"The Warden dies here!" the assassin shouted, his blades singing into the air. Kaei's brain had hardly registered that he was an elf before he charged at her. She managed to pull her own blades in time to parry his longsword. Alistair roared up from behind her, bashing the assassin with the edge of his shield, sending him reeling to his knees.
Although not easy, by any estimation, they managed to fight their way out of the ambush. This was too large a force to intercept just weary travelers. These weren't bandits; this was for Kaei and Alistair specifically. At first she'd wondered if these were just bounty hunters, but it seemed unlikely. They had managed to best them, but not by a large margin. These people were well trained. Luckily, not quite well enough.
The rest of the assassins were dead, but the elf who seemed to be leading them was not. He was laying on the ground, whimpering quietly as Kaei stepped over him, still holding her blades ready.
He moaned. "Oh, I thought I would wake up dead," he said softly. His accent was thick, and his words had a flippant tone, despite being laced with pain. "Or not wake up at all, as the case may be. But I see you haven't killed me yet."
"That could easily be rectified," Kaei snapped.
"Of that I have no doubt," he replied. "I am guessing you have kept me alive for a reason, no?"
"Who are you? Who hired you?" Kaei demanded.
"Ah, so I am to be interrogated, yes? Let me save you some time," he said, glibly, "My name is Zevran. Zev to my friends. I am a member of the Antivan Crows, here for the soul purpose of slaying any remaining Gray Wardens. Which I have failed at, sadly."
"I'm rather happy you failed," Alistair said, crossing his arms across his chest. Kaei gave him a sidelong look.
"As would I be, if I was in your shoes. But for me, it sets a rather poor precedent, don't you think? Getting captured by a target seems a tad detrimental to ones budding assassin career," he said.
"He is an Antivan Crow?" Leliana said, her eyes wide. "They are a well known order of assassins, very powerful. Someone went to great expense to hire this man."
"I am not surprised you have heard of us," Zevran replied. "We are rather infamous."
"Not for being good assassins, I see," Kaei snorted.
"Oh fine, is that what you Fereldens do? Mock your prisoners? Huh, such cruelty."
"Enough," Kaei spat. "Who hired you?!"
"A rather taciturn fellow in the capitol, Loghain I think his name was," Zevran replied casually.
"So you're one of Loghain's men then?" Alistair growled, his teeth clenched.
"I have no idea what his issues are with you. The usual, I suspect. You threaten his power, yes? Beyond that, no, I am not loyal to him. I was contracted to perform a service, nothing more," Zevran explained.
"And now that you've failed in that service?" Kaei asked.
Zevran grimaced. "That is between Loghain and the Crows, and between the Crows and myself."
"And between you and me," Kaei snarled.
"Isn't that what we are establishing right now?"
"When are you to see him again?" she asked.
"I'm not. If I had succeeded, I would have returned home and Crows would have informed him of the results, if he didn't already know. If I had failed, then I should be dead," Zevran said. "At least as far as the Crows are concerned."
"If you had failed?" Alistair snapped at him, reaching for his sword.
"What can I say?" Zevran said mockingly. "I am an eternal optimist. Although I admit the chances of succeeding at this point seem rather slim, don't they?" Then he laughed. "No, I don't suppose you would find that funny, would you?" Kaei glanced over at Alistair. A vein throbbed in his temple.
"Why are you telling us this?" Kaei asked, shaking her head.
"Why not? I wasn't paid for silence, not that I offered it for sale," Zevran said. "And it as not as if it really matters. I am a dead man, one way or another. If you do not kill me, I suppose the Crows will do it for you."
"Why would anyone be a Crow? It makes no sense," Alistair said.
Zevran snorted. "I wasn't given much of a choice in a matter. The Crows bought me on the slave market when I was very young. I was a bargain too, or so I was lead to believe. But don't let my sad story influence you. The Crows aren't so bad. They keep you well supplied. Wine, women, men, whatever it is you fancy. But the severance package is garbage. Keep that in mind if you are thinking about joining."
"Thanks," Kaei sighed, exasperated. "I'll keep that under advisement."
"Listen," Zevran said, a tone of seriousness creeping into his voice. "I failed to kill you, and now my life is forfeit. That's how it is. Like I said, if you don't kill me, the Crows will. And the thing is, I like living and you are obviously the sort to give the Crows pause. So let me serve you instead."
"You must think I'm royally stupid," Kaei said.
"I think you are royally hard to kill," Zevran said. He smirked. "And utterly gorgeous. Not that I think you'll respond to simple flattery."
"Are you mad?" Kaei asked. "Why would I want you service?"
"Because I am skilled at many things. Stealth, picking locks, and usually rather useful in a fight. I could also warn you should the Crows attempt something, more sophisticated, now that my attempts have failed," he replied. "I could also stand around and look pretty if you prefer. Warm you bed."
Alistair made a growl worthy of Laethie.
Zevran gave him a wicked look. "Fend off unwanted suitors, no?"
"Is this before or after you stab me in the back?"
"These things you say," Zevran purred. "They must drive the men back home simply wild. So what will it be? I'll even shine armor," he continued. "You won't find a better deal."
"I can't believe I'm considering this," Kaei said.
"What?" Alistair exclaimed. "You want to take the assassin with us?"
"What do you want me to do? Let him go?" Kaei sighed. "Look, if you want him dead, then you kill him."
"I . . . no," Alistair said, defeated. "Second chances and all, right?"
"There's that," she said softly.
"Still, if there was a sign that said we were desperate, I think it just knocked on the door and said hello," Alistair groaned.
"What do you want in return?" Kaei asked, turning back to Zevran.
"Getting to live would be a good start, and would make me marginally more useful to you," he said. "Beyond that, as I said, I wasn't given a choice about joining the Crows, and the only way out is to sign up with someone they can't touch. And there are worse things than serving a deadly elven sex goddess."
Kaei rolled her eyes. Wondering if this was the true sign she'd complete lost touch with reality, Kaei offered Zevran her hand. He let her pull him to his feet.
"I hear by pledge my oath of loyalty to you, until such a time as you choose to release me from it. I am your man, without reservation. This I swear," he said, giving a half bow.
"Welcome Zevran," Leliana said. 'Having an Antivan Crow join us sounds like a fine plan."
"Oh, you are to be another companion, are you?" Zevran asked. "I was not aware such loveliness existed amongst adventurers, surely."
"Or, maybe not," Leliana replied, suddenly annoyed.
Kaei looked at Laethie who stood at her side, panting. "If he tries anything," Kaei said. "You have my permission to bite his stones off."
Laethie barked happily.
Leaving their new found friend under the watchful eyes of Sten and Laethie; Kaei, Alistair, Morrigan and Wynne entered through the main gates of Denerim towards the market district. It was . . . depressing. There was a pallor hanging over the city. Having never been there before, Kaei just thought perhaps is was a sad place, but Alistair quickly corrected her. He told stories of a vibrant place, full of life and laughter. And although children still ran about in the streets, even they did not seem as pleased as children usually are.
Just as they passed through the second gate into the market, Alistair grabbed her arm.
"Wait," he said..
"What's going on?" Kaei asked.
"I need to, we need to go somewhere first," he said, so fast it sounded like one word. "Alone."
Kaei glanced up at Morrigan pleadingly. She didn't need to say anything. Somehow, they had developed an unspoken communication. Perhaps it was their similar upbringing in the wilds, or something else, but whatever it was, Kaei was grateful for it. And for Morrigan's strange acerbic friendship; it was, at least, always completely honest. Morrigan shot Alistair an annoyed look, but then shook her head before stewarding Wynne off towards the stalls in the center of the square.
Kaei turned around and gave Alistair a questioning look, once they were out of earshot. Apparently they didn't always need words either.
"Do you remember, my dream, in the Fade?" Alistair asked. "With my sister?"
"Of course," she replied.
"Well, it wasn't completely a dream. I do really have a sister, a half sister anyway. And her name is Goldanna. And, well, she lives right over there," he said, pointing at a run down house near the gate.
"Do you want to go see her?" Kaei asked.
"Yes," he said, "No. I don't know. I've never actually met her before. I'm not even sure she knows I exist."
"Oh, that might be awkward," she said. "What do you want to do?"
"Run screaming to the nearest tavern is what I want to do. But what I should do is go knock on her door. But I was hoping, that maybe, you would come with me," Alistair said nervously.
"That might be even more awkward, you know, long lost brother, scary Dalish elf, pointy sticks and all," Kaei said, trying to lessen his growing anxiety. Alistair forced a smile.
"Humor me?" he asked. And unable to resist him, she followed.
And wished she hadn't.
Goldanna was a bitch. Plain and simple. Even if she didn't want to have a happy family reunion, the least she could have done was be polite when trying to steal his money. Kaei could see in his eyes that he wanted to give it to her, but Kaei dragged him off before he could. She slammed the door closed behind them, still hearing Goldanna's angry cursing through the door. Alistair was not happy.
"I should have done something," he said. "Why wouldn't you let me?"
"Let her rob you, because you feel guilty? I'm sorry, but that's not what family does. If she's only out for herself . . . Fen'Harel's blood, everyone is out for themselves. You need to learn that." Kaei snapped.
Alistair sighed, "Maybe you're right. I just feel stupid. I guess I expected her to accept me without question. Isn't that what families do?"
"Sometimes," she said. "But sometimes, they can't. Sometimes, you just have to look out for yourself." Alistair looked unconvinced. Frustrated, she turned and took a few steps away. Kaei couldn't understand how he wasn't angry. Good hearts and intentions only went so far. She stopped when she realized he wasn't following. She closed her eyes, but didn't look back, just stood there and waited.
"It's just . . . ," he started, "This is the family I've been dreaming about my whole life?"
Kaei turned around. "Look, you don't need her," she said. "There are other people who care about you."
"Like who?" he snapped. "Duncan was the only one who ever cared about what I wanted, and he's gone."
"I care about you Alistair, or did you not notice?" she said, walking back to him. She took his hand and gently laced her fingers through his. He gave a little half-hearted smile and let her lead him away. Just before they reached Wynne and Morrigan again, she heard his whisper.
"Thank you."
