The Tainted Knight

A Dragon Age Fanfiction

By Bionca Femme

Chapter 10: The Assassins Chapter

If someone were to ask Fergus Cousland if he was hiding from a certain Orlesian Bard he would most likely make various scoffing noises, turn a bright red and then scowl. But alone on the castle ramparts he could admit to himself that he was avoiding her like the plague. It bothered him, this fascination he had with her.

He was hiding up on the ramparts because this seemed to be the one place he could escape the woman. If it wasn't her solid form he was confronted with everywhere he went, it was her specter. She left her scent in his favorite lounging chair, her scarf could be found draped over a bookshelf, or he'd found an earring of hers on the floor of the main hall, he would turn a corner only to glimpse the hem of her skirt as she disappeared through a doorway. All these small seemingly innocuous things kept her constantly on his mind. She flitted through the halls like an errant butterfly, oblivious to the devastation wreaked by the beating of her delicate wings. And 'Maker when she speaks, its like sin wrapped in red velvet'. He shook the thought from his mind and scowled.

Fergus Cousland was in love, Maker help him.

"Fergus?" the familiar lilt of the Orlesian woman in question reached his ears and his breath caught in his throat.

"Andraste's blood," he swore softly and lifted his head to find she had stealthily crossed the distance between himself and the entrance to the ramparts and was now standing next to him. She was dressed in a dark green dress, the neckline drawing his eyes and he squeezed them shut against the sight of modest yet tempting looking bare creamy white skin. When he again opened them he found the full berry colored lips smiling at him softly, the crystalline blue eyes glittered with understanding and what could almost be...approval?

"You have been hiding up here for most of the day, my Lord," she tilted her head to the side and raised an eyebrow. "Is there something bothering you? Something to do with me perhaps?"

"I apologize, dear Lady. I don't mean to be a terrible host. That was more my Mother's area of expertise," he tried to avoid answering the question by apologizing for abandoning her.

The corner of Leliana's mouth twitched upwards for but a moment and then she turned to look out upon the town of Highever. "Your lands are quite beautiful, I can see why Selene always spoke with such longing for it, the sky even seems a prettier shade of blue here," she said.

Thankful to avoid the question of why he'd been hiding, Fergus hummed in agreement and turned to look out at the town with her. "Yes, I think its the green of the hills in the distance, the way they contrast with the red slate roofing on the houses."

"And that area," she pointed to a place in the town where the houses were a bit closer together, "Why are the houses so crowded there?"

Fergus took a deep breath and let it out, "Once the city of Highever was much like Denerim, that area was the Alienage."

"Oh, I see," Leliana said softly.

"We've taken down the gates and the elves have every right to live elsewhere in the city now, most choose to stay in one area. They believe that if they mingle too much with humans they will lose themselves. But we don't oppress our elven citizens...anymore," he amended.

Leliana smiled, "I was with Selene when we found Tevinter slavers in the Denerim Alienage, she was furious. I have never seen her so...enraged."

Fergus nodded, "Yes, Selene could never tolerate that. I remember as a young girl she had quite the crush on an elven servant boy here in the castle. I was a bit mean to him once, tripped him as I recall. Selene bloodied my nose," he chuckled at the memory.

Leliana laughed softly, "I do not doubt it."

"What are your plans after you leave Highever, Leliana?" Fergus asked before he could stop himself.

The redhead turned and regarded him with a surprised expression. "I-," she paused and then blushed. "I was actually hoping that I could stay in Highever for awhile. There is much about this land that I have come to enjoy...very much so in fact."

"Oh?" Fergus could not help the hopeful expression on his face anymore than he could help breathing.

"Yes," she smiled now. She had been uncertain about his feelings once he started avoiding her, but the expression on his face was all too clear. He felt the same way that she was feeling. "You see, there is someone here that I am coming to care for, he has been avoiding me all week however," she pouted.

Fergus couldn't help the grin that spread over his face, "Why you saucy minx!" he chuckled. "Anyone I know?" he thought he knew the answer but he wanted to hear her say it.

"Why yes, I believe you know him quite well," she flashed him a dazzling smile. "He's very handsome and sweet. He is kind, but very strong and he has a mischievous sense of humor."

Fergus folded his arms and tilted his head to the side and then rubbed his goatee with his hand, making a show of thinking it over. "Not Ser Gilmore's little brother Aaron? He's a bit young for you..." he trailed off and then eyed her with mock suspicion. "My Lady, have you been using your feminine wiles on my Knights?" he teased and flinched a bit when Leliana punched him in the chest.

"I mean you!" she huffed.

Fergus felt a weight lift off his shoulders, she had managed to take the black sack cloth from his soul and bring light into his world yet again. "Me? Well then in that case...I believe you left off with mischievous sense of humor, no? Carry on," he made an imperious gesture and tried to contain his laughter when Leliana glared at him.

"You knew!" she jabbed a finger into his chest where she'd punched him only moments before. "You let me say all those things, and all this time you knew. You are not a gentleman, chivalry is so dead!" she smirked at him. "Well, Lord Cousland. You could at least do me the same courtesy!"

He was filled with so many different emotions that he couldn't put voice to any of them. So rather than speak at all he took a step forward took her heart shaped face in his large hands and kissed her. Soon she deepened the kiss and he found himself with an armful of Orlesian Bard. And Maker, did it ever feel glorious.

When he pulled away he found her eyes glazed over with passion and her lips swollen. There was a pleasant rose color to her cheeks as well. He mentally congratulated himself on a job well done. "Well?" he grinned. "Does that answer your question, my Lady?"

Leliana's tongue darted out to swipe over her lower lip as if trying to taste him on her skin. And his reaction was not lost on her, she smiled. "Mmm, perhaps we could try that again? I think it would help me to understand how you feel a little better."

Fergus happily complied.

It had been a few days since Zevran left the capital in search of his wayward Grey Warden. Almost immediately he had found a caravan heading to the city of Amaranthine, by way of the Pilgrim's path. As payment for traveling with the wagons, he provided the merchant's with protection. Initially, it seemed an easy task, that is until he realized that the Pilgrims path was plagued with several bandits and one very beautiful and quite insane Dalish beauty. She would set the trees on fire and then enchant them, setting them on his benefactors with a fury he had not seen since Selene stormed the Arl of Denerim's estate. Why was he always attracted to such angry women? One of life's greater mysteries, to be sure.

At the moment he was sitting at a campfire, huddled in his traveling cloak and sharing supper with a man he had come to know only as, "Nathaniel," he spoke the name aloud and the young man looked up from his dinner.

"What is it?" the young man narrowed his large blue eyes on the Antivan suspiciously. Zevran chuckled to himself.

"Now, now..." he soothed. "No need to put such a disgruntled look upon such a handsome face. I was merely going to ask you what you were planning to do once you reach Vigil's Keep. Are you going to try out for the Grey Wardens?"

The young man flinched and Zevran could make out a slightly disgusted facial expression. Though whether from his flirting or the thought of being a Warden, he did not know.

"I thought to join the Arlessa's service, for a time. Why? What is it to you anyway?" Nathaniel asked suspiciously.

"I only ask as it seems that we are traveling the same way, yes? I thought we could stick together for a while," Zevran flashed the man his best smile and mentally sighed with relief when the young man relaxed.

"I don't see why not, just know that whatever else you intend in regards to my person is not going to happen. I don't swing that way...often," he growled.

"Oh? Well, often implies that there is a sometimes and sometimes is still a chance. I will wear you down yet, my friend!" Zevran threw his head back and laughed.

Nathaniel got up and stretched then gave Zevran a pointed look. "I'm going to get some sleep. Stay out here."

Zevran lifted an eyebrow in response. "Ah, you worry I will steal into your tent and have my way with you? Why you would not want such pleasures is beyond me, it must be a Fereldan thing, I swear. But...if you insist, I shall stay out here and you will be safe from the...big...bad..." he let the words drip from his lips like honey, "...elf."

"See that you do," with that he disappeared into his tent.

Zevran allowed himself a chuckle before taking another mouthful of the filling stew, it was almost tasteless, but still better than Alistair's many failed attempts at giving him food poisoning with that gray slop he always tried to pass off as lamb and pea stew. His thoughts roamed over the situation that he found himself in and he frowned. There was something deeper afoot here than mere rivalry amongst the nobility. Such things he could handle. He would simply kill Eamon while making it look like an accident. Accidents were not all that uncommon, especially in a country as brutal and unsubtle as this Ferelden. Were he in Antiva, he would have to rely upon his famous luck to produce an accident worthy of the great Zevran. For instance, having that mark break her neck falling from the carriage that he had just finished ravaging her in. Such things he could not plan. But here in Ferelden he could arrange an ambush somewhere out in the wilderness as he traveled from Denerim to Redcliffe perhaps.

No one would be the wiser.

But...then there was Nathaniel. Oh, the young man was handsome to be sure. However, he was an assassin. Zevran had been a Crow long enough to recognize a killer when he saw one. The way Nathaniel moved, how he could go beyond the use of stealth and actually use the very shadows, a skill that even Zevran had worked hard to perfect over the last months. He also knew poisons, not quite as well as Zevran but...he had an impressive array of them in his pack and on his person at all times. Then of course there was a matter of Nathaniel's last name. He refused to give one. At first this did not bother the Antivan elf as much as it might a normal person. People traveling by way of caravan are often escaping less than pleasant lives. And one thing he had learned from traveling with Grey Wardens is that one cannot overlook potential allies or friends simply because they have colorful lives.

But, (and there is always a but) as they neared Amaranthine Nathaniel had become more distant with him, less likely to engage in the harmless banter that Zevran had grown accustomed to with the young man. The Antivan was coming to believe that Nathaniel was going to attempt to assassinate his lovely Grey Warden. And handsome as the young brute may be, Selene had more than won Zevran's loyalty. Zev would be forced to stop him, violently if Nathaniel was determined enough. "Such a waste," he sighed.

The next morning Zevran awoke to a calloused hand over his mouth and the worried looking face of his companion hovering over his own. He lifted and eyebrow in question and Nathaniel rolled his skyward. Then he put a finger to his full lips and took his hand away from the elf's face. Getting up he helped Zevran to his feet and indicated that the Antivan should follow him.

After a time of what appeared to Zevran to be aimless wandering about in the Wending Wood, Nathaniel stopped before some brush and knelt, pulling the Antivan down next to him. He parted the shrubbery and pointed to what lay beyond. Zevran peered through the hole and grinned. There, bathing in the waterfall beyond the bushes that he and Nathaniel crouched behind, was the Dalish beauty that had been plaguing them since they set upon the Pilgrim's Path.

Zevran nodded and made a circling gesture with his index finger. Nathaniel nodded in turn and they both went in opposite directions. They were going to trap her between them so that it was more difficult for her to escape, which given her state of attire...would be quite an interesting sight indeed.

At Zevran's signal the two leapt from the bushes with the intent of attacking the seemingly unawares Dalish woman. Of course, then the saucy minx turned the tables on them at the last minute and encased them both in bramble bushes.

Zevran found himself hanging by his limbs in the prickly branches, and he clucked his tongue. "How undignified," he commented. He turned his attention to Nathaniel, who was struggling against his prison and not succeeding.

The woman merely snorted in derision at the hapless human feebly trying to escape her clutches and then unhurriedly slipped into her clothing. Which, much to Zevran's delight, was not much in the way of modesty. Not that he hadn't seen all that she had to offer. She was quite the sight, her smooth tanned skin spoke of many days running wild and naked in the wilderness, perhaps her golden hair unpinned and trailing behind her like a golden veil. He made a purring noise and watched the scowling beauty lift an eyebrow in response.

"Not the usual way I like to be restrained during strenuous activities my dear...but it certainly has potential," he chuckled. "I wonder if maybe perhaps you would undress again, that would make it much more exciting."

"An elf? You have tattoos but you are not of the Dalish, and you travel with a Shemlen," she cast a glance at Nathaniel who was currently red faced and cursing. "And a particularly idiotic one at that. What do you want of me?"

"Me? I want only to lavish your body with the attention it so rightly deserves," he smiled his best wicked smile.

"I don't bond with males who whore themselves out to humans," she spat. "Which is exactly what you're doing, selling your services to the Shemlen merchants, ones I have sworn my enemies. You will pay for your association with them," she hissed.

Zevran bit his lower lip and looked her over, she was rather fetching when she was hissing like a wet cat. "Selling my services?" he laughed softly. "Such things you say...perhaps you would rather I gave my services to you instead?"

"Didn't I just say no?!" the woman shrieked in frustration.

"Well there are many ways to say 'no', some of which undeniably mean 'yes'," he purred and noted with some satisfaction that the woman's cheeks pinked.

"You're insane," she lifted her hand and with a flick of her wrist Zevran was released. "Get out of here, I will not be responsible for slaughtering the village idiot. Tempting though the prospect might be."

Zevran felt the allure of this woman wane a bit. Village idiot? Hopeless romantic? Yes. Fantastic lover and supreme assassin? Also yes. Village idiot? No, no, he thought not. Instead of sauntering off and leaving Nathaniel to the woman's mercies, which he decided she lacked to any degree, he grabbed her roughly around the waist and pulled her to him so that she was facing away from Nathaniel. Then he captured her lips just as she was about to start spewing forth obscenities at him for touching her. He used the kiss to his advantage, distracting her from the fact that he had swiftly slipped Nathaniel a dagger to cut himself free with.

By the time he released her from his grasp she was dazed and her eyelids fluttered open. She looked around only to find Nathaniel gone. She rounded on Zevran again and narrowed her eyes. "You let him get away!"

"Me?" he chuckled. "I merely wanted a good bye kiss from a fiery Dalish beauty. After all, I am as you say...a village idiot. I had no idea that my fellow traveler was so wily."

The woman waved her hand dismissively, "No matter, I will find them all later and kill them, just like the others."

"You know...I understand that the humans have done terrible things to the Dalish in general, but this seems a little personal for you. What are you so angry about?" he asked curiously.

"If you must know I believe that the humans have my sister, I will stop at nothing to get her back," she clenched her fists and growled.

"I have been with that Caravan for many days and I can honestly say that they have no other elves with them," when she looked at him incredulously he only laughed. "I am a lover of beautiful women and men alike. Any woman related to you is bound to be almost as lovely as you are...I believe I would have noticed such a girl if they had one."

"It matters not, I will continue to kill them until I find her," she said. But somehow the knowledge that her sister was not with the caravan took a little of the wind out of her sails.

"Perhaps, we could look for her together? If you found her you would not feel the need to slaughter everything in sight?" he asked in a playful tone.

"Humans took her, I don't know where she would be," her shoulders slumped and she suddenly buried her face in her hands and turned away from Zevran.

Oh no, crying women were definitely not his specialty. He sighed inwardly and wrapped an arm around her. "Where did you last see your sister?"

"You truly want to help me? Even after I killed your friends?" she asked incredulously.

"I was once an Antivan Crow...my last mark spared my life, even though I was trying to kill her. Much as you have done just now. Perhaps, I shall repay my debt to her by helping you," he said thoughtfully.

"But if you wish to repay me by letting me worship you like the deadly sex goddess you are...I will not complain."

Rather than comment she took a deep breath and wiped away her tears. "Follow me," she said and grabbed a branch that Zevran later learned was her mages staff and started walking up a hill.

Zevran shot the bushes a knowing look. Nathaniel's face appeared among the branches and Zevran made a gesture for the dark haired man to follow after them at a distance. He had missed working with other rogues. After making sure he was understood, Zevran quickly caught up to Dalish elf.

"It occurs to me that I have not yet introduced myself. My name is Zevran...Zev to my friends. And you are?" he looked at her expectantly.

"Velanna," she replied but refused to look at him.

"A beautiful name, for a beautiful woman," he purred and then chuckled again when she huffed agitatedly.

A/N: It disturbs me that I started writing Zevran and just couldn't stop. It occurred to me (after the fact) that I wrote a chapter entirely with Rogues. I hope that it pleases you, and I promise there will be more Selene and Ser Perth in the next chapter. Review!!