Chapter 46

"So, what are you in for?"

In every book he'd ever read, conversations in prison always started that way, so Alistair had to try it. The elven girl in the cell next to theirs looked over, a bit annoyed.

"Why do you care, shem?"

"Hey, we're neighbours now. Can't exactly borrow sugar in this situation, so I thought I'd lead with that."

The girl grunted. "I was abducted on my wedding day, raped, thrown into prison, killed the fuckers who raped me and got imprisoned again."

Alistair had no idea how to respond to that. "Oh."

The girl shrugged. "What about you? What'd you do?"

"Oh, you know. Rescued the Queen from the arl's estate, freed prisoners, got captured."

"Wait, why did Arl Urien capture the Queen?"

"Arl Urien's dead."

"When did that happen?"

"Almost a year ago."

"Huh. So who's Arl now?"

"Right now? Nobody. See him sleeping over there?" He jerked his chin towards Aedan. "He killed the acting arl."

"Why?"

Alistair explained Ferelden's political situation to the girl, as he had done with so many of Howe's prisoners a few days ago. She listened in silence, nodding once or twice.

"So it's been a year already," she muttered to herself. "You say you rescued prisoners from the arl's estate?"

"Yeah."

"Tell me... did you see an elf there? Male, taller than me, blue eyes, red hair."

"Oh you mean Soris? Oh yeah, now that I think about it, he did say his bride-to-be was kidnapped during the wedding, along with his cousin." He smiled at the girl sadly. "You're his cousin, aren't you?"

The girl said nothing, but buried her face in her hands and cried, muttering thanks to the elven gods. To say that Alistair felt bad for her was an understatement. She was way too young, probably not even eighteen. To have lived through what she had was just... unimaginable.

Not all people felt that way as one of the guards came and banged on the cell bars, telling them to keep it quiet. This did, however, wake Aedan up, so that was something.

"Oh, you're awake," Alistair said as the man sat up, rubbing the sand from his eyes. "I was starting to worry."

Aedan hummed and looked around, taking in his surroundings. It didn't take him long to assess the situation.

"I've never seen a prison from this side before," he muttered. "Must say, it's very scenic."

Alistair broke into laughter. He'd been caught off-guard, but he should have expected nothing less. Hiding behind humour was quite popular.

"Join the Grey Wardens! See the sights from the floors of the best prisons of the land!" he said in between chuckles. "It's not much of a recruitment slogan, is it?"

"Oh, I think you'd get a fair share of masochists with that. But where are we, exactly?"

"Fort Drakon," the elven girl said. "The asshole of human architecture."

"Well, wherever we are, we might as well get out."

"I'm sure the others will come for us," Alistair pointed out. "You sure you don't want to wait?"

"Less is more. Less time spent here, more time preparing for Loghain."

"Can't argue with that. You got a plan?"

"I do, actually. Let's do 'Get Help.'"

"What?"

"'Get Help.'"

"Really? That's your plan?"

"Yes."

"No."

"C'mon."

"I hate it. You know I get self-conscious."

"It's worked every time."

"It's humiliating, okay?"

"D'you have a better idea?"

"No."

"Then we're doing it."

"All right, fine," Alistair said as he rose to his feet and pointed at Aedan. "Pretend to die."

Aedan immediately fell onto his front and started twitching and coughing. It unnerved him just how easily Aedan could do that. Clearing his throat, Alistair went and banged on the cell door.

"Help! Somebody! Help us!" he called out to the guard patrolling outside. He made sure to mix desperation, anxiety, helplessness and panic into his voice. It was essential for 'Get Help.' "My friend is dying!"

"Back against the wall, prisoner," the guard ordered Alistair and he complied readily. Then the guard opened the door and stepped inside. He looked down at Aedan. "Whassa matter with you?"

Aedan kept coughing and wheezing, holding his chest and muttering deliriously. Alistair was always impressed by this, but the guard got more and more panicked. He knelt down and rolled Aedan over onto his back. Aedan repaid him by slapping both of his palms over the guard's helmet, fingers outstretched, stunning him with the sudden sound.

Recognising his cue, Alistair darted in and kneed the guard in the face, knocking him out cold.

"See?" Aedan said, chuckling as he searched the guard. "Never fails."

"Yes, yes, laugh it up."

With the cell key now in their possession, they locked the guard in their cell and opened up the elf's cell door as well. She'd remained silent all through their display, but now she was suspicious.

"Why're you helping me?" she asked.

"We're helping you help yourself," Alistair replied. "You could come with us or make your own way."

After a moment's deliberation, she scrambled out of the cell. She was skinny, and definitely weak, but the urge to leave and live overpowered everything.

"They put your stuff in that chest over there," she pointed. "Must be something I can use."

"Thanks," Alistair replied as Aedan kicked opened the lock with one of the guard's keys. Their weapons were there, along with some regulation guard armour. "I never got your name."

"I never gave it," replied the girl as she searched around the chest for something that fit her. Rags weren't very fun.

"Well, I'm Alistair. He's Aedan. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss...?"

"Tabris, shem," she answered quietly as she picked up a small, golden ring. She stared at it for a moment before dabbing at her eyes and quickly slipping it on her finger. "Kallian Tabris."

"Well, Kallian Tabris," said Aedan as they started putting on the guards' armours. "It's time to get the fuck out of here."