Alistair and Zevran arrived in Antiva City without incident. Cloaked and hooded, they slunk of the ship and disappeared into the crowds. Zevran procured them a room at an inn Zevran knew. They were known for not asking questions.
"So, what's the plan, Love?" Alistair asked once they had settled in.
"The same as we discussed before. I need to scout the movements of the Crows in this part of the city," Zevran said. "Then I can better assess what we need to do. Ultimately, I wish to pick off as many Crows as possible, especially higher ranking ones, until I get the leadership's full attention."
Alistair looked at Zevran skeptically. "Won't that lead them right to us? Is that wise?"
Zevran shrugged. "Wise? No. It is quite foolish. However, I am tired of running and it's not fair to you either. I intend to make a stand, once and for all."
"Yes, Love, I know, but isn't there a better way?" Alistair asked, reaching out to pull Zevran closer. "I don't want to lose you now."
Zevran shook his head. "I have thought on this during our voyage and I can think of no other solution. Either I kill every Crow until they stop coming after me, or I die trying."
Alistair sighed, placing a kiss on Zevran's forehead. "Alright Love, if you really can't think of a better plan."
"I am sure the Crows already know we're here," Zevran warned. "We shall remain here until after nightfall and then we should go hunt them before they come hunting for us."
Alistair nodded. "Then perhaps we should try and get some rest before then. Will you come cuddle with me?" Alistair said looking at Zevran with puppy dog eyes.
Zevran sighed. "Si, mi amor, I will cuddle with you. You Fereldens really are like big, hairless dogs."
Alistair huffed as the elf lay down onto the bed with him, wrapping himself around the smaller elf. "I'm not that hairless…" Alistair grumbled as he fell into a dreamless slumber.
...
That evening they made their way through the dark alleyways of Antiva City. Zevran knew the Crows routines well and by midnight they had come across and killed three Crows. All low-level operatives. No one particularly noteworthy.
Then, just after midnight, Zevran led Alistair towards a small hovel at the edge of town. This was a known hideout for the Crows, as far as Zevran could recall. Often a higher level Crow would be within, waiting to hand out the latest names of targets to the newer operatives. When Zevran and Alistair burst in, there was indeed a senior Crow with three operatives.
The operatives were so green, Zevran and Alistair had dispatched two before the other two even had time to draw their weapons. Zevran turned and disarmed the third operative and slit his throat with deadly efficiency while Alistair moved to confront the senior Crow.
"I was just informed you had returned, Zevran," the crow greeted the elf while parrying a cut from Alistair's sword. "You will be dead within the week, mark my words."
Zevran was upon the man within seconds, deftly plunging his daggers into his heart while he was fending off another attack from Alistair. "Oh I think not, Alano. I think it is you who shall be dead, yes?"
As Zevran pulled his daggers out, he slit open the man's throat for good measure. "That is for all the times you put me on the rack," Zevran growled, spitting on the dead Crow at his feet.
Alistair gulped audibly at Zevran's uncharacteristic anger. "Are you alright, Love?"
Zevran came back to himself and looked apologetically at Alistair. "I'm sorry, mi amor. I forgot you were there for a moment. This…man…he was one of the Crows who…trained me." Zevran spat the words with vehemence. He then went to rummage through the bodies and through the rest of the small hut, looting every coin he could find. They would live well while they were here, and Zevran had hopes of outfitting himself with some new Antivan leather armor. All paid for by the courtesy of the Crows, of course.
As they made their way back out into the dark, they slipped quietly towards an old safe house Zevran knew of. It wasn't a Crow safe house either, but one Zevran had found on his own as a new operative. He had made a note of it in case he ever needed a place to hide out. Accessing it wasn't easy, as it required the ability to clamber up onto a roof and locate a hidden switch that unlocked the equally hidden doorway. Zevran did so expertly before coming back down and leading Alistair within.
The small room they found themselves in looked untouched since Zevran first found it, based on the layers of dust everywhere. Zevran busied himself with lighting the lantern that sat on a crate, still half-full with oil. Then the two of them spent some time clearing off some of the dust before laying out their bedrolls upon the floor.
Zevran had also packed a water skin and absconded with some bread earlier that day, and he and Alistair took some sustenance before getting some much needed rest.
"So," began Alistair. "Can we talk about what happened back there?"
Zevran looked at him nonchalantly. "What do mean? We killed a room full of Crows. That is what happened."
"That's not what I meant and you know it," Alistair said seriously. "You clearly knew the one Crow and from what you said it sounded like he may have tortured you. Is that true?"
Zevran took a deep breath. "You know of my past, how I was raised in a whorehouse and sold to the Crows at age seven. For three gold sovereigns."
Alistair nodded.
"What you do not know is the methods the Crows employ to…train…their new…recruits," Zevran said cautiously.
"Do you mean they use torture?" Alistair said in shock.
"Si," Zevran nodded. "Taliesin and I were the only two, from a group of eighteen, to survive the training."
"Oh Maker," Alistair said, getting closer to Zevran, drawing the elf into a comforting embrace. "I always knew you were tough but…I had no idea."
Zevran melted into his lovers arms. "No, no one does." For the first time since he was a very small boy, Zevran allowed himself to cry, while Alistair held him gently and whispered loving reassurances. When they finally lay down to sleep, Alistair knew now, more than ever, that the Crows had to pay for what they'd done. For what they were still doing, undoubtedly.
...
Over the next several weeks they kept striking at the Crows and then disappearing into the night, back to Zevran's secret safe house. At first the Crows were clearly angered by Zevran's brashness, and they had doubled their patrols looking for them.
However, if gossip were to be believed, after all these weeks and all the Crows they had taken down, the Crows were actually getting nervous. Zevran wondered if they were regretting yet how well they'd trained him.
Every night it was the same, at least five Crows met their end at Zevran and Alistair's blades. This couldn't go on much longer without the Crows calling in field operatives from outside Antiva City.
Then about a month after they arrived in Antiva City, the Crows found a way to get a message to Zevran through a trusted vendor. They wanted to talk. Naturally Zevran smelled a trap and he set the conditions of this talk. It would occur at high noon at the center of the busiest marketplace in Antiva City, and there should be no more than three Crows in attendance. Now Zevran knew they wouldn't hold to that part of the bargain, but he at least had to try. Thankfully with Alistair at his side, back in fit fighting form, they should be able to handle a larger group if it became necessary.
When the morning of the meeting arrived, Alistair paced nervously in their small, secret hideaway. "Are you sure about this, Love?"
Zevran nodded. "I knew it would only be a matter of time before I got their attention. I think my terms are reasonable. If they stop hunting me, I stop killing them. That is only fair, yes?"
Alistair pulled the elf into an embrace. "Fair and reasonable, yes, but will they accept?"
"They have no choice, mi amor. With you at my side, we are unstoppable!" Zevran said with a laugh.
"Yes, go ahead and laugh on our way to our own funeral," Alistair deadpanned. "What was it you used to say…?"
"We are ridiculously awesome!" Zevran shouted, smiling broadly.
Alistair pulled him into a brief kiss. "Yes, that. You were always a bit overconfident."
They made their way towards the marketplace early, Alistair remaining heavily cloaked and Zevran disappearing entirely into the crowd, ostensibly to assess how large of a force the Crows were planning to surprise them with.
When the time came they both strode together towards the center of the market. Alistair inquired as to what Zevran had discovered. "I could find no more than five Crows within close proximity. This is…very odd."
Alistair had to agree.
As they approached the center of the market place, three Crows approached while two others, in plain view, hung back in the crowds.
Zevran approached the leader, bowing his head in respect. "Master Raúl," Zevran said. "It has been a…long time."
"Indeed it has, Zevran," the man acknowledged. "I hear you have been giving the Crows a difficult time of late. You got our attention, what do you intend to do with it?"
"I come to make the Crows an offer," Zevran said plainly. "Stop this endless pursuit of me, and I will stop killing your men. It's as simple as that."
Raúl chuckled. "Oh no, my dear Zevran. It will never be as simple as that," the Crow Master said. "You failed in your mission and you failed to die trying to fix it. Then you had the audacity to try and leave our little organization. You knew the consequences of such a decision."
"Si, I did," Zevran admitted, "But don't you think after all these years it's time to end this?"
"Oh certainly," Raúl said. "However you still need to be made an example of. We have a counter-proposal for you. Submit to a public flogging. Right here, right now. Fifty lashes from the whip and ten from the cane. If you can endure this, we will trouble you no further."
For a brief moment Zevran stiffened as he contemplated their offer. Could he endure such a punishment? If it meant that he and Alistair could leave in peace? Absolutely.
Zevran nodded. "Si, I agree to your terms, however I want this in writing and sealed in blood." Zevran knew the Crows would never violate a blood contract.
Alistair cried out. "Zevran! No!"
Zevran turned and looked at his lover. "Do not worry, mi amor. I can endure this, if it means we will finally be left in peace."
Raúl brought out an already written contract, anticipating Zevran's demand. Zevran read it carefully and found no loopholes. He then slit a fingertip and placed a bloody print upon the document. Handing it back to Raúl as the Crow Master did the same.
When the contract was signed in blood, the other crows in attendance went to bring out a wooden cross, securing it into a conveniently placed hole in the market square, as if this wasn't the first time a public whipping had taken place here. Zevran then approached and allowed then to remove his armor, stripping him completely naked. If they sought to humiliate him, they would be disappointed.
He was secured to the cross by his wrists, ankles, elbows, knees and neck. Alistair wailed in despair and two of the Crows forced Alistair to kneel, securing him to prevent him from stopping the proceedings.
Raúl sneered at the man. "You will watch as your traitorous lover is beaten to within an inch of his life. If you close your eyes, I may feel the need to begin again."
Zevran roared at hearing those words. "No! Leave him out of this! That was not in the contract."
"True, but there was also nothing in the contract to state I couldn't force your Ferelden dog lord to watch," Raúl snickered.
Then a Crow handed Raúl a whip. "You will count them, Zevran," he said before he began.
Then the whip began to crack, hard and cruel across Zevran's back. Each lash was laid down just so in order to break the skin. As Zevran counted, Alistair wailed and flinched at each new mark. Soon Zevran's back was slick with blood.
By the time the fiftieth lash hit, Zevran's voice was weak and strained, and Alistair was shaking from sobs. Next, one of the Crows handed Raúl a wicked looking cane.
"Just ten from the cane and you can walk free Zevran," Raúl said darkly. "Just don't forget to count."
The cane was aimed at Zevran's arse, and came down cruelly. Zevran's will was faltering and he cried out before counting. At the sound of his strangled cry, Alistair nearly collapsed if it weren't for the two Crows holding him up, forcing him to watch.
By the fifth lash from the cane, Zevran's voice came out barely a whisper and Raúl taunted him to speak up. By the tenth lash, Zevran's voice was nearly gone entirely.
"Zevran Aranai, as per the terms of our blood contract, I hereby release you of your obligations to the Crows," Master Raúl said loud enough for the crowd around them to hear. "The Crows will not hunt you or take any jobs that lead to your assassination. You are free."
The Crows then cut Zevran down from the cross, and left him crumpled upon the cobblestones that were smeared red with his blood. They then released Alistair who ran over to his lover in a complete panic, not sure exactly what to do.
Once Zevran had recovered his voice somewhat he croaked. "Gather my armor and help me put on my breeches. Then I will direct you to the closest healer."
"Alright, Love," Alistair did as Zevran asked, tears still streaming down his face. Once Zevran was half-way decent, they made their way to the healer, who hurriedly escorted them inside. Zevran knew this healer was an apostate mage of renowned skill. He would be able to get Zevran fixed up faster than a more conventional healer could, with their salves and bandages.
It took a couple of hours and several lyrium potions, for the healer to complete his work, there had just been so much damaged tissue on Zevran's back and arse to repair.
The healer also gave Zevran several potions and he was paid handsomely for his service. By the time they left Zevran was looking much more like his old self again, albeit more withdrawn than normal. He may have not let the Crows see the extent of it, but that whipping had affected him more than he was willing to let on.
...
It took a week for Zevran to recover from his ordeal, spending much of it wrapped in the arms of his lover, weeping softly. Zevran and Alistair spent most of their time in bed, while Zevran finally talked about all of the abuses he suffered since he was a child. That final punishment from the Crows had broken the wall he'd built around himself and he was finally able to tell Alistair about it. It felt good to finally have someone to share his pain with.
A week after Zevran had finally found himself free of the Crows, or at least so he hoped, he and Alistair once again booked passage aboard a ship. They decided to head for Orlais and hoped to find a small house near a settlement. Zevran could sell his skills as a rogue and Alistair as a warrior, and in-between they could enjoy the peace and quiet of the Orlesian countryside.
...
They've lived in Orlais for six months now. The small hut at the edge of the smaller village has become their home. Alistair learned he enjoys being domestic, gardening, cooking, even cleaning, when he isn't out earning some coin with the edge of his sword. Zevran tries to help around the hut but Alistair insists on pampering him, so Zevran insists on at least doing the hunting.
Alistair can't remember ever being so completely…content.
