The way he watches the Tower as they approach is with
wonder, but the grip he has on Judes hand and how close
he was on the boat changed the wonder to worry. He
was uncomfortable on the water, he didn't like the rocking,
he didn't like the lake, he worried at any moment that the
boat would turn and they would sink down together, Jude
because of his armor and Ayeni because he wouldn't let
go.
Jude places his other hand over both of the young boys,
bracing him and keeping him focused as they make their
final approach. Once he lifts his gaze from the bottom of
the boat to the approaching dock he can see more figures,
full armor but no helms. It made them a little less imposing
but the small Dalish still pushes away in the boat, pushes
closer to man he had traveled with the last two weeks.
It was so simple for the Templar to calm the boy, he had
learned that while the dalish was extremely trusting, he
was also easily scared. Distraction had always worked
best to keep them on track. He points somewhere other
than at the tower, he points at the castle in the distance
and mumbles some pointless fact he can barely remember.
It worked as well as a dream, with something to focus
on that wasn't the tower that shadowed them, Ayeni
begins to calm, and he calms enough for the ferryman
to dock.
Unease was the best way to describe how he felt. Uneasy
at needing to stand on something that wasn't solid, that
he was going to be in this place that wouldn't let him roam
as he had all his life. Uneasy that he has to let go of Judes
hand in order for the other male to get off the boat.
Fortunately there was another Templar there that he could
grab onto, and he does so without giving any thought to
it, small hands grabbing onto Cullens gloved ones before
the young elf looks up.
He was clean, no tattoos, no markings, the only thing that
marked him as dalish at all were his clothing, otherwise
one might easily mistake him for a city elf. And with icy
blue eyes, he stares up at the new man, looking far too
close to overwhelmed and scared, but mere moments
after he's on solid ground he begins to relax all over
again.
And he grins.