Bright light swept into the room with a sudden movement that caused Fayne Cousland to groan audibly, she threw her covers over her head with as much grace she could muster in the morning. Her battle against her chamber maid did not last long as the woman had long ago learned that Fayne had a weak spot right above her collar bone and along the base of her neck. The maid stubby fingers tickled the young woman mercilessly until she conceded and let go of the down sheets. They ballooned around her like a sea of white water.
"Up with the usual spunk I see, Lady Cousland" the maid went about dragging Fayne off the bed and pushing her away so that the room could be mended.
"Uhg, Nina how many times do I have to tell you just call me Fayne, please you have been with this house for almost a year, the formalities do not need to be continued" she said as she pulled her bright red hair from around her face and into a long flowing braid that went from her crown to her mid back. She noticed the elf maid had stopped.
"You know I can not do that" the women all but whispered as she ducked her head. Fayne seeing that she had caused distress turned around and hugged the woman. The maid's body stiffened at first, but then melted into the young woman's arms.
"You know what then? You can call me Fayne when we are alone, it will be our little secret." Fayne nodded her head, encouraging the other woman to agree with her. She found courtly titles and manners to be restricting and the social dogma's she had to follow were arcane. This woman was her friend, but due to her station and race she couldn't even address her without saying "My Lady".
Once Nina nodded her head, Fayne let go of her and skipped to the other side of the room. She put on her tight leather pants and a loose white blouse. She never had to fear of being overly exposed; most men did not even notice her modest chest, only her well sculpted legs.
As she was pulling a dark green leather vest on to her body, Nina spoke up, "My lad-oh I mean Fayne"the woman giggled a little at the informality, "Your father said he wished to see you down at the dinning hall once you had awoken"
"Did he say why?" Fayne twisted her body to look at the woman and wondered why her face had suddenly turned a darker shade of red. With quick strides she was in front of the Nina and was giving her a stern and powerful look. Even though her mother complained that she never acted like a lady and was not involved in the affairs of a woman enough, she sure had inherited her mother's death glare. It was one that sent soldiers fleeing for their lives and kept husbands in their places.
"What is it?" Fayne never had patients, that was for her brother and his son, no it seemed that if patients was a virtue then it gave up on her long ago.
"Well, well the Tryn, your father-,"
"I know who he is"
"Yes so sorry, ahh he said that he had found a perfect match for you."
Fayne's hair fell past one shoulder as she tilted her head, what was her father talking about. As she walked in circles around the room she figured out exactly what the tryn had meant with "the perfect match".
He wouldn't, she thought, Fergus and he are both going to war and he has set me on a husband hunt, well I will show him.
Without saying goodbye or even a thank you, Fayne marched out of her room making sure to slam her door as loud as possible. She would make father regret his decision to set her up, she would show her mother just how unlady like she could be. As she bounded down the hall in her leather outfit, she heard laughing from one of the rooms.
Fergus's door lay open and he was looking at her with mirth in his eyes as he yelled from his room, "So it looks like you heard about Father's marvellous new plan for you then?"
She kept walking and resisted the urge to use an obscene hand gesture at him. She had to keep her anger and her haughty disposition if she wanted to stand her ground. She charged past the guards men who bowed to her, skirted past the children of the servants as they played and even ignored her beloved hound when he begged for her attention. She was a woman on a mission and nothing would stop her.
Standing in front of the wooden doors she straightened her posture and took a deep breath and went over various arguments she had planned. It was hard to outsmart her father, but she had done it once when she convinced him to let her train with weapons, so if she put her mind to it again, she would be victorious.
With a bang the doors flew open and hit the stone walls of the dinning hall, the noise was so loud is caused her to squint in discomfort. Fayne had expected a group of startled guests and maybe an upset father, but she was surprised at the scenario that was playing out in front of her.
Not a single head looked up at her, everyone one was situated around a body on the floor. She could make out the shrill voice of her father's healer mumbling something to a dark man standing two feet from him. The older man nodded solemnly and crossed his arms.
Thomas, who she assumed her father had set up for her as a match, was standing beside his father, Renden Howe, not far from the scene. Both of them were looking between her father's drawn features and to the body on the floor. Curiosity caused Fayne to forget why she was there and she slowly walked to where the person was on the floor.
Given the situation she wanted to stay out of sight as much as possible so she walked in the shadow cast by the lanterns. Her silent footsteps caused no one to look up. No one but the mysterious figure with his arms crossed, he looked up as soon as she came within touching distance. When his eyes met hers he seemed amused at first, like he was going to wink at her, then suddenly he looked serious again as the healer said something to him. Fayne's father followed the stranger's eyes and they fell on her. His face lit up instantly and he sighed.
"Come here pup, it seems our early soirée has been interrupted by a crisis." He gestured to the man on the ground. And as she moved towards her father she saw that it was a young male elf with long dark hair. His face, which was rather beautiful, was twisted in agony as he clutched his stomach. His lips moved as to voice his agony, but no words came out.
"Oh you must forgive me Duncan, my manners seemed to have fled me. Pup, this is an old friend of mine, his name is Duncan and he is a Grey Warden."
"A pleasure, my lady." The man, Duncan uncrossed his arms and gave her a small smile and a bow. However his eyes quickly trained back to the man on the ground. She did not know what was wrong with him, but he seemed in obvious pain and she pitied him.
The healer, a stout and grey haired woman, stated that he was to be moved to a room in the castle to rest, that was the only thing she could do.
"He is a god dam elf, we should kick him out." she heard Thomas state under his breath as he looked at the man with contempt. Thomas annoyed her to no end and one of the main goals in her life was to do everything in her power against the man.
"Father, he can stay in my room" she walked closer to him and wrapped her hands around his forearms like she used to do as a child.
His eyes softened at her touch, "Of course pup, but what of you?"
"Me, oh well don't worry about that, I probably won't even need another room until after practice which of course will take most of the day." She could practically feel Thomas's glare on her back as her father announced what a good idea it would be for the sick young man to have a proper bed to lay on.
Fayne watched as the servants carried the young elf towards her chambers with the healer not far behind. Once the group had gone, her father motioned for both Duncan and Howe to take a seat at the long oak table. The table had been stolen from the Orleasion forces when they were at war, her father often boasted how it was the only piece of furniture he had ever spilt blood for. Fayne went to sit in her customary spot, but her father's raised hand stopped her.
"Not now pup, we have blight business to attend to, you should go and practice." She grudgingly tilted her head in obedience and muttered sweetly, too sweetly, "As you wish father" and left the room.