Chapter 14: Backstabbed (Aedan)
Aedan dreamed that he was running away from some shadow that was trying to kill him. Suddenly, in a dream, he took his sword, turned back and plunged the sword into the shadow. He opened his eyes and saw a warrior armed with a sword and shield, gasping for air and trying to pull himself out of Aedan's sword. Still, Aedan was right to constantly keep the weapon with him, even in his sleep.
Aedan got his sword back and finished the stranger off. He glanced at the emblem on the warrior's shield - it was the image of a bear.
- Howe! - Aedan shouted angrily as he put on his armor. He had never had any reason to distrust the Arl of Amaranthine and the family friend before, but for some reason he couldn't stand him. It seems that his instinct did not fail him.
Opening the door of his room, Aedan immediately cut down two more Howe warriors who were trying to open the door of the parents' bedroom. Aedan did not think long about which family member to look for in the first place. His parents have fought side by side for Ferelden and can stand up for themselves, and Elissa has learned from the best. Aedan could not say the same about his sister-in-law and nephew.
The door to Fergus' bedroom was open, Aedan didn't even notice how he cut down the archer who was on guard. There were two warriors inside, one was removing all the jewelry from Oriana's corpse, the other was looking around. Both were distracted and thus easily killed by the enraged Aedan. He fell to his knees in front of Oriana.
- I'm sorry, Fergus! I'm so sorry! Aedan shouted.
- Pup, you couldn't have changed anything, - said Eleanor, who appeared in the aisle. She was dressed in leather armor and held a bow at the ready.
The doors of the wardrobe opened, and frightened Oren ran out of it to Eleanor.
- Grandma! - the boy shouted.
- Mom, how are you? Where are father and Elissa? - Aedan asked.
- I don't know, but we need to find them! - Teyrna replied. - You and I will go forward. Oren, grandma and uncle will protect you, stay behind us and don't run anywhere.
They went on and opened the door to the guest room. Lady Landra was already dead, Iona was dying from an arrow in her stomach.
- Landra, no! If only I hadn't invited you to join us… - Teyrna exclaimed.
- Amethyne... find her... in Denerim... - Iona said to Aedan and lost consciousness.
- Who is Amethyne? - Eleanor asked.
- Your granddaughter, - Aedan answered. - Five years ago, I... was with Iona before my exile, and this is the result. We will find her, we will definitely find her. And take revenge on Howe.
Aedan with his mother and nephew walked further through the castle. Periodically, they helped the guards deal with Howe's thugs, the guards thanked them and went to help the servants escape.
At the treasury, they found Elissa furiously cutting a path through Howe's warriors with her swords, as well as Roger biting the throats of fallen enemies. Aedan helped his sister and dealt with all the archers.
- Mother! Aedan! Those monsters killed Dairren! - Elissa exclaimed while crying.
- Oriana, Landra and Iona didn't make it either, - Eleanor said.
Aedan was surprised when he heard Iona's name. Mother did not particularly take the elf servants into account, but as soon as she found out that the elf had become the mother of her granddaughter, Eleanor immediately began to talk about her.
- Elissa, I'm sorry, but we have to go, - he said. - Have you seen father?
He and the Grey Warden remained at the main gate. My father told me to take two family swords from the treasury.
- Keep both, you deserve them. Go!
The twins, their mother with Oren in her arms, and Roger ran to the main gate, where Roderick was leading the guards. Aedan and Elissa rushed into the fray, sweeping away all warriors with the bear crest on their shields from their path. The most difficult thing was with the elven sorceress, she struck Aedan with lightning and launched a fireball at Elissa. Fortunately, both twins managed to dodge, and the sorceress was cut in half by Roderick.
- Everyone to the gate! Let's stop these bastards! - he shouted.
All the surviving guards ran to the gate, trying to hold it.
- Milady, Aedan, Elissa, thank the Maker, you are alive!
- We are alive, but the boy lost his mother, - said Aedan. - Where is father?
- He was wounded. He wanted to stay and hold the gate, he was very worried about you, but I persuaded him to go to the secret passage in the kitchen, Duncan is helping him now. I'll stay here and keep them as long as possible!
- Thank you for everything, Sir Gilmore, - said Elissa.
- Maker protect you, - Eleanor added.
- Maker protect us all, - said Roderick, going to the gate.
The Couslands found the kitchen without any problems. Bryce was lying in a pool of blood, and Duncan bent over him, trying to apply a poultice.
- There you are! - Bryce said.
Elissa lowered Oren to the floor and walked over to her husband.
- Bryce! What happened to you?
- Howe's men… caught up with me! But not for Duncan, they would have killed me there! I'm… afraid I won't be able to get back on my feet.
- Howe was going to kill me too, and then tell the king everything he would like to, Duncan said. - Four of us cannot defeat his army.
Roger whined in displeasure.
- I'm sorry, little boy, five of us.
- So, we can only run, - said Aedan. - I swear to you, father, Howe will die!
- Thank you for saving our father, Duncan, - Elissa said.
- I'm afraid your gratitude is premature, - the Grey Warden replied. - Bryce, I came here for a specific purpose and I can't leave empty-handed.
- Of course, Duncan. I know you don't owe me anything, but I'll give whatever you want, just get my wife, kids, and grandson out of here! - with the last of his strength said teyrn.
- The tragedy of your family and Howe's betrayal are nothing compared to the evil that threatens all of Thedas. We Grey Wardens are few in Ferelden, and I need warriors to defeat the darkspawn. So I'm taking Elissa and Aedan into my order. They both got my attention by surviving that massacre.
- If it helps us escape, I'm in, - Elissa said.
- Me too, - Aedan added. - But I will do my best to find and kill Howe!
- Forgive me, but it is up to the king and Fergus to take revenge, - Duncan said. - The Grey Wardens are not to get involved in politics, but we will tell them everything about what happened here.
Aedan was not happy with the prospect of meeting both Fergus and Cailan. He felt guilty before the former and despised the latter.
- Bryce... are you sure? - Eleanor asked.
- Our children will survive and leave their mark on history.
- Children, Oren, go with Duncan. You will have better chances to escape without me. I will stay with my father until the very end. I'll kill every bastard that comes through that door and give you time to escape!
Aedan was furious at his mother's proposal.
- Mom, don't be silly! You are healthy, not injured and you can go! Yes, Elissa and I are leaving for the Gray Wardens, but think of Oren! He has already lost his mother, and he needs a grandmother! We all know how much you love our dad, but don't sacrifice yourself in vain, please!
Elissa nodded to Aedan in approval.
- Aedan is right... Dear, live for the sake of our children and grandson! - added Bryce.
- Okay, I'll go with them. I'm sorry, Bryce.
Everyone heard the noise - Howe's thugs have knocked out the gate.
- Find Fergus and tell him everything. He is now the Teyrn of Highever. Run and don't look back, all of you! And may the Maker protect you!
After taking turns saying goodbye to the dying Bryce, everyone descended into the tunnel that connected the castle with its surroundings. Aedan was the last to go down, looking sadly at his dying father. In the tunnel, he looked at Oren walking beside him. The boy hardly spoke all this time, and he looked very anxious. Unfortunately, not only did Oren lose his mother today, but also a half-blood girl from Denerim…
When everyone came out of the tunnel and into the fields, Eleanor spoke first.
- Oren and I had better go to the Waking Sea. Bann Alfstanna is a friend of our family, she can give us shelter from Howe. My children, write to me when you reach Ostagar.
- Take care of yourself, Mom, - Elissa said.
Eleanor and Oren set off.
- Elissa, Aedan, before we leave for Ostagar, we must make one more stop, - Duncan said. - We will go to Denerim.
Aedan looked into the starry sky. So fate is sending him to Denerim. This is his chance to find his daughter, and he will certainly take advantage of it.