[Open] Carve Your Name On Hearts

[sunshinethroughgrey]

WHO: Bethany Hawke-Darton and You
WHAT: Bethany does what Bethany does - charity, kindness, teaching, research and a whole lot of knitting.
WHEN: The month of
WHERE: Kirkwall Proper, the Gallows
NOTES: I warn you of sap. That is all

Charity For The Wardens - Hightown

There is an advantage to being famous (and being related to the famous), and that is that is a great deal easier to talk to the merchants. Being married to Aleron, beyond being a wonder on it's own, let her speak to the nobility -- but sometimes the nobility only had two silvers to rub together on a good day. Merchants, though, knew that she was close with Varric and were more willing to talk to her than just any other nobleman's wife about her charity.

Which of course, was the Grey Wardens.

You can find her talking to a group of merchants, telling probably for the hundredth time, the story of how Marian Hawke took on the ogre, and adding in, "You see how necessary it is to have the Grey Wardens! Imagine a creature like that, tearing through Kirkwall? It could do the damage of half the Qunari forces in half the time ..."

Charity For The Wardens - and a few other people

Bethany has been gifted with a very rich and along with that, a very doting set of in-laws. Her dear 'Maman' and sister Ravonild had a tendency to ... compete in that area, and that meant that Bethany was usually drowning in every colored silk gown and every piece of large jewelry they could find. She kept one or two dresses, made sure anything that was family in origin got put into their safe -- and the rest she carted off to sell. Usually to the Hightown merchants, because they could get her a better price, but she did go to Lowtown as well.

The money was divided with a heavy sum towards the Wardens, but she always kept some gold and silver on the side to give to the poor. Large donations in small coins, because a piece of gold could get you stabbed in Darktown. You could probably see her right outside Anders's clinic, making sure families got some coin, some food, and of course knitted blankets.

Knitting Hours

Bethany usually kept at least one to two hours of her day open to sit in front of Sina's Forest, as she had taken to calling it. She would have her balls of yarn, her knitting needles, and a table set up for charity to the poor -- but now she included items for sale - shawls knitted from fine Orlesian silk yarn, finely stitched cloaks, and the like. All going towards the Warden, as a helpfully painted sign pointed out. As it was colder, she usually bundled up in her own new cloak, but she would put it down immediately to help anyone who came up to her. Sometimes you might see children, gathered up around her seat as she pulled out a book and read to them, having them sound out the words with her.

Library Hours

Yet she couldn't spend her entire day doing good works - there was research to be done, so most afternoons found her in the Gallows Library, either knitting in her lap as she turned pages, or she was so engrossed that she leaned her dark head against her hand, absentmindedly chewing on the end of her quill.

In those moments of intellectual fugue, it is altogether too easy to sneak up on her, if you would like.


Insert Random Scenario

(Just want to talk to Bethy? Hang out with her at the Hanged Man? Let me know!)

Comments

Library

[circleprodigy]

And suddenly there is a canine presence by Bethany, as Garahel plops his head in her lap, looking up hopefully while wagging his tail. Normally, he naps while Inessa is reading, but he woke up a little early and can he get some attention?

Inessa, frowning in thought as she takes another book from her pile, looks over and sighs. "Garahel...you know better. Go lay down, it's still research time."

Re: Library

[sunshinethroughgrey]

Bethany jerked up with surprise, before she let out a laugh as Garahel put his Sad Sad Puppy face on her knee. She gave him a few good head rubs, before she tutted. "You heard Mum. You should be lying down."

[circleprodigy]

Garahel rumbles happily, just glad for some affection since evidently he's so starved for it. He huffs as Inessa gestures for him to lay down, but does so without whining for a treat. She's discouraged that in the library, not wanting to attract ants and such.

Glancing over, Inessa smiles wryly. "Thank you for backing me up. It's not good for him -or us- if he gets used to having his way in here. Besides, I won't make him wait too much longer." A regretful glance to her books, knowing there's so much more thant needs to be done...but she didn't bond with a mabari to not give him daily exercise. That and the whining and soulful eyes are too guilt-tripping to ignore.

[sunshinethroughgrey]

"Well, we pet-parents must all stand together. We cannot have our mabari thinking they can just have us roll over all the time. Even if they are adorable." She beams at Garahel, before rubbing her own face as she looks at her own books.

"Are you getting any further in your own studies? I feel like I am being stymied all over again."

[circleprodigy]

Sighing, she leans back in her chair and shakes her head. "...no, not really. Research for either project is slow going, as you might imagine. So little is known about red lyrium, and we are it for cutting edge knowledge. I have been trying to research the regular kind for comparison and insight, but I might have to request additional books--again. They are starting to tire of my requests, so I don't look forward to that encounter."

She's fairly itching for some tea, but it wouldn't be fair to get Garahel's hopes up only to drag him back here again. "What are you researching?"

[sunshinethroughgrey]

She gives Inessa a sympathetic look, and then sighs herself as she looks back at her own pile of books. "I am trying to pin down Corpheyeus's history. Who he might have been, in the past. It is ... as you may have guessed, as tedious as it looks and about as vague as one can get. Everything on the magisters who breached the Golden City is just stories - legends and Chantry rhetoric. I am having a hard time finding Hard Facts that will help us."

[circleprodigy]

"Does anything remain of the prison used to hold him? Other than that, perhaps Weisshaupt has something...but that might as well be as unreachable as the Golden City itself." It's not as though the First Warden is just going to let them waltz right in, not after everything.

[sunshinethroughgrey]

"Well unless I am willing to sneak into a fortress filled with demons ... which honestly might be both options." Bethany sighed as she looked up at the ceiling, huffing out a breath. "But still, the fortress in the desert might yield better results. Have you - well - have you tried going to talk to the dwarves directly?"

[circleprodigy]

"It's an idea that remains on my mind...as well as returning to the Temple of Sacred Ashes' former site. It was rich in lyrium before the explosion, but all that anyone saw afterward was the red. If we could determine precisely what happened, there might be progress." Or just as likely, more questions.

"Should you decide that is your course, I'll volunteer our time if we can spare any." She gestures to Garahel, who's settled down but still has his eyes half-open. He wags his tail upon being noticed.

Knitting

[lyriumcarved]

It's definitely gotten chillier lately... so Fenris has on the scarf, hat and gloves, and shirt that Bethany had given him. He's coming by the area when he pauses to watch her reading with a small group of children. They're eagerly sounding out words with her. Occasionally one of their voices rises in triumph when they've figured it out, excited when they get it right. Fenris knows the feeling, even if it's usually more internalized for him. Still, those moments when it all just clicks has made the process worth it.

They seem to be close to finishing, so he's fine to wait until then.

Re: Knitting

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"All right, last line, who wants to read it?" Bethany asked, and a small six year old girl stuck up her hand and wiggled it. She gestured to the girl to come forward, which she shyly did, and began to slowly read aloud.

"I've had it, had it, Mister Klug!
Down, into that hole you dug
Down with the thug
And the slug
And the bug..."

Bethany clapped her hands when the girl finished, as did everyone else, and only then did she look up and smile at Fenris. Waving him over. "Look children, it's another hero of Kirkwall."

[lyriumcarved]

That's still something Fenris will never get used to. Sure, he can get behind calling Hawke a Champion, she'd done so much to deserve that, and in her way she'd been their leader, the one who'd bonded them together, anyway. But him? A hero? Really? Are they sure they have the right elf? Or so his thoughts always go. But he tries not to draw attention to that, at the moment, instead approaching with as much calm as he can manage.

"Yes, I'm Fenris... and no, you may not touch my brands." He says this to stop the advances of one very eager looking little boy. "I hope your studies are going well."

[sunshinethroughgrey]

The children all beamed and chorus, "Yes Master Fenris!"

Bethany dimpled at him over their heads, before she clapped her hands together. "All right, time for all of you to get home and have your suppers. Lessons again tomorrow, right here!"

The children rose and scattered, all of them leaving in groups of two or three, and she stood up to greet Fenris. "Well hello there, my favorite student."

[lyriumcarved]

He doesn't know how to take their enthused response, but he does his best and nods sternly, adding, "Good," in an equally serious tone. He's never really spent much time around children, and not remembering anything about childhood at all, so he's totally out of his element here.

He watches them scatter, dashing off in all directions. He reddens a little when she compliments him, "I'm glad to hear I'm keeping up with the likes of them. And hello to you as well... I see you've had your hands full."

[sunshinethroughgrey]

She gave him a lopsided, warm smile, before she gestured for him to join her behind the table. She took out her knitting basket, eyed her yarn and got to work on another warm blanket.

"Don't be silly - you're well above them." A dimpled smile, "Well, most of them at least." She looked around the square, her gaze quieting, "When one is trying to raise money for the poor - your own organization no less - then one really never stops being busy. But at least it keeps me from thinking too hard about things as they are."

[lyriumcarved]

He comes over to join her, watching as she takes to the knitting. That's a good strategy, he thinks, always having something to keep busy with.

"They seem like bright children. Though I'm surprised you can get them to sit still and concentrate." He's seen kids around, always running or playing. Yes. Definitely a handful. He looks over at her, a concerned expression crossing his face, as he knows too well what she might mean. No, they hadn't found anything truly bad, but they hadn't actually found her, either. "It keeps you from thinking... about Marian?"

[sunshinethroughgrey]

"Oh that's easy. First part of lessons I always bribe them with food." She dimples again, but his question draws her back down. Her face looks altogether too pensive though.

"...Yes. Yes it does. It keeps me busy, happy, and not dwelling.

Charity #2

[unshadowing]

And now that Carver's back, Bethany has an extra set of arms to help cart those knitted blankets about as she hands out the extra coin and blankets to the poor of Lowtown. While Carver's not entirely thrilled with his job, he doesn't really mind, and it beats having to schmooze the nobles of Hightown in hopes of getting their money. He can only stand to hear the stories and gossip so much before he wanted to flip a table.

"Maker's breath, how many blankets did you manage to knit?" He knows she knits a bit, but damn, sister.

Re: Charity #2

[sunshinethroughgrey]

Bethany looked over at Carver, her lips curving up on dimples as she stated simply. "Enough to help these people. I started knitting sometime in the last year and - welll, I just never stop. It is a good way to focus myself and I enjoy doing it for other people."

She leaned over to hip bump him, giving him a little smile. "Besides, we always wanted people to do the same for us."

[unshadowing]

"It's utter madness. I don't think I've seen you put those needles down since I've arrived." Carver's kidding, mostly. Sometimes he swears she juts knits all night or something. It's the only explanation he can think of for the sheer volume of knitted things she's produced.

He snorts. "I seem to recall wanting people to give us jobs more than anything."

[sunshinethroughgrey]

"Well, you see how we have these things to give out to the poor people of Kirkwall! Isn't that marvelous?" She smiled at him, her gaze bright as she turned to give another set of blankets to some children.

She dimpled, "That too."

[unshadowing]

"It's something. Next time, though, we're borrowing a bloody cart to carry all this around." More lighthearted, not all that serious complaining, although his arms are cramping a little bit, if he's being honest. Still, he manages a smile as some of the children quietly thank them for the blankets, their little faces burrowing into the soft material.

"For all the hard work a Warden is, I don't miss those days of running around, hoping for some job just to get a bit of coin."

[sunshinethroughgrey]

"You know I usually remember to bring the cart ... but I thought my big muscley brother could handle it." She dimpled again, dark eyes flashing mischief, but that smile softens as the child thanks her brother. She can see you, Carver Hawke. Giant marshmellow.

"Neither do I. And now we have the chance to give back." She smiles as she puts a hat and a scarf on a thin elvish woman, pressing a few coins into her hand for her baby.

[unshadowing]

"Big, muscly brother gets achey arms and back just like everyone else after awhile. Especially under two tons of blankets and clothing." Seriously, Beth, how much of this stuff did you make??

For a brief moment, he sharply misses Marian. It's strange, where and when those moments hit him. He feels like he should be here, too, making stupid jokes and charming - or infuriating - the locals. He shakes it off; it does no good to dwell on it. "You, mostly, Lady Darton. I'm still just a poor Warden."

[sunshinethroughgrey]

"Oh it is not two tons. If it was two tons of blankets I would have used all the yarn in Thedas." She stated, giving him a smirk. She made a Lot.

She sees that moment of a shadow cross his face, and she gently bumps against him again. A questioning look on her face disappeared before she laughs softly, "Oh yes, all that money I can't really hold onto it, because I am a Warden."