We entered the Brecilian Forest. I wasn't familiar with this area of the forest; my clan stayed to the northern part.

"Let's try not to get too lost," Alistair said. "It's easy to get turned around in a place like this."

"What am I? Chopped liver?" I asked.

Zevran chuckled.

"Considering that not only is Realin Dalish, but she is also a wonderful tracker," Wynne said. "If we do get lost, she'll be able to get us back."

"Thank you, Wynne."

We walked deeper into the forest. And the topic of my parentage came up. From Alistair, of all people. "So," he said. "I knew you were a Mage's daughter. But a Keeper's daughter as well. Why didn't you say you were a Dalish princess?"

I spun around on him and he took a step back. "I am not a princess! My father was not a king!"

"You had to bring that up."

Morrigan was trying her hardest not to laugh.

"Yes I did, Mr. I Don't Want To Be King."

Morrigan lost the battle of trying not to laugh.

Zevran chuckled. "The Dalish hierarchy is different from the humans," the assassin said.

"Oh? And you're a Dalish expert?" Alistair shot back.

"Maybe not but I did live among them for a short period. You weren't honest with her on your parentage when you met, no?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"You had your reasons. Why wouldn't she have hers?"

"Maybe we should ask her instead of standing here bickering about it?" Wynne said.

I rolled my eyes. "Being a Keeper's child isn't anything special, like being a king's child is."

"Point taken, Realin," Alistair sighed. "And I take what I said back."

"Good."

"I have been waiting for the day when Alistair's joking crossed a line," Morrigan said.

Alistair gave her a look that would kill if it could.

"Why didn't you become Keeper?" Leliana asked.

"Because, for starters," I said. "A five-year-old doesn't make the best leader. And I have no magic. Not only is a Keeper the clan's leader, he or she is also the healer and, in Zathrian's case, the spiritual leader as well. Neither my sister nor I inherited our father's magic. Keeper Marethari kept the clan together after my father's death so Mother chose her to replace him."

"So Marethari wasn't your father's First," Alistair asked. He'd remembered me referring to Merrill as Keeper Marethari's First.

"His First died in the same... tragedy." I hoped they wouldn't ask me for details. I didn't want to delve into the family tragedy.

"What does it matter now?" Sten asked before anyone else could ask another question. "It is past and she is obviously not Keeper or ever will be. We should move on and remain on the task at hand, not Realin's personal life."

I gave the Qunari a grateful look, thanking the Creators for his duty-focused mind. I didn't want to explain my father's death to them. I only knew hearsay about it anyway. Even though I was told I witnessed the entire thing, I don't remember one bit of it. Perhaps a good thing.

"The Qunari has a point," Morrigan said. "I think our task is more important than Realin's parentage."

We continued through the forest, but Alistair had to say one last thing. "Will 'I'm sorry' be acceptable?" he asked. "You never once have made a crack about my being a bastard prince and I should have done the same courtesy to you. I'm sorry."

"If I accept, will you shut up?"

"Possibly."

I gave him a look and he gave me a smile. I chuckled and shook my head. "I can't stay mad at you when you smile like that."

"You had me worried there."

"Quit while you're ahead."

He held his hands up in surrender. We had approached a waterfall and several small bridges leading to an island in the river. Tristan growled as three werewolves approached us. They stood on their hind legs like men, but they were taller than a man.

The lead werewolf growled. "The watch-wolves have spoken truly, my brothers and sisters," he said.

I should have been surprised at a talking wolf but I had grown up with the legends of the werewolves of the Brecilian Forest. There were few legends about their power of speech but apparently, those were true.

"The wolf is talking, Realin," Alistair said, leaning close to me. "How is it he's talking?"

"Because they were once human? How the hell should I know?"

The werewolf ignored our comments. "Another of the Dalish come to put us in our place. Come to make us pay for our attack."

"And who are you supposed to be?" I asked.

"You speak to Swiftrunner. I lead my cursed brothers and sisters. Turn back now. Go back to the Dalish and tell them you have failed."

I raised a brow.

"Tell them we will gladly watch them suffer the same curse we have suffered for too long. We will watch them pay!"

"You're the werewolves that ambushed the Dalish, then?"

"We are. I regret only that we did not infect every single one of them with the curse that night."

"You sound as if you hate the Dalish a great deal."

My clan had never had a problem with werewolves, only roving bands of mercenaries purging the world of heathens in the name of the Maker, Wild Sylvans, and wild animals. With the rare Darkspawn and tainting thrown in. And that was a one-time occurrence, at least as far as I am aware of.

"That we do. How dare they send you here against us! Turn and leave while you still have the chance!"

I waved my hand dismissively at him. "Begone, beast, or suffer the consequences." I really didn't want to risk infecting the others with the curse if it came down to a fight, but technically he had threatened us first.

Swiftrunner growled. "Very well. I will not risk throwing my people at you like unthinking brutes." He was smarter than I gave him credit for. "Come, brothers and sisters, let us retreat. The forest has eyes of its own and it will deal with intruders as it always has." Swiftrunner and the two wolves with him retreated.

"So now what?" Alistair asked.

"We find the heart of the forest," I said.

~~~

I caught sight of a fallen tree with bluish bark. Ironbark. I walked towards it to collect the bark. As I neared it, a nearby tree came to life, startling us. "A Wild Sylvan!" I cried, warning the others. "Watch for the branches!"

Just so you know, a Wild Sylvan is a tree possessed by a spirit. They can remain dormant for years but once they sense someone nearby, they attack, usually catching their victim by surprise. I'd been caught unaware by a few before. I nearly shared my father's fate the first time I met one... We were able to bring it down but afterward, we were more careful. I collected the bark and we moved on. We battled a few more Sylvans before we came upon a large rhyming oak tree, who asked us to find an acorn that was stolen from him in exchange for a way to travel throughout the forest without being bothered by the spirits that protected it. He told us where we could find the thief. We found that the thief was a mad Mage who made us play a question game before he would allow us to trade for the acorn. We returned to the Grand Oak, as he called himself, and I returned his acorn.

"My joy soars to new heights indeed! I am reunited with my seed!" His long twiggy fingers took the acorn and tucked it away. "As I promised, here it be. I hope its magic pleases thee." He pulled a branch off himself and handed it to me. "Keep this branch of mine with thee and pass throughout the forest free. I wish thee well, my mortal friend. Thou brought my sadness to an end. May the sunlight find you, thy days be long, thy winters kind, and thy roots strong." He returned to his previous form.

"How is a branch supposed to help us?" Zevran asked.

"It'll allow us into the heart of the forest," I said.

~~~

We came upon an abandoned campsite. Everything seemed fresh as if the occupants had just left maybe a few hours earlier. I was instantly suspicious. The fire pit was still smoldering. I looked around, expecting an ambush. Maybe it was the Blight and the Grey Warden in me talking. Or maybe it was all the ambushes we'd already survived.

"Now this is peculiar," Alistair said, surveying the camp as well. "Whoever this camp belongs to must have recently abandoned it. We should be careful."

"You're probably right," I said, glad I wasn't the only one with raised hackles. "Keep an eye out." We looked about the camp. I suddenly felt as if I hadn't slept for days. The last time that happened, I was trapped in the Fade for Creators know how long.

"You know," Alistair said, rubbing his forehead. "I feel as if I could sleep for days." He voiced what I had just been thinking. "Do you feel it? It's... not quite right."

"I feel it, too. But we need to stay awake."

"I do not wish a repeat of the Circle Tower," Sten said.

"What happened in the Tower?" Oghren asked, stifling a yawn.

Zevran was examining the fire. "I am surprised that fire hasn't burnt out. We should tend it... Is there a stick about?" He yawned. "I am tired."

"Stay alert. This could be a trap," I said.

"We should go before we fall prey to it," Wynne said.

"Agreed," I agreed. I turned to leave the campsite when I heard a thud. I turned back to see that Tristan had fallen prey.

"'Tis too late it seems," Morrigan commented.

Zevran and Leliana fell next.

"Anyone see a sloth demon?" Alistair said, his sword drawn.

Oghren grunted and hefted his axe. Sten's pose was a defensive one, his own sword drawn. I drew my swords.

"I wish it would show its damn self!" The Qunari growled. A clatter of armor caused us to turn. Oghren had fallen prey to the trap, Alistair following shortly afterward.

"Damn it!"

The only ones left standing were the Mages, Sten, and I. Why wouldn't it show itself? I was fighting the same desire to sleep that had taken the others. I glanced at them. Only Oghren and Alistair had the willpower to draw their weapons. Willpower. One of the things that had helped me survive the taint long enough to reach Ostagar and complete the Joining. I needed my willpower now, the willpower that failed me at the Tower. We heard a screech. We turned and I was hit with a powerful backhand that sent me into Morrigan. She managed to keep us both from falling by bracing us with her staff. A Shade was assaulting Sten while Wynne attacked from a distance.

"Go!" Morrigan launched me towards the Shade.

My blades were a blur as I attacked from behind. Between the Qunari's greatsword and my duel blades, the shade fell. Sten nodded at me. After it had been dispatched, the others who had fallen prey to it began to stir. Alistair shook his head.

"What happened?" Leliana asked. "How did I get down here?"

Zevran looked around as he stood. Sten helped Leliana to her feet.

"What did we wander into?" Zevran asked as he helped Alistair to his feet. The illusion had faded with the Shade's death. Around us, we could see that the campsite was ancient, littered with the skeletons of those it had lured here, their bones lying as if at sleep.

"This was a demon that fed once on travelers and remained to trap more as they passed. Like a spider in its web. Creepy." Alistair's look changed. "And if Sten, Wynne, Morrigan, and Realin hadn't had the willpower to resist the trap, we all would be like these poor souls."

"Let's move on." As we left the camp, I turned once last time towards it. "Creators, guide their souls into the Beyond."