Gale had been lost in her thoughts and jumped up from where she had been sitting by her fire, hand on her sword, as a strange woman greeted her.

"Wait, wait!" the strange woman said, looking at her apologetically. "I didn't mean to startle you, I was just hoping to ask if I could spend the night by your fire!"

Gale eyed the woman cautiously as she lowered the hood of her cloak.

"My name is Varine, I'm just a travelling merchant." She gestured to the wagon behind her. "It's too dark now to continue travelling the roads, and well, you know safety in numbers."

Gale looked the stranger, this Varine, up and down as the fire light flickered off of her. Varine was a beautiful young elf with ash brown hair and sky blue eyes, freckles dotting her cheeks and nose against her pale ivory skin. She looked to be in her late teens, perhaps just barely an adult. Beneath her dark brown cloak, she wore a dress colored in varying shades of teal and a pair of silver and teal colored gemstone earrings dangled at her neck as they matched the rest of her ensemble.

Sensing no ill will from this woman, Gale removed her hand from her sword and sat back down. "I'm sorry, but I prefer to be alone."

Varine looked at her, seeing that did look very much alone. "I won't bother you at all, I promise, I'll stick to my wagon." She hoped that Gale would say yes, then smiled when she heard Gale's stomach grumble. "I can cook, if you'd like? As a token of gratitude for letting me share your fire?"

Gale eyed her curiously, then sighed. "Alright." She watched Varine smile happily as she hurried to her wagon to fetch her pack and a few other things. 'Who is this girl?'

'You must be careful, Gale. You left Skyhold to be alone, to keep others from getting hurt because of you. Do you really want to put her at risk?'

Gale sighed, knowing Galeria was right. She would let Varine share her fire, accept her offered meal, but that would be it. She would not do anything else.

As Varine cheerfully went about preparing them a meal, Gale thought back on what had happened since leaving Skyhold. It had been about a month, nearly two, and Gale had been avoiding everyone like the plague. That is, until Varine at least.

Gale watched Varine as she cooked, moving about the humble camp softly humming to herself. It was strange, she was getting a similar feeling being near Varine as she did when she was with Samuel and yet it remained different at the same time. She couldn't quite put her finger on it. Sighing, she took a swig from her bottle, letting the somewhat fresh animal's blood rush down her throat.

'Animal blood will not sustain you for long.' Galeria warned yet again.

'I know... but I have to make it work... I can't risk hurting anyone.'

"So, may I ask your name?"

Gale looked up as Varine stood before her with a plate of food. "Gale."

Varine smiled as she took the plate from her. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Gale."

Gale found herself blushing a bit as Varine smiled at her so warmly and welcomingly. 'What is this...?' She scooted over as Varine sat beside her on the fallen log.

"So, what brings you out on lonely roads?" Varine asked.

"Nothing, really." Gale replied, taking a bite. She chewed for a moment, then smiled in content. "This is delicious. It's been awhile since I've had a good home cooked meal."

Varine looked at her, smiling. "I'm glad you like it." She took a few bites, pondering her next question. "So, just doing some sight seeing then?"

"Something like that."

They sat for a moment or two, in silence as they ate.

"You seem sad and lonely."

Gale looked at Varine, surprised.

Varine, realizing that she spoke aloud, blushed and bowed her head apologetically. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that out loud."

Gale chuckled at that. "It's alright." She set aside her plate and stared into the fire. "You're right though."

"Why do you travel alone?" Varine asked, curiously.

"It's safer that way, for everyone."

Varine cleaned their plates after checking to see if Gale wanted more. "Are you some sort of bandit on the run?"

Gale smirked and shook her head. "That'd be easier." She sighed and glanced at Varine. "Let's just leave it at I left to protect the people I care about."

"Fair enough."

Gale watched as she took a seat across from her. "What about you?"

"I'm a travelling merchant. I deal with herbs and spices, both medicinal and culinary."

"That's a good trade, especially these days." Gale noted. "Why are you travelling alone? You're a bigger target than I am."

Varine sighed. "True. I had hope to hire some bodyguards once I reached the next town." She glanced up at Gale. "I don't suppose I could maybe hire you instead?"

Gale looked at her surprised. "As a bodyguard?"

"You seem capable enough and I feel like I can trust you."

"We just met."

"I have a good notion about people and my instincts tell me that you're a good person." Varine said, offering her a smile. Then, feeling sleep beckoning to her, she stretched and yawned. "Please think about it? It's no fun travelling alone and I do enjoy your company. Besides, you'd get home cooked meals every day." She added with a wink before standing and going over to her wagon.

Gale watched her as she climbed into the back of her wagon.

'She has similar effect on you as Samuel does, Gale. Perhaps her blood will be like that as well?'

'Don't even go there, Galeria...' Gale replied, sighing. 'She's a kind person; I won't do that to her.'

'And what if she were to find out your secret? What if she offered herself to you freely, just as Samuel did?'

Gale ignored Galeria's question and leaned back to look up at the stars. "What should I do, Father?"