[Open] Autumn is a Second Spring

[sunshinethroughgrey]

WHO: Bethany Hawke and You
WHAT: Teaching, knitting, reading, and surprise ... bringing stuff for baking.
WHEN: Last two weeks of September (Kingsway)
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: Warnings for cheekiness?

Knitting

Fall is fast approaching, and with that, the need for warmer clothes is coming to Skyhold. Bethany is always all about doing her part for the refugees, so one might find her out enjoying the early fall sunshine in the gardens, skeens of yarn before her as she knits blankets, sweaters scarves and hats of all sizes and colors. Sometimes, she will have a book in her lap, reading while her needles click away, murmuring under her breath as she reads.

Teaching

When Bethany agreed to help Merrill teach the Rifters about varying aspects of Thedas, she never thought she would find herself teaching so many other people as well. Today's lesson is a simple one - she is teaching the tale of 'Every Grey Warden', quoting it from memory as she looked out on a number of faces - young, old, dirty and clean. Some familiar, some not.

"The Blight had ravaged the land for months; the armies of the great kings amassed for one last stand. As the sun burst through the clouds that boiled and churned in the dark sky, it illuminated a vast seething horde of darkspawn with the Archdemon at its head.

It was then— when courage seemed to fail and all lost to death and despair — that the Grey Wardens came...."

Baking

Ever since that young cook Avery had spoken out about people stealing baking supplies, whenever Bethany wanted into the kitchen, she would bring her own - larger bags than what she needed so she could share with the chefs and of course, continue garnering goodwill. Today, she brought in a basket with eggs, along with a small sack of flour and apples, along with a smaller sack of sugar and some cinnamon sticks.

She peered inside, beaming at the cooks, and chatted them up as she charmed her way into using some of the tins and some of their tools to make fresh apple tarts for the Wardens down below. You could find her there, a smudge of flour on one cheek, telling a rather saucy tale about the time Isabela got them all into a game of Strip Wicked Grace.

"So then - Marian looks over at me and I can tell - I can just tell that's she's got nothing on her besides a very small hand ... and I have this sinking feeling that this might be one of the days she decided not to wear smallclothes..."

Comments

Baking

[easternseaqueen]

"I remember that game. It was fun," laughed a familiar voice.

Isabela was leaning up against the doorjamb, listening in amusement.

"Anyway, something smells good. Making something special?"

Re: Baking

[sunshinethroughgrey]

Bethany looked up at that familiar laugh, grinning over at Isabela, as she rolled out the dough. "Of course you do. You won almost everyone's clothes that night."

She gestured to the outlying delicious destruction. "Apple tarts, for all us Wardens. You can steal one if you're quick enough."

[easternseaqueen]

"I think I still have some of them," she teased with a grin.

Ah, apple tarts. Not a treat she usually would get, and Isabela raised an eyebrow appreciatively.

"My dear Bethany, I'm always quick enough. You probably won't even notice until you see one is missing." She winked.

[sunshinethroughgrey]

"Oh I bet you do. Fenris's undergarments included." She dimpled again at her friend, gesturing her to the stool next to the table.

"Sit with me, tell me the trouble you've been up to. And I suppose I could let you get quick with two or three."

Teaching

[universal_charm]

Kirk was painfully aware he understood only a small amount of this planet's history, and grasping it was a difficult thing in currently tumultuous climes, with different histories presented every which way. It made it both helpful and interesting to attend such classes, more so now that he thought he could say he had a few Grey Warden friends.

He raised his hand for Bethany's attention, having sat himself towards the back. "Where, exactly, did the Grey Wardens come from?"

Re: Teaching

[sunshinethroughgrey]

Bethany turned towards the question, before her lips twitched up and she stated simply, "They came from the sky, flying in on their griffons, pelting through the clouds straight towards the battle."

Then she paused, waiting for the next question. As it is coming back.

Re: Teaching

[universal_charm]

"Yeah, I got that part from the story," he said, his tone somewhat wry, because really Bethany? "I meant, where did Grey Wardens come from? Who were the first and how was the order made?"

It took him a moment to find the right wording for that, not wanting to be offensive.

Teaching

[justice_is_blond]

He lingers as she talks, listening, smiling as he notices the changes between now and when he first heard the story. That's the thing about oral histories. They change in small, always-interesting ways. When she's done, when the crowd disperses, that's when he approaches.

"Stroud taught you that last part, didn't he. I think I recognize his touch in it."

Re: Teaching

[sunshinethroughgrey]

"Ah-hah, you recognized that, did you? I always thought that was the Orlesian flair." She grinned at him, as she picked up her staff and slipped it onto her back. She tipped her head at Anders, gesturing for him to walk with her.

"You look like a man on a mission."

[justice_is_blond]

"I never figured out if it was Orlesian or just him." But the phrasing was distinctly Stroud's. "And I'd... perhaps be careful saying that in regard to me, but you're not far off."

Few want to hear that Anders looks determined, or intent, or anything along those lines. He lead the way to somewhere a bit more out of the way, where they're not likely to be overheard.

"I'm setting up a gathering. I want mages to have an opportunity to gain some idea of how many practical spells are out there, and how much access they have to teaching. It could get them thinking, hoping..."

Willing to embrace freedom.

knitting

[theproperglove]

Josephine has been spending more time in the gardens of late, and it looks like she's not the only person. Perhaps everyone is trying to enjoy the last bit of sunshine before the Frostback winter settles in, sharp and cruel and cold.

It's on a day that Bethany is knitting a scarf while reading the book on her lap that Josephine makes her approach. "It's amazing you can pay attention to both tasks at once, Lady Hawke," she remarks once she's close enough to be heard without difficulty.

Re: knitting

[sunshinethroughgrey]

Bethany looked up at the time of Antivian accent, smiling as she recognized Lady Josephine. She closed the book, and put down the knitting needles. She tilted her head down respectfully.

"I've learned the value of multi-tasking, Lady Montilyet. As I am sure you are more than accomplished at, considering how you balance the entire Inquisition."

[theproperglove]

"Recognizing the value of something and becoming accomplished at it are not one and the same," she answered, although she inclined her head in acceptance of the compliment all the same. "In any case, I never learnt to knit well. My classes in my youth were mostly limited to embroidery."

Ah, the trappings of nobility, where appearances matter more than mere functionality. She gestured to a space near Bethany. "Do you mind if I sit a while?"

Knitting

[circleprodigy]

Inessa understands the need to enjoy a good book without interruption, so Bethany won't be disturbed during the times when she has that book in her lap. When she doesn't, however, the slight elf will approach, Garahel taking point and wagging his tail at Bethany, barking a greeting. While he does that, Inessa will pause a short distance away.

"Mind if we join you for a bit?" Garahel barks hopefully at this, wagging his tail anew.

Knitting

[sunshinethroughgrey]

Bethany was hitting the double-pearl-stitch, looking up at the bark, before she beamed warmly at Inessa and Garahel. She pushed her yarnball to the side, patting the bench for Inessa to sit, then putting her knitting aside so Garahel could put his head in her lap and get his ears rubbed.

"Absolutely not. Come and enjoy the last of the warm sunshine."

[circleprodigy]

Unable to resist the invitation, not that he even wanted to, Garahel immediately closes the distance, all happy pants and tail-wagging. Inessa sits down and glances over to the knitting. "You've been productive, I see. If you need a hand distributing any of it, we can be available later."

Baking

[kallian_endris]

Kallian had a small bundle of ingredients cradled in her arms as well when she got to the kitchen.

"Oh... I guess... the kitchen's taken?" she asked in a small voice.

Re: Baking

[sunshinethroughgrey]

"Absolutely not! Kalli, you come in here right now." She looked up from the dough she was kneading, dimpling warmly, "You come in here and bake with me."

[kallian_endris]

A shy little smile appeared on the elf's face.

"Yes, ma'am," she said, carefully putting her little bundle aside and coming up beside Bethany. "What is it you're making?"

Baking

[solutus]

"I think Isabela knew somehow before the game even started. She's got a rather disturbing preoccupation with other people's unders, you know."

Fenris a appears from seemingly nowhere, peering over Bethany's shoulder, drawn no doubt by the sent of baking apples or possibly the mention of the elder Hawke. It's hard to say, both are things likely to catch his attention.

Re: Baking

[sunshinethroughgrey]

"Maker knows she could always guess yours." Bethany gave him a teasing grin, then tapped the edge of his long nose with a touch of flour.

"Take a seat, I'll make an extra tart for you. I wanted to catch up anyways."

Re: Baking

[solutus]

Fenris wrinkled his nose and tried to wipe the flour away. "I even tried buying an odd color to throw her off. Somehow she still knew. It's uncanny."

He sat obediently. He'd wanted to catch up too, but wasn't terribly good at initiation.

Baking, obvs

[thecookery]

The punchline makes her roll her eyes, but there's a hint of a smile on her face all the same.

Avery isn't exactly the most inviting person, but even if she gives them a little hassle about it, she almost never actually refuses to let someone use the kitchen if they ask. And taking a short break to lean on a counter and listen to a story is kind of appreciated, as she is currently sporting a sling on one arm and a crutch under the other to keep her off a bandaged leg. She's been stubbornly refusing to let her injuries keep her out of the kitchen, but even just moving around in here is tough and quite tiring at the moment.

"Sounds like maybe a bet she shouldn't have taken," she comments dryly.

Re: Baking, obvs

[sunshinethroughgrey]

"Maker, there are about a thousand bets Marian never should have taken." Bethany shook her head, her smile wry, "Didn't mean she didn't try anyways."

She looked over at the other woman, and without a word went to pluck up a small cup. She dipped it into the barrel of drinking water, and then put it near Avery's elbow, without saying anything as she went back to kneeding her dough.

"Myself, on the other hand, am just not reckless enough. I fold half as many times as Marian moves forward."

[thecookery]

Part of her wants to bristle at even that small gesture of her current weakness, but Avery swallows it down and gives a small, stiff nod of thanks instead. "Safer that way, isn't it?" she asks, grabbing the cup and taking a quick sip.

She's not usually much of a risk-taker herself, but evidenced by her current condition, there are obviously exceptions to the rule.