Chapter 16: The Search Continues (Elissa)
Howe warriors suddenly taking out their bows. Dairren's corpse forever lying in the chapel with an arrow in his eye. Mom and Aedan, who came with Oren, but without Oriana. Roderick and the other warriors remaining at the main gate. Dad dying in a pool of blood. All these memories couldn't leave Elissa's head, but she needed to move on for the sake of all who died and all who lived. Duncan promised that Howe would be dealt with, and Elissa believes him. But she also had questions for him. One of the Cousland children in the ranks of the Gray Wardens would have been enough for him, why would he take both? And how did father agree to this? It was just a few steps before salvation, everyone, except for the father, would have got out of the castle without the help of the Warden-Commander. Something doesn't add up here.
Duncan, the Cousland twins, and Roger followed Maxwell Kylon, a sergeant of the city guard, into the city jail.
- We have a lot of all sorts of murderers and other scum in the jail, - said Kylon. - But I wouldn't take them into your order.
- Then why are we going there? - Duncan asked.
- There is one special prisoner, we caught him yesterday.
Leaving the mabari at the entrance, Kylon, Duncan and the recruits entered the prison and crossed several halls, finding the right cell. In it sat a dark-haired young man in rags. He immediately looked at everyone who entered the cell.
- Hi, sarge, - he said. - And greetings to two brave men and a dazzlingly beautiful lady.
- Don't do that, please, - Elissa protested. - I have a... although I don't have him anymore.
- Lost him recently, I presume? Please accept my condolences. He is a complete idiot if he decided to dump such a girl.
Elissa thought of Dairren again and couldn't answer.
- He's dead, - Aedan said instead her. - Don't mess with my sister again.
- Sergeant, why is he here? - Duncan asked.
- His name is Daveth Hatter, he is a local thief. We had an unspoken agreement that I would not arrest him as long as he limited himself to stealing from the rich. The personal guards of the city Arl were actively tracking him down, they did not name the reasons. When I saw those thugs chasing him, I caught him first. Maybe saved his life. There is only Arl's son Vaughan in the city now, and he is known for being very cruel to anyone who crosses him. Daveth doesn't want to say what he did to make Vaughan angry. Perhaps he will tell you.
- My name is Duncan, I'm from the Order of the Grey Wardens. And this is Elissa and Aedan. Tell us how did you get here?
Daveth got up and began his story, walking around each of those present.
- You seem like nice people, so I'll tell you. I was born in a small village, its name doesn't matter. My mother was taken as his wife by a local Bann, and my father and I slaughtered him. Unfortunately, before his death, the rich bastard killed my mother and mortally wounded dad. I had nowhere else to go, and it was too dangerous to stay, so I fled, and that's how I ended up here in Denerim. I have lived here for six years.
Aedan hit the wall with his fist.
- Not to Denerim! To this jail! How did you get into this jail?
- Please, let me go on. Here I was robbing the same rich scum as that Bann. I tried to rob Vaughan, but...
While Daveth was passing by Duncan, the Warden abruptly grabbed the thief's right hand and squeezed it tightly. In his hand was a pair of sovereigns.
- Not bad, young thief, but I'm faster.
- Amazing! Such reaction! - Daveth exclaimed.
Elissa touched her waist — her coin pouch was gone. Aedan and Kylon saw that they, too, were left without money.
- Return everything you stole immediately! - shouted the sergeant.
The guard and the Couslands got their money back.
- Well, that's impressive, - Duncan said. "I am using the Right of Conscription and taking this young man into my order.
- Can I refuse? - Daveth asked.
- You can, but then I'll tell Vaughan's guards that you're hiding out here. They say Vaughan is not limited to simple murder, so I see him again if I were you.
- You've convinced me. I'm coming with you.
Elissa was wary, because Duncan used blackmail again in order to get a recruit into his order. Are things really that bad in the south?
After Kylon returned Daveth's bow, arrows, and leather armor, the Warden-Commander and the three recruits left the prison, with Roger following them. In one of the passages they saw two guards from the Arl's estate. They spotted Daveth, and he gave them the middle finger, knowing they couldn't get him.
- I think you should know something about me and my brother, - Elissa told him five minutes after that meeting.
- This is interesting. I'm all ears, m'lady.
- We are from the noble Cousland family. Not that it matters now.
- So I didn't call you m'lady for nothing. I have a gut feeling about you nobles, so you didn't surprise me. I don't really like nobles, but I'm ready to make an exception for a gorgeous lady like you.
- Well, you're a big flatterer.
- Duncan, where are we going now? Can we make a stop in the alienage? - Aedan asked.
- That's where we'll go, - Duncan replied.
- Great, I have some unfinished business there.
- You're not the only one, - Daveth added.
Elissa didn't understand why Duncan had taken Daveth into the order, but she knew for sure that they wouldn't be bored with him.