Thicker than blood (Mariana)

[Mariana]

There was a reason the Crows didn't keep the whereabouts of Velabanchel as firmly a secret as people might expect. A good one, too. It was, very simply, because only the people that were supposed to be there ever got out. Well, except for the lucky ones that died and whose bloated corpses washed up on shore.

Why was she going there again?

Oh right. The Crows had her bloody mate. So here she was, crawling up the side of a bloody cliff out of the bloody ocean freezing her perky pair of teats to the rock face. Mariana was most assuredly not a happy pirate.

Just as well, she supposed. If she'd been in a good mood she might have felt a little guilty about stabbing the Crow standing guard at the top of the cliff in the back of the head and tossing his corpse over the side. As it was the wet thump of dead meat hitting the stone was mildly satisfying and she pulled herself up with a grim smirk.

Well, one guard dead, piss knows how many left. Time to get on with the killing. Or sneaking. But she was in a bad sodding mood just then, which meant the Crow coming around the corner didn't even get to open his mouth let alone sound the alarm before there was a dagger buried in his throat. Messy business, that. She really should aim more carefully, but at least she didn't get sticky.

Another body tossed over the cliff, and Mariana settled down to wait for Alistair.

[Alistair Theirin]

With the guards dealt with, Alistair choose to step onto the bridge and walk toward Mariana. The fortress that stood upon the cliffs in the end was huge and he could see the tall tower stretching high toward the sky, where dark clouds above seemed to gather. It was about to rain and the wind was powerful, which caused Alistair`s brown cloak to wave around as he approached. What he felt in the moment was fear and guilt, fear for what was to come and for what could have happened to Lorenso, and guilt because he had put him in a dangerous situation. Certainly it was known Lorenso was sent to figure information about who had sat the assassination order on the King of Ferelden, but the other secret, which Alistair had kept hidden from the crew and Mariana was something more personal.

The thoughts swirled around Alistair`s mind as he came closer, but when he reached Mariana he spoke with a slight smile on his face. “I`m glad to see the guards outside was so easy to handle, let’s hope those on the inside can be just as easy.” He said as his gaze ventured across Mariana`s wet and slender body, which almost made him speechless. Then once he turned to focus on the matter at hand, he realized the gate was shut and that the iron bars kept them from entering.

“Looks like the door can only be opened from the inside, but how do we get in…any suggestions?” Alistair rubbed the chin as he tried to think out a plan, but turned again to look at Mariana to see if she any idea. Maybe if she wasn`t too exhausted, maybe she could manage to climb up and through the window. It was a risk to take, although it seemed to be the only option.