Before long, Evelyn settled into a new daily routine. In an effort to show solidarity and dedication, she woke up early and accompanied Cullen to the training grounds. Occasionally, she met Dhara to teach her pyromancy, but she mainly practiced her staff and sword work. After freshening up, she worked with the mages to make potions and collect herbs. They began keeping a better record of supplies with war declared and stockpiled what they could in anticipation of future injuries. At midday, she broke bread with whoever offered or headed home. If the council was called to meet a second time, she attended that session, though as a spectator only, and was brought up to speed on current events. The rest of the afternoon was spent where she was needed most until retiring to the Rutherford's longhouse at sunset. It was a demanding schedule, but she felt useful and it added stability to her changing circumstances.
Although her official responsibilities had not started yet, she took it upon herself to learn what she could from her friends of her new role. The Avvar women grew up simply observing their reigning Lady, but that was a significant experience Evelyn was lacking. She did however know how nobility and royals were expected to behave, and adopted a version of her own style combining the best of both worlds. She would embody the strength, spirit, and loyalty of the Avvar and the poise, diplomacy, and cunning of the Lowlanders. She wasn't one to shirk her duty, something ingrained in her by her father, so if this was to be her new purpose, she'd strive to do it as well as her last post as Senior Knight-Enchanter.
From what she gathered, the Lady of the Hold was equal to the Thane. Her word would be as much law as his, and it slowly began to dawn on her why Cullen had spoken of her traits so critically on Wintersend. If she were in his shoes, she too would be nervous about what someone like her would do with such power. Not only that, but anytime he stepped out of the Hold, she was in charge. With the war against Axlan heating up, it was already happening rather frequently, though until they were wed, it was the Augur who was placed in charge. Still not allowed outside of the walls to aid their warriors, she shadowed him, though she gleaned very little from him.
It was the women who began interacting with her more where she learned the most. She was to be the Mother of the Clan, and despite there being others more senior than her, any womanly problem was brought to her. They were things like having enough salves to treat Rashvine once spring is in full bloom when the children play in the woods or asking for her assistance in praying to the Lady for something or other. In a way it was much like being a First Enchanter; knowing her charges and knowing their daily and long-term needs. She would be who they turned to and who they would rely upon to resolve problems. With this new understanding, came patience. She tempered her reactions when in public and specifically with the Thane, which in turn allowed him the opportunity to try and articulate better reasons behind their ways of life.
This new change seemed to confound the Thane. There were times when he didn't quite know what to say or do with her when she agreed with him. In time, after he realized it wasn't an act, he opened up to her more about the state of things or just to have a chat about anything on his mind. She had come to respect the Thane half of him a while ago, but having now given Cullen a chance, found that he wasn't as bad as she had made him out to be in her mind.
Where there was once a barrier of faith between them, there was now wistful listening to the tales and legends of the gods. She had always been a student of history, reveling in its retelling and comparing it to her own Free Marches history. And what was religion if not wildly embellished versions of history and myth? The Avvar were the closest people to that of the ancient Alamarri, from whom all humans had descended.
Andraste was Alamarri, living in Southern Ferelden before she was taken to Tevinter as a slave. Hearing how their history varied after the emergence of Andrastianism and how the newly dubbed "Avvar" fought back against this new religion was fascinating. The gaps in their world history she was then able to fill in, even more interestingly enough was Dorian's Tevinter perspective. What were three linear timelines evolved into rich parallels of the history of Thedas. Cullen was most interested in military maneuvers and battles involving siege engines. It was incredibly endearing to watch his eyes light up as she tried to describe a trebuchet, and then asking if they could build one. Though they could probably acquire a schematic from some of the dwarven contacts, none of them had the engineering acumen to execute such a feat.
Evelyn didn't pity them for their traditional lifestyle versus the technological advancements made by the Lowlanders. When she had first arrived, the only sign of Lowlander science was found in the equipment of the alchemy lab in the mage's hut. She asked Dorian if that was his doing, which it was, but when asked why he didn't share other knowledge with them, he simply answered 'For what?' Until now, she hadn't understood why a people would want to live centuries behind the others. The Avvar way of life, working and living for the clan - an extended family - was precious in keeping such close ties between them. In some cases, advancements meant individual gain; a disruption in the balance of nature. Their lives were more wholesome, not focused on the petty games of the nobility or the never-ending drive for wealth and power. The competition in their lives was natural, not toxic. Of course, they weren't perfect, as no human civilization ever was, but she felt the value of their customs in daily interactions.
As far as the prophecy went, she had worked through the thawing winter to burn and cleanse what land she could in the hold, especially the grounds used for crops and meadows for animals. She used the mark to draw up the blood of the earth to remake the land. Using it left her exhausted, and it took several days for her to fully recover. When the first signs of spring came upon them, her labor bore fruition as fresh baby greens of various kinds sprouted. Taking this as a sign, the Augur and the Spirits decided upon a date for her upcoming wedding on the first of Cloudreach, marking the start of spring and a new beginning for them all.
The other holds, being wary of being dragged into war while weak, asked that the Phoenix meet with them in their respective holds, rather than travel to Redhold. While it was quite a setback, news had reached them of two Grey Wardens, visiting Orzammar who had heard their plight and were headed to Redhold as soon as duties allowed.
With long dangerous months of travel looming ahead, she began to brood about what that meant. She prayed to the gods taking the name of Rutherford would protect her from the violence the other Avvar tried to visit upon her at the start of winter. Cullen wouldn't be able to go with her, nor any of the others because of their duties and the war, so it would be up to her once again to watch her own back - well, her and the Grey Wardens. She hoped they were as good as legend because they were going to need to be that and more to survive here.
***
"You're rather confounding."
Evelyn popped her head up from scrubbing the shirt at the sound of his voice. She tried to blow a strand of loose hair off her nose several times, but it didn't budge. Stepping over to her, he carefully placed it behind her ear. Eyeing him conspiratorially, she held up her current garment, "Are you sure you want to test me while I wash your shirt?"
He chuckled, "I didn't mean it as a slight, simply you're rather hard to figure out sometimes."
"If it was easy, where would the fun be in that," she flashed him a deadpan smile. As she went back to work, she felt obligated to ask, "And why, dare I ask, are you trying to understand me? Didn't your father ever teach you that trying to figure out a woman is damn near impossible?"
"I'm just trying to get to know you better." She paused again looking up at his sincerity.
"You have me at a disadvantage, for you know more about me than I do you." It was true, only because the nature of how events evolved since arriving had made such information relevant. Cullen even knew that she had been raped and had briefly met the man who did it. He gave her a look of puzzlement, "You haven't told me about how you became Thane, or what happened to your parents or your other wives." She wondered how he'd react to those questions, knowing that all were painful to speak of. He sighed heavily placing his back against a tree, then slid down to sit. One leg was bent up and the other was extended still debating in his head if he wanted to tell her.
"I will speak about your first two questions, but not about Kattin or Ninne."
"Fair enough," she went back to scrubbing the clothes giving him time to find the words to begin. She at least now knew the names of his wives, that was a start. She hadn't even heard anyone speak their names until now.
He ran his fingers through his hair, "About eight years ago, the Chantry attempted to spread their religion here in the Basin. They sent, um…"
"Clerics? Sisters?"
"Both, I think, but they were accompanied by Templars. At first, they were peaceful envoys, only wishing to speak the word of the Maker, but the more they visited, the bolder they became. The Templars began asking questions of our mages, sowing seeds of fear to the people as to the evil nature of them."
"That sounds familiar," she rolled her eyes. "But you knew better, your mother was a mage."
"That's right. In response, my father began turning them away at the gates and our hunters were on watch for them, telling them to leave. Redhold wasn't the first to begin the fighting, however."
"Let me guess, it was Wolf-Fang Hold?"
He shook his head, "No, it was Stone-Bear when the Templars captured Thane Svarah's only daughter - who was a mage - and taken back to the Lowlands. She never saw her again."
"Is that why she was so desperate to have me find a mate within her hold? She even offered her own husband to me. Maybe she wants another child, even one that was not her own."
"That would explain it. She has her own way of running a hold, but she had never been so unreasonable for all the time I've known her. Either that or she was going to raise you to be her successor - her daughter." A chill slithered down her spine as she froze thinking about the trauma the woman must've suffered losing her child, grown or not, to such men. It still didn't excuse her past behavior in Evelyn's eyes, but it at least was starting to make more sense. "Anyway, we Avvar were all the same to the Lowlanders and when they sent more men to exterminate the infidels, we of course fought back."
His eyes were now lost in memory, occasionally showing the emotions of the scene playing out in his mind before him as he narrated, "One day my father and I were out with one of the patrols, leaving my mother in command when a large force of Templars with what must've been several young recruits, eager to prove themselves." A sharp inhale, followed by a large sigh warned her of the pain to come with this story. "From Mia's telling of it, my mother had done everything to coordinate the defense, knowing it was going to be a hard fight, but they held out for the hope that our patrol would be returning soon. They were demanding the mages be brought out to be taken to Circles. In hopes of avoiding bloodshed, she went out to speak with them, to explain how they regulated magic, but they didn't listen. They killed the warriors escorting her and took her. A battle ensued, but our warriors were ill-prepared against such a highly-trained foe. When my father and I returned and we were told what happened, we went out in search of her." His face drew down to a nondescript spot on the ground, "When we finally found her, she was reciting hymns to the Lady leaning up against a tree. A sword was planted in her belly, pinning her to the tall spruce. She was barely holding on, but it was just long enough for us to say goodbye."
She stopped washing and sat beside him on the river bank, placing her hand on his forearm, "I'm almost afraid to ask what your father did in the wake of her death."
He slugged heavily, "About what you'd expect, he sought revenge." The distant look was back in his eyes, "We were at war with the Lowlanders, and for a brief amount of time, the holds united, all having lost loved ones to the Templars. We had almost driven them completely out of the Basin, but it wasn't good enough for my father. He and a number of our best warriors went to the Lowlands for one final battle, but they never returned."
"And that's how you became Thane?"
"No, Mia was next in line but she refused it. Despite being next of kin, I technically had no right to simply claim the Thaneship. So, I was challenged by a few others, and after a series of tests ending with an election, I won out. It wasn't an easy time for the Hold however, it never is when people start taking sides. Neighbor turns on neighbor, kin turns on kin," he sighed heavily at the memory, "it's better to have an established line for prosperity."
"Redhold is the most close-knit community I've ever encountered, I have a hard time believing that."
He shrugged, "I think like all cultures, some traditions work and others don't. Our society falls apart with no leadership. There have been entire holds that have disbanded due to lack of stewardship. Some people just simply do not want the burden of it."
"Endure or perish." He grunted his agreement. There had been a question weighing on her mind, "Speaking of leadership, when will I officially become an Avvar? Will marriage make it so, or is there a ritual of sorts?"
He suddenly looked like it was an uncomfortable question, "Well, it's a ritual done in the Augur's Hut. It involves going into the Dream World to speak with the spirits and gods, or whoever shows up really." She sat back on her heels tossing the garment in her hand into the basket in a huff. "You won't be there alone, Dhara has already voiced that she'd like to go with you."
"I suppose that makes me feel slightly better. When will this take place?"
"The sooner the better."
She narrowed her eyes at him, "So, then when were you planning on telling me if I didn't ask?" He looked up at her with a guilty smile, "The day before we were wed or what?" Now she was laughing, "I think you and I are past the whole secrets stage of courting considering the circumstances. Next time, just tell me, then you won't have to go around with that constipated look on your face at all times."
"I- what? I do not."
She gave him a pointed look, "Yes, you do, Rutherford." She splashed some water at him.
"Hey-- wait, that water was warm?"
"The benefits of being a pyromancer," she laughed. He waited as she wrung out the rest of the laundry before placing it back in the basket to take home to dry. As she went to carry it, he instead insisted he carry it back for her. "I am sorry though that the Templars and Chantry did such things here, especially to your parents. I can't imagine..."
He looked over at her as they walked back through the market, "I allowed my bitterness to cloud my judgment of you when we first met, and for that, I apologize."
"Well now that I understand, I don't blame you." Making their way through a dense crowd browsing the wares, many turned to greet the couple with deep nods or a fist to the heart. When they passed through it, almost reaching their longhouse she couldn't help but laugh at the memory of some of their first conversations.
"What are you laughing at woman?"
"Just thinking of how mad you looked that night I came into the Meade Hall demanding you contact my superiors."
"I'm glad you find my anger endearing."
She stopped him from going inside, standing in front of the doors with her arms out to the side, "Oh no, I didn't say that! It is still incredibly vexing at times."
He huffed, "Would you open the door, the laundry is dripping on me and it's cold?"
"See, this is what I mean--"
"Evelyn, it's soaking through my pant leg," it came out as an annoyed growl paired with a pointed look.
Ignoring him, she continued purposely trying to get a rise out of him, "-- lighten up. You have no patience--"
"Evelyn!"
"--relax and take in the --"
"By the gods woman, open the door!" He pushed by her, and all the while she giggled at being able to fluster him so easily. Cullen dropped the basket unceremoniously in the middle of the floor and stomped back to his room, slamming the door. She set to hanging the clothes around the central fire pit, laughing to herself, and just as she was finishing, he came stomping back out still wearing a scowl, but with new pants.
She faced him, pursing her lips trying to laugh again as he came to a stop inches away from her. His whiskey eyes flickered back and forth between her highly amused ones, "You..." he growled, but it didn't seem he thought his words through, "you are..."
"I can help you out, how about witty? Intelligent? Beautiful?" Slowly the grip of his anger began to lax. The mage stepped closer to all but brush against him, "No? None of those? What about irksome? Deranged? Unbearable?"
He tilted his head as if mulling it over in his head, his voice low, "Those do sound a bit like more you, Trevelyan." He wore a slight smirk now, and she hummed watching how it moved his scar.
"What a pity. What does a girl have to do to get a compliment from you?"
He shrugged, "Fulfill the prophecy, that would certainly earn you one."
She scoffed, "My, my, you have rather high standards. No wonder you've been single for so long." As soon as it left her lips, she cringed, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it-- I was only joking."
The Thane sighed with a weary smile, "It's not your fault I still find it difficult to speak of after so long. I do want to tell you I just… it's a sadder tale than the previous one told."
Evelyn placed her hand on his chest, "Cullen, you don't have to feel like you need to tell me anytime soon. My curiosity sometimes gets the better of me - same with my mouth." That elicited a smile and gentle hands on her hips in return. "I know what it's like for things to haunt you while awake and asleep. I know I may not always understand your ways, but I'm not afraid of change any longer. This may not be what I envisioned marriage ever being like, but I hope you know I'm here for you," quickly adding despite feeling his touch, "as your friend."
A bit of gloom overtook him, and without thinking too much of it, she slid her hands up around his neck in a hug. Feeling him tighten his arms around her, she turned her head away resting it on his shoulder. She couldn't help fingering the curling hair at the nape of his neck, before massaging it gently. Each time he showed vulnerability, she couldn't help but hear Rosalie's words come back about how she couldn't leave him. Now, Evelyn was here to shoulder the burden - for lack of a more compassionate term - with firsthand experience of what kind of trauma her brother was experiencing. Perhaps, the gods did know what they were doing…
His head fell against hers and she smiled, knowing how hard it must be for the big bad Thane of Redhold to surrender his emotions, especially to the likes of her. The moment was cut short, however, as Mia banged in through the door with baskets of bread and other foodstuffs. "Oh, sorry, am I interrupting something?" Despite her saying so, she kept on pushing in anyway, dragging the deliverables behind her. Evelyn took a deep breath slightly annoyed at her appearance, whereas Cullen rushed around her to help his sister.
The Rutherfords had one large family meal a week where Mia and her family joined them, which was likely why she was there dropping food off. Evelyn and the eldest member of their family had not exactly seen eye to eye in the past and she was nervous about what the woman had come to expect of her at these family gatherings. Assumingly, once she became his wife, she would no doubt be hosting the dinner on her own, so she paid attention to the menu and preparations. The meal was centered around the family coming together as one to catch up and discuss any business that would affect them as a whole, such as Ros' courtship and the Thane's upcoming wedding.
Later that evening, Ros was busily ordering the three about in preparation; Cullen was out cutting firewood, Branson was setting the table and Evelyn was helping cook. The more she learned about cooking in the hearth the more she enjoyed it. One had to know the hearth and its fire; how quickly it heated and how hot it could get. The beehive shape of the hearth kept the heat from escaping, as did the bricks it was made of, acting like heat sponges. Even after they were done cooking, the hearth stayed hot for a few hours. Then there was the delicate balance of placing the many types of pots and pans about. Cooking was quite a physical task, hulling around the heavy wrought iron equipment. There were some that hung above the flame and others with legs that allowed them to sit on a hot bed of coals. Their lids had a tall outer edge, where if you shoveled the hot embers on top, made the pot function as an oven, heating it from the top and bottom. There was a spit for roasting and pans with long handles for frying. Various-sized leathers littered the area to help the women grab the equipment that was too hot to the touch.
Evelyn's particular talents also came in handy, quickly heating the hearth to the correct temperature, which she learned Ros measured just by feeling the heat. It was a skill that took time to develop, but if anyone could master the fire, it was the Phoenix. For now, she was happy to raise and lower the flame to Ros' liking.
Evelyn's task at the moment was preparing a crust for a meat pie. It was simple, combining the yeast, flour, and water to achieve the right consistency. Her nerves were glad for the distraction, keeping her hands busy. The men had just finished their tasks and sat down talking at the table awaiting their guests. It wasn't long though until the looming presence of her fiancée was felt beside her. Standing to her left, his warm bicep and shoulder brushed against hers. "Evelyn," he spoke quietly so only she could hear, "you had asked me before if I was attached to anyone but, I had never asked you if you were."
She stopped kneading, knowing that he was asking it of her now. "No, Circle mages are not permitted to marry, nor fraternize with anyone." He raised an eyebrow at her, and she knew instantly why, "Not that anyone listened to the rules."
"You not following the rules? I'm shocked."
She laughed while giving him a pointed look, "No one followed the rules, the trick was not getting caught." A thoughtful look caused her eyes to glaze over lost in memories of another life.
"Are you alright?"
"Hmm? Oh, it's just..." she wasn't sure she wanted to tell him. "It's just before I came here, since the time I was ten, I was told I would never marry or have a family of my own. I truly thought such things were impossible, so I guarded my heart against being broken by such thoughts."
"How?"
She laughed, pointing to the sack of flour. He passed it to her all the while watching a mischievous grin spread on her face. "By not letting anyone kiss me." They shared a hushed chuckle, listening to Ros ask if the dough was ready yet. Cullen answered over his shoulder that it needed to be thicker. Evelyn reached into the sack and sprinkled the flour about.
"Did you slap them too?"
"Only you, but to be fair, we skipped the whole ground rules part," she blushed with a coy smile. "I know it sounds sappy, but having had the choice taken from me in the past, I want to want to kiss someone."
"I understand."
"Will I have to kiss you during the knotting ceremony?" The question had been on her mind for some time now.
"No, that is a choice given to the couple. I've seen very polite weddings and others where the couple set upon each other the minute the vows were said." She hummed amusingly in response before Ros came over and broke up their conversation needed the dough to get the dish baking. The petite woman eyed them suspiciously with a smirk pushing between them to retrieve the well-kneaded blob. Thankful for the end to a rather personal conversation, she shooed Cullen away just as Rylen had arrived. It was nice having the Master of the Hunt join them often. He always had a way of keeping the conversation lively, as well as drawing attention away from Cullen and Evelyn for a time.
Dinner went on as it had the first few times as the group meshed with its two newest additions. They sat around a long table drinking and eating for several hours, while Mia's children played or listened to stories that interested them. Evelyn was still trying to assimilate and get a feel for such gatherings for they didn't follow any pattern as she was used to. Really, there was no order to things; when you were hungry you ate, when you wanted to nap - as Mia's husband demonstrated - you napped. The women served, while their men sat and conversed. Cullen kept a close eye on his claimed bride, for every time she turned around she caught him staring before looking quickly away. She did begin to wonder if it was to make sure she felt comfortable in her new role or if it was because she was bending over at the hearth - maybe both.
As the evening wound down, a light touch on her arm drew her attention away, "Come, I'd like to speak with you." Mia's expression remained polite, but her subterfuge didn't fool her.
Mia and Evelyn stepped out front on the porch. The night was bright and the air was crisp. She wrapped herself tightly in her shawl to starve off the last chill of winter. "There were a few things I wanted to ask you, as well as make clear to you if you're to marry into our family," the mage took a fortifying breath crossing her arms. "The first is that you will be one of us, a Rutherford, and as such your loyalty is to the family, even before that of the clan. Our interests are yours, and yours will be ours. There is no room for selfishness."
"I have grown up as part of an influential family before, one infinitely larger than yours, I think I grasp the concept."
"Trust is essential, and I do not trust you. I have little faith in your commitment to us let alone to Cullen. Do you even care for him in the slightest? How do I know you won't just backstab him for your own selfish gain like Aysel? While she was Avvar, we've heard tales of nobles and their petty games. Their inappropriate conduct outside of the marriage bed may make for good gossip, but we have no tolerance of such in Redhold."
The faintest glow of her mana began casting an aura about her in the dark, "You dare compare me to what I can only assume are Orlesians. For the record, I'm a Marcher whose home lies across the Waking Sea where we do not flaunt nor encourage such affairs. And I care enough to not have killed him when I challenged him." Mia balked as it was improbable, "I could've easily ended him with one spell," with no one around, she cast an immolation spell on the ground nearby to make her point. "No armor can withstand that. Killing him would've been that simple, and the fact of the matter is I could go in there and do it now with very little to stop me aside from the Hold Spirits," she let the words soak in as the graying woman glared at her.
"How comforting, why don't you?"
"Because he is the only one in this world who has ever bothered to protect me. Regardless of the reason, in the North, no one would've cared what happened to me. The Templars would have left me to bleed out, and they certainly wouldn't have taken a dagger for me." A noise from behind made them both turn to see the Thane standing by the doors, closing the one he snuck through quietly. He studied her trying to determine if what she said was true. "I'm an abomination to Lowlanders. A monster they tell their children to fear and their families to be ashamed of. My mother refused to acknowledge my existence for years! I can count on one hand the amount of people who actually care whether I live or die." Mia's face hadn't changed, but his did, though she didn't seek his pity. "I've found it… nice to care for someone and be part of an actual family again. Especially one that has members as tough as you," indicating Mia, "guarding it from harm. I don't blame you for being protective, I'm sure I'd do the same in your place. However, I mean to become part of this family and I hope you find that my dedication is as strong as any one of you." The elder sighed, dispelling some of the tension in her face, looking then to her brother. Her eyes softened reflecting love and concern simultaneously.
Cullen flicked his head toward the door and his sister slowly went back inside. Despite being the Rutherford matron, when the Thane gave an order, it was followed. Evelyn's eyes were downcast as she pushed a rock about. When he didn't say anything and their eyes met, she gravitated into his embrace. The moment her head hit the top of his chest, she whispered a 'thank you,' and he simply nodded. That feeling of safety overwhelmed her as his arms held her. The night air was peaceful, made even more so by the light sound of rain hitting and dripping off the house.
When they parted, his voice matched the serene setting, "With me, you are safe."
"As are you. Regardless of what your sister believes, I've got your back." Sharing a small private smile, they headed back in. Evelyn felt the weight of the world lessen having found someone to watch out for her. A person who had already proven themselves capable of it and whom she trusted. In a way, it was more than friendship, it was companionship.