( closed ) A Meeting

[mousquetaire]

WHO: D'Artagnan and Norrington
WHAT: They get together for a drink, and a more friendly introduction than their last.
WHEN: Sometime after everyone is safely back from Tevinter.)
WHERE: One of Kirkwall's friendlier taverns.
NOTES: .

[ Sometime after they exchange notes, d'Artagnan arranges to meet with Norrington. The atmosphere in the inns of Kirkwall has a way of reminding him of Paris, which is to say, he tries to stay out of trouble in them. He's chosen one of the nicer establishments for this meeting, though he's still wearing gloves to hide his anchor shard. There's no point in drawing more attention than he needs to, and he gets enough of it from people who assume he's Benedict dressed down, anyway.

He's interested to speak with Norrington. He'd been impressed with the man in Tevinter, impressed by the sense of honour and integrity he'd witnessed under circumstances that would have tested both. He doesn't yet have good news about the brands he and the others still bear, but he's been searching. It's in everyone's interests that the situation is speedily resolves, but for d'Artagnan, it's also a matter of his own honour - he'd given his word, after all, and he means to keep it.

Anticipating his companion's arrival, he asks for two glasses of wine. He's presently leaning against the bar, with his face turned slightly towards the door so that he can watch it without being obvious about it. When the glasses are brought, he holds up his hand. ]

I'll keep the bottle. Thank you.

[ The two of them, after all, will have plenty to discuss. ]

Comments

[judgemewhole]

[The past few weeks had of course seen their course of ups and downs. James had found someone to court, gotten overly drunk and then hung over and said some rather idiotic things to a Circles are Bad mage, and now he was about to go off to try and solve a murder.

All things considered, he really should curb his drinking habits, and he made note of that when he met D'artangan at the pre-arranged tavern. One bottle between them wasn't bad, he noted as he walked in, catching the other man's gaze and nodding as he made his way through the small crowd to the other man's side. He made eye-contact with the barkeep, gesturing with one of his own gloved hands to cover the slave's mark there.]

Pitcher of water as well, please.

[And he put down a silver, to make sure it was good water, before he met D'artangan's face with a wry smile.]

Drinking to excess has gotten me into some rather ... problematic situations in the past few weeks. I am weening myself back.

[mousquetaire]

[ Let the memories of home arise. D'Artagnan has experience enough of men who enjoy wine too much. They're not always so willing to watch themselves. He smiles back. ]

My apologies. Perhaps this was not the best place to come.

[ He notices that the brand has been covered. If he didn't know it was there, he wouldn't be able to guess. ]

We can speak elsewhere, if you'd prefer. I only wanted to see how you were, after...everything.

[judgemewhole]

[James chuckled softly, leaning against the bartop. He shook his head a little.]

I need to acclimate myself to being in taverns and not drinking myself to a stupor.

[He exhaled slowly, sipping his wine to make enough room for water, as he glanced at his hand.]

Somewhere between ... desperate and extremely happy.