[sandbox]

[bringspeopletogether]

The letter he finally sends is maybe a little more impolitic than it ought to be, but if he doesn't send something now, he'll still be writing when his Calling arrives.



Fiona,

Ivette Cousland is looking for you. The name might ring a bell. Hero of Ferelden? Slayed the Archdemon some years ago?

Anyway. She's not having any luck, so I thought I'd try my hand at getting in touch.

Cousland's been searching for a cure for the Calling these past five years or so; she even retired as Warden-Commander of Vigil's Keep so she could pursue her research better. She knows your leaving the Wardens wasn't like mine. You didn't just walk away from Weisshaupt: you managed to un-Join somehow, with no ill effects. You're our last, best lead on the matter, so you can understand why she's rather eager to speak to you. It's very likely she doesn't have much time left, what with it being almost a decade and a half since her Joining and living through a Blight.

Frankly, I don't expect I have much time left, either.

Cullen and I are in South Reach these days. I'll always know where to find Cousland, if you'd rather speak with her directly. For all our sakes, I hope you'll be in touch.

--Alistair





Two weeks later, a raven knocks its beak against their window frame.

This is a matter best discussed in person, says the note attached to its leg. I can be to South Reach by the end of the month.

It's signed only with the letter F. Alistair spends the next few hours talking up a nervous storm, hands digging in his hair, half anxious, half furious. (This is exactly what he didn't want: for her to read this as an overture. For her to think she could have any claim to Alistair's time, Alistair's space, outside of giving him and Cousland the information they needed.)

Then he writes a letter to Cousland and sends the raven on its way.

Comments

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair snorts a laugh, trailing after him.

"There's stew in the works," he says. "I, er...tried for a loaf of bread. It didn't turn out as badly as the last one?"

True to his word, there's a misshapen, somewhat slouchy lump of bread on the counter. It's neither as misshapen or as rocklike as his previous attempts -- even Gru turned up his nose at those -- but someone still hasn't quite gotten the feel of when to stop kneading the dough.

Sheepish: "I can run up to the baker's if you'd rather."

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen picks it up, thumps the bottom. Sounds hollow enough.

"Seems edible." He gives Alistair another crooked smile. "Stay."

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair's smile warms, pleased.

"You're so kind to me," he says, and plants a kiss on Cullen's temple. "And to my baking attempts."

[howtoactfereldan]

What Cullen does not say is that many things will soften up adequately when put in stew for long enough.

"Let's eat? And then we can test the pump."

[bringspeopletogether]

"All right."

Alistair grabs a pair of bowls and wanders to the pot hanging over the fire. Stew's much less finicky than baked goods: it's decent, hearty fare, and quickly softens the hunks of bread they tear off the loaf.

(Alistair made sure to put jam on the table, too, just in case Cullen wants to brave an unsoaked piece of bread.)

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen will eat the jam by itself.

Which is precisely what he does. He allows himself one spoonful, and just... makes sure it's massive.

And makes eye contact with Alistair when he eats it.

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair struggles not to laugh.

"Enjoying yourself?" he asks, as mildly as he can.

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen never drops his gaze as he nods, twice, slowly.

[bringspeopletogether]

"Oh good."

Downright serene.

"I wouldn't ever want to...deny you the pleasure."

[howtoactfereldan]

Up go Cullen's eyebrows.

Slowly, and very deliberately, he reaches for the whole jar of jam and slides it to himself across the table.

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair's facade cracks, and he starts to laugh: low, fond, a little helpless.

"Next time I'll have better bread on hand for you as well," he says. "I promise."

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen is beaming. Unfortunately, he is a little smug about it.

"Whoever heard of putting jam on bread?"

[bringspeopletogether]

"It does seem questionable," agrees Alistair, still laughing. "Probably some Orlesian made it up."

[howtoactfereldan]

"Ghastly people." He tucks the jar in front of his bowl, so there is very little hope at all of Alistair recovering the jam. "No hope of redemption."

[bringspeopletogether]

"Thank the Maker I'm only half-Orlesian," says Alistair, cheerfully enough, as he breaks off another hunk of bread. "I've at least half a shot at redemption then."

[howtoactfereldan]

"You're none Orlesian." Cullen gives him a crooked smile. "Didn't grow up there. Not from there."

[bringspeopletogether]

"A fair point." His smile is just as crooked as Cullen's, but warm. "An excellent point, even. I should probably listen to it."

[howtoactfereldan]

"It might help," Cullen agrees, and holds out a hand to him. "Let's finish? And then you can draw me that bath you insist is coming."

[bringspeopletogether]

His smile straightens out; he takes Cullen's hand, gives it a squeeze. "Sounds wonderful," he murmurs.

The aggressive steering toward any and all distractions may be rather blatant, but definitely not unwelcome. It's not like Alistair wants to continue having fits over Fiona's pending arrival.

Maybe they'll get lucky and Cousland will turn up first. A nice buffer against their other guest. Another distraction.

He holds Cullen's hand through the remainder of the meal. There isn't much left by then; in short order it's time to test the new pump.

[howtoactfereldan]

Water does come out of it. Cullen tested that much. It's cold and it's clear and it tastes like water.

It's a start!

"Need to find a better tub," he mutters as he wrestles it out of its usual storage place.

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair helps haul it into a better position. "Could always talk to the smith. Or tear apart a few barrels to make one giant barrel." With an exaggerated sigh, "Since it would probably be too much to ask that a hot spring spontaneously open up in our backyard."

He misses Skyhold some days.

Once the tub's secure, he sets to work filling it.

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen stands over the tableau, arms folded.

A little smugly, as he watches Alistair work:

"Feats of strength."

[bringspeopletogether]

Without halting the task at hand, Alistair takes one hand off the pump and flexes, with great solemnity.

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen gives a properly appreciative grunt.

Leering.

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair waggles his eyebrows, then, laughing softly, returns to the water.

(He might be putting a little more of a show into the pumping now, just for Cullen's benefit. Maybe.)

Once the tub's half full, he rummages up a heat rune from the small bag they keep near the tub. "All right," he says as he tosses it in; it's his turn to leer at Cullen. "Do I get to do one of my favorite things?"