#Tʜᴇ Sᴛᴏʀᴍ ᴀɴᴅ Wʜᴀᴛ Cᴀᴍᴇ Bᴇғᴏʀᴇ Iᴛ – ( v:grey warden )

[renegxdemage]

            It’s not so bad really, this Wardening ( ever the optimist ). Hunting Darkspawn that had been harassing some of the northern homesteads seemed a simple enough mission. How hard can it be? “ Don’t worry, Oh, Fearless Leader,   ” he had reassured, unreassuringly with that lazy grin, “ I will bring back old Tall, Dark and Glowering in one piece. ” And he had meant every word. They had arrived at the first farm to find it eerily empty and the second the same - abruptly abandoned. It wasn’t until the third that they discovered the bodies strung up and strewn about with an unusually organized band of Darkspawn stragglers. . . feeding. . . It was best not to dwell too deeply that part. The fight had been difficult and after a heated debate they had agreed to head back to the Vigil ( a good two days march away ) to report the situation.  

           Nathaniel insists he’s fine, as always, brushing off any concern as they leave the burning remains behind,. So stubborn and betrayed by the way he protectively holds his side when he moves and the flicker of discomfort when he thinks it won’t be noticed. It's not as if Anders had been watching — observing — him. Well, at least discretely enough to be able to convincingly deny it.           Camp is set up as a quiet settles between them made of crackling fire and sharpening of blades and at one point Nathaniel slips off to hunt. A distraction, no doubt. Maker, all this camping out in the open with all this. . . nature and wildlife. . . ( though it’s a refreshing change of pace without the constant dread of that metallic clatter of heavy armor. . . ) BUT there is simply no hiding his relief when Nathaniel emerges after what felt like, oh, just an ETERNITY, carrying two large hares and looking pale and exhausted.

      “ —— So, here’s a thought —,” Anders’ voice cuts through the silence a while later over a bowl of stew, unable to stand in any longer. While his tone is not without its usual buoyancy,  there is perhaps a shade of concern borne from his natural compulsion as a healer and perhaps a level of fondness for his taciturn companion. This could also be convincingly denied, of course.  “  — but you may actually want me to take a look at those wounds.  ”

                                                                    @stihomythia // Nathaniel Howe

[renegxdemage]

( @lacrimcsa  --  liked this starter call )

            -- “ Ah, Warden-Commander! Now that’s got quite the ring, doesn’t it?  I still can’t believe it’s the same little Nora, all grown up, killing Archdemons and ending Blights. I’ve heard the stories, though I imagine the songs sung in taverns hardly do them any justice.”

           His head still ached from the recent Joining - worse than any hangover he had ever experienced - and he wasn't used to all this chainmail and leather. Regardless, Anders couldn’t help feeling somewhat euphoric this fine morning. Perhaps it was the dizzying relief of not having to wake up at a run or to a swift kick to the head. He had survived - but the price of his continued existence had yet to reveal itself. ( The disconcerting whispers at the very edges of his more urgent thoughts - no one had mentioned that. Maybe he would ask her about it. Or perhaps it was something all Warden faced alone... )  Maker, was he hungry.

              Come to think of it, he wasn’t entirely sure what being a Grey Warden entailed but it had to be better than what awaited him at the hands of the Templars. Being outside a cell was always a good start and Vigil’s Keep didn’t seem half that bad, really - if you ignore the damp, the crumbling masonry and the lingering stench of Darkspawn... There were no bars holding him so things seemed to be looking up - for now at least. 

              “ Forgive me, Commander, ” his casual grin dimmed - he was forgetting his manners and his place. “ It’s just... It’s a relief to see a friendly face. ”

[renegxdemage]

    @wardcnamell continued from here~!                

                                  Over the years, and the frequent change of ownership and occupants,  Vigil’s Keep had accumulated an impressive and rather unusual variety of books — such as the scandalous Orlesian tale of stormy dalliances and secret affairs Kattrin now read out loud with hilarious sincerity and passion. Sprawled on his lap, Ser Pounce-a-Lot purred loudly, stirring only as Anders’ own laughter echoed across the hall.

                                   “ But, Warden-Commander, you were doing so well! We were just getting to the part where he was about to— ”  She playfully swatted him with the book causing Ser Pounce stretch out and yawn. “ Alright, alright! ” he chuckled, snatching the book from her. “ I want to see what happens. Sigrun has already read most of these and I think she particularly enjoyed this one and I can see why. It’s literary gold! ”  He gave an exaggeratedly dignified little cough and started to read, free hand waving around expressively as his voice changed from a dashing Antivan rogue with a dramatically silky tenor to the delicate fluster of an Orlesian damsel ( along with the accents and a dainty hand to his forehead as she swooned ). He could barely continue without dissolving into little bursts of barely restrained laughter as the descriptions of the secret lovers' illicit activities progressed from just silly to completely ridiculous at which Ser Pounce got up, arching his back in an indignant stretch and decided to try make himself comfortable on the Warden-Commander’s lap instead.

[renegxdemage]

( @aknightofsorrows  )

                          The assignment had been a simple one: they were to travel along the North Road as far as the Tarcaisne Ridge that bordered the Bannorn to make certain it was safe for trade and report any Darkspawn activity. A mundane scouting mission, to be sure.  It had barely been two days since their Joining and the Warden-Commander had already set them to work while they traveled to Amaranthine City. Anders would have preferred to accompany them there for reasons of his own but he but he was not about to protest. He glanced back at his companion who had stopped to inspect a burning wagon - one of many they had seen along the way. At leat he couldn’t complain about the company - thank the Maker it had not been that dwarf.

                          The Wardens walked on in silence for another half hour, both relieved to be left with their own thoughts. They hadn’t spoken much since the Joining and neither were quite ready to discuss it.

                             “ It’s going to be dark soon, Mhairi. “ They had been exploring the surrounding area and found nothing but scattered runes, empty fields and barrows. This must have been an ancient Alamarri burial site - or something. He was no expert. All that mattered was the rapidly fading daylight. As if to emphasize a point, Anders shrugged off his pack and staff. They were on a small rise - the North Road stretching out towards the west with the rest of the Arling beyond to the south and the Feravel Plains spread out to the north far as the eye could see. They could spot anyone approaching for miles yet they would be obscured from view by the ancient standing stones and old gnarled trees that grew around them.

                  “ I say this is a good enough spot as any to set up camp. What do you think? ”