25. Talents

Thanks to Zevran's amused reminder about the lack of crossing for the river, we avoid a detour that would have wasted the better part of three or four days. And made me feel like a complete idiot. I'm only marginally better with geography and maps than Alistair was. One more thing I should know by now to let Zev handle. He has practically all of Ferelden-and Orlais, and Antiva-memorized, hill for hill and stone for stone, from all his missions for the Crows.

Jowan catches me in the middle of berating myself for said ignorance of geography as we head for Val Firmin. "What is it this time?"

"Huh?" I look up at him, abruptly yanked out of my thoughts.

"I know you're beating yourself up for something. So what is it this time? I thought you and Zevran worked everything out."

I sigh. "We did. And then I promptly showed off how sorely lacking my memory of Fereldan geography is." I shrug and smile wryly. "Well, at least it helped with the whole 'patching things up' side of things. And Zev got a chuckle out of it."

"So the Hero of Ferelden has a chink in her armor?"

I glare at him. "Call me that again and the result will not be pleasant," I warn with a laugh. "And that's hardly the only chink in my armor. In addition to my hopelessness with geography and maps and stuff like that, until recently I was probably the worst cook in Ferelden, I can't carry a tune to save my life, I'm impulsive, hot tempered, and have trouble sticking to The Plan, whatever it might be for a particular fight, and you know I snore. I also had this habit of swiping things, just because I could." I allow myself a nostalgic smile. "Alistair cured me-somewhat-of the last one, though."

"Well then, with such a list of flaws, what are you good for?" Jowan teases.

I resist the urge to sock him in the arm-barely, and only because I know it's not quite healed yet from when he saved my neck. "Sarcastic comments, bluntly stating the truth, doing crazy things to help my friends, concocting unorthodox solutions to pesky darkspawn-related problems, fighting, making hard decisions, teasing Zev, stubbornly refusing to die, and leading. As long as I already know where I'm going."

Jowan chuckles. "I see. And as a friend who's been helped by one of said crazy schemes, I must admit that is a rather useful talent."

"Of course it is. Honed over many years of inadvertantly landing my cousin Soris in trouble and feeling responsible for getting him back out again."

"Ah. Little troublemaker when you were younger?"

"Oh, absolutely horrid. And I always seemed to find it without even trying was the funny part." I shake my head. "And Soris was always right there as my lookout or partner in crime or sidekick or whatever. He was good at mollifying people, smoothing the feathers I ruffled. Probably averted as much possible trouble as I actually landed us in," I admit with a small chuckle.

"And he still speaks to you?" Jowan grins.

I roll my eyes at the teasing jab, wrinkling my nose. "Such is the downside-for him-of hero worshipping me."

"I'll keep that in mind if I ever feel so inclined."

"Well, now I'm an honest-to-goodness hero, as everyone keeps reminding me-" I narrow my eyes and stare at him pointedly, "-so it wouldn't be so bad, would it?"

"No, I don't suppose it would."

oOo

We reach Val Firmin with just a day's worth of supplies left. Just like at Lydes, Jowan offers to stay with the camp while Zev and I take care of buying supplies. I think it's force of habit, seeing as he probably avoided towns or cities as much as he possibly could while hiding from the templars. So Zev and I head into the city-and this is a city, not a village or town-to restock on food. That's all we really need, since the only health poultices we've used were a couple for my scar and then the one for Jowan after our run-in with the darkspawn. Those supplies are still fine, but we go through food quickly, which is mostly my fault. That pesky 'increased appetite' side effect of being a Warden can be a real pain sometimes.

"Tell me something, minx," Zevran begins as we near the outskirts, the first either of us has spoken since leaving camp, "I couldn't help but overhear part of your conversation, and I noticed your mentioning Alistair did not incite a rush of tears and hours of staring moodily at the ground."

I sigh. "D'you have a point here, Zev?"

"I am merely curious if you have begun to move on."

"Yes, I guess I have," I admit after thinking about it for a few seconds. "You were right, Zev. About me always saying I wasn't over him, wasn't ready to move, because I didn't want to be ready to move on. I still don't, if I'm honest."

"Oh?" He raises one eyebrow. "But you said you had begun to."

I sigh and rake my hand through my hair, which is barely too short to pull back. "What I mean is that I'm not going to melt into a puddle of tears every time I think about him, I'm not going to feel guilty if I smile or laugh or enjoy life without him here. He's the one who couldn't stop going on about my smile, so I figure he'd want me to exhibit it as often as possible."

"I see." He nods. "And have you managed to enjoy yourself recently?"

"Please. How could I not, traveling with you?"

Zev chuckles and mock-bows. "Thank you, my dear."

"And Jowan's a good friend, too. Watching him let go of his past and learn smiling never killed anybody has been...satisfying to see."

"Yes, I saw the triumph in your eyes the first time he smiled."

"You don't miss much, do you?" I ignore the almost imperceptible note of jealousy in his voice.

"I'm the one who taught you to notice everything, remember, amica?" he teases as we nod a greeting to the guards at the city gates.

"That's true, you did," I concede, looking for a store or stall selling food. Zevran's eyes light up when we find one, mainly because it's being run by drop dead gorgeous, honey blonde twins.

"Allow me to handle this, dear minx," he grins. I stand aside and do just that. What follows is one of the most impressive bits of flirting-innuendo and all that is patently Zev-I have ever seen in my life.

Now, I've fluttered my eyelashes and complimented a weaponsmith or merchant to drive up the price of something I'm selling or down the price for something I'm buying, but all my 'feminine wiles' pale in comparison to my assassin friend's talent. It starts with calling the ladies-Sophia and Claire-goddesses of beauty("Surely the Maker Himself would be struck speechless"), and works its way through how they surely must be kind in addition to beautiful, no? Sophia is putty in his hands at this point, giggling and blushing like an adolescent complimented by the man of her dreams, but Claire has proven-thus far-resistant to his charms.

"I have fallen for smooth talkers before, ser elf," she scolds in an Orlesian accent so thick it puts Leliana's to shame. "They were never worth it."

"It is most assuredly their loss, my dear woman, to not appreciate you."

The faintest hint of a blush tints her cheeks. "Well, I-"

"Tell me, did they use you and leave of their own accord?"

She nods.

"Pazzi," Zevran mutters under his breath. "If I had the privilege of loving a woman as beautiful as you, I would treasure her like a rare jewel."

Her blush intensifies. "I wish they would learn from you."

As if sensing she's near cracking, Zev sidles closer, covering her hand with his. "Alas, cara cuore, some are born with no sense. Others, however, can appreciate the loveliness of a woman such as yourself." He teases a loose strand of her hair between his fingers. "I could show you while my friend completes business with your sister."

I know before she opens her mouth that she'll agree. That's Zev for you. Sure enough, as the two of them slip into the back room, Sophia offers me a sodding decent discount. I'd complain about his methods, but they work so damn well.

oOo

They have yet to reappear when Sophia and I are finished, so I decide to see what other shops there are nearby. This turns out to be a good choice, as next door to the sisters' store is Val Firmin's version of the Wonders of Thedas. Remembering Jowan's admission he'd need a new staff if he joined the Wardens, I shoulder the full supply pack and step inside.

"Welcome to the Marvels of Lake Celestine. How may I assist you?" the Tranquil proprieter drones as the door closes behind me.

I smile pleasantly at him and eye the wall full of mages staffs. "I need one of those. One of the ones that is simpler looking but still somewhat powerful."

He takes in my armor, the swords strapped to my back. "You are no mage."

"No, but my friend is. He's unable to come himself, so I'm buying a staff for him. I know what he needs." My gaze settles on one particular staff hanging low on the wall. It looks just like an ordinary quarterstaff of highly polished wood, down to the leather cord wrapped around a section near the top. If it wasn't hanging in a store like this, I probably would never assumed it had any magic capabilities whatsoever. "What enchantments are on that one?" I ask, pointing at the staff.

"It has been enchanted to increase the damage of fire and lightning spells, heal injuries, and help the user regain mana in combat."

Perfect. "How much?"

"Twenty sovereigns," the mage replies in the same level monotone.

That's a lot. But from traveling with Wynne and Morrigan, I know for a staff like this, it's only slightly high. "Could I talk you down to eighteen?"

"The prices are not up for negotiation," he answers in the same, slightly grating, inflectionless tone. "That staff costs twenty sovereigns."

"Very well." It's not like I don't have enough money. I pull out the coins and hand them over. The Tranquil takes the money, counts it, then nods and hands me the staff. I thank him and leave the store.

Zevran is lounging against the wall of Claire and Sophia's store when I step into the street, his mouth curled in a cat-like grin. "Now what were you up to, minx?"

"Well, you weren't done yet, and Jowan said if he joined the Wardens he'd need a new staff, so I decided not to waste an opportunity when it presented itself. You look like you enjoyed yourself."

"I always do, amica." He smirks. "Though I must admit she will be one of my fonder memories. I may even return occasionally to keep said memory fresh."

"I don't know whether to shake my head over you using her like that, or feel jealous of your ability to sweet-talk your way into anything."

He chuckles as we head for the gate. "If you settle on the former, she did quite a good job of using me, as well, dear minx."

"Spare me the intimate details, please," I beg, grinning nonetheless. "I don't want to know."

He sighs. "Very well. Your loss, cara." That smirk is back.

"I'm sure I'll survive," I shoot back dryly, adjusting the pack to sit more comfortably on my back.

oOo

"Don't say a word," I warn Jowan as I hand over the staff, not even giving him an opening to voice the protest that flickers in his eyes. "It's something you need, you said so yourself, we could afford it-easily, I might add, and that's all there is to it."

"Fine. I won't tell you you shouldn't have. On one condition." He runs one hand along the polished wood, rubs his thumb over the leather binding.

"What?"

"Tell me how much it cost."

"The price was reasonable for a staff with the enchantments this has on it," I hedge.

Jowan sighs and gives me a Look. "Rahna." The protest in his eyes has changed to cool stubbornness that I can tell would at least match mine.

So I cave in to avoid a standoff. "Fine. Twenty sovereigns." I cover his hand with mine to keep him from letting go of the staff. "If you say one word, I'm going to hit you. Hard. It's worth at least that much. It increases fire and lightning spell damage by half over again, has a healing enchantment on it, and helps with regaining mana. It's perfect for you and you need it. So stop feeling guilty and sodding take it." I think this is the closest I've ever come to actually being mad at him, I realize as I let go of the staff and turn to help Zev with fixing something for us to eat.

"Rahna, wait a second." Jowan grabs my arm as I start to walk away and pulls me back. "I'm sorry and you're right. I'm so used to having to take care of myself, I guess I'm out of practice with accepting gifts," he admits, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. "So let me try this again: Thank you. I needed a new staff and this one is perfect."

"I'm glad." I smile and give him a friendly sideways hug. "This way you won't reach the point of utter exhaustion the next time you save my life."

"You really think we'll be repeating that?" he asks, raising an eyebrow at me.

"What, me landing myself in some mess I need help getting out of alive?" I laugh. "Count on it. That's another of my talents."

"I'm not sure whether or not to be glad I know that now," Jowan mutters, sweeping loose locks of hair back toward his ponytail.

"Either way, consider yourself warned."

A/N: Pazzi=lunatics, cara cuore=dear heart(so says Google). This chapter was really, really fun to write, seeing as it was my first time writing flirty/seductive!Zev. *flexes writing muscles* Yay for trying something new! I wasn't originally going to go into details of what he said to Claire, but it just sort of came. And it was fun, in the 'guilty pleasure' kind of way. =D Probably brought on b/c my new Mahariel is flirting with him way more than any of my previous characters.