faderift | Open! Operation Swan Song

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Open! Operation Swan Song

WHO: Henry Swan and you!
WHAT: Henry is getting use to Skyhold.
WHEN: After his arrival and then the rest of the week
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: Unless speeches about hope require warnings there will likely be some

Library
Henry has been getting use to Skyhold since his arrival. Being fed, finally cleaning his clothes (even if they were edging on the side of raggedy) and finally be able to clean were bonuses, but the best part? Books. A library full of books. Sure, it couldn't beat the White Spire's collection but having spent months in the wilderness? This was good enough for him.

Henry came early in the morning, while no one was around to at least get the best pick of the selection here. He's cornered himself off at one of the tables with two very large stacks of books sitting at the end of the table. He goes through each one hungrily, smelling the page and written word as he absorbs the knowledge and stories inside. As the day goes, Henry continues to be far too engrossed in his reading as more people come in. His stacks still not having much of a dent in them, but a few of the tomes have been finished.

When he finishes one (The Dasher's Men by Varric Tathras) he means to put it in his finished pile. That is until he bumps the stack by mistake and all those books go tumbling to the floor.

"Damn," He mutters and slides the book he holds onto the table, now beginning what would look like a mess of fifty two pick up with novels. He has to check them over though as he picks up each one, has to make sure they weren't damaged. What a waste that would be.

Stables
He always had a fondness for horses. Before being taken to the circle he always wanted to ride one back at his family's estate. His father always told him his horse would let him know when it was ready to be ridden. When Henry often asked what that meant but his father never really told him. He supposed it was just a father thing to do. Be a giant, cryptic dork.

But, that never came to be. Taken to the circle at seven leaves a boy without a lot of experiences. He'd seen horses from the window of his room at the circle or when he was on the road, but he never had chance to get so close to one. Couldn't have any detours if he and Fredrick were to get to the Free Marches...

But that plan went out the window awhile ago.

For now, he's up close to one of the horses. It's a very dark, chestnut color, it's head poking out from the opening in it's pen. Henry's off to the side, arms resting on the wooden wall, every now and then reaching out to stroke the horse's side.

"So, will you tell me when I'm ready to ride you? Or do we have to stand like this for hours?"

Maybe talk to the strange boy looking at the horses or pull him away. He can't be up to anything good can he?

Courtyard
Henry is sitting on on one of the fences off to the side. He just seems to watch some of the soldiers doing their daily routine of training. He's pretty transfixed as he watches the swords clash against one another. He wishes he could take one up, start practicing on his own while the soldiers run their drills. But, he holds back, since that might disturb them and land him in unwanted trouble. Sitting and watching is always a good past time is it not?

Later, however, it looks like the soldiers take something of a long break. No body was around and from the looks of it, one of the soldiers foolishly left one of their blade's behind. Henry sits there for a long moment. Looking left, looking right and it looked like really NO ONE was around currently.

Sense not withstanding, he gets up from his spot and hurries over to circle and picks up the sword. There's a smirk on his face as he lifts the blade to eye level and now he's just making some fairly slow swings at the air. The blade's heavy but he's being as careful as he can. So, no big deal, right?

Healing tents
Henry is still only an apprentice and while he is capable of fixing wounds it wouldn't be a good idea quite yet to set him upon the injured. For now he's more of a glorified delievery person. Not that he minds all that much. Here and there he helps mend a few non lethal wounds, but otherwise he's running around the tents dropping off supplies.

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"You know ... typically swords should only be handled by someone who knows how to swing the thing. At least, that's what my brother Carver always told me." Comes the wryly cheerful response from behind the boy, where Bethany stood in her Warden robes, leaning slightly on her staff. She lifted one dark eyebrow at the boy, her dimples flashing.

"I am getting the very strong feeling that you haven't been one for swords, yourself."

Henry hadn't expected company, but then again, he's out in the open and a mage swinging a sword around was bound to garner some attention. He doesn't drop the blade on the ground, but lowers it to his side. Best to not injure the sword if it can be.

The smile however does displace what would've been doubt and he returns it with one of his own. He would've answered her general statement with a joke about the chantry and how the mothers might faint from the scandal of a mage wielding a blade...if it weren't for the fact he notices those warden robes.

Henry's attention is now less off the fact he was playing around with a sword and getting caught and more to the fact that there is a Grey Warden right before him. Somehow his smile gets even broader. But, he best answer or look like some daft tit. "Uh, yeah I never really got the chance. You know, chantry might have a heart attack if a mage could wield fire and swords," he's pretty fast at talking at least to move onto a question that's burning inside: "But, uh, you're...you're a grey warden, aren't you?" Please say you're a grey warden, mysterious lady.

Well, that was smart, but he looked like a smart young man. She nodded her approval, before she moved across the courtyard towards him. Amusement flashes over her face at the joke, before she said with mock somberness. "I'll be honest, I've seen mages wielding both, and trust me, it would give them all heart attacks, probably right before they wet their pants."

She blinked at the question, before she laughed. "What gave me away, the robes? The general sense of mysteriousness?"

"I don't think the chantry could ever recover after that. The embarrassment of wetting themselves would probably be enough to do that." Jokes aside, he smirks a little at her line of questioning on how he could tell.

"You've got that whole, Grey Warden broodiness going on. The robes were just the second clue," Of course it was just the robes. This lady seemed far too sunshine and rainbows to ever appear broody.

Now with that answered...."Do you think I could ask you a few things? About the grey wardens I mean? I've read so much about them but I don't think any of it could do them justice."

"Oh Maker, I would give a bag filled with gold coins to watch that." She grinned a little at that smirk. A sweet boy with a sense of humor? The kind of boy she wanted to know.

"Oh good, I'm living up to our rules." She beamed at that, before she held out her hand so she could introduce herself. "Warden Bethany Hawke, at your service, young ser ...?"

The dimples deepened, even though her eyes were a little soft and sad. "Tell you what. You put the sword back where you found it, and I'll answer what I can."

Henry took the hand a little too eagerly one might say. If this were Orlais and this woman was some noble woman, he'd probably get stabbed in his sleep. Thankfully this is not The Game.

However, that name does sound somewhat recognizable. "Hawke? Like the Champion of Kirkwall?" Not the literal champion but who knows. Maybe they were related or it was just a funny coincidence. Oh wait, right, she was asking for his name. "It's Henry Swan," he replied politely slipping his hand away from hers. Whether she knew the last name was up in the air. Swan was a popular name after all, but if she knew of nobles near Kirkwall the noble house of Swan was a thing there.

Ah, but with conditions. Livable conditions at least. He nod and does exactly so and then offers his arm in a pointed kind of gesture saying 'shall we sit...because I wanna know everything tellmetellmetellme'

Equally thankful is that Bethany's not from Orlais and wouldn't think of stabbing some poor boy for being excited to meet a Warden. Orlais, however, was very strange.

She dimpled again, "The one and the same - she's my older sister." Now it was her turn to pause, "Swan? Like the noble house?" She only knew this because even as a Grey Warden, her mother would send her letters on noble houses she might want to 'marry into one day'.

A tilt of her head, and then a charmed smile as she took his arm.

Now if Henry's face could light up anymore? He'd be like the sun for all of Skyhold to see. He's...he's standing before a legend. Or at the very least someone who was apart of the legend of the Champion. Didn't matter either way it was still amazing.

The lady on his arm is not something he ever expected to happen. After all, mages in circles don't often do this sort of thing. It was weird. But, not a bad weird. He walks over with her to take a seat on some stone benches. Her question does earn something of a blush to his cheeks. Okay, that was kind of embarrassing that she knew his house.

"Yeah, that would be the one. So, I guess we have something in common, huh?" Both living in or near the worst place in Thedas.

But once he sits he has already a million questions. He supposes though he should ask something simple before he goes on his tirade "So, what's it like? Being a Grey Warden?"

She's quite used to people looking at her like she's some sort of hero-by-proxy, and instead of preening or looking uncomfortable, she gives the boy a nod and another quiet smile of acknowledgement. People needed to know there were heroes. It gave them hope.

Aw, and he was blushing because she knew his house. She gave him a pat on the hand, as she settled herself down. "That we do - As I am from the House of Amell and Hawke... " And well, Kirkwall.

She folds her hands together, considering his words, "It is a great responsibility, and a great burden, all in one. There will not be another Blight for some time, but as current events have proven -- it is perhaps time the Grey Wardens stepped out of the shadows and started to help Thedas in a real way. We are trained to fight darkspawn, to kill them and find a way to end Blights forever. Yet we cannot stand idly by while the world swarms down into chaos, can we?"

New favourite Warden (the only warden he's met really). Just for the sake of heroes giving people hope.

Enough of noble houses though, that could wait until later in his mind. Right now he just wanted to hear about Grey Wardens.

Everything she says to him is a point he agrees with. While he never really questioned the Wardens not taking part in the world aside from defeating Darkspawn and Blights now seemed a good a time as any to do so. If anything it just solidifies how heroic the wardens really were. "I suppose that's why we're all here with the Inquisition. Whether Warden or not we all just want to make the world a better place."

She ... really wouldn't know what to do with that one. She's never been anyone's favorite Warden, outside of Alejandro and honestly? She won by default.

She looked at him, and nodded her head once more, a quieter sort of smile taking over her face. "Exactly so. We're all pitching in, to help save the world we all live in. I suppose in that way, it makes us all some kind of Warden, doesn't it?"

They'll make an award for her or something. Set it up in the Warden camp for all to see. It'll be great.

Her logic of the situation does make him smile a little it. Okay, so maybe it's not the same as being a GREY Warden but it was similar, he supposes. "Guess you'd be right on that count. But, it's not like the Inquisition was well known about being wardens of the world before all of this. You all slay archdemons and battle darkspawn," though maybe he would be selling the Inquisition short if he blathered on about how great the wardens were.

"But, have to admit the Inquisition has accomplished a lot of great things. Mages and templars working together? And no ones losing their heads about equal freedom? It's almost like a dream."

Well as long as it wasn't a statue - she has yet to see a statue of Andraste that didn't make her think Andraste's breasts couldn't possibly be that large.

"That's true. In fact their history was a little more... ah, sorted." Her smile became crooked, and a little sad, "But so is the Wardens. We cannot judge the actions of the brave against the actions of the mad, even if they are part of the same group."

Something she had to keep reminding herself of. She nodded her head in agreement though. "No one did - but they made it happen. They shall do much more."

It'll be a tasteful statue. One without breasts that could not exist in the real world.

Sorted history? He looks a little confused. He never read anything about the Inquisition before this. Had there already been one? Hm, he'll have to look through the library on that bit. However he has a feeling he knows what she means. News had sort of spread about Adamant and well... maybe he should ask. "You mean like Adamant?" Yeah, that was definitely a very big black spot in a whole lot of good.

Still, he hopes the Inquisition will continue to focus on what's right. They have so far.

She'll take it. Especially with tasteful breasts, dear Maker please could she have those?

She nodded her head at that, her expression serious. "We falter, we're human. We let fear overwhelm us, just like everyone else. What is important is what you do after you are afraid, and you make a mistake. If you are brave enough to apologize, and ... honestly, make up for it."

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Open! Operation Swan Song

Courtyard

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lemme know if you want me to edit with the character knowledge stuff

Not at all!

Lots not go to Orlais, tis a silly place

Re: Lots not go to Orlais, tis a silly place

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