"I'm sorry pups, I didn't see you there," Bryce Cousland said, as two of his children sprinted into the Great Hall, Bryce turned to look at them and then saw that they were covered in mud. His daughter, Aisling, was grinning sheepishly at him, she had short brown hair and brown eyes. She wore her green tunic with a brown belt around her stomach and a pair of black breeches with black boots. She wore her black bracers and her black fingerless gloves. She had her twin daggers on her back over her bow and her quiver.
Bryce's youngest son, Connor, had curly dark brown hair and light green eyes. He was about six foot five and was muscular, he wore a red tunic and a pair of black breeches. He had brown boots on and had his bracers on. One of his swords was strapped to his back, the other was in his belt with his lion shield strapped to his back as well. Bryce saw Connor's dagger handle just outside his boot.
"Howe, I trust you remember my twins?" Bryce asked the man standing in front of him. Arl Rendon Howe looked slightly older than Bryce Cousland, he had grey hair and wrinkles and brown eyes. Connor's hand subtly went to the hilt of his sword when he saw Howe looking at his sister. "Hello Arl Howe," Aisling said. "I see your daughter's become a lovely young woman, please to see you again, dear," Arl Howe said smiling, but it didn't reach his eyes and there was something hidden there, he then turned to Connor, "and your boy's become rather strong, my son Thomas was asking after you Aisling."
"To what end? Thomas is quite a few years younger than Aisling," Connor said. "As you get older, those years make less difference," Howe said, "a lesson often hard won." "I doubt she'll be receptive, Howe," Bryce said, glancing at Connor and Aisling, who's hands were on the hilts of their daggers or their sword, "my fierce girl has a mind of her own these days, Maker bless her heart." "No doubt because you've trained her as a warrior," Howe chuckled, "how...unique."
Connor took a step forward, but Aisling grabbed her twins arm stopping him with a reassuring smile. "At any rate pups, I've summoned you here for a reason," Bryce said, "while your brother and I are away, I'm leaving you two in charge of the castle." Aisling glanced up at her father, and he smiled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Are you certain?" Connor asked, "Can't we go into battle with you and Fergus."
"I'm certain you'd more than prove yourselves," Bryce said smiling at them, "but I am not willing to deal with your mother if you two join the war. She'd kill me if I let you go, she is already twisted in knots about Fergus and me going." "Very well father, we'll do what you think is best," Connor sighed disappointed. "Now that's what I like to hear," Bryce said, his smile becoming wider, "only a token of forces will be remaining here, and you two must keep peace in the region. You know what they say about mice when the cat is away, yes?"
Aisling and Connor grinned at their father. "There is also someone you must meet," Bryce said, then looked over at a guard at the door, "please, show Duncan in." The guard nodded at Bryce, and winked at Aisling before going outside the hall to get whoever Duncan was. They were soon joined by a dark-skinned man, in his forties, he had raven black hair that was up in a ponytail, and some grey at the sides, he had beard. He wore silver armour, that the twins soon recognized as a Grey Warden's armour. Bryce smiled at his twins who were admiring Duncan's two swords which were strapped to his back.
"It is an honour to be a guest within your hall, Teyrn Cousland," the man said, as he came closer to them, and then stopped, just opposite the twins. "Your lordship!" Howe exclaimed, surprised, "You didn't mention that a Grey Warden would be present." "Duncan arrived just recently, unannounced," Bryce said, "is there a problem?"
"Of course not!" Howe said, "B-but a guest of this stature demands certain protocol, I am...at a disadvantage." Bryce glanced at his twins who were regarding Howe with suspicion. "We rarely have the pleasure of seeing one in person that's true," Bryce said then looked at Aisling and Connor, "brother Aldous taught you who the Grey Wardens are I hope." "That depends, are they the ones assassinated people and are paid for it?" Aisling asked. Connor gently smacked the back of Aisling's head. "They defeated the darkspawn long ago," Connor said, then looked at Duncan, "I apologise for my sister. She was joking, she knows perfectly well who the Grey Warden's are."
"Not permanently, I fear," Duncan replied. "Without their warning of the darkspawn rising now, half the nation could have been overrun before we'd had a chance to react," Bryce added, "Duncan is looking for recruits before joining us and his fellow Wardens in the South. I believe he has his eye on Ser Gilmore." "Gilmore is an excellent candidate," Connor said. "Just make sure you don't give him a bow whatever you do, he'll end up killing the King, knowing his luck," Aisling said grinning.
"If I might be so bold," Duncan said, smiling mischievously, "I would suggest that these two are also excellent candidates." Bryce took a step between Aisling and Duncan, shifting his body so he was protecting her, Connor also stood slightly in front of his sister, but he smiled slightly at her. "Honour though that may be, these are my twins we're talking about," Bryce said. "Is there a reason we shouldn't join them?" Aisling asked, smiling mischievously at her father.
"You did just call them a band of heroes, old friend," Howe said smiling at Aisling, and the twins realized slightly looking at Howe. This was the Howe they remembered as children, he was rather like his son, Nathaniel. "I've not so many children that I'd gladly see them all off to battle," Bryce said, "unless you intend to invoke the Right of Conscription." "Have no fear," Duncan said, "while we need as many good recruits as we can find, I have no intention of forcing the issue."
"How about this," Aisling said, "I join the Grey Wardens, and Connor can stay here at the castle with mother." "You're not going anywhere without me," Connor replied, pulling her into a one-armed hug. "Pups," Bryce said facing his twins, he was now relaxed knowing they wouldn't be fighting the darkspawn in the war, "can you ensure that Duncan's requests are seen to while I'm gone?" "Don't strain our abilities or anything," Connor said grinning. "And don't strain my patience," Bryce said holding back his amusement, "in the meantime, find Fergus and tell him to lead the troops to Ostagar ahead of me."
"Is this your subtle way of telling us you want us to leave?" Aisling asked. "We must discuss battle plans," Bryce answered. "I wish you well, Arl Howe," Aisling said politely to him. "Well thank you!" Arl Howe said, and once again the twins were reminded of when they were children and Arl Howe was like a kind uncle, always giving them sweets and encouraging them in horse-riding, "But...it is unnecessary."
Connor grinned at them all, and the two left the Great Hall.
As the twins walked around the corner, they grinned when they saw Ser Gilmore, a tall knight with red hair and brown eyes. He wore the Highever armour and had a sword on his back. He was about twenty, the same age as the twins. "There you are," Ser Gilmore said, "your mother told me the Teyrn summoned you, so I didn't want to interrupt." "Hello to you too Ser Gilmore," Aisling said teasingly. "We're good, and how are you?" Connor continued.
"Pardon my abruptness," Ser Gilmore said grinning back at them, "it's simply that I've been looking for you two everywhere. I fear your hounds have the kitchens in uproar once again, Nan is threatening to leave." "Did Connor's dog get into the larder again?" Aisling asked sighing. "No matter how the maids try to keep him out," Ser Gilmore said, amusement clear in his voice, "he always finds a way in. You know these hounds, he'll listen to his master but anyone else risks having an arm bitten off, your wolf is there as well."
"He knows better than to hurt anyone," Connor protested. "I'm not willing to risk that," Ser Gilmore said putting his hands up in mock surrender, "you're quite lucky to have your own loyal hounds, you know. Smart enough not to talk, my father used to say. Of course, that means they're easily bored, Nan swears they confound her just to amuse themselves. At any rate, your mother would have me accompany you until the matter is settled, shall we?"
"To the kitchen!" Connor exclaimed one hand in the air. "Just follow the yelling," Ser Gilmore said laughing, "when Nan is unhappy, she makes sure everyone knows." The three set off towards the kitchens, and remembered stories of when they were younger and had done very stupid things.
As the three entered the kitchen, they were greeted with Nan yelling, "Get those bloody mutts out of the larder!" Two elves stood in the kitchen, one was a red haired young man, while the other was a brunette young woman. "But mistress, it won't let us near!" the brunette exclaimed. "If I can't get into that larder, I'll skin both of you useless elves. I swear it!" Nan said. Ser Gilmore reached a hand forward, and put it on Nan's shoulder, trying to calm her down. "Calm down good woman, we've come to help," Ser Gilmore said.
"You and you!" Nan accused pointing her finger at the twins, "Your bloody mongrels keeps getting into my larder. Those beast should be put down!" "I'm sorry he's bothering you, Nan," Connor said softly. "Just get them gone," Nan said, "I've enough to worry about with a castle full of hungry soldiers, and I have to feed you two bottomless pits."
Ser Gilmore glanced at his childhood friends and shrugged, they walked into the larder. They found Connor's black and gold Alsatian pacing the floor, snarling. Aisling's black and white wolf was also snarling, and stopped only to acknowledge the people that had just entered the room. Connor's Alsatian was up to his hip, while Aisling's wolf was up to her chest.
"Look at that mess!" Ser Gilmore exclaimed, "how did he even get in here?" As soon as Connor's Alsatian saw his master and Aisling, he padded over to them, and wagged his tail slightly, he began to bark excitedly. "Who's a good boy?" Connor asked, scratching behind his dog's ears. Aisling's wolf also padded over and glanced over at the corner, and growled slightly. "Are you trying to tell me something, boy?" Aisling asked him. "He does seem like he is trying to tell you something," Ser Gilmore said, there was a clatter and and a squeak from the corner, "wait...did you hear that?"
Aisling reached to her back and took out her twin daggers, just as Connor took his two swords out, and Ser Gilmore took his shield from his back along with his sword. Suddenly, large grey rats started attacking them. The trio were soon covered in rat blood, and just when they thought all the rats were killed and had started putting their weapons away, when a rat jumped out from behind Aisling, put her wolf grabbed it by it's neck and easily killed it. "Giant rats?" Ser Gilmore asked amused, "Its like the start of every bad adventure story my grandfather used to tell, Shadow and Ace must have chased them in through their holes. Looks like they weren't raiding the larder after all."
"It certainly looks that way," Connor said with a laugh, and rubbed Ace's ears. "Those were rats from the Korcari wilds," Ser Gilmore said. "Best not to tell Nan," Aisling said grinning. "But seeing as your hounds have you protected, I'll be on my way," Ser Gilmore said then rushed out of the larder. As the Cousland twins walked out from the larder, with Ace and Shadow in tow, Nan turned around to them. "There they are, as brazen as they please licking their chops after helping themselves to my roast, no doubt!" Nan exclaimed.
"Oh come on, they're not so bad, Nan," Connor said. "Just a wolf being a wolf, and a dog being a dog," Aisling finished. "Look at them now," Nan said, "snuck into my larder once again." Both Shadow and Ace whimpered and looked up at Nan. "Don't even start with the sad eyes," Nan said, "I'm immune to your so called charms." Shadow and Ace whimpered again and cocked their heads to the side. "Here then," Nan said taking something from her pocket and throwing it to Shadow and Ace, "take these pork bits, and don't say that Nan doesn't give you anything."
Connor and Aisling looked at one another before leaving the kitchen, with Shadow and Ace following them.
Hope you enjoyed this. You should check out Áine Hathaway and Isabella Auditore they're amazing authors.
