Orco-n17- I hope I translated your comment right. I am glad you like it. Yes I am hoping you see them as brother and sister. / Spanish guest- thank you/ Judy-thank you. / Natalia Courtney -thank you. you are right about the chantry. For everyone who comments THANK YOU. I know its not easy.

"Is it blood?"

"No. Before you pushed me into the lake, I didn't see her cut herself. And that is how Jowan did it."

"Good to know. What do you suggest?"

I found a travel pack, hairbrush, several tomes, and a pair of boots with long legs. I wondered if they went with this excuse for a piece of clothing. Several times I had noticed the king's eyes on my barely covered breast. "Cut and dye your hair and eyebrows. Keep beard and mustache but dye them too. Most likely black your majesty."

"Black hair… who would have thought. Okay Rhiannon, do your worst."

"Me," I squeaked out. I'd never cut hair. Sure, I had played around with coloring it several times. But I didn't want to be the one to make my king look like a fool. "Your majesty, umm I have never cut hair before. Not even my own."

Cailan chuckled and found a chair. "Well I did say I was looking for an adventure. Although in the interests of changing my appearance does the beard have to be as thick and bushy as my uncle Eamon's?"

Taking a deep breath, I walked over to where my discarded torn robes were and pick up my packs and dagger. With a sigh I walked back over to Cailan and said, "I've never seen your uncle, but the First Enchanter has a beard that looks like rabbit fell asleep on his face. I don't think that far is necessary. Now remember your majesty, I saved your life."

Cailan snickered and held Rhiannon's hips for balance as she straddled his leg. "It's just hair Rhiannon. It will grow back. But if you keep calling me your majesty, it won't matter what I look like. The secret will be out."

I offered him a small smile at his reassurance and gave him back his words. "What do you suggest?"

"Morien." He said quickly and without hesitation. "It is the best way to honor him for his sacrifice."

The smile slipped. Morien had been kind to me when he didn't need to be. "That is a start your majesty... Morien. We need to get him justice too."

Neither of us said much as I pulled the brush through his hair and began cutting it with the dagger. Fortunately, the blade was sharp, and the hair offered little resistance. Soon the hair was no longer than an inch all the way around his head. I stepped back to examine my work and gasped. "Alistair."

"Alistair?" Cailan hedged.

"You look like him. You could be twins if your hair was a little redder."

"You know the lad that well?"

Heat flushed my face. I had spent an hour when we first met staring into his eyes asking him stupid questions that I already knew the answers. Just to keep him talking. Then there were the stolen glances while we gathered the darkspawn blood. He reminded me a little of Cullen, but slightly manlier, funnier, and more beautiful if you could say that about a man.

Cailan watched her blush knowingly. His little brother had an admirer. She was going to find out eventually. He would need her to help keep his secret. "Remember when I said I look like my father. So does my little brother. He just takes after our grandmother's hair."

My mouth hung open and my knees gave out. If Cailan hadn't been prepared and pulled me into his lap I might have sunk all the way to the floor. "He is a prince?"

"No, he is a Grey Warden. He knows who his father is but he doesn't know that I know. I intend to keep it that way."

"But..."

"NO Rhiannon. I mean it. I need him to get to know me as a person. Before, I let him know. If I must I will make it a command."

"Yes your majesty." I acquiesced. I noticed right away that he didn't remind me not to use his title.

Cailan sighed in frustration. He'd didn't intend to make it a royal command. But after Flemeth told him. Alistair survived he had another opportunity. He wasn't going to squander it. But he didn't want to hurt the woman who saved his life either. "Rhiannon, I don't want it to be like that. I… when we meet up with them, I want a chance to become friends without the whole politics getting in the way.

"As you wish. But I think it will be a mistake." I said standing again.

"Maybe. But we will deal with that when the time comes. Now how am I to go from blond to black?"

I shrug. I can tell that the conversation about Alistair is over. "That part is easy. I use walnut oil and oak bark. But we don't have the walnut oil. So, you might just have to settle for brunette like Aedan."

Over the next hour Cailan made small talk as I painted the mixture on his head. We talked about the danger should anyone find out he was still alive. I learned plenty about the life of the king and his greatest love…. Hounds. He spoke very little about either his wife or his father in law. And I wasn't about to press him.

While the paste like mixture was saturated his facial and head hair, I took a moment and finished dressing. Pulling the boots on. I was elated that they came up high on my thighs. Then I moved on to my own hair. I pulled the brush through the waist length tangled mess.

On impulse I pulled the dagger once more pulled the hair in a low gathering at the back of my neck and sliced the white strands so that my hair touched my shoulder blades. I didn't know how often I was going to have a chance to wash it. If I was more daring, I would have cut it even shorter.

Flemeth arrived two hours later looking the frail old woman as she had when we first encountered her. I wondered if the age thing had to do with magic usage. I didn't have the courage to ask that either.

When she asked if we were ready to go Cailan said, "A Warden, a Teyrn and a King. What an interesting travel party."

With a cheeky grin I said, "A warden, teyrn and a king sounds like the beginning of a terrible joke your majesty… I mean Morien."

We watched the witch take the form of the dragon once more. Cailan grabbed Teyrn promising not to drop him and waited for the claw to grab them. My heart was racing I was about to begin the quest to stop the blight for real. I could only hope I was able to honor all of those who lost their life so I could live.

NOTE: we are returning to Kirkwall next chapter