Chapter 21: Personal Matters (Aedan)
- The royal army has already fought several battles with the darkspawn. It is here that the main forces of the horde will move towards us. There aren't many Grey Wardens in Ferelden at the moment. But every Fereldan Warden is in Ostagar. The Blight must be stopped here and now. If it spreads farther, Ferelden will fall.
All four recruits were listening to Duncan as they followed him and Roger across the ancient bridge. Finally, they saw Ostagar in all its glory. This fortress impressed Aedan, it was many times larger than his castle.
- Is it still far? - Kallian asked.
- No, just a little bit left, - Duncan replied.
Aedan saw the glow from the golden royal armor in the distance and slowed down so that Kallian, Daveth and Elissa were in front of him.
- Don't you want the king to see you? - Elissa asked.
Aedan put on a helmet, he had kept the old armor in which he arrived at the castle, but Elissa had to change her family armor with the Cousland symbol to a simpler one so that Howe's spies could not recognize her in case of trouble.
- Yes, Sister. I don't want to start the conflict again.
- All right, I'll play along.
Duncan and the recruits moved closer. Cailan was waiting for them, accompanied by two guards. It seemed to Aidan that he had matured greatly: a stubble and a confident look were added to his long blond hair.
Elissa knelt before the king, the men and Kallian refrained from doing so.
- Greetings, your majesty, - Duncan began. - To be honest, I didn't expect...
- A royal welcome? - Cailan said with a smile. - You have been looking for recruits for a long time. I was already afraid that you would miss the final battle.
- Me, your majesty? Never!
- Hooray! I will fight alongside the great Duncan! Franco said you had gone to Highever and Denerim for recruits. I guess it's them?
The king noticed Kallian first, because it was hard not to see the only elf in the group of humans.
- Greetings, maiden! We are to…
- I don't need your greetings, human king, - Kallian interrupted. - My people suffer under the oppression of your kind, and you are doing nothing about it.
The elf defiantly turned away from the king and stepped aside.
- I must explain Kallian's behaviour, - Duncan said. - Vaughan Kendells, son of Arl Urien, kidnapped her, she had to kill him to save herself.
- I…I understand why she did this, - Cailan replied. - I will summon Vaughan's father after the battle and ask him why his son turned into... this.
- I will shorten the time for your majesty, - said Daveth. - My name is Daveth, and I am also from Denerim. Next.
The king let the thief go ahead and approached the teyrn's daughter, whom he knew.
- Greetings, Elissa. I'm surprised you're among the recruits. Fergus arrived here two days ago, but your father is delayed for some reason.
- Do not wait for him, your majesty. My father died when our family castle was captured.
- Died? What do you mean? - the king turned to the Warden-Commander in bewilderment. - Duncan! Do you know anything about it?
Duncan nodded his head.
- Your majesty, Teyrn Cousland was killed. His wife and grandson are on the run. Arl Howe treacherously captured Highever Castle. If we had not fled the castle, he would have killed us too, and then he would have come up with some convincing story.
- I can't believe this! - the king shouted furiously. - I swear to you, Elissa, once the battle is over, I will rally my troops and punish Howe. He will be executed!
Aedan felt relieved. No matter how he feels about Cailan, it's good to have the king on your side.
- Now Fergus is the Teyrn of Highever, - Elissa said. – Where can we find him?
- Unfortunately, he and his squad went to explore the Wilds, - Cailan said. - I'm afraid he won't be back until the fight is over. Until then, we can't even contact him. I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do for you right now. I can only suggest that you take out your grief on the darkspawn. So, who is the mysterious fourth recruit hiding under the helmet?
Aedan realized that he had no choice and took off his helmet.
- Aedan? Aedan Cousland? I should have guessed, - said the king.
- What, you don't want to see me again, Cailan? My exile is over. I returned home because I have the right to do so. But two days later, the bastard Howe took everything from me. At least thank you for choosing to punish him.
- I understand that you have reasons to be angry with me, even though five years have passed. But let's put aside our differences for the sake of fighting the Blight.
- I agree. It's enough for me to know that Howe will suffer. But after the battle, I'll talk to you again.
- Sorry to interrupt our talk, but it's time for me to return to the tent, - the king said with regret. - Teyrn Loghain is looking forward to annoying me with his tactics.
- Your uncle sends you his best wishes, - Duncan said. - He wants to remind you that Redcliffe's army could be here in less than a week.
- Ha! Eamon just wants to cling to our glory. We have already won three battles with these monsters, and tomorrow we will win the fourth one! I'm not even sure it's the real Blight. There are enough darkspawn on the battlefield, but alas, we have not seen the archdemon yet.
- Are you disappointed, your majesty?
The king smiled.
- I dreamed that it would be such a war, as in old fairy tales. And the king, shoulder to shoulder with the legendary Grey Wardens, rushed into battle with the vile god of darkness! Well, I'll have to put up with what I have, - he sighed. - I have to go before Loghain sends someone to look for me. Goodbye, Grey Wardens.
Duncan, Daveth and Elissa bowed to the departing king.
- The king is right. The army has defeated the darkspawn three times already, - Duncan said once the king was far enough.
- But something is still wrong, - Kallian noted. - If it was so good, the four of us wouldn't be here right now.
- There may be victories, but the horde of darkspawn is growing, - continued the Warden-Commander, slowly walking towards the camp.
- Cailan doesn't take darkspawn seriously. He was stupid back then, and he is stupid now, - Aedan said displeasedly. - Three victories can be just luck. Or the darkspawn play along with the king so that he gets cocky and makes a mistake. Howe is clearly not coming here, Eamon is delayed. Cailan should wait for reinforcements, not play a hero!
- Aedan, whatever happened between the two of you in the past, it shouldn't interfere with us now. You're right, but there's nothing I can do about it. Let's not hesitate and move on to the Joining ritual. I give you an hour to rest and eat. Search the camp for a Grey Warden named Alistair and eight other recruits. You can easily find them: these are two dwarfs, two Circle mages, two knights, a Chasind and a templar. After you find everyone, we will gather near my tent. Roger and I will be waiting for you there.
Duncan left with the mabari, and the four recruits decided to split up. Aedan found Loghain's tent and easily got in by telling the guard about some serious business.
Going inside, Aedan saw an elderly man in a well-worn silverite armor standing over a map of Ostagar and the Wilds. He was surprised to see the young Cousland.
- What are you doing here? Have you come for revenge? - Loghain asked.
- Revenge? I respect you even though you were against me. Too bad you didn't become my father-in-law.
- You dared to challenge Cailan to a duel! And almost killed him! Who do you think I should marry Anora to: an outcast and a troublemaker, or the king of Ferelden? Of course I want to be the king's father-in-law!
- So, it's all about the thirst for wealth and titles? About saving face? When you and Maric freed Ferelden from the Orlesian yoke, you too were outcasts and troublemakers.
Loghain slammed the table.
- This was different, it was a fight against foreign invaders! You wanted to split Ferelden and start a civil war for my daughter!
- I did it purely out of love for Anora!
- This is not an excuse!
Aedan realized that the argument was useless and decided to change the subject.
- Okay, we won't convince each other. How is Anora doing?
- She's fine, she's in Denerim now. And to be honest, she misses you.
- If I had known, I would have gone to her. But it was dangerous, it was better for Howe not to know that my sister and I were alive.
- I suppose you, with your youthful idealism, want to fight in the forefront?
- I hope so.
- Pray that Cailan has the brains to accept my plan.
- What if he doesn't?
- Then simply pray.
Aedan left the tent satisfied. He wanted to see neither the king, who took away his beloved woman, nor a potential father-in-law who did not support their relationship. But he had to do it.