There are a lot of "fluff" moments I wanted to add in between all these parts, but at the same time I didn't want to get bogged down with it and make for a non-interesting story. Maybe I'll add in the fluff later if I ever come back to this, but for now I'm only going to hit the highlights.
First two parts can be found
here.
Title: What Duty Dictates - Part 3
Rating: T (mild suggestive sexings)
Main Characters/Parings: F!Tabris/Nelaros, F!Cousland/???
Summary: AU. WIP. The Blight never happens. Kallian Tabris is married to Nelaros and is lady-in-waiting to Elissa Cousland. Elissa has five months left to find herself a husband before her parents choose one for her. Meanwhile, the castle gets visitors . . .
Everything was abuzz with activity. The word that a pair of Grey Wardens were in the castle had everyone in a tizzy. They also weren't just any Grey Wardens. One of them was the Warden-Commander of Ferelden. They were here to look for potential recruits both in the castle and in the township of Highever.
Kallian noted that many of the knights and guards stood just a bit taller and their armor had quite a bit more spit and polish to it. She'd even heard that the Bann of Highever ordered a tournament to be held in their honor. The head mistress, Nan, was in top form, snapping commands at the servants like a master-at-arms training squires. There were more servants in the castle than she ever remembered there being. Temporary ones were hired on as several local Banns also arrived to see the Grey Wardens and participate in the tourney.
Lady Elissa was excited with both the Grey Wardens and being able to take part in the tourney. She was so certain her father wouldn't let her add her name to the tourney list that when he told her it was alright she hugged him fiercely, almost lifting him off his feet. Her eyes practically glowed when she talked about the legends she heard and of how she and her brother Fergus used to play at being Grey Wardens when they were children. So enthralled was she that she hardly even grumbled as Kallian helped get one of her better -- and hardly used -- dinner dresses on.
Kallian had to admit to being a little giddy herself. Valendrian told her once that Grey Wardens didn't let race or status get in the way of recruiting who they needed to. Elves, dwarves, nobles, it didn't matter when it came to fighting against the evil darkspawn. Not that she was looking to get recruited. Not in the least. Some admiration had to be given, though, to a group that didn't look down on her people.
A group of female servants were gathered near a door to the great hall, peeking around the corners of the door to within. They whispered and giggled to one another. Holding on to the wicker basket she had with her lady's dirty clothes in it, she quietly snuck forward to them.
"What are we gawking at?" she whispered, as she tried to peer passed them.
One of them on the other side of the door, Adney, waved her over and Kallian quickly flitted over there. She glimpsed the Teyrn, the Teyrna, Lord Fergus, and two others she wasn't familiar with speaking with one another in the hall.
"Their Graces and Lord Fergus are speaking to the Grey Wardens," Adney whispered, "and one of them is rather quite handsome!"
"Oh?" Kallian edged herself over to be able to peer in easier.
She couldn't see the dark haired one too well as the other blocked him from her view. It didn't matter as it was the blond haired one they were obviously talking about. He was on the tall side with broad shoulders that carried his armor well. His profile had a handsome cut to it and his short, dusky blond hair was stylishly spiked in the front.
"Well, well," Kallian whispered, "not too shabby."
"Not too shabby?" another girl gave her an incredulous look. "Handsome, well built, and a Grey Warden and you only say 'not too shabby'?"
"Oh, don't mind her, Larice," the elven girl below her said. "Kallian has a hunk of a husband back home so she doesn't need to lust as much."
Kallian clicked her tongue, "Jealousy is just so unbecoming, Frieda. Go ahead and burn the vision of the Grey Warden into your memory. Maybe the Fade spirits will let you dream of him tonight for company."
She and Frieda made faces at one another, then stifled their respective chuckles. There was no harm meant in the ribbing. She knew Frieda liked her and was one of the first to help show her some of the ins and outs of the castle.
By now, Kallian was used to the notion that other women were rather quite jealous of her being married to the handsome, skilled, and well off -- for an elf -- Nelaros. At the Alienage, she learned fast to have a nice verbal barb ready to counter some of the cattiness she came across. Frieda even admitted that her own elder sister had aims to marry Nelaros for years and was livid when she heard of the arranged marriage. Not that Nelaros had shown any interest in her sister, but that was apparently besides the point.
Adney gave an appreciative sigh, "He is dream worthy, isn't he?"
They turned their full attention to the object of their gawking again. He was rather handsome, but for Kallian he paled in comparison with her husband. Granted, it was likely due to the fact that she absolutely adored him and was currently blinded by love, but she allowed herself to be bias. It didn't mean, however, that she couldn't look at a handsome man and tease the others mercilessly about it.
"Good thing dreams can make more than one of him," she gave an impish grin. "Otherwise he'd have to make a schedule with all of you wanting his attention." She made a show of gasping, "Oh my, but what if the Fade spirits decide to drop two of them in on you at the same time?"
"Kallian!"
"Oh, saucy!"
"That is . . . that is . . . inappropriate! Scandalous!"
"You know you'd not be displeased."
"Well, no, but . . ."
Their hushed snickers and giggles must have carried a little loud as the Grey Warden looked over at the door with raised eyebrows.
Adney gasped, "He's looking this way!"
Giving a somewhat embarrassed looking smile, he tentatively waved over at them a little. Kallian was certain he blushed as they all gave little waves back before degrading back down to excited titters and giggles.
"I do not see this as getting to work!"
The voice that erupted not far down the hall caused them all to scatter like frightened birds. None of them had to look to know Nan had caught them red handed. In the scramble she accidentally dropped the wicker basket, dumping the clothes right in the doorway. She moved quickly to gather them up, pausing to give a very sheepish smile to the Teryn, Teryna, Lord Fergus, and the two Wardens who all looked over at her. She skittered away just as Nan got there.
Kallian breathed a sigh of relief once she got far enough away from Nan. The worst the woman could do to her now was glare. Looking back to see if the head mistress was doing just that, she accidentally bumped her shoulder into someone.
"Oh! Do pardon!" she immediately said in passing.
The elf she ran into didn't respond and they both simply continued on their respective ways. With the castle as busy as it was, such bumps and jostling was becoming expected. However, something made Kallian do a double-take at the male elf servant.
His blond hair was tied back into a simple tail and the servant's clothes he wore were clean and brushed for good appearance. He was devilishly good looking, but that wasn't what caught her attention. There was something odd about his eyes and the skin on his left side of his face. His skin was tan, but a patch on his cheek looked lighter toned than the rest of him. Perhaps it was a large scar of some sort. The eyes that glanced at her she only managed to see for a second, but they seemed empty, yet focused.
Kallian certainly didn't recognize him so she assumed him to be one of the temporary servants or a servant of one of the visiting Banns. She wasn't fully certain why she felt bothered by his look and had no time to consider it more. He continued on his way out of her sight and Nan began barreling her way in Kallian's direction. She retreated to get back to her work, filing away her worry for now.