Hi to Ataea! Thanks to everyone for their reviews xx

I've rushed this chapter out for all the girls on Team Nate! Go Nate!

Going to have a lie down, now…lol

Cori opened her eyes and lay still for a few moments. Her body ached from head to toe. She could hear Anders' breathing and feel his warmth. She could quite happily stay there all day.

Her face itched. She reached up to scratch. Her hand touched something wet and sticky. She turned her head. Anders' face was next to hers, his mouth wide open. He was drooling on her.

"Oh…OH! Anders!"

Anders woke with a start. "What's the matter?"

"Look at me! I'm soaked!"

"I've always believed in sharing with my friends." He turned over and farted. "See? I'm the mage that just keeps on giving."

Cori punched his back and got out of bed. She was still wearing her robes. "I'm going back to my room to get changed."

"Mmmf."

Cori washed and put on the only spare robe she'd brought with her, a purple number with silver embroidery along the cuffs and hem. She brushed her hair for the first time in days. Even though she'd just washed it, she struggled with several nasty tangles. She put it into a loose plait and headed downstairs, banging loudly on Anders' door as she went past.

In the main hall, Varel, Oghren, Garavel and a few soldiers were eating lunch. It was after midday. Every man except Oghren stood when she entered and waited until she sat down, before sitting down themselves.

Oghren looked at her. "Shame about the girl, huh?"

"I know. We're holding a funeral today for her. Have you ever been to a surface funeral?"

"Nope. Never been to one at home either. Morbid affairs. Where's sparkle fingers?"

"Drooling and mumbling in his bed."

The mood in the hall was sombre. Cori could hear work going on outside. "What's going on out there, Varel?"

"The darkspawn corpses are being moved and burned, Commander."

"Oh, but I meant to help with that…"

Everybody laughed. "That really won't be necessary, Commander. We have plenty of men for the task."

"Did I say something funny?"

"No. Well, yes," replied Garavel. "We meant no disrespect, Commander. It's just that our last Commander liked to sit in his office all day and bark orders. You seem like the sort to get stuck in. It will take some getting used to."

"Oh." Cori smiled.

Varel rose. "When you've finished, Commander, would you join me in my office? There's something we need to discuss."

"Of course. I won't be long."

"Take your time, Commander. The King wants to speak to you as well. He's preparing to leave."

Cori finished her lunch and headed outside. The King's company was nearly ready to depart.

"There you are!" Alistair walked over. "Did you sleep well, Cori?"

"I had the best night's sleep I've had in my life. No nightmares. How about you?"

"Not bad at all. I um…heard about the joining. I'm sorry about your friend."

"Thank you."

"I'm afraid we have to be making tracks. I'm expected back in Denerim in three days. We're already running late, but it can't be helped."

"When will we see you again?"

"Oh, you don't get rid of me that easily. I'll visit when I can. Will you write to me and let me know how you're getting on?"

"Of course. If you promise to write back."

"Just try and stop me!" Alistair took Cori's hands. "You're going to do very well here, you know that? Varel and Garavel already think the world of you."

Cori shrugged and grinned.

"I've said goodbye to everyone, and I can see how busy you all are, so we're just going to slip away. Oh, by the way, my scout found some fresh horse tracks leading south-west from here. I told him not to go too far, though, because of the darkspawn still around. So I'm afraid I can't tell you how far they go."

"It's a start. Please thank him for me."

"I already have." Alistair leaned over and kissed Cori's cheek. "Goodbye for now."

"Goodbye, Alistair. Have a safe journey home."

Alistair gazed at Cori for a minute, then nodded. He walked back to his men.

Cori let out a deep sigh. She was glad Alistair was leaving, in a way. She loved him deeply, and the fact they couldn't be together was painful. She was free to concentrate on Vigil's Keep now without distractions.

She headed to Varel's office and knocked on the door.

"Enter."

As she walked in, Varel stood up and laughed. "You don't need to knock, Commander. This is your office now. I've just been looking after it. Please, sit down."

She sat and looked around her new office. She could tell a man had occupied it previously. It was plain and functional. She would have to rectify that.

"To business, Commander. I'm not going to bamboozle you by telling you everything that needs to be done all at once. I suggest for the next few weeks, we sit down each morning and take care of that particular day's business, until you get used to the feel of things."

"That would be greatly appreciated. Thank you."

"For today, we are making preparations for the funerals of Mhairi and the 7 Orlesian Wardens we found dead."

"Seven? So five are still unaccounted for?"

"I'm afraid so. There is a lot of work to do at the Keep today and tomorrow, and we can't spare any men. The day after tomorrow, we can send scouts outside the Keep to look for any signs. With your leave, of course, Commander."

"Of course. May I make a suggestion? We could send two groups out, you accompanying one, me with the other. That way we could venture out a bit further. The scouts wouldn't be able to sense any darkspawn stragglers on their own."

"Firstly, Commander, you don't need to suggest anything. That's what I'm here for, to offer suggestions and possible options. But the final decision is always yours. Secondly, that's an excellent idea. We could cover quite a bit of ground with a Warden in each group. Yes, we will do that."

There was a knock on the door. One of the kitchen staff brought in a tray of tea and cake.

"I like this place," Cori said. "Food keeps magically appearing. There was a tray of food outside mine and Anders' doors when we woke up, there was food on the table when I came down, and now, barely an hour later, we get cake!"

"The staff here know better than to let Wardens go hungry, Commander," Varel smiled. "Things could become unseemly otherwise."

Cori laughed. "I'm looking forward to working with you, Varel."

"As am I, Commander. One more thing. There is a prisoner in the dungeon. I'd like you to take a look and decide what to do with him. He was caught breaking into the Keep three nights ago. It took 4 of the Orlesian Wardens to get him in the cell. Gave one of them a black eye, he did."

"Four?" Cori sounded impressed.

Varel lowered his voice. "Well…we are talking Orlesians, here, Commander."

Cori folded her arms, shook her head and frowned at Varel. She did her best to suppress a smile but failed.

"I'm shocked and dismayed at you, Varel."

"You look it."

Laughing, Cori stood up. "I'll go and pay our guest a visit then."

"Let his guard know when you've made your decision. I'll come down and see you."

Anders was up and dressed and having a stroll around the courtyard when Cori came bounding up to him.

"Anders! I need you to come somewhere with me now." She was excited.

"I thought you'd never ask. Was it the drool that finally sent you over the edge?"

Cori tutted and rolled her eyes. "I've just been given my first Commander-y thing to do and I don't want to cock it up. I've got to go and see a prisoner in the dungeon and decide what to do with him. I need you to come with me and look menacing."

She looked at him. He was wearing the same bright blue and gold robes, encrusted with coloured glass gems, and finished off with black feathers on the shoulders. A dangly gold earring hung from his left ear. "Actually, never mind the menacing bit. Just come with me, anyway."

"What do you mean by that?" Anders protested as she dragged him away.

The prisoner sat on the cold hard floor and glowered. His guard had told him that the Warden Commander was on her way and would decide what was to be done with him. Good, he thought. I can finally look the murdering bitch in the eye.

A door upstairs opened. He saw two people enter, dressed in colourful robes. They stood at the end of the room, talking to his guard. Great. A witch and a fruity-looking mage. This should be interesting.

The Prisoner got to his feet as they approached. The witch spoke first. "Hello, my name is…"

"I know who you are. The great hero. Conqueror of the blight and vanquisher of all evil. Aren't you supposed to be ten feet tall, with lightning bolts shooting out of your eyes?"

Cori laughed. That was quite funny! "I see my reputation precedes me." Anders sniggered.

This woman ended the blight? Really? "Somehow I just thought that my father's murderer would be more…impressive."

Cori stopped laughing. She looked at him closely. He looked familiar. Black, shoulder-length hair. Piercing blue eyes. That distinctive nose…

"I've killed a lot of people" she replied, shocked at how casually she said it, "you're going to have to be more specific."

"You sound proud of that. Figures."

Cori raised her voice. "Not that I need to justify myself to you, but no, I'm not proud of it."

Anders took her to the side. "Look, maybe you should leave this to Garavel."

"No, I don't want them thinking I'm some hysterical woman who gets intimidated by one lousy prisoner. Besides, I think I might have an idea who he is."

She walked up to the bars and looked at him. She nodded her head. "Yes. I think I know who you are."

"I seriously doubt that. Or can you read minds, along with all your other fantastic powers?"

"You're too young to be Thomas…" His face dropped."Yes, you must be Nathaniel."

"What? How could you possibly know that?" Can she read my mind?

"I know a great deal about your family. Your mother died when you were young. Your sister, Delilah, lives here in Amaranthine. You were engaged briefly to Elissa Cousland, but she changed her mind and dropped you for someone better."

Be careful, Cori. You're getting a bit personal. Why am I letting him get to me?

Nathaniel folded his arms and glared at her. She continued. "Your father fought with Bryce Cousland against the Orlesians, then betrayed him and slaughtered him and his entire family." Cori realised she sounded angry.

"Do go on," Nathaniel spat. "This is fascinating."

Sarcastic prick.

"When I walked in, you called me a hero. But I'm not the Hero of Ferelden. That honour belongs to the person that slew the Archdemon. One of your childhood friends, in fact. He told me what I know about the Howes."

Nathaniel looked confused. None of his childhood friends were Grey Wardens – that he knew of. "Are you going to go round in circles all day, or get to the point? Who are you talking about? What childhood friend?"

"Aedan Cousland."

"Wh…?" Nathaniel cast his eyes down to the floor and grasped his chin with his hand.

Cori looked at Anders. That shut him up.

"Aedan Cousland killed the Archdemon?" His voice was less angry, softer.

"Yes. He saved my life to do so. By all rights he should be standing here in front of you now."

"And why isn't he? Is he…"

"Dead? Yes."

"I see. I am…sorry to hear that."

Cori and Anders looked at each other.

Nathaniel leaned against the wall, deep in thought. "None of this explains how you recognised me."

"Well, the massive portrait of you in the main hall next to your father's was a bit of a giveaway."

Anders nodded in realisation.

Nathaniel looked at Cori. A ghost of a smile crossed his lips.

Now that she'd disarmed him a little, Cori thought she'd try a few questions.

"What were you doing at the Keep, Nathaniel?"

"I used to live here, once upon a time." He said angrily. Then he sighed. "I came here…I was going to try to kill you. To lay a trap for you. But then I realised I just wanted to reclaim some of my family's things." His voice grew quieter. "It's all I have left."

"Look." He continued. "I don't know what happened with the Couslands. It sounds like it was…horrible. The entire war was. Whatever my father did, however, shouldn't harm my whole family. The Howes are pariahs now…those of us left. If it wasn't for the blight, then maybe my father wouldn't have done…what he did."

Nathaniel fell silent. Cori studied him closely. This man is carrying great pain, she thought. I can almost see it on his shoulders, weighing him down.

"Guard. Would you fetch the Seneschal, please?"

"At once, Commander."

Nathaniel watched the two mages talking at the end of the room. The woman seemed lost in thought. The man was talking to her and kept shaking his head and gesticulating.

Just get it over with. Just hang me or whatever it is you're going to do. I've had enough anyway.

The door opened and the guard and another man in shiny armour with silver hair walked in. They started talking.

The woman had her back to Nathaniel so he couldn't see her face. The silver-haired man folded his arms and frowned. He didn't seem to agree with what she was saying. Then the two mages left. The silver-haired man bowed as they closed the door.

The guard walked up to the cell and unlocked it. The silver-haired man spoke.

"On your feet, Ser. You're free to go."

"What? You're letting me go?"

"Be thankful the Commander is so merciful. You can take a few keepsakes with you, then be on your way."

Nathaniel was speechless. He thought they would hang him.

Two more guards entered.

"Watch him closely, then put him on the road and make sure he keeps walking."

"Yes, Seneschal."