It didn't take us long to return to the Alienage; most of the castle guards were too busy with a certain murder of a certain 'son-of-the-Arl.' We ran from the castle, weaving in and out of the thick crowds in the market district. When we arrived, the Elder, my father, and the armed man were waiting for us at the gate.
It was the first time, since we left the castle, that Shianni let go of my arm, and ran to the elder, who welcomed her with open arms.
I walked up to my father, who hugged me, relieved that his only son had returned alive, and that the rest of us were unharmed as well. He pushed me back and looked me over, seeing the large amounts of blood covering my wedding clothes. I cut him off before he asked, "It's not mine, father."
He gave a sigh of relief before looking to the women. "Are you ladies alright?"
The two brides nodded. "They killed Nola, though," Valora said. "And they almost killed Shianni." My father noticed Shianni's distress and was about to ask her what happened. but I managed to get a hold of his shoulder and shook my head, telling him silently not to ask.
"I am glad most of you are alright," the Rivaini piped up. He looked over to me and nodded his head to the side, silently asking to speak to me. We walked off a ways before he spoke. "I'm very glad that you are alright. There is something that I would like to ask of you."
"Oh?" I wasn't sure what it was he wanted from me, nor did I still know who he was, but before I got the chance to find out the clinking of heavy armor was quickly approaching. We turned to see the unfortunate sight of a dozen city guards coming into the Alienage.
The man who was leading them, the captain I assumed, spoke up angrily, "I seek Valendrian, Elder and administrator of the Alienage!"
"Here, Captain," Valendrian responded. "I take it you are here due to today's disruption?" I found myself instinctively slinking behind the Rivaini, hoping his size would hide me and the blood all over my clothes.
"Don't play ignorant with me, Elder," The Captain demanded. "The Arl's son lies dead, in a river of blood that runs through the entire palace! I need names, and I need them now!"
At that moment, I knew that if I didn't speak up now they would surely see the same 'river of blood' running down my shirt and blades, and things would just get worse for me. And I would not allow Soris to take the blame, so I came out of hiding behind the armed man in surrender. "It was my doing, Captain."
The Captain looked up and down me, disbelief on his face. "You expect me to thing I'm going to believe that one man is the culprit?"
At that moment, I thought Soris would speak up, but the Elder cut him off. "We are not, all, so helpless, Captain."
The Captain turned his focus back to me. "You save many by coming forth, young man. I admire your courage. You will have to wait in the dungeon util the Arl returns from Ostagar." He made a quick hand motion to one of his men, who came towards me with a pair of shackles. I, obeyingly, placed my wrists into them as they snapped shut.
"Captain!" We all turned to see the Rivaini speak up. "A word, if you please?"
"What is it Grey Warden? As you can see the situation is under control here."
A Grey Warden? The ones who battle the dreaded Darkspawn? What is the Maker's name is a Grey Warden doing in an Alienage? And what does he want?
"I can see that all too clearly, Captain," The Rivain - no, Grey Warden continued, "I hereby invoke the Grey Warden's Right of Conscription on the lad. I shall remove this prisoner from your custody into mine."
"What?" I demanded. I had never heard of such a Right before. But, then again, I didn't know much about the rights, or privileges, of being a Warden. "Can you do that?"
I heard the Captain curse under his breath before replying. "Very Well, Warden. I will not challenge your Rights. You will remove this elf from the city at once! I will have two of my guards escort the two of you." With that, the Captain left, leaving two guards behind, one who had the key to my shackles.
The Grey Warden looked at me, a bit of sadness in his eyes. "I think you should take what little time you have left and say goodbye."
Goodbye... The worst words ever invented. It meant that I would never see them again. I refused to believe I would never come back. I would come back. I would make sure of that. Even if I had to run away from the Wardens.
I turned to see Soris and Shianni together looking at me with sad eyes. They were more like siblings to me than cousins, and I knew it'd be hard for me to leave them behind. But they had each other. I was not worried.
I walked up to them and hugged them individually, my shackles didn't allow me more than one. "You'll be safe, Shellani."
She hugged me tighter than ever. "You have always been my hero, Darrian, and always will." I could feel her tears falling on my shoulder. I released her and wrapped my arms around Soris.
"Take care of her, Cousin."
"You be careful, Dare. We can't have you dying on us now," he joked, making me chuckle.
I looked over to the two brides and strode over to them. "I'm glad the both of you are safe."
"Nessiara," I said to my former bride-to-be. "I'm sorry about all this. I'm sure you would have been a wonderful wife, but now you can be one for someone else." I took her hand and kissed the top of it.
She flushed at that, smiling sweetly at me. "I would have been a very lucky woman to have you as my husband." At that, I had to smile.
At last, I turned to my father. He quickly wrapped his arms around me, trapping my shackled hands between us. I rested my forehead on his shoulder and breathed in sharply, trying to hold bak the tears.
"My boy has grown into a man," my father said, his voice shaking.
"I thought I had to be married to be a man," I joked.
"Humph. Maybe there are other ways of growing up." He held me at arms length and looked at my face, a single tear fell from his eye. "Your mother would have been so proud." Suddenly he reached into his shirt and pulled out a gold chain with a red crystal pendant hanging from it. I had seen that pendant many times, when father didn't know I was looking; he'd hold it late at night and tears would fall from his eyes. I supposed it was probably mothers. He took it off his neck and wrapped it around mine. "This was heres. She said when the time was right, this would be yours. For good luck, she said."
I glanced at the amulet, not really observing it, and looked up at father and threw my arms around his neck. "I'm going to miss you so much." This time I let the tears fall.
His arms wrapped around me again and he spoke in my ear, "You should be going, my boy. The guards won't wait forever."
We let go of each other and I turned to face the Grew Warden and the two guards. They turned towards the gate and started walking. I caught up to the Warden, following with my head down. I didn't want him to see my tear-stricken eyes, or the faces of the many elves who came out of their homes to watch me leave. This was now the end of my old life, and the start of a new beginning.