A/N: when I mention Merril's dress its the outfit she gets if you romance her.

It was very near the time the party was to start, but they were still sitting around their campfire. Hawke grumbled about how they should have been in the castle, but apparently Duke Prosper had invited his entire family, and the rooms were all occupied. Hawke wasn't the only one grumbling, there were several Orlesian's in the camp yard around them, and they were both angry that they were camping, and that Hawke had killed the wyvern.

Well technically they had all killed the wyvern, but Hawke was the guest, the rest of them were just servants. None of the other Orlesians were as angry as Baron Arlange, the man who had paid to be the one to kill the wyvern this year. He had walked in on them just as they finished the wyvern off and had ordered his men to kill them. Fortunately, for him at least, the Duke himself had appeared and even offered to kill the nobleman. Hawke had said to let him go, but Nero had a slight feeling that they would be hearing from him again.

But so far Baron Arlange had kept his distance, he didn't even say anything when Nero walked right by his camp to go for a piss in the woods.

He was just coming out of the woods when Tallis stopped him, "we need to talk." she said.

Nero sighed, "why?"

"Because you keep looking at me like you want to kill me and it's getting annoying."

"I do want to kill you." He said blankly.

Tallis groaned, "that's what I mean, I understand, but it has to stop."

"Why should I?"

"You must have noticed that I've changed, I was selfish, I admit it, when I left you in the cellar. I shouldn't have done it. I still feel terrible about it. But you made it out, you're alright. Right?"

"I wasn't."

She looked at him guiltily, "if I could go back I would find a way to help you, I would never leave somebody to face attackers alone. Not anymore."

"I find that hard to believe."

"I liked you Nero, a lot. It's a testament to how selfish and immature and pathetic I was that I had abandoned you, and didn't even try to find out if you were alright afterwords."

Nero frowned and stared at her, she was wearing her formal wear, as she was supposed to be Hawke's date to this party, and it looked pretty good on her. But even if she was still attractive...

"I don't know how to forgive you." he said finally.

"Just, try to hold back your anger? Maybe if you don't keep seeing me as an enemy you'll stop thinking of me as one." Tallis suggested.

He scowled, but realized that he would likely be rid of her soon enough anyway, and agreed to try.

"Do you mind my asking...what happened to your ears?" she asked hesitantly.

Nero frowned, "i was kidnapped for being an elf and they cut them off."

Tallis frowned, "oh, I'm so sorry."

"At least i got cool earrings out of it." Nero shrugged.

Suddenly Tallis smiled, "so I see you are with the white haired elf? Fenris, I think his name is."

He couldn't help himself, and smiled a bit, "yes, I am."

"He makes you happy?"

"Yes...why?"

"You just seem to make him happy, is all."

He laughed, "how can you tell? Usually people can't."

"Small things, the way he looks at you when your not looking at him, they way he always searches for you after a fight, and there was the whole blushing thing on the ship." She giggled, "I got the impression not many people can have that effect on him."

He smiled, "I certainly hope not."

She turned and motioned that they should head back to camp, "I'm happy for you. It's nice to find something that fills that hole."

"How do you know I've had a hole that needed filling?"

"You were...empty, back then. Even when you made jokes your eyes were dead. It was as though you hadn't ever felt any happiness."

"I hadn't."

Tallis nodded, "I know, but there is life in you now. I'm glad to see that you've found happiness."

"Have you?" He asked.

"Have I what?"

"Found happiness?"

"Yes, I am content."

"I get the impression its not with a person." Nero told her.

"No, but that's alright. Not everyone needs the love that you have to be happy."

He frowned, "I hope not. It was hard to find."

She laughed as they arrived in camp, "I can imagine."

They split and Nero returned to his spot beside Fenris and Tallis sat across the fire next to Hawke and Sebastian. He watched, amused, as she seemed to be flirting with the Chantry Brother. She's wasting her time, he smirked to himself.

"I thought you wanted to kill her." Fenris said.

"I...promised to try to not hate her so much." Nero explained.

Fenris raised an eyebrow, "why?"

Nero shrugged, "I don't really know."

"Maybe he just has a weakness for elves." Varric said with a wink.

"Just how long has this wyvern hunting business been going on?" Hawke asked loudly, to get Tallis' attention, effectively stopping any other conversations taking place around the fire.

"It's an annual tradition the Montfort's began to keep the population down. They breed quickly." Tallis explained.

"Elves too, we're plucky that way." Fenris said.

"Well there's no annual elf hunt...yet."

"And the Orlesian nobility is only too happy to help out?" Hawke asked.

"It's a game. The Montfort's are close to the empress, so anything that pleases them is worth pursuing. Plus you should really try the aquae lucidius. You'll be seeing purple dragons in the sky for days." Tallis chuckled.

"It's forty crowns a bottle on the black market." Varric told them, "not that I've checked or anything."

"Of course not." Isabela winked.

Suddenly they heard a horn blaring, indicating the party was starting. It wasn't far away, just passed the tents and through a gate, and Tallis asked them to wait while she went in and looked around.

"There is one door not under heavy guard." She said upon returning.

"But there's a problem, right? There's always a problem." Isabela asked.

"I can't get it open, and believe me, I tried. Bent a nice set of lock-pick's in that stupid door. One of the Duke's guardsmen must have the key, they wouldn't just lock themselves out of the castle...I hope."

"Why else would the party be in the garden? He probably has someone else breaking a window right now." Hawke chuckled.

"I could make that work actually. But in the meantime, lets find someone with a key." Tallis said.

"We probably shouldn't all try and get a guards key together, the nobles might make a scene." Nero told them.

"We'll split up in pairs of two, you keep watch, in case something stupid happens."

"Can I go with Sebastian?" Merril asked, "I'm afraid I'll mess something up, I'm always messing things up. What if I use the wrong fork and stab somebody with it?"

Sebastian chuckled, "just complain that someone bled on your dress and you'll be fine."

Merril gasped, "maybe I'll just stay away from cutlery. I don't want to ruin the beautiful dress that Hawke bought me. It's white, blood would never get out."

"I can't believe that you actually convinced me to wear this terrible skirt, Hawke." Isabela said, picking up the long skirt that he had given her before they left. He had given her a matching corset at the same, and she was grateful that they were both black, but still...a skirt?

"I don't mind you running around in your underwear, but the nobles might. Besides, I let you keep your boots, bandana and shirt. You're still you." Hawke said apologetically

"Ugh, I feel so...so..."

"Modest?" Fenris provided.

"Yes, exactly. It's terrifying."

Fenris chuckled.

Hawke looked at his friends, they all looked relatively regal. Nero and Fenris were in their usual, finer, clothes; without the armor of course, Sebastian was wearing some fancy garments he had brought with him from Starkhaven, and he had even gotten Varric to tie his shirt and put on a dress jacket as opposed to his usual brown one.

"Are you ready?" Tallis asked him.

"No. Let's go."