The Dragonborn Comes Ch. 14

Eamon and Teagan wandered into the courtyard to see us off, everyone else mounted. I shook each of their hands as they wished us good luck. As we would be heading to Orzammar, they would send any news they learned our way, while Leliana and Zevran were also waiting for news, that would be sent to Redcliffe, and then onto us, if possible.

It was mid-morning when we departed Redcliffe. Alistair knew the way, and suggested we'd arrive the next day, our pace tempered by the fact we had to allow for the cart, which was now headed by four oxen due to the additional weight. There was a new order to how we moved. I now took point as leader, with Leliana to one side, Solona to the other. Behind me were Alistair and Cerys, behind them Wynne and Morrigan, then the cart, then Sten at the rear, watching our backs. Zevran scouted ahead, returning if there were any potential ambushes.

Everyone was behaved as we camped that night. It had been a long day in the saddle, Alistair stating the turn off for Orzammar was only a few miles ahead, though we'd again have to climb into the Frostbacks to make the dwarven kingdom. "What should I expect?" I wondered.

"Oh, I forget you don't have dwarves on Skyrim. Um, let's see... Well, they're just like us, humans or elves, except their smaller," he replied.

"How small?"

"You're about six-two or something, right?" I nodded. "Their tallest are around five foot if you're lucky. But as a people, they're absolute warriors. For centuries, they have alone held back the darkspawn tide. Deep under us, they once had kingdoms across the length and breadth of Thedas. As far as I know now, they have two major cities left."

"Why don't the Wardens help?"

"We don't have the numbers to force the darkspawn back all the way to where they come from. Even our numbers during a Blight pale in comparison to the army's nations can provide."

"How will they react to our arrival now?"

"They'll grumble. Apparently they always do when we come asking for assistance during a Blight. But they are an honourable race. They will meet the terms of the treaty."

We were all in bed early that evening. Solona was already asleep by the time Leliana and I crawled into bed with her. Thankfully, all Leliana wanted to do was go to sleep as well. I sighed with relief and was asleep in minutes. The temperate dropped significantly overnight. Waking up with the sun, I could see my breath as I breathed towards the roof of the next. Leliana and Solona were all over me to keep warm. It was a pleasant way to wake up, just watching them both sleep until I gently kissed their foreheads to wake them up.

After breakfast, we packed up camp and headed out, making the turn for Orzammar in an hour or so. We were soon climbing and the temperature dropped even more, not helped by the arrival of snowfall. Everyone stopped to put on coats. I got mine out but I could handle the cold. Solona thought I was a little crazy, explaining I travelled to a mountain that broke through the clouds while wearing the same armour. And to prove I was fine, I offered my hand. "How is it still so warm?!" she cried out, immediately putting her hand back into her glove.

"Nordic blood, no doubt assisted by a little dragon blood, I guess."

Alistair rode forward to point out dwarven architecture we started to pass. Most of it looked positively ancient, further explaining that the elves and dwarves were far older races than humans. We chatted a little more about the dwarves, Alistair laughing at my inquisitiveness, before our column was brought to a halt by a bunch of thugs.

Dismounting my horse, immediately flanked by Alistair and Cerys, I kept my weapon sheathed as I approached them. I stayed back at least a couple of metres.

"Who approaches?" one of them called. He was a dwarf. Dark beard. Dark hair. Dark eyes. And an enormous fucking axe in hand. He was flanked by five more dwarves, a couple carrying similar weapons, the rest armed with two weapons. No bows, so that was something, and I knew dwarves didn't have magic, so that was an advantage.

"I'm the Dragonborn."

"The Dragon what?"

"Dragonborn. Sent forth by Akatosh to deal with... ah, fuck it. I'm the Dragonborn, and you're in my way."

"We're looking for Wardens. Loghain has put a price on the head of any we find."

"Why the hell are you helping Loghain?"

"He's offering good coin. We don't owe the Wardens any allegiance."

"Despite they're the only people who can stop a Blight?"

"Not my problem. I just want to be paid." Then he looked to my side. "And I think you have Wardens with you. Unfortunately, that means you all have to die. I'll claim you're all Wardens and make even more money."

"You're an idiot," I stated, happily unsheathing my sword, "But bring it."

An arrow flew by me, embedding itself in his throat. That was the signal to move. I headed straight for another warrior, blocking his swing of the great-sword with my shield, feeling it reverberate all the way up my arm as I stabbed forward with my sword, glancing off his armour. Despite the size of the weapon, the dwarf kept trying to get in close, no doubt to put me off balance. I wanted distance, to use my reach to my advantage. I also had to watch my sides and back though I was confident others were being handled.

It was time to stop fucking around and attack. I waited until he made a move, and I stepped forward, using my shield to knock his hands, putting him off balance, and I stabbed forward, hearing the crunch of my sword through armour before feeling it puncture skin and whatever else lay in the way. I forced it forward more until the tip nearly came out the other side, before pulling it out immediately. The dwarf dropped the ground as I twirled, ready to strike. But the rest were being handled, stepping forward to assist Cerys, our two weapons easily cutting down another dwarf, before the pair of us then cut down a dwarf wielding two weapons.

Being thugs, I cared little about treating them with honour, dragging their bodies to the edge of the road and rolling them down the mountain, to either wither naturally or as food for any wild beasts that called the mountain home. They'd pissed me off, so fuck them.

The rest of our journey took place in relative peace. I grumbled to myself, getting wound up about wanting to ride to Denerim and kill Loghain straight away. I could have taken him alone, but the darkspawn were the problem. Rounding the mountain road, I brought my horse to a halt to see dwarves on the surface. I looked at Alistair in surprise, he laughing at my reaction.

"Yes, there are plenty on the surface. Many dwarves leave Orzammar to seek their fortune elsewhere."

"Are they allowed back?"

"I don't think so. There are many rules to living in the dwarven kingdom."

A dwarf called us forward near the city gates. He had fenced off an area with some grass and stables, stating that for a few coins, he'd look after our horses. I asked Bodahn what he was doing, replying that he'd set up a trade stall and try and obtain things for us. Figuring he'd be doing that, I tossed a few coins towards the other dwarf and asked him to feed, water and tend to our horses while we were gone. Not knowing how long we would be, I promised more coin the longer we were gone.

Once we were all dismounted and horses in the small paddock, I led the way towards the enormous gates. They looked like thick steel, more than enough to prevent an invasion, or if they remained closed and the very worst happened, they might prevent the darkspawn escaping if Orzammar was to fall. But what really took my attention was the trio of humans talking to a trio of dwarven guards. In fact, not talking, arguing. I held up a hand to my colleagues as I approached. The guard on point glanced in my direction.

"More humans? I had no idea we were so popular."

I gestured behind them. "Are the gates always closed?"

"No, but they will remain closed until a new king is elected. Good King Endrin returned to the stone three weeks past, and there is currently turmoil in the Assembly. So until the crisis is resolved, outsiders are not welcome."

I noticed the three humans now looking at me. "Who are you?" the well-dressed one demanded.

"None of your damned business."

"Sir, I think he's one of them Wardens the regent wants dead," one of his bodyguards whispered.

"I'm not a Warden." Glancing to see the rest of my group form up behind me, I gestured, "But a few of them are."

The well-dressed man looked from me to the dwarves. "I demand that you arrest these people immediately."

Before the dwarf could say a word, and I doubted he'd agree, I had my sword unsheathed, the tip at the throat of the well-dressed man. I looked at his two bodyguards. "Weapons on the ground now, otherwise you can say hello to my golem." Once steel clattered on the concrete at our feet, I returned my attention to the tip of my sword, pressing it into his neck. "Don't know you are. Don't really care. Could kill you right now, forget about you in the next second. But you're not worth it. So you can return to Denerim with a message. Let Loghain know the Dragonborn knows the truth. And that he will pay for his crimes. The Wardens will win the day."

"Is that all?"

"I could send you back to Denerim naked if you give me attitude." He noticeably gulped. "Just fuck off already, the three of you."

Once they were out of sight, I turned back to the dwarves. "Dragonborn? Not heard that one before," the head guard said.

"It's a long story, but we're here because we require entrance. My friends behind me are Wardens. We have a treaty that requests the aid of the Dwarven Kingdoms in regards to the Blight."

"Blight? We'd heard rumour but never thought..."

"King Cailan fell at Ostagar. The darkspawn are on the move."

Alistair handed over the treaty. The head guard glanced at it, noticed the Warden seal, and handed it straight back. "Forgive me, Wardens, we just have to make sure. I'll have them open the gates. Just... don't judge us on what you find inside. I wasn't lying when I said the city is in turmoil. We don't get a lot of information out here, so you'll have to find out more inside."

"My thanks."

It took a couple of minutes but there was a rather loud clanking sound, and the doors slowly opened. There was more light than I would have imagined inside as we walked into what the head guard announced as the Hall of Heroes. There were plenty of dwarves around, and I couldn't help stare at them. They were just like humans, only... smaller. Some of them a lot smaller, but the men looked like men, the women looked like women, and the children were just adorable. Our appearance attracted plenty of attention in return, with plenty of digits pointed in the direction of Shale.

Exiting into Orzammar itself, I was simply amazed at how a city had been built into the mountain. It was warmer than outside, but was far brighter than I thought it would be. It wasn't as bright as outside. It was similar to dusk just starting to fall. As we all looked around, taking in all the sights, sounds and smells, my attention was eventually taken by two groups ahead, both heavily armed, and in the middle of an argument. I think to all our surprise, the two groups attacked each other, and bodies were soon falling to the ground. It took the sound of a whistle and running feet for the groups to be spread apart.

"What the fuck is going on here?" I asked myself.

We watched as the two groups were told to piss off, plenty of threats being thrown between the three groups, but the violence, which flared so quickly, ended as fast as it started. The guards then noticed our presence, and the guard captain approached, introduced himself, then asked who we were and why we were in Orzammar.

"Wardens? I'll be honest, you've come at the worst time. Orzammar is in crisis, and I'm not sure how much help we will be. But if there truly is a Blight, then we must respond to your treaty."

The captain then explained, in more detail than I would have expected, what our options were. Whoever he really was, he was definitely well informed, giving us plenty of options and ideas. The guards left us to it, and I gathered everyone around.

"Right, this is what I'm thinking. Cerys, you will approach Prince Bhelen. You are Lady Cousland, Terynr of Highever. And, as a Warden, you are representing the cause. Find out who he is, what he wants, and if he'll be useful.

Alistair, you will approach as the heir for the Ferelden throne, and you will do the same thing in regards to Lord Harrowmont. If we have to play king-makers, then so be it. But we need the dwarves, so we'll do whatever is necessary if we have to.

Leliana, Zevran. Do what you do best. Information, information, information. Learn anything you can. If it's important, come find me. As for the rest of you, for the moment, you have free reign, though try to stay out of trouble."

"What will you do?" Cerys asked.

"I'm going to wander Orzammar myself. It's amazing what people will talk about when they think people are not listening."

And that's how I met Dagna.