BioWare owns all, I just play in their pond.

10. Innocens – Merrill

"It's so kind of you to carry the market basket for me, Hawke. I really can manage on my own, but it's nice to have the company," Merrill conceded this as she tugged a length of twine away from the merchant's stall it had caught on during her travels.

"It's quite all right, Merrill. I was out to do some shopping of my own and just had to see how the… string theory was working for you."

"Some of the merchants have given me funny looks, but no one's really said anything about it. Elgar'nan, I can't believe anyone finds their way here without trees and shrubs and things to show the way." The slender elf continued to re-wind her loaned string into its ball as they followed it toward the alienage. "Oh! I meant to tell you, it was so nice to see Carver and Fenris getting along while they pounded on skeletons together in the cave yesterday!"

Maker, it's like she's describing a couple of children in the nursery sharing their golem dolls nicely. Then again, she is talking about Carver and Fenris… "Wasn't it? I gather they've taken to practicing together lately."

"I have to admit, before they started getting on so well I thought Carver was just nervous around elves. Did you know he speaks another language?"

"I'm… not sure I've ever heard him do, no…"

"Oh, he does it all the time when he comes to check on me. The whole time while he was fixing that hole in my roof the other day he kept having to stop and tell me what he meant. See in the corner there, the hole's all patched up."

Must. Not. Laugh. "I wasn't aware he visited that often."

"Oh! All the time! He's so kind. I wish I understood it, though. Isabela said she doesn't hear him speak it half so much anymore. I wonder why that is."

Subject. Change it. Now. Helping Merrill stock away her purchases, he tried: "Are you sure you've enough food to hold you until your next market day? This doesn't seem like much."

"Oh, it doesn't take much to keep me, anyway. I bought more, once, but it just ended up spoiling. Everyone seems so worried about that. Isabela was just asking me at the Hanged Man last night whether I'm taking care of myself. I don't think she believed me when I said I was, since she insisted on giving me a vegetable to bring home."

Oh, Maker's glorified gonads. Shaking now, sure he couldn't contain himself much longer, Hawke headed for the door, waving his goodbye, when Merrill spoke again.

"I can't really be certain, but I think it was some sort of tuber."