[closed] tiptoe through the tulips

[altusimperius]

WHO: Benedict, Wren, James, Simon, Hanzo, some new friends
WHAT: The time has finally come to return Benedict to his people. Something maybe goes a little bit wrong.
WHEN: Early Bloomingtide
WHERE: southern Tevinter
NOTES: Warnings for violence.

Three Templars, a magister's son, and a Shimada cross the border from Hasmal to the Tevinter Imperium: it sounds like a joke, and in many ways it probably is, but to Benedict it just seems like overkill.
His mother requested the Templars, ostensibly for protection against the southern apostates driven mad by their little war; Hanzo, a man whose name he recognizes but is too young to properly remember, presumably tagged along for the practical benefits of visiting Minrathous without the Inquisition's grandeur.

Magister Calpurnia Artemaeus awaits them at the family home, and all they have to do is get there. Surely the nightmare will soon be over.

Comments

I. Traveling

[altusimperius]

Benedict is not a pleasant travel companion, or an especially gracious one, which means the trip is taxing from the get-go. He's in relatively high spirits on account of finally being able to leave the accursed Kirkwall, but that doesn't make the walking any easier or the food any better.

There's discussion on whether to go north earlier, skirt a right at Hasmal and cut toward Perivantium before heading on northwest, but the Imperial Highway is right there if they move into Nevarra. The first way is more circuitous and inconvenient, but the second takes them through the Silent Plains, which means higher risk of shenanigans.

Being in a hurry, Benedict votes for the Highway, but he may not be the only one with an opinion.

[limier]

It's definitely overkill.

But she doesn't trust Ashlock or Norrington to this alone (alright — doesn't trust Simon not to abandon James in the desert and then have a heart attack from guilt —), and there's nothing in Kirkwall she doesn't want the back of just now. Perhaps it's folly, to push North again so soon after the last fucking disaster; Minrathous promises no more welcome than Salzklippe.

Owns as many teeth.

"Wyverns in the plains," And ghasts, and Blight, and storms. And little else. The sooner they've Artemaeus out of their hair, the better, but best of all not to lose a hostage. The Venatori have looked for him before. An eye to Shimada, Ashara: "Your thoughts?"

Benedict's don't particularly matter. Sorry buddy.

[eruit]

His own travels away from home had been ten years in the past; it's been a very long time since Hanzo has done any travel towards Tevinter whatsoever. It's not an easy road to take, especially not with a group of people that is as varied as their own is... He wants to see his homeland with enough longing that he has no desire to complain, but he is already feeling the budding edge of frustration at simply trying to choose a route to go.

"Toward Perivantium may not be faster," he says, voice low and quiet. It's carefully measured, as if designed not to give away any kind of feelings either way. "But there is a risk of danger in the Plains which may slow our travel. We are not here to seek a fight, we are here to make haste."

There's nothing to say that they won't be entirely free of the Venatori, either, which makes his brow drop as he grows a little more tense.

[judgemewhole]

James had no idea which would be the faster way, outside of reading a map. So when it came to deciding which way to go, he honestly would prefer to stick to the map. He held Dauntless's reins loosely, looking from Benedict, who he did not want to follow, to Wren, whom he knew was only along to keep Simon and himself from being left in the dessert to die.

So, in the interests of keeping this going, he glanced over at Hanzo. Then back to Simon. After that, he drawled out, "Well, I cannot speak for the rest of us, but staying out here in the heat will be bad for the mounts and the people riding them. Quicker would be wise."

[altusimperius]

"What's that," muses Bene snidely, "a Templar said something intelligent for once?" He directs the comment at... no one, really, because he's surrounded by Templars and a former magister he considers beneath him, but someone has to appreciate his scathing wit. Maybe the fennecs will.

[limier]

"Perivantium." As though that settles it — perhaps Benedict has a budding career in reverse psychology — "We can trade horses in Hasmal if need be."

Unless Ashlock has a compelling argument otherwise. One sandstorm was enough for the year.

[judgemewhole]

"Which would still put me ahead of you by one." James muttered under his breath, before he nodded at Wren. "Agreed. I'll ride vanguard, if that's all right with everyone."

Anything to be as far away from Benedict as possible. Honestly sometimes he just wanted to throttle the boy. This would take away the temptation.

[eruit]

"Perivantium, then." Hanzo, truly, doesn't mind either way. He is more than capable of defending himself, protecting himself, and he can do his duty and extend that protection to the people around him if necessary. The sooner they get to the Imperium the better; he can see his home, briefly, drink it in once more, before returning to the Inquisition as though he has not lost anything at all in the journey.

"There will be many stables along the way. I doubt we will have issue." His knowledge of the area is old enough that he's not entirely certain, but he doesn't think that it's too novel an idea.

for Hanzo

[altusimperius]

Benedict has all sorts of theories on why Shimada joined their party at the last minute, and none of them are especially favorable. He's never met the man in person, or if he has he was simply one in a sea of faces at some party or another, but his being here in Kirkwall of his own volition and his apparent desire to go back to Minrathous raises some red flags. Especially since, even if he doesn't recognize Hanzo, Bene knows his name. He knows about the Shimadas. Any magister's son worth his salt would.

It's in a low voice that he addresses him, just a day or so out of Kirkwall and still relatively energetic for the long journey ahead. "If you're hoping to win my mother's favor," Benedict murmurs, or rather drawls with a snide curl to his lip, "you'd better be ready to do some groveling."

[eruit]

There is something that Hanzo is well versed in and that is distrust; there is no one in this place that he trusts and no one that he believes trusts him and that is likely for the best. Trust means comfort and he has no desire to become comfortable in the fold of the Inquisition - that only breeds danger. The fact that he is on this trip in the first place is a mixture of a desire to see his home (as much as he can, given the nature of their travels) and to escape from the city walls, at least for a little while.

When spoken to Hanzo is, usually, quiet, but the very notion that he might be attempting to gain any kind of favour from any mother in Minrathous makes him laugh, a low, quiet chuckle as he shakes his head.

"I do not wish for favour from any parent, certainly not yours."

[altusimperius]

Far from dissuaded, Benedict smirks along with him, watching Hanzo like a hawk even as he chuckles. "Well," the boy muses, "that explains a lot."
He couldn't be happier to be on his way back to his old life, which was the peak of comfort and privilege, and can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want to do this.

[eruit]

It's like bantering with a child and Hanzo only has patience enough to resist the urge to roll his eyes quite heavily. It has been some time since he was home, true, but he can remember the pride and arrogance that comes hand in hand with Tevinter blood and magic - he still carries some of that weight himself.

"Is there something you want from me?"

[altusimperius]

Benedict considers the question, strolling easily along as though he and Hanzo are long-time friends. "Mm... no," he concludes after a time, "but surely you want something from me, since you're here." He's made it his life's mission to ferret it out.

[eruit]

It's clear that he's a little frustrated, but he manages to shake his head, facing forward and playing ignorant of the fool at his side.

"No. Nothing from you." He is taking advantage of a situation - he doesn't care at all for Benedict himself.

[altusimperius]

Who wouldn't care for Benedict? That's unthinkable.

Sensing that he's getting to Hanzo, Bene continues to needle him, because it's a long trip and there's no such thing as state license plates to count. "You just wanted to spend some quality time with the Templars," he guesses with a little smirk, "no sense in setting out on your own when there are three heavily armored imbeciles to watch your back."

[eruit]

Hanzo is sure there is a list, somewhere. He might add his own name.

Thankfully, years of dealing with a younger brother - no matter how long ago that might have been - has made Hanzo somewhat adept at ignoring irritating needling and painfully frustrating nudging and teasing. If there are any memories of Genji he clings to it is those - from a time before their family had come between them.

"My reasons are my own. They have nothing to do with you."

[altusimperius]

"You'll find that this whole excursion has to do with me," Bene cheerfully corrects him, "and I think you're hiding something. Perhaps you're embarrassed to be seen by your family, so you're going along anonymously and hoping for a little taste of that Tevinter finery without having to crawl back to them.

[eruit]

"You are secondary." At least as far as Hanzo's concerned. As for the rest... He has no desire to see any member of his family and the very idea makes him laugh, a low, cool chuckle. "I have no family."