{ OPEN } catchall for the month

[aceso]

WHO: Christine, Ellana, Minka, Julian + OPEN!
WHAT: A catchall for the month.
WHEN: whenever in Wintermarch
WHERE: various locations in Kirkwall

I'm putting starters in comments so I have a header for each character and get comments only sent to them instead of getting double comment notifs.

Also, if you'd like to work out a wildcard option, PM me or send a private plurk to megoom and we can play around with ideas.

Comments

[insatiably]

"Now, now. It can be both. After all, besides a minor sprain, I'm in relatively good health, so I can certainly spare a moment to think meeting you is a pleasure." Now Julian will see how Sam responds. It may be he's not interested at all, or just too focused on work. But Julian can easily back off if it's looking like his silly flirtations aren't wanted.

"Did they?" he asks, sounding more than pleased. "I should hope it was the De Abbrixio leather. We raise the finest cattle for the best quality leather in all of Antiva." Don't talk to him about all that wild animal leather nonsense. Like a wyvern or a deepstalker or whatever else has better leather than a cow lovingly raised on the vast lands of his estate. "Of course, now that I'm here, the Inquisition will have the finest leather too-- Ah!" He jerks a little as Sam finds the spot where the muscle has strained itself. "Yes, that's the spot there."

[el_tybs]

There's a chuckle from the mage at that, rather enjoying the conversation, and the fact that someone wants to talk. "Well lucky me that it is only a minor sprain and nothing like a dislocation. You'd be cursing my name in that case." Unfortunately for Julian, he is a bit focused on the task at hand, and everything being so subtle that he doesn't think it more then the typical way Antivans talk, which always sounded flirtatious.

"He never specified. I didn't realize that besides 'Antivan leather being the best'," he says, trying - perhaps poorly - to mimic Zevran's accented words, "compared to other countries, that there was a standard even higher there. So your family raises cattl-" Julian is lucky that he is practiced enough that when he is surprised by the yelp and the jerk, that he goes still rather then jerking himself.

Easing Julian's arm down, Sam gives a hum as he keeps a thumb on the trouble spot. "Hm. You sure you don't want any magic? That should really be iced."

[insatiably]

Julian chuckles at Sam's poor imitation of the Antivan accent, amused by the attempt. He supposes it's ripe for imitation, like the Orlesian accent.

"I will defer to the healer's professional opinion. Whatever you think best. I am in your hands."

[el_tybs]

"Figuratively and literally I suppose," he agrees with his own chuckle. Cold magic was just quicker and less messy to be honest.

With the go ahead, Sam removes his hand until it's only a few inches away from Julian's skin, so that he isn't given another shock when his fingers start to get chilly. After a few moments Sam reintroduces his fingers, one at the time on the affected area.

"So you raise cattle?"

[insatiably]

"Quite right," he replies, voice content as he waits for the magic to begin. Once it does, he hums a little before bobbing his head in a nod.

"My line of the family owns all the cattle and grazing land, and then it's a whole process where we sell to other branches of the family, who sell to other branches, all the way down to the sale of the finished leather goods. It's quite a tidy setup." And quite profitable, but he'll let Sam figure that out on his own.

[el_tybs]

Pressing the full of his palm on Julian's shoulder, Sam slowly rubs his hand in small circles, trying to massage the affected area slightly while not overly freezing one particular part. "You seem to take the cold pretty well," he comments off-handedly, recalling that Antiva was a rather warm climate country and that he's heard many complaints about said cold in the past.

"That means that one of the family branches deals with butchering and meat sales as well? Or is that one that goes to a different source?" he asks, kneading his thumb into the spot from before. "What makes your cattle better? Or is it how you process it?"

[insatiably]

Julian closes his eyes, letting his body relax under Sam's ministrations. This is much better than trying to go about his day with the muscle strain.

"I could come up with some complaints about the weather if you would like. But I figured since it will not change to my liking, I might as well save my breath." He's practical that way. Everyone expects a noble to complain about his due, but that's how you end up getting your food spit in, or your horse's saddle not tightened properly so you slip off. Too much whining leads to revenge from those who have to put up with it. He's been trying to get his sisters to see this, but they're both pampered ladies, and he can't really blame them when his country is known for treating their women like precious jewels.

"No, no, that is all in the family. My father's second cousins to be exact. Would that be my third cousins, or second cousins once removed? I can never remember how it goes." But he'd better get it all straight by the time he inherits. It won't be good for business to insult relations that do part of the work. "After the leather is made into goods, it's sold by several of my father's first cousins, but our line is part of that business to and has influence over sales and such. Which is why I am here: to sell to the Inquisition." He takes a moment to rotate his head on his neck, feeling the tightness already soothed just from the cold.

"Our land is beautiful. Sweet meadow grass for our cattle to eat, far enough from the coast that there is sunshine instead of too much rain. And of course, we require quality in every step of the process. While we De Abbrixios own each business, we hire excellent butchers, tanners, and artisans to keep our name on everyone's lips."

[el_tybs]

Sam snorts lightly with amusement at that. "No, I'm afraid it won't even if you did. Course even I have my own complaints about the cold, and normally I don't mind it." So he feels a little bit of your pain, Julian. "Sounds like your family has a good thing going on up there. Can't say I've heard of De Abbrixios before, but I suppose I haven't been in many places that dealt with overseas leather trading." Firstly his home which was a small fishing village and then the Circle.

Feeling Julian stretching out his neck, Sam backs off a bit so that he wasn't over doing the cold. "How's that feel?"

[insatiably]

"It seems the solution is simply to huddle together for warmth, yes?" He huffs out a laugh at his intimate remedy for the problem.

"Mm, the cold on that spot is working wonders. Is there another part to all this, or just the cold?"

[el_tybs]

"I wouldn't say it's the only solution... but that is a pretty good one. Certainly a good time to get close." Course more then huddling would be more fun, but he's just met the man and he is working, so he's not about to be unprofessional here.

"I'm not surprised; cold helps with the swelling. Since you don't seem to be against magic, I can try healing it up a bit so that the swelling goes down and then continue with the salve."

[insatiably]

"One benefit to life in the chilly south at any rate, hm?" Oh well. Perhaps Julian will see Sam around the Gallows when he isn't working and he'll be more into flirting back.

"Yes, that'd be all right. Whatever you think best, really."

[el_tybs]

Sam pauses and considers that. "That is one way of putting it," he concurs with a small grin and a chuckle. "If you don't like the benefit, well... just wear more furs."

How agreeable has the mage raising a brow. "You're awfully agreeable. Wish I had a few more patients like you." That being said he doesn't waste time placing his hands back where they were before, skin cool to the touch, and starts mending the muscle. "You shouldn't be in as much pain after this, but I still caution against anything strenuous. I'm sure you have better things to do besides sticking around the infirmary."

[insatiably]

"I see no benefit in arguing that I'm fine when I'm clearly not. If something is wrong, I must accept it." Which is something he's thought long and hard about based on family history. Besides, the sooner he's feeling completely well, the sooner he can get back to all the things he wants to do.

"Oh, I don't know; the company is pleasant enough." He chuckles to himself, but adds, "But I would rather leave on good terms than have you shoo me off as a nuisance."

[el_tybs]

That earns Julian a chuckle right after Sam gives a hum as he feels a bit of the swelling lessen. "Hopefully not so pleasant that you make this into a habit. I'm sure you're not hurting for company that badly." The grin widens at his own infirmary joke; he knows, it's terrible.

"If you don't mind me asking... what were you doing with the shield to warrant such an injury?"

[insatiably]

Oh, that was a terrible joke. So terrible it makes Julian laugh, so mission accomplished there!

"Too true! And as to that: I was practicing my shield bash, but I suppose my shoulder wasn't properly stretched first."

[el_tybs]

He's good at bad jokes; something he's picked up over the years. It's especially effective here in the infirmary. Sometimes something stupid, like a bad joke, is what a person needs to get over a trip here. Exhibit a: right here with Julian laughing - even if he was in pretty decent spirits already coming in.

"I'd say. Pretty sure the bashing is supposed to happen on the other end." Not on yourself, Julian. "Have you been using the shield long?"

[insatiably]

"Oh, a fair amount of time, but only in that way people do when they're dabbling. I've never been a soldier or anything like that before, and when I lived aboard a merchant vessel, I learned to forgo the shield to carry a dagger in the other hand. Much better if you're boarded by pirates." The shield is not meant for close quarters fighting where you're rubbing elbows with others. There's too much chaos on a ship for that.

"I do feel better already. Is there anything more to the treatment?"

[el_tybs]

"So you've taken it up as... a pre-caution?" Enough that he could use it at least. "Don't know many merchants who bother learning that much. Find that most of them get bodyguards. Good for you." Definitely impressed here, Julian; got points.

"Just need to apply the salve to help with any residual swelling and to bring down the bruising. After that you can be on your way. Just lay off the training for maybe a week - to be safe - and keep applying the salve. Shouldn't need to come back here, unless you think something feels off... or you hurt yourself again."