True Love Revealed

The city fascinated and frightened her in equal measures.  She could see the beauty in the architecture that surrounded her, but the denizens were more feral in their actions and reactions than what had ever been described of a Dalish elf.  She wouldn't be here at all if it weren't for clues that had kept pointing in this direction when looking for her affianced.  She'd also heard rumors that led her to believe that one of her Wardens was here.  Perhaps if this Nuncio fellow ended up being a hard egg to crack - the Crows were notorious for holding long standing and deadly grudges - she'd see if Anders were truly here and find out if he knew anything.

Slipping into the shadows, she snuck over to where the Crow and his men were stationed, and crouched behind a barrel.  Eyeing the men in front of her, and noticing the guard near the brothel's door, Viola worried her lower lip between her teeth as she tried to figure out the best way to go about getting the truth out of the leader.  Unfortunately she knew he'd more than likely recognize her on sight, as it was no secret that her and Zevran were a couple.  That made matters difficult, but when someone was doing his very best to kill the man she loved, she would do whatever she could to foil his plans.

"Well, isn't this an interesting sight.  Not every day I see a group of well armed men standing outside the Rose in the harsh light of the morning.  What, one of the ladies piss someone off when he realized she had an extra body part?"

Vi peeked carefully over the barrel she was hiding behind when she heard the low, melodious voice, and the soft laughter that accompanied the woman's statement.  Her eyes widened as she saw the short woman, barely taller than the dwarf beside her, and dressed quite similarly to… was that Isabella and Anders?

"Ahh, you are Siobhann Hawke, yes?  Your reputation as the Champion of Kirkwall precedes you.  Let me introduce myself.  I am Nuncio Caldera Lanos.  I am a noble from the beautiful country of Antiva," the leader replied, bowing gracefully to Hawke and her companions, frowning slightly at the soft snicker coming from the woman in front of him.

"It must have taken a lot of practice to say that name so smoothly," Siobhann smirked.

"It's mostly to impress the ladies, I assure you.  But, as you are here, you could possibly be of use to me.  Hiding among the Dalish is an elven assassin I've been hunting for months.  He is a master manipulator who will endanger even his own kind to ensure his survival."

"Let me guess.  You want me to use my wily, wily ways to find out where the Dalish are hiding him?" Siobhann sighed.

"That is part of the reason, yes.  I was hoping, with your past dealings with the elves, that you'd be able to go where my men cannot."

"Fine, I'll go take a look."

"There is a woman there, Variel, who is a friend of his.  She may know where he's hiding.  As a courtesy to you, we will not be within the city's walls when you have apprehended the elf, but instead at our campsite just outside its perimeter.  You will be compensated heavily for your assistance."

"Yeah, whatever.  Now if you'll excuse me, I've got shit to do if I'm to find this assassin for you."

Vi's eyebrows rose almost to her hairline at the woman's nonchalant response to Nuncio's reward.  Staying silent, she waited a few  more moments as the Crow and his men left the back alleyway.

"I don't know about you, but that sounds fishy to me.  The Dalish, especially Marethari, wouldn't be the sort to hide a dangerous assassin.  I have a feeling it'll end up being more of a rescue mission than us bringing this elf's head to Nuncio," Siobhann muttered to the others.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd almost think he was talking about Zevran, except I'm sure he's off with his Warden somewhere," Isabela mused.

"Actually, I doubt it.  Viola was alone for most of the time I was still in Amaranthine.  I remember he swept in one evening, the night after we saved Amaranthine and killed The Mother, making sure she was all right and mentioning something about being chased by the Crows.  He left the next morning in quite the hurry, not wanting to bring them to our doorstep," Anders cut in.

"Well whoever it is, this is definitely going to be a situation of questions first, killing after, and I have a feeling it's Nuncio who's going to be feeling Bianca's bite and Dominic's sting," Siobhann stated.

"I swear, it still throws me off guard when you talk about your staff the way Varric does about his crossbow," Anders grumbled good naturedly.  Viola watched the party as they ambled off, laughter shaking the shoulders of the four.  The moment they had left her sight, Viola came out of her crouch, thoughts spinning around in her head.

Why didn't Marethari tell her they had hidden Zevran when she had dropped off their daughter before beginning her search?  Did they possibly not know he was her betrothed?  What kind of relationship did this Variel have with her fiancé?  Would this Hawke actually keep him alive as she seemed inclined to do, or would Zevran find his death at her hands?

"Elf!  You there!  What are you doing with weapons?  They're forbidden to your kind within the city's walls," a voice rang out, pulling Vi from her thoughts.  Looking in the direction it had come from, she saw the guard from earlier stalking toward her.

"I'm the Warden Commander of Ferelden…" she began, before the guard cut her off.

"Yeah, and I'm the Divine.  I'll let the Guard Captain sort this all out.  Come with me," the man said, ushering her in front of him.  A shaft of panic lanced through her heart that, with this delay, she might not make it in time to save Zevran.  Luckily the walk to the Keep wasn't long and she soon found herself in the captain's office.  It was times like this that made her miss the old days when she was able to come and go from Denerim and the smaller outlying towns, fully armed, with no one asking any questions.

Vi sat quietly, her nerves jumping with each minute that ticked by.  After an hour of waiting, her hands were clasped tightly in her lap - tight enough that her knuckles had whitened considerably.  Where was this captain of the guard?  How much longer would she be made to wait?

"I apologize for the wait, but one does not leave in the middle of a meeting with the viscount.  My guard says you're claiming to be the Hero of Ferelden, otherwise known as the Commander of the Grey.  Who are you, really?" Aveline stated as she entered the office.

"I am as he said.  My name is Viola Mahariel, Warden Commander of Ferelden," Vi replied, looking up at the tall, ginger haired woman standing in front of her.  Aveline narrowed her eyes slightly in the Dalish's direction, more in thought than for any other reason.  Scratching her chin lightly, she then turned to the guard standing outside the door and murmured something to him that Vi couldn't catch.  Silence stretched on between them, the elf biting hard on her lower lip to keep from asking the many questions that were coming to mind about the Keep, the city guard, Kirkwall in general, but knew that any more of a delay could harm her purpose in being in the Marches to begin with.

"Vi?  Is that really you?" Merrill asked.  As the red-headed elf turned in her direction, tears sprang to Merrill's eyes and she rushed forward, grabbing the woman into a tight bear hug.  "We'd heard you defeated the Blight and lived, but the clan had no idea where you went or how to get in touch with you."

"Well, that answers that question," Aveline murmured to herself.  Excusing herself, she gathered up the guard that were lounging around the barracks, making sure they were aware that the young elf was, in fact, the Hero of Ferelden, and that she was given free reign to wield her weapons within the city.

"Merrill!  Keeper Marethari said you were no longer with the clan.  I'd ask why, but I need to get back to where they're camped, and quickly.  What's the fastest way out of the city?"

"Let me assist, as a way of apology for the way my man treated you," Aveline said, bringing both pairs of eyes to look in her direction.  "Merrill still gets quite lost in Kirkwall.  And might I add that it's an honor to meet you, ser."

"Thank you.  I would appreciate any kindness you can give."

Giving Merrill one last hug, she reclaimed her weapons from the guard at the door, resheathing them as she followed the woman out of the Keep and through the city.  Leaving seemed to take less time than entering, but then again she was following someone who knew the layout of Kirkwall instead of bumbling around trying to figure out which street went where and realizing it was a dead end.  Letting out a huge sigh of relief, she turned to Aveline with a smile.

"Thank you very much for your help.  It was much appreciated," she said, before bumping headlong into someone in the process of trying to leave the outskirts quickly.

"Viola?  Vi?  What are you doing here?  I thought you were on your way to Denerim?"

At the gasp from the woman behind her, and the voice she knew so well in front of her, she lifted her head as strong arms helped her keep from tripping over herself.

"I'd love to stay and chat, Alistair, but I'm afraid I'm in the middle of something urgent," she answered, then nodded her head in the other man's direction.  "Bann Teagan."

"Hero of Ferelden," he acknowledged.

"Why must you always be so formal?  She has a name, you know," Alistair sighed.

On a soft laugh, Vi gave her friend a quick hug and a wave, before dashing off in the direction of the Crow's campsite which is where she was sure the others were by now.

**********

Her assumptions turned out to be correct.  She watched the scene unfold below and the deadly dance the two mages and three rogues were doing amongst Nuncio and his men.  It was over almost as quickly as it had begun, her heart pounding out a beat so loud she was surprised Zevran couldn't hear it.

"I appreciate your assistance in this matter, Champion.  Ah, that was bracing, fighting my former brothers-in-arms," Zevran laughed, propping his foot up on Nuncio's prone form.

"I knew something didn't feel quite right when he was trying to contract me out for your removal," Siobhann smirked, leaning back against Varric as the dwarf wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Thankfully, that should be the last of them for a very long time.  It was a pleasure to meet you, mi bella, but I must go.  There is someone, I am sure, who is wondering if I am still among the living," Zevran gave Siobhann a courtly bow.

"Wait, what?  You're just going to leave?  I was hoping maybe we could catch up and… and have sex!"  Isabella pouted.

"Ahh, my dear, if you had asked such a question before I met Viola, I'd be dragging you off to the nearest bush.  Unfortunately for you, she's wicked fast with those blades of hers, and she has killed an Archdemon, which makes her just about perfect in my eyes," the former Crow grinned, his topaz eyes sparkling.

"You being with someone never stopped you before!  Nor did me being married!"

"My Grey Warden, she owns my heart, Isabela, and wears my token of a promise of marriage which I can now give to her.  I'm sorry, my dear."

Five heads turned toward the sound of loud sniffling coming from behind one of the rocks, before a blur of red hair launched itself from behind the boulder to land on Zevran.  The two elves gripped each other in an almost bone-crushing embrace.  Siobhann wiped a tear from the corner of her eye and tugged gently on Varric's hand.

"Come, love.  I think we should leave those two be.  Seeing them makes me want to go home and just spend time with you and the little one.  Isabela, Anders, let's go."

Vi buried her face into the crook of Zevran's neck, inhaling the scent of the man she loved and had missed for so long.  Feeling his strong arms surrounding her brought back that feeling of completion and home.  Her tears soaked his skin.

"Piccola mia, do not weep.  I am here now, yes?  I'm so sorry I stayed away for so long, but I did not wish for them to bring more death to your door," he murmured in her ear.

"Don't leave me ever again.  It was bad enough to leave my clan during the Blight, not knowing where they were until I came here to find you, but to not have you was like having my heart ripped from my chest," she sniffled.  Zevran gently loosened her grip on him so he could take her face in his hands, his thumbs brushing the tears from her cheeks.

"I do not plan on leaving again.  Perhaps your Keeper, Marethari, could marry us?" he asked, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"If she doesn't bring the wrath of the Creators down on your head first for leaving me alone with a child to take care of," she said, letting out a teary chuckle.

"A child?  We have a child?"

"Yes, a daughter.  I named her Tamri, after a dear friend of mine.  Tamri Aranai," she replied, her voice whisper soft.

"Today is a day of miracles it seems.  By the generosity of a lovely soul, I was allowed to live to see my love again and given a chance to meet my daughter.  Perhaps after the day is done, we can end this wondrous occasion with one of my massages?" he grinned at her and waggled his brows, earning a laugh and a swat on the shoulder.

"What?  It is not natural for one such as me to remain celibate for so long, my Warden.  Perhaps there is some rope stored about the camp…"

"Only you… only you would end this with the thought of being tied up," Viola chuckled.

"And that, my dear, is why you love me," Zevran replied, pulling her close as he lowered his lips to hers, letting her taste the paradise the two of them had been missing during their years apart.