A big thank you to WellspringCD for beating this chapter into shape. That you to everyone who takes the time to read, and especially those who comment. It's always good to get feedback :)

Fearghal wondered how Leliana and Zevran were getting on at Loghain's estate as he and Alistair approached the house that the barman at the inn had pointed out the previous evening. He raised his fist and hammered at the door.

An young man opened it, his face anxious. "Y-yes?"

"Brother Genitivi?" demanded Fearghal.

"Er... no. The way you'd hammered at the door, I was hoping that maybe you'd brought news of him?" The young man's eyes flicked away as Fearghal glared at him.

"We need to find him. Can you tell me where he is?"

"You'd better come in." The man opened the door wide, beckoning them inside.

Alistair and Fearghal followed him into the small house.

"I'm Weylon, Brother Genitivi's assistant." He looked at Alistair's shield. "You are from Redcliffe, sers?"

"Not exactly; however, we are here at the behest of Bann Teagan, the Arl of Redcliffe's brother," explained Fearghal .

"I've had no news of Genitivi in weeks; it's most unlike him." Weylon wrung his hands. "Several knights from Redcliffe have already been here looking for him. I sent them after him, but they too have disappeared."

"Where did you send them?" asked Alistair.

"Genitivi didn't tell me exactly where he was going, but his notes indicated there was something of interest at Kinloch Hold."

Fearghal frowned. "We were there less than a month ago and saw no sign of Genitivi or any knights from Redcliffe."

"S-something must have happened to them. I'm so worried, ser."

"Do you know what he was looking for there?" asked Fearghal.

"N-no, ser. All he told me was that he was going to Lake Calenhad; that he wanted to look up some old books in the library in the Mage's tower."

Fearghal stepped forward, scowling. "I thought you said he didn't tell you where he was going. You said you had to look in his notes."

Weylon stepped back, his eyes wide, then gestured at Fearghal. Fearghal staggered as his legs turned to jelly; he felt himself starting to fall.

"He's a mage!" yelled Alistair and released a flash of energy that sent Weylon staggering backwards. Alistair drew his sword and ran the man through. The man slid off Alistair's sword and was dead before he hit the floor.

Alistair helped Fearghal to his feet. "Are you all right?"

Fearghal felt his strength returning. "I-I think so. Thanks." He looked down at the corpse on the floor. "A mage seems an odd assistant for a chantry scholar. Let's have a look around."

Fearghal started ferreting through the large bookcase while Alistair went into the back room.

Moments later Fearghal heard Alistair call, "Er, Fearghal. I think I've found the real Weylon."

Fearghal hurried into the back room, Genitivi's bed chamber, and found Alistair crouching over a corpse which had been rolled up in a rug.

"There's not a mark on him," observed Fearghal.

Alistair shrugged. "Depending on how the mage killed him, there wouldn't be. Poor sod." He straightened. "Why would anyone kill Genitivi's assistant?"

"Loghain maybe? We know he's already sent one apostate to Redcliffe to poison the arl. Maybe when he heard that Isolde was sending knights out searching for the urn, he wanted to make sure they never found it. What's the betting that Genitivi's nowhere near Lake Calenhad?"

Together they started searching through the room. Fearghal found a bundle of papers stuffed into a corner of a chest. His eyes widened as he realised they were a set of rough notes, bound up in a map.

Fearghal unfolded the map, laying it on the chest, and studied. "Look at this. I think this is where he's heading."

"Haven? I've never heard of it," said Alistair, peering over his shoulder.

"It looks to be in the Frostbacks. We'll need cold weather gear, it'll be winter soon. We'll need it for the trip to Orzammar anyway, so we might as well get it while we're here."

Fearghal folded up the map, gathered up the other papers and tucked them into his breastplate. "Let's go to the Noble. We can get something to eat and have a read through these notes, then head back to Teagan's house and wait for Zev and Leliana."

~o~O~o~

Fearghal looked round at the others seated around the small table. "I think that tomorrow, we'll go back to the camp and fetch the others. We'll all need to get extra gear if we're heading into the Frostbacks. Winter's almost here and it's going to get a lot colder. I'd like to be in and out of Haven before the weather gets too bad."

"Why not make a start now?" asked Leliana.

"Because we have other plans to discuss," Fearghal explained with a grin.

Briefly he recapped his conversation with Slim Couldry.

"You're planning a robbery?" exclaimed Alistair.

"I'd rather think of it as reclaiming what's rightfully mine, as well as putting a spoke in the wheels of Loghain's plans," retorted Fearghal.

"And what are we supposed to do with a haul of silver bullion? We can't exactly carry it around with us?" demanded Alistair.

"Couldry will see to that. He reckons it should fetch several hundreds of sovereigns. Even after his cut, there will be plenty."

Alistair scowled. "I still don't like it. We're Grey Wardens, not thieves."

"Firstly, by all accounts Howe is bleeding Highever white to get that bullion. Secondly, we need funds; Teagan was generous, but what he gave us isn't going to last forever. We have no idea how long it's going to take us to gather an army to fight the Archdemon. Thirdly, most of what Couldry gets will be sent back to Bennet at Highever. I don't suppose that Howe is doling out widows pensions to those whose husbands died at Highever or Ostagar. Finally, it makes things more difficult for Loghain, which can't be a bad thing." Fearghal glared at Alistair.

"Well, when you put it like that... " conceded Alistair.

Fearghal looked at Leliana and Zevran. "What did you find at Loghain's estate?"

"It's all closed up. That probably means there's hardly anyone inside, but it was difficult to tell. There are regular patrols of guards around the walls, which are high with spikes on the top," Zevran told him.

"It sounds like getting over the wall would be our biggest problem," mused Fearghal.

"There was one section, near the gate, that wasn't in very good repair. Some of the spikes are missing, but it's not a good place to try and get over, being so close to the road," said Leliana.

"Then again, if we went in the early hours of the morning, there's unlikely to be any passers by," argued Zevran.

Alistair shook his head. "I don't like it. It seems an unnecessary risk. If it goes wrong we'll be dead or in Fort Drakon. We have a good idea where Genitivi was heading. There's no guarantee that the antidote is in Loghain's estate, if he hasn't destroyed it already."

Alistair was surprised when Fearghal didn't argue.

"Fair enough, you're probably right. We've enough on with relieving Howe of his stolen bullion tonight. Maybe we should quit while we're ahead."

Alistair stood. "I'd better go and wash those pots from breakfast."

Leliana followed him. "I'll help. It doesn't seem fair for you to have to do them all."

Fearghal waited until he heard their footsteps receding down the corridor, then he leaned close to Zevran. "Do you think that just you and I could get into Loghain's estate?"

"I suppose so, but I think we would do better with Leliana with us, at least."

Fearghal shook his head. "If we all disappear without Alistair, he's going to get suspicious."

Fearghal thought for a moment, then asked, "Can you get to the camp and back before the city gates close?"

"I think so. You have a plan?"

Fearghal grinned. "I want you to go back and get that old set of splint of mine. Take it to the Pearl, book a room for the night and leave it there. After we've got the bullion, we can go there and I'll change into it. It'll be much better for scrambling over walls in."

"What about Alistair?" asked Zevran.

"If we tell him we're going to the Pearl, he'll run back here so fast, we won't see his arse for dust," chuckled Fearghal.

Zevran frowned. "I still think it would be better if Leliana... "

"No, Zev. Alistair will know that we're up to something if we take her." He paused. "Look, if you think that the two of us can't do this, then say so and I'll drop it."

"No, we can do it." Zevran held his hand out. "I'll need some money. Rooms at the Pearl don't come cheap, even without whores."

Fearghal dropped a few sovereigns into his hand and Zevran headed to the door. "Zev, no dallying at the Pearl. Straight there and straight back." He chuckled as Zevran's face fell.

~o~O~o~

Slim Couldry was waiting for them in the alley behind the Gnawed Noble.

Fearghal looked around. "I thought some of your men were going to be here, to get the bullion away."

"Once you get in the warehouse, there's another door at the back. My men have a horse and cart in the other alley. I didn't want to have to bring it through the market at night. Old Kylon would be full of questions."

Fearghal nodded. "Wait out here. We'll come and get you once we've subdued them."

Couldry nodded and headed back down the alley, to keep look out. Leliana watched him go, then drew her lockpicks out and set to work on the door. Moments later she stepped back and Zevran took her place at the door, holding the small grenades he'd spent the afternoon making.

"Stand back and look away," he warned, then opened the door and stepped inside. He threw one bomb to the far end of the room and stepped out again quickly, throwing the second behind him. He dodged to the side of the doorway, briefly closing his eyes against the blinding flashed of light.

As soon as the second grenade flashed, Fearghal charged through the door and down to the far end of the room. Four guards stood there, dazed and blinking. Zevran followed him, while Alistair charged the two guards near the door. Virtually blinded, the guards stood no chance. Only one of them even managed to draw a weapon; Zevran never gave him a chance to use it.

"Was it necessary to kill them? Couldn't we have tied them up or something?" Alistair's face was troubled as he looked from the two corpses to Fearghal.

Fearghal scowled at him. "They're Howe's men. They'd kill me as soon as look at me. Go and get Couldry." He turned away and walked through to the back of the warehouse. Opening the back door, he looked out warily. Moments later Couldry joined him and beckoned. A horse and cart loomed out of the black night, its hooves bound with sacks to dampen any noise. Four men jumped down off the cart and followed Couldry into the warehouse.

Fearghal and Alistair helped to load the heavy crates onto the cart. Even with six of them working, it took a good twenty minutes to move all the bullion. Once it was all loaded onto the cart, the men covered it with a tarpaulin then disappeared into the darkness. Slim Couldry handed Fearghal a purse that was heavy with coin.

"A little something on account, ser," He murmured, smiling. "When you get up to Orzammar, ask for Modolf. You should be able to find him at the surfacers market."

Fearghal nodded and held out his hand. "Thank you, Couldry. Send my regards to Bennet."

"That I will, ser," grinned Couldry, grasping Fearghal's arm. He turned and climbed up on to the cart, grunting.

"Hmmmm, that's a heavy-looking purse, Warden. Maybe we should go and celebrate our success?" suggested Zevran.

Fearghal chuckled. "How about a trip to the Pearl?"

"That sounds like a fine idea! Alistair, Leliana, will you join us?"

"I'll pass, thanks," said Alistair tersely.

Zevran made a small noise of disappointment and turned to Leliana. She smiled at him. "Not for me, Zevran."

Fearghal tipped some of the coins from the purse and pocketed them, then handed it to Alistair with a broad grin. "It doesn't seem like a good idea to take that much to a brothel, we might never leave."

Alistair flushed and snatched the purse from him, then stalked off down the alley.

"You are both very naughty," chided Leliana, although the twinkle in her eye belied her words. As she followed Alistair down the alley, Zevran called after them, "Don't wait up!" They heard Alistair muttering and both burst out laughing.