They soon return to the Vigil and found a woman standing there. The moment she saw Justice she ran up to him.

"Kristoff! Oh, thank the Maker!"

"I fear you are mistaken, mortal." Justice glanced at Faren.

The woman's face grew concerned. "Kristoff? Why are you…?" She got closer, and her eyes widened with shock and horror. "What has happened?"

This was not going to be easy, but she had to know.

"Perhaps you should calm down," said Faren remembering that Keenan had said Kristoff had been married, and had sent for his wife shortly after settling in at the Vigil.

She shook her head at him. "Calm down? Calm down?"

Justice tried to help. "Your husband is gone, and I inhabit his body now. His death will be avenged, I assure you."

It had something less than a calming effect on the woman. "Avenged? You've desecrated his body! How dare you?"

Justice shook his head. "It was not intentional. There was—"

She glared at Justice, then pushed her way past Faren and ran. "Get away from me!"

Faren turned towards Justice. The spirit was shaking his head, his face confused. "This body has memories of this woman. Aura is her name. I did not know she would come."

"Poor woman," he said. This is not how you want to explain her husband's condition. "It must be a shock to learn like this."

"I must rectify this, somehow." Justice paced, hands twitching slightly. "Intentionally or not, I have done this woman a great disservice."

Faren nodded. "Where would we even look for her?"

"My memories suggest her home is in Amaranthine. It will prey on me if we do not seek her out. There must be something that can be done to assuage her pain! Something!"

"I'll see what I can do." He had to give her some sort of compensation, especially since she made the trip by herself.

"The darkspawn call our attention, but should we get the chance to seek her out, I would be grateful."

Unsurprisingly he found Oghren in the dinner pavilion having some drinks. He looked at when he saw Faren approaching him.

"Hey, Commander. We need to talk," he said placing his tankard down.

"'Talk?'" he said as he sat down opposite him. "Am I in trouble now?"

"Is my axe bursting your chest?" Oghren asked. "No? Then you're not in trouble. It's something else. Dreams. You get them?" He nodded. "This is a Grey Warden thing? Why didn't anyone tell me?"

Faren waved his hand dramatically. "You're Oghren! Fearless! You eat nightmares for breakfast!"

"This particular dream put me right off my breakfast," he muttered. "In my dream, I saw one of those bloated, vomit-smeared broodmothers, and it had Hespith's face… You remember Hespith, don't you?"

It was hardly going to be something to forget, she did after all nearly led them to that doom when they were searching for Branka for King Bhelen.

"Branka was there and whispered 'It's time,' and Hespith screamed and a thousand darkspawn burst from her…" Oghren continued.

Faren just stared at him. "That's… strange."

"You're telling me. The darkspawn surrounded me and started talking… asking me if I would like lemon in my tea… And could I please teach them to read and write, and one of them kept repeating: 'Where's the baby?' That's when I woke up."

Faren just sat there in silence for a brief moment. "I think you've got too much on your mind."

Oghren laughed. "Usually they accuse me of the opposite. Thanks are listening, Commander."

Anders was in the library doing a bit of studying and that's when he noticed the Commander walking in. He waved him over, because he got quite a few questions to ask.

"So what would you do with you didn't have to be a Grey Warden?" he asked.

The Commander frowned, it was clear that he had never been asked that question before. He then looked about Anders and said, "I'd leave. There's plenty to do elsewhere."

Anders nodded. "That's what I thought." He then sighed remembering his days at the Circle. "I've never liked the idea of being trapped somewhere, to be honest. It reminds me of the Circle. After my seventh escape attempt, you'd think they'd have given me credit for trying."

In truth while the mages did have full control of the circle they still had the Templars around and not all of them were happy with the arrangement. Irving did his best to keep the peace, but sometimes he had to bend to the will the Templars if the evidence was absolute.

The Commander stared at him. "Seven escape attempts?"

Anders smiled. "I got very good at escaping the tower. Just never at staying escaped. Until now, I suppose." He then began to reminisce at those happy memories in the tower. "You know, there is one thing I missed about the tower. My cat."

"You had a cat?" said the Commander.

He began to reminisce about Mr. Wiggums. "Mr. Wiggums. He wasn't my cat. He was the tower's mouser, but took a liking to me. There were days when that stupid cat was the only person I saw. Except for it not being a person. Still, I liked him. Poor Mr. Wiggums."

The Commander frowned. "Why 'poor Mr. Wiggums'?"

"He became possessed by rage demon—but he did take out three Templars. I was never more proud." He then raises hand pretending to have a goblet in it. "A toast to Mr. Wiggums. May he forever eat mice in the Fade."

He knows the Commander was giving him a troubled look. It was apparently clear that, he had somehow disturbed him a great deal and made a mental note not to mention Mr. Wiggums ever again to.

After having the disturbed talk with Anders, Faren found Justice going through Kristoff things. Apparently he was able to sense him entering, because he didn't turn around when he talked, "This is the Chester belongings once owned by the man whose body I now inhabit. His essence lingers upon these objects like dust."

Faren was slightly troubled, that this was pretty much the first time he had witnessed a spirit in the waking world. "You can feel it?"

"I can even hear it whispering his name into the ether," he said. He then turn around and looked at him. "In the Fade, nothing outlives the spirit that created it. Here everything does. This world has fingerprint on top of fingerprints, witnesses to be long dead."

Faren couldn't even imagine what Justice was experiencing and was afraid that he might go mad. "Isn't that a little distracting?"

Justice shook his head. "To be surrounded by such beauty is a gift, not an inconvenience." He then looked down at his hands and then back to Faren. "The man who owned these things was a Grey Warden like yourself, yes? We intend to avenge him?"

Faren crossed his arms and nodded. "If we can avenge him, we will."

"Good." Justice continue to look at his hands and clenched them. "These darkspawn are a cancer within the heart of this world." He then sighed. "But there's nothing that can be done just yet, is there? A world so full of beauty the beauty goes overlooked. I must see it with different eyes."

Faren found Nathaniel was staring at a portrait of a woman, he turned his head and saw him approaching him.

He shook his head and smiled. "Funny. Considering all the things that have been taken, it figures this would still be here."

Faren looked to the portrait then to him. "Let me guess—your mother?"

"Good guess. That's her." He closed his eyes as if reliving a terrible memory. "My father hated my mother. He only dragged this painting out when my grandmother visited… which was not often. I'd be paraded before her like a soldier on inspection, and she would pick over every flaw while Father waited his turn."

Faren looked at Nathaniel with sympathy. He thought he had a rough live with his mother. "Then what's the painting doing up there?"

Nathaniel shrugged. "I've no idea. Maybe one of your Grey Wardens needed it to cover up a hole?" He then looked back at the painting. "A shame, really. Is a good painting. She was never that pretty." He then turned his back on the painting and walked off. "Anyway, someone should take this down. I think it's staring at me…"

Varel was waiting for him in the great hall. "Commander. The lords of Amaranthine have come to swear fealty to you and the Grey Wardens. These were Arl Rendon Howe's vassals. Now they will be yours."

"What do I need to know about them?" Faren asked.

"Some of these lords bore Rendon no love, but others had their prospects ruined with his demise." He sighed. "Tread carefully, Commander."

Varel's voice echoed from the stone walls. "Lord and ladies, I present the Warden-Commander of Ferelden and Arl of Amaranthine."

"Commander," said a lord that dropped to his knees.

He stepped to Varel's side, and pretended he was Sereda. "Our differences are many, but our cause is one."

He had very little experience with nobility he didn't know if they actually were inspired by his speech or were hiding it very well. One thing was certain, he would have to tread carefully when dealing with them.

Varel then spoke up. "Bann Esmerelle of Amaranthine, as is old custom, you have the honour of beginning."

"I promise that I, Bann Esmerelle, will be faithful to the arl in matters of life, limb, and earthly honour. Never will I bear arms against him or his heirs. So I say in the sight of the Maker."

He had one slight advantage, working in the Carta he was able to detect a liar when he saw one.

The second to step forth was the man who had knelt. "I promise that I, Lord Eddelbrek…"

And the rest of the ceremony carried on like that.

"And so the ceremony is complete." He sighed with relief, who knew introducing to nobility could be so tiring.

"Long live the Warden-Commander," Lord Eddelbrek yelled. A few voices weakly echoed him. He made a mental note of the ones that turned away. Esmerelle was among them.

He made his way down to Eddelbrek.

"Honoured to meet you, Warden-Commander. You come to us during desperate times," said Eddelbrek.

"Not more about your precious farms, Eddelbrek."

"Some in our arling do not have the comfort of city walls. On the plains, the situation is dire!" said another noble.

"What seems to be the problem?" Faren asked.

Eddelbrek turned to him. "As we feast, the peasants on our lands are starving or worse."

"The city's defenses are more important, Eddelbrek."

"There may be wheat in the silos now, but if the farmers die, where will you get your food?"

He held up a hand to forestall the argument. "I will send the soldiers wherever they are most needed."

"Then I pray to the Maker that your choices are wise," Lord Eddelbrek said, before turning to continue the argument with the other man.

How did Sereda do it?

Anders leaned on a column, watching the proceedings. He'd only known his commander for short time, but he was fairly confident the dwarf was trying very hard not to just kill everyone in the room. A few of the nobles were treating him with considerable respect, bordering on hero worship. The rest looked like they were about to send him to go fetch their tea.

He caught Faren's eye. "It's good to be arl, right? The bowing, the social climbers who'd do anything to get ahead." He waggled his eyebrows. "If you see any stray damsels in distress, send them my way."

"Didn't you get your fill two days ago?"

"Who, me?" He grinned, and then snapped his fingers. "Sir Tamra over there has something important to speak to you about."

Faren nodded and walked back into the fray. Anders shook his head then glanced at Nathaniel. Nathaniel's arms were folded, it looked like that he was in two minds about the Commander wasn't sure which mind he should follow.

Oghren belched. At least the dwarf knew how to have a good time.

Sir Tamra nodded as he approached. "Warden-Commander." She smiled, but it did not quite meet her eyes. She was afraid. And… not of him. "We've all heard so much about you. So many good things, unbelievable things." She looked around, and lowered her voice a little. "But many of your deeds cost people here a chance at great advancement. So many fortunes were deeply intertwined with the old arl. Some nobles here… they seek to end your dominion over them."

Faren was an exam surprised by this news. "This much I've gathered already."

"Perhaps you do not know the full extent of their determination. I've had… occasion to intercept some of their missives. They are cryptic things. Any individual message is unintelligible. But together they form a pattern. They mean to end you before you can begin. A deadly coalition."

"A conspiracy to murder me? I'm flattered," he joked.

"I wouldn't take this matter seriously, Warden. They know of your capabilities—and they're spending a fortune to see their aims fulfilled. Given a few days, I can retrieve the messages. I would've brought them tonight. But… I didn't know if warning you would be wise." She sighed. "I've much to lose and precious little to gain. Farewell. We will meet again soon."

He watched as she left and began to understand how the dwarven nobles felt, much to his annoyance.

Varel leaned towards him and murmured quietly, "let me know if you want the nobles cleared out. Uh, if you want the ceremony to end, I mean."

He wanted it to end half an hour ago, but it needed to play out. As much as he wanted there were certain things you want to discuss with Varel. "Eddelbrek said we're not defending the farmlands."

"Eddelbrek speaks truly, sir. But things are dire," Varel sighed. "He and Bann Esmerelle both contest the deployment of soldiers. But we don't have enough men. It's a matter of what you want to protect. The city? The land? Trade?"

Ideally they should try to protect them all. "Let's do our best to protect them all."

"As you wish."

"I've heard of a conspiracy against me."

"Do you know the conspirators? The right of high justice is yours, and treachery is a capital offense."

There was a problem, he didn't know the conspirators. "Sir Tamra doesn't know. She's bringing some evidence."

"She's a sly one, Sir Tamra. But knowledgeable about such things," Varel sighed. "Better to be a touch paranoid than turning up face down in a ditch. To proceed, we'd need strong proof. And that'll be hard to gather. There are options. Some I would not recommend; they could turn the nobles fierce."

He really had to consider what the others would do. Sereda, Theron and Daylen would no doubt wait until the conspirators show their hand. Kallian would probably take these measures, but there again she will probably wouldn't be the best role model. As for Elissa, he had no idea, but knowing her she would probably go with the majority. "Let them try to trap me. Better men have tried."

Varel chuckled. "Loghain and half the kingdom tried to stop you last time. I suppose there's little to worry about. Anything else?

He shook his head. He had enough of sodding politics. "The ceremony has gone on long enough, Seneschal."

"Clear the hall; the commander has business to attend to!"

After spending two hours with the nobility, Faren decided to wander around and came to a stop when he saw Oghren walking slowly backwards.

"Oghren?" he frowned.

Oghren jump to the sound of his voice. "W-who's there?"

"What now?" Faren moaned.

Oghren looked around nervously. "I was… uh, I was trying to keep my nose to the dust, watching out for… the sechleets." Faren just stared at him, he had never heard of schleets before. "One of the lads here told me about the schleets… said they're common in Ferelden. They… they lie on the ground, looking like ordinary pairs of pants, until you turn around. That's when they… strike."

Faren did his best to suppress his laughter. "Oh, those schleets."

"Right! Right, you heard of them!" he said fearfully. "Pants that eat your eyeballs! After the done with you, they just… wander off on their unnatural pant-legs."

Faren was find it very hard not to laugh. "Oh, you haven't been told the best part?"

"Best part?" Oghren said fearfully.

He then laughed. "They're not real."

Oghren stamped his foot in frustration. "Uh… sod. Come on, I've been on the service less than two years. I don't know what's up here!" Faren stopped laughing and raised his eyebrow. In only took about thirty seconds for Oghren to realise that Faren had been on the surface roughly the same time. He then grumbled in frustration. "That Jacob's gonna get it when I get my hands on him."

Faren shook his head laughing as Oghren stumped of no doubt looking for Jacob.