2. Re: Nathaniel

To Percival, Vigil's Keep

Dear brother,

I have just received your letter, and I must say I'm appalled. No, not by the news of Amaranthine under siege, but by the dreadful gravity of your correspondence.

As you are technically now my vassal, I will from this moment forth require at least one witticism or joke per letter. Each failure to comply will net a fee, to be skimmed off the top of your tax revenues.

It's the least any of us can do these days, to have a little fun every once in a while, don't you think?

And as for this news of Nate... well, I would be wary. He held much respect for his father, if you recall. I suspect he hasn't taken kindly to the news that you killed him... much less under such... gruesome circumstances. I'll have my men keep an eye on the roads, just in case he decides to head this way, but most of his ire, I would suspect, is focused on you. Be careful, little brother. The last thing I would want is to lose you to a dagger in the back after everything we've both endured.

Your brother,

Fergus, Highever

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Perce,

You... uh... got peeple watchin out, right? Fer the schleets?

Just makin sure. Can't be too carefull! Cood be lurkin anywear!

Oghren

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Percival,

I suppose none of us have discussed what happened to your family, and after what you have told me about your encounter with Nate, I suppose it must fall to me.

Our father was a complicated man. I won't make excuses, but I think all of us were very lucky not to grow up in the Ferelden that our parents did.

Let this be a formal apology, on behalf of all Howes past and future, for the horrible crimes committed against your family and others.

And a favor... please, if you see Nate again, give him a chance. He has been away for too long, and so he did not see Father's slow fall beyond reason. He does not understand. Please, Percy, try to be patient with my brother until such a time as the truth is revealed.

It was good to see you. Take care.

Delilah Howe

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To Percival, Vigil's Keep

Dear brother,

What did I say about your abhorrent lack of humor? Give me that levy, and feel guilty for all that poor peasants that could have been fed instead.

However, I cannot help but hear the gossip about a certain wayward Howe passing his Joining. Are you certain you know what you're doing, Percy? It's no small secret that he outright admitted to wanting to kill you, and if I remember Nate, he is as good as his word in most things.

I do not know whether I could handle looking at one of his progeny every day and not stabbing him where he stands. You, brother, truly are a better man than I.

Fergus, Highever

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Commander,

I owe you a formal apology.

When I had heard you were squatting in Amaranthine, I had thought you were merely adding insult to murder by using my family's keep as some sort of trophy. I could never have imagined that Delilah would take your side. Not after the awful way you treated your betrothal to her before the... incident at Highever.

But the fact is that you've changed. When I left for the Free Marches, you were little more than Fergus' mischievous shadow. While away, I'd heard rumors of your, shall we call them conquests? I could only assume that you'd become a deplorable monster, and, when I heard that you were in my family's holdings, I reacted accordingly.

Make no mistake, I was trying to kill you. And judging by the way you leapt upon the bars of my cell during our reunion, you would have happily returned the favor. Imagine my surprise when you did little but snarl at me and then turn your back and let me go. You turned your back on me, and for whatever reason trusted me not to stuff a dagger in it.

And now you have not only forgiven my crimes, but you have provided me with the bow of my grandfather. I shall endeavor to do him and its legacy justice. Truly, it seems, and much to my surprise, you've no need to fear my dagger in your back ever again.

Thank you. Really.

Nathaniel