Redcliffe Part 2

When I finally start to come to I am surrounded by a strange group of people. After a few moments I begin to remember what had happened.

"If you are going to kill me please do it now or the anticipation might do it for you," I spit out. I flinch away when Alistair kneels down next to me and looks me right in the eyes.

"How did you do that?" the look was not exactly friendly but strangely not entirely hostile.

"By "that" I suppose you mean how I sent the assassin flying." I say rolling my eyes and sitting up. "It's quite simple. I am Dovahkiin, in the common tongue Dragonborn. I know the Way of The Voice. That being the language of the dragons." I explain. "And before you ask, no not everyone can learn it, only a few and those most times can only learn maybe one Word sometimes, though rare, some can learn a few. Also no I am not a mage, and yes that was magik but as I said I'm not a mage. What I know anyone can learn if they really want to. Some just have a better grasp of it than others."

The shocked look on everyone's faces almost made me burst out laughing. More than once, one of them opened their mouth to talk but then closed it. Finally the man that looks oddly familiar steps forward and kneels down next to me. Looking him over I notice that his icy blue eyes look almost exactly like mine, and his midnight black hair is once again eerily similar to mine. Strangely I find myself drawn to him, almost as if I once knew him when I still lived in Ferelden all those years ago.

"You look very familiar. Do I know you?" his deep voice inquires. He furrows his eyebrows as if in deep thought.

"Aedan... are you ok?" asks Leliana as she gently, lovingly puts her hand on his shoulder. Absently he reaches up and grabs her hand, holding it in his.

'Wait? Did she say Aedan?' my mind starts to go a million miles per second as the reality of the situation begins to sink in. 'It can't be the same Aedan. It just can't be.'

"Aedan... would your family name happen to be Cousland?" I ask in a shaky voice. He immediately opens his eyes and they narrow at me.

"Yes it is, but how did you know that?" he questions suspiciously. "Did you once live in Highever?"

"I guess you could say that," I answer with a soft smile. "I probably shouldn't be surprised that you don't remember me. I mean we only grew up together, learned to fight together... born together," I say letting what I said sink in. Aedan's eyebrows raise so high they are hidden by his long hair. A huge smile plays at his lips as he stands up then yanks me up and into a tight embrace.

"I've missed you Sister," he cries slightly. When we pull back I see that he has tears falling. Reaching up he wipes my eyes and it is then that I realize that I too had been crying. "We all thought you dead. I mean you never wrote or found any way of communicating with us. Mother and Father were heartbroken."

"Well when you live at the top of a mountain with a bunch of old men and you have to climb down seven thousand stairs just to reach a small village its kinda hard to keep in touch, but just know that you, Mother, Father, Fergus, Oriana, and everyone at Highever were always in my prayers," I answer as he lets me go. "Also you will never believe what I did when I was in Skyrim!" At the mention of everyone Aedan's eyes begin to mist over slightly. "What is it? What's happened?"

"Ari, everyone at Highever is dead..." Aedan whispers softly trying to keep the tears out of his voice. Taking I step back I violently shake my head.

"No! It can't be true! Please tell me this is some kind of sick joke Aedan!" I cry. Tears begin to fall rapidly when he shakes his head. Slowly walking over, he pulls me into a tight embrace letting me cry my eyes out on his heavily armored shoulder. "How? Aedan tell me, how did it happen?"

"We were betrayed. By Arl Rendon Howe," Aedan growls in my ear. A deep, dark anger enters my heart and at that moment I swear vengeance would be ours. "I'm going to help you kill him Aedan."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," he says kissing the top of my head. "It should please you to hear that Fergus might still be alive. I assume you heard about the battle at Ostagar. Well Fergus was out scouting in the Wilds with his men when the battle occurred so he might still be alive." A small smile graces my lips as I look up at him.

"Tell me Aedan. What happened to Maric?" I ask with a little sadness creeping into my voice. A long sigh escapes Aedan's lips as he releases me and pulls me off to the side.

"Maric died out at sea almost a year after you left. Then Cailan was crowned and married Anora, but Cailan and Anora had no children so everyone is in an uproar for who should be the one on the throne. As of right now Loghain in regent. So now along with a Blight there is a civil war going on." my heart sank even farther at all this news.

"So the Theirin bloodline is truly over," I sigh dejectedly. We then start to move back towards his companions that are all looking on rather curiously.

"Well not entirely. You see Maric has a bastard. I believe you have met him already," Aedan says as we reach them.

"Wait he is Maric's bastard?" I say looking at Alistair. "Well I guess he does have some similar looks as Maric. Though his hair is darker and he doesn't have blue eyes like Maric and Cailan had." I notice Alistair begin to squirm under my careful inspection.

"I know shocking isn't it?" Alistair laughs weakly. "But yes Maric was my father."

"Then shouldn't you be in line for the throne since Cailan had no heirs?" I ask genuinely amazed by this new revelation. "Well I'm glad I didn't kill you. I'm sure Maric would be none too happy with me if I did." Aedan only shakes his head at me and sighs.

"So where does this leave us now?" Leliana asks looking at me with a soft smile. "Are we taking her with us?"

"Great, let's just take everyone who tries to kill us on this great adventure of ours," Alistair replies sarcastically.

"I believe we should take her," Zevran puts in. Apparently having come to whilst Aedan and me where conversing. "One hardly finds such a deadly beautiful flower in these times. Also I would just love to learn some of those moves you used. Besides we are both assassins, we could swap stories about our many escapades." A smile laugh escapes my lips at him. But I almost immediately sober up.

"Well my life is forfeit. I failed to do as Sithis demands, so the only way to rectify that is with my death," I comment with a slight shrug. Everyone else just stares with alarm.

"So you are with the Dark Brotherhood," Zevran says deep in thought. "Tough bunch to get in with. How did you manage to do it?"

"I heard a rumor about a young boy trying to contact the Dark Brotherhood so I checked it out. Seems the boy thought I was an agent from them and he gave me the contract details. So since I had the time on my hands I decided to go ahead and do what the boy asked. Well when I was done and got my reward I rented an room at the inn. When I woke up I was in an abandoned shack with a strange woman and three people with their heads covered. She told me to figure out which one had the contract on them since I stole one from them. Well I couldn't figure out who it was so I just killed all three. With that she welcomed me into the Dark Brotherhood," I explained. Giving them a few moments to take in everything I just told them, it was Zevran who spoke up first. Not that it shocked me since he is also in the same profession and it tends to take a lot to surprise us.

"Well they certainly chose well," he says with a wink. "Anyone would be lucky as to have their life ended by such a beautiful and deadly woman such as yourself." Rolling my eyes at him I look towards my brother to see how he is taking the news. Unfortunately his face doesn't give away any emotion he might be feeling about all this.

"Aedan? Are you alright? Or do you hate me for the decisions I have made since I left?" I inquire. His face softens a touch when he sees my defeated expression. Soon a smile grows across his face and he laughs.

"My dear baby sister I could never hate you. Besides, I always knew you had the makings of an assassin. Wasn't that master rogue that Father hired a former Crow?" Aedan chuckles lightly.

"A Crow you say? Might I have heard of this man?" Zevran asks with a thoughtful expression.

"Possibly. He is rather infamous, or so I have been told," Aedan says scratching his jaw. "What was his name again? Oh right Iginio I believe." Zevran's eyebrows instantly raise to his hairline.

"Impossible, Iginio died over twelve years ago." he exclaims. My brow furrows as I try to remember what became of my old master. Thinking back I remember warm summer days spent in the forests around Highever and how Master Iginio walked tirelessly with me to learn how to become one with the shadows. He also taught me about the different types of plants and what they can be used for. From deadly poisons to health poultices. One of the most amazing things Iginio taught me was how to communicate with animals and call them to my aid should I need it. He was one of the greatest men I ever knew and someone I was proud to call friend. No matter what his past may have been like.

"Well he looked pretty good for a dead guy," Aedan jokes with a hearty laugh. His laughter if cut short by my death glare. "Sorry Sister I know what he meant to you."

"Grey Wardens!" a young nobleman shouts as he sprints down the large hill. "It is time to send off the dead to the Maker. Oh and who might this young lady be?"

"Teagan, you remember my little sister Areana right? She has just recently returned from her training in a far away land." Aedan says wrapping his arm around my shoulders. The man's, Teagan's, eyes widen considerably. The shock plain on his handsome face.

"Your ladyship! We are so joyous about your return. Unfortunately Ferelden is far from what you must remember it and much has happened since you left. As I sure you must have heard about Maric... and Cailan," his voice drifts off at the name of his fallen nephew. My smile falters and soon disappears entirely at the mention of Maric and Cailan.

"Yes... I've heard," my voice fades. "My deepest sympathies for your loss Bann Teagan."

"Ah so you do remember me," Teagan says with a smile. "You must remember my brother Eamon as well."

"Yes, all too well," I spit out. "Bastard..." I murmur under my breath. Teagan looks at his feet, having heard what I muttered. Place a hand on my shoulder he smiles at me.

"My apologize for what he did to you and how he treated you during your courtship with Maric and the news of the marriage," I smile at him and tell him not to worry. That I have all but forgot about that.

"Come Bann Teagan, let's go send off the dead. I wish to not talk about the past right now," I say with a small smile. He nods and leads us away towards Lake Calenhad.

Review & Rate

-Kiro