Chapter 38: Preparations
During the time the wardens were speaking with Arl Eamon and Bann Teagan, Delia had walked out to the courtyard. She was seething with emotions, the strongest being anger. Eamon didn't seem to appreciate anything they had done for him, and although she was certain that Teagan would explain everything to his brother it didn't allow Delia to feel any better. She decided to put her time to use, and headed over to the practice dummies set out in the yard for the soldiers.
As she started to stretch, Zevran noted her arrival. He walked over to her, but seeing the grim look on her face he made a conscious decision to not ask about what had happened inside. Instead, he put on his biggest grin and opened his arms wide as he walked the last few strides to her.
"My darling Delia, it is quite fortuitous that you have arrived. I was just saying to myself, 'Zevran, whatever shall you do with all this time you have available?' and now, here you are! Perhaps we can take advantage of the fact that there are actual targets here and I could teach you how to use a bow and arrow. It is a part of your weapons training where you are sorely lacking."
Delia looked at him and grinned. "You know, Zev, you have a good idea there. I think it is exactly what I need to do right now."
Zevran's smile opened wide. "Wonderful! Mi amor, if you would be so kind as to follow me to the targets, yes?" The two walked across the courtyard to the archer's zone. Once there, Zevran took his bow off his back to show Delia how to string it properly.
"You see, encantadora, if you place the bottom of the bow against your foot, you may bend the bow enough to place the string in this nook here." He handed the bow to her, and although the tension was strong, Delia was able to just barely bend the bow far enough to set the string in its proper place.
"Good, good. I think you shall be a natural!" He smiled at her again, earning a coy smile in return. "Now, you must stand so… put your left leg in front and hold the bow in your left leg like this… yes, yes, very good…now place the arrow and pull back… no, no…. you must have a proper stance. Wait one second."
Zevran moved behind her and put his arms around her, shadowing the position of her arms. He gently moved her into a better position, showing her how to draw the arrow back straight and keeping her posture immovable. When he asked her to release the arrow gently, the arrow shot out and hit the target – nearly a bull's-eye!
Delia was happily surprised! "Oh, let me try again, but on my own this time."
"All right, my dear. Take your stance."
Delia took an arrow from Zevran's quiver and placed it on the string. She placed her feet the way he had just shown her and held the bow straight out with her left arm as the right drew the arrow back.
Zevran scowled. "Almost, mi querida, however allow me to assist you a bit." He moved back behind her, placing his hands on her hips. He put his lips right up to her ear and whispered instructions. As she drew the arrow back his hands moved to adjust the angle of her arms. When she had the proper position he whispered one word into her ear – "Now."
As she released the arrow, he kissed her ear gently, sending a shiver up her spine. The arrow flew wide as she spun around to face the elf.
"That was unfair, Zev. I… I think you may have the wrong idea about us."
"No, I think I have the right idea. I take my pleasure where I can, and as dangerous as our quest is, I suggest you do the same. Now… perhaps we can take our pleasure together." He moved toward her, but she stepped back, away from him.
"No, Zevran. I care about you a great deal, but as a friend, nothing more. You must respect my wishes in this regard, or I will not permit you to be alone with me. Right now, I think I will find Ser Trent. Thank you for the archery lesson. It is not one I will soon forget."
She handed him the bow and walked toward the stable. It seemed like as likely a place as any to find her father, as he seemed to have a genuine affinity toward the horses. As she neared the building, she heard her name being called from in back of her. Turning around she saw Alistair and Aeden jogging toward her. She tried to smile, but it looked more like a grimace.
"Bad day, huh?" Alistair joked. He smiled his lopsided smile at her and said, "I know exactly how you feel. Eamon intends to put me forward as king."
"And I thought this day couldn't get any worse," she sighed.
"No, it can be even worse than that. We have to dress up for dinner, and Eamon is lending us proper clothes. You have to help convince Leliana and Morrigan to select dresses from Isolde's closet to wear." Alistair tried to earn a grin, but Delia wasn't amused in the least.
"You expect me to wear something of hers? Are you mad? After all she has done to me? You do not have the strength to force me into one of her rags. You can tell Eamon I have taken ill and I will spend the night in the stables." Delia stubbornly crossed her arms in defiance.
Aeden ran his hand through his hair. "Don't you know a merchant in town who sells dresses? Perhaps she would have something suitable for you to buy? You could take Leli and Morrigan with you and buy something for each of you. I think we can spare a few sovereigns, don't you, Alistair? I mean… anything to have our lovely ladies happy…"
Delia looked thoughtful. She remembered the dress she had tried on and hoped it would still be available. "If you are certain it is alright…"
Aeden chuckled. "After being raised by my mother, I know how insulting it would be for you to have to wear a hand-me-down, especially being something of Isolde's . Come on, then, let's get back to the castle so you can get the others and have time to make your purchases and ready yourselves for dinner."
They quickly walked back to the castle and found that rooms had been set aside for them in the guest wing. They found the rest of their party waiting for them in the grand hall. After Delia spoke with Leliana and Morrigan the women decided to clean up in their rooms before going into town. One of the servants showed the group to their rooms and other servants provided wash bins and cloths so the women could at least wash the dust off themselves. Baths would wait until they returned from town.
Delia was given the same room she had stayed in the previous summer which only served to make her feel all the more miserable. Trying to gather her courage, she used the cloth to wash the dust from her face, neck and chest. She rinsed the cloth and then used it to get as much dust off her armor as she could. As she opened the door to step out into the hallway to find the other women, Zevran blocked her path. He held something in back of him.
"Ah, my dear Delia. Before you leave, I have been told we are to attend dinner this evening. I have something here that might make the experience more appealing to you." He handed her the package.
Delia was confused. The only member of her group to ever give her a present had been Alistair. She still had the beautiful rose, preserved with a drop of lyrium.
"I… I don't know what to say." She looked at the brown paper as if she had no idea what to do with it.
"Open it, mi querida. I want to see the smile appear on your face."
Delia carefully unwrapped the gift to find the beautiful green silk dress she had seen at Chloe's store. Her heart skipped a beat as she ran her hand over the golden embroidery and remembered how soft it felt against her skin.
"Oh, Zevran… you know how much I love this dress. But… I can't accept it."
He looked at her in annoyance. "Why not? This dress is perfect for you, is it not? I remember when you tried it on and you looked like the most beautiful woman in all of Thedas. I could not leave it behind, so I bought it for you. I thought that given you need a dress to look magnificent in this evening it was the perfect time to give it to you."
"Thank you so much, Zev, but you know I can't accept it. I understand Antivan customs too well to know that there are… strings attached to this dress. I can't accept the dress because I can't accept the attachment it would signify. I don't want to hurt you, my friend, but my heart belongs to another."
Unbeknown to the two of them, Alistair had walked down the hallway and was standing outside the door. As he heard them talking, he stood where they couldn't see him and listened to their conversation. Hearing Delia tell the elf that her heart belonged to someone other than Zev made his heart skip a beat. Did she care that much for him? Could it be true?
Zevran looked intently into Delia's eyes. "My dear, I know where your heart lies. I am not such a fool to not notice such things. However, this dress was made to be worn by you, and I assure you that my intentions were simply to give something wonderful to you because you give your wonderful self to all of us. You deserve some happiness, even if it is from something as materialistic as a dress. Think of this gift as my way of attempting to be a Fereldan. It is… practical. Pretty, but practical."
"Are you certain, Zev?" Her hand smoothed the silk.
"I am simply supplying a tool for you. You need to be a sex goddess tonight – this dress gives you the proper attire, nothing more."
She looked at him, questioningly. "And that is your only motive? You want nothing in return?"
"Ah, you know that I wish more from you, but alas I know that is not to be. You have made yourself clear in that regard. Perhaps, however, you would allow me to be your escort for the evening."
"No, I can't have you escort me. In Antiva, no one would think twice about my being escorted by an elf, but here in Ferelden they are not as… open to such relationships. I shall have Ser Trent escort me tonight, for political reasons. I don't wish to hurt Teagan in any way, and I don't want Eamon to have any reason to cause Alistair any trouble." She looked at the beautiful dress in her arms and then raised her eyes back to meet Zevran's. "You are truly a good friend, Zev, and I thank you for this dress. I am not used to such generosity being shown to me." She kissed him on the cheek.
"It is my pleasure. Now, if you will excuse me, I must rummage through the Arl's closet. Ah, to have a silk shirt to wear tonight so that I can imagine the feel of your dress against my skin!" He smiled luridly at her and left the room, greeting Alistair on his way out.
As Delia carefully lay the dress on the bed and smoothed the wrinkles, Alistair knocked on the door.
"Um, Delia… Leliana and Morrigan are waiting for you at the castle doors."
She turned to him and smiled warmly. "Thank you, Alistair. I suppose I had best hurry then."
He nodded and grinned. "Oh, would you mind if I joined you? As it turns out, nothing of Eamon's or Teagan's can be stretched onto my torso, so I'd like to see if your friend has a nice tunic that might fit me. Aeden is all set, and there's absolutely no way we can get something to fit Sten, so he'll wear his armor." He looked at her bashfully. "I was wondering if you might… help me find something. I really have never worn nice clothes for anything before."
She smiled warmly at him and took his arm to walk alongside him. "I would love to pick something out for you. Let's hurry though – we wouldn't want Morrigan turning you into a toad or something!" She laughed, but Alistair shivered, the fear of the wrath of the mage getting the better of him.
They found Leliana and Morrigan at the door and the four hurried into the town. When they arrived at the store, Chloe made a fuss over Delia while Leliana helped Morrigan look through the dresses. The two women found several dresses to try on and went into the back room together, shutting the door behind them. Delia turned her attention to the tunics and doublets. She found a simple tunic made of fine linen that seemed to be of a good size for Alistair, so she held it up to his chest. Seeing it would fit him properly, she set it on the counter and concentrated on the doublets. Nothing seemed to be right. Either the colors were too bright and would make Alistair feel uncomfortable or they were so small that he wouldn't be able to fit his arm through the sleeve.
Finally she found a black velvet doublet with a touch of golden embroidery that was simple, yet elegant. She held it up to him and asked him to try it on. He put it on over his warrior's tunic, and it fit him nearly perfectly. The embroidery was not ostentatious in the least, but it defined his broad shoulders and lean build subtly. He looked so handsome and noble, but not as if he was trying to be the center of attention.
"How do you like that one, Alistair?" She couldn't help but look at him expectantly. She hoped he would like the doublet, not only because there weren't really any other choices, but because he really looked nice in it.
"Actually, it's more comfortable than I expected. I rather like it."
"Good, then I guess you are all set." He removed the doublet and set it on the counter next to the tunic.
"Delia, come here, my dear, and look at these marvelous shoes. They just arrived from Antiva." Chloe nearly glowed as she led her friend to a set of shelves. The daintiest slippers sat on the shelves, in colors that would blend with many different color dresses. Delia found a pair of black slippers with simple green embroidery that fit her feet and were quite inexpensive. When Leliana and Morrigan finally returned from the back room they also looked at the shoes and chose a pair each.
Alistair walked to the counter to pay for the clothing. Vernon took over the cashier duties so that his wife had a chance to speak to Delia. Chloe whisked her outside with glee, hardly able to contain the questions she had for her friend.
"So, who is the young man? Is he someone special to you?"
Delia blushed. "That is Alistair, of the Grey Wardens. And yes, he is special to me."
"Ooh I knew it! You couldn't hide the look in your eyes if you wanted to. He's quite handsome, Delia." Chloe smiled knowingly at her. "Far more handsome than that Nehairel, in my humble opionion. I'm very happy for you, my friend. I hope you two can carve out a life together."
Delia gazed into the distance wistfully. "I wish it would be that simple. We must defeat the Blight first, but there is so much to do to insure the future of our country… I only hope to have a chance with him. The Maker only knows what his plans are." She looked at her friend with a teasing smile. "However, it certainly wouldn't hurt if you would pray to him on my behalf!"
The two women giggled, and as Alistair, Leliana and Morrigan walked out of the store Chloe gave her friend a warm hug.
"Be safe, Delia. I can't wait until we can see each other again."
"Maker watch over you and Vernon, my friend."
With that, the four walked back to the castle to prepare for the evening's festivities. Each of them had their own apprehension about the dinner. Alistair was concerned that Eamon would announce his being put forward as King of Ferelden. Leliana and Morrigan both fretted about their dresses being perfect and fitting in with the nobles. Delia had the most to fret about. She worried about Eamon's demeanor toward her as well as how the complicated relationships she had with Teagan, Alistair, Aeden and Zevran would weave their ways through the conversation and atmosphere of the dinner. Hopefully the Maker would take pity on her and allow her to remain in the shadow of the event with no one paying her attention. She could only pray…