"A sovereign! A whole sovereign."
"Take it."
Callie took the coin and tucked it away in her pocket. "All I have to do is get him alone?"
"Take him to the Gnawed Noble."
"Wouldn't the Pearl be better?"
"Did you not hear me?"
"I heard you. I just think the Pearl would be better is all."
"Take Nathaniel Howe to the Gnawed Noble tavern. Room 5."
"I." Callie had hoped she could use the opportunity to do a little thievery of her own. Another look at her employer quickly changed her mind. "The Gnawed Noble."
"Room 5. Don't forget. I'll be, upset, if you forget."
"No my lady I won't forget. Promise."
. . .
Men were so predictable. Always, so predictable. It's what made them easy to kill. Show them a pretty girl who's willing to bed them and everything else leaves their minds.
Predictable. And a little pathetic.
Leaning back into the shadows she listened. There they were. She could hear that witless tart giggling.
The door opened slowly, letting the light from the hallway stream in to hit the bed. She hoped her opportunity would come quickly, she had no wish to watch them roll around.
The door slammed back suddenly, forcing her head into the stone wall and knocking her out.
"Here." Nate gave the girl the two sovereigns. "As promised. And thank you."
"Thank you ser." Callie moved away to let him pull the woman out from behind the door. "You won't tell it was me what told you?"
"Never fear. I owe you my life, I won't forget that."
Crouching down he studied the woman lying on the floor. "What a mess." Reaching out he touched the scars bisecting her face lightly. "Poor child."
"You know her ser?"
"Yes. I know her." It didn't require much effort to lift her. Too little for his liking. "You'd best leave now girl." He heard the door close and moved to the bed.
"You're a problem aren't you Rowena? What in Thedas am I going to do with you?" He put her down gently then sat on the bed. "Look at you, all grown up. Grown up and angry by what that girl tells me."
The hand he slipped behind her head came away with blood. Not much but enough that it was worrying. "Ironic if I killed you. Ironic and tragic."
He'd have to find a healer and quickly. Praying she'd not die while he was gone, Nate hurried out.
. . .
Rowena woke to the feel of something brushing her face. Instantly alert she grabbed it and felt for her dagger.
"You're not armed." Nate let her hold his wrist while he waited for her to remember where she was. "And I'm not attacking you."
"What?"
"I hit you with the door. Harder than I intended."
"I'm surprised you didn't slit my throat and have done with it." Realising what she was holding, Rowena let go.
"Why would I do that?"
"Isn't that what you Howes do? Murder people."
"Weren't you here to do just that? Or was it a friendly visit?"
"Friendly. I thought you might like to meet my dagger."
It was some comfort that she'd retained that sharp tongue. Something his father had despised her for. Women should be meek and silent in his opinion and even as a child Rowena had been neither.
"Rowena." Nate sighed. What could he possibly say to her? "I'm sorry."
"Sorry your father murdered my family? Sorry he took everything from us because of some twisted idea we were responsible for his failures? Or are you sorry Fergus and I managed to survive?"
"I'm sorry for what my father did to your family. I don't expect that it matters to you, but I am."
"You're right it doesn't matter." She wouldn't let it matter. "I will kill you Nathaniel."
She reminded him so much of himself when he first come back from the Marches. So determined to kill the Commander. So full of anger and hatred for what he'd seen as the injustice done to his family. Unlike him however, Rowena had good reason to hate his family.
"You've waited a long time to come. I've been at the Vigil for two years. Why now?"
"They gave it back to you. Those bastards gave it back to you."
"Ah." Sighing again he stood and walked a few paces away. "Its not mine."
"They made you Arl!"
"Rowena, the Warden Commander represents the Order. If I'm moved on the next Commander will be Arl too." He could see she didn't understand, or didn't care. "It wasn't given to my family but to the Wardens."
"It's too much. You should have nothing!"
"Rowena."
"Nothing!"
Unable to do anything but try to comfort her, Nate sat and tried to put his arms around her. After a second of struggling she went limp and sobbed into his neck.
Some part of Rowena knew she was being unfair, that it wasn't Nate's fault. That he was as much a victim of his father's madness as she was.
She was so mired in her own grief and anger that she didn't listen to that part of her. Instead she listened to her rage and when she felt the dagger he had sheathed on his belt, she slipped it free.
. . .
"Anders."
Anders glanced up from the spell he was attempting to learn and grinned a the sight of his friend and Commander leaning in the doorway. "Your lady friend all better now?"
"I." Nate desperately tried to stay upright. "I need."
"Maker are you bleeding!" He was up and half way across the room when Nate collapsed.
...
"Oh yes, big doings since you were last here Warden. Had two of your lot staying with us for a while."
"Did you?" Caethes listened politely. Ever since the Blight this cursed bartender seemed to think she wanted to hear every piece of idle gossip he could lay his ears on. Why, the creators only knew.
"We did. Pity that Commander of yours died like that. Stabbed right here in the Gnawed Noble. Took us days to get the blood out of the floor."
"Died?" He couldn't mean Nathaniel, could he? "Nathaniel Howe?"
"That's right. That Arl's son. Some woman stabbed him during a lovers tiff. The Warden that was with him had to kill her to get near the body." He frowned at the elf. "Are you alright Warden? You look a little odd.