Chapter 27: Old Friend
After a very comfortable night's rest, at least compared to life on the road, the wardens led their group southward. The day was perfect for traveling with the sun bright and the air crisp without being cold. Aeden took note of the conversations going on around him. He expected Delia and Alistair to be paired off, but the two that he was confounded by was Morrigan and Wynne.
He thought it was incredibly odd that the two mages were deep in conversation. They couldn't be more opposite from each other, with Wynne being the epitome of a disciplined mage of the Circle and Morrigan's disdain of those mages she felt were willingly caged. The two seemed to actually enjoy each other's company and were busy discussing various healing methods.
They walked along until it was nearing midday, when suddenly a woman ran toward them. She told them her wagon was attacked and there were wounded. Aeden called to Alistair, Sten and Wynne, and the four ran ahead of the party toward the wagon to attend to the wounded and fend off any remaining bandits. As Delia continued forward with Morrigan, Leliana and Dusty, she watched as a huge tree fell, barring the path. Something was wrong, and she had to get to the others quickly.
Dropping her pack, she ran to the tree and climbed up the steep hill above it. Reaching the path above the fallen tree, she saw several archers shooting at her friends. She melded as best she could into the shadows and attacked the archers, one by one. As soon as she could, she ran down the path towards her companions, who were questioning an elf.
As she grew close to Aeden and Alistair, she looked at the elf's face. Recognition swept over her instantaneously – it was the elf that had saved her on the ship! As Aeden raised his sword to kill the man, she threw herself in front of him.
"No, Aeden! Don't kill him!"
"Get out of the way. He tried to kill us – he was hired by Logain himself."
"No, Aeden. Even if he was hired by Logain it wasn't his doing. He is an Antivan Crow – he has no say in what contracts are created."
Aeden lowered his sword and looked puzzled. "But why do you care? Why allow him to live another day, just so he can try to kill us again?"
She shook her head. "He saved my life, Aeden. Please…"
The elf looked up at her and frowned. "Lady Delia? That is you, yes? What are you doing here?"
She looked at the elf and sighed. "I am a Grey Warden recruit. I… suppose your contract intended to kill me as well."
The elf looked confused. "But my lady, you are no warden. And where is your handsome brother? Why isn't he at your side?"
Delia's face darkened. "My brother is dead, along with Aeden's family and staff, at the hands of Rendon Howe."
"That man, Howe, assisted Logain with this contract. Mi querida, you know my contract for your safety supersedes any contract that was agreed to later. I cannot believe the Crows didn't see the overlap. My deepest apologies, Grey Wardens." He looked deeply into her eyes. "And my apologies to you as well, mi amor. It seems I did not live up to my contract with Salvatore."
"No, my friend, your contract was to deliver us both safely to my mother. How could you know our lives were in danger in our own homeland? I will not allow you to take the blame for Howe's betrayal." She turned back to her companions. "Please… allow him to join us. He could be a great asset to us if you will allow it."
Alistair was visibly disturbed by her apparent attachment to the assassin. Why would her teacher put a contract on her with the Crows – the famous Antivan assassins?
Aeden looked suspiciously at the Crow. "So, first of all what is your name and why would we want your services?"
The elf looked at Aeden. "My name is Zevran, Zev to my friends. As for why you might want my services… well, I am skilled at many things, from fighting to stealth to picking locks. I could also warn you if the Antivan Crows attempt something more… sophisticated… now that my attempts have failed. I could also stand around and look pretty, if you prefer." He looked leeringly at Alistair, having noticed his discomfort. "Warm your bed? Fend off unwanted suitors? No?"
Alistair shifted from one foot to the other. "Is this before or after you stab one of us in the back?"
Zevran smiled at him. "Tsk. These things you say, they must drive the women back home simply wild!"
Alistair blushed and looked away, with Zevran smiling in victory. Zevran looked back at Aeden.
"So, what shall it be? I'll even shine armor. You won't find a better deal, I promise."
With a sigh, Aeden answered him. "Very well. I accept your offer."
Alistair was shocked. "What? We're taking the assassin with us now? Does that really seem like a good idea?"
Delia went to him and put a comforting hand on his arm. "He'll be useful, Alistair."
He sighed and looked at the hope on her face. "Oh, alright. I suppose we could use whatever help we can get. Still. If there was a sign we were desperate, I think it just knocked on the door and said hello."
Delia smiled at him and kissed him on the cheek, then went to the elf and offered her hand to help him stand. Zevran then took her hand and kissed it, purposefully lingering a second too long simply to see the Templar's reaction.
Looking at Delia, he stood at attention. "I hereby pledge my oath of loyalty to you, until such a time as you release me from it. I am your man, without reservation… this I swear."
Delia looked at him as he gave her a warrior's bow, clenched hand across his chest, and smiled.
"It will be good to have you aboard, Zevran… and thank you."
The group found an alternate pathway back to the rest of their party and introduced Zevran to Morrigan and Leliana. Dusty was uneasy with the elf at first, but once he sniffed the man's hand he seemed to relax a bit. Before continuing on their journey Aeden decided it was best to have their lunch, but took out dried rations to speed things up. Once they finished, they picked up their packs and began to walk again.
Zevran walked on one side of Delia, with a bristling Alistair on the other. Delia took Alistair's hand and smiled at him, trying to reassure him silently that everything would be fine, but he scowled back. He did, however, keep hold of her hand.
After several hours, Aeden found a well-used camp site on the side of the road and told the group to set up camp for the night. After the tents were in place, Sten began to gather wood and Aeden took Alistair fishing. The two wardens returned with several large trout and left them with Leliana to cook. She cleaned the fish and rubbed some herbs that Delia had picked onto the skin before she set them on flat stones at the fires edge to cook. They had no more potatoes, so they paired the fish with the remaining dried fruit, making note that they would need to resupply when they arrived at Redcliffe.
Once Delia and Alistair had their food, they walked to the edge of the camp and sat together at the base of a large tree. They ate in a comfortable silence, and then Alistair returned their plates so they could be washed with the others. Before he returned to Delia, he went to his tent and retrieved something from his pack. Then he went back and sat again; this time she moved closer to him and leaned against his chest.
Alistair nuzzled the back of her head, then brought his arms in front of her and placed an object into her hands.
"Here, look at this. Do you know what this is?" he whispered into her ear.
She looked at the beautiful rose he handed to her and smiled mischievously. "Is that a trick question?"
He laughed softly. "Yes, absolutely. I'm trying to trick you. Is it working? Aw, I just about had you, didn't I?"
She turned around to face him before answering. "Oh yes, you're wily."
His eyes narrowed mischievously. "Nefarious even." He laughed in a pitch that was low and somewhat evil sounding, until his throat caught up with him and he coughed. Delia couldn't help but laugh!
"I picked it in Lothering. I remember thinking, 'How could something so beautiful exist in a place with so much despair and ugliness?' I probably should have left it alone, but I couldn't. The darkspawn would come, and their taint would just destroy it. So I've had it ever since."
Delia looked at him and softly asked, "And what do you intend to do with it?"
He put his hand up and cupped it against her cheek. "I thought that I might… give it to you, actually. In a lot of ways, I think the same thing when I look at you."
He smiled at her with the lopsided smile that made her heart skip a beat. Suddenly feeling a little self-conscious, Delia needed to lighten the conversation. She teasingly smirked at him and said, "Feeling a bit thorny, are we?"
His eyes lit up with amusement before he responded with a chuckle. "Wow. 'She'll never see through that,' I told myself. Boy was I wrong."
She coyly looked down. "Relax, I happen to like it."
He rubbed his hand nervously through his hair. "I guess it's a bit silly, isn't it? I just thought… here I am, doing all this complaining, and you haven't exactly been having a good time of it yourself. I thought maybe I could say something. Tell you what a rare and wonderful thing you are to find amidst all this… darkness."
She looked up at him through her eyelashes and moved so close to him that her breath brushed against his cheek. "I feel the same way about you."
He sighed gently pushed a stray hair behind her ear. "I'm glad you like it. Now… if we could just move past this awkward, embarrassing stage and get right to the steamy bits, I'd appreciate it."
She couldn't pass up the opportunity to tease him further. Looking at him seductively, she lowered her voice and moved even closer to him, so close that he could feel her lips move as soft as a feather's touch against his lips as she said to him, "Sounds good. Off with the armor then."
Alistair blushed; his cheeks a deep shade of red. He pushed backward and laughed. "Bluff called! Damn! She saw right through me!"
Delia moved closer again, and took his hand into the two of hers. "Why must it be a bluff?"
He backed away again and looked at her, his blush increasing in intensity. "Well, I suppose we are in the camp. The tent's… right over there. This is true."
She laughed and sat back. "You're so cute when you're bashful."
He wasn't sure what to make of her, and laughed nervously. "I'll be right over here. Until the blushing stops. Just to be… safe. You know how it is." He smiled uneasily and stood, walking over to the camp fire. Once he was at the side of the fire, he sat and looked at her again, smiling nervously and running his hand through his hair.
Delia stood and followed him toward the fire, but was stopped on the way by Zevran.
"I have a question, if I may, my lady. Why would you save my life when your friends had every right to have me killed? I did try to kill them first, after all."
She looked at him sadly. "Zevran, you saved both my life and my brother's aboard that ship. I know better than anyone the danger I face every day, and having you beside me only will keep me better protected. I trust you, Zevran."
He looked at her quizzically. "Mi amor, no one trusts the Crows. You of all people should know that, yes?"
"Ah, but I don't trust the Crows. I trust you. And believe me when I say that your skills will be more important than anyone here could imagine. Knowing that Logain hired you with the help of Howe makes me wonder if there might have been more behind my brother's death in Highever. I think you may be the only person who could find that information."
"Si, you may be right."
"I think we all need our rest. Sleep well, Zevran. I'll see you in the morning."
Delia walked away from the assassin toward the two wardens. She said goodnight to both, but as she reached her tent, she looked back at Alistair and winked at him before she entered. He blushed again, opening himself to being teased by his brother in arms. Maker, it was going to be a long night!