Garrett was impressed.

It didn't happen that often, but Varric had managed it with no real effort, which made it doubly impressive. "You got her a house? We just got here." Garrett arched an eyebrow, looking down at Varric. He had seen the dwarf speak to one of the many dirty elves at the city gates, but he hadn't thought it would lead to anything, and especially not before they had even reached the Alienage. Really impressive...

The dwarf shot him a confident smirk. "Haven't I told you? I make deals where everybody wins. With enough such deals I'm owed a lot of goodwill... I can move things around with not a coin spent."

He can get a house, albeit in the Alienage, with but a few words while I'm still struggling to be seen as legitimate. Varric must be on to something with this goodwill. Garrett nodded, understanding. He was still marred by his earlier career, and though his companionship with Hubert had made his reputation a little better, there was still a long way to go. Mother want us to be respected, both for who we are and who we were. I can understand that, but Varric's words makes it more desirable. Gold is not the only thing we'll need if we're to keep Bethany from the Chantry's clutches, we'll need allies. "I see, I'll think on that."

Behind him, Carver chuckled, slightly out of breath from the weight he was carrying. "Like you could stop!"

Ignoring the joke that brought a little giggle out of Bethany and a smirk out of Varric, Garrett eyed the house in front of him, though his thoughts were elsewhere. We could just cut our work short now. Hubert's mine is in its infancy, but there's still a small income there that'll only grow with time... only strange people go on treasure hunts after all. Though it would take years before we got enough money to live comfortably, and all that time we would live in fear. Even after we've amassed some wealth there will be trouble, it won't be enough of a shield for her. Garrett was sure Hubert was skimming on the income too, giving himself more than his share... but given how Garrett was simply there for appearances and doing nothing, he couldn't well confront the man about it. Plus, we don't know if the mine will turn into a proper success... no, we'll continue with Varric's plan, a successful haul and my family will be safe and we'll have enough gold to buy ourselves friends and earn goodwill if I play my cards right. "Won't you have to pay for this in some way though? I've yet to see an elf give something away out of the goodness of his heart."

"Clearly you don't know enough elves." Varric chuckled dutifully, though swiftly continued. "And yes, I suppose I will, in coin or some other manner, but it's a small thing, well worth the price of putting our little abomination in safety, eh?" Garrett couldn't help but agree with that, shuddering at the memory of Merrill's blood magic. She was unguarded fire as far as he was concerned, and the first thing she would consume if anything happened would be him and his kin. Bloody Keeper, putting a blood mage in our care, if she turns into a monster we're all in danger, if Meredith finds her and questions her...damn elves, why must I solve their problems?

The house wasn't actually too bad. It looked even more rickety than Gamlen's place, and the odour was even worse due to the ground being littered with garbage. But it was a large place supported by two other houses leaning into it from each side and was close to the Alienage's Vhenadahl, something the Dalish elf would surely appreciate, given their fondness for trees.

Speaking of the elf... Garrett turned to regard the woman, calmly watching her as with wide eyes she looked left and right, staring at the houses and people like it was some great wonder to her. Considering her origin, perhaps it is. Garrett didn't like what he saw. The elf was thin and small like most her kin, her large eyes and every part of her face and expressions seemingly holding an innocence that reminded Garrett of a kitten. She looked so innocent... yet was probably the most dangerous person currently in the Alienage. Like a demon... which isn't far from what she is.

Which was why Garrett found himself throwing Carver yet another annoyed look. He wasn't sure how many he'd given his brother by now, but ever since they'd left the Dalish camp, they had been piling up.

Carver was oblivious though, smirking at Merrill's innocent expression as he took deep breaths, leaning on the cloth-covered thing she'd asked them to bring with them to the Alienage. It was large, one and a half of Carver's length and nearly as wide, though thin and apparently not too heavy, since the man – oh so chivalrously – had offered to carry it for the elf back at the camp. Still, it had been a long way to go, and Carver was covered in sweat and still taking deep breaths, yet true to form, he tried to look casual, leaning on the cloth-covered item while smiling at Merrill. "So, should I assume this is your first time in a city, Merrill?"

Garrett and Bethany rolled their eyes nearly in sync, and Anders was throwing their brother an amused look while Fenris decided to include the man in everything else he was scowling at. Yet Merrill seemed not to notice, the Dalish staring at the houses, then the people passing them by, though warily, given there were humans with her, and armed ones at that. "There's sooo many people here, and I saw so many more on the streets getting here... do all of them live in this city?"

"Yes." Garrett replied swiftly, shooting Carver a grim look to stop any additions to the answer. Let's just get this over with so we can leave...

"And this..." Merrill looked at the many elves around them, then the dilapidated houses, and finally the ground, grimacing at the last as she shifted her stance, trying to avoid standing on a rotten apple. "...this is where the elves live?"

"It's disgusting, yes." Fenris growled. The other elf had so far been quiet, having settled for glaring at Merrill's back, seemingly contemplating stabbing her there, but now he saw fit to speak up, his glare aimed at the other elves around them and making several inch away. "But if you act like a sheep, you'll be corralled as one." A snort. "Not that you Dalish would know, you're free, or so you like to claim." His tone suggested he believed anything but that.

Merrill's forehead wrinkled in a frown, her slim shoulders stiffening slightly, though her tone was still friendly as she shot Fenris a smile. "Why yes, we are, but I'm sure the people here are really nice too, they'd have to be, with us all living so close together, right?"

Oh Maker, they'll eat her alive. Garrett exchanged a worried glance with Varric. Not that Garrett was actually worried of the elf dying, that would actually solve the problem of her knowing of his family, but if she trusted the wrong elf and he or she went to the Templars, that was another matter. Clearing his throat, Varric sidestepped the issue however. "So, Merrill wasn't it? What's up with this hunk our good Carver has been carrying with him? Must be important, it's practically the only thing you've brought." He was right, the backpack on Merrill's back was frightfully small, perhaps containing but a single change of clothing and a few tools... but who knew what a Dalish considered essential?

"Oh that?" Merrill looked back at Carver – or rather, much to his disappointment, the item he was carrying – biting her bottom lip with indecisiveness for but a moment. Damn it! It's something bad again! Bloody elves! Then she shrugged, sighing. "It's the reason they don't want me in the clan anymore, it's the Eluvian..."

"Carver, step away from that thing." Garrett snapped the order, and his brother obeyed, only a moment later remembering to scowl at Garrett. Taking a step closer to the elf, Garrett narrowed his eyes. "What is an Eluvian? Have you made us bring some blood magic infused artefact into the city?"

Merrill was staring at the cloth-covered Eluvian in fright, having no doubt worried it would fall when Carver released it, but seeing as it didn't, she turned back to Garrett and stared at him with wide eyes. "Wh-what? No, no, it's just a mirror...well...a broken mirror."

"You want me to fix it for you?" Carver offered, only for his mouth to slam shut after a glare from Garrett.

"And why do you need a broken mirror?" Garrett asked, knowing better than to dismiss the thing as harmless. You don't name a mirror something like that and get banished due to it for nothing.

"Well... I want to fix it... it's...it's an old elven artefact, once magical, able to help us communicate through great distances." Once, she said once... Garrett eyed the elf warily, weighing her every word, ready for the deception he was sure would come. "With it, I might be able to find other clans, lost lands and other artefacts, get back some of what we once were." Commendable, but..." But it's broken, and I need to fix it, and the only thing that seems to work in reforging the pieces seems to be blood-"

"No casting that in the city, especially blood-magic." Garrett snapped before the elf could finish, glaring at her. "In fact, no casting spells what so ever." He sensed Bethany shift at his words, uncomfortable with that rule, but knowing there was no other way. Garrett forced his gaze to remain on the elf though, intent on getting the information across. "This is essentially a Templar-controlled city. If they find out you've been casting magic, they'll lock you up if you're lucky, but most likely kill you."

"Templars often hunt us Dalish, due to our Keepers knowing magic..." Merrill grimaced, gaze distant. "...I know how to hide myself from their senses."

"Good." Garrett nodded, though then he crossed his arms. "That said, I said no casting magic, and I meant it."

Merrill looked up at him, a flicker of defiance in her large eyes... and then looked away, the look gone as soon as it had arrived. "No magic..."

She won't obey. Garrett knew it, yet there was little he could do about that, so he just had to hope the elf had some sense as to when it came to cast her foul magic. "Good." He eased his arms off his chest. "Now, will you be okay here?"

Merrill's eyes widened at the implication in his question, looking decidedly lost and near panic as she stared around herself. "I...I...no?" Looking embarrassed, she shifted where she stood. "I... well... I don't even know... erm... where do you... erm..." She was blushing furiously all of a sudden, making Carver smile and Bethany giggle, though Garrett chose not to make note of it. Merrill inched closer, lowering her voice. "...make water and... that other thing."

Varric, standing next to Garrett, chuckled at that, but Garrett simply shrugged, he'd lived enough in the wild in his early life to know there was a big difference between there and the city. "There's likely a chamberpot in the house, you can empty it in the river if you can manage the walk, or in the street."

"A p-pot...?" Merrill echoed, blinking in slowly dawning realisation. "You want me to... and to...?" She stared down at the ground under her feet... and paled, legs stiffening as she raised her heels, as if wishing to stand as little as possible on the ground as possible. "I think I'm going to be sick..."

"I admit to not having much love for these less sanitary parts of living in a city either." Anders remarked, the mage's eyes cool upon the elf. "But it's a good hiding place from the clutches of Templars, and you don't want them to find you."

"Yes, perish the thought that they'd be allowed to do their duty." Fenris dryly remarked, making the human mages in the group shoot him glares.

"Anyway." Carver spoke up, taking a step closer to Merrill with a soothing smile on his face. "Don't worry so much about it, we're your friends, we'll help out."

"Really?!" Merrill smiled, apparently delighted with the idea as Garrett suppressed the urge to sigh and slap his face."You'd do that for me?"

Garrett forced himself to nod, not about to let Carver into the conversation and encourage any of his 'courting'. We've had enough of dangerous elves in our beds. "I suppose, given how you were sent here with us, that you're partly our responsibility." Plus, I don't like the idea of not keeping an eye on you. "I can't make any promises, but we'll do what we can."

Snorting, Fenris turned to leave at that, a quiet Anders following him a moment later, but Varric and Garrett's siblings remained, all looking quite taken with the pixieish elf. So are people with Desire demons, a danger that looks harmless, though no matter what Carver might think, there's where the similarity ends. The elf was turning brilliant green eyes to each of those remaining in turn, looking ridiculously grateful. "Oh thank you so much! I've never really had that many friends, so this is very exciting! Maybe you can come and visit? Oh! Oh! Maybe I can visit? People in cities do that, right? Because everyone doesn't live in one area?"

This isn't going as I hoped... Garrett glumly noted even as Varric chuckled. "See? You're taking to the city-life already."

"Yeah, next moment she'll beat you at haggling with the merchants in Hightown!" Carver replied with a chuckle, once more inching slightly closer to the elf.

"H-haggling?" Merrill echoed, looking lost once more.

Maker, she looks like a kicked puppy. Garrett understood her problem, though the idea of educating an elf in the elementaries of city life stuck in his throat a bit, he had little choice now with everyone else around. "Haggling, you argue with the merchant to make him lower his price, essentially."

"Why... I wouldn't want to argue with someone..." Merrill swallowed. "...why would I be so mean to make him lower his... price?"

"It's expected." Carver eagerly answered. "They put the price high, you offer them less, then you try to find something in the middle, if you don't haggle they'll rob you blind."

Merrill's eyes somehow managed to grow bigger. "Why would they do that!?"

"Erm... for your money. They like getting lots for their stuff..." Carver replied, looking uncertain as he shot Garrett a glance.

Who had by now understood the problem. "In the human nations, and in cities in particular, we use coins. Gold, silver and copper is traded for items we need. You want food, you pay a few coppers to a hunter for a hare, you want a knife, you pay a merchant half a silver."

"Half a... how can you have half of a silver?" Merrill asked, then shook her head. "Back in the clan we just... took. Anything you needed, you used... you know, sharing...? Sure, we traded with some Avvars and the like, but never for... coin." She frowned, clearly perplexed, and maybe a little displeased. "Seems kind of stupid to refuse to give someone food because they don't have some useless metals on them..."

Garrett inclined his head in agreement, but shrugged. "Like it or not, that's how it works. There's many who don't have the coin, but on the other hand, you can't expect people to give their things away when there's so many who want them, you have to earn it."

"We earn our keep in our clan!" Merrill replied, raising her voice, sensing criticism that wasn't there. Seeing the neutral look on Garrett's face, she blushed, taking half a step back. "I mean... I understand." Carver and Bethany grinned at that, as if finding it cute, making Garrett mentally roll his eyes. "H-how many people are in the city?"

"The last census said something close to five hundred thousand." Garrett replied with a shrug. "Though they don't count the people in Darktown, so it could be near a million, probably."

"You read the census?" Varric asked, sounding amused. "I thought I was the only one."

"It pays to know your city." Garrett calmly replied, choosing to ignore the way Bethany snickered at him while Carver remained practically drooling at the sight of the elf. I need to talk some sense into him when we get home.

"That's what I always say." Varric grunted back, then turned his gaze back to the elf. "Oh dear, Daisy, you okay?"

Daisy? Garrett too looked though, and found the elf pale as a ghost. "A... a million? I can't even... a m-million? Here? W-won't we ru-un out of w-water...?"

"Haven't so far." Bethany helpfully replied, smiling reassuringly. "Just act like everyone else, and you should be fine, blend in."

That won't be too easy. Garrett noted, glancing at the tattoo covering the Dalish's face. "Exactly, if no one is acting odd, you have nothing to worry about... but do be careful at nights, it's dangerous outside at sundown."

"Like in the woods." Merrill replied, nodding, some colour returning to her face as she offered what Garrett supposed was a brave smile. "I think... I think I know the basics now, thank you..." A thoughtful frown creased her forehead. "Though... where do you get these...coins?"

"Oh boy..." Varric sighed even as Bethany took a deep breath, even Carver looked a bit annoyed, though it swiftly turned back to adoration.

Garrett had expected it though, and was prepared with an answer. "Through work, though you can't do any magic, and I have a feeling most other elves can do the other work elves usually do in the city better than you... no offense." He considered the woman for a moment, then nodded to himself. "Now, if you promise to use no blood magic, I might be able to offer a job. I could use some help with a Magistrate's son..." Yes, I could use her there, keep an eye on her and perhaps secure an ally in her as well while making sure she stops with the blood magic... several birds with one stone... though Carver better behave. "If you'll come, do you wish to discuss payment now or later?"

"Oh, I can help!" The elf cheerfully exclaimed, looking surprisingly eager, face earnest. "And there's no reason to talk about coins, I wouldn't know what's proper anyway, I'm sure you'll be fair."

She has a point. Was Garrett's first thought. She's... not trying to trick me? Was his second.

He narrowed his eyes, but the elf simply looked back, all earnest and innocent-looking.

Suspicious, Garrett none the less offered his hand. "We have a deal."

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Thanks to Abydos Jackson for doing the impossible.