Chapter 24
~Haven Anyone? Anyone? ~

Morriana

It was bright and early when I woke, just like I wanted. When I dressed in my armor and sheathed my new enchanted sword that Sandal was kind enough to enchant for me. A fire rune, an electricity rune, and an ice rune will do nice damage. I packed up what needed to be at the moment I crawled out of my tent where I saw Leliana and Zevran talking. Morrigan seemed to be awake are her far off camp, though I didn't bother going over to her. I know how she sometimes is in the morning. I thought back to when she did decide to come over and talk to me. It was nice to get to know her. I was glad she wasn't at all like what Alistair think's she is. She truly isn't.

As I walked over to them I realized Leliana was blushing and Zevran had a flirtatious smile on his face, almost reminding me of Davath when he did the same to me. I pushed that memory aside and walked to sat on the other side of Zevran.

"And so it appears my audience grows." He said with a smirk. I rolled my eyes. "As I was saying, I was eventually pulled out of the water by urchins. They robed me blind, however. Made off with my boots." I scoffed.

"At least you're lucky that they didn't cut your throat." Zevran laughed at this.

"Yes! I am indeed very lucky."

"Zevran was telling me about how he took part in the assassination of a prince." Leliana explained. I raised an eyebrow, and Zevran then went over what he had told Leliana about killing the guards, falling out the window and into the water below. Well, to me two things could have gone wrong. One, the urchins killing him and two, there could have been no water below. When I said this, Zevran laughed again.

It wasn't long later that Alistair woke and then Sten shortly after. Seeing how everyone was waking, I asked Leliana to wake Wynne and commanded everyone to pack up.

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It wasn't but a half hour later that we were finally on the road again. Orrick pranced at my feet and Bodahn's wagon stayed behind us. Alistair walked in front to my left and Zevran decided to be to my right. He told me a few stories about missions he had done and women and men. I was not so amused by that. By Alistair's blushing I'd say he wasn't too comfortable either. We walked all day and took a few breaks then camped at night.

Alistair

We arrived at the Frostback Mountains a week and a half later. Moving through the trees we eventually stumbled upon a path, leading up the mountain.

"We'll stop here a moment!" Morriana called out to everyone. They all stopped and she turned to them. "This path should take us up the mountain," she started. "I don't want all of us to go. Wynne, I want you to stay. I don't think you could handle the walk up, no offence."

"None taken, dear." Wynne said in her soft motherly tone.

"Morrigan, I need you to come. Same for Alistair, and Zevran. Sten and Leliana, I need you to stay behind too. Bodahn, do you wish to come with us to see if you can trade?"

"I would like to see what this place might hold." He agreed. "I'll come, yes."

"Enchantment!" Sandal exclaimed. Morriana chuckled at him. Orrick, when we get up there, guard Bodahn, alright?" Orrick barked in annoyance to which he would not be with her, but lowered his head in understanding. "Good. Let's go!" We nodded and those of us going tugged along while the others moved to set up camp.

As we scaled further up I noticed it was becoming colder. Not ten minutes after we had begun on we were forced to pull out furs we had bought in Denerim to stay warm. About a half hour we finally caught the glimpses of smoke rising from houses and then fifteen more minutes later the village came into view. It wasn't much to look at, really. There were few houses and no one was out, save for a guard near the entrance and a little boy a bit off. There was some kind of feeling around here; like there was something evil in the air. For a moment I detected the slightest sense of magic. But since Morrigan was with us, I brushed it off assuming it was her.

As we were about to walk into the village, the guard stepped in front of us.

"Hold it right there." He commanded his voice deep and eye stern. What do you think you're doing here?"

"We have come to trade, good sir," Bodahn chimed in his merchant voice. "I saw the path to this little village here and assumed there'd be some nice people to trade with."

"There's nothing really to trade. But you'll have ta' take it up with the village storekeeper, I suppose."

"Thank you, sir," Bodahn bowed his head and whipped the rains to the horses to move on. We began to follow, but, once again, the guard stopped us.

"I said he could go. I said nothing to the lights of you." Since I had some inability to lie (most likely from being raised in a chantry all my life) I said nothing as Morriana moved forward.

"We are here with the merchant. We were hired to keep them safe. So, I would like it if you let us do what we're paid for and let us move on." Morriana replied back to him, a hard look in her eyes that would make her be assumed a mercenary. The guard stood there a moment, contemplating on what to say. Finally we simply waved us off and we moved on. I smiled and followed behind Morriana as she went off to catch up to Bodahn.

He was standing next to his cart as we caught up to him. He did not ask about our delay, which I was actually thankful for. Bodahn, Sandal, Zevran, Morriana and I walked casually into the store while Morrigan stayed with the cart.

As we walked in we saw the merchant behind his counter, sitting on his stool with an open book on the counter. Looking up as we walked in, his eyes widened and he stood up with enough speed that the stool nearly fell over.

"You don't belong here." He hissed at us, causing us to flinch, save for Zevran for some reason. Well, such a lovely greeting. Maybe if he threw something at us we'd feel like the most welcomed people in all of Thedas.

"Well, you see, good sir," Bodahn stepped forward. "I have some nice goods and figured I'd might be able to trade with this settlement." The shop owner thought for a moment then shifted uncomfortably.

"I don't know. Perhaps I could see what you might have." He walked around the counter, still looking at us suspiciously. I noticed a small lump on his clothes an knew he had a dagger with him.

"Right, then," Bodahn said in his cheery voice. If you'll step outside to my wagon I'll show you what I have." The shop keeper nodded and followed Bodahn to the door then stopped and turned to us.

"If any of you touch anything, you'll be sorry. I swear it." he said to us with a sharp look that chilled my blood more than the snow did. They walked out and shut the door behind them and I let out breath I didn't even know I was holding.

"Makers breath, that was close—wait, where's Zevran?" Morriana said, looking around to see him not here. The others looked around too.I know he was here. He just talked…

"Well, it seems my disappearance would could some stress on you, would it not? It is nice to know I have become loved in such a small amount of time." We look up to see Zevran in the door way to the next room of the shop. Morriana huffs a laugh.

"How did you move that fast? I mean, are you some kind of mage?! Do you have some kind of power of speed that I should know about?" She asked, jokingly. Zevran laughed, clearly amused at her humor.

"That, my fellow elf, is only for me to know. At any rate, you must see this," He replied becoming more serious. She nodded and followed him into the next room where a small pile of bodies laid, covered in blood and I knew instantly who we found: The Redcliff soldiers. I felt bile rise in my throat as I saw them.

"Nice work. But Genitive doesn't seem to be here. So either they have him in some other place, or he's dead."

"Or worse," Morrigan added, shifting her weight to her left leg and folding her arms.

"Or worse," Morriana agreed. My shoulders slumped, realizing that maybe things were about to become more difficult.