We didn't make Redcliffe that day. Instead, over the next three days, we had two new recruits. It's a long story and will take some breaking down.
Sometime during that first morning, our destination changed from Redcliffe to some out of the way hovel called Honnleath. We were heading there as we passed a travelling merchant, who offered Cerys some sort of device. At least there were signs for Honnleath, turning off the Imperial Highway with Redcliffe still some distance away, and Alistair mentioned soon enough that there were signs of darkspawn.
We hadn't seen any of those ugly bastards since Ostagar, and I know the two Wardens and I were looking for a little vengeance. We arrived in Honnleath in time to see it being ransacked by the darkspawn. Human bodies hung from trees and posts. Blood had flowed along the paths. Fires raged. The darkspawn didn't appear to take prisoners.
Our blood was up, and we fell upon the darkspawn without hesitation. I unleashed my Thu'um before the clash of arms, lighting numerous of the monsters on fire before we roared and charged. Our swords were soon bloodied as we cut down the darkspawn monsters, the smaller, fatter gunlocks, the larger, stronger hurlocks. Thankfully there were no ogres, and although they were dangerous, we already had tactics ready to fight them. Those of us with blades got in close, forming a small wall. Leliana was an archer, first and foremost, raining arrows down on them. The mages worked from a distance, either protecting us or raining damage within the ranks of monsters.
We slowly pushed the darkspawn back towards the village square. With nowhere else to go, they stood, they fought, and they died. We cut them to pieces, hacking them apart, letting our bloodlust take hold for a few minutes. Once we were done, those of us with blades looked at each other, covered in blood. One of us started to laugh. I know I released a roar, releasing the surge of adrenaline that had flowed during battle.
Cerys disappeared with Leliana and Solona, searching for survivors. Alistair suggested we should quickly gather up the darkspawn bodies and start burning them. There were a lot of them, and I suggested we dig a pit, throw them in, then have Morrigan burn them. He agreed, so I went looking for tools, finding a shed with a couple of shovels. As Sten and Alistair continued their work, I headed out into one of the fields and, after taking off my armour, started to dig.
It was back-breaking work, though after a couple of hours, I had a good pit dug. Solona and Leliana had come to watch me after an hour, receiving plenty of compliments about my physique. I was streaming with sweat, Solona shyly approaching to offer me a canteen of water when I asked for a drink. "I'd hug you if you weren't so sweaty," she said quietly. I made her squeal with laughter when I hugged her anyway, though her hands certainly explored my body, grazing the muscles on my back and she already loved stroking my arms. I glanced at Leliana, and she just smiled.
"I told you so," she mouthed at me.
Sten came and joined me a little later, and we made a good team. By the afternoon, we had a massive hole ready for the darkspawn. Cerys had found survivors by this time, and she'd made a promise to help them, as soon as we took care of the darkspawn. Hearing they were dead had certainly put us in their good books, at least.
Darkspawn stink when alive, and they smell even worse after being dead a few hours. Everyone helped drag the bodies towards the pit, even Solona, though she gagged more than once when doing so. I eventually looked at Cerys, who nodded my way, before letting Solona just stand aside. It was dark by the time we were done, Morrigan having used magic to light torches across the village. Once the darkspawn bodies were piled in the pit, Morrigan used magic again, and I think we all watched them burn rather pleased with ourselves.
We left them to burn as Cerys returned to the survivors, letting them know what we were doing, and that we would help them in the morning. They had plenty of supplies behind the barrier they'd formed, and while they didn't like waiting, they accepted the fact we'd had a very long day. In thanks, they said the tavern was still open, and we could use its rooms to sleep.
Having given the darkspawn a good thrashing, we were in good spirits that evening. The barrel of ale had only just been tapped, and we helped ourselves to it, ensuring we would leave coin for it. Cerys got a little drunk, and continued to flirt with Alistair. I'm not sure if she was trying to make me jealous or not, but I was pleased she was. Alistair was an honourable man, and considering she was now a Warden, someone she could actually share her life with.
I drank a bit, thankful I had a high tolerance for alcohol. The stuff in Skyrim was far stronger anyway. Leliana stuck to wine, stating she didn't like beer, while Solona had about three drinks and was properly pissed. Her attempts at flirting me were sweet but hilarious, and by the time Leliana was ready for bed, Solona was falling asleep against my shoulder.
No surprise that the three of us shared a room. I suggested to Leliana that we just go to sleep, while Solona was drunkenly suggesting we do something else. I would happily fuck most women, but I didn't fuck drunk women, and certainly not a drunk woman who I thought had never done it before. It was only a thought; I would have to wait for confirmation. Thankfully, as soon as I put her under the covers, she passed out again. Leliana made sure there was a bucket next to the bed, just in case she was ill during the evening. Leliana lay in the middle, and I watched Solona sleep as I chatted with Leliana.
"You like her," she whispered.
"I do."
She smiled and leaned up to kiss me. "So do I. She's incredibly sweet."
"And also innocent."
Leliana knew what I meant. "I know. She hasn't said as much, but it's easy to see. That's why you should wait until she asks."
I leaned down to kiss her this time. "I know, and I will." I paused before asking, "And you're okay with that?"
"Of course." I must have looked surprised, so she added, "We can talk about it later. But it's fine, Ragnar."
The next day, after Solona had woken up with a terrible hangover, taking half the day to recover, we helped the survivors. As I'd already learned, if it wasn't the darkspawn causing problems, it was demons. It was rather amusing the demon had possessed, of all things, a cat, but that didn't make it any less dangerous.
Cerys played a blinder, though, agreeing with the demon all the way up until it agreed to release the girl. We immediately turned on it, allowing the girl to escape, as the cat disappeared to reveal a desire demon. It summoned plenty of demon allies, and nearly of us took a wound or two in the ensuing battle. Wynne tried to heal us as we fought, but it was sheer chaos in that basement. Once the desire demon was killed, though, the rest of the demons were wiped out with ease.
Returning upstairs, the survivors dissolved the barrier and there was a round of handshakes and hugs, all of them thanking us profusely. "We thought we were the only ones left alive," one of them admitted.
Now it was time to use the device. One of the survivors recognised the device Cerys was holding, and after a short conversation, we headed out towards the statue standing in the middle of the village square. Holding the device aloft, she said a couple of words in another language, standing back as we all looked at the statue.
I swear to all Nine Divines that the thing started to move. "It's a golem!" Wynne exclaimed.
"A what?" I asked.
"You'll see."
Cerys took the lead in the conversation with the golem. The first thing we learned is that the device in her possession was a control rod for the now awake golem. But that the control rod was now worthless, as it didn't work. Not that it mattered anyway. The golem introduced itself as Shale, continuing on with its story of how it came to be in Honnleath. Asking where it was from originally, it couldn't tell us.
With offers to remain the village for a last night, we offered in return to escort the survivors towards Redcliffe. They all agreed. Nearly everyone had lost a loved one, and with more than half the village burned and destroyed, it would have to wait until the war ended before it could be rebuilt.
We gathered in the tavern again that night, though were better behaved than the previous evening. Solona didn't drink anything this time, still feeling rough after the night before, and it was little surprise she headed to bed early. Eventually only Leliana, Cerys and I were left at the table, Sten heading outside, suggesting he would just keep an eye on things during the night. The qunari seemed to survive on practically no sleep.
"So, Ragnar," Cerys began.
I tried to stop the groan but couldn't. "What?"
"Who else are you going to fuck?" Leliana started to giggle as I feigned banging my head on the table. "Just wondering, is all."
"Why do you care?" I retorted, though nicely. I knew she was only joking.
"Well, let's break it down. You've fucked me, and I would like to do it again. Before you reply, yes, despite that, I actually look at Alistair and think 'He's a genuinely good man, just like Ragnar. But maybe there's something there.' But, until then, sex isn't off the table regarding us."
"And I won't mind," Leliana added, "I can see the affection you have for him."
"So that's two of us so far. I can see Solona definitely likes you, so I can only assume you'll end up fucking her too." I shrugged. "And I think even Wynne is thinking about it."
"With age comes experience, Cerys," Leliana suggested, "She might even show Ragnar a thing or two."
"It's possible, though he's pretty bloody good already."
"Definitely," Leliana readily agreed, leaning over to kiss my cheek.
"So now I'm just wondering what he'll do if we gain any more recruits who just happen to have two legs, two breasts and a vagina?"
Shrugging, I just smiled as I said, "Probably try and fuck them too."
Both of them just started laughing. "Well, at least you're honest," Cerys admitted.
"Look, I'm not in a relationship with anyone here." I gestured for Cerys to move her chair closer, grabbing her hand once she'd done so. "Cerys, I am your sworn warrior. My affection for you is boundless. I will do everything I can to honour my vow and protect you with my life. And if I die keeping that vow, and holding my honour, then that will be a good death."
Cerys just hugged me tightly. "Thank you," she whispered.
