The halls of Highever castle where filled with servant rushing to finish the last minute preparations for the feast. The large banquet table was slowly being filled with every sort of food that anyone could imagine with the best wine and mead from the cellars being brought up so be set out for the soon to be arriving guest.
"Ruari! You should hurry up and get changed! The guest will be arriving soon and your still in your training outfit." Aeden called out as he clapped him friend on the back, jostling him forward.
"I still have time." He replied.
"Nonsense, you have to look your best, think of all the fabulously beautiful women that will be here tonight, we have to at least get you some dances." Aeden joked, a cocky grin spreading across his face. Ruari couldn't help but stare at how strange it looked on his friend; Aeden was never cocky, especially when it came to women. The thought was quickly driven out of his mind when he heard another voice join them.
"He's right you know I have it on good authority that there will be a certain young lady from Denerim coming tonight." Ruari turned to see Elissa, wearing a slightly elaborate blue dress; no doubt one he mother had wrestled her in to.
"Which Lady from Denerim?" he asked.
"Oh now Ruari don't play coy! Pretty, slim, blonde with green eyes? ring any bells?" Aeden teased.
Ruari felt his cheeks go pink at the image that was brought to mind, but he couldn't think where he knew her from.
He left the others and quickly went to change, the guest had only started to arrive and he felt pleased that he had been right about having plenty of time to get ready. He watched as the Teyrn and his wife greeted each guest with a smile as Fergus laughed and joked with Oren and Oriana spoke with Elissa.
"This is going to be quite a party." Ruari turned to see who had spoken, Arl Rendon Howe stood next to him cradling a glass of wine, Ruari felt a swell of unbelievable rage build up in his body; his shoulders went tense as his hands turned into fist. He wanted to tear this man limb from limb but didn't know the reason why. Before anything could be said he felt a strong hand grip his shoulder.
"Come now, it's almost time to eat, you can worry about finding your lady friend when you have a full stomach." Aeden laughed as he pulled him towards the hall. They sat together drinking and eating for what seemed like a endless time. Jokes were told and stories where swapped before a band began to play. The guest all stood as the table and food seemed to melt away into the back ground as they began to dance.
Ruari turned to dance with his next partner, only to have his breath stolen, before him stood a beautiful blonde woman, her hair trailing down to her slim waist. Her pink lips where curled up into a sweet smile that was reflected in her green eyes.
"Milady" He said as he gestured with his right hand and bowed politely, "May I have this dance."
The woman smiled as she took his hand and they began to dance, the others in the hall seemed to drift away as he was mesmerised, but he felt something unease, something wasn't quite right.
"Ruari!" a voice came from behind him, he turned to find a small woman in a purple dress standing next to him.
"I know you…" he said trailing off.
"Yes you do, and you need to come with me." The woman said urgently.
"What? Why?" he asked confused.
"He's busy, if you hadn't noticed." His dance partner said. The woman seemed to only notice his partner's prescience then staring at her with slightly widened eyes.
"Ha! I knew it! Alistair owes me ten silvers when we get back!" The woman exclaimed.
"What are you talking about? Who are you? Who's Alistair?" Ruari demanded.
"Oh yeah, right, I'm Neria a Grey Warden, so is Alistair and Lyna. You, Elissa and Kallian and a few others have been travelling with us. We were on a mission to get aid from the mages when a sloth demon threw us in to the fade. Sound familiar?"
"What the fade? No that can't be right…" Ruari breathed out, his voice uncertain.
"Come on Ruari try and remember, this isn't real, and that definitely not Kallian." She said pointed to the blonde woman.
"Who do you think you are? Rushing in and speaking such nonsense about mages and the fade." She huffed out angrily.
"Shut up will you, you nothing more than a poor imitation." Neria snapped "Look you couldn't even get the ears right!" she accused pointing.
Ruari eye's followed where she had pointed only to notice the blonde ears where round, not pointed. He had a sudden image of sitting with a blonde elf as she stitched his wound, pushing her hair behind her ears as she hid a flush of pink on her cheeks. He felt his stomach drop as a fog seemed to be lifted from his mind and all of his memories came rushing back as once. The attack on Elissa meeting Kallian and her friends, the escape to Redcliffe, the news from Highever, the battle in the village, the siege on the castle, the Circle Tower and the sloth demon.
"Maker! Neria!" he exclaimed.
"You remember! Good that'll make the next part easier." She said with a smile before a loud shrike was heard and the illusion of the ballroom and guest fell away to reveal an unsteady and colour stained landscape.
"Pay attention!" Neria shouted as a shade charged towards them, looking down he found himself back in his armour. He quickly grabbed his sword and shield as he joined in the fight.