I met Wolf briefly, behind the stables, one last time. He came in response to my arrangement of the milk bottles. It was an awkward meeting, given how he had frickin' dumped me a few days prior. Not that I was bitter… at all.

"Lucy, you look beautiful," he said smoothly. He bent, grasped my hand and kissed my knuckles with considerably less passion and sensuality than he had before. "This is awkward, isn't it?"

I smiled a little and half laughed, managing my discomfort well. "Yes, it is." I squeezed his hand affectionately. "Let's just put it behind us. We've got a meeting set up with Bann Esmerelle. I was sure you would want to be there since you were the key to helping us unravel this conspiracy."

Wolf smiled broadly. "I wouldn't miss it, my dear. What are your plans for this confrontation?"

I'd trusted Wolf with an awful lot. So far he had proven himself a perfect gentleman, and honorable as well, perhaps even a little too honorable to suit me. Still, I wasn't going to tell him about my shape-changing abilities. I was always reticent about revealing that. I felt of all my abilities, it was my ultimate, number-one, secret weapon. Of my new Warden recruits only Anders and Oghren knew what I could do. I would have to tell Nathaniel, but I knew I could trust him now.

"I intend to be hidden nearby and listen in. We won't apprehend her right then, but with me there listening, I will have plenty of evidence for a conviction."

Wolf nodded. "That sounds wise, my dear." He paused a moment, thinking. "How many will you be bringing? Since you don't plan to confront her, I would think you might want to keep it small."

I nodded. "Just me, you, and Nathaniel. I can't try to hide a bunch of guys with armor and weapons."

His nod was agreeable. "Of course, very sensible of you. If there's any trouble the three of us can deal with it."

"I completely agree."

I laid out the plan. As long as Bann Esmerelle's suspicions weren't raised by the letter Nathaniel wrote, I thought we would be fine.

I decided to keep knowledge of our plan limited to the three of us. I knew Garevel and Varel would insist on sending troops and we would risk alerting Esmerelle to our trap if we did.

Wolf took my hand as he bid me farewell. I thought he looked a little sad, wistful even. I felt like an utter cad for my assumptions that he'd be happy being my boy-toy.

"I will see you then, Lucy." He turned and left.

Well, that was awkward. A part of me looked forward to putting this whole thing behind me. Soon Wolf, Bann Esmerelle, and this annoying conspiracy would be just another uncomfortable memory to add to my Sears catalog of uncomfortable memories. I'd acquired a few of them in my fifty-four years of life. I wish I had a Hummel figurine to commemorate each one; they'd look good on a mantle.

~o~o~o~

I told Nathaniel about my shape-changing abilities and all the forms I'd mastered: Crow, tiger and horse.

"Seriously? An Antivan Paso Fino? You? You can barely ride!" He seemed boggled by it. Then a look of suspicion crossed his face. "My father wrote to me about a Paso Fino he had purchased. It was stolen from him that very same night."

I looked down, trying to keep myself from laughing with the memory. "There are a few things I did during the Blight that I'm not proud of." I looked up, keeping my face as expressionless as possible under the circumstances. "That wasn't one of them." Do not gloat, Lucy! I reminded myself sharply. Nathaniel may have come to terms with what an utter ass his father was, but he was still the man's son. Stop twitching, mouth.

Nathaniel stared and cleared his throat. Our relationship had a ways to go, yet. I hoped someday he'd get me; right now, I just seemed to irritate him.

"I was a much better horse than I ever was a rider, although, I'm quite out of practice. I haven't horsed around in ages." That had to have been a Freudian slip.

"So, let me see if I understand the plan: You are going to be at the meeting as a crow and a wolf will be there as a human?" Nathaniel changed subjects abruptly, apparently not wishing to hear more about the time his father spent astride me. Frankly, it was just as well. Memories of Arl Howe's crotch on my back were part of the Hummel collection on the mantle.

"I'll be there as a crow. Wolf - a man, that's his nickname – he'll be there hidden. If there are any problems, I think the three of us can deal with it. I'm just concerned about trying to hide lots of people and possibly scaring her off."

Nathaniel looked at me suspiciously. "I'd feel better if we had some proper back up."

"I would too, but I expect Esmerelle will scout the area out before she shows up. A weapon or armor clanking is going to ruin everything."

"You're sure you can trust this wolf man? This isn't one of those wolf-people from the Brecilian forest, is it?"

I sighed. "No, he's just a guy who did some spying for us. He helped unravel the conspiracy."

He shrugged. "All right. I trust you to have a good plan." His voice plainly said he didn't really trust me at all. "You did manage to end the Blight and somehow killed an archdemon." It sounded like he was trying to talk himself into it. "It couldn't have all been sheer good luck. You must know what you're about."

I didn't want to take all the credit for ending the Blight, but something told me that Nathaniel's faith was faltering. I kept my mouth shut about incredibly good luck having been a big factor in ending the Blight.

"Well then," I stood up, killing our conversation before it died of unnatural causes, "Sounds like we have a plan."

Nathaniel sighed and shook his head. Clearly I had a ways to go to earn his trust.

~o~o~o~

It was early morning when Nathaniel and I arrived at the meeting place, him on horseback, me as a crow. I did a search of the forested area near the meeting place and found nothing suspicious, but the trees were so thick I couldn't see through them all that well. I also didn't see Wolf, but I wasn't concerned. He might have been well-hidden, or perhaps he was late. Maybe he even decided not to come. Chances are it wouldn't matter, so I didn't worry about it.

Bann Esmerelle arrived on time and alone. That was a good sign. The note must have been believable. She dismounted, tethered her mount to the fence surrounding the field, and walked half the length of the field to meet Nathaniel. I was perched on the fence a distance away from him. I cawed the agreed upon signal to Nathaniel that all looked legit.

He jumped down from the fence, where he had been sitting, and walked slowly to meet her. I ruffled my feathers and picked at little insects, only halfway paying attention to them as I swallowed them. I kept one of my beady black eyes on Esmerelle the entire time.

"Bann Esmerelle," Nathaniel gave her a little bow, nothing too obsequious.

"Lovely to see you again, my boy. Now tell me what is so difficult about the task I gave you."

Nathaniel would need to get her to spill out her plan in front of me. "The pair of Antivan Crows you wanted me to get jobs inside the keep…"

The Bann tilted her head and said nothing.

"I just want to hear more about your plan, Esme. I need to know it is going to work before I risk my life."

"Of course, my boy," Esmerelle said patronizingly. I didn't think it was entirely my imagination, but his face looked rather pinched at her patronizing, overly familiar talk. "You're going to help the pair I mentioned in my note get jobs in the keep. They'll take care of our lovely, young friend and then I will see to it that you are well-rewarded."

Bitch! Give us details. I cawed a particularly vile corvian curse that had something to do with shoving a termite up one's cloaca.

Nathaniel looked unimpressed with her. "That's not enough, Esme. I want to know the details. How will they do it? She's had quite a bit of experience with Crows, as you may have heard, even traveled with one during the Blight. I expect she is going to be wise to their tricks."

The Bann began to look irritated with Nathaniel. "I didn't question them as to their methods. They're professionals," she said archly. "I don't particularly care if they poison the bitch, slit her throat, or bury her alive, just so long as the Commander is dead. They agreed to take care of her spawn as well. Then we won't have any issues with inheritance."

Nathaniel sputtered. "Her son, you mean? What possible reason could you have for slaughtering an innocent child? Amaranthine belongs to the Wardens, not to her or her heirs."

She looked up, disbelief growing in her eyes. "Really, sometimes I wonder if you are your father's son. If you didn't have the nose, I'd almost believe your mother had been careless."

Nathaniel purpled; I think if I didn't intervene he would take matters into his own hands. Not that I would object. She wanted to kill my son? I cawed twice, my signal to Nate that we would act now. His face transformed into a grim smile. She threatened my son! I flew down from the fence, landing behind her where she couldn't see me transform from crow to human. Nathaniel's eyes grew big as he watched me, even though he knew my secret and expected it.

"Bravo, Esmerelle," I said dryly.

She jumped, startled by my voice and spun around.

"Elissa!" she hissed. "Where…" She whirled back around and glared at Nathaniel. "So, you were playing me the entire time." She took a few steps backwards, away from us.

"Don't even think you're going to run, Esme," Nathaniel sneered. I was so proud of him in that moment I could have pinched his cheeks.

She began to laugh. "Run? I wouldn't miss this for the world." She gestured with a hand and the bushes and trees around us rustled. I saw a handful of armed men come forth. There were several crossbows aimed at us and they were close enough that they'd have to be really terrible shots to miss. "I took precautions, of course. I'm no fool."

I swore softly and looked at Nathaniel. He shot me a reproving glance. If we survived this, I was going to hear from him, but I still had a trick or two up my sleeve. I laughed. I'd seen this TV, it never worked on TV, perhaps I'd have better luck with a bluff than Maxwell Smart did.

"Esmerelle, do you imagine that you're the only one who took such measures?" I hoped I could pull this off. "Even as we speak, there's a division of soldiers closing in on our position, not to mention my entire force of Grey Wardens." I spoke loudly. "Throw down your arms and no one will be hurt."

She narrowed her eyes, coldly assessing me. "I think you're bluffing."

I smiled contemptuously, still working the bluff. "It's possible. I might be bluffing. It is conceivable that I don't have men closing in on us, but then again, I might. Force will be met with force, dear Bann. I wouldn't give you much chance of surviving such an encounter. However, if you surrender right now, I will make certain you have a fair trial."

Bann Esmerelle laughed raucously. It reminded me of blackboards and fingernails. She was too far away for Nathaniel to grab and the men with the crossbows would shoot before he could get to her. She was backing away from us slowly.

"I'm so disappointed, Nate. I had such high hopes for you. Truly, it is sad that the Howe name will end today."

No one ever expected my Fade two-step. I held my hands up in the air to show I had no weapon in hand, but even as I did, I was drawing on the lyrium necklace as it pulsed against my chest. In a moment I was ready; I stepped into the Fade and watched the real world seem to freeze. I drew blades from their sheaths on my back and walked behind Bann Esmerelle. I grabbed her, placing my dagger next to her throat, and then I stepped out of the Fade. To anyone observing it would seem that I had teleported.

"One move from any of you and the Bann gets it," I shouted. I noticed the look of relief on Nate's face and the perplexed expression on the Bann's soldiers. "Throw down your weapons and go!"

Wolf walked out of the woods, holding a crossbow trained on the Bann. "Sorry I'm late, Commander." He smiled charmingly at me. "Not that you need me, it seems you have everything under control here."

I smiled back at him. "Your timing is just fine, Wolf. I think we've got a handle on this conniving harridan, but your help is certainly appreciated." I saw a quick look pass between Wolf and the Bann, almost as if she recognized him.

"My pleasure, as always, Commander." He nudged the Bann in the side with the crossbow.

Bann Esmerelle, who was looking more lemony and puckered than normal, said, "You heard her! Throw down your weapons." The soldiers did as she asked, looked at one another, then turned to go. I held her firmly still, my dagger against her throat, until I saw that they had dropped their weapons and walked off.

"Will you come peaceably with us, Esmerelle? Or do I need to incapacitate you?" Sometimes I annoyed myself with how nice I was. I should just put her to sleep. Perhaps she wouldn't pucker so much if she were unconscious. Seriously, if I saw that ruckled moue once more I would become highly unpleasant.

"You keep your foul magics away from me, mage! I knew those rumors about you were true," she said with a snarl.

"You've seen how fast I can move, Esmerelle. Don't try anything." I let go of her and pushed her ahead of me. I walked side-by-side with Wolf. He kept his crossbow trained on her back and we headed back to the horse Nathaniel had tied up nearby.

"That's quite a trick, Lucy," he said. "You always manage to surprise me, my dear."

I kept my eyes on our prisoner but smiled. "Well, a girl has to have some secrets, Wolf," I bantered.

"Yes, you do have a few secrets." He chuckled. We walked on toward Nathaniel's horse. I didn't notice for a few moments, but Wolf was not at my side any longer. I stopped and turned to look back at Wolf. As I turned around I felt a searing pain in my leg. I screamed as I stumbled and fell.

"I have my secrets, too. I told you, you give your trust too easily," he said. He quickly reloaded and trained the crossbow at my chest.

"Wolf?" I gasped. "What the fuck?" I tried to gather my magic, but felt my mana draining away. I pulled on the lyrium in my necklace but it dissipated almost as fast as I could draw it.

Nathaniel stopped walking and turned, taking in the situation, his blades already in his hands.

"Your commander dies if you try anything, Howe," Wolf said evenly.

"Just kill her already!" Bann Esmerelle shrieked. "What are you waiting for?"

"Pay up, Esmerelle. I said I would get rid of her, I never said I would kill her."

My vision was beginning to dim, whether from loss of blood or because there was something draining my magic, I couldn't tell. The Bann grabbed a purse tied to her belt. I looked at Nathaniel. "Run." I mouthed to him. I made the hand signal for retreat. His horse was just a few yards away and he took that moment of their distraction to dash to it. He made an amazing leap onto his mount and sliced through the rope tying it to the fence. He was off before Wolf could shoot him. I was very glad at that moment that Nathaniel was a strong rider.

"Give me your crossbow. I'll kill her if you don't have the guts to do it," Esmerelle hissed.

Wolf shook his head. "No. Templars are coming. They'll take her off your hands." He gestured and I could see them walking toward us from the way Nathaniel had just ridden.

If I could just shake this dizziness, I might be able to gather enough mana from the lyrium necklace to do something about this. I tried to focus, but the pain was too much.

"Sorry about the bolt in your leg, Lucy. I hated to mar your perfect skin, but I needed to get that mage bane into you somehow."

Ah, that explained it. Mage bane. I knew Zevran used it, but I'd never had it used on me before. I tried to pull myself along the ground to the fence. If I could just stand… I hissed with pain. "You will pay for this." A surge of pain and dizziness swept over me and I groaned. "Both of you." That last was barely more than a whisper.

Wolf crouched down next to me. "I am sorry, my dear, but my debts were piling up. I feel really terrible about this. Please don't take it personally." He reached out to touch my cheek, but I yanked my head away from his hand. "It would have been much better if you had just married me. I think we could have been happy together." He smiled a little sadly. "Well, the templars are here. You'll do fine at the Circle, I'm sure." He brought his mouth next to my ear. "I didn't mention anything about you not being Elissa Cousland."

"You're…" I panted with the effort of trying to speak, "a bastard, Wolf."

He stood up and looked down at me. "Yes, I suppose I am." He gestured the templars over and pointed at me. "There's the apostate." He smiled at me and made a little, courtly bow then walked off into the woods.

Esmerelle, seeing he was gone, reached for one of my blades. "Die, Cousland bitch!" she was about ready to stab me with my own blade, but a templar blocked the blow with his sword.

"Sorry, ma'am, we're taking her to the Circle Tower for examination."

"She's a mage! She's an… abomination! A blood mage and a … a murderess! I saw it myself!"

The templar shook his head. "We'll determine if there's any truth to that, my lady. You needn't worry yourself. She'll be tested thoroughly."

I thought about arguing with the templars that they had no jurisdiction over me, but I would rather be with them than with Esmerelle, so I kept my mouth shut. There was also an alarming amount of blood pooling under me. I hoped the templars had some skill with first aid.

One of the templars crouched down and snapped a collar around my neck. "There you go, Miss. No magic for you until we get you to the tower."

"She isn't going to make it to the tower with that wound," one of them said.

Bann Esmerelle was shrieking about killing me… abomination… demon… unnatural creature from the Fade… Her voice began to fade away to a distant screeching as my consciousness dimmed.

"That's all right now, Miss. It's probably best if you're not awake for this," a kind voice said. "Don't fight it."

"Oh, for the Maker's sake, Harrison, just pull the damned thing out. She's a mage, after all." a much less kind voice said as I sank into unconsciousness.

My reprieve from pain and fear didn't last very long. The next thing I knew I was sitting upright screaming, feeling like someone had just sliced through my leg down to the bone. I doubt there was anything very heroic about the Hero of Ferelden as tears streamed down my face, my nose ran, and I couldn't stop screaming. I'd had my share of wounds before but nothing had felt this terrible. Perhaps it was the mage bane, or my lack of mana. I couldn't shut the door on the Fade like I'd done before when wounded, because I couldn't contact the Fade at all.

"Shut up, mage!"

Something I can only describe as having air compressed around you - like clapping a fly between your cupped hands and you were the fly - happened. I couldn't scream because my lungs weren't working any longer. My consciousness melted away yet again and I thought this might be for the last time. I would have liked to utter some last words, said goodbye to my infant son. Maybe I could have said something that could be carved on a memorial, but without air I couldn't even speak. Just as well, it probably would have been obscene.

Anders

"Navigating the Fade" by Luprous Grayson. The book title drew Anders in. He plucked it off the shelf and leafed through the table of contents. "Seven warning signs of demons," he read and then laughed. "Sign one, they make you solve a riddle or you have to fight them."

"What are you reading, twitchfinger?" Oghren's gravelly voice broke the silence of the keep's library.

"Oh, just another book about the Fade. As if I haven't already read dozens. This one is different though."

"Never been to the Fade, myself. It's like a big club that dwarves can't join. Makes you wonder who arranged that nonsense. What do they have against dwarves?" Oghren sounded offended.

Anders looked at the dwarf and cocked his head. "Huh! I never thought of it that way. Perhaps the Maker didn't make dwarves. Maybe I can stump a Revered Mother with that one." Anders smiled. "Thank you, Oghren, I think I owe you a drink for that keen observation."

"No problem, twitch. I'll collect on it tonight." He left the library and Anders went back to his book.

"Chapter 10, Finding Someone in the Fade. Bingo!" He snapped the book shut and stuck it under his arm. He walked out of the library into the great hall when Nathaniel slammed open the keep door.

"Wardens, to me!" he shouted, his voice hoarse and sounding of alarm.

Anders only had a few yards to dash to see him. He was sweaty and his hair was a mess. Lucy and Nathaniel had left a couple of hours ago. Now he was back alone? "Where's the Commander?" he asked. His stomach instantly lurched, knowing it wasn't going to be good news. Varel came out of his office to see what the ruckus was.

"Is something wrong? Where's the Warden-Commander?" he asked.

"Last I saw, she had a crossbow bolt through her leg. I passed four templars on the way back and I think they were coming for her. It's a long story, but her friend, Wolf, double-crossed her. Where are Oghren and Justice?"

"I'll get the others," Varel said and rushed off to alert Justice and Oghren.

Anders paled, his eyes growing flinty. "I knew he was up to something! Did you leave her there with him?"

"She signaled to me to run. I didn't want to, but we both knew that pair didn't want to leave behind any witnesses."

"Pair? Who was Wolf working with?" Lucy had been keeping to herself since that night together in the Fade. She stopped confiding in him and seemed to be avoiding being alone with him.

"We were there to trap Bann Esmerelle into revealing the conspiracy. It… didn't go quite according to plan. She was prepared for us."

"Fucking Maker, Nate, why didn't you take me with you?" Anders ran his hand through his hair in frustration; half of it escaped from his queue so he impatiently pulled off the leather thong holding it back and threw it on the floor. "Templars now? So Wolf turned her in to the Chantry. I'm going to fucking kill that bastard."

"I think he did it so Esmerelle wouldn't kill her."

Justice and Oghren jogged down the stairs ahead of Varel.

"Come on, they can't have gotten too far with her," Nathaniel said.

The four Wardens ran to the stables. Nathaniel's horse was already saddled and ready to go. He worked with the stable boy to get three more horses ready. There was one horse that Justice could ride. It wasn't too frightened of him and his dead smell.

Nathaniel filled in Oghren and Justice as they rode. They pushed the horses as fast as possible, given the varying skill of the riders.

"Andraste's pink lips, Nate, we need to hurry. Maker only knows what those templars are doing to her."

Nate shook his head. "I doubt they'd get much sport with her, she was bleeding quite heavily. She was still conscious, though."

"You never know with templars." Anders could just visualize the sort of cruel, sadistic games they might play with her, conscious or not. He sent a small lightning bolt into the flank of his horse and it took off in a full gallop. Anders forgot his fear of falling out of the saddle. He gripped his reins and handfuls of the horse's mane, holding on for dear life.

"Anders! You can't face those templars alone. We're going to need Oghren and Justice," Nathaniel shouted after him.

"The hell I can't!" he yelled back. He had no clear plan. In his mind all he could see was her being tormented, perhaps raped, by a gang of sadists. Or even Wolf. Wolf! The name that had been a source of irritation and annoyance was now the source of a murderous rage. If Wolf were there, he had no doubt he would incinerate the man with four templars looking on. Fuck them all! Just let them try to take either of us.

He rode hard for some time, casting haste on his horse. He lost the other three Wardens somewhere behind him. Despite his fury he reigned in when he saw four templars coming down the path leading a horse. There was someone on the back of the horse, slung over its back like a sack of grain. The other three Wardens were well behind him. They wouldn't be along for quite some time. Nonetheless he got off his horse and walked to the templars, holding up a hand. "Hail," he said neutrally, trying to keep the burning hatred out of his voice. He needed to keep it together to help Lucy.

"Isn't that Anders?" he heard one of the templars say. "Rylock went after him a few months ago. Never came back."

"It is. Finally got smart about wearing a robe, it seems," another replied, a sardonic smile on his face.

The first one laughed raucously. "Still has the staff, though. Stupid git."

A third templar spoke, one Anders recognized as Harrison, one of the few decent templars he'd known at the tower. Harrison had captured him a few times and always apologized at having to take him back to the tower.

"That is Anders," Harrison said, "and he's a Grey Warden now. The Knight-Commander himself acknowledges that Anders is free. Besides, we need his healing skills to help this apostate. She isn't going to last long at this rate."

Thank the Maker, Harrison is here. There was some hope that he wasn't going to die trying to rescue Lucy.

How to do this? He wanted to tell them they had the Hero of Ferelden and the Warden-Commander and they were going to be in a boatload of trouble, but they'd never believe him. So he opted to play meek. "Harrison," he addressed the one reasonable templar in the bunch, "I just want to help that woman on your horse. Do as you see fit with both of us, but let me heal her first."

Harrison nodded and walked to the horse. Another templar stood in his path. He could see them arguing. He hoped Harrison had the stones to stand up to the other, more aggressive templar. The reasonable templar stood his ground and untied Lucy from horse they'd slung her over. He carried her over to Anders, the argumentative templar following him.

"I swear to Andraste, Harrison, if you trust this maleficar you're going to get us all killed."

"Leave it be, Cecil. We're not going to let this woman die when we can save her."

Harrison put Lucy on the ground before Anders. Oddly, with everything else going wrong, it seemed a horrible affront to place her on the dusty earth, on her belly, with nothing under her. Anders looked up at Harrison and nodded. "Thanks," he said shortly. He put his hands on her and searched for her wounds. Her leg was badly damaged. The bleeding had already slowed, but he sent some magic into her to slow it further. "We've got to get her leggings off. I need to see this. Have you got a knife?"

Cecil drew a knife out, but Anders didn't trust him not to accidentally slip. Apparently Harrison didn't trust him either because he took the knife from the man and knelt down next to Lucy and began cutting through her already tattered leather leggings.

"Cecil pulled out the arrow," Harrison said, sounding almost apologetic. He finished slicing through the leather and Anders pulled it away from the wound. "Sweet Maker," the templar cursed when he saw the messy wound on the back of her leg.

Anders had seen many wounds far worse than this, but this time he felt queasy. More damage had been done pulling the arrow out than when it went in. There were torn muscles, tendons, and it barely missed a major artery. He could already sense the beginning of an infection. "You don't pull an arrow out of a wound like that, you cut it out," he said through gritted teeth. "I need some water to wash this out."

Harrison turned to Cecil. "Get some water from my pack, please."

"Get it yourself, mage lover." Cecil turned around and walked back to the other two templars.

Anders spared them a glance and thought they looked mutinous. He hoped Nate and the others arrived soon. Harrison shook his head, walked to the horse and looked through his pack. He returned with a skin of water.

"Thanks," Anders said. He flushed out the bloody, gaping wound in the back of Lucy's leg. It didn't look any better cleaned than it did before, but now he could see the extent of the damage. He poured a little water over his hands to get off the worst of the dirt and then put his fingers into the hole. A tendon had been raggedly torn when the bolt was pulled out. "I'm going to need you to bend her leg at the knee. That should put some slack into the tendon."

Harrison nodded and picked up her leg, bending it as Anders directed.

Anders closed his eyes and let his healing senses guide him. He held the two separated pieces of tendon pinched between two fingers and let his magic flow into them, growing them back together. It would hold for now. He sent his magic after the brewing infection and then pushed the torn muscles together and healed them. Pouring nearly everything he had into the muscles he couldn't spare much for the skin. He held the ragged edges of the wound with his fingers and did what he could; it wasn't going to be enough to leave her skin as flawless as it started.

"You're a good healer, Anders," Harrison said, "perhaps the best. This girl was lucky."

"This girl is the Warden-Commander of Ferelden." He noted that her color was improving from waxy white, but her skin felt cold from blood loss.

Harrison looked up at Anders, worry spilling across his features. "We weren't told that. You mean this is… Elissa Cousland?"

Anders nodded. "Yes. Also known as the Hero of Ferelden. Remember her? Killed the archdemon, friends with the King, Queen and Teyrn Loghain. Ring any bells?" He couldn't keep the acid overtones from his voice, not even for a nice guy like Harrison. He was still a templar. "Right now you lot had better hope she wakes up pretty soon and is in a forgiving mood when she does."

Harrison rubbed the back of his neck. "Now that you mention it, we didn't actually see her use any magic. We just had a report that an apostate mage was being apprehended. We were to take her to the tower for questioning and testing." Harrison glanced back over his shoulder at the other three templars. "They'll never believe it." He sighed. "I'll do what I can." He turned to confront his three colleagues. "It seems there's been a bit of a mix-up. This woman is Elissa Cousland, the Warden-Commander and Hero of Ferelden."

"Right," Cecil said scornfully, "and I'm the Empress of Orlais." He held up a hand and bent his little finger and minced about, eliciting laughs from the other two templars. "Maker, Harrison, don't tell me you bloody believe what's coming out of this maleficar's mouth. It's beyond time we separated his yap from the rest of his body. This boy has had far too many chances." He reached behind his shoulder for his greatsword.

Harrison lifted a hand in a placating gesture. "Put the sword away, Cecil. There isn't going to be any violence. We'll take… the woman to Vigil's keep and verify Anders' story. He'll come with us." He turned around and Anders nodded.

One of the templars Anders didn't recognize snorted. "There's been far too much coddling of mages here. I stand with Cecil." He reached for his sword as well. The fourth templar nodded and drew his sword, too.

Harrison drew his sword, preparing to face down his peers. Anders took in the situation with alarm. He expected a smiting at any moment. It would hurt him, but it was be devastating to Lucy in her condition. It would be best if he put some distance between him and her so if they did… when they did… she wouldn't be hit. He turned to run back to his horse and, as he predicted, a smite knocked him several feet through the air, taking his breath away. It certainly wasn't the first time, so he knew what to expect: A few moments where he couldn't breathe, talk or cast spells. He struggled to his feet and turned. A templar was coming to him, his heavy sword held menacingly before him.

Anders mentally thanked Lucy for forcing him to train with his staff as a weapon. It might end up a pile of splinters, but it could buy him enough time. He stole one more look at Lucy; she was still unconscious, lying on the dusty road. It was concerning, she should be waking up, but if she had lost enough blood… He couldn't think about it now, a sword was coming for his head. He blocked the blow. Splinters flew off his staff but it didn't break. Behind him he could hear horses. Finally! Maker's breath, they were slow. He heard Nathaniel shout as he blocked another sword strike. He heard the air next to him buzz and an arrow found a slight gap in the templar's armor, just above the gorget. The templar stumbled back, grasping at the arrow. Nathaniel had taken the shot from horseback.

"Fucker!" Anders yelled and thumped him in the head with his staff for good measure. It wasn't needed, the templar was dying.

The templar fell and Anders turned in time to see Harrison fall from a strike to his head. His helm was crumpled on the side where the swing hit, but he wasn't dead, that much Anders could tell. The smite had drained him of mana so he couldn't help out the templar until he had some lyrium.

Oghren and Justice both ran into the battle, each taking an opponent. Anders knew the remaining templars would be down soon, so he ignored the battle and rummaged through the pack of the fallen templar looking for a lyrium potion. Finding several, he drank one and felt his magic returning. He skirted the battle between the Wardens and the templars and pulled Harrison to a safe spot.

Anders took off the wounded templar's helm and sent healing magic into his head. He had a bruise on his brain and there was inflammation. His brain was under pressure from the accumulating fluids; if he didn't die, he would be severely brain damaged. Magic could take care of the inflammation and bleeding, but not the fluids. He cast a sleep spell to make sure the templar would not awaken. He didn't have any of the proper tools for this so he would have to improvise.

Using a tightly focused fire spell he began to burn a hole through the man's scalp into his skull. He had to focus everything on controlling the spell. It had to be powerful, yes, but very, very narrow. The skull was burning away in increments.

"Maker, Anders, I know you hate templars, but this is going a little far, don't you think?" Nathaniel said.

He hadn't heard the fighting stop in his concentration. "I'm trying to save him. I need lyrium. Go through their belongings and get me whatever you can."

Justice hovered over him. "They would have killed you, yet you save them? How is that just?"

Anders swilled down a potion that Nate handed him. "This one tried to get the others to see reason. They turned on him." He went back to burning a small hole in the templar's skull.

"Just what the stone are you doing?" Oghren asked.

Anders shut off the fire at the end of his finger. "Saving the man from becoming an idiot. Enough questions! Keep the lyrium coming." He refocused on his task, fearing that he might go too far and burn into the brain, especially with people distracting him. He stopped only to quaff another lyrium potion. The last few minutes, sweat poured off his brow from the tension and exertion. Finally he could see the gray, wet looking brain at the end of the small hole he had burned. He turned Harrison so the hole could drain excess fluid away from the brain and was gratified to see a few drops escape. Probing into his skull with his magic again, he could see how best to encourage more draining. A thin trickle of liquid poured out of the hole. The pressure was reduced now. He should be all right, in time.

Anders stood, slightly dizzy from drinking so much lyrium and still feeling the after effects of the smiting. "Lucy will be all right. She lost a lot of blood and is still unconscious. It'll take time for her to recover. We're going need a cart."

"Varel and Garevel are on their way here with some men," Nathaniel said.

Anders walked over to Lucy and checked her again. "We've got to keep her warm. She's lost a lot of blood. Gather some cloaks, whatever you can. Justice and Oghren, please gather some firewood." He spread his own cloak over the ground and moved her onto it. Nathaniel collected cloaks from the other Wardens and Anders tucked them around her. He sat down next to her wishing he could hold her to impart his own warmth to her, but with the others around, it probably wasn't a good idea.

Nathaniel, he noticed, seemed to be glaring at her.

"What's eating you?" Anders asked.

"It was idiotic. It's a wonder she didn't get us both killed. Who the hell was this guy named Wolf and why did she trust him?"

Anders looked away. "Look, the less said about it the better. She made a mistake, she trusted the wrong person." He shrugged. "It happens."

Nathaniel barked out a short, bitter laugh. "She'd better enjoy her nap because she's going to hear it from me when she wakes up."

"Really?" Anders tone took on a sarcastic note. "She took a chance on someone and was wrong. Seems like someone else I know benefited from her willingness to trust." He stroked her hair without thinking about who might be witnessing the gesture. "Did you never think of betraying her, Howe? Can you tell me honestly that it never crossed your mind?"

Nathaniel glowered at Anders. "You're besotted with her, aren't you?" He snorted with derision. "That doesn't cloud your judgment at all."

Anders wasn't a man who angered easily, but Nathaniel was pissing him off. He stood up and moved just a little too close, his brows furrowed and nostrils flaring slightly. "Answer the question, Nathaniel. Bann Esmerelle trusted you, it never crossed your mind to side with her? You're either an accomplished actor or an accomplished liar."

Nathaniel narrowed his eyes and glared back, closing the space even further between himself and the mage.

Anders considered what to do. They were at that point where it either needed to escalate to violence or someone had to back down. Trouble was he didn't really have any experience with the sort of violence that this kind of confrontation called for. At the tower, such matters of honor would be resolved by a magical duel with well-established rules. Someone would end up badly singed or glued to the ceiling, but he suspected such battles of honor had different rules for non-mages. He was probably expected to physically strike his opponent with his fists, something he hadn't done since before puberty. Nathaniel would destroy him in a brawl of that sort.

"If you boys are going to kiss go ahead and do it, don't mind me." Oghren's deep, gravel-pit voice broke through their combative posturing and they both turned to him. "Twitch, I'm going to need your healing skills, I got a splinter the size of a nug under my fingernail." The dwarf dropped a large armload of wood right next to the two men. "Ancestor's hairy balls, I took a piss on a badger out there. If I hadn't already been pissing it woulda scared it out of me when it hissed and swiped at my junk."

The image of Oghren pissing on a badger was so surprising that Anders began to laugh. Nathaniel did, too. The tension went out of both men and turned into hilarity. Anders laughed so hard his eyes watered. "Maker's bung-hole, dwarf, how did you end up pissing on a badger?"

Oghren stumbled a little, obviously intoxicated, and shrugged. "It looked like a log. Seemed like something to aim at."

"Uh, does your… junk… need healing?" Anders asked, trying to suppress his laugh.

"No, I got out of the little blighter's way." He held out his hand for Anders to look at. Anders was still chuckling as he healed Oghren's hand.

Justice joined them and they set about making a fire, moving Lucy, buried under a mound of horse blankets and cloaks, closer to it. They sat around it while they waited for Garevel to find them.

"Look," Nathaniel said quietly to Anders as they sat around the fire, "I'm sorry about that back there. I imagine the commander is going to beat herself up enough. She doesn't need me to tell her she made a mistake."

Anders turned to look at Nathaniel and smiled, pleasantly surprised that he was apologizing. "Don't worry about it, brother. You weren't entirely wrong either."

Nathaniel nodded and smiled. He stared into the fire and said nothing more awhile. Anders looked into the fire, too, mesmerized by the flames.

"She could use a friend, I suppose," Nathaniel said, tipping his head in Lucy's direction. "I imagine you two have a lot in common, being mages and such."

Anders laughed quietly. "She is rather unique, but yes, she could use some friends. She left them back in Denerim, or they left her. Or died."

Nathaniel stared into the fire. "I guess I know how that feels. No one wants to be friends with a disgraced traitor's son."

Laughing Anders clapped Nathaniel on the back. "Think again, Howe. You've got an apostate mage, a dead guy, a drunken dwarf and a possessed noble as friends. If you want them."

Nathaniel laughed heartily. "Ah, we do make quite a team, don't we?"

Anders turned back to the fire and stared into the flames again. "That we do, Howe. That we do."

The mound that Lucy was buried in shifted and he saw a bit of tousled red hair poke out and heard a faint moan. "Maker's ass… how am I alive?"

Anders went to her side and put a hand on her forehead. Her skin was still quite cold from the blood loss. "You're a very lucky woman. You had one of the few reasonable templars in all of Ferelden looking out for you."

"This must be some new definition of lucky I wasn't previously aware of," she grumbled, her teeth chattering. "I'm freezing!"

"Blood loss will do that. That's one thing I can't do much about. Your body will have to make new blood." He fought a strong urge to climb under the mound of cloaks with her and wrap himself around her. The realization of how close he had come to losing her hit home with him. It was quickly followed by anger. He wanted to lash out at her for trusting Wolf, exactly what he had criticized Howe about a short while ago. His mouth opened and a torrent of angry words nearly spilled out, but with one look at her pallor he shut it again.

"What happened, Anders? Did Nathaniel get away? I should talk to him… need to apologize." She tried to push herself up, rising up only a little ways and then falling back. "Help me up."

"No. You're too weak. Rest. Garevel will get here soon with a cart."

"Help me up. That's an order," she said weakly.

Anders arched an eyebrow at her, his anger flaring with her sudden bossiness. "An order, eh? Well, your physician has an order for you. Sleep!" Despite his earlier extreme exertions, drilling into Harrison's skull and healing Lucy's wound, he managed to pull together enough mana for a sleep spell. Her struggles to rise suddenly ceased and her head rolled to one side.

He heard a quiet snickering behind him and turned to see Nathaniel watching. "What's so funny, Howe?" He was still irate with Lucy and it spilled over onto his brother Warden.

"Hm? Oh, nothing." He peered down the road. "Looks like Garevel is finally here." He seemed to be avoiding answering the question.

Garevel arrived with an armed force, although three templars were dead and the forth was unconscious. Wolf and Bann Esmerelle were gone. They did bring a cart for casualties and the peacefully slumbering commander and wounded templar were loaded into it. Anders rode in the cart with his two patients, Lucy's head resting in his lap. The other Wardens rode their horses back to the keep.

He was exhausted and drained of mana, having been pummeled by templar magic, and then having his emotions yanked from anger to relief back to anger by the woman he… by Lucy. He ran his hand over her tangled curls as she slept. What was she dreaming of? He couldn't stand on the sidelines any longer. They couldn't pretend there wasn't something there between them. When she had recovered, they would talk, he decided.

Once they were back at the keep Nathaniel pulled him aside. "Oghren, Justice and I are going after Wolf. Garevel is taking a force to arrest Bann Esmerelle."

Anders nodded and smiled grimly. He clasped Nathaniel's forearm and the other Warden grasped his. "Good luck. I hope you catch the bastard."

Nate nodded and smiled. "Take care of the commander."

"She'll be fine."

Anders watched the three Wardens leave, wishing he were riding out with them. As angry as he had been with Lucy, he didn't want her to have to face Wolf again, or have that prospect hanging over her head. Nate would do the right thing, if they found him, and he prayed they would. He only wished he could personally melt the man's face off.

~o~o~o~

It must have been after midnight; Anders was drowsing over the book he had found in the library when the keep's doors slammed opened. He got up and met the three Wardens in the great hall. They looked grim and weary. Nathaniel nodded curtly to Anders. "That wolf will never howl again."

"Good."

"What of Esmerelle?" Nathaniel asked.

"Garevel brought her in several hours ago. She was hissing and spitting like a viper."

The corner of Nathaniel's mouth turned up and he nodded. "Well, good night then."

"It is." Anders watched the three Wardens climb the stairs to their rooms. It was one of the moments when he felt real pride at being a Grey Warden. They took care of their own.

~o~o~o~

Notes: Many thanks the for the reviews! They brighten my day and keep the rat running the maze. Always interested in feedback of any sort. My thanks to Biff McLaughlin for beta-reading! She's awesome. And thanks to Zevgirl and Biff for letting me bounce ideas off them on Google+.

Terribly fun to get to use the medical procedure known as trepanning in a story. I'm a bit of a medical nerd. I used to be really addicted to shows like "Dr. G, Medical Examiner and Mystery Diagnosis". Anyway, drilling into someone's skull was done even in prehistoric times. They still do it to relieve pressure on the brain when someone has a lot of fluid accumulating. Anders got to be House, MD this chapter.

I didn't originally plan for Wolf to sell-out but I was getting bored by the whole conspiracy and I thought it would make a completely unexpected and interesting plot twist. If you want to read a story that treats Wolf much better, take a read of my "The Wolf Pact". It's rather rough, grammatically, but the Dark Wolf is dashing, handsome, and definitely a leading man with an interesting past. I like to think of him as Antonio Banderas. The inspiration for this Wolf was Westley from The Princess Bride (for looks), but more like Prince Humperdinck for dastardliness.

If this plot twist broke your heart because you loved Wolf, my apologies. I do love to shake the story like a snow-globe from time to time.

Every now and then someone yells at me for writing a character different than what they would have me do. So yell away if it makes you feel better. I just hope you'll keep reading.