Negligible Moose's Blog

Camilla

Tavs/Durges

Lana

Bud

FANFIC Part 1 FANFIC Part 2

Grand List of OCs:

Henry Thorne

Idrilla Aldwir

Lucanis had spent the last ten years of his life dedicated to the firm that his grandmother had started. His father had become a partner when graduated from law school as well, and he had been a practicing lawyer until his tragic death when Lucanis was eight. Both his parents along with his aunt and uncle had died in a fatal car accident when he was a child, leaving his grandmother to raise him and his cousin, Illario.

The boys both followed in the family tradition, though, at their grandmother’s demand. They became incredible lawyers, even if they followed slightly different paths. Lucanis continued to be partnered at Dellamorte and Associates while Illario went on to become a criminal prosecutor instead. Of course, to each their own. Caterina always felt that Illario should have become a part of the family business, but Illario always had his own path in the end.

So, Lucanis pulled the weight of two lawyers until they were able to hire some help that Caterina actually approved of. It left very little for anything else in his life in regard to friends or romantic connections.

To make it worse, he would always read romance novels in his spare time as a hobby. They were always a quick read and easy to follow, and they filled a space in his heart where something else should have been if he had the time. It made him a romantic at heart, but most found him too intimidating or intense to be approachable in public. It worked great in the court room, but it wasn’t ideal outside of work.

He was on his way back from the bookstore after work back to his apartment when he noticed a moving truck out front. Not many moved into his building as it wasn’t very big and most of the people were pretty content living there as far as he knew. He wondered who had moved while he had been busy working, and he went inside.

Lucanis pressed the elevator button before loosening his tie, ready to be done for the evening so he could cook dinner and curl up on the couch with his new book. Just as the doors were about to close, a hand slipped in and opened them again. He glanced down, hoping to hide his irritation.

“Sorry, just need to hop on,” a feminine voice informed before a woman stood next to him.

Lucanis glanced up at her, surprised by what he saw. She was someone he hadn’t seen before around the building, and he wondered if she was the new neighbor moving in. She briefly smiled at him before staring forward at the door politely, waiting for the elevator to stop at her floor.

He swallowed, turning to the front of the space as well, slightly embarrassed at himself for being irritated at first. He hadn’t meant to be rude with his first impression with a person he would likely see once or twice a week, depending on how her schedule was.

The worst part was when he noticed that she had gone to press the button on the elevator only to notice that the floor was already lit up. She was going to the same floor he was. Again, not the greatest impression in the world. Although, as soon as the elevator started upwards, she turned to him again.

“So, do you live on the third floor?” the woman wondered with a small smile.

“Ah, yes. I do,” he confirmed with a slight nod.

“Good to know! I’m Isa,” she introduced, holding out her hand. “I’m going to be your new neighbor. I’m moving in today, and I think the movers just finished putting everything away in my apartment.”

Lucanis went to firmly shake her hand before second guessing himself for a moment, realizing that this wasn’t a business meeting. Then he realized that her grip was firm and strong, matching his energy easily. He glanced at her in surprise.

“It’s good to meet you,” he tried not to stammer out, staring at her. “I’m Lucanis. Welcome to the area.”

“Nice to meet you, Lucanis,” Isa grinned as the lift alerted them that they had arrived. “I hope to see you around. Maybe you can show me the city or something?”

“Oh. Um, sure?” Lucanis answered while she was already walking away with a wave.

Lucanis stepped off the elevator, gobsmacked as he wondered if he had been asked out on a tentative date.

“Is she hot?” Illario asked before Lucanis rolled his eyes.

He wasn’t sure why he thought about bringing this up with Illario. Every Thursday night they went to the local sports bar to hang out and catch up. Usually, Lucanis didn’t have anything new or interesting to bring up other than what Caterina was doing. This time, he wanted to talk about his new pretty neighbor.

“Why is that the first thing you want to know?” Lucanis complained with a groan, his eyes nearly rolling out of his head.

“Because I want to know. You never talk about anyone like this. You’re eyes practically lit up when you mentioned her, and I want to know if she’s hot,” Illario answered.

“Yes, she’s gorgeous,” Lucanis sighed, admitting it. “She has gorgeous green eyes and this dark, wave hair-”

“That’s what you were focused on?”

“We were in an elevator for less than a minute, and I’m a decent man who looks people, including women, in the eyes when I speak to them.”

“First of all, ouch. Second of all, those must have been some green eyes to make you focus on just them over everything else.”

“You are terrible,” Lucanis groaned, shaking his head before taking a sip of the beer in front of him. “Besides, I just met her yesterday. I thought you might want to hear about the new neighbor.”

“You are right. I do, but you don’t have enough details to supply me with anything useful,” Illario complained, rolling his eyes. “All you have is what her eyes look like. Have you spoken to her since?”

“Did you hear that I met her yesterday?”

“You could have seen her today.”

“Well, I didn’t,” Lucanis sighed, turning away with his drink briefly.

Illario sighed, shaking his head. While Lucanis had blamed his workload and workaholic for his lack of a social life, Illario always believed his cousin was too nervous or too stiff around others to form an attachment to people outside his family. However, this woman showed that maybe his cousin wasn’t lost after all.

Then Illario started to think about a possible plan that could help him with his little crush. He hoped it would help sus out if the woman would be interested in him as well.

“Did you at least figure out her name?” Illario sighed.

“Of course I learned her name. It’s Isa,” Lucanis answered, rolling his eyes at his cousin for a second time.

“Isa? Is it short for something?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t ask.”

“My god, you are hopeless, cousin,” Illario complained, laying his head on the table.

Lucanis shook his head when their waiter came back, and he let his cousin reorder their drinks and flirt a little as well. His mind was still stuck on the elevator lady, and he was happy to let his cousin entertain the server while he thought about her.

Isa sighed as she unpacked another box. Teia had said that she was going to be here in an hour to share a bottle of wine with her to celebrate the new place, but that was before her work had told her that she had been called back into work due to a client emergency. Now Isa wasn’t sure when she was going to be able to come over, and it sounded like she wouldn’t be able to get to come until the next day.

It did give her more time to unpack and prepare to entertain at least. Isa wasn’t even sure where her wine glasses were. Viago had packed most of her stuff since he was sure that he could do it better than she could. They had a few arguments over it, but he ended up finishing her packing while she had been at work one day, which led to her telling him that he wasn’t allowed at her house until everything was completely unpacked.

As if she had summoned him from the aether, Viago started to call, and Isa exhaled. She answered and put her phone on speaker mode. If she was going to talk to her brother, she was going to talk to him while she was doing other things. Like unpacking her things he packaged up.

“Isa? You there?” Viago asked after a moment.

“I’m here. Just getting everything situated,” Isa answered, opening another box. “Did you need something?”

“I just got off the phone with Teia. You’re in the city for a few days, and you already have a boyfriend?” he demanded, nearly shouting into his phone.

Isa rolled her eyes, wondering if she should have guessed that Teia would have exaggerated to Viago about this. Isa just wished she did this when Teia could have been here when Viago called.

“No, Vi, I don’t have a boyfriend. I told Teia that I met a cute guy on the elevator at my new apartment the other day,” Isa clarified with a groan. “It’s nothing more than that. I haven’t even spoken to the man since then. I hardly think that counts as anything more than a crush, if we can call it that.”

“You are crushing on a man now? It hasn’t even been a week, Isa!” Viago yelled through the speaker.

Isa only sighed. Her brother had always been overprotective due to his work and their upbringing. They had gone through the foster system together, even though they weren’t related. They ended up essentially bonding together, and they wouldn’t allow anyone to separate them. When Viago aged out of the system, Isa ended up living with him until now.

“Viago. I am still a single woman. I am simply living in an apartment that happened to have an attractive man in an elevator a few days ago. You are overreacting,” Isa informed firmly before exhaling. “And should I find a significant other while I’m living here, I think you would be excited for me.”

“I would be excited for you,” a tired voice came through after a moment before her brother exhaled. “It’s just hard to see you move across the region and move on, I guess. I’m just glad Teia is there.”

“Teia said she would come tomorrow,” Isa informed.

There was a beat of silence before Viago grumbled a string of curses.

“I’ll call you back,” he said before the line when dead.

Isa chuckled before shaking her head, putting her phone in her pocket. Viago was likely going to call Teia and talk to her about what was going on with her.

She pulled out another box as she heard a knock at the door. Isa walked over to the front door, confused by who it could be. She wasn’t expecting anyone this early, even if Teia hadn’t been called into work.

Isa looked through the peephole in the door, seeing a tall man in a dress shirt and suit pants. She raised a brow, even more befuddled by the situation. She bit the inside of her cheek before she sighed. The apartment building had a doorman, so there was a likelihood that the man was just in the wrong place.

She opened the door a crack, catching the man’s attention before he smiled at her. She blinked at him, grimacing a little. She wasn’t sure he was doing at her door.

“Good evening, miss. It seems that I’ve reached the wrong apartment,” the man mentioned.

“Yes, I would say so,” Isa remarked with a forced chuckle. “I would offer to help, but I just moved in the other day. I’m not sure I can be much help.”

“Really? That would explain why I haven’t seen you around,” the man commented. “My cousin has lived here for a while.”

“Then you aren’t really lost, then, are you?” Isa pointed out, making him laugh.

“It seems you caught me. He told me a beautiful woman moved in, and I figured I would come introduce myself,” he explained as she grimaced. “Illario Dellamorte.”

“Isa,” she replied, holding out her hand to shake it. Instead, he kissed it gently on her knuckles. She grimaced.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he grinned with a grin.

“Illario!” a voice shouted from down the hall.

Both Illario and Isa turned to look towards the voice to see Lucanis standing in the doorway of his apartment. He looked rather intense and irritated, but Isa sighed in relief. If Illario was Lucanis’s cousin, that meant Lucanis was the one who said that she was the beautiful woman who had moved in.

Not to mention that he was the one who just saved her from having to deal with his strange flirty cousin anymore. Illario chuckled before winking at her, rolling his eyes playfully.

“It seems I’m in trouble now,” Illario laughed as he walked into the apartment.

Lucanis shut the door on his cousin, leaving him in the apartment before he walked over to Isa with exasperation. Isa smiled in relief, watching him come over.

“I’m so sorry about him,” Lucanis sighed, rubbing the back of his head.

“Well, you managed to save me, so I suppose I’ll forgive you,” Isa chuckled, leaning against her doorjamb.

“I’d be happy to do so whenever you need to,” Lucanis replied before he realized what he said. “Well, not that you need me to come save you. I’m sure you’re self-sufficient and fine.”

“I appreciate the sentiment, Luca,” Isa replied, finding his flustering adorable.

Lucanis exhaled in relief, shaking his head. Isa chuckled, staring at him for a moment.

“You didn’t send him over here, right?” she asked, raising her brow at him.

“He was supposed to be her ten minutes ago, and I was going to going to see if he was flirting the doorman again,” he groaned with a sigh. “When I opened my door to see that he was annoying you, I was shocked.”

“He said that you told him that there was a pretty woman that just moved in, and that it was me,” Isa pointed out.

Lucanis went bright red, and Isa grinned wide. He stuttered, not quite sure what to say because he had said that. She hummed in interest, leaning towards him.

“Would it make you feel better if I said that I said that I met a very handsome man in an elevator when I moved in?” she asked, looking at him through her eyelashes.

Lucanis clicked his mouth shut as his eyes went wide. Isa laughed under her breath.

“No one really has said anything like that about me before,” he whispered.

Isa tilted her head as she furrowed her brows. She could sense that he was flattered by her words even though he was surprised.

“Which part?” Isa asked.

“No one ever had told me that I’m attractive that I’ve known about. At least outside of my family.”

“Really? Your partner isn’t doing a great job then.”

“Partner?” he wondered.

“Your boyfriend? Girlfriend?”

“Oh. I don’t have either.”

“Really?” she whispered in surprise. “Not even a lover?”

“I live at my work essentially. My cousin says that I spend too much time there,” Lucanis admitted sheepishly.

“I’m not inclined to believe you, sir. There’s no way no one has snatched you up by now,” she teased.

“Most find me too intense,” he explained as if it should have been obvious.

Instead of her nodding or agreeing, Isa tilted her head in confusion. She stared at him for a moment before shaking her head.

“I don’t see it,” Isa told him.

“What?” Lucanis asked.

“I don’t see it. Why people would call you intense. I don’t understand, I guess. You’re too sweet,” she explained.

Then it was his turn to look confused.

“I thought I would have proved it when I shouted for my cousin in the hallway. I am sorry about shouting, by the way. I was unprepared to see him bothering you.”

“I guess you were loud, but it wasn’t that big of a deal. You should meet my brother, honestly. That guy is intense, and he can be an asshole,” Isa chuckled, lifting her shoulder. “So, I wouldn't worry about it too much.”

“Your brother must be a menace,” Lucanis commented before he covered his mouth.

Isa paused for a moment before cackling in response. Lucanis exhaled in relief, laughing with her.

“God, you have no idea,” she chuckled, grinning. “His resting face could curdle milk.”

“I hope mine doesn’t do that,” he smiled as she hummed.

“Not even close,” Isa reassured. “You probably should head back inside before your cousin comes out again.”

“Ah, you’re probably right,” he chuckled lightly, reluctantly glancing towards his door.

“But if you’re free another day soon, I’d love to spend more time with you,” she told him, catching his attention.

His eyes lit up as he faced her again, shocked by her words. He had hoped to get to know her by occasionally being around the apartment space, but he hadn’t expected to hear that she wanted to get to know him as well.

Isa grinned, trying not to laugh at his reaction. How anyone thought he was too intense was a complete idiot as this man stared at her with his wide, rich cow eyes that she could get lost in forever. And while they had only brief interactions, they had been meaningful to her, and she wanted to see if she could find this intensity everyone else saw in him. Perhaps she would find that part of him attractive as well.

“Yes. Yes, absolutely, I would love that,” Lucanis replied, realizing that he hadn’t answered after a few moments.

“Great,” Isa grinned, pulling her phone out of her pocket. She opened up a new message and handed him her phone. “Willing to put in your phone number? That way you don’t have to try and catch me in the hallway to try and talk to me.”

“Smart,” Lucanis replied with nod.

He input his number before sending a quick message so that he would have her number as well, starting the conversation. Isa smiled, happy to see that he had already sent himself a text, before putting her phone away.

“Then go scold your cousin, and I’ll see you later, Luca,” Isa replied, blowing him a kiss.

“Sounds good,” Lucanis chuckled while she closed the door. “Oh, I was wondering what Isa was short for.”

“Oh? It’s short for Isabella,” she answered with a wink.

Lucanis repeated the name after the door closed with a smile. He nodded to himself before he walked back towards his own apartment, unsure if he should yell at his cousin or thank him for his intervention.

Lucanis paced in his office as he waited for the reports to come in. He had been waiting patiently, but there hadn’t been any new updates.

Spite was starting to lose his mind as well, but all they could do was wait until they received new information. They couldn’t ruin the contract because it had taken a longer time than usual.

Isa had taken a contract in Bastion in the southern part of the country, and the job was only supposed to take a few days, maybe four at most. It had been a week now.

It wasn’t the first time a contract had taken longer than usual, but Isa had been able to get a message across that she was alright. That she was okay or that she had been delayed. He had heard nothing from her at all, and there was nothing to show that she was uninjured or that the job was done either.

So Lucanis paced in his office as he fucking waited.

Illario had tried to come in to distract him, but Lucanis told him that he only wanted to know if there had been any updates. Not even his grandmother came in after that.

Near midday, a Crow knocked on his office door with a report. Lucanis took it from him before the Crow made himself scarce, making an excuse that he needed to leave in a hurry. Lucanis didn’t say anything, but he didn’t think it was a good sign as he closed the door.

Reading the report, he felt his blood pressure spike as Spite grew erratic. The only good news was that Isa was alive. However, she had been taken by the target and held captive. She nearly got out before being recaptured, and the Crow who reported didn’t have time to assist. Spite suggested stringing up the Crow who failed to help, but Lucanis shot the idea down. The only reason they knew that Isa was alive was due to the Crow.

Another thing that came with the report was the location where Isa was last seen, and from what Lucanis could glean from the it, it didn’t sound like her captors saw the reporting Crow, either. That meant that they weren’t thinking about relocating her anytime soon as well.

“When you said you had news, I thought it would be better news than this,” Viago hissed irritably, shaking his head.

Lucanis had gone to find Viago at the Diamond to share the report, and he was luckily there with Teia and his Crow, Adelina. The less Lucanis had to relay the report, the better. He didn’t want to talk about how she was missing and captured since he’d rather discuss an extraction plan more than anything else.

“How long as she been gone?” Teia wondered.

“About a week. Three days longer than she should have been. She sent a Crow when she arrived in Bastion, but that was the last time we last heard from her,” Lucanis explained.

“And you’re sure she’s alive?” Adelina whispered, worry filling her voice.

“Positive. The report came in today and was dated from yesterday,” the First Talon answered with a nod.

“You can’t send anyone to get her,” Viago informed.

“I will not leave her there,” Lucanis countered sternly.

“Viago is right. The Crows can’t send anyone. This was a target that was supposed to be a quick job, but they managed to capture Isabella. This job was a trap. Any Crow we send will mean that we didn’t recognize it, or that you didn’t care that it was a trap,” Teia explained with a softer tone.

Lucanis took a deep breath, placing his hands on his hips. He knew that he could probably get the people he worked with the Veilguard together to help Isa, but he wasn’t sure how quickly he could get them to where Isa was.

“I think I can handle it,” Adelina mentioned, leaning forward a little.

Viago stared at her in confusion while the Crow started to think about a plan. Lucanis turned towards her, willing to try nearly anything.

“If I can get the word out to a handful of people, I can make it look like Isa is getting help from non-Crow people who are also not apart of the Veilguard,” Adelina mentioned as Lucanis raised a brow. “Isa said that she still doesn’t want to be recognized as Rook, right? I would like to make sure that she revealed like that, either.”

“That would be ideal, yes,” Lucanis agreed.

Viago exhaled, folding his arms as he started at his Crow. Adelina ignored him while Teia smirked, wondering if Viago was destined for stubborn and inventive Crows in his House.

In the end, Adelina was given permission to hire who she needed to pull this off as long as she didn’t give any indication that she was a part of the Crows or that the Crows were involved in Isa’s rescue. While Lucanis only cared about whether or not Isa was safe, his newer position as First Talon was still vulnerable. He did appreciate his fellow Talons looking out for his position as well.

Isa looked around the room she was trapped in, searching for another way to escape. She had been locked in the spare bedroom of the target’s house with her arms tied behind her back and her ankles tied together. She wasn’t exactly helpless, but there wasn’t anything she could do by herself. If someone tried to attack her, then she could use leverage to gain the upper hand, but alone, she was stuck.

The people who had trapped her were thorough, even if they had missed her hidden knife the first time. They found it after her escape attempt, and now she was trying to figure out how she was going to manage another escape attempt. It would be difficult, but not impossible. She just needed to figure out how to get out of the binds on her arms.

The target was supposed to be a random noble in Bastion who had a bounty on his head, but it turned out to be a setup. She didn’t understand what the trap was for, but it was clear that she was the bait at this point. They didn’t question her or do much else other than hold her hostage. She wasn’t even sure what they wanted.

A part of her wondered if they worked for another Talon or for a Crow who wanted Lucanis to give up his job or something. She also wondered if these people knew she was Rook, and they wanted something from her. However, they didn’t really speak to her. It was like they were waiting to hear from some outside source about what to do with her first. It didn’t fill her with confidence.

Of course, in the end, it didn’t matter. What she needed to do was to get out so she could get word to Lucanis and Viago that she was alive and breathing. The last thing they needed was either of them doing something rash on her behalf because she managed to get caught. She just hoped that they wouldn’t give her a lecture about getting caught when she did get back to Treviso.

When she was staring at the barred window, wondering if she could get past the bars after she broke the glass, the door opened. Isa turned to the door and glared as one of her captors stood just within the threshold.

“I wasn’t sure you would be awake, petit Corbeau. I don’t think you’ve slept at all since you’ve been in our care,” the man said in a thick Orlesian accent.

“As if I would be comfortable enough to sleep around you,” she sneered, glaring at him.

The man sighed, shaking his head. He looked exasperated, as if she had chosen the wrong side. As if she had a choice in whether or not she was being held against her will. Frustrated, she pulled at her binds, and the man just watched for a moment, letting herself test the ropes.

“You aren’t going to go anywhere, and no one is allowed in this room. You might as well get some sleep,” the man sighed.

“Why am I even here?” Isa demanded loudly.

This man wasn’t her target. She wasn’t even sure the target was even there anymore, and she wouldn’t be surprised if the contract had been pulled entirely. She glared at him, and he just watched her like a caged animal in a zoo.

“You are here because we needed you to be. We were fortunate that you were the one to take this contract, but we were hoping that the Demon would come himself,” the man explained as he exhaled. “The Demon has a lot to answer for, and we are hoping that grabbing his petit Corbeau might attract him to us if our contract does not.”

“As if Lucanis would be stupid enough to fall for your tricks,” Isa growled with bright eyes.

The man raised a brow, regarding her carefully. He wasn’t sure if he believed her, but there was something in her tone that made him question his plan. Her glare hardened, and the man was glad that she had no access to magic at least. She couldn’t hurt him while she was tied up as she was.

“We will see, won’t we?” the man remarked softly before taking his leave.

Isa grimaced at him as he closed the door, hearing the defining locked that kept her out from the rest of the world. She was glad to know that she knew why she was there at least, but it didn’t help that she was nothing more than bait for her lover. Now she had to figure out how to escape and get the word to him before something worse happened.

Adelina was pretty proud of herself as she stood in the unfamiliar lighthouse with five other unfamiliar faces staring back at her. She had sent the word out to the other factions that she needed help rescuing Isabella. Her fellow Crow had mentioned that she had met people in the last few months that she had helped and took contracts from, so Adelina sent the word to those who Isa had met already. She hoped that they would be willing to join her plight to rescue her.

To her relief and delight, all five had agreed. Henry Thorne from the Anderfels, Elene Mercar from Tevinter, Wysteria Ingellvar from Nevarra, Idrilla Aldwir from Arlathan, and Thalia Laidir from Rivain all came with Adelina called. They were more than willing to help, excited to find and help their Crow friend.

Although, no one looked comfortable in the lighthouse as no one had been in the Fade like this. Not that Adelina had either. The experience was new, but she acted like she had done it for as long as Isa had. She needed the confidence to convince the others that she knew what she was doing.

“So, do we know why Isa was taken?” Henry asked, still a little confused.

Adelina had given the bare bones explanation when she recruited them, so she had said that she had been taken on the job by people who wanted to keep her hostage. However, that was as much information as she gave.

“As far as we know, it sounds like it’s most likely a ploy to bring out the First Talon. They are keeping her hostage as bait for him,” Adelina explained with a grimace.

“And is that why the Crows can’t help? Besides you, I mean,” Idrilla added.

“The Crows can’t be involved at all. Lucanis has to be completely removed by this, but I’m positive he will be absolutely grateful that you helped with this,” Adelina reassured.

“I don’t care about that. She saved me from a dire situation, I don’t mind returning the favor,” Elene shrugged.

“And how alive do we need the people who took her?” Thalia piped up from the back. “Just wondering if I need to worry about any poisons I shouldn’t be using.”

“I think as long as Isa is released from their custody, any deaths are fine. I don’t even think the First Talon cares about keeping the leader alive at this point. Whatever the reason Isa is being held hostage can be learned from documents we can gather later,” Adelina replied, lifting her shoulders.

“That’s necessary?” Henry asked softly. “Seems unnecessarily violent towards people we aren’t sure have harmed her.”

“They staged a Crow contract to have her kill someone only to capture her and hold her until her fiancé came around. I doubt it was so they could just chat with him,” Wysteria pointed out calmly. “While I do agree that killing indiscriminately is a waste, I don’t think we should wait around to ask questions when Isa could be in danger.”

“Alright, fair point,” Henry conceded, exhaling.

“Okay, so if we’re all ready and prepped, we can head to Bastion and save Isa,” Adelina instructed before pointing towards the eluvian room. The people around her cheered briefly before following her down.

Adelina had waited until after dusk to take the group out into the city, knowing that not all of them would be able to stealth thought the area. The darkness aided them, and she had the map where Lucanis had said that the Crow had spotted Isa in the report. He was confident that she would still be there since they were sure it was a trap more than anything else.

Adelina had also learned that while she had been recruiting the group she was going to work with that Lucanis had further interrogated the Crow. He had learned the Crow who reported Isa’s location had been paid off by her captors to tell the First Talon about where she was. Further interrogation proved to Lucanis that the Crow wasn’t lying. However, the Crow was an example of why you didn’t cross the First Talon.

As they neared where Isa was being held, it was clear the place was being watched as it was a little too barren for the area. Adelina looked it over before she pointed out the second-floor window that was the only one that was barred. The rest of the windows were closed and covered with curtains or other items, but that one was the only one that had bars covering the glass.

Adelina wondered if Isa was put on the second floor for a reason, questioning the motives of the people in charge. Was it to increase the confidence of her rescuers? Was the barred window supposed to be the trap? Or was it the red herring? Isa had already escaped once. It made sense for them to reinforce her surroundings.

There were too many variables, and Adelina started to overthink it. This was completely different from the last contract she had gone on where she it didn’t matter who lived or died as long as the target died. Now she needed to make sure her target lived, and that was a different task entirely.

Before she could overthink herself to the point of panic, Henry stepped forward and placed a hand on her should gently. She nearly moved to remove his hand before she remembered who was with her. She nodded, knowing that he was there to help. They would work together to get her out as they had agreed to.

Thalia also came forward, mentioning that this reminded her of a treasure hunt in a strange way where it was important to get in and out with the prize without it or anyone else getting hurt or damaged. Adelina nearly laughed before she understood what the Lord of Fortune was saying. The Crow let Thalia take the lead and make a plan, starting with the basic infiltration with Adelina’s help on the basics of Antivan building design. While she was sure the layout wasn’t out of the ordinary, she wanted to help anyway she could.

Isa struggled in her binds, more frustrated than ever as she started to get rope burns on her wrists. The man who had set the trap kept coming in and chatting with her, wanting more and more information about the Crows and Lucanis. She had kept silent after their first conversation, and he was growing more irritated.

She wasn’t sure how much longer it was going to be before her captor was going to start resorting to either torture or possibly sending different parts to her lover to motivate one of them to do something.

Regardless of her position, she was proud of Lucanis for not doing anything rash, though. The last thing Isa wanted was to see him get hurt because he flew right into a trap designed for him. She was glad that he had seen what was happening and resisted the clear bait, even if it meant terrible things for her.

Of course, that didn’t mean she was going to sit there and do nothing. Isa was going to fight tooth and nail until the end, regardless of what was going on. They were going to rue the day that they ever thought about using her for bait, that was for certain.

Isa heard the hand move, and she started to struggle more in her bindings, wanting to get out even more, gnashing her teeth in frustration. Any day now could be the last straw for her tormentor, and she did not want to see that day.

However, the door swung open, and Isa froze with wide eyes as Thalia and Henry stood on the other side of the door. The Crow blinked before Adelina pushed past them to reach her while Wysteria, Idrilla, and Elene weren’t far behind.

As Adelina cut her bonds, Isa stared at each of them, shocked to see the six of them working together. It wasn’t surprising to see them as a team, since they were all clever and hardworking, but Isa never expected these people to ever meet each other. Not to mention it never crossed her mind that these people could be her saviors.

“Grazie,” Isa whispered, forgetting herself, while Wysteria healed her burns.

“Gern geschehen,” Wysteria answered with a smile and wink.

Isa laughed, gripping her friend’s hands, before turning to the others who were watching the door. Adelina was checking the window, but it was definitely the barred one they had seen outside. Henry had given an alternate exit plan, and it seemed that they were going to have to go that route, even though it was riskier.

“Ready to go home?” Thalia asked as Isa turned to her.

“More than you know,” Isa replied with a sigh. “But I don’t understand. How are you here? How did you know?”

“A Crow saw you and reported it to Lucanis. I found out, and you mentioned you had met and help people around Thedas,” Adelina explained.

“Since the Crows couldn’t get involved since it was an obvious trap,” Wysteria added.

“We decided to come get you instead,” Elene finished, walking over to help Isa to her feet. “Figured that you would have helped us if we were in the same position.”

“Of course I would have,” Isa replied with a grin.

“So, let’s get out before the rest come pouring in,” Henry mentioned. “I hit the leader guy pretty hard with my hammer, so I don’t think his friends are going to be very happy when they see his body.”

“No, probably not,” Isa replied with a relieved smile, letting the others take her home.

“And you’re sure about this?” Lucanis repeated, staring at his grandmother. 

Caterina rolled her eyes, hitting the wooden floor with the bottom of her cane in clear frustration. This was not how she had expected this conversation to go, not that she was entirely surprised. 

“Yes, Lucanis. Yes. I am sure, and no, I am not going to change my mind,” Caterina reiterated firmly, shaking her finger at him. “And if you make me repeat myself again, I am going to break my cane over your head to get the damned message across.”

“I just want to make sure that we are on the same page,” he said defensively, realizing that he might have been a little too unbelieving. 

He wasn’t even sure why, if he was honest. Caterina got along with her just fine, and better than he did most days. This just seemed more sudden than he expected from his grandmother. He expected this conversation to happen after the event, he supposed. It would have been a bit backwards, but Caterina was stubborn. He had to have gotten it from somewhere, after all.

“Have you even asked her properly yet?” Caterina asked with a sigh. 

Lucanis clenched his jaw, keeping his eyes on his grandmother. He wasn’t going to roll his eyes at her at his age. He knew better than to try that. 

“We’re already-”

“Have you asked her properly yet?”

Properly was the key word in Caterina’s question, and the answer was going to be a resounding no. No, he had not asked properly yet. There hadn’t been time between his work, her contracts, and her constantly running around Thedas seeing friends and solving problems. It wasn’t an issue, there just wasn’t time to ask properly. There also hadn’t been time to plan anything. 

“No,” Lucanis answered, doing his best to keep his voice neutral. 

He wasn’t bitter at his grandmother, per se. He was bitter because he didn’t feel the need to ask the proper questions the proper way, and neither did Isabella. She had said as much, but things had to be proper and public because he was the First Talon. 

That was why he was bitter. 

However, his bitterness was soothed a little by something in his hand that he never thought that he would have in his possession. Not while Caterina was still breathing, at least. 

It had been a sign of hope and relief in his heart, but it also introduced a new anxiety that he hadn’t anticipated.

It all stemmed from the opal ring that now sat in Lucanis’s hand, and the expectation from Caterina that accompanied it. 

Caterina had summoned him there to speak to him about something important, and he had assumed that it had something to do with his work with the Talons or the Crows as a whole. He hadn’t expected to see the opal ring sitting on the coffee table in front of her in the sitting room she was in. 

She wanted him to give it to Isabella when he finally proposed officially and properly, as she put it. 

He had proposed before the battle against Elgar’nan in Minrathous, wanting to prove and solidify their love and relationship before going into the jaws of death. He had tried to stay his hand before the confrontation on Tearstone, and he lived to regret that. He didn’t want to make that mistake twice.

And while that was a true and real proposal for the couple, Caterina had insisted that it wasn’t real enough for the Crows or Talons. They needed to have a solid symbol of proof of their love, but Caterina was interested in a publicity stunt or anything like that. She was worried that the Talons and Crows wouldn’t accept Isa as his fiancée, and the House Heads would start putting forth their own names in the name of a power grab. 

With a public proposal, it would show that Lucanis was already spoken for and uninterested in any alliances with anyone else. It would lower the chances of people trying to seduce him as well as the amount of attempts on Isa’s life. If she was seen as a lover or a mistress, then she was disposable. However, as a proper wife of a Talon, then she was seen as an equal. 

Lucanis recognized it was all political, but that was a part of the world that they lived in. Another level to the bitterness in his mouth. 

“You should ask her soon, mijo,” Caterina suggested before started towards the door. “And I would like to see you married before I pass on.”

“I think you’re going to outlive me at this point,” Lucanis tried to joke, earning a smack upside the head.

“Don’t put that curse on me, pendejo. You are going to be at my funeral whether you like it or not,” she commented.

“Technically, I-”

“Don’t you start with that nonsense.”

Lucanis fought a smirk as Caterina shook her head, taking her leave. 

He looked down at the ring in his hand again, still in disbelief that he had it in his possession. It meant that Caterina approved of his future marriage, which was surreal since it was only a few years ago that he wondered if he ever would find love in the first place. 

As he stared at his mother’s ring, Lucanis started to wonder what his parents would think of Isa. He barely remembered them. He was so young when they were murdered, and Caterina took up so much of his childhood. He thought that they were kind, at least. He wanted to believe that they were. 

With that thought, he believed that they would like Isa as well. If Caterina liked his future wife, then there was a good chance that they would have liked her, too. 

Lucanis tucked the ring into his pocket before returning to his office, doing his best to ignore the demon in his mind. Spite didn’t understand all the sudden questions filling his mind or why he didn’t have any of the answers he needed. 

Isa walked over to the Dellamorte villa the next day, visiting as she usually did, and as she walked in, she noticed that there was no one there to greet her. There was usually someone there other than the usual staff. Spite could usually sense that she was coming from down the block, but it seemed that he hadn’t noticed that she was there this time. 

She was welcomed in as usual, though. The staff greeted her normally as she smiled at them, asking them how their days were. It had taken some time for them to be honest with her since they didn’t think that she actually cared. 

Once she had made it through the day-to-day greetings, Isa went to each of Lucanis’s usual places he usually frequented. He wasn’t in the kitchen, his room, or in his office. She tried the gardens and the front sitting rooms as well, but Isa hadn’t been able to find him there either. 

Folding her arms, she frowned, wondering where he could be. He knew that this was usually the time she usually came over, and he would normally tell her when he was going to be out instead. 

“Isa?” Illario nearly shouted in surprise from above her.

She turned to see him on the stairs, a little annoyed by his reaction. Was she not supposed to be at the villa today? It certainly seemed like it, not that anyone told her. 

“What are you doing here?” Illario hissed, practically flying down to her. 

“What are you talking about? I’m always here around this time. Lucanis is the one who isn’t where he’s supposed to be,” Isa informed irritably with a huff. 

Illario now looked panicked as he covered his mouth. Isa thinned her lips with impatience, taking a deep breath.

“If you know where Lucanis is, I would love to know,” Isa added.

“Not like that, you don’t.”

“Excuse me?” 

“Trust me, you are going to want to change,” Illario informed before grabbing her arm.

Isa tried to protest as she was dragged up the stairs by the Dellamorte. She shouted at him to tell her what was going on while he said that she needed to trust him because he was going to try and fix everything. She would be a lot more helpful if she knew what he was going to fix, though. 

She was even more confused when they reached an empty room with a closet filled with women’s clothes. Isa frowned, finding it strange.

“Why is this here?” Isa asked with confusion. 

“Look, it’s an emergency closet in case I need to sneak women out, alright? Now it’s an emergency closet for you because you cannot show up in your usual leathers,” Illario answered firmly, deciding that he was going to be honest at this point. 

“And why not?”

“Because there are several people who would kill me if I let you do that.”

“But why?” Isa shouted through clenched teeth.

“Would you just trust me for an hour, cugina? Maldita sea, Isa, just this once,” Illario answered, throwing a dress at her. 

Isa caught it in the air before glaring at him. She took a breath before she nodded once. She supposed that she could trust him for an hour. It didn’t sound like Lucanis was in danger, and it didn’t sound like she as in any danger either. 

She nodded, and he relaxed with a nod. 

“Thank you,” Illario whispered, exhaling. “Now, I do have to get a message out really quickly, so get dressed and we’ll get going afterwards.”

“Okay,” Isa replied, rubbing her forehead. 

Illario slipped out of the room, and Isa reluctantly changed out of her regular clothes and into the dress Illario found for her. It was a fancier style than she was used to, but it covered her scars and it was a dark, dusty purple that she liked. Luckily she believed her boots went well with the dress, so she didn’t think they would have to search for better footwear at least. 

Isa smoothed out the skirt of the dress before she left the room, starting to look for Illario. He came around the corner, relieved that she was quick.

“You look perfect, cugina,” he informed with a grin. 

“I wish I knew why, though,” Isa grumbled, glancing down at the dress. 

“Yeah, I think you can thank Luca for the general panic that he’s caused everyone today,” Illario informed with an eye roll. “Viago dropped a letter by crow asking if you were here. One of the maids sent the crow back with an affirmative, and I’m hoping we can intercept your brother on our way.”

“Is there a reason Viago is searching for me?” Isa asked, finding this all very concerning. 

“Everything is about to become very clear, I promise,” Illario answered with a nod, rushing her out of the door and out of the villa. 

Lucanis had panicked when he had been waiting at Pietra’s for close to an hour for Isa to show up. Viago and Teia had wanted to be present for the ordeal as a part of Caterina’s requirement for witnesses. Lucanis had wondered if Isa had changed her mind when he waited without a word from her. 

Viago sent a few crows, wondering if Isa had been indisposed or if something had happened. Then they received one letter back from a crow that had been sent to the Dellamorte villa. Isa had arrived there searching for Lucanis as she had every day. 

That was the moment that Lucanis realized that he had set up this entire date, but he had forgotten to tell Isa to come to Pietra’s rather than the villa. He had been so stressed out about whether or not she would like the ring or the general proposal that he hadn’t checked to make sure she had been aware of the change in plans. 

Viago rightly called him an idiot while Teia tried not to laugh at his expense. It sounded like Illario was getting Isa ready to come to the cafe at least, so that was something. A part of him wondered if he should send Viago and Teia on their way and plan the proposal for a different day. This was a mess, and he doubted that she would be in a good enough mood to agree to marry him a second time. 

To be clear, he didn’t think that she would call off the wedding. He just didn’t think that she would give him the satisfaction of a public proposal after forgetting to invite her in the first place. 

So, he rested his head on the table, wondering if Illario had explained what was going to happen when she arrived. Lucanis wasn’t sure if the surprise would be better or worse at this point. Although, he could play it off as a miscommunication of a date. It was still horrible, but it wasn’t a miscommunication of a fucking proposal. 

“Ah, she’s here,” Teia mentioned as Lucanis’s stomach dropped. 

“About time,” Viago whispered, following her. 

Lucanis sat up and stood, deciding that he would at least stand and take whatever Isa had to say to him. This was egregious, and he was just glad that he had made this somewhat private. The only patrons that were in the cafe were Crows that they knew and two baristas to run the cafe while they were there. It was a part of the plan that Lucanis had set up, after all. 

Illario walked in with a bewildered and slightly annoyed Isabella who was now being bombarded by Viago and Teia. He stood by the table he had been sulking at, noticing that she looked gorgeous. While he knew that Illario likely grabbed the dress from somewhere other than Isa’s closet, he hoped that she was allowed to keep it. It flattered her, and she looked beautiful in it. 

After a moment, Isa left the two Talons with Illario, and she walked over to Lucanis. He did notice that she was a lot less upset than he expected. 

“Alright, you get to tell me what’s going on,” Isa huffed, her arms falling at her sides. “I’ve asked everyone, and not a soul will tell me what the fuck is going on.”

“Well, that’s my fault,” Lucanis admitted, dipping his head in shame. 

“I gathered that.”

“I was supposed to tell you to come here instead of the villa, but it slipped my mind. I was trying to make everything look perfect for you, and I don’t know how I missed talking to you about it.”

“Right,” Isa muttered, not getting the full picture.

She had noticed that the cafe looked more or less closed, but there were two people working there while they were allowed to be in the building. Isa folded her arms, pursing her lips as she stared at him. 

“So, what, was this supposed to be an elaborate double date with my brother and his partner?” Isa wondered, guessing at his intentions. Lucanis flinched before shaking his head.

“No, but it would be better if it had been,” he admitted. “I think that’s the worst part about this. I had planned to propose to you today.”

Isa blinked at him twice before narrowing her eyes at him in confusion. He sighed, hanging his head. 

“You’ve already proposed, and I said yes, if I remember correctly. Unless you forgot that, too, and in that case, we need to get you to a healer,” Isa answered firmly, watching him. 

“I have, but it was too informal for a Talon. The other Talons might be looking to send suitors for alliance offers and the like. With a public proposal and a ring, it would have showed them then that this was serious. That you were more than just a passing fancy,” Lucanis answered. 

“Right, I remember Caterina mentioning that at one point. I thought we were past that,” Isa sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “You know, you don’t have to surprise me with things like this. I don’t mind a surprise once in a while, but with things like this where it’s for formality’s sake, I’d rather be in the loop.”

“I hadn’t considered that either. I’m sorry, Isa,” Lucanis told her, looking at her as he held her hand. 

Isa melted a little, seeing his watery brown eyes. It wasn’t fair that he seemed so sad when he looked at her like that. 

“Just keep me informed, amore mio. We’re a team, remember? That’s why I agreed to marry you,” Isa reminded him with a sigh, stepping closer to him, feeling him remove one of her gloves. “And yes, I will marry you. I’ve said in public. Does that count?”

“I think that should count just fine,” Lucanis nodded, taking her hand to slip the ring onto her ring finger.

Isa blinked, surprised that he had a ring ready to go. She supposed that was a part of the deal to go public with their engagement, but it wasn’t something she expected. 

As she looked at it, she covered her mouth with her right hand, seeing the opal embedded in the ring. She had seen the ring at least a dozen times before, and she never thought she would see it on her own hand like she did now. 

Isa turned back to a grinning Lucanis, who was relieved by her reaction. 

“It’s your...” she whispered, trailing off. 

“My mother’s opal ring,” Lucanis nodded, bringing her left hand to his lips. “Caterina gave it to me a few days ago along with her blessing. She wanted you to know that you have her favor. Just like my mother did.”

“I still find that hard to believe,” Isa muttered, staring at the opal on her finger. 

She and his grandmother argued more often than not, and they when they weren’t, they were usually talking about something that could be fixed or altered that would work better than how she did something as First Talon. Isa was sure that Caterina would find her an irritation, hoping that Lucanis would move on from his relationship with her. 

“Trust me, she would tell you if she didn’t like you,” Lucanis informed her with a smile. 

Isa exhaled, staring up at him. She decided to believe him, thinking that he would know his grandmother better than she would. 

“Alright, I trust you,” Isa replied with a smirk. “So, what was your grand plan after I arrived and said yes?”

“I’ll be honest. I didn’t plan that far,” he admitted with a grimace. Isa laughed, shaking her head. 

“Well, we should start by telling everyone you did invite, and then tell Caterina the good news,” she suggested, teasing him a little. 

“That sounds great, amor,” Lucanis grinned, relieved that she wasn’t angry with him.

Isabella walked to the Diamond after Viago mentioned that he was likely going to have a contract for her if she had the time. Lucanis said that if she wanted backup, he would have some time as well should she be up for it. With the stars aligned, she went over to see her brother about a contract. 

However, when she reached the Diamond, she saw a familiar face she hadn’t seen since she was a Fledgling, and she hadn’t expected to see her anytime soon. Speaking with Teia and Viago was a fellow de Riva Crow named Adelina. She was a mage, and she had been sent to learn circle magic when she had been given over to be trained by Viago. She had heard that she had come back to Treviso recently, but she hadn’t had the chance to reach out other than the occasional letter that was received and returned every few months. 

Isa had done her best to keep in touch as well as keep her friendship with Adelina a secret from both Viago and Ignacio while she was training, later speaking to Viago about her friendship with the mage when he became Talon. Adelina had spent most of her time in Salle, staying close to the de Riva city whenever she could. Ignacio had done his absolute best to kill off the mages that came into his House. He believed that if they were really mages that the Fade would save them from everything. If not, then they deserved what they got. 

Adelina was grateful that Viago was her Talon now, and she spoke highly of him, but she still kept her distance from the city that reminded her of more difficult times. Until now, it seemed. 

As the mage turned, she broke into a smile as Isa beamed back, walking a little faster towards her old friend. Forgetting herself, Adelina wrapped the elvhen Crow in a hug before Isa knew what was happening, and Viago tried to say something before Isa chuckled in response. 

Adelina was also nearly as tall as Viago, and Isa felt her feet dangle far from the floor. Within a moment, Adelina froze and put Isa down immediately, her cheeks reddened and her eyes wide. 

They theorized that her family was from the Free Marches before she was sold to the Crows. Viago wished that he could find her family, but Adelina reassured him that she was already on top of it several times. She had the free time to search through the de Riva records down in Salle a few times. 

“My apologies, I shouldn’t have done that,” Adelina replied, clearing her throat. “I appreciate you for not stabbing me.”

“I would never stab you, Dela,” Isa replied gently. 

“Dela?” Viago commented, surprising both of his Crows.

“Come on, fratello, you remember I wrote to Dela consistently in my youth,” Isa reminded. 

“Isa here was one of the few friends I had within the Crows. Her letters were always a breath of fresh air,” Adelina replied with a dip of her head. “Dela was what she always addressed me as. A nickname that I use among friends, Talon.”

“I’ve always addressed you as Adelina,” Viago mentioned, folding his arms.

“You’ve always asked for formality, Talon,” Adelina commented with a raised brow. “I’m not in Treviso often, and you don’t come down to Salle often. Have things changed?”

“Viago is fine,” he remarked as Adelina nodded. 

“And Dela is available for you to use if you prefer. I will answer to that name or Adelina. Either way,” the mage remarked with a smirk. 

“So did you rub off on Isa, or did Isa rub off on you?” Viago sighed. 

“I like to think that we worked together to learn how to annoy you,” Adelina replied. “Honestly, though, I think you just happen to find irritating Crows to surround yourself with. You wouldn’t enjoy having boring Crows, and you know it.”

“Is that why you’re out in Salle?” Viago wondered, hiding a smile. 

“I should have seen that one coming,” Adelina chuckled. “Lucia sends her regards, though. She said that she wished that she could have come as well, but she was swamped when I left.”

“She deserves to rest as well,” he sighed. “I’ll remind her.”

“I think that’s a good idea,” Adelina nodded. 

“I should get Isa settled, and then we can discuss why you’re in Treviso,” Viago mentioned before Isabella frowned. 

“I don’t mind sticking around. I don’t need to be settled,” Isa replied irritably. 

“You came for a contract, didn’t you? For you and your partner?” Viago reminded her as Isa faltered. 

“I’m not going anywhere,” Adelina winked. “Grab the contract, and I’ll tell you both why I’m in the city.”

Isa shot a glare at her brother before nodding, agreeing to be quick about it. She hadn’t expected to see her friend that she hadn’t seen in over ten years and then be shoved away just as quickly.

Viago argued with her lightly over the contract and a few other points of order while they walked to where Teia’s office was and on the way back. They argued over how they acted, how the contract was constructed, and how Isa was going to complete it. All superficial and it was more cathartic rather than actually being a discussion of anything substantial. 

However, both of them were stunned when they returned to see Adelina where they left her, but she had a guest apparently. Illario was speaking with her, and she looked surprised by him. Viago cursed under his breath as he walked over to them. Isa went to follow before she was intercepted by Lucanis.

“There you are,” Lucanis commented, relieved. 

“You brought Illario?” Isa replied.

“You act like I have a choice in where he goes,” he sighed. “I said I was meeting you at the Diamond, and he said he could use a drink.” 

Isa thinned her lips as she glanced back at his cousin, seeing Adelina now seeing Viago and Illario arguing in front of her. Lucanis followed her line of sight, now confused.

“De Riva Crow mage,” Isa informed as Lucanis groaned. 

Adelina leaned back, still confused about what was happening in front of her before she looked over at Isa. Isa lifted her shoulders, exhaling. Viago started to argue with Illario while Adelina stepped away from the two in front of her. 

“What happened?” Isa asked when the mage walked over to her. 

“Not entirely sure. I was waiting for you two to get back when he walked up to me with a pickup line and a wide smile,” Adelina answered with a shrug. “I know a seductionist Crow when I see one, so I figured I would play along. Then Viago came out as if someone threw his adder out the window.”

“Illario elicits that reaction,” Lucanis grumbled.

“Ah, that’s his name?” the mage remarked.

“He didn’t introduce himself?” Isa asked.

“I think he was going to before our Talon came in hot,” Adelina sighed before turning to Lucanis. “My apologies, signore. Adelina de Riva, at your service.”

“Lucanis Dellamorte,” he replied, dipping his head.

“Oh, First Talon,” Adelina whispered, immediately standing up straighter and bowing formally. “Forgive me, I didn’t recognize you. I wasn’t told you would be here today.”

“Please, please, don’t do that,” Lucanis insisted as Isa started to laugh. “I’m not really interested in formalities, especially with Crows.”

“Dela, this is my fiancé,” Isa mentioned as the mage straightened. 

“Oh,” Adelina whispered, glancing between them before smiling. “That changes things, then. If you break her heart, they won’t find your body.”

“Most people say congratulations,” Lucanis sighed. 

“How long have you known him? He doesn’t seem very familiar with de Rivas,” Adelina remarked.

“Be nice,” Isa chided with a grin. “Anyway, while Viago scolds Illario, what brings you to Treviso?”

“Ah, right! I found the man responsible for selling me to the Crows, and he pissed off someone enough to earn a contract,” Adelina grinned. “So, I took the contract and learned that he still lived in Treviso. So, I’m here for the time being. We’ll see how long I’m here for, though. It might be nice to be here for a while.”

“I know that you aren’t comfortable in this city, so what’s making you want to stay?” Isa wondered. 

“Viago mentioned that you had moved out, and we both know he wouldn’t do well on his own,” Adelina whispered, folding her arms. Isa hummed, nodding. It would be easier if he would listen and live with Teia is some capacity. “But that’s a discussion for when the contract is done.”

“Need help with the contract?” Isa asked.

Adelina smiled as Lucanis turned to his partner. He gestured to the folder in her hands that her Talon had handed to her not five minutes before. 

“We were just assigned a contract,” Lucanis reminded. 

“I’d be more than happy to help you with yours in return,” Adelina replied with a shrug. “Besides, Isa and I were trained to handle between three and five complicated contracts at a time when we were Fledglings. We should be able to handle two at once, especially with the First Talon at our side.”

“The idea was to calm down the intensity of your workload,” Lucanis reminded before Isa looked at him with pleading eyes. 

“Luca, come one, it’s to help Dela get her revenge. You’ve been helping me with my revenge,” Isa argued. 

Lucanis exhaled before rubbing his face in exasperation. Adelina smirked before tilting her head.

“I’m not sure what the contract Viago gave you is like, but mine is just a quick kill. Nothing more. It’s just supposed to be an easy job,” the mage informed with a smile. 

“Alright, fine,” Lucanis exhaled. “I suppose we can help you with your contract.”

“Oh, fantastic,” Adelina grinned. “It’ll be easy, I promise.” 

“Have you two actually been on a contract together before?” Lucanis wondered as Isa hummed. 

“We both accompanied a Crow on a contract once before,” Adelina mentioned, looking at Isa. 

“Did it go well?” he wondered.

“The contract got done,” Isa admitted. “The Crow didn’t make it. To be fair, we should not have been there.”

“The target wasn’t researched enough, and the information went stale. The Crow ended up botching the mission and the target got wise. We were able to take out the target while he was killing the Crow we were with,” Adelina explained solemnly.

“Who was the Crow?” Lucanis asked while the two de Rivas exchanged a look. 

“When Fledglings went on contracts with Crows like that, our former Talon told us we weren’t allowed to know names. The Crow only knew me as Mage and Isa as Elf,” Adelina mentioned.

“Mierda,” Lucanis whispered as Isa shrugged. Their former Talon was sadistic, but he was dead and gone now.

Adelina showed them the way to where her target lived after they decided to help with Adelina’s contract first since it was supposed to be a simple contract. Lucanis had tried to get them to sneak out while Viago and Illario were still arguing, but the Fifth Talon had practically thrown Illario at them as they were leaving. Now Adelina had three extra Crows to help with her simple contract, not that she minded. She wasn’t in it for the coin, anyway. Not for this job. 

“So, this shouldn’t take too long,” Adelina mentioned as they reached the district the target lived in. “He was in his mid-forties when I was a toddler, so I doubt he’ll put up much of a fight himself. However, I have no idea who he has guarding him.”

“He lives in the nicer part of the city. He’s going to have some good muscle since he can afford it,” Illario commented, surprisingly focused. 

Isa and Lucanis turned to him with confusion while Adelina glanced around. The mage was scanning the rooftops for the best advantage potential while Isa stared down Illario. He met her gaze, expecting her to say something. Instead, she just narrowed her eyes slightly in a gentle warning, wanting this to go well for her friend. 

“I think if we go by the rooftops, I think that would be best way to maintain the element of surprise,” Adelina suggested, gesturing to the tops of the buildings around them. 

“How did you want to take him out?” Isa asked.

“Oh, I hardly care about that. As long as he sees my face before he dies, that’s enough for me,” she replied.

“Do you think he remembers you?” Lucanis asked gently. Adelina chuckled, shaking her head. 

“I highly doubt it. I was not the only child that he sold to the Crows, and I would not be surprised if he sold other children or even adults to other people as slaves to make a few coins,” the mage remarked. “But as long as he knows that it was me who brought him his death, then I am content.”

“You de Rivas have your own special flavor of revenge, I’ve noticed,” Lucanis noted, glancing at Isa. Recognition hardly mattered as long as they were the last person they ever saw. That seemed to be more important to them than making sure that the person had wronged them at all. 

“As long as they get their just desserts, we’re happy. Besides, if they see us as they die, we make sure that they meet their end. It’s a way to make sure that the job is done,” Isa explained as Lucanis pursed his lips. 

“Make sure I don’t end up on a de Riva revenge list please,” Illario whispered to Lucanis, who rolled his eyes at his cousin. Illario was already well on his way with how he interacted with Viago the past few years. 

Adelina found a good access point for the rooftops, and Isa followed her up the wall. The Dellamortes were partly expecting to use a trellis or perhaps a zipline. Instead, the de Rivas used the narrow alleyway to shimmy up as well as the drainage pipe. 

Illario and Lucanis watched for a moment before Illario covered his mouth.

“There’s two of them now,” Illario whispered, realizing that they were going to practically scamper across the rooftops without them. Lucanis shot him a look before sighing. 

Isa looked over the edge to make sure that both of the cousins were on their way up as Adelina looked over her. She had mapped out their route, so once they were up, they could make their way to the target’s house. 

“So, you and the First Talon? How did that happen, and why didn’t you tell me about that?” Adelina asked, leaning against the wall. 

Isa sighed, walking over towards her. She folded her arms, thinking about how to talk about this. 

“Well, you know how Viago had to kick me out for almost a year before I managed to sort of talk my way back in?” Isa asked as Adelina raised a brow, nodding. “Well, the contract I accepted to spite Viago turned out to be more complicated than we could have imagined.”

“The one where worked with Varric?” 

“Yeah, that one.”

“I know you mentioned that you ended up having to extend it because he got hurt,” Adelina whispered before frowning. 

Isa sighed, turning away from her for a moment. Adelina rubbed the back of her neck before she took a step forward. 

“I know that Varric didn’t get hurt, you know. I went and did some digging into him when you said that you went to work for him. I wanted to make sure he was safe. By the time I made any headway, you were already in Minrathous,” Adelina explained while Isa turned to her. “Morrigan showed up the next day after all hell broke loose in Arlathan. It shook Thedas, and the Fade felt like it trembled when the gods escaped. I was going to reach out, but I think Morrigan saw something with my interference. She told me that Varric didn’t make it, but that you needed to lead the team he left behind. What she didn’t tell me was that you didn’t know that he was dead. That the Dread Wolf had tricked you to believe that your friend was alive.”

“I guess you knew I was Rook all along, then,” Isa whispered with a grimace. Adelina chuckled.

“Yeah, it wasn’t very hard to figure out. Especially when I found out that Viago was involved in helping Rook who was a Crow who worked with Varric against Solas? That essentially confirmed it for me,” Adelina answered with a shrug. 

“Does Lucia know?”

“I never talked to her about it. I figured it wasn’t something I was supposed to talk about.”

“I appreciate that,” Isa remarked, tilting her head to the side. “I just wanted to return to the Crow life when everything was done.”

“So you got involved with the First Talon?” Adelina teased. 

“He wasn’t the First Talon at the time, you know. He was exiled from Treviso when we first got together,” Isa reminded, thinking about how far they had come from that point. 

“Like you were, or was he doing something horrid?” the mage asked, suddenly concerned.

“Didn’t you hear it from Viago or Lucia? Illario tried to take the title for himself, kicking Lucanis out Antiva because of Spite,” Isa reminded her. 

“That rings a bell, I guess. I don’t follow politics too much,” Adelina admitted, fighting a smile. “Regardless, I’m glad he’s not a psychopath or something.”

“Definitely not. He’s the most level-headed Crow I think I’ve met,” Isa remarked as the two Dellamortes made it up to the roof. 

Adelina hummed with interest, but she didn’t comment on Isa’s statement with Lucanis now within earshot. The mage glanced over at the other two, who looked mildly perturbed by the fact that they went up a more unorthodox way, but she wondered where they would have gone up instead. 

The mage guided them across the rooftops, glad that they had left after dusk. She wanted every advantage available to them, especially after how long she had spent tracking down her quarry. Isa watched her back while the cousins kept a low profile. They were starting to feel that they had over-stacked this contract, but it was better than the alternative at least. 

Soon, they reached the building across from the target’s house. Isa crouched down before looking to Adelina. Lucanis and Illario stayed next to Isa while Adelina nodded and started to make her way across to the house.

“Are we not going to go with her?” Illario asked before Isa shook her head. 

“No, not this time. She’s going to do this herself, but we’re going to go in at the first sign of trouble,” Isa answered firmly, keeping her eyes on the building across the street. “We are here more as backup rather than partners, really.”

“I’m sure she’ll be able to handle it,” Lucanis replied.

“Of course she can,” Isa affirmed. “However, since this is the man who stole her away from her family and sold her to the Crows, it makes the situation unpredictable.”

“And what would have happened if we hadn’t run into her at the Diamond?” Lucanis wondered.

“Viago knows better than to send his Crows into situations like this alone. It’s also the reason why he lost his temper with you, Illario,” Isa explained. “Tonight was not the night to cause distractions.”

“Not that it seemed that my flirting really landed,” Illario remarked with a sigh. “It’s like you de Rivas are trained against flirting.”

“We trained against seduction,” Isa clarified. “Now focus. I don’t even want to think about losing Dela tonight.”

“She’ll be fine,” Lucanis reassured, turning his attention to the building across the canal. 

It wasn’t long before Isa saw movement in what must have been the bedroom, and she recognized the silhouette of her friend. There were some sharp, sudden movements before she seemed straighten again and vanished from the room.

Isa waited until she saw Adelina appear out of the house again before she led the others away from their perch. Adelina quickly met up with them once they were back down on the ground with a wide, content smile. Isa grinned, glad to see her friend feeling freer than before. 

“You know, maybe I’ll give Treviso another chance,” Adelina mentioned, placing her hands on her hips. Isa laughed before leading them towards the Diamond again.  

Post for DATV Photo Week Day 5

Il sangue non è acqua.

Blood is thicker than water.

It was a saying that Isa had taken to lately, and it really surprised Lucanis to hear say it so often. He wanted to ask her about it, but the timing was never right during the conversation in was said in. 

His fiancée was an orphan who was taken off the street to be raised as a Crow. As far as they understood, she had no blood relatives. The closest thing to family she had was her adopted brother, Viago, her current Talon, but they were definitely not related. She was elvhen, for one. That was proof enough. 

Lucanis started to wonder if she had started to say it because she would be joining his House once they were married. House Dellamorte was considered a Blue Blood House, or a House that filled their ranks with family rather than whoever they could find off the street. Truly, he didn’t care about being a Blue Blood House, and there was a reason why there were only a few of them left. 

They had even had a conversation about something similar after they returned from the Battle of Minrathous. He would always take her into consideration before anything or anyone else. 

Of course, it could be related to the fact that she considered him her blood family now, which was something, he guessed. 

He had even come across it again while he was trying to read in the library, which made him put down the book as Isa came to his mind again. She was gone for a few days on a contract, which meant that he couldn’t get a straight answer for a little while longer. He sighed, drumming his fingers on the armrest. 

“Surely the book isn’t that thoughtful,” Illario commented as he walked by.

Lucanis glanced at his cousin before turning to the book. It was a simple romance novel that he had picked up to distract himself for a little bit. 

“The book reminded me of Isa, and it got me thinking,” Lucanis answered.

“Is it something I would be interested in?” Illario asked warily.

Before Lucanis entered a relationship, Illario liked teasing him about his romance novels and their content. Now that he was with Isa, Illario was touchier about the subject. If it had been nearly anyone else, Illario didn’t think much would have changed. However, he didn’t want to know anything explicit about the Crow he helped train for a few missions. 

“It’s not like that,” Lucanis groaned. “It’s something that she keeps saying that’s bothering me.”

“She says a lot of things.”

“She keeps bringing up that blood is thicker than water, and I don’t know why.”

“What is she saying exactly?” Illario asked, knowing that Isa had a hard time with the Trade language sometimes.

“Il sangue non è acqua. Those are the exact words she keeps repeating.”

“Well, then...”

Illario exhaled as he leaned forward as well, templing his hands under his nose in thought. There wasn’t a lot to say about a translation error there, and Western Antivans felt very strongly about their familial ties in general, much more so than Eastern Antivans. It was always attributed to the small-town lifestyle with the harsher climate than along the eastern coast. 

However, Isa wasn’t raised in Western Antiva, she was just raised in the culture and language due to Viago. Her Talon’s mother was raised in Western Antiva, and Viago spent a few years living there as well before moving to Treviso. 

“I’m not sure what to make of that,” Illario admitted with a frown. “What kind of conversations are these that she’s bringing this up in? I don’t think she’s mentioned it before.”

“She hasn’t,” Lucanis sighed, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. “And I’m not sure. It’s not with people that we’re familiar with. It’s usually when she’s talking with Crows in passing or people we are working with. I don’t know what to make of it.”

“Is she trying to prove something? Have you tried talking to her about it?” Illario asked, more confused. 

“I tried once, but she said something along the lines that she’s only trying to be reassuring. She looked more concerned that I was worried about it than anything else,” Lucanis mentioned as Illario rubbed the back of his head. 

“Has she said anything like this around Caterina?”

“Not at all. If anything, she has made sure she hasn’t mentioned it at all around Caterina. The fact that you have no idea what I’m talking about means that she’s kept it from you, too.”

“Fair point,” Illario muttered, knitting his brows together. “I think you should ask her again because there’s something missing. Both of us know her pretty well at this point, and this doesn’t sound like her at all. Have you tried talking to Viago?”

“Do you think Viago would actually talk to me about this?” Lucanis sighed, leaning back in his chair. He closed his eyes for a moment. “I could try to ask Teia, I suppose.”

“Teia would know as much as we would. Viago is the one with the Western Antivan knowledge, cousin,” Illario reminded, sitting back so he could cross his legs with one knee over the other. “Isa would be your best bet, though. Ask her more blatantly. See why she suddenly values blood ties over trust bonds.”

“Could it be a way to get into people’s heads?”

“It certainly got into ours.”

“Hacedor,” Lucanis hissed, pinching his nose in annoyance. “She is going to be the death of me, you know.”

“Statistically? Probably,” Illario remarked before smirking. “Realistically? I doubt it.”

“I’m glad you think so.”

“Go find your confusing fiancée, cousin, before she drives you more insane.”

“Alright, alright,” Lucanis sighed, standing from his seat. He tossed the book at Illario, who caught it with ease. “It’s a good read, though.”

“Oh?” Illario chuckled, placing the book to the side while the Talon walked out of the library. 

Lucanis decided to try his luck at the Diamond before asking Isa again. She had looked at him like he had lost faith in her, and while that wasn’t what he was thinking, he was confused about what was going on. He knew there was a communication issue somewhere, and he didn’t know how to articulate it. 

To his dismay, Viago was the only Talon in the attic and Teia seemed to be out at the moment. Viago looked up from his paperwork, seeing him approach. 

“First Talon,” Viago greeted formally. “It’s not often I see you here without Isa leading you here. What’s going on?”

“Well, Isa is the reason I’m here,” Lucanis mentioned before holding up his hands. “She’s fine, but she’s acting strange.”

“That doesn’t sound out of the ordinary.”

“She’s not acting like herself.”

“Then how is she acting?” Viago exhaled, not enjoying this conversation.

“She keeps saying il sangue non è acqua,” Lucanis answered, pausing for a reaction. Viago gave none. “She says it to new Crows and to people we have started to work with.”

“I thought you understood the western dialect, Dellamorte,” Viago sighed, placing the contract on the table behind him. “Is there a part of what she said that you are confused about?”

“I understand the dialect just fine. Better since I met Isa, in fact. It’s why I’m concerned that she keeps saying it to new people. It’s out of character for her.”

“I would disagree with that.”

“You think that blood is thicker than water?” Lucanis nearly scoffed in surprise. “You of all people think that?”

“I’m surprised that you’re surprised,” Viago replied, folding his arms. “Have I given any indication to suggest otherwise?”

“Well, yes,” Lucanis answered.

Viago’s eyebrows shot up nearly off his face before the two Talons went silent. Lucanis felt like he had made some kind of error, but he was certain that he was in the right. Given what he knew of Viago’s relatives, Lucanis knew that the saying didn’t match his beliefs. 

Viago sighed, shaking his head. 

“I think we are having a communication error here,” the Fifth Talon mentioned gently. 

Lucanis did his best not to laugh. That was putting it lightly to say the least. 

“Look, I would think that you should talk to Isa about this. If we continue to talk about this, I think we are going to talk about it in circles and just make one another more irritated and upset,” Viago mentioned calmly. 

“Isa already looked at me like I was insane when I brought it up to her the first time,” Lucanis remarked after he took a deep breath. “I am not sure what else to say to her about it.”

“Bring up this conversation if you have to. She is going to understand that you are missing the message,” Viago suggested before folding his arms. “She’ll likely laugh it off while I’ll end up shouting. I’d rather not be seen shouting at the First Talon, if it’s all the same to you.”

“I would agree. I don’t want to be seen shouting at anyone, nor do I want to be shouted at,” Lucanis replied with a nod. 

“I’m glad you agree,” Viago nodded. “Tell Isa to see me after you have that chat, and we’ll have a discussion about explaining her idioms and sayings to you more thoroughly when you seem confused.”

“I’ll let her know that you want to see her, but I’m not sure she’ll be receptive to that conversation,” Lucanis warned before dipping his head and taking his leave.

It had been a less than productive conversation than he would have liked, but it had ended amicably at least. It was better than he could have hoped given the alternative. 

Isa was in what Lucanis had been calling her leisure room, which had made her smile a few times. He just wasn’t sure what else to call it other than a place to contain where she could both experiment with her poisons as well as spend time painting. He had insisted on her picking up a new hobby, and painting was just as nice as anything else. 

She had gone in to try a few different recipes for a contract or two, but she found that maybe resting her mind sounded better. She had been mixing colors and running the brush over the canvas for a while before she heard a knock at the door. 

“Come in, Luca,” she called out. 

There was only one person that really would come to knock on the door when it was closed. Illario usually just walked in, and no one else dared to attempt to enter. 

Lucanis opened the door, looking concerned and almost confused. Isa put down her brush and turned towards the door so she could give her full attention to him. 

“Luca, what’s wrong? What happened?” Isa asked, seeing that he looked worse for wear. 

“I have to ask you a question, and I know I’m having a disconnect with what’s being said. I don’t understand the meaning of what you are saying, and I need to know what you mean,” Lucanis informed as she straightened. 

She looked at him with confusion before she nodded. 

“I never mean to confuse you. Did I say something to offend you or something?” she asked before he shook his head.

“I wouldn’t say that I’m offended. Confused and concerned, yes, but I’m not offended,” Lucanis clarified, walking towards her before standing next to the easel. 

She stared at him, hoping that he would continue. She wasn’t sure what he meant, but she would be happy to explain what she meant. She knew that while her Trade was good, it wasn’t always perfect. Growing up, she and Viago would mostly communicate in Antivan, specifically in the Western dialect. It didn’t motivate her to practice her Trade unless her former Talon forced her to, which wasn’t as often as it likely should have been. So there were a few times when her grammar or meanings would get muddled, and she would be misunderstood more often than she liked. 

Although she often spoke to Lucanis in Antivan, she wasn’t sure if that was exactly the case. He knew that she felt more comfortable in their native tongue, and he was happy to speak to her in it as well. 

“What can I clear up then?” she asked, tilting her head a little, reaching out for his hand. 

Lucanis relaxed, glad that she was more receptive this time than she had been the first time. He had approached her differently this time at least. The first time, he had kind of brought it up abruptly and almost abrasively, which resulted in her reacting defensively. 

“I asked about it before, but I am very confused about it. You keep saying il sangue non è acqua, and I can’t wrap my head around why you keep telling people that you are valuing familial bonds over those that are formed by trust,” Lucanis answered honestly, trying to explain it as plainly as he could.

“That’s not what it means,” Isa replied immediately. He nearly laughed.

“What do you mean? That’s exactly what it means,” he countered, shaking his head. “You are saying that blood is thicker than water. Blood ties are stronger than anything else.”

“Oh, you mean family ties are stronger than anything else,” Isa whispered, finally understanding what he was talking about. He still didn’t get it. 

“Yes. Blood is family. Is that not what you mean?”

“No. You see, the quote I’m using is from a longer one. An older one.”

“What?” Lucanis whispered, confused.

“Il sangue del patto è più denso dell’acqua del grembo,” Isa recited with a smiled, squeezing his hand.

The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.

Lucanis blinked at her before he laughed breathlessly. The absurdness of the quote existing to give what she had been saying two completely different meanings. He could hardly believe it. 

“So, this entire time, you’ve been encouraging our Crows and allies that the bonds we form are more important than who we’re related to?” Lucanis asked before she nodded firmly. 

“Of course. Why would I say otherwise? That would be rather hypocritical of me, wouldn’t it? I don’t have any blood relatives, and all the people in my life who I have a strong bond with have created it through trust and pacts,” she remarked. 

Now he felt both ridiculous and vindicated in a strange way. He knew that she would have acted out character for her to say anything like he thought she was saying, but he hadn’t given her the benefit of the doubt. He sighed, shaking his head. She smiled, staring up at him. 

“Idiota. You thought I was telling people that I valued family over friends, didn’t you? That’s why you were baffled,” Isa teased, mildly miffed. Although her amusement of the situation won over her irritation. 

“Unfortunately, I have to say yes to that,” he groaned. “And I may have made it a bigger issue than I should have.”

“I probably should come to expect that by now,” she hummed, raising an eyebrow. “What did you do now?”

There was a moment of silence as realization washed over her. 

“You... you didn’t go try to ask Viago about this, did you?” she whispered before his shoulders drooped. “Hacedor, Luca, why would you go do a thing like that? What did he say?”

“He said that it was a common saying, and that he wasn’t surprised that you were using it around new Crows,” he replied.

“And how did you react? Please tell me you didn’t get into an argument with him,” she pleaded. 

“I didn’t get into an argument. He told me that I had to go talk to you about it before we started shouting at each other,” Lucanis explained, giving her some relief. 

“Which you should have just done in the first place.”

“I tried, but you looked at me like I had gone crazy.”

“You asked if I truly valued family over friends, and I didn’t know how to answer that. Would you know how to answer that?” she countered, shaking her head. “Merda, amore, I swear, you have no idea how to formulate sentences sometimes. You come out swinging when you’re confused.”

“I don’t mean to, I promise,” Lucanis whispered, wincing at her remark. “The last thing I want to do is to upset you. Sometimes I get bewildered or shocked, I say whatever I’m thinking, and I don’t know how it really sounds until it leaves my mouth. Even then, I don’t know how it sounds every time.”

“I’ve noticed,” she noted, sighing. “Still, I would like for more conversation past that so you don’t sit and stew on it. I knew something was bothering you for a while, but it didn’t seem that it was pertinent enough to distract you from your work or me. Even Spite wasn’t sure how to articulate what was wrong.”

“Spite wasn’t sure how to determine the difference between the significance between blood and water. We had a discussion about that for a while before he gave up, saying that you were probably right anyway,” he explained, rolling his eyes. “He always takes your side in everything, you know. It doesn’t even matter if I was right in the end.”

“It’s because Spite wants to be on my good side all the time.”

“He just likes you more than me.”

“I don’t think that’s a bad thing,” Isa teased, shaking his hand lightly as if it could release the tension in his body. 

Lucanis sighed, staring at her as she smiled. It seemed that he was making a big deal out of nothing again, and he felt silly about it. Although she was likely going to drag him back to either the Diamond or to the de Riva estate to have another talk with Viago about the saying. 

“When did you want to see Viago?” he asked, figuring he would rip the bandage off now. 

“Probably sooner rather than later so he doesn’t come to find us. Otherwise Illario might find out,” Isa mentioned. Lucanis exhaled before she blinked. “You asked him, too?”

“He was in the room while I was thinking about it,” Lucanis tried to explain as her jaw dropped in surprise. “I was reading, and I was thinking about how you had said the same thing the character did. He walked in shortly afterwards, and he asked about it.”

“Really, Luca? You talked to your cousin about this before me?” she asked, shocked by him. “Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter if Viago shows up to ask you about if you asked me or not. Did you ask your grandmother, too?”

“No, I didn’t,” he sighed. 

“I suppose that’s a relief, I’m not sure how she would react to that line of questioning, given that she has a different view than I do on the subject.”

“Isa.”

“Don’t you start. I’m about to go see Viago by myself just so I can talk about how you spoke to Illario before you asked me to clarify a second time,” Isabella remarked, still holding his hand. 

Lucanis exhaled with a slight smile. He knew that she wasn’t entirely serious, otherwise she would have ripped her hand from his grasp. She was only mildly irritated, but it was clear that he would need to make sure that he didn’t make the same mistake twice. He would turn to her if he was confused by anything she said, regardless of her reaction. 

With his hand still in hers, she stood from her seat, shaking her head. Isa dragged him from the room and started down the hall. 

“Where are we going?” Lucanis wondered. 

“A walk for starters. Maybe to the de Riva estate, maybe to the Diamond. Maybe to Pietra’s,” Isa answered, looking over at him. “Depends on how nice you are to me as we walk.”

“A walk with you sounds lovely,” he replied, catching up so he could be by her side. She smirked.

“That’s a good start, Dellamorte.”

Lucanis exhaled as he walked out of the crowded lecture hall, followed by Isabella. He loosened his cravat, finding himself exhausted. They both had dressed up for the occasion, wanting to look more formal and professional for their friend rather than a couple of rogues. Spite was still thrumming in the back of his mind as Isa held his arm gently, glancing around the hall to make sure that he had some space for himself. 

Emmrich had reached out to them a few weeks ago about teaching a class about their special case of possession and about Spite. Isa had also been invited since she could interact with Spite as well, bringing in an interesting perspective as well as a calming effect on the spirit. She also gave argument that Spite wasn’t a demon, which gave something for the students to think about. 

The professor had been very grateful, and now he was finishing up the class while the Crows took a moment to collect themselves. Isa knew that Lucanis hadn’t been looking forward to this event, and he hadn’t enjoyed a moment of it. There had been a rule against asking them about how they were joined together, and Emmrich had taught a separate class on how possession occurred. 

Isa knew that the students were curious about how two Crow assassins were imbued with the Fade enough to host and see a demonic spirit, but that had been a part of the deal. Neither Lucanis nor Spite wanted to talk about or relive what had happened in the Ossuary, and Isa would support their decision completely. Even if she needed to remove the students from the room herself. 

Soon, the lecture ended and the students poured out of the room, heading to their next destination for the day. Once the students were gone, Isa and Lucanis walked back inside to find Emmrich and Manfred inside speaking to another Mourn Watcher. Manfred immediately left the conversation to greet Isa as he had wanted to when she had walked in.

“Zia!” Manfred hissed in excitement, throwing his arms around Isa in an embrace.

“Caro nipote! Ti sei tenuto in esercizio con l’antiviano?” Isa asked, wondering if she could get him to speak Antivan fluently before Trade.

“Quando posso,” the skeleton answered.

“Non potrei essere più orgoglioso di te,” Isa replied as Lucanis smirked next to her. 

“I see your corruption of my ward has continued,” Emmrich teased, walking over towards them.

“Hardly corruption. He’s more well-rounded for it,” she corrected with a wide smile. “I know you’ve started to learn, too, since you’re worried about it.”

“Mi sono esercitata per poter conversare con te, amica mia,” the professor countered. 

Isabella nearly laughed in surprise, excited that there were more people speaking her native tongue. Lucanis felt more relaxed beside her, now that he wasn’t the center of attention at last. 

“I should introduce someone, though,” Emmrich mentioned, turning to the side. 

Isa nodded, seeing the Mourn Watcher he had been speaking to. She looked a little surprised to be addressed, but she smiled and waved before walking towards them. 

“Isa, Lucanis, this is my teaching assistant, Wysteria Ingellvar. She’s looking to become a professor here, as well,” Emmrich explained as the woman dipped her head.

“Teri is fine, though,” she informed, glancing between the Crows. “The professor speaks of you two often. Never thought I would ever get to meet you.”

“Why not?” Isa asked, amused by the remark.

“Very few people can say they’ve met a Crow personally like this, let alone two. I just assumed that I would just hear the stories,” Teri explained with a shrug. 

“I suppose,” Lucanis chuckled. 

“I promise we aren’t as scary as people think we are,” Isa reassured.

“You literally kill people for a living,” Teri stated, confused. 

“But we don’t kill indiscriminately, and most of my kills have been in self-defense,” Isa pointed out, looking to Emmrich for back up. 

“A fair point,” the professor admitted. “You’re more likely to receive a meal from these two than a threat, anyway.”

“Zia is safe,” Manfred nodded.

“Zia? I thought you said your name was Isa?” Teri asked, making Isa chuckle. 

“Zia is Antivan for aunt. Zia Isa. Manfred found it easier to say when he first started speaking, and it was when everyone was still calling me Isabella. It was a lot of syllables,” the Crow explained. 

The Mourn Watcher smiled in understanding. Isa was glad to find that Teri was taking them in stride, especially with Lucanis and Spite next to her. While they were a fascinating subject, he still created fear in so many. 

“I appreciate you two making the trip out here for the lecture, though. I know it was asking a lot of you,” Emmrich mentioned as they turned towards him. 

“Spite was looking forwards to it, at least,” the Talon exhaled. 

“He was rather animated during the lecture,” Teri added with a nod. “I didn’t think that a spirit could be so animated or excited. It was very interesting.”

“I wish he would calm down once in a while,” Lucanis admitted. 

“But he doesn’t stay in your head, though, right?”

“No, but that doesn’t mean he stays quiet when he’s outside my head.”

“That’s very interesting,” Teri whispered before she shook her head. “Sorry. I promise I don’t see you as a study or a project. I just find your experience unique, I swear.”

“As long as you don’t start asking me to jump through hoops or ask me to do any tricks, I suppose it’s fine,” Lucanis smirked, trying to play it off. 

Isa touched his arm, knowing that he was having a difficult time with everything going on at the moment. Lucanis glanced at her, hoping to reassure her with a look. 

“I was hoping to show you a little bit of Nevarra City, if you two were interested or had time. I know that life of the First Talon is demanding at times,” Emmrich mentioned, stepping in. 

“I’m sure we can disappear for one evening without everything falling apart,” Isa reassured.

Lucanis only nodded, not wanting to come across as rude. He was glad that they weren’t in the Necropolis at least, but he wasn’t thrilled to be in Nevarra still. It was still too close for his comfort, and he preferred to be in Antiva regardless. But he had to admit that he hadn’t spent any time in Nevarra City, and it would be interesting to see the sites. 

“I think you should. Nevarra City has a surprisingly active nightlife, and there’s plenty for the professor to show you,” Teri grinned, preparing to make an exit.

“You are coming as well, aren’t you, Miss Ingellvar?” Emmrich asked, startling her. “You are more than welcome to.”

“As long as you don’t mind spending time with two foreign assassins,” Isa teased with a wink. “I promise I won’t bite.”

“She won’t poison your food, either,” Lucanis added in a more serious tone. 

Teri stared at him for a second longer than she usually would before she nodded slowly, thinking about it. It had been a while since she had gone out with colleagues or friends, and it would be interesting to get more stories about the Crows. 

“I’m not sure what to say to that, but sure, I’ll join you for the evening,” Teri replied. “I don’t have plans, and I’m not expected for my next lecture until tomorrow morning.”

“Splendid!” Emmrich grinned, clasping his hands together. “I will gather my things from my office, and I will meet you at the front.”

“I can show you out,” Teri offered before Isa dipped her head politely. 

Teri grabbed her bag, and led the two Crows out the door, leading them down the hall. She greeted a few students as they went, not missing the widening eyes as they saw who was behind them. While they had dressed more formally, their Antivan style still made them stick out like sore thumbs. Isa guessed that rumors about their presence had spread throughout the university, which drew attention to them now. 

Isa managed to ignore most of the stares, smiling when she made eye contact with a student. Most of them looked like they were going to faint from fear or panic, and she supposed that was the reputation the Crows had garnered over the years. She just hoped that she didn’t cause any issues for Teri for being seen with the First Talon and his fiancée. 

Teri, however, was worried for a different reason. She was concerned that the two Crows were feeling overwhelmed or irritated by the unwanted attention. She had heard from Emmrich that they preferred to remain under the radar, which was definitely the opposite of what was going on at the moment. However, they were professionals, and Teri was positive that they wouldn’t kill a student just for looking at them wrong. At least, she really hoped not. 

“So, Teri,” Isa began, catching the Mourn Watcher’s attention. “Emmrich mentioned you were his teaching assistant. Are you looking to become a professor as well?”

“Eventually, yes. I would be happy just to teach, but one day I’d like to have the expertise and knowledge that Volkarin possesses,” Teri answered, slowing a little so she could walk next to the Crow. Lucanis stayed behind them, taking a more bodyguard type position. 

“I don’t think you would find a better teacher than Emmrich, but I might be biased,” Isa chuckled. “But what are you hoping to teach? Are you looking to teach about spirits and metaphysics of the Fade like the professor?”

“Did you take Emmrich’s class?” the Watcher wondered, surprised by her knowledge.

“We talked about his specialties while I worked with him. He mentioned that those were his specialties at one point, and he works it into his magic. I saw it a lot back then,” the Crow explained before gesturing towards Teri. “You didn’t answer my question, though, amica.”

“I would like to focus on the spirits of the Necropolis, but yes, I would imagine our fields would overlap,” Teri replied, curious about the word she used. 

“Have you been to the Necropolis? I am not sure how accessible it is in general,” Isa asked, keeping her voice a little lower. She didn’t need the students staring aware of what she was asking. 

“Of course I have,” Teri chuckled with a smile. “Every Mourn Watcher has a duty to guard and upkeep the Grand Necropolis.”

“Ah,” Isa nodded, understanding better. “Another distinction between Mortalitasi and the Mourn Watch?”

“I see you have spoken with Volkarin quite a bit.”

“There was a lot of down time when we worked together.”

“What did you work together on, though? There haven’t been many times that the Mourn Watch has worked with the Crows, and I can’t imagine why a Crow of your status would work with a professor. With Dellamorte, I could understand given his situation, but what were you working with him on?” Teri asked, turning to Isa.

The Crow tilted her head a little, seeing the gears turning in the Watcher’s head. Isa took a deep breath, knowing that the Watcher wanted her to admit to it rather than accusing her of it. 

“You seem to already know,” Isa teased with a smirk.

“Having your confirmation would affirm my suspicions,” Teri countered calmly.

“You would make a great negotiator if teaching doesn’t meet your expectations,” the Crow laughed. 

Teri grimaced at the idea of working for a group of assassins. Although she couldn’t imagine working with Isa would be boring or a negative experience. Isa hummed, lifting her shoulders. 

“I worked with Emmrich during the fight against the Evanuris, as I’m sure you already suspected. I met him through connections my team made, just like I met Lucanis,” Isa answered as Teri hummed. “I would give the name I used during the war, but I am afraid that I don’t use that name publicly anymore, and there are many wandering eyes and listening ears at the moment.”

“I understand your meaning,” Teri replied with a half-smile. “But you confirmed my suspicions, at least. Many thought you had died after the battle, you know. You vanished without a trace.”

“Well, that was the plan. I didn’t want to be bombarded by the world over with invitations to gatherings and be consulted about things I didn’t know about,” Isa answered before sighing. “I think we all saw how Lavellan was thrust into the spotlight like she was, and I didn’t want the same fate for me. If something threatens the world like that again, I am willing to help, but I don’t want to be looked to as a leader.”

“Is it true what the rumors say about Lavellan?”

“Depends on the rumors.”

“That she’s protecting the Veil with the Dread Wolf?” Teri asked, looking at the Crow.

Isa thought for a moment before nodding. 

“I think so. That’s what it looked like to me. Solas and the Inquisitor entered the Veil to keep it sealed and safe, but I don’t know what happened after they vanished. I couldn’t even tell you if they still live, or if they gave their lives to the Veil,” Isa answered, folding her arms. “But she loved the Wolf, and I can’t fault her for that. I have my reservations, as I’m sure most people do, but I can’t pass judgment on her. It’s not my place.”

“To find love that strong is rare, I think,” Teri hummed. 

It wasn’t often that you heard about people leaving their lives behind to follow someone beyond potential death just for a chance to be with them for eternity. It sounded more like a fairy tale than anything else. Teri fought the urge to look behind her when she heard a firm grunt behind her. It sounded like Lucanis firmly disagreed with Isa, but not enough to voice his opinion at the moment. 

It wouldn’t surprise Teri if Lucanis had wanted to kill the Dread Wolf and be done with it. Volkarin had talked of the Fade Prison and that his leader had been trapped there for weeks. Teri didn’t need to be a genius to deduce that Solas was nearly a dead man once Isa was out of the Fade Prison. 

“I would advise caution if someone were feeling that strongly about someone else, though. While it could be love, I always wondered if it is something more akin to obsession or something similar,” Isa mentioned to Teri, surprising the Watcher.

“I’m surprised to hear that from you,” Teri commented before she could hold her tongue. Isa lifted her shoulder, unaffected by her words. 

“I’ve seen some strange things happen in the name of love due to my profession. Both good and bad, mind you. I’ve seen people saved and killed. I’ve seen lives ruined and sustained. It all depends on intention and self-awareness, I believe,” the Crow answered. “More people who are willing to step into the Fade with their significant other are dealing with obsession and fear rather than love.”

“That’s a cynical way of looking at things,” Teri replied, staring at the Crow.

“Just be mindful. That’s all I mean.”

“You sound almost worried about me.”

“Only because it sounded like you were romanticizing what happened between Solas and Lavellan. While it does make a pretty love story, Solas was thousands of years old and Lavellan was barely forty. They hadn’t seen each other in nearly ten years, as well,” Isa pointed out. 

“You really don’t think it was love?”

“I am not sure they had the time to know if they were sure or not if it was love. What I did know was that the Veil was shattering, and we needed Solas to fix it.”

Teri paused in the hallway for a second, staring at Isa. The Crow turned to the Watcher before Teri started to walk again. 

“You let Lavellan sacrifice herself, then.”

“Yes,” Isa answered before Lucanis stepped forward.

“Sacrifice is a harsh word for what happened,” he regarded.

“The ending was the same, though. The chances Lavellan can return are null if she ever changes her mind, and she will likely die wherever she ended up, if she can die,” Isa explained with a sigh. “If the situation hadn’t been as dire, I would have tried to reason with her out of it. However, Morrigan was there as well, and I know that Morrigan feels just as guilty as I do.” 

“Is that the reason why you haven’t replied to the Archon’s letters?” Lucanis wondered. 

Isa stopped in the hallway before turning to him for a moment. Her expression was unreadable as he stared at her. Teri paused, unsure what this meant. Surely they weren’t going to do anything rash in the middle of the hallway, right? The mention of the Tevinter Archon hadn’t missed her notice, though. 

“One of them,” Isa hissed before shaking her head. “But we can’t talk about it when we aren’t in public, Luca.”

“Mhm,” Lucanis hummed, telling Teri that he didn’t expect them to talk about it at all. 

“I didn’t realize you knew the Archon,” Teri mentioned, almost pulling them down the hallway. A part of her hoped that Emmrich would catch up with them sooner rather than later. 

“I met him in passing a few times before he became Archon. He was just a part of the fighting force we worked with in Tevinter,” Isa answered, turning to the Mourn Watcher. “He happened to be close to a few people that I knew.”

“Oh?” Teri replied, unable to hide her surprise. “I didn’t expect a Crow to have such a wide network of friends and acquaintances. It’s rather impressive.”

“I was exiled from the Crows at the time. Hardly impressive for an assassin,” Isa countered with a laugh. “But thank you, I appreciate that. The person who hired me after my exile was the one to introduce me to the people who had connections. I just happened to meet everyone thought that initial team.”

“Oh, yes, Varric, right? Volkarin mentioned that he had hired you and a few others at the start of everything,” Teri mentioned with a nod, not noticing Isa’s slight flinch at the name. Lucanis nearly stepped in before the Watcher continued. “I met Varric once, a few years ago. He helped me with an undead rebellion, and he was able to convince a bunch of nobles against punishing me too harshly. They were going to send me on a sabbatical, but I ended up on crypt cleaning duty instead.”

“You... knew Varric?” Isa whispered in shock. 

“I did. I was heartbroken to hear the news that Solas had killed him. But I did hear... that...” Teri started before her brain started to connect some dots.

She had been notified that there was supposed to be a memorial for Varric and those who had fallen during the fight against the Evanuris in Tevinter in the coming weeks. She had decided that it would be beneficial for her to go, and Emmrich had agreed, saying that he would gladly accompany her. 

There would be a separate, more private ceremony for those who knew Varric, Lavellan, and Solas personally, which included those who had fought alongside them. Emmrich was going to bring her to the ceremony since she had fought alongside Varric, even if it had been before the gods had escaped. 

However, this was likely the information that the Archon had been trying to reach Isa about and what she was ignoring. 

Teri quickly cleared her throat, shaking her head. Isa turned to her with furrowed brows, concerned for the Watcher. 

“Sorry, must have lost my train of thought,” Teri mentioned with a chuckle. “Sometimes my thoughts go too fast and I lose track of them. They get slippery, you know?”

“We have a friend who says the same thing,” Isa replied with a small smile. Teri could see the clear relief on her face. 

“Oh? You should tell me about her then. I’d love to know if she has any tricks for catching those thoughts,” Teri mentioned as Isa laughed. 

“Trust me, she’d love that forbidden knowledge, too,” Isa replied, walking a little closer to Teri as they nearly reached the front of the school.

Post for DATV Photo Week Day 4

With the help of the NPRook Mod, I was able to do some swaps and create a new world state. Still working out the backstory of it, but I just enjoy watching these two interact just as much as I love seeing Teia and Viago, too! I want to swap both Teia and Viago back into the world, but I'm still working it out.

Grayscale Crow Armor Mod

Lucanis stared out the window in his office with a cup of coffee. He was having a difficult time with all the Talon duties he was trying to complete. He was being overwhelmed, and he felt somewhat isolated. Illario was out on a contract, which was helping him out. It had been one that needed to be handled with care, and his cousin had shown enough good faith that Lucanis could trust him with this. 

Caterina was the real issue at the moment. She had wanted to host a dinner party, and he said that she was welcome to do as she wished, but he would likely be working during it. She thought it was nonsense and nearly had him plan it. 

Isabella, instead, swooped in and took the job of the dinner party, saying something along the lines that she needed to be seen doing something outside her Crow duties as well. It had appeased Caterina for the moment, but it hadn't helped him with his self-image. In fact, it made him wonder if Caterina saw him as anything else other than the First Talon nowadays. 

Although it hadn't always been that way, he thought as he took a sip. Caterina sought to and achieved in making him into a weapon for House Dellamorte. He was efficient in his training, and that translated into his contracts and work. It worked a little too well, according to Illario. 

He had managed to be so efficient in it, he even earned a nickname during his time in Tevinter as the Demon of Vyrantium. Another title that people summed him up as. Too intense, too broody, too extreme. It was during that time he realized that he had sunk too deep, and he had a difficult time forming connections. People avoided his gaze, even when he caught them staring at him. 

Of course, the Demon would become literal during his time in the Ossuary, but it hadn't been a part of the plan. However, it seemed fitting. Now the people who had assumed the worst in him were right. The ones that stared at him as if he were a monster were now right, making assumptions that he was too much to handle. 

Now, he was simply the First Talon. Just the First Talon, nothing more, nothing less. He continued to instill fear in people, and now that included more Crows and his fellow Talons. He had more power now, which meant more reach and more threatening positions. 

All he ever was an object and a means to an end. Something to defend his House. Something to use against the Venatori. Now something to replace Caterina as the head of the Crows. 

Lucanis moved his hand to bring the coffee to his lips again before he found that he was being obstructed. Strange. He looked down to see a concerned Isabella staring up at him, holding his forearm and withholding his coffee from him. He stared at her for a moment before lowering his arm at her request.

"Caro mio, what's going on?" Isa whispered, leaning into him so she could cup his jaw. 

Lucanis blinked at her in surprise. 

"I was just staring out the window," Lucanis answered, gesturing towards the glass. 

"I knocked several times, and when I came in, you didn't say anything," Isa informed as he furrowed his brow. "I called your name, too, and you still said nothing. I thought you were upset with me until I noticed that Spite wasn't outside your body."

"I'm not upset with you," he reassured with a small smile.

"Then what had you so far in the back of your mind that you cornered Spite in there, too?" Isa asked, searching his eyes with concern. 

"Well-" Lucanis started before his eyes turned purple.

"Self-depreciating! Reducing to objects! Need out!" Spite shouted, nearly startling her. 

Isa stepped back as Spite vanished from his eyes before appearing next to him and rushing out of the room. She watched him leave as Lucanis held his head, swaying a little. 

She turned back to him with a frown. 

"What does Spite mean by that?" she asked. 

"I may have been spiraling," Lucanis admitted softly. 

Isa gently took the coffee cup from his hand before guiding him to sit before she brought a chair around to sit next to him. Lucanis leaned back, taking a breath. 

"Why were you spiraling?" she wondered, staring at him. 

"I've been trying to keep up with Talon work, and then Caterina sprang that dinner on me," Lucanis answered, rubbing his eyes. "I assumed that she would try to compromise or accept that I wouldn't be there. By the way, you are a saint. Thank you for appeasing her."

"All a part of my job," Isa smirked. "But I thought with the solution, everything would be okay. Obviously not."

"It just made me think about how she sees me," he answered, shaking his head. "I know that she sees both Illario and I as her grandsons. She struggles to show it, but she loves us. I know that."

Isa waited, knowing that he needed to get this off his chest. They had talked about this before, and while she had mixed feelings about the elder Dellamorte, she wouldn't put words in his mouth. Not when he had so little family left and wanted to keep them in his life. She would be respectful and supportive while fighting for his peace as well. 

"I wonder if she sees me as an object to be used," Lucanis sighed, saying the words aloud. 

Isa immediately grabbed his hand, squeezing it tenderly. He stared at her with wide eyes before exhaling.

"I was made to be a weapon against the enemies of House Dellamorte, especially after the massacre. To make sure it never happened again," Lucanis whispered, feeling better that she was with him. "Then I was the Demon to instill fear, and now I'm the First Talon."

"I'm sorry she made you feel like you were nothing more than an object," Isa whispered. She knew that feeling too well from her former Talon growing up. "Do you still feel like that?"

"To some degree, I suppose," he admitted. It would do anything to lie to her. 

"I see," she sighed. 

Lucanis expected her to lecture him or talk to him like she usually did when they discussed this. However, she stood and climbed into his lap, curling into him. 

He held her close, a little afraid that she was going to fall if she moved too much. Isa rested her head over his heart and listened to his heartbeat. He relaxed, feeling her close. 

"Strange," she mentioned after a while.

"What?" Lucanis asked, confused. 

"Objects don't have heartbeats or their own warmth," Isa answered, leaning back slightly to meet his gaze. "It makes me wonder if you were lying to me."

"Lying to you?" he repeated in surprise. 

"You said you were an object to be used, but I'm not finding any evidence of that," she shrugged. "Plus, you can talk and argue. More evidence against your theory."

"Isa," he sighed.

"Ah, and breathing! Signor, I can't believe you would lie to me like this."

"I didn't lie."

"You did! You are no object, signor," she insisted, fighting a smile as she poked his chest lightly. "I should also point out that weapons can't cook, demons don't have friends, and talons are always more than they appeared to be. Would you reduce Viago and Teia to mere Talons?"

"I would argue that Spite has you for a friend," Lucanis pointed out with exasperation. He also would not reduce Viago nor Teia to anything lest he wanted to face their wrath. 

"Another point in favor of him not being a demon after all," Isa grinned.

"You're going to be the death of me."

"Although, I think it's better for both of us if you aren't an object. I don't think I would want to be in love with an object I could simply use."

"I suppose that's good to hear," Lucanis smirked, holding her closer. 

Isa let them soak in the silence for a little while before she nuzzled his neck. 

"You are more than a Crow or a Demon or a Talon, amore mio. You also happen to be a caring man who nurtures and loves with his whole heart," she reminded him quietly in his ear. "You are more than what you were trained to be, and that's a good thing. Just like I am more than I was trained to be, right?"

"You are right," he admitted with a sigh. 

Isa kissed his cheek before smiling at him. He grinned back with the emotion actually reached his eyes. 

"Feeling better now?" she wondered as he shrugged. 

"I suppose so," he answered. "I would be better if my grandmother believed it as much as you did."

"I don't think your grandmother thinks of you, or Illario, as objects. I think that she believes that she is pushing you to your success. However, that doesn't always come across as it should. Especially with her," Isa offered. "But we should try to figure out a way to get her to stop treating you like means to an end. I didn't realize that you felt that way, or I would have stepped in sooner."

"I thought I had it under more control," Lucanis sighed. "And it isn't your fault, either."

"I'm glad to hear it," she exhaled. "So, about the dinner party. I know that it was supposed to host the Talons, but I had a different idea. Well, I suppose a modified idea."

"I'm all ears."

Lucanis wasn't completely sold on this idea, but Isa assured him it would be fine. She had briefed Illario, Teia, and Viago on the specifics on it, and they thought the idea would be fine. Viago had the most gripes with it, but he didn't oppose it outright. 

Isa smiled as she met him in the foyer, ready to greet their guests. Every Talon and a plus one was going to join the Dellamortes for a dinner party along with a few special guests. That was the part that Lucanis also wasn't sure about. 

"Everything ready?" Isa asked, threading her arm with his.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" he asked quietly. "Caterina might not let you plan another dinner party."

"Then she would have to admit that you are not First Talon, amore. You are the Head of your House, are you not?" Isa reminded him with a wide grin. "This is our new normal, and I think that having some special guests once in a while is something that should be acceptable."

"With all the Talons present?"

"Well, maybe not all the time, but maybe if they get on. Besides, they saved Thedas, didn't they?" 

Lucanis sighed before kissing her temple, conceding. 

Isa had planned a dinner party with all eight Talons along with their plus ones as well as the Veilguard to join them. All of their friends from their fight with the gods had agreed to join the dinner, even when Lucanis clarified that the Talons they didn't know were going to be there. All of them believed that it sounded like a good time. 

Caterina and the other Talons were in the loop on who the special guests were. Caterina didn't even know that they were having special guests. 

However, Isa's comment did relax him a little. He had been stressed out about the dinner party, but she had brought up a good point. If Caterina was irritated that the party didn't go as she had planned, then she should have planned her own. If she was irritated that this wasn't a party the First Talon should have planned, then she was going to have to either admit that they had different expectations of how he was supposed to run this or she was going to run it through him. 

Either way, this party was going to show Caterina that Lucanis was now in charge of the Talons. Well, he and Isa, at least. He was worried that Caterina would use this against his fiancée, but he would worry about that later. He had always imagined that he and his love would be a team anyway. It made the job seem less lonely, and it would be easier to get done once they were married and she was an actual member of House Dellamorte. 

Eventually, their guests started to arrive, and Lucanis greeted kindly at the door just as he was taught to. He would not be labeled as a poor host. Luckily, Illario was in the sitting room, prepared to entertain their guests. Lucanis was a little worried about him being in there alone while being labeled as the Traitor Crow, but Isa reminded him that these were Talons, not just House Heads. Not to mention it looked like a huge power play to have Illario unattended in a separate room. It showed confidence. 

Lucanis knew that Illario wouldn't try anything, but he was more worried that the Talons would start something instead. Still, Illario would handle himself. This was supposed to be fun. Lucanis just hoped it would be a boring night by Crow standards. 

Isa was polite and cordial to the Talons, only relaxing when her brother and his lover came in. She threw her manners out the window, though, when her friends started to filter in. Lucanis kept his best face forward, which hardly surprised them. 

"What should I expect inside?" Davrin wondered as he shook Lucanis's hand. 

"At the worst, maybe an attempted murder. At best, Viago might tell a bad joke," Lucanis shrugged. 

"So, it's good I came armed, then," the former Warden grumbled, shaking his head. 

"It's going to be fine. It's our first Talon dinner party," Isa explained. 

"And you thought of inviting us?" Davrin asked, a little confused.

"I'll explain why later, but I promise, the saviors of Thedas are in good hands," Isa answered, her eyes sparkling.

Davrin chuckled under his breath before ducking inside. He knew better than to spoil her plans this early on, and, by the way Lucanis was sweating bullets, Davrin guessed he was in for a good time. 

Isa walked into the sitting room to help entertain the guests with Illario once everyone arrived. Lucanis went to follow her when he was intercepted by his grandmother. He turned to Caterina, who looked less irritated than he expected. 

"There are more people than I expected for this dinner party," Caterina mentioned quietly, placing both of her hands on top of her cane in front of her. 

"Isa thought of inviting the Veilguard as a public statement, showing that the Crows are thankful for their service," Lucanis answered with a quick smirk as he spoke. 

"Not a bad plan. Public support in Antiva is important to our line of work," she reminded. 

Lucanis nodded, expecting a lecture of some sort. He kept his gaze in the room for a moment longer before turning to face his grandmother. He furrowed his brow as she looked concerned.

"Is everything alright?" Lucanis asked, wondering what caused her to make that face. 

"Your fiancée would not want me to say, but I think that I should anyway," Caterina sighed, gently pulling him away from the doorway. 

Lucanis followed her down the hallway a few steps so that they weren't overheard by the Talons or other guests in the sitting room. He stared at her before she swallowed.

"She brought to my attention that I have made you feel like a means to an end rather than my grandson most of the time," Caterina informed. 

Lucanis blinked, glancing back at the room before turning back to his grandmother. She held up her hand before he could give an excuse or explanation. 

"I am not going to argue or discuss it. I don't even want you to explain it. We both know how she works, and she would not come to me unless she believed that it was the only solution," his grandmother added as Lucanis's mouth clicked shut. "If you want to talk about it, we can tomorrow or at a later date. I just thought that I would give you an apology."

"An apology?" Lucanis repeated in near shock.

In all his years, he never expected Caterina, the First Talon of the Crows and his terse grandmother, to ever apologize about anything unless her life depended on it. He wondered if she was dying for a moment before she smirked at him like he was being over the top. 

"I am no longer expected to be the ironclad, tough leader that is supposed to be untouchable or unreachable. You have the title of First Talon now, Luca, not me. I think that means that I should change as well. It will take time, and I will try," Caterina sighed, straightening a little. "And I did not know that my pushing and prodding during training had made you felt like you were reduced to a weapon for me to aim with. I hadn't intended that outcome."

"I survived this long," Lucanis reminded her, unsure what else to say.

"Something I'm always thankful for, mijo. Everyday you are here," Caterina nodded. 

Lucanis could only stare at his grandmother before Caterina thinned her lips, exhaling. It would take time before everything would settle, but she had said her piece, at least. 

"Go entertain your guests, and I will join you in a little while. I wanted to check on the food before we get too far along," his grandmother instructed before he relaxed, laughing a little. 

"Isa made sure to have the pulpo á feira on the menu for you," Lucanis mentioned with a smirk, remembering that was one of the dishes at the funeral when she was missing. 

"If you ever lose her, mijo, you will personally answer to me," Caterina warned, shaking her finger at him.

Lucanis chuckled, not quite sure if Caterina was serious about that or not. Still, he had no plans on losing Isa any time soon.