[sandbox]

[bringspeopletogether]

Skyhold gets quieter and quieter as the days move on. It's not a complete stand-down; there's cleanup to do, stragglers to round up, the same sort of business Alistair remembers from the months after the Blight. The Thaw, as Wardens call it. Thedas is thawing again, but the fortress only grows colder for it.

He won't lie: he'd feel warmer if Kieran and Morrigan were still there.

When Cullen suggests a vacation, Alistair lights up, only to deflate slightly when he realizes they'll be "vacationing" in Orlais. There's business to attend in Val Royeaux -- not the sort of business that'll keep Cullen occupied from sunup to sundown, but enough to require an in-person visit for a week or so. On the one hand: Orlais. On the other: he can't argue that time away from Skyhold, especially in Cullen's company, will help.

...So will the cheese, probably.

(Look, as Alistair has said many a time, he is a very predictable man.)

They room at a small place in the university quarter that's downright plain for Val Royeaux. Libraries for Cullen, a cafe around the corner for both of them, limited contact with people trilling about whatever stupid, petty scandal's hit the court this week -- it could be far worse. Alistair takes to writing his letters at the cafe, usually accompanied by some flaky pastry or another.

Today, they're cheese-filled. It's hard to descend too far into a personal funk when you've got a cheese-filled pastry.

Comments

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen nods.

"It might happen tomorrow," he says simply. "It might not happen for another twenty years. I might not have quit the lyrium in time to keep from losing my mind. The Venatori could blow up this house. A strange artifact under Skyhold might kill us all in an instant. It matters. But it doesn't matter. Does that make sense?"

[bringspeopletogether]

"...Somewhat."

The crooked smile stays put.

"We all die, so let's make the most of it?"

[howtoactfereldan]

"Inelegant, but something like that." It comes out on a laugh. "More like -- the odds were always stacked against us, and still are, and the best and most spiteful thing to do is to enjoy this as much as we can, for as long as we can."

Cullen strokes Alistair's hand with his thumb. "But perhaps we should consider the mabari collection. I'm afraid I'd have to draw the line at war orphans. Mabari are much more self-sufficient, should the worst happen."

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair's smile grows, straightening out as he huffs a tiny laugh.

"I suppose I can agree to that," he says. "Good thing I hadn't finished any plans for a war orphan wing on our farm."

[howtoactfereldan]

"...you'd started them, though?"

[bringspeopletogether]

Mock-mournful:

"There was going to be a gazebo, Cullen. A rather nice one, I thought."

[howtoactfereldan]

"There still could be." Eyebrows raised in amusement. "Orphans aren't a prerequisite."

[bringspeopletogether]

"True."

He taps the fingers of his free hand against his chin.

"Could fill half of it with big fluffy things for the dogs to sleep on. I'm sure plenty of them will try to pile onto our bed anyway, but at least we could spread it out a bit."

[howtoactfereldan]

"No dogs in the bed," Cullen says, firm. "They might see things they shouldn't."

[bringspeopletogether]

"Fine." Grinning, now. "For the sake of preserving their poor innocent souls, we'll have two gazebos filled with fluffy things."

[howtoactfereldan]

"And a third one for us, I should hope."

[bringspeopletogether]

"Oh, of course," says Alistair, as if that were a foregone conclusion. "One big gazebo for us and a ring of smaller gazebos around it for the dogs."

[howtoactfereldan]

"And your thousand golem statues in between?"

[bringspeopletogether]

With great practicality: "Well, where else would I put them?"

(He's beginning to laugh a little by the end.)

[howtoactfereldan]

"I'd feared you would say our bedroom, but I think our small dog palaces are a much better place."

[bringspeopletogether]

"You did make it quite clear that you wanted a three-foot golem-free radius around the bed. If we're exiling the dogs, we can absolutely exile the figurines as well."

A thoughtful pause.

"Do you think the mabari might chew the golems' limbs off?"

[howtoactfereldan]

"Not if we give them other things to chew on."

He brushes Alistair's cheek, brief and light, with a finger. "Back to bed?"

[bringspeopletogether]

"I think so, yes."

Smile softening, he lifts their clasped hands so he can kiss Cullen's knuckles.

"Thank you for the water."

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen has colored, a little. Light: "It was a very difficult thing to do, getting out of bed to pour you some."

[bringspeopletogether]

"Truly one of the greatest trials you've endured, I know."

He eases back the chair; gets up, without letting go of Cullen's hand.

"Come on."

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen trails after him willingly enough. But his wheels are still turning.

Quiet: "After everything... Morrigan might well be reasonable. You could write to her about this."

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair makes a faintly noncommittal noise. "Maybe. ...Perhaps less 'hello, now I'm having nightmares about the Fade and the Calling, let me tell you all about them' and more 'let's figure out how to explain this to Kieran.'"

He settles onto their bed.

"Maybe once I've got a reassuring way to break the news, I'll feel better about it."

[howtoactfereldan]

Gently, as he follows:

"And more of 'could I travel to meet you every year or so.'"

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair's smile, this time, is far more tired.

"She disappeared so utterly after the Blight that it took Warden Cousland nearly a year to find her," he says. He looks down at his hands. "I can hope she wouldn't do that again this time, but...it's not much of a hope."

[howtoactfereldan]

"Circumstances are different this time. Kieran's older. He wants to know you. Morrigan has a very good reason to allow herself to be found by you or Leliana, or both -- Kieran might need you, if Flemeth comes calling. You can ask."

Cullen reaches for Alistair's hand again. "You should ask. For their sake. And for yours."