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Ferren Bairston

Guard-Captain of Highever
Staff member
DAO/DA2 Timeline
Posts
139
#1
(( 18 Firstfall, Evening, The Crown and Lion - Ferdinand Winters ))

Ferren needed a drink.

It’d been a long, depressing day. As much as he’d tried to help distract Delilah, he wasn’t sure he’d really succeeded. And, well. Her husband was still dead. The person she’d built a life with. The father of her kids.

And Riane… Once he’d come back to the inn, she’d asked him in her innocent way why everybody seemed so sad. Ferren really didn’t like the idea of lying to her. He’d been lied to his whole life; talked down to when he was a kid, and even now as an adult. So he’d told her the truth.

You remember the new friend we made in Denerim? Her husband’s gone to meet the Maker. He’s… he’s died.

He had no idea if she understood. She was still so young, and after he’d told her, she’d just given him a hug--since he’d looked like he needed one, probably--then went back to playing with KitKit.

She was in bed now, with guards posted at the door of the teyrn’s suite to keep her protected. And since Ferren was sad and frustrated and cold, he’d decided to make his way to the nearest tavern. He wore the new clothes Fergus had commissioned for him, along with a heavy wool cloak, and still the sky was spitting enough snow that he made a beeline for the tavern, glad to see there was a fire going in the common room.

“Whiskey,” he said after signaling to the barkeep.

As he waited for his drink, Ferren looked around. Place was decently crowded. He wasn’t sure how many were travelers, and how many were native bearfolk just trying to drown their sorrows. Most looked unfamiliar, which was a little disappointing. He wasn’t much for drinking alone.

There was one person, though…

He craned his neck to get a better look at the man who was seated at the end of the bar. Tall, maybe a little too thin. Bit of a slouch to his shoulders. Cute little curl of dark hair at the nape of his neck.

A grin split Ferren’s features, and he very nearly called out to the man. Then he remembered. If Freddy was here, he probably didn’t want to draw much attention to himself. Smart to sit in a crowded tavern--but then Freddy’d always been smart.

So Ferren took his drink once it was served and made his way over to the empty stool beside the friend who’d probably saved his life, if he was honest with himself. He didn’t say anything for a minute, then led with, “so what’s a place like you doing in a guy like this?”
 

Ferdinand Winters

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#2
It was damned cold, but Ferdinand thankfully had crafted his own warm coat for this weather. Despite being born in Ferelden, he had gotten use to the warmer seasons in southern Antiva, which made the shock of winter here hit him deeper. So he ducked inside the Crown and Lion for a drink to warm up to, and relax a little. At least, as much as a man constantly on the run could be relaxed.

The city felt depressed, and he could understand why. Besides the cold, their bann had lost her husband. He had never met the woman, even if he did have a business arrangement with her brother. Somehow he didn't think Warden-Commander Howe would like it if he paid his respects.

The crowd was a little thicker than he would have liked, but he knew it was easier to get lost and just be another face in a full room. He sat at the bar, and pulled a book out to read through as he sipped at the mulled wine he had ordered. A little more upscale than he would have thought would be available here, but it was a pleasant surprise on the menu. He kept his hearing honed in to the things around him, even while it looked as if he was lost in his book. His ear twitched when he heard someone slip into the seat next to him, and he tensed slightly. Someone to come poke at him for reading in a bar maybe? Or some half drunk individual hoping to throw a bad pick up line in his direction.

What he didn't expect was to hear an old familiar voice after a moment, “so what’s a place like you doing in a guy like this?

He gave a snort before even lifting his head, slightly shaking it when he finally did so. Ferren looked good. A hell of a lot better than he had the first time he had met him. Hair grown out, that mop of curls looking well tended to, clothes finer than most of the people inside the bar save for himself he'd guess. Looks like his new job had stuck, and Ferdinand's warm smile was genuine.

"Look who it is. I would ask what sees you in the city, but I can hazard a guess." The teyrn was likely here paying his respects, and Ferren working for said teyrn would be in charge of keeping the man safe. "You look very well, my friend."

He reached up and gave Ferren's arm a squeeze. Still as thick as ever, which made the slightest -- and briefest -- of smirks appear on his lips, "And still working out."

Despite his clothes, and well manicured appearance, Ferdinand's face was that of a man who obviously had very little sleep recently, and worry lines creased his features. He definitely looked much older than his actual years.
 

Ferren Bairston

Guard-Captain of Highever
Staff member
DAO/DA2 Timeline
Posts
139
#3
If he was just meeting Freddy for the first time, he'd probably think the man was a lot older than him. Maybe as high as his forties. There were lines that shouldn't be there, dark circles under his eyes, and even just sitting here he looked like he had some kind of weight pressing him down. It was a weird thing to think about, because the clothes and the hair and everything else would've told him this was a man who was put-together--and a man who had enough coin to pay for a few rounds of drinks.

Was that what he'd thought when he'd met Freddy in Orzammar? He couldn't remember now. That was probably midway through him getting back on track, but it still felt like another lifetime.

"Look who it is. I would ask what sees you in the city, but I can hazard a guess," he said with a smile that was a lot warmer than the rest of Amaranthine right now.

"Aye, Fergus is here for, uh," for Nathaniel, he figured, but that didn't need to be said out loud, "y'know, because of Bann Price's husband. He's brought his daughter with him, so I'm here with her. That and Delilah's a friend."

Long, complicated explanation with a few things left out, but that was fine.

"You look very well, my friend." Freddy squeezed his arm and smirked a little when he found resistance. "And still working out."

"If by 'working out' y'mean swinging that hammer around on the rare chances I have, then aye," he said with a grin. "Mostly spend my time at a desk these days, though. Next time y'see me I'll be soft and round and probably bald."

He ruffled a hand through his thick--and in no danger of thinning anytime soon he hoped--curls, a smirk tugging at his lips. That smirk faded, though, and he reached up to give the man's shoulder a squeeze. "It's good t'see you. Figured our paths'd cross eventually," hopefully not with Ferren having to look the other way, "but didn't figure it'd be here. What brings y'to Bear Town?"

Ferren wouldn't repay his friend's warm words by telling a lie, because Freddy didn't look well. He looked like he hadn't slept in a week, at least. Probably wasn't eating enough, either. And while Ferren hadn't understood all of what the mage had actually been doing, it was obvious it took its toll.
 

Ferdinand Winters

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#4
"Aye, Fergus is here for, uh," he said, and Ferdinand gave him a nod. "y'know, because of Bann Price's husband. He's brought his daughter with him, so I'm here with her. That and Delilah's a friend."

It wasn't quite a subject he wanted to linger on. He made a comment about his physique, which caused his friend to grin. "If by 'working out' y'mean swinging that hammer around on the rare chances I have, then aye. Mostly spend my time at a desk these days, though. Next time y'see me I'll be soft and round and probably bald."

"Maker, Ferren, don't say such things. Though I've seen you with shorter hair than this, I could not imagine you bald!" He was being a little dramatic, but he hoped the smile on his face told Ferren he was just playing around. It was nice to smile. He felt like he had smiled in ages. At least not one that was genuine. "And it's hard to imagine you behind a desk. Are you sure you aren't more of the hands on type when it comes to your job?"

He took another sip of his mulled wine as Ferren put his hand on his shoulder. It'd been a long time since someone so easily touched him, but there were not many in the world he was close to anymore. He had some friends in the Collective, but even those weren't the type to lay a friendly hand on your shoulder or spend more than a meal conversing. It hit him how much he'd missed Ferren. There travels hadn't been a long stretch of time, but they were always filled with warmth. His smile softened as he looked back at his friend.

"It's good t'see you. Figured our paths'd cross eventually," that warmed him even more. While it might have seemed silly considering, Ferdinand thought that he would just be a small blip in the man's life, "but didn't figure it'd be here. What brings y'to Bear Town?"

"Business as usual. Spend a lot of time moving between here and the capital these days," he gave Ferren a secretive look, "It's running me a little ragged. One day perhaps I'll find a more permanent tutoring position that doesn't require so much travel. I'm glad my work has me in Amaranthine right now, otherwise we wouldn't have met up."

He flagged the bartender, "Another mulled wine please."

He finished off what was left of his drink, setting it away from his book. He slipped a cloth bookmark into the book and closed it, putting it away for now. "While I am glad you're new position seems to be going well, I cannot say that I have not missed your company. I could have used you many times over the past months..."

He trailed off, frowning. He did not want Ferren to feel guilty for moving on. "Forgive me. All I meant is that you are a welcome sight after a very rough patch."
 

Ferren Bairston

Guard-Captain of Highever
Staff member
DAO/DA2 Timeline
Posts
139
#5
Ferren had spent a good stretch of his life just not really making friends. Not any friends that were worth anything, anyway. Most of the people he’d known growing up were being paid by his dad or worked with his dad, so they stopped being his “friends” as soon as he joined the guard. By the time he’d finally made good friends--friends who cared less about what he could do for them and more about who he was--he’d still been pretty sure they’d eventually leave him.

That was the way it happened. He’d thought he wasn’t really worth anybody’s time. He still thought that, every now and again. Usually during the bad times when he was more tempted to close himself off from everybody and drink than he wanted to admit.

But Freddy had been one of the people who helped get him out of that way of thinking, and since he’d come back to Highever, Ferren had tried to be a little more mindful of how he reacted to bad things. If he felt like withdrawing, well… he went and found somebody. Lin. Fergus. Riane. Anybody he cared about who cared about him. Anybody at all, sometimes.

Maybe that’s what he’d been doing tonight. Magic curls brought him luck again, seemed like.

"Maker, Ferren, don't say such things. Though I've seen you with shorter hair than this, I could not imagine you bald!" A smirk touched Ferren’s lips. That was about as dramatic as Lin would’ve been, only her version of dramatic would’ve probably ended with punching him somewhere unpleasant. "And it's hard to imagine you behind a desk. Are you sure you aren't more of the hands on type when it comes to your job?"

“Ah, well. You know me. Can’t keep my hands off much of anythin’, even when I should.” He winked, though a good-natured smile remained on his face.”You’re right, though. It’s mostly the evenings, just feels like I’m always at that desk.”

He was grateful for the job, though, and grateful for the role Freddy had played in him getting that job. There’d be time to say that, he hoped. For now he was curious why the man was in Amaranthine.

"Business as usual. Spend a lot of time moving between here and the capital these days. It's running me a little ragged. One day perhaps I'll find a more permanent tutoring position that doesn't require so much travel. I'm glad my work has me in Amaranthine right now, otherwise we wouldn't have met up."

Ferren made a sound of agreement, looking the man over. He’d definitely been run ragged, though whether it was because of tutoring or not was anybody’s guess. Probably not. Not completely, anyway.

Not knowing still bothered him sometimes. Freddy was a friend, and even if he hadn’t been, Ferren was once hired to protect him. It was hard to do that when he didn’t know the scale of what he was dealing with. He understood now though that it would’ve been more dangerous for him to know the details, and he probably wouldn’t have understood them all anyway.

"Another mulled wine please."

“One for me, too,” Ferren said, pulling out the coin to cover both drinks and setting it on the bar.

"While I am glad you're new position seems to be going well,” Freddy began, putting his book away, “I cannot say that I have not missed your company. I could have used you many times over the past months..."

Ferren frowned, feeling a stab of guilt he was pretty sure wasn’t meant and a good hit of protectiveness to go along with it. Sure, he hadn’t taken the contract for life. It might’ve been fun going to different places, always being with a friend, but his place was in Highever. That was something Freddy’d known even when Ferren hadn’t wanted to admit it.

"Forgive me. All I meant is that you are a welcome sight after a very rough patch."

He shook his head and waved the apology off. “I’m only sorry y’had to go it alone. If I’d known that…” Ferren blew out a breath, a laugh following it. “Well. Not like you would’ve told me that, yeah? You being the one who convinced me to go back to Highever and all.”

The drinks were served up, and Ferren’s fingers curled around the handle of the mug. He lifted it and took a second to enjoy the smell of the spices before drinking. It was cold outside--and why the hell shouldn’t it be, during a time like this--but there was enough warmth here to keep him from withdrawing.

“So you haven’t had anybody looking after you? This whole time?” he asked, already knowing the answer. “I could help you find somebody, y’know. Vet them myself, if that’s the issue. Y’ shouldn’t have to go about all o’ this,” he made a sweeping gesture, “tutoring alone.”
 

Ferdinand Winters

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#6
Ah, well. You know me. Can’t keep my hands off much of anythin’, even when I should.” The room got considerably warmer at that wink, though Ferdinand returned the friendly smile he was given. ”You’re right, though. It’s mostly the evenings, just feels like I’m always at that desk.

"See, that sounds more like how I remember you." He gave a gentle chuckle, hands folding a little tighter around his warm mug. "Perhaps you need an assistant to help with all that paperwork?"

Not that he was offering his services, though in a perfect world it might have been something he could have offered. It would be nice to be around someone he trusted implicitly regularly again, instead of worrying about every person he came in contact with outside of the Collective. It was enough that being around Ferren made him visibly relax, some of the tension draining in his shoulders. When he ordered his second drink, Ferren ordered one for himself. Perhaps he was in need of warming up too.

I’m only sorry y’had to go it alone. If I’d known that…” Ferdinand was still giving an apologetic smile when Ferren spoke, “Well. Not like you would’ve told me that, yeah? You being the one who convinced me to go back to Highever and all.

"You're right, I wouldn't have. It's a better life for you in Highever isn't it? Better than running around all of Thedas with no place to hang your hat, and it brought you back to the people you cared about?" He asked to confirm and reaffirm that it had been the right decision.

So you haven’t had anybody looking after you? This whole time? I could help you find somebody, y’know. Vet them myself, if that’s the issue. Y’ shouldn’t have to go about all o’ this,” Ferren gestured and Ferdinand lifted a brow, “tutoring alone.

That elicited a laugh from him, and he shook it softly. "A few temporary guards here and there, or friends of the same persuasion who traveled with me. It's not easy finding someone to trust in the world right now, Ferren. At least not for someone like me."

He'd tried to get close to a few people, but those had ended in disaster. Out of all the friendships he had made after returning to Ferelden, he'd say that Ferren's was the only one that turned out well. He shrugged, "It's not all terrible. I've been able to reconnect with one of my long lost siblings. Though he has a bit of a grumpy demeanor that keeps me from visiting more."

He shrugged, "I'll find someone eventually, I'm sure. Unless you know someone in Amaranthine right now that would fit the bill and overlook my eccentricities?"
 

Ferren Bairston

Guard-Captain of Highever
Staff member
DAO/DA2 Timeline
Posts
139
#7
If he’d seen it written down someplace and not actually referring to him, Ferren might’ve thought hiring an assistant was a good idea. But for him to do it just felt a little wrong. Maybe he’d grown into accepting that he could do a decent job as Guard Captain, but having an assistant felt like he’d turn out to be one of those lazy fucks who just sat on their asses and made everybody else do the work for them.

He wouldn’t turn into that. He’d be too bored if he had somebody doing everything. But it still felt weird to think about having an assistant, and so Ferren just snorted and left it at that.

"You're right, I wouldn't have. It's a better life for you in Highever isn't it?” Ferren nodded at that. “Better than running around all of Thedas with no place to hang your hat, and it brought you back to the people you cared about?"

“It did, aye,” he said softly, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Lin and Fergus, mainly. And it gave me a chance t’ finally meet Fergus and Rae’s daughter.” He damn near beamed at that. “Haven’t really had doubts, y’know? But I think if I ever did, all I’d have t’do is look at her and they’d go away.”

His place was in Highever. There was a lot of good he could do there, and he owed Fergus too much to walk away. As important as those reasons were to him, though, they paled in comparison to the fact that he’d hate to miss any more of Riane’s life.

Still…

“Would be nice t’have both. You and me had some good times, and I saw places, met people I probably never would’ve met otherwise.” Ferren smiled at his friend. “Mostly miss the company, though.”

Not that he didn’t have it in Highever, but Ferren had spent so much of his life desperate to belong. These days he was of the mind that you could never have too many friends.

But Freddy was a good guy. Friendly, smart, good sense of humor, and a few other qualities probably best not thought about right now. He should really have somebody with him.

"A few temporary guards here and there, or friends of the same persuasion who traveled with me,” Freddy answered, “it's not easy finding someone to trust in the world right now, Ferren. At least not for someone like me."

No, it probably wasn’t. Ferren frowned. He didn’t like the idea of his friend having to go it alone, but he liked the thought of him being turned over to people who’d do him harm even less.

"It's not all terrible. I've been able to reconnect with one of my long lost siblings. Though he has a bit of a grumpy demeanor that keeps me from visiting more."

“Have you?” Ferren’s brows lifted. “This isn’t the one that…” He gestured, not sure how much Freddy wanted said aloud. Maybe even saying ‘twin’ was too much. “Huh. Never known y’to be much of a grump yourself, but I suppose families come in all types.”

It did help. A little. At least he knew Freddy had somebody. Though whoever this brother was, he sounded like a bit of a prick. If Ferren’d had a long lost brother, he wouldn’t be anything other than overjoyed at finding him again.

“Guess him traveling with you’s not really a thing that can happen, huh? Y’really should have somebody. I don’t much like the thought of you having to go through everythin’ alone.” He lifted his mug to his lips. “And I don’t just mean the danger of it.”

"I'll find someone eventually, I'm sure. Unless you know someone in Amaranthine right now that would fit the bill and overlook my eccentricities?"

Ferren let out another soft snort. “Eccentricities? That what we’re calling it now?” He knew what the man was talking about, but couldn’t help teasing him by giving him a slow once-over, head to toe. “Not sure anybody I know’d be much help. I mean, nobles, Wardens, kids. That’s about the list o’ people I know here, aside from maybe a barkeep or two. That and the arl,” he muttered, “but only reason he’d end up traveling with y’ is… well, probably not for any reason I’d call good.”

Freddy had enough problems. He didn’t need to get himself tangled up with the Wardens. Besides, Nathaniel fucked just about everybody he met, and Ferren really didn’t need any more overlap.

“Though, his daughter’s staying in Highever right now. Not that she should be going anywhere with anybody, but she’s Fergus’ ward, so she could probably use a language tutor, if you’re ever in the area…”

He wouldn’t get his hopes up about that. Even if Freddy did drop by to tutor Eunice, he wouldn’t stay. He couldn’t stay, just like Ferren couldn’t really leave. His work was too important.

“Enough about all that,” he said, waving it off, “how’d you end up finding your brother after all this time?”
 
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