I assumed our destination would be the dining room -- there really wasn't anywhere else, unless I'd completely mistaken his intentions and rather than the surprise party I was expecting, we were headed for something else.
To my surprise, however, he led me down to the main doors of the Keep, and Levi was standing there waiting with cloaks for both of us. I raised my eyebrows at Alistair as Levi settled the cloak on my shoulders before donning one of his own; Alistair just smirked at me, and Levi rolled his eyes.
"If you would?" My seneschal gestured for me to go ahead, and Alistair slipped his arm around my waist as we stepped out into the freezing courtyard. I was glad he had, as my ridiculous, pointed, delicate Orlesian shoes slipped on the ice and I flailed as my feet tried to go out from under me. Alistair simply held me up, steadying me until my balance returned. I flushed and smiled ruefully at him, and he just winked and resettled his grip as we shuffled across the courtyard.
Where, in the Maker's name, are we going?
I couldn't imagine for the life of me that I desperately needed to see something in the mines -- especially while wearing heels and a dress! But as we worked our way across the snow and ice, it became obvious we weren't heading for the tunnels either.
Does Mikhael need something from me?
When I was led through the door of the half-finished tavern, I stopped, mouth open in shock. It turned out the half-finished part referred to the outside of the tavern only; the inside, to my absolute surprise, was moderately lit with torches and sconces, and two large hearths kept the interior toasty warm. The walls were wooden and stained dark, the floor made of sturdy planking, and every surface gleamed -- polished wooden tables, a long bar along the back wall, bronze sconces and accents on the furniture. Behind the bar were kegs and caskets of various spirits, with a small collection of glass bottles holding what I assumed to be more expensive drinks sparkling in the light. There was a second level, currently closed off with a rope barricade across the stairs.
Sitting at tables and along the bar were my friends and family, and all of them turned and shouted out greetings when I came through the door. All of the Wardens and recruits were there, as well as Avanna, Mhairi, and my maid Maeve. Nathaniel was there, leaning against the bar and smirking at my astonished expression. And sitting beside my brother with a motherly smile on her face, was Wynne, and she'd brought some old friends as well, in the form of two enormous stone shapes that stood against the side wall looking out of place and entirely bemused.
I gaped like a fish, uncertain even where to start; when I turned to Alistair, speechless, he grinned at me and nodded. "Happy birthday, love." He leaned down and kissed the tip of my nose, and I laughed, freed from my momentary paralysis and happier than I'd been in ages.
"Nate? Wynne! Shale! Caridin!" I didn't know where to start, finally throwing myself at the elderly healer and claiming a hug before offering my arm to Nate in a standard Fereledan greeting. Alistair settled between Aedan and Nate with a smile while I darted about the room, receiving name day wishes, hugs, and enthusiastic handshakes everywhere.
Zevran presented me with a glass of wine which he retrieved from a pretty dwarven brunette behind the bar; he flirted with her almost lazily as he did, and Oghren's answering growl from a few seats further down made the woman's identity obvious -- Felsi. I resolved to speak with her at some point; I was somewhat shocked that they'd managed to hide so many guests from me, never mind the barmaid from the Spoiled Princess.
I finished my rounds of the bar back where I started, flinging my arms around Aedan's neck with a laugh. "Happy birthday, brother! How did you do this?"
He chuckled. "Don't look at me! I had nothing to do with this. I was just as surprised as you about ten minutes before you walked in."
I glanced at Zevran in disbelief, and he shook his head mischievously. "I may have helped a little, cara mia, but most of the credit goes to someone else."
He gestured behind me, and I turned to see my husband, face slightly red with embarrassment, shrug akwardly. "What? It's your birthday. And I just got lucky with the timing."
"You? Really?" I left Aedan and pressed up against him, reaching up to cup my hand around his face. He nodded, and I went up on tiptoes to kiss him, ignoring the cheering and catcalls this earned me, enjoying the heat of him as he held me. "I love you. When did you even have time-?"
He chuckled and released me with a kiss on the forehead. "What can I say? I told you I'm good at getting out of chores."
At my side, I heard Aedan curse. "'Be right back,' he said, or 'I just need to talk to Levi,' -- you left me all the paperwork while you planned this!"
We all laughed, and then settled in for a wonderful evening.
And I wasn't disappointed; I got updated on Wynne's clinic in Denerim -- now fully staffed and functioning well, and several other similar clinics had popped up, with Greagoir's help, in other cities in Ferelden, including Highever and South Reach. I saw Nathaniel's eyes light up when he heard us discussing it, and he quickly cornered Wynne to quiz her on what it would take to set one up in Amaranthine.
I spoke with Shale and Caridin; Aedan had been in contact with the two golems through Sereda, and they had decided to accompany the Wardens on their trip to map the Deep Roads underneath the Keep. They'd had no luck on reproducing whatever it was that gave the two of them sentience, and Wynne hadn't been able to offer much aid either. I was no help; in the book Asunder, they'd never found anything -- but they'd been looking to turn Shale back into a dwarf, not free other golems. I promised to ask Lana, the Tranquil recruit, to keep an eye out for anything that might shed light on it when she began organising the libraries at the Peak. But for now the two golems were happy to assist Aedan -- and Sereda -- with mapping as much of the Deep Roads as they could access, and would hopefully pick up some deactivated golems along the way as well.
I chatted and laughed with Nate, who planned to spend a few days at the Peak before leaving for Highever; I got to know my guards and personal maid better, and drank enough wine that Alistair was going to have to assist me back to our quarters when we were done. I played cards -- badly -- with the Wardens, losing all the coin I happened to have in the small purse I carried. I declined to bet with my clothes, to much good-natured teasing, and retreated into Alistair's arms blushing furiously.
It got late, and with Aedan leaving early in the morning to head into the Deep Roads, we finally called it a night. I made sure that Wynne, Nate, Caridin, and Shale had appropriate lodgings, that Felsi was happy closing up the bar -- and staying with Oghren, apparently. I collected a last round of hugs, mostly from my close friends but also from those leaving in the morning, and then allowed Alistair to escort me upstairs to our suite. At Alistair's nod, Aedan and Zevran followed us up, and we all collapsed onto couches in the sitting room together.
"Best birthday ever," I declared, smiling warmly at my husband, whose lap I inhabited.
"What are birthdays like on Earth?" Aedan asked. "How did you celebrate?"
"I imagine most people had parties -- similar to this." I gestured vaguely in the direction of the tavern. "I...didn't."
"No parties?" Alistair's smile was sympathetic.
"No real celebration, honestly. Who would celebrate the birthday of an unwanted foster-child? And I didn't really have any friends, even as an adult." Alistair frowned, but I spoke again before he could interrupt me. "Don't tell me you had a marvellous time in the Chantry on your birthday."
He grinned. "Pretty sure I still hold the record for pots scrubbed on a birthday, actually." I laughed. "But it was different, my first birthday with the Wardens. There was drinking, and...well, I don't remember much else, but Duncan was there, and I woke up in the dining room of the Warden compound and someone had covered me with a blanket -- who could ask for more?"
I giggled and leaned in to kiss him, smiling at my mental image of Alistair curled up under a table and Duncan bringing him a blanket.
"Well, your birthday isn't over yet, if I judge the time correctly. And I'm fairly certain it's traditional for family to bestow gifts on someone's name day, yes?" The Antivan stood, ignoring Aedan's suddenly terrified expression, to retrieve a couple of packages I hadn't noticed on the mantel. Alistair lifted me out of his lap and left the room, and I could hear him rummaging around in one of the little, as yet unused rooms down the hall.
Finally Alistair returned, lugging a large awkward box -- and something larger still, a chest perhaps, which he left in the hallway just out of my line of sight. He walked over to Aedan and set the box down in front of him with a smile. "Happy birthday, brother."