OPEN | Sitting near the fireplace

[pinprick]

WHO: Nathaniel Howe
WHAT: Open Post/Catch-All for October
WHEN: All month long
WHERE: Camp Shady, the Kestrel House, and Skyhold
NOTES: Will update with any warnings.

I.

Today is damp and drizzly, a bad day for the rheumatism that has plagued him on and off since the fight with Vengeance. He looks wan, and unlike other days, he spreads a blanket out before a fire in the Warden camp, pulls his hood up, and reclines against cushions and bedrolls as he cooks.

Yes, Nathaniel Howe is cooking.

Most of it is stirring pots of things. At one point, he is on his feet kneading bread. Then he is putting it in the small cast iron oven and covering it with hot ash to leave it to bake.

Join him in preparing the food, or in eating it, or simply while he reclines and sips from a mug of anti-inflammatory tea Anders made for him.

II.

On fair days, Nathaniel is at the range, shooting from bows of varying draw weights, saving the heaviest--his ancestral bow--for last. At times, he sets aside the bow and picks up a sword, going through exercises so ingrained that they become meditative, even nostalgic.

III.

In the Herald's Rest, Nathaniel has learned most of the songs and can sing along with them, though he has no idea who this Sera is or why the minstrel thinks "Enchanter" is pronounced that way. They're catchy songs, especially the one about taking back the sky and the one about Sera. The important thing is that they're singable and lift the spirits.

With no one listening, Nathaniel's singing voice is soft, low, and scratchy, but he can carry about three-quarters of the tune without a problem, sliding between notes like he's finding his footing on a muddy uphill climb and arriving just after the note is supposed to be sung.

IV. - Wildcard

Comments

II

[blightedson]

Felix hasn't even attempted arrows, but he does spend every day trying to learn how to properly use a sword. He's learned a lot, but he's still a little awkward with it. When he sees Nate using one he comes a little closer.

"Mind some company?"

[pinprick]

"Not at all." Nathaniel is a bit breathless, but he offers Felix a smile and a nod. "Feel like getting a little exercise?"

[blightedson]

Felix returns the nod. "And any more pointers you have, of course," he replies with a small smile. He keeps his voice casual because he doesn't want people to think of him as a charity case. He just wants them to know he's open for any input.

[pinprick]

The next half-hour or so is spent fine-tuning details in Felix's stance and how he holds his sword-arm, in between short bouts of sparring. During a break, Nathaniel brings water to Felix before sipping at his own cup.

"You're diligent," he comments. "Determined to learn. In my opinion, one of the best qualities a person can have."

For Anders

[pinprick]

It's a perfectly lovely evening on a rainy day. Healing magic has eased Nathaniel's pain, as has some vigorous lovemaking. It's after they've both bathed that Nathaniel approaches Anders as he dries his own hair in front of the fire. He kneels behind him and touches the towel as Anders works.

"May I?"

[justice_is_blond]

He looks up, and his eyes crinkle in a smile.

"Of course." Anders releases the towel into Nate's hold and relaxes against the archer. It's nice to be able to simply trust. To be loved, too, but trust is such a luxury.

[pinprick]

Nathaniel blots water from that beautiful hair, pressing a kiss to the top of it when it's dry enough.

"What did you do today?" It's one of those things, wanting to know every little detail of your significant other's day.

[justice_is_blond]

"The usual, stirred trouble, caused dissension, you know the drill." He can joke about it here. This is where he's safe, where someone understands what he's saying.

"More specifically, healed, got another letter, tried to do more digging in the library about lyrium and ways to get it out of someone's system when it's been introduced. That wasn't successful. But at least I could heal more after that." At least there's something he can do for people here. "Oh, and I found that a little honey on one of Purrelden's paws will keep her entertained for nearly an hour."

That gets an upward flash of a brilliant smile. "How was your day?"

[pinprick]

A low chuckle. Nathaniel sets the towel aside and picks up the brush. "I practiced with the sword again. It's not that I ever really stopped practicing the sword, I just stopped focusing, I suppose. But it's easier on the days like today, with the sword instead of the bow."

His smile wanes, but doesn't really leave, as he begins brushing Anders' hair at the ends, slowly and gently working his way up.

iii

[universal_charm]

"If you drink a little more, you'll get better," Kirk said to Nathaniel, coming up beside him at his table and flashing a smile. There wasn't much free room anywhere in Herald's Rest at the moment, so he had decided to go for the roomiest spot and someone who looked amiable (more or less). If there was one thing to be said about these old pubs, it was that they encourage you to get to know your neighbor.

"At least that always worked for me."

[pinprick]

Nathaniel's eyebrows lift briefly as he takes a drink.

"I hate to disappoint you, but that was probably just you."

He knows that's the joke that was being made, but he's going with it.

[universal_charm]

He laughed. "Maybe, or maybe alcohol just makes everything look and sound better. Mind if I sit?" He patted the chair, pulling it out slightly.

[pinprick]

"It is magical that way." Nathaniel nods toward the chair, signalling Kirk to sit. A glimpse at his hand shows he's one of those rifter folk. Nathaniel has no idea if they're demons or not, but he's not prepared to anger one either way.

"Senior Warden Nathaniel Howe." He holds his hand out to shake.

[universal_charm]

Kirk took the hand, shaking, only then realizing he had forgotten to put on the wrap he usually kept over his shard. Well, at least it meant Nathaniel didn't immediately hate him, which was comforting.

"I think we've met before - in passing. There were other things to focus on at the time," he nodded. "James Tiberius Kirk. I helped with one of the rituals for Anders."

III

[conqueredhearts]

One large man picked up on the voice that clearly wasn't the minstrel and he laughed as he went to join the man. It was rather hard to resist really but at least he was cheerful about it when he sat near him with a grin on his face. "My friend, I think you version might be rather more unique at this rate. Though I applaud when you do reach that hilltop for notes."

It was light teasing really because he really only found pleasure in someone who enjoyed a song enough to want to hum it in the first place. "The song is good though is it not? I've found myself liking it a great deal. Had I a harp I would teach myself to play it."

Yes. This giant man who was so warrior class it hurt just said he would like a harp to teach himself to play this song. Such was the way of Iskandar.

[pinprick]

A hoarse chuckle. Nathaniel is no singer and he has never been under the illusion that he is. A poet, however...no, that isn't going to come up here.

"I expect our minstrel has a bit of a crush," he answers. "If a particular disagreeable girl inspires her best work."

[conqueredhearts]

"Ah. Does this mean that Sera is here?" He chuckled but it seemed he rather liked the idea of a minstrel admiring someone here already. Or having met once then met again. The idea was rather enchanting for certain.

"I should like to meet her if she is."

[pinprick]

"I've no idea whatever. I'd think it would be a bit awkward to sing a song about a girl when she's nearby, though. It would embarrass me, at any rate." A nod. "Nathaniel Howe, Senior Grey Warden."

I

[sunshinethroughgrey]

Bethany stepped out of her tent, pulling the hood up on her cloak against the drizzle. She breathed in deep, catching the scents of delicious food being made. Looking around, she smiled as she spotted Nate. She plucked her robes off the wet ground, and went to join him.

She flashed him a quiet smile as she stirred one of the pots for him, nodding, but she didn't say anything. It seemed to be one of those moments where she and Nate could just be quiet together for a little while, where it was all fine with the world.

[pinprick]

Except it wasn't.

"So. Aleron." A gleam comes to Nathaniel's eyes. "How are things going?"

[sunshinethroughgrey]

Oh well gracious. That turned ... quite fast.

A flush touched her cheek, although her smile. "Things are going ... quite well."

[pinprick]

"How well?" Nathaniel has known Aleron for even longer than he has known Bethany, but that doesn't mean he's off the hook if he doesn't treat Bethany well.

II

[eternalsquire]

Near Nate, but not too near him, an elf runs through the forms a beat behind, eyes on the human. It's been a while since he trained last; it's not like being in Zapp's service demands he pull out his blade often. But though he's slow, the forms are accurate. If there's one thing Kif isn't, it's sloppy.

[pinprick]

Nathaniel turns at some point to view the elf, watching him for a moment, before he clears his throat.

"A little more weight on your forward foot," he suggests.

[eternalsquire]

Kif looks back at the human for a moment, considering, before he nods and tries that. The man's wearing enough to mark him as a Grey Warden, which Kif takes to mean he knows what he's doing, even beyond how the forms had looked.

The movement feels easier and a little faster, a little more natural.

"Thank you," Kif says a little awkwardly. Some humans around here were helpful for the sake of being helpful, but he's not sure if that's what's happening here. It's never safe to assume.