Tangents
Breaks
"And then - then, he suddenly showed Mother that he'd gotten a tattoo, and of all things, one of a mabari!" Eldrun choked out over his own laughter, face flushed from the ale he'd been steadily drinking all night. The crowd around him crowed with laughter, Carver covering his face with his hands. Fenris sat to the Champion's right, thighs pressed together and smiling.
Aren just watched the drunken soldiers. The Warden's recruits had taken to the Champion of Kirkwall immediately, and she was grateful for it. It helped to have someone who could help her train the mages that didn't have the personality of a cactus. She loved Velanna like a sister, but the woman could be a little nicer.
There was absolutely nothing pressing on them right now; Aren had made sure that all political networking was done through Nathaniel as long as she harbored the Champion. She was aware the Seekers were looking for both of them, and she would use whatever cover she had as they recuperated. Besides, the man needed a break, and if she could give a few weeks of reprieve before they went on the run, she would do it.
Aren swirled the wine in her glass around as she mulled the situation over. Leliana had sent a letter to the Keep, warning her that the Seekers would be looking for her and the Champion. She trusted Leliana, but not the woman mentioned: Cassandra Pentaghast, of the Nevarran dragon hunters. She did not trust people who had unwavering faith to the Chantry, and this Seeker was no exception. Aren knew Leliana would not betray her position, but she did not know about how the bard viewed Hawke. As such, she planned to run before the Seekers could reach Amaranthine. They'd be trapped in the skeleton of Kirkwall for a while, after all.
Fingers brushed through her hair, and she sighed at the sensation as another round of laughter took up the floor in front of her. "Mmm, why are you out here simply watching? Too tired for any festivities tonight?" he teased.
She hummed, leaning her head into the pressure of his fingers. "No, just enjoying the fact that everyone can still laugh after that disaster. It's nice to hear."
He smiled as he sat on the armrest, pulling her against his hip. "I feel as if we are parents watching children. I don't like it."
Aren laughed. "Half of the recruits are still children, Zevran. I may as well be a mother-figure, although I'll refuse to adopt Oghren, he still reeks of a brewery."
Neither of them mentioned the Warden stuck in solitary. It still stung far too much for Aren to handle.
She'd viewed Anders as a little brother, despite the fact he was two years older than her, even in the Ferelden Circle. She knew exactly how much he hated solitary, which is why he was sentenced to it for only a week. He'd have the floor soon enough, but would be forbidden contact with anyone except Aren and Nathaniel. At least he had Ser Pounce-A-Lot back. She tried to tell herself it was enough.
She didn't think it was working.
"Mi amor, stop thinking so hard," he said, voice soft. "I can feel the gears moving in your head. Dwelling on your decisions will not make them any easier to bear."
"I know," she said, turning to curl herself into his hip. "I know."
Aren just watched the drunken soldiers. The Warden's recruits had taken to the Champion of Kirkwall immediately, and she was grateful for it. It helped to have someone who could help her train the mages that didn't have the personality of a cactus. She loved Velanna like a sister, but the woman could be a little nicer.
There was absolutely nothing pressing on them right now; Aren had made sure that all political networking was done through Nathaniel as long as she harbored the Champion. She was aware the Seekers were looking for both of them, and she would use whatever cover she had as they recuperated. Besides, the man needed a break, and if she could give a few weeks of reprieve before they went on the run, she would do it.
Aren swirled the wine in her glass around as she mulled the situation over. Leliana had sent a letter to the Keep, warning her that the Seekers would be looking for her and the Champion. She trusted Leliana, but not the woman mentioned: Cassandra Pentaghast, of the Nevarran dragon hunters. She did not trust people who had unwavering faith to the Chantry, and this Seeker was no exception. Aren knew Leliana would not betray her position, but she did not know about how the bard viewed Hawke. As such, she planned to run before the Seekers could reach Amaranthine. They'd be trapped in the skeleton of Kirkwall for a while, after all.
Fingers brushed through her hair, and she sighed at the sensation as another round of laughter took up the floor in front of her. "Mmm, why are you out here simply watching? Too tired for any festivities tonight?" he teased.
She hummed, leaning her head into the pressure of his fingers. "No, just enjoying the fact that everyone can still laugh after that disaster. It's nice to hear."
He smiled as he sat on the armrest, pulling her against his hip. "I feel as if we are parents watching children. I don't like it."
Aren laughed. "Half of the recruits are still children, Zevran. I may as well be a mother-figure, although I'll refuse to adopt Oghren, he still reeks of a brewery."
Neither of them mentioned the Warden stuck in solitary. It still stung far too much for Aren to handle.
She'd viewed Anders as a little brother, despite the fact he was two years older than her, even in the Ferelden Circle. She knew exactly how much he hated solitary, which is why he was sentenced to it for only a week. He'd have the floor soon enough, but would be forbidden contact with anyone except Aren and Nathaniel. At least he had Ser Pounce-A-Lot back. She tried to tell herself it was enough.
She didn't think it was working.
"Mi amor, stop thinking so hard," he said, voice soft. "I can feel the gears moving in your head. Dwelling on your decisions will not make them any easier to bear."
"I know," she said, turning to curl herself into his hip. "I know."