Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Age or any of its related characters. This is just for my own enjoyment and the potential enjoyment of other fans like me, and no monetary gain was expected or received.

Rating: T

Spoilers: May contain spoilers for Origins, Origins DLC, Awakening, and Dragon Age II as well as the novels The Stolen Throne and The Calling.


Chapter Thirty: Back Alley

Loghaina moved instinctively to back Loghain. "This…could be bad," she said.

"I've dealt with these jackasses before. Just stay focused and protect your flank," Loghain said, in a harsh whisper.

"Do you get ambushed by assassins often?" she asked.

"Not so much these days. They've learned. Don't worry; if you were half as fierce as I know you to be you'd still be more than a match for these fools."

"Confident," the elven assassin said, with a slight chuckle. "I would call it bravado, perhaps even braggadocio, if I did not know your reputation. Crows who attempted to fulfill the old contract Emperor Florean put out on you…never came home. When the contract expired the Guildmasters all agreed that they would accept no more contracts on your head, but look what happens when enough money is involved to overcome squeamishness? And so, here we are. And I suppose now we will see whether or not once again you triumph over the Crows, or whether this is our turn for victory. Are you ready? I would give you a fair shot."

"Twelve to two?" Loghain said, with a sneer in his voice.

"I would have brought fifty, to make the odds more even, but I could not find half so many willing to lay their lives on the line."

"Well, he's blowing a lot of smoke up your ass, isn't he?" Loghaina said.

"Be assured, my dear Warden Commander, I included you in my calculations. You have built quite a reputation for yourself in your own right."

"So this new contract is on the both of us?" Loghaina asked.

"Indeed. It seems the two of you have ruffled somebody's feathers more than somewhat. I regret that I am not at liberty to say who."

"You don't have to say. It was Teyrn Howe."

"Nonsense," Loghain said.

"I regret to inform you that the lady is correct," the assassin said. "I was not at liberty to say, but if you guess for yourselves, that is not my fault, is it?"

"Affable young fellow, isn't he? It's a shame he's here to kill us," Loghaina said.

"Why would Rendon Howe put a contract out on me?" Loghain asked.

"For what reason does any man spend a great deal of money to end the life of another? You threaten his power in some way, yes? For specifics, you may wish to ask him yourself. Assuming you survive."

"I'll rip his head off and stuff it up his arse," Loghain said, in a conversational, matter-of-fact tone.

The assassin laughed. "For the risk he has taken in making an enemy of such as you, I should think he already had his head up his ass. But my men grow impatient. If it is all very well with you, we will commence the killing now."

"By all means," Loghain said. He raised his sword and readied his shield. Loghaina gulped and adjusted her grip on her daggers.

If the assassin had brought archers, they would have died. If their blades had been poisoned, as one might reasonably expect them to be, they would have died. But neither of those things was true, and in the narrow alleyway there was little room for a dozen attackers to close in at once. It was a hard battle, but with swift slashes and good shield work, they held their own. Loghaina dropped her last attacker to the ground and took the opportunity to wipe at the blood that ran from a deep cut on her cheek. Loghain's shield knocked down the last opponent and he finished him with his sword in the back of the neck.

He put up his weapons. "You all right?" he asked.

"Still breathing," she said. "What about…them?"

"This one's still alive," he said, and pulled up the elven assassin's head by the hair. "Knocked him out with a pommel strike."

"Good. I kind of like him."

He raised an eyebrow. "Really? He did just do his level best to kill us."

"But he was very mannerly about it. You got any questions you want to ask him when he wakes up?"

"I think I know everything I need to, assuming he was telling the truth."

"I want to recruit him into the Wardens."

"Are you serious? Do you realize how dangerous that could be? That contract was on your head, too."

"Well, I'm assuming we're going to take care of the person who put the contract out on us. In any event, I think having a trained assassin on hand could be useful, don't you?"

"Oh, they're dead useful. Until they turn on you, that is."

"I'm not scared. We kicked his ass once, we can do it again."

"We kicked his ass because he was courteous. When he sticks a knife in your throat in the middle of the night he's not going to warn you first."

"I'll risk it. I want him on my team."

"Have I ever told you that you're crazy?"

"You might have mentioned it."

Loghain chuckled. "Have it your way, then. He's coming around."

The assassin groaned and opened his eyes. "I'm alive? I'm alive!"

"We can fix that for you," Loghain said. He dropped the man's head with a parting shove.

"I'd rather you didn't, if it's all the same."

"All right; you want to live? Come and work for me. Become a Grey Warden," Loghaina said.

"If my choices are between that and death, I will accept your deal," the assassin said. "My life is suddenly far more precious to me than it was at the outset of this escapade."

"What's your name?" she asked.

"May I sit up?" He pushed himself up off the ground. "My name is Zevran Arainai, and I am at your service."

"Glad to have you, Zevran," Loghaina said.

"Just know this," Loghain said. "If you turn on her, I will ensure that you fully explore hitherto undreamt of realms of pain."

"I believe you," Zevran said. "I will endeavor not to incur your wrath."

Loghain looked up at Loghaina. "Speaking of wrath, I'm feeling quite a bit of it right now. You and I have an appointment with a certain Teyrn, don't we? I'd hate to keep His Lordship waiting."

"Are you really going to kill him?" Loghaina asked.

"What do you think? Actually I'm going to endeavor to arrest him, on charges of sedition, but I'm counting on the fact that a cornered rat will turn and fight."

"And if he doesn't?"

"Then his head will roll to a royal axe. Either way, he's signed his death warrant."

"Just wanted to be sure. You did claim you needed him."

He had the grace to blush. "I can hire someone to explain politics to me," he said, in a grumble.