A/N: Well Chapter 4 is Ostagar. MORE WARDENS! Plus a bit of alluding to Vaughan doing more to the City Elf then the game went into. Harder to write that stuff but finally got it done. Enjoy guys! Don't own DA. Bioware does. Lucky buggers.

Ostagar

Valtor Aeducan looked at his fellows. He may not have been a Warden yet but there was much he had learned about them since being saved in the Deep Roads by their second-in-command, Greyfer. If it hadn't been for Greyfer and that casteless thug Quartz Brosca he would be dead. He hated looking at her because she was so damn beautiful. He sighed because he knew a noble dwarf like himself could never marry or be with a casteless. He continued to keep watch at the fortress of Ostagar's entrance, keeping an eye out for Duncan and the five recruits he sent word of.

"See anything yet?" A sultry voice asked him. Valtor turned to see Quartz smiling at him. Valtor had sweat run down his bearded face; he never had anyone make him feel like a childish fool before. She stared at him some more before he said anything.

"No, nothing yet. Would you like to look?" He asked holding out the spyglass. She took the spyglass and looked out toward the entrance. Valtor found himself watching her. The blue eye in the glass searched intently for the leader of the Wardens and his new recruits. He really hoped he would survive the joining so he could travel with her for quite a long time.

"THERE!" She shouted; Valtor nearly fell backward with the sudden outburst. "Go tell Greyfer. He'll be happy to know." Valtor ran to the Ander to tell him the news. Greyfer may have been a big burly man but he was deep down a large teddy bear that was easier to talk to than any of the other Wardens.

"Duncan has arrived with the others Greyfer." The man looked at the young dwarf prince and nodded. "Shall we go to greet them sir?" The second-in-command shook his head at the dwarf and went back to tending the camp's fire. Valtor sighed unhappily and went back to Quartz and the tower he was at before hand. "Anything new?" He asked the female dwarf.

She shook her head, "Of course not. King Cailan greeted them and they talked for a moment. Now they're just talking amongst themselves. One of the men seems to have a real knack for upsetting a female down there," she explained. She looked at him and smiled, her blue eyes penetrating deep into his soul. "If you survive the joining meet me at the Tower of Ishal, if you have time of course." Valtor nodded as Quartz walked away, "see you then," She said and winked as she walked off.

"By the stone."

DaODaODaO

Deacon hadn't slept since his joining. Duncan seemed very upset with him at first but after they left the Circle Tower the elder Warden seemed to have cooled off. The nightmares kept getting worse and worse. He looked to Duncan for guidance to see what else he would be dealing with. "You'll see," the old man said. Deacon hated that, it was the same thing his father did when Deacon asked what his duties would be in the future.

"Are you alright?" Katriel asked him. His face instantly flared red and didn't know what to do. He was still trying to figure out why she was so concerned for him. He wasn't attractive, and he could have sworn she had killed a human noble; granted Vaughan deserved it.

"Yes. I am fine Katriel. Thank you, your concern is greatly appreciated," he said with a smile. Katriel returned the smile and her green eyes shined like emeralds; making the barriers he had tried to put up the last two weeks crumble into dust. He playfully bumped her and she bumped him back.

"Will you two knock it off?" Skyla yelled. The mage had gotten on Deacon's nerves even after he had been nice to her and not said a mean thing to her. If she wasn't his little brother's friend and guarded by a templar; she would be getting a piece of his mind. "We are in the presence of the King's army!"

Katriel rolled her eyes and bumped Deacon again. Skyla lost it and was about to hit Katriel when Cullen grabbed her arm. "No my love, we need no violence." Deacon's respect for the templar slightly increased with his statement. Duncan chuckled when he finally turned to see the commotion between his recruits.

Deacon was happy to be a warden and glad Duncan had let them go to the Circle Tower after they escaped from Highever. He could never have saved Galen in time, he was sure the Templars were going to make him Tranquil. Deacon failed to see what Duncan saw in Skyla as she was: annoying, loud, and impossible to even talk to; but did not question his motives. 'Two mages are better than one,' He thought.

Deacon's head started to ache and he put his hand to his forehead. Katriel grabbed his hand and new strength flowed into him; he didn't know what to make of the elf. She hated humans but treated him as her own kind. She was beautiful with her blonde hair and green eyes. Her personality never conflicted with his and not to mention he had a really good looking body. He just really hoped she survived the joining.

DaODaODaO

Katriel had never felt as safe as she did when she held onto Deacon. When he smiled, her heart melted and her knees turned to butter. Never had she been attracted to a human before. She definitely knew that not all of them were like him. She was about to say something when Skyla started to complain again.

"Seriously if you have nothing constructive to say, please shut the hell up" Deacon said finally breaking his silence on the issue. Katriel giggled as Skyla went to cast a spell but Cullen stopped her. Katriel felt bad for the templar as he was the only one who even tolerated her complaining, yet he still shot Deacon an upset look. He must've really loved her if he put up with it.

Cullen frowned at Deacon with a 'You bastard' look and Deacon smirked at his new friend's pain. The templar sighed and followed Duncan to the Grey Warden's tent, Katriel noticed several other Wardens at the tent waiting for them. Duncan raised his arms and several of the wardens rushed the group. Katriel was grabbed some of the elves and dragged away from Deacon. "Where are you taking them?" Deacon asked the Warden Commander. He tried to reach Katriel but she was too far away from him.

"Do not worry Deacon," A blonde man said to him, "it's just to give them a fighting chance against the joining." Deacon looked at Katriel with sorrow and her sense of security from him was taken away. Cullen had drawn his sword but was hit over the head by a very large burly man. Skyla started casting a spell but was restrained by several of the other mages. Galen looked at his brother but decided not to resist as he was taken away from the large group. Deacon looked only at Katriel, he gave her a smile of reassurance and she stopped resisting.

Katriel was dragged to the elven tent where the males had left and the only female elf demanded Katriel to remove her clothing. Katriel followed orders and stood before the other elf baring her scars and bruises from Vaughan's treatment. The other elf held her hands over her mouth as she grabbed a cloth, cleaning Katriel's beaten body. "Human's can be so cruel," the elf muttered.

Katriel's tears fell down her face silently, thinking of what had happened to her and Shianni. While the elf cleaned her Katriel cried silently as she relived the day of her wedding. Nelaros was being cut down, Shianni being found in a catatonic state, and the guard wanting to take her to be hung. Then she remembered the one bright star in that entire day, Deacon. The tears suddenly stopped as she thought of him. His hazel eyes staring into hers as he carried her away from the Alienage after she collapsed.

"I'm sorry Lethalin, I hadn't known that there was someone," The female elf said her hand in Katriel's. Katriel smiled at the other elf and started firing questions at her. "I am Luna. I will be your preparer for the joining. Please apply your clothing and the others may join us to share the tales we all have." She said with a smile.

Katriel was clothed in a rough leather armor with two daggers upon her back when the other elves walked in. "You are home now Lethalin. We will be here for you every step of the way." Luna started by explaining how her clan had been slaughtered by the werewolves fifteen years before and how Duncan had found her. Another elf named Shenzi came from Val Royeaux and spoke with a funny accent that made Katriel giggle. Rafik, was an Antivan Crow before Greyfer caught him, the two then joined forces and joined the wardens together.

After the other elves told their stories Katriel felt like she was at the Alienage with all her old friends and family. "Can I stay here after the joining?" Katriel asked. Everyone in the tent suddenly went very quiet. Katriel looked at Luna who tried to shy away from her glance. "Luna? What's the matter?" She asked. The elder elf sighed and turned to Katriel.

"If you live you may," Luna said. Katriel looked to the other elves who's heads were lowered in remorse. "The joining isn't easy, Lethalin. It is very dangerous, many have tried and failed to become apart of the order. The other elves started praying in their respective tongues. Katriel became frightened, she didn't know what to say, she didn't want to die. "You are a great person, Lethalin. You also have great strength. Do not forget that," Luna encouraged. Katriel suddenly didn't feel as scared as before but still had that fright amongst her.

"I predict you will be greatly important to the world."

A/N: Definately the longest one so far. Next comes the joining boys and girls. Hope you guys are still being entertained by the story. Please Comment and Review but be nice for crying out loud folks. See you in Chapter 5