The Wardens and their company were following a young dwarven soldier through the commons area. Zeriah looked about in awe at the place. Molten lava ran freely through the streets like rivers, only blocked by deep stone walls. Dwarves scurried about everywhere with their heads to the ground, a fact that caused Zeriah to frown. These were clearly the lower class, and they obviously weren't very respected. Her eyes narrowed. Though she had been the daughter of a Teyrn, she had always been taught to respect her people.
"How can he be so…so cruel, father?" Zeriah asked. She was thirteen, watching one of the Banns with his servant. She flinched as the man struck the old footman, and she decided she couldn't take it anymore. Zeriah charged over, ignoring the surprised looks of the nobles around them. As the Bann raised his hand for another strike, she grabbed his wrist. The man, who was much larger than she, was practically foaming at the mouth when he looked down at her with manic eyes.
"Unhand me, girl, or so help me-" he roared. The thirteen year old stared up at him with calm green eyes.
"What? You will strike a child in front of all these people?" she asked patiently. He sputtered, unable to respond. "I did not think so. You will not strike this man. He is a person." She stated.
"He is a servant." The Bann retorted. She arched an eyebrow.
"Servants are people. You would not have a successful household if you did not have servants to run all of your affairs." She turned to the servant in question. "Is he cruel to you often?" she asked. The man looked frightened, but he nodded. She smiled politely at him. "What is your name?" she requested.
"My…my name is Leon, my lady." He stammered. She was saddened by the fear in the old man's face, but she continued.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Leon. I am Zeriah Cousland. I wish for you to write me and notify me of any more cruelty from your Lord, is that understood?" she requested. The man smiled at her and nodded. She turned back to the Bann. "If I hear of any more abuse from you, I will be sure to discuss it with King Maric." She said sweetly. The man stammered and nodded, apologizing profusely. She grinned at Leon and returned to her father's side.
"If you want to know the quality of a man, always observe the way he treats his inferiors, not his equals." Bryce said fondly. Zeriah beamed at him.
"Or hers." She replied.
That lesson stuck, and seeing all the disheartened dwarves infuriated her, but she held her tongue. The best way to help these people would be to solve the problem with their king.
"Here we are, Warden." Their guide told them. Zeriah refocused and stared up at a large compound. The Grey Warden compound, in fact. They walked inside to find that it wasn't in the greatest shape, but it was definitely better than sleeping on frozen ground. Zeriah smiled wearily at Alistair before taking his hand.
"Let's find a room, shall we?" she suggested. He grinned at her.
"If you insist." He said teasingly. They wandered up the stairs and she fumbled for a doorknob as he kissed her. They stumbled through the door, and Zeriah shrieked when she heard someone clear their throat in the corner. Her sword was in her hands in an instant.
"Please tell me you aren't going to use that." A deep voice said.
"That depends on what you are doing in our bedroom." She replied drily. A scruffy-looking dwarf stepped out of the corner with his hands raised. His sandy blonde hair and beard were disheveled, and his moss green eyes darted from her sword to Alistair's and back in quick succession. He had a strange, swirling tattoo that started at his cheekbone and disappeared into his beard. His lips were quirked in amusement.
"This place has been abandoned for months, and I'm…well, let's just say I'm a bit…wanted, by some people that are shady. I've been hiding out here since I escaped them." He said in his gruff voice. Zeriah frowned.
"I have a proposition." She said. He studied her with those intelligent green eyes.
"I'm listening, kid." He said. She could tell he was prodding at her, trying to push her buttons. She didn't take the bait.
"Join the Grey Wardens." She replied simply. Alistair shifted behind her, and he could tell that her decision made him uncomfortable, but he didn't try to stop her. The dwarf roared with laughter.
"I had no idea humans had a sense of humor." He finally answered. Zeriah noticed Zevran slipping into the room, daggers in hand.
"My dear Warden, I heard a shriek, and I could not resist racing up here to save you, but it appears you have everything under control." He said in his delightful accent. She grinned at him.
"Thanks, Zev." She answered with a chuckle. She turned back to the dwarf. "I wasn't joking. If you joined us, you would be under my protection. Nobody could touch you. While you would eventually have to undergo the Joining ritual, for now you would just be a recruit. I don't know what kind of trouble you're in, but I think it's probably a good idea for you." She pointed out. The dwarf looked thoughtful for a long time before he stuck out his hand.
"Delnan Brosca at your service. You've got yourself a new recruit." He finally answered. She shook his proffered hand, seeing a hint of relief in his eyes. She was curious as to what kind of trouble the man had gotten himself into, but she wouldn't press him.
"Zeriah Cousland." She replied plainly. She had forgotten that Zevran was in the room.
"Cousland? You are a Cousland? Why am I just learning of this?" he asked in surprise. She had thought that her shattered heart was starting to repair itself with Alistair's help, but apparently there was still some shrapnel lying about. Zevran's words were driving the broken pieces into her soul. She turned to the assassin with sorrowful eyes.
"Because I am the last of them, Zev." She whispered. There was a flash of sadness in his amber eyes, but they were mostly filled with understanding.
"My condolences. I will not spread this information if you wish me to keep it a secret." He said with a small bow. She shook her head.
"I think you were the only one who didn't know, Zevran." She pointed out. He huffed in mock offense.
"Well then I am hurt that you kept it from me." He said, shooting her a wink before turning and leaving their bedroom. Alistair placed a comforting hand on her shoulder as she turned back to their newest recruit.
"Welcome aboard, Delnan." She said. The dwarf nodded.
"I'm going to go get myself cleaned up. Have at each other." He teased as he left the room. Zeriah smiled wearily up at Alistair as they listened to the sounds of Zevran loudly introducing their new companion.
"We should probably just clean up before we get together to plan." She said. Alistair sighed and nodded in agreement. She fought the urge to giggle at his disappointed expression. "We could clean up together." She suggested, nudging his side. His grin returned immediately.
She held her head in her hands as arguments sounded above her. It felt as though her brain was going to force its way through her skull. They had gone to the Assembly to begin their quest for aid, and they had been accosted by the right hand men of both Prince Bhelen and Lord Harrowmont. Each man wanted them to do something to gain their master's favor. After extensive questioning of various dwarves throughout Orzammar, her party was arguing over who they should choose.
"Bhelen seems like a bastard but he's more qualified for the job." Traven pointed out. Leliana scoffed.
"And how is he more qualified? Because he has the blood? He is too rash and impatient." The bard snapped. Zeriah suspected she was disagreeing with Traven just for the sake of causing more tension between them, but she said nothing.
"I feel inclined to agree with our scruffy Ferelden mage, my darling bard. Bhelen may be harsh, but he wishes to bring Orzammar into the modern world." Zevran added. Sten grunted.
"They are both fools, but Lord Harrowmont at least seems straightforward." He grumbled. Alistair rolled his brown eyes.
"He's about as straightforward as my sister when she wants something." He said in a quiet voice. A smile tugged at Zeriah's lips. She knew exactly which sister he spoke of. Kierrai had a way of dancing around everything you wanted to talk about before getting everything she wanted and leaving you confused as to what had happened.
"If I recall correctly, you r sister was very straightforward in her hatred of you." The Qunari pointed out. Alistair chuckled.
"I'm talking about my favorite sister. Very roguish. Likes to dodge your questions. Kind of like Harrowmont." He quipped. Wynne clicked her tongue against her teeth.
"If this…Bhelen really killed his brother and framed his sister for it as the rumors suggest, I don't believe I can support him in good conscience." The older mage admitted. Morrigan rolled her golden eyes.
"I never thought I would say this, but I feel inclined to agree with Alistair. Bhelen is the stronger leader. We should support him." She said sharply. Zeriah fought the urge to cover her ears as everyone began shouting over one another again.
"If you want to see the quality of a man, always observe the way he treats his inferiors, not his equals." She said quietly, raising her head from the table. Delnan was observing her from his place in the corner. She studied him just as intently. The dwarf seemed to be sarcastic and flippant, but she could see that he was also highly intelligent. It was likely how he had managed to survive the life of a casteless criminal relatively unscathed. Delnan's mossy eyes clearly held a plan. She stood quietly, patience etched across her face. Everyone silenced immediately and turned to her. She could never quite understand why this crazy bunch of misfits followed her, but she was infinitely grateful for their respect. Zeriah said nothing, but gestured for Delnan to speak. He cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable with public speaking.
"I know for a fact that Bhelen framed his sister, but I also happen to know that Harrowmont is the one who passed the sentence on her, knowing that she was innocent. Harrowmont may seem like a decent man, but it's all an act. He hates the casteless, thinks we're worthless." He said bitterly. Zeriah nodded in understanding before the dwarf continued. "Bhelen thinks that we are worth something, that we could help Orzammar. And…my sister…she was a noble-hunter, a woman who tries to create a…relationship…with a noble in the hopes that they will get pregnant with a child of the noble's gender. She and Bhelen fell in love and they have a son, last I heard. I haven't gotten the chance to meet him, but I know that Bhelen is good to them." He revealed. Zeriah nodded.
"What do you think we should do?" she asked. Delnan thought for a long time, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. He rubbed at the short stubble of his newly shaven beard before speaking.
"We help both. Play both sides, but secretly. That way, when they inevitably send us into the Deep Roads, we won't have to worry about dealing with assassins from either party. It makes life easier. We can decide who we really want later." He decided. Zeriah nodded. She didn't think she was particularly crafty, but she understood the allure of the suggestion. Even Alistair was giving her a strange look.
"What are you all staring at?" she asked. The group looked to Alistair to tell her whatever they wanted to say. He cleared his throat and took her hand.
"Well, love, it's just that…you're a bit blunt. You are quite diplomatic, but I don't think you've ever really had to be…silver-tongued. We're all wondering if you would be able to lie to these two candidates without giving us away." He admitted. She surprised them all by laughing.
"The tricks and honeyed words were definitely more Kierrai's thing, weren't they?" she chuckled. Traven and Alistair grinned at her knowingly. She shrugged. "I can handle it. It isn't as though I'm lying to people I care about." She pointed out. She saw the looks of uncertainty and brushed them off. She could do this. "We'll start tomorrow." She decided before turning and heading back up to her room. She closed the door and sat on the bed with a heavy sigh, putting her head in her hands. She didn't even realize that Alistair had followed her until his familiar weight caused her position to shift. She leaned against him without saying a word.
"I believe in you." He said quietly. She smiled against his chest.
"Thank you. I just wish Kierrai had taught me more of her ways before she had to leave." She admitted. She looked up and saw that Alistair's eyes were distant. "You miss her, don't you?" she asked. The door opened before he could answer and Traven strode into the room, Morrigan on his heels.
"Of course he misses her. Who doesn't miss her?" the scruffy mage pointed out. Zeriah chuckled.
"Eavesdropper." She accused. He shrugged.
"I had to make sure you two weren't doing…dirty things…before I made my entrance." He pointed out. He grunted as Morrigan elbowed him in the side. The witch gave him a level stare and he grinned at her.
"Who is this person?" Morrigan finally asked. The three friends smiled fondly.
"My sister." Alistair said.
"My best friend." Zeriah added. Traven chuckled.
"She's a riot, love. You'd like her." He explained. Zeriah didn't miss the warmth in Morrigan's eyes as she looked at her lover, but she also saw a hint of possible jealousy.
"Oh? What is so likeable about her?" she asked pointedly. Traven's blue eyes were mischievous, and Zeriah could tell he was going to tease her.
"She's intelligent, witty, and charming. And she's also quite a looker." He said innocently. Morrigan's eyes narrowed dangerously, causing Traven to burst into laughter. "For me, my dear, she doesn't hold a candle to you." He promised. The apostate shifted, but couldn't stay angry with him. Zeriah laughed softly.
"I wish she was here. She'd be able to handle this subterfuge much better than I can." She admitted with a sigh. The teasing light faded from Traven's eyes as Alistair's arm tightened around her shoulders.
"You'll do fine, Zeri." The mage said sincerely. She smiled gratefully at him. It was good to have people on her side.