A man stood before a window, his face creased with worry and angst. His welcome to Denerim was not what he expected. When he announced that he would be regent in place of his daughter's late husband, the nobles were torn. Some cheered to his leadership, the hero of Riverdane. Others protested and claimed he was trying to become king. A few stayed neutral, uncaring of what happened as long as their holdings were safe. It was not what he expected.
Loghain, the once advisor of the late King Cailan, did not know what to do. He felt that what he did was right, that the Wardens had been trying to corrupt his precious country. There had been whispers that they were in fact Orliesian spies in a mission to watch Fereldean's movements. It drove him to paranoia but he dismissed his irrational fears as a righteous cause. Cailan and the Wardens had to die. Now, however, he feared his plot would be exposed from what his men told him.

"They said to tell you they know what you planned," the captian had gasped, his few surviving men kneeling next to him. "They told us to tell you they have survived and they will seek vengeance. I suspect the man in charge to be Commander Duncan but I cannot be sure. His appearance was changed enough for us to doubt who he really is."

Loghain had said nothing, just stared at them. His ally Howe stood in the corner, his men at his sides. With a nod from Loghain they killed the men. He could not risk them spreading word of what they had heard. The nobles could have caught wind and he would have lost more supporters.

Now he wondered if he did the right thing. It felt like a large weight was slowly crushing him, pushing him under with guilt. He tried to rationalize it but all he could see was his daughter's grief strike face at his news, could see Cailan's trusting face as he teased him during their meetings. The guilt was crushing him and he couldn't stop it.

"Loghain," an oily voice spoke behind him. He turned around to stare at Howe, the man who reminded him of a rat. "I know you are worried over what the men told you. If I may, I have a solution."

At his gesture, Howe present a blonde male elf with a strange tattoo. The elf wore dark leather armor with a pair of swords on his back. With a smirk he inclined his head mockingly. His self confidence filled the room, along with the faint smell of death.

"Greetings," he said in an accented voice. "The Crows have sent me to solve your little problem. Do not fear, I am the best at what I do and this will be solved quietly."

Loghain frowned, turning his options over in his mind. "The Crows are assassins are they not?" he asked and the elf nodded. "Very well. Eliminate the and you will be rewarded."

The elf nodded and disappeared, much to his discomfort. He turned his gaze back to the window, an obvious dismissal. Once he was alone he sighed. Would even more death be the answer? His paranoid self cried yes, drowning out his logical side who whispered no. With another sigh he pressed his forehead against the window, praying it would all be resolved quickly.

"Sten do you like anything about Fereldean?" Jimmy asked the silent qunari, munching on an apple as they all walked along a path. Behind them, Alistair and Morrigan quarreled, Leliana giggling at them.

"No," he said simply. "This place smells of dogs and garbage and no one has a true place here. It is a miserable place."

"Come on, there's not one thing that you like? Leliana told me you were picking flowers again yesterday. I never would have guessed you liked flowers." Fen snickered softly at her side, his tail fanning the air.

"As I told the sister they were for medicinal purposes. However there is one thing I do like in this land we do not have in my homeland. They are small and crumbly, almost like bread but they are sweet with different flavors."

"Cookis? Are you talking about cookies? That is the only thing you like?" Jimmy chuckled, clasping her hands behind her head when the qunari grunted his agreement. "Alright. When we get a chance I will make you some. I don't want to brag but I can make some tasty cookies. That or I could steal some for you."

"It would be more suitable for you to make them," he replied, glancing down at her. "Then I can learn and make them myself. You are not from this land either. Do you like this place?"

"Well," she drawled while gazing off into the distance. "I do. I have made some loyal friends, I don't have to worry about anything but darkspawn and bandits trying to kill me, and I have a purpose here. You are right though, this place does smell but you get used to it. Say, what do you mean no one has a purpose?"

"No one knows what they are. Farmers try to become nobles, nobles try to become more. No one is satisfied with their place in life. It is like a dog trying to be a cow or a wolf trying to be a human. It is chaos. Take you for instance. You claim to be a warrior yet you are are woman are you not?"

"The last time I looked I was but it might have changed when I wasn't looking."

"You joke but I am serious. As a woman you should not be a warrior. Women are priests, shopkeepers, not warriors. It is not your role yet you do it. It is not natural."

Jimmy thought about it, her hands still behind her head. "I think it is natural. Women have a natural protective instinct, to defend that which they keep dear. Look at a mother bear, if you touch her cubs she will kill you, regardless of her role. If someone were to threaten a woman's child, she would defend it with her life. If she is a warrior, she won't die as easy. Besides I am a Grey Warden, I have a duty to fight and protect. It might be against your natural order and Qun way but in my eyes, I can't shirk my duty to protect people. Does that make any sense?"

Sten looked down at her, his lips twitching slightly. "For one so young you do speak truthfully. If you had been born a man you would fulfill your role perfectly. Let us leave this discussion for later, kadan. As much as I enjoy discussing this with you, my role is not that of a scholar and there is something wrong."

Looking around she noticed they had entered a wooded area. It was eerily silent. The birds had stopped singing and the only thing heard were Alistair and Morrigan's voices. Fen's hackles were raised as he stared at a figure rushing towards them.

"Danger," he growled before the figure, a woman, got into ear shot. "Be alert."

"Thank the Maker," the woman gasped. "I need your help! Bandits attacked o it caravan and we need help! Follow me!"

"What do you-," Jimmy began but the woman raced away. With a sigh she shook her head, drawing her sword and settling her new shield. "Everyone be alert. Like Fen said this doesn't feel right. I'd hate for us to walk into something g with our pants down."

"I only did that once," Alistair groused, also drawing his sword and securing his shield. "Do you have to keep bringing it up?"

"Oh Alistair if I didn't tease you how would you know I care?" she asked sweetly, winking at him. "Let's go everyone."

"This is unwise," Morrigan go used as they hurried after the woman.

Jimmy was about to tell her to shove it when the caravan came into sight. The woman had slowed down and was walking towards a handsome blonde elf. He smirked at them when suddenly a tree fell over, crashing onto the path they had been following. Frowning she glanced back at the tree that sat behind them. If he thought that that would stop them from running away he was sorely mistaken. Fen snorted, shaking his head.

The elf gestured his hand and suddenly people appeared along the cliffs beside them. He had picked a good place, she grudgingly admitted to herself. It was a small canyon, with the cliffs on either side and trees along the base of them. A good place for an ambush if he hadn't been an idiot.

"Stupidity, " Sten grumbled, gripping Asla in his hands.

"I agree," she drawled, settling her shield better. "Everyone attack! Morrigan and Leliana stay behind us and provide cover fire. Alistair, Sten, Fen, you all charge with me. Let's teach these idiots a lesson. I'll take the leader, he needs to be punished for thinking we are dumb and weak."

At her words everyone got into place, the two women firing arrows and magic at the enemies on the cliffs while Jimmy and the men raced forward. During their journey to the tower Alistair had been helping her learn how to use a shield and practicing her sword play. After dealing with a bandit attack two days before, she was getting better at killing people without feeling sick. She smashed her shield into the false woman's face, stunning her long enough to get a kill stab into her. Fen lunged at a man that appeared on her shield side, leaving her to face the leader.

He was good, better than she was currently, and managed to avoid her sword. She switched tactics, pretending to be clumsy with her shield so he grew over confident. It worked. He let down his guatd, acting cocky long enough for her to whack him upside the head with her shield. Like a rock he went down. Jimmy looked around, searching for another enemy but there were none. During her dance with the elf the others had finished them off.

"Good job everyone," she said, searching the woman she killed for any valuables. "Check the bodies. Leliana I know it's gross but we are low on funds. You don't need to remind me everytime we do this."

"There has to be another way to earn money," Leliana pouted, searching the men near her. Sten had gone up on the cliff and began throwing bodies down, pocketing anything he found. "The Maker must be disappointed with us for doing such things."

"We'll all pray for forgiveness later," she replied, tying up the elf. "Morrigan do you think you could wake him up? I have some questions for him before we decide what to do."

"My pleasure," Morrigan purred. With her staff she prodded the elf, zapping him with a small bolt of lightning.

With a yelp the elf opened his eyes, struggling against his bindings. Jimmy sat back with Fen at her side. They watched him twist and turn before falling on his side, still wiggling. The whole thing was funny to Jimmy and she chuckled, causing the elf to stare at her.

"Such a young woman," he said, staring up at her. "With looks of a goddess. Surely being killed by you will be most wonderful."

"You can die later," she replied. "Right now tell me who sent you and why."

"A man named Howe hired me," he said. "My mission was to kill the surviving Grey Wardens, two men traveling with some unusual companions. I did not know such a lovely maiden would be traveling with them. I am Zevran of the Crows, Zev to my friends. May I know your lovely name?"

"You have a slick tongue, I'll give you that. Why are you telling us all of this so easily? I thought we'd have to threaten and torture you for information."

"They paid me to kill Grey Wardens, not keep quiet. Besides what would I gained by being quiet besides a quick death? No, I'd rather live thank you. On that thought, you should let me come with you."

"Oh really? Tell me why I should keep you alive and let you travel with us."

"Besides my devilish good looks? If you kill me, the Crows will keep sending people to kill you. If you keep me alive and travel with you, I can warn you of any Crows nearby and help you fight them. I wouldn't mind it especially having you ordering me around."

"You are a pervert."

"I don't think this is a good idea," Alistair said, frowning. "What's to stop him from killing us in our sleep?"

"I say we should let him come with us," Leliana said quickly, stopping Jimmy from replying. "He deserves a chance to redeem himself."

"Another lovely goddess," Zevran said, smiling up at Leliana. "I can redeem myself in many ways, some exotic ways."

"Maybe Alistair has a point."

"Stop it you guys," Jimmy sighed, kneeling next to Zevran to untie him. "If he tries to kill us Fen will eat him if Sten doesn't kill him first. Now listen hear Perv, if you try anything against us you'll die, alright?"

"Of course," he said, rubbing his wrists. "I hear by swear on my honor in the Crows to not kill you or your companions and be in your service until you release me. Did I mention I know some lovely Antivan massages? I could show you, in your tent later."

"Fen, keep an eye on the pedophile," she sighed. "And for your information mister, I am only seventeen and I'm not sleeping with a pervert like you."

"Oh. You act so much older. Pardon my distasteful ways. What is a pedophile?"

"Someone who enjoys likes young, young people. It's too gross to talk about. "

"I will gladly chew off an arm if you like," Fen said, locking his lips. Zevran stared at him in horror, hiding his arms behind his back. "It wouldn't be pleasant but I'm sure it would be effective."

"I would rather you not ser wolf," Zevran replied, gathering his things. "Lead on oh fearless leader. I shall follow you to wherever I am needed."

"Can I set him on fire?" Morrigan asked, grumbling as they continued on.

"No Morrigan you can't, " Jimmy replied, walking next to Sten who was glaring at Zevran like a overly protective father. "Let's get to the Circle and find some help. The longer we are gone, the more likely Eamon will die."

With a new companion in hand, they walked towards the Circle. She wondered what they'd find there. From what she heard from Alistair and Morrigan, the tower was more like a prison for the mages. If what they said was true, the templars might keep them from getting precious allies. She touched her chest, making sure her precious cargo was still there. Duncan had given her the treaties that swore help from three different allies, one being the mages. Hopefully if she showed these to the templar's they'd have to give her the mages support and some help from them.