milliways_bar | (no subject)

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Normally when Cullen enters he does not immediately visit the bar, but instead heads straight for the lake door to let Ci the mabari run rampant for a few minutes; this is always followed by a training session. If she's to become a proper war hound, it will take hard work and discipline, just as though she were a two-legged warrior.

Afterward, though, there's a great big bowl of water, and a pile of chicken (and a little cheese), and -- for Cullen -- a sizeable savory pie and a mug of ale. The delivery is accompanied by a note that he folds carefully and tucks away in his jacket.

He quickly scrawls one back while he eats -- Ysa: Thank you. -CSR -- before turning his attention to his tablet, and his chess app, Ci curled up at his feet. Cullen has not yet tried to smite his tablet, but that will happen before he puts any information of importance into those intriguing things called spreadsheets. Just in case.

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On her way back inside from a vigorous bout of walking through the mountains -- seriously where do these spiders come from -- with Liranan, Ysalwen stops by the bar to stock up on some food, some drink, and maybe a damp towel or two.

Rock climbing is hard work!

Then she gets the note from Cullen, which immediately causes her to turn around and scan the crowd for -- there. She'll fetch her tablet back from Bar first before heading over. And then --

"Cullen," she says, smiling faintly. "You look like you're hard at work."

Liranan yips once, but seems much more interested in investigating Ci. Hello! Hi! Do you want to play? After you eat!

Cullen glances up -- Ci's head shoots up -- and he says, easily, "Nothing so hard as what you've been up to, I'm sure."

Ci is sleepy, but who would pass up the opportunity to play? She climbs to her feet, tail waving.

"Thank you for your letter."

Liranan play bows, tail wagging not quite as hard as Ci's, but still.

"I was just taking a walk."

What?

"In the mountains. Here. There may have been some easy climbing involved, too. I found elfroot!"

Elfroot: worse than kudzu.

Ci very bravely shoulders her way into Liranan. They were just practicing something like this! Kind of. A little bit.

Cullen blinks. "Are you ill?"

She laughs a little, very quietly, covering half her face with one hand.

"No. I just -- wasn't expecting to see anything that looked like elfroot here, and then I wanted to see if it really was or if it was -- something else. So."

Liranan, meanwhile, staggers under Ci's mighty blow, then nudges her back with his own shoulder. (Well, elbow and upper leg.)

Edited 2016-03-16 22:56 (UTC)

Ci growls!

(Cullen glances down, mildly surprised.)

And drops down on her front paws, snaking her head forward to nip at Liranan's leg before shying away.

(Cullen sighs. "I don't suppose you brought some of it back for the benefit of someone I shan't name?")

Ysalwen glances down as well.

"I thought you two were going to play."

Then --

"I have yet to leave elfroot unharvested. Do you want an actual healing poultice? I can use what I gathered to make up a few more, so -- I have some to spare."

Mabari. They take so much looking after.

Ci is playing! Very carefully she swipes at Liranan's paw. Shouldn't they be wrestling by now?

Cullen shakes his head. "No, thank you -- I trust Liranan to have good sense."

Others are still developing theirs.

He gestures at an empty chair. "If we think we can trust them to roughhouse in a civil manner..."

"Maybe not to our eyes, but certainly to theirs."

She takes the indicated chair, still dusting some dirt and debris off her robes. Gently.

"So."

Liranan gently swipes back, hopping a little for that extra bit of leverage. Also because he is happy! Wrestling!

Cullen sighs, a little. "So. Kirkwall?"

There's... not much point in trying to get into it more delicately.

"We were smuggled in through Darktown. It's -- an apt name. I found Anders. He -- "

Well.

"I think he's still angry at me, for leaving when Weisshaupt called. Or -- something. He wouldn't look at me."

It was so strange.

"And there were Carta there. I -- wasn't expecting that."

Edited 2016-03-16 23:23 (UTC)

Cullen sighs, rubs his temples, and darkens the screen of his tablet.

(Headaches are a little more frequent these days.)

"You know about templars and lyrium. And with the number of apostate mages, including those resisting the use of blood magic... yes. The Carta's all over Kirkwall. Was it just the Carta? Or were there others?"

"I suppose I didn't imagine they would be camping out there, in plain sight. But no, those were the only combatants we ran into. The rest were just families. I -- I had some ideas, on the way out, of ways to funnel some aid in. Donations and the like. They are Fereldan refugees, by and large. So -- that's something?"

A pause.

"We can talk about something else. That's -- about all that happened, really. We made plans to meet again at Sundermount. Later. I'll send a letter."

Edited 2016-03-16 23:30 (UTC)

"That's something," Cullen agrees quietly. "The knight-commander's stance on refugees -- she's -- she was -- not inclined to help officially. Or unofficially. So anything, even something so small as a few coppers for a single meal -- it's more than many can get. The guard and the Order don't patrol Darktown. And, like as not, creating an unofficial means of aid for refugees will be a good cover for you in the city, should you attract the wrong kind of notice."

She rubs her own forehead, eyes closing for a second.

"I'm hoping that won't come up, but you're right. Preparations in advance of when it does will be very helpful. And if we can do good while we do that -- it's a better outcome than most. So."

"Yes." Half a crooked smile, and he reaches for his (mostly empty) tankard. "At least it wasn't worse."

"Yes."

Her agreement is fervent. Then --

"If I order myself some beer, do you want more of your own?"

Yes.

But Cullen shakes his head, regretfully. "I shouldn't. Thank you, though."

It's not good for headaches.

"After your exertions, however, it seems warranted."

Her grin is quick and crooked.

"Just as long as it doesn't seem rude."

A waitrat skitters up, deftly avoiding the fiercely wrestling mabari.

Ysalwen places her order, including the soup she forgot to actually obtain once she caught sight of Cullen's note.

"I would say I could eat a horse, but -- I would honestly rather not. Bronto and nug are also right out."

In another sign that there are some things he has simply learned to accept about Milliways, Cullen adds a pot of tea to the waitrat's list.

And glances at Ysalwen. "I had a pie. I'd recommend it."

"Oh, that's a lovely idea. Yes, one of those too, please. And some venison for Liranan -- and Ci? Or has she had enough food so far today?"

One never can tell with growing mabari.

(Not least because Ysalwen missed the growing part of Liranan's life.)

"She just ate," Cullen says firmly, "and won't be taking any of Liranan's supper, will she?"

Ci whines, eyes wide. Of course not!

Cullen, being a sucker, grins, quickly, and ruffles her ears.

"Do you hear that, Liranan? No sharing, solicited or voluntary."

Liranan whines. Whether he is whining because 'why is sharing even an option worth mentioning?' or because 'Ci is so hungry it isn't fair' is up for debate.

"Yes, yes, we're very cruel," Cullen says comfortably. "However will you survive."

"Only by becoming a vicious hoarder like a High Dragon, I suppose."

She shakes her head sadly.

"What have we done?"