"This wouldn't have happened, had she simply made an anchor." Morrigan sniffed.
My eyes flew open, and I jumped to my feet, "And then the Couslands would be dead, Morrigan! There would only be one left, and I can't speak for where he's going to be, mentally. His wife and child were murdered in cold blood."
My outburst surprised everyone in to silence.
"Bryce Cousland was gravely wounded, and Eleanor, his wife, stayed by his side and gave us enough time to flee. Fergus Cousland's wife, Oriana, and son, Oren, were slaughtered! No one was left alive in that castle that night! So, please! Tell me what I should have done! Tell me that I should have just let Aedan and Elissa Cousland die, along with the Teryn and Teryna!" No one spoke, "What? Are my words too shocking? Good! You should be ashamed of yourself. I can't believe-"
"Ana-"
I glared at Alistair, "Well, you'll be happy to know there are more Wardens in Ferelden, now. Between the Dalish recruit, the Alienage elf, the two dwarves, the mages, and now the two nobles, there's ten. Oh, but they're not nobles anymore, are they? They had to give up their family titles to join us." I knew I was acting irrationally, but I couldn't contain myself.
The fight left me as quickly as it had come, and I swayed. The other Warden gently guided me, making me sit down. I dropped my head in my hands.
"I'm sorry." A deep sigh left me, "I can't talk anymore about it. But I did learn where the Ashes might be."
"What?"
"For the Arl. Arl Eamon. They might be in a little town called Haven, somewhere on this mountain range."
"I have never heard of this place." Leliana glanced around, almost like she would find it right here.
"The man I talked to said it wasn't on any map. He'd read it in a book, somewhere." I shrugged, stretching and getting to my feet again, "How much time was wasted?"
"No more than a couple of hours, I should think." the Witch of the Wilds wouldn't meet my eye as she responded.
Alistair packed away my bedroll, which they had laid out to shield me from the biting cold winds. I tugged on Morrigan's skirt as we started on our way.
"Morri, I'm sorry." I sighed, feeling horrible.
"Tis fine."
"No. It's not. I shouldn't have lashed out at you. It wasn't your fault. I just... I'm so angry."
Here, she finally looked down at me, "Perhaps it would help to talk about it."
"I've already said everything, though."
"Who betrayed the Couslands?"
My fist clenched the fabric of her skirt, "An Arl Howe."
"Arl Rendon Howe?" Alistair cut in.
I shrugged, "I don't know what his first name is. I just know he and Teryn Cousland were friends, and Howe betrayed him. Went in and sacked his castle. I hope the Couslands find him before I do..." I let myself trail off, not wanting to go in to it. Not when my mind was already full of dark thoughts. They didn't need to be free, wandering the mountain side on a breeze.
"If he's on Loghain's side..." The Warden looked away from me.
... He would be at the Landsmeet, wouldn't he? To make sure Loghain stayed as reagent.
"We'll leave it for now. Once we're done with the dwarves, we can discuss this more." Wynne, always the mediator.
...
When we'd drawn closer to the gates of Orzammar, I told everyone to wait and motioned for Sten to follow me.
"This won't take long. I hope." I muttered under my breath.
The man I was looking for was found easily enough, seeing as he was the only human. And selling illegally gained items. A fence.
"Step right-Maker's breath! Ah, I beg your pardon, friend, you... uh... startled me a bit."
"We're looking for a Qunari sword." I gave him a look.
"Kyne-what? I'm sorry. I... uh... I don't know what that-"
"Where is my sword?" Sten loomed imposingly behind me, his voice letting it known he wasn't in the mood for games.
"I... uh... don't know what you mean, ser." The man was starting to sweat, but he had no idea what we were talking about. Suuuure.
"I'd give it to him, if I were you." I leaned forward, stage whispering, "He's got a bit of a temper."
"I... don't have it. I swear by Andraste's knickers! I sold it on the way here!"
"Who did you sell it to?"
"A dwarf near Redcliffe. Dwyn, I think his name was."
"Wait, Dwyn? I know him." I recalled hearing that name, though I don't think I'd actually met the man.
"He's the one who has the sword, I promise you! Said he was a collector."
"We'll see." Was Sten's curt response.
I hoped that hadn't been a waste of time.
Kicking a rock off the path, I shook my head, "Sorry, Sten. We'll just have to revisit Redcliffe and get it, then."
I was concerned to see a blood trail leading toward where the others had waited. Sten and I moved slowly, following the red.
Alistair was stabbing his sword through the middle of the last man standing when we reached them.
"What happened?"
"Bounty hunters, dear." The assassin's voice came from one of the trees above us, and he jumped, landing gracefully in a crouch.
"They were here for you." Leliana was reading a piece of paper from one of the men's pockets, "The bounty for a Grey Warden head has doubled in the last month and a half."
"Damn. I hope the dwarves will still have us." Alistair mussed up his hair in frustration.
"They should, seeing as they don't care about human politics. Besides, you have the treaty."
"I guess that's true."
"Come on. We should see if they'll let us enter."
The gates weren't far from where I'd had the others stay hidden, but when we reached where the sellers were gathered, I heard someone call out... my name?
"Do you know that woman?" Zevran pointed in the direction of-
"Elissa."
"It is you!" She rushed over to me and pulled me in to a tight hug.
"What are you doing here?"
"We'd heard there were people who had been gaining the favor of the people, even from the Dalish, and that they might be coming here next."
"We?" I looked beyond her, spotting Aedan, who was making his way slowly to us.
Elissa let me go and, surprisingly, he took her place.
"Thank you for helping us." he murmured.
"You're welcome. I couldn't just stand by and let it happen." I responded, my breathing a little shaky, "So, what have you been up to?"
"After you helped us become Wardens, we went looking for you. You left without saying goodbye. You saved our lives, then just disappeared."
"I'm sorry. I had things to do, and I didn't want to force you both to go with me. You needed to mourn." I glanced between them both, "And as soon as we're done here, we're making a pit stop in a little village called Haven, if we can find it. Then, we're going to Redcliffe to help the Arl there."
"We heard Arl Eamon was sick. He's like an uncle to us. I can't imagine him dying."
"Do you know how to cure him?"
I sighed, "We're looking for something that might not even exist, but it's the only lead we have at the moment. Anyway, after that, the Arl might call a Landsmeet, which will bring us to Denerim. Where Arl Howe is."
"Teryn." Aedan's jaw clenched, "He's Teryn of our land, now. Loghain saw to that."
"That bastard!" Leliana shouted.
I put a hand on her arm, patting it soothingly, "It will all work out. He'll get what's coming to him. I promise you that." I directed the last statement to the brother and sister.
They nodded resolutely, no doubt in their minds. Howe would suffer. Slowly and excruciatingly.
"Did you want to join us, down in Orzammar? We could probably use the extra help." Glancing over my shoulder at Alistair, I added, "That is, if no one minds."
Elissa and Aedan finally acknowledged my people, and Aedan barked a laugh. I was caught off-guard.
"Alistair? The boy Arl Eamon took in?"
"Yeah. I wasn't sure you'd remember me, so I didn't say anything. It's been a while. I'm sorry we have to see each other again under these circumstances."
The elder Cousland waved it off before shaking Ali's hand. Of course. If Arl Eamon was like an uncle to them, they would probably have played with Alistair at one point or another.
"How has the Warden life been treating you? Been run off by any mobs with pitchforks, yet?"
"That's happened to you guys?" Elissa covered her mouth in horror.
"No! No, it hasn't!" I elbowed my friend in the hip, earning a satisfying 'oof', "He's just joking. Though, we have had a near miss or two regarding Loghain's men."
"We should stop wasting time."
The siblings looked up at Sten.
"You're right. We can talk later. We'll join you, if that's all right."
I grinned when no one objected, "It's settled. Come on. We just have to get in, first. It shouldn't be too difficult."
Nothing was ever simple, though, I was starting to learn. We heard a commotion by the gates; Loghain's men were demanding entrance in to Orzammar.
"Veata!" One of the dwarven guards shouted, "This land is held in trust for the sovereign dwarven kinds. I cannot allow entry at this time."
"King Loghain demands the allegiance of the deshyr or lords or whatever you call them in your Assembly! I am his appointed messenger."
"I don't care if you're the king's wiper, Orzammar will have none but its own until our throne is settled."
I walked right up to the dwarf, "I have to talk to your king."
"Who doesn't? If I don't get in, no one should." The hatred was evident in his tone.
"Orzammar has no king. Endrin Aeducan returned to the Stone not three weeks ago, sick over the loss of his sons. The Assembly has gone through a dozen votes without agreeing on a successor. If it is not settled soon, we risk a civil war."
I swallowed hard. King Aeducan was dead. Duran would have to be told.
"We are Grey Wardens. This treaty obliges Orzammar to aid us." I held up the parchment, praying he wouldn't question that I was a child.
As he took the commitment from me, one of the soldiers protested, "The Wardens killed King Cailan and nearly doomed Ferelden! They're sworn enemies of King Loghain!"
"Well, that is the royal seal. That means only the Assembly is authorized to address it. Grey Wardens, you may pass."
"You're letting in a traitor? And a foreigner?" If it wasn't so comical, I would have been concerned he would burst a blood vessel, "In the name of King Loghain, I demand that you execute this... stain on the honor of Ferelden!"
I stepped closer and grabbed the man's arm, yanking him down to my level. Staring in to his eyes, I growled, "Run to your false king. The dwarves will not hear him today."
He sprung away from me, "You... you'll hear of this. King Loghain will see you quartered!"
"Promises, promises! Come back when you can back up your lies." I shouted after him and his group as they ran, not giving us a backward glance.
"You are free to enter Orzammar, Grey Wardens, though I don't know what help you will find." We continued the conversation as if the interruption hadn't happened.
"Thank you."
I led my group in to the mountain, wondering what lay ahead for us.