But I would walk 500 miles, and I would walk 500 more!

[ombranera]

WHO: Zevran and any on the road!
WHAT: Walking, drinking, dancing, dirty songs and poetry while hiking to Skyhold. Perhaps a stop in a tavern or two along the way.
WHEN: The course of several days on the road.
WHERE: The Road to Skyhold, Skyhold itself
NOTES: Zev is a walking content warning coarse language, innuendo, drinking

Strange how after a solid year of hiking over hill and dale, through Imperial Highways and muddy side tracks he'd sworn to never do so again no matter the company or the cause. And yet here was Zevran yet again on foot (an elf with a horse attracted too much attention in the area) walking the long way to Skyhold with the odd thumb out for any passing caravan- provided they were not bandits. Company he did not mind. Burglary? Less so. From what little he'd heard of the events at Haven and his concern for a country that had been, for all to brief a time, a home of sorts, Zevran made his merry way along the road to this fortress rumored to be the best option for a strategic regroup. Perhaps he would meet someone familiar, perhaps he might offer his services.

The options were many. As were the songs that he would use to amuse himself, strumming a worn, well sanded lute while he walked. Now and then snatches of Antivan would curl through the air, lilting and easy and- to anyone that understood? Absolutely filthy.

"Le mie gambe sono avvolte intorno a voi collo,
Il tuo cazzo nella mia strada, spinte e agitare!
Ero a letto , ma ora sono in questo petto .
Cosa stai mi dà grande piacere!"

So on and so forth from one tavern to the next on the long trek, if coaxed and if it would see him fed or paid, he would play a few of the softer, more romantic tunes he knew. But for the most part? Smut. Quite a bit of smut. It wasn't as though anyone truly understood him all that often.

His actual arrival was a little less Merry, he had to give one thing to wandering bandits. When they coordinate well enough for a solid ambush and attack en masse? It wasn't the simplest fight to handle alone. Escaping unscathed wasn't entirely possible but he had managed to find a group of either merchants or refugees or a mix of both, he wasn't all that certain, to walk with for the last streatch. One even deigned to allow him to ride the last leg in- provided he rode on the back of the cart and entertained them. As such Zevran's arrival was marked with his voice crackling out past laughter.

"'But yes, she asks, what is the difference?' and I tell her-

'The difference is in where you put the cucumber.'"

Comments

[serannas]

And that just made her smile all the more. She didn't want to get drawn in so easier, but, well, what harm was a few compliments when she'd been lacking in them for far too long?

"I really can't think of a thing, except maybe sharing a drink with her?"

[ombranera]

"Now that is a marvelous idea." He stood, dusting himself off and slinging his lute across his back. "Do you happen to know where we might find the Tavern? I have only just arrived and have not yet sought it out."

[serannas]

"It's just up this set of stairs and to the right," she answered, gesturing where they needed to go.

"Is it easy to play the lute?" she asked as she moved in that direction. He would see that she was always full of questions.

[ombranera]

"It takes some practice, memorizing where it is to put your fingers for the chords, the patterns, learning to read music or pick it up by ear. A fine way to pass the time on long journeys, I have found. Would you care for a lesson?" He most certainly would not mind teaching her a few of the less dirty songs in his book.

[serannas]

"I would love one!" she replied, looking excited at the idea. Even if it was a challenge, it was at least something she could try. Something new.

"Before or after drinks?"

[ombranera]

"Mmmm. After, I think. Music is always more enjoyable after a bit of wine, ale, or brandy." And he has heard such things of this tavern's brandy. Good things.

[serannas]

"Very well." Ellana led him into the tavern and towards the bar, where a surly looking dwarf stood with his arms crossed. She did her best not to stare, because dwarves were also a new sight. At least when she spoke she didn't sound in awe as she asked for an ale. And once she had her drink and Zevran had his, she looked for a quiet place where they could sit and converse more.

"How about over there?" She pointed a finger off towards a corner table.

[ombranera]

Ah, dwarves. Zevran gave said dwarf an idle wave while he waited for her to return with their ale. He seemed friendly enough for a surface dwarf- for the most part they could all be terribly cranky. Something about a lack of honor or something. He never paid much mind to that. He did, however, pay a great deal of mind to Ellana's ever so fine figure, the grace in her walk and curl to her smile. The shade of her hair wasn't so terrible either, even if it dredged up another elf, another smile, another figure he admired.

Those thoughts are shoved aside as he offers her a hand to lead her to the table in question. "After you."

[serannas]

"Thank you," she said politely, moving to slip into a chair and set down her ale. Once she scooted in a bit more, she tried the ale. Not bad, but stronger than she was expecting. She would take smaller sips.

"Could I know more about you?"

[ombranera]

"What do you wish to know?" Settled and drinking with pleasant company? Truly it is better still than even having her attention outside. "I am an open book, so to speak."

Whether or not said book was fiction? No one could say.

[serannas]

"Hmm." Ellana tapped her fingertips against her tankard as she thought. The possibilities were endless here. What would she wish to talk about if she was as well traveled as him?

"Where's the most beautiful place you've ever seen?"

[ombranera]

"Aside from right here in your company?" He crackled a laugh while he considered a more honest answer. "Well...My heart shall ever belong to the port of Antiva City- or perhaps he Dalish ruins of the Brecilian forest? Then again there was this one lovely Chateau in Orlais..."

[serannas]

She smiled, more than happy to accept the compliment. She couldn't recall the last time she had garnered this type of male attention, but she liked it.

"Dalish ruins? I would love to see more of the places our people once dwelled, though it would be sad too." Ruins always were, because no one was around to keep things from crumbling apart.

[ombranera]

"Aside from the skeletons and werewolves, it was quite lovely." And the ghosts. Those had been particularly odd.

[serannas]

"Werewolves?" Ellana sounded slightly disbelieving of that. The way he talked made it sound like anything could be embellished to make for a better story. It made it hard to know just how trusting to be.

"Why were there werewolves in a Dalish ruin?" she asked, wanting clarification.

[ombranera]

"Something about a curse? It's been some time, the particulars were quite vague to me even then." Humans and death and Dalish mages, spirits of the wood that were naked save for hair and vines.

[serannas]

"Well, werewolves are cursed to begin with, aren't they? At least, I think that is what stories say." But she was hardly knowledgeable about such things. She merely shrugged and took a drink from her tankard.

"Now it's only fair you ask me something."

[ombranera]

"Something something, century old grudge, something something, truce." He shrugged and sipped his ale, the details would come back to him in time. "Peace was brokered and the curse lifted in the end. Now for a question, hmm....What is your favorite flower?"

[serannas]

Her lips twitched in amusement, and she canted her head to one side, making a show of giving this some serious thought.

"Hmm, just one? That will be a challenge." She drummed her fingers on the table and gave it a few moments for suspense, before answering, "I think it just may be crystal grace."

[ombranera]

"Ah, something rare, lovely, and in it's own way kind. I am not surprised." Medicinal and difficult to find, but well worth it for the curative properties and how lovely the blossoms might be.

[serannas]

"It strikes you as a kind flower?" she asked, well aware he was saying the same of her.

[ombranera]

"One that might be used to heal the sick? How is that not kind."

[serannas]

"Oh, no, it is. Now that you say it like that." Ellana chuckled softly. "Sadly, I'm not much of a healer myself, or the flower would be perfectly apt, at least by the descriptions you've placed on it and me."

[ombranera]

"What is it you do for your clan, if I may ask?" Not a healer, not a hunter most likely, but he is curious.

[serannas]

"I'm the hearthmistress," she replied. "Or, well, was before coming here. I would keep the fires burning and gather plenty of wood. But that hardly took up too much of my day. I would then go all over the camp seeing where I could be of use." Trying to see where she could fit in, the third mage in the clan.

"I enjoyed assisting the halla keeper, and making baskets was relaxing. My mother was a basket weaver. I wished to help whoever I could whenever I could." The First and Second were trained to remember all their Dalish history and on how to lead. Ellana never had that. She was trained in how to use her magic, but not the other things a Keeper-in-Training would have learned.