The voyage lasted almost two months. I discovered something: I hated sailing. While Anders and Nathaniel enjoyed the scenery, I hung over the railing, vomiting. I hated the seagulls, I hated the rocking of the boat, and most of all, I hated them. They laughed as I would turn green and run for a bucket or the side of the ship.
Despite the nightmare of sailing, we made it to Antiva in one piece. Two months of vomiting had left me shaky and weak. I could have kissed the wooden boards of the dock if I thought I could stand back up unassisted. As I got my bearings, Nathaniel found a dock worker to direct us to the lodgings recommended by Ignacio.
The lodgings turned out to be a whore house.
Antiva seemed to have an uncommon amount of brothels. There was nearly one on every corner. Brothels and horses. I'd never seen a horse in person. They were huge. They also smelled much worse than a mabari. I wondered how anyone could know what a horse smelled like and still say that Ferelden stank.
The name on the sign over the door said "Pintores Cueva". It made Nathaniel laugh but he refused to tell me what it meant. I decided that I probably didn't want to know, and entered.
The madam's name was Lissa. She was a bronzed skin beauty with thick, curly, blonde hair. She led us to our room, only one room for the three of us, which I'm pretty sure was a re-purposed closet. I was too tired to argue or complain. I threw myself on a cot and fell asleep.
When I awoke, Anders was gone. Nathaniel was sitting by the window, using the fading light to check over his weapons.
I sat up and stretched. "Where's Anders?"
Nathaniel raised an eyebrow. "I suggest you set up an account for him. He's... entertaining."
"Oh. I don't want to know." I stretched again. "I'm hungry. I guess I'll go search out some food."
"Lissa sent up some bread, cheese, and a wine skin." I held out my hands and he passed the food to me. Now that I was on solid ground and rested, I was starving.
"Thank you," I said between bites. "So. Here we are." He looked at me, his face unreadable. "I guess I'll ask around for our contact? It seems like at least a few people speak the common language."
"Lissa said that you have a letter waiting." He went back to his weapons.
I crawled to the end of the cot and touched his arm. "Nathaniel." I looked into his eyes. "Thank you."
"For what?" He set his weapons aside and took my hands in his.
"For lots of things. For coming here. For putting up with me. Thank you." His hands squeezed mine and I felt my heart constrict.
"No need for thanks, Eth." He leaned forward and kissed me gently on the lips. He pulled back slightly, searching my eyes. When he was satisfied I didn't mind, he kissed me again. It was slow and sweet.
Until Anders burst through the door, that is. He took one look at us and smirked.
"I've still got it!" He held out his hands and electricity jumped between his fingers. "Do you know that some of the girls downstairs have offered to cancel their appointments in favor of me?"
"Anders, I swear. You are like a teenage boy. How much has this little adventure cost me?" His hair was undone, resting on his shoulders in a honey colored tangle. I looked at his robes, trying to figure out if they were just disheveled or actually inside out.
"Nothing, my dear Commander! Turns out, if you do it well enough, they don't charge." He looked so smug, so self satisfied, that all I could do was laugh.
"Fine, fine. Just behave. And don't forget I'm still mad at you." I folded my arms and tried to glare at him.
"Commander, I tried to tell you. Healing magic can't help with sea sickness. Wounds and broken bones, yes, but things like colds, the flu, that sort of thing, it just can't touch." He patted my head. "But now that I know, there are herbs and teas that will help."
"Thank you, Anders. I think I'll go see the madam and figure out what our next move is." I hauled myself out of the cot and left the room.
I found Lissa in her office. It was small and cluttered with ledgers and folios. She finished writing and gestured for me to sit.
"Ah, the famous Commander of the Grey. It seems that Thedas owes you a debt for stopping the Blight." She steepled her fingers and regarded me.
"That's not why I'm here. If you'll excuse me, but I just want to find my friend and go home."
"All business I see," she said regretfully, licking her lips and eying me. "Master Ignacio has written me of your recent troubles. I believe we can benefit each other in this matter." Her accent was so thick, I had a hard time making out her words. She handed me a thick letter.
I read it. It was from three Crow guild-masters. I looked up at Lissa. "I don't understand. According to this letter, this Pietro Zistri person is the one who's been trying to kill me? And he's broken Crow guild laws?"
"Yes," Lissa agreed, nodding her head.
"So why not deal with him in house, as it were. Why do I need to be the one to kill him?" I rubbed my neck.
She shrugged. "It is as you said. Crow guild laws. No Crow master may interfere without being hired to do so. They cannot hire each other to deal with other masters. The guild laws, they are very complicated."
"If they are so complicated, then why isn't there a law or a rule or whatever to deal with someone who breaks said laws?" This was annoying and stupid. Duncan was right. Antiva is a horrible place.
She spread her hands. "What would you have me say? It's part of the culture, here in Antiva. The Crows are woven into the fabric of our nation." She shrugged again. "You could always leave."
"Maker no. Whatever is going on here, I don't care. I just want my people to be left alone." Clutching the letter, I stood. "Because if this doesn't end here, there will be problems that no guild law covers."
When I got back to our closet, I slammed the door. Nathaniel raised an eyebrow. "You have news I take it?"
"I hate bloody Antiva, I hate the bloody Crows, and I hate this bloody room!" I tossed him the letter. After he read it, he looked at me, confused. "I know, Nathaniel. This is ridiculous, isn't it."
"You can say that again," he muttered. He nudged Anders' cot with his boot. "Wake up, mage. We're going Crow hunting."
Thanks to the wonderful Val for the beta!