The story bridges the gap between Awakening and Dragon age II with the flight of Anders to Kirkwall. I rewrote it to fix the more obvious errors. Please review.

It's was a day to remember when Katelyn Amell arrived at Vigils Keep in the late spring nearly three years after the defeat of the blight. She had just spent the better part of a month overseeing the repair effort of Soldiers Peak with Voldrik, Mistress Woolsey and Velanna. While the work was progressing at a steady pace, she still felt like it had taken years between Woolsey and Voldriks discussions about the costs and Voldriks insistence that they should just build a completely new base instead of repairing 'ruins of questionable structural integrity'.

In the end she was glad that Velanna had come with her to meet Avernus. Velanna hadn't seemed to mind the bickering or the slow proceedings. She had changed considerably of the confrontation with the Architect and the Mother. They had looked for any trace of Sianni but to no avail. While she would never admit it Kate suspected that she had quietly given up hope for her sister. It had taken her some time to recover from it but eventually she had settled in her new role as grey warden. She hadn't however given up on the Dalish and still collected every piece of knowledge and lore in her diary as well as some new stories for the Dalish. These two purposes were what drove her now and for the latter she had come to see Avernus. They had talked in length about magic, demons, the fade and the nature of the taint. Kate knew that Avernus had done some very questionable research and she hoped that Velanna was wise enough to leave most of it alone but she hadn't pushed for the details of their conversations. She was going to trust Velanna to make the right choices.

'Kate, trouble' Velanna said softly snapping Kate out of her musings about what she would do with the first darkspawn she met after this nonsense with stones and money.

'I'm not sensing any darkspawn so …' she stopped as she saw what Velanna referred to, their path was blocked by a group of Templars that had come out of a roadside building. They formed up over the entire road and stared them down menacingly.

'The keep is under investigation.' One called 'Turn around and be on your way, this is Templar business.'

Kate was astonished but only for a moment before she gathered herself and answered: 'I'm Katelyn Amell, Commander of the grey and Arlessa of Amaranthine. Let me pass, you have no right to stop me.' While she normally didn't talk like that she felt it was a good moment to practice exercising authority. In her head it was a kind of switch to what she called 'Command Voice'. She couldn't quiet grasp why people found it impressive or listen to it and those who knew her well said she sounded rather silly when she spoke like that but it worked. While the Templars didn't move, but one of them ran back in the direction of the keep while the others kept their eyes on them, ready for anything. It was impossible see their faces because of their helmets but Kate thought they looked rather tense.

'We could just set them on fire.' Velanna suggested after they had been waiting for about ten minutes.

Kate smiled at the suggestion. 'I don't think that would be very polite, Velanna, let's wait for now they haven't attacked us yet.' Unconsciously however her hand went to her back were her trusted sword 'Spellweaver' hung sharp and vibrating with mystical power. The Templars noticed her movement and tensed even more.

'They are nervous.' She thought and relaxed after all those years in the circle tower it was a refreshing sight to see the implacable Templars could be nervous.

Before she could do anything else however another group of Templars came marching in her direction and she saw the odds turning against her. After all this wasn't a horde of darkspawn but warriors with the finest training the chantry could give them.

'No fighting or setting them on fire unless there isn't any other choice' she murmured to Velanna who gave a slight nod.

This time one of the Templar stepped forward and introduced himself as Knight-Captain Walter, leader of the Amaranthine Chapter and deputy commander of the Templar order in Ferelden. He and Knight-Commander Richard had been send by the chantry when Greagoir retired and Cullen had been send to the Free Marches. She didn't know much about them but knew that they were fiercely opposed to Alistair's plans for a new free circle. They also weren't as lenient apostates as Greagoir had been. Anyone who escaped more than once was made tranquil. The mages in Ferelden were however better off the most mostly through the pressure from the crown and the feeling of the people that if mages could end the blight they might not all be raving monsters out for the blood of children.

'It's most unfortunate that we must meet under such circumstances but I'm afraid that we have a problem, Commander Amell.' He said gravely.

'A problem, that's quite the understatement from someone who is apparently laying siege to my keep. This can be considered on act of war against Ferelden and the Grey Wardens' Kate replied still speaking in her command voice.

'You must understand that the other wardens haven't been very compliant and I hope …' but before he could finish Kate broke him off.

'Enough of this I will not be denied access to my keep by anyone. I advise you to let me pass and once I have been informed of the situation by my subordinates we shall discuss your 'problem'.' While she was speaking she resumed walking with Velanna at her side. The Templars didn't stop her.

However while she passed them Walter said in a low and menacing tone 'I advise you to remember you place, mage. You can't stop us from doing our divine duty. Nor the maker nor his chantry will be denied their justice.'

When Kate neared the keep, she saw dozens of large tents and a large number of Templars. They had stationed sentries so they could observe the entire outer wall. 'It seems we simply can't leave the boys in charge for more than a day.' Velanna joked.

When they arrived at the gate they were already open. The guard had probably seen her approach. Nathaniel and Sigrun stood waiting with a group of soldiers from the silver order as people called her soldiers now.

'Kate' he called 'It's good that your back we must talk, come quickly.' When she entered she noticed that even Sigrun looked more serious than usual and had a large bruise on the left side of her head. Kate held her hand over it and a soft glow spread from her palm while she healed the wound.

'Indeed Nathaniel, just how were you able to declare war on the Chantry?' Kate joked.

'It's Anders.' He replied without a smile 'He did something that caused him to go berserk.'

While they walked into the throne room she noticed that it was completely wrecked. The dragon egg was shattered, the golem shell had somehow been lodged in the celling, books and pages of books were littered all over the floor. Oghren stood there looking a little lost in front of his broken cask. From his swaying manner Kate deduced that he had probably mourned its loss by raiding the wine cellar.

She looked around 'Where is Justice?'

Sigrun sighted 'We think he was probably involved somehow. We can't be sure we haven't seen him since Anders went crazy.'

'Anyway suddenly he bursts into the room screaming about vengeance with light shining out of his eyes. When we tried to calm him down he kept raging and screaming.' Nathaniel sighed

'When he didn't calm down, Rolan tried to knock him out from behind but Anders saw him and blasted him across the room. After that everything went to the void, he combined Blizzard and Tempest to make some kind of super storm, while shooting arcane bolts at anything that moved.'

Kate sighed and looked at Nathaniel and asked if anyone had been hurt in the fight, but Sigrun replied a little sour 'One of the books hit my head and knocked me out and 4 others had burns and broken bones, but not fatalities.'

'What happened next, it doesn't seem that this is enough reason to bring an army to our front gates? Why is the chantry involved?' Velanna asked.

Nathaniel looked up from the rubble. 'We put him in one of the cells and hoped that he would have calmed down when he woke up.'

'Nathaniel and I decided to wait for your return before proceeding.' Sigrun interjected. 'However Rolan had already called the Templars. It seems as if he really was a spy for the order.' Sigrun added.

Kate let her gaze sweep over the ruins of the throne room. Of course he had been a spy, she had never believed his story about joining the grey wardens because his chantry had burned down and one letter to Greagoir had told her all she needed to know. But she couldn't refuse, it wasn't as if she had such abundance of candidates to begin with and if he did his duty it wasn't really a problem. She had even coupled him with Anders so he could see that Anders was no blood mage or whatever their paranoia had come up with.

'But that still doesn't account for the siege, what happened next?' Velanna pressed. 'We don't how he contacted them but a day later 6 Templars from Amaranthine arrived here and demanded that we released him to their custody. We weren't going to let them take him, but to compromise we allowed them to make sure that he was secure and locked up. He was still out cold so we didn't see the harm in letting them see him. Rolan took them to the dungeons.'

'Did they do something to him, were any of you with him?' Kate asked nervous. 'I was still in the infirmary and Nathaniel was busy with finding the fastest way to get a message to you. The guards had orders to not let him out of his cell unless one of the Senior Wardens commanded it. But it appears that he woke up and snapped again. He used magic fire to melt the cell door and then killed Rolan, the Templars and the two guards posted at his cell.'

Kate looked around when a door opened and saw Varel hobbling towards them one leg completely in bandages but clearly relieved to see her. Sigrun went on 'While he made his escaped he injured another 12 guards and Varel who tried to stop him from reaching the gate.'

'It's good to see that you have returned, commander' Varel said when he reached them.

'What happened to you?' Kate said and she called upon her inner power and a bright blue light surrounded his leg. He groaned but smiled after a moment 'Thank you commander, I met Anders when he came bursting out of the prison. When I tried to stop him he shot a fireball at me. I jumped behind the well but he still got me. What do you want to do about the Templars?'

Kate shook her head. 'Nothing yet, I don't they will attack us unless we provoke them. I also don't get why they are still here shouldn't they be looking for Anders?'

'Oh, some are looking for him but they are but they are at a disadvantage. You see the group that came to the keep brought his phylactery.' Sigrun said with a hint of a smile.

'That's what Ser Walter meant when he said that you hadn't been compliant.' Kate said thoughtfully.

'Once that guy showed up things when downhill fast.' Nathaniel agreed 'He came here 2 days later when the first group didn't return with about 20 Templars. This time we didn't allow them in and we refused to give him the phylactery at least until you had returned'

'When we explained what happened, he declared that we interfered with the work of the Maker so unless we gave up the phylactery and told him everything he wanted to know, we weren't going anywhere.' Sigrun finished 'Then he sends out messengers to other chapters in Ferelden to get reinforcements. That was 3 days ago, nothing much has changed since. They just keep everyone away and refuse to let anyone leave. When the merchants left they detained them. They wouldn't even let our messenger so we could get the news to you.'

'Still if they try to starve us it would take quite a while, because we have supplies for at least 5 months and 8 if we are careful. I just came from the cellars.' Varel reported and Kate smiled at his dedication.

'I see.' Kate said and thought for a moment.

'Alright, first I will take care of the wounded men. Meanwhile Sigrun tell Dworkin to load up the catapults with some of his products that should serve as a warning in case they try anything. Varel tell me the men to stand ready but whatever happens not to attack or provoke the Templars in any way. Keep about a third on watch. Nathaniel, see if Walter would like to parley in about 2 hours. Velanna go to the tower and keep an eye on their movements, take the spyglass. Sigrun can join you when she's finished.' They all nodded and took off.

When she got to the infirmary and saw the men in the beds alongside the walls, she felt quite angry when she saw what Anders had done with her men. Between the darkspawn, bandits and other things that stalked her arling they had enough problems without adding crazy wardens to it. She went to the middle of the room, sat down cross legged like she was going to meditate and became completely relaxed. The room slowly filled with a blue light as she filled the room with her aura. While she was healing her thoughts strayed to what she was going to do to fix this mess.