Aedan Of Highever

by Milton Garby

  In the chantry Teagn stood at the door with the other men who guarded the barricade waiting for the battle and Mother Hannah recited her prayers. Kaitlyn held Bevin to her while the scared boy did his best to block out the screaming. Suddenly Kaitlyn thought she heard some kind of tune through the window, being carried over the screaming dead and Hannah's prayers. It continued to get louder and more powerful and she realized she knew this song. "The Men of Redcliffe." Her father taught her this song. And she joined, if perhaps to calm Bevin.

  Men of Redcliffe stand ye steady

  It cannot e're be said ye

  Bevin heard his sister's voice and slowly joined in.

  For the battle were not ready

  Stand and never yield!

  More and more people in the chantry joined their voices with the song of the men who were protecting them. Soon the whole village was singing this song of their courage and drowned out the screaming of the dead.

  From the hills rebounding

  Let these war cries sounding

  Summon all at Moira's call

  The mighty foe's surrounding

  Men of Redcliffe onto glory

  This shall every be your story

  Heed these burning words before ye!

  Ferelden never yields!

  The undead spilled forth from the castle and charged onto the village! The villager's courageous song drove them into a frenzy as the bared down on the knight who stood in their path.

  "Light the fire!" Aedan commanded. The flaming separated them from the undead, searing their flesh and slowing them down, but they still continued forward! Aedan and Sten charged the one who made it out of the flame while the knights held back, waiting orders. Morrigan and Wynne threw their spells at any who got past the warriors.

  The first wave defeated, Aedan regrouped with the men when a scout came running from the village.

  "Help us! The village is under attack!" He cried.

  "How did they get through!?"Aedan demanded.

  "The monsters are attacking from the lake! Come on we're not that well defended we need your help."

  Aedan to go to their defense! But first he had to make sure their position here would be held. "Alistair! You lead the phalanx!"

  Alistair couldn't believe his ears. He was to lead these men? No! This wasn't the time to be indecisive. Aedan and these men were looking to him to hold this line. He could not fail now. " I…I'll do it! No one's going to die here!"

  "Sten!" Aedan called grabbing Sten by the collar. "Make sure no of them gets past the line. Do you understand!? NONE MAY PASS!"

  "It will be done!" Sten confirmed.

  "Zevran! Guard the flanks! Kill anything that gets past them!"

  "I'll make them wish they stayed dead!" Zevran boasted.

  "Leliana! Morrigan! Wynne! You're with me!" Aedan ordered and the rushed back down to the village.

  Aedan charged back down the hill with the rest of their companions. Alistair was now alone. He had to lead these men. He would not falter now! Not when Aedan and these men trusted him! Another wave of the dead began to charge.

  "Knights!" Alistair ordered. "Shield Wall!" The men all locked their shields together and the flaming undead smashed futilely into this impenetrable of steel and pissed of dog-lords!

  The wall held the dead did not pass them and those that did were quickly hacked and slashed down by the qunari and the Crow. The dead continued to smash against the shield wall and it was starting to take a toll on the men. Alistair had to step up their tactics.

  "Phalanx!" Alistair cried. "Pincer formation!" The center of the wall backed up while the flanks stayed in place and created a V-like formation that turned into a choking point for their enemy. Soon the undead were assaulted on all sides by steel and flame. There was no room for them to move, no room to breathe. Just enough space for them to become dead once more.

  Down in the village….

  Aedan and his companions made it down to the village's barricaded square, where the men were engaged in combat with the dead. They were fighting in close quarters and firing arrows at random. Aedan charged into the barricades with Bevin's Green Blade and cut all his corpse adversaries down when they got too close. This was still only the first wave. They were not done yet.

  "Wynne!" Aedan called. "Heal the injured. Use your magic to provide us some protection!"

  "Of course!" The senior mage acknowledged.

  "Leliana, I want you to lead the archers! Give us well timed volley fire!"

  "I can do this!" The bard assured.

  "Morrigan, use you're ice and lightening spells to whittle them down before they leave the shore!"

  The witch smiled viciously at the undead assailants. "They won't be undead for long."

  Aedan stood in front of the barricade protecting the chantry alone, the people inside continued singing. Not the Chant of Light but the Men of Redcliffe. Not too long ago he wondered what reason he had to live for. Well, now he found it. He refused to die until he knew his homeland and her people were safe! Once more the dead charged. Aedan went berserk and could his reaver abilities manifest as the entropic energy of the undead surrounded him, sustained him.

  "Volley fire, present!" Leliana called and men drew their arrows. "Fire!" She continued to lead consecutive volleys to whittle down the number of zombies that came at them, but the dead's numbers were many and their arrows were limited.

  Aedan charged forward, "Come! Feed ME!" He cried as he cut down all that stood before him while Morrigan conjured the Perfect Storm.

  Murdock and Tomas watched in awe and amazement as this single warrior stood alone against this terrible force! They watched as he knocked of their heads and cleaved their bodies. The singing the chantry continued on through the night as the Wardens continued to hold their ground and destroyed their enemy.

  Men of Redcliffe stop your dreaming

  Can't you see their spear points gleaming?

  See their warrior pennants streaming

  To this battlefield

  Men of Redcliffe stand ye steady

  It cannot e're be said ye

  For the battle were not ready

  Stand and never yield

  From the hills rebounding

  Let these war cries sounding

  Summon all at Moira's call

  The Mighty foe's surrounding

  Men of Redcliffe onto glory

  This shall ever be your story

  Heed these burning words before ye

  Ferelden never yields!

  Dawn….

  It was done. After a long night of unwavering courage in the face of overwhelming odds it was done. They won the night. The sun's rays reached over the horizon and drove what remained of the undead horde back from whence they came. Teagan and everyone within the chantry emerged when the heard the men outside cheering both the Wardens' names as heroes and were amazed that not a single man who defended the village had died. It was nothing short of a miracle.

  The Wardens and their companions gathered in front of the chantry were everyone waited to greet their saviors.

  "Dawn arises, my friends, and all of us remain!" Teagan called. "We are victorious! And it is these good folk you see beside me that we still live. Without their heroism we'd have surely perished." Teagan faced Aedan and bowed humble. "I bow to you, ser. The Maker smiled on you when aided us in our darkest hour. Please, allow me to offer you the helm of Ser Ferris the Red, my great-uncle and a hero of Ferelden. He would be honored to have it passed to one so worthy."

  Aedan was humbled by this gesture. "Please, I need no reward for doing my duty, Bann Teagan."

  Teagan shook his head insistently. "I must insist. I refuse to let this act of yours go unrewarded."

  "Very well. I humbly accept."

  "Then take it. And use it in good health."

  "Let us bow our head," Mother Hannah announced, "And give honor to those who died in the defense of Redcliffe."

  Mother Hannah said a prayed for them, but Aedan
remained silent. He doubted the dead could hear him.

  "With this victory we have struck a blow that will allow to sneak into the castle and aid your arl." Teagan explained. "Be wary and watch for signs of renewed attack. We shall return with news as soon as we are able." Teagan turned towards Aedan. "Thanks to you we have a chance of getting in to the castle. When you're ready meet me at the mill."

  Aedan acknowledged Teagan's instructions and decided he would first stop in the chantry to see Kaitlyn and Bevin. They were both ecstatic to see him.

  "You, you saved us. I can't believe it. We're alive because of you." Said Kaitlyn.

  "I told you he was a hero, Kaitlyn!" Bevin declared.

  "What will you do now?" Aedan asked.

  "With the money you gave us for Grandfather's sword, I've arranged for someone to takes us to Denerim. Hopefully we'll be safe there."

  "About your family's sword, I think you should have it back." Aedan said handing over the Green Blade.

  "What? No. You already paid us for it. And you used it to save us all. You should at least take that as a reward."

  "I'm honored that you'd give such a weapon, but this is something that belongs in your family. I cannot in good conscience part you from it." Aedan insisted. "And besides, I like to use axes, anyway."

  Kaitlyn was in awe of this man. "Thank you. Thank you so much! The Maker sent you, I know it!"

  Before Aedan and his companions went to meet with Bann Teagan they made a quick stop at the tavern to get some well-deserved drinks. A night of slaying a horde of the undead can really make on thirsty. The men sat around the tables and raised their mugs to both their honored heroes and their honored dead. Murdock called for a moment of silence for those who couldn't share in this celebration with them. While they stood in silence Aedan gestured Leliana to grab her lute and everyone was surprised when Aedan's strong yet gentle voice filled the tavern with his song.

  Of all the money that e're I had

  I spent it in good company

  And all the harm the e're I've done

  Alas it was to none but me

  And all I've done for want of wit

  To memory now I can't recall

  So fill to me The Parting Glass

  Goodnight and joy be with you all

  Of all the comrades the e're I had

  They're sorry for my going away

  And all the sweethearts that e're I loved

  They would wish me one more day to stay

  But since it falls on to my lot

  That I should rise and you should not

  I'll gently rise and I'll softly call "Goodnight and Joy be with you all"

  A man may drink and not be drunk

  A man may fight and not be slain

  A man may court a pretty girl and perhaps be welcomed back again

  But since it has, so ought to be

  By a time to rise and a time to fall

  Come fill to me The Parting Glass

  Goodnight and Joy be with you all

  Come fill to me The Parting Glass

  Goodnight and Joy be with you all

  Several Moves Forward

  XoXoXo

  Aedan and the others stood in the Castle Redcliffe's main hall, tensions high. Not too long ago the castle halls were infested with shade demons and walking corpses that tried to rip them apart. Now it was a quiet as a grave, and with all the people who died in these walls it may as well have been. Aedan stood by himself against a wall, his arms crossed and his face grim. All Aedan think of was how this was all Teryn Loghan's fault. His and Isolde's.

  They found the bloodmage, Jowan, in the dungeon. The one Isolde hired to instruct her son in how to hide his magical abilities. The one brought to her by Teryn Loghain. The one who poisoned Arl Eamon on Loghain's orders. Aedan tried to weigh how much guilt both of them bore. While Loghain was certainly the reason behind so much death, the arl's wife also shared that burden. If she hadn't tried to hide Connor's abilities and instead tried to let him be properly instructed in the ways of magic, none of this would have happened. Her actions opened the door to all of this, regardless of what Jowan did.

  She was fearful of magic because all the men in her family who had it were evil men and she believed that it would make her son evil. So she thought if she got an apostate to instruct her son in how to hide his magic she could still keep her son and he would be spared the evil of it. Instead her actions unleashed a horrifying evil on Redcliffe which will be known of for generations to come. The irony was so devastating it was almost hilarious. Her stupidity and the way she looked at Alistair further cemented his distaste for Orlesian women.

  After what he had seen of what became of Uldred back in the tower when he was possessed, Aedan was committed to slaying the boy, despite Alistair's protests. After killing all of his undead guards Aedan was ready to kill him and be done with it. But he couldn't. When he arrived he found no abomination, just a little boy, full of fear and contrite, who wanted only to save his father.

  "Aedan, please, don't do this." Alistair pleaded.

  "Alistair, we can't allow this boy to do any more harm than he already has." The Warden reasoned.

  "This boy is innocent! He didn't cause all of this. It was the demon."

  "I know that! But you remember what happened to Uldred back in the Tower and now the same thing has happened to Connor. It's better for him to die quickly than to be used as the demon's puppet. There is no greater hell than not being in command of your fate, you know this, Alistair."

  "Wait." Wynne interrupted. "There is another way. Aedan, please listen. This isn't entirely like what happened with Uldred. Uldred willingly merged with the demon. Connor and his demon are still separate entities. The two can be separated."

  Aedan paused for a moment. "Explain this to me, Wynne."

  "The demon's power has been greatly reduced from all the undead it summoned. This the perfect opportunity for a mage to enter the Fade where Connor and the demon reside and attempt to slay the demon and relinquish its hold on him. The ritual requires several mages and a significant amount of lyrium."

  "The Circle Tower is days away. And the demon could launch another assault during that time."

  Alistair stepped forward pleadingly. "Aedan, please. If there's another way we can save Connor we have to try. It's the right thing to do, do you understand?"

  Aedan saw that Alistair would not let this go. He had to try to save the boy.

  "Very well. Send a Raven to Kinloch Hold and make sure they know that the situation is dire. We will stay and make sure that nothing else happens here. But understand this: if the demon takes over once again I will not hesitate to strike him down. I cannot allow it to bring any more harm to this place."

  "Thank you, Aedan." Alistair said with relief on his face.

  Aedan couldn't bring himself to do it, the boy didn't deserve to die and Wynne assured him that Connor could be saved, they just needed to contact the Circle. Wynne formed a ward around Connor that would keep the demon at bay until the Circle mages arrived. Aedan stood with his shielded back against the wall, his arms crossed and stone-faced as he guarded the study's hallway. He had to be ready in case the demon took over again. Aedan was surprised and relieved that for the first time since they started traveling together Sten did not question or contradict him.

  Arlessa Isolde approached Aedan from the main hall. "Ser Aedan. Thank you for what you…"

  "Silence, woman!" Aedan snapped. "Your thanks are as unwanted as they are pointless. I would have cut your son's head off and gone to bed and slept like a baby if were not for Alistair. If you want someone to thank for saving your son's life, thank the little bastard." Aedan pointed over to Alistair who was in the arl's study.

  Aedan could see he hit a nerve in the Orlesian arlessa. Obviously she didn't want to feel indebted to the man who she had resented for what he represented. Isolde decided she would walk away.

  "Arlessa Isolde." Aedan called with ice lacing his voice. "Remember t
his and don't you dare forget it. All the children that have been left as orphans and all the parents who've been left childless, every death that has happened here is your fault. Your selfishness and stupidity brought doom to these people, and to your own husband, all because of your ignorance of magic and the shame you had of your son."

  "No. No, it was Teryn Loghain who… why are you doing this?" Isolde sobbed.

  "Because it's true. You wanted to ignore the truth and now you have to face it. Jowan wasn't the true cause of Connor's possession, you were. And I'm not the one who's putting in the effort to save him, Alistair is. So why don't you swallow your pride, do the noble thing and thank him for it?"

  Isolde was shaken by his words. Never before had anyone ever spoken to her thusly. She looked over to the study and saw Alistair looking over some books and remembered how harshly she had treated him. Despite the fact he had every right to hate her, he spoke out in defense of her son and wanted to save him. Perhaps...perhaps this man was right. She could never undo the damage she had caused to her family and the village, but perhaps she could make up what she did to Alistair.

  Aedan watched the arlessa walk over to Alistair in the study. He couldn't hear what was being said, but he could see the obvious discomfort around them. Alistair bowed to her but she beckoned him not to. After a few moments of awkward silence Aedan saw Isolde start talking to Alistair, rather than talking down at him, like she did when she first saw him out in the village.

  "Must you be so hard on that poor woman, Aedan?" came a sweet sounding Orlesian voice. "Has she not been through enough?"

  "No. Not nearly enough, Leliana. If we save the boy, she will still have her son while many others lost theirs. She will still be an arlessa, while many others will have nothing. She needs to understand the gravity of what she has brought here."

  Like the others Sten stood by himself waiting for the mages to arrive. While he felt that they were wasting their time here he decided to remain silent and respect the Warden's decision. Sten didn't think highly of this country, its weather was cold and constantly smelled of wet dog, and the people were too unruly to respect any kind of authority, but the Warden was someone worthy of respect. Last night's battle proved that. The Tevinter magisters had used such tactics on his people before and it took an entire garrison and a whole week to finally repel the assault. But under the Warden's command with only a handful of hastily equipped fisherman, and the Warden's own ruthless disposition, they were able to fell an entire legion of the undead in a single night. Sten decided it was time he showed the Warden the respect he deserved.