They had just returned from the Aeducan thaig where Lord Helmi had gone in order to deliver the letters to him. Their arrival was fortunate, for a day later and the lord and his men would have been routed by the darkspawn who intended to make a home in the thaig. Lord Helmi was grateful for their help, even moreso when they handed the letters to him, revealing that Lord Harrowmont was going to swindle him. He swore that he will never again trust a word of Lord Harrowmont and promised that come election, Bhelen can count on him. Satisfied, the wardens let him stew in his rage and went with haste to report their success to the prince.
They met Vartag, who upon hearing the news, told them to wait in the hall for the prince's answer. As they waited, they met the first person who was genuinely happy to see them.
"Rica!" Brosca said as he hugged his sister. She gave a cry of delight when he swept her off the floor.
He released her and Rica stepped back, looking him over. "I can't believe it! I heard the Grey Wardens came to Orzammar and I couldn't help but hope…" She put her hands on each side of his cheek. "Look at you! My brother, the returning hero,"she said, beaming with pride at her sibling everyone believed would end up as another body on the streets.
He grinned. "Ye ain't done worse yerself," he said, looking at her dress. "Whadaya doin here, in the palace? And how ye got these baubles?" he asks as he lifted a heavy necklace made of precious stones. His sister was attired in a dress made of topsider cloths and wear bracelets on both hands. Her hair was styled up to reveal diamond earrings on both ears. She looked so beautiful than he remembered. Except for the tattoo on her face, anyone would have mistaken her to be a noble.
"It's a long story, brother. I-" she finally noticed his companions. "Are they your friends?"
"Ah. Aye. She's a warden, like yer brother," he said as he pointed at Elissa, "and the two wanna help us." He introduced his sister to them and them to her.
Elissa smiled warmly at Rica and said "A pleasure to meet you." Rica giggled, pleased at being addressed like a noble. Even the palace servants wouldn't let her forget where she came from. "I'm sure you want to spend time with your brother. Now, I think Zevran, you owe me and Sten a tour of the room?" she asked the elf.
"What? When did I promise that?"
Elissa only linked her arm on his and Sten and led them away from the siblings.
"I like them, especially her. She's so…she's so nice and graceful and everything," hen they were out of earshot, Rica said
"Aye, she is. Now, tell yer brother everything."
"Remember when I told you that I have caught someone? That someone is none other than Prince Bhelen."
"What?" A prince and their boss' brother?
"It's true. He made me his royal concubine. You don't know how happy he's made me after you were gone."
Brosca looked at his sister, her cheeks flushed, her skin glowing and know exactly how happy the prince made her.
His sister told him how after his recruitment, he took her under his protection after Jarvia took control of the Carta. They would have gone after her, as revenge for Brosca killing Beraht, but Bhelen found her first and hidden her away in the palace. Then she had more good news to him.
"You're going to be an uncle," she announced.
"Yer gonna hava baby?" Brosca asked, his jaw hanging open. Now that he knew he noticed she was..plumper than he remembered. She was glowing too, but he thought it was due to good spirits and good food.
"Yes, it doesn't show yet, but I hope it's a boy," she said, smoothing her dress over her stomach. "It'd be a wonderful to present Prince Bhelen with his heir, after all he has done for me and mother. But he says he doesn't care if it's a girl, because he'll love it all the same."
Brosca couldn't speak, too overawed by one good fortune after another. When he thought of something to say, Vartag reappeared and called to say that the prince was ready to meet them. Rica kissed her brother goodbye and said that she would like to know more about his companions and their adventures.
When they saw the prince, they all thought the same thing: he looked nothing like his brother. He was fair compared to Thorin's dark complexion, and his eyes were pale blue to his brother's sapphire eyes. Even their personalities are different, for Thorin's presence assured trust while something lurked behind Bhelen's smiles.
"It is good to meet the famous Grey Wardens at last. I trust you have not met too much difficulty of the task given to you?" he said, with disarming lightness as he talked about misleading two nobles with a forgery.
Brosca did not answer so Elissa did for them. "We came here not to settle the succession of Orzammar but to enforce these treaties that your city is obliged to provide,"she said, unwilling to say to his face her true feelings about decieving people to win the throne. Besides, she already did what she could when she sent Ser barker out.
"Ah, but unfortunately, I cannot help you at this time. You see, these treaties were made with the King of Orzammar, and only the king has the power to send out troops to aid you. I would have been the one to do that, and been glad to do it, but certain.….individuals have questioned my right to rule, as if it wasn't my birthright. It wounds my pride, but what could I do?"
"I'm sorry but I heard people speak that you murdered your elder brother, the rightful heir, and then framed it on your second brother, who was exiled."
Bhelen waved a hand, like waving away a bad smell. "Gossips. Low-class talk against their betters, born out of envy and spite. There are always people who will slander the good names of someone just because of his success. I am sure some of those were said by the supporters of Lord Harrowmont?"
It wasn't but Elissa thought it smart not to reveal to Bhelen that Thorin was alive and said that yes, they heard it from Lord Harrowmont's camp.
"Lord Harrowmont," Bhelen said, pausing as if saying the name gives him pain. "He was a long-time advisor of my father, do you know? I have always respected him and thought him a good example of an honorable dwarf. I am confused and hurt that he would say those baseless accusations, when I am grieving for the loss of my brothers and my father, King Endrin. As if the tragedy that befell my house isn't enough." There was a pause as he gathered his thoughts. Then he continued. "He was with my father the whole time when he fell ill. He wouldn't even let me see him. When my father died, he accused me of conspiring for the death of one brother and the exile of the other. Then he announced his intention to be King, against me. Me, the only one left from a house who had faithfully served Orzammar for hundreds of years."
"I understand. But is there any truth to his words?"
Bhelen looked at her, then said "Do you have any siblings, Warden Elissa?"
Elissa hesitated. "Yes. A brother," she said slowly.
"Would you have killed your own brother?"
Elissa paused, not sure what to answer. "No."
"Do you see now? There is nothing so unnatural as to killing your own flesh and blood. Yet Lord Harrowmont insists I was capable of that and more."
"I thought I heard…that the reason your brother was exiled because he killed the heir."
"My brother, Trian, the one who was killed. He was…he was always difficult to be with and he used to fight a lot with my other brother, Thorin. They were both strong-willed men. They were seen to have quarreled before a campaign to honor Thorin. I did not know how Thorin could kill Trian but maybe…maybe that day, they took their quarrel too far."
The Warden group stayed silent.
"Belive none of the rumors you hear about me," Bhelen continued. "They are slanders against an honorable house, to discredit its only surviving member, the one true king of Orzammar."
"Whaddye want?" Brosca finally said.
Bhelen was surprised at his brusqueness but said "You've seen Orzammar for yourself: the city is a slaughterhouse. Criminals run lawless. In my bid for kingship, I wish its citizens to be free of such chaos. The cause of it all is a local crime group in Dust Town called the Carta, led by a woman named Jarvia. Eliminate them, and I will greatly be in your debt."
"Aye, I know what the carta is," Brosca said, rising. The others rose too, intuiting that the conference with the prince is finished. "Ye wait outside. I gotta talk with the prince," he said to the others.
When they were alone, Brosca took his seat and turned to Bhelen. "Ye know me?"
"I heard from your sister. I must say, I am proud to have a brother in so honorable an order as the Grey Wardens."
"Nugshit. Ye can talk fancy to others, but I ain't no fool."
Bhelen's face lost its cultivated appearence. "So, you want direct replies then? Fine I can do that," he said coldly.
"Donna get mad," he said, raising his hands up." Am just sayin ye donna try to be all nice and shit with me. Ye and I both know yer one of us."
"Excuse me?"
"Donna pretend ye wanna kill Jarvia because ye say ye want dem people happy. Ye wanna kill her because she's gonna blab about yer business with 'em Carta if yer not gonna pay 'em to shut her trap. Don wanna be king with dem askin fer favors, are ye?"
Bhelen looked at him, displeasure in every feature in his face. "If you dare say those words in public, I will have you killed, brother to Rica or not."
Brosca laughed. "That's more like it. Am just gonna say, threat or no, Imma kill her for you."
"I'm glad we have an agreement then. Now, is there anything else you want to ask?"
"Aye." Brosca leaned forward. "Rica."
"Ah. Typical protective elder brother. I should have expected that."
"Ye mean true by her?"
"I thought Rica would have told you how I protected her and your mother from the Carta for your murder of Beraht?"
"Aye, she did. But I wanna see for meself if ye say true. If ye meant that yer not gonna throw her away if she didna give ye a boy?"
"I meant what I said. She will still be my consort even if she gave birth to a daughter."
Brosca looked at Bhelen as he said it. Then he leaned back to his chair. "I ain't gonna say nay to you."
"Then, our business is concluded."
"If ye were lyin, imma come for you. Me…with yer brother."
Bhelen gripped the arms of his chair in shock. "Thorin…is alive? I thought he died in the Deep Roads."
"Nah. He's a warden, same as me. Duncan found him wanderin' and took him in."
Bhelen recovered his composure. "A Warden," he said in his usual tone. "Then he can't stop me. He has already forfeited his claim to the throne. "
"Aye, but just say he's gonna back someone up and ye end up with nothin. People like him and ye know it. And he be hard to kill for yer thugs."
"Where is he now?" he demanded.
"He know nothin 'bout yer father dyin and Harrowmont stoppin ye from bein king. He sent me here with the treaties 'cause he thought it's gonna be hard gettin help from Orzammar if he did it. Although" he said, looking at the prince "he's gonna know everythin if ye lied."
Bhelen narrowed his eyes at the duster. "You have a lot of nerve threatening a prince."
"Ye and I woulda need "lot of nerve", or we ain't gonna get what we want." Brosca said as he stood up. "Treat me sister right, and ye won't gonna hear from me and him."
"As if I don't do so already." Bhelen rose up and stood. "It's a pleasure doing business with you."
Outside, Elissa was fuming, Zevran was smiling and Sten was being himself, as usual. They were silent for a time, then Elissa decided to vent her feelings.
"Oh! How dare he be so…so…affable! I can't believe he's the one who did those things to to his own family!" she exclaimed.
"I thought him quite charming," Zevran said. "I see him and think here's a man who brings a lot of business."
Elissa snorted. "Of course you would think that." Still irritated, she turned to the giant, who was silently looking their surroundings as usual. "Aren't you going to say something?"
"No."
"Nevermind."
They didn't have long to wait, for Brosca emerged from the palace and said he knew someone who could tell them where the elusive Carta's hideout is. So off they went to Dust Town, where they saw where the casteless live and endure.
It is a town steeped in misery. On every side of the road stood dilapidated houses, its roofs crumbling in ruin, where they heard screams and animal shouts from the inhabitants therein. The air was thick with the smell of refuse and waste. Some dwarves looked up at them as they approached and eyed them, like feral cats who had sighted prey. Here and there lay dwarves who are either drunk into insensibility or are lying in a pool of their own blood. Both had their pockets turned inside out.
"Ye be careful. Donna look dem in the eye or show yer afraid of them." Brosca warned them, mostly for Elissa's benefit. A dwarf came out of the shadows, a malicious glint in his eyes, but Brosca glared at him and the man backed away.
They reached a house and Brosca knocked. They heard someone inside curse and the door flew open. A disheleved dwarf stood in the doorway, holding something behind his back.
"Yer not Leske," Brosca said.
"Sure ain't." The door slammed close.
Elissa heard a cry for help. Turning, she saw a woman on her side, begging for a few coppers to tide her for a day. One of her leg lay in an odd angle.
"Brosca, look, she's crippled. Stop. I'll just give some coin to that poor woman," Elissa said as she walked toward the beggar but Brosca caught her arm and held her back. The dwarf went to her himself and stood in front of the criple.
"Shut yer moanin. I know yer just as good as stab someone even with that bad leg."
The woman scowled at Brosca. "A duster." She narrowed her eyes at him and remembered. "You're the one who got away with 'em Wardens, ain't it? Whaddya want?" she said, as she took a flask from her pouch and took a swig, never taking her eyes off them.
"I wanna know where dem Carta is."
The woman stared at him.
"Ye know where dey at?"
The woman looked him over, then his companions. "Maybe," she finally said.
Brosca tossed a coin which the woman deftly caught. She looked at it, bit it and stowed it in somewhere in her dirty clothes. "I don't know where the Carta is now. But I know someone who does." She gave directions to a house somewhere deep in the town.
As they were walking to the house, Elissa turned to the dwarf. "How do you know she's not…helpless?" Brosca told her that she was a Carta thug like him, but a bad job had broken her leg and the group cast her off. She did not threw herself in the lava or drunk herself to death as they expected but instead turned the skills she learned at the crime group, collecting gossips she heard while begging and trading them while milking the sympathies of people such as Elissa.
They reached the house and Brosca knocked once more. The door opened and a dark-haired dwarf greeted them. "Well chew me up and swallow me whole! I've never thought to see you back here!" the dwarf said, tapping Brosca on the shoulders.
"A friend of yours?" Zevran asked Brosca, amused.
"Aye."
"Look at you," the dwarf continued, holding Brosca by the shoulders. "A filthy duster, now a grey warden. What happened? Why are you here? You miss gettin spit on?"
"Nah. Say, you got booze 'round here? Gimme one and imma tell ye all about it."
So they were crammed into the house. Brosca introduced them as Leske and the dwarf grinned at them as he introduced them to him. There, they sampled authentic home-brewed dwarven ale and discovered many ways to cough, as they listened to the two dwarfs exchange stories about what they had been doing after their separation. When they run out of stories to tell, Brosca let his friends chuckle fade away before asking him what they really came for. "Ye know I didna just come to see ye."
Leske took another drink and silently set the mug on the table.
"I wanna know where Jarvia is."
Leske whistled, a low sound of warning. "This ain't good. You know she wants to kill you for killing Beraht. I've been hidin since you were gone, but she may already know where you at."
"That's why I keep lookin for her. Imma make her meet her lover."
He chuckled. "You're one crazy dwarf. Alright, this is where she's at." Leske told him that the Carta had moved in Brosca's old home. Then the dwarf told him to let him know if they had taken care of Jarvia.
When the group headed out, Zevran asked him, still smiling. "I know he was an old friend of yours, my friend but many things has happened during your time apart. Do you actually trust his information?"
The dwarf shrugged and said "We ain't gotta choice, though I trust him as I trust ye not to stab me back."
"I'm hurt. I thought we were friends."
"Ye think a lotta things."