It's a teaparty [Closed]

[arlathvhen]

WHO: Cade Harimann, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Beleth Ashara
WHAT: In an effort to get Cade to be better at Peopling, Beleth bullied him into a tea party with obi-wan
WHEN: Early Wintermarchish
WHERE: The gardens
NOTES: insert your own alice in wonderland joke here

Beleth arrives early, of course. She has to set everything up, make sure it looks perfect. It was relatively easy to haul the chairs and table over--the food a little more of a struggle to obtain, but after batting her eyelashes and looking like a properly underfed and sad elf, she got the chefs to help make her an array of little pastries and secure some decent tea. With the entire set together, she stepped back to admire it.

Then, she pulled a sheet out of her pocket, with a list of possible conversation starters on topics that were hopefully not boring while managing to be completely unoffended. She'd listed them out, with several variations, and notes on which one might be suitable for different situations.

She might be. A little overprepared. Just a little.

But she was going to make this work, by the Creators. Even if she had to drag Cade kicking and screaming, he was going to get better at this whole People Thing.

Once she's set up, she daintily sits in her chair, getting the tea prepared, but not drinking it, because she has some fucking manners.

Comments

[obi_wanmanshow]

Obi-Wan considers himself to be a patient man, under ordinary circumstances, but he rarely puts himself in a position for that patience to be deliberately tested. It is a testament to his sympathy for Beleth that he is doing so now; entering the courtyard in no kind of hurry, but with a careful eye towards timeliness, like a parade that though it proceed slowly, and consist of one man, it will arrive at its destination without fault.

"Good afternoon, Beleth," And here he is, coming into the shade of the gazebo with an expectant serenity about him, and pausing in the lee of a pillar, politely, "I see you've been working hard to make a good impression. Most commendable."

[onlyhymns]

Cade is wearing his Nice Clothes, and has combed his hair to the point where it is at least reasonably tamed, and he has been pacing outside the courtyard for probably a good ten minutes trying to psych himself up enough to go within. Is this a trap? Beleth wouldn't trap him, he reassures himself with a shake of his head, but who is this other person, and will they hate him immediately? They always do, don't they?
Of course, the more worked up he gets, the longer he takes, and then the more guilty he feels for being increasingly late, so he does finally reach a breaking point and step in through the door, looking decidedly sheepish and as though he's already had the longest day of his life.

[arlathvhen]

As Obi-Wan approaches the gazebo, Beleth greets him with a warm--though still slightly nervous--smile. There were a lot of things that could go wrong here. But there were a lot of things that could go right. She just had to do her best, and pray. "Thank you, Ser. I'm doing my best."

She busies herself with pouring Obi-Wan a cup of tea, and shuffling the sugar and honey over, for him to use as he likes. "Thank you again for agreeing to this. I don't think--Well. It's not like Cade is...rude, or uncivil. He just needs to feel...comfortable. And I want to expand that area a little more." There are times that Cade seems to be comfortable, or at least not...uncomfortable. So it's possible, but not always easy to achieve, and far easier to break.

He is also late.

Did he decide not to come? Did someone decide he looked punchable and start a fight? Or maybe he just slipped and fell down a flight of stairs--not entirely unlikely, considering his astonishingly dismal luck. Just as Beleth begins to consider who might want to punch Cade in the face (today), he shows up, face unpunched. He's greeted with a bright--and relieved--smile, and she rises to introduce her two guests.

"Ah, Cade. There you are. Cade, this is Ser Obi-Wan Kenobi. Ser Obi-Wan, this is Cade Harimann." ...Does Cade have a title? She can't remember. Whoops.

[obi_wanmanshow]

"No thanks is required. Really, I should be thanking you, for the oppourtunity to improve the Rifter's reputation. We are in a naturally contentious position," But enough politics, there's tea! Oh, and it's very nice tea, strong and complex. He takes a second, more appreciative drink and holds the flavor for a moment before nodding, "This is very good. Where did you get it?"

And then Cade is here! What joy. If he were the kind of man to feel selfconscious about his clothes, Obi-Wan might feel so, dressed in his earth-colored robes, however neatly pressed and elegantly layered. But he isn't, and besides, it brings out his eyes.

"Good afternoon," Obi-Wan replies, when prompted by Beleth's introduction. Cade is clearly not looking forward to whatever he was promised of this, and it's better to put him at ease, so Obi-Wan offers him a warm, friendly smile to go with his nod of greeting, "Please, call me Obi-Wan, if you like."

[onlyhymns]

For all that Cade is in some ways a huge snob, if he decided to be snobby about the clothes at Skyhold he would never get anything done. He is, however, still completely baffled by Obi-Wan's name. How do you spell that? Obey one? Obeewun?

"Cade," he replies, his mouth dry, and nods to the man. Technically he's Ser Cade, and used to be Knight-Lieutenant, but he's definitely not that anymore and it was never really discussed what he is now. Maybe just Knight. Maybe just a dumb loser.

[arlathvhen]

Cade looks like Beleth had dragged him here against his will, and he was expecting the two of them to stick daggers in him at any moment. Et tu, Obi-Wantus? There's a sting of regret, that Beleth cannot simply grab Cade's collar and vigorously shake him until he stops being so weird and paranoid. That wouldn't really do much to ease him, however, so she resists.

Instead, Beleth reaches over to pat Cade on the arm reassuringly, flashing him a warm smile. Cheer up, ya miserable fuck. "Now then, let's sit down. I made tea for all of us. I hope you'll like it." With that, she gently ushers Cade towards the last seat, before sitting down in her own chair, and turning to Obi-Wan to answer his question. "Ah, it's strawberry pu'erh. It's a fermented black tea, I believe? Good for waking you up and giving you a kick for the day." Here, she glances at Cade. "I hope you like it." Since...Obi-Wan already gave his approval.

She lets silence take over for a few moments, until she feels it's appropriate to change the subject. "Cade is a Templar, you know," She informs Obi-Wan, who already is aware of that, since Beleth told him as much. "He deals a lot with the Seekers, even. So if you have any questions about the organization...?" Here, she flashes Cade another encouraging smile. Try not to be so dismal!!! Or she'll beat you up.

[obi_wanmanshow]

Obi-Wan would be glad to spell it for Cade, if he'd been asked, but the alphabet he knows his own name in isn't one compatible with the Thedasian equivalent-- the translation is imperfect.

No matter. Time to stop looming and take a seat, apparently.

"Actually, I have been curious," Obi-Wan settles into his own spot with an ease that belies years of training in manners and poise, offering with a gesture to give Beleth the honor of pouring, or if she be unwilling, to do so himself. He likes tea, "It's seemed rude to ask, but-- if you don't mind talking about it, I'd very much like to hear your story."