Feri's heart seemed to jump slightly as Rannon finally walked through the door, relief washing over her like a great wave.

"There you are! I was beginning to think you weren't going to show up!" She blurted out before she even thought about answering his question. "And you're hurt." Feri's own minor injuries of scuffed palms and bruised bottom were completely forgotten at the sight of the cut on his cheek. Swiftly reminding herself after a moment that it was rather normal for one to sustain an injury in a tourney - and he was lucky to come away with just a small cut - Feri's cheeks flushed at her over-protectiveness. "Um... yes. We picked up a few interesting stories from around town." Waving the serving girl over, some food and more drinks were ordered before Feri could launch into her and Gideon's adventures of the day.

"First of all, I can say without doubt that the townspeople [i]and[/i] visiting merchants are absolutely bloody clueless as to what's going on." She began in a hushed tone, glad she had picked the quietest, darkest corner of the inn for their conversation. "Asking about Ostagar is pointless - everyone seems to still be under the impression that King Cailan is some knight in shining armour, ready to vanquish a handful of Darkspawn and be home in time for tea. And as for Lothering? I came far too close to losing my temper and telling the truth just to shut those bastards up about speculating. Innocent people have been slaughtered, it isn't right for some jumped-up Orlesian merchant to spread rumours about rogue mages or wild Qunari going doolally in the village." Her voice began to rise a little in anger in the middle of the rant, and she swiftly had to tone it down before people started looking over. Quietly simmering, Feri took a small break, finishing off the rest of her pint, and remaining silent as the serving girl returned with more food and drinks.

Taking another enthusiastic gulp of her fresh pint, Feri wiped her mouth with an increasingly dirty-looking sleeve, watching the girl leave with narrowed eyes before deciding she was again out of earshot. "Anyway... I hope you haven't been shouting your mouth off about Ostagar either." Eyes darting back to Rannon, they now looked more concerned than angry. "After a little snooping and a good climb, I was able to find the esteemed Guard-Captain and listen in on a little conversation he was having with a pair of his recruits. What I heard was interesting, to say the least." At that, Feri recounted everything she had heard and seen in the Guard-Captain's office as she and Rannon ate. Recalling the brutal way the man had acted brought back the shivers down Feri's spine, and she dreaded what would happen if he found out about herself and her companions. Especially Rannon... one of the few survivors of Ostagar? Maker only knows what that sick son of a bitch would do to him.

"This guy is bad news, Rannon. By the looks of his clothing and office, he's definitely being paid off by someone to keep this charade up. This Bann... Flower, or whatever he's called, most likely. It would explain why his guards know nothing, and why he seems intent on going ahead with this tourney. Didn't turn up anything about his wife's death though, other than a few fishwives saying how awful it was." Feri paused, suddenly grasping Rannon's hand from across the table, eyes wide with concern. "You must be careful. Fair enough, they might turf me out of the place for asking too many questions, but if they find out you were there? They could kill you! And I can't let that happen." Their current situation - and the daunting threat of the Guard-Captain - ensured that Feri wasn't going to feel embarrassed at this sudden rush of caring for someone she barely knew. This young warrior had already been through enough shit, and he went through even more just to save her life out in the wilds. Maker knows she'd return the favour... but then, Feri had an inkling that she would be willing to risk her own life to save his regardless of settling any debts between them. Whether they'd bonded over near-death encounters, the Blight, surviving the Wilds, or even just forced companionship for about a week... there was a bond there, and it was strong enough that Feri would feel hurt at it's breaking.

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