"Would you like to try one?"

Cullen's head snapped up, and he stared at the merchant who had just addressed him. He'd caught most of what was said—enough that he knew what they'd asked—but for the life of him, he couldn't think of a proper, coherent response. Over the last few weeks—on their trip out of the mountains—Katrina, Amelia, and Zevran had done their best to impart the most important aspects of Lowlander life, focusing heavily on the most commonly used words and phrases, particularly in Orlais.

However, now, when he was directly asked even so simple a question, he felt himself freeze up.

Even as he fish-mouthed, fingers laced with his, and Katrina leaned against him, smiling brightly at the vendor.

"Thank you, ser. We would love that!"

Cullen watched as Katrina pointed to one of the large wheels of cheese. Rosalie followed suit, pointing without saying anything.

Zevran had been teaching Rosalie the common tongue, though she was still quite far behind where Cullen was. While he might be able to keep up with half of the conversations, she was mostly responding based either on people's expressions, which were hard to read thanks to the damnable masks that everyone seemed so intent on wearing, or just following whatever it was that Katrina or Zevran did.

Since they'd gotten into the city, Amelia and Zevran had busied themselves with finding out which nobles were on the grand duke's side or could be swayed against the empress. When a potential ally was found, Cole would appear within the hour to tell them if they would be suitable or not. From there, Katrina and Cullen went to the noble, explaining their situation and presenting them with a journal that either held their own secrets or that of an enemy's.

How so many of the journals had ended up with them had initially been beyond Cullen—he'd been quite sure they'd left most of them behind.

Well, he'd thought that, at least, until he'd seen Morrigan pull one out of a satchel on her hip. When she'd noticed his bafflement that she could know which books to bring, she'd motioned him over to see her handiwork. He'd looked into the bag and seen dozens more journals through the opening than could possibly fit in that small satchel.

Magic, at its finest, was going to win them this war.

If it could be called that.

There certainly didn't feel like there was any fighting, and that made Cullen feel more than a little useless. The way they'd always talked about the Lowlands, he'd expected an attack or two against them by now. Where were all these backstabbers and secret assassins?

As it was, while Amelia and Zevran were off gathering their information, Katrina was playing sitter for the Avvar. Morrigan was content to guard their books, and Rosalie was thrilled just to be in the city, but Cullen felt so damned…out of place.

Perhaps he should have stayed back at his hold after all.

It certainly would have beaten standing in front of a merchant like a fool, without a word to say.

Katrina had been making idle conversation with the man when she paused and looked at Cullen, squeezing his hand and motioning toward the merchandise in front of them with her head. "Do point at what you would like to try, love."

While she'd spoken slower, making it easier for him to follow—speaking in Avvar wouldn't be wise, as the empress supposedly had eyes and ears everywhere, and they didn't want to tip her off that anyone other than the usual Avvar traders were in the city—he'd been thrown by her last word.

Without thinking, he leaned over and brushed his lips against the corner of her mouth. The merchant let out a cluck of a laugh.

With a cough, Cullen turned away from Katrina's wide smile to inspect the different cheeses. He recognized two as goats' cheese. The Avvar clans usually made and sold such things to the Lowlanders or dwarves. The rest, however…

Finally feeling that this moment was going to drag on into eternity if he didn't do something, he pointed to one, mumbling lowly, "…This…" He should have thought this through better. Even when he remembered his words, he wasn't particularly good with them. He was no asset out here, in the Lowlands, where there were so many people around that one could barely hear oneself think.

Everything was so crowded. The buildings were so tall and close together. It felt like a good storm would knock half of them over, surely.

"A fine choice, ser." The vendor had already given Katrina and Rosalie their pieces—they were tiny little squares that they each held in their palms, patiently waiting for Cullen to get his. Once he'd taken his own piece a bit too carefully from the man—it wouldn't do to have them figure out he was an Avvar by being too brash or clumsy or…whatever stereotypes they had for his people—Katrina took a small bite from hers, watching him all the while.

"I have no words for this, good ser. You have truly outdone yourself."

Cullen followed suit, biting off about half of his own instead of just tossing it into his mouth. It felt a little overly ceremonious for eating damned cheese, of all things, but it would be better to fit in.

It was a sharper taste than he was used to. The merchant was watching him expectantly. "…It is good."

The man's lips seemed to debate forming a smile or a frown, but before he could decide to hold Cullen guilty of something, Katrina laughed gently and patted Cullen's arm. "He's Ferelden."

It was as though that excused whatever faux pas he had committed. The merchant instantly turned his attention back to Katrina. "Forgive me if I am mistaken, but you sound like you're from Antiva."

"Ah, yes," Katrina replied. Since their return to the Lowlands, she and Amelia had both adopted Antivan accents. Nothing like a Starkhaven blonde wandering the streets to let the empress know that Katrina was back from the dead. An Antivan blonde wouldn't likely raise any alarms right away.

"The story of how the two of you met must have been quite the tale," the merchant offered, as Katrina handed him a small list, and he began to gather their order. He smiled when she lightly touched his arm and asked him to give them cuts of both the cheeses Cullen and Rosalie had tried as well.

"Oh, it is not nearly so interesting as you would think." Katrina laughed, waving her hand in a way that made Cullen think of Amelia. "Our employer likes having people from different cultures tossed together."

"Is that so…" he looked back and hit his forehead lightly, "I recognize those masks. Lady Belemonte sent you, didn't she?"

"The one and only." Katrina curtseyed.

"I always thought she preferred to keep elves on hand for this sort of task."

"Well, you see, it is quite complicated, actually," Katrina began, shrugging lightly and talking as though she'd known this man her whole life. "A friend of a friend owed my mother a debt, and I have come into service for the lovely Lady. It is training, really. These two have a similar tale." She motioned to Cullen and Rosalie.

"Lord Gastrelle?"

"If I wish to keep this job, I cannot speak of it. No one likes their gambling habits known to all."

Cullen felt Katrina's fingers tighten around his own, the only indication that she was getting exasperated with the man.

As he finished gathering their things and took their coin—they'd received coin from several nobles for their 'assistance', as well as a room at one of the more nondescript, yet decent inns. It made Cullen feel like they were just as corrupt as the empress they were trying to bring down.

The merchant tilted his head, waving a hand to catch Katrina's hand as she took the bag. "I suppose I can see her taking you in, but this still seems odd. I wasn't aware that Lady Belemonte allowed such public fraternization among her people."

Cullen half expected Katrina to start swearing. Part of him wished she would. It would be reassuring to have something normal in this horrid place. Between the heat and constant deception, he couldn't stand it here.

Instead, she simply pursed her lips. "Well, she's been a bit lenient since her newest…house guest."

The merchant leaned forward. "Oh?"

"We should not say anything about it," Katrina whispered, leaning in. Cullen and Rosalie followed suit, though he was completely lost. "But you do seem a good sort. You did not press for my earlier story, so I feel I can tell you this one. There is a rather handsome gentleman who has been about the estate the last few weeks, doting most enthusiastically on our dear lady."

"No…is it the Comte du Endras' son?"

"Alas, we cannot say specifics." Katrina straightened up as she nodded meaningfully, and Cullen and Rosalie again followed her lead.

"It is." The merchant's eyes gleamed from behind his mask. Finally, he relinquished their goods. "I knew it. They say she is having an affair with the youngest son. She's almost thrice his age."

"Love knows…no bounds," Cullen offered with a shrug. Katrina had to bite back a laugh.

"We really must go."

"Of course." The man nodded, wearing his glee a bit too openly.

With that, Katrina set a brisk pace down the bustling street, Rosalie and Cullen flanking her.

When they were far enough down the block that the merchant couldn't see, Katrina casually pulled Cullen and Rosalie into an alley. When she was sure they were out of sight from the main road and no one was around to see them, she set down her bags. After stretching her shoulders, she pulled two different masks from one of their bags and unwrapped them from the delicate cloth that was used to keep them safe. She handed one to Cullen and the other to Rosalie as they took their current ones off, trading. After she'd wrapped theirs up, she swapped hers.

If they pretended to be one noble's servant's it was likely that word would get back to them quickly and then they would look into the matter. By swapping who they impersonated constantly, they were just ambiguous faces in the crowds, hard to follow.

"I love the two of you dearly, but for fuck's sake, you must stop doing that."

Rosalie stared at her, eyes a bit wider than usual. Truly, the wonder of the city was getting to her. "Doing what?"

"Copying every single damn thing that I do."

"But we don't want to mess up," Rosalie protested.

"Just act like a pompous prig, and you'll be fine." Katrina waved her hand dismissively. "Look, you're both worrying about it too much. If you make it too obvious, someone is going to catch on."

"Someone is going to catch on anyway," Cullen murmured.

"We'll be fine," Katrina said, abruptly changing her tune. Walking up to him, she slipped her arms around his waist, squeezing him gently against her. There was too much cloth in the way to feel her, and that just irritated him more. "I know you're nervous, and I wish I could show you all this stuff without the dismal threat of dismemberment—"

"I'd take that over this," Cullen replied before he could stop himself.

At that, Katrina looked down, considering it. For the last few days, she'd taken Rosalie and Cullen out into the city on various expeditions. Gathering food for the group, mostly. However, they never went to the same part of the market twice, instead going to different parts of the city all together.

Cullen knew it was to keep people from noticing them showing up again and again.

"There was no need to talk to him for so long," Cullen muttered.

With an eye roll, Katrina conceded that point. "Well, at least we know who we're impersonating now. Cole could have left a note about which masks went to which house… Though, he's probably the reason we haven't been called out by any other workers from the different houses."

"I don't like this dishonesty." He was surprised to see that Rosalie looked almost disappointed in him. By the Lady, couldn't anything go right out here?

"Look at it this way," Katrina offered as she let him go and went to gather their things. Rosalie had already picked up half of them. "Every noble here is a scum eating bastard. By spreading scandalous rumors about a few, we're getting them back for at least a little of their debauchery. In a way that doesn't get us arrested."

"Zevran said there was a thing called 'libel'," Rosalie protested. "When you make up things about someone—"

"Well, yes," Katrina frowned. "But they'd have to prove it was us, and if they can find us to accuse us, we have bigger problems."

At least she still had her usual accent when she spoke Avvar. He was starting to miss the way her tongue twisted common words tremendously.

"We won't be able to fix this mess if we get caught in warring noble houses."

"Cole won't let that happen."

"Faith in the Gods is good, but…" Cullen trailed off before sighing when Katrina looked at him, clueless. "We must not rely solely on their abilities. Even Gods can be surprised or outmaneuvered."

"We'll be fine," Katrina assured him again, reaching up to peck his cheek. "Let's head back. The others may have found a new ally by now."

…-…

It had been a long, long day. A long few days. Despite trying to do what she could to show Cullen and Rosalie the different parts of the city—she'd offered to let Morrigan come too, though the woman simply dismissed her, saying she would rather wait, should Amelia and Zevran return early—it didn't seem to be helping. Cullen was tense the whole time and rarely enjoyed any of the sights, even when Katrina specifically stopped and pointed them out to him. He might get a fleeting smile, but he was so stiff and always looking around, as though he truly expected to be attacked at any second.

Maybe the threat was real, but…

He and his people had been so accepting of her, and she'd wanted to return the kindness in some way. She'd wanted to show him some nice places—even if they weren't really hers, as Starkhaven was a long way off.

Starkhaven.

She wouldn't be going back there, would she? As much as she loved Cullen, loved everything about the Avvar, it left an odd pain in her chest to think that the last time she'd been in Starkhaven, she'd been fleeing her father's wrath in secret to bring down a monster.

She hadn't said goodbye to any of her friends. Hadn't done a lot of things. There had been a pub that she frequented, where she'd promised to help them decorate for the coming festival. Seeing as she was so good at scaling things, she'd been a sort of unofficial climber, who put the wreaths in the hard to reach places.

They'd have to find someone else to do all that. Korth's teeth, they probably already had. She'd been gone for half a year. Life had moved on without her, surely.

It still hurt.

And it didn't help that try as she might to show Cullen the things that he'd always seemed at least a little interested in—if his attentiveness during Rosalie's ritualistic showing of Lowlander trinkets was any indication—he was too preoccupied to care.

And he wasn't sleeping well. He hated their bed. It was a bit cushy, even for Katrina's liking, so she could see why he'd probably be annoyed by it. Katrina had offered to toss all their blankets on the floor and curl up there, but he'd grumbled something she couldn't catch and hadn't been interested in repeating himself.

Cullen was not taking well to the Lowlands at all.

The sooner they could return to the mountains, the better. Cole seemed to think that they would just need to deliver a few more books and then things would be good to go. Katrina didn't like leaving things off in a way where they couldn't see the machinations in play, especially when it meant trusting Orlesians to overthrow their empress or just find a way to curb her reach.

It had to be hard for Cullen, too. The Avvar had a lot clearer view of good and bad, and this was definitely somewhere along the line.

She wished she could find a way to help Cullen relax, if only a little.

Now, for example. He'd seemed to like that sharp cheddar that he'd tried, but it sat on the table, untouched. He had settled on a small bench built into the wall just below the window sill, watching the city bustle below, an unreadable look on his features.

She supposed she hadn't helped much, snapping at him to stop doing everything she did, as she had.

Next to him, she wasn't a very good host.

Picking up the cheddar, she walked over to him and lightly thwacked his shoulder. "You should eat something."

"I'm not hungry."

Katrina sat down beside him, tossing the cheese onto a table near their seat. "See anything interesting?"

He merely grunted, gaze ever moving.

Sliding closer and pressing a quick kiss to his shoulder, she hummed when even that didn't distract him from his vigilance. It wasn't until she leaned up and lightly bit his earlobe that he finally let himself look away from whatever threat—real or imagined—he was expecting. When he paused in his appraisal of the world beyond their window to give her a frown, she barely managed to keep her smile in place. "I love you."

He shifted a little, slipping an arm around her and then pressing a quick kiss against her temple. "I love you, too."

"The world won't end if you take a break, you know."

"To take a break, I'd have to be doing something." His gaze moved back to the streets below.

With a laugh, Katrina nestled closer to him. "Are you upset because we can't just go after the empress…" she trailed off as she said that, glancing around as though she expected someone to hear and go running to the crown about talk of treason.

It didn't seem to matter to her head that they were speaking Avvar and the likelihood that anyone could hear them—regardless of language—was slim to none.

"I should have stayed with my hold. If the empress attacks, I would be more useful there."

His words were so quiet, she almost missed them.

"Everything will be okay," Katrina said, trying to sound sure of herself. She almost said that Cole would see things through, but he'd already dismissed relying on a God so much. In truth, Katrina had just been saying that, hoping it would make him feel better.

It was scary to think the empress might stumble across their plot. If she did, they would be wiped out. However it might happened, it would surely further the empress' plans, whatever they were.

That wasn't fair. She wouldn't let that happen. If they stayed focused, they would get this done quickly and then they could leave.

Leave and never know for sure that they were safe.

Nothing seemed to have a neat ending, no matter who she wracked her brain for answers.

At length, she reached out and carefully unbuttoned Cullen's shirt, letting her knuckles brush against his chest as she slipped her hand down to each new button. "Do you regret stepping down as thane?"

He seemed taken aback by her question, attention finally leaving the streets below. "What?"

"I can tell you don't want to be here," Katrina said, trying not to sound like the wounded party. After all, the fact that he was even involved in this felt like it was more her fault than anything. "If you went back, could you be thane again?"

"No," he replied. For the first time in days, he didn't sound aggravated. When she let her gaze wander back to his, he leaned down and pressed his forehead against hers. "Truthfully, I never wanted to be thane. I just…didn't want to disappoint my people, my father. So I took the role and felt myself rot in it." He kissed her nose. "Until you came."

"If that's not the problem, then…"

"I don't like being useless."

"Who does?" Katrina asked, pressing her fingers against his bare chest and then moving her hands up slowly across his skin. When they reached his shoulders, she pushed his shirt back. He was more than relieved to let the fabric fall away.

A cough from Morrigan stopped her before she could go any further. While their room was a decent size, with a sitting area attached to a room with four beds, there was no door between the bedchambers and common area.

It made any intimacy rather hard to come by.

Thwarted as they were, Cullen didn't seem to mind. He pulled Katrina into his lap and caught her lips with his, pressing forward until he was over her, her back against the bench. His mouth molded against hers each time they shifted, desperate and hungry.

As he trailed kisses down her neck, a hunk of bread hit the window beside them.

"Lest you wish me to leave with the journals, you'll desist."

…-…

Cullen groaned as a hand shook his shoulder. "Cullen…"

He tried to grumble a what, but the word didn't reach his lips. In its place came out a barely decipherable growl.

"I want to show you something…"

It took a few more whispers and several nips to his ear and neck before Katrina finally got him up. "We'd better be under attack," he muttered as he finally sat up, doing his best to blink the sleep from his eyes. It took a moment longer for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. The sun hadn't even risen yet, and everyone else was curled up in bed asleep. Rosalie and Zevran were snuggled together on top of their bedsheets, despite the warmth of the night—there truly was no reprieve from this heat, and he was beginning to see why Katrina had grumbled about the cold as much as she did.

It seemed his entire family was incapable of following Avvar traditions when it came to partners. Mia had just gone with the man she loved, Cullen had forgone stealing Katrina, Rosalie was opting not to be stolen, too.

Even Branson had forgone their traditions, though his little brother liked to think that Cullen didn't know. Unlike the rest of them, Branson couldn't very well stay with his partner without leaving the hold, as the mage had refused to part with his teacher. Mages who kept their teachers within them were not allowed to stay in holds, lest something ill befall them.

That was perhaps the only reason that Branson had never harped on Mia's leaving, the way Rosalie and Cullen had. He'd already been breaking the rules.

Though if the Gods were offended, they certainly weren't making any disapproval known.

It wasn't until he was halfway up the ladder that Cullen realized Katrina had led him out of the room. She was already standing on the roof, peering down at him and motioning for him to hurry up.

Cullen tried to blink the sleep from his eyes, shaking his head once to clear his thoughts. He really couldn't afford to be letting his mind wander while they were enemy territory like this.

When he reached the top of the ladder, Katrina took his hand and carefully led him across the room until they reached one of the chimneys. When they were there, she settled down and patted the roof beside her. "Sit."

He eyed her before obliging.

"Is there a reason we're up here?"

"Yes."

He waited a moment before finally sighing. "Are you going to tell me this reason?"

Scooting over until they were shoulder to shoulder, she looped her arm around his. "Patience, my dear man. Just…breathe, alright?"

Cullen rolled his eyes. "We shouldn't leave ourselves so open."

"If we never did anything we shouldn't do, life would be most dull." She sat up a little straighter, as though trying to make herself an authority on the matter. "Now if you don't at least try to relax, I shall have to make your life unbearable."

Like it wasn't getting there on its own.

Even as he started to argue, Katrina caught his chin and turned his head forward.

They were facing the east, and the sun had just reached the harbor, barely visible in the distance beyond the rows and rows of roofs sprawling out before them. The ships were little more than toys rocking in the distance as the first light of day reached them.

The water sparkled, the clouds bloomed in shades of pinks and oranges, chasing the deep blues and scattered stars peeking out between the fluffy clouds out of the sky. More than that, though, the rooftops lit up as well, browns and reds, blazing in the early morning light, with the occasional silver and gold of a tall statue.

It was as though the city's colors were just now bursting to life for him. The light swept further and further across the city, and for the first time, the Lowlands seemed to sparkle and glow.

…-…

Cullen watched the sunrise, jaw slacked, and Katrina could practically feel the tension seeping out of him. Overnight, she'd been thinking about how she could help him. He'd mentioned feeling useless, and she'd doubted simply telling him that he was her strength would help him much in that regards. Then, as she'd finally been drifting to sleep, she'd thought of the way she'd felt that first time she'd watched a sunrise in the mountains, sitting there with Cullen.

Surely, something regarding the Lady could help ease his heart, at least a little.

And so she'd snuck out of their rooms and wandered their inn until she found a way to the roof. Then she'd gotten him and well…

It was working.

As the day continued to brighten, she was tempted to just stay up there forever, though she knew better. The others were likely already up and panicking that they were missing. She'd left a note beside Amelia, but her sister would probably fret anyway.

Cullen let out a soft laugh, bending his neck so that he could kiss her. She turned where she sat, meeting his lips in earnest.

"I should probably stop you before you fall off the roof."

An Orlesian voice interrupted—could they truly not find a moment's reprieve in this gods-forsaken city? How long had it been since they'd managed to have some time to themselves?

Katrina felt like she might scream as Cullen looked over his shoulder and all that tension she'd just managed to rid him of returned thrice over. However, as she peered past him, she forgot about sunrises and trysts.

An elven woman stood a few feet away from them, balanced skillfully on the sloping roof, arms crossed. She was darker skinned than most of the people Katrina had seen around Orlais with a beautiful swarthy complexion. Her mahogany hair had been pulled back into a tight bun and the sunlight highlighted her delicate ears.

However, all of that fell away as Katrina saw the mask she wore.

While she wasn't familiar with most of them—in part, she refused to acquaint herself with most of them on the simple principle that Orlais was detestable and truly did not deserve so much attention—but she knew this one.

"I see the recognition in your eyes, so allow me a proper introduction." The elf bowed elegantly, as though they were in the middle of a court, instead of on top of a roof. "I am Briala, spymaster to the exalted Empress Celene."

~!~

A/N: I'm going to be out of town from the 16th to the 23rd, and I will likely not have access to uploading and all that. I will try to get one more chapter up before I leave, but if nothing's up by the 16th, just expect an update on the 24th.

Thank you so much for reading!