After Finn's magical Reflexes accidentally destroyed the carriage of the Warden Commander of Orlais, the angry man accused Vashti of claiming false honors and challenged her to a duel. Templars from the Grand Cathedral adjudicated, and the Dalish Warden lost, forfeiting the sword Dumat's Spine. Warden Commander Thierry has swaggered off, and we rejoin our stunned team in the shadow of the largest Chantry in Thedas...

A great babbling of Orlesian rose up around Ariane as the crowd began to talk about what they had seen. A few were talking urgently to the templars; the one next to Finn laid a gauntlet on his shoulder. "I think we have some questions," the templar rumbled. "They are saying that the carriage crashed because of magic?"

"Oh," Finn said weakly. "Yes, about that. I can explain. It was strictly a matter of self-defen-!" And suddenly a dusky Dalish was standing in front of the templar, and Finn was laid out on the ground, gripping his jaw with one hand and staring up at the Warden in shock.

Ariane pulled Vashti back before the templar could. "Nice savage elf routine," she hissed. She couldn't imagine how upset Vashti must be over being made to yield and losing Dumat's Spine, but more brawling right in front of the authorities was not a good way to deal with it. "Can we save it until we're in private?"

"It's his fault," Vashti gritted, glaring at Finn.

White healing energies bloomed under the mage's fingers, and he slowly got up, stepping back as he did so. "I suppose I deserved that," he said, sounding thoroughly unconvinced. Glancing at the two Dalish uncertainly, he switched to Orlesian to finish his conversation with the templars. However he explained things, they seemed satisfied with it. Their leader gave him a few more sternly spoken words, and then the four headed back to the cathedral.

"You idiot- " started Vashti.

"What in the Maker's name - " Finn shot back angrily.

"Stopstopstop stop!" Ariane talked right over both of them, holding up two hands. "Not another word, either of you! We are not going to argue in the middle of the street in front of a Chantry that doesn't like any of us. All right? We are going to leave, and find lodging either in or out of the city, and then you can argue."

The dog barked in agreement.

Finn raised his hand and looked at her expectantly. "About lodging," he said briskly.

"All right. Just about lodging."

"Around the city walls, there will be all manner of footpad and bandit waiting to prey on travelers. Not that we couldn't handle them, but it's not conductive to a good night's sleep. And I'll have to explain to more templars why I'm going in and out of the city so frequently."

Ariane grimaced; she had really been hoping for a good reason to camp outside of Val Royeaux. But less exposure to templars poking and prodding Finn was better. "Fine. In the city, then. Let's go."

It was easier said than done. Shingles were turned at their approach and rooms were uniformly sold out. Even Finn's attempts to impress proprietors with his role as a traveling mage of the Circle met with no success. This was Orlais, and if you didn't have a patron's name to drop, you weren't a player in the Game. They tried shadier establishments with similar luck, until at last one innkeeper - after a whispered conversation that left Finn red from collar to crown - deigned to take their silvers and lodge them.

"Do I want to know why we have this room?" Ariane asked, dropping her pack.

"No. No, you do not," Finn confirmed. "Moreover, I really don't want to tell you."

"Thought as much. Well." She settled herself on the pallet. The dog hurried to lie down next to her. "Here we are. Go ahead." Mage and hunter glowered at each other. It was a step up from glaring, Ariane thought. The long search for an inn had given them both a chance to cool down somewhat.

"Why didn't you just jump?" Vashti finally asked. "Then we would not have had this problem at all!"

Finn steepled his fingers thoughtfully. "I suspect that is incorrect, as the Warden Commander appeared to have a problem with you that went well past the damage I did to his coach. However... I did not jump because for the past eight months, I have been dragged through tainted elven ruins, a lost dwarven thaig, up and down Drake's Fall, and the Deep Roads. I have had the pleasure of nearly being killed by darkspawn (including ogres), dragons, golems, and a vartarrel. Jumping and running only means I get flattened from behind. I have to respond a little more... forcefully. Like I said, my magic is stronger than my muscles."

Vashti suddenly looked thoughtful, but Finn shook his head and slashed one hand through the air. "The Keepers would consider it theft, and the Circle would consider it potentially maleficent magic. But... I appreciate the thought."

"What thought?" Ariane asked, confused.

"He could learn to be an arcane warrior," Vashti explained. "It's in my head. Then his magic would be his muscles."

"It's an elven discipline and I'm a human," Finn waved the idea away. "I'm not totally blind to my reception at Ostagar, you know. I don't mean to cause problems."

"Good thinking," Ariane murmured, a little surprised.

"And then you told me to duel him!" Vashti returned to her list of grievances.

"There really wasn't an option! Unless you count turning the plaza into a sea of blood. He'd issued the challenge. If you turned it down, you'd be liable to forfeit the blade anyway. Or it might have gone to the court, and then we'd be well and truly in trouble. I used magic against an important man - at best, I'd be sent back to the Circle Tower with my permit torn up. You two... if the Wardens aren't behind us..."

If the Wardens weren't going to support Vashti, the two elves had few more rights than chattel here. The knowledge of it galled Ariane, and she found herself hoping they would be able to leave the place quickly. "Right. So. We find the Claw, then sneak into the Warden Headquarters and pull a Black Fox to steal back the Spine. Then we run for the border. It's a plan?"

"It's a plan," Vashti agreed.

"I suppose," Finn agreed, but reluctantly. "So do I get my turn now? For asking uncomfortable questions, I mean."

Vashti folded her arms and leaned against the wall. "Haven't you got it all figured out?"

"I believe I may have. That apostate woman at the eluvian, she said she saved your life, as a part of a deal."

"You're a good listener."

"She was talking about the Archdemon, wasn't she?"

"Yes."

"And the Grey Wardens..."

"...do not know. Yes."

"Am I allowed to know what's going on?" Ariane asked, confused and disturbed.

Vashti remained stubbornly silent, so Finn dropped into his lecturing mode. "In each of the four previous Blights, the Grey Warden who killed the Archdemon died. Vashti obviously did not; ergo, Warden Commander Thierry surmises that she did not kill the Archdemon."

Ariane made a face. "Well, that's stupid. Vashti's an archer. She must've killed it from far enough away that she didn't get squashed."

"It's... more complicated than that. I'm... not sure of the exact mechanics," Finn admitted, "but the first Archdemon was killed many times, by many people - some of whom survived the experience. But it didn't take, you understand, until a Grey Warden sacrificed himself."

"I should be dead," Vashti confirmed. "Morrigan made it so that I wouldn't be."

"Well... that's good, right? A magic spell that saves Grey Wardens? Why haven't you told them about it?"

Vashti looked carefully at the floor. "It's not just my secret to tell."

"But Morrigan's gone now and... oh." The memory of the human's pained face and half-whispered question, "It's a boy?" came back suddenly, and she thought she understood.

"Oh what?" Finn's curiosity was reflexive.

"Oh, it's not your business," Ariane shot back.

"Peace," Vashti grumbled. "The magic was old, Finn, and probably forbidden. I would tell and accept the consequences, but there would come trouble also for my blood-brother. He wishes to not speak of it, and so I honor that."

"But now they think you're a charlatan."

Vashti shrugged. "Don't care. I'll get the sword back and go. Warden politics..." She snorted. "Not interested."

"So that child you asked her about..." Finn was still worrying around the edges of the mystery, poking at loose threads.

"Good night," the Grey Warden said bluntly. "I'll take the floor." So saying, she busied herself with the buckles of her armor.

Finn closed his mouth, gave a small shake of his head and looked at Ariane and the room's pallet. "Flip a coin, or...?"

"I'm not listening to you complain about your sore back tomorrow," Ariane said. "But it's wide enough for two, especially if we go head-to-toe."

To her amusement, he went utterly red again. "Are... are you sure that's a good..." He swallowed. "Idea?"

"Finn. We've slept huddled up on rock ledges in closer quarters than this. I'm just not as fond of the floor as Vashti is." She paused. "Unless this seriously upsets you?"

"No, of course not! It's just that... it's a bed. Sharing a rock ledge is one thing, but a bed has a certain... symbolism that, you see... well..." He coughed. "You surprised me."

"It's not symbolic of anything, trust me." She smiled impishly; teasing the straight-laced mage was always fun, and after the mess that today was, she felt like a little fun. "Hey, if we all snuggled together, I bet we could fit Vashti in as well. Wouldn't want to lie to the innkeeper, right?"

Vashti, already unrolling her bedroll, gave a chuckle. Finn made a more strangled sound. "Now he's not going to sleep at all," the Grey Warden noted.

"If I made remarks like that, you'd both flay me," Finn said weakly, and both elves nodded. "Right. It's terribly unfair."

Vashti edged her blankets closer to the door to make more space on the floor. "There. The dog can stay there now, and later, there's room for when he won't fall asleep and you have to move. We need him rested tomorrow."

"I'll be fine!" Finn protested. "I'm not some adolescent apprentice!"

Of course, that sealed it. The tossing and turning eventually sent Ariane, as predicted, to the floor as well. And the dog joined Finn on the pallet.

Continue on with us as our heroes return to the Cathedral to begin their search for Dumat's Claw in earnest!