Leliana was willing to let bygones be bygones and would have looked to the future with a hopeful heart. But the past is a bitch, and it came back one day to bite her hard in the ass.

They were walking a narrow trail when arrows came flying.

"Ambush!"

Archers fired at them from high up. Morrigan unleashed a storm over their heads and that stopped the arrows. However, a Qunari came meeting them at the path and swing a greatsword. Neria waved her staff and the Qunari froze in his tracks, long enough for Tabris to break him into pieces. Under cover of the storm, they made their way onto the top of the hill, where they made short work of the archers.

They were about to gut the leader when Lelianna stopped them."Don't kill him."

They looked at her, puzzled. 'Is there something we should know about him?" Thorin asked.

"He is no common bandit. None of them were. Their weapons and armor are of fine make, and they are well-trained," she explained. She turned to the man, who looked back at her in acceptance of their defeat beneath his mask. "You know what we're talking, don't you? Who are you?"

"Someone who regrets taking you on. I was told this would be an easy job," the man coughed. "Kill the little red-haired girl. Do the others as you please."

Everyone turned to Leliana, who was the only red head among them. She went pale upon hearing the man. Thorin interrogated him further as to why Leliana was targeted but the man answered that he never knew more than the target and the price. But he gave them an address in Denerim if they needed to know more. Leliana had enough. "Thank you. Now leave. I never want to see you again."

After the man had scampered away, Tabris turned to her. "Are you alright?"

"Yes. Its just that-I think this is Marjolaine. It has to be."

"Why would she want to kill you?"

"Maybe she's finally found me and wants to finish what she started."

Tabris looked on as his friends started on the looting. "So what happens now?"

"I need to confront her about this. If we're in Denerim, I would like to seek her out."


The night at camp, Tabris drew the watch. He was sitting before the fire when Leliana came by to talk.

"I want to apologize for the ambush. I didn't mean to involve all of you into my past, but it seems it will, no matter what I do," she said ruefully as she sat beside him.

"We don't least, I don't mind. You don't have to apologize to me. You don't have anything to apologize to me about," he answered. "Because…I love you."

Her eyes welled up and she could not hide her happiness. "I love you too."

He smiled and leaned forward to kiss her. She leaned to meet him halfway. But just before their lips touched, he suddenly drew back, sat straight and announced, "Warden senses tingling."

"What?"

He was already looking around, unsheathing his daggers, his ears pricked up. Then he saw her face. "Um, no, this is not what you think. Well, yes, it is but it's not that, its-"

A shrill shriek pierced the air.

Immediately, Wardens came tumbling out of tents, half-dressed but with weapons in hand. They stood still and listened, looking for the source of the sound. But all was silent so Thorin turned to Tabris.

"This better be not one of your pranks again," he told the elf.

"It's not! I didn't do it! I can't reach a note that high. Its-"

Claws buried itself in the dwarf's back. Thorin immediately grabbed it and turned, his ax raised. He came face to face with a blighted being they have never seen before, slight of build and sporting long claws. He buried his ax on its face.

The other wardens were battling the same creatures, which appeared without warning, striking fast with their great claws as they gave those blood-curling shrieks. Amidst the confusion, Thorin called for Morrigan. He should never allowed her to camp so far away from them. He understood that while the witch needed a lot of personal space, it was a security risk, like now.

Mahariel dodged and shot until she turned around and found an old friend.

"Lethallin..."

She froze, her arrow pointed at the creature, looking at Tamlen. No, not the old Tamlen, for this one was covered in sores and sported the discoloration typical among blighted creatures. But his voice is the same, and his eyes looked at her the same way, even though it looked nothing more than white and dead.

"Tamlen? Tamlen, is….that you? Praise the creators, Tamlen I-"

"Don't! " Tamlen stepped back from her as she lowered her bow. "Don't come near me. Stay away!"

"Tamlen, it is alright. It is I, Mahariel. What…what happened to you?"

"Don't..." Tamlen shuddered. "Look at me! I am..." He turned away. "Sick..."

"Sick? Of what? Tamlen tell me, and we may help you. Only tell me what it is you're afflicted of."

"Mahariel…" Alistair began but she did not look at him.

"No help. No..." Tamlen shook. "Help for me. The song..." He whimpered. "In my head. It..." He shook his head. "Calls to me. He sings to me! I can't stop it!"

Mahariel went still then she turned to the others. "There must be something we can do. We can save him as Duncan has saved me."

Alistair just looked at her sadly. "Mahariel, I'm sorry. I never learned how to make the joining potion and we don't have a stock of it. It's better, for him and for us, if we-"

"If we what? There must be something to be done. Not like this. Don't you see? We must save him. I found him again, after I have given up hope. And I am not going to lose him again."

"Too far. You cannot help me."

"It's true. I'm sorry, but there's nothing Wynne and I can do for him, except make him comfortable," Amadeus said.

"NO! I refuse to accept this. I refuse to accept that you came back to me only to lose you. Lethallin, you must fight this, as I fought it. We can find a way to heal you, if only you hold on-"

"Please, I beg you, if our friendship meant something. Slay me, quickly. I wish to be free…of this corruption. Set me free. That is the only thing I ask of you now."

Mahariel hesitated for the moment, then raised her bow.. "Goodbye, Tamlen," she said, letting go of the arrow.

Tamlen smiled, closing his eyes as the arrow pierced his heart. He fell forward, but Mahariel caught him and he lay on her lap, his eyes on her face. He placed a hand to her cheek, which she held, her tears flowing over them both.

Then the light of his eyes went dark, and her head dropped to his chest while she keened.

The others tood around them in silence, then as minutes went by, Thorin put a hand to her shoulder. "Mahariel, I know it's painful, but we need to set him at peace. We'll help you send him back to your gods in the manner that he deserves. Just…say how."

"We..we bury him..and place a seedling with him..so his death may sustain life, as nature intends."

Thorin looked at the others and Brosca whispered, "Aye, we know somethin 'bout that." So the dwarf let Alistair comfort her, as they went and dug a grave. They have no shovels with them but they made do with their weapons and shields. Meanwhile, Tabris led the others to find a sapling while Amadeus, Lelianna and Wynne stayed behind to prepare the body.

It was dawn when they finally led Tamlen to rest. They laid the body and the sapling in the grave and started covering both. There was no other sound, save Mahariel's sobs.

Then Leliana started to sing.

"hahren na melana sahlin
emma ir abelas
souver'inan isala hamin
vhenan him dor'felas
in uthenera na revas"

Mahariel watched, mesmerized and comforted, as Leliana sang a song in Elvhen, a song about mortality and death. Her grief became less, now that Tamlen shall go on with Falon'Din with the song of their people to sped him by.

When the last of the soil was thrown, she spoke. "Thank you, all of you..for this. And everything."

They nodded that they understood, that they would have done this without hesitation.

She sought out Leliana to thank her for her song. "I cannot thank you enough for helping Tamlen to rest. It is a comfort, for him and me, to hear the song of our poeple even when we are sundered from our clan."

Lelian smiled at her. "You're welcome. I will be here should you need anything, for we are all friends here, yes?"

Mahariel thought about it and smiled back. Yes, they really were friends, despite their race and despite their past. True friendship transcend boundaries and it was time for her to put aside her grudges and live free, as she had always dreamed.

She thought that even though they were of different kinds, they care for each other as a clan would. It's strange how a ragtag group ever managed to become one, but this she would not replace for any other.

When she did not answer immediately, Leliana became worried. "Mahariel, are you alright? Do you need anything?"

"No," she said, wiping the tears in her eyes. Then she looked at her, smiling. "I was named Mirabelas, but perhaps, sorrow is not all I can have. So please, call me Mira."

Leliana does not know the translation of her name, but she knew enough what her offer meant. She smiled back at her, and said, "I'm glad that you shared this with me, Mira."


Zevran had finally gotten Elissa to talk about her past. He watched with fascination as she turned wistful in remembering her family. Her pretty eyes sparkling and her skin glowed as she talked about her and her brother's misadventures and her parents' reactions to it. Of course, asking her family was not out of genuine interest, but a habit he usually employs when casing a target. Still, he was mesmerized, as her recollections sounded like it was from another world; a wish, a dream; a world half forgotten in his childhood.

Then her tone changed. "Then Rendon Howe, the Arl of Amaranthine and a family friend, betrayed us. He attacked the castle when most of our soldiers and my brother had gone on to Ostagar. I was only able to get away because of Duncan and because my parents stayed behind."

"Did you find your brother at Ostagar?"

She shook her head. "No. Thorin said they never heard of him at Redcliffe and Lothering either. He must have been lost at the Wilds. Only Ser Barker returned to me from the castle."

He immediately offered his sympathies. "It must be very hard for you to lose your parents so suddenly. Do you intend to avenge them later?"

She drew back and looked at him sharply. "My parents aren't dead. They have gotten away; I'm sure of it. They had been in these situations often during the occupation and I'm sure they're hiding somewhere. I just had to be as they taught me and hold on, and we'll be reunited again."

He was confused. "But I heard from Arl Howe himself that he had personally seen your parents' deaths. He bragged how your father asked for mercy and to spare your mother but she-"

She stood up, her eyes flashing, her brow drawn back in anger. His goddess, of the soft brow and kind eyes, has suddenly turned malevolent. "My parents aren't dead," she declared, "and I never forgot who you are."

He drew back a little from her, a little afraid of what she had become.

"You think I won't remember why you're here?" she hissed. "You were sent to kill us. But since you failed, you're maybe still working on finishing your contract!"

"I was not-"

"Is this why you're still here? To spit poison in our ears, repeating the lies your master spreads about, making us doubt ourselves so you can finish us all later?"

"You're quite mistaken-"

"Because you can stop now. No one's believing your lies and if you think you can break us down so you can deliver us to your master, you're dead wrong."

"Alright! I must have misheard," he said, in a placating tone. "Arl Howe is a lying bastard, is he not? I admit, I was so easily taken in by his bragging I did not doubt him. When I first saw him, the arl never impressed me as a fighter. At least someone who can defeat two of Ferelden's heroes. Ah, you are right as usual; your parents would have escaped from his clutches and he was only bragging to cover his failure. As for me, I shall have to be more discerning next time."

She still looked suspicious at him so he did his best to soothe her feelings. It will not do to lose her support just now.

Finally, she walked away, her trust in him better but not wholly restored, while he was left to think about what just happened.

He was untangling the mess of it all, when soft treads approached him from behind.

Woof, Ser Barker greeted. The dog looked at him, then at his mistress, then back at him and barked. Zevran told him about what Elissa had said, and what she believed. At once, the dog sat on his haunches and stared sadly at the night sky.

"It seems we'll never know about the truth. From what I heard, no one has survived apart from your mistress."

The dog barked that he had been there until the very end. Zevran was surprised and asked him the truth. "Was she right? Have the Teyrn and Teyrna survived, as she said?"

Ser Barker tucked his ears down, followed by his head.

Zevran looked at the dog, then at the sky. He felt sorry for him and for his masters. But most especially, for his lady, trapped in a delusion of her own making.

But then, what business of this is his anyway?