It seems that everywhere we go nowadays, bad things seem to happen. Lothering was on the brink of utter annihilation and well now Redcliffe was pray to something fierce. "What sort of evil?" Cullen asks this of Bann Teagan. The man who stood before us was well, I was surprised that he was so young but the three of us must have surprised him as well. Alistair recognized him instantly but as for Cullen, he was just another person who was asking for our help. We didn't have much choice in the matter since we desperately needed Arl Eammon's help in this matter. "The men call it the undead. They come from the Castle each night, claiming more and more men. We have tried to hold them back but we have lost many." I shift my weight between each foot; there was one of many reasons as to why the walking dead was out and about. Cullen's gaze leaves the Bann's only to watch the floor. He knew the options, just as I did. "Is there anything we can do to help?" The offer surfaces from Alistair but I can see why he wants to help. This was his home for many years. We had a right to help these people survive. "I do not know what we need but you can speak with Murdock and Ser Perth. Does this mean you will help us?" He shifts his gaze between the three of us. Cullen seems reluctant to speak up but we both know what this means. I step forward, placing a quiet hand upon his arm and to smile in Teagan's direction. "Yes, we will gladly help you." Relief rushes through him. "Oh that's good to hear, just go speak with them." The three of us bow our heads to him and take our leave outside of the Chantry.
Men, villagers I assumed were the ones preparing for a battle. The Knights we knew were already out there searching for the Urn of Scared Ashes. Apart of me doubted this legend but something must have been wrong with the Arl if his wife had just about every able bodied Knight searching. "You two know what could cause this." Alistair was quick when he wanted to be. "Well…" I hesitate, nervously I chew upon my thumb nail. "It could either be a Demon or Blood Magic. It could also be caused by both." Demons, Blood Magic and the worse yet we had no idea who was involved. This wasn't just a normal thing to happen across. It was well planned and it was naturally our jobs to end this. "Those are both bad." I smile a little, seeing as how Alistair had a habit for stating the obvious. "I will speak with Ser Perth and get things settled. How about you two speak with Murdock?" Cullen was trying to get rid of us. Or at least hide his urge to ask me a million questions as to how this could happen.
He parts from us with quick haste, leaving the two of us behind in the process. I sigh, feeling myself get frustrated all of a sudden. I shift my gaze to watch the tension cross Alistair's eyes. It was his tension I was feeling, his anger towards Cullen's distance between us. I was starting to hate this. Being stuck between two men who fought like children… I was wondering if I would rather have liked being placed in a locked cell for most of my life.
After the hours of trying to calm a weeping Smith down from the brink of liver failure. He is a sobbing child in my arms. Alistair seems intent upon watching this situation. "I… I… just w-w-wish that someone would f-f-find her." He is sobbing all over my robes and I want to cringe. Knowing that this was completely awkward. "Where was she last?" Alistair is offering the question. Wondering if it would ease my anger a little. "She was in the c-c-castle." The old Smith looks up, snot dripping from his nose as he sniffs it back up. I cringe again feeling a little nauseated from the sight. "We will find her, I promise you." We were just big damn heroes, weren't we? With some help up to my feet, Alistair is smirking. Probably at the sight of seeing me hold an old Smith in my arms like a blubbering child. "T-t-thank you." He wipes his eyes and his nose on the sleeve of his shirt and wavers upon his feet. "I will get back to working on the militias gear." A sigh escapes me, at least I was glad to be done with him and the angry little dwarf.
Wiping off the snot and the drool from my robes, Alistair is watching me intently and well I shoot him an angry look. "You could have at least held him once." I was not happy being placed in that situation. We walk up the long path leading to where Cullen and the other's were. Slightly grateful to get this over with. "I think I would make a horrible Mother figure." I groan as apart of me hated him being so glib all the time. "You on the other hand, fit perfectly into that role." He is laughing again, leading the way up the final trudges of the hill. We are greeted by the tired eyes of our companions. "So, is everything settled?" Cullen avoids my gaze and I sigh moving past him. "Yes, everything is settled." Alistair reports. "Good because nightfall is right around the corner."
Once in my life I have fought against the undead and that was well practice. I shoot off a few fire spells, feeling myself being supported by Morrigan in the process. When a few of the undead get past the flaming barrels it is Cullen who moves before me. My spells wrap around him, as he forcibly blocks them. Morrigan is getting frustrated with the amount of skeletons coming towards us. I can understand I guess but I push forward. We slaughtered most of them until a messenger arrives at the top of the hill. "They are in the square!" I do not hesitate I follow after him only to hear the cry from Cullen as to why I did not wait for anyone. "Stay there!" I shout over my shoulder but I pick up the hem of my robe as I take off down the hill with the help of the steady militia at my side. We passed a few houses as I come to screeching halt just before the group of men. I formulate a plan in my head, knowing the risks I held for them all until I sense Cullen at my side. He was covered in his own blood mixed with what I assumed were others as well. "Can you cleanse the area quickly?" I ask of him but he understands what I was asking of him. I do not hesitate, I focus the spell into my finger tips the sparks hitting each finger tip as it grows bigger and bigger. I watch as my golden-eyed Templar rushes into the midst of the battle. His Greatsword colliding with a group of undead warriors. Sending them flying up into the air and landing into a heap of bones nearby. I do not hesitate now as my spell is unleashed. The row of skeletons are charged full of the lightning as it travels up and through each one of them. I am being drained from the spell since it moves through each warrior deftly. As soon as it ends upon the last one I know it is about to move to one of our allies. Cullen is quick when I feel a rush of wind send me back. Cleansing the area of the spell of my mana he slaughters the rest of the undead warriors quickly.
There is a pause amongst the group of men standing before us. The Militia Messenger helps me to my feet, letting me rest against him in the process. "Are you alright?" He asks of me but I watch Cullen contently. He is helping men to their feet, offering them words of courage and that without their help the village would be killed in the process. He was kind, sympathetic but he was cradling his ribs in the process. He was hurt, I suddenly realize but I was completely drained from that last spell. The man holding me upon my feet hands me a small vial of blue liquid. "I was told to carry this around in case you needed it, Warden." I blink in utter surprise at this gesture but I down the sweet liquid quickly. My mana is replenished quickly. I move away from the quiet solider and give him a smile of thanks. Without a second thought I start to help the wounded. Moving them into the chantry. My healing spells wash over them, speeding up their recovery process but I knew it wouldn't help as much as I wanted it too. "Maybe you should have paid more attention to Wynne, huh?" Cullen is sitting before me, upon one of the many cots for the soldiers. I had forced him to actually sit still and take his armor off while I fix his ribs. My cool hands touch his skin and he flinches, "Sorry." I manage to mumble knowing that out of all the Mages I always seemed to have the coldest hands. "And yes I should have paid more attention." If Wynne was there, we would have easily finished this process. But I had only Morrigan and she did not like being there and helping. "I remember when she hit you with that mind blast spell for ranting about how much you found those spells meaningless." He was there? I look up but he was smiling, this time it reaches his eyes and I sigh. "Yes, well I was stubborn when I was younger." He is still laughing but I fixed that as I tighten the bandage around his ribs tightly. "Oww…" He groans from the sharp pinch of the bandages tightening around him.
"Turns out you're even more stubborn than you were back then." I look up, he is smirking. The bastard was actually smirking and I had no idea how to respond to it. Instead a I feel a smile creep across my lips, my eyes shifting between the wounded men who surrounded us and those who would need my help. "You should be fine now, just don't go around swinging that large stick of yours anymore than you have too." His smirk slowly turned into that small smile I had no idea I missed so much. "I'll try not too, Solona." He is slowly amused as I move to another group of men who were hesitant under my hands. It came down to the silver tongue of Leliana's that helped the situation. With time they were healed and bandaged. I stand up slowly, wavering a little from feeling very tired at this point. "How are the others?" I ask of my haunted companion. Her distant, quiet gaze leaves my own as we move outside into the startling sunlight. "The others are fine, Sten had tended to them quite well." I find myself picturing Sten as a nursemaid… it as quite disturbing.
Though she is laughing, must have been clear across my face as to how disturbing the image was. "I am sure, the sight quite amused Alistair when he saw the large Qunari approach him." That would have been quite the sight I had to admit. But I was tired, worn out from the battle and using most of my energy to heal most of the soldiers who were wounded. My mana was nearly gone but I felt it replenishing itself slowly over the time we're standing outside. "Are you sure you do not need any rest?" She touches my shoulder, I shift my weight but finding that it was quite comforting being this close with her. She had a way about her that was slightly relaxing, reassuring more so than usual. "I am fine, really." I wave it off, giving her my best I'm alright smile. "We should go see what Bann Teagan has to say, yes?" I nod, weakly I didn't want to know his plan but we didn't have much choice. The sooner we can figure this out, the better.
Approaching the tired group of my companions I was greeted by a warm smile from Alistair and an angry look from Cullen. I had no idea he could just flip like that on a copper but I was wrong. Something was wrong and he really didn't want to share. "Solona, you're alright." A rush of relief hits me in waves from Alistair and I give him a nice pat on the shoulder. "I'm fine, really. Though what I wouldn't give for a nice long nap about now." I could feel that they were all on the same page that I was, but it was Sten who wasn't. I was always so curious about the Qunari. I approach hearing the plan being slowly discussed between Cullen and the Bann. "So you had this the whole time and didn't use it?" He was questioning Teagan's actions regarding something. "I couldn't possible just leave the villagers in the mercy of the creatures. I was to fight beside them and…" I approach to stop before the two men and Alistair pauses at my side. "And you were doing the honorable thing. It speaks in many words of what you did here, I am sure they are all quite grateful for your sleepless nights with them." A warm smile spreads across the Bann's lips but I find myself wondering what was really going on. "There is a secret passage," Cullen starts. "It is only known to the immediate family of the estate." Huh, so that makes sense. "The plan?" I ask but before I can finish Teagan spurts out a 'Maker's Breath'.
A young woman is running toward us with a guard following close at her heels. "Teagan, Teagan I need your help." I find myself curious as to who she is. Until Alistair greets her. "Lady Isolde, is the Arl alright?" She shifts her gaze to him but all I see is fear. She was completely terrified of something or someone. I didn't want to question it further but apart of me wonders as to what was going on inside the estate. "Alistair?" She pauses but she begins her explanation. Towards the end I was even more confused then when it started. She was and is a complete wreck asking for the Bann to follow her back to the castle. I wasn't the first to step forward and state that this was a bad idea. "It could be an ambush." Cullen was pretty clear about this. "Excuse me?" She wasn't quite sure how to take this reaction from us. "He is right, it could be an ambush and if other… things are involved we can't let you go in there." A flustered sigh escapes her but I do not look in her direction. "I have to do this," the Bann is firm on this. "I will place my complete trust in you upon this." I watch as Isolde runs back towards the gates. "Make haste, my friends."
When he parts I am completely worried as to what was happening inside the castle that could put such a man in great peril. "Okay, Sten you take Leliana and Morrigan up to the Castle gates and wait with Ser Perth. Alistair, Solona and I will take the hidden passage way. When we get to the surface we'll flip the switch and storm the castle." The plan was idiotic because we were relying upon a woman who was frantic, completely scared and she was hiding something from us. We part ways but not before Leliana tells me to be safe. I have come to realize she was beginning to rub off on me. I really was horrible when it came to others intentions other than my own.
The facts were true, we stood inside of the windmill as I watched the two men fix their armor and their weapons over their shoulders. Cullen released the clasp holding his sword to his back easily as Alistair does the same to his shield and sword. "Funny," I mutter aloud. "What's funny?" I had no idea I said anything. "Oh, well if someone would have told me a month ago that I'd be storming a castle full of Maker's knows what. With two men who used to be Templars, I would have laughed myself to death." Alistair slowly takes in what I said and a small laugh breaks loose. "Funny, I never would have thought I'd be here either." None of us had, I just realized. We were all in the same boat, fighting against the tide of the Blight and well, we were alone. "So what's the plan?" Cullen busily places the ring into the keyhole and twists. "The plan is that you stay out of our way and try not to get yourself killed in the process." Ugh, he was concerned why couldn't he have just said it in the first place? "Fine, fine I get that plan but what happens when we reach the Bann? What then?" Alistair lets out a frustrated sigh. "I don't know, I guess we'll figure that out when it comes down to it."
Watching as Cullen drops into the hole quietly, I hear a thump and then the sound of metal being pulled out slowly as he makes sure nothing was in the immediate area of the entrance. I feel Alistair's hands upon my upper arms as he moves to the hole. He moves me into a sitting position when I feel Cullen's hands upon my legs and I slip down into his arms, landing softly on the stone steps. We hesitate standing that close together. His hands grip my waist but it is the warmth of his body pressed against mine. I feel myself blushing but I step away, shaking off the feeling rising in my chest.
Alistair falls not so gracefully behind us and grunts dusting off his hands as he leans against the wall. I do not hesitate when Cullen moves before us and I am placed between them. It was a common position for the three of us it seemed. When we find the basement of the estate I realized that it was the Dungeons and I realize something is not right here. We should have been greeted by something or someone until a scream breaks through the walls and the doors. "No, get away from me!" Cullen is rushing forward, our first instinct is to help. He kicks the door open with one swift heavy kick. The sword swings free as I duck and move to the corner. I shoot off a few small arcane bolts as Alistair moves in to take down one of the warriors. After the small battle was finished I was a little uneasy to find ourselves in the midst of a series of cells. "Is this a…" I am stopped mid=sentence when I hear my name being called. "Solona, is that you?" My brows knit together because that voice only belonged to one man.
"Dobe?" I move to the cell he was in but sadly I found myself not surprised to find him in this situation. "What in Andraste's flaming sword have you done now?" My arms cross before me but his gaze wasn't upon me. It was upon Cullen. "What are you doing with him?" I was too angry with the Mage to care. Suddenly I am launching myself at him. The bars were blocking the way but my hands are trying to reach him, grab for something to just beat him for what he had done to me. The fact he had the gull to be alive still really hit my buttons. "You son of a Mabari Bitch I am going to skin you alive!" I shout but he is standing there watching me. Apart of me wondered if he was afraid to let me grab for him but he hesitates just as I feel a pair of strong hands around my waist. I fight them, but they are stronger than I was. I am being pulled away into the arms of one of the men but I knew the smell, Cullen had pulled me away. Hot angry tears fill my eyes but he knows better than to question them. He wasn't happy with this situation either. "Solona," he was speaking my name calmly but I was too angry to hear him. "Jowan!" I scream his name but I can hear Alistair slowly working some reason into the Mage. Probably trying to figure out what was going on. "Solona, now is not the time to feel this way." His hands are upon the back of my head, my eyes are squeezed shut but he is calm. The feeling just hits me, my nerves dying away. "We have people to save. When this is over with he will pay for his crimes, I promise you." His arms do not fall from me but I pull away. "So… I found out what's going on." Alistair is standing by us I wondered how long he has been there. "And?" Cullen presses. "He was hired by Lady Isolde to teach Master Connor on how to hide his er… talents." My eyes light up, this could really explain it. "The boy is a mage?" Cullen is only as surprised by this than I was. "It seems so."
"That explains it." I push past Alistair, I move to the cell but Jowan isn't afraid of me anymore. "Did you teach him about the Fade? About Demons? Spirits? How we have a special link to them?" The thought crossed Jowan's eyes. "Are you saying that Connor had made a pact?" Cullen was behind me, his Templar training was more than likely kicking in at this point. "It could be possible. The boy showed remarkable talent, I wouldn't be surprised if he figured out a way." Surprised, he wasn't surprised! I found myself growing angry with him but he sighed crossing his arms. "If you can get your way up there, I can help you stop this." Of course he would want something out of this. "I only want to redeem myself, Sol." He read my mind. "I have done wrong things and I want to make up for them… even if that means I die by the end of this." His words did not speak for his actions but I move away from the cell. "I hope so, Dobe. I really hope so." I start for the nearest door. The two men following me at my heels but I do not hesitate this time. "I'll wait here then, yes?" He calls after us but we don't bother with a simple response in return.
I grew frustrated when we hit the courtyard. The creatures were all over the place, crawling left and right upon the dead guards that once stood there. Cullen doesn't hesitate when he yells for me to go for the switch. I do just that. I pick up the hem of my robe and run for the switch. The group was waiting for us just outside the cullis gates, when I struggle with the lever. It was heavier than I thought it would be but with a few heaves I get it up. The thing hits the lock, but my hands are hurting from the pressure behind the lever.
The men rush past me but I meet the helpful smile from Leliana as she pulls her bow out. She fires off a few shots and I was surprised by her small voice of prayers for each one that went down. I move, picking up the hem of my robe and quickly I hit the stairs behind Cullen as he cleaves a path through. I duck a few times from the blade being swung over my head but I found this was common. Might have been one of the reasons why we worked so well together. He swung again, I duck in time to shoot off a small shock towards the falling warrior. We hit the doors. He doesn't stop to push them open and kicks them both in.
The rush of the veil hits me. I let out a gasp, the pressure upon my lungs hurts. "The Veil is thin here." I can hear the mutter from Cullen as we both could feel it. "Come on," I move under his arm and past the doors only to be greeted by the sound of clapping and what I assumed was Connor with Lady Isolde. But it was the sight of Bann Teagan dancing before them both. I grimace, wondering just how much power this demon has upon the boy. As the clapping finished we walk forward, hesitating with just the two of us there. "What's this mother? I can't see it." He is squinting towards me but he doesn't seemed bothered by Cullen behind me. "That is a woman… Connor, just like me." He is laughing, though I don't see as to why. "You're wrong mother, she is nothing like you. Half your age, prettier than you and I'm surprised you haven't had her lynched." I wince, seeing this was hard upon myself but it was even harder upon Isolde. "And you, you bring that thing with you." Cullen doesn't hesitate, his weapon is flashed before him. "You think you can cut me down that easily?" It starts to laugh again. "I don't think so, Templar." Without hesitating the Guards move in upon us as does the Bann as Connor disappears through the row of doors on the other side.
"Knock the Bann out with a sleeping spell." Cullen whispers to me as we are slowly being surrounded. I focus the spell when it comes to me and I let it wash over Bann Teagan, slowly. He falls to the ground and we are pressed into a square off with the guards.
I move under the swinging blade of Cullen's as he spins in a circle cutting down the guards in one swift hit. I take out the two archers towards the fireplace. They fall crumpling to the ground but I know that this wasn't going to be as easy as I thought. Isolde rushes towards us as she shakes Teagan awake. The Bann's eyes open but apart of me is grateful he wasn't hurt the other part wants to clearly point out that it was a bad idea. "Where is Connor?" Cullen is behind me. His sword slips into it's holder upon his back. "Please, don't hurt Connor." She was pleading but I knew his instinct was to take out the Abomination. "There is another way, Cullen and you know it." He doesn't want to admit, but we both know it. "We can save the boy. We will need the help of the Mages though in order to do it." Isolde is watching us but I knew the choice lay with Cullen. "If we did this, Arl Eammon would owe us. We would get the help we needed…" Now as Grey Wardens we had no choice but to focus upon the Blight and not our principals. Our old lives were no longer apart of this, it was the new path that was laid before us. "You're right…" Cullen admits quietly. "How far are we from the Circle?" Bann Teagan takes this in. "You are requesting for the Circle's aid?" We nod, but this would mean we owed the Circle more than we could possibly admit too. "It is a day ride away. If you take a small group, you should make it within time." Cullen moves, I follow him without questioning his motives.
We find our companions waiting outside upon the steps. "Alistair get your things together." I am upon Cullen's heels. It made sense we'd bring another Templar. But he stops in his tracks. "Stay here, I want you to watch over Connor." I shake my head, for once I was going to put my foot down. "The Circle is my home too. I want to go back, you cannot stop me." He is smiling again, that small secret smile was proof of my stubbornness. "Fine, come with us but we are going to take horses. Can you ride a horse?" He knew the answer to that question. I shrug, looking away. "Alright, fine you share with us. You ride with me until we get to the circle." I must have been grinning like a fool because I feel myself hugging him. My arms wrapping around his waist but he doesn't move.
Without a second thought I was running back to the steps to gather my gear from Leliana. "Morrigan?" I ask of her as I throw my pack upon my back. "Watch Connor, if the worse comes down to it… you'll be the only one to stop him." She doesn't say anything, her gaze falls away but I knew she would watch him. Apart of me just had that feeling.
Within the hour I was slung over the front of the saddle and Cullen behind me. Nudging the horses forward we take off down the road in the direction of the Circle.
A/N: Okay, once again this was just a quick throw out there but sadly I enjoy Cullen's little fits of jealousy between Alistair and Solona. They are kind of amusing but I really look forward to the next few chapters that involve the Circle. So enjoy! :) And I will do my shouts within the next chapter, promise! Lots of love!
And I do not own Dragon Age, it belongs to Bioware! :)