After we left Denerim, my shackles were removed and the guards left the Warden and I at the gate. The two of us traveled East on the Imperial Highway towards Lake Calenhad. Not much was said between the two of us; I suspect the Warden wanted to give me some time to myself, which was appreciated.

Before dusk, we left the road and found a small clearing and set up camp. I pitched the tent and set up the bed rolls and the Warden built the fire and started on dinner. After I finished my task, I cam to sit across from him and stared into the fire. I had too much on my mind to say anything. Too may questions. Would my family be alright without me? Would the guards find out that Soris was a culprit too? Would I ever be able to return to Denerim? What would happen to Shianni? I hope that bastards seed didn't stay in her. Maker forbid she had his child. What about being a Grey Warden? What does that entail? Could I leave the Warden's after a certain time? I hope I didn't have to be underground to fight Darkspawn all my life. Oh, Maker...

"Darrian?" I looked up to see a bowl of stew being held out to me, with a spoon in it. I took it and nodded my thanks. He filled his own bowl and took a bite. "You've been very quiet."

I looked up at him? Then back to my untouched bowl. "I've a lot on my mind right now."

"I'm no doubt." He took another bite and then gave a look of sudden realization. "And here, through all that has happened, I forgot to introduce myself." He reached across with his arm. "My name is Duncan."

I reached over and shook it once. Elves never shook hands, it was a human thing and foreign me, but I did it for his sake. "I'm sure you know my name by now."

Duncan chuckled. "Yes, I'm sure I do. And, I'm sorry about all that has conspired. I just didn't want to see you locked up for doing what anyone would do in your situation."

I nodded. "It's possibly for the best."

He looked at me for a moment, thoughtfully, before continuing. "You know, I didn't originally plan on recruiting you. I was going to ask your Mother."

I was in the middle raising my first spoonful to my mouth, making me pause for a moment. "My mother?"

"Yes," he replied. "I met her years ago, and noticed her skills. She was very talented with daggers and a bow. I asked her back then if she would consider joining the Wardens, but she told me she had a beautiful baby boy to take care of." He smiled at me. "She wasn't exaggerating."

That gave me pause. I had never considered myself beautiful, never mind good looking. My father always told me I got my look good looks from my mother. I still never saw it. I cleared my throat. "Thank you, Ser."

"Please, Duncan," he corrected. "Anyways, when I spoke with the Elder he told me she had passed and spoke of your skill; I was intrigued. When you left for the castle I took your father aside and talked to him about you and asked him if you would even consider joining."

"What did he say?" I asked, finally getting a spoonful in my mouth.

"He said, 'most definitely.' I take it you ere not keen on the whole marriage idea?"

I shook my head. "I argued with him for days when he told me of the arrangement, trying every which way to get out of it."

"I'm not surprised." We both shared a small comfortable silence while we ate the rest of our stew. When we finished, we started cleaning up.

"It will take us about a month to reach Ostigar. we need to stop by a couple town and pick up two other recruits."

I nodded. I didn't have much of a choice. It was either follow Duncan or run. But run where? That was the question. There was nowhere for me to run. I couldn't go back to Denerim, unless I wanted to spend the rest of my life in the dungeon, and eventually to the hangman's noose. And I couldn't run to the Dalish, I had no idea where they would be. Plus, I had no idea if they would take me in.

"Are they humans?" I asked him, returning to my original thought.

"Yes. But, don't get me wrong, you are just as skilled as them, if not more. Especially since you haven't had any formal training." He smirked at me.

"Well, I had a good teacher," I said, drying off the dishes.

Duncan poured out the water basin and tied it back to his pack. "And a good roll model." He stretched his arms up and gave a yawn. "Well. we'd better hit the sack. We have a long road ahead of us."

With that the two of us crawled into the small two person tent and into our bedrolls. Duncan fell asleep quickly. I did not. How could I? I mean, with all that has happened, and in one afternoon? There was no way I could sleep. I tried for hours to no avail, tossing and turning. Eventually, I got up and rekindled the fire. Holding my shaking hands out to the flames to warm them, I looked around. We were just along the boarder of Denerim and Ameranthine, in the middle of the forest there. I remember when my mother would take me out here to teach me her many skills, like using a bow, or daggers, or even lock picking.

I let out a deep sigh. I still loved my mother but remembering still hurt.

Shaking my head to clear it, I noticed a couple of trees. Their branches were close enough that I could jump up and grab them. I stood up and walked over to the lowest branch, which was about two feet above my head, rubbed my callused hands together and leaped, grabbing hold of it. I started swinging my legs, giving myself some momentum and leaped to the next branch, twisting in the air until I grabbed the next one which was higher. I continued leaping from tree to tree like this. Acrobatics, like this, usually took my mind off of things; I remembered doing this in the Alienage, sometimes, when I was really upset about something. To me, doing this? The twirls the flips, the leaps? It was like a dance to me. On the ground, I was hopeless at dancing, but up in the air, I felt free. I could just loose myself like this. When I did this, I could do anything, be anyone, go anywhere!

"Darrian?"

Reality hit me. No, the branch that I missed hit me. The impact of it hitting my head resulted in me falling to the ground and landing flat on my stomach on the ground. Oh, I couldn't feel anything, hear anything, see anything. All my senses left me. I couldn't even breath; the air was knocked right out of me. I died, I know I did.

Wait, I was being turned around. I could see someone above me. Duncan? I could barely tell, it was all blurry. Was that concern on his face? I could feel his hands on my chest, pressing down repeatedly. Suddenly, my throat opened up again, I could breath! I turned to the side and coughed until I could breath normally, my senses coming back to me. I looked up at Duncan's relieved face and smiled.

"Thanks," I said, making no move to get up from the ground.

"Will you be alright?" Duncan asked.

I stuck up my hand, giving him a thumbs up. "Just give me a few minutes, and I should be fine." He waited by my side until I tried to push myself off the ground into a sitting position, which he helped with.

"Let me guess," Duncan began. "You couldn't sleep?"

I shook my head. "And I certainly won't be able to now," I responded, as I reached up to massage my temples, which were now pounding. "Not with this head ache."

Duncan chuckled. "Well, I have a sleeping draught if you'd like?"

The next morning, my head was still there, but not nearly as bad as it was. The two of us packed up camp and continued east. A week later, we came to Lake Calenhad and started traveling along the east side of the lake, heading south. Our days were spent mostly walking and talking. I opened up a lot more and told him of life in the Alienage; the hardships, the joys... Mother, at least what I remembered of her. In return, duncan spoke of his life in Rivain, before he was a Warden.

He also told me of what it meant to be a Grey Warden, our duties, our history. He told me of the white griffons they used to mount, and how the last one was slain.

We continued south until we reached Redcliff. There was a knight, Ser Jory, who came with us. One of the other recruits. He seemed to be a very nervous man, almost cowardice. His head jerked around at any sound, he would walk the perimeter of our camp site several times before settling down for the night. Even then he'd get up in the night and circle the camp again and again. Even during the first night, it was getting annoying. How a man like him was recruited, I don't know. I supposed it had something to do with his sword skills.

It took us about four days to find our way to the small farming village of Lothering. At the Chantry we met up with the other recruit, Daveth. He, apparently, grew up in a small village east of our destination, and moved to Denerim, where he was caught purse cutting. Before the guards could take him to the Arl's Dungeon, Duncan found and conscripted him, just as he did for me.

But Daveth, there was a sense of arrogance about him; haughty and foolish. As we traveled south to Ostagar he would show off constantly. Stupid stupid shem...

The night before we arrived at Ostagar, he was even worse, louder than usual. He had killed a buck when we made camp and was very proud of his accomplishment. Too proud for my tastes.

"Did you see the antlers on that buck, Knife-ear? He had at least 12 points! He ran so fast, but my bow skills were too good for him. The bugger thought he'd get away, but my arrow got him just in time!"

It seemed the story changed every time he told it. The only constant thing about his story was my headache got worse every time. He was even more annoying than Ser Jory. I was surprised Duncan, or the other Warden's who met us in Lothering, hadn't shut him up yet, especially with all the times he called me 'Knife-ear.' That was the worst thing a human could call an elf, and I was almost fuming.

I felt him nudge my arm. "I bet the deer would have spooked Ser Jory more than he could it, eh, Knife-ear?"

THAT'S IT!

As quick as lightning, I elbowed him in the chin, flipped him around, crossing his arms across his chest, and pulled my knife out, holding it up to his throat. "One. My name is Darrian, NOT 'Knife-ear.' Two! My ears can't cut anything, but this?" I pulled the knife against his throat, drawing a small drop of blood. "This can. And THREE! If you EVER call me 'Knife-ear' again, I won't be so merciful, understand?"

By now, everyone's eyes were on us; I was surprised no one had stopped me. Daveth was shaking like a leaf now; it was hard to tell if he was nodding his head or not. I pulled my knife away and forcefully pushed him off the log.

I got up and walked over to the other side of the fire and sat down next to Duncan, who's eyebrows were raised, questioningly. "He was annoying me," I defended before he got any word in. All he did was chuckle.