Chapter 10 – Lonely is the Night
"Lonely is the night when you find yourself alone
Your demons come to light and your mind is not your own
Lonely is the night when there's no one left to call
You feel the time is right- say the writin's on the wall
It's a high time to fight when the walls are closin' in
Call it what you like-It's time you got to win
Lonely, lonely, lonely-your spirit's sinkin' down
You find you're not the only stranger in this town"
Lonely is the Night by Billy Squire
For the past month, Alistair spent the majority of his days at the Warden Estate, training and working out in the sparring ring building back his strength. He had maintained a lot of his muscles strength from working at the docks, but it was his endurance that seemed to have declined the most. He had just now reached the point that while wearing light armor that he wasn't winded after an extended sparring match. Oghren suggested that he now start off with medium armor, which was what he preferred, then as he began to tire switch to the lighter armor. It seemed like a lot of work, but the technique was working as his endurance and his strength continued to increase.
Over the past month, he had only run into Loghain twice. The man was as antisocial as they come, he never attended the evening meals and only rarely practiced in the sparring ring. This was fine with Alistair, the less he saw of him, the less chance there was for the two of them to have a confrontation. He was just starting be at ease with the other Wardens and the last thing he wanted to do was cause Josie any problems.
For the most part, Alistair got along fine with the other Wardens. Oghren was very accepting as long as you didn't steal his ration of ale. Kai at first was leery of him when she found out he had Templar training, but she slowly began to trust him when he started to teach her how to use her staff as a weapon. He enjoyed Nathaniel's stoic dry sense of humor and felt most at ease with the aloof rogue. Which was strange considering he was Josie's oldest friend, but Howe took his queues from Josie and if she trusted him, then so did Nathaniel. Zevran was more of an honorary warden, but everyone considered him as much as part of their group as their fellow Wardens.
Since their uncomfortable altercation at that first dinner both of them had worked hard to remain civil to each other, but Alistair could always feel the assassin's eyes on him. As if at any moment Alistair might pick up a dagger and stab Josie in the back.
Zevran was in charge of training the Wardens. He worked closely with them, evaluating their strengths and weakness than he devised ways to maximize and minimize those attributes. However, Zevran let all of Alistair's training go through Oghren, who was the only other warrior at the compound.
Zevran's evaluation of Alistair had been accurate, but it was somehow easier to hear it coming from the loud mouthed brash dwarf then from the assassin; who had been a thorn in his side ever since Josie had spared his life. During their travels together Alistair had tolerated Zevran because of Josie, and the unexplained friendship and bond that had quickly formed between the two. Now he would be forced to endure it because the assassin was his commanding officer's closest friend and not to mention that beside Oghren he was the only one of her original companions that had remained at her side. For that reason alone, Alistair had great respect for both of them.
Then there was Anders, the mage brought a mixed bag of emotions. Alistair's initial impression had been correct; if Anders was not emotionally involved with Josie he would have enjoyed his company. He was quick witted, had a mischievous side to him and generally had an optimistic view of the world. This is unless he was ranting about the mage's plight; a plight which Alistair mostly agreed with. Alistair also felt that the cruel treatment of mages needed to change, but at times Anders seemed torn on the measures that needed to be taken to bring about that change.
Anders had also won Alistair's respect when he had so vehemently defended Josie, when Alistair had verbally attacked and humiliated her. That was also the reason they would never be friends. Anyone could clearly see that Anders loved Josie with fervent passion that almost bordered on obsession. Maker help the person that would dare to stand in between him, and the woman he loved. Alistair had only seen a love like that once before, it was how he and Josie had once loved each other.
From the moment that they had met there had been an intense attraction to each other that had only heated up as they spent more time together and were constantly thrown into life threatening situations. Being a virgin, it had taken Alistair sometime to gather his nerve and fully commit himself to her emotionally and physically, but when he finally gave into his love and hunger for her his world had forever been changed.
Whether they were fighting Darkspawn, fighting with each other or making love their relationship had been intense, impassioned, and at times obsessive, but it was the sweetest love he would ever know. Even when she made him outraged, she still managed to turn him on making him want to take her, to own her, and possess her. He thought about the first real fight they had and the heated way they had made up.
Alistair paced around the camp waiting for her to return from cleaning up at the lake. How could she allow the Arlessa to take her own life? How was he going to explain to Eamon that his wife was dead? The Circle was two days away. They could have gone to them for help. What was she thinking? He tried to calm himself. Yelling at her wasn't going to solve anything, but seeing Isolde's lifeless body lying on the cold stone floor made his blood boil.
When she entered the camp, he called her over toward the edge of the forest, so if they raised their voices during their discussion no one else would hear them.
When they were out of earshot he rounded in on her; his anger boiling over. "I wanted to talk to you about what happened at the castle today."
"Alistair, I'm sorry about Lady Isolde, I wish there could have been another way…"
"YOU allowed her to sacrifice herself with blood magic. HOW COULD YOU DO THAT?" He shouted at her.
Josie stumbled back as if he had struck her, but she quickly composed herself. "Alistair, get a hold of yourself and I will gladly discuss this with you."
She turned to walk away from him, but he grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him. "Don't walk away from me, Josie. You need to explain your actions."
"Now you want me to explain my actions to you, like this is a democracy of some kind. But when the decisions are too hard you lay the burden of leadership at my feet and wash your hands of it. I didn't hear you speak up when Teagan and I were trying to find an alternative solution!"
"Bullshit! I said that we should try the Circle, but you dismissed it with some flimsy excuse…"
"Flimsy excuse! Did you see the corpses lining the streets of town as we made our way back to camp? Did you see them dragging the bodies out to the pyres to begin burning them? If I had gone to the Circle in the four or five days it would have taken to get there and back, how many more bodies would have been added to that pile? I couldn't risk this entire village being annulled."
"But the Arlessa… Eamon's wife…"
"Is her life more valuable than the lives of the entire village, Alistair? I know Eamon. He is a reasonable man and a strong Arl. He would agree with me. It was tough decision… a hard one, but it was the right one! You didn't want to be leader, Alistair. You laid this at my feet, and now you have the nerve to question my judgment when you walked away from this responsibility. How fucking dare you?"
Alistair stood there as his anger instantly dissolved away. She was right. He had willing let her take on the role of leader because he didn't want to make the hard decisions and to be responsible for the lives of others. He grabbed her arms to pull her towards him. "Jo, I am so sorry. You're right, I should…"
She yanked her arms free, tears brimming in her eyes. "Don't touch me! I trusted you, Alistair. I thought you trusted me…"
"I do… Jo please, I do trust you. I'm sorry," Alistair said as he tried to pull her back into his embrace, but she pushed him away.
"After Ostagar, you promised that we stick together no matter what, that together we would get through this…" She paused as she wiped the tears from her face. "I felt horrible about what happened to Isolde. I-I wouldn't wish that on anyone. I needed you tonight, Alistair… not as my fellow Warden, not as a friend, but as the man that says he loves me. I-I neededyou and when I needed you most you turned your back on me."
Alistair grabbed her, pushed her back against the tree pinning her there. She hit, punched and yelled at him to let her go, but he just held onto her, as he let her take her anger out on him. When she was exhausted, her arms just fell loosely to her sides and she hung her head. Alistair pressed into her as he brought his mouth up to her ear.
"Jo Jo, forgive me, please," he begged in a harsh whisper. The feel of his breath against her skin caused her to tremble, but she remained silent and still.
"I am so sorry, I need you too, my Love," he murmured as his lips vibrated against her tender neck, and again she shuddered beneath him.
"I love you so much. Please Jo." He slid his hand up her hip, underneath her shirt and along the curve of her waist till his hand came to rest on her supple breast.
"If you're still angry with me, then use me to take out your rage," his tongue swirled down her neck, as his fingers pinched at the hard nipple through her breast band. He smiled as he watched her quiver at his touch.
"I deserve it, Jo." Without a word, she pushed him back, and leapt into his arms as she wrapped her legs around his waist. He stumbled out into the woods away from camp with her still clinging to him; where they had the most heated, intense, angry sex of his life.
During their travels, they hadn't disagreed often, but with the exception of their very last fight, when they did fight they always had the most amazing, frenzied make-up sex.
With a multitude of memories just like that one, Alistair found it difficult at times to even look her in the eye when he was near her. There was something about her, something she didn't even realize she possessed that brought out all of a man's most primal, animistic instincts and urges. He had felt it the moment he met her and it only grew stronger the longer they were together; other than love, passion that had been the cornerstone of their relationship. Even now, seven years later, with his conflicted emotions regarding her, he still hungered for her, yearned for her. It was because of this that he overexerted himself with training and sparring so that while he was wake he didn't think about her and when he went to sleep he was too exhausted to dream about her.
This was why he could not be friends with Anders. He knew firsthand how incredible she was. How loving, warm, open and passionate she was with the man she was with. He knew personally how special she made Anders feel, he knew all the little things she would do to make him feel needed, appreciated and loved. He had vivid recall of how Anders was spending his nights with her. Now, he got to witness the effect she had on a man, unfortunately this time he was not the participant in the torrid affair, he was just a bystander. Redemption is a real bitch!
Somehow, he had to find a way to make this work. She was his Commander, and he wanted to once again be a Grey Warden. He had to find a way to put her and his past behind him. She had managed to do it. She had gotten over him quickly enough and moved on and from the smile that was always on her face she seemed very happy, he should be happy for her… he was trying to be happy for her.
A few days later, with that thought in mind, when he saw Josie in the library after dinner intensely studying a map he decided to go in and talk to her. She heard him approach and spun around.
"Oh, Alistair, you startled me," she gasped.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to surprise you," he muttered. He glanced over her shoulder at the map of Ferelden and the Free Marches that had six red pins in it. "You seem very distracted, is there something I can help you with?"
She ran her hands through her hair – a sign that she was frustrated. "Oh, it's nothing that you need to worry about," she replied.
He looked at her for a moment and said softly, "I might not need to worry about it, but I can sense that you are worried. Maybe I can help. There was a time that I use to be good at giving you my thoughts about situations you were contemplating."
She looked at him curiously then smiled tentatively at him. "Yes you were."
She turned back to the map and said, "All of the red pins mark sites were suspicious Darkspawn attacks have taken place."
He stepped up behind her and looked over her shoulder at the map. The scent of vanilla, lavender and spices flooded his senses and it took every ounce of control to keep from burying his face in hair.
"What makes them suspicious?" Alistair asked.
"Well, the sites that we have investigated, it would seem that the two factions of Darkspawn that are warring with each other and their conflict as spilled out onto the surface," Josie explained.
A confused look settled on Alistair's face, "Two factions of Darkspawn? When did that happen?"
Josie let out a long sigh, grabbed her glass of wine, and headed over to the oversized chair by the fireplace. Alistair joined her in the chair opposite her. She poured him a glass of wine as she explained. "I suggest you read my reports. They will give you a lot more detail. I have copies in my desk if you care to read them. The short version is The Architect is a Darkspawn emissary who is the first Darkspawn to develop a will of its own. According to Duncan's diary he encountered him years ago in the deep roads. He is an unusual outcast who does not appear to be subject to the call of the Old Gods, nor to other Darkspawn compulsions. Although he is highly intelligent, the Architect has little understanding of humanity."
"Wait a minute? You have Duncan's journal," Alistair asked.
"Yes, I found it in the Warden Compound in Denerim," she said as she stood up and walked over to her desk. She opened a drawer and pulled out a leather bound book.
She returned to her seat and handed him the diary. "I believe he would have wanted you to have this."
Alistair stared dumbfounded at the journal. "I don't know if I should…"
"Most of it is Warden histories, but there are a few entries in there about you that you might find interesting," she said matter-of-factly.
Alistair's head shot up and stared at her. "He talked about me in his journal."
She smiled warmly at him and he melted at the sight of it. He had forgotten how disarming her smile could be. "Yes Alistair, you meant a great deal to him. I believe you will see that when you read it. It will also give you a more in depth back ground about the Architect."
"I… I don't know what to say. Thank you this would be a good start," Alistair stammered.
"You're welcome," she replied kindly.
"Okay, what can you tell me about the Architect," Alistair said.
"Well, besides the fact that he is dead. The few times that we meet he was calm and polite, however, he could be cold, decisive, and manipulative; for him the ends justifies the means he was willing to carry out his plans even if that means sacrificing his allies. Before the final battle at Drake's Falls, I encountered him again and he explained that Grey Warden blood when given to Darkspawn provides them with immunity against the call to seek out an old God and turn them into a Archdemon. Once the Darkspawn are free from the calling they are able to think for themselves. As with most intelligent creatures self-preservation is their highest instinct - starting a blight goes against that instinct. Darkspawn with the ability to think and reason are choosing self-preservation."
Josie took a sip of her wine as she gathered her thoughts and then continued, "The Architect went on to explain some of the Darkspawn are flawed and they rage against the Architect. The Mother, which was a huge disgusting Broodmother, had gathered the flawed Darkspawn and rallied them against the Architect in order to stop him from freeing others and to stop the Grey Wardens."
She paused again and Alistair could see the conflict raging in her eyes. "I knew The Architect although highly intelligent was a Darkspawn none the less and went against all my Grey Warden intuition to trust him. However, he was trying to prevent another Blight; and at the time we had the same goal"
She paused almost hesitant to carry on. "And I had met his freed Darkspawn The Messenger. He had found me in the City of Amaranthine and told me about the attack on Vigil's Keep. He then stayed to help us during the fight in the City…."
"Wait a minute, what? A talking Darkspawn?" Alistair muttered completely flabbergasted.
Josie nodded.
"And it helped the Grey Wardens during the battle in the City? That's the craziest thing I have ever heard!" Alistair exclaimed.
"I know. I would never have believed it if he hadn't been fighting by my side. That's why when the Architect offered an alliance to defeat the Mother I accepted it, and then I let him go back into the deep roads to continue his research. I know that it's a controversial decision. Even some of my own Wardens questioned my reasoning, but I had to give it a try… if it meant no more Blights… no more death, I had to try," Josie stated.
Alistair ran his fingers through his hair, "Wow… that's a lot to take in… You said he was dead."
"Yes, after the Brood Mother was killed and the Darkspawn attacks continued, I tracked him down in the Deep Roads and killed him," Josie explained matter-of-factly.
"I would like to start reading about these events as soon as possible. Could I get copies of the reports tonight?" Alistair asked.
Josie nodded and said, "Let me go get them for you."
She walked over to her desk again and Alistair couldn't take his eyes off her. The tight fitting trousers that she wore emphasized every curve and accented her perfectly round bottom. Alistair had to stop torturing himself like this. She was his commander… nothing more… she was in love with someone else… he had to let her go… she would never be anything more than his friend. She walked back and handed him the reports. She told him that it had been a long day and that she was going to turn in. She smiled at him and said, "Good night, Alistair."
"Good night, Josie and thank you for taking the time to clarify this for me."
"I'm sorry I didn't take the time to explain all of this sooner. It's been a little hectic around here lately."
"It's fine. I understand."
She was about to start up the stairs when a knock came at the door. One of the house servants opened the door and Hawke rushed in.
"Josie, where is Anders?" He asked in a panic.
"He is at his clinic. Why? What is going on?"
"Some fucking weird segment of the Carta tried to kidnap my sister from the Wardens…"
"What? How?" Josie demanded.
"When she was out on patrol, they didn't succeed, but they didn't stop there. They have been running all over the city trying to capture me so that they can obtain the blood of the Hawke."
"Damn blood mages," Josie grunted.
"It's more than blood magic. I have a led on a Dwarven fortress that may help me get these bastards off my back, and force them to leave my family alone. But I don't want to go without Anders. He is the best healer I know."
"It's fine with me if Anders wants to go, and I'm sure he will want to help. Check with him in Darktown. If you don't cross paths, I will mention it to him when he comes home," Josie stated.
"Thanks, Josie. You're the best. A rose among the thorns."
"I prefer diamonds over compliments," Josie chuckled.
Hawke laughed as he headed out the door. "Good to know."
"You don't mind Anders running off to help Hawke," Alistair asked from behind her.
"He was friends with Hawke before I arrived in Kirkwall. The two of them have been working together for almost six years. I'm not going to stand in the way of that."
"You're a very open minded Commander," Alistair replied.
"Well technically until the First Warden reinstates both of you, I'm not either one of your Commanders."
"You mean I'm Commander-less? So I can dance the Remigold on your desk and there would be nothing you could do to stop me?"
"Technically, you don't have to follow my orders, but I can make you wish you had," she said with grin.
"You mean you don't want to see me shake some arse on top of your desk?"
"The only one shaking their ass on my desk will be me and that is a private, invitation only event," Josie replied coolly.
"Anders is a lucky man," Alistair replied as he tried desperately to keep the envy out of his voice.
"I keep telling him that," Josie chuckled.
"No need to remind me, Love," Anders purred in her ear as the mage's arms slid around her waist drawing her back to him. "I know full well how lucky I am."
Alistair forced a smile, even though his heart ached for what he had lost. "Yes, you are. I should be going while the night is still young and I will only have to fight a hand full of gangs on the way back to Lowtown. Thank you, Josie for the educational evening."
Josie looked uncomfortable as she stepped out of Anders embrace and smiled at him. "You're welcome. If you have any questions while you are reading those reports or Duncan's journal my door is always open to you."
She was genuinely trying to put him at ease and make this as comfortable as possible for both of them. "I appreciate that. Goodnight."
"Goodnight," they both replied as he headed for the door. He heard Anders mutter, "I want a private viewing of you shaking your ass on your desk."
Alistair didn't hear her reply, but he heard Anders laugh then the definite sound of a smack and her yelp as their footsteps thundered up the stairs as her laughter echoed through the house.
Alistair was lost in his thoughts as he made his way through the streets. He must have fought his way through several gangs because his sleeve was torn and his arm was cut, but he had been so lost in his thought to even really pay it much mind. Images of her and Anders flooded his mind; the smack, the sound of her laughter, her racing up the stairs eagerly anticipating another night with her naughty mage. He desperately tried to push the image of the two of them out his mind, but they were only replaced by very real memories of him with her.
Alistair climbed out of the pond, completely naked only to discover that all of his clothes were missing. From behind a large oak tree, Josie peeked around and whistled. "Oh my, Ser Templar, what big… eyes you have?"
Alistair stopped dead in his tracks as he remembered the fairy tale that his tutor use to have him read. "Better to see you with, my dear," Alistair replied as he stepped toward the tree, but she agilely moved around the large trunk and out of his reach and sight.
Her head popped around the other side as she cooed, "Ser Templar, what big teeth you have?"
"Better to eat you with, my dear," he growled as he lunged for her, but she was too quick as she faded into the shadows.
From behind him she purred, "Oh Ser Templar, what a big cock you have?"
"Better to fuck you…" he spun to face her, but as she reappeared from the shadows completely naked, he was at a loss for words as he starred helpless at the most beautiful woman he had ever known, and who he was hopelessly in love with.
She grinned at him as stepped into him, pressing her naked, warm body against his. "What was the last thing you were going to do to me?" She asked coyly.
"I'd rather show you," he growled as he pushed her against the trunk of the large oak tree.
When Alistair entered the Hanged Man, he ordered a bottle of wine then he made his way up to his room. He needed to get his mind off of Josie, and as much as he wanted to read about the reports about the Architect those pages would be filled with her thoughts. He needed to get her out of his mind for now. Not to mention his curiosity about what was in Duncan's journal got the best of him. He poured a glass of wine and then flipped open the journal toward the back of the diary.
Bloomingtide, Fifth day of the Thirtieth Year of the Dragon Age -
I've been back in Ferelden now for almost six months observing Alistair at the Chantry. He has grown into a very strong handsome man since I saw him three years ago. He looks more and more like Maric with each passing year, but I definitely see Fiona in there. He has her honey brown eyes and her crooked smile.
Despite all that he has been through, the boy has managed to retain a good sense of humor and cheerful disposition. However, it was obvious that the Chantry isn't the life for him. He is miserable and it's abundantly clear that the boy doesn't buy into the whole mages are evil and templars must be vigilant, and pure to withstand their evil temptations. From what I've observed, if a pretty enough mage walked by and battered her eyelashes at him, Alistair wouldn't give the vows he is about to take a second thought.
I have written Fiona about this situation and have asked her permission to conscript him. I have a feeling she would rather condemn him to a shorter life than for him to become a lyrium addicted mage hunter. The Chantry won't be pleased to lose another recruit to me, but according to them I'm going to the Void anyways so why should I care if they despise me a little more.
Alistair laughed. Well that explained why Duncan always gave him a hard time about harassing the mages, and the Reverend Mother. He found it very interesting that Duncan knew both his mother and father and he never revealed the truth. Duncan also asked his mother for permission to conscript him. His mother knew about him and not once did she seek him. Why? Maybe those answers were at the beginning of the journal; he would need to read it from the beginning, but for now he could only stay awake to read one more entry. Alistair skimmed the next several entries until he came to the mention of his name.
Kingsway, Fourteenth day of the Thirtieth Year of the Dragon Age -
Today as I watched Alistair spar it was like watching a mirrored image of Maric in the ring. He moves and fights the exact same way as his father. He definitely has his father's sense of humor, but he has his mother's heart. I watched as he defended a young beggar girl from a group of bullies. When he had scared the boys off, he helped the child pick up her basket of flowers that a bully had knocked out her hand. When the girl burst into tears that her flowers were now ruined and that her baby sister was going to go hungry tonight, Alistair purchased the entire basket of damaged flowers from her even though he has little coin himself and most of the flowers were crushed, but his heart couldn't let that child or her family go hungry because of the cruel actions of…
The last few words were blurred from what looked like a drop of water. Alistair touched the distorted parchment. The water droplet looked like it could be in the shape of a tear… was Duncan crying when he wrote this… that seemed very unlikely. The only other person who read this account was Josie. But what about the story caused her to cry? It wasn't a sad story. It's story about a random act of kindness so why would she cry over that?
Alistair yawned as he set the journal aside and he fell asleep thinking about why she had been crying.
He slept restlessly as dreams of Josie crying and his unseen mother conscripting him filled his subconscious. When he woke before dawn he decided that a good workout on a practice dummy might help. When he arrived at the Warden Estate the sun was just peaking up over rooftops. He made his way out the ring. Josie was already there in the center. She wore a loose pair of trousers, a loose shirt and no shoes. She moved gracefully through the dance like movements, fluidly flowing from one pose to the next. She… she was breathtaking and Alistair was mesmerized as he watched her. He remembered how connected he had felt to her when they worked out together every morning.
He remained in the shadows of the building as she elegantly glided through the movements. When she was done he stepped toward the ring. She smiled and waved him in.
"You're here early," she said.
"I like to get here before everyone else. The solitude helps me to concentrate," he replied.
"I understand. I am actually out here late today. I am normally out here right after the sun comes up. It really is the only time I can practice before I am being pulled in a million directions," Josie said.
Alistair laughed, "You always were an early riser. I don't know how you could manage to pull yourself out of a nice warm bed to go workout."
His mind recalled an image of her warm naked body as she slid out of his arms to get dress and his hands encircled her waist as he pulled her back to him. He quickly pushed the thought aside.
"Well, somehow I managed to get myself and you out of bed each morning to workout," she replied.
"Yes, and if memory serves me correctly there was a lot of bribery involved."
She laughed. "I believe you are correct."
"So you said you got out here late. Why are you behind schedule?"
"Oh Anders left early this morning with Hawke…"
"My Commander, I am sorry to interrupt but there is a Ser Cullen here to see you. He says it's an emergency." Giles interrupted.
"Oh bloody hell, what is the problem now?" Josie muttered as she started toward the estate. Alistair followed her in.
They entered the study and the Templar from the Circle was standing there.
"Knight Captain, what brings you here so early in the morning?" Josie asked.
"Commander, I am sorry to intrude at such an early hour, but you are the only one that can help. Last night several of my men were attacked outside the city walls by Darkspawn."
"What? How close to the city?" Josie interrupted.
"Not far… approximately ten to fifteen miles from here. I can show you on a map, but that isn't why I'm here so early. One of my men… Ser Caron is showing signs of blight sickness and you're the only person I know that can help him."
Josie stepped forward and gently touched the Templar's arm. Alistair's eyes narrowed on Josie's hand as it lingered on the Templar's arm. There was a familiarity in the way she spoke to him. "Cullen, joining the Wardens isn't a cure and I can't just recruit someone out of pity to stop them from dying of blight sickness."
"Jo…please, Caron is a good man and excellent fighter. He will be an asset to you. Please just look at him." The way that Cullen had addressed Josie so informally and with an of air of intimacy that sent a wave of jealousy coursing through him. When the bloody hell had that happened?
"Cullen, joining the Wardens… it could be just as much as a death sentence as the sickness…"
"But it could also save him," Cullen interjected.
Alistair pushed his jealous feelings aside, stepped up and touched her arm. She turned and looked at him. "It wouldn't hurt to see the man."
Josie nodded. "Fine,bring him in Cullen."
A few moments later the young Templar was lying on Josie's sofa in her study. Josie sent Giles to get Nate then she asked Cullen to give her a few moments alone with him. When it was just the three of them Josie knelt down beside him. She tenderly touched the man's arm and his eyes opened. "Caron, my name is Josie. I'm the Warden Commander for the Ferelden Grey Wardens. You are a very sick young man. You have been exposed to the Darkspawn taint. In time the taint will corrupt your blood and kill you. I can try to help you by putting you through the Joining, but this too may end your life. I also need you to realize that being a Warden is no easy life and Wardens make many sacrifices, but if this is something you want, I will help you."
"Being a Templar… especially in Kirkwall is no easy life either. I want to live Commander. I want to join the Wardens."
Josie patted his arm then stood up. "So be it."
There was a knock at the door then Nate entered. "You wished to see me, Josie." He paused as he looked at the gravely ill Templar. "Blight sickness?"
Josie nodded. "Yes, please prepare for his Joining. I am going to leave that to you and Kai. I will be taking Alistair, Oghren, Loghain and Zev with me to investigate the attack site."
"Jo, if you are heading out to face Darkspawn you really should have a mage with you," Nate countered.
"Well, Anders is with Hawke right now and Kai is needed for the Joining ritual. I really don't have a choice. This attack happened close to the city. It needs to be investigated now."
"Please be careful. Anders will have my head if anything happens to you while he is away."
Josie laughed. "A big, bad rogue like yourself afraid of a mage?"
"Have you seen him when he does that blue thing? That could scare a drunk man sober," Nate chuckled as he headed out to prepare for the Joining.