driftfleet | [muffled spooky scary skeletons playing in the distance]

Well the expedition was immediately after the Blight, so the Roads were clearer than normal. Still a few darkspawn, but not legions or anything. We had more of a time with the rock wraith than anything else.

[He glances at the sky, trying to see the sun through the thickening caps of the mushrooms towering over their heads.]

It was successful, but at a cost. One of the things we found should have stayed down there. That is a long part of the story though, and one I think Leliana would have more background on than I would.

[Red lyrium is one of those things that he's not sure he should tell her about.]

Nate, though, he was on a mission to follow our original trail but he'd been down too long and his sister sent us after him. We managed to save him and one of his companions, but I'm afraid the rest were lost. Even so, after all that, when we needed him he came to our aid when other Wardens wouldn't. We may be square for us rescuing him from the Deep Roads, but I still feel I owe him a debt.

[No, she won't ask Leliana. She knows better than to ask about the future if it can be avoided. She's heard too much as is, and hearing more will likely only worsen things. Whatever is to happen, she'll experience it for herself in enough time.]

I see.

[Worry creases her brow as he talks about Nathaniel.]

You said he lost other Wardens? Do you know who? Did he say?

[Maker's breath, what if was Oghren? Or Velanna or Sigrun?]

No, he didn't, but Anders didn't recognize them either so I doubt they were your companions.

[He gives a reassuring smile. True, some wardens had died, but at the least they very likely weren't her wardens.]

Thank the Maker.

[It brings her a flood of relief. Yes, she's saddened any Warden had died, but it's easier knowing that they weren't the ones who served under her. It begs the question of where they were, then, but that's for another time.

She pauses here, looking up at Wolfe thoughtfully for a moment. There's something she's been meaning to bring up for awhile, but she never quite had the chance.]

Speaking of Anders...

[She raises an eyebrow.]

You two are... quite serious, no?

Well by my count we've been together for almost a decade so yes, I would call that serious.

[He smiles, the kind that crinkles the corners of his eyes, that makes him look just a bit older but kindly.]

He won't actually marry me just yet, but perhaps he's just been waiting to ask for your blessing.

Quite serious, I'd say.

[Oh, there's now an innocent smile on her face. Which means danger. Run, Wolfe.]

My blessing? I'd be honored if he or you asked, but before I even assent to ever be able to give such a thing-

[She's just gonna. Casually. Put her arm. Around his shoulders.]

Anders is a dear friend. And if you ever break his heart, Adalwolfe Hawke, I will personally come find you, break your neck and every inch of your spine, and promptly toss you out an airlock or into the sea. Whatever is closer.

[Her smile never wavers.]

Are we clear?

[He shouldn't be afraid of her. Yes he knows she defeated an Archdemon and ended a Blight near singlehandedly, or so the story goes, and she emerged victorious from the siege at Amaranthine. She's probably quite a bit stronger than him physically too despite the inches and arm circumference he has on her, but he wasn't afraid of her before, even when she socked him in the jaw.

Now, though? With that casual way she slides her arm around his shoulders and pulls him down so her mouth is level with his ear? The way her smile is entirely innocent and therefore somehow more sinister than the craftiest blood mage? That puts the fear of the Maker in him even though he entirely agrees that if he ever harms Anders in any way, what she's threatening would be getting off easy.]

Yes Ser. Messer. Er, your Majesty.

[He shifts, bent over uncomfortably far to be this close to her height, mouth dry but he has to tell her how it is so she doesn't get the wrong idea.]

I hope you understand, though, that I'd never hurt him intentionally. He's been hurt enough, in his life. I just want to see him happy.

Edited 2016-11-01 18:38 (UTC)

Then we are of an accord! And if you keep that in heart, we'll never have any problems of the sort.

[She releases him and continues to smile and continue chattering as if she just didn't threaten bodily harm and a very painful death.]

With that said, I can't imagine why he wouldn't want to be married. After all his years in the Circle and what he's been through, I thought he'd have jumped at that. And after a decade, surely he's ready. [She shakes her head.] Good Maker. Perhaps I should speak with him about it.

Oh, no, no no. Don't put yourself out, it's alright.

[He waves his hands in front of him to drive the point home.]

I've asked him three times over the years, each time he turned me down because of one thing or another and he was put out by the third, so finally I just told him that instead of me starting to ask every day as I wanted to, I'll just leave it up to him to ask when he's ready. I'll always be ready, anyway, though it's not really going to change anything. We still act like a married couple regardless, but it's a symbol of something to him. He's far more devout than I am.

[Wolfe rubs the back of his head, looking aside.]

I just don't want him to think I asked you to pressure him or something else ridiculous.

[She can't even imagine that, being together for so long and yet still not being married. Though, given Anders'... situation, she supposes she can understand. But still! That should be all the more reason to get married, while they still had years left together.

Then again, this is the woman who proposed in front of a whole Landsmeet, so...]

Very well. I would not want him to think that, either.

[Riona still plans on talking to him, but she'll approach it much differently, given what Wolfe has told her.]

Well, if he asks, and he wants my blessing for some reason or another, I'll give it. Now that I think about it, I'm not sure if Wardens are technically allowed to get married. Some come in already wed, but I don't know if they can after they've become a Warden.

[A pause, and then she laughs.]

Luckily I'm a terrible Warden-Commander, so it doesn't matter even if we're not supposed to.

[He laughs, both in relief that she won't approach him about it and in mirth at her comment about being Warden-Commander.]

Well neither are mages according to the Chantry but hang all that. This isn't Thedas anyway, so maybe here.

[He shrugs, putting his hands on his hips.]

But again, it doesn't matter much either way to me. Nothing will change because of a couple vows we've already made being said in the way the Chant dictates.

As long as you two have been together, I suppose vows wouldn't make much of a difference. Though, there is something to be said about standing up there, saying those vows out loud and putting that ring on your beloved's finger.

[She smiles at the memory of her own wedding.]

You sound a bit like my mother.

[He snorts, but it's in an affectionate way, and maybe a touch sad.]

She always said there was meaning in symbols like that, and in the way a thing is done. Even as much as the thing itself. I guess I can see how there's a comfort in following traditions. A statement too, if not for yourself then for the people watching.

[Hmm...]

I'm pretty sure the Fleet wouldn't hold a week-long coronation-wedding holiday for a simple mage wedding like I heard was held in Ferelden for yours. Or was that just rumor that got ferried up north?

I think that's what I liked the most, making that statement. Making it... official, in a sense. Saying those words, making that vow...

[A promise, to him and to herself. And, okay, maybe she enjoyed putting on the dress and everything, despite how nerve racking the whole affair was.

And speaking of-]

It was not a week long, no. [She shakes her head in amusement.] Remember, half the city was still a wreck when we married. We couldn't quite swing such a long holiday. But it did last three days. We wanted the city to have a break and celebrate something.

It was the right thing, definitely. I'm only sorry I missed it.

[He was too busy doing work for the Red Iron mercenary band trying to pay off the debt they'd racked up in getting help into Kirkwall after fleeing the Blight.]

I've only been to a royal funeral, not a wedding.

You might not have enjoyed it much. Lots of nobles and formalities. [A pause.] Though you did miss my friend Zevran nearly scandalizing a few of the noble women.

[She tilts her head.]

A funeral? For whom?

[He pauses, making a noncommittal noise. This could be something she shouldn't know yet, but it's far enough removed from Ferelden politics he thinks he can get away with telling her.]

Viscount Dumar. I guess it wasn't technically royal but he was the head of state. He was a good man. I wish I'd been more cognizant for it so I could pay my respects properly.

[He lets out a breath and smiles.]

I have met Zevran, though! Helped him out of a spot with some angry Crows actually.

Ah. That's unfortunate. Were you ill when the funeral was held?

[Riona asks carefully, all too aware of what too many questions sometimes leads to.]

I heard! Or, at least, Fenris told me he and his Hawke did, so I wondered if you had as well. Thank you for helping him. He's one of my dearest friends.

Recovering from injury, but it amounts to the same.

[That's vague enough he thinks it's okay to say.]

I like him! Though ah... Anders got a little overprotective with his flirting. Actually that was pretty funny. Anders just gets so... catty.

[He grins like a huge dork at the pun.]

[Riona snorts, her shoulders shaking from barely contained laughter. She withholds it purely to not make too much noise. More than they were already making, at any rate.]

I can believe it. Zevran is such a determined flirt. And a good one, at that.

Oh he is. Is that something they teach all Crows? Or, well, I guess he's a former-

[Adalwolfe stops short, seeing movement out of the corner of his eye and immediately spinning his staff from his back as he turns to face it, falling very suddenly silent.]

Well, I'm not-

[Riona stops as well when Adalwolfe takes out his staff. She listens, brow furrowed. She thinks she hears something in the forest, and immediately her shield is out as she steps ahead of Wolfe.]

Did you see what it was? [her voice is low.]

No, but its big.

[His voice is low too, trying to keep their position secret. Another moment and the tall brush ahead of them begins to rustle against a large boulder, as if the small leaves are being pulled at from the other side.

Adalwolfe tilts his head right, indicating circling around the boulder, then raises an eyebrow at Riona for her approval.]

[She nods, moving around the rock as quietly as she could. Hopefully this is just some huge herbivore who'll be more scared of them than the other way around.

But with their luck, who knows.

As she circles around, she steps slowly through the underbrush. The creature is hard to make out, but she ... thinks she sees its head and-]

...Andraste's bloody tits. What is that?

[Even at her outburst, the enormous nug simply turns its head laboriously to stare at her with its beady eyes as it chews on the branches its liberated from the bush they'd just rounded. It either senses no danger from them or is just too stupid to realize.

The thing is certainly not nug sized, despite clearly being related. It's larger than a druffalo with similar horns that split at the end of their curl into two smaller barbs on each side. It's got the same naked rat appearance as the common nug, just on a much grander scale. Right down to the weird off-putting almost human hands for its front feet, curled into fists so it walks on its knuckles instead of its palms.

Adalwolfe breathes in sharply, looking at the gentle monstrosity with a shine to his eyes.]

I wanna ride it. [He whispers.]

[muffled spooky scary skeletons playing in the distance]

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