They continued walking looking for signs of darkspawn or even the ruins that housed the treaties. Alistair took up the lead again hoping his sensitive nature to the monsters would help them find them sooner rather than later. He looked up and saw that they had a couple hours until it was dark.

"Over here!"

Alistair stopped and looked around. He could have sworn he heard someone cry out to them. Elissa walked up, "What is it?"

"Did you hear that?"
"What?" Jory whispered. He had already grabbed the hilt of his greatsword.

"Shh." Alistair practically growled.

"Help! Over here," the voice called again.

Lucky ran for some bushes and let out a sharp bark and looked back the group. He wagged his tail. Elissa walked up slowly and looked down. Alistair was close on her heels. Daveth and Jory however hung back. They'd rather Alistair and Elissa get taken out first. What if it was a trap after all?

"Thank the maker," a man was lying down on the ground holding his side. "You're a Grey Warden aren't you?"

Alistair noticed the man staring at him and nodded.

Elissa went to kneel down but Alistair put a hand on her arm to stop her. He could sense the darkspawn corruption in the man. Elissa looked up at him with a questioning look. He knew it was stupid to hold her back she'd be going through the Joining she'd know what the man suffered from soon enough.

"What's your name soldier?" Elissa asked quietly smiling down at him.

"Jamie," the man smiled at Elissa.

Alistair recognized a beginning of an infatuation when he saw one. In the Chantry, boys always had fleeing infatuations when they saw a beautiful woman. It was rare when they did cross the path of someone like Elissa, which was why he recognized it.

"I'm Elissa, this is Alistair, what happened to you?" Elissa asked.

"My scouting band was attacked by darkspawn, they came up from the ground. I'm the only one left," the soldier whispered.

Elissa studied the soldier. He was young. She wanted to shake her head the man couldn't have been more than eighteen summers old. "Who was your commander?"

"Lucas Farlan," the man choked out.

Elissa took a sigh of relief. He wasn't one of her brother's men. She looked up and scanned the area. There was no sign of life and knowing Fergus he would have wanted to go as far into the wilds as he could.

"Let's take a look at your side," Alistair said. "We can bandage you up but you'll be on your own after. We have Grey Warden business to deal with out here."

Elissa looked up at Alistair and saw he wasn't going to back down. Warden's tasks came first. The man, boy really would have to find his own way back. Alistair helped Elissa remove Jamie's armor and they looked at the wound. Elissa winced it was already starting to fester. She looked up at Alistair and frowned. He met her look and bit his lip.

They cleaned the wound the best they could then put some of Elissa's salve on it and wrapped his stomach with clean bandages. Alistair helped Jamie stand up. "The camp is back that way," Alistair said. "Do you have a sword?"

"No I lost it," Jamie sounded ashamed of himself.

Alistair looked down.

"Alistair?" Elissa called him over to her.

Alistair left Jamie standing where he was and went to Elissa.

"Let him have your sword, you can use my family's sword. I trust you with it, and plus I'll be able to keep it around me if you use it," Elissa said looking over at Jamie who was staring at her. "That is if you're not too attached to your sword. I'm sorry I didn't even think it could be important."

Elissa looked down ashamed at not thinking about that.

"The sword was issued to me by the Wardens, I can get another if I have to," Alistair admitted. He didn't have a family sword like she had to be proud of. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Elissa nodded and looked up at Alistair. "I'd rather him be armed than know we sent a man out unarmed."

Alistair drew his sword and took it over to Jamie. "Here," Alistair smiled. "Use it well. The path should be cleared until the gate."

"Thank you ser," Jamie beamed taking Alistair's sword. Jamie looked at Elissa and winced in pain at the movement. "Thank you, my lady."

"Take care of yourself Jamie, go report back what you know," Elissa smiled at him. She drew the Cousland sword and studied the handle. It bore the Highever's crests.

They watched Jamie stagger up the path they had just came from. Elissa looked down at Lucky who was watching the soldier leave. "Do you want to follow him back?"

Lucky looked up at her and whined and turned around and headed in the other direction away from Jamie.

Alistair took the sword from Elissa and studied it. It was an old sword, crafted with great skill. "What metal is this made from?"

"Silverite," Elissa said following Lucky. Jory and Daveth who had been whispering to each other while Alistair and Elissa took care of Jamie called out to them.

Lucky, Elissa and Alistair all stopped and turned to look at them. "We've been thinking this is too dangerous," Jory said.

Daveth was nodding.

"Calm down you two, it's safe for now," Alistair sighed. He so did not want to deal with two scared men.

"You heard him, a whole band attacked by darkspawn and he was the only survivor," Jory said. "How many darkspawn can the four of us fight? Ten? A dozen? There's a whole horde of darkspawn in the forest, this is foolish and reckless we should turn back."

Elissa came up and stood next to Alistair. She didn't like this better than them but it wasn't something she was going to argue about. She crossed her arms and stared down the other two recruits.

"Know this, all Grey Wardens can sense darkspawn. We're in no way in danger of walking into the bulk of the horde," Alistair tried to sound reassuring. "Trust me."

"Look, I don't want to sound like a coward but this is too dangerous," Jory didn't seem like he was going to back down.

"This is part of our test Jory, part of our joining. If we can't do this, maybe Duncan shouldn't have even picked us," Elissa added her voice to Alistair's. He looked down at her and smiled softly.

"That is true," Jory said.

Daveth looked at Elissa and she could practically hear him thinking. He was going to side with her because he was charming that way. "I agree with Elissa. Besides if good ole Al here can sense them at least we'll be warned before dying."

"That's reassuring," Jory growled but he wasn't going to leave them.

Daveth and Jory led the way with Lucky beside them. Elissa raised and eyebrow and looked at Alistair, "Al?"

"Oh shush it woman lets go," Alistair shook his head but was smiling.

They walked for fifteen more minutes before coming to a ridge that was five darkspawn scouts were coming over at the same time. The first time Elissa saw them coming at her she froze. "Dear maker," Elissa whispered. The tallest ones looked almost human except their eyes were pure black bottomless pits. She felt the urge to go to her knees and pray to Andraste, to the Maker, to whatever God felt like listening at the time. It was one thing to see them dead it was another to see one that looked like he was smiling at her.

Their teeth were all pointy, and covered with rot and blood and chunks of what looked like was their last meal. Oh Maker, did they eat people? She felt her stomach rebelling at that thought.

"Elissa!" Alistair yelled at her when he noticed she was frozen in place fear showing on her face.

Alistair's heart raced as he saw a genlock appear out of the shadows behind her. The monster's dagger was raised high. Alistair ran towards Elissa. He had to push her out of the way or knock the little monster over one of the two. He didn't reach Elissa in time. She turned when she saw where he was looking and moved to her left just as the dagger came down connecting with her right side.

She felt hot white pain flood through her as the dirty dagger pierced her side. It went through the fleshy part of her side instead of into the major part of her back like he had been aiming for. She let out a piercing scream as she felt the poison that coated the blade enter her blood stream.

The genlock had no time to pull his dagger out. Alistair's shield connected with the green fiend. The genlock went flying. Alistair stood over the little dazed bastard slamming the sword down into the genlock's heart.

Elissa grabbed the dagger in her side and pulled it out. She saw a different type of darkspawn charging at her with his sword drawn and the promise of pain in his eyes. She took the darkspawn dagger in her hand and threw it at the darkspawn. If there was something else she was good at besides archery it was throwing daggers. The dagger hit the darkspawn in the middle of the forehead and he crashed down. She looked over at Jory and Daveth and saw they were fighting back to back against two genlocks. At least they had passed this part of the test. Lucky was chasing after a darkspawn who tried running. She watched as he leapt and tackled the fiend from behind and he clamped down on the monster's neck twisting his head back and forth until Elissa heard the snap.
Elissa stood up as Alistair came over to her. "You okay?"

She really didn't know, the poison in her system felt more like a wounding poison not one that guaranteed death. She had an anti-poison potion in her pack that she had made. She always kept one around when she worked with poisons. Especially when she found Oren in her room going through her supplies. Fergus would have killed her if his son accidentally swallowed poison she prepared. "Check on the other two, I'm okay."

Elissa really didn't know if she was though. She felt light headed. She leaned against a stonewall that was part of an old building or structure that the Tevinter invaders had built a long time ago.

Alistair turned and checked on the two men who were looking down at their kills looking like they were going to be sick. "Gather your vial of blood," Alistair said. "Now's as good as time as any."

Elissa found the potion she was looking for and uncorked it. She shot it down her throat and closed her eyes. She hoped the spinning would stop soon. She dug some more through the pack and found a healing potion that would the very least give her energy to let her continue on. She downed that too she hated the taste of it and resisted the urge to throw up.

She went to move away from the wall when she stumbled. Alistair caught her and she looked up at him. "I'm sorry," Elissa whispered.

There faces were close and Elissa felt her mouth go dry. Now was definitely not the time to notice the little green flecks in his eyes or how the light danced off of them and made his eyes look like sparkling amber gems.

"Are you all right?" Alistair sounded hoarse.

"Yeah, just dizzy," Elissa nodded.

The closeness affected Alistair as well. She smelled like spring rain, even amongst the monsters. He should let her go, just step away before he noticed something else about her. They couldn't afford distractions.

"Don't tell me you two have decided to go at it right in front of us?" Daveth sounded amused.

Elissa pulled away and felt the heat rise to her face. "I tripped," she muttered.

"Right, well feel free to trip into me anytime you want, Dove," Daveth laughed.

Elissa bent down next to the genlock that stabbed her and withdrew a clean empty vial and filled it with the blood from the genlock. She wiped any blood she got on her in the grass and then took her water skin, pouring water over her hands.

Alistair saw the blood dripping from her side. "Lis?"

Elissa looked up at Alistair, "What?"

"Your side," Alistair motioned towards it moving towards her.

"Oh yeah, he stabbed me," Elissa shrugged.

"Let me look at it," Alistair said.

"I'm not taking my armor off out here in front of three men I hardly know, Alistair. It will have to wait," Elissa glared.

Daveth looked hopeful at the prospect of her taking her armor off. Jory looked anxious again and was eyeing the woods. Lucky was looking at Elissa with worry.

"Then at least let me know if it gets worse," Alistair said. He wasn't going to argue with the woman about taking her armor off. It would embarrass him more than it would her and he just didn't want to go there.

"I will," Elissa forced a smile even when pain shot through her. "Let's go find those treaties shall we."

They went east and came across more darkspawn. This time Elissa didn't freeze she felt useless though. Pulling the bow's string back to aim burned her side a couple of times the pain was so fierce her aim shook and her arrow went flying wide of her intended target. She was dangerous to the three with her. So she started to fight with her daggers. It hurt as well but at least that way she didn't have to bear the thought of accidentally shooting Alistair.

One particular darkspawn was different from the others. Elissa felt her hair rise as he cast spells. "Emissary," Alistair growled. "I'll handle him."

"Why does he get the magic guy?" Jory growled he had regained his nerve.

"He's a templar," Elissa growled adding 'you idiot' in her head but not saying it out loud. She'd be calling these men comrades if they all made it and now was not the time to make enemies. Elissa watched as Alistair silenced the darkspawn mage. She would have been able to take him out had her side not been causing her trouble. But watching Alistair move, and use his abilities amazed her. She'd never seen a templar fight before. Now she knew why the chantry controlled them.

They rested in a small area that was surrounded by hills on three sides. "Let me look at that side now," Alistair insisted leading her over to a log that was well away from Daveth and Jory.

Elissa wasn't going to argue anymore she felt the heat burning around it.

She turned her back to the three men and slowly slid her armor off pulling the top down enough so Alistair could look at the wound.

He winced when he saw it. It was red. "Was it poisoned?"

"I took an anti-poison I think it's working but it's boiling the poison out of my system," Elissa whispered.

She felt Alistair pour water onto her wound cleaning it. "Where is your salve?'

"In my pack," Elissa pointed to it.

"Where'd you learn archery?" Alistair asked trying to keep her mind of the pain.

"In Waking Sea, my father insisted I learn something. I didn't want to be trained like a warrior. So I chose archery. He sent me to Bann Alfstanna and she made sure I had proper training," Elissa said it without thinking.

"Why though? I mean you're magnificent with a bow but why the bow?" Alistair dug in her pack until he found it. He lathered her wound and then slowly wrapped her waist with his last clean bandage.

"I can see everything better. I can control the fight in a way. I can see who's coming, who's going. I don't like surprises," Elissa admitted. "Being at range I feel more in control."

Alistair felt in control with a shield in front of him, so he understood the need to feel that way.

"What about you? How'd you get to be a templar?" Elissa asked.

"I…I was sent there at a very young age. It wasn't my choice," Alistair admitted. "Duncan found me six months ago and recruited me. He actually had to conscript me. I thought the Revered Mother was going to have us both arrested."

Elissa smiled as Alistair laughed.

"You speak fondly of him," Elissa whispered.

"If it weren't for Duncan I'd be sitting in the chantry being miserable," Alistair admitted. "Being a Grey Warden, that's important. It gave me meaning. I'm actually out fighting real evil not waiting for a mage to turn evil. I owe Duncan a lot."

Elissa knew what he meant. She may have disliked the man right now but Duncan did save her if you could call it that. In a way it felt like jumping from the frying pan into the fire. But she was still alive, something her father wanted for her.

"This will have to do until we get back to camp. You can visit one of the mages and they can mend you up as good as new," Alistair said putting the lid back on the jar.

Elissa slowly pulled her armor back up.

Alistair let out a shaky breath. He'd never had to treat a half naked woman before even if the only thing he saw was her back. He had to concentrate hard to treat her wound. Even then she was a test to his will. He'd have to been blind to not see how smooth her skin was or how her hair curved over he shoulder exposing her delicate neck. She was soft but strong and very beautiful. He shook his head now was not the time for this. He quickly moved away from her clearing his head but the smell of fresh rain lingered around him.

They kept going until they came to an abandoned ruin that wasn't abandoned at the moment. Darkspawn were crawling over it. Alistair led the charge and Elissa tried shooting an arrow again and realized the pain wasn't so bad anymore. She was thankful for that because she didn't want to be up close and personal with their foe again.

They entered the ruins and searched it. "I think this is where the treaties were kept," Alistair said moving a piece of granite off of what looked like a smashed wooden chest. Elissa moved up beside him.

"It's empty," Elissa said. "The scrolls are gone."

"Great, so what do we do now?" Jory asked. "Go back to Duncan I hope."

"Well, well…" a fifth voice said from behind the group. "What do we have here?"