Death may be the greatest of all human blessings.

-Socrates

Holden strolled down the hallway just in time to see a dagger being shoved into the jugular of one of his guards. Blood spurted from the wound as the man let out a strange gurgle before falling to the ground. Holden did not bat an eye as he surveyed the gory scene before him. He had done far worse to the prisoners in his time here and he felt no love lost for the guard. He was just another wretched human that the world would not miss.

What did surprise him however was the fact that the man had been cut down by another of his fellow guardsmen. Correction-guardswoman. The crimson haired guard removed the dagger from her victims neck and shook the blade clean, sending a line of blood splattering across the floor. Just behind her stood a rather buffoonish looking man wearing yet another guard's uniform, and a dwarf whose stench he could almost taste.

He was not a stupid man, and he knew that these were not simple guards assigned to the keep. In fact, they were not guards at all, and he knew exactly why they had come. He would have admired their gall to march into his fortress so boldly, had they not done so so tragically late.

The woman fixed him with a stare that would have made a weaker man buckle. But Holden simply gave a smile that was meant to be a challenge. A challenge he knew she would not refuse.

*O*

Leliana did not need to be a mind reader to know that she was staring into the face of the man known as Holden. She had experienced her share of torturers, and his eyes held the glint of cruelty that only ran in the blood of the most sadistic of men. She watched him motionles, feeling a rage burn within in her that she had never experienced before. Not even when she had felt the cold sting of betrayal at the hands of Marjolaine.

She could practically smell the evil radiating off of the man. She could feel Alistair's presence next to her, but he made no move to charge at Holden. It seemed to be an unspoken agreement between the two of them that Leliana would be the one to run a blade through the bastard's heart. Nobody spoke a word, and even the distant cries of the tormented prisoners seemed to have stopped, giving the whole keep a deathly silence.

It was Holden who finally broke the silence. His voice was raspy and cruel, just the type of voice you would expect a madman to have.

"Ah, here we are at last. And you must be Leliana."

Leliana was slightly taken aback, but thanks to her bard reflexes, she did not let it show on her face and her features remained stoic.

Holden let out a cold laugh that seemed to penetrate her soul. "Oh, don't be surprised my dear. You see, your warden lover had taken to calling out your name during the night. It was amusing at first, but after a time it began to grate on the nerves. So you see, we had to silence him."

Leliana felt herself snap. A terrible ringing arose in her ears and her vision became red.

*O*

Aedan walked slowly through the vast fields of Highever. He ran his fingers along the flowers, savoring the feel beneath his fingers. He inhaled deeply, breathing in the scent of juniper and jasmine. The distant sound of a child's laughter met his ears, and he smiled to himself as he pictured the youthful face smiling with glee. Off in the distance stood Highever castle, standing tall and proud just like the family that resided there-his family.

He looked up at the banners waving in the breeze, feeling a sense of pride rise in his chest as his family's crest billowed in the soft wind. He had long taken his family's name for granted, never having appreciated the weight that it carried when he had been growing up here. He had thought that coming back to this place would be painful and unbearable, but he felt only a sense of peace and solace that he had never experienced before.

Aedan...

Aedan paused and strained his ears. The voice was distant and quiet, almost as if the wind itself had whispered his name. He shook his head, certain that his ears were playing tricks on him. He made his way to the gates of the castle, standing in front of the massive iron bars. He heard the men on the battlements shouting for the gate to be lifted.

The gate slowly raised, the familiar creaking and groaning from the ancient iron filling the area. Rather than enter as soon as he was able to, Aedan stood and watched until the very last bit of iron disappeared from sight. He entered the courtyard, spotting a familiar face as soon as he entered the area. Ser Gilmore stood tall and proud in the courtyard, his red hair billowing in the breeze and his signature lopsided smile plastered on his face. He extended his arm which Aedan happily took, grasping his forearm in the way they had done so many times before.

"Welcome home, my lord."

*O*

Holden did not have time to react. Leliana advanced on him with a speed that was both impressive and terrifying. She reminded him of a predator who had finally found the opportunity to pounce upon its unsuspecting prey. He found himself pressed against the cold stone of the wall, Leliana's blade pressed against his throat. He could feel the tip press into his skin, the sharp point digging into his flesh, easily capable of ending his life with a flick of Leliana's wrist.

Her face was inches from his, her eyes filled with a hungry rage that would have made Holden's heart skip a beat, if he had the heart of a normal man. Truthfully, he had been expecting this face off. He knew that the warden's companions would never abandon him to his fate. Wardens were notorious for inspiring loyalty, even when the situation seemed dire.

"Where is he?" Leliana hissed.

An evil smile spread across Holden's face, further fueling Leliana's barely contained rage.

"Your warden will soon join the rest of his disgraced family in the void."

A primal scream erupted from Leliana, a sound that terrified her companions who had grown used to her soft spoken and gentle demeanor. Leliana grabbed the front of Holden's shirt, bringing her head into contact with his nose with all the strength she could muster. A sickening crack echoed in the hallway, followed immediately by Holden's anguished yells. He brought his hands to his broken nose, blood pouring from between his fingers.

"Orlesian whore!" Holden shouted, colliding a massive fist with the side of Leliana's jaw causing her to stumble backwards.

"Leliana!" Alistair shouted, hurrying towards her.

"I'm fine!" She spat. "Find him!"

Alistair hesitated for only a moment before hurrying further down the hallway with Oghren at his heels.

Leliana turned her attention back to Holden. The blood on his face giving him an even more intimidating appearance. He was a large man and she knew that he could easily overpower her and gain the upper hand in a physical fight.

But Leliana had no intention of letting him get the upper hand. She had no intention of letting this man walk away alive.

*O*

Alistair grunted in frustration as the door at the end of the hallway withstood all of his attempts to open it. He threw his entire body weight against the massive oak door, but it remained hopelessly locked.

"Damn!" He shouted in frustration. "Now what are we supposed-"

His words were cut short as Oghren flew past him straight towards the door bellowing like a bronto. The door shattered under the weight of the massive dwarf. Oghren crashed through the door, a slew of obscenities ringing in the air as he fell face forward onto the hard stone floor.

"Or we could do that." Alistair said flatly.

Oghren's angry shouts abruptly stopped, and Alistair felt his apprehension growing. He knew from experience that if something rendered Oghren speechless, it was something bad. Really bad.

Alistair stepped through the shattered splinters of wood that had once been a door and felt the color drain from his face.

There, in the middle of the floor with his arms shackled above his head was the mutilated body of Aedan Cousland.

*O*

Leliana and Holden circled each other slowly, each holding the knowledge that only one of them would walk away from this fight. They each knew that the other wanted nothing more than to see them bleed out on the floor beneath them, and neither one of them was about to back down.

Holden reached behind him and pulled out his prized dagger Bloodwake. He was no fool, he knew that this woman far outmatched him in skill with a blade. But that did not matter. The slightest prick from his blade would ensure his survival, all he needed was an opportunity.

Leliana sensed his intent. She had dealt with his kind before, and she knew simply by looking at the blade that it was coated with a deadly poison. She shuddered to think what concoction he had created and what it was capable of, but she had no intention of finding out for herself.

She eyed her opponent carefully, his untrained steps giving away his intention as he lunged towards her in a speed that surprised her. She easily side stepped his clumsy attack. She brought her blade up with lightening speed, piercing the skin below his shoulder.

He staggered slightly but managed to stay on his feet. Blood poured from the fresh wound, running down his arm. It was then that Leliana noticed this man was coated in blood. Blood that was not his own. His clothes were covered in grisly stains that now mixed with his own. Leliana tried not to think about the fact that some of that blood could belong to Aedan.

The thought sent a fresh wave of anger through her, causing all rational thought to leave her. She blindly lunged at the man, unprepared for the massive fist that slammed full strength into her midsection knocking the wind out of her.

Her breath caught in her chest and her daggers flew out of her hand, clattering to the floor beneath her. Holden took advantage of the opportunity by slamming his full weight into her, effectively knocking her to the hard stone floor. He discarded his own dagger, preferring to end her life with his bare hands.

Holden climbed on top of Leliana, pinning her to the floor beneath his weight. He wrapped his massive hands around her delicate throat and began to squeeze. Leliana immediately began to gasp for air, causing a sadistic smirk to spread across his face.

"Say hello to your warden, Orlesian bitch!"

*O*

Alistair and Oghren struggled to release Aedan from his shackles. The bolts were made from a sturdy iron, and Alistair grunted his frustration as he tried in vain to break through the locks. He was doing his best not to panic, but it was clear from Aedan's appearance that any moment could prove to be his last. Alistair had seen what was done to prisoners, but what had been done to Aedan was caused by a level of cruelty that he did not think could exist in the world.

He stared at the man he considered to be his closest friend, and felt an overwhelming sense of guilt at his appearance. He had willingly gone to this fate to ensure that Alistair would be safe, and he was now teetering on the brink of death. His once impressive physique was reduced to a mess of mangled flesh that seemed to cover his entire body. The mask that adorned his head was something out of a nightmare, the crudely carved eyeholes offered only a glimpse of his eyes which had remained closed since the moment they found him.

His heart was beating, but just barely. A stark contrast to Alistair, who was sure his heart was going to beat straight out of his chest.

"Come on, kid. Wake up!" Oghren's voice was thick with something Alistair had never heard from the dwarf before: fear.

*O*

Aedan...

Aedan released his grip on Ser Gilmore and glanced around the courtyard. The voice was louder now, and much clearer than before. Aedan couldn't be sure but he thought the voice sounded frantic. Almost panicked.

Ser Gilmore chuckled. "Now there is the Aedan I remember. Easily confused, even by the simplest explanation."

A series of blurred images flashed in Aedan's mind as a sense of realization washed over him.

"Am I-"

"Not yet," Ser Gilmore interrupted. "Damn near close though."

A wave of cheers came from within the castle, echoing throughout the courtyard, stiring up a sense of longing writhin Aedan. He recognized the jovial cheers of the knights of Highever. The men he had once fought alongside. Men he had once called friends. Men who had died for his family.

"They died willingly, my lord." Ser Gilmore said solemnly. "Not one man stared into the face of death and ran."

"They died for me." Aedan replied regretfully.

"Aye, they did. I did."

His voice held no accusation or criticism. Ser Gilmore remained an honorable man, even in the afterlife.

"And that is why I am here. To tell you that you that your place is not with us. Not yet."

"Rory-"

"We did not give our lives for you to escape, only to have you die in a dungeon. My men will not rest easy knowing their sacrifice was in vain. They deserve better than that. You deserve better than that."

Aedan felt a lump rise in his throat. "Thank you, Rory."

Ser Gilmore placed a reassuring hand on Aedan's shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll still be here when it's time." He stepped backwards, crossing his arms over his chest and giving Aedan a deep bow. "Until we meet again, my lord. My friend."

Aedan felt a pull somewhere behind his naval. He lurched forward and found himself spinning away from Highever for a second time. Ser Gilmore faded away as Aedan's world faded to black.

A loud screaming filled his ears, drowning out all other noise. It would take a long time for Aedan to realize the screams were coming from him.

*O*

Holden was expecting to see the familiar panic and fear flash in Leliana's eyes as he prepared to end her miserable existence. But it never came. Instead she looked back at him with a fire in her eyes that he had never seen from a dying person before. This only succeeded in enraging him further, and he tightened his grip on her. She began instinctively clawing at his hands, the natural survival instinct taking over. Any second now the fear would come.

Only it never did. Holden had never seen such defiance from someone who knew they were only moments from death. He had never seen someone so utterly unafraid to die, and it shook him to his core. A loud screaming suddenly filled the hall, piercing the deathly silence. Holden jumped, unintentionally loosening his grip around Leliana, giving her the opportunity she had been waiting for.

Leliana's eyes darted to her left to Holden's discarded dagger. She summoned what little remained of her strength to reach out and grab the blade. The instant she felt the icy cold blade beneath her fingers, she plunged the dagger as hard as she was able into the side Holden's neck.

He immediately released his grip on her as blood spurted from the gaping wound in his neck. She gratefully inhaled a breath of air as she wriggled herself from under him. She managed to roll to the side to her own discarded daggers. She reached for the hilt of the nearest, but a single glance at Holden made her stop dead in her tracks.

The man was on his feet clawing at the blade imbedded into his neck. Large, black vein-like lines snaked from the wound across his flesh. They slowly inched across his skin until his face was unrecognizable. His lips had turned completely black, matching the dark obsidian blade that had once been his pride and joy. A thin line of blood ran from his eyes down his cheeks, forming a small pool on the stones beneath him.

His movements slowed with each moment, and he was visibly growing weaker. Finally, a strange gurgling bellow erupted from him as he fell forward. He lay face down on the stone, twitching for only a few moments before he finally fell still.

Leliana had seen many things in her lifetime, but the image of that man's death would haunt her for the rest of her days. She quickly sheathed her daggers, trying to shake off the lightheadedness feom Holden's attack. She quickly regained herself and walked past the massive corpse, giving one final kick in the ribs before hurrying after her companions

*O*

Alistair and Oghren nearly jumped out of their skin as Aedan suddenly began screaming. It was not a scream that either of them had ever heard before. Or would soon forget.

The previously motionless Aedan began pulling against his restraints in a display of strength that astounded the two men watching. They had been convinced that the man was dead not a moment ago, and now he was pulling against the chains that held him with a resolve that only a man who is desperate to survive would find.

To Alistair's astonishment and confusion, the restraints slowly began to give in. Without hesitation, he rushed forward and added his strength to Aedan's, pulling with all his might against the chains. Oghren was quick beside him, and with the combined strength and resolve of the three friends, the chains finally broke free.

Aedan slumped forward, falling against Alistair who gingerly lowered him to the floor. He grimaced as his hands came away slick with blood. Aedan was clawing madly at the mask encumbering his head, grunting in frustration and pain.

A clattering noise from the doorway caused them all to jump. Alistair looked over his shoulder to see Leliana's frozen frame standing at the door, staring in horrified silence at the bloodied figure of her lover.

*O*

Leliana coughed slightly and clutched her throat as she made her way down the hallway. She could still feel his massive hands on her neck, and she was sure she would be sore for days to come.

She began to wonder where the scream had come from that had no doubt saved her life. She did not have to wonder long, as a loud commotion was heard coming from further down the hallway. She recognized the deep grunt that unmistakeably belonged to Oghren. She quickened her pace and immediately spotted the shattered door just up ahead. It appeared that Oghren had finally gotten his desire to destroy anything in his path.

Leliana forgot her own pain, and ran down the hallway towards the eerie noises coming from up ahead. She approached the door frame and stopped in her tracks. The sight that greeted her shook her to her very core, causing her daggers to slip from her fingers and clatter to the floor.

Alistair and Oghren knelt beside a masked and writing man, and judging from the sheer terror on their faces that masked man was the man she loved.

What had been done to him was nothing like she was expecting. Every inch of him was covered in lashes, cuts, bruises, and blood. The mask that covered his head was like nothing she had ever seen before. The screams coming from within the mask would stick with Leliana for years to come.

Aedan's fight to get the mask off was proving fruitless due to the massive locks securing the device. His shouts became frantic and desperate as he tried in vain to free himself.

His angonized shouts pulled Leliana out of his horrified trance. She pulled her the lockpick she always carried with her out of her belt, and slowly approached the writing figure. She knew he would need to remain still if she were to help him, but he was in such a frenzy she was unsure if he was in a position to be calmed.

"Hold him." Leliana croaked to her companions. Aedan stilled for a moment as she spoke, seeming to recognize her voice. Alistair and Oghren gently helped Aedan to his knees, holding him still as Leliana began picking the locks to the horrid mask.

The task was proving more difficult due to the uncontrollable shaking of her hands. A thin layer of sweat formed on her forehead as she struggled to pick the locks. Several tense moments passed, and Leliana was almost to the point of giving up when suddenly, the lock sprang open.

Frantically, she worked to remove the locks from the hinges. She did her best to be gentle, but she knew no matter how slowly she moved it would send waves of pain through Aedan.

Finally, at long last, she managed to undo the gruesome mask. She tenderly removed the contraption, letting out a startled gasp as a small pool of blood poured out of the device. She tossed the mask aside with a loud clatter, holding back tears as she looked at the face of her lover.

The skin on the side of his face had been burned badly, the skin pink and peeling where the heat had been the most intense. His lip was split open, and a thin line of blood steadily poured from his mouth. His eye was purple and swollen shut, hiding the beautiful gray color she had fallen in love with. There was not one inch of skin that had not been brutalized.

But somehow, miraculously, he was alive. His breathing was sharp and ragged, and she feared he was on the verge of hyperventilating. She gently placed her arms around him, uncaring of the blood that stuck to her. She gingerly pressed her lips to his forehead, murmuring softly to him.

"It's okay, darling. I'm here."

His breathing slowed gradually, recognition setting in that this was not a dream.

"Leliana..?" He said in a hoarse whisper.

Leliana almost burst into tears at hearing his voice. "Yes, love. I'm here."

Aedan glanced in the direction of Alistair and Oghren who both broke into relieved smiles. He pressed his forehead against Leliana's, savoring the first kind touch he had felt in what felt like ages.

"What...kept...you?" He croaked out before slumping forward as the last of his strength left him. Leliana held him close, sending up a silent thank you to the Maker for leading her to him. He was on the brink of death, but he was alive. And she intended to keep it that way.