faderift | [Open] Tell me would you kill to save a life?

WHO: Anders and, at last, fully open!
WHAT: Anders is back in Skyhold after the revelation and Warden mission
WHEN: Around mid-Drakonis
WHERE: around Skyhold
NOTES: It's Anders. Beyond that, if someone does swing for him, he will be defending himself or we can have a handy-dandy Warden NPC Joeth Smithicus step in, up to you!

1. The Healing Tents

He's more quiet than he was before as he works, trying to stay out of the way while still being available. The atmosphere isn't a pleasant one, and he knows there's a lot of anger, but how is he going to help out if he's sitting in the Warden camp all the time? Even more, how is he going to keep Justice in check if their hands are figuratively tied?

The fact of the matter is that staying somewhere safe where people don't loathe him isn't an option so he's here. He only wishes it wasn't putting a weight on the shoulders of someone he's directly hurt.

Whenever someone comes in he looks over, focusing on the fact that it's all right however many times he hears no as the answer to his question - "Can I help you?"

2. Wardentown

It's not the most glamorous setting, but the life of a Grey Warden rarely is. There had been nights at Vigil's Keep... but those are long gone, and now it's tents and fire pit and keeping snow from piling up.

a) Magic-

Anders is currently kneeling near the tent that he shares with Nate, working on creating a pair of small walls of earth - one around the tent, and another small, circular one nearby. Earth isn't something he struggles with, but keeping them level and not causing any extra dips in the surrounding ground is a challenge. His lips are pressed together as he works on precision, and an approach gets a sharp glance and no words, but he's not annoyed someone's come over. A moment later he'll raise an eyebrow, but he's not starting this conversation.

b) Kitten

No matter how many times he has to keep drying her off and warming her up, Hero of Purrelden doesn't want to stay in his lap today. She's insisting on pouncing on snowbanks, batting at ice, and attempting to climb tents. The latter she's pulled away from each time while protesting loudly, but there's a little smile on his face as she misbehaves. It's nice to have a cat again, no matter how much more difficult than Ser Pounce-a-lot she is.

"Still better than a mabari," he'll say to anyone who comes close.

c) Foraging

He's not alone, which sometimes puts him on edge, and sometimes makes him feel a little safer. All the same, Anders is in the area outside the Warden camp with another Warden, looking to see what foodstuffs can be found to add to the pot. They're not in danger of going hungry but it's best to be prepared and know what's growing out here. There's no telling how long the Wardens will be near Skyhold, after all.

There's also no telling who he'll run across out here, and he's more on edge and defensive due to the fact that he doesn't know how someone might react if they come across him when not anticipating that he might be around.

"Watch the snow back that way," is what he says, though, tilting his head in the direction he's come. "There's some hiding a nasty drop. I've marked it with stones." Let them react to that how they will.

3. Wildcard me!

[[ooc: Come at me bros! Skyhold, Warden camp, whatever. If you've got a question about a scenario, feel free to private plurk me @ Nadat or PM this journal.]]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

They have the far superior Hawke twin. He'd rather not have the other one too.

Anders looks at the twirling of her hair and reaches out, resting fingers on hers to urge her hand down. "That's cute. It works for Merrill, but it doesn't suit you." It's actually a little frightening. If she'd been a Circle mage with a habit of that... But she's not. And there may never be a need for fear like that again if mages are lucky. Beyond that, no Templar will ever lay a hand on her if he has absolutely anything to say about it.

"Be confident. You're Bethany, Grey Warden. You've fought what would make many men piss their pants as they turn to flee. The man you're flirting with is lucky, but don't show that. Simply be certain that if this one turns you down, you can find another in no time." He raises an eyebrow as if to check that the message is gotten across before reverting. And maybe it's time to give her a little bit of a challenge.

"I'm here as an archer. Fast, flashy, and substance. You probably haven't seen the like. I took on a giant once. That has to be something like an Ogre."

Oh Anders, just because you and Carver had some ... disagreements. All right, Carver said he hated you because you never got off of mage rights, but Carver was very bitter teenager. He grew out of it! Mostly.

She tilts her head a little, sighing, "I was trying to be distracting, honestly. Most of the time when people ask me idiotic questions about whether or not we glow, I'm far too honest and then things get ... ah. Graphic." In a not fun, flirty way.

"Right. Bethany. Grey Warden. Confident woman who kills horrible things." She breathed in, her lips twitching up at that statement, but her brown eyes warmed at the compliment and the truth behind it..

One eyebrow raises at that statement, before she gives him a considering look, "I've known quite a few archers -- but not one that could take down a giant. That is impressive. All on your own, then?"

Like the Maker's knickers any archer had ever done that.

"Maybe keep dismemberment out of flirty conversations. There's a time for jokes about being kicked by a Templar, and a time... No, Varric's right, there's generally always a time for Templar jokes."

Except in front of Templars here. Things are supposed to be different here, and he should try to remember that despite what all happens.

"Of course all on my own. I'm legendary where I come from." Possibly the most annoying type of person to flirt with, in Anders' opinion, was someone absolutely full of themselves. Which means if he's to give her a true challenge... "All you have to do is find a good vantage point and keep moving, because they're slow. Use the land. Know what you're doing. I'm good like that."

"Gracious, so many rules ... I feel like I should be writing some of these down." Her lips twitched upwards again into a wry smile. "Varric should know. He has the best."

She had to wonder if Varric dared to tell those jokes in front of the Templars here.

Bethany bit her bottom lip, hard, before she tipped her head to the side, "You know ... one of my closest friends is an archer. I don't think he's ever taken down a giant on his own, but he'd love to hear the story. It's so ... very impressive." And implausible. "Perhaps you could buy me a drink and tell me the tale?"

"Is he? Well." Anders does his best impression of a man caught out. Which isn't hard. He's awful at bluffing to begin with, so 'caught out' is a fairly natural expression. "The Storm coast is practically crawling with them. You can't miss seeing them. And there's hills, hills and waves, that you can use. What you need is to be smart with the setup. Be on the edge of one of the more cliff-like hills, but not too on the edge."

The story's starting to pick up steam and he leans forward as if he's sure he's being convincing. "You have to dodge the boulders, after all. They fling them. But I'm ever so flexible."

It's an awful line, deliberately so, and all he can hope is that Varric or Bela do not walk in to the tavern right at this moment.

Bethany arched an eyebrow at this, before she leaned in turn, smiling oh-so-sweetly before she stated with almost sing-song tone, "You know, funny thing about the Storm Coast - there's a number of darkspawn running about there ... but not Giants. In fact they aren't native to the area at all." She tipped her head, "Which, you might have known, if you had ever killed a giant with your own bow and arrows. Which ... also impossible, unless your arrows are made out of pure silverite through and through, because they wouldn't be able to pierce the giant's skin." A tilt of the head, before she moved to rise, then arched an eyebrow at Anders. "This ... would be the point where I walked away, right? Because I would feel like walking away..."

"That's exactly when. And anyone who heard you handle that will be more impressed and less likely to lie to you. You handled that well. A part of this was to make sure you'd not take anything from someone - it's better to walk away from someone undesirable than put up with it just for the sake of being liked, or something along those lines."

Which is important. Maybe not as much for a Grey Warden, considering how short their lives were going to be, but for mages who deserved better than the first person to come along, it matters.

"Has this... maybe helped?"

Bethany exhaled slowly, folding her fingers together, looking pleased. "Oh good -- because I didn't want to seem rude but ... that was just ridiculous. I mean, really. Is that what I have to look forward to? Pompous little poppinjays who are just looking for someone to twitter at their dubious heroics?"

She made a face, shaking her head. "Ugh. Well ... there must be nice ones out there too."

A bright smile, before she leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Immensely. Thank you ever so much."

He smiled at the little kiss as he shakes his head.

"There are a great many nice ones out there. But there are going to be plenty who are poppinjays because you're a Grey Warden and they'll feel threatened. Weed them out, keep calm despite them being infuriating, and you'll find the better ones."

Especially with a smile like hers. There should be people who will see her as a person and not just a mage now, too.

"Don't rush it, make sure you're comfortable and enjoying the company you get, and it will go well."

"Well, at least it'll be easy to weed them out." Bethany stated with a wry smile, folding her hands together again. "Mostly because they will be obviously infuriating."

She took a deep breath, her gaze warm. "But maybe it's time to finally start weeding."

[Open] Tell me would you kill to save a life?

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