Author's Note: Thanks to all of you following and reviewing. I'm currently working on chapter... 37, I believe, so the update pace may quicken pretty soon, as I'm very excited about how the story is coming along so. On a side note, Jowan, and a few of the other characters from the Mage origin, are slightly tweaked in my story, because I basically didn't like how depressing the game made them all. Mages are people, too, darnit, and they deserve to be happy! Well, as happy as you can be with your country torn apart by civil war and darkspawn. Heh.
Chapter 30 - The Call of the Crow
They left for the Circle Tower that very afternoon with the Feddic wagon along the Imperial Highway. Bann Teagan had generously provided them with a few horses so they may move more quickly to the other end of Lake Calenhad. By his own request, Sten had stayed behind in Redcliffe village to help the mayor organize the clean up efforts.
"I can do more here to help these people than I can in convincing a bunch of magic-wielding lunatics to help us cure a demon child," the large qunari had grumbled at Serena. "I would talk you out of going yourself, but as I understand it, you also have a treaty with the mages, so this may not be completely foolish." Serena left Peanut behind with Sten, who she noticed was quite keen on her dog, as she did not think the Circle Tower would take kindly to her giant warhound.
Despite their reasons for going, Serena found herself relieved that they did not have to walk the entire way this time. The horse the bann had loaned her was a beautiful cinnamon colored mare, with a white star on its muzzle. Teagan had not known its name, so she had christened her Aster, in honor of her ivory nose patch.
As they were only able to borrow two horses, Serena rode along beside Alistair while Morrigan sat in the back of the wagon, creating poultices for the group, and Leliana rode up front with Bodahn and his son, Sandal. The former Chantry sister was discussing enchantments with the boy's father, last Serena heard, so Leliana could play her lute on the road at a louder volume.
Alistair jockeyed his own horse, an enormous gray stallion, nearer to Serena's, keeping pace at her side. "So... how are you doing?"
"Better," Serena replied, giving him a small smile. "I'm sorry I... lost it, back there at the castle. I was just getting so frustrated with everyone." She slowed her horse to a slow trot, so she could better speak with him. "It was... rough, seeing that little boy like that. I kept thinking of my nephew, and my sister-in-law Oriana, and... I can't helping thinking maybe I was too hard on Lady Isolde."
"Yes, well, I can't say I didn't agree with everything you said to her," Alistair said, shrugging his shoulders. "I know she didn't intend to cause everything she did, but at the end of the day... what's done is done. She made some selfish decisions that ended up hurting a lot of people."
"I know, and I stand by everything I said, it's just... if Oren had been a mage... I don't know. It really isn't fair, is it? The way they keep all of them locked up in that tower." Serena gazed out at the marshy forest beyond as she rode past. "We're just as dangerous, when you think about it, we just have less... accidents."
"I've often wondered myself if the Chantry isn't too hard on mages," said Alistair thoughtfully. "It's not as if they can help what they are, the Maker gave them the gift of magic..."
Serena nodded enthusastically. "Exactly! And locking them up in a tower... wouldn't that just make you more likely to turn to forbidden magic to escape? Look at Jowan..." Serena paused, thinking about the mage. "If they treated the Circle more as a school, and less as a prison, we wouldn't have so many apostates running around poisoning people and turning into demons."
"I'm just glad we're doing the right thing, going to the Circle for help. I can't believe-"
"Oh, thank the Maker! Miss! Ser! Please! We need help!" A disheveled blonde woman ran out from a side road onto the highway, waving her arms frantically at their group. "They've attacked our wagon, please, could you help us?"
"I... yes, of course," Serena called down to the woman. She saw Leliana had turned to see what the commotion was about at the front and she waved to her. "Bandits! This woman and her caravan have been attacked!"
Bodahn slowed their wagon and Serena and Alistair rode up to meet them. "Bodahn, we'll just be a bit. This woman needs our help. Could you hold onto our horses?" She handed the reins over to the dwarf and hopped down as Leliana joined her. Morrigan came around the wagon, using her staff almost as a walking stick.
"Why have we stopped? Certainly you two aren't hungry again," Morrigan called, rolling her golden eyes at them.
"No, it's bandits. This woman's wagon has been attacked." Serena indicated the frightened blonde nearby. "We're just going to go sort it out."
Morrigan sighed heavily. "Why must we stop and help every pathetic passerby that happens upon us, Warden?" Serena noticed the witch always referred to her as 'Warden' when she thought they were doing something she considered to be pointless.
"If bandits have attacked her wagon, surely they will round back and attack ours," Serena replied patiently. "Besides, I've been on that horse for 3 hours now, and my bottom could use some exercise."
"Follow me," the blonde woman said, leading Serena and the others down the side road. "I'll take you to them!"
"I didn't want to say anything... but it is getting a bit big..." Alistair murmured from beside her, making a ridiculous gesture with his hands.
"Oh? You've had a good look at my bottom then?" Serena shot back, elbowing him playfully in the ribs.
"Ah, ouch. Right, no. Great bottom, top shape. Very... well-formed." Alistair grinned, his face turning just slightly red. "Really, I haven't seen better." The woman led them through a pass, rocks hanging over the path, and into a narrow clearing where Serena could see a downed wagon not far ahead.
"I don't see any-" Serena frowned as the blonde sprinted ahead of them, waving to an armored man standing in front of the wagon. He raised one hand, and suddenly the clearing filled with about ten people, men and women, all holding weapons. "Oh..." Serena cursed, pulling her daggers.
"One day, your bleeding heart will get us all killed," Morrigan drawled, a ball of magical flame forming in her hand. She tossed it forward, lighting the downed wagon on fire, and they saw the bandits' deceptive blonde accomplice dive out of the way, the hem of her dress on fire.
"The Grey Wardens die here!" The armored man shouted, racing towards them, a long sword in each hand. Serena decided he must be the leader, and met him head-on, her daggers parrying each of his blows deftly. Around her, she saw Alistair knock into a small cluster of archers, his long sword slicing down quickly before he moved on to engage his next opponent.
Leliana battled two assassins at once, her swords flying in both directions, while Morrigan shot spells in each direction, more combatants falling over the ridge to their deaths as she struck them.
Serena's opponent, she was vaguely surprised to see, was a tattooed elf, who had much the same fighting style as she did, although unfortunately for her, he was much stronger. He tried sweeping his blades under her, but she slid at just the last moment and he took one of her blows to the leg, cutting through his leather armor.
"Ah, I see you are not just a pretty lady," he taunted, ducking and spinning away, his laughing smile almost as obnoxious as his low blows. "I had heard that the Grey Wardens were phenomenal fighters, but alas, I only thought this to be true against the darkspawn." Serena noted he had an accent, Antivan, perhaps. It reminded her of Oriana's speech, when she had first come to live with them so many years ago.
"Who's to say you're any different?" Serena called, kicking out with one foot to catch him in the knee. He grimaced, but quickly recovered, swinging one of his swords to cut her across the arm. She hissed, stepping back, and he moved forward again, looking to press his advantage.
"Serena!" Alistair's voice was only a short distance away, and before the advancing elf could get closer, she saw him fling his shield, knocking the assassin to the ground. Serena flipped her dagger in her hand and quickly brought the hilt down on his forehead, knocking him out.
"Are you alright?" Alistair and the others surrounded her as she stared down at the prone elf. Alistair pulled a bandage from his pack and wrapped Serena's arm, stemming the flow of blood. "What was this? An ambush?"
"I believe he shouted 'The Grey Wardens die here'," Leliana said, pushing at one of his arms with the toe of her boot. "Perhaps another assassination attempt by Loghain?"
"You know, those are really getting old now," Serena said, picking up on of the elf's arms and dragging him over to the wagon. "Do any of you have any rope? I'd like to question our new friend here once he wakes up." Leliana rummaged in her pack, pulling out some twine, and started wrapping it around the assassin's hands and feet.
After a few minutes, the elf came to, his eyes rolling a bit. "Mmm... what?" He focused on Serena and the others and slumped. "I... oh. I rather thought I would wake up dead. Or not wake up at all, as the case may be. But I see you haven't killed me yet." He looked down at his bound hands and feet and wiggled them gingerly. "Who did these?"
"That would be me," Leliana said, smirking at the assassin.
"Nicely done, although..." He smiled roguishly at her, his eyebrows popping up suggestively. "I often prefer them tighter."
"Oh, Maker... We should have just killed him," Alistair murmured, rolling his eyes. "I could kill him. Can I just kill him?" Serena grinned at him, enjoying the assassin's effect on her... whatever Alistair was to her. She wondered if this man got caught often then, that he could make such jokes when tied up?
The blonde elf grinned at Alistair, his mood surprisingly cheerful for someone just knocked out and tied up. "I have no doubt you could. You are most skilled with that shield of yours." The assassin eyed Serena carefully. "Since you haven't killed me, however, you must have kept me alive for some purpose, yes?"
"You seem awfully glib for a prisoner," Serena said, crouching down next to the man.
"It is my way, or so I am told." The elf shifted, moving into a sitting position, his bound hands resting in his lap. "Let's see, then. I assume you kept me alive to ask me some questions, yes? If so, let me save you time and get right to the point. My name is Zevran. I am a member of the Antivan Crows, brought here for the sole purpose of slaying any surviving Grey Wardens." He sighed dramatically. "Which I have failed at, sadly."
Serena laughed. "I'm rather happy you failed, myself."
"So would I be, in your shoes. Or, stylish knee boots, as it were." He flashed the same rakish smile from before at Serena and she rolled her eyes. "For me, however, it sets a rather poor precedent, doesn't it? Getting captured by a target seems a tad detrimental to one's budding assassin career."
"Hmm, that seems like a personal problem to me," Serena replied. "So, what are the Antivan Crows? I've never heard of them."
"I can tell you that," Leliana said lightly. "They are an order of assassins out of Antiva. Very powerful, and renowned for always getting the job done... so to speak. Someone went to great expense to hire this man."
"Quite right," the elf said, nodding. "I'm surprised you haven't heard much of the Crows out here. Back where I come from, we're rather infamous."
"Imagine that, the Antivan Crows are infamous in Antiva." Alistair rolled his eyes. "Who would have thought?"
Serena smiled at him. The assassin was the first fun they'd had in days, weeks maybe. She could barely feel her arm throb from the wound he had inflicted. "Who hired you to... to take us out?"
"A rather taciturn fellow in the capital... dark hair, only scowls? Loghain, I think his name was?" The elf rolled his eyes up, thinking. "Yes, that's it. There was another man, as well, a... Howd."
"Howe?" Serena sighed, her old wounds from Highever pushing gently to the surface. "So... are you loyal to him?"
The assassin laughed, his shoulder shaking as if this was the funniest thing he'd heard all day. "I have no idea what his issues are with you. The usual, I imagine. You threaten his power, yes? Beyond that, no, I'm not loyal to him. I was contracted to perform a service."
Serena exchanged glances with Alistair over the assassin, and she saw him watch the action, his eyes flipping between the two of them as if he was deciding something. "So what happens now that you've failed at this service?"
"Well, that's between Loghain and the Crows," the elf replied. "And between the Crows and myself."
"And between you and me?" Serena asked.
"Believe me, young lady, I would love to have nothing between you and me right now," the elf purred at her. Serena rolled her eyes, hoping she wasn't blushing. "But yes, I had assumed that was what we were establishing right now..."
"When were you to see him next?" Leliana asked.
"I wasn't." The elf's pale eyes flipped between Serena and Leliana, as if he couldn't decide who to address. "If I had succeeded, I would have returned home and the Crows would have informed your Loghain of the results... if he didn't already know." Zevran shrugged non-committedly. "If I had failed, I would be dead. Or I should be, at least as far as the Crows are concerned. No need to see Loghain then."
"If you had failed?" Serena challenged.
"What can I say? I am an eternal optimist." The assassin grinned at them. "Although the chances of succeeding at this point seem a bit slim, don't they? Ha. No, I don't suppose you would find that funny..."
"How much were you paid?"
"I wasn't paid anything," the elf replied promptly. "The Crows, however, were paid quite handsomely. Or so I understand." He sighed, running his bound hands awkwardly through his hair. "Which does make me about as poor as a chantry mouse, come to think of it. Being an Antivan Crow isn't for the ambitious, to be perfectly honest."
"Then why are you one?" Serena asked. Her curiosity about this man was getting the better of her. "Let me guess, it has a great dental plan?"
Zevran laughed. "Well, aside from a distinct lack of ambition, I suppose its because I wasn't given much of a choice. The Crows bought me young. I was a bargain, too, or so I'm led to believe. But don't let my sad story influence you. The Crows aren't so bad. They keep one well supplied: wine, women, men..." He grinned, raising an eyebrow at Alistair. "Whatever you happen to fancy."
"Though the whole severance package is garbage, let me tell you. If you were considering joining, I'd really think twice about it."
"Thanks. I''ll take that under advisement," Serena replied, standing up once again. "Why are you telling us all of this? Shouldn't you be...refusing to talk at all?"
"Ha, I was not paid for my silence." The elf seemed to consider this for a minute. "Not that I offered it for sale, but regardless. I failed to kill you, so my life is forfeit. That's how it works. If you don't kill me, the Crows will. The thing is, I like living. And you obviously are the sort to give the Crows pause. So... let me serve you, instead."
"So you can finish the job next time we take a nap?" Alistair scoffed. "I don't think so."
"I happen to be a very loyal person, actually," Zevran replied. "Up until the point where someone expects me to die for failing." He shrugged. "That's not a fault, really, is it? I mean, unless you're the sort who would do the same thing. In which case, I... don't come very well recommended, I suppose."
"All right, well..." Serena pulled one of her daggers and cut the elf's leg bounds. "Assuming you don't try to murder us all in our beds, I guess you're coming along."
"A fine plan," Morrigan said dryly. "But I would examine your food and drink far more closely from now on were I you."
"That's excellent advice for anyone," Zevran added, grinning at the lot of them. He cleared his throat, bowing his head to Serena. "I hereby pledge my oath of loyalty to you, until such a time as you choose to release me from it. I am your man, without reservation... this I swear." He looked down at his still-bound hands and smirked. "I suppose these stay for awhile longer, yes?"
"Yes. We just met after all... This nice guy routine could all be an affect of your concussion." Serena peered around the battlefield, seeing if there was anything worth taking with them. "Maybe we should collect the swords and things... we could sell them or donate them to the militia at Redcliffe maybe..." She started to wander off when Alistair pulled her back.
"They can pick up the weapons, I want to take a look at that cut properly," he said, unwrapping the bloody bandage on her arm. Serena hadn't even noticed it'd started bleeding again. Alistair shrugged off his pack and pulled out a fresh bandage and some of the miracle cream he'd used on her stomach.
He frowned as he peered at the wound, holding her arm delicately. "It's a lot deeper than I thought," he said, rubbing some of the ointment over it. Serena sighed in pleasure as the cooling sensation of the cream overtook the sting of the cut. Alistair's eyes flicked to hers briefly, and he couldn't help smirking. "Feels good?"
"Oh, you have no idea," Serena said, her voice utterly languid. "I almost want to cut myself more often just so you can... ah..." She felt her face blush furiously. "Nevermind. That... didn't sound so bad when I thought it."
"I still don't think it sounds so bad," he replied quietly, raising an eyebrow. He wrapped the fresh bandage around her arm, knotting it gently. "You just let me know where it hurts-"
"I believe your companions, or should I say our companions, have finished looting the corpses of my lessers and are heading back to wherever you came from," Zevran said from behind them. Serena hadn't even heard him walk up. "If you two are ready, I think we are moving on."
Serena looked around. Leliana and Morrigan had already started back down the road to Bodahn's wagon.
"Right, ah, yes." Serena smiled at Alistair in thanks. "Our friends wagon is this way. You can ride in the back, if you like, or whatever." Her head still felt fuzzy from the close encounter with Alistair. She would have to get ahold of that... whatever it was that happened to her when he was near her. It was like a heat, and a buzzing in her blood that constantly alerted her to his presence. She wondered if he felt it, too... if it was some... Grey Warden thing. She would have to ask him later in camp.
"I don't suppose I could try to talk you into releasing my hands, could I?" Zevran asked sweetly, keeping pace beside her. He held out his hands hopefully.
"You're lucky she let you have your feet," Alistair replied from Serena's other side. "You know, you don't seem very upset that your comrades over there are dead."
"Why should I?" Zevran answered. "I did not know them, they were not Crows, simply hired muscle." He shrugged. "I have learned it is survival of the fittest. They were obviously not as fit as me, and I was obviously not as fit as you. Not this time, anyway."
Alistair opened his mouth to retort but Serena cut him off. "Annnnd we're all on the same side now." She pulled her dagger again and cut the rope holding the assassin's hands together. "I'm doing this on good faith, Zevran, don't make me regret it."
"As I said, my life is forfeit without your mercy. I owe you the most delicious of blood debts, my dear. And there are worse things in life than serving the whims of a deadly sex goddess, no?" The elf rubbed his wrists, grinning at Alistair, and Serena was surprised to see him smile back at the blonde assassin.
"He has a point, Serena..." Alistair conceded.
Serena blushed, picking up her pace to avoid them. "I... I think I hate you both." She could hear the two men laughing as she headed back to the wagon, her face feeling very much like it'd been burned by the sun.