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

[serves]

[He chuckles. Elves are very much mysterious to him, especially ones like Jove. But he finds that he likes it. He likes the teasing, likes the little glimpses into her mind.]

Do you know how to swim?

[dawnwillcome]

[Well. Now this is a little awkward.]

Ah... no, actually. My clan mostly traveled through the plains, the deepest water I ever came across only came up to my waist and even then there were better things for me to be learning than how to swim.

[How to control her magic, for example. The stories and the histories of her people, medicine, which herbs did what, all those practical things a Keeper would need to know in an instant.]

It can't be hard, though, can it?

[serves]

If you're not afraid of the water, no. Most people are so afraid of drowning that they never give it an honest try. My siblings and I picked it up as children without anyone giving proper instruction.

[Just keep him off boats and ships please.]

[dawnwillcome]

[Letting go of his hand, she jumps into the stream and causes only the smallest of splashes. Her nightdress is short enough the hem is in no danger of getting wet and her feet are bare anyway, so why not?

The water is a bit cold for her taste, but it only comes up to her ankles this close to the edge.]

I'd never really considered it before, if I'm honest. It's just water, I don't see what's so frightening about it.

[serves]

[He almost reaches after her to pull her back onto dry land, but the water is shallow and she doesn't seem intent on going far. He can relax.]

It's the depths that scare people. It is a little unnerving, not being able to see the bottom or what might be down there.

[dawnwillcome]

[Well that gets her attention very quickly.]

What do you mean, what might be down there?

[She's picturing aquatic dragons now.]

[serves]

[Cullen shrugs a shoulder.]

Sea creatures. There are odd tales I've heard now and then. The things that live in the dark depths of the sea.

[dawnwillcome]

Remind me to stay out of the sea, then. And never tell Bull, he'll have us trying to hunt those down next.

[serves]

Maker, no. I do read the reports of your adventures with dragons, you know.

[Sometimes there are mentions of things Bull blurts. It usually has Cullen dragging a gloved hand down his face.]

[dawnwillcome]

[All in a day's work, Commander. And now she splashes him a little, looking entirely too amused by his reaction.]

There's no need to bring your Maker into this, is there? Maybe you should come with us on the next hunt, see it in person instead of reading about it.

[serves]

[Nooooooo now his breeches are wet... he takes a careful step back.]

I have far too much work to do.

[But he worries. He wishes he could be out there with her, keep an eye on her, ensure her safety for himself, but it's not possible.]

[dawnwillcome]

[Her lips twist with a bit of disappointment when he backs away, but oh well. Not all her advisors can have a sense of adventure, she supposes. And anyway, her feet are starting to get uncomfortably cool so she makes her way back to the bank, reaching for a nearby boulder for leverage as she leaves the water behind. Perhaps she'll bring him here in the day time, see how he feels about frolicking then.]

I know. And what you do for me- well, for us, the whole Inquisition, it's more valuable than anyone gives you credit for.

[serves]

[Boulder? He thinks not. Cullen will step forward again to offer her a hand so that she doesn't slip.]

I don't need any credit. As long as we continue to make strides towards defeating Corypheus, that's all I need.

[dawnwillcome]

[Maybe the stick isn't lodged quite so far up his backside as she thought.

Kidding. She reaches out to take his hand.]

I'm still breathing, so that's the plan.

[serves]

[Cullen takes her hand and effortlessly pulls her back onto dry land. And really, he shouldn't, but he can't help himself around her and she's been receptive to his small gestures--so, he carefully tucks a small piece of hair behind her pointed ear.]

That you are.

[He prays for her safety whenever he can.]

[dawnwillcome]

[With his hand holding hers and his fingers playing with her hair, there really is no ignoring just how... what is the right term, anyway? It's not inappropriate, and it isn't even unwelcome or awkward. It's a pleasant kind of stuck feeling where Jove isn't sure what to do now, so she choosing squeezing his hand lightly and smiling at him. That seems right.]

Surely you've noticed by now I'm hard to kill. I have no intention of leaving things unfinished.

[serves]

You'll see it through. [She must.] We all will. Your companions and your advisors will not only ensure victory, but your survival, as well.

[dawnwillcome]

And when it's all over Josephine will throw us the biggest party Thedas has ever seen and I'll sleep for a week straight.

[It's a deflection, because she accepted the fact that she would likely die from the very beginning. How often does a hero survive an epic battle for the world, anyway? It was a sacrifice she was ready to make and Cullen's fingers against her skin only make the inevitable all the more difficult.]

But for now, we should probably get back. Do you think you'll be able to sleep now?

[serves]

I think you chased the nightmares away. [The worst of them, at least. He won't be surprised if he wakes with a start in the morning, but as long as he's not crying out in his sleep, it's a good night.]

You should get to sleep as well. I'm sure you have a full schedule, even here.

[Ah, fine. He'll just keep a hold of her hand. She'll have to lead them back anyway.]

[dawnwillcome]

I wouldn't call it a schedule so much as trying to keep the fires at a slow burn. I don't think there's any hope of putting them out completely.

[She doesn't sound particularly upset by this, because she really isn't. It's an accepted fact at this point, because there is no fixing some of these problems. All she can do is try to keep the peace.

But she squeezes his hand lightly again as she leads him back in the direction of the villa.]

If I asked you to promise to find me on the nights you can't sleep, would you do it?

[serves]

If there's anything I can do...

[Which he's said earlier, but he can offer again. He knows he's cause for some of those issues she's dealing with. His arrival had not been all that pleasant.

At her question, he has to let out a slow breath. It's not that simple.]

These are... things I have dealt with for a long time. A decade of bad dreams. I'm used to them, by now.

[Even if they're only getting worse.]

[dawnwillcome]

I promise I'll let you know what will help when I figure it out. So far I'd just like to keep people from trying to kill Anders.

[She gives his hand a light tug.]

That isn't what I asked you, Cullen. Just because you're used to handling them alone it doesn't mean you have to keep on doing that.

[serves]

[Whoops.]

I wouldn't let anyone murder the man.

[For now. The moment he showed signs of ill intent, however...]

You needn't trouble yourself over something that's no real trouble to me.

[Except it is, isn't it? The nightmares steal away his sleep, and the more tired he is, the more his hands tremble and the more susceptible he is to that hollow yearning in his gut. That desire to crack and take the easy route, let himself be leashed. Not that he can do that here, of course.]

[dawnwillcome]

So no, then.

[She sighs, but it's about the answer that she expected if she's honest about it.]

I suppose there's no hope for it, then. I'll move my things to the room beside yours tomorrow.

[Maybe if she's closer, she'll be sure to hear any nightmares he may have. If he doesn't have to cross the entire villa, if she's just next door, maybe he'll find it in himself to seek her out. She doesn't know, but she also can't think of much else to do.]

[serves]

What?

[No, no no no. Surely he misheard her.]