[OPEN] Running with my roots pulled up

[amygdalae]

WHO: Bruce Banner and whoever else
WHAT: Rumors abound. Bruce is good at pretending he can't hear anything. A dracolisk makes everyone's life hell.
WHEN: Across Justinian
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: Belated open log thing for the remainder of June; prompts and such are under the cut. Starting in brackets but feel free to switch to prose and I will follow. If you want specific prompts/starters, let me know @ knightblazer or PM this journal!

one. trouble on four hooves. (stables)

[It's not exactly the first time the horsemaster is on his case and it probably won't be the last as well, if the current situation is to go by it.

Horsemaster Dennet wasn't exactly thrilled with the dracolisk that had decided to trail all the way back here with him (muttering along the lines of 'as if one of them wasn't enough'), but the one that Bruce... was stuck with had a tendency for more collateral damage. Nothing major, at least, but after breaking three gates and four fences in its apparent nightly ritual of getting out of the stables there were some lines that needed to be drawn. Thus, this current situation.

The hammer in his hand pounds loudly against the nails as Bruce does his best fixing up the damage the dracolisk had caused in the last few nights. The sleeves of his threadbare shirts are rolled up, for even with the chill here pounding away like this still made him sweat quite a bit, especially as he continued to toil away the hours.

Beside him the dracolisk chewed delicately on some hay, clearly much calmer and less prone to violence now that its human was around.]

two. not quite back to business (healing tents, courtyard)

[It was impossible to ignore the rumors, even if they weren't that hotly circulated, for better or for worse. But still the damage had been done and it would be a lie if he said that things were the same as before.

Nothing was the same as it used to be. After the fallout with Adelaide things didn't really quite look up. Patients who once came to him for help now avoided his gaze entirely and went to others, and the new ones who came in now looked at him with wariness, with all the suspicion that frustrated Bruce more than anything else. This was one of the reasons why he hid his magic away, why he stuck to herbs and what he could do with nothing but his head and his own two hands. He was here to help and he didn't need his magic to do it. It wasn't worth any of this.

(But of course, he deserved it. He knows that. He deserves every bit of this.)

Still, regardless of everything, he came here to do a job and despite all that had happened, there were always going to be people who needed help. So Bruce does the best he can, going around the courtyard to treat whoever was willing to accept his help and aiding anybody who came to his tent while he was in there.]

three. midnight mulling (battlements)

[The battlements had, in a way, become something of a sanctuary to him now. When the night gets this dark and most of Skyhold is asleep, the biting chill of the cold and the silence of the night comforts him well.

On most other nights he'd have the excuse of potion brewing to be up here but tonight that desire isn't there. He sits on the floor, back against one of the walls as he glances out to the mountains that surround them, the sky above that twinkle with countless stars. When everything feels so vast and overwhelming its easy enough to lose himself into the sight, to let them take him away from the chaos of his mind and his soul. To find that momentary peace within himself again, when every part of him rages for something else otherwise.]

wildcard.

[Feel free to throw in your own prompt or PM/contact me to plot out stuff!]

Comments

healing tents

[madame_de_fer]

[Madame de Fer is livid. No, that's too mild a word for the seething fury she's crossing through the fortress with. So cold is her demeanor, one can almost see the grass and rock freezing over as she passes by. Apostacy happens. Lying about having magic? A different crime altogether. Lying, even by omission, to her face? Very poor life decision.

She's heard about Bruce having magic. Asked around with trusted acquaintances who were also witnesses. Had a glass of quality wine. Hired movers to have his belongings rearranged. Taken several, deep centering breaths. Now she is quite ready to seek him out.

Vivienne stands in the entry of the healing tents with her arms folded over her chest with a firm frown etched into her face.]

[amygdalae]

[Bruce supposes this is a tune he has to face eventually. Adelaide is one thing, but the Iron Lady? That's a whole different song altogether.]

Madame de Fer. [He greets as he steps out of the tents after a long day's work. The expression on his face is placid and his voice is quiet, hiding any trace of emotion that he might feel. Better to get this over with as soon as he can.

After a brief pause from his initial greeting, he inclines his head and adds on--] I trust you have been well.

[Perhaps not the best thing to say, but well. Bruce never said he was good at things like these.]

[madame_de_fer]

Exceptionally. Aside from a certain problem that seems to have arisen. I've had a trusted friend lie to me.

[Know what's not helping Bruce in the least? Kallian hid her magic too. That's twice over betrayal. At this point, she's referencing them both. She just wants to see if his guilty conscious will spawn a confession and/or an apology, or if there's any guilt whatsoever. Either way, the truth is out now. Further falsehood is pointless.]

What I fail to understand is how they thought they wouldn't be discovered. I also fail to accept what is the stereotypical excuse for why because it's ridiculous.

[Vivienne doesn't much care for hiding magic when it's a gift from the Maker to be used, not like an embarrassing birthmark to be tastefully concealed with proper attire.]

[amygdalae]

[While he doesn't wince, Bruce still feels an urge to do that nonetheless. He never went so far as to consider him and the Iron Lady 'friends' of any sort - its clear that even she feels betrayed for the lie he had been telling. Adelaide felt as such too, though her response will probably be a lot kinder than what The Iron Lady has.]

I didn't mean to betray your trust, or anybody else's for that matter. [He's not sorry for hiding it, but he is sorry that he hurt their feelings because of it.] I had my reasons for not speaking of it - or showing it. I hope you'll understand.

[madame_de_fer]

That depends entirely on your reasons. And do not insult me with some ignorant babble involving fear of being sent to the Circle. I hear enough of that from the garden variety apostates present who have never lived in one and draw their basis on fearmongering and rumor.

[There are days she'd quite like to shake Korrin (were she not so huge) for her stubborn clinging to fear/hate of the Circle with no basis in fact to support it.]

I will not rest easy without assurances that you have at the very least received some sort of training. The ill-educated are at too great a risk to burn themselves into a husk or outright kill themselves without adequate instruction on how to control their gifts.

[She's struggling with being very angry about the deception and very concerned that the man will somehow come to harm. At the same time. People underestimate the very real threat that magic can be, especially to those who have it.]

[amygdalae]

[Bruce, to his own credit, manages to keep his own expression stoic, even if part of him kind of wants to laugh a little at the irony of it all. He wouldn't let himself be here if he couldn't keep himself in control. That had been his own personal stipulation to allow himself to join the Inquisition and try to help its cause. Aside from that one slip up with Anders, nothing else has given him pause on that front.

Still, there's no real way to fully hide the wry curl that comes at the corner of his lips.]

I wouldn't dare to do so, madam. [His voice is at least as honest as he can make it to be.] I choose to keep it quiet because its easier to do my job here. Not all are willing to accept the help of a mage, as you and I both know.

[There are other reasons, of course, but Bruce knows better than to say them. Hopefully this alone can suffice.]

[madame_de_fer]

Magic must find allies within its own because it will not find them without.

[See, Vivienne can appreciate that people do not trust mages and thus some would not wish to go about advertising it. Appreciate it, but does not mean in the least she agrees. Ignorant people will remain ignorant and superstitious. This is one of the many reasons a Circle exists. It provides a safe haven for mages to practice their craft away from the common, aggressive rabble.]

I will concede that I am impressed at your restraint in only using mundane methods of treating others when you had better at your disposal. But do not suppose that to mean that I am not exceptionally disappointed that you did not share the truth with me.

The truth is out now, however. Have you been treated ill by others?

[amygdalae]

There are more people without magic than then are with. Alienating them won't do any of us favors - if we are to cooperate, we must understand each other.

[And if that means discarding his magic and living a life without it, then Bruce is happy to do so. Yes, there will always be the ignorant and the fearful. But one side has to be the better person, and Bruce thinks the mages will benefit best from being that better person. Perhaps that thought is too optimistic, but these are dark days, and with somebody like Corypheus running around its more imperative than ever that mages have to prove themselves to be more than what their magic makes them.

Still, he does sort of... appreciate the apparent practicality that Vivienne is showing, at least at this point. To the question he simply does a bit of a shrug, hands rubbing up his arms from wrist to elbow as he replies.] It'd be a lie to say no, but its nothing I haven't gone through before. I'll manage.

[madame_de_fer]

[To some extent, Vivienne does feel that mages ought to be the better people. She encourages it where she might. But there are some among their numbers, like that Anders and Fiona, who instigated a conflict that mages could ill-afford. They've ever been petty and spiteful with others even within the Circles. Ice walls blocking out others from using the hall because of some perceived slight by one fraternity over another. Taking the childish bickering to the outside has created a backlash that few would wish for. Alas, most of them could have seen it being an obvious result if they'd just opened their eyes.]

Unfortunately, having a mage among us known to have blown up a Chantry full of innocents does little to aid the cause of cooperation and understanding.

[There is a little flick of her hand; Vivienne doesn't care to waste time giving the terrorist thought or consideration more than necessity demands.]

If you have any further problems, do let me know. I'll do what I can to ensure you are treated with fairness and respect.

[She can remain cranky with him, but she'll not have him bullied for having magic.]

[amygdalae]

[A wry smile crosses Bruce's face at that - on that particular point, he can easily agree with her. For all of his good intentions, what Anders did back in Kirkwall back then had hardly helped the mages despite his claims. If anything, it only made the situation worse.

He might have said something to that extent, perhaps, but its not like it'll be of any good anyway. So Bruce drops that subject and lets the conversation move on.]

I appreciate the offer, madam. [A small incline of his head. Bruce is pretty sure he won't ask for it - he's gone through worse things than this, after all. But he knows better than to try and argue against her either.] And I thank you for your understanding.