Judy & Oscar? thanks for the comments. Yeah I am back on schedule.

I have a question for you guys. Especially for those that are reading both stories... There are flashback in "Seeking Alistair that technically go for this story. Do I repost them for this story. Some of them it will just be a repost condnced into a longer worded chapter and some of them will have more detail added as I only wrote based on the background you needed for Seeking Alistair. I leaving them out of this story makes me fearful for continuity of this story... but I don't want you to feel cheated as you already read the chapter in the other story. SO I put a poll on my profile page for those that dont want to comment to answer. Please vote and let me know what you think. ~rykerdavis

I walked the bridge over the large chasm in the same direction the King, Duncan and Aedan went. Looking over the side of the bridge, I held my breath in wonder. For as far as I can see there were hundreds of men below milling about. And beyond that a massive forest.

I reviled in my newfound freedom. I no longer had a schedule I was required to meet or rearrange my needs because something else took precedence. I wasn't required to find Templars to escort or supervise me. Most importantly, I didn't need to ask permission. I wasn't in a hurry to cross as Duncan said I had the rest of the day to find the other Grey Warden.

It made sense for Duncan to hand us off to another member of the order with him being the leader. If he were like Irving, many of the things for him to oversee would have been left undone while he was gone. But I wished he had not. His patience and willingness to help was a balm for my battered ego and I was afraid I was going to get another Aedan.

Another reason worry was beginning to find a place in my stomach was the mention of a ritual. Duncan had tried to assure Aedan that there was only a small amount of danger around the joining, but I think what he meant was the ritual itself was dangerous. Rituals that required the dark of night or power of the moon often borrowed elements from blood magic. Which meant some form of death.

I wondered if I had traveled all this way just to die. It was possible. The battle with the Darkspawn before we got to Ostagar proved that. I realized that focusing on my death wouldn't help me. I would just become more fearful.

And fearing everything would cause me to lose my concentration. Which in spellcasting could maim and kill. It made me realize that I had little choice about dying. All I could try to do was not whine and make excuses like Jowan.

I passed many people wandering back and forth across the bridge most of them in a hurry to do something. Yet as I got to the other side, I found out the chantry lied me my entire life. Not everyone hated mages or was afraid of them. Or it was everyone already knew me as a Grey Warden recruit and treated me with respect.

The solider stationed at the entry to the fortress explained where I could find everything including Alistair. That was until I asked where I could find a bath.

My first lesson in disappointment in my new life, bathing would be harder now than when I was sharing with seven other girls. I thanked him for the information, and I set out to find one for myself. Even soldiers bathed, we weren't barbarians.

I wandered the camp with no real direction until I followed the sounds of barking dogs. I remembered the solider told me the king had his kennels on the north end of camp. The kennel master identified me as a Grey Warden and asked for my help. I was so excited about fulfilling Grey Warden duties that I had agreed before I heard what he needed.

I climbed into the enclosure with the sick Mabari. Treating him the way I had seen Aedan treat Rabbit I explained to him that he was only the second Mabari I had met. And that he was even more beautiful than the first one. Then I told him that we ought to be allowed hounds at the Tower because they were too smart for demons to possess. Talking in low tones, I told him that I was putting the muzzle on so the kennel master could make him better. He didn't like it as he cowered, growled, and whined but he understood me enough to allow me to put the harness on his face. I gently patted his head and told him to get better I would see him after the battle if I could.

The kennel master told me he'd never known it was my first time dealing with the breed. And told me there was a way to improve his odds in surviving. The catch was I had to find a flower to make an extract from the wilds on the outside of the camp, where Duncan told me not to go.

I told him I didn't know if I they let me beyond the gate, but I would ask as soon as I could. He explained that what he was doing for the dog would keep him living but not heal him. For that, he would need the flower so even if I couldn't get it until after the battle if I brought it the Mabari would live.

It was then I thought about asking Aedan if he could help me get outside to get the flower. Surly having Rabbit he would be sympathetic toward the dog. It wasn't as if he wasn't itching to disobey orders.

With finding Aedan my new intent, I begin to wonder the camp again. I found myself by the gate. Was this my way of breaking the rules? But then I realized it was the hound who had caught my attention. It wasn't a Mabari, but it was almost as big.

"Excuse me."

Darragh turned from his men to address the most recent lackey of the Regent. He had told the man they would plan their own routes for scouting the wilds. His arms crossed he hoped the girl would just turn around and report to her lord she was unable to find him. And swallowed hard.

He found it difficult to make a coherent sentence. Standing before him was a ghost and the reason why he joined the Ash Warriors. He was to walk away from his past. It wasn't supposed to haunt him. And it was working for that sodding Teyrn. "What do you need? You haven't brought more instructions from the Teyrn I hope."

"More instructions? No, I was just going to ask you about your hound? Is it a different type of Mabari? "

Darragh chuckled warmly. Mabari are Mabari. Enid is a Cane Corso. She is distantly related. You haven't had much interaction with dogs?"

"No. I was raised in Kinloch Keep. Animals were not allowed on a general basis. But I was able to help the Kennel Master care for a sick hound."

Darragh shifted uncomfortably and said, "I know they treat mages unkind, but you cannot even have a pet?"

My ears touched my shoulders in a deep shrug. The common person had no idea the life in a circle tower. They would be horrified until someone reminded them it was just mages. "The Templars have multiple reasons for saying no. We would have to be allowed outside the Tower to care for the animal's privy needs. Which could lead to someone trying to escape."

Darragh snorted disgustedly.

"There is a more pragmatic reason, but the Templars do not want it known. If a demon is intent on escaping the Fade and cannot find a willing host, it will take possession of an animal. That is how we originally got werewolves. They would lose their job and control of Thedas if it was known demons only prefer mages but are willing to possess any living being."

I didn't know why it was suddenly important for him to know there was another reason besides spite that Templars said no pets. Maybe because he looked so uncomfortable. I took pity on him and returned to the topic of dogs. "You said they are distantly related?"

Darragh cleared his throat. She was the new Grey Warden recruit the camp was gossiping about. The Maker or the ancestors were enjoying tormenting him. He just didn't know which. He needed to find some distance while he figured out what fate was telling him.

Maybe he could take an advance team out and scout one of those routes the Teyrn kept changing. He couldn't chance running into her again. He opened his mouth to make an excuse and leave but she beat him to it with a question.

"You are fighting with your hound and the other soldiers are fighting with dogs. What's the difference?"

He felt compelled to answer her question. "Mabari are war hounds. Bread for attack and defense. Good dogs but not well-rounded ones. Mabari thrive with head one combat. Enid and hound trained with Ash warriors are scenting hounds. They thrive on flushing out the enemy and running it down or hunting it."

I listened as he told me about Ash Warriors and taking the training of some dwarf and adapting it to fight with dogs. But the entire lesson was completely over my head because I wasn't really listening. I was raking my brain trying to figure out why he felt familiar.

Before I could find the courage to ask him one of his men interrupted and told him that they had their orders from the Teyrn. They needed to leave.

Darragh crossed his arms over his chest and bid me a glorious battle. Then turned and walked away without a look back or waiting for my response.

Shaking off the weird sensation I continued with my original search in finding either a bath or Aedan.

I finally found a solider that pointed me in the direction of the bathing tents. There was a conspiratorial gleam in her eye when she pointed out the area near the medical tents. I grinned to say thank you grateful I had finally found a female solider.

I had a choice find Aedan, Alistair or take a bath. The Kennel Master said the hound would live at least until after the battle. Aedan didn't know I was looking for him. And I had the rest of the afternoon to find the Grey Warden. This was probably the only opportunity I would get if I wanted to bathe before the ritual.

I just hoped it wasn't something that required chanting and nudity. Besides the warmth they offered, mage robes hid a multitude of sins.

I was lucky. I had my first bath without someone rushing me to finish. I even got to relax in the hot water for fifteen minutes. The washer woman was even able to rewarm it by changing it twice. I was clean. Kaiya made sure of that, taking a couple layers of skin as well as dirt.

It was the first time I was assisted in the bath. We chatted while I relaxed sore muscles. She told me about her task of overseeing the laundry and the bathing tents on the upper mezzanine where the lords and higher ranked officers were. While her husband and son served in the King's Archers. She didn't seam to mind that I was a mage.

Although with the way she looked at my discarded robe she was fearful it was an abomination. She didn't think that it was possible to get it clean. She suggested it was probably better if I just burned it.

I agreed. I had worn it for the last twenty plus days, all day, and all night. Besides, Duncan had said something about getting Grey Warden robes after joining and the battle.

I climbed out of the bath and dried off with what appeared to be a large cotton bedcovering. It was softer than the practical scratchy woolen cloth we used back at the Tower. Dressing in my only spare robe and tied my hair back into a simple braid at the back of my nape and coiled it around it around itself leaving me with a large twisted bun on the back of my head.

I pulled on my slippers making plans to see if I could find the Quartermaster and purchase a pair of boots. But as I figured I was near the northern part of the old ruins I would find this Alistair and then food and then boots. Maybe he could help so I didn't continue to wander aimlessly.

As I stepped out on to the crumbling old outcropping, I thought I heard Uldred. As was the persnickety mage, his voice was raised in annoyance. He was berating a man in armor. Neither of them looked my way as they continued to argue.