The odd thing about life is that it just keeps going on, regardless of how anyone feels about it, Mina thought, as she walked the grounds around Ostagar. How she came to be there still hurt a little. She felt friendless, betrayed, and so empty. Her whole life had been spent in the Circle Tower, and it had all been taken away from her in the most painful way possible. The only two people alive that she'd ever felt close to had betrayed her and then her recently won status as a Circle Mage was ripped away from her; her home and her family, gone in such a short time.

She would forever feel grateful that Duncan had been there to intervene on her behalf. Leaving her home had hurt, but she'd had some time since then to think about what life would be like in the tower now that Jowan was on the run and Cullen had betrayed her trust.

In her hand she carried the gift she'd given Alexa shortly before her Harrowing- a small stone carving of the three of them smiling together tucked inside a wooden box. Its rough exterior had smoothed considerably in the trip across Ferelden to Ostagar. In spite of everything, she didn't want to forget the happiness of her youth. She wondered, now, looking at these men preparing for war, when next she'd feel such joy.

She wondered if what the demons in the fade told her about Alexa was true. Could she really have given in to the Pride demon they kept in the bottle there? Could she really have willingly become an abomination? Or was it really just a way for the Templars to manipulate them, as Jowan claimed? And how could he have fallen into blood magic? Where could he have learned it, for one thing, and why?

But the thing that hurt the most was Cullen's part in the whole affair. He'd taken her suspicion of Jowan, whispered to him in confidence, and told the Templars. She hadn't spoken to him before she left. He'd been ready to strike her down at her Harrowing, and he'd told the Templars her secrets. But, as much as it hurt, she couldn't be angry. He was a slave to his duty, and loyalty to her wasn't an option. She'd been a fool to expect otherwise.

The navel gazing was fine in the Circle tower, but here at camp, it was less safe. Mina tripped, and was narrowly caught from falling face first into a nearby puddle by a young man with dark hair.

"Careful there, girl. You'll ruin your pretty dress." He lifted her clean off her feet, and set her down on them again. "Little one, aren't ya? What are you doin' in a warcamp?" A small smile was forming at the corners of his mouth.

"Thanks," Mina said, her voice a little husky from underuse. "I was killing a little time waiting for someone to arrive, is all."

"Really? Me too. Maybe we should kill it together. Strength in numbers an' all that." Mina laughed a little. "I'm Daveth. Soon-to-be Gray Warden Daveth, but right now, still just Daveth." He stuck his hand out to her. It was rough, and Mina noticed chafing around his wrist.

She took the offered hand and did her best to smile. A fellow Gray Warden? It would be nice to know one, she thought. "Pleased to meet you, Daveth. I'm Mina, formerly Circle Mage Mina, and soon-to-be Gray Warden Mina."

"Ah, so we're waitin' for the same person and have the same time to kill!" His smile grew wider as he pumped her hand up and down. "I'm waitin' for Duncan too." He let her hand go and looked over his shoulder. "There's another Grey Warden to-be around here somewhere, but once he found out I was a conscripted cut-purse, he decided he'd keep his own company." Daveth looked back at Mina. "Will you be wantin' to keep your own company too, Former Circle Mage Mina, or would you like to join me in a search for something to eat that hasn't been in a soldier's pocket for a month long march?"

Mina laughed again. It felt weird. It'd been a while. "I don't have a purse to cut, so I guess I'll stick with you. Maybe you can tell me a little more about this secret rite we have to do to join the Wardens."

"I've only heard rumors, but ..."

They walked, and Daveth talked. Mina had to admit, it was good to have someone talking to her again. While she traveled with the magi to Ostagar, she'd kept to herself as much as possible. The magi were nosy and she didn't feel like having to face awkward questions about Jowan and her conscription. She'd endured quite enough of that when Alexa died.

Mina learned plenty about Daveth while they wandered the camp, which was just fine with her. She suspected that he'd noticed that she wasn't saying much, as the conversation wandered wildly from his hometown to the east to the legendary Gryphons his Brother Tavis claimed to have seen last year to the apostate mages that allegedly lived in the woods to the south.

Mina's ears perked up at the mention of these mages. Stories of apostates were scarce in the Tower.

"Witches of the Wilds, they call 'em. Evil mages that can turn into wolves and will turn you into a frog given half the chance! My Brother Tavis claimed he bedded one only 3 months ago-" Daveth stopped talking so quickly that Mina thought he'd vanished. When she looked around to him, he was blushing sheepishly. "Pardon, m'lady. Not a story I should be tellin' the likes of you. Thoughtless of me."

Mina grinned wolfishly. "Daveth, I'm no lady. Mages can inherit no lands or titles, remember? Besides, I lived in a tower full of people who had nothing to entertain them but boring old tomes about magic and each other. I could almost guarantee you that there is not much you could tell me that I haven't done, heard of, or seen illustrations of. I might could even teach your Tavis a thing or two."

Daveth's blush deepened while he tried to work out if she was joking or not. She let him guess. Suddenly he laughed. "Mina of the Circle Tower, you're just full of surprises."