Thriving Children and Bad Weirdness
6 Justinian, 9:34 Dragon
The children are thriving. The gaunt-haunted look is slowly being replaced by pink cheeks, dimples, and smiles.
Ali is terrific with the kids.
Millie, Seana, Jake, and Aiden had a mud fight with Ali. They were all grinning while covered in so much mud it was hard to tell who (if anyone) won. Orana and I had to pour water over them before they could step foot inside.
My husband also has tea parties with Min, Calia, and Alia. Siobhan taught the girls how to hold pretend tea parties so there was something they could play when in hiding. Evelina would hide them near the sewers, and set up magical wards whenever any of the various Darktown predators were near their area.
The first time they played tea party here, they used a pretend tea service. Ali was sitting cross-legged on the floor pretending to hold a tea cup, joining the girls in a serious conversation about pretty flowers. Ali bought them a tea service, appropriate for young children, and now he attends weekly tea parties with the girls (Orana bakes cookies for each party).
How can you not love a man who would who would do that?
He recently started training Walter to use a sword and shield. Walter has always wanted to be a warrior, but never had the opportunity to train. Ali says he's a natural.
7 Justinian, 9:34 Dragon
Cricket likes to spend a lot of one-on-one time with me and with Alistair. He comes along when I visit with Merrill in the alienage, and when I go to the Viscount's Keep to see Aveline. During one of our first visits, Saemus Dumar gave Cricket a tour of the Keep, and even let Cricket sit on the Viscount's throne (although that has to remain secret). On days when Ali is training guard-recruits, he and Walter go with him. Cricket goes because he likes seeing Alistair at work, and Walter goes to watch and learn more about swordsmanship.
He especially likes having Alistair or I read to him. Before the Blight, he'd begun to learn his letters, so we are teaching him how to read. He didn't want to go the Chantry, where Elthina has arranged tutoring for Alia, Calia, and Jake - Min and Aiden being too young. He finds the Kirkwall Chantry to be a bit scary. Hardly surprising given the chantry's overly militaristic, and frankly dyspeptic-looking statue of Andraste.
Cricket has a quick mind and broad interests: So far we've read Dane and the Werewolf (He was awestruck when Ali told him of the werewolves in the Bracilian Forest); The History of the Fifth Blight; The Stone Hall of the Dwarves; The History of the Grey Wardens of Ferelden; and In the Pursuit of Knowledge: The Travels of a Chantry Scholar, in which we read about the Dalish and city elves and about the Chantry. Thankfully, Elthina has also been exceedingly generous in allowing us to borrow the books from the Chantry library.
Then Cricket got his hands on Ines Arancia's Botanical Compendium. He loves growing things, something else he started to learn before the Blight. I'm thankful that Merrill can help him plant things in our yard because I have a black thumb, and Ali says that he has no thumbs.
~oOOo~
Marnie grinned proudly. "Cricket was an exceedingly well-read young man."
Alistair chuckled. "His hands always held a book or a garden trowel, sometimes both."
"He is doing amazing work at the Université. He's really moving forward with his research on speeding the recovery of tainted soil. I know Ferelden would benefit from that. Can you imagine what the Anderfels would be like if they could actually grow food again?"
Alistair smiled wryly. "Perhaps decent food would improve the disposition of the Wiesshaupt wardens."
"Love, even if they have amazing food, those wardens would still be full of shit."
After a hearty laugh Alistair looked at the date of the next entries and held Marnie close as they began to read.
~oOOo~
10 Justinian
9:34
You remember Kendrick? You know, the smarmy bastard I've referred to periodically for the last three years? Okay, there have been other smarmy bastards I've mentioned. This is the one who is, or was, a guardsman.
Anyway.
We all knew Kendrick was a bloody rotter. Donnic wrote him up twice last year.
Over a month ago the bastard forced himself on a young elven woman. He should have been arrested and kicked out of the guard, but apparently, we're short of guardsman. When the assault was reported, Aveline said she would look into it.
Two days ago the victim's brothers killed Kendrick because nothing had been done. Either Aveline didn't have the time to look into it, or if she had, she didn't do a thorough job.
You know that I respect Ave, but she is pulled between Meredith, Dumar, and the nobility. She needs to delegate. She needs to create a structure that will make delegation easier. I had to learn that during the Blight. Being in charge doesn't mean doing everything yourself! I keep hoping Donnic will step in, but maybe I should? What do you think?
Yes, I think so, too.
18 Justinian, 9:34 Dragon
Of all the things for Isabella to steel from the Qunari, she steals the tome written by Koslun, who is their most revered philosopher!
Damn her! She shipped out and escaped Kirkwall with the book. Without the book, they cannot go home, and there is a limit to how long the Arishok can tolerate the chaos that is Kirkwall. Now, I need to tell him about Isabella's actions. It's not like he doesn't already know, but I am doing it out of respect. To top things off, Aveline is coming with me because she is going to ask him to turn over the brothers who killed Kendrick. They took matters into their own hands because nothing had been done, and have now converted to the Qun. Aveline is furious. I'm with Alistair: I'd give the brothers a medal.
I have a bad feeling about this.
18 Justinian
9:34
Aveline said the brothers who murdered Kendrick have joined the Qun to 'escape justice,' and she wants them handed over to the guard.
Escape justice, isn't that a load of tripe? If we arrest them, Dumar will execute them. That's what passes for justice for elves in Kirkwall. First, those boys should be given a medal for sending Kendrick to the void. Second, I know from Sten, and now from Marnie, that in the Qun they will have a purpose, meaning, and respect. All a damn sight better than the Kirkwall alienage can offer.
Aveline plans to go with Marnie to see the Arishok. When I told her the whole story, Marnie was appalled by what Aveline wanted to do.
I have a bad feeling about this.
~oOOo~
Dropping the journal back into the box, Alistair looked determined. "That's it! From now on 'I have a bad feeling about this' means 'Get off your ass because bad weirdness is headed our way.'"
Marnie nodded grinning. "I like it. It's simple and straight to the point. Bad weirdness really captures the essence of the kind trouble we get into."
~oOOo~
AN: Thank you to my Beta ElyssaCousland. She, like my previous betas, is a patient soul who has to forge their way through my wilderness of misplaced commas.
Any errors are mine.
I credit the term "bad weirdness" to the late Hunter S. Thompson The Curse of Lono. Taschen, 2006.