The End Is Only The Beginning

Warden Loghain was supposed to be atop Fort Drakon. He had been ordered to take the killing blow on the Archdemon by the Cousland girl, the self-appointed Warden-Commander of Ferelden. Those were the first two thoughts that entered Loghain's mind as he awoke in a large bloody room with two dead ogres and a decapitated darkspawn emissary. Then, he recalled being picked up by one of the ogres and thrown against a wall.

He shook his head to clear his vision. That was a mistake. The pain that lanced through his skull almost knocked him out again. He would just need to take some time for his head to clear. He had been left behind, obviously. Perhaps, left for dead.

Kayda Cousland chased off Maric's bastard when she gave Loghain the chance to undergo the warden Joining … ironically, at the suggestion of Riordan, an Orlesian Grey Warden. Loghain didn't like speaking ill of the dead — especially a dead man who had literally fallen at his feet after disabling the Archdemon — but Loghain found the invitation a bit too convenient. Was the purpose to embarrass the Hero of the River Dane? Bind him to an organization in the pocket of the Orlesians? Loghain knew for a fact that the First Warden was an Orlesian and that Orlesian chevaliers had been part of the "help" from the Orlesian Grey Wardens.

Or, was the purpose to throw down something so abhorrent to Alistair that he would storm off? Loghain didn't despise Alistair. The boy had just beaten him in single combat. He deserved respect. And, Loghain meant it when he said that he was glad to see something of Maric in Alistair. He just hated how easily manipulated the boy could be … until that last insult drove Alistair away. Unless, that was also a form of manipulation.

Loghain wondered if Maric's boy was now languishing in some Orlesian prison. Alistair wasn't bright enough to have orchestrated everything that took place. Too naive. Howe always thought Alistair and Cousland were lovers, but the way they bickered all the time, Loghain doubted it. In the end, Cousland didn't show Alistair any respect or consideration … other than to get Anora to exile him rather than execute him. An execution may have been more of a mercy.

And, Loghain did survive the Joining. He had things to do. He knew he still had to protect his daughter and his beloved Ferelden. When Loghain awoke after drinking the noxious Joining potion, he could tell Cousland was disappointed that he hadn't just died. Maybe she thought that would have been a more fitting form of justice than Alistair taking Loghain's head on the Landsmeet floor. It wasn't. Historically, Loghain's wouldn't have been the first head to roll during a Landsmeet. Cousland's way was petty and cruel. Just like most of the nobles in Ferelden, Kayda Cousland never got that the word "noble" had two meanings.

Then, at the last moment before the battle to end the Blight, Loghain and Cousland were told of the greatest warden secret: it took a Grey Warden to kill the Archdemon or the beast would simply reform again and again. Bloody warden secrets! It verified what Loghain had been saying all along. It was the wardens' fault Cailan died at Ostagar. And, Alistair would never have deserted if he had known about it.

Loghain had tried to save half the army at Ostagar when failure was assured because Cousland took forever to light the damned signal. It was too late for even a miracle to happen. Even as much of a glory-seeker as Cailan was, he would never have interfered with the wardens if they'd told him. In fact, he likely would have gone back to Denerim in boredom. But then, that schemer Duncan would have lost his ticket to unlimited support from Ferelden's armies. The fool wasted twenty years not recruiting enough wardens and then expected Ferelden soldiers to fill in the manpower. Maybe even planned to recruit the surviving army after they'd contracted Blight-sickness. Even with this damning evidence presented to Cousland, she stuck to her story that everything was Loghain's fault … and he would pay for his "crimes" by being the one to kill the Archdemon.

Slowly, using the overturned and plundered chest next to him, he tried to stand. Damn wardens would steal gold from Andraste's statue in the Chantry courtyard if they could pry it off, he thought to himself. On shaky legs, Loghain made his way toward the open double doors leading up onto the roof. Before he got halfway up the steps, Eamon, Greagoir and Irving caught up to him. With a quick wave of his hand and a few words, Irving healed Loghain's aching head. He didn't miss that Eamon looked like he wanted to just run him through. Loghain returned a sneer that he hoped conveyed, You can try, old man!

Then, they ran up the remaining stairs to witness a most chaotic battle, but the dragon was lagging. Loghain took no time to think any longer as he ran toward the Archdemon.

"I thought you were dead!" Kayda Cousland yelled at him. Her winged helmet was missing and she had a gash from hairline to chin that had been healed by magic, but still looked painful. To her credit, the girl was still up and fighting.

"Disappointed?" Loghain swung his sword at a wound already started on the the dragon's front leg. He knew he'd severed the already weakened tendon. The beast was already grounded by a wide tear in its wing, Riordan's gift to Ferelden before he plunged to his death. At least now, with an unusable tendon, the Archdemon was also immobile to this spot.

Unfortunately, the dragon could still breathe flame. "Get behind my shield!" Loghain shouted at Kayda. They both crushed together as the dragon spit its nasty purple flame at them. Bits of arms and legs got singed, but they were spared the brunt of the fire. "Takes more to kill me than an ogre using me as a rock, Warden," he said in the moments it took to wait out the blast. "I said I would take out this beast and I will."

Loghain could barely see her face, but he caught her rolling her eyes. "I wish you'd had this sense of honor all along, you bastard."

The blast ended and they took up the battle once again. Loghain banged his shield to draw the dragon's attention onto him while Cousland skirted around and went for the more vulnerable spots. "And, I suppose it was honorable for Duncan to keep all these bloody secrets from me and Cailan? This could have ended long ago."

"He had his reasons, Loghain. No doubt you would have turned it all around to sound like Duncan was lying to you anyway. It was your misplaced paranoia kept us from ending this long ago." Kayda flicked her eyes toward the rump of the dragon. After hamstringing one of the back legs, the dragon sat and that's when she jumped up on the tail and tried to balance herself by straddling the ridge of vertical plates that ran all the way to the back of the skull. "You never listen unless you're the one doing the talking!" she shouted.

"At least I can trust what I hear when I'm doing the talking," Loghain mumbled, realizing Cousland was too far away to hear him. Several arrows whizzed by Loghain's head. Magic was also sizzling nearby. He knew Cousland, now on the dragon's back, would have no idea when the dragon was almost dead, so he took it upon himself to watch the beast carefully. When Cousland was halfway up the back, the dragon dropped. Its sides were still moving. The Archdemon was breathing, so it was still alive … but it was spent. "Everyone stop your attacks!" Loghain bellowed.

"What?! No! Not yet! Keep firing! Keep up the magic!" Cousland countered … and, as if to demonstrate that it agreed with Cousland, the dragon arched its neck and forcefully bucked her off … right into Loghain. They both tumbled to a stop near the edge of the tower roof and away from the dragon. The Archdemon's head fell to the stone after that effort drained it of any remaining strength. In horror, Loghain watched a volley of Dalish arrows hit the dragon at the same time as a powerful lightning bolt of magic. The dragon died.

"Bloody idiot girl!" Loghain yelled at Cousland as a blinding bright light left the beast. At its death, neither Grey Warden was closer to the dragon than a hurlock who had run up to help defend its master.

Before anyone could attack the hurlock, a circle of force left the dragon and knocked everyone down … everyone but the hurlock. Hardly able to focus, Loghain saw the hurlock run toward one of the auxiliary exits to the roof, surrounded by a protection detail of other darkspawn. Before anyone was able to make a move, the hurlock was gone.

The Archdemon was not dead.

"My lady! Your … Your Majesty, you must go with the guards to the safe room!" Erlina was shouting at Anora. Not a common thing for Erlina to do, but then, the poor girl was terrified.

Anora continued to strap on her armor. Not the ceremonial armor. The real armor that had been constructed specifically to Anora's specifications and enchanted by First Enchanter Irving himself. All done without the knowledge of her father who would likely be dead soon. Anora buried that thought immediately. There was no time for whining or hand-wringing anymore. The enemy had brought its fight to the palace doorstep. "You go to the safe room, Erlina. I'm not going to sit by while the darkspawn try to take over my country and kill my people."

Captain Corger Baines — the guard Anora's father hand-picked to see that no harm came to the Queen — shook his head. "You should listen to her, Your Majesty."

"Did you not hear what I just said?!" Anora was frustrated that the leggings no longer fit and threw them on the rug. Everything was too big. At that moment, Anora despaired of not eating all those months that led up to this horrible outcome. She'd lost too much weight to wear this armor.

"I did, Your Majesty, but my statement stands." He was being kind, not the brusque and uncultured manner of most of the guards in the palace lately. Rendon Howe and her father had replaced most of the polite guards with men loyal to Howe and Mac Tir and not Theirin. The look on Baines' face was sympathetic, but committed to not allowing her … his Queen … to do any fighting. He smiled as he picked up the leggings. "After this is over, I will see that these are refitted, Your Majesty. For now, please join me …" A crossbow bolt in his throat stopped him from saying any more.

Anora tried to reach for her sword lying on the bed, but was stopped by a voice, an Orlesian voice, and the hand attached to it. "Your Majesty, I am not here to harm you." It was a chevalier who stepped into the door. He released her when one of his men took away Anora's sword. Then, he held up his hands to show that he was unarmed; however, there were several armed men in the hallway beyond along with a number of dead palace guards on the floor. One of the Orlesian men had a loaded crossbow up, even though it wasn't aimed at her. "I am Ser Adalard, Royal Captain of Her Radiance Empress Celene, and I am here to take you to safety. Her Radiance wishes to put you up in safety in Jader until this Blight is over." He handed Anora a rolled parchment. It did not escape Anora's attention that Erlina didn't seem to be frightened any longer. She walked over to where the wide bedpost and heavy draping would spoil any shot the bowman would make in her direction. She opened the parchment.

Queen Anora of the Kingdom of Ferelden,

I have enjoyed our correspondence over the years and feel confident that you will come to appreciate what I am doing for you. The darkspawn threat is real and you have been betrayed by all around you there. You know that I understand betrayal better than most.

I also know that you abhor The Game and prefer plain speaking, so I shall be blunt. Your father was right in that the Ferelden wardens betrayed your country. However, it was by their incompetence and not malicious in nature. The few who remain there are untrained and unskilled. And lastly, to put it simply, your father betrayed you by not allowing the chevaliers to help as we had arranged. Your city will fall. Your country will fall. To the darkspawn. Not to Orlais.

Once the border guards were called away, three battalions of chevaliers entered Ferelden. They are now guarding Highever and Amaranthine against the darkspawn. The third battalion waits to see you safely to Denerim's docks and on to Jader. The reports my chevaliers have sent me are grim. City after city they came upon was destroyed or in a panic. Darkspawn control the Bannorn and farming will be impossible for decades. In short, no one in Orlais has any interest in Ferelden any longer.

There is no reason for you to die, Your Majesty. Go with my men. They will see you safely to Jader. You can rule what is left of Ferelden from there. Orlais pledges her assistance to you, the rightful ruler of Ferelden, and no one else.

Celene

Anora's first thought was, If I'd only listened to Father! Anora rolled up the parchment and handed it back to the chevalier. "I respectfully decline Her Radiance's offer of refuge and assistance."

The chevalier frowned, but he took the parchment and slid it back under his breastplate. "I see. Her Radiance bade me to protect you, Your Majesty, even if you resist." He nodded to several of the men behind him. "This should have gone more smoothly."

Anora had nowhere to run as the men grabbed her and held a cloth over her mouth and nose. Her vision started to blur, as the leader turned toward Erlina and said, "Your services are no longer required." Then, Anora saw the crossbowman aim at a surprised Erlina and fire. That was the last thing she saw.

AN: This idea came to me the day after I posted the last chapter of What Have We Here. It was further bolstered after I finished reading, "The Masked Empire". I'll keep my opinion of that book to myself. ;) I give the usual disclaimer … all of this belongs to BioWare, even the bits I make up since it's all housed in their wonderful playground of Thedas.

This is a pretty dark AU. The title should give you a clue of the basic question: What if some things did go wrong? I will try to post something every Sunday, but it may become every other Sunday because of another project I'm working on.