"Wait, I'm helping the Qunari recover some priceless artifact? Oh, the irony." Isabela laughed.

"So you were the one who stole the Tome. Did you read it?" Tallis asked.

"In between running for my life? Of course I read it."

Tallis chuckled, "ah, sarcasm is one of the demands of the Qun, did you know?"

Isabela rolled her eyes, "no, it's not."

"So you did read it, then." Tallis smirked.

"It was terribly boring."

They were outside of the caves and had found out where Salit was from a Tal-Veshoth. They had also passed a couple of wyverns that appeared to be mating and had run into Baron Arlange, who tried, again, to kill them. Now they were hiking up a trail that was supposed to lead to a ruin of some sort.

And Isabela was staring at Tallis, hard.

"What?" the red haired elf asked.

Isabela counted on her fingers, "lies, betrayal, leading us here to die..."

Tallis smirked, "and you thought you could do it so much better?

"I would never... well, yes. I would. But there's only room for one backstabbing rogue in this party, elf."

Tallis gave her an apologetic bow "I apologize. From now on, that position is all yours."

Isabela frowned, unsure at what she had been getting at, "good. Just so we're clear. "

"I can't figure it out." Fenris said.

"What?" Tallis asked.

"You escape a life of servitude and oppression only to join a society of absolute obedience and servility?"

"I'm not oppressed. I serve because I wish to."

"In the manner they dictate. And on pain of death." Fenris said skeptically.

"You make it sound so senseless."

"Voluntarily giving up your freedom is senseless. Hmmm... Shok ebasit hissra. Maraas shokra."

Tallis giggled, "are you testing me? That's so cute!"

"Do you know what I said or not?" Fenris demanded hotly.

"You said, 'struggle is an illusion. There is nothing to struggle against.' But your accent is terrible."

When Fenris only grunted in response, Nero chuckled.

Fenris glared at him, "what?"

"Nothing, nothing." Nero assured him, letting himself smile when the elf looked away.

"So just how good are you with that bow?" Tallis suddenly asked Sebastian.

Sebastian started, "eh? There's been no complaints."

"So...if I put an apple on my head, could you shoot it off?"

Sebastian scowled, "considering what you've led us into, I don't think that would be wise."

Tallis sighed, "you people are so touchy."

"Not usually, I think it's just you." Nero told her.

"Well, I apologize for being inconsiderable." She said.

"Why are you so talkative, anyway?"

"I'm nervous, and stressed...I talk a lot when I'm nervous and stressed."

"Oh yeah... I remember." Nero said gravely.

"So, Tallis, what were you before?" Sebastian asked her.

"When I was a little girl, I liked to pretend I was a dragon."

Sebastian rolled his eyes, "I mean... were you raised in the Chantry? Among the Dalish?"

"When I grew up, the Imperial Chantry was the only option. They don't have much use for elves. Or anyone who's not a magister."

"Then they weren't representing the will of Andraste. The Maker has a place for everyone."

"So does the Qun."

When everyone stopped talking her nerves began to assault her. Would she be able to face Salit? Would she be able to kill him? Would she succeed? What would happen if she didn't? Thousands of innocent lives would end, she knew. How could the Qunari decide that this wasn't a big deal?

She shook her head and caught site of Varric and strode over to walk beside him. She was fairly certain she hadn't irritated him yet.

"Last name Tethras, right? I've heard of that clan." She said.

"Get out! Nobody's heard of clan Tethras." Varric said in amazement.

"My father owned a dwarven sword with a clan Tethras rune on it."

"Huh. Must have been Dusan. He was a smith. Tried to become Paragon, ended up poisoning himself."

"Really?" She asked

"He was terrible at intrigue. Forgot which goblet he'd put the poison in. Wasn't finished gloating to his enemy when he keeled over. I think the family always had a sense for terrible drama." Varric chuckled.

"Do you as well?

Varric snorted, "what kind of story teller would I be if I could spice real life up with drama?"

Tallis chuckled.

Varric sighed, "all right, Shivs, I'll admit it: I'm surprised the Qunari employ thieves. They never struck me as the subtle type."

"That's because you've only met the antaam. Armies aren't usually celebrated for their sneakiness. Also, 'Shivs?'" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, 'Shivs.' So, how does stealing valuables from a pompous Orlesian noble fit in with your Qun?"

"'The eyes don't own the light, the mouth does not own the breath.' Things are just things to the Qun. They belong to everyone."

"Even the Tome of Koslun? That was worth starting a war over." Varric told her skeptically.

"The Tome isn't a thing anymore. It's a soul, a purpose. Like Bianca, but with pages."

"And how, pray tell, does one identify what is truly a 'thing'?" Nero asked, "or do you just call what other people have that you want a 'thing' so that you can steal it?"

Tallis scowled, "do you really want to know?"

"No."

"Ugh."

They quickly found themselves in the ruins and were heading up a path that seemed to lead right into them when they heard voices.

"lets get this over with, Qunari. Before your assassins find us." Duke Prosper was saying.

"Looks like we're in the right place." Tallis said gravely.