TROUBLED

Arianna rounded the corner to the Denerim Market District. She was absently rubbing at her neck again when she felt something plow directly into her midsection. Looking down she found herself locking eyes with a small elven boy. Shianni stifled a giggle. It wasn't often that her cousin was caught so unaware.

Arianna frowned at the boy. "Perhaps you should slow down…and watch where you are going next time."

The boy's eyes grew wide and he bobbed his blonde head up and down. Before she could say anything else he took off into the Alienage and didn't chance a look back.

"That was a strange child." She muttered.

Shianni watched him until he was out of sight. "I think that was one of Talia's boys."

"Talia?" Arianna looked thoughtful for a moment. "Didn't she work for Alarith? I haven't seen her around the shop in quite some time."

"Alarith caught her stealing a while ago and banned her from his store. I doubt there are many places that she is welcome anymore. She sends her children to run her errands now." There was a deep sadness in Shianni's eyes as she said this.

Arianna put an arm around Shianni's shoulders and gave her a light squeeze. "It will take time, Cousin. You can't get over Ages of oppression in a few years. You're doing a wonderful job for our people. That's why I picked you."

Shianni laughed. "Yeah, that and the fact that you wanted to get out of here as quickly as possible."

Arianna was silent.

"I noticed, Cousin. And I'm pretty sure I know why. I'm not as dense as you think." Shianni shook her head and ventured forward to visit one of the silk vendors.

Arianna let her go; she had her own business to attend to and she wasn't interested in acknowledging Shianni's bit of insight right now. Looking around the bustling district, it still amazed her how Denerim had bounced back after the battle. The city was very nearly destroyed, yet it had been rebuilt almost exactly the way it was before the Blight. She glanced in the direction of Fort Drakon and felt a small shiver run the length of her spine. Shaking memories that were best kept hidden, Arianna veered towards the small cluster of Antivans on the edge of the Market. She was dismayed to see that Master Ignacio was not among them. She had never opted to take on any assignments from him, but he kept her well informed with news from the leader of the Crows.

"Warden." One of the men bowed his head in her direction.

Arianna looked the man over. He was a tall beefy fellow with stringy black hair and a few days worth of stubble; she didn't recognize him. What struck her though was his uncanny ability to look completely harmless. He made her nervous. She nodded back but kept her distance. He looked at her expectantly. When nothing happened, the large man simply sighed and reached into a small pouch on his belt. He saw her reach for her daggers and paused.

"I am a simple man. I sell nothing but news from across the sea." Arianna halted. These were the words that Master Ignacio would speak if he had a special delivery for her. Usually this statement followed a question on her part. Since she had only made that exchange with one individual, she never thought to offer up the code to another. This made the tiny hairs on the back of her neck prickle.

The man pulled out a rolled up note with a tiny vial attached. He handed it to her. Pulling a sovereign from her own pouch she placed it in the man's hand and took the items that he offered. With that, he was gone. Glancing over the note, she felt an air of tension rising around her. The leader of the Crows was here, in Denerim. That was certainly not good news. Better yet, he was requesting an audience with her. Arianna quickly stashed the items in her pack and went off to find Shianni; she wouldn't be able to join her cousin at the palace after all. A tiny part of her was disappointed. The rest of her – well, relief was a fickle word.