Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Age
Of Pranks and Marriage 5
Evelyn perused the shelf with her father's newest editions to the library. The newer books would usually wind up on the second floor, unless they were particularly old or a first edition; these held their place in shelves or glass cases by the sitting area on the first floor. The third floor held mostly factual books about birds and the bees, in both the figurative and the literal sense.
To Dorian's great amusement, he had found a copy of The Art of Passionate Love by Brother Capria in the… reproductive section of the third floor. Infamously banned by the Chantry, the mage saw no other option than to give the book to the resident Chantry-boy. Evelyn had laughed at Cullen's expression when he perused the first few pages. He had of course refused to read it, but Evelyn suspected (after a rather hefty visit to her room later in the evening) that he had in fact added the work to his syllabus.
While Evelyn let her fingers slide gently across the book titles, Hill slowly walked up to her with a worried expression plastered on her face.
"What's wrong Hill?"
"You see Miss, Evelyn," the elf spoke in a hushed tone, "Your dog just defecated on your mother's carpet."
"Oh no!" Evelyn had just walked Stanton in the atrium, she had made absolute sure that the dog had done both of his businesses before she let him back into the library. "Which one?"
Hill fidgeted with her hands, "Well… he pooped, Miss Evelyn."
"No! I meant which carpet."
"Oh… the one your mother inherited from your grandmother."
"That's like her favorite one!" Evelyn groaned, "Housebreaking a Mabari is harder then I though. I even let the doors to the atrium stay open so he could go outside if he needed to relieve himself again… what do I do now?"
"I will do the best I can, but…"
"But I should prepare for the worst?"
Hill nodded.
Evelyn followed the elf downstairs. The puppy looked at her with curiosity as she approached him. She picked him up and was about to scold him, but his eyes were so tender and warm that she couldn't bear to do it. "Cullen!" Evelyn shouted.
Cullen popped up above her, leaning over the railings on the third level; a leather book in his hands. "What?"
"Would you come downstairs for a minute?" Evelyn pleaded.
"Why?"
She lifted the dog above her head. "Because I need you to reprimand this little fellow."
"No! It's been four days already, you have to learn to discipline him on your own. He won't ever listen to you if you continue to ask me to be the 'bad guy'."
"But I can't! Just look at his face! You're the strict one… come ooooon! I'll be your best friend forever!"
"No! You need to sort this out on your own," Cullen said and walked away from the railing.
"Sera!"
"No!" the elf responded at once. She lounged on the loveseat next to the coffee table, an open book sprawled over her eyes to shield them from the piercing light emitted from a chandelier hovering over her. "Cully's right, you need to toughen up."
"But Seraaa! Pleaseeeee!"
"No!"
Evelyn groaned. "Doriaaaaaaan" she said with the loveliest voice she could muster.
Dorian sat in the chair next to Sera, his arm leaning on the armrest, his hand massaging his temple. The mage sighed and closed the book he attempted to read. "Need I remind you young lady… that you agreed you were responsible enough to take care of a Mabari?"
"Yes, but…"
"No buts. You agreed that you were responsible enough, you even said that training a dog would be easier than leading an army."
Evelyn heard a "ha!" from the third floor. She ignored it and put on her cutest expression, pouting lip to boot. "But Dorian." She pleaded.
"Drop the puppy act with me. That only works when your puppy does that to you."
"Well fine!" Evelyn snapped. "I'll do it!" she placed the dog down on the floor. She straighten up, attempting to be both firm and dominant. She looked the dog hard in his warm chocolate eyes. "You… scoundrel!" she mustered to say. The tone was far from assertive, but the dog had not experienced anything other than sweet words and baby talk from its master.
Stanton let out a little whimper. "I'm so sorry!" Evelyn nearly threw herself on the floor when she picked up the puppy again. She held him against her chest and coddled the little creature.
"Evelyn!" Dorian exclaimed.
"But…"
Dorian raised his eyebrow, exuding the assertiveness Evelyn couldn't muster against her puppy. "What?"
She sighed and put the dog back down again. She gave Stanton a hard look, but she didn't falter when he whimpered this time around. "Bad dog!" she said and pointed at the feces on her mother's carpet, "You should be ashamed!" The dog whimpered again and laid down on its back; he began to sprawl around. "No! You will not fool me with your cuteness! Bad dog!"
"Very good Evelyn!" Dorian applauded.
"Now you just have to do this to one of you dies, then you won't have to do it anymore." Sera added.
"I just don't understand why you would want such a filthy dog! It would have suited you better if you'd gotten a smaller one, or a cat… or even a nug. Nugs are all the rage these days, Lady Ornacia has two you know!" Lady Trevelyan said when she led her dinner guests into the dining room.
Evelyn followed her mother inside with the puppy in her arms. "It suits me better to have a strong war hound." She put Stanton down next her seat. She motioned him to stay in its place. "And don't forget that Ferelden nobilities have favored this breed for a long time!"
"Hah, Ferelden nobility, don't get me started… and what sort of name is Stanton anyway?"
"That would be the dear Commander's middle name, Madame." Dorian explained as he sat down in his seat across from Evelyn.
"Oh, I'm sorry Commander! I didn't mean to offend you."
"No offence taken," Cullen said calmly as he seated himself next to Dorian.
"Good. I just think that the name of one's dog should reflect on the owner. You should name him after your father!"
"Please think that through would you?"
"You might be right… your father would certainly be offended if you named a Mabari after him. Stanton might be more suitable, a very common Ferelden name… no offence Ser Rutherford."
"None taken."
"Will Sera be joining us?" Lady Trevelyan said and nodded at the empty seat next to Evelyn.
"Yes, she said she would be right down. She had to attend to something before dinner. She said we could start without her."
"Normally, I would not start without all the guests. But I'm simply famished!" Lady Trevelyan rang the bell for supper. "Leriana's still with her mother I'm afraid, so we'll have to pour our own wine again."
"It's no problem your Ladyship," Dorian assured her.
"Oh Lord Pavus, you're so good!"
The door opened and the kitchen staff carried the first course in. A bowl of creamed vegetable soup served as the appetizer.
"I hope she won't be long. The soup is much better when it's hot."
The door opened right after her statement.
"I'm sorry my dear, we had to start the first course without you," Lady Trevelyan continued.
"No cause for alarm my dear." Lord Trevelyan answered.
"Oh, you're joining us for dinner… I'll have to send for another plate."
"Why? You have my dinner right here." He took the plates next to Evelyn, "Though I prefer to sit at the end. I am the man of the house after all." He sat down and was about to take the first spoonful when Sera hurried into the dining room.
"Sorry I'm late," she said.
"No need to worry." The Lord answered and smiled, seemingly satisfied that he could show off some his good will. "I just arrived myself. Pour me a glass of whisky would you Lariana?"
Evelyn dropped her spoon down in the soup, "Father!" she said in a brisk tone. "That is Sera… not Leriana!"
The lord rolled his eyes. "Oh, so we've replaced the last one? My apologies to you Sera, I can never tell your kind apart." He snickered, "Now, would you please pour me a glass of whisky sweetheart?"
Lady Trevelyan gasped. "No… my dear. She's not one of ours. She came with Lord Pavus, remember?"
Lord Trevelyan took another spoonful of the soup in front of him. "Forgive me Lord Pavus, I had no idea she was yours. Though you're a guest in my house, she will still answer to her master."
"Sera…" Dorian started, but the owner of the name interrupted him before he could speak in her defense.
"No, it's fine Lord Pavus!" The elf hurried over to the bar and poured the whisky as the Lord had requested.
"Lord Trevelyan!" The ladyship said in a strict tone, "She's not a slave! She's my dinner guest. If you have a problem with that, please return to your study and I will have the kitchen send the food there."
"No! Do you honestly expect me to shy away, from my dining room?"
"I expect you to behave civil when we entertain guests. Whomever they may be!"
"Very well! I shall bear with it!" Sera placed the glass next to the Lord.
Unbeknownst to him, Sera had dropped something in his drink. Evelyn was the only one who had full sight of the bar, so she was the only one who witnessed it. "Are you poisoning my father?" Evelyn whispered to the elf when she sat down next to her.
"Only a little bit… nothing deadly," Sera whispered back.
"What did you give him?"
"It's like this alright… Stanton won't be the only one who's shitting himself. You might even get to blame that carpet spill on your father."
Evelyn couldn't keep her laugh in.
"And what's so funny young lady?" Lord Trevelyan said; his words drenched in venom.
Evelyn perked up, "nothing father." She let her hand fall down to the side and used it to ruffle the top of Stanton's head. The dog barked happily with the sudden display of affection.
"By the Maker, what is that thing?" Lord Trevelyan demanded to know when he noticed the pup next to his daughter.
"This father," Evelyn smiled proudly, "Is my new dog Stanton."
"A Mabari? Do you have no shame?"
Lady Trevelyan rose from her chair. "I'll get Lady Jenny's soup." She said.
"I can get it." Cullen offered as he rose from his chair, eager to be away from the Ferelden hostile environment.
"Would you be so kind? Please tell them that his lordship joined us for dinner as well."
Cullen nodded and vanished through the door leading to the kitchen.
"Anyone care for a drink?" Dorian offered.
"A tankard of wine for me…" Evelyn said and rubbed her temple.
"A tankard of wine? Don't you think that's a little excessive?" her mother said in a worried tone.
"I'm not sure it's enough." The daughter replied. She gave Dorian a smile when he handed her the tankard.
"Anyone else want anything?"
Lord Trevelyan finished his drink, "Freshen this up for me would you?"
Dorian nodded and took the glass. He filled it up with whisky, and poured a glass of red wine for himself. He walked back and handed the Lord his whisky before he sat down.
The Lord took another sip and studied his daughter with a hard look plastered on his face. "Where did you get that mongrel?" he demanded to know.
"He was a gift."
"From that Fereldener?" he asked accusingly.
"It was a gift from all of us, Lord Trevelyan." Dorian answered, Sera nodded in agreement. She was too anxious for the lord to crap his pants to be any part to the actual conversation.
Dorian's involvement in the scheme seemed to appease the Lord, if only a little. "You should have given her a better breed."
Evelyn gritted her teeth. "What breed could be better than a Mabari, father?"
"Well…" The Lord started, but he was interrupted by a burp. "Excuse me," he said, his face slowly turned a deep shade of red.
Sera sat at the tip of her seat and eagerly awaited her impending victory over the Lord.
"Huh," Lord Trevelyan wiped his forehead with a napkin. "Is it warm in here?" He suddenly widened his eyes. "Excuse me!" He nearly shouted and ran out of the room, passing by Cullen in the doorway.
"That man and his drinking," Lady Trevelyan said under her breath. She sighed, "It seems like the Lord has taken ill…" She directed her attention to Cullen, "Would it be too much to ask if you went and informed the kitchen again?"
Cullen bowed and left the dining room again.
Blindluck92 and LadyDragon1316, you guys rock! You're inspiring as always.
I fixed the things you noted LadyD, and how 'bout that housebreaking though?
Thanks Rebfan90! Saviors DO deserve puppies after all!
I adore you QeenFreckles (your name makes me think of Scout Harding, iihhhh! She's so Adorable!). For the sake of content, I think it will be a while before I let them know though, somewhere near the Spring Salon.
