OPEN - Then the mountain rose before me

[pinprick]

WHO: Nathaniel Howe and YOU
WHAT: Nathaniel settles into Skyhold
WHEN: Current
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: Will update with any warnings that come up.

Courtyard

A dark-haired man in his late thirties or early forties is sitting on a camp stool and shaving, hair damp from a recent wash. He has a couple of inches of black beard he's mostly getting rid of, leaving only a soul patch under his lip. He works the brush while flinching at the cold and peering into a small mirror. The cold is not his friend when the razor comes out, either, but it's too dark inside for shaving. He manages the shave without cutting himself from shivering, at least. Come bother him.

Great Hall

Later, he's inside on a chair by the fire in the great hall, warming up. His feet are propped up on another chair. He's enjoying a lazy session of people-watching, smoking from a pipe and listening to a nearby psaltery player. If you catch his eyes on you, he will give a courteous nod and politely direct his gaze elsewhere. His posture is fairly open, so if you want to approach, he'll speak with you.

Tavern

It's after dark that he goes into the tavern and enjoys the smells and sounds, and occasional polite conversation. But it isn't terribly long before, lulled by warmth and safety, he cocoons himself in his cloak, rests his head against the wall, and falls soundly asleep. Until something wakes him up.

WILDCARD

Comments

Anders

[pinprick]

He and Bethany have spoken with the other Wardens and Nathaniel is out hunting for a shaving kit. His beard is a couple of inches long now, and has served its purpose. He's asking around the tents when someone catches his eye. Blond, scrawny, and...Anders. It's Anders. Anders has joined the Inquisition.

Well, Nathaniel knows the Champion of Kirkwall let him go, but he didn't think Anders would find this much acceptance among the public. Last he heard, even the mage rebellion didn't want him around. Is he hiding? Is Justice still possessing him? The longer he thinks, the longer he frowns. Squinting, like a hawk who spies a snake in the grass. He closes the distance between them, reaching for a pointy elbow to tug him toward a more concealed area.

"Walk with me."

[justice_is_blond]

As many times as he's escaped, Anders has never been good at eluding pursuit or capture. He has a split second where he realizes someone's there before he's grabbed, and it's only the fact that both spirit and man recognize the voice that keeps him from setting his captor on fire.

"Really? Just grab me? Howe unoriginal." He keeps his voice low, but he's stressed. Very stressed. It's been so long, and Nate hadn't exactly been close to Justice, and what if this is it? The end? Justice is ready to fight, but Anders isn't. There are precious few people he likes that he hasn't hurt, and he's not ready to take Nate's name off that list.

"Needed to get your hands on me again that badly? There's always asking. Asking is nice. I like when people ask." His voice is far more nervous than teasing, and Nate can likely feel the tension in Anders' body from where he holds the mage.

[pinprick]

Anders always talked circles into spirals any time he was uncomfortable. He wielded wit and flirtation like he was juggling daggers, entertaining with his chosen weapons. He's feeling anxious and defensive. But Nathaniel doesn't intend to hurt him. If the Inquisition knows Anders is here, there's no vigilance Nathaniel has to offer that will be better than what's already in place. If Anders has kept himself secret...Nathaniel isn't sure what he'll do then, actually. That's what this is about.

He takes him into one of those doors that seems to lead nowhere. It leads to a long, dark hallway with a door at one end. Very little echo, thick walls, an excellent chance they won't be heard. Nathaniel releases Anders and folds his arms.

"Is he here with you?"

[justice_is_blond]

He gives Nathaniel an absolutely bewildered look.

"He? He who? I don't--" And then he does know who the archer meant. Right. Of course. Anders looks down. "Yes. It's not exactly like he's got anywhere else to go. Or like we even know how to get him elsewhere if we could find somewhere." People don't un-abominate. At least, they don't as far as he knows, and he's been trying very hard to find anything that says otherwise.

"The beard doesn't suit you, by the way." There is nothing about being caught in a room off to the side that makes Anders comfortable, but at least Nate hasn't gone for any sort of attack yet. Maybe he won't. Maybe they're just talking and Anders can stop being so nervous.

Great Hall

[aintwejust]

"Well, if it innit that Who fella." Mal is pretty sure it's who. Or why. Or wyatt? He can't rightly keep track of all these grim faced sorts in the griffon armor he wandered past while mak'n his living. Still he knows that nose and that smoke; ain't many of one or the other, let alone both. "What's got you wander'n up this far into the cold and weird?"

[pinprick]

Nathaniel gives an easy smile and straightens in his chair, setting his feet on the floor.

"It's Howe," he reminds him with a faint twitch. "Warden business. It's nice to be somewhere warm and dry. You're..." He points in the air with the end of his pipe, like he's trying to put his finger on the name. "...Reynolds. Found work with the Inquisition?"

[aintwejust]

"Nah, pretty sure it's a what." Referr'n to the whine and press of Jayne against his leg. "And what it is seems t'be a singularly vex'n hound."

One angling for food or whatever Nate has in his pipe. "More or less. Apparently if you got a bit'a shiny green stuck in you what shouldn't be- this is where you go. Now when you say 'Warden Business' d'ya mean the grim and wander'n kind or the 'oh shit we better get prepped for ogres' kind?"

[pinprick]

"I couldn't tell you." Nathaniel rifles in a bag and pulls out a bit of jerky for Jayne. Passes it over and scratches the back of his neck. "Shiny bit of green? You have me at a disadvantage."

courtyard

[motherfucking_ghost]

"Uh, you're not keeping that, are you?" That's Church, making a motion to his bearded chin (and it's been growing, and maybe he should take care of that--scruff is hot, fluff is not). "Like, you're cutting the rest off, right? Not like...keeping the bit under your lip...right...?"

[pinprick]

"Something the matter?" Nathaniel carefully shaves around the little patch before touching up one cheek. "Or do you commonly critique how a stranger shaves himself?"

[motherfucking_ghost]

"Uh, I critique if someone's gonna let themselves walk around with a dumbass soul patch on their lip. Maybe that's hip in the, what, 1300's, or, whatever year this is, but fashion's kind of come a long way in my time." Or so he thinks.

[pinprick]

"Someday you'll have to tell me how you did it." Nathaniel barely even sounds like he's listening, as he keeps shaving.

Great Hall

[unbrokenoath]

They'd already gotten to meet when Nathaniel first arrived to Skyhold and an unofficial Warden meeting was held. But that was Warden business, not personal chat time. So when she sees him looking fairly relaxed and open to conversation, she strides on over, grabbing a chair and pulling it over so she can sit next to him. For a few moments, she debates being obnoxious and throwing her feet over his legs, but ultimately decides to save obnoxiousness for later.

Not when she's only just learned that he's still alive.

"Have you heard from your sister and nephew?" It was easier to start off with small talk, family things. "He'd be about--Ten years old, now?"

[pinprick]

Oh excellent, she's sparing a tired man the obnoxiousness. He gives her a smile.

"He is. Thank you for remembering. They're both safe, thank the Maker."

[unbrokenoath]

"Of course. Delilah was always real nice to my family." She returned the smile, leaning back comfortably in her chair. This place sure was a lot nicer than having to be on the run. Ugh. "My family's been doing well. It seems like the conflict between the mages and the Templars didn't reach the city, nor did this whole business with the rifts. At least, not enough to put a damper on things." Though she suspected that just like Denerim, Amaranthine would plod on no matter the chaos. It was a Fereldan thing.

"My mother's main concern seemed to be grousing about my sister trying to sneak out to meet boys. Told her I'd rather have her wrestling with a teenager than a fade rift any day." Besides, the girl was 15. Like Kaisa or her mother before her were any better.

[pinprick]

Nathaniel bobs his head. "Amaranthine's pretty far from the fighting. When were you there last?"

Tavern

[disgracedchampion]

There were times that even Michel, who was not much for drinking personally, felt that the revelry within the Herald's Rest never died down, but it had to at some point. People eventually filed out, the fires became barely glowing embers, and while some had fashioned nests for themselves in the tavern, it didn't appear that the man in the corner had quite achieved such a fashion.

Sleeping in such a spot couldn't be for the best, not when the chill finally managed to creep its way through the walls. Michel was sorely tempted to go on his way, that it was none of his business...but the chevalier inside of him had a hard time ignoring the lone man wrapped in his cloak in the corner. It would be a wrench to wake him, perhaps carry him? No.

"Monsieur," Michel pressed, crouched at the stranger's side, hand on his shoulder as careful at waking him as he would have been waking the Empress. He'd plenty of practice in that as well.

[pinprick]

Nathaniel breathes in deeply through his nose as he wakes, prying his eyelids open and stretching.

"Something the matter?"

[disgracedchampion]

"Not particularly," at least nothing dangerous that Michel was aware of, "I was simply curious if this was where you intended to sleep?"

Not that Michel couldn't imagine worse places, but now that the warmth was slowly creeping out of the tavern he couldn't help but wonder if the man had anywhere else to go.

tavernnn

[twelvelabours]

He's not one to disturb a man who's sleeping when there's the rare chance for it, least of all one he knows has been on the road. Who knows when some catastrophe'll hit, and they need their Wardens as well rested as possible? Frankly, Herc's happy to let Nathaniel catch some rest, and if it works out that him claiming the seat opposite him (and telling Max to leave the bloke along when the Mabari looks too eager to greet an old friend) means he gets a chair and can watch a mate's back to ensure no coin goes astray? There's worse fates than that.

Herc's got an ale in front of him when there's a sign Nate might stir of his own accord, and nods to the barkeep to bring another over.

"Reminds me," he begins, once the beer is arrived and set in front of his fellow Grey Warden, and when maybe Nate is more awake than asleep, "of that time after our first Orzammar run." It had been a couple of years before Chuck had become a Warden, when he was an angry ball of ego eager to prove himself and fumed whenever his father left him behind at this town or that when he was on missions and he couldn't loiter about in the Anderfels. "I swear, I haven't touched a drop of that dwarven stuff since."

Other people'd say hello, probably, but they've known each other for years. Hellos get worn out and tired, and it's nice to reminisce, sometimes.

[pinprick]

"Poison," Nathaniel agrees, stretching. Oh good, now he's being rude. He straightens in his chair and offers a crooked smile. "Good to see you, Ser."

STORMS BACK IN HERE SO LATE BUT WITH EXTRA STARBUCKS

[twelvelabours]

"Deadly," Herc says with a wry smile. He's pretty sure the hangover from one of those could kill a man, truth be told.

"And you. It's been a while." Too long, most likely, but Wardens don't sign up for the social engagements. Well, maybe Kaisa or Bethany, but they were special cases. "Doing all right?"

Courtyard

[blightedson]

It's strange to be able to look at a person and know that they're a Warden. He's still getting used to a lot of things, that sense included.

He comes up to Nathaniel when he's finished with his personal grooming and considers him a moment. "Hello," he says. "I thought I should introduce myself." He also has questions, but he'll ask after he has Nathaniel's attention. "I'm Felix. They just did my Joining recently."

[pinprick]

Nathaniel finishes wiping his face and peers up at the lad. Ah. The Tevinter someone talked about. Well, he's a Warden now. Nathaniel can't exactly judge a fellow pariah.

"Nathaniel Howe. They did mine ten years ago."

He wipes his hands thoroughly before offering one to shake.

[blightedson]

Felix's brow raises just a bit at Nathaniel's name but he doesn't comment it on it. Instead he takes the hand and shakes it easily. "How have you found it? Being a Warden, I mean."