Judy: Thanks for the comment.:) Kanta48: Oh Aedan still has the ability to be a boorish noble but right now he has an excuse. Thanks for the feedback. My Spanish speaking guest (Oscar?) thanks for the comment. fanf1ct1onfanat1c: Welcome and thank you for favoriting I hope you enjoy.

9:29 Dragon, 31 Harring—75 miles North of Ostagar

Both moons were lying low on the horizon when the driver of the cart pulled on the reins and stopped the vehicle. This was as far south on the Imperial Highway as the farmer was going and we were back to walking. Hitching a ride this morning we had made up in several hours what would have taken us two days.

I climbed down out of the cart by sitting on my butt and sliding out until the tips of my toes touched the ground. There were days I disliked being short. Not that five feet and three inches was short. Just not tall enough to be practical. Aedan having at least eight inches on me had no problems stepping down out of the cart.

It was our fifth day without a chaperone or peacekeeper depending on who you asked. In that time, we only squabbled twice, and I was counting that whole first day as one time. Because that first day when the fighting started it never stopped, just paused for an hour or so and restarted.

Honestly, I had wondered if Duncan had left us alone together thinking one of us would kill the other and he would get the stronger of the two. But then there were moments when Aedan tried to act like a person that I understood the Grey Warden's decision.

Right now, we were in a period of peace, which was probably contributed to by the fact we didn't speak to each other for almost a full day. Aedan had stopped with the sarcasm and biting remarks, but still glowered and muttered under his breath.

Rabbit stretched and woofed happily. The hound like me probably spent most of the trip sleeping. I was exhausted. My back and feet hurt. The blisters on my feet were angry and weeping making my slippers stiff and more uncomfortable. I had broken down and used one of the healing balms grumbling an agreement to Aedan comment about being weak.

"I am hungry. I'll leave Rabbit here with you as protection and see what I can hunt for us to eat."

"I can make wards for protection."

"Are you saying I'm not warrior enough to defend you? That I need more protection than you do? Are you calling me a coward?"

"No, I am calling you stupid. What's wrong with having an extra defense? Warriors use shields in battle too. Its tactics versus going off half-cocked.

"Half-cocked?" Aedan repeated seethed his voice dropping low and menacing.

"Fade take you. That's what I said. We are two people… and Rabbit. It is not ridiculous or cowardly to put protections in place. In chess we call it Covering the King."

"This isn't a silly board game. And the fact that you're comparing our situation to a game shows why I should be the leader."

I scoffed. He had spent the whole first day telling me how he was the son of a Teyrn and how it was his responsibility to take care of the people. And I was someone he was responsible for. We argued because of course, I couldn't leave well enough alone. And because we rubbed each other the wrong way neither of us would look at the situation from the others perspective. In fact, I probably baited him as much as he did me.

"What happened to 'I'm a Cousland. I'm supposed to be responsible for you. So, I should be the leader."

"I am a Cousland. And I have a responsibility, to you and Ferelden. And that's why Duncan put me in charge. Besides, I am the oldest. You are what, fifteen?"

I spluttered angrily, "I'll be eighteen in two months."

"I am twenty now. I have fighting, tracking and leadership experience. And I can walk faster than two miles an hour. Or have to take a break every two hours."

We were arguing again and not quietly. We probably could be heard for a country mile. But for the moment that didn't matter to either of us. I wasn't backing down. I was tired of his attitude and treatment. Not that I was treating him with any respect. "Can you tell when we about to be attacked by an animal?"

"No."

"I can. It's a magical talent nicknamed survival. And I have battle experience. I took on a whole cavern of spiders by myself. And each spider was larger than your Rabbit. Yes, I get tired and need to take a break faster than you do. But I am not worthless. We were supposed to be a team not you or me in charge."

Rabbit had started barking. Loud enough I practically had to scream the last sentence. I assumed he was barking to tell us he didn't appreciate the fighting. I told him to shut up. Which aggravated Aedan who told me I couldn't hush his hound. Then he turned on the Mabari and told him to shut up. I almost laughed.

But I felt something nagging at the back my mind. It reminded me of the cavern with the spiders. I opened my mouth to warn Aedan when the arrow embedded into my travel bag. "Aedan."

"Survival, huh?" Aedan ribbed me good naturedly.

I shrugged. That's what I got for boasting. Any reply I would have made stuck in my throat as I got a look at the horror that came into view a hundred yards off the highway. I swallowed hard. These were worse than any abominations I had seen in pictures.

"Maker's Breath," Aedan uttered lowly. He put his hands to his back and pulled his blades.

I could just hear the scrape of metal against the hardened leather over my own heart thudding in my ears. "What in the fade are those?"

"Darkspawn."

I glanced at him and closed my eyes for a moment. How was it possible? We weren't at Ostagar, yet. More importantly Duncan...the Grey Warden wasn't here to fight them. That left only Aedan and me. We were only two. There was no way we were getting to Ostagar.

"No wait." I said when Aedan tensed to charge them. "We should stay together. I've seen you with a bow and my spells are better at a distance."

Two more arrows landed near us, one would have hit Rabbit if the dog hadn't lunged out of the way.

"Ranged fighting is only used as a beginning tactic. We can't kill these things with bow and arrows."

"I know Aedan. But the goal is to weaken them so we can pick them off."

"Weakening them isn't going to help if we don't kill them."

He wasn't understanding. Magic was something that needed to be used long or medium ranged. My passive skills that would protect us were fine short range. But to do battle I needed to start fighting now and I needed him to protect me. "I understand. But my magic isn't something I can fight hand to hand with."

"So, this is about me staying here and protecting you?"

I groaned with all our fighting he would have that thought. "No, it's about tactics. If you go out there to fight them then they will mob, you and kill you before moving on to me. Plus, if you are out in the middle of the fray there is a greater chance, I will hit you with my magic."

"We could stagger. Look if we wait any longer, they are going to be on top of us. "

"Fine."

"Rabbit attack."

"Wait, Rabbit?"

"He is a war dog. He will be fine."

"At least let me give him protection. He should have armor."

I closed my eyes and summoned mana. Under my breath I said the words that pulled earth from the ground encasing the Mabari in a rock like formation. At first all Rabbit could do was shake. He disliked the encasement. He growled.

"All right" I said letting the mana go and the rock armor fell away from the dog. He bounded off happily to tear apart Darkspawn.

"Could I fight in that?"

"Yes."

"Then cast your spell mage. We might just win this."

I grinned at his attempt to humor me. And while I knew for a minute, he didn't believe that we would survive or that my spell would actually help. He was trying. This time I concentrated on the man. Suddenly the earth flew up to surround him. When the spell finished, he looked like a walking pile of boulders.

Aedan swung his swords experimentally and grinned when there was not loss of maneuverability. I heard Rabbit yelp and turned toward the battle berating myself for loosing focus. As Aedan was running toward the battle, I sent two balls of fire in rapid secession.

I couldn't tell you how long the battle went on. But my mana was falling fast. Keeping Aedan's rock armor and my fade shield sustained was draining me. I had already used two lyrium potions and would need a third. I swallowed the vial contents and sighed as it replenished most of my mana.

There were three more of the hideous monsters left. And saw the Darkspawn blade as it cut into the side of Rabbit. The hound yelped and dodged a second attack. I did two things. I bathed Aedan's blade in fire and said the spell for Winters Breath at the offending Darkspawn.

Aedan shoved both of his burning blade into the chest of the tall Darkspawn with an expletive I couldn't quite make out. When he pulled them out of the body, he examined the still flaming weapons. We were down to one Darkspawn.

Between Rabbit and Aedan, the battle lasted only a few moments more. When the last body fell to the ground I quickly ran to where my companions were standing. They would need healing and I had the potions.