Video | Do you remember when you were young?

[apurrstate]

Who: Anders (And a message from Adalwolfe)
Broadcast: Yes
Action: Three Twins, if you feel so inclined
When: Now

[A boy seems to have gotten his hands on a communicator. The way he holds it is a little awkward at first, the camera too close to his bright amber eyes, offering a clear view of the minefield of freckles splattered across his cheeks and nose.]

I don't think I'm doing this right...

[His voice is as light as his bright eyes and bright gold hair, but with that occasional crackle that betrays puberty is lying in wait for the pre-teen. A hand can very briefly be seen reaching for the device, but a nauseating burst of movement changes the view as a now-young Anders dances away from his would-be help.]

No, no! I can figure it out!

[The camera rights itself and a very brief flash of Adalwolfe Hawke can be caught in the background as the camera is finally righted, displaying the boy's big toothy grin as he seems to settle in to wait for the magical people who might be about to talk to him.]

So I just wait here, right? And there's people who can hear and see me and I can hear and see them?? Andraste! This is so neat!

[He's clearly very excited and eager to see what sort of magic this weird device has.

But the broadcast is briefly interrupted, unbeknownst to the original poster.]

--Filtered, hacked off of Anders' signal--

[Once Anders is finished, there’s static for a second while Adalwolfe hijacks the channel, making sure to lock Anders out of seeing this part of the message. He looks around surreptitiously before getting quite close to the camera, looking quite a bit more anxious than he did after the bandit attack.]

Alright, look, Aiden here is Anders, and I don’t mean from the Anderfels, I mean the healer Anders. Only he doesn’t know he’s a mage yet at this age and if any of you tell him he’s going to grow up to be one, I will personally come to your cabin when you’re asleep and freeze you solidly to your bunk.

[He starts to tick things off on his fingers.]

Other ground rules include not telling him basically anything about the more grisly parts of his future. Mentions of the Kinloch, the Broodmother, Justice, Kirkwall, or any of that are off limits. Though I guess you can say he’s going to be a Warden in a vague sort of way. He might like that part. Just leave out what it entails if you would.

[That part is aimed mostly at Riona because she’s probably the only person who that would come up with, being a Warden and Anders’ Commander, but it’s a good rule of thumb generally.]

Calling him Anders - because frankly it’s a bit rude to call him by nationality when he hasn’t adopted it as a name yet and he’s going to think you’re an ass. That one’s not really imperative, just a general warning.

[He puts up another finger.]

Mentioning that he has a panacea aura on because, as I said, he doesn’t know he’s a mage yet and frankly that is a panic reaction he doesn’t need to have after already having had to live that nightmare once.

[He very much doesn’t want to elaborate on that.]

If anyone breaks these ground rules, or if any harm comes to him when he’s vulnerable like this, there will be… consequences.

[Much worse than freezing people to bunks, he can assure you. He’s nowhere in the vicinity of fucking around.]

If you have any questions then contact me privately, but just know that in this case I am his keeper and I will keep him safe from harm and distress, make no mistake. You’ve all been warned.

Comments

[brainiest]

I can hear you and see you.

[ There's a warm, soft spot in her heart for Anders - the one she knew, at least - and there's a big part of her that wants to keep him safe. If that means she needs to play along then... That's fine too. ]

My name's Hermione. It's nice to meet you.

[apurrstate]

[He's at least had the device explained to him a little better now, so he greats Hermione with a smile that practically glows.]

It's nice to meet you too, Miss Hermione! I'm Aiden. [Manners, manners, his mother's voice practically echoed in his head.]

Are you on one of these ships too? I really want to go explore them!

Are you from Thedas too or are you from Space? [Because, clearly, those are the only two options. At least there's a break in his curiosity-driven questioning.]

[brainiest]

[ He's so... Happy and Hermione is so completely and utterly charmed that all she can do is offer him a soft, gentle smile in response, trying not to ride on the high of his giddiness. ]

I'm on a ship called the Vanquish, yes. I don't see why you can't explore if you want to - we could wander around together, if that's something you'd really like. There's a number of ships that hold passengers like us and one ship that has lots of different things - cafes, gardens, a library, that sort of thing.

[ But, ah - ]

I'm not from either, I'm afraid. I'm from a place called the Drabwurld. It's not here or in Thedas.

[apurrstate]

[There's a look of shock and wonder on Anders' face at her description and his imagination runs wild with all of the different options set out in front of him. A library? He'd only ever heard of them. A garden? Not as exciting, but what if it grew things more interesting than his family's farm? And what was a cafe? It sounded orlesian...but he really wanted to know.]

Drabwurld? [He didn't know what that was, but it sounded cool. Cooler than that? She was from Somewhere Else. Now he really wanted to explore new places with the woman from another planet. There was only one catch...]

You'd show me around? I'd love that! Let me just see if I can shake my 'armed guard' first.

[He a hundred percent means Hawke.

He didn't know how he was going to get to her or this other ship, but he'd figure that out later.]

[brainiest]

[ It's... Definitely getting more endearing. It reminds her of the purity of when she and Nico first started to get to know each other, how everything was wide eyed and amazing. It was refreshing, too, when she was so used to people being disillusioned and broken by the world - seeing someone excited by it made something feel softer in her chest. ]

It's... A little like Thedas, from what I know of the place. Swords, fighting, that sort of thing. [ Carefully avoiding the entire topic of magic, she thinks, it seems safer and far more logical. ]

Of course I'll show you around. If, um, if they want to come too that's fine. I don't mind - and I do know most people here, so it's not like it would be a problem for me.

[ Who else could he mean? And maybe Hawke would be okay with it, if it was her. ]

Ask.

[apurrstate]

[There is such a put-upon look, how could she possibly ask this of him?

He goes anyway, the communicator left behind as Aiden goes to his out-pf-frame 'guardian.' He's back a moment later, not looking disappointed, but not looking thrilled either.]

He said "In a bit." Which, for adults, sometimes actually means 'in a bit' and sometimes means 'never.'

I was wondering: I've never been...well, anywhere, what do you do on a ship like this?

[brainiest]

[ She stands to the 'you should get over it and get on with it' foundation of thought and she watches as he goes, happy to sit around as she waits out his answer.

It doesn't shock her, when it comes, but she thinks she can wheedle her way into making sure that it works. Anders would be safe in her company, of course, and she's sure that Wolfe is aware of it. ]

I'm sure he'll come around, I wouldn't worry about it.

[ She hums, thoughtful. ]

Well, there are games and things. There's movies and books on our devices, and there are other people to talk to as well. Then there's the labs and other areas...

[apurrstate]

[There's so many words in there he doesn't recognize...but he can't find it in him to ask in case it sounds like a dumb question. But he does ask one thing...]

There's books around? We hardly have any back home, they're expensive and don't serve a lot of purpose, [At least, that's what his father had said.] but...I still kind of like them. This older woman in our town has a whole bunch of books and she lets me read them whenever I want.

[brainiest]

There are lots of books on the library, we can stop there so you can have a look around. [ He's definitely tugging at her heartstrings now. ] There might be some on our devices, too. I'll have to look into it.

[apurrstate]

[Well, now you're just making his day.]

Really? That'd be great!

Honestly, I'm...not sure I'd be able to find the books if there were any on this thing anyway, it's kind of confusing.

[Too much tech for the medieval child.]

[brainiest]

Of course, I don't mind at all. I love the library. [ And Anders appears to be a kindred spirit in that regard. ] I can try and show you how things work, too, if you'd like.

[apurrstate]

I would! If..ah, if it wouldn't be too much of a burden.

[Mind your manners, Aiden. The soft-spoken Ferelden voice that still held an edge of firm finality to it ran through his head and sobered his excitement a moment.]

I understand if you've got other things to do first.

[He shoots Wolfe a pleading look off-frame, like maybe the man he knows just keeps listening in will maybe change his mind about them going out to the other ships if he pleads enough about it. Quietly, of course, pleading loudly would get you nohing but a cuff for being so annoying.]

[wolfehawke]

[Anyone else - save maybe Riona - and Wolfe would insist on accompanying or even say no, but it's Hermione and Wolfe trusts her. That, and the damned face Anders gives him is just entirely too precious. Who can say no to those big brown eyes?]

Go on, then.

[He leans into the video, addressing Hermione.]

Have him back before supper, would you? Or at least send me a message if you'll be late.

[brainiest]

[ That just makes Hermione laugh and she huffs a noise, shaking her head. ]

I'll come and pick him up. I'll have him before before dinner, don't worry, Wolfe.