-RECKONING-

Chapter Three

9:13 Dragon

"Can you tell it again, Father?" A young boy pleaded the man sitting on the chair by the fireplace. I was in the Great Hall along with my brother and the man's children. We were sitting on the floor around him, savouring the heat coming from the fireplace since it was really cold anywhere else. Mum says it's because of the winter. She says Ferelden is already a cold nation and because Highever's located in the north and near the Waking Sea, our winter storms were really harsh.

The man laughed and picked his son up onto his lap. "Haven't you heard the story a hundred times already, Thomas?"

"Yeah." He replied. "But maybe they haven't." He smiled and pointed at Fergus and me

"What story is this?" Fergus asked irritably. Mum said he was going through his 'rebellious teenage phase'. I almost never saw Fergus smile anymore.

"I'd like ta hear a story…" I smiled at the man. It kind of felt weird though because some of my teeth fell out recently. "Does it have griffons in it?"

"You're like a six-year old, Aedan." Fergus sighed. "Oh, wait. You are a six-year old."

"Don't be mean, Fergus!" I pouted.

"Your father did say that the two of you were a handful." The man laughed again. "I see he wasn't kidding." He smiled when we quieted down. "And no, this story doesn't have griffons in it. It's not about the Grey Wardens."

"It's about how Ferelden took back its lands from the Orlesian overlords. About how we fought for Ferelden's independence!"

"The one with the Hero of River Dane?" Fergus eagerly asked.

The man paused and sighed. "Yes. The one with the Hero of River Dane. "

He told us then about how they fought against the invaders and threw them out of Ferelden. All of us listened really well, even Nathaniel and Fergus. But by the middle of the story, I saw that Thomas was already asleep, Delilah and I were fighting to stay awake, but the older boys, Nathaniel and my brother, were still listening intently. Noticing this, the man stopped telling us his story.

"Sleepy already? Good… It's probably for the best that we don't finish this story." He smiled and picked Delilah up in his arms to join Thomas. "Come, Aedan. I'll take you to your room."

I stood up and rubbed my eyes. I followed the man through the hallways. "Sorry I can't pick you up." He told me. "As you can see, I've got my hands full." He chuckled.

"Iss okay, Ser Howe." I held onto his coattails. "I can make it… M strong…"

He tucked Delilah and Thomas in the guest room beside mine. He then held my hand and opened the door to my room. "Yes, Aedan. You're strong. Just like your father." He picked me up and tucked me into bed.

"Just like you and father… Ser… Howe." I mumbled before I fell asleep.

9:30 Dragon

The door opened with a bang as I kicked it, somewhat startling those inside the room. Howe, his mages and guards stood before us, warily taking us in. "Howe." I greeted him darkly and took Starfang from my back. I lowered the greatsword enough that its tip grated against the stone floor. The sound, not unlike the one made when an executioner sharpens his axe, filled the room.

"Well, well." Howe clapped slowly. "Bryce Cousland's little boy, all grown up, and still trying to fit into daddy's armor." His men laughed nervously. "I never thought you'd be fool enough to turn up here. But…" He sneered. "I'd never thought you'd live either."

"And you won't leave this room alive, Howe." I snarled back at him, shaking with barely contained anger and anticipation.

Apparently, Howe didn't get the message that it wasn't a good idea to anger me any further. "Oh? Is this the part where I lament the monster I created?" He smiled. "Why don't I tell you about your mother? About how I made her kiss my feet?"

I roared and swung the greatsword in his direction. "Alistair, mages! Morrigan, guards! Sten, kill as many as you can and keep them off me." I ducked Howe's swing and punched his midsection with my left hand, making him step back a few feet. "Howe is mine."

The bastard laughed as he wiped blood from his mouth. "My, my Aedan. You're getting strong." He circled to my left, I followed suit and circled to my right. "Strong just like me and your father?" He launched himself at me, dagger and axe twirling as he aimed for my head and throat. Unfortunately for him, I spent many nights sparring with Zevran. Howe had nothing on an Antivan Crow.

I stepped back, avoiding his axe, and swung Starfang down. He barely caught it with his dagger and sidestepped quickly. A guard got between us, trying to defend himself from Sten's onslaught. I cut him down without a second thought. Suddenly, Howe was nowhere to be seen. I growled and looked for him when I suddenly felt a cold chill behind me.

I turned around as Howe yelled and fell to the ground, his feet encased in ice. Morrigan was a few feet away, all the guards around her dead. I nodded my thanks and she nodded back. The lack of noise told me that Alistair and Sten had taken care of all the others. I dropped Starfang and picked Howe up by the collar of his leather armor. He groaned and snarled as he tried to attack me with the dagger and axe he was still holding. I grabbed his wrists and held him tightly, making him yell in pain and drop his weapons. "Maker spit on you!" He thrashed against my grip.

I tightened my grip even further, my bloody gauntlets gripping into his flesh. "Why?" I growled at him. "Tell me why!"

He sneered, his blood staining his teeth dark red. "Is this s-still about your family?" He laughed. I released my grip on his right arm and punched him twice in the gut. "I asked you why."

"Y-your family squandered glory that was rightfully mine!" He gasped. "Orlesian trips, accepting gifts from old enemies; all while I sank in obscurity." I released my grip on his left arm and yelled as I punched him in the jaw. I removed my helmet, picked him up again and slammed him against the wall.

"That's it?" I snarled. "You did all of this? Slaughtered all of them… for glory? For your damned greed?!"

He coughed blood as he tried to speak. "T-there it is. Right there! That damned look in the eye that marked every Cousland success that held me back." He panted as he glared at me. "It was so easy for the Couslands. You had it all. The loving family, the unshakeable marriage, talented and successful sons, the adoration of your vassals…" He sneered. "Why? Didn't I do the same? Didn't I fight for Ferelden too? I deserved more… I deserved more!"

"You bastard." I glared at him. "My father was your friend!"

Howe laughed. "He was. He was the friend that had everything handed to him on a silver platter. And I was the friend that got the scraps." He snorted. "I am not a mabari."

"No." I agreed. "Mabari don't turn on their masters." I head-butted him and ran a gauntlet through my hair. I paced as he lay writhing on the floor, clutching his bloody nose.

"I tried!" He suddenly said. "I tried to ignore all of your successes and my pathetic failures. But I am not strong, Aedan." He scoffed and laughed bitterly.

"You tried?" It was my turn to laugh bitterly. "Really now?"

The man didn't answer for a while. "I was genuine in my offer to marry Delilah to you." He panted. Then scoffed after a while. "Probably for the best that your father declined."

I watched at him as he just lay there, broken. "You and your men killed everyone at Highever, Howe. Everyone." My blood started to boil again as I remembered the carnage at the castle. The bodies littering the halls and streets, the fires, the guards trying to save as much as they could, the servants who served us loyally for years, killed in a matter of minutes. I took in a shaky breath and clenched my fists.

I laid my armored boot on his chest and put some weight behind it. He tried to push my boot off, but was only crushing his fingers in the attempt. For the first time, I saw a tinge of fear in his eyes as he looked up at me. I crouched down and took the knife from my back pocket.

"Aedan." Alistair called out, worry in his eyes. I must look like a monster to him… Morrigan had the same worry in her eyes, but I suspect she didn't care one bit about Howe. Only Sten had grudging approval in his features. "Sten." I motioned with my head. He nodded in understanding and ushered the others out the door.

"You know what, Howe?" I turned back to Howe. "It doesn't matter if you tried." I punched him in the gut again. "I did tell you that you won't be leaving this room alive."

"Bastard!" He coughed at me. "You can't kill me!"

I ignored him and plunged the knife into his left shoulder. "This is for all the guards who died defending Highever from your stupid greed." Then his right shoulder. "For Ser Gilmore, Mother Mallol and all our other staff." Howe yelled in pain and whimpered, he tried to push me off of him but I had no mercy to spare for this man. "For Nan. For Oriana. For my mother and my father." I plunged the knife into his gut and twisted. Howe was barely conscious at this point and was gurgling on his own blood. "And this…" I positioned the bloody knife over his throat. "This is for Oren." I whispered as I slashed his throat.

I leaned back and dropped the bloody knife, walked over to where Starfang was and strapped it to my back. I felt nothing. I felt nothing but my shaking hand as I picked my helmet up and walked out the door.

Author's Note: I didn't expect to finish this chapter so quickly! I actually planned to make this chapter longer than it is, but I thought it would be best that I cut it here. Thanks to all reviewers, followers and the ones who faved this story.

Mike3207: Thanks for your review. I'll expound on Aedan blaming Loghain for Ostagar in future chapters, it'll come up soon. Also, recall that scene in the Tower of Ishal. Remember, that you were being overrun by darkspawn and that you lit the flames in a desperate move. I don't remember ever seeing the field but maybe I missed something.

Regarding your other point, remember that Loghain is rather paranoid. He was most uh, reluctant to accept chevalier help, thinking that they'd take over Ferelden again. But I don't think he'd accept any Orlesian help at all. Also, remember that he blamed the Wardens for what happened at the Battle of Ostagar. Suddenly accepting Warden help, Orlesian Warden help would be quite weird.