Laurel of Highever: Chapter 2
A few years have passed since Laurel and Rabbit have initially imprinted on each other. Rabbit grew at an alarming rate, their first meeting he was half a foot tall, light tan coat and piecing blue eyes. Now his coat is darker brown with a white diamond on his chest, on a all fours standing 30 inches tall, from all the training with his mistress and the natural build of the mabari, Rabbit is a muscular dog.
Fergus's wedding day to the Antivan woman Laurel met on her fourteenth name-day, Oriana, fast approached. Fergus needed to ride Denerim for ceremonial armor and suits made by Master Wade, and Laurel accompanied him for a hand woven silk gown from the market place in Denerim. Denerim had a reputation for the best tailors and armorers far better than Highever, and Bryce and Eleanor allowed their children to make the journey as long as Ser Gilmore went with them.
The trio set out at dawn, Ser Gilmore wore his armor, shield on his back, and his sword holstered on his white war horse. Fergus wore his traditional Fereldon garb, heavy to withstand cold climate, comfortable boots and a longsword on his stallion. Laurel braided her blonde hair, to her waist, a blue dress cut low to show her full blossomed chest and stopped right above her knees. The family sword passed from generation to generation, told to be ancient elven, light to wield, stronger than other blades, named Blackfyre said to forged by the heat of actual dragons. The steel dark in color, flowers of gold decorated the hilt for the Cousland family crest. Blackfyre holstered on her prized stallion, and Rabbit followed behind the three.
"Dressed a little provocatively little sister, expecting to meet someone with only a week to my wedding, kind of pushing it," Fergus teased.
She blushed, "This is the first time I'm going to Denerim, cant a girl make a good impression for the city?"
"You can, the way your dressed you are going to attract the wrong person."
"Fergus I am grown woman and can look after myself, you should know that since I handed you your ass for Blackfyre yesterday."
Fergus had no rebuke, the sting about Blackfyre soured his mood but he laughed it off. They rode through the Wending Wood at midday, and the mood tense in the air. Bandits traditionally ambushed travelers in the woods, with the thickness of the brush the party were on alert and Rabbit had his guard up.
Half-way through the woods Ser Gilmore stopped, "Something is not right" as he got his horse, "I'll check it out" as he said it a arrow whizzed past his headed straight to Laurel, she caught it threw it aside, immediately jumped off her horse drew Blackfyre from the holster, and Rabbit rushed in front of her eyes glaring, showing his teeth, and in ready position. Fergus leapt of his horse just as two bandits charged him, he parried both with ease, turned to his sister and from the corner of eyes he saw Laurel and Rabbit with four men at their sides. Rabbit pounced at one pinning on the ground and scratching and biting the neck. Laurel stepped back, allowing one to miss her and she plunged Blackfyre in his back. The pirouette to parry, then with her off-hand drew a dagger and parried another one charging with the dagger, then slice his neck. As Rabbit continued to bite on the one he pinned, another one went for him and Laurel perfectly threw the dagger in the back, while parrying Blackfyre stepping back slashing his neck. She looked to see Ser Gilmore finished one with the bow, Fergus just sheathed his sword and Rabbit ready to move.
Looking at both of the men covered in blood, while her strikes and movements allowed her to be blood free. "Boys when will you learn to be neat," laughing "hopefully the Gnawed Noble inn has baths."
"Well done little sister, I am impressed. Your first kill"
"Rabbit's too"
"Lets move," Ser Gilmore interjected. The trio mounted the horses, Gilmore in the lead and Fergus took the rear. Rabbit followed side by side with his mistress. Thankfully the rest of the was worry free. The gates of Denerim in eyesight right at sunset. Fergus headed to front, "Hello good sir, I am Fergus Cousland, this is my sister Laurel and our household guard Ser Gilmore. We ran in trouble in the Wending Wood with bandits, can you direct us to the market place." The guard gave them directions, they stabled their horses at the gate and went to the Denerim market place on foot.
As they arrived at the inn, Laurel spoke "Ser Gilmore I'm going to the Chantry to pray evening prayers. Please will you take my bags to my room?" He nodded as Laurel and Rabbit walked off. Blackfyre hung at her hip, a little odd to mix a priceless sword with a dress, Laurel could see woman whispering about her as she walked tall in her lowcut short dress and boots drawing attention, from their husbands and sons.
The Denerim Chantry stood tall, and simple not Orleasian. A chanter stood at his board with tasks and jobs people of around Denerim needed done usually for gold. She entered the Chantry and wooded marabi's surrounded every pew, in typical Fereldon fashion. A mother approached her, "Excuse me miss are you her for confession to the Maker?"
She nodded, she sat on a pew, Rabbit laid in an aisle next to her, and the mother sat on the other side. "Yes on the way to Denerim my party and I were ambushed by bandits and I had to kill my first man." Tears started to fall down her cheeks, "It was so scary, the men just keep coming and attacking."
"You were threatened and the Maker knows that, and holds nothing against you child," the mother wiped the tears away from Laurel, "To take a life is no small thing and should not be taken lightly. The fact you are hear and have these worries means you are good person. Fear not I have a feeling the Maker has big things in store for you mi'lady. Is there anything I can help you with." As the mother spoke a loud shout came from a far off back room in the chantry, and Laurel, Rabbit, and the mother rushed to the back room. She stopped dead in her tracks, a blonde, blue eyes, square jaw, tall and muscular build in chantry robes smirked, "Sorry I'm just checking" The mother, eyes stern, arms crossed storm off, clearly this man does this thing often, and yet he is strangely familiar to her, Laurel looked him up and down, Rabbit tilted his head to the side trying to place the man, after a few minutes Laurel spoke up, "Alistair is that you,"
"Do I know you?" Alistair asked.
Rabbit barked and Laurel spoke "It's me Laurel Cousland, we meant a few years ago at my name-day party. You came with Arl Eamon and on your way to here in Denerim." Alistair still drawing a blank clearly does not recognize her, which is frustrating Laurel. He was her first kiss, only kiss, "We kissed then, my first kiss," her cheeks running red with anger and embarrassment. She felt something those years back, dreamt about that kiss for months and years. As she entered maturity, she fantasied about the kiss in baths. And to have Alistair just not remember her or their first kiss hurt deeply.
"Well since you don't remember what we shared then you will definitely remember this." She moves closer, her bosom right up against his chest muscles. She can feel his heart beating, she places her arms his neck. Leans in, and kisses Alistair, Alistair reciprocates begins kissing her as well. Places his hands on her back, while both lock lips, she slips him tongue moving her hands from his neck to his ass above his robes. Rabbit barks to warn the two that someone approaches the backroom. Laurel steps away, smiling "Well you will definitely remember that brother Alistair of the Templars."
"Well yes," Alistair blushing, And mi 'lady I do remember our kiss at your name day party."
"You ruddy bastard," Laurel said, "You did that to get another kiss, and I'm glad" She smiled while gazing at him with her eyes. "Well better be off, or else my brother will wake the guard in search party." Walking towards the entrance of the Chantry she glanced backwards to see Alistair following her with his eyes. Giggling to herself, she whistled for Rabbit to follow her, who quickly followed his mistress out of the Chantry.
Laurel finds Fergus perusing the stalls of the Fereldon marketplace, beckoning to her with two fingers, "There you little sister, did you find a dress? Here look at this" He pulled an ornate box from behind his back. Unlatching the box, Laurel gasped. Fergus showed her a dagger the hilt interlaced with gold and silver, Images of mabari's though out the hilt. He unsheathes the blade and it showed to made out of ancient elven dragon steel, with an inscription In the darkness night there will always be light. "It is beautiful, what does the inscription mean?"
"The vendor said its from the time of the first Blight. It is one of twenty gifted to the first Grey Wardens by one of the Dalish Clans."
"I hope you don't think your getting Blackfyre."
"No, you earned Blackfyre, now the seamstress is ready for. I think you will like dress Orianna picked out for you." She nodded in made her way to the seamstress. Once in there, a white and blue sleeveless long princess cut dress. She allowed the seamstress to make the alterations necessary, which an hour, while waiting fiddled the new dagger unsheathing repeatedly. Once the alterations were complete, Laurel promptly thanked her and exited. Noticing a commotion in the marketplace, she found the nearest guard, "Excuse me sir what is going on?"
"King Cailan has entered the Marketplace." Her heart fluttered. King Cailan, Maric's son who assumed the throne only few months ago when Maric was lost a sea and presumed dead. Cailan's attractiveness are legend throughout the country from Denerim to Redcliffe. Even in Orlais the nobles of the Great Game fawned over him. Cailan had yet to take a wife, though the rumors abound that Cailan was to marry Anora Mac Tir daughter of the Loghain Mac Tir a hero of Feredon's independence and Maric's best friend.
Making her way threw the crowds, eyes peeled, she spotted the King talking to Fergus in the Gnawed Noble Tavern at the bar. Fergus beckoned her to come over, "My King it is an honor to finally meet you. I had the pleasure to meet your father on my name-day a few years ago. He allowed a mabari from his litter to be imprinted with me" pointing to Rabbit who lowered his head as the King patted him. "Rabbit is my best friend my second." Locking eyes Cailan, and his fine features made it hard for Laurel to breath. Long blonde hair tied behind in a loose pony tail. Square jaw, piercing blue eyes and a athletic build under his royal attire. "You are very attractive my King, and Fergus Ser Gilmore is looking for you."
"Well sister be good and honorable" She blushed, as he walked out.
Laurel leaned in, and whispered "I would very much like to get know you more, you look very kind somehow familiar."
Laughing Calian responded, brushing the hair from her face. "I think Anora would be upset if spend some time with a beautiful woman other than her."
Looking in the King's eyes with a hand on his leg, "There is no harm this. I will be traveling with my father to Landsmeets and since he is on your small council will see a lot of each." The king nodded, while both stared in each other eyes.
"Lets go to a private room." Laurel nodded holding his hand as he lead her down a hallway to a private room.