The door to Vaughan's room was locked from the inside and was sturdy enough to keep Kylae and Soris from kicking it in. After a few moments of their failed assault, Eebon pushed them both out of the way and attacked the door with his greatsword. The bedroom door was hardly a gate meant to keep a determined warrior out, and it didn't take long before Eebon had hacked a hole large enough to reach through and unlock the door. No sooner had the latch been undone than Kylae kicked the door open and glared with unfiltered loathing into the room.

Shianni lay on a rug in the middle of the room, bleeding from her nose and her mouth, her face and neck already bruised in several places from the beating she'd received, and those were just the visible marks. Kylae knew there would be more that she couldn't see right now. Shianni looked at her two cousins like they were a dream and she expected to wake up soon. The beaten elf made an effort to keep the tattered remnants of her clothes together and cover her own body.

Then Kylae looked up from her brutalized cousin to Vaughan. The man was naked above the waist, and only wearing a pair of trousers. She could see three red gashing down his face that dripped blood, Shianni had put up a fight. "You!" Kylae hissed, stepping inside the room and pointing a sword at Vaughan and his two friends. "I told you that I would cut your throat! And don't you think for one damn minute that either of your idiot friends are gonna save ya… Your blood… belongs to me now!"

"How did you…" Vaughan drunkenly slurred. "Where in the Maker's name are the guards?"

Soris came in as well, both his hands on the hilt of his longsword. "They can't hear you now, shem!"

"You… Cousland!" Vaughan pleaded, "You know who I am and who my father is! Make them stop… take the knife-ear and just leave! I-I can pay you! Anything you want!" He finally grabbed his own sword but was so drunk that he couldn't even hold it without the blade wobbling back and forth. He couldn't take his eyes off the elf-girl who was steady advancing towards him, and the blood that covered her face and dress.

Eebon's face was filled with disgust and loathing for the man in front of him, and he entered the room only to block the door. "You've had your way long enough Vaughan." Eebon answered grimly. "Now you pay the price!"

In a panic, Vaughan threw one of his friends at Kylae and her sword cut deeply across the chest of the unarmed man, then her dagger disemboweled him.

"You can't do this to me!" Vaughan raged. "I'm the arl of Denerim's son!"

On the floor, Shianni whimpered, "Please… I want to go home!"

Kylae looked from Shianni back to Vaughan and hissed, "Not for long!" And threw herself at him.

Soris held back only for a second before moving himself, skewering Vaughan's other friend through chest.

From where he stood in front of the door, Eebon watched with no small amount of satisfaction as Kylae fought against Vaughan. The lordling was so drunk, and already so scared of Kylae that he could barely manage to put up a fight at all. Kylae could have killed him at any time, and Eebon knew it, he could see that she was only toying with him. After a while of the one-sided fight, Kylae slashed Vaughan's sword arm, and the blade clattered to the floor, then she reached out and slammed the flat of the sword into his ribs, and Vaughan howled in pain. Kylae dropped her dagger and gripped the sword with both hands, repeatedly beating him with the flat of the blade, and screaming a profanity or insult to him with each strike.

Finally she stopped the beating, and stood over Vaughn, breathing hard. "And now…" She said through clenched teeth. "This is where I kill you." She raised the sword one final time, but before she could bring it down, Eebon's armored hand lashed out, grabbed the sword, and pulled it out of her grasp. "What are you doing!?" Kylae screamed

"Saving you." Eebon said coolly.

"You mean you're saving him! The man who kidnapped me and friends and raped Shianni!"

"No." Eebon said, still using a calm voice. "I'm saving you, and all your people. Believe me, I hate him too, and there is nothing I would like to see more than you run the sword through him… But you can't do that."

"Why not!?"

"Because he was right. He is the son the arl. And if you kill him now then think about what will happen when his father and the king return from Ostagar and find out that he was killed by elves." He could see the realization start to dawn on Kylae's face. "Soldiers will come to the alienage, and they're not going to be content with just taking you and Soris for this. It will a massacre! And in all likelihood, the alienage will be destroyed. That's why you can't kill him." Eebon bent over and grabbed Vaughan by the throat, hauling him to his feet. "Take care of your cousin." He said quietly. "I'll find out where your other friends are, and then I'll lock Vaughan in a closet or something." He started to drag the helpless noble from the room before Kylae could protest again.

Kylae stood rooted to where she was for a moment, lost somewhere between anger and disbelief at what had just happened. Then she felt Soris hand touch her shoulder and she looked over at him.

"He's right, Kylae." Soris said quietly. "Killing him would have felt good, but in the long run it only would have led to more of our blood running through the streets."

Kylae finally nodded and knelt by Shianni's side. "Shianni…" She almost whispered. "It's alright now. It's over… We're going home."

"So… so much blood…" Shianni said distantly, looking at the crimson which stained Kylae's face and clothes. "You k-killed them… didn't you?"

"I did." Kylae nodded, then looked up at Soris. "We did… We killed them like the dogs they were!"

"Good…" Shianni said, still in a distant sounding voice. "Good." She repeated again and threw her arms around Kylae, not caring about the blood.

Eebon appeared again a minute later along with a very shaken Michelle and Valora. "I found them." He announced quietly. "We should probably leave before anyone else comes along."

Kylae nodded in agreement and tried to pull Shianni to her feet, but her cousin was still too deeply shocked from the recent chain of events.

"I can help." Eebon offered, and Kylae reluctantly nodded. The big warrior knelt by Shianni's side and said in a comforting tone. "Shianni, my name is Eebon. I promise that I won't hurt you, and if you allow me, I'll carry you out of here."

It took a few seconds for Shianni to realize what had been said, and even then her only response was to nod one time. Eebon smiled in appreciation and picked her up in his arms as gently as he could, and the group began to make their way back to the alienage.

Sergeant Kylon disliked going to the alienage, and not because of any particular disdain for the elves, it was the looks that he received while inside the crumbling walls of the alienage. He was always afraid that someone was going to try and stab him in the back or at the very least throw a rock at him. But the elves of the alienage were citizens of both Denerim and Ferelden just the same as himself or any other human, and so they deserved whatever service the city guard could afford them, although it had been abundantly clear all too many times that his superiors did not share that sentiment. But being the duty-bound, and determined guardsman that he was, Kylon made sure that there was a patrol through the alienage once a day. Today's patrol had been cancelled after Valendrian had informed him that there would be wedding, and Kylon told his men to stay clear. He didn't need them interrupting some elven affair, and stirring up even more racial hatreds.

Fate it seemed did not smile on Kylon that day, as he and a full squad of his guardsmen had been ordered into the alienage after a mob of elves had invaded the arl's palace, killed a number of guards and two of the city's lesser nobles sons, and then nearly beaten Vaughan Kendals to death. Despite himself, Kylon couldn't help a small smile from spreading across his face. If anyone deserved to be beaten nearly to death it was Vaughan Kendals. If he had a silver coin for every complaint received about the noble brat, then he'd be a rich man by now. His smile only widened further at the thought that it was elves who had beaten Vaughan. 'Now that's something he'll never be able to live down!' The sergeant thought happily to himself. His smile vanished as they passed under the gate that would lead them to the alienage, and Kylon fervently hoped that the number of guards he had with him would dissuade a riot or any other kind of violence.

As Kylon and his guards cleared the bridge that spanned the Drakon River, he saw that the elven elder, Valendrian was already waiting for him at the edge of the alienage, along with a young male and female elf, the female clearly drenched in blood, and most surprising there was a very large human warrior with a greatsword across his back leaning against the wall of a house with his arms crossed. The she-elf tapped her young companion with the back of her hand and motioned with her head for him to take off, which he did immediately. One of the guards to Kylon's right started to go after him, but Kylon motioned for him to stop. 'Is he crazy? Taking off alone through the alienage streets after one of their own? He'd be lucky to come back alive!'

"Good day to you Sergeant Kylon." Valendrian said as he approached. "How can I help you."

Kylon couldn't help it, he had to touch his forehead and close his eyes in irritation. "Please don't play dumb with me, Hahren." He pleaded, "It is beneath you. You know why I'm here… several soldiers and two young nobles were murdered in the palace today. I'm here to arrest the ones responsible for it. Please don't make it any more difficult than this has to be."

The blood stained girl stepped forward. "I did it!" She said fiercely, and with unmistakable pride in her voice. "And I would do again in a heartbeat! That son-of-a-bitch Vaughan invaded my wedding! Kidnapped me and my friends, then beat and raped my cousin! Where's the concern for that! Where are you shems every time something happens to one of my people! Thanks to you, we gotta dispense our own justice, and then you damn shems come down here and start treating us like the criminals!"

Kylon was shocked into silence at the girl's forwardness. "I umm... find it hard to believe that you accomplished all that by yourself."

"Pfftt…" She snorted. "We ain't so helpless y'know?! My mother was Adaia Tabris… I'm guessing you heard of her, and she taught me well!"

Kylon rubbed his forehead again, silently wishing he was a guardsman is some quiet little hamlet out in the countryside. "You have courage… I will give you that." He said, then motioned to his guards. "Arrest her."

"Just like a shem…" She groaned. "Let the other shem off clean and arrest the evil elf."

"You'll have a chance to defend yourself and your actions at your trial."

"Trial?" She repeated. "With a shem judge and a load of angry shems all screaming my blood… fat chance of any real justice happening."

Finally the big warrior pushed himself away from the wall and came closer. 'And just when I thought this day couldn't get any worse…' Kylon thought, and almost drew his sword in a preemptive defense.

"Sergeant." The big man said in a surprisingly quiet voice for someone his size. "My name is Eebon of the Grey Wardens, and I believe that I might be able to help in this matter."

'A Grey Warden?!' Kylon thought silently, and he heard the quiet murmurs from his guardsmen behind him. "And how would that be?" He asked.

"I came to Denerim to find a recruit for the Grey Wardens, I'm sure you've heard about the darkspawn army massing in the south near Ostagar. I am invoking the Right of Conscription and drafting this woman, Kylae Tabris, into our service. Therefore, she will be removed from your city, and you won't have to worry about an elven riot springing up because you arrested one of their daughters while they were only seeking to defend their own."

Before Kylon could even answer, the elf, Kylae looked up at the big warrior and said in disbelief, "You can do that? Really?"

Eebon of the Grey Wardens grinned and announced loud enough to be heard by everyone. "I can, and I just did."

Kylon instantly began to feel his headache lessen, and a weight from his shoulders begin to lift. "I see." He said, trying to conceal his own happiness at the resolution of the matter. "In that case, who am I to stand in your way. Just make sure that you get her out of the city by sundown for the sake of peace."

"I will do that."

"Alright boys," Kylon called loudly. "Our job is done here, back to your patrols." As the soldiers began to disperse Kylon looked back at Eebon and nodded appreciatively. He didn't need to say anything else, and the big warrior returned the gesture.

Eebon watched the disappearing guardsmen for a minute, then looked back to Kylae and Valendrian. "Now that that's taken care of," He started, and looked directly at Kylae. "I would suggest that you pack your things and say your goodbyes. I don't mean to rush you, but we do need to be out of here by sundown and that is…" He glanced up towards the sun, "Probably about three hours from now."

Kylae was too shocked from the situation to say much of anything, so she only nodded and turned to make her way back to her father's house.

After she'd gone, Eebon looked back to Valendrian. The old elf shook his head and said, "I thought we agreed that you wouldn't recruit Kylae."

Eebon smiled and chuckled. "It wasn't my plan, I promise you. But it did seem the best course of action, and probably the only way to save her from an executioners axe."

"I agree." Valendrian smiled as well. "Thank you for that. And just be sure that you take care of her. She was a headache, but she was also one of our own."

Eebon nodded. "I promise I will."

The Traveler's Rest was exactly what the name implied it was, an inn and tavern a few miles outside Denerim that mainly serviced traveler's going to and from the city. Eebon had seen better accommodations, but he'd also seen worse, and from the way Kylae was looking around the room and way she savored the food and drink provided, he guessed it was probably the best she'd ever had.

"Do you want more?" He asked as he watched Kylae shove the last of the tough bread into her mouth. She nodded and Eebon caught the eye of the innkeeper and held up two fingers, signaling for two more servings and pints of mead. The innkeeper nodded and moved to fill the order.

"So…" Kylae said after swallowing the bread, but before gulping down the last of her mead. "I'm really gonna be a Grey Warden? Just like in my mother's stories 'bout them? Travelin' all over the kingdom fighting darkspawn and saving people?"

Eebon nodded, and he had to smile at her enthusiasm. "If you want." He answered.

"If I want?" She repeated. "What in the Fade is that supposed to mean? Am I gonna be a Warden or not?"

"I'm giving you a choice whether you want to or not." Before he could explain, Kylae was talking again.

"Alright, you need to start making sense here, human-guy." She stopped long enough to look hungrily at the stew, bread, and mead that were delivered. "Just a few hours ago, you drafted me into the Wardens, you're taking me to Ostagar where I'm gonna be a Warden, you tell me that Wardens fight darkspawn and nothing else, and now you're making it sound like I have a choice? Make sense already!"

Eebon wasn't sure if she was done talking or was just taking a break to start eating again, but he took no chances. "I mean that I'm not going to drag you off to become a Warden if it's not something you want to do. I conscripted you back there just to get you away from Denerim so you could avoid a sentence that you don't deserve, but now I'm giving you a choice." Eebon stopped and chuckled to himself. "My commander, Duncan thinks that a weakness of me to allow such a thing, and if he knew I were giving you choice after what already happened, he would not be happy with me. But all the same I leave it up to you. You can go to Ostagar and become a Grey Warden, and serve the greater good for everyone across the kingdom. Or if you decide that's not the life for you, I'll take you to Highever with me and you can have a new life and a clean slate. It's up to you."

Kylae swallowed and took a long sip of mead before saying, "Highever? You gonna recruit someone in Highever too?"

"There's always a chance, but probably not." He shook his head. "My father is the teryn of Highever. I'm going there for a last visit before I head to Ostagar. You're welcome to come with me if you want… or you can travel with a military caravan that's passing through here tomorrow, straight to Ostagar. I'll only be a few days behind at most."

Kylae mulled the proposition over in her head for a few minutes before she said. "I wanna be a Grey Warden. I grew up hearing my mother's stories 'bout them… And I think that an elf like me bein' a Warden would be another good way to stick it to the shems."

Eebon shook his head and chuckled again. "You really hate humans don't you?"

"Damn straight I do!" She said quickly, then she smiled at him and said, "But you seem to be a decent kinda guy… Don't get excited, I ain't saying you're a good shem just yet… But if you keep goin' the way ya are, then you'll probably be the first ever good shem in my opinion!"

Eebon threw back his head and laughed much louder. Then he held out his mug of mead. "I'll drink to that!" He said happily.

Kylae grinned at him and thrust her mug against his, then they both threw back their heads and drank.

I will admit, the cameo appearances of Otto and Kylon were solely because I like both their characters and I wanted them to appear in this. So anyway that's it for this story, what did you guys think? Please leave me a review and let me know. Until next time...

Falconhawk