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“Well then, if there are no further matters to address shall we call this meeting adjourned?”
“Ah! Inquisitor, if I may take a moment of your time?” Josephine enquired hesitantly as she rifled deep into her stack of papers. Trevelyan often wondered what lay in those pages. She swore they held nothing but secrets but you could never tell as far as the Ambassador was concerned.
“Of course Josephine, my question was actually rhetorical but how may I be of use?”
“Oh, well, I… it’s regarding a… matter of a delicate nature I suppose, maybe…” she said, looking about her colleagues for support “perhaps it would be best to discuss at another time?”
“Nonsense Josie,” Leliana chimed, obviously enjoying her fellow advisors discomfort, her lips quirking into a small smile. “If it’s a ‘delicate matter’, better it is discussed between all of us so we can reach the best decision.”
Josephine frowned, sharp and quick at the Spymaster. She sighed and began to explain.
“I do apologise, it was a situation I meant to inform you about but it slipped my mind until, well… now.” Josephine said looking surprisingly sheepish. “After the incident in Redcliff and subsequent aid we gave to King Alistair of Ferelden, he sent further correspondence of how indebted he felt for the assistance the Inquisition so readily granted.”
“And this is a ‘delicate’ or potentially contentious issue because…?” Inquisitor Trevelyan stood with arms crossed, a single eyebrow raised and delicately tapping her foot in anxious expectation of where this conversation was going.
“Well,” Josephine looked to her companions and Trevelyan could almost swear she saw a flash of desperation in her eyes “King Alistair has extended a most gracious gift upon the Inquisition. The main question to pose is, going forward, where shall we put it… them.”
“It, them…what now?” The Inquisitor uncrossed her arms and stopped her foots restless tattoo, at this point out of sheer confusion.
It was plain to see all of the Advisors were aware of what was going on. Cullen stood there stoic as ever but he barely managed to repress a small smirk that skittered across his lips and Lelianas face was unreadable as ever, but there was no mistaking the mischief dancing behind her polite mask. All of them, save Josephine, seemed to be enjoying her utter bewilderment.
“Perhaps then,” Cullen offered “If the Lady Ambassador showed you what she means, it may shed light on the issue at hand.”
“Yes, that does seem to make sense. Maybe seeing this…whatever it is with my own eyes can speed this issue up. So Josephine,” the Inquisitor turned to her expectantly “where is this ‘gift’ you spoke of?”
“Ah, well, you see… I wasn’t quite sure where to put them because well, it is too cold outside to have them outside the castle walls and… oh” She sighed again, this time in defeat. “I had them brought in where it was warmer, so they should have been moved into stable under Blackwalls care.”
Trevelyan was thoroughly sceptical of what was going on, but better to get this resolved and out of the way.
“Right then, lead the way if you will Ambassador,” the Inquisitor swept her hand toward to the door, indicating Josephine stand as vanguard to this strange expedition.
Reluctantly, she took position in front of the group and lead them out of the War Room, into the ball room and out of the grand doors into the courtyard towards the stables.
The renovations of Skyhold began its repairs in earnest some months ago but the progress had been staggering.
Far from the crumbling ruin they had found, it had been put back together with skill and consideration, the keep was vibrant and busy with all who arrived; from well-wishers and recruits, to on pilgrimage to witness this rekindled Inquisition for themselves.
Trevelyans heart stirred at the sight, a new purpose made in the shadow of the old; to remember the past with clarity but to learn from it and, hopefully, to never repeat the same mistakes.
Her wool gathering occupied her as far as the stable, which pulled her back to reality and the matter at hand. Blackwall stood vigil just outside, leaning against the wooden doorpost. There was, however, a new development Trevelyan noticed wasn’t there before.
“Was that gate on the stable before today or am I just imagining it?” She said pointing to the short fence, her face screwed in puzzlement.
“No, you’re not imagining it Inquisitor,” he bellowed across the yard. “Had to pull in some extra hands to get this set up in a damned hurry, but we did it through last night.”
The door was surprisingly tall, standing almost as high as Blackwalls chest. ‘Marvel of construction’ may not be the phrase to use when looking at it, but it was a sturdy piece of craftsmanship. And to think, only a few people could put this together in a short space of time.
“Cooperation is indeed a wonderful thing. Though do, pray tell,” she sighed with exasperation “explain what brought on this new addition to our stable?”
“Well, Your Grace,” Josephine cautiously offered “The new addition to stable is, well… it’s for the new additions in the stable.”
Trevelyan exhaled forcefully, tilting her head down and so she could massage the frustration building behind her temple.
She was, by this point, beginning to fray nerves. Why all this dancing around she would never know, but Josephine did understand politics better. For her to be on edge, either this offering was a slight or…to be honest, she couldn’t even think what else it could be to put the unflappable Ambassador on edge.
"Right, I for one have no bloody clue what all this is about so would someone, for the love of Andraste, tell me what on earth is going on?”
Cullen walked up beside her, gently placing a hand on her shoulder to place her more at ease. She looked at him side long to try and understand what was happening.
He was smiling.
Almost ear to ear and whatever this mirth was, from the impish look in his eye, was something he had been anticipating for some time.
Looking about she noticed most everyone was now looking towards the stable. Even her other companions had come out from their hiding places to spectate, expectation in the air almost tangible.
Now she was definitely uneasy.
“I’m not sure I like that look on your face Commander.”
“I’m sorry dear, we don’t mean to tease keeping you in the dark but you must admit… it is rather amusing” Cullen chuckled.
The temptation to wipe the grin from his face was almost overwhelming, but she would deal with him later after all this was done. In the meantime, her most expertly placed withering look would suffice.
“Right, so is this the moment of revelation after the darkness then?”
Cullens face beamed just shy of elation.
“I wouldn’t quite say that yet love,” he teased. He moved to stand behind her, placing his hands over her eyes so she wouldn’t be able to see. “Leliana, if you be so kind as to open the gate, I will guide our Inquisitor forward.”
“You can’t be serious?” Trevelyan snorted with amusement. Then her face fell ever so slightly, realising this was actually happening. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”
“The gate is open Commander, if you would like to proceed.”
There was no mistaking the smugness in her voice. Oh yes, no doubt the Spymaster having a dressing down after all this as well.
“Right, well,” Trevelyan sighed “let’s get whatever this public humiliation is done and out of the way.”
She felt a gentle pressure from the Commanders hands and a whispered it’s alright as he urged her forward. Her steps were tentative as she couldn’t see a damned thing, but with Cullens direction and her flailing hands they managed through the door and into the stable.
They came to a halt and Cullen swiftly removed his hands. Trevelyan rapidly blinked the temporary darkness away, still unable to see anything of notice.
Then she saw them.
There were ten of them. Ten tiny bundles of excited fur.
Trevelyan stood a moment in shock and then screamed in a fit hysteria.
Everyone was taken aback; whatever reaction they were expecting it certainly wasn’t this. Her retinue surged forth into the stable Cullen reaching to catch her as she slumped to the floor weeping uncontrollably.
“I am so, so sorry Inquisitor, I meant to send correspondence to Kind Alistair before they could be sent to us here. To apologise to him and potentially, albeit politely, explain that even though the gift is generous indeed, realistically I am unsure where we can keep them.”
She sat there crying as the collection pudgy Mabari puppies waddled toward her, yipping and a hopping about her as she sat there, inconsolable for no reason. The rest of her group had found their way down the stable, though it took Coles bright smile for everyone else to click they may not be tears of sadness.
Their little wet noses were cold and inquisitive, sniffing at hands and clothes and her face as she bent over to scoop their trembling bodies in to her arms.
“By the Maker they’re so adorable,” Trevelyan managed to whine between all her wailing and gasping for air.
She couldn’t move for happiness, in their excitement to wiggle their tails it shook their whole bodies, making the bouquet of puppies she held literally more than a handful.
Cullen sat beside her, settling himself down carefully as a few Mabari wandered about their feet.
“Inquisitor…sweetheart, what’s wrong?”
“They’re so cute,” she howled plaintively. “Please don’t send them away, I really want them to stay.”
Trevelyan turned to face her Ambassador, still sitting on the floor with her arms full of puppies and her face smudged with dirt and tears.
“Please Josie, I really want to them to stay. Can I keep them? I’ll walk them every day I promise, and I’ll teach them tricks and how to behave, oh please can they stay?”
If it weren’t for the fact this speech was coming from a hysterically distressed and fully grown adult, she could easily have been mistaken for a child. Though even Josephine, who was caretaker to her siblings, had never had a reaction like this from them; not even Yvette who was prone to such outbursts.
“If the Inquisitor…” Josephine looked about the rest of the group, to gauge their reactions (because approval would certainly be asking too much).
The Ambassador smothered a sigh, though the rolling of her eyes was a little more obvious
“If the Inquisitor is satisfied with the gift presented, I will respond to King Alistair post haste with a letter of gratitude.”
Trevelyan started crying again at this. What few words could be understood through the renewed sobbing were thank yous and good boys and good girls.
Josephine shook her head, more out of affection than admonition.
“Very well, I will draft up the correspondence to His Majesty and in the mean time I will leave our…illustrious leader in your care.”
Josephine and Leliana took the opportunity to remove themselves from the situation, everyone else crowded closer into the stable to look at their Inquisitor, rocking gently with puppies in her lap.
“So,” Varric pipped up “what are we calling them?”