Biting down his exasperation, Aedan watched the women in front of him as they got no closer to a decision. "We already saw this green piece… maybe the grey?" Nan held a doublet to his chest, assessing it against him. Eleanor shook her head, waving over a servant who held another pile of clothes. "Not the hand-downs" he groaned to his mother as she began examining the old clothes. The Teryna gave her son a warning stare, "If you didn't want Fergus' old formal clothes, perhaps you should have gone to that tailor I arranged for, in Denerim. Instead, you somehow talked your attendants into buying those two drab outfits from a market stall and you spent the difference at that back-alley shop." Feigning a look of offense, he replied "I was merely tracking down missing texts for the library, and The Wonders of Thedas seemed a good starting point." Having heard the excuse already, Nan snorted. "You wanted more history books, you mean?"
"Our current collection doesn't suffice; we can hardly present Brother Gaider's recount of the rebellion as part of our reading room to guests, it skips large periods of time and completely ignores the efforts of everyone except his personal hero, Loghain. Especially the contributions of a certain coastal House we all know." Caught between laughing and groaning, Eleanor looked her son in the eye. "I had to hear your father carry on about that book before you were born, I don't need your complaints to get him going again."
"All the more reason I had to seek out a detailed history, then" he offered with a smirk.
Sighing, Eleanor looked over to Nan as she shook her head at her former charge. "You getting more tomes for winter reading would just be an unintended benefit, naturally." Grinning, he nodded "You see? Nan trusts my noble intentions to placate Father."
"And which book will placate me, when my son enters the Landsmeet looking like a well-read farmer's son?"
Slumping back onto the bed, Aedan inspected one of the shirts. "I hardly think that will become a worry. Father wouldn't let me go last year, and he hasn't even mentioned it to me since Fergus returned home with Oriana. They'll obviously take Sis, to introduce her to the nobles who can't attend the wedding – I understand."
"I know you were disappointed, last time, but don't worry. Your father will take you in a few years, when you've studied more state-craft with Aldous."
"If there's much point… Thomas says I'll only get taken if the Elves walk out again, because then I'll be needed to sweep the carriage-house."
Cutting off Nan's response with a quick stare, the Teryna swallowed her own opinion of the eldest Howe child. Leaning in to hug her son with the guise of measuring a waist-coat against him, she found a diplomatic answer. "He always reacted badly to how open you are, but remember – with Fergus growing up and marrying, he's just moody from thinking he's losing a friend." Nodding, Nan added "Whereas you gain a sister. Her family's all sisters too, so she gets herself a brother as well. I've seen you two have already all but adopted each other, right?" Aedan agreed, letting his earlier doubt slip away at the thought. "Thanks, both of you." "Now that's sorted, you can stop fussing" Nan snorted, holding out a blue shirt. "Your brother's wedding is less than a week away, and we've still got to find something worthy."
Beginning to feel overwhelmed by the excitement and length of his son's wedding day, Bryce withdrew from the dance floor. Waved over to the Royal stand, the Teryn gladly took the offered seat, as he returned Loghain's simple nod while accepting King Maric's offered handshake and congratulations. After a few more numbers from the band, they were joined by Bann Teagan as he retreated from the awkward courting attempts he usually drew at such events. "Still running, Teagan?" Maric laughed. "Since the children are beginning to marry, you'll just stand out further, you realise?" "Being stranded between the pre and post-Liberation generations makes me perhaps too unique, even without being a bachelor." Loghain leaned forward, "You could always follow this apparent import trend your brother started."
At the main table, the newly-weds spoke with the remnants of their procession who hadn't taken to the floor. "I think I'll join your father shortly – a dance first, Fergus?" Eleanor asked. "Of course, mother. I was thinking the same thing." Not wanting to be left with Thomas, Oriana looked around. "I think I'll join you both, after I dance with my new brother. If he's still here, I haven't seen him for a while." Wiping ale from his mouth, the supposed Best Man pointed to his own brother, Aedan and Dairren as they sat at a far table. "They're over there, at the back, listening to Alfstana's brother… that must be the spare table for the family back-ups", Thomas slurred, laughing at his own joke. Oriana made her way over, and waited for a gap between Aedan and Dairren hounding Irminric with questions about the Templars. "Not dancing, you two?" The youngest Howe answered "He tried asking Delilah earlier, but she just glared at him…" Dairren nodded, "Still, that's better than the reaction I got from Habren."
"Not really, she actually spoke two words to you. Not the friendliest two word combination out there, though." Aedan replied. "If you're still willing, Bro, I was hoping you might dance with me?" Oriana asked; using the name she'd employed as a response to his constant use of 'Sis'. He smiled and stood, "Okay, Sis. I think I remember some steps I learnt once." Relaxing slightly as they left to catch the next song, Irminric turned to realise Dairren was still there. "How about hedge witches? Are you allowed to hunt any of those yet?" 'Why did I let Stana talk me into coming? Next time, I'm taking my furlough in Denerim…' thought the recruit as he poked at his meal, which had gone cold some time ago.
"I know there aren't a lot of eligible young men, but I think the bride is struggling for dance partners now." Loghain said, as close as he currently came to a joking tone. "Ah, Pup didn't vanish into the castle after all" Bryce said. "I hope she's a quick teacher, he's never been around enough events to have picked up any dances." Maric leaned over to watch as well. "So this is your mysterious second son – I was starting to wonder if I'd ever see him." "I guess you can't have time to see every other child" Loghain murmured. Turning to greet his wife and son, Bryce almost missed the look that passed between the other men.
As the new musical number began, their humour quickly changed into confusion as they watched. Aedan's parents both half-turned to each other, "I didn't think he'd had instructions yet." Teagan, recognising the steps, remarked "I'm fairly certain Isolde tried teaching that to Eamon for a while." Bryce rubbed his chin, "An Orlesian step? I would have remembered hiring a tutor from Val Royeaux." Fergus shook his head at a sudden memory and turned to the others. "I almost forgot about this…"
Getting their attention, he continued. "About four or five years back, I think it was, remember when we stayed in Redcliffe for a while?" His mother nodded, still watching the dancers.
"We spent most of the time riding or hunting, which left Aedan stuck at the castle since he was too young. I guess the youngest stable-boy had less work with us having most of the horses out so much, because he and Aedan teamed up and had the run of the grounds most days." Maric sat forward, taking another look at the younger Cousland. "This stable-boy, about the same age as your brother?" "There wouldn't have been a great difference, I think. I don't recall speaking to her, but Lady Isolde had another guest staying while we were there. A relative, maybe – I overheard some of her attendants, and they sounded Orlesian." Teagan nodded vaguely, "The elderly dame… I think she was an old friend of Isolde's parents. She had lived in Ferelden, before the Liberation, and wanted to see it again. Isolde's parents decided to extend an invite on her behalf – which she honoured under protest, she already knew what the Landsmeet thought of one Orlesian in Redcliffe."
"So this dame had bought a grand-niece, or maybe the girl was an attendant's daughter or an apprentice or something… whatever she was, her constant frowning at seeing the two coated in dirt at the end of the day somehow got her roped into the group when she wasn't busy either."
"Sounds like the stable-boy had a fun time with it all" Maric said. Nodding, Fergus continued "Her face was all but beaming with a smug gloat when it rained for a few days on end, and she took control of the schedule for herself – which led to trying to teach them to dance. The other boy must have been too ungraceful, I think she only showed him the Remigold on his off-day before giving up and shifting attention to Aedan… or maybe it was his awkward version of charm. Clearly, he still has the gist of the lessons." Bryce watched, thoughtfully "I don't remember hearing about them afterwards, and he could have used some friends like that." "The Orlesians left a few days before we did, and Aedan decided to get the girl a gift. So he ran around the village in the pouring rain, trying to find something at one of the shops for hours."
"So that's what he was doing out there, when he caught his fever?" Eleanor asked. "So even if he did get an address for correspondence, he couldn't remember when he was lucid again." "Isolde might know, or could find out – she and Eamon send their regards, but she's still not letting anyone else mind Connor so they weren't able to come." Barely supressing his snort, Loghain sat forward again. "Not much point asking her about the boy, I'm told she had him all but locked in a crate before throwing him to the Chantry." Watching the band finish up the song, Bryce still noted the exchange of tense looks between the three men as Maric waved Loghain to back down. 'Something to those rumours, perhaps… and Pup knew the boy.' Teagan broke their silence, "Too bad for her too, not being here. She likes to moan about 'nobody in the country knows how to dance properly.'" "She'd have to fight the line-up; my brother's talent did not go unnoticed." Fergus grinned, pointing to Aedan as he found himself all but circled by some of the women who had been abandoned to the side of the floor.
"Not much of a contest; it looks like your daughter simply used that old Mac Tir approach to exceed the others" the King said to his old friend, as Oriana approached the group. "I'd have shoved Aedan over to my sisters, but the locals were too quick. Fergus, I think my parents will retire shortly. I'll see them and return shortly." Fergus stood, followed by his mother. "I'll – we'll come as well." After giving his compliments to the departing Couslands, Cailan pounced for an empty seat. "Better than lurking behind a column, and my feet need a rest." Glancing back at the dwindling dance-floor, he raised a brow. "Is that Anora, doing a Val Royeaux line?" Her father simply replied by groaning through clenched teeth at the question, glowering as Maric smirked. "If not for the distance involved, you'd almost have a rival, I think." Cailan took a second look, shrugging. "Who is that anyway? That kind of outfit's been out of style for some time, is he one of the performers trying to fit in?"
Maric tapped his son's shoulder. "Actually, that's Bryce's youngest."
"Oh – my apologies, Teryn Cousland."
"No offense taken, he's not been at court yet for anyone to recognise. We've been a little remiss with his state-wear lately, I think, and with all the planning the time got so short that he had to be content with some of Fergus' apparel from that age."
Noticing the boy being driven back to the floor by another partner, Cailan laughed. "Anything… arranged, for your son? He looks a little uncomfortable with his sudden popularity tonight." Bryce shook his head. "Nothing at this stage, we haven't really had to consider it yet. Between him being youngest than most and the lack of daughters among the nobility, much less unarranged daughters, we might have to wait and see how things fall in a few years. It's possible he might follow Fergus' example, too." "Another 'importer', right Loghain?" Sneering at the Prince, Loghain shrugged. "I think I saw him try asking the Howe girl earlier, with no luck. At least he'll attempt to find someone at home before becoming another Eamon."
"And she didn't join the waiting line after seeing his talent?"
Bryce looked around the room, wondering "I would have thought so, if Howe's still hoping to arrange something between them. Perhaps the family's retired; I don't see any of them."
The Cousland servant who had been replacing their drinks politely gestured to speak. "If I may interrupt, my lord, I happened to note she wasn't impressed. Even when Master Thomas tried insisting, and after some arguing, they both stormed off."
Thanking the woman, Bryce noticed Thomas come back into the room and retrieve Nathaniel. 'Ah, there they go.' Cailan sat back, swirling his mug. "Wasn't impressed? I'd have thought that family loved Orlesian things, given their history." Maric frowned and tapped his shoulder again. "Their history, Cailan, is just that… especially in public earshot." "Of course, Father." 'Whatever you say… I still don't know what Howe could have offered you to be worth keeping around, much less having Harper's Ford combined with Amaranthine for his colossal Arling. Jumping sides when the tide turned? Hell, Ceorlic refused that and managed to keep his claim, even with your proclamation against the family if they kept fighting…. I don't get it.'
