Redcliffe
They arrived at Redcliffe early in the day. Torph desperately hoped they could go take a nap somewhere, or even just him, the giants could go do business if they wanted, but all Torph wanted was to lift his feet up. They were aching. He didn't know how topsiders could walk this much. It sucked. Bodahn and the weird kid seemed used to it, and that was a horrible thought. His poor feet.
"We're here," Narascha breathed out. "Thank the Ancestors. My feet are trying to murder me."
"Squishy dwarves," Shale complained.
"Hey, we're tiny unlike you, you giant battering ram!" Torph scoffed. "You also don't feel pain."
"Is that actually true?" Alistair tilted his head. "You must have taken a few bad blows. Don't they hurt?"
"I don't know what this pain is."
"Like when I get hit in combat. I bruise, or get a cut, kinda like that?" Alistair offered.
"I feel anger when I get hit. Perhaps a little distress. Is this pain?"
Alistair's face scrunched up in thought. "I'm not sure. I wouldn't call it distress exactly... More like..."
That was when Alistair unleashed some kind of screech from hell. A loud, agonising screech.
"For me it is more-" Shale groaned, and it kinda sounded angry.
"That sounds more like a bowl movement!" Alistair laughed. "No, more like that sharp, stabbing-"
Another screech, and Torph swore he saw Ciara jump from the front of their travelling group and grip her dagger. Sten looked more murderous than usual, and that was saying something.
"Like that?" Alistair asked.
"No. Nothing like that."
"No? Huh. Good to know."
"I think the Archdemon might have just heard us," Narascha joked uneasily, rubbing her ears.
"Good thing none of the elves are here. That might have just killed them," Torph teased.
Alistair flushed. "Oops?"
"We seem to have someone running towards us," Ciara said.
"A messenger?" Sten asked.
"He's not wearing a uniform." Ciara's brow furrowed. "He looks more like a villager, but he's armed? Interesting. That rumour about the undead might just be true, Bohadn."
"Oh Maker-" Alistair inhaled sharply, growing pale.
"Or they might just be prepared for any darkspawn wandering about," Narascha offered, wincing when Alistair whined.
"Arl Eamon better be okay..." He breathed out heavily. "If anyone can help us defeat Loghain and get these bounties off our heads it's him. We need him, and I don't want to see him hurt-"
"Breathing is always a good idea, Alistair," Ciara said. "Let's actually see what's going on before we panic."
"Right..." Alistair laughed nervously. "Before we panic..."
The man ran up to them, and Torph gave him a quick glance. There was a limp, cuts and bruises, but nothing too serious stood out. The man looked nervous but hopeful.
"Have you come to help us?"
"What is going on?" Ciara asked.
"You mean you don't know?" the man gasped.
"Oh no, we do know, we just like to ask people that question just in case," Torph mocked.
Narascha choked on a laugh while Alistair glowered at them.
"Not the time," he hissed quietly.
Torph smirked.
"We're being attacked by monsters every night. They come pouring out the castle, murdering us in the village and dragging their bodies back to the gates to bring them back as more undead," the man cried. "Bann Teagan can tell you more-"
"Bann Teagan is here?" Alistair gasped. "Really?"
"Who now?" Torph asked.
"Teagan Gurerrin is Arl Eamon's younger brother," Ciara said. "He is the Bann of Rainesfere and was King Cailan's uncle."
"May King Cailan rest in peace by the Maker's side," the villager whispered.
"So Bann Teagan is in charge?" Alistair frowned. "Where is the Arl?"
"We haven't heard from the castle in days. Bann Teagan can explain more, he's in the village Chantry right now. Please, follow me!"
"Alistair," Ciara called, stopping them all.
"What's wrong, Ciara?" Alistair tilted his head.
"While you speak to Bann Teagan I'm going to go scout out the castle and try see if I can see anything noteworthy."
"My lady, it's so dangerous up there-" the village protested.
"I'll be extra careful." Ciara smiled sweetly. "Get as much information as you can about the situation and I'll see what I can do on my end."
"Are you sure about this, Ciara? I know you won't get spotted easily, but it's still dangerous," Alistair said.
Ciara chuckled. "And when has a little danger been known to scare me off?"
Alistair smiled weakly. "True. Come back safely, alright?"
"Of course, boss." Ciara curtsied.
"Don't copy Torph!" Alistair complained.
Torph cackled, but he watched as Ciara laughed and darted off up the hill towards the castle, disappearing into the shadows of the castle walls. It was risky, but she might find out some interesting news.
"Be careful," Alistair whispered.
"She'll be okay. She's tough," Narascha reassured.
.::.
They were led to the cliff slowly but surely, Shale almost slipping a couple of times down the cliff side as they made their way down. Shale cursed, grumbling away, while Narascha focused on her steps. She didn't want to fall. Torph looked just as flustered as they finally reached the end of the pathway. The town square was over the bridge past the river, and she could see Alistair smiling fondly at the sight.
"It's been such a long time since I've been here," he admitted, a longing tone in his voice. "I missed it here. I did mostly stay in the stables, sure, but I got to visit the town every once in a while."
"The stable?" Torph blinked. "Where you humans keep your horses?"
"Yep."
"I thought the Arl was raising you."
"Yeah?"
"So why were you staying in the stables?" Torph raised a brow. "I thought living with nobility would have been a lot nicer. Like when one of the girls back home give birth to a noble boy they get raised up into the man's household and treated well."
Alistair blinked. "Wait. What?"
"A casteless girl can get into a nobleman's house like Nara's if they have sex with a guy from there and give birth to a boy."
"Really? Why?" Alistair startled. "Noblemen cheat on their wives?"
"Not exactly," Narascha said. "It's rather encouraged for the men to lie with noble hunters. The dwarf population in Orzammar is declining rapidly so it brought about new ideas. The noble hunters were one of them."
"Hunters?" Alistair squawked.
"Yeah, that's what the casteless girls are called cause they're hunting for a nobleman," Torph said. "My sister did it. Said she found a nice guy before I left."
Narascha smiled. "That's good. I suppose your family must have moved into the nobleman's house by now then."
"Aye, said she was asked to be relocated so he could find her easier and safer." Torph grinned. "Fucker better take good care of her. I swear."
"I suppose you can check on her when you go get the Orzammar treaty," Narascha said.
Alistair winced. "Oh yeah, you might not be able to come along..."
"Yeah," Narascha sighed, then clapped her hands. "Anyway, we have work to do!"
There was no point dwelling on that particular problem. Bohadn and Sandal waved them goodbye as they went to the Chantry. Meanwhile their group approached two men standing at the centre of the village by a table, speaking quickly to one another. There were a handful of knights sharpening their swords, while villagers practised their shots on some training dummies.
Some were better with those bows than others.
Every single one of them looked exhausted.
"Bann Teagan, I've brought some travellers down here to you. They look well armed and ready for combat, so I hope they could be of help." The villager escorting them shifted. "One of them went to scout out the castle though. A woman."
"That would be our roguish friend Ciara," Narascha said. "She'll be fine. No need to worry about her, Bann Teagan."
"I'm glad to hear it. Thank you, Tomas. You may return to your post."
"I remember you, Bann Teagan." Alistair smiled warmly. "Only the last time we met I was covered in mud."
"Covered in mud?" Teagan's brows furrowed, but he brightened up, a wide smile spread out across his face. "Alistair! You're alive? That's wonderful news! I had thought after what happened at Ostagar..." Teagan breathed out shakily. "Thank the Maker you're alive."
"I'm just as surprised as you are about that," Alistair joked, but Narascha saw something in his eyes, self loathing.
Fuck. Yeah, he was still upset about not dying with Duncan. He had some major case of survivors guilt.
"Loghain would have had us all believe that the Grey Wardens died with poor Cailan." Teagan shook his head. "I still can't believe it, but sadly there's been no time to mourn him."
"I'm sorry, Bann Teagan." Alistair hung his head.
"King Cailan died trying to help his men escape," Narascha said. "Cobian tried to save him-"
"Cobian was there?" Teagan gasped. "Is he okay?"
"As far as we're aware," Alistair said. "He's with some of our other companions. Why?"
Teagan scowled. "Because that wicked, spiteful Howe has taken control over control of Highever after 'liberating' Highever from the 'traitorous' Couslands."
Alistair's jaw dropped. "He's... But that's..."
"And he's getting away with it because Howe has sided with Loghain." Teagan scowled. "I should say 'Teyrn Howe', but if I say that again I fear I might vomit. Poor Cobian and Fergus. I've heard no word on them apart from that bounty on you and all your fellow Grey Wardens."
"But there's no news on Fergus?" Narascha asked weakly.
"Sadly not."
"Who is Fergus?" Alistair frowned.
"Cobian's older brother," Torph said. "He left with the Cousland army to go help at Ostagar before Howe attacked Highever... It was a fucking nightmare..."
"Wait, you were both there?" Teagan startled.
"Sadly." Torph deflated.
"We all just escaped with our lives," Narascha said.
"It sounds like we need to crush a lot of heads," Shale said.
Torph grinned. "That would be Cobian's dream present. Crush Howe's head in front of him!"
"King Cailan had planned to put Howe's head up on a spike after Ostagar," Narascha said. "But sadly that won't be the case anymore."
Teagan growled. "Loghain has been allying himself with quite a few nasty people, but none as horrid as Howe. What he did to the Cousland family will be something he shall rot in hell for."
"Thank you, Bann Teagan, you have no idea how much that would mean to Cobian," Alistair said, smiling softly.
"I'm starting to get the picture now," Teagan admitted, staring up at the castle longingly. "Nobody has come from the castle in days. The last we heard Eamon had become gravely ill. The gates are locked tight and no one will respond to my calls." Teagan's shoulders slumped. "After that we started getting attacked by these creatures... People I recognise from our very halls, servants, guards, all rushed out the castle and attacked us... But they were all dead."
"Shit..." Torph cursed.
"There must be a mage involved," Sten growled.
"Or a curse?" Narascha groaned. "I don't know. I'm not good with magic."
"We managed to drive them back, but they claim more lives every night and drag the bodies away with them," Teagan said weakly. "It's not going well."
That was when an explosion from the castle made them all jump. The villagers all scrambled, panicked and confused, while the rest of them stared up in horror at the dark cloud of smoke that crept up from the walls.
"Fucking hell, what explosives did Ciara pack?" Torph choked. "And where can I get them?"
Alistair breathed out sharply. "Ciara..."
"Should we go check?" Narascha asked.
"This is a fools errand. We have nothing to gain here," Sten said. "Let's leave."
"And what? We just walk away?" Alistair glared. "What about our plan to get Arl Eamon's help?"
"The plan was never to help save this village," Sten argued. "We've already wasted enough time saving Honnleath."
"I don't think it was that much of a waste since we got Shale," Torph said.
"Thank you. I also think I'm amazing," Shale chuckled.
"Honnleath was under attack?" Teagan paled.
"By darkspawn," Narascha sighed.
"They're already this far out?"
"Sadly they are moving quickly," Torph groaned. "You'd think the fuckers would walk slower."
"Exactly. We have more important business to deal with," Sten said coldly.
"We're not leaving. We are staying and we're going to help these people!" Alistair snapped.
Narascha blinked, baffled, and saw Torph take a step back away from the pair. Teagan looked worried.
Shale shifted. "Crushing undead sounds like it could be fun."
"We really need the help," Teagan said weakly. "Please."
"Alistair's the boss of this little journey so what he says goes," Torph said, grimacing. "Even if I don't really feel like dying to murderous undead guys."
They all jumped at a grunt that came from behind them. Ciara stumbled from the shadows of a building, holding her shoulder. A very bloodied shoulder that stained her hand and her armour.
"Ciara!" Alistair cried, rushing her way. "What happened? We heard an explosion-"
"There's a Revenant in the courtyard," Ciara said through gritted teeth. "Stabbed me right through my shoulder after it yanked me out of my hiding spot. It could have been worse, it was aiming for my heart but I dodged it just in time."
"And you survived?" Alistair choked. "By yourself?"
"That's why there was an explosion," Ciara admitted. "I used my exploding daggers, which might have left the courtyard in a bit of a dire state, but I'm alive. So I'm grateful."
Teagan looked horrified.
"The exploding daggers you and Lawrien made that Duncan told you not to use ever?" Alistair blanched.
"Yes." Ciara winced.
"By the Maker the courtyard might actually be destroyed." Alistair brought her over, arm firmly wrapped around her waist while she leaned heavily against him.
"We have bandages inside," Teagan said, rushing over to help steady Ciara's other side. "We can treat her in the Chantry."
"So wait, you and Lawrien made exploding daggers?" Torph beamed. "I wonder if she can help me with my traps?"
"No!" Alistair yelped. "I swear Duncan will be crying right now if he was here!"
"I wouldn't blame him either," Narascha laughed.
.::.
"I couldn't find out any information apart from that Revenant," Ciara admitted, shaking as the village healer treated her wound, cleaning and stitching it. "There were quite a few undead about, but after those explosive daggers I assume they'd be gone. I don't know about the Revenant though, I didn't bother to stick around. The bleeding was bad."
She looked like shit. Torph had never seen Ciara so pale or shaky. He didn't remember her looking this rough even after the shit storm that was Ostagar. Alistair was sat right by her side, holding her hand, letting her squeeze it as the healer continued to stitch the long tear that dug deep into her shoulder.
Torph would be surprised to see her using that arm anytime soon.
"I'm glad you came back when you did," Alistair said. "We're going to help the village fight off tonight's attack."
"So I heard, but then what?" Ciara asked.
"What do you mean?" Alistair frowned.
"What is the plan?" Ciara raised a brow. "Do you want to storm the castle gates? Or do you want Torph or I to try find another entrance inside the castle walls?"
"Maybe we should focus on one thing at a time, like getting you healed-" Alistair began.
"We can't afford to focus on one thing at a time, Alistair. We don't have long. The darkspawn are spreading throughout Ferelden. If they've already reached Honnleath then it's most likely Lothering is gone too. We need to be smart. We can't afford to waste time." Ciara groaned, but didn't flinch, not even once as the healer continued her stitches. "That is why I went to scout."
"I... There is a secret passageway known to my family," Teagan said hesitantly. "I wanted to make sure the villagers were safe first before I used it, but so far there's not been an opportunity."
Ciara frowned. "And while its early my presence at the castle might have made whatever is there more aware of our presence and fighting capabilities. It could have heightened its defences. I doubt we'd have time to get through that before we're swarmed by the night time attack."
"So we're leaving?" Torph asked hopefully.
"No. You're right, Torph. Alistair is in charge here and he has spoken," Ciara said. "That means we will bolster the defences and be ready to fight."
"We?" Alistair frowned. "You're injured."
Ciara raised a brow. "That has not stopped me before."
"Yes, but you've never been almost sliced in half by a Revenant before."
"A new experience I suppose."
"You're taking this way too easily," Alistair said, brow furrowed. "Ciara-"
"Alistair, I will not sit aside and let people fight the battles I can easily handle," Ciara said, her eyes narrowed. "This isn't the worst wound I've taken. I will be out on the battlefield tonight. Do you understand me?"
Well, she was crazy, and far braver than Torph.
"Yes, but-" Alistair winced.
"No buts." Ciara scowled. "All of Ferelden is fighting for its life right now, if one bad wound could force me out the fight I'd be ashamed to call myself a Grey Warden. Duncan taught me better."
Alistair deflated. "I really miss him, Ciara. He'd know what to do."
Torph really hoped Alistair wasn't about to burst into tears. It would be so awkward. He didn't like seeing grown men cry, especially if it was a woman like Narascha. Fucking hell, if she ended up teary eyed he'd probably panic.
"I know, but he left it up to us to take care of for a reason. We may have driven Duncan insane with our antics, but at the end of the day he trusted all of us," Ciara said. "He loved Cailan and you, but he would not have fought to the death if he didn't have faith in us to end the Blight."
"Why did he care for us so much?" Alistair frowned. "It doesn't make sense."
"Because he and King Maric were friends," Ciara said softly. "And you were one of Duncan's Grey Wardens."
Alistair frowned. "They were friends? How come Duncan never told me?"
"I'll tell you about them one day." Ciara smiled, then her eyes hardened as she stared out the Chantry window, built high up into the walls. "But you need to work on the villages defences."
"She's right," Narascha said. "Bann Teagan, tell us what to do and we'll go do it."
Torph really didn't like this. They were going to fight a swarm of undead for a random bunch of villagers when they could have sneaked into the castle through Teagan's secret passage. He swore if this got him killed he would not be happy. He'd haunt everyone. Seriously. He'd fuck them all over. Especially the Princess, just because.
