Returning from hunting Rathnal frowned at the sounds of raised voices coming from the camp. They were perhaps another day's ride from Orzammar and he was almost eager to deal with the politics of the dwarves than the issues within the group. He glanced to Jayden who returned his look with one of unease. "That sounds like Morrigan and Delilah … again!" He sighed in annoyance. "Can't you do anything about them?"

"What do you expect me to do? They rub each other up the wrong way, not everyone can get on."

"Well I'm delegating you to deal with it. I have my own responsibilities and neither of them are Wardens. Sort it out, please!"

"Fine." Jayden glanced to Airyl who deliberately didn't meet his gaze. "Thanks for the support." He muttered; both women had been needling at each other for days now, usually they stopped when they saw him, but he knew he needed to put an end to it.

Rathnal smiled slightly as Jayden moved purposefully towards camp, glad he wasn't going to be the one between the women.

Clenching her fists Morrigan closed the distance between herself and Delilah. "At least I have a reason to be here, unlike you. Tis pathetic that you chase after him like a wide eyed adoring mabari pup!"

"I have more reason to be here than you do and my reasons have nothing to do with William. If anyone is the adoring mabari around here it is you, although you are more like a blighted wolf with your demeanor!"

"Tis beyond me why he even bothers to speak to you." Morrigan hissed.

"Well I cannot begin to imagine how he puts up with you! Do you even know how to be a friend? I cannot imagine you have many. He must have pitied you greatly to have befriended you!" She smirked at Morrigan's scowl. "Is the truth too painful?"

Morrigan moved closer lowering her voice to a hiss. "If we are to speak of truth then hear this; I know more about him than you ever will. He will never truly love you. You are nothing more than duty to him!"

Delilah felt her cheeks burn. "You know nothing about love! You have no idea what love is, you are a cold, bitter twisted thing!"

Folding her arms Morrigan smirked. "Love is for fools and you are nothing but the daughter of a traitor."

Delilah's eyes flashed with fury and she raised her hand to strike Morrigan turning sharply at the ear piercing whistle.

"Enough!" Jayden snapped striding towards them. "There is enough fighting out with this camp without fighting amongst ourselves. Now whatever this is between the pair of you sort it out or go back to Rainesfere!" His head snapped to Morrigan as she opened her mouth, the retort dying on her lips beneath his dark gaze.

Delilah's smug smile as Morrigan moved away vanished as Jayden turned his gaze on her. "I …" She turned and retreated towards the stream.

Shaking his head Jayden let out a low breath.

"You are a braver man than me." Alistair chuckled.

"I have no doubt they will both make me pay for that. I expected Morrigan to freeze me or something equally unpleasant and I'm not sure what I expected from Delilah but something just as uncomfortable."

"It's a wonder you got in between them." Leliana stated as she rose and stretched her arms. "All of my attempts to calm the fire between them have failed."

"Rathnal made me." He allowed a smile at Faren's choked laughter. "What were they arguing about anyway?"

"You." Sereda stated with a chuckle patting his arm as she moved passed. "Whenever they are arguing it is about you."

"This is ridiculous." Jayden muttered, glancing to Rathnal who was watching him expectantly. "Fine." He muttered. He headed off in the direction Delilah had taken, momentarily unnerved by Sten's gaze; reading his facial expressions or the seemingly lack of, was a skill all of its own and one he had yet to master. He forced himself to focus, finding Delilah on a log gazing at the water. He headed over surprised as Airyl darted ahead of him clearly trying to help soothe things.

Delilah glanced to Airyl as she nosed against her pocket, smiling as she wolfed down the mabari treat. "Are you going to just stand there or are you going to sit with me?" She glanced to Jayden as he settled on the log next to her. "Before you say anything I apologise. That display was foolish, but in my defence she is insufferable."

"What is going on with the pair of you? I hate to see you at each other's throats."

"She is arrogant and bristles at the slightest comment and she looks at you as though you are her possession and Maker sometimes the way she speaks to you … I cannot understand why you tolerate her!"

"Morrigan and I have been friends since childhood and I know her moods and her ways. Can you at least try and be civil to her?"

Sighing Delilah nodded. "As she is your friend, I will do my best; though perhaps you can encourage her to be equally tolerant."

"I will go and speak to her."

Delilah caught his hand as he moved to get up. "I need to ask you something." She swallowed uneasily as he sat back down. "I just wondered … am I just duty for you?"

Meeting her gaze Jayden sighed. "I know what you want me to say and I care deeply for you, more every day and you are not a duty, but …" He fell silent as she pressed a finger to his lips.

"I do not expect you to love me yet, I understand it is too soon and as long as you are no longer looking at me as a duty that is enough." She sank into his kiss feeling her body melt against him, realising that he was trying to convey that mere duty would not provoke a kiss as passionate. She couldn't help smiling when he pulled away, watching as he headed back towards camp and Morrigan; for once not feeling jealous.

xXx

Turning as she heard approaching deliberate footfalls Morrigan felt anger surge at the flash of guilt.

"Morrigan what is going on with you and Delilah?"

Hunkering down she concentrated her attention on stroking Airyl's ears. "Tis nauseating to see how you act with her; she has but to click her fingers …"

"Even if that was the case which it is not, why does that upset you so much?"

"Because you are my friend and 'tis infuriating to see you act the fool."

Jayden sighed deeply dropping his voice to a whisper. "You know she is my betrothed, why should we not have feelings for each other. When this is over, should we survive ..."

"Have those feelings then!" Morrigan snapped.

"Aren't I allowed any lighter moments?" Jayden hissed running his fingers through his hair in agitation.

Standing Morrigan softened her gaze. "Tis only because I do not wish you to be used."

"I am hardly being used. Morrigan what is this really about?"

"Tis difficult to …" Morrigan sighed in frustration with herself. "I have seen how your female friends look at me as though I will bewitch you. I do not care, but I would be … annoyed if you were no longer part of my life."

"I don't think you need ever worry about that Morrigan. Our bond is such that not even your Mother drumming into you to have no friends could unravel it."

"Tis true, very well, leave me I have things to do."

"And you will at least be tolerant of Delilah if you can't bring yourself to be pleasant?"

"Tis a sacrifice, but if t'will make you happy."

Shaking his head but smiling Jayden returned to the larger camp whistling a tune Morrigan had taught him when he had lived in the Wilds, glancing back seeing a smile on her face. He turned sharply as Airyl gave a low menacing growl, following the line of her gaze, Airyl's keen senses had alerted them to danger before and he never ignored her.

"What is it?" Alistair whispered.

"Nothing good." Jayden murmured, signalling to Rathnal his intention before disappearing into the shadows.

Rathnal turned to Morrigan, but she had already transformed into a raven and gone after Jayden. He signalled to the others to get into more defensible spots, ears straining, glancing to Delilah as she returned to camp signalling to her that there was trouble. Moments later they heard panicked voices and then saw a crackle of lightning and a burst of what seemed to be fire before they heard cries of shock and pain before the sound of someone crashing through the trees followed by a scream as a man fell into their camp with Airyl's jaws clamped around his leg. The camp burst into chaos as armoured men seemed to pour into the camp.

Alistair brought his shield up hard knocking his assailant back and leaving him unconscious, narrowly missing a blade and driving his sword into the chest of its wielder.

Leliana darted to Delilah's side, taking the killing blow as Delilah deflected a blade from a young man barely out of boyhood.

Faren and Sereda fought back to back as four men surrounded them. The pair startled as Sten beheaded one and sliced clean through the torso of another in a single swing, before they took out the remaining two astonished attackers before they could recover their senses.

Rinna darted among the fighters, her blade coated in poison that tonight at least killed swiftly. Her gaze repeatedly searched out Rathnal who was holding his own with Alistair, the pair fighting as though they had trained together their whole lives.

Delilah cried out in pain as a blade sliced into her arm, her sword vanishing into the undergrowth. Forcing herself to ignore the pain she grabbed the dagger from her boot, spinning and running her attacker through. Clutching the wound on her arm Delilah paled as blood slipped between her fingers; transferring her blade to the other hand as she heard a noise behind her, thanking the Maker for Jayden's training in dual blades. As she span and stepped back out of reach of another blade she parried a blow and lunged forward driving the blade into the man's chest. She felt a rush of panic as the dagger caught on the man's armour and she was unable to pull it free. Her eyes widened as she saw a huge man heading for her, crying out as an arrow pierced his throat, a second later Jayden was at her side handing her one of his swords before firing another arrow taking out a man creeping up on Leliana.

Spinning Leliana saw the man fall and let the momentum carry her, the dagger flying and killing one of the three men attacking Alistair and Rathnal, reaching their side and sending one of the men stumbling backwards, lunging and driving her blade through his chest. Then lightning lit up the camp injuring those few left and within moments the fighting was over and while bloodied the company was whole.

"Who in the Void were that lot?" Alistair growled, rolling back an injured shoulder, gritting his teeth at the pain. He kicked over the closest men seeing no identifying marks on their armour.

"Maybe just bandits." Faren muttered wiping his blade. "But they sure seemed keen on us being dead."

xXx

Carefully applying a salve to Delilah's arm after cleaning the wound Jayden gently bound it. "It wasn't as deep as I first feared."

Staring at her hands now clean of blood Delilah shivered. "Why did they have to attack us?"

"I can't give you their motivations." Jayden stated softly, gently brushing back a tangled lock of hair from her face and wiping a smear of blood from her cheek. "But at least they won't hurt anyone else."

Delilah remembered the family they had passed on the way fleeing north and felt a sense of relief that they would be safe from these bandits at least. "You shouldn't have given me your sword, you might have needed it."

"You needed it more. You could probably do with a few more daggers; the markets at Orzammar should have a good supply."

"I never meant to be a liability." She whispered.

"You aren't, you did your part and we all have an injury of some kind."

"I need to pray."

"Alright, but you did well."

Delilah met his gaze suddenly feeling better when she realised he wanted to hold her as much as she wanted to be held. Instead she gently squeezed his hand before she stood and headed across the camp to Leliana.

Jayden turned and moved over to Sten who was hunkered down looking over the bodies. "Anything?"

"They all have good armour and weapons; I do not think them simple bandits." Rising Sten rolled back his shoulders.

Jayden nodded hunkering down and frowning.

"What is it?" Rathnal asked joining them, limping slightly.

"I recognise some of these men, they are Blackstone Irregulars." He glanced up to Rathnal. "I can't imagine Raelnor getting involved with Howe, but his son might. He's had his eyes set on taking his father's place for long enough."

"You think Howe is helping him in return for killing us?"

"I don't think they meant to kill us." Jayden stated glancing at the bodies.

"Could have fooled me." Faren muttered. "Enough dead bodies to realise they weren't looking for a chat."

"I'm not saying they wouldn't have killed some of us, but maybe they were looking to capture themselves some Wardens and panicked when we attacked first, or if they realised Delilah was with us. I can't imagine the Arl would continue his support if they had killed her."

"Maybe you're right." Rathnal murmured. "Well look hopefully we got all of them, but just in case we increase the number on watch and increase the perimeter. As if we don't have enough to worry about with the bloody Darkspawn."

xXx

Heart pounding fearing being discovered Taoran Hawkwind slipped through the trees being a quiet as possible until he reached his camp breathing heavily and clenching his fists to stop their shaking. He had never imagined failing in the task Arl Howe had given him and for things to have gone so wrong.

He had followed rumours to Redcliffe and then to Rainesfere tracking the Wardens and Cousland's. Coin made most people talk and in these days people needed coin and the Arl had been very generous. He saw no sign of them until a group had left Rainesfere. None of the Cousland's were among them, but he had seen that Delilah Howe was in the group that was leaving and he made the snap decision to follow, betting she would know where the Couslands were and what they were doing. Besides that he had harboured a secret desire for Delilah for many years and while Rendon was not a man to be crossed, he was also not a man to deny himself what he wanted. He had sent a raven to Denerim to let Rendon know what was happening before he tracked the group heading north.

He shook his head, he had brought ten of his best men along with another fifteen men from a mercenary company wanting to align with him and they were all dead. He growled in frustration, capture he had told them over and over, bringing Warden's back would gain him more coin, only kill if necessary and ensure Delilah was unharmed. They were supposed to wait until the majority of the company were asleep, surround the camp and take them unawares, but his additional force were young and undisciplined and as it turned out quite useless. They had fallen into a panic when the Captain and his wolf had appeared from the shadows like a pair of bloody demons killing his archers, along with a mage who had terrified them at the first lightning strike. It was the Makers own luck that he had not been discovered.

He rubbed his forehead; he had thought the Captain dead, but if there was one thing that appeared to be true, he was annoyingly resilient. His father thought well of the soldier who had inspired many changes in the city, but Taoran disliked him, he was bad for business, or at least the way he wanted to run it.

He quickly wrote a note several times and moved to the cages, sending three ravens to Denerim, at the very least one would make it and reach Howe. He would follow at a distance knowing they had to be heading to Orzammar, but he had no intention of risking his life and going near them again. He grabbed his own things from the camp and leading his own horse and a pack horse he headed for the road; he feared his trail to the camp might be followed and he could not risk the Captain recognising him.

xXx

They had ridden hard all day and it was only a short distance to Orzammar, but Rathnal stopped and insisted they make camp. It was late in the evening and given the political arena he was about to step into, he didn't want to do it tired. Gazing up at the stars he soaked in the beauty of a cloudless sky, praying it would not be long before he would see it again. He remained awake unable to sleep as Sten, Leliana and Faren took first watch, as the others settled down for some much needed sleep; not altogether surprised when he saw Jayden leave his tent a short time later with his pack, Airyl at his side seeing determination in his eyes. Moving across the camp to intercept him, he wondered if he had waited until Delilah had retired to her own tent before making a move as no doubt she would want to go with him. Her constant presence at his side was something that annoyed Morrigan intensely and he was beginning to wonder if that was why Delilah did it. "Please tell me you are not intending to wander off on your own."

"Of course not, Airyl is coming with me."

"Where are you going?"

"I planted some Wilds Flowers not far from here; I thought I would see how they fared. With the ones in the Circle destroyed and those in Rainesfere not having survived I hope … well we need them."

"And you're doing this in the middle of the night?"

"There won't be time come morning. Besides I have my light runestone and a good memory, I won't get lost."

"No but you could fall and break your neck!" He shook his head at his friends smile. "Or you could be attacked."

"Come with me then, you can protect me." He chuckled at his growl; heading out as Rathnal joined him after a few moments, having told those on watch what they were doing. He led the way towards the caves, his runestone lighting the path ahead of them. They walked in silence, Jayden concentrating on navigating them a safe path, finally speaking as the rock ledge came into sight. "How are you feeling about going into Orzammar tomorrow?"

"Terrified to be honest, I'm not the most diplomatic person and my skills in political navigation lead a lot to be desired."

"That's why Sereda and Delilah have been coaching you."

"I don't think I'm a particularly good student."

Smiling slightly Jayden led Rathnal to the cliff edge that led down to the cave giving them a moment to soak in the view.

"It's beautiful." Rathnal whispered.

"It is." Jayden frowned slightly seeing the gleam of campfires in the distance. "Apart from the massive Orlesian army camped not far from the border wall."

Rathnal followed his gaze and winced. "We may very well need them before the end." He felt Jayden's hostility towards the idea despite his silence. "Look, you have more reason to hate Orlais than anyone else I know, but the Blight is bigger than …"

"I know Rath, but I don't have to like it." He worried at his lip. "When we are done at Orzammar maybe we should go to the border, you and the Orlesian Commander can talk Warden strategy and I can speak to my father."

"I may not be politically astute, but even I know it would be my head if I spoke to them."

Jayden looked at the campfires thoughtfully. "Stephan and Daniel should know what we are doing, damn it they should be on this side of the border, Anora should know better. They went for help, not to become spies for Orlais."

"I suppose I can't blame her given her history with Orlais."

Jayden glanced to him and allowed a slight smile. "That's very tolerant of you."

"I know a little of how she feels."

Jayden read his look and felt his cheeks flush, knowing how afraid his friends had been for him. "Maybe I could convince my father it is a good idea to let them in. Maybe he could persuade her."

"And if not?" He sighed at Jayden's thoughtful expression. "We will deal with that after Orzammar. Let's go check on these flowers of yours, I do want to get some sleep tonight." He turned startled at the sound of rustling, unsheathing his sword realising Jayden had both daggers drawn as Sereda came into view, a raven landing on her shoulder.

"Sorry to startle you." Sereda stated brushing some leaves from her armour. "But Sten was concerned about you two, said apart you attract trouble and together … well he said something in his own language and it did not sound complimentary. What are you doing anyway?"

Jayden smiled slipping the daggers back into his boots. "I'm hoping that the Wilds Flowers I planted in a cave below us have grown; figured I would check on them."

"Ah, well lead the way." She grinned as Morrigan flew ahead, grazing Jayden's head with her wing. "She was not happy you left her behind as you might be able to tell."

"I thought you were all asleep and you know how grumpy she gets if you wake her."

"Damned if you do, damned if you don't must be fun being you." She jumped back avoiding his playful swat, grinning as she followed them down the trail to the cave entrance.

Airyl sniffed at the cave but there were no scents of another creature having made the cave its own.

Heading in Jayden walked the length of the cave to the smaller chamber stopping, his eyes widening, swallowing against the lump swelling in his throat. He felt Morrigan transform behind him feeling her astonishment.

Joining them Rathnal and Sereda stared wide eyed. The ground was covered in the tiny white flowers and on the walls the same flowers grew, but many had a soft blue glow. "Sweet Maker!" Rathnal gasped. "There are so many! Why are some of them a different colour?"

"They must be following lyrium veins." Sereda whispered. "But I never imagined such a thing was possible." Her gaze followed the flowers trail across the walls almost to the roof.

Rathnal felt his heartbeat quicken. "Wasn't that what Avernus and Serris agreed was needed for a cure; for lyrium to be added to the potion without destroying the Wilds Flower? If it's already in the flowers …" Rathnal grinned broadly. "Makers breath this could mean a cure!"

Nodding his head Jayden stepped carefully into the cave, gazing at the trails of the tiny blue flowers that seemed to shimmer. "I didn't notice any lyrium veins when I was last here, but the cave does look different, slightly bigger I think."

"There are signs that the stone has shifted." Sereda stated, noting the crumbled piles of rock camouflaged by the masses of Wilds Flowers covering them. "The lyrium veins must have been uncovered because of that."

"But can those flowers be used?" Jayden asked cautiously. "I mean lyrium is unstable and has to be treated before ingested. How do we determine if we can even use these flowers without killing someone."

"Give me a moment." Sereda moved to the flowers carefully touching a petal, her eyes closing, tilting her head slightly. "It is as though it has already been processed. By becoming part of the plant it has become safer. It is wonderful." An awed look lit her face. "They have a song of their own, soft and soothing. They will cure; it is their purpose, a gift from the stone."

"You are sure?" Jayden asked meeting her gaze feeling a rush of hope and excitement he could barely contain.

"Very sure; I may have been exiled to the surface, but my stone sense has not left me yet."

"In that case I think we should harvest some of them and make up the potions immediately. We should make more of the preventative while we are here as well." Pulling on gauntlets not wanting to risk touching the lyrium infused flowers with his bare skin, Jayden carefully picked his way over to a wall that seemed to be covered with the tiny blossoms. They came away easily in his hands as though they had been waiting for this moment, Sereda joining him to help. Moving back out into the larger cave Jayden set about making what he hoped would be a cure, carefully marking the vials of those he made using the lyrium tinged Wilds Flower. It didn't need it, the potion had a glowing blue shade to it, but he did it anyway out of habit. Sereda continued to harvest some of the lyrium infused flowers to take with them. Meanwhile Rathnal and Morrigan harvested the normal Wilds Flower and set to work making the preventative. An hour later they had twenty vials of each which would be split into everyone's packs and they had also carefully harvested and stored some of each of the flowers to take with them.

Worrying at his lip Rathnal glanced around the cave. "Who else knows about this cave?"

"Brother Genitivi, Weylon, Brom, Gavin and Thomas, they were all with me when I planted the seeds. Why?"

"Because you know some bastard will be happy to make the world pay for the preventative or a cure through the nose. Think of the revenue it would make for Ferelden and if the Crown doesn't claim it you can be damn sure Orzammar will find a way to. Every flower in here will be stripped away and sold to the highest bidder." He glanced to Sereda. "Unless I'm wrong."

"No, you are exactly right."

"The whole world has a right to the preventative and a cure if this works. No one is going to have to pay for this." Jayden muttered.

"Twould be wise to ensure no-one else finds them then." Morrigan stated, heading outside with Sereda to see if there was a way to disguise the cave.

Rathnal frowned as Jayden drank the contents of an extra vial of the preventative he had made. "Why are you taking that again?"

"Something Holy Andraste said to me. Remember I took the first attempt at a preventative?"

"I'm not likely to forget, you had me worried sick."

"Well it was different to the others, not quite as effective. Holy Andraste said that was why the wounds the Alpha inflicted were struggling to heal despite all the magic directed at them. I was fighting off the taint and struggling. She told me to take another dose. I'll make sure every none Warden takes a dose when we get back to camp."

Rathnal nodded helping to secure the vials in the sectioned pouches they had come from. "I still can't get my head around you speaking to Holy Andraste, well her spirit anyway."

"Trust me sometimes I have as much difficulty; it feels almost like a dream at times. If not for those with me I might have said it was."

"I wonder how the Chantry will respond, Brother Genitivi seemed a little unsure himself."

"I would imagine they will do as Andraste wished and the Temple will become a pilgrimage for the faithful. Well once the Blight is over."

Watching his friend thoughtfully Rathnal held his tongue, remaining silent about his fears that the Chantry might have their own agenda for someone who had actually spoken to Holy Andraste. "Let's get back to camp, I'm finally tired enough that I think I might actually get some sleep."

"I could always give you a sleeping potion."

"No, those damn things always leave me feeling groggy and the whole point about waiting until tomorrow is so I'm alert."

"You aren't alone in this Rath, yes you are Warden Commander, but we are with you."

Smiling Rathnal stood and held out his hand pulling Jayden to his feet. "And I am truly grateful for you all."

xXx

As dawn light roused those in the camp who were not already up Sereda headed over to Rathnal worrying at her lip. "Rathnal in all honesty I am not sure if it is a good idea me accompanying you into Orzammar. I may hinder our chances of support."

Rathnal held up the treaty. "This is all I need to ensure support. I'm not one for politics you know that; I see a job I get it done and I have little patience with game playing and as much as your coaching is a massive help I need you with me. You and Faren understand the subtleties of Orzammar in a way none of us possibly could." He sighed softly. "Duncan would have been able to navigate this in a heartbeat, but I'm not him. I know this won't be easy for either of you, but I can't afford to go in there and mess this up because I don't fully understand the politics, or I don't recognise the signs of whatever underlying games are playing out."

Sereda nodded and sighed. "Of course I just … be prepared that our presence is likely to cause trouble."

"Whoever you were before, you are Wardens now."

"Let us hope that is enough." Faren muttered softly.

"That and these." Jayden stated with a smile handing them each a helmet that concealed their faces. He returned Sereda's beaming smile.

"You kept them from those idiot bandits? Such a simple solution." She stated tying back her hair, finding the helmet a comfortable fit.

"I hate bloody helmets." Faren muttered. "Especially from dead men."

"Would you rather take your chances getting into Orzammar without it?" Sereda murmured nudging him. "I need you with me; I … I do not want to go in there without you."

"I didn't say I wouldn't wear it did I?" He pulled the helmet on grumbling under his breath, but he gently squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"Right then." Rathnal stated signaling the group to move out, reaching the entrance to Orzammar within half an hour, seeing the huge gates of the dwarven city and the two guards barring the way. "Do the guards get to go back into Orzammar? I thought there was a rule about once you see the sky you don't get back in; unless you're a Warden of course."

"They are like some of those who join the Legion of the Dead in a way." Sereda stated. "The guards on this side of the doors make the sacrifice to leave Orzammar to pay a family debt, or ensure their family are not touched by a damaging action they have taken. There are various reasons and that is why they remain loyal to Orzammar, their families depend on it."

"I don't see why they can't just go back in, seems like cutting your nose off to spite your face."

Sereda nodded wearily. "Indeed. I wanted to change all of it. Bring the Castless and the Surfacers back into dwarven society. It's why I'm a Warden, sometimes generations of tradition is too much to stand against." She smiled as she felt Faren press gently against her. "Still, I never thought to see Orzammar again and here I am, life can throw you unexpected things every now and again."

Moving a little closer to Jayden, Delilah stared at the huge doors set into the mountain. "I never imagined I would visit Orzammar."

"It's stunning; I'm hoping to get a chance to visit the Shaperate's again while we are here."

"Perhaps while Rathnal is seeing the King; I doubt we will be here long once he learns the urgency of our cause."

"With luck, though the way Sereda talks about the King I will be surprised if we don't have to jump through a dozen hoops to get what we came for."

"Tis a shame we cannot simply dispose of this King if he is indeed going to be so troublesome." Morrigan murmured.

Rinna moved to Rathnal's side. "So we are to enter the last home of the dwarven people. I wonder what we will find here. Hopefully it will not require as much effort as the Circle."

"Maker I hope not." Alistair huffed. "That place was a bloody nightmare. I can't think of anything worse than being a Templar, no offence to Templars I just wouldn't want to be one."

"Tis unlikely there would be a need for Templars here given there are no mage dwarves." Morrigan stated.

"I wonder why." Alistair thought aloud.

"Maybe it's close proximity to Lyrium." Rinna suggested smothering a yawn.

Not caring in the least why dwarves didn't have mages, Sten shifted impatiently. "If we must be here we should get this done." The sooner the treaty was invoked the closer they would be to confronting the Archdemon and ending the Blight.

The group turned as Rathnal gave a shocked gasp. "Maker is that Serris?" He grinned broadly as she spoke to the men with her recognising Levi, before she hurried towards them.

"Rathnal I am so glad to see you." She smiled warmly at those in the group she knew, looking over those new to her giving Sten an appraising look. "I feared you might have changed your mind about coming to Orzammar so soon. I suppose I should do this formally, Commander, I request to join you."

Rathnal grinned and hugged her. "Maker Serris you are always welcome, you have no idea how good it is to see you. I … there is much I need to tell you."

"And I you, I went to the Peak when I arrived in Ferelden and spoke to Avernus." A wave of grief gripped her, but she managed to remain composed. "Levi escorted me and a few haste spells had us here in no time, but perhaps we should speak in the privacy of the compound within Orzammar."

"I agree. Good to see you again Levi." Rathnal stated with a smile as the merchant brought over Serris's belongings.

"And you Warden Commander. Do you want me and the lads to hang around here a while?"

"Thanks for the offer Levi, but we will be fine."

"Right you are then. Safe travels." He flushed as Serris pressed a kiss to his cheek. "You stay safe now Warden Serris."

"You too Levi."

Sereda swallowed uneasily as Rathnal approached the gates, breathing a sigh of relief as the guards bowed respectfully and opened the doors, moving closer to Faren as they passed through, neither guard giving a second glance in their direction.

xXx

Author Note: Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed.