"And it was this big!" Anders exclaimed, proudly, arms spread absurdly wide.
Around him, various Wardens laughed or egged him on. Nathaniel smiled to himself, wryly, enjoying Anders' fishing-related tall tales.
Truly he had made a fisherman of the mage, after all.
The Main Hall was actually near-full, for once. The Commander and the others were sat around the long tables which were set with food and drink. Most nights, many of the Wardens simply had other plans, or remained in their quarters. Tonight, for some reason, the hall was packed.
"Was it?" Sigrun asked from beside him, nudging him slightly.
He saw a few other men and women at the table peer toward them, curiously. He supressed a grin, with some difficulty.
"This big." He held up his thumb and forefinger.
There was a series of snorts and laughs around them, including from Sigrun, and soon the information would spread up the table.
"Poor Anders." Sigrun chuckled, taking a swig from her tankard.
"Oftentimes the story is more important than the catch." Nathaniel replied, calmly. "By that measure, Anders is doing damn well." He raised his own mug, toasting it with hers to the mage's antics.
The dwarf laughed beside him, and he joined in.
There was an irresistible sense of good-feeling in the hall that night, and all the Wardens seemed to be enjoying it. There were few sureties in a Warden's life, and the ability to truly enjoy yourself without worrying about monsters or death was something to be treasured.
A chill wind blew through the hall suddenly, causing the candles to flicker briefly. It was alright dark out, and the temperature was cooling more and more as summer turned to autumn.
"Nights're getting long." Nathaniel observed. "Won't be long before winter sets in."
"Winter?" Sigrun blurted, suddenly interested. "Snow?" She said, eyes wide.
A couple of the Wardens around them chuckled at her obvious interest, but Nathaniel only nodded kindly.
"Better'n even chance." He replied, taking a swig. "Gonna be damn cold this near to the coast, too."
"The Frostbacks have a lot of snow, I used to hear bits and pieces from merchants who would travel to the surface to trade." Sigrun continued.
"Don't think we'll get quite that much." He said, thinking of snow metres thick and deadly avalanches. "But we'll get enough. More than most would like."
"How do you mean?"
"Can't farm in snow, blocks roads, cold and ice can kill. Winters are hard in Ferelden." He went on. "Sure, it's a bit of fun for the children at first, a bit of a change, but it doesn't last."
"Oh." Sigrun replied, looking grim.
"Sorry. Didn't mean to dampen your enthusiasm." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "The people of Amaranthine will come out okay. They had a good summer, and a good harvest, despite the Darkspawn troubles at the start of the year. And we're all here to chip in I suppose. I can't see the Commander sitting by while people suffer, can you?"
They looked up the table to see their great leader currently at the tail end of many cups of wine and mugs of beer, leaning against the bard, Leliana and grinning broadly, utterly failing to mask the affection they clearly shared.
"I can't see her even standing upright at the moment, but I take your point, Nate." Sigrun grinned.
"It's not all bad. We missed out on Summerday and All Soul's Day but there's Satinalia to look forward to." He swallowed another mouthful. "That was always fun. I missed celebrating it with…with my family while I was in the Free Marches."
"I recognise some of those," Sigrun frowned. ", I read something about them. They're your holidays and celebrations right?"
"Mm." He nodded. "Used to be based on the Old Gods, but the Chantry like a party I hear, so they…uh…repurposed them."
"Is there drinking?" Sigrun asked, looking up at him.
"Lots!" Oghren slapped them both on the back with a sharp laugh, sending both their drinks flying. He reached between them for a joint of ham and another mug of beer and carried on laughing as he moved up the hall.
"Answer your question?" Nathaniel managed, wiping beer off his face.
"Think so." She sighed, tentatively poking her soaked hair.
"Sometimes I hate that guy." He slicked back his own beer-sodden hair.
"I hear you." Sigrun smiled weakly. "What else?"
"Sorry?" Nathaniel replied, absently as he redid his pontytail.
"Satinalia." Sigrun leaned on the table. "Anything else?"
"It's one of the year's biggest festivals. Celebrations, food, gifts. People also dress up with masks and costumes."
"Presents? Dressing up?" Her eyes lit up even more and Nathaniel found himself caught up in her enthusiasm.
"The local fool is named 'ruler' for the day too." Nathaniel explained. "So here at the Keep that'll be Anders." He said loudly, knowing he'd be heard.
"I resent that!" Anders called back, breaking off his story to the amusement of his audience. "Come Satinalia you'll do my bidding!" He yelled dramatically.
"Only if the Commander can stop making goo-goo eyes at our Orlesian guest." Velanna added, sarcastically, from across the table. "Otherwise, you have some stiff competition, Anders."
"I heard that!" Commander Cousland hurled an apple core across the room, hitting Oghren in the back of the head while he moved between the tables, causing him to drop his food and drink.
The hall fell silent as the dwarf turned toward the source of the throw.
"Oops." Leliana said, quietly.
"Now…uh…Oghren, don't do-" Commander Cousland began, getting to her feet hesitantly.
"Rrrraarrgghh!" Oghren roared, latching onto the nearest tray of food and hurling it in the general direction of the Commander.
The only problem was all the other people who got covered by debris in between them.
Soon, they were on their feet shouting too, and before anybody knew what was happening food and drink was flying everywhere.
Anders was a standing target, and found himself under fire very quickly. Nathaniel ducked a large decanter, pulling Sigrun down to the floor with him to avoid a roasted beef joint.
"You don't seem…very surprised." He grumbled to Sigrun as they took shelter beneath the unfolding battle.
"By this?" Sigrun grinned. "Not at all. This is a dwarf thing."
"Oghren does seem to be enjoying himself." Nathaniel observed, as they crawled under the table toward the main doors.
They paused at the end, watching Velanna freeze a number of projectiles mid-flight before blasting one of the long tables in half.
"So, pub?" Nathaniel asked, conversationally.
"Sounds good." Sigrun grinned, crawling past him.
It didn't occur to him for a moment or two that he'd been focusing rather intently on her behind as she wriggled out from under the table. He shook his head and put it down to the drink, before crawling out after her.
The Wardens are worse than schoolkids at lunch.