I was just finished pouring the last container of clean rinse water over my hair and body when the door opened, and the king sauntered into the hut. A long low whistle accompanied by thorough examination left me with a deep scarlet blush coloring my fair skin.

I threw the sponge full of water at the gawking man who laughed, caught it and offered to help wash my back. With my arms crossed as much as I could over my front, I turned my back to him, heard the sharp intake of breath, and knew he'd seen scars. Which had not been my intention. I quickly flipped my wet hair off my shoulder so it fell down my back between my shoulder blades.

The playful tone was gone when he said, "Flemeth is gone. She thanked me for the meal, told me she would be back in four hours and then she would take us out of the wilds. I came in hoping to dry off and get warm myself. Your hound is lying by the cooking fire chewing on a large bone Flemeth gave him. Darkspawn, I think."

I made a sound of approval and stepped out of the washtub. I glanced over my shoulder and breathed a sigh of relief. He'd turned his back to me.

"Did you get those in battle?"

"No."

Calian thought about the crisscrossed pattern of old scars. There was more than ten but less than thirty. The looked perfectly placed with even space between each one. He knew they were old, but he had asked in a way that she would share. He figured he would be more direct this time. "Self-flogging? Or did you have help."

Bent over the chest holding what I assumed to be Morrigan's belongings I let the question hang. Hoping there was something, less reveling than what she wore when we met. I pulled out a bit of leather. There didn't seem to be a lot of material. But there was fur. Maybe I wouldn't freeze.

Cailan prepared for Rhiannon's startled jump as he placed the blanket around her shoulders, stepped back. He'd looked for something to dry off and not finding anything, he pulled the blanket from the bed. He hoped by giving her a cover she would feel less uncomfortable. When there was no other, reaction from her he cleared his throat to remind her that he'd asked a question.

"Neither your Majesty. More of a reminder." I hadn't wanted to tell him about the conscription but a kind word, a listening ear, and the whole story came tumbling out. I hoped to do better this time. Most normal people didn't want to know how the circle worked just that it did.

The king of Ferelden would be no different. He would tell me he wanted to know. And then when I told him it would be strained silences and pretending that nothing was said.

"Can you be any more cryptic? Is it restricted to mages only?"

I shrug and begin to rub the water off my body with the course woolen material. I pick up the leather, hold it up against me, and sigh. My robes while difficult to move in, sopping wet and torn in half at least offered me some modesty. I would be fortunate if this garment covered more than it left bare. Sighing as I slipped the leather and fur over my head, I answered. "It's a reminder that a Templar is never wrong and no matter what you do as a mage you never fight back."

"What in Andraste's flaming knickers are you talking about? Never fight back. What happened?"

"The former Knight Captain reprimanded me. Two thirds of the lashes were for punishable acts the other third was for crying out, going to my teacher, and refusing to yield."

"But," He stared looking right through her in his confusion.

I sigh. In his horror he will forget that it was a mage needing control. "Your majesty. People don't care what it takes to make the Circles work. Just that they keep the dangerous, mind controlling, blood mages away from the good people of Thedas. The Chantry says the Circle is there to protect Mages from those without magic. And sometimes you get Templars who believe that. Most often you get Templars who believe it is their job to punish mages for being born with magic."

"They're allowed to beat you like that?" Cailan asked disturbed.

"Yes. They have the authority to do whatever it takes to control a mage. It doesn't matter if it is beating, rape, tranquility or killing, if it controls mages it is justified. Do you know that I was supposed to be there when the Ogre picked you up? And if I had you would never have been hurt as badly as you were."

"You can't blame yourself…"

"I'm not! It wasn't my fault. A Templar found a mage loose and assumed I was apostate. Even when I begged him to check with Duncan he refused because Mages can't be trusted. And had the battle not happened I would be on my way to Aeonar. When one of your soldiers suggested I might be telling the truth he accused her of being a mage lover. And if you were to speak in defense, they would claim I put you in a blood mage thrall. Kill you and me."

Cailan grew thoughtful. He had his own reason to hate the Chantry, namely Alistair. But here was another reason. "Tell me that the man who did that to your back has been reprimanded and removed from the circle.

I frowned and shimmied the leather down over my torso. This had turned into me complaining about my life and the king of Ferelden had other issues he needed to worry about than a mage that had come to accept that life was horrible, and you just made do.

"Yes, he was removed. Two years ago, Knight Rutherford found him raping another apprentice. He and the man who would become the Knight Captain forced the Knight Commander not to ignore what was going on under his command. I don't know what happened to him and honestly, your majesty I don't want to talk about it."

"Rutherford, the same one who helped you learn the full chant." Cailan said moving to another topic.

My blush had nothing to do with amount of skin that showed between my breasts all the way to my navel. Or the robes were cut all the way to the hip, leaving only the private areas covered. The small kiss Cullen and I shared after the gift of his chess board before I left the tower, and he ran away out of horror still made me smile. "Yes."

"And"

"And your majesty we need to figure out what we are going to do with you? You are very recognizable."

"I am. I look like my father King Maric. But you are right if we are to survive, we must do something about that. Do you have any spells that could change the way I look?"

"No. Magic doesn't work that way."

"Um I beg to differ. Wasn't Flemeth a dragon when she arrived?"

I chewed my lip in concentration I didn't have an answer for him. From everything I was taught you had one form except in the fade. But then it was just changing to animals like the mouse did. But you had to be taught by a demon to do that. "I think that was shape shifting and unless you want to roam Ferelden as an animal, we might need to try something more mundane."

Cailan became thoughtful and said, "Would I get to choose the animal?"

"Um I think the better question is what would Flemeth charge you to change you into and back out of the animal. Because I don't know that kind of magic?"

"Is it blood?"

"No. Before you pushed me into the lake, I didn't see her cut herself. And that is how Jowan did it."

"Good to know. What do you suggest?"

I found a travel pack, hairbrush, several tomes, and a pair of boots with long legs. I wondered if they went with this excuse for a piece of clothing. Several times I had noticed the king's eyes on my barely covered torso. In a way I was glad that he was interested in my front and not my back. "Cut and dye your hair and eyebrows. Keep beard and mustache but dye them too. Most likely black sire."

"Black hair… who would have thought. Okay Rhiannon, do your worst."

"Me," I squeaked out. I'd never cut hair. Sure, I had played around with coloring it several times. But I didn't want to be the one to make my king look like a fool. "Your majesty, umm I have never cut hair before. Not even my own."

Cailan chuckled and found a chair. "Well, I did say I was looking for an adventure. Although in the interests of changing my appearance does the beard have to be as thick and bushy as my uncle Eamon's?"

Taking a deep breath, I walked over to where my discarded torn robes were and pick up my packs and dagger. With a sigh I walked back over to Cailan and said, "I've never seen your uncle, but the First Enchanter has a beard that looks like rabbit fell asleep on his face. I don't think that far is necessary. Now remember your majesty, I saved your life."

Cailan snickered and held Rhiannon's hips for balance as she straddled his leg. "It's just hair Rhiannon. It will grow back. But if you keep calling me your majesty, it won't matter what I look like. The secret will be out."

I offered him a small smile at his reassurance and gave him back his words. "What do you suggest?"

"Morien." He said quickly and without hesitation. "It is the best way to honor him for his sacrifice."

The smile slipped. Morien had been kind to me when he didn't need to be. "That is a start your majesty... Morien. We need to get him justice too."

Neither of us said much as I pulled the brush through his hair and began cutting it with the dagger. Fortunately, the blade was sharp, and the hair offered little resistance. Soon the hair was no longer than an inch all the way around his head. I stepped back to examine my work and gasped. "Alistair."

"Alistair?" Cailan hedged.

"You look like him. You could be twins if your hair were a little redder."

"You know the lad that well?"

Heat flushed my face. I had spent an hour when we first met staring into his eyes asking him stupid questions that I already knew the answers. Just to keep him talking. Then there were the stolen glances while we gathered the darkspawn blood. He reminded me a little of Cullen, but slightly manlier, funnier, and more beautiful if you could say that about a man.

Cailan watched her blush knowingly. His little brother had an admirer. She was going to find out eventually. He would need her to help keep his secret. "Remember when I said I look like my father. So does my little brother. He just has our grandmother's hair."

My mouth hung open and my knees gave out. If Cailan hadn't been prepared and pulled me into his lap I might have sunk all the way to the floor. "He is a prince?"

"No, he is a Grey Warden. He knows who his father is, but he doesn't know that I know. I intend to keep it that way."

"But..."

"NO! Rhiannon. I mean it. I intend for him to get to know me as a person. Not the king of Ferelden. As his older brother and his king, I have the right to keep it from him until I deem it. If I must, I will make it a royal command."

"Yes, your majesty." I acquiesced.

I noticed right away that he didn't remind me not to use his title and looked at the floor remorsefully.

Cailan sighed in frustration. He'd didn't intend to snap at her. But after Flemeth told him Alistair survived he realized he was given another opportunity. He wasn't going to squander it. But he didn't want to hurt the woman who saved his life either. "Rhiannon, I don't want it to be like that. I… when we meet up with them, I want a chance to become friends without the whole politics getting in the way.

"As you wish. But I think it will be a mistake." I said standing again.

"Maybe. But we will deal with that when the time comes. Now how am I to go from blond to black?"

I shrug. I can tell that the conversation about Alistair is over. Secrets had a way of getting out even when the person did everything in their power to keep them. On top of that when they became known it was never as intended. Just look at Jowan.

"That part is easy. In the tower when we want to augment our appearance, we use herbs and plants. If you combine walnut oil and oak bark it will darken light hair to black. But we don't have the walnut oil. So, you might just have to settle for brunette like Aedan."

Over the next hour Cailan made small talk as I painted the mixture on his head. We talked about the danger should anyone find out he was still alive. I learned plenty about the life of the king and his greatest love…. Hounds. He spoke little about either his wife or his father-in-law. And I wasn't about to press him.

While the paste like mixture was saturating all his hair, I took a moment and finished dressing. Pulling the boots on. I was elated that they came up high on my thighs. Then I moved on to my own hair. I pulled the brush through the waist length tangled mess.

On impulse I pulled the dagger once more pulled the hair in a low gathering at the back of my neck and sliced the white strands so that my hair touched my shoulder blades. I didn't know how often I was going to have a chance to wash it. If I were more daring, I would have cut it even shorter.

Flemeth arrived two hours later looking the frail old woman as she had when we first encountered her. I wondered if the age thing had to do with magic usage. I didn't have the courage to ask that either.

When she asked if we were ready to go Cailan said, "A Warden, a Teyrn and a King. What an interesting travel party."

With a cheeky grin I said, "A warden, Teyrn and a king sounds like the beginning of a terrible joke your majesty… I mean Morien."

We watched the witch take the form of the dragon once more. Cailan grabbed Teyrn promising not to drop him and waited for the claw to grab them. My heart was racing I was about to begin the quest to stop the blight for real. I could only hope I was able to honor all of those who lost their life so I could live.