Judy:) thank you for the faithful comments. Oscar? I am glad that you are finding Aedan to be a little deeper of a character. Yes Alistair is coming soon... next chapter in fact. I had heard that Leliana and Alistair are a couple in the DLC but I had never played it. *** So this is a catch up chapter. Last week I missed my posting so you get two this week.***

9.30 Dragon, 1 Wintermarch 9 Miles North of Ostagar

We would get into the King's camp tomorrow, which would help Aedan's mood considerably. When Duncan said, we were stopping for the night I thought Aedan would do something desperate. Even as frustrated as he'd gotten with me, I had never seen him come as close as trading blows with Duncan as he did tonight.

I understood how much Aedan wanted to get to Ostagar and meet up with Fergus. It was all he talked about while we traveled alone. And the main reason my snail's pace as he called, it still irritated him.

Duncan understood too. But he was looking out for more than Aedan's need for revenge. And that just increased my guilt. If I could have walked faster or needed less rest, it wouldn't have taken us this long to reach the battlefield.

As it was, I was exhausted again. I tried to keep the pace Aedan walked and not take any breaks. I only succeeded on one of the two fronts. Two days ago, Duncan had caught up with us. And then continued walking right past us.

We had set up camp right there on the Imperial Highway. It wasn't practical. But nine days in total traveling without Duncan made us wonder if we had missed him and he was waiting at the Kings Camp for us to catch up. The thought of that was humiliating to both of us.

As had become our habit Aedan, and Rabbit hunted for us. He had taught me the basics of how to hunt but I was too noisy. According to him I 'tromped' along thrashing around and scarring away the animals.

There was no way I was as loud as he said but after the Darkspawn battle Aedan and I attained a level of understanding that lead to a semi peaceful journey. I didn't want to argue.

I stayed behind and tried my best to set up camp. While Aedan was gone, I didn't bother with the flint fire starter. I was a mage and fire was readily available to me with a spell, there was no reason not to use it. Besides what he didn't know would not hurt him.

With his instruction I had learned how to keep the fire going or at least not smother it constantly. I was even getting the hang of cooking. Not that Aedan agreed with that assessment.

The tent construction still baffled me. It didn't matter how securely I tied the poles together the moment I placed the hides across the structure, the poles would fall, the frame would lean, or the hides would sag. There were always holes letting in the cold winter elements.

Never able to get in out of the elements completely, left me always cold. I had used up my entire stock of Lesser Ice Salves from the travel pack Cullen had given me. I wondered if the Tome I had would tell me how to make them myself or if I would ever get warm again.

Duncan had come upon us as we were beginning our meal. When he came into view Aedan hailed him. Duncan looked around as if he was searching for us. Not seeing us and feeling as if he should keep moving away from our camp, he told Aedan, and I he thought he imagined us.

Aedan thought Duncan was just fatigued, but I knew better. I had taken to placing wards around our campsite without telling my companion. Magic unnerved him so I tried to minimize its use when he was around.

One I had a fear something would attack as we slept. Which Aedan laughed at me and remarked that Rabbit would never let that happen. And second, I wanted practice. It kept out intruders with unsavory ideas and wild creatures looking for an easy meal.

Once we brought Duncan into the campsite and he realized us he applauded my skill. Even Aedan was both surprised and impressed. He was learning the value of having a mage in the party.

Which brings us to tonight. Maybe some of Aedan's ill temper was because we today was the first holiday since his family dying and the beginning of a new year. He wanted to be with his brother today. So when Duncan gave him the gift he'd picked up in Redcliffe Aedan didn't see the value.

My gift was a little different. He didn't buy it. He'd had it for several years. Duncan told me the story of coming to the Tower eleven years ago. He was eighteen then just like me. He was on a mission with several Grey Wardens and King Maric. Bored and still reverting to some of his habits prior to being conscripted he found a dagger in the First Enchanter's drawers. Something told him to take it. So, he did. It seemed to be made of the same material the broaches the First Enchanter had given them to keep the Darkspawn from sensing them.

But he found out that the trinkets accelerated the blight in Wardens as part of a plan created by a Darkspawn called the Architect. But the dagger destroyed the blight magic. The First Enchanter died before he could give up the secret of how the dagger worked. He was giving it to me to take up the cause. He felt it belonged to a mage and a mage could figure it out.

When I tried to give it back to him, he said to keep it until I unraveled it's secret and then I could return it. I took the gift and told him thank you. I had my first weapon.

Aedan didn't come back for a long time. I was almost afraid that he had left us behind and traveled to the King's Camp without us. But Duncan was sure he had not. Two hours later Aedan came into camp with four skinned rabbits and a smeared tear face. I said nothing pretending not to notice.

We ate the meal in silence. I found myself unable to eat as I was too excited. I choked down half of the animal and tossed the leftovers to the hound who was too polite to ask for tidbits.

Sleeping would be no easier. I tossed and turned, even with Duncan helping me set up the tent where I was warmer. With the way the night was going I wished I had sided with Aedan and said we should have traveled to the camp that night.

When we rose and broke camp in the morning, the sun was just appearing over the horizon. Still no one spoke. If I wasn't in my own little world, I would have said it was eerie.

Five hours later around midday we stood outside of the Kings Camp on the Imperial Highway being greeted by the King himself.