The Dalish Warden (The Daughters of Thedas Book 1)

27: "We're Taking the Assassin With Us?"

 Soundtrack:

Sexy and I Know It ~ LMFAO (Zevran's Theme)

We were about halfway to Denerim when a woman came running towards us. She stumbled a bit before regaining her footing. "Oh, thank the Maker!" she cried. "We need help! They attacked the wagon! Please help us!" She was out of breath, like she had been running for some time. "Follow me. I'll take you to them!" She ran back the way she'd come and we followed her.

She led us to a wagon and a couple of dead oxen. She walked up to a blond-haired Elf with a tattoo on the left side of his face. We stopped, realizing something wasn't right. She said something to him before turning to us and smiling. He had two swords peeking over his shoulders. He waved and several men and women jogged onto the higher ground on each side of us. I realized right then we'd been lured into an ambush. A tree that we had just passed started tipping and those of us closest to the path of its felling jumped out of the way. I jumped forward and did a somersault. I was back on my feet a moment later, swords drawn. The Elf drew his own swords, while the woman took a step back, what looked like lightning engulfing her hands. Great. A Mage.

"The Grey Wardens die here!" the Elf cried.

"Leliana! Morrigan! Wynne! Go for the archers and the Mage!" I cried. "Sten, Alistair, Tristan, and I will go for the others!"

I ran forward towards the Elf. Our blades met and we danced. Tristan rushed him, knocking him into the wagon and out of the fight. I ducked from a lightning bolt, which caused me to set my sights on the Mage next. She could not cast fast enough to protect herself. She fell after my blades took her head. Before long, the ground was stained with blood and littered with bodies and severed limbs. Everyone who'd been a part of the ambush lay dead. Save the Elf assassin. He'd hit his head pretty hard, it seemed, on the wagon when Tristan attacked him.

"He's still alive," I said, crouching next to him.

"Kill him now?" Sten asked.

"I think we should find out why he was trying to kill us." I bound his hands behind him and waited.

~~~

It was late afternoon before the Elf awoke. "Mmm...What? I... oh." He saw us. "I rather thought I would wake up dead. Or not at all, as the case may be. But I see you haven't killed me yet." He tugged at his bonds. "Mmm kinky."

I rolled my eyes. "'Yet' being the key word here," I said. "But I have some questions for you first."

"Ah! So I am to be interrogated? Let me save you some time. My name is Zevran, Zev to my friends. I am a member of the Antivan Crows, brought here for the sole purpose of slaying any surviving Grey Wardens. Which I have failed at, sadly."

"The Antivan Crows?" Wynne said with wonder in her voice. She turned to the rest of us to explain. "They are a guild of assassins out of Antiva. I hear they practically run that country."

"She is quite right," Zevran confirmed.

"Who hired you to kill us?" I asked.

"A rather taciturn fellow in the capital. Loghain, I think his name was? Yes, that's it."

"Great," Alistair muttered. "First spies. Now assassins."

I held my hand up to get him to shut up. "When were you to see him next?"

"I wasn't. If I succeeded, I would have returned home and the Crows would have informed your Loghain of the results, if he didn't already know. If I had failed, I would be dead. Or at least I should be, at least as far as the Crows are concerned. No need to see Loghain then."

"How much were you paid?" I wondered how badly Loghain wanted Alistair and I to disappear to have resorted to a foreign assassin guild.

"I wasn't paid anything. The Crows, however, were paid handsomely. Or so I understand." Loghain was desperate to keep his sins under wraps. "Which does make me as poor as a Chantry mouse, come to think of it. Being an Antivan Crow isn't for the ambitious, to be perfectly honest."

"Then why are you one?"

"Well, aside from a distinct lack of ambition, I suppose it's because I wasn't given much of a choice. The Crows bought me young. I was a bargain, too, or so I am led to believe. But don't let my sad story influence you. The Crows aren't too bad. They keep one well supplied. Wine, women, men. Whatever you happen to fancy. Though the whole severance package is garbage, let me tell you. If you were considering joining, I'd really think twice about it."

"I'll take that under advisement," I said, sarcastically. "Why are you telling me all of this?"

"Why not? I wasn't paid for silence. Not that I offered it for sale, precisely."

"Were you paid to talk my ear off, then?"

"Consider it something I'm throwing in for free. As it is, if you're done with the interrogation, I've a proposal for you. If you're of a mind."

"I'm listening. Make it quick."

"Well, here's the thing. I failed to kill you, so my life is forfeit. That's how it works. If you don't kill me, the Crows will. Thing is, I like living. And you are obviously the kind to give the Crows pause. So let me serve you instead."

I raised a brow. "And what's to stop you from finishing the job 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. I think I've paid my worth back to them, plus tenfold. The only way out, however, is to sign up with somebody they can't touch. Even if I did kill you now, they might kill me on principle for failing the first time. Honestly, I'd rather take my chances with you."

I crossed my arms. "Can I expect the same amount of loyalty from you?"

"I happen to be a very loyal person. Up until the point where someone expects me to die for failing. That's not a fault really, is it? I mean, unless you're the sort who would do the same thing. In which case I... don't come very well recommended, I suppose." We could use all the help we could get. And Zevran had willingly given up information we had needed.

I drew my belt knife and crouched next to him. I saw fear in the assassin's eyes. "Very well. I accept your offer." I cut his bonds and I saw the relief that I wasn't going to kill him right then.

"What?!" Alistair looked at me, shock showing on his face. "You're taking the assassin with us now? Does that really seem like a good idea?"

I stood as Zevran rubbed his wrists. "You're here, aren't you? Collecting cast-offs is what I do."

Leliana and Morrigan snickered.

"Ow. Maybe true, but... ow. Oh, whatever. I'm sure you know best."

I gave him a look. His tone screamed sarcasm.

"A fine plan," Morrigan said. "But I would examine your food and drink far more closely from now on, were I you."

"That's excellent advice for anyone," Zevran said.

"Welcome, Zevran. Having an Antivan Crow join us sounds like a fine plan," Leliana said as I helped Zevran to his feet.

"Oh? You are another companion-to-be, then? I wasn't sure such loveliness existed amongst adventurers, surely." Seriously? Flirting already?

"Or maybe not."

He turned back to me. "I hereby pledge my oath of loyalty to you, until such a time as you choose to release me from it. I am your man, without reservation. This I swear." He inclined his head. I wondered if assassins kept such oaths. And I hoped this wasn't going to bite me in the ass later.

"Let's get moving, then," I said.

Alistair pulled me aside. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"I really hope so. Besides he knows we could have just as easily killed him as to let him join us. I have a feeling he won't attempt anything."

Alistair didn't say anything else. And I hoped my gut feeling about Zevran was correct.