AN: I want to thank Karebear for the prompt to write a Snoopy-novel themed story. I grew up with several Peanuts compilations and I love that beagle. To see the full text of Snoopy's opus go to .com/writing/the_complete_text_of_Snoopy_s_
I own not a whit of either intellectual property.
-Penguin Regina
It was a dark and stormy night.
The wind blew through the mansion knocking down one of the large painting in the hall. Orana heard the noise and screamed inadvertedly. She was all alone in the mansion that evening. The unaccustomed solitude was making her jumpy.
Mistress Hawke had left with her companions to the Wounded Coast to investigate the apparition of a ship which may or may not be sign of a new invasion in the city. Bodhan and Sandal had gone for the night to the Merchant's guild celebration and would likely be out until late or the next morning. Dwarves could certainly throw a party when they set out to.
Orana adjusted the tattered shawl about her shoulders and arranged the violets she had bought from the young girl at the market. She sighed, not quite knowing what to do with herself. It wasn't even that late at night. The days were getting shorter and colder and Orana suspected she might see snow before the week was out. Time to yourself wasn't something slaves had a lot of in Tevinter. She was glad once again it had been mistress Hawke and her companions that had found her in that cave. She shook her head to wipe away the vague, dark thoughts of what may have happened otherwise.
She looked around the perfectly clean house as she put the painting back where it belonged. She sighed and went to the kitchen. This was the space she most shared with Bodhan. Both were equally likely to prepare the household meals. Meals that were most often for just the household staff, as Mistress Hawke was often absent from the mansion.
Sometimes the Mistress would invite all her companions to dine at her home and the house would resound with their raucous laughter and tall tales. Orana couldn't help but compare her current conditions to those under Danarius' estate. Certainly the Master had entertained, but it had never been a celebration. When Hawke brought her companions together, alcohol, jokes and good natured fun rolled over the mansion like a stampede.
Yes, she felt very lucky to be in mistress Hawke's employ.
She made herself some tea and took some of the cookies she had baked earlier. She considered her options. She could go out, but the thought of walking around at night by herself made her nervous. She wouldn't know where to go either. She crunched on her cookies as she thought. The noise drew in the one member of the house still left; Snoopy, the giant mabari the Mistress kept.
She and Snoopy got along well enough. He was a smart creature, sleek and powerful, if not tremendously attractive as dogs went. He knew she wasn't entirely at ease with him and gave her space. However, Snoopy was only a dog and he had needs. One of those needs was for Orana's cookies. When he heard the tell-tale crunching sound he jumped off Hawke's bed and ran into the kitchen doing the happy cookie dance for Orana's benefit.
Orana had forgotten about Snoopy and was momentarily startled by the giant beast bursting into the kitchen. But she was glad for the company once she saw him. Mistress Hawke had told her not to give the big dog sweets, but a couple of cookies would do no harm, she figured. She threw one and the mabari snatched it out of the air. She grinned at the trick. She threw another and he repeated the movement.
"Good dog" she said. Snoopy gave a doggy grin and wagged his tail stump furiously. They left the kitchen together. Feeling relieved at having another warm body in the house she talked to him, as she often saw the Mistress doing.
"So, Snoopy, what should we do? It's too early to sleep and too late to go out. What fun can we make for ourselves?" she said mostly to herself. She was underestimated Snoopy's intelligence, as it turned out.
He ran to the writing desk and poked his nose into one of the drawers, opening it easily with a paw. From the drawer he brought a pack of cards and shoved them into Orana's hand.
Dumbfounded she looked at the Diamondback deck the dog had brought her. She had heard Varric telling the mistress he had taught the dog to play, but she thought it one of his jests. She looked at the cards and at the dog. Snoopy gave a grin and sat down expectantly.
"Might as well" she said with a shrug, setting up on one of the entrance benches, dealing cards for the dog and herself.
It was there that Hawke and company found her when they arrived several hours later. Tired from the long trek to and back from the coast, they were greeted by the curious sight of the delicate elven maid playing cards with the monstrous mabari.
Orana brightened when the Mistress arrived and Snoopy immediately jumped in his mistress arms in greeting. Feeling bold she asked "Was there really an invasion underway?" Hawke was disentangling herself from Snoopy's loving (slobbery) embrace, so Isabela answered for her. "No, it was just a pirate ship looking to hide its booty somewhere. I suspect the storm made them come closer to Kirkwall than they would have normally wanted to." She shrugged and strode into the mansion, surely en route to the kitchen where she usually raided for food.
Orana put the cards in her pocket. "Shall I fetch you all some late supper? Perhaps prepare the guest rooms? It is a terribly dark and stormy night out" she asked.
"Oh please, would you? I'll come and help you just as soon as I get out of this sodden armor" Mistress Hawke said gratefully. Isabela's face brightened, as did Merrill and Varric at the thought of not having to trudge all the way back home tonight and for having some of Orana's delicious cooking.
"Don't worry Mistress, it's my pleasure." She said cheerfully as she bustled away, happy to have the house full and something to do, Snoopy following, hoping for perhaps another illicit cookie, after all, he had won the game.