I think I'm starting to get used to this taste, now... that's right, you nug bastards! Mess with me, and I'll eat the lot of you! Content, I look up from the bowl. Mistress is still slowly sipping at that drink Morrie gave her, to recover from last night. In between repeating bits of that song she was shouting on the way back.

"An... interesting song. Where did you hear it?"

"Drunken soldiers, some of the older ones." Mistress takes another gulp, and shrugs. "Now I think about it, it probably came back into favour during the Rebellion. The Chantry, obviously, sided with Orlais while some Mages fought for us... which loosened some of the attitudes towards the Circle. Until the war was over..."

"I hadn't heard that before... but I doubt people like admitting they owe their freedom to apostates" Morrie muses.

"... Hadn't thought about that. We'll have to tell Alistair that! Between his father and his Templar training, he won't know what to think" Mistress smirks.

Does he ever?

"I wasn't aware he knew that, regardless." Ha! I said it first. "Did you spend a lot of time, around drunk men? Isn't that socially... wayward, or some such nonsense?"

"Oh, naturally... it drove Nan and my mother up the wall. But it was the best way to hear stories about her, back in the Rebellion. The shield-maiden. That was the mother I wanted to be like, not the one who worried about salons and what kinds of embroidery were proper to be seen doing in public."

"She had other plans, I assume?"

"Don't they always?" Morrie slowly nods in answer, and Mistress continues. "She would always say 'there are worse things than being bored'… as usual, she was right."

"Yes, mothers have a most infuriating habit of such." They both chuckle. "Not to compare yours to mine, of course."

Mistress shrugs. "Hmm. From how she looked at Alistair, they had fairly similar 'shut up' glares…" She stops for a moment, and taps the table. "I… how did you put it? Have a wonder?"

"What might that be, hmm?"

"… Is she really your mother?" Mistress asks. No offense, but this conversation is boring. I'm going for a walk! Morrie says something, I can't really hear her over my yawn. "There's that… also, you don't look part-Chasind. Maybe she snatched you."

If she's at the 'asking about family' stage, Mistress must like her. I should probably leave anyway.

I go out, and sit on the steps to watch people pass by. Dwarf, Dwarf, Dwarf… Dwarf. That one looks angry, him over there is yawning… you, by the pillar, you look pretty stupid! The guy in cheaper clothes is making sure not to look at anyone – he must be shy. I can hear someone else sneezing… go find a healer! You know this is the Noble district; nobody seems happy.

Wait. Walking up the far stairs… Yep! I can see the others coming back. I better let Mistress know.

I creep back in, but only Morrie's in the sitting room. Face back in the weird book. I continue on to the bedroom.

What are you doing in here, Mistress?

She glances up briefly, and goes back to polishing her shield. "Back already, Max?"

... Don't change the subject. You gave the servants the morning off, and fed me early. I know your signs, and let's face it… Morrie is pretty great. I think her hair's dark, right? Isn't that what you said once? "Confidence and dark hair: great mix." … Well, you didn't say it, you wrote it – I was just using your diary to learn how to read. I made sure to stick it back where you hid it, but.

Looking up, she frowns. "… Slow down. What are you embarrassed about?"

Your di… we're talking about you, not me!

"What's your point, Max?"

I gesture out to the sitting room, and turn back. Well?

"… Yeah. I lost my nerve. I vaguely remember saying something stupid to her, last night…"

… Wasn't too stupid. At least you weren't leering at her; Chirpy did that and put her off.

"I don't know… maybe when we get topside. This place is doing my head in."

The nugs are trying to jinx you, I bet. I'll go hunting later, and get the little monsters. Oh! Before I forget again, the others are coming back.

"Get ready for who?"

Crybaby and the rest!

"Huh… that was quick." She pulls on her boots, as we hear the front doors open. They sound tired and clumsy… I'll stay here, so they don't trip on me.

Sounds like the conversation's over, and they've trudged off to their rooms. Wait, no… sounds like an argument. Oh Biddy, what now?! I go out, to look.

"We stole nothing, so cease your damned moaning." You tell her, Morrie!

"I know that book, girl. I've even helped Irving try to decrypt it!" She turns to Mistress, fuming. "Well?"

"I see no problem with stealing from thieves. It belonged to Morrigan's mother."

Ha… look at Biddy's forehead crunch! "That is not the point, and you know it! It belongs where it was, safely secured."

Morrie snorts. "Safe? This Irving person didn't even notice the growing rebellion in his own tower. My mother certainly didn't have abominations running about." A door swings open, and Qunie stares at everyone.

Biddy shakes her head, and leaves for her room. "Its fine, Sten… no harm done."

One hand still gripping his sword, he keeps watching her. "Yet."

"What?"

"Unbound Mages are like a wildfire…" he mutters, letting her pass. After glaring at Morrie for a moment, he steps back into his room.

Cut the 'trees' before they catch fire, I guess he means… poor lunatic hasn't noticed how awesome magic is!

"… Anyway" Crybaby says, "we found the man, out by the Thaig. Thanks to the short-cut."

"What short-cut?" Mistress asks.

"Before we left, one of the Prince's men… Ivo, I think, came and gave us a map. Had a much quicker route to the Aeducan Thaig. I guess he's had to sneak out there in the past, because the road was pretty much clear. Only a few of those dirty lizard things came at us."

"Great… I'll go see the Prince, and we can get out of this fucking place" Mistress smiles.

Morrie stands. "I need a break from these rooms, I shall come too."

Great, the three of us can go!

"Oh, of course" Morrie groans at me, "it's been so long so you hovered around us, after all…"

"And I didn't get a 'welcome back' bark…" Crybaby complains to himself, raising some food to his mouth. While chewing, he makes some noises. 'Bloody dog …' uh. Chew, chew, mumble… something like 'ships the two of you, though'. What does that mean? I 'ship' Morrie and Mistress… what?!

Morrie shakes her head in disgust. "Even my mother taught me not to talk whilst eating… care to try that again."

He swallows, shooting an annoyed look back at her. "I said the dog worships you two… but I can't even get a hello."

"That's because we're not simpletons who speak with our mouths full."

"… If only you wouldn't talk with your mouth open" Crybaby responds, angrily. "That'd be an improvement."

Mistress shoves her chair back, as she stands and gives them both a good version of Grandma's 'shut up' expression. "Get some rest, Al. The three of us will go meet the Prince.

He nods, yawning. "… Right. Sounds fair."

Only a shortie... and an apology. I tried fighting the drop-off, but couldn't. Work and study are killing my writing time, so updates are going to be sporadic for a while. Thanks to everyone still reading.