A/N: It's the first in a possible series? I'm very new to this and would appreciate all feedback :) Slightly AU only to the fact that I will put my own view on things and not necessarily follow the game. Enjoy!
They made their way slowly across the Hinterlands. She never felt the thousands of steps she took, the ache and fatigue in her body, all the physical blows she had sustained in the last 24 hours melted in the churning of her emotions. "I am now parentless, title-less, and at the complete discretion of a man I met less than a day ago. Sounds like a winner of a future to me", she thought to herself. She was already prepared that it was a possibility her father would die in battle and her brother too. She had steeled herself against the reality of that. But her mother? Her nephew? Slaughtered. Ser Gilmore. Mother Mallol. Massacred. Mythria burned with a hatred she couldn't fathom. "He will die. He will taste how bitter a blade can be. Arl Rendon Howe WILL pay". "Mythria? Are you okay?" Duncan asked tentatively. He knew the pain of duty and sacrifice but to lose everything one had ever known was a foreign feeling. "Yes, Duncan." He knew that the short quips of answers she had been giving him were because of the ordeal she had faced. He knew she was obsessing over the deaths. He just shook his head and they pressed on.
Alistair (POV):
"So this is what it feels like to be so anxious for something you can't sleep. Bugger." He yawned and stretched out his limbs. The dusk air tickling his chest as he rose up to take his morning bath. He walked to a nearb y pond in the camp and began his morning ritual of sudsing his hair and cleaning his body meticulously. "I wonder what kind of recruit Duncan is bringing from Highever" he thought to himself. "If he is anything like Daveth and Jory, Maker help us". He thought fondly of the Redcliffe knight but had NO idea what Duncan was thinking when he conscripted the skinny thief. "Yes, The Grey Wardens will certainly have a great reputation with one thieving the commoners pockets" he laughed and finished. He dried himself off and began fastening his underclothes and then his splintmail. Once he was finished dressing, the sun was rising and he took a brisk walk through the camp. "Maker's breath, this place needs a little more liveliness. You'd think everyone died on the battlefield already with everyone hanging their heads" eyeing the Chantry sisters as they prayed over the soldiers. He looked around the camp, noticing a rather furious looking old woman beckoning him. "Oh, Maker, What does the Revered Mother want with me?"
They made it to the camp shortly after daybreak. They did not however expect the royal welcome they received. "Duncan! I was beginning to think you were going to miss all the fun! I will get to ride into battle with the mighty Duncan by my side after all! Glorious!" The handsome young king exclaimed with his guards beside him. He was clad in the finest armor Mythria had ever seen. Her chainmail felt dull and ragtag next to his golden plate. "and this I assume is the new recruit? Allow me to personally welcome you to Ostagar" smiling warmly at her. "Wait, you are Bryce's youngest are you not? Tell me, how is he? He has yet to arrive with the rest of Highever's men". "I mean not to be curt ser, but you will be waiting for sometime yet" she answers slowly, trying to pick her words the best she could without sounding frantic or rude. "Pray tell?" giving her a questioning look. "Arl Rendon Howe has proven a traitor sire. He has massacred the Couslands in their home and taken over Highever Castle" Duncan said flatly. "When this battle is over you have my word I will turn my army north and bring Howe to justice. But I can do nothing any sooner. I am sorry" Cailan said looking pitifully at the girl. She just stared at the ground. "We shall ride to battle in the morning and all shall be well. I do not even see why the commonfolk call it a Blight. There has been no sight of the Archdemon and we have been successful in all the battles so far". " you sound very confident , your Majesty" Mythria replied. "I am especially with the fabled Grey Wardens at my side! But alas, I must take my leave. Loghain wishes to bore me with his strategies and I may have a search party here soon. Farewell!" The king turned in one sharp "clink" and walked away. "I believe he is foolhardy to believe everything is only as he sees" Mythria stated to Duncan "I mean no disrespect but there is something more than the eye perceives". "you are wise to discern that, but you will learn soon enough why I know it is a Blight".
"On with whatever is next then ser".
"You will find the camp an interesting place. To continue on with the ritual, you need to seek out a Junior Grey Warden by the name of Alistair. He will then round up the other recruits and we will meet by the fire. Your dog will stay with me in the meantime"
Maric, her faithful mabari had been ignored through out the entire journey here and was not angry to go with Duncan because of course the large man must mean food.
"I will do as you say ser"
"Please Duncan will do"
"Yes Ser"
"Quite being stubborn"
The old man turned and walked across the stone bridge.
She walked silently a few paces behind him. She wandered around the camp, convincing an elven messenger that she was the recipient of a rather fine sword, buying "illicit" goods from the quartermaster, and just taking in the sights of the army camp. She made her way to where Duncan said Alistair would be waiting and went up the ramp. "Maker's breath…" she thought as she looked at him. "what did I get myself into"
Alistair (POV):
"You want me to take a message to who?" He said angrily. The revered mother looked back at him. " To one of the circle mages, ser, are you deaf?"
"FINE!"
Alistair stalked off to find this mage and deliver the message and get the burden off his back.
He found the mage near an old temple and relayed the message. As he was arguing with the mage, something unusual happened. The most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life walked up the ramp, wearing a set of grey and blue heavy chainmail, a large shield and sword, showing a sign of great emotion and no emotion all at the same time on her face. He finished his argument with the mage and said "One thing about the Blight is how it seems to bring us all together". She looked at him with a sense of bemusement and then said "My name is Mythria. Duncan sent me to find you".
"Maker's breath…this is going to be interesting"...
