twoforsurprise | One Short Day In Antiva City

One Short Day In Antiva City

Davrin might have forgotten Lucanis' offer about the tailor, but he had not. Not all of their excursions were for fighting demons or cultists or darkspawn, and eventually Rook was going treasure hunting on the Rivani coast with Taash and Harding. And just them. Quite adamant that only Taash and Harding were needed, in fact.

Andraste preserve them, Rook was apparently becoming interested in matchmaking.

It worked out, though. The timing. Lucanis ever so casually mentions that Davrin promised to assist him in some errands in Antiva and Rook is just so happy they're not at each other's throats that they're told to not take however long they need. Lucanis makes a mental note to pick up something nice for Rook when they're in Antiva City.

Ah, Antiva City. A less beautiful Treviso, Lucanis used to say. That was before the Ossuary, before the occupation, before the blight. Now it's hard to not see everything that's been lost. He doesn't insult Davrin by assuming the man can't keep up with the Crow routes along the rooftops and across ziplines, so much faster than the weaving crowded streets up the hill the city is built on overlooking the harbor the few times they need to duck down to street level.

"Should be right around - ah, there it is," Lucanis declares once they're half way up the hill, the financial district of the city settled between the Palace at the top and the harbor and all the wealth the shipping industry brings. This time when he drops down to the street level it is where they'll stay for the time being, heading to an understated store front with a simple hanging sign that looks like an embroidered rose carved into the wood of it.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only | Expand All

Davrin was relying on the fact that, hopefully, Lucanis would have some idea of a more stealthy way back to the Diamond than Davrin had tried to carve through the Blight to get here. They still had Assan to scout and attack what he could, but he was equally unwilling to stop supporting Lucanis. He glanced back at the body of the boy, frowning. There was no point in bringing a blighted body back- in fact, as a Warden he'd strictly forbid it if asked.

"Is there...I don't know. A special dagger or pin or something we should being back?"

Lucanis wanted to bring the boy back. To have him not be just another blighted corpse, even if he was one that got to see the sky one last time. So he could get a proper cremation. There were far too many bodies for that anymore, though. Too many bodies and not enough fuel and they burned through the night and the blight kept spreading.

"Heir gave daggers to her favorites," Lucanis said softly "I think he was one of them."

He moved smoothly, leaving Lucanis to Assan's constant presence against his leg for a moment as he patted down and retrieved the daggers. It didn't get easier, just leaving people behind. Even if he followed no particular god and held no specific form of burial sacred, there was always the twist of wrongness in simply leaving a person to rot like carrion.

"It doesn't seem like it, I know." He murmured as he offered to take Lucanis' weight again and start heading out. "But it's good it still hurts. It means they're still people."

To him, as a Gray Warden that saw little but the aftermath of a Darkspawn attacks and could simply chalk such deaths up to being unavoidable and unnoteworthy, and to Lucanis, a Crow that, at least in Davrin's eyes, could far too easily slip into seeing all lives as little more than names on a ledger. It was good people still mattered to them both.

While Davrin retrieved the daggers, Lucanis brought a hand down to rest against Assan's feathers. He timed his own breathing to match, in and out again.

"The Grey Warden lecturing the Crow on being a lesson? Interesting," it wasn't one of Lucanis' better jabs, but it was an attempt. He took one more look at Fio - so young, was he ever that young? - before nodding not towards the street but farther along the balcony. It was one that wrapped around the whole building.

"Zipline on the other side, we can get to another roof from there. It should be a clearer route back to the Diamond."

He was just assuming Davrin went straight ahead and through all the bad spots to get to him. Like the arrow he'd named the griffon for.

"How did you find me?"

"Depends. You going to pull this again?"

He'd served long enough and seen enough wounded soldiers pull themselves out of impossible situations that he didn't fret when Lucanis needed to take the zipline in his current state. Fretting was just worrying without action and served no purpose. The man survived torture. He can handle this. But Davrin still signaled for Assan to fly alongside the man, just in case he needed to be caught midair.

See, that was an action. Not fretting at all.

"I might," Lucanis admitted. He would try not to, but saying it for certain... he couldn't be. Not fully.

Assan was a welcome surprise of company for the zipline. He recalled when the griffon happily flew next to Rook, apparently surprised and delighted to see a person flying through the air like him. It had certainly helped settle Rook's nerves over being so high up. Lucanis had yet to figure out if it was heights in general or just moving through them at speed without ground under them that was an upset. Lucanis had no such problems -- he loved the feeling, and was well enough to not fall off of the line... though his landing was perhaps a little harder than it normally was, a slight stumble on the leg of the side that got injured rather than a seamless graceful touching down like normal. He would be fine.

Davrin landed with the grace of a sledge hammer. Nothing to be done about it, not with all the armor and the shield strapped to his back, but he landed on his feet all the same. Then immediately went forward to grab Lucanis' arm again, if he'd let him as they got closer to the Diamond. Crow pride and all, he wasn't sure if the potential First Talon was allowed to be seen at less than fully under his own command.

"In that case? Warden secret."

He had a demon in him, the ship had sailed for Lucanis never being seen not fully under his own command. Sure he had managed to keep Spite contained when out so far, but much like not promising to never do this again, he didn't think that would never have a chance of happening.

Things kept going to shit, after all.

"You need to work on your landings," Lucanis said rather than argue, using Davrin for a little bit of support when the route allowed for it. Sometimes it was a single-file plank over an alleyway, but he waited on the other end for Davrin to make it across to take hold again before continuing on. And maybe took the easiest route he could that avoided the worst of the blight, rather than ones that required a lot of leaping or using weak points in the fade for Spite to summon something to function as a bridge. Soon enough the Diamond was right there across a canal, lights glittering like the gemstone it was named after in spite of the red from the blight now added to it. There was still something hauntingly beautiful about it.

"Try wearing some real armor and see how you do."

Davrin hovers back once they reach to inside of the diamond, letting the crow's tend to their own without ever quite leaving a five foot radius of Lucanis. But still watching, in the terribly non-subtle way of a hunter learning about a new species. He placed a lot of judgement on Lucanis' relationship with the Crows, but he hadn't really given much to actually seeing what he was like among them.

Teia was probably one of the more healthy relationships he had. When the two return - Lucanis pale and clearly worse for the wear but upright and moving under his own power she lets out a "Thank Andraste-" and goes over to embrace him without hesitation. Lucanis accepts the hug with only slightly less awkwardness than he did with Davrin's.

"I couldn't save three of them. Teia, I'm sorry," Lucanis says, voice full of grief as he pulls back so he can hold out Fio's daggers to her, not quite quiet enough for Davrin to miss with him being so close.

"And I am just happy we did not lose four today," Teia tells him, taking the daggers and bringing a hand up to place against Lucanis' face. "Don't do that, Lucanis. We cannot lose you too. Thank Andraste your Warden came looking for you. I don't want you going back out there again without him, do you understand?"

"Teia, I don't need a minder-"

"Apparently you do. I am going to tell Viago the same and if he ignores that I'm going to give him hell," she says, voice firm and just this side of angry, bringing him back in for another embrace. "Go. Get some rest."

"I can go out again."

"You can go back to the Estate or to your place in the Fade, but you will be going to one of them. Caterina would agree with me if she were here."

Teia is not above using the specter of Caterina to her advantage against Lucanis, and it's clear she has a right to or at least knew her well enough that Lucanis folds like a house of cards at the order.

"...I have some things being sent from Antiva City to the Estate - when you see Illario next, could you ask that he forward them here? I can pick them up next time I'm through."

Teia frowns, but does not push this, giving a nod instead. She looks behind Lucanis to Davrin.

"Thank you for bringing him back. Caterina would never forgive us if we let something happen to him now."

Davrin had his own thoughts on this Caterina, but what good would raising them do? She was a powerful woman that had made her own choices and, notably, died by them. If the ghost of her still kept these people moving in such bleak times, it wasn't his place to question it here and now. It was enough that he could see, regardless of the old woman, Lucanis had a few people concerned about the state of his neck.

Still, he can't quite place how he feels about your warden. Other than the kneejerk reaction to make light of it.

"At least someone appreciates the personal service. Next time I'm collaring him to Assan."

Assan, bless his feathery heart, did nothing but cheerfully perk up and chirp at the idea. Permeant access to his winged playmate would probably be a plus in his book.

"I'll give you the leather for it!" Teia says with a grin. Lucanis rolls his eyes. Clearly any protest would be found as an excuse to push more, so-

"As long as it's black."

That gets a laugh from Teia that has the edge of one that was desperately needed. She pats Lucanis on the shoulder and gives him a gentle shove towards Davrin and the direction of the Eluvian.

"Get some rest! I better not see you for at least a few days!"

Lucanis gave a wave, and much like with Davrin, did not make any promises. When the two were halfway back to the Eluvian though, he spoke up - quiet, to just be the two of them. Well, and Assan.

"It was just you and Assan," he says. No Rook. No other backup.

"I was the one that lost you."

It wasn't exactly true. Davrin was more than happy to confirm that all of Lucanis' choices were fully his own. He didn't feel guilty about their argument, wasn't going to blame himself if Lucanis got killed and pretend it was because of something he said. He was a grown assassin that had survived more than most people could dream of, Davrin wouldn't do the disservice of acting like he wasn't capable of making up his own damned mind.

But that didn't mean he really wanted to tell Rook the two of them had argued like stubborn asses and he'd said nothing as Lucanis marched off into the Blight alone. That was just between them.

"And I told you I'd come looking. But, if you've got a preferred rescue party, I'll take it into account next time."

Because, clearly, there was going to be a next time. Regardless of threats of black leather collars.

"If you need the back up, I would not deny you that."

... He actually kind of preferred that it wasn't this big deal. That it had just been Davrin and he didn't need to explain himself to Rook who would surely treat this as more of a Thing than it was, and probably would be concerned any time he tried to leave on his own in the future. Letting it stay just between him and Davrin (and Assan, and Teia) was ... better.

There was always the chance Teia would say something to Rook, but he'd burn that bridge when he got to it.

"I am not a pet, I did not wander off and get 'lost'."

They were at the mouth of the Eluvian, just a short walk away from the Crossroads and the Fade, and Davrin paused there. It was a conversation about Lucanis, it should be up to him if it happened here or where the other members of their little group might pop in and interrupt at any moment. 'Mind your own business' was not a Lighthouse motto.

"You'd make a gods awful pet. But what do you call Spite ripping through Treviso? Looked pretty lost to me."

He didn't mean for it, but there's an edge of judgement there. Lucanis was too smart to be this stupid. He knew emotion, about Treviso, Spite, the past year, his past life, was messing with him. The same Davrin's own unsorted business with his family, the griffons, and the wardens messed with him from time to time, but to a larger degree given the sheer weight of what had become of Treviso. Understandable wasn't the same as acceptable, however. He'd laid his fingers over the wound that could have ended the man himself. Nothing about that was acceptable.

Nobody in the Lighthouse minded their own business. It was even happening right now.

Lucanis can muster the energy for a glare at the judgement in that tone. It's his city that got blighted, his city that he failed by letting it happen in the first place. His mess to clean up. If they knew exactly where those missing griffons where, Lucanis did not think Davrin would be keeping such a cool head. If it was his home that had been taken over by this crawling rot, his own family in danger even if he'd had to walk away from them.

"I survived," Lucanis says. Only with Davrin and Assan's rescue, but - "I knew what I was doing."

He didn't push Davrin's hand away.

"And what was that? Single handedly ending the blight?"

They were back where this started, pushing and prodding at an argument neither one was going to give any ground in. And had he learned from yesterday? Grown stronger, wiser, found how to take the higher road since he'd snipped with Lucanis before?

Hell no.

Davrin was ready and willing to dig his heels in harder, deeper, and with greater enthusiasm. Because he couldn't make Lucanis see how getting himself killed was a problem- not just for Treviso, or for Rook. But for Davrin. And the fact it was a problem was more annoying than any argument Lucanis could possibly offer. Annoying enough that, without adding any pressure with his hand still light over Lucanis' wound, Davrin straightened his shoulders and step a few inches closer. Leaning into yet another failed routine of trying to intimidate his point across.

Lucanis tilted his chin up, looking up to Davrin who was making use of every extra inch he had. He wondered if that often worked on people, or if he did it specifically for Lucanis. He could not recall Davrin trying to intimidate any of the others that way.

"Making sure a few more Fledglings got back safely, even if I failed to save them all."

Surely Davrin could understand the worthiness of that, wasn't that what Wardens did? So why was he being so damn obstinate about this? Was it that hard for him to imagine that a damn Crow did something other than indiscriminate murder?

He was a man that has had conversations with Rook with a giant axe in hand to underline a point. If he had that option available, he'd have gone with it. As it was, his inches would have to do.

"You're not in this alone."

This being...everything. Treviso. The Lighthouse missions. Spite. Probably more, he wasn't going to take the time to list it all out even to himself. Bellara had taken a team to save Veil Jumpers, he'd taken one to find rogue wardens. Lucanis took only Spite and his self-righteous suicidal tendencies.

"If you keep acting like it, you're not the only one that's going to get hurt. Because we'll come after you. Me, Rook, your Crows."

There's be no presumed dead again. Not from this team. Even if they found his corpse, Davrin would need to have Emmrich confirm it was really him first.

"So just take us."

Lucanis' jaw tightened, eyes hard as he considered Davrin's words, was clearly trying to come up with some counter to them that would be believed, be listened to. This was Crow business. This was family business. He had compromised with bringing Rook sometimes because Rook had helped him out of prison and was the one holding the last contract Caterina ever made for him.

And Davrin was a Grey fucking Warden, and this was, if anything, extremely his job. Asking for help for this - asking for it from him - it rubbed Lucanis the wrong way. Felt like weakness. Maybe it was all their pushing back and forth. Davrin challenged him the way few did that Lucanis put up with. Worse still, he kept being fucking right.

He hated it. Hated that he needed another person, that he had to rely on anyone except himself.

"Fine. Teia has already told me I need a handler and designated that your job. Try to keep up."

If Davrin was going to demand to come with, the heavy-armored warrior was going to have to learn to keep up with Lucanis' speed.

"You're-"

Davrin had started without thinking, ready for another round when-

Huh. He paused, cleared his throat and nodded. Maybe it was the blood loss. Maybe he'd actually gotten through. Maybe Lucanis just listened to female Crows that didn't take his back talk. He may never know why, but at least they were getting somewhere.

"I'll try. But you try, too. Teia sounded serious about that collar."

It was possible they could meet somewhere in the middle- if they survived each other long enough to figure out where that was.

Now, the argument at least on the back burner, he was very much away he was still touching the other man- why had he done that to start with? It'd seemed important at the time. And it felt notable when he let his hand fall, ending the contact.

Teia had invoked the name of Caterina to get her way - one of the few people who could and not have the opposite effect, and even then she needed to tread carefully on how much it was used. For now it got the results she wanted. Lucanis privately suspected she might have the wrong idea about his and Davrin's relationship, but he'd let Davrin deal with that one if he was going to insist on following Lucanis when he needed to help Treviso.

As annoyed as he was with Davrin, he felt more displeased when he dropped his hand and broke the contact. No good, he needed to clear his head, and of course Spite was not giving him a moment's peace.

"She jokes with a straight face, it's better to assume she means what she says."

"She's a high ranking assassin. Trust me, I'm taking her seriously."

He didn't know her story, if she was another born and raised in the role or someone that had clawed her way to the top. Either option made for a highly dangerous individual. One Lucanis seemed to trust, but Davrin wasn't willing to extend the same grace Lucanis had earned to every Crow around. He'd watch his (and everyone else in the Lighthouse's) back around Teia.

He gestured to the Eluvian, stepping to the side slightly to make sure Lucanis went in first. He didn't expect the assassin to try to break their agreement already, but...well. He'd feel better seeing the man walk out of Treviso with his own eyes.

"C'mon. You need to rest."

The drugged and under watch seemed implied. Yesterday, Davrin would've said that was off the table for a spell. But injured and with Spite already primed? Maybe, if he didn't directly say it and just herded Lucanis along that path, it could work. It was harder to have an argument about something never said out loud.

Teia would surely be pleased to find out a Grey Warden found her intimidating enough to take very seriously, even if Lucanis suspected it was mostly Davrin's thing against Crows.

He rolled his eyes at Davrin ushering him forward, but stepped through with a "Yes, sir." that dripped with sarcasm.

Traveling through the Eluvians was such a strange sensation, like walking through a sheet of ice water that none the less left one completely dry. He stepped aside, waiting for Davrin and Assan under that strange sky where nothing felt 'real' and the black citadel hovered ominously in the distance.

"I need coffee," Lucanis corrected once Davrin was through as well. Because of course he was going to make it a fight.

So much for grace and tact. He let Assan start bounding up the stairs first, following after at a much more reasonable pace than the collection of feathers and endless energy.

"Coffee doesn't have any healing properties."

Said with the authority of a life long tea drinker. But after the state he'd found the man in, Lucanis would be insane to think Davrin isn't going to keep pushing.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

cannot wait for Live Warden Reaction for Caterina still being alive.

is it against the code to shake an old woman if she's an assassin queen

I think the code has exceptions for that reason but also look out she will stab you

she can get in line

davrin pick less battles, put some of them down

never. he has a griffon to help carry them all

assan's gonna pull a muscle being that much of a carry, sir!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject