Disclaimer: Bioware owns all the characters, except Aisha. I'm just the puppet master.

Chapter 1 – The Liar and The Secret

The gang was sitting at their usual place in the Hanged Man. Even Aveline had joined them, even though she usually never enjoyed the crudity of the Lowtown tavern. Hawke was engaged in deep debates concerning mages' rights with Anders and Fenris, Aveline was trying to ignore how uncomfortable the surroundings was making her and Isabela was talking with Varric.

The pirate, sporting a mischievous grin, leaned forward towards the dwarf that was sitting on the opposite side of the table.

"Come to me, and I'll take you to places you've never been…" Her words were seductive but the laughter so imminent in her voice, showed otherwise.

Varric chuckled.

"Isabela," he said and protectively put a hand on top of his beloved crossbow, "are you talking to Bianca?"

"I think she deserves to feel a woman's touch on her trigger, don't you?"

Varric laughed out loud causing Merrill to jump at the sound.

"Oh stop it you," he said between laughs, "you are confusing her… and me!"

"Why?" Merrill interjected suddenly, "why is she confusing you? What am I missing?" The elf looked at her friends with curiosity in her eyes while Varric wiped away a tear. Isabela smiled affectionately at her innocent friend but couldn't help the next comment that slipped between her lips.

"I'm sure if you ask Hawke she will eagerly explain it to you. In fact, you are very welcome to use my room."

Hawke who heard her name being mentioned looked up just as Isabela offered her room. The mage gave a sheepish smile and awkwardly scratched the back of her head. She did have feelings for the elf but she had not confided in anyone and how the pirate knew was beyond her.

…

A few hours later Isabela approached Anders who was standing by the fire, away from the rest of the group. Varric had now began to tell the story of how the Hero of Farelden had saved the world from the blight with the help of a Witch of the Wilds, a bastard prince and a bard and the whole tavern was listening. Anders however, brooding as usual, was in no mood for stories and Isabela, even though she enjoyed a good story, had more pressing matters to attend to.

"What now?" Anders said as he noticed that Isabela was moving closer. He was tired, a little drunk and was not in the mood for Isabela's usual banter.

"You know tranquils," Isabela started, "you know a lot about them, don't you?"

"Yes, I mean, I know what I have learned throughout my life. Why?" Anders voice was tired, still expecting Isabela to come up with some rude punch-line to her questions.

"I would like to know if it can be reversed." Anders didn't know what to answer at first; the pirate looked so seriously at him, her question hanging potently in the air.

"Why are you asking me Isabela?" He asked but when the woman didn't answer he continued, "there has been rumor of the rite or tranquility being reversed by the help of a demon or spirit and…"

"Like Justice?" Isabela interrupted.

"Yes," Anders replied, one of his eye brows raised. "I supposed Justice could do such a thing if he felt inclined."

Isabela flashed a grin and trailed her hand along his arm.

"And just what would it take for him to feel inclined to do so? Hmm?"

Anders pulled his arm away from her, wishing that that pirate wench wouldn't do so. Especially since he was quite sure that Isabela didn't even mean it.

"Isabela, what is this about?" He finally asked and removed his arm from her touch, "do you have a tranquil that needs helping?"

"Of course not," Isabela answered quickly, a little too quickly, "I'm just asking for the pursuit of knowledge, naturally. You know me, always curious, always wondering." With that she giggled and left a puzzled Anders by the fire. The pirate needed a walk and left the tavern.

When she had left Anders moved from where he was standing and went over to Hawke, who had somehow in her drunken state wounded up with Merrill practically sitting in her lap. As he approached them, Hawke stopped nuzzling Merrill's neck, pushed her gently off and stood up.

"What is it?" She asked, knowing him well enough to see that he had something to say.

"I just had a strange conversation with Isabela," he said

Hawke chuckled.

"What conversation with Isabela isn't strange in some way?"

Anders shook his head.

"No," he said, "this was really strange. She asked about curing tranquil. I want to think that maybe she actually cares about the plight of the mages but my gut, and Justice, tells me that she has some selfish motivation. Maybe she wants to help someone."

"Isabela… help?" Hawke chuckled again, "are we talking about the same person?"

She looked around, looking for the pirate, "where did she go?"

Varric had by now joined their conversation.

"You looking for our rivaini?" He said, him drunk also.

"Maybe she went to her room…?" Anders tried but Varric shook his head violently.

"She has a room here," the dwarf said, "but she rarely uses it. In fact, now that I think about it, I have never actually been inside her room. Have any of you?"

Merrill came up to them and Hawke put an arm protectively around the elf's shoulders.

"Isabela's room?" Merrill asked, "I asked her about it once, you know, asking if she took any of her lovers there. She said that if she took her lovers back to her room they would know where she lived."

"Wait a minute," Hawke said, "has nobody seen the inside of Isabela's room? Not even the countless of people she sleeps with." The mystery seemed so intriguing in the drunken mage's head.

"I know which room it is, if you want to check it out," Varric offered and Hawke nodded eagerly.

Fenris and Aveline had already left for the evening but Varric, Merrill, Anders and Hawke all walked together towards the door that was Isabela's. Both Varric and Hawke were giggling at the thought of finding out why Isabela wouldn't show her room to anyone and Anders was still pondering why the pirate wanted to know about tranquils. Merrill was slightly worried that her pirate friend was going to be mad when they went into her room without asking but wherever Hawke went, she went.

They stopped outside the door where Hawke proceeded by picking the lock with dexterous hands. The mage smiled with satisfaction when there was a slight *click* and the door could be opened. The four friends held their breath as Hawke pushed the door.

It was a common room, two medium sized beds, a small table and an empty wooden bath tub. There was nothing uncommon about the room, or any object in it, the only thing out of place was the woman who was sitting on one of the beds, holding a book.

"Hello," she said and smiled but her eyes were vacant and on her forehead she bore the mark of the tranquil.

The four friends stood silently, unsure of what to say.

"What the-?!" Isabela's angry voice could suddenly be heard behind them. Hawke looked up, feeling guilty for entering her friend's room and uncovering, whatever this was.

Isabela pushed past Varric and entered her room. The tranquil girl smiled again when she saw the pirate but then eyed the other four people.

"Naishe," she said, "who are these people?"