Duncan had seen many eyes in his travels. Eyes belonging to people of all shapes and sizes. Some of those eyes looked upon him with curiosity, some with caution, others even with disdain. Some eyes were beautiful, brightly colored windows to the very souls of their owners, others as cold and dark as the sea.

But there was one pair of eyes that truly mystified him. Those eyes belonged to Arinelle Cousland.

He had come to Highever Castle in search of a Grey Warden recruit. He had heard rumors of the warrior prowess of Teryn Bryce Cousland's youngest daughter and hoped to come see her for himself. He tried not to keep his hopes up, most of the time when women took up arms it was usually sensationalized due to the fact that women were not often warriors.

The sun was ablaze in the sky as he approached the main hall of the castle, the heat burning down on the back of his neck. He felt small beads of sweat forming on his forehead as he walked through the large courtyard. He faintly heard the clashing of swords, and, trying to locate the source of the noise, realized there were 2 people sparring at the end of the long, rectangular area.

Duncan stayed close to the wall, trying to remain unseen. He watched the two sparr, a young woman he assumed was the Teryn's daughter, Arinelle Cousland, and a young red headed man whose name Duncan later learned was Ser Gilmore. He stood a ways back under the shade of an awning, his arms folded across his chest, watching the fight. Arinelle was quick on her feet, light and speedy. Almost like a cat, he mused, watching her duck and dodge between the heavy jabs Ser Gilmore threw at her.

He winced as he watched the young red headed man throw his weight into his shield and charge at Arinelle, the sheer force knocking her a few feet backwards, flat onto her back. She laid there for a moment in pain, and Ser Gilmore strode up to her side, chuckling triumphantly, his blade at her neck.

"Ah HA!", he cried. "You concede then, my Lady?"

Duncan heard a low, throaty giggle escape from the girl and then stared almost in disbelief at the next few seconds, as in one swift motion, she rolled onto her side, kicked her legs up and caught Ser Gilmore hard behind the knees. He flew backwards onto his back this time, and she pounced onto his chest, her knees painfully digging into the insides of his elbows which were splayed out at his sides, pinning him. Now her blade was at his neck, and she was grinning.

"So, you concede then, Ser Gilmore?" she said with a soft chuckle.

"Owwwww", was the only word he could offer.

Duncan smiled to himself as he walked away, he was glad the rumors were true. He needed her as a Grey Warden, and he started to think to himself ways to convince her father.

A guard brought Duncan to meet Teryn Bryce Cousland in his study, and they talked of his need for a Grey Warden recruit. Duncan smiled slyly at the Teryn's suggestion that he surely must be interested in Ser Gilmore, thinking to himself This is definitely going to be a challenge..

They walked the halls of the castle, talking of darkspawn, the blight growing in the south, Grey Wardens of old and the role of Highever's men in the upcoming battle. When they stopped outside the main hall, the Teryn asked Duncan to wait outside while he spoke to his daughter and Arl Howe.

He waited patiently for a few moments until a guard guided him into the hall, and was introduced to Arl Rendon Howe and the Teryn's daughter.

"It is an honor to be a guest within your hall, Teryn Cousland", Duncan said politely.

"Your Lordship!", Howe exclaimed. "You didn't mention a Grey Warden would be present."

The Teryn looked at Howe, concerned. "Duncan arrived just recently, unannounced. Is there a problem?"

"Of course not," Howe stammered. "It's just that, a guest of this stature demands certain.. protocol. I am at a disadvantage!"

The look on Bryce's face softened into a smile as he turned to his daughter. "We rarely have the pleasure of meeting one in person, that is true. Nelle, brother Aldous taught you who the Grey Wardens are, I hope?"

Arinelle turned to Duncan and smiled, and for the first time he got a good look at her. She was every bit as lovely as her father suggested, but her eyes.. the light from the fire aside them reflected in her brilliantly green eyes, making them glitter like emeralds laid out in the sun. For a brief moment he felt as though he'd been punched in the chest.

"They are an order of great warriors, father", she replied, not taking her eyes off of Duncan.

"They are the heroes of legend," Teryn Cousland continued, "they battled the blights and saved us all. Duncan is looking for new recruits before heading south, I believe he has his eye on Ser Gilmore," he said as he turned to Duncan with a raised eyebrow.

"If I might be so bold," Duncan started, hoping to watch Arinelle's reaction closely, "but I must suggest that your daughter would also be an excellent candidate."

She didn't move. Not even a blink. He was trying to read the expression on her face when he realized she was trying to read his also, and broke their eye contact. He looked toward the Teryn as he stepped in between them.

"Honor though that might be, this is my daughter we're talking about here", he said coolly.

Arinelle gently placed a hand on her father's upper arm. "I think I might like that, father" she said softly.

Bryce scoffed. "I've not so many children that I'd gladly see them all off to battle. Unless you plan to invoke the Right of Conscription..?" he added, obviously not thrilled with the idea at all.

"Have no fear," Duncan smiled softly. "While we need as many good recruits as we can, I have no intention of forcing the issue."

Although Teryn Cousland did not look entirely convinced of that statement, he stepped aside and turned again to his daughter. "Nelle, can you ensure that Duncan's requests are seen to while I'm gone?"

She turned a warm smile to Duncan. "Of course," she said, the flames in the fireplace reflecting softly on her eyes.. Duncan was finally able to discern the look on her face: curiosity.

Like a cat, he thought to himself as he returned the smile.

Duncan and the Teryn were sitting in the main hall, still discussing who would be recruited into the Grey Wardens and the battle plans for Ostagar when they heard the commotion outside. It was faint at first, the marching of Arl Howe's men finally arriving to prepare for the battle in the south. But it was not simple marching - they began to hear shouts, the clanging of swords.

The doors came crashing open and in poured a dozen of Howe's men. The guards, realizing what was happening after an agonizing second of chaos, flying arrows and battle cries, attacked in an attempt to protect the unarmed Teryn.

Duncan yelled to Bryce to get to safety as he leaped to his feet and joined the battle. Howe's men were no match for him, however he quickly found himself out numbered and tried to escape. As he left the hall, he heard a voice cry out to him.

It was the Teryn, curled up into a ball, a small pool of blood forming underneath him. Duncan sank to his knees and Bryce looked up at him weakly.

"Howe is a traitor! The castle is lost. My son has already left, find my wife and daughter and get them to the servant's passage in the larder. Go! Quickly!" he doubled over and groaned as he clutched the wound in his side.

Duncan put the Teryn's arm around his shoulder and gingerly lifted him to his feet. He then half ran, half dragged Bryce to the larder and laid him down on the floor. Bryce grabbed Duncan's arm and through gritted teeth, pleaded with him to hurry.

The sound of battle was growing, Duncan knew there wasn't much time. He searched as much of the castle as he could, striking down the few of Howe's men he encountered. He found no sign of either the Teryna or Arinelle, and decided to return to the larder to try to help the Teryn escape.

He found the 3 of them huddled together on the floor, arguing over how to get Bryce through the servants' passage. He kneeled down between the Teryna and Arinelle.

Bryce grabbed the front of Duncan's vest. "Please, Duncan," he groaned. "Take my wife and daughter to safety."

Duncan nodded sadly. "I will, your Lordship, but first I must ask something of you."

"What? Anything!" The Teryn cried out, he would not last much longer at this pace, the pool of blood surrounding him was growing by the minute. He could barely move.

"The blight in the south has brought me here to find a Grey Warden recruit. I cannot leave without one," Duncan replied solemnly.

Bryce looked at Arinelle and Duncan heard her choke back a sob. The Teryn then slowly lowered his gaze to the floor and said quietly, "I.... I understand."

Arinelle grabbed Duncan's arm, and as he turned to her, he saw the hot tears streaming down her face. "Are you talking about me?!" she cried. "What about Ser Gilmore?"

He placed his hands on both her shoulders and looked her square in those brilliant green eyes, whose sadness seemed to pierce through his very soul. "Truth be told, you were always my first choice. The Grey Wardens need you, Arinelle, will you accept my offer?"

She looked incredulously between Duncan and her father, who pleaded with her to accept. "Go, Nelle. Ferelden needs you!" he choked. All she could do was nod slowly.

Duncan stood. "It is done, then." He took a step back and realized the battle was growing nearer by the second. They needed to move quickly. But the Teyrna refused to leave. "To death and beyond, " she reasoned. She was to stay with her husband.

He listened to the three of them arguing again for a second, until there was a loud crash just outside the door. Duncan threw an arm around Arinelle's waist and pulled her towards the servants' passage. There was no more time. She whimpered a final, "I love you both, so much.." to her parents, then turned with Duncan and ran.

Arinelle Cousland was nothing, if not a fast learner. The first few hours that they traveled, she asked many questions about the blight, the Grey Wardens, and darkspawn. She soaked up the information like a sponge, and understood as well as accepted the fact that the darkspawn faced a very real, very serious threat to Ferelden. She had a strong head on her shoulders, and for that, he was thankful.

She was also graceful. Even through the thickest of forests, she traversed the woods as though she grew up in them. He watched her claw her way through thick underbrush and climb over felled trees, even in the dark. He was thankful she couldn't see the smile playing across his face. Like a cat..

They decided to stop for the night on the far side of the North Road. Far enough away from it to be hidden, but close enough to see anyone that might possibly travel past. Due to the hasty nature of their departure, Arinelle was hardly prepared. She was dressed only in a simple linen tunic and pants, tucked haphazardly into leather boots. Her daggers lay sheathed in a worn leather belt that sat loosely at her hips.

Duncan found that he did not sleep much these days, and offered her his bedroll to sleep on while he sat watch.

While she slept fitfully, he rubbed as his temples wearily, thinking of the journey to come. He sighed quietly. It would not be easy with such limited supplies. They would surely freeze in the south.

On the third day of travel, they discovered the true meaning of being cold.

Duncan had considered a stop in Lothering for supplies, but it was easily half a day's walk and they had little time to spare. They trudged through freezing rain and hail as he tried to remember the location of a Tevinter ruin he knew to be nearby, hoping to find it still somewhat in fact. They needed shelter from the rain, or they would surely freeze to death.

He gently rested a hand on her shoulder to stop her, and Arinelle eyed Duncan curiously as he scanned the darkening horizon for a sign of the ruin. Nightfall would be soon and his body was aching for rest, and warmth. A wave of relief splashed over him as he saw the tall, spindly tower a short distance to the west. They could be there within an hour.

The noise of the wind and the rain were deafening. He leaned in and pointed to the distant tower, "It's an old Tevinter ruin, we should be able to find shelter there." She nodded quickly and they moved with renewed energy.

Duncan was relieved to find the ruin still mostly in tact, they were even lucky enough to find that someone had stayed there fairly recently. A fine layer of dust lay upon everything, yet in the center of an empty room stood the remnants of a fire, with enough supplies to last them for several nights, should the need arise. It was already warmer just being inside, away from the wind and the freezing rain, but they were both eager for the warmth of the fire they were attempting to coax into existence.

He laid out his bedroll in front of the fire and they sat on it, removing their belts, boots and socks and laying them aside to dry, then holding their hands and feet as close to the fire as they could stand. He closed his eyes for a moment, letting the heat wash over him, yet he still shivered. Tiredness and cold ached deep in his bones and he longed for nothing more than a warm bed.

He heard a movement to his right, and when he opened his eyes he saw Arinelle sitting close to him, kneeling, sitting on her heels, her arms wrapped around her. She was facing him, but her head was turned to the fire, seemingly mesmerized by it.

Duncan had come to admire Arinelle over the last few days, as she was a strong woman, indeed. No doubt she would become an exceptionally capable warrior with the right training. He was also proud of how well she was taking the death of her parents; she spoke of it little, and he could only imagine her pain. Yet she carried on with her head high, as every bit the Lady she was brought up to be.

He was looking her over now, suddenly aware of the fact that he could see every curve of her body with the way her wet clothes clung tightly to her. Her chest rose and fell slowly with her breaths, he traced the outline of her nipples with his eyes, slowly becoming overwhelmed with the urge to just take her.

Drawing in a slow, deep breath, Duncan tried to calm himself, to will the demon that was growing deep in his abdomen to go away. She was here to become a Grey Warden, not to make love to him.

To make love to him.. The thought of it caused a tightening in his chest. He couldn't look away. As if able to read his thoughts, Arinelle's head turned and looked at him. He felt that familiar feeling he got whenever he looked into her eyes, as though someone had swiftly punched him in his chest. It came as quickly as it went, however, but her gaze was as intense as the longing he felt in the pit of his stomach.

Arinelle let her arms drop from around her as she placed her hands on the floor to steady herself while she slowly, achingly slowly, leaned toward him. His eyes darted from her eyes to her lips, which were slightly parted, and his brain started screaming at him. Stop! Stop!

His body wouldn't listen, however, and his hand found its way to her face. Her lips parted a bit more as his fingers lightly brushed her cheek, then ran through her still dripping wet hair to rest on the back of her head, guiding her face to his.

Their lips brushed lightly for the tiniest of kisses, but it was enough to set his insides on fire. He felt the heat rising from within him as she pressed her lips against his again, more firmly this time, and then the blood seemed to drain completely from his head as her tongue parted his mouth and swirled around his own. She gently tugged on his lower lip with her teeth, then pulled her face an inch away from his, as if to gauge his reaction.

It had been a long time since he'd been intimate with anyone. He had his duty as a Grey Warden that meant more now more than ever, and which also meant he couldn't go seeking out the pleasures of a woman. His brain was still shouting at him to Stop!, but he couldn't. His body took over, refusing to listen to his brain trying to reason with him.. She eyed him curiously as he moved his way behind her. Kneeling behind her, sitting back on his heels, she was about to ask him what he was doing when his hands on her hips guided her backwards onto his lap. She was tense, unsure, but when he wrapped his arms around her waist she relaxed into him, her back pressing against his chest, her head resting on his shoulder.

His fingers worked their way up to the laces on the front of her linen shirt, and he could feel her heart beating faster against her rib cage. She leaned forward slightly to allow him to remove her shirt, as well as his own, then settled back against his chest, her face buried in the cook of his neck, her hands resting on her thighs.

Her hot breath on his neck just about killed him, and he knew she could feel him hardening underneath her thighs by the sharp breath she drew in, and the way she pushed her hips against his own. He nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck, and she let her head fall back onto his shoulder as his fingertips worked their way up the sides of her stomach, barely touching her.

His body pressed onward, ignoring the battle his brain was trying to wage. Stop! Stop!

Duncan placed soft kisses against her shoulder, her neck, her jaw, as his fingers squeezed and kneaded her breasts. They both let out soft groans as he let each of his fingertips brush against her nipples, and she pushed her hips harder into him.

It was suddenly hot. Very, very hot. His blood seemed to be turning into fire in his veins and it was all he could do to keep some level of composure. He kept one arm tight around her waist, while his other hand slid down her belly, and disappeared under the drawstring of her pants. She tensed up and gasped as his fingers slipped between her lips, and plunged inside her. With that movement, something inside the both of them snapped and their bodies became tangled, they fumbled with each other as they impatiently tried to remove their remaining articles of clothing.

Finally freed of everything, he wrapped one arm tightly around her waist and pulled her to him. With his free hand he guided himself inside her and she cried out as she slowly sank down onto him, allowing, no, needing him to fill her up completely.

The smell of her, feel of her, the tightness, the wetness, the hotness, was almost too much to handle. He kept both arms wrapped tightly around her waist, holding her tightly in place, trying to gain some control of his body.

Her arms came up and wrapped themselves around his, her nails digging gently into them. They sat there like that, entangled and breathing heavily, for a full minute before she cried out his name exasperatedly. They both moaned loudly when he roughly thrust himself up inside her. She threw her head back onto his shoulder and it was all he could seem to manage at the moment; slow, rough, deep thrusts. She cried out each time, their bodies tensing up as pleasure flirted dangerously with pain.

He couldn't stand this. It was too slow, his body was aching, wanting, needing, screaming at him for release. He pushed himself to his knees and Arinelle fell forward onto her hands. Now on her hands and knees, she turned her head back to watch him as his fingers dug into her hips and he begin driving himself inside her. The fire coursing through his veins turned into molten lava and pure passion took over as he kept thrusting, the throbbing of himself inside her driving him insane.

Arinelle let her chest slink to the floor, her cheek pressed against the bedroll, her arms outstretched in front of her, hands grasping at fistfuls of the bedroll's fabric, moaning loudly with each thrust. Harder, faster.. Pain, pleasure..

His eyes traced the curves of her shoulders, her back, her hips, all taunting him.

He groaned at the sensation of her muscles clenching around him, and watched as she reached her hands back and grabbed his own, pushing his fingers deeper into the flesh of her hips. He sunk his nails into her and gasped as he thrust hard, bright white stars beginning to play at his peripheral vision. The pain was intense, but the way it danced so beautifully with the pleasure rolling across his senses was incredible.

She was trembling now, her shallow gasps and moans were toying with him, begging for a release, and all of a sudden her body tensed up and in an instant his entire being exploded in a shower of moans, nail scratches, thrusts filled with pleasure and pain, and every last bit of energy evaporating from his body. He managed a few more weak pumps into her, pushing his seed deep inside her, before Arinelle collapsed underneath him.

He wasn't sure he could move even if he wanted to, so he gently settled his weight on top of her, his head resting on her shoulder. Her small hands found his and their fingers laced together.

They lay there for a time, panting and gasping for breath, Duncan placing kisses all over her shoulders, the back of her neck, her face. Underneath him, he could feel her heart racing, only inches from his own.

She sighed blissfully.

The fire was finally extinguished.

Duncan awoke the next morning lying on his back, stark naked, next to a blazing fire. He found Arinelle sitting nearby, cooking breakfast. She must have gone hunting while he slept. How long had he slept? He still felt exhausted.

She watched intently as he grabbed clothes at random from the heap lying next to him and got dressed, then moved to sit next to her. She handed him a bowl of food and a warm smile and they ate together in silence while he replayed the previous nights events over and over in his head. He wanted to say something, but what could he say? He hadn't meant for that to happen. But he couldn't exactly say he was sorry that it did.

They cleaned up their small camp and as she turned to leave, he placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her. She turned and looked at him, and he felt that familiar sharp pain in his chest as he searched her eyes for.. for what?

His hands moved up to cup her face. He wanted to tell her how incredible she was, how incredible she felt, how incredible she made him feel, how it couldn't happen again, but how he would wish every night that it would.

The soft smile that played at her lips slowly eased into something more folorn, which tugged hard at his heart, and he wondered for a moment if she could, in fact, read his thoughts. As if she understood what he wanted to say, she started to speak. "Duncan, I..."

He silenced her by pulling her close and placing a kiss upon her forehead. She closed her eyes and laid her head on her chest and they held each other for a moment, almost as if saying goodbye...

Duncan sighed heavily as he took a step back from her, studying her face as though he may never see her again, then lead them out of the ruin.