Carver leant against a wall, watching their odd assortment of guests as they took their turns with the well-bucket before collapsing into shade beneath the trees.

"Charming stead, this is" offered the hooded traveller as he walked over, gazing around.

'If you say so….' Carver thought, but replied "Must be a change from Denerim, I suppose."

Cailan nodded absently, "Absolutely. I doubt you have company like them very often" he joked, watching the Wardens trying to keep their rations out of a Mabari's reach.

"Hardly – it's the week for it, though. We've already got three travellers staying in the barn." Carver pointed to a building past the orchard. "The town's filled up with refugees, and they helped us deal with some bandits who were skulking around, so we let them stay. You would have seen one of them, helping us strip those wagons. His Dwarf friend will be around somewhere, and there's also an Elven girl who was getting bailed up by those bandits when we came across them. Probably an Alienage runaway – she mostly sticks to her own company, but she's started talking to our sister."

Cailan suddenly laughed, as a second Mabari had joined the other's vigilant stare at the people eating. The older Hawke brother whistled it away as he strode across the path. Seeing Carver's position, he asked "Junior's showing the soldier woman to the guard-house. I take it Mother bolted the door?"

"She sent Bethany into town for some wine, and started doing a clean-up once I mentioned our guest here."

Cailan eyed both of them, realising he wasn't as unnoticed as he had hoped. "What's to mention about me?"

Carver simply snorted, "Come off it – even if armour like yours didn't scream 'important', we were both at Ostagar. Garrett's squad had to do an inspection line-up for you as well."

"My brother's right, Your Majesty", clearly emphasising the title against Carver's over-familiarity before continuing. "The cloak is another give-away, wearing it that way even though today isn't as windy as it has been. Our father taught us a lot of stealth-craft, so we can spot these things."

Cailan shrugged and threw back the hood. "My apologies, for what it's worth. It's been years since I got to walk about without being 'Cailan'."

"That'll probably get complicated soon; word's already spreading about your death. Once the army reaches Denerim, no doubt it'll be official."

"Anora will keep things going until I get there… I'm counting on it. Once Loghain regroups the army with Redcliff's forces, and accepts we need outside aid, he and the Wardens will rout the Darkspawn. They scarcely need me for that."

"Perhaps… the casualties weren't as bad as they might have been, from a lengthy battle."

"That's good to hear… did they have a count?"

"Not when we skipped out. Half the missing might also just have disappeared, like we did. All of the Wardens all on the field… they say the Horde sought them out first."

Carver nodded, "I saw that, from where my squad fought. I overheard two Captains discussing the noble losses – Bann Guthrie, Bann Woderson, and Arl Uriel, or so they said."

"Uriel? That's a shame… he always had a good word of advice." Cailan's face suddenly dropped. "And that makes Vaughn next in line…" 'That will be a disaster. Even I've heard about his interests… good luck, Anora.' They heard a faint crack of energy, and looked over to see Morrigan stuffing some items into her pouch.

"Was she there before?"

"I heard her mention going for supplies, but she covered that distance quicker than I thought."


Feeling satisfied with her task, Morrigan handed portions of dried food to Theron and the Mages. Alistair interrupted their thanks "What about the rest of us? You could have gotten a list before shopping."

She snorted at him. "You can surely manage to reach the town yourself, or is that hoping for too much? Two freshly unchained Circle Mages in a town full of Templars is obvious trouble, even if one be a Warden now. Theron, also – provided they even deign to serve one of the Dalish, they would try to charge him beyond his coin. Which would result in dead or wounded merchants, and your recruit leader in a lockhouse."

Theron gave a small grunt of agreement, before adding "That's assuming some Shem mob didn't simply run me through."

"This leaves our Dwarven friend, who I already know to be resourceful. As shown by the fact he noticed that you're both resting under fruit trees. Something you ignored, even with your height advantage over him." They both looked at Brosca, as he held an apple out to one of the Mabari. Laughing as it made an exaggerated display of gagging in disgust upon sniffing, he threw the inedible fruit over his shoulder and lifted another from his pile for inspection. Getting a happy bark in response, he sliced it into portions and tossed one to the waiting animal.

"Well, perhaps I didn't feel like simply helping myself to our hosts' property?"

"You had no such qualms about their well-water, so I shall assume you expected they would invite all of us inside for a meal. Much more of a strain upon them, don't you think? Especially for so small a dwelling, and they already have people staying on."

"Yes – you've made your point."

"Oh good, I worried I might have to write you a summary for later reading" Morrigan gloated in his defeat. "Take some comfort, though. I saw one who looked much more pathetic than you, in the town. I couldn't discern his words from that distance, but he made such a disgusting spectacle of himself. Screeching and bawling to some Chantry woman, like an infant stung by wasps."

"You're a real piece of work… Did you stop to think about why? He probably saw his loved ones taken by the Darkspawn. What would you do, if your mother died?"

"Before or after I finished laughing?" Morrigan smiled.

"Creepy… forget I asked."

"No, you actually raise a good point. That would break someone who needed such support – you, however, have no excuse for being what you are."

"Couldn't you crawl into a bush somewhere and die? That would be great, thanks."

Sneering, she walked over to a tree away from the group and sat in the shade. Glaring at her resultant laugh of triumph, Alistair stood and plucked an apple from a branch.

Anders leaned over, "Don't worry. I'm sure she's deeply wounded you didn't react to the bait about letting recruits lead the group. Trust me."

Alistair sniffed at his apple, missing the joke. "I didn't hear that part, but good. Let her stew on that." Theron just groaned, muttering to himself in Dalish while testing his bow-string. Glancing over, Alistair said "Some help you were, agreeing with her just because she thinks you'd have trouble in town."

"Let's go over what I've seen of you Shem, shall we? This missing Commander we're meant to have, Duncan. Drags me off my death-bed while ransoming aid from the Keeper, because Dalish are more expendable recruits, and refuses to help my friend who was in the same condition. This 'great need' the Wardens had for recruits? To be shoved up an old Tower to light a beacon, clearly this crucial task needed me to be forced from everyone I know and poisoned with more Taint. Starting a fire on a stacked pile of oiled wood is such a monumental task beyond that of ordinary men, isn't it? Before that? Three scavengers in the forest, who had found old Dalish ruins and went inside to loot what they could carry, no doubt. Since they were honest with us and posed no threat, we gave them safe passage. Threatened by such reasonable actions, they riled up their village against us and drove my Clan out. Personal history or that of the People – no, I don't see why should I trust any Shemlen."

About to make a response, Alistair suddenly rose up and drew a sword. Brosca had taken to his feet as well, rubbing his forehead. "Is that buzzing…?"

"Darkspawn. They're nearby, too. Let's move."