"Well hello there, handsome. Aren't you a long way from home." The sultry voice murmured in the ear of the Crow. He flinched and whirled, and came up short when the sharp edge of a dagger bit into his neck. His eyes widened with fear, staring down the length of the weapon gleaming in the faint light. A gloved hand holding the hilt. Up to a masked and hooded face revealing only a pair of glittering, sharply intelligent green eyes.

He remained silent.

"You look so young, you poor thing." She sighed with pity.

"I will gut you," he hissed, and brought up his dagger to smash her blade away.

"Oh, darlin'." She leaned back easily as the returned swipe of his dagger passed harmlessly in front of her. "You should have walked away."

The fight was short and brutal. He bled and died at her feet. She left his body where it lay, not caring who found it. She had to get back to her room. Eventually someone would notice she was missing. She pressed her fingertips to a rend in her shirt over her ribs. Damn it. He had caught her. She really hoped he hadn't poisoned his blades.

Alistair glanced up and gave a mental sigh at the new entrant to the breakfast room. He was used to partaking of his meal alone, but it would appear his betrothed wished to join him.

She was elegantly dressed as always. The picture of refinement and ladylike serenity. It annoyed him. He rose to his feet.

"Good morning, Lady Cousland."

She swept in and accepted the cup of coffee from a footman with a gracious smile. "Thank you, Erik."

Alistair frowned. How did she remember their names? After only one day?

She sat down opposite, lifted the cup in one hand and met his gaze steadily. "While titles are appropriate in public, Your Majesty, perhaps in private you might call me Elanna? It might make for an awkward marriage otherwise."

Alistair cleared his throat. "Of course, Elanna. And perhaps you might call me Alistair?"

Elanna bowed her head. "As Your Majesty wishes." When she rose her gaze to his, her eyes held that sneaky light of amusement that made him think that once again she was laughing at him.

"Your Majesty?" The interruption came from the doorway. An urgent tone in the voice of the Guard Captain made them both turn in their seats.

"Yes?" Alistair asked, his fork hovering halfway to his mouth.

"An assassin has been found on the roof, sire." The Guardsman looked pale. "Dead. Nothing to worry about there. But no indication to say who dealt with him and … its just strange, sire."

Alistair rose from his seat. "Forgive me, my lady. I must see to this urgent matter."

Elanna smiled up at him. "Of course. I understand. Perhaps another meal." She waved him away and took another sip of her coffee.

"Are you quite alright here?" he asked hesitantly.

"I assure you, I can entertain myself."

When he left, satisfied, Elanna rose from her seat, her expression shifting from the serene equanimity she had taken to adopting around the quite bland man she was supposed to wed. She pressed her hand to her side. It ached despite the bandages her lady in waiting had applied.

She scowled. What was Zevran thinking? She needed back up here. If assassins had been hired to take out the king, they needed to cut the head off the snake who had hired them, cancelling the contract, rather than waiting for their appearances in the shadows. She couldn't be everywhere.

She glanced at the doorway.

Alistair. It was true, he wasn't quite what she had expected. But the marriage contract had been arranged. And she had come out of retirement at Zev's request. Once this little assignment was over, she would request from Fergus to break the contract.

Hell. When His Majesty discovered she was an assassin, he would likely break it himself. But until then, she had to keep up this little pretence.

He was pleasant to look at, true. But for a man who had helped the Hero save Ferelden from the Fifth Blight…he was remarkably unremarkable. Unless there was something she was missing.

She took a sip of coffee and stared down at the courtyard. She could see a group of soldiers standing out there, seemingly intent on discussion. The body of the assassin she had killed last night was shrouded at their feet. They saluted as Alistair joined them.

Good luck figuring that out, she thought wryly. She glanced at a clock on the wall. She had to get her correspondence back to Zevran done. She set down her cup and headed for her suite.