The camp was unusually quiet that evening. Alistair couldn't quite put his finger on what or why, but it was eerie that's for sure. Zevran was sewing a pair of Antivan leather boots Gerard had given him and Zevran, in all his zeal, shoved his foot too hard in them and slightly tore a hem. Brushing the incident off, he set off for a needle and thread to repair the damage, not before thanking Gerard profusely. The tall, silent Grey Warden just smiled and walked to the opposite side of the fire. Alistair smiled, "this man, he thought, " had been through so much and still managed to make sure every single one of his companions were happy or cajoled in some sort of way, while fearlessly leading them against the Blight." Alistair smiled at the thought. Gerard Cousland was an impressive man. Trained in the way of a warrior, "whose discipline was second to none" according to Alistair, Gerard commanded a battlefield the way any seasoned general would. "Gerard", Alistair spoke, "when we were in Denerim, you seemed like you were looking for someone. Did you find whatever you were looking for?". The man looked at Alistair with saddened eyes, "Actually, no. I'm unaware if this is a good thing or bad" the man replied, shuffling his feet. He took his shield and his family sword off his back, searching for a stone to sharpen them on . Alistair tossed his stone towards him, "What was it you were looking for? Maybe I saw it?". "I heavily doubt it, but I will tell you a story if you will indulge me". Gerard put the stone to his sword, took a deep breath and began.

"Whenever I was younger, around 7 or so, my mother had a daughter. I still remember pacing outside the room eagerly to make sure she was okay, but most importantly in my young mind, if I had a new playmate. Fergus was too old by then to pay me any mind as far as fake wars and battles I held between the stuffed toys I had procured from Maker knows where. My father came out beaming, proclaiming that he had a new daughter. I was crestfallen. I had hoped ever so much that it was another boy, that I had ran to my room and cried. After a day or so of pouting, I finally went in to see my little sister. She was perfect. A patch of red hair on top and the most beautiful grey eyes you'd ever seen. I was smitten. As she grew up, she was so spirited and passionate about everything she did. Whenever she was 5, I turned 12 and began training in the courtyard with the guards. She ran to the courtyard in the middle of a training session, I was swinging a sword in a larger arc then was appropriate and turned and knocked her clean out. I picked her up and ran her with all haste to Nan. She woke up an hour later, smiling and giggling like nothing ever happened. I attempted to apologize and she told me "Big bruva, it was just a scwatch. You need to contwol your swing mo'". I was shocked as anything. Here a 5 year old was giving me training lessons. When she turned 7, she took the Cousland brand."

Alistair stopped him. "The Cousland brand? Like a cattle brand?"

Gerard laughed, and stopped sharpening his sword, looking at the ex-templar's confused expression.

"The brand is merely a mark in a hidden part of the body, for example, mine is on my hip". Gerard set the sword down and pulled down the left side of his trousers and showed a small "brand?" of the olive branches on his hips. It seemed to be burned into his skin but the scar was so perfectly shaped it was questionable. "My father had it, my mother had it, Fergus had it, and my little sister had it. Oh excuse my manners, Aria was her name. It's been so long I have nearly forgotten". Gerard turned his gaze down dejectedly. "She was kidnapped 10 days after her 12th birthday. We never found her" Gerard sighed, and looked at Leliana across the camp, "Everytime I look at Leliana, her hair reminds me of her. She used to laugh so much and poke fun at me as I trained. I remember one time she actually picked up a sword and attempted to duel me. You should've seen the look on my mothers face" Gerard laughed, remembering the thought too well. "Ladies, I repeat, LADIES do not train with the men in the courtyard" My mother was so outraged, she lectured Aria for an hour. Whenever my sister escaped, my sister came back down to the courtyard to tell me that she wanted to practice with me before mother woke up in the mornings. I was astounded that she was actually interested in training. For almost a year, she rose before dawn and practiced an hour with me. She was starting to get pretty decent and then, well, as I said she was taken from the castle." Gerard rose from beside the fire, "I hope sometimes, just as I do for Fergus, that she is somewhere out there. And is looking for me too. Denerim just seemed like the most likely place for something like that to happen you know? Yesterday would have been her 20th birthday." Gerard sighed, " I'm going to bed Alistair, mind catching first watch tonight?". Alistair just stared at him and replied, "Not at all". Alistair watched as the man walked to his tent, opened the flap, and collapsed on his bedroll as the flap floated shut. "What a strange story. I hope maybe someday, he finds his sister. By the Maker, the poor man deserves it." Alistair walked over to where Gerard was polishing his sword and picked up the stone. He drew his own weapon and started to drag the stone along it's edge. "Then again, in these times, who knows who one might find?" Alistair set it to the back of his mind and thought of their next destination, The Brecilian Forest.