A/N Finally we arrive in Tevintar... hopefully you can expect a second chapter by the end of the day. Perhaps Fenris will make an appearance ;). As usual Bioware owns everything. I'm just borrowing the characters and playing with them. Enjoy and review! :)

Three figures, hooded and hunched stood away from the rest of the crowd, in a dim lit inn near the capital of Tevintar, Minrathous. The difference between Ferelden and Tevintar was so blatant that it was startling… even during the Blight there had been laughter and joy echoing in the taverns of Denerim. Though shabby and poorly built, as if an architect had made a mistake with the design, the inns and taverns from Ferelden were loud and obnoxious, full of gossip, brags and jokes. Every now and then a drunken noble would jump on a table and start a lively jig.

Here, in Tevintar, it was silence… deep, overwhelming silence that engulfed everything around it. The buildings were grand, made of marble, resting on carved columns, but just as the marble is cold as the ice so was the interior of these buildings. The lights were dimmed, as if trying to shelter and protect those that dared enter the buildings. The trio believed that this palpable fear would rise even more once they entered Minrathous.

"So, we have arrived in Tevintar, cherie , and the capital is just a few steps away from us. How do you plan on getting your hands on the precious antidote," one member of the trio asked in a quiet whisper and blue eyes glittered from behind the hood.

"Bella always has a plan. Perhaps it is time you share it with us, no?" A second voice added, the Antivan accent ringing clear in the silence of the inn.

"Once we are in our rooms I will tell you my plan, but I fear you will not like it. I do not trust this echoing silence that surrounds this country. It tells the tale of misery and death… it is worse than the Circle Tower after we got rid of all those demons."

Mere minutes later, the trio rose from their table and headed towards the upper part of the inn. Climbing two flights of stairs they entered the attic that had been changed in order to host two rooms and a bathroom. The marble and the columns were present in the attic as well, smaller, but just as cold, resembling a tomb rather than a room. Casting their hoods aside, the strangers locked the door of one of the rooms then sat down wherever they found a place. Light brown eyes resembling molten gold gazed at the other two strangers: a woman with fiery red hair and an elf with golden hair and tattoos marring his skin.

"In Minrathous," Kaelyn started "the only ones that get close to magisters are slaves and bodyguards. Everyone knows that each Magister personally trains his own bodyguards and that they are always human males. Therefore I have but one chance… I have to pose as a slave."

A pin could have dropped to the ground and the noise it would have made would have been as powerful as the blast of a cannon in the silence that fell in the room. Leliana gazed at her friend with shock painted over her lovely features, while Zevran had a look of utter horror on his face, probably knowing much more than the rest of them how slaves were actually treated in Minrathous.

"No!" Leliana snapped, her eyes flashing dangerously, "I cannot do this to you! Do you think I do not remember the discussion we had in camp during the Blight?"

"That does not matter anymore now. We have no choice… you two may be amazing spies and infiltrators, but even you cannot enter the home of a Magister unaided. A slave can…" Kaelyn stopped and looked at Leliana gravely, "You are the only one who can do this, Leliana! There are no better masters of deception like the Orlesian! You may be Ferelden at heart, but Marjorlaine thought you everything you need to know. The only thing she did right…Act like you own me! Act like you are a snobbish Orlesian lady that has a slave she no longer wishes, but needs to sell it before the authorities get wind of her actions."

Leliana stopped and sighed, deep in thought. Zevran, on the other hand appeared to be thinking things over… suddenly he pointed out a potential flow in the Warden's plan.

"Bella, you are a mage. Even if you pose as a slave the magister would feel your power, no. How do you propose solving that problem?"

"Avernus took care of that issue," she said pointing to a bracelet that was adorning her wrist. The trinket looked old and worn, made of silver most likely, with crudely drawn runes on it. It was the first time Zevran saw the elf mage wearing it. "This binds my magical powers. I am unable to do even the smallest spell with it and in turn nobody can feel my magic abilities. Thus, when I find the antidote, I can take the bracelet off and escape. Only I can take it off, anyone else would just tug on it without success… even a mage."

"I'll do it," Leliana said with regret in her voice ," but you'd better take care of yourself there. No heroics… try getting close to one of the other slaves and get out as fast as you can."

"Don't worry, cara," Zevran joined in the discussion, "I'm going with her. She'll need all the support she can get, no?"

"Zevran!" Kaelyn gasped in surprise, "I can't led you do this! I did not help you get away from the Crows just to see you end up in slavery again. You…"

"I am forever in your debt, Bella, for all that you did for me during the Blight. But Alistair is my friend as well. Will you rob me of the chance to help him?"

Kaelyn bit her lip in annoyance, a habit she had developed while she was forced to attend to the nobles, at both Vigil's Keep and Denerim. She knew Zevran had spoken the truth… it would do good to have another to back her up, especially if things took longer than expected and the spell caught up with her. Even now she could fell it, at the back of her soul, a dark and twisted link that will eventually drain her until there is nothing more left. Such was the price of using blood magic without a demon's aid…

Moreover, Zevran had the right to be able to help both of his friends… who was she to deny him that? It was hard enough to think that Leliana would remain behind, filled with worry and dread, wondering if they were returned. The risks were high, she knew all too well. It was like making a pact with the Architect…

"No, I won't," Kaelyn sighed. "You are right, I will need all the help I can get. Maybe Leli can even find out who was behind this whole business by the end of our stay in Tevintar."

"Oh, do not worry," Leliana said, "I'll simply play the role of the arrogant Orlesian noble who wants to get in the good graces of those rich and powerful. It should be fairly easy…"

"Good, then it is settled… tomorrow we shall put the plan into motion." Kaelyn nodded and prepared for bed.

Nobody truly slept that night… Kaelyn tossed and turned, remembering moments that should have remained long forgotten, buried deep in a corner of her heart as soon as she left that wretched Tower. She tossed and turned, hearing the clink-clank of Templar armor ringing in the night.

Having once been a slave to the Antivan Crows, Zevran knew full well what was in store for him. It did not matter how you called it, the fact remained that the Crows had used him as a tool and whatever magister would buy them tomorrow would do the same. It was a blessing that he would be able to protect Kaelyn on the way, but knowing her, he wondered whether he would truly be able to keep her safe.

Leliana thought hard about the role she would have to play starting tomorrow. A beautiful, Orlesian dress stood in her backpack and she had wondered from the moment they left Ferelden why Kaelyn had insisted she brought it alone. Now she knew… it would aid her in selling her best friend off to some cruel magister. Fate had a sick and twisted sense of humor…