A/N:
Okay, well, I might need to split MotA into four parts, rather than just two. I guess I could do it in three, but the fourth part is original and not in the game at all, so ya'll will have something new to look forward to :p I made sure to get this one out quicker than the last one, to make up for it xP. I'll start working on part 3 ASAP, unless I get too distracted by a new story idea, Sleeping Beauty or ME3 (speaking of which, anybody else going to get that today? :p I still haven't actually beat the second one or even the first (cuz they don't have it on PS3) as I've been too busy playing DA xD) At any rate, I hope you enjoy the second part to MotA, and I'll see you again, hopefully sooner rather than later. Next part, we get to all the exciting stuff :D
Mark of the Assassin: Part 2
Hawke and her friends approached the Chateau from the hunting grounds, all exhausted but triumphant.
"Ah, just wait for the stories Varric will tell once he hears we killed a wyvern," she said, grinning. She thought she heard a quiet sigh behind her; she twisted around to flash a grin at Fenris, who just rolled his eyes.
"Don't get too cocky now, the worst is yet to come," Tallis pointed out.
"All the more reason to enjoy our victory," Hawke retorted, smirking.
Hawke, Tallis and Bethany all took a quick opportunity to change out of their armor (and mage robes) and don stupid noble clothes instead (hell if Hawke knew where Bethany had picked up noble clothing, but she didn't care enough to ask). Hawke was the first to step back into the courtyard where the party was taking place, fidgeting uncomfortably. She hated wearing these clothes; they were way too stiff, not at all comfortable for fighting in: at least she'd drawn the line at skirts. She absolutely refused to wear skirts. As a general rule, she avoided noble parties in Kirkwall with some excuse or another, so she rarely worried about stupid noble clothing.
Fenris had been waiting for her, arms crossed and glowering at anybody that stared. He absolutely refused to change out of his armor; Hawke and Tallis had decided to continue with the charade that he was Hawke's bodyguard (or elfservant, depending on who you asked). Naturally, Hawke had a good laugh over it- as if the Champion of Kirkwall needed a bodyguard! Now he gave her a relieved glance as she approached and he relaxed visibly. Bethany came out next to them, her gaze flickering around. Isabela had slunk out of sight to keep an eye on things, ready to jump in if things went out of hand; Tallis just seemed to have disappeared.
"You look nice," Fenris commented to Hawke, and she grinned and stuck her tongue out at him. "Where's Tallis?" he asked, glancing around for the other elf.
"Poking around, I suspect," Hawke answered, shrugging.
"Unless she decided to ditch us," Bethany deadpanned.
"I seriously doubt that," Hawke replied cheerfully. Suddenly Tallis appeared in front of them out of seemingly nowhere, scowling with disappointment.
"I had a quick look around," she explained. Hawke shot Fenris and Bethany a triumphant glance as the elf continued. "There's only one door that leads straight into the chateau that isn't under heavy guard."
"And?" Bethany prodded.
"I can't get it open. And believe me, I tried! Bent a nice set of lockpicks on that door, too." Tallis scowled again. "One of the duke's guardsmen must have the key. They wouldn't just lock themselves out of the castle!... I hope."
"Why else would the party be in the garden? He probably has someone breaking a window right now," Hawke joked.
"I... could make that work, actually," Tallis snickered. "But in the meantime, let's find someone with a key."
"Right." Hawke turned to face the other two. "Tallis and I will go mingle. Fenris..." She hesitated before quickly making up her mind. She finished somewhat reluctantly, "you go with Bethany, and you two see if you can find out anything else." She was tempted to bring Fenris with her and Tallis, or send Tallis with Bethany, but frankly she wasn't sure if she trusted the strange elf with her sister, and she definitely didn't trust the Orlesians if they caught Bethany alone. Fenris's mouth turned down in a displeased frown, but he nodded in understanding and shot her a look that said Be careful. She smiled confidently back and was awarded with his slight, crooked smirk as he and Bethany walked away.
"So... where first?" she asked, turning to Tallis once they were alone.
"I suggest we start with the duke. He appears to be looking for you," the elf answered with a quizzical smile. Both rogues glanced back at the duke, who was being fawned over by a few partygoers, but he kept glancing around as if trying to pinpoint something. Hawke rolled her eyes, but she agreed and made her way over to the duke.
"Ah, at last, our mighty heroine!" he laughed in his annoyingly heavy accent, spinning to face the two as they approached. He grinned hugely, but Hawke thought he looked somewhat nervous... "The Champion of Kirkwall has the honor of first kill this day!" he announced to everybody nearby, and they clapped and cheered; Hawke gave a mock bow that sent several of them into snickers, but the duke didn't notice. He went on, "To hunt the wyvern on its own ground is to tempt fate, a terrible risk... but the prize!" He turned to Hawke. He was, she now noticed, holding something in his hands; he held it out to her. "I present to you this belt crafted of fine wyvern skin. Wear it well, and accept the accolades you are do," he proclaimed, handing it to her. She accepted it gracefully, refraining (with much difficulty) from examining it too suspiciously.
"If anyone wants to laud my heroic achievements, I'm happy to listen!" she replied amiably; the crowd cheered again. Duke Prosper chuckled.
"Well said!" he murmured to her; she just smirked.
Right then, some thing over the Duke's shoulder roared angrily; Hawke muffled a swear as she peered over his shoulder and nearly had a heart attack. Just beyond the duke stood a large cage; inside the cage was a gigantic wyvern. Holy shit...
"Do not mind Leopold. My pet is always so temperamental before dinner," Prosper informed her, as if it was common to keep a pet wyvern. Hawke glanced sideways at Tallis and arched an eyebrow in an expression that said What the HELL? Tallis just shrugged and grimaced. Hawke quickly recomposed herself and turned to face the duke again, plastering a smile on her face.
"I don't suppose Leopold knows how to fetch or play dead?" she asked facetiously, skillfully masking her alarm.
"Alas, he seems to think its out duty to amuse him," the Duke answered, with a smile that was more like a leer. Hawke shuddered inwardly; luckily, he turned away from her then to face the other partygoers, lifting his glass of wine in a toast. "My friends, I officially welcome you to Chateau Haine. Enjoy this taste of Orlesian hospitality," he declared. His words were met by more cheers.
Hawke and Tallis slipped away from the insane Duke Prosper and his fearsome wyvern as fast as they could.
"Maker's breath, the de Launcets shouldn't be allowed out in public," Hawke groaned in an undertone as she and Tallis extricated themselves from the Comtesse de Launcet and her daughters a while later. "Talking to them was probably the worst idea I've had all week. And I've unfortunately had quite a few of those."
"Lady Elegant did warn you to stay away from them," Tallis pointed out, snickering.
"Actually, what she said was 'don't make eye contact,' but she was right, nevertheless." Hawke grimaced, shuddering. "I mean, even I have better manners than to talk about man-whores in public..."
"You just keep telling yourself that, Hawke."
Hawke sighed. "Whatever. Let's go mingle with that bann over there. He looks familiar, I think, and Elegant said he's from Ferelden." She paused. "I've been wanting to hear more news of Ferelden," she added wistfully. Tallis didn't answer; Leopold chose that moment to growl loudly over in his cage. Both women tensed instinctively before they forced themselves to relax. The two made their way over to the Fereldan bann, both glancing warily over their shoulders. They paused near the Fereldan man.
"Champion!" The bann jumped up from his seat with obvious relief as they approached, extending his hand to shake Hawke's. She grinned, taking note of his firm grasp and deciding that this was a vigorous man; she pushed all thoughts of the wyvern to the back of her mind, knowing she couldn't do anything about it.. "It's good to see you again," he went on- Hawke quickly racked her brains in an attempt to remember where she'd met him before. It hit her almost immediately; the image of a Fereldan man quarreling with Knight-Commander Meredith inserted itself into her brain. "I'm sure you don't remember me." Well, you might be slightly surprised there. You're too modest, she thought. Too bad more governmental figureheads didn't have the aura of competence that this man did. "We met when King Alistair made his trip to Kirkwall- I'm Bann Teagan Guerrin." He smiled at her. He wasn't bad-looking, Hawke reflected in a detached manner. Not, however, as good-looking as Fenris.
"You'd actually be surprised at what I remember. Besides, do you really think I often intervene between Meredith and foreign heads of state?" Hawke asked, grinning. Then she paused. "Actually, yes, that's pretty normal for me." Teagan laughed.
"You remind me a great deal of someone I once knew," he commented. Hawke tilted her head curiously, but before he could elaborate, a blonde woman sitting nearby rose to her feet and drifted over to them, her expression vague but her gaze sharp like the crack of a whip.
"Teagan, who is this woman?" she whined with an annoyingly distinct Orlesian accent. Hawke glanced at her curiously; another memory flashed through her mind, this one of being curled up in her favorite armchair by her fireplace as a red-headed woman told her about some of her adventures in Ferelden. She recalled her friend's annoyed tone as she spoke about visiting Redcliffe; as a result, she knew instantly who this person was.
"Forgive me," the bann said graciously, turning to face the woman; Hawke caught a flash of annoyance in his eyes before he composed himself. "Isolde, this is the Champion of Kirkwall. Hawke, allow me to present you to Arlessa Isolde." Hawke's suspicions hadn't been wrong. She smiled at the woman and opened her mouth to deliver some sort of witty greeting, but the Arlessa only spared her a contemptuous glance and a short curtsy before cutting her off, facing Teagan with a petulant expression.
"Teagan, I must speak with you about the horrible things Dulci de Launcet said!" Isolde declared. Maker's breath, what a bitch. What does Arl Eamon see in her? wondered Hawke.
"I... yes, of course." Teagan visibly suppressed a sigh. "Please excuse me, Hawke. It was a pleasure to meet you." He turned to follow the Arlessa, but he paused and glanced back with a crooked smile. "If you speak to Bann Perrin, I don't advise you to bring up the Chantry. Or... knickers."
"I'll keep that in mind, thanks," Hawke replied. She turned and arched her eyebrows at Tallis, who just rolled her eyes.
"Looks like the rumors about the Arlessa aren't untrue," the elf commented.
"No, indeed." Hawke sighed. "Come on."
"The guard doesn't have the key. He 'forgot' he gave it to a servant." Tallis scowled as she rejoined Hawke after attempting to "persuade" a guard to give her the key that they were looking for. "How does one 'forgot' about locking himself out of the castle?" Hawke shoved herself off the wall where she'd been keeping watch, arching an eyebrow with amusement.
"He is Orlesian," she pointed out, grinning.
"That was very subtle earlier, by the way," the elf went on, rolling her eyes. She quoted from an earlier scene, "'If I die... make sure the world knows... I died at Chateau Haine!' Really, Hawke? Do you have to be so theatrical?"
"You gotta admit, it was pretty damn hilarious," Hawke snickered. "And it did get his attention, after all."
"Right, well..." Tallis eyed her oddly. "You know what, Hawke, I think you've had a bit too much wine."
"Maybe," Hawke admitted, her cheeks flushing a bit. She didn't protest when Tallis took her wineglass away and set it down on a bench nearby.
"Anyway, back to business," Hawke declared once Tallis had taken her wineglass away. "Let's go find this servant."
After a few more minutes of walking around and bantering with annoying people Hawke didn't know and wouldn't normally talk to, they found a little elf girl, holding a plate of food and looking distinctly uncomfortable. As they approached, the elf girl held out the tray and offered them "ham that tastes like despair" in a very heavy Orlesian accent.
"Who needs more despair in their diet? What is that good for?" Hawke wondered aloud.
"I heard artists are fond of it!" the servant answered with a small smile, which quickly faltered and turned to fright as she shot a sideways glance at Duke Prosper.
"I don't suppose you could take us to the kitchen?" Tallis asked kindly. "We'd like to speak with the cook..."
"I don't know. I shouldn't leave my post..." The servant hesitated with another glance at the duke. Hawke wondered at it.
"What a scandalous reprieve from olive duty! Think of what the other servants will think," Hawke pointed out, smirking. The elf grinned in reply.
"The upstairs maids will be so jealous when they find out! Very well, follow me."
Like master, like servant, Hawke thought with amusement as Tallis followed the elf. Orlesians could be so predictable. Well, some of them. Hawke's gaze drifted around the courtyard. Holy shit.
Speaking of unpredictable Orlesians...
Hawke made her way back across the courtyard to a red-headed woman who was speaking quietly with some man. As she watched, the man nodded to her and walked away. She approached the woman and stopped next to her.
"Leli?" she asked, almost disbelieving her eyes.
"Rathina!" Leliana exclaimed, turning to face Hawke, her eyes widening somewhat with surprise and then softening again with pleasure. However, Hawke didn't miss the shrewd glint in her old friend's eyes, a glint that she hadn't observed until recently. She reflected once again, with some sadness, how much they had both changed since Lothing. "I didn't expect to see you here," Leliana continued.
"Me neither," Hawke answered with wry amusement. "I probably pissed off all the nobles in Kirkwall by coming here instead of going to their parties and catering to their every whim. You know how I hate parties." Leliana chuckled.
"Well, I'm glad to see you, anyway," she said, smiling.
"Maybe I shouldn't be surprised to see you here- you always turn up at unexpected times, don't you?" Hawke asked, amused. "Always in the thick of the action!"
"Yes, I-" Leliana paused then, frowning. "What are you up to, Rathina?"
"You see-" Hawke began, but she broke off when Leliana's gaze drifted to something over her shoulder.
"Tallis!" she blurted out. Hawke furrowed an eyebrow at the familiarity in Leli's expression, and the surprise that mirrored Tallis's when the elf approached. Tallis's strange misty eyes were narrowed slightly with what appeared to Hawke as suspicion.
"Leliana! It's so... lovely to see you again," Tallis said, looking a little reluctant.
"I get the distinct impression you've met before," Hawke remarked, arching an eyebrow. She fiercely quashed a sting of jealousy that soured her tongue. Don't be ridiculous, Rath...
"Oh, briefly. A long time ago," Tallis asserted uncomfortably.
"You meet all sorts of people in Orlais! It keeps life exciting," Leliana answered cheerfully, but Hawke could see suspicion in her eye too as she faced Tallis. With an inward sigh, she knew she wouldn't get a direct answer out of either of them as to how they'd met. There was obviously something deeper here, but whatever it was she wouldn't learn today.
"Well, I'm glad you two had this chance to catch up," she said in her trademark sardonic tones in a vain attempt to lighten the mood.
"Yes, it was... very... fortuitous. We shouldn't take up more of your time. I'm sure you have things. To take care of. Right now." Tallis shot Hawke a meaningful glance and started walking away. Leliana looked a little disappointed.
"I'll catch up with you in a sec, Tallis," Hawke called. Tallis shot a glower at her but she kept walking.
"How have things been in Kirkwall?" Leliana asked, lowering her voice. Hawke grimaced.
"Getting worse," she answered grimly, her tone just as quiet. Her sharp eyes glowed with curiosity, flitting back and forth between Leli and Tallis's retreating form, but she knew better than to ask. "Meredith and Orsino are still snapping at each other's throats. It's not going to take much now to tip the knife." She sighed. "Sebastian and I are still having trouble getting the Grand Cleric out."
"Keep trying," Leliana insisted, her gaze flashing. "That stubborn woman! She's going to get herself killed!" She sighed as well.
"Don't worry, Leli. We'll do our best," Hawke answered, her tone rising back to normal, summoning up as much confidence as she could.
"You be careful too, Rathina, with whatever it is you and Tallis are planning," Leli cautioned, reflexively reaching out and grabbing her wrist. The two women stared into each other's eyes for a moment before Hawke nodded slowly.
"As always, Leli. Take care. I'll see you around!" she answered with a slight smile. Leliana released her arm and curtsied with a worried frown. Hawke nodded in response and turned away, moving quickly to catch up with Tallis.
"What was that about?" she asked the elf with some annoyance.
"It's just- I- Look, Hawke, we don't have time to make small talk with everyone we see," snapped Tallis, looking oddly distressed. "Let's just find the key and do what we came here to do, all right?"
"Fine," Hawke replied, still annoyed, but she decided it was pointless to stay angry at Tallis. She probably had her reasons, anyway. "What did the little servant girl say?"
"She gave it to Lord Cyril," Tallis answered with a sigh. "You know, Duke Prosper's son." Hawke realized now that Tallis was leading her over to him, and she muffled another sigh.
Lord Cyril greeted her cheerfully; Hawke imagined he had a bit of a possessive glint in his eyes when he gestured for his friends to go away so he could speak to her and Tallis alone. She managed to convince him to go have a private "word" with Tallis. As before, she kept watch as they "spoke".
This time, Tallis returned within a surprisingly short amount of time, looking despondent.
"Please don't tell me he gave it to his father," Hawke sighed.
"No, he definitely has the key." Tallis scowled.
"Not Lord Cyril's type?" Hawke guessed, smirking.
"Maybe he just doesn't like elves. Or... women." Tallis arched an eyebrow. "Well, you've got one of those factors covered. Go get the key." She grinned; Hawke glowered. "Oh, come on, Hawke, it's your turn now. Go on!" she insisted.
"Seems like I could save time and just assume the plan will fall apart from the start," Hawke commented with a sigh, turning to face the door that Tallis had just exited.
"It hasn't fallen apart, it's just... not entirely cooperating with reality." Tallis grimaced, then smirked. "Good luck, Hawke." Hawke gave her a long-suffering glare.
"Thanks," she retorted pointedly before opening the side door. It appeared that Tallis and Lord Cyril had disappeared into some sort of roomy storage closet; Hawke shut the door behind her apprehensively. She quickly masked her features behind a flirty smile as her gaze met Lord Cyril's. He was watching her with the same odd, desiring glint from earlier; he stood at the other side of the room, but he approached her slowly when she stepped inside.
"Tell the elf that her pleas are for nothing," he told her with a scowl, looking disgusted that an elf would try such a thing. He stopped a few steps away from her and added musingly, "She's pretty enough, I suppose. No doubt there are some men who would like that sort of thing."
"I thought you might be a man of... refined taste." Hawke smiled at him, fluttering her long lashes like she'd seen some of the other women at the party do, suppressing a pang of guilt for what Fenris would think if he knew she was doing this. Hopefully he would understand. Unsurprisingly, Lord Cyril stared, his eyes glinting.
"I have a great appreciation for beauty," he answered delicately, a desiring smile curving his lips as she moved closer. She leaned in, whispering alluring words in his ear as she reached behind him and pulled the keys out of his belt. She slipped them into her pocket as she pulled away.*
"Why don't we talk again after the party?" she suggested, still smiling alluringly. She turned and sashayed out of the room, feeling unclean, like a whore. Like Isabela.
"You got the key! Please tell me you got the key!" Tallis begged when she stepped outside.
"What would you do if I said no?" Hawke asked, her eyes glittering. Tallis faltered, but when Hawke held up the key, she brightened again.
"Excellent! Now we can find the... jewel... and get this thing over with." Tallis paused, looking a little despondent, and Hawke arched an eyebrow.
"You don't sound too excited," she observed.
"It's just been a long time coming, that's all." The elf sighed.
"The jewel is that important to you?" Hawke asked curiously.
"Yes, I suppose it is. I want this part of my life finished," Tallis declared.
"So soon? I heard they were just about to bring out the candied nug," Hawke complained laughingly.
"Let me ruin it for you: it tastes like forgotten aspirations," Tallis informed her, her misty gray eyes gleaming now.
"Ah, you've crushed all my hopes and dreams!" Hawke groaned theatrically, placing a hand on her chest. Tallis rolled her eyes.
"Let's just go find the door."
Hawke inserted her key in the door; it swung open quietly. Tallis, Fenris, Isabela, and Bethany all watched, looking apprehensive, except for Isabela, who looked faintly amused like always.
"We're in," Hawke whispered. She glanced over her shoulder, making sure nobody else was watching. It was dark, now, but the party was still going strong; luckily, most people were too drunk to notice that the Champion had slunk off. Probably they guessed that she was off with Lord Cyril, anyway.
"We can't all go," Tallis pointed out in a low tone.
"You're right," Hawke agreed, somewhat to Tallis's surprise. "If we're going to sneak through a chateau, it's probably best if there are only two of us."
"You don't even have weapons," Fenris objected, scowling at her decision. She glanced at him and tipped her head with a skeptical expression.
"You think rogues ever go unarmed?" she asked, with a slight smirk. Then her expression softened. "Don't worry, Fenris, we'll be fine."
"You'd better be," he growled.
"If we're not back by morning-" Hawke began.
"Then I'll storm through the castle and kill everyone in my way until we reach you." His eyes blazed. He reached out and grabbed her waist, pulling her closer.
"That's my wolf," she chuckled, before pressing her lips against his.
After a moment, Tallis cleared her throat pointedly, and Hawke drew away with a slight smile.
"Good luck," Bethany whispered.
"Don't get caught," Isabela snickered. Hawke just rolled her eyes and waved as she followed Tallis into the chateau and shut the door behind her.
The next few hours consisted of sneaking through the chateau, picking up pieces of damaged Qunari amulets, and poisoning wyvern food, but not necessarily in that order. Hawke and Tallis crept through the chateau with practiced ease, as both were very accomplished rogues.
It was easier, Hawke reflected, to kill men instead of throwing stones to draw their gaze away. They tried to avoid hitting guards over the head to knock them out, since that attracted attention.
At some point they stumbled into the kitchen, where Hawke mixed up a very efficient poison and dumped it into Leopold's food dish, muffling giggles the whole time. Tallis just watched with exasperation; but, Hawke decided, if they were going to do this, they were going to do it all the way.
Besides, she loved messing with Orlesians.
They also came across part of what appeared to be a Fog Warrior's amulet. Unsurprisingly, it bothered Tallis that she was stealing it, but she knew Fenris would appreciate it. She made sure to keep an eye out for the rest of the amulet.
"That's the Vault." Tallis's voice was low. They had just entered a fairly large room with a fairly large door at the other end of it; unfortunately, it looked to be difficult to get across. Bars cut off little portions of the room, including a square that surrounded the door opposite them, so they felt like they'd been imprisoned. Hawke's gaze swept the room, and she took note of little raised panels next to some of the bars.
"Perhaps we have to stand on the panels to get across," she suggested. Tallis immediately strode over to one of them, and some of the bars lifted.
A half hour later, Hawke and Tallis had finally figured out the puzzle, and they were standing in front of the door to the Vault, staring at it apprehensively.
"It's now or never," Hawke sighed finally, and she pushed the door open. As she stepped into the next room, a feeling of foreboding swept over her; her fingers twitched toward the daggers that weren't there. She comforted herself by reaching for one of the knives that she'd hid in her sleeves. She sensed Tallis standing right behind her. Tallis shifted, glancing around warily.
"Something wrong?" Hawke asked, her gaze scanning the new room.
"I don't know." Tallis ran a hand through her hair. Then the unmistakable sound of footsteps echoed behind them; Hawke whirled around to see Duke Prosper and several chevaliers enter the room. "Yes," Tallis answered with a sigh, grabbing some of her own hidden knives.
"Don't fret, my dear," the duke purred as more chevaliers poured into the room, surrounding Tallis and Hawke. Hawke's gaze snapped from man to man, noting weaknesses and advantages, and plotting how to get out of there as fast as she could. However, a sinking feeling in her belly told her that she and Tallis couldn't fight her way out of this.
"I see the party's moved indoors?" she asked charmingly, buying time.
"It's not over yet," Tallis warned, staring at the duke.
"But it is over!" he answered with a leer. "I knew who you were the moment you arrived... assassin."
"Assassin? I knew it!" Hawke whirled to face Tallis, her gaze accusing, all but forgetting about the chevaliers that surrounded them. That off feeling she'd had earlier about Tallis was now confirmed.
"You... did?" Tallis stared at her in surprise.
"Have you met my friends? All of them are crazy, and most of them are killers," Hawke pointed out, arching an eyebrow.
"Clever girl!" sneered the duke. "Have you also deduced that your elven friend is Qunari?"
Qunari! Hawke quickly stifled a gasp.
"I don't care what she is," Hawke lied, glowering. "Everyone's got to have a job, don't they?"
"My, she chose you well, didn't she?" snorted the duke.
"Look, I came to stop the Heart from doing something we will all regret. She didn't. Leave her out of this!" the elf snarled defensively.
"And waste all the effort I spent luring you here for the Heart's arrival? Don't be foolish!" growled the duke. Tallis snapped something Hawke didn't understand in a different language- Qunari? Orlesian? Duke Prosper retorted in the same language before he turned away in disgust. "Take them away!"
A chevalier grabbed Hawke's arm roughly; she struggled fiercely to kick him off. His grip only tightened before he brought his fist down hard on her head. Stars erupted before her eyes and then she toppled over, unconscious.
"I can't decide if somebody hit me over the head really hard or if this is a really bad hangover... Or both," Hawke added after a moment of thought. Her head felt as if it was imploding; it hurt like hell. She shoved herself to a sitting position, eyes still closed, hoping she'd been dreaming...
"Probably both," came a somewhat worried snort from somewhere to her right.
Dammit. Not a dream, then.
She opened her eyes, blinking hard for several moments to readjust them, to see Tallis watching her anxiously. Her gaze drifted sideways and she rubbed her bruised skull with some confusion before the scene in front of her made sense.
They were in a prison cell.
They were trapped.
*Extra points if you can guess what Hawke whispered to Lord Cyril. Because I certainly couldn't xP