#aylwen lavellan

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Listening to the latest episode of Vows and Vengeance, all I can think is how much Bellara and Aylwen would instantly LOVE each other if they got to interact

Like this:

[b1narysol0]

@thevikingwoman shared this picrew and it was so cute I had to try it! (As she mentioned the skin tones available are unfortunately pretty limited, but I did my best.)

Cullen Rutherford x Aylwen Lavellan (Dragon Age)

Alistair Theirin x Rora Surana (Dragon Age)

Isabela x Corin Hawke (Dragon Age)

Aeran Kellis x Sienna Theran (Wayfarer IF by @idrellegames)

Adora x Catra (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power)

[cullenappreciationweek]

randomnonsensedragonage: “ Cullen x Aylwen Lavellan (AU) – 743 words Rating: G Notes: The grad school AU drawing I posted the other day inspired me to try writing some of it, and it ended up flowing...

[slayersangel]

Hold the phone! Four lovely Lavellans coming through!

Lupita Lavellan for @milabanilla

Aylwen Lavellan for @b1narysol0

Zevmael Lavellan for @zevmaellavellan

Tobi Lavellan for @thatacdcchick

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I went into a fugue state and answered all of those canon worldstate asks for my primary DA characters (from left to right: Rora Surana, Ilora Hawke, and Aylwen Lavellan)

Portraits made in this picrew. I might do this again for my second favorite universe in a bit lol

Answers under the cut.

your Warden/Hawke/Inquisitor's opinion on Orlais?

Rora: Mixed. She’d like to visit someday, but also knows from her reading that it’s not the best place for elves.

Ilora: Like any self-respecting Fereldan, she’s not a fan.

Aylwen: She’s a romantic and a history nerd, so she likes Orlais overall. She’s very aware of its flaws, though.

are they skilled in The Grand Game?

Rora: She’s never had to try, but she wouldn’t be great at it. She’s too self-conscious and honest in her dealings.

Ilora: She’s also never had to try, and also wouldn’t be good at it. She has no patience for that kind of thing.

Aylwen: Not really. She’s too straightforward to truly be good at the game. She does manage to do okay at the winter palace, mainly by being friendly, going along with things, and underplaying her intelligence in a way that lulls the nobles into a false sense of security.

opinion on blood magic?

Rora: Having grown up in the Circle, she fully believes that blood magic is evil. Jowan’s betrayal only convinces her further of that.

Ilora: She hates it, thanks to her experiences in Kirkwall.

Aylwen: Unlike the other two, she doesn’t have any direct experience with blood magic. She’s wary of it, but doesn’t think it’s inherently evil. She’s pretty convinced by Solas’ argument that it’s just another form of magic. She would be wary of using it herself, though.

attitude towards Andrastianism?

Rora: Rora was raised Andrastian, first in the Alienage and then in the Circle, but she’s not particularly attached to the religion.

Ilora: She considers herself culturally Andrastian, but like Rora doesn’t have strong feelings about it. She’s more likely to be observant or pray when things are going wrong or in moments of stress, figuring it can’t hurt to be devout at times like that.

Aylwen: Aylwen is proudly Dalish and proudly worships Dalish gods, so her attitude towards Andrastianism is one of frustration. Especially being the Herald, she gets very tired of being viewed as a figurehead for a religion she isn’t part of, and which has historically persecuted her people. Her attitude softens a bit when she gets together with Cullen, because she sees how important it is to him. She has no interest in converting to or practicing Andrastianism, though, because she feels like that would be a betrayal of who she is.

attitude towards the Chantry?

Rora: Prior to leaving the Circle, she just saw the Chantry as a fact of life, and necessary for everyone's protection. For her own safety and peace of mind as a Circle mage, she couldn’t afford to think too deeply about it. After she joins the Wardens, she realizes that her views about the Chantry are more negative than she realized, and that she resents the control they have over mages. Meeting more ardently religious folks like Leliana and Wynne also puts her own views into perspective. She knows that she doesn’t have that depth of faithl.

Ilora: Ilora is basically neutral toward the Chantry. Because she grew up with two apostates in her family, she’s skeptical of all large institutions. But, because she was brought up Andrastian and Bethany is pretty religious, she can also see the value in it. 

Aylwen: Aylwen is skeptical of the Chantry. As a Dalish elf, she’s well aware of the harm the Chantry can cause and wouldn’t mind seeing it collapse. She comes to see the value of the Chantry a bit more via working with the Inquisition. She appreciates that it means a lot to a lot of people, and that the Chantry collapsing would probably do more harm than good. She still thinks it needs major reforms, though.

attitude towards the Qun?

Rora: She super doesn’t understand it. There aren’t a lot of written resources about the Qun available to her, and Sten is not good at explaining it. She comes to understand it a biiit better through her friendship with Sten, but barely.

Ilora: Given that the Qunari occupied the city she was living in, she is not a fan. She did her best to be understanding and diplomatic with the Arishok, but as we know that didn’t turn out well. She also doesn’t like the way they treat mages.

Aylwen: Most of what Aylwen knows about the Qun comes from Iron Bull. Because he’s her friend, she tries to be understanding about it and keep an open mind. In truth, though, what she does learn makes her uneasy.

if they had to choose one person most important to them, who would that be?

Rora: Not to be cliché by choosing her LI, but Alistair. Being a Circle mage whose best friend betrayed her, she doesn’t really have anyone else. She and Alistair trauma bonded as friends big time after Ostagar, and then fell in love. He’s her best friend, her boyfriend, and her family all rolled into one.

Ilora: Bethany. Ilora would do anything for her sister and keeping her safe is her biggest priority, whether she likes it or not (see: making her a Grey Warden to save her life).

Aylwen: Not to be basic again, but Cullen. Because she leaves her clan behind, and is estranged from them for a bit, he becomes her sole family for a time. She’s also just crazy about him and is happiest when they’re together.

who do they hate the most, and do they have an arch-nemesis?

Rora: She doesn’t really hate anyone, per se. Even her enemies, like Loghain, are more enemies out of necessity than out of hatred.

Ilora: Quentin, the guy who killed her mom. Nominally her archenemy is Meredith, but she doesn’t exactly hate her. More finds her frustrating and thinks she’s misguided and dangerous.

Aylwen: Probably Corypheus, though she fears him more than she hates him. In general, she doesn’t hate specific people so much as larger forces and abstract concepts, like prejudice and religious zealotry.

what is their love language? 

Rora: Quality time

Ilora: Acts of service

Aylwen: Physical touch

are they good horse riders?

Rora: She’s only ridden a horse like twice in her entire life, and she’s afraid of most animals. So, no.

Ilora: She’s decent. She grew up in rural areas, so she got the opportunity to ride horses fairly often.

Aylwen: She’s okay. Back with her clan she would sometimes ride Halla or Harts bareback. Learning to do more formal riding on a horse with a saddle and bridle took some adjustment. She gets better and more comfortable over time since she has to do it so much with the Inquisition. She also likes horses, so that helps.

what are their religious beliefs, if any?

Rora: She’s agnostic. She’s a pretty logical person who does a lot of reading about history and the world at large, and based on what she’s learned she thinks there’s a distinct possibility that there is no Maker. She wouldn’t admit this to most people, though, especially back in the Circle.

Ilora: She believes in the Maker, but she hasn’t thought very deeply about it.

Aylwen: She believes in the elven gods as described in Dalish legends, up until she learns the truth about them during Trespasser. Even then, though, she continues to practice Dalish religious traditions for emotional and cultural reasons.

attitude towards Mabari?

Rora: Having grown up first in an Alienage and then in the Circle, she’s not used to animals and is afraid of them. That includes Mabari, especially since they’re very large dogs. The exception is *her* Mabari, who she has a strong bond with.

Ilora: She loves them, like any self-respecting Fereldan. She doesn’t have one of her own because I didn’t have that dlc during her playthrough but wishes she did.

Aylwen: Aylwen likes animals in general, and that includes Mabari. She’s also a dog person, and Mabari are just big, extra-smart dogs, so what’s not to like?

their thoughts on the Grey Warden order?

Rora: She has mixed feelings. Joining the Grey Wardens kept her out of mage prison, allowed her to meet Alistair and her other friends, and got her out of the Circle, which she really needed. Plus, Alistair loves the Grey Wardens, which makes her want to love them as well. But, she’s not happy about having no choice in joining, or about all the secrets they’ve been keeping.

Ilora: She likes the Grey Wardens, because they saved Fereldan and her sister. She feels like she owes them a lot.

Aylwen: She also likes the Grey Wardens, though she has no direct experience with the order until meeting Blackwall. Or I should I say, she still doesn't. Zing. She knows they saved Fereldan from the Fifth Blight, she enjoys the legends about them, and views them as heroes. Even with the events at Adamant, she views the Grey Wardens as having been manipulated by bad actors, and is more than willing to give them another chance.

who are they closest to from their family?

Rora: Her mom, which is pretty sad because even before she was taken to the Circle she hardly saw her mom, who worked all the time. Her mom also passed away several years into her time at the Circle, so she never saw her again after she was brought there.

Ilora: Bethany, which is also pretty sad since their relationship becomes strained after Bethany joins the Grey Wardens.

Aylwen: She hasn’t seen her birth family since she was four, so clan Lavellan is basically the family that raised her. Among the clan, she’s closest to Keeper Deshanna, which makes sense since Deshanna was her mentor and raised her most directly.

preferred weapon of choice?

Rora: Staff.

Ilora: Knives.

Aylwen: Staff.

do they get sentimental about their weapons or armour?

Rora: Not really. She’s always used the weapons and armor she was told to use, first in the Circle and then as a Grey Warden.

Ilora: She’s sentimental about her knives, since they were gifted to her by her dad before he died.

Aylwen: She was sentimental about her staff, which she crafted and enchanted herself as part of her First training, but it got destroyed in the Conclave explosion. The Inquisition gave her a new one, but it was never quite the same.

what were they like as a child?

Rora: Before going to the Circle, she was quiet, anxious, and imaginative. She didn’t fit in with the other kids in the Alienage, and her grandmother—her primary caretaker—was hard on her. She was a sensitive kid who had a lot of fears and cried a lot, which made her an even easier target. So, she mostly kept to herself and spent a lot of time playing pretend and daydreaming. When she got to the Circle, at age six, she developed more confidence since she was finally good at something and around people she had something in common with. She became much more cheerful and chatty, and stayed that way until she hit adolescence and her anxiety got bad again.

Ilora: She was well-behaved and responsible, a typical eldest child. She spent a lot of time mothering Bethany and Carver, much to the latter’s annoyance. She also had a lot of internalized anxiety because she felt so responsible for her family's safety and well-being.

Aylwen: She was a handful. She was friendly, adventurous, high energy, and always getting into trouble. She was kind of a ringleader among the Alienage kids, and would come up with schemes and games that would get them into trouble as well. She’s always been curious about other cultures, so she would do dangerous things like sneak off to local human villages to poke around, much to Deshanna’s unhappiness.

do they have any irrational fears?

Rora: Animals, thanks to not having much experience with them.

Ilora: The dark.

Aylwen: Spiders.

are they afraid of death?

Rora: Yes, but like a lot of things she avoids thinking about it.

Ilora: Yes, the normal amount.

Aylwen: Yes, but she accepts that it’s a part of life.

where would they like to be buried?

Rora: She’s never thought about it. She always assumed she’d be buried at the Circle, and after she has to leave she doesn’t have a place she thinks of as home where it would make sense for her to be buried.

Ilora: Either in Lothering, near where her dad is buried, or in Kirkwall, near where her mom is buried.

Aylwen: In the South Reach, along with Cullen, or in her clan’s territory in the Free Marches.

what is their biggest regret?

Rora: Not getting to say goodbye to her mom when she was taken to the Circle.

Ilora: Not being able to save Carver.

Aylwen: Not being able to save everyone when Haven was attacked.

have they ever been to Tevinter?

Rora: Nope.

Ilora: Nope.

Aylwen: We’ll see in DAV, won’t we?! I don’t think she’s been there pre-DAV, though.

do they have, or want to have, children?

Rora: She’s never really thought about it, because she always assumed she wouldn’t be allowed to, and she dies when she’s only 20. But had she lived, she would have wanted to have children with Alistair.

Ilora: She would have children if her partner wanted to. She likes kids and has those motherly mom-friend instincts. But it’s not a priority for her, and she ends up lost in the Fade so it’s a moot point. For now.

Aylwen: She’s always wanted to have children. I haven't decided yet, but by the time of DAV she and Cullen will either have at least one small kid (age 4 max), or be getting ready to have kids soon.

what languages can they speak?

Rora: Only common, but she can read a little Alamarri (she was bored in the library one day and memorized some old poems).

Ilora: Only common.

Aylwen: Common and a little Elvish.

what did they plan for their life to look like before the events of the game happened?

Rora: She figured she would become an Enchanter, join one of the fraternities (Aequitarians, probably), take on some students, and hopefully do well enough to be assigned duties as a healer or alchemist outside the Circle.

Ilora: She didn’t think too hard about it because she was so concerned with keeping her sister from being caught by the Templars. She assumed she’d continue to look out for her family, go wherever they needed to go to be safe, and take on mercenary work to support them.

Aylwen: She planned to stay with her clan, continue her training with Deshanna, and eventually become Keeper.

do they get a happy ending?

Rora: No, she dies killing the Archdemon. But maybe she’ll get resurrected somehow? Please, Bioware.

Ilora: No, everyone she loves dies or leaves her (except Varric, of course), and she gets left in the Fade. But fingers crossed she gets out. Please, Bioware.

Aylwen: Yes for now. She settles down with Cullen, dissolves the Inquisition, and eventually reconciles with Deshanna despite marrying a human.

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Revisiting Aylwen again after a few years not writing her, I'm like, amazed by the fact that I created this straight character. Like, I still like her a lot, but I could never now XD

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More picrews! This time I used this one.

Rora Surana

Aylwen Lavellan

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Back on my dollmaker bs. I made modern/human versions of Aylwen and Rora using this dollmaker!

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Picking strawberries for DWC :3

Thanks for the prompt for @dadrunkwriting!

Trying something a little different this time. Decided to do this one about my Inquisitor, Aylwen, prior to the Inquisition. She’s about 17-18 in this story, and still living with her clan. Also featured is her then-boyfriend, Dylahn, who turned out to be kind of a jerk.

“Riwyn! Joslan! Stop that!”Aylwen called down the row of strawberry plants. A small girl and boy,previously engaged in shoving each other, looked up guiltily.

“He started it!” Riwynshouted, pointing at her brother.

“I don’t care who startedit! No pushing, or you two will be back at camp with the Keeper quick as awink!”

Cowed, the childrengrumblingly went back to picking berries. Aylwen took this opportunity to standup straight, crack her back, and scan the rows to make sure the other childrenunder her care were behaving. So far so good, though Athmen and Alaras weregetting a bit too close to the woods for her liking, little Nolya looked a bitlonely, and Kia was spilling more berries than she was picking. Aylwen made amental note to go and check on them soon.

“Isn’t this an idyllicscene.”

The deep voice madeAylwen turn. A lanky man,vallaslin-less, like her, made his way down the rows. She smiled and moved tomeet him half way.

“Dylahn.” She stopped infront of him. “What brings you out here?”

He grinned, looking herup and down, which made her blush. “What a question. I wanted to see you on thejob, of course.” He glanced around the field, surveying the scene. Twenty somechildren, ranging in ages from four to twelve, wandered the clearing, snatchingup berries, giggling and chatting. “Does Deshanna always have you looking aftersuch a large brood?”

Aylwen shrugged, beaming.She gripped the handle of her basket tighter. “It’s not so hard. I just keep aneye on things. And most of the little ones have known me since they werebabies, so they’re usually—Don’t youdare!”

This was directed at10-year-old Ellasan, about to lob a clump of dirt at the back of his friend’shead. He dropped the dirt immediately, looking guilty.

Dylahn chuckled, and tooka step forward. “Very impressive.” Before she expected it, he lay a hand on herwaist, drawing her closer. “You’re so full of surprises.”

Aylwen stiffened insurprise, and her cheeks grew hotter.

“Not here,” shesaid quietly.

“None of them are payingattention,” he said. His face was close to hers, and part of her did want to kiss him, like they’ddone so many times in the weeks since he’d joined clan Lavellan. But insteadshe stepped back, wriggling free of his grip. She squeezed his hand.

“I’ll be done here inabout an hour,” she said. “We can meet in the usual spot?”

He sighed, raised his eyebrows.“I suppose I can wait till then,” hesaid. He released her hand, and turned to leave. “Good luck with your chicks,mother hen.”

Aylwen shook her head,heart beating fast, and turned back to her charges. They quickly distracted herfrom how flustered she was.

“By the Dread Wolf,Joslan! Don’t put berries inyour sister’s hair!”

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Made in this picrew!

Rora Surana

Aylwen Lavellan

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Went on a bit of a picrew binge this holiday weekend. Here's Rora and Aylwen as made in this picrew:

Rora Surana

Aylwen Lavellan

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Magic Prompts- Impractical uses for Lavellan or Hawke? :3

This is super late, but yesterday this little scene occurred to me and I realized it would be perfect for your prompt. Inspired by the weird, floating lights that show up at the end of the famous desk scene (though not on my pc, for some reason).

When Cullen woke his roomwas bathed in blue moonlight, and Aylwen was making tiny lights float throughthe air.

She sat naked, kneessteepled and back against the headboard. Lazily, like taking a drag on a pipe, shemade a pinprick of light in her hand, let it go. Made another, let it go. Thelights drifted through the air like soap bubbles.

If she was aware ofCullen watching she didn’t show it. She was serene, did the magic like it wasnothing, like it was breathing. Once that might have terrified him. Not now.How could something like this be bad?

When she put her handdown the room shone with gold and blue. She looked on, face tipped toward thesky. Aglow. Cullen smiled and closed his eyes.

Magic scenario prompts

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@tundrafoot​ replied to your post:

I’m actually really curious about Illora and Merril as well as Aylwen and Blackwall’s complicated relationships. XD

Finally getting to your question! (Saturday morning-Sunday afternoon always ends up being my crunch time DX)

So, Ilora and Merrill’s relationship is complicated for a few reasons. Hawke’s not a fan of Merrill using blood magic or trying to fix the Eluvian. She sees Merrill as kind of a little sister figure, and worries about her. Merrill understands that Hawke’s disapproval comes from a good place but she also feels stifled by it. Also, Merrill hangs out with Isabela a lot, and since Isabela and Hawke don’t get along all that well that creates some distance too. And then, after Isabela leaves, Merrill withdraws a lot from the group and from Hawke. So, basically they have kind of an uneasy friendship full of misunderstandings, but still they ultimately like and respect each other.

As for Aylwen and Blackwall, their friendship is complicated because Blackwall had a crush on Aylwen for a little bit XD They hung out together a lot at Haven, and Blackwall misinterpreted some of Aylwen’s friendliness/effusiveness for flirtation (she finds herself in this situation a lot). When he finally revealed his feelings she got sort of uncomfortable (she had no idea he felt that way) and withdrew. As for Blackwall, the crush pretty much went away right after he got rejected, but things were still awkward for a few weeks. They eventually reconciled (it helped that Aylwen started dating Cullen and Blackwall started crushing on Josephine), but they were never able to get back to their previous level of closeness. Still, like Merrill and Hawke, they ultimately respect and like each other a lot.

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DWC! "Keeping dead flowers" :) Cheers!

Thank you for the prompt for @dadrunkwriting!

Here’s a fic about Aylwen & Keeper Deshanna (aka, basically her adoptive mom)–in the past! I’ve never written much about my Deshanna headcanons on this blog, but I imagine her as a very young Keeper, only about 25 when she assumed the role, and maybe only a year or two older than that when she took Aylwen on as her First.

“Keeper!”

Deshanna, who’d been kneelingon the forest floor to gather elfroot, jumped at the voice. She turned.

“Da’len, how many timesmust I tell you not to shout so?”

Aylwen, her four-year-oldapprentice, ground to a halt, looking cowed. Internally, Deshanna winced. Shehadn’t meant to sound so harsh.

“Sorry,” Aylwen said. Herfoot scuffed in the dirt.

Deshanna sighed and gotto her feet. “Just remember next time.”

She brushed off herskirts and walked over. Aylwen’s eyes were on the ground, and that guilt Deshannaso frequently felt around her new apprentice burned inside her. By the DreadWolf, she didn’t know how you were supposed to act around a child. She hadn’t evenexpected to be training a First so soon, much less one so young.

Once closer, she tried tocatch her apprentice’s eye. “Well, Da’len.” She offered an uneasy smile. “Whathave you come bursting out of the forest to show me?”

Aylwen brightened, and Deshannanoticed for the first time that her hand was behind her back. She held herchubby fist out to the Keeper. Clutched in it was a white flower.

“Here!”

Deshanna narrowed hereyes. “And what is that, Da’len?”

“A present. For you!”

Deshanna faltered. She’dbeen hoping Aylwen would come back with Elfroot, like she’d told her to. Butnow she was too touched to correct her. She reached out and accepted the flowerfrom the child. Aylwen smiled and Deshanna felt a fluttering in her heart, asort of tearful feeling.

“Thank you,” Deshannasaid. She smiled, a more genuine one this time. “Did you know, Da’len, that thisis an herb too? Would you like me to tell you about it?”

Aylwen nodded, her blondecurls bobbing.

Deshanna stumbled acrossit while she was cleaning, a day after Aylwen left for the Divine Conclave. Shewas rearranging her meager collection of books and on a whim she opened one.Pressed between two pages was a dried white flower.

She took it and held itup to the light, mouth falling open with wonder. She didn’t even rememberkeeping it, and yet here it was. Immediately her mind went back to that moment,so long ago. The forest, little Aylwen holding the flower up to her, as clearas if it were yesterday.

Deshanna pressed a handto her mouth, overcome.

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Dragon Age Friendships

Following in the footsteps of @somevirtualnolife, who made one of these earlier today.

Just gonna use my OCs from my main DA universe for now. I might do others later, though. Sorry if I forgot any party members, btw. It’s late.

I’m not gonna tag anyone, but feel free to do it too!

Rora Surana

A Friendship Like No Other: Leo (dog) Besties: Leliana Work Buddies: Ohgren Like a Sibling: Sten (well... not exactly, but they are fond of each other) My Best Friend is My Lover: Alistair I Want to Be Close, but There’s a Wall: Morrigan Mentor Friend: Wynne Our Friendship is Complicated: Zevran

Avenie Caron

A Friendship Like No Other: Anders Besties: Justice Work Buddies: Sigrun Like a Sibling: Finn, Ariane My Best Friend is My Lover: Nathaniel I Want to Be Close, but There’s a Wall: Ohgren, Leo (who Avenie inherits him from Rora) Mentor Friend: Seneschal Varel (I couldn’t think of anyone else) Our Friendship is Complicated: Velanna

Ilora Hawke

A Friendship Like No Other: Varric Besties: Fenris Work Buddies: Cullen Like a Sibling: Bethany (a literal sibling, but...) My Best Friend is My Lover: Anders I Want to Be Close, but There’s a Wall: Isabela Mentor Friend: Aveline Our Friendship is Complicated: Merrill

Aylwen Lavellan

A Friendship Like No Other: Dorian Besties: Cassandra, Josephine Work Buddies: Leliana Like a Sibling: Cole My Best Friend is My Lover: Cullen I Want to Be Close, but There’s a Wall: Sera, Iron Bull Mentor Friend: Vivienne, Varric Our Friendship is Complicated: Solas, Blackwall

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(Talesfromthefade) Talking about secret crushes for the DWC, because that is absolutely one of the benefits of besties. And teasing them about them.

Thanks for the @dadrunkwriting prompt! This was a fun one to do xD

“More tea, Lady Lavellan?”Josephine said, holding up the teapot. Aylwen nodded.

“Of course.” She letJosephine fill her cup, and then reached for the plate of petit fours. “Cake,Lady Ambassador?”

“Certainly.” She took oneof the small, colorful sweets. Then she and Aylwen met eyes and grinnedfoolishly.

Tea with Josephine was becoming one of Aylwen’s favorite weekly rituals. It was nice to have afemale friend close to her own age, and fun to play at being a refined lady. Notto mention that Josephine’s polite exterior hid a sense of mischief Aylwenappreciated.

“So, Inquisitor,”Josephine said, wiping her hands on her napkin. “How are things with theCommander?”

Aylwen went red andlaughed self-consciously. “Good. I mean… we’re still figuring things out. But…Good.” She grinned.

“He seems happier,”Josephine said. “Or at least at bit less grouchy in the War Room.”

“I’m glad I’m a good influenceon him.”

“I am glad as well. It doesmake my job easier.”

They laughed. Aylwen tookanother sip of her tea, then smiled at Josephine mischievously.

“I noticed a new bouquetof flowers on your desk yesterday, Ambassador,” she said. “Your secret admirer isvery persistent.”

Now it was Josephine’sturn to redden. She smiled shyly at the table. “He is indeed.” She sighed. “Imust admit… a part of me feels guilty, thinking of him rising so early eachweek to pick those mountain flowers. How cold and lonely it must be…”

“Don’t worry,” Aylwensaid, expression dead serious. “His beard keeps him warm.”

They met eyes again, andthen burst in to renewed giggles.