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Showing his rare humor, Osred Ventris was lamenting that first he had to deal with being Warden-Commander while the Hero was around and then the king gets sprung on him, when Alistair looked around for Calitae. The boy called Gyfford noticed his looks, "Oh, don't you worry about her, ser, she never eats much and is always running off somewhere. This means she can't say no when I'm telling you that you're coming to The Stand tonight!"
Alistair turned his attention back on the young warden, tucking his concern away, "The Stand?"
"After sundown, follow the path out of the western gate, you won't miss us! Try and get her to come too and don't forget your drinking shoes!"
"You have...shoes just for drinking in?"
The men at the table all laughed, "Oy, you mean dancing shoes, Gyff!"
"Yeah, but with women being scarce, we often end up drinking more than dancing!"
"Th' boy's got it right." One of the older wardens sitting next to Gyfford grabbed him in a friendly headlock and they began rough housing at the table until the young man yielded.
True to her endorsement, Bella kept a steady stream of food to the serving tables until the majority of soldiers had disappeared and the Wardens were finally slowing down. While not all seemed to have had their appetites affected the same way Alistair's had been, they still had healthy appetites.
The Warden-Commander waited patiently as people would come up to meet the king. Finally he chased off the rest of the Wardens, reminding them to finish their duties before the night's festivities.
Alistair was feeling anxious to get back to Calitae but could sense Ventris wanted to talk. "Your Majesty, if you would indulge me with a short stroll, I'll see we get you to your quarters before long."
Alistair followed him out of the hall and towards one of the guard towers at the corner of the keep,"Absolutely, but please, call me Alistair. I am just another Warden today."
"As you say. Will you be leaving with Tabris tomorrow?"
"That was my hope and plan." They began to make their way up the stairs of the tower.
"Majes- Theirin, I don't care for politics, in Gwarven, in Denerim, even here. If you are here for whatever reason, so be it." The older man gestured in a way that seemed to encompass the land, not just Vigil's Keep, then crossed his arms. "A visit from our king and senior warden is always good for morale, but more importantly I think it's wise someone go with her. I send most Wardens out in pairs if not more. Even during the Blight and this nonsense with the Mother she had people to watch her back. Now she is always alone unless she finds a new potential." He gave a half-shrug, "While I trust the faith she sees in me for this position, she's still very important, to everyone." Ventris ran a hand over his face, his stubble making a whisper against his calloused palm. "She would run me through if she knew I was telling you this."
Looking over the edge of the wall, Alistair nodded, "Better than how she keeps threatening to get rid of me. I have not seen her in many years, so I cannot say what is now normal or not for her." He turned back to the commander, "But I will tell you, my plan is to stay with her until the Maker determines otherwise or she gets so annoyed with me that I'll wake up one morning to an empty camp."
Ventris grunted as he watched the sun slip behind the distant hills, "I had heard stories about the two of you from the Blight. To each their own, I say. Just keep an eye on her for me, if you would, your Majesty." They had continued along the wall to a bridge that gave access to the central keep. "Here we are, go to the end and take a left, twice, her door will be first on the right then."
"Uh, yes. You don't have to ask me twice but you have my word, Commander. Thank you." Taken aback at the abrupt end of the conversation, Alistair saluted the officer, nodded to the guard at the indicated door, and entered into the hallway.