crystal

[byblow]

FORM: Crystal
SENDER: Alistair
RECIPIENT: Everyone who isn’t dead
NOTES: Blatant AC grab don’t look at me (but do tag me).

Does anyone have—

[ He sounds a little hoarse. The remnant of crying, which he isn’t sorry for; he wasn’t very sorry when he was nineteen, either, and he’s even less sorry now, so completely not sorry he isn’t going to even be defensive about it.

But he is a little out of sorts, and out of order. ]

This is Alistair. [ He’s back. Most of the people who’d be happy about that are dead. ] Does anyone have anything they need for tomorrow?

[ The memorial. ]

Any particular flowers, or—if there’s something you’d like to burn instead of a body. We don’t really do this sort of thing in the Wardens. I don’t know how it works. But I’d like to get out for a little while, so if anyone needs me to collect anything while I’m at it, I can.

Comments

[altusimperius]

Was there anything of that nature that Anders liked?

[A pause, then, sheepishly:]

...I didn't know him long.

[byblow]

Someone could shave one of his cats.

[ To spread fur like ashes. Or something. It isn’t a very good joke. ]

[altusimperius]

That...

...seems... not... ...ideal.

[byblow]

That’s true. He wouldn’t want one to be the favorite. Someone will have to shave all of them.

[altusimperius]

I get the impression you're not taking this seriously.

[who even is this guy]

[byblow]

I think that’s what he would want.

[pinprick]

Flowers. Andraste’s Grace.

[unbrokenoath]

Maybe, like, a lot of alcohol.

[ No introductions, no 'what's up, it's been a while'. Just Kaisa trying to sound cool and irrelevant, and failing. ]

[pinprick]

Sssorry. Already drank all of it. Except for the rest of the bottle.

[unbrokenoath]

[ A small huff of a sigh. Maybe at the idea of all the alcohol being drunk. Maybe that Nathaniel did the drinking. ]

If you drank all of it, you'd be dead. I'm sure there's still some that can be purchased in town.

[pinprick]

Bring it.

[byblow]

I’ll bring what I can, and you should drink some water.

[unbrokenoath]

Maybe some of those animal-shaped crackers? I bet we can find dog ones.

[circleprodigy]

Kaisa? When did...?

...thank the Maker, I thought it was just down to me.

[unbrokenoath]

It was! Which is why they dragged me out of Griffin Wing Keep. And grabbed a few other troublemakers too, apparently.

[ xoxoxo ]

[circleprodigy]

[An audible sigh of relief.]

Good...good. Welcome back.

And I'll second the alcohol. It doesn't matter what it is, I don't care about taste.

[pinprick]

I threw up. I can drink more now.

[unbrokenoath]

I'd say that you're setting a sterling example of the Wardens, but--apparently I can't say that anymore. Which is part of the reason I was dragged here, I suppose. [ Not a Warden, etc etc. ]

[pinprick]

My husband’s dead.

[there’s a pause, then the hoarse sound of quiet weeping.]

[unbrokenoath]

[ Tersely: ]

And I'm sure he'd be thrilled at your handling of it.

[pinprick]

He doesn’t care.

[circleprodigy]

...Alistair?

[A little incredulous, or would be if she weren't numb to it all by this point.]

I...I don't know. I'm just glad I'm not alone.

[She thought she was the only Warden left and now she's not. Yay? Also, have a certain mabari whining in the background.]

[byblow]

Of course you're not alone.

[ He says it kindly, for what it's worth, and not with a scoff. He can see why she would have felt that way. ]

I'm sure you'd handle things admirably on your own if you had to, but we can try to keep it from getting to that point.

[circleprodigy]

Maker, please, yes. I need more griffon-wranglers. They all demand so much attention and I only have so many hands, or hours in the day.

[Hopefully Alistair misses being screeched at.]

[byblow]

Once we've settled... this— [ the funeral, and the crying ] —you can show me how to help.

[circleprodigy]

Of course. It can wait that long.