Chapter 55: Noble Girls
The journey back to Denerim had been mostly uneventful. King Alistair and his entourage had left the dwarven city with the fanfare that any noble visit provided. Bhelen and Alistair stood together and shook hands in friendship, reassuring all that the friendship between Denerim and Orzammar remained intact, that the alliance of Ferelden and the dwarven kingdom remained strong.
Bea kept her distance, choosing to remain close to her father and his entourage. No one had said anything about her…liaison with the king. Alistair thought it best, and she agreed, to keep such matters between them…private…at least for now, and publicly that is what they did. Officially, no one knew about their…time together.
Unofficially…everyone knew.
The king's live was always under scrutiny, the fact that he had not taken a woman before her was of note. No one said anything of course, but more than a few were likely grateful that Alistair had finally taken a mistress. It gave the nobles hope for the continuance of the royal line.
Bea ignored it, for the most part. She still had her work, and needed to remain focused on it. For the time being, she and Alistair would…take things slow, lest they startle the forces that Bea had angered in Denerim.
It was the wisest course of action, the most responsible.
In her head, Bea agreed with it, but in her heart…well that was another matter.
As for her family…well…
They had their own ideas.
IOI
"Soooo how was it?"
Lis Cousland rolled her eyes. Part of her wondered when Margaret Glass was going to give it up, while the other part secretly admired her persistence.
The three women were currently walking down one of the many halls in the palace of Denerim. Bea once again dressed in her scholar's robes, Em in a fine gown, and Lis in her battle armor. Servants and nobles cleared a path for the three ladies; murmured comments emerging only after the three had left earshot.
Lis remained alert. House Glass still had enemies here in Denerim.
She was determined not to let any of them surprise her again.
Bea took her sister's comment in stride. She gave that tiny smile of hers, that almost smirk when she was amused about something.
"How was…what?" she asked innocently.
"You know very well 'What,'" her sister replied with a sly smile.
Bea said nothing, choosing to simply continue to walk down the hall.
"I've heard," Em continued, "that wardens are known for their…prowess in more…intimate pursuits."
Her smile widened.
"I'm simply seeking validation of what I have heard. Did he please you? You certainly have been acting like he pleased you, and besides."
Em smiled lecherously.
"You were walking a little funny that last morning in Orzammar, as I recall."
Bea blushed slightly, but still remained coy.
She did not seem inclined to feed either her sister's interest or the rumor mill.
"I'm not sure what you want to hear," the younger Glass sister said coyly.
She turned with a sly smile of her own.
"Nothing happened," she purred.
Em's face dropped into a pout.
"You are no fun," she said morosely, "I know damn well that something happened. Damn it sister, I want details."
She motioned over her shoulder.
"Don't do this to poor Lis," she said, "Lis is dying to know, not as much as I am, but she is still dying, is that not right Lis?"
The warrior woman snorted.
"I'm not losing any sleep over it," she replied.
Em's pout deepened; miffed that her friend would not back her up while she continued her questioning.
Lis almost smiled at the thought.
Friends?
It was a most curious idea.
Growing up, her mother had tried many times to find a clique of noble girls for her daughter to fit into. It was never easy for Lis to find companions that she could…get along with. Most would take one look at her size, or her plain intense face, and immediately ignore her or make her the butt of their jokes…
The Glass sisters…they…did not do that.
It almost brought a shiver down Lis' spine.
There was a time when she would have been jealous of Bea and Em, extremely jealous. They were, in many ways, what Eleanor Cousland had hoped her daughter would be. Petite, pretty, skilled in the feminine arts, the Glass sisters were almost poster girls for what noble daughters should be. In short…they were everything that Lis was not.
The mere thought made her grimace.
How many times had she stared into a mirror as a young girl and hated what she had seen there? How many times had she wished that she had not been born…so different? It had taken a long time, but she had finally come to accept who she was. She had learned to see the value of her size and strength, but that did not mean that some of the insecure girl she had been when she was young did not still remain…
Bea and Em…they did not judge her, they made her feel…like she belonged. That she might just find her place in the world of the nobles, the world that her parents had so desperately hoped that she would one day find acceptance.
She was grateful for that.
Perhaps it was because she had saved their lives, or perhaps it was because she and Bea shed blood together? Every once and a while Em would make some snide comment about her size, but unlike when she was younger, Lis would fire back with some comment of her own, often about Em's promiscuity.
The elder Glass would tell her to shut up, but there would be no heat behind her words. She spoke to Lis as a fellow soldier would; playful jabs were expected among those who existed in close quarters. Neither woman took offense from the barbs.
Bea would roll her eyes and tell them both to act their age, which would leave all three of them grinning.
Lis smiled slightly.
A year ago, had anyone told her she would be friends with any girl close to the royal court, she would have laughed in their faces.
Bea and Em…had changed that, they had changed her world.
It was an intriguing happenstance.
The continued their walk in silence for a few moments. Lis took a deep breath, enjoying the gentle breeze coming from the windows, it had rained in the night, cleansing away the stink of the city, it would not last of course, but for a moment she felt the peace of a world unspoiled.
It did not last.
Em began to speak again.
"We need to find Lis a man," she said conversationally.
The warrior woman swallowed wrong, so shocked was she by her friend's announcement.
Both Glass sisters paused, waiting for their friend to remain control of her faculties.
Lis blushed under their regard.
She should have expected this, she realized. News of Jayne Wulfe's pregnancy was the talk of the court right now. Quentin was beside himself, accepting the congratulations of many lords and ladies. After hearing the news herself, Margaret Glass had become obsessed with the idea of family. She had already begun looking for a suitable match for her brother Arland.
Lis shook her head.
It was only a matter of time before Em set her sights on her, Lis should have expected this.
That did not make her comment any more shocking however, or more…disturbing.
"I…um…" she began, "I do not believe that is a good idea, Em." She said.
Margaret Glass snorted.
"You are a good and noble woman, Lis," she continued, "You shouldn't remain a maiden forever. I'm sure you have heard this before, but you have an obligation to your name, your family."
Lis sighed.
Yes, she had heard that before.
Em pursed her lips.
"Of course," she added quickly, "if…um…if you do not prefer the company of men…"
"Sister!" Bea spat, "That is inappropriate!"
Lis' blush darkened.
"No," she sighed, "it is not that. I like men well enough, but…well…"
The warrior woman shook her head. She motioned to her face.
"This is not the face of a woman noble men want to take to their bed," she said morosely, "Most men find me…intimidating."
Bea reached out a friendly hand; she lightly touched Lis' shoulder.
The warrior was grateful for her support.
She found herself thinking about Rory Gilmore. They had been friends since they were children, and had become drinking companions and fellow soldiers when they had become teenagers…
She smiled slightly.
A few times after a night drinking they had ended up carousing as they had when they were children. During those times Lis had felt stirrings of something…else, a pulling in her gut, a warmth that had spread down her body.
She…she…
She had felt it. Alas, Rory never had, at least he had never showed it if he had. She had remained his childhood chum, and that was it.
It was comforting, but it was also frustrating.
Rory had died defending their family. Lis had never had a chance to tell him how she had felt, to see if he had felt the same. Then…when Howe had captured her, what his men had done to her.
Lis had put such thoughts out of her head; she buried them, along with her slain loved ones.
Em did not seem interested in letting them stay buried.
"Bea and I can help you, you know," she said.
She walked up and gently touched Lis' face, turning her head this way and that.
Lis did not brush her hand away, not wanting to jeopardize their friendship, no matter how uncomfortable this conversation made her.
She fought the urge to fidget.
At that moment, she would much rather of fought a high dragon single handed, that would be better than facing Em's dissecting gaze.
The elder Glass daughter smiled.
"You have a pretty face," she said, "You simply choose not to show it off."
Her smile widened.
"A splash of make-up, a little rouge for your cheeks, perhaps you could even grow your hair out a bit, it would not impede you wearing a battle helmet, but it would help bring out your features."
She stepped back, taking the full measure of the armored warrior.
"Perhaps a nice gown," she murmured, "It would have to be cut just right though, your arms are quite muscular, we should either try to show that off or make it less noticeable. We want you to look your best after all."
Lis looked down at herself, suddenly feeling like that self-conscious girl again.
"I never…um…looked good in a gown," she admitted.
"You just haven't found the right one," Em said.
Bea smiled weakly.
"We won't force you to do anything you are uncomfortable with Lis," she promised.
"Of course we won't," Em agreed, "Bea and I do know about this kind of thing, even if Bea does not show it much."
"Hey," Bea said with a frown.
"No offense, sister," she added quickly, "All I'm saying is that we can help Lis. I'm sure you agree."
Bea frowned slightly. She looked back and forth between her sister and friend.
Finally, she gave Lis a weak smile.
"Em is not wrong, Lis," she admitted.
Lis shook her head, still unsure.
"Men have always been intimidated by me," she said morosely.
Now Bea did not respond.
"You just haven't met the right man…"
"Yet," Em added.
"Yes, yet," Bea agreed, "Some men might consider you a challenge."
Lis sighed.
"Great," she said, "I'm a challenge."
Em laughed gently.
"It is a compliment, Lis," she said.
Lis shook her head.
"I'm not sure this is a good idea," she said.
"Only one way to find out," Em said turning, "We will work on this later. We will ask Bann Shianni to help us. She has been dealing with a lot of well to do men lately, maybe she might have an idea of which men here in the capital might be able to keep up with you.
Lis turned to Bea; her friend gave her a sympathetic look, but did not try to stop her older sister.
Lis frowned.
She knew the Glass sisters meant well, but she had been down this road before.
It had not worked out very well then; she doubted that it would work now.
She was a warrior, first and foremost. She had learned to live with that. The fact that Bea and Em had hope that she might be more was…encouraging, but at the same time.
She shook her head.
It was said that Fereldan men loved strong woman, that only Fereldan woman gave birth to real men.
Of course, those women looked like women.
She shook her head.
They did not look like her.
She looked down at her gauntleted hands, wondering if it was a good idea to even try to hope.
It was then that they heard the sound of angry voices from a room down the hall, that and the sound of breaking crockery.
Even the most jaded noble turned, several servants twittered nervously.
Bea and Em both looked at each other.
The sounds were coming from their destination.
They were coming from where Bann Shianni had told them to meet her.
The Glass sisters picked up the pace, with Lis one step behind them.
Lis steadied herself, she had no idea what they were walking into, but if it was a fight.
She smiled slightly.
If it was a fight, she would be ready.
Fights were something she could do.
Fights were something she could handle.
They were so much better than gowns or make up.
Fights were something she could handle.
She understood them.
