Trying to calm the boy down was useless; Davin wobbled from side to side as his story spilled out, half-smothered by his sobbing. Ordhan did not need to hear him clearly to understand. An idea of what was going to happen began to burrow into his mind; he wanted to think about something else, anything else. It was the best way to cope. But the reality of it was relentless, forced upon him by distraught elf child in front of him.
"Shh, shh, listen," urged Ordhan, dropping to one knee with a jangle of chain mail. He looked around again before looking straight into Davin's reddened eyes. "You have to keep them from going. I would tell them myself, but they would not listen to me. These are nobles; they have guards, and if they try to fight them they will all be killed!" Ordhan cast a nervous glance towards the entrance of the Alienage. Reprisal was harsh enough for any elf's crimes. If a group of them were truly planning on invading a noble's estate, it would not matter what their reasons were.
He tried to force the echoes of the women's screams out of his memory. "Find your brother, find Markus, and tell him not to let anyone go."