( OPEN ) it's empty in the valley of your heart

[eruit]

WHO: Hanzo Shimada & open
WHAT: Catch-all for Hanzo related things
WHEN: Throughout the month
WHERE: Kirkwall, various places listed inside
NOTES: N/A other than shirtless Tevene

I. GALLOWS TRAINING

After a disappointing result in the Tourney, Hanzo has decided to dedicate himself to his training in a way he has neglected since he had left Tevinter. It might not be magically focussed anymore - those days are long behind him, even if he can still feel the burn of his power under his skin - but his dedication is much the same, to the point of it being almost ridiculous. He wakes up, he meditates, calms himself, strides out of the Gallows and makes his way to the archery targets, where he spends hours doing what he can to perfect his aim.

Day in, day out, Hanzo spends between three to five hours working on his archery. Most of the time he hits his targets on the mark, the arrow hitting the bullseye and sinking through into arrows that had been there previously, cutting through it.

When the days get warmer, Hanzo shrugs off what remains of his shirt, everything that isn't the left hand side of his body, and lets it hang around his hips. Shirtless, he continues to practice, drawing his arm back and shooting the targets, time and time and time again, before he goes and collects his arrows and repeats the process. It's almost disturbingly mechanical, practiced movements that are akin to routine more than anything else. The few arrows that Hanzo misses - because he hears something, because he's distracted, because something draws his attention - makes him curse quietly in Tevine, his teeth gritting tight.

II. GARDENS

When he's not training, Hanzo spends a great deal of his time sitting in the gardens in the Gallows, legs tucked under him in something that seems like it must be uncomfortable for extended periods of times. He doesn't look particularly put out by it, however, more comfortable like this - with something familiar, something almost like 'home' - than he is in any other way. He sits that way for long hours of the day, basking in the warmth of the sunlight, letting himself enjoy the peace and quiet and the solitude more than anything else, his head tilting this way and that to enjoy the sun.

It is rare that Hanzo Shimada allows himself this kind of peace or comfort, not with the things that he must atone for.

Other hours of the day are spent with him sitting with bits of paper and ink at his side, writing letters that will never be sent. They are all titled with a name, the curl of his lettering formal and practiced, clearly well taught and well educated. He writes and he writes, almost as if he is dictating his life in a diary entry, pieces of parchment building a pile at his side. When he's done, or it seems as though he's done, he puts the paper to one side and bows his head, overcome by something, his hands shaking a little before he begins to fold them all, meticulous and careful. When he is done folding them he turns, creating a small circle of rocks before he starts a small fire.

Then, one by one, he burns all the parchments until nothing remains.

The fire burns out as Hanzo sits, watching it.

III. GALLOWS ROOM

When he's not out training or in the gardens, Hanzo spends a great deal of time in his room reading any scouting reports he can get his hands on and doing his own studies and investigations. He's still investigating his own things, thanks to the confusing mess that Benedict had him dragged into, but he does what he can to keep himself quietly involved in whatever he can stick his nose in. It means that he's often surrounded by papers, making notes and adding to his own maps of Kirkwall and the areas beyond the city, as much as he can.

His door is open, if only because it's so warm, and when he settles in his chair there is a bottle of something that smells very, very alcoholic set at his desk as he works.

It takes him a little while to lift his head and respond to anyone calling for him, but he always does, in the end.

IV. OPEN / WILDCARD

( Feel free to wildcard your own prompt or message me at aziraphale for a prompt of your own! )

Comments

[coiledscales]

"I'll be the judge of whether it ends up being useful or not," Alacruun replies smoothly. It's pretty easy to sound superior. He's used to it. Besides, he's trying to convey the relationship here. He has something that Anqar wants (supposedly). Something that Anqar wants more than the erstwhile agent might actually need.

"But if you're prepared to uphold your end of the bargain, I am as well."

[eruit]

The shiftiness continues, and Anqar watches, eyes darting around the clearing all over again. There's an edge of something there, an edge of some kind of desperation that can't really be put into words, but it's obvious that he wants something. Breathing out, he hesitates, hand dropping to his side for a moment before he nods his head.

"Alright. You swear you'll keep your word? I want to become Viddathari. I won't accept anything less than that."

[coiledscales]

"My word is my bond," Alacruun intones with all due seriousness and gravity, drawing himself up to his full, rather impressive height. He places his hand over his heart with a nod of his horned head.

"Viddathari."

A simple enough request, were he really a Qun agent. As it is, he's just saying what the man wants to hear.

"I promise; you won't have anything to worry about after this is done. We will take care of you as our own."

[eruit]

The shiftiness doesn't disappear or stop and Anqar pauses, staring at Alacruun as if he might be able to see through into the depths of his soul. It's true that there are few Inquisition agents that have had any real experience with the Qun, but his nerves are getting the better of him. His eyes flick up and down, hesitantly, as if he doesn't quite believe it's true - a dream come true, some might say - but he bites his lip.

He breathes, in then out, before he steps a little bit closer.

"When can I come?"

[coiledscales]

Alacruun returns the gaze with one of his own. It's... cool. Not quite cold, but collected and analyzing, as if he's trying to peer straight back and figure out what Anqar is thinking. If he decides to run, decides to do anything but follow the 'script', Alacruun is prepared to do what he thinks he has to do to end this on a positive note. Well.

"Positive".

But then Anqar steps forward and the hint of a smile tugs at this lips. Alacruun extends his hand with a slight nod of his head, "Very soon. As soon as we verify your information - which shouldn't take that long."

[eruit]

In the tree, Hanzo is shifting, taking aim, adjusting his bow. He aims a little below where he would normally - for the neck rather than straight through, something to cause a little more pain, so that he might still be able to speak a little before death came. That's what is most important, after all; they've discovered the why, he needs to know the how.

"Who is going to verify it? You're the only one here."

[justice_is_blond]

He sees Hanzo change position slightly and takes a breath, readying himself. Hanzo and Alacruun can take down the agent he's certain. But if there's damage to them, or the man has allies...

Anders looks around the area again, scanning, finding no one else appearing out of place. Then again, nobody seems to have noticed that there's an archer in a tree, so he could be missing something. He raises an out of sight hand and prepares to cast barrier, braced in case he instead needs to blast someone with something a little more deadly.

[coiledscales]

"There are others in our employ who can do so. It might take a little time..." Alacruun arches a brow.

"I trust that won't be a deal-breaker?"

He's ready to spring into action, mainly because he's not sure how the mark is going to take this.

[eruit]

"... No." The elf shifts, incredibly on edge, before he moves forward. Reaching into his pack, he draws out a few scrolls of paper, wrapped in a ribbon, and holds them out - but back, enough that he's pausing for a moment.

"You'll take them then come back, right?"

[coiledscales]

"Yes, of course," Alacruun replies with a nod of his head, eyes sparking for a moment. He has to confirm that this is what they're after, of course. And if it isn't, they'll have to have a conversation about honesty.

"We want to help you, as much as you want to help us."

[eruit]

The man shifts, awkward and unsure, before he breathes out and finally steps close enough to hold out the papers, nodding his head.

"Very well."