This story follows BioWare's DA:O story line and game play, using the characters, locations and some backstories, but not strictly as I have added bits that of my own imagination and characters that are my own. I have rated this M for mature for blood, strong language and sexual content. All comments are welcome. Thank you!

56

I somehow knew that whatever I did, it worked. As soon as I closed my eyes and concentrated on finding Alistair, the air around me seemed pressurized and howled against me. When it stopped, I opened my eyes and felt dizzy at the sudden change in environment. Thankfully my head didn't hurt like it did the last time I woke. The day was overcast and the air was chill and damp. I now found myself standing next a wooden building and by the sounds and smells coming from inside, I knew it was a stable. I looked around and realized that I was now in the training area at what could only be Redcliffe. But somehow I knew it wasn't exactly the same castle that I had been in.

I looked down at the muddy ground and saw that I was wearing a long dress, one that I had seen the servants wear long ago. I immediately lifted the skirt so it did not drag in the mud as I stood there and wondered why thinking of Alistair would bring me to this place. My only conclusion is that there was something here in his past that he was reliving but there was just too much about him that was still a mystery to me. I needed to find him quickly and convince him that whatever this was to him, it wasn't real and I needed his help to break free from whatever was keeping us trapped here.

I heard the slightest noise and looked around for its source. I could see people running around closer to the servant's quarters and thought it might be best if no one saw me. I could tell they were searching for someone but I could not make out the name being called. I made my way carefully closer to the stable and tripped on the long skirt.

"Andraste's ass!" I said under my breath as I looked down at all the mud that now covered most of my legs. This time, I heard the slightest giggle coming from inside the barn. I inched my way closer, ignoring my ruined dress as I looked through the slates and spotted a pair of small brown eyes staring back at me, before moving away. I got up and walked to the open door of the stables, quietly making my way inside. The dirt floor here was damp and covered in straw, which made walking easier for me in the simple shoes that covered my feet. I was careful where I placed my feet as I made my way towards where I had seen the person hiding in one of the stalls. I stopped at the only empty one and spotted the small huddled form of a child in the dark corner.

"It's alright," I said as I dropped to my knees and help my hand out. "Come out, little one."

"Are you a witch?" a small voice asked me from inside the stall.

"Now who's been telling you stories about witches?" I smiled as I asked.

"My Nan told me all about witches!" was the reply.

"No," I laughed. "I'm not a witch. Just a plain woman."

For a few moments the child remained in the corner before slowly crawling out towards me. I couldn't distinguish anything of the child until he made his way closer to me. He was no older than 5 years old and he was filthy. He was covered from head to toe in mud and I hid my smile behind my hand as he approached me pitifully.

"I didn't mean to get so dirty," he said and sniffled. "I just wanted to play with the mabari."

I smiled down at him as he came closer to me and I instinctively wrapped my arms around him. "Hush, little one," I said as he began to cry quietly. "It's alright." I patted his short hair and rubbed his back, rocking him back and forth until he quieted. "It's not so bad. We'll just take you back to the castle and get you all clean," I promised as I wiped his face with the cleanest part of my skirt.

He moved back slightly and looked at me, rubbing the tears from his eyes. "Why are you being nice to me?"

"Why wouldn't anyone be nice to you?" I asked as I placed my hand gently on his cheek.

"Because I'm a bastard," he said and I stiffened. He looked at the floor and waited for me to agree with him.

"Who taught you that word?" I asked as I placed my fingertips under his chin and moved his face to look at me but he avoids meeting my eyes.

"The Arlessa," he said softly.

"Maker's breath," I said to myself. "Do you know what it means?" I ask him and he nods.

"It means I'm not wanted," he answers and I pull him close to me again.

"Don't listen to Lady Isolde," I tell him as he wraps his small arms around me. "I think I'll need to have a talk with the Arlessa," I say softly as I rub his back.

"No one says anything back to the Arlessa," the child says into my hair. "She'll have you punished if you do!"

"Don't you worry about me," I said as he moved back from me. "I'll be just fine. Now, let's see about getting you into a nice warm bath and forget about any of this ever happened, shall we?"

"It doesn't matter now," he said sadly. "I was supposed to have an important visitor today. By the time I'm clean and dressed, he'll be gone."

"Don't think that way," I said as I dried the tears from his face. "I'll make sure you're clean and presentable. All we need to do is hurry."

I stood up and picked him up easily, carrying him out of the barn and towards the steps of the castle. I put him down once we were past the mud and tried to make my skirts as presentable as possible when the scene changed around me. It was now warm and the sky was now clear. I looked around and saw that the ground was no longer muddy.

It took me a moment to realize that the hand that I held was no longer that of a small child. I looked down at an older boy but with the same light brown eyes as the child I had just spoken to in the stable. As I looked around, I noticed I was in the same long dress as before, only I was no longer covered in mud.

"I'm going to have a special visitor today," the boy said calmly.

I looked down at him and despite his quiet demeanor I could tell his heart was racing. "Another special visitor?" I asked as I smiled at him, hoping it would help calm his nerves.

"He didn't stay last time," he replied. "He can never stay for very long."

"I'm sorry we missed him last time," I said as I placed my hand lightly on his head. "But we're ready for him this time, aren't we?"
"Is it bad that I don't want to see him?" he asked as he looked up at me, squinting in the bright sunlight.

"And why don't you want to see him?" I asked as I knelt down beside him.

He looked out in the direction of the raised portcullis and furrowed his eyebrows. A dry breeze had started up and messed up his nicely combed hair. "Why do I want to see him?" he said stubbornly. "He doesn't have to pretend that he cares for me."

"Who doesn't have to pretend?" I asked him as I reached out and fixed his hair.

"Him," was all he said. I looked up as two figures rode towards us. As much as I tried to focus on them, I couldn't make out their faces even as they entered the courtyard but I could tell that one of the riders was a young man. "It's not as if I'm as important as his real son. I'm nothing to him!" he said and I grabbed his arm.

"Has the Arlessa been telling you things again?" I asked and he looked away from me.

"No," he said finally. "One of the stable boys was calling me names. I told him he didn't know what he was talking about," he said and his voice wavered. "But he did know! And the Arl punished him for explaining to me why I'm not wanted!"

"But you are wanted," I said as I gently touched his cheek. "The Arl didn't have to keep you here with him if he didn't care for you."

"The Arlessa is telling him to send me away," he said softly. "She says that the Chantry should raise me instead."

"The Arlessa is a horrible woman who needs to learn to keep her mouth shut," I mutter softly to myself. The Arl appeared at the bottom of the steps and called out to the boy. He sighed and started to head down the steps dutifully.

I watched as he made it half way down the steps and suddenly disappear. I blinked and found myself now in one of the servant's quarters in the castle with the now distraught boy sobbing at my feet. He had his arms wrapped around my waist and I had my hand on his back, trying to soothe him.

"What's happened?" I asked, trying to not feel so disoriented over the quick change in environments once again.

"The Arl is sending me away tomorrow!" I could barely make out his words as he gripped me even tighter.

"Are you certain?" I asked, unable to find the proper words to comfort him.

"He told me that he thought it was for the best," he sobbed and looked up at me with tear-filled eyes. "I knew the Arlessa would finally get her way!"

"I'm so sorry," I said as I gently touched his cheek. I felt as tears also filled my eyes and ran unbidden down my cheeks.

He looked up at me and wiped the tears from his eyes. "Are you certain you're not a witch?" he asked as he looked at me. "You never seem to change."

"You have nothing to fear from me," I said as I quickly wiped the tears from my face.

"Then are you my mother?" he asked as he reached out and touched the small pendant I still wore around my neck.

"Why would you…"

"The Arl showed me a necklace just like the one you're wearing," the boy answered. "He said it belonged to my mother."

"Haven't I always worn this necklace?" I asked him.

He scrunched his mouth as he thought about my question. "I suppose you have," he said. "And I broke the one he showed me."

"Now why would you do that?" I asked.

"Because no one wants me!" he said. "Why do I want her stupid necklace as a reminder that she didn't want me?"

"Don't you think you'll want it later on?" I asked him as I carefully took it off. "When you get older and think back to the mother you never knew?"

"I don't…"

"Here," I said as I placed it around his neck. "I actually do think this belongs to you."

"How did you end up with this?" Alistair asked as he looked down at the necklace.

"Morrigan found it in the Arl's study before we came to the Tower," I said and smiled at him.

"Where are we?" he asked as he looked around.

"Do you trust me?" I asked him as he moved away from me and we both stood.

"Of course I do, Kat," he said and I smiled.

"Then close your eyes," I said as I closed my own.

The servant's quarters faded around us and when I opened my eyes, we were in the blank landscape once more. I reached out and touched Alistair's arm, letting him know it was okay for him to open his eyes. He spun around before turning back to me.

"Where are we?" he asked. "What happened?"

"What do you remember?" I asked him instead.

"Everything's a little fuzzy," he said slowly. "Wait, where's Wynne? And Nicolas?"

"We need to find Wynne first," I insisted, not sure how he would respond when I told him there was no way for us to help Nicolas now. I rummaged into my bag and took out the key. "With her help, maybe we can finally break free."

"What good will a key do?" he asked as I stopped and closed my eyes. "I don't see any doors around here."

"It's not exactly for a door," I said as I looked at the pendant that I placed around his neck. "It's mainly to help me focus on reaching her."

"Where exactly are we?" he asked.

"We're stuck in the Fade," I answered finally. "The last thing I remember was facing a demon in one of the rooms at the Tower and woke up here in a dream, similar to what you were experiencing."

"How did you break free?" he asked. "I felt like I was stuck in a loop, reliving those days over and over again."

I hesitated before answering. "I'm not exactly sure," I lied. "But somehow everything just seemed a little too perfect."

"I'm sorry you had to help me. I might not have broken out if you hadn't come along," he said as he reached out and touched my shoulder. "Thank you."

"You would have done the same for me," I said and held out my hand to him. "Now clear your mind and focus on Wynne."

"Wait," he said as he eyed the item in my hand. "That's not the same key, is it? The one the prisoner gave you in exchange for food?"

"The very same one," I said and looked down at it. "I was going to give it to Wynne at Ostagar but never got a chance."

"Ugh! I'm not touching that!" he said and crinkled his nose. "I know where's it's been!"

I turned and faced him. "I just picked you up, covered in mud and you're worried about this key?"

"Well…" he said as he looked away, his cheeks starting to pink.

"You do realize you were hidden in a horse stall, right?" I asked and looked at him. "There was more than just simple mud of the ground." I held my hand out to him once more.

He made a face at me as he chuckled. "Point taken."

He looked down at my hand before taking it and closed his eyes.