CHAPTER 1

"Ah, Commander! Good thing you're here."

The sound of the guard's voice finally broke the monotony of three days of silence, soon to be four. Nathaniel didn't pay much attention to what was said after that, instead choosing to study the famed Commander of the Grey, who must have just arrived earlier in the evening. It was nothing like he was expecting.

For someone who was painted as a larger-than-life woman who supposedly single-handedly ended a civil war, put the remaining member of the Theirin family on the throne, brought two supposed high-level traitors to justice, and then gathered and led all of Ferelden's able-bodied men and women to support her while she slew an Archdemon with her own hands, she was remarkably quiet in nature. He would have thought she would be loud and obviously charismatic at the very least, not soft-spoken and nearly withdrawn.

Oh, she stood out from a crowd easily. She moved with the grace of someone skilled as a master thief and had symmetrical purple tattoos on both cheeks. Coupling those with huge green eyes full of intelligence and a lovely face, it was no wonder that she had managed to make so many men speak of her as if she was a goddess and not a mere human. She did look tired, but Nathaniel assumed that was because of the comments the guards made when they changed shifts about the keep being attacked by darkspawn and the Hero of Ferelden coming to drive them off when a dozen or more other Grey Wardens could not. It was her eyes... while quick and observant, (she was studying him as she spoke with the cell guard, much like Nathaniel was studying her) were closed off, even sad.

What is she grieving for? She should be thrilled – after all, everything has gone her way, right? Not like some of us...

Nathaniel didn't trust her. Either she was a consummate actress, or his judgment of others had weakened over the years. He seriously doubted the latter.

The cell guard handed her the keys to the cell and walked off. She poked around the chest with Nathaniel's things briefly, and then approached the cell. Nathaniel stood and approached her as she unlocked the cell and entered. He made a snide comment about her status, and how she should be monstrous in size and appearance. She studied his face again, and answered simply, "I see my reputation precedes me." No bragging, no confidence. She just looked … tired.

So the game is on, is it? The one where you try to gain my trust, get me to tell you anything you want to know about my family, and then hang me afterward so you can claim me a traitor like you did my father before you murdered HIM. Let's begin so we can end it. I do not fear death.

Nathaniel did everything he could to antagonize this woman, this … Cousland. She hadn't remembered him personally, of course. Nathaniel was sure he wasn't important enough to her to actually remember. She did have some interesting things to say about his father, though:

"Your father brought his end on himself."

"How much do you know about your father?" As if Nathaniel wouldn't know his own father. Granted, Nathaniel had spent the last several years squiring away from home, and he said as much, but still. Shouldn't a man know his own father?

More cat-and-mouse, more of each party figuratively circling the other while trying to poke around for hidden clues as to the other's intentions. Nathaniel only was able to get a reaction twice from Elissa Cousland, first when he mentioned that what happened to her family was horrible. For that, she closed her eyes and struggled to maintain her composure. He caught a flicker of horror there. Understandable, he thought. Still, good to know she's not made completely of stone and has feelings for something. Strong reaction though, there's more to that story than has been told. The other was more surprising. She had mentioned that he should work to redeem his family's name, and he sarcastically mentioned joining King Alistair's service because "he'd be certain to give a Howe another chance!" At the mention of King Alistair, the Commander shut her eyes again and the look of grief that she had been mostly hiding came to the surface – but only just for a moment. If Nathaniel hadn't been searching for a reaction, he would likely have missed it.

Interesting.

Finally, Nathaniel had had enough of the questioning. "Go ahead and do what you're going to do!" he nearly shouted at her. He figured he would be hanged for sure. After all, he was a Howe, wasn't he? And knowing what she did about him and about how dangerous he was, (did everyone think that him getting past four Grey Wardens was such a big deal? They weren't exactly quick on their feet, or even prepared, after all!) he figured the logical solution was that she would rid herself of his threat once and for all. He admitted he had been planning to kill her, hadn't he? At least this farce of a trial would be over so she could claim the right of high justice and Nathaniel would no longer have to listen to his family's good name smeared across the country.

He was wrong.

The seneschal came to the dungeon and spoke with Cousland. She..invoked the Right of Conscription?

"You WHAT?"

You can't be serious. You want me to work under your COMMAND?

After both the seneschal and Nathaniel argued with Elissa, to no avail, he followed her to the throne room in a daze to attempt to join the Wardens.