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“MA!” Harding bursts through the door. She knows she has sticks in her hair from a week of sleeping rough. “I’m home for a couple of days!”
Her mother stares at her for a moment, having dropped her spindle in surprise. She gets up to kiss Harding’s cheek and give her a tight hug “Dearest, that’s wonderful. I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever.”
“We found a working Eluvian to Ferelden.” Harding pulls away to pick up her bag. “Oh, I brought friends. That’s Emmrich, he’s a necromancy professor from Nevarra, and that’s Manfred. We were out camping and thought well, heck, we’re close enough to stop by.”
Her mother’s eyes are as wide as saucers. Harding realizes she should have written ahead.
“Delighted to meet you, Mrs. Harding. We’ve heard so many stories that you’ve become legendary at the Lighthouse,” Emmrich greets her amiably.
Manfred hisses gleefully at Emmrich’s side, offering up an acorn in his hand.
Harding laughs. “You’ll get use to them, Ma. Don’t worry.”
Harding’s mother, ghostly pale, says faintly, “I’ll put out a cheese plate.”
“Marvelous, I’ve been wanting to try more Fereldan cheeses,” Emmrich answers.
“And Ma makes the best cheese plates.”