Lying on her cot, she thought on what Cedrik had said about Anders and wondered if she should ask before the final battle. Before she might die. Would it be better for her to die without telling Anders how she felt? Or would he be forever plagued with thoughts of 'what if?' She ventured into the Fade one last time, hesitating when she spotted Anders. She was comfortable with him, she loved him, but what if he didn't really like her back? She'd spent so long hiding her feelings, wanting something more but being too afraid, she needed to just say something.

Anders paced around the Fade, waiting for Claire to come back, praying that she would. She had such a propensity for disappearing that he wasn't sure he'd even see her again. She was going into battle with those blasted Wardens, she was going to get herself killed, and there he was, trapped in the tower still. At least he was out of solitary confinement, that was a plus. He had been surprised at how much the tower had changed in the year he was locked away.

The Libertarians were starting to speak louder against the Circle and there was an ominous tension in the air. It didn't help that a newly made mage had been caught helping a maleficar escape and had the Grey Warden Claire was always talking about not been there, the Templars would have cut him down. Claire would get to meet that mage soon enough, and from what she'd told him, the mage would be dead soon anyway, he'd merely be fighting for a nobler cause than freeing blood mages.

Sensing a presence behind him, he turned to find Claire. She had a soft smile and a strange look in her eyes that sent tingling up his spine. This was far from the woman he had comforted not that long ago. What had happened?

"Hello, Anders." She said. "I keep thinking about what you said before I left, that you would move mountains to come to me." She was suddenly right in front of him, running a bit of edging on his robe between her fingers. His heart was beating harder and faster as desire built up in him. "If you care about me that much, does that mean I've been holding back all these years for nothing?" She looked up at him through eyelashes, her vibrant blue eyes piercing his soul, making his mouth go dry. It was a demon, it had to be. This wasn't like Claire... The purring in her tone, the look in her eyes...

He backed away angrily, batting her hand from his robe. "I will not play this game." He growled. "Go find some other mage to toy with." Her hand dropped, confusion and hurt on her face.

"I'm sorry." She said, reverting to the Claire he knew and loved. Was this just another demonic trick to lure him in? What was she playing at? "That was... that was stupid of me. I knew this was a mistake." She started backing up and he felt panic grip his heart. If it really was Claire...

"What are you talking about?" He asked. "You're not a demon, then?"

"A demon...?" Her eyes went wide. "Maker, no! I... I screwed this up, didn't I? It played out so differently in my head, but I had no idea what to do..." She was turning a brilliant scarlet and it made Anders laugh.

"Andraste's great flaming knickers, woman, you scared me!" He grabbed her and hugged her tight. "When you left me, you were a mess, Maker knows what happening to your body, and then you come here and act like a Desire demon! What did you expect me to do?" And was she serious about holding back?

"Ah... true... I should tell you that I found Cedrik, dragged him into the Fade and yelled at him." She sighed. "We came to an agreement, he won't come near me ever again and I won't kill him. It actually helped me a lot to talk to him. After I went to the Fade when he first attacked me, he realized what he was doing and stopped. That in itself was a relief to find out, that nothing else happened."

"And here I was hoping I'd get to fry him."

"I was tempted to get you two together." She chuckled. "But it worked out." He rested his cheek on her head, holding her close to himself. "I meant it, though. I've been holding back, for so many reasons, but now that I'm faced with potential death, I don't want to anymore. I don't want to die without you knowing how I feel and even if you don't actually feel the same way about me, at least you'll know." He was elated, it really was her and she really did return his affection. Instead of responding verbally, he kissed her deeply on the lips, feeling her tense under his grip.

"I have waited a long time to do that." He murmured as he broke away.

"I don't know why we waited so long..." She closed her eyes and leaned her head against his shoulder, her hair tickling his face.

"I'm an apostate trapped in the tower, you're an apostate who was stuck in Tevinter..." He said. "Thedas isn't appreciative of mages who fall in love, anyway."

"We haven't seen each other in person in nine years." She said. "It's not the same in the Fade, I felt that with Cedrik. I don't know how to describe it, but it's just different. And I'm so much more comfortable in the Fade, it's like my home. I'm powerful here, I am in control, and I knew that with Cedrik, that while he had power over me in the physical world, I could easily kill him here."

"Are you afraid of seeing me?" He didn't want to lose what they had because they weren't in the Fade. "I'm planning on escaping here as soon as I can and I want to find you." Granted she didn't wind up as a snack for a darkspawn... She said they were just waiting for Duncan and the new recruit, did that mean they'd all die when they got there? It wouldn't take them too long to get to Ostagar...

"I am..." Her voice was quiet and there was a tremor in it. "For knowing you, and loving you, for so long, you wouldn't think it'd be so difficult to see you in person, but I'm afraid."

"Where would you like to meet?" He asked. "The battle... you said you were waiting for Duncan, right? What happens when he returns?"

"We have a day or two before the battle, I think, and then the betrayal."

"He left the tower a few days ago, with a mage, Evan. He should be there soon then." He sighed, wishing he had better news than that.

"So we don't have much more time before..." She shuddered. "I won't die, I won't, I can't. But I can't abandon them either. After the battle, I'll find you. We can figure out what to do then, where to meet. Maybe Redcliffe or Lothering."

"You're not invincible." He said, feeling his anxiety rising. He needed to escape, he needed to get to Ostagar before the battle, to make sure she survived, but how?

"I know and that's why I'm going to be careful." She said, trying to sound confident. "If I have to, I'll use the knowledge of the dragon."

"What is that? You've mentioned it before."

"I found out about it in a Tevinter ruin, it was a book detailing how to become a dragon, but... it requires a lot of mana, and experience, so I haven't tried it yet. Frankly, I'm a little scared to become a dragon."

"A dragon..." He was impressed. What other secrets would she unlock as time went on? She was somniari, a shapeshifter, and managed to get visions of the future as well, but never had he known of someone who could become a dragon, unless he believed the stories of the Witch of the Wilds. He looked down at Claire. "Tell me, could the Witch of the Wilds become a dragon?"

She looked startled, then nodded. "How did you know? Or was that a guess? She's... she's special."

"I would love to learn her secret!" He joked.

"No, I don't think you would." She said, frowning. "The cost would be too much, I think."

"What, you don't think becoming a giant dragon and raining fire on every Templar in creation would be worth it?" She was always too serious, but it was an endearing trait.

"Oh come on, you know what that would do for mages?" She glared at him, then shook her head and smiled. "Of course you do. It's just a dream... You know, I don't think I've done anything like that..." He could tell by the glazing of her eyes she was getting lost in thought and wondered what she was thinking about. "You're a mage, you should be able to figure out transformations in the Fade." She grinned as she showed him the wonders of Fade transformations, changing herself into a mighty dragon. After a while, he figured it out and felt the power rush as he stretched out his wings. She created her mountain village and took to the skies, with Anders quickly following.

Claire woke up feeling sore, but happy, like a bit of sunshine had crept into her soul, warming her up and making her smile. She dressed in her armor and tried to sneak out of the tent, ignoring the odd glances she received. They knew something had happened, but they seemed to assume something more romantic than the truth. Not that it mattered... Duncan was going to arrive soon, if Anders was right. She felt twitchy and escaped from the camp for a bit, becoming a bird and flying off.

At first she wasn't going anywhere in particular, but when she saw the road leading north, she started following it, hoping to catch a glimpse of Duncan and the recruit.

Amell.

Anders had said his name was Evan, the little boy she'd met in the Fade all those years ago. As she drifted lazily above the road, she caught sight of the gleaming armor the Warden-Commander was wearing, the young mage beside him looking dull and pale in comparison, his dark brown hair tied tight in a short ponytail. She tried to remember whether the battle started that night or the next, but the game wasn't very clear and it made her anxious. She flew back towards the Warden camp, hoping maybe there was something she could do to occupy her mind.

Nearing the camp, she noticed a couple of the Wardens were harassing Cedrik. Curious, she landed nearby and listened in. He didn't look very happy and their assumptions were completely off.

"Come on, Cedrik, you have to tell us eventually." Jasper said. "You're the only one who's been able to get anywhere close with that woman."

Cedrik waved his arm at them, making them move back, glaring. "Look, it's not like what you think. I... I screwed up, all right? Is that what you wanted to hear?" Their expressions ranged from confusion to shock.

"What do you mean, Cedrik?" Marcus asked. "You didn't hurt her, I hope!" Cedrik's shoulders slumped as he shrugged.

"She's still going to fight the darkspawn with us, if that's what you're wondering, but there is no relationship, so you can just forget about asking."

As he turned to storm off, Stefen asked him, "Are you all right? You're not planning anything... crazy, are you?" Cedrik shrugged. Claire walked out from behind a tent, acting as if she hadn't heard anything.

"Duncan's back with the new recruit." She said. "A mage, from the tower. From what I overheard, his friend betrayed him with blood magic and left him to die at the hands of the Templars." Cedrik's fist clenched tight. "He probably won't want to talk about it... It's just so... infuriating. I hate the Circle, and its rules..." A couple of the other Wardens shook their heads sadly, but before anyone could say anything, a Templar came trudging in, helmet off, carrying a letter and Cedrik glared at him with so much hatred that Claire thought he was going to bore a hole through the man's head or set him on fire. The Templar ignored them both and walked up to Alistair, who Claire hadn't realized was sitting right behind her.

"We need you to give a message to the mages, the Mother asked for you by name." Claire sniggered, knowing exactly what was going to happen. Alistair grumbled and got up, followed by the Templar, who nodded a gruff farewell to the Wardens. Cedrik grumbled and wandered off, leaving Stefen looking after him confused. Claire rolled her eyes and became a bird, taking off and flying above Cedrik. He was obviously still upset about what had happened, and Claire wasn't sure it mattered anymore, since he was going to die anyway.

She glanced back at the camp and felt her heart clench at the thought that that camaraderie would be gone soon. Was that all she could think about? She felt like she shouldn't dwell on what was to come and take in everything she could beforehand. Deciding to leave Cedrik be, she flew over the rest of the camp and just observed everyone for the rest of the day.

Dozing off, perched on a high ledge overlooking the area where the Joining was to take place, Claire was lost in thought until angry voices broke through her fog. Shaking her raven head, she peered down at Ser Jory backing up with Duncan advancing. The sword went through, and it was over. Then it was Daveth's turn, and he fell to the ground, gagging, before he died. Evan seemed nervous, but Duncan was cold, emotionless, as he handed the mage the cup. It was over quickly, and as Evan woke up, he was informed of the meeting with the king. That meant the battle was that night... she didn't have time to tell Anders, he'd have to find out later.

She swooped down and became human, waiting for Duncan to come back to his fire, her heart beating hard. She saw him, his face grim as he approached her.

"Hello, Duncan." She said.

"This is it, then?" He asked.

"I said I would tell you some things about the future before... Well, you knew your time was getting short anyway. I'm sorry, Duncan, I wish I could save you, but I don't know how to cure the taint."

"You don't have to tell me anything, you know."

"I just want you to know there's hope. Alistair and Evan... they're the only ones to survive, but they raise up an army, unite Ferelden, and kill the archdemon. Alistair becomes king... and he finds his father, alive."

"Maric is alive?" Duncan was surprised. "And that would mean Cailan..."

"I can't tell you more than that, but yes, to both." She looked down. "If it helps, your death is what makes Alistair into the man Ferelden needs. Everything in this battle is crucial to that, it's a turning point in history. I think you would be very proud of Alistair. Speaking of..." She looked over at the two young Wardens walking towards them, with Alistair giving her a suspicious look.

"Not to be rude or anything, but what are you doing here?" He asked.

"Oh, I just heard you wished to be turned into a frog and have decided to grant your wish!" She smiled innocently at him. Duncan rolled his eyes and sighed. "Sorry, Duncan, I couldn't resist... I'll see you on the battlefield then. Maker be with you all." She left, feeling Evan's gaze on her.

Once down with the soldiers and other Wardens, she checked over her armor, noticing hems were getting ratty and there were snags and holes here and there all over the dark red fabric. The metal wasn't too bad, but it did need a polish. There were dents and scratches, but she could fix that eventually.

"Are you sure you want to be here, fighting with us?" Cedrik asked her. He sounded forlorn, and she was afraid he wasn't going to last long in the battle if he wasn't focused.

"Yes, of course I'll fight with you." She made herself smile, hoping he didn't catch any of her nervousness. "Cedrik, you're not a bad man. You made a horrible mistake, but you did stop, and you felt remorse over it. You need to remember that. I know you'll never do anything like that again."

"Because we all die, isn't it?"

"No, because you're not evil." He sighed and looked around, his hand gripping his staff tightly. Claire saw Wynne with Uldred and the other mages not too far away, preparing for the battle. "Cedrik... whatever happens tonight, just remember, aside from trying to rape me, you've been a good friend to me, and I'm grateful for getting to know you. I have no regrets." Except that she wasn't going to be able to save anyone.

He frowned and rubbed his eye. "I will never understand you. If we are to die tonight, then, so be it. It was an honor to know you, Claire. May we find victory, or die fighting." They saluted each other and looked over the army waiting for the darkspawn. There were so many... Aveline was in there somewhere, as was Carver. She didn't know how many soldiers survived, but at least that option was there for some of them...

The rain started pouring down, causing the torches to flicker and hiss. A dull roar ahead of the army echoed throughout the valley and the horns blew. The commanders ordered the army to charge, and the Grey Wardens led the attack with the king. Claire felt as if time slowed down as the two armies met, a brief moment of silence before the night erupted in screams and the clashing of metal on metal. She shot her spells out, picking her targets without much thought and just praying that she could kill as many as possible. She saw Stefen fall to a volley of arrows and she screamed out, pushing more mana into her spells as she continued to attack. There was nothing she could do as she watched Markus fall, and then Jasper, and a few other Wardens. Cedrik was beside her, tears streaming down his face, his eyes full of rage.

Claire saw the king get picked up and killed... Duncan charged in, killing the ogre, and then the beacon was lit, and nothing happened. Cedrik watched with her as Duncan was struck down, then he looked at Claire, horror at the realization that they were on their own, that Loghain wasn't coming, and then an arrow suddenly sprouted from Cedrik's head. Claire screamed and grabbed him as he fell. She couldn't stop crying, gripping his robe tightly and begging the Maker for a miracle, knowing it wasn't going to come. She didn't think the pain would be so bad... She felt a rush of energy in front of her and looked up just in time to see a fireball in her face. She gasped as the pain hit her, and then the world flipped upside down and for a split second it looked like she was in the Fade, then she was suddenly in a forest, the sounds of battle a faint whisper on the wind through the trees.

She looked down at the body she was still holding, glad for a reprieve from the fighting, and began sobbing again, collapsing on his broken body. It wasn't fair! Nothing was fair. She had only herself to blame for the pain of losing everyone, she could have done something else instead of find the Wardens, but no, she wanted to get to know them first. The arrow looked so horrible, sticking out of his head like it was, but she didn't want to pull it out. She picked him up and walked until she found a small clearing, then set his body down. She stepped back and set the body on fire. It wasn't a proper funeral pyre, but it would do. She wouldn't let any wandering demon take possession of his body. A cold numbness was settling inside of her as she watched the embers die down. She gave a strangled sob and became an owl, flying back towards the battle. She had to take Duncan's body... she had to, she couldn't let the darkspawn touch it.

The sounds of fighting had ceased, replaced with a few screams of survivors being taken by the darkspawn as the battlefield was picked clean. She spotted Duncan's body, no longer next to the king, but being dragged away. In her despair and rage, she used the knowledge she had found in Tevinter and became a dragon, roaring in defiance at the darkspawn who dared to touch Duncan. They would not have him. She batted them away like they were flies, then gingerly picked up the Warden-Commander's body. Stefen... he was still there too, with Markus and another Warden. She didn't see the others, but she could at least give those she did find the honor of a proper death. Giving one last roar, she flew off to find a place to burn their bodies.