faderift | [OPEN] Long Was His Silence

Entry tags:

[OPEN] Long Was His Silence

WHO: Aleron Darton and YOU
WHAT: Pre-Orlais Catchall for July
WHEN: Start of Solace up until it's time to head out.
WHERE: Skyhold, various
NOTES: If any of these don't work, feel free to wildcard or PM me for a starter. Prose or Brackets a-ok, I'll tag to preference.

Aleron is nothing if not a creature of habit. There are reasons his twin has heckled him all their lives about how dull he is; he's not loud, excitable, or given to doing things which are not part of his daily routine.

Morning and evening, he may be found in the Chapel attending to his devotions. At least an hour upon rising, and before sleep, is spent in prayer. Following his attention to matters of the spirit, he then attends to honing of physical training. Where the training ring has been set up in the Courtyard, he works through sword and footwork forms, old and sometimes new. Just prior to lunch, he visits the Stables to see how Valiente fares. Taking the horse out for a ride isn't all that out of the ordinary. However, almost every outing takes him the direction of the Warden's Camp. That destination in itself is a deviation from his routine, but a sharp eye might notice that he never fails to travel there without either a book, a basket lunch, or a handful of wildflowers.

Of an afternoon, he's easily found in the Library, engrossed in research of some variety or another, or enjoying casual reading of wholesome volumes such as The Sermons of Divine Hortensia III. Sometimes he can be observed attending to his correspondence, though there too is an oddity. For a change, each letter received is read, though it can be discerned from his facial expression that he's dreading some of them. Usually those sealed with a ram's head on green. Evenings before vespers, he sits quietly in the Herald's Rest. He never indulges in more than a single ale and listens with quiet appreciation to the music and conversation around him. The Seeker still hasn't quite worked up to initiating social interactions, though he welcomes others who opt to join him and break up his solitude.

Threaded | Flat

As fond as Gwenaëlle is of her cousin - as she was often encouraged to continue to view him, after Mirielle's untimely death - they haven't spent so much time together since her arrival in Skyhold. Perfectly naturally, she thinks; he has responsibilities, while she finds her own ways to fill time, and they've not exactly been what she'd describe as close. Before Skyhold, she didn't so much write to him as occasionally Emeric would mention her in passing, or pass on some observation she'd made; she was pleased to see him, but has not, by and large, felt compelled to seek him out with any frequency. Satisfactory to know that he is there to be called upon, if need be, and to voice her support of him whenever it seems useful to do so -

However, he is not the only person receiving letters from his mother, and she can't fob the woman off indefinitely. Or at least not without information and incentive, at any rate, since she's been hearing things about where Aleron spends his time and with who.

"Favourite cousin," by way of outrageously exaggerated greeting (or possibly not; she's no first cousins, but any number of extended relatives she has even less interest in), "what will you give me not to toss you to your mother's painted wolves?"

She leans against the gates by the stable, smiling, untrustworthy but delightfully fond. It isn't as if she doesn't sympathise with his avoidance; her own is starting to become mythic. She strongly suspects there will be rumors before long that she acquired her anchor-shard on purpose in the very hope that her father would do as he's done and give her a reprieve from the parade of prospective suitors.

Those who might be noting such things from the Warden Camp will see Bethany humming every day right about the time that Aleron rides up. Anyone with sharp eyes will see that she's actually braiding up her hair. She'll walk out to meet him, and when she returns she'll have the wildflowers or book in hand, smiling still.

That particular day though, she's not heading out empty-handed. She's got her satchel, and the smells coming from it are baked, and she's been working very devoutly on her knitting the past few evenings. She walks out to meet him, Gamlen barking at her heels, her eyes bright and her dimpled smile just for him.

"Well hello there, Aleron. Fancy seeing you." As if she did not see him now every day. She still fancied it though.

Aleron is not the only one who is steady in his prayers - every morning James is there to speak a few silent words to the Maker and Andraste, and every evening he lights candles and meditates. Usually their interactions are simply that, he nods. Aleron nods. They go on their separate ways.

Except now Aleron looks ... pleased about something and if a Seeker looks pleased it's usually not a good thing. James finds himself casting a suspicious look over to the other man, his gaze narrowed.

Finally, he just can't take it.

"Maker's Breath, what? What has Cade done now? You needn't look so damned smug!"

Josephine is walking through the library on the way back from meeting with someone else, minding her own business, when she spots Aleron seated at the table, face resting in an expression of anxious apprehension.

Deciding to see if she can help in any way, Josephine makes her way over with a small smile on her face. "You look to be troubled."

Fortunately for Aleron, the Guard Captain of Kirkwall isn't difficult to find. As it turns out, they both happen to be make use of the training yard around the same time most days. He almost never initiates a social discussion with anyone there, leaving them to the business for which they are present. Perhaps a polite nod in passing, but otherwise, not much else.

Today is different. A task has been set before him and he won't let it rest until he's accomplished it. The man isn't afraid. He's also not convinced he will meet with approval. And why would he? His sense of self-worth is nothing to begin with. Not to mention he continues to struggle with the impression that Bethany deserves more than he can give.

Nonetheless, he turns up at the training ring not in his usual gear but his Seeker's armor. It's been polished to a shine. He holds himself as formal and stiff as always. Better to make as favorable an impression as he might before feeding himself to the lions. He approaches Aveline, mindful to stay a polite distance away.

"Ser Vallen. Might I trouble you for a moment of your time?"

What he knows of her is from Tale of the Champion. He expects this formidable woman to school him sooner or later. But Bethany is worth it.

It's not hard to miss the Seeker coming by the Warden camp fairly often. Anders normally just watches him come and go, keenly frowning when the guy winds up in Bethany's company, but this time he has flowers.

"Pick them yourself?" A Seeker and a mage. If this is what it looks like, Anders isn't sure how much faith he has in Bethany's judgement.

"Maker, perhaps the world really is coming to an end." Malcolm looks at least more content than the last time they talked, smirking as he comes over and, well, doesn't peer at the letters--he's no snoop--but certainly gives them an eyeball. "Are you actually reading your letters instead of tossing them all in the fire?"

His smirk fails him, trying to consider what would bring Aleron to do so. "Is everything all right? Your sister hasn't taken ill, has she?"

After a couple of weeks, Kain is so ready to get out of the healer's tents. He's been restless, but until now has he even been capable of moving all that much. But now he has his chance. So he's dragged himself outside gradually, with a lot of pausing, of course. He's made it to the courtyard area.

Well... sort of. At the moment, he's completely spent his energy so has stopped and half-collpased right in the middle of the walkway. Ow. Just... give him a moment to gather himself and he'll get out of the way. Maybe. Ugh.

"...Sorry..."

Threaded | Flat

no subject

Camp Shady Fucker

Chapel

Library

For Aveline

Camp Shady Fucker

no subject

somewhere between healer's tents and courtyard!