Shout out to reviewers and alert-adders – much love to you all, I really appreciate the support!

Big shout out to Erynnarand her epic DA:O saga 'Soulmates' – a must read for Alistair and Zev fans alike! ^___^And for Fergus fans out there I'd totally recommend 'Of Time Spent in the Wilds' by slyjinks – deliciously long chapters and a fantastic story.

I think it's safe to say while the DA:O fandom is much smaller than Bleach or FFVII, they're a lot more dedicated and supportive – quality over quantity no?

x.x.x.x.x

Nearly three months later

Leliana was sat atop the carriage next to the driver. She knew it was unladylike and the rushing air was probably ruining her hair but the scenery on the road to Highever was too pretty to just glimpse at from the carriage window. The city spanned the width of an impressive headland, the castle at the top at its centre, with sea fortifications built up from the jagged cliff-side to shield the keep. The roads and streets wound down from the main square outside the castle to the docks which were in the headland's shadow.

Coves and beaches littered the coastland and Leliana felt a twinge of envy – Elissa must have had a fantastic childhood here. Then she felt a pang of longing since she missed the Hero of Ferelden. It was because of her she had to bring some uneasy tidings to the elder of the Cousland siblings.

Leliana hopped down from her seat when the carriage stopped by the castle gates. A young page listened to her request for an audience with the Teryn and vanished into the castle. While she waited, a familiar voice with a distinctive accent drifted from the shadows.

"My, my, the windswept look does become you, my dear Leliana. You should style it like that more often."

Leliana felt a small smile tug at her lips, even though she knew she was being mocked somewhat. "I'll bear that in mind. Will you show yourself, or are you intent on skulking about as normal?"

The darkness seemed to shimmer by the castle steps and Zevran stepped from the shadow of the stone walls. "Me? Skulk? I prefer the term slink if you must put a name to my stealth. Much less vulgar." He stepped towards the Bard, his usual smirk on his features. "I assume this is not a social call?"

"Not entirely," Leliana admitted, "though I am not able to return to Haven until the spring – and it is much warmer here than in Denerim. No, I bring news. And a delivery."

"So our beautiful bard has had to resort to running errands for coin? No longer able to sing for your supper?"

Leliana thwacked Zevran's upper arm, feeling some smug satisfaction as the assassin winced sincerely and rubbed the area of the onslaught. "This is not just any errand, Zevran. I bring word of Elissa."

Zevran met Leliana's gaze squarely, his expression grim. "It is not good news, is it?

Leliana rolled her eyes. "Don't be so dramatic. She sent a letter and a stack of belongings, so she's not dead but…" She sighed and shook her head. "She hasn't returned. Whether she is on her way, I do not know - I've not read the letter. It is addressed to the Teryn, after all."

Zevran smirked, never one to miss an opportunity to tease. "Well, aren't you the well-behaved Chantry sister now? You curbed your curiosity and didn't even peek?"

Leliana thumped Zevran's arm again, scowling. "It's from Elissa! I'd never invade her privacy."

"Oh, more likely than not, you didn't have access to a signet ring with the appropriate coat of arms to replace the seal." Zevran dodged the bard's third swipe and laughed at her expression, since her scowl and averted eyes confirmed his guess to be true.

The pedestrian's gate to the castle swung open and Fergus Cousland strode out. "Leliana!" he said with a smile. He bowed to the bard, gracefully taking one of her hands and lightly kissing her knuckles. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Leliana mastered her composure and attempted to hold back a blush. Zevran's smirk widened but she ignored him – she knew the Teryn's good looks and amenable nature had as much effect on the Antivan as her. "I bring word from Denerim, your Grace," she said, handing over Elissa's letter.

Fergus paused before taking the thick parchment from her and hesitantly broke the wax seal with the Highever coat of arms imprinted on it. "Where did you get this?" he asked before unfolding the note.

"I met the captain of the merchant vessel the Wave Dancer. He had just arrived in Denerim from Seheron and was looking for the way to the palace. It seems Elissa entrusted him with the chests I've got with me in the carriage – with instructions to deliver them to then palace and ensure they were delivered to Highever."

Fergus frowned. "But she has not returned."

"Unfortunately not, your Grace."

The Teryn huffed in mild annoyance and his eyes dropped to the note. Elissa's flowing handwriting was somewhat shaky – so she wrote it in a rush again. One of his eyebrows quirked in surprise as he read over the hasty inventory of belongings she had sent.

"It seems my sister has acquired my father's eye for finery in her travels," Fergus said. "Though I'm not impressed at her intentions to gallivant across Thedas." The teryn gestured to a couple of nearby servants and instructed them to unload the carriage; a third he sent to inform the seneschal to prepare a room for Leliana and have her belongings taken to her quarters. He invited Leliana and Zevran to follow him to the study, where he handed the note over to the rogues for their perusal.

"Hmm…" Zevran said once he finished reading. "While I have faith in our dear Warden's abilities, her stop-off in Antiva is a tad concerning. The contract may still stand should the Masters not have the wits to check on their employers' well-being." He handed the letter Leliana, whose fingers were itching to read Elissa's words.

Fergus' brow knotted in concern as he set glasses onto the table and uncorked a bottle of red. "That is a worry, but aside from sending some poor sod off on a wild goose chase to find her, I don't know what I can do." His face fell, and he set down the bottle with a thud. "Maker. She's going to get herself killed, isn't she?"

"No, she won't." Leliana and Zevran looked at each other in surprise when they realised they'd spoken together. Zevran nodded at the bard, as if to say you're better at the reassuring speeches malarkey – you say it.

"No, she won't," Leliana repeated, boldly reaching out to touch Fergus' shoulder in a comforting gesture. Zevran took the wine bottle from the Teryn's hand and proceeded to pour for all of them. "She's faced an Archdemon, survived Ostagar and more. She's won against higher odds than this. And by now, half of Thedas will know her name, not including all the Grey Wardens. She'll have sense enough to seek shelter at the Grey Warden base wherever she goes." Leliana gave Zevran a warning glare when the assassin cocked an eyebrow in a classic "Oh really?" expression. "As for the Crows, they're not stupid," the bard continued. "They will know of their employers' fates by now, and won't attempt to cash in on void contract."

Fergus seemed to regain some heart at the Orlesian's small speech, releasing the tension in his face with a small sigh and straightening his sagging shoulders. "You're… you're right, Leliana. I shouldn't be so susceptible to despair. It's just… difficult to understand why she's so intent on running like this. She always used to think things through before acting and now..." Fergus waved his hands in the air helplessly. "She's just suddenly become rash and impulsive!"

"Grief makes you do strange things," Zevran said quietly, proffering the glass of wine. Fergus took it with a small smile of thanks and hastily gulped some of it down – a waste of fine wine, but he needed to steel his nerves which were frayed enough as it was.

The three of them sat in companionable silence for a while, all their thoughts trained on one person – one person who was far away and not particularly appreciating the heat of Antiva...

x.x.x

I need some new gear, Elissa thought furiously, before I melt entirely!

Elissa wiped her face of sweat and grimaced in disgust. While not as hot or humid as Seheron, Elissa had sold her fair-weather gear in Seheron, preparing for months at sea and her arrival to a Ferelden winter. On top of that, she didn't often wear her armour in Seheron unless she was out on one of her rare mercenary jobs and even then it was light leather not... splintmail.

"Ugh," Elissa muttered under her breath, feeling a trickle of sweat wind down the back of her neck. "How are you holding out boy?" she asked Madoc. The mabari looked up at her and took a pause from his heavy panting to give a brief but enthusiastic bark.

"Good to know... still, we'll find an inn and cool off shall we? It'll be getting dark soon, and here's as good a place as any to stop." Elissa could see a town looming on the road ahead, and judging from her map it was the port town of Rialto.

Elissa navigated her way through the town, and using her out-of-practice Antivan (though the market stall owner was an amiable and patient old lady who complimented Elissa on her accent, no doubt due to the Cousland's extra lessons with Oriana) she was directed to an inn near the city centre. "It's probably the cleanest around," the stall owner had said.

The Queen's Steel was a reasonable enough place, and her night there was uneventful. Madoc kept his ears pricked while he dozed, however, probably feeling her slight unease – since arriving in Rialto she had felt like she was being watched. She hoped it was paranoia, but when she was accosted by a messenger boy while she was in the market, she knew her instincts were true.

The message was from the Crows, which she supposed she should have expected. Still, she made them wait while she sold her trusty dragonbone splintmail and bought some dragonwing studded leather armour. It was an odd but welcome sensation wearing leather after months of fighting in plate or splintmail.

Strapping her swords and bow to her back (and ignoring the disapproving glances she got from various Antivan citizens – clearly Oriana's stories about the "softer women" in Antivan were true) she headed to the backroom of the Three Arrows Tavern off the docks.

"Ahh, Warden. You did get my message. I was beginning to think that the boy had run off with his coin."

Elissa inclined her head in acknowledgement of her host. "Master Ignacio. It is good to see you again."

The old Master chuckled. "Truly? I am surprised you would say so and sound so sincere when your eyes are scouring the room and your body tense and ready to strike should the need arise."

"Forgive me if I'm a little wary, but your order doesn't exactly inspire trust."

"I can assure you, Warden, that we would not resort to openly inviting our marks to their deaths. I merely wished to talk."

"If it involves scrolls and chests, I am a little short handed to be running errands for you, Master Ignacio," Elissa said. "And my finances are not so desperate as to require resorting to such lengths anyway."

"You misunderstand again - I am not here for business," Ignacio said, shaking his head. "This is a personal matter."

Elissa was still wary. "I am listening."

"It has come to my attention that you are of a noble house. House Cousland, no less."

"Your information is correct," Elissa admitted, "though, as a Grey Warden my ties with my family are purely personal – I have no political sway as a Cousland anymore."

Ignacio gave a small laugh. "You underestimate yourself. For was it not your political sway as a Cousland that aided you at the Ferelden Landsmeet? Was it not your station that allowed the nobles to accept your declaration that you would rule alongside the Theirin heir?"

Elissa spluttered – she was unware the Crows had informants able to access the Landsmeet chamber. "That... it... My actions at the Landsmeet were dictated entirely by necessity – the Blight was my concern, not my political gain. As for Alistair... that was a personal matter." Elissa flushed.

"Again, we have drifted off topic. You are jumping to conclusions when it is a lot simpler than that." Ignacio poured two goblets of wine and offered one to Elissa, who took it and only made a show of drinking. "Your brother. He is married to Oriana of house Sennabec?"

"He... yes. Yes he was."

"Was?"

"You are no doubt aware of the... circumstances that befell House Cousland before the battle at Ostagar."

"On the contrary," Ignacio admitted, "We had no agents or contacts in Highever. The marriage alliance between Sennabec and Cousland was peppered with conditions, and that was one."

"So... Sennabec is a Crow house?" Elissa asked. She was confused, and mildly cross with herself, realising she knew very little of her sister-in-law and the politics surrounding her brother's marriage.

"No, but they have close ties with most of the houses. What... happened to House Cousland?"

Elissa swallowed, and briefly recounted the events of that night, the betrayal of Arl Howe and the deaths of her family members. Ignacio's face seemed to sag as she told the story.

"It is unfortunate indeed. Arl Howe must have been aware that Highever was a blind spot for the Crows. Had we known of this... you may have missed out on your vengeance. The Crows are not kind to those who harm our own."

"But... you just said Sennabec was not a Crow house..."

"No, but they have close ties." Ignacio sighed. "The former Duchess Sennabec was my sister – the current Duke my nephew. Oriana was my niece. Beltran will be most upset to hear of his sister's death so late."

"I... am sorry, Master Ignacio." This information was unbelievable. "It has been difficult for my brother. He cared for Oriana deeply, as did my parents. She was truly part of the family."

"And you, Warden," Ignacio said. "What did you think of Oriana?"

Elissa felt a half-smile tug at the corner of her mouth. "She was a fantastic mother for Oren. A perfect hostess and entertainer and a fine singer. She didn't approve of my 'swordplay', often declaring that in Antiva a woman in battle would be unthinkable." Elissa laughed lightly as she remembered one of those last conversations. "Fergus mentioned he always heard that Antivan women were dangerous and she replied 'with kindness and poison only, dear husband.'" They both shared a laugh at that and Elissa sighed. "It shames me now to think that I knew very little about her, but at the time all the mattered was she was good to my brother."

"Do not worry yourself over such things, Warden, what is done is done, and you could not have known what would happen." Ignacio sighed. "However, now we have established that, though marriage, you are tied to the Crows, may I be the first to apologise on behalf of the Masters for the attempt on your life."

Elissa grinned. "Apology accepted – though I would ask a favour if I may?"

"If it is within my power, I will attempt to do as you ask."

"You may or may not recall I had a companion who bore an uncanny resemblance to a Crow assassin."

Ignacio smirked. "I may recall such a thing, yes."

"You said to him that he was dead to you... would it be possible to make that – official?"

Ignacio pondered the question. "I believe I could do that, yes. But tell him that it would be in his interests not to visit Antiva for some time – the paperwork can take a while to circulate."

x.x.x

So still a bit of a slow start, still no real action but some hopefully interesting revelations :) Hopefully I'll manage to pick the pace up in part three – though there might be a bit of time-skipping to get there heh.