Big thanks to everyone who reviewed, my beta for catching most of my mistakes, and my wife for encouraging me to keep going when I don't feel like it. All of you rock! Enjoy the read.
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"Well, you've certainly been busy," Alyssa said, meeting Damien and his two new companions at the door of the Hawke's house. The building was a modest farm house. Damien was astonished that his entire group was able to fit inside along Hawke's family.
"Only gathering more allies," Damien said motioning back to the two behind him.
"Carver and Lyna told us. I'm surprised the Revered Mother let the Qunari out of the cage," Alyssa said looking over at the giant.
"This is Sten of the Barasaad. He's agreed to help us fight the Blight, and I'm sure you remember Sister Leliana," Damien said as he motioned to his new companions in turn.
"It is so good to see you Alyssa. I was worried when I heard the news from Ostagar," Leliana said stepping forward and embracing the woman.
"Are all of you going to wait outside or are you going to come in to eat?" a kind faced woman asked coming to the door.
"You must be the lady of the house," Damien said stepping forward. "It was extremely kind of your family to offer us food and shelter."
"I am assuming that you are Damien, right?" the woman said smiling up at him.
"Yes ma'am, I am," Damien said bowing his head.
"My name is Leandra Hawke, and if half the things I am hearing about you are true, It is my pleasure to welcome you into our home," she said showing him in. Leliana, Alyssa, and Sten followed close behind.
Damien looked around the house and found it much larger on the inside than it looked on the outside. The main room held most of the group all eating large bowls of stew. He smirked seeing Morrigan sitting uncomfortably on the far side of the room as close to a window as she could get. Being with a lot of people must make her uncomfortable. Good to see there was a person under the harsh shield she always put up.
Alistair, Lillian, and Carver were all sitting together on the couch eating. Alistair looked like he was inhaling the food with every bite, while Lillian and Carver looked truly relaxed for the first time in a long time.
Lyna had perched herself next to the fireplace with her stew and was quietly munching away, while Brax chewed on a large bone laying at her feet.
"Sten, you and Leliana go ahead and eat. I know you haven't eaten in some time," Damien said.
"Appreciated," Sten said turning and heading for the pot of stew over the fire with Leliana.
"It's good to see you again," a voice said from behind Damien. He turned to see Bethany standing there holding a bucket of fresh water.
"You too, Bethany," Damien said smiling broadly. She blushed slightly as she carried the bucket toward their kitchen.
Leandra offered him chair and handed him a large bowl of stew with a thick slice of bread. If it had been before the Joining, the bowl would have been a true feast, but now, it hardly seems like enough.
"Thank you so much for keeping my children safe," Leandra said touching Damien's cheek.
"I did nothing. Your children are skilled warriors and kept themselves safe. I wish they would stay with us, but protecting you and Bethany is far more important," Damien responded. Leandra looked up at Damien. He could see the sorrow, but also the gratitude in her eyes. He smiled as he dipped his bread in the stew.
"You really are everything they said you were. I certainly hope you will come visit us when the Blight is over," Leandra said placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Where are you and your family going?" Damien asked. He was shocked with what thought immediately came to mind. The only thing in his head was that Bethany would be leaving. Perhaps he could write to her. Would she even want him to write to her?
"My parents had an estate in Kirkwall. I believe that would be the best place for us to go," Leandra said softly.
"With your permission, I would really like to write to Bethany," Damien said looking down at his food trying to not look to desperate for the answer he wanted.
"Of course you have permission," Bethany stated form behind him. Damien jumped slightly and nearly spilled his stew.
"Oh, um… I… uh…. Thanks," Damien stammered turning to face her. She was smiling broadly as her cheeks turned a beautiful shade of pink.
"Hey, hero! Stop flirting with my sister and get over here!" Lillian called from the couch. Damien smiled back at Bethany before heading over to the couch and perching himself on the arm rest.
"So, your mother says that you guys are headed for Kirkwall. That you've got family there," Damien said. Carver and Lillian exchanged looks.
"We have an uncle there but we've never met him. I'm not sure what would be the best path north though," Lillian replied, stirring her stew as she thought.
"I would say head for Waking Seas. There's a large port there and if there aren't enough boats, Highever is only a day's walk away," Alyssa suggested.
"I guess we could try cutting across the Bannorn to get there," Carver suggested.
"Stick to the roads for now with the rest of the refugees. You'll be safer as a group," Damien said downing the last of his stew and setting the bowl aside. "For us, now that we're equipped and armed, we're going back to Ostagar."
"You still think that's best?" Alyssa asked.
"Those treaties will guarantee that we can get help against the darkspawn. I don't know about you but I'm not entirely sure I could beat the horde on my own," Damien said rubbing the spot where he had been injured. It didn't hurt currently, but the memory of the wound did.
"I say we take the fight to this Loghain and crush you opposition before facing the darkspawn," Morrigan stated from her seat.
"That would do nothing but confirm what they are saying about us," Alistair argued, but then his expression turned from worry to anger. "But I wouldn't mind getting my hands on that traitorous bastard."
"We gather the army first. Then, if Loghain doesn't fall in line, we eliminate him so our focus can be solely on the darkspawn," Damien stated sternly. The rest of the group nodded their understanding as they finished eating.
"So what's the plan to get back to Ostagar?" Lyna asked.
"Morrigan, can you get us around the horde again?" Damien asked.
"Of course."
"Why'd I even ask? We'll circle around the ruins and approach them from the south. We should be able to get to where the King's camp was before we're spotted. Any resistance we meet will need to be dispatched quickly and quietly before an alarm can be raised," Damien said looking around the table. He looked over at their two new companions. Sten did not have the build for stealth combat, so unless he could move silently, He would need to be used as a rear guard with Alyssa and Alistair.
Damien sighed and looked back over at the Hawke family. "All of you should leave as quickly as you can. I doubt the horde will stay at Ostagar much longer," Damien said standing.
"We'll leave first thing in the morning," Lillian responded.
"Same with us, so everyone get a good night sleep. I'll take first watch," Damien said heading for the door.
"No, you won't. We are safe here for the moment. All of you need to get your rest. I'll keep an eye out for trouble," Bethany said catching him by his shoulder. Damien sighed and rubbed his neck.
"Alright, alright, I'll get some rest and relieve you later," Damien said turning back to the group. "Settle in and try not to make a mess."
The group spread out and found their own places to lay their heads while Damien leaned against the wall next to the door. If darkspawn did make it to the farm during the night, he could be the first line of defense and he could sense when they got too close.
"Do you mind me asking something?" Alyssa asked as she lay down using her shield and arm as a pillow.
"Depends on the question," Damien responded trying to relax a little.
"Are you scared? With everything going on, I mean. Less than two weeks ago I was a noble and you were a beggar and now, we're two of the last Wardens in Fereldan. I have to admit, I'm scared," Alyssa said as she closed her eyes.
"I'll tell you something that a friend once told me. His name was Lockey. Being afraid of everything is okay, as long as you have the courage to face it anyway," Damien said. He remembered Lockey telling him that before he had broken into a warehouse to scrounge up some food. The guards had been far more vigilante and numerous than usual that night. Damien had been scared that he would get caught before he could get back out.
Alyssa smiled as she fell asleep. Damien was surprised how quickly she was out. He had started to dread going to sleep. Every night the dreams of the dragon came and tortured his mind with its whispering roars. He knew he needed the sleep, he just didn't want to close his eyes. He hoped that with more distance between him and the darkspawn, he might be able to sleep better, but he doubted it.
As he thought, once he drifted off to sleep, the dragon came, yet it seemed oblivious to his presence, unlike before when the beast looked straight down at him chilling him to the bone. He made sure to not move, no sound, not even breathing if he could help it.
Thunder woke him from under the dragon's gaze. He heard a light rain falling on the roof as he stretched and stood up looking around. Everyone was still asleep except for Bethany. True to her word, she sat silently in a chair near the window keeping an eye on the outside world.
"I wonder just what might be so interesting out there?" Damien said sitting down across from her.
"You should be resting," Bethany said keeping her gaze on the outside world.
"I told you I would relieve you after I got some rest. You and your family will be traveling tomorrow, so you need to sleep too," Damien said loosening his scarf and pulling out his pendant.
"Alright, but I'm not too tired yet, so I'll sit up with you, at least for a bit," Bethany said relaxing in her chair.
"That's fine," Damien said turning to the window.
"I heard what you told your friend. Everyone seems to have a lot of respect for you. Lillian said you took command of some of the soldiers in the battle and that you were the only reason that she and Carver made it out," Bethany said moving her chair to the other side of the table to sit next to him.
"I never asked for this, but now everyone's looking to me to make decisions for us. It's a lot of pressure. I'm so worried about making mistakes. In the battle, if I had withdrawn sooner, there might be another dozen men with us at least. Maybe even more Wardens," Damien said tapping on the table lightly with his fingers.
"It's easy to look back at your decisions and think of what you could have done. But everyone respects you, so you must be doing something right," Bethany said using her arms as a pillow on the table.
Damien smiled and exhaled. Bethany was right. Like it or not, everyone had chosen to follow him without really even discussing it. He had even started recruiting people to their cause without speaking to his companions about it. If he was being truly honest with himself, he had appointed himself the leader along with everyone else. What he wanted no longer mattered. He needed to be whatever the group and Fereldan needed.
As he glanced back over at Bethany, he found her fast asleep. She must have been more tired than she had let on. He smirked remembering her insistence on letting his group get their rest. His fingers wrapped around his scarf and the pendant. He remembered the nights that he, Lockey, Griggs, and Heness would trade off watching over each other.
"I couldn't save you guys, but I'll make sure that I take care of my new friends," Damien said softly.
Damien sighed and started thinking about all the things that they needed to do. Treaties from Ostagar, talk to Arl Eamon in Redcliffe, figure out who they could get help from through the treaties and recruit them, and deal with Loghain somehow. It was a long list and other than collecting the treaties he wasn't sure where to start.
He looked over at his comrades as Lyna, Alyssa, and Alistair tossed and turned as the dreams of the dragon racked their sleeping minds. He hoped they would be rested at the very least. Everyone would need their strength for their mission to Ostagar.
As the eastern sky started to lighten, Damien stood silently and made his way to the door. He could get the wagon ready and inspect their equipment before the rest of the group woke up. If he managed to do that, then they could be on their way the moment everyone was awake. He considered leaving the wagon in Lothering, but if the horde starting moving north before they could get back, all their hard won equipment, the wagon, and most of their supplies would be lost. As noisy and inconvenient as it was to bring the wagon with them, he really did not see any other option. They could make camp an hour or two's hike from Ostagar while remaining away from the horde, keeping the wagon safe. But who could he ask to stay behind to keep the wagon safe. He doubted any of his fellow wardens would and Morrigan would be needed as a guide to Ostagar. Maybe their two new members would stay with the wagon, but could he trust them? The sister was definitely hiding something and the Qunari had admitted to being a murderer. Maybe leaving Brax with them would be a good idea.
Damien finished hitching up the horse and wagon and guided the steed out to the front of the house, but as he did, the taint in his blood burned, warning him of the approaching enemy. From what he could tell, it was not the horde, but it was a decent sized war band. Rushing back to the door, he flung it open to find the other Wardens taking up their weapons and waking the others.
"It's coming from the highway," Alistair shouted pointing to the west. Damien nodded.
"Hawkes, stay here and keep an eye on our wagon for us. Everyone else, on me," Damien ordered sprinting back out the door. He made sure not to use his magic so everyone could keep up with him, but he knew the darkspawn were fighting someone. Whoever that was needed their help. Of all the things they had to do to end the Blight, protecting the people of Fereldan from the darkspawn was the most important of their duties.
"Damien, up on the highway!" Lyna shouted pointing. He spotted what she saw. A squad of darkspawn, a dozen strong was bearing down on a merchant cart and two dwarves. He couldn't wait or hold back. He needed to get between those monsters and their victims immediately.
"Catch up as fast as you can!" Damien shouted back before launching himself forward and up with his magic. The wind knocked the hood off his head as he descended on his unsuspecting prey and slashed his dagger down a hurlock's front, nearly cleaving the beast in half. Without a pause, Damien spun and used the momentum from his jump to kick a genlock in the head and drove his dagger into its back. An arrow from Lyna pierced another darkspawn as Damien started using his blades to block. There was simply no time to counterattack as nearly all the surviving darkspawn encroached on him. Every time he had an opening to attack, one of the beasts, two others would be attacking. Defense was his only option.
The others arrived mere seconds later and engaged the darkspawn as well allowing Damien the opening he needed to counter attack and push the beasts back. In a large group, the darkspawn could easily overwhelm even a seasoned warrior, but when the numbers were even and the fights were one on one or one on two, the darkspawn lost their advantage and were quickly eliminated.
Damien spun his daggers knocking the two darkspawns' weapons aside before swiping his weapons back across his body decapitating both of his opponents at once. He looked around seeing his group finishing off the last of the darkspawn.
"Great timing. Search the them and see if there's anything we can use," Damien said before turning to the two dwarves they had protected. "You two alright?"
"Mighty timely arrival there, my friend. I'm much obliged," the elder of the two said approaching.
"You're welcome, I'm just glad we could help," Damien said extending his hand.
"Name's Bodhan Feddic, merchant and entrepreneur. This here is my boy, Sandal. Go on, say hello to the nice gentleman," the dwarf said shaking Damien's hand.
"Hello," Sandal said shortly. Damien smiled. The boy spoke in a way that showed he had a simplistic mind. Damien had seen others like him before, but most were seen as a disappointment to their parents. It was comforting to see a father so loving of a simple boy. The obvious affection Bodhan had for the lad endeared the dwarf to him making Damien smile broadly.
"Hello there. My name's Damien," the warden responded offering his hand to Sandal as well. The boy shook it vigorously as he smiled up at Damien.
"Road's been might dangerous these days. Mind if I ask what brings you out here? Perhaps we're going the same way," Bodhan asked. Damien didn't quite understand why, but he liked the man. The dwarf was cheerful and very kind. Even in his travels, Damien had not met many men who acted this way with strangers they had just met.
"You're more than welcome to join us, but I would suggest waiting here in Lothering until we return. See, I'm a Grey Warden and I'm headed to Ostagar to recover some things that were lost in the battle," Damien explained.
"A Grey Warden? Well, I believe there might be a little too much excitement on your path for my boy and I to handle, so for the time being at least, I will bid you farewell and good fortune," Bodhan said politely. Damien smiled and nodded.
"And to you my friend. I hope to see you again. On the road maybe?" Damien said taking a few silvers from his purse and placing them in Bodhan's hand.
"I hope so, but what's this?" Bodhan asked.
"To help fix your wagon. It looks like it took a bit of a beating. You can pay me back next time we see each other," Damien said smiling and turning to leave.
"You have my word. I'll pay you back every copper and then some," Bodhan shouted after him. Damien waved back at him as the group joined him heading back down the ramp of the highway.
"Well, that certainly got the blood pumping," Alistair said cheerfully as he wiped his face to try and clean as much of the blood off himself as he could.
"Anyone else hungry for breakfast?" Damien asked looking back at the group.
"Do you even have to ask?" Lyna answered. The Wardens laughed as did Morrigan and Leliana leaving Sten as the stoic silent pillar behind them.