fadewalk | RP: Surana

Varric had parked himself in his usual spot in the great hall waiting to see if the kid would show up. No luck there, but he was scrambling a little at the thought of coming face-to-face with the Hero of Ferelden.

It was funny, he mused as he propped Bianca against the wall and waited, eyes scanning the hall restlessly. He could be the best of friends with a Champion--and fucking hero until the end; he would force the world to sing songs about Hawke even if he had to write the bloody sagas himself--and close with an Inquisitor and Herald of Andraste, but he was still nervous meeting someone like Surana.

Funny. Definitely funny.

Kind of pathetic, too, if he let it tie his tongue any. Not that he was planning on that.

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"Oh... isn't like they knew where I was, exactly. To write them more often could be risky since the First Warden isn't exactly happy with my search."

She changed her weight from one leg to another, staring at the tempestuous-looking sky, making the Breach look good in retrospect.

"Well... that looks bad."

That surprised a rasping laugh from him. "No," Varric agreed, leaning against the high stone wall (high enough that he could barely see over it, though he refused to rise up on his toes) and looking up. "It really doesn't. Any insight?"

"Aside from the obvious? I find it really curious to see a storm that big brewing... I mean, I know mages, that have mastered their domain over lightining, capable of conjuring storms that look just like that, but definitely not that huge. There is a chance this storm is magical, so there is a chance we can find a way to clear it from the sky. Maybe this is connected with the Eluvian too..."

She stared at the deep nothing down the battlements were, she supposed, there should be the Frostback Mountains.

"I don't suppose there is a safe way down, but maybe I could take a look."

"Safe way down into...what, the pit?" He felt a sudden cold sweat, the same he'd sometimes get with Hawke or the Inquisitor--so clearly the Hero of Ferelden really was cut from the same cloth. On the one hand, that improved his grasp of the hero mindset for his stories greatly.

On the other? It meant he was three for three when it came to following crazy people.

"That's a no, right? That is not happening?"

Neria observed better the great nothingness bellow Skyhold, then took her eyes back to Varric.

"Yes, I think it may be foolish but... never know, right? Let's save it for another time, perhaps when we find more people. Now, if everything started with the Eluvian I guess we should go back for it. How much do you like puzzles, Varric?"

A loop-side smile grew on her face.

"I'll admit, Neria, I like them better with a glass of ale next to a roaring fire." He grinned back. Yep. She was mad as a hatter--all the truly great heroes probably were. Otherwise, they'd find something safer to do with their time. "Preferably ones that don't hold my life in the balance--but I'm discovering my preferences don't often come into play in these sorts of things."

He tipped his head back toward Cullen's tower and the main castle. "After you."

She walked throught the office and then down the stairs, back to the rotunda.

"I guess a huge place like this must have all the ale you could possibly want. Not sure about making camp fires on the garden, but we can definitely drink while we try to put the Eluvian back together."

Jäger whined, uneasy. She rolled her eyes.

"I know you don't like elven stuff boy, but you're following the wrong master for your whole life, I must say. This is probably our only door out of here."

That earned a laugh. He definitely liked the pair. "How did the two of you end up together?"

"Oh, me and mister whiny here?" she scratched behind his ear, sweet smile on her face "When I went to Ostagar, to become a Grey Warden, the Kennel Master asked me to help him muzzling Jäger. He was sick due darkspawn blood and needed to be tended to, but he was biting anything on sight. He didn't rip off my hand and I can say it was love it first sight, if you believe such things. The battle of Ostagar tore us appart but he found his way back to me near Lothering and we are together since. 10 years with my whiny beastie, isn't it boy?"

Jäger strode around her, proud as a lion and barking his old, rusty barks.

"Smartest mabari I've ever seen. Most stubborn too."

He barked again, this time as if scolding Neria.

"Mabaris are smarter than most men I know," Varric said with a slowly growing grin. "I owe my ass to one, several times over. It's a pleasure to meet you, Jäger."

The hound approached the dwarf and barked, touching his should with his forehead as if making acquaintance with him.

"Owe you life to a mabari? Don't do we all?" she laughed "Did you use have one?"

"Oh, not me. Only true heroes have mabari," Varric said.

"Only true heroes huh? Guess that's why the dog lords freaked out when they saw me and Jäger." she smiled, stopping by the great hall. "So, where can we find your ale?"

"The tavern or the kitchens will do." He'd been joking earlier, but honestly? Yeah, today really was shaping up into one that required a drink. "Kitchen's closer. You know," Varric added as he led the way through the back corridors, "the first week or so we were in Skyhold, Solas was the only one who didn't get completely lost trying to go anywhere. The rest of us awkwardly smiled--or grunted, depending on the person--as we bounced around from room to room together, trying to figure out what the hell to do with ourselves."

"Off to the kitchen then." and she glanced the mabari "And you, behave."

The place was, indeed, huge. And she was sure she had just seen a small part of it.

"You see, I lived for six years in Vigil's Keep and I'm pretty sure there are still rooms in that fortress I can't even dream of." she shrugged "I wish I could have met the rest of the Inquisition. Leliana really told me the nicest things about them and the Inquisitor."

"They're all good eggs," Varric agreed easily. "Most of them handy with a game of Wicked Grace. You ever played?"

"Never had the chance or someone to teach me."

That earned a hearty--if a little strained--laugh. "Well. Maybe there's some luck to be had here after all," Varric said, pushing the door to the kitchen open. "I'm nothing if not an excellent teacher."

"That's wonderful! I don't know you, but I have some time I can spare for this purpose."

Neria went through the cupboards and shelves, preparing a basket with ale, some bread, cheese and few apples.

"I just hope we don't get trapped in the Fade forever by eating this food."

Varric paused, apple raised. "...is that a thing?"

"Sometimes, if a demon offers you something. Mostly Desire Demons though. Since I don't see any here..."

She shrugged, taking a piece bread.

"Demons, fade rifts, darkspawn magisters... You know, some day it'd be good to retire from all the crazy shit and just go back to things that make sense," Varric muttered, considering the apple.

Then he took a bite.

"Seems good, for a change. Only my problem is with the Deep Roads, not with Fade Rifts... at least, until today. Add pockets of darkspawn groups to it too. Well, if i could complete the cure, I could probably wipe out them from this world, forever."

A sigh escaped her mouth.
To wipe them forever was just the First Warden problem with the cure.

Varric winced.

"I'm all for your motives," he said. "It's just I've seen some dark shit with Wardens trying to cure all Blights lately. How, ah, has it been going?"

"As bas as could be...?" she scratched the back of her head "Weisshaupt is furious with the southern Wardens and how easily they were fooled, there is a lot of blame being put over my shoulders and on the top of it, I'm threatening the whole Order with my possibility of a cure. Can't say those are happy days for being a Warden." them she snorted "Supposing there are any happy days for being a Warden."