This is the beginning of the story wherein Duncan and Adaia meet and have their first adventure together. I am hoping I have the timeline set correctly: This is barely a year from when the Stolen Throne concluded (after Alistair's birth). If you have not already read the other Halla universe shorts, you may want to. They give some background, but are not necessary to follow this story (shameless plug, that is all).

In addition, I am taking several liberties here: I have no idea who Duncan's commander was after Genevieve. I just made this guy up.

Please let me know if you wish this to continue. It's very short just to test the waters. And, if there is a good response, updates will be slow. The story is forming, but my other two - Halla Reborn and Beyond the Sylvan Paths - are taking up much of my creative brainpower. This one, however, just was screaming to be tested.

In addition, as always, I own nothing (much to my own chagrin). This is all BioWare's universe; I am merely playing in it, shaping it according to my own imagination.

The Halla Tainted

Chapter One

Bright sunshine streamed in through the large windows of the tidy office of the Commander of the Grey in Fereldan. Central to the room's scope was a massive desk of old oak, upon which were three neat piles of correspondence. A large, stone fireplace dominated the far wall. Pictures of landscapes adorned the inner most wall. A soft carpet of grey covered the floor. Cozy, neat, tidy.

"She can be difficult," the man of mid-years stated, his hands clasped behind his back as he paced the floor. Turning, his blue eyes met the dark orbs of the younger warden standing before him.

The dark young man raised his head, meeting the stern gaze of the Commander of the Grey in Fereldan. "Then why are we seeking her help?" he asked, his voice smooth, his eyes gleaming with barely contained humor.

Frowning, the senior warden ran a hand through his blond hair. When he was perturbed, his heavy Orlesian accent became thicker. And, he was perturbed. "Because she knows her way through the Brecilian Forest and has an uncanny knack for getting out of whatever trouble she finds herself in," he replied, feeling as though he had made this same argument already. Wait, he had. Twice actually. First to the King, and then again to that stubborn bastard of a Teyrn. Both men had explained that the woman would be less than accommodating, especially with Orlesians, but Aldrich had to try. She was the only Dalish even remotely cooperating with any not of Dalish blood.

He felt that this would be an excellent assignment for his second as well. Brash, overly confident (or rather, over confident), Duncan seemed the perfect warden to pair up with the Dalish hero. If they could get her to cooperate.

From all he had heard of her, that was a terribly big 'if'.

His gaze swept over the younger warden. He was a rogue, not just in attitude and countenance, but profession and skills as well. He recalled Genevieve telling him once that the young man before him could be obstinate, difficult to follow orders, a troublemaker at the best of times, but overall a good man. Stubborn, that was how Aldrich described his second. Well, that would work well with the elf we're trying to garner to our side.

With a heavy sigh, the senior warden turned back to the younger man. "You most likely will find her in the Alienage. I understand her husband is an artisan therein." He watched the other man frown. Oh, he's disappointed to learn she's married! "They recently had a child, so that should really make it easy to convince her to assist you." Another nail. There was no way she would help them, but they had to try.

The Commander's second groaned. "Okay, so you are ordering me to try and convince a Dalish hunter who hates humans to leave her new family, come along with an unknown Grey Warden and travel with him to the Brecilian Forest?" A dark brow quirked upwards, "Just how crazy are you?"

Aldrich chuckled. Normally he would not have appreciated insubordination; however, he had to agree. Just how crazy was he?

"She can be taciturn," he advised the young man, "but she has a strong sense of honor. And she fought hard to help free Fereldan." he gave a slight shrug. "Perhaps mention Teyrn Loghain. That may help."

"Not the king?"

Aldrich chortled at that. "No, for Maker's Sake do not mention the King to this woman! I understand she does not care much for him. She even has a special nickname she uses for him."

That brow quirked up higher. "Care to let me know what it is?"

"Whimpering Idiot."

Dark eyes widened, both brows now nearly into his dark hairline. "Whimpering Idiot?"

The blond warden nodded sagely, grinning broadly. "I understand that the King never knows when she's speaking to him unless she first calls him out by that particular name."

"To his face?"

"Absolutely." His face tightened. "This woman does not know the meaning of fear. Nor of proper protocol, etiquette, or tact."

The young warden grinned broadly. "Great! We'll get along just swimmingly!"

Chuckling in reply, Aldrich pulled out a packet of papers and handed them to the younger Warden. "These are your orders. There is also a request herein signed by the Teyrn, in case you need it to convince the Dalish huntress."

The dark warden took the papers and then tucked them into a hip pouch. Straightening, he crossed his arms to his chest, bowing slightly. As he turned, Aldrich called out to him.

"Oh, and Duncan," the young man turned back. "Good luck."

Feeling as though he would need it, just in trying to get the assistance Aldrich felt he needed, the young man nodded once, and then turned away, leaving the warden's office, and headed toward the Alienage of Denerim.

oOo