Thank you for the comments Judy, Kanta48, Carlos ?, my other spanish speaking guest, and Gemini Sage. They keep me motivated. Also thank you for your votes both on my profile page and in the comments. Noone voted against reposting here for this story... so the yes' have it. I am sorry this is late... I rewrote it four times because I thought it had too much game play dialogue. Enjoy as you have all been waiting for her to meet Alistair.

I stood there and watched Uldred try to cower the solider. I silently cheered him on as he gave as good as the Senior Enchanter did. I even had to cover my mouth and look away, so my laughter wasn't seen when the warrior called him the grumpy one.

He did not understand how close to the truth he was. But I didn't want Uldred going back to the Tower and using my behavior against Irving. He already thought he should be First Enchanter; he didn't need help from me to make it happen.

He walked past me shouting 'to get out of the way'. I didn't know if I was supposed to be the fool. Or did the man he'd just verbally sparred with have the honor? Again, not looking to create a scene, I stepped out of his way.

For a moment I wondered if I should call him back and let him know about Jowan. The First Enchanter had put him in charge of rooting out blood mages and I wondered how he missed it.

The thought was gone in an instant when the warrior walked over to me and said, "You know, one good thing about the Blight is how it brings people together."

I let the humor show in a short bark of laughter and quickly cover my mouth. Anders once told me that when I found something funny, I sounded like a cat in pain. Hoping the smile came across as dainty and ladylike, I said, "I know exactly what you mean."

I was giggling at the image created by suggesting a standing in a circle holding hands and what the Darkspawn would think. He had come close enough to me I could see the color of his eyes and the slight freckling across the bridge of his nose. And was assaulted by my stomach doing flip-flops. I don't think I'd ever imagined a man so handsome. Cullen was the closest I had seen.

"Wait, we haven't met, have we?"

One of those clichéd lines Anders constantly used on members of both sexes he was interested in came to mind. But there was no way I was telling this man. Knowing my luck was probably Alistair, we met in my dreams.

Before I could produce a response that wouldn't make me sound like an idiot, he asked if I was a mage? Worry replaced the earlier tingling in my stomach. I didn't think I could handle another Aedan and keep my sanity.

Fortunately, Duncan's reassurance that were other mages in the Grey Wardens gave me the courage to ask, "Would that make your day worse?"

"Hardly. I just like to know my chances of being turned into a toad at any given moment."

"Turned into a toad? Mages can do that sort of thing?" I responded my lips tightly pressed together trying not to laugh.

Alistair only shrugged.

I went on, "No self-respecting Circle Mage would turn anyone into a toad. A cat on the other hand is debatable. Especially if it is Anders. But don't worry while you'd probably be a beautiful feline, I am more of a hound person myself."

"You are a mage?! Really, you don't look like a mage.. that is err I mean.. How interesting."

By this time, I was having to bite the inside of my cheeks not to laugh aloud. He made the word 'interesting' sound as if being a mage was a good thing.

"Wait. I do know who you are. You're one of Duncan's new recruits. The one from the Circle of Magi. I should have recognized you right away. I apologize."

"Don't. I mean, that's all right. We haven't met before, so how were you supposed to know who I was?"

"Duncan sent word. He spoke quite highly of you. Let me introduce myself. I am Alistair, the new Grey Warden. As the junior member of the order, I will accompany you when you prepare for the joining."

I couldn't fathom what possessed Duncan to lie to the man. It baffled me about what Duncan could speak highly about. Maybe Alistair was just being kind, trying to make up for the mage comment. "Pleased to meet you. I am Rhiannon."

Alistair watched the corners of her mouth turned down into a frown and then a hesitant upturn into a half smile before offering her own introduction. He was pleasantly surprised. From Duncan's communique he'd expected someone different. Not as young looking or pleasing to the eyes.

He shook his head to get that thought out of there. She was going to be a Grey Warden if she survived the joining. He couldn't think of her like that. Maybe that's why there weren't many female wardens. "Right that was the name. You know it just occurred to me there haven't been many women in the Grey Wardens. I wonder why that is?"

I grunted in surprise. I wasn't at all what I expected. I was prepared for him to take exception with my being a mage, and he was focusing on the fact I was a woman. I didn't know why, but it brought back that nervous excitement in the pit of my stomach. I had to know if it was a compliment or just an observation. "You want more women in the Wardens, do you?"

"Would that be so terrible?"

My mouth dropped in surprise. I don't know what I expected, but not for him to admit it. At least there was no boorish comment about being the only if they looked like me. I had heard enough of that crude drivel from the Templars back at the Tower.

"Not that I am some drooling lecher. Or anything. Please stop looking at me like that."

I quickly studied the ground, hoping he hadn't seen the blush. Although with skin as fair as mine I must be scarlet by now. Because a lecherous thought came to the surface as I was thinking about Templars and him being at the Tower. "Um I'm sorry. I wasn't intending to be insulting. I just hadn't expected for you to say it."

"That's why I am here. I deliver unpleasant news and witty one-liners."

I had no idea what to say to that. It occurred to me that he said he was a new Grey Warden and a junior member of the order to help us prepare for the ritual. Which lead me to ask what he could tell me about it. He cleared his throat and quickly changed the subject.

I asked him if the joining was that bad and he quickly told me not to worry about it, because it would only distract me. That meant whether he knew it, he just confirmed the danger. I tried asking a different way, letting him know that as a mage I knew something about rituals. But all he would do was reassure me that Duncan would explain it all and he would be there by my side to help me and the others out.

It surprised me. I didn't know there were others, or that they had waited all of this time for Aedan and I to get here so they could undertake the joining. I asked about them and listened as Alistair told me about both the knight and the cutpurse.

Duncan had told me he'd been a cut purse before the Wardens. That was partly how he caught the attention of the Warden Commander. That made a Noble, a Knight and two criminals and I wondered about the man in front of me.

During our time on the road Duncan had answered many questions about what the Darkspawn were , where they came from, and why the Wardens were important. But I asked Alistair, knowing the answers would be the same. His voice was soothing, and he added funny quips that made the conversation much more entertaining than Duncan's version.

When I had exhausted all the questions, I could think of Alistair suggested that we find Duncan. I agreed and then halted. I knew Uldred was a troublesome man to talk to. He taught several of the older apprentices; me included some more advanced forms of entropy.

I hadn't done very well under his guidance with the subject. Irving suggested that it was less about me not understanding and more to lack of ability since he could only teach as a theory under Templar orders.

"The argument with Uldred..."

"Is that the name of the mage? As you know the Circle is here because the King wants them. And of course, the Chantry doesn't like it one bit . They don't mind reminding the mages of it. Which puts me in a bit of an awkward position. I was once a Templar."

I swallowed hard, the fear pooling in my stomach replacing all earlier feelings of excitement. I took two steps backward, trying to put space between us. "You were a mage hunter?"

"Not that that's all templars do, but yes. The chantry raised me until Duncan recruited me six months ago. I'm sure the Revered mother meant it as an insult… sending me as her messenger. And the mage picked right up on it."

I took another two steps back. This man who was standing in front of me was one of those… those who wanted to keep all mages locked up for the good of all. By any and all means. How could I be so stupid as to let a pretty face tie my stomach in knots. He was going to be a hundred times worse than Aedan.

"I would have never agreed to deliver it, but Duncan said were all to cooperate and get along. Apparently, they didn't get the same speech."

By now there was at least a foot of space between us. And I stepped backward again. "Um you don't have to accompany me, do you?"

"Is this because …"

"No." I said completely unconvincingly.

"Becoming a Templar was a decision made for me a long time ago. Look, I know as a templar, you might be uncomfortable around me. Which is a pity because I think we could be good friends. I hated it at the monastery, and even Duncan could see that. I think that is why he took compassion on me and recruited me."

Alistair stepped forward, closing the distance I had created and held out his hand. "Get to know me as a Grey Warden and if I still scare you, then we don't have to work together again."

He stood there with his hand out for several moments while I tried to judge the sincerity of his words. Up to now he'd treated me with respect, even after learning I was a mage. I heard the tone of disapproval in his voice at how the Chantry treated mages. And other than not allowing Uldred to mistreat him, he had behaved with respect to the senior enchanter.

I hesitantly took his hand and said, "Duncan said Grey Warden templars and mages work together and have formed friendships. We can try."

Alistair let go of my hand and grabbed my bicep and helped position my hand on his bicep. "You are my sister Grey Warden, not a mage. And I am an ex-Templar. You will never have to fear me."

I took a deep breath and released it. "Then I look forward to traveling with you, hopefully to a hot meal and a place I can get a pair of good boots."