-RECKONING-

Author's Note: Word of warning here. I've decided to switch things around a little bit in terms of format and tense. After reading a few articles on the internet, I was pleased and surprised to discover that some of the techniques that I used in the previous chapters were better suited for something else called 'Deep PoV'. So, let's try it out shall we?

PRESENT TENSE AHEAD.

Chapter Five

9:30 Dragon

-Fort Drakon-

The shackles around my aching wrists clang as I try to move. I grit my teeth in reaction to the sudden sharp pain that emanates from my ribs. I groan and groggily open my eyes as I shift my weight to my feet. My cell and its immediate surroundings are dark, illuminated only by a few torches installed on the grim walls. A lone drakon guard stands in front of my cell, a torch installed on a wall behind him casts shadows on his face.

"You're awake." He says, his hands held loosely behind him.

"No shit." I narrow my eyes at him. Not that he could see it, of course.

The guard snorts. "Pretty cheeky for a prisoner, Warden." He walks over to a nearby table and picks up a thin steel rod. Probably the same steel rod that was used on me. He slowly walks back to the front of my cell and runs the rod over my cell's iron bars. I scowl at the noise.

"I wouldn't be so bold if I were you." He continues speaking. "Word has it that you stormed the Arl of Denerim's estate and murdered the arl himself." He pauses. Possibly to build up 'suspense' for his next statement.

"Well then let me clear that up for you." I interrupt. "I did do it. I killed Howe."

The guard's face was turned enough towards the light so that I see his eyes widen. "Then there's truly no hope for you. I don't know what killing the arl was supposed to do, but you've signed your own death warrant."

I roll my eyes. "You don't say?"

The guard sighs and shakes his head. "You better save up that humor and sarcasm of yours, Warden. Because the Regent is coming." He absently taps the steel rod twice against the bars and turns around, silently attentive.

A cough comes out of me and I hiss under my breath as my ribs scream in protest. Damn it. Maybe surrendering wasn't such a good idea. I could have fought my way out of there. I think. As if slaughtering Howe and a full castle of his guards weren't enough. But if I hadn't surrendered, I'd have doomed my friends to their deaths. The choice between death and captivity isn't very…

Damn it. I don't want to be stuck in this stupid cell and with this stupid guard, for the rest of my life. Oh wait, no. Just until the darkspawn come and kill us all. Loghain is mad if he thinks he can defeat the darkspawn by himself.

I sigh in frustration. Loghain.

Keys jingle against the cell bars as the guard opens the gate. I was still staring at the ground as two guards enter and stand against the walls. Feet enclosed in steel plate boots enter my field of vision. I look up into the face of a man I once thought was a hero, someone who once I wanted to be like, someone whose tales were going to be told for decades. Loghain.

He looks at me disapprovingly, like I had swung a sword too high or failed to block an incoming blow.

"To what do I owe this tremendous honor?" I manage.

He ignores me and continues to frown at me. As if I was the one who had done something wrong. "Where is my daughter?" He growls.

Ah, so that's what he's here for. "I don't know." I shake my head. "She fled while your guards hauled us in. She could be anywhere."

Loghain scoffs and turns to the two guards. "Stand outside." He cocks his head towards the door, then turns back to me once the door had shut. He looks at me like I was a battle map, calculating and analysing. I give him a withering look. My entire body aches from the Drakon guards' machinations, I am hungry, dirty, angry and afraid. And most of the reasons why is standing in front of me, judging me as if he any right to.

"What do you hope to gain from this, Warden?" He crosses his arms. "Stop this ridiculous rebellion of yours. Hand me my daughter and control of the armies that you've gathered."

I look at him like he was out of his mind. Maybe he was. "And why would I do that?" I straighten as much as the shackles permit and lean against the wall. "Assuming, of course, that I even know where Anora is and that the dwarves, elves and the mages would even listen to you."

"You would do it because you don't have any choice!" Loghain points his index finger harshly at me. "You're in prison, Cousland! You don't have any bargaining power. I do." He points at himself. He grits his teeth and frowns, not pleased that he'd lost his temper. "You've lost." He says, once he regained his composure. "There's no need to let this drag on any longer. Tell me where my daughter is, or I'll send troops to the Redcliffe Estate. I will take down anyone in my way and I will spare no one."

I narrow my eyes at him. Threats, threats and more threats. I can see what a wonderful king/dictator Loghain would make.

"Don't even think about telling me that you don't know where she is." He interrupts me as I open my mouth to reply. "You must have had some plan. Not even you would be stupid enough to attack Howe's estate without a plan."

"Thank you so much, Loghain. That means the world to me."

Instead of flaring up again and punching me to a pulp as I expected, Loghain just sighs and gives me an odd look. "There was once a time when you wouldn't have thought of being insubordinate. When you and your brother hung on to my every word." He holds his hands behind his back and faces the bars of my cell.

Where on earth is he going with this? This is isn't really the best time to bring up the past. "And now you have me chained up in a cell, Darkspawn want to erase Ferelden off the map of Thedas, and this civil war that you've got brewing isn't exactly helping things!" I glare at his back.

"That is what the Wardens say." Loghain says without turning around. "That it's all my fault. That I left the King to die at Ostagar." He remains staring at my cell's surroundings and I begin to wonder just what he finds so fascinating about Fort Drakon. Surely, he spends most of his time here? Where else would he throw his political enemies? Then he turns around suddenly, surprising me. "If so, I ask you this." The odd look on his eyes are gone, replaced once again by anger and frustration. "If I did not give the order to retreat, who would have defended Ferelden from the Darkspawn, now that the armies at Ostagar are gone? Would you rather I order the men who were with me to waste their lives in a futile attempt to win the battle?"

I open my mouth to retort but nothing comes out. Would you rather I order the men who were with me to waste their lives in a futile attempt to win the battle? Once, I had thought that if Loghain had only saved the King, then we wouldn't be in this mess. There would be the Darkspawn, but at least we don't have to deal with a Civil War. But there are just some battles that you can't just win.

I close my eyes and remember the carnage at Ostagar.

Fires raged through the land, burning both monster and man. Screams of grown men and conscripted teenagers alike tormenting the skies. Ogres running amok, skewering both their allies and their enemies. The Tower of Ishal's floors slick with blood… and yet, with all of this death and rampant slaughter, there is still no sign of the Archdemon. No sign. If this is the Darkspawn's first wave, how on earth can we survive the rest?

"Cailan was a fool. Just a boy, with the body of a man." Loghain spits out. He was standing only a few feet away from me. "He was more concerned with glory, how epic his story would be when it was told, rather than the practicalities of war. I tried to stop him, told him that the frontlines was no place for a King, especially an heirless one. But no, he was convinced that the Wardens would be enough to guarantee a victory over the Darkspawn."

"Alright. So, maybe the King's death was his own doing." I shake my head, not believing that Loghain convinced me of something. "But that doesn't mean you can just declare yourself King and send armies against anyone who dares to rebel against you. Those armies could have been used to save thousands of lives! Could have been used to save Lothering! And what of the Grey Wardens that you sent back? They could have helped!"

Loghain frowns again, looking disappointed. "Orlesian Grey Wardens?" He scoffs. "All that talk of you Wardens not meddling in politics is rubbish. Allowing the Wardens to 'help' would be equivalent to giving Ferelden to them on a silver platter!" He sighs, rubs the bridge of his nose and starts walking away. The clanking of his boots the only sound, aside from my pained breaths, in the dank cell.

Just before he reaches the gate of my cell, he turns his head to one side. "I'm going to give you one chance, Warden. Tell me where my daughter is by tomorrow, or you'll have the blood of everyone in the Redcliffe Estate on your hands."

Author's Note (2): I am so sorry for the long delay guys! I was… and still am, horribly busy with schoolwork and life. College is such a pain. Haha. Anyway, how was it? Tell me what you think! Just click the review button below, and tell me. And in any case, you're rendered speechless, you can always follow and favourite my story instead. Thanks for reading guys! Feedback is only one click away!