[ It's actually nice to be in the South. It's an odd thing to think, but he is truly happy on these visits - made easier still, when he can manage to use one of the Eluvians, despite the potential danger given that Solas still has control over the vast majority.
The air is cooler than he likes but he makes sure to bring more clothing this time around, bundling up. He hefts his robes up over his shoulders a touch more, rolling over onto his belly so he can keep reading his book between intermittent glances up watching Justin toddle about. ]
So we'll have Bull grab some at the next few cities he stops by. I think he's running escort for some noble or another and there's probably quite a few shops he could stop at.
[ Children are so bouncy. He's half-afraid every time Justin takes a spill that he's going to be genuinely hurt, but no, he bounces and rolls back up and giggles like nothing's happened. They're so strange, Maker.
He's lost back in his book again when he hears everything go quiet, even Cecily, and before he even thinks about it he reaches for his staff, rolling to his knees in a smooth movement just in time for her shout. A barrier is slung over all three of them, but a moment later he realizes there's nothing wrong-- or well, no one is attacking. Old habits, he supposes, and moves over to look at her hand with his eyebrows raised. ]
[ She wonders about Solas. Wonders if their old companion had heard of the birth (he must, she thinks, with all the power he possesses, and it's mildly terrifying. Cecily doesn't believe he'd harm their child, not in an age or longer, but some under his command might have different ideas. And there are always enough other enemies of the former-Inquisition to make use of a hostage.
Or who might still want revenge.
But that isn't on her mind at the moment. She shakes away at the fresh frost, eyes wide and mind working fast. ]
Andraste preserve us, as if things weren't complicated enough- [ Seized momentarily by fear, she rises swiftly to her feet and scoops up the ambling Justin, then relocates closer to Dorian and settles back down, scrutinizing his face. ]
Mama. [ He giggles, grabbing for her nose. Nothing magical happens, but she settles him into her lap after, staring hard at Dorian. ]
He could never be safe in a Circle, even if we- But-
[ She's never worried about demons or abominations or templars or anything else; she's never had to. All the mages (few and far between) in her company had been more than capable of handling themselves, had been paragons in their own ways. Never before has she felt a desire strike her hard and fast this way, like lighting, to protect someone with magical abilities. ]
[ He's far more calm about this than she is, but of course, he's had time to be around mages - grown up around them his whole life. He is one. Mages in Tevinter are very different from in the South, though, and his stomach twists when he thinks of all the ways this can go so wrong. ]
Cecily, it's alright. Look, it's mostly gone.
[ A quick brush of his fingers over the top of her hand eats the remainder of the frost away, and he's left watching the two of them, his book forgotten.
It does make things quite a bit more difficult, that much is for certain. ]
No-- no, a Circle is a terribly poor idea, even now, fortunately. Justin, come here you little heathen, let me see your hands.
[ He offers his own out, palms up, and Justin gleefully slaps them down like they're playing the handslapping game the Chargers taught him. ]
Can you do that again for me? What you just did to her hand, let's try it once more.
[ Bizarrely, she thinks of her family. Of her brothers (templars) and her parents who would have sent her or any of the others to the Circle in a second if they'd shown magic. Not that they know much of anything of their daughter, not even that she'd married and had a child. As far as she knows.
She watches intently as her son scrambles out of her lap and toward Dorian, eager to please. He's bright enough, grasps what he's saying and grasps the mage's hand with both of his. A fine mist, like dew, seeps from his skin and settles. With time, it might be thicker, a real coating of ice. He seems not to want to give all his newfound secrets away, though, and laughs as he jerks both his hands away, leaving a similar frost where they'd been. ]
Well, we have at least until Cullen returns to figure something out. He'll go absolutely mad unless I can convince him we have things in hand.
[ Pun unintended. Justin seems to recognize that he's done something special, something worthy of attention, and sits between them, watching the back and forth with a quiet interest. ]
I wouldn't trust anyone more with this. [ She says softly, earnestly, meeting his gaze. ] No one but you.
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The air is cooler than he likes but he makes sure to bring more clothing this time around, bundling up. He hefts his robes up over his shoulders a touch more, rolling over onto his belly so he can keep reading his book between intermittent glances up watching Justin toddle about. ]
So we'll have Bull grab some at the next few cities he stops by. I think he's running escort for some noble or another and there's probably quite a few shops he could stop at.
[ Children are so bouncy. He's half-afraid every time Justin takes a spill that he's going to be genuinely hurt, but no, he bounces and rolls back up and giggles like nothing's happened. They're so strange, Maker.
He's lost back in his book again when he hears everything go quiet, even Cecily, and before he even thinks about it he reaches for his staff, rolling to his knees in a smooth movement just in time for her shout. A barrier is slung over all three of them, but a moment later he realizes there's nothing wrong-- or well, no one is attacking. Old habits, he supposes, and moves over to look at her hand with his eyebrows raised. ]
...Oh. Cullen is going to love this.
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Or who might still want revenge.
But that isn't on her mind at the moment. She shakes away at the fresh frost, eyes wide and mind working fast. ]
Andraste preserve us, as if things weren't complicated enough- [ Seized momentarily by fear, she rises swiftly to her feet and scoops up the ambling Justin, then relocates closer to Dorian and settles back down, scrutinizing his face. ]
Mama. [ He giggles, grabbing for her nose. Nothing magical happens, but she settles him into her lap after, staring hard at Dorian. ]
He could never be safe in a Circle, even if we- But-
[ She's never worried about demons or abominations or templars or anything else; she's never had to. All the mages (few and far between) in her company had been more than capable of handling themselves, had been paragons in their own ways. Never before has she felt a desire strike her hard and fast this way, like lighting, to protect someone with magical abilities. ]
no subject
Cecily, it's alright. Look, it's mostly gone.
[ A quick brush of his fingers over the top of her hand eats the remainder of the frost away, and he's left watching the two of them, his book forgotten.
It does make things quite a bit more difficult, that much is for certain. ]
No-- no, a Circle is a terribly poor idea, even now, fortunately. Justin, come here you little heathen, let me see your hands.
[ He offers his own out, palms up, and Justin gleefully slaps them down like they're playing the handslapping game the Chargers taught him. ]
Can you do that again for me? What you just did to her hand, let's try it once more.
no subject
She watches intently as her son scrambles out of her lap and toward Dorian, eager to please. He's bright enough, grasps what he's saying and grasps the mage's hand with both of his. A fine mist, like dew, seeps from his skin and settles. With time, it might be thicker, a real coating of ice. He seems not to want to give all his newfound secrets away, though, and laughs as he jerks both his hands away, leaving a similar frost where they'd been. ]
Well, we have at least until Cullen returns to figure something out. He'll go absolutely mad unless I can convince him we have things in hand.
[ Pun unintended. Justin seems to recognize that he's done something special, something worthy of attention, and sits between them, watching the back and forth with a quiet interest. ]
I wouldn't trust anyone more with this. [ She says softly, earnestly, meeting his gaze. ] No one but you.