The ship they boarded was… different. It was large to say the least, the planks of the deck were well oiled and clean, the cabins themselves were large, comfortable enough for two people easy. The crew members were shabby but clean, well respectful – greeting Garrett and the others with a distant formality. Tallis peered around the archway leading to the above deck cabins, she waved them towards her waving her way through leading them to their cabins before escorting them to her own. A large desk dominated the left wall, a small bunk dominating the right. Everything was nailed down securely and only a faint stench of mildew filled the air.
She placed a map atop the desk, using the small candle holder and a mug to hold the two top edges. She pointed to the area of Orlais, then to an area near the eastern border nestled in the mountains. "The jewel we're after is called the heart of the many." She leaned heavily on the desk glancing at Garrett as the rest of the lot stepped into the cabin.
"Interesting name…" Garrett exclaimed as he looked over the map with Tallis. Jennifer sat upon the bed, scraping her boot along the floorboards. Isabela sat beside her, leaning back on her elbows and crossing her legs. Fenris shut the door and leaned against it, his sword strapped to his back. That can't be comfortable…
"Interesting jewel." Replied Tallis as she straightened and looked at the rest of them. "All I care about is getting it away from the Duke." She folded her arms. "Here's the problem – the heart is in a vault, behind who knows what kind of traps, protected by a private army of Orlesian chevaliers, all inside a fortress that was designed to be impregnable." She smirked. "And let's not forget it's built on the side of a mountain, in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by monsters."
"Great, and how do you expect us to enter said impregnable fortress to retrieve the jewel?" Jennifer asked.
"We enter the hunt, we capture and kill a wyvern, get invited to the savvy banquet afterwards and sneak inside before the Duke is any wiser." Tallis shrugged.
"You do realize, sneaking isn't exactly my forte… " Hawke grumbled.
"I can attest to that!" Isabela offered cheerfully.
"I'll go." Jennifer offered, when Tallis and Hawke just looked at her she rolled her eyes. "I'm better at sneaking, I have magic on my side as well. Isabela has taught me well." She smirked at the scantily clad woman next to her and Isabela responded in kind, hugging Jennifer by the shoulders.
"I'm an excellent teacher." Isabela smirked.
"I'll bet." Tallis replied dryly. "It'll take us a few days to reach Cumberland, from there we'll travel east through the mountains to Chateau Haine."
-ooo-
Cumberland was a wonderful port city, but more amazingly the tombs and crypts that surrounded parts of the city. The tall marble and granite statues of Andraste and the Maker were beautifully carved and artfully depicted. The spires rising from the ground and the tips of the crypts topped with the twisting rays of the Chantry Sun. Jennifer subconsciously brushed her fringe to cover the Tranquil brand upon her brow as she followed Garrett through the winding streets.
The rays of the sun heated her skin pleasantly and she retained a bounce in her step that followed her even through the dwindling trees of the Planasene Forest. As they neared the apex of a smaller mountain on the winding path Jennifer looked out over the vestiges of Nevarra and smiled brightly at the wind blown plains. Fields of gold, emerald and sapphires blowing lazily in the breeze brushing along the ground.
They made camp in the mountains, each erecting their tent for the night. Jennifer built the fire, using her magic in the damp air. Garrett cooked, though it wasn't nearly as tasty as Orana's home-cooked stews. Fenris offered first watch and Jennifer stay up for a time, finding it hard to sleep on the ground. "If only there were places this beautiful where I was from, I might be more homesick." She smirked, perching herself on a boulder near where Fenris stood keeping watch along the path.
"What was your home like? You never talk about it." Fenris grumbled with his deep timber.
Jennifer shrugged looking out along the starlit mountain tops, she huddled into a wool blanket. "Not much to tell, people have lost sight of the beauty of nature and instead erect tall buildings made of metal and glass, the streets are paved with crushed stone and the air is filled with thick smog, people have adapted, but I've always preferred the wilderness to the cities."
He hummed in acknowledgement. "Minrathous is much the same. A city built on hot stone in the Tevinter heat. Great mansions and homes erected from imported stone to show the false wealth of the magisters. Danarius was one of the worst, flaunting his wealth when he could, though I suppose one would have to have vast worth to afford so much lyrium." He quirked the corner of his lips and looked at Jennifer.
She had huddled further into the wool blanket against the cold of the mountain winds. She looked at Fenris with a guarded glance. "Thank you." She said at last.
Fenris blinked. "What for?"
"For telling me. You've talked about your markings, and about Danarius, but you never talk about Minrathous or much else. It's nice to hear about your past, even if you don't remember it all." She smiled brightly and her light green eyes shined brilliantly in the dying fire light.
Fenris merely nodded.
-ooo-
Jennifer didn't know when she had fallen asleep, she didn't even remember what had happened leading up to her drifting asleep, but she awoke quietly when she felt herself being lowered. Her eyes fought against her as she slowly pried them open, and as she looked at the opened flap of her tent, she saw a slim lyrium lined foot retreat into the dim firelight. She smiled to herself, her girly bits jumping with pure delight. She huddled into her blanket once again and settled off into sleep, content with the night and those she had shared it with.
-ooo-
They had started early in the morning, before the sun had a chance to reach the tips of the peaks. She had rolled her tent and blanket together and placed it atop her pack. She trotted behind Garrett and Tallis as they went over the finer details of the plan. It wasn't until just past noon that they had arrived at a stark grey building with crenulations all along the tops of the towers jutting from the front of the fortress. Outside were several masked Orlesian nobles stood waiting, one with a odd helm and a white mask came forward to the Duke and sighed heavily, "Andraste's tears, Prosper, when is this going to get started?"
"Presently." He said and turned back to several more of the nobles. "Alright, everyone, you all know the tradition, yes?" He asked in a heavy Orlesian accent. "The first to find and slay a wyvern, wins the honors of the evening." The Duke Prosper smiled. "And bragging rights, of course." He said with a nod of his helmed head. "Good luck to you all!" The nobles departed, making their way quickly through the hunting grounds.
A man with harsh tattoos stepped forwards as Garrett, Tallis and the rest of them stepped towards the Duke. He folded his arms as if to intimidate and scowled at Hawke. Garrett only smirked. Shifting his stance only slightly. "Lovely day for a hunt, don't you agree? Very –outdoorsy. " Jennifer sniggered.
"Ah, the Champion of Kirkwall." Exclaimed the Duke. "Not the official title though I've heard many of your conquests as of late." He pointed towards the tall man and nodded. "These are honored guests."
They all stepped towards the Duke and he chuckled. "Please excuse Cahir, a polite bodyguard is a contradiction in terms. Or so I am told. Ah! And the lovely Jennifer, ward to the Lady Amell."
"A chasind… here?" Hawke asked with surprise.
"Oh, yes, you are Fereldan aren't you? You would know of these people." He said with a knowing chuckle.
"I know of darkspawn too. I generally don't let them breath on me." Garrett said with a sneer.
He laughed, an irritating sound that grated on Jennifer's nerves. "Oh! He breathes on all the guests. Think of it as a rite of passage." He smirked.
"Manservant or two? Already armed and armored? Good!" Fenris bristled next to Jennifer and she clenched her teeth to bite back at the Duke for his ignorance. " I must say, your presence is a surprise, when we last spoke at the banquet you seemed… uninterested when I mentioned our hunt."
"It's a favorite pastime of mine – to find things and kill them, actually."
He chuckled again his voice containing a suspicious tone. "So I've heard." He looked around. "At any rate, I won't keep you from the hunt. Wouldn't want you to fall behind the others, yes?" He asked, gesturing once again to the hunting grounds.
"The sooner we get to the celebrations, the happier I'll be." Hawke claimed with a grin.
"Here here!" Isabela replied happily.
"Oh I quite agree. The festivities could not come soon enough." He turned to Jennifer and placed a slimy kiss that had Jennifer feeling uneasy at her stomach. "Good luck to you, my lady. Remember, fortune favors the bold." Jennifer nodded quickly before retreating towards the entrance to the hunting ground.
When at last the Duke was out of earshot, she rubbed the back of her hand along the ground. "Ewww."