[open] now my head's splitting at the seams

[onlyhymns]

WHO: Cade the Disgraced and you!
WHAT: Cade is free (to a point) and around and about Skyhold again. He always has a buddy with him, whether it's Nerva, a Tranquil, or a scout who's been saddled with babysitting duty.
WHEN: Drakonis
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: Warning for probable violence and possible other dark shit, depending on how things go.

Cade is miserable, but at least he is not in a cell. Most of the time he is at the whims of whomever is in charge of supervising him, which means a lot of labor, assisting Nerva or Tranquil or scouts, and generally being little more than a manservant or a leashed dog.

He keeps his head low and his tongue still for the most part, but anyone is still free to approach and engage him.

Comments

[onlyhymns]

Being who he is, and in the life he's had, Cade isn't used to people asking his permission. Or considering his feelings. He feels almost threatened by this.

"...Cade," he answers awkwardly, and glances around. The stable isn't lovely. In fact, everything that has happened since he came to Skyhold has been about as un-lovely as conceivably possible. He thinks about it, then shakes his head with a frown that verges on sulky.

[embracelight]

"No? Well, I suppose the stables aren't the best place to ask that question is it?" She giggles to herself. Sure, the place stinks of horse and poo, but it's a necessary part of the stronghold.

"It's good to meet you, Cade."

[onlyhymns]

Cade can't imagine what is possessing this woman to be so friendly to him, and he can't stop glancing around, waiting for the snickering or the top of someone's head to emerge from behind a hay bale. A few of his fellow knights in training had once bought time with a prostitute for his birthday, but it had always been more for them than for him. How they'd laughed when he'd walked into his chamber, found her there, and left to spend the night in the chapel.
Needless to say, talking to women in a non-military context is not his forte.

"..you too," he says, a bit distantly. He turns away to scrape the shovel against the stone floor, attempting to dislodge some of the packed-in filth that the last person missed.

[embracelight]

Belinda waits a moment to see if he'll say anything else. She can't really determine if he's this taciturn with everyone, or if she really is bothering him. At least he doesn't appear to be a mage. When she asked Rion about his family, he shot an ice spell at her and she got frostbite. She decided she didn't really like him much after that. Words like "None of your business" work so much better than hurting someone.

[onlyhymns]

Cade remains taciturn, and a bit on-edge, since he can feel the woman's eyes on him. Periodically he'll check furtively over his shoulder, unsure of what to do or say. He's had so little privacy lately that he can't help but assume the worst.
Eventually, he reaches a stopping point. He props the shovel against one of the stalls and wipes his forehead with his sleeve, glancing once more over at Belinda while he does so.

[embracelight]

Well, he's certainly a quiet one. Belinda just lets him go about his business until he turns back, seemingly finished.

"All done?" she asks, sitting a bit straighter. "It looks nice and clean in here. Well done, you! You look like you need something to drink. I could get you water from the well. Or ale, maybe?"

[onlyhymns]

When she talks to him again, Cade looks at her uncertainly. Has she really just been sitting here watching him shovel horse shit this entire time? Why did she want to sit here in the first place? Does she like the smell of horse shit?

"...that's.... it's fine," he says haltingly. Ale is completely out of the question, of course. Even if he drank it normally, he doubts he'd be allowed to now.

[embracelight]

"If you're sure," she says, before she looks to the Tranquil. It's part of a Templar's job to care for the Tranquil, and though Belinda is no longer one, that doesn't mean she'll neglect one if they need help.

"What about you? Is it time for you to eat or drink?" She knows they do better with a schedule, since they would work straight through meal times if no one stopped them.

[onlyhymns]

The Tranquil is unmoved, and in fact seems a bit bored, if it's possible for Tranquil to be so. "No," she answers flatly, "but it is time for him to bathe."

Cade has put the shovel back where it belongs, and is emerging from the small tool closet when this little exchange occurs. He stops dead, processes the situation, blushes up to his ears, and looks profoundly as though he would like to die at this very instant. Sooner, if possible.

[embracelight]

"It probably is, yes! I know I would need one if I'd been doing this sort of work." Looking back at Cade, she notes his embarrassment and thinks it's sweet.

"It was lovely meeting you, Cade! Perhaps we can talk some other time when you aren't busy."

[onlyhymns]

Her sweetness isn't convincing anyone, and Cade only interprets it as further mockery. He mumbles something unintelligible that vaguely resembles a farewell, then puts one hand over his face as he moves to trudge after the Tranquil.