[Open] Drinks with a King

[conqueredhearts]

WHO: Iskandar and whoever joins him
WHAT: Iskandar has been matching Thedas months to Earth months and is guessing this is around a certain time of year. So he's hear to hold a memorial of sorts.
WHEN: Beginning of Justinian
WHERE: The docks
NOTES: Talk of death and dying. Note this is not a suicide content warning.

This wasn't the Okeanos of his dreams but he felt it would satisfy the time. That was to say he'd been figuring out how the months of this world might line up with those of his own world and had come up with the fact that his might be around Earth's June. The very same month historians had figured out he'd died at the age of thirty-two. Much had happened since that time but he felt that this was a day to honor something. Not him, of course, he had plenty of that already. No today was for those who had died living under his rule.

So he sat at the edge of the docks with a number of wine bottles around him. A couple were empty already to mark how much time had passed since he'd come out here. Around his neck was a small cat who had decided this was his favorite location to sleep even when Iskandar wasn't wearing his cloak. It was just nice to have a solid place to snooze apparently. Also there was a mabari pup next to him, sitting there as if trying to mimic the man in being calm. Not well though considering he kept wiggling about.

Iskandar chuckled and looked over his shoulder, having become aware that he wasn't alone. "Hello there. Would you care to join me? I am honoring the dead with a little memorial of sorts. You are welcome to think of your own lost ones if you like."

Comments

[gatheringstorm]

Iskandar, drinks and animal friends? Alright, he has her attention. She's recently become rather less social than usual, distracted and broody, but this is not something she can bring herself to pass up. So she tries to smile even as it doesn't quite reach her eyes.

"You know what, sure. I'd like that."

She settles by him, reaching out a hand to the mabari to see if he'll let her pet him. The cat, too. She probably smells like fox to them both, but if that's not a turn-off, they'll get some gentle scratching for their trouble. "So, pass the wine over and tell me what this is all about."

[conqueredhearts]

The small cat lifted his head to notice her then just closed his eyes again to allow the touch. The mabari though had given up on looking stoic and let his tongue flop out as he sniffed at her then put his paws on her leg while demanding attention. Iskandar just laughed as he handed her one of the bottles.

"You know I am a Spirit now but I was a human King once. A conqueror greatly loved by his people. I have figured out that this is the month I passed away in many years ago. So today I have chosen to honor all those who followed me as I marched towards my dream."

[gatheringstorm]

Aww, that mabari almost makes her wish she had room for another animal companion. But they don't, and Lux wants all the attention to himself. Korrin chuckles as she decides to multitask with the petting and wine. "Does someone need belly rubs? I bet he does." She grins, then looks over and sobers as she listens to Iskandar. "...wow. That's more than I expected, but--well, who am I not to help you mark the anniversary?

She takes a swig from one of the bottles. Ah, good stuff. "...I'm not a leader like that, haven't led anything other than specific missions. But a lot of good people I know, people in my company, were lost in that damned Conclave explosion. I see their faces every time it gets rough and I wonder what the hell I'm doing here." She's doing it for them, at least partly.[ ]

[conqueredhearts]

Belly rubs was obviously something he'd learned because he flopped over onto his back to get those. He'd heard that plenty of times before and knew this was going to mean he got that warm hand right on his tummy! That was the very best!

"Then let us drink to them as well. They have as much a right to be honored as any man or woman I knew in my lifetime. Leader or not they were your companions and that is enough for this," he said as he lifted his bottle to the sky.

[gatheringstorm]

Then of course the mabari gets all the belly rubs he wants! Korrin won't think to deny him. "What a good boy...."

She nods raises her bottle, then takes a swig. "There's Asher, too. Big, obonxious Avvar warrior. One of the best people you could hope to have at your back, but he didn't die on his feet like he should have; stupid infection. He's why I have this. "She points to the honey badger tattoo on her forearm.

"So, tell me about your followers. I won't hog this."

[kartereo]

Waver only stared down at Iskandar, then to the wine bottles, then back to Iskandar. A scoffed followed, paired with a very tired sigh.

"Please don't tell me you're drinking to your own memory," he said, clearly unimpressed with the display.

"Because if you are, I want to know if those bottles are empty or full, and how many people you're expecting here."

No man should consume that amount of wine in one go, Heroic Spirit or not.

[conqueredhearts]

"You know, most would find it odd that you researched me so thoroughly that you would know the month that I died." He laughed softly though, obviously not bothered by the fact as he looked back out to the waters.

"I've had a bottle or two now. Most are still full. Though this is not a celebration of myself for there was plenty of that in my life and after my death. No, this is for all those who stood by me and gave their lives to my dream."

He lifted a bottle then brought it to his lips for a drink.

[kartereo]

"Life and death dates are kind of important," Waver said with a shrug. "Biographical basics."

Besides, what else was there to do in ten years? Waver maintained his spot behind Iskandar, not wanting to move. The scene was much more picturesque like this.

"And I'll give you that that's something much nicer to drink to. Although no less depressing, I think."

[conqueredhearts]

"Well we can drink to me next month, boy. That will be the time of my birth. This month though shall be one I dedicate to those that followed me."

He lifted up another bottle and held it out to him.

"Come. Sit."

[universal_charm]

If there is someone who is going to stand out, well, anywhere, it is Iskandar. Even when he is sitting down on the docks. Or maybe especially when he is, surrounded by those alcohol bottles and two furry friends. Honestly not an uncommon sight on the docks if not for Iskandar's sheer size.

As it was, seeing him there was probably fortuitous. He had been wandering the docks, thinking, playing with a little pouch in his pocket for the past several hours. And now here was the object of his thoughts, though less cheerful than he was used to seeing, as if some of the light had been dimmed in his eyes. Kirk's heart twisted, coming to him and taking a seat beside him and taking up his own bottle.

"This is what you had been searching for, wasn't it? During your journeys? The sea?" he asked quietly.

[conqueredhearts]

"Not just any sea. I was looking for Okeanos. Still, this is a wonder to behold as well and a fine place for a tribute to every person who followed me all those years ago."

He lifted his bottle to the waters then had a drink from it. A sigh escaped him and he gave a soft laugh.

"I'd thought to have a bottle for every person who served me but I realized I might get scolded if I drank that much." He gave him a playful wink.

[universal_charm]

"Yes, you would," Kirk scoffed. "I think even you can get alcohol poisoning, and I'm strong, but I'm not sure I could turn your body over or drag you back to your bed." It's not his fault you're made of all muscle, Iskandar, though Kirk has no issue with enjoying this particular feature.

He turned his head slightly, brushing a kiss across Iskandar's bicep before taking a sip of the wine. A touch sour, maybe, or perhaps he just wasn't used to the wine of Thedas even now. Truth be told, he had never been a wine person anyways, but complaining about honorary drinks felt like a crude gesture at best.

"Did he have to scold you much - Haphaestion, I mean?"

[conqueredhearts]

"Ah Hephaestion likely would be drinking as much as I was. He and I used to take a couple bottles and go off together to just watch the stars as we drank. Hours of silence could pass with only the slosh of wine to pass the time yet that was peaceful for us. Drinking to excess was not frowned upon as much in that time, you know."

He lifted his bottle to his lips like he was taking a moment to drink to the man's memory in that moment. Letting out a sigh after, he smiled fondly. Memories of Hephaestion always touched his heart.

"He never was fond of the wines of Persia so he always had some wines hidden away from our home."

[justice_is_blond]

He paused at the invitation, looking into the water. After that moment, Anders shrugged and took a seat next to Iskandar. His list was long and heavy and he didn't want to start dwelling on it but that didn't mean he couldn't keep the man company.

"Is there anything that's done specially, where you're from, to memorialize the dead?" There had to be, but he wasn't sure bottles of wine, a cat, and a mabari were part of it. Anders reached out to gently scratch behind the kitten's ears. He couldn't help it. The cat was begging to be petted, snoozing or not.

[conqueredhearts]

"There is but it varies from country to country. Since so many men and women came from so many places it seemed like perhaps using so many methods would honor and insult too many at once. I have settled for this instead."

The cat lifted his head at the touch then realized who it was. Looking around he didn't immediately spot the evil face sitter and relaxed, stretching his head towards the scratching.

[justice_is_blond]

"Sitting and drinking?" It's not entirely unfamiliar, at the end of the day. Often his remembrances involved a lot more anger than simply being peacefully mournful, but this isn't too strange.

"You could tell me of some of them, if you'd like. The ones you most miss." Because there are always those, no matter how one might want to try to be fair. Bias is a very real thing.

[conqueredhearts]

"Most miss, hm? There are many to name but I suppose I think I shall stick to telling you of Hephaestion. For he was the other half of me in our life and when he died I felt as if I lost my entire world."

He was smiling though. The topic was side and he would have a right to be upset about it. But no, he was there smiling as he spoke of his sadness, hinting at how he'd let grief consume him once.

"He was a beautiful man. Strong and proud like myself. Ah but that laugh of his could warm the heart and send the same spilling from your own lips. We grew up together, even were schooled together. There is very little in my life that I did without that man right there at my side."

[judgemewhole]

James had come from the Gallows, on business with some of the captains for his project. He did not expect to find Iskandar there, with a cat, a mabari, and a great deal of wine. Nor did he expect an invitation to join him.

Interceptor, his own mabari, had no qualms. He padded over in his full year size, snuffing softly as he sat next to the puppy and sniffed him cheerfully, then flopped over. Dignity be damned.

James snorted, and went to drop himself down next to Iskandar. "You do not have enough wine here, for me to toast all the dead I have to remember."

[conqueredhearts]

Achilles Alexander gave a little bark then flopped down next to Interceptor. He liked the idea of flopping with the bigger dog. Besides, this was so much easier than trying to pretend to be stoic! Stoic was so hard.

"Nor do I have enough for myself but that hardly means we can't honor them regardless."

He smiled at him and handed him a bottle then took a drink from his own.

[judgemewhole]

Interceptor snuffed out at Achilles, before rolling over a little more on his side. He wasn't even trying for stoic. He was going for comfortable.

"That is true enough." He hummed, before took the bottle and drank down a swallow or two.

"To the fallen."

[conqueredhearts]

"The fallen." He joined in on the toast then had a nice large swallow of wine before resting back on one hand with a sigh. Companionship with wine. Yes, this was very nice.

"The waters are beautiful don't you think?"

[samahl]

Cyril's head tilted a bit and then he nodded and sat next to Iskandar.

"Is it the anniversary of a battle or personal death?" he asked carefully. "In Clan Ashara, people tend to become thoughtful around the anniversary of the plague that killed so many." He offered the last bit to give Iskandar an out if he didn't want to talk about his own loss.

[conqueredhearts]

"Mm. You could call it a personal one. It is the anniversary of my own, after all." Not something that Cyril would be aware of yet but surprise, surprise he was a man who had died in the past. "Though I've decided to spend it honoring those who followed me to achieve my dreams instead. There have been plenty who have honored my death already."

[samahl]

Cyril blinked several times and looked over Iskandar a bit. "Did a necromancer bring you back?" he asked, after a long, quiet moment.

[conqueredhearts]

"Not exactly. I am a spirit that was bound to a mage. However, I was not given new life necessarily." He gave him a playful sort of wink. "I'm good in bed for a dead man, aren't I."