Building castles in the mud

[freedom_is_grey]

"My office," Ysalwen says, gesturing to the small and perhaps surprisingly cozy chamber they emerge into, the noise of Milliways fading behind them as she closes the door.

"And Liranan's third-favorite spot for napping."

The cheerful little fire crackling in the hearth -- with a very soft-looking rug in front of it -- may suggest why this is the case.

Comments

[howtoactfereldan]

He's heard that name before.

And Cullen follows Ysalwen's cue, walking a few steps behind and to her right, stopping when she stops, clasping his hands loosely behind his back in a casual approximation of parade rest.

He's had a lot of practice being the (less-)bad lieutenant. It's easy enough to fall back into it, shoulders squared, expression blank.

[freedom_is_grey]

"Who's thi -- "

The blond elven woman starts to ask a somewhat waspish and defensive question, but Ysalwen's raised eyebrows appear to cut it off at the pass.

"A party of darkspawn moving this way, Ysalwen. No emissaries, no alphas. I came back to take some of the recruits out to deal with it. It should be an easier blooding. Did you want -- "

Ysalwen shakes her head, flicking a quick glance at Cullen as she does so.

"Not this time. You'll manage well enough. Just don't take Galen, Merana, or Leomund. They're not ready, and they might never be. Tell me how they do afterward, once you're all back. See if you can beat Nathaniel's record, if you like."

Velanna nods once, sharply, shoots Cullen a suspicious and measuring look, then departs, step hitching only a little as Ysalwen lifts her voice to be heard for just a little longer.

"Sigrun's taking bets."

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen makes a noise that could quite easily be mistaken as throat-clearing.

Well. Ysalwen's got the knack of how to motivate her people as individuals. He'll have to tell her, later.

[freedom_is_grey]

"Oh good," says a bustling woman with neatly upswept graying hair, a lined face, and several flowers held in one hand. "She found you. Or you found her. Never does like taking direction, does she? Not from shems, at any rate. And I was only just saying you were in your office."

Ysalwen turns, cracking a slight smile at the woman's approach.

"Aggi. And here I was just looking for you, too. Thank you for the flowers. She'll appreciate it more when she's back, I imagine. And -- I've a guest who will be spending at least the night -- Stanton, here. He'll need a room, one of the smaller chambers not on Wade and Herren's side of the Keep, please? Maybe near the library? I'm sure you know the set I mean."

Well away from any current occupants, recently renovated and repaired, and quiet.

For the nightmares that no one here is talking or even thinking about.

"Yes, m'lady Ysa," Aggi says promptly, looking the guest over once or twice -- he is handsome, after all. "Any luggage or parcels to be put in there as well? Or notice given to the stablehands about when he'll be wanting to leave?"

[howtoactfereldan]

Ser Stanton very carefully does not assume that it's that kind of look. Of course anyone in her position would size up strangers close to the arl.

Smoothly, then, he says, "I'm afraid the answers are no, and not yet, mistress -- I hope that won't cause you trouble."

[freedom_is_grey]

"Oh, no, no," Aggi says dismissively. "I'll just send one of the girls along to freshen up the sheets and get a fire going. Do you take a warming pan of an evening? Some people like things crisp, I know."

Nathaniel.

Ysalwen laughs quietly.

"You could ask Aggi to be ready to receive one hundred guests in two hours and she'd still insist it was no trouble, I swear."

Aggi looks skeptical. "You say that, but you and I both know, my lady, that you'd never dream of doing such a thing."

Ysalwen presses her knuckles to her mouth, eyes sparkling with badly-suppressed mirth. "Just so you admit in advance that it will not be my fault if our King ever decides to pay a spontaneous call."

Aggi actually swats at Ysalwen's shoulder with the flowers, almost reflexively.

"Oh, go on with you, then. Just know that my husband will take it out of you when yon mabari there goes to stud."

[howtoactfereldan]

That -- is a good thing, like as not. It's not as though Cullen's spent a great deal of time in the great houses of Ferelden, to know if such things are typical for young nobles and their -- chatelaines? Is that Aggi's role?

More questions to be answered later.

"Ah -- no, mistress, thank you," Cullen says, when he can get a word in edgewise.

[freedom_is_grey]

That is largely Aggi's role, and it's not as if Ysalwen has spent oodles of time in great houses, either. She's begun how she means to go on, however, and most here have been so relieved at Howe's departure that they've allowed it, even against previous instincts.

It -- makes for an odd little household, but still. It works!

"And now, I think, I ought to take this one around to show off the troops. Someone should see the results of all the training they've been putting in, no?"

Aggi seems pleased to agree, then gets back to making sure everything is clean and arranged neatly as a pin.

"Her husband is the kennel-master, in case you wondered. He has a breeding plan all laid out already."

[howtoactfereldan]

"Has he asked Liranan's opinion?" says Cullen drily, following after Ysalwen.

" -- and one other thing." He stops, once they're outside the hall. "I'd like to see them, but at a distance. Don't introduce me. Let me do that in the morning, at breakfast, and we'll move to the yard from there."

[freedom_is_grey]

"Where do you think he got the first part of the breeding plan from?"

As if Liranan would let it be any other way. (Or as if Ysalwen would.)

She stops as he does, looking up at him.

"I can do that. Well, we can do that. There's a not-terrible vantage point halfway between the kennels and the stables, which also gives us an excuse to be there. Though, do you -- do you want to see them just without me, or see them just with me and without you, too? If -- if you think that's a useful distinction?"

[howtoactfereldan]

"It is," Cullen says, thoughtful gleam in his eyes. "Could we do... all of that? Or would that be too difficult?"

[freedom_is_grey]

Ysalwen taps her mouth with her fingertip for a moment, gaze distant.

Then she focuses back on the here and now, shaking her head just a little.

"No, no I think it should be doable. We'll take Liranan to the kennel to say hello, walk across to show you the stables, and then I'll leave you there after you've seen your fill and head for the training grounds myself. It's -- actually not something I haven't done before, so no one will think it odd. Or they shouldn't."

Again, it's all the running around everyone does, honestly. It covers a variety of sins.

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen nods.

(He is very quietly thrilled that they are going to the kennels. The only thing better than one dog is more dogs.)

"We don't have to do it all right away. Or even today. But while I'm here -- it would be... good."

[freedom_is_grey]

"Well, it's certainly good timing to do it today. Not for the Wardens so much as for the regular Keep recruits. Tomorrow will be better for the Wardens, as most will be back from their various training exercises."

Including Zevran, which will be -- nice.

She exhales, consciously relaxing her shoulders.

"But first, mabari. And the other hounds, of course."

But mostly mabari.

[howtoactfereldan]

"Of course," Cullen says, cheerful.

And, as they move:

"Should I address you as Warden-Commander in front of others?"

[freedom_is_grey]

No. Please.

"Um."

She swallows a little heavily.

"Probably, yes. Most people who don't know me do that."

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen doesn't miss that reaction.

Quiet:

"Probably isn't yes. What would you have me call you?"

[freedom_is_grey]

"Ysa, really," she says quietly. "My friends do. But here -- just Commander, if that would be best? Warden-Commander is, um, too much."

Too much playing into recent history. For one.

[howtoactfereldan]

"Elsewhere, it's different," Cullen says -- gently enough.

"Here, you're the Commander. Just as I'm Ser Stanton. Elsewhere, nothing's changed."

[freedom_is_grey]

"Yes, well. Everything changes. Eventually."

She smiles, quick and just this side of too-bright.

"Not always for the worse, I know. Ser Stanton."

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen snorts. "If you're looking for an optimist, you've got the wrong visiting dignitary."

[freedom_is_grey]

Well, if that's how he wants to play it.

Ysalwen laughs, sudden and clear.

"Who knew that you would inspire me to pick up the slack?"

What?

And on that note: puppies.

Well. Dogs. In the kennels. Liranan takes it upon himself to lead the way!

[howtoactfereldan]

"It's a gift," says Cullen, dry, trailing afterward. "One must motivate however one can."

[freedom_is_grey]

"I'm glad that you're good at it."

Ysalwen greets the kennel-master and one of his apprentices by name, kindly getting out of the girl's way so she can be greeted by Liranan. The kennel-master, too.

And then it's time to look over the dogs. Liranan seems to have a favorite set of friends already. They do not go hunting enough together! Ysalwen should fix that!

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen, meanwhile, has divided his attention.

It's... entirely strange, and he's not sure that it's in a good way, to be standing in a Fereldan kennels, on Ferelden soil, when he left Kirkwall that morning knowing the whole place would be at a standstill until he returned from doing his part to ensure good and just rule for the Arling of Amaranthine.

(He stands as though perhaps his body might evaporate into the air, which smells of dog and horse and hay and damp and, under all that, good, clean earth.

He hadn't expected it to smell the same, after seven years, after a Blight.)