I had never set foot inside any of the Shems' cities before. The villages of Lothering and Redcliffe were one thing. Denerim was a different beast. It was so vast and so crowded. How could anyone breathe? I felt Alistair's hand on my back in a reassuring way. He seemed to have known I was a breath away from being overwhelmed.

"I know it's not what you're used to, but don't lose yourself now," he said.

I nodded and took a deep breath, then wished I hadn't. The city stank of stale air, animals, and unwashed bodies. I missed the crisp clean air and fresh smells of the Brecillian Forest. "The faster we find Genitivi, the faster we can leave," I said. I wanted out of this city as soon as possible.

Alistair nodded.

We ventured deeper into the city and I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something familiar about it. This was my first visit to Denerim, well, any city for that matter. Tristan suddenly ran off.

"Hey! Come back here!" I called after him. He returned a moment later with a boy following him. Tristan barked.

"Puppy!" the boy cried.

"Where did you find that?" I asked.

Tristan barked.

"No, you can't keep him. Go put him back where you found him."

Tristan whined but obeyed. Alistair laughed and shook his head.

As we passed by a house close to the market square, Alistair stopped. I walked a few steps before I realized he'd stopped.

I turned around. "Alistair?"

"That's..." He pointed at the house he had stopped in front of. "My sister's house. I'm almost sure of it, this is... yes, this is the right address. She could be inside. Could we... go and see?"

"Are you sure you're ready for it?" I asked. "If you are, we can."

"Will she even know who I am? Does she even know I exist? My sister. That sounds very strange..."

"Alistair."

"'Sister', 'siiiisssster'."

"Alistair."

He seemed to realize why I was saying his name. "I'm babbling, aren't I?" I nodded. "Maybe we should go. Let's go. Let's just... go."

I motioned for him to lead the way. "Stay out here," I said to the others. "Don't draw any more attention to yourselves than we already have."

"Good luck," Zevran said.

Alistair and I went inside the house. We saw no one when we entered.

"Err... hello?" Alistair called.

A woman with reddish hair and a dress I was sure had once been green came out of a back room wiping her hands on a dingy apron. The real Goldanna looked nothing like the one that the demon had posed as. It had apparently assumed that they looked exactly alike. In fact, I really didn't see any resemblance between Goldanna and Alistair at all.

"Eh?" She asked. "You have linens to wash? I charge three bits on the bundle, you won't find better. And don't trust what that Natalia woman tells you either. She's foreign and she'll rob you blind."

"I'm... not here to have any wash done. My name's Alistair. I'm... well, this may sound sort of strange, but are you Goldanna? If so, I suppose I'm your brother." That was smooth.

Goldanna gave him an odd look. "My what? I am Goldanna, yes... how do you know my name? What kind of tomfoolery are you folk up to?" Her look turned suspicious.

"He's telling the truth. Just listen to him," I said.

"Look," I could tell Alistair was nervous. "Our mother... She worked as a servant in Redcliffe Castle a long time ago, before she died. Do you know about that? She--"

"You!" Goldanna's suspicion turned to anger. "I knew it! They told me you was dead! They told me the babe was dead along with Mother, but I knew they was lying!"

"They told you I was dead? Who? Who told you that?"

"Them's at the castle! I told them the babe was the king's and they said he was dead. Gave me a coin to shut my mouth and sent me on my way! I knew it!"

Apparently, Eamon had been desperate to keep Alistair's birth a secret.

"I'm sorry. I... didn't know that. The babe didn't die. I'm him. I'm... your brother."

Goldanna scoffed. "For all the good it does me! You killed Mother, you did, and I had to scrape by all this time? That coin didn't last long and when I went back they ran me off!"

I couldn't keep my mouth shut. "That's hardly Alistair's fault, is it?"

My words only turned her scorn on me. But it did keep her from yelling at Alistair for a minute or two. "And who in the Maker's name are you? Some Elf to follow him about and carry his riches for him?"

I narrowed my eyes at her, but I really wasn't surprised at her words.

Alistair seemed to know I was about to say something I would later regret. "Hey! Don't speak to her that way!" he said before I could say anything. I was surprised at the fierceness in his voice as he said it. "She's my friend and a Grey Warden! Just like me!"

That didn't impress her at all. "Ooohhh, I see. A prince and a Grey Warden, too. Well, who am I to think poorly of someone so high and mighty compared to me." I wasn't going to say it out loud. Or even within Alistair's earshot. But Goldanna was a bitter bitch. Why blame Alistair for something he had no control over? "I don't know you, boy. Your royal father forced himself on my mother and took her away from me and what do I got to show for it? Nothing! They tricked me good! I should have told everyone! I've got five mouths to feed and unless you can help with that, I got less than no use for you." Bitter much?

"I... I'm sorry," Alistair said. "I... I don't know what to say."

"Goldanna, Alistair came here hoping to find his family," I said.

"Well, he found it," Goldanna snapped. "And what good is that to me? None, that's what, unless he can see to it that his family lives as it should!" So she was wanting money from Alistair.

"I would love to help you out but... I don't think we... really have enough money to spare. I wish we did..."

"You, a prince, marching in here with your fancy armor and such." I didn't think Alistair's armor was fancy. "And this is all you got to offer? You must think I'm very stupid."

"No, wait, I don't think that at all! I want to help, if I can."

"You want to help? You can go to whatever high-and-mighty folks you run with and you tell you've got nephews and nieces that aren't living as they've a right to! You do that!" Nice to know we were high-and-mighty. To this day, I haven't the slightest idea how I kept a straight face at her assumption.

I looked at my fellow Grey Warden. "This is the family you were searching for, Alistair."

"Mmm. Yes, apparently so," He turned his attention back to his sister. "Let me promise you this, Goldanna. I'll do whatever I can, speak to whomever I must, to ensure that you and your children are taken care of."

"Mmm," She sounded doubtful. "That sounds all well and fine but you'll have to forgive me if I don't exactly hold my breath."

I really wanted to slap her into next week. I would have been overjoyed to discover that my brother was alive. But Goldanna was only wanting money from him.

"You have my promise. I can't give you more than that. I... Let's go. I want to go. Goodbye, Sister." Alistair turned and left.

I looked at Goldanna and sighed before following him. Such bitterness and resentment could cause harm to someone.

Outside, Alistair turned to me. "Well, that was... not what I expected. To put it lightly. I'll live up to my promise, I suppose, but... this is the family I've been wondering about all my life? I can't believe it." He shook his head. "I... I guess I was expecting her to accept me without question. Isn't that what family is supposed to do? I... I feel like a complete idiot."

I could see his sister's rejection had hurt. It showed clear in those sapphire eyes of his. She was all the only family he had left. They shared a mother, yes, but she shouldn't have blamed Alistair for who his father was.

I placed a hand on his upper arm, reassuringly. "I don't know what to say," I said, gently. "I'm sorry it turned out like this."

"Yes... I'm sorry, too. I guess I should have known better. Let's just go. I don't want to talk about this anymore."

I nodded. "Let's find Genitivi."

~~~

We found Genitivi's house and went inside and found a young man. "Yes? What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I am looking for Brother Genitivi," I said.

"Brother Gentitivi? Why?"

"I shall make my purpose known to Genitivi and no other." I didn't know this man. He could be a spy of Loghain's for all I knew.

"Then I am afraid you will leave with your purpose unfulfilled. I haven't seen Brother Genitivi in weeks. He's sent no word. It's so unlike him. I am afraid something has happened. Genitivi's research into the Urn may have led him into danger."

"Do you think he's in trouble because of the Urn?"

"Perhaps the Urn was lost for a reason. I pray for Genitivi's safety but hope dwindles with each passing day. I-I tried to send help, but some knights came from Redcliffe looking for him not long ago. I sent them after Genitivi and they, too, have disappeared."

"Where did you send them?"

"No, don't ask me where they went. You'll go after them and what if ill-luck should befall you, too? This search is a curse on all of us. Some things are not meant to be found. I know that now."

"I am willing to risk it. Tell me where he went."

The man sighed. "So be it. All he said before he left was that he would be staying at an inn near Lake Calenhad, investigating something in that area."

"What exactly was he investigating?"

"I don't know. All I discovered from going through his research was that he was staying at the inn."

I raised a brow at him. "You just said that he spoke to you and told you that." Something wasn't adding up.

"Y-yes, of course, he told me but I also went through his things to see if I could find other clues to his whereabouts."

"You sound nervous. Hiding something?"  

"I know it sounds suspicious but I swear I'm not lying! I... it's been a very difficult time for me and sometimes I don't know what to think or feel. I want Genitivi to be rescued but I don't want more people to be hurt. You understand, don't you?"

"I don't know if I should trust you."

"You do not have to trust me. My conscience is clear. Follow in Genitivi's footsteps if you must but be careful." While we had spoken, Tristan was sniffing around the room. He was now pawing at a closed door. Wynne put her hand on the knob. "W-what are you doing? You're not supposed to go in there!"

"Why not?" I asked.

"I'm sorry but that room is not for guests. It's full of books and papers and I'd rather they were not disturbed."

"We won't mess them up," Wynne said.

"I said no. Genitivi was a very private person."

"You're hiding something. I want to know what it is."

Wynne turned the knob.

"No! Don't touch that door!"

A sudden bolt of energy shot from the man's hands, striking Alistair before he could react and sending him halfway across the room and into a wall.

 "Alistair!"

Leliana's blade found his back and he turned and sent her flying as well.

"He's strong," Morrigan commented.

I looked over at Alistair, who was trying to catch the breath that had been knocked out of him. At least he was alive. I went for the Mage's neck. He ducked and I could see the power pulsating in his hands as he prepared to send a blast of magic at me. A blast of energy from Morrigan sent his chest to meet one of Zevran's blades. The Mage screamed in pain, his chest already blood-covered and trickling from his mouth. He then beheaded him for good measure. I darted over to Alistair. He had managed to climb to his feet although he was still gasping for breath.

"I... did not... see that... coming."

"Are you alright?"

He nodded. "I'm fine." He gave me a reassuring grin and I knew he was telling the truth

Wynne and Tristan had gone into the room and I heard the mabari growl. We joined them in the room and found a body that looked as if it had been there for some weeks.

Leliana was going through the books and papers on the desk. She pulled a sheet out. "Look," she said. "This says he was heading to Haven. He thinks the Urn lies somewhere near the southern mountains."

"Then we should go to Haven."