I thought I would be relieved to see Denerim, after giving up hope that I would ever see it again, but the city itself is hardly worth missing. When you first enter the city gates, you're in the market district, which, apart from the palace district I guess, is the prettiest area of Denerim, thanks to the merchant's guild gold used to keep everything relatively clean. There's stalls scattered all over the area, and a ring of stalls in the centre which house the businesses of the wealthiest merchants. The chantry is to the left of the main market area, and the alienage entrance is in the far right corner. The rest of the city, apart from the gated palace district where all the nobles and rich people live, is a maze of shabby houses of various sizes and stability. Most of them are houses to be lived in, but a few hide warehouses, specialty businesses, taverns, any other kind of place you can think of.

Of course, the one thing I want to do as soon as we enter the city is go straight to the Alienage to see our family, but Neria says we have other things to do first. She leaves me with Morrigan to wander around the market district while everyone else goes to find Leliana's contact, because on their way out of the Brecilian forest, they were attacked by would-be assassins. They spared one so he could tell them who sent the assassins, and they said they were after Leliana, which means the lady who betrayed her, Marjolaine, is still out to get her. He gave them an address in Denerim, and now that we're here, hopefully Leliana will be able to find Marjolaine and get her to leave her alone.

When Leliana and the others return to the market district to find us, they all look a little worse for wear.

"Did you find out where Marjolaine is?" I ask Leliana, and she wordlessly pats me on the shoulder, looking dazed.

"Come on, we're heading back to camp," Neria announces, coming to the rescue.

"What about the Alienage?"

"Tomorrow, maybe, da'len."

Well, that sucks, but Leliana really doesn't look very well, so I drop the subject. Tomorrow, then.

We don't go to the Alienage the next day, after all, because Alistair goes to meet his long-lost sister, Goldanna, and Alistair finds out she's a bitch. Then Neria tells Alistair off for saying 'bitch' in front of me, which is funny to me because I grew up in Denerim too, I've heard lots of bad words, some of which have been directed at me. We spend the rest of the day trying to cheer Alistair up. Zevran says he knows a place that can make Alistair happy again, and it sounds like a nice place too, because it's called 'The Pearl.' It makes me think of mermaids in their sea-floor palaces.

When we get there, my first assumption is that it's a tavern; everyone's drinking, and all the barmaids are really pretty; so I was almost right about the mermaid thing. This is a good idea. A lot of people drink when they're sad, and it seems to help. Neria clearly doesn't agree.

"Zevran, tell me we did not just bring a child into a brothel!" she hisses. Ohhh, a brothel. That's why there are so many people here.

"What's wrong with a child being in a brothel? I was a child in a brothel myself growing up, you know this," Zevran says, waving a hand dismissively.

It seems to have done the trick for Alistair's mood, however, because he laughs. "Relax, Neria, Faellathi probably doesn't even know what a brothel is."

Excuse you, Alistair.

"I know what a brothel is," I huff.

"You do?" Neria looks alarmed.

"Zevran told me."

"HE DID?!"

Why is she being so dramatic?

"It's where a lot of men and women who aren't married live in a house together."

"…Ah."

Now that we're all on the same page, Neria cools down a bit, and we get drinks. Well, they get drinks. I get water. Boring.

Then Zevran sees someone he recognises, and calls them over. "Isabela!" An impossibly curvy human woman with dark features and two knives strapped to her back saunters over.

"Well, look who we have here," she says, grinning at him. "Come to apologize for leaving me bereft of my lord husband and then vanishing without a trace?"

Zevran puts his hands up in a sign of surrender. "You know it was just business, Isabela. Business that turned out well for you, I see—you inherited the ship, I take it?"

Isabela pouts. "Hmph. I suppose I never did like the greasy bastard. And the Siren treats me far better than she ever did him."

Neria clears her throat, smiling awkwardly.

Zevran chuckles. "Ah, my apologies, dear Neria. This is Isabela, queen of the eastern seas and the sharpest blade in Llomerryn. Isabela, may I introduce you to the most beautiful Neria Tabris, and her travelling companions. No doubt you will be amused to discover that I am travelling with a Grey Warden."

"A Grey Warden? Charmed," Isabela greets.

"Two Grey Wardens, actually," Alistair adds, reaching across the table to shake Isabela's hand. "Alistair, at your service."

"Pleased to meet you as well, Alistair. And your friends…?"

"I am Leliana, lay sister of the Chantry."

"Charmed, Leliana. And who is this sweet thing?" Isabela coos at me.

"Faellathi. I'm Neria's cousin."

"And you will grow up to be just as pretty as your cousin, I'm sure," she grins at me, bopping me on the nose. I scowl at her. I'm an elf, not a puppy. "Adorable," she praises me anyway. I give up.

"So, you are the captain of a ship, Isabela?" Neria asks, pouring her a drink.

"Yes—The Siren's Call, my pride and joy. She's seen me from my own Rivain and the Isle of Llomerryn to the coast of Par Vollen. All I need is my ship, and the wind at my back. And once my men have had their fill of the pleasures of dry land, we will be off again. We are getting as far away from the Blight as possible."

"That's understandable, the Blight is frightening."

"The way I see it, I can sail as far away from it as I need to, even to the other side of the far Anderfels. The sea will look after her own."

Neria glances at Alistair. "As Grey Wardens, we do not have that luxury."

"Ah, of course. You have a duty. If you do save us all, I shall return to thank you personally."

"Care for a round of Wicked Grace, Isabela my dear?" Zevran asks, already shuffling the cards.