I want to thank everyone who put me on their favorites list. Your time and patience mean everything to me. This chapter was a little harder for me. Truthfully, they're all hard for me. However, I ran into a brick wall with this one. This wall being...point of view.

I hope to get the other one out sooner. I have no excuse but work and family. Thank you again. Please enjoy or criticize if you wish. Greatfully, Galesong

Chapter 3

Roads Less Traveled

They say the road less traveled is more dangerous. I would beg to differ. At least that is what I tried to persuade one simpleton Grey Warden and the rest of my companions.

There are worse things than bandits and darkspawn horde. There are things that have escaped the thinning veil that few have been fortunate enough not to see. Blight taints the land and blood controls the magic. Only Morrigan seemed to recognize the potential hazards of traveling the road that curved around Lake Calenhad.

We used Gherlen's Pass to make our way to lower ground. It was Alistair's idea to follow the Imperial Highway, which snaked around the lake, then backtrack through the Frostback Mountains. From there we were to search out Brother Genitivi in the Village of Haven. He was to have valuable knowledge on the whereabouts of the Urn of Sacred Ashes. This information was purchased by the blood of many knights sent by Redcliffe.

In my pack I carried the treaties of three nations: The mages from the Circle of Magi, the elves of the Dales and the dwarves of Orzammar. Their leaders had sworn allegiance to us and our cause. Finding the urn was the last piece we needed to put into play the events that would end the Blight and seize Loghain's mounting power and control over Ferelden. I wasn't sure how these events would transpire nor if Andraste's ashes would even heal the Arl. I, their fearless leader, wasn't even sure of where we were going.

Darkness was fast descending upon us as we wove through the evergreens of the dense forest. With the approaching night came the fog. It covered the dark soil like a thick diaphanous blanket making it hard to maneuver around the obstacles in our path. The creatures behind the glowing yellow eyes were held at bay by warding spells that Morrigan and I had cast and maintained. Leliana kept her bow cocked and stepped lightly as she followed closely behind Alistair. Oghren and Sten brought up the rear.

I looked over my shoulder and watched my fellow drunk stagger and fall across the bumpy terrain. Occasionally, Sten would pick up Ohgren by the scruff of his armor and set him back on foot. The giant qunari was disgruntled to say the least. Morrigan's own silence was another matter as she paced herself with me. I made a mental note to talk to her later.

I unintentionally fixed my gaze upon Alistair as he meandered ahead of us. My pounding head found relief in watching his pack and shield sway to the steady beat of his purposeful stride. With the treaties secured, Alistair was more than ever determined to see that his uncle was healed. Eamon had been poisoned by the blood mage, Jowan. I, myself, found my own feet slow to respond. I was in no hurry to divulge to the Arl that I was behind the death of his son.

"You killed Connor! You killed him. A little boy, how could you? I just don't know how you could do it…how you could make that decision? I owe my uncle more than this." Alistair's words resonated in my ears and plunged deep into my heart. Even now I could still feel the dagger being wrenched into place.

I was going to kill him; at least that was my intention. Connor was an abomination. I went to his room to confront the demon. A desire demon had taken possession of the boy. We fought as we slipped in and out of the fade until the vessel lacked the strength for the demon to fight any longer. She had offered me the world. She had offered me Alistair. For a moment I had entertained the thought, but I refused. I had to refuse. Even with the child on the brink of death, she had declined to release her hold on the boy.

Images of the demon surfaced in my mind. I remembered looking down at the demon who had become the boy once more. He looked vulnerable and weak laying there as he did, but Connor was anything but harmless. He was responsible for calling upon the demon and using its power to manifest the walking dead. The rotting corpses had killed a great many villagers and servants of Redcliffe. It could have been far worse had we not come when we did.

I remembered holding the blade over my head to take the final blow when the Arlessa rushed at me. I had read the murderous intent on her face as well as her fear. I recalled stepping aside and bracing myself to receive the force of her fury. She ran to her son instead and threw herself across him.

I had mentally flinched when she pleaded and begged for her son's life, "DON'T KILL MY BABY; I'M BEGGING YOU! You…you're a woman. What if this was your son? Tell me you wouldn't move mountains to save him."

In that single moment the scales had lifted from my blinded eyes and I no longer saw an abomination. I saw me as a child. I wondered if it had been difficult for my own mother to see me taken away. Would she have had the strength to keep my powers from my father? I knew my father to be an honorable man, much like the Arl. I had swiftly quelled my heart against such thoughts; it was far better to not travel down that road.

"…I'm sorry I called her, mother. It hurts! Make it stop!" I remembered Connor's pain-filled words. They had brought me out of my reverie.

"I will, baby, I will. I'll…make the pain stop." I had watched as the Arlessa consoled her dying son between sobs.

"I – I'm very sorry, Lady Isolde," I had whispered. The only comfort I could offer the mother was to hand her my dagger. It is a tragedy I had hoped to never to repeat again.

As far as anyone knew Connor had died by my hand and not his mothers. I brushed the tears away from my burning eyes, and then touched my lips. I remembered Alistair's honeyed kiss. The memory of this morning had disappeared like a dream in the mists. It seemed so far away and I was so very tired.

(Alistair)

"Tell me, Alistair, is it the templar in you or are you truly that daft?" Morrigan was the last person I wanted to see tonight. Camp had been struck and I was making my rounds when she materialized out of nowhere.

"I would have to say it's neither. It's all you, Morrigan. You're just a bitch." I tried to ignore her, but as usual I took her bait.

"Naturally, it is not for you." I glanced down at the blanket Morrigan had tossed at my feet and gave her a blank look.

"Don't you have something else to do? Like bark at the moon," I suggested as I watched Morrigan scuttle off into the darkness towards her tent.

I picked up and dusted off the blanket. I despised the fact that Morrigan was always right, and I disliked myself more for not figuring it out on my own. While one mage antagonized me at every turn the other befuddled my every thought. However, both mages addled my templar sense of decorum.

My eyes found the object of my current broodings. She was sitting on a length of driftwood near the lake apart from camp. I looked down at the blanket draped over my arm and then at my love offering in the other hand and calculated my chances. I stole a quick glance at Chandra. Her back was against me as she looked at the glassy surface of the lake. Either way my chances were not good.

I hadn't talked to her since…I held her in my arms and kissed her….this morning. I had been running circles in mind and I still didn't know what to say. How could I tell her that she made me crazy every time I was around her? I didn't want to look like a fool in her eyes; yet, all I could do is smile like a dolt when I was near her. I wanted to tell her that I loved the moments we have shared together, her nervous laugh and that look in her eyes when she didn't think I was looking. When did I decide she was everything I ever wanted, but was afraid to try? So, in the end, I didn't say anything.

"Well, aren't you little miss grumpy girdle. Here I am trying to get your attention all day and you just ignore me," I interrupted Chandra's meditation with a last minute fabricated lie.

"Blast it," I muttered under my breath then continued more loudly, "I'm sorry, I... I didn't mean for it to come out like that."

"What do you want, Alistair? I'm tired," Chandra sighed heavily. I looked into her dark enigmatic eyes. At the moment they were drawn together in a peculiar, but not unflattering way.

"You're cute when you get all irritable, you know that. You get this little knot right between your…" I reached out to touch her creased brow, but stopped when I saw her pull away, "Oh, never mind."

The silence between us amplified the queasiness in my stomach and the uncertainty I was feeling. I looked down once more at the two items I held…comfort or love? I let out a long slow breath and decided upon the route most honest.

I swallowed hard and held out my token of affection, "Here, look at this. Do you know what this is?

"Is that a trick question," quizzed Chandra. She looked displeased. Things were never easy when they concerned Chandra. I mustered the courage to continue.

"Yes, absolutely, I'm trying to trick you. Is it working? Aw, just about had you, didn't I?" I brandished my token like small blade in front of Chandra to emphasize each question. It ended with a disheartening snap.

"Fine! It's a rose, I see that," Chandra humored me.

My courage, like the rose, sagged against the weight of Chandra's retort. I looked down at the withered blossom; it drooped over my large clumsy hand where it had splintered. I watched as a darkened petal fell to the ground and shattered along with my hopes.

"I picked it Lothering," I heard myself continue, "I remembered thinking…"How could something so beautiful exist in a place with so much depression and ugliness?"I probably should have left it alone, but I couldn't. The darkspawn would come and their taint would just destroy it. So I've had it ever since."

"That long?" I watched as Chandra's disconcerting lips curved into the slightest of smiles,"You should have left it for the darkspawn; it probably would have had a better chance at survival."

"Ouch. Now I'm wounded. Look at me, bleeding all over the place. You're just not very nice, are you?" There was no salvaging my fragile ego. The only thing I had left to defend myself with was my charm, wit and personality. That I had in spades.

She paused from her quick-witted banter and studied for me for a moment. I chafed under her perusal. I looked for something to distract me, anything. My salvation came in the form of a rock embedded in the ground under my foot. Seconds passed and she still had not said anything. I continued to chip away the dirt from the rock with the heel of my boot. I just about had it unearthed; all it needed was one good solid kick…

"Oh, sod!" I watched Chandra's feet fly over her head as she toppled over. I walked slowly towards her, "Clearly this is all just a misunderstanding. We'll laugh about this later. Chandra?"

There was no answer. I ran to where Chandra had fallen and knelt down next her listless form. I scooped her up and held her to my chest. She did not move. My heart pounded. I could hear the blood rushing in my ears. I pushed her dark hair aside to get a better view of her face. It was difficult to make out under the moonlit night. I thought I saw the makings of a bruise on her left temple. My hand shook as I splayed my fingers across her chest...

"Feeling a little thorny…are we," questioned Chandra.

I closed my eyes at the sound of Chandra's voice. Relief washed over me like a soothing balm. I slowly let out the breath that I still held and silently thanked the Maker. I looked back down at Chandra. She smiled impishly as she twirled my discarded rose between her thumb and forefinger.

I tried to look wounded and replied in my most serious tone, "Oh, ha-ha, that's so funny I just about feinted."

"I can arrange for that," laughed Chandra as she wound her fingers in my hair and pulled my face down to hers. I chuckled briefly at hearing my own words being repeated before I was lost in Chandra's kiss.

Slow down girl, you're not going anywhere

Just wait around and see

Maybe I'm much more, you never no what lies ahead

I promise I can be anyone, I can be anything

I promise I can be what you need

I reluctantly pulled away from Chandra and searched her face. Her lips were parted and slightly moist from our kiss. She slowly opened her eyes and bit at her bottom lip. That was my undoing. I cleared my throat and tried to find my voice, "Well, all right then. About the rose, I thought that I might…give it to you, actually."

"Cute! Just what every girl wants…a shriveled up dead rose." Chandra crinkled her nose, sniffed the wilted flower and then sneezed. I watched the remaining petals disintegrate along with the remainder of my charm, wit and personality.

I leaped to my feet so abruptly that Chandra hit the ground in an unladylike heap. I started pacing. I didn't bother to respond to Chandra's colorful metaphors. "Cute?" I stopped in front of her, "Cute? Just what I was aiming for. What else can I do? Write a poem? Pull your hair? I just saw the rose and…" I pushed a frustrated hand through my hair and sighed heavily, "…I love you."

I watched as several emotions paraded across Chandra's adorable face but was thoroughly unprepared for what she said next, "So…are we married now?"

"Ha! You won't land me that easily, woman!" I helped Chandra to her feet and drew her into my embrace, "I know I'm quite the prize, after all, no need to start crying on me or anything." I kissed her upturned nose and then I captured her enticing lips with my own.

"So, you love me," questioned Chandra as she interrupted our kiss.

"I... did I say I love you? Do you... have any particular opinion on my saying that," I smiled down at her and went back to nibbling her ear.

"Sounds good. Off with the armor, then," Chandra challenged.

"Damn! She saw right through me," I thought to myself. Leave it to the little minx to have the last word.

"I'll be…I'll be standing over here. Until the blushing stops. Just to be, uh, safe. You know how it is," I laughed nervously. I pulled away from our embrace and playfully started walking towards the lake's edge.

In a span of seconds whatever intimacy Chandra and I had shared was gone as she instantly withdrew her hands from mine. Words could not express the shock I saw in her eyes. Not until I heard her scream, "Alistair, No!"

***Vulnerable by Secondhand Serenade