Kelton wasn't surprised to find Jenny already waiting for him when he arrived at the grassy bluff overlooking the ocean where her message had said she'd meet him. Everything about it was spacious, from the expansive view of the Amaranthine ocean, to the boundless sky stretching down to meet it on the horizon, to the wide open grasslands leading up to the bluff. It was one of her favorite places. Kelton suspected she loved it as much for the natural beauty of the place as for the fact that it was impossible to be spied on here. But she would never admit it.

She was standing under a lone tree that had somehow managed to grow here in spite of the lack of other trees in the area. How an acorn had ever managed to find its way to this spot, he'd never been able to fathom, but it did help to keep them from being easily spotted from any ship making its way in and out of the Amaranthine harbor.

He strode up to her with a grin on her face. "If you're not careful, you'll pick a rendezvous spot that rivals even your beauty, Red," he teased. "What did you find out?"

"Impossible," she replied, a mock haughtiness in her voice. "I must say they are intriguing guys. Quite ordinary and innocent on the surface, but they clearly have a secret. First, Claudio and Mario: you said that at the guild Claudio acted as if Mario was his servant, right? From what I've observed from how the kids talk about them, it seems the elf is in fact in charge."

Kelton thought for a moment. "That is a bit odd. Antiva isn't Teventer, but they aren't exactly progressive, either. What else did you find?"

"That is another thing. Claudio is definitely Antivan, as are the two human boys that stay with them. The dark-haired older one is about fifteen. His name is Anastasio; the younger one, the blond, is Dante. They are both very bright and skilled for their age – they noticed me a couple of times and even tried to tail me." She grinned.

"Naturally, I didn't let them find out anything, but they must've alerted the third kid – an elf boy, Attrei, about fifteen or sixteen; the other two seem to report to him. They somehow managed to sneak out of the inn right under my nose. It took me the whole next morning to find out where they went. Quite impressive. Especially considering the elf boy is either injured or disabled, because he uses a walking aid. Oh, and neither of the two elves are Antivan. Attrei, I'd guess, is from somewhere in the Hinterlands. Mario grew up in Denerim or I'll eat my hat."

"Which means the three humans from Antiva report to the two elves from Ferelden," Kelton replied softly, a thoughtful look on his face. The warrior looked out over the ocean as he considered what that might mean. After a moment he turned back to her. "Anything else?"

"They're staying at The Hatchet now, and trying to lay as low as they can without making it obvious they're hiding. Watching their moves has been much more difficult the last two days. Claudio and Attrei never leave the inn, and the boys always sneak out discreetly, even when they go on the most basic errand. I noticed Mario sneak out a couple of times, but he clearly knows how to lose a tail. It seems this is not a new situation for them, but if so, why stay in one place this long and not move on? They must be aware that if someone's following them, they won't just give up. It just doesn't make much sense."

It didn't make any sense, but it sounded like these were the sort of men he'd been looking for, and as far as Kelton was concerned, their business was their business. "Okay, I think I have all the information I need. Thanks Jenny, you're amazing."

"Anytime."

oOo

Kelton walked into The Hatchet and looked around. He'd waited until dinnertime, hoping it would be easier to approach the men Jenny had described to him if they were out in a public area, although the dining room was sparsely populated. He spotted them at a table in the far corner of the room, seemingly just finishing up their meal.

He walked over. "Excuse me, but would you gentlemen happen to be Gasparo Allesi and Marcus Fabbri?" he asked, using the names they'd given at the Merchant's Guild.

"That would be us, sí," Claudio said, with a little polite bow of his head. "How can we be of service?"

"My name is Kelton Langdon, and the Merchant's Guild gave me your names as shippers looking for work. I would like to hire you, if you are interested. Mind if I join you and explain the job?"

Mario looked up at the man. He was broad-shouldered and tall even by human standards, and as brawny as a lumberjack. His long blond hair fell past his shoulders, and he had a closely-cropped beard, but the effect wasn't scruffy or unkempt. His clothes were of good quality, sturdy but not too fancy. Mario couldn't imagine what his profession might be; he seemed to be someone not unused to work, but he obviously had more money than the average working man.

And Mario wouldn't mind parting him from some of that money. "Sure. Dante, get the gentleman a chair."

Kelton sat down. "My family got word that there's some sort of trouble brewing in Kirkwall. There's always been tension between the mages and the Templars there, likely because of Knight-Commander Stannard, who treats the mages rather harshly. But it seems that things have escalated lately."

Here he lowered his voice, although most of the patrons had already left. "One of my cousins is a mage in the Circle there, and we are worried that she is in real danger of being made tranquil. We want to smuggle her out and bring her to Ferelden. We have a contact who said there is a mage running an underground clinic, and he might be able to help. If we could just be there when she does escape, we could smuggle her onto the ship and be away before the Templars even know she's gone."

Attrei straightened in his chair. "They want to make her tranquil? Of course we'll-" help, he meant to say, but fell silent under Mario's strict stare.

Mario turned to the guy. "So, you want to smuggle a mage out of the Circle," he said suspiciously. His mind was racing, but he couldn't make any sense of this. Crows wouldn't need to come up with an outrageous lie like this; they'd just attack them at first opportunity. So who? Why? Maybe he was a mage hunter. Those cretins in the Tower would know what Baby was like, no? Tell him about someone in trouble, and he'd run to the rescue… "And you come to a random shipper, recommended by a guild, with an illegal offer like that?"

"Well, not entirely random, no. I instructed the guild master to be on the lookout for any merchants he felt might be disinclined to be nosey, for whatever reason. I'm sure you can appreciate how delicate the situation is."

"Is that so," Mario replied. "And no worries, the redhead – or should I call her the guild master now? – is right. We're not nosey." He chuckled, then became serious again. He leaned on the table. "So what exactly do you expect us to do? Do you only need the ship, or do you want us to help save the girl?"

Redhead? He would have to tease Jenny about that. "Help would be appreciated, but I understand completely if you don't feel up to the challenge, or prefer to stay out of it. I am prepared to make the attempt alone."

"Of course we are up to the challenge," Attrei said.

"But it depends on the price," Mario added, ignoring Attrei's glare. "That's a four week trip, and we normally earn two hundred a week. Even if we don't help you – and no offence, but I doubt you can do it yourself – it's quite a lot. Another thing is, when would you want to leave?"

"Standard pay for the voyage itself, and the going rate for mercenary work, if you do get involved in the rescue." Kelton paused. "Unless you and your team have some special experience or skills that would make your services more valuable, of course."

"Okay, how about six hundred?" Mario suggested – before Attrei suggested they'd do it for free. "Plus extra costs that come up during the rescue, if we're involved. We've never done merc work, but I doubt you can find anyone with more 'special experience' than us." He couldn't help grinning a bit, when he noticed Attrei nodding. After all, how many mercs stole a ship full of the Crows?

"Well, what sort of special experience are you referring to?"

"Saving people," Attrei said. "We-"

"-Indeed have a lot of experience in that regard," Claudio cut in dryly.

"There'll be plenty of time to go over our experience when it's necessary," Mario said, trying to sound like Korlys when he wanted to end all discussion. "If we accept the job, that is. As I said, it also depends on when you want to leave."

"I can be ready by tomorrow, if necessary. The sooner the better. The longer the delay, the greater the likelihood that we'll be too late."

"Was afraid you'd say that." Mario shook his head. "Sorry, we can't do that. We're not complete, you see. One of us is on business elsewhere and I'm not leaving without him."

Attrei straightened up on his chair. "But-!"

"But surely you could leave word at the inn for him to wait for you to return? My cousin is in danger, and if we arrive too late... It is said the Knight-Commander invokes the rite for even petty offences," Kelton added. "In fact, knowing Mariel, it's a wonder she made it to her seventeenth birthday. From what I recall, she always was a bit cheeky." Kelton chuckled at some remembered incident. "In any case, you can see why this is so urgent."

"Even if we were complete, it would not be possible to leave tomorrow," Claudio cut in. "We understand the urgency," he said to Kelton sympathetically. "But a trip this dangerous would take a few days to plan anyway. Kirkwall has quite a reputation. I do not wish to go to that Templar nest unprepared. I am too young to be turned into a tranquil, thank you."

"And besides, we're leaving for Alamar tomorrow morning," Mario added. "The earliest we could leave for Kirkwall is in three days. If we're complete."

If Claudio's offhanded revelation surprised the man, it didn't show on Kelton's face. "Of course, we need to prepare. And my parents will have to send word to Mariel and the apostate, so that everything will be arranged. Perhaps I could accompany you to Alamar and we could get outfitted while you are delivering your cargo?"

"We can set sail first thing in the morning," Mario said.

"Let us make that at nine," Claudio cut in. "We just need to load the cargo and we will be ready to go. Is that alright?"

"That's fine," Kelton said, standing. He shook hands with his new partners. "I'll meet you at the docks at nine, then." Grateful he was finally making progress on getting Mariel rescued, he bade them goodnight and left to bring the good news to his parents.

oOo

"Mario, we must help them!" Attrei burst out the moment Kelton seemed out of earshot. "We can't let the girl be turned into a tranquil!"

"Ser? What is a tranquil?" Dante piped up.

"It's a punishment Templars invoke on mages." Attrei explained. "They don't even have to do anything, it's enough if they consider the mage 'dangerous'. I don't know what exactly Templars do, but it makes the mage not only lose all magic, but also their feelings, and the ability to dream. They are still able to think and talk, but that's it. They're like empty husks, talking in monotone… but very obedient, willing to follow any order. And it's permanent." He swallowed. "I'd much rather die."

Mario had to agree with that. A husk with no feelings, obeying a Templar's every wish… Just thinking about it turned his stomach into ice. Baby was right, it would be better to die. "And what about Korlys? You okay with leaving him behind? What happened to the 'family' thing?"

"But we wouldn't be leaving forever! We'd just go to Kirkwall, get the girl, and come back, right? We can leave a message for him at the inn, or with Kelton's friends, and then he'll know we're on our way. He'll just have to wait for a couple of weeks. The girl, she doesn't have that time."

Mario shook his head. "I'm not leaving him behind. Not after Gwaren. If he's not back after Alamar… you have to go without me. But! Let's deal with that when it happens. Korlys said he'll be back as soon as he can, and I trust him. So why don't you go pack yourself instead of arguing? We're leaving early tomorrow."

"I'm coming, too?" Attrei asked.

"We're all going. We still don't know if what this guy said is true. I'm not gonna risk it."

"I agree, it is better to all stay together," Claudio joined in. "The trip will also give us the opportunity to learn more about Kelton. So keep your eyes and ears open," he said, turning to the boys.

"And your mouth shut," Mario added, glaring at Attrei.

Anastasio straightened. "Sí, ser. Dante and I can also scout out the town, find out who he is and where he came from."

Mario nodded. "Good idea. But be discreet – if this cousin really exists and needs rescuing, it's better not to bring too much attention to her. You can do that first thing in the morning. We're leaving at nine, so we have some time. I'll go out tonight, too." We'll see if this is a scam or not.

oOo

Dante felt like a bird released back into the wild, wide world after a lifetime in a cage. Finally, a proper mission! Not that he didn't like helping Attrei, but it wasn't much of a challenge or adventure.

"Let's try the market first," he suggested. This early in the morning, it was the safest bet to find a lot of people willing to gossip.

The market was bustling with early birds trying to get a jump on their day – some of the merchants were still putting up their stalls and setting their wares out for display. The matrons of Amaranthine chatted with each other while they waited. The boys were dressed in working-class clothes appropriate for apprentices of a ship's carpenter.

Since Dante was an expert in subterfuge, Anastasio left the talking to his friend while he stayed in the background, eavesdropping on other people, but keeping tabs on Dante's conversation in case he needed to chime in with something.

Their first targets were two middle-aged matrons who were getting on towards portly and whose hands betrayed their professions as washerwomen.

"What do you think Lady Langdon will wear tonight at the reception for the ambassador from Orlais?" the first one said.

Lady Langdon? Anastasio thought. So, Kelton was a noble. He glanced at his partner, who gave a little nod. They needed to find out what his title was.

"Oh, I 'spect it'll be a new gown – probably something in green velvet to set off her eyes."

"That would be lovely!" the first replied. "And it would go so well with her hair."

"You know," a bystander interjected as she overheard the two gossips, "I know the tailor, and he told me her gown cost fifty sovereigns!"

"Fifty sovereigns for a dress!" Dante muttered to Anastasio, making sure the ladies could overhear him. "I guess the nobles are the same everywhere, no?"

"Yeah," Anastasio replied, understanding intuitively the approach his friend was taking, "all they care about is their fancy parties. Back home, every time the lord threw a party, they would take the few crops we had and we starved!" It was easy to channel the bitterness he felt about his real childhood into his performance, and he couldn't help thinking he was getting as good at this as Dante.

The three ladies had, of course, turned to look at them, although they were pretending to be having a private conversation. But the bystander felt no shame in interrupting them, too, just as Dante had hoped. Some people were born busybodies.

"Maybe most nobles are like that, but not the Langdons – they pay for what they buy!" The first two nodded in emphatic agreement.

"If you say so," Dante said, his voice laced with doubt. He didn't even have to pretend. Caring nobles were as rare as caring masters. But, maybe the ladies would elaborate and tell them more about the Langdons; that was the whole point of the ruse, after all.

"No, it's true," the first one said. "The arl is a good man – he listens to citizens when they have concerns, he makes sure the roads are safe from bandits, and he donates to help orphans and widows!" the lady said, ticking off her points with her finger as she went. "And they're not snooty like most nobles."

"And, the Langdon boys!" Her friend sighed as if she were a lovestruck schoolgirl instead of an overweight matron who looked to be pushing forty.

The arl! Were they really hired by the son of the arl? "Even Ser Kelton?" Dante asked. It was a huge risk and normally he wouldn't ask this directly, but they needed some real answers.

"Especially Ser Kelton!" The other matrons nodded agreement, and that was the last bit of useful information they could get; the rest of the women's discussion was about how 'dreamy' the Langdon brothers were, and finally, to Anastasio's great relief, Dante indicated it was time to take their leave.

oOo

Dante looked around, impatient. Time was running out – they had to be at the inn in half an hour, and so far they hadn't learned much more than what those first women said; the Langdons were kind, honest, caring, one had to wonder why the Chantry hadn't pronounced them Protectors of the Poor and raised statues in their honor in the cathedral. And the sons were gorgeous and charming and if the Maker walked Thedas, he'd look like one of them. They couldn't go back to Ser Mario with that! He'd tease them for weeks! They had one last chance. And it had better count.

Across the courtyard, Anastasio noticed a man wearing a long white apron that looked stained dark red. From here, it appeared to be the color of fresh blood. He looked to be trying to get passersby to have a taste of whatever was in the wineskin he was holding out. From the unsteadiness of his gait, Anastasio thought that perhaps he'd been drinking too much out of the wineskin himself. He could see another man grabbing his arm and trying to pull him away.

"Want to go see what is going on over there?" he asked Dante.

Dante pursed his lips, thinking. If the guy was drunk, he might be more willing to talk… the question was if he had anything to say, or if he was useless like all the other bumbling fools at the market. But at least he wasn't likely to sing the praises of the Langdon boys. "Sí. Let's give it a try."

As they drew near, the man fixed his bleary eyes on them. "Here! You two! Come here – try my wine! You'll see, it's the best in Ferelden," he said, holding out the wineskin and shaking it as if to entice them.

Dante would rather die than drink what was in that wineskin, but he dutifully took it and smiled. "That is very kind of you, ser." He pretended to take a swallow, then passed it to Anastasio, smacking his lips. "It is very good, ser."

"Now you're giving wine to kids?" The man – who still had a hold on the drunk's arm – said. "Leave off, Oliver, would you?" He snatched the wineskin out of Anastasio's hand, much to the apprentice's relief.

Oliver tried unsuccessfully to shake his friend off. "You know it's true! Those Maker-damned, elf-loving, sonofabitch Langdons don't even have the decency to admit I'm the best! And that bastard Kelton is the worst of the lot!"

"Lord Kelton Langdon did not like your wine?" Dante asked innocently. "He cannot tell what is good!"

"He's a liar, he is! Stupid bastard don't even know enough to stick to his own kind!"

The boys noticed there seemed to be a small group of citizens starting to gather around the man, and they didn't seem very happy. It was clear the drunk was just going to go on in the same vein anyway, so the apprentices took that as their cue to slip away before serious trouble started.

oOo

Kelton was at the docks promptly at nine, duffel bag in hand. "Ready to set sail?" he asked Mario and Claudio, who were standing at the head of the gangplank.

He was dressed in the same style as yesterday – good quality, but not too expensive. And from what he had learned, it wasn't because he was trying to hide his identity. Apparently this guy, the arl's son, of all things, was the most unusual noble ever – one who actually gave a fuck about his people and was neither a snob nor a racist. Mario wasn't sure he believed that, but apparently everyone else in Amaranthine did, as the boys' report confirmed.

"We're good to go," Mario shrugged. "But won't you be missed at your party tonight… my lord?"

Kelton laughed in surprise. "That's my mother's party, not mine, and she knows I don't like formal dinner parties."

"I see." Mario said. "And why did you forget to mention the little detail that you're the arl's son?"

"I didn't forget," Kelton replied matter-of-factly, "I just didn't think it was relevant. Does it matter?"

"Maybe. We'll see." Mario relented.

"If you have a problem with who I am, please say so," Kelton said, puzzled by Mario's hostility. "I don't understand why it matters who my father is."

"I have no problem with you, or your father – I don't know the first thing about you," Mario said patiently. "But we'll see, won't we?"

Attrei laughed. "Don't worry about it too much," he told Kelton. "He's always like that to those he just met. Even to puppies."

"Hmph. Whatever. We need to go. Don't forget your cabin's below deck now, too, Baby. Second from the left. Kelton, yours is the third one. Let's go." Mario grabbed his and Attrei's backpacks and walked to the ship.

Kelton followed bemusedly, wondering if Mario disliked nobles on principle or just didn't like that he hadn't mentioned his father was the arl. But why would he? That would have just made it sound like he was trying to intimidate them into cooperating, which he would never do.

But Mario wasn't from Amaranthine, and the nobility were no better than any other citizen when it came to their attitudes about elves. Actually, it had been Kelton's experience that they were no better across the board. The only difference between the two was an accident of birth for which they could take no credit. It wouldn't be surprising if Mario had grown up bitter, but he hoped the elf would be able to see past his own prejudices and evaluate him on his merits alone. Only time would tell.

oOo

Attrei stopped at the top of the stairs, huffing. Climbing up the stairs with the walker was so annoying. Now that he was finally on the main deck, he would not go back to his dark cabin below for the whole day! He shot a longing look at the captain's cabin. Captain Jack had moved in there on the last trip, while he stayed behind in Amaranthine, and it would be unfair to have him move again… and this wouldn't be an issue if he could fly up and down. But Mario and Claudio insisted he must be careful around Kelton until they found out more about him and his motives.

Which was exactly what he wanted to do now – and there was the man, watching the ocean at the fore of the ship. With an exhausted sigh, he started walking towards him.

"Hi, Kelton," he said a bit nervously, when he finally reached him. "May I ask you something?"

Kelton turned around to find the kid in the walker standing behind him. "Sure. By the way, I don't think I caught your name last night."

"Oh, that's right – I'm sorry. I'm Attrei Blaze."

"Nice to meet you, Attrei," Kelton replied, shaking his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Kelton." Attrei moved to the side so he could lean on the railing. "The wheelchair was better. At least I could sit," he muttered. "I want to ask about your cousin. Mariel, yes? How long has she been in Kirkwall?"

Kelton thought about it. "I believe it's been about ten years, because I was fifteen when my family got word that she had been found to be a mage and taken to the Circle in Kirkwall. My aunt and uncle live near there, but before she was taken away, they would spend every summer with our family." Kelton grinned. "I remember how Mariel always loved to pull pranks on everybody. She was one of those people who seemed to radiate sunshine, if you know what I mean." Here his grin faded a little. "I hope her time in the Circle hasn't changed that."

"Were you able to stay in touch? I know it's forbidden in the Tower, but maybe Kirkwall is different?"

"They were allowed letters, but that was all, and after a while the Knight-Commander took away even that privilege."

Attrei rolled his eyes. "It's better to sever all ties; remember that you are not going back to that life, you are mages now! You now serve the Maker and his people, and cannot get distracted by family ties!" he said in a shrill voice of the Revered Mother.

Kelton grinned. "Yes, apparently the Maker doesn't like letters." He wondered, though, how the kid would know what the mages had been told.

Attrei chuckled. "I used to envy the guys who'd had a family out there, even if they couldn't be in touch. At least they knew what it's like, I thought. But now that I have my own family… I can't imagine being forced to just forget about them." He shuddered.

"When were you taken to the Circle?" Kelton asked, tossing the question out there lightly.

"I was three," Attrei said. "But I didn't live with my family before, either. In fact, I was born in Kirkwall's Circle, but, you know – no family, so they took me away. I lived in the Chantry's orphanage, until I caused 'an unfortunate incident'." He giggled. "I don't remember it, though, I only heard about it from the sisters in the Tower. A Grand Cleric visited our orphanage, and she thought I was cute and took me in her arms. Well, I apparently didn't share the sentiment. I got scared and started to cry – and set her robe on fire. I was moved to the Tower and got my last name that same day."

Kelton looked at the mage thoughtfully. "Not many apostates admit to it so matter-of-factly, Attrei," he said. "What makes you so different?"

Attrei laughed. "I… never thought of myself as 'an apostate'. I mean, I know I am. But we were always taught that apostates were criminals, murderers, you know. Really bad guys. Monsters. I'm not a monster."

"No, you're not a monster. You're an idiot," Mario's voice said from behind him.

They both turned to find Mario standing there, his arms crossed, though he looked more exasperated than angry. "You asked what makes this guy different? The fact that he's totally selfless, never thinks of his safety, and is unable to hold his tongue, even when specifically warned that it might be dangerous."

"But…" Attrei dropped his gaze. "Kelton wants to break a mage out of the Circle, so why would he report me to the Templars?"

"And once she's out of Kirkwall? What if he turns her in to the Circle in Ferelden – and you with her? Did you consider that?"

"No," Attrei admitted, his eyes wide. "But – but he wouldn't do that. Would you?"

Kelton was inwardly amused that it seemed the boy would take his word for it, then realized that could only be because the mage himself was that honest. Dishonest people never extended that level of trust to others. "My plan is to rescue Mariel and bring her back to my father's house. When her parents get there, they and Mariel will decide what to do next."

"Oh. That – that's good." Attrei would be relieved, except for the fact that it didn't seem to convince Mario. "Well, I – I need to go feed Rask," he said; it was the first excuse that came to his mind. "Thanks for talking to me. See you at lunch."

Mario watched his escape with an amused smile. "Little fool," he said, not unkindly. "But he's right about one thing – we are family. And I pity anyone who'd use his gullibility against him." He turned to Kelton. "Lunch is in one hour, in the captain's private dining hall. See you there."

As he watched the elf leave, Kelton considered the eccentric nature of the group: one kid willing to believe he was good, just because he said he planned to rescue a mage – without any proof that it was true – and another who somehow felt comfortable threatening an arl's son, in spite of the fact that he was an elf. He wondered what Claudio would turn out to be like. Well, no time like the present to start finding out, he thought.

oOo

But it turned out it would have to wait after all, as Claudio was busy making salves or potions or whatever it was healers made, and then it was lunchtime, and the opportunity just didn't present itself after that, as they all went their own ways, getting equipment they'd need for the trip to Kirkwall. That evening, Kelton tried again, inviting the mage to one of his favorite hangouts in Alamar.

They walked into the bar, and he turned to Claudio. "What do you think? Good place to start?"

Claudio observed the sexy young waitresses sashaying by with an appreciative grin on his face. "Sí, this will do."

At that moment, one of them walked up to them, the brunette waitress' outfit showing just the right amount of leg – suggestive without being trashy. "Hi there, good-looking. My name is Debbie. Table for two?" she asked, resting a hand on Claudio's arm briefly and giving them both a flirty smile.

"Sí, bella. Grazie," he replied.

Her eyes lit up. "Oh what a gorgeous accent you have! Right this way, honey." She strolled ahead of them, leading them to a nice table in the corner with a sway in her hips. "Is this okay?"

"È perfetto," he said, gliding his eyes over those hips and round, firm butt. Claudio managed to pull his gaze back up to Debbie's eyes. The satisfied look on her face told him Kelton's gaze had also been directed much further south.

They settled down at the table as she asked, "What'll it be?"

"Do you have Antivan Sip-Sip?" the mage asked.

"Sure do. Two glasses?"

Claudio turned to Kelton. "Do you want to split it? It is Antivan whiskey. Excellent, but quite strong."

"Sure, why not? I'm up for anything tonight." He turned to Debbie. "Two glasses would be fine."

Debbie returned with their drinks. "Here you go," she purred as she sat the bottle in the middle of the table and a glass in front of each of them. "If there's anything else you need, just let me know," she said, before moving on to the next table.

"Careful," Claudio warned as Kelton grabbed the glass. "The name's not a joke. Do not try to chug it all at once."

Kelton chuckled, but did as directed. "Smooth," he said approvingly.

"So I was told," Claudio said with a wink. He took a sip himself. "So how come a high-ranked Fereldan noble knows a place like this, in 'the city of thieves'?"

Kelton grinned. "You'd be surprised how many nobles would be at home with thieves," he joked.

"Marcus would agree," Claudio said with a chuckle. "A whole thieves guild cannot match a single noble, he claims."

"Yes, I gathered as much. Hopefully he will not hold my lineage against me forever," Kelton replied, then took another sip of the whiskey. It was definitely the sort of drink that demanded respect.

The noble scanned the room. Most of the pretty women who were not waitresses here were with other men. "Looks like all the good ones are already spoken for."

"Sí." Claudio sighed, as he turned his eyes from a lovely sex goddess who had been returning his glances – until an obviously rich but vulgar man joined her. "Let us hope some ladies will come who have more taste in men than these."

Kelton laughed. "And are still single," he agreed, then took another sip of his drink. "So, how did you and Marcus meet?"

"The guy we are waiting for – Giannio – is also an Antivan. I was to meet him in Ferelden, over some business. When we met, he introduced me to Marcus and Attrei, and after some time we decided to do business together."

Kelton nodded. "How long have you been in business together?"

Claudio sipped the brandy again, to gain some time. Truth, half truth, or a lie? How much did Kelton know about them? He had to have done some digging before he approached them with an operation like this; despite the casual demeanor, he definitely wasn't dumb. "Not long, in fact. I had known Giannio for years back in Antiva, but we met again in Ferelden only a couple of months ago. Have you ever been to Antiva? You seem to be well traveled."

"I haven't had the chance to visit yet, unfortunately. I hear it's a beautiful country, though," Kelton replied.

"Ah, Antiva is like a merry, lewd song among the boring chants. There is no other like her," Claudio said. "Nothing like Kirkwall, at least from what I heard. I have never been there myself. The City of Chains! Even the City of Thieves sounds more welcoming. But perhaps it is not as bad as they say?"

"It's worse. It was initially the center of slave trade for the Imperium, and it is said that countless human sacrifices were made there before the slaves revolted, hanged the magisters, and burned the city. It has been invaded by Qunari, Orlesians, and assorted war lords throughout its history, and even though it's now an independent city-state, the atmosphere is still dark and oppressive."

Kelton took another sip of his drink. "But, it's also the center of virtually all trade between Ferelden and the Free Marches, and as such, has influence comparable to that of more powerful nations, so I have had the misfortune of being sent on diplomatic visits a time or two." It was one of the reasons he knew the situation between the mages and Templars there was so antagonistic.

Just then, the noble spotted a group of three women as they walked into the bar and took a table together near the other end of the pub. They all looked to be about his age, and were chatting and laughing as a waitress made her way to them. One stood out, though, a beautiful woman with hair the same color as Jenny's, the color of a high quality red wine, like rubies. "Hey, check out that redhead over there," he said to Claudio without taking his eyes off of her. "She's stunning."

"Mhmmm…" Claudio gave her an appreciative lookover. "I could be tempted…"

"You? Sorry buddy, this one's mine," Kelton said, turning to look at the mage. "You don't stand a chance."

"Oh? Is that a challenge?" The ladies were looking in their direction, giggling. Claudio sent them his most beguiling smile. "I accept."

Just then, Debbie came back to check on them. Kelton took that as an opportunity to get a jump on the mage. "Hey Debbie, what's the story with those beautiful ladies over there? They seem like they're celebrating something. Not the impending nuptials of one of them, I hope."

Debbie laughed. "Don't worry, sweetie, they're just celebrating a birthday."

"Oh? Which one might that be?" the warrior asked.

"That would be Angelica – the redhead."

Perfect! "Well, in that case, I'd like to buy Angelica a drink, please."

"Sure thing, hon," Debbie said approvingly, then, after determining they weren't ready to order another bottle, strolled off.

"Not bad… for a Fereldan. A bit too obvious for experienced men, like Antivans." Claudio smirked. But as funny as the challenge was, he shouldn't forget his main reason for this night: to find out more about Kelton and his motives. "So why send your cousin to such a dreary place? Normally newfound mages are sent to the nearest Circle. Shipping them to another country is high risk, because they do not yet know how to control their magic."

"My aunt and uncle live in the Free Marches, and Kirkwall was the closest one, unfortunately."

"I see. Well, from what Attrei says – he said he already told you he is a mage – Ferelden's Tower also is not too pleasant. They were not allowed to so much as step outside the Tower – the kid hadn't been out since he was three. Pretty messed up, eh? I am glad he got out of there."

Kelton nodded, then glanced at the table where Angelica and her friends sat just in time to see Debbie talking to the redhead. The waitress pointed his way, and Angelica smiled and waved, mouthing 'thank you'. Kelton smiled and waved back. Well, enough of the 'getting to know you chat' with the mage, the noble decided; time for more important things! He turned back to Claudio. "If you'll excuse me," Kelton said with a smirk. "I have a beautiful woman to get to know." The warrior slid out of his chair, his drink in hand, and strutted over to where she and her friends sat.

She was even more beautiful up close. "Excuse me, I don't mean to interrupt the party," Kelton said, "but our waitress, Debbie, mentioned you were celebrating your birthday, and I thought I'd come over and congratulate you."

The redhead gave him a smile that lit up her face and made his heart skip a beat. "You're not interrupting, I think that's very sweet. Thank you. And thanks for the drink."

Before Kelton had a chance to reply, Claudio showed up at his side, with the bottle of the Antivan Sip-Sip in his hand.

"Buonasera, belle signorine!" he said with a polite bow, then turned to Angelica. "Please allow me to wish you all the best for your birthday. Tanti auguri, as we say in Antiva."

Kelton would swear Claudio's accent had somehow become more pronounced in his short walk over. He sure is laying it on thick.

"Thank you! What a charming accent," Angelica said sweetly. "Why don't you two join us?" Her two friends chimed in with, 'Adorable!', and giggled giddily.

Kelton was relieved to see that the redhead didn't seem quite so flustered, but he made a mental note to learn Antivan as soon as possible. Before that pesky Antivan could reply, Kelton took the seat closest to Angelica. "We'd love to!"

"Grazie, bellissima." Claudio took a seat between her two friends, who immediately wrapped their arms around his shoulders. They seemed a bit tipsy already, but their delight at having him join them seemed genuine. "It would be our pleasure," he said with a smile.

oOo

They finished off Claudio's bottle of Sip-Sip and Kelton ordered another one as they chatted. The boys regaled the women with tales of daring adventures – Kelton's as a soldier of fortune, and Claudio's as a world traveler. As they talked, Kelton noticed Angelica leaning in more often, laughing and touching his arm when he made a joke, or listening wide-eyed at his adventures. All the signals she was giving him seemed encouraging, and they were sitting quite close now, so Kelton took a chance and held her hand. He was pleased when she squeezed it warmly and rewarded him with another beautiful smile. The noble looked over at Claudio triumphantly.

Just then, he felt Angelica put a finger under his chin and gently turn his gaze back to her. "I hope you don't divide your attention – I want you all to myself."

"You have me," Kelton said, thrilled with her beauty all over again. Whatever part of the bet the mage might win, it was obvious he was not winning Angelica. As much as he wanted to gloat to Claudio, Angelica's upturned face and parted lips were calling to him, and he accepted her invitation gladly.

oOo

Claudio woke up on the rug near the fireplace, now cold and full of ashes. His head hurt as if someone had stuck half a dozen knives into it. He cast a healing spell, then got up and headed to the washbasin to splash cold water on his face.

He stopped and looked around, frowning. Something seemed off, something about the room, but his head was still filled with alcohol vapor. The girls were gone, but that was to be expected. It was… what?

Maker, but he needed a cup of coffee – no, make that a jug of coffee, strong like an ogre. He washed his face, and turned to look for his shirt and trousers – he only vaguely remembered taking them off, somewhere near the door… Then it struck him what was wrong. The room was oddly neat. No shirts and pants on the chairs, no underwear and no socks on the floor. Everything was gone.

He blinked as the thought sinked in. "Kelton! Kelton, wake up, we have been robbed!"

The warrior opened his eyes to see a naked mage standing over him. Not an appetizing sight. He looked away. "What are you talking about?" Kelton sat up and felt a sharp spike of pain in his head. He winced and rubbed his temples. "Hey, can you heal hangovers? Cause I sure could use it."

Claudio impatiently cast the spell. "I am talking about those ugly puttane stealing all our things!"

Kelton took a look around – their room was spotless. "They even took our clothes?!" He felt his neck and his heart dropped. "My necklace is gone," he said.

"What necklace?" Claudio didn't remember seeing any necklace on Kelton, but maybe he kept it under his clothes. "Something special?"

"Very," he replied heavily, his fingertips lingering where the necklace must have draped his collarbone. Kelton's gaze roamed the room as if halfheartedly searching for it. "Why would they have taken our clothes? I can see the valuable items, but our clothes? Did we piss them off somehow?"

"I do not know," Claudio said. He looked around irritatedly, then pulled the sheets off one bed. He folded the long side in half, and wrapped it around his body like a toga, securing the end on top of his shoulder. Better, but he still did not want to be seen like this.

Kelton did the same. "We can't walk back like this. Let's get Marcus to send the boys over with some clothes and boots for us."

oOo

The inn was mercifully empty, except for a young maid sweeping the floor. When they entered the hall, she stopped and looked at them. The broom fell to the floor, followed by her jaw – and Claudio's dignity. Nevertheless, he flashed a brilliant smile at her.

"Would you please be so kind as to call the innkeeper?"

The maid managed to close her mouth, but replying was momentarily beyond her. She turned on her heel and disappeared into the room at the other end of the hall. A moment later, a man who looked ancient, yet with none of the dignity Claudio usually associated with old age, shuffled out.

He gave them the once over. "Are those my sheets?"

"Yes, ser," Kelton said. "Sorry about that, but it's only temporary. Would you have someone you could send to deliver a message for us?" He handed the innkeeper a folded note he'd written to Mario before they left their room. "It's the Freedom's Shadow. They should ask for Marcus Fabbri. We would really appreciate it. Once we have some clothes, we'll be happy to return your sheets."

"And settle up," the innkeeper said. "It's five gold."

Claudio blinked. "Did we not pay last night?" he asked Kelton.

"We did pay." Kelton turned back to the innkeeper. "You must be confusing us with another party, ser. I paid you myself when we arrived."

"I'm not confusing anything," the innkeeper snapped. "You got here with the girls all eager to get to your room. Said you'd pay in the morning. And now you're here in my sheets, playing dumb."

Kelton's face grew red and his brows drew together in stormy unison. His eyes flashed indignation. "Ser, I may have had one too many drinks last night, but not so much that I don't remember what happened. I paid you before we retired." The warrior crossed his arms, biceps bulging as if he was fighting not to punch the man. It was a funny sort of mirroring of the old man, who had crossed his matchstick arms across his bony chest, bushy white eyebrows drawn together like two furry caterpillars facing off across the trenches of wrinkles between his brow.

The mage would have been amused had it not been for Mario. That the thief would have to come and get them out of trouble was bad enough – he'd tease them for years about it. But that they had to spend an extra five gold, that was something else. The brat was the cheapest man he'd ever met.

"Sí, I remember we paid, too," he said.

"Well, I do not," the innkeeper replied. "Why don't I call for the guards, and let them decide?"

Kelton momentarily thought to agree, then remembered where they were. He was well-known to the men of the Amaranthine guard as a man of integrity, but here, no one knew him. And he doubted that being the son of a Fereldan arl carried any weight, either. As much as it pained him to have his honor impugned, they really had no leverage. "Ser, this is unjust." He took a deep breath and swallowed his pride. "But, I can see we have no choice." He plucked the note from the innkeeper's bony fingers and scribbled a postscript. "If you send for our partner, we will pay you." He turned to Claudio. "Come on, we'll wait in our room."

oOo

Anastasio was sitting on a low crossbar with Dante when they spotted a kid running flat out for the ship. He ran up the gangplank and stopped at the first person he encountered, which happened to be Mario, as he had been standing at the head of it, watching for Ser Kelton and Claudio to finally show up.

The boy was panting, but still managed to gasp out, "I have a message for a Marcus Fabbri, ser. Could you direct him to me?" When Mario indicated that it was him, the boy handed the thief the message. "I'm to wait for your reply, ser," the runner said expectantly.

Mario took the slip of paper and unfolded it. Anastasio didn't have a full view of the elf's face, as he could only see him in profile, but he could see momentary confusion quickly give way to a smirk curling up on Mario's lips.

"Tell him I'll send someone over."

Anastasio and Dante jumped down and went over to Mario, dying of curiosity but trying not to show it. "Do you need someone to run an errand for you, ser?" Anastasio asked politely.

Mario looked at them and burst into laughter. "The two idiots got robbed. Twice." He handed him the note. "How about it? Want to go and save their naked butts?"

Anastasio unfolded the message, Dante leaning over his shoulder.

Dear Ser Fabbri,

Please be so kind as to send a change of clothing and boots for Gasparo and I to the The Regal Lion Inn on Crystal Park Lane. We seem to have misplaced ours after entertaining some ladies in our room last night.

Regards,

Lord Kelton Langdon

P.S. Please include five sovereigns – the innkeeper claims we neglected to pay the room charges when checking in.

The postscript had clearly been a hastily scribbled addition. "Of course ser," Dante said. "We would not miss- I mean, of course we need to help them."

"Of course," Mario agreed with a smirk. "Go pack their things. I'll get the money. But just because they're fools to fall for a cheap trick doesn't mean we need to let some stupid geezer charge us twice. Keep your eyes open. Any details you can tell me about the inn and the innkeeper will be useful."

The boys agreed eagerly, then ran to get changes of clothing for Kelton and Claudio. Anastasio was so glad he wasn't in their shoes – Mario would be teasing them forever.

A/N: Sorry for the gap in posting; personal tragedies have taken all our resources to handle, leaving no time for creative work. Hopefully we'll be back to our regular monthly posting schedule with no more interruptions. God willing.

Many thanks to our lovely betas – Bloodsong13T and Suilven – for reviewing this chapter.