift?!" Aedan questioned loudly before realizing that he was solely in charge of the castle and its forces. Fergus was deployed, Elissa either dead or far away from there. He was the Lord of Castle Cousland now, and he was in charge of making sure the castle was repaired, their forces replenished and prepared for another fight. A larger fight.

Shadow placed a hand on Lyna's shoulder. "You see, our enemy will attempt to get into your head. At least, the Logosha will. They play with us like we are the pieces on a chess board. The rest of the Darkspawn and all of the bad people on one side, civilization on the other. If they see you as valuable, they will break you and start to drive you mad. We don't know who leads them, but we do know that in their higher circles are a bunch of men and women who have various roles. They are often the ones that will tempt even the most honorable of us, leading them into a corrupt path." He informed her, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "That's another reason we Wardens do not form relationships in the common sense. The Darkspawn, or any enemy, would exploit that fact and compromise our duties."

Lyna nodded slowly, "I just... I hope that we have people out there that can resist the temptations and threats. Otherwise... our job is a lot harder and more likely to fail."

"Don't worry," Shadow chuckled, "Just look at me. The demon from my story, it wasn't the only thing that tried to get my loyalty. The Logosha as they are now have not quite mastered the art of successful temptation, or threats. They only lead a person to want to kill them all. They make more enemies than they do allies, using death to influence people. Now, that concludes our conversation." He said as he stood up and walked over to his bed.

"Get some rest, Lyna. We're going to be busy tomorrow."