Alistair and I stood on opposite ends of our group of friends, as the funeral for a dear friend began. Zevran placed his arm around my shoulder and I leant my head against his. Dog forced his head under my other hand and I gentle rubbed the spot between his eyes. He gave a quickly grumble of approval. I cautiously looked over at Alistair, careful to not get caught. Leliana had grabbed his arm. The wee gesture caused a wee surge of jealousy in my chest and I narrowed my eyes at them. It was quickly dampened by anger at myself for being so stupid as to care if Lelliana was touching him. Oghren was standing in the middle of us all with his head held high. His chin was set and his eye forward. If it wasn't for sparkle in his eyes you would never know he had been crying.

Wynne's body was placed on a small raft that was covered in beautiful flowers and engravings. The day was calm, the water and sky equal amounts of stunning blue. The tower still looked like a menacing scar of blackness against the amazing countryside. All the mages stood in a guard of honour as the First Enchanter lifted his staff into the air and a small fire bolt fired up into the sky, making a large arch and landed on Wynnes boat. Quickly the boat caught fire and smoke drifted up to t he sky. I took in a shaky breath and let a few more tears flow before Zevran and I turned and walked back towards the Inn.

Zevran placed the mug of Ale down in front of me and took the seat opposite. We both took a quiet sip. Memories of Wynne and our time together moved through my mind. The one where she told me off about Alistair played over and over. It was the only time I disliked Wynne.

It was well past sundown. Wynne was standing next to her tent watching Alistair and I as we spoke quietly by the camp fire. Nothing had been said between us about our feelings yet but they were more than obvious. When I went to talk to Wynne she smiled, her face was much younger than her years. The corners of his eyes crinkled and she changed her weight to her left leg "You two are quiet taken with each other aren't you?"

Wynne hadn't even been with us all that long. I didn't think she would have noticed so quickly. "You know about Alistair and me?" I blushed slightly and pushed a piece of hair behind my ear, avoiding her eyes.

"Its hard not to notice the doe eyed looks he gives you. Especially when he thinks no one is watching." I peaked over my shoulder and she was right he was looking at me. His eyes soft and adoring. It was so foreign to me. No one had looked at me like that. Even my betrothed husband didn't look at me with the love that Alistair did. "Its almost to sweet for my tastes" she continued with a smile. "And I'm an old lady that should be making lace hearts and fuzzy blankets with animal motifs."

I laughed looking back at her "You're not like the average old lady."

"No." She smiled fondly "I wont be making socks with pom poms on them for you anytime soon, but that's hardly my point." Suddenly serious "I've noticed your blossoming relationship and I wanted to ask you where you thought it was going?" Her eyes narrowed slightly "Alistair is a fine lad, skilled in battle, but quiet inexperienced when it comes to affairs of the heart. I would hate to see him get hurt."

My first react was anger. Alistair was my dearest friend. I loved him. I remember she glared back at me when my eyes narrowed at her, defiant as ever. "We are taking it one day at a time."

She shook her head "You are both Grey Wardens, and he is the son of a King. You have responsibilities which supersede your personal desires."

"I'm a living being," my anger growing again "with emotions. Not just a Grey Warden."

"Love is ultimately selfish. It demands that one be devoted to a single person, who may fully occupy ones mind and heart. To the exclusion of all else. A grey warden cannot afford to be selfish. You may be forced to make a choice between saving your love and saving everyone else and then what would you do?"

I sighed and folded my arms "Your making things more dire than they are"

"Nothing is certain, not in these times. You can not take anything for granted. I want you to be aware of this." I couldn't tell if she was angry or not but she was very serious.

I think looking back that she was just trying to help but at the time I hated her. I had hardly known this women three days and she was trying to get between me and the only support system I had had since Shianni and my family at the Alienage. "Are you trying to get me to end this?"

"You may have to. To save one or both of you unnecessary anguish later on." Her eyes softened slightly. She was trying to make me see what was at the end of this quest but I was stubborn.

"Im not giving up what we have. No matter what you say."

"I have given my advice do with it what you will." And that was the end of the conversation. I turned quickly and went to sit next to Zevran and complain to him about the conversation.

"I know exactly what you are thinking about Kali." Zevtan smiled at me.

A soft quiet smile pulled at the corner of my lips. "Yeah she really annoyed me with that conversation." I took a sip of my ale "If I didn't know her any better I would think she was physic."

"Maybe she was." Zevran laughed but quickly stopped as soon as Alistair walked into the room and stood at the end of the table.

Alistair put his palms down on the table and looked between Zevran and me but I quickly looked down at my mug avoiding eye contact completely. "Will you guys come back to the Castle with me?"

I looked up at Zevran and he shrugged "I don't really have much else to do so sure." He took a quick sip and smiled at me "You coming Kali?"

With a sigh I finished the last of my ale and turned to glare at Alistair. "Yeah I'll be there."

He didn't smile. "Good. We will leave tomorrow. Sleep well." He turned and headed towards the rooms.

Without realizing it I released the breath I had been holding. Zevran finished his drink "It is getting late Kali. Shall we head off to bed my dear?"

Early the next day the three of us set out towards Denerim. It would take a good 3 or 4 days to get there. Lelianna had been sobbing when we left. She wished she could have come with us to help defeat another Blight. She hugged all three of us, squeezed Dog and sniffed "I must return to the Chantry but I do wish I had the time to help you Alistair."

"Its alright Lelliana," he smiled before flicking his leg over his horse and getting comfortable "If we need your help we will call on you."

She nodded, her lip shivering slightly "I will miss you all."

Oghren hadn't woken up after his all night bender so we left message with the Inn Keeper to tell him what was happening.

The road between the Lake and Denerim had greatly improved since the last time I had travelled along it. The trees were green, the sky was blue and the road were not covered in corpse. I thought with Alistair being King we would be travelling in a high class fashion. With guards and a carriage and amazing camps. I was wrong. Seems Alistair didn't like to travel that way. Said he would rather travel a little less conspicuously. We were on horse back. Bloody horse back. I had never been on a horse in my life. Zevran took to it quickly. He sat on the back of the horse and started running circles, literally, around me. "Come on Kali it not that hard." he mocked.

Alistair was sitting on his own horse, his two bodyguards flanking him, with a small smile on his face. I didn't look at him, well I gave him a stop-looking-at-me-before-I-smack-you glare, but that was it. I climbed onto my black horse and hesitantly grabbed hold of the reins. It took at least half a day but I was soon feeling comfortable in the saddle. Dog trotted along beside us. I was surprised the old boy could jog this long. Alistair lead the way down the road, while Zevran kept putting me off my concentration with this massive horse. He manoeuvred his horse so he was walking far to close to me. I could feel the horse breath on my leg "Zev! I'm trying to concentrate here!" I snapped back at him without taking my eyes off the back of my horses head.

He laughed behind me "Oh my dear you are far to stressed. Just relax." I managed to glare over my shoulder at him and he laughed harder "I have never seen my Grey Warden so worked up over something." I noticed Alistair turn his head in our direction slightly as Zevran continued "Usually so confident and calm in everything you do. To see you so out of sorts is refreshing my dear."

It was surprising the amount of people that travelled the roads these days. Around the time I left everyone avoided the roads. Bandits, rouge mages and dark spawn ruled these roads last time I travelled. There were a few merchants of course but they were all well guards by mercenaries charging to much for their services. I remember coming across many ransacked merchant caravans through out our travels. Zevran was smart enough to figure that out and used it to try and kill Alistair and I. That was how we met. I didn't trust him for a long time after that but his skills were necessary for our quest at the time. I never thought he would turn out to be one of my best friends.

We stopped for camp just before sun down. The camp site was next to the river. A few longs had been pulled up by previous travellers and a small pile of cold ashes sat in the middle of it. I clambered off the horse and landed harder than I usually would on the ground. My muscles ached so bad. I was sure I was walking funny as I handed the reins of the horse to one of Alistiars bodyguards and sitting on one of the logs. "Guess it takes a bit of getting use to."

Alistair flipped his leg over his horse and landed easily on the ground, he took the reins and led his horse to the water edge where it eagerly drank the water. Dipping his hand into the water he took a quick sip and rubbed it over his face. The brown horse beside him drank quickly before turning its head away from Alistair and began grazing on the long green grass next to the river. Dog walked over to the waters edge and began drinking greedily. Alistair stood and stretched his limbs high into the air. I could see the muscles moving under his thin shirt. I felt Zevran standing beside me before he said anything. The grin on his face said it all. I glared at him out of the corner of my eye. "My dear. I think you are staring."

"Am not." I spun on my heel and walked toward the fire pit. "Go find some wood, Zevran." He shrugged with a snicker before heading towards the small group of trees to the west of camp.

I was not staring. While I was preparing the fire pit my eyes flicked up to Alistair. He was now talking with one of his guards. Laughing quietly. While Zevran was away I took the chance to actually look at Alistair. He was just as handsome as the day I left him. The stubble on his chin was maybe a little darker than it had been while we travelled either that or his skin had lost a little of its tan after being in court for so long. Typically he chose this moment to look over at me. Our eyes met and for a few moments I was unable to look away from him. My heart beat increased and I felt my cheeks blush. Swallowing my pride I looked back down at the ashes in the fire pit and tired to forget the feelings Alistair stirred in me. Dog padded up beside me and fell onto the ground exhausted. I placed my hand on his head and smiled "I think you are getting old boy." He just grumbled in response as his eyes slid shut.

Later in the night I was lying back in the dirt. The fire was roaring at my feet and the sky above me was perfectly clear and a million stars sparkled above me. Zevran was sitting beside me. His legs crossed under him as he lent forward toward the fire. Alistair was sitting on the other side of the fire in a similar position to Zevran. The two of them were chatting away quietly to each other. I wasn't really listening to them. The fresh air was relaxing and the breeze was moving quietly through the leaves in the trees I was almost falling asleep. Dog was dreaming beside me. Kicking in his sleep and chomping his jaws every so often. Probably thinking of Dark Spawn.

With a sigh I sat up, my muscles were already aching from the hard ground. I looked straight over at Alistair. He didn't look at me though. His eyes were firmly locked on the fire. Taking a deep breath in I watched him. He looked older than I thought he would be. He was a true king now though. He had accepted his noble blood. I always knew he would be an amazing king. The relaxed nature of his, which he feared would be his downfall as king, had become his greatest asset.

Zevran stood beside me "So who taking first watch?"

I opened my mouth but Alistair cut me off "I'll take first watch. Kali you take second and Zevran can take the morning."

I found myself glaring at him. For so long I had lead this group. Of course I never wanted to but Alistair was more reluctant than I was. Now he was order us all around. Like King Alistair should. Zevran nudged me with his toe "Looks like your position as leader has been taken my dear."

The corner of my lip rose slightly "I guess King Alistair does take presidents over the Hero of Feralden."

Through the sparkling of the fire I saw Alistair's eyes soften for the first time. It was almost as if we were back in the Blight, staring at each other over the top of the fire pit. As Zevran walked away towards his tent I stood and did the same. Dog was still happily asleep. I forced myself not to look over my shoulder as I climbed into the tent. My muscles, in particular my leg muscles, were happy to finally relax after that horse ride.

It had been a long time since I dreamt of the dark spawn. Tonight they haunted me. They were crawling at the corners of my mind. Their voices echoing in my thoughts. I could not understand them. Thankfully. The Arch Demon appeared slowly through the darkness and its red eyes glowed dangerously at me. I could feel a blade in my hand. I narrowed my eyes and lifted the blade above my head. I pierced through the dragons skull with a scream. The Demon vanished in a flash of flames and it was dark again. The blade disappeared and I felt very alone. The darkness was so thick I wasn't sure my eyes were even open. A quiet cackle was heard behind me. I turned quickly and saw Morrigan grinning at me.

Instantly I wished the blade was back in my hands so I could pierce it through her heart there and then.

Dog woke me with a lick to the face. "Ah thanks boy, nice wake up."

Sitting up I pinched the bridge between my nose. Alistair being around was bringing up memories for me I long wished dead. Sighing I pulled on some light armour and clambered out of the tent. The sky was perfectly clear tonight. Thousands of stars sparkled above us. I took in a long crisp breath and let the dream disappear in the light breeze that was moving from across the river.