[sandbox]

[bringspeopletogether]

Herald's Rest gets as crowded as any respectable small-town tavern come nightfall. Considering Skyhold's a village unto itself nowadays, that's no surprise.

Maryden's holding her usual court over near the fire, her song weaving in and out of the noise: voices, laughter, shouts, clattering. Bull's there, towering over half the crowd even while seated, deep in enthusiastic conversation with Krem, but the rest of the Chargers don't seem to be anywhere near. When Alistair stands still, he's pretty sure he can hear about five different languages in a ten-foot radius.

He's nothing strange or remarkable in here. It's...nice.

And there's alcohol. Even nicer.

Comments

[howtoactfereldan]

He takes a moment to enjoy more of his drink. Maybe if he asks Cabot really nicely, the bartender will tell him where it came from.




"Maybe," he allows.

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair smiles. "All right."

Cullen gets a gentle nudge on the shoulder -- not enough to upset his drink, fortunately -- before Alistair returns to his tankard. This is good. Nice and relaxing. He can still hear the crowd downstairs, but Cullen doesn't have to be in the thick of it. A good compromise.

(Especially since a familiar, raucous melody is rising above the noise. Sounds like the rest of the Chargers are back.)

[howtoactfereldan]

"I prefer the garden."

Much more quietly.

"Though I know that's... not ideal."

[bringspeopletogether]

Ah. Well.

"Even Morrigan has to eat sometime," says Alistair, with dry amusement. "And it's a nice spot."

If, occasionally, a bit too exposed for Alistair's usual tastes. He drinks.

"We can take a meal there next time if you'd like."

[howtoactfereldan]

"They're not there after sundown." He rubs at his eyes for a moment. "If that -- helps."

[bringspeopletogether]

A touch softer: "It does."

Alistair examines his tankard.

"...Kieran's enjoying the books so far. I think. And I know I need to talk to her eventually if she doesn't come round and turn me into a frog first."

[howtoactfereldan]

"I'll keep an eye out for frogs, just in case. -- you know we don't have a standing body of water, so try to avoid that?"

[bringspeopletogether]

He snorts out a tiny laugh. "I'll do my best. If you find me, just stick me in a wash basin until she changes me back."

[howtoactfereldan]

"If it's all the same to you, I'd prefer to consult with Dorian on the matter."

Another drink.

"Him I trust to believe that changing a man's shape is always something to be avoided."

[bringspeopletogether]

"To be fair," Alistair allows, "I never actually saw Morrigan turn anyone into a frog. She saved all the..." A vague wave of his hand. "Shape-changing stuff for herself. Did you know mages who get really good at that can turn into an entire swarm of bees? How does that even work? Are they all just a bunch of tiny Morrigans, or is there, I don't know...one Morrigan-bee controlling the rest of them?"

Clearly, these deep thoughts require more alcohol. Alistair avails himself of it.

[howtoactfereldan]

"Ask Sera," Cullen says finally.

Mostly because he thinks it would be funny, and also Alistair probably wouldn't tell her Cullen told him to ask.

"She's the bee expert."

[bringspeopletogether]

The laugh Alistair lets out is more fully formed this time.

"Maker, now I'm imagining Sera trying to trap Morrigan in a jar. Wouldn't that end horribly for everyone."

[howtoactfereldan]

"Unless it worked," Cullen says, straight-faced.

[bringspeopletogether]

"She's probably just turn into a bronto and smash her way out. Then rampage through the entire fortress. Tables upended, elves trampled, fires everywhere..." He sighs, mournful. "Just awful."

[howtoactfereldan]

"And how'd you get so knowledgeable about magic all of a sudden?"

[bringspeopletogether]

"Not knowledgable of magic."

Alistair raises a finger.

"Just knowledgable of Morrigan's temperament and drawing wild conclusions from there."

[howtoactfereldan]

"Maybe you and Varric ought to collaborate," he mutters.

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair wrinkles his nose. "Please let him never write about the Fifth Blight," he says, and takes another gulp from his tankard. "I'll pay him not to do it. With...something. I'll find something."

[howtoactfereldan]

"I believe in you," Cullen says, solemn.

[bringspeopletogether]

Another huff of laughter, before Alistair descends back into quiet contemplation of his drink.







"I saw them in the Fade a few times." His forehead wrinkles. "I think it was only a few times. And it wasn't really them, of course. But..."

[howtoactfereldan]

Well. That's new.

Cullen waits, careful, to see if he'll continue.

[bringspeopletogether]

"Kieran I would've expected. Not Morrigan. But part and parcel, I suppose."

He drinks.

"Same as when everyone else from the Blight was there. Younger. 'No, it's fine, just a bad dream, Alistair. Sure, we haven't beaten the archdemon yet, but we're all here. Everything else is fine.'"

A shrug, largely untroubled; he looks to Cullen. "I'm pretty sure you said the same thing once or twice. Big crowd, everyone from Skyhold. You must've been in there somewhere. 'Everything's fine.'"

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen's gone a mottled pink and white -- like he can't decide whether to be alarmed or embarrassed.

"I -- "

What do you even say to that?

"Huh."

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair's gone back to staring down at his drink, thoughtful.




"I know you're real." Quiet. "I'm pretty sure you are."

It...might be a reassurance? Maybe? He knows Cullen's said everything's fine a lot since they got back to Skyhold -- it's important, abruptly very important in Alistair's mind, that Cullen understands he hasn't been saying the wrong thing.

[howtoactfereldan]

Well. This conversation suddenly devolved into a creepy ruined temple full of traps.

Tentative -- and he's stiffened, considerably -- he says, "Is there... anything I can do that would -- remove that doubt?"