Cordelia kept close to Siali, feeling somewhat uneasy as they made their way through the crowded streets. It was unlike anything she'd known before. Even before her life in the Tower, she'd never made a journey to Denerim. That was best left to her father and mother and in those cases, Cordelia was left in the care of tutors and servants. As such, the city was a mixture of exciting and genuinely terrifying. Most of all, she worried about the looks people were giving her. Between her uniform and her staff, it was clear to anyone that she was a mage. That attracted suspicion, and she shared her worry with Siali. Would some people fear her?
“Some will.” Siali was blunt but not hurtful. “But they won’t hurt you.”
Cordelia nodded. It was a bitter truth, but one worth hearing. "I do not blame them," she said. "Magic is dangerous. But I do hope they can accept my being here, as long or as short as that might be. Likewise for yourself; I should like us to become good comrades."
That meant activities and bonding. Cordelia was no expert on soldierly jocularity but she suspected that a relaxing day at the market and food stalls would go a long way to establishing a connection to her fellow Warden. True, they were not much alike but Siali still seemed a reliable sort worth befriending. Experienced, confident, knowledgeable. For now that meant knowing exactly the right stall to go to in order to grab street food. Cordelia suppressed her sense of mischief as Siali spoke with a tired looking elf and then returned with knotted bread. It somehow left like she was breaking a rule, eating such casual food. If only her mother could see her now...
“Here. These were my favourites, as a kid.” Siali offered her the bread, which Cordelia took happily. “My parents used to buy me one every time I won a fight.”
"I never received treats," she said carefully. "Unless a pony counts as treat, which I rather think it doesn't."
Cordelia took a curious bite of the bread and smiled at the warmth that followed. There were sweet touches to it, a hint of cinnamon and some sugar that did not overpower the hearty taste of the bread itself. It was good, unlike anything that Cordelia had ever really eaten. She took a moment to merely enjoy it, savoring the taste of both the bread itself and the small personal exploration it represented. Perhaps one day, she might be as city smart as she was book smart. A tall order, but sitting with a new friend and eating vendor food was a step down that path. A step towards something more worldly, which life in the Tower had denied. It left her with a question, however, which she posed to Siali.
"We've accomplished one city feat today," she began happily, taking another bite of her bread. "But I shan't think we'll stop at snacks. You've live here for some time. What is the something essential I should know about the city? I've spent my life away from these places; what is the one thing you believe I should know? What is the one thing you believe I should see?"
“Some will.” Siali was blunt but not hurtful. “But they won’t hurt you.”
Cordelia nodded. It was a bitter truth, but one worth hearing. "I do not blame them," she said. "Magic is dangerous. But I do hope they can accept my being here, as long or as short as that might be. Likewise for yourself; I should like us to become good comrades."
That meant activities and bonding. Cordelia was no expert on soldierly jocularity but she suspected that a relaxing day at the market and food stalls would go a long way to establishing a connection to her fellow Warden. True, they were not much alike but Siali still seemed a reliable sort worth befriending. Experienced, confident, knowledgeable. For now that meant knowing exactly the right stall to go to in order to grab street food. Cordelia suppressed her sense of mischief as Siali spoke with a tired looking elf and then returned with knotted bread. It somehow left like she was breaking a rule, eating such casual food. If only her mother could see her now...
“Here. These were my favourites, as a kid.” Siali offered her the bread, which Cordelia took happily. “My parents used to buy me one every time I won a fight.”
"I never received treats," she said carefully. "Unless a pony counts as treat, which I rather think it doesn't."
Cordelia took a curious bite of the bread and smiled at the warmth that followed. There were sweet touches to it, a hint of cinnamon and some sugar that did not overpower the hearty taste of the bread itself. It was good, unlike anything that Cordelia had ever really eaten. She took a moment to merely enjoy it, savoring the taste of both the bread itself and the small personal exploration it represented. Perhaps one day, she might be as city smart as she was book smart. A tall order, but sitting with a new friend and eating vendor food was a step down that path. A step towards something more worldly, which life in the Tower had denied. It left her with a question, however, which she posed to Siali.
"We've accomplished one city feat today," she began happily, taking another bite of her bread. "But I shan't think we'll stop at snacks. You've live here for some time. What is the something essential I should know about the city? I've spent my life away from these places; what is the one thing you believe I should know? What is the one thing you believe I should see?"