faderift | [Open] [I can move mountains, move mountains.. ]

WHO: Bethany Hawke and You
WHAT: Exploring the Inquisition
WHEN: The next few days of Wintermarch
WHERE: The garden, the tavern, the courtyard, the library.
NOTES: Content warnings, OOC notes, links to other relevant posts, etc.

The first thing Bethany did after arriving at Skyhold?

A bath. A beautiful, long hot bath where she soaked with nice soap and some sort of fancy oil and just ... cleansed herself from about a week's worth of sand and dirt. After that though, well.

Bethany used to be the sort of person who would keep to the edges to not be noticed. Kept herself hidden, to keep herself from being taken to a Circle. Her family went through such risks to keep her free - keeping her head down seemed to be a small sacrifice to make.

Now, nine years - almost ten! - years a Warden and she still observed quietly from the background. Yet now, she would step forward. Move more boldly, with more confidence and a great deal more poise. She also, as she had been apt to do even in her days in Kirkwall, stopped to help people.

So there you will find her, all around Skyhold, quietly soaking up everything, or chatting happily with someone as she helps them carry firewood or food out to the hungry troops training in the yard. The first thing you will know is that smile - dimples and bright, and completely unfeigned. Who knows, maybe it's just pointing at you.

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The moment Korrin had told her that Varric was here, it had taken everything in Bethany not to go running off and searching for him. As it was, when more details unfolded, and she knew where to find him? She sought out the table in the Great Hall where he could be found -- and of course he would put himself by the biggest fireplace with a large table where he could conduct his piles of paperwork.

Considering the hour, and the fact that he was absent, she knew it was possible she would keep missing him throughout the entire day. The only thing to do was lie in wait when she knew that he would be there - early in the day, groggy from the night before. She herself was used to waking early - the darkspawn waited for no man, woman, dwarf, elf or otherwise. She went to the kitchen, charmed her way into using the facilities, and brought Varric a tray like she and Marian used to in Kirkwall, from what they could do in Gamlen's ...sigh, hovel.

She sits, sipping her tea as he approaches, happiness sparking perhaps one of her brightest smiles yet, but merely responds with a gentle, "Good morning, Varric."

She took him in, a little older, a little wiser, but still Varric. Varric who could somehow find a way to get her letters no matter where she was. Varric with his crooked smile and soothing storyteller voice. Oh, and the chest hair, no one could ever forget that -

Her dimples flashed, as he stared at her with confusion, and she pushed his mug of tea towards him. "Drink up. You'll know what to say in a minute."

Varric's confused half-glower maintained as he reached out and carefully wrapped his hand around his mug of tea.

Something wasn't right about this situation, that much he knew, but he was having real trouble putting his finger on what. Was it the bread? If it was, he'd already taken a pretty hefty bite out of it, so there was no going back on that end. His brain chugged and he absently lifted his tea. Was it the tea?

He glanced at Bethany.

No, Bethany and Hawke would never mess with a dwarf's tea, he was too easy a target before he woke up--wait--

Varric blinked hard and, as the situation finally started to fall into place, he very nearly choked on his drink. After a quick bout of sputtered coughing he gestured with his breadroll at the mage.

"You're here!?" Varric almost shouted. He looked between his hands with sudden urgency; he was holding too many things. He promptly dropped his bread and set down his mug. He was out of his chair and alongside the table an instant after that. "How long have you been here, Sunshine? What are you doing in Skyhold? Andraste's ass, you're in Skyhold--did something happen?"

Bethany, for her part, was trying not to laugh. Oh, poor Varric. He looked so befuddled. She was glad that he was actually going to sip the tea, it might help him sort things out. She put down her own tea while he glanced over at her, folding her hands neatly on the table as she beamed at him.

Which was how she had gotten her nickname, after all.

She laughed when he all but shouted, then nodded once, "I'm here." She pushed herself out of her chair, opening her arms wide to let Varric move into them. and then she hugged him so tight that -- well Varric got a lot closer to her bosum that she'd had any man. Honestly at the moment, she wasn't even going to be embarrassed about that. She was just going to hug him tighter.

"I've been here exactly one and a half days. As for the rest ... " She sucked in a deep breath, and exhaled, probably to the enjoyment of far too many people, before leaning back from him, her brown eyes serious. "Something has happened - and I'll have to check with the others -- but I think we might end up needing your help, Varric."

Varric was all too glad for the hug, it had been too long since he'd seen a Hawke, any Hawke, and Bethany was a welcome change. Unfortunately, she needed his help, and that's where things tended to get complicated. Not that he intended to withhold help; he was pretty sure anybody from Kirkwall who just showed up in Skyhold would need something from him eventually, it was just the way of life, but the confirmation wasn't heartening.

Varric had to let go of her to shoot her a concerned look (as opposed to shooting her bosom a concerned look, which was all he could manage otherwise) and stepped back to lean on the table as he did.

"My help? Others? I take it this is more than just finding a publisher or using my guild connections?"

She let him pull away because, well, they had to talk seriously and she didn't want him to address concerns to her bosum. In fact she was ...ah, just going to blush here for a moment before remembering she is a Warden. Great, big serious one at that.

She bit her lip a little, before shaking her head, "No publishers on this one -- but actually - we might. I can't ... really talk about it, just yet. It's Grey Warden business and I have to get permission from the Senior Wardens to bring you in." She heaved in a deep breath, before saying quietly, "And ... "

She stepped closer, lowering her voice so she could whisper in his ear, "If you've heard from Marian, at all? We could really use her help on this -- and I would really like to know she's all right."

Grey Warden Business. Well, that sounded ominous, and Varric was about to say as much when Bethany leaned forward and, in a small, soft voice, asked about her sister. It was good that she couldn't see his face, even Varric wasn't a good enough gambler to keep everything off of it, but he schooled his expression quickly enough. When she pulled away, he was unreadable but with a distinct note of discomfort.

He cast a quick look over his shoulder and let out a short breath before turning back to Bethany. She was hopeful and bright, as usual.

"I'll try to get word to her, or from her, if I can," Varric said quietly and shrugged. The motion was slight and secretive, just for Bethany. "You know Marian, though? To say she's impossible to pin down would be a serious understatement."

Oh, it was about as ominous as it could get, with Grey Wardens, and for all the friends she had found here she felt better for it. It seemed almost like a sign from the Maker that they would get through this, one way or another. AFter all, they told her she'd never see home again -- and she had seen it more than a few times since she became a Warden. Bethany was a great believer in long shots.

At Varric's words, she pressed her lips together for a moment, before she put on a smile, "Of course I do. It's like trying to catch a rabbit on the run. Always one step ahead, Marian." Maker's breath, still let that be true. "Well, at least I know Carver is all right -- but of course he does. He has our fuzzball with him, and Aveline besides."

[Open] [I can move mountains, move mountains.. ]

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