Notes: Hey folks! Sorry about the delay, but I had reading week and stuff and was running around a bunch of places. But I'm back at school now and updates should be fairly regular again. Also, if you just went to the most recent chapter, check the one beforehand, because I uploaded two today (they were written as one, but it was pretty long).

Enjoy! And don't forget to review! Thank you!

Chapter 24: Old Friends

Bend but do not break. Working with a shemlen to get into the Alienage wasn't a betrayal of her people, was it? No. Eve was checking on her family, and would help them if needed, even if the father of this shem was the reason she couldn't get into her home in the first place.

"You sure you're okay with this, Nathaniel? If we do this, your father will know about you."

Nathaniel smiled to himself. She may not have had any venom in her voice, but she still refused to call him Arl Nathaniel. He had to respect that. "He was going to find out sooner or later, and I think that the fact that I'm his blood will at least make him hesitate momentarily before sending assassins. I hope, at least… But, really. It's no trouble, my lady. Let them come."

Eve smiled at him hesitantly as they approached the gates. Apparently, Nathaniel's identity would remain a secret for now, as the guard was quite amenable to a bribe from Nathaniel, something Eve had never considered. Adventuring across the countryside and pillaging the corpses of those she killed had been quite lucrative for the young city elf, but it still didn't feel like it; she wasn't used to having money and had never even considered a bribe. It would have been impossible in her own life. The bribe was also helped by Nathaniel's haughty noble demeanour that all of his kind were apparently born knowing how to channel. At least with this noble, it seemed to be an act.

The portcullis was raised and Eve lead Nathaniel into the foul-smelling and refuse-strewn Alienage she once called home. It was as she remembered: streets littered with filth of all kinds, and home to the most unlucky among the elves. The ramshackle houses looked fragile enough to crumble at a slight breeze, and the only thing in the entire Alienage that wasn't completely devoid of vibrancy and life was the vhenadahl, strong and proud as ever. And then there was the smell. Maker, Eve had almost forgotten; there was nothing worse than living in your own filth.

"Maker, what happened here?" Nathaniel asked, plugging his nose as his eyes began to water.

"'Happened?' Nothing happened. This is an Alienage, and nicer than some others in Ferelden, or so I'm told. This is normal for us," Eve stated matter-of-factly.

"Truly? I had heard Alienage conditions were less than ideal, but to force our own citizens to live like this… this is monstrous," Nathaniel whispered.

"And is it any wonder we think most shems are monsters?"

"No," Nathaniel responded quietly. "At this moment, I am inclined to agree," he continued, clenching his fist in anger.

As they continued into the Alienage, more and more people began to recognize the dear departed daughter of Cyrion Tabris, and a veritable crowd began to gather around her. They were, of course, curious about what happened, and stepped cautiously around Nathaniel, apparently more terrified by humans than they had ever been before. Mostly, though, they were happy; tears of joy flowed freely as Eve lost herself in the embrace of the family she had so missed.

Something was off, however: even though the Alienage was apparently on lockdown and should be filled to the brim it was considerably more sparse than usual. And where was her family? Her father, Shianni, Soris and even Valendrian were nowhere to be found. She eventually picked a familiar face out of the crowd, Alarith, and pulled him aside, politely asking him where everyone was. He hesitated at first, eyeing Nathaniel wearily before getting assurance from Eve that he was trustworthy.

"They've been holed up in Valendrian's all day, and no one else is allowed in. Rumours have been circulating, but nobody knows for sure what's going on. We were thankful that they were among the lucky ones, though. Your father is almost as much an elder as the hahren himself."

"Lucky? What do you mean?"

"You hadn't heard, then? The new Arl purged the Alienage when he arrived for… Well, apparently for what you did. But when the orphanage was put to the sword, we knew there was something more behind it. It was… the worst thing I've ever seen, Maker rest their poor souls."

"The orphanage?! What about the kids?!"

"All of them… gone. And then the Tevinters arrived."

"Tevinters? Maker, what were they doing here?"

"They said they were healers and had been given dispensation by the crown to help us… but nobody they 'helped' ever returned. Eventually, the queen and the regent's forces came in and killed them, but not before losing some of our number to them. Thank the Maker for Teyrn Loghain and Queen Anora." That was a lot to process. Eve ruminated on it for a moment, before halfheartedly agreeing and thanking Alarith. She then set out to Valendrian's, knocking hard on the door excitedly. There was murmuring in the house before she heard her father's a voice call out from the inside, saying: "Apologies, friend, but Valendrian is occupied at the moment. He'll be with you later tonight."

"I think he'll make an exception for me," Eve responded in a singsong voice. There was silence for a moment from the inside, before she heard who was likely one of her cousins bound towards the door. It flew open and Shianni gave Eve a massive hug, before ushering Eve and, cautiously, Nathaniel, into the elder's home.

"Cousin! You're alive! I can scarcely believe it!"

Valendrian's home was stiflingly hot compared to the chilly Harvestmere outside, presumably from the amount of people crammed into such a small space. Reunions were as quick as they were heartfelt, with Soris, Shianni, Valendrian and Cyrion thanking the Maker and hugging Eve before the expressions on their faces once more became those of the deathly serious. They were wary of Nathaniel, but thanked him for helping Eve get into the Alienage.

Valendrian told Eve that they had some guests, and led her back to Valendrian's desk to come face-to-face with a human woman of all things, skin pale as snow and cold like ice. Her golden hair was tied into two neat buns and she was wearing servant clothes, but servant clothes that indicated she served someone of great means. Beside her stood an elven woman with black hair and a face that was skinny as an arrow dressed in the same fashion. She had daggers on her belt, and by the way she carried herself, Eve surmised there were even more hidden on her person.

Nathaniel immediately dropped to one knee and bowed his head before the woman while Eve looked at him quizzically. "Nathaniel! It is good to see you. Please, there is no need for that," the woman said with a cultured accent and sincerity in her eyes.

"Uh, Nathaniel?" Eve asked. "Who in the Maker's name is this?"

Rayne was getting quite used to having servants, and he couldn't say he hated it. After him and Morrigan visited Brother Genitivi's former abode, they followed Keegan's directions and made their way to the Denerim estate of the Teyrn and Teyrna of Highever. The servants, few as they were, were attentive and deferential, and he ate better than he ever did in the Circle.

Genitivi's absence was disappointing, and his assistant's murder was disturbing. Still, they at least had a destination, and Morrigan was happy for a little sport, even when they were in Denerim. Diala and Alistair's journey had apparently been less than successful, whatever it was, and Alistair had been sulking all day while Diala tried to comfort him. At least he was handsome when he pouted, Rayne reflected. He was handsome doing most anything, actually.

Nathaniel and Keegan had visited the armour smith before Nathaniel accompanied Eve into the Alienage, but Rayne couldn't get a read from her. She seemed to be an odd mix of worry, sadness, elation and anticipation. Whatever happened, they were tight-lipped about it, which just made Rayne want to know even more. Andraste, why people outside the Circle insisted on privacy he would never understand. Bodahn and Sandal were apparently staying at the Gnawed Noble, so the rest of them didn't have to worry about the merchants while they were here, which suited Rayne just fine. He missed the communal living of the Circle. On the outside, everyone was so possessive. Money, space, knowledge, even love… Rayne thought these things should be given freely and shared with all, not hoarded greedily.

Peyton, the mistress of the manor and a sharp, no-nonsense woman, invited them all to the dining hall for dinner, and had some roast nug from Orzammar prepared for them, served with some Legacy White Shear. Diala was incredibly thankful to Peyton for the nug, and all were impressed by the Shear. Mistress Peyton treated them all very well— dwarf, elf, human and mage alike, which impressed Rayne deeply. She even had some mabari crunches for Garahel and Felix.

By dinner, Diala seemed to have roused Alistair from his funk, and the two of them were being even more touchy-feely than usual. Morrigan may have scoffed at the affection, but Rayne was happy for them. Whatever was happening between him and Morrigan may not have been as pure and loving as the bastard prince and exiled princess, but it was just as meaningful— to Rayne and Morrigan both, even if she couldn't see it yet. Everyone shared their findings for the day, but Eve was still leaving something out, and Rayne could barely stand it.

"When Keegan gets here," she kept repeating.

Sure enough, the wayward young teyrn showed up about halfway through dinner, striding in from Creators only know which secret entrance or passage, and Felix went bounding towards him. For the first time, Rayne saw something resembling emotion on Keegan's face: anger. Hopelessness. Despair. Above all: panic.

"Keegan!" Eve called, standing up as he walked in.

Ignoring her, he began ranting: "She wasn't there! Andraste's ass, she wasn't there!"

"Keegan," Eve tried again.

"I snuck in, avoiding guards, picking locks, bribing and lying and killing to get to her. But she wasn't there. What if they've killed her? Or worse? Howe, maybe, but Loghain wouldn't allow that, would he?"

"Keegan," Nathaniel attempted.

"This was a waste of time! We were too fucking late. We should have been faster… I should have been—"

"KEEGAN!" Nathaniel and Eve screamed in unison, snapping him out of his worried ramblings.

"We know where she is," Eve said. Keegan regarded her curiously, not fully comprehending what she said.

"Anora's in the Alienage, Keegan. She's alive, and she's waiting for you."