The prisoners started making depressed sounds when we reached the square. When their escorts forced them to slow down, making them look at the rows of bodies still being laid out. Forced them to walk through the blood soaked mud and dirt.

Made them witness how many Elves had died because they'd chosen the wrong night to do what they had.

As an enormous crowd of elves parted before them, and this time they weren't silent about their anger. Enraged shouts and curses filled the air, and if not for the mix of Watch members and Templars escorting them, I was pretty sure our prisoners would have been mobbed within the first minute. I don't think anyone was really sure what had happened, not precisely, but they knew we wouldn't have bound and gagged them without a reason.

And after what had just happened, they wanted blood against anyone they could find to pin the blame on.

It was temping to let that happen... too tempting.

I was barely moving at a crawl by that point, Shina and I had long stopped keeping up with the main group, each step sending agony up and down my legs. I didn't have to look down to know that I'd torn Petrice's stitching, that I'd gotten too active, too soon, for the potions I'd drank.

All I could look at was the rows of bodies, and wonder how many were my fault. How many were the fault of Fiolya's parents. How many were the fault the assholes who had attacked us for the stupidest of reasons.

"Andraste's bloody..." Isabella's furious curse made me look over in time to see her slip past the Guards standing at the gate, both men shouting something that she completely ignored in favor of running over to me. "What are you doing up!?"

Smiling a little at the sight of Aveline barking at the men to get back to their posts, I waved off a Templar who'd begun to move to block my friend from approaching.

"We couldn't stop her." Shina admitted, getting one of her hands out to stop Isabella from simply grabbing me when she slid to a stop beside us. "You know how stubborn she is."

"Oh I bloody well do." Isabella got a bit of accent when she bit those words off, looking me up and down. "Why?"

"Have to be." I told her, letting my planted spear take all of my weight. Trying to push the self-loathing aside, to focus on the job I had to do. On the plans I was slowly pulling together. "We found out why there was no warning before the attack hit on the western side."

Isabella flicked her eyes to the prisoners as they shoved closer to the burned Vhenadal. "What did they do?"

"You'll find out." I lowered my voice, "Merrill?"

Her own dropped to a whisper, "Safe. Varric and Anders have her, they're going to his estate in Hightown. I'm supposed to bring you there."

"Later. Brennan?"

"Viscount caved to the first panicked nobles who woke him up. She's sealing off access to Hightown, and is furious about not being able to send more than man-lips over there."

I huffed out a quiet chortle, wincing almost at once. "...Shina? Isabella can get me the rest of the way. I need you bring Emeric up front."

She nodded, darting off without asking further questions.

Isabella cocked an eyebrow.

"They're going to say whatever they can think of to avoid the noose." I supplied quietly.

"Ah. Will it work?"

"Kill me cleanly if it doesn't." I whispered.

"Fuck. That." She hissed, fury returning to her features. "Drink a damned potion already. You're bleeding through your bandages."

There was already one in her hand, stopping popping out with a flick of her thumb. I downed it one go, doing my best not to taste the stuff as it went down. Awful as the flavor might have been, it let me start hobbling back through the square at much better speeds than I'd been managing before; the pain fading to an ache.

Knight-Commander Meredith was waiting under the Vhenadal, with a small group of officers beside her.

"...return to the Gallows and ensure the lock-down remains in effect." She was ordering, "If the First Enchanter protests, inform him I am already tempted to call for an Annulment after tonight's events as it is. If he continues to protest, put him and any others into the black cells until I return."

Oh, good. She still had a hard-on for treating the mages in the tower like crap. Not that I was feeling particularly charitable towards them in the moment, but she'd been acting so damned reasonably that it was good to know she still was Meredith. And that she'd absolutely lose her shit if she found out I was a mage.

Which she might, any minute now.

"Knight-Commander." One of the Lieutenants saluted her, then ran off calling orders. Twenty or so Templars who'd been standing vigil rather than helping formed up with him, all of the marching out in formation. The rest of the officers must have already gotten their orders because they similarly spread out, and soon enough just Meredith, Cullen, and her surprise squire were left below the tree.

Meredith turned at my approach, the prisoners already forced to kneel on her left. She eyed Isabella with a slight frown, but didn't seem to care enough to ask questions.

When she spoke again, it was in her booming public-speaking voice. "Captain Maeve, of the Kirkwall Templar Auxiliaries has brought forward four criminals for trial before the Maker! All those not tending to the wounded, hearken to us, and witness justice being done!"

The great crowd swelled all around. Those in front began kneeling or sitting, uncaring of the mud, letting others look past them. I looked back, tried to count them, but gave up almost at once. There had to be at least a thousand people jammed into the square. Others were climbing the roofs of those buildings that hadn't burned, staring down.

A few kept working, refusing to watch. Picking through the ruins, calling names in the vain hopes that they still lived. I caught a few faces... many of them were those who'd wanted nothing to do with the plans to build a Chantry. Who'd harassed me about providing escorts, and called me incompetent or worse when I told them it couldn't be done.

The ones who most expected this to be a sham trial, organized to divert the blame of tonight's catastrophe away from my failures.

...they weren't entirely wrong about that, and I felt that well of self-loathing deepen before I forced myself to focus.

Cullen subtly motioned for me to step up a bit more, and I obeyed. I took a spot across from the prisoners, keeping a good two yards between myself and the Knight-Commander.

Old Ser Emeric came pushing through the crowd just as I got set, a bandaged Ser Hound trotting confidently along beside his master. Shina was right behind him. The Templar and his Mabari came to a rest on my left, just as Isabella and Shina stood on my right.

Meredith gave me that look of almost-approval again, seeing something beyond my friends staying beside me I supposed. Her hands drew her sword, that same theatrical flourish she'd once showed off to the nobles keeping everyone quiet.

The tip of the blade sank into the earth between her feet, hands lazily resting on the cross-guard.

"Lady Maeve." She boomed out again. "What crimes do you charge these four with?"

I took a deep breath, and tried to be half as loud as she managed. "Yerion of the Alienage abducted a comrade, abetted her rape, and abandoned his post on the Western Wall. He ensured no watch was set when the enemy came, no warning given to those who lived in that quarter. I cannot count how many lives may have lived had he not acted as he did."

The crowd stilled, then a roar of pure outrage rose as they processed my words. As they realized just what I was implying had happened tonight.

Templars and Guards quickly blocked the front rows when they surged to their feet, pushing them back when several tried to storm forward. It took a few minutes, and Meredith bellowing for order, before things calmed down enough for us to continue.

"Captain. Resume." She ordered when the Alienage had settled into a sullen, furious mass of Elves.

"He has confessed to these crimes in the presence of witnesses." I shouted, feeling Shina's approving nod when I went on, "The Alienage believes no further trial is necessary. His guilt was admitted to."

"It was." Shina shouted, "I was witness."

Meredith tipped her head toward me, then to Shina. "As I was a witness to his confession as well, I confirm it. Will Sister Petrice of the Alienage Chantry do the same?"

Petrice's reply was quiet, but that was mostly because she was still good distance away. Hopefully still taking care of Fiolya. "I do!"

"Then, in the eyes of the Maker, Yerion of the Alienage's guilt is confirmed." She turned her hard stare on the boy. "In his cowardice and betrayal of his own, he has forfeited any right to a noble death. He shall be hanged as a common criminal at the very post he abandoned."

Every living member of the Watch rose their voices in snarling approval, the crowd following their lead. Yerion began weeping even harder, openly sobbing when two Templars stepped up at Cullen's direction. They took him by the arms, hauling him off toward the ruins of the western wall.

Mereidth's sword rose out of the soil, then sank back down as though she was bringing down a judge's gavel. "Lady Maeve. The crime of the next man?"

"Abduction and rape of a member of the Night's Watch." I shouted back, playing to the crowd we'd assembled by adding, "Done during a battle for the very survival of this Alienage!"

I got the rumble of anger I'd expected, and Meredith gave me another almost-smile when she replied. "Has he confessed as well?"

"No, messere." I admitted.

She nodded, then waved a hand at the Nethon. The older man was the nearest to the prisoner, and he reached down and yanked the man's gag out.

The man from Starkhaven spat, working his jaw. A toss of his head sent some of his hair back, making sure everyone saw his pointed ears.

"I am Bravin of Starkhaven's Alienage." He glared daggers at me, "Fiolya is my wife before the Creators, by her father's will and words!"

Shina snarled, stepping up to speak for me. "Your father is no First nor Keeper of the Dalish! He has no authority to bind his daughter in marriage to anyone!"

Meredith had begun lifting a hand when she began, but it was a lazy motion. Clearly giving Shina time to finish, and when she spoke her chastisement lacked any bite to it. "The Captain alone shall speak."

"Messere." Shina ducked her head, stepping back. "Lady?"

I repeated what she said, more loudly, then added, "No marriage in the Alienage is considered valid without either a Keeper of the Dalish, or a member of the Chantry to confirm it. That is the law."

"That is not the old way!" Bravin snapped. "That is not how it is done in Starkhaven!"

"We are not in Arlathon!" I snarled right back at him. "Or Starkhaven! This is Kirkwall. As much of a fucking slum as it is, it is ours, and here, our laws reign!"

Another general rumble of furious agreement rose from the crowd at that.

I went on, fury making my voice rise higher, "You say you consummated your false marriage? Then you admit to forcing yourself on her! Don't try to lie and say that she was willing, we can all see the cuts she left on her arms when she fought you! Everyone saw how brutally she was beaten! She collapsed sobbing in my arms, unable to speak from what you did to her!"

He glared right back at me, "She is my wife! I took my privilege as is my right, as is my duty to ensure the People survive!"

"Ha!" I barked the word rather than actually laugh. "The People? The People were fighting and dying while you forced your dick into her! Our Vhenadal burned while you took your supposed privilege! You are a fucking coward!"

"I-"

"Enough!" Meredith snapped, "Gag him."

Nethon was all too happy to do so, shutting up the man's protests that we had no right to do any of this to a man of Starkhaven.

"A coward he is." The Knight-Commander called to the crowd, playing them further. "But he is no member of the Guard or Watch, and so that is not a crime. As the ranking member of the Chantry, however, I confirm that no marriage occurred this night. I agree with the Lady Maeve's accusations."

She paused for effect, and I actually saw the mass of people leaning in, eager to hear her say it. "Bravin of Starkhaven, you are guilty of abducting a member of the Templar Auxiliaries and raping her. For the latter crime, you are to be gelded. For the former, you shall hang. Knight-Captain?"

Cullen made another gesture, and more Templars grabbed the now thrashing prisoner. They hauled him off to more dark cheers from the assembled masses.

"Captain?" Meredith prodded, dragging my attention away from the man being dragged to his maiming and death.

I should have felt something about that. This was a kangaroo court from start to finish, the kind of thing I should have opposed.

But all I felt was a vicious satisfaction in my chest.

I took a deep breath, feeling the strength fading out of me again. It was a struggle, but I managed to keep shouting. "The last prisoners were the ringleaders behind this event. It was by their will and words that saw two members of the Watch abandon their duties to abduct their daughter. It was by their determination to see her married against her will that saw the guard of the Western Wall absent this night."

"Have they confessed?" Meredith asked once more.

"No, messere." I repeated.

A wave of her hand had Nethon step over. He bypassed Fiolya's father, the man's jaw was clearly broken from where I'd struck him with the spear, and took the gag off of her mother instead.

Who promptly did exactly what I'd expected her to do.

"You hypocritical bitch!" She shrieked, "She's a maleficar!"

Meredith's eyebrows rose. "Who?"

"Maeve!" Fiolya's mother spat, "She is a mage from Tevinter, sent here to corrupt us! Everyone knows she has magic, cavorts with a Dalish First! This is all to cover up her failures and incompetence!"

The Knight-Commander gave me a sideways look, her voice dripping with disbelief. "I feel no magic upon her. I trust this is more than a poor attempt to see the Captain consigned to the Gallows while you hang?"

"We did nothing wrong! It was my daughter's husband that planned tonight!" She lied, "But I speak the truth before the Creat-before the Maker! She is a mage!"

I met Meredith's eyes, rolling mine, and held a hand out toward Ser Emeric. He got it without prompting, shaking a gauntlet off and tossing it into the dirt. His battered fingers wrapped around small hand, skin warm against the cool night air.

"I am Ser Emeric of the Templars, awarded three Marks of Valor for my actions against Maleficar. All of the order knows of my record of service, that I have never once been accused of harboring criminals." He shouted, voice far stronger than mine. "I stand with her bare hand in mine, and confirm that the Lady Maeve is no mage!"

There was muted sound from around us, and I realized it was the muffled chuckles of Templars laughing into their helms. Shaking their heads, clearly thinking that the woman's accusation had been a last, desperate attempt to take me down with her.

"You lying shem bast-" Nethon gagged her without prompting, drawing an approving nod from Meredith.

"Thank you, Auxiliary." She said. "You have more to say, Ser Emeric?"

"I do, Messere," Emeric let my hand go, turning to look over his comrades, "To any of the Order who would doubt her, this Lady allowed her very home to be demolished so that a Chantry might finally grace this Alienage. She has abandoned comfort, and sleeps in a mere hammock in the Gatehouse from which Ser Thrask and I are posted. She communes with a Sister daily, taking lunch with her, prays with her."

I fought the urge to smile as he listed off things that were technically correct, the best kind of correct.

"Does this sound like a maleficar, my fellow knights?"

"No." Cullen was grinning when he said the word, the other Templars echoing him in a rumble. The man Varric would one day name Curly went on, "Knight-Commander, I do believe that Lieutenant Thrask and Ser Emeric would have noticed if they were living with a mage for several months now."

"I quite agree." And holy fuck it was hard not to slump in relief at her words. To stay standing tall, holding onto my spear. "Captain. To the list of crimes you provided, I shall add the false accusation of a Maleficar."

I bowed my head to her, "Thank you, Knight-Commander. I only add that the accused were found in their home with the rapist, speaking of plans to force her to depart to Starkhaven with him once she was abducted once more. Several of the Watch and Templar Order heard this as well."

Nethon and Shina both called out in agreement, as did a pair of Templars from the ranks.

Fiolya's mother glared death at me, and I returned the expression in kind.

Meredith's sword rose and fell once more. "I have heard enough. In the name of the Maker, I find these criminals guilty of false accusation, of aiding those criminals already charged in the abduction and rape of their down daughter. As they did not commit the heinous acts themselves, nor abandon any posts, the death penalty shall be withheld."

She let the crowd's anger at the lack of blood rise, then trail off before going on. "Strip them of their belongings, and turn them out of the city's gates as they currently are. They are exiled from Kirkwall for life, on pain of death."

Which was a death sentence in all but name, and from the muffled shrieks of the old woman she knew it.

I thought we were done then. I was more than ready to limp off with Isabella, to find Fiolya and Petrice. To curl up in a ball and have a good break down.

Meredith's next shout cut that off. "Captain. Call forward your officers."

I'd just begun to take my first step to shuffle away, and wobbled a bit in place when I drew up short. "Uh... are Elowen and Zatris awake?"

My call sent several members of the Watch running off to find them, leaving me free to frown at Meredith.

When I spoke again, it was more quietly, and with a bit of a rasp. "What's this about?"

"You shall see." She paused, added, "Call your squire as well. The girl who this was about."

"I don't have a squire, I'm not ah... oh no." I felt myself pale. "Oh no. No. No. No."

Her eyes glinted in the torchlight, "You act as though I offer you torture rather than honor."

I clenched my jaw, firmly reminding myself that this woman could behead me whenever she felt like it. "I don't want a title, Knight-Commander. Titles are obligations, and I've already got too many of those."

"As do we all." She replied placidly. "But that is the world of our Maker."

"I-"

Her voice hardened. "I am not asking your permission, Captain. You shall be the Lady of the Alienage, and you shall bring order to this chaos in the Maker's name."

I swallowed, flailing for anything to stop this from happening. "Knight-Commander, please. I'm not that kind of leader. That kind of title will keep me stuck here, dealing with stupidity like an Elven Viscount, instead of free to move around and act like I need to."

That drew a tiny frown to her features. "What do you propose instead?"

"...Elowen." I made a snap decision when I saw the woman coming forward, her husband helping her move along. "She's got three kids, the full respect of the Watch, and she's Andrastian. She's the one I relied on to keep the Watch's Shield-Wall ordered, who held the line against the Flint Company."

"...and," Meredith said softly, "She is your subordinate, and would consider herself such in the future. Yes... I see it. His fate need not be yours."

I didn't get that quote, but I also didn't like the motherly expression she directed at me. As if she was bursting with pride but couldn't admit it.

"Yes. I had my doubts, but if anything Sister Petrice downplayed your wisdom. You are quite right." She nodded, "You shall be knighted, but not made the ruler of the Alienage. It would prevent you from doing your true work in the city."

My true work? What?

"I..." What the fuck was I supposed to say? "...yes, messere. Thank you. I would also ask that Fiolya be allowed to rest, rather than made the center of attention."

"Yes. You shall inform her of her new status once we are done, I am sure it will help cheer her." Meredith gave me that parental smile once more, then turned to watch Elowen approach.

I waited until she wasn't looking before whispering to Emeric. "What the actual fuck was that?"

He leaned down, whispering back, "Her words to Dumar when she named him her puppet Viscount. She think you do the same to the Lady Elowen, in the Commander's footsteps."

"She thinks I'm emulating her?" I demanded.

"Yes, lady." He paused, then added even more quietly. "I would not disabuse her."

"No. Shit."

We shut up when Elowen arrived, looking as puzzled as I could have expected. Her voice was a bit thready, her intact arm around her husband's neck as he guided her forward.

"Knight-Commander. Lady." She nodded to us both. "Uh. Zatris is awake but the Sisters say he cannot be moved yet."

Meredith continued with her showmanship by loudly replying, "Then I shall Knight him where he lays once we are done here."

I don't think she could have made a thousand murmuring people shut up faster if she'd tried.

Elowen gaped at her. "...Messere?"

The Knight-Commander stepped forward, looking her up and down. Eyed the mess of bandages covering the stump where her right hand had once been.. "Elowen of the Alienage. Do you follow the path of Andraste, in the Light of the Maker?"

"...yes."

"I am told that you commanded the Shield-Wall in battle this night. That you held your ground against an enemy that outnumbered you, had better arms and armor, and that had the aid of Maleficars." Meredith continued, filling the stunned silence. "That you fought when your line broke, until your sword hand was removed from your body."

"I... yes, messere."

"The Lady Maeve says that it was you who she relied on the most within the Watch. To drill, to command. That you have the full respect of the people, and her full confidence in your abilities. That you have a faithful husband, with three strong children to follow you."

"The Lady... flatters me." Elowen swallowed. "Messere? What is this?"

Meredith slowly brought her sword around, bringing it up, then just as carefully bringing it around to rest the flat of it on Elowen's shoulder.

"I, Meredith Stannord, Knight-Commander, name you as Noble Lady Elowen, ruler of this Alienage." No sounds came from anyone else. "Your reign begins on a dark night, Lady, but I have every confidence that you shall lead your people to brighter days."

Elowen lost her voice completely, mouth opening and closing without making a sound.

Her husband managed to croak out, "You... honor our family beyond words, messere."

What followed turned into an exhausted blur. Emeric begged for the honor of knighting me, and Meredith obliged.

It wasn't fancy. Nothing like out of Earth's history, or even Game of Thrones. He drew his sword, tapped me on the shoulder, and proclaimed me a landless Knight of Kirkwall. That was it. Meredith did the same to Shina, and Cullen knighted Nethon.

Meredith finally left then, stopping just long enough to murmur something to a shell-shocked Elowen, and to knight Zatris as he lay on a cot near the stairwell. Then she breezed out with a dozen Templars, leaving Cullen behind to resume supervising the clean-up of the battlefield.

Ser Emeric slipped away, leaving the rest of us standing around the tree, staring at one another.

At least until Isabella spoke, "Right. I'm taking Maeve and forcing her to sleep before she falls over or starts bleeding all over everyone."

"...I think that's for the best." Shina shook her head, looking as stunned as anyone else. "I'll... I'll take command until morning."

"Thank you." Elowen managed. "A... council tomorrow. Yes. Tomorrow we all talk about this."

"Sure. I-" A hand knocked my spear out of my hands, Nethon barely grabbing it before it could fall. Isabella scooped me up as if I didn't weigh anything before I could so much as wobble, my arms wrapping around her neck on reflex. "-no! Not the gates yet! Have to take Fiolya with."

Isabella shouted loudly enough to make me wince. "Scowls! Bring the girl!"

"Wait." Shina moved close, turning to hide the fact that she was pulling the Dream-Catcher off of her belt. She quickly tied it to Isabella's, making the taller woman nod in approval. "See you tomorrow, Lady."

No one else stopped her from carrying me off. A few managed to find smiles in spite of everything, though most were too focused on their work to even notice. I closed my eyes when we began to move past the rows of bodies, my walls against an ocean of guilt breaking down inside my chest.

I didn't cry. I was too exhausted to cry.

My friend carried me up the stairs, though her arms finally gave out once we reached the top. She set me down gently, still keeping an arm around me to take most of my weight. We waited there until Petrice and Emeric arrived, the elder Templar cradling a Fiolya who'd been wrapped in blankets.

Petrice took my other side, the pair of them barely letting my toes hit the ground as they carried me off.

I let them. I closed my eyes, not watching as we made the long trek to Hightown. Heard Isabella whispering something to Brennan, Brennan barking orders for her Guard to stand aside and let us pass.

Felt them help me up the long stairs to the upper city. Guiding me along until we reached the Dwarven enclave.

Awareness returned when we got to Bartrand's old mansion, now Varric's. My eyes blinking slowly when I saw that Fenris was standing guard outside.

He met my gaze for a moment, then glanced to Fiolya with a frown. "What-"

"Shut up." The words were a whisper, but everyone heard them. "Just shut up, Fenris. Not now."

Miracle of miracles, he opened the door without another word. A butler was waiting for us on the other side. He ushered us along a dusty hallway, down a stairwell, and into a lounge with a roaring fire going.

Varric was there, along with Anders and Merrill.

"Maker's balls, not again." Our host groaned at the sight of me, "Get her on a couch. Who's the girl, and where's Thrask?"

"Her squire, and he is badly wounded, messere." Emeric replied. "I must return to the Alienage."

"Squire?" Anders sounded distant, only slowly turning from where he'd been staring into the fire. "What?"

"Later." I rasped, groaning in pure relief when Petrice and Isabella finally got me down onto a couch. They fussed for a moment, stretching me out, Merrill swooping around to sit beside my head. Her favorite little brush began working my hair before Petrice finished getting my legs straightened just as she wanted them.

Emeric brought Fiolya over, gently laying the silent girl beside me.

"Come here." The teenager was half on top of me before I finished the words, her face buried in the skin of my neck. "Shhh... it's all right."

"...shit." Varric said quietly from somewhere nearby. "Maker's balls. I don't want to know, do I?"

"No." Petrice replied, just as softly. "Everyone out. The girl needs them, not us."

Footsteps trailed away within a minute, a door shutting with barely a sound.

"...sleep, da'len. Lethallan." Merrill whispered, warm fingers trailing over my cheek, then Fiolya's. "I'm here."

The tears finally came, and they didn't stop until sleep claimed me.