Authors Note: The next two chapters will be camp scenes mostly since they are headed till Redcliff. I love the party banter in the game so I'm going to add it into my story every so often. At least the ones that I love. Alistair and Couslands relationship wont change until after Redcliff just like in the game.

"Mahia!" I yelled dropping to my knees as he ran towards me, he charged into me knocking me to the ground and drenching my face with his tongue. "Oh I missed you boy" I squeezed his neck and forced his face against mine, his tail wagging fiercely.

"We really should get to the assembly." Alistair said.

"Oh dear Alistair are you jealous of the mutt." Morrigan said pretending to be sympathetic.

"Shut it" he said pointing at her.

I pushed Mahia off of me and pushed myself up. "You're right, Morrigan you can go back to the tavern if you would like. I will be there shortly."

She nodded and walked off.

"Lords of the Assembly I call for order! This argument gets us no where!"

"Then why these delaying tactics? I call vote right now. My father has one living child to assume the Aeducan thrown. Will you deny him that?" Bhelen's voice echoed.

"Your father made me swear on his death bed that you would not succeed him." Lord Harrowmont announced.

"I apologize for the interruption Lord Steward but the Grey Warden has arrived."

"Well Warden what news do you bring?"

"I bring a crown forged by Caridin on the Anvil of the Void." I announced holding the crown in front of me.

"Before he died Caridin forged a crown for Orzammar's next king chosen by the ancestors themselves!" Oghren yelled.

"I would like to believe Oghren's word, but it is well known the Wardens are Bhelen's hireling!" Lord Harrowmont yelled pointing at Alistair and myself.

"This crown is of paragon make and it bears Ortan's ancient seal. Tell us Warden who did Caridin choose?"

"He wished me to give it to whom I choose." I said.

"Why would Caridin trust someone who knows nothing of us with such a decision? This is preposterous!" Lord Harrowmont yelled.

"We've argued in these chambers for far too long. The will of the paragons is for the Grey Warden to choose."

"I grant the crown to Bhelen." I said smiling.

"At last this farce is ended and I can take my rightful place on my father's throne." Bhelen said stepping down to claim his crown, he bent down before the deshyr taking the crown onto his head. He stood up to around of applause before turning towards Lord Harrowmont. "Do you recognize me as king?" He asked.

"I… cannot defy a paragon… King Bhelen." Lord Harrowmont said bowing his head.

"Then as my first act as king I call for this mans execution. Guards seize him!" Bhelen said pointing at Harrowmont.

"Harrowmont was an honorable man. Let him retire in peace." I said shaking my head at Bhelen.

"You know better than anyone Warden the war that faces us. We cannot afford to be divided. Anyone under minding my reign will be serving only dark spawn. I will return to my palace to gather my generals and prepare our forces for the surface." He said before walking past us and out of the assembly.

"Well that didn't go like I thought it would." Alistair said once we were out of the assembly room.

"I agree." I said. "I can't wait to get out of Orzammar!"

We told Filda that her son had died bravely fighting the dark spawn, gave papers to a woman named Orta, told a young lady named Dagna that we would speak with the mages and ask if she could study in the tower, gave the shaperate some papers we had found along with my tracing, and helped a man find a document that a dwarf had stolen before leaving.

It felt so good to be out in the sun again, I took a deep breath closing my eyes.

"Give me a minute" Oghren sighed looking up at the sky.

"Are you alright?" I asked looking down at him.

"Of course I'm alright. By the stone I feel like I'm about to fall off the world with all that sky up there." He said still looking up.

"Well take your time, Oghren. I need you ready to fight." I smiled.

"If I could fight Randar Vollney's second after downing fifteen lichen-ales in half an hour. I'm not going to be put off by a high sodding ceiling." He laughed. "Well let's get moving… Where losing… whatchacallit? Daylight?"

We walked down the Frostback Mountain, I huddled close to Alistair as we walked. My cloak was doing nothing to keep the cold out.

"Its freezing" I shivered.

"I know we should be off the mountain soon and it won't be so bad." He replied rubbing my shoulder to try to warm me up but it wasn't helping.

"Dwarf" Sten said behind us.

"What?" Oghren asked.

"Stop tripping me."

"Stop tripping yourself"

"If you were significant enough to notice, I wouldn't step on you." Sten groaned.

"Oh well… your mother" Oghren replied.

"That was disappointing. I expected better from you." Sten sighed.

"Sorry… I was in a rush." Oghren shrugged.

We finally escaped the cold air of the mountain and were on flat ground once again. It still felt so strange being outside, the air felt so much lighter than in Orzammar. We decided to set up camp since we were still worn out from our trip into the deep roads.

I sat down at the fire after setting up my things in my tent, Mahia snuggling down next to me. Oghren was sitting on a log next to the fire drinking his ale.

"Oghren are you okay with what happen to Branka?" I asked looking over at him.

"Oh sure I'm fine with it." He said taking a drink of his ale. "I mean she sure was a firebrand between the sheets, but a bit soft in the skull, you know what I mean? Explains why she left anyway."

"You're handling this well." I shrugged looking back at the fire.

"Handling what? Branka?" he sighed "That treasures been long buried. Ancestors take me you people whine like teakettles around here."

I laughed shaking my head.

"There you are" Alistair took a seat next to me and wrapping his arm around me. "I was wondering where you went."

"Just talking to Oghren."

"Morgan!" Leliana called

I looked over at her to see her waving at me a huge smile on her face. "I found a river!"

"I'm coming I waved. I have to go Alistair I'll be back later" I said before I stood up and walked to my bag.

"There's a lot of tension around here" Oghren said looking around the campsite at the others who were setting up their tents.

"You think so do you?" Alistair asked turning back to him.

"Know what's a good way to relive tension?" Oghren asked turning to look at Alistair. "Polishin' your weapon."

"Really?" Alistair said lifting an eyebrow in curiosity

"Yep. Give it good shine. With a dry rag and then a little grease." Oghren replied with a smile.

"That's disgusting" Alistair said turning back to the fire.

"You telling me you never gave yer blade the old spit shine?"

"I think that's private" Alistair glared at him.

"I like to do it right out in the open." Oghren nodded.

"Where everyone can see you?"

"Yep."

"Wait what are talking about?" Alistair asked shaking his head.

"What are you talking about?" Oghren raised his eyebrow confused.

"Never mind" Alistair sighed.

"You're a strange one" Oghren said pointing a finger at Alistair.

I laughed as I walked after Leliana, Alistair staring at me in confusion.

I swam in my small clothes with Leliana and Mahia, our laughter echoing through the forest.

"Your nug is so cute, Leliana!" I called to her as I floated on my back.

"Oh I know isn't he, I named him Schoomples he's a chunky little fella." She laughed. "You an Alistair are getting quite close, yes?"

"Yeah I like him a lot, he's very funny." I smiled.

"Yes the dumb ones are always the cutest and the most fun!" She laughed.

"Oh you're horrible Leliana!" I laughed splashing her. "I think we should head back to camp"

"Yes I think so, I'm starving." She said.

We climbed out of the river wrapping our towels around us and heading back to camp. Alistair was still sitting in front of the fire with Oghren when we arrived. The stew Leliana had left to cook still hanging above it. I slipped into my tent and pulled a dress on that I had bought back in Orzammar and headed back outside sitting next to Alistair while I brushed my hair the brush caught on a tangle and I closed my eyes and pulled the brush breaking through the tangle in my hair but punching Alistair in the arm in the process.

"Ouch" He yelled rubbing his arm and looking at me confused.

"Sorry it got stuck." I shrugged continuing to brush my hair.

"Maybe you should brush softer" he said turning his arm and pulling his sleeve up to look at the area where I had accidentally hit him.

"Maybe you shouldn't sit so close while I'm brushing my hair."

"Yes because the first thing I thought when I saw you sit down and began brushing your hair is that I should move over because I might end up becoming wounded."

"You're not wounded you big softie." I said rolling my eyes.

"How would you know? Where you the one forcefully hit in the arm with a hard hair brush?" he whined.

"I was not the one who was sitting close to someone trying to brush through their hair." I looked at him and stopped brushing my hair.

He frowned and slowly scooted a little farther away still rubbing his arm, I turned and continued to brush my hair.

"It's done." Leliana called after sampling her stew with the wooden spoon.

Everyone worked their way over to the fire, even Morrigan joined us which was unusual she always preferred to be alone when we set up camp.

"Maker Leliana this is delicious" I called to her taking a bite.

Everyone else nodded and gave her praise for her wonderful food, it was much better than Alistair's famous rabbit and cheese stew. Everyone had gone hungry that night except for Alistair.

"You will have to show me how to make that one of these days." I smiled at her.

She nodded as she dunked the big pot into the river letting the water clean out the remains of the stew.

"So how is Alistair's performance?" she asked running her hand along the inside of the pot.

"His performance?" I asked looking up from the bowl I had been washing.

She just winked at me.

"Oh" I giggled "I would not know, we haven't gotten that far. I think he's a virgin."

"Well that will be awkward." She laughed.

"At least he's good at following command, maybe it will come in handy." I laughed turning back to wash the bowl.

She laughed almost dropping the pot in the river. "I can just imagine you giving him orders, he does seem the submissive type."

"Yes… sadly." I sighed.

"Who is submissive?" Alistair asked walking up behind us.

I turned to Leliana eyes wide searching for an answer, she just closed her lips tight turning back to the pot trying to hold back the laughter.

"Who's submissive?" Alistair asked again sitting down beside me and drying one of the bowls.

"Uh… Mahari" I answered looking over at my mabari who looked up and tilted his head knowing full well that he wasn't the one me and Leliana had been talking about.

"Really? He doesn't really seem submissive to me." He said looking back the hound just as confused as Mahari was.

A laugh slipped from Leliana's mouth and I glared at her.

"He's good at hiding it." I answered still glaring at Leliana whose body was shaking with silent laughter.

"Strange" Alistair shrugged turning back to the wet bowl in his hand.

I sighed turning back to the bowl I was washing.

Alistair helped us gather all the dishes and return to camp placing them in their bags. I took first watch laying on the ground and staring up at the stars like I always did Mahari (my submissive hound) took his place next to me placing his head across my stomach, I reached down and scratched his ears.

"I guess I can see the submissive side to him." Alistair said looking down at us and tilting his head.

I laughed and shook my head. "Do you want to join us, Alistair?"

He nodded slowly laying down next to us reaching over and scratching Mahari's ears. "Do you think he really knows what's going on here? The blight, the civil war… I really wonder how much of it he really understands."

Mahari's tail hit the dirt wagging causing a small dirt cloud around it.

"I think that's your answer" I smiled at him.

"We're all special… big parts to play." Alistair said looking back at the stars twirling a stick in his hand. "Even you. Especially you in some ways. You are the mabari. You guard one of the most important people…"

Mahari stood up barking at him his tail wagging shaking his whole backside.

"What?" he asked turning to look at Mahari who just barked back at him staring at the stick in his hand. "You… You want to play?" He asked looking down at the stick. "But I'm talking. Why doesn't anyone want to hear me talk?"

"Just throw the damn stick." I said rolling away from Mahari to avoid the drool falling from his mouth.

Alistair threw the stick across the campsite and Mahari bolted after it.

"Now he's never going to leave you alone" I laughed watching the hound come trotting back with his prize dropping it next to Alistair and waiting for him to throw it again.

Alistair repeated throwing the stick so much I lost count.

"My arm hurts" he said rubbing his shoulders.

"I told you he was never going to leave you alone" I laughed as Mahari came back yet again dropping the stick into his hand.

Alistair threw it into the fire.

"Alistair!" I slapped him. "That was mean."

"It was an accident" he shrugged.

Mahari growled after seeing where the stick had went, he stepped on Alistair causing him to heave as the mabari's heavy foot landed on his stomach. Mahia forced his way between us flopping down on his side so his legs were facing Alistair, Mahia stretched all four legs the force pushing Alistair quite a distance away from us.

"Hey!" he called as his body slide across the dirt.

"And you questioned if he was smart" I laughed sitting up to look over the hound and at Alistair. "Maybe you will think twice before throwing another one of his sticks into the fire."

Mahia stopped Alistair from getting to close to us all night, he wouldn't even let him into my tent when Sten came to relive us so Alistair ended moping back to his tent alone that night.

The next morning we packed up and headed back on the road towards Redcliff. Sten and Oghren lead the way this time and I stayed behind talking with Leliana about Orlais and Lady Cecile. Sten came to an abrupt stop and before I could realize he had stopped in front of us I ran into his back falling to the ground on my bottom.

"Maker Sten! Warn me when we stop next time" I said looking up at him.

He just pointed in front of him to a couple of dwarfs walking towards holding onto an ox that was pulling a large caravan behind them.

"Are those the dwarfs we ran into in Lothering?" I asked leaning to the side propping myself with my hand as I looked around Sten's legs.

"I think so" Alistair said stopping by my side to get a good look before helping me to my feet.

"Bodahn?" I asked as we came closer.

"I saw you packing up your camp and thought what safer place could we find from the dark spawn then with two Grey Wardens." He smiled looking up at us. "I'm perfectly willing to offer you a fine discount for the inconvenience of our presence. How does that sound? Good… yes?" He looked from me to Alistair.

"Have you been following us?" Alistair asked.

"I can see why you might be suspicious being a Grey Warden and all. Were I in your shoes I would feel the same." He smiled at us. "Trust me when I say that my encountering you here was serendipity and nothing more. I travel a lot so I'm bound to meet every one on the road eventually."

"You're free to come Bodahn, just mine yourself." I smiled.

"Oh goody! May I ride in your caravan? I'm tired of walking."Leliana asked Bodahn.

"Well certainly miss." He nodded.

Oghren, Leliana, Morrigan and Alistair decided they wanted to ride in the caravan instead of walking, I stayed with Sten I figured it would give me a chance to get to know him.

"Sten?"

"Yes Warden."

"May I ask you a question?"

"If you wish"

"You said you were in the army when I met you in that cage."

"I am"

"Have you ever fought in war?"

"I have always fought in war, human."

"What do you mean by that?"

"My people have been at war since we first set foot on the northern islands."

"Well I wouldn't think that the natives would happily hand their home to you, Sten."

"It is not the native humans we fight."

"Oh, well then who do you fight?"

"The enemy is everywhere. The jungle is an enemy within itself, vipers, hunting cats, there are even some flowers that can kill the unwary. And then there is the Imperium. And the Tal-Vashoth."

"What are the Tal-Vashoth?"

"I do not know how this matters. Scheron and Par Vollen are distant. Ferelden and the dark spawn are immediate."

"What is your hurry Sten?"

"What a strange language you speak." He said looking down at me. "You say "hurry" where I would say "duty""

"It is not your duty to defeat the blight Sten."

"No, it is yours and you are chatting with me instead." He groaned looking back to the road.

"Well we have a long way to Redcliff I thought I would get to know you."

"I like swords and I am a skilled fighter that is all you need to know."

"Fine we will walk in silence." I said putting my hands up.

Mahia found a stick on the side of the road and I began throwing it in front of us for him. The sun disappeared behind a cloud before we heard the thunder crackle through the sky.

"I think we should make camp." Sten said looking up at the sky as it grew grey before us.

"Yes I think so. There's no way that caravan is going to make it smoothly through the mud." I said looking back at the huge caravan "There's a small settlement up ahead, we will set up camp and I'll take a small group into the settlement with me. I know the merchant, my father use to always bring him along when he traveled."

We quickly set up camp and I took Alistair, Leliana and Mahia with me, we grabbed our cloaks to try to keep out what rain we could. We weren't far down the road when a woman came running towards us, she was frightened and drenched from the rain.

"Oh thank the Maker!" she sighed. "We need help! They attacked the wagon, please help us! Follow me I'll take you to them!"

We ran behind the girl to a clearing a blonde elf standing in front of the tipped caravans his arms crossed against his chest. The girl slowed as she reached him and he smirked at her, three elves emerged on our right and two more on our left their bows pointed at us. A tree cracked behind us and we looked just in time to jump out of the way as it fell.

"The Grey Warden dies here!" The blond elf yelled drawing his blades.

"Get up!" I yelled at Alistair as I drew my blades running towards the blonde elf.

Leliana hit the girl that had lead us to the ambush with an arrow pinning her for Mahia as he pounced atop her and pawed at her face ripping it apart. Leliana then drew her daggers and headed to the traps disabling them for Alistair so he could reach the two elves a top a cliff she did the same for the other side joining Mahia who was trying to take down the three elves on the other cliff.

"You're a fool to try to kill me!" I shouted at the elf as I swung my blade at him, it barely touched his leathers as he jumped back and drove his dagger at me.

"It is you who is the fool!" His dagger dove near me and I dropped to the ground missing the sharp dagger by seconds. I swung my leg around catching him off guard and he fell. I quickly straddled him and brought my forehead down head butting him with enough force that it knocked him out, I grabbed his blades throwing them aside and pulled the rope I had brought to leash Mahia when we entered the settlement and tide his hands together.

"Who is he?" Alistair asked as he leaned over to look at the elves face. "Do you recognize him?"

"No he isn't anyone I know." I replied still trying to tie his hands together. "Do you know him Leliana?"

"No I have never seen him before. Why would he attack us?" she asked looking down at me.

He shifted underneath me and opened his eyes, the rain washing away the blood from the broken skin where my head had made contact with his. His eyes scanned up my body till they met mine. "It is not often that I wake up tied up and straddled by a beautiful woman, well at least not clothed."

Alistair grabbed my arm and pulled me up off the elf glaring at him in the process. "We have some questions for you elf!"

"Ah so I am to be interrogated? Let me save you the time." He said with a sigh as he placed his hands behind his head to use them as a pillow. "My name is Zevran. Zev to my friends. I am a member of the Antivan Crows, brought here for the sole purpose of killing any remaining Grey Wardens. Which I have failed sadly."

"Yes well I'm rather glad you have failed." I said placing my hand on my hip.

"So would I be, in your shoes." He smiled "For me however it puts me in a rather poor predicament doesn't it? Being captured by a target seems a tad deter mental to one's budding assassin career. Thought I have to say I rather enjoyed the way you went about it." He said winking at me.

Alistair rolled his eyes and grabbed by hand lacing his fingers with mine.

"Too bad for you then." Leliana replied.

"Yes, it's true. Too bad for me." Zevran replied.

"What are the Antivan Crows?" Alistair asked.

"I can tell you that." Leliana said turning to look at Alistair. "They are an order of assassins out of Antiva. Very powerful and renowned for always getting the job done… so to speak. Someone went to great expense to hire this man."

"Quite right I am surprised you have not heard more of the Crows out here. Back where I come from, we're rather infamous."

"Wait so you came all the way from Antiva?" I asked.

"Not precisely. I was in the neighborhood when the offer came along. The Crows get around you see."

"Who hired you to kill us?" Alistair asked.

"A rather taciturn man in the capitol. Loghain I think his name was? Yes that's it."

"So you're loyal to Loghain." I said.

"I have no idea what his issues are with you. You threaten his power, yes? Beyond that no, I'm not loyal to him, I was contracted to perform a service."

"And now you have failed that service?" Leliana added.

"Well that is between Loghain and the crows and the crows and myself."

"And between you and I." I said back.

"Isn't that what we are establishing now?" He smiled.

"When were you to see Loghain again?" Alistair asked.

"I wasn't. If I had succeeded, I would have returned home and the crows would have informed Loghain of the results… if he didn't already know. If I had failed, I would be dead. Or I should be as far as the crows are concerned. No need to see Loghain then."

"How much were you paid?" I asked.

"I wasn't paid anything. The crows however were paid quite handsomely. Or so I understand. Which does make me as poor as a chantry mouse, come to think of it. Being an Antivan Crow is not for the ambitious, to be perfectly honest."

"Then why are you one?" Alistair asked shaking his head.

"Well aside from the lack of ambition, I really didn't have much choice the crows bought me young. I was a bargain too or so I'm led to believe."

"Why are you telling me all this?" I asked.

"Why not? I was not paid for silence though I did not offer it for sale, precisely."

"Aren't you at least loyal to your employers?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

"Loyalty is an interesting concept, if you wish and are done integrating me, we can discuss it further."

"We're listening, make it quick." Alistair said.

"Well here's the thing I failed to kill you so my life is forfeit. That's how it works. If you don't kill me the crows will. Thing is I rather enjoy living. And obviously are the sort to give the crows pause. So let me serve you instead."

"Wont they come after you then?" I asked

"Possibly, I happen to know their ways and can protect myself… as well as you." He smiled.

"And what do you want in return?"

"Well being allowed to leave would be nice, and would make me marginally more useful and if somewhere down the line you find you have no more use for me then I go on my way. Until then I am yours" he winked. "Is that fair."

"Very well, I accept your offer." I said letting go of Alistair's hand and keeling down.

"Wait! You're taking the assassin with us? Does that really seem like a good idea?" Alistair called bending over and grabbing my arm.

"Don't worry Alistair, we could use him." I smiled.

"Alright I see your point. Still if there was a sign we were desperate I think it just knocked on the door and said hello."

"Welcome Zevran having an Antivan Crow join us sounds like a fine plan." Leliana said smiling down at him.

"Oh are you another companion to be? I wasn't aware that such beauty existed amongst adventures, surely."

"Or maybe not" Leliana frowned.

I leaned over him pulling his hands out from behind his head.

"What are you not going to straddle me?" he smirked.

"I could just kill you."

"Right I'll just enjoy the view in front of me quietly" he said looking at my breasts that were in his face as I fought to pull his hands out to cut the rope.