Danra couldn't believe her eyes at what was before her. The beauty of Redcliffe, the quaintness of Lothering and the tranquility of the Dalish camp could not hold a candle to the beehive that was Denerim.
Next to her bounded her hound, Sirius while Leliana, Alistair, and Wynne discussed their plans. They had a final stop to make on their journey before returning to Arl Eamon. It was the final piece of their journey she had been dreading. She would have to return to Orzzamar and face her Bhelen along with the rest of her people in hopes that they'd help with the blight knowing all too well that her people felt the Blight was more of a relief to them as it emptied the Deep Roads for a time and granting them some semblance of peace.
Looking down at the treaties, she chewed on her lip as they walked by a vendor's tent in the middle of the street toward the armor shop of Master Smith Wade in hopes that the rumors about him were true about his skill at making armor from the skins they'd collected off the numerous drakes they'd killed. The dragon scales from their journey to recover Andraste's ashes were in their packs as well, but Danra felt that seeing the man would prove more effective than hearsay.
Finally after stopping Sirius from kidnapping a child and making him return the beast to its parents, they entered the store to hear a man complaining about the mundanity of his work. The man at the counter yelled something about them needing the money and that the smith should return to his work.
Sidling up to the desk, Danra asked, "Pardon my intrusion but is this Master Wade's armory?"
Looking down at the dwarf and then at her companions the man smiled his merchant's smile. "Yes yes, you have come to the right place, my lady. You are in the fine establishment of Master Smith Wade and I am his business partner Herren. Might I ask what brings you in?"
The man's words flowed as thickly as the oil in his hair and Danra knew that he would say just about anything for them to purchase from his stocks. Still she didn't let that dissuade her as she threw her pack on the table and pulled out the rolls of drake scale. "I heard Master Wade was looking for interesting work and was wondering if he could do anything with these drake scales?"
The sound of a hammer clattering on the floor was quickly followed by the sound of the man rushing into the room and snatching the skins from the woman saying, "By Andraste's blood this is real drake scale isn't it?" His hands ran along the skins a little too fondly making all present fidget in their clothes. Not even looking away from the skin he asked, "Where did you find such lovely specimens?"
Danra chuckled and patted the scales, "We found a dragon cult in the Frostback Mountains and they seemed a little too eager to give up some of their drakes."
Herren took a step away from the group at the sound of Danra's voice while Wade turned around and looked at the small stack and snatched two more rolls of scales saying, "I can make a fine bit of armor with this my lady. Shall we say about three day's time?"
Reaching into her moneybag, Danra counted out ten sovereigns and placed them on the desk saying, "Make it to and if I like your work I'll see about commissioning you for the rest of them."
Laughing out loud, Wade disappeared into his forge saying, "Herren tell the other clients their orders will be delayed."
The clerk tried to protest but it fell on deaf ears, or rather the sudden billowing of Wade's forge blocked the smith's hearing and his partner snatched up the sovereigns and huffed. "If you need weapons there's a stand on the other side of the town square next to the bar. I'm sure you'll find some more appropriate weapons to suit your needs."
Keeping her trademark grin on her face, Danra and the others left the shop and once out in the fresh air, Leliana and Alistair burst out into laughter as Wynne sighed at Danra's attitude.
"You know my dear, you make shopping so much harder than it needs to be."
Leliana covered her mouth saying, "Oh come now, Wynne. She finally got someone to take a few of those rotting hides off our hands." Looking back at the door she said, "Do you think Herren and Wade are more than business partners?"
Walking away from the door, and the shouting from Herren, Alistair shifted his shield asking, "Honestly, Leliana. Do you always have to stick your nose into everyone's business?"
The group began following the prince and Leliana wrapped her arm around Alistair's asking, "Would you like me to show you how to stick your nose in someone else's business?"
The sultry tone was not lost to any of them and Sirius began gagging almost instantly while Danra giggled and Wynne groaned about having to deal children all day. At that moment a group of children playing with some toy swords ran past them shouting about being Gray Wardens and defeating the Archdemon as a man shouted, "Fine dwarven crafts, direct from Orzzamar!" froze Danra on the spot.
It wasn't until the dog whimpered that the humans stopped in their tracks and turned to find the dwarven rogue with one foot prepped to turn her in the opposite direction. She hadn't heard that voice in almost a year where she'd sat for days in a cold dungeon waiting for the nobles to cast their judgment on her. Instead she was greeted in the darkness by one of only two people she'd ever been able to trust…and love.
Waving the children along after pretending he was a Darkspawn, the dwarf that was once her second continued his shouting until he turned to find her in preparation to run. His face went from shock, to sadness, to pure joy in a matter of seconds and Danra had to fight back the tears as she watched him hobble from his stand to greet her.
Her mountain he'd been once, the warrior Gorim. Strong, kind, and as noble as her father was when she'd last seen him, was now reduced to a wounded merchant selling dwarven crafts to humans or anyone with the coin.
Her knees shook as she continued to fight the urge to run, but as soon as his arms were around her and the words, "My Lady Aeducan," slipped from his lips she wrapped her arms in his and began to cry. The others in her group watched in silence for a moment before Alistair whispered something to Wynne and the two left the dwarves alone while Leliana and Sirius remained behind.
The man laughed a bit as he felt her body shake in his arms. Whispering how happy he was to see, her Gorim pushed her away for a moment and kissed her forehead, the whiskers of his beard scratching gently against her tattoos making her laugh as it always did when he visited her in the dead of night.
She wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled, "You're alive."
Gorim nodded and ran a hand gently across her cheek. It was rough and smelt of polish just like the morning of her commission. As he reached her chin he said, "I am, though a pack of Darkspawn did their best to make sure I returned to Stone shortly after leaving Orzzamar."
Danra looked down at his leg and saw him struggle to remain standing. Looking to Leliana she asked, "Would you mind helping me?"
The bard smiled and asked, "Only if he permits me to."
The dwarf chuckled, "I'm a warrior ladies. I have no need for your help." He puffed out his chest and grinned, "Though I wouldn't mind returning to my stall. I do have merchandise to sell."
Following his lead, Danra kept an eye on Gorim's leg and noticed how it bent a bit as he walked. She could tell he was in a great deal of pain, but she dare not mention helping him again. Though they were dead to their families, they were still alive and had their pride and that was something she'd never take away from him.
As they reached the stall, Gorim took out his chair and was immediately assaulted by Sirius' tongue. Laughing at the dog, he pulled a bit of meat from his lunch sack and tossed it in the dirt for the beast. As the hound chewed loudly on the meat, Danra browsed over his wares saying, "You seem to be doing well for yourself."
Grabbing a dagger from the stand she twirled it in her fingers as Gorim chewed on a bit of bread. "I'm lucky to even be making a living with all the merchant guilds around here. I'd rather be taking off the heads of Darkspawn in the Deep Roads than working with those savages."
Leliana laughed at this and took a long sword from the shelf. "This is a beautiful piece." Swinging it gently it whistled through the air as she said, "Perfect balance and made from excellent steel."
Her eyes bulged when she saw the weapon Leliana was swinging. "Gorim you can't be serious?"
Leliana stopped mid swing asking, "Did I say something wrong?"
Placing the dagger back, Danra nodded. "It belonged to…"
"It belonged to a dead man." Gorim interrupted as he smiled at Leliana. "But for a few silver I'd be willing to part with it."
Her hand flew across his face before she could stop it. A few passersby gave them odd looks but other than that no one noticed. Leliana set the sword back as she asked, "I had no intention of buy…"
"Have you lost so much of your honor that you'd sell your own sword for only a few bits of silver?"
His face grew dark. "I'm no longer a warrior Danra. I'm a merchant and a merchant sells what wares he has." He turned his gaze to hers, his eyes sad. "I'm no longer the man you knew or loved, Danra."
Clenching her fists Danra spat, "You are him, Gorim. Even if you've lost the ability to be fight a war you are still my second. You can still teach others to fight or even join me as a Grey Warden."
Gorim shook his head, "I can't my lady." He looked to Leliana and asked, "Would you give us some privacy?"
Nodding, Leliana whistled for the dog and made their way around to the opposite end of the market.
When they were gone, Gorim rubbed his jaw and chuckled making Danra raise her fist. "What's so funny?"
Flexing the muscles a bit, Gorim said, "You hit just like her."
"Like who?"
"My wife."
Danra's hand dropped as she stuttered, "Y…your wife?"
Nodding, Gorim straightened his clothes and nodded. "After I was attacked and I healed up a bit, I was lucky enough to marry into a surface family. All of these," he gestured to his wares, "are made by my father-in-law. He has a bit of a friendly rivalry with your friend Wade but is a good man, and my wife is just as much a handful as you were." He gave a small sigh, "I'm terrified as to whom the baby will take after."
The former Aeducan gulped loudly, "The baby?"
Gorim nodded, "Our first one. She's due in the spring and if you ask me is becoming more terrifying by the day."
Her anger slowly ebbed away at this news. She could tell that he hated telling her this, but in his voice she heard a happiness that she'd never heard before, even he was with her. She stood in silence, hating herself for what had just transpired between them and felt like a fool for acting like a child.
Taking a deep breath she said, "I'm happy for you."
Gorim stiffened at these words. "You are?"
Snorting she crossed her arms and glared at him, "You doubt my sincerity?"
Gorim stared into her eyes for a moment before bursting into laughter. Danra soon followed suit and for a moment the two forgot about their worries.
When they were done, Gorim wiped a tear from his eye and said, "Your father would be proud of you."
Her smile still on her face Danra sighed, "I miss him."
"As do I, my lady." Reaching into his stand Gorim removed an envelope bearing the seal of her former house. Handing it to her, he said, "He wanted me to give this to you if I saw you again."
Fingering the seal, Danra asked, "How was he when you saw him?"
Gorim shook his head. "Not well. The pain of losing you and Trian….he…"
By his lack of words, Danra knew what had become of her father. Pocketing the letter she said, "Thank you, Gorim, for following my father's wishes."
The former warrior smiled. "He was always good to my family. It was the least I could do, along with giving you this."
Climbing off his stool, he opened a large box and pulled out a familiar sight and handed it to Danra. "The Shield of Aeducan; restored to its former glory." As she took it in her hands he said, "He wanted it to remain in the hands of an Aeducan."
Wiping a tear from here eye, Danra laughed sadly as she remembered happier days with her family. When she finally looked up from the shield she asked, "So, what happens now?"
Gorim placed his hands on her shoulders saying, "You buy a couple things from me, at a huge discount of course. You return to fighting Darkspawn and I return to selling my wares."
Slinging the shield over her back, the rogue embraced the warrior once more and whispered, "I wish you were still with me."
Gorim squeezed her tightly and kissed her cheek. "I know. I know"
Later that evening around the fire, Wynne and Morrigan were discussing the new staves they had purchased in Denerim while Alistair and Oghren went on about the new blade Alistair had bought from Gorim. Sten remained off in his own little world while Leliana and Zevran talked about some of their adventures.
Poking a bit of rabbit with her fork, Danra felt her appetite fade away and set her plate on the ground for Sirius. Her mind was still back in the marketplace and Gorim; happy with his life as a merchant and his soon to be born child. And here she stood, surrounded by an apostate, an assassin, a bastard, a qunari, a bard, and a mage. All of them friends and yet now, after nearly a year since meeting many of them she never felt more alone.
Excusing herself from the group she made her way back to her tent. In one corner sat her family shield while in her pocket remained the letter she had been given. Pulling it out she gave it a quick smell and smiled as her mind returned to those nights in her chambers.
Her body shaking with nervous energy as Gorim's rough hands gently caressed her skin. The smell of a hard day of training pouring from them as smoke poured from a forge. Her groans as he entered her and their laughs when they were finished.
Nights long gone and no longer meant to be. Going to the corner near the entrance, she took out her lantern and lit it. Heading to the shield she removed a sword from behind it and took it to her bed roll. Blowing out the lantern she curled up under her blankets along with the sword and the letter.
Outside her tent, the laughter of her friends rang throughout the forest. While inside her tent, as a river carved a path through a mountain, so did her tears carve their way out of her heart.