They weren't going to let him compete. He wasn't really that surprised. Through no fault of his own - well.. apart from a slightly boyish enthusiasm for griffons and cheese - he was going to have to sit through the tournament watching from the sidelines.

He didn't mind that much. At least if he was in the audience Cailan was less likely to see him. He wondered if his brother would recognise him - probably not considering the last time they'd met he'd been eight years old.

The tournament was held on the Denerim Templar training field. It was a gala occasion. Herrith had hinted there might even be a cheese stall.

Alistair suspected the old Templar of tormenting him.

Although Herrith had been sympathetic towards Alistair's cause, in the end he hadn't been able to sway Glaven from his decision to exclude him. "I know you didn't do... what he thought you did," Herrith had said to Alistair. "But you were out late when we expressly told you not to be, and to be honest that's the worrying thing from my point of view. We need to be able to rely on you, Alistair - you have to follow orders if you're to be part of a Templar unit, not wander off on your own whenever you feel like some cheese."

"I'm never going to hear the end of the cheese thing," Alistair grumbled.

Herrith grinned at him. "Not if I can help it, lad. Not if I can help it."

He was startled when the tournament began, however, to see Duncan seated at Cailan's right hand. What was the Warden Commander doing there? He nudged Herrith, who was sitting next to him at Glaven's orders. "Why is the Commander of the Wardens here?" he asked.

"Oh, he's always here for the tournaments," Herrith said. "The rumour is that he comes to pick out recruits for the wardens, but he's never chosen anyone."

"He's recruiting for the wardens from the Templars? What does the Knight Commander think of that?"

"If the Commander ever chose one, we'd find out. As it is, he's come the last three years and not taken anyone. Obviously we don't meet his standards."

Queen Anora was there, looking radiant and disinterested and exactly like she had the one time he'd met her in Redcliffe, except her hair was up and she was older. Alistair thought she'd been born with that expression on her face, of faint disgust. There were other nobles present as well - a scattering of familiar faces - Fergus Cousland and his father, Bryce. The Arl of Denerim. And at the far end of the pavilion, despite his unique status, Loghain Mac Tir. Alistair felt a small thrill as he laid eyes on the great hero for the first time in his life. A grim man, dressed in armour despite the safety of the city now. Perhaps he felt naked without it, Alistair thought. After so many years fighting it would be difficult to shake off the habit.

Once the tournament began, Alistair forgot his disappointment at not being included. He had watched his fellow initiates spar on a daily basis, but these were mostly full Templars and he had time to appreciate the difference.

He was also proud at how well his fellow Redcliffe Chantry initiates held themselves. There was no doubt that Kalvin and Talrew and Eryhn were the best on the field. He was beginning to place bets with himself on which of them would win, when Herrith nudged him in the ribs. "Alistair," he said. "The Knight Commander is beckoning you. You'd better get over there quickly."

Alistair gulped. What could he possibly have done this time? He clambered down from the bench and made his way speedily to the pavilion where the Knight Commander sat, on the other side of Duncan... so very close to King Cailan that Alistair felt his heart rate speed up in fear. But the King was focused on the field and didn't even look his way when he approached.

"Alistair, Duncan has expressed a wish to see you fight," Glaven said.

"Ser?"

"You heard me, boy. Get your armour and weapons and join the fray. You've been reprieved."

"I ah.. yes ser! Thank you ser!"

He raced back to his quarters.

He emerged ten minutes later in his splintmail with his sword and shield on his back. There were mutterings from the participants. He shrugged and grinned, hoping they wouldn't be too hard on him just because he'd entered late.

His first match was against a Templar from Amaranthine - Rowley. Alistair had never met the man before, but he was obviously embarrassed to be matched with an initiate. Alistair took his measure and beat him handily, surprising himself as he delivered the final blow. He grinned down at Rowley and offered an arm to help him up. "Sorry about that," he said. "The ground's deceptively... flat here, no?"

Rowley scowled at him and refused his hand, scrambling up and stalking from the field in disgust. Alistair looked up to where the Knight Commander and Duncan were sitting, and shrugged.

Nearly every match ended similarly. Some of the more experienced Templars smiled back at him and took his offered hand when he beat them, but most avoided his eyes and disdained his help. A few of them called him a bastard - obviously Kalvin had been whispering in their ears between bouts. Alistair found he didn't care.

He didn't win every match, which was hardly surprising. There were Templars here with years of experience in the field. Against his former fellow initiates, he knew he was hopelessly outclassed, and he tried to be gracious when they defeated him - even to Kalvin who surreptitiously spat near the ground where Alistair lay after their bout. Eryhn, however, gave him a wicked grin as she landed the last blow, and he couldn't help grinning at her in return. Obviously full duty had burned away some of her unfriendliness, and he was glad of it.

At the end of the day Ser Eryhn was crowned victorious. She was presented with a trophy by Cailan himself, and Alistair could have sworn he saw her blush when the king shook her hand. Well, well, he thought. She is a girl after all.

After the trophy had been given, Duncan stood. The field went silent, wondering if he was to recruit Eryhn. "I have come to this tournament now for three years," Duncan said, "with the intention of finding a recruit for the Grey Wardens. I am pleased to announce that today I have found one."

The pavilion erupted into applause. Eryhn bowed her head, hiding her expression. Alistair wondered if she was happy. She'd been assigned to the Tower, he remembered. At least now she would only have to kill darkspawn.

"I will recruit Alistair," Duncan finished.

There was a stunned silence. Alistair looked up at Duncan blankly. The Knight Commander was whispering fiercely in Duncan's ear but the warden commander was shaking his head, his dark eyes fixed on Alistair's face. "But I didn't win the tournament!" Alistair said finally.

"No, you didn't," Duncan said. "But no one said you had to win it in order to be recruited." Alistair blinked. "If you like," Duncan continued, "we can leave immediately. You might want to gather your things."

It took a couple of seconds for Duncan's words to sink in. Once they hit him fully, he found his feet racing towards his quarters on their own.