Brenner's POV
I couldn't sleep. I was dreaming of night Howe attacked my home. Waking up to Rabbit's barking, then a servant came running into my room. I didn't even know his name. He begged for help, just as an arrow pierced his chest. He was dead and I didn't even bother to learn his name, no to mention it was my fault he was dead. What kind of Teryn's son was I if I couldn't even protect my subjects, much less my family? I was scared.
I was leading these people to their deaths and they didn't even realize it. My beloved hound, blindly followed me wherever I went. He even did so happily. Would he follow me though if he understood that by following me he would die by the hands of the darkspawn? And Leliana, thinking she can help fight darkspawn! She can barely stay focused on one task, not to mention when there were multiple tasks, or multiple enemies at once. She wouldn't be able to stay alive once we reached the bulk of the horde. Then there was Wynne, a weak old mage. A mage who was exhausted after walking a mere mile. She wouldn't be able to survive all the darkspawn either, or even manage to make it to fight along side me against the Archdemon. And my Zevran, following purely because he made an oath to do so. Although I trusted him, he was all about living; he would probably sneak away just before the final battle.
Groaning, I watch the sky become a bright blue from the Sleeping Hare's front steps. I had only gotten a few hours of sleep, if that much. Hip hip hooray for nightmares! Even without my normal fears, my Gray Warden dreams were bad enough. Dreaming of the darkspawn and the Archdemon, as if fighting them in the day wasn't enough, I had to dream about them at night too.
I heard the inn's door behind me open, "Did you get any sleep?"
It was Morrigan. I turned to look up at the witch. Did I detect a smidgen of sympathy? I tiredly took a deep breath and chose not to answer.
"I can devise a potion of sorts that restores energy," she said.
"Wake the others," I ordered, ignoring her, "We leave after everyone has eaten."
"I am not a maid servant," she replied snappishly.
I grumbled something under my breath, "Fine."
"I shall start the potion immediately, I assume I have your leave to search the marketplace for the ingredients," Morrigan said, to which I nodded, "Very well. Perhaps you should sleep some-"
"For not being a maid servant you are awfully nurse-like," I muttered.
"Point taken."
Then Morrigan retreated back into the inn's walls and I followed her inside. Inside I found a few of my companions were already chomping down on the inn's breakfast of porridge. Alistair, Sten, and Wynne were all eating together at a table in the corner. Morrigan had taken her bowl of porridge to the table furthest away from the others. Leliana, Rabbit and Zev were nowhere to be seen. I went to the room I supposedly slept in last night to find my Mabari hound.
Sure enough I found him asleep on the bed that had been mine for the night. Upon sitting on the bed beside him, he woke, saw it was me and went back to sleep. I smiled at his ability to sleep so easily, and found myself a bit jealous. No doubt he was dreaming good dreams, nothing about Howe's attack. I rubbed Rabbit's head.
"Time to get up Rabbit," I said, "You wouldn't want to miss breakfast."
With the mention of food Rabbit was up and ready, I followed his lead and stood. Just as we were about to leave the room, I noticed a silently footed elf at the door. He was examining me.
"You didn't sleep."
His voice was blunt, almost angry sounding. It made me feel like I disappointed him. I looked down at my hound, he was waiting impatiently for me to find food for him. He was jumping around and whining.
"Go get food from Alistair," I muttered and the dog ran past Zev and out of the room.
"Why didn't you sleep?" Zevran asked, he was glaring at me.
"I can handle my sleeping issues," I said bitterly, "There is no need to mother me."
Then, though I couldn't say for sure, I heard Zevran make a low growl at me.
"Apparently there is a need. You aren't sleeping. You look ill, pale and clammy. You look nothing like the Warden I remember meeting at the ambush-" I cut the ranting Zevran off.
"You're upset because I look sick?" I hissed; did he just care about looks?
"Not at all," Zevran said, hissing right back at me.
He stepped toward me, shutting the door behind him as he did. He looked ferocious and I noticed I had taken a step or two backwards. I had backed up until my calves hit the bed behind me. Zevran, although at his height that didn't even reach my shoulder, seemed to tower over me at that moment. He pushed my chest and I fell backwards on the bed.
Zevran continued, "I am upset because- because Ferelden needs you to be well, Alistair needs you to be healthy, he looks up to you, you know. I'm upset because you should be more responsible."
Lying backwards on the bed, I looked up at Zevran. His copper eyes were filled with passion, whether it was with hate or adoration, I didn't care. I found myself liking the passion in his eyes and couldn't control a guilty grin that spread on my face. Zev quirked an eyebrow at me. I found I was no longer angered by him scolding me.
"Hm, perhaps we should try to cure my insomnia then," I said watching the elf; who now smirked.
"Maybe tonight the sleeping arrangements could be changed?" Zev suggested.
"Already are," I answered quickly before Zevran could finish his last word.
I took control. With a hand behind Zev's waist and jerked him onto me.
"Brenner!" Zevran exclaimed in surprise and I laughed at the confused elf.
Wrapping my hands behind Zevran's head, I let my fingers tangle in his hair, then pulled his face down to mine. Our lips connected and an explosion of feelings erupted. I felt his small hands searching me, sneaking up my shirt. His cold fingers sent a shiver down my spine.
"You surprise me Brenner," Zev whispered in my ear, giving my ear a slight nibble.
With one swift fluid motion, I rotated our position so I was looking down at the man and had managed to pin his arms above his head. The elf was very willing though, and looked up at me with confident eyes that dared me to go further. I smirked at Zev and kissed his lips, and soon our tongues were wrestling for dominance. Beneath my trousers I could feel Zevran pressing against me, as I'm sure he felt me.
"Oh Alistair!" Leliana's voice was very loud in the hallway, "Can I have a word for a second?"
"Right now? I need to find Brenner, his dog won't stop following me!" Alistair's voice was muffled through the inn's door. I would have to remember to thank Leliana for the warning.
Zevran's eyes opened with a start and looked into mine. I snuck one more kiss before I rolled off and tried to regain control of my body, but I couldn't get myself to go down. I muttered something stupid under my breath and looked at Zevran. His long blonde hair was in disarray, the braids were falling out of place.
"Sorry," I whispered to him, feeling bad for everything that occurred.
"Do not be sorry, you are a fantastic kisser," Zevran replied with his usual smirk.
Then without any more warning, Alistair burst through the door.
"Rabbit won't leave me alone!" Alistair whined and sure enough Rabbit was beside him, wanting breakfast.
"Oh he just wants some food," I said, trying hard to keep my voice from cracking.
That was when Alistair caught on to the mood in the room, "What- What were you two doing?"
Zevran looked at me, waiting for me to answer. One of his eyebrows rose, curious to hear my response. Should I tell the world that I wanted Zevran, or hide it and most likely feel the wrath of Zev. I stayed silent, and urged Zev to answer with a pleading gaze.
"My dear Alistair," Zevran started slowly, I could see a million different answers passing through his head, "The Warden, he is rather frustrating sometimes."
"Yes he is," Alistair mumbled unsure where the conversation was going. I had to admit, I was clueless too.
"So frustrating in fact that I couldn't resist, but jump at him. I was just about to attack, but then you entered and I couldn't kill him. For you would have a sword in my back in seconds," Zevran sighed, feigning disappointment, "I am rather upset right now."
"He was going to kill you?" Alistair asked suddenly concerned.
"It's true," Zevran said playfully, I wondered when Alistair would catch on that Zev was just teasing him. "I plan to return to the Crows once he dies too, I would much rather be tortured to death by their poisons than stay here and listen to that man's stupidities!"
Zevran was pointing a finger at me now and giving me a pretend glare. I flat out laughed then, which confused poor Alistair.
"Wait- You're having me on- He's having me on," Alistair looked at me, baffled beyond all means, "I mean, he is isn't he?"
Sten's POV
I went with the Warden, Rabbit, and Leliana to search for Brother Genetivi in the marketplace. The others, with the exception of Morrigan, went to search on the South Side of the city. The Warden, seeming in rather good spirits today although he appeared to be tired, easily convinced the citizens for information with a smile. It was not long before we arrived at Brother Genetivi's house.
The Warden knocked once on the front door. There was no answer. So he knocked again. But again, there was no answer. He looked to Leliana.
"Would you unlock the door?" he asked.
The Bard silently slipped her way to the door and tried the handle, the door opened immediately, "Perhaps the Warden should have tried the door first."
"Thank you Leliana, you are always so helpful," the Warden answered glibly, to which Leliana responded with a grin.
We walked inside to find a cowardly looking man. He was shorter than the Warden, and had a rather narrow looking nose. The man dressed in simple clothes of a middle class man, but smelled rather horribly.
"You!" he exclaimed upon seeing the four of us enter, "What are you doing here?"
His eyes nervously darted from one of us to another. The Warden calmly replied, seeming to notice the man's fear and didn't want to disturb him further.
"I am looking for Brother Genetivi," the Warden's voice was soft, I was almost surprised that a man of his stature could produce a voice that resembled the feel of a purring cat. But the Warden is a man with many secrets and surprises, so I was not that shocked to see he could speak soothing tones, over his normal voice which was closer to resembling a snare drum than a cat's purr.
"Brother Genetivi? Why?" the man asked fearfully. I did not like this man.
"I heard about his search for the Urn of Sacred Ashes," the Warden responded. It was opinion that the Warden sometimes gave away too much information, but the Warden had a reason for most of the things he did, so I did not question it.
"He was on the trail for the Urn of Sacred Ashes, yes. Whether he found it… the Maker only knows," the man said, using hand gestures as he spoke, "I haven't seen Brother Genetivi in weeks. He's sent no word, it's so unlike him. I'm afraid something bad has happened. Genetivi's research into the Urn may have led him into danger.
"Do you think he's in trouble because of the Urn?" the Warden asked curiously. The man seemed to have calmed down a bit now that it was seen we meant him no harm.
"Perhaps the Urn has been lost for a reason. I pray for Genetivi's safety, but hope dwindles with each passing day. I-I tried to send help, but some knights came from Redcliffe looking for him not long ago. I sent them after Genetivi and they too have disappeared," the man was frantic again. I really did not like this man.
I noticed Rabbit sniffing the air close to the man. The hound seemed to be disturbed, the man really did smell. Rabbit seemed to be putting the man on edge again and the Warden called the hound to lay off the man.
"I must go after them," the Warden said, "I need the Urn for Arl Eamon."
"No!" the man exclaimed holding a hand up between the Warden and himself as if that could keep the Warden from asking, "Don't ask me where they went. You'll go after them, and what if ill-luck befall you, too? This search is a curse on all of us-" the Mabari hound whined incessantly, trying to go toward the man, but the Warden held him by the collar, "Some things are-are not meant to be found. I know that now."
The man looked down at the hound full of fear. Then he looked at me, then at Leliana and then back to the Warden. He seemed to twitch as all of us watched him cautiously. I sense the man was lying. Why would a man be so nervous? There was no reason we were not here to harm him, so he must be lying. I did not voice my opinion. The Warden would figure it out soon enough if he hadn't already.
"I need to obtain the Ashes, or Arl Eamon will die," the Warden said, everyone in the room could hear his annoyance with the man. The Warden's patience was wearing thin.
The man sighed, "So be it. All he said-"
At this point Rabbit broke free of the Warden's grasp on his collar and ran past the man to where a door was shut on a back room. The Mabari started pawing relentlessly at the door and barked loudly.
"Wh-what is he doing? No ones supposed to go in there!" the man nearly screamed.
"Oh, he just wants to explore," the Warden said, he now eyed the man wearily.
"I'm sorry, but that room is not for guests! It's full of book, papers, and I really rather they weren't disturbed," the man went to Rabbit and was about to kick the dog away, when Rabbit barked menacingly and the man thought better than to kick him.
"He won't disturb them, Rabbit's a good dog. Doesn't touch anything he doesn't own," the Warden answered.
"I said no, Brother Genetivi was a very private person," the man sounded desperate.
Then the Warden walked up to the man, out his face inches away from the man and snarled, "You're hiding something. I want to know what it is."
"No! Don't touch that door!" the man yelled, it looked as though he were about to cry. He drew a dagger from his pocket and promptly stabbed the Warden's stomach.
The Warden didn't even flinch as he pulled out his sword and chopped the man's head off, splashing blood all over the Warden's face and front side of his body. The man fell headless to the floor. This was not the first time I had seen the Warden chop a head off, that seemed to me to be his preferred way of killing somebody.
The Warden withdrew his sword, kicked the man aside, and opening the back room door walked inside. He was using the wall for support, the Warden, with his other hand, clenched as his stomach where blood was starting to pour out.
"Warden, let me bandage you up, and then take you to an infirmary," Leliana said, "Sten can search for clues about where Genetivi really is."
"There's no need," the Warden said gruffly and pointed inside the room, "There's a dead man across the room clutching a journal. Go fetch Rabbit, and good job boy."
The hound retrieved the book for the Warden, the Warden then skimmed the last few written pages and said, "Brother Genetivi went to the Village of Haven."