Chapter 13 - Smuggler's and Pledges

"These idiots just can't take a hint, can they?" Alyx growled in irritation as she wiped her blades free of blood for the fifth time that day…or was it the sixth? Nathaniel had lost count. He silently shook his head in mild amusement as he watched their suddenly overzealous Commander crouch over the dead figure of the man they had been tracking all afternoon.

It had been three days since their arrival in Amaranthine; days spent mostly amid boredom and in taking care of tedious (yet supposedly "important") tasks for their fearless leader. Nathaniel knew what she was really about though…Alyx was avoiding them, or had been until this morning when she announced that they would be clearing the city of the unscrupulous smugglers taking advantage of the supply dearth.

Constable Aidan had been more than happy to give them what little information he had on the situation, gleefully pointing them in the direction of the market district with a vague description of a man thought to be trading black-market goods for exorbitant prices. The market had been inundated with mid-day shoppers, yet they were able to spot their target with relative ease. Alas, the man recognized them as well and took off through the milling crowd at a dead sprint upon seeing them.

They soon found out exactly how extensive and organized the smuggling operation actually was, but not in the way any of them could have expected. The suspected man led them on a merry chase through the city streets, sending out wave after wave of hired goons in the attempt to waylay them. Unfortunately (for the smuggler), his efforts only served to anger Alyx further. By the time they caught up with him at the city gates it was obvious she was done entertaining his little game of hide and go seek.

"Stupid git," Alyx spat as she glowered at the inert form at her feet. "He led us right to them." Turning, she displayed the items she had pilfered from the dead man's pockets; a heavy brass key and a map detailing the underground network the smugglers had been using to move goods in and out of the city unnoticed. "I swear, criminals have to be the cockiest sons-of-bitches in all of Thedas," she scoffed as she shoved the items in her pack.

"Either that or the most foolish," Anders murmured from beside her. "At least this one didn't insist on delivering a dramatic monologue before he died."

"And thank the maker for that," she agreed before signaling them to follow her.

Nathaniel would normally roll his eyes or offer his own dry retort to this exchange, but the fact of the matter was that this was the most she had said in days. Ever since their first night in Amaranthine he had noticed a sudden change in Alyx's attitude. He hadn't known quite what to expect the morning after their "revelries" in the taproom, but it was not the calm and collected woman that had waltzed down the stairs and pulled up a chair…as if she had not almost fallen to pieces in front of everyone and ran off like she had seen a ghost (which he supposed she had). The warmth and openness she had begun to show that night had been unequivocally thrust into a guarded part of her mind, the door firmly slammed behind it. Nathaniel had a fleeting moment of petulance when he realized she was dodging him, but then he noticed she wasn't speaking to Anders or Oghren either. He was perplexed by her sudden withdrawal into herself, but even further confounded by his desire to fix it.

Somehow this "Alistair" was the key. Nathaniel was curious as to what sort of man he had been to have earned such utter devotion from their prickly leader. He cornered Oghren after his little private chat with her, but the dwarf refused to say anything more on the subject.

"I'm already in enough trouble for sayin' as much as I did. The Falcon's a private woman, though ye wouldn't think it with all the sodding 'Hero' mumbo jumbo the common folk keep yammerin' about," the dwarf said as he scratched his beard contemplatively.

"Yes, I understand that, but I am asking about Alistair, not Lex—Falcon," Nathaniel retorted.

"Don'tchya see? It's all relative when it comes to those two. Might as well've already been leg-shackled by the end of the blight instead of just engaged as it was."

"Engaged, huh?" Nathaniel replied slyly as he crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair with a smug smile.

"Nug stones! Ye tricky bastard, ye ain't gettin' anymore outta' me!" Oghren exclaimed, his face turning beet red in embarrassment at his slip-up.

"Fine. Whatever you say, dwarf," he replied nonchalantly.

"But why all the secrecy?" Anders asked from across the table. "It's not like it's forbidden for Grey Wardens to be together—is it?"

"He-he, worried about dippin' yer quill in forbidden ink, eh, mage?" Oghren leered, ignoring the look of disgust both he and Anders threw in his direction. "I asked her about that once durin' the blight; said that it was frowned upon but not forbidden. Guess they figured that Wardens sacrifice enough without throwin' celibacy in to boot. Besides, their relationship was no secret. Anyone with eyes could see that they were mad for each other. It's the grief she don't want spread around like a bad case of the Anitvan willy-pox…thinks it'll make her look weak or what have ye'."

"Or maybe it just makes her human," Nathaniel muttered under his breath.

"Truth is she would've been fine had you two kept yer pityin' looks for someone who wants 'em. Humph! Starin' at her like she's gonna' spontaneously combust or somethin'. You just wait'n see. She'll be bendin' herself over backwards tryin' to prove to ye' sodding idiots that she's a capable leader."

"But she doesn't have to prove anything to us!" Anders cried in surprise.

"Oh no? Well ye have a sodding lousy way of showin' it, between yer 'Woe is me! I'll never be truly free! Protect me from the nasty templar-men Falcon!' and Howe's daddy issues," he growled, thrusting a beefy finger in Nathaniel's direction. "Have either of ye even thanked her for savin' yer pathetic lives? Huh?"

Both Anders and Nathaniel stared at him in shock at first, and then shifted in their chairs as embarrassment set in. Nathaniel inwardly winced. Guilt seemed to be a common emotion for him lately.

"Yeah, I thought not," Oghren continued. "The both of ye are useless if ye ask me. Two grown men cryin' like a couple'a babies…my kid don't whine near as much as you nug-humpers!"

As they followed Alyx back through the marketplace, Nathaniel realized that Oghren had been right. He and Anders really hadn't done anything to earn their Commander's faith, nor had they proven themselves worthy of the title Grey Warden. And yet she was worried about what they thought of her? How absurd and so…so like Lexy, he thought with a smile. He was so caught up in his own thoughts that it took a moment to realize that they were heading out of the city.

"Uh, Commander? Isn't the guard house that way?" he asked, pointing behind them.

"How very observant of you, Nathaniel," she drawled.

So it's back to formalities now, is it? He bristled at the thought.

"Funny that we're walking in the opposite direction then. Should we not be turning this information over to the Constable?" he asked.

"No."

"No? Why ever not?"

She stopped and turned to shoot him a look that reminded him so much of his mother that he had to suppress a shudder. It was a look that brooked no argument.

"Because I intend to put these bastards out of business myself," she replied haughtily before turning on her heel and continuing down the riddled dirt path.

Nathaniel scowled at her retreating form. He didn't care for the determined, almost wild look in her eyes. It made his stomach churn uneasily.

"Falcon?" Oghren called.

"Yes?"

"Where we goin'?"

"To the smuggler's hideout of course," she replied dismissively.

"What?" Anders yelped. "We're going to attack them on their own ground? Are you out of your mind, woman?"

"Exactly who is in command here, Anders?" she asked coldly.

"You are, but—"

"Then do not question my orders. If you don't like it, you can bloody well go back to the inn and wait for us," she snapped.

Anders was obviously surprised at her reaction, but was wise enough not to comment at her outburst. Nathaniel frowned, his apprehension spiking at her abuse of the mage. Alyx never yelled at Anders.

They walked the rest of the way in silence, each member of their small group engulfed in their own thoughts. Maker, I hope she knows what she's doing, he thought as he tried to shake off the feeling of foreboding.

There were only two men guarding the entrance of the abandoned house that led to the smuggler's hideout. Once they were dealt with she led them inside a single-room building that was empty beyond some empty sacks and a large, wooden trap door at the far end. Nathaniel could hear the tumblers click open and the screech of rusted hinges as she unlocked the door and opened it to reveal a set of rickety stairs. Without a word she descended into the dark recesses, the others following behind her.

The stairs led to a set of rooms filled with crates, barrels and sacks likely containing appropriated items that made up the black-market trade. Nathaniel was disgusted with the whole idea though he knew how typical such acts were during a time of turmoil. Scowling, he was suddenly reminded of the fact that his father had been just such a man. Had he still been alive, Rendon Howe would have likely funded the smugglers activities instead of trying to stop them.

As they reached the last set of rooms he noticed a dramatic change in the atmosphere. The air was heavier here; the combination of mold and brine so potent that he could almost taste it. He could hear the singular sound of softly lapping waves as they entered an enormous natural cove that led out into the Waking Sea. The smugglers had built a dock and a staging area into the back wall of the cavern that was furnished with bookshelves lined with ledgers, a desk, and even a couple of comfortable-looking armchairs resting on a finely-woven rug. Apparently the smuggling business is a lucrative one, he mused.

Alyx ducked behind a large boulder, signaling for the others to follow. They were positioned on a ledge above the docking area that allowed them to easily observe without being seen. There were only two men below, but Nathaniel knew that this was bound to change once they made their presence known. Putting a finger to her lips in silent command, Alyx carefully unsheathed her weapons and handed them to Nathaniel.

"I'm going to scout ahead. Stay here until I give the signal," she whispered.

"Unarmed? Are you mad?" Nathaniel hissed back at her.

"They make too much noise without the proper sheaths," she replied, tapping the flat of one of the blades with an index finger before shrugging and shooting him a devilish smile. "Besides, I won't need them for these cretins."

Without another word she gracefully leapt over the boulder and promptly melted into the darkness.

"She is completely out of her mind, yes? Just checking," Anders quipped from beside him.

"What, are ye a pair of nursemaids now? Sit back and take it easy. Things are just about to get good," Oghren replied.

"She's going to get herself killed, dwarf," Anders hissed, his usually good-natured features drawn in concern.

Oghren snorted in disbelief.

"Yer actin' like you've never seen her fight before. Relax, Falcon's got this."

The uneasy feeling in Nathaniel's stomach grew worse as he scanned the area in the hopes of spotting her lithe form and was surprised when even his experienced eyes couldn't pick her out of the shadows.

"Where'd she go?" Anders whispered as if reading his mind.

"She always goes up if it's an option," Oghren replied, jabbing his thumb towards the ceiling. "Says no one ever looks over their heads."

Sure enough, Nathaniel spotted her flitting through the rafters above the staging area as nimble as an acrobat. She crept closer and closer to the two smugglers until she was practically right over their heads, but neither of the men seemed to notice anything amiss. His heart began to race as she swung down from her hiding place and dropped to the ground behind them, quiet as a cat.

"Hello," she cooed, a wide, wicked grin spreading across her face as she straightened to her full height.

Both men snapped their heads around at the sound of her voice, but that was as far as they got. Alyx's hands shot out in several swift, inscrutable movements before she reached up and slammed their heads together with an audible crack. Nathaniel stifled a wince as they fell to the ground at her feet.

"Goodbye," she murmured as she stepped over the now unconscious men.

"He he, that's my girl," Oghren said with a chuckle.

Distant yelling and footsteps could be heard as the rest of the smugglers finally took note of their presence. Oghren bellowed a war cry as he jumped down to join her, Anders following closely behind him. Nathaniel reached for his bow but was suddenly distracted by a movement out of the corner of his eye. An archer stood at the end of the ledge to his right, lining up a shot that was clearly intended for Alyx. He quickly pulled his dirk from his boot and hurled it at the archer. He watched as the dagger turned end over end through the air until it lodged in the man's throat with wicked accuracy, but not before the man was able to pull off his shot.

Nathaniel's heart stopped the moment he saw the arrow arching though the air, aimed directly for Alyx's chest. Time seemed to slow as pure terror set in. He wanted desperately to look away, but he couldn't tear his eyes from the scene as it played out before him. In a movement so quick he barely registered it Alyx shot her hand out and stopped the arrow mid-flight, just inches from its target. It quivered in her fist from the momentum before she snapped it in half and threw it to the ground.

From there time sped up again as ciaos ensued all around him. Nathaniel could feel himself go through the motions of drawing his bow and loosing arrows down upon the enemy, but his mind was detached from the actions. His fear steadily turned into anger as he watched Alyx fight with a preternatural grace that made her just as deadly with her hands as she was with a blade. It was as beautiful of a sight as it was frightening. He would have enjoyed it more had he not been watching her through a red haze of fury.

The smugglers fell with a frightening amount of ease, though he supposed they were hardly a challenge to any of them in comparison to the darkspawn. When the fighting was over and the last of the enemy had fallen, the cove grew eerily quiet, leaving Nathaniel with nothing but the anger pounding through his system. Straightening to his full height, he could feel every muscle in his body tighten as he jumped down to the landing below and strode with intent towards his quarry.

He could hear Anders fussing over Alyx as he frantically ran his hands over her in the attempt to discern any unseen injuries.

"Cut it out, I'm fine!" she snapped peevishly as she swatted his hands away.

Nathaniel almost smiled at that. Almost.

"What the bloody hell were you thinking?" he spat as he closed the distance between them.

"I suggest you back off, Howe," she replied in dangerously soft tones.

Nathaniel let out a low, harsh laugh.

"No, I don't think so. Not this time, Commander," he growled as he took another step closer so that her face was within inches of his own. Her eyes widened infinitesimally at the close proximity and the obvious anger snapping within his own steely gaze. "Just what did you think you were doing going into a hostile situation alone and unarmed? Are you completely insane or do you just have a death wish?"

"I knew what I was doing," she snapped back in precise, clipped tones.

"Bull shit! You could've been killed…Hell, you very nearly were killed."

"And yet I wasn't, so the point is moot."

"I had to watch an arrow come within a hairsbreadth of being lodged through your heart and you want to argue semantics?" he yelled in disbelief.

"He's right, Falcon," Anders interjected gravely. "Had you taken that arrow it would have instantly killed you. I am a damn fine healer, but not even I can bring someone back from the dead."

"Et tu, Anders?" she asked as she turned her angry glare at the mage.

"You took an unnecessary risk going after those men on your own. Why would you do that? Why even bother making us Wardens at all if you won't trust us enough to have us at your back?" Anders said in even, angry tones.

Alyx's face drained of all its color and then flushed a brilliant red, her mouth opening and closing as she struggled to find the correct words.

"I—"

"Don't bloody bother! There is no excuse you could give…none…that could make me believe you should've taken such a risk," Nathaniel interrupted as his temper flared to the breaking point. "There are four of us here and yet you take your life into your own hands, and for what? So that you can prove something to us? To yourself? Either way, it was reckless and completely irresponsible, and possibly one of the most selfish things you have ever done!"

His last words echoed off the cavernous walls of the cove, sounding harsh in the resulting silence after his diatribe. Alyx had gone completely still, her fists clenched tightly at her sides and her jaw jutting out at a stubborn angle as he stood there and bellowed at her like an ill-mannered peasant. Nathaniel knew he had gone too far when he saw the sheen of unshed tears gather in her eyes before she dropped her gaze to the ground at his feet.

Shit. Oh, shit! Please don't do that! He silently begged her, panic setting in as he watched her struggle for composure.

"Commander—Alyx," he began, unsure of what to say but wanting to make things right. What he really wanted to do was grab her and give her a good, hard shake for scaring him so badly, but instead he took both her hands in his. When she didn't even look up he dropped to his knees and looked up into her face.

"Look at me, Lex," he said hoarsely, his voice thick with emotion. "I know we haven't made it easy on you, but we can't go on like this. We have to be able to trust each other if we're to battle the darkspawn and survive. I swear to you on my family's name that I am loyal to you and to the Order, that I will endeavor to serve and protect all Wardens, and that I will never intentionally betray your trust under the penalty of death. This I pledge to you, Commander. My life is yours."

Her eyes went wide at his last words, jaw dropping open as he stared into their blue depths. His eyes silently begged her to hear the sincerity in them. Perhaps he had gone a little overboard, but the color creeping back into her face spoke volumes. He had said the right thing.

"I, too, swear my fealty, Commander…though of course I don't have a family name to speak of…or really anything else to offer you save my life, but I do wholeheartedly give it to you in service…or die a terrible and bloody death. You could even throw me to the templars if you like," Anders offered, his normal goofy grin once again plastered on his face.

Nathaniel tried not to scowl too much as the mage raised her hand to his lips, especially when he saw him turn it over to place a kiss in the center of her palm instead of the traditional salute. He also tried not to think too hard about the blush that crept into her cheeks as his lips lingered longer then was strictly proper.

"I—don't know what to say," Alyx breathed as she looked at all of them in turn.

"You needn't say anything," Anders replied. "We're a team, Falcon. This just makes it official."

"Enough with this mush-ball nonsense. You three are gonna' make me puke," Oghren huffed as he walked up to Alyx and slapped her on the back. "Ye kicked ass today, kid. When ye get it in yer head to cause some damage, you really tear it up. Haven't seen ye fight like that since the blight. Good on ye, Falc."

"Uh—thanks, I guess," she replied with an amused smile.

"I assume ye know I'm good fer it without spewin' a bunch of pretty words?" he continued, looking less than comfortable.

"Of course, Oghren," she replied with a laugh that broke the last of the tension.

"Good. Can we go back to the inn now? I need a drink after dealin' with all this sexual tension."

Nathaniel nearly choked as he tried desperately not to die in embarrassment and Anders hard turned three shades of red. Alyx simply laughed, apparently deciding that Oghren's comment was nothing more than a joke.

"We'll go back just as soon as I talk to Constable Aidan. He'll be delighted to know that his smuggling problem has been eradicated," she said once she calmed enough to speak.

"Falcon?" Anders called as they began the walk back to the surface.

"Hmm?"

"Just promise me one thing…never go charging into battle alone again. I mean, that arrow-catching trick was neat and all, but couldn't you have just side-stepped it or something?"

"Tell you what, Anders. The next time I intentionally jump in front of an arrow, I'll buy you a new set of robes."

"Ooh! Can I have that written into my contract?"

"You don't have a contract."

"Damn. Can I at least get it in writing then? Or maybe I should ask for something more elaborate. Robes are good and all, but it doesn't quite say 'Thanks for healing my mortal wound.'"

"Anders—"

"I'm thinking something big and shiny, or Ooh! How about a bottle of the finest Antivan brandy…appropriately aged of course…or maybe a cat trained to attack darkspawn on sight. I've always like cats, they're far less smelly than dogs…no offense to Hector of course. Or maybe a statue of me erected right next to that one of Andraste in the Vigil's courtyard…"

"Anders!"

"Too much?"

Alyx sighed heavily, shaking her head in bewilderment.

"I should've let the damned smugglers have me," she muttered under her breath.

Constable Aidan was both grateful and relieved to hear that the smugglers had been taken care of and was adamant on rewarding them despite Alyx's insistence that she was happy as long as the goods were distributed to the needy. Nathaniel was impressed with her generosity though he was hardly surprised any longer. She had proven time and again that she had a compassionate nature.

Things seemed to go back to normal as they walked back into the city…or at least as normal as their small group ever was. It was as if the confrontation in the cove had lifted all of the tension that had been building over the past few days. Alyx was still as reserved as ever, but there was a new sense of light-heartedness about her that hadn't been there before.

He should have known that it wouldn't last.

"Message for you, Commander," the innkeeper called as they walked back inside the musty taproom at the Crown and Lion. "Gent said it was important you get it as soon as you returned."

Alyx thanked the man as she took the thick vellum envelope and used her dagger to slit it open.

"Bad news?" Anders asked as her face crumpled into a frown.

"Yes—no, damn it, can't they get along without me for more than a few days at a time?" she huffed in consternation.

"What is it?" Nathaniel asked.

She handed him the letter, poking the page with her index finger to emphasize her irritation.

"You see this? This right here is the very reason I thought we had a Seneschal in the first place! How are we ever going to get anything done if I'm to be summoned back at a whim? Do they think the darkspawn are going to kill themselves?"

"Wouldn't it be nice if they did?" Anders mused. "Then again, we'd be out of a job."

"Do you think the matter is as dire as Varel suggests?" Nathaniel asked as he passed the letter to Oghren.

The dwarf stared at it a long moment and then guffawed in disbelief before handing it to Anders.

"Not bloody likely," Alyx said with an indelicate snort, "But I suppose it's best to return just in case. I hope for his sake that it's as important as he says."

"So…we're headed back to the Vigil?" Anders asked.

"Back to the Vigil," she confirmed with a nod.

*Muse Tunes: "Brain Stew" by Green Day, "The Tuskan Camp and the Homestead" by John Williams (Attack of the Clones OST); "The Sheriff and His Witch" by Michael Kamen (Robin Hood Prince of Thieves OST); "I have Everything I Need" by Ramin Djawadi (Clash of the Titans OST)