Dragon Age Origins: The Tale of Solana

Chapter 7: Grey Wardens

As they entered into the Alienage, Solana was stuck on the deaths that had occurred. The girl, Nola, was gone. Elza was gone. Now the Lord Vaughan was gone at Solana's own hand. Had she done the right thing?

Valendrian was standing near the gate with the Grey Warden, Duncan. The Elder approached quickly upon the small group. He saw the blood on Solana's clothes. He pursed his lips tightly together before speaking. "You have returned... Has Shianni been hurt? Where is Tormey's daughter, Nola?"

Valora sniffed back some tears. "Nola didn't make it. She resisted, and..."

Shianni stepped forward. "...they killed her."

Soris looked at Solana before speaking up, "Nelaros, too. The guards killed him."

Valendrian shook his head and sighed. How did it come to this? The whole Denerim guard will be on its way here in no time. "I see. Would you please take Shianni home? She needs rest." As soon as they were out of sight, his attention fell on Solana and Soris' bloodied clothes. "Now tell me what happened?"

"Vaughan's dead." Solana spared no time explaining.

There was silence. Duncan watched with interest at the elves reactions to the news. He, himself, was surprised. This was truly her. The daughter of Adaia. "Then the garrison could already be on their way. You have little time."

"I'm not sure what we should do," Solana admitted. She was scared, but not sorry. She did what she had to do, or so she thought. Glancing at Soris, she could tell he was far from jail-bird type. What about him?

The Elder sent them off to change clothes and to clean up. As they were on their way back, the garrison was approaching. Servis, the drunk turned sober, came running over. "The guards are here!"

Soris took a sharp intake of breath... Solana could barely catch hers. Now was the time. Valendrian could see the panic written on the poor children's faces. "Don't panic. Let's see what comes of this."

The Captain of the Guard came forward with the angriest look Solana had ever seen on any shem before. "I seek Valendrian, elder and administrator of the Alienage!"

Valendrian cleared his throat. "Here, Captain. I take it you have come in response to today's disruption?"

The Captain eyes glow with rage. He stomped an armored foot hard to the ground. "Don't play ignorant with me, Elder! You will not prevent justice from being done. The arl's son lies dead in a river of blood that runs through the entire palace! I need names, and I need them now!"

There was silence through the Alienage. Sickening, heavy silence that weighed on Solana's mind. The whole place she had ever called home was about to be punished for Soris' and her crimes. She wasn't about to let that happen. With eyes to the ground, she stepped forward. She could feel the stares of thousands on her at that moment. She looked up, with only slight fear. "It was my doing."

Soris' eyes grew big. "No," Solana heard him whisper.

The Captain chuckled mockingly. "You expect me to believe one woman did all of that?"

"We are not all so helpless, Captain," Valendrian reminded him.

The Captain stroked his beard as if contemplating the Elder's words. He waved off some thought of his with a huff. "You save many by coming forward. I don't envy your fate, but I applaud your courage." He turned to face the crowd that had gathered. He browsed through each elf's face as he did. His men in the meantime came forward and took each of Solana's arms in a tight grip.

"This elf will wait in the dungeons until the arl returns," he yelled over them. "The rest of you, back to your houses!"

Solana grunted as the armor of the men pinched her wrists. Her head hung down. At least this way her people wouldn't get punished any more than she would. Before they began leading her away, Duncan cleared his throat catching their attention. "Captain... A word, if you please."