"A prince never lacks legitimate reasons to break his promise." Niccolo Machiavelli
Marcel Cousland, the the Hero of Fereldan turned Prince. He would much prefer to be King, but he would settle for Prince as long as he was close to the throne. Marcel was always a man to make best of the situation he was in, if he was going to be a Prince then he would do it for the better of his loved ones. He liked Anora, but their relationship would be nothing more than political. She was to shifty for him, and the fact that she loved power more than any person, really didn't help his opinion of her. Both Anora and Marcel had their secrets; Marcel was trying to keep his mistress and lover, Leliana a secret. Not that he was worried about Anora's reputation but more of Nobles using the fact Leliana was an Orlesian against him. Marcel had a unique interest in Orlesian culture, which made him weary among some nobles, although the generation that fought alongside Marcel's father was dying out and the younger nobles seemed more tolerant of Orlais.
"My Lord your wife waits." Informed Marcel's second Gerald, knocking at the door. "Gerald, go wait with the wagon, Anora can wait a few minutes!" Marcel grumpingly snapped. He was always grumpy in the mornings, especially when being suddenly awaken after a pleasurable night of wine, song and forbidden fruit. He rolled over, rubbed his eyes and glanced over at his lover, Leliana. She was still fast asleep, like she usually during their nights together. Marcel gently put his right arm around her and kissed her on the forehead.
"Hey you." Leliana smiled as she slowly woke up.
"Hey" Marcus replied returned the smile.
"Did you sleep well?" Leliana asked as she wrapped her arms around him.
"Yes, I've just been watching you sleep." Marcel joked as he started to tease, giving her a peck on the lips.
"Oh." Leliana giggled.
"Do you know your eyelids flutter when you dream and you have such pretty eyelashes." Marcel chuckled as he brushed a strand of Leliana's hair away from her eyes.
"Flatterer." she coyly smiled.
"But I need to get up, the royal life waits." Marcel started to groan as he sat up on the side of the bed.
"Fereldan doesn't need its handsome Prince right this second…" Leliana smirked as she got up, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.
"Well, my dear love what an interesting offer, but It'll have to wait until tonight."
"Of course, of course… so important you are." Leliana sighed giving him a gentle kiss on the neck.
"Now if I can only remember where my pants are?" Marcus gave a questioning look to Leliana.
"Well that could be a setback." Leliana cooed, motioning for him to return to bed.
"Too muh rhon foo." Marcel responded, slidding his hand down her thigh.
"À toi, pour toujours." Leliana giggled at his touch.
Marcel slowly pulled a blanket over them and slowly crushed her with kisses all over.
Highever Courtyard
The past few weeks Marcel had been staying in Highever with his brother Fergus. Marcel had told Anora it was family business dealing with his Grandfathers research, but Anora was smarter than Marcel thought, she knew he planned on meeting Leliana there.
"Marcel, I assume that hangover means you had a eventful evening." Gerald teasingly greeted Marcel as he reached the gates of Castle Cousland. Gerald was an Orlesian, who had come to Fereldan after a conspiracy against his family. Marcel's fascination with Orlesian culture caused him to take Gerald under his wing.
"As they say in Orlais, I live on love and fresh water ." Marcel grinned, full of ignorance.
"Aye, My Lord, aye." Gerald chuckled.
"Where's Anora, I thought she….." Marcus hesitantly started to ask, until he heard a yell from around the corner.
"Fergus, where is my husband!" Anora demanded an answer from Fergus.
"My Queen, my brother is just….." Fergus calmly tried to answer.
"Just on his way." Marcel interrupted.
Anora's tone went from angry to relieved.
"Finally, you arrive….. late again." Anora sighed.
"You see there was this man….." Marcel spat out some incoherent rubberish;
"I don't need your excuses Marcel; just try to act a little more husbandly."
"Husbandly? You might not know it, but I am a dashing example of a charming husband." Marcus teasingly told Anora.
"Right…." Anora chuckled. Marcel always tried to ease tension between him and Anora with humor. It worked most of the time in Marcel's favor, but Anora was no fool.
"To business then." Marcel waved at Anora to follow him. Fergus and Gerald hovered behind them.
Anora's tone turned serious. She wasn't one to let her guard down when politics were involved.
"I read over your proposal with Eamon, maybe having a more professional military and not militia could help in rebuilding."
"If we are considering rebuilding the nation, perhaps a more professional could offer oppurtunites for refugees." Marcel's humorous tone turned serious. "These are desperate times, after a Blight ravaging through the country people will be anxious to make a living again."
Anora waved at Gerald and Fergus to leave, while Anora and Marcel took a walk around the Castle garden and continued their discussion in private.
As Anora and Marcel walked the gardens they continued talking about plans for a new military. Although Marcel wasn't the direct ruler of the country, he wanted Anora and him to be remembered as reformers. Marcel wanted to go to the grave knowing he changed Fereldan forever, not just saved it. Marcel was confident that if he could bring the ideas he learned during his time as a Grey Warden, he could achieve that goal.