The Dalish Warden (The Daughters of Thedas Book 1)

53: Howe's Dungeon

I pushed open the door that led into the dungeon and was met by a guard. "Who goes?"

"Very funny. You know who I am," I bluffed, hoping it would work.

He scoffed. "Anyone who comes in here without Howe's say so, we get to do what we like with 'em," he said. Well, shit. Bluff called. "I think we finally got a bit of entertainment here, lads." He drew his sword and attacked along with the others.

It didn't take us long to defeat them. We fought our way through the dungeon until we reached a line of cells. I took the keys off the body of one of the guards and went down the cells, looking for anyone who might still be alive. Might as well free Howe's prisoners while I was at it.

"They're sounding the horns for retreat!" A man cried when we approached his cell. "Do you hear it? Do you hear the dogs howling?" I unlocked his cell door. "They said to retreat. The horn sounded and we turned and then the screams... We rode and they screamed and screamed and..." He wept. We looked at each other.

"What do you mean retreat?" I asked. "Were you at Ostagar?"

"Mother, can you smell the blood? They said it was only Darkspawn but we ate them, too."

"Um... gross," Zevran said. "What is with the eating of Darkspawn lately? Is that the new white meat?"

"Seriously, Zev?" I asked.

"They died and we left them. In the swamp. The witch. The witch!"

"He's obviously mad," Alistair said. "I don't think you'll get anything more out of him."

I didn't sense the taint in him so he must have gone mad from being here too long or from what he saw at Ostagar.

"You're free. Go someplace safe."

"Safe. Is there a safe? Perhaps next door..." The man walked out of the cell and wandered down the hall in the direction we'd come from.

"That was... interesting," Wynne said.

We found an Elf in another cell. I unlocked it and opened the door wide.

"What month is it?" He seemed dazed. "Are you some enemy of Arl Urien's? Please... I feel like I've spent half my life down here."

"Arl Urien died months ago," I told him.

"Dead? Then who's ruling? His son, Vaughan... He struck me down and I woke up here. People were so angry. They were thinking of petitioning the king..."

"The king is dead as well. Loghain," I spit the name out. "Rules in his place."

"There has been... many changes since they caught me. I... I need to find out what happened. I-I need to get home. Or... or flee the city. I... I thank you for your aid, stranger. I wish I had more than gratitude to offer." He jogged down the hall and we continued on.

We heard a man's screams and followed them. We found the source of the screams, a young man being tortured on a rack. His torturers saw us and charged at us. We slew them quickly.

When everything settled, the man called out to us. "Don't leave me here! Get me out of here! That's an order!"

"Must be a noble," Alistair said.

I walked over and freed him from the rack.

He wobbly stood, Alistair steadying him, and looked at each of us, a pissed-off look on his face. "Was this supposed to be a lesson? Did my father think it funny to leave me for so long before sending you?"

"Um, who are you?" I asked.

"Then... my father didn't send you?"

"Sorry but no."