A/N:I am terribly sorry about the wait for this chapter! March and April were really busy with school and then I went to Japan in June. I've been back but had a summer course… How crazy! I feel like this story is really progressing, you guy have any thoughts so far about it? I apologize about the lengths of the chapters though, I tend to go in detail very often haha. Another familiar face appears in this chapter, but it won't be at the beginning haha, I have to keep you guys hanging after all!

As always, thank you all lovely readers for reading, following, liking, etc... !

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: The characters and locations don't belong to me; they belong to Bioware and EA and I'm simply using them to fuel this thing called my muse.


.: CHAPTER VII :.
The Decision

Five moons had passed since it was announced that the Queen was with child and Katharyne's belly was getting larger by the week. The royal physician had put her on bed rest as soon as she had shown signs of swelling, two moons ago. The King had also been forbidden from any nightly activities with her and Katharyne was surprised that he didn't take any mistresses to his bed, as kings were often known to do when their queen couldn't meet their needs.

'Lady Anora Mac Tir has been around him a lot lately, however...' Katharyne thought to herself as she stared at the ceiling.

The restless queen was pacing in her room again. After a whole day of lying in bed, it was now night and she couldn't sleep. All the changes she had wanted to implement were almost done and she wasn't needed anymore. She had nothing to do but lay in bed and read, knit or draw; all activities that she loathed in large quantities. Instead, she decided on doing exercises that Shianni had suggested to her.

She was lying down on the plush carpet, stretching her legs when she heard a small familiar click, like a lock being picked. Her automatic instinct was to look at the large oaken doors that led into her room, but she saw shadows dancing in the moonlight that was spilling from the windows. Katharyne got up as quickly as her body could let her and turned to face her balcony door where two masked male figures were standing.

One was shorter and Katharyne noticed he had pointy ears. 'An elf?' Was the first thought that ran through her mind. The taller man had dark hair and a darker complexion, and was clearly a human. A dark kerchief covered both of their faces. The human man's grey eyes seemingly glowed in the moonlight.

"Is she the one, Zev?" His voice asked the elf.

"Yes" Answered the elf in an Antivan accent.

"She's prettier than I expected... Truly, the coins do not do her justice. And she's with child to top it all! Ha!" The man said, a lecherous look in his eyes.

"Now, Taliesen... You can't have fun with her. We're here for her and the child..." The elf replied in a matter-of-factly voice.

"Please... Please take whatever you want... But please don't hurt me... Please don't hurt me or my baby..." Katharyne pleaded, trying to make her way towards her bed, stopped by the man who made his way in front of her.

"Oh, darling, we can't do that... We came for something that will hurt. But first, I think I will have fun with you, and decide what to do later..." The human man chuckled as he kept approaching her, making her back away into the wall closest to her vanity.

"No... No, please..." She let out a soft sob as she leaned on the wall, gripping the stone as best she could. The man pulled down on his kerchief, a large grin on his face as his gaze trailed down her body. Katharyne shut her eyes tightly, cursing herself for keeping her dagger under her bed, far from where she was standing. She winced as she felt a blade to her neck and a rough hand on her shoulder.

"Forgive me, Alistair..." She said lowly, crying and shaking as the man's hand trailed down to her right breast.

She suddenly felt the man stiffen and let go of his grasp before she heard a large thud. She opened one eye and saw the elf standing in front of her, putting away his dagger. The other man was on the ground, a large red stain spreading on the light carpet from his abdomen.

"You..." She started.

"Now, you listen to me very carefully." The elf cut her off. "I will spare you but you must disappear."

"How? I can't just leave. I am... I am with child." Katharyne replied, worried.

"I will help you. We will fake your death."

"H-How?" Katharyne asked, staggering to her bed.

"It doesn't matter how... You pack a bag, and I will be back in two hours. You must cut your hair and dress into something inconspicuous."

Katharyne simply nodded before the elf nimbly walked out by the balcony door and hopped off.

She stared up at her canopy, perplexed for a few moments before snapping out of her reverie. She walked as fast as her plump body could support her. She packed a bag with a few essentials, the simplest clothes she could find. She slipped on an unassuming tunic over her nightdress and tied a warm brown wool travel cloak over her shoulders. She sat down at her vanity and stared at her reflection for a few moments, playing with her long and thick tresses. She took out a pair of clippers and aligned them with the hair at her shoulders. She snipped, the long hair falling to the ground. She sighed but didn't linger to look at it. Instead, she kicked it under her vanity.

Right after she had done so, she saw the elf climb back in through the balcony, carrying a woman. He didn't seem like it, but he was definitely nimble and strong. He dropped the woman on the bed and Katharyne noticed the woman was also with child. The most unnerving part, however, was the clear stab wound on her bosom.

"Did you kill an innocent woman?" She asked, baffled.

"My dear lady, I may be an assassin, but I am not a ruthless killer. This woman was already dead. I went to the Chantry's hall of the dead and found a decoy. She was to be cremated by the morrow" He said, dressing the body into an extra chemise.

"A decoy? But she looks nothing like me..." Katharyne replied.

"After a fire she will." The elf answered plainly as he started to spread oil around the room and its furnishings.

"Ah, a fire... Of course..." Katharyne replied. "Let me help you..."

"No no, dear lady, you are with child. I am fine on my own, so please sit down." The elf replied.

Katharyne did as she was told, observing the elf. Once he finished spreading oil all over her room, he put his large pack on his shoulders and waved her over. Katharyne pulled her pack over her shoulders and walked over to the balcony door as the elf took his colleague's corpse and swung it over his shoulders as well. He lit a candle and threw it in a corner, setting the oil aflame. The elf and Katharyne walked through the servants' passage and down the steps leading out of the tower through the servants' quarters.

They reached the lower level leading to the lower town just as alarm bells started ringing. Katharyne glanced up the hill towards the castle and noticed smoke rising from her quarters. She turned her back away, sniffing away tears as they made their way out of the city to a horse and wooden open carriage. The elf dumped the corpse down a nearby drain before he helped her climb in the carriage and then settling on the horse. She took once last glance at the city as they departed.

"Goodbye, Alistair..." She whispered, wiping away tears.

"No..." Alistair whispered to himself as he saw the smouldering remains of the queen's chambers. He glanced at the charred corpse lying on the bed, trying to control his shaking. He made to reach and touch her body but was pulled back slightly by Duncan.

"Your majesty... This was no accident" Duncan's gentle voice said.

Alistair turned around and saw that the man was holding remnants of leather emblazoned with what looked like the Antivan Crows' emblem.

"The queen was murdered and the crows clearly wanted us to find her like this..." Alistair couldn't help but say.

Cailan was on his knees, facing the bed and sobbing in his hands. "My darling lady... my love... my queen! Who would do this to you! Why would anyone murder you and our child? After all you have done..."

"Orlesians… Clearly, they are trying to instil fear before conquering us once more." Teyrn Loghain alleged.

"No, Empress Celene was anticipating to meet her soon…" Cailan said between sobs.

"Then, you will move on from this, your majesty, you are still young and eligible… My daughter Anora-"

"My queen has only been gone hours and you dare suggest this? Like you had suggested my father?" Cailan exclaimed.

"I… I apologize, your majesty." Teyrn Loghain said with a regretful look in his eyes, Alistair noticing a small sneer.

"But how could such a thing happen?" Sergeant Kylon asked as he paced the room. "The room was constantly guarded to ensure her late majesty would listen to the royal physician's instructions. And Ida was always at her side when she wasn't sleeping."

"The balcony…" Alistair whispered, remembering their late nights and how he once used it to come in her room.

"Alistair is right. The assassin must've come in through her balcony while she was sleeping. And left by it, it seems…" Duncan agreed as he opened and closed the charred metal doors. The glass was missing and Alistair could hear the cries of the citizens down below. He fought back his own anguish as he looked around the room.

"Kylon, send for the grand cleric. We must give her a proper burial." Cailan whispered as he got up to leave the room, Kylon and Teyrn Loghain on his tail.

Once the men were gone, Alistair felt a small tap on his shoulder. "You should pay your respects, Alistair…" Duncan's voice said, Alistair nodding lightly as the man also left the room.

He fell to his knees once he was alone, no longer fighting back his anguish. He felt tears falling down his cheeks, grief washing over him.

"I love you…" Was all he could whisper as he touched the charred body lightly.

Katharyne woke up, feeling the sun's warmth on her eyes. She opened her eyes and blinked a few times, adjusting to the sunlight, remembering what happened. She sat up in the straw that was spread beneath her and noticed the blond elf sitting at the front of the carriage, directing the auburn horse.

"Ah, you are awake!" The elf said in his Antivan accent.

"Yes…" She answered meekly.

"You must be hungry, please… eat something. You will find cured meats and cheeses in my brown pack" He said, keeping his eyes on the dirt road. Katharyne eyed him suspiciously.

"Now now, my lady, if I had intended on poisoning you, I would have done so earlier…" The elf said, seemingly knowing she was staring at him.

Katharyne nodded and started digging through his pack slowly, taking out a loaf of bread and cheese. She started ripping off some small pieces to eat. She munched slowly on her food, observing the elf. He had tanned skin, neck-length golden hair and a tattoo on the left side of his face.

"What is your name, ser?" She asked him between bites.

"Ha! Ser? Me? I'm only Zevran, son of a whore and Antivan Crow. My friends call me Zev." He responded with a chuckle.

"Surely, you jest… Who would say they are the son of a whore?"

"A son of a whore would say they are… I am quite serious, dear lady."

"Please call me Katharyne. I'm no longer a lady…" She whispered.

"But you are of noble birth, therefore you are a lady" He answered, matter-of-factly.

"Please…"

"Very well, my la-Katharyne…" He answered.

Katharyne slid down to the front of the carriage where he was sitting, leaning her arms on the side.

"May I ask you something?"

"Yes, of course"

"Why did you decide to spare me?"

"Must I have a reason to spare a beautiful woman? Especially one with child?" Zevran chuckled.

"Please let me know… That can't be the real reason…"

"You whispered another man's name instead of your beloved, king Cailan's. You tell me why and I will tell you my reason."

"I can't…"

"Then I will not tell you" He answered, a smirk appearing on his face.

Katharyne sighed as she turned away, looking at the nature surrounding them.

"Cailan was never my beloved…" She whispered after a few moments of reflection. "I met the love of my life in my seventh year. His name is Alistair. He was a squire, and I was engaged to Cailan. He became my friend and then… well we became closer. We were separated for a little while after we kissed once… and then…" She sighed. "Then we rekindled our relationship, while the king was away."

"So, the child you are carrying… Is it King Cailan's or that Alistair, was it?" Zevran asked.

"The child is Alistair's…"

"A child to be born out of love, in a loveless marriage… How dramatic! I must say I am happy I decided to spare you then." The elf said.

"So why did you? You said you would answer…" Katharyne said as the elf sighed,

"Yes, I did say that, didn't I? Alright… I was born to a Dalish elven mother in Antiva City. She had fallen in love with an elven woodcutter and followed him to Antiva City. He died suddenly and she was forced into a life of prostitution in Rialto to pay off his debts. She died soon after giving birth to me and I was raised with other orphans by the prostitutes in the brothel until my seventh year. My cunning and skill in stealing brought me to the attention of the Antivan Crows. They paid off the remainder of my mother's debt, leaving me compradi, or purchased."

Katharyne was silent as the elf spoke, unsure about what to say.

"I had heard of you, the Queen Katharyne of Ferelden… 'the reform queen' as the elves call you. News of your reforms in Denerim and Ferelden reached the Dalish and other alienages around Thedas. I am told that they were impressed, which is rare for them. They aren't usually impressed by 'shemlen' or any human news for that matter."

"Who hired you to kill me then? And why?"

"Taliesen is the one who accepted the original contract. Our mission was to eliminate you and your child, I do not know why."

"Why were there two of you? I thought the Crows worked alone…"

"I just happened to be here with Taliesen and our contact had said you were quite fierce… that you might fight back. But, as you seemed ready to accept your fate, I was reminded of what you did, for the elves. And your whisper of Ser Alistair's name triggered something inside of me… And here we are." The elf finished talking, prompting the horses to go faster.

"Where will I go from here?"

"We could settle in the little town of Lothering or somewhere in the Bannorn."

"We? What do you mean 'we'?"

"I do not feel right leaving you alone with child. Therefore, I will stay with you until you see fit. I will come and go, as I will stay an assassin"

"Thank you…" Katharyne nodded at his surprising kindness.