Here's the next chapter everyone. Again, I apologize that I am not able to update as often as I use to or as much as I like. Please accept my apologies. Big thanks to all my followers, reviewers, my beta, and my wife for all your support and help. Enjoy!
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Damien wrapped his forearms up with clean bandages as the cart rumbled over the rough road. They had spent their last day at the Spoiled Princess asking about Sten's sword and keeping Morrigan and Wynne from killing each other. Although Damien was no closer to solving the feud between the two mages, they did have a lead on the sword from a merchant who claimed to see a scavenger selling a qunari sword to a dwarf from Redcliffe. Considering that that was where they were headed anyway, Damien considered it to be either luck or fate. Maybe a bit of both.
"How is your pain?" Wynne asked from her seat at the back of the cart.
"Feeling fine. Still on the sore side but I haven't exactly been taking it easy now, have I?" Damien replied raising his bandages arms and rubbing his side.
"That is true. You have not, but I meant your arms. I wish you would let me heal you," Wynne stated.
"Thanks mom, but I'll be fine. I've dealt with a lot worse before," Damien responded as his gaze fell. He had survived torture, broken bones, stitching his own wounds, and illness. Asking Wynne to waste magic on a few scratches from thorn bushes just seemed wasteful.
"Damien, what do you think we'll find in Redcliffe?" Alistair asked as he walked behind the cart.
"Hopefully good news, but I'm not that optimistic," Damien replied. He had been thinking about their situation since the fight with the darkspawn.
"Why not?" Kallian asked adjusting her position in the cart so she was facing Damien.
"We've run into a few Redcliffe knights since Ostagar, but they were searching for a cure for Arl Eamon. Now, I might be spitting in the dark on this one, but it seemed pretty convenient that the Arl suddenly took ill right before Loghain betrayed the king," Damien said opening the trunk they kept their documents in and digging through the scrolls and parchment. He found a small ledger with several letters tucked inside and the royal seal on the front.
"What's that?" Alistair asked.
"Not sure," the commander replied as Damien opened it up and started reading. It took him a bit to get through the first letter but it appeared to be diplomatic dispatches between Empress Celene and King Cailan asking for support against the Blight.
"Diplomatic documents apparently," Damien stated handing the letter to Alistair. The man hopped up onto the cart and sat on the edge as he read through the letter.
"Well, don't keep it to yourselves. Why not share with the group?" Alyssa said as she jogged to catch up to the cart.
"The king was asking Orlais for help against the darkspawn and I think the Empress was going to send it," Alistiar said as Damien handed him the ledger. He might have been able to figure out the words, but no where near as fast as the former Templar could.
"If that was the case, any reinforcements Orlais sent should have been here by now, unless Loghain knew about this and turned them around at the border," Damien said rubbing his chin as he thought.
"That makes the most sense," Alyssa agreed.
"Wait, Loghain fought with King Maric against Orlais right? What if he betrayed the king to keep Orlais out of Fereldan?" Damien said rubbing his chin.
"That would be completely stupid. I mean, without a king, that would open the door to a major invasion," Alyssa retorted.
"But Loghain announced his regency the minute he was back in Denerim. We all heard about it," Kallian replied.
"With Loghain in command, Orlais wouldn't dare try to invade. They would be seen as the aggressors and open themselves up for legal retaliation from the other kingdoms," Liliana added.
"Do you really think that would stop them?" Alyssa asked turning to face the bard.
"It doesn't matter. All we know is that those reinforcements never made it to us and Loghain betrayed the king. Everything else is guess work. Let's focus on what we can accomplish first which is gathering allies against the Blight. We'll handle Loghain once we come to that particular bridge," Damien said silencing the discussion.
"If Orlais does invade, what should we do?" Alyssa asked.
"Let's worry about that when and if it happens. Just remember, we're Grey Wardens. We don't get involved with politics unless it affects the Blight. Make sure you keep that in mind," Damien said looking over at the former noble. She nodded obviously having mixed feeling about Damien's decision.
000
It took another two and a half days before the small caravan reached the outskirts of Redcliffe in the Hinterlands. The cliffs and steep hills around the village made the trip both beautiful and treacherous. Damien could feel a darkness surrounding the whole area and the feeling only got stronger the closer the got to the village.
"Stop the wagons and gear up," Damien ordered.
"What's going on?" Alistair asked as his hand wrapped around the grip of his sword.
"A bad feeling," Damien said climbing out of the wagon, ready to draw his weapons.
"I don't sense anything," Alyssa said looking around.
Damien knew this feeling was certainly not darkspawn, but it was a dark feeling that crept up and down his back like a slimy slug. Chills emanated from his spine raising goosebumps on both his arms and legs.
"Trust me, there is something seriously wrong. Wynne, can you feel it?" Damien asked. Maybe another mage could sense this bone chilling force.
"There is a darkness if I concentrate, but it is very faint," Wynne said stepping to Damien's side.
"Maker's breath, can nothing ever be easy?" Damien said.
"What do you want to do?" Lyna asked as she kept her gaze focused ahead of them.
"Take anything necessary for combat and two days of rations. We'll make our way to the village on foot from here. Bodahn, take our carts and get off the main road. Daylen, you and Brax will keep them safe," Damien ordered.
"Wait, why me?" Daylen asked looking over at the mabari as the massive dog trotted over to him and sat down next to him.
"Because if you are attacked, I know you can hold your own. Brax is with you just in case. Make me proud," Damien said taking a small bag of food and canteen from the cart as well as a bag of coins. He did not expect to need five sovereigns worth of coins but it would be better to have it and not need it than to be without and need it.
"Yes commander, I'll do my best," Daylen said placing his arm over his chest in a salute.
"Bodhan, Daylen won't be able to keep watch all the time. He'll need help keeping an eye out, but if a fight does start, leave the combat to him," Damien said looking back at the dwarf.
"That sounds reasonable to me, my friend," Bodhan answered cheerfully.
"Alright, there is a small path back down the road about a thousand paces or so. It is big enough to fit the wagons down. Find a spot to camp and we will meet you there in a few days. If a week passed, and no one brings word, find your way to the Orlais Wardens and beg them to come and fight the Blight. Is that understood?" Damien said as Daylen climbed up into the drivers seat of their wagon.
"That's not going to happen. You'll be coming back, I'm sure of it," Daylen said smiling. Damien chuckled and nodded. He could tell by the youth's tone that the young mage understood what was expected of him even if he did not like it.
Damien took the lead as his team fell in step with him making their way down the road. The dark feeling around him kept getting thicker in the air as if there was a massive thunderstorm brewing behind the mountains.
"I think I'm starting to feel what you were talking about," Neria said looking around as she clutched her staff to her chest.
"Calm yourself, little one. We will be fine," Wynne assured her, but Damien could feel the force getting stronger and stronger as the village gate came into view.
Damien held up his hand to slow his group as they closed the gap between them and the fortification. He could see people beyond the gate, but they were not guards. They looked to be militia.
"Hello? Have you come to help us?" someone shouted from the far side.
"Lyna, cover me. Alyssa, Alistair, with me. Everyone else, be ready to take cover," Damien ordered silently handing his bag of rations to Neria.
"Be careful. We don't know what's going on," Leliana said as the three Wardens advanced. Damien didn't think there would be a problem, but he wanted to make sure that the two people with shields were with him to protect him from any possible ambush.
"My name is Damien. I am the Warden Commander of Fereldan. I've come here seeking an audience with Arl Eamon," Damien shouted as they get closer. The gate creaked and whined as the massive portcullis was raised and a wounded man raced out to meet them. The only thing that shouted militia about the man was the sword on his belt. Everything else from his clothes to his shoes were simple cloth. This man had no protection; no shield or armor.
"So no one knows what's going on here. Maker help us all," the man said looking down at the ground.
"Relax. Tell me what's going on and I'll see if I can help," Damien said waving for his team to rejoin him.
"We are plagued every night by monsters from the castle. It started a week ago and every night there are more people dead," the man said.
"Monsters from the castle? What are you talking about? What about the people inside?" Alistair shouted taking a step forward.
"Take it easy, Alistair. Let the man speak," Damien said catching his friend by the shoulder and pulling him back. "Apologies, but my friend here is well acquainted with the Arl and his family. You understand, right?"
"Of course, but we've had no word from anyone in the Castle since the first night. We've just been fighting and dying," the man explained. Tears started to stream down the man's face. "Every night they attack us until dawn and every night more people die. If Bann Teagan weren't here, I'm sure we would all be dead now."
"Bann Teagan, Arl Eamon's brother? He's here?" Alistair exclaimed.
"Yes, I should take you to him. He'll want to meet you," the man said waving for them to follow him.
"The rest of you go ahead. I want to talk to Alistair alone for a second," Damien said. "We'll catch up in a minute."
His companions exchanged curious looks with each other before following their guide toward the village as Damien pulled Alistair to the side.
"I have never seen you this worked up, not even after Duncan..." Damien stopped himself. That was the last thing he needed to bring up now. "Look, what's going on with you?"
Alistair shifted his weight as he let out a sigh. Whatever was bothering him was no small matter, especially to get a rise out him rather than a sarcastic joke.
"I'm sorry, Damien. I just... I told you about how I was raised in Redcliffe castle, but the reason I grew up there was because..." Alistair started but he stopped.
"Look, I get that whatever relationship you have with Arl Eamon and his family is complicated, but if it's going to interfere with what we have to do here, then maybe you need to wait with the wagons and Daylen," Damien said.
"Its not... Maker's breath, why is this so hard to say?" Alistair took a deep breath and clenched his fists. "I'm a bastard. The reason I was raised in the castle was because my mother as a servant there and my father was King Maric."
Damien took a step backward. He must have misheard him. Alistair related to the king by blood? That was not possible. What in the Void was he doing with the Grey Wardens? Could anyone else know? Of course Arl Eamon must have because who else would have told Alistair about his origins. But did that mean that Loghain might know too? Did King Cailan know?
"So... you're a royal bastard?" Damien asked. Humor... of course he would use humor to hide that fact that he was completely freaking out. He could barely deal with the fact that Alyssa was a noble, now they had the bastard son of King Maric too? Andraste's grace, what in the Void were they supposed to do now?
"Yeah I guess I am," Alistair said laughing. Seeing his friend loosen up helped but Damien could still feel his mind grasping at anything it could make sense of. Could Alistair be the reason that Loghain betrayed the Wardens? Was he trying to eliminate any true competition for the throne?
"Does Loghain know?" Damien asked. He had to confirm his suspicions.
"Well, King Maric and Loghain were best friends so I assume so," Alistair answered.
Andrate's mercy! Damien not might have the reason the wardens were killed standing in front of him, but Alistair might even have a legitimate claim to the throne. If that was the case... no, no, no... he had to concentrate on the task at hand. For the moment that was securing Redcliffe's safety and support from the Arl, no matter the cost.
"Thanks for telling me, Alistair. I know that was probably hard to talk about. So, should I be calling you 'your highness' from now on?" Damien said giving his friend a shove.
"Maker's breath, no!" Alistair said reaching to shove Damien back, but the young rogue jumped backward forcing his friend to chase him down the road after their companions.
000
As the group came into the village, Damien could feel the despair surrounding them. The looks on the people's faces couldn't have been more hopeless. Men clad in some of the roughest looking armor he'd ever seen swung old swords around clumsily. The blades looked to be as close to the brink of breaking as the people that wielded them.
Damien shook his head as they entered the Chantry, but the view within seemed even more hopeless. A couple dozen wounded men and nearly a hundred women and children lined the walls praying, crying, and in complete despair. The brothers and sisters of the Chantry were doing what they could but nothing seemed to help calm the people down.
A nobleman close to the front of the building was talking with a few villagers. He looked to be the man in command.
"I'm guessing that's Bann Teagan?" Damien asked the young man leading the group.
"Yes sir. He's really the only reason any of us are still here," the young man said.
Damien nodded with a small smile. The bann was truly loved by the people. If anything had happened to Arl Eamon, maybe the Bann would be the next best thing as an ally.
"Tomas, weren't you on watch near the main road?" the man asked. He took a quick look at the group behind the young man and his expression changed. "Who are these people?"
"Bann Teagan, do you remember me? It's been a while and the last time you saw me I was younger and covered in mud," Alistair said stepping forward. Damien had almost started the introductions but maybe letting Alistair break the ice would get things rolling faster.
"Covered in mud? Alistair, is that you? I can't believe you're alive. I thought you had been lost at Ostagar with the other Wardens," Bann Teagan said embracing him. Damien smiled seeing the look of joy on his friend's face. The fact that someone remembered him and missed him enough to hug him must have been a pretty good feeling.
"Wait, he's a warden too?" Neria exclaimed. Damien winced.
Andraste's ass, I was really hoping to keep the fact that there was more than one warden a secret for a while longer but I guess there's no helping it now, Damien thought rubbing the back of his head.
"Wait, I um..." Alistair started raising his hands.
"Don't worry about it, Alistair. It was all going to come out eventually," Damien said patting his friend on the shoulder. "We'll explain everything is a bit. For now, I think an introduction would be polite."
"Oh, right. Bann Teagan, this is Damien, the Commander of the Grey," Alistair said motioning to Damien. "Damien, this is Arl Eamon's brother, Bann Teagan."
"It is an honor to meet you Commander," Teagan said bowing slightly.
"Likewise, but please call me Damien. Before we get too engrossed in the pleasantries, Could you bring us up to speed on what's been going on the village and the castle. Your man we met earlier said you were under attack from monsters and no one has heard anything from the castle," Damien said returning the bow.
"Tomas was correct. For the past six nights from dusk to dawn, walking corpses have attacked the village relentlessly. So far, we have defended ourselves but at a high cost. So far over two dozen villages are dead with another thirty injured, some worse off than others," Bann Teagan said motioning for the group to follow him.
"Wynne, Neria, see what you can do for the wounded. Sten, I know we're a few hours from dusk, but I want you to head up to a spot where you can see the castle bridge. If there is any movement at all, inform me right away," Damien ordered. The three nodded and quickly set about their tasks, although, Sten did give a grumble as he turned to leave. Damien knew the Qunari was feeling restless. A battle might have a calming effect on the large warrior.
"I appreciate the assistance, Damien. The villagers are tired and the few knights we have have not slept in days. We are constantly putting out fires, rebuilding defenses, and caring for the wounded. There is almost no time for rest at all," Teagan explained.
"I understand, and I'll assume most of your people have never fought in a real battle before. Am I correct?" Damien asked as they approached a table with a large map of the village. The drawing was no where near a masterful, cartographer's work but it did show where all the buildings were and where Teagan had put up defenses.
"That's right. Most of the villagers are farmers or merchants. There are a few retired soldiers here but most of them are wounded. As a rough estimate, I'd say we have 40 people still capable of fighting in the village," Teagan said.
"I don't think that my team and I are enough to turn the tide, but we are all seasoned fighters and we have a few mages. Speaking of which, Lyna, would you have Daylen bring up the wagons. I have a feeling that our poultices and elfroot stores will come in handy in here. On top of that, having a Circle trained battlemage would be a help," Damien ordered.
"On my way," Lyna replied turning and sprinting from the chantry.
"I am very glad for the assistance. You should talk to Murdock next. He's the mayor of the village and currently leading the militia," Teagan explained.
"That sounds like a plan to me. Morrigan, Kallian, I want you two to head up to the bridge and rig some traps and wards to slow the enemy's advance. The more damage we can inflict on their forces before they get to the village, the fewer casualties we'll have. On that note, Alyssa, take Brax and search around the village for any supplies that we could use to our advantage. Leliana and Alistair will accompany me to talk to the mayor," Damien ordered.
The group moved out without hesitation. Damien was starting to get a little too comfortable giving out orders, but there was one situation that kept playing through his head sending chills up and down his spine every time it reared its head. Stories of heroic valor shown by an individual or small group had captured the hearts and minds of most Fereldan children. Soldiers who would stand and fight against the greatest odds were immortalized in books and songs. However, that heroic valor always proved to be fatal. A general who became too ambitious or was simply out smarted would have to leave a small group of men behind to defend their retreating comrades as sacrificial pawns for the greater good. Could he make that kind of decision if it ever came to it? Could he ever give one of his companions the order to die?