"Hawke says most of it comes out of Varric's ass," Merrill giggles.

"It's a nice arse though. So I'm sure nobody actually minds."

Merrill pats Anya's shoulder. "I wouldn't get too attached to it. He says he's a happily married man. Though, he is always looking at his crossbow when he says that."

"I'd bet a hundred bucks he named his crossbow after a woman." She turns a sly eye to Tabs when she says this.

No fair! She mouths at Anya. That's a bet way too easy to win.

"You'd bet a hundred deer?" 

They need to get way better at watching their words. "Oh, bucks is like...a slang term. For money. In the Anderfels."

Anya laughs. "I don't think so? I think it was just some currency we made up as baby mages in the Circle."

"Oh! Well, that's very sweet. I quite like a currency named for animals. Maybe we can use ducks as well!" Merrill giggles. 

"Adorable. We can trade in ducklings and they can follow us everywhere we go. Nobody will ever want to attack us."

Merrill lets out the tiniest, most adorable little squeak. "Oh, that would be so lovely!"

Kirkwall looms in front of them, looking actually appealing in the late afternoon light. 

"For such a murderous and terrifying city... it sure is beautiful."

There's a strange look in Merrill's eyes, but she blinks, and it's gone. "Well, it's home enough for now. I'll see if I can get us home without getting lost," she says, smiling at them. 

Tabs loops her arm in Merrill's, bumping their shoulders. "Even if we do, what an adventure!"

"The best of plans. I'm pretty good at learning my way. Probably. Hopefully, that holds up here too."

"See, Merrill? We all work together to achieve the common goal of getting back home, safe and sound."

"Carver would be very pleased," Merrill says, and squeezes Tabs' arm. 

Anya jumps past the Carver thing. "How safe it is in Dark Town, anyway? If we're looking to go see Anders soon-ish."

Merrill grins. "Very safe! Varric won't admit it, but he's got people watching Anders' clinic. You just have to watch for the Coterie, and pick pockets. Sometimes there are people who don't really like elves, but there's also a lot of elves down there."

"People are racists arseholes everywhere, aren't they? Ugh."

"We unfortunately done been knew," Tabs grumbles. 

"You both have such a funny way of talking! It's like you share a mind." 

"Yeah, we have to take turns with the one braincell we share."

"And we left it at home today. Terrible."