Chapter 25 - Mark of the assassin

And off they went. Travelling towards the Vimmark Mountains and Chateau Haine. Procuring the wyvern before entering the party was surprisingly easy and soon they found themselves changing into formal clothes. Hawke was looking rather dashing in a pair of purple trousers with a blue shirt and dark blue vest, Aveline was actually wearing a green dress and matching Aisha who had also put on a dress for the occasion. Fenris and Isabela were still in their regular clothes.

They were standing and waiting when Tallis walked around the corner, dressed in a beautiful blue coat and skirt.

"She's got style. I'll give her that." Aisha heard Isabela say behind her and couldn't help but silently agree. Tallis looked very pretty and Aisha couldn't help but feel a warmth spreading in her chest when Tallis seemed to smile at her the longest. Then she turned to Hawke.

"I had a quick look around," she said, "there is one door into the castle that isn't under heavy guard."

"And there is something wrong with that I imagine," Fenris asked quietly next to Hawke.

Tallis threw her arms up a little.

"I can't get it open. And believe me, I tried. Bent a nice set of lockpicks in that stupid door. One the the duke's guards must have the key. They wouldn't just lock themselves out of the castle... I hope."

Hawke chuckled at the thought.

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

"Haha," Tallis laughed, "I could make that work actually. But in the meantime, let's find somebody with a key."

Aveline interuppted.

"If you're set on this, we should split up. The guards will get suspicious of a big group."

Hawke nodded.

"Tallis and I will look for the key. The rest of you, look for another way in while not looking too suspicious. Mingle. Have fun." With that, plus a wink and a smirk, Hawke left with them and went away with Tallis.

Aveline tugged on Fenris' arm, pulling him towards the people.

"Come on," she said, "we should start." Then they left as well, leaving Aisha and Isabela looking awkwardly at each other.

"So," Isabela said, "you look nice."

"Thank you." More silence.

"Umm," Isabela continued, "so maybe we should go in that direction," pointing, "people? Liquor? Looking for a way in?"

They started walking together, Aisha a little bit in front of Isabela. The pirate took this as an opportunity to look at her. Aisha's long black hair was free for once, creating a black waterfall over the emeral green of the dress; she had still kept her bandana over her forehead though, not wanting the mark to show. Her steps held certainty as if she knew exactly where she was going which was a huge difference to what she had been like when just coming out of tranquility.

"Isabela!" Aisha and Isabela looked up. It was Lady Elegant, who was quite excited to see somebody she knew.

"Oh Isabela," she said again, "I just saw Hawke but I didn't know that you were here as well!" Her words were followed by an ear-piercing roar from the cage behind the bushes. Aisha twitched a bit at the noise and without thinking reached for Isabela's arm.

Elegant saw her uneasiness and smiled gently.

"That's just the duke's pet wyvern," she said, "apparently mbaris are too common for him."

Isabela mindlessly stroked Aisha's hand.

"How Orlesian," she rolled her eyes, "what are you doing here?"

Elegant wrinkled her nose.

"My husband's high position apparently merits this type of invitation. Can't say I enjoy it. And who is this?" Elegant asked, smiling at Aisha, "she could be your sister."

"Typical," Isabela said, "thinking that all Rivianis look the same. This is Aisha, she's an old friend."

Elegant gently shook Aisha's hand and Aisha returned her smile.

"I didn't mean anything by it," Elegant said.

"I know," Aisha said, "no offence taken. Is the party as bad as you thought it would be?"

Elegant rolled her eyes and giggled.

"Ugh, I wish," she exclaimed, "it's worse! See those two women over there? That's the du Launcet sisters. They keep calling me over and they are not people one should spend more time with than what is absolutely necessary. If they talk with you, don't make eye contact. Oh well, I should keep mingling, my husband is not the only one with expectations over his head." And with that she left, leaving the rivianis once more alone.

Isabela was quick to swipe a glass from one of the trays; she put the glass to her lips and drank it all in one go. It caused a woman close to them wrinkle her nose and mutter something that sounded like "barbarians".

"Can't you try to act a bit more... appropriate?" Aisha hissed at her, "we don't want any unwanted attention."

"Pfft," was Isabela's reply as she swiped another drink, smiling at the familiar sensation of the alcohol burning at the throat. It was also a plus that whatever they were serving didn't taste bad at all, not like the drinks at the Hanged man.

"Come on," Aisha dragged Isabela to a more secluded place, "what's wrong?"

"What do you mean, what is wrong?" Isabela snapped, "nothing is wrong. I'm at a party, I'm having a drink. That is normal."

Aisha actually smiled then.

"Yes, but do you have to be so... piraty about it?"

Isabela chuckled at her made up word. I missed you so much Aisha, I'm so happy I got to see you again. Those were the words the pirate wanted to say and yet she couldn't make herself say them. Instead she just bumped into Aisha's shoulder with her own.

"It's so boring," she said but smiled, "but I'll try. So what is up with you and that elf?"

Aisha sighed but didn't feel a need to keep anything from her friend anymore.

"I got a job as a tranquil, don't look at me like that, it seemed much better than walking around as an apostate mage. Tallis found out and then we... grew close. She needed Hawke's help with something and we thought it be best that she didn't know about our relationship."

"I see," Isabela replied, "you really know how to complicate things, don't you?"

Aisha laughed.

"Says the woman who stole a relic from the Qunari and then lost it."

"Fair enough."

"So is it serious?" Isabela had to ask.

"No," Aisha shook her head but then looked conflicted, "or yes. I don't know. Sometimes I think she would like it to be serious..."

"Pfft, women."

"Yeah..."

"I don't know," Aisha smirked, "I guess I just have a thing for rogues."

"I remember when you had a thing for riviani rogues specifically."

The woman smiled at each other, staring into each other's eyes so intensly that they didn't even notice the figure that walked towards them. I wonder if she would let me kiss her, Isabela managed to think before a non-descrete cough made them both look up. It was Tallis.

"We believe we have found a way in," she said, eyeing both rivianis with a trace of jealousy in her eyes, "I was hoping you two could find Aveline and Fenris and then join us. We're going in, but we're leaving the door open so just follow when you have found the others."

Then she just turned around and started walking without any additional words or smiles for Aisha. The mage knew what it must have looked like with Tallis knowing their history and her first instinct was to run after her friend but Isabela stopped her.

"This is not the time," the pirate said gently, "come on, we have to find the others."