It was a pleasant sunny afternoon. While winter had not yet fully turned to spring, the wind lacked its usual bite. Many in Kirkwall had taken the opportunity to venture into the streets and enjoy the fresh air. Instead of the usual captain's plate Ashton was found in frequently, he instead opted for his usual outfit with a light coat to ward off the chill in the air. He had taken the afternoon off away from the barracks, leaving command in Vesper's capable hands. In fact, crime had been down recently, though he attributed it more to the chilly weather than any of their deeds. Gang activity was down, however, due in part to his efforts to break their hold on the city. Also, having arrested two of the former heads of the Coterie helped.
Ashton sat on the first step on the flight of stairs that led up to Hightown from Lowtown, picking his fingernails with one of the knives he carried with him. It was clear that he was waiting for someone, and it wasn't at all hard to guess who. He had taken the afternoon off so that both Nostariel and he could go through and plan a majority of their wedding. For some things, they would have to call in some favors from a few of their friends, and he intended to see them before the day was out.
He wore smile with those thoughts in his head. It all felt so ethereal; he couldn't hardly believe that he was to be married soon, else he might've felt a little nervous. Instead, he was the happiest he'd been in a long while. True, his life was no fairy tale, but this part certainly felt like it. He crossed his leg over the opposite knee and peered up, scanning for Nostariel.
āYouāre going to stab your fingers one day if you keep using a knife to do that.ā As it happened, the voice came from behind him, Nostariel approaching from Hightown. Sheād had a little last-minute business to see to there, so sheād taken care of it before coming to meet Ashton. Descending the last few steps so she was standing on the same one he sat upon, she let a hand fall naturally to his shoulder, then leaned down to kiss him by way of greeting, smiling fondly as she straightened back out.
āHave you ever been to a wedding? Because I confess I have no idea what Iām doing.ā There werenāt a whole lot of married Wardens, and Templars tended to heavily discourage the practice in mages, too. Some of them did it anyway, but they certainly didnāt hold ceremonies of any kind, usually just saying a few words in the circleās chapel. That part, the Chantry part, was one they wouldnāt even have access to, so even her limited knowledge was essentially useless.
"It'll be fine, I'm sure," Ashton said, sliding the knife back into its sheath in his belt. "Haven't lost them yet, though not for lack of trying," he added as he stood. It was then his turn to lean down and return her kiss. Ashton then pondered the question posed, crossing his arms and scratching what little fuzz he had on his chin. "Not very many, but a few. They weren't extravagant affairs by any means, just a little get-together of family and friends," he said. Though they lived out in the woods of Northern Ferelden, there had been others, and there had been a few weddings among them. It certainly wasn't a city wedding.
Then he smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, "Then you have your fairy tale weddings," he added, stretching a hand out in front of them both, "With princes, fairies, singing birds, and talking animals... Though I'm no prince, and finding a fairy to do the services will be difficult... To put it mildly. Fortunately, we do have a Sparrow, and I bet it wouldn't be too hard to get her to sing. If we would want her to is another matter entirely..." Ashton said, trailing off and chuckling.
He let his arm slide down hers until he grabbed her hand and held it. "Still, I think we can make do with what we have. What do you think of asking Lucien to officiate? Then I thought we'd ask Amalia to do the music for us. See if Aurora would pick out the flower arrangement," he said, having clearly put a lot of thought into the whole thing. He'd also have to run by and see if Ithilian and Rilien would stand with him, but that was something he'd do on his own.
Nostariel nodded, already feeling that this was going to be a much more complicated matter than sheād intended. Still, at least all the requests would be made of their friendsāhopefully that would contribute to a cozier, more close-knit atmosphere. āThat all sounds good to me.ā
Which was how, about ten minutes later, they found themselves walking into the Lionsā barracks. If Lucien wasnāt there, someone there would know where he was. The benefits of knowing responsible people, she supposed. After inquiring of one of the other mercenaries, they were led back into his office and permitted to just walk right in, which they did.
āGood afternoon, Lucien.ā
Lucien looked up from his desk, grinning slightly at his friends. It was had not to see how happy they were, even in the way they held themselves. A small part of him was envious, it was true, but more than anything, he was just happy for them. They had not made it to this point without tribulation. āNostariel, Ashtonā¦ it is good to see you. Is there something I can help you with, or is this a social call?ā He wouldnāt mind either way, of course.
Nostariel glanced over at Ashton for a moment, then returned her eyes to Lucien. āWeāreā¦ actually here to ask a favor. Sort of an important one, but fortunately not at all dangerous, for once.ā She smiled, her nose crinkling slightly with her mirth. āAs you know, weāre getting married. But wellā¦ itās not exactly Chantry-endorsed, and so weāre in need of someone to officiate. We were hoping youād be willing to do that.ā
For a long moment, Lucien was silent, his lips parted as though heād been about to say something, but had lost his grip on the thought. He blinked a few times. āIā¦ I would be honored to do that. I donāt have any particular authority to conduct such ceremonies, nor experience, but if Iām really the person you want doing this, I gladly accept. Do you have a particular date in mind?ā
Ashton was the next to speak. "In the spring, when it's not too cold, the leaves are back on the trees and the flowers are blooming again. That's romantic, right?" He asked with glance at Nostariel, a smile at his lips. "Don't worry about whether or not you have the authority, you've been a good friend to us both and that's reason enough."
Lucien huffed softly, his amusement clear, though it didnāt quite break the gravitas of what he felt he was being entrusted with here. Perhaps he was thinking too much of it, but better that than taking it too lightly. āIf I may presume so farā¦ if you donāt have a venue for the celebrations afterwards, Iād be happy to offer the main hall.ā He nodded towards his office door, beyond which lay a short passageway and then the large entrance hall and common room of the barracks. āItās nothing terribly elegant, but itās a large space, and of course you wouldnāt have to worry about paying to rent it or beingā¦ā he paused to find the right phrasing, ābothered by any less-understanding members of the populace.ā
āThat would be very nice, actually.ā Nostariel had no particular need of the fancy or the ornate, and she knew this was something she shared with Ashton. It was more important that the celebration be held in a place where someone from any part of the city, from Hightown to the Darktown, could feel comfortable and welcome. They did have a diverse group of friends, after all.
āThank you, Lucien. We really appreciate this.ā
Another twenty or so minutes later led them to a familiar door in the Alienage. A few of the elves had given Ashton odd looks on their way to Amalia's home, but nothing more and they never lasted for long. Usually when they saw Nostariel beside him, arm-in-arm, they dropped it and went about their business. He issued several knocks on Amalia's door before he stepped back and waited for her to appear.
Once the door opened, Ashton smiled brightly and waved, "Hello there. Good afternoon Amalia."
Amaliaās brows drew together briefly upon discerning the identity of her guests, but in the end, she simply shook her head slightly and opened the door wider to admit them, treading back to the center room and taking a seat on one of the cushions. With a gesture, she invited them both to do the same. A young elven boy, no more than seven or eight, was busy playing with what appeared to be a small set of wooden figurines, one of them a halla, though its antlers were a bit misshapen. He didnāt even spare them a glance.
āThis has something to do with your impending matrimony,ā she deduced, having no other readily-available reason why they would approach her together at this point in time. Nostariel, she might have received alone on occasion, but sheād had only the most cursory of interactions with Ashton, due in part to the fact that she spent most of her time in the Alienage. Of course, knowing this much didnāt mean she had any idea why they were here, really.
Nostariel, by this point well used to Amaliaās brisk demeanor, only smiled, readily accepting a floor-cushion to seat herself on and folding her legs underneath her, smoothing the fabric of her tan trousers and resting her hands on her knees. āIt does. Iāve never been to one, but Iām told weddings generally involve some sort of music, and dancing. Ash suggestedāand I agreeāthat weād really appreciate it if you would be willing to provide the music. Of course, youāre still invited even if you donāt want to, but weāre trying to keep everything mostly to people we know.ā
Amalia tilted her head to the side, considering this for a moment. āI am hardly an entire orchestra, but I will do this.ā She paused a moment, as though contemplating something, her expression slightly troubled. āI believe the customary phrase here is congratulations.ā A flicker of a smile crossed her face, something in her eyes softening just a little as he recalled a previous conversation, but she chose not to enlighten her guests.
Ashton was still surprised by Amalia's briskness, though it didn't show on his face, and soon even he forgot about it. "Thank you," Ashton said, tilting his head in gratitude. Then his face lit up with an idea, and he continued, "Oh! And when you see Sparrow, tell her to come see me. I think I have a little job for her too," he said with a little wink to Nostariel. "We need a flower girl, right?" he said with a small laugh. He then stood, and offered Nostariel a hand to do them same.
"Again, thank you Amalia. It means a lot to us," he said with a smile.
The last stop for the day was Auroraās, and since she wasnāt in either the Alienage or the clinic garden, Nostariel knew she was probably either at home or with the underground. It was better to check her home first, and come back later if she didnāt happen to be there. She didnāt want to accidentally alarm any of the other mages by bringing a guard out to the practice area, and it was probably best if Ash could truthfully claim ignorance as to any of the undergroundās members or meeting places. So she knocked on the front door of Auroraās home, her free hand holding a small box of cookies. Sheād been unable to resist a quick stop at the bakery on the way over, and she had a feeling her friend would appreciate a few herself.
When it turned out that Aurora was indeed home, Nostariel and Ashton stepped inside, the former extending the box. āBrought you something. I promise itās not a bribe. Unless you want to consider it one, I suppose.ā
Aurora peered into the box inquisitively, her hand slowly inching towards it before pausing for a moment. "A bribe?" she asked, a brow of hers raised. Her gaze darted between the box, Nostariel, and Ashton before ending back on the box, her hand resuming its path toward it. "For... What?" she asked tentatively, finally reaching into the box. "Is there a problem we need to fix? Find someone or stop something?" she asked, retrieving about three cookies from the box.
The question caused Ashton to laugh out loud before deciding that it was a fair one. They did tend to ask those sort of favors from each other. Shaking his head, he waved it off and said, "No, not this time, thank the Maker. There's always tomorrow, but not today. Today is something far more cheerful, and a lot more fun," he said. "We are in dire need of your horticultural expertise for the wedding. Someone has to arrange the flowers and make Nos's bouquet. Sounds like something you can do?" He asked.
Aurora was part way through the first cookie when she looked at them with wide eyes. "Oh. That is a lot more cheerful," she said, the smile in her lips widening. "Uh, yeah, yeah. No problem. I'll... I'll find the seeds and have them planted the moment the weather is right-- I have time right? They'll take a few weeks to come in, but they'll be the brightest and best, I'll promise you that. This is..." she trailed off, her gaze going askew for a moment. But when it returned to them, she wore a big smile. "By the way. Congratulations. Both of you."
Nostariel smiled right back. āThank you, Aurora. Iām sure there will be plenty of time, and I trust the matter to you entirely.ā
Ashton sat on the first step on the flight of stairs that led up to Hightown from Lowtown, picking his fingernails with one of the knives he carried with him. It was clear that he was waiting for someone, and it wasn't at all hard to guess who. He had taken the afternoon off so that both Nostariel and he could go through and plan a majority of their wedding. For some things, they would have to call in some favors from a few of their friends, and he intended to see them before the day was out.
He wore smile with those thoughts in his head. It all felt so ethereal; he couldn't hardly believe that he was to be married soon, else he might've felt a little nervous. Instead, he was the happiest he'd been in a long while. True, his life was no fairy tale, but this part certainly felt like it. He crossed his leg over the opposite knee and peered up, scanning for Nostariel.
āYouāre going to stab your fingers one day if you keep using a knife to do that.ā As it happened, the voice came from behind him, Nostariel approaching from Hightown. Sheād had a little last-minute business to see to there, so sheād taken care of it before coming to meet Ashton. Descending the last few steps so she was standing on the same one he sat upon, she let a hand fall naturally to his shoulder, then leaned down to kiss him by way of greeting, smiling fondly as she straightened back out.
āHave you ever been to a wedding? Because I confess I have no idea what Iām doing.ā There werenāt a whole lot of married Wardens, and Templars tended to heavily discourage the practice in mages, too. Some of them did it anyway, but they certainly didnāt hold ceremonies of any kind, usually just saying a few words in the circleās chapel. That part, the Chantry part, was one they wouldnāt even have access to, so even her limited knowledge was essentially useless.
"It'll be fine, I'm sure," Ashton said, sliding the knife back into its sheath in his belt. "Haven't lost them yet, though not for lack of trying," he added as he stood. It was then his turn to lean down and return her kiss. Ashton then pondered the question posed, crossing his arms and scratching what little fuzz he had on his chin. "Not very many, but a few. They weren't extravagant affairs by any means, just a little get-together of family and friends," he said. Though they lived out in the woods of Northern Ferelden, there had been others, and there had been a few weddings among them. It certainly wasn't a city wedding.
Then he smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, "Then you have your fairy tale weddings," he added, stretching a hand out in front of them both, "With princes, fairies, singing birds, and talking animals... Though I'm no prince, and finding a fairy to do the services will be difficult... To put it mildly. Fortunately, we do have a Sparrow, and I bet it wouldn't be too hard to get her to sing. If we would want her to is another matter entirely..." Ashton said, trailing off and chuckling.
He let his arm slide down hers until he grabbed her hand and held it. "Still, I think we can make do with what we have. What do you think of asking Lucien to officiate? Then I thought we'd ask Amalia to do the music for us. See if Aurora would pick out the flower arrangement," he said, having clearly put a lot of thought into the whole thing. He'd also have to run by and see if Ithilian and Rilien would stand with him, but that was something he'd do on his own.
Nostariel nodded, already feeling that this was going to be a much more complicated matter than sheād intended. Still, at least all the requests would be made of their friendsāhopefully that would contribute to a cozier, more close-knit atmosphere. āThat all sounds good to me.ā
Which was how, about ten minutes later, they found themselves walking into the Lionsā barracks. If Lucien wasnāt there, someone there would know where he was. The benefits of knowing responsible people, she supposed. After inquiring of one of the other mercenaries, they were led back into his office and permitted to just walk right in, which they did.
āGood afternoon, Lucien.ā
Lucien looked up from his desk, grinning slightly at his friends. It was had not to see how happy they were, even in the way they held themselves. A small part of him was envious, it was true, but more than anything, he was just happy for them. They had not made it to this point without tribulation. āNostariel, Ashtonā¦ it is good to see you. Is there something I can help you with, or is this a social call?ā He wouldnāt mind either way, of course.
Nostariel glanced over at Ashton for a moment, then returned her eyes to Lucien. āWeāreā¦ actually here to ask a favor. Sort of an important one, but fortunately not at all dangerous, for once.ā She smiled, her nose crinkling slightly with her mirth. āAs you know, weāre getting married. But wellā¦ itās not exactly Chantry-endorsed, and so weāre in need of someone to officiate. We were hoping youād be willing to do that.ā
For a long moment, Lucien was silent, his lips parted as though heād been about to say something, but had lost his grip on the thought. He blinked a few times. āIā¦ I would be honored to do that. I donāt have any particular authority to conduct such ceremonies, nor experience, but if Iām really the person you want doing this, I gladly accept. Do you have a particular date in mind?ā
Ashton was the next to speak. "In the spring, when it's not too cold, the leaves are back on the trees and the flowers are blooming again. That's romantic, right?" He asked with glance at Nostariel, a smile at his lips. "Don't worry about whether or not you have the authority, you've been a good friend to us both and that's reason enough."
Lucien huffed softly, his amusement clear, though it didnāt quite break the gravitas of what he felt he was being entrusted with here. Perhaps he was thinking too much of it, but better that than taking it too lightly. āIf I may presume so farā¦ if you donāt have a venue for the celebrations afterwards, Iād be happy to offer the main hall.ā He nodded towards his office door, beyond which lay a short passageway and then the large entrance hall and common room of the barracks. āItās nothing terribly elegant, but itās a large space, and of course you wouldnāt have to worry about paying to rent it or beingā¦ā he paused to find the right phrasing, ābothered by any less-understanding members of the populace.ā
āThat would be very nice, actually.ā Nostariel had no particular need of the fancy or the ornate, and she knew this was something she shared with Ashton. It was more important that the celebration be held in a place where someone from any part of the city, from Hightown to the Darktown, could feel comfortable and welcome. They did have a diverse group of friends, after all.
āThank you, Lucien. We really appreciate this.ā
Another twenty or so minutes later led them to a familiar door in the Alienage. A few of the elves had given Ashton odd looks on their way to Amalia's home, but nothing more and they never lasted for long. Usually when they saw Nostariel beside him, arm-in-arm, they dropped it and went about their business. He issued several knocks on Amalia's door before he stepped back and waited for her to appear.
Once the door opened, Ashton smiled brightly and waved, "Hello there. Good afternoon Amalia."
Amaliaās brows drew together briefly upon discerning the identity of her guests, but in the end, she simply shook her head slightly and opened the door wider to admit them, treading back to the center room and taking a seat on one of the cushions. With a gesture, she invited them both to do the same. A young elven boy, no more than seven or eight, was busy playing with what appeared to be a small set of wooden figurines, one of them a halla, though its antlers were a bit misshapen. He didnāt even spare them a glance.
āThis has something to do with your impending matrimony,ā she deduced, having no other readily-available reason why they would approach her together at this point in time. Nostariel, she might have received alone on occasion, but sheād had only the most cursory of interactions with Ashton, due in part to the fact that she spent most of her time in the Alienage. Of course, knowing this much didnāt mean she had any idea why they were here, really.
Nostariel, by this point well used to Amaliaās brisk demeanor, only smiled, readily accepting a floor-cushion to seat herself on and folding her legs underneath her, smoothing the fabric of her tan trousers and resting her hands on her knees. āIt does. Iāve never been to one, but Iām told weddings generally involve some sort of music, and dancing. Ash suggestedāand I agreeāthat weād really appreciate it if you would be willing to provide the music. Of course, youāre still invited even if you donāt want to, but weāre trying to keep everything mostly to people we know.ā
Amalia tilted her head to the side, considering this for a moment. āI am hardly an entire orchestra, but I will do this.ā She paused a moment, as though contemplating something, her expression slightly troubled. āI believe the customary phrase here is congratulations.ā A flicker of a smile crossed her face, something in her eyes softening just a little as he recalled a previous conversation, but she chose not to enlighten her guests.
Ashton was still surprised by Amalia's briskness, though it didn't show on his face, and soon even he forgot about it. "Thank you," Ashton said, tilting his head in gratitude. Then his face lit up with an idea, and he continued, "Oh! And when you see Sparrow, tell her to come see me. I think I have a little job for her too," he said with a little wink to Nostariel. "We need a flower girl, right?" he said with a small laugh. He then stood, and offered Nostariel a hand to do them same.
"Again, thank you Amalia. It means a lot to us," he said with a smile.
The last stop for the day was Auroraās, and since she wasnāt in either the Alienage or the clinic garden, Nostariel knew she was probably either at home or with the underground. It was better to check her home first, and come back later if she didnāt happen to be there. She didnāt want to accidentally alarm any of the other mages by bringing a guard out to the practice area, and it was probably best if Ash could truthfully claim ignorance as to any of the undergroundās members or meeting places. So she knocked on the front door of Auroraās home, her free hand holding a small box of cookies. Sheād been unable to resist a quick stop at the bakery on the way over, and she had a feeling her friend would appreciate a few herself.
When it turned out that Aurora was indeed home, Nostariel and Ashton stepped inside, the former extending the box. āBrought you something. I promise itās not a bribe. Unless you want to consider it one, I suppose.ā
Aurora peered into the box inquisitively, her hand slowly inching towards it before pausing for a moment. "A bribe?" she asked, a brow of hers raised. Her gaze darted between the box, Nostariel, and Ashton before ending back on the box, her hand resuming its path toward it. "For... What?" she asked tentatively, finally reaching into the box. "Is there a problem we need to fix? Find someone or stop something?" she asked, retrieving about three cookies from the box.
The question caused Ashton to laugh out loud before deciding that it was a fair one. They did tend to ask those sort of favors from each other. Shaking his head, he waved it off and said, "No, not this time, thank the Maker. There's always tomorrow, but not today. Today is something far more cheerful, and a lot more fun," he said. "We are in dire need of your horticultural expertise for the wedding. Someone has to arrange the flowers and make Nos's bouquet. Sounds like something you can do?" He asked.
Aurora was part way through the first cookie when she looked at them with wide eyes. "Oh. That is a lot more cheerful," she said, the smile in her lips widening. "Uh, yeah, yeah. No problem. I'll... I'll find the seeds and have them planted the moment the weather is right-- I have time right? They'll take a few weeks to come in, but they'll be the brightest and best, I'll promise you that. This is..." she trailed off, her gaze going askew for a moment. But when it returned to them, she wore a big smile. "By the way. Congratulations. Both of you."
Nostariel smiled right back. āThank you, Aurora. Iām sure there will be plenty of time, and I trust the matter to you entirely.ā