This is a sequel to my story Aftermath. If you haven't read that yet, you probably should before reading Absence, as I do refer back to things that happened in Aftermath. This was written as a natural continuation, so it will make more sense if you've read Aftermath first. =)

1. On Our Way

"You do it."

"No, no, no, Rahna, you're the Commander. You should do it." Gabriel grins at me, as water drips from his hair onto the map he's holding.

I scowl at the sky as the rain increases from heavy to torrential. "Rather than standing here arguing, let's find somewhere to get out of the bloody rain," I suggest. Maker, I hate traveling in the rain. Everything gets impossibly muddy, and leather armor is not fun when wet. "We can argue the matter further once the sky's not attempting to drown us."

He chuckles, shaking his head to get his hair out of his eyes. "Whatever you say, Commander."

"Are you teasing me about that so much because Jowan's not here to do it too?" I demand as we make for a rocky overhang a short distance off. "Also, how in Andraste's name do you stand rain like this?" I'm burrowed as far inside my cloak as I can get, not that it's helping much, but Gabriel doesn't even have his hood up.

"Try working outside in this kind of weather. I guarantee you just walking in it won't seem so bad," he replies, raking back the soaked red strands clinging to his forehead as he ducks under the rock. "And no, I'd tease you this much, Commander, even if Jowan and Miri were both here." He grins.

"I see. Thanks for clearing that up," I mutter, settling under the rock. It's not much, and if a wind kicks up we'll still get soaked-not that we'd even notice-but it's better than nothing. "Now, back to the matter at hand. You really don't know me if you're even considering the notion of trusting me with directions. Besides, you're from Jader. I'd think if you can't figure out the best possible route, we're in trouble." I tap one finger against the slightly soggy map. "Come on, Ser Andras. Best way to get from Ha...Halam...shiral to Jader?"

He smirks at me. "Aside from the fact you absolutely murdered the pronunciation, you'd mainly follow the road, silly goose."

"It curves a day or so shy of Jader, though. Look." I shift position to lean over and show him. "And it's not my fault you Orlesians give things impossible to pronounce names."

He makes a face at me for that but deliberately doesn't comment on it, focusing instead on the directions. "I said mainly, Rahna. But even when the road curves away, it's not that hard. Just a straight shot across some rarely traveled ground," he assures me.

"You're still leading for that part. If I can get lost following a sodding road, I don't want to think about where we'll end up if there isn't a clearly marked path to follow."

"Fine, you win." Gabriel leans back against the rock behind him. "How're you going to manage to get to Amaranthine on your own if you're so horrible with directions?"

I shrug, pulling my knees into my chest for warmth and staring at the rain. "Not sure. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."

"Should I start figuring out what to put on the 'Missing' posters?" he teases.

I sock him in the arm and immediately regret it. He's still wearing his armor. "Ow!"

"Nice." Gabriel laughs. "Might want to think out your reaction a little better next time."

I huff in exasperation but can't help the smile that curves my lips as I turn my back and pointedly ignore him, surreptitiously flexing my hand to make sure I didn't break anything.

oOo

Since Gabriel's already tired, I offer to take the first watch as dusk begins to darken the now-cloudless sky.

"I think I'll take you up on that," he mutters around a yawn, rubbing his eyes.

"Then go to sleep. How long d'you want before I wake you?" I ask, settling on a small boulder that makes a perfect seat.

"Two or three hours. Up to you which one," he replies, before leaning his head back against the rock and almost instantly falling asleep.

Sod, how does he do that? I wonder as I turn to watch the darkness. The likelihood of something attacking us is incredibly low, but I'd rather play it safe. As I stare out, trying to memorize which looming shadows belong to rocks and trees, I can't help but wonder what exactly Gabriel did before he joined the Wardens. I know a little, like it didn't lend itself to traditional methods of learning how to fight. Hence the fighting style that borders on being a hybrid of warrior and rogue mashed together. And the berserker combat. He doesn't worry about finesse, or making it look pretty, he just wades in intent on winning.

And he loves to read. That's the piece that puzzles me the most. I can count on one hand-with fingers left over-the number of warriors I've met who also loved to read. A real enigma, this elf. I shake my head and drag my concentration back to my surroundings. I can wonder about Gabriel's past, or better yet, just ask him, later. For now, I need to pay attention.

oOo

The night passes without so much as a suspicious rustle. The darkspawn dreams, which I thought I'd gotten better at blocking out, toyed with the edges of my mind all night, but other than that, nothing interesting happened.

Unfortunately-or fortunately, depending on who you ask-the rain yesterday ensures there is no dry wood to be found. This means no campfire, which means no cooking. Anyone who knows me would breathe a prayer of thanks for that. Thanks to Leliana, it's at least edible, but I remain just about the last person you want cooking. Still, hot food would have been nice after such a rainy, cold, miserable night, and I sigh as I dig out the dried meat buried on the bottom of my pack.

"Here." I toss some to Gabriel. "How close you think we are?"

He shrugs as he bites off some of the meat, mentally calculating distance as he chews. "Mmmm...we passed Lydes a day back, yes?"

I nod. "Mm-hm." I can't help the nostalgic smile that curves my lips as I remember the last time I passed Lydes.

oOo

"Rahna?" Jowan sits near the fire. "I've made up my mind. About joining the Wardens."

"And?" I demand, dropping to my knees so we're at eye level.

He drags one hand through his hair, takes a deep breath and meets my eyes. "I'll do it."

oOo

"What?" Gabriel's looking at me funny.

I shake my head and sigh. "Nothing. So if we're a day past Lydes, how long d'you think?"

He looks like he's still curious, but lets it go. "Well, if we can keep going at the same pace, four more days, I think."

"Sounds good to me." I smirk. "Maybe you can introduce me to some of these people you and Miri were always talking about. Like Keenan, or Clera."

"Oh, you'd have fun with Clera," he laughs. "Maker, I'd pay good money to see you two go head to head over something."

"Why?" I slide the straps of my pack up my arms, rolling my shoulders so it sits right.

"Because she's as stubborn and hard-headed as you seem to be," he replies through a grin. "I just think it would be fun to see who would win."

"If she's a stubborn, forceful old woman, I surrender right now. They always manage to win somehow."

"Coward."

"No, smart enough to know when I'd be beat before I even start," I shoot back. "Come on. Let's get moving."

He grabs up his pack and nods. "Right behind you, Rahna." We head down the road toward Halamshiral, walking in companionable silence as we eat while we walk.

I finish first. I've always been a fast eater, and knowing Dog would steal anything I didn't eat fast enough only made matters worse. As I swallow the last bite, I decide there's no harm in asking the question that's been bothering me for a while now. "Um, Gabriel?"

"Mm?"

"What did you do before you were a Grey Warden?" I brush back loose tendrils of hair falling in my eyes as I look over at him.

"I was a servant of a chevalier. My father had worked his way up to weapons master, and I helped him in the armory."

"So how did you learn how to fight?" A frown of confusion wrinkles my forehead. I can't see a chevalier wanting his servants to know how to fight. That seems kind of counter-productive to keeping them as servants.

"I watched the knights and squires, and my master, occasionally, as they practiced. Picked up techniques from that and practiced with a castaway practice sword and shield." He runs his hand through his hair. "One night my master caught me. Instead of punishing me, or even just yelling at me, he told me I could practice at night, as long as I'd finished everything I supposed to first. A year after that, when I was thirteen, he let me start practicing with the squires."

"And they were okay with practicing with an elf?" From what I know of Orlesian humans, they view elves as coveted servants, but never, ever equals.

Gabriel shrugs. "After I landed most of them flat on their backs in sparring matches they were."

"Is that why you don't fight like a normal warrior?"

"What do you mean?" It's his turn to look confused.

"I've fought side by side with a warrior who used a sword and shield before. You're quicker than he was, slightly...sneakier, for lack a better word. Almost like you took bits and pieces from a rogue's fighting style as well as a warrior's. It makes you really hard to predict."

"Good," he chuckles, "predictable is the last thing I want to be in a fight."

"So is that because of watching everybody practice and teaching yourself? I figure some rogue elements would find their way in rather easily."

He shrugs again. "It's possible. I wasn't aiming for any particular style; I just wanted to know how to fight. And I got really good at it."

"How good? And how'd you end up in the Wardens?"

"Good enough that by the time I was sixteen my master would set up matches between me and and other chevaliers' knights and take wagers who would win." He smirks. "He made a lot of money before they caught on."

"I take it you usually won?" I chuckle.

"I did indeed. I guess a scrawny, teenaged elf doesn't look that intimidating. Until they discovered I don't really have an identifiable fighting style." His smirk widens. "That's the great thing about being a berserker. No one knows what to expect from you."

"So what happened after they caught on to the fact you were actually really good?" This is just about the best story I've heard in ages. Mine suddenly doesn't sound so interesting.

"I got called a knife-eared bastard-which isn't true; my parents are, in fact, married-" he grins, "-and then they still kept coming because they couldn't look like they were afraid or or could be beaten by an elf. And they kept losing. I did that for five years. That's where I got this." He runs his thumb almost fondly down the scar that creases his right cheek. "When I was twenty one, a Grey Warden happened to be visiting the chevalier whose knight I was fighting. He was impressed enough he conscripted me. My master was rather mad about that. I was making him a lot of money." He looks over at me. "What about you? How'd you join the Wardens?"

"Oh, it's downright boring compared to that," I mutter. "You don't really want to hear about it..."

"Yes, Rahna, I do, actually."

"Well, alright, then..."

A/N: Now I'm really bummed Gabriel's not going all the way to Amaranthine with Rahna. *pout* The two of them are so fun to write together. Oh, well, at least he'll be around for another chapter or two before they get to Jader... Anyway, yay for chapter one!