"We're going to Ostagar," she said. "Tonight."

Her companions stared at her, gaping. Kira shifted uncomfortably, reaching up to her hair and twisting a braid nervously. She looked around for some hint of approval, but even Alistair was looking at her strangely. Isaac looked up at her and whined.

"Why is everyone looking at me like that?" Kira snapped.

Morrigan cleared her throat. "You do realize that Ostagar is, at the very least, a five day journey from where we stand?"

The Warden faltered. She hadn't thought of that. "We need to get down there as soon as possible. We'll only camp for a few hours and keep going… we need to avenge the king, and Duncan. Everyone who died down there…"

"'Tis foolish to charge down there as you plan to," the witch replied. "If you truly wish to avenge this king of yours, you should think about what you're doing. Unless, of course, you plan on ridding Ferelden of all the Grey Wardens."

Kira crossed her arms and nodded stiffly.

"Morrigan's right, as much as it pains me to say that," Alistair said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Don't get me wrong… we left some darkspawn down there that really deserve a sword through the middle. But, we also have to be realistic. We don't know what we're going to find down there, and we need to be at our best."

"Child, the events of Ostagar still haunt my dreams, as I'm sure they haunt yours," Wynne said gently. "But, I also agree. We need to approach this cautiously, make sure we're rested and ready. King Cailan deserves that much."

Zevran, Leliana and Sten nodded in agreement. Kira's shoulders drooped. They were right, and she knew it.

"You're all right, I'm sorry," she said finally. "Let's just go."

She turned and walked, never looking back to see if they followed, just as Duncan had told her not to do when she left her parents to die.

They traveled south, along the River Dane in silence. Kira walked paces ahead of everyone else. Only the hound dared keep her pace. It was strange to be walking that route again, to be heading back toward Ostagar. How long had it been since she traveled with Duncan? Months? Years? Time bled together, and she wasn't even sure anymore.

When the light began to fade, they stopped and set up camp in a clearing. Kira helped prepare supper with Leliana, and they ate. She smiled and joked with them, and sat with Alistair by the fire when everything had been cleaned up and packed away again. She laid her head against his shoulder and watched the flames.

"Are you okay?" he murmured into her ear. "You can talk to me, you know."

"I've been thinking about Duncan, when we were traveling from Highever to Ostagar," she said. "He was so kind to me. He told me to take my time to grieve and that things would get better with time. I didn't believe him then."

Alistair kissed her forehead. "What about now?"

"I think he was right," Kira said slowly. "I don't think you ever get over something like that. But it does get better."

Alistair nodded. "It does. Especially when you have someone to help you get through it."

Four more days passed before they reached the edge of the Hinterlands. The ruins of Ostagar loomed on the horizon, but daylight was fading. Kira and Alistair stood together while their companions busied themselves around the camp.

"Can you feel them?" Alistair asked, his voice low.

She nodded. "How many do you think there are?"

Alistair frowned and shook his head. "I'm not sure. The bulk of the horde isn't here any longer, that much I can tell."

Kira threw her arms around herself and shivered. "We'll head out in the morning. I want you and Wynne to come with me. Isaac is coming, too. I think he deserves a little closure as well. The rest will stay here."

At the first sign of morning's light, and they walked the old Tevinter road to Ostagar. Kira remembered walking with Duncan, Isaac close on her heels. She had followed him then. Now she was the one who lead. She had left Highever as a Cousland. Now she was a Grey Warden. So much had changed.

"You never told me how you became a Grey Warden, Kira," Wynne said as they walked.

"Arl Howe killed my family," the Warden replied. "Duncan saved me."

Wynne looked incredulous. "Rendon Howe? Why would he do such a thing?"

"Kira is the daughter of Teyrn Cousland," Alistair said, glancing at Wynne.

"What… You are the last of the Couslands?" the mage gasped. "My lady, I had no idea!"

"Don't. I'm a Grey Warden now."

Wynne placed a hand on Kira's shoulder. "You are a Grey Warden, yes, but don't forget who you are. You are meant for great things, child."

"I just hope that I can show the strength Duncan saw in me," Kira said quietly.

"You have done that every day I've known you," Alistair said. Kira gave him small smile and turned toward the ruins. It wasn't much farther now.

Kira unsheathed her daggers as they approached the ruins. Isaac's hackles were raised, and the hound crouched low to the ground, teeth bared. He could sense the darkspawn, too. They were waiting. She saw the genlocks first, armed with their twisted longbows. She heard the whoosh of the arrows as they flew past her, then the great burst of light as Wynne used her magic against them. Kira parried and flew at one, slicing his corrupted head off in one powerful strike.

The hurlocks came next. Alistair yelled and charged at them, overpowering them with his kite shield. His sword, Asturian's Might, was infused with magic that weakened the darkspawn, and the hurlocks fell. It was quiet again, and they moved on.

"Something about returning here makes me feel old," Alistair said. "I believed it would be a glorious battle, and that we'd win. I was a different person back then."

"We were all a little younger the last time we were here, Alistair," Wynne said.

"Well, not you, Wynne," Alistair grinned. "You've always been old."

Wynne scowled at him. "With lip like that, you'll be lucky to live to be half my age."

Kira motioned for them to be quiet. Isaac was staring ahead, growling. They walked through the ruins. This was where Kira and Duncan had met with the king and Loghain after the Joining. And there, in the distance… hurlocks.

"Go!" she yelled, as she ran toward the creatures. She dodged the swing of an axe, but the Hurlock caught her shoulder in the upswing. Kira cried out in pain, and stabbed the beast through an eye. It screamed, ichor spewing out onto her. There was no time to recover, as another creature charged her. Wynne cast an ice spell on him, and the Hurlock froze. The mage shattered it with a heavy blow of magic.

Alistair and Isaac had taken down another in the distance. Wynne cast a healing spell on Kira's shoulder, and she felt the heat and relief as the magic worked on her. Her shoulder was sore, but she could move. As she stood, she caught the sparkle of gold from the corner of her eye. She walked toward the glint. Gold greaves.

"Those were Cailan's," Alistair said. "This feels wrong, to find these here, thick with their rot. The rest of his things must be here."

They walked ahead looking for any sign of the king's armor. They climbed the stairs and Kira paused. This was where she had met Alistair, when he was fighting with the mage. She saw something up ahead and picked it up. The Joining chalice. She shuddered as she remembered the feel of the corrupted blood running down her throat.

They plowed on, fighting pockets of darkspawn everywhere. They found the key Elric had buried, and Cailan's chest. She handed Maric's sword to Alistair, and picked up the letters. Kira looked through the letters, gaping.

"Look at this," she said, handing the letters to Wynne.

"It seems our king had his share of secrets," the mage tsked, shaking her head.

"Oh, what's that say, something about an alliance?" Alistair asked, peeking over Kira's shoulder. "We could finally have peace!"

Kira exchanged a glance with Wynne. "Well, yes, but… We have to find the rest of Cailan's armor."

The Warden closed her eyes, trying to sense where the other darkspawn might be. The Tower of Ishal.

"We need to go across the bridge, to the Tower of Ishal," she said.

"Well, let's hope it ends a little better this time," Alistair said dryly.

They walked toward the tower. They found the king, crucified. And in the distance, a genlock emissary made the dead come to life again.

They fought their way through the tower, until they came to a massive hole leading down below.

"Do you think the darkspawn made this?" Kira asked.

"It looks that way," Alistair frowned. "And it looks like the only way back out is down."

They climbed through the tunnel, finding themselves surrounded by more darkspawn. They fought through the maze until they found another way leading out. They were on the battlefield now, where the armies and darkspawn collided. The corpse of an ogre lay off in the distance, and the emissary appeared once again. A swirl of dark magic surrounded the ogre and it rose. Skeletons came to life as well. Kira steadied herself, focusing on the ogre.

The beast threw its head back and roared, and ran toward them. The swords that killed it the first time still remained.

"Maker's breath, those are Duncan's swords!" Alistair yelled. Alistair charged at the ogre. "This is for Duncan, you son of a bitch!"

Wynne used her Earthquake spell, and the ground shook wildly, throwing the ogre and skeletons off balance. Kira stumbled as she ran, but took down the creatures as they came to her. Wynne was focusing on the darkspawn mage in the distance. She cast a fireball and the creature flailed wildly, and fell.

Kira had taken down the last of the skeletons when she saw Alistair and her hound attacking the ogre. It grabbed Alistair in its massive fist and Kira screamed.

"Freeze it, Wynne!"

She ran toward the ogre, as Wynne cast her magic. Alistair dropped to the ground, and groaned. Kira flew at the ogre, slicing and stabbing wildly. The magic wore off and it advanced on them again. This time, Alistair jumped and overpowered it with his shield. It fell back with a thud, and Alistair raised his sword in one quick movement, shoving the blade into the ogre's mouth. It shuddered violently and finally, laid still.

Alistair stood, and pulled the swords from the ogre's chest. He stared at Duncan's swords silently. Kira thought she heard him say a prayer. Alistair threw his head back and yelled, driving the blades into the ogre again, and fell to his knees and sobbed.

They took down Cailan's body and made a pyre. It was not much, but it was the best they could do. The king was finally laid to rest. Kira watched the flames, and thought of her family in Highever.

One day I will do the same for you.

They walked back to camp, feeling just a little bit older than they had when they arrived.