The City of White Steel

((Characters in this thread:

Gareth Feres-Cousland
Pendra Dragoncoal
Bowen Pentaghast
Caterina Caelestis
Florence Aeducan
Neria Sauvrenteen))

Gareth and Pendra had been on the road for over a month now. The road from Vigil's Keep to Highever had been two weeks long, where Gareth introduced Pendra to Teyrn Fergus Cousland, his cousin. After three years Fergus was finally courting again, though Gareth noted he still had that thousand yard stare whenever he thought of his dead wife and son. Still, they were there on a mission, to rouse some trainees from the peasantry to help reinforce Vigil's Keep's defenses back in Amaranthine. Gareth had left the selection to Pendra, she had an eye for such things. She was going to be training them eventually anyway.

So he had occupied his time by regaling his cousin with the news from Denerim and Amaranthine. Warden's Keep was retaken by the Wardens. Amaranthine was subject of a conspiracy, and there were reports of talking Darkspawn. Fergus had found it unsettling, but remained stalwart that he would keep all of Highever safe. Gareth had bowed his head and said "Of course, my lord. I will provide what help I can from my home in Umoja." After that, they clasped arms, and bid each other farewell.

With four hundred militia in tow, they made their way southwest to Umoja, the City of White Steel. An Arling known for its rich mineral deposits and production of the finest Grey Iron and White Steel armor and weapons in Fereldan. Gareth pointed to the gates of the city ahead as he rode atop his horse beside Pendra. "Look, my love. It's home at last. I hope father and mother's condition has improved..." he said with a sad smile on his face. "I want them to meet their future daughter in law." He said wistfully before looking back at their rabble of troops. "Take heart, men and women of Highever! Soon you shall be proper soldiers of Fereldan, and aiding our allies the Grey Wardens against the foul Darkspawn Remnants!" He smiled his best public smile to them, to raise their spirits. "Soon you will be fitted with the best armor and weapons available, they will glisten in the sunlight and bathe in the moonlight. Your swords will sound like silver bells whilst leaving their sheaths and your shields shall bear the sigil of our beloved Teyrn!" He raised a fist to the sky, and many of their militia did as well, letting out a resounding "Oorah!"

He turned his gaze back to his home city, as they approached it, the walls of whitest steel rose up, with stone bases and silver flags waving in the breeze, bearing the Silver "U" of Umoja, flanked by two Mabari Warhounds. The gate guard shouted that the Arl was returning, and proceeded to drop the drawbridge over the moat, which hid stakes made of sharpened wood beneath the waters. Umoja was a small Arling, but very important to Fereldan, and thus, well fortified. Its mines produced the resources needed for its income and the metal for its famous steelworks.

As they entered, commoners within the walls, as well as Alienage elves peered at their returning lord, clad in his shining white and gray scale mail armor, his betrothed at his side. There were whispers already as the scandal mounted from the prospect of him marrying a dwarf. Nobles were supposed to marry other nobles, after all. Gareth didn't care. Pendra was his love. She brought him out of his days of whoring and drinking in brothels. Saved him from an arranged marriage to some Bann's daughter if his parents were still in their right minds to rule. They kept trying to set him up with several Banns' or Arls' daughters. He wanted none of them. They lacked the courage, fortitude and intelligence behind being simply good looking.

Pendra had taken her time in the watching those who would be training and even more time in the selection of those for further studies under her non-tender un-loving care. The rumour mill was already alive and active about what this strange dwarf was doing watching them as even upon their trip she did not say anything to the initiates leaving all of that to those trainers who were traveling with them. There were snipes behind their backs that she had no skill and was only getting her way through being Gareth's lover. Why else would a dwarf warrior have such girly tatoos? That was no dwarf style and she had been seen picking flowers on occasion. This caused extensive rumours and many other not so kind references as she only did basic exercises hiding away her true skills for later.

If Gareth heard the rumours which were created about her he would probably kill the poor sot out of pique but those under them kept the words from reaching his ears. It was easy to see how he felt about the dwarven lady and the fact that she was not a small dwarf like Nygozy gave way to even further insultive jibes which were quickly kept from the lord at hand.

The flower tatooed woman knew almost all the japes and where they were coming from. She was good at feigning ignorance and had excellent ears. Initiate were never the brightest of beings and this caused no little amount of ignorance. Yet she allowed it to continue, outwardly ignoring it all and inwardly being amused by the creativeness from the group.

Now she trotted her horse up to beside her lover and smiled. It was a good day of wool gathering which was actually information gathering by pretending to lag about yet using their ignorance to her use of watching the intricacies of their actions. From there she rode with her love into this new place and listened to those around them, whispering and giving her quite the strangest of looks, "So tell me of how you are normally treated within your beloved home, darling? These people seem to think of you as some form of party animal who has just taken a lady of ill repute for your life toy. I find that rather amusing, to be honest."

Gareth surveyed the area a bit. He seemed to visibly relax a little more now that he knew they were home safely. Still, there was that feeling of dread in the back of his mind that his parents would never recover or worse, that they had died while he was away. He shook his head to clear such thoughts. Maker help me. He inwardly prayed, not wanting the full responsibility of Arl yet. He had so much left to do.

Hearing Pendra speak, he came out of his thoughts to listen to her, giving a smile as he did so. "So tell me of how you are normally treated within your beloved home, darling? These people seem to think of you as some form of party animal who has just taken a lady of ill repute for your life toy. I find that rather amusing, to be honest." She asked and he barked a laugh.

"Not far off from the truth. I was a bit of a party animal, true. But I also did what I had to when it counted, in that, the Umojans can rely on me safely. As for the lady of ill repute bit... I doubt that since said lady is the Weaponmaster of Denerim, and thus far from ill repute." he mused, reaching over his horse to affectionately hold the back of Pendra's head. "And if they don't like my choice, I don't give a damn what they think." he grinned his handsome grin beneath his beard.

They had finally made it to within the city walls, everything seemed fairly well kept in his absense. He had the seneschal take care of maintenance matters while Gareth was in Denerim. The people in the streets recognized thier acting Arl and smiled in greeting at his return. He also saw them staring at the small army and the dwarf at his side in curiousity. He felt warmed by their genuine happiness at his return.

As they made it to the barracks, Gareth dismissed the militia to get situated, and he headed up to the keep with Pendra and his personal guard. He stared at the keep front for a moment before entering. "Home sweet home..." he mused.