004 // the house of sin

[serpentis]

Who: Dorian and assorted guests
Broadcast: Fleet-wide, 3/10
Action: In a villa practically in the forest (THE HOUSE OF SIN)
When: Broadcast- 3/10 // Action- 3/9-3/31? Until we leave.

Broadcast:

[The broadcast goes out on 3/10, and Dorian smirks a bit into the feed.]

I believe I've secured lodging for myself, with room enough for several others. If you need a place to stay, do let me know. It's a quaint little villa a bit outside of town. ...please don't mind the suspicious glances, I assure you, I've done nothing entirely against the guidelines that were set.

---------

Action:

[Dorian has secured a villa, but the residents of Mor don't seem too keen on having an evil mage for a neighbor. As the month goes on, more and more villagers will show up to stand at the gates of the villa and threaten to come in after the "evil wizard".

Maybe he shouldn't have gone so overboard with the whole "contacting the spirits of the dead" thing.]

((OOC: Mingle post for the House of Sin. We'll pretend there are enough rooms in here for everyone! Even if you character only drops by to rest their feet a bit, everyone is welcome to visit and stay the night if they want.))

Comments

[dawnwillcome]

Lucky for me, I've been a bit too invigorated to do much sleeping here. It must be the woods, some elf thing.

[She reaches for his hand, laying hers gently over it.]

I can stay.

[serves]

[It's almost involuntary, the way his hand carefully turns under hers to give her fingers a squeeze. It feels natural.]

You don't need to. [But that soft tone of voice says that he'd like her to. Some company to distract him from the nightmares and memories trying to claw back into his mind.]

[dawnwillcome]

[Even for her it feels natural, so she links their fingers together and gives his hand a gentle squeeze in return. I'm here for you, she hopes it says. Nothing will ever change that.]

Of course I don't, and yet here I sit. We could play a game of chess, if you like. Or go for a walk to tire you out.

[serves]

A walk isn't a bad idea.

[She draws a faint smile out of him. Were he in Skyhold, he wouldn't be getting back to sleep. He'd let the cool air dry his skin, let it wake him up, and then he'd work straight on until the sun rose and hope the next night he was too exhausted to dream.]

Give me a moment and I'll be ready.

[He has to get up and put on a shirt.]

[dawnwillcome]

Ah, right, of course.

[She lets go of his hand and turns her eyes towards the ceiling, because while she hadn't missed the fact that he was naked from the waist up at least, it wasn't something she had focused on while he was crying out in his sleep.

Now that they have drawn attention to it, she's gone a little pink. Hopefully the room is dark enough he won't see it.]

Should I wait for you outside?

[serves]

[He's already slipped into his shirt by the time she finishes asking. It's loose and wrinkled from being under his armor, but he's in no mood to go through the task of gearing up. It'd just be a short walk. He does, however, set his sword aside with intent of strapping it on once his boots are on his feet.

But before that--he pauses, walking over to meet her while plucking his cloak off of the chair he'd draped it on earlier in the night, furry collar and all.]

It's a little chilly. Here.

[He holds it up, willing to help her slip her arms into the assuredly over-sized garment on her.]

[dawnwillcome]

Does this mean I get to be the lion now?

[She wouldn't refuse it though, not when it is cold as she's had a particular aversion to cold since Haven. More importantly, she knows him well enough that refusing would only hurt his feelings and that's the last thing she wants to do for any reason, but doubly so when he's probably still feeling incredibly vulnerable.

So she slips her arm into it, turns so he can settle it over her shoulders. Is this something he had done for her before? Would he get her all tucked in to the warmth of his coat and then hold her for a moment, cheek against hers, hands on her hips, until he pulled himself away?

That's... she really needs to think of something else.]

You won't be cold without it?

[serves]

The most fearsome of lions. [Pulling the fabric around her and making sure it stays in place takes his mind off the reason why they're here. It's a little ridiculous, her in a cloak probably five times too big, but there's something charming about the way she looks wrapped in it.

He feels too warm.]

I think the last time the cold bothered me, we were in Haven. [He runs hot. Blame his Ferelden blood. And with that, he sits to tug on his boots.]

[dawnwillcome]

I think Haven was the last time the cold didn't bother me.

[But she's distracted as she says it, watching him reaching for his boots. This seems silly.]

Cullen, we're just going outside. You don't need shoes or a sword. [She comes over and reaches a hand out, looking even smaller than usual with the fur of his collar tucked around her and the thing hanging down far past where it should.] Leave the boots, who knows the next time we'll see grass. You should feel it between your toes for once.

[serves]

[Look at all that apprehension on his face.]

I don't know if that's a good idea. We don't know what's out there.

[dawnwillcome]

Certainly nothing I can't handle on my own.

[She lifts her hand and wiggles her fingers, letting electricity arc between them and give the room a slightly purple tint.]

Mage, remember? I'll protect you.

[serves]

[Close proximity to magic after those nightmares makes him uneasy, but all he does is press his lips together and look down at his feet.

He's too tired to argue this.]

Very well.

[dawnwillcome]

[Isn't that interesting. She's always been proud of her magic, of the fact it would keep her clan safe one day. She liked the power it gave her to protect people who needed help and slay the ones putting innocents in danger. She had thought, perhaps stupidly now that she considers it, that if she found someone it would be someone who also appreciated her abilities.

He is a templar, though. Perhaps her magic had been a test between them after all.

And now she feels guilty for pushing him, for making him give way like that, so she lowers herself to her knees and reaches for his boot. Her hands are free of magic when she reaches for the back of his leg, clearly intending to help him get his shoes on.]

[serves]

[It takes him a moment longer than it should to realize what she's doing. The instant he does, he's leaning down to gently grasp her shoulders and pull her up.]

Maker, no. Jove. [He didn't need to be dressed like a child, and the Inquisitor should not be on her knees. Especially before him.] Let's go for that walk. I haven't felt grass beneath my feet since I was a boy.

[dawnwillcome]

Since you were a-

[She sounds painfully incredulous because that seems impossible, how can anyone go that long in boots? She's almost got the whole sentence out, but as he pulls her up her balance is lacking and she ends up leaning very, very close to him. It's only reflexes that keep her from stumbling into him, but she chooses not to pull away completely. She's done that to him enough this week.]

I'll never understand humans. Next you'll tell me you've never bathed in a stream or slept outdoors without a tent.

[serves]

[He lets his hands stay on her slender shoulders, fur collar brushing against his knuckles. Who would have known a woman so small would be the one destined to lead them.]

I've done both of those things. [He says with a small chuckle.] Though it's been some years.

[dawnwillcome]

[There, a laugh. That's much better. She'll take a quiet laugh over his lips pressed into an unhappy line any day.]

If the weather improves here, maybe we'll gather some supplies and camp, then. You always got the comforts of Skyhold while we trekked around in the wilderness, it's only fair you reacquaint yourself with what it's like.

[serves]

Templar life wasn't a pampered way of living, you know. [Camping in the wilderness is heaven compared to cramped barracks.]

[dawnwillcome]

This may surprise you, Commander, but- [She looks over her shoulder, leans around him a little to look past him, and then cups her hand beside her mouth and leans up to mock-whisper in his ear.] I'm Dalish. Not a lot of experience with Templars.

[serves]

I can't say I'm sorry to be reminded. [He respects the men and women that chose to serve, but he knows how easily that power was abused. How often it occurred. He even let it happen, didn't he?

Cullen shakes his head.]

But perhaps we will have to plan something.

[dawnwillcome]

[And she takes that for the sweet sentiment it is, giving him a soft smile and bringing her hand up to cup his elbow, giving it a gentle squeeze and using it to lead him to the door.]

I would like that. There's no sure bet we'll see a forest again any time soon, so I've been trying to take advantage of having this one so easily reachable. What could be better than sharing it with the people I care for?

[serves]

[That's almost painful to hear. But Cullen gives her another small smile, shifting his arm so that he can lead the way. Doing things, even if it's just being a proper gentleman, helps.

And it's with some regret that he realizes oh. Of course it would be more than just the two of them.]

Our merry band of housemates out in the woods. Dorian will be thrilled.

[dawnwillcome]

I can't say how many would actually agree. Now that we're in a house with so much comfort, I can see why most of the shemlen would chose not to sleep on the ground.

[She sighs, because it is a shame, but if she notices that he's taking over guiding their path she doesn't show it. His coat does a very good job at keeping her warm, but she walks close by him anyway. To stay near his warmth, of course.]

[serves]

Perhaps the view will change their minds.

[He feels a little more vulnerable than he should, bare feet on the ground and sword left behind, but perhaps it's worth it to have her near like this. The fresh air helps cool his skin and distract him from the hollowness that nightmares leave him with.]

Naturally, you'd have to be our guide.

[dawnwillcome]

I think I'd do well enough, I've explored around the villa quite a ways. There's a lovely glade out to the north with enough room for a very small group and it's close to fresh water. There's fish in the streams as well, so we wouldn't hurt for food.

[She sounds wistful as she explains it, face turned up towards the night sky as she looks over the blessedly familiar view of a treeline topped with stars. They could be in Thedas now.]