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peopleofthedas2011-10-05 10:56 pm
sagacious_rage) wrote in peopleofthedas2011-10-05 10:56 pm
So Blind in the Sun, Chapter 11: Cloudreach
Title: Cloudreach
Rating: This chapter: G
Pairing F!Hawke/Sebastian
Warnings: none in this chapter
Word Count: 998
Chapter Summary: Varric questions Sebastian's intentions.
Story Summary: The Chantry is in ruins, the Gallows has been annulled, and Laica Hawke has been named Viscountess of Kirkwall and is betrothed to Prince Sebastian Vael. But happily-ever-after is for fairy tales.
Author's Note: This sequel to the Let Love Go series was written for the Bioware Bang on LiveJournal, and will be updated Tuesdays and Thursdays. The amazing cover art was provided by the incredibly talented Ashmouth. This fic also had a lot of very, very helpful betas. In no particular order:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
xogs, zuelie, jessicajones, and neaira
Cloudreach
Sebastian
There was never a more appropriately named month, in Sebastian’s mind, than Cloudreach. He liked to stand on the ramparts on the south wall of the city, where the cloud-stuffed sky stretched endlessly into the horizon, bisected by the glittering ribbon of the Minanter. He smiled to himself as he spied a cloud that looked like a bunny.
He turned his attention to the river, and followed it with his eyes, going eastward. In just two months, Laica would be arriving by barge. He sighted along his thumb, as if he could stretch his sight a few leagues more, and see her coming, even though he knew she hadn’t actually left Kirkwall yet. He dropped his hand with a sigh. Two more months would pass quickly, he reassured himself.
Turning with a sigh, he began making his way back inside when he was stopped by Varric. “Hey! Hey!” the dwarf jogged up to meet him before doubling over, wheezing. “So many… sodding… stairs,” he panted. “How do you live like this?”
“Is there any other way to live, my friend?” Sebastian said, clapping him on the shoulder heartily. “Without all those stairs, could you ever have gotten a view like this?” He waved his arm grandly at the expanse of sky and river and rolling hills.
Varric peeped over the wall, and then pushed himself away, shaking his head. “All this height makes me dizzy, your worshipfulness.”
Sebastian smiled happily as he lifted his face to feel the wind, and then returned his focus to his friend. “Was there something you needed, Varric? You don’t often come up here.”
“Well, your princeliness,” he said, turning away from the wall completely. “Got a letter from Aveline. She’s planning on coming with Laica, Carver, and Charade. She wants to stick around for the wedding to see to security detail before heading back.”
Sebastian nodded. “Excellent. I will rest easier knowing that she is well looked after. And none are more trustworthy than Aveline.”
Varric nodded with a bit of a smile. “Nope.”
Sebastian gestured for Varric to follow him as he continued his tour of the wall. “Will Knight-Commander Cullen be attending as well?” he asked. “I know Laica has long considered him a particular friend.”
“No,” Varric shook his head, falling into step. “But Aveline said it was some sort of Templar business and that Carver would explain. Maybe. You know how he is.”
Sebastian nodded. “He is certainly willful. Though that’s hardly a surprise, considering how Laica is.” He couldn’t help himself from smiling fondly. “My bride.”
Varric released a long-suffering sigh. “Yep. She is. Somehow I’ve managed to not forget that. Must be the fact that you feel the need to inform me every at least once every half-hour. For the past year or so.”
Sebastian knew he was grinning like a fool, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. “We’re to be married in Justinian.”
Varric nodded. “Yes. You are,” he agreed with some measure of resignation. “Good thing you reminded me. Might have forgotten. Anyway,” he sighed, “Aveline also said that she and Laica decided it would be best for her to remain at her post in Kirkwall.”
Sebastian nodded. “Good. We will need somebody there we can trust. And, as much as I respect the knight-commander, his loyalties aren’t as clear-cut.”
Varric shrugged. “He hasn’t dragged her off to the Spire yet. I think he’s made his position clear.”
Sebastian frowned. “I’m afraid I have quite lost my faith in the hierarchy, my friend.”
“Fair enough,” Varric conceded.
“And what about you?” Sebastian asked him. “Will you remain here? Or do you feel the call of Kirkwall as well?”
Varric wrinkled his nose, overlooking the city. “I’m going to head back, too. Everything is too sodding clean and perfect. Everybody is too sodding rich! There’s no place for somebody like me. So when Aveline goes back to Kirkwall, I’m going with her.”
Sebastian turned and leaned against the wall, staring at the expanse of sky and earth. “That makes sense,” he said, feeling a pang. “You’ve been a good friend to me this past year. I will miss your company.”
“I know. I’m pretty much impossible to replace,” Varric grinned. “But I’m sure you’ll find enough to distract you from your grief with your new bride.”
“That’s right,” Sebastian grinned. “I’m going to marry Laica.”
“Yep,” Varric cracked a smile back. “In Justinian.” He looked out over the rolling hills. “Sebastian. I’m only going to ask you this once, because I’m her friend. Do you actually want to get married?”
Sebastian’s smile faded as he considered this question. “It’s not a question of what I want, Varric. The Maker has made it quite clear to me that it is His will that I rule the city. And part of that is that I should marry.”
“No,” Varric shook his head. “Don’t do that. If you want a political match, there are plenty of eligble noblewomen. This is Laica.”
“I know,” Sebastian crossed his arms and looked down, trying to reconcile his conflicting feelings. “She is my best friend. And I love her. And I don’t want to marry anybody else...”
“But if you had your way, you’d still be in the Chantry,” Varric finished for him.
Sebastian grimaced and smoothed his hair back. “That’s not the sort of thing a bridegroom is supposed to say.”
“No. Which is why I’m the one asking, and not Laica. It’s alright, Choir Boy, you don’t have to be perfect all the time.” Varric said.
“She is the best woman I have ever known,” Sebastian said with deep conviction. “I will be the kind of husband she deserves.”
Rating: This chapter: G
Pairing F!Hawke/Sebastian
Warnings: none in this chapter
Word Count: 998
Chapter Summary: Varric questions Sebastian's intentions.
Story Summary: The Chantry is in ruins, the Gallows has been annulled, and Laica Hawke has been named Viscountess of Kirkwall and is betrothed to Prince Sebastian Vael. But happily-ever-after is for fairy tales.
Author's Note: This sequel to the Let Love Go series was written for the Bioware Bang on LiveJournal, and will be updated Tuesdays and Thursdays. The amazing cover art was provided by the incredibly talented Ashmouth. This fic also had a lot of very, very helpful betas. In no particular order:
xogs, zuelie, jessicajones, and neairaSebastian
There was never a more appropriately named month, in Sebastian’s mind, than Cloudreach. He liked to stand on the ramparts on the south wall of the city, where the cloud-stuffed sky stretched endlessly into the horizon, bisected by the glittering ribbon of the Minanter. He smiled to himself as he spied a cloud that looked like a bunny.
He turned his attention to the river, and followed it with his eyes, going eastward. In just two months, Laica would be arriving by barge. He sighted along his thumb, as if he could stretch his sight a few leagues more, and see her coming, even though he knew she hadn’t actually left Kirkwall yet. He dropped his hand with a sigh. Two more months would pass quickly, he reassured himself.
Turning with a sigh, he began making his way back inside when he was stopped by Varric. “Hey! Hey!” the dwarf jogged up to meet him before doubling over, wheezing. “So many… sodding… stairs,” he panted. “How do you live like this?”
“Is there any other way to live, my friend?” Sebastian said, clapping him on the shoulder heartily. “Without all those stairs, could you ever have gotten a view like this?” He waved his arm grandly at the expanse of sky and river and rolling hills.
Varric peeped over the wall, and then pushed himself away, shaking his head. “All this height makes me dizzy, your worshipfulness.”
Sebastian smiled happily as he lifted his face to feel the wind, and then returned his focus to his friend. “Was there something you needed, Varric? You don’t often come up here.”
“Well, your princeliness,” he said, turning away from the wall completely. “Got a letter from Aveline. She’s planning on coming with Laica, Carver, and Charade. She wants to stick around for the wedding to see to security detail before heading back.”
Sebastian nodded. “Excellent. I will rest easier knowing that she is well looked after. And none are more trustworthy than Aveline.”
Varric nodded with a bit of a smile. “Nope.”
Sebastian gestured for Varric to follow him as he continued his tour of the wall. “Will Knight-Commander Cullen be attending as well?” he asked. “I know Laica has long considered him a particular friend.”
“No,” Varric shook his head, falling into step. “But Aveline said it was some sort of Templar business and that Carver would explain. Maybe. You know how he is.”
Sebastian nodded. “He is certainly willful. Though that’s hardly a surprise, considering how Laica is.” He couldn’t help himself from smiling fondly. “My bride.”
Varric released a long-suffering sigh. “Yep. She is. Somehow I’ve managed to not forget that. Must be the fact that you feel the need to inform me every at least once every half-hour. For the past year or so.”
Sebastian knew he was grinning like a fool, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. “We’re to be married in Justinian.”
Varric nodded. “Yes. You are,” he agreed with some measure of resignation. “Good thing you reminded me. Might have forgotten. Anyway,” he sighed, “Aveline also said that she and Laica decided it would be best for her to remain at her post in Kirkwall.”
Sebastian nodded. “Good. We will need somebody there we can trust. And, as much as I respect the knight-commander, his loyalties aren’t as clear-cut.”
Varric shrugged. “He hasn’t dragged her off to the Spire yet. I think he’s made his position clear.”
Sebastian frowned. “I’m afraid I have quite lost my faith in the hierarchy, my friend.”
“Fair enough,” Varric conceded.
“And what about you?” Sebastian asked him. “Will you remain here? Or do you feel the call of Kirkwall as well?”
Varric wrinkled his nose, overlooking the city. “I’m going to head back, too. Everything is too sodding clean and perfect. Everybody is too sodding rich! There’s no place for somebody like me. So when Aveline goes back to Kirkwall, I’m going with her.”
Sebastian turned and leaned against the wall, staring at the expanse of sky and earth. “That makes sense,” he said, feeling a pang. “You’ve been a good friend to me this past year. I will miss your company.”
“I know. I’m pretty much impossible to replace,” Varric grinned. “But I’m sure you’ll find enough to distract you from your grief with your new bride.”
“That’s right,” Sebastian grinned. “I’m going to marry Laica.”
“Yep,” Varric cracked a smile back. “In Justinian.” He looked out over the rolling hills. “Sebastian. I’m only going to ask you this once, because I’m her friend. Do you actually want to get married?”
Sebastian’s smile faded as he considered this question. “It’s not a question of what I want, Varric. The Maker has made it quite clear to me that it is His will that I rule the city. And part of that is that I should marry.”
“No,” Varric shook his head. “Don’t do that. If you want a political match, there are plenty of eligble noblewomen. This is Laica.”
“I know,” Sebastian crossed his arms and looked down, trying to reconcile his conflicting feelings. “She is my best friend. And I love her. And I don’t want to marry anybody else...”
“But if you had your way, you’d still be in the Chantry,” Varric finished for him.
Sebastian grimaced and smoothed his hair back. “That’s not the sort of thing a bridegroom is supposed to say.”
“No. Which is why I’m the one asking, and not Laica. It’s alright, Choir Boy, you don’t have to be perfect all the time.” Varric said.
“She is the best woman I have ever known,” Sebastian said with deep conviction. “I will be the kind of husband she deserves.”