faderift | [open] we sit and grow our roots into the floor

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[open] we sit and grow our roots into the floor

WHO: Cade and his many friends and admirers
WHAT: a dumb sulky baby got hurt at the Winter Palace because he was dumb and now he is sulking about it
WHEN: post-Halamshiral, simultaneous with red lyrium plot hell
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: Injury stuff, nothing ridiculous

The Healing Tents

For the umpteenth time in the span of two years, Cade is under supervision. But this time it's not because he was violent-- well... it was, but indirectly-- it's because he got a couple spikes of red lyrium through the thigh after flipping out and battling Red Templars completely unarmored in the Winter Palace.
He ingested red lyrium once before, and from what anyone can tell it caused him to smack an elf. This is a lot more of the stuff, and Cade is notoriously unstable, so he's being watched to make sure it doesn't alter his personality.

He's the first to reassure the healers that lyrium doesn't work like that, you have to take it daily and it slowly builds up in you and so forth, but, you know, caution is caution. He respects it. But he hates being fussed over, so periodically he'll sneak off a small ways just to have a bit of solitude.

Near the Healing Tents, Being a Renegade

Usually this means sitting up on the ramparts and watching people, reading, anything that gets him a little peace and quiet. For someone who seems to thrive on being told what to do, no one can tell Cade what to do and he will be stubborn for as long as it takes for him to be deemed Safe again.

This is pointless.

Choose Your Own Adventure

Whatever else! Hit me up if you want a specific scene, or just start one here and I will accede to your whims.

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Iskandar had been out for a walk when he'd seen the young man. Since it was someone he didn't know he went with the very obvious conclusion of what he should do. Of course, this was the opposite of what the normal reaction was which would have been to continue walking and minding his own business.

Hence why he now approached him with a big smile like they were old friends. "Good day, my friend! And what is it you are doing here on your own?"

Yep, one would think he knew whoever this was very well.

Here comes a large, loud, and aggressively red-haired man, and Cade is instantly terrified upon the moment of being greeted. He has a book open in front of him, which he almost forgets to hide behind his back as soon as he realizes it is visible to other people with eyes.

Rather than answer or stand or smile or greet Iskandar back like a real person would do, Cade stares at him like a frightened rabbit for several long moments, then whispers "hello" in return.

Well that was the most timid reaction he'd ever received in his life. Iskandar blinked in surprise then actually went to sit down in front of the young man. On the ground. He was obviously trying to make himself look smaller to help here even though he knew he was still going to be quite intimidating just by existing.

"What is it you are reading there? Is a book of stories?"

Of course, of course the book. He really needs to get better at hiding it, and before anyone can see that he even has one. Or he should just stop hiding it and incriminating himself before anyone can even look at the cover, but then what if they ask about it?
HIs life is a hellscape.

"No," he says quickly, almost defensively, and clears his throat. He'd stand up, but the whole point of being here is that he's injured, so he couldn't make a quick getaway if he tried.
Instead he just braces himself, looking like a person who's about to undergo something terribly unpleasant that he just has to grin and bear.

The large man tilted his head to the side. "My friend, you act as if you are terrified of the air I breathe as well as like you're ashamed of this book. If all of this is so terrible why be out here?"

Really it was a good question as far as he was concerned. Of course he didn't really give him time to answer because then he was smiling at him again as he leaned forward. "I am Iskandar! King of Conquerors! Who might you be?"

At this, Cade looks a little more anxious-- why?? As if he chooses to be here? His eyes dart to the bandage over his leg, then back up again. He takes a breath as though considering saying something, but then Iskandar introduces himself, and he's silent again.

That's. That's a name, right there.

"Um," he murmurs, "Cade."

"Cade! I like that name. So how were you injured, Cade? It seems it's recent enough for you to not run from social interaction with a stranger but old enough that you can be outside the tents of healing."

People always said Alexander the Great was a genius. Apparently it was pretty accurate.

"...thank you." Cade isn't necessarily terrified anymore, but he's still eyeing Iskandar as though he's a bear that might attack at the slightest provocation.
"Um. The Winter Palace," he explains in the lowest voice possible to still be heard, "red lyrium." That's probably enough information for the typical asker, and he can't help but hope Iskandar is typical.

"Mm. I did hear a lot happened there." Iskandar brought his hand up to stroke his chin in thought. Honestly he wondered what would have happened if he'd been there. Could he have prevented some sort of injury happening to the people who got hurt? Possibly not. Ah well. There was no point in dwelling on what he could have done when he could spend that energy on what could happen in the future.

"At least you are healing well! After all, you are out here reading your book of mystery!"

At least the man has backed off some. Cade is pleasantly surprised, though still wary. "..yes," he agrees quietly, but at the mention of the book, his entire face goes red. He looks away, biting the inside of his cheek, hoping the book is never mentioned again.

"Um... yes. Thank you." He's not sure what he's thanking him for, but he hopes it works.

"Is this book a journal of sorts? You do become flustered whenever I mentioned." Really he wasn't sure why he wanted to guess to much. Other than the fact that the young man was so closed off that suddenly his curiosity had intensified. Just what was making this man so flustered every time the topic came up?

Probably not the normal way to make friends but there Iskandar was anyway.

"Yes," Cade answers quickly, since that would be an easy way to get out of the conversation, but... lying is a sin, and what would Andraste think? "...no," he sighs, defeated. Reluctantly, he withdraws the book from behind him and holds it out to Iskandar, eyes down. Swords and Shields, volume three.

Taking the book, he opened it and skimmed through a few pages. After a bit, he burst out laughing. "This is what you wished to hide? My friend, I have three wives and many lovers. Adventures like this is not at all a surprise to me!"

He flipped to look at the title and blinked a little. "This is the third volume! There is more to this tale?"

That is actually more horrifying than just talking about the book with Iskandar. This man is clearly... some kind of sexual deviant, or criminal even, from some Makerless land with no rules. More than one spouse and lovers? That's heinous.
Cade stares at him in vaguely frightened disbelief, to such a degree that he neglects to answer Iskandar's question.

He realized quickly he wasn't being answered. Blinking a few times he waited a little longer before finally tilting his head to the side. "Did I break you again? It seems I do that rather frequently just by existing near you. It makes me wonder if you are secretly some form of mouse in the body of a man."

Cade doesn't even nod, because by this point he's actually afraid to say anything else to Iskandar, in case it gets worse. He looks nervously away, then slowly limps to his feet, leaving the book on the ground as he makes a hobbling and pathetic break for it back to the tents. He certainly has a way of concluding a conversation.

Odd.

Getting to his feet, he easily caught up with him and even went to sweep the man up into his arms. Really as long as someone didn't struggle it would be easy enough. He was a foot taller and had enough muscle to lift two of Cade. "You are injured, my friend. I know I frighten you for some reason but you could at least get help going back. Especially if running from me might actually truly break you. Besides, you forgot your book."

That... really, really doesn't help. It does the opposite of help. The moment Cade perceives that he is not only being touched, but removed from the ground, and now restrained by someone easily twice his size, the mindless panic begins. He struggles at first, but only for a few seconds, until he realizes there's no hope of escape. Then he just... goes away. His body is still here, of course, and it's begun to shiver, but his eyes are distant and his face pained, tired. Few have ever looked so desolate as Cade does now. He seems caught in a flinch, waiting for something.

"I'm not really sure about what is wrong with you, my friend, but I will return you to the tents now so you may rest. Hopefully your soul will find its way back to you that way." He didn't put him down and instead continued on his way with his new Princess Cade in his arms. Finding an empty space at the tents, he set him down and put his book on his lap then went to see about a blanket to wrap around his shoulders. Smiling warmly at him, even after all that, he gave his head a rub. "There you go. Perhaps I should leave you now so you can recover. Hopefully I won't scare you so badly next time!"

At the very least, this has officially put Cade off ever leaving the healing tents again.
He has gradually curled inward as Iskandar carries him, and doesn't struggle at all when he's set back down. Instead he just lies there, hands over his face and fingers digging into his hair, waiting for it to be over.
He remains like this for a while after Iskandar has left.

Well he wasn't going to be getting anything more out of him. So he walked away, waving to people as he went. Might as well go see if he could find those other books in that series so he could read them for himself! It had seemed terrible but it might be entertaining all the same.

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[open] we sit and grow our roots into the floor

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