Bandelora lowered the crown onto Culwydd's brow, and Culwydd rose to her feet.
“My first act as Queen is to imprison my brother, Bhelen,” Culwydd instructed. “Guards—take him to the dungeons.”
Bhelen was hauled away, bellowing threats against both Culwydd and Kitranna, while the Assembly muttered amongst themselves.
Culwydd ignored Bhelen and instead focused her attention on Kitranna.
“I have seen with my own eyes the threat of darkspawn,” she said, her voice raised so the rest of the Assembly could hear her. “They do not merely threaten Orzammar, but our allies and friends on the surface.” she looked around the room. “We cannot pretend the surface does not exist, and neither will we let them ignore us. We will lend the strength of our armies to the Gray Wardens, and quell the threat of this Blight as we have done many times in the past.”
Kitranna smiled and inclined her head. “Thank you,” she said.
“You and your companions have my thanks as well,” Culwydd said. “For unless you had come to the Deep Roads, I would have died down there, and Paragon Caridin would never have been found.”
The meeting ended swiftly after that, with Culwydd and Kitranna and the others all returning to the Palace. They needed to have a discussion that wasn't in a loud Assembly hall, and Culwydd desperately needed to re-orient herself with Orzammar.
They were immediately greeted by Raen Brosca, who hadn't left the Palace with the rest of Kitranna's group, and instead stayed with her sister.
“You,” she snapped, going right up to Culwydd. “They call you the new Queen, but I don't know you from manners.”
Culwydd blinked, and waved away the guards that had come to interfere. “...who are you?”
“My sister, Rica, has your brother's son,” Raen said. “What are you going to do?”
“...oh.” Culwydd furrowed her brow. “Yes, I see...
“What about my sister?” Raen demanded. “What's to happen to her? What are you going to do? She has Bhelen's son, she's a noble now and everything, but I heard--”
“There's a frightening thought,” Culwydd muttered.
Raen's back straightened. “What do you mean by that?” she snapped. “What are you going to do?”
“I mean that the idea of Bhelen having children is terrifying,” Culwydd said. “I hope your sister is a good woman, because that poor child is going to need every good thing he can get from her—Bhelen doesn't have anything but bile in him.”
Raen didn't relax. “Tell me what you're going to do to them!”
“Nothing,” Culwydd said.
“So you're not going to exile them or kill them or something?”
Culwydd blinked. “What? No. What has your sister ever done to me?”
“I thought—if you wanted to get rid of Bhelen's allies...” Raen ran a hand through her hair. “I mean, you did just toss him out on his ass.”
Culwydd waved a hand. “She was Casteless, yes? Like you? So even if she even moderately likes Bhelen—which I doubt—she was probably just using him as a strategy to get out of Dust Town.”
Raen scowled, then nodded. “Well...probably,” she admitted.
“There you are then. She probably has more loyalty to you than to him.”
“Also true.”
“Now...if you would please move aside? If I don't sit down somewhere I may collapse.”
“Oh,” Raen moved out of the way, mollified. “Sorry, Your Majesty.” she glanced at Kitranna. “That's the right term, right?
“I don't think it matters at this point,” Kitranna said.
“Don't worry, I'm not offended,” Culwydd said, sitting down on a padded bench. “It's hard to be offended by much after wandering around in the Deep Roads for months.”
“Well—I'll go tell Rica we don't have to flee for the Surface,” Raen said.
“She can stay here if she wants,” Culwydd said. “I mean—if she's been staying here, and her son is Bhelen's, that technically makes you part of the royal family.”
“It does?”
“Yes.”
Raen smiled. “Well—nice to have a new sister-in-law, then, I suppose,”
“Pleasure to meet you.”
Raen left. Kitranna hovered in the hall, standing next to Culwydd, who had closed her eyes and didn't seem very intent on moving. Kitranna desperately desired a hot bath and then a long sleep (which was what everyone else was doing), but she felt like she should stay.
To her great fortune, Zevran rounded the corner and found them. He'd changed into clean clothes instead of battered armor, and Kitranna realized at that moment exactly how foul both she and Culwydd smelled. Culwydd opened her eyes when she heard him coming.
“Oh—hello,” Culwydd said, with a soft smile.
“I saw dear Raen storming around the corner, so I thought this was where I might find you,” Zevran told Culwydd. He gave a significant glance to Kitranna, who let out a breath.
“I guess we won't be getting anything done yet?” Kitranna said.
“Not until I've had some sleep,” Culwydd said, waving Kitranna off. Before Kitranna left entirely, she saw Culwydd put an arm around Zevran's shoulders.
“I'm exhausted,” Culwydd murmured as Kitranna turned a corner, away from them.
“As am I,” Zevran admitted.
“I'm sure I have a thousand things to do...” Culwydd said.
“As do I.”
“Should probably sleep first.”
“That sounds like a very appealing option,” Zevran agreed.
Culwydd was silent for a moment. “I don't know where my bedroom is,” she said blankly. “I can't remember where the old one was and they probably turned it into a guest room or something. Or walled it off.”
“You are the Queen, I presume you can sleep wherever you please.”
Culwydd got to her feet, as did Zevran.
“Come with me,” she urged him. She gave him a half-smirk. “Then you can tell people you've slept with a Queen.”
Zevran chuckled. “Can I? How wonderful.”
“It is, isn't it?”
The pair of them did indeed eventually find a bedroom—one of the servants lead them to the suite traditionally assigned to the Queen. It had long stood vacant, with hardly a sign that anyone had ever lived in it.
The bed was enormous, far too big for any lone dwarf (or any lone elf, for that matter). Culwydd eased out of her armor, determining that she would have to get rid of it—it was
simple leather, battered and torn and covered in stains and dirt.
“What did you do with your armor?” she asked Zevran, suddenly curious as to where his leathers had gone. He was already in bed—he was too tired to even make a joking attempt at seduction, and had pulled the covers over his head. She could just see some strands of blond hair poking out from under the blankets.
“I threw it into the lava pit,” he mumbled. “It smelled foul and was falling apart. Quite possibly carrying several diseases, also. I've had a few assassination jobs that have gone like that. Lava is the best solution.”
“I see,” Culwydd said, crawling into bed next to him. She sighed with relief. “I'm never leaving this bed,” she decided.
“An excellent choice,” Zevran said, his voice sounding sleepier now. He didn't so much as lift his head.
Kitranna took to bed herself, but didn't sleep for long, dreams of the Archdemon waking her up. She was up and about long before Culwydd. She couldn't leave Orzammar yet, not without a formal alliance drawn up, but Culwydd not only needed to rest, she needed a healer to look her over. So much time in the Deep Roads hadn't done anything for her health.
Kitranna sent Wynne to speak with the Palace healer and then attend to Culwydd, while she decided to go and do some of her smaller errands on her own. She still needed to find Dagna, after all.
She gave the list of golem tributes to the Shaperate, who were both stunned and grateful for the finding. She then went to the house of Dagna's family, so she could speak with either Dagna's father or the dwarrowdam herself. An idea was shaping up in her mind, and she thought Dagna should hear about it.
In the market district, the gleam of something golden caught Kitranna's eye. She looked closer at the stand where it had come from, and saw that it was a golden mirror. She was stricken with the resemblance the mirror had to the description Morrigan had told her of the mirror she had taken as a child, and immediately bought it.
Pocketing the mirror, she went to Dagna's house.
She caught Dagna instead of her parents, which was fortunate.
“Warden!” Dagna exclaimed, upon meeting her. “You're back from the Deep Roads! --oh, what am I saying, of course you are, Queen Aeducan came back from the Deep Roads and you came with her—did you need something? Is there any word from the Circle?”
“I'm still not sure if going to the Circle is the best idea for you,” Kitranna told her. Dagna opened her mouth to protest, but Kitranna held up a hand. “But I have another thought. I think you should definitely study magic, but I think Cul—Queen Aeducan needs to hear about it.”
“Really? Why?”
“Dwarves can't do magic, in the traditional sense, but they can make things that are magic,” she said. “In the Deep Roads, we found this artifact Paragon Caridin had made—the Anvil of the Void. He used it to make golems.”
“Wow!” Dagna exclaimed. “That's amazing!”
“And also, magical,” Kitranna said.
Dagna frowned. “Well...sure, dwarves can enchant things, but...I mean, that's not really the same as what mages do, is it?”
“I've never even heard of any mage able to make an artifact like that,” Kitranna said. “It was—it was different than any enchanted artifact I've ever seen, it warped the Fade around it like a mage would, and it smelled like--” she paused. “Look, even if dwarves can't do magic the same as everyone else, this is something you should look into,” she said. “And who would be better to do that than someone who's interested in studying it?”
“But why do you think the Queen would want to hear about any research I do?” Dagna asked.
“Because she needs to,” Kitranna said bluntly. “She saw the same things I did.”
Kitranna returned to the Palace after telling Dagna the appropriate time and place to visit. Upon hearing that Culwydd had awoken but was busy with the healers, she went to seek out Morrigan, mirror in hand.
Morrigan was busy inspecting sets of armor, trying to decide if it would be worth it to get leather or to stick with one of her spare sets of robes.
“You should probably go for the armor,” Kitranna advised, coming up behind her as she examined a set on a rack. “It's enchanted, like your robes.”
“Mm,” Morrigan pursed her lips. “And no doubt dwarven enchanters are very good...and if I do not like their work, I could always change it...”
“Exactly.”
Morrigan turned to face her fully. “What have you there?” she asked, spying the mirror in Kitranna's hands.
“Here,” Kitranna said, and handed the mirror over to her.
Morrigan turned the mirror over in her hands. “...a mirror...?”
Kitranna rubbed the back of her head. “I saw it, and I remembered what you told me, about the mirror you found...”
“It is...just the same as the mirror which Flemeth smashed on the ground...” Morrigan turned it over and over, entranced. “So long ago...” she looked up at Kitranna. “It is incredible you found one just like it! …I am uncertain what to say...”
“You don't—you don't have to say anything, if you don't want to,” Kitranna assured her. “I just thought it would be nice.”
“You must wish something in return, certainly,” Morrigan said, her tone more businesslike.
“No, no!” Kitranna said, holding up her hands. “It's a present. That means you don't have to give me one back.”
Morrigan blinked at her. “I have...never received a gift,” she admitted. “Not one that did not also come with a price attached.” she smiled. “But I would be a fool not to accept such a gesture with grace. Your gift is most thoughtful. Thank you.”
“You're welcome,” Kitranna smiled at her. “I'll leave you to it—or you can come with me. I have to go find Culwydd.”
“She is still with the healers,” Morrigan said, pocketing the mirror and following Kitranna out of the armory.
“I knew that,” Kitranna said. “But I need to pull her away. We can't stay here forever—we have to be moving on.”
“I could not agree more,” Fiona came hurrying up beside them in the hall.
“Fiona!” Kitranna exclaimed. “Good to see you.”
Fiona gave a sharp nod of her head. “I see that when left alone for a few weeks, you decide to completely upturn Orzammar's government.”
“Yeah. Well, Culwydd did.”
“Are you going to see her now?”
“Yeah. Have you met her yet?”
Fiona shook her head. “She has been busy. Evidently the Deep Roads took a toll on her.”
“More than a simple toll...” Morrigan muttered.
“I am not surprised. We are fortunate that she has not lost her mind. That can happen.”
“Believe me, we know,” Kitranna said, exchanging a look with Morrigan. “Anyway, you can hear all about it when we meet with her.”
They found Culwydd, surrounded by healers. Zevran was with her, as was Wynne, although Wynne's attentions were more focused on collaboration with the other healers at the moment.
“Warden!” Culwydd said, spotting them. “...Wardens,” she corrected, spotting Fiona. “You are Warden Fiona, yes?”
Fiona nodded. “I am.”
Culwydd stood up, and waved away her healer. “You have a great deal of work to do,” she told Kitranna. “As do I.”
Kitranna nodded. “Yeah, we need to get going soon,” she agreed. “How's the Assembly taken you appointment so far?”
“The shock hasn't worn off yet,” Culwydd said.
“I am sure they will voice their displeasure soon,” Zevran said.
“Yes, that's quite likely.”
“Before we go, there's someone you should meet,” Kitranna told Culwydd.
“Who is that?”
“Weird woman named Dagna,” Kitranna explained. “She waved me down in the street when we were still doing errands for Bhelen. Wanted to join the Circle of Magi.”
Culwydd furrowed her brow. “But...dwarves cannot do magic...”
“That's what I said!” Kitranna said.
“That's the redheaded miner's daughter, isn't she?” Fiona said.
“Yeah,” Kitranna said. “And you need her,” she pointed at Culwydd.
Culwydd blinked. “Why?”
“Because I think Orzammar should have someone who knows how magic works,” Kitranna said. “Think about it—that Anvil thing was magic, right?”
Culwydd furrowed her brow. “It certainly seemed that way,” she said, stroking her chin. “It wasn't simply a normal enchanted object, I have seen those before...”
“I thought it was blood magic, when I heard of its uses,” Wynne pointed out.
“And if dwarves truly cannot use magic, that makes no sense,” Culwydd said. “This Dagna woman, she wants to study with the Circle of Magi?”
“Yeah,” Kitranna said. “But I don't think she should.”
“Why not?”
“Because the Circle's not a good place to learn magic.”
Culwydd tilted her head to one side. “Isn't it? It is called the Circle of Magi, that must be for a reason--”
“It is a long story,” Zevran said. “But according to our resident Circle mages, the Circle would not be a good place for any scholar to actually learn things in.”
Wynne frowned. “Simply because your experience of the Circle was a poor one--”
“Wynne, the Calenhad Circle got filled with demons and half of the mages died,” Kitranna said bluntly. “And the Chantry doesn't like dwarves anyway. Is that really a good environment for learning?”
“Filled with demons?” Culwydd exclaimed.
“Another long story,” Kitranna said. “Look, I still think you should meet with Dagna anyway. Knowing more about magic can only be helpful, right?”
“You bring up a good point,” Culwydd said. “And I saw many things in the Deep Roads that may have been magic, and it is true we lost much of our lore and knowledge when the Darkspawn attacked us.” she sighed and shook her head. “The Shaperate claims a great deal of knowledge, but the truth is, they know very little, and are quite stubborn about anything that challenges their views.” she began to pace. “Our isolationism doesn't help matters...”
“Alright, great,” Kitranna said. She tapped her chin. “Uh—I was wondering, would you think it would be a bad idea to let an apostate stay here?”
Everyone glanced at her.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, my friend Jowan, one of the people who came with us—he's an apostate, hunted by the Templars, but, well...he's not exactly a warrior,” she said.
“You wish to leave Jowan here?” Morrigan said.
“I just thought of it,” Kitranna said. “I'd have to ask him, but I figured maybe he'd be safe from the Templars down here. And everyone else.”
“Well, I don't mind, as long as he's not a criminal,” Culwydd said.
Everyone winced, and Culwydd sighed.
“What did he do?”
“Poisoned an Arl,” Kitranna grimaced. “Arl Eamon.” at Culwydd's expression, she hastily added “but he only did it because otherwise Loghain would have turned him in to the Templars, and they would have killed him, or made him Tranquil, or sent him to Aeonar!”
“Please understand that I only have context for roughly half of that sentence,” Culwydd said. “But he poisoned the Arl because he was being...blackmailed?”
“Yeah.”
Culwydd rubbed her chin. “Well, technically, he's never committed a crime here,” she said. “Murder is a very serious--”
“Oh, the Arl's not dead,” Kitranna added. “He's still ill, as far as we know, but not dead.”
“And it would be no great loss if he was,” Fiona grumbled.
“Attempted murder, then,” Culwydd said. “That is very serious, but if he was being blackmailed...well, I'd have to talk to him first, but I suppose he could stay here. As a favor to you, if nothing else.”
“Thanks,” Kitranna said. “I'll go talk to him about it—he might not even want to stay here.”
Kitranna went to find Jowan while Culwydd went to meet with Dagna.
“So, I think I might have a solution to a lot of your problems,” Kitranna announced to Jowan, locating him in a back room at the Palace.
“That's a fine greeting,” Jowan said. “I mean, not that it's a bad thing, but I haven't even seen you for weeks, and--”
Kitranna sighed. “Look, Jowan, I talked with Culwydd--”
“The Queen?”
“Yes, the Queen, and I asked her if you could stay here, in Orzammar.”
Jowan paused. “...what did she say?”
“She said you could.”
Jowan knotted his fingers together. "I don't know..."
"Think about it!" Kitranna urged. "The Templars wouldn't come here, and not Loghain's men either. You'd be safe. I bet there's even fewer demons around here, because of all the dwarves."
"I don't think that's how that works," Jowan said. "But--it sounds like a good idea. I can hardly be on the run forever, and I don't really hold with all the fighting you and your friends do." he grimaced.
"That's settled then," Kitranna clapped him on the shoulder. "Go talk to Culwydd about it, and when we leave you can stay here, safe."
Culwydd found Dagna in a small audience room near the front of the Palace. The dwarrowdam jumped to her feet when she saw her.
“Your Majesty!” she said. “I—I thought Warden Surana—I'm sorry, I'm Dagna, of House--”
Culwydd held up a hand, and Dagna stopped. “Warden Surana advised me to meet with you,” she said. “None of my current Assembly know the first thing about magic—although there is an Enchanter here and there.”
Dagna nodded eagerly.
“But you are the first dwarf I've ever met who has an interest in magic like what the Surfacers use.” she began to pace. “That's useful. I saw many things in the Deep Roads—terrible things and marvelous things. Mostly bad, but what being in the Roads convinced me of more than anything is that Orzammar cannot continue as it has.”
“Why not?” Dagna asked.
“We know so little compared to our ancestors,” Culwydd explained. “Lost houses and families and entire methods of smithing, or building, even farming or sewing! We have lost enormous parts of our history and our heritage, and our current isolationism, the way we insist on clinging to old rules and locking ourselves inside the city—well, it won't get any of that back. The only way to do that is to move forward.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
“If you choose to study at the Circle of Magi, as Warden Surana told me you wished to,” Culwydd said. “You will be granted permission to retain your House and family name.” she rubbed her chin. “But Warden Surana also said that the Circle may not be the best choice to study at. Two of her other mage companions agreed.”
“Then where should I go?”
“I am not sure,” Culwydd admitted. “I don't think it would be a bad idea to go to the Circle—in fact I think you should, even if it is a bad school, so you may find any knowledge about magic you can. But if you are truly invested in this--”
“I am!” Dagna said. “I've been packed for weeks—my father didn't want me to go to the surface, but I want to, even if I lose my name!”
“Then I am sure that it will please both you and your family if you go as an official researcher, appointed by me,” Culwydd said.
Dagna gaped. "Really?” she exclaimed.
“Yes. Really.”
Dagna thanked her profusely and proclaimed her desire to go to the Circle. Culwydd advised her to talk to Kitranna about it, and told her to meet with some of the Palace's secretaries and the minister of foreign affairs and they parted ways. Culwydd met with the Assembly, who were still in shock about the entire thing, so for now they were agreeable when Culwydd declared her intent to immediately give the Wardens Orzammar's military support. Kitranna, Alistair and Fiona all arrived at the meeting as well, and within a few hours they had a plan hammered out.
The Orzammar military would meet at Redcliffe, where the Wardens' Ferelden support was. They would also send missives to Clan Leanvunlas, who was leading the organization of Ferelden Dalish Clans.
Kitranna made it known that the Dalish Clans would probably only send a few representatives to Redcliffe—they still had the Dalish support, but they were extremely wary of humans. Likewise, the Circle of Magi would send the support they could spare, but since the Ferelden Circle had taken such heavy losses, it was unlikely that they could spare many.
It was suggested that perhaps the Wardens' force could meet in Orzammar rather than Redcliffe, but due to how remote the gates of Orzammar were, the idea was discarded. It was already winter, and entering the Frostbacks would be extremely difficult, especially for a mage who may be ill-prepared or a Dalish Clan that needed to take care of more vulnerable members of their Clan. So, Redcliffe it was.
The Assembly had been forced to dust off the treaties they held with Ferelden, and decided to try and avoid involvement in Ferelden's political squabbles. Their alliance was strictly to the Gray Wardens, with the express goal of defeating the Archdemon and limiting the amount of damage the Darkspawn could do.
It was at this meeting that Culwydd brought up Dagna, and the Assembly was split on the matter. Half of them thought it was a useless exercise, but the other half saw the potential in it. If nothing else, developing a better relationship with the primary buyers of lyrium wasn't half-bad an idea.
After that, Kitranna's people cleaned up a bit more, but then had to be on their way. They were going to Haven to try and meet with Brother Genitivi, with possibly a quick stop at Cadash Thaig for Shale's benefit.
“Are you sure about this?” Jowan asked Kitranna while she packed.
“About what?”
“Couldn't you just let Alistair and Fiona go and hunt the Archdemon?” he asked. “You could stay here...I'm sure the Templars would never think to look for you here.”
Kitranna shook her head. "I have to go," she said. "I can't just let Alistair and Fiona take the Archdemon on--I have to help."
"But why?"
Kitranna snorted. "Because I want the bloody job done right," she said. "And anyway--what happens if they die and I'm not there? It'd be a disaster."
"I suppose so," Jowan said. "But I'll miss you."
Kitranna smiled and patted Jowan on the arm, shouldering her pack. "I'll miss you too," she assured him. "But you'll be safe here. Don't worry--I'm sure I'll kill the thing before you know it."
Jowan grinned. "You probably will," he agreed.
Culwydd had to admit, she was disappointed. She hovered over Zevran while he packed.
“Must you leave?” Culwydd asked wistfully. Zevran opened his mouth, but Culwydd cut him off. “No, no, I know the answer,” she sighed.
“I did swear my service to our fair Wardens,” he told her.
“I know,” she said, patting him on the shoulder. He touched her hand and gave her a brief smile.
“If the Archdemon is killed, and the Darkspawn are driven back, and you and I are not dead, then I shall come back here,” Zevran promised.
“You will?”
“Why should I not? The Crows do not want me, and I am sure even if dear Surana wished me dearly to stay by her side, I could give her the slip.” he turned and put his arms around her.
She smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist (the tallest she could reach). “Why do I get the feeling you like me for being able to help you escape the Crows?”
“Well, there are other things as well,” he chuckled.
“Come back to Orzammar, and I'll keep those Crows off your back,” she said. “And any Gray Wardens, should they become a problem.”
Zevran raised his eyebrows. “Kitranna has been a friend so far,” he assured her. “You've traveled with her, you know her.”
"Yes, but you're the one I've been with. She was making doe eyes at her witch friend the whole time.”
“That she was,” Zevran inclined his head. “I am not sure that is a good decision, but, it is not really my business.”
“If you do not come back, I will be unhappy,” Culwydd assured him. “At least send me a letter.”
“That, I shall do,” Zevran said with a smile. He paused, his expression faltering for a minute.
“What's the matter?”
“I—well, we have become attached quite quickly, have we not?” he said.
“Is that worrisome?”
“You did spend a great deal of time alone,” he pointed out. “I—worry that perhaps I am a friendly face, and you will—well I am sure you will come to your senses--”
“Worried that I latched on to the first face I saw?” she said. “Well, I did, in a sense.”
Zevran paused. “...at least you are aware of it?”
“Zevran, I was down there, in the caves, with the Darkspawn, for—I don't know how long. It felt like forever.” her face darkened. “But then, I saw you—Surana, Morrigan, Wynne, even Oghren—and it was like—like--” she shook her head. “I saw all of you, the first living people I had seen in ages, and—well,” she shrugged helplessly. “There was you.”
“And what is it about me that is so...fascinating? Besides the obvious, of course.”
“You wanted me to help,” she said. “You wanted me to come back to Orzammar. Imagine that—someone wants me to come back, and it's a pretty Surfacer elf.” she held his hands tightly. “I went half-crazy down there,” she said. “Anyone would. But you—you're so far from any Darkspawn, any Deep Road—you're real. Sometimes I worry that this—this is all some elaborate dream, that I've completely gone round the bend, but—well, I could never imagine anyone like you.”
He blinked, then smiled. “I am here to help, of course,” he said. “And I am glad I could do so.” he reached out and touched her face. “But—I...” he paused. “How am I to know I am not...perhaps taking advantage of you?” he admitted softly.
“You're not,” she assured him.
“But I--” he bit his lip. “You were wounded, in the Deep Roads, and what if—surely there is someone else you could—whose company you could--” he closed his eyes. “What if—by—doing what we are, I wound you further?”
“You could never hurt me,” she told him, tilting his cheek to face her.
“But I have hurt people I love before,” he told her. “What if I do it to you as well? I could not.”
“Then you won't,” she said, the corners of her mouth tightening.
“What if I betray you?” he asked again. “What if--”
“You speak as if you have no will of your own!” she said. “Which I know is not the case—you certainly have a will.”
“Of course I do,” he said. “But...”
“What is it?” she asked. “Why does this worry you so?”
He hesitated. “There is a reason I accepted the mission to assassinate the Wardens,” he said. “It was far away from home—further than I had ever gone, but it had nothing to do with any thought that I might leave the Crows. Meeting Surana—meeting you—was quite an accident. The mission I took with the Crows before coming to Ferelden—it did not end well.” he looked away from her.
“What happened?”
“I had made a bid for an incredibly difficult mark, and it was accepted,” he explained. “Taliesen, a Crow I have worked with before, agreed to be part of my team, as well as another lass I did not know named Rinna.” he sighed and tilted his head back. “She was...a marvel. Tough, smooth, wicked. Eyes that gleamed like justice.”
Culwydd raised her eyebrows. “She sounds like someone I would want to know.” she paused. “What happened to her?”
“Rinna was special,” he said. “I had closed off my heart to others, I had thought, but she touched something inside me.” lightly, he brushed his chest. “It frightened me.” he closed his eyes. “Taliesen revealed to me that Rinna had accepted a bribe from one of our targets, told him of our plan. I readily agreed that she should pay the price and I allowed Taliesen to kill her.”
“But she hadn't done it, had she?” Culwydd asked quietly.
“Rinna begged me not to,” he whispered. “She told me that she loved me, that she had not betrayed me. I laughed in her face and said that even if that were true, I did not care.”
Culwydd was silent.
“Taliesen cut her throat and I watched her bleed as she looked up at me. I spat on her for betraying the Crows.” Zevran's mouth twisted. “When Taliesen and I killed the target, we found the true source of the information. Rinna had not betrayed us after all.”
Culwydd narrowed her eyes in thought. “Did Taliesen know this?” she asked. “Did he lie to you?”
“I...don't know,” Zevran admitted. “I wished to tell the Crows, but he convinced me not to. He said it would be a foolish waste.” he shook his head. “But it did not matter. The Crows knew what we had done—but they did not care. They told us so.”
“But—if they knew that...” Culwydd wrapped her hand tightly around one of Zevran's wrists. “Would they have known that she didn't betray you?”
“I really do not know,” Zevran said.
“Why would they even tell you something like that? Was it against the rules, to kill another Crow?”
“No,” he said. “They told us—to rub it in our faces, perhaps. That we were nothing. That me, Taliesen, Rinna—we were nothing.” he let go of her hands, stepped back. “I loved Rinna—and she died because of me. Perhaps it was Taliesen who wielded the knife, but I did not stop him.”
“You thought she betrayed you,” Culwydd said. “Someone you trusted told you that she had betrayed you.” one of her hands curled into a fist and she scowled. “Oh, I know what that's like.” she looked up at Zevran. “Perhaps Taliesen didn't betray you like Bhelen did me—but the result is the same. My brother is dead. Your Rinna is dead. It is our fault, our responsibility.” she moved closer, her hands out. “But you will not hurt me, by being with me. I will not allow it.”
He hesitated, then took her hands again. “I am sure you would not,” he said eventually.
She nodded. “Good. So, you will come back to me?”
“If I am not eaten by an Archdemon, I will try.”
“I am glad.”