At midnight Jayden slipped out of the barracks, careful not to wake anyone and headed into the garden, finding Ellowyn already there. "Do you want to get me in more trouble? Meeting alone in the middle of the night does not look good Ell!"

"Relax." She took his arm and led him to a sheltered nook, the night air cool but not cold. "I have something important to tell you."

"And we need to meet at midnight in the garden for that?" He couldn't help smiling at her impish grin. "Fine, who am I to argue with a Lady."

"Good, now first I want to thank you for giving the Ashes to Dairren, his recovery truly is a miracle."

"He would have had the Ashes before I left for Orzammar if I'd had my way. Still I am glad he used them, to be honest I wasn't sure he would."

"He said you were very persuasive. Now there is something else and I need you to listen and not get upset. When we were in Lothering you asked me about Vigil's Keep and if I had been hurt, but I never answered your question." Feeling him tense she squeezed his hand. "I need to answer your question now because I have a plan to take back Highever and I need your support and I do not want you to hear this for the first time in the meeting tomorrow."

"So, what happened?"

"I went to stay with Delilah at her grandmothers at her request, you know that part. What you do not know is Arl Howe pressured Delilah into summoning me there and then he had us both brought to Vigil's Keep under false pretences. Delilah believed her father was being controlled by a blood mage and she wanted to know the truth and asked my help to do that. She knew about the mage because that is how he made Albert leave, one moment they were trying to find a way to have a future together and the next he had no memory of their relationship." She met his worried gaze. "She suspected that her father wanted me there to have the mage make me think I was, or rather am in love with Thomas to ensure a marriage. She gave me an amulet as protection against the blood magic." She sighed softly. "Delilah wanted to kill the mage, we never considered we would be imprisoned in the tower."

"Maker Ell! That was a huge risk!"

"It gets worse. On a daily basis I was taken to the blood mage. She spent hours weaving her magic, telling me I was in love with Thomas, that my father was a traitor to Ferelden, that I had come to Arl Howe with proof of it, that he had gone to confront my father at my behest! I wanted to help my friend, I never imagined there was a bigger plot. If I had known what would happen, I would have fled and never gone to Vigil's Keep. It was awful, hearing those things about my father, my family and knowing that if I did not have the amulet, I would be enthralled to believe it. I lived in fear that she would discover the amulet, that I would actually turn against my family." She leaned against Jayden as he wrapped his arms around her, soaking up the feeling of safety he always gave her.

"So Arl Howe is using you as an excuse to attack your family and with you enthralled to ensure you are on his side no-one will question his actions, only Thomas arrived to help you both escape. We know he is trying to convince everyone that your father was a traitor, both in trying to remove Anora from the throne as well as being part of the threat against me. Still I do not understand why he would turn against your father. Perhaps he is enthralled, but something doesn't feel right about that." Jayden frowned slightly. "Delilah never said a word about this. In fact, she changed the subject if I ever brought it up."

"She did that for my sake. I did intend to tell you before now. I should have told you when Fergus returned from the border, because at that point you knew that Arl Howe was blaming my father for the threat against you, but I … even now I find it difficult to think about it, let alone talk about it." She smiled slightly at the gentle squeeze to his embrace. "My father was not a traitor and he would never cause harm to your or your family. I cannot prove that, but I can help to prove Arl Howe wants everyone to think that. If he remains convinced I am enthralled, at the Landsmeet we can set a trap he will never see coming, but we need to take back control of Highever, without his knowing that is what we are doing."

Pulling back enough to see her face, but keeping his arms around her, Jayden met her gaze. "Thomas."

Nodding Ellowyn worried at her lip. "He is desperate to put right all his father has done, but what I will ask of him is dangerous. We will need Delilah's help too."

Listening to her plan Jayden slowly nodded, true it was dangerous, but it had the potential to begin to destabilize Howe's plans. "We should speak to them now so they are prepared before the meeting. Springing this on them then wouldn't be fair, they need a chance to think about it properly and I have a way to get soldiers near Highever without Howe's men being aware of them."

Ellowyn smiled in delight. "This will work, it has too. Come with me to see Thomas and Delilah?"

"Absolutely."

xXx

Yawning loudly Thomas forced himself out of bed at the persistent knocking, startled as Ellowyn, Jayden and a tired and confused looking Delilah moved into the room as he opened the door, shutting it behind them. "This must be serious for you all to come here at this time at night."

"It is." Ellowyn shifted nervously. "Thomas, I have a way to take back Highever, but I need your help and Delilah's."

"Anything, you know that."

"No, you must listen first, it is dangerous."

Gesturing for them to sit down Thomas nodded. "So, what is this plan?" He paled as Ellowyn outlined her intention. "You want me to go and take control of Highever from my father's men?"

"It would only be for a short while until Fergus can get there with his men."

Thomas swallowed painfully. "I would have to be like my father for them to take any notice of me."

"You did it at Redcliffe." Ellowyn stated gently. "I know this is a terrible thing I am asking of you, but we can accomplish so much with this."

"Are you really sure about this? The soldiers at Highever will be the same men who were there the night of the attack. You … you will have to pretend you are in love with me."

"I know Thomas, but we can do this, we are just playing a part and it is just for a short while."

Sighing, Thomas glanced at Jayden wanting to tell him the whole truth of his father's betrayal, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Maker I am a coward.

Delilah stared at her hands. "I am happy to contact my father and Warin will accompany Thomas of course." She met her brother's nervous gaze. "But I will stand behind whatever Thomas decides, I think the plan will work, but it will have far reaching consequences."

"I will do whatever is required of me to stop our father's madness." Thomas stood and moved to the window. "Even if it means being like him." He shuddered painfully glancing at Delilah as she moved to his side and hugged him gently.

"You will not be in this alone."

Thomas stared into the night sky already fearing the actions he would have to take to convince his father's soldiers to obey him.

xXx

Immediately after breakfast Fergus convened the meeting, using the dining room given the number in attendance. As others took their leave he was left with his siblings, the Warden Commander, Cailan, Teagan, Jayden, Delilah, Thomas and Warin. "We have received correspondence from Bann Alfstanna at last. She wanted to check out some rumours before contacting us."

"Rumours?" Aedan asked curiously.

"Rumours of ships arriving and departing from the Storm Coast some months ago with Tevinter sails."

"Slavers?" Jayden asked in alarm.

"Maker I hope not, but more recently there have been sightings of groups of people there. Apparently at least one in Warden armour. She did not want her scouts to get any closer in case it was a trap of some kind."

"We need to check this out." Rathnal stated, fearing the Order had taken matters into its own hand and found a way to cross the border.

"Indeed. She also noted that Highever is closed off and Howe's men patrol the surrounding area, though they do not go as far as the Storm Coast."

"What if he has been selling our people as slaves?" Ellowyn stated in horror. "We have to get Highever back!"

Fergus rubbed his forehead and sighed. "Of course I want to take back Highever, but there is no way of getting there unseen. Not to mention getting into the castle once there; we do not have enough men to lay siege."

"I have a plan." Ellowyn stated meeting her brother's gaze. "Delilah will send a letter to her father telling him that Thomas, myself and Warin are heading to Highever. That we are in conflict as I tried to persuade you of our fathers … of his treachery. He must believe I remain enthralled if we are to bring him down at the Landsmeet. It is clear that Arl Howe wished William returned to him for some reason, Delilah will tell her father that she will remain with him to gain access to information on the Wardens, yourself Fergus as well as Bann Teagan and Arl Eamon. This will give her the opportunity to request the contract with the Crows be ended, we do not need any more of those surprises. Warin should also send a letter to explain why they did not go to Amaranthine so any suspicions he may have will hopefully be squashed; that they met up with us while we were on the move perhaps. Once Thomas, Warin and I are in Highever we will need a little time to ensure we have all the information we need on the soldiers within our home and what has been happening in Highever. With luck Thomas will take command without too much trouble. With us in the Castle it will be far easier to take it back."

Fergus stared at his sister in astonishment and a little awe. He cleared his throat glancing at Cailan, Teagan and Aedan who looked as surprised as he did. "Even if I agreed with you going to Highever with Thomas and Warin, which at the moment I do not." He held up his hand to stall her protest. "How do I get myself and my men anywhere near Highever without being seen?"

"I can help with that." Jayden stated. "There are gateways, ancient dwarven means of travel at what were three of their main trading posts, Valammar at Redcliffe, Gwaren and the Ruins of Heidrun Thaig at the Storm Coast. There is also one in the Wilds, but I can't imagine we will be looking to use that one any time soon. Unfortunately, the one in the dwarven trading post at Gwaren is inaccessible at the moment given the trading post was sealed years ago, but the other two trading posts should be fine given they are in abandoned Thaigs. So while Ellowyn and the others travel over land to Highever after giving time for the message to reach the Arl in Denerim and hopefully giving him time to send a message to Highever to expect them, we travel to Valammar and use the gateway to go to the Storm Coast effectively killing two birds with one stone, getting you close to Highever and allowing us to gain intelligence on whoever is there. It will take less than a day to get to the Storm Coast from Valammar." He smiled slightly at the stunned expressions around the table. "I think it is worth considering."

"How do these gateways work?" Fergus stated in disbelief.

"With a runestone crafted for the purpose; it slots into particular places on the gate and activates the magic and runes within the archway."

Fergus stared at him wondering how such a thing could possibly be accomplished. "Magic? I did not think dwarves had magic."

"They were crafted by the dwarves and elves, the dwarves with their rune work and the elves with their magic, it was a shared venture. The elves had the Eluvians to get to and from their cities and the dwarves wanted something a little quicker than the Deep Roads specifically for trade purposes."

"Why didn't the dwarves just have these Eluvians?"

"They did. Well they had two of them in Ferelden. One within a temple of sorts created by humans and elves in the Brecilian Forest and the other placed near the Deep Trenches. That is where Theron ended up when they went through it."

"The young Dalish man you cured of the blight sickness?" Fergus rubbed his chin as Jayden nodded.

"They used them at first to meet apparently, but the dwarves believed there would come a time when the magic of the elves would weaken and they were right. So, they built their own gateways with rune working and the elven magic was stored within the runes so it would remain protected. They differ from the Eluvian's in the respect that the elves have almost instantaneous travel to a crossroads of sorts where they then choose the eluvian of where they want to go. The dwarves made their roads straight to the place they wanted and it takes longer. As the Darkspawn took more of the Deep Roads and priorities and alliances changed and buildings fell into ruin, they fell into myth. The gates survive because of the runes and magic worked into them."

"And anyone can open this gate if they have a runestone?" He raised an eyebrow at Jayden's wince.

"No, Flemeth said they had been abused in the past, so for the moment at least only Flemeth can activate them and and I can, or at least that's what she said. You could always try."

"She trusts you, that's clear to see."

"Look Flemeth may have her own agenda and yes she can be scary and does things sometimes that are horrific, but she also does good and with this we can move refugees, supplies and soldiers without them falling prey to Darkspawn and without Arl Howe and his men being aware of our movements. I have already gained permission from Queen Sereda to use the gateways." He passed over the parchment shrugging at Cailan's questioning look. "I can think politically when I have reason to and those people Bann Alfstanna's scouts saw there may even be from Highever and with luck will want to help take it back."

Ellowyn nodded in building excitement. "We can use the caves we played in as children that lead to the Storm Coast to get you and your men close to Highever when the time comes to take it back."

"And Morrigan can help with getting messages to Ellowyn." Jayden winced at Fergus's curious look. "It's best not to ask how."

Fergus shook his head. "It is too dangerous."

Rising from her seat Ellowyn fixed her brother with a look worthy of a Teyrna. "Fergus you will stop acting as though I am glass. I do not intend to cover that old ground with you. I am going to take Highever back from those who killed our parents and tore our family apart. Now you can either help me, or stay here. Either way I am going."

"Ell think this through!" Fergus snapped. "You are suggesting living under the same roof as people sent to kill us! How could you possibly believe you will be safe?"

"Because Arl Howe needs me and because Thomas would never let any harm come to me."

Fergus turned to Thomas. "This is asking a lot of you."

"I would prefer not to do it of course, to convince my father's men of my allegiance to my father I will have to act as my father would." He took a shuddering breath. "But I will do it because we need to stop my father and this is a step towards doing that."

"It is a good plan." Cailan stated softly, shrugging at Fergus's dark look. "You said yourself a siege will be impossible; we need people on the inside. If Thomas and Warin go alone, Arl Howe may order them to Denerim. If in this letter it is suggested that after your conflict, Ellowyn is perhaps a little delicate and needs the safety of her home to recuperate …"

Ellowyn beamed at the King. "Excellent suggestion." She almost chuckled at his flush of pleasure. "Besides, we cannot allow Arl Howe to control Highever and Amaranthine. Maker knows what he could be doing with two ports at his disposal, especially if Tevinter ships have been seen."

"Ell is right Ferg." Aedan stated firmly. "I hate this plan because it puts her and Thomas in danger, but this is the only way we are taking Highever back."

"We could wait until the Landsmeet." Fergus muttered half-heartedly.

"And how many more of our people will be killed, abused or enslaved in that time." Aedan clenched his fists. "You know this is the only way."

Fergus stood moving to the window, his guts twisting. "Very well." He turned to Ellowyn and Jayden. "You will both stay out of any fighting."

"Absolutely not!" Ellowyn snapped. "You know brother, you and I are going to get on a lot better when you stop thinking of me as a child."

"I just want to keep you safe!" He snapped. "And the Chantry will have a fit if I have Andraste's Champion taking such an obvious political side!"

"You can't have it both ways." Jayden shrugged at his confused look. "You can't push me to be this Champion and then keep me out of the fighting. If there is a chance that Highever's people are being sold into slavery surely that is exactly what Andraste's Champion should be dealing with."

"I …" Rubbing his forehead Fergus looked at them both in exasperation.

Moving to him Ellowyn smiled slightly. "I love you for wanting to keep us safe, but if we are going to take back our home it will need all of us."

"That includes me." Cailan stated firmly. "I will fight at your side."

"Absolutely not!" Fergus exploded. "You need to stay here and concentrate on getting your memories back. I have men who can wield a sword, but we only have one King, but not only that until the Landsmeet you cannot take sides."

Sighing in frustration Cailan reluctantly conceded.

"Why can you two not be as accommodating?" Fergus grumbled glaring at Jayden and his sister.

"Where would the fun be in that?" Jayden murmured, his lips hinting at a mischievous smile.

Ellowyn grinned broadly. "So, we are agreed then?"

Thomas ran his fingers through his hair. "I suppose we are."

"I will be with you." Warin stated. "If the men do not fear you, they will fear me."

Nodding Thomas met Fergus's gaze. "Alright, but we need to have a solid plan, my father's men may appear to be lazy and more interested in drink and women, but they will fight to the death and Maker knows how many of them are enthralled."

"Maybe we should drug them." Fergus stated rubbing his neck, not liking the idea of facing enthralled soldiers.

Rathnal shifted slightly. "Or maybe we could use sleep spells."

"We can work all of this out, but first we need to concentrate on what exactly to write to my father." Delilah stated. "We must be careful, unless the wording is just so he will see through us."

"Perhaps I should get some parchment and ink." Teagan stated as he stood. "This may take some time. Eamon must also be informed about the use of the gate at Valammar. It may technically be in the Deep Roads, but we have to reach it through my brothers Arling."

"He will agree to it." Cailan stated. "Even if I must order it."

"I suggest we do this as diplomatically as possible, for all our sakes. I will go to him personally; we cannot risk sending this information via raven or indeed messenger."

xXx

Watching his former assistant sitting in the garden, taking a rare moment simply to relax and enjoy the sun after the mammoth meeting he had attended, Genitivi rubbed his forehead trying to ease the tension, knowing he had spoken with Leliana the previous day regarding her new role, turning to Weylon who looked equally concerned. "I fear he will see me as an emissary of the Chantry, you are a peer, talk to him, make sure he is alright."

Nodding Weylon headed across the garden and hovered beside the bench.

"Sit down Weylon." Jayden stated softly. "I won't bite."

"Are you sure because I saw what you did to that practice dummy yesterday and this morning."

Jayden glanced up seeing his mischievous look and smiled slightly. "The dummy had it coming."

Grinning Weylon sat down. "You know Will I know you've got a raw deal with this champion business and it stinks that you don't have a choice, but maybe look at it as a tool rather than a burden. I mean surely it is going to be easier to rally support as a Champion of Andraste."

"Weylon have you considered that people will turn away from helping because of this nonsense!"

"The Grand Cleric has ensured that word of your heroism at Ostagar, the injury you suffered and its healing have spread and Will, in case you haven't noticed lots of people knew about you before that, especially in Denerim. I mean you killed a giant, saved a noble, had Vaughan arrested and had the Night Elves formed."

Jayden sighed softly. "I didn't do any of that alone!"

"Will …"

"Weylon I am not devoted to the Chantry!"

"But you are devoted to the ideals of the Chantry." Weylon stated earnestly. "Chewing yourself up about this isn't going to help anyone least of all you. It is what it is, now you have to turn it to your advantage like you have done with every other situation you have faced. Speaking of situations to your advantage …" He grinned broadly. "What's this I hear about you and Lady Delilah?"

Jayden frowned. "What have you heard?"

"Spending a night alone in a hunters hut, all very romantic."

"Sure, after being kidnapped and nearly eaten by red lions."

"Come on, you can't tell me there is nothing going on. I've seen the way you look at each other."

Annoyed as he felt himself flush Jayden sighed. "Fine we kissed, have kissed lots actually, but that is as far as it has gone."

Grinning Weylon rubbed his hands together. "I will remind you that I told you she liked you that day in Denerim when you helped me with my books."

Jayden shook his head at his gloating, but smiled at the memory and how embarrassed he had felt.

"You know, now you are Andraste's Champion you stand a good chance of them letting you marry Lady Delilah, if that's where you both want this to go."

Jayden realised he was smiling at the thought. "Yes." He stated softly. "That is what we want."

Weylon's smile broadened. "Then stop fighting this Champion business you dope!"

"Easy for you to say. Come on, how about a game of Wicked Grace, take my mind off it."

"My coin purse hasn't recovered from the last time we played." Weylon lamented.

Jayden gave a mischievous smile. "Then we will play for something else."

xXx

Waiting anxiously in the sheltered nook in the garden, Rory felt a rush of relief when William and Weylon left. He had agreed to meet Ellowyn having heard from Aedan about her plan to retake Highever, but knew she would not arrive until they had the garden to themselves. He fidgeted nervously praying Rathnal was not looking for him. His breath caught as it always did when he saw her, wondering yet again how he could have chosen the Wardens over the love she had offered him. He took her hands the moment she reached him. "Ellowyn, are you truly serious about going through with this? There is time to make other arrangements." He felt a gentle squeeze of her fingers, his heart thudding wildly.

"I am, please do not try to talk me out of this."

"I know I have no right to, but Ell why? It is too dangerous!"

"There is no other way and you all know it. Howe and his men killed my parents, Nan, our servants and guards! He holds Highever hostage, damn him he might even be selling our people to Tevinter as slaves!"

"But can you truly trust Thomas and Warin? I know you don't want to hear this, but once you are in Highever you might find yourself as trapped and at the mercy of Howe as you were at Vigil's Keep."

"Then that is a chance I must take."

"No, Ell you don't!"

"My knight." Ellowyn murmured, swallowing back the lump forming in her throat. "The man who was to be my husband, my happily ever after. Except you are a Warden and my parents are murdered and called traitors and my home is filled with the men who attacked my family, my people. There is no happily ever after for me now Rory, not in the way I thought at least, but I can help to stop innocents suffering and I have a responsibility to my people."

"Fergus is the Teyrn, or he will be, this is his responsibility."

"I am a Cousland!"

Sighing Rory nodded, there was nothing he could say to change her mind and he knew it. "I wish I could come with you."

"I do too."

Trembling slightly Rory gently pulled Ellowyn into his arms, his kiss as tender as his embrace. "Please be careful."

"Always." Ellowyn met his anxious gaze. "Why do we keep doing this Rory? Secret kisses that have no future?"

"I love you." Rory whispered in despair.

"I love you too, but neither of us can change the choice you made."

His heart aching Rory let his hands fall to his sides. "There isn't a day goes by when I don't regret that decision."

"Perhaps this way is preferable. Marriage to you where you ache for something else would surely be worse."

"Ell …"

"I should go, your Commander will be wondering where you are."

Rory watched her walk away wishing things could be different, but knowing in his heart she was right, had he chosen to remain with her he would likely have hankered after the life of a Warden and in the end ruined them. He cursed himself wondering why he had been born such a fool.

xXx

Teagan had set out for Redcliffe Castle the day after the meeting, the letters to Arl Howe having been sent via a trusted messenger. Now having spoken to his brother he almost wished he had sent a messenger to him as well.

Eamon sat across the desk from his brother and clasped his hands. "Gateways."

Teagan remained silent, having no wish to play his brother's game.

"Gateways only this Captain William can open?"

"Brother …" He fell silent at Eamon's raised hand.

"I know there is no point in stating the obvious concerns regarding this young man since you are all so taken in by his charm. However, this places me in a very difficult position, so given the political arena at the moment I will pretend we never had this conversation. I want deniability, but I will not prevent travel to these dwarven caves."

"As you say brother."

"It would be wise for you to curb your direct involvement too Teagan."

"I shall take that under advisement."

"Be careful brother, should the Cousland's be found to be traitors they may very well take you down with them."

Teagan stood. "Bryce Cousland was no more a traitor than I am."

"Your loyalty does you credit, but remember to whose Arling your allegiance is pledged."

"My allegiance is pledged to Ferelden brother, as is yours!"

"Indeed it is."

Sighing Teagan forced himself to relax. "I would very much like to see Connor while I am here."

"Of course, he will be glad to see you."

xXx

"Uncle Teagan!" Connor screeched, racing across the Great Hall and hugging him fiercely. "It's been forever!"

"It feels that way to me too. Are you well?"

"I am. Is Aunt Loretta with you?"

"Not this time, but she sent this for you."

Connor gasped in delight at the book on the tales of the Avar. "This is excellent! Will you thank her for me Uncle Teagan?"

"Of course I will. How are your studies going?"

"My tutor Jowan is the best. He's funny and kind and he knows so much!"

"Good thing too with him being a tutor."

"Would you like to meet him?" Connor asked, forgetting himself in his excitement.

"I would think Teagan needs to be heading home, the weather is turning." Isolde stated coldly entering the room.

Not wanting to cause trouble for his nephew knowing Isolde's moods, Teagan hunkered down gently clasping his arms. "Perhaps next time."

"Uncle Teagan when you go home will you tell Oren I found the book of tales he was talking about and I am almost finished. It is as good as he said it would be."

"I will certainly tell him."

Connor hugged his uncle again. "I love you."

"I love you too Connor and I will see you again soon." Teagan felt his anger flare as Isolde pulled Connor to her.

"It does him no good to get him so excited Teagan; I would thank you in the future to remember that!"

"He is a healthy young lad Isolde; I am sure he can cope with a little excitement." Sighing at her glare he nodded. "Good day to you Isolde. Be a good boy Connor." Heading into the courtyard and mounting his horse, his guards waiting patiently for him, he glanced back waving to Connor who was pulled inside by his mother, Eamon looking at him sternly before going back inside. "Maker, you would think I was the bloody enemy." He muttered.