"Oh for the love of Andraste I did not know Jowan was a blood mage!" Ashana Surana wailed at the glaring dark haired human standing over her. She waved her arms up at her, "See here, I'm not a blood mage either! Look, no marks, no cuts, no scars."

"He was your friend." Lucia Amell growled at the petite little elf who she couldn't believe had been conscripted into the Grey Wardens with her.

Ashana groaned, "I give up. You won't believe anything I say." she stomped after Duncan with tears in her eyes. She truly hadn't known, had not seen it coming in a million years. Sure destroying his phylactery was stupid but she did stupid stuff to protect her friends and Jowan was her friend.

Cullen cleared his throat, "She made a stupid choice, but she is not Jowan." he softly reminded Lucia and walked after the Warden Commander who was now consoling the young elf, the other elf who was with them had yet to speak and strode off to the right of Duncan.

Lucia sighed before snapping, "Since when did you care Cullen?"

"We're all joining the Wardens, we'll all be fighting Darkspawn side by side. If we cannot find a common ground between those we fight with then we will fall. I will be trusting your magic as you trust my blade." he shifted a little uncomfortably, "And that is not an easy thing for a templar."

Lucia had to admit he was right, "Fine, I'll... I'll try harder to let it go." she growled and followed their party of recruits.

Cullen gave a small smile and watched her out of the corner of his eye as she strode passed him. His heart beat a little faster at her presence and he thanked the Maker Gregoire had seen fit to allow him to join. It also helped the Knight-Commander be more willing to release the mages to the Wardens having a templar with them and he'd proven himself to Duncan in a duel which of course he'd lost but he'd made Duncan work for it.

Kallian Tabris listened to the arguing mages and was a little concerned at the hostility between them though she understood it. Her forest green eyes glanced over at the slender, pale, blonde haired blue eyed elf mage and her heart actually went out to her. Ashana had broken the rules to protect her friend and it had cost her her freedom. This she understood. Duncan had saved her from the gallows for doing something similar. She twisted the ring on her finger and fought back the tears once more.

The Wardens had made camp for the evening when Cullen disturbed them with a shout to the darkness.

"Who goes there!"

"Still your blade templar, we mean no harm." Came a feminine response.

"Identify yourself!" he demanded.

"My name is Lana, this is Sahera." Kaylana continued forward with her hands up to show she was unarmed, so to speak.

Duncan's head snapped up and he shot to his feet, "Lady Cousland!" he called, quickly rushing over to her.

"Duncan!" Kaylana was relieved to see the man. She'd met him in Denerim not long ago and he'd expressed an interest in recruiting her, one she'd thoroughly quashed as she had no intention of becoming a Warden and even less so now.

Duncan hesitated at the look in her sapphire blue eyes, "What has happened my lady?" he asked, his voice low.

Kaylana took a deep breath and turned her face away, "Arl Howe betrayed us. His men murdered my father and mother, my brothers wife and son while our forces marched to Ostagar with Fergus." her voice was soft with exhaustion and grief.

Duncan's heart sank for her plight, "You have my deepest condolences my lady." he bowed to her, "You must be travelling to Ostagar yourself then for us to meet here."

Kaylana nodded, "I need to find Fergus, Howe will have something planned for him and I will not allow him to wipe out my family like this. We are Cousland's. He has forgotten what that means and I intend to remind him, pointedly." she growled.

Duncan was instantly concerned, "My lady, the Darkspawn..."

"Oh don't start Duncan. I know they need to be dealt with first and have no intention of turning Highever's troops until they are stopped." she snapped at him in frustration.

Duncan relaxed a little.

"Besides finding Fergus I need to speak with the King." she ran her fingers through her chocolate brown hair that was tied back messily given their travel which made her grimace. "I assume you are travelling to Ostagar as well?" her slightly addled brain not quite making sense of everything just yet.

"You can certainly join us my lady." Duncan anticipated the request.

"Thank you Duncan." Kaylana visibly relaxed, "These are your new recruits then?" she looked to the curious gathering.

"Allow me to introduce you." Duncan stepped aside and nodded, "Cullen from Kinloch Hold as is Lucia Amell and Ashana Surana." He didn't need to identify them further as their clothing set them apart as what they were, "And Kallian Tabris from the Denerim Alienage. This is Lady Kaylana Cousland of Highever."

Cullen bowed, "My humblest apologies for the earlier greeting my lady." he mumbled, red faced.

Kaylana sighed, "No need, shows you were alert and protecting your companions."

Ashana cocked her head slightly, "Now I know I'm supposed to know that name right?" she scratched her head, lips pursed as she concentrated on trying to remember.

Lucia elbowed her, "Makers breath Ashana, she's nobility, the Couslands are the Teyrns of Highever, they're next in line for the throne she's practically a princess." she hissed.

Realization dawned on Ashana, "Oh... ohh. Now I remember." she blushed at the look of amusement in the woman's eyes.

Kallian openly glared at her, another noble.

"You said you had a friend, Sahera?" Duncan looked around but saw no one else.

Out of the shadows a traditionally clad Dalish elf melted into being. Her footfalls silent, her movements graceful and those of a hunter, her green eyes highly alert for any sign of trouble.

Kaylana looked to Duncan firmly and pointed at him, "You try your conscripting business on her and I'll kick your ass to Seheron before you can finish saying 'invoke'!" she growled.

Duncan chuckled, "No need for that my lady. I learned my lesson well, I believe I still carry the bruises." he knew she would, she'd almost kicked his ass and broken his jaw in Denerim for even speaking of it with her.

Cullen looked to her curiously.

"He tried to conscript me. I made him understand just how much trouble I would be and he wised up." she explained with a grin.

Cullen wasn't sure if he should laugh at that but that didn't stop his grin.

"So a templar and two mages and a city elf..." Kaylana finally noticed the lethal look she was receiving from the young woman and she thought for a moment, "who has recently been a guest of Vaughns I see." at the rage that immediately pulsed through the woman she felt a flare of her own. "From the fact that she's here I take it..."

"I killed that bastard shemlen and if you even think of..." Kallian surged forward only to be stopped by Duncans hand and a notched arrow in her face from the Dalish elf suddenly between her and the noble.

Duncan was about to speak when Kaylana beat him to it.

"Good. He deserved it. Coming from an elven woman just makes it even better, that disgusting pig and his friends were a filthy disgrace. You have my congratulations and my condolences for the pain he must have caused you, though I doubt my opinion means much to you." Kaylana bowed her head respectfully to the elven woman.

At first Kallian was lost for words then she snarled, "Don't you dare speak to me of pain shem, what would you know of pain trussed up in your fancy castle with fancy clothes surrounded by elven servants." she hadn't been paying attention to the shems when she'd first arrived.

Sahera snarled and knocked the insolent girl to the ground viciously. She would have killed her if arms hadn't wrapped around her and held her back.

Kaylana murmured in elvish, "Peace Sahera, you honour me with your defence of me but this child has been deeply abused by one in power. She speaks out of grief and anger, I don't blame her for her words no matter how much they hurt." she felt Sahera slacken and kissed her cheek. "Thank you my friend." Pulling back she looked to Duncan, "I believe there is a stream nearby yes? I'll go clean up."

Duncan nodded and watched as she disappeared into the night.

Kallian glared up at Sahera, stunned that the elven woman had attacked her.

Sahera glared down at Kallian, "Speak in such a manner to her ladyship again and not even she will stop me from killing you child. She has lost everything and while fleeing for her life her first thought was the protection of those who live in the Alienage. She risked her life to warn them to get to safety and hundreds of elven lives were saved by her actions. Not all shems are the same, you would do well to remember that." she snapped then she followed Kaylana into the darkness.

Kallian got up and brushed herself off, her anger fading as she considered the words of the elven hunter, "Is what she said true?" she asked Duncan softly.

"Lady Cousland and her brother Fergus are the last of the Couslands. Her home was attacked, her parents, sister-in-law and nephew slain. That's as much as I know in regards to that. I will say, however, that Lady Cousland is unlike any noble I have ever met, the fact that a Dalish hunter is willing to go to such lengths for her should testify to that." Duncan advised her firmly. He then softened, "Vent your anger on the darkspawn, not those who have done you no wrong."

"She's a noble." Kallian muttered.

"By birth, as you are an elf by birth. It's something neither of you control, what you can control are your own choices. See where hers lay before you cast your judgement on her." Duncan returned to the fire to polish his weapons.

When Lady Cousland returned she was cleaner and looking a whole sight better. She sat down next to Ashana and the elf stared up at her in wonder.

"You are so beautiful!" Ashana breathed then went bright red as she realized she'd said it out loud.

Lucia was rather mortified by her mage companion.

Kaylana chuckled, "I take it you meant to say that with your inner voice?"

Ashana mumbled something incoherent in apology.

Kaylana leaned down a little and whispered conspiratorially, "If it makes you feel better, I think you are quite beautiful too."

Ashana's face went a whole new level of red.

Kaylana chuckled and held out a small pouch, "Do you like berries?" she ignored the stares from Kailian and concentrated her attention on the others.

"Oooh!" Ashana eagerly investigated the offered pouch and tried out the strange new food. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head, "These are amazing! Thank you!"

"You're fortunate I found them before Sahera, she'd devour the whole bush before sharing them, they're her favourite." She smiled and couldn't help but chuckle as the elf's embarrassment vanished in light of the delicious berries.

The rest of the journey to Ostagar saw the two mages being utterly enthralled by the young noble woman, Cullen rendered speechless and stammering when words did come to mind, the Dalish and city elf keeping a hostile silence between each other and Duncan doing his best to keep the peace.