The chest where the treaties were supposed to be was destroyed. Time and the elements split open the heavy wood and the cavern inside was conspicuously empty. It was clear that the chest as well as the entire tower was once a beautiful place, with fine details and loving wear, but that was all gone now. The inside of the chest was coated in moss. Kaei ran her fingers through the fine moss, vainly hoping to feel some papery edge in the soft greenery, but there was nothing.

"What have we here?" a sultry female voice said, seemingly out of nowhere. Kaei's head snapped up. "Are you a vulture, I wonder, or an intruder, come into these darkspawn filled wilds of mine looking for easy prey?"

The woman was shockingly beautiful. There was no doubt about it. Her dark hair was tied on top of her head, tendrils falling with perfect neglect along her slender neck. Her lips were full and dark; her skin soft and fine like porcelain. But her eyes . . . her eyes were yellow like a beast's and cold. Very, very cold.

"How are these your wilds?" Kaei asked, standing up to face her.

"As much as anything can belong to anyone," the woman replied, a half sarcastic smile fluttering on her face for a moment. "So the first question is mine then, is it not? So what are you, intruder or vulture?"

The mention of vultures made Kaei want to shudder, but she resisted the urge. This was not the sort of person one should show weakness to. Not ever. "I am neither," she replied, steel in her voice. "This tower belongs to the Gray Wardens."

"It is not a tower any longer," the woman said, gesturing to the fallen stones. "Time and the forest have claimed it as their own." She stalked closer, moving as sleek as a wild cat, and as silent. Her feet did not make a sound against the stones. "I have watched your progress for some time. Where do they go, I wondered. Why are they here? And now you disturb ashes that no one has touched in so long."

"Don't speak to her," Alistair said suddenly. "She looks Chasind, and that means there are likely others nearby."

The woman laughed at his words. "You fear barbarians will swoop down upon you?"

"Yes," Alistair replied, smug. "Swooping is . . . bad."

"She's a witch of the wilds, she is," Daveth whispered. His voice was lacking in its normal warmness.

"And what about you?" the woman asked, ignoring the men. "Women do not frighten like little boys. Tell me your name, and I shall tell you mine."

"You can call me Kaei."

"And you can call me, Morrigan, if you wish." Morrigan gave a half flittering smirk again. Somehow, her smile made her face less friendly, rather than more. It was almost like an animal baring its teeth. "So I gather what you seek is something that is here no longer?"

"Here no longer?" Alistair spat. "You stole them didn't you? Those treaties are Gray Warden property and I insist you return them at once."

"I will not, as I was not the one who took them," Morrigan replied sharply. "But I do know who has them, and I can take you there, if you wish."

"Who has them then?" Kaei asked.

"My mother," Morrigan said curtly.

"Your mother?" Kaei raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, my mother. Did you think I spawned from a log?" Morrigan asked, incredulous.

"A weird, thieving talking log, maybe," Alistair said dryly.

"Not all in the wilds are an evil. Flowers bloom as well as toads," Morrigan continued, dismissing him. "I can take you to her if you wish."

"She's a witch, I tell you," Daveth piped up. "She'll put us in the pot she will!"

"If the pot is warmer than this forest, it'll be a nice change," Jory grumbled. Kaei looked back at them, her brow furrowed. They ignored her. Shaking her head, she glanced over at Alistair.

"We do need those treaties," he shrugged.

"Then take us to her," Kaei said, turning back to Morrigan.

"Then follow me, if it pleases you," she said, turning away. Kaei had an uneasy feeling, but it seemed she had no other choice.

They followed Morrigan in silence. There was something equally tantalizing and repellent about her. Kaei studied the back of Morrigan's head, watching the beads woven into her hair sway back and forth with each step. Somehow, looking at Morrigan felt little different from the Tevinter mirror in the ruins. She knew there was something wrong, but she couldn't look away. It wasn't attraction, although Kaei had pondered the beauty of women from time to time. It was something else she just couldn't put her finger on.

She looked back over her shoulder at Alistair. The look on his face was far more clear. It was obvious that whatever beauty Morrigan had was completely lost on him. As far as Kaei could tell from his expression, it was hate at first sight.

Morrigan's mother, she seemed harmless enough. She was mad, certainly, but didn't seem much more than an old woman. Maybe with a touch of magic. Even so, Kaei was just glad to have the treaties in her pack and be heading back out of the wilds. It was an interesting turn of events when a Dalish wanted to get behind stone walls again. But the more time she spent in these woods, the more unwelcoming they felt. Perhaps it was the darkspawn, or maybe it was something else. But either way, Kaei's pace returning to Ostagar was definitely faster than her pace had been on their way out.

Morrigan was supposedly leading them out of the wood, but Kaei didn't need her to guide. She kept pace with Morrigan, not waiting for her to turn or control their path. Occasionally, Morrigan would point in one direction or another, indicating the smoother path. Kaei was impressed by her silent directions and how well she did know the wilds. She was also impressed by Morrigan's ability to keep up with her ever increasing pace. Jory and Daveth fell behind right away, and eventually even Alistair lagged. Kaei would not have slowed for them, if Morrigan hadn't stopped her.

"Although I do understand your desire to get away from those fools," Morrigan said suddenly, stopping in her tracks. "You may want to slow down before they become hopelessly lost." Kaei stopped and turned around. Morrigan was silhouetted by the setting sun, her face cast in dark violet shadows. In the distance, Kaei could see the forms of the three men, hardly more the shadows weaving their way through the sparse trees.

Kaei nodded, "You're right. I forget that not everyone is as familiar with this sort of travel as a Dalish . . . or a 'witch of the wilds' apparently."

Morrigan laughed, but it wasn't as cold a sound as Kaei expected. "Do you believe that?"

"Does it matter?" Kaei replied. "I am grateful for your help, and your mother's, no matter what you are."

"I suppose you have a unique perspective on that, considering your own heritage. The Dalish are only marginally more accepted than witches," Morrigan said.

"Our merchants and craftsman are welcomed, from time to time, but beyond that. . . it is rare we are welcome anywhere," Kaei explained.

"It is a shame," Morrigan commented. "I have a feeling humans, and other elves could learn much from the Dalish."

"I don't know about that," Kaei said. "But I appreciate the sentiment."

"Come," Morrigan said, starting to walk again. "Let us continue on before those three get close enough that I can smell them."


The Joining. The mere words in her head were ominous. Kaei stood, arms folded, waiting for Duncan to appear. Jory paced nervously back and forth. His boots made a queer echo in the quiet. Kaei could still hear the murmuring sounds of the camp in the background, but it was muted. The throng of voices seemed like the crash of distant waves.

"I do not understand why all this secrecy. It seems dishonorable, and dangerous," Jory muttered.

"Are you blubbering again?" Daveth snapped. Alistair watched the two of them in amused silence. Kaei expected a sarcastic comment, but his face was pale and drawn.

"Well, we're here now, " Kaei said. "There's no point in complaining about it."

"I just have never faced an enemy I could not engage with my blade," Jory continued. "It all seems too high a price to pay."

"You saw those things out there," Daveth said. "Wouldn't you pay any price to stop them? Wouldn't you die to protect your pretty wife from them? Maybe you'll die. Maybe we'll all die. I'd pay that price, and a lot higher to stop the Blight."

Kaei gave Daveth a half smile. He might be a cutpurse and a pickpocket, but his heart was pure gold nonetheless. He met her eyes and nodded. He looked away suddenly, the color draining from his face. His dark skin looked sallow. Duncan slowly walked towards them, carrying a large silver chalice. His jaw was set and his face solemn.

"We come to it at last," Duncan said, setting the chalice on a stone dais. "The Joining. We Gray Wardens pay a heavy burden to become what we are. Fate may decree that you pay your price now, rather than later."

Jory looked like he was about to say something, but Daveth silenced him with a blistering look.

"It was during the first Blight than the Gray Wardens came to be," Duncan continued. "It was then that the first drank of darkspawn blood and mastered their taint."

"We're going to drink the blood of those creatures?" Jory blurted out.

"Yes," Duncan explained. "As all Gray Wardens have done and as we have before you," he said, gesturing to himself and Alistair. "This is the source of our power and how we alone can defeat the archdemon. And how you," he said, meeting Kaei's eyes, "will survive the taint already within you."

Kaei took a shaky breath. Here it was at last, the cure that would as likely kill her as save her.

"We say only a few words before we begin, but they have been said since the first. Alistair, if you will," Duncan said.

"Join us, brothers and sisters. Join us in the shadows where we stand vigilant," Alistair began. "Join us in the duty that cannot be forsworn. And if you shall fall, know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten. And that one day, we shall join you." His voice trailed off into a cold echo. His eyes met Kaei's for only a moment before he dropped them to the ground. Kaei saw in that moment that he knew what was to come and knew the high price some had paid.

"Daveth, step forward," Duncan said solemnly. Daveth's face was still pale, but resolute. As he stepped forward, Jory unconsciously took a few steps back. Duncan handed the chalice into Daveth hands. Without hesitating Daveth drank the foul liquid. Duncan quickly took the chalice from his hands.

Daveth grimaced as he swallowed. He wavered and stumbled forward a few steps. Then his face and body contorted. He doubled over and screamed, a sickly gurgling shout. He threw his head back and his eyes opened. They were white. With a groan, he collapsed to his knees, and fell on to his face on the stones.

"I am sorry Daveth," Duncan said as Daveth stopped moving.

Kaei felt her stomach flip over. She stared at Daveth sadly. Fate may decree you pay your price now. If her fear had not been so potent, she was certain that she would have wept for Daveth. She heard the sound of ringing steel and whipped her head up. Jory had pulled his sword from its scabbard and he was backing away from Duncan.

"Maker's Breath!" Jory shouted. "I have a wife, and a child on the way. This is too high a price; there is no glory in this!"

Setting the chalice back down, sadly Duncan pulled a dagger from his belt. Jory swung at him with his blade and Duncan easily deflected it. Then, with inhuman speed, Duncan plunged his dagger into Jory, just below his rib cage. His arm jerked, and a spray of blood flew through the air.

"I am sorry Jory," Duncan said, as he pulled out his dagger and Jory collapsed at his feet. "There is no turning back." He sheathed his dagger without another word and took up the chalice. He turned back to Kaei mechanically. Holding the cup out to her he said, "You are to submit yourself to the taint, for the greater good."

Kaei took the chalice from him, and stared down into the black blood inside. She met Duncan's eyes and nodded. One way or another, this blood would bring her atonement and justice. Either here on the stones of Ostagar or when the archdemon lay dead at her feet. Kaei lifted the chalice to her lips and drank.

She hardly realized Duncan had taken it from her before she was overcome with the most horrific pain she had ever felt. The world went black. And then a flash of light, as green as the sky before a cyclone. A dragon, as big as the creator's world spun in glittering violet and its roar shattered her ears, and her very soul. Kaei opened her eyes. She had fallen and had not even realized it. Duncan and Alistair were crouched over her, their faces in shadow. Behind them, the night sky was bright with endless brilliant stars. Kaei blinked away tears.

"Welcome," Duncan said softly. "My sister."