Sorry for taking so long to post something new. Life got in the way and I haven't been writing much, I'm hoping to start posting more frequently again soon.
They eventually found Hawke and Tallis, just after Tallis had picked the lock on their cell. Apparently Duke Propser had known who Tallis was the moment he laid eyes on her, and had kept an eye on them even when they broke into the fortress. After the duke had caught them Tallis had told Hawke that she was planning to plant a jewel somewhere for him to find while she went off to stop her tutor, a Qunari named Salit, from sharing information with the Duke that would endanger thousands of innocent lives. The Duke had told them that he had made arrangements to lure them to the castle before Salit had even arrived; Tallis was furious about this.
After Tallis and Hawke changed into their armor they let two prisoners out of their cells and were forced to fight some colorful Orlesian guards. Then Tallis showed them a hole in the wall and they were in the caves where the the ghasts came from. Lots of the vile creatures had to be killed before they reached a bridge that went over a lake inside the mountain. There they ran into Duke Prospers bodyguard, Cahir. He took a while to fall but eventually they were on their way again.
"So, you've been to Orlais before, Isabela?" Fenris asked
Isabela shrugged, "once or twice. Spent some time in a prison in Val Chevin."
"But you broke out?"
Isabela chuckled, "broke into, actually. Getting out was the easy part."
"All to steal something magnificent, I imagine?"
Isabela laughed, "no! They threw my first mate in there. I'd always liked Casavir, so I wasn't going to just abandon him."
"Ah. And he is dead now, along with the rest of your crew?" Fenris asked.
"Him? No, I left him on the docks. The idiot."
"Do I even want to know what it is that he did?"
Isabela snorted, "the idiot got put into an Orlesian prison."
"You have a strange sense of honor."
"Shh, not so loud. I don't want everyone to know."
They continued walking for a few minutes in silence, keeping an eye out for ghast holes, when Isabela spoke again.
"So why haven't you converted to the Qun? You seem to know it well."
Fenris smirked, "and you know the letter of the law, yet choose to ignore it."
"Ah, good point."
"I didn't escape one form of slavery only to become slave to myself." He told her.
"Er, what does that mean?" She asked
Fenris furrowed his brow, "I'm... not sure. But it sounded profound, didn't it?"
"You're always profound, Fenris." Nero told him.
"To those that sleep with him, maybe." Isabela said.
"I don't think he's very profound." Hawke told them.
"Thanks, Hawke." Fenris scowled.
Nero rolled his eyes and leaned in to whisper into the elf's ear, Fenris was blushing furiously again when he pulled away.
"Oh, I love when he does that." Isabela giggled.
Tallis stopped them just as they reached two tunnels that lead outside, each going in a different direction.
"And there is the way out." Tallis said. "See, I told you I had a plan. It was a good plan, the kind that had an escape and everything."
"Well it's not a monster lair, that is a good sign." Hawke teased.
"So you could go, there are however, other options." Tallis told him
"Hmm, Oh I suppose there's room for a cot, but where would be put the dinner table?" Hawke asked with a smirk.
"You've been so reasonable since we were captured. I'm...hoping that hasn't changed. What Salit is going to do will harm so many innocents - my people as well as yours.. It's my duty to stop him, even so, I can't do it alone. Not anymore."
"You don't actually think you can finish your mission?" Hawke asked.
"Alone? probably not, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't try." Tallis said, "some things are worth dying for."
"My my, she has changed hasn't she?" Nero muttered to himself.
"What?" Fenris asked.
Nero shook his head, "nothing."
"After everything you've already done, why would I help you again?" Hawke demanded to know.
"Because...I got your nose." She smiled, holding her thumb between her fingers.
Hawke raised his eyebrow, "the Qun taught you that?"
"If I were following the Qun I would actually have your nose."
Hawke furrowed his brow, unsure what she was getting at.
"I suppose that doesn't help. If I had my way you would never have been this involved in the first place." Tallis told him apologetically.
Hawke sighed, "explain what's so terrible about Salit's plan. I don't even know what it is that he is planning to do."
"I...can't. Not Completely, and yes, I know. That's a hard sell. The Information Salit plans on turning over to Orlais won't just hurt Qunari, however. It will harm anyone living in Qunari lands. Even the people who fled the Qunari, of any race, will be condemned to persecution forever."
"So this isn't just some political scheme?"
"If only it was." Tallis said with a shake of hear head. "I'm not here on some directive from the Qun, I came..."she sighed "Salit was declared Tal-Veshoth, but they didn't deem intervention worthwhile. I...couldn't agree. I had to try."
"Doesn't that make you Tal-Veshoth as well?" Hawke asked.
"No. The Ben Hassrath didn't order me not to do this, but here I am anyway. I was trying to earn my way back into their good graces. This probably won't help."
"Why? What did you do?"
"Its not easy being an elf in the Qun. You're not born into it like they are. I struggle to find that peace, that certainty. I know its there I just...keep falling short.
"Maybe you should take that as a sign?" Isabela said.
"I used to be like you. I told myself if I never cared about anyone or anything, I could never be hurt. Life would be fun. But it wasn't. There was a hole inside me. Nothing I did ever filled it."
"I can vouch for that." Nero scowled.
"Oh, that's too easy." Isabela scoffed.
"Not everything should be easy. Don't you wonder what it would be like? A life with meaning, with purpose?"
"I... have a purpose. I have Hawke."
"Lucky you." she turned to Hawke, "what about you, have you ever been a part of something bigger than just yourself?"
"Big things have tried to eat me, does that count?" He asked.
"The Qunari have a vision of what life should be like. Free from pain and fear and doubt. You see tyranny and I see caring, an interest in the welfare of all. Yes it could be better. But so could human indifference and cruelty. Or do you disagree?"
"No, you...have a point."
"Then help me stop this before it goes too far." She pleaded.
"What did you have in mind exactly?"
"Well, we could go back, maybe have some tea with the duke, get to know one another. Then just as he begins to trust us you put a bag over his head and we drag him to Antiva."
"No! Not Antiva, you fiend!" Hawke teased.
"Antiva's really not that bad." Isabela said.
"They make good treats." Nero added.
Isabela gasped, "have you ever had one of their apple, cinnamon and peach pouches, the ones with rich cream on top?"
"Oh Maker, yes, those were delicious...I had to steal them, but I think that made it all the more delightful." Nero said, drooling at the thought of them.
Hawke gaped at the two as they continued to talk about different desserts they found in Antiva, "anyway..." he said.
Tallis chuckled at Isabela and Nero, "or we could find out when Salit is arriving and stop him before it's too late."