FAVORS

Alistair sat in the throne room trying to look official. He hated the ornamental chair and continued to move around trying to find a more comfortable position. Each time he shifted his weight the chair creaked beneath him and Eamon shot him a disapproving glare. Alistair straightened up and tried to pay closer attention to the Bann of Lothering who seemed to be requesting more aid to his devastated lands. Even three years after the Blight the tiny community of Lothering had been unable to sustain itself, having been one of the first to fall to the Darkspawn there was little left that could be salvaged and rebuilding was a slow process. Alistair had heard this particular plight a few times before, but he couldn't bring himself to send the man away with nothing.

"It appears that previous efforts to aid Lothering have not been as effective as we would like. Perhaps we should send a representative to review the situation and report back on the appropriate course of action." Alistair looked to Eamon as he said this. The elder man nodded his approval.

The Bann bowed deeply. "Of course. Thank you, your Majesty."

Alistair watched the man exit the hall. He glanced over at the guards to see if anyone else was waiting for an audience. The Seneschal stepped forward and the doors opened again.

"Announcing her ladyship Bann Shianni of the Denerim Alienage and Warden Commander-" There was a long pause as someone whispered into the Seneschal's ear. Alistair felt his heart jump. He had heard that Arianna Tabris was in Denerim, but she had yet to visit the palace since he called her to rebuild the Grey Warden order in Amaranthine.

"Begging your pardon, your Majesty. Announcing Bann Shianni of the Denerim Alienage." The Seneschal bowed his head and stepped aside so that the young elven woman could enter the hall.

Alistair sunk back into his chair. If he was unsure before whether or not the Commander of the Grey had been avoiding him, by now he was quite certain. Shianni stepped forward and bowed to Eamon and the King. When she arose, her lips were pursed and she stood straight as an arrow.

"Thank you for the audience today, your Majesty." Shianni nervously tucked a lock of reddish hair behind her ear. "My cousin sends her regrets. She had planned to accompany me and report on the status of the Grey Wardens, but she was called away unexpectedly."

Alistair was transfixed by the elven woman's ears. The simple gesture that drew his gaze there was so familiar it drew his focus away from anything else in the room. He knew she was still speaking but he only caught a word here and there. Alistair glanced down and fingered the tarnished metal band encircling his right pinky finger. The ring had belonged to Arianna when she first came to the Grey Wardens. For the longest time it never left her finger and then one day it was just gone. He had always wondered at the ring's significance, but Arianna was hesitant to discuss her past. Later he found it amidst Bodahn Feddic's wares. He bought it back from the dwarf and kept it amidst his things. She had always been so thoughtful – returning his mother's amulet and presenting him with Duncan's shield. He couldn't help but think that someday she may want this small token of her former life back. That was until he found out it was most likely an old wedding band. Even so, Alistair couldn't bring himself to get rid of the tiny gold ring. It was the only thing he had that belonged to her and he couldn't bear to part with it. If he remembered correctly, the first time he realized that it was missing from her finger was the night that she invited him into her tent. Alistair turned his attention back to Shianni, still he couldn't help but wonder where Arianna was at this moment and what she was doing.

Arianna swallowed past the lump in her throat and tried not to move. She could feel the edge of the knife held tight against the steady pulse in her neck. All it would take was the slightest shifting of body weight and her warm blood would be flowing freely. She stood in the small room at the back of the Pearl staring out into darkness. All of the lights had been doused, which made it so much easier for her stalker to reach from behind and corner her into this little predicament.

"It seems that you are losing your touch, Warden." The man's thick Antivan accent whispered into her ear. "So careless to let me catch you off your guard."

"If you say so," Arianna replied calmly.

"I have a knife to your throat." The man chuckled.

"And I have my dagger to your gut." She held the blade backwards, where it slid neatly between the side straps of her captor's leather armor. Gently she pushed the blade further in to illustrate her point. "I may die faster, but we shall both die."

She waited for the knife to slice through the sensitive skin of her neck, but the movement never came. Instead she felt the knife pull away and in one smooth motion the man pushed her forward and away from him.

"Well played," he said. Suddenly the room was awash in the gentle glow of a single lantern. The man stood in one corner cloaked in black wool. He reached up and pulled back the hood to reveal his face.

"Zevran," Arianna gasped. "I should have known it was you."

"And I should have known that you would find a way out of my little trap." He bowed low and gave Arianna a wicked grin.

"What are you doing here?"

Zevran placed the knife in the belt sheath around his waist and removed the pair of ornate leather gloves he was wearing. He gave her a grim look.

"You received my note, yes?"

Arianna inclined her head in question, "I received a note indicating that the leader of the Crows was seeking me out."

"Yes, that is why I am here."

"You went back to the Crows?" Arianna couldn't hide her surprise. "Please don't tell me the leader has another contract on my life." She sighed.

"Alas, yes, I did. But…no." Zevran laughed. "He does not."

Arianna crooked an eyebrow at him.

"Please let us sit and have a drink. I promise that I will explain everything." Zevran gestured at two chairs and a table in the corner of the room. On the table was a bottle of what looked like Antivan brandy and two crystal goblets.

Arianna crossed her arms. "I'm not going to like this am I?"

"Perhaps not." Zevran agreed. "But there is only one way to find out now, isn't there?"