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The Cousland girls followed Duncan through the dark and into the wilderness, stumbling over boulders and into ditches. The Grey Warden led them away from the main road that lead into Highever. No doubt Howe had men along it anyway.
Dawn came before long, stretching into morning and then a slightly overcast midday. It was a gloomy day, with heavy dark clouds sitting just above the horizon, and shadows stretching out in odd angles. Duncan eventually drew up to a small strand of trees on a hill. It had cover and a decent vantage point. He leaned against a small boulder, offering his water-skin to his companions. When they both refused, the Warden shrugged and took a long draught from the skin.
“You should rest here while we can. We will continue on to Ostagar and the Kocari Wilds once you have recovered your strength.”
“Aren’t you tired?” Rowan’s words burst out, grey eyes blazing curiously. Anything to distract from the harsh reality of what had happened to their home… and their family. She had not spoken in some time, and her voice cracked raspy from disuse.
“I could continue for some time if I needed to.” Duncan admitted as Laurel dropped herself to the ground on a particularly soft-looking patch of grass. A low noise of exhaustion escaped her, but her companions did not acknowledge it.
“I will not pass up the chance to rest while I have it. I am not so young as I once was.” Duncan added with a soft, warm look at Rowan, who still stood stubbornly with her hands on hips. She considered his words for a moment before picking a spot next to her twin sister.
Laurel’s strong, tanned fingers brushed over her sister’s leather armor, dusting off the Cousland heraldry stamped into the chestplate, just over her heart. She noticed a dark stain with a reddish tinge coloring the soft tunic Rowan wore beneath it.
“Ro! You are bleeding!” Laurel exclaimed, pushing herself up on her elbow and pulling at her sister’s armor. Rowan’s deft fingers pushed her away sharply.
“Stop that. It’s not… it’s not my blood.” Her voice broke and she sunk her teeth into her bottom lip to keep from crying. She had not told Laurel about Dairren. She had not told anyone. She’d felt oddly guilty about keeping him from her sister, but she knew Laurel would just smile in that strange, slightly disapproving way she always did.
“Oh…. Oh Rowan…” Laurel’s hands wrapped around her twin’s smaller ones, squeezing tight. This action shattered the floodgates, and Rowan dissolved into powerful, nearly silent sobs. She buried her face in Laurel’s shoulder, red hair spilling everywhere. Laurel’s arms clamped tight around her sister. She envied her release, the way she allowed herself to break down and cry here, in the middle of nowhere, in front of Duncan, who they had just met. Laurel had never been like that. She pushed her feelings down deep, focusing on her task. Couslands always did their duty.
“We’ll get him. When we see the King at Ostagar, we will tell him what happened to our family – to our home – and the King… the King he will see that justice is served.” Laurel felt herself babbling, rocking forward as she hugged her sister, eyes trained on Duncan’s back. He had retreated a few paces to give them privacy, but he could no doubt still hear every word. It is what she would have done. After all, he’d only just met them.
“Fuck the King.” Rowan snuffled, pulling herself free from her sister. Her eyes were like blazing lightning, rimmed in red and slightly puffy.
“Rowan, you don’t mean tha-“
“Yes I do. I’m not going to sit around and wait for his majesty to get off his royal ass and track him down. To what? Neatly hang him in a square like any other criminal? No. I’m going to kill Rendon Howe myself. And it isn’t going to be quick or pretty.”