crystal.

[byblow]

FORM: Crystal
SENDER: Alistair
RECIPIENT: Everybody
WHAT: More important questions.
WHEN: Todayish
WHERE: A crystal near YOU!
NOTES: Nah.

Politics aside - is that possible? Can we do that? I have faith in you, all of you -

[ Getting off topic there Alistair. ]

Politics aside, [ Alistair's voice continues, with scolding emphasis aimed at himself, ] who wears skirts better, do you think? Mages or Templars?

[ xoxo ]

Comments

[byblow]

Maybe. If it's something cooked. If you keep it warm your chances will improve.

[ No, he doesn't always listen to what he's saying when he talks. ]

[justice_is_blond]

That's what mages are good for, keeping things warm. I'll bring something down shortly.

[byblow]

Very shortly, I hope, or I'll eat something here and be that much less tempted.

To action

[justice_is_blond]

You were a Templar. You know how far a Circle-trained mage would go for gossip. And on that topic, I've been here for thirteen hours today; I can leave a little early.

[About twenty minutes later, Anders comes into camp and heads for Alistair, bearing a meat pastry which gets offered out.]

Your bribe, freshly made.

[byblow]

You're as good as your word, Ser Anders.

[ He puts aside the sword he's working on—rewrapping the hilt—takes the pastry and breaks an edge off to inspect the interior. Satisfactory. He nods, takes a bite, chews, swallows, and says: ]

How far will a Circle mage go for gossip? I was never really a Templar, you know. I don't know these things. Could I have gotten two pastries?

[justice_is_blond]

You weren't?

[He's a little surprised, but maybe he shouldn't be. That could be why Alistair's a decent person.]

If you'd haggled before I got down here, potentially, yes. You would have had to drop a few details so as to convince me that you were going to truly share. Now it's too late. And in the Circles...

[Anders shrugs, small smile on his lips as if what he's about to say is nothing, normal.]

We'd only one recreation that wouldn't get us the gentle caress of an armor-clad fist or the peaceful contemplation of a tiny brush against a floor of mud. Gossip. It was our currency and our safe fun. I'd mention the unsafe fun that we got up to in all the corners and especially behind the third statue of Andraste from the right in the chapel, but you'd make faces.

[byblow]

[ He makes a bit of a face anyway, while he's doing more chewing, just to play along. Plus the mention of being struck isn't great. ]

If I'd known there was so much excitement to look forward to, maybe I'd have been been more cooperative in training. The only part of Circle life I ever saw was a Harrowing.

[justice_is_blond]

The height of entertainment, I'm certain. There's no production more authentic than that of a pre-teen suddenly dragged out of bed and thrown to a demon.

[The edge to his voice isn't directed at Alistair. The man before him isn't the sort to enjoy the fear of someone barely more than a child who had the deck stacked against them. But it had been a reality of the Circles and in his mind the reality needs to not be forgotten.

Anders takes a breath.]

But there are better topics. Like if there's someone you'd seek out for woes who happens to be a woman around your age...

[byblow]

[ It had been, specifically, an unsuccessful Harrowing, and watching the girl die had been what made Alistair shift from disliking the Order because he was bored and didn't want to be there to disliking it because it was wrong—so there won't be any argument here. He raises his eyebrows for a moment in acknowledgment of the point. And maybe he would have had something else to say, and they could have had a heart to heart on politics, but Anders keeps going and—

Alistair looks a little bit like a caught child. He'd thought he'd done a good job distracting him from the subject. So much for that. ]

Fine. [ Fine. ] I've been— [ seeing? sleeping with? he pauses and leaves a fill-in-the-blank pause in the middle of the sentence. ] —ah. Sabine. [ If it helps make the blank-filling more accurate, he can't help smiling, and it's a sort of stupid smile. But a second later he looks smug. ] Since Kingsway.

[ And barely anyone knows, because some people are discreet. Until she is actually in the room, at least. Then some people might evenly alternate between looking smitten and looking at her ass. ]

[justice_is_blond]

Sabine.

[He takes a moment trying to place the name before she comes to mind, and he gives Alistair a small smile at the looks crossing Alistair's face.]

You've been very Sabine, if those expressions have anything to say on it. Congratulations.

[He holds up a hand.]

And don't worry. I'll not tease you overmuch. You've kept this quiet for your own reasons and I'll respect that. But I might waggle my eyebrows at you when I see you with her in the future, fair warning.