"No, Josslyn, he did not. Ser Brumbley felt he posed too great a threat and he struck him down with his sword of mercy. I'm sorry, child."

"She wasn't that far along. I'd be surprised if she was even aware of it."

"She should have been using a potion. She certainly knows enough of them."

:,( no words really...

She'd known the minute she'd met him that Anders was a feckless, selfish boy pretending to be a charming scamp, moving from one conquest to the other. As she had feared, that had held true with her brother, as well. Joseph had pursued Anders, not overtly, but quietly, and with a certain shyness that surprised Joss. Anders had finally taken up with Joey, but they'd been together for less than two weeks before Anders was off to hurt his next conquest. He told Joey that it was because he was afraid of getting serious and then losing the person, but Joss thought that was a load of hooey. Joey pretended it didn't bother him, but she saw the way he stared after Anders when he thought no one was watching.

Gaaa...so much angst!

"Yes, I know Josslyn Winifred Amell. Light-hearted joy." :((

Yay for Anders, I love him! So sweet, Joseph and Anders.

"Together, they were undefeatable. No matter what the years had in store for them, as long as they were there, he knew they'd survive anything. She was his anchor and he knew, in that moment of shared laughter, that he was her anchor, as well."

Why do I get the feeling that something horrible is going to happen to them?

Hey, I love this quote: "Life is change. Growth is optional," he intoned.
It reminds me of my favorite "Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional."

The portrayal of Joss's discomfort about her development reminded me what it was like to go through that. I'm so glad adolescence only happens once in your life. It's definitely an awkward time.

LOL - I had to look up "plunker."

OMG you made me cry! Poor Owain, I wonder if he didn't have Uldred for a mentor if he still would have made the same choice. You did such an excellent job with Owain, and the ending was so beautiful!

Seriously, this was so moving.
I think I need some cookies now to cheer me up. I hope the next chapter is more lighthearted; this is so heartbreaking!

"Old Phinneus made two requests before he died. One was for Ines to take care of Tubs and the other was to hold his service on the western bank at sunset."

"Always was a strange man," Lucian Caravel said, shaking his dark head. Joss thought that was funny coming from the strangest man in the Tower and probably all of Ferelden.

Standing on the soft grass with a gentle breeze blowing, Joss watched her first sunset, and finally understood why Joseph had been so homesick for them. She stood next to her brother, and listened to First Enchanter Irving ramble on about death and life and duty, more intent on watching the huge fiery sun sinking into the water than actually listening to the First Enchanter.

She closed her eyes and whispered, "By Andraste's flabby arse, I thank you, Old Phinneus the Frowner."

Wow. This was so beautiful, so moving. It really touched me. Thank you.

I was so touched by the support Joss receives, from both mages and Templars. And the adorable Owain (I love your take on him). I also loved the distinction between Joss and Anders, and how the Templars see them: both are mischivious troublemakers, but Anders posseses a streak of malice towards those in authority whereas Joss just sees the Templars as people doing their duty. And so they are, in the majority. I can well believe that seeing Anders get away with his umpteenth escape attempt while Brin was killed would just make her resent him even more. I have wondered at the preferential treatment Anders received (as opposed to poor Aneirin) and am convinced it's because he is a known bastard of Maric's. It's possible Maric even acknowledged him, unlike Alistair, and asked Greagoir to look after him.

I cried during Joss' scene with Joey - so sweet. And it's lovely to see the Terrors back in business again. I chortled at Petra frying poor Carroll's brains...as for the frogs, and Sweeney being in no hurry to relinquish Wynne's breast: Bwahahaha!

I'm sorry there are no more chapters for me. Please, please update :)

Wow - I can't believe I've left such a gap between my last review and this one. I've missed this story and I do hope you haven't stopped updating. The relationship between Brin and Joss is so vivid and interesting. His background with Flemeth is fascinating, as is Joss ablity to dreamwalk (I know you came up with this concept long before it became canon with Feynriel!) No wonder Joss was happy in the Tower: she can never be a prisoner so long as she has access to the Fade.

Lololol at Greagoir's beard! And blaming Anders: classic :) Heeheehee

I laughed as the downfall - falldown moment with Wynne. But Brin's remark about the danger she poses has me worried. Having read your AN at the beginning I'm almost afraid to read on!

That ending - heartbreaking. And all-too-plausible given Wynne's black-and-white morality. She can't help being a product of her conditioning, but couldn't she at least have waited until Greagoir got back?! And the miscarriage: awful. Just awful.

Brilliant, emotional chapter.

I think I've said before that I like your concept of Greagoir in this fic, and his rough sympathy and understanding ring very true - telling that he would realise that an appeal to Joss's feelings for her brother were his best chance of getting her out of bed. Then her reaction to his attempt at sympathy - the whole chapter is bittersweet and yet you still manage to raise smiles - I laughed out loud at Sweeney's hapless clutch at Wynne - and of course frogs would just have to be involved somewhere... :)

Very glad you're continuing with this series! :)

I guess all bets are off now that Joss is back in action. I suppose I should feel some pity for those that will be taking the brunt of her antics, but you know what, I don't :D

Glad to see Joss back, have missed her something rotten. Love her sense of humour, her outlook and the way in which she always makes me smile when I need it most.

Welcome back Joss
Love ya
Naomi xxx

I find it infinitely touching, somehow, as well as revealing of Joss's personality that the ones who are all best able to bring her back to herself are the abrupt, snarky interractions. Not as a hurtful emotional slap in the face, more like whipping the covers off and forcing the invalid to walk, while still slipping under her arm to support her. If you know what I mean.

How awful that Joey was settling in with confidence in Wynne's absence - more and more karma against the old biddy. Although: "the image of herself, old and mean-spirited, hobbling down a hall, cursing at her lost youth and the noisy apprentices and life." seems to be a flash of empathy, however unwelcome.

"the hapless Sweeney trying to disengage himself from Wynne, but he seemed unwilling to unhand her breast." LOL - And then Alistair later on - maybe the bosoms are actually magically magnetic.

It was good to hear about Joss again, even if she was so sad. Happily she was more herself by the end. You have to kind of feel sorry for Wynne, she can't help being an old biddy.

Thanks,
Jan

I was wondering when the frogs were going to make an appearance. :p

Who can blame Joss for simply wanting to stay in bed and not face the world (and the looks of pity/curiosity and all the "I'm sorry" mantras she would hear incessantly). For all his gruff manner, Greagoir cares about his charges and does his best to protect them. Of course, that doesn't mean he doesn't know how to properly motivate them either.

It was good that Joss was given something to do by Lucien. Keeping her mind focused on work helped keep it from wallowing in despair overlong. While she certainly deserved to mourn-and always will to a degree-she had to relearn to live. That being said, Wynne's return was most fortuitous. There was no way Joss was going to let that slide.

Glad to see Joss back after her vacation!

Aw, this was such a sad, but sweet, chapter. I really enjoyed the way that Joss slowly began to heal, b/c it felt natural. She kind of faded in and out for a time, until finally she slowly began to wake up and came to a place where her friends could reach her. Though the dreams about a family by the ocean was very bittersweet.

I really love your take on Greagoir, and how he always manages to keep his head on. He's not unsympathetic at all, but coming to talk to Joss seemed to be exactly what she needed. Though my favorite is Lucian. I just love his gruff manner, and how getting his approval means that he doesn't insult you XD

But the ending of this chapter was just perfect! Joss coming back and being herself again; it's exactly what Brin would have wanted. :D

Wonderful chapter hun! I'm sorry I've been kind of lax in reviews lately, but don't think I've stopped reading your stories or anything. I've just been having a hard time concentrating. But, I seem to be over that little mess :D

I'm so glad you're continuing this story! I've missed it. A six-month cooling-off period was very sensible, though I do take it as a sign that Wynne is still very much in favor. They wouldn't trouble themselves to protect someone they didn't like.

Nice revenge, though of course not commensurate with Wynne's crime!

It's so wonderful to see an update for this story! I've been having Joss withdrawals ever since WNI ended and now I insist you continue this story forever :D

You handled the fallout from Brin's death in a very touching, and humorous, way; you also did something that you did in BASD with Margaret following Leandra's death. There was no wailing or teeth-gnashing from Joss (not mentioned here, anyway), but her dreams of living in a house by the sea - even though she'd never seen the sea - with Brin and baby had far more emotional impact on me than an overwrought and overblown outpouring of grief ever could. You handled Joss's grief with a delicate touch and I appreciate that. I also appreciate how you write Greagoir - yours is my favourite incarnation of him.

I could gradually see Joss become more herself through the chapter and yet I could also see another box ticked off on Joss's list of How to Become a Snarky and Slightly Jaded Adult - another step towards the Joss that fought so hard against her feelings for Teagan because deep down she feared she'd lose him, too.

The return of the Terrors of the Tower was the crowning glory in this chapter, however, and I laughed long and loudly at the Terrors' revenge by frog. And old Sweeney must have thought all of birthdays had come at once when he copped a feel - and persisted with copping a feel - of Wynne's sagging boobage. Serves the old harridan right. I'll bet wherever Brin was, he was laughing harder than any of the rest of them. I hope now that the Terrors are back in business, they make her life hell!

Now, where's the next update? :D