9:31 August 24th

We got back to the keep late last night. Oghren talked to Voldrik about the tablet we brought in from Kal'Hirol and the history that we learned of it. As we went into the throne room, everyone else went into their own rooms. I stayed behind, yawning my head off as we woke Varel up to indict Sigrun in. Amazingly enough, she wasn't even tired after our long walk.

Varel groaned as he set up the cup for the joining. Sigrun was nearly bouncing out of her boots while I was swaying from how tired I was.

"You know, you don't have to be here for every joining." Alistair said, rubbing his eyes. We were both exhausted.

"I want to be. I like feeling important." I said. Alistair smiled at me and patted my head.

"I have a feeling you are going to get yourself in trouble one of these days." The patting made me close my eyes for a second before I caught myself from falling.

"From this moment forth, Sigrun, you are now a Grey Warden."

"So it will be done." Sigrun took a gulp. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she fell.

"She yet lives Commander. The dwarf is stronger than most."

"I might as well take her to a free room that we have." Alistair said, rubbing his eyes.

"I don' t know about you but I'm going to bed." I overheard Varel and Alistair speaking about Kal'Hirol before I went to my room. I wanted to write but I was too tired. I saw a small package on my desk and I saw that it was the earrings that I commissioned back in Amaranthine. It made me smile but that could wait. I went to my bed after taking off my armor and boots and completely conked out. I woke up early in the morning to write. Hopefully we'll have a resting day.

9:31 August 25th

The farmers revolted. We had to put them down. Alistair made sure to protect their farms but food was still scarce. Alistair tried to do it peacefully but it wasn't enough. They attacked. I was asleep for all of this.

"Would you sleep through the end of the world?" Anders asked. I wiped off the sweat from my forehead. All of us were gathered on the practice grounds besides Oghren who was doing who knows what. Sigrun and Nathaniel were both fighting against each other. I got through fighting Sigrun but she beat me.

"I could try." I chuckled. Ser Pounce-a-lot rubbed against my leg. Velanna was scowling at all of us, tapping her fingers or her foot. What's with elves and not wearing footwear? Sigrun tackled Nathaniel's legs, causing Nathaniel to fall. She stood over him with her axe in her hand in front of his face. Anders whistled.

"Wow, she bested Nathaniel." Anders commented. Sigrun laughed, putting away her weapon. Nathaniel got up, brushing off the dirt.

"That was amazing!" Alistair said, clapping from the sidelines.

"Now do you understand?" Sigrun said, raising her eyebrow.

"I still say that my way is better."

"What are you guys talking about?" I asked.

"We talked in the morning the proper way to train you."

"What!?"

"I believe that if we incorporate both forms, she will be better."

"Oh hell no!" Alistair grabbed before I could leave.

"Bring them in." Three different fighters came in. They were leaner with leather armor, duel wielders. I gaped in horror.

"God what did I do to deserve this?" I shook my head. Nathaniel signaled me.

"Take off your armor."

"So quickly? I didn't think humans did it in front of people unless you're into that sort of thing." Sigrun said.

"That is not what I meant!" Nathaniel said. I muttered curses to myself as I took off my breastplate.

"What and dwarves are different?" Alistair asked.

"Being the Deep Roads with nothing to do but fighting darkspawn? There were times when we had nothing to do. We were all dead, we might as well do something to pass the time right?" Sigrun said, winking at Alistair. He laughed nervously while the fighters that were going to go against me circled around me.

"Nathaniel did I mention that I hated you?"

"Only several times already. Begin!"

9:31 August 26th

I am dead. I think I am at least with what happened yesterday and all. Sigrun and Nathaniel have both teamed up to train me. Holy Jesus I haven't been this pushed to my limit since Eren trained me three years ago.

"You ok?" Anders chuckled. I was in the mess hall with a delicious looking lunch in front of me. I was too exhausted to even touch it.

"Why me?"

"You're not a Grey Warden." Anders laughed at me again. I stuck my tongue out at him. He didn't even do the gentleman thing and heal me after all the cuts, bruises, and scrapes that I got after the training.

"You're a jerk Anders."

"I try."

"But you're my jerk. Here."

"Oh a present for me? It's not even my name day yet. It's…the earrings that I wanted!"

"I got them for you when you couldn't get them." Anders gave me a big smile and a sheepish laugh.

"Thank you. Now to…" Anders put both of them in his ears. "Ah, now that feels better. I, thank you. This is so thoughtful! Don't tell me you want something?"

"Why does every present need a catch or something? I got them because I wanted you to have them. Nothing more."

"Nothing more?"

"Nothing more." Anders laughed but I saw his cheek flush slightly. He cleared his throat.

"Have you heard anything from our esteemed Commander?"

"No. I suspect he's trying to make sure the whole region doesn't explode into chaos." I said.

"I was wondering if we can go out and explore since we aren't doing anything right now." Anders said.

"Explore? There isn't much to see in Amaranthine besides a few canyons or stuff. Don't tell me you want to escape here as well. I won't let you Anders. I'll follow you until the end of your days."

"Why didn't you tell me you were so in love with me?" Anders joked.

"I love you so much I'd kill for you."

"Now that's creepy." I laughed at the weird face he made.

"You should enjoy your down time Anders and don't jinx it. So far we've been doing very well at keeping the peace here." Sigrun came into the mess hall and saw me.

"Hey there! I have to admit, you fight like a blighter." Sigrun was really pretty once you don't pay any attention to her tattoos.

"I feel like one too. Come on Anders, I have scrapes where I didn't even know I could get scrapes." I whined.

"Don't be such a baby and take it like a man."

"Truthfully I'm surprised you didn't come out without more dismemberment or maiming. How do you do that heel thing?"

"You mean the twirl? My friend Zevran showed it to me. We were both traveling with Alistair killing of the darkspawn that remained down in the south. He trained me first and showed me the best way to dodge. I owe a lot to him." Sigrun and Anders looked at each other with a smile. "What?"

"You're in love with him aren't you?" It was my turn to laugh. Both of them looked at me confused. I had a good long laugh and calmed down. I gave Ser Pounce-a-lot a piece of meat from my lunch.

"I'll admit that Zevran is special to me but I wouldn't go as far as say I was in love with him. He's a very good friend."

"One that you slept with right?" I choked on my mashed potatoes.

"It's alright. In the Legion of the Dead, our feelings remain fluid as well."

"Sounds like the same in the mage circle." I cleared my throat.

"Whatever happened between Zevran and I was a mistake. I got drunk and he coerced me."

"You don't seem to take it bad though." Anders said with a raised eyebrow.

"I barely remembered anything that happened. Besides he apologized to me after I regained my sobriety."

"So you enjoyed it?" Sigrun asked. I felt my face flush.

"Oh you're blushing!" Anders said.

"That's just my normal flush!"

"What are you two going off about now?" Nathaniel said, bringing his own lunch.

"Her partner Zevran." Sigrun chuckled.

"He's not my partner! He's just a friend!"

"That you slept with." Anders said.

"It was an accident!"

"Did you fall on top of it or something?" Nathaniel joked. I groaned while everyone laughed at my embarrassment.

"Ha! That's not all she did!" Oghren laughed, sitting next to me with another drink in his hand.

"Don't you dare!"

"Not only did she sleep with an elf, she slept with a woman!" Anders gasped in mock horror, since he already knew about it, and Sigrun laughed. Nathaniel shook his head. I hit my head on the table, my embarrassment reaching critical levels.

"You're going to kill the poor girl." Nathaniel chuckled. I groaned and everyone laughed at me.

"It was all your fault Oghren!"

"I wasn't the one drinking girly!" Oghren guffawed.

"You…screw all of you!" I huffed and walked away. My face was extremely red. I found myself in the throne room. Varel, Woolsey, and Garavel were all talking with Alistair. Velanna was going through some of the bookshelves. She looked at me and she smiled at me before chuckling softly.

"Your face resembles a fat pig drunk off wine."

"Gee thanks. Going through the library we have?"

"There are many books here that are…eye catching. Of course there are none that are from my people."

"I wouldn't think that the Dalish would give away their knowledge so easily."

"They wouldn't and yet I am disappointed that there is nothing of them here. Bah, it's worthless to think of it. You need to tell your commander when we can begin the search for my sister."

"We don't even know where to start."

"The Deep Roads."

"We have scoured them and didn't find her."

"She must still be out there with that monster! We have to do something instead of standing around!"

"Alistair has a lot to deal with besides looking for your sister." Velanna scoffed at me and scowled.

"She's still out there…who knows what things that…darkspawn is doing to her."

"We'll find her Velanna but we can't have you worrying you head off. It's not going to do you any good."

"Fine! I will try to…calm myself." I saw Alistair go off back to where his room was. I managed to follow him and he sat on his desk, rubbing his head.

"Problems?"

"A few. We had a deserter that we had to imprison and our forces are trying to protect everything we can. We just don't have the manpower to protect everyone. We lost another farm to the darkspawn. If we can't find their nest then they will overrun Amaranthine." Alistair sighed.

"Didn't Varel talk about Kristoff having some information? What if he knows where all the darkspawn is coming from?" I asked. Alistair looked up at me in sudden realization.

"You're right. Kristoff was part of the Wardens that were stationed here with the Orlesians. If the information he gathered pertained to the darkspawn…he might know where the nest is!" Alistair said happily before slumping back into his seat. "Blackmarsh is two days away from Vigil's Keep but right now we don't have many supplies. We'll go into Amaranthine to restock and from there travel to Blackmarsh. Hopefully Seneschal Varel can keep the peace while we're gone. Let's go and tell the others Nia." I nodded.

"Hm, I like this feeling of being right. Now I know how a woman feels."

"Aren't you already a woman?"

"Yeah but I'm never right and yet I've been right about a lot of things since I've been here so it's a weird feeling to have." I laughed. Alistair patted me on the head.

"Is that a scrape on your neck? How did that happen?"

"Ask Sigrun and Nathaniel. They have ramped up my training. Sigrun is a beast with her axe." Alistair sputtered at that. I raised my eyebrow but he didn't look me in the eye. "Why do I get the feeling that I'm missing something?"

"It's only your imagination Nia." Alistair said too quickly. I shook my head at it. I tracked down Nathaniel and Velanna at the throne room.

"Good news Velanna. We might have a lead to the nest of darkspawn that we have here in Amaranthine."

"So fast?" Nathaniel said.

"What have you heard?" Velanna asked.

"There was a warden here by the name of Kristoff that had secret Grey Warden information. Unfortunately he's not here at the moment and was tracking down his info at Blackmarsh."

"Blackmarsh? It's a dreaded place that lost an entire village, rumored to be haunted by spirits and demons. Are we really going there?" Nathaniel said.

"Yep. Before that, we'll need to resupply at Amaranthine. We have found a few merchants that have agreed to stay at the keep but we don't have what we need here. From Amaranthine, we'll go into Blackmarsh. Get your packs ready, we're going on another trip." I explained to them. Oghren, Sigrun, and Alistair all came into the throne room when the door to the throne room banged loudly. A dwarf woman came in. A very recognizable dwarf woman by the name of Felsi.

"Where is he? Commander come here and tell me where's Oghren?" Felsi demanded.

"I don't think I know who you're talking about." Alistair has always been a bad liar.

"Don't think you can horse me around." She saw Oghren as he came closer. "Oghren you better get your hairy ass over here or so help me!"

"Hold on to your loins, woman! Is this a conjugal visit? Looking to don the velvet hat?" Oghren snickered, trying to get closer to Felsi.

"Don't you dare Oghren! You have done a lot of stupid things in your life but joining the wardens?!" Oghren laughed at her.

"Didn't you say it would be…hot?"

"Are we really hearing this?" Anders whispered to me.

"Shut up and watch the drama."

"So she's the wife?" Sigrun whispered with us. I nodded.

"We were roleplaying!" Nathaniel snorted at that. Alistair coughed.

"I don't know how you got it into your mind that you could just leave! You had a good thing in the army. Why the Grey Wardens?"

"You kicked me out!"

"You are making excuses!"

"Fels…I finally found somewhere I belong and it is here in the Grey Wardens. I can't play house like you want me to." Felsi's lower lip trembled.

"Fine. Then the baby and I will have to make do without you." Felsi growled. She slammed the door as she went out. Oghren grumbled.

"Leaving your wife and child? And you call yourself a man." Sigrun said.

"Be quiet!"

"Aren't you going to go after her?" Alistair asked.

"No. Once she's that wound up then she's only going to be aiming at the jewels. Grah! What are we standing around for!? It's time to go out and kill things!" Oghren grumbled, going out one of the side passages. Alistair sighed.

"How could he do that to his child?" Velanna said.

"Of that I have no answer to." I said.

"Let's get going. The sooner we go to Blackmarsh, the better." Alistair said. We all nodded and got out of the throne room. Oghren was waiting for us by the statue of Andraste. Velanna looked at the statue.

"Is there something on your mind Velanna?" Nathaniel asked.

"I should hate her but I respect her instead. She fought for freedom and for justice."

"Yet she is human."

"There are times when I can look past petty hatred. She freed the elven slaves…how funny isn't it? She fought a tyrannical empire, only for her own followers to make one of their own."

"Odd how that happens." Anders said.

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions." I said.

"But wouldn't the Dalish be the same if they wielded the same power?" Nathaniel asked.

"What!? Of…of course not! At least I wouldn't…I want justice but…this conversation is over!" Velanna pouted and Nathaniel chuckled at her. Anders gave me knowing look at both of them. I shook my head.

It was a tense silence as we made our way out of the keep. Things have gotten busier as the stone masons kept on bringing in granite block after granite block to rebuild it with a dwarven touch. Ser Pounce-a-lot came out of the pack to walk with us. Oghren kept himself at the front of our group, stomping all along the way. Anders let out a breath.

"I keep on thinking that he's going to go on a drunken rampage." Anders whispered to me.

"At least I'm not the only one thinking that." I whispered.

9:31 August 27th

We got to Amaranthine without incident and Oghren left us to go to the inn. No doubt trying to get himself stone drunk.

"Wow, so this is a human city!" Sigrun said, jumping up and down.

"First time?" Alistair asked.

"Of course! And the scenery! The light makes it so much easier to see leagues away! Hey do you think I'll find…what was the…a spyglass! They say it makes it so you can see things far away right next to you!"

"If we can find one sure." Alistair chuckled. As we walked into the city Sigrun accidentally bumped into a dwarven woman.

"I'm sorry about that I…you…you selfish, backstabbing, traitor!" The dwarven lady said, her face twisting in anger. Alistair put his hand on Sigrun's shoulder as she stared at the dwarven lady in surprise.

"Hey don't talk to her like that." Alistair said, his voice having a steely edge, glaring at the woman.

"It was in the past and-"

"Don't even try to feed another person your lies. My name is Mischa. I was a merchant until she betrayed me. I hired her, gave her a few simple errands. I was trying to keep one duster out of trouble, trying to help someone and look where it got me. I sent her on one task to House Bemot and then they lost a golden statuette of their Paragon. The next day I found it in my shop!"

"Sigrun?" Alistair questioned her.

"I had to do it! Beraht was going to kill you if I didn't do it! He needed to get rid of it."

"Do you how close I was to getting executed for what you did? Why didn't you tell the truth!?"

"He would have killed me instead!"

"It doesn't matter what Sigrun has done, I trust her."

"I trusted her too. Out of my way brand, got to make a living somehow…" Mischa said, bumping into Sigrun purposely this time.

"I-I'm sorry Commander. What ever happened between Mischa and me is in the past." Sigrun said.

"Perky dwarf with a mysterious past? It's ok. I'm a royal bastard so I think I have you beat." Alistair said. Sigrun chuckled softly. "Now, let's get us some supplies shall we?"

"Lead the way. I have never been here."

"There is nothing interesting here. Except a dahl'amythal."

"A what?" Sigrun and Anders asked at the same time.

"A tree of mythal. They are tall and strong. The keepers use those trees to cut the staves that our keepers use. I would have been given one by the keeper of my clan had I stayed."

"But you didn't." Nathaniel.

"No I didn't." Velanna said.

"Did it just get colder or was it just me?" Anders said.

"Shut up and get your supplies." We split off into twos, Sigrun and Alistair, Nathaniel and Velanna, Anders and I. We mostly got dry goods, unleavened bread, jerky, dried fruit, and completely filled our water skins. I was also able to give Micah back his lucky deer's foot.

"That should be it. Let's pick up our drunk Uncle Oghren and be on our way!" Alistair said.

"Uncle Oghren?" I said.

"He is sort of like that uncle no one likes right?" Anders said.

"If he's the uncle then who is everyone else?"

"Well I'm the dad, Nia is the mom, Anders is the annoying younger sibling."

"Hey!"

"You're the older more responsible sibling, Velanna is the angry child, and Sigrun is the happy one!" Alistair named us all. I face palmed.

"That doesn't work at all!" Anders said.

"We're just Grey Wardens." Sigrun laughed. We all went into the Crown and Lion. Oghren was oddly pessimistic when we went there.

"She kicked me out Commander! What was I supposed to do?! Sodding woman and her…womanly parts!" Oghren shouted, drinking more and more. He knocked out three bottles when we got there.

"Ok, come on Oghren, let's walk it off." Alistair said.

"Get me something to kill!"

"We'll get you something to kill, don't worry, now let's go."

"How you are able to stay friends with a smelly durgen'len is beyond me." Velanna said.

"Is that a curse word in elvhen!?" Oghren shouted at her.

"No! It means 'children of the stone!'"

"Oh…why are you shiny?"

"Andraste preserve me." Nathaniel sighed. Anders and I laughed at the group antics.

We left the city and followed the path toward Blackmarsh. Poor Oghren was swaying too and fro after we picked him up from the Crown and Lion.

"That city was amazing! When can we go again!? If we can find a spyglass there, think of all the other things we can find!" Sigrun giggled, looking through her gift. Alistair gave it to her when we left the marketplace. She was seeing everything.

"Once we find Kristoff, I'm sure we'll be able to have some free time." Alistair said. "Oooh! I can show you the smuggler cove!"

"There's a smuggler cove with boats!? I would love to go!"

"You can never stop being perky can't you?" Velanna said.

"Of course not! I'm on the surface experiencing so many new things!"

"Like smelling the dirt?"

"It smells of leaves and sunshine!"

"I think she took your spot of the optimist in the group Nia." Alistair laughed. We continued onward when we saw a few smoke plumes in the air. Alistair gave me a worried look and we marched fast toward the site of the fire. Near it, there were a few Dalish elves going through the burning woods.

"Andaran atish'an travelers, we mean you no harm. My people are only passing through."

"Merran?"

"Velanna? I'm surprised to see you, especially with your group."

"Yes I know, I'm traveling with humans. The irony isn't lost to me clanmate."

"We are clanmates no longer."

"I thought your clan was killed in the Wending Wood?" Nathaniel asked.

"No, they were my closet friends but not the entirety of my clan."

"That explains why it was so small." I mumbled.

"Velanna was exile and no longer belongs to our clan. She-"

"Please Marren, I don't wish to speak of it. If you would like to know, the ones who have joined me are dead. Seranni is also gone, taken by the darkspawn."

"And if she's alive, we'll try to bring her back." I said.

"Thank you strangers, you do her a kindness I did not expect. Velanna you know how Ilshae warned her not to go with you. Look at what you wrought."

"Then go ahead and tell Islhae how she was right! Oh I can already see her with her smug little-"

"Ilshae has passed Velanna, do not make disparaging remarks about the dead. Have you nothing but hatred in your heart?" Marren shook his head. "The clan is better off without you and your poisonous thoughts."

"She may have done mistakes in her past but everyone is capable of change, including her." Nathaniel said. Merran looked surprised at that.

"A human has willingly defended you? This action speaks loudly Velanna but my group has lingered too long here. Andruil guide your path Velanna. And may the Creators watch over you and your group." Marren and the other hunters continued on their path. Velanna gave a small sigh. We all looked at each other.

"Well what are you staring at? There is no point in fussing over me. Let's move on!" I'll admit, all our group have some sort of problems. The other problem was finding the time to go through their problems.

Ah I'll just leave it for now.

I decided to update a day earlier because of the Hero of Ferelden DLC that MIGHT come out! That means you'll help the Hero find the cure for the calling! KYAH! Ok, I'm done fangirling.

Ariel Wild: It could be anything you want lol
Chimera Spyke: I love Sigrun, she's so cute! I went through their reactions many times in my head. Since they all know of the Grey Warden motto to use anything and anyone to win, they accept it. DA2 reactions though...
PetalsOfSin: I didn't say they were connected. All I said was that when Nia heard singing she meant the lyrium sang to her not the blight in case anyone was wondering if she was tainted. I just wanted to clear that up.

Thank you Dforce76 for your review! Please review! :3