Chapter 10

Beth woke when Bear twitched in his sleep, kicking her. She opened her eyes and sighed. Her headache hadn't gone away and her head hurt just as bad as when she tried to go to sleep. Once again, she had gone up to the battlements and sat watching the stars rather than sleeping in the room that she had picked out. She had trouble sleeping in a bed, so she had changed from the dress into her familiar armor and come back to the battlements. Bear was in a deep sleep stretched out and occasionally kicking. Rubbing her eyes, she looked at the lightening sky and stood up, stretched and made her way down to the training ring.

Margaret had been awakened by a terrible nightmare. She couldn't go back to sleep, so she donned her armor and ventured out of her room, through the keep and toward the training area. She had helped Ohgren create some straw dummies to practice with, and she decided to test them. As she got closer, she saw someone else working out.

Beth stopped attacking the straw dummy when she heard the footsteps. She turned and saw Margaret coming toward her. "Can't sleep?" she asked.

"Bad dream." Margaret answered. "Do you get used to them?"

"No, but you can block them out," Beth said.

"Why are you up?" Margaret hazarded.

Beth smiled sadly, "I have found that I don't sleep like I used to."

"I think you look tired. Maybe Anders can give you a potion?" she offered.

"Thanks, but I don't want to be drugged. We have a mission once everyone is up," Beth looked up at the dawning sky. "Which should be soon."

"It'll be good to have a purpose, besides training," Margaret smiled.

Beth nodded as she saw Ohgren, Anders and Nate walk into the ring.

"Mornin' Warden," Ohgren said, looking at Beth, "What's the plan for t'day?"

"We're heading to the Wending Road. Apparently, there are bandits and highwaymen waylaying any travelers between here and Denerim," she said.

"The Wending Road?" Anders repeated. "That's what those men were talking about!"

"What men?" Nate asked.

Beth interrupted, "It doesn't matter. Ohgren, pick out the four best soldiers to accompany us. We'll clear out the Wending Road of any criminals, then stock up on supplies and post help wanted signs in Denerim before we come back to the Keep."

The group nodded and everyone headed their separate ways, except Anders and Nate. They stood glaring at each other. Beth got between them. "What is wrong with you two?"

Nate stuttered, "He...has wrong ideas about you!"

Beth looked at Nate in surprise, "What are you talking about?"

Nate glared at Anders, "He said inappropriate things about you."

"I only commented on how the Commander looked in a dress." Anders smirked.

"Knock it off, right now! Go pack and meet me at the front gates!" Beth yelled at them, startling both.

The two men looked like children being punished as they sulked off to their respective quarters.

Beth stood shaking her head. "Andraste, give me strength!" she said out loud.

...

The group was sullen and quiet as they walked the Wending Road. The road used to wind its way through the hills and trees of the eastern forests of Amaranthine. When the Imperial Road was created, a more direct path came into being. Locals however still called it the Wending Road. At the first fork, an overturned wagon and a fallen tree prevented anyone from proceeding along the direct road. Beth inspected the blockage.

"Anders. Can you set fire to this without burning down the entire forest?" she asked.

"I can try," he said sarcastically and stepped closer to control the burn. Soon a pile of ashes stood where the road block had been.

Beth headed up the fork instead of the straight road.

"Wait a minute!" Anders called. "Why'd you have me clear the road, if we aren't going to use it."

"The bandits will be this way. We need to clear them out," she stated and continued walking.

The group walked along the smaller road into the forest and were attacked at the first bend. Beth leapt into action as the bandits charged their intended victims. Anders and Nate hung back as the fighters attacked at close range. Anders alternated between offensive and defensive spells, while Nate fired his arrows. The bandits were no match for the powerful Wardens and soon all were either dead or retreating.

Beth sent Margaret and Ohgren after the fleeing bandits to find their leader. "Find him, but don't kill him. We need to make sure we get this area cleared!" she instructed.

Nate, Anders and Beth searched the bodies, then continued along the smaller road that soon became nothing more than a trail through the dense forest. The sounds of fighting could be heard and Beth raced forward.

"Wait!" Anders called, trying to keep up.

Nate pulled an arrow from his quiver and began running to catch up. As he caught up to the battle, he began firing arrows at the men attacking. Ohgren and Margaret were in the middle of a large group of attackers and Anders was casting magic into the fray as quickly as he could. Nate didn't see Beth at first, but he caught a glimpse of her whirling blades. Soon he was too busy fighting with both his bow and his dagger to keep up with what was going on around him.

Slowly the battle began to turn in the Wardens' favor. As the last enemy fell, Nate looked around, there must have been a dozen or more bodies laying around them. Anders was healing a nasty wound on Margaret's leg and even Ohgren was out of breath. "Where's the Commander?" Nate asked, worried.

Anders looked up and panicked. "I knew there was going to be trouble! She didn't want me to say anything, but I overheard some of the Banns planning to get her!"

"Why didn't you say anything?" Nate shouted.

"I just said, she didn't want me to say anything!" Anders responded angrily.

Ohgren looked at the two men, "Knock it off! We need to start looking!"

Margaret got to her feet and said, "Shouldn't we be able to sense her? You know, if we can sense darkspawn, we should be able to sense each other."

Anders looked at her in surprise, "Yes, you're right!"

Margaret closed her eyes and concentrated on sorting out all the sensory input.

Beth came out of the woods with her prisoner. She looked at the four Wardens. "What in the Maker's name are you doing?"

They all jumped and turned to look at her.

"You're alright!" Nate and Anders exclaimed in unison.

"Of course, I am." Beth responded. "This is the leader," she shoved him toward the group, "He's going to tell us who hired him. Aren't you?" she said, menacing the bandit with her blade.

"Look, like I told you, I was going to be paid good money to get rid of the new Warden-Commander," he said, glaring at her. "They told me you were an easy mark. Nobody said nothing about you being some sort of fiend with blades."

"Who wants to get rid of the Commander?" Margaret asked.

"I don't know. My contact was Stewart, a servant for one of the nobles...and before you ask, I don't know which one," he said angrily.

"What are we going to do with him?" Anders asked.

"Take him to Denerim and turn him over to the Guard-Captain there," Beth said.

...

They reached Denerim after dark. Beth spoke with the Guard-Captain after they turned over their prisoner. Ohgren headed off towards the tavern and Margaret was going to visit some friends at the palace guard. The soldiers who had gone with them separated about town. Anders and Nathaniel decided to stay with Beth, who was going to the Cousland Estate.

"Welcome home, my Lady," a servant said, as they entered the estate.

Beth nodded, "Where's Fergus?"

"The Teyrn is in the main hall, you may go in," the servant responded.

Beth walked through the familiar entrance to the main hall and smiled at her brother sitting at the front. He was talking to someone she didn't know and hadn't seen her yet. Waiting patiently, she watched him handle the concern brought to him with an easy self confidence.

Nate looked around the room. It hadn't changed that much in all the years he had been away. He watched Fergus and thought how much he looked like Bryce, his father.

Anders wasn't comfortable in this estate. All he could think about was how easy the nobility had it and how hard it had been for him as a mage.

Fergus looked up and smiled broadly when he saw Beth. She approached him, bowed and said, "Teyrn Fergus, would you be able to house three Grey Wardens for the night?"

Fergus laughed, rose from his chair and hugged Beth. "Of course. I'm done with my day's work, let's get something to eat."

Nate and Anders hung back, letting the two siblings trade jibes. Beth looked at them and said, "You made me forget my manners. Fergus, this is Anders."

Anders held out his hand and Fergus shook it. "A pleasure to meet you, Teyrn."

Fergus shook his head, "No formalities among friends. Just call me Fergus." He turned to Nate and raised his eyebrows. "Nate?" When Nate nodded and held out his hand, Fergus grabbed him and pulled him into a big hug. "Maker, Nate, it's been years! Where have you been hiding? What have you been doing?"

Nate smiled and Beth said, "Can we catch up over food? I'm starving!"

They all laughed and headed into the dining hall.

They sat at the large dining table and the servants brought out the hot, steaming food. They all ate in silence and when the last of the dishes had been cleared away, Anders brought out a bottle of wine he had in his knapsack. "We should enjoy some wine before dinner, where are the goblets?"

Fergus pointed to a credenza at the back of the room and Anders went back to it. Fergus looked at Nate and asked, "So, where have you been since you were sixteen?"

Nate shrugged, "Oh, here and there. I was in Antiva when I heard about the Blight. Then when rumors started circulating about my father," he paused and looked at Fergus. "Andraste's tits, man...you Cousland's are a forgiving bunch," and he looked down at the table. Anders handed him a goblet and he took a big drink.

Fergus accepted his goblet from Anders and said, smiling softly, "Well, it helps that you look more like your mother than your father."

Beth nodded to Anders as he handed her a goblet, then Anders sat down. He looked between his three companions and asked, "I'm sorry, but I have to ask...What did Nate's father do that no one seems to say out loud?"

Nate hung his head and Fergus looked at the floor. Beth inhaled deeply and said, "Arl Renden Howe was our father's best friend. We all grew up together, Nate's family, mine, the Queen's, and the Theirin's."

Anders interrupted, "You grew up with King Cailen?"

Nate looked at Anders, "Do you want to know what happened? My father got the absurd idea that his best friend was conspiring with the Orlesians to oust the King. So, after the Cousland army went to Ostagar to fight with the King, my father's army descended on the unprotected castle of Highever and murdered every living soul there, including women and children." Nate stood and began pacing.

Fergus got up and grabbed his arm. "Nate, you are not responsible for what your father did! Please don't blame yourself."

Nate looked at Fergus and laughed sarcastically, "Here you are, my father killed your wife and four year old son, and you are trying to console me."

Beth watched the two men wearily. Her eyes suddenly felt too heavy to keep open. "Andersss..." she slurred, "you aresss...in big...trouble..." She slipped out of her chair and onto the floor, sound asleep.

"Beth!" Fergus and Nate exclaimed at the same time.

Anders had knelt over her, "She's fine. I slipped a sleeping potion into her wine. She's so exhausted and she won't ask for help."

Fergus shook his head as he scooped his sister up into his arms. "I don't want to be you, when she wakes up. Excuse me while I put her in her bed." Fergus left the dining room, gently carrying his sister.

"You shouldn't have done that without asking her, you know that, right?" Nate asked.

Anders shrugged, "We are somewhere safe and she doesn't need to be on alert tonight. It just seemed like a good idea." Nate looked suspiciously at his goblet. "Don't worry, Nate. I only put the potion in hers." To prove the point, he took a large gulp out of his goblet.

As they were sitting back down, Fergus reentered the room. "She looks so tired. I'll bet she hasn't had a decent night's sleep since the night on Fort Drakon."

Nate looked at Fergus, "What happened?"

Fergus sighed, "I wasn't there, but I arrived at Arl Eamon's estate the day after the archdemon was killed. I had barely survived Ostagar and a family in the Wilds had nursed me back to health. I had arrived in the city just before the darkspawn attacked. I came here first but the estate was empty. Evacuated. Then I found out that the battle was being directed from Arl Eamon's estate and I went there." Fergus paused and gulped some of his wine. Anders filled all the goblets as he and Nate waited for Fergus to continue.

"Beth had locked herself in her room and wouldn't come out. There was supposed to be a ceremony to announce her as the Hero of Ferelden, but she wouldn't accept the title. I found out from Arl Eamon, that during the Blight, she had fallen deeply in love with a man named Alistair. Apparently, he was the bastard son of King Meric and was going to take the throne, but he died when he killed the archdemon."

Fergus had been looking at the table, he now looked at the two men, "Between myself and some friends she had made on her journey, we got her to come out of her room and accept the title. I think a part of her died with Alistair."

"That explains a lot," Nate said quietly, swirling the wine in his goblet. He finished it off and said, "Okay Anders..."

Anders jumped, "What?"

"Your turn...what's your story?" Nate said.