Shadow and Rose

by Lady Norbert

A/N: In case anyone was curious, I don't do the Brother Burkel sidequest when I play DA. I did on my first playthrough, and then I found out what happens to him, and I can't bear to do it again. So Alistair and his friends aren't going to do it either.

The 'time difference' I mention in this chapter is entirely my own invention, so please don't think I'm quoting (or, more likely, misquoting) the developers. It was just something I did to make my own story make more sense to me.

Chapter Twenty-Five: Finger Bone Token

This finger bone token will open the door to Jarvia's Hideout.

Strange as it sounds, Bhelen and Harrowmont turned out to be somewhat on the same page. Prince Bhelen commissioned Elissa and the others to dispatch the Carta leader, Jarvia, just as Lord Harrowmont commissioned us. I'm curious as to how either one plans to claim responsibility for it, since our two teams worked together to bring it about.

It was a long day. First we had to work out how to get into her hideout, which is so well hidden in Dust Town that next to nobody understands how to find it. We did have some help, though, from a dwarf woman to whom Elissa had given money yesterday. She used to run with Jarvia's gang, but after some mishap, they brutalized her - broke her knees, then forced her to kneel in dung until she developed an infection from which she never recovered. At least, I'm pretty sure that's what she said. Anyway, she told us that the doors are hidden, and that there are multiple entrances. Whichever one is actively being used changes on a regular basis. She reported seeing some of the Carta thugs exit through one of the houses, and suggested we try there.

"That's worth something, right?" she asked hopefully.

"Of course. Here." Elissa gave her five silvers.

"You're as kind as you are beautiful," the woman declared solemnly. I don't think I'll ever forget her saying that - it's the most accurate description I've ever heard a stranger give of Elissa.

So we went into the house, where we surprised some of Jarvia's 'employees.' Unsurprisingly, there was a fight, which we won. One of the thugs offered a trade - in exchange for his life, he surrendered this weird token made from a finger bone, and explained how to use it to unlock the current door. We found the door, right where he said it was, and in we went.

Jarvia's hideout was kind of a maze, and it took us a while to work our way through the whole thing. There was a lot of fighting to be had; in a way it was a bit like the underground tunnels in Haven. One room was actually set up as a prison, and the dwarf locked in a cell begged us for his freedom when we'd dispatched the jailers. As we unlocked the door, he indicated the second cell, which housed the body of a dead dwarf. "He stopped eating a few days ago... all for a stupid bet," he said sadly as the door came open. "Thank you."

We decided to take a rest there, briefly, while the prisoner scuttled off to wherever he went, and between drinks of water we discussed the situation. "So how is it that dwarves have a king, anyway?" I asked. "I thought they voted on everything, or something like that?"

"Yes and no, from what I've read," said Wynne. "Brother Genitivi spent some time down here studying their culture, and I read some of his writings on the subject while we were in Denerim. Their system of government isn't too different from Ferelden's, really. The king, or queen, is the ruler of the kingdom and holds a great deal of power, but the deshyrs have the power of veto and are the ones who actually select the monarch. They're similar to our Landsmeet, only they convene more frequently and have a bit more of a say in what goes on."

"Something for you to keep in mind, Alistair," Leliana said teasingly. "After all..."

I groaned, feeling grateful that Morrigan didn't appear to be listening. She and Elissa were having their own conversation. "Must we discuss that?"

"There are many tales of lost kings who return to rule their lands in glory."

"I am not lost," I said shortly. "Nor, for that matter, a king. And there is nothing glorious about me."

"You are Maric's son, and the rightful king of Ferelden. And I think Elissa would argue that last part."

"I am the son of a star-struck maid and an indiscreet man who just happened to be king," I corrected. "Look, I can't be king. Some days I have trouble remembering which boot goes on which foot."

"Complete fools are made leaders of kingdoms all the time," she pointed out, "and you are not a complete fool."

"What an utter relief." I did appreciate the vote of confidence, if that's what it could be called, but I was only too glad to have Elissa interrupt and say that it was time to get moving again.

Put down this journal to join the others for dinner. Where was I?

Right, so we made our way through the rest of the hideout and confronted Jarvia herself. From what Harrowmont told me, she used to be the second-in-command to the previous crime boss, who died. She didn't seem particularly surprised that we were there, really. "So, the nobles realized we're taking over the city, and that the throne means nothing if they can't hold onto it," she said. "Yet they couldn't be bothered to send their own men? Well, you picked the wrong side, strangers! It doesn't matter who's king, as long as there's a queen!"

"You are remarkably confident for someone whose entire Carta is dead," Zevran remarked.

"You'll pay for their lives a hundred times over."

Looking around, I realized we were actually outnumbered. I don't think we've had that happen since Haven. Morrigan and Wynne were already preparing their staves; Leliana was nocking an arrow to her bowstring; Zevran and Sten had their hands on the hilts of their blades. Jarvia smirked at all of us, then eyed Elissa for a moment. "Kill them!" she told her thugs. "But leave the pretty one alive. I have plans for her."

I don't know what that meant, exactly, and I don't think I want to know. It didn't matter anyway, since we all got out of there in one piece. I feel like I have to make note of Zevran's comment: "We are ridiculously awesome." We got out of Dust Town as quietly as a large group of humanoids could do in a settlement of dwarves, and after taking a short break at Tapster's, we went our separate ways - my group to notify Harrowmont, Elissa's to notify Bhelen.

Lord Harrowmont was deeply grateful for our efforts. Strangely, he already knew - word must really travel fast underground. "I suppose it was unrealistic to expect her to surrender," he mused. "You have done Orzammar - and me - a great service. I have no desire to go back on my word," he added, "but... when Bhelen heard the news about Jarvia... he raised the stakes. It seems he is attempting to claim credit for her defeat, and the fact that there are two Grey Wardens here does muddle the issue rather extensively."

I had sort of hoped he didn't know about that, but I should have known that would be asking too much. "Is there something else you need us to do to secure your claim to the throne?" I asked.

"Bhelen is forcing a vote in the next two days," he explained. "By law, that prevents the Assembly from hearing any other pleas, so in order to provide you with the troops you need, I will require your help one last time. Do you know anything of the Paragon Branka?"

"I've heard the name."

"Branka is a Paragon, the only one we have been blessed with in four generations. Two years ago, she took her entire House into the Deep Roads on a mad quest to uncover ancient secrets. No one has heard from her since. But if she were to return and endorse someone for the throne, the Assembly would be honor-bound to accept her wishes."

"I am finding this whole matter tedious," said Sten. "Have we not done enough for these people to earn their support?"

"Look on the bright side," I told him. "Finding Branka means entering the Deep Roads - that's where the darkspawn normally live. Searching for her would let us shrink their numbers somewhat."

"I suppose there is some merit to that."

"My men traced Branka's disappearance to an ancient crossroads known as Caridin's Cross," said Harrowmont. He handed me a scroll on which a map had been drawn. "It is many miles below where we normally venture, but this map should help you find it. Just enter the Deep Roads through the mines. May the ancestors guide your steps."

So we came back to Tapster's and waited for the girls. I updated this journal until Elissa came to tell me they were back, and we had dinner. Bhelen's men apparently did some searching for Branka too, and he gave her a similar map. Between the two, we have a decent chance of finding Branka, assuming she's still alive. Elissa also wants to make a stop in a place called Ortan Thaig, if it should turn out to be on the way; she met a young girl at the Shaperate who believes she's descended from the nobles of that house, and even though it's considered a dead Thaig - no one can live there because of the darkspawn - there should be a cache of documents that would prove the connection. If Elissa can recover them (and, being Elissa, she promised to try), this girl Orta and her family would be regarded as nobles again.

Over breakfast we formalized our plans. We don't want the full party entering the Deep Roads, because if anything goes wrong... well, let's just hope nothing goes wrong. It's plenty dangerous down there, though.

"The vote is in two days," Elissa said, "so we don't exactly have a lot of time. We do have more time than we'd have on the surface, but not much more."

"What do you mean, exactly?" asked Sten.

"Time is measured differently here in Orzammar," she explained. "It's taken me a little while to figure this out; it didn't even occur to me, at first. But yesterday, when we came back from Prince Bhelen's, we came across this girl Dagna - she wants to study magic, even though dwarves don't have magic, and she mentioned that she calculated exactly how long it takes to travel from Orzammar to the mage tower. Her numbers didn't sound right, so I did some calculating of my own and I realized why they seemed off." She chuckled. "An Orzammar day is actually almost twice as long as a day above ground."

"That's peculiar," I said.

"Well, think about it, dear. They never see the sun down here, so they really have no way to tell daytime from nighttime." She smiled briefly. "So that buys us a little more time to get things done... but only a little. I expect this place will get quite active when the Assembly makes their vote. If that should come to pass and we haven't returned from the Deep Roads, I think you should assume the worst about our party. Take the dwarven treaty to whichever candidate is crowned and remind him of his duty, then return to Redcliffe as fast as you can."

"But what about the Landsmeet?" asked Leliana. "Without Alistair..."

"I know. Without Alistair, Arl Eamon will probably have no choice but to support Loghain," Elissa said grimly. "We'll do everything in our power to return, I promise you that - but if we don't, stopping the Blight has to take priority. Once that's been handled, Eamon can figure out the next course of action to deal with the usurper."

"This being the case, perhaps Alistair should remain behind," said Wynne, hesitantly.

"I was debating that myself," Elissa admitted. "Ferelden only has two Grey Wardens, and it seems foolhardy to risk us both."

"Absolutely not," I said. "Royal blood be damned, I'm a Grey Warden. My place is with you. Besides, you can't expect me to stay behind and wonder if you're all right."

"Which is about what I expected you to say, and that's why I didn't suggest it." She seemed amused. "We're a bit too much alike, I sometimes think."

So the plan is that Elissa, Wynne, Shale, and I will be the ones to enter the Deep Roads. Sten seemed very displeased that we weren't bringing him along, but Elissa apparently soothed that ruffle to his ego by making him the guardian of the Grey Warden treaties in our absence. Morrigan doesn't seem too happy either, but she wouldn't admit as much to me so I'm not sure what to make of it. Shale is oddly cheerful about the whole thing, maybe because it knows there aren't any birds in the Deep Roads. I'm not entirely convinced that this is a big enough group, to be honest, but it is a fair division.

Elissa's just having a few words with Toby before we go. From what I'm hearing, she's reconciling him to her departure by telling him to protect Leliana. I guess it's as good a line as any.

It's my turn at watch while the others sleep, and I probably won't update this journal again for some time so I wanted to take the chance now while I could.

I didn't expect to have anything to report so soon, but things started happening almost immediately. We were heading for the mine entrance to make our way to the Deep Roads when we were stopped by that dwarf I saw the other day - the one who was complaining that no one was looking for Branka. Oghren is his name, and I hope I've spelled it right.

"Have you seen a Grey Warden hereabouts?" he wanted to know. "I've been privy to the rumor that he - or was it she? - was going into the Deep Roads to search for Branka."

Elissa and I looked at each other. "Well, actually," she said, gesturing to me, "we're both Grey Wardens."

"Oh. No wonder the rumor mill couldn't keep it straight," he mused. "Some said he and some said she. Guess it makes sense if there's one of each. Anyway, could I ask you a favor?"

"Why not?" I heard Shale mutter. "Everyone else does." I think Shale's been spending too much time with Morrigan.

"Name's Oghren," he said, "and if you've ever heard of me before, it's probably all been about how I piss ale and kill little boys who look at me wrong." I must admit, I've never heard an introduction to match that one. "And that's mostly true. But the part they never say is how I'm the only one still trying to save our only Paragon. And if you're looking for Branka, I'm the only one who knows what she was looking for, which might be pretty sodding helpful in finding her."

"You have my attention," Elissa said. "What was she looking for?"

"The Anvil of the Void, the secret to building golems, which was lost centuries ago. The smith Caridin built it, and with it, Orzammar had a hundred years of peace, while it was protected by the golems forged on the Anvil."

Elissa paused. "Does any of that sound familiar, Shale?"

"It... does seem to ring some sort of distant bell," our golem admitted. "I am uncertain."

"Where is this Anvil, Oghren?"

"Well, as far as anyone knows, the Anvil was built in the old Ortan Thaig," he said. "Branka was planning to start looking there, if she could ever find it. All she knew was that it's past Caridin's Cross - no one's seen that Thaig for five hundred years."

"Caridin's Cross is our first destination," Elissa said. "Our maps can guide us that far. You'll come with us, then?"

"Right. Well, if we're going, then let's get going. Branka's not going to sodding find herself!"

So the dwarf is with us. I could be wrong, but I think our extended party now contains one of every single humanoid in the whole of Thedas. Thus far, Oghren's not really saying a whole lot, and when he does it's mostly rude. He drinks a lot, and I don't begin to know where he's hiding that much alcohol in his possessions. Elissa's doing her best to be sweet and patient with him, but I think he might be proving a challenge even for her, and considering who she's befriended up to this point, that really is saying something.