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The Last of the Couslands	By : MistressofMagic Category: +A through F > Dragon Age (all) > Dragon Age (all) Views: 4395 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Bioware and EA own everything associated with the Dragon Age universe. I am making no money off of this fan fiction.

Chapter List
- 7
- 8
- 9
Chapter 7
Lothering
The journey to Lothering only took a few hours and soon the party stood on its outskirts. Bridget could see that there was a small group of men standing on the bridge that they needed to cross to get to the outskirts of the small village. As they approached…Bridget could tell that they were up to no good. That and the fact that there was a dead body nearby did not help her thoughts.
"Well, well looks like we've got some more travelers."
Bridget assumed the man that said this was the leader as he was standing at the front.
"And just what are you doing…exactly?" she asked.
The skinny man crossed his arms.
"There's a toll on the bridge now, five sovereigns to pass."
Morrigan raised her eyebrows.
"That's a tad high for your average toll…" she stated.
Bridget nodded as the man shrugged.
"Well what can I say…we've had to um increase it what with all of these refugees…"
"Your stealing from them, is what you mean." Bridget spat.
The man placed a hand over his heart.
"I cannot believe you would think that I would take anything from these hopeless people! I think we should teach this whore a lesson, don't you boys?"
Bridget rolled her eyes and withdrew her sword. The battle didn't even last three minutes and all that was left of the group was the leader. Morrigan tsked.
"And so the frightened mouse is all that's left."
The man squeaked under the scrutiny of her gaze and turned back to Bridget.
"Wait! I-I can give you some information!" he exclaimed.
Bridget cocked her head to the side.
"Oh? What do you think you can say that would be of any interest to me?" she asked.
The man swallowed.
"I can tell you that the Grey Wardens betrayed the king at Ostagar! At least that's what Teyrn Loghain's been saying."
Bridget's eyes widened.
"That bastard." She hissed.
The man stumbled backward over one of his dead allies.
"Now that I've told you that…will you let me go?"
Bridget raised her eyebrows.
"Just so you can harass more refugees? I don't think so."
She cut him down before he could say anything else. Morrigan expressed her agreement wholeheartedly.
"That urchin of a man got what he deserved. I wonder though…next time we meet ruffians along the road…perhaps we should just kill them and be done with it?"
Bridget shrugged and whistled for Zeus.
"Can you clean us up boy? Might look bad if we show up in the village covered in blood."
Zeus barked in compliance and soon they all stood blood stain free. Bridget and the others walked across the bridge and came to the outskirts of Lothering. Refugees lined the outside of the small village in tents all of them carrying looks of anguish and devastation. Upon entering the village, Morrigan noted,
"There is a tavern there…no doubt you will hear some more news…I am sure it is riddled with gossipers."
Bridget looked over at Alistair who was still looking at his feet. They all entered the establishment and sat themselves towards the back. Morrigan sat at a different table stating that she would try to get information out of another mage that was sitting nearby. Bridget turned to Alistair. She noticed his hand sitting on the table. Slowly, she reached out and placed her hand atop his. Alistair immediately looked up at her.
"Did you want to talk about Duncan?"
Alistair sighed and shook his head.
"You don't have to do this…"
He tried to pull his hand away, but Bridget squeezed it. Alistair looked back at her and into her crystal blue eyes.
"I know he was like a father to you, Alistair. I'm sorry."
Alistair shook his head.
"I don't expect you to understand how I feel…" he replied.
When Bridget removed her hand from his, Alistair looked at her again and noticed the hurt in her eyes.
"I've recently lost my entire family, in case you've forgotten." She quipped.
Alistair bit his lip.
"That's right…forgive me…I had forgotten."
Bridget sighed and averted her gaze. She waved her hand in the air.
"It's fine…we've been through so much since we met…I shouldn't have expected for you to remember."
Alistair looked at her.
"I should have though…I'm sorry. Perhaps when this is all over I'll go to Highever and give both Duncan and King Cailan a funeral."
"Maybe I will go with you…" Bridget said after a long pause.
Alistair smiled at her and nodded.
"I'd like that. You know Bridget…I'm glad you made it through the Joining. I couldn't see myself traveling with anyone else…"
Bridget gave him a small smile.
"I'm glad to be traveling with you too, Alistair."
Alistair opened his mouth to reply but didn't get the chance when the tavern door swung open and revealed a heavily armored soldier along with about five or six others. His cold eyes landed on Bridget and Alistair and he withdrew his sword.
"Boys, doesn't that wench look like the Grey Warden that was described to us?"
His companions nodded in reply. Alistair and Bridget stood, drawing their own weapons. Morrigan had appeared again as well brandishing her staff. Before Bridget could reply, a Chantry Sister with red hair seemed to appear out of no where and stepped in the middle of the tavern.
"You do not need to fight here," she began in a thick Orlesian accent.
The leader pushed her out of the way.
"Move, Sister…do not involve yourself in politics."
To everyone's surprise, the red haired woman withdrew a curved sword and began to take on one of the leader's guards. This granted Bridget and the others a momentary distraction so that they could join the battle as well. The other patrons of the tavern watched on as one by one the lead guard's men all fell.
"Wait! Please have mercy!"
Bridget's sword was inches away from the man's throat. She narrowed her eyes at him and withdrew her blade.
"Get out of here, leave before I change my mind!"
The wounded leader ran off. The redheaded Orlesian turned to Bridget and smiled.
"I am glad that you spared him…we do not need anymore unnecessary deaths. Where shall we be going next?" she asked.
Bridget became confused. Alistair too and said,
"Wait…hold on…who said you were coming with us?"
The redheaded bard replied,
"Why the Maker, of course."
Alistair furrowed his brow.
"Was that supposed to be some type of joke?" he asked slowly.
The strange woman turned to look at Bridget.
"I had a vision from the Maker. He spoke to me and told me that I need to accompany you on your journey. I prove to be quite useful," she added quickly as Bridget was sure she had a look of doubt cross her face.
"I can pick locks, and make poisons and,"
Morrigan said under her breath,
"It appears to me that this odd woman just wants some friends. I say she should look elsewhere. We already have enough people tagging along. I already have to put up with Alistair…I do not know how many more idiots I can take."
"Hey! I heard that!" Alistair shot back in a heated whisper.
Morrigan shrugged.
"Then at least you know I am an honest person."
Bridget noticed that the bard had not stopped talking yet and decided to stop her by holding up her hand.
"Okay, okay calm down. I…suppose you may come with us if it is that important to you." She said slowly honestly hoping she wasn't making a mistake.
The bard grinned widely.
"Thank you so much! You will not regret this decision. My name is Leliana…I do believe I did not mention my name. I'm so glad you have decided to let me come with you!"
Morrigan heaved a hefty sigh.
"Great…now we have another mentally unstable person in our party, and a Chantry Sister to boot. Are you trying to make this difficult for me? Do you simply wish me to return back to Flemeth?"
Bridget chuckled.
"Oh come now Morrigan, things can't get any weirder than they already are."
Morrigan sighed.
"I suppose you are right. At least she's not some crazed elf assassin or a drunken dwarf…"
Alistair snorted.
"I doubt we'll run into any characters that could be worse than you."
Morrigan narrowed her eyes.
"The toad threat still stands, Alistair." She replied maliciously.
Once again Alistair became very interested in his feet. The group exited the tavern and stepped outside into the bright sunlight where a child stood crying by a bridge. Bridget approached the frightened young boy and knelt down at his side.
"What is wrong, child?" she asked softly.
The boy sniffled and replied,
"My Mummy…I can't find her. There were some bandits in the woods and she told me to run as fast as I could, that she would be right behind me. So I did and I've been waiting and waiting and my Mummy hasn't come out of the woods."
Bridget sighed.
"Perhaps you should go into the Chantry, I'm sure they will help you find your mother. Plus you should get out of the cold."
The boy wiped his eyes and looked at her.
"Mummy told me not to talk to strangers…but it is cold…and I am hungry."
Leliana smiled.
"The Chantry Sisters will take good care of you, lad." She said softly.
The boy smiled and nodded.
"You're right. I guess I'll go there and wait for my Mummy. Thank you, you remind me of her because you're so nice."
With that the little boy ran past them. Bridget stood.
"I guess we should be, hang on…where's Alistair?"
Ribbit!
Bridget turned to see a toad hopping towards them. Her jaw dropped as she turned to Morrigan. Morrigan noticed this and rolled her eyes.
"As tempting as it is…your Alistair is over there standing like a fool and gazing off into the unknown."
Bridget furrowed her brow.
"Alistair, what are you doing?" she shouted at him as he was a few feet away.
Alistair turned and shoved something into his pack before rejoining the others.
"Oh me…I wasn't doing anything." He said in an innocent voice.
Bridget raised her eyebrows but decided to drop the subject. They entered a nearby shop and bought tents and dried food and bread and (upon Alistair's insistence) lots of cheese. They also bought some injury kits and health poultices for the long journey ahead. After paying for their goods and buying a few packs so that they could carry them in, they were ready to leave the small village. Upon exiting, Bridget noticed that two dwarves were being harassed by bandits and came to their aid.
"Thank you for that, the name's Bodahn Feddic, and this is my boy, Sandal. We've got some goods if you'd like to see them?"
Bridget figured why not and browsed the dwarf merchant's wears. She noticed he had for sale a small wooden statuette and bought it, thinking Alistair would like it as a gift since he had confided in her that he liked those types of things. She stuck it into her pack and led the others out of the village. Night fell quickly and they were forced to make camp because they could not see. Morrigan set up her tent far away from everyone else, making Alistair's day. Leliana was quite the cook and made them all cheese stew for supper.
"I was thinking," Alistair began as he bit into his piece of bread.
Bridget looked at him. He swallowed his food and continued.
"I was thinking that we should go and see the Arl of Redcliffe, I know he will be very helpful and will aid us against the Blight."
Bridget nodded.
"You mean Arl Eamon?" she asked.
Alistair looked at her.
"How do you know him?"
Bridget took another spoonful of stew and said,
"My father was good friends with him when I was younger. I have not heard or seen him for many years now…but I agree when you say he will provide us aid. He is a good man."
Alistair grinned.
"Yeah, he is." He replied.
Bridget finished her stew and sighed. She looked to her tent longingly and Alistair chuckled.
"You go ahead and get some sleep, I'll take first watch." He offered.
Bridget smiled at him.
"Thank you, Alistair."
She crawled to her bedroll and lay back, staring up into the twinkling stars of the night. Bridget didn't bother actually getting into her tent as it was still not set up properly. Plus, she found staring up into the stars to be rather comforting and she continued to stare at them until she fell asleep.
- 7
- 8
- 9
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The Last of the Couslands