The storm at Skyhold had delayed the raven by a day or so. It was at least a 5-day flight for a normal raven but for a Trevelyan Raven, it would only be 3. Arriving in the early evening, it returned to the rookery with a triumph chirp, alerting the attendant to its return.
The attendant took the small message from around its foot, rewarding the bird with some seed before quickly making their way to the pavilion where the Noble Lady sat in wait.
Unfurling the hastily written note, the Noble lady smiled to herself upon reading the news. "Oh, this is utterly delightful. Bann is going to hate it."
Bann sat at the head of the banquet table, resting his chin on his hands. Before him lay a glorious feast but as usual, they couldn't begin without Aunt Lucille.
From the opposite side of the table, Avalon looked up from her needlework. She could sense her beloved annoyance.
"She's always late, you know this. The Noble Lady loves to make an entrance."
Bann let out a loud sigh of frustration. He turned his attention to his two sons, sitting to his right. It was nice to have his sons at home, well, it was nice to have Godric home. Philliam barely left.
"So, Godric, did you receive a response from Eostre? Will you be leaving us to join her?"
"I did indeed father, but she has asked that I do not join. She wishes to keep us all safe. Apparently, what she faces is nothing I would have seen before."
"Is she getting enough to eat and enough rest?" Avalon pondered.
"I'm not sure mother, I didn't ask." Godric retorted.
"What rhymes with Inquisitor?" No one responded to Philliam.
Just then, the doors to the banqueting hall flung open dramatically. Accompanied by one of her many assistants, Lucille was slowly wheeled towards the table, an air of smugness surrounded her.
"Oh, so nice of you to join us." The words dripped in sarcasm as they escaped from Bann's lips.
"My darling family, it is so wonderful to spend such a glorious evening with you all."
Godric got up from his seat and towards the Noble lady, taking her hand and kissing it gently. "It is always a fantastic evening whenever you are in a brilliant mood."
"Oh, my sweet Grand Nephew, the Knight-Lieutenant."
Philliam remained in his seat, desperately trying to rhyme something with Inquisitor.
"Urgh," Bann scoffed, closing his eyes as he pinched the bridge of this nose. Ever since that fateful night, Bann and Lucille's relationship had been strained.
Of course, it didn't help Lucille had this ever so charming way of being horrendously smug. Nevertheless, she was his father's sister and the direct head of the household, so he still respected her.
Avalon attempted to break the tension that always hung in the air the second Lucille and Bann were in the same room. "Please, Noble Lady, take your place so that we may thank the Maker and dine together as a family."
Godric dismissed her attendants, opting to wheel his Great Aunt to the table. Much like his other siblings, he was fond of Lucille but aware of her ability to rile up their father.
Returning to his seat, Godric lead the family in praising the Maker, an honour bestowed upon him by his father due to his position in the Templars.
They began to eat, making general small talk with each other. Except with Philliam, who dismissed any endeavours to engage with him, on the grounds of 'I need to finish my masterpiece.'
Soon, the topic of conversation turned to Eostre and her acquisition of the title of Inquisitor.
"It is so lovely to be able to hear from Eostre again," Avalon fondly remarked, "I do hope she's eating enough though, and getting rest when she can. I understand that she is incredibly busy these days."
"Yes," a sly grin crossed Lucille's lips, "from what my scouts have reported, her duties take up much of her time. The rest, I hear, is spent at very delicious leisure."
Silence fell upon the table, only to be broken by the sound of a fist hitting it with force. Bann stood up, rage consuming him.
"Stop with all this pretentiousness. This is not the time for you to withhold information to gain the upper hand in your precious game."
Lucille placed her hand upon her chest, somewhat disgusted by her nephew's attitude but understanding. The relationship between them had been strained of late, mainly because of her love of theatrics.
"Why my sweet nephew Bann, have you not heard? It would seem that our beloved Eostre's heart has finally been stolen. And by all accounts, this courtship is rather charming."
"Eostre is in a courtship!?" Three different voices with three very different tones exclaimed. Philliam only groaned in frustration, as this new information meant he would need to add another verse to his masterpiece and, as much as a lyrical genius he was, he could only rhyme so much.
"My sweet daughter Eostre has found a match? Oh, this is delightful!" Avalon's heart swelled and her face alighted with pure joy.
"Someone is courting little Eossie? Are they quite sure they're not mad?" Godric was more confused than anything. As far as he could remember about his little sister, she wasn't very good with boys. Or girls. Or anyone for that matter.
"MY DAUGHTER IS BEING COURTED AND THIS PERSON DOES NOT EVEN HAVE THE RESPECT TO ASK ME, HER ONLY FATHER, FOR THE PERMISSION!" Bann's bellowing forced everyone to be silent.
Lucille broke out into a laugh. There was nothing that quite made her day like irritating her nephew. She saw it as his penance for incarnating her treasured Grand Niece. Even though it had been little more than 10 years since the incident, Lucille was still bitter.
"Oh yes," Lucille purred, "and by all accounts, he is rather handsome."
"Who is this match, exactly?" hissed Bann through gritted teeth, growing increasingly tired of her charade.
"Why, it's the Commander of her Inquisition forces, a Knight-Captain of the Templar Order by the name of Cullen Stanton Rutherford."
"A TEMPLAR!? HAVE YOU HEARD OF THIS MAN GODRIC!?" Bann was infuriated. A man of such high honour had the audacity to begin courting his daughter without even bothering to send him a letter of intent.
"Yes," responded Godric, eager to calm his father down. "He was present at the Kirkwall Rebellions, he railed what remained of the city's Templars. I think I may have spoken to him in passing but I can't be sure."
Bann let out a roar of fury, storming out of the banquet hall. Lucille couldn't help but be overwhelmingly smug that her news had provoked such a reaction.
"Noble Lady, how did you hear this news so fast?" Avalon's voice was filled with hope and sweetness. It reminded Lucille very much of Eostre. They had a similar temperament, or at least, they did.
"I have been able to expand my reach to within the walls of Skyhold, the very heart of the Inquisition. I am sensing my dear Avalon that maybe you would like some information too?"
"Oh, please Noble Lady," Avalon had moved from her seat and kneeled in front of Lucille, clutching her hands. "Please send word to Eostre. Ask her if she is well."
"What rhymes with Cullen Rutherford," interjected Philliam,
"NO ONE CARES PHILLIAM!" retorted Godric causing Philliam to stand up and walk off in a huff.
"No one in this family respects my artistic vision! I should just run away!" Announced Philliam. For the fifteenth time. In a week.