The sky was more beautiful than I'd remembered as I strolled out of the back door and onto the steps. Then again, it had been some time since I'd actually thought to look up with all we had ahead of us. The sky was constantly changing yet since it remained untouched by our hands, it was still magnificent to behold, unlike the lands that made up Ferelden. Some still held beauty, but the recent wars and fighting had blemished the land forever. Our people were as scarred as the land and I am not sure anything would ever change that, whether we won or lost against the Darkspawn.

Arl Eamon's men were at the practice dummies again as I walked down the set of stairs and I watched them for a bit, daydreaming that there really was no Blight and that we had won, as that demon dressed as Duncan would have had me believe when we were held captive in the Fade.

Reality won over my dream and I walked further down the stairs, spotting Riordan sitting not far from me.

It looked as though he was meditating and I was not sure whether to interrupt or not but then thought it acceptable that I at least inquire if he was doing well.

The sound of my approach broke his concentration and he turned his head a bit to see who it was.

"I apologize, Riordan. I did not mean to disturb you. I just wanted to see how you are doing."

Riordan turned his head towards me then patted the spot next to him on the edge of the stairs.

"Come join me, Sister. And worry not; you will never disturb me."

Happy to have company, I sat down next to Riordan, my legs dangling to the side of the stairs.

"So how are you, Riordan? Are you feeling better?"

"I am indeed, Detra, thank you. Arl Eamon's physicians are the best."

I swung my legs back and forth, reminded of sitting the same way many times at the Cousland estate on the back steps throughout the years.

"Do you think you might be able to tell me a little bit about the Grey Wardens, Riordan? I still feel as if I have so much to learn and I do not even know how to go about it."

Riordan made himself more comfortable on the stairs and clasped his hands together on his knees.

"Well I'd be happy to tell you what I know but it seems you've already picked up the important parts yourself, Sister."

I looked at Riordan.

"I have?"

Riordan smiled.

"Be firm in your beliefs, protect people from their own ignorance and be as loyal as you can to your brothers and sisters, even knowing you'll eventually share their deaths."

My eyes fell to the ground. It seems I was excelling at being a Grey Warden already. But it wasn't a happy time and I was not sure if I should feel proud or not.

"Exactly how many Wardens are out there? I haven't a clue how many we number."

Riordan sighed.

"It's tough to say an exact number. Only the fortress in Weisshaupt has every record of every Warden ever inducted but there are certainly a few dozen or hundreds in every nation in Thedas and the Anderfels are home to over a thousand."

"Yet there are none in Ferelden but the three of us."

Riordan frowned.

"Yes. It's almost as if the Archdemon chose Ferelden deliberately, knowing how unguarded it is."

We reflected on what we'd exchanged for a few minutes, sitting quietly before I had another question.

"Have you ever been to that fortress, Riordan? Wiseha...the one you mentioned?"

Riordan rubbed his bearded chin.

"I have been there once only and I would prefer to not go again. It is very far and very foreign and there is none of the camaraderie that you would find within Orlais for example. The Wardens of Weisshaupt also fight Darkspawn as we do but they are shaped by the harsh winters and the forest there and it chills their spirit. They don't care as they should about the rest of the nation and look only to rule their own. Their King is weak and many of the citizens look to the Wardens for leadership,"

I absorbed all of this knowledge but had no opinion as I had no experience with Anderfels or anything outside of Ferelden for that matter.

There was another silence as the questions continued in my head.

"Do you know when the Wardens were actually founded, Riordan? Is there any record of the exact date or close to it? I know that I have always heard stories of them, even as a child but I've never know how long they've been in existence."

Riordan seemed to have all of this knowledge right at his fingertips as he answered straight away.

"As far as we can tell from records found, it was near twelve hundred years ago. No one knows for sure except that it began with a group of Anders soldiers. As it goes, they defected from their King's army, vowing that battling the Blight was more important than any other military task and they traveled all the way to Tevinter themselves. They were the first ones to track down the first known Archdemon Dumat and the ones to slay him, though none of the Wardens survived this battle."

I hung my head sadly, grieving for the centuries old Wardens we had lost. Even though I had not been a Warden for long, my connection with my brothers and sisters was already strong.

"The Wardens who perished had picked up followers by the time the great battle came about and it was they who formally founded the Order and were recognized by Thedas, thus beginning the line of the Grey Wardens."

I was very grateful for the facts Riordan was giving me. This was my world now and I needed any and all information to help me make my way through it as best as I could. It was also nice to know the history that I was now a part of and why I was fighting.

"Why is there so much time between Blights? Is it because the Darkspawn must search for the Archdemon?"

"Yes. Archdemons do not awaken on their own and it takes the Darkspawn centuries of tunneling through the earth to locate the old gods. With no one to lead them before they locate the Archdemon, it must be sheer chance or maybe instinct which leads them on. What's surprising isn't that it takes so long between Blights, what's surprising is that the Darkspawn succeed at all. But I imagine the old gods call to them and it's that voice in the darkness which drives them through so many generations. To continue the search relentlessly."

Visions of Darkspawn tunneling through rock and dirt entered my head again and what I did not have to imagine the voice of the Archdemon would sound like, calling to them. I would more often than not dream that the Archdemon called to me as I now shared the same taint as the Darkspawn. It was horrifying and I would wake covered in sweat.

And I knew it would only get worse.

"The important thing to remember is that when you are facing Darkspawn, all you need to know is that you must stop them at all costs. They must not be allowed to succeed in their goal of destruction."

I nodded.

"I understand that part perfectly and will protect this nation with every fiber of my being as long as I am alive."

Riordan nodded with me, understanding as only one Grey Warden to another could.

"I must make my way into town now, Detra. I must seek out the rest of the supplies in the Denerim vault. There are many weapons there that can be used when the Darkspawn arrive and I will not have them go to waste."

"Would you like some help, Riordan? I can..."

"Thank you, but no. I know that you have duties here as does Alistair. I can most certainly handle this on my own."

I was nervous to let Riordan go on his own as he had just been through such an ordeal with the poison.

"You could always take some of Eamon's men with you, to help handle the heavier equipment. And if you meet any of Loghain's men...You should just bring me with you. I won't feel you're safe if you don't."

Riordan stood up and brushed the dust from his armor.

"This vault is for Warden eyes only and I would prefer we remain the only ones with the knowledge of its location. Should Denerim not fall, we may still be able to make use of it later on. And you have more important things to attend to it seems."

Riordan gestured behind us and I stood with him and turned find an elven servant peeking out the door, looking at both of us and then speaking to me.

"My lady, it is time."

Riordan covered my hand with his.

"We must speak again, Detra, preferably this evening at the latest. I will come and find you after you return from your meeting at the tavern. May luck be with you, Sister."

Riordan bowed again and headed off into town towards the Warden vault while I followed the elf into the estate to once again try to do battle with the necessary dress to deal with the politics soon to be at hand.