Alistair's POV
I couldn't believe it! How stupid could Brenner be? He brings with us a murderer, and insane woman, and now an assassin? What a moron!
The said insane woman was now singing as she cooked supper. As insane as she was, having visions of the Maker and such, she really was a good cook. The group was at camp. Brenner was talking with the assassin, his hound right by his side chewing on the bone I gave him earlier. Morrigan was stalking off in the corner mixing herbs together, while Sten sat nearby staring at the fire. He always seemed so solemn, a bit strange to me. Then there was Wynne who was reading by candlelight inside her tent, the only way I even knew she was there and okay was because the candle made a shadowed silhouette visible on the tent's flap.
"Need any help Leliana?" I asked the redhead who was cooking dinner.
She smiled at me, "Of course I do! But not from you!"
I frowned, she was speaking of my lack of talent of cooking, "I can get firewood."
"Okay," she replied, "Be careful though, I set some traps a bit south of here. I saw signs of bunnies."
I nodded. Grabbing a spare axe, I headed north, happy to have a task to do. I needed to think. Brenner brought an assassin with us, an assassin who was hired by Loghain. Which meant he might know my secret. I need to tell Brenner that King Maric was my father.
I groaned. All of this was too much!
Loghain betraying everyone, all the Gray Wardens, King Cailan- Duncan. Duncan who taught me most of everything I know. Ugh! And soon we're going to be at Redcliffe and meet Eamon, who most definitely knows my secret. Brenner has to know by then. If he never finds out…
But how am I to tell him? Saying "Hey Brenner, I'm King Maric's bastard." Just doesn't seem to cut it.
I found a dead log in the woods and started to chop at it. Soon enough there was enough firewood to last us the night. I carried what I could and started back to camp. Halfway through my return I had made up my mind to tell Brenner of my stupid Mother's mistake and have me. How I wish I was someone else! I'd rather be Brenner.
Brenner who's so strong. He has no faults. Brenner who is smart, dexterous, and kind. He's not like me. I'm weak, scared, and stupid. If only I could have half of his courage then I could be something.
Back at camp I sat the firewood near Leliana who had just finished serving up supper. Everyone had a plate of what appeared to be rabbit and potato, complete with Orlesian spices. The group sat down in a circle for supper, except for Morrigan who returned to her tent to eat, without so much as a thanks sent Leliana's way.
Wynne sat near me, her experienced eyes looking over me. If I could have half the knowledge Wynne had, I could be something.
Across the fire Brenner was eating beside Leliana. The girl was telling Brenner a story from what I could gather. One that seemed rather depressing, an attentive blonde assassin sat nearby the redheaded girl listening in to the story. Sten was eating his food, but was somehow eating delicately even though he was twice the size of me. As for the Mabari hound Rabbit, he was missing. No doubt trying to catch rabbits in the woods.
"What is wrong Alistair?" Wynne asked me, snapping my attention away from the group and back to her weathered face.
"N-nothing, just the ol' darkspawn and having to have to save all of Ferelden. But it's nothing, you wouldn't want to hear about it," I replied, she didn't seem catch the sarcastic tone.
"Do you know what it means to be a Gray Warden, Alistair? I imagine Duncan told you. He was a good man," Wynne said to me.
I avoided eye contact and picked at the fish with my tin fork, "Yes, he was."
"He was rather fond of you, you know," Wynne said.
"Fond of me?" I coughed, "Nobody's fond of me, they keep me around purely for entertainment value."
"Alistair!" Wynne gasped, "That's not true."
"Oh. By the way I tore a hole in my shirt," I said quickly to change the topic.
"I see. And?" Wynne asked. Either she fell for my attempt to change the topic, or she was letting me off the hook. I was guessing the later.
"Can you mend it?" I asked.
"Can't you mend your own clothes? Why do I have to do it?" Wynne said agitated with me.
"Sometimes I pick up too much fabric and it ends up all puckered and the entire garment hangs wrong afterward. And you're… you know, grandmotherly. Grandmothers do that sort of thing, don't they? Darning socks and whatnot. You don't want me to have to fight darkspawn in a shirt whit a hole, do you? It might get bigger. I might catch a cold."
With any luck, my whining would prove useful.
"Oh, all right," Wynne said, inside my head I was cheering. Having her mend my shirt was payback for her having me in the awful conversation about Duncan. "I'll mend your shirt the next time we set up camp."
"Ooh! And while you're at it, the elbows kind of need patching too…"
"Careful, young man, or puckered garments may be the least of your problems."
Too soon was supper done and everyone asleep. Brenner included. The assassin was in his tent, hopefully not faking to sleep. I saw that Rabbit was awake too though, so I plopped myself down by him.
"You watching for Zevran too?" I asked.
The two of us sat by the charcoals of the fire. Rabbit barked as if to say yes. How jealous I was that Brenner had his own Mabari hound. Rabbit was so beautiful. I wish I had my own.
"I don't trust him either," I said, "You know, I have a secret."
Rabbit cocked his head at me.
"King Maric was my father," I told him, "It's just stupid, you know? I mean I never asked for any of this. Why does this-"
I stopped talking because at that moment Rabbit got up and sped off into Brenner's tent. He dragged out a half asleep and barely clothed Brenner.
"What Rabbit?" Brenner grumbled, he didn't care that he wasn't dressed.
I wished for that confidence, yet again. Rabbit bounced over to me and barked.
"If that blasted mutt of yours doesn't shut up, I will make it shut up!" Morrigan's shrill voice suddenly sounded out through the darkness.
"Come on Rabbit, let's go to bed," Brenner said, nearly begging the dog to go into his tent.
Rabbit whined and then barked at me. My breath caught in my throat.
"WARDEN!" Morrigan yelled.
"Alistair, go to bed," Brenner said, "Show Rabbit that it's okay. He's just nervous about Zevran."
I nodded, "Sure…"
Slowly climbing to my feet I retreated into my tent. Sighing a sigh of relief, Brenner didn't realize what Rabbit wanted him to know.
Leliana's POV
As much as I trust the Warden's opinion and am thankful towards him for bringing me along, why did he have to decide to pick up such an amorous and cocky elf? For the hundredth time I blushed. Zevran had just made a sexual innuendo that made me nervous, but excited at the same time. Each time it seemed honest enough, but then… WHAM! Sexual innuendo.
"How long were you in the cloister, my dear woman?" Zevran, the assassin, asked me.
The Warden was leading us toward Redcliffe Castle. Earlier that week we had been at The Circle and on our way toward Redcliffe when Zevran's caravan attacked us. Immediately Zevran had taken a liking toward me. I don't know if it was because we were both rogues, or if it's because we were both from out of the country. Whatever it was Zevran liked me, and despite all his sexual jokes, I actually fond myself enjoying his company.
"Just over two years. Why do you ask?" I answered.
Zevran and I were walking at the back of the group. Brenner, Alistair, and Rabbit led the group, with Wynne and Morrigan arguing close behind them. A few feet in front of Zevran and myself was Sten, every so often sneaking a cookie into his mouth. Zevran wore his leather armor and nearly always looked straight ahead at Brenner. Whether his looks carried admiration, confusion, or if he was looking for a new way to murder him. I decided however he was looking, it was of no matter to me.
"And… and all the brothers and sisters there, they had taken vows?" Zevran asked.
"Most of them, yes," I answered.
Zevran smirked at this, he found it amusing, "For two years you had no contact with anyone but men and women who… who are promised to some uncaring god?"
This annoyed me. The Maker was not uncaring. It was us who asked to be free, it was us who deserved punishment. The Maker gave us exactly what we wanted and deserved.
"What are you getting at?" I hissed.
"Didn't you…" Zevran thought for a little bit, "Didn't you desire companionship, during those two years? Two years! The very thought makes me weak."
Zevran unintentionally shuddered. At that exact moment, I saw Alistair stumble on a tree root that stuck out onto the road we were walking on. Zevran started laughing, which caused Alistair to shoot him a look of hate. A look Zevran quickly brushed off.
"My time in the cloister was a time of contemplation. I occupied myself with thoughts of the Maker, and other… worthy pursuits." Zevran made a face at me and I continued, "But like I said, most of the brothers and sisters had taken vows. Not all of them. Some were just affirmed, like me."
"A-Ha!" Zevran exclaimed laughing, "That is not so bad then."
"Nothing happened, Zevran," I defended myself, though I suspect he did not believe me. There was no reason to believe me, for I was lying. There was one man… "It would not be right to engage in that behavior in a house devoted to the Maker."
"Why?" Zevran countered, "The Maker made us who we are. He made out urges; He gave us those parts. You think He made them for looks?"
I sighed, resisting to argue it any further.
"Darkspawn!" The Warden's voice boomed.
Instantly I drew my crossbow as Zevran pulled out his Antivan made bow. Zevran smirked up at me, with him being an elf he was slightly shorter than me.
"It'll be a pleasure to do killing with you, oh the other things I wish I could do with you," Zevran mused. Once again he caused me to blush.
From the back of the group Zevran and I covered everyone else with bolts and arrows. Once, at the Circle, I had accidentally shot a bolt at Brenner. I assume it was due to the close quarters that I had miss-aimed, but nonetheless, ever since I had been much more careful with my aiming.
As I shot a bolt at a darkspawn archer, I noticed that Rabbit had decided to take up ranks in the back of the hull.
"Le! DUCK!" Zevran's thickly Antivan accented voice yelped. Instantly I ducked, an arrow flew over my head. I turned around to see a fallen darkspawn grunt.
"Thanks Zev!" I yelled back as I switched my crossbow to daggers.
Zevran and I fought side by side, waiting for each and every darkspawn to be dead. Soon enough they were dead, every one of them. They were just stragglers, nothing that couldn't easily be handled. None of us even had a scratch.
"You guys are good," Zevran said, "Way stronger than the Crows."
"I should hope so," Brenner said walking back toward Zevran and myself. Brenner looked at me. His green eyes, so big and caring. "Are you okay Leliana? I saw some darkspawn made their way through us."
"We're alright," I replied, "A few darkspawn can't hurt me."
Brenner turned to face Zevran. I saw Zevran's copper eyes looking at the Warden. Zevran looked the Warden Brenner over with peering eyes. He was trying to find something wrong with him. It was almost as if he was to still look for a weakness, something to use against him. But it wasn't that. He looked at the Warden not with the eyes of an assassin, but something else entirely. I smiled as I recognized that look. Zevran was looking at Brenner with lust in his eyes.