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

[freedom_is_grey]

The young mabari sits upright at that, barking twice.

She is here to help, Cullen-person!

"I think we're on our own with this one," Ysalwen ventures.

Oh dear.

[howtoactfereldan]

"Even Liranan won't help?" Cullen shakes his head sadly. "A dark day."

[freedom_is_grey]

"You're the only one that can save us, Cullen."

Ysalwen tries to intone it darkly, and fails miserably.

"Already being Liranan's, my hands are tied."

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen's brow furrows. "And what am I supposed to do, exactly?"

[freedom_is_grey]

"I don't know, what does one do with a mabari?"

At this Liranan barks, tail wagging a bit more slowly than the other dog's.

"Take her in hand? See what you make of each other?"

[howtoactfereldan]

-- she's not.

Is she?




Ysalwen gets a very confused and uncertain look. It's not from the mabari.

[freedom_is_grey]

She smiles faintly.

"It's not all that different from how Liranan picked me. And she's not promised to anyone or for anything, so -- "

The 'she' under discussion has leapt to her feet from her place by the fire and is trotting in Cullen's direction.

Determinedly.

[howtoactfereldan]

Faintly:

"You can't be serious."

[freedom_is_grey]

"Oh, I'm not the one you'll have to attempt to dissuade. I'm pretty sure she is serious enough for all of us."

And now the puppy is sitting at Cullen's feet, neat as you please, tail wagging and tongue lolling, her pleading puppy eyes looking at his majestic and noble face.

Hi!

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen looks from Ysalwen to the mabari, and back again.

"I -- you can't be serious."

The dog is very grey -- smoke-colored.

"I don't even -- live here. What's going to happen when it's time for me to return?"

[freedom_is_grey]

"When am I not serious?"

She keeps that crooked half-smile even as she asks it.

"As for what will happen, she'll go on record as a gift to a friend of the Arl, and I'll pester you and her if ever the kennel-master decides he'd like to see if she'd be willing to throw a litter."

[howtoactfereldan]

"You're frequently not serious," Cullen retorts tartly --

-- and looks back at the mabari.

She does have rather earnestly floppy ears.



"We'll see," he says faintly, and he can't quite bring himself to make eye contact when he says, even more quietly (and just barely evenly), "Thank you."

[freedom_is_grey]

"Yes, well."

Ysalwen is very intent on buttering this poor slice of bread, it appears. Almost more butter than bread, by this point.

"We dog lords have to stick together."