Chapter 28: Small Comforts
Delia woke refreshed and ready for her morning workout. She dressed and left her tent to find the air was chilly and a mist had settled in from the lake. Quietly she walked to the outer edge of the camp and began to stretch her limbs. As her back was turned to the camp, Zevran walked out from his tent and noticed her. He walked stealthily toward her, and leaned against a nearby tree.
"I am surprised, mi querida. I never thought that you would become a goddess of war."
She turned around to see him smiling lustily at her, his eyes roaming across her body.
"My life has changed completely, Zevran. I can't afford to be a naïve student any longer." She looked melancholy, and her energy seemed drained.
"Well, let us see what Zevran can do to assist you. Show me what stances you have learned. Perhaps I can teach you others that will be better suited to such a beautiful woman."
She agreed, and started to perform her daily routine. As she went from one stance to the next, Zevran would move her arms and legs to perfect her form. Midway through, Zevran noticed Alistair as he exited his tent, and a mischievous grin spread across the elf's face.
"Mmmmmmm, yes my dear. Put your hand this way. Ah, yes, I like that. Now… shift your leg over here… wonderful, mi amor."
His voice was low and sensuous, but loud enough that it carried across the camp site. Alistair heard Zevran's voice before he saw him, and his face was flushed as he looked up to see Zevran's hands on Delia's limbs, shifting them ever so slightly one way or another. The initial embarrassment changed to anger in a flash, and Alistair strode purposefully to the elf, pulling him away from Delia by his shoulder.
"Keep your hands to yourself, elf. There is no reason for you to put your filthy hands on her." His face showed his fury, but he restrained himself.
Delia huffed. "Oh, Alistair, he must have seen you get up and was trying to tease you."
"Ah, my friend, you should see your face! It is priceless!" Zevran goaded the warrior.
Alistair glared at the elf. "I am not your friend. And I don't appreciate being your source of amusement. I'm getting breakfast." He looked at Delia. "Are you coming?"
She smiled at him reassuringly. "I'll be there in a moment. Why don't you dish up food for both of us, and I'll be right there."
Alistair nodded and walked back to the fire, trying to calm his temper on the way. Allowing the elf to irritate him wouldn't be to his advantage, so he tried to recite parts of the Chant of Light to himself to help him relax.
Delia looked at her friend crossly. "Why are you tormenting him so? He hasn't done anything to you."
"But it is so easy, mi amiga! It is quite amusing to see him so perturbed, you must agree. He is quite taken with you, no?" His easy smile grew even larger with his laughter.
"That may be, but I would appreciate it if you would be more… gentle with him. He was raised in the Chantry, and really can't compete with someone of your skills when it comes to mocking another. Try to give him some respite and not be quite so brutal."
His eyes glittering in glee, Zevran reluctantly agreed. "For you, I shall try to at least curtail my teasing."
"Thank you, Zevran. I appreciate it. I also truly appreciate all the tips you gave to me this morning. Would you be able to work with me on my stealth skills? I can't seem to stay undetected."
"Si, I shall help you. We will work on this tomorrow morning, while the early morning shadows are prevalent."
She nodded to him and walked to Alistair. He was sitting on a log near the fire, the damp chill of the morning having permeated his armor. As she sat next to him, he handed her a bowl of porridge. Delia smiled warmly at him in gratitude, and he visibly relaxed. Aeden joined them, and soon the three were discussing travel plans.
"I want to get moving as soon as possible. We could be at Redcliffe Castle just past midday if we move quickly. I don't want to keep the mages waiting; I'm sure they'll want to return to the Circle as soon as possible." Aeden spoke with authority. Delia watched her newly adopted brother with warmth, and was proud of the way he had grown into his new role as their leader.
As soon as the entire party finished their breakfasts, they packed quickly and made their way to the Castle. As they walked along the path, Delia made her way to Aeden's side.
"Aeden, I was wondering if you would mind if I… avoided the castle. I really would rather not see Teagan or Isolde, given my recent history with them. Maybe I could take Leliana with me and we could resupply the party in town while you, Alistair, Wynne and Sten assist the mages?"
Aeden looked at her with compassion. She had been through more than enough with the Guerrins, and although he personally liked Teagan it was obvious that between Isolde's manipulations and Delia's recent attachment to Alistair it would be painful for both Delia and Teagan to spend time together. He thought about what supplies the party needed before he spoke.
"I think that would be an excellent idea, but I want you to have more protection than just Leliana, although she is quite capable. Take Zevran with you too, and if Morrigan will go her as well. I think it's best if you aren't alone. Who knows where Isolde's friends might be, and I want to be certain that nothing happens to you."
Delia nodded. "I agree, besides it could be quite interesting to see Leli and Morrigan try to shop together." She smiled mischievously. "It's almost like mixing oil and water – they never really seem to blend."
Aeden laughed loudly and smiled from ear to ear. "Ah, to be a fly on the wall! I would rather go with you; it would certainly be more entertaining!"
The two continued their easy banter until they were just outside the castle gates. The party sat in a clearing to eat, and Aeden took the opportunity to give directions to the group.
"Alistair, Sten and Wynne will come into the castle with me to assist the Circle mages. Hopefully, Wynne will be able to enter the Fade and defeat the demon quickly and easily." He looked at the elderly mage with a sudden look of concern. "Wynne, I hope you don't mind if I have you perform this task. I know it will be dangerous, but I don't think Irving would appreciate Morrigan's presence, and I can't trust Jowan."
She nodded. "I understand, warden, and I actually expected to be the mage selected. Don't worry," she added with a grin, "I can handle myself in the Fade. I've always had a certain affinity for it."
Aeden smiled at her. She was such a maternal figure, and in the very short time he had known her he believed her to be extremely powerful and compassionate.
"Thanks, Wynne. As for the rest of you, I've written a list of supplies. I want you to go to town and buy or barter for what we need. Maybe we'll be lucky and a merchant or two will have arrived in the past couple of days."
Morrigan grimaced. "Must I go? I do not think t'would be worthwhile for me to shop alongside the initiate."
"Morrigan, I would rather you stick together as a group. I don't think you'll run into any trouble in town, but I don't want anyone left alone." He looked at the faces of each member of the group. "When we are finished with our respective tasks, we'll meet in front of the Chantry."
They finished their lunch, and the party began to separate into two groups. Aeden told Dusty to stay with Delia, almost more to protect her from Zevran, who he didn't trust at all. As they were nearly ready to go into the castle, Alistair pulled Delia aside.
"As much as I hate to be away from your side, I guess it's better if you don't have to deal with Isolde. Please, though, be careful. I know you trust Zevran, but I don't."
She giggled. "Oh, Alistair, I'll have Leli and Morrigan to keep me safe. And don't forget Dusty. I'm sure he'll stay between Zevran and me – I swear the mabari is even more protective of me than you are."
He frowned at her words, but pulled her into a hug, kissing her on her forehead. "Just… please be careful."
She reached up and kissed his cheek. "I promise to be careful. I think you'll have the worse time of it. Hopefully you won't have to be a Templar today. I'll send prayers to the Maker at the Chantry while we are in town."
"Thank you. I would appreciate that. No matter what Isolde has done, Connor deserves to survive this." He kissed her on her mouth tentatively, and then released her with a lopsided grin.
Delia watched as the three warriors and the mage walked through the castle gates to the great doors. As they entered the castle, she led her friends down the hill to the town.
She was pleasantly surprised to find the store had been reopened. As she walked toward the building, she saw the owners busily sweeping away the debris left over from the battle with the undead. A smile crept over her face as she recognized the shopkeepers. They were her friends from her ship voyage – Chloe and Vernon! She cleared her throat to get their attention. Chloe turned around and her eyes immediately lit up.
"Lady Delia! It is so good to see you again!" She walked quickly to her and hugged her tightly, making Delia gasp for breath.
As she broke from the other woman's grasp, Delia replied. "I'm glad to see you too! Did you and Vernon just arrive? I would have expected you to have been here much sooner."
"Well, we traveled a bit before we came home. We have several merchant friends in other towns who had asked us to bring goods back for them. It is far more profitable when we combine our resources."
"That makes sense. Oh, do you have any spices left? I remember you were bringing back quite a selection."
Chloe's face lit up with excitement. "Of course, my dear! We've barely set the shop back up. My neighbors told us there had been monsters fighting in the village, which I can certainly believe by the mess we found when we arrived yesterday. For you, I will unpack my crates even if the store isn't quite ready." She led her friend into the store, with Leliana and Zevran following. Morrigan and Dusty remained outside, enjoying the warmth of the sun on their backs.
The store was filled with the wooden boxes, labeled with all sorts of goods. Leliana noticed crates labeled with clothing from Orlais and volunteered to unpack the many dresses and hang them on the store's racks. Chloe was happy to have the help, and Leliana clapped her hands in excitement. She hadn't seen the latest Orlesian fashions in over a year, and she longed to feel the exquisite silks again.
Delia handed the list of all the practical supplies Aeden wanted to Vernon. He started shuffling around, pulling out dried meats and fruits, as well as the dried herbs needed by the mages. Chloe started to show Delia the bottles of Antivan spices. Zevran stood next to her, enjoying the many scents from his homeland. Delia looked longingly at the spices before her, but sadly shook her head.
"Oh, Chloe, I would love to buy a bottle of everything, but I'm afraid we don't have much money."
"Nonsense, my dear. Your friend is working for me right now, setting up all those clothes. Surely we can come to an agreement – spices in trade for your help arranging the store. Now, we need to get you a fine assortment so that you can eat properly. Maybe you'd like some teas as well? We brought back a large variety of Seharon teas. I'm sure you would have tea at your school."
Chloe took it upon herself to put together a large assortment of spices and teas as Delia and Zevran helped her unload the many crates and arrange the goods on the store shelves. Once the shelves were full, Chloe asked Zevran to carry the many extra crates down to the storeroom, which he gladly did. Vernon was thrilled that he didn't have to do the heavy work by himself!
Before long, the five had cleaned and organized the store. Vernon stood back and looked at everything they had accomplished.
"My, my, I think this place looks better than it did before we left on our trip! You have no idea how much your help means to us." He smiled broadly at the group.
"I quite agree, dear. Now, ask your friend to join us in here and I'll make a pot of tea for us all. I want to hear how you've come to be in Redcliffe, my lady. And where is that handsome brother of yours? He should be here helping your elf friend with all this heavy lifting." Chloe winked at Zevran, who in turn smiled back.
"Ah, my lady Chloe, it is my pleasure to be assisting. It isn't often that I have the pleasure of attending to as many beautiful women at the same time." He reached over and took her hand in his, kissing her hand gently and making her blush.
"Ooooh, Delia, you simply must look at these dresses! They are so beautiful!" Leliana couldn't stop shuffling through the clothing on the rod. "This green one would be perfect for your complexion, don't you think, Zev?"
The elf looked at the dress and nodded in agreement. "Yes, it would be lovely on you, mi querida." He looked at Chloe and asked, "Is there a room where Delia might try it on?"
Chloe smiled radiantly. "Of course! Follow me, dearie."
Delia shook her head. "No, thank you, Chloe, but I cannot spend our coins on a dress, not at this time. As much as I would love a new dress, and that on is particularly stunning, I can't be that selfish."
Chloe frowned. "Nonsense. No one said you have to buy it – you need to try it on. Come now, I want to see what it looks like on you."
Not wanting to offend her friend, she agreed, and followed Chloe into the back room to change. When she returned into the shop room, Leliana's hand rose to her mouth to stifle her gasp.
"Oh, Delia, it is stunning! You simply cannot leave it here. It more than suits you – it was made for you!"
The dress fit Delia like a glove, accentuating her curves without being too forward. The neckline came down to a V that was low enough to be enticing. Her russet colored hair gleamed against the emerald green silk, and the golden embroidered vines accentuated her slim figure perfectly. Even Delia had to admit that this dress was perfect for her.
"It is beautiful, isn't it?" She sighed. "Unfortunately, I can't justify buying it. When would I even wear it? It isn't the sort of thing you would wear in camp."
"Sometimes a woman just has to have something pretty, doesn't she? Something to make her feel feminine and pretty." Leliana looked imploringly at her friend. "You need to have this dress. It was meant to be worn by you."
Delia frowned. "I wish I could buy it, but we don't have the coins to spare. Perhaps we'll be back here another time and if it is still here I can buy it then. It's best if I don't have high expectations."
She walked back into the back room and changed back to her leather armor. Putting the dress back onto the hanger, she ran her hand along the silken bodice. "Oh, Maker, this is a dress that I would love. I can imagine wearing this to one of the spring balls in Antiva, with a white orchid in my hair. And Dairren could wear a golden suit with emerald embroidery…" The tears came unbidden. She missed her brother so very much at that moment she thought her heart would burst. Quickly she dried her tears and put on her most proper noble face before rejoining her friends in the store.
She hung the dress with the others and sat at the table while Chloe poured tea and served biscuits with honey. As they sat at the table, Chloe's curiosity got the better of her.
"So, my dear, where is that handsome brother of yours? The two of you were never separated, and I have to say that I am surprised to see you wearing that armor."
Delia's carefully façade crumbled. As she explained her brother's death to her friends, her tears fell heavily. Zevran reached a hand to hers in comfort. Chloe and Vernon were shocked to hear of their friend's troubles.
"My dear girl, please know that you can always stay with us. Our children have all grown and live their own lives, and we would be more than happy to have you be a part of our family." The two merchants held each other's hand as they looked sadly at their friend.
"I thank you both. You are wonderful people, and I hope that our paths will cross again. My place is with the Grey Wardens for now, but who knows what the future may bring." As she stood to leave, she kissed each of them on their cheeks. "Maker watch over both of you and keep you under his protection, my friends." Delia gathered the packages of spices and put them in her pack before dividing the many supplies between the four of them.
The group took their leave, but as they walked out of the door, Zevran slipped back in. "My good lady, please allow me to purchase that dress for Lady Delia. I would like to surprise her with it, as I feel it would be good for her to have something to remind her of her true nature."
"You are a true friend, ser elf. By the way, you look very familiar to me. Have we met?" Chloe's eyes searched his face, trying to place him.
Zevran smiled. "I certainly would remember someone as lovely as you, my dear. But, isn't it true that to humans we elves have a tendency to look alike? Perhaps you had a servant with hair a similar color. Ah, no? Well, maybe you will remember in the middle of the night, yes? Perhaps after you have had a very wicked dream of me?" He winked at her, causing her to blush.
"You are such a sweet man that I shall have to take a sizeable discount off the price of that dress for you. Delia is lucky to have friends as wonderful as you."
"Ah, don't I know it!" he laughed, as Chloe wrapped the dress in brown paper before he hid it in his pack.