"This is kind of nice, in its way." Gavren nodded to the man sitting across the chess board from him.
Kieran raised an eyebrow. "Chess?"
"No." Gavren chuckled. "This..." He shrugged. "Person version of you."
"I do not understand." Kieran tilted his head.
"Leandra and I..." He shrugged. "We know you in the future. Sort of. Just not like this."
"Leandra did not recognize me at the estate." Kieran moved his piece.
"I wouldn't have either, at least not until you started casting spells. When we've met you before, you're more like..." Gavren moved his own piece. "More like a force of nature. This glowing being that occasionally yanks us into the Fade to give us a mission, information, or warning. I've only seen you outside the Fade a couple times."
"I..." Kieran frowned. "I am sorry."
"You've saved our asses, so don't be." Gavren smiled. "It's just..." He laughed. "You're not going to be quite so intimidating now."
The knight took a pawn. "If we are successful, you will not remember this me."
"Oh." Gavren sighed. "I keep forgetting that part." He shook his head. "But you'll remember, right?"
"Yes." Kieran nodded. "I will..." He smiled. "Introduce myself more properly the next time around."
"Do that." Gavren smiled. "I think we could be friends."
#
"Alright, how are we doing?" Trian looked down at the items spread on the table. He did a quick count of the coin. "We are up to thirty five gold." He glanced at the sword. "But it appears the weapon shortage issue is taken care of. We can probably sell off the excess." He glanced at the shields. "Those are all pieces of shit, so the 'Kels and I need shields' thing is still in play." He looked up at Jerath. "How about armor?"
"Lighter than I prefer, but will serve for now." Jerath settled the splint mail over his shoulders.
"Other supplies?" Salla looked at the table. She frowned. "What are those?"
"That merchant who had his shipment intercepted was lying about having the coin to pay us." Duncan shook his head. "So we took a two of his boxes and called it even."
"Instead of five gold you have..." She did a quick count. "Twenty four bottles of Ferelden Whiskey." She sighed. "That's great. Really."
"Hey, those things will come in handy if we have to bribe anyone." Caleb looked up from where he was playing cards with Agatha and Loghain.
"Honestly..." She shrugged. "Not bad for three days of work."
"We've also got a place to stay. It's a house in the not great section of town, but its secure enough and it's a little less likely for anyone who might recognize us to trip over us there." Kels shrugged.
"And on the information front?" She looked around.
"There is a man with white tattoos. He has been seen coming and going from one of the noble estates, one near the royal palace." Kieran tilted his head. "It is located some distance from the estate where the sentinels are hiding." He gestured at Agatha. "We watched for a time, and saw a few others, including the elven mage that may be the cult leader."
Salla nodded. "Describe her?"
"Minor chords in higher octaves, piercing and angry, with an isochronal shift to raucous tempo divergent from the ambient."
She stared at him blankly before shifting her gaze to Agatha. "Describe her?"
"Bit shorter than me, thin build. Blond, wears it in a short cut. Blue eyes, dresses fashionably." Agatha waved one hand. "She's usually accompanied by the tattooed guy, but even if she's not she has at least two other armed folks with her."
"Did..." Salla tried not to smile. "Fluffy get us any more information?"
"The sentinels are staying in the estate of a scholar named Iain Hendry, who is wed to a woman named Aileen Kenric."
"Kenric?" Gavren raised an eyebrow. "Any relation to Bram Kenric?"
Kels nodded. "An elder sister. Iain was one of the scholars that was allowed to study the Temple of Mythal and the remains of the vir'abelasan."
"That would explain how he came into contact with some of the surviving sentinels." Salla chewed her lower lip. "What role does Bram play in the Inquisition?"
"He requested help from the Inquisition with his expedition in the Frostback Basin." Gavren leaned back in his chair. "When they found Inquisitor Ameridan." He turned towards Kieran. "Your father was part of that." He shrugged. "Bram isn't an official member, but he remains strongly affiliated. He was even one of my tutors for a while."
"Would he be involved?" Salla asked.
"No." Gavren chuckled. "Bram's not exactly the kind of man who can keep a secret." He frowned. "If I have my timeline right, he's in the Frostbacks now, excavating..." He glanced at Kieran. "The temple of Razikale there."
"Father doesn't mind." Kieran smiled. "He rather liked the skald."
"I am going to tell Bram that, just to see the look on his face." Kels chuckled.
#
Leandra stared at Kels. "What if we sent you in?"
He blinked. "Me?"
"You're Cullen's right hand. You could say you are stopping in as part of some sort of routine thing, and see what information you could get."
"He's not going in there alone." Jerath folded his arms.
"No. You, Agatha, and Caleb are the best options to send in with him." Leandra looked back at Kels. "Well?"
"I've..." He shrugged. "Well, I've heard worse ideas."
"Except it appears that the sentinels know about us." Salla shook her head. "Might be better for mages to go in, to counter if spells start." She frowned. "Caleb, Kieran, Gavren, Leandra, and myself will go in with Kels." She sighed. "I still don't like this idea."
"The rest of us will be nearby then." Duncan shrugged. "In case you need help. But short of sending the squirrel back in, this might be our best chance."
#
He knocked sharply on the door. It was almost a full minute before it was opened. The butler led them inside, and sat them down in a parlor. A few minutes passed before Lord Hendry came to meet them. "Lieutenant Kels." He bowed. "Forgive me, I was not expecting you."
"Quite alright, Lord Hendry." He returned the bow. "I was not expecting to drop in, but there is a situation with which you may be able to assist us." As agreed, he indicated Caleb. "Agent Bralic had some questions regarding the temple in the Arbor Wilds."
"We came across information that suggested that when the sentinels departed the temple, they left in more than one group. We were wondering if you found anything that might have suggested why." Caleb kept his smile polite, and his tone almost bored.
"A pleasure, Agent Bralic." Lord Hendry held out a hand in greeting, and Caleb took it.
"He's lying." A voice came from the hall before Lord Hendry could answer.
Lord Hendry yanked Caleb's hand, pulling the young man off balance. Caleb stumbled forward, and Lord Hendry spun him around, locking his arm behind him. The lord's other hand came up with a dagger, and he pressed it against Caleb's throat. "You don't say." Kels reached for his sword, and Lord Hendry used the knife blade to tilt Caleb's head back slightly. "Don't move."
An elven man stepped into the room, sword already in hand. He leveled it at Kels, laying the tip on his shoulder. Three other men entered, also armed, moving in to surround Leandra. Two elven women remained in the second doorway, arrows leveled at Kieran and Salla. Another man entered, moving to stand next to Lord Hendry. He reached up a hand, pulling back his hood to reveal an elven face marked with green vallaslin. His eyes were yellow. "Lay your weapons down." He gestured at one of the other sentinels. "Go fetch the others."
"Rethink your actions." Kieran's voice was quiet.
"We know who -" Lord Hendry started to say.
"Clearly you do not." Kieran's eyes narrowed. "Or you would not be holding a knife to one of my friends."
"Go." The sentinel that had spoken gestured again at the other sentinel.
The sentinel took two steps before Kieran's voice froze her in place. "Venavis, Ionai." The rest of the sentinels shifted uncomfortably.
The sentinel that had spoken glanced at the woman Kieran had addressed before turning his gaze back to Kieran. "I said to lay your weapons down."
"And I said to rethink your actions." Kieran drew himself up to his full height, and a strange light glimmered behind his eyes. "You know what I am. You've seen me before. And right now..." His voice became deeper and more resonant with each word. "You are angering me."
"Iain." The sentinel gestured.
Lord Hendry swallowed fearfully before releasing his grip on the knife. It fell to the floor, and he released his grip on Caleb before stepping away, his hands spread out in a placating gesture. The sentinels lowered their weapons.
The light faded from Kieran's eyes, and he turned towards Salla. His voice returned to its normal, cheerful tones. "There were questions?"
#
Caleb touched his neck, and saw Salla's face grow worried again. He gave her a smile he hoped was reassuring. That had been just a bit closer than he liked, and he wasn't exactly sure how he felt about how the situation had been resolved. The glowing eyes and strange voice... He liked Kieran. But he'd liked Anders too. It was just never really a good thing when your friends started to glow. He forced himself to pay attention to the conversation.
"Why not come to the Inquisition?" Gavren was asking the leader of the sentinels, who had given his name as Melavan.
"We had discussed doing so, before encountering Lord Hendry." Melavan nodded to the nobleman. "We thought it best to remain..." He sighed. "Apart."
Kels frowned. "From the reports we received, far more than six of you survived the events in the Arbor Wilds. What happened to the rest of you?"
"Some of them headed Mother's call, and serve her still."
Melavan nodded to Kieran. "And the rest joined Abelas, in answering the call of Fen'Harel."
"And you?" Duncan raised an eyebrow.
"For all his words, all his cries for justice..." Melavan shook his head. "In the end, he turned on her as well. But we..." He inhaled, and folded his arms. "Our duty was..."
"You endured, for her sake. And she left you behind." Kieran's voice was sorrowful.
Melavan closed his eyes, and slowly nodded. "Yes."
"Where do you come into all this?" Duncan turned to look at Lord Hendry.
"Delaon was separated from us, and injured by some contaminated warriors still in the area." Melavan gestured at the shortest of the sentinels. "He collapsed from his wounds while attempting to return to us. Iain came upon him while following some trail markers. We discovered him tending to Delaon's wounds."
Lord Hendry smiled. "They thanked me, and said they'd let me go unharmed." He glanced around at the sentinels. "I started to walk away, and then..." He sighed. "Well, they needed someplace to go. My camp seemed as good a place as any to let them get their bearings and decide what to do next."
"We took so long making up our minds, he invited us to come back to Starkhaven with him." One of the female sentinels spoke up.
"They've been helping me with my research and expeditions ever since." Lord Hendry looked around. "I've learned more in the past five years than..." He spread his hands. "Than most have learned in the past thousand."
"None of that explains why you were in Hasmal." Loghain spoke up from where he was leaning on the wall.
"He's got a point." Salla gestured. "Why were you following us?"
"We weren't." Melavan tapped his fingers against his arm, and then sighed. "When we left the Arbor Wilds with Iain, there were seven of us."
"Enara." The name was said by an older looking sentinel, and there was anger in his voice.
"With Iain's aid, we were looking into some ruins in a swamp in Antiva. We crossed paths with another group doing the same thing. They captured Enara." Melavan's fists clenched. "Tortured her for information. The Formless One knew what questions to ask. We trailed them to Nessum, and then..."
The eyes of all the sentinels turned towards Kieran. "Ah." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I can see how that might have attracted your attention."
"I'm still having a very hard time believing it, personally." Lord Hendry shifted his position. "Despite what I've seen in the past few years."
"You were hunting our quarry." Melavan gestured with one hand. "The Inquisition was hunting you." He gestured with the other hand. "Tracking them seemed like a reasonable chance to find you." He frowned. "And yet, you found us first." He shook his head. "How?"
Salla narrowed her eyes. "We'll tell you that, if you tell us what you know about the Formless One, this cult, and their plans."
The sentinels exchanged looks, and then Melavan nodded. "We will agree to this."
She turned, and nodded to Gavren.
"Fourteen years from now some of the sentinels currently following Fen'Harel break away from him. They start killing rather indiscriminately, including killing some of his loyal agents." Gavren leaned back in his chair. "He will teach me how to track the impressions you leave on the veil, and lets the Inquisition hunt them down. That solves his problem, while keeping us busy and distracted." Gavren shrugged. "He apparently developed some kind of ward for those who remained loyal, preventing what he taught me from being useful against him."
"You learn magic from the Dread Wolf..." Delaon stared at him. "Fourteen years from now?"
Caleb chuckled. "You might all want to sit down."
#
Lord Hendry sat down, and almost immediately stood back up. "Incredible. This is..." He laughed. "Terrifying. And incredible." He ran a hand through his hair. "Gods, time travel, ancient elves..." He turned back towards them. "Any moment now I'm going to wake up and realize I should not have eaten those purple berries."
Trian nodded. "I know that feeling."
The rest of the sentinels introduced themselves. Tisallan was the oldest of them, though he seemed content with letting Melavan be their leader. Enara had apparently been his daughter. Deloan was Melavan's younger brother. Ionai was Deloan's wife and Tisallan's cousin. Alai was the other woman among the sentinels, and was apparently Melavan's niece. Noamin, the youngest of the group, was unrelated to the others, but had apparently been Enara's apprentice. They divided into smaller groups, to ask questions with the intention of comparing notes later.
"How have you managed to keep something like this a secret for five years?" Kels stared at Lord Hendry.
"It wasn't my initial intention." Lord Hendry ran a hand through his hair. "I thought I'd interview them, get some firsthand accounts, and then publish everything. And then..."
"They stopped being research, and started being friends?" Trian nodded.
"Exactly." Lord Hendry looked around the room. "And more. For over a thousand years, we've kept repeating the same mistakes, over and over and over again. History gets written by the victors, and then rewritten. Taking them in..." He leaned on his desk. "It was a chance to get truth. To learn what really happened and maybe..." He shook his head. "We cannot change the past, but we can learn from it."
"You realize..." Kels sighed. "Of course you do. Publishing the truth is going to make you a lot of enemies."
"And take their sanctuary from them." Lord Hendry nodded. "It's all written. Melavan and I agreed. They'll help me, with research, translation, finding sites, putting it together. And in return, my work will not be published until after my death."
"Maker." Kels rubbed the back of his neck. "You won't get to see it."
Lord Hendry laughed. "Son, I see it every day. Do you realize how old Tisallan is? I've walked through the ruins of an ancient elven palace with a man who was there the day the first stones were laid. Most are lucky if they can figure out what a building was used for." He smiled. "I know that the man who put in the stained glass windows always added a cat figure to one, because his daughter loved cats." He unrolled a piece of vellum to reveal a sketch of a magnificent archway. "Ionai's work. Isn't she amazing?"
"That's -"
He pulled a sheath of papers out of his desk, and spread some out. They contained rather odd glyphs. It took Kels a few moments to realize he was looking at musical notations. "Tisallan's work. I'm trying to find a craftsman who can duplicate the instrument he used to play based on sketches and description. It no longer exists in this time, you see, and he cannot duplicate all its capabilities with the harp or lute."
"Wow." Kels couldn't quite stop his own smile. "I can only come up with about a dozen people Spymaster Brehan wouldn't kill to take a look at that."
"And I can come up with a few hundred people, people of not inconsiderable power, who would kill to see it destroyed." Lord Hendry replaced the papers. "I will turn this over to the Inquisition, someday."
Trian slowly nodded. "I would..." He nodded. "Duncan is the King of Ferelden. I will be King of Kal'Hirol. When the time comes, we will see your work preserved."
"Thank you."
#
"So this cultist woman, Siofra..." Salla shook her head. "She's doing this because she's angry at the gods?"
"Yes." Melavan nodded.
"Why?" Salla stared.
"We exist." Kieran's voice was quiet when he replied. "Voices calling, asking, praying, pleading, building to a deafening crescendo none can hear. We exist, but we do not answer. She begged for help, alone in the dark, and no one answered her. Silent and empty, as Corypheus found the void. She thinks she can do it better. She does not understand."
"Can you blame her?" Melavan turned towards him.
"No." Kieran shook his head. "Not for the anger. Her actions, however, are a different matter."
"On that we agree." Tisallan spoke up from where he was sitting. "She would follow the path of Corypheus." He shrugged. "She learned, somehow, what Fen'Harel did to Mythal."
"Two mortals have taken mantles, even with the Veil in place." Melavan nodded to Kieran. "Three, if we count you. She would do the same."
"And she thinks this staff could help her?" Salla looked from Tisallan to Melavan.
"What staff?" Kieran frowned at Salla.
Salla opened her mouth to explain, and blinked in surprise when Tisallan actually started laughing. Melavan rubbed his eyes and gave a relieved sigh. "Um..." She looked at them again. "I think I missed something."
"The wards remain in place." Tisallan nodded in satisfaction. "The Formless One and his new pet have not managed to overcome them."
"If these people are telling the truth, they won't manage that feat for another sixteen years." Melavan folded his arms. "We have some time, at least."
"These wards..." Salla sat up straighter. "They are why Kieran can't remember the staff?"
"Yes."
"Who put up these wards?" Salla asked.
Melavan and Tisallan exchanged a look. Melavan nodded to Kieran. "He did."
"I..." Kieran blinked. "What?"
#
"Is the settlement still there, in your future?" Noamin asked.
Duncan nodded. "Keeper Lanaya will be given the title of Arlessa officially..." He furrowed his brow. "Actually, I think that's going to occur this year. My father was planning on discussing the matter with the Divine to ensure she'll back him up, being that Keeper Lanaya is a mage." He nodded at where Trian was talking to Lord Hendry, along with Kels. "Kal'Hirol builds a trade outpost under the settlement about a year after Trian becomes king."
Noamin nodded. "I've thought about going. Claiming to be a Dalish that left his clan, taking up a new identity. A fresh start."
"You could tell Lanaya who you really are. She'd be thrilled."
"That would defeat the purpose of..." Noamin sighed. "Having an ordinary life. Forgive me, I just find it hard to believe elves are actually welcome somewhere in this world."
"My mother is elvhen." Jerath nodded to Noamin.
"After my parents were killed..." Duncan swallowed. "I don't know what I would have done without Nesiara. She kept me and my siblings sane, in the aftermath. In many ways, she's been a mother to me as well." He half-closed his eyes. "Bann Shianni remains on my council, and if I have my way someday her daughter will advise my own child."
"I believe you."
#
"What is this staff, exactly?" Salla asked.
"An item of considerable power." Melavan replied. "One that should not be in the hands of this cultist."
"That much we gathered." Salla folded her arms. "Is it something like my father's staff? The one the Grey Wardens used to seal up Corypheus."
"No."
"He is lying." Kieran glanced at Salla. "Which you likely already knew."
"Yeah, he answered that a little too quick." Salla narrowed her eyes. "What's it called?"
"Let it be, child." Melavan answered.
Tisallan said something in elvish, and Melavan replied in the same tongue. The two argued. After a few minutes, Kieran turned to Salla. "Tisallan thinks they should tell us, and hopes that information will be enough to warn us away. Melavan is concerned that not all of us can be trusted, with Gavren worrying him in particular. Tisallan does not believe the Inquisitor's son would willingly aid Fen'Harel, but Melavan pointed out the aid does not need to be willing for Fen'Harel to make use of it. They are planning to send one of their number to the Inquisition to let them know where we are so that we can be retrieved, and are considering inviting us to dinner with the intention of drugging us to make that easier. They do believe the Inquisitor to be a wise woman, and agree she will destroy the staff rather than let it fall into the wrong hands. It is called the Tilde Staff, and they belief the fact that I was the one that hid it in the first place is all the more reason why they should keep me away from it now. Tisallan seems to believe that the reason I eliminated my own memories of the staff was to keep myself from knowing and revealing how to bypass the wards after I fell."
"And apparently they think the fact your ears no longer point somehow means you forgot how to speak elvish." Salla nodded. "Let's let them keep talking, maybe they'll tell us something else."
Melavan said something else in elvish, but Tisallan laughed. Melavan shook his head in disapproval. "We have no wish to harm any of you, but we will not be permitting you to leave this estate."
Salla turned back towards Kieran. "He thinks he can stop us from leaving the estate."
"This should be greatly entertaining. Perhaps we will allow Caleb to utilize the limericks this time?"
"Hey now, that's just mean."
#
"How old are you, exactly?" Loghain raised an eyebrow at Alai.
"A little over five thousand." Alai glanced back at him. "You?"
"A little under four." He grinned.
She stared at him for a moment, and then laughed.
#
"Let's say we agree with you." Salla gestured at Melavan. "Because honestly, we do. If this cult woman or Fen'Harel want the staff, it's better to destroy it than let them get their paws on it." She folded one leg up under her. "Why not help us get it?"
"You are unprepared for the danger you would face. Fen'Harel, as he is now, would easily be a match for Corypheus, and the Formless One is a peer to them."
"Xekenbeck was a peer to them, and my Papa kicked her ass." Salla waved a hand. "Kicked Corypheus's ass too, for that matter."
Tisallan raised an eyebrow. "And how did that work out for him?"
"I..." Salla glared. "Okay, fair point." She shook her head. "But risking you is just as bad an idea. You're thousands of years old, and the only sentinels that seem actually interested in helping the world."
"She is correct." Kieran nodded. "We would prefer you not be risked."
"We, at least, know what we are getting into." Melavan's voice became firm.
"So enlighten us. What are we getting into?"
"You are a very stubborn young woman." Tisallan shook his head.
"She's Ferelden." Kieran smiled.
#
"It can't be a ward." Ionai shook her head. "It must be some kind of inherent flaw in the spell he taught you, something he can take advantage of."
"I suppose that does make a certain kind of sense." Gavren frowned. He concentrated, casting the spell slowly while she watched.
"There is no blood magic involved, but it bears passing similarities to a binding ritual."
"I thought the same, but I haven't been able to use it to track spirits."
"No, it's tied to something else. Something inherent in us, but also something he figured out how to remove from those who remained loyal."
"There are a few similarities to the magic used by phylacteries."
Ionai raised an eyebrow. "Explain?"
He filled her in on the process of creating a phylactery, and then she started to nod. "Of course. Pure blood. I imagine if you could find those among the Dalish with unbroken lines, it might work to detect them as well."
Gavren's eyes widened. "Before I mastered it, I picked up Brehan on the edges a few times. He's from a long line of Keepers."
Leandra looked back and forth between them. "So... how helpful is this?"
"I have no idea." Gavren smiled. "Yet."
"It is odd, seeing our magic in the hands of a shemlen." Ionai chuckled. "Perhaps this world is not as alien as we feared."
#
"Lady Salla," Melavan took a deep breath. "Please understand. The being sitting next to you was not always what the Tevinter twisted him into. For reasons I cannot begin to fathom, he seems inclined to listen to you. Do not let him pursue this."
"You think it will endanger me?" Kieran raised an eyebrow.
"We know it will." Tisallan sighed. "How much do you remember, of what you were before?"
"Voices raised in harmony, echoing the spells as they cast, intertwining, reflecting, each measure building upon the next, as each verse was born beneath the sky." Kieran's voice became sad. "The song was never meant to end."
Salla glanced at Kieran, and then back at Tisallan. "He matters to you."
"Very much so." Tisallan nodded. "You must know that some spirits are stronger than others."
"Their strength is based on the virtue to which they aspire."
"A simplistic answer, but the gist is accurate." Melavan nodded. "Do you know what he used to be, before the Tevinter twisted him as they did so many other things?"
"He tried to explain it to me once before." Salla nodded. "Beauty."
Tisallan shook his head. "No, child. More than that. Inspiration. The Muse." Tisallan closed his eyes, and then nodded again. "I will not allow him to be twisted again. Not by the Formless One. And not by the shemlen."
Kieran frowned. "Tisallan?"
"Yes?" Tisallan's eyes were wet when he looked at Kieran.
"I am sorry. The me you remember, before..." Kieran's voice was gentle. "The cadence has changed. That song will never be played again." Tisallan stood, and left the room. Melavan watched him go, and sighed. Kieran hung his head. "I am sorry."
#
"I unsettle you." Delaon stared at Agatha.
"Understatement of the century." Agatha stared at him. "I mean, I'm not really much of an elf, but I feel like..." She swallowed. "Wow."
"How can you not be much of an elf?" Delaon asked.
"Well, my mother is human, and one of my fathers is a dwarf."
"I..." Delaon blinked. "What?"
"Huh." Caleb shook his head, and then looked up at her. "In this group, who'd have thought you'd be the one they have trouble with?"
#
"You are set on this path?" Melavan gave them a stern look.
"Yes." Salla nodded fiercely. "We stand the best chance of -"
"Getting yourselves killed." Melavan shook his head. "Or far worse." He stood, drawing the attention of the rest of the room. "I have made my decision."
Salla rose, and folded her arms across her chest. She raised her voice. "This is the part where he informs us he'd going to be keeping us in the estate while he sends someone to fetch our folks. It's going to make for a very awkward next few minutes, because we don't actually want to hurt them, or mess up Lord Hendry's lovely house and nice belongings."
Melavan stared at her for a moment, and then shook his head. "The Formless One is seeking you, with his cult of fools. My bargain is this. Remain here, under our protection. We will outfit you, and provide you with food and shelter, as well as assist you in uncovering his plans. And we will defend you should he attack." He folded his arms. "Or go. We follow, tracking you wherever you try to hide, using thousands of years of knowing what we are doing. We turn you over to your parents. We assist them in sealing you into cages, to be fed through the bars, until you come to your senses."
"Give us a minute to talk it over." Salla gestured at her companions, and they huddled together briefly. She met each of their eyes in turn, and saw them all nod. Without saying a word, she nodded as well and turned back to Melavan. "We'll stay. We left some of our gear behind where we were staying. We'll need to retrieve it." She gestured at Caleb and Agatha.
"Delaon, accompany them." Melavan nodded to the sentinel, who followed Caleb and Agatha out.
Lord Hendry stood. "I'll prepare rooms. I let many of my servants go, as a security measure, so I apologize for the poor accommodations." He chuckled. "Didn't really think I'd be hosting a king anytime soon."
"We'll be fine," Duncan assured him. "At this point, I'm appreciative of any hospitality."
Salla looked around, and counted heads. She ran a hand down her face. "Where is Loghain?"
Melavan blinked, and looked around as well. "And Alai?"
"Maferath's balls." Duncan winced. "Somebody remind me to execute that asshole."