Cullen woke with his head was throbbing, raising his hand he saw it was quivering. Fuck. He looked over Neria was in a cot and was unconscious. She was undressed, but her bandages covered anything interesting.

"Ah you are a awake, the other Warden will be pleased" Morrigan came in.

"Morrigan? How did I get here? Alistair is alive?"

"That is my name. Mother saved you, she can tell you the tale. Yes he was the least wounded of the 3 of you."

Looking at himself, "That doesn't say much."

"Drink this, mother and I deciphered what the mage had been brewing for you. We added some embrium as well. Slowly." The cup sloshed a bit over him, Morrigan didn't move to help him. He managed to drink some. "Get dressed, shall I send the man in here to help you?"

"I can manage." It took awhile with his hands not exactly obeying, his headache began to fade.

"You're awake. I wondered if it would be you or Neria first." Alistair grabbed the templar's shoulder.

Flemeth, "I told you he would wake before the mage. The warriors didn't protect the healer, so the she kissed death."

Cullen, "Knowing her she tried to do something gallant."

Morrigan, "It was no small price, her keeping you two alive."

"Come Morrigan, leave them to talk. We need to see to our patient. It was only a cheap coin that protected her from death."

Cullen, "Did you light the fire?"

"Yes, but Logain ran. We got there in time. He just left Duncan and the King to die."

"I didn't get to see the battlefield. Was it overwhelmed with darkspawn?"

"That shouldn't matter-"

"It matters, sometimes remaining armies have to remain. We can't change it, we need a plan on what next."

"Neria should have a say."

It was two more days before Neria came out. Alistair and Cullen were training.

"You clashing woke me." Both of the men looked startled.

"You're alive!" Alistair gaped.

Flemeth, "Why do you sound shocked?"

Alistair, "Not shocked, just relieved. Don't turn me into anything. Did not know when she would wake up."

Morrigan, "Mother said it would be this morning."

Neria, "Thank you Flemeth. I'm in your debt for saving us 3 grey wardens."

Alistair, "How did you save us from the tower?"

"Why I turned into a great bird and swooped down grabbing you all in a talon."

Alistair, "Fine don't tell us."

Neria, "It may not be far from the truth. Shapeshifting is mage's ability."

Cullen, "She would have had to observed a creature, and to fly away with the three us it would have to be big."

Neria, "The only thing big enough would be a dragon, at least that I know us."

Alistair chuckled, "You both are trying to pull one over me. Shapeshifting isn't real."

Neria shimmered and where she stood was a plump little black and white cat. Flemeth picked her up, scratching behind her ear.

Cullen, "You look just like Nandi, before he was possessed."

Neria jumped from the old mage onto Alistair. Standing on his head she meowed loudly, he grabbed her. Startled Neria resume her normal form, with Alistair firmly palming her chest.

"Release me?"

Cullen was laughing, hard.

Neria smiled, "Do we have a plan?"

Alistair, "We discussed it some. Need to go to the elves, dwarves, and the mages. I say one of each of us go, to save time."

Cullen, "Don't know what we will encounter, it's better to stick together."

Alistair, "I doubt blights dawdle, perhaps send it a message to take its time."

Neria, "I'd die on my own, I'm a healer. My offensive magic isn't great."

Morrigan, "I can help with that."

Neria look startled, Cullen cut it. "While you were resting, I saw Morrigan hold her own against some darkspawn. I decided to enlist her help."

Alistair, "Yes because Apostates are excellent traveling companions."

Morrigan, "I promise that if I summon a demon, I will do so when you are not looking."

Alistair turned to Cullen, "I don't see why you are okay with this. She-"

Cullen, "No mage wants to lose themselves if they can help it."

Morrigan, "A sensible attitude, surprising from a templar. What say to you, Neria?"

"If you wish to join us, I'm happy to travel alongside you. I could use instruction, in battle magic."

Flemeth, "You will regret having her as a teacher, off with you children."

The group makes it through Lothering and recruits Leliana. In camp that night, Neria approached Morrigan. "Mind if I share you fire for a bit?"

"Do as you please."

"Thanks, all this conversation of the maker and chantry is aggravating."

"Not an Andrastrian, curious for a circle mage?"

"I never cared, all I wanted was to be in the lab understanding how the body works."

"So you allowed yourself to be a prisoner?"

"The circle provided me a place to study, colleagues to collaborate with. I'd say I'm less free now, since I cannot pursue my research."

"You could not leave if you chose too."

"My choice was my lab, now it is not an option. Other mages need other things. What about you, have you always been in the Wilds?"

Alistair kept looking at Neria and Morrigan. "Perhaps I should check on them."

Cullen, "If you want Morrigan's loyalty let Neria win it."

Leliana chuckled, "Neria was right you are a tactician."

Cullen, "I meant, Neria makes friends easily with everyone. No exceptions."

Alistair, "I know you mean to use Neria as a good influence, but what if Morrigan is a bad influence?"

Leliana, "She is a bit churlish, but how could she be a bad influence?"

Alistair, "I don't know! She just could."

Cullen, "Don't attack with zero evidence of a threat."

Neria came over handing Cullen a mug, "I also made a large batch when it cools I'll pour it into a flask." Cullen's hands were shaking. Neria glancing at Alistair and Leliana, took the cup from him and held out one hand, "Actually I remember there was something I wanted to ask, walk with me for a bit."

Cullen had followed her, "Would you like me to hold the cup while you drink?"

He snatched the cup, half of which poured on his chest. She sighed, "At least it wasn't too warm."

"I hate being an invalid."

"You swing a sword just fine, you are having a hard time with the fine motor skills. How are you feeling about lyrium?"

"I think this is what Duncan meant it gets easier. I don't crave the stuff, I see you drink the potion and I don't plan on how to get it from you though, like I was before the joining. I am not swinging a sword just fine, it's like I lost all the muscle memory." Cullen was rambling and dropped the mug and was leaning against the tree.

Neria, "I can't imagine how hard this is, I'm sorry."

Cullen, "It is not your fault, I made the choice."

"Why?"

"What?" Cullen rubbed the back of his neck.

"Why did you get my phylactery and escape with us. Why ask to be conscripted?" Neria was twisting her thumb ring.

"I've watched over you for years. I had just made the phylactery of a new apprentice, I switched the vials, right before yours was going to be sent off. The idea of you being made tranquil or killed for helping a friend, even a git. I couldn't."

"Thank you." Neria place her hand on his chest. He couldn't hear the birds anymore, blood was rushing overwhelming any sound. Her hand felt very warm. "There, I think that takes care of the stain. Feel free to wake me if you are going to vomit. Morrigan thinks she understands the spell, but don't let her no matter how confident she seems." Neria turned away, Cullen debated grabbing her. She'd probably turn her face, and sternly tell him to let her go. He saw her do that to an aggressive mage once. She went and sat by Leliana, eating the stew.

In the morning the group was fighting darkspawn. Alistair was picking through their corpses for loot. "Cullen, you to know your way around fight with mages."

"I was a templar, I watched them."

Morrigan laughed, "And here I thought you were gazing lustfully."

Leliana handing Morrigan a ring to improve fire casting, "Watching and fighting with are two different things, you've practiced. You've pushed Alistair and myself out of the way a few times. You've only been nicked by Morrigan's spells."

Neria, "Cullen knows the range of my spells to an inch. Just as I know where to stand when he swings his greatsword."

Alistair's jaw went a little slack, "You've trained together? A templar and a mage in the circle?"

Neria, "Is that so surprising? Abominations are just as much a threat to mages, of course we train together."

Cullen shrugged, "It is abnormal, outside of ferelden it is not done. The story I heard, is Greagoir implemented it after fighting the Orlesians with Irving and Wynne."

Neria smiled, "O I remember Greagoir and Wynne joking about it would be unfair if they competed."

Leliana, "Competed?"

Cullen ran his hand through his hair, smearing blood on it. "Neria, I don't know if we are suppose to be talking about it."

"Did you ever receive orders not to? Anyways annually the circle would have a competition a mage and templar team. First blood."

Alistair, "Comradery?"

Cullen, "I think that was the intent, some templars thought we were getting too close to our charges."

Leliana, "Did you two ever compete together."

Neria shook her head, "Apprentices cannot compete, I was so newly harrowed. Cullen and I did take down my cat when he turned abomination. Cullen nearly won with Anders last year. Anders was another mage in the Healers wing."

Morrigan, "Shall we go, or are we waiting for the darkspawn to rise again?"