[Open] My Hearth Is Yours

[judgemewhole]

WHO: James Norrington and You
WHAT: Dining with the Commander
WHEN: Throughout Wintermarch
WHERE: The Great Hall
NOTES: Nothing but 'seriously dude, you're hiding something aren't you?'

Even Templars need to eat.

And drink.

Sometimes they have to do a lot of drinking, honestly, but Norrington kept his portions of wine to a reasonable amount when he had it with his supper. He always dined in the main hall, few times with his men, but often times he came in in alone with papers and letters in which he worked upon while he broke meat and bread off and slipped it into his mouth without thinking. His pen never seemed to stop, as he scripted pages and pages of writing -- before tossing some of them aside and grumpily burning others.

Once and awhile, you could catch him with no papers at all, but a book, his head propped up on his hand and his green eyes distant as he read the words on the page and sipped from his glass of wine.

Comments

[judgemewhole]

Norrington was, of course, working diligently at his own area he had claimed at one of the long tables. Papers spread out neatly before him in different piles - corresponded with Templars who were still in the field, requests that needed to be filled for supplies he wanted from the Quartermaster (the uniforms he wanted for his men being the top of the list.). Training schedules for the soldiers, all of the above.

His commitment was to the Inquisition, and in due time, the New Order. This was where it began, sadly, with paperwork.

Luckily the Cook had a soft spot for him, so having a basket of fresh rolls and beef and grapes at his elbow was a fine inducement to keep going. He was also famished.

[demonicbeauty]

The Human dining alone pulled Ariadne's attention. He was swathed in the scent of ink and parchment, reminding her of Aden's scent back home. Surely, someone that engrossed in their work wouldn't miss a roll or two.

But ask or snatch? That was the question.

Ariadne drifted closer to his table, weighing her probabilities as best she could. It was harder to do in Thedas than it was back home.

Still. She held many of her old principles firm.

Ask, she decided, straightening to her full height of five foot two and pulling down her hood as she approached.

[judgemewhole]

Norrington was aware of the woman before she approached his side - another ragamuffin refugee who had found herself inside the Great Hall. She had pulled back her hood and was approaching him, so the polite thing to do was to lift his gaze and try for a smile.

"Good evening, madam. How might I help you?" Anyone freely approaching a Templar these days was, in Norrington's opinion, should be treated with courtesy.

[demonicbeauty]

'Madam' was a step up from what she was usually called. Generally, it was something like 'you there' or 'girl.'

His politeness was endearing. And only further reminded her of Aden.

She dipped into a polite curtsy in return, with the flawless grace of a courtier, despite her lack of silks and jewels. And a skirt. "I don't mean to intrude, my lord," she said. "But I was wondering...if you were going to eat all of those."

Ariadne eyed the rolls meaningfully.

[judgemewhole]

Well, now that was a very pleasant curtsay, despite the lack of the skirt. He arched an eyebrow, impressed, before he glanced over to the rolls. He blinked for a moment, before he shook his head.

"Gracious no, please help yourself." He paused, then eyed the window, "... I suppose it is time for supper, isn't it? Well, feel free to join me if you like, madam."

[demonicbeauty]

It was more than she'd been expecting, but she was pleasantly surprised. Ariadne's faith in the kindness of others wasn't proven as often as she would have liked, but every now and then...

It was like a little 'I told you so' to the doubters.

She smiled prettily, bowing her head. "That's very generous of you," she said, taking a few more hesitant steps closer. "I don't want to be an imposition or anything."

[judgemewhole]

"Absolutely not." He stacked up his papers, making room for her at the seat next to him. "After all, we are all in this together. Comrades in arms, and if I shall feed my brothers and sisters, I will of course feed my allies. Andraste would do no less."

He put a plate before her, so she could help herself, as he went back to scribbling on the page he was writing on for another moment, before taking a roll for himself. "Mm. Still warm ... when did these get here?"

He hadn't even noticed the Cook dropping them off, the old softie.

[demonicbeauty]

Sweeping the trailing ends of her cloak up behind her, Ariadne neatly perched herself on the seat. She pulled her braid out from the neckline, letting it fall down her back, before she carefully helped herself to a roll, breaking it in half and enjoying the scent of the steam that rose up.

She started to break it up into little pieces, careful to try to keep the glow in her left hand concealed. It was a trick she'd picked up back home. Smaller pieces meant a longer time eating, if you did it right.

Old habits.

"I don't know, my lord," she said in response to his question.

[judgemewhole]

She ate just like a bird. He watched her for a moment, eyebrows raising up in faint surprise, before he turned to his own roll. It was cut decisively in half, and the meat was layered atop each half. He took small bites, as he leaned back in the chair.

"Well either I haven't been paying attention, completely likely, or someone has cast more time magic."

[demonicbeauty]

Ariadne glanced up at him, eyes getting round and wide.

In Valeria, Time magic was more or less the most sacred magic that the Elves used. Although she wasn't an Elf, having been raised in their kingdom for so long, she'd come to appreciate its importance and gravity. She'd taken part in their festivals celebrating Time. And listened to the funeral dirges singing about Time.

Not something to be taken lightly. And certainly never a joke.

"If so," she said, "it wasn't me. I don't have any such magic, my lord."

[judgemewhole]

Oh Maker. He had almost forgotten about the mess at Redcliffe with the time magic and the tears in space. He cleared his throat, at the round eyed look at her face.

He raised a hand, lowering slightly. "I did not think you did, madame. I was making a rather poor joke. My apologies for confusing you."

[demonicbeauty]

A joke.

Why was she so bad at understanding humanoid humor? It felt like...oddly enough...some kind of elaborate joke.

Ariadne shook her head, her expression relaxing into something abashed and self-effacing. "Oh," she said, equal parts flustered and embarrassed and amused. "I'm sorry, my lord. I misunderstood."

A pause. "And I don't think I've done anything to earn an honorific. You may call me by my name, if you wish."

[judgemewhole]

He gave her a sheepish smile in turn. "Oh no, I think we both misunderstood there. I am just pleased you are not going to take offense at my jibe all things considered."

He arched an eyebrow, before he drawled, "I would be honored - if I knew the lady's name?"

[demonicbeauty]

"No lady," she replied. Although she could pretend it from time to time when needed. "My name is Ariadne, sir." She paused a moment, and then added, "Everdeen. Ariadne Everdeen."

As skilled a liar as she could be, Ariadne actually took pleasure in using Katniss' family name. It felt right to be part of a family again, part of a pack. And since she still wanted to believe that her stay was only temporary, it was best to enjoy it while she could.

Although...there was no harm in taking the name with her when she left.

[judgemewhole]

"Mm. My dear lady, you are a lady to me until you prove yourself otherwise." Is Norrington's wry response. He wonders how many times he'll have to repeat this. Most likely every single time he speaks to a new woman. Everdeen ... why is that name familiar? He can't quite put his finger on it.

"How do you do, Ariande Everdeen? I am James Norrington." He dipped from his waist in a slight bow. "Would you do me the honor of dining with me?"

[demonicbeauty]

She smiled slightly. He was just so...polite. Such a courtier. She could well imagine Adriana or Mia drooling over him.

"That's very kind of you, Lord Norrington," she replied.

And she allowed herself a brief nibble on her roll, before turning back to him curiously once more. "Out of curiosity, how does one define a 'lady?'"

[judgemewhole]

There, that was better. Now she was smiling, even if she was still eating rather like a bird. He dipped his head at her in turn, before going to take another bite. He finished chewing as he considered her question.

"A lot of things. Demeanor. Carriage. The way they handle themselves in society at large. You can be a lady if you carry yourself in a way that shows you are competent."

[demonicbeauty]

The things he described were all things Ariadne could fake, when needed. But it was a rather curious definition, by her standards. She picked at the roll thoughtfully a moment, trying to decide where that came from.

Titles were so confusing. The Alastrians didn't use them. But then, the Alastrians were nomads...

"I've always thought a lady was someone who was born into nobility," she said.

[judgemewhole]

James tilted his head, before he shook his head at her question. He took another bite, before he spoke quietly.

"That is the traditional sense of the world - but I've learned that a true lady is more than just where she is born. It is how she holds herself, how she expresses her mind and her emotions."

[demonicbeauty]

"That's an interesting way of looking at it, Lord Norrington," she said. Again, she was struck by how Aden-like he seemed. That was absolutely something that Princess Amanda's stepson would say.

And it was generous. A bit enlightened really.

She hadn't encountered much enlightenment of that nature in Thedas, so far.

"I find a lady is more defined by how she's treated. That is to say, the noblewomen are granted more respect. Which allows them to be...what they are, I guess."

[judgemewhole]

"I have had a very interesting formal education." Norrington admitted, as he dug into more of the food, feeling his stomach was finally getting towards full.

Enlightenment was something he had a great deal of. In most areas at least.

"Well, think of what all women could be if they were treated with respect." He arched an eyebrow. "I think I can manage that."

[demonicbeauty]

"But what about men?" she asked. "Shouldn't they be treated with respect too? At least until they do something that warrants otherwise?"

And even then. But her sunny outlook on mankind, she well knew, was some of a rarity.

[judgemewhole]

He thought about that, "I would like it if we were treated with respect - as long as we actually deserve it. The same applies to women." He quirked up a smile, before he tilted his head at her.

"You are truly interested in being fair to both sides, it seems."

[demonicbeauty]

"Well, yes," she said, looking a little baffled that such a thing needed to be pointed out. "Every story has two sides. If you don't learn both of them, then you're missing half of the lesson."

Said the demon who'd been hunted like an animal much of her life.

"Is that strange?"

[judgemewhole]

He quirked up one corner of his mouth, before he nodded his head. "You are quite right. And having both sides of the story does make it easier to have justice served ..."

Which was something he had strived for, that Lydia and Swann had gently implanted in his young, angry brain. It had only really taken twelve years to really understand that, apparently.

"No, not strange. Just ... good. It's good."