I spent most of the journey looking around in fascination. We passed through many towns, small and easy going. Cities, enormous and bustling. Everywhere we went, at least one person recognized Duncan. He was constantly being offered places to stay for the night. I made sure to stay close to him at night, simply because I didn't know anyone.

The day we were to enter Ostagar, I was hit by the worst of the illness. My vision danced before my eyes, everything swimming and colors running together. A pounding headache, exacerbated by the coughing fits I suffered near constantly. It could have been that it was all just one big fit, if not for the few minutes here and there where I was granted a reprieve.

I must have fallen asleep, or fallen unconscious, because I woke up in a tent, no idea what day it was, let alone how I got there.

I stretched cautiously, hoping it wouldn't set off another round. Blessed be the Maker, I was still okay after a few minutes. Slowly standing, I poked my head out, blinded by the sun.

"Ah, you're awake. How do you feel?" Duncan's voice came from my left.

My head swiveled around, my eyes searching. There, by a big fire. I made my way to his side.

"I wonder, are you going to get tired of asking me that?" I managed a small smile, "I'm not dead, so I suppose I'm doing as well as can be expected."

He shook his head, "I was concerned. You were asleep for two days, and nothing could wake you. It's good to see you up and about."

"Two days?" I breathed, shocked.

"Yes." A pause, "Are you well enough to go through with the Joining, do you think?"

I shrugged, staring at the fire, "I have to be. Otherwise, it was a waste for you to bring me here. Are there any other recruits, besides me?"

"Two. Daveth and Jory. You should go find them, meet them. And find Alistair, while you're at it. He's a Grey Warden, and he'll be present at your Joining."

Nodding my head, I yawned, "What do they look like?"

"Daveth has short black hair and a large bow, quiver full of arrows. Jory, a bald head and a greatsword. Alistair has short blonde hair. Last I saw of him, he was heading in that direction." He pointed off to the left, past the infirmary.

"Will do. I'll be back soon." I stretched again. I actually "feel a little better, being up and walking around." I muttered to myself.

Duncan smiled softly, "That is good. There is yet time."

"And hope." I added, "Always hope."

...

Daveth was creep. There was no other way of putting it. He was just a creep.

He was standing with a female soldier, asking her what time she was off rounds. Which tent was hers. What she liked to do in her spare time. If she would join him in his tent. Just generally being a pervert.

I intervened on her behalf.

"Daveth?" I asked innocently.

"Yeah?" he looked down at me, sneering, "And who are you? Are you lost, little girl?"

I shook my head, "No, ser. Ser Duncan was looking for you. He wants us all to gather to talk about the Joining."

"'Us'? You're included in that?" a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, ser." I smiled brightly.

"Riiiiight. Well, we'll have to continue this conversation another time, then, milady." He flashed a confident smile at the woman.

As he walked off, I rolled my eyes, "Are you okay?"

"Yes, thank you. I thought he would never leave. I even asked him politely several times! He just wouldn't take no for an answer." She sighed.

I shrugged, "He's a creep. That's what creeps do. Take care and have a nice day."

I walked away, wondering where I would find Jory.

I needn't have worried, because he stuck out like a sore thumb. Standing over by a Chantry Sister who was saying her prayers and offering to pray for anyone within hearing distance, he towered over the people around him.

"Jory?"

He glanced about

I sighed, "Down here."

"Oh. Hello, there."

"Ser Duncan wishes to see you. He wants us all to gather to talk about the Joining."

"Ah. Alright. I'll see you there."

"Are you alright?" I frowned.

"You're a child. I didn't expect a child to be among those recruited."

"I can fight just like you. I'm just as good."

"I don't doubt it, for Duncan to have brought you here, but it is still something that will take getting used to."

"Does it intimidate you, having a child fighting by your side, Ser Jory?" I asked passively.

"I…. It does not. I simply do not like knowing I have years of training and have honed my abilities to wield a greatsword, when they will allow children to hold a blade in a fight against the most fearsome of creatures. It frustrated me, is all. I won the honor of becoming a Grey Warden. I fought in a tournament, vying for Duncan's attention, and won. I earned the right to be here. You, however…. I do not know how a child earns the right."

"Man is far more terrifying and horrible than any darkspawn, in my experience. At least with a darkspawn, you understand that all they want is to kill you. Whereas with man… they have hidden motives for everything. If it doesn't help them, even indirectly, they might as well not do it."

"Forgive me, but I must take my leave now."

I stared at his back as he walked away. Well, alright, then.

Next on the list was Alistair. I hoped he wasn't as weird or creepy as the other two. That was just be the icing on the cake for me.

I sighed as I climbed the steps of the ruins Duncan had last seen him heading toward.

Yelling caused me to slip in to my sneaky thief stance, inching closer to the voices.

A mage, obvious by his robes and the staff he carried, was going off on a blonde man. The Warden Alistair, if I had to guess. I prayed I was right. I did not want to walk all around this place, just trying to find one person.

By the sound of it, the warrior was enjoying egging the mage on. For what reason, I couldn't even begin to guess.

"Should I have asked her to write a note?" He asked, barely concealing his attitude.

"Tell her I will not be harassed in this manner!"

"Yes, I was harassing you by delivering a message." Sarcasm dripped from every word.

"Your glibness does you no credit."

"Here I thought we were getting along so well. I was even going to name one of my children after you… the grumpy one."

"Enough! I will speak to the woman if I must! Get out of my way, fool!" the mage growled, stomping away.

The blonde man turned toward me, "You know, one good thing about the Blight is how it brings people together."

"I know exactly what you mean." I smiled back.

"It's like a party; we could all stand in a circle and hold hands. That would give the darkspawn something to think about. Wait, we haven't met, have we? I don't suppose you happen to be another mage?" he asked good naturedly.

I shook my head, "I'm just a simple girl that's good with weapons."

"Oh, wait! I do know who you are!" He exclaimed excitedly, making me jump, "You're Duncan's new recruit!"

Blink. Blink, blink, "How do you know that? We just got here."

"Duncan sent word ahead, said he had a new recruit. Mentioned you were younger than most, but not that you were a..." He trailed off at my raised brow, clearing his throat, "Besides, it's been a couple of days. You came in unconscious, so no one but the healers got to see you. It must be strange, having woken up here like that, without remembering actually making it."

"I'm a what?" I asked primly, not to be deterred.

"Uh. Girl. Yes. He didn't mention you were a girl." He tried, so hard, to recover from almost calling me a child.

I laughed, doubling over, at how red he was, "It's alright. You can call me what I am-a child."

He let out a breath, "Oh, good. How old are you, anyway?"

He watched me with curious eyes.

Shrugging, I murmured, "I'm eight." My gaze shifted to a group of soldiers praying with a Chantry sister.

"You get the fantastic opportunity of becoming a Grey Warden. And so young, too." something in his voice made me wonder what horrific things were in store for the next day.

"You make it sound like I'm going to be tortured." I half laughed, trying to cover up my growing anxiety.

He held up his hands, "Oh, no. That's not what I meant."

Turning around, I moved away from him, "Anyway, I was supposed to get you for Duncan."

"Did you meet the others yet?"

I rolled my eyes, "Yes. The idiot warrior and the weird rogue."

"Jory and Daveth." He corrected, failing to hide a chortle.

"Yeah, them. Is Daveth a pervert?" I asked as innocently as I could.

He raised an eyebrow, studying me intently, "Did he say something to you?"

"No, no. And even if he had, one-I'm eight, and two-I would have knocked him out. No, he was talking with a soldier, a woman, and making creepy remarks to her." I walked a little way away.

Sighing, he started forward, following me.

"He's a keeper, that one." I wrinkled my nose, "Am I supposed to feel a comradeship with them because we're going through this 'Joining' together? Because I don't like either one of them. And I probably never will."

Walking beside me, he smirked, "No, I don't think so. That might come later, but I wouldn't hold my breath. I don't care for them, either."

I continued in silence for a few feet, until Alistair spoke up again.

"I can't for the life of me remember your name. I'm terribly sorry." He shook his head in disbelief, as if it was impossible for him to forget names.

"I'm Anastasia."

"Ah, that was the name! I'm-"

"Alistair, right? Duncan sent me to get you, remember?" I giggled.

"Oh, right. Maker, you must think I'm stupid." he sighed.

"Nah. I like you more than I do the other two." my nose wrinkled again in distaste.

"I feel honored."

"As you should." I declared, adopting a posh tone.

"Oh, I do. I truly do, your highness." We burst out laughing simultaneously.

I stumbled and almost took a tumble down the short flight of stairs, but he caught my arm and instead I fell on my butt. The whole thing only made me laugh harder.

"So, why don't you like Jory? I assume the reason for Daveth is him just being a creep?" he asked when I finally picked myself up.

"I'm sorry, have you met Jory?"

He frowned slightly, "Of course. Why?"

My eyes rolled up to the sky, "All he talked about was his sword and how he loves fighting with it. I bet, when we go up against darkspawn, he'll panic. He'll forget he has a sword, let alone how to use it. And I know, it's probably normal for people, but a warrior that's as 'skilled' as he is? It shouldn't affect him overly much, if he really were as great as he makes himself sound. Besides, he sounds like he's afraid of anything he can't simply stab. 'Stab stab kill! I am man!'" I held out my arms, gesturing wildly.

That set off another round of laughter.