[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

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."