Tears stinging in her eyes and the coppery odor of blood in her nostrils, Camelia ran, following the glint of Duncan's armor in the moonlight. The castle burned and her parents' last words to her echoed in Camelia's mind.

. . .

Camelia wrinkled her nose at the stench as she and Duncan entered Denerim's alienage. It was filthy, to be sure, but the elves also seemed to be preparing a celebration of some kind.

"Humans ain't wanted here," said an elven woman who had approached Duncan. The girl was all sharp angles and fiery orange hair, and she was skinnier than Iona had been, perhaps undernourished. "We don't need no more trouble."

"I'm sorry, Miss Tabris, but I have no intention of leaving," Duncan told the elf.

. . .

"We can't just let that...monster have his way with those women!" Camelia raged. "He should not be allowed to abuse his power like that. How a nobleman treats the least of his subjects is remembered by the best."

"I understand your anger, but this is not our affair. Grey Wardens must be neutral in such matters," Duncan said calmly.

"You interfered when Howe attacked the castle," she pointed out. "How is this any different? Is it because they're elves and no one will care what happens to them?"

Duncan sighed, but said nothing in his defense. She watched as Lydia Tabris' groom and her cousin tried to think of a plan to rescue the women. They had no weapons, no hope of survival let alone success. She made up her mind.

"I am going to help them," Camelia declared firmly. "I'm not a Grey Warden yet, just a recruit. I am not duty bound to sit by and do nothing."

. . .

They were too late to save one of the women. Lydia's betrothed also didn't make it, though apparently she'd barely known him. Camelia wasn't aware until now that the elves practiced arranged marriage. Some noble families she knew did the same, but her parents had always insisted on marrying for love.

Lydia fought in much the same way that Camelia had when Howe's men attacked. Vengeance and protecting her family were the only things on the elf's mind. Lydia was quite skilled with daggers in her hands, especially without any formal training.

When at last they reached the arl's son, he tried to make a deal.

"Think about it. Kill me and you ruin more lives than just your own. By dawn, the streets will run red with elven blood. Your precious Alienage will be burnt to the ground. Is that what you want?"

For a moment, Lydia wavered, but then she saw her cousin crying on the floor. She drew her daggers, rushing forward with a farel growl as she plunged her blade through Vaughn's stomach.

Camelia and Soris drew their swords as well, focusing on the remaining guards.

. . .

Soris went to look for the other women while Camelia stood in the doorway feeling like she was intruding on a very private moment. Lydia knelt before her cousin on the bloodstained ground and spoke soothingly.

"I'm gonna take you home, Shianni, it'll be all right."

"So much blood...I can't look at it," the elf sobbed. "You killed them, didn't you? They're all dead?"

Lydia nodded. "No one's gonna hurt you no more, Cousin."

"Good…" Shianni said, finding comfort in the other's certainty and reassurance. "Good."

It isn't long after they return to the Alienage that city guards arrive to arrest whoever was responsible. Lydia stepped forward immediately, her stolen leather armor covered in drying blood, and said, "It was me. I killed 'em." Camelia hoped no one noticed the blood on her own sword.

"A river of blood flows through the arl's estate, and you expect us to believe that one elven women did all that?"

"Perhaps we are not all as helpless as we seem," Valendrian said.

As the guards moved in to arrest the elf, Camelia looked at Duncan, silently asking if he was truly going to let this injustice continue.

"Wait," the Warden-Commander said.

"What is it, Grey Warden?" the sergeant asked impatiently. "We have this situation under control, as you can see."

"Be that as it may, I hereby invoke the Grey Wardens' right of conscription. I take this woman into my custody as a recruit."

"Ha!" Lydia smirked. "Hear that? You can't touch me!"

"What?" the guard began to protest, but soon realized it was useless to challenge the Wardens' right. He signaled for his men to leave. "Fine. Just get this elf out of the city today."

"You're with us now," Duncan told Lydia. "Say your goodbyes and then we must head for the Circle of Magi."