Moonlight trickled like soft, glowing water over the forest floor, and the scent of juniper and wild flowers tickled her nose. She smiled before opening her eyes, stretching her limbs out over the countless silk cushions spread out over a carved poster bed. Though it was dark, the moon illuminated the meadow in which the bed sat, and it was then that she noticed a man seated by her feet, watching her. She smiled, and he turned and placed his head in his hands. Crawling over to him, she tried to lift his hands away, but he wouldn't budge.

"Do you still have it?" the man asked anxiously as he turned to gaze out into the forest. Fireflies wafted lazily through the air, stopping only for the briefest moment on the petals of a flower and turning them into little lanterns of pink and white. Tiny candles hung from the stars on invisible threads.

"Do I still have what?" she said confusedly as she gently tugged at his arm. "Come back to bed and lay with me."

He turned to face her, his eyes filled with sorrow. "Do you still have it?" he asked again.

"Of course I do. Why would I throw it away?" she cooed reassuringly. She stroked his face lovingly, before laying back upon a mountain of pillows, her silk gown spilling over the side of the bed. The man smiled and laid his head down on her lap, and she continued to stroke his head softly.

"I always worried that you wouldn't keep it, that you'd get rid of it and forget about me," he whispered, closing his eyes.

"Why would you think that, Alistair?" she asked, placing her other hand on the small of his back.

He looked up at her and frowned. "I broke your heart. You should forget about me, Kae."

"You did what was necessary. I could never hate you for that," Kaetryn smiled.

He stared at her in quiet admiration before rolling over and sitting up to get a better look at their surroundings. "Where are we?" Alistair asked, as he looked around bewilderedly.

Kaetryn admired his naked middle, and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer. He smelled just as she remembered from their travels, like a mixture of sweet musk and warm earth, with a faint hint of old cheese. It made her smile. "This is the Fade, and I am dreaming," she giggled.

"Then I must be dreaming too!" he laughed as he ran his hands up her body before planting a firm kiss on her lips. She winked, and he flipped onto his back, playfully pulling her on top of him so she straddled his hips. "You can't punish a man for what he does in his dreams, right?"

"No, I suppose it would be hard to keep track," Kaetryn laughed as she leaned forward and kissed him deeply. His right hand brushed her hair back, and settled on her neck, before pulling her gown down past her shoulder. He fumbled clumsily with it before Kaetryn grabbed his hands and put them gently around her hips. She reached up and unlaced the gown, pulling it completely down to her waist. Alistair gawked, before sitting up and pulling her tight against his chest in a warm embrace, kissing her neck and face.

"I miss you," he whispered.

"And I you, old friend," she whispered back.

He stared deeply into her eyes. "I would give anything to make it up to you, Kae. Would you let me do that?"

Kaetryn returned his gaze, regret filling her face. "I don't see how that's possible, Alistair. After tonight, I'll wake up in Weisshaupt, and you'll be back in Denerim-a thousand miles away."

"Then stay here with me. Forever," he smiled as he kissed her neck, his hot breath burning her skin.

Tears welled up her her eyes and she faltered. "You know I can't do that-"

Alistair picked her up and laid her down on the bed beside him, cradling her in his arms. "Of course you can, my love. Just close your eyes, and we can stay here together, forever. No duty will ever pull us apart again," he sighed happily as he kissed her lips again, running his hand up her thigh.

Kaetryn ground her teeth bitterly. Reaching into the folds of her dress, she pulled out a silver dagger and tucked it beneath her leg, keeping her hand on its hilt. She turned her head away as a tear slid down her cheek. Alistair frowned, and sat up. "Have I done something?" he asked.

Kaetryn sat up and wrapped her left arm tightly around his neck, pulling him close. "I loved you, Alistair. I loved you more than you will ever understand, and if there had been a way for us to still be together, believe me, I would have found it." She pulled the dagger out from under her thigh and dragged it across his throat in a quick, brutal stroke. Alistair tried to shove her away, but she clung to him tightly as his blood poured over her bare chest. She raised the blade high, then plunged it deep into his back, piercing his heart. It made a sick, wet squish as a gurgle of pain bubbled up in his throat. She still held on to him tightly, kissing him passionately as tears ran down her face. Blood spilled everywhere, staining the sheets and soaking through her dress. She clamped her eyes shut, taking a few deep breaths. When she opened them again, she was alone, the brightness of the moon dimmed and the fireflies fizzled out of existence. Kaetryn lifted her blood-soaked dress over her shoulders as she stood up, covering her bare breasts and searching the surrounding area. A soft giggle from behind her made her jump, but peering into the watery shadows of the Fade revealed nothing.

"Show yourself!" she screamed, her voice cracking with fury as she stomped her foot.

"You are very powerful, mortal. Your kind rarely see through my guise," a woman's voice hummed softly.

"You dare try to take my body, Demon? I'll kill you right here and now. How dare you enter my thoughts!" Kaetryn growled.

The Desire Demon emerged from the bushes behind her, and laughed as Kaetryn whirled around. Its spine-like tail curled around its leg, and it continued to giggle demurely as it stroked its mauve-coloured breasts. "Oh but you desire nothing more than to be his woman, do you not? You would even give up your magic, just to be in his arms again, wouldn't you? Give me your power! Give me your body and I will see to it that you never leave his side again!"

"Shut up, wretch!" screamed Kaetryn as she clenched her fists. Her body shimmered as she pulled energy from the Fade around her, and outstretched her arm as a bolt of lightning shot forth, cutting a hole through the Demon's chest. It screeched in agony and collapsed. Kaetryn ran to its side and yanked it's face up by the horns. "Release me. Release me now, or die."

The Veil tore, and the fragments wavered ever so slightly, as if it were a gossamer curtain blowing in the wind, and beyond it was awash in golden light. Kaetryn dropped the Demon, and began walking towards the tear in the Veil, when it called out to her. "You will pay for this! I will not be so kind next time! You will live in eternal loneliness while I possess your body, and when it dies, I will live on until it is little more than dust! I will thrive on your desires-for freedom and for love! You will sustain me for many ages, mortal! I swear it!" it snarled as it writhed in pain.

Kaetryn snatched a ball of fire from the air, triggering an infernal explosion when it met the Demon's flesh. It flailed and screamed, trying desperately to put the fire out, but Kaetryn sustained the flames as she watched it burn. The surroundings faded away entirely, the Demon no longer able to sustain the illusion. She was left standing in a barren desert, completely devoid of life. When the Demon finally stopped screaming, she allowed the flame to flicker out, and Kaetryn stared at the Demon's charred body with grim satisfaction as she let the blood-laden dress fall around her ankles. Naked, Kaetryn pushed her way through the tear in the Veil, forcing herself awake and out of the Fade.

Her eyes winked open, and she rolled onto her side with a sigh, cursing herself for being so easily fooled. It had been so long since a Demon tried to temp her into giving up her earthly vessel; she had almost let her guard down completely. It was a mistake she would not make again.

The sun had just began to rise, and the sky was a soft, blushing peach in the distant horizon. Impulsively, she reached over the side of the bed and underneath it, pulling out the bag that she had packed the night before. She rummaged through it until she found a book of maps that she had purchased in Highever, before sailing to Cumberland on her way to Weisshaupt. Kaetryn rubbed the hard leather cover before flipping to a map of Ferelden, which had a plain, white handkerchief folded between the pages. She took it out and tossed the book aside as she delicately unwrapped the handkerchief, revealing a delicate, dried rose. The flower had been pressed flat, but the petals still bore the same deep crimson colour it possessed the day she got it, paper-thin and velvety in texture.

The afternoon had been warm; thunder boomed in the distance as night encroached on the Bannorn, and the party had taken shelter within the abandoned fortress at West Hill, the Western-most Arling in the the Northern Coastlands. Capable of housing an army of over a thousand, it now only held a few hundred. Bann Franderel had been gracious enough to allow Kaetryn and her companions to wait out the impending storm inside an empty garrison-provided they hid themselves from view and left as soon as the storm passed under the cover darkness. Teryn Loghain had not yet been deposed, and aiding the Grey Wardens was still a punishable offence. From her chair by a tiny, dust-caked window, Kaetryn watched the flashes of lightning in the distance and the flags bearing West Hill's ringed bull heraldry whip about frantically in the wind. Running her hands over her lap, she felt a fray in the hem of her tunic, and turned to glare at it in frustration before digging out her sewing needle and ripping a piece of thread from her cloak to mend it. The journey to Denerim had been both fruitless and dangerous, owing to the fact that both Alistair and herself were wanted fugitives, and that they were unable to locate Brother Genitivi. The only clue she could find hinted at his intended whereabouts from a few weeks passed. He had departed for "The Spoiled Princess Inn" near Lake Calenhad, and from there, his trail went cold. Something about Genitivi's assistant, Weylon had been off; he was very jumpy, and some of the information he had given them seemed contradictory. Kaetryn even half-hoped that they'd never find him, resenting even being sent on such an absurd quest. The hunt for the Urn of Sacred Ashes seemed absolutely ludicrous to her-it was just an allegorical legend from the Chant of Light, but her healing magic had done nothing to improve Arl Eamon's condition and as farfetched as it felt, this was the only option they had not pursued as of yet.

She glanced over at Alistair, as she was now in the habit of doing quite often, and found him delicately shining Cailan's armour. They had retrieved it from some Darkspawn at the ruins of Ostagar, months after the disastrous battle, and Kaetryn insisted that Alistair make use of it. It was well made, and fit Alistair as perfectly as it had probably fit Cailan. They had also managed to retrieve the Theirin family shield and the late King Maric's blade. The sword was unlike anything she had ever seen, and it had not been difficult to convince Alistair to carry it with him, since he had no other relic to assert his birthright. Alistair noticed her watching him, and they both looked away, blushing. Kaetryn busied herself with sewing and giggled as she watched Dane harass Wynne for scraps of food. Just then, a soft rustle from her right startled her, and she looked stricken as Alistair quietly sat down beside her. He smiled and placed a small flower on her lap.

"Here, look at this. Do you know what this is?" he asked softly.

Kaetryn looked at the rose for a moment, forever petrified in a sort of half-bloom, and was taken aback by the simplicity of his inquiry. "Is this a trick question?" she whispered back, trying not to draw the attention of anyone else.

"Yes! Absolutely!" he chuckled quietly, scanning the room to make sure no one was watching their private exchange. "I'm trying to trick you-is it working?" She nudged him with her shoulder as she picked up the flower, marvelling at the beauty it still possessed after being dead for so long.

"It's a rose, Alistair," she scoffed as she smelled it, delighted by its heady scent.

"Aw, I just about had you, didn't I?" he winked.

"I've seen you thumbing this thing for a while now," Kaetryn remarked.

Alistair nodded solemnly. "I picked it in Lothering. I remember thinking, 'How could something so beautiful, exist in a place with so much despair and ugliness?' I probably should have left it alone, but I couldn't. The Darkspawn were coming, and their taint would just destroy it-so I've had it ever since."

"That's a nice sentiment," Kaetryn said with a surprised smile. On the outside, Alistair appeared to be little more than a goofy child, but he sometimes surprised her with an insight that she would have never guessed he had.

Alistair smiled back, and twiddled his thumbs awkwardly for a moment. "I thought that I might... give it to you, actually," he murmured to his feet. "In a lot of ways, I think the same thing when I look at you."

Kaetryn couldn't quite process his statement, and her mind twisted into a confounding place. "You think of me as a 'gentle flower?'" she snorted, proceeded by a sound comparable to a rusty door hinge with the hiccups.

"A gentle flower?" Alistair chuckled? "Haha, no. I don't know that I'd put it that way." Still smiling, he leaned back and rested his hand on his crossed arms. "I guess it's a bit silly, isn't it? I just thought... 'Here I am doing all this complaining,' and you haven't exactly been having a good time of it yourself. You've had none of the good experiences of being a Grey Warden since your Joining-not a word of thanks or congratulations. It's all just been death and fighting and... tragedy. I thought maybe I should say something." He leaned forward, the tips of his ear burning red. "Tell you what a rare and wonderful thing you are to find amidst all this... darkness."

They gawked at each for a few seconds, exchanging breathless words through flustered glances. Finally Kaetryn coughed, barely managing to choke a few words out. "Ahh. So a corny sentiment?"

Alistair's teeth clenched together as he winced. "Well what was I supposed to do? Write you a poem? Pull your hair? I just saw the rose... I suppose I did it on impulse." He stood up, searching for the nearest hole to thrust himself into, but quickly sat down again, covering his face with his hands. "Was it the wrong one?" he said with a muted cringe.

"Maybe not," Kaetryn whispered with a grin as she inspected the flower more closely. "It's kind of cute, I suppose."

"Cute? Cute! Just what I was aiming for!" Alistair exhaled sharply as he clenched his sides as if he'd just been run through with a knife. "Next time, just stab me in the face before you say something like that." Kaetryn gave him an apologetic smile and he shrugged and he stood up, looming over her. "I'm glad you like it. Now... if we could move right on past the awkward part and get to the steamy bits, I'd appreciate it."

Kaetryn shot up and met his eyes with an mischievous look. "Sounds good! Off with the armour then?" she asked as she allowed her cloak slip to the floor.

Alistair laughed as he jumped back, his hands shot up defensively. "Haha! Bluff called!" he announced. "Damn! She saw right through me!"

They exchanged a friendly smile, each taking their time to relish in their new discovery, before an amused laugh shattered their delectation. "Oh you're so adorable when you're bashful!" Wynne clucked from across the room, and they both turned to see everyone staring at them in amusement, save Morrigan, who looked away in disgust.

Kaetryn blanched in embarrassment, and Alistair cleared his throat several times. "I'll be... ahem... standing over here." He turned around and muttered over his shoulder. "Until the blushing stops, just to the be safe. You know how it is."

"Yes. Perhaps that would be best," Kaetryn hissed. She glanced at Wynne, Leliana and then Zevran, all of whom were waiting for her to react, before taking a step forward. "We move out after sundown whether the storm has stopped or not. I want to reach the Calenhad docks within the next day or so, and the longer we stay here the more we risk drawing attention to Bann Franderel's generosity." Everyone groaned, but nodded as they lay down to rest for the remaining hours of daylight. Kaetryn resumed furiously stitching her tunic, but exchanged a quick smile with Alistair, a grin she wore for the rest of the day.

Gently wrapping the dried flower back into it's protective cloth, she placed it back between the pages of her book, and tucked it neatly back into her bag. Tossing her bedsheets aside, Kaetryn got dressed quickly, and marched towards the base of the North tower with staff in hand, arriving an hour before the meeting was supposed to begin. Not wanting to be late, she wandered the corridors aimlessly, avoiding the curious looks she got from everyone who walked passed. After completing a third lap through the hallways, she found herself at the base of the Aerie once again, and discovered Teris struggling to open the door with a pile of books and paper scolls in his hands. Kaetryn rushed over, and pulled the door open for him with a smile.

"You're early today," Teris remarked with an appreciative glance.

"I am eager to return to my duties in Ferelden, ser. Perhaps I was hoping if I got here early, this business could be concluded today and I could leave before sunset," Kaetryn said sheepishly as they began their ascent of the tower.

"Are your accommodations here at Weisshaupt not to your liking?" Teris asked, mild concern in his voice.

Kaetryn fumbled for an excuse, not wanting to let on that the Hero of Ferelden was bothered by gossip. "There aren't very many dogs in the Anderfels. It's a bit off-putting, ser," she winked.

Teris let out a hearty laugh. "Mage or no, it appears you Fereldens are all the same." They continued to climb the stairwell for a few minutes in silence before Teris stopped to steady his pile of books. Kaetryn reached out to lighten his load, but he waved her away. "I would never ask a lady to share my burden," he smiled.

Kaetryn simply laughed. "I am a Grey Warden. A cumbersome pile of books is nothing I can't handle. Please, I insist," she said as she plucked a few of the scrolls and leather-bound tomes from the top of Teris' arms. He nodded his thanks and they continued up the stairs.

"You're are youngest, you know," Teris said out of the blue.

"Pardon?" Kaetryn asked, rather confused by his lack of context.

"The youngest woman to ever be granted the rank of Commander of the Grey," Teris remarked, deep in thought. "I'll admit it's hard to argue that you aren't the most qualified Ferelden. It is rare to find someone as experienced as you are in dealing with Darkspawn."

Kaetryn's eyes widened. "I... I don't really know what to say, ser. I'm honoured..."

"Ha! Don't thank me, child. I was vehemently against the idea!" Teris laughed as he shifted the weight of his books around in his arms. "But... looking back, you are probably more prepared for the job than I was when I was chosen."

"You were a Warden-Commander once?" Kaetryn asked incredulously.

Teris frowned. "It would seem that you have not done much reading up on our history."

"I prefer to spend my time petitioning for new recruits. Ferelden may be a small country but there is no shortage of soldiers eager to test their mettle-the Grey Wardens have quite the reputation now."

"I'd imagine so, yes. Such is the way so soon after a Blight," Teris smiled. "However, had you kept up with your studies, you'd have learned that all Warden-Commanders become members of the Council after their ability on the battlefield has waned, through time or due to injury. The man or woman with the most experience then goes on to be the First Warden, and their second becomes Head of the Council. The First Warden chooses who will succeed him when his Calling approaches, and so on."

She hadn't noticed it before, but Teris walked with a half-concealed limp, and he favoured his right arm over his left as he carried the heavy stack of books. Kaetryn had never thought about what would become of her when she grew old and her power withered. She had always just assumed that she'd live on forever, scouring the Deep Roads for the rest of time; a thought she now realised was naïve. She didn't want to think about all the terrible things that could befall Ferelden if she wasn't there to stand in its defense. "With all due respect, ser, I can't imagine sitting around a table day in and day out-not after what I've done and the things I've seen." She hugged the scrolls closer to her chest, fighting the dark thoughts that crept into her head.

Teris smiled wistfully. "No. It is not a fate I would wish on many." His brows furrowed as his own morose thoughts filled his head. "For us, the kindest end is a quick death at the tip of a very sharp Darkspawn sword, long before our hair greys and the heaviest burden of being a Grey Warden is truly understood." Kaetryn simply nodded as a single tear welled up in the corner of her right eye, and they finished climbing the tower together in silence.

When the rest of the Council had finally arrived, Kaetryn quickly began to retell her story from where she left off the day before. She stood abruptly and began pacing the room as she mentally retraced her steps through time. "When Alistair, Arl Eamon and I finally reached Denerim, the bickering between the nobles had reached a fever pitch. There was civil unrest within the Alienage, and Queen Anora, the late King Cailan's widow, had gone missing. Talk amongst the commoners showed that the majority was still in favour of Loghain, so Eamon had me do some searching, and I discovered evidence of dark deeds perpetrated by Loghain; the type of things the people of Ferelden would never tolerate from their leaders."

"Dark deeds?" Hadrel asked. "Can you elaborate?"

"Uh-yes. Of course. This is just somewhat of a seldom discussed topic back home. People don't like to be reminded of what they let happen while they stood idly by." She cleared her throat before continuing. "I stumbled upon some documents, descriptions of payment dues and shipping dates for slaves from the Alienage-all bearing Loghain's official seal. He had been allowing Tevinter slavers to infect the Alienage with a false plague, and then told the Elves that the slavers were just healers sent from the Chantry. When they sought help for their sickness, they were clapped in irons and packed onto ships bound for Minrathous," Kaetryn sighed, her thoughts turning to the countless Elves she had not been able to liberate in time.

The Council fell quiet for a moment, and it was a long time before Hadrel spoke. "I understand your hesitation in sharing these details; it is no small wonder why the people of Ferelden would want to keep this information a secret. Rest assured, the Maker does not lay blame on the oblivious, nor those who are too eager to trust. Loghain will answer for his sins, not his countrymen who blindly followed him."

Kaetryn nodded, and gazed out at the clear sky through one of the openings in the Aerie. "The choices Loghain made will be a stain on our history for quite some time." Gathering her thoughts once more, she continued, making another lap around the table. "Loghain must have learned of my interference quickly. He began spreading rumours that it was the Arl who was responsible for the Queen's disappearance."

"Politics," came a bitter sneer.

"Indeed," Kaetryn nodded. "During the night, the Queen's handmaiden showed up at Eamon's estate, sopping wet and covered in mud. The Queen had sent her to petitioning us for help. The girl told us that Arl Rendon Howe had locked Anora up when she began questioning him about the events at the Battle of Ostagar. It was when I had slipped in during the morning shift changes disguised as a guard, that I found Riordan locked in the dungeon. I also found the son of a nobleman who bore witness to Loghain's treachery that day, and a Templar, of all things."

"A Templar?" Teris asked, abandoning his diligent archiving.

"Yes. The poor man was Lyrium addled, but from what I could get out of him, he had been escorting a Blood Mage back to the Circle Tower for sentencing when he was arrested by men bearing the sigil of Gwaren. I think it was the Blood Mage who was sent sent to assassinate Arl Eamon," said Kaetryn as she returned to her seat.

Hadrel scribbled a few quick lines down with a skeptical look. "This was all the work of Loghain?" he asked slowly.

Kaetryn shook her head and frowned. "I suppose we'll never really know how much of it was Loghain. Howe was a sadistic man; no doubt it was all mostly his idea. I'd love to have him... questioned, but he's dead now-I killed him."

Teris stared at Kaetryn for a moment, his face disapproving. "And why did you do that?"

"He was standing between me and Anora's rescue. He was trying to stop Alistair from becoming King. He was... a bad person-he is not missed!" she stammered.

"Need I remind you that the Warden's are sworn to remain neutral to all matters in the political realm?" glowered Teris as he set his quill down.

Hadrel cut in, and placed his hand gently on Teris' shoulder. "They were new recruits. You can hardly expect them to have understood-"

"She should understand now," Teris replied harshly with a dismissive wave.

Kaetryn was unsure of what to say. She felt like she had betrayed the Order, and wanted to slink back to Ferelden right then and there. But the memories of that year came flooding back, and she remembered what it had been like, how hard she had fought to save her country. Kaetryn pushed her chair out from behind her violently as she stood up and her staff knocked against the table loudly. "And need I remind you of the Warden creed: 'In war, victory?' Need I remind you that the Wardens must always do what is necessary, no matter the costs‽" The Council was hushed instantly, and Kaetryn commanded the attention of everyone in the room. "I don't pretend to know why it is that you summoned me here, had me journey clear across Thedas to stand before you and regale with tales of my exploits, but how dare you tell me that I don't understand what I have done. How dare you tell me that I should have done things differently. Alistair must wear the crown; it had to be done, for the sake of Ferelden, and for the sake of the Grey Wardens. Anora could not be trusted-I could not allow her to finish what her father started. I did what I had to do to unite Ferelden and quell the Blight before it overcame us all. As far as the Grey Wardens are concerned, the ends will always justify the means-"

"Enough!" Teris roared as he stood to meet her gaze. They glared at each other for a few heated moments and the Aerie was silenced, save for the ever-present whistle of the Anderfels wind.

Finally the red-haired Dwarf who usually slept through the proceedings grunted a hardened laugh, barely cracking an eyelid. "I think she gets it, Teris." All at once, the men sitting around the table burst into laughter. Teris sighed and slumped into his chair wearily. Kaetryn glanced around the room in confusion, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment.

"Maker's breath! That was the closest I've been to a battlefield in ten years!" cried a dark-skinned man to Kaetryn's left, inspiring another rush of laughter echoing off the white domed ceiling.

"Calm yourself, my lady," Hadrel said softly. "It was not his intent to demean your efforts. Please continue."

Kaetryn took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as she sat down again, pulling her chair forward. She paused for a few seconds, choosing her words carefully. "We took the information I had recovered to the Landsmeet. It was enough to sway the remaining nobles in our favour, but Loghain refused to step down. The Grand Cleric declared that the matter would be settled in a duel, Loghain volunteered himself and Alistair stepped forward to assert his claim. Alistair bested him, and slew him on the spot for his treachery at Ostagar. I was declared Commander of the Ferelden army and Eamon departed for Redcliffe immediately to rally his soldiers while we remained in Denerim to attend to the restoration of the King's Guard. By the time Alistair and I caught up to him, the Horde had already mobilized from the Wilds and was marching North. They marched straight to Denerim first, destroying any village they passed by along the way. Denerim was all but completely razed to the ground before our allies could assemble, and that's where we made our final stand. Atop Fort Drakon, Riordan delivered the final blow to the Archdemon, which is what caused his death."

"So it truly was Riordan who killed the dragon?" Teris asked carefully.

"Yes ser," was Kaetryn's reply.

"Are you sure?" Hadrel asked. "Because we've had conflicting reports of-"

"There were only three Wardens in all of Ferelden. One of them is sitting on the throne and another is standing right here in front of you. How it is possible that anyone else could have done it is beyond me," Kaetryn sighed, refusing to allow memories of Morrigan to fill her head.

The Council was deep in thought for a time, but the answer seemed to satisfy them. "His body has been laid to rest within the crypt, along with the others who have slain an Archdemon," Hadrel said softly. "Perhaps later..."

"I'd like that," Kaetryn smiled. Hadrel nodded and continued to writing down her account. Kaetryn's eyes flicked over to Teris, but he was still staring at her, scrutinizing her face.

"Does it bother you, that Riordan gets all the credit while it was you who fought while he sat in a cage?" Teris asked stridently.

"Not at all," she scoffed. "He was a fine man, a loyal Warden, and incredibly skilled with a blade. It was an honour to fight at his side."

Teris crossed his arms and continued to eye her, a look which she returned with growing ire. He said nothing for a long time, and Kaetryn returned his suspicious glare in spades. Finally he shoved all of his papers aside and pulled out a blank scroll. "So six months later, you head to Amaranthine and take up the Grey Warden banner at Vigil's Keep."

"Yes, though it wasn't as simple as that," she huffed. It never really is for me. "I travelled from Denerim with Mhairi, a Grey Warden prospect sent from Vigil's Keep as an escort. When we neared the gates, there was no one to greet us save for a brood of Genlocks. The Vigil was filled with corpses, and while I was searching the halls for any survivors, well..," Kaetryn shook her head and covered her face with her hands to hide an amused grin. "That's when I found Anders."

Kaetryn rounded the corner at full speed, staff in hand and Mhairi close behind her. Suddenly, she ground to a halt as jet of flames shot towards her. "What the-" she cried as Mhairi collided into her back. As the fire died down, Kaetryn saw a squealing Hurlock and a tall, lanky man blowing on his hands and patting them on his thighs to put the flames out. He wore the most ostentatious robes she had ever seen, deep, forest green with gold lining and sable fur trim, a style common in Tevinter. His golden blonde locks were messily tied back, with a few strands hanging down in his slender, cat-like face, and a sparkling gold ring hung from his right ear. His face had smudges of dried mud, and his clothes were slightly tattered, giving him the appearance of being dragged through the dirt. Quickly, he glanced at Kaetryn, and then back at the Hurlock, waiting for it to finally die. When it did, he turned back to face Kaetryn directly and put his hands up defensively. "Er... I didn't do it," he chirped.

Kaetryn scanned the room, and saw numerous charred Darkspawn corpses, but then she noticed the bodies of a half-dozen Templars, beheaded or disemboweled. Shocked, she looked back to the mage, whose mischievous amber eyes glittered in ecstasy. "Oh, don't get me wrong," he chuckled. "I'm not broken up about them dying, to be perfectly honest." He pointed at one of the Templars laying on the ground beside him and shrugged. "Biff there made the funniest gurgle when he went down."

It took her a few seconds to respond, the backdrop of horrific gore only made his glibness stark and alluring in the most unsettling way. "None too fond of them, huh?" Kaetryn asked sarcastically.

"Oh I know," he giggled with a wave of his hand. "Most people enjoy being kicked in the head to be woken up each morning. Me? I'm just so picky."

Kaetryn couldn't help but laugh. "And who are you supposed to be?"

"You may call me Anders, my dear lady. I am a mage, and sadly a wanted apostate," he said woefully, tears almost welling up in his eyes. Kaetryn swore she heard the sound of maidens wailing in despair. "Welcome to the club," Kaetryn laughed, holding out her hand and filling the air around it with sparks of electricity. Anders smiled enthusiastically, but Mhairi interjected before he had time to speak.

"An apostate? At Vigil's Keep?" she asked incredulously.

Anders noticed her then, and his eyes focused on her curves beneath her heavy armour. "You weren't here when we arrived. I'm sure I would have remembered such a... lovely woman as yourself," he grinned as Mhairi muttered insults under her breath. "We were just stopping here on our way back to the tower. 'Just a short rest,' they said, and now they're dead. Such a shame."

"So you're not one of the Grey Wardens sent from Orlais? You're just an apostate?" Kaetryn asked, disappointed.

"Well since that's what they call someone who doesn't believe in being chained up in the tower, so yes, I suppose I am just an apostate," he grumbled. He walked over to a broken window at the far side of the room and stuck his head out. He sniffed the air and sighed. "Ah. Can you smell that? That is the smell of freedom. It comes complete with the smell of dogs and charred Darkspawn, but the freedom is in there too."

"I think someone was just baking a pie earlier," Kaetryn laughed as she checked the bodies of the Templars, making sure they were actually dead.

Anders smiled and leaned up against the wall with his arms crossed. "The fact that there are pies around to smell is a step up for me. I've led a pie-less existence, more or less." He resumed gazing out the window again, and sighed melodramatically. "I've escaped from the tower seven times, and after my last attempt, they put me in solitary confinement for a year." His face darkened and he focused on the empty road through the shattered glass. "Eventually, I'm sure they would have branded me a maleficar, true or not, and executed me."

"First Enchanter Irving didn't seem like the type..." Kaetryn shrugged.

"You know how the Templars are as well as I do, don't you," Anders snapped. "You think they'd listen to Irving? The problem is that mages are simply tolerated. Barely. It's like you need permission just to be alive! There's nothing a mage can do to prove himself. Everyone needs to be protected from you-the end."

"Hey, I can sympathize, alright?" Kaetryn frowned defensively. "Perhaps you should head to Tevinter. I hear things are different there for our kind."

"I'd rather stay in my homelands. The Imperium does do things better, but we all know how that argument flies around here." He sighed in frustration, but his eyes lit up with sarcasm and he returned to Kaetryn's side. She had found no sign of life in the Templars' bodies and Mhairi was silently itching to get back to their search for survivors. "All I want is a pretty girl, a decent meal, and the right to shoot lightning at fools."

"Oh? Is that all?" Kaetryn giggled.

"True, I should aim higher. I want a harem, a banquet and the ability to rain fireballs upon every Templar in creation," he laughed. Sighing again, he took a step closer toward Kaetryn and leaning in very close. "Oh don't mind me, sweetheart. Now and again I recall that I'm not sitting in a cell and I have to smile, that's all."

"Commander, there is much to be done..." Mhairi grumbled.

"Right," Kaetryn snapped. "Anders, perhaps you should get going, then. And quickly. I won't say anything to the Templars, though they'll probably be wanting these back," she smiled, pointing at the corpses cast about the room.

"I'll just slip out the way you came." Anders ran over to the door and turned back to give her a last flirtatious wink. "Good luck to you then, and have fun slaughtering Darkspawn. Maker knows, they could use it." He slid around the corner and was gone-or so she thought.

Deeper into the Keep, Kaetryn stumbled upon a flurry of battleaxe and Darkspawn limbs. She craned her neck over the bannister and saw Oghren waving excitedly at her before thrusting his axe across the middle of a Genlock. Mhairi and Kaetryn quickly joined him in the fray, and helped him slay the rest of the brood. When it was finished, Oghren wiped the blood from his face and turned to face them.

"A-ha! There you are!" he grunted. "When these Darkspawn showed up, I thought, 'Just you wait until my old friend Kaetryn gets here and you'll all be spitting teeth out of your flaming arses!' Haha! Followed the screaming, and sure enough, here you are. Good on ya!"

"Oghren!" Kaetryn smiled, stooping low to hug his stout, Dwarven frame. "What are you doing here?"

Oghren blushed and shrugged her off. "Doubting your eyes, huh? I get like that after the fifth bottle or so." Kaetryn giggled, glad to see a familiar face. "I came here thinking I'd try my hand at becoming a bona fide Grey Warden."

"He was here when I left," Mhairi glowered. "I can't believe the Wardens didn't kick him out."

Oghren noticed Mhairi in the corner and smiled. "Hey! If it isn't the recruit with the great rack!" he cried.

"Yes," Mhairi snapped. "A prize for the Wardens, to be sure."

"It's good to see you again, Oghren," Kaetryn beamed.

"I find that hard to believe," muttered Mhairi.

Oghren swung his battleaxe high over his head. "Now let's go introduce some Darkspawn arses to my foot!" he cried. "Only polite thing to do."

"Agreed!" shouted Kaetryn.

They had completed a full sweep of Vigil's Keep when they happened upon a man dying from his injuries. Before he passed on, he pointed to a stairwell and told them that the Darkspawn who lead this attack had gone up there, along with Seneschal Varel and a few surviving Wardens. They bolted up the stairs and when they had gotten there, Kaetryn spotted Anders pressed up against the wall, peeking around the corner. He turned to see who was approaching, and smiled cheekily when he saw Kaetryn's surprised expression.

"So, just a thought," he whispered. "You might want to be careful out there." He peeked one more time around the corner and then edged his way back to stand behind Mhairi. "I think the big Darkspawn who lead the attack is just around the bend. At least... he was earlier," he shrugged.

"Aren't you supposed to be running for the hills?" Kaetryn asked skeptically.

"I know, I know. I'm really bad at this whole 'fugitive from justice' thing," he laughed. "I was already on the road when I thought, 'Well I can't just leave!' Not yet, anyhow. So I came back to help-and kill Darkspawn. They kind of go hand in hand, it seems."

Kaetryn nodded as she patted the man on the shoulder, examining him more closely. He seemed to be a bit older than she was, five or six years at least, but he was handsome-in a slightly irritating sort of way. "In any case, your help would be appreciated."

"Thank me later, I'm pretty good," he beamed. "Trust me, you'll be mighty... grateful I came back." The look on his face accurately spelled out exactly how grateful he thought she'd be. Kaetryn just rolled her eyes.

Oghren let out an amused scoff. "Oh. A mage comedian. I thought those normally died young."

Anders flinched at the comment, as if he hadn't noticed Oghren's stout presence. "Oh. A Dwarf that smells like a brewery. You never see those anywhere!" Anders shot back.

"That witty tongue of yours is a useful specialty, I bet," Oghren grumbled, his fiery red beard whipping about in the wind.

"About as useful as smelling like whiskey vomit, I'd imagine," was Anders' retort.

"Ah... he's a keeper, Kae," Oghren smiled, flashing his teeth. "Let's make him dance!"

"Perhaps we should deal with the Darkspawn first, yes?" Mhairi barked in exasperation.

"Agreed," Kaetryn said. She stepped out onto the stone rampart, and saw a Hurlock wearing gilded armour, issuing orders to a small brood. Seneschal Varel was there, pinned on his knees with a blade at his throat, and the sound of the creature's voice as it ordered its fellow Hurlock to kill him was like dried, dead leaves scraping against the bare ground. Kaetryn's blood turned to a sickeningly cold sludge in her veins, and her heart fluttered in her chest, fighting the taint within her that was reacting the Darkspawn. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves and drew the heat of the air around them.

"Others will come, creature. They will stop you!" shouted Varel in defiance.

The Hurlock Alpha turned to gaze at Kaetryn, the edges of his nerves burning with white hot fire as she drew near, and it shrivelled lips curled over its pointed teeth in a calm smile. "It seems your words be true, human, more than you are guessing," it wheezed.

"It is talking!" Anders exclaimed.

"Well, let's shut it up already!" came a hardened cry from Oghren as he swung his axe high.

"Commander!" Varel shouted exuberantly.

"Capture the Grey Warden," said the Hurlock as it drew it's unholy blade. "These others, they may be killed."

Drawing the last of the heat from the air around her, Kaetryn centred her energy and exhaled sharply, her breath blurring her vision in a plume of steam. The Darkspawn holding Varel captive hauled him up by his hair and threw him aside, before running towards them with its sword held high. With a sigh, Kaetryn released the energy, and the air around her returned to muggy, summer evening air. The Darkspawn drew nearer, only a few paces away from cleaving her in two, and Mhairi unsheathed her sword, ready to leap to the Commander's defence. Suddenly, the air around the charging Hurlock was sucked inward like a great vacuum, and it seared with a frigid, icy blast far colder than any mountain-top galestorm. Petrified in a statue of hoarfrost and rime, the Hurlock stopped short only two feet in front of Kaetryn, and with a smirk she swung her staff high overhead before bringing the heavy jewel-end down across its face as hard as she could. It shattered into meaty shards and Kaetryn whirled around, casting the heat she pulled from the air at the ground in front of the Alpha, creating a pool of fire that it leaped over with terrifying strength. "Mhairi! Oghren! Kill the Alpha! Anders! With me!"

Oghren charged with his axe in both hands, leaping over the pieces of frozen Hurlock skull and Mhairi close on his heels. Her stride was larger, so she reached the Alpha first. Throwing the weight of her body behind her shield, she tried to bring her sword down on the Alpha's shoulder, but even with the added burden of her heavy armour, it wasn't enough to knock it off kilter. With a sickening ease, it blocked her sword wing and buffeted her body aside with other arm. She rolled dangerously close to the edge of the roof top, but managed to catch herself in time. Oghren had reached the Alpha's side and planted his battle axe deep within its ribcage. It hissed, and tried to take Oghren's head off with its sword, but he punched it in the jaw. That blow stunned it long enough for Mhairi to run over an plunge her blade downward, through the back of its head and out of its fetid maw. It's tongue flopped about like a dying fish as the burgundy ichor poured freely down it's golden breast plate. It collapsed as Mhairi pulled her blade free.

The remaining two Hurlocks ran towards Anders, and Kaetryn intercepted one with a low, sweeping strike to its knees. It stumbled forward flat on it's chest and Kaetryn ran up it's back, twirling high into the air. With a horrid snap, she brought her heels down on the back of its neck, and the Hurlock remained on the ground, lifeless. Anders sent an arch of lightning crackling through the air towards the remaining Darkspawn, and it collapsed, twitching as smoke rose from its charred skin.

Before he could thank them, Varel noticed some men approaching on the road in the horizon. The group rushed through the fortress in a final sweep for survivors before assembling at the front gates to greet them-or destroy them, if they happened to be of the Darkspawn persuasion.

Kaetryn knew that Alistair would be coming to the Keep, but she had no idea it would be so soon. As he entered the courtyard, both her and Varel took to their knee. Kaetryn kept her eyes on the ground, refusing to look him in the eye; her heart was still very broken. Alistair looked around at the destruction and frowned as the rest of his armoured guard filed through the gates.

"It looks like I've arrived a bit late," he frowned as he looked down at Kaetryn. "Too bad. I rather miss the whole Darkspawn-killing thing."

"King Alistair!" Mhairi cried as she fell to her knee in a hurry.

"I wanted to come and give the Wardens from Orlais a formal welcome," Alistair said. Kaetryn stood up and turned to survey the damage along with him, keeping her distance and her eyes averted. "I certainly wasn't expecting this. What's the situation?"

"What Darkspawn remained have fled, your Majesty," Varel volunteered. "The Grey Wardens who arrived from Orlais appear to be either dead or... missing."

"Missing?" Alistair cried out in surprise. "As in... taken by the Darkspawn? Do they even do that?"

"I do not know, your Majesty. I know only that we cannot account for all the Wardens," Varel replied sadly.

"I see," Alistair frowned. He turned to face Kaetryn, but blushed and looked away. "At least the Hero of Ferelden is still here and alive. That's something, right?"

"I'm fine, Alistair," Kaetryn croaked, "but this makes things... difficult."

"That's a bit of an understatement, isn't it?" Alistair sighed. "You have quite the task ahead of you. Really, I'd like to help but you're on your own, for the moment."

"Hey!" Oghren hollered indignantly. "What am I? Chopped nug livers?"

"From the smell, that's not a bad guess!" Anders laughed.

"I came here to join the Grey Wardens, and from the looks of it, you could use the extra hands! Now where's the giant cup? I'll gargle and spit!" Oghren bellowed.

"You're not allowed to spit it out," Kaetryn muttered at him, wishing he'd be more respectful around Alistair now that he was King.

"Heh. That's what I always say," he chuckled as Kaetryn blushed in embarrassment.

"I... suppose all are welcome in this dire time," Mhairi sighed.

"Joining the Wardens, hey? Well good luck with that!" Anders called as he turned to walk out the gate. "I'll just be-"

"King Alistair!" cried a woman woman wearing Templar plate armour. She came running from behind the King's Guard and placed herself between Alistair and everyone else. "Your Majesty, beware! This man is a dangerous criminal!"

"Oh the Dwarf is a bit of an ass, but I wouldn't go that-"

"She means me," Anders said, crestfallen that the Templar had caught up with him.

"This is an apostate who we were in the process of bringing back to the Circle to face justice!" the woman said imperiously as she grabbed Anders by the arm.

"Oh please," Anders grumbled, pulling his arm away. "The things you people know about justice could fit in a thimble. I'll just escape again, anyway."

"Never!" the Templar shouted. "I will see you hanged for what you've done here, murderer!" Kaetryn glared at the woman, wishing she could do something.

"Murderer?" Anders said, taken aback. "But those Templars were-oh, what's the use? You won't believe me anyhow."

Alistair sighed and kneaded his temples. Kaetryn knew that his Templar background left him conflicted. "It seems there isn't much to say, Unless..." He looked at Kaetryn's face for the first time in months, and he saw that she was chewing the inside of her cheek as she always did when trying to hold back an outburst, and her face was flushed and puffy, like when she was filled with unbridled rage. He knew exactly what was coming. "You have something to add, Commander?"

"I do!" she snapped. Kaetryn turned to face the Templar and straightened her back, raising herself up to her full height. "I hereby conscript the mage into the ranks of the Grey Wardens."

"What? Never!" the Templar shrieked as she turned to Alistair for support.

Alistair smiled, happy to see that the past six months hadn't changed her too much. "I believe the Grey Wardens still retain the Right of Conscription, no? I will allow it."

"Your Majesty, the Chantry supersedes the Crown in such matters as-"

"And the Right of Conscription supersedes all matters, including those of the Chantry," Kaetryn snapped. Anders silently beamed, smugly grinning at the Templar.

"If... if your Majesty feels it is best..." the Templar stammered, defeated and glaring at her boots before she stomped back towards the road leading to Denerim.

"Ha! Way to go, kid! Welcome aboard!" Oghren cheered.

"I guess that will work!" Anders laughed. "Me? A Grey Warden? Imagine that."

"Congratulations, ser mage. I look forward to fighting at your side," Mhairi announced formally.

"Well, if you have everything under control, I will need to take my leave," Alistair said.

"I believe the estate has been secured, yes. We have suffered a great many losses, but the Darkspawn are gone and survivors are slowly starting to amass in the main hall, your Majesty," Varel said reassuringly.

Alistair turned to Kaetryn and they met each others eyes, both feeling a twinge of regret. "The security of Ferelden relies on the Grey Wardens now, even weakened as the Order is. It will be up to you to deal with the vestiges of the Blight, before the situation grows out of control. No easy task, but I know you, and I'm confident that you are up to it." Kaetryn nodded, and returned to evaluating the particular texture of the mud beneath her feet. Alistair sighed, and looked away. "Good luck, Commander. May the Maker watch over you."

"May He watch over us all," Kaetryn whispered, fighting back tears. Alistair marched out towards the road, his guard close behind him. Oghren and Mhairi followed the Seneschal back into the Keep, and Anders followed, but not before he noticed Kaetryn's dejected look as she watched the King leave. He made a mental note to pry about it later.

"Mhairi did not survive her Joining," Kaetryn said solemnly. "But over the next few months I recruited who I could. There was Nathaniel Howe, son of Rendon Howe. He had snuck passed the guards at Vigil's Keep, planning on assassinating me. He was caught leaving the grounds with a few family heirlooms and was arrested before I had even arrived. I heard it took four Wardens just to bring him down; he was very skilled, plus I thought that his service could make up for his father's injustices."

"I'm surprised you were able to inspire loyalty from the son of a man you murdered," Teris remarked flatly.

"Nathaniel had not been made aware of the crimes his father committed," Kaetryn brusquely replied. "And I'd hardly call his death a murder."

Teris did not respond-he just continued to flip through papers, making quick notes in the margins with pursed lips. Kaetryn sighed, eager for this business to be done. "After that, there was Velanna, an exiled Dalish Keeper, Sigrun, a Dwarf from the Legion of the Dead, and the body of the Warden Kristoff..."

"Yes, we have detailed records of them," Hadrel said. "We'd like to know more of the apostate mage you recruited. He went missing two years ago, and has since been traced to the Free Marches, though we have been unable to detain him. Did you know he was going to make a run for it? Do you know where he might have been heading?"

"And let me remind you that it is your duty to the Order to answer truthfully. We cannot have him getting drunk in some tavern and revealing all of our secrets," Teris said sternly.

"The Free Marches?" Kaetryn scoffed, shocked that he had fled that far. She never thought she'd hear of him again.

"Yes," Hadrel replied, his face darkening. "A Warden from Orlais by the name of Stroud was on a mission near Kirkwall about a year and a half ago. He sent a report through our discreet channels saying that his map of the Deep Roads entrances in the Free Marches was stolen, and he believers Anders to have been the culprit."

"Well I can't imagine what he would possibly want with that," Kaetryn sighed, silently reprimanding herself for letting him go.

"Our sources indicate that you two were quite close, that you often gave him private council on many occasions. Are you sure he never mentioned any desire to venture into the Deep Roads for reasons other than his duty to the Wardens, did he ever express any desire to go there alone?" Hadrel asked, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.

Kaetryn frowned at the aspect of being spied on, and wondered who the Wardens were getting them their information. "Oh it's quite the contrary Hadrel, I assure you. Anders despised the Deep Roads almost as much as he despised being at the Circle."

Anders paced quietly in front of a black iron door, a furry bundle wrapped up in his arms. He had been waiting for almost ten minutes, and he was growing more and more anxious with every padded thud of his feet on the cold, granite floor. He sighed a final time, before spinning on his heels and grasping at the Mabari's head door knocker. Suddenly, the door ground on its hinges as a small hand pushed it open, and Kaetryn stood before him, leaning against the archway. Her hair was thrown back in the tangled mess, while her face was twisted in a frustrated scowl. She was dwarfed by the grandiose stone walls and she reminded him of a small girl throwing a tantrum. Anders' panicked look melted away as soon as he saw her, and he shot her a cheeky wink as he slipped past her into the Warden-Commander's private office. Using all of her strength, she heaved the rusted door closed behind them, and began to quietly pluck the many tomes and assortment of baubles from the various stools and leather-bound chairs strewn about the room. She dumped them rather unceremoniously on her already overflowing desk, almost knocking over one of the many candles that served as the only source of light, before finally turning to face Anders, a forced smile stretched across her face.

"Good evening to you too," Anders chuckled.

"Don't start," Kaetryn grumbled. "Mistress Woolsey has been jumping down my throat about the treasury all day. She says the books don't add up and it's somehow my fault. I've been tearing the blighted place down trying to find my records. I'm not having much luck." It was then that she noticed two shiny eyes peering at her from within the folds of Anders' crossed arms and she immediately snatched it away from him. "Hello, Ser-Pounce-A-Lot!" She nuzzled his orange, striped head before placing him gently on the floor. "You know you didn't have to bring him here. You could have left him with Gwyn in the kitchen like you usually do."

"I know," Anders smiled, "I just wanted a chance to see you one last time."

"That's right! You depart for Orzammar tomorrow. I had almost-wait. I thought you, Rolan, and Justice left this morning? What day is it?" Ser-Pounce-A-Lot leapt from the floor to the top of a bookshelf, causing a number of books and stacked leaflets to come crashing to the floor. Kaetryn threw her arms into the air as she hollered Dwarven curses and Anders laughed as he began to pick up a few of the fallen items. A crumpled sheet of thin paper caught his attention and he held it up for Kaetryn to see.

"Is this what you've been looking for?" he asked with a smug grin on his face.

"Andraste's great flaming ass! Where did you find that?" she baulked.

"I didn't find it; Ser-Pounce-A-Lot did," Anders beamed, before he scooped the cat from atop the bookshelf and hugged it close. "You're such a clever kitty, aren't you? Yes you are!" Ser-Pounce-A-Lot meowed sweetly at his master's affection. Anders glanced over the paper quickly before handed it to Kaetryn. "You forgot to carry the two," he said matter-of-factly.

"Wh-what? You can't be serious!" Kaetryn snatched the paper and glared as she went over the arithmetic again. Finally, she sighed in defeat. "Mistress Woolsey is never going to let me hear the end of this."

Anders laughed as he put the cat back on top of the shelf. "You're just not cut out for this, Kae. Forcing a talented and beautiful mage such as yourself to act as a glorified book keeper is an insult."

"Oh don't be so dramatic, Anders," Kaetryn snorted as she nudged his arm. "What would you have me do? Where would you have me go? The Blight is over, and my duty is to rebuild the Order in Ferelden and, according to Mistress Woolsey, learn how to manage the Keep's finances." It was then that she noticed the charred edges of Anders' robes. Blood was spattered all over his sleeves and soot smeared on his face. "Anders? What's happened to you?"

"Come with me," Anders said as he took her hand and his eyes bore down on her with intense passion. "I brought Ser-Pounce-A-Lot here because I knew you'd take care of him for, but now that I see you, it only makes sense that you come with us-erm with me, I mean."

Kaetryn stared at him, confused by his sudden change in tone. "Come with you-to Orzammar? You know I'd love nothing more than to visit Tapsters, and the Proving Grounds again but I really must-"

"I'm not going to Orzammar; I'm never setting foot in those blighted caves again. I came here to tell you that I am leaving, that you can't stop me, and that you should be coming with me." Anders whispered enigmatically, his piercing gaze made all the more striking by the lack of his usual mirth. Kaetryn's cheeks flushed as she struggled to find the appropriate response, and when Anders noticed the bashful hue on her face, he began to laugh. "Oh that's not what I meant, love-though you know I'd never pass up the opportunity to finally put some wrinkles in those robes of yours."

Blushing in embarrassment, Kaetryn shoved him aside and whisked around the desk to sit in the large, wooden chair behind it. She tenderly repositioned her staff so that it was leaning up against the back of her chair, half-concealed and close at hand. Adopting a stern and official look, she folded her hands in her lap and stared him down. "What do you mean you're not going to Orzammar? You, Justice, and Rolan are supposed to be heading into the Deep Roads on a scouting mission in a fortnight, and I don't remember leaving any of that up for debate."

"Rolan is dead, and Justice is... well he's gone. I can't explain everything now, but Rolan was a Templar spy. The only reason he joined the Order was to spy on you and I, to make sure that we weren't practicing Blood Magic, and that we remained good little Andrastians. Some Templar showed up and they and attacked me just outside Highever for being an abomination or something. I killed them both."

"What?" Kaetryn gulped. She could scarcely believe what she was hearing. "But... where is Justice?"

"I told you, he's gone. I'll explain the details later. Just come with me. There's something important we have to do."

"What could possible be more important than eradicating the Darkspawn?" Kaetryn gasped as she stood up, not even noticing as her staff was knocked to the floor.

Anders winked in his typically irritating way before simply shrugging. "Honestly, how can you stand it?"

"Wh-How can I stand what?" Kaetryn sighed, her temper mounting. She was having a hard time keeping up with Anders' constant veering from sarcastic sod to frantic madman.

"You mope around the Keep all day, or trudge across Ferelden for months in search of new recruits as you say, when really you're just running! You pretend you're still out on some grande adventure like you were with him, and yet you can't even stand being in the same room as him! I've seen the way your face scrunches up every time we near Denerim-it's like the very air poisons you! You can barely speak to him, nevermind look at him-suddenly the candle on some side table is the most fascinating thing you've ever seen when he's around. You wince like a beaten dog every time someone cries Long live our King Alistair-there! You just did it again!" Anders paused for dramatic effect, waiting for Kaetryn to recover from the realization that her silent suffering had not gone unnoticed. He continued after taking her face gently in his hands. "The Maker did not make you to be a treasurer, or a historian, or a politician. I don't even think he made you to be a Warden, let alone some silly little girl who pines over a foolish Prince that threw her away in favour of a shiny crown-" Anders was silenced as Kaetryn's hand was drawn across his cheek with a resounding crack. He glared back at her, rubbing the welt on the side of his face. She glared back at him, breathing heavily as she fought back tears.

"He did not just throw me away," Kaetryn hissed as she rose up to her full height. "Whether we like it or not, Anders, there exists a thing called duty. Wardens, or Princes, or wayward apostates-it doesn't matter, we are all bound by it." Slowly, she walked out from behind the desk so that she stood mere inches from Anders' nose. "Alistair," she said carefully, mindful of her facial contractions, "was presented with a choice. He could accept his birthright and all that came with it, or he could allow someone whom he thought unfit and untrustworthy to lead this country. He could forsake his life as a Warden, or he could give Anora the opportunity to finish what her father started and doom us all. It's was... just the reality of it all."

"Duty," Anders said, blitheness filling his face, "That is exactly why I'm leaving." Kaetryn just stared at him, her face blank and baffled, so Anders continued. "The Blight has been stopped. The Darkspawn no longer ravish these fair lands so give it up Kae! Your efforts are needed elsewhere now. Come with me. Help me fight for the freedom and equality of mages everywhere. Maker it feels good to stand for something! I don't think I need to-"

"Oh I get it! This is a joke! Some sort of practical trickery, right? You can't seriously bang on my door late at night, inform me that you've murdered one of my Wardens, and a Templar, then proceed to tell me that you are deserting the Wardens, all the while insulting me to my face, and demanding I come with you on some pointless quest to change the world!" Kaetryn clapped her hands over her face, and took a few steps away from Anders to think. "So let me see here. That's three death sentences and a few swift kicks to the ass, unless I've forgotten to carry the two again!" She whirled around and grabbed Anders by the collar. "Tell me Anders, how am I to kill you three times?"

"You wouldn't call it pointless if you were dragged from your mother's arms in chains when you were just a child. Surely you must see the injustices that our kind face-how can you just let this happen?" Anders pleaded. "And the Circle here in Ferelden is supposed to be one of the more tame ones! I can only imagine what it's like in Orlais!"

"What makes you think I possess the power to make the Chantry change it's mind about mages?" Kaetryn breathed, throwing her arms up in the air in frustration.

"Perhaps it's because you possessed the power to change the Archdemon's mind about destroying everyone in Thedas?" Anders smiled cheekily.

"Maker's breath, Anders! I didn't change its mind; I killed it!" she hollered. Staring at the infectious grin on Anders' soot-covered face and the ridiculousness of his demands made her burst out into sudden laughter. "What do you expect me to do, kill the Chantry? Surely you're aware of how absolutely mad you sound right now."

"Maybe! If that's what it takes!" he cried, suddenly serious. After a brief moment of staring, they both began to giggle at the absurdity of the conversation. The Chantry had always been the reigning presence in Thedas, even for those who lived beyond their control. If you did not live in reverence of the Chantry, you lived in fear of it.

When the laughter finally stopped, Kaetryn leaned on the corner of her desk and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. "Why do you fear them, Anders? You are a Grey Warden now; the Chantry cannot touch you as long as you serve the Order."

"Perhaps I am safe, but what about the thousands of children that are taken from their homes by the Templars? What of the hundreds of innocent mages beaten and killed everyday; their only crime is desiring freedom from tyranny?" Anders took her hands in his and looked down on her from his full height. "Please Kae, come with me and let us bring justice to the world."

Kaetryn frowned and shook her head. "Darkspawn kill mages and Templars, just the same as they kill children and small kittens. How can the mages be truly free of tyranny if we still live in constant fear of the next Blight?" Kaetryn shook her head and squeezed Anders' hands warmly before releasing them. "This is not a fight I can simply abandon. I'm sorry." Anders just gazed at her, thoroughly dejected. He pursed his lips, and reached up behind her to smooth Ser-Pounce-A-Lot's fur one last time. "About Rolan... I knew he still loyal to the Templars. It was the price we had to pay to have the Chantry release your phylactery-you had to be watched. They wouldn't let it be another Warden, not even me, and the Templars assured me that Rolan would follow my orders without question, that he would be just like any other Warden. I never thought he would attack you."

"You couldn't tell me?" Anders hissed, his teeth grinding as he continued to stroke the cat's body. "I always suspected but I assumed you'd at least be honest with me."

"If I had been, would you have stayed?" Kaetryn sighed. "My options were to give the Templars what the want, or risk losing the most talented Spirit Healer I have ever seen in another one of your absurd attempts to steal back your phylactery. I didn't think Rolan would even survive the Joining, and I knew if I told you, you'd just run." Her gaze dropped to her supple leather slippers. "What happened? Why won't you tell me what happened to Justice?"

"The less you know, the better." Anders turned to head for the door, but Kaetryn grabbed his elbow. He scowled at her, his eyes filled with an unknown presence, something Kaetryn didn't quite understand, and it stunned her. "He cornered me, him and one of his Templar pals. I burned them, and tore them limb from limb. They are dead, and that's all that's all you need to know." The air around them sizzled with energy, yet it felt frigid on her skin. Anders grunted and covered his eyes, straining to compose himself. Kaetryn just gawked at him, and he smiled awkwardly. "I really must be going, hm? Before someone notices I'm here."

"You can't do this..."

"And what are you going to do about it, love? Lock me up? I've seen the Keep's dungeon-it's nothing compared to the cell I've escaped from in the Circle. Then you'd chase me down, and drag me back here, and what then? You can't force me to fight Darkspawn, and I'm pretty confident in my dashing good looks that you simply couldn't bare the thought of having me executed." Anders lunged at her before she could react and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her deeply. Dazed, she stared at him wide-eyed before pushing him off.

"Anders! To the Void with-"

"Oh no. You're not the boss of me anymore, and you could very well be the last pretty girl I ever see. You are not going to ruin this for me." He slid his hand behind her neck and pulled her close once more. His kiss was softer this time, more gentle. When he finally released her, Kaetryn's knees wobbled and she almost fell over. Anders sighed with a big smile. "Alistair is a fool for ever letting a silly little monarchy get in the way of that." He spun and hauled the heavy, iron door open and turned to face her one last time. "Remember what I taught you about healing magic, and you should be fine. Ser-Pounce-A-Lot will sit on your head if he's hungry, and do make sure he gets the odd scrap of rabbit or lamb from the kitchen-it's his favourite. May the Maker keep you safe Kae, from the Darkspawn and the Templars; it's only a matter of time before they overlook your heroic deeds and decide they need to put a leash on you as well." He zipped through the door, and shimmied provocatively down the hall while humming to himself about freedom, eager to be on the run once again. And he then he was gone, this time for good.

Some merchants found the bodies of Rolan and the Templar, only identifiable by his shield bearing the flaming sword of Andraste, a week later. Since the Templars were unable to find a third body, they reached the conclusion that Anders fell victim to the influence of demons an was now and abomination loose somewhere in the Bannorn. They marched to Amaranthine immediately and demanded retribution from the Wardens. It wasn't long before Kaetryn grew tired of pretending to be concerned, and even more tired of sending her men out on wild goose chases to look for him. Eventually the Templars gave up their chase, but unbeknownst to Kaetryn, the Order of the Grey did not. Once word had reached them of his desertion, the kept their ears open for any whispers of an apostate claiming to have once been a Warden. Anders was never seen in Ferelden again.

"I had no idea that Anders was leaving, nor do I have any inkling of his motives for murdering Rolan and that Templar who mysteriously found his way into the Warden's camp," Kaetryn said carefully.

"So you believe him to have been responsible for their deaths?" Teris shot back accusingly.

"Well I can only go by what the Templars told me, as they had destroyed any evidence of the altercation before I could witness it myself." Kaetryn returned to her seat at the table and folded her hands neatly. "I truly don't think Anders would have done something like that without a damned good reason, ser."

"Regardless of your personal opinions, this matter still represents a great inconvenience for us. I trust that if you ever regain contact with Anders, you will do your best to apprehend him?" Teris said flatly.

Kaetryn giggled to herself. "Yes, ser." It wasn't a lie; he owed her some answers.

The meeting within the Aerie did not last for much longer, and Kaetryn's presence was largely ignored for the remainder. When she was dismissed, she began to explore the lower reaches of Weisshaupt due to a lack of appetite and a better idea of how to fill the rest of her evening. The halls below ground level were largely empty and unused, save for a few cellars used to store archaic weaponry, tomes, and casks of wine and ale. The lower she climbs, the cooler and heavier the air became. Finally she reached what she thought was a dead end, but upon closer inspection of wall at the end of the corridor, she discovered it to be a large door of blackened Silverite, and a triumphant griffon in mid-flight, a bloody sword impaled in its chest. The words "Krypta der Geehrt" were inscribed in the stonework above it.