faderift | Open | Hanging out with a King

WHO: Iskandar and anyone who runs across him
WHAT: Iskandar is just spending some time doing various things and enjoying old and new friends along the way
WHEN: Last half of Firstfall
WHERE: Around Skyhold
NOTES: Probably nothing but will add as needed

Stables

One place that people could be sure to find Iskandar was at the stables. He was here a great deal since this was where his horse was and where he'd really been sleeping. When people weren't interested in sharing their beds with him anyway. That was something that certainly happened plenty since he was very large and warm. But for today he was currently seated near a wall, singing softly in a language many natives wouldn't recognize. Perhaps many Rifters wouldn't either. After all, it was his native tongue and there weren't going to be many familiar with Ancient Macedonian.

In his hands was a saddle which he had over one knee while he rubbed the leather down with an oil to keep it looking beautiful. Perhaps most Kings would find someone else to do this but this was something Iskandar had always preferred to do himself. There was just something so relaxing about it. Of course, this didn't stop him from noticing company when it arrived and he smiled at the new arrival, still singing as he did.

Library

It likely wasn't common to see a giant man enjoying so many books but there he was on the floor of the library with a nice pile of them around him. The subjects varied but it was clear he really was reading through them. In his hands right now was what looked like something about the histories of some land and he was scratching his chin as he read through it. Now and then he made a small hum in thought before he finally closed the book and went to stretch, pausing only a moment to smile.

"Ah did you want to read this one?"

Tavern

One of Iskandar's favorite places to be was the tavern. It was here he learned many of the songs of these lands and where he watched people just live. It was fascinating to say the least but it did have him developing a burning desire of sorts. One that was like an itch he couldn't quite reach. He was really going to have to take care of that soon. Which was why he went to sit near the first person that he saw that had a seat available.

At least the first thing he gave was a smile.

"Would you happen to know where one could obtain a harp or lyre?" Yes, he really was going to need one soon.

[ooc: This is an example of what Iskandar's voice would sound like. For obvious reasons this is not what he's singing. This is just to give you an idea of what the tone and such would be!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"And I didn't have the talent to back it up!" Waver groaned. He had no love for his younger self.

"They do!"

"Mmm. You have said this in the past that what you do is not impressive but I still say you underestimate yourself in the past." After all, so many wanted to do something flashy or overly involved to come up with a solution without realizing that the simple things could actually be the grandest and most impressive of all.

"But you'd agree with any self assessment in the present?"

Waver raised an eyebrow, wanting to see if there was a new twist in Alexander's logic. He had long learned to come to terms with the fact he needed to take longer roads to get to the same conclusion and that there were some elements of cleverness within, but that hardly made things better. Sometimes it simply blew that he had to take more time to do a simple task.

"That would depend on the assessment. You are more impressive in my eyes than I believe you might think. Sometimes I think you spend so much time comparing yourself to what others are capable of that you might miss the wonders you can do yourself."

Iskandar gave a nod as if that finalized what he had to say. "I like your methods of doing things. They please me. I should even note that you became part of my Kingdom and they did not. That alone should speak more highly of you than any other."

"I feel," Waver paused, searching for words.

"I feel more okay with things than I did. But it is hard for me not to get annoyed that I have to get creative, and that's the reason I'm as driven as I am to try and improve. But that jut makes it sound like I'm motivated out of jealousy." And that isn't true. Not anymore. "But the reason was to see you again, not any other reason."

And there it was, that piece of sentiment was out in the open.

"So now I don't know quite what to make of myself."

"Ah. But a motivation is not what makes you who you are. If it was then you would not have all of these other things that make you who you are. My motivation is to see Okeanos with my own eyes yet that is not who I am. It is not the person that I am."

He went and gave him a poke to his chest.

"So now you simply need to look beyond a motive to who you are here."

"You say that like you're giving me homework," Waver said, laughing nervously. Iskandar was right, but he didn't want to talk about that. Easier to lighten the matter and deflect things some.

"Homework? Hmmm...I'd say more like a quest. Like those in stories. This one is to help you find who you are meant to be." He grinned pleased with his conclusion. Then again when he was such a fan of those stories already... "Imagine the tales you could create in your discoveries!"

"Yeah, that's homework," Waver said dryly. It was a joke at this point.

"And I'm not sure I'm a compelling protagonist. Side kick to you, certainly."

"I think you sell yourself too small. I am a grand King and you are one of my men. Yet my men had their own standings in history as well. You should look to me as someone to strive for rather than someone to stand below."

Sometimes he really wondered what the boy saw when he looked in the mirror. It seemed he just didn't always know his own worth.

"Most did. But if you weren't there to help they likely would have not reached the heights they came to."

Waver knew that he wasn't going to hit the marks of people like Ptolemy or Eumenes. They were closer to what he'd reach in his lifetime, rather than Iskandar's lofty perch.

"I certainly did a great deal to elevate what they could do. However, it is unfair to measure any person based on the greatness of another that led them. Particularly when they have their own accomplishments."

Like any of his generals. Like Hephaestion. Like Waver. Though he knew he was a great man, it simply wasn't fair in his eyes to steal the light away from what each of them had done all on their own without him.

"Hn."

Waver wanted to let the topic goat this point, and to do so he fell into silence. Stuffing his hands into his pockets, a long, slow sigh escaped.

"You thirsty?"

"Not really."

A pause as he realized what he might be asking.

"Ah you wish to share drinks! Yes, let us do this!"

Waver shook his head, before letting out a short, sharp bark of laughter.

"Took you long enough! C'mon."

Iskandar laughed himself and gladly went with him. He was never going to be the man to turn down drinks when they were being offered, after all!

Open | Hanging out with a King

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end thread I think?

yep this is a good spot!