By sunrise they learn that the majority of the castle is intact, though at no small cost to the inhabitants, most of which are either dead or were taken by the talking darkspawn's minions. What survivors there are get to work almost immediately, burying their dead and appointing clean up crews to erase the signs of the nightmare they had been forced to endure.

While the civilians are otherwise occupied, Lynx and Zevran hastily prepare for the Joining ritual. Within the hour, the hedge mage regretfully offers the goblet to their old comrade Oghren, the blond mage Anders, and the Orlesian recruit Mhairi. She nearly buckles though when Zevran has to hold Jade's head aloft so that she can gingerly pour the concoction down their semi lucid nephew's throat.

Even with the tweaks Jowan has made to the mixture over the years, the relief at seeing all four people sleeping in their cots afterword is immeasurable.

The lovers finally take the time to wash away the night's gory film from their tired bodies and are enjoying a quiet meal when they are interrupted by the Seneschal, Varel.

"Ser, there are some urgent matters that we must discuss," the aging human states after bowing, "We have a prisoner in the dungeon, Voldrik has informed me that the walls of the Keep were badly damaged in the explosion, and it appears that the Queen shall be arriving shortly."

Lynx stares at him blankly for a moment, then shrugs a shoulder, "Bring me the prisoner, hire some stonemasons to get to work on the walls, and the queen can deal with the mess. Oh, and send word to the Arl that we're going to need a new staff sent down, hopefully one that is competent."

"Anything else Ser?" she is surprised to hear the lack of hostility in his tone.

She bobs her head once, "I'll be needing rooms set aside for the new Greycloaks, as soon as it can be managed. Also, inform any guards still alive and working that the Chaisnd running about the place are not here for them to play target practice with. They are friends and allies and I expect them to be treated as such."

"Yes Ser," Varel bows a second time and quickly gets to work.

When the human is out of ear shot, the Antivan swivels around and grows serious, "How shall we handle Anora? Assuming that her web of spies have not informed her of your return, that is."

"We'll tell her the truth. A clan of Chaisnd found me half dead in Antiva after I escaped the Crows. They were nursing me back to health when we were attacked by darkspawn, which forced us to take refuge in a cave. Unfortunately the cave led to the Deep Roads-where the darkspawn chased us to- and we spent many months navigating the abandoned roads, looking for a way back to the surface," his wife smoothly elaborates in his native tongue, "It was during my time in the Deep Roads that I was caught in one of those giant spider webs and the other mage of the group tried to free me by using a fire spell, which melted not only the webbing, but bits and pieces of me as well."

One of his hands extend to brush her head, "Let me guess, the short hair and burn scars will serve as your proof? Good thinking. How did you escape the Crows though? Not many can claim that they survived once, let alone twice, such as you have."

"Technically it was three times, but who's counting? Anyways, the Crows began evacuating when Antiva was set on fire. I was assigned two lower ranking enforcers who shouldn't have had any trouble keeping track of the drugged and injured woman they'd been set to watch over. I was being kept for a purpose, after all. To lure you back to the nest. Too bad the idiots didn't listen to their superiors about how resourceful I could be or the danger I posed," Lynx lets out a dark chuckle, "I managed to hide the fact that the magebane had been flushed out of my system, and they forgot to give me an extra dose when it was time to move me. I killed them as soon as we were out of the city, as and ran like hell."

He gives her a kiss and smiles, "I dare say that you've finally caught up to me love," he then switches back to common, "And here comes our first guest."

Their "guest" turns out to be none other than Nathaniel Howe, son of the late Rendon Howe.

"You killed my father!" the disgraced nobleman howls upon seeing the pair, "You killed him and chopped his head off!"

"Your father butchered Gabriel Cousland's entire family, you're damn right I killed him," Lynx retaliates with a feral grin, "The sick bastard had a dungeon full of people that he tortured for fun at the Arl's estate in Denerim, and he helped kidnap Anora for fuck's sake. Do not even try to tell me what kind of fucking person he was or I will slit your throat here and now."

The man gives her a black glare, "I know who you are. The Chaisnd witch and her Crow assassin. You murder children and disfigure women for your own amusement. Go on then, kill me. I wonder how you will manage to slime your way out of a noose this time."

"There are worse things than death out there Howe," Zevran purrs and waves a hand at the wound on the man's calf, "You were bit by a darkspawn, yes? We'll see how you feel about things in a week or so, once you have become a darkspawn yourself."

At the elf's words, the arrogant human pales alarmingly and scrambles to inspect the bite, "No, that's not possible. It can't be..."

"You're right," Lynx kneels to look at the wound herself, "Sometimes-if you are really lucky-the infection will kill you instead. I hope, for your sake, that you will also be so fortunate. I doubt it though. Oh well, we will just have to wait and find out. Have Ser Howe escorted back to the dungeons and put in a solitary cell, I'll be down periodically to chart the infections progress."

As the guards begin to pull him away, Nathaniel struggles to turn back to the mage, "Wait! How do you stop the infection? You're a Grey Warden, you have to know of a way!"

"And why should we help you?" Zevran counters, "You did come here to kill us after all."

"I can help you, this was my family's home," the man hastily confesses, "I know where the secondary vault is hidden, as well as other things."

The Wardens step closer to one another to confer.

"Think we should?" Lynx queries in Chaisnd.

Zevran glances at the man, then shrugs, "Whether he came to kill those responsible for his father's death or not, it took quite a lot of skill to make it inside of the Keep without anyone noticing. Besides, you do have a habit of making your would be assassins into faithful servants."

"I married the last one, in case you've forgotten," she barely smothers her smile, then nods, "What the hell. We can always dispose of him later, if her proves to be too much trouble."

She steps back and stared down the Howe, "The only chance you have of surviving at this point is to become a Grey Warden. The process is painful and could still kill you, though you would not become a darkspawn."

Somehow Nathaniel's suspicion still clings with ever weakening fingers, "How do I know that you are telling me the truth and not planning on using me in one of your sick rituals?"

"Do you have any other options?" the elf blood replies coldly, "Maybe you should ruminate on that in the dungeons for a bit, then we'll see how agreeable you are."

"No!" he instantly argues, straining against both his shackles and the men holding him, "I'll do it!"

"Zev, give him the cup."