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peopleofthedas2011-02-19 01:52 am
amhran_comhrac) wrote in peopleofthedas2011-02-19 01:52 am
Fanfic: Stone and Sky Chapter 2
I am so amazed that people, well, actually seemed to like this. I really figured combining the often-loathed Jowan with the bizarrely unpopular commoner dwarf would get me laughed out of the fandom. ;)
Seriously, thank you all so much!
Title: Stone and Sky Chapter 2: You were born nervous
Characters: Jowan/f!Brosca
Rating: Look at who you're asking! This would be T if it wasn't for innuendo and language, the fic will be M/AO
Word Count: about 2300
Summary: You can't erase the crimes of your past, but you don't have to let them decide your future.
In this chapter: Friends and relations
Dust Town
"How was the… thing?" Sif asked Rica over breakfast.
"The thing?" Rica snickered. "It was a reception." She tensed at the mocking tone of Rica's laugh, punctuating her amusement with a tug on her ponytail.
"Well how would I know that?" Sif drummed her fingers on the rough and pitted stone tabletop. "You're always going to a reception or a banquet or a ball or something. Sorry for not keeping tabs on your social calendar." She rolled her eyes. "I'm not stupid, Rica. I know what a reception is. I just didn't remember what sort of fancy party you were at last night."
"Sorry, sorry," Rica said, hand up. "I know. I'm on edge, I spent half the morning trying to get Mother into the bath."
Sif made a face. "I kinda want to say we should just let her stay filthy…"
"You could almost smell her outside the house this time," Rica twisted her face in disgust.
"Like I said, I kinda want to say we should…" Leaning over, she grinned at her older sister. "Next time call me. A bop on the head and she won't put up as much of a fight."
"Sif, that's our mother!" Rica looked far more amused than her words would indicate.
"No worse than the old drunk's done to either of us." A crashing noise cut their conversation short, Rica sighing as she walked over to help their mother up off the floor. Sif went for a broom to clean the broken glass and spilled mosswine as best she could.
Circle Tower
Daylen laughed. "I'm telling you, tonight's the night," he said before clapping his hands. "Finally," no more apprentice robes, no more apprentice dorm… no more tiny apprentice bed!"
"You can't know that," Jowan said. "No one gets any warning."
"I know, I know," Daylen was unconcerned. "But I really think it is. Someone's being harrowed, I overheard Cullen talking about it. He was worried they would pick him. And the First Enchanter has been awfully nice to me today." Jowan raised an eyebrow but kept his mouth shut. That he would be nice because the apprentice might potentially be dead tomorrow was something best kept out of mind. "Wow, thanks for the good wishes," he added, rolling his eyes.
"Sorry," Jowan said. "Lost in thought." He had completely stopped all experiments with blood magic, but still found himself fighting the urge to run whenever a templar's gaze lingered on him for more than a moment.
"I'm sure you won't be far behind," Daylen said, misreading Jowan's worry on his face.
"I hope so," Jowan admitted. "I'm starting to get nervous."
"You were born nervous." The apprentice pointed his finger at Jowan, a knowing look on his face. "What you need is a girl."
"What, another one?" Jowan said, feigning shock. "Do you even listen when I talk? I told you I met someone weeks ago."
"Believe it when I see it!" was all Daylen said, smirking. "And two girls? Come on now, who do you think you are? Anders? I couldn't even manage that."
"You act like that should surprise me," he replied quickly. "Last I knew the only girl you could get was… hm… what's her name?" Jowan grinned, enjoying himself. "Oh, I suppose I could go look at where it's written on the men's room wall. A highly selective young woman, clearly."
"She's a great girl," Daylen said.
"And only gave you the time of day because Anders was on another vacation!" The two men laughed, the time before evening Chantry services passing far too quickly.
Dust Town
While hunting down a merchant behind on his protection money Sif had managed to capture a nug. She and Rica stood in their tiny kitchen, giggling as they attempted to cook it.
"There!" Rica said. "The sauce is done." Sif glanced over and made a face. "What?"
"Is… is it supposed to be pink?"
Rica stirred the pot, staring at the contents appraisingly. "Hm… it is a bit pink, isn't it?" Sif put her hand over her mouth, casting eyes away as she bit back a laugh. "Maybe more than a bit."
"It's bright pink," Sif said. She stuck a finger in the pot and licked it clean. "Good, though. Sweet."
"Keep your hands out of there!" Rica waved the spoon threateningly. "They're all grimey!"
"I washed them!" Sif protested, pushing her sister aside and examining the rarely used spit over their fire. "Ohhh, I think it's done!"
"You sure?"
"No." Both women laughed, each ripping a small bit off at once. Rica made a sound of joy, falling against Sif. "That is so good," she said. "I can't even remember the last time we had nug!"
"Your birthday," Sif said with a nod. Rica gave her a dubious glance. "Well, not the most recent one!"
Rica glanced around, a grin dancing on the edges of her lips. "Mother's off… looking for work," she whispered.
"You mean drinking."
"Well, that's not what she said, but yes," Rica said. "I don't know why she uses that looking for work excuse. What's she off doing? Noblehunting?" Both girls collapsed into laughter at the thought of their mother attempting to seduce a nobleman. "But… I was hoping she'd stay gone," Rica said, darting away. Sif could hear her rummaging around in their small shared room. Rica returned a moment later, holding a wrapped bundle.
"What's that?"
"I got a little trinket last week," Rica said. "But it wasn't from a noble. Just a really rich merchant. So I sold it." She pulled back the rough white cloth.
Sif gasped, clapping her hands. "Is that…?"
"Surface bread!" Rica announced with a shriek of joy.
As they sat to eat Sif imagined she could hear the table groan under the unfamiliar weight of so much food.
Circle Tower
"So no harrowing?" Jowan asked over breakfast.
"It'll come soon enough," Daylen said with a confident nod. "Irving's been—"
Jowan cut him off. "Have you ever wondered if Irving was just messing with you?"
"Why would he do that?"
Sighing, he shook his head. Daylen could be oblivious on occasion. "Because he's kind of a jerk?" Jowan suggested.
"Ah, he's not bad. I do appreciate him keeping my chair warm for me." Jowan just shook his head. He glanced across the room to the Chantry side. It wasn't called that, of course, but decades, maybe centuries of the mages isolating themselves on one side while the priests, sisters, and templars ate on the other had made the name true in practice if not by rule. A quick scan and he saw her, sitting next to the elderly priest. She met his eyes and nodded, blushing slightly.
"I've missed you," Lily whispered when they met in a dusty alcove after the morning prayers.
"Me too," he said. They sat on the floor, voices low and fingers entwined.
"What would you do?" she asked a lapse in conversation. "Well, if you could do what you wanted?"
Jowan shrugged. "Maybe get one of those nice jobs with the nobles?" he said. "Personal mage and healer, something like that. Better than teaching, since it gets you out of the tower."
"No," she said, shaking her head. "I mean, if you weren't a mage, if you could do anything?"
Jowan considered that. In truth, it wasn't a very cheerful conversation among mages. It just seemed like a way to torture themselves, dreaming up all the things they would never have. "Maker's breath, I don't know," he finally said. "I don't think about it. No point, really."
"It'll be fun!" she insisted, pressing him.
The truth was, he had thought about it. Thought about it, and never mentioned it again after how Daylan had laughed. But this wasn't Daylan with his dream of becoming the First Enchanter, this was Lily. Lily would never laugh at him. "I… I think I might like to be a farmer," he said quietly. "I like the idea of being outside all day." He glanced around the dusty hallway. "I miss outside."
Lily sighed, taking in his skin which was pale almost to the point of translucence. "Well… maybe not so fun," she admitted. "I'm sorry."
"You didn't make the law," he said. "The Chantry imprisons you just as much as they do me. Besides," Jowan went on, "for all I know I'm prone to sunburns and allergic to dogs. Wouldn't that be a treat, living in Ferelden? I suspect being allergic to dogs may actually be illegal here, if what I've read is any indication. Maybe I should be thanking the Chantry for saving me from treason charges if I sneezed on some Bann's mabari…"
She sighed, wrapping her arms around him. "Let's not talk about them," Lily admonished. Jowan nodded as he returned the gesture, running a hand across her back. Looking up, she smiled before kissing him. He groaned as Lily enthusiastically kissed his neck. Fumbling with her heavy wool Chantry robes, Jowan began lifting the hem.
"No," Lily said, pulling back. "We can't." She bit her lip. "I want to," she insisted. "But… but what if I get pregnant? This is already so dangerous for both of us…"
He sighed, trying not to look frustrated, and failing miserably. "There are spells—"
"No," she said emphatically. "I won't trust magic for anything so… important." She misread the expression on his face and put a hand to his cheek. "It isn't you I distrust," she said. He didn't reply. Lily was the only person Jowan had met who didn't automatically loathe him for being a mage- beyond other mages, of course. Pressing the issue seemed likely to just scare her away. "You know I love you, even though you're a mage."
Oh.
He felt a brief pain at those words. It wasn't regardless… it was despite. And he could spend days elaborating on the difference. "There are… other things we can do," Lily said. Before Jowan could respond she was on her knees before him, smiling up shyly. His unhappy thoughts were complete forgotten.
Dust Town
"So what's the plan today?" Sif yawned, sitting on the stoop with Leske. She was already grumpy after having to listen to Beraht tear into Rica, and hoped whatever they had to do would at least be easy.
"Some lyrium smuggler," he said. "Surfacer."
"What he do?"
Leske shrugged. "Same thing they all do. Tried to take something from the boss. Does it really make any difference?"
Sif shook her head. "Not really, no," she admitted.
The two climbed to their feet, swiftly cutting through dust town. As beggars called out for money both managed to keep their faces expressionless, a skill honed after years of practice. There was a time when Sif's conscience would torment her as old people spoke of hunger or mothers begged for something to feed their children. She'd long since learned that sparing even one copper would send everyone else within hearing towards her. Pushing and shoving as they asked, or even demanded, something for themselves.
It was just as well, she really didn't have anything to spare.
Circle Tower
"I have to talk to you!" Jowan fingered the note in his hand, making a face. He had been hoping Lily would help him forget his current depression, but a note like that dropped next to him in the dining hall couldn't be anything good.
Daylan hadn't been at breakfast that morning so he couldn't even ask him what the mysterious note might mean. Checking on him after the meal, he found him still asleep in his bunk of the apprentice dorms, right below Jowan's own bed.
Jowan paused before waking him, confused by the scene. If you were sick they made you go to the infirmary where you could be healed. Apprentices weren't allowed to just sleep in. Not unless…
The realization hit him like a slap across the face.
Jowan wanted to be excited for his friend. He had just gone through the most important ritual in any mage's life. He should have congratulated him, shared his happiness.
Instead he found himself crossing his arms sullenly in the face of Daylan's bragging. "I've been here longer than you, and I don't know when they'll call me for mine!"
Seriously, thank you all so much!
Title: Stone and Sky Chapter 2: You were born nervous
Characters: Jowan/f!Brosca
Rating: Look at who you're asking! This would be T if it wasn't for innuendo and language, the fic will be M/AO
Word Count: about 2300
Summary: You can't erase the crimes of your past, but you don't have to let them decide your future.
In this chapter: Friends and relations
Dust Town
"How was the… thing?" Sif asked Rica over breakfast.
"The thing?" Rica snickered. "It was a reception." She tensed at the mocking tone of Rica's laugh, punctuating her amusement with a tug on her ponytail.
"Well how would I know that?" Sif drummed her fingers on the rough and pitted stone tabletop. "You're always going to a reception or a banquet or a ball or something. Sorry for not keeping tabs on your social calendar." She rolled her eyes. "I'm not stupid, Rica. I know what a reception is. I just didn't remember what sort of fancy party you were at last night."
"Sorry, sorry," Rica said, hand up. "I know. I'm on edge, I spent half the morning trying to get Mother into the bath."
Sif made a face. "I kinda want to say we should just let her stay filthy…"
"You could almost smell her outside the house this time," Rica twisted her face in disgust.
"Like I said, I kinda want to say we should…" Leaning over, she grinned at her older sister. "Next time call me. A bop on the head and she won't put up as much of a fight."
"Sif, that's our mother!" Rica looked far more amused than her words would indicate.
"No worse than the old drunk's done to either of us." A crashing noise cut their conversation short, Rica sighing as she walked over to help their mother up off the floor. Sif went for a broom to clean the broken glass and spilled mosswine as best she could.
Circle Tower
Daylen laughed. "I'm telling you, tonight's the night," he said before clapping his hands. "Finally," no more apprentice robes, no more apprentice dorm… no more tiny apprentice bed!"
"You can't know that," Jowan said. "No one gets any warning."
"I know, I know," Daylen was unconcerned. "But I really think it is. Someone's being harrowed, I overheard Cullen talking about it. He was worried they would pick him. And the First Enchanter has been awfully nice to me today." Jowan raised an eyebrow but kept his mouth shut. That he would be nice because the apprentice might potentially be dead tomorrow was something best kept out of mind. "Wow, thanks for the good wishes," he added, rolling his eyes.
"Sorry," Jowan said. "Lost in thought." He had completely stopped all experiments with blood magic, but still found himself fighting the urge to run whenever a templar's gaze lingered on him for more than a moment.
"I'm sure you won't be far behind," Daylen said, misreading Jowan's worry on his face.
"I hope so," Jowan admitted. "I'm starting to get nervous."
"You were born nervous." The apprentice pointed his finger at Jowan, a knowing look on his face. "What you need is a girl."
"What, another one?" Jowan said, feigning shock. "Do you even listen when I talk? I told you I met someone weeks ago."
"Believe it when I see it!" was all Daylen said, smirking. "And two girls? Come on now, who do you think you are? Anders? I couldn't even manage that."
"You act like that should surprise me," he replied quickly. "Last I knew the only girl you could get was… hm… what's her name?" Jowan grinned, enjoying himself. "Oh, I suppose I could go look at where it's written on the men's room wall. A highly selective young woman, clearly."
"She's a great girl," Daylen said.
"And only gave you the time of day because Anders was on another vacation!" The two men laughed, the time before evening Chantry services passing far too quickly.
Dust Town
While hunting down a merchant behind on his protection money Sif had managed to capture a nug. She and Rica stood in their tiny kitchen, giggling as they attempted to cook it.
"There!" Rica said. "The sauce is done." Sif glanced over and made a face. "What?"
"Is… is it supposed to be pink?"
Rica stirred the pot, staring at the contents appraisingly. "Hm… it is a bit pink, isn't it?" Sif put her hand over her mouth, casting eyes away as she bit back a laugh. "Maybe more than a bit."
"It's bright pink," Sif said. She stuck a finger in the pot and licked it clean. "Good, though. Sweet."
"Keep your hands out of there!" Rica waved the spoon threateningly. "They're all grimey!"
"I washed them!" Sif protested, pushing her sister aside and examining the rarely used spit over their fire. "Ohhh, I think it's done!"
"You sure?"
"No." Both women laughed, each ripping a small bit off at once. Rica made a sound of joy, falling against Sif. "That is so good," she said. "I can't even remember the last time we had nug!"
"Your birthday," Sif said with a nod. Rica gave her a dubious glance. "Well, not the most recent one!"
Rica glanced around, a grin dancing on the edges of her lips. "Mother's off… looking for work," she whispered.
"You mean drinking."
"Well, that's not what she said, but yes," Rica said. "I don't know why she uses that looking for work excuse. What's she off doing? Noblehunting?" Both girls collapsed into laughter at the thought of their mother attempting to seduce a nobleman. "But… I was hoping she'd stay gone," Rica said, darting away. Sif could hear her rummaging around in their small shared room. Rica returned a moment later, holding a wrapped bundle.
"What's that?"
"I got a little trinket last week," Rica said. "But it wasn't from a noble. Just a really rich merchant. So I sold it." She pulled back the rough white cloth.
Sif gasped, clapping her hands. "Is that…?"
"Surface bread!" Rica announced with a shriek of joy.
As they sat to eat Sif imagined she could hear the table groan under the unfamiliar weight of so much food.
Circle Tower
"So no harrowing?" Jowan asked over breakfast.
"It'll come soon enough," Daylen said with a confident nod. "Irving's been—"
Jowan cut him off. "Have you ever wondered if Irving was just messing with you?"
"Why would he do that?"
Sighing, he shook his head. Daylen could be oblivious on occasion. "Because he's kind of a jerk?" Jowan suggested.
"Ah, he's not bad. I do appreciate him keeping my chair warm for me." Jowan just shook his head. He glanced across the room to the Chantry side. It wasn't called that, of course, but decades, maybe centuries of the mages isolating themselves on one side while the priests, sisters, and templars ate on the other had made the name true in practice if not by rule. A quick scan and he saw her, sitting next to the elderly priest. She met his eyes and nodded, blushing slightly.
"I've missed you," Lily whispered when they met in a dusty alcove after the morning prayers.
"Me too," he said. They sat on the floor, voices low and fingers entwined.
"What would you do?" she asked a lapse in conversation. "Well, if you could do what you wanted?"
Jowan shrugged. "Maybe get one of those nice jobs with the nobles?" he said. "Personal mage and healer, something like that. Better than teaching, since it gets you out of the tower."
"No," she said, shaking her head. "I mean, if you weren't a mage, if you could do anything?"
Jowan considered that. In truth, it wasn't a very cheerful conversation among mages. It just seemed like a way to torture themselves, dreaming up all the things they would never have. "Maker's breath, I don't know," he finally said. "I don't think about it. No point, really."
"It'll be fun!" she insisted, pressing him.
The truth was, he had thought about it. Thought about it, and never mentioned it again after how Daylan had laughed. But this wasn't Daylan with his dream of becoming the First Enchanter, this was Lily. Lily would never laugh at him. "I… I think I might like to be a farmer," he said quietly. "I like the idea of being outside all day." He glanced around the dusty hallway. "I miss outside."
Lily sighed, taking in his skin which was pale almost to the point of translucence. "Well… maybe not so fun," she admitted. "I'm sorry."
"You didn't make the law," he said. "The Chantry imprisons you just as much as they do me. Besides," Jowan went on, "for all I know I'm prone to sunburns and allergic to dogs. Wouldn't that be a treat, living in Ferelden? I suspect being allergic to dogs may actually be illegal here, if what I've read is any indication. Maybe I should be thanking the Chantry for saving me from treason charges if I sneezed on some Bann's mabari…"
She sighed, wrapping her arms around him. "Let's not talk about them," Lily admonished. Jowan nodded as he returned the gesture, running a hand across her back. Looking up, she smiled before kissing him. He groaned as Lily enthusiastically kissed his neck. Fumbling with her heavy wool Chantry robes, Jowan began lifting the hem.
"No," Lily said, pulling back. "We can't." She bit her lip. "I want to," she insisted. "But… but what if I get pregnant? This is already so dangerous for both of us…"
He sighed, trying not to look frustrated, and failing miserably. "There are spells—"
"No," she said emphatically. "I won't trust magic for anything so… important." She misread the expression on his face and put a hand to his cheek. "It isn't you I distrust," she said. He didn't reply. Lily was the only person Jowan had met who didn't automatically loathe him for being a mage- beyond other mages, of course. Pressing the issue seemed likely to just scare her away. "You know I love you, even though you're a mage."
Oh.
He felt a brief pain at those words. It wasn't regardless… it was despite. And he could spend days elaborating on the difference. "There are… other things we can do," Lily said. Before Jowan could respond she was on her knees before him, smiling up shyly. His unhappy thoughts were complete forgotten.
Dust Town
"So what's the plan today?" Sif yawned, sitting on the stoop with Leske. She was already grumpy after having to listen to Beraht tear into Rica, and hoped whatever they had to do would at least be easy.
"Some lyrium smuggler," he said. "Surfacer."
"What he do?"
Leske shrugged. "Same thing they all do. Tried to take something from the boss. Does it really make any difference?"
Sif shook her head. "Not really, no," she admitted.
The two climbed to their feet, swiftly cutting through dust town. As beggars called out for money both managed to keep their faces expressionless, a skill honed after years of practice. There was a time when Sif's conscience would torment her as old people spoke of hunger or mothers begged for something to feed their children. She'd long since learned that sparing even one copper would send everyone else within hearing towards her. Pushing and shoving as they asked, or even demanded, something for themselves.
It was just as well, she really didn't have anything to spare.
Circle Tower
"I have to talk to you!" Jowan fingered the note in his hand, making a face. He had been hoping Lily would help him forget his current depression, but a note like that dropped next to him in the dining hall couldn't be anything good.
Daylan hadn't been at breakfast that morning so he couldn't even ask him what the mysterious note might mean. Checking on him after the meal, he found him still asleep in his bunk of the apprentice dorms, right below Jowan's own bed.
Jowan paused before waking him, confused by the scene. If you were sick they made you go to the infirmary where you could be healed. Apprentices weren't allowed to just sleep in. Not unless…
The realization hit him like a slap across the face.
Jowan wanted to be excited for his friend. He had just gone through the most important ritual in any mage's life. He should have congratulated him, shared his happiness.
Instead he found himself crossing his arms sullenly in the face of Daylan's bragging. "I've been here longer than you, and I don't know when they'll call me for mine!"