[Open] You can take the Captain out of the Gaurd....

[didifuckingstutter]

WHO: Character(s) Aveline + You!
WHAT: Aveline has been "promoted" to Emissary of Kirkwall.  
WHEN: Current
WHERE: Kirkwall
NOTES: It's a PR nightmare for Kirkwall's newest ambassador. Food shortages, cold weather, and people are turning blue.

It had been all of 48 hours since she had been told she would now be an Emissary of Kirkwall instead of Captain of the Guard. To say the news hadn’t been taken well was a understatement. She was well aware that she was probably the worst choice for this sort of thing, but the point was made that she was the only choice. It didn’t do well to inspire confidence, but, there was little left to argue about after that.

They required her to attend etiquette lessons with a pompous ass who delighted in teasing her about her un-femininity so much she ended up socking him in the jaw halfway through. But, she now knew the difference between a salad fork and a dinner fork, so she counted it as a success. She was given a frilly new uniform, which immediately refused to wear and a “compromise” was eventually reached after some heated words were exchanged. She would still wear her own armor, but she would also be swathed in a half cloak with the Kirkwall crest on it, to make her easily distinguishable.

This, of course, was before everything had gone to pot. Things were a mess before, but now things had become dire. The people of Kirkwall were desperate for food, for warmth, and especially for a glimmer of hope that things would turn around somehow. The guard were on round the clock posts to try and keep the populus calm, but they could only do so much. She would never ask her guard to do anything she would not do herself, so she had parked herself in the main entrance to lowtown, hoping to calm as many as she could. She had “requisitioned” (strong armed) two carts full of blankets, and several dozen loaves of bread to pass out to the citizens until she could approach the Inquistion for aid.

Comments

[unshadowing]

No one thinks of the guard and not associate it with Aveline. The two were nigh inseparable. Or so Carver thought, which is why Aveline's news shocks him, to say the least.

"You're serious? They made you an ambassador?" Of all the stupid- Not that Aveline is as undiplomatic as he is, but her strength lies with leading the guard and keeping the city safe, not acting as liaison between them and the Inquisition. "Even if I was in the guard, they'd probably have still sent you. I'm a worse candidate than you are." He would have pointed and laughed, if he's being honest. A part of him's tempted to now, but he also knows this probably stings for her. "Who's going to be leading it then?"

[didifuckingstutter]

His reaction, although it's far from unexpected, deflated her a little.

"Very serious, I'm afraid. I know I'm not the best choice, but I will put Kirkwall's needs to the forefront, which couldn't be said about the other candidates." She sighed, and crossed her arms in front of herself.

"I've put Donnic in charge, for the time being. You might have met him a few times while he was on patrol. He's a good man, trustworthy. He will keep the guard stable. I'm hoping once things settle down I can go back."

She hoped against hope Hawke had kept her mouth shut about the feelings she had for Donnic all those years ago. Marion's attempt to play matchmaker had been disastrous, and by the end Aveline had never felt so embarrassed. Fortunately, Donnic seemed rather oblivious to it all. Unfortunately, Varric had decided to model one of his horrid romance novels after the two of them. It made for a rather awkward interactions for her and Donnic's new wife, although Aveline was confident that the new couple didn't know it was supposed to be him precisely. Aveline had long since pushed those feelings aside, but Donnic was still trustworthy.

Hopefully, Varric and Hawke had kept their mouths shut about it. But, knowing them, they hadn't.

[unshadowing]

Sorry, Aveline. He's never been the type to bring people up too much.

"Well, if anyone can keep the city from tearing itself apart outside my sister, it's you." See, look? A compliment! "You care. That's something. Did they say if it's a permanent post, or just while the Inquisition's in full swing with dealing with... well, everything?" He hopes for her sake it's temporary, and that she can go back once Corypheus is defeated and everything settles down.

Luckily for Aveline, Carver has no idea about her feelings and her past misadventure involving him. "I might know him if I see him."

[didifuckingstutter]

She shrugged, and huffed a little again.

"I'm hoping this will be temporary, but I'm not sure how long it will take for things to sort themselves out. But, I'll be damned if I dwindle away rubbing elbows instead of keeping this city in one piece. I may be getting on in years, but I don't see that in my future I'll tell you that much."

She is immensely relieved he didn't know about all that mess with Donnic. If he were privy to that information, he wouldn't hesitate to let her know about it.

"What about you? What business do the Wardens have in Kirkwall? Anything I can do to help? I might as well be useful if I can be."

[unshadowing]

Carver looks away uneasily at her line of questioning. Ahhh... how does he explain this? "I wasn't there for it, but... you didn't hear about it at all? About what happened in Weisshaupt?" He sighs, rubbing the back of his head. "Things went south up there. The First Warden seized the Anders throne, one of the Warden Commanders went mad and had Warden mages be possessed in some bid to prevent future Blights and charge the Deep Roads... the Wardens here fled from that."

[didifuckingstutter]

"Wait just a moment-Anders, Anders had a throne?! And the Warden Commanders did what? What in Makers name happened?" It was clear that she had been as out of the loop as someone could get.

She grabbed his arm, now making sure he wasn't hurt. He looked alright, but she was very worried something horrible had happened to him. She brought her hands up to his face, boxing it between them and moving it side to side to make sure nothing looked out of place. "You're alright? And Bethany? Is she okay?"

[unshadowing]

Oh for - He rolls his eyes. "Not Anders, the idiot mage. The Anderfels, the country in the north where Weisshaupt is? That throne. The King of the Anderfels got overthrown and the First Warden took the crown for himself."

He sputters as she grabs him and examines him. With a grunt he wrenches free. "I'm fine, so's Bethany. I wasn't there when it all happened, I was in the Deep Roads. A lot of the Wardens escaped from there and fled south. A contingent of them are here, including Beth. When I got out of the Deep Roads, I joined up with them here."

[didifuckingstutter]

Well, Maker, doesn't she feels stupid. "Why would the First Warden want a throne?"

She isn't put off by his grumblings, but she doesn't reach for him again. He seems to be well enough, but after Wesley.... she can't assume anything about the condition of someone she cares about. And there are very few people in this world she cares about more that the Hawkes.

"It's good that you are here then. Shitty as it may be at present."