2
Howe treachery
I woke to screams outside my door, Ebony's ears were pressed flat to her square head.
Fighting! Outside! Come on lets rip some stuff up! She yelled.
There was a crash outside the door and screams that must have been heard in Denerim, which made up my mind for me.
I didn't have time to do anything more than grab my daggers before my door burst open and a guard charged in. The terrifying thing was it wasn't one of father's guards; it was one of Arl Howe's. He came onto me before I could react. Unfortunately, well for him anyway, he was watching me, not Ebony. Her jaws were at his throat before he even knew what was happening.
Honestly! You'd think they'd at lest have half a brain cell between the battalion! She huffed.
"Yes baby you'd think they'd have a brain cell betwe-"
Not more of them! Ebony yelled.
More fighting, great. Not that it was difficult, even though they were supposedly élite fighters their heavy shields and swords slowed them down and since I was only in my cotton top and trousers I was lighter, faster and, well, better. I almost got speared by a sword but all of a sudden an arrow flew out of nowhere.
"Darling!" Mother was racing towards me her bow in hand her grey hair flying out behind her. "I heard fighting outside and I feared the worst. Are you hurt?"
I checked myself, "nothing mother." I said.
"Have you seen your father? He never came to bed!" mother cried.
"No," I said. "What about Oriana and Oren?
"We must find him!" she agreed.
So we set off stepping into one of the guest rooms we saw Lady Landra lying dead, her throat slit.
"Dear Landra," mother cried. "I'm so sorry, if she hadn't come to me, if she hadn't been here."
The carnage was everywhere in the other guest room Diarran and Iona lay sprawled on the floor; then we stepped into Fergus's room. There, next to the bed, lay Oren and his mother. Their throats cut Oriana in front of Oren her arm around him, as if trying to protect him. Even in death.
"No! My little Oren! What manner of fiend slaughters innocents? Let's go I don't want to see this."
I had to agree.
We fought our way to the main hall. Ser Gilmore was there along with two of the few remaining Cousland knights.
Seeing their shields mother gasped "the treasury!" she cried "Darling we must get to the treasury! We cannot let the blade fall into Howe's hands!"
"Where's my father?" I demanded of Ser Gilmore.
"The last I saw of the Tyrne he had been badly wounded and was headed for the larder." He replayed.
"Great! Thanks Gili-boy." I said. "Come on mum"
"Treasury first!" she replied.
"Alright, alright." I said.
So we fled back through the allies to the treasury I lost one of my daggers in the process, but when we got to the treasury it was empty, nothing there at all.
"Howe's already been here!" mother was distraught.
"Mum we have to go, dad's our priority!" I said pulling her away.
"You're right, of course you are." She sighed. "Let's go."
So we raced back through the main hall to the pantry, and then we saw him. My father lying in what looked like a small lake of blood, whether his or someone else's we didn't know.
"Bryce!" mother yelled "Maker's breath what's happening? You're bleeding!"
"You just answered your own question mum," I said.
"This is no time for jokes Brodie," mother snapped. "Come on Bryce we can get out of here find you healing magic!"
"No," father said, his dark brown eyes sad. "They're everywhere."
"I'm afraid the Tyrne is correct," said a deep, familiar voice behind us.
"Duncan!" I exclaimed. "Can you help us get father out?"
"I'm afraid not. The Arl's men have not yet discovered this exit but his men surround the castle getting past will be difficult." Duncan replied.
"Duncan," father said. "I beg you take my wife and daughter to safety."
"I will your lordship, but I'm afraid I will have to ask for something in return." Duncan said.
"Of course, anything." Father's strength was vanishing rapidly
"I came here looking for a recruit, the situation in the south demands that I leave with one."
"I... understand," said father slowly.
Duncan turned to me and said, "Then I offer you a place within the Grey Wardens."
"I… I…" I stammered. "Father, do you really want this?"
"Pup," mother answered for him, she lay a hand on my shoulder. "Go. I will kill every solder that comes through that door to by you two time."
"I guess I have to accept then, if you'll have me, Duncan" I hugged them both, knowing it would be the last time I would get the chance. "I love you both," I whispered then I turned to Duncan "Let's go." I said.
And so with one final glance at my parents I left the castle forever.
A\N - Not going to lie, I was dreading this chapter. The original plan was to detail every fight scene but I realised if I did that then the chapter would be around twenty pages long (slight exaggeration) and I didn't really know how to put every fight into detail so I did it this way, went and read Chris Bradford the way of the sword (second book in the young samurai series) and there will be more detail in the fight scenes later.