this chapter is perfect, with very few words you have described perfectly the tragedy of a man who's not only losing his own life but he sees all his efforts destroyed in a few minutes, and, as if that was not enough, he feels he has betrayed Maric's trust, thinking both his sons are dead in that battle.

Sorry for finishing reading you story only now, I got distracted with 'The Lion of Orlais' by Shakespira and my own story about Duncan, which is a rather long one too and far from being finished ;D

I never found the tale about Alistair's recruiting by Gaider on the BW site, can you provide me the link plz? :)

I like a lot your description of Alistair.
...the pony tail guy

I like this one -Duncan had no intention of recruiting him. Better teased by templars than poisoned by darkspawn blood, he thought.-

This chapter is simply perfect. Thanks to you now I have the description of Alistair's recruitment day, and i couldn't like it more!

Poor Maric , he's such a sad figure. I think he threw himself into the water to feed the sharks :(
He longed to die since Rowan's death, he never forgave himself for having killed Katriel in cold blood, Fiona dumped him with a baby to be raised in secret,he felt guilty for not being able to be a father to Cailan... he didn't deserve such a cruel fate.

'The Dalish archer joined because she was in love, and Duncan let her, because he was not. ... He used her, used them all until there was nothing left, and it was for the greater good, but that didn't really matter. The course was predetermined, and Duncan disappeared in shades of grey.'

I describe Duncan being lost in the many shades of grey too, but at the end of his life. Anyway I don't imagine him behave this way at any age D:

Duncan is so sweet :3 I'm sure he would have been a good father and husband. Since the first time I read The Calling, I imagined he fell in love with Fiona while following her pregnancy, and that she broke his heart. Just like she broke Maric's.
I like your take on young Duncan, he's how I imagine him :)

Since I began my own Duncan story I’m constantly on the lookout for others and this is absolutely lovely. There is so much to like in this ‘Duncan’s life in a nutshell’. Wonderful concise characterisations like; “but Genevieve was not vengeful. She was not anything absolute, just a rough sketch of a woman, drawn in shades of grey”

or the spot on observations like; “He was seventeen years old, and he had been executed.” Yes, the Joining is an execution, just a very slow one and you point it out so deftly.

There is so much that moves me here. Duncan’s feelings for baby Alistair are a revelation. His character seems so immovable it’s easy to forget he was once young and a lot more vulnerable. “He offered to protect him, to be discreet, and to report back to the King. He did not offer to love him; he did this without asking.” Beautifully phrased. Also, the hints of tender feelings towards Fiona are perfectly understated and the more sad for it.

I love the glimpses of the harsh Warden life, far from Alistair’s idealist dreams and I was so happy Riordan gets a mention. “The Dalish archer joined because she was in love, and Duncan let her, because he was not” A Commanders life is a lonely one and as Grey Warden you can’t afford affection. It is a sad picture you paint, of Duncan’s life; full of longing for things he can never allow himself.

Another favourite; "Now I've realized, it's just bloody life. Life is hard." So true and not just in this story. And this one "Don't you dare call me 'Your Majesty' when you're in the middle of calling me an ass." That made me smile, which was needed.

You have caught Alistair’s voice perfectly and the story of how Duncan might have ended up recruiting him is nicely done. It balances very well on the edge between the official story and your own interpretation.

The final chapter hurts and it’s not just the fact that Duncan dies but the utter defeat in him having to see all he’s worked for be destroyed. “all the work of Duncan's life was ground so thoroughly to nothing that it was as if he'd died on the gallows in Val Royeaux.” Ouch! There is that small light in the darkness though, that he sees the beacon finally lit and perhaps he dares to hope.

Thank you for this incredibly beautiful story!

Duncan laughed. "You always talk this much?"

"Yes," Alistair said. "It's a disease. Terminal, in fact. They say I have six months."

Classic, classic Alistair.

"Don't you dare call me 'Your Majesty' when you're in the middle of calling me an ass."

Hah, great sentence. I'm enjoying these vignettes.

This story is such a beautifully crafted little gem. I can't believe I didn't see it sooner, but I'm so glad I read it today. Duncan is brilliantly himself and leaps off the page (screen?). You're the queen of doing so much with so few words. Lovely story all around.

"Don't you dare call me 'Your Majesty' when you're in the middle of calling me an ass."

Oh, Maric.

This is so astoundingly true to character. You write them all so clearly.

Found myself reading this again - again, because I went to put it in my favourites and it was already there (and I began to recognize it).

I'm really quite envious of your ability to write so much emotion and story in such few, short words. A lot of what you write comes across as canon to me - that it is their voices, it's what happened that we didn't see. I love how you portray Duncan and his development through the years. Maric as well, you got his charm.

Still love this story :) very glad to read it again.

Best one so far.

This is a beautiful, emotional look at a man's life, and I am in love with it.

I greatly enjoyed your take on some significant moments of Duncan's life. They were very well thought out and presented. You did a particularly nice job with his interaction with Alistair and I also like his recruitment of Tabris.