"She's better with a bow than any I've seen." Garevel took the mug from Anders and followed him to a table in the corner. At this time of day the dining hall was mostly empty, which suited their needs.

"Better than Nate?" That was surprising. "I didn't think that was possible."

"Dalish, I think. She's got that blood writing, but someone's burned her face. Here." He touched his own face, gesturing across his nose. "I asked her about her clan and she said she wasn't Dalish any longer."

"Banished?"

"Seems like." It didn't matter, if she was good he'd take her on. "I don't like this replacing Gwyn business. Girl's only been gone a few weeks."

"We need another scout Garevel." Anders had been surprised by this invitation. He liked Garevel well enough, but they weren't what he'd have called friends. "When Gwyn comes back we'll have an extra."

"This Rhosyn, she came to me. Said she'd heard we needed a scout."

"Did she say where she'd heard?" This might be the reason he was here. Anders sipped his ale and waited.

"She said she'd been up at Highever with the Teryn's men. Helping them get their supplies in for the Winter."

"That makes sense." Garevel didn't seem happy about something. "Do you think she was lying?"

"No ser. I'm sure its true, too easy for us to find her out otherwise."

"Something about her is bothering you?"

"Yes ser. I wondered if you'd talk to her? I'd appreciate your opinion."

That was surprising, he always assumed Garevel was of the same mind as Nate and thought he was frivolous. "I'll do my best. Where is this Rhosyn?"

"Down at the practice targets." Relieved that Anders would help him with his, Garevel, sipped his own ale. "I don't know what it is about her. She didn't want to see the Commander, that was odd, usually the new recruits want to see him. See if its true I suppose."

"If he's ten feet tall and shoots lightning out of his eyes?" Anders chuckled when Garevel frowned at him. "Sorry Garevel, private joke."

"Yes ser."

. . .

Rhosyn wasn't difficult to find. Apart from being the only woman at the practice targets, she was surrounded by what looked like half the soldiers at the Vigil. Half the male soldiers. They were standing in a semi-circle watching her shoot. At least they were pretending to watch her shoot. If Anders was any judge of women, and he was, he'd say this one knew exactly the effect she was having.

Wondering if that was what had worried Garevel, he stopped just behind the soldiers and cleared his throat. "The Commander's on his way down."

"Impressive." Rhosyn didn't watch the humans run away, instead she notched another arrow. "Have you come to interrogate me further." She shot the arrow then glanced over at the newcomer. "Mage."

"My name is Anders, one of the Wardens here at the Vigil. Garevel asked me to talk to you." When she nodded and turned around to face him, Anders silently reminded himself that Ceri would pull his insides outside, if he even thought about another woman. "I understand you're a scout?"

"Do the Wardens usually spend this much time interrogating their recruits? Or is it something you reserve for elves?"

"No! Andraste's knickers woman." Her lips shifted. "Oh, you're a funny Dalish."

"I'm not Dalish, didn't your Seneschal tell you?" Rhosyn touched the deep scar that went from her right cheek bone and across her nose.

"He did, my apologies." The scar did nothing to lessen her beauty. If anything it stopped her being too beautiful. If that were possible. Which he was pretty sure it wasn't. One of her eyebrows quirked, and he shook himself. No standing around staring at pretty girls Anders, work to be done. "Garevel said you'd heard we need help? May I ask where you heard that?"

"Teryn Cousland. He said you needed a scout to replace one who'd moved on. An elf, yes?"

"Yes."

"So, you'll need another elf. Humans aren't as good." One hand flick dismissed humans and their scouting skills. "Good at hitting things with big sticks, not so good at scouting."

"I'd resent that if it wasn't true." Anders couldn't see what had worried Garevel, Rhosyn seemed like an ordinary, everyday, slightly superior, not-Dalish elf, to him. "If you're not Dalish, why the blood writing? I thought only Dalish had that?"

Again Rhosyn touched her face. She made a point not to look in mirrors, that was a human vanity, but she knew what her blood writing looked like. "I was Dalish, once, now I am no longer."

"Why?" He asked before realising it was probably a very rude question. "No. Sorry. Rude question."

"It is, but as you seem to know that, I'll answer it. I was banished a long time ago for loving the wrong man." Remembering wasn't difficult, Rhosyn had found herself thinking about those days more often since coming here. Hardly surprising. "A human."

"Ah. Yes, the Dalish don't like that do they?" The Dalish not liking that was the reason his Commander spent most of his free time alone, sitting on the roof of the Vigil, brooding. When he wasn't doing that he managed to combine brooding with terrifying the life out of the common soldiers, simply by looking at them in a certain way. "Is he with you?"

"You make a large assumption, mage." He was a cute one. Rhosyn liked his nose. She'd freely admit to a weakness for a strong nose. "Perhaps this human didn't love me but was simply passing the time?"

"Somehow I doubt that very much." She finally smiled properly and Anders realised she'd been testing him as much as he'd been testing her. "I see, a sneaky ex-Dalish."

She didn't respond to that but her smile widened. "Are you satisfied I'm not here to poison your well?"

"I think so." What in the Maker's name was Garevel worried about? "Garevel thinks you're hiding something." Her eyes widened and then narrowed. "You are aren't you?" Huh! He was better at this than he'd thought. "What?"

"Don't we all hide things?" Perhaps this Anders was smarter than he looked. "If I tell you my secrets are nothing to worry you, will that be enough?"

"It might be, as long as your secrets don't mean a herd of angry Dalish attacking us."

"My clan has long since gone from here and have no interest in me." Sighing at his expression, Rhosyn gave in. She'd tell him enough to satisfy his worry. "I was banished more than 10 years ago now. If my clan wanted to kill me they'd have done it then."

"Alright. I'll accept your word." Anders dipped a quick bow. "Welcome to the Vigil Rhosyn."

. . .

"Thank you ser, I don't know why I was worried." Garevel might have to rethink his opinion of the mage. Perhaps he wasn't as, frivolous, as he'd thought. "She's fit in well with the men. Once they stopped gawking and realised she wasn't going to dally with them, things settled down."

"Good to hear." After checking the room for stray mages who might shoot him with a lighting bolt for saying it, he lowered his voice. "She is a looker."

"Yes ser." Even he had to admit that. "Very fine eyes."

"That amber colour is unusual."

They nodded, united in their admiration for Rhosyn's amber eyes.

"Best we don't mention it again ser. Unprofessional to notice." Garevel did his best not to notice anything personal about his men that wouldn't affect their duties. "Those bandits that have been attacking the merchants coming up from Amaranthine. The Commander's taking some soldiers to track them down. Thought I might send Rhosyn with them. A good test."

Anders laughed. "A good test of her nerves you mean."

"Yes ser."

. . .

"If you don't mind Commander, I'd like to send the new scout with you. Give you a chance to test her skills and see how she fits with the men."

"If you think its necessary." Nate flipped his pack and finished tying the ropes that held his bedroll in place. "Do you have doubts?"

"No ser. She's done well so far, I just thought you might like to see how she works." He didn't know if the Commander knew but perhaps it would be best to tell him now. "She's Dalish ser. Or was. Said she was banished."

Dalish. Pushing away the feelings caused by that thought were difficult, but with the ease of practice he managed it. "Banished?"

"Yes ser, told Anders she'd bedded a human, or loved one, not sure now. Seems it was a while back so it won't affect us."

Keeping his tone casual, Nate, lifted his pack and turned to leave the room. "What's her name?"

"Rhosyn ser."

"You say Teryn Cousland sent her to us?" He started walking, knowing Garevel would follow. "How thoughtful of him."

"She said she'd been helping him get the meat in for Winter." When the Commander looked at him and lifted one eyebrow, Garevel shook his head. "I don't think so ser, seemed like she didn't know him that well."

"I'm sure you're right. Fergus knows his duty." Poor bastard, his current duty was hunting for a wife. "Let's see this scout of yours Garevel."

The small group of soldiers were assembled near the gate, awaiting his presence and his orders. "Good morning."

"Morning Commander." The sergeant bowed. "Our newest scout ser, Rhosyn. Rhosyn, this is the Commander of the Grey Wardens."

Rhosyn nodded but didn't bow. "Nathaniel Howe."

"Rhosyn."

Garevel knew he wasn't always the most sensitive of men, but something was obvious. "You know this elf Commander?"

"We'll be back in a few days Garevel." Nate waited while the men lifted their packs.

"Yes ser." He could take a hint, no asking about the elf. "Good hunting."