Fen'lath covered her mouth, choking back laughter. It was terrible to laugh, but Josephine was running around the Skyhold great hall in an absolute panic. Leliana was next to her, smiling and shaking her head. "I've told you already, Josephine, His Majesty doesn't stand on ceremony. As long as we have enough cheese, he'll be happy."
"The King of Ferelden is visiting, Leliana! Everything must be absolutely perfect! Oh! That bunting still isn't centered properly!" The Antivan diplomat grabbed some pages to get said bunting moved an inch to the left. The signal horn echoed from the courtyard, and Josephine squeaked. "No! Brasca! Inquisitor, you get out there and greet the King, I have to get this fixed! Just remember, the princess and the princes are essentially his world, so keeping them happy is key!"
Shaking her head and still holding in giggles, Fen skipped out of the hall. She leaned over to Leliana, "How big of a heart attack do you think she'll have when she realizes I'm greeting the King of Ferelden in Dalish wraps instead of shoes?"
Leliana just smiled, and then said primly, "I would lock your door and sleep with one eye open for the next month. Just a friendly word of advice. I do like the outfit. Very Ferelden, but Dalish as well. You'll almost match His Majesty."
Fen laughed, and quickly patted the twist of braids on her head, then brushed down the fur on the collar and sleeves of her vest. The snow-white rabbit fur was soft against her neck, and a lovely contrast to the dark tan of her skin and the midnight black of her hair. The breast of the light tan leather vest was stitched with emerald green branches to match her vallaslin, while small slashes of matching silk at the waist mimicked the Anchor. The emerald green leather leggings edged with matching white rabbit fur were meant to be tucked into boots, however Fen had conveniently 'lost' them the evening before. Instead, she had wraps that matched the tan of the vest. Fen ran her fingers over the sleeves of the soft halla wool tunic she wore under the vest, the familiar feeling a comfort as butterflies filled her stomach.
They all gathered in the courtyard, watching as the king rode in. He had a young girl who favored him sitting in front of him on the saddle, gawking at the Inquisition soldiers and the banners. A carriage followed, three small boys hanging out a window and pointing at Solona Amell. "Sol! Sol!"
From Cullen's side, she blushed and waved at the little boys. Cullen raised and eyebrow and she shrugged at him, then said under her breath, "I delivered all of them, what can I say?"
Fen smiled as King Alistair handed the little girl down to one of the footmen, then dismounted and took her hand. She immediately pulled on it, saying in a piping voice, "Look, Papa, there's someone I can play with!"
Lady Morrigan stiffened when the king looked over at her. His eyes widened as his gaze shifted down to Kieran, then inclined his head as if asking a question. Morrigan nodded, one terse shift of her head. He paused, then nodded. Fen looked at Leliana, the question clear on her face. Leliana's shoulders lifted, a dazed and bewildered expression crossing her own features.
"I am pleased to meet you under better circumstances, Lady Inquisitor Lavellan. And hello again Leliana. You're looking well. " King Alistair's greeting startled Fen's attention back to him. He smiled, and chuckled at her surprise. Leliana also laughed and hugged Alistair, then stepped back so he could bow over Fen's hand and kiss it.
"Please, Your Majesty, Fen'lath or Fen. My ambassador may murder me in my sleep for it, but I don't stand on ceremony."
He laughed. "Then you must call me Alistair at my request. After all, if I ask you to be informal with me, she can't get that mad, can she?"
"One can hope, Your-Alistair. And who is this young lady?" Fen knelt down to greet his daughter eye-to-eye. "Am I correct in guessing you are Princess Moira, Your Grace?"
"Yes, Miss Inquisitor." The Princess curtsied with a dignity unexpected for a seven-year-old. "You have a very pretty castle."
"Thank you, Your Grace. If your Papa will allow it, I bet my commander and Lady Enchanter Solona can show you the castle and take you to the garden to play with Lady Morrigan's boy, Kieran." Realizing that she might be offering something Morrigan wouldn't agree to, Fen inclined her head to Morrigan, "That is, if his mother agrees, of course."
Again the king gave Morrigan an odd look. Then, "Would you mind if Moira and Kieran got a chance to play together some before we leave, Morrigan? Moira has very few children near her age in Denerim."
Kieran piped up, "May I, Mother?"
Morrigan hesitated, then murmured, "Once you have finished your studies for the day, little man."
"Thank you, Morrigan. Honestly."
The king's tone made Fen glance back and forth between Morrigan and Alistair, wondering what she was missing. She stood up and beckoned Cullen and Solona over. "Alistair, you already know the Lady Enchanter, since she came to join us with your blessing. You may know of our Commander, Cullen Rutherford."
"Cullen! Almost didn't recognize you without the skirt." Alistair's eyes sparkled with mischief.
Cullen rubbed his neck and flushed, "A pleasure, Your Majesty."
"Cullen, would you and Solona show Princess Moira around Skyhold? She thinks it's very pretty."
"Erm. Of course. Inquisitor. Your Majesty." Cullen looked down at the little girl who had her arms raised, expecting to be picked up. "Right. Come along, Your Grace."
Fen and Alistair were both fighting back laughter as Cullen awkwardly picked up the little girl, who immediately turned to Solona and began chattering at a mile a minute.
Alistair grinned, "I wonder when Solona will let Cullen know Moira wanted to ride on his shoulders so she can see better, not be carried like that."
"I give it five minutes, if she's feeling kind."
The boys were escorted up to them by a tall man with dark auburn hair and brown eyes. Alistair beamed at the three of them. "These are the princes, Maric and Bryce, and the young Teyrn Duncan Surana. This is my brother-in-law, Teyrn Fergus Cousland. He's here to help us wrangle these three howling demons."
"It's a pleasure to meet Your Graces." Fen knelt again. The boys bowed. Fen understood why Leliana had forewarned her not to make a fuss over Teyrn Duncan's appearance. You'd have to be blind, deaf, comatose and Tranquil not to pin him as the King's son immediately. The boy probably had no idea how much upheaval went on behind the scenes because he was elf-blooded, and the King's to boot.
Duncan, the youngest whom Fen placed at four-ish, lisped, "You're an elf like my Mumma."
"I am an elf! You have sharp eyes, my lord!"
"Duncan. Mumma doesn't have the pretty painting on her face, though."
"I'm a Dalish elf, Duncan. Your Mumma was born in a Dalish clan, but she wasn't raised in one, so she didn't get vallaslin. Do you like stories about elves?"
The serious-faced little boy nodded. Fen lifted her face to Solas, eyes pleading. He raised an eyebrow, then the other raised in surprise when he realised what the look was asking. Getting down onto his knees next to Fen, Solas bowed his head to Duncan. "I am called Solas, Duncan. I know lots of stories about the elves of Arlathan, and even some stories about your mother from Sister Leliana and Lady Solona. Would you like to hear them?"
Duncan's face lit up, and he looked up and Alistair, bouncing on the balls of his feet. Behind her, Varric chuckled, "This I have to see, and write down. Can't let Chuckles take my title of storyteller."
"Go ahead, Duncan." Alistair smiled as Solas stood and held out a hand for the boy to take. He was already speaking as they entered the keep, tone soothing and stride shortened so Duncan could keep up.
"I think you're trying to win my children over, Lady Fen."
Fen gave Alistair a cheeky grin. "Children who are entertained aren't swinging from the chandeliers or giving my ambassador heart attacks."
"True enough. So, dare I ask what entertainment you have planned for these two?" He ruffled the twins' hair.
Fen drummed her fingers on her lips like she was considering, then grinned. "Your Graces know your father fought with the Qunari Arishok in the Blight, right?"
"Yes!" The five year olds nodded in perfect unison, beaming with excitement.
"What if I told you we have our very own Qunari here with the Inquisition, and he is friends with a Tevinter mage?"
Teyrn Fergus made a noise of objection. Fen looked up at him and said, "I would and have trusted both men with my life, Teyrn Fergus. If you would like to join Dorian in escorting the boys down to the Herald's Rest to meet The Iron Bull and the Chargers to put your mind at ease, I have no issue with it."
"Nor do I. Dorian Pavus of House Pavus, at your service." Dorian stepped forward and bowed with a flourish. "I can assure you, Teyrn Fergus, between myself, the Chargers, and the Bull's tendency to mother-hen everything he believes needs it within a square mile, there will be no safer place for the princes to be than with us in the tavern."
Fergus rubbed his beard and said, "I would prefer to keep an eye on them. Irrational fear of letting family members out of my sight with strangers, you know?"
"I don't think that is irrational at all, Teyrn Fergus." Fen said softly, tone somber. "Dorian?"
"Your Graces, my lord, follow me." Dorian escorted them down the stairs, listening seriously as the boys started telling him about riding in the carriage to Skyhold.
"Lady Montilyet tells me Princess Elissa stayed in Denerim." Fen took Alistair's hand as he helped her up.
"Indeed, she's with Fergus's wife, Caterina of Rialto. Caterina is a few months along with their first, and wasn't up for travel. Arl Teagan, Bann Alfstanna, and Arl Leonas Bryland are running things while I'm here."
"Why did you decide to come here, Alistair? If you don't mind me asking?"
Alistair sighed, looking from Fen to Leliana. "The Landsmeet is driving me insane and I needed to get away for a bit, first of all. Second, you saved my children and me from being assassinated by the Venatori, and I felt the need to thank you in person."
"That's not all, Alistair." Leliana gave him a knowing look.
"No. I… thank you. For the Wardens, that is. I may not be one in name anymore, but you never really just stop being one. Gwyn… Lady Gwyneth would be so disappointed if she saw what Clarel had done in her absence. You're doing so much to improve the world's view of mages, and you've ensured that I don't have to worry about keeping Orlais out of my kingdom and recovery from the Blight. I was short and rude when I met you in Redcliffe, and I'm hoping that we can become friends."
Fen quirked up the corner of her mouth, "You know, Alistair, I'd like to think we already are."