The Antivan Crows
They left the Dalish elves with more questions than answers. Faren thankfully didn't have any weird bloodlines to freak out over. No, just watching it happen to someone was bad and confusing enough as it was. Before they had left the Dalish craftsman had given Lawrien a sword after she told Lanaya about the spirit in the jewel thing. Faren didn't really know much about it, but Lanaya had lit up and immediately spoke to the crafter who gave Lawrien her new sword. Meanwhile Epona had tried to ditch her armour multiple times, but no matter where she left it or who she gave it to it ended up back on her the moment she slept.
Whatever magical thing it was, Faren was not going anywhere near that. He was so happy he didn't have any special bloodline with magical armour and feeling people's feelings and any other weird stuff like that. Okay, yes, he had weird family members, but still.
"Are you getting used to your armour, Epona?" Leliana asked.
Epona adjusted her gauntlet with a grimace. "I'm not used to the weight of proper armour yet, but this isn't really giving me a lot of choice rather than to put up with it."
"I'm not used to a sword," Lawrien said, grimacing too.
"I'm taking so many notes!" Cobian said gleefully.
"At least someone's happy," Faren laughed.
"We will certainly have a strange story to tell the others at Redcliffe," Morrigan grumbled.
"Oh yes, it will be exciting!" Leliana beamed. "I've already began to work on a song."
"Great," Morrigan sighed, rolling her eyes.
"When we get a chance for a break we can continue sword training, Lawrien," Faren offered.
He and Cobian have been training her, and whatever that spirit thing was it had given her a lot of skills in regarding to sword fighting, but Lawrien wasn't physically trained in it. It was an automatic response rather than thinking it through. And Lawrien not thinking things through tended to go wrong.
Faren had lost some of his poor hair during a swing of Lawrien's sword. Not too much thankfully. It was still long, but it was more towards his shoulders rather than his lower back now.
"It even has soles!" Epona complained, yanking at her boot all of a sudden. "What is wrong with this thing?!"
It was impressive how she managed to stay on her foot while hoping around like that Faren had to admit. Lawrien cackled.
"It might be better on your feet to be honest," Leliana said weakly, wincing when Epona glared daggers at her.
"I'll cut the bottoms off these things, I swear-" Epona cursed.
"But don't they feel better when you step on stones or something?" Faren asked.
"That is not my point-"
"Help! Please someone help!" A woman cried out.
Lawrien snorted. "I know you hate soles that much, but you don't need to cry about it, Epona."
"That wasn't me and you know it." Epona scowled
A woman ran towards them from the opposite way, gasping and panting heavily. She looked rough and dishevelled, hair all ragged, some of her clothes torn, but Faren noticed that there was no fear in her eyes. Her voice barely held any terror within it. She headed straight for Cobian and clung to his arm, stumbling against him. Morrigan rolled her eyes as the woman began to babble.
Lawrien looked baffled.
Leliana leaned forward and murmured into his ear, her breath warm against it. "She's faking her panic."
"Yeah, she's not the best actress," Faren muttered.
Leliana scoffed. "Believe me, she's so fake. That begs the question though, what is she hiding?"
"We're about to be ambushed," Faren sang beneath his breath.
"There are probably plenty of people after your bounties," Leliana agreed. "Even if your own bounty is different than your usual appearance."
He groaned. "The big, fat nose."
Leliana giggled. "Maybe it will throw people off your trail."
"Come, we should follow after them and go save those people," Morrigan groaned, then her voice turned sickly sweet. "Perhaps next we shall go save some kittens from the trees!"
"Depending what kind of trees they are it might be needed." Faren grinned.
The woman didn't led them too far, and she began to slow down, seemingly satisfied that they were following. Their future attacker lead them straight to a rather handsome tanned elf. Faren felt his heart flutter. Blonde hair, cocky grin. Huh, well, Faren didn't realise he liked blondes, or cocky grins, but this guy was pulling his heart strings. Or his lust. When was the last time Faren had sex again? It used to be a daily thing with Vaughan. By the Maker that was a sad thought. Bloody Vaughan.
Epona sighed. "Ambush then?"
The woman turned and smirked smugly at them just as the elven male raised his hand, armed men pouring out from their cover.
"Capture the Cousland alive and kill the other Grey Wardens!" the woman barked, her hands bursting with lightning.
Ah great, more magic.
"Oh my!" Leliana gasped. "They are the Antivan Crows!"
"The what now?" Epona asked, startled.
"You don't know?" she cried out and Faren winced.
"I don't think the Dalish elves of Ferelden would know what the Crows are, Lelian-AH!"
Epona tackled them both to the ground, narrowly avoiding the tree that slammed into the spot they had been standing in a moment ago. Faren frowned, realising that they were trapped in a mostly enclosed area. Cobian darted in front of them, barely blocking a blast of lightning with his shield while Morrigan raised a fist, smirking nastily as the mage that had led them to the ambush was enclosed in some kind of field of energy. The woman threw her head back, screaming soundlessly. The elven male however rushed in, trying to get Morrigan. Lawrien swiped at him with her staff, but he easily side stepped, and darted in, ready to stab Lawrien's side. Faren cut him off, would have cut his hand too if blondie hadn't jumped back.
"Get him, Faren!" Lawrien cheered.
Blondie looked amused.
"The Grey Wardens die here!" Blondie declared.
"Except me apparently!" Cobian added.
"Now is not the time, noble!" Epona scowled.
Calenhad rushed by, tackling the mage and tearing into her chest while Leliana and Epona began to fire back at the archers. Lawrien of course either flung them off their perches with her force magic or set them on fire. Faren dismissed their fight though and parried blades with blondie. Hot assassin blondie.
Well, Faren never did have healthy taste in men.
Blondie laughed, a light-hearted laughter, which almost made Faren pause. The Antivan's eyes were bright from the thrill as they continued to block each other's blades, dancing nimbly between each blow they tried to land on the other.
"Faren, duck!" Lawrien yelled.
Faren ducked. He flung himself to the ground. The last time he hadn't, he had nearly gotten a face full of a boulder. He was not reliving that same heart attack again. What Faren hadn't expected was to see Lawrien's sword (the pommel) slam right into blondie's face.
"Did you just throw your sword?!" Faren screeched as blondie hit the ground, out cold.
"Success!" Lawrien cheered.
"You don't just-" Faren groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Lawrien, don't throw your sword at people! You could have killed me!"
Leliana winced.
"I told you to duck," Lawrien huffed.
"That's not what I meant," Faren complained.
Epona stormed over, her dagger out, ready to cut blondie's throat. Faren stepped in between them though, lightly nudging the assassin with his foot as he went. Yeah, he was out cold.
"Wait!"
Epona looked baffled. "Whatever for?"
Cobian perked up. "The Antivan Crows, or at least this cell, was hired to kill us personally. They are very expensive."
"Perhaps they are trying to claim our bounty?" Epona frowned, crossing her arms.
"As far as I'm aware the Antivans Crows don't go after bounties. They form contracts with people who wish to hire them and are paid highly for it. Many nobles use them."
"So you want to ask him who hired him?" Leliana mused, she knelt by the blonde's side, binding his wrists expertly.
"Indeed. The assassins were only trying to knock me unconscious so I have a feeling I know who it is," Cobian admitted, looking almost peeved. "Although I don't understand why, Uncle Loghain isn't the type to hire assassins. We've been out of civilization for too long. I need more information than this."
"Perhaps you don't know your Uncle as much as you think of do, noble," Epona said wearily. "It's happened before..."
Faren flinched.
"Uncle Loghain is a rather simple man to understand once you know his motivations." Cobian glowered, but he softened, shaking his head with a sigh. "My apologies. I'm just concerned. I shouldn't be snapping at any of you."
Epona's brow furrowed, but before she could say anything the Antivan assassin groaned softly, stirring. Blondie winced as he awoke, trying to lift a hand to probably feel his face but they were bound too tightly behind his back. Blondie blinked up at them, disorientated at first but quickly shaking it off.
"Ah, I rather thought I'd wake up dead..." Blondie murmured, testing his bindings before relaxing against the dirt. "Or not wake up at all, as the case may be."
"We have questions," Epona hissed. She drew her bow, even though Faren was standing in between her and the assassin. He couldn't help but squeak and step out of the way. "Otherwise yes, you would be 'waking up dead'."
"Epona!" Leliana protested, earning a sharp glare.
"So I am to be interrogated then?" Blondie grinned at them, looking not at all bothered by being restrained and having a weapon trained on him. "Let me save you some time then! My name is Zevran, Zev to my friends, and I am a member of the Antivan Crows, brought here for the sole purpose of killing any surviving Grey Wardens."
He did nod at Cobian though. "Apart from him, him, we were meant to capture and bring back to the man who hired us. Which sadly, I have failed at, on both accounts."
"Obviously," Epona growled through gritted teeth.
"Subject is giving information freely?" Cobian tilted his head, and actually whined. "Confusing. Subjects from Antivan Crows are not supposed to give information so freely. No, supposed to fight, resist, give their lives. I do not understand." The notebook was out again. "Zevran, new subject, must study."
"Really?" Epona groaned.
"Subject?" Zevran actually looked a little concerned.
"Cobian studies all of us," Faren offered.
He half expected Lawrien to laugh, but she didn't. She hadn't said a word. Lawrien was staring at Zevran, and she looked concerned. Faren frowned at that. Why would she be concerned over their assassin?
"I have to admit I still don't really know what these Antivan Crows are, but you did mention something about them when Cobian discovered Leliana was a bard," Epona groused.
Leliana deflated. "I still don't understand how he uncovered that so easily."
Faren sighed. "They're an order of assassins based in Antiva."
"Exactly!" Zevran beamed. "I'm surprised you've never heard of us, my dear. In fact back where I come from, we are rather infamous."
"Your lot don't really sell the whole 'assassin' thing. I mean you even attacked us in daylight, don't you people usually work at night or something?" Faren couldn't help but note.
"They did go after us in a secluded area," Leliana said. "Though I have to admit, it is rather odd."
Zevran laughed. "Yes I can see why you might have that impression. Rest assured, for one to fail like this is quite rare indeed. It is rather frowned upon for a Crow to fail actually."
"You still think this is Loghain, noble?" Epona asked, eyes still fixed on the blonde assassin below them.
"Oh yes, a rather taciturn fellow in the capitol."
"That does sound like Uncle Loghain," Cobian agreed. "But he doesn't hire assassins, especially someone from outside Ferelden. He doesn't appreciate foreigners after everything that happened in his youth. Too risky. Untrustworthy, but peace and trade also go a long way. It's why my father tended to those affairs so often."
Leliana paused. "Maybe he is desperate to get us out the way, yes?"
"Oh well, a man by the name of Howe contacted us to be fair," Zevran added.
Cobian let out a strangled noise. They all flinched as one and even Calenhad whined, nuzzling Cobian's hand, both of which has clenched so tightly that they had gone white. Cobian visibly drew in a deep breath before releasing it, loosening his hands.
"Uncle Loghain is working with Howe?" Cobian whispered, as Lawrien hissed, fire flaring from her arms. She stomped away to go pace in front of a turned over cart. Cobian sounded hurt, his face had fallen, but as suddenly as it had fallen it grew impassive. "Political sway," he said coldly. "Howe is of old blood, Uncle Loghain is not. But why would he need political sway? We're missing something..."
He began to pace too, actually in line with Lawrien. "Is Anora losing political sway after Cailan died? There is no heir. They line of kings is gone. Not unless she was pregnant before Cailan's death, but if that were the case there would be signs by now. No, something else has happened..."
Epona spat. "Howe! That dirty shemlen piece of scum dares to send assassins after us?"
"Sounds about right." Faren winced.
"I'll have him gutted!" Epona snarled. "And I'll bring his head straight to you, Cobian. I swear he will not get away with any of this."
Cobian threw her a shaky smile.
"To be fair again, he was introduced to us by a younger Lord. He's contacted us before," Zevran mused. "I think it was to assassinate his father, in fact."
"The hiring list is growing rather long," Morrigan huffed as Lawrien approached again, no longer on fire thankfully.
Cobian paused. "I can guess at a few younger Lords who might try that, but no proper leads come to mind. Strange though, surprised any younger Lords would know how to contact the Antivan Crows, or be able to in secret."
"It's why I was in the area," Zevran admitted. "I was originally hired to kill Arl Urien-"
Faren froze.
"Oh, that name means something to you?" Zevran asked, curious.
"Ah, I see..." Cobian eyed him nervously.
"Vaughan's father." Faren startled. "But... But you said he introduced you to Arl Howe-"
Lawrien's face darkened. Epona shook her head, but Faren ignored them both. His heart was racing. He couldn't seem to catch his breath.
"What?" Epona scowled. "We killed him. I watched you slit his throat open."
Vaughan was alive. Vaughan was alive even after Faren cut his throat. That shouldn't have been possible. He shouldn't have survived. That meant Faren could never get rid of Vaughan. He was like a bloody leech. Faren couldn't help it. A laugh escaped him, a desperate, horrified laugh.
"Of course!" Faren stumbled back, shaking his head. "Why did I ever think he would just stay dead?"
Everyone threw him horrified looks.
"He's been my worst nightmare since I was a child and he still lives even after I cut his throat. I can never be rid of him." Faren threw his hands up. "I'm cursed with that bastard!"
"I don't know if curses are real-" Cobian began hesitantly.
"Yes, yes, you wish to study it!" Faren cut him off. Not now. Now right now. He couldn't handle Cobian's chatter while his heart tore apart in his chest.
He thought he was finally free.
"Then we simply do the deed again," Epona said firmly. "We cut him until he stays dead."
"Then I burn him into ashes," Lawrien growled, flames flickering off her fists.
"He should have already been dead!" Faren spat. "I thought I took care of him. I thought I was rid of him forever, but no. He's probably still terrorising my home. He's probably still kidnapping and raping people and I'm not even there to let him take whatever urges he has out on me. So who knows how many bodies he's had dumped since I left?"
"It is not your responsibility to be raped by that shemlen rat!" Epona argued.
Leliana choked on her breath.
"At least I could help! Nobody else could. He murdered so many women."
"It would seem like my former employer is a bit of a horrible man, no?" Zevran added in hesitantly. He looked nervous, almost frightened, and seeing their assassin so worried made Faren's head spin.
"I'm having a meltdown in front of our assassin..." Faren said dryly. "Never thought I'd say that in my life."
"I could just kill him?" Epona held up her knife.
"But I still have questions!" Cobian protested.
"If we spent all day answering your questions we'd still be in Ostagar!" Epona spat.
"Optimistic of you to assume we would have made it to Ostagar."
Epona's scowl deepened. "I hate you."
"I know."
"Might I make a suggestion? If you're done interrogating me?" Zevran asked.
Faren couldn't think. His mind had drawn a blank. He was struggling not to think about Vaughan and his family. None of the others said a thing either, Lawrien looked furious, fire flickering off her again, Epona had planted herself firmly beside him, her voice sharpening.
"Firstly, Faren, I will gut Vaughan for you as I shall do to Howe," Epona snarled. "Secondly, I will bring you his head. Thirdly, does anyone have anything else they wish to ask, or assassin, do you have any more surprises for us?"
"Not that I can think of..." Zevran said nervously.
Nobody seemed to have anymore questions since they all remained silent. Cobian did look like he wanted to ask something, but he was shooting Epona nervous looks. Epona nodded sharply at Zevran.
"Well here's the thing, I failed. That means my life is forfeit, as far as the Crows are concerned at any rate. If you don't kill me, they will and the thing is, I like living. So since you're the sort that gives them pause, how about I serve you instead?"
"Excuse me?" Epona hissed.
Lawrien's eyes narrowed as she tilted her head. Faren blinked at the idea, while Cobian paused thoughtfully. None of them would have thought of that suggestion, and blondie might be a hot assassin, but he was still an assassin, trying to assassinate them.
"That could be a wonderful idea!" Leliana said.
"If you like to be stabbed in the back," Morrigan grumbled.
Faren knelt down, meeting Zevran's eyes who startled before smiling cheerfully once more. Faren frowned. "How can we trust that you won't stab us in the back later?"
"To be completely honest, I was never given much of a choice regarding joining the Crows. They bought me on the slave market when I was a child." Zevran shrugged, as if that was something natural and perhaps to him it was. The thought distressed Faren more than he cared to admit. "And I think I've paid my worth back to them, plus tenfold. There isn't a way out though, unless you join someone they can't touch. I might get another chance to kill you but they might just kill me for failing the first time and embarrassing them. I'd rather take my chances with you."
"Da'len, this is silly." Epona cut in, but Faren saw Cobian's curious look and apparently so did Epona. Lawrien's face was surprisingly blank. "Not you too, noble! This is foolish, even for you!"
"What do you want in return?" Faren asked.
Epona gasped. "You're actually negotiating with the assassin? We can't trust him!"
"Being allowed to live would be a nice start and somewhere down the line where you decide you have no longer have any need of me, you'll let me go on my way. Until then, I'm yours, does that seem fair?" Zevran said.
Faren shrugged. "It sounds good to me, but Epona is also right. How can we trust him? He doesn't show much loyalty to people."
"I happen to be loyal up until someone decides I should die for it."
Morrigan smirked sharply. "You might just be joining the worst people, assassin."
"Grey Wardens do have a high death expectancy, just being around us seems dire." Faren couldn't help but joke. "Killer trees, werewolves, darkspawn."
Zevran actually paused. "My pardon but, 'killer trees'?"
Epona was still glaring though, cutting off his trail of thought. "We're taking the assassin with us now? You can't be serious."
"He'd be very skilful as an Antivan Crow-" Leliana offered.
"He couldn't land a good blow on one of us!" Epona snapped.
"He wasn't trying to kill us," Lawrien said softly. "Not like the others were."
They all blinked at her.
"What do you mean?" Morrigan raised a brow.
Lawrien stared at Zevran thoughtfully, then shrugged. "Doesn't matter. He's more skilled than he acts."
Zevran looked nervous.
"So we shouldn't bring him along?" Cobian tilted his head.
"Nah, bring him!" Lawrien grinned. "He wants to live, do something different and be better."
Leliana paused. "You said that about me too..."
Lawrien's grin brightened. "I always like people who want to try."
Epona sighed. "Duncan will be glad to not have to deal with any of this anymore."
Zevran looked baffled, but Faren ignored him. Lawrien nodded at him, and surprisingly Cobian nodded his way too. Faren frowned. So this was on him then. Faren ran his hand through his hair, then returned his gaze to Zevran. "Alright, Zevran, I think we have ourselves a deal. A rather crazy deal, but a deal nonetheless."
"I'm curious to see what everyone else will make of this." Epona massaged the bridge of her nose.
"A fine plan, but I would examine your food and drink more closely for now on were I you," Morrigan mused.
"That's excellent advice for anyone," Zevran said cheerfully but both him and Zevran froze when Epona's arrow went flying by, nicking the assassin's ear. Her face looked murderous.
"Fine," Epona bristled. "But if you hurt any of them I will kill you slowly."
"That seems fair," Zevran admitted.
Lawrien draped herself over Epona's back, despite her tense posture.
Faren cautiously untied him, more worried about Epona's next move rather than the assassin's. Faren offered out his hand and Zevran grinned, accepting the help. He immediately lowered his head, in Faren's direction of all people.
"I hereby pledge my oath of loyalty to you, until such a time you choose to release me from it. I am your man, without reservation. This I swear."
He stared right into Faren's eyes before offering a wink. "Besides, it is definitely worth it if I get to serve a sexy god."
Faren felt his cheeks burn, but he grinned and rolled his eyes. "Charming."
"For you? Of course." Zevran grinned.
"Urgh," Morrigan grunted, rolling her eyes.
"My dear lady, you look like you could use some cheering up," Zevran said, eyes bright.
"Don't you dare start following me around." Morrigan scowled.
"But how will you watch me to keep me out of trouble?"
"Why would I? Sneaking into our good graces in order to make another attempt is what I'd do were I you."
"And here I was becoming fond of a beauty such as you watching me closely," Zevran sighed dramatically.
Cobian caught Faren's arm before he could walk off with the others. Their companions began to walk ahead, except Lawrien who was already digging into pockets, pulling out coin and small trinkets.
"Are you holding up alright? Hearing about Vaughan must have been difficult," Cobian said.
Faren raised a brow. "About as difficult as it must have been to hear that Howe is working with Loghain."
"Indeed. I'm furious, but can see the logical side to it depending on the reason Uncle Loghain chose to work with that snake, but your situation is different. Vaughan never should have survived. He should be dead and gone and to hear that he isn't must be shocking." Cobian's brow furrowed. "We'll have to kill two members of nobility-"
Faren choked. Okay, no, wait-
"Lure them away and cut both their throats and have Lawrien set them on fire and turn their flesh and bones into ashes," Cobian said, his words coming forth faster and faster. "Nobody must know that it was the Grey Wardens either. We would have to go undercover, or perhaps it wouldn't matter as we already have bounties on us. Perhaps that would just add more value to our bounties. We'd be murderous criminals!"
"If we go murdering people, yeah," Faren said weakly.
Where did them murder suddenly come from? He would have expected it from Epona and Lawrien sure, but Cobian (as far as Faren recalled) hadn't once said about killing people. Didn't he want Howe to go through a trial and face justice or something like that?
"Must be murder. Howe is now Uncle Loghain's ally. He must protect his allies, but that will not stop me. Uncle Loghain and Anora can stand between Howe and I but it would not matter. I will have his head."
"Hell yeah!" Lawrien cheered.
"And you will have Vaughan's, even if I must deliver it to you. Or Epona. Or Lawrien. Someone will deliver it to you, or we'll just bring him to you and you can murder him yourself," Cobian rambled. "We cannot take that choice from you. If you wish to deal his death by your hand as I now must do with Howe then you will have that choice."
For the love of- He was just talking faster. Faren was having a hard time picking up even half the words at this rate.
"Cobian!" Faren clapped his hands.
"Yes?"
"Please, breathe, for the love of the Maker."
"Ah, yes, breathing good. Very good." Cobian inhaled deeply, then exhaled, his shoulders slumping.
"Okay, thank you for that," Faren said. "I'm glad you all want to help me kill Vaughan, but I doubt that will happen anytime soon. I'll do my best to stop myself from breaking down again, but I need you to do the same."
Lawrien's hands flickered with fire. "I could go burn down his mansion-"
"We are busy trying to save the world from the Archdemon!" Faren cried. Poor Duncan, how did he deal with this for so long?
"It'll be quick once I start-"
"We're not going to Denerim just to set his mansion on fire," Faren groaned.
"And him," Cobian added.
"Yes, and him," Faren sighed. "Later if we get time and live through this."
By the Maker he was going to go grey before he even hit his twenties.