Eve Trevelyan had a feeling that the throbbing headache beginning to pulse behind her eyes was a preview of her life for the foreseeable future. She was used to her companions bickering; it was how she knew they were in good spirits. This was something entirely different. There was no humorous teasing, no good natured give-and-take. The argument that she had to hear in stereo was hostile, impatient and showed no signs of slowing.

"To ride four hours past dark serves no purpose! The horses would be worn, half our party abandoned and we still would not have any measurable advantage." Cassandra's voice was laced with biting irritation as though she'd worn out her last reserves of tolerance reasoning with a child.

"We'd be in Orzammar! Isn't that the whole damned point?!" Isabela shot back.

The two women stood on either side of the Inquisitor at the small pond where they'd stopped to water the horses. The daylight sun was cooling and they weren't far from a habitual camp site that often served travelers on the North road. Eve had sent Cole ahead to see if there was enough open ground at the clearing for their company. The entire rest of her allies were all studiously pretending to be unaware of her agonized predicament. No one dared cross Cassandra and none of them knew what to make of Isabela. Not one of them was willing to risk getting caught in between, not even to rescue their leader.

"In the middle of the night! What good will that accomplish other than cost gold for a place to stay? Or did you think the Shaperate were going to be dragged from their beds for our arrival?" Cassandra threw her hands up in frustration. She was right, of course.

"Then we camp on their blighted doorsteps and if they don't wake up early enough have the horses piss on their windows! I don't care. The sooner we're in Orzammar the sooner we get into the Roads!" Isabela crossed her arms. The problem was that the Rivaini was right as well.

Eve remembered her mother telling her many times (generally after a fight with one of her brothers) that two wrongs never made a right. So what in the Maker's Forsaken Ass-Seat do two rights make? She pinched the bridge of her nose. Other than a lot of noise. From a distance Eve could've sworn she saw Leliana chuckling.

"To arrive in the dwarven capital under cover of night? When the city sleeps and only drunks and criminals could attest to our presence? That is not the way of the Inquisition." The Seeker shook her head in disgust at the very idea of making such an impression.

"She's right," Eve leapt into the space created by Isabela's incensed inhalation, "That would only make suspicion; we want to make a statement. You want the steel doors opened for us as quickly as possible? That requires getting the Shaperate's attention. We camp tonight and depart before dawn. We ride with full colors into Orzammar after the city has awakened and every inhabitant can be made aware of our arrival. They'll push us through just to prevent gossip."

The Rivaini captain's glare turned to the Inquisitor. Had her mouth not been so perfect and lovely Eve would've sworn it was contorted into a grimace. The snapping hatred in her eyes vanished as they squinted closed; a few deep breaths releasing a whispered litany of blasphemy and complaint before finally the sailor calmed.

"Fine. You're right," she scowled on the words like they were poison before turning and stalking away, "Bloody heroes, always having to be right. If I had a copper for every time Hawke . . ."

The rant faded into the distance and Eve felt the pressure behind her eyes begin to release. Turning back to Cassandra she found the Seeker also regaining her composure. Her jaw was twitching on harsh, unspoken words but as she focused on her companion the anger twisting her brow relaxed. Still choking on the remnants of the argument and its bile, the raven haired warrior simply nodded her thanks and pulled her mount away.

"You got lucky, you know." Varric was the first to approach the Inquisitor once she was alone again.

"I don't know what your sex is like, Varric, but I guarantee mine's better than that." Eve shook her head, smirking at the dwarf and enjoying the rumble of his chuckle. He and Bull both had a soft growl when they were amused; she imagined it was like a contented dragon's purr.

"I mean, it was lucky for you that Seeker was right. This time. One of these days Rivaini is going to be the one with the best reason. What are you going to do then?" Tethras' eyebrow rose in challenge. He gave small indications from time to time that he knew more than he let on. More than Eve might want others to understand.

She read the unspoken message in his words: was she willing to accept scorn from the woman she admired if it was the right thing to do? She thought of that glare of hatred turned on herself, the line of Cassandra's mouth curling to a snarl that would make the scar on her cheek livid. She'd seen the Seeker's disdain painted vividly across her face when they first met, contempt emphasizing the nobility of her bearing. It was unlike anything Eve Trevelyan had ever seen before. Terrifying and hypnotic. An ocean storm, an avalanche; beautiful and deadly and what a way to die . . . The skipping beat of her heartrate was clearly an answer for herself. Not, however, one to be shared.

"I think that I read your book, listened to your stories and asked Hawke a lot of questions. I can't imagine that Captain Isabela has ever in her life known an ounce of reason." The glib response deftly allowed her to sidestep the issue completely and was rewarded with Varric's laugh.

"Very true, Inquistor. But be ready, Rivaini is full of surprises." He advised, satisfied with her wit if not her honesty.

Before he could pry further into the Inquisitorial Head, (and its thoughts vis-à-vis pirates and Seekers) a sound that was the absence of sound caught their ears. Both looked up to see Cole approaching. The stillness he wrapped around himself had been perpetual at first, a defense technique to prevent anyone noticing him. Lately though, as he'd grown comfortable in others' eyes and memories, he only resorted to the aura of nonexistence when there was danger.

"Cole?" Eve ran to his horse, quickly looking him over for any sign of injury. How did a spirit show they were hurt? She had yet to see him ever bleed or bruise.

"Scared, trapped, what's going to happen? Wanted to see the city that touches the sky, tower reaching like a hand to the Maker. Jordy will be waiting; I'll never see him now. Cart full of skins lost, profit gone, never should've joined the pilgrims," Cole's head swayed as the waves of thought sloshed back and forth in his mind, "Captured. They're captured."

"Where, Kid?" Varric was already drawing Bianca, ready for battle. Cassandra and Leliana had likewise noticed the scout's distress and hurried over.

"Camp. Bandit outpost. Easy prey; slow and fat traders, skinny refugees, terrified pilgrims. No patrols for days," The blonde spirit shook his head, pushing away the sound of the criminal minds, "They took over the camp site. Travelers are trapped before they even know. Captured, caught in cages, cursing, calling, crying."

"Alright, Cole. We'll get them out," The Inquisitor promised before looking around, "That ridge crests above the camp. Let's go see what we're dealing with."

Cassandra, Leliana and Varric all instinctively followed Trevelyan. They set off up the hillside, threading carefully through the dense brush and clambering large boulders. The peak of the ridge held a patchwork of old trees and young saplings. Eve slipped between the trunks and lay on her belly, peaking over the grove of tents. Men milled around cargo and cages, gloating over their spoils.

"I count three guarding the captives." Cassandra murmured, voice startlingly close. Eve hadn't even noticed the woman slide down beside her.

"Three more opening crates and sorting their take," Eve agreed, "Four patrolling the edge of the camp."

"At least two in the large tent; certainly the leader, maybe a mage as well." Leliana didn't have to lay in the dirt, she'd quietly crept onto the bough of a massive oak tree. Her voice arrived quiet as the leaves rustled by her breath.

"And then the three lazy bastards sharpening weapons by the fire." Varric spotted the last of the bandit crew. It wasn't the largest group of outlaws they'd ever taken on but they were well positioned for defense and there were helpless innocents in the middle.

"Two of the guards look like runners. There must be a few other enclaves in the area for backup." Eve frowned.

Wiping out the bandits wasn't hard. Doing it quickly wouldn't be a problem either. But being fast and thorough and not letting any captives get hurt? Her eyes roved the cages. There was a Chantry lay sister, a scowling merchant, an elven girl shaking with quiet sobs; the two young men with frightened eyes must've been hired by the merchant and the child – who brings a child out here? – looked like she belonged to the elf. None of them looked capable of protecting themselves, let alone each other.

"Are you all seriously puckering your smalls over a dozen thugs?" Isabela announced her presence with the disgusted question. She must have noticed the leaders of their expedition missing and followed. And, since where the captain went Merrill went, the elf stood beside her.

"Quiet down!" Cassandra hissed as she rose to her feet, "These hills echo. You'll arouse the whole band."

"I could do that without a word, sourpuss." The flippant sailor retorted. Eve imagined she could hear the simmer of Cassandra's temper in the creaking of her fisted gloves. She'd never known anyone – not even Varric – to get under the Seeker's skin so rapidly.

"Tossing you down the hill naked might serve as a useful diversion." Cassandra admitted thoughtfully. Diverting for the bandits or for herself she didn't specify. The malevolence in her gaze hinted at the answer.

"A distraction would be good. Get the men in the camp focused while the perimeter guards are picked off." Varric was careful to neither endorse nor oppose the Seeker's suggestion, despite Isabela's fist thumping him in the back of the head.

"You're all getting twisted up over fifteen sorry sack-suckers? Merrill and I could take care of that lot by ourselves. Twice that if we had Hawke." Isabela had a way of leaning back when issuing challenges, as though there were a tavern bar counter perpetually present to support her languid arrogance.

"Oh, it would take three of you, would it? The Iron Bull could take out that many alone." The Seeker wasn't just skeptical, she was mocking.

"But we'd come out unscathed. He's already lost an eye, wouldn't want to risk the other would you?" The pirate straightened off her invisible bar and took a step closer to her opponent, voice slowly getting louder.

"One eye and with a hand tied behind his back he'd still be quicker than you. You'd probably get distracted halfway and start picking pockets instead of stabbing." Cassandra scoffed, instinctively matching her volume. Eve got to her feet, trying to hush the women but she was being completely ignored.

"I could do both. Just because you don't know how to do a man two ways at once. . ." Isabela let the taunt hang in the air. She seemed oblivious to the fact that her voice was the only sound in the air. The Inquisitor caught Leliana's worried eye. The bard had noticed the same silence. The birds had all gone quiet, frightened by the noise below them. Eve looked up into the trees. If they got any louder the birds would take off, a dead giveaway to the bandits beyond.

"With your reputation? It's a miracle you stop yourself at two." Cassandra's eyes rolled heavenward before resuming a superior glare. The fiendish gleam in Isabela's eye promised a retort was right on her lips. Enough was enough.

"Would you two either just whip out your tits and measure or bloody shut up?!" Eve broke between them, pushing the two women apart. Varric had a spontaneous fit of coughing when surprise and laughter met from opposite directions in his throat

"I beg your pardon?" Cassandra turned with the full intensity of her Nevarran Princess/Dragon Slayer/Ice Queen breeding. Eve grimaced internally but apologies would have to wait until later, noise from the camp below told her the outlaws were going on alert.

"Time the captain proves her talent," The Inquisitor clearly saw a dirty comment forming in Isabela's eyes and pressed on quickly, "She and I will go straight into the camp as a distraction. Cassandra, you and Merrill come in from the flanks. Take out the runners first and once they're down head for the cages. We'll clean up everyone else."

"So forceful. I like it." The Rivaini murmured her approval.

"Varric, go tell the others. They can approach as far as the southern forest line but have them hold there." Leliana added to the instructions. The dwarf nodded, scrambling back down the rock ridge while Cassandra and Merrill also disappeared into the thicket.

Eve and Isabela clambered and slid down to the main road, pausing out of the view of the camp to give their companions a head start. The Inquisitor mentally counted seconds. Two to three minutes was all the time the Seeker would need to gain an advantage.

"What do you say we make this interesting?" The captain's inquiry was casual. So casual that the Inquisitor knew she had something either dangerous or indulgent in mind.

"I'm listening." Eve allowed, wondering which inappropriate suggestion she was about to make. That she was already excited was probably a bad sign.

"You want me to prove my talent. How about a 'show me yours, I'll show you mine' arrangement?" Isabela had to know she was gathering up the strings of the frustrated Inquisitor's hormones and winding them around her finger. The husk in her voice and forward tilt of her body was too deliberate to be anything other than a game.

"I doubt now is the right time." Eve leaned past the boulder shielding them from view. The bandits had settled back down, satisfied any forest noises were random predators.

"No, sweetcheeks, it'll be perfect. Fifteen of those blighters, right? What say we have a little friendly competition?" Isabela had a way of turning 'friendly' into a dagger's edge.

The warrior paused, thinking over the offer. She had been wondering what sort of fighters were accompanying her on this journey. This might prove a good test before committing her life – the lives of her friends – into unproven hands. She'd had enough trouble with allies in the past. There were rogues that were never where you needed them to be, warriors that simply wouldn't wait for orders and mages that couldn't defend themselves from smelly smalls. The scrutiny in Isabela's eyes declared she had been having the same thoughts. They needed to see what the other could do.

"Alright, whoever with the most kills wins?" The Inquisitor finally agreed, knowing that the rules of such games were simple.

"Wins what?" Isabela's sensual smile was full of ideas. One of which already had a hand trailing up Eve's armor.

"You'll just have to beat me to find out." The warrior winked before stepping out into the road, the sailor immediately following. They were several hundred yards away from the closest guard sweeping the perimeter. Eve's eyes scoured the trees as they walked, looking for the hints of movement or stillness that would be Cassandra's creeping advance.

"Hmm. Spotted," Isabela noted a few of the bandits getting to their feet as they spied approaching travelers, "Well, we're meant to be distracting, aren't we?"

With no further warning a dark arm snaked around Eve's waist, pulling her tight to the other woman's side. Her split second of stunned hesitation wasn't resistance to the intimacy but annoyance at how easily she slid into the touch. A few jeers were echoed by ribald laughter from the camp. The Inquisitor pushed her own reaction aside; she knew how to play this game as well.

"That we are." She threw an arm over the sailor's shoulders, careful not to trap her daggers. With her free hand she tilted the captain's face towards her and leaned in. Anyone watching would have to be within inches to see her mouth carefully avoid the other woman's and turn to her ear.

"When the fighting starts I'm heading to the right, don't steal my targets." Eve advised. Isabela's throat hummed with a soft laugh.

"No promises." The whispered taunt was her last playful reply before shifting into battle mode. Trevelyan could feel the rogue's body tensing for the fight. A few more feet. Several of the thugs were walking towards them, eager to begin introductions. Eve leaned back, catching a glimpse of the glittering hardness in her companion's eyes. Time for the real fun.

"The boys were just saying how cold the bedrolls were tonight. Looks like the Maker provided some heat." One of the bandits announced as he strolled directly into the path of the two women. He hadn't even drawn his weapon. Eve and Isabela stepped apart, eyeing the goon. Beyond him there was movement in the trees at the far edge of the forest.

"Surely you aren't thinking of accosting two wayfaring women on a public highway." Eve summoned the image of Vivienne and drew herself up into her most intimidatingly genteel posture. The guard/runners on the far side of the camp would be out of sight in a few more seconds.

"Costing what? We ain't paying, if that's what you thought." A second bandit protested, clearly not one of the thinkers of the gang. The two distant targets disappeared. It might have been Eve's imagination but she could've sworn there were a couple surprised grunts and a faint sizzle in the air.

"Sweets, everything has a price," Isabela scolded, "But tonight it's not coin."

Before the thugs could process the sudden threat in her tone both were slit across the throat. Eve made a mental note to be impressed later, drawing her weapon and charging the closest cluster of surprised enemies. One was knocked to the ground as soon as she hit him, another caught the flat edge of her greatsword as she swung around. A third raised his shield at the last second and the impact vibrated through both Eve's shoulders but didn't slow the attack. The shield and fighter both went flying.

Quick blows finished all three and the Inquisitor was moving again, the grove falling into a chaos of noise as panicking bandits shouted in confusion and the despondent captives got their first taste of hope. Screamed oaths and orders clashed in the air with clanging bars and bashing metal as Eve ripped across half the camp. On reaching the far side she turned to check Isabela's progress. There was a wake of dead bodies but the pirate herself had vanished. Trevelyan spun again, checking in all directions.

The sucking thud of a dagger plunged into someone's chest came from right behind her. Whipping around, Eve found a rogue bandit dropping to his knees, weapon still poised to slash into her from his stealth position.

"Looks like I'm one up on you." Isabela laughed, reappearing at the warrior's elbow. Sarcasm had the Inquisitor turning to retort but instead she abruptly shot her chain. A thug that had been readying an arrow for the pirate's neck was caught in her grappling hook and dragged straight into Eve's boot. He dropped without a sound.

"Sorry. Still tied." The warrior grinned. They both surveyed the carnage, silently counting bodies. Merrill and Cassandra were quickly freeing the captives, helping the injured and weak struggle out of the cages.

"Six?" Isabela's brow furrowed, disappointed with the total.

"Me too." Eve was sure that couldn't be right. Six each? Merrill and Cassandra had taken care of two guards and she was certain no one had been able to escape. Six, six, two.

"We're missing one!" Isabela realized. The words barely left her mouth before a shock wave blasted over them, sending both skidding across the ground.

"A mage. It'd have to be a mage." Eve growled, pushing to her feet and searching for the magical source. Crackling filled the air, the noise of breaking ice as rushing wind whipped around them both. Freezing spells.

"There! On the ridge!" Cassandra's voice caught Eve's ear. The Seeker was beyond the spell zone, pointing to a rocky outcropping behind the tents. A robed figured stood at the top of the highest rock, staff raised high as he charged another cast. Eve could feel frost forming in her hair, air freezing in her lungs.

"'Bela!" Merrill raced forward, blasting a fireball at the enemy but it ricocheted off his barrier, smashing into a tent near the huddling civilians and setting it ablaze.

"No! Get them out of here!" Isabela ordered, viciously waving the elf away. She turned to the Inquisitor, looking for some instruction or permission.

"Last one." Eve grinned, watching the fog of her words cloud the air; anger was its own heat.

"Race you?" The Captain challenged, eyeing the distant target and taking off. The Inquisitor was only a split second behind her heels.

Ice crystals spun and collected all around them, magic furiously weaving as quickly as possible to freeze them inside and out. Each racing step felt like it was cracking bones, tearing frozen muscle but they plowed ahead. The stinging cold met burning pain and waged war, igniting the blood. Eve kept her eyes locked on the enemy, his staff poised with a final spell. They had to get to him before he discharged. Whatever it was would knock them back, it would be enough for him to flee. Then what? He'd head for the closest bandit enclave and bring back reinforcements. Maker's Burning Breath – I am not spending my last night on the surface waiting for some gang of thugs to come slit my throat!

Neither woman could move fast enough. Cassandra and Merrill were helping the freed captives to safety and were too far away to reach him. Eve had stopped caring about breaking the tie or winning the competition. He was going to get away. He's going to get away! The fury wrenched more speed from her legs but it wouldn't be enough. She could feel the charge of magic in the air as the spellbinder drew power to himself, ready to release the final blow. She drew all her hate into her eyes, wishing it could be a weapon flying into his face. His face that suddenly erupted in blood as an arrow shaft quivered in the socket of his eye.

The mage staggered, muscles reflexively coiling in shock before he collapsed backward, staff clattering uselessly down the rocks. Warm air washed back over both fighters, every breath thawing their lungs and heating their bones. The Inquisitor checked Isabela, the pirate's breathing labored as her own and face wreathed in surprised confusion. Turning to trace the trajectory of the arrow Eve could just barely make out a figure at the southern edge of the grove. A figure lowering a weapon as it approached. A figure in a familiar cowl.

"I did not think you would mind." Leliana modestly explained when she finally entered the cleared camp. Only a twitch at the side of her mouth hinted at the ego beneath her otherwise humble expression.

"You made that shot? Clear from the forest line?" Eve turned back and forth between the two points, trying to fathom aiming over such a distance. The rest of the companions followed behind the spymaster, all equally amazed but some more effusive than others. At some point everyone had forgotten the lethal list of skills their bard brought to the Inquisition.

"Flaming tits! Did you see that? You saw that, right?" Sera was gaping, "Is that for real? I mean – that's the shit, innit!"

"I'm glad you are so impressed." Leliana smiled, flattered and amused by the near speechless reactions of her allies.

"Are you kidding, Nightingale?" Varric shook his head in appreciative wonder, "I think Bianca sprung a gear!"

Eve's laughter choked when a hand rested over her shoulder, comfortable if not familiar.

"I guess we'll have to agree to a draw." Isabela sighed with a classic pout.

"There'll be another chance." The Inquisitor shrugged. She'd found out what she wanted to know: the Rivaini captain was as deadly with her daggers as with her charms. She'd have her back in the Deep Roads. The teasing graze of fingers at the edge of her collar was an unconscious reminder: Isabela would have more than that if Eve didn't watch herself.


Thanks so much to everyone who's been reviewing and providing feedback so far. It's been really helpful and I have incorporated suggestions. Please continue, the support and enthusiasm keeps me focused.