The Dalish Commander (The Daughters of Thedas Book 2)

6: The Thief

Soundtrack:

Legendary ~ Audiograve (Vigil's Keep Theme)

Later, after assuring Oghren the pants monster wasn't real, the three of us walked around the Keep surveying the damage.

"Commander of the Grey, right?" A woman's voice asked. I turned around to see a petite blond private. "Can't say I expected you to be a Dalish."

"Is that all anyone sees?" I asked annoyed, all but growling the question.

"Two sovereigns says Realin can take her," Oghren said.

"What?"

"Oghren, shut up." As much as Oghren wanted to see it, I wasn't going to get into a brawl with her. Before my whole world changed, before the taint, I might have. If I were ten years younger. Now that I think of it, with as much trouble I got into, how did I survive my childhood?

"No offense meant, Commander. Just can't say I've met many Dalish."

"I'm sure you haven't."

"Just needed to tell you they caught a thief in the Vigil a few nights ago. Took four Wardens to capture him. Gave one of the Wardens a black eye, he did. Half joking, they said he might make a good recruit."

"Where is he now?" I wondered if he'd survived the attack.

"He's in the dungeon, Ser. I also have some letters for you. Arrived before you did." She handed me the letters before giving a salute and walking away.

I sighed and rubbed the bridge of my nose.

"Be glad you're not an Elven Mage," Anders said.

"I should, shouldn't I?" I was curious about this thief. I had the feeling he was no ordinary thief, since it took four Wardens to subdue him. They might have been onto something with their joke. I found the dungeon and went in. Oghren and Anders stayed at the door as I went to see to the prisoner.

"Ah, Commander," the guard said when I arrived. "Good thing you're here." He motioned to a man in the cell behind him.

He was sitting on the floor leaned against the wall. And he looked pretty pissed off. He had black shoulder-length hair pulled back out of his eyes. A couple of strands escaped from its binds to frame his face. He had a small patch of beard under his lips. There was something familiar about him but I just couldn't quite place what it was. He had a look of pure hate on his face when he saw me. I could see it plain as day when my emerald eyes met his grey ones.

"This one's been locked up for three nights now. Good men died while he was protected in his cell."

"Who is he?" I asked, not taking my eyes off him. The prisoner, in turn, didn't take his eyes from me.

"He refuses to give a name. All I know is he was caught poking around the estate in the middle of the night." He looked at me. "I'd say he was just a thief... but it took four Grey Wardens to capture him. You best be careful. Whoever he is, he's not an ordinary burglar, that's for sure."

"Let me talk to him."

"As you wish, Commander. I'll tell the Seneschal you came. He'll want to know what you intend to do with him." The guard saluted and left us.

I walked up to the cell and the man stood. He was shirtless, revealing a chiseled body that told me he was trained in combat. His brown pants were dirty and I saw the edge of a healing wound on his shoulder.