Wahoo! I got quite good feedback... Or at least I figure that a review, and a few favorites on the story is what I could call good feedback. I really don't have anything else to say on this matter... Oh I didn't take down the Oblivion, not yet, I think I'll get back to that one later. Right now, this one is coming along so much better. MOVING ON...

Disclaimer: I tried to use my mage like powers... but Alistair punched me in the face and so that didn't work... And then Sparrow shot me. I don't own it.

Punished or Saved...?

Alistair felt like the room was spinning when he sat up too quickly. He groaned loadly as he cupped his head in his hands and shut his eyes tightly. The sleeping woman in the chair did not so much as stir at the sudden noise. He ran his fingers through his hair for a moment and tried to push past the pain of thinking too hard. About a year ago, his lover had betrayed him to execution, he'd managed to escape with the help of Leliana who left shortly after he did. They both decided they would be safest if they parted ways and so she went back to Orlais, and Alistair went where ever he could buy passage and kept going. His most recent destination was a country called Albion, a place far more advanced than Ferelden, although that didn't say much. It was quiet, small, and just the place Alistair could pause for a moment and have a drink... or two... or three... or twenty seven.

Last night didn't seem any different from the others that he spent drunkenly stumbling around aimlessly, except the foggy part that somehow lead him to a strange bed naked with a woman he didn't know. Finally he allowed his hazel eyes to adjust to the bright light of morning in order to find his clothes. How far could they have wandered to? He tried his best to lean without the blankets falling off his hips, it would be just his luck that she would wake up and see more of him than he was comfortable. He slowly shook his head at the thought and continued to look on. 'Maker!' He inwardly yelled against his beating head's protest. 'Where in the world could they be?'

The woman on the chair snorted a little before picking up her legs and drawing her knees to her chest. Her head fall back to the chair with her mouth hanging open for the flies. Her hand whiped the side of her face lazily and let it fall to her side once more. "'Snot my fault," she sleepily protested. "The bee's chased me again." Alistair watched in amusement for a second. Her eyes closed tighter for a second and then relaxed, then once more did they clench along with the rest of her. Her whole body was tense as she whimpered. "Please..." She trailed off silently.

Alistair was unsure if he should was suppose to wake her up at that point. She kicked her foot out which fell further than she had expected, with a strange jerking motion she jolted awake. "Ungh," she moaned this time whiping her eyes to the light of the sun. "Well at least it's morning." She let her other foot fall to the ground when her eyes met with Alistair's. "You're awake?"

"Am I?" Asked Alistair. "I thought I was sleeping with my eyes open."

"I once knew a guy who could do that," she stretched. Alistair's eyebrow raised at her comment and she chuckled. "I'm not joking! His name was Fredderick and he used to sleep with his eyes open. It was creepy, you never knew if he was sleeping, meditating as he called it, or just dead." She gave Alistair a moment to soak in that little piece of information. "I'm Sparrow."

"Sparrow?" Repeated Alistair. "You don't look like a bird to me." He smirked, quite proud of his sarcasm that was working quite well inspite of his hangover.

"Hahaha," she mocked laughter. "You know you are in a rather comprimising position here. You've no clothes in your room with you and the only one of us who could get you anymore is me. I'd be nice if I were you." She folded her arms. "I'll leave you here in all your glory if I have to." Alistair felt a wave of heat smack him in the face. He didn't want that, not at all. She laughed. "Give me your name and you can make up for the bird joke."

"Very well," he accepted. "I'm Alistair. And if you ask me I would think being told that you don't look like a bird is a compliment. I once knew a golem that hated birds. She'd step on chickens." Sparrow furrowed her eyebrows at Alistair's comment as it mirrored her own. "I'm not joking! Her name was Shale and we couldn't take her to Denerim for fear she'd crush everyone's chickens and we'd be run out of town."

"Denerim?" Sparrow tilted her head questioningly.

"Yes it's the capital of Ferelden," explained Alistair. "It's far away from here. That's for certain."

"I've heard of Ferelden," nodded Sparrow. "I just-" She stopped abruptly. "Can we finish this conversation after you dress? It's very distracting."

Alistair couldn't help but giggle nervously. Remembering once more that he was naked in front of a woman who so clearly was not. "Heheh," he scratched the back of his neck before nodding. "Yes I think that would be best..." She nodded as well before standing.

"I'll see if the town crier called for the shops to open," she left Alistair alone to his thoughts.

She'd heard of Ferelden, but she just-. Just what? Just didn't know someone would want to leave? Just heard of a man on the run for his life after he refused to call a man who betrayed his brother and sent him to his death, a fellow Warden? Just making sure she heard right?

His fingers twisted around the sheets as he no longer had his effects on his at the moment, Maker what he wouldn't give for a drink at this moment.

Sparrow was gone shorter than he had expected. She had returned holding a shirt, a pair of pants, and boots in her arms. "This should be everything you need here." She set the garments on the chair. "I'll leave you to it. I don't think you need my help again." Alistair looked at her in horror. She winked at him before shutting the door. Alistair's eyes were still wide as he threw the blankets aside and slowly shoved one leg before the other into his new pants. They were black, with a long red cloth hanging down the side. They fit well enough, though a little snug in the hips, but it certainly beat what he was wearing this morning. His shirt felt like he had ripped up the sheets and tied them around himself. A simple white shirt made out of some poor quality and decorated with patches. The vest he threw around it was no better. It was brown, and patchy as well.

It felt wonderful to Alistair.

His boots, like his pants were a little snug. The simplest brown boots that could have been found were the only pieces left as he stepped out of his room feeling a million times better than before. Sparrow looked at him judgingly. Her hand tucked under her chin as she looked thoughtful for a moment. "The shirt we'll have to work on, but all and all, do you feel better?"

"Yes very much thank you," smiled Alistair.

Sparrow let out a sigh before she gestured for him to sit down. "I said we'd continue our conversation and now we shall." Alistair took the invitation and sat down. Various meats and cheeses sat on the table. "Help yourself." She offered. Alistair wasted no time. Half of the cheese was gone within seconds. "I was surprised to hear that someone made it to Albion from Ferelden. Especially after the battle last year. I heard the death toll was catastrophic. Some sort of demon... oh what are they called?"

"Darkspawn," Alistair informed. "Yes it was a hell of a Blight. I didn't get to stay for the final battle though."

"It is apparent."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Ferelden was not victorious in their final battle," she said softly. Alistair nearly choked at her words. He gasped loudly, wondering how he could not have known. "I'm sorry that I had to be the one to tell you of your home." Alistair remained silent though. Sparrow could see it, though his body was there, his mind went back to his destroyed homeland. She didn't blame him, her first few weeks out of her coma was hell, she'd be in front of Theresa but her mind was back in Fairfax Castle, reliving the moments before being shot out of the window over and over again. Sparrow hung her head out of respect for the man in front of her. "I'm sorry for your loss."

'Maker's breath,' thought Alistair. 'They're all dead. All of them! Audrea, I thought she could-.' The thought of what could have happened had he been there crossed his mind. But then so did Anora's ruling of execution. "No," he shook his head. "No loss. There was nothing in Ferelden for me." He lied and Sparrow knew it, but she didn't say anything to further upset him. 'On the positive side I don't have to run anymore,' he thought bitterly.

"You were lucky then," Sparrow shrugged. "Perhaps Albion will have more to offer you than your last home."

"Not if I keep ending up in strange rooms naked," Alistair tried to smirk, but it was empty.

Still Sparrow humored him. "Oh don't flatter yourself it wasn't what you think. You nearly drowned, and when I pulled you back to the surface you nearly froze. I must say though, you are the only person I know who can freeze in the middle of summer!"

"You saved me?"

"Well," sheepishly Sparrow looked at her legs. "I startled you and you fell into the stream. I felt like it was the least I could do." She pointed at his clothes. "That's why you woke up naked." Alistair nodded. He always figured if someone were to drown while drinking too much, he always figured it would be... Oghren actually. But then, at the time, Alistair drank moderately not all the time. In fact, during this conversation with Sparrow, this the was longest he'd been sober since before he left Ferelden. "Just be happy that it was me and not-"

"You know," said a voice behind her. She growled a little but tried to keep her anger down. "We could get married if I only had a ring." Sparrow turned around angrily by the interruption to find some random citizen she couldn't quite remember staring at her expectantly. Another civilian who fell in love with her for her status, it had nothing to do with who she was, it was merely her image. Her fist clenched as she bit her bottom lip and rolled her eyes. Hoping he'd just take the hint in her silence and walk away. He did nothing of the sort. "So how about we go back to your place and you can show me how you swing that sword of yours."

That did it. It was just too rude for Sparrow's liking she soon found herself out of her seat and reaching behind her. "I'll show you now if you don't get out of here!" She bellowed. The sword glistened dangerously in the morning light. "Get out of here! Now! Shoo shoo!" The citizen ran out of the Sandgoose in fear. "Do it one more time and see if I don't actually swing it!" Alistair watched with wide eyes at her display. It was different from Audrea's reaction to someone bothering her. She'd just slit a man's throat and walk away without another word to it. He knew that better than anyone he could think of.

"I was in such a good mood today until you went and did that," cried a woman across the Inn. Sparrow just rolled her eyes once more before she returned her weapon to her back with the other.

"You know," said Alistair thoughtfully. "Usually when a man proposes marriage and the woman refuses, a simple no suffices."

"Not around here it doesn't," Sparrow cracked her knuckles impatiently. "This has to be the tenth marriage proposal I've received from these oafs! It was flattering the first few times, but when they follow you around everywhere you go it's not only annoying, but it's dangerous when I'm traveling I have to make sure that they don't get killed by bandits or beetles or hobbes! Now I have to try to not only keep me and Roofus alive, but some jerk who's been following me for the past three day making obscene sexual passes at me!"

"And Roofus," joked Alistair. "Do they not see you two together?"

Sparrow looked at Alistair incredulously. "Reguardless of whether or not I'm with Roofus would they think such things of us!" She pointed to the opened doorway. "Roofus is my dog! Any sort of relationship with him is strictly platonic!"

Alistair laughed and held his hands in the air defensively. "There are people out there who do strange things with their animals!"

"I wouldn't," she nearly screamed. Sparrow swung her arm and smacked Alistair. "Who would do such a thing?"

"I've seen some strange things when I was traveling around Ferelden with my fr-... Comrades," his tone dropped as did his eyes. He struggled to push away the resurfacing memories of better days, easier days. Which was a strange thing to say considering it was a civil war and a Blight constantly surrounded by death and destruction, the days were still happier than he'd ever been in the chantry.

Sparrow cleared her throat uncomfortable. "Yes I'm sure strange things happened. I can't honestly say it's much better around here," she gave an strange chuckle. "I found a warrant once for a man who killed someone else with an object that they couldn't believe was a weapon but very unfortunately was. His gang was taken in when I was... oh hell I had to be ten... Yes, it was ten years ago tomorrow." Alistair didn't miss the calculating look on Sparrow's face. She sighed but stuffed down anything else that came with that day those ten years ago, she put it behind her that was all she needed to remind herself to keep a straight face.

"Did they ever tell you what the weapon was," asked Alistair. Sparrow couldn't help but smile. He was like a child who's attention was so easily swayed by an explosion or violence. She shook her head and allowed a moment of silence to pass through them. For unkown fallen comrades and dead family. For better days.

For punishements and saviors...

(A/N: Okay I'm once again not too sure on this little segment towards the end. I mean, I know they have a lot in common (they both face execution but didn't die, someone close to them died, when such and such was alive things were easier, etc. etc.) but I don't know if that seems forced or not. It didn't feel that way, but I don't know... Oh well. Stay tuned for the next chapter at the same bat time, same bat place (sorry they started showing old Batman reruns and I'm a sucker for Adam West as Batman lol). Anywho you all know the deal, read, review, and remember: I love you!)