Elowyn and Aminia were giggling in the library stacks. When an assistant librarian shushed them for the second time, they decided to go get lunch.
“There’s a great noodle place in the Flower District,” said Aminia.
“But isn’t that where all the brothels are?” Elowyn asked.
“Sure, but they have amazing noodles – you’ll love it!”
“Won’t we be mistaken for prostitutes?”
“Dressed like that? They’ll think we’re there to buy some sugar, woman.”
“I don’t know about this, Aminia. Maybe we should just go to that place with the green olives instead,” suggested Elowyn.
“Are you worried you’ll run into your boyfriend or something?”
“Vel? He’s on some assignment for the Magister.”
“Sure he is. Come on – I have a contact down there I want you to meet. Oh, I almost forgot! I got the dirt on what Caius did to get Aurelie to agree to let you go, and I have to tell you about this new guy I’m dating.”
“We might need seven courses for all that! Tell me about Aurelie on the way.”
It was a gorgeous day, sunny and hot, so they decided to walk instead of taking a carriage or gondola. Elowyn had to open her parasol – the Tevinter sun was too bright for her southern skin.
“So Caradoc told me what happened.”
“I didn’t realize you two were so close,” said Elowyn.
“We’ve known each other for ages! Ever since Aurelie recruited me. Okay, so did you know that Aurelie and Caius were supposed to get married? Only, Aurelie’s father made a better deal with Caracalla, so that marriage fell through, and Caius married Mucia instead.”
“Isn’t she dead now?”
“Yeah, and there are rumors that Caius had her poisoned!”
“That doesn’t make me feel any better,” said Elowyn.
“Aww, he likes you! Vel told me the Magister took a real shine to you. Said you reminded him of some lost lady love from his youth.”
“I don’t believe Magister Caius was ever young,” replied Elowyn, “That man was born old and scary.”
“Nah, he was a sweet young thing, that’s what they say. Now that Mucia’s gone, families are lining up to present their daughters to the most eligible bachelor in Minrathous.”
“Really? But isn’t he…” Elowyn thought of Nazlik and remembered that she was a slave, and a horned woman to boot. “So what happened with Aurelie?”
“Well, she was married off to Caracalla, who really was an old guy, and he died and left her with boatloads of gold, but not before giving her a son, Batzas.”
“I never met him,” said Elowyn.
“He’s a war hero,” said Aminia, “Got injured in Seheron. Lost his legs. So he spends most of his time out on their country manor. He’s a real cutie! You should see him.”
“I think there are more than enough handsome men in my life at the moment,” said Elowyn drily.
“Never enough!” countered Aminia. “You should see this dwarf I’m dating – oooh whee!” Elowyn rolled her eyes.
“So Batzas is married to Flavia Domitia, right? Only she never visits him, ‘cause she’s snobby about his injury, so there are no kids. No kids means no heir, and that’s a problem in Tevinter. Well, anywhere, if you’re rich. No use building up a fortune if it’s all going to the Chantry. Anyway, Caius swung a deal with Aurelie: he’d get House Domitia to agree to a divorce between Batzas and Flavia, Caius would get you, and House Caracalla would get a new wife for Batzas.”
“And who would that be?” asked Elowyn.
“Caius’ daughter!” said Aminia triumphantly.
“Zera? But isn’t she married to Monkai?”
“Not any longer, but no, it’s Cassia.” Elowyn had only had a few dealings with Cassia, none of them pleasant.
“I thought Publius wanted to marry Cassia?”
“Publius? No way, he’s not an altus.”
“Neither is Monkai, but he was good enough.”
“I never understood that myself – must have been something else going on there,” said Aminia.
“So it’s come full circle then: Aurelie and Caius never married, but their families will be connected through their children.” Elowyn felt sorry for Batzas, even though the deal had freed her from broodmare duties.
“That’s the way it works!” declared Aminia. “Tevinter is like a big bowl of noodles – the families are all wound around each other.”
“Speaking of which, I think we must be getting closer,” said Elowyn, noticing groups of scantily clad women standing around, and a few dubious men trying to look inconspicuous in the middle of the day. Aminia greeted some of the women by name and asked how business was going. Elowyn admired Aminia’s comfort with the situation. She didn’t like how the men were looking at her, but Aminia just smiled back at them.
Aminia noticed that Elowyn had hunched her shoulders. “Hey, it’s alright – they’re not going to eat you.”
“They might!”
“What better place to hide the movement than among its most-trafficked people, eh?” said Aminia. “They have all the information, and it’s easy for them to wheedle secrets out of their visitors.”
Once again, Elowyn felt like she had a lot to learn about the way things worked in Minrathous. They got to the noodle place and put in their orders. Elowyn sipped the rich salty broth. She was glad at least one of the dishes didn’t have nugflesh in it.
“So who is this guy you’re seeing?” asked Elowyn.
“He’s a carta guy,” said Aminia, “and he’s got this lush black beard. It’s fantastic! Really tickles my thighs with it, too.”
“I don’t think I needed to know that,” said Elowyn, blushing.
“Aww, look at you! The girls are saying you’ve gelded your man – he’s just not the same since he met you.”
“Hey, he was the one who pursued me! I didn’t do anything to Vel.”
“They’re saying his sack is empty, just swinging in the breeze!”
“I can assure you it’s not,” said Elowyn tersely. “And how would they know, anyway?”
Aminia guffawed. “Speaking of balls, here’s my contact,” she said. Elowyn looked up and recoiled a bit when she recognized the very tall, tattooed man from the slave market. She’d hoped he hadn’t connected her with her little trick, but he was gazing down at her distastefully. ‘I really made a bad impression there,’ she thought to herself. The guy was frowning at her ears. Elowyn thought it was time to get them pierced. If people were going to stare, she wanted something to show off. Maybe Aminia would pierce them for her - all those Rivainis had piercings.
“This is Red,” said Aminia, “he’s from Par Vollen.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Elowyn said carefully, but the tattooed man just grunted and turned to Aminia. Elowyn took the opportunity to study his tattoos – they appeared to cover his entire body, as much of it as she could see, anyway. Elowyn wondered what they meant.
“The shipment will arrive three days from now,” Red was telling Aminia. “Is the elf coming with you?” Elowyn wondered if he was referring to her.
“Of course she is,” said Aminia. “Be sure to bring the sleeping powder.”
“I don’t know why you are bothering with that,” said Red. “We are three mages, each with our own specialties,” he added significantly.
“It’s easiest this way,” replied Aminia, “and we won’t harm the innocents if they get caught in the middle.”
Once again, the man gave Elowyn a disparaging look, as if he didn’t trust her for a second. She wanted to kick him with her pointy little shoe. He nodded to Aminia and strode off.
“Huh,” said Aminia, “He usually likes redheads.”
“For a guy who ‘rescues’ slaves, he doesn’t seem to like elves very much,” replied Elowyn, frowning.
“Maybe you intimidate him,” said Aminia.
“Me? I barely come up to his knees!” exclaimed Elowyn. “He could squash me with just one of his big boots.”
“I don’t know, but you two need to try to work together if we’re going to pull off this mission,” said Aminia.
“I’ll be good,” said Elowyn, “I promise.” She wondered what kind of dreams Red had. Aminia didn’t know about Elowyn’s talent, but maybe their mission would give her an opportunity to practice some of the new techniques she’d been learning. Sleeping powder could come in handy – she’d have to get ahold of some and experiment.