I'm not late putting up this chapter...Really. Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it!

Bioware owns everything, just not me.

I Believe

The outpost could hardly be called a building. The ceiling was scattered across the floor, and most of the walls had been replaced with scenic views of the Wilds. The chest was easy to locate as it was the only object in the room that had survived the harsh environment. As I neared it however, I discovered that it was cloven in two. The treaties were nowhere to be found. I was about to give Alistair the good news when a woman's voice floated over the area.

"Well, well, what have we here?" the voice asked lazily.

The four of us spun around to face the intruder. On what was left of a staircase stood the owner of the voice. She was incredibly pale, making her jet black hair stand out. A shawl barley covered her chest, jewelry covering it instead. One arm was completely clad in leather, feathers adorning the shoulder. The same leather made up her leggings, strips of it making a skirt.

"Are you a vulture I wonder?" she continued, "A scavenger poking amidst a corpse whose bones have long since cleaned? Or merely an intruder, coming to these darkspawn filled wilds of mine in search of easy prey?" She walked forward towards us as she spoke. As she came closer I noticed her unnatural, bright yellow eyes.

"What say you? Scavenger or intruder?" she barked.

"Just looking for something in the tower," I answered carefully. She screamed anti-social goth, someone I usually stayed away from. They were very negative people.

"'Tis a tower no longer," she chided. "The Wilds have obviously claimed this desecrated corpse."

She walked around us. "I have watched your progress for some time. 'Where do they go? I wondered. 'Why are they here?' and now you have disturbed ashes left alone for so long. Why is that?" She stopped at the edge of a wall.

"Don't answer her," Alistair warned. "She looks Chasind, and that means others may be nearby."

The woman observed him. "Oh, you fear barbarians will swoop down upon you," she threw her hands in the air for added effect.

"Yes. Swooping is bad," he said slowly.

"She's a Witch of the Wilds she is. She'll turn us into toads!" Daveth said.

"Witch of the Wilds," The woman repeated. "Such idle fancies those legends. Have you no minds of your own? You there, women do not frighten like little boys. Tell me your name and I shall tell you mine."

No harm in that. "My name is Abigail. Pleasure."

"Now there's a proper civil greeting, even here in the Wilds. You may call me Morrigan. Shall I guess your purpose? You sought something in that chest. Something that is here no longer?"

"Here no longer," Alistair said darkly. "You stole them didn't you? You're some kind of…sneaky, witch thief!"

"How very eloquent. How does one steal from dead men," she said non-chalantly.

"Quite easily it seems," he agreed roughly. "Those documents are Grey Warden property, and I suggest you return them."

Morrigan frowned. "I will not for 'twas not I who removed them. Invoke a name that means nothing here if you wish, I am not threatened."

"Then if you didn't…" I left the sentence hanging.

"'Twas my mother, in fact," she finished.

"Would you be so kind as to introduce us?" I asked.

"Hm, now there is a sensible request. I like you."

"I'd be careful," Alistair told me, "first its 'I like you' and then ZAP! Frog time."

"She'll put us all in a pot she will, you watch," Daveth whined.

Superstitious much?

Jory barked back at him. "If the pots warmer then this forest it'll be a nice change."

"Boys!" I said hysterically. "Please try to focus. Do you want to stay here while I go?"

All three of them immediately started muttering about how I should not go alone and that we were a team.

"Follow me then, if it pleases you."

I didn't know how Morrigan could find her way. As soon as we had left the ruins, a thick mist had covered the area. It was impossible to look for landmarks, and I worried about making it back to Ostagar in one piece.

Suddenly the mist cleared and we found ourselves under another decaying tower. At its feet was a small shack. As soon as we had gotten close an elderly woman came out of the door.

"Greetings, Mother," Morrigan began, "I bring before you four Grey Wardens who-"

"I see them girl," the woman interrupted. She looked over all of us, one by one. "Hm. Much as I expected."

Alistair snickered. "Are we supposed to believe that you were expecting us?"

"You are expected to do nothing, least of all believe. Shut one's eyes tight or open one's arms wide, either way, one's a fool," she answered. I didn't like the way she was staring at him.

Daveth sputtered again. "She's a witch I tell you. We shouldn't be talking to her."

"Quiet Daveth," Jory hissed. "If she's really a witch, do you want to make her mad?"

The crone cooed. "There's a smart lad. Sadly irrelevant in the large scheme of things. But it is not I who decides. Believe what you will."

She came closer to me. "And what of you? Does your…foreign mind give you a different view point, or do you believe as these boys do?"

She cackled at my surprised look. "I didn't know it was so easy to guess my, disability," I said grimly.

"It might not be as simple as you think, but I have never been one to let thinks slip past my notice."

"Then," I bit my lip, "I don't understand what belief means to me anymore."

She nodded. "Always question everything in the days to come. It may just save your life." She gave a sigh, "So much about you is uncertain, and yet I believe. Do I? Why, it seems I do!"

"So this is a dreaded Witch of the Wilds," Alistair mused.

"Witch of the Wilds," the woman laughed. "Morrigan must have told you that. She fancies such tales, though she would never admit it. Oh, how she dances under the moon," she said dreamily and cackled again.

"They did not come to listen to your wild tales Mother," Morrigan said meekly.

"True. They came for their treaties, yes? And before you begin barking, your precious seal wore off long ago. I have protected these."

Alistair started to bark "You!...oh, you protected them."

"And why not," the witch asked rhetorically. "Take them to your Grey Wardens and tell them that this Blights threat is greater than they realize."

She passed the treaties to me, and I gave them to Alistair. "Thank you."

"Such manners, always in the last place you expect to find them. Like stockings," she said shortly, looking at her feet.

When she looked up she noticed my raised eyebrow and laughed. "Oh, do not mind me," more laughing ensued . "You have what you came for."

"Time for you to go, then," Morrigan sounded bored.

"Do not be ridiculous girl! These are your guests."

"Oh, very well," she said tiredly. "I will show you out of the woods. Follow me."

Morrigan lead us straight to Ostagar, saving us loads of time. Before I could thank her, she had disappeared. I exchanged a glance with Alistair, but he just shrugged.

I quickly gave the kennel master the flower before we meet Duncan. The commander looked stressed.

"So you return from the Wilds. Have you been successful?"

"We have," I answered.

"Good," he relaxed a bit. "I've had the Circle mages preparing. With the blood you've retrieved, we can start the Joining."

"Will you tell us what all the secrecy is about now?" Ser Jory asked.

"I will not lie, we Grey Wardens pay a heavy price to become what we are. Fate may decree that you pay your price now rather than later."

I took a deep breath. "Let's do it then."

Jory switched moods abruptly, "I agree, let's have it done."

"Then let us begin," Duncan looked at our chaperone. "Alistair, take them to the old temple."

Let the games begin. I thought with a fake cheer.