Roderick would receive word that his new members were back from their tip to Valammar. He awaited their entrance at his desk while he worked on a couple of reports.
The room was unremarkable, there were shelves of books lining the side, a map of the whole of Thedas with parts marked out with string and pins, marking out where darkspawn and red lyrium was spotted.
The room was unremarkable, there were shelves of books lining the side, a map of the whole of Thedas with parts marked out with string and pins, marking out where darkspawn and red lyrium was spotted.
Janella tried not to bother Rind too much, she could tell he felt somber and wouldn’t be up for conversing. She was contemplating and only occasionally tried to break the silence. Though she felt confident in her decision to join the Wardens, she was wondering what would happen next.
When they arrived in Roderick’s office, she greeted him and showed him the shield. “We found the remains of two of them, the other is likely lost to the Deep Roads.” Unhooking the shield from her pack, she would explain to Roderick what they found. The elf did look over to Rind with a pause at times during her explanation, so he could fill in on some things as well. He knew more about the red lyrium than she did.
When they arrived in Roderick’s office, she greeted him and showed him the shield. “We found the remains of two of them, the other is likely lost to the Deep Roads.” Unhooking the shield from her pack, she would explain to Roderick what they found. The elf did look over to Rind with a pause at times during her explanation, so he could fill in on some things as well. He knew more about the red lyrium than she did.
Rind would reply quite politely to Janella, although he only spoke when spoken to, although he would open up a bit more, crack a joke or two, or tell a funny tale.
Rind took out the chisel, laying it down.
The commander’s expression fell when he saw the shield and chisel.
“I see. Thank you. Was there anything else do note?”
Rind sighed. “We also spotted Red Lyrium sir. It seems to have been destroyed in an explosion but we’re not certain of how else it’s grown.”
Vimes frowned even more at that news. “I see. I will have to pass that information off to the Crown. It is... not under our jurisdiction and our numbers are small... smaller still now that we’ve lost Natalie. I’ll need to put up a post for a new stone mason.
Thank you you two, you’ve done well.”
Rind looked over at Janella. “There was the matter of Darkspawn as well...”
Rind took out the chisel, laying it down.
The commander’s expression fell when he saw the shield and chisel.
“I see. Thank you. Was there anything else do note?”
Rind sighed. “We also spotted Red Lyrium sir. It seems to have been destroyed in an explosion but we’re not certain of how else it’s grown.”
Vimes frowned even more at that news. “I see. I will have to pass that information off to the Crown. It is... not under our jurisdiction and our numbers are small... smaller still now that we’ve lost Natalie. I’ll need to put up a post for a new stone mason.
Thank you you two, you’ve done well.”
Rind looked over at Janella. “There was the matter of Darkspawn as well...”
Janella looked over at Rind, taking his cue, "We found their remains among corpses of Darkspawn. There were several darkspawn, six in all, that we managed to eliminate with a bit of strategy. We could sense more about the place but they were distant so not worth addressing. The two of us speculated on how they may have ended up that way. The bridge leading into the place collapsed, and they might have become trapped in there. One of them might have been cornered into running down the Deep Roads while the other two were left behind. We had to use a rope to get across the gap, so we could go back and forth," the elf did not mention Rind's reaction to doing such.
The commander sighed softly.
"I'm glad that you two came back alive. We can hardly afford any loss to our numbers... Losing Natalie is... terrible. I'll have to send a request for a new mason. I had hopes we could repair part of our Keep but that looks like it'll be a while now. Thank you very much you two. If there's nothing else, you're free to take your leave and recover from your journey. I will send for you all when I have another mission. There's... a lot to do. Contacting Natalie's family, along with Merin's... I don't know if Gaius had any. I don't suppose any of you might be willing to take a letter to their families?"
"I'm glad that you two came back alive. We can hardly afford any loss to our numbers... Losing Natalie is... terrible. I'll have to send a request for a new mason. I had hopes we could repair part of our Keep but that looks like it'll be a while now. Thank you very much you two. If there's nothing else, you're free to take your leave and recover from your journey. I will send for you all when I have another mission. There's... a lot to do. Contacting Natalie's family, along with Merin's... I don't know if Gaius had any. I don't suppose any of you might be willing to take a letter to their families?"
Janella could not have been sympathetic even if she tried but she did stand there looking somber. She did not feel inclined to take a letter to their families, either. It sounded boring and unimportant to her. The elf reminded herself of other times she had done something she had not wanted to know, because it was expected of her or because it was just easier to adhere to social customs.
"I can," she replied. She was unsure of how Rind would react, giving him some unobtrusive side eye to gauge what he thought of the request.
"I can," she replied. She was unsure of how Rind would react, giving him some unobtrusive side eye to gauge what he thought of the request.
Roderick looked relieved when Janella agreed to take the letters. Rind on the other hand just look tired. "I suppose I can too as well sir," although his tone suggested otherwise on his opinion.
The commander rolled his eyes at the mage. "I do appreciate it and I'll contact you when I've written them... at the same time, I'd like the two of you to clear their rooms, help bring their personal belongings home." He'd give them directions to the rooms of Natalie and Merin. Gaius' would be settled by another recruit.
Natalie's room was simple. There was a small altar set up to Andraste, and from the looks of things, the woman had been a templar. There was a supply of lyrium for her in her room. Her belongings were neat and orderly, clothes, a few jewellery, mostly in the shape of the sunburst. She had been quite pious. A diary would be found after a brief search, unlocked of course.
Merin's room was... interesting. There was a pile of unwashed clothes. Papers with drawings on them were scattered all over in a haphazard manner. You couldn't even figure out where the floor started with the drawings. Occasionally there was spilled wine and the smell hung in the room. The drawings themselves weren't even rubbish, many of them showed the fortifications of the Keep and plans for a door and the like.
The commander rolled his eyes at the mage. "I do appreciate it and I'll contact you when I've written them... at the same time, I'd like the two of you to clear their rooms, help bring their personal belongings home." He'd give them directions to the rooms of Natalie and Merin. Gaius' would be settled by another recruit.
Natalie's room was simple. There was a small altar set up to Andraste, and from the looks of things, the woman had been a templar. There was a supply of lyrium for her in her room. Her belongings were neat and orderly, clothes, a few jewellery, mostly in the shape of the sunburst. She had been quite pious. A diary would be found after a brief search, unlocked of course.
Merin's room was... interesting. There was a pile of unwashed clothes. Papers with drawings on them were scattered all over in a haphazard manner. You couldn't even figure out where the floor started with the drawings. Occasionally there was spilled wine and the smell hung in the room. The drawings themselves weren't even rubbish, many of them showed the fortifications of the Keep and plans for a door and the like.
Janella gave the mage some side eye that was more amused than judgmental. She went about the task of cleaning out the rooms like it was a chore she was obligated to go.
The elf resisted the urge to rifle through Natalie's diary, though she did sneak a searching look over to Rind, trying to gauge his own reaction to the untended diary of a deceased person. ff he didn't object, she'd try to skim through it. It was easy to pick up her things, since they were all sorted and tidy. Despite her attachment, the elf did vaguely admire Natalie's discipline.
Her nose wrinkled when they entered Merin's room, both because of how messy it was and due to the smell. She opened a window, and the wind scattered a few of the papers but it wasn't too bothersome. Sighing when she saw that many of the papers had drawings on them, she said, "I guess we can scoop everything into a bag and gather up the papers as best we can. These drawings looks like they might be useful," she knelt down to gather some of them up, looking at them more closely. "Plans for some kind of door."
The elf resisted the urge to rifle through Natalie's diary, though she did sneak a searching look over to Rind, trying to gauge his own reaction to the untended diary of a deceased person. ff he didn't object, she'd try to skim through it. It was easy to pick up her things, since they were all sorted and tidy. Despite her attachment, the elf did vaguely admire Natalie's discipline.
Her nose wrinkled when they entered Merin's room, both because of how messy it was and due to the smell. She opened a window, and the wind scattered a few of the papers but it wasn't too bothersome. Sighing when she saw that many of the papers had drawings on them, she said, "I guess we can scoop everything into a bag and gather up the papers as best we can. These drawings looks like they might be useful," she knelt down to gather some of them up, looking at them more closely. "Plans for some kind of door."
Rind in fact... seemed quite interested in the woman's diary as well. He'd urge Janella to read it.
A quick skim of the diary would reveal that Natalie often missed her family and wondered how her younger sister, a chantry sister, was doing. From the looks of things, they were close as Natalie expressed delight at the deeds of her sister. They would find a stack of correspondence letters as well from her sister in Denerim.
The diary entries were short, mostly detailing her exercises for the day and her encounters with people.
Rind picked up the drawings as he took a look at them. "Looks like he was working on repairing the damaged part of the Keep. Think it'll be good to collect those and pass them to the commander."
Unlike Natalie, Merin's belongings were harder to find. Though they'd find a locked chest under his bed. He'd stand back and gesture grandly to Janella. "Your majesty."
On picking the lock, they'd find love letters funnily enough... from Byron, with things written in it that would make any married person blush.
A quick skim of the diary would reveal that Natalie often missed her family and wondered how her younger sister, a chantry sister, was doing. From the looks of things, they were close as Natalie expressed delight at the deeds of her sister. They would find a stack of correspondence letters as well from her sister in Denerim.
The diary entries were short, mostly detailing her exercises for the day and her encounters with people.
Rind picked up the drawings as he took a look at them. "Looks like he was working on repairing the damaged part of the Keep. Think it'll be good to collect those and pass them to the commander."
Unlike Natalie, Merin's belongings were harder to find. Though they'd find a locked chest under his bed. He'd stand back and gesture grandly to Janella. "Your majesty."
On picking the lock, they'd find love letters funnily enough... from Byron, with things written in it that would make any married person blush.
Janella didn't hesitate any long once she saw Rind was all for reading it. She was disappointed with how boring the contents were but she figured she should have suspected as much. The elf almost tossed it aside but recalled her manners and put it away with the rest of her things. "Her family will be happy to have it, particularly her sister," she observed.
She separated the papers that had the drawings on them and got them stacked into a neat pile, setting them aside while she turned her attention to trying to find Merin's belongings. The rogue grinned with mischief when she saw the lock. Most locks yielded before Janella, and this one proved no different. At first her face fell when she just saw letters, but whenever she started reading them she felt shocked and amused. She looked over at Rind with wide eyes before covering her mouth with a hand and trying to hold back snickers. Disbelief was apparent in the way her lips were slightly parted and her eyebrow rose just a tad while she read a particular line. "I can't believe it . . . " The elf processed the information and a cryptic, mischievous smile began to spread over her jaw, nearly taking in her ears.
She separated the papers that had the drawings on them and got them stacked into a neat pile, setting them aside while she turned her attention to trying to find Merin's belongings. The rogue grinned with mischief when she saw the lock. Most locks yielded before Janella, and this one proved no different. At first her face fell when she just saw letters, but whenever she started reading them she felt shocked and amused. She looked over at Rind with wide eyes before covering her mouth with a hand and trying to hold back snickers. Disbelief was apparent in the way her lips were slightly parted and her eyebrow rose just a tad while she read a particular line. "I can't believe it . . . " The elf processed the information and a cryptic, mischievous smile began to spread over her jaw, nearly taking in her ears.
Rind agreed with the assessment of the sister and he'd work to place Natalie's things into her chest proper.
Rind was assisting on the other parts of the room, picking up Merin's tossed about small clothes with the end of his staff if he could, not wanting to touch them. He let Janella read and was about to ask about the contents when he heard her comment. The nosey mage scurried over to take a peek and as he read, he turned a ferocious shade of red.
"Sweet Maker... is this the same Byron that was shouting at us? I didn't think he'd... be capable of writing these kind of things... or that he'd be interested in men..." Rind had to look away. "Uh... perhaps we should... tell the Commander or... Byron? They would be better suited to... clearing the room than us... I mean uh..."
Rind was clearly flustered.
Rind was assisting on the other parts of the room, picking up Merin's tossed about small clothes with the end of his staff if he could, not wanting to touch them. He let Janella read and was about to ask about the contents when he heard her comment. The nosey mage scurried over to take a peek and as he read, he turned a ferocious shade of red.
"Sweet Maker... is this the same Byron that was shouting at us? I didn't think he'd... be capable of writing these kind of things... or that he'd be interested in men..." Rind had to look away. "Uh... perhaps we should... tell the Commander or... Byron? They would be better suited to... clearing the room than us... I mean uh..."
Rind was clearly flustered.
Janella barked out a laugh, “I didn’t think he was capable of romance at all. If they were lovers . . . we might ask Byron if he wants to clear out the room. Or at the very least we can give these letters back to him.” She was already thinking of ways to tease Byron, but that seemed like a risky affair. “Taking it to the Commander might risk Byron’s ire . . . or would he bribe us to keep quiet?”
She shrugged, tying the letters together in a bundle and placing them with the drawings she had stacked up. The elf grimaced over the small clothes that had been left lying about. “Or maybe we should ask Byron . . . “
She shrugged, tying the letters together in a bundle and placing them with the drawings she had stacked up. The elf grimaced over the small clothes that had been left lying about. “Or maybe we should ask Byron . . . “
Rind took a look at it, then at Janella. "Probably best to ask Byron," the mage said eyeing the room. "Or at least help him while he handles most of the things here. I wouldn't want to accidentally come across anything else... I can't picture him being romantic but... uh... in the other direction certainly."
Janella took the letters and the drawings, "We'll give the drawings to the Commander as well. We can offer to help Byron while he deals with the things here, yes." They had tidied and picked up some of it, and she'd be happy to let Byron do some of the rest of it. "Who knows what else lies beneath this mess," she agreed.
The elf left the room with Rind, going to Byron's quarters. "Hopefully he's there and not somewhere we'll have to talk to him about in public. This is going to be awkward . . . "
The elf left the room with Rind, going to Byron's quarters. "Hopefully he's there and not somewhere we'll have to talk to him about in public. This is going to be awkward . . . "
Rind looked surprised that Janella knew where Byron's quarters were without asking, though he said nothing about it. The woman was a lot more resourceful than he was.
Thankfully Byron was inside, sipping his flask. Seeing the two recruits come in he raised an eyebrow. "This better be a good reason... that or you're looking for work."
Thankfully Byron was inside, sipping his flask. Seeing the two recruits come in he raised an eyebrow. "This better be a good reason... that or you're looking for work."
Janella caught the look but shrugged it off. She didn't want to explain how she and Runt had been there at the moment, and the elf was sneaky enough that she often knew things she shouldn't anyway. The elf felt distinctly awkward whenever Byron opened the door, but she took the letters from a pocket of her trousers and handed them over to the quartermaster. She decided not to look over at Rind for support.
"We were cleaning out Merin's room, it's quite the mess, and we found these letters to him. We thought you might want to assist in cleaning out his room, since you two seemed to be very close." She didn't feel any shame about having picked the lock and looked through the dead's possessions, though even with her callous nature she still felt somewhat uncomfortable.
"We were cleaning out Merin's room, it's quite the mess, and we found these letters to him. We thought you might want to assist in cleaning out his room, since you two seemed to be very close." She didn't feel any shame about having picked the lock and looked through the dead's possessions, though even with her callous nature she still felt somewhat uncomfortable.
Byron took the letters, pausing for a bit before keeping them on his desk. He didn't need to read them, though he took another swing of his flask and frowned.
"Proper dead then if Vimes is sending you two to clean it up," the dwarf said before he turned around away from them. "Thank you kindly for them... and aye... I'll probably help clean up... there's... aye."
The usually gruff dwarf couldnt really bring himself to say much. He didn't seem that upset that Janella and Rind had looked through Merin's belongings. It was what they did when someone died. He'd done it himself at times. "Just give me a minute to collect things and I'll see you at his room," he said not turning to face them.
Rind nodded his head and left the room, leaving Byron to his privacy. "Well think we made the right choice there."
"Proper dead then if Vimes is sending you two to clean it up," the dwarf said before he turned around away from them. "Thank you kindly for them... and aye... I'll probably help clean up... there's... aye."
The usually gruff dwarf couldnt really bring himself to say much. He didn't seem that upset that Janella and Rind had looked through Merin's belongings. It was what they did when someone died. He'd done it himself at times. "Just give me a minute to collect things and I'll see you at his room," he said not turning to face them.
Rind nodded his head and left the room, leaving Byron to his privacy. "Well think we made the right choice there."
Janella was content to leave Byron to his privacy as well. "I agree. That was anticlimactic," she observed. "We should get these designs to the Commander as well, then head back to the room and finish up. Sooner we're done with this task the better," she said, treating it as a chore she was obligated to do. "If we don't find Vimes we can just drop them off or wait until later," the elf shrugged. "Seems like something he'd want to get his hands on."
Whether Vimes was at his office or not, she'd be fine with going back to get the task of cleaning out Merin's quarters over with. She hung back to let Byron take the lead on cleaning it out, so he could come across anything else of a more delicate nature that might be concealed in here. Otherwise, she'd help finish to clean it up and pack his possessions away so they could be taken back to his kin.
Whether Vimes was at his office or not, she'd be fine with going back to get the task of cleaning out Merin's quarters over with. She hung back to let Byron take the lead on cleaning it out, so he could come across anything else of a more delicate nature that might be concealed in here. Otherwise, she'd help finish to clean it up and pack his possessions away so they could be taken back to his kin.
Vimes was in the office, although he would thank them for their drawings and send them off without much conversation. The commander was a busy man after all.
By the time the two junior wardens had finished their task, Byron was at the room, gathering up the more... delicate things so to speak. He'd have two flasks with him as he gathered Merin's clothes and belongings, sorting it out properly. He'd work mostly in silence with them and once it seemed the more sensitive things were handled, he'd take them away, nodding to the recruits. During the entire time though, he'd finish both bottles.
"This will go back to his family... the rest I'll keep." With that he'd leave without much more.
"Can't help but feel sorry for him... I don't think he has that many friends even," Rind said as he finished up the rest of the quarters. "Think you'll find love here like Byron did?"
By the time the two junior wardens had finished their task, Byron was at the room, gathering up the more... delicate things so to speak. He'd have two flasks with him as he gathered Merin's clothes and belongings, sorting it out properly. He'd work mostly in silence with them and once it seemed the more sensitive things were handled, he'd take them away, nodding to the recruits. During the entire time though, he'd finish both bottles.
"This will go back to his family... the rest I'll keep." With that he'd leave without much more.
"Can't help but feel sorry for him... I don't think he has that many friends even," Rind said as he finished up the rest of the quarters. "Think you'll find love here like Byron did?"
Janella was happy enough not to stay and chat, she felt curious about the drawings but knew that they were in the hands they needed to be in now. Had she been a good person, she might have thought it was a good way to honor the dead, making sure that their work was passed on so it could be of use.
She noticed that Byron had two flasks, suspecting it was his way of coping. Going about the task of picking up Merin's belongings once she was sure she wouldn't come across anything else that made for an embarrassing situation, she didn't try to make conversation with Byron. As he was leaving, she thanked him for his help.
"Wonder if that's why he drinks, because of love he felt he could not pursue? Or maybe they were waiting until after Merin got back . . . " she shrugged. The former assassin actually laughed whenever Rind asked if she'd ever find love, "No, I've no interest in love. Might ride a male for all he's worth at night and leave him in the morning if I take a fancy to him," she said, stacking up objects and folding up some tunics and trousers. She spoke of the matter casually, putting the belongings that would fit in the chest they had found.
She noticed that Byron had two flasks, suspecting it was his way of coping. Going about the task of picking up Merin's belongings once she was sure she wouldn't come across anything else that made for an embarrassing situation, she didn't try to make conversation with Byron. As he was leaving, she thanked him for his help.
"Wonder if that's why he drinks, because of love he felt he could not pursue? Or maybe they were waiting until after Merin got back . . . " she shrugged. The former assassin actually laughed whenever Rind asked if she'd ever find love, "No, I've no interest in love. Might ride a male for all he's worth at night and leave him in the morning if I take a fancy to him," she said, stacking up objects and folding up some tunics and trousers. She spoke of the matter casually, putting the belongings that would fit in the chest they had found.