As Ana, Roderick and Much approach Duncan's tent, the guards eye the war hound warily. "Was Alistair just here?" Ana asks, her hand possessively grasping Much's collar as she notices their gazes. One of them removes their gaze from Much to nod. "He has. He should be in there with the Warden-Commander still." He motions toward the flap with his chin. "You should be able to go on in."

She mutters a thanks to the man and starts forward with Much by her side when the other man holds out a hand. "Oy. Shouldn't that hound be locked up with the others?" He asks, motioning toward the hound with his chin.

"No." Ana says, her steely gaze falling on the man. "This is my hound and he remains with me."

The man skeptically looks at her. "You didn't have a hound before. Maybe you stole it."

"Excuse you?" She hisses. "Do I look like a thief to you?"

Before the man has a chance to say the wrong thing, Roderick quickly speaks up. "She didn't have him because he was with me." He states with a confirming short bark from Much at the mention of him. Roderick smiles at him before turning his attention back to the guard.

"And you are?"

"I'm Roderick Gilmore. I'm Duncan's other recruit from Highever. I had some business to tend to before leaving, so her mabari stayed behind with me. We just arrived."

The guard's eyes narrow at them for a moment as though debating whether or not they're telling the truth. After a short while of being glared at by Ana, the guard finally lowers his arm and motions for them to enter. "Just don't cause any trouble." He mutters gruffly as they pass through.

Just as the man said, they find Duncan and Alistair talking quietly when they arrive. They barely notice until Much gives a little whine at Duncan. Their conversation halts and he turns to them, his brows raising as he sees Roderick and Much standing beside his charge.

"Ah, Ser Gilmore." Duncan greets turning to face them. He smiles as Much whines again and he bows his head. "Much." Much's tail thumps loudly against the nearby canvas as he gives a happy bark at being acknowledged. Snorting, Duncan turns his attention back to the knight. "It's good to see that you were able to make it. I was not aware that you had arrived."

"It was only quite recently." Roderick returns with a smile. "I was told to set up my tent when I arrived. Once I finished, Much caught Ana's scent and took off to find her." He chuckles, turning a loving gaze on Ana. "Fortunately for me, he led me straight to her."

Alistair brows furrow in confusion as he watches as Ana blushes and returns his smile. While she very well may have, he couldn't remember ever seeing her smile in the short time he's known her. Scowls and sneers perhaps, but never such an unguarded smile. He grimaces at the slight twinge of envy as his eyes shift once more to Roderick as Duncan speaks.

"Fate seems to have worked in your favor." Duncan nods. His expression becomes solemn. "Now that you're here, I think that perhaps tomorrow will be a good time to have the recruits begin preparing for their Joining."

Roderick's brows draw together. "Joining? Is that like a match to test our skills or something?"

"Something like." Ana hears Alistair mutter as he crosses his arms over his chest.

Duncan remains stony faced. "As I told Ana, I can't reveal much at this time. I'm still awaiting news of Fergus. Maker willing, he will have survived Howe's treachery and will arrive soon. Becoming a Grey Warden means sacrificing your former life to fight for the greater good. With Fergus' unknown status, I would like to see that at least one Cousland survives to keep their line alive."

"Wait…" Alistair begins, his eyes narrowing at Roderick. "I thought you said your name was Gilmore?"

"It is." Roderick nods. "I was only a knight that served the Couslands."

"Then who—"

Ana rolls her eyes. "He's referring to me, you prat." She sneers, shooting him a glare. "I'm the other Cousland. Fergus is my brother and my father was Bryce Cousland, Teyrn of Highever."

Alistair's eyes widen. "You're…you're a noblewoman?"

"Was." She blurts out before she knows what she's saying. As soon as the words leave her lips, she grimaces as the words taste like ash in her mouth. Pushing aside the emotions starting to reemerge, she turns her attention back to Duncan. Duncan and Roderick offer sympathetic expressions while the lad continues to gape at her.

"On the off chance that Fergus doesn't survive, what then?" She asks. "Will I not become a Warden?"

All eyes turn toward Duncan who sighs. "It's hard to say at this point." He admits. "We'll have to cross that bridge when we get to it. In the meantime, I'm sure Ser Gilmore is very tired from his long journey and would like to retire for the night. After all, tomorrow will be a busy day for all three of you."

She glances at him, a frown beginning to form. "But…" She begins to argue. Noticing Duncan raising a brow at her, she clears her throat and straightens, tilting her chin up. "Given his long journey, he spoke of wanting a bath. I imagine there's someplace he can do that? I'm sure he wasn't as lucky as we were to find a hot spring."

Duncan nodded as the erotic images from the hot spring seep into the forefront of his mind. While it was clear that nothing would happen between them regardless of the sexual tension during that time, he had since privately spilled his seed a few times to the image of her nubile body in the steaming water of the hot spring. Maker, Gilmore is a lucky man, he thinks to himself as he shifts slightly.

"Of course. Back near the infirmary, there's a couple wash-tents for soldiers and their wives. Alistair can show you where it is."

Alistair is about to agree when Ana quickly speaks up. "I can show him!" She says, feeling all men's eyes on her. She clears her throat. "I explored the fortress a little bit today and know where the infirmary is. I can show him. It'll be a great way to familiarize myself with the camp and gives me a chance to bathe as well." As she says this last part, she avoids Duncan's amused gaze. "It's been a week since I last had a bath and I can already smell myself. If I have to go another minute like this, I'll scream, throw-up or both."

Duncan watches her for a long moment. In his mind, he could imagine her young lover soaping her up and could feel a twinge of arousal laced with envy. What I wouldn't give to be twenty years younger. Finally, he nods, "Very well." He turns to Alistair, clearing his throat to pull his junior Warden's attention from his pretty, young recruit. "Alistair."

Hearing his name, his head snaps in Duncan's direction and gets a small smile in return. "Hm?"

"You may retire for the night." Duncan says, straightening. "In the morning, once I get the reports, I'll send for you. Tomorrow should be an eventful day for you especially." He says, a knowing gleam in his eye. Being Duncan's go-to man for the recruit wilds test, Alistair salutes him and nods. "Goodnight, Duncan." He turns to leave and pauses before giving an acknowledging nod toward Roderick who smiles and nods in return. He mutters a goodnight and nods to Ana but she simply ignores him.

Duncan watches a discouraged Alistair quickly scuttle from the tent and sighs. I'll need to talk to her about her behavior later. Grief or not, this is getting to be too much. Taking a step forward, he clasps a hand on Roderick's shoulder. "Welcome to Ostagar, lad." He says. "Tomorrow after you get something to eat in the mess hall, I will gather all the recruits. I have a task I need you to do before the Joining. It'll be your first post-recruitment test so be sure to get as much rest as you can. Understand?"

Roderick nods and salutes him. "Yes Sir."

Turning his attention to Ana, he watches as she shifts tensely from one foot to the other. "And Ana," He begins, "While I imagine you would rather sleep elsewhere, I would like you to return after your bath and continue to sleep in here until your Joining. With no word about Fergus, I want to ensure your safety." Mostly because I have no idea who will return from the wilds.

She groans but nods. "Very well." She mutters, motioning for Roderick to follow. Roderick thanks him once more and then disappears from the tent after Ana.

The wash tent is devoid of people or servants when they arrive. Giant copper tubs closed off by curtains for extra privacy line the edges of the tent with a table holding towels sitting in the middle. Gilmore walks toward one area to see if its vacant while Ana gaze shifts around the tent before she frowns. "Where are the servants?" She asks, more to herself than her companion. "Are we supposed to fill these tubs ourselves?" She walks over to each bath to see if any are already filled and find none.

"I believe these are dweomers." Gilmore says from behind a curtain.

"A what?"

Striding over, she pulls the curtain away to find him already naked from the waist up. Ana's brows raise as her eyes fall on the indents over his hips and abdomen. Noticing her heated gaze, he chuckles. "They're dweomers." He states again. "I've seen them in Orlais when I accompanied your father to settle a trade dispute with some noblemen. It's enchanted." He motions her over and takes her hand as she stands before him. Resting his other hand on her waist, he moves her hand over the tub and it immediately begins to fill with steaming water.

"Brilliant!" She breathes, turning to smile at him. "What I wouldn't have given to have that at the castle. Sometimes my bath would be—" She stops mid-sentence, a pained look crossing her face. Frowning, Roderick raises his hand to touch her cheek.
"I know, my love."

Pressing a kiss to her temple, he turns to leave the curtained area but she grabs his hand. Looking back, he raises a brow. "What's wrong?"

"Where are you going?"

"I was going to prepare your bath for you." He smiles. "I may not be as good as your servant was, nor will I have the luxurious perfumes but I'll try my best."

Pulling him toward her, she shakes her head. "There's no need. I have a better idea."

"Oh?"

Pulling him back into the curtained area, she closes it around them and reaches up to wrap her arms around his neck. "We have a perfectly large enough bath here." She grins. "Perhaps we should just bathe together." She brushes her lips teasingly against his. "Don't you want to lather up my body?"

His hands encircle her and press her body against his. "Mm…. that is quite tempting." He smirks. Pulling his head away from hers, his expression softens. "Are you sure though? You're still a lady and I wouldn't want your reputation to suffer if people found out."

"It's not like we haven't seen each other naked before." She shrugs. "Besides, would it matter what lowly foot soldiers and kitchen staff say? It's your right as my future husband. Husbands and wives here bathe together all the time."

"That's very true." He chuckles. "In that case…" Flipping her around, his hands begin to loosen the strings of Ana's shirt and undo the buckles on her corset as he places languid kisses along her neck. "Let me help you undress, my love."

Ana is the first to be undressed and lets out a surprised giggle as he lifts her up into the tub. Once inside, she reaches a hand out and hooks her fingers on the front of his trousers and tugs him to her. "Your turn." She grins. "Hurry up and undress. I already crave to feel your wet body against mine."

Chuckling, he grabs her hand from his trousers and lifts it to his mouth for a kiss. "I will in just a moment. Let me grab a couple towels for after."

She pouts and leans back in the bath with her arms over her chest as he disappears for a moment before reappearing with two towels draped over his arm. Pulling the curtain back into place, he sets them aside and begins to strip.

Alistair rolls over onto his side for what feels like the twelfth time in the past half hour. Ever since he snuck a peek at the woman in the midst of making love to a man in the tent, the image of her smooth back and the way she rocked her hips astride her lover had ingrained itself into his mind.

At the age of twenty, he had yet to personally experience the pleasurable act that he had witnessed in the tent. Just thinking about it made envy curl up inside him. Lucky Bastard.

Many times, he had listened in to his fellow wardens speak of their sexual escapades and had them tease him about "having a go before the end". They had even offered to pay for one of the whores that frequented the soldiers' tents and occasionally the King and General's as well. Each time he had only managed to mutter an excuse in his flustered state and quickly run off. Admittedly, while he pleasured himself in the shadows of the old ruins, he envisioned the dark-haired beauty from the tent riding his cock and breathing his name in the dark instead of the red-haired man's.

Turning over once more, his mind replayed what he saw over and over again making his cock twitch with interest once more. With some luck, he managed to push the image from his mind but instead found his thoughts grasping for something more familiar and oddly enticing; Ana. While she may not be the best person personality-wise, he had to admit that she was quite beautiful with her dark brown, almost black hair and luminescent blue eyes. Admittedly, the thought of those eyes seductively peering up at him from his bedroll certainly had their appeal. As did the thought of her wet, soaped up body in the bath that she no doubt was in right now.

Shaking his head, he tried to shake the thought. Aside from the fact that she could potentially be his future sister-warden, there was no way she would ever want to be with him. She already made it quite clear that she didn't like him and acted as though he was no better than a filthy vagrant begging for money and scraps on the street.

Turning over once more, he sighs. This is going to be a long night.