1. The Tainted Elf

Despite how much I love adventure, I can't honestly say I mind when the traveling in between is uneventful. In fact, I usually pray for exactly that. My success rate has never been the greatest, however, the Maker seems to be in an agreeable mood where I'm concerned this time. So far, at least. But considering Denerim's only two days behind us, I think I'll keep praying.

Even the weather's been gorgeous, if a bit cool at night, but that's normal. I'm almost waiting for something to go catastrophically wrong. Because something always does with me. But for now, I'm simply going to enjoy the thoroughly uneventful journey. Like my companions. Okay, so maybe Jowan's happier about getting to trade the mage robes for normal clothes again, but there's no denying Nathaniel's mood seems to be improving the closer we get to Amaranthine.

"Somebody's looking forward to being home," I tease, grinning at him.

He shrugs, faint smile pulling at his lips. "That I am, Rahna."

"Gonna visit Delilah after we get back?" My grin widens. Both of us know a visit to Delilah has a high likelihood of including Vi Henley.

Another shrug. "Perhaps. We shall see. I want to be sure you don't need me at the Vigil before I go off on a personal trip."

"'Preciate that," I laugh. "Though I doubt there will be anything I need you for that fast."

"You never know, Rahna." He looks up at the sky. "It'll be getting dark soon. We should be looking for someplace to make camp."

"Sure thing," I nod.

Fortunately, we find a perfect spot only a mile or so further down the road, and get everything set up and dinner cooking just as the sun starts to set. The three of us getting to simply watch a gorgeous sunset, Nate occasionally looking away to check on dinner and make sure it doesn't overcook. Even his cooking tastes bad if overdone.

But my eyes and Jowan's stay glued to the sky, watching it shift and morph through various reds and purples and pinks as the sun vanishes behind the jagged line of trees.

"Gorgeous," I mutter, leaning forward with my elbows braced against my knees and my chin resting on the heel of one hand.

"Mm-hm," Jowan agrees, sounding distracted.

"You okay?" I glance over at him.

He nods. "Yeah. Just... every time I watch a sunset, it's a reminder that I'm lucky to be free to enjoy it. To be able to watch it without walls or windows obstructing my view."

"Mmm. Never thought about it like that," I admit.

He shrugs. "I don't know if anyone who's not a mage would."

"Good point." We lapse into silence, both watching the colors change and lost in our own thoughts until Nathaniel informs us that dinner's ready.

oOo

The next few days are just as uneventful as the beginning of our trip, which is too sodding lovely for words. It's not until we're within a day's travel of the Vigil that I feel... well, I'm not even sure exactly what. Something. Something I wasn't expecting to sense here for the foreseeable future.

"Rahna?" What's wrong?" Jowan asks when he sees me tense.

"You can't feel it?" I could kick myself for the idiocy of the question; obviously he can't, or he wouldn't be asking. I sometimes forget I have an extra year's time as a Warden on him and Nathaniel. "I... there's something... darkspawn-ish nearby." I frown as the vertigo shifts and settles slightly. "And a Warden. Mage, I think."

"How far?" Nathaniel asks softly.

Trust him to be all business... I point off the path. "Not very. It's over there. But it... it feels different than usual."

"What do you mean?" He frowns.

"It's... muted. Not as harsh as darkspawn usually are, but still there. I think the only reason I noticed it is because there's a Warden, too."

"We should still see what it is. If it's in any way darkspawn, I don't want it causing harm."

"I know, Nate. Neither do I. Let me check it out first."

"Rahna-"

"You can be right behind me," I cut him off, knowing what he's going to say. "Just let me look before we do anything."

He sighs and nods reluctantly. "As you wish."

"Jowan, you wait here. Unless you hear me start hollering bloody murder or something."

He shoots me a Look. "Be careful, Rahna."

"Aren't I always?"

"Rahna."

"Yes, ser," I shoot back, giving him a playful salute before vanishing into the underbrush lining the road, Nathaniel not far behind.

oOo

Whatever I was expecting to find, my actual discovery still catches me off guard.

"Velanna?!"

"Elgar'nan!" The blonde elf leaps up, staff in hand, and whirls to face me. "Whoa, whoa! It's me!" I hold up a hand.

The ash wood staff lowers slightly, and the fire spell starting around her hand dies off. "Commander? What are you doing here?"

"I'm still in charge of Amaranthine, Velanna. I think I should be asking you that." I cross my arms and raise an eyebrow at her.

"I..." her voice falters. "I was coming to ask for your help..." the sentence trails off, as if she has difficulty uttering it.

"After you just vanished in the middle of a battle, you were going to ask for my help?!" I repeat in disbelief. I knew she was audacious, but this is pushing it even for her.

"Not for me, Commander," she asserts quickly, anxiously. "For him." She steps aside and finally allows me a view of her campsite-including her previously hidden companion, if you want to call him that.

I suck in a sharp breath when I see him, suddenly understanding why I was sensing darkspawn-and why it was so odd. "Nathaniel, get Jowan!" I holler over my shoulder as I step closer.

The elf lying in a semi-conscious state by the campfire is tainted by the darkspawn corruption, so far gone his eyes have gone silvery-grey. His intricate crimson vallaslin stands out in sharp relief against ashen skin, patches of corruption gnawing at his cheeks, jawline, and neck. I can't see the rest of him for the blanket wrapped around his body, but I'd be willing to bet it's just more of the same. Maker, how is he still alive?

"Who is he?" I finally ask Velanna when I manage to tear my gaze from the ailing elf.

"He... he is a hunter from the Alerion clan. I did not know him well, Commander, but his Keeper and Ilshae were good friends. She spoke often of his skill as a warrior."

"What happened to him?" I demand as Nathaniel and Jowan arrive.

"I... do not know," Velanna admits. "He and another even worse off than he is attacked me in the Brecilian Forest. When I killed the other one, he gave up. And I thought... the Joining cures the corruption, doesn't it?"

It suddenly dawns on me what she wants. "Velanna, I can't. We don't even know that he would survive the Joining."

"You could at least try. He's one of the best warriors in his clan, to hear Keeper Marethari tell it." She's almost pleading now, a fact that shocks me almost as much as her abrupt return.

"And would he be as... Dalish as you? Would he call me flat-ear and hate the human Wardens for past crime against your people? I have a hard enough time holding everything together with Zimri involved. If I add another shem-hating Dalish to the mix, the Vigil very well might explode." The mere thought is giving me a headache.

"Rahna, you have to at least try," Jowan protests.

"It's not a charity, Jowan. And trust me, it might be kinder to let him die than force our life on him," I point out, wondering why he seems to care so much. I look down at the topic of our conversation, who's currently too out of it to even care, a faint sheen of sweat coating his skin, his chest heaving as he gasps for breath. "He's probably too far gone as it is..." That argument sounds weak even to me.

"With respect, Commander, it's at least worth a try," Nathaniel chips in.

"Do tell." I raise an eyebrow at him.

"You have a rare knack for convincing people who would never normally be able to stand each other to work together," he explains. "If he survives the Joining, I'm quite certain you could make things work. And you do have a reputation for giving second chances to supposed 'lost causes'."

Blast it all, he has me there, and he knows it from the damned smirk he's giving me. "Oh, fine. On one condition: Velanna, you come back with us. I think having a fellow Dalish around will make things easier for your friend there if he survives."

She nods grudgingly. "As you wish, Commander."

"He doesn't have much time before even the Joining won't help. Nate, you better carry him." I take another look at the delirious hunter and pray we make it back in time. "What's his name?"

"I don't know his given name," Velanna admits, hurriedly dousing her fire and snatching up her pack. "But his Keeper called him Mahariel."

oOo

Even burdened as he is by the tainted elf, Nathaniel easily manages to keep up as we head for the Vigil with all possible haste. We push on in silence, our pace too great for extended conversation. All of us know where we're going and we're running out of time, not knowing how long Mahariel has. Everything in me wants to demand explanations from Velanna, from why she left to more details about how she found her new friend. But that'll have to wait for now. Saving a life-if we even can-is more important than me getting answers just a little bit sooner.

I pull ahead as we near the Vigil's outer gates and start hollering for them to open up. Soon as the men see it's me, they practically trip over themselves to obey.

"Commander, there's something the seneschal wants to talk to you about..." one of the soldiers begins as we hurry toward the inner gate and the keep beyond.

"Thank you for telling me, but it'll just have to wait," I reply breathlessly. "This is a matter of life and death."

By the time we reach the throne room, the entire keep seems to know something's not right.

"Commander, what-" Varel begins when we enter, but stops himself as he sees the limp form in Nathaniel's arms. "Oh, dear Maker..."

"I know it may be too late, but I promised Velanna we would see if the Joining can save him," I explain hurriedly. "Fetch the chalice and the necessary supplies."

"Of course, Commander," he bows. The servants are already scurrying to collect what we need before he can even give the orders. We very promptly have everything we need. Since Varel went ahead and spoke the traditional words while we were waiting, as soon as we have the chalice and the blood, I cautiously pour a bit into Mahariel's mouth. He coughs, gags, but swallows, which is a heartening sign. Now we just need to see if he survives.

I can hear Velanna murmuring prayers to the various Dalish gods, and I offer a fervent whisper of my own to the Maker. I don't know why he means so much to her, but he does, so please let him live...

The tainted elf convulses on the floor, the corruption in his blood meeting the Wardens' concoction. His back arches, his hands clench into tight fists, and his eyes roll back in his skull. This lasts for a few seconds that seem to move far more slowly than they actually do before he goes limp again, looking for all the world like a puppet with its strings cut.

Velanna bends close, practically radiating anxiety. "He's alive," she informs us, relief plain in her voice. The sentiment is apparently shared, as the entire room seems to let out a breath none of us knew we were holding.

"Alright, so now we can try to do something about curing all the damage caused by the taint," I mutter. I motion to a couple of the guards. "You can put him in one of the available rooms. Velanna, you go with them, see what you can do for him."

She nods. "Of course, Commander."

"The taint did a number on him. He needs healing, and lots of it. Where's Anders?" I ask, glancing around the throne room. I see Sigrun and Oghren, Nate and Jowan were with me, and Velanna is trailing after the men carrying our newest Warden from the room. But I don't see Anders. Figures he'd go haring off today, when we wind up needing him so badly... "Where'd he go?"

Sigrun and Varel exchange a worried look. "Um, that's what we need to talk to you about, Commander," the dwarf begins meekly.

"Why? Where is he?" I demand. I don't like the look on her face, and downright hate the deep foreboding that squirms through my gut.

She swallows hard and looks at the seneschal again for courage. He nods and rests a hand on her shoulder. She faces me and bites her lip. "He... He's gone."

A/N: And with that, I have worked in a Warden from every origin. *proud of myself* XD Essentially, I decided to tweak the Mahariel story timeline a bit, make the chain of events start later and change a few other little things that I'll go into detail about somewhere in the next couple chapters, when Rahna learns her newest recruit's story. And his first name.

And about Anders... *cough* I'm sorry, I really am, but I am trying to make DA2 fit in Rahna's canon, and there's not a lot of leeway if I want the timelines to match up. Further explanations next chapter. And a very. angry. elf.

I hope you all have/had(depending on time zones and when you read this) a very Merry Christmas despite my being so evil.