As I said, [quiet but wry.] It isn't as if I never imagined. We knew everyone who died that day. It's not as if the Circle was large enough for there to be stranger, even if you weren't equally close to everyone.

It always felt empty. I don't know about you, but it did to me. We had new apprentices, yes, the odd transfer, but it didn't make up for it.

[They'd lost people at Denerim, too, those who'd survived Uldred only to fall to the Darkspawn.]

It was hard not to feel guilty for not having been there, even though it was just chance. It's not as if there's any guarantee any of us who weren't there would have made any difference. But one can't help wondering.