The return trip to Redcliff took less time. They arrived the following evening and the mages were a day behind. Morrigan was to enter the Fade. For Shiva, it was just a waiting game. During that time, Teagan and Shiva discussed Jowan.
"If your wish is to wait for Eamon to decide, he will wake with another task to complete. If we deal with him, that is less he will have to be concerned about, if he awakens." Teagan agreed with her. Jowan was to be held under the charges of an assassination attempt and would be executed.
Isolde was wringing her hands in the corner. "The mages – they will take Connor after this."
Shiva leaned on the wall to address the woman that sat behind her. "What else is new? You act as if you're the first to experience this. If you wish to prolong his stay, invite the mages to remain. Say your husband needs better supervision than whatever mage is here now. They may have Connor stay as well. It's not like the tower is in any shape for a quick return."
Teagan cocked his head at her. "What do you mean? What has happened at the tower?"
Shiva opened her mouth to begin the tale, but a voice from the hall caught their attention. "Mother!" Isolde whipped her head around in time to see Connor hop in her lap. She hugged the child tight, babbling and kissing his face. "Mother, that's embarrassing!" He noticed the stranger in the room, apparently not recognizing Shiva from his earlier state. He shrunk back shyly.
"I'll leave you three to your reunion." Shiva met Morrigan in the hall. Remembering her own trip to the fade to confront a demon, she understood the weariness she saw in the wilds woman, who did her best to hide it. "Morrigan, are you well?"
"Yes, yes, the child is free of the demon." Morrigan's eyes darted to the side as she spoke. She must have been exhausted or preoccupied to let such a telltale sign of lying slip.
"Such a shame. I had hoped you'd at least learn a trick or two from it before slaying it. But wait, you did not say you killed it." Upon close inspection, Shiva could see the surprise flash across Morrigan's face. Like lightning, it was gone in an instant.
"Explain the tricks you speak of. Elaborate." She was clearly feeling out the pirate's reaction to what she had truly done.
"Surely I don't need to spell out how a mage learns blood magic. Or did your mother teach you already?"
"She did not teach me blood magic, exactly. Nothing that could be of use. Say I did strike a deal with the demon in exchange for knowledge. What then?" Beside her, Morrigan's fingers toyed with a belt on her skirt - perhaps in an attempt to remain nonchalant.
Shaking her head, the warden waved in mild exasperation. "Enough with the euphemisms. Did you by chance learn blood magic or no? If you have, we shall only speak of it to each other. I would be interested in learning more about it from a blood mage. No one else would share this interest, I daresay."
"I concur. Not the templar, the old circle mage, or even Sten." Morrigan was looking away, deciding. Amber eyes met blue ones. "Yes, I was educated by the demon when in the fade. Also, if you wish to know, the boy is free of the demon – for now. That was the price. Years from now, he will be of no use to us, the demon will reclaim him." The witch expected shock but received none. Shiva simply nodded slowly.
"Just don't borrow my blood for your spells, okay? Not without my consent, at least."
"As you wish. I must say I am impressed with your opinion. Tis far better than I would expect."
"Speak no more of it, leech. Come, let's find the kitchens. We can roost in there like a couple fat hens and peck anyone who enters." The girls set out for the castle's food supply.
After eating and parting with Morrigan to let the witch have her nap, Shiva perused the books in the Arl's study. Many of them were about Orlais – Knights of Orlais, Legends and Ballads of Orlais, Geography of Orlais. She imagined the Arl and Teyrn Loghain were not very close friends.
Steps in the hall kept nearing and never turned as Shiva hoped they would. She was in no mood for idle chatter.
"I've been looking for you." Alistair's voice made her change her mind. She still had mixed feelings for him. He was handsome, strong, honorable, and kind. Too kind. Half of his dumb act was just that – an act. It was part of his personality. A tool to make others underestimate him, like Morrigan and Sten. His indecisiveness was genuine. There was no trace of what had seeded that within him. He had yet to take a real stand for anything. One day he would put his foot down, but for what?
"I was talking to Teagan and Isolde just now," he began. "I think something they said should be our next move." They sat in two chairs that were along the wall. "We really need Arl Eamon well for his allegiance, right? So Isolde mentioned a scholar that was searching for the Urn of Sacred Ashes - Andraste's Ashes. He lives in Denerim."
"Denerim." Shiva ran her hands through her hair as she thought. "We could do that. It would also be a good place to go for supplies. There's a skilled blacksmith there, perhaps he could do something with those drake scales we got from the tower." She knew one of the men that worked there. The two of them had never gotten along – he was suspicious when she moved in with his father. But that was the last thing she wanted to remember.
"Yeah! There's one other thing that's there. Something personal. Someone I want to look up." He had that sheepish, hesitant tone again. She waited for him to continue. "You see, I have a sister. I don't think she knows about me. I've never met her. I just know her name is Goldanna."
Shiva couldn't think of any reason for him not to see her. As far as she knew, he was alone. Family could be just what he needed. "I don't see why not. When we get there, you can see her. We'll most likely spend a day or two there."
After her heavy meal, Shiva found herself growing tired quickly. Alistair said goodbye and left her after a few more minutes of chatting. He was to inform Isolde and Teagan that they would leave tomorrow. She got up to share the plan with the rest of her companions.
Days later they arrived at Denerim. Shiva split everyone up. Sten, Leliana and Sten would go to the smithy and speak to Master Wade about making drake scale armor. Wynne, Morrigan, and Shale went to the Wonders of Thedas, which left Alistair and Shiva to meet Goldanna.
"Shall I wait out here?" Shiva could see how nervous the poor boy was. Even Loki licked his fingers and gave him a sympathetic whine.
"Nah, come in with me. It's hot out here." It wasn't, but she wasn't going to give him a hard time about it. There were three or four children running around the house, eyeing them with wonder. One boy squatted to play with Loki.
The wardens went inside, Shiva walking behind Alistair and giving his arm a gentle squeeze for support. "Um, hello?"
A woman walked up talking as fast as a bird could fly. "Ey? You have linens to wash? It's five bits a load."
Alistair shuffled his feet and swallowed. "I'm not here to have any wash done, heh. I was looking for you, actually. I'm Alistair. This may sound strange but your mother worked at the castle right? As a servant? Well, our mother. I'm your brother."
"My wha? Oh, it's you! They told me you was dead!" She sounded far from pleased to see him.
"Who told you that?"
"Thems at the castle! You killed mother, you did! And they told me you was dead. Paid me three bits to keep me mouth shut. Tricked me well, they did." With every uttered word she spouted bitterness and ignorance of basic grammar.
"No, I'm not dead, no. They sent me to Redcliff. I didn't kill mother! I can't even remember-"
"Don't lie to me, boy." Goldanna was spitting her words and Shiva was ready to spit coals. Her eyes were narrowed at the shrew and her shoulders raised. She plunged a dagger in someone's throat for less disrespect than that bitch was showing. Several some ones. "Your grabby father forced himself on my mum. Then you happened. You ruined everything for me. Now look. You want family? Fine, be a good brother and help me with some decent coin so I can feed my five kids." She gestured at her shithole of a house.
Serves you right.
Shiva was literally biting her tongue. A sidelong glance to see Alistair's hurt astonishment was the last straw. "He is not to blame for your misfortunes. Your insignificance is." Shiva was perfectly capable of matching her venom, but for Alistair's sake, she would work up to it. Even Loki stood between the wardens with his ears back and muzzle twitching into a snarl.
"And who in the Maker's name are you? Some strumpet after his riches, no doubt."
"The only one after his gold is you, worthless hag!" Had a table not been between them, Shiva would have launched herself at Goldanna. Said worthless hag erupted into a yell.
"Whoa whoa," his hand shot out to block Shiva from stepping forward more than she did. His look urged her not to make things worse so with her last bit of self-restraint, she didn't fly across the room and choke her. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I came." There was a moment of near silence with the hound's growl rolling steadily. If Shiva had her way right then, she'd burn the whole damn house. Alistair would have been better off in an Alienage orphanage than there with spite personified
"I don't know why you came either." Shiva tapped Loki's foot to get his attention, then gave him a sly wink. As the wardens turned to leave, Goldanna's yelling started up again. She was stomping toward Loki, who was happily pissing in the corner. All this was missed by Alistair who was already out the door. Shiva patted her thigh to her loyal hound.
"Come on, boy! Oh, you are such a good boy. Show that cow who's boss. Let's go boy." Shiva's smile slid away when she saw Alistair standing so forlorn outside, near the market. She slowly approached him and linked her arm through his.
"That was… Not what I expected at all. I can't believe that gold digging shrew is my sister. I was expecting her to accept me. Isn't that what family does?" He seemed like he was four years old, experiencing his first world shattering news. 'Dog died. Cat too – it choked on the goldfish, which is dead as well…'
"Listen here," Shiva turned him to face her. "Forget about her. Being exposed to such bitterness would have destroyed you – not to mention the hundred other faults she revealed in such little time."
He nodded. "I know, it's just… I thought I was going to have a family."
"She's a fool," Shiva said quietly, more to herself than him. She put her hand under his chin to make him look her in the eye. "I would give anything to have you as my brother." She found that it was the truth. It was soon after meeting him that she realized any romance between them would have ended quite soon. They fit much better as a family.
"I am your brother. We share the taint, right? Same blood." He was slowly cheering up. Knowing he wasn't alone made all the difference. There was someone who cared. Duncan had become a father figure easily. He fell into the role of a surrogate family member, just as Shiva did.
"Come on. Let's see what the others are up to. We spend tonight at the Gnawed Noble. We could all use a drink and a decent bed." Those that had gone to the smithy had already gathered at the meeting place, the corner outside the Gnawed Noble, which was across the scholar's house. Before Shiva, Alistair and Loki caught up, the rest had joined them.
The mages had bought themselves some useful magical trinkets and Shiva was going to take Leliana, Sten, and Loki to Genitivi's house. The rest would wait inside the Gnawed Noble.
No Genitivi. The four that were to meet him returned to the Gnawed Noble with another lead. The impostor inside was lying dead, along with the apprentice whose role he was assuming.
They sat at a long table with the rest and ordered a meal and a round of drinks. As their evening went on, they were able to relax. Zevran spoke of his assassinations – the successful ones – and joked throughout. Leliana stole glances at Shiva, hinting at what she wanted to happen once they returned to their rooms. Sten almost smiled – it was that good an evening. Late at night, everyone turned in. Boys and golem in one room, girls and dog in the other.
In the morning, everyone lazed around their rooms. Morrigan had little warning before Shiva and Leliana finally got frisky. Morrigan was still lying on the divan, covering her head with a pillow to drown out the noise coming from the girls in bed. Leliana's squeals could run through any pillow she held against her ear. She was thankful at least the pirate was a quiet lover.
At breakfast, the wardens discussed where they should go from there. "I think we've been making slow progress." Shiva removed her hanging hair from the empty plate she was leaning over as she spoke.
"Really? We've been going pretty fast from what I can tell." It was hard to understand Alistair through the bread and cheese he stuffed in his mouth.
"We've been on the move constantly, but what do we have to show for it? We have the mages alliance and a few oddballs lending a hand. We have yet to contact the Dalish clans and Orzammar's king. I figured something out, Orzammar would have to wait though."
"What do you suggest?"
"From south of here we split up. You take the Dalish and I head to Haven, which is on the complete opposite side of Ferelden, so we meet at Redcliff after we have our business done. We cure Eamon, then see what he says." This was the perfect part for 'what could go wrong?' Alistair couldn't think of what could. He nodded.
"Sounds like a good plan. How do we split this up? I'm not taking the assassin!" He raised his hand for his anti-vote.
"But he's an elf, the Dalish would-"
He was shaking his head adamantly. "Don't care."
"Fine. I'll take Zevran, Morrigan, Loki, and Shale. You take Wynne, Sten, and Leliana."
It was nearly noon before they left Denerim. They would return sometime after a week to get their armor, but other than that, they didn't know when they'd have to return to the capital city. They headed south together, until Shiva and her group veered west to go to Haven, leaving Alistair and the rest to deal with the Dalish.