"Alistair?"

The Queen nodded.

"But...but how is he a threat my lady? I have heard stories of how now a days he is just a lowly drunk." I had to hide the shock, and the weak attempt of trying to save him. This was the first time that she has mentioned, let alone, order someone to kill Alistair.

"That is what I am told my dear Warden, but he is still a threat no matter."

I couldn't help but be a little shocked.

"Do you know of where to find him?"

I looked over at Zevran praying to the Maker that he wasn't really going to go through with this.

"I have had some of my spies keeping track on him and they say that last night he was at the Gnawed Noble Tavern drinking heavily. Try to make it as quiet as possible." She smiled and nodded her head as if agreeing with herself. I smiled as politely as I could back and bowed once more. My heart was screaming, and I could feel my adrenaline racing through me.

"I will have it done tonight my lady." I turned and walked out the door. This wasn't going to end well. Not at all.

"What are we going to do?" asked Zevran, as he tried to keep up with me.

"We are going to make a grand entrance...that is what we are going to do." I had a plan, and Anora wasn't going to like it. But, I had to in order to save Alistair. This was the only way.

"Ohh...I like grand entrances."

"You know, you shouldn't have cut you're hair Warden...it was so much sexier longer."

"I know you did. But I liked it shorter, like I use to have it in the old days." I tucked a small braid behind my ear as I looked at the door to the Gnawed Noble Tavern. This wasn't going to be easy. "But remember the plan. You go in first, talk to Leliana and Alistair. Then when it starts, tell Leliana the plan, and what is going on. After...that...well, you know what to do." I grimaced. I really didn't want to do this at all. "I will catch up you on the road, just keep heading towards Highever no matter what you do." He nodded, and I could feel the tension start to build back up. "Now go...before I change my mind." And like always, he did just what I asked. This was going to be a long night.

"Commander!"

Cheers erupted in the Tavern as I entered it. "All hail the Commander! Hero of Ferelden!"

I smiled, raising my hands up to try to quiet them down. "Now, now I am no hero!" I laughed as I saw at least five people stand up and toast their drinks to me. I looked around the happy tavern to see Leliana and Zevran talking in a corner all hushed like, and Alistair... I swallowed the lump that was rising in my throat, as I made my way to the bar.

"Commander tell me...how goes the recruiting?" asked a drunken lord, who started to tilt to far to the right.

"It is going good. So far Ferelden has around three whole regiments of Grey Wardens ready to defend her should the blight come back." I patted the lord on the shoulder as if to gove him either comfort, or thanks.

The lord nodded his head, mumbled something I couldn't hear and went back to finishing off what he was drinking. Smiling I turned and continued my walk to the bar.

"Aye Commander...haven't seen you in quite some time." Boris smiled as he finished wiping down the table in front of me. "What can I get ch'ya?"

"Same for me Boris. Well...how 'bout some regular Ale," I put two silvers in on the table and smiled.

"Right away miss."

I turned to my left and looked over my shoulder, as if just watching what was going on waiting for my drink when I saw that he stood in front of me.

"What in Makers name are you doing here?"

I looked up to see that Alistair has been indeed been drinking and that he didn't look happy at all to see me.

"I could say the same thing about you..." I hissed turning back around.

"Don't you turn you're back on me!" I felt him grab my left shoulder, and yank me back around to face him. The Tavern went deathly silent. They all knew what had happened at the Landsmeet, so they "thought" there was bad blood between us. Well, on his part there was.

I threw my left arm out, knocking his hand from my shoulder. "Don't you dare touch me!" I stood up to meet his challenge. I needed this to go this way as much as I could.

"Ohh...I'm so scared by the Commander! The great Hero of Ferelden!" Mocked Alistair as he threw his hands up. "What about the trader to Duncan? Or the great Traitor to all the Grey Wardens that died at Ostagar? You're no hero!" He then spat in my face. Perfect....

I balled up my right fist and decked him across his left cheek. He stumbled back, touching his cheek in surprise.

"You BITCH!"

He charged tackling me onto a table, making it break under the force of our bodies, and the tackle. We landed with a thud on the floor sending screams, shouts, and beer all over us. His first couple of punches hit there mark, but I so did mine. With one quick, and hard punch, I was able to move him to my left, and rolling with him, took my turn on being on top and just started to let him have it.

He then grabbed my arms, and as being stronger then I was, threw me to my right, which led to my back being slammed into a couple of bar stools. I tried to get up, but he was too fast. One kick after another, he kicked as hard as he could at my stomach. This was no longer a regular fight. One of us was going to kill the other. Timing the kicks, I swept my right leg under his standing one knocking it from under him. He landed on his back, and it was now my time to strick.

I jumped on him again, and this time I grabbed a hold of his hair, and I started to bash it in against the floor.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" yelled Boris, as I felt rough, and strong hands pick me up, and threw me away from Alistair. At least three men were holding me back, when Leliana, Zevran and at least two more men were trying to calm and hold Alistair away from me. "If you both want to try to kill each other do it outside and not in my tavern!"

"Sounds like a fair deal," I wiped the back of my left hand across my bleeding lip. "You in, or you too much a coward?"

He lunged at me, but one of the men pulled back on his arm. I laughed, yanking my arm from the grip of one of the men that was holding me back. "In the back alley, now." He grunted, as he too yanked his arm free.

This was all going to plan.