You could. Or you could have someone else do it for you, especially while you're recovering. [ Hopefully. He's not asking: have you been drinking alone or only with them, have you been outside much, who's keeping away the well-wishers for me when you don't feel like it. It's hard. ] I'm not saying you should. I'm only saying it's kind of you not to. I'm sure they feel better with you than they would with someone who didn't understand.
No one else knows what to make of them. Araceli plays cards with them, Beleth, I think, still may wish them dead. Korrin seems to have come around to understanding. I do not wish to burden Taas with them. The Iron Bull, perhaps, understands.
Well, he's not wrong. But he better mean priceless because you're a person and his equal and not priceless like a painting he wants to hang up. I don't care if he's a chevalier. I could take him.
Where, for a walk? [ An easier jest than considering what it is he may or may not be getting into. ] I do not think it will be much of an issue. I have not seen him in some time and when we last spoke he was somewhat distressed.
[ He won't actually do anything unless he's asked. Or unless Michel follows in the footsteps of the many chevaliers who have taken their Distress out on the peasantry. Etc. But it makes him feel better to grumble. ]
I'm not. But I do try. [ A beat. ] I'm sorry for saying you were wallowing and bothering you about your eye, and—all of it. When I come back, I won't anymore. I promise.
I can help myself. I'm not a child. [ If he sounds irritated, it is at least aimed inward, and he brightens fairly quickly into his usual wearily gung-ho humor. ] I mean, it is eternally a struggle for me to not ruin everything. But I like you, so I can put in the extra effort. Just don't tell anyone else. They'll start expecting things out of me.
One day I will find whoever it was that taught you that your first feeling should be shame and self loathing, and I will take a knife to them. [ Isn't hypocrisy a lovely thing? ]
Zevran. [ He's smiling invisibly, on the other end of the crystal's magical connection, and the name isn't a rebuke. It's baffled—protectiveness is his job—and a little touched. He clears his throat before righting and smoothing out his Veil Of Jocularity (thanks, Shale). ] Don't threaten the clergy. Leliana has ears everywhere.
[ It wasn't really them. But they make nice targets. The hats make them easy to spot. ]
Alistair. [ He's allowed to be protective- and perhaps a touch possessive. He's allowed this wary dislike of whoever made Alistair think of himself as less. That is what family does. ] I am certain she has other things to concern herself over.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
[ He snorts a soft laugh. ]
...I know what it is to be in their shoes. The uncertainty, the fear, the tension. I cannot give them less than what was given to me ten years ago.
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
[ aka people who didn't want to kill the kids. ]
Can you imagine Sten here?
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
He...ah. He called me 'Kadan'. Do you remember what Sten said that meant? If Sten said what it meant?
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
Not that I recall. Maybe he told Jonas or Shale. It seemed like a compliment.
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
I've always sort of assumed it meant 'person I may consider sparing when my people invade your lands and slaughter everyone else.'
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
[ Sighing. So much sighing. ]
This is the trouble with staying in one place for too long.
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
Which.
May mean something.
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
[ He won't actually do anything unless he's asked. Or unless Michel follows in the footsteps of the many chevaliers who have taken their Distress out on the peasantry. Etc. But it makes him feel better to grumble. ]
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
I don't know which word.
We should pick one.
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
You are too kind, Amico.
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
[ It wasn't really them. But they make nice targets. The hats make them easy to spot. ]
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised
crystal, "tomorrow," as promised