Before the trek to Ostagar, Shai may have called the trip to the hut a bit of a hike. As it was, nothing bothered them along the way, thus the walk was actually quite relaxing.

The witches' home was rough and mean, yet Shai found herself relaxing for the first time since she'd awoke naked and covered in gore. An older woman worked around the small yard, seemingly unaware of their approach. She showed no surprise when Morrigan called out to her.

She raised a single eyebrow as she examined their party. "There are more of you than I expected," she said.

Alistair didn't much like that. "Are we supposed to believe you were expecting us?"

That just amused the woman. "You are required to do nothing," she replied. "Least of all believe. Shut one's eyes tight or open one's arms wide... either way, one's a fool! Therefore, believe what you will."

Shai couldn't suppress a snort of laughter. That brought the woman's attention directly to her. "And what of you? Does your woman's mind give you a different viewpoint? Or do you believe as these boys do?"

Shai matched her expression. "Belief changes with facts. Then a tricky old bastard throws in something unbelievable and everything turns itself upside down and backwards."

"And you?" the woman's attention turned to Edana. "What is *your* thought in the matter?"

"That my thoughts don't matter," Edana said with a half-smile. "Belief only has meaning when you back it up. I might believe I'm mad or dreaming, I might believe I'm really here talking to you, I might believe I'm secretly a small blue rodent from Alpha Centauri. It doesn't matter. The only thing that counts is how I *act*."

"Statements that possesses more wisdom than they imply. Be always aware... or is it oblivious? I can never remember." She stepped right up to the two women, staring at first one, then the other. Then she started to laugh. "Never tell them that I can't appreciate a good joke! Loaded dice have been tossed into the game, but loaded for whom, I wonder?" Her eyes went vague again.

"Mother!" Morrigan said on an impatient sigh. "They did not come here to listen to your ramblings."

She turned her vague smile to her daughter. "True, they came for their treaties, yes?" She spun on her heel, into the hut. She returned bare moments later, four scrolls in her arms. "And before you begin barking, your precious seal wore off long ago. I have protected these." She spoke directly to Alistair as she handed off the treaties.

"You... oh!" The blond Warden looked a little more bewildered than normal. "You protected them?"

"And why not?" The vagueness left her eyes again, she gripped Alistair's hand in her own. "Take them to your Grey Wardens and tell them this Blight's threat is greater than they realize!"

Shai narrowed her eyes at the woman. "Is the threat greater or are they all being as dense as their fearless leader?" she asked.

At that, Alistair went into a full-on sputter.

And suddenly she was closer, almost on top of the blond woman. "You are growing weaker, child, you can feel it in your body now. You should not linger any longer."

Shai reached over to uncover her shoulder. She didn't really need to see the black outlines of the veins leading from the site of her wound. The old woman was right, she could feel it through her entire body, fighting her. She really couldn't tell what hurt worse, the bone pain or the pain from the Taint. She secured her armor and looked back up. "Who iare/i you?"

The woman just smiled. "In due time, future Warden." She shifted her gaze to Alistair. "Now ileave/i, before you lose her."

Edana grabbed Shai by the elbow. She barely resisted, and the entire party iran/i back to Ostagar.