#aetatedraconis

[lilacvows]

@aetatedraconis sent: ⤷ CATCHING (Illario to Lark)

𝑳𝑨𝑹𝑲𝑺𝑷𝑼𝑹 𝑾𝑶𝑼𝑳𝑫'𝑽𝑬 𝑷𝑹𝑬𝑭𝑬𝑹𝑹𝑬𝑫 𝑻𝑶 𝑩𝑬 𝑨𝑵𝒀𝑾𝑯𝑬𝑹𝑬 𝑬𝑳𝑺𝑬. Instead, she was sitting with Viago and Teia facing Caterina and Illario in what had been the third hour of going over preparations for Lucanis' name day. She understood the thoroughness, truly she did. The First Talon's name day would be a celebration that would span across days and Treviso would sing. 

Yet, the stages leading up to such a grand event were nothing short of boring. For hours she had to listen to a stale debate over which flower would be more suited to decorate the Dellamorte Villa and Cantori diamond. Personally, she thought Lucanis would not care either way. In fact, she doubted her friend would even like all the fuss about his name day. 

The Talons didn't seem to even notice her presence, or that of Illario, they had stopped asking for their opinions twenty minutes into the meeting. She stifled a yawn before gently tucking a strand of loose coppery hair behind her pointed ear. Perhaps if she slipped under the table, she could have herself a nap and no one would be the wiser. That wasn't true, though. One would be wise to her whereabouts. She felt it, his gaze upon her. Eyes like finely cut blue topaz, lethal eyes. Her sapphire hues shifted as she rested her chin in her palm. There was a strange fluttering in her heart, something she wasn't ready to define, but it wasn't unwelcomed. Her gaze met his in some secret understanding of how pointless their presences are to their Talons. 

A smile blossomed over her freckled face, soft and blithe. It wasn't her usual practiced smiles she cultivated over years of Crow training, but a true one, one that only few--including Illario--could elicit. Her gaze darted to the open window then, they could do it easily, make their escape and walk the city proper. She enjoyed taking walks with Illario ever since they returned from abroad. It was mundane to be sure, but it was better than being cooped up by bickering Talons and their festive making. 

[scriptorxfabularum]

@soldraconis || Cremisius Aclassi

    HAD SHE KNOWN THAT IMPORTANT people were going to be visiting, she would have… Well, what exactly? Dressed up? That was a laughable idea. With the Templars and the mages trying to take one another out, and the normal people being caught in the middle, there had been very little time to stay presentable. And the problem wasn’t that she hadn’t known that the Herald of Andraste was going to be arriving - Mother Giselle had made sure she knew - it was just that she didn’t have enough time to care.

    So when the sound of footsteps sounded behind her, just as she allowed the last of the Templars in this troupe to slide off her sword to the ground, her first instinct was not to bow or curtsy. No, her first instinct was to turn sharply and raise her blades at whomever was behind her. She slowly looked the person at the front of the little group up and down, licking her lips, before standing down.

     “Lemme guess,” she said, nodding towards the left hand. “Herald of Andraste?” She arched an eyebrow. “I thought you’d be more…” She tilted her head. “Glowy with righteous… whatever.” The Revered Mother back at the Chantry in Lothering would have surely smacked her upside the head for that.

[quantumstargazer]

@aetatedraconis ☾⭒ random starter.

"Vorgoth of the Mourn Watch is my legal guardian, Lady Pentaghast," Ward says, deathly pale silvery-white eyes looking up at the Seeker, their head tilted slightly to the side as they watch her curiously. They know how it looks — a lone Nevarran elf child with magic newly awakened by ripples in the Fade caused by the Breach tearing open the sky simply showing up in Haven would give anyone pause, but the Mourn Watch was rather known for their... eccentricities, and it seems this child is no exception. That this child's mind just happens to be twice as old as their physical body, thanks to a mishap with magic going wild when Solas was bound to the Veil... well... For now, that was their secret to know, while they tried to figure out how to stop the Dread Wolf's plans before they could get even worse than they currently are.

"You may contact them, if you wish," they offer solemnly, the tiniest hint of a smile playing at their lips. "I assure you, they are aware of my whereabouts — I have no reason to run away from home, or anything of the like. I am quite happy in their care, and in the Necropolis."

[lilacvows]

@aetatedraconis sent: ⤷ “Good girl.” (From illario, to Lark 😘)

𝑰𝑻 𝑯𝑨𝑫 𝑩𝑬𝑪𝑶𝑴𝑬 𝑨 𝑪𝑶𝑴𝑴𝑶𝑵 𝑶𝑪𝑪𝑼𝑹𝑨𝑵𝑪𝑬. Remnants of the Venatori often sent their own assassins after her or Illario depending on the faction. Lark had just been breaking down her tent when she spotted the would be assassin in the trees. It seemed Illario was the target this time, whether he knew it, she could not say. 

The action had been so automatic, the fluid unsheathing of her throwing knife, the aim and throw. It was child's play. She watched as the figure dropped from the tree branch and onto the ground below. Her knife had penetrated his throat cleanly through. Rolling her eyes, she strolled over and pulled it free and shook off the flecks of blood that stained it. 

❝ It's getting insulting now. ❞ She huffed. ❝ Sending out new recruits. ❞ She had expected him to agree with her and she was not prepared for what he said next. 

‘ Good girl. ’ 

She paused mid sheathing her dagger, She blinked a few times as if trying to comprehend the fast beating of her heart. It was so loud and fast, she half wondered if Illario could hear it himself. It was like wings of a hummingbird. It started faintly, the pinkish hue in her cheeks, but it grew to be a deep shade of red, so much so it began to cascade over her freckles. Why was she delighted by such a stupid compliment? 

Pivoting, she playfully shoved Illario before heading back to her things. ❝ Oh, shut up.❞ yet there was no venom behind her words. 

[quantumstargazer]

@aetatedraconis ☾⭒ random starter.

Leaving Amaranthine — and fleeing Ferelden completely before the crown could learn of her desertion — had many complications in and of itself, not least of all the only ships so readily available in the harbor that were going away from Ferelden and not to Orlais were heading for Free Marches, and more specifically: Kirkwall.

That in itself is fine, insofar as Ashina is concerned. What's not fine is expecting Avernus' updates on his research to be in a dead drop in Lowtown, and the damn thing being empty. With the First Warden having issued orders for her capture and arrest, she's not exactly in a position to go hunting down the messenger before some other warden stumbles across the letters. At least, for now, she's managed to keep the Crows off her tail as well, with Zevran keeping them distracted in Jader.

Of course, trouble was a copper a dozen in Kirkwall, so it's little surprise when she comes across a mercenary band ambushing a group near the dead drop. Uncertain of if they're there for the letters or her, she decides the best thing to do is to ensure the mercenaries on the rooftop with her are dead. Carefully drawing her blade in hand, she slips up behind one of the raiders, her gloved hand quickly securing a hold over his mouth as she slits his throat in the next breath, letting the body fall from the edge of the roof as she moves to the next.

With the rooftop cleared, she cautiously looks over the edge, amber eyes watchful as a human in the group leaves behind the package she was expecting to find, intending to wait for them to leave once more before retrieving it. Things might not have gone entirely to plan, but if she can get to Avernus' letters before the other wardens learn of it and his research, then perhaps there will be a chance...

The crossbow bolt suddenly buried into the roof barely inches from her causes her to freeze, focusing on the others in the group then as she finds the dwarf with the crossbow still clearly pointed up in her direction. A wry smirk tugs at her lips as she holds her hands up in surrender, even with her bloodied knife still in hand, cocking her head at him questioningly. She's not about to make her presence known to the whole city by calling out to them, but... if he wants her to come down, it would help not to have to worry about immediately shot in the back in return for her cooperation.

[quantumstargazer]

@aetatedraconis ☾⭒ random starter.

"Are you sure it's okay for me to sleep here?" Marian asks softly, bright blue eyes shadowed with exhaustion of trying to just survive in the overcrowded hovel that Gamlen's has become. Her mother's continued accusations that it's her fault that Carver was injured, or somehow even that Garrett isn't a skilled enough healer to fix the damage caused by the ogre picking their baby brother up by his sword arm, only to swing him away like a ragdoll into the cliffside when she and Garrett attacked to draw its attention to them instead...

"Maker... I'm sorry — I don't think I have it in me to even try to talk you out of it," she admits with a bitter laugh, rubbing at her eyes wearily. Her mother would no doubt throw a fit, if she knew. It's not like Marian's known Varric all that long, after all, and yet... He's been the best thing to happen to her since coming to Kirkwall a year ago. Not just for his impeccable timing with an offer she couldn't really afford to refuse, but the fact that he's one of the few people she's learned to trust in this city — and the only one she trusts implicitly, despite the short time they've known each other — it's enough to have her letting her guard down when it's just the two of them, letting him see the cracks in her smile, and just how vulnerable she truly feels under all the charm and snark that she throws around so casually that too many fall for the illusion too well.

Looking back towards Varric as she surrenders herself to accepting his offer, she sets her pack back down by her chair at his side, settling back into it as she leans on the table to poke idly at his paperwork — just being nosy, because what good rogue isn't? — before meeting his gaze, studying him for a moment before finally bringing herself to ask, "Why are you so good to me, Varric? You could have screwed me over dozens of times by now since that day in the market, and yet I know you would never... What I don't know is why? What makes me so special that you're always willing to go out of your way to help me?"

[astramoirai]

❛ You look like you know what you’re doing. ❜ (from Nathaniel!)

Stages of a Relationship | @aetatedraconis

"I sure hope I am!" Kar teased, comb in the corner of her mouth as she put up her hair into a hasty updo before she could inspect the fireplace in her new workshop.

It wasn't as grand as the forge, but it'll do. Casting was a different beast to smithing. While she was competent in both they already had a smith in employment. So she'd find all the little cracks to fill as Warden-Commander needed of her. Most of her belongings were still in crates and trunks, the loom was tucked in the corner begging to be put together.

"It's smaller than what I'm used to, but I'll make it work. I always do."

[astramoirai]

❛ So are we strangers, or is this the part where we overshare? ❜ (from Alistair!)

Stages of a Relationship | @aetatedraconis

Her head tilted slightly, in a curious way. Eyeshine playing with the flickering of the the campfire. She hummed thoughtfully.

"We're definitely not strangers anymore, but you are free to over share if that's what you want to do." She began. "Me? Nah, think of me of those sort of tomes chained and clocked and squirreled away in some Forbidden Books shelf somewhere."