Hello to roxfox62 and Shanda27! Thanks for reading!

The Ballad of Ayesleigh and most characters in the story are owned by Bioware.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Anders stepped outside, as requested. He felt dizzy as the cold air hit him. He spotted Justice immediately. "Ah," he muttered to Cori. "You obviously like a challenge."

Cori lowered her voice. "I have an idea. But it's…morally…ambiguous."

"I'm liking it already," replied Anders.

"Well…Justice told us he could enter another person's body when Kristoff's ceased to become…viable, yes? Well, we do have another body. Simon's. He's in the basement. What do you think?"

Anders sucked through his teeth. "It might not go down well with the soldiers, Cori. Or his family."

"I know. But what other choice do we have? We need to return Kristoff's body to Aura before there's nothing left of it. And Justice himself said that he cannot exist in this realm without a body. We can't send him back to the Fade. We'd need several mages for that, and in the time it took for us go to the Circle Tower and back, Justice will have perished. That's assuming they'd even help us. You and I are not exactly on good terms with Gregoir or Irving."

Anders sighed. "Then we'd be condemning Justice to death if we do nothing?"

"Yes. And I don't see how him walking around in Simon's body would be any more offensive than walking around like that. He's already noticed people's reactions to him."

Anders looked at Justice. "I don't think he can have his feelings hurt in the same way that we can, Cori."

"That's not the point. I want him to be treated with respect. Some could argue that insects don't feel emotion as we do. But they have as much right to live as we do. Look, I'm not suggesting that we keep finding dead bodies for Justice to inhabit. This will just be temporary until we can come up with a more permanent solution. Kristoff had been dead for nearly a week when Justice inhabited him. Simon has only just died. I can keep his body topped up with frost. He'll last a lot longer."

Cori shuddered as she realised how callous this sounded. "Don't think I'm happy about doing this, Anders. I'm half expecting the Maker to smite me or something. I just can't think of anything else, can you? I need to do something, quickly."

Anders thought carefully. "No, Cori. I can't think of a better idea. Alright. What do you have in mind?"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Justice, Cori and Anders went down to the basement. The two mages had to cover their noses and mouths with their sleeves. Anders had to stop himself from heaving, which made his eyes water.

They stood next to Simon. Cori couldn't look at him. "Anders, I want you to stay next to Simon. Justice may be disoriented when he transfers. Justice, come with me."

Cori led Justice up to the end of the corridor, so that Anders and Simon would be out of range of her magic. "As we discussed, Justice. As soon as I raise my staff into the air, you do your part. Understood?"

Justice nodded. "I understand."

"Ready, Anders?"

"Ready."

Cori concentrated. The air around her grew cold. Water vapour formed and floated around the corridor. She held Spellfury out in front of her. The crystal atop the staff turned white and powdery. "Now!"

She thrust her staff into the air. Kristoff's body was frozen solid.

She walked towards Anders and Simon. Simon lay still. Anders looked at Cori. "I wonder how long this takes?" he wondered.

"I don't know," she replied. "But Justice revived shortly after you did in The Blackmarsh, I remember you telling me?"

"Yes, it took a few minutes longer."

They waited, and waited. Cori and Anders looked anxiously at one another. Cori shook her head. "That's it, then. It didn't work."

"Look!" shouted Anders. "I saw his mouth twitch!"

They leaned over Simon. His eyes opened wide, startling them both. He sat up and stared, open-mouthed, at Cori and Anders.

"Justice?" asked Cori. "Do you know who we are?"

Simon blinked. "Yes, my Lady, Anders." He spoke with Justice's voice.

Cori and Anders finally exhaled. Anders shook his hand. It was still warm. "How do you feel, Justice?" he asked.

"…Unusual. It will take me a while to adjust to this new body."

Cori nodded in understanding. "Justice? You understand that you now inhabit the body of a young soldier who died tonight? You may find you get more…reactions from people because of this."

"I understand, my Lady." He shook his head. "I know how difficult it will be for the people that knew him."

"Would you agree to wearing his helm for a while, until his comrades become used to the idea?"

"Not at all, my Lady. That would be the honourable thing to do."

"Thank you, Justice," she said, handing him Simon's full helm. Justice put it on. "I want you to understand that Anders and I are going to try to find a more permanent solution to this. Simon's body will last longer than Kristoff's, but it won't last forever. And I will have to release his body to his family at some point."

Justice nodded. Anders patted his arm. "Don't worry, Justice. We'll come up with something," he reassured him, not entirely convinced.

Cori and Anders moved Kristoff's frozen body into a room and locked the door. Tomorrow, word would be sent to Aura.

They started walking back. Cori and Anders were already thinking. "We'll ask Varel and Nate, too," said Cori. "They're the brains in this outfit."

Anders snorted. "Can't argue with that."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Cori and Anders went back to the main hall. Justice had retired to his room, still feeling strange, and wanting to be alone to think for a while.

The other Wardens, including Oghren and Thibault, were getting stuck into the food and drink. Faolan had eaten, and had set off back to Amaranthine.

"Everything alright?" asked Nate.

Cori put her arms around his waist and kissed his cheek. "Long story. I'll tell you later."

Varel approached her. "Commander, we need to discuss…"

Cori interrupted him. "No, Varel. Tomorrow. Tonight, we are all going to get drunk, have a laugh for once, and eat until we can't move. That's an order!"

"It's about damn time!" Roared Oghren, he and Cori dragging Varel over to the fire. He didn't protest.

They all brought food and drink over and sat on the floor. Oghren started proceedings with some traditional dwarven folk songs. Cori knew a few of them and sang along. The rest of them didn't, but joined in anyway. A cacophony of discordant notes and drunken rambling soon filled the hall.

Anders and Cori became drunk very quickly. It was well known that mages are unable to hold their liquor. Cori asked him how things were going with Rose.

"Oh, fine," he slurred and giggled, seeming to find every word that came out of his mouth amusing. "She's a good girl. But nothing serious."

Cori giggled too. "So, what did you think of the talent here tonight? Any of the noblewomen catch your eye?"

"Hardly!" shouted Anders. "I would've found richer pickings down in the basement, I think. Did you see the state of that Bann Esmerelle? She looked like somebody took her eyes, nose and mouth in their hand, and threw them at her face!"

Everybody fell about laughing. Varel had long given up trying to be the sensible one. Thibault laughed, too. This was far from the grim, stoic image of Grey Wardens he'd pictured in his head.

They laughed long and hard into the evening. Cori, feeling sentimental, told them all that for the first time in her life, she felt like she had a real family. Anders burst into tears and hugged her, starting her off, while Nate, Varel and Thibault laughed. Oghren, who had been drinking steadily for most of the day, had passed out.

Then, the evening took a downturn as they all started to get maudlin. Varel began singing The Ballad of Ayesleigh.

"The wind that stirs their shallow graves, carries their song across the sands. Heed our words! Hear our cry. The Grey are sworn, in peace we lie.

Heed our words! Hear our cry. Our names recalled, we cannot die. When darkness comes, and swallows light, heed our words, and we shall rise."

Cori and Anders started bawling. Varel and Nate wiped a tear from their eyes. All thoughts of the bad news Oghren had given him earlier were erased from Thibault's mind. He loved being a Grey Warden already.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

The next morning, six very woolly-headed Wardens and Justice sat in the dining hall, eating breakfast. Justice wore his full helm. Nathaniel in particular was interested in Justice's problem. Anders and Cori explained to him that they wanted to find a permanent solution, instead of having Justice continually switch bodies.

"What if you found a living body to possess, Justice?" Nathaniel asked.

Justice shook his head. "I would not possess the living. Such is an act for demons."

"What if the person were willing? If they volunteered?"

Cori prodded him. "You're not thinking of doing that, are you?"

"No," he replied. This is a hypothetical person we're talking about."

Justice was quiet for a moment. "Why would a living person allow such a thing?" he asked.

Nathaniel shrugged his shoulders. "For life, for love…perhaps together, you could do what they cannot do alone? If you gave, instead of taking, I would consider you no demon."

Anders piped up. "Nate, that was probably the most profound thing any of us has ever said. Or is ever likely to say."

Justice nodded, clearly thinking carefully. "It is something to consider…thank you, Nathaniel."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

After breakfast, they discussed the day's activities. It was decided, by mutual consent, that Varel, Thibault, Anders and Oghren would assist the workmen to clear the last of the rubble in the basement and go after the remaining darkspawn.

Cori, Nate and Justice – now able to freely visit Amaranthine – would assist Captain Aiden with his smuggling problem. Whilst there, Cori would call on Kristoff's widow, Aura, and Nate could visit his sister, and introduce her to Cori.

Before they left, Cori took Nate up to her room and closed the door. He raised an eyebrow. "Something in mind, Commander?"

"Yes," Cori smiled, "but not what you're thinking."

Nate pretended to appear crestfallen. Cori retrieved something from under her bed and hid it behind her back. She walked up to him. "Anders found something in the basement. He thought I should give it to you, but it's really from both of us. I think you'll like it."

She presented an aged but magnificent wooden bow. It was carved in such a way that the wood appeared twisted, almost like a flowing ribbon.

He gasped, running his fingers along it. "Is this…what I think it is?" He examined the bow closely. "It is! There's the Howe crest burned into the wood, right there! This…this was my grandfather's bow."

"You mean Padric, the Grey Warden?"

Nate looked up at her and beamed. "You remembered?" She nodded. "Well," he continued. "Actually my grandfather was the last person to use it. It was originally made for an ancestor during the exalted marches!"

Nate sounded thrilled. Cori beamed at him. "Well, it's yours now. Put it on."

He removed his Chasind Arm and slung the Howe Bow over his shoulder. Cori bit her lip and put her arms behind her back like a silly young girl. "You look…splendid."

He wrapped his arms around her waist. "Thank you," he said, clearly touched. "It's good to have a part of my family's legacy again. Something to be proud of."

She stroked his face. "You should be proud of yourself. You're re-writing your family's legacy."

They gazed at each other. He leaned down and kissed her tenderly. Cori felt herself melt into him. Nate brought his hands up to her face and kissed her more deeply. There was no lust here. Cori felt…loved.

They reluctantly broke off when it became clear they may get carried away, and poor Justice was already waiting for them downstairs.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Cori, Justice and Nate reached Amaranthine in just over half an hour now they had horses. Cori and Nate rode together, with her sitting sideways on. Occasionally, when Justice wasn't looking, Nate would steal a kiss. They had to stop eventually, though, as their horse kept veering off.

Cori went to visit Aura, Kristoff's widow, and informed her that her husband's remains were now hers to bury or cremate as she wished. Cori told her that Grey Wardens are usually cremated with full honours, and that if this was agreeable to Aura, they could take her back to the Keep and hold the funeral there. Aura agreed to this. Cori told Aura that she would call on her when they were ready to return.

Then they went to see Captain Aiden. He smiled and bowed as they approached. "Hail, Grey Wardens! I am delighted to see you are all well. How may I be of service?" he asked.

Cori and Nate returned his bow. "Captain," Cori said, "For your recent actions I name you a friend of the Grey Wardens. We are at your service, and you may call on us whenever you are in need. I cannot guarantee we will always be able to come immediately. But, for now, we are at your disposal. Tell us of your problems with the smugglers."

Captain Aiden was delighted. He told them that black market goods were being smuggled into town and being sold at exorbitant prices. Everyone that entered the city was being searched, but still the goods came through. "There is an entry point somewhere, but I cannot see where, Commander," Aiden told her, somewhat exasperated.

Cori thought for a moment. "I hate to have to ask this, Captain, but do you trust all of your men? Could any of them be involved?"

"Don't worry, Commander. No offence taken. I too have wondered this, as it seems the only other likely explanation. But my soldiers are good men. They're no angels, by any stretch of the imagination, but I know them. I find it hard to believe any of them could be involved."

"Then there must be another explanation," replied Nathaniel. "We will investigate, Captain, and bring our findings to you."

Aiden bowed again. "Thank you, indeed, Wardens, and your friend here…?"

"Justice, Captain Aiden. We have met before, but I perhaps appear somewhat different from the last time."

The Captain shook his hand, bewildered. "Indeed." Simon was almost a foot taller than Kristoff, and weighed considerably more.

Cori laughed at his bemused expression. "You're a friend of the Grey Wardens now, Captain. You should expect the unexpected."

Aiden smiled. "I will take help in whatever form, Commander."

Before they started their investigation, Nathaniel insisted they went to visit Delilah. He was itching to introduce her to Cori. They approached her house and knocked the door.

Delilah answered. "Oh, Nathaniel!" she embraced him. "I heard about what happened. Thank the Maker you're safe!"

She turned to Cori. "And I hear I have you to thank for my brother's safe return?"

Cori blushed. "Oh, no. Not only me, there were others. Captain Aiden for one, and Justice here."

Delilah shook Justice's hand. "Well, do come in! My home is modest, but it's clean and warm, and we have plenty of food. I hear that you Wardens have quite an appetite."

Delilah's home was very pleasant and cosy. They all chatted easily, and after they'd eaten, Cori helped Delilah with the dishes.

Delilah sneaked back in to the lounge while Cori washed up. She sidled up to Nate and whispered "she's absolutely lovely, Nathaniel!"

"Yes, she is," he replied. "I'm going to marry that woman one day."