Chapter 91) Trials

Nuada POV


"Oh, Fergus, who is this?" The voice was polite, controlled, and authoritative. I knew to smile and nod even before I turned around to look at the blonde woman standing next to my brother. "He's adorable!" she laughed, face and tone softening with her smile. "So?"

"This is my adorable little brother, Nuada," Fergus answered, beckoning me over. I went to his side without a word and a bright smile. "No, you can't have him."

"But he's adorable, and it's not fair that you have two cute siblings, while I have none." She crouched a little, looking me in the face. "My name is Anora, Nuada."

"It's nice to meet you," I replied. I made a split second decision, and I made my smile extra-big. "I'd love a big sister, though, so can I call you that?"

"…I'd love it!" she laughed again, face lighting up with a smile. I would learn later that she was craft, clever, prideful, and everything. But I would never forget how much she appreciated the words, and I doubted she would ever forget I said them either.


"Enchantment!" If there was one thing I needed after dealing with Howe and Drakon, it was talking with a very adorable, very enthusiastic boy. "Enchantment?"

"Yes, thank you for the enchantements, Sandal," I replied, ruffling his hair. He laughed, and grinned up at me. "Thank you also, Bodhan, for taking on last minute work. I know you're prepping to leave for the Marches."

"Oh, it's no trouble at all," Bodhan reassured. He gave me a warm smile as he finished writing down everything. "Now, you want this delivered to the Cousland Estate, you said?"

"Yes, I want it there in case someone tries to break into Arl Eamon's estate." I straightened, biting back a groan. My back ached from the fight with Howe, and then lying there on the floor at Drakon to get as much information as possible. "I've arranged for Wade to send the pieces here."

"Won't be trouble at all. Happens a lot." I wasn't surprised. Wade was the best smith in all of Fereldan, and Bodhan's son, Sandal, was the best enchanter I have ever encountered. Those who could afford getting both of them did. "You okay, though, my lord?" Bodhan looked at me worriedly. "Pardon my manners, but you look exhausted."

"It's been a long few days." I was also tired from having to think incredibly quickly. I hadn't planned on Aiden and I escaping Drakon quite that way; I had a different sort of plan in mind and feigned confidence to help Aiden feel more stable as I went along. "It's been a very long few days." I still couldn't believe it worked as well as it did. Clearly, Loghain and Howe had far less control over things than they liked to portray.

"There's a rumor Howe is dead." Bodhan's words made me flinch. "Though, apparently, they're still looking for his head." That… that was darkly amusing. "Does that cheer you up?"

"You would think it would." I sighed. But it didn't. It just didn't. "But, sadly, it just plays into my exhaustion."

"Go do something invigorating, my lord." Bodhan adopted a comically stern look. "That's an order."

The concern made me laugh, and I could feel myself relax. "I'll try." I shook my head. "I'll see you two later, okay?"

"Sounds good, my lord." Bodhan smiled and turned to his son. "Sandal, say goodbye to the nice man."

"Byebye!" Sandal laughed, coming over to give me a hug too. I hugged him back, and couldn't help but smile. Yes, being around him was definitely what I had needed, and I hadn't even known it. "Enchantment!"

Still in a good mood, I left their stall and walked into the market crowd, drawing my hood up to hide my face. I tensed up again, focused on sounds to account for my blind side, and the reduced peripheral vision thanks to the hood. Whispers and laughs followed me as I walked, and I focused on rumors. They were as they were before, though. The people were firmly behind us in terms of opposing Loghain, but were split in all sorts of directions on who should rule. The three choices, to them, were Alistair, Anora, or Alistair and Anora.

The thought depressed me, and not just because I had been hoping that Elspeth and Alistair might be able to awkwardly court. The whispers also reminded me of one big reason I had chosen to go out now, a reason I knew Aiden hadn't seen, but Elspeth had. I was avoiding Anora.

It was hard to admit. It was horribly hard to admit, and it hurt and ached. I couldn't figure out how to deny the pain like I used to, so instead, I ran.

I didn't know how to react. So, I didn't want to be around her. It was horrible and selfish, but I couldn't do it. She'd know something was wrong. Even worse, she would know something was wrong, and automatically seek to protect herself.

It was hard to believe that our friendship would turn out like this. It was hard to believe that I would be afraid to spend time with my 'big sister'. But I suppose that was just how things went. I hoped… I could find the courage to talk to her again, as I used to. But right now, I was almost certain I wouldn't be able to.

"My lord!" Startled, I glanced down as saw a messenger boy looking right at me. "Message for you!" he informed me brightly. He shoved a piece of paper into my hand, and took off, leaving me a bit confused.

The feeling only deepened when I saw the note simply said to head towards one of the private rooms in the Gnawed Noble Tavern. Checking to make sure I had my sword on my hip, I made my way over, and slipped past the crowd. I could see Uncle Leonas sitting and talking to Alfstanna, and noted Elspeth wasn't with them yet. With luck, I would be in and out before she had to be, and then I wouldn't get in the way.

Still, when I made it to the room, I could only stop and stare. Of all the things I had expected, Ignacio casually leaning against the wall, contract scrolls on the table next to him, had not been it.

"Ignacio, what in flames?" I sighed, rubbing my temples. I had a headache. "Just write the note in Antivan next time, won't you?"

"Now why would I miss seeing you not in complete command of a situation?" Ignacio joked. His smile, though, was sympathetic. "I talked to Lady Elspeth before, and I think I have some things that might assist."

"How much?"

"You will do some jobs for the Crows." He wanted me to do what? "Fereldan is a busy place." He shrugged, leaning against the wall. "Blight, Civil War, mayhem… lots of people not getting along…" Thus, old grudges came to light, and we had assassins all over the place. "We're a little short-staffed, shall we say?"

"Bloody flames, Ignacio." I groaned. "Bloody freaking…"

"It does you good to be caught off-guard. Keeps you from getting arrogant."

"Does a master still have the contract?"

"Of course, but we know what can happen if he asks for help." I would take silence. I would enjoy silence. "So?"

"Is this revenge for something?"

"The cheese incident." …I remembered that. That had been my fault. "Well?"

"Fine, fine." My friends were going to kill me for this.


So, I had to deal with some people in the Pearl, who apparently were klling Warden sympathizers. Then I had to kill some mercenaries camped outside the city, and then a dwarven ambassador who was providing dealings without sanction of the 'new king' or something. I tried not to think about it. For now, I was just going through the next task: a supposedly simple exchange, a child for money. The whole idea was ridiculous to me.

If there was one thing I knew this all was doing, it was that it gave me fantastic insight into the mind of an assassin, and I sincerely wondered how Zevran and Leliana were as sane as they were.

"So, what's the plan again?" I asked softly as we walked up. I knew the set up, of course. We were the father's 'retainers' here with the money in exchange for the boy. I wanted confirmation of my job in this.

"You're to kill the captain," one of the Crows hissed. I could tell he didn't like having to deal with an 'outsider'. "Quick and easy. Assassinations should not be drawn out battles." I was also fairly certain assassinations shouldn't be committed in broad daylight, but we were clearly breaking that rule. "Here they are."

"It's so nice to see him finally be cooperative," the captain sneered as we walked up. There was no sign of the boy, but there were signs that the captain had brought 'friends' armed to the teeth. This was definitely going to be absolutely peaceful. "The regent will be pleased." Now, was this actually Loghain or some plot Howe set up with or without Loghain's knowledge that the captain was continuing out? I hoped the latter; I suspected the former. "The money?"

"P-please, give us our little master first?" the other Crow I traveled with whimpered. They played the part of a nervous servant well. "A-at least let us see him? He must be so frightened…"

"Money first, boy second." Even a child knew to not do that. What would stop them from demanding more money? "Do so, or your little master will be missing a few fingers and toes." …It was hard to stomach that Loghain let people like him hold power. But, then again, he let Howe hold power.

"B-but…!" The half-sob was impressive. It was clear that this Crow had specialized in during his training. "Please, let us see him!"

"Money. First." I wondered if the captain was going to take the money and run. It would make sense. "Now."

The first Crow nudged my leg, and I glanced over. He nodded, and I knew what that meant. It was time.

So, I drew my sword and lunged. The captain barely managed to block it, but I leaned into the blow, having the advantage. After all, I had a better stance and, perhaps more importantly, the 'strong' part of my sword was against the 'weak' part of his. So, I did manage to push him off balance. It did not, however, mean that I didn't almost lose my other eye because I had been too stupid and arrogant to remember that a blade lock really didn't give you a chance to guard against a surprise attack. I was lucky he didn't headbutt me or go for a kick to the groin.

Regardless, though, I had another cut on my face, and I knew Layla was going to fuss. You would think that losing one eye would knock the arrogance out of me, especially considering the length of the scar I had, but it seemed that the recent successes just made me drop my guard and almost lose the other one. I was amazing sometimes.

The captain lunged, but I parried the blow, snaking my sword up and around to catch him in the shoulder. I heard the sounds of fighting around me, and knew the other two Crows were taking care of the others. I just had to focus on my job in this.

So, I dodged the next wild swing from the captain and, noting the armor, jumped up so that I could strike through a gap in the armor, and get a straight shot to the heart. It was a trick I learned from Duke Gaspard in Orlais, and it proved as effective now as it did on that servant he killed to show me.

I still had nightmares of that 'fight'. But if it could save a little boy, I think I might eventually become okay with it.

When the captain fell, dead within a few moments, the fighting stopped, the rest fleeing. I glanced around with a small frown. Where was…?

"Nice trick," one of the Crows praised. He was the one who had not been acting before, and by the blood splattering his clothes, I guessed he was the 'fighter' of the two. It would make sense. An actor could distract; a fighter could kill. "Where did you learn it?"

"Where else does one learn to kill a person?" I retorted easily. I felt horrendously tired now. "I learned it in Orlais, land of the most active assassins." I would forever maintain that Shadows of the Empire were the least deadly thing about Orlais though. "So…" I glanced around again, noting that the two Crows were calm, and there was still no sign of the boy. "Please tell me this was just cleaning up loose ends."

"It was." The answer came from Ignacio as he walked up. The two Crows bowed to him, but I just gave him a look. "Some 'friends' absconded with the boy and returned him to his father," Ignacio continued, speaking in Antivan now. I wouldn't even try to ask why he was out here. "His very important father." This better help Elspeth then. "This was the other requirement. Captain Chase there is very dead now." Why, yes, people tended to die when you removed the heart's ability to beat through stabbing.

"Anything else, then?" I asked. I rolled my shoulders. "I need to pick up some things, if not." Then I think I was going to take a very long nap. I was going to take a very, very long nap.

"No, that was the last of the things." Ignacio smiled. "My superiors want me to convey their thanks, and their disappointment they did not take the chance to snag you when they had it."

"Father would have killed you all, and you know it." In fact, he almost did when the Crows did get a little too close to Elspeth and me for his liking.

"Yes, that was what stopped us back then." He shrugged. "Regardless, thank you for your time, Lord Nuada. Do note that if you are in need of assistance, the Crows are always willing to hear your contracts."

"I'm sure." I sighed. "You like the coin."

"And the interesting targets Couslands bring us." That was true. "Pleasant day to you."

"Safe travels to you, Ignacio." I'd better get the cuts and bruises I had treated. If the others found out, they would seriously kill me.

I should go get my bribes, I mean gifts, just in case.


Author's Note: Trial of the Crows is a fun little sidequest. Very fun. Also, have a Bodhan and Sandal. Way back in Nuada's first chapter, Elspeth and Nuada mention already knowing Ignacio, and this is why. Nuada's the only one stupid enough to go through with it! (If you're curious as to how he killed the captain… watch a clip of Achilles killing someone in the movie Troy. I was forced to watch it prior to writing this; might as well have some fun.)

You learn about the assassins of the Orlesian royal family through the codex entry of one armor you can get in Origins: Shadow of the Empire.

Next Chapter – Cleon