Sorry for the delay. Can't say it won't happen again, as I'm rather busy, but I'll do my best to keep posting in a timely manner.
Morrigan
Whatever was wrong in the beginning of the journey has been righted, and thankfully everyone is in a good mood when they finally reach Denerim the next day.
"Ah, Denerim," Alistair comments as they approach the marketplace. "They say you can get anything here. I once got pick-pocketed."
Avina laughs, giving him that adoring look she reserves for him.
Ugh. The cuteness of those two is disgusting.
For a moment, she catches Daylen's eye. He gives her a knowing smirk, throwing a wink in her direction. Morrigan smiles sultrily back, tossing her hair to the side. She's already looking forward to seeing him again tonight...
Wait... what was she thinking about, again?
Then, as if he thinks he hasn't caused enough mischief, the dog dashes off into market at a pace none of them can hope to match. Well, apart from the giant.
Everyone looks at Avina, who shrugs, still grinning at that oaf. "I guess he's just going off to do some shopping."
And the sad part is, she's not wrong. A few moments later her comes back; with a new companion.
The small boy claps his hands. "Puppy!"
Griffon barks and wags his tail hopefully, as if to say "Can I keep him?"
Avina shakes her head at him. "If he comes with us, he's going to have to fight darkspawn."
Griffon gives an argumentative bark.
"I know he's too young," Avina replies. "That's my point."
Griffon hangs his large head sadly, and leads the boy back into market.
Morrigan rolls her eyes. The dog's with them, and yet Alistair is still the dumbest one in the party.
The group walks towards the left side of the marketplace, when suddenly Alistair turns towards an ill-kept shack of a house. The sign on the door says 'Linen Washing'.
"That's..." he gasps. "My sister's house. I'm almost sure of it, this is... yes, this is the right address. She could be inside. Could we... go and see?"
Daylen nods, while Avina looks confused.
"You have a sister?"
Daylen sighs. "Long story short, met the demon version of her in the Fade with Alistair, he learned where she lived, here we are."
Alistair looks nervous. "Will she even know who I am? Does she even know I exist? My sister. That sounds very strange... "sister." "Siiiissster." Hmm. Now I'm babbling. Maybe we should go. Let's go. Let's just... go."
Daylen sighs again. "Just open the door and get in there."
Alistair turns to Avina. "Would you... come with me? Please."
She gapes at him. "Me? But... I..." he gives her a look of desperation, and she lets out a huff of air. "If you like."
The three leave the rest of them outside. Daylen goes in first, Alistair and Avina follow silently.
Avina
Her palms sweat, and she wipes them on her skirts as they pass through the doorway. She feels as if her heart is beating out of her chest. People don't always treat elves kindly; and not only is she an elf, but a mage as well. What if his sister doesn't like her? What if she doesn't approve?
What if she does?
Her stomach has tied itself into dozens of knots by the time Alistair leads her inside.
He looks just as terrified as she feels; this makes her feel somewhat better and she smiles at him reassuringly.
He swallows. "Er... Hello?"
A woman comes around the corner, looking to be about in her early thirties with dull brown hair and a wrinkle between her brows. "Eh? You have linens to wash?" She looks the three of them over. "I charge three bits on the bundle, you won't find better. And don't trust what that Natalia woman tells you either, she's foreign and she'll rob you blind."
"I'm... not here to have any wash done," he tells her. "My name's Alistair. I'm... well, this might sound a little strange, but, are you Goldanna? If so, I suppose I'm your brother."
The woman's eyes narrow and she frowns, looking them over once more. Her eyes linger on Alistair and Avina's closeness. "My what? I am Goldanna, yes... how do you know my name? What kind of tomfoolery are you folk up to?"
Avina takes a step back. "Maybe... maybe you should be left alone?"
"No!" Alistair protests. "No, don't go! I..." he shakes his head. "Please, stay for now."
Avina bites her lip, still uncertain, but doesn't walk out.
Alistair turns back towards Goldanna. "Look, our mother... she worked as a servant in Redcliffe Castle a long time ago, before she died. Do you know about that? She -"
"You!" Goldanna explodes. "I knew it! They told me you was dead! They told me the babe was dead along with mother, but I knew they was lying!"
"They told you I was dead? Who?" Alistair demands. "Who told you that?"
"Them's at the castle! I told them the babe was the king's, and they said he was dead. Gave me a coin to shut my mouth and sent me on my way! I knew it!"
"I'm sorry," Alistair apologizes. "I... didn't know that. The babe didn't die. I'm him; I'm... your brother."
Goldanna just scoffs at him. "For all the good it does me! You killed mother, you did, and I've had to scrape by all this time? That coin didn't last long, and when I came back they ran me off!"
"But that was hardly Alistair's fault," Avina protests, unable to keep silent any longer.
Goldanna turns her fierce gaze on her. "And who in the Maker's name are you? Some elfy tart, following and carrying his riches?"
At once, Alistair steps protectively in front of Avina. "Hey! Don't speak to her that way! She's my friend, and a Grey Warden, just like me."
Goldanna crosses her arms and sneers. "Ooohh, I see. A prince, and a Grey Warden, too. Well, who am I too think poorly of someone so high and mighty compared to me? I don't know you, boy. Your royal father forced himself on my mother and took her away from me. And what do I have to show for it? Nothing. They tricked me good! I should have told everyone! I got five mouths to feed, and unless you can help with that, I got less than no use for you."
Alistair's shoulders sag, and it makes Avina angry. Alistair always wanted to help everyone, to do the right thing, and this woman is making him feel guilty about something that he has no control over. It makes her want to slap her. This surprises her; Avina never consciously chose to fight, she's usually forced. Not only that, but she's spent less than five minutes with this woman.
"I... I'm sorry," he says again. "I... I don't know what to say."
This entire time, Daylen has watched silently, but now he steps forward threateningly with an expression like a thundercloud. "You have some nerve talking to your family like this," he snarls. "Whose fault is it that you have five mouths anyway, hmm? You're nothing but a money-grubbing bitch."
"Daylen!" Avina cries. He may not be the kindest man, but he has never been like this before.
His eyes are blazing as he faces her. "What?" he snaps. "She created the mess she's in, and expects others to pull her out of it? She could give a shit that she has a brother; all she wants is his bloody money!"
Alistair looks so lost. He looks as if he wants to protest to Daylen's treatment of Goldanna, but can't find a reason to stop him.
Goldanna looks as if she might have steam come out of her ears. "Get out of my house! All of you!"
He looks down in surprise as Avina interlocks their fingers. "Alistair," she whispers. "Let's just go."
They leave without another word.
Daylen is furious, and Alistair is bewildered as they walk back outside.
"That was... not what I expected, to put it lightly," Alistair murmurs. "This is the family I've been wondering about all my life? That shrew is my sister? I can't believe it. I... I guess I was expecting her to accept me without question. Isn't that what family is supposed to do? I... I feel like a complete idiot."
"Everyone is out for themselves," Daylen spits. "You should all learn that."
Avina can't bring herself to say a word.
"I suppose you're right," Alistair agrees. "I should. Let's just go. I don't want to talk about this any more."
Daylen
His fists are still clenching and unclenching from their encounter with Alistair's wench of a sister.
"That should be his house," Avina tells him quietly. She must be trying hard not to provoke him. He'll have to apologize later, if he remembers. And cares.
He practically kicks the door open and marches inside.
"What are you doing here?"
The man inside does not look like a scholar. Too young. He's rather scrawny with short black hair and the slightest bit of a goatee on his chin.
Daylen is not in the mood for games. "Who are you?"
The man shifts from foot to foot. "My name is... Weylon. I am the assistant of the scholar Brother Genitivi. This is his house."
"Where is he?" Daylen asks impatiently. "I'm looking for him."
"That makes two of us," Weylon says. "I haven't seen Brother Genitivi in weeks. He's sent no word. It's so unlike him. I'm afraid something has happened. Genitivi's research into the Urn may have led him into danger."
Avina tilts her head to the side, the way she does when she's confused. "Do you think he's in trouble because of the Urn?"
"Perhaps the Urn has been lost for a reason. I pray for Genitivi's safety, but hope dwindles with each passing day. I - I tried to send help, but some knights came from Redcliffe looking for him not long ago. I sent them after Genitivi and they too have disappeared."
Hm. For some reason, Daylen does not like this man, doesn't trust him. He doesn't sound like a scholar's assistant. Assistants usually support their bosses, yes? Why doesn't Weylon?
"How do you know they disappeared?" Daylen demands.
Weylon blinks. "Well, they... haven't returned, and they sent no word, either," he stutters.
This Weylon is starting to look rather suspicious. "Are you so close to the knights? Why send you word?" Daylen asks, crossing his arms.
"I... I don't know. After what happened to Genitivi, can you blame me for thinking the same thing could happen to the knights? Perhaps I am just a pessimist. I hope I am wrong."
Wait.
Daylen puts a hand over his eyes. Dear Maker. What happened to Genitivi...
The knights are almost definitely dead.
He supposes he's lucky that this man is so transparent. Had it been someone like Morrigan or Leliana, they'd likely have been sent on a wild goose chase.
"I don't know why you're here, Weylon," Daylen says slowly. "If that's your real name. But you're going to tell me, or I'm going to decorate the far wall with your insides."
It's a shame, really; they could have tortured the information out of him. Give Morrigan five minutes alone with him and she would've had him spilling his guts. In more ways than one.
Too late now. Daylen steps over his body uncaringly, wiping imaginary dust from his shoulder, and heads into the back room.
There's a body in the corner, covered by a sheet; Daylen doesn't really want to know whose. He goes straight over to the chest, where they find Genitivi's notes. Daylen takes them, and Avina takes the steel symbol of Andraste and gives it to Leliana.
"Hmm," Daylen muses. "So Genitivi is here, then?" He points to the map in the notes. Haven.
"Let me see." Avina leans in. "It's not on our map."
"It's all we have to go on," Daylen points out sharply. Avina gives him a hard look, and he drops his head. Truly, they have done nothing to warrant his anger; it isn't their fault.
"I'll meet you back at camp," he grumbles, and he leaves without another word.
Avina
Instead of heading right back to camp like Daylen, Avina convinces the others to look for supplies while they're here.
Leliana and Zevran end up going to Wade's Emporium together, while Sten goes alone to visit Gorim's stall. Shale, Griffon, and Alistair join Morrigan and Avina in The Wonders of Thedas.
Alistair mentions Arl Eamon getting him a miniature golem doll; Avina makes a mental note to check for them while they're here.
There are many staves and sets of robes there, as it's not likely that they have many customers apart from mercenary groups. A matching set of Tevinter robes catch her eye, one for a man, the other for a woman; together, they cost about ten sovereigns. She frowns slightly when she notices the low V-neck of the woman's robe, but when she touches the silky fabric she can feel the power of it's enchantment.
She can't help herself, she buys them both. Daylen needs more than one set of robes anyway; and the ones he has still have holes from when they'd been shot by the darkspawn.
And maybe she can't help but hope it will put him in a better mood.
Once she's bought the robes, she quietly asks the Tranquil Proprietor if they sell miniature golem dolls.
"I am afraid we have none in stock at the moment," he says tonelessly. "If you like, I can place an order, and have some in by the end of the month."
Avina smiles kindly at him. "That would be great, thank you."
She leaves with a skip in her step, the robes packaged in her arms.
Everyone meets back up in the center of the market. Sten has gotten nothing, while the two rogues emerge with new, better looking armor. Then together, they make their way back to camp.
Daylen
For some time, he simply sits in his tent; thinking to himself. He stares at the flaps of the tent before him, his eyes dull and unseeing as he waits for the others to return.
The truth is, Daylen has no clue who is family is and where they are. He was cut off from them when he was sent to the tower. All he knows is that he was a part of a noble family originally from Kirkwall. He barely remembers his mother; she was beautiful, with long dark hair and a kind smile. When they took him from her, she screamed and cried, begging them to leave him alone, to let him stay with her.
He hasn't seen her since.
He doesn't remember his father, and he doesn't know if he has siblings. But he knows that if he did, and that sibling approached him, he would have accepted them.
It isn't fair, he rages. Alistair is a nice man. He's a good friend, a good fighter, if a little... unintelligent. The fact that Goldanna rejected him boggles him. It makes him wonder, is that how some of his family would react if they found him?
Doesn't one owe their own blood some acceptance?
He hates her, this Goldanna. She got herself pregnant time after time, and she expects others to want to help her? Cold-hearted bitch.
His thoughts are cut off when Griffon's barking catches his attention. When he emerges from his tent, they are settling back in for the night, preparing for the trip.
Alistair sits alone by the fire, staring into the flames. Leliana has changed armor, Daylen notices. Avina comes right up to him with a bundle in her arms, and before he can ask what she's doing she hands it to him.
"I found these in The Wonders of Thedas," she explains. "Thought you might want them."
Unfolding them, he realizes what they are.
Robes. Tevinter robes.
Enchanted Tevinter robes, he notices as they glimmer slightly in his hands.
Stunned, he looks up at her. "You bought me Tevinter robes?"
She smiles wryly. "Why no, I stole them. I hid them behind my ear and walked right out."
"Ha ha," he comments, raising an eyebrow. "Your glibness does you credit."
He does appreciate it. He doesn't remember anyone every buying him something so thoughtfully practical. "Thank you," he tells her. And for once, he actually means it.
"You're welcome," she replies, then spins off to do whatever it is she does in the camp.
And Daylen thinks he might actually like her.
Alistair
He wakes up feeling much better.
It was much warmer in the camp last night, and it's relatively dry this morning, so Alistair is in a good mood as he packs up to leave.
He notices Avina's absence only a few seconds before she returns.
And wearing a different outfit.
A very different outfit.
Almost as soon as he looks, he's jerking his eyes away, his cheeks flushing. The robes she now wears cover much less then her original robes did. Now her legs are on display, and the v on her chest shows him more than he's ever seen of her.
Oh, Maker.
And then she's skipping up to him, her chest... bouncing with each step. Are they supposed to do that? "Hi, Alistair," she greets cheerfully. As if she isn't bloody killing him right now. She wipes absently at her shoulder and gives a twirl to show him every angle. "Do you like it?"
It takes him a few minutes to speak. "Um..."
She cocks her head to the side, glancing down at her chest. "What, is there a bug on me?"
From across the camp, Daylen bursts into laughter.
Avina
When they finally reach the place on the map, a place that does in fact exist, it is eerily quiet.
Haven. At last.
As Daylen leads them in, Avina can feel cold dread settle in her gut.
Something is not right here.
Almost no one is out and about. Only a woman, and a young boy with dark hair. For the number of houses there are, this is very strange. There should be a couple dozen people at least; where are they?
"Come, come, bonny Lynne; tell us, tell us where you've been," the child speaks, playing with something in his hands.
Cautiously, Avina approaches him. "Hello."
He turns, hiding his hands behind his back. "Who are you? You shouldn't be here."
"You look like a clever boy," she says gently, "what can you tell me about this place?"
The boy shrugs. "Haven is Haven. But I have a secret. Do you want to see?"
"Okay," Avina responds, leaning down.
He brings his hands in front of him, opening them for her to see.
She gasps.
There, in the child's hand, is a human finger bone.
Tel'abelas.
Next chapter: The Gauntlet