Gates once bright golden forever shut.

Heav'n filled with silence, then did I know all [my faults]

And cross'd my heart with unbearable shame…

Andraste 1: 37-44

'Hey. Hey…Hey! Stop it!' Altus Hadrian cried, in astonishment, getting between Cassius and Gladius, at the cost of having the last of the stinging horsewhip lashes cut through his robes, and draw blood from his arm. 'What is this?' he asked, eyes wide in shock. 'What has he done to you this time?'

He could not know whether his intervention, or the fact that the adolescent Mabari was growling menacingly behind him had stopped whatever fit of rage Magister Cassius was in now; Lexi was merely grateful that it had indeed, stopped, for Gladius seemed in no shape to take more of his former master's blows.

'You were meant to fulfil your duties to your highest degree of capability, and walk that beast,' Cassius muttered, retreating behind his desk.

'He's walked,' Lexi replied. 'I'd just come in to inform you of that, and ask if I could retire, now that all my intellectual capabilities have been exhausted…'

The dog whimpered, in protest of the phrase, but Lexi gave him a quick, reassuring wink, rendering him silent.

'Instead,' the Altus followed, 'I walked in here and had to stop you from killing a free man. What's wrong with you? No, I'll rephrase – what more is wrong with you?'

'Nothing more than that I suffer the company of fools and beasts, until I am pushed to the very end of my tether,' the Magister growled, causing the Mabari to menacingly bare his teeth once more. 'As if being saddled with elves, dogs and deviants was not enough, the stupid elf cannot even take dictation, tonight…'

'That's maybe because you broke his fingers with that stupid wooden ruler of yours past eve,' Lexi smirked. 'You seriously don't have to beat him again today – you could have just called me in, and I…'

Cassius laughed. 'Right,' he said, a feral grimace rendering his features hideous. 'Because I want Tilani to read my letters. What fool do you take me for, you miserable wretch?'

'A violent and unhinged one,' Lexi fearlessly replied. 'And those are the polite words that spring to mind – my vocabulary now exhausted as well, all the elves, deviants and dogs will take leave of your presence and go rest. It is approaching midnight as is.'

The Magister measured him though rage filled, half lidded eyes, and Lexi knew exactly what Cassius had been searching for – some way to threaten, some further way to humiliate, yet while of the latter there were many, the former was now all but impossible. Trapped as he was, with this despicable man, Altus Hadrian had reached the deepest level of his personal hell, and no further circles awaited him.

'Fine,' Cassius said, his teeth grinding together menacingly. 'Begone, all of you.'

Lexi nodded, and turned to face Gladius, posing effort not to take full note of the damage the elf had sustained this time. There was no hiding the fact that his face was bloated, one of his eyes purple and looking as if the unfortunate would never be able to open it again, and that Gladius was cradling his left arm to his chest, his wrist hanging limp at an odd angle.

The Altus shook his head, and reached to help the elf back to his feet – to his surprise, Gladius shifted away from his hand, as if Lexi's skin had been covered in some sort of leprous rash. The elf's pleading stare was still fixed on his former master; after all was said, and mostly done, Cassius' forgiveness was still the only thing that Gladius wanted, and though the sight of his injuries might have been enough to stir pity in the hardest of hearts, it was this that caused Lexi deep sorrow.

Cassius himself took no note of it.

'I said – begone!' he once more barked; the last of Gladius' hope melted, and he lowered his eyes, only to lift them again, this time with hatred in their depth when Lexi spoke again.

'Come on,' Altus Hadrian said, keeping his hand extended. 'You won't catch deviant by merely touching me, I swear.'

It turned out, however, that Gladius not only needed a hand – he needed a shoulder, too, for he could not walk on his own. Resentful, but still fearful he would anger Cassius further by lingering, Gladius finally accepted the help, and the two limped out of the room, the dog on their trail.

'Close the door,' Lexi kindly said; the Mabari gave a low, approving bark, and did so, by rising on its hind legs and gently pushing the door to Cassius study by leaning on it until the knob clicked in place. 'Good boy,' the Altus said, making the creature wag not only its tail, but its entire body in utter delight at the praise.

'I do not need your help,' Gladius hatefully uttered, between gritted teeth.

By now, however, Lexi knew better than to hate the man, so he chuckled lightly. 'Of course you don't,' he amusedly replied, tightening his grip on the elf's lower back. 'I am also very sure that if I let go of you now, you won't fall to the floor into a heap – let's be serious, Master Gladius…'

The words made the elf cringe, as if he had never been addressed politely in his entire existence – Lexi pretended not to notice.

'Where to?' he asked. 'You need to lie down.'

Gladius eyed him with burning revulsion, and did try to resolutely peel himself off his human helper, yet could not take a single step forth on his own, and Lexi winced with effort as he once more caught the injured elf. Swift and heart-breaking, humiliation replaced hatred in Gladius's eyes.

'Downstairs,' he said. 'Slave quarters by the kitchen…'

It was Lexi's turn to be taken aback. 'Slave quarters?' he incredulously questioned. 'But you're Liberato, he can't…'

Gladius produced no response, this time; he merely audibly ground his teeth together. And, Lexi thought, of course Cassius could.He'd cowed this man to such an extent that the fact that he was indeed Liberato – that he had rights, that he was a full citizen of the Imperium – had probably never crossed the elf's mind.

'Fuck that,' Lexi said, gritting his teeth in turn.

Not minding Gladius' weakening protests, and the fact that navigating the staircase to the main hallway was somewhat of an adventure while carrying another man, the Altus descended to the main hall. There, he placed Gladius into one of the armchairs, and turned to speak to the coachman.

'Don't move from there,' he warned the elf, who was still pitifully stirring and wasting whatever remnants of strength he had left. 'Make sure he doesn't move,' Lexi ordered the dog; given the fact that the Mabari growled continuously while Lexi told the coachman where they would be going, Gladius had tried to get up quite a few times.

The coachman was one of the returned house slaves, and used to taking Lexi to his inn each night and at all hours; Gladius' departure from the mansion had been much harder to negotiate, though. Not because the other elf did not understand that Gladius was a Liberato, and thus could come and go as he pleased as well, but rather because, Lexi had swiftly come to understand, Gladius was as liked by the other elves of the household as Cassius himself was. The prospect of Gladius having to nurse his injuries or writhe in pain in full view of the other servants obviously had great appeal to the coachman, and it took Lexi the better part of ten minutes, as well as three gold coins, to convince the man the show was an unworthy one after all.

The man still refused to help Gladius into the carriage, and in this neither gold, nor pleas could sway him, thus Lexi had to manage on his own – not an easy task, given that the scribe was by now almost unconscious. Finally, after ten more minutes of struggling, both Lexi and Gladius were in the carriage, and, wiping his brow, the Altus took one final glance out the window.

The Mabari had stayed back on the mansion's steps, but was looking at Lexi with wide, pleading eyes, as he did every time the Altus left it behind.

'You know you can't go with me, pet,' the Altus said, in a sad tone; the dog whimpered, his tail and ears drooping at the same time, and for the first time in weeks, Lexi relented and breathed out in surrender. He was going to be in trouble over Gladius anyway…

'Fuck this night,' the Altus said, to himself. 'Alright,' he sighed, 'but only this once…' he spoke, making the Mabari leap and bound with joy. 'Do you mind if…' he began to ask the coachman, assuming more haggling would ensue and more gold would have to change hands.

Oddly enough, it did not; the carriage driver actually smiled.

'Nah,' he said. 'You already have one dog in there; this one at least I like. C'mon, pooch,' he said. Lexi opened the carriage door, and the Mabari leaped in, making the entire thing creak and lean dangerously to one side.

'So, there you have it,' Veldrin said, looking about the table.

The Bull noisily sucked on one of his teeth, and looked at her with narrowed eyes. 'It's not one of your best plans, boss,' he said, at long length.

'Well,' Sera put in, 'in so far as it don't involve no demon possession an' shit, it's not one of the worse, either.'

'It also technically isn't hers,' Dorian shrugged. 'Though, to be honest, how Lusacan and Razikale presume they can get Solas to help is utterly beyond me...'

'Fen'Harel?' Dalish frowned, while the Bull signalled for another round of drinks.

'Yes,' the Magister said. 'Of course, the Lord Watcher did not go into detail – somehow, he never does - but given the urgency of the situation, and the need of removing Andruil before she can really wreck havoc, I can't see who else they are going to turn to. He's the one who built the original prisons.'

'That power is long gone from him,' Dalish simply refuted.

'It has not vanished, however,' Veldrin thoughtfully uttered; she then smirked at the glass the bar wench had placed before her. 'Bull,' she muttered, 'if I drink any more of this, I'll be vomiting acid…In any event, Solas' powers are gone from him alone; Radonis' Somnaborium still stores them.'

'Yeah,' Sera replied, 'but the only two that can handle 'em don't know how to use 'em, an' the only people who know how to use 'em can't handle 'em no more, sooo…'

'…and,' the Qunari picked up, 'your Gods wouldn't be foolish enough to actually restore Solas in the first place; what if after he puts Andruil in her coffin, he decides to turn on them, too? Not like it's not happened before. We know the man cannot be trusted as far as Dorian can fling a rock.'

The Magister merely rolled his eyes.

'Well,' Dorian said, after a deep sigh, 'maybe they assume that Solas will teach Vel how to do manipulate the veil; after all, she seems to have a knack for this Fade walking thing. The imprisonment part remains problematic.'

'Even before that, the motivation part remains problematic,' Dalish corrected. 'After all that has happened…I struggle to see a single reason why Fen'Harel would help them, or any of us. Andruil will, after all, fulfil his plan one way or another.'

'Maybe they bankin' on Solas still likin' Vel more than he did this Anadril chick.' Sera said, emptying her cup, and prodding the Bull into getting her another.

'Andruil, Sera,' Veldrin scolded. 'And I find it highly doubtful…'

'What the fuck's this?' Skin suddenly perked, making all frown; she'd been aloof from the conversation thus far, and she hadn't now reacted to anything that was being said. Her furiously glinting gaze was aimed somewhere behind Veldrin, at the inn's counter.

'What?' Vel asked, looking over her shoulder in turn. 'Oh.' She blandly said.

'Kafass,' Dorian muttered, folding his arms on the table, and letting his forehead drop on them. 'Last thing I fucking needed.'

The Bull half turned as well, not understanding what exactly had made all of his companions so inattentive all of a sudden; he saw whatever they were seeing, but could not quite place what had them so rattled. Despite the fact that it was late, and the inn with the broken bell and all the showgirls was still bustling, all he could see was a tall, blonde young human mage, carrying an elven companion that was far beyond worse for wear, who was embroiled in some sort of argument with the innkeeper.

'What's with you lot?' he asked.

'You know what's wrong,' Skin snarled. 'That bastard of an innkeeper is pulling his no eves shit again, and I have a good mind to take an ear off him…'

'No need for that, Skin,' the Bull said, in as conciliatory a tone as he could muster. 'That's just going to spell trouble. I'm sure Dorian can fix this…'

'Oh no, no-no, no-no-no,' the Magister cackled, in a half insane voice, which was muffled by his arms. 'The only thing Dorian's doing is getting plastered out of his mind. That's what Dorian's doing.'

'I'll fix it,' Veldrin said, darting to her feet before Skin could; her husband half raised his face from the table.

'I hate you, sometimes,' he mumbled.

'While I love you all the time,' the woman kindly replied. 'I'll fix it. And if I can't, we'll just rely on Skin here…We can't not help him, Dorian.' She said, insinuating herself between their table, and the rowdy one that was next to it. It actually had a very pretty showgirl dancing on it, so the fact that the Vel brushed past only attracted brief, vile glances, but no vile words.

'You know that elf?' Dalish asked.

'We know them both,' Dorian answered. 'And trust me, I wish we didn't.'

'I'll tell you one last time,' the innkeeper hatefully growled. 'We do not serve elves, here.'

'And I'll tell you one more time – good thing you don't, I hear they're stringy even if you boil them for hours or roast them for centuries,' Lexi patiently replied. 'Besides, my comrade here is not looking for a drink, he's looking for a room, and I am sure he doesn't have fleas…More than the other elves in here do,' he icily smiled, tilting his head towards the table where Veldrin, Dorian and their friends were sitting.

It was fortunate, Lexi thought, that Dorian's back was turned to him – seeing his face now…

'Aye, well, I got my arm twisted with those – I'm sure not gonna take any more in!' the innkeeper exploded. 'Your livestock can stay in the stables, with the other livestock, or he can sleep by the door, I don't give a shit. This is a locale of good repute, I'm not…'

'Problems, Lexi?' he heard Veldrin ask, just as he'd opened his mouth to tell the bloated, belligerent man just what he thought of his locale and its reputation. His shoulders sagged, as did the corners of the innkeeper's mouth.

'Not at all,' the Altus responded, trying to keep his voice level. 'Our friendly host here was just telling me a very sad story about how his arm got twisted into doing one thing or another, and that it still hurts…'

'That is indeed very sad,' Vel understandingly nodded. 'Who did such a thing to you, friend?' she asked, benevolently smiling at the innkeeper.

The human cursed under his breath.

'Enough outta you, elf! You oughta count yourself lucky that that Magister has a fetish for you knife-ears.' He spat. 'That one,' he followed, pointing at Gladius, 'is sleeping in the stables…Cuz he sure isn't…'

'I thought we were not done with your tale of woe, though,' Veldrin replied. 'You know us knife ears, we'll do anything if a human commands us; tell me who upset you,' she said, leaning her right hand, Magister's ring on full display on the countertop, 'and I'll put them right back in their place.'

The innkeeper swallowed dry.

'Room. Key. Now.' Veldrin said, dryly. 'Make sure the room is warm too, if you please.'

The human hastily turned away, cursing under his breath – Lexi staggered under Gladius' weight, and found more unexpected support.

'Hey, here,' Veldrin said, pushing a chair under him, and then, as rapidly, pushing a chair under Gladius. 'Whoa!' she exclaimed, jumping three feet back, as the Mabari barked happily, but with enough lung to cause all windows to rattle, 'dog! Giant Ferelden dog! Whoa, dog!'

'He's a Mabari,' Lexi said, smiling honestly, though, had circumstances been different, he might have laughed. The dog's front paws were on Veldrin's shoulders, he was about two feet taller than she was, and, despite all her attempts at evasion, he was enthusiastically licking her face.

'Alright, alright,' Vel chuckled, 'I know he's a Mabari. One of my friends has one as well. Does he have a name? Except for 'Dog'?'

'I don't own him, so I don't get to name him,' Lexi sorrowfully said. The animal whinnied, and settled by Lexi's chair.

'I'd name him Corso,' Vel said, leaning her elbows on the counter. 'He's a bit rude. Not nice to give a lady so many kisses if she doesn't ask for them…' the elf said, wagging her finger at the dog, and doing her best to look stern. It still wagged his tail in return, lifting his head from his paws and giving her a friendly, short bark, as if he had understood she was joking.

'What happened to Gladius?' she asked, shifting her glance to the beaten elf.

'Cassius, that's what,' Lexi dryly replied. 'You don't happen to carry any healing potions with you, do you, Vel?'

'No, but maybe the others do. I'll go ask.'

'Don't; Dorian…'

The Elvhen woman looked at him, golden eyes filled with reproach. 'I'll go ask, alright? Lexi? I'll be right back.'

Lexi shook his head. 'You do not need to do this; I have wronged you…'

'Yes, and I am not on Gladius' very short list of likeable people either, but I can't leave him in this condition…'

'Here's your key,' the innkeeper spitefully broke in, smashing a large, iron cast key on the counter. 'Third floor, second door to the left.'

Vel spun around like an un-sprung coil. 'Third floor? How do you expect…'

'We'll take it,' Lexi said, with a deep sigh. 'I don't want more fuss, and he's right above my own chambers,' he explained in a hushed tone. 'My fire was lit at about nine, the room above should be moderately warm as well.'

'Alright,' the woman responded, cranking her nose, and still looking to the innkeeper as if she'd meant to turn him into an icicle. 'But – still wait here for a moment, will you? Let's see about that healing potion, and…'

She interrupted herself, and drew a deep breath. '…and let's see if we can get you a hand getting Gladius up the stairs. Last thing I want now is for both of you to take a hilarious, noisy tumble, and interrupt Dorian's drinking himself blind.'

'You're making me feel like bug,' Lexi sighed.

'Good,' she replied, cracking a sad smile. 'That's the whole intent.'

The evening – or now, rather, the day, as they were coming into the small hours - was decidedly screwed, Vel thought, as Dalish, her last remaining hope for a healing potion sorrowfully shook her head.

'I have the stuffs on me, I could brew one,' she offered, 'but it will take a few hours. Your friend there didn't look like he has a few hours left in him.'

'For the last time, Dalish, he's not our friend!' Dorian grumbled. 'He's more like the festering boil on the left ass-cheek of our worst enemy…'

'Still,' Skin intervened. 'He's a brother, can't leave a brother like that. What happened to him? Got mugged or something?'

'More like his former master used him for a punching bag,' Vel reluctantly answered. 'Gods know why, but Dalish is right – I could see he has a broken wrist, but he looks like there could be more serious things that we can't see…'

'…and you were going to tell me the blonde guy is Dorian's significant other when, exactly?' the Bull thundered, approaching them from behind.

'Was is the operative word,' the Magister said. 'As in has been, over and done with…'

'Riight,' the Bull nodded. 'Because has been causes you to down a bottle in ten minutes, and has been definitely goes red as a beetroot when he finds out we belong to the same has been club. Can't fault your taste, though he is a bit…puny.'

He sat down from a height, making the chair creak and emphasizing his point.

'Sorry, Bull,' Vel shrugged. 'Didn't think it would come up.'

'Well, it did,' the Qunari said, 'and he brought it up so to speak. Fortunately, the state of that elf brought it right back down again – guy feels as soft and bendy as dough. Figure broken ribs, at least one collarbone, the arm…And by how he's breathing, those ribs aren't just cracked, and didn't incidentally miss his lungs; the guy was spitting pink foam. It's like someone laid him down and jumped on him.'

'That ain't good,' Sera muttered.

'No luck on the healing front, I gather?' the Bull asked.

'Nope,' Skin replied.

Lexi's eyes asked Veldrin the same question from across the room; she shook her head, and watched him sigh and head for the counter. Dorian did not miss the silent exchange, and he only needed the look on Vel's features to guess what was about to occur.

'I forbid you,' he said, dryly.

A bottle of brandy crossed the counter, and Lexi did not wait for change from the gold coin he'd just hastily paid with.

'You can't forbid me anything, Amatus.' Vel replied, standing away from the table once more. 'It's not like I'm your elf, or your wife, or something.'

'Ya, you can't forbid 'er shit!' Sera angrily put in. 'Wait a mo',' she added, her eyes suddenly narrowed. 'Watcha about to forbid her?'

Dalish rolled her eyes. 'It is quite obvious, Sera,' the blonde elf non-mage said, calmly. 'We have no healing potions, the guy Dorian's has been is trying to save is about to die, and needs healing, thus…'

'Thus…' Sera angrily prompted.

'Thus blood magic,' Dalish said.

'But Vel can't do that anymore,' Sera protested. 'Not since Imshashite is gone, right?'

'Doesn't mean that this has been magecannot, and that she doesn't have blood,' Dalish replied.

'I forbid it,' Dorian angrily said, to his wife's turned back. 'I'll fucking call…'

'…the Templars?' Veldrin said, softly. 'On me and Lexi?'

She turned around, and, for a moment sustained his glance. 'You know what this takes, Dorian, you've watched him do it to heal me from far less than Gladius is now suffering; do you want really him to do this alone? Huh?'

'No, of course not,' he spat, then pounded his fist on the table. 'More wine!' he yelled, as Veldrin shrugged, turned away, and followed Lexi up the stairs. 'Service is so slow here, we need to go drinking somewhere else, after this…I hate them both,' he whimpered. 'I love them both so much.'

'So much for the has been,' The Iron Bull shrugged, in turn. 'Service and a red-head, please?' he shouted, waving his arm.

Gladius awoke with no sense of time; he stared up at the ceiling, and could find no sense of location either; the ceiling above him was painted in white lime, and not made of exposed red brick. The linen of the bed was soft, the bed was wide and comfortable…

Just what on Earth…

He sat up, looking about himself in belligerent confusion.

The last thing he recalled was being bundled into a carriage, in utter disregard of his own wishes; he'd been born to Magister Cassius, in his mansion, and he'd always assumed he would die there as well…Ah, indeed, there was that, too – last he remembered he had been dying. Now…

Now, he could swear that he had never felt lighter, or better rested in his life; he also had this cosy, warm room all to himself. The thought immediately caused him a stab of anxiety, and he attempted to jump out of bed, yet immediately fell back, wincing. He might have felt clear-headed, he realised, but his body was still exhausted.

There was a soft rap on the door, which made Gladius jump as if he'd heard the string of a crossbow releasing a deadly bolt.

What was this? He dazedly thought. His own chambers? People who knocked?

He coughed, to adjust his voice, but the visitor did not wait for his permission to enter. That, at least was familiar. Everything else was not, and he blinked rapidly, as if to remove what he was seeing from his retina.

'Afternoon, Master Gladius,' the face painted savage said, pushing the door slightly ajar. 'Mood for lunch?'

Gladius opened his mouth, but no words would come out.

'I'll take that as a yes,' she smiled, letting herself and another of her tribeswomen in. The second one, who was blonde, and whose face paint was different from Lavellan's was carrying a trey with some delicious smelling food; he could not guess what it was, for it was covered in a white and freshly pressed napkin. Lavellan herself was carrying a pitcher of milk, and another full with what Gladius could only assume was the juice of some orange, squishy fruit. He'd seen Magister Cassius have it before, but he's never tasted it himself.

'Lady…Magistra Pavus?' he queried, not knowing whether to be terrified or furious.

'Face-painted savage will do,' Veldrin laughed, winking to her companion. 'Just because we are now better acquainted you don't need to be polite. If you could bring yourself to be nice and call my friend here Dalish, however, we should fare fine.'

The blonde woman deposited the tray on his side table – did he really have a side table now? – and looked him over with a critical eye,

'You've done well, lethallan, but not well enough,' she said. 'He will definitely need a few more days to fully recover.'

A few days?

'Impossible,' Gladius growled, finding both his voice and his disdain at the two savages at the same time. 'I must be returned to Magister Cassius presently! I do not know what you are concocting, but…'

'Well, thus far,' the elf called Dalish said, with an unpleasant little smirk, 'Keeper Lavellan and Altus Hadrian have concocted to save your life; we have concocted to serve you breakfast in bed, in a locale, that, need I remind you, sir, does not serve elves. Anything else dastardly on your mind, Veldrin?'

The Pavus woman chuckled. 'Well, I shall ominously plot to have dinner fetched as well, later on. Relax, Master Gladius, no one is planning…'

'I cannot be bought with a glass of milk and an omelette!' the man furiously shot back. 'This is kidnapping and false imprisonment! Magister Cassius…'

'Yes, yes, Magister Cassius,' Veldrin sighed, 'the man who narrowly failed to kill you last night…I would not worry too much about him, but if it helps you settle, he knows precisely where you are; Altus Hadrian has informed him first thing in the morning. He may send someone to fetch you when he so wishes, and none will stop him. Neither will we stop you if you simply wish to walk out of here. There is, however the minor issue of the fact that you cannot, actually, walk.'

Yes, Gladius bitterly thought, clenching the covers with his fists in impotent rage. He was healed, but he was weak, hence equally trapped, here, with these…

'I just…' he began. 'I just want to go home.'

He'd meant to sound decisive, but his voice was trembling so much his words had come out as a plea. The glances of both women softened.

'You should have let Altus Hadrian put him to sleep until he recovered,' Dalish said; the Pavus woman sorrowfully shook her head.

'I did not want him to fully black-out and lose time. If he'd woken up in three days from now, he'd throw even more of a tantrum. Listen, Master Gladius,' she followed, gracefully kneeling by his bedside and looking up at him with that odd, golden gaze of hers, 'I give you my solemn promise that we shall not try to turn you against your master...'

'It does not matter what you will or will not do, Magistra Pavus,' Gladius bitterly said. 'It only matters what Magister Cassius will believe.'

'I know,' Veldrin nodded. 'Trust me, I considered whether we were taking you out of the frying pan and throwing you into the fire, last eve…Yet, one of your cracked ribs had gone through one of your lungs, lethallin. If Lexi…I mean, Altus Hadrian had not acted as he did…'

'My master would have healed me,' Gladius said, weakly. 'He always does. All you've done here is give him cause for further…'

He swallowed dry and remained silent.

'I'm sorry,' the Magistra said; she sounded as if she truly was. 'We'll see to your every need, but keep our distance; perhaps some of the harm we did will be undone that way. The one thing we shall not do is return you to this man – we will do anything but that. We will not stand in the way of the fate that you choose, but we shan't deliver you to it…'

'Is there, perhaps, someone whose company might give you strength?' Dalish inquired, kindly. 'A family, a friend, perhaps a wife? Someone who might be less objectionable in Magister Cassius eyes?'

Gladius left out a heavy breath and closed his eyes. No, he realised, there was no one…not really. But could it admit as much to these? Admitting it to himself was painful enough.

'There is…' he tiredly said, 'a woman named Calpernia. She lives in a blue house by the docks – if you leave a message with one of her servants, she may render me visit.'

She won't, of course, he thought. But speaking at least one name…

'Very well,' Veldrin said, fluidly rising to her feet. 'We'll let your friend know where you are, and advise the innkeeper to let her through…'

'Not needed,' Gladius responded. 'She's human.'

'Alright,' Dalish nodded, in turn. 'We'll let you eat and rest, though…'

There was a question burning in the blonde savage's blue eyes, but a quick glance from Veldrin Pavus stopped her for voicing it; the blonde merely took a deep breath, and left, with Pavus on her trail – and of the many things he understood had been done for him, Gladius actually found himself grateful for this, and this only.

Because, he thought, lying back and staring at the ceiling, if the blonde savage had asked him why he so wished to return to the Cassius mansion, why he put up with all the humiliation and suffering the Magister heaped on him, he would not have known how to respond.

Not in a way that an innocent and simple-minded person such as her might have understood, anyway.

...and summer hiatus is over :) Which means updates galore :D

Thank you all for reading and commenting in our absence; thank you, Domi for bearing with me, and now let's see who does comment 100 :)

Cheers, hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed writing it,

Abstract & IVI