eachdraidh | video

Entry tags:

video - one.

When my mother told me tales of magical creatures and monsters under the bed when I was a child I always thought they were just stories to teach me a lesson - you know, 'don't sleep under the bed with the dog, Marian, the monsters will get you'! I didn't think they were real, I thought she meant fleas.

[ She's lifting her shoulder, now, almost a shrug, even as she's grinning. Humour is her forte, her defence, and waking up in a place where she has to fight another war for people she barely knows, other than as a whole, as stereotypes. It's not that she minds fighting, of course, as that's what she does for a living, but she likes having a definite reason to fight. Someone was murdered, a child was kidnapped, mages were being tortured, elves enslaved - that sort of thing. She needs a little more than 'she's special'.

Because, in her mind, she isn't. ]

But here we are and here they are. We're here to help, right? ... Unless this has something to do with the looters in the Wounded Coast or that Qunari patrol, in which case... I didn't do it? Really, I promise it was an accident. Honest.

[ The little smile on her face is proof enough that it obviously wasn't an accident - but she continues, crossing her arms over her chest. Jokes and humour are all well and good, of course, but she does have a point. ]

If you've seen a dwarf without a beard, tell me. Or a scary glowing elf. Actually, if you see scary glowing anything you should definitely let me know. I'll take care of them.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

And I'm in Caer Glaem. From the map it looks like a few months stand between us, at least.

[ And that doesn't please her. All joking aside she's a little frustrated that her only friend is far too great a distance away from her; what is she supposed to do with that? She purses her lips until his little strained joke - it draws a smile out of her even if it doesn't exactly lift her mood. ]

I've been taken away from the middle of fleeing for my life and been given a charming room with a lovely view with faeries hovering around my shoulders. I'm delighted.

[ Still, she leans into the locket, frowning. ]

Are you well? That place doesn't look particularly inviting, even by our standards.

It's actually quite comfortable, relatively speaking. It reminds me of the Circle.

[ That isn't a good thing, but it does mean he has a real bed and access to a library. ]

The Circle without the rules or guards or... [ He pauses. He hadn't decided how to feel about this yet; he's been too busy resenting being drafted into someone else's war when his own is brewing back home to be more than mildly surprised and even more mildly offended by the side that chose him.

This isn't the right place for Justice, but maybe it is the right place for Anders.

He doesn't continue the thought, just smiles, vague and wry. ]

Perhaps we could meet somewhere for a drink in a month or so. Three weeks if we run.

Was that supposed to be comforting? Because it wasn't.

[ Her rooms are, comparably, a lot nicer - apparently she has some kind of status here, technically being both Lady Amell and the Champion and it means something (as if she actually cares). ]

Templars? Abominations? Explosions? I don't know a lot about the circle but I can imagine a few things, here and there, and those are the top three.

[ The familiar smile is a strange comfort even if half of her wants to embrace him and the other half wants to smack him around the head, still a little embittered from the choice she'd had to make. So far, though, he's her only friend here and she does care for him, far too much, so she simply offers a little smirk of her own. ]

I'll give you a head start. You'll need it.

Maybe a few abominations.

[ He's admitting that now. Progress, or something.

An eyebrow goes up. ]

I kept up with you for six years, Hawke. Or were you holding back?

[ He would not actually be surprised. ]

A few is better than a lot, I suppose.

[ Progress indeed. She's still incredibly sour about the Chantry and while she is quite happy to joke and tease with him the second she lays her eyes on him she is bound to do something untowards. Probably including a punch. ]

Would you be offended if I was? I had to do something to keep you all confident.

Some of us might have done with a bit less confidence.

[ Not him. He isn't that self-aware. But Merrill, at least, for sure. ]

If they expect us to fight one another—[ He just shakes his head. Maybe that will be easier for Hawke than it will for him. ]

Well, the more the merrier, don't you think?

[ She shakes her head too, though, not looking pleased, her lips twisting into a thin line. ]

I won't fight you. I already made my choice - and they can deal with that.

Mm. [ There's less reservation to his smile this time. ] Sebastian isn't over there with you, is he?

[ A pause, then she shakes her head, once. ]

No. It's just me.

Oh.

[ At least it's not just him, then. They're alone together. ]

I'm sorry. Not about Sebastian, he can rot. [ As can Fenris, and Merrill, and maybe Aveline on a bad day. ] But I bet Varric would have gotten a kick out of everything. Epic struggle and all of that.

I'm sure you are.

[ Thinking back, she's sure only Varric and Bethany ever got along with Anders and just thinking about them made her chest hurt. She dismisses it instead with a wave of her hand. ]

He'd have written a novel by now.

And it'd already be wildly popular in both courts.

When you make it home, you can tell him... [ And there's a worrying thought, unbidden. ] If everything you love is in danger if you lose, and everything I love is in danger if we lose, what does that mean for the things we both love?

If. If I make it back to Kirkwall it won't be home anymore.

[ She purses her lips, crossing her arms. ]

Everything I love is already in danger. I may as well fight for them here.

[ He opens his mouth, then shuts it; maybe the ability to accept that has something to do with why Hawke's over there and he's over here. ]

Well. Do me a favor and dress your new friends as Templars.

[ Or, you know, don't. Even the word makes Anders' voice change. He shakes it off and smiles. ]

Was that supposed to be funny?

[ She crosses her arms, giving him one of her infamous looks. ]

I... Yes.

[ Sorry he's still not sorry. How many people would he still happily burn? SO MANY.

The look makes him stop smiling, though, at least, and look away. ]

[ She breathes a deep sigh, shaking her head and lifting her hands. ]

You always know how to brighten the mood.

[ Hmph. ] Varric would have laughed.

Varric would laugh at one of us falling down the stairs. Do you really want that to be the height of your humour, Anders?

Height... stairs... Was that intentional?

Isn't my humour always intentional?

I don't know. Were you trying to be funny when you invited the Arishok to dance?

No, I was being quite serious. I thought he would be the only man in the world who wouldn't complain if I stepped on his toes.

They would be so lucky. Although—maybe not in those boots.

[ She puts a hand to her chest, feigning horror. ]

Are you insulting my fashion taste, mister mage hats?

video - one.

video ↝ locked

video ↝ locked

video ↝ locked

video ↝ locked

video ↝ locked

video ↝ locked

video ↝ locked

video ↝ locked

video ↝ locked

video ↝ locked

video ↝ locked

video ↝ locked

video ↝ locked

video ↝ locked

video ↝ locked

video ↝ locked

video ↝ locked

video ↝ locked

video ↝ locked

video ↝ locked

video ↝ locked

video ↝ locked

video ↝ locked

video ↝ locked

video ↝ locked

video ↝ locked

video ↝ locked

video ↝ locked

video ↝ locked