CHAPTER 1

She was wakened from the comfort of oblivion by voices. Soft, sweet voices calling to her. Selene....Selene... they conjoled.

Leave me she thought. Leave me I am tired....so very tired but the voices did not head her words. You must wake up Selene.

No...let me sleep. Please just let me sleep. She pleaded. The voices began to fade and she let the darkness surround her like a cocoon once more.

You must go to him. You must go to Alistair. She knew that name. She felt warm when she heard it. Then she saw a face. He was young with pale skin, kind hazel eyes and tawny hair and she felt her heart skip. What is happening? She asked the darkness but was only answered by cold silence.

Remember. The voices, no longer gentle, hissed the word. Images of death and blood assaulted her minds eye. The dark spawn, the blight came to Ferelden. So many sacrificed their lives. You sacrificed your life and your love for the people. The man was there again, Alistair they had called him. His voice was like liquid velvet flowing through her body. "I love you." He touched her skin, kissed her lips, neck, everywhere. She felt the heat of his body entwined with hers. Promises of love whispered in the night.

"I love you. More than I ever thought possible, but...I have to face what this means..."

No. Her chest tightened.

"If this is what must be...then I have to do it now."

Stop please. She cried, pain spreading through her, sending her heart into uncontrollable convulsions.

"I'm sorry."

"STOP!" Her scream shattered the darkness and she was attacked by blinding light and loud terrible sounds. Fragments of memories crashed out of control in her head and she pulled herself into a tighter ball. Every muscle spasmed when she moved but it was a welcome pain compared to the pain he had caused her. It was his words that made her wish for sweet oblivion.

Then something moved inside her. A writhing dark creature wrapped around her heart and all she felt was rage. It fueled her, forced her to her knees then to her feet. She had no idea why she was back or who brought her here, but it didn't matter. Everything that held her to her old life was left behind in the darkness.

Eveleen D'Annon jolted from her restless sleep. She was new to the Grey Wardens and therefore new to the nightmares that went with it. But this one was different from the others. She dreamed of a woman with dark red hair, gray eyes and a tattoo on the left side of her face. She was beautiful, but what terrified Eveleen was the creature inside her. It fed off the woman's rage and pain and as its power grew, so would the womans. An apostate maybe. Eveleen thought as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. It was a cold evening and the party she had come with were huddled in their own tents. The charred remains of the fire from the night before still had a few glowing embers. A mist had formed chilling her under her leather armor.

"I see you couldn't sleep either." She turned and faced Cynan Laider an young elf from Antiva. He joined the wardens shortly before she had arrived but no one seemed to know much about his life before the wardens. .

"Nope. Did they ever say they would get better or go away?" Eveleen asked referring to the nightmares.

"Cohen told me that they actually get worse the longer your a warden." Cynan answered. He watched her lips purse and her nose wrinkle at the thought. In his head he pulled her close, letting his lips caress hers. Dark spawn were not the only reason he had trouble sleeping. On cold nights he would lay awake and think about how she would feel wrapped in his arms and sometimes more. Tonight was no exception.

She smiled at him and cocked her head to one side."What?"

"Huh?"

"You had a strange look on your face. What were you thinking about?"

"Uh... nothing." He said quickly. "Maybe we should pack up the horses. Dawn will be here soon and Dasen wants to get to Denerim before tomorrow night."

"Alright." She she said letting the matter drop. Cynan watched as she walked away, shaking his head in an attempt to ignore the rhythmic sway of her hips. By the time the horizon was blushed with dawns light the five Grey Wardens were on their way to Denerim. They were lead by Dasen, followed by Cohen a templar, and Lothair, a dwarf noble who joined their group in Orzammar followed by Cynan and Eveleen.

The image of the red headed woman from her dreams dominated her thoughts many times during the journey. The woman had the taint but not like the dark spawn but like the taint taken in by a warden during the joining. She was unsure of how she knew this, only that it was true. Once they reached the palace, she would ask Dasen about it.

The city was bustling with life. Much of the destruction caused during the battle against the Archdeamon had been repaired. Markets were open, people were laughing. Many of the people they passed stopped to stare at the five Grey wardens, some even cheered. The blight was still fresh in their minds but there would be a day that the people would forget what had happened here several months ago. Life would go on as it always had, it was the way of things.

"Dasen!" The king called to their leader as the party entered the gates to the Palace. The wardens dismounted and bowed to the king who eagerly strode to Dasen, taking his hand. "It is good to see you."

"You as well your Majesty."

"Dasen." said a cool voice from behind the King.

"Your Majesty." Dasen said as he bowed to the young Queen.

"I trust your trip was pleasant." The ice in the Queens Anora's voice made Cynan shiver.

"Yes your Majesty." Dasen said.

"Well come in and we can discuss business." The King said quickly.

The palace was decorated as one would expect with beautiful tapestries and rugs. Crafts from all over Thedas were scattered throughout each lavish room. Stern looking furniture was strategically placed in throughout. The wardens followed the King to a large room with a large rectangle table surrounded by chairs. A detailed map of Ferelden was laid open. They each took a seat and they discussed the strange actions of the dark spawn since the blight.

"They still seem... united. "Dasen said. He pointed to the deep roads. "I have men stationed in Orzammar to help with the fighting but something isn't right. Something is organizing them."

"Another Archdeamon?" Alistair asked.

"I don't think so." Dasen said.

"We cannot allow another blight to happen again so soon. The people are just getting back to their lives. They need time to heal." Alistair said, his eyes hardening.

"I understand that your Majesty but until we know who is in control... there is little we can do accept keep them at bay."

"I...I think I had a vision last night." Eveleen said suddenly.

"What?" Dasen asked and she realized that everyone was looking at her.

"Ummm..." She cleared her throat. "There was a woman, a warden I think, but there was something wrong with her. There was a … a creature inside of her, like a daemon. I felt her rage and pain and it was directed at you." She looked at the king "Your Majesty."

"At me." The king shook his head, astonished by what he was hearing. "Why me?"

"How do you know?" Cynan asked his eyes never leaving her face.

"I'm not sure how but I do."

Alistair focused his gaze on her. "What did she look like?"

"Long dark red hair, gray eyes a tattoo on the left side her face like this." She drew what she saw on a piece of parchment.

"Maker's breath." The king's voice came out hollow. He was no longer with them but somewhere deep in his own mind. "It can't be."

"Your Majesty?"

"The Grey Warden who killed the Archdeamon. She had the same hair color, eyes, tattoo." The king said.

"Maker protect us." Cohen murmured.

"Could she be the reason the dark spawn are organizing?" Lothair asked.

"No. There must be another reason..." Alistair said quickly.

"We don't know anything." Dasen said diplomatically "Until we do we should keep investicating and rely on facts."

"Your Majesty." A servant interrupted and bowed low. "Queen Anora wishes to announce that dinner will be served shortly."

"Yes thank you." The king said absently. "It may be good for us to get something in our bellies before we discuss the matter further." They all agreed and went to their respective quarters to prepare for the feast.

Alistair somehow made it to his room before sinking into a chair, his legs no longer able to hold him up. It couldn't be possible. Not Selene. Not his Selene. His throat tightened when he thought of how he ended it with her. She was the love of his life and instead of holding onto her, he broke it off, breaking both their hearts and then allowed her to sacrifice herself while he was stationed safely away from certain death in killing the Archdeamon. Part of him was elated at the idea she was alive, and maybe they could be together again. But the same part of him that ended the affair after he was named king, trumpeted what he knew in his mind to be true. Whatever brought her back could only be evil. Death meant going into the fade and there, daemons could take over a persons body even after death. Even thought her body was burned, as was the custom, there was powerful magic that could provide a body. If it was true, she wasn't his anymore, she was an abomination and needed to be destroyed. Even if she has nothing to do with why the Dark Spawn were organizing.

Eveleen stared out at the city and beyond, transfixed by the beauty the view from her room provided. The King insisted they be housed in the best rooms in the palace while she was sure the Queen objected to such extravagance, here they were none the less. It was obvious was no love lost between her and the Wardens, which was strange since she married one. Eveleen had a feeling the marriage was more of a political arrangement than a matter of love.

"Eveleen." Cynan called from the door interrupting her thoughts. "Ready to go?" She smiled to herself before turning to follow him to the dining room.

The meal went by quickly, filled with good food, wine and laughter. It was a welcome feast after days of eating stale bread and dried meat. Each of them ate with feverish gusto, not wasting a single bite. Even Queen Anora let her guard down and seemed to enjoy herself. Only the King seemed a shell of the man he was when they first arrived. By the time it ended, it was late into the night and their heads were too filled with wine to think about dark spawn or mysterious women who haunt dreams. Eveleen concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other as she followed her comrades to their rooms. Cohen and Lothair sang in loud drunken voices as they staggered down the hall. "Your both drunk." Cynan chided. Eveleen nodded in agreement still focused on keeping her legs moving. It seemed like an eternity before she reached her own room. She leaned on the door casing wondering if she could just lay down here, in the hall.

"Need some help?" She turned her head and saw Cynan's smiling face.

"Maybe." She groaned. He moved in front of her and opened the large wooden door. He took her arm and led her to the bed where she flopped down and, no longer able to hold herself up, toppled to the side. Cynan removed her boots and swung her legs up on the bed. As he covered her with a blanket, he watched her eyes slowly close and within a few minutes her breathing slowed into sleep.

"Goodnight." he whispered, lightly kissing her forehead before he left the room.