Chapter 144: Courage
Trapped.
Surrounded.
That thought looped through Leliana's mind, her thoughts turned to her bardic training. They spun as she tried to puzzle a way out of this.
Her mouth was set in a grim line; they stood in the middle of a ring of Loghain soldiers, all ready to loose death as soon as Ser Cauthrien gave the word.
Of their little party, only Shayle seemed eager for what was about to come, the golem had no fear of arrows; they would just splinter against her stone body. The groups' various armors offered some protection, but not from the shear amount of weapons currently pointing at them.
She dared a glance over at Alim, her love only had eyes for the blade the Cousland bitch was holding in her hand, not that Leliana blamed him, from what she had heard of his brief time in Fort Drakon, Elissa Cousland had been one of his prime tormentors.
Leliana's blue eyes narrowed.
She was quite eager to see the bitch answer for all that she had done to the warden.
Cousland was grinning like a hungry predator, eager for the kill. It was a look that Leliana knew well from her days back in Orlais, many times she had worn it herself, and so many had suffered when she had.
Through the small slits of the palace windows she could hear thunder rumble, nature responding to her dearest's predicament. She could not say what Alim could do with it here; being indoors or underground always limited her love's powers.
Alim finally spoke, breaking the spell their situation had woven around her.
He continued to glare at the Cousland bitch.
"That sword," he said coldly, "Does not belong to you."
The noble girl laughed.
"Its original owner won't have much use for it soon." She chuckled.
"You will go no further warden," Cauthrien said, her voice a flat monotone, "Through your actions you have torn this great kingdom apart."
She looked on Alistair, whose grim expression belayed the one that Leliana had always grown accustom to. Alistair was usually so honesty, almost self-deprecating.
She was sad to see him looking so hardened and dark.
"And you Alistair," the knight continued, "If you were truly worthy of being called Maric's heir, you would already be in the Landsmeet, wouldn't you?"
Cauthrien stood straighter.
"I will not allow you to pollute the Landsmeet with your presence. The nobles of Ferelden will confirm my lord and he will finally put us back on the right path."
The knight frowned at Alim.
"Everything will be better, after you are gone."
The soldiers tensed their bowstrings but did not release, no doubt waiting for their commander's order.
Alim stood before the two women, his elven ears twitching. Leliana could almost hear his thoughts, no doubt searching for a way out of all this, a way to snatch life from the death trap that they found themselves in.
Surprisingly it was not her love that spoke next, but Fergus Cousland, his eyes never leaving the face of his traitorous sister. What he had to say was not for her, but for the knight standing next to her.
Fergus was no fool; he knew that he would get nothing appealing to his sister. She had chosen her path. Ser Cauthrien however…
"So this is how Loghain rules," Fergus growled, contempt dripping from his every word.
"If Loghain is so right and so righteous, then why does he need to kill us? Why is he so afraid of what we might tell the Landsmeet?"
His words had no effect on Elissa, her predator's smile held, but Cauthrien…visibly flinched.
Another warrior might not have noticed that, but Leliana did.
She smiled slightly.
Perhaps there was a way out of this after all.
Fergus continued to speak.
"We fought together at Ostagar, Ser Cauthrien. I saw what kind of woman you are, what kind of a knight you are. You love our country. I do not doubt that. You have dedicated your heart and soul to the protection of Ferelden."
Again the woman flinched, Alim noticed it this time as well, he dared a quick glance over at Leliana, she nodded slightly, and he nodded right back.
He saw it to, Leliana realized.
Things were not as dire as they appeared.
"Look back over what you have seen in the past year, Ser Cauthrien," Alim added, "Look at what has become of us? Can you honestly say that your lord has the best interests of Ferelden at heart?"
"Or has he let the will and advice of others," Fergus added his eyes never leaving his sister. "Cloud his way, and lead him down a darker path?"
Elissa, perhaps for the first time recognizing that she had a problem stepped back a bit and glared at Cauthrien.
"We have a job, ser knight," she growled, "It is time to do it."
When Cauthrien answered it was not to Elissa that she was speaking, but to Fergus and the wardens.
The knight looked on the verge of tears.
"I…I have had…had so many doubts of late," she stammered, emotions that she had buried beneath a wall of duty were finally starting to creep out.
"I have done things…my lord has done things that…that I do not understand."
Elissa was opening glaring at the other woman now, her eyes dark with hate.
"We've have done what was necessary to keep our country safe, to keep our people free."
Alim chuckled at that.
"I seriously don't think you care all that much about freedom, Lady Cousland," he said, "You proved that to me in Fort Drakon."
"She tortured the warden, Ser Cauthrien," Fergus reminded the woman, "How many others has she tortured in Loghain's name, how many people has she murdered and said it was for the good of the kingdom?"
"Some people will never learn," Elissa spat at her brother. She looked ready to spring on the wardens and their allies with spellbinder, but the confrontation between Fergus, Alim, and Cauthrien had ensnared everyone in the room even the archers that held them trapped.
Not all of them were wearing helmets; Leliana could see those men's faces the looks in their eyes.
Apparently Ser Cauthrien was not the only one with doubts.
"It is for the Landsmeet to decide if we are right or wrong, Ser Cauthrien," Fergus said, "They deserve to hear what we have to say, and what Teyrn Loghain has to say. If they rule against us, so be it, but don't they deserve to hear both sides. Is that not the way here in Ferelden?"
Fergus smiled slightly.
"Is that not the way that your lord fought so long and hard to make possible?"
Cauthrien nodded slightly.
"We have done bad things," she murmured.
"It is not too late," Alim said.
"Cauthrien," Elissa growled in a warning voice.
Again the knight did not seem to hear her.
"Don't ask me to betray him," she looked at Fergus as she would any high noble. Her eyes were almost begging him not to make it a direct order.
Would she stand aside if order, Leliana wondered, or would she use that as an excuse to attack?
She could not say for sure.
"Loghain always did what was best for Ferelden," Fergus reminded the knight, "he dedicated his life to that."
"If he is still the man you believe him to be," Alim said, "Let him prove it before the nobles. What you are doing here now is something that Howe would have done."
Cauthrien's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"I am nothing like him!"
Alim's ears lowered slightly.
"Then prove it," he growled.
"Cauthrien," Elissa repeated, her eyes darting back and forth between the warden and the knight.
The dark haired warrior was almost shaking now; duty and doubt were at war.
"Loghain is a great man," she said with conviction, "He is a hero."
"Then let him prove that…to everyone," Fergus said, "If he is in the right he has nothing to fear from us."
Cauthrien's fingers curled into fists.
"Loghain will succeed," she said.
She shook her head and sighed in defeat.
"I…I never knew doing my duty would taste so bitter."
She started to step aside.
"Stop him warden," she said, "Stop him before he…"
Elissa had heard enough.
She sprung.
She drove spellbinder through Cauthrien's back, the force of the blow brought the knight up on her toes as blood sprayed from her mouth.
"Weakling," Elissa snarled.
Everyone in the room stared in shock.
Elissa withdrew the blade and let the knight fall to the ground even before she hit, Bryce Cousland's daughter gave the order to the men."
"KILL THEM!"
All around the wardens and their allies bows pulled taught.
The world turned to chaos!
IOI
The trap had turned into a free-for-all.
Some of the archers dropped their bows, others turned on their fellows who were trying to fire on the wardens and their allies. The attackers that remained loyal to Elissa spun and tried to engage those who did not. The wardens' allies waded into the fight, dealing with those that were trying to carry out the Cousland girl's orders. One trying to target Alistair died when Shayle brought down a single hammer like fist down on the top of his head, the man's head was forced down into his armor like a turtles.
He fell without a sound.
"SQUISH!" Shayle cried out happily.
Elissa Cousland howled like a warhound let off its chain.
She charged Alim, spellbinder still slick with Cauthrien's blood. Bandit lunged at her, but the girl sidestepped and continued on her path, her eyes practically glowing with murder.
Alim brought up his staff while a magical shield shimmered around him.
It was unneeded.
Fergus leapt before his leader and his sister. His sword sparked where it met spellbinder's blade.
The children of the House Cousland glared at each other, fury shining in their eyes.
Fergus muscled his sister into back, sending her tumbling; she turned her fall into a controlled roll and came up to her feet in an on guard position.
Leliana and Kally both started to advance, Alim already had a spell ready, but Fergus waved them both off.
"No," he shouted.
"Mine."
Elissa Cousland gave her brother an apprising look.
She laughed wickedly.
"You sure you want to do this big brother," she taunted.
Fergus did not respond; he stood like a statue, his guard set, his blade ready.
His expression caused the younger Cousland to falter slightly.
Perhaps she feared that Fergus had always held back in the sparing of their youth.
Perhaps she realized that would not happen now.
Her face twisted into a mask of rage.
"You can't beat me Fergus," she spat.
He continued to glare at her.
"You've never been good enough to beat me!"
Only then did he speak his voice thick with grim resolve.
"Today, I am," he promised her.
For a brief moment fear flicked in the eyes of Elissa Cousland, clearly she had never seen her brother so cold, so ready to fight.
She snarled and lunged at him.
He met her blade and pushed her back, using his size and strength, she was faster, and slyer, but he was filled with both purpose and righteous anger. She was fighting to enrich herself; he was striking to avenge those he had lost, the ones that his sister had betrayed.
He did not underestimate his sister, he never would, but that did not change the fact.
She had gone too far.
He pushed forward driving her back. She stumbled but continued to block and evade.
Justice had come for Elissa Cousland.
He rained blows down on her; she dodged a bit too slow, his sword bit into her arm, not too deep but drawing blood and sending her retreating.
She hissed and tried to deny him, to deny justice.
She could not.
Justice had a name now.
Its name was Fergus Cousland…
And it would not be denied.
IOI
Alim went to where Ser Cauthrien lay on the floor; the knight was not gone, not yet…
…but it would not be long now.
She lay there coughing blood with tears in her eyes; she looked at the warden with a mix of shame and sorrow.
"I'm…I'm sorry," she sobbed.
"So…so sorry…"
He reached out to her with healing magic, she pushed his hand away.
"Mer…mercy," she coughed.
"Let me heal you," he ordered.
"Mer…mercy," she repeated.
"I'm trying," he said.
She shook her head.
"No…not me," she wheezed, "Lo…Loghain…he…he deserves…"
She whimpered.
"With…without him, no…no Fer…Ferelden. Ple…please…show…show…mer…mer…"
Cauthrien sighed she lay on her side, her head lolled to the side.
Alim could only sit and bear witness.
Cauthrien slipped away.
He lowered his ears in sorrow.
Despite everything, the girl had not deserved this, she…she had tried to do the right thing. Even when she had delivered him to Fort Drakon she had tried to do the right thing.
Maybe she thought she deserved this, for what had happened at Ostagar, and everything that came later.
He shook his head.
She had tried to make it right, in the end she had tried.
He sighed.
She had shown true courage, he thought.
She had tried.
IOI
The battle was all but over, the remaining archers had surrendered; seeing their leader murdered in front of them had taken all the fight out of them.
All that remained now was a duel, a battle for the soul of House Cousland.
Fergus and Elissa whirled around each other their blades flashing lethally. Fergus had a cut on his cheek, and was limping slightly. His sister was bleeding from her arm and a small cut on her side, still she refused to yield.
She glared hatefully at him.
"YOU'VE RUINED EVERYTHING!" she hissed.
He swung at her with his shield and she danced away.
He advanced quickly continuing to rain down blows.
"What did you think was going to happen?!" he demanded, "Did you think that Howe would let you be Teyrna? Did you think Loghain would reward your loyalty?"
He shook his head.
"All you are is pawn in Howe's game. Whatever dreams you had end here!"
Enraged she lunged, trying to get inside his guard; Fergus blocked, and caught her in face with his shield causing her to stagger back. He struck at her wrist, causing her to lose her grip on spellbinder.
The sword clanged to the ground, Fergus pushed her back before she could retrieve it. Despite her wounds she continued to bounce, looking for an opening to escape
Fergus would not let that happen.
Spellbinder skidded across the stones; a strong gust of wind sent it sliding across the floor.
It came to rest at the feet of Alim Surana, he smiled grimly as he picked up the blade, it felt good in his hands, an old friend finally returning to say hello.
Elissa looked at the warden with hate-filled eyes.
He gave her an evil grin.
"This," he said holding up Spellbinder.
"This belongs to me."
Still Elissa did not yield; she still had her shield and drew a dagger from her boot.
"I would have made our family great," she spat at her brother.
"You tried to destroy it," he answered, "But we will endure."
He shook his head.
"House Cousland had survived worse than you Elissa."
He hesitated in that moment, perhaps not wishing to shed anymore Cousland blood.
Elissa made her move.
She used her shield to batter his away, she lunged at his throat with her dagger, a maddened cry of vengeance emerged from her throat.
A gale force wind swept through the window and struck the noble woman. It flung her hard against one of the stone pillars.
She hit with enough force to knock her unconscious, but nothing more.
Fergus stood over his sister, she lay moaning on the ground, unable to stand or fight.
He clenched his hand around the hilt of his blade.
Fergus looked up at Alim; he had also suffered for Elissa's choices.
The elf shook his head.
"It is your call Gus?" the warden said.
Fergus looked down on his sister with a mix of sorrow and disdain.
He thought of Oriana, he thought of Oren, and of mother and father.
What would father have done?
What would the Teyrn of Highever do?
It would be easy to kill her, right then and there.
No, he would not do that; he would have the courage to let justice take its course.
It is what his father would have done.
He took a breath, and let anger and thoughts of vengeance go with it.
He looked up to see a Ferelden lieutenant standing with the survivors of Loghain's trap.
He gestured the man to approach.
The soldier obeyed.
Fergus sighed again, feeling far older than his years.
"My sister has murdered Ser Cauthrien," he said, "See her bound and taken to the dungeons."
He shook his head.
"The rightful king will decide her fate."
The lieutenant nodded and gestured to his fellows. They took the moaning noble in their arms, taking care to make sure she was disarmed and properly bound.
They carried Elissa Cousland out of the chamber; Fergus did not even bother to glance back as she was taken away.
He sighed heavily.
"I'm alone," he murmured.
Kally went to his side; she leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips.
"No," she murmured, "You are not."
Alim did what he could to tend for the wounded; he happily placed Spellbinder into the sheath on his belt. He gave the hilt of the sword a gentle squeeze.
It felt good to have it back.
He walked up to the Teyrn of Highever. He was grinning.
"The rightful king will decide her fate?" the elf repeated.
Fergus shrugged.
"It seemed like the right thing to do."
Alim nodded.
He looked at the doors leading into the Landsmeet. The mage that had accompanied Elissa and Cauthrien had died during the fighting; the door was no longer blocked.
"The rightful king," the warden murmured to himself.
He adjusted his robes and his hat, he could do nothing for the bloodstains of battle, but maybe that was for the best.
Let the nobles see, let them see evidence of what had just happened. It might have an influence on their choice.
The time had finally come.
Ferelden could no longer be leaderless.
It was time to choose a new king…
…For better…or worse.