How gentle he looks there knelt before the mabari's big block head, all kindness and blatant affection. Just the edge of it, lingering there in the set of Ellis' expression as it turns upward in her direction, produces a sudden and pleasant warmth behind the ribs. How good it is to see him love something so openly. This business in Orzammar will have to be seen to and resolved directly, she decides all at once (having never given its duration any thought prior). It would be very cruel to keep Ruadh from him for long, and if she returns with no better souvenir from Orzammar then she will at least be content to know that she'll be returning to Kirkwall to witness that fine look of adoration on Ellis' face as the great dog comes bounding back off whatever packet they reserve for their return journey to rejoin his master.

"I'll consider it," she says, meaning very much to sound quite arch and cool and ruining it by instead smiling down at him as her hand continues to scratch absently behind Ruadh's ear. How difficult it is to see all that endearment in him and not simply reflect it directly back! So much so that there, amidst the bustle of the dockyard, she forgets the growing urgency to traipse up the gangway onto the little boat so she might be aboard ahead of her things and so see them directed according to her wishes, and momentarily loses track of even her annoyance over the inconvenience of such a traveling companion.

(Ruadh will take up a great deal of the space in the closet sized cabin to which she has been appointed on the Guillemot.)

"I promise to mind him very carefully, Mister Ellis."