find a distraction and observe the Castle Cousland guards training

Any distraction would be preferable to being subjected to the inevitable topic of marriage and as a result Aedan decided to put off the talks with his fathers freind as much as possible and oversee how the guards of his family's castle were faring during training. He needed to see that they were up to the standards they should be if they were going to guard the castle of one of the most well known noble families in Fereldan. Yes, that was it!

"Get your footwork sorted, recruit!" Aedan heard Castle Cousland's man-at-arms Roald Rosenbaum bark as he entered the courtyard; a man only a few year's younger than his father Bryce Cousland and wearing a full suit of heavy red steel armor, the man-at-arms was currently finished sweeping a young guard recruit off his feet and onto the floor on his back, his splintmail suit of armor clanking as it impacted with the ground; the recruit looked only a few year's older than Aedan. "If this were a real sword you would be dead!" the man-at-arms was currently holding the tip of a dulled iron practice sword at the young recruits neck.

"Now get back to training with the others" Roald said while gesturing with the practice sword to the gathering of Castle Cousland's guards currently sparring with each other.

"Ah, my lord Cousland. What brings you here?" Roald greeted before making a small bowing gesture.

"Just seeing how the men are doing" Aedan said "I assume they're doing fine?"

"Some of them are" Roald grunted "and some like this idiot" the man-at-arms pointed at the recruit he had just finished teaching a lesson in humility by sweeping his feet out from under him "think they're the Makers gift to swordplay only to not know how to keep up with even the most novice of swordsmen" he shook his head "young and arrogant"

"Unfortunately" Aedan agreed as he watched the recruit in question fumbling about as he sparred with one of the more experienced Castle Cousland guards.

"So, what are your impressions so far?" Roald asked curiously as Aedan watched the guards sparring with each other, or at least some of them as a few of what Aedan could only assume were new recruits men and women were fumbling about and consistently getting their practice swords knocked out of their hands by the more experienced guards they found themselves sparring with.

"Mixed" was all the young Cousland said as some of the Cousland guards sparred with each other with both of them seemingly on par with the skill level of the other and others fumbling about not knowing the first thing about basic combat.

"Arl Howe is in the Great Hall" Roald informed as he looked on at the sparring castle's guards with a critical eye "I'm surprised you arent meeting with them"

"And listen to Howe try and marry me off to his daughter for what must be the tenth time or so?" Aedan said, irritated.

"He still at it then?" Roald chuckled at the annoyed expression of the young Cousland as the topic of marriage came up.

"Its all he ever talks to me about" Aedan said "it's always marry my daughter, marry my daughter, marry my daughter"

"I'm sure you wont be forced into it" Roald said as swore under his breath each time one of the recruits got knocked off their feet or had their weapons knocked out of their hand.

"I know" Aedan sighed "but still, it gets old real fast"

"I'm sure it does" Roald replied sympathetically "seeing as how you need to take your mind off Howe then how about we continue with your combat training?" he asked