faderift | Well it's time to celebrate your birthday, it happens every year

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Well it's time to celebrate your birthday, it happens every year

WHO: Anders, Nathaniel, and invitees!
WHAT: Fancy birthday party in Camp Shady
WHEN: Harvestmere 27, evening
WHERE: Camp Shady
NOTES: Will update.

Since many Wardens moved into the Kestrel House, there is plenty of space in the camp for a big top tent. Finding enough candlesticks, tables, and chairs required a lot of time and a number of bribes to pull off. The tables are nicely draped with fabric lent by one of Anders' patients, and each is decorated with flowers. The tent is alight and smells like good food--more donations from grateful patients.

One of the Wardens is known for her fiddling, and she plays lively dances and crooning ballads. In the center table is an ice sculpture of a cat chasing a butterfly (you guessed it--donated by a mage patient). It glitters spectacularly in the candlelight.

On the menu is a slow-roasted pig, spiced hot cider, spectacular salads, jams, cakes, delectably seasoned vegetables, a lamb-flank, and your choice of wine. There is even a hard-won bottle of Antivan brandy Nathaniel had to win several card games to achieve.

Relax, enjoy, greet the birthday boy, and mingle. The nights will be cold soon, but under this tent, life glows.

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"He did." There's utter sincerity there despite the grin on his face. "I asked him to catch me and he let me fall, just dropped me there on the ground and then, to add insult to injury, stepped over me. As if I was nothing more than a log on the ground."

Bethany let out a laugh, covering her mouth after a moment so she could choke down her giggles. "I can't believe he did that... just how much were you annoying him?"

"That depends on your definition of annoying." He's smug now. He likes making people laugh, and while Bethany is never the most difficult person to get laughing it's still a triumph.

"I may have been making puns the whole trip, and I may have flung my arms around him once while telling him he was my hero after he shot a genlock in the eye." So quite a lot.

"Mmm. Usually my definition has something to do with someone poking at someone's weak spots ... but I suppose we all have different ideas of it." She smiled at him, leaning her head against his shoulder for a moment.

"... Well yes, that would do it."

"It's hardly my fault he's always been gorgeous and fit. And that I had to walk behind him constantly as the healer." He had a lot of time to get acquainted with the way Nate's backside looked in Warden gear.

"And it's most certainly not my fault he decided I couldn't possibly mean the flirting I gave him. He should have taken me up on any of my offers back then, and he definitely shouldn't have dropped me." His voice is all mischief and warmth. He loves Nate, and he teases and jokes about those he loves.

"I'm just glad he's clued in now. Granted, I had to actually kiss him first. Did anyone tell you that bit? Or did you see it?"

"He has always been ruggedly handsome, I suppose. Which fits in with say - his other half as well." She stated simply, giving him a gentle elbow. "Besides, I might have dropped you too."

She dimples. They both know that's a lie. She probably would have gone down with him, but she'd never let Anders actually hurt himself.

"I only heard about it." She glances over at him, curious, "I heard something about a bet?"

"I can't figure out if you're saying handsome balances out my prettiness, or if you're saying at least one of us is attractive," he teases back.

The question gets a half-shrug, half-nod.

"Do you remember the day set aside for challenges, fighting and setting aside grudges? I was bored and didn't exactly want to engage with dozens of people who wanted to attack me and not set aside their grudge after, so I went up to Zevran and challenged him to seduction, his pick of target." There's a fond smile on his lips as he glances over in the direction of the elf.

"He chose Nate. It was a fair challenge, Nate wasn't interested in either of us. Or so we thought. Apparently he was and Zevran noticed first, so he won by seducing Nate for me. Which means I won. Especially considering if Zevran hadn't chosen Nate, I would probably still have no idea he held feelings for me."

"I am clearly saying that you are both very handsome. So there." She stated in turn, before she poked him again.

"I do! ...I watched people do all sorts of odd things. I never had anyone come and face me, though." She had thought that odd, honestly, before she blinked at him. A laugh burst from her lips.

"Well honestly it sounds like you all might have won that one."

Both handsome. It's nice to hear, and it's nice to have an ally in calling Nate so. Anders struggles with his vision of himself on a great many things, but it's appearance that Nate struggles with. To have help supporting Nate there is a blessing... but that's far too sober a thought for a moment like this, which means Anders pokes her in the arm in return.

"Point made and taken. I suppose we did all win that day." Somedays it's hard to remember that, that Nate won too. That he didn't just wind up with a weight around his ankles. Right now, though, he can. "But I won most of all."

He glances around. "Just look at this. So much of it wouldn't be happening if not for him, after all."

Well, did she really need to go into how she had infatuations on the noble sorts? She always had - perhaps a reminder of her father. That wistful feeling of missing something because Nate and Anders had one another had faded, for she had her own 'Nate', the person who she set her cap and star upon.

"You should just admit that I am usually right about these sorts of things." She gave him a faintly impish look. "Remember, I am ever the sensible one. While you are clearly the romantic."

She looked around, before she gave his arm a squeeze, "He's a wonderful man -- and we're all lucky to have him." Nothing but sincerity, to the man who had saved them both.

"Which is why having you and Merrill both helping me with the teaching thing, as well as Nate, and possibly a Templar I've been speaking with, is so important."

He takes a breath and smiles back at her. "Plans I can do. Making them sensible or practical... That might not be my strong suit. I'm..." Another breath. Being sincere is not easy. "I'm lucky to have you and him both. And possibly Merrill, though if you tell her I said that I'll have to deny it."

Now he's startled her, and she looks over at him with her eyebrows raised, "You'vee been speak ... with a Templar?"

She blinked for a moment, tilting her head to the side, "He must be the most least offensive Templar in the entire world for you to be dealing with him." Templars and Anders simply did not mix - or rather, did not mix with any of them, honestly. There were a few good ones in Kirkwall, but she had not seen any of them here ...

"You are lucky, and I won't. Because I tell her twice as much, to make up for your lack of open affection." She stated glibly.

"You know Alistair was a Templar, right?" It doesn't count and he knows it. He's just being contrary because contrary is basically his middle name. Especially since Bethany's being contrary on the topic of Merrill too.

"It's difficult with her. You've not got years and years of Circle training drilling into your head that every single..." Anders trails off and glances around, making sure his voice is lower. "The stance is that they're all power-hungry or terrified and they don't stop. Meeting the single solitary exception is complicated. And what if that changes? If she finds what's worth it to her to... go further?"

"Yes, and a dreamy one at that." She gave a wistful sigh, before she gave him a little smirk. "Is this Templar dreamy too?"

Her face did slip away from the smile, to a more rueful expression, "I have a family history of it - somewhat. It makes it a little easier for me to ... I don't know. I suppose not fear them because I know what drives them. Merrill especially. And after her clan? I ... I really do not think she will be willing to risk such a thing again, Anders."

"Templar and dreamy are words that will never again be in the same sentence if it's coming from my lips." Dreamy. Sometimes he forgets the age difference between himself and Bethany, and then she reminds him...

"I don't know if the question is so much as to whether she'd risk it, but what her price is. What's so valuable to her that she cannot abide the thought of losing it? She'll not ever do it for the sake of power. I've enough faith in her to say that much. But it's the other area where things get tricky." He pauses and looks directly at Bethany. "If you knew how, and your twin was in danger and only you could save him at that price..."

Trailing off, he shrugs. "It's hard to even say myself what I'd do if Nate was the one about to die."

"Hah!" He should never forget that she grew up with Marian and Carver, either. She had siblings, and a teasing older sister who taught her her sense of humor.

Yet that smile fades into Bethany's serious expression, and her age shines through once more. Eleven hard years as a Grey Warden. "It depends on whether or not it would it would destroy me. My brother ... would prefer to save me than save himself. I can only imagine what Nate would do to save you from yourself."

"I know what Nate would prefer." His voice is quiet. "I know that Carver loves you as well, and yes. But in the heat of the moment, when you've maybe a few seconds to choose and you know there's no life without them?"

It may have kept him up a time or two, watching while Nate slept, tense with awareness of how often things went wrong in his life. He loves Nate. To lose that... Anders wouldn't want to live any longer.

"If it's a choice between him living or neither of us living, it's not that hard a call."

"No, it's not." Because she remembers how Carver rushed in front of their mother, and how without thinking, she shot that fireball at the ogre as it picked up Carver, making it drop him ... and turn on her. Thank the Maker Marian had been there to save both her foolish siblings that day.

"You choose the people you love, no matter the cost." Her lips twist, "Do you remember those tales that they used to tell us in the Wardens? About sacrificing yourself 'for the greater good' and not thinking about the individuals?" She shook her head a little, "What a load of hogwash. Who else would you think of in that moment, if not the people you loved?"

He nods. "That's the only reason someone would go down there. It wouldn't be for themselves. It would be for the sake of all those around them that they'd hurt otherwise. No one wants to go to their Calling."

Some of the Grey Wardens were noble sorts. Blackwall seemed to be pretty focused on ideals while he'd been around, Stroud seemed to hold himself to a higher cause. But most were simply people who got caught in bad circumstances.

"I'm not, I'm no longer saying that I think she's... malicious or malevolent. I'm simply aware of how if something important did come up, she's in a position where a great deal of destruction could happen and she's already taken a few steps down that path." He'd been further down that path when he'd been possessed and he knows it. But he's back from that brink now.

"No, they do not." She sighed softly, leaning her chin on his shoulder as she looked out about the crowds gathered for Anders. A corner of her mouth lifted up at the corners. "She's not evil, but you're right. She would do anything to save the people she loves. We just ... we have to be careful with her. We have to let her know there are other ways."

She gripped his arm a little, "And we have to remember that, ourselves. Give a little, and you give it all."

He gave her a tight smile, trying to relax. They'd gotten onto a difficult subject and it was entirely his fault.

"I'm... working on the other ways thing." As much as he was fairly certain the Chantry idea originated with Justice, he hadn't tried to fight against it. He'd been a willing participant and it was rather important he keep that in mind. And while he can't say he's doing better with that as he hasn't his resolve to do better tested, he believes he'll do better next time. "Great power, great risks, and all that."

"Greater responsibilities, as well." She stated with a little serious smile, before she looked out at the party once more, "You know ... I'm glad I'm here. Not sure how I feel about the journey, but here and now? I'm glad I am here with all of you."

Following her gaze, Anders exhaled before slowly nodding.

"I mean, it certainly beats hiding in a cave alone." There were a lot of moments he was glad he was here. Then there were the times he felt guilty and like he was dragging everyone down. What almost made it worst was that he never knew when it would swing one way or the other, when he'd be content, and when he'd spiral downward.

"I'm glad you're here, Bethany."

"Oh, anything is better than living in a cave. Or even living alone." She pressed her lips into a smile, before she gave him a tight hug on one arm.

"Me too, Anders. Me too."

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Well it's time to celebrate your birthday, it happens every year

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