A Day in the Life of the Captain of the Guard

4.5 Bells

"Ummm...Donnic...Donnic?"

Silence

"Donnic!"

"Uggg...why are you yelling woman?"

Ah good..he is awake. "It's time to get up love."

"Oh, it can't be. Feels like we just went to bed." my husband replies in his hoarse, morning voice.

"I know but we can't be late. I have too much to do today." I insist.

"Alright hun. Who's turn is it to cook?" he asks. Why do men always think with their stomach?

"Mine...unfortunately." I admit.

I swing my bare legs over the edge of the bed. The cool morning air makes me shiver. I am about to stand up when I feel Donnic's warm, strong arms envelope me. I look over my shoulder at him and see the special grin he gets.

"Tell ya what hun, you come back to bed for a while and I'll buy breakfast for you on the way to work?" he asks with that same silly grin.

I take back what I said, men don't think with their stomach, they use something a little more south of the border, so to speak. Not able to hide my own smile I fall back into his welcoming arms.

6.5 Bells

We are both running at top speed, we accidently fell back to sleep, again! I look over at Donnic he looks silly running full out in his guard's armour, I smile. We sprint up the long stairs to work, it feels so undignified but if I am late as Captain what example am I setting for everyone else?

I beat Donnic to the top, again. I stop long enough to catch my breath, then I open the doors into the castle. It's already full of people seeking an audience with various nobles. It's going to be a long day. I wish I could have stayed in bed.

I casually walk towards my office, making sure that all of my assigned guards are in their proper position. They all stand at proper attention when I pass by. Private Jenson is not at his post...I will have to ask the lieutenant where he is.

After a quick inspection, I leave the barracks and enter my office. Lieutenant Jorgenson is at my desk. When he sees me he immediately stands at attention.

"How was the night watch Jorgenson?" I ask in my most official voice.

"Pretty quiet Ma'am. Jenson is ill again and we just had a few drunks in Hightown and a small fight in the Blooming Rose, apparently started by some knife-ear who felt insulted when a human mistook him for an employee. He really tore the place up but was gone by the time we got there."

My face became flush with anger. "Lieutenant! I have asked you two times now to stop using the term knife-ears, if I hear you say it again I will demote you. This is you final warning. We are supposed to represent all citizens of Kirkwall, not just the humans. Do you understand me Lieutenant!" I loudly bark.

"Yes Ma'am! Sorry Ma'am! Won't happen again!" he loudly answers.

"Good! You are relieved of the night watch. See you later." I order.

Snapping his heals he says, "I am relieved." and exits my office.

I sit in my desk chair. Finally, I can get to work, though my mind lingers now and then to what made me almost late to work. I least I can smile when I work I suppose! Naw! They might think I'm getting soft plus I don't want Donnic's head to swell.

7.5 Bells

Why won't this guy stop talking? I swear to the maker he likes to hear himself talk and he knows I have to sit here and take it.

"...and furthermore with the obvious criminal element running to Darktown to avoid prosecution I suggest you send at least two patrols down there each day to clean up the rabble." Finally I have to break in, "Excuse me Seneschal Bran if you don't mind?" I ask as politely as I can.

"Oh, If you must." he says in that especially smug way that pisses me off.

"I understand you want more patrols but we simply don't have the manpower. Between the Mages and Templars keeping everyone scared and the inevitable fight that is going to break out, we can't hire any new recruits AND any man or woman of any talent who is seeking work the Templars are grabbing because Knight Commander Meredith doesn't give them a choice. Perhaps, if you could ask her again.." he cuts me off before I can continue.

"Captain we have been through this. We have no authority over the Templars and even if we did, with no sitting Viscount we certainly can't demand anything from them. Besides Captain, part of your job is to go out into the community and recruit. I certainly hope you are not having reservations about your position?" he says knowing I will have to capitulate.

I release an annoyed sigh before answering, "Of course not Seneschal. I will double my effort on recruitment and schedule patrols of Darktown."... with my imaginary army you pompous ass.

"See there, not so difficult is it?" he asks on his way out of my office.

"No Sir." I answer him but simultaneously give him the finger behind his back.

9 Bells

"Hey Red, what's going on?" Varric asks as if I have nothing better to do.

"You don't want to join the guard do you?" I ask the handsome Dwarf.

He looks at me like I have frogs coming out of my ears.

"Never mind." I quickly say. It was a long shot anyway. "What brings you in today?"

"I got two things actually. First Fenris wanted me to tell you he is sorry about messing up the Blooming Rose last night, something about a grabby human and a banana. I don't know." Varric says as he shrugs his shoulders. I can tell there is more to the story but I HONESTLY don't want to know.

"And the second?" I ask.

"Yea...about that. You know the special patrol you wanted help with tonight. Well Isabela won't be joining us after all."

He looked worried so I felt my heart rate increase but of course I hid any concern. Isabela wasn't my best friend or anything, but I did care about her.

"Is she ok?" I asked.

"So you haven't heard?" Varric asked as if he was expecting an explosion.

"What has she done now?" I ask sincerely concerned.

"Well her and Hawke ended it rather abruptly the other night and to put a sharp edge to it, Daisy and Hawke are now an item." he replied sounding nearly as shocked as I felt.

"What?" I was literally flabbergasted, "Hawke and Isabela were like stone. I don't believe it. Are you sure?"

"Not only am I sure but Isabela actually put things into motion herself. She woke-up one morning and decided to get them both together. Then afterwards I guess it affected her more than she expected so she told me she was going away for a long while to clear her head." Varric answered.

"Merrill and Amber? Really? Wow. Well, now that I think about it Isabela came in a few days back and asked if I noticed any chemistry between the two. I didn't see it to be honest." I said in nearly a state of shock.

"Well Aveline you aren't exactly the holy oracle of romance. Sheeshh, I bet you didn't even know Hawke had a thing for you for about a year."

My head was spinning, "Shut-up! No, I would have noticed that."

"Need I remind you how Isabela and Amber got you and Donnic together?" Varric quickly replied.

That was a low blow.

"Eh, maybe you're on to something there." I had to admit with a small laugh. "So who do we get to replace Isabela? It's going to be tough, she's probably the best at these closed quarters affairs in all of Ferelden."

Leaning back in his chair Varric spoke, "Well, since you won't allow Donnic to work on these things, I might be able to get Fenris or Sebastian but they just don't cover as much ground as she does. We could also ask Hawke but if she plays out like usual that means Daisy will be there as well. With two high level Mages we risk blowing the whole damn building to pieces."

Thinking for a moment before I spoke, "On the other hand, if they alternate giving us cover we can probably get it done pretty quickly. Remember, Merrill has all that Elf magic and can literally make the ground swallow up enemies and with Hawke using her typical fire and ice above they won't see us coming."

"That settles it then; Hawke and Daisy it is. I'll go ask them right now. But just as a favour don't say anything about them being a couple, I'm not sure they are that public yet." Varric replied.

"Sure no problem. I still can't believe it. Makes me think about me and Donnic to be honest." I reply with more personal information than I intended.

"Look Red, Isabela has some deep issues about commitment and all of that crap. You two will be fine I promise."

I nod my head in both agreement and dismissal and watch Varric leave. Wow, it's going to take some getting used to. I decide to give Donnic an extra hug after work.