Xan walked into a large office. One that was very familiar. Saharius was facing away from her, looking out the large window behind his desk. It overlooked his peasants' farms and he always loved gazing at the different colors of the plantings while lost in thought. Beauty in production. Xan knew she was in the Fade. But, she didn't know for certain if Saharius was a part of her own dream or here as a Somniari until he turned around, worry foremost on his strong features. "You must leave Ferelden and come home."

"What?!" She almost tripped on the hem of her flowing dark green gown, as she'd become unaccustomed to wearing them of late. It was his favorite gown. Definitely his dream.

He moved swiftly to her and embraced her tightly. "Caladrius has betrayed me as you warned me he would do." He pulled back. "He's betrayed you, too. He was captured and willingly gave your description and my name to Ferelden nobles. You must get Jenra and both of you return home."

Xan was only at a loss for words for a few moments. She looked into the deep blue pools of his eyes. "Master, please listen to my report first. The humans in Redcliffe had physically hurt Jenra. I could not let that stand." She hesitated a moment. "I aided Fyrlx to possess Isolde." Xan retold the entire story of Jeaneve and Isolde's encounter in the study.

"Excellent. They got to see her as the real demon she was." Saharius was spitting mad. "Tell me they were all killed, horribly, without mercy."

"The arling is in ruin with most of the citizens dead, including Isolde. Fyrlx managed to rile up a crazy Templar before the demon withdrew. The Sword of Mercy separated Isolde's head from her shoulders quite easily, I'm told. Fyrlx is proud of his accomplishments in Redcliffe and eager to do more."

"He's a pride demon. Of course, he's proud. Then, he has redeemed himself for his poor imitation of me. Good." Saharius still didn't look happy about Fyrlx trying to seduce Xan. "What about the mage boy?"

"Connor was innocent in all this. Jenra is quite fond of him. I was going to see them to Amaranthine to take ship, but then we were discovered in a crossroads village by Bann Teagan, the Arl's brother. I remained hidden." Xan's lips quirked into a small smile. "I have a new form, a mabari. Jenra is quite the hero in Redcliffe for her quick thinking to save Connor. With a bit of assistance from magical coercion and influence, the now-widowed arl has taken a fancy to Jenra. The situation is changed very much in our favor, Master. It would be best if she remained there, in control of Eamon, until the Imperium is better poised to take over."

"An assassin mabari?" He laughed. "Perfect for Ferelden! This arrangement in Redcliffe sounds good. Will Jenra be safe there if you move on?"

"She has told Eamon of her noble blood, that she had to flee from Tevinter to escape her cruel, cruel family." Xan chuckled as she saw Saharius smile. "Since he is a purist in that nobles only marry nobles, Eamon has begun to show an interest in Jenra, even though she's quite a few years younger. As for Connor, too many people had witnessed Connor's magic power, so he's being taken to their Circle here."

Saharius smirked. "I shall have to practice my cruelty, then. Was there no way to keep the boy out of their mage prison?" Saharius wanted Connor. Xan could tell.

"Not without upsetting the balance we set up with Eamon." She gave him a small smile. "The Ferelden Circle isn't like Orlais or Kirkwall. He will be safe there, if still locked behind iron doors. Once you are in control of the southern province of the Imperium, you can take personal charge of him."

"Which brings me back to my original order. You are in grave danger, my heart." He kissed her hand when he said it, face full of concern.

Xan's eyes flashed, smile gone. "I don't fear any barbarian retribution for Caladrius' betrayal, Master. I respectfully request to stay here until Jenra's betrothal can be assured and Redcliffe's control is ours. The Arl's forces are decimated so he won't be participating in Ostagar. Bann Teagan has been running the arling lately and is well on the way to replenishing the Redcliffe forces. They should be strong and ready to support Tevinter's take over after the Blight is ended. Once I know Jenra will be safe, I'll head to the ancient Tevinter outpost."

Saharius kissed her soundly. "My wonderful, beautiful, resourceful Xan. The Orlesian harlot has learned the depth of my anger, as you knew I would like. And, it would seem that the malleable Eamon is going from the control of the Orlesian Chantry to my control. That should prove very handy after the Blight is done. Keep your sights open for other parts of their monarchy we can control." He kissed her again briefly before the worry returned to his face. "Very well, my love, see to the control of Redcliffe and then go to Ostagar. Stay alive. I command it." He smirked. "And, you know, the mabari always obeys her master."

As he started to disappear, she replied, "As you command, I obey … always, my love."

Arlaine hated how long it was taking to gather and prepare the Highever forces. She and Ser Gilmore, along with her short shadow, Varric, had been traveling the terynir for the past two weeks. Many of the younger sons of the landholders were eager for battle, but Arlaine refused to sugar-coat things. She would gather them together and tell them in graphic detail what it meant to fight darkspawn, the precautions that had to be taken before and after battle and the consequences of the taint.

Today, when a young man interrupted her and said that he would volunteer for the wardens right then, she was very clear on what that meant. "Grey Wardens exist to hunt out and kill darkspawn. They don't have farms. They don't see yearly proof of their hard work with a bountiful harvest. Their trials are ongoing and everlasting with little to no respite. To that end, I've never heard of a Grey Warden growing old. Have you, Loric?" She smiled at the one who shouted he would volunteer. A strapping man who would be missed on his family's farm.

"No, my lady, I can't say that I have." He blushed as he admitted that.

Once they got a heavy dose of reality, Arlaine launched into the other side of the situation. "Grey Wardens live and die to keep us from being overrun by the darkspawn. It is a necessary, noble and thankless task. Even in times without a Blight, they are vigilant, as not all darkspawn crawl back underground and disappear." She nodded toward Varric. "My friend has regaled us all with tales of heroism and valor. Embellished, perhaps." She sent a wink to Varric who chuckled in response. "But, the Grey Warden's heroism and valor are very real. They have a motto that sums up what they are about better than any long-winded speech I could give: In War, Victory. In Peace, Vigilance. In Death, Sacrifice. Those words are absolutely true. They are the reason that a volunteer must be educated, thoughtful and determined to adhere to that way of life.

"However, I am not here to recruit you into the Grey Wardens." She smiled. "I'm here to ask for your service to represent Highever with all the inherent dangers that go along with it. I'm here to ask you to send your sons and daughters into harm's way to benefit all of Ferelden. But, I only want those who will be dedicated and resolved to do their best." She motioned to Gilmore. "This is Ser Gilmore. He will be your officer. He will train you and arm you and dress you in the best armor we can get. He will prepare you." She laughed. "And, you will be tired and sore and wondering why you joined by the end of the week. Trust me. He trained me."

That brought more than a few laughs. "But, at the end of that week. At the end of two weeks and every week after, you will be stronger and wiser. We will slowly make our way south to Ostagar. By the middle of Harvestmere, you will be a fighting force greater than … well, I suppose it might be treason to say greater than the king's. However, we will be able to match them step for step, swing for swing, valorous deed for valorous deed. Even General Kezel and Teryn Loghain will look to Highever with respect and know that we will succeed." She nodded to Gilmore who drew the volunteers over to a table and began interviewing them.

"Nice speech, Princess. So, we send word to your brother to have Cal and Fiona meet up with us and head south now?" Varric grinned. He'd been grousing for a while about how long it was taking.

"Yes." She glanced back toward the road. "The messenger from Highever should be here before we leave." She scanned the twenty or so boys and men talking to Gilmore, sadly no women and a smaller crowd then the one leaving. "Maybe I should have been less honest."

"No, Arlaine, you said just what your father would have." Bann Loren walked up with his son, Dairren. This was his holding where she'd just stolen men from the harvest. The bann used to be a staunch supporter of Rendon; however, recent revelations in the form of rumor and verified witnesses made Loren appear a bit nervous, maybe embarrassed, this morning. There was really no need to be nervous or embarrassed. Her own father had once been a staunch supporter of Rendon as well.

"I understand you're looking for recruits, Lady Arlaine." Dairren had always been attracted to Arlaine. Always. He was polite enough, but just too something. Maybe too polite. She never felt any subterfuge from him, but he was just too … nice, as odd as that sounded, that's what it was.

She smiled. Dairren was a skilled swordsman and proficient in a variety of weapons. "Lord Dairren, I happen to know you would qualify as more that a recruit. Ser Gilmore will no doubt be very happy for your assistance in training all the new men." She looked to Loren. "You aren't going to need your son's significant leadership abilities here during the harvest, Bann Loren?"

Loren grinned. "My lady, if I didn't know you to be the plain spoken woman you are, I might take offense at an attempt at sarcasm. However, I do know you would not complement my son if you did not mean it thoroughly. So, I thank you." He patted his son's shoulder and laughed. "He and I flipped a coin."

Dairren winked at Arlaine. "I won't tell you which of us won and which lost."

"Good enough. I'll not press the matter." Arlaine motioned toward Gilmore. "Go give Roddy the good news, Dairren." She winked back. "Be sure to tell him that you won the toss."

"Once the harvest is complete, I'll speak with the lads who walked away and take a run down there myself." Bann Loren looked on with concern. "Do you think it will go on through the winter down there?"

Arlaine frowned. "I have no idea, Loren. The edge of the Wilds will be bitterly cold during the winter." She put her hands on her hips and sighed. "The First Warden has come from Weisshaupt to offer assistance and knowledge. He stressed the importance of a swift end if at all possible. He didn't go into details, but from past Blights, it is recorded that the Archdemon promotes the unbridled breeding of its horde. If left alone throughout the entire winter, it may breed an army so large we won't be able to defeat it. A horrifying prospect, but there it is."

"Maker's breath." Loren swallowed visibly.

"Also, be alert up here, Bann Loren. If you have any incidents of darkspawn attacks or sightings, send word to Soldier's Peak right away. Warden-Commander Duncan has a healthy contingent of wardens remaining there to keep the north from becoming a place for the Archdemon to flee to if it feels threatened. You may remember Wills from Loghain's personal guard? He is the Warden-Captain at Soldier's Peak."

"He volunteered?"

Arlaine had only met Wills once and liked him instantly, even though he was a bit too dedicated and had little to no sense of humor. Maker, she was picky. "No, unfortunately, he was tainted from a darkspawn attack just south of Soldier's Peak."

That alarmed Bann Loren. "And, that could happen to Dairren?"

"As I stressed earlier, it is a possibility for any of us. Although, we're hoping the helmet adaptations with tightly woven linen masks underneath will prevent infection through the nose or mouth." She put her hand on his lower arm. "I assure you we are trying to protect our soldiers as much as we can, but nothing can stop the taint from entering a wound. There would be no prejudice against you if you decided that Dairren needed to stay for the harvest."

Loren gave her a genuine smile. "I find myself torn between doing just that and ordering all able-bodied men and women to follow you. To end this before winter sets in."

"In the future, there may be a call for you to do just that, but I haven't heard any orders in that regard yet." Arlaine could tell that he needed her to change the subject. "From the little bit of time I had to speak with First Warden Calbard, I learned that they suspect the cold actually kills the taint, as well as fire. If we can keep any devastation to that area, it will be a simple matter to eradicate it once the Archdemon is killed. Then, we can avoid the destructive wide-spread cleansing by fire." She smiled sadly. "I suspect it won't be that easy."

Loren simply nodded slowly. "It never is, my lady. It never is."

Arlaine noticed the messenger riding toward them. "Excuse me, Bann Loren." She nodded to the bann and walked swiftly to meet the rider. "Any messages for me?"

"Aye, Lady Arlaine." He reached into his bag. "A letter from the Teryn and another from your brother. First Warden Calbard and lady Fiona left Highever early and are about a half-day behind me, so they should be meeting up with you about the time you're ready to move out in the morning or shortly after. Oh!" He reached into another bag. "This letter came from Lothering, my lady. There's no sender on the outside, but it has a warden mark."

"Duncan should have been in Lothering about two weeks ago. Perhaps this is an update, but why send it to me. I should read this one. Thank you, Alrich." She looked around and noticed everyone, except Varric, was busy. Bann Loren went to listen to Gilmore instruct the new recruits.

Varric was standing next to Arlaine. He handed up a wineskin. "The wine's from Tevinter. I filled up at the inn we stayed a couple nights ago. Thought you'd be a bit dry after all that talking."

"Thanks, you're right." She gratefully took several good swallows of the tasty wine. Tevinter. The home of blood mages and the best wine in Thedas, if you liked your wines dry. She handed it back to Varric and stuffed the letters from her father and brother into her tabard pocket. She opened the letter from Lothering and read it. She knew Varric was watching but she couldn't keep a straight face and smiled at various times, laughed at the postscript at the end. She couldn't put her finger on why, but she found the sweet, bumbling, honest, funny Alistair quite attractive. And, she was glad Neria rescued his letter and sent it on to her.

"Good news?" Varric's eyes were absolutely twinkling. "Who's it from? Wasn't the Warden Prince traveling with Duncan?"

Arlaine laughed as she folded the letter and put it with the others in her tabard pocket. She didn't say a word, just walked away with a smile and a wink.

Gavin leaned on the crumbling stone banister along the edge of the bridge connecting the main ruin with the Tower of Ishal. Looking down at the deep chasm, he realized why Duncan picked this spot and wanted so many wardens here. Well, the Archdemon was here, but it was also a perfect killing field. It was a trap, a lure … and the wardens were going to be the bait.

It was a good plan. Put the main enemy of the Archdemon at the end of a narrow funnel of sorts. Draw the horde here and then pull back, have the army close the gate at the back with a complete flank. There were going to be heavy civilian losses as well as warden loss. Gavin's dreams of late had been worse than usual. He preferred to die in battle, even as bait. That's why Duncan made sure there was a strong base in the north if things went bad down here. Of course, not everyone was privy to that plan, although it seemed the humans were thinking the same way.

Recent scouting reports confirmed the locations of several large entrances to the subterranean areas within several miles of Ostagar. No one knew what that meant yet, but the wardens had their suspicions. Urthemiel was breeding her army down there. The one warden secret that should never be told to too many people lest there be panic. Broodmothers. Lots of them. Not much was known about broodmothers other than they were captured females of all races and that they bred darkspawn akin to their race. Duncan would make certain few, if any, females would be down at the vanguard.

The wardens who'd been here before Gavin had hired some men from nearby holdings to begin building barracks and barns in the northern fields. Winter here was going to be harsh and tents just wouldn't cut it. They'd finished two large barns and one barracks, two others underway. He knew he'd have hell to pay, but he prioritized housing for the soldiers and horses over the sodding nobles. They'd just have to do with tents for a month or two. To mediate some of the opposition, the wardens would be the last to get solid walls.

The one noble who was already here agreed with Gavin. Bann Sighard sent his son, Oswyn, ahead of the rest. At first, the boy didn't know what to do, but ended up pitching in with the scouting. Alidain liked him and Gavin did after a time, but he knew Oswyn was the exception.

Out of the corner of his eye, Gavin spied the tall, lithe mage who just appeared one day and offered her assistance. Pretty for a human. Proud as any of Orzammar's Noble caste and that wasn't a compliment. She refused to join the wardens. She knew warden secrets, though. She knew about the broodmothers and the Archdemon and the Joining potion and why a warden had to make the killing blow. How she knew all these things was one of her secrets, but she was good to her word so far. She said she was here to help and she did. A shapeshifter who could get reports quickly to and from the scouting parties. Duncan's last report said he had a new Dalish mage who could also shapeshift. They could use a dozen more.

"Good morning, Morrigan. How are the bird lessons going with Jowan?" And, even though Gavin was cautious around her, he liked her.

"If the Circle hadn't beaten every ounce of confidence out of the boy it would go much faster. He's biddable enough and tries, so I will continue to suffer through it." Gavin had seen through her tough act long ago and called her on it, so he was spared her usual rantings. "I fear the Archdemon will notice this place soon, definitely when Duncan and his new wardens arrive. You've done much to get ready, but 'tis not enough, Gavin. You know this."

Gavin scowled. He knew it and didn't much like to hear about it again. "Yeah. I finally got some surfacer dwarves to get off their asses and come work on ballistae to shoot those hooked lances that old blacksmith came up with. They'll get here tomorrow and start working right away. The First Warden sent orders to one of the Nevarran wardens who comes from a family of dragon-hunters. Hopefully, he can give us some more ideas on getting a flying Archdemon down without gryphons. I just got a report that Warden-Captain Wills went to Orzammar. In addition to a dwarf army, he's getting some of the other castes to send dwarves, it'll make all the difference." He looked up and down the bridge. "I hope this relic of a bridge can handle the recoil from the ballistae." He glanced at the sheer cliff faces on either side of the bridge. "We might need to put the ballistae on the sides of the chasm."

"Well, 'tis better than the last time I asked you." She smiled appreciatively at Gavin. "Shocking to hear a dwarf who admits that his people's structures aren't infallible…even if they are centuries old."

"Yeah, well, I've never admitted to being stone-headed either." He grinned and turned, heading for the Tower of Ishal. She followed. "What do you suggest we do about the big hole at the bottom of the tower? We need a strong presence on both sides of the bridge or we'll be overrun from that side and lose the advantage of the bridge's high ground." The Tower of Ishal had one main weakness. It had what the humans called a 'deliveries entrance' to the storerooms below the Tower … from when the Tevinters did trade with some of the once more passive tribes of Chasind. Later it just became a 'lazy human entrance'. They wanted an easy way to get down to the Wilds and back without going a mile or two around to the parts of the cliffs they could climb up and down. Now it was a 'lazy darkspawn entrance' to the entire camp. He'd been putting off dealing with it, but the dwarves were getting there tomorrow and he'd like to have an idea or two to hit them with.

Morrigan seemed pleased that he asked her opinion. He'd learned in the first day or so after she joined them that her ego was taller than the Tower itself. Play to it and he could get her to do almost anything. "Simply filling it in with dirt 'twould only delay the inevitable breach of soft earth by the darkspawn from below. And, I'm certain you don't want to station some of the precious few military down there to keep out the darkspawn. I know magic that could collapse it thoroughly, but I suspect you'd prefer we preserve the Tower."

"You can collapse that Tower?" He weighed the convenience of a stone built tower against the confidence of securing the safety of the upper ruins entirely and found the tower to be the lesser desire. He could hear the Ancestors already screaming at him. He was also afraid that the nobles would want to inhabit it and make it into a mini-palace. Might be better all around to get rid of it. Historical nonsense be damned.

"'Twould tire me for at least a day following, but I could shake the ground enough to collapse the storeroom ceilings. Still 'tis not the same as a solid stone face at the bottom. And, even if the Tower above remained standing, 'twould not be stable enough to use. Perhaps these new mages have illusion magic or your dwarf masons can come up with a better plan." She shrugged.

"Yeah, maybe, but your idea sounds the strongest to me, Morrigan. It may come to that." Gavin knew he had limited time being in charge here. Duncan was going to arrive tomorrow or the day after and he'd take over then, but he wasn't worried about Duncan. The Commander was always open to good ideas. It was the human nobles that bothered Gavin.

As if she could read his mind, Morrigan said, "Whatever you want to do, you had better do it before the king and his nattering nobles get here."

Gavin grinned at her. "Heh, I was just thinking that, girl! You a mind-reader too?"

She huffed. "Hardly. 'Tis but a foolish trade usable only by carnival hucksters."

He laughed. It had been a good day … until the cry of "Dragon!" caused everyone to look up. High in the midday sky, the silhouette of a huge dragon flew over Ostagar. It wasn't close and it was flying away to the northwest, but Gavin knew it was the Archdemon. "Looks like the Archdemon is going on a little trip while her armies are being … organized."

"I wonder where she's going," Morrigan whispered as they both followed the dark shadow until it flew out of sight. She sighed. "'Tis plain the Archdemon knows about Ostagar now."

Urthemiel flew high above the enemy, not her children. They were few and scattered. Her mothers had been busy so she could honestly say the beloved she was leaving to their learning were hers, not the old ones. The old ones were far below. In the dark places. They knew what to do. Yes, her children were learning. But, she kept hearing a voice. A whisper. To the north. While her children learned and her mothers grew large with the young, she would take to the sky. Find the voice.

It felt good to fly again, but she didn't know why. Did she fly before? She had wings so she tried in the dark caverns below. It took some time to relearn, but it came back quickly. Wings allowed her to scout. Allowed her to spy on the enemy of her children. The murderers with their sharpened metal. Their taste for her children's blood. Oh, she knew. They wanted her children's power! They turned but only half so. Halflings, they were. But, she needed to remain patient. Wait until her mothers had made more. Wait until they learned. It took so long! Her children would make up in numbers what the enemy had in sharp metal. Justice would overrun the enemy like the liquid fire over the ledges in the dark places. In the dark roads below.

AN: Thank you for all reviews, favorites and follows!

Lady Cougar-Trombone, thanks for the mention about slipping into first person! Faren's point of view is just so much fun to write that I slip up sometimes with the incomplete sentence comments. I've updated the chapter to fix it. :) And, yes, Alistair will likely not be amused. hehe

Judy, Isolde was like a wicked bitc … I mean, witch, wasn't she? ;)

anesor, I really appreciate your kind words. Thank you! As for the huge cast … I have a spreadsheet with four pages in it: (1) outline, (2) plot summaries of each posted chapter and section, (3) characters and which chapter/section they are speaking or mentioned, and (4) finally, what I call "the chessboard", a list of locations and who is where at the point my current writing is, usually a week or two ahead of what gets posted. Without that, my head would explode. ;)