Chapter 19: The Defender of the Defenseless (Kallian)
- Maker save us! Maker save us! Maker save us!
- Shut up, you're annoying!
Kallian woke up on the cold stone floor and saw Shianni and the other elves.
- Praise the Creator that you woke up! We were so worried… - Shianni said.
- All right, Vaughan is going to die now, - Kallian said.
- We've been locked up here, but soon they will come for us, - said Valora.
- Kill the first person who comes here.
Shianni nodded silently, but Valora objected.
- We are six unarmed elves. What can we do?
- Maker save us, Maker save us, Maker save us! - the pious elf continued to mutter.
- Someone's coming! - Shianni said.
Five guards entered the room. Kallian definitely won't be able to kill everyone without a weapon.
- You are invited to Lord Vaughan's party, - one of them said. - Grab them! Don't touch the one with the short hair, the lord has special plans for her.
The guards grabbed Shianni, Valora, and two other elves. The pious elf continued to sit and pray, the guard got angry and plunged the sword into her back. There was nothing Kallian could do—another guard was keeping her at crossbow aim the whole time.
- You two! You get the short-haired girl! - said the guard to his two colleagues, leaving with the other two and the captives.
- Well, entertain us, and you won't die like that fool. Maybe you won't, - said one of the remaining guards.
- Come on, human bastard. Let's see what part of the body you will be left without! - Kallian replied.
- Get your hands off her! – all three heard the voice at the other door. It was Soris, and he had a crossbow and a knife in his hands.
- Look, an elf with a stolen weapon! And what will he do? - the guard said sarcastically.
Soris threw a knife, and Kallian caught it. She then immediately slit the unprotected throat of one of the guards.
- Oh no! - shouted the second guard and threw the sword on the floor.
Kallian picked up his sword and, swinging, cut off his head.
- They killed her! - Soris said, looking at the dead elf. - Kallian, how are you? What did they do to you?
- Fortunately, nothing. What are you doing here?
- The Grey Warden has come to us, his name is Duncan. He gave me and Nelaros weapons and sent one of his men with us.
- Just one? Why didn't he send everyone and go there himself?
- Said that the Grey Wardens should remain neutral and that his two warriors were wanted or something like that. Nelaros and that human are also wandering somewhere. Let's find them and then four of us will save the rest.
- Good plan, Soris. Let's go!
Kallian and Soris walked cautiously through several rooms. The local elf servants, out of solidarity, did not give them away, and the three unarmed guards in the dining room were very easy to kill. Kallian had no compassion for the dead—they stood in the way between her and Vaughan.
When they reached the hall in front of the bedrooms, they saw Valora and Nelaros bound and surrounded by four guards. One of the guards was arguing with the captain nearby.
- And who are you anyway? I haven't seen you here before, - said the captain.
- Yes, I have always been with you, sir, - the guard answered him. - I was just… guarding the manor's emergency exit, sir. We haven't crossed paths at all, but I'm one of yours, I swear!
Kallian recognized him as Daveth. Nelaros broke free of the guards' grasp and tried to run away, but he was stopped forever by the sword of the captain who ran up to him. The elf fell to the floor, spilling a huge pool of blood.
- This is how disobedient elves end their lives! - the captain snapped. - And now to the disobedient guards…
Before the captain had time to turn to the guard that he was interrogating, he immediately received an arrow in the head from him. The rest of the guards took out their swords and attacked Daveth, but two of them were shot by Soris with a crossbow, and two more were stabbed with by Kallian, who ran into the hall. Daveth immediately took off his helmet.
- Calm down, Kallian, I'm a friend! Well, they have really uncomfortable helmets!
One of the guards shot by Soris was still breathing.
- Elven… animal… - he said the last words before Kallian finished him off.
Soris freed the frightened Valora.
- You... you saved me! Thank you! - she said.
Kallian and Daveth stood over the corpse of Nelaros.
- I'm sorry, there was no way I could save him, - Daveth said.
- He was to be my husband. I knew him for less than a day, but he died saving me. Thanks for coming to the rescue, Daveth.
- Vaughan's bedroom is in the next room. Shianni and two others were taken there.
Leaving Valora alone, Kallian, Soris and Daveth burst into the bedroom. The two elves unknown to Kallian were already dead. A bloody, half-naked Shianni was sitting in a corner. Vaughan and his friends armed themselves with swords.
- What do we have here? - Vaughan asked.
Daveth and Soris immediately shot Jonaley and Braden, leaving him alone.
- He's yours, - said Daveth.
Kallian entered the fray, crouched down and pierced Vaughan's knee, causing him to fall. Then she cut off the hand in which he held the sword, and after that plunged the knife into his groin.
- If I had more time, shem, I would have a lot of fun with you, - Kallian said. - Let's say I would make you my slave and call you Reek. Too bad you'll have the easy way out.
Kallian finished off Vaughan by plunging his own sword into his chest. Daveth, meanwhile, opened the lock of the chest and took out a solid handful of sovereigns.
- What? I told you that I would rob this rich fool, - said Daveth.
- He... he's dead! Sis, tell me that we did the right thing, - said Soris.
- After all we've been through, you really have any doubts? - Kallian asked, hugging Shianni.
- Don't leave me alone! Please! - shouted the cousin.
- Quiet, it's all right, the bastard is dead.
- Good, good. I hope he suffered.
- Let's get out of here quickly.
The elves and Daveth returned to the alienage through the window and the roof of the house. Valora took Shianni to one of the houses. The rest were met by Valendrian, an older human in blue-and-silver armor, and two young humans with brown hair. Kallian realised immediately that the two were related.
- Hahren, I'm sorry. We were only able to save Kallian, Shianni and Valora. And Nelaros… Nelaros is dead, - said Soris, returning the crossbow to the humans.
- What about Vaughan? - Valendrian asked.
- Dead. And his friends too. I would kill them again if I could, - Kallian replied.
- On behalf of all the women of Thedas, I thank you, - said the human girl. - I heard about Vaughan, he got what he deserved.
- So the guards will be here soon, - said the older human. - I'll be very brief. My name is Duncan, Elissa and Aedan are with me, and you know Daveth. I knew your mother and I...
- Guards! The guards are here!
They all heard the cry and went to the gate, from which Sergeant Kylon was entering, accompanied by a large detachment of guards.
- I need to see Valendrian, - said Kylon.
- I'm here.
- Rivers of blood are flowing from the Arl's estate! There are many corpses inside, including the Arl's son, his friends, and the captain of the guard! I need the names of those who did it! Now!
Kallian didn't want anyone else to get in trouble because of her. In addition, she heard that Kylon is one of the few reasonable guards, and this, if anything, can save her at least from the death penalty.
- I did it, sir. Vaughan kidnapped me and wanted to rape me. I fought back.
- Am I supposed to believe that one elf is capable of such a thing?
- We elves are not so defenseless, - said Valendrian.
- I admire your courage, although I do not envy your fate. With your confession, you have just saved the other elves. Take her!
- I'm afraid I must intervene, - said Duncan.
- I have already given your order one criminal, Duncan. What else?
- I am using the Right of Conscription and taking this girl into my custody with the Grey Wardens.
Kallian did not understand why Duncan did this.
- Good, - said Kylon. - But I have one condition. You will leave the city today and take all the recruits with you. I can't let you roam the capital and pick up anyone you meet any longer.
- I didn't intend to stay here for long anyway.
The guards left.
- Kallian, you don't have much time, - Duncan said. - I chose you because I saw your mother in action and guessed that she had trained you. You have proven your mettle by fighting the Denerim guards and surviving where others would have died. And I have saved your life so you could help me and the other Grey Wardens stop the Blight. We'll wait for you outside. Take everything you need with you and say goodbye to your family, we're leaving in fifteen minutes.
Kallian ran home and switched her blood-stained wedding dress to leather armor and two daggers. Her father and cousins were waiting for her outside the house.
- If the Maker wants you to become a Grey Warden, then that's for the best, - said Cyrion. - Did you know that Mom almost joined their order? She would be proud of you.
- Dad, why are you so unhappy?
- I wish everything was different: grandchildren, family gatherings, a quiet life.
- Maybe I wasn't made for this life, Dad.
- Thanks, Sister. Back at the manor, you saved my life, - said Soris.
- Like you saved mine. What are you going to do next, Soris?
- Maybe I really need to settle down. Valora may be a good wife.
- I heard you claimed responsibility for the attack. You are amazing, - Shianni said.
- I'm sorry I didn't come and slaughter them sooner. It's my fault, - Kallian answered her.
- Do not blame yourself. You have always been my heroine. And I'm sure one day you'll there will be legends about you. Thank you for everything.
- We love you and will wait for you to return with victory, - said Cyrion.
All four hugged tightly.
- Go boldly, my daughter, and may the Maker protect you!
Saying goodbye to her family, Kallian followed Duncan and the other recruits. As much as she secretly wanted to stay at home, she had to overcome herself and step into the unknown.