A/N: Sorry for my recent lack in updates, I promise I will do my best to update as much as I can! Thanks so much for the sweet comments, I appreciate it! (Also, I've been fixing up my typos bit by bit. I've been trying to churn this out as quick as possible and I tend to make mistakes when I type too fast XD Sorry in advance~)

EXTRA NOTE: Gack! Sorry! Document viewer went wonky and a bunch of chapters got mixed up! Forgive me everyone!

Always a Catch

Nathaniel and his fellow soldiers finally arrived back at the village. They had been out scouting the wooded areas for a while and they were in dire need of rest and a good drink.

For the past several weeks, all Nathaniel could think about was Elissa. The last letter he received from his sister was when she told him about the rumors of Elissa becoming a Grey Warden. Ever since he received that piece of news, he had been plagued with nightmares every night. They were dreams of Elissa getting overwhelmed by the darkspawn, dying with the rest of the Ferelden Grey Wardens at Ostagar. And every time he woke from his miserable sleep in a cold sweat, he would spend hours convincing himself that she was still alive.

As the soldiers arrived at the pub, Nathaniel immediately sought out the serving girl and quickly stomped up to her. She turned around with a look of pleasant surprise on her face. "Why, Nathaniel! I'm assuming you couldn't wait to see me?"

"Did you receive any letters for me?" Nathaniel demanded, not bothering with the usual banter.

The serving girl looked confused. "A letter? No, I'm afraid I haven't gotten anything. Were you expecting something?"

Nathaniel replied with an exhausted grunt and slowly sat on one of the stools at the counter. "I was hoping for something, yes. Sorry. Thank you."

The girl pouted as Nathaniel turned his attention at the barkeep and ordered a drink. Ever since she handed him that letter a while back ago, her favorite customer has been quite gloomy. He refused to tell anyone what was written in it. She wished she took a peek at it before she gave it to him.

As she sauntered off to one of the other soldiers, Nathaniel kept his eyes on the drink in front of him. He wondered if he should write a letter to Delilah or Thomas to ask them for an update. Delilah had asked him not to send any correspondences in fear of their father intercepting the messages. But he couldn't just sit around and wait for her to give him an update, could he?!

The pub door swung open and a grizzled looking traveler walked in, looking just as dirty and worn as the soldiers. "Oy! Barkeep! Give me the usual, eh?"

The stoic bartender gave a rare grin as he greeted the customer. "Johnny, you old toad! Back from your trip from Orzammar already?!"

"Yeah, what a crazy trip." Johnny pulled up a stool next to Nathaniel's. "When I got there, they weren't allowing anyone in for trade because the Dwarven King had died. Just when I was about to give up and come back home, they re-opened their gates to announce the crowning of their new King. Seems like some Grey Wardens helped the dwarves out with their political fiasco."

Nathaniel's ears perked up at the mention of the Grey Wardens. He kept his eyes on his drink, gripping the glass between his fingers.

"Well, isn't that something." The bartender placed a mug of cheap ale in front of Johnny. "I heard about the Dwarven king passing on not just a couple days ago, but it's news to me to hear about them selecting a new one already."

Johnny took a long swig from his mug. "Well, news tends to get here kind of slow. Have you heard about what's been happening in Denerim?"

"Oh? What's been going on now?"

"I was passing by the city just when it happened. It's crazy, I tell you!" Johnny wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "You've heard of King Cailan's passing, right?"

The bartender nodded, eager for new gossip. "Of course, we just heard not too long ago. Seems like Anora and her father, the Teyrn, have assumed the throne?"

Nathaniel kept eavesdropping as Johnny leaned forward in his stool. "Well, you are not going to believe this then. Apparently King Maric had another son…a bastard son!"

"What? Are you daft?"

"Maker strike me down if I'm lying." Johnny crossed his chest animatedly. "Apparently a landsmeet was called, concerning the bastard's claim to the throne. A pair of Grey Wardens and a bunch of their lot were present at the palace. They accused Loghain of murdering King Cailan and of other misdeeds. Apparently Loghain and that Arl he favors so much had been quite the unsavory pair. There was evidence of torture and kidnapping that clearly places them as the evildoers! Loghain apparently requested a duel to the death from the bastard prince."

Nathaniel felt his blood run cold. An Arl that Loghain favors? Evidence of torture and kidnapping? It couldn't be his father, could it? He and Loghain were close, yes…but the Teyrn was close to many other Arls as well.

The bartender didn't notice Nathaniel's grimace and was still enraptured in Johnny's story. "Get out of here…what happened? Loghain lop his head off?"

"On the contrary! The bastard prince lopped his head off!" Johnny's eyes widened. "I should stop calling him 'the bastard prince' because he is now technically our crown prince until he goes through his coronation as King. Alistair was his name…apparently he's only one of the two Grey Wardens left in Ferelden, believe it or not. Apparently everyone is now in a mad rush to assist the Grey Wardens with the fight against the darkspawn."

The bartender's mouth dropped open at the news. "That is a crazy story, mate. I'm not sure if I could believe it to be true! Teyrn Loghain is dead? What a shame…"

"Believe it, my friend." Johnny lifted up his mug to take another sip. "But after the evidence of all the treacherous things that had been done…I can't feel sorry for him at all. Him and that Arl Howe…they got what was coming to them, trying to usurp the crown like that!"

Nathaniel jumped from his seat and grabbed Johnny by the collar of his shirt. The pub suddenly went silent as the stool clattered loudly as it fell to the floor. Nathaniel put his face close to Johnny's and gave him a menacing glare. "What you said about Arl Howe…what has happened?!"

Johnny lifted his hands up in surrender. "Th-The Arl? Arl Howe was involved with many of Loghain's crimes…"

Nathaniel roughly shook at Johnny. "What has happened to Arl Howe?!"

Johnny's adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed nervously. "Arl Howe….He's d-dead. The Grey Wardens killed him in his castle in Denerim right before the landsmeet!"

The cold chill ran down Nathaniel's back once more. Arl Howe…his father…was dead?! How could his father die?! Rendon Howe always seemed invincible to Nathaniel's eyes. But killed at the hands of the Grey Wardens?

The entire pub was still, no one was even letting out a breath in fear of incurring Nathaniel's wrath. Nathaniel broke from his thoughts and turned his attention back to Johnny. "Tell me, who were the Grey Wardens who killed Arl Howe?"

Johnny felt the sweat drip down from his brow. "One of them is our future King…Prince Alistair. The other is a female Grey Warden…she is famous because she is the only daughter of Teyrn Cousland…Warden Elissa Cousland!"

Nathaniel released his grip on Johnny's shirt and the traveler fell to the floor with a loud thump. Everyone remained quiet as Nathaniel stood perfectly still, staring out into space.

Elissa…my Elissa…killed my father?! Nathaniel couldn't wrap his mind around the scenario. Elissa wouldn't do something like that, could she?

He had to find out. Immediately. He will have to head to Amaranthine or Denerim to see for himself. Nathaniel strode over to the door and threw on his black cloak.

"Howe!" One of the soldiers finally spoke up, nervousness still in his voice. "Where do you think you're going?!"

Nathaniel didn't even turn his head to respond. "I'm going home." He replied and strode out the door.

Elissa had just finished speaking with Riordan and Alistair about how to take down the archdemon. She was outside her bedroom, bracing her hand against the heavy wooden door to keep herself from screaming in frustration. Just when she thought that everything was falling into place, Riordan had given them the unsavory news that had literally made her sick to her stomach.

Only a Grey Warden would be able to kill the archdemon. The taint in their blood would attract the soul of the slain dragon, attaching itself to the Warden that gives the finishing blow. And in turn it will kill them both.

She wouldn't feel so miserable if it wasn't for the fact that only Riordan, Alistair, and Elissa were the only Grey Wardens in left in Ferelden. Riordan had told them that it would be customary for himself to take the blow, seeing that he was the most senior one present. But he had also warned them, in the chance that he is killed before they meet the archdemon, it would be up to one of them to finish the deed.

Elissa had immediately volunteered for it as soon as Riordan mentioned it. It was the most logical choice. Alistair will be King of Ferelden. He was not an option.

But Alistair had surprised her yet again. He had grabbed her arm and refused to let her take that sacrifice. He passionately claimed he could not live without the woman he loved. When she tried to argue, he said that the best thing he can do as the King of Ferelden was to save it from the blight. What was worse, he had that stubborn set to his jaw, which meant that there would be no way of talking him out of his decision if the event occurs.

She couldn't bear to see Alistair die. She refused to see him die. It was the same to her…how would she be able to live without him?!

She choked back a sob and opened the door to her room. She would have to get what little sleep she can and think about it the next morning. She would have to think of a plan to keep Alistair behind…somehow.

A sultry voice greeted her as she entered her room. "Good evening, Elissa."

Elissa looked up and saw Morrigan gazing at the fireplace. "Morrigan? What are you doing here?"

Morrigan gave a small smile. "I assume that you have just finished up your talk with Riordan and Alistair? I know what you are worried about and I have come to tell you there is an answer to your...dilemma."

Elissa gave Morrigan a questioning look. "Are you talking about the Grey Warden's sacrifice?"

Morrigan nodded and hesitated before she took Elissa's hand. It caught her off guard, since Morrigan had told her how much she despised gestures of human contact. Morrigan stared straight into Elissa's blue eyes and told her firmly, "I am about to tell you a way that a Grey Warden will not have to be sacrificed. Before you stubbornly blow off my idea…I must let you know. You are my…friend. You are dear to me. I want you to know that I am not doing this out of spite, but because I want you to live."

Elissa nervously furrowed her brow. "A way to keep a Grey Warden from being sacrificed…how-?"

Morrigan raised her hand to hush her. "I will explain everything. I also want you to know that if I could, I would much rather do this with you than with that idiot Alistair…" She sighed. "…But unfortunately you do not have the appropriate...items necessary for it."

"Appropriate items? Alistair? Wait…what do you need us to do?" Elissa asked, feeling more and more uneasy with this offer Morrigan had for her.

Morrigan slowly sat down before her and crossed her legs. "Well then, allow me to explain to you what must be done…The loop in your hole, if you will."