Yay! Judy Kanta48 yea you made it. Thank you for sharing the beginning of Rhi's journey. AND commenting. I know how difficult to know what to say... so thank you. My Spanish speaking guest. Thank you for commenting. I am glad you like it.

Duncan bowed slightly to the old mage. He'd developed a fondness for the man with his many visits. He also realized that Irving was doing this to help him as much as he was doing it for the girl. Like always dealing with him he wondered if he had the complete story or if Rhiannon had done more than Irving led him to believe. Time would tell.

The room they assigned Aedan and himself when they got in early this morning was drab, lit with minimal candles. He wondered for the hundredth time why mages or templars needed things so dim. He spent enough in the Deep Roads and underground caverns pushing back the darkness to revel in the light.

The young lord would be happy they were once again on their way. Although he probably wouldn't be as pleased with the companion they were about to liberate.

There on the bed sprawled out with no thought to the bedding was Aedan Cousland in his armor sleeping. Duncan was glad one of them got some rest.

"Aedan."

Duncan waited a few moments and called again. Nothing. He walked over and slapped the young man's foot and called his name again.

This time Aedan woke and sat up groggily.

Using the back of his hand Aedan wiped the drool at the corner of his mouth and attempted to focus on Duncan.

"Aedan, it appears we have what we need. It is about time to go."

"We are finally going to Ostagar. Good. I want to find Fergus and let him know what Howe did to our family."

Duncan frowned. He'd told the boy that revenge would have to wait. His duty was to the Wardens and killing of the Darkspawn. There would be time for that after the Blight or at least this wave. "Clean up. I will meet you on the main floor of the Tower at the Quartermaster in one hour. We need basic supplies for the rest of our journey."

"Wait Duncan, you just said its time to go. Why are we waiting an hour?"

Duncan groaned and shook his head. "I said that we have what we need. But it won't be ready for an hour. I am giving you the opportunity to bathe and get foodstuffs as it is at least another ten to fifteen days to Ostagar."

As I climbed the staircase to the alcove where the phylacteries were kept, a shiver racked my body. I didn't know if it was because I was about to turn in my friend or because I was truly cold.

With the ice and frost on the celling, walls and ground that would be the logical answer. But it would also mean I was jaded enough to help Templars punish a mage, one of my own.

I almost went to Knight Rutherford but after the stolen kiss this morning he probably wouldn't see me. I heartily wished Anders was here, so I had someone I could talk to about this mess.

Although to be honest, Anders didn't have a lot of time for Jowan's antics. He couldn't understand why Jowan and I were still friends. And there were days between his whining and my fixing his mistakes, I wondered myself.

But for him to be a blood mage, that was absolute nonsense. He wasn't that stupid. He was right they must have noticed his secretive behavior spending time with Lily and assumed the worst. That assumption was as common as the sun rising. The thought he was stupid enough to get involved with an initiate kept nagging me.

When I went to Irving, I hadn't expected him to tell me to help. Did my teacher secretly want Jowan to escape? Because I didn't believe for a minute, he would be so vindictive as to blame it all on Lily, just to punish her.

It wasn't that I didn't want to help him escape. I listened and offered suggestions when Anders came to me with escape plans. But something was bothering me about the way Jowan was doing this. He had left all the tasks to me. Including making me get his phylactery. It was i was sitting right there but he wouldn't touch it until I handed it to him. It was as if he wanted me to be responsible for his escape. Or maybe my guilt at betraying him was making me see things that weren't there. Jowan had always been lazy.

"Jowan, I need to tell you something."

"Now? Can't it wait? We're almost done."

"I know but you need to … I need to tell you before you escape. I talked to Irving."

"You, you …" He spluttered.

"I went to him and asked him not to make you tranquil. But he already knew about you and Lily."

"How could you? I thought you were my friend. Now Lily will be in trouble. Even if you didn't care about our friendship, how could you do that to Lily?"

I scoff. How could he suggest I care about what happens to the chantry? "Jowan, please understand. I did it to protect you. I went to Irving hoping that if I told him what you were really doing, he would cancel the Rite of Tranquility. With all your sneaking around, they thought you are blood mage. This way you wouldn't have to escape."

Jowan glared balefully at his companion. How dare she ruin his perfect plan? He was tired of always being less. Less important. Less powerful. And only tolerated because she was Irving's favorite. Uldred was right power was power. You just had to use it right.

He'd intended for her to appear to be the mastermind behind his escape. With Rhiannon's known association with Anders, they might blame her for his escapes too. Then it wouldn't matter how powerful she was. She would be tranquil, and he finally would have beaten her at something.

"Jowan, we must hurry. If the First Enchanter goes to Greagoir we might not be to get away."

Jowan pinned Rhiannon with a piercing glare and said, "Never talk to me again. We are no longer friends."

"But."

"There is no time," Lily cried.

I shrugged; maybe it was just as well. They would escape and I would never see him again. Or the Templars would catch him like they did Anders, and he'd be made tranquil.

I silently followed behind them leaving the staff I had found in the repository leaning against the door we originally tried to enter the phylactery chamber. Stealing from the Archives would only get me in trouble.

I'd just gotten to the top of the stairs when I heard Lily cry out Jowan's name and exclaim, they were too late. I could hear the fear in her voice as she said the Knight Commander's name.

Apprehensively I looked around for the First Enchanter. Without Irving there to verify I was acting under orders from him, I would look as guilty as Lily and Jowan. I released the breath I was holding when I noticed my old teacher. A pained smile was all I could manage.

I cringed when Greagoir turned to me and said I was flouting the rules. He had done away with the whippings after Knight Capitan Byrnn arrest and recall to Denerim but he'd just sentenced Jowan to death and Lily to Aeonar. A quick sigh of relief escaped when Irving vouched that I had been under his orders.

Lily cried out. Jowan reacted. I heard him vow that they would not touch her and then he cut his palm. I watched in horror as what Irving told me about Jowan became true.

My friend was a blood mage. The worst thing a mage could become. Even worse than an abomination in my opinion. It horrified Lily. I heard Jowan whine about dabbling and giving it up before; she banished him from her sight.

As he ran, I finally found my senses and kneeled next to Irving checking to see if he was all right. I offered him help up. The Knight Commander already grumbling as Irving asked after his injuries. He put all the blame on the First Enchanter. And then he turned on Lily.

I was trying to be sympathetic when I said she didn't know about Jowan, but she was too angry with me and told me to save my breath. That's what I did until the Knight Commander turned on me. He accused me of stealing.

I knew better than that. I told them I borrowed a staff but left it at the door of the chamber. He huffed his disbelief. He then suggested that I should then face punishment for what he called a mockery.

I protested and Irving reiterated that I did as I was told. That answer didn't appease him. When he asked what he was to do with me a new voice interjected with an offer.

Duncan would assume responsibility for me, and I was to become a Grey Warden. One hand it terrified me I would never see the Tower or my fellow mages again. And on the other I was elated. I was running away legally and there was nothing the Templars could do about it.

Greagoir argued with both Duncan and Irving. But acting braver than I felt I said, "I'll go with the Grey Wardens if they will have me. At least there I may do some good."

I thought I saw a smile or at least a tug at the corner of Duncan's mouth. The First Enchanter uncrossed his arms and patted me on the back telling me I had an opportunity few other had. To use it well.