Fergus took my arm. "Dinner awaits us, good Sers. And there is someone here who is near dying to see you." At some unspoken signal from Fergus, Nathaniel took my other arm. We made a merry trio as we made our way to the dining room, reliving old exploits.
"I couldn't believe Mother Mallol never told a soul! Fergus you..." I pulled up short at the company awaiting us. "Maker's breath! Bevin, is that you?" The lanky twelve year old was now nearly fifteen and had definitely had a growth spurt. He was only a half a head shorter than me. Kaitlyn was also there, smiling shyly and curtsying.
"Warden Eth, it is so good to see you again!" Fergus went around the table to her, putting his arm around her. They smiled at each other and it made my heart ache. I hadn't seen my brother that happy in so long.
"What do you think, Eth? Should I make Kaitlyn here the Teyrna of Highever?" She blushed and looked mortified.
I laughed. "I don't think it's up to me, Fergus, and you've never listened to me anyway." To my left Nathaniel chuckled. "As long as you're happy."
During the meal we discussed my encounters with the Crows and Fergus told me about the concerns in the Alienage. Elves had always been treated well in Highever. I don't even know why we called the Alienage that, half of the elves didn't even live inside of it. The gates hadn't been shut in centuries until Howe's wretched men disturbed the plants and bushes growing around the gates to shut them.
So off we were, first thing that morning, to see what was to be seen and talk to those we needed to talk to. Bevin had wanted to come along and he kept up a running commentary on the short walk into town. The handful of knights that accompanied us smiled at him indulgently.
"I've kept my grandfather's sword safe, just like you told me to. I'm getting stronger, I am! I can lift it now with no problem. And sometimes the knights in the castle let me squire for them! Can you believe that, Commander Eth?" He stopped for air and I quickly interjected.
"I wonder if your sister would let you come and squire for me at Vigil's Keep?" Bevin's eyes went round as saucers and Kaitlyn looked vaguely worried. Nathaniel chuckled.
"She will run you ragged, son." Bevin just stared, eyes shining. "She's a harsh task mistress, that one. You'll not find better training."
The young boy found his tongue and kept up a monologue for the rest of the trip. You'd think I'd offered him the keys to the Maker's door. It was strangely heartwarming.
We approached the Alienage in short order. We headed for the vhenadahl, the large tree in the center of the Alienage. It had battle scars but still looked healthy.
A small group of elves converged on us. They seemed to be led by an especially delicately featured woman, her brown hair drawn up in a myriad of tiny braids, and pale blue eyes shining. "Be welcome, Teyrn Cousland." I guessed that she was the Hahren.
"Thank you, Hahren Esme. This is my sister, Eth. She is here in response to the troubling situation you brought to my attention."
She smiled at me serenely. "I am very pleased to meet you." She gave me a small bow and gestured to the elves standing around her. "These are the ones you wish to speak to. Know this. The Couslands have always treated the elves well. This is why I went to the Teyrn." Her voice was like velvet. She nudged an older man forward, his steel gray hair hanging loose around his shoulders.
"My lady, I am Alfgar. Several weeks ago I was approached by a man with an accent I'd never heard before. He told me he'd pay me a pouch of sovereigns if I'd spy on the Teyrn. I turned him down." He nodded at the two young females who'd yet to speak.
They both bobbed a curtsey and then the redhead spoke. "I am Dorelai. I have some skill in hunting, as does my brother Gil. This same man approached us and offered payment to join the Wardens and kill you." My blood ran cold and I heard Nathaniel hiss.
The blonde said, "I am Sarai. I am a baker's apprentice. I was also approached by this same man and was asked to send poisoned baked goods to the Wardens."
In bits and pieces it came out. The man hadn't been seen since then. He was slightly older, maybe my father's age, nondescript in appearance. They were to make their way to Gwaren for payment once news got out that either Alistair or myself were dead. No one could place the accent. I assumed it was probably Antivan. Bloody Antivans.
I bowed to Esme. "Thank you, Hahren Esme, for both this information and your loyalty." I handed her a pouch of coin to be distributed to any in need. Esme looked startled.
"We have no need of payment for loyalty, my lady. The Teyrn takes care of Highever."
I smiled at her. "I know, and I mean no offense. It's just that in my travels I've learned that sometimes elves don't complain until things get really bad.." I thought of the proud Dalish and the poor elves in Denerim's Alienage.
She shook her head ruefully. "This is sometimes true. Here in Highever we rarely have cause to complain. Still, thank you."
The walk back was much quieter. I felt dejected. The information was good, it confirmed my suspicions that at least one Crow cell was still taking contracts on us. Blast it all, it wasn't enough information. I had a suspicion that if I investigated Gwaren no one would have ever heard of a man with an Antivan accent. I sighed and kicked a stone in the road.
Fergus saw it. "Aw, is my little sister frustrated?" I scowled at him. "I'm sorry, Eth."
"I know, Fergus. I just hate this stupid problem. Nothing obvious to hit with my swords." I took a deep breath of sweet Fereldan air. It was harvest time and I could see workers in the fields we passed.
Fereldan is a beautiful land, for all that I have never left it's boundaries. Rich forests and rich farmland, mountains and valleys, coasts and plains; I loved it all. We were a hard-working people, loyal and stubborn.
An hour outside of the castle, the tidy little farms thinned out. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I failed to notice the enormous pile of hay sitting next to a small copse of trees and scrub bushes. If I had been paying even a little more attention, what happened next would have fallen out in a very different way.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw the hay burst apart. Four Qunari came at us screaming. As I drew my weapons, all I could see was a Qunari with the largest maul I've ever seen going straight for Fergus.