Author's note Sorry about yet another long delay. I was at college and unable to access my Xbox. I've switched to playing on PC so hopefully you should expect updates on a more routine basis.
Lake Calenhad was calm. Me and my companions to get a rest after the ride from Redcliffe. But I couldn't sleep. It wasn't the nightmares, not this time anyway, I was just so damned hungry. It's been this way ever since the joining, but I've usually had something else to focus on. Maybe the boat had something to do with me losing focus. When we visited mother's family I was always scared to get on a boat. She'd give me cookies to lure me onboard. I guess me and Griffon share yet another thing in common. I got up and went to the back of the boat to try to rummage up some snacks. Alistair was their. For him it was the nightmares.
I asked if their were any other side effects to the joining. He gestured to the stack of biscuits on my plate. We laughed. On a less savory note he told me of how we Wardens end our service. Such horrors will not be repeated here, but I am glad I learned of it now. Alistair didn't join long before me. Maybe we will face the end together. I can think of no other person to climb down into those dark depths with.
We got to talking about the afterlife and of course that brought up the Chantry and Alistair's terrible childhood. He complains so much about the Templars that I had to ask why he stayed. He said for the tailoring, parrying with humor as always. The only thing he really enjoyed was the training itself, for the education and discipline it provided him. People may call Alistair dumb, he may call himself dumb, but it takes great fortitude to master the skills of a Templar and if people had told him of that more often mayhaps would not be in charge.
We headed up onto the deck. The tower was visible in the distance, towering over the calm waters. "You know I never felt at home their", Alistair said. He then asked where I felt at home. I told him the truth. The only place in this world I feel at home is with the Grey Wardens, and with him. You know one of those magical moments, where you feel like there's some force between you, pulling you in towards another? I felt that as I looked into his blue eyes. We might have held hands, perhaps something more, but thankfully Griffon burst onto the deck barking and slobbering as always, Leliana following close behind demanding he calm down. Apparently he smelled food and wanted some. This outcome was probably for the best. After what I have heard. Well let's just say most people would think Wardens have no need or time for such things.
My little mutt woke the entire crew up. So after that we had no respite. I should have probably tried to have taken a longer rest, given what happened when we reached Klinoch's hold.