Lowtown Alienage (three days later)

"So what are you going to do?"

Merrill shook her head. "I don't know! What can I do?"

Bes snorted, nonchalantly inspecting his fingernails. "You should forget the whole thing. A human noble would never stoop to cavorting with an elf, Merrill. The sooner you realize that, the better."

Merrill glared at her friend. "That's not very nice."

"But it's the truth. I don't know if things were the same among the Dalish, but here in the cities we're second-class citizens. The fact that the humans even keep you around without pelting you with stones is a miracle to most eyes."

Venuris elbowed the tall elf in the ribs. "Plenty of humans get along just fine with us city elves. What about the vegetable merchant?"

"Then one who comes to town every evening and charges double price for all the rotten leftovers that wouldn't sell in Lowtown proper?"

"Well, he's nice about it at least…"

The third member of their little group, a blond elven woman named Nereen, rubbed at her chin and said nothing. When all the others looked to her to chip in, she simply shrugged.

"This is Merrill's decision," she said. "We've never met this Hawke woman, so who are we to judge?"

Merrill's shoulders slumped in gratitude. "Thank you for understanding."

Nereen nodded solemnly, her blond hair dancing slightly in the muggy Lowtown breeze. "I know what it's like to have eyes outside the alienage. I only hope you know what you're doing. Playing games like this with the humans is dangerous."

"Hawke would never hurt me."

"I know you think that, but—"

"Hawke would never hurt me," she repeated forcefully.

Nereen backed down. "All right, all right."

"So will you help me?"

Venuris and Bes glanced between each other. Eventually, the tall elven man raised an eyebrow and said, "You do understand how much trouble we'll be in if we're caught?"

"I do."

"And that we'll probably wind up spending time in the city jail if this doesn't go exactly right?"

"I do."

Bes held her stare for a few moments, then shrugged. "Why not? It's not like there's much to do in the alienage anyway."

A delighted smile flashed across Merrill's tattooed face and she clapped her hands excitedly. "You mean it? Oh, thank you! All of you!"

Nereen motioned for her to calm down. "Easy there, sister. We haven't actually done anything yet. Neither has this Kylee woman. We may not actually find anything."

"My instincts haven't steered me wrong yet," Merrill said as they headed for the main gate leading away from the alienage. "I don't think they will this time."

"I guess we'll see."

Normally, elves were only allowed outside the alienage during certain times of the day; usually when the sun was at its highest and the streets sizzled like the surface of a hot stove, driving all the humans and dwarves inside. But Varric had long ago pulled some strings and gotten Merrill a handful of passes so she and a select few friends could come and go as they pleased. The passes had come in very handy when she needed to leave in order to travel with Hawke, and they were even more useful now.

They showed the green slips of parchment to the angry-looking city guard standing watch at the alienage exit. He glared at the passes for a few moments, then shoved the scraps back into Merrill's hand and jerked his head to motion them through.

The tiny knot of elves quickly hurried away from the alienage, making for the Lowtown markets where Merrill's contact (Isabela, in this case) had told her that Hawke would be visiting with her new lover. At this time during the day, the markets were bustling with activity, so it would be easy for a small group of elves to pass unnoticed – unless Merrill tripped over her own feet like last time she'd tried to be as stealthy.

The group hurried through the streets, swerving to avoid larger groups of humans or shady individuals who looked like they might want to take a swing at a few wayward elves. They stuck to the back alleys mostly, wary for any surprise attacks from Coterie forces or other city gangs. All seemed quiet for now. Apart from a few dirty looks or spits in their direction, accompanied by angry mutters for them to return to the alienage, most were content to leave them be.

"So," Bes grumbled as they continued their trek, "what's so bloody special about this Hawke woman anyway?"

"Haven't you been paying attention?" Nereen said with a smirk in Merrill's direction. "Our little Merrill is in love."

Merrill's cheeks warmed. "Stop it. You're teasing."

Nereen laughed and threw an arm around Merrill's shoulders. "Of course I'm teasing. But I only mean it in the best way, I promise. It's so cute when you go as red as a ripe tomato."

"I'm being serious, though," Bes said from ahead of them. "What makes this Hawke so special that you'd want to bed a human? That's not right, even by your customs."

"It's…" Merrill hesitated. "It doesn't matter that she's a human. She's beautiful and strong and she's shown me more and given me more than I could have ever dreamed of. More than anyone I've ever known, except…"

Except Mahariel.

She couldn't bring herself to say the words. The pain of losing her oldest and closest friend was still raw, despite the years that now separated her from the loss. She bit back the now-familiar sorrow and continued, turning her mind to more pleasant thoughts of Hawke.

"She's witty," she continued, "and she's charming, and she can always make me laugh. I know that whenever I'm with her, I'm safe from anything that might want to harm me. I… I can't imagine falling for anyone else."

Bes grunted. "Does she at least have a nice rack?"

Venuris slapped the man upside the head. He cried out in indignation, but wisely fell silent. They walked without speaking for a few moments, until Venuris glanced at her and murmured, "So this new woman, this Kylee… what exactly is it that makes you so suspicious of her?"

"Lots of things," Merrill replied. "Varric mentioned that she was always asking Hawke questions: about her history in Ferelden, about her family, and all sorts of other things. And when she visited the Hanged Man, she had a dagger on her belt and was acting all jumpy. Like she didn't want to be there, or didn't want someone recognizing her. The others told me to ignore it, that I was just jealous, but…"

"Sometimes those instincts can mean the difference between life and death," Nereen pointed out.

Merrill could believe her; before coming to Kirkwall, Nereen had served as a skilled mercenary in Ferelden. Despite her young age and good looks, she was a voracious fighter who had probably had been on as many adventures as Isabela.

"The point is that I think this Kylee woman is up to something," she said. "And now that she's staying in the Hawke estate, Marian could be in even more danger."

"More likely the two are just shagging all through the day and night," Bes said, earning himself another slap upside the head.

Merrill ignored him. "If we follow her for long enough, I'm sure she'll show her true colors."

Nereen nodded. "I like this plan. If she's really from the north and has little experience with the big city, she'll be easier to track. She'll stick out like a Qunari at a dwarven wedding."

"The way we're heading," Bes grunted, rubbing the sore spot on his head, "we'll hit the markets around noon. It'll be busy. A nice crowd to blend in with."

"What about the city guard?" Venuris pointed out. "You don't think they'll be suspicious of a bunch of elves snooping about the markets?"

"I know some of the guards," Merrill said. "They won't mess with me. Unless we accidentally trespass somewhere and wind up in the viscount's closet."

"And… you have experience with that?"

Merrill blushed. "It's a long story."

She turned a sharp corner and was about to continue with their plan of sticking to the back alleys when she ran headlong into someone walking in the opposite direction. She cried out in surprise and staggered back, as did the woman she had walked into.

"Oh!" she cried. "I'm so sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going and the rest of us were talking, and—"

She trailed off when she saw a flash of auburn hair and ridged green armor. A dark brown cape hung from the woman's shoulders, leading up to a cowl that obscured her face. The woman quickly turned away, attempting to hide her features, but Merrill recognized her all the same.

Her eyes widened and her jaw all but dropped. "Tallis?"

The other woman paused and finally met her eyes. She now seemed just as shocked. "Merrill? What are you doing here?"

"I live here!"

"Well, obviously. But—"

"What are you doing here?"

The elven spy glanced over her shoulder, then cursed. She put a hand on Merrill's arm and led her down a nearby side-alley. The others cautiously followed some distance away.

Tallis pulled her hood back, letting her dark red hair fall over her shoulders. She had let it hang loose from its normal ponytail, falling freely over her shoulders in a shimmering auburn wave. Merrill found herself a little jealous of the other elven woman's beauty, but quickly focused on what she had to say.

"I'm in the city on… business," Tallis said, her voice barely above a whisper. "No one can know I'm here. Not the guard, not Hawke, and especially not Varric. I don't need him blabbing to everyone and their mother about this. Got it?"

Merrill nodded quickly. The elven spy was obviously not in Kirkwall to be social; she was here on business, and Merrill understood how important that business could be. The last time she'd met Tallis, the woman had single-handedly saved Hawke from an ambush, then dragged her into a perilous adventure in Orlais. "I understand. But what's so important? I didn't think you'd come back to the city, especially not so soon?"

Tallis sighed in exasperation, wringing her hands. "Normally I wouldn't tell anyone about my assignments, but you might be able to help me. I need eyes on the streets, and I know I can trust you; a rarity in this city."

"What do you need?"

"I'm tracking someone."

"Someone? What kind of someone?"

"Someone who—"

Bes suddenly cleared his throat from behind them. Merrill turned to find her friends staring at Tallis with identical confused expressions. The ever-vigilant Nereen still had her hand placed on the hilt of her dagger in a very clear sign of wary aggression.

"Is anyone going to bring us up to speed?" Bes continued. He pointed to Tallis. "Who exactly are you and how do you know Merrill?"

Tallis looked the man up and down, eyes narrowing. "I could ask you the same question."

Merrill decided to intercede before things got too unfriendly. "Tallis, this is Bes, Nereen, and Venuris. They're friends of mine from the alienage. Everyone, this is Tallis, another friend. I met her when I went to Orlais with Hawke a few months ago. She's… she's, ah…"

"I'm a Qunari spy," Tallis bluntly supplied. She held out a hand, which Bes only stared at. Venuris also looked skeptical. Nereen, however, reached across the man and shook.

"Huh." Venuris rested her hands on her hips. "I can honestly say I've never met an elven Qunari before. Aren't you all supposed to have grey skin and horns?"

"Qunari are followers of a common religion," Merrill quickly explained. "Not all are horned giants."

Nereen didn't seemed surprised. She looked Tallis up and down, sizing her up, and said, "You said you were tracking someone. Who are you looking for?"

"Someone who had a confrontation with a Qunari patrol not long ago. A decidedly violent confrontation. There were no survivors."

"No survivors?" Nereen said. "They must have been packing some serious firepower if they managed to take out an entire Qunari patrol."

"You can see why the Arishok is so concerned, then. I was in the area, so they told me to investigate."

"And what do you know so far?"

"I have evidence that this mystery fighter managed to find passage into the city. I want to know what caused the fight to break out, and just who this person was." Tallis glanced over her shoulder again, then folded her arms and nodded to Merrill. "You think Hawke will have any idea who this would be?"

"I don't think so," Merrill shook her head. "She just got back from a trip into the north. It's been a while since she's been in the city."

"Damn," Tallis sighed. She hazarded another look over her shoulder yet again. This time, Bes decided to point it out.

"What's got you so jumpy?" the man inquired.

"I don't think I'm the only one after this mysterious Qunari-killer. I was prowling around Lowtown a few nights ago and saw a man in a cloak loitering around like he was looking for something too."

"There are lots of suspicious figures prowling around Lowtown," Venuris pointed out. She brushed a lock of fiery red hair behind her pointed ear, then began counting off on her fingers. "Thieves, Coterie thugs, smugglers, corrupt Templars… it could have been anyone."

"Yeah, well, I'm not going to let my guard down just yet. Call me paranoid."

She glanced to Merrill. "So what exactly are you doing out and about?"

"We're… tracking someone as well."

A single eyebrow arched. "Oh? And who are you after?"

Merrill blushed, despite trying to hold it back. "We're trying to… to spy on Hawke's new girlfriend."

The other eyebrow followed. "No kidding? Hawke's got a new girl?"

Merrill wasn't surprised by Tallis' interest; during the trip to Orlais, Tallis herself had indulged in a short-lived dalliance with Hawke. It didn't ultimately pan out to anything – as Tallis had disappeared shortly after the group had left Orlais – but the two had spent several long evenings together, much to Isabela's mischievous glee and Merrill's consternation. She had been just as jealous of Tallis then as she was jealous of Kylee now.

But then it had all ended and Hawke had left Orlais alone. Tallis had disappeared overnight, likely never to return. Merrill had felt bad about wishing for the failure of the romance, but it was so short-lived that neither Hawke nor Tallis seemed too broken-up about it all.

Merrill just hoped that bringing the spy into all of this wouldn't complicate matters more. What if she successfully got rid of Kylee, only to have Tallis take her place? Would Hawke be interested in rekindling their old, fleeting romance?

But Tallis seemed much more interested in Kylee than in Hawke. She rested her hands on her hips, her long cloak billowing out behind her at the motion. Merrill noticed her twin daggers were sheathed on her belt, just within short reach; she had obviously come to the city expecting trouble.

"So who is the mystery girl?"

"We don't know much about her," Merrill supplied, blushing furiously. "That's why we're spying on her. Supposedly, she's a farmhand from the north. But I get the feeling there's more to her than we think. She had a dagger with her the other night and kept looking like she half-expected someone to jump her."

"A dagger seems pretty strange for a simple farmgirl to be carrying around."

"That's what I said! But everyone else thinks I'm just jealous."

Tallis smirked. "With Hawke in the mix, I think you have every right to be jealous. Do you think this new girl means her harm?"

"I don't know. I'm afraid to imagine it."

"And has she given any other signs of being suspicious?"

"Not yet," Merrill said slowly. "But who knows what we'll find when we get closer?"

Tallis rubbed her chin thoughtfully, then rested her hands on her hips. "All right. I'm on board."

Merrill blinked. "What?"

"I said I'll help you."

"But… But don't you have your own person to track? Won't you get in trouble if you run off and do something else?"

"You're hoping to catch these two in the Lowtown markets, right? Plenty of information brokers skulking about there. I figure I might be able to pick up a trail of my own. And if I can help out while I'm doing it, all the better. I owe you guys that much for helping me out in Orlais."

"You'd do that? For me?"

Tallis nodded. "You and yours are good people. Basalit-an. That can get one far with a Qunari."

"I…" Merrill didn't know what to say. Tallis had had little to say to her in Orlais; she'd gotten the impression the Qunari spy hadn't liked her that much. To display such compassion now…

"Thank you, Tallis," she eventually said. "You're very kind."

"I don't hear that very often." The redheaded elf laughed and drew her hood back up. "But don't mention it, Merrill. If this new woman is a threat, I'll be happy to plant a throwing knife in her back myself. I'm itching for some target practice."

She glanced over her shoulder one last time. "Lowtown markets are close. Lead the way, and I'll be right behind you."

Ten minutes later

"Get down!" Merrill hissed. She ducked behind a water barrel. "I see them!"

The others quickly mirrored her motions, jumping behind crates or stacks of hay. All but Tallis, who just stared at them like they had all gone mad.

"What are you guys doing?"

"We're hiding!"

"From who?"

"Hawke! She's right over there!"

"She's almost two blocks away!" Tallis said incredulously. "And she's upwind, so our voices won't carry over the air. Not to mention the fact that her back is to us, she's walking in the opposite direction, and there are almost a hundred other Kirkwall citizens standing between us and her. Even if she looked our way, she wouldn't be able to see us."

"But—"

"Trust me," Tallis said, rolling her eyes and taking off down the street, "you look far more suspicious lurking behind the water barrel."

Merrill glanced at the others, then slowly stepped out from her hiding place and hurried after the brown-cloaked elf.

"So what do we do?"

"Just stick with me and I'll show you what to do. You're no Ben-Hassrath, but I can give you a crash course."

She wrung her hands nervously as she fell into step with Tallis. "Aren't you worried she'll spot us? Hawke has very good vision, you know."

"Then she lives up to her name, at the very least. Just trust me, Merrill. I've done this once or twice before. The ticket is to just look confident and unsuspicious; look like you're supposed to be somewhere, and almost no one will spare you a second look. Especially if you're an elf."

"And how are we supposed to do that?" Bes grunted from behind them. "We're a couple of city elves in the markets before the allotted time. We aren't supposed to be here."

"You've got your passes, don't you? Then just look like you're a couple well-to-do servants running errands for your human employers. The fact that your path is heading in the same direction as Hawke's is just coincidence."

She gestured to the other side of the street. "You three head over that direction. We'll draw less attention if we split up. Just amble through the market stands a bit and keep Hawke in sight. When the time is right, I'll signal for you to get closer."

She put a hand on Merrill's shoulder and steered her toward a stand of strange-looking fruit from the dwarven city of Orzammar. "You're coming with me. We're going to get near enough to eavesdrop."

Merrill's heart fluttered. "We can't get that close! Hawke will definitely recognize me!"

Tallis didn't answer. She reached out, discreetly snagged the fruit salesman's cloak from the back of a rickety-looking chair, and wrapped the thick, slightly smelly cloth around Merrill's shoulders. The cloak effectively shielded her distinctive feathered pauldrons from view. Next, the elven spy reached over and ruffled Merrill's hair roughly, pulling most of her short braids free and making her hair stick out at wild, odd angles.

"Hey!" Merrill cried indignantly. "Do you know how hard it is to get my hair into all those little braids?"

"Sorry to ruin your hair-care," Tallis said, "but you're far from recognizable now. Hawke won't know you from any other city elf that wanders around. Nothing can be done about your vallaslin, but we'll manage."

Merrill wasn't so convinced. "I still think this is a bad idea."

"I've been known to make them from time to time," Tallis said nonchalantly. "But I don't think this is one of those times. Come on, now. We're losing them."

They made sure to keep Hawke and Kylee in sight, though they kept their distance far enough that the two would not be able to recognize them. Tallis busied herself pretending she was rummaging through the various sale bins lining the street. Merrill tried to copy her actions, but couldn't stop herself from stealing glances at her targets while she did.

Hawke and Kylee were walking down the street some distance ahead, hand-in-hand and laughing as they enjoyed the warm weather and the lifeblood of Lowtown. Kylee had a bag of goods tucked under one arm, while Hawke was carrying a large hat with an equally large feather tucked into the brim– a gift for Isabela, perhaps? The piratess did love her hats.

The two stopped at a nearby jewelry stand to inspect the salesman's goods. Kylee saw something she liked, clapped her hands, and grinned radiantly at Marian. Hawke nodded and passed the stand's owner several gold sovereigns to purchase the bauble. Kylee's smile only grew wider and happier.

Merrill had to admit – with an angry twinge of resentment – that Kylee was indeed very beautiful. Her blond hair seemed to shimmer in the noon-day sun, shining the color of fresh honey. Her eyes sparkled with humor, even from such a distance, and when she laughed it made even Merrill's heartbeat flutter.

Our Hawke sure knows how to pick them, I can tell you that.

Isabela had said that, the night Kylee had been introduced. And she was right; Hawke had a good record of wooing beautiful women. It made Merrill's heart sink to think about it; Hawke had bedded the likes of Isabela, who was hands-down one of the most beautiful women Merrill had ever seen. And now she was walking around Lowtown with Kylee, who was a close second. What chance did she, a knobby-kneed, rail-thin Dalish blood mage, possibly have with such a woman?

Her heart sank as she watched Hawke pluck a newly-purchased gem-studded necklace from the stand and offer it to Kylee. The blond woman giggled delightedly and let Hawke reach over her shoulders to fasten it around her neck. The gems only added to her already-radiant beauty, and Merrill found that hot pit of jealousy in her stomach build even more. While Hawke was fastening the necklace, Kylee leaned in and stole a kiss that Hawke enthusiastically returned.

I'll never be as beautiful as Kylee or Isabela, Merrill thought bitterly as she watched. Gems like that would never look so nice around my neck. It's no wonder Hawke doesn't like me.

But she quickly tamped down such thoughts. She forced herself to remember Hawke did have feelings for her – at least she used to. Almost a year ago now, when Merrill had been freed from the possessive control of a powerful pride demon, they had shared an all-too-brief kiss of their own. Hawke had confessed her feelings then, but Merrill had unwisely tossed them aside, too hurt by the loss of Mahariel and Hawke's own behavior within the Fade to realize the gift she was being given.

She had lain awake many nights since then, cursing her stupidity at turning away from what she now wanted more than anything else in the world. If she had only said yes, where would they be now?

Kylee certainly wouldn't be a problem, that was for sure. And maybe they would even–

She suddenly felt her blood run cold as she realized that Hawke had turned away from the stand and spotted her staring. She and Kylee were whispering to each other and pointing at her, no doubt wondering why an elf was standing almost in the middle of the street and glaring at them.

Merrill panicked, instantly looking around for something to busy herself with. Perhaps she could look through that box of old silverware by the stand that –

Before she could move further, someone grabbed her shoulders and pulled her out sight, pinning her against the wall of a nearby building. They were sheltered from the sight of the street by a nearby market stand, but it would be far too easy for Hawke and Kylee to come closer and spot them once more.

She tried to shift away, but was held tight to the wall by strong, wiry hands, unable to move.

"Tallis, what are you—"

"Shut up," the spy hissed, staring through a gap in the stall at where Hawke and Kylee were standing. Her eyes flashed beneath her shadowy cowl. "They might have just spotted you."

Merrill paled. "Oh no. What do we do?"

Over Tallis' shoulder, she saw the duo walking toward them to investigate. Hawke had an all-too-familiar expression of wary caution on her face; her eyes were narrowed, her lips set in a thin line. The dark scar stretching down her face puckered over her eyebrow as she frowned – and the fact that she was close enough for Merrill to pick out such a detail was worrying.

"Blast it," Tallis hissed as the two drew closer. "Time for plan B."

Merrill's heart was pounding in her chest. "W-what's plan—"

"No time to explain."

She never got to finish her sentence. In the blink of an eye, Tallis pinned her tighter against the wall and covered her lips with her own. She let out a shocked mpfh! of surprise, but the redhead made no motion of letting her go any time soon. She just squeezed Merrill's shoulders and kissed her harder, pressing her body up close and burying her hands in Merrill's hair.

What in the name of the Creators is she doing?! Merrill thought, trying to ignore how wonderful it felt. This is only going to make us stand out more!

But Tallis let out a low moan of desire and kissed her even harder, her tongue slipping past Merrill's lips. Merrill felt her eyes drift closed at the sensation, her body reacting in ways she was too embarrassed to admit. The elven spy's lips were as warm and soft as fresh velvet, and she tasted of exotic spice and wine. Merrill shuddered in her arms, all fear of discovery temporarily driven from her mind.

Through hazy vision, she spotted Hawke and Kylee draw close enough to spot them. As soon as they saw the two, however, Hawke stopped short. An embarrassed look flashed across her face and she quickly pulled Kylee around to leave. She obviously didn't want to interrupt the two, and showed no sign that she recognized them.

Kylee, however, stepped closer and said, "Excuse me, were you trying to get our attention?"

Tallis broke the kiss and half-turned, lowering her voice so it wasn't as easily recognizable. "Get lost, shem. Can't you see we're in the middle of something?"

Then she grabbed the sides of Merrill's face and kissed her – if possible – even harder than before. Merrill clutched at Tallis' shoulders, half to simply remain standing under the barrage of feelings that were surrounding her. Though her head was spinning from Tallis' passionate kisses, Merrill could easily see Hawke take Kylee's hand again. Steering the other woman away, the steel-eyed mage said, "Let's leave the lovebirds alone; they're obviously busy."

Then the two disappeared, heading further down the street.

As soon as they were out of sight, Tallis instantly pulled away. Merrill gasped at the sudden loss of contact, her knees weak and her breath short. She had never been kissed quite like that, and though she had no real feelings for Tallis, she couldn't deny that the experience had been far from unpleasant.

Tallis, meanwhile, craned her neck and watched their quarry leave. As soon as they were out of earshot, she let out a long breath.

"Shit, that was close."

"Tallis," Merrill breathed. "Y-you kissed me."

The redhead glanced back at her. "Don't get excited. I needed some way to hide you from sight and make Hawke not want to barge in. It was the first thing I could think of."

"But—"

"It worked, didn't it?" Tallis pulled her cloak tighter around herself. "Now let's go before we lose them. And for the love of the Hissra, don't stand in the middle of the street gawking."

Merrill was sure she blushed from her cheeks to the tips of her toes. "Right. Sorry."

Tallis glanced at her, her expression softening a little. "It's all right. Nothing came of it this time. Just… be more careful. I don't think kissing you would fool them twice."

Merrill nodded quickly and followed close behind as Tallis muttered, "Let's just hope the others are faring better."

Author's Note: Finals are over, I'm back home, and I'm jumping head-first back into my writing. A new chapter of The Apprentice is forthcoming, and the next chapter of this story is already well underway.

Enjoy, and please remember to leave a review if you did! I love receiving feedback.