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]

[She's honestly a little surprised by that response, that he'd love to. It's just a little trip out to shop, what's to love about that? Still, she can't really deny she loves the chance to spend more time with him too. What a pair.]

Good, then. If there's anything else you might need, we can look for that too. As I said, there's no way to know if we'll see a place so close to our own time again, so stocking up now seems in our best interests.

[There's a part of her that would like to stay in this little villa for as long as she can with the people who have gathered to it with her, but the end of the month is quickly approaching and each day sees her checking and rechecking to be sure she has every possible thing she could need. Trinkets and dried fruits, enchanted items for crafting, appropriately themed gifts for any namedays that might pass on the ships. You can never overprepare, right?]

[dirth]

I've never held much regard for material things, da'len. Perhaps you know.

[ Which is true. His rotunda had been sparse, save for books he had requested and items he had picked up to study, and the backpack he carried was for magic and bedrolls. He didn't have much in the way of personal items and that was as much as a secret as the rest of it; why did he have so little?

Still, he nods his head, stepping back and away from the window, careful to not let her catch his distraction as he looks back over at the gathering storm. ]

Shall we?

[dawnwillcome]

[He may have started a bad habit in the forest, because she reaches for his hand without thinking and links their fingers together as she moves toward the door.]

That doesn't mean you won't need a new shirt somewhere down the line, lethallin. But we'll focus on the paints if you're so set in your ways. I wouldn't want you to have to deal with things to weigh you down if you'd rather roam the hills forever.

[dirth]

[ His eyes drop down to their hands but, at least for now, he says nothing of it. It's companionable, nice, and it makes him soften. ]

I do know how to stitch.

[ Look at him, making a joke. ]

Paints it shall be and, in return, you will let me decorate your quarters for you.

[dawnwillcome]

[And she laughs, because it was a good joke. She nearly teases him, reminds him of Vivienne's claims that he looked something like a hobo, but that had never been kind. Instead she just nods like it's a very serious point he's just made.]

I'll remember that the next time I've a tear that needs mending, my stitching is horrible.

Have you thought of what you'll paint yet?

[dirth]

[ He gives her another smile, this one lighter; it's easier to joke and tease, to pretend he isn't careful with each step to not betray what he knows is to come in her future. ]

That depends on what you want, I imagine. Something more than just flowers and fields?

[ He makes a soft noise. ]

Perhaps something akin to the elves of old, the memories of their homes I once saw.

[dawnwillcome]

I think I've filled it with as many flowers and fields as it can take.

[But oh, she likes that other suggestion, and even the voices of Mythal's servants rush against her ears like they want to agree as well.]

I'd like that. I'm afraid I'd have to ask you to tell me the stories of what you're painting as you work, though. Would that be a distraction?

[dirth]

Then I'll have to make sure not to draw attention from that.

[ He watches, careful for her reaction, as if testing, before his features break into a smile. ]

It would be no more distracting than trying to read while hearing a certain mage complain about his own lack of resources.

[ (Dorian is loud as fuck when Solas is trying to read.) ]

[dawnwillcome]

[Her reaction is to laugh, to squeeze his hand lightly.]

He's always been horrible about the library. I caught him throwing books over the balcony once, I hope they never hit you.

[dirth]

[ The noise he makes is practically distraught. ]

If I had seem him I'd have done more than throw them back.

[dawnwillcome]

[Solas stop you're being too cute.]

Now I have to ask. What would you have done, hahren?

[dirth]

[ NEVER. ]

I would have been forced to educate him on how to treat books.

[ With stern words and fury, of course. ]

[dawnwillcome]

[She gives a mock shudder, shaking her head.]

The poor man. I wouldn't wish that fate on my worst enemies.

[The marketplace isn't terribly far from the villa, so it doesn't take long before they're leaving the forest to wind through where all the stalls are set up.]

Now then, paints. Are there any tricks to finding the high quality ones?

[dirth]

[ His gaze turns to her, definitely amused. ]

So says the woman that calls me hahren.

[ See, he can tease too. ]

As long as they have not be watered down they should be fine.

[dawnwillcome]

I know better than to abuse books where you might catch me, lethallin.

[And they make quite a sight, two elves hand in hand doing some afternoon shopping for paint of all things, but it's nice. Simple in a way things tend to not be, now that she's Inquisitor.]

And what about brushes? Do you need special brushes as well?

[dirth]

Then you have nothing to worry about.

[ It is simple. He barely says anything about their linked fingers, looking around the crowds. ]

Large and small. Not too many, I can reuse them.

[dawnwillcome]

[There aren't many stalls with things that look like they're for crafting paintings, and by the time they get close to the end of the marketplace Jove is starting to worry. What if there are no paints? What if she's talked this up and gotten them both excited for his paintings only for-

But then, in the second to last stall, there's a man with canvases and frames propped up against the wood, and there sitting plainly in sight is a whole collection of paints in pots and little bottles, full sets of colors, brushes, spatulas, and Jove squeezes Solas's hand in her excitement.]

Look, there are some!

[dirth]

[ Solas watches her with fond amusement; the idea of buying paints is, at least to him, secondary to the pleasure of being in her company. She is a bright, excited soul and he relishes that, allows himself to bask in her company and let it refresh him. He doesn't worry about her finding out the truth, about her learning of his so-called betrayal; he simply relaxes.

When they do spot the paints he does smile, of course, and urges her to follow as he walks forward. ]

Then let us examine, shall we?

[dawnwillcome]

[She isn't considering what she's doing very closely as she covers the hand she's holding with her other one, clasping his between both of hers as she shuffles through the crowd along with him to look over the selection at his fingertips. It just feels natural, comfortable, and the chance to spoil Solas like this has never really come up before.

She's incredibly happy with the development, sue her.]

You know, all this talk about paint and I don't even know your favorite color.

[dirth]

[ ... Ah.

Solas doesn't do much more than allow her to do as she pleases, his expression flickering over her as he takes her in. Slowly, he tilts his head, his lips turning into a soft, careful smile. Something warm overcomes him, something he refuses to put a name to for fear of admitting what it might be.

Instead, he just speaks. ]

I've never thought about it.

lays on the floor

[dawnwillcome]

Never? [She sounds just as shocked as she looks, because that seems impossible.] How can that be? You work with colors so often, there has to be one you're fond of.

[That smile, though... she's almost glad for the press of the crowd in the market for giving her this excuse to see that smile up close.]

smirks

[dirth]

None more than any other.

[ He does pause, though, glancing at her, before he turns his head to the side, lets his gaze flick out at the market before them, careful and easy. ]

Perhaps green, like the colour of the Fade itself... Or white, like the snow of the Emprise du Lion. If I had spent more time watching the sun I might have set sunset, too.

[ Green. White. Orange. ]

ur a menace

[dawnwillcome]

[As a child, it was hard not to think too much about her appearance. Her eyes scared the people who didn't know her, colorless around the edges with the hint of orange like a fire burning from her pupils, and mixed with the shock of white hair it left her looking like something delivered straight from the Fade. And then of course add her magic and it made for a look that wasn't exactly welcoming.

But she had been sweet, and listened well to her Keeper, mastered her power to show there was nothing to fear from her, and now her vallaslin is the part of her that most outsiders see before her eyes or her hair. She doesn't think of her eyes much anymore... until Solas picks those particular colors. When she looks at him in surprise, however, he isn't looking at her. Could he really...?

No, those are basic colors. Orange and white and green, those were colors that could make anything, not just her eyes and her power. That doesn't mean she isn't blushing lightly when she reaches out to put those colors aside, though.]

We'll just... start there, then. And with this one.

[To the pile she's made she adds a shade of blue that almost exactly matches his eyes. Two can play this game, even if he is winning it.]

das rude

[dirth]

[ Solas doesn't do much to usher her thoughts; he keeps himself quiet, for now, careful and unsure with each movement of his body even as he steps closer and looks over at the paints and canvases, gaze flickering. He wonders if he may have stepped too far, if he might have said something that might do more to her, something that might hurt her... But then he relaxes.

His hands slide, crossing behind his back, a gentle, careful movement of his limbs. ]

Blue as well.

[ He's smiling, but careful; he doesn't want to take too much, to use too much of her money, and he's careful with his selections, selecting a black and some coal too. ]

UM YOU STARTED IT????

[dawnwillcome]

[As distracted as she is by this new development, the fact that he's being modest with his choices isn't escaping Jove. She flashes the merchant a quick smile before she turns away from him, resting a hand on Solas' shoulder as she leans up to whisper in his ear.]

He doesn't need to know this, but I have more than enough for all of the colors here at the very least. Pick out everything you need, not just the basics.

[Really, anything she may happen to spend today will likely be made up by the ratings from this one trip alone.]