Recap: "I'll allow you to get back to the festivities. I'm going to go make sure everything is fine outside the party." Bryce said before exiting the hall. Howe merely smiled as Bryce left. Once he was gone, Howe's smile vanished and was replaced by a frown. If he had been somewhere private, it would have been a scowl. This new bodyguard complicates things. He didn't seem like much, but the boy was certainly no fool. There were too many unknowns about this new brat and now his plans would have to wait until after that pesky duel. Then the brat's capabilities would come out and his plans could adjust. He wouldn't be so cautious if the condition of the bandits sent to him were not so unusual. Not many had stab wounds or arrows imbedded in them, but they were burned or simply dead. What could cause that?

Howe felt a sneer almost make its way onto his face as he continued to think of the newest nuisance.

Now

Aedan was walking back to where his room was after he left the party. He had just gotten himself into quite a bind now. He just had to challenge that guy because the fool had irritated him enough with calling him out. He had some combat training with a sword, but it was relatively minor. It's what happens when you're a mage in the Circle Tower: You become expertly combat trained as a mage, but everything else was off the table. He continued to think on things until he felt a slender hand gently grab his shoulder.

"I hope you have a plan to deal with that pompous fool. Otherwise, I may just lose my favorite bodyguard." He heard Elissa say before looking at her.

"I'm your only bodyguard." Aedan quipped with a roll of his eyes. Elissa smiled at him.

"You're right, but you're the only one I'd like being it." Elissa replied with a smile making one start to form on Aedan's face before it disappeared.

"Elissa I'm going to need to ask a favor." Elissa looked at him in confusion.

"I have some skill with a sword, but I'm going to need more training if I want the challengers to stop before they begin in earnest. You think you can help me out?" Aedan asked looking into her blue eyes. Elissa found herself nearly lost, gazing into his green orbs. His request finally registered getting her mind back on track.

"That's why you said three weeks isn't it? You needed time to train." He nodded.

"Okay then, I'll help you starting tomorrow. Who knows, maybe you'll get better than me. Like that will ever happen." Aedan rolled his eyes at her again. He never expected her to make jokes when he met her at first, but now she was teasing him.

"Don't be so sure. I'm a fast learner after all. Who knows I probably will surpass you." He replied with a snort showing he wasn't serious. It made her almost giggle at him.

"We'll see. I'm not going to hold back." Elissa said with a grin. Aedan smiled at her.

"You won't be training without someone watching over you two, I presume?" A voice asked causing the two to actually startle and look to find Bryce Cousland approaching them. Bryce could see how eager Elissa was to train him and noticing by her annoyed look, she was disappointed by the fact that he'd caught them and planned to have someone watching over them.

"It probably would be best to have a third person to watch over and point out things that we might miss when we train." Aedan said thinking it over, missing Elissa's disgruntled look and Bryce's pleased one.

"Fine then. Tomorrow, I'll be looking after both of you." Bryce said with an amused look. Elissa had a look of shocked horror while Aedan just shrugged, not really caring who watched after them.

"B-But father, wouldn't that interfere with you duties?" She asked hoping that it would deter him.

"Hmmm you may have a point there pup," Elissa smiled.

"But I could switch out with Fergus. While I watch you both, he does some of my duties and then we switch." Elissa's smile was wiped off her face and replaced with more horror, this time with Aedan joining in at the notion of Fergus watching them. He could already hear the teasing comments coming. Bryce had to smirk at the matching looks of horror on their faces. Before they could protest he stopped them.

"It's settled. Tomorrow, Fergus and I will observe your training. Pup, I think we best get back to everyone. We've been away long enough." With that he turned around and made his way back to the Great Hall with Elissa following reluctantly behind. Aedan shook his head and headed back to his room. It was one of the rooms that the Cousland's kept for overnight guests. Just down the hall from their bedrooms. As soon as he got into his room, he noticed that the tub had been filled up by the servants and got undressed. He hadn't had real bath since he left the tower. What counted for a bath since his leaving the Tower was bathing in a cold river 2 or 3 times a week and that was if he was lucky. As soon as he was out of his clothes, he dipped a toe into the water to find it lukewarm.

His eyes narrowed in mild annoyance before he raised his hand to the tub and concentrated. A few seconds later, the water began to steam before he lowered his hand. He slowly stepped into the tub, getting used to the heat before sinking into the water gingerly. He grabbed the bar of soap and lathered up. Roughly a half hour later, Aedan exited and dried himself off before he put on his underclothes and some fresh trousers. He lifted the bed covers and got under them before falling asleep. Tomorrow was going to be hectic. He just knew it.

The Next Day

Aedan had woken up early the next morning and put on a simple white shirt and some boots to go with his trousers before leaving the room. He noticed that no one else was awake and decided to explore. After walking around for a few minutes, he found himself in familiar place. It was the Chantry. Out of curiosity, he entered it to find a single Chantry Mother, who was kneeling in prayer. He looked around to find the place was filled with books stacked on shelves, benches going from the doors to the podium where the Mother would obviously preach from, a single green carpet separating the benches into 2 groups.

"Oh, hello child." Aedan nearly twitched at the way she called him. He hadn't been child since Reaper happened dammit! But... But she obviously didn't know that so there was no need to be angry about it.

"Hello Mother." He replied.

"Have you come here to pray?" She asked as she looked over him. He shook his no.

"I'm afraid not. Praying doesn't have the same spiel it had when I was younger." Aedan said. The Mother lost her kind smile and gained a saddened one.

"You've lost your faith in the Maker?" She asked.

"It's not that. I still believe he exists. It's just I don't see any reason to pray to him. Especially when he doesn't answer." Aedan said. He believed the Maker existed, he just didn't see much point in offering a prayer to a creator who turned away from his own creations. Not that he blamed Him, if the Chant of Light is to be believed.

"The Maker does not answer like one of us. The only one he ever answered to was Andraste, his bride. The Maker-"

"Moves in mysterious ways, I know. I mean no disrespect and I am grateful to the good fortune I've had in my life but... never mind. My beliefs are my own as are yours. I need to go. Training and stuff. Have a good day, Mother." Aedan said before leaving.

He didn't want to have another philosophical argument again. He had enough of those at the Tower when he had to deal the mean kind of Sisters and Mothers. The kind that actually put crap into the Chant saying mages were the cause of the world's problems. Total bullshit! Mages never caused the politicians of today to kill and scheme their way to power nor did they cause conflicts like the Orlesian Occupation and The Qunari Wars, but that doesn't matter to them does it? As long as those in power have a problem, they'll always blame it on the popular scapegoat: Mages. Sure, the Tevinter Archons messed everything up by conquering the known world and possibly causing the Blights, but how can you take that from then and pin it on a child today? They already warped Keili, despite how people told him she was fine he knew they had already brainwashed her. They didn't need to do that to all the other kids. That's just wrong!

"Aedan? Are you alright?" He suddenly heard Elissa's voice ask him in concern. Aedan realized that while immersed in his thoughts he had somehow made it to the training arena on his own. He could see both Elissa and Bryce looking at him in concern. Immediately all his anger washed away.

"Fine, why do you ask?"

"Because you had a scowl on your face that most men have when they are ready to do harm to someone." Bryce replied looking at him intently. Aedan's eyes widened for half a second before going back to normal.

"It's nothing. Just reminded of something rather unpleasant." Aedan said before changing the subject.

"So should we get our swords to practice or what?" Bryce nodded before walking to the weapon racks. While his back was turned Elissa walked up to Aedan.

"Are you sure you're alright?" She asked. He nodded.

"I'll be fine. Just thinking about some troubling things." Aedan reassured before Bryce came back with a sword and two wooden buckler shields. He handed one shield to Aedan and the other shield and sword to Elissa.

"You may want to pick out the sword you wish to use." He said before pointing to the racks. Aedan nodded and walked over to the racks. He saw the different types of swords. The normal longsword that Elissa would use, a saw sword, a dwarven longsword but one caught his eye. It was a sword made out of grey iron and was set apart from the others. It had no guard present on the hilt which was longer than most except the saw sword. Aedan grabbed it before walking back to them. Both Couslands raised an eyebrow at his choice.

"The regulation sword? Would it not be more prudent to use a longsword like the one pup will use?" Bryce asked. Aedan merely shook his head.

"I get the feeling that this one will benefit me the most." Aedan simply said. Bryce nodded and told them to put some leather armor on. The next hour or so was filled with Aedan dodging or parrying Elissa's strikes. Eventually, Elissa hit his shield too hard and it was knocked out of his grasp. He was panting from the constant movement and evasion of her attacks. Granted she was panting too, having tried to keep up with him. Aedan had been trying to find a gap in her defenses and while he had found several lethal spots, she had been able to keep him in her sights and he was unable to bash his way through.

"Aedan you might as well give up. You don't have a shield to block anymore and you can't keep evading my attacks." Elissa said raising her sword to him.

"Yeah, you're right about that. I can't block with a shield anymore. Guess all I got to do now is attack with my sword." He gripped the sword with both hands and got into a crouch like stance. Elissa smirked at his determination.

Bryce's eyes narrowed at Aedan's sudden change in tactics. He had been watching him evade Elissa's attacks for last hour and had seen him try to shield bash through her defense but none worked. He knew the boy had seen the gaps in her defenses by how he struck close to them but his daughter managed to cover them at the last second. Now he had no shield and was grabbing his sword with both hands...! That's what he was up to! Bryce could help but smirk at Aedan's thinking. So that was why he picked the regulation sword.

Aedan charged at Elissa who got into a shield wall stance. With the use of his momentum he let loose a mighty blow to her shield wall which shattered at the sudden attack making her shield useless, much to her shock.

Bryce found himself nodding at the display. Aedan had used the simple tactic of tiring her out. Then the young man had probably allowed Elissa to knock his shield out of his hand on purpose or simply adjusted his strategy. Now he was using two-handed attacks, something that Elissa, or anyone really, wouldn't expect from someone using a longsword.

Aedan then used a sweeping strike which knocked her sword away before he thrusted forward bringing his blade to her the side of her neck. Her eyes were wide with how fast he had moved. He was breathing a little more heavily now due to the fast and strong movements earlier.

"Three moves." He suddenly said confusing her.

"What?"

"Three moves. A two-handed mighty blow to render your shield nearly useless followed by a sweep to disarm you of your sword and to finish things off, a deadly strike to the throat. Not bad huh?" He said with a smile.

"Not bad? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were holding back all this time." She said as he moved his blade away from her neck.

"Not really, I was more like making it up as I go on." Aedan said with chuckle. Bryce clapped at them since it was over.

"Impressive, most impressive Aedan, I hadn't expected you to be able pull off such moves until later." Bryce said gaining their attention.

"To be honest, I hadn't even known those were moves. I just did it on instinct." Aedan said sheepishly causing them to look at him in mild shock.

"You have a strong battle instinct then. We'll take a break for now. Rest up you two. I'll send Fergus when it is time to begin training." Bryce said leaving the two alone. Aedan and Elissa took of the armor and placed their swords on the weapon racks.

"I don't know about you Elissa but I need some food. Haven't eaten at all today." Aedan said as he placed his armor and sword in their racks. Elissa nodded.

"Ok I'll lead you to the larder. Nan will let us have some food if I'm there." Aedan nodded and followed her. On the way there they ran into a young man with orange hair.

"Your Ladyship, Ser Hellathen." He greeted. Aedan raised an eyebrow. Ser? He wasn't a knight or any kind of noble.

"Ah Ser Gilmore. How are you today?" Elissa asked cheerfully.

"I'm fine today. I hate to tell you this milady but your hound has gotten into the larder again. Nan's throwing a fit." Gilmore said with a small smirk. Elissa groaned at his message.

"I suppose I should collect him then. Come along 'Ser Hellathen', let's go get my troublesome Hohaku." Elissa said as she continued on her way. Aedan rolled his eyes at how she addressed him. He was not a knight. He followed her regardless. All they had to do was follow the barking and the shouts. Soon enough, they arrived at the kitchen to find an elderly woman demanding two elven servants to get the dog out of the larder.

"Get that bloody mutt out of the larder!"

"But mistress! It won't let us near!" The female elf replied.

"If I can't get into that larder, I'll skin both you useless elves, I swear it!" The elderly woman threatened. Aedan felt a twinge of anger at her tone.

"No need to threaten the servants lady we'll get the dog out." Aedan said bringing her attention to the new arrivals.

"You!"

"Yeah me." He replied back sarcastically. She then looked at Elissa who held an innocent smile.

"And you! Your bloody mongrel has gotten into my larder! That beast needs to be put down!" She accused making Elissa frown.

"Hohaku is not a beast! He's a pureblood mabari! Besides he's only a few years old, he doesn't know any better." Elissa defended her hound.

"A blight wolf is what he is. Train him better."

"Perhaps you should lock your larder tighter?" Aedan suggested, looking at the larder. He could hear the dog moving around in there.

"If I locked it any tighter, we couldn't get in." The woman replied.

"Oh dear. Mistress, calm down, please-" The female servant said trying calm the old woman down before she cut her off.

"That's it! I'll quit. Inform the teyrna. I'll go cook at some nice estate in the Bannorn." Nan said making Aedan snort. Nan glared at him. "You find something funny?"

"Yea, you're trading a Teyrnir kitchen for some Bann's kitchen. Not exactly a smart decision." Aedan said with a grin. He loved to wind people up from time to time. Nan just sighed.

"Just get him gone! I've enough to worry about with a castle full of hungry soldiers!" She turned towards the servants. "You two! Stop standing there like idiots! Get out of the way!" She said as she moved her hands in a shooing motion. The elves scurried away from her as she got away from the larder. Both Aedan and Elissa approached the door and opened it to find Hohaku sniffing around. As they entered, the door shut behind them.

Aedan's eyes traveled over every inch of the larder to find it stacked with food. Different grains consisting of wheat, rye, barley, buckwheat, millet, and oats. Different vegetables including cabbages, carrots, beets, onions, garlic, potatoes, tomatoes, chickpeas, fava beans, and peas. Fruits including lemons, oranges, apples, grapes, pears, plums, strawberries, pomegranates, and quinces. Meats, by the Maker and the Gods, -(he's half elven and dalish descent, remember?)- included beef, chicken, pork, rabbit, goose and other fowl, and came in the form of snouts, hooves, sausages, tongue. The seafood equaled it almost with herring, cod, pike, carp, trout, lamprey, perch, bream, oysters, mussels, and finish it off was the dairy which consisted of milk and butter with cheese that looked as if it were imported.

Aedan's eyes bugged out at the sight. It was more food then he had seen in his life! A bark had snapped him out of his trance-like state. He looked at Hohaku who was barking at a bunch of sacks that looked as if they had been ripped open. Aedan looked closer at the sacks while Elissa chastised Hohaku for his behavior. The sack wasn't ripped up like a marabou got ahold of it. Something smaller did it, but what? He then looked at Hohaku who was bouncing and barking as if he was trying to get their attention. That was when he heard scurrying and squeaking. It all suddenly clicked. Hohaku wasn't breaking into the larder, he was defending it from rats. Before he could voice his thoughts, 14 huge rats jumped out around them causing Elissa to shriek at the sight of them. Hohaku was growling viciously at them while Aedan flared his magic. The rats were just about to charge when they suddenly stopped moving.

Aedan smirked. His mass paralysis spell worked like a charm. His fingers sparked with electricity as he casted chain lightning on the rodents. The critters were dead instantly. Charred and smoking, but dead. Elissa was looking at him mild shock.

"Wow." She said. Aedan smirked before walking to where the apples were and grabbed two before he started looking around for something else to eat.

"I'm not your average mage. I excelled in my studies and mastered many spells until I became the youngest apprentice to become a full mage." He explained as he continued to look through before nabbing a pomegranate.

"Wait so most mages can't perform spells like you can?" Elissa asked.

"Well," Aedan thought it over. "The average mage may be able to cast one or two spells you've seen me perform but not that many and certainly not at such a fast pace. Now most senior enchanters, or older, more experienced mages could. The only reason I wasn't promoted to enchanter was the timing in-between me becoming a mage and my age too. My Harrowing was a big exception so it was best not to cause too much trouble with the templars."

"Harrowing?" Aedan looked at her with a raised eyebrow before explaining.

"The Harrowing is basically a dangerous rite of passage for an apprentice to become a mage. I can't and won't discuss the details of it so please don't ask." He handed Elissa an apple before opening the door and exiting with Elissa and Hohaku following closely. As soon as they were out...

"There he is, as brazen as you please, licking his chops after helping himself to the roast no doubt!" Nan said with her hands on her hips, glaring at Hohaku who didn't shy away.

"Actually, Nan, he was defending your larder from rats." Elissa replied making the servants balk. Aedan began eating his apple while the conversation began.

"Not the large gray ones!" The female said in fear.

"Their rip you to shreds, they will!" The male yelled in a high voice. Nan crossed her arms.

"Hmph. I bet that dog led those rats into there to begin with." She snorted.

Hohaku whined and gave her the puppy look.

"Oh, don't even start with the sad eyes! I'm immune to your so-called charms." She replied before suddenly looking away. Aedan smirked at her reaction having already gone halfway through the apple. She'll cave.

Hohaku kept the sad look before Nan groaned and walk to the kitchen table and picked up some scrap meat.

"Here then. Take these pork bits and say that Nan never gives you anything! Bloody dog." She said she placed them on the ground where Hohaku ate them gladly.

Hohaku licked his chops before giving Nan a happy bark in thanks. Nan sighed before looking at Elissa.

"Thank you, my lady. Now we can get back to work." Nan turned to her helpers. "That's right you two, quit standing about!"

Aedan and Elissa walked out and to the main hall where the party had happened last night. Aedan having finished his apple threw the core into the fire pit. Aedan quickly popped the pomegranate before picking out the berries hidden inside.

"Aedan," He looked at her. "I need to go take Hohaku back to my room so he doesn't cause more trouble and I should go see my nephew." Aedan nodded.

"Okay, I'll be in the library if you need me." Aedan said as they both parted. Once he arrived, he started looking for any interesting books. After a few minutes someone unexpected joined him.

"Hello Aedan." Eleanor Cousland greeted him as she began to browse.

"Your Ladyship." Aedan responded with quick bow.

"How are you today?" He asked.

"Fine and you?"

"It has been a good day so far so I can't complain." Aedan said as he got back to looking through the books. One book in particular caught his eye. Old Maps and Ruins of Ferelden. Picking it up, he began to sift through it seeing ruins of both human, elven and even dwarven ruins located in Ferelden. A book like this wasn't in the Tower so it would be something new.

Eleanor watched him go through the book completely engrossed in it. She almost felt bad at taking him out of it. Almost.

"You know, Mother Mallol told me something interesting this morning when I came for my morning prayers." Aedan looked at her for a moment before looking back at the book.

"Oh? I hope it was nothing troubling, your Ladyship."

"She told me your faith in the Maker was shaken." Aedan wanted to groan. Of course the Mother would have spoken to the Teyrna about the fact her daughter's bodyguard didn't fully follow the Chantry's way.

"Ah."

"Want to talk about it?" She asked causing him to sigh. May as well get it over with.

"I'll be honest with you, your Ladyship. I believe in the Maker. I just don't believe he will answer back or interfere." At her confused look he continued, "When Andraste was burned at the stake, He turned away from this world a second time and when that happened everyone cried and wailed about it. They wanted their father back, I get it. The thing is, it's been centuries since then with many tragedies happening along the way and from what I've heard and read about, he never answered to the faithful. I just don't believe he will answer."

Eleanor looked at him in pity. Aedan saw this and nearly snorted.

"It's the same with the Dalish gods."

"What do the Dalish gods have to do with..." That was when it clicked. Elf-blooded. "One of your parents was Dalish." Aedan nodded to her.

"Yes, my mother. She was a First, someone who would take leadership over the tribe in the future, so she had to know all the lore. Before she... passed away, she taught me all of the lore."

"I see. What were they like? Your parents?" Eleanor asked seeing the sadness in his eyes.

"My mother was a blonde. I have her eyes and book-smarts. She had these markings on the sides of her eyes, a customary thing with making a Dalish child into an adult. She was also a mage as well which would explain myself. My dad on the other hand. He was a peasant, a huntsman, bit of a roguish type. Everytime I look in the mirror, I think for a split second that it's my father looking back at me, but then I see my green eyes instead of his brown eyes looking back. The other things I inherited from him was his street-smarts, his morality and his skills. My parents were great people. Humble, yet great." Aedan said in nostalgia. He felt a slender hand reach up on his shoulder and gave him a comforting squeeze.

"I believe I would have enjoyed meeting them." She replied making Aedan smile before he remembered something else.

"Your Ladyship?"

"Hmm?"

"Does it bother you? That I'm an elf-blooded apostate that doesn't fully believe in the Maker and somewhat believes in something else?" Eleanor stared at him for a moment before smiling at him.

"No, it doesn't. I don't see the point in hating elves. I'll admit, you being an apostate did make me uneasy, but I noticed how Elissa seemed to trust you and when we spoke I could immediately tell that you were a good person. As for your faith, it is yours do with as you will. The Maker gave us free will. Perhaps He wants you to be as you are now." Eleanor said before walking away. Aedan turned back to the book in his hands.

"Oh and Aedan?" He looked back at her.

"I believe your parents would be proud to see the young man their son grew into." She said with a smile before walking out. Aedan closed his eyes as a lone tear and a shudder escaped him.

"Thank you." He whispered out.

The weeks rolled by with the training as Aedan became better and better at using a one-handed sword and using two-handed moves as well as using a shield. Though in his opinion he preferred not having a shield since it slowed him down in a fight. While the training had gone splendidly, he managed to become better acquainted with the Couslands. Elissa especially considering she started to become clingy. Whenever they would finish their training, she'd take him by the arm and start leading him around. Whenever they sat, she would sometimes lay her head on his shoulder, not that he complained. And when he would be walking alone, she would sometimes surprise him by hugging him from behind. It took all of Aedan's willpower not to focus on the soft feeling on his back when she did that. Eventually he told them of what had happened to him as a child and his reasons for leaving the Circle. They began to reluctantly agree with him. Bryce made a note to keep watch on their borders for anyone who resembled Reaper's description just in case.

Finally, after the hectic weeks of training, Fergus' relentless teasing of him and Elissa, and the talks with the Cousland family, the day for the duel arrived. The arena was a simple one. A bunch of benches surrounding a wooden training ring. People were clapping and cheering, ready for the fight. Aedan caught several people who weren't cheering, but were looking as if they were about to study the fight. One of them was Arl Howe, who was near the Couslands. Aedan still felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand still at the sight and it bothered him greatly. Aedan turned his attention to the challenger, Braden Bronach. (One of Vaughn's lackeys in the City Elf Origin. Don't know his last name.)

Both young men were clad in scale mail armor. What they were using was basically the same as what he had been training with the past three weeks.

"Settle down. Settle down. Today we have a duel between Braden Bronach and Aedan Hellathen for the dispute of his capabilities to protect my daughter Elissa. The rules are simple: No killing and the first one to yield is the winner! Is the challenger ready?" Bryce said to the crowd.

"Ready to win my lord!" Braden shouted back with confidence causing the crowd to cheer. From where she was sitting Elissa snorted. Her mother pinched her arm having been right beside her. She looked at her mother with a scandalized look before it morphed into a smug smile at her mother's own smile. Eleanor was just making sure her daughter wouldn't show her full opinion in a crowd like this despite having made it public already. She had the utmost confidence in Aedan. They both did.

"Is the defender ready?" Bryce asked.

"I was born ready, my lord!" Aedan shouted while giving Braden an even stare. Only a few from crowd cheered. Oh well at least there was no booing... yet. Bryce looked from Aedan to Braden before shouting "Begin!"

Both men charged at each other and clashed their shields, each vying for dominance.

"Give up and maybe the Couslands will give you a nice pouch of gold for your trouble." Braden taunted making Aedan snort.

"You really are a bastard aren't you?" Aedan taunted back infuriating Braden who pushed harder. Aedan smirked before moving out the way. Braden charged past before skidding to stop. Aedan attacked with his sword, slashing at the minor lord who parried the attacks with his own sword. Before long Aedan bashed his shield against Braden causing him to stumble back. Aedan then assaulted him with four shield strikes knocking him onto the ground. Aedan was about to tell him to yield when Braden kicked him in the groin. He heard several groans alongside his own from the crowd. Some people besides the Couslands were actually sympathizing with him on that. Aedan was doing his best not to crouch and hold his damaged parts but he couldn't stop his legs from being bent from the pain.

Suddenly he blocked a sword strike, and another, and another. Soon enough, the sword wracked the shield from his grasp. Before he could do anything, he was bashed by another shield and sent tumbling to the ground. He quickly got back up and gripped his sword with two hands. Braden chuckled at his stance. He wasn't wielding a claymore or a shield what good would this do-?!

In an instant Aedan flickered to him and he barely got his shield up in time. He was surprised to see his shield was stabbed through and wrested from his grasp. Aedan made some distance between flicking his sword, throwing the shield away. The crowd was stunned by the display of attack. One minute Aedan looked as if he was about to be defeated and the next he had suddenly seemed to flicker and turn into a blur. What added to it was the fact he had managed to pierce through the shield and even take it from his opponent. Aedan pointed his blade at his opponent.

"You going to fight or yield?" He asked coldly. Braden snarled. How dare this pauper insult him! Humiliate him! He charged at Aedan who was unfazed and began to parry his savage strikes as if they were nothing. 5 minutes later and Aedan had enough. He quickly began attacking Braden with powerful swings, causing the brat to fall back since he almost lost his sword at the first swing. Aedan drove him to the fence before stopping. Braden tried to attack again but this time Aedan blocked him and held his attack. Then he spun his sword and flicked Braden's out of his grasp and into the air. He delivered a swift kick to Braden's groin before catching the airborne sword and dual wielded the blades to almost scissor Braden's head as he hunched over in pain.

"Do you yield?" Aedan asked. Braden nodded. Aedan pressed the swords against his neck.

"So they can hear you." He demanded.

"I-I y-yield." Braden said in high-pitched voice. Aedan lowered the blades from the minor lord's neck allowing him to fall on the ground.

"The winner is Aedan Hellathen!" Bryce said having heard it. The crowd was stunned before they began cheering. Aedan smiled before walking back to where he could take off his armor. Before walking into the barracks he caught Elissa's look at him. She was smiling and giving him a look that he would describe as smoky. He blushed before looking away. A sudden chill went down his spine as he felt a cold gaze on him. He had a good idea on who it was but didn't look as he continued to leave.

A few days later in Amaranthine

'So the boy can fight. This is will be problematic.' Arl Howe thought as he paced in his private study now that he was back home. Rain raged on the window as lightning and thunder rang outside. Howe and his troops had manage to get to Vigil's Keep just before the storm hit. This new bodyguard would definitely be a problem to his plans. While Bronach's brat wasn't that skilled as a fighter, he did manage to show a small glimpse of Aedan's abilities especially at the last few seconds.

"You seem troubled." A male voice said startling Howe. He looked into the darkened corner of his room to see someone in robes come out of the shadows. He wore tevinter mage robes and spoke with an arrogant tone. His face, covered by the hood he wore.

"What took you so long to get here!" Howe snarled. The man chuckled.

"Not all of us have horses to get here. Some of us have to walk. Besides, I had to sneak in. Weren't you the one who said to be discrete?" Howe sneered at the man.

"I paid you to kidnap Elissa Cousland and brainwash her to allow me to have power over Highever-" Howe began before the arrogant mage cut him off.

"And while we did that you and Bryce Cousland would make a joint effort to save her from the bandits while your son Thomas rode in to be the hero. Yes, I guessed that much. So what is the problem?" He asked bored as he leaned against the wall, looking at his finger nails. Howe scowled at him.

"The fact that Bryce Cousland has given her a new bodyguard!" Howe almost roared. The mage snorted.

"So what? He'll be like the 13th one we'll kill." Howe merely shook his head.

"He was the one who stopped your last two attempts." This caused the mage to look up and pay attention.

"Is he? Now that is interesting. What's his name?" The mage asked.

"Aedan Hellathen." Howe replied as if the name was a curse. The mage froze for a split second before chuckling which soon turned into full blown laughter.

"Oh this too good to be true! No wonder those last groups died so easily!" He continued laughing making Howe look at him curiously.

"I take it you know him?" The mage stopped laughing.

"No, but I do know of him. From your confused look I take it you don't know he's a recent apostate?" Howe's eyes widened before he got a sick twisted grin.

"If that is the case, then I can use that to my benefit. A way to remove him from the Couslands and Elissa's side." Howe said before a strong hand gripped his throat.

"Ah, ah, ah." The mage said as he continued to keep and iron grip on the Arl's neck. "This is one apostate you won't touch or rat out to the chantry. My master has been wanting to see him one last time. I will deal with him personally. I was given explicit orders to drag him back if I ever find him. My master has been dying to see the one who scarred him so long ago." The mage said before releasing Howe who fell to his knees coughing.

"Why do you maleficars want him?" Howe choked out as he massaged his throat. The mage looked down at him. Lightning flashed illuminating his face for a split second showing yellow eyes and teeth in the form of maniacal grin.

"Because Master Reaper has unfinished business with that brat." The mage said before he disappeared with another flash of lightning, leaving the Arl to stew in his own thoughts.

So what's the verdict? Good? Bad? Review please!