CHAPTER NINE
Alistair leaned back in his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose. The conversation with Bann Sighard was the same as the other conversations he had with the other Banns and Arls of Ferelden. Everyone needed assistance with trade and reconstruction. And coin. They all needed coin to pay for workers and materials. But the treasury could only be stretched so far. Trade with other lands had been interrupted during The Blight and was just beginning again. He, Eamon and Brianna had agreed that the cities and towns of Ferelden should keep as much coin as possible, but the Crown needed to collect some amount of tax. Although the Banns and Arls understood, it was still trying economic times for Ferelden.
But it wasn't only the economy that Alistair had a concern. His biggest worry was a bit closer to home. He was worried about his wife and her new guard. Brianna trusted Nathaniel Howe due to their history together. But eight years can change a man and there was the distinct possibility he wasn't the same person Brianna remembered from childhood. The apple usually never fell too far from the tree and Nathaniel could be more like Rendon than Brianna knew. It was up to Alistair to remain level-headed about this situation and take action, as necessary. He had already spoken to her Captain of the Guards, but thought he should take one more precaution. In order to put his plan into motion, he ordered the banner of Highever be flown beneath the Ferelden banner. This was an agreed upon signal between Alistair, Brianna and Zevran that their Majesties wished to see the elven assassin. The meeting place would be the Gnawed Noble Tavern near the Denerim Marketplace. Now all Alistair needed to do was wait for the proper time to sneak out of the castle and meet Zevran. For once, he would feel a lot better after he had spoken to the assassin.
Brianna and her guards returned to the palace without incident. She told Cedric to dismiss the guards for she would not need them for the rest of the evening. Cedric gave the order for the guards to fall out. As he did, Brianna called Nathaniel to her side.
"So, what did you think of your first day?" she asked him.
"Very uneventful," he responded.
Brianna smiled at him. "Are you looking for adventure?" Nathaniel did not respond. "If you do well in this position, perhaps we can move you to another that is more suited to your tastes."
"Like be a soldier in the King's Army? No thanks."
"Actually I had something else in mind, but we can talk about that later. I hope your fellow guardsmen aren't giving you any trouble."
"Of course not," he lied.
"Well then, I will let you get back to the barracks. Good day, Nathaniel."
"Your Majesty," he said and bowed, then left. Brianna watched after him, then went to check on Alistair and see how his day went.
Nathaniel returned to the barracks. The other guards looked at him, then ignored him. Only Cade nodded at him, acknowledging his presence. Nathaniel walked to his bed and sat on its edge. He removed his sword from its scabbard and looked at it. He didn't have time to look at the weapon before, but now he studied it. Longswords weren't his weapon of choice. He preferred either daggers or a rapier. But his skill wasn't too bad with a longsword. Perhaps he should take this opportunity to improve his skill with the blade. He saw the blade had the capability of being enhanced by enchantments. He wondered how one went about it. He noticed that only three of his fellow guardsmen had their weapons enchanted. Cade was one of them. He approached the man who was leaning his back against the wall, his foot resting against it. This seemed to be his favorite position.
"So, Cade, do you mind if I ask you something?"
"Nope."
"I see the weapons can be enchanted. How can I get enchantments added to my blade?"
"You need to earn it," Cade replied.
"Perform some heroic deed?" he asked.
"Or win a tournament. The decision is usually left up to the Queen and the Captain about who earns an enchantment."
"I see." Nathaniel paused. "Can I ask you another question?"
"Sure."
"What did you do before joining the Queen's Guard?"
Cade smiled, "Fought the darkspawn."
"Before that."
"I served the current Teyrn of Highever before the Queen recruited me."
"So you served the Couslands."
"Yes. Before I served the current Teyrn, I also served their late father. We had fought together in the rebellion with King Maric. Once the rebellion ended, Bryce Cousland asked me to stay on with his men. I helped to train and recruit the men of Highever."
"So, you also served with my father during the rebellion."
"I did."
Nathaniel digested this information.
"Come, it's time to eat and you want to make sure you get your fair share. Our brothers here are a hungry lot," Cade said and headed towards the dining hall. Nathaniel watched the man leave, then followed slowly behind him, not sure what to think anymore.
Brianna saw Alistair briefly and then went about her own duties. When night fell, Alistair was still working. Brianna tried to wait up for him, but could not. She crawled into bed and quickly fell asleep.
It was nearly midnight when Alistair returned to their room. He saw Brianna sleeping soundly. He smiled and kissed her forehead, then changed into a pair of brown pants and a crème-colored shirt. He attached Duncan's dagger to his side and threw on a hooded cloak, then silently made his way out of the castle. He had an appointment tonight that he had to keep.
Alistair had discovered a hidden passage within the castle whereby he could sneak out, take a tunnel and find himself close to the marketplace. He nonchalantly crossed the marketplace and entered the Gnawed Noble Tavern. The place was bustling and no one paid him notice. He made his way to the back room and took a table in the corner where he could watch the patrons. He ordered an ale and waited.
In a few moments the ale was placed in front of him. He took a swig from the glass then noticed that his server hadn't moved. He looked up to see Zevran smiling at him. Zevran took the seat opposite him.
"Your Majesty," Zevran began. His Antivan accent was unmistakable.
"Here I'm just Alistair, Zevran."
"Of course, Alistair."
"I wasn't sure if you would see the signal."
"But of course, my dear Alistair. You know I am always ready and willing to help you when you call."
"So I am in need of your services."
"Oh? And what services are those? You know assassinations are my specialty."
"As I recall, you weren't very good at assassinations."
"Not against a couple of Grey Wardens. But I have learned my lesson. So what can I do for the Crown?"
"Actually, it is more of a personal nature."
Zevran's eyebrows shot up. "I must admit that I am surprised, but pleasantly so. I knew it would be only a matter of time before you asked. I am a charmer, no? Perhaps we can get a room with more privacy where we can…"
"Ack! I don't mean that!" Alistair protested, a blush creeping into his cheeks.
Zevran laughed, "Still so easy to tease. Well, what can I do for you, my friend?"
"It's about Brianna," Alistair began and told Zevran the whole tale about Nathaniel and how he came into Brianna's service.
"And you want me to find out about this Nathaniel?" Zevran asked.
"If you can, yes. I want to make sure he can be trusted. We cannot afford another betrayal by a Howe."
"Does Brianna know about our meeting?"
"No," Alistair confessed, "and I don't want her to know. She will just think that I am overreacting. But, Brianna never thinks of her own safety. She has always put the needs of others before herself. Events have worked out well so far, but I don't want to tempt it. I want to be forewarned and forearmed."
"Very well. If I find out anything I will send the information…"
"No. I want this to be just between the two of us. I will contact you in two weeks to see if you've discovered anything. Watch for the Highever banner flying over the castle. I will come here that night and hear what you've learned."
"Of course, my friend. You know that I have pledged my loyalty to you and Brianna. I will not fail."
"Good. We'll meet in two weeks." Alistair shook Zevran's hand, then left.
Zevran watched Alistair leave. He had certainly changed much since the first time they had met. Of course, he was trying to kill Alistair and Brianna at the time. It was his good fortune that he failed. Despite their differences, Zevran always considered Alistair a friend and would do anything to help him, especially if the task concerned Brianna. He had never gotten over his love for her. Zevran sighed, then caught the eye of a pretty serving girl. He smiled his most charming smile at her. She came over to his table.
"What can I get for you, handsome?" the girl asked.
"Would you be offended if I said you?" he asked.
The girl giggled. "My shift ends in twenty minutes," she said.
"Ahh, then I shall have an ale and wait until you are free to join me for the night, my dear, for only you can truly quench my thirst."
She giggled again and went to get his drink. Zevran leaned back and smiled. The night looked as if it was going to be more exciting than he first thought.
