Paien had brought two Grey Wardens with him from the Anderfels. Elissa met them after a restless night of sleep. Both of them were elves, a man and a woman, and they sat with Paien in the dining hall over a small breakfast of eggs, fruit, and tea.

The Wardens looked up as Elissa arrived. They had been sitting very close together, murmuring in low voices over a scattering of parchment on the table. Of course, all conversation stopped when she arrived, and Paien rose.

"Cousland," he said. "This is Cruso and Lindise."

Cruso had the sort of face that was used to wearing a sour expression. The intricate designs along his high cheekbones and wide forehead marked him as Dalish, and his lean frame was packed with tight muscle. He studied Elissa with a critical eye, but kept any judgment to himself.

Lindise, meanwhile, rose with a smile. "Good morning," she said cheerfully. This elf was not a Dale. She was lacking not only the face tattoos, but also the quiet, suspicious nature. Her face was open and welcoming, with large brown eyes and short brown hair that curled around pointed ears that were a bit too large, even by elven standards. She was smaller than her fellow elf, and probably weighed less than Sigrun. This Grey Warden could only be a mage.

"Good morning," Elissa replied with a soft, friendly smile of her own.

"I've a hundred questions for you," Lindise said, returning to her seat. She glanced at Paien, then back to the other woman, "They can wait."

"Lindise will be joining us on the road to Nevarra," Paien nodded to her. "Cruso will remain at Vigil's Keep."

Cruso leaned back in his chair, "You don't have many elves here," he observed.

"And I'm glad you'll be here to change that," Elissa replied.

The elf's expression softened a bit at her words. "So I shall."

"We should gather up the Wardens here. Inform them of the change, the plans." Paien leaned over the table. "I should like to take more than just the four of us to Nevarra. The situation we are to investigate there is… delicate."

"I've always had a fondness for delicate things!" Anders jogged down the stairs in his usual chipper morning mood. "Hello, new faces… 'Lissy, toss me a pear there, would you? I've got to run."

Paien looked up at the mage and frowned. "Who is this?"

"Anders," he replied with a smile, hand still lifted in anticipation of his pear.

"You should stay, Anders." Elissa sat on the edge of the table. "Warden meeting."

Anders' smile faded, and his expression took on a hint of panic. He glanced quickly from one unfamiliar person to the other, then back to his commander. "Is… is it the Circle?"

"No," Elissa smiled a little, shaking her head. "Nothing to do with you at all."

"Have a seat," Paien said flatly, pointing at a chair without even looking up from his maps and notes.

Anders' eyes narrowed on Paien. "No," he said. "I've got something to do."

Paien looked back at the mage with a deepening scowl. "What kind of something?"

"Personal something. Don't see how it is any of your business."

Elissa tipped her head back to stare at the ceiling in frustration. Leave it to Anders to make a memorable first impression.

"It is my business." Paien straightened to his full height. "You are a Grey Warden, and I am at this moment your Commander."

"Is that so?" Anders asked casually, glancing to Elissa for confirmation. When she nodded, he shrugged back at Paien, "Still none of your blighted business." He leaned over the table to take a pear for himself.

Paien slammed a hand on the table and pushed the fruit bowl away, "I said sit down."

Anders stepped back, his expression hardening. "Ah, so this is the 'command' part of 'Warden Commander,' is it? No."

Elissa pinched the bridge of her nose, "Anders, please."

The mage snapped his fingers once, pointing at Elissa, "See? That's why she's better at this than you. She uses the magic word." He spun to face her with a bow, "Sorry. I can't. I've got something else to do, as I said."

"I demand to know what is so important that you would defy your commanding officer like this," Paien growled.

"Truthfully?" Anders asked as he backed away to the door. "Nothing. It's suddenly become the principle of the thing. Enjoy your meeting. Cheerio!" With a spin and a flap of his robes, he was gone, sprinting out of the dining hall, through the foyer, towards freedom beyond.

Paien sneered, glancing to the elves before settling his eye on Elissa. "I don't care for that one."

"He… doesn't respond well to authority," Elissa said slowly. "I'll talk to him later."

Lindise smiled faintly at the doorway, "I thought he was funny."

Paien smoothed out his maps, still scowling. "Funny is not an asset one looks for in recruiting Grey Wardens. Can he fight?"

"He can heal," Elissa said, sitting at the table.

The older man nodded once, "Then he is to come with us. We need a healer."

One by one, the other Vigil Wardens trickled into the dining hall in search of breakfast. Oghren sat at the far end of the table, sipping the hair of the dog from his skin and wincing at loud noises. Sigrun piled a plate high with eggs and sat beside a sleepy Alistair. Elissa's tossing and turning all night allowed him very little rest, and the bags under his eyes were as dark and heavy as her own. Nathaniel appeared at some point, passing by the meager breakfast food to lean over Paien's maps with interest.

Anders remained missing, and Justice, as usual, did not make an appearance. Elissa quietly decided to not mention the spirit unless someone asked.

Quick introductions were made, before Paien brought everyone to order. He stood at the head of the table with his hands folded behind his back. "Elissa Cousland has been relieved of her duties as Warden Commander. I am now in charge of Vigil's Keep, and in my absence, the duty shall fall to Cruso."

Sigrun looked to Elissa with wide eyes, "What?"

Oghren, meanwhile, was rattled out of his hangover by the news. "Hang on! What nug shit is this? Why isn't she the commander anymore?"

Paien watched her a moment, before answering, "I have more experience."

"Oh really," Nathaniel drawled, leaning back against a far wall. "How many Archdemons have you slain?"

"The ability to kill things and the ability to lead and make important decisions are very different things," Cruso spat.

"It's done," Elissa said in a low voice. "I have stepped down. Let us move on."

"Done?" Oghren sat upright. "The hell it is! What's he got on you, Commander?"

"I don't understand," Sigrun looked bewildered.

"Oghren, it's done," Elissa said again.

The dwarf huffed and crossed his arms, "So you expect us to follow this pucker licker, is that it?"

"I am just… beside myself with delight at how well this is going. I really am." Alistair rubbed his face with both hands wearily.

"I don't understand," Sigrun said again.

"You are all to follow and respect Commander Paien," Elissa growled. "That is the end of it."

Oghren regarded the older man suspiciously. He scoffed, leaning back in his chair with crossed arms. "Fine. But only because she said so. We'll see how this goes, human."

Paien remained silent a moment, before he returned his attention to his maps. "As I said, Cruso will take over when I am not present. Which will be soon. One of our sisters who should have answered her Calling has fled from Orlais into Nevarra. We are to find her, detain her, and either bring her to the Deep Roads or end her miserable life. If it comes to that." He motioned with a hand, "Cousland and Alistair shall be joining me on this mission, along with Lindise. I should like to take the mage healer along, if he doesn't protest too much."

"I would like to join as well," Nathaniel said.

"Nnno," Alistair spoke up. "Nonono, he's a Howe, these are former Howe lands. He should stay here."

"You will need a scout and bowman," Nathaniel arched a brow at him, and then looked to Paien. "You will find none more capable."

Paien watched Nathaniel a moment in thought, "I shall consider it."

"What about me?" Oghren leapt to his feet.

"You? You will remain here. Sigrun?" Paien looked at the other dwarf.

Sigrun blinked out of deep thoughts, turning to Paien. "Me? Oh. Well. I... think I would better serve the Grey Wardens here. Still a lot to do. Even with all the darkspawn gone..." She trailed off and frowned again, staring at Paien's maps.

"Hang on!" Oghren bellowed. "I've followed Cousland to the Void and back, I am not just going to sit here on my thumbs while she's off adventuring!"

"Felsi would worry," Elissa said in a low, quick voice.

The name made the dwarf grow suddenly silent, and he dropped back into his chair with a sullen expression. "I see how it is."

Paien glanced about the table, "Are we quite finished?" He waited a beat, then nodded. "As I was trying to say. A Grey Warden has fled rather than answer her Calling. Her mind is slipping, and we fear she may be dangerous. Her name is Sabinia."

"That's a Tevinter name," Nathaniel said thoughtfully. "Is she a mage?"

"She is," Paien answered with a nod.

"Wouldn't the Templars be better suited to this task?"

"No," the older man shook his head. "She is a Warden first, and our responsibility. Besides, Alistair has Templar training, I am certain his knowledge will be invaluable."

Alistair gave Nathaniel a very brief, very smug little smile. He tilted his head at Paien with a curious expression, "A party this large to find and bring down one mage?"

Paien met Alistair's eye, "We fear she may be very dangerous."

Alistair winced and leaned back, "Blood magic?"

"Yes."

There were collective groans around the table, while Oghren let out a snort, "Have fun with that."

"Sabinia was last spotted two days ago in Cumberland, to the south, and may be moving north into Tevinter. We will learn more when we arrive and meet with our Nevarran contacts. We have one week to prepare for the journey, and to transition the Vigil to Cruso's command. But the sooner we can depart the better." Paien studied the faces around the table. "So let us begin immediately."