The party had just recently left Lake Calenhad and the Circle Tower. They were currently making their way to their next destination: Redcliffe. As they walked, they conversed of things – things that had been and other things that they were contemplating with their futures and fates.
The journey was long, as they walked along the winding paths around the vast expanse of the lake, which also sat along Redcliffe's edge. They were almost near their destination when they turned from a direct road and traveled through the wilds – a direct shortcut rather than walk around an additional few miles just to stay on the road. The wilds looked safe, and the party at this point consisted of Alistair, Kathalla, Leliana, and Morrigan. The group was able to handle themselves well enough on their own, so whatever dark threats were lurking in those woods didn't concern the party.
"The Chantry isn't that bad, Morrigan. Don't you believe in the Maker at all?" Leliana asked the female apostate, who only retorted bitterly in return. The two women had been going at it for a while now with their bickering argument over Maker versus magic.
Listening to them was almost enough to make Alistair roll his eyes. At times he wanted to interject with his own opinions, but even he was smart enough to know that it was dangerous territory to tread into.
As the party came upon a clear pass in the woods, Kathalla suddenly stopped in her tracks and held up a hand to alert her party that something had caught her attention.
"What is it?" Alistair lowly whispered to the elf as he glanced around their surroundings and flexed his iron plated fingers, getting twitchy that there could be danger nearby. "Is it Darkspawn?"
Kathalla shook her head. "No, definitely not Darkspawn." It was one of those moments where the hair on the back of her neck stood on end, knowing that something was wrong, despite there being no immediate evidence of such.
There were no visible tracks that she could see in the dirt, and the plants looked undisturbed. Everything seemed natural and serene, just as it should. Yet, she withdrew her daggers, and upon doing so, her party members suddenly prepared themselves for whatever may come at them – if there was anything out there, even.
Slowly and cautiously, she moved forward, leading the group into the clearing. Kathalla didn't see any traps or tripwires though. The Warden then stopped and frowned at her surroundings. Maybe she was wrong and nothing was actually there? After the Circle Tower, her nerves had been a bit high strung. She had never encountered half of the things that she witnessed within that tower: abominations, demons, and the Fade. So, it could have just been her nerves getting to her.
As the elf's thoughts started to wander, there was a sound from one of the nearby bushes. Kathalla didn't catch it. By the time it registered within her mind, and she spun around to greet that noise, a person was leaping at her with daggers held high over his head. It was a face she couldn't distinguish, as the bright sun shone behind him, casting dark shadows on the figure. Yet, she saw that wicked smile and it was enough to unnerve her.
Immediately, the party reacted. Alistair quickly pushed Kathalla out of the way to take the attack full on with his shield as Leliana pulled an arrow from her quiver and knocked a few towards the person, and Morrigan made use of her ice spells to try and slow the blood within the person's veins and chill his very movements.
Once she regained herself, Kathalla moved in quick motions and met her blade with the assassin's before delivering a swift kick to his stomach. The assassin quickly fell to the ground and dropped his blades. "I submit!" He cried out in pain before raising his hands to show his near immediate surrender.
The party was not so inclined to back down. Leliana held a loaded arrow within her bow in his direction, and Alistair continued to point the tip of his blade at the assassin's neck. "Who sent you?" Alistair demanded.
The assassin panted in short breaths, no doubt still feeling his stomach reeling from the kick that winded him. "I-I cannot tell you... They will take my life."
"And what makes you believe that we would not do the same?" Morrigan asked with an air of superiority.
Kathalla watched as her party members interrogated the man for answers, but something drew her back from joining in... He was an elf, like her.
"Quiet!" She ordered the bunch. Their gazes all turned towards her before they lowered their weapons and quickly quieted down from their barrage of questions. With a blade still in hand, Kathalla knelt down and placed it against the other elf's throat. "You will answer the question, or your life is forfeit." It was a bluff on her part, but she was hoping to sound persuading enough to get the man to talk.
Whether it was her persuading manner that worked or not, the assassin smiled towards the Warden as he regarded her. "A Dalish elf? I was never told the Grey Warden was an elf."
The way he spoke, in a detached manner from one of his own kin, threw Kathalla off a bit, but she recovered quickly enough. "Answer, now," she commanded him.
The assassin laughed. "My dear, I admire the fact that you're trying to sound threatening, but I've had a blade to my throat most of my life. Either you kill me, or they kill me – it matters little to me." There was a pause before he finally answered. "I am Zevran Arainai, an Antivan Crow. I was sent with the task to kill the Grey Wardens."
"An Antivan Crow?" Leliana questioned as her face darkened. Kathalla glanced in her friend's direction, a bit lost on if that should mean anything to her or not. So, the Orlesian clarified in a somber tone, "The Antivan Crows are some of the best known assassins in all of Thedas. Someone certainly paid a large price to have you two killed."
That explanation did not sit well with Kathalla. Turning back to look at Zevran, she tried to question him for answers as to who hired him, but he would not speak – stating he didn't know who signed the contract. "But," he added, noting a glimmer of hope within his voice. "It is safe to say that you have defeated me, and I am at your mercy. You can take my life here, or you can have me join you. The other Crows will think that I perished attempting to finish the hit, and I can be another man at your side to aid you in your fight."
"Woah, no way!" Alistair quickly tossed back. "He tried to kill us. What's to stop him from trying it again? I say we deal with him here and not drag him along to stab us in the backs or poison our water pouches."
Zevran laughed at Alistair's reaction. "Well, with me, you have someone who knows the inner workings of the Crows. If you kill me here and they send others, you're as good as sitting ducks in a barrel, Grey Warden."
This was true, and Kathalla knew it. She watched the other elf carefully, analyzing his movements and reactions to their words.
"T'was me who had to decide, I would not believe this elf," Morrigan warned lowly as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "He appears to be trying to salvage what little ounce of dignity he has to remain alive."
"You can see through to my bitter black heart, m'lady. I like that." Zevran smirked wryly in Morrigan's direction, which elicited a cynical hiss from her. "Really though, I am looking for a way out of the Crows. I am skilled, I am offering my services, and I make a wonderful companion for a beautiful woman such as yourself," he surmised while turning back towards Kathalla, smirk shifting into a wide grin.
"Watch it, buddy..." Alistair warned, as his eyes narrowed in on the assassin, unamused with the suddenly flirty tone.
"If you spare me, my life will be indebted to you. You may do with me what you wish, whether that be taking me along or disposing of me. Does that sound negotiable?"
The Warden still gazed deeply at the Crow, watching for any subtle shifts in his demeanor and words. She remained silent for a long time as his words replayed within her mind, unsure of what would be the best option. Kathalla didn't know what the Antivan Crows were, and she certainly didn't know this person or who sent him... But, eventually, she came to a decision. The Warden replaced her dagger back in its sheath and stood up, "Agreed."
"What? You can't be serious, Kathalla!" Alistair protested as he watched his fellow Grey Warden extend a hand to help the assassin up to his feet. "You know he's just going to try and kill us again!"
In a calm manner, the Dalish elf smiled towards her fellow Warden. "And what makes you think we won't be capable of handling him if that were to happen? We're fighting darkspawn, after all. I'm sure one simple little assassin won't be much of a big deal to us."
Alistair's brow lowered pensively while the other two female companions regarded Zevran with some hesitation, but didn't interject against Kathalla's wishes.
"You make a good point there," Zevran noted with a pointed finger. "If I were to try again, I doubt very much that I will be successful and live to return to Antiva, anyway."
For some reason, his demeanor made Kathalla smile. "Let's continue to Redcliffe then," she nodded before side-stepping towards Alistair and lowly remarking, "Everyone is deserving of a second chance, Alistair, even you... Plus, we can use the added help. The more on our side, the better, right?" Her smile brightened then and he could do nothing more than blink in her direction.
She was so calm, so compassionate and composed – yet naive, like him, with the way the filth of the world worked itself into the hearts and minds of the people of Thedas. Her compassion made his heart swim, especially when she smiled the way she often did, always looking to the bright side of a situation, despite the impending darkness that their future held for the last two remaining Grey Wardens of Ferelden.
"A warning, Crow," Kathalla called out towards Zevran in a sobered tone as she glanced back to see him already flirting with Leliana and Morrigan. "I'd watch my step if I were you. I've hunted game much bigger than crows throughout my life." For some strange reason, the words elicited a wicked grin from the assassin. Not the reaction that Kathalla was expecting, but she accepted it.
With another addition to their ranks, the Warden's party grew stronger. Vir Adahlen: The strength and bond of the forest.