Morning exercises

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''... d'OH!''

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''Ouch''

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''Hey, that wasn't fair!!''

''Life isn't''

''Sneaky tricky bitch''

''I love you too, oaf''

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The sun was still low in the horizont, but those two were there in the estate's garden before the dawn. Being back in the Warden's quarters they returned to their old customs, training every morning before breakfast

Some healing poultices were prepared on a bench near them, and some of their clothes were folded over it. Bowen, shirtless and sweating, smiled while wiping off some of that sweat from his forehead. He was barefoot, as Calliara was, enjoying the sensation of the clean grass beneath their feet. Calliara was wearing a simple traditional Dalish light armor, exposing more skin than usual. Both of them had some bruises and even some blood, but they didn't care. In fact, two or three of the poultices were empty already.

''It's too quiet''

''Too quiet'' She nodded, panting heavily just as him, both of them were using practice staffs to train.

''By this time, Brennan or Kherek would have come to yell at us for disturbing their hangover''

Calliara smiled, taking a sip from the waterskin they also had on the bench. Then, after closing it, she dropped it and attacked. Bowen yelped and then whined when another bruise started to blossom on his shoulder

''Yousonofabit....!!!''

The Dalish laughed and they started again

The morning came more pleasantly than any Caterina had had in some time. She'd gotten to sleep in a bed last night, she'd gotten to clean herself and wear fresh clothes, she'd had a decent breakfast and now -

Now she was treated to the most entertaining sight she could have wished for.

Calliara was a vision in her Dalish armor, dancing around like a fairy from a story, but Bowen occupied all of the Antivan's attention. Shirtless and fighting like a valiant knight from those same, childhood tales, he was almost too good to be true.

The assassin had come upon their training some minutes ago as she'd been strolling towards the stables to check on Bosco, but when she'd caught sight of those two training, she hadn't been able to tear her eyes away. Using every trick she knew as an assassin so that the perceptive Calliara would not sense her near by, Caterina scaled a nearby tree to sit herself on a branch comfortably, and had settled herself in to watch the show. Now, ten minutes had passed, but she was still having as much fun watching as she had when she first came upon them.

Now, she found herself smiling fondly to watch the two bicker and laugh like a true pair of siblings. It was both lovely and heartbreaking to see - it warmed her to the core, but reminded her of everything she had lost, or had never had in the first place. But she couldn't be bitter or angry with them, not when they and the other Wardens were the closest thing she'd ever had to a real family.

Suddenly, she couldn't help herself, and she dropped down from her tree to the field, and entered into the fight herself with only a peal of laughter to announce her arrival. Maybe she could even help the fight in Bowen's favor (or Calliara's, depending on is she felt like laughing at Bowen for it, later).

Caterina's laughter acted as the most beautiful song in his ears, and Bowen almost dropped the staff, turning to see the Antivan. A wide smile blossomed in his lips as his eyes showed his emotion before he could hide it behind his usual grinning mask, and with two steps he was in front of her.

Calliara smiled secretely and silently took the waterskin again while the Nevarran scoop Caterina's cheek in his big, calloused hand

''You're the best thing to see early in the morning''

Robert couldn't believe how early it was when he woke up. He normally slept in until noon when he didn't have work to be done. He didn't know what to do this early in the morning. It's been a while since he last trained. He put on his clothes and grabbed his bow and quiver. He hadn't seen the grounds since he been here, but there must be something he can use as a target.

When Robert came outside, he was greeted by the light of the rising sun and a sight of a battered and bruised Calliara and Bowen. Oh, and what's her name...Caterina? He hasn't really met some of the other people yet, so he's just going of what he had overheard them call each other for the past few days.

"Morning...everyone. Uh, Bowen, if you don't mind me saying, aren't you supposed to defend yourself in a sparring match?" Robert joked, referencing how beat up he looks. "Is there something I can use for a target around here?"

Bowen's laughter made some birds fly away from the bushes.

''Yes, that's it... But you caught me, boy, I was letting her win this time...''

Calliara rolled her eyes and growled, but said nothing, she looked curiously at Robert's bow and quiver and pointed to some shooting targets made with wood and straw that were close to the stone wall

''Those are set for archery practice''

"Uh-huh...yeah, sure." Robert looked away for a second trying to hide his smirk before looking at where Calliara's was pointing. He didn't notice them at first, but now that he sees them, it's rather obvious what they were meant for. Calliara's response only cemented what he guessed. "Thank's Calliara. I haven't familiarized myself with this place yet."

Robert positioned himself far enough away from the targets that he would expect to have to attack. He fastened the quiver to his belt and took his stance. He grabbed an arrow and took aim at one of the targets. He had some trouble getting a full draw on the bow as he hadn't fully awoken yet. The first arrow landed just shy of the target, but had it been a person it still would have been a hit.

Caterina couldn't help it as her smile widened and she laughed again, and she threw her arms up to hook around Bowen's neck and hung there for a moment before scrambling her legs up to hang over his arm, so that she was carried like a bride. It seemed a silly, girlish thing to do, but the morning atmosphere had gotten to her, and she was happy, and why not show everyone that she was happy?

"I must say, that watching your sparring was quite a sight for the morning, as well." She glanced at his elven sister, and then at the new-coming man - she knew him, but did not know his name - and didn't mind that they saw her clearly, acting like a foolish woman. In fact, it made her smile more, to think that she might look like that.

"I would like to see you fight when you were not being so lenient, precioso," she said with a knowing smile. "I am sure Calliara would like to see it, as well." She turned her eyes to look at the white-haired Dalish, and smiled brightly at her.

"It looks like you have yet to wake up." Jezarine noted to Robert after the young man shot his first arrow. She was sitting in the shade on a blanket. There was a pillow and a large picnic basket there and she was in clear view of Calliara and Bowen with Torture lying very close to her. There was also mugs and a big tea pot as well as a cluster of herbs in bags in front of her.

She'd wanted to go to the gardens but no one would let her out anywhere alone, not with the possibility of another kidnapping. Jezarine was happy with that as she was still terrified to be anywhere alone. The experience had taken a lot from her and it was an open wound in her mind.

"I have some tea if you'd like. Maybe it will help you wake up."

Ianto had hardly left Jez's side since the day before last. Aside from the time she'd gone to take a bath, and when she'd slept (though he had woken up several times to check on her, he had to admit), he'd been hovering by her side like some sort of crazed mother hen. He couldn't help it, though - she'd almost died yesterday, very well could have, and he wasn't going to let her out of his sight until he was one hundred percent positive that she was feeling better. It also did his nerves some good - if she was standing where he could see her, then that mean that she wasn't off getting kidnapped or dragged away by some shady characters. He knew - he knew - it was unfair of him to think like that. Jez was a healer, but she was a mage, and she could fight when she needed to. She didn't need to be coddled, but he couldn't help it.

So, whether she'd wanted him or not, he'd followed her around like her own personal mabari guard dog for the last two days. And if he'd glared at anyone who'd so much as looked at her funny since then, well, hopefully he could explain himself to them later when he was in a better mood.

The sunny morning was helping, though. It was hard to be surly and paranoid when the grass was green and the birds were singing. The blanket that Jez had set out was nice, but he was standing at the moment, leaning against a tree while he watched Bowen and Calliara fight in-between watching Jez.

Robert's eyes widened a bit when Jezarine spoke up. He looked back in the direction of the voice and was surprised to see Jez just sitting their having a picnic under a tree. How many of these people were up at this time? He noted that that one of the others, Ianto, was nearby, standing guard it seems. Makes sense, considering. Robert wished he could have been there to help her but he is relieved to see her okay none the less.

She did have a point though. He was not as awake as he should be for this. And how good can an archer be if they can't pull their bow to a full draw. Tea sounded nice right now. He walked over and plucked his arrow and returned it to his quiver. He walked over to Jezarine afterwards."You have a point there. Thanks for the offer. I think I'll take you up on that." He placed his bow down and sat down across from Jezarine. "I think the bed's here are a bit more comfortable than I'm accustomed to. I find myself wanting to go back to sleep."

Jezarine smiled shyly and ground up an herb as Robert came over, "I think so. It isn't easy to practice almost anything when you are half awake. Sorry, my hands are full of herbs right now so go ahead and pour for yourself. There's milk and honey there too."

There. That herb was nicely gound up so it could go into the bag. Easy. Easy. Perfect.

"Yeh the beds are soft. It makes it hard to get up or want to, that's for sure." Her eyes turned to the sky for a moment. It made it hard to want to get up, especially since she didn't want to get up to face the day but she had to.

Robert grabbed the pot and poured himself a mug of tea, trying carefully not to burn himself and spill some on the blanket. He blew on it before tasting it. He definitely felt it could use something, so he mixed in some honey and milk. He tasted it again before adding just a bit more honey. Finally it was just right. "This is pretty good tea."

As he attempted to cool off his tea, his eyes occasionally glanced upwards at Jezarine. Part of him wants to know what exactly happened during her kidnapping. The other part knows that it must be too traumatic to retell. The last thing he wants is to make her think about it again. He was a bit smart about it this time. Jez seems to be able to read even the slightest expression expertly. He doesn't want her to know he is curious about it.

He took a sip and his face cringed. Still too hot. He can tell he just burnt his tongue. It was hard to forget that feeling. He can safely say that woke up him. He considered putting it down and let it cool why he resumed his practice session, but didn't want to risk it getting knocked over. "I don't think I waited long enough."

Ianto watched the newcomer - Roger? Robert? it had been something like that - come up to talk to Jez, eyes like a hawk and arms crossed as he leaned 'casually' against a tree just behind Jez. 'Casual' in that he looked about ready to pull his sword on anything that so much as looked at the dark elf the wrong way, and was only just barely managing to hide that intent. He wasn't trying to look menacing or anything, but watching Jez was important, and even though he was pretty sure that Roger/Robert was a good guy, he wasn't going to take any chances with the elven healer, not now, even if that only meant protecting her from something Roger/Robert might accidentally mention.

At the very least, their conversation was about tea, for the moment, and comfy beds. Comfy beds and tea rarely led to talk of murder and kidnapping. Well, maybe except for some people . . . but Ianto didn't know any of those people, so he was fairly sure that this was fairly safe.

"It's beautiful, the way you watch her."
A lily-white ribbon coiled down from the branches of the tree, coiling playfully around Ianto's shoulders.
"She looks at you in the same way, you know. I hope you have a chance to see it and recognise it, one day. But until then, I suppose that you'll guard her with your life... and maybe even your soul. Such is the price of caring for a mage, but being a Templar, you don't need me to tell you that."
From the dappled gloom of the branches, Sophia's smile flickered.
"... or do you? Go on, sweep her off her feet. Sing her a song. Or perhaps... even a kiss? The morning is lovely enough for it." The mage wriggled her shoulders, dropping a wink into Ianto's hair. "The warmth of the sun, eclipsed only by the warmth of a certain embrace... it has the ring of a tale to it."

Jezarine nodded, "Thank you. It's really light tea and is easy on the tummy in the morning as well as not making one feel bogged down for practice. I'm glad you like it. I think the next pot will include cinnamon and a bit of rose petal. Yes, I believe that will go well with the mix." She smiled. Tea was a mixture of herbs and that was her specialty after all.

"Oh no. Here." She got out some other herbs and mixed it together with a bit of milk on a leaf, "Wipe that on the burned parts and it should lift the heat from it and start healing it faster."

There was the sound of a hawk far off which made her put up her hand so she could check the sky. It sounded familiar somehow. Now why was that. She shook her head as she was no ranger. How could she tell the difference in a bird's voice?

There were some things happening and she could feel a strange tingle but had no idea what was going on with Ianto. She glanced back at him now and again to smile, let him know she liked him being there with her not realizing how far he was caught up in her protection. Jez did know he wanted to protect her but the rest, she could only wish and dream of.

"At least it is a cheery morning to work and practice. I love this breeze." Jez breathed deep of the scent of flowers upon the wind.

Fenrir was also there, sleeping next to Torture and waving his little paws in the air trying to get the bigger Mabari to play with him. The puppy looked electric, one moment he was chewing Torture's ear, the next was jumping on Jez's lap, and the next one he was begging attention to Ianto standing on his back legs and whinning.

Calliara walked over them and sat down next to Jez, tired and bruised, but smiled seeing Bowen and Caterina together and playing. She served herself some tea and waited for it to cool down before sipping with a sigh.

''It's a nice morning. We should this more often'' The Wolf smiled when she heard the hawk, and wished he would go and sit with her like a normal couple, just as Caterina and Bowen over there. The enormous Nevarran had her still in his arms and was stroking her hair with his calloused fingers, examining the changes, and claiming that he liked them.

Life was good that morning. The birds were chirping, people looked calm and relaxed, they had their healer back. Life was good.

Ianto nearly jumped out of his skin when Sophia made her tree-top entrance, but he did have some restraint, thank you very much, so he managed to keep his reaction down to somewhere in the range of 'slight jolt that might not be noticeable to anyone not really looking.' He looked carefully up at her as he fought to bring his now-racing heart to normal levels, and frowned, not angry but confused, or thoughtful, or something else entirely.

"I," he began, but didn't have the chance to continue as the songstress continue to speak. And as she did, Ianto could feel a heaviness in his chest, like a block of ice had been dropped and left there. He had to look quickly away from the willowy mage, and seemed to find his gaze on something of immense interest on the ground by his feet.

Protect Jez? Of course. Forever. With his life and, like Sophia said, with the rest of him too, probably. But he wanted to protect everyone, different as it might be with her. No . . . that wasn't quite true. The people he cared about . . . Bowen could take care of himself, easily, the crazy meleficar mage Margaid had, on either some wiles or insanity he had no knowledge of, evaded Templars for nearly ten years, the Commander was a world-renowned Hero . . . Jez could take care of herself, she had shown that just yesterday, but protecting her from everything was something he didn't feel for everyone else. The others didn't need it, and whether she did or not wasn't the issue - he wanted to do it for her, anyway.

But looks? Or feelings? Ianto wasn't stupid, and he wasn't dense, either. He full understood that he was attracted to Jez - she was endlessly adorable and heartbreakingly kind - and, maybe, he could see that there was something in her eyes for him, though he honestly couldn't understand why. But protection, he could be - he could be a bulwark for her against everything bad in the world because he was already that, in some ways, and he could go on being that. Beyond that . . . Sophia was right. A mage's heart was a heavy burden. Not for himself - burdens were something he was used to - but for the mage, because how could a mage love a Templar and walk away alive? He'd learned that the har- . . . the hard . . . he swallowed.

"You're very cryptic," he finally said, attempting and failing miserably at making his voice light or casual. "I wonder if you do it on purpose." She probably did. He'd make a good story, he supposed, to the sort of person who liked tales of idiot who loved and lost in the most horrible ways possible. As he spoke to Sophia his eyes, as they had been for the last two days, were locked on Jez, on the comfortable curve of her back as she relaxed and spoke to her friends. She was safe and happy for now. He was fine to watch her from here.

Sophia smiled, nestling further into her arboreal divan. The composure of the Templars was meant to be legendary, but as her words sent emotion after emotion boiling under the fragile surface of Ianto's face, his few, forced sentences had told her more then his words ever could have. A story had been painted, or at least the outlines of one... heartbreak, confusion, loss and... yes, it was there... love. Even now, those eyes stretched out from the shade to embrace the little elf, burying themselves in her hair, caressing the small of her back. All to reassure the man they called their master that Jezarine was alive, whole and smiling. But there was something else too: something icy and dark, snuggled into the nooks and crannies around Ianto's heart. Something that the Smiling Princess couldn't help but find familiar.

"... tell me something, Ianto. If she were in danger, right now, would you protect her? What would you give? What would you do? Would that ice around your heart help you, hinder you... or would you forget that it even existed? Would that moment erase everything that came before? I wonder..."

A rustle of leaves deposited her neatly next to Ianto, one hand outstretched. A lily-white, ribbon-wrapped invitation.

"One of the practice courts is free. Bring your sword. Imagine that I'm one of the bandits who tried to steal her away." The smile stretched, white teeth glinting. "Humour me?"

Ianto couldn't answer Sophia, so he didn't. Had she even meant for him to answer, he wondered, or was planting the thought enough? Reading the storyteller was impossible - he'd learned that almost as soon as he'd met her - and her motives were even less clear to read than her feelings.

So, he simply nodded. Fine. He could spar. Jez was safe, and surrounded by no less than three of the best warriors Ferelden had, and even though that wasn't enough for him, wasn't because his watch was the only that mattered to him, he knew he was being stupid, and that by now he'd gotten so unwound - or was it so wound up? - by Sophia's words that a spar would be good. Was probably necessary. Besides, the field was still within sight of Jez.

He might have considered Sophia's question as he walked towards the courts, but it didn't need considering. If someone came after Jez, right here and right now, he would give no less than his life if he needed to to protect her. More, if it would help. She was so small, and so good . . . maybe he did see something of her in her, but that didn't make it any less. Maybe it made it more real, instead. But he knew that her and her memory would only move him to Jez's side faster, because he couldn't have protected her, so he'd do his best to protect Jez.

Yes, he decided, cutting off the path his thoughts had taken, like he always cut them off when they turned down that road, he did need a spar.

The puppy was making Jezarine smiled even more so as he hopped about looking for play. She put her herbs safely into the small basked she had for them and rubbed the little guy's tummy then watched as he went over to try for attention from Ianto. There was something going on over there in his mind but she could not tell so much what it was that he was thinking. Then Sophia emerged somehow from the tree with a grace that amazed her.

A sudden flash of jealousy hit the young Dalish with sudden ferocity which threw her off balance. She rubbed her forehead, fighting it back as she wondered why she would feel that way and so strongly. It wasn't like Sophia were interested in Ianto or the other way around.

Then they moved off to the area Calliara and Bowen had just been fighting and she wondered about that. There was movement then the push of little paws on her tummy making her look down and smile at the pup then play with him, glancing up now and again at Ianto and Sophia.

Suddenly a shadow pounced out from the dark and grabbed Calliara making Jezarine shriek in fear.

He moved with a sleek gait, trailing through the palace like a cat on the prowl keeping many who would bother anyone else well away from him. That was how he liked it. Keep the people away. Making people keep their distance was something he enjoyed doing. Except for children. No matter how distant and ominous he could make himself look the little ones always knew his weakness for him without fail.

But he wasn't interested in playing with little ones right now. Right now he was sneaking into the gardens where he moved silently, stalking his prey then at the last minute pounced out of the wood, grabbed, Calliara and pretended to bite her neck.

He kissed the soft skin as Jezarine shrieked then pulled back from Calliara to look at the dark Elven woman, even as Jezarine moved away with wide eyes.

Drake berated himself for not thinking for the first time in a long time, "Sorry Jez. I did not think. Please forgive me. I was just teasing Calliara."

When Drake jumped on her Calliara yelped a bit, laughing later, but when Jez shrieked she looked at the healer in concern.

''Jez! Jez, I'm sorry, don't be mad at him, please...''

She felt a bit bad for the healer because she had wanted Drake to do such a thing, and she was grabbing his arm to not let him go away, but she must have had realized that Jez was still scared about what had happened the day before...

Calli sighed and leaned her back against Drake's chest and firmly grabbed his arm, like saying 'You're not going anywhere, ser', and obviously happy having him there

Ground soft enough to cushion a fall, but hard enough to ensure firm footing. Sunlight not too hot, and not too bright... simple ribbons of golden light, cascading from the sky as if the celebrate the coming day. As she trotted over to the practice court, Sophia couldn't help but laugh at the sight of her comrades, happy and well, sprawled out in the sun. Calliara and Drake, twin mysteries so at peace with one another, soothing gentle Jezarine even as they frightened her. The shy... Robert, was it...? drinking a cup of tea as he chatted away, sleepy-eyed. Sophia made a mental note to gift him with a packet of special tea-leaves she had managed to smuggle all the way from Orlais: tea infused with sweet berries, honey and just a sprinkle of the sharpest, spiciest chilli. Just the brew to wake you up in the morning.

A glance over her shoulder confirmed that Ianto was thinking about following her to the court (the determination almost crystallising on his furrowed brow), so that left... oh, Bowen and Caterina, the Antivan thief suspended in his arms as if she weighed nothing, his hands stroking her cropped hair-
Sophia stamped on her jealousy, executing a neat mental twist to teach it a painful lesson. Swiftly repairing her fractured smile, she began to stretch: ankles first, then calves, thighs, hips, shoulders, her whole body twisting until it flowed like water under the sunlight, relaxed, ready and not envious, at all. It wouldn't do to upset her Thief of Hearts on a morning such as this, and besides, the Templar before her swiftly commanded her whole attention. Unarmed, relaxed, she stood poised, waiting, a dancer bereft of her partner.

"Am I allowed to cast a few small spells, Ianto? Or shall we keep this purely physical?"

Stopping, standing - it was easy to let the ease of the morning slip back to keep behind him while he faced Sophia across the way. This might have been a more pleasant morning if the past hadn't been dredged up to swim across his mind like murk on water. He only had to wait for it to settle again, he knew, but it would take time, and it would be a time he didn't want to spend thinking at all. For that, he thanked Sophia for her offer to fight. Thoughts and memories easily fell to the wayside, even in a friendly match, and focusing on moving and hitting and dodging was a lot easier to handle.

He cast a look back at Jez for safe measure, like a seaman looking back at land one last time before it's lost for however long until he reaches it again. Then he turned his eyes back to Sophia, stretching languidly and more fluid than any dancer he'd ever seen, and was ready.

How to fight, then? It was hard to say. Sophia didn't look like much of a physical force, but he knew better than to underestimate any opponent, especially one who traveled with the Wardens and Hero. His Templar powers would be put to best use if she did use her magic, but it seemed unfair to take that advantage away from her. It wasn't like you got such a choice in a real battle, though, so he didn't see the point in having her hold anything back.

"Just fight me like you'd fight someone who attacked a friend, like Ny or Caterina or someone. I was planning on doing the same to you, at least." He flashed her a crooked smile and shrugged, pulling out his dual swords. They were a comforting weight in his hands. "Try not to kill me or anything, though." That seemed an appropriate addendum to include.

It was only play. It was only play. Don't panic.

"Oh please don't sneak up like that, Drake! I'm afraid my heart can't handle things like that right now. It's ok, Calli. It's silly of me to be so nervous."

Jezarine lifted the puppy and gave him a big hug then pretended to nibble on his ears to get him to react then put him back on her lap to play with him more.

"Does anyone know when we are going to be going to our new base? I didn't get any information about that yet." She looked up at the others, "I don't think it should be too long from now."

Robert seemed a bit confused as what to do, "Is something wrong, Robert?"