faderift | [Closed] Did you see the flares fill with hope?

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[Closed] Did you see the flares fill with hope?

WHO: Hermione and Iskandar
WHAT: Iskandar is a charming charmer, which helps when Hermione needs a distraction.
WHEN: 17 Harvestmere
WHERE: The stables
NOTES: If they start talking about depressing stuff again, we'll warn for it in the subject line. Otherwise, this will probably be the fluffiest log Hermione's ever done.

While the status quo in Thedas was still thoroughly depressing, Hermione found that the best way to keep herself out of the grips of depression was to keep herself distracted. Going out on actual missions was still out of the question, though, and she made it a point to keep herself scarce if she saw anyone of actual rank approaching her (aside from the Commander, since he usually just let her sit in his office and play with his mabari). Since the library had come to be known as her usual haunt, she'd forced herself to leave in favor of the outdoors a bit more often.

Which was what had brought her to the stables on more than one occasion. She could usually find something to do there to occupy her time, and on this particular day, that included trying to catch one one of the kittens that loitered around the area. She didn't know if it belonged to someone or was a stray that had somehow wandered its way here, but it was looking a bit thin, and so she tried luring it out from one of the stalls with a small bit of apple she happened to have on hand.

When a few minutes of coaxing didn't do the trick, she righted herself, only to look up and realize that she wasn't the only one there. A familiar, very large man was standing not too far away, and he seemed to have taken notice of her at some point. "Hello, Iskandar," she said, managing a small but at least genuine smile. "What brings you here?"

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He blinked as he looked up at her and how she was trying to reach for his hand. He really didn't mind the floor at all. It was just earth. Certainly there was likely to be other things in here but it was nothing all that terrible. Especially since this place seemed eager to keep their stables in order, something he was grateful for since this was where he kept his horse.

Still, it was like he'd been through a situation like this before. Not that long ago.

"Have you met Anders? I'm wondering if he has taught you about the training of cats..."

Hermione was more focused on the cat than on Iskandar for the moment, though at his unexpected question, she tilted her head and glanced down at him. "Anders? Why yes. He's...."

Claiming that Anders was her friend still felt like something of a sore point, even if the two of them had gotten over their rough patch. But her hesitance just made her feel even worse about the matter, and so she dropped her gaze for a moment before looking at the kitten that was slowly edging out of its hiding place, nose twitching as it sniffed at the meat.

"He's my friend," she settled on at last. "We've been through quite a bit together. Not much involving cats, though."

Glancing at the cat, he saw it slowly edging out toward the bowl. Smiling, he remained where he was so that way he could see if they would have their new little friend out in the open to visit them for awhile. If nothing else he was sure that the kitten would appreciate the meal he was offering.

"Good. He needs friends. From what I can tell, he punishes himself harder than anyone else ever could hope to."

Iskandar lifted a smile up her way. "I went to help him train his cat when I should have asked permission and he offered to trade information in exchange for me not doing that. Silly really. All he had to do was ask me to stop."

Though she kept the kitten in her peripheral, especially since it did seem a bit on the thin side and so could stand to eat something more substantial than the apple she'd been offering, Hermione glanced down at Iskandar at his remark. "You tried to... train his cat? What do you mean? In my experience, cats can't really be trained. I mean, any animal can, I suppose, with enough patience, but cats are largely independent creatures. Some people back home can scarcely get their cat to use a litter box."

She also wondered over the phrase trade information, since people usually say that to refer to information of a more serious nature, which doesn't align with Iskandar calling it silly. "What sort of information did he offer?"

"Information about Grey Wardens, the Deep Roads, and Darkspawn. It was an enlightening conversation." Seeing the cat mostly in the bowl, he carefully lifted it up and sat himself. It brought the little thing between them and he gently petted the little creature to help associate his scent with food so the kitten wouldn't be afraid. At least it seemed to be working. Probably because he had the smashed up meat in that bowl as a nice distraction. Smiling down at the little creature, he went back to her other question.

"A cat can be trained. They are different from a dog or a horse but they can be trained. I was letting little Hero know that the bug was not that frightening. It was a boundary I should have asked about first rather than simply overstepping things." He understood that and Iskandar wasn't bothered that he'd been told to stop. He should have asked first and he would next time. All was right now.

"Ah, you really are hungry, little one. We'll have to stop you soon or you might get ill from having too much."

Ah. She'd had a similar talk with another one of the Grey Wardens. "From my experience, most Wardens prefer not to talk about their, ah... work, I suppose. They're a secretive group. And much of what they know can be a bit on the depressing side. But I suppose that's the nature with most things in Thedas if one digs too deeply into them."

She couldn't imagine Anders scolding anyone for telling his cat not to be frightened of a bug, unless Iskandar was severely downplaying the size or danger of the bug in question. Anders could, after all be rather protective when it came to his cat. After all he'd been through, she couldn't rightfully blame him.

When Iskandar spoke to the kitten now in between them, she looked down and slowly crouched down and reached out, lightly brushing one finger along its back so as not to disturb its meal. "I suppose if you get at them young enough, you can get a cat to do just about anything. But once they get set in their ways, they can be a little more difficult. I'd gotten Crookshanks when he was already an adult, and I'd mostly left him to his own devices. I suppose that made him the ideal pet for a busy student."

Of course, she had to keep herself from feeling too sad about that now, but at least having a small hungry kitten and a large friendly rifter in her vicinity made for a decent distraction.

"Perhaps it is good that I spoke with Anders then. He was quite willing to share with me." He'd have to keep that in mind though about Grey Wardens. Just because he hadn't run into that problem yet didn't mean he wouldn't and it was good to know about it in advance. That way he wouldn't be surprised by it when it happened in the future.

"Crookshanks? I like that name! What does he look like?" Iskandar was more than ready to encourage her to think of the happier things. Like what the cat looked like that she was fond of and such. In times of trouble they could be something that could help someone along, remind them that there was still hope somewhere. Not the easiest thing to do but certainly very necessary.

"Was he small? Or was he rather large?"

"Oh, he was-... is, he is a bit on the large side, yes," Hermione replied, knowing that she shouldn't get too hung up on worrying about him when he wasn't around. Just because she couldn't see him didn't mean that Ginny wasn't taking perfectly good care of him, and she'd just have to keep that in mind.

"He isn't an ordinary cat. I'm sure most might say that about their pets, but he really isn't. He's part kneazle, which is a magical feline creature that's frightfully smart. Crookshanks always seems to know more than anyone ever realizes except in hindsight. Of course, he isn't overly friendly and can be a tad lazy, but as I said, older habits are hard to break." The more she talked about him, the more she realized that her cat bore a striking resemblance to Ron in personality, and that may well be why the two of them never really got on.

"He's a bandy-legged ginger, with much more fur than you'd see on most cats. He always seems to look disinterested, but I think he cares a lot more about the people around him than he lets on. He's only ever affectionate with me, and even that's rare. But again, he's a cat. That sort of thing is a given."

He laughed softly when she finished her description. To him this sounded like a fine creature and he was only disappointed that he couldn't meet this Crookshanks here and now. But that was how some things were so he couldn't let that drag him down. Besides, the way she spoke of him told him that she had such good memories of the cat which was just what he'd been hoping for.

"Perhaps you could take this little one under your care. This would not be your Crookshanks but I think the kitten could use someone so interested in seeing that it turns out well." He gave a nod to the kitten in the bowl who had finished up the little meal and was now sniffing at the hands holding the bowl it was sitting in.

"What do you think?"

Though she clearly liked cats well enough, Hermione still started a bit at the suggestion that she adopt the kitten they were currently fussing over. "Oh... I don't know," she murmured, glancing down at the small cat and frowning a little as she reached out to gently scratch behind its ears. "It looks sweet enough, but I don't even have a proper room for myself, actually, even after all this time here. It wouldn't do to have a kitten tearing about a library while I try to do research."

Not that there weren't plenty of rooms available, especially those that she could make comfortable enough with minimal work. But having someone in Skyhold that actually depended on her felt like more responsibility than even she was sure she was used to, especially when the kitten was still so young.

"I suppose, since it is getting colder and the poor thing isn't big enough to fend for itself properly, someone should take care of it for at least a little while. But it did seem to respond better to you. Wouldn't you rather care for it?"

"Me?"

Hm. He hadn't considered that. Of course he wouldn't mind doing so. The kitten looked to be a fierce warrior that only needed someone there to ensure it reached a stage where it had a fighting chance. It was small but clearly ready to take on the world when it realized that it was safe enough. That showed intelligence which he admired a great deal.

A warm smile filled his expression as he stroked the soft fur of the little thing that was done eating and just curled up in the bowl like that was the perfect bed now.

"Ah, I can do that. But on one condition..."

He turned that smile to her. "You must help me name it."

While having a pet would have provided her with some sense of stability, Hermione didn't know how she felt about having anything akin to stability in this world. She didn't want to get too comfortable, not with the way the people of Thedas treat anyone who may be even the slightest bit different. Besides, she had a home to get back to, including a cat. She couldn't let anything distract her from that more than she'd already been.

So while she wouldn't have minded offering the little kitten shelter for a time, she was more than happy that Iskandar offered to take it instead. His condition, though, got a small laugh out of her, and she shook her head.

"I'm rubbish at names, I'm afraid. At best I just default back to famous figures in literature or of ancient Greece-...." Realizing to whom she was speaking, Hermione glanced up at him and wryly remarked, "Though I suppose that wouldn't be too out of the norm for you, would it?"

He threw his head back to let out a laugh which caused the kitten to look up, trying to figure out where the noise came from. At least it didn't seem afraid. Possibly because these two had proven that this was a safe place to be. "It would be rather normal for me. So by all means feel free to pick such a name if that is what your mind comes up with first."

After all, he was not about to let her out of this that easily. If this was what she came up with then that was what the cat would be named.

Hermione really was rubbish at naming things, which was why she'd been glad that Crookshanks had come pre-named. She thought back to various Greek gods and historical figures, and while most of them seemed much too imposing to belong to such a tiny kitten, she had the feeling that Iskandar would probably find some humor in that and approve.

Remembering about Iskandar's alleged origins, she paused for a few moments to make sure she had her facts right before suggesting, "How about... Hephaestion?" He was supposed to have been one of Alexander the Great's closest friends, if her history was correct, but that could go either way in terms of how Iskandar might feel about the name.

There was a pause and he slowly looked up at her. That name had so much meaning to him. His oldest and dearest friend. The man who had been like the other half of his very soul. Iskandar's face softened into a smile that showed some of the pain he felt from missing his friend as well as all the love and admiration he had for him as well.

"Yes. That shall be this one's name."

He lifted the bowl with the little kitten in it up so he could look at the sweet face. "You shall be Hephaestion Alexander."

...Yes. He sure did just accept her name and then also name it after himself.

That pause and slow look upwards made Hermione wonder if she'd made some sort of mistake, daring to breathe that name at all. But then she noted the change that came over his face, and she exhaled softly in relief as she returned his smile with a gentle one of her own.

Whatever she might have said in regards to his response to the name was washed away, however, when she realized what the kitten's middle name was to be. True, some people traditionally will use their own name for their child's middle name, but this was a cat, not a child.

"Bit regal of a name for a kitten, isn't it?" she asked, eyebrow quirking slightly.

"Is it? Are cats not regal creatures though?" He gave a soft laugh and stroked under the kitten's chin who lifted that little head up to get more of the attention, purring quite loudly given how small the body was. Iskandar imagined once he fed the little thing some more that he would have quite the large feline on his hands. Well, as far as cats went anyway.

"I desire one of those mabari as well. I had thought to include my name when I name that one as well. They are much like my children and my son was named after me so I think it would be good to name these fine creatures after myself as well."

If nothing else, Hermione appreciated the respect Iskandar showed towards an animal so much smaller than himself, and she rather liked the pleased purr the little kitten made. Now that it was no longer skittish, she gingerly reached out, meaning to gently scratch behind its ears if it would let her.

"A mabari and a kitten? You'd have to watch this poor little thing, in that case; even a mabari puppy is liable to crush him and think he was only playing."

Of course, another bit of what he said stuck out at her, especially when she was still of two minds regarding whether or not Iskandar was who he said he was. "You have a son?" The question came out softly, just in the event that it was something of a sore topic for him; after all, one can never tell how some rifters might react to talking about certain details of their lives before the rifts.

It seemed the kitten approved of such attention, perhaps more so now that little Hephaestion Alexander was aware that he was safe with the two of these large creatures. They'd fed him and everything.

"Mmm...I think this little one will be fine. He's survived this long on his own and he has been in a stable filled with horses and people moving to take care of the horses. It might seem so little a time but it is actually quite an impressive accomplishment."

His face broke into a bright smile. "Yes. Histories speak little of him though so I'm afraid I cannot tell you much about him. But he was given my name of Alexander."

"Well... he has been in hiding for most of that time, presumably," Hermione mentioned, speaking of course of the kitten. Not that she was disparaging him, after all; if she were the same size as the newly-christened Hephaestion Alexander, she'd also spend the majority of her time hiding from the much larger creatures that walked the planet as though they owned it.

Quietly petting the small kitten, Hermione tried to think back on her studies. She was, of course, a good student, but Hogwarts hadn't done a very good job at covering Muggle history, even if the way Iskandar described his life didn't sound very Muggle-like at all. She'd done a fair bit of independent studying during her holidays, of course, but not enough to be able to immediately recall what may have happened to Alexander the Great's son. Though, if he hadn't made as big of a splash in the history books as his father had, it's wholly possible that he'd either lived a quiet life or, more likely, he'd died young.

Given that, she opted not to verbally discuss any half-baked conclusions she might have had, and instead only commented, "You speak as though you didn't know him for yourself." Which, she realized belatedly, could have meant he'd died before his son had been born, and she couldn't help the preemptive wince of regret, even if he seemed happy enough to mention his son.

"I didn't. I'm afraid he was born after my death." He remembered Roxana's pregnancy but before he ever saw his son breathe his first breath he'd been gone from the world. Books had told him that his son hadn't been able to carry on his legacy and that he'd died before he was even a man. That fact broke his heart. All his wives and his child cleared from the world and thus his line ended.

"Given Roxana's beauty, I'm sure he was a beautiful boy." It was almost a shame there were no pictures of any of them that held true accuracy. Himself. Hepheastion. His wives. His child.

But this was not a time for regret. He'd lived his life in a way that meant such a thing as never seeing his child would happen. It was simply something he embraced now and he was just pleased that he had had a son at all.

That preemptive wince turned into a full-on grimace when Iskandar confirmed Hermione's fears. "I'm so sorry," she said automatically, despite realizing that this had all happened lifetimes ago. Even so, she certainly hadn't meant to dredge up any old hurts.

She had questions, because she always had questions, but she also had enough tact to know that this would be an excellent time to swallow them down and do her best to change the subject, or at least to begin segueing it into something else.

"It's probably for the best that he didn't end up in the history books. My best friend grew up as something of a legend, and that was even before he helped bring an end to the most recent war. I don't even like seeing my name in newspapers, so I can only imagine how he feels, knowing he'll be a legitimate historical figure in our world. But then, you don't exactly seem like the sort of person who relishes a quiet life."

"He is briefly mentioned as having been born and having been forced into running with his mother until his death when he was but a boy. There was not enough time for him to have more tales written about him like your friend."

She really had tried to shift the topic but had accidentally stepped further into it. Still, he appreciated her efforts and understood what her kind heart was trying to do. For that reason, he went to her aid, giving her something new to talk about. Namely, her friend.

"Tell me more of your friend. What is his name?"

There. That should give her something better.

Hermione felt stuck for a moment, feeling as though she'd somehow manage to stick her foot in her mouth. It wasn't often that she managed that, so she was left without an immediate response, not knowing what she could actually say, if anything at all.

Eventually, though, she found her voice and forced out, "H- Harry. Harry Potter." She fell quiet again, as though afraid that anything else she might say would only make things worse.

Though it could go either way at this point, she eventually settled on bringing up, "He was only a baby when he ended his first war. They called him The Boy Who Lived, since he'd been the only person to survive the Killing Curse. So you see, there have been stories about him since long before he even knew how to talk. It's still not necessarily a good thing, of course, since he'd never much liked being singled out and treated differently."

"That is such a weight to carry! But that is why it is good he has friends like you with him. That is a treasure that no one can replace. While he has been through so much, such a weight can be easier to carry when there are those around willing to lend a hand."

He smiled at her warmly. Then he reached out to take her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. Just enough to reassure her that everything was going to be fine. Sadness was not something to fear or run away from. He had plenty in his life and he wasn't worried about it.

"How did you meet him?"

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