Sten

You are not telling me that you played, "I Spy," against yourself for twenty days.

This one is a little tricky as a relationship, from the time Sten is saved from the cage, towards the end, I think the two actually get to some sort of respect between each other. While Sten is mostly silent, during various time we can come to see that it’s not that difficult to get on his good side. Alistair has a problem with understanding if Sten jokes or not. The quinari actually does put the man on the test once, and without knowing Alistair actually passes it.

When it comes to their dialogues, it’s mostly Alistair that pesters the other about how did he manage to pass so much time in the cage without moving, and that’s where he gets confused about Sten joking or not. Still the quinari warrior gives direct answers which are sometimes disconcerting to Alistair and as I said he is not sure if the other is serious or not.

Dialogues:

Alistair: Don't you ever talk? You know, make polite conversation just to put people at ease?
Sten: You mean that I should remark upon the weather before I cut off a man's head?
Alistair: ... Nevermind.

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Alistair: Were you really in that cage for twenty days?
Sten: It might have been closer to thirty. I stopped counting after a while.
Alistair: What did you do? I mean... twenty days is a long time to sit in one place and do nothing.
Sten: On good days, I posed riddles to the passersby, offering them treasures in exchange for correct answers.
Alistair: Really?
Sten: No.
Alistair: Awww. Too bad. That's got serious potential.

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Alistair: You know, you never did tell me how you passed the time in that cage for so long.
Sten: No, I didn't.
Alistair: So... what did you do in there?
Sten: A training exercise. I would observe an object and then try to think of all the words in your language which began with the same letter as its name.
Alistair: That... wait. Just wait. You're joking again, aren't you?
Sten: No.
Alistair: You are not telling me that you played, "I Spy," against yourself for twenty days.
Sten: There are a lot of things in Lothering that begin with, "G."

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Alistair: Hmmm... I spy with my little eye, something that begins with... "G."
Sten: Is it a Grey Warden? Is it, in fact, you?
Alistair: Oooh. You're really good at this.
Sten: (Sigh)

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Sten: Draw your weapon.
Alistair: Are you talking to me?
Sten: Your weapon. Draw it.
Alistair: Why? Are we under attack?
Sten: I want to see what you can do.
Alistair: You want to fight me? Just like that?
Sten: You are a Grey Warden. How are you going to face an archdemon if you cannot face me?
Alistair: It is a mystery, I'll admit.
Sten: I should let your weakness damn us all? Draw your sword. I'll try not to injure you permanently.
Alistair: I don't have to prove anything to you. Forget it.
Sten: So you do have a spine. Pity you don't use it.

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(If Alistair will become king)

Alistair: So I suppose once I'm actually king I could end up in negotiations with the Qunari one day.
Sten: My people do not negotiate.
Alistair: What do you mean? They negotiated a peace treaty after the war, and as far as I know they've kept to its terms.
Sten: They signed a piece of paper. But only because they knew that you believed in it.
Alistair: And what is the difference between that and negotiating?
Sten: They stopped fighting for their own reasons. And they will resume it again, one day. The agreement means nothing to them.
Alistair: But I thought you said your people believed in honor.
Sten: They do. The honor of the Qunari is what will bring our warships back to your shores.