When the group arrived to the circle. They saw the back of a redhead, trying to convince a templar to let her on the boat to the circle.

"Not until more have arrived. The boat is bigger than normal, due to it being a funeral. I can't keep going back and forth for each individual. Look behind you a small group has just arrived."

"Neria! Alistair!" Leliana pulled them into a hug. The bard noticed the Templar guarding the boat put his hand to his hilt. Anders saw as well, gently grabbed the Commander's elbow.

Leliana couldn't read Neria, she and Zevran trained her too well. The bard gushed "I heard you had a lover! I thought he was more roguish, its seems your tastes haven't changed much."

Alistair and Anders looked at each other briefly, both a little uncomfortable with the realization. Anders offered, "We do have great hair."

Settling into a room with Anders. "I'm surprised everyone has doors."

"The Circle is free. Come on, we don't have time. We need to find Irving, or were there any mages here that you could trust with this."

Anders looked at his Commander, "You really don't like that people think we are" he wiggled his eyebrows.

"I'd hate it if you became tranquil. You dying wouldn't worry me so much right now." Grabbing him, she dragged him out. Only to bump into Zevran.

"My dear, I'm rather fond of this bumping."

"Zev! I'd love to chat. I'm glad you're here. I need to find the First enchanter."

"Zevran, actually brought me to you." Irving stepped forward.

Anders looked really confused, "How did you know?"

"While I would love to brag to a Warden again. Now is not the time."

Back in the room, Anders explained his situation.

Irving, "My boy, if we weave Justice into your tether to the fade. It might not help, and then you might not be able to tell when Justice ends and you start."

"I don't have long."

Irving sighed, "I can tell, lay down my boy, we are rushed. Zevran, perhaps it would be best if you stay outside distract any templars curious enough to want in." Once the assassin was gone, Irving pulled out a pouch of lyrium.

Neria, "You were prepared."

Irving drawing a circle around Anders, "Whenever Anders came back, I had to be. I even set you up in a room with an escape route."

Anders, "Huh, I thought I just made that up"

Weaving took time, it became hard to tell who was who anymore. They knew they were done when a ripple of mana echoed through the circle.

"Shit," Irving drained a lyrium potion. Lifting a stone from a floor revealing a ladder. Neria tied a satchel to his waist, saying it had everything he needed to get to Kirkwall. Even a map to the deep roads. They heard the templars kicking down doors, trying to find the source. Neria saw Irving's hand come up forcing her against the wall, her head cracked against something and she faintly heard Irving yell at the templars saying Anders fled. Zevran was saying something about a bird. Everything blurred to black.

Alistair had rushed in, it smelled lightly of lyrium. There wasn't any to be seen though. What he could see was blood on the wall, and Neria slumped. He checked her skull, neck, and back. Nothing seemed broken. A mage entered the room, scanning over her. They laid her on her stomach so the healer could work.

Zevran leaned against the door, "Alistair, for our favorite Warden's sake, head to the knight commander's office. Be angry, be enraged."

By the time the King got to the closed door. He noted it was locked, "Oh these doors have locks!" Greagoir had opened the door. "Your majesty."

"What happened to the Hero of Ferelden." Alistair seethed

Irving answered him, "Anders, became an abomination, and attacked her."

Alistair confused, "No, he wouldn't"

Greagoir, "I don't know much of your templar training. When a mage is possessed, he ceases to be the man you knew. It appears Neria, threw some lyrium at the problem, trying to bring him back. Useless, but I can't fault her trying."

Irving frowned, "I'm just glad, I came by to greet them. Neria was already on the ground. Anders, or what had been him shape shifted into a bird."

Alistair, "No. Something else had to have happened."

Greagoir, "Do you know if the healer we sent made it?" Alistair nodded dumbly. "I'll send the rest of her friends to her. Go, when she wakes up she'll need a friendly face."

Neria opened her eyes. Her head hurt, but it was resting in Leliana's lap. "What happened?"

Oghren from outside the door, "Commander's awake?"

Zevran, "Yes you brave little guard."

Oghren snorted, "Just keep your pants wear I can see them." A pair of pants was thrown on him. Oghren charged in, hammer drawn, eyes ablazed, and noting that Zevran still had his clothes on.

Alistair handed Zevran a few coins, "Well earned, my friend."

"I'll take your coin, but there is no satisfaction."

"As funny as this is, what happened?" Neria was sitting up now.

Oghren, "Last thing you remember Commander?"

Leliana, "Don't, we are being watched. Irving wished for you to go to his office, when you can."

Alistair picked the little elf up. "And not to talk to anyone else. Look dazed."

After they had walked out, Leliana sighed, "They do look lovely together."

Zevran, "Could you imagine the Queen and Hero of Ferelden sharing? Besides didn't you think it was her and that mage?"

"No, something was wrong. I didn't want anyone else to raise an eye. Besides I'm told she has been sleeping with a rogue."

"I have been a good influence then."

"Eagh"

When Alistair set Neria down, "Irving what happened, the last I remember was you using force magic to ram me into the wall."

"My dear, I didn't mean to make you hit your head, I'm sorry. I needed to establish that you couldn't be blamed. That ripple Anders sent out was…" Irving groped for words.

Alistair, "It felt like a possession, similar to Uldred."

"I told the Knight Commander. That Anders was possessed, attacked you, I came in it and attacked him. He shape shifted, and flew out. Zevran attested to a bird flying out.

"How did you explain the lyrium?"

"It was all burnt away, you could only smell it. Greagoir assessed, you used it to try to bring Anders back. He doted on you, when you were small, he wants to believe that."

There was a knock on the door, Irving allowed him in.

"Miss Surana, how are you feeling?" Greagoir placed a gloved hand on her shoulder.

"I little sore, but fine."

"I'm sorry for Anders. He was always, difficult. I was glad he joined you as a Grey Warden, but I was wrong when I thought it would be good for him. Can you answer a few questions?"

Neria had echoed what Irving had said. "As far as why, he was so sad to hear of Wynne's death. And he was angry that the Templars that were traveling with us were watching us so. His majesty was kind enough to send them back to Denerim. He just-" Neria bit her tongue, she wanted to rage that she had to lie. Luckily it was taken as sorrow.

"I have enough, I'll write a report. You won't need to do anything more. I'm sorry this happened so soon after we lost Wynne." Greagoir squeezed her shoulder.

Alistair walked her back to her room, where everyone was waiting for her. Alistair couldn't help but ask, "What was your relationship with Greagoir?"

"I came to the circle very young, to young to start classes. All the apprentices were at least 3 years older than me, so I was lonely. Wynne saw me only a couple hours in the day. Jowan, would read to me before i fell asleep. Greagoir allowed me to follow him around most of the time. He'd play games with me, sneak me sweets, and he'd braid my hair in the morning."

Leliana, "So he was like a dad?"

Neria grimaced, "No I had a dad. Greagoir was more like a brother, helping out."

"You look so tired my dear, perhaps you could use a rest." Zevran grabbed Alistair and Oghren on the way out.

Leliana, "Would you like to be alone?"

"Please stay."

Neria had arose early. Leliana was still asleep, and someone had fixed the door. The funeral would be soon. Neria had changed.

"Warden, my friend. Why are you wearing white?"

"Circle mages do for funerals."

"I did not know." Leliana stared at her black dress.

"Don't worry, mages do this for mages. Could you braid my hair"

On the stone roof Wynne was on a funeral pyre. Dress in white and a shear cloth covering her face. The enchanters circled around closest to the pyre, inviting Neria into the circle. Grasping hands they chanted:

The Light shall lead her safely
Through the paths of this world, and into the next.
For she who trusts in the Maker, fire is her water.
As the moth sees light and goes toward flame,
She should see fire and go towards Light.
The Veil holds no uncertainty for her,
And she will know no fear of death, for the Maker
Shall be her beacon and her stave

The chanters cast fire onto the pyre. Watching Wynne slowly turn to ash. After a while some of the mages began to go downstairs, to start preparing food. Neria turned to her friends tears running down her face. She handed her kerchief to Oghren.

"The ol' dame was something." Blowing his nose.

Zevran, "even to the end her bosom was magical"

Alistair, "We're at a funeral."

Leliana, "It's true, I asked if she had advice."

Neria,"And?"

Leliana, "She told me to do things I enjoy, not for bragging, because it brought me joy. Even if my chest doesn't hold up, at least I would have lived a lovely life."

Oghren blowing his nose harder, "I'll be going to my room. All this smoke is messing with my eyes."

Neria gripped his shoulder, "I'll bring you some ale, later. I would want to hear some of your stories."

Neria had left her friends in the dining hall, saying she should help in the kitchens. Zevran checked in on her seeing her focus on operating multiple knives and mixing a pot with her magic.

"This, my dear, is a wonderful use of your magic. Why did you not do this at camp? It would've been entertaining."

One of the knives had clattered, "Zevran, I was, I don't know, nervous."

"A handsome elf gazing at you, made you nervous?" His lip twitched.

A mage tossed a carrot at him, yelling at him to stop distracting them. Before he could make another remark, he saw ice forming threatening on the mage's hand. The assassin chose to saunter away.

An apprentice sidled up to Neria, "Thank you."

"For? O Connor!" All of her knives clattered.

The boy giggled, letting her get the knives going again and he began to stir the pot. "I just wanted to say thank you for saving Redcliff from me."

"Of course, I'm sorry about your mother."

"I hated you, but if you left for lyrium, I would've hurt more."

"I hated me for making that decision, as well. How are you liking the circle?"

"I like it, I wish being a mage meant I didn't have to become an Arl. Dad thinks I'll be a great Arl."

"Why don't you want to be?"

"I bathed my home in blood. I don't want to look at those people, who don't have loved ones anymore because of me."

Neria finished dicing, poured the vegetables into the pot. "Connor, that is precisely why you have to lead."

"No, them looking at me seeing me as a murderer," She made eye contact with another mage, who took over the pot. She picked the 10 year old up, with a healthy assistance of magic. Hold him close and moving him to another room. He was sobbing, she let him for a while, holding him close. When he calmed down a bit she spoke.

"Young man, without a proper mage to guide you, you were tricked and misled by a demon. Your mother's life was to give you a 2nd chance, to mend something that was terribly broken. Redcliff will never be the same, you will never be the same."

"I can't give lives back."

"That is correct. The hardest and most complicated amends adults have to make are the ones you cannot undo what was done."

"I'm not an adult, though."

Neria pulled him tighter to her, "For a lot of us childhood ends early. You don't have to make amends now or the near future. Rely on your teachers, navigate the fade, and simply learn."

"I can do that." Connor pulled away.

"Don't forget to pull a few pranks here or there. Adults get to have fun." When Connor wandered off, Neria rested her face in her hands.

Alistair spoke, "He'll be okay you know."

Neria, "It almost makes me regret that I asked for the circle to be free."

"Almost?"

"Well, the doors are nice." She smiled weakly.

"Were you one whose childhood ended early?"

"You already know that answer. The only glimmer I had of it was the first few years at the circle."

"Before?"

"You know I was in an Alienage, you guessed at what happened. I think I'll go to the hall, see what everyone is saying about Wynne."

Zevran saw her and patted his lap. Neria squished in between Leliana and Zevran.

Leliana, "Why did you go cook? You're an Arlessa."

"I was a mage first." a pair of mages sitting across from them moved, seeing the King.

"You didn't- well thank you." Alistair plopped down. Right when food was served.

Zevran, stabbing into a variety of meats and fruit. "Neria my dear, can you explain the white?"

"Not really, I never asked. I didn't know it wasn't what everyone did until I left the circle. In some tomes they describe the importance of color to magic. White is a symbol of purity, and respect."

Alistair, "Purity? That certainly didn't apply to Wynne, suggesting I'd wake up beside her."

Neria, "Alistair! We are at her funeral. Have some shame"

Flabbergasted, "Shame, you three were talking about her chesticles." Flushing, he noticed the Neria couldn't school her face, her lips twitched in a smirk. "Woman, you are just as bad as Morrigan at times."

Zevran, "Alas she never dressed like Morrigan." the assassin sighed dramatically.

Leliana, "There were those robes I gave to you!"

Alistair flushed, "Neria was wearing those when I came to bring her here."

Leliana, "Who were you trying to seduce?" she arched a perfectly red eyebrow.

Neria shook her head "No one! I just missed you."

Leliana spotted the lie, "You don't fool me, you were probably role playing."

Zevran chuckled, "Apostate and templar?"

The day wore on to night, Neria brought Oghren a plate and some mead. Trading stories for a bit. When Neria headed back to her room, she saw Leliana leading a flushed mage somewhere. Smirking the Commander entered her room, her face fell. Alistair was passed out on her bed. She thought about waking him, but didn't want to deal with whatever this was. Should she go sleep in his bed, that could be weird if he came back. As a commander stealing an Apprentice bunk, wasn't appropriate. Annoyed, she used a bit of electricity to wake him.

"Ah Ah! Neria, what!?"

"What are you doing in my bed." Neria's arms were crossed.

"Hmm? Oh, I fell asleep." He noted her angry stance. "It, does look bad."

"Just go Alistair,"

Unfazed, "Are you okay? It's been a long day. Being a chanter for Wynne's funeral, soothing Connor, being back in this Circle."

"It's hard to not see so many mages. Uldred's rebellion cost so many lives." Neria sat next Alistair. Who put an arm around her shoulder. "You don't have to give me the official line."

Neria looked up at him, "I was in the kitchens, it was my favorite room. It was only a quarter full. The woman who taught me to control multiple knives at once, is gone. The man who taught me how to peel a pomegranate is gone. Even during funerals, there was much chatter. This circle is empty, it lost something."

Alistair, "Its terrible, I can't imagine seeing your home change like this."

Neria tears dripping down her face, "Alistair, I'm tired. Could you please leave, we can talk more on the way home tomorrow."

He stood, "Of course." He handed her a kerchief. "I could stay-" he voice trailed off.

Neria took the kerchief, watched Alistair, unable to identify intent. "Do you even know what you're offering?"

He grabbed her hand. "Wynne died, after we disagreed, in my castle. I was yelling my last words at her. I don't want to be alone in my shame."

She watched how his jaw clenched, and how he held her hand lightly. She moved to a cabinets, pulling out some blankets, laying them out on the floor. "You take the bed, I'll sleep on the floor. Talk to me as long as you like."