[ OPEN ] Well I can't stand to be with myself, this liberation's seemingly rare

[ombranera]

WHO: Zevran and Various
WHAT: Zevran sparring and dealing
WHEN: Throughout Drakonis
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: Violence, swearing, usual Zevran Content Warnings Apply. Open prompt below, poke me on plurk for a closed starter. Prose or actionspam welcome!

As much as he'd protested Alistair running off on some mission in the west- the time apart gives him that much more chance to train. He'd been doing so privately in the barn, occasionally squaring off against Settimo when they both had the time and patience for Settimo's paranoia and Zevran's over-adjustments for the blind side. Learning to fight with only one good eye is slowly driving Zevran to frustration. Settimo could not come at him hard enough to be a challenge, he could not learn his new limitations without a solid effort on both their parts.

Setting aside his vanity he takes to the training grounds- but working on stuffed dummies is only good for so much. Soon enough he is picking out soldiers and rogues to come at him in the dirt circle. Day to day it goes much the same. Zevran stands with bad eye covered and his swords, with his hands, with a single short sword and calls any that would step up to help him regain his awareness. It is, to be honest, slow going. More often than not if his opponent has any manner of skill he ends up on his ass. But he grits his teeth, stands, and goes at it again. And again. Afterward he recovers with the highlight of his training- a bucket of water to sluice off the sweat and grit of the day. Whether it's the relief the cold brings or the appreciative looks it tends to earn? He doesn't say. But thus he spends his days, training himself or wrestling with the fledglings, who will offer their own commentary and catcalling in Antivan during his other matches.

Comments

[ombranera]

"Quite." He smirks, not about to answer honestly. "But a family crest is, unfortunately, out of the question. An excellent suggestion otherwise."

[sistertohermen]

"So it's make up your own. Or take someone else's. Or take someone else's and give it a few tweaks to make it your own. Or maybe you could make it like a Warden's. If you're so close to one to be like family, I'm sure they wouldn't mind..."

[ombranera]

"The crest is quite handsome, hmm. Not a griffon, though- a Kestrel." A hawk that picks it's prey carefully. None of this carrion, scavenging business.

[sistertohermen]

"Well, there you go, that's a start. Just need an artist type to whip something together and stitch it into a patch. Maybe make up a new name."

[ombranera]

"Mmm. I have been Zevran Arainai for so long I am loathe to change it. To be the last of the house, to be remarkable for what I have done even against the crows? That is worth doing."

[sistertohermen]

"An infamous name." She considers that. Maybe he and his name won't be remembered for anything honorable, but he might be remembered. She can't even imagine anyone outside her and her mother knowing the name Dakal.

No matter what becomes of Hercules Hansen, there are going to be people who remember his name, among the Wardens and among friends. If she had been captured, would it have meant anything?

"Yes, better to keep the name and make it mean whatever you want it to mean than make something new up and have to start from scratch."

[ombranera]

"All of Antiva knows that it is Zevran that gutted house Arainai and brought the Crows to their knees. Whether or not I am remembered as an elf or a human as such tales tend to be twisted..." He shrugs. "Who can say. But I like this, making the name mean what I wish it to mean."

Rachette is, after all, a dwarf and such things- he recalls Orzamarr, the records. The weight of memory.

[sistertohermen]

"And what do you plan on doing here? With the Inquisition? Are you building your name up all the higher?"

She doesn't exist in the Memories. She knows this. The Shaperate would never acknowledge someone like her exists. And it's...really weird sometimes to realize that it's just dwarf culture. It's not something that she knows of exists for elves or for humans or qunari (that anyone has said). They're allowed to be remembered even if they come from nothing.

[ombranera]

"Building a new house Arainai, as it should be done, without the buying of children and the murdering of students- that, I think, is what I wish to do." He hadn't put it all quite out there in one thought before.

It is a strange one...but a worthwhile one.

[sistertohermen]

"But you're the last of the house," she points out, hopping up on a nearby table laden with traps and swinging her legs off the edge. "So are you going to try and start a family or adopt people who want to take your name?"

[ombranera]

"Houses of Assassins in Antiva work a little differently than noble houses in other countries. It is more a communal loyalty than it is blood or legal relation. This is the house to which you belong, these are the masters you obey, this is who you defend. It is not a terrible system."

[sistertohermen]

"So anyone could be part of your House so long as you let them? If they work for you?" That's not a bad system at all. Could get kicked out just as easily, but honestly, that's family for you.

[ombranera]

"If they swear an oath of loyalty to the house, to me and those that live under the name. I hope to have better incentive to offer than 'do this or you die' which is the usual way of such things with the Crows." Gold and security is often reason enough.

[sistertohermen]

"Would you be another house of Antivan assassins? Playing a game of good assassin versus bad assassin? Or would you try to do other things?" Merchant guilds are big with the surface dwarves. Could be pirates. She's heard things about Antiva and Rivain and the sea (something something big big puddle of water???) and boats (to cross big puddles of water) and pirates? "If it's a fresh start you're looking for, you could do anything while also keeping your infamous name."