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Somewhere Only We Know [Closed]

Posts
65
#1
(( 20 Harvestmere, Evening - @Aveline Vallen ))

Edwin didn’t head to the Viscount’s Keep right away. No, that would be the action of a man who was suave and confident--or at least a man who cared little about the outcome of this meeting.

He could admit to being none of those things right now, and so he wiled away a little over an hour in the common room of the Hanged Man, joining in a rather intense game of cards. He may have cheated. He definitely cheated, and still somehow the danger of being found out by his opponents seemed altogether preferable to speaking with Aveline about this tangled mess of something between them.

In the end, though, Edwin knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep if he didn’t at least make an effort, and Josc’s words kept playing through his mind. Aveline was distracted by this. More than distracted. It was affecting her work, which could affect her safety. The last thing he wanted was for her to get too in over her head with regards to this Coterie investigation just because of him.

Of course, Varric snatching him up and playing the concerned… friend? Brother? Edwin wasn’t sure what to call the dwarf’s interest in the whole thing. But it helped that he’d suggested Edwin clear the air. While he wasn’t sure how many truths he felt like unburdening himself of tonight, there are at least a few he needed to get off his cheat.

So he made his way to his flat, changed into something that didn’t smell like the Hanged Man, fussed over how he looked for a solid ten minutes, then made his way to Hightown.

The steps of the Keep loomed, giving him ample opportunity to turn back. But Edwin kept on, his resolve firm. He was many things: A liar, a cheat, a complete fraud of a man. Yet he refused to add “coward” to that ever-growing list.

As he stepped inside, though, he realized he had no idea where the Guard Captain’s office even was. Thus far he’d only met with her in… every other place but this. Odd, but still something he could work with. He found the first guard who did not look familiar to him--a woman with short, light-brown hair who was perusing a posted list of names--and flashed her a smile.

“Excuse me. Guardswoman…?”

“Brennan,” she offered, giving him a pleasant but somewhat reserved smile in return. It was rather late for civilians to just wander into the Keep, after all.

“Guardswoman Brennan. I wonder if you could be so kind as to tell me where I might find the Guard Captain’s office?”

“It’s just through there,” she said, gesturing, “but if you’re looking for the Captain, she’s already retired for the evening.”

He should leave. If Aveline had actually gone to the barracks already, she was likely trying to put this day behind her. He’d come this far, though, and he supposed Josc did have a point: It needed to be her choice, one way or another.

“I need to speak with her, if she’ll allow it.” He tried to shore up his nerves, tried to act as if nothing was amiss. He mostly succeeded, but he suspected Josc would have been able to tell.

“...I can ask, Serah. Who should I say is asking, exactly?”

“Edwin Thatcher,” he said with a smile. “Thank you.”

“Wait here if you please, Serah Thatcher.”

After she left, Edwin blew out a breath and let his eyes fall briefly closed. He stood tall, his arms folded in front of him as he read what looked to be a list of guard postings and patrol schedules. He’d barely made it a quarter of the way down the list before names and places blurred, his thoughts overtaking the here and now.
 

Aveline Vallen

Guard Captain of Kirkwall
Canon Character
DAO/DA2 Timeline
Posts
45
#2
Aveline had brought a stack of paperwork from her office into her quarters. As much as she liked not having a chair at her desk, it was easy to get tired when you had lost the awareness for time. So, she’d retired for the evening, putting her armor up and weapons up, and ordering a small meal to eat while she continued to review things that needed her attention.

About a half hour had passed, her meal half eaten, and the pages were in some chaotic order as she tried her best to focus. What had happened should not have bothered her so much. It would likely never happen again, and soon she and Edwin would be back on the job furthering the investigation into Behrendt’s partners.

Why his handsome face kept popping up in her mind when she tried to focus was something she could not answer. Or, at least, not one she wanted to answer right now in any case. Work needed to be done.

She picked up some of the bread on her plate when a knock came at her door. Setting it down without taking a bite, she discovered Brennan standing at her door. “Sorry to bother you Captain, but there’s a Serah Thatcher asking after you. I left him in the main room, and if you want me to send him off I can.

Her throat felt tight, and she stared at Brennan for a long moment. This caused the woman to give Aveline a worried look, “Everything alright, Captain? Should I throw him out on his arse?

Aveline quickly shook her head, and finally found her voice, “No need, but thank you Brennan. He’s an acquaintance, and helping me with an investigation.

That’s all Brennan needed to hear, “As you say, Captain.

She gave her a quick salute and went back to her evening duties. Aveline likely should have done something about her attire, which was a half wrinkled tunic unbelted and loose linen trousers, or even her hair, which wasn’t bound by anything in the least. Instead she just walked right on to the main room to find Edwin staring at the duty roster.

She froze, almost considered turning around, but then cleared her throat as if she were afraid getting any closer to the man would rob her of all sense. His proximity had certainly done that at the tavern the other night, though tonight she wouldn’t be able to blame that feeling on ale. She’d only had a few sips of hers with her dinner, after all, and certainly not enough to affect her in any way.

Edwin, is something the matter?” She said cautiously, noticing he seemed a bit nervous in his movements. “Did you find new information?
 
Posts
65
#3
Edwin was completely lost in his thoughts, the list of names nonexistent despite the fact that he was still standing before it. Normally, he didn’t have to rehearse what he was going to say. Perhaps for first meetings when he already knew what information he needed. But as a general rule, he preferred to play off of whoever he was speaking with. Giving them just enough so that they would fill in the blanks themselves.

He couldn’t do that here. If he just left this whole thing to the will of the Maker, he’d probably say something incredibly foolish. Or not say anything at all. So he tried to come up with some kind of plan--at least a wall to block off those Things He Definitely Should Not Say--but he’d scarcely managed to lay a few stones before the clearing of someone’s throat broke him out of his thoughts.

“Edwin, is something the matter? Did you find new information?”

He turned to see Aveline, and his breath caught in his throat. He’d expected that if he came to see her at Vigil’s Keep, she’d be in uniform. That bulky but well-crafted armor, adorned with that scarf he rather liked. Her hair would be pulled back into a severe tie, and she’d be all business.

That was not the case at all, and if he’d gone into this having any sort of a plan, it would have been thrown to the wind now.

Edwin stared at her for several moments, taking in the sight of her rumpled clothing and tousled hair. Maker, people stumbled through the Hanged Man at all hours of the day and night in similar states of dress, and he never looked at them this way; never imagined how it would feel to run his fingers through their hair.

Pulling himself out of his reverie, Edwin cleared his throat and… realized he had nothing to say. He couldn’t very well tell her he wasn’t here to discuss business. Not while her guards milled about.

Instead, he decided to give her some version of the truth. “Yes. Yes, I did. Is there somewhere we can talk?”

He had discovered new information, after all. It just had nothing to do with their investigation.

Edwin expected she might lead him to her office, but no. They were walking away from the direction Guardswoman Brennan had indicated, and toward… the barracks. Certainly nothing wrong with that. He’d spoken with dozens, hundreds of people in inn rooms, and this was no different.

Yet when he was let into her quarters, he found himself almost wishing he had taken the coward’s way out of this. It was too private. There was literally no one else here. But… if they were going to talk about this, it was probably for the best.

He would just keep himself very, very far away.

“This isn’t Coterie business,” he said quickly, not wanting to let that lie persist for too long. “I just didn’t want to say that publicly. I… came here to talk about what happened the other night.”
 

Aveline Vallen

Guard Captain of Kirkwall
Canon Character
DAO/DA2 Timeline
Posts
45
#4
When he turned to look at her, he froze. Much like she had frozen when she saw him without noticing. Maker’s arse, this is not something that should be happening. They needed to be able to work together, and she needed to stop thinking about kissing him. Especially not in the middle of the guardroom.

She gave him a look, hoping it would spur him to speak as she crossed her arms. The fact that she wasn’t wearing her armor was something she suddenly became very self aware about. He finally spoke, thankfully, “Yes. Yes, I did. Is there somewhere we can talk?

Guards that were still on shift milled about nearby, some occasionally catching her eye and she gave them nods where appropriate. “Of course, follow me.

She made no thought of leading him to her quarters, she had set up to work in there tonight after all, and it wasn’t like she’d be tumbling into bed with him. Once she opened the door, however, she became a little self conscious. Her rooms were neat enough, there was a standing partition that blocked off where she slept, and the living area was only mildly out of sorts where she had the paperwork strewn across the table with her unfinished dinner. And there near her armor stand was Wesley’s shield on the wall. It made her sigh softly to herself.

She waited until he had entered before closing the door, and gesturing towards the spare chair at her table. As she walked over to it, Edwin spoke up quickly, less confidently than she was used to him being, “This isn’t Coterie business. I just didn’t want to say that publicly. I… came here to talk about what happened the other night.

Well that made her leading him to her quarters even more awkward than it needed to be and she closed her eyes willing her featured not to bloom red, “I appreciate that you didn’t want to say it out there. My guards don’t need to know that much of my personal life.

She walked past him and sat in the chair she had been using before. She had to. Being too close to him brought up the resurgence of that need that had spread through her. That need for some sort of connection she thought she had long dismissed. She nodded to the spare chair again.

It wasn’t something that could wait until we were back on the job then?” There was a slightly hopeful tone in her voice. That maybe he really did want to see her outside of them working together again, as if him being here didn’t prove that. Or he could just be here trying to let her down softly, so they could go back to the way things were. Her eyes turned to the paperwork on the table, instead of looking at him, “I admit it has been on my mind some. What part of it do you think we need to discuss?
 
Posts
65
#5
“I appreciate that you didn’t want to say it out there. My guards don’t need to know that much of my personal life,” she said, confirming his suspicions.

Aveline seemed to keep a rather firm line between her work and her personal life. He’d witnessed that himself, in the way she acted toward him when they weren’t seeing to a job versus the way she acted when they were.

He just nodded in response, and as she made her way to the table at the center of the room, he took stock of his surroundings. It was habit, usually. He wasn’t fond of enclosed spaces, though he usually didn’t have extreme reactions any longer. So long as he could identify and unobstructed exit, he was fine.

This time, though, Edwin took ownership of more than a perusal for safety’s sake. He was curious about where she lived, what mattered to her here. The room was predictably neat, but it wasn’t especially sparse. This wasn’t a soldier’s barracks, after all, subject to routine inspection. He took in those embellishments just as he’d taken in the sight of her scarf and her painted lips that first day.

A painting caught his eye first--a rather lovely one of Kirkwall that gave him an odd pang of nostalgia. There was a vanity beneath, with fresh flowers arranged in a vase that looked of Orlesian make. Little clay pots were arranged in neat, orderly rows. Makeup, perhaps? A partition blocked his view into the rest of the space, but his gaze found more to take in: A small bookcase, an armor stand that currently held her uniform, and a shield that was hung above it. Not one that would be wielded by a guard, though. This one bore the distinctive Templar crest. How curious.

Aveline sat, nodding to the empty chair at the table, and he stopped invading the privacy of this space and went to sit down. There was a table between them now, so no need to worry over that urge he’d had to touch her and kiss her. He was fine here. Perfectly fine.

His gaze strayed to the table then. The mountain of paperwork was not surprising, but he noticed with some chagrin that she’d been in the middle of eating. “I certainly do seem to have a knack for interrupting or otherwise delaying your evening meals,” he said with an apologetic smile.

No use offering to come back tomorrow. If he left this space without speaking his mind, he would not return. And then they’d just have to deal with all of this while they were attempting to work.

“It wasn’t something that could wait until we were back on the job then?” she asked, her voice rising just a bit higher at the end,

“No, I don’t think it could.” He met her eyes then and tried to tell himself he could get through this conversation with something resembling grace.

“I admit it has been on my mind some. What part of it do you think we need to discuss?”

Some? At first he had the very reasonable thought that she was likely playing it down, but his confidence faltered and he wondered if Josc had read more into Aveline’s behavior than was warranted. But no. What she described seem very uncharacteristic, and indicative of more than the occasional thought here and there.

“It’s been on my mind some as well,” he said, keeping his response similarly guarded. “As to what part of it we need to discuss,” his lips twitched just slightly, “you did forbid me from discussing the singing part, so I suppose we’ll have to discuss the kissing.”

One small, good-natured joke was all he thought he could manage. He wasn’t sure he had the capacity for any more witticisms. Not after merely saying that one word conjured such vivid memories.

“I know you said you didn’t regret it, but I suppose I just wanted to clear the air a bit. Better now than when we’re trying to work together, right?” How to proceed without giving Josc away or telling her of his own plentiful thoughts over the past two days? The pads of two fingers brushed over his beard and he continued. “Somehow I thought this would be a little easier once I actually got here. That the words would just sort of… fall out, like they did that night. I suppose they are, they just aren’t useful words,” he said with a chuckle that fully revealed his nerves.

“What do you think of me, Aveline? Truthfully. Why do you think I kissed you? And yes, I know you initiated it both times,” he said, waving this off, “but I like to think I was an active participant, both times.”
 

Aveline Vallen

Guard Captain of Kirkwall
Canon Character
DAO/DA2 Timeline
Posts
45
#6
Aveline felt vulnerable here. This was where she was mostly alone with herself and could examine and exist in a world where she wasn’t at least for however long Guard Captain. There were very few spaces like that in her life, especially since even when she was with her friends she still occupied that role. Guard. Guardswoman. Captain. Defender.

He had a simple enough answer to her first question, “No, I don’t think it could.

Which she gave a simple nod to in return before making her own comment on her thoughts, her eyes straying about the table. She wanted to do something with her hands, but decided that none of it would be appropriate for the conversation at hand. The mug of her evening ale was there, but she remembered all too well how it had been an anchor at the tavern. No, this needed to be handled as sober as possible, she decided.

It’s been on my mind some as well,” his words were as tentative as hers initially, but soon there was a bit of lightness that she had become accustomed to. “As to what part of it we need to discuss, you did forbid me from discussing the singing part, so I suppose we’ll have to discuss the kissing.

And there was the heat filling her cheeks again. Why exactly did they need to discuss it? It had happened, she couldn’t stop thinking about it, and well, maybe they did need to discuss it. She rubbed two fingers over her collarbone, knowing he wasn’t quite done speaking and chanced a glance at him. She almost wished she hadn’t, his blue eyes making her feel even more self conscious.

I know you said you didn’t regret it, but I suppose I just wanted to clear the air a bit. Better now than when we’re trying to work together, right?” She gave a slight nod at that. Much better than when they were trying to work, especially with how dangerous that work could become. “Somehow I thought this would be a little easier once I actually got here. That the words would just sort of… fall out, like they did that night. I suppose they are, they just aren’t useful words.

His chuckle belied a nervousness that she certainly felt knotting in her gut. She had no words for any of this yet, and she was doing anything and everything to keep her hands in her lap. When he spoke again, she made herself keep her eyes on him, despite feeling like she needed to put her shield in front of her. “What do you think of me, Aveline? Truthfully. Why do you think I kissed you? And yes, I know you initiated it both times, but I like to think I was an active participant, both times.

Maker how could she even answer that question. Her brows knitted, and she once again forced her gaze to stay level on him as she debated. Everything was hot, and she probably looked like a roasted tomato at this point, but he was being open with her. He was being vulnerable with her, and if she couldn’t be the same then what would that make her. A damned coward, that’s what.

Where to start with all of that,” she said softly, a nervous laugh escaping her. Her mouth was dry, and she said screw it, as she lifted the mug to wet her lips. She offered it to him, in case he was thirsty. “Ale, but no where near as potent as that we had the other night.

She waited a moment to try and collected herself, finally letting her gaze rest on the table again. Papers lay out before her, things that needed her attention. But those things… they could wait. Aveline rarely had moments like this, and as much as it would be easy to dismiss it for her duty, this felt more important to her. A rare thing that.

You’ve been quite the distraction. Well, at least those kisses we are supposed to be talking about.” She wasn’t good at this. Never had been. Wesley and her had met in battle, forged a friendship that led to more. The man across from her, well, this was new territory. There was a kinship here that was in a way similar yet different. “Let me collect myself so I can actually answer your questions.

Another soft laugh and she stood, moving about the room for a moment and stopping near the shuttered window. She turned to look at him when she felt more confident. “To be perfectly frank, it makes me feel better that this isn’t easy for you. Everything you say seems to come easy. Compliments, flirts, wit, jokes. You enunciate all of them with a cool confidence. You even did when you were locked in my jail.

She took a breath through her nose, pressing her lips together. Was the space she had put between them for her own sake? Or something more? “As to what I think of you? Well, there’s a lot of answers to that. But right now, I think you’re a good man who has been hiding himself away for way too long. You cover that up with your charm and your jests which are both infuriating and delightful.

She rubbed a hand over her face, “But after the time we’ve spent together, you’ve become very genuine with me. At first I tried to dismiss it as maybe something you just did. Well no at first I thought you were like every other man who tries to offer me a line. Playing at making a fool of me. But you only ever did that when you were on the other side of those bars.

And I think you reciprocated those kisses because you genuinely meant those things that night. Those things you said, even though it was hard for me to hear them, to believe them. And I… haven’t been that close to someone in a long time, Edwin. I don’t know how to do this…” She gestured to the room as if he should know what she meant by this. “I have no practical experience in it. And I don’t want to be just someone in a line of other someone’s that you kiss.

That last bit made her worry. He was a good looking man. He could choose any pretty girl and likely get her to do anything he wanted with those lines of his, “I’m not like that. I don’t kiss people on a whim.
 
Posts
65
#7
Her blush deepened at his question, and he felt somewhat vindicated. He supposed if he was going to be caught in this quagmire, it was nice to know he was in good company.

“Where to start with all of that.” She let out a laugh that seemed as nerve-wracked as it own had been, then took a sip of her ale before passing it to him. “Ale, but no where near as potent as that we had the other night.”

He reached for the mug, grateful for the drink and for something to do with his hands. Though when he lifted it to his lips, he felt an odd sort of sensation at sharing it with her. They’d shared a waterskin before, so it should hardly signify. But that was… before.

“You’ve been quite the distraction. Well, at least those kisses we are supposed to be talking about. Let me collect myself so I can actually answer your questions.”

She stood then, and he watched as she moved to the shuttered window. Somehow waiting on her to answer was not as nerve-wracking as he thought it might be, Perhaps because he knew that when she was ready, she would give him something honest. So he stayed quiet and waited, and when she turned back to him, his eyes lifted to hers.

“To be perfectly frank, it makes me feel better that this isn’t easy for you. Everything you say seems to come easy. Compliments, flirts, wit, jokes. You enunciate all of them with a cool confidence. You even did when you were locked in my jail.”

Because I had to, he thought. But as honest as he’d been with her--as honest as he was likely going to be tonight--he wasn’t ready to tell her that. He certainly wasn’t ready to tell her what would inevitably follow.

“As to what I think of you? Well, there’s a lot of answers to that. But right now, I think you’re a good man who has been hiding himself away for way too long. You cover that up with your charm and your jests which are both infuriating and delightful.”

Edwin sucked in a breath. He’d given away exactly what he thought he had, then; the fact that for just a few moments, he let himself just… be, something he hadn’t done in years. There’d been no need to carefully orchestrate some grand plan. No need to hide himself away from everyone who knew him before. No need to push down the part of him he’d thought buried.

Having her see all of that was terrifying, even if she didn’t know why he’d kept himself hidden. Some part of him wanted to buck at this assessment; to do everything in his power to make her think she was wrong. But what would that prove? What would it accomplish? He would hurt her for absolutely nothing, and he’d feel awful about it after.

“But after the time we’ve spent together, you’ve become very genuine with me. At first I tried to dismiss it as maybe something you just did. Well no at first I thought you were like every other man who tries to offer me a line. Playing at making a fool of me. But you only ever did that when you were on the other side of those bars.”

He felt a bit bad about it now. He’d done what he felt he had to do. What was it Josc had said? When men felt threatened by a woman, they insulted her vanity? He’d felt threatened then, but only because she’d been in control of his fate and he hadn’t yet trusted her to be true to her word.

Knowing others had done that, though… His fingers clenched against his knee and his jaw set briefly.

“And I think you reciprocated those kisses because you genuinely meant those things that night. Those things you said, even though it was hard for me to hear them, to believe them. And I… haven’t been that close to someone in a long time, Edwin. I don’t know how to do this…” He looked around as she gestured, trying to understand what ‘this’ was. “I have no practical experience in it. And I don’t want to be just someone in a line of other someone’s that you kiss.”

So it was as Josc said. He felt compelled to dispel that myth he’d created and cultivated over the years, but he sensed there was more she wished to say.

“I’m not like that. I don’t kiss people on a whim.”

This was it, then. He was going to give up part of that mask; part of the person he pretended to be as Edwin Thatcher. It wasn’t a huge secret to anyone who’d watched him over the years, but it felt like a safety net.

“Neither do I.” Stated simply enough, but there was a world of implication behind it, and he let that sink in for a moment before he continued. “Wit and charm… they’re skills like any other. I’ll concede that maybe some people are better-suited to them than others, but they can be learned. And practiced. For someone like me, they’ve been useful. It’s far easier to charm someone than to try to intimidate them or form a genuine bond with them. So I toss out a few compliments. Flirt unabashedly. It never goes any further than that.”

He looked down at his hand, his fingers flexing. Another sip of ale sounded like an excellent idea right now, but he abstained.

“I don’t know exactly when it stopped being that with you. Sometime before that night, I think. You were honest with me, and so I’ve apparently tried to be honest with you.” In the ways that he could.

He was quiet for a long moment, his thoughts calmed somewhat, but still just out of his grasp. He reached for one, and it made a ripple across the stillness. “The last time I kissed someone for more than show I was… eighteen, I think. I can still remember every detail of that moment. That is what it meant to me. So trust me when I say you are unlikely to become just another ‘someone.’”

There was more tied up in it. That was one of the last happy memories he had before being effectively exiled to Starkhaven. He’d clung to that memory. But he imagined he would have remembered it either way.
 

Aveline Vallen

Guard Captain of Kirkwall
Canon Character
DAO/DA2 Timeline
Posts
45
#8
Neither do I.” Came an admission she truly did not expect from him. He seemed like every roguish man when she first met him, and it was easy to look upon his handsome features and think that he would just use those to get satisfaction. There was a part of her that wanted to shake her head, and tell him that he must be joking. But there was nothing in his tone that held any expression of humor. “Wit and charm… they’re skills like any other. I’ll concede that maybe some people are better-suited to them than others, but they can be learned. And practiced. For someone like me, they’ve been useful. It’s far easier to charm someone than to try to intimidate them or form a genuine bond with them. So I toss out a few compliments. Flirt unabashedly. It never goes any further than that.

His eyes wandered, looking at his hand as if it held an answer to a question he hadn’t asked. She felt herself moving back towards the table, realizing she had distanced herself from him in hopes that it would protect her from anything he said that could hurt.

I don’t know exactly when it stopped being that with you. Sometime before that night, I think. You were honest with me, and so I’ve apparently tried to be honest with you.” She knew he was still hiding things, but Aveline wasn’t one to push. He’d tell her when he was ready to tell her, but still most of this was unexpected. The candidness, maybe not, but it felt like she was witnessing an unburdening as well.

She quietly pulled her chair over near him, sitting down and not interrupting the silence where he lingered. He was working something out, and when he finally said it, she sat there silent herself, “The last time I kissed someone for more than show I was… eighteen, I think. I can still remember every detail of that moment. That is what it meant to me. So trust me when I say you are unlikely to become just another ‘someone.’”

She covered her mouth with a hand, not because she was smiling, but because she was thinking herself. There was a profundity in all of these confessions she was trying to process, and when she finally let it drop she still felt no closer to finding the right words. But she couldn’t let the silence linger between them too long, “So it’s armor. The charm. It suits you well, Edwin.

The words were soft, though she still felt somewhat at a loss, and she looked down, the wooden slats of the floor gaining her focus as she worked out more to say, “I worried overmuch then. I…

She sighed, “I am honest because it’s what I know best. And I appreciate that it brought out honesty in you. I hope this hasn’t pushed you to reveal things to me you never wanted to. I don’t like doing that. I understand protecting yourself.

She smiled just a little, feeling at least somewhat relieved at his confessions the more she thought about them, “Eighteen. While I don’t know your actual age now, I’d guess that was a while ago. I’m honored… in a way.

She struggled with her words. “To be someone you chose, is what I mean. I…

Her hand scraped over her face, and then she blurted out, “I haven’t kissed anyone since Wesley. Four years… and I tried to put him in the past. I watched him die… I…

She took a deep breath. That was too much to unload on him, and she shook her head. “I haven’t felt the desire, is what I’m trying to say, but… while your comments… Maker this is hard.

There is something in you that speaks to me, and I sure as hells don’t know what it is. I find you agreeable and funny and charming and completely nerve-wracking at times. And I kissed you because I wanted to. Because I wanted to feel that again, and I wanted to feel that with you. No one looks at me like you do. Not in a long time, Edwin.” She swallowed as she finally got that out. “When I said too soon, it was the first dishonest thing I had uttered to you though it didn’t feel that way at the time. It’s not too soon for a kiss, and its certainly not too soon to have someone in my life that looks at me the way you do. It might be too soon for other things, but not that.
 
Posts
65
#9
She was surprised by his admission. Of course she was. Everything he’d said, everything he’d done had purposefully painted a picture of a man who had few if any hangups about kissing someone or taking someone to bed or anything inbetween.

He could hardly begrudge those who did find a casual comfort in those things, but Edwin had just never been one of those people. And the fact that he didn’t have to somehow defend himself--the fact that Aveline seemed to believe him--made the rest of it easier to say.

He gave her more truth than anyone had gotten from him in a very long time, and with every honest word that came out of his mouth, Aveline seemed to come closer to him. Maker, if that wasn’t a metaphor for this whole situation, he didn’t know what was.

“So it’s armor,” she mused once he’d finished. “The charm. It suits you well, Edwin.”

“That much I know.” His lips quirked into a devilish grin. Purposeful, yes, but he did feel a bit more confident now.

Aveline seemed to get buried beneath the weight of her own thoughts then. He could empathize. “I worried overmuch then. I…” She sighed, “I am honest because it’s what I know best. And I appreciate that it brought out honesty in you. I hope this hasn’t pushed you to reveal things to me you never wanted to. I don’t like doing that. I understand protecting yourself.”

“Oh, it has.” If they were going to be more honest with one another, he could tell her that much, too. “But it was my choice. And… it wasn’t as difficult as I imagined it to be, truth be told.”

A small smile touched her lips, and Edwin felt that now undeniable urge to nurture it again. “Eighteen. While I don’t know your actual age now, I’d guess that was awhile ago. I’m honored… in a way. To be someone you chose, is what I mean. I…”

He was about to respond to that, to try and set her at ease when she barreled onward.

“I haven’t kissed anyone since Wesley. Four years… and I tried to put him in the past. I watched him die… I…”

Edwin’s brow furrowed. He no longer felt as if he’d somehow coerced her or taken advantage, and even now he didn’t think she was trying to tell him she shouldn’t have done what she did because she was still mourning her husband. She was just relating to his lack of experience.

“I haven’t felt the desire, is what I’m trying to say, but… while your comments… Maker this is hard.”

“I think if we’re going off of a scale, single-handedly taking down the Coterie might be slightly easier.”

“There is something in you that speaks to me,” she said, and his attempts at humor fled once more, “and I sure as hells don’t know what it is. I find you agreeable and funny and charming and completely nerve-wracking at times. And I kissed you because I wanted to. Because I wanted to feel that again, and I wanted to feel that with you. No one looks at me like you do. Not in a long time, Edwin.” He met her eyes now, suspecting he was looking at her in quite that way again. “When I said too soon, it was the first dishonest thing I had uttered to you though it didn’t feel that way at the time. It’s not too soon for a kiss, and it’s certainly not too soon to have someone in my life that looks at me the way you do. It might be too soon for other things, but not that.”

Edwin swallowed, trying to make sense of all of that. It sounded as if… Maker, it almost sounded as if she was consenting to more of this. Not the awkward conversations, perhaps, but more of him looking at her in a way he hadn’t realized was significant until that night. More of sharing simple intimacies that seemed to fill a need they both had.

He couldn’t commit to anything more. He knew that. He couldn’t allow himself to develop deeper feelings for someone, or them for him. But Aveline wasn’t looking for those things. In a way, it was perfect. A little too perfect, in some respects, so he didn’t allow himself to grab onto that idea just yet.

He licked his suddenly dry lips and searched for something to say. “I feel like I should explain what I meant by ‘remarkable,’ since you didn’t seem terribly impressed with that word.” Quite the opposite, he imagined. That word and the sentiment that surrounded it must have caused many of these thoughts. “I find your honesty refreshing. And as much as your idealism sometimes frustrates me, I admire it. You have an astounding amount of empathy and compassion for the people of Kirkwall. You have this way of speaking, this way of being when you truly believe in something. It’s… a sight to behold.”

He thought back to his conversation with Josc and smiled. It might be worth it to earn her wrath, just to see the full extent of that passion.

“...But I must confess I also rather like being able to make you blush. I’m a bit torn on the point of my being the only person to look at you in the way I do. On the one hand, I fear for the future of Kirkwall if no one else is able to see what I see. And yet…” His gaze cast to hers. “I’m not sure I mind keeping that all to myself.”

Maker, that was a far bolder thing to say than he actually felt. Oh, he did quite like the idea. That wasn’t a lie. But a man who was actually in possession of the wit and charm he pretended to have would have likely followed that up with an intensely smoldering look, for starters. He would have leaned forward in his chair, maybe given into that urge to run his fingers through her unbound hair.

Edwin, meanwhile, had to make a concerted effort to remember to breathe. But… he did manage one more remark that was all him. “And… for the record? Had you not told me, I never would’ve guessed it’d been four years. You’ve been quite the distraction for me, too.”

Perhaps her kisses lacked the initial confidence of someone like Josc, but once she committed, she’d not backed down. Especially from that second kiss; the one that had lingered like a buzz of sensation ever since.

He reached for the mug then, suddenly needing that sip of ale after all. The whole time, he kept watching her over the rim, offering the mug to her once more, now with less distance between them. That small shot of liquid courage seemed to do the trick, and he finally got around to saying, “You were right. I did mean those things I said, and I still do.” It was like he knew exactly what I was feeling. The words he shouldn’t know echoed through his mind, and he added, “That was why I responded the first time. The second time…” He reached for that feeling, held onto it as if it was treasured. Perhaps he was coming to find that it was. “I’ve spent a very long time being unremarkable; invisible to most people, beyond a handsome face and a few charming words. I need to be, otherwise my work, my goals fall apart. But… I didn’t feel I had to be, with you. Just for that little bit of time. And I haven’t been able to stop thinking of that since.”
 

Aveline Vallen

Guard Captain of Kirkwall
Canon Character
DAO/DA2 Timeline
Posts
45
#10
Oh, it has.” He said while she was trying to get her words to work, and it caused a slight frown until he added a bit more. “But it was my choice. And… it wasn’t as difficult as I imagined it to be, truth be told.

A choice, not coercion. That was good, choice was good. She continued on trying to force out her own words, and he made a few humorous asides. Which she decided was very well fitting for the situation. It was serious, but not in a dire way.

When she finally took a breath, she realized she really hadn’t given him much room to speak. But she needed to get out those answers while she could, while her tongue would --mostly-- cooperate. He took a moment to digest what she had said, but he didn’t look spooked, so she decided that at least was a good thing. She had a tendency to come on strong in everything, why not in a situation like this. Memories wanted to surface then for comparison, but no, that wasn’t fair to Edwin. This was not the past, this was now, and what this was though undefined was likely fragile. It needed no additional weight than what they two brought on it.

I feel like I should explain what I meant by ‘remarkable,’ since you didn’t seem terribly impressed with that word.” No she hadn’t been, because she didn’t feel remarkable in the slightest. She didn’t want to be remarkable either, though as he continued she tried to see herself through his eyes. “I find your honesty refreshing. And as much as your idealism sometimes frustrates me, I admire it. You have an astounding amount of empathy and compassion for the people of Kirkwall. You have this way of speaking, this way of being when you truly believe in something. It’s… a sight to behold.

Well, there it was, that heat rising again. Those were traits that she felt were necessary in her life, save for what she would normally see as embellishments. But they weren’t embellishments for him, were they? She had to look away again, sure that her skin was flush. How did one take compliments that were put in such a lovely way? Genuine, truthful compliments that he believed about her.

...But I must confess I also rather like being able to make you blush. I’m a bit torn on the point of my being the only person to look at you in the way I do. On the one hand, I fear for the future of Kirkwall if no one else is able to see what I see. And yet…” She looked up in time to meet his eyes, knowing that at that moment she was blushing furiously. “I’m not sure I mind keeping that all to myself.

She had the urge to cover her face then, and hide from his scrutiny. It was not bad scrutiny, but she felt self conscious and warm and knotted and just all around lost. Forcing her hands to stay on her thighs, gripping at the cloth of her pants, she gave him a nervous laugh. “You are very good at making me blush.

She’d tried to ignore those at first. Especially when he had been her prisoner and not her… partner? Business wise that was an appropriate term, but in this space it felt like it had a context that was too heavy for what was going on. While his comment was playful, it seemed to put him on edge too, as if keeping something just between them was special to him. His nerves on the matter were obvious.

And… for the record? Had you not told me, I never would’ve guessed it’d been four years. You’ve been quite the distraction for me, too.” She licked her lips when he said that, faintly remembering the taste of ale, and the scrape of his whiskers. They had been good kisses, and they had been very troublesome distractions.

She was always a woman of action, but here she was cautious. Here there were boundaries she felt wary of overstepping. She could not make a decision here and rush headlong into it. What was at stake here wasn’t her very life, or the life of someone else. It was that which she guarded above all else, and the only way someone could truly hurt her. Otherwise she might have taken his hand and pulled him to her for another one of those kisses, and ended this conversation.

But this conversation had to happen. This conversation was honest, and laying out the groundwork for how they would proceed after tonight. A kiss could wait, just like anything else it might lead to eventually.

He picked up the mug then, and she suddenly wanted more of it too. Not for its effects, but to wet her throat which felt ever so dry. She took it when offered, thankful for it as he started speaking again.

You were right. I did mean those things I said, and I still do.” Could her face grow ever more read until she bloomed into a bruise. “That was why I responded the first time. The second time…

The second time she had been more forceful, but it was also needy, revealing. “I’ve spent a very long time being unremarkable; invisible to most people, beyond a handsome face and a few charming words. I need to be, otherwise my work, my goals fall apart. But… I didn’t feel I had to be, with you. Just for that little bit of time. And I haven’t been able to stop thinking of that since.

She put the mug down, and touched her fingers to her chin and lips, smiling softly. “I never wanted to respond to those words. I kept telling myself that everything you were saying was to tease me, to get a rise out of me, to be playful because that was who you are. I wanted to ignore how they made me feel, even when I knew… knew that you weren’t putting me on. I argued with myself, even that day we were waiting to catch Chester. That it was just your way of trying to throw me off balance while still being personable.

And maybe there was some truth in that at first, but the night in the tavern had definitely changed that. “I don’t know how to respond to your words, or offer my own that seem anywhere as lovely as you can say them. I am off balance here. But I know that it was nice, as small as that word feels to describe it, to share a moment like that with you. You say you have your work, and your goals. I have the same and they have been my life for a long time now. I didn’t think I had space for something like this in my life.

She would not ask what that work was, or his goals. He held his secrets sacred, she could tell that much. Another deep breath. “But I think there’s enough space for it, Edwin. Enough for the two of us to share something even if it is as simple as a drink, or as complex as a kiss. There doesn’t have to be more, but it felt like it filled a spot in me that’s been missing for a long time. And I’d be wrong to just dismiss it. It’d be wrong of me to dismiss the fact that you are letting me see you.
 

Edwin Thatcher

Theater Major
Posts
65
#11
“You are very good at making me blush,” she admitted.

“I know that, too.” His eyes fairly sparkled, creasing at the corners.

His tone sobered after that, and he kept talking, one word after the next until he’d managed to say some approximation of what he’d intended. Well, that wasn’t exactly true. He hadn’t intended any of this. But sitting here with her, in this quiet, intimate moment… it seemed inevitable that it would happen.

She smiled at his last admission. Soft. Private. If there’d been someone standing across the room from them now, they might not have noticed. But she might as well have hung a few of the stars in the sky with how much that smile seemed to light up the room to him.

It was a ridiculous thought to have, and even he couldn’t manage to say it aloud. She’d extended her trust to him so far, but that would likely cross right over into the absurd, as far as she was concerned. But Edwin was content telling himself it was just his usual flair for dramatics, matched with just how genuine that smile felt.

“I never wanted to respond to those words. I kept telling myself that everything you were saying was to tease me, to get a rise out of me, to be playful because that was who you are. I wanted to ignore how they made me feel, even when I knew… knew that you weren’t putting me on. I argued with myself, even that day we were waiting to catch Chester. That it was just your way of trying to throw me off balance while still being personable.”

Were these the doubts Josc had told him about? He couldn’t fault her for having them. Whatever her experience had been with men of a similarly roguish caliber, he knew how his words must have come across after how excessively he’d needled her while he was behind bars.

She didn’t seem to doubt him any longer. At least not while he was here, bearing a part of himself he hadn’t let anyone so much as glimpse in years.

“I don’t know how to respond to your words, or offer my own that seem anywhere as lovely as you can say them. I am off balance here. But I know that it was nice, as small as that word feels to describe it, to share a moment like that with you. You say you have your work, and your goals. I have the same and they have been my life for a long time now. I didn’t think I had space for something like this in my life.”

Didn’t think? He drew in a breath and held it, giving her space to continue. He didn’t know when he’d started wanting this so badly. When had he started to consider himself worthy of even a few fleeting moments of contentment? Maybe, dare he say it… happiness. How was he not desperately trying to talk himself out of this?

Because he needed it. That was the answer. Because he’d had the slightest taste, and now he needed more of exactly that. Nothing beyond it. He didn’t have room in his life for anything beyond it.

If she was making the offer… could he accept it? If she was not… would he make it himself? He didn’t even know how he’d phrase it if it came to that. Could I possibly convince you to take up some kind of kissing pact with me? No more, no less. It’ll just be understood that when we’re alone together--when we’re not working--should the urge strike… It sounded juvenile. Like the suggestion of a boy trying to sneak some mostly respectable time with a girl he fancied. Perhaps that was what happened when you’d taken things no further, and only then eight years past.

“But I think there’s enough space for it, Edwin. Enough for the two of us to share something even if it is as simple as a drink, or as complex as a kiss. There doesn’t have to be more, but it felt like it filled a spot in me that’s been missing for a long time. And I’d be wrong to just dismiss it. It’d be wrong of me to dismiss the fact that you are letting me see you.”

He finally let out that breath on a shaky exhale. He itched to touch her; to draw from this warmth she was emitting. But there was one thing he needed made explicitly clear. He thought he knew the answer. He wasn’t a stupid man, by any stretch of the imagination. Yet right now, he felt disarmed of his wit, his intellect, and every shred of good sense in his possession.

“And… these things that shouldn’t be dismissed… are we speaking of past things…? I would hope we’d both come to the conclusion that there was nothing wrong in what happened the other night. We haven’t any regrets, and as much as I tried to deny it at first, I think it was good that it happened. For both of us.”

Edwin’s throat worked as he swallowed. Then, very slowly, very deliberately, he lifted his hand from where it rested on his knee and rested it atop hers. His heart was pounding, practically slamming against his ribcage, but he didn’t back down.

“Or are we speaking of the present… and perhaps the future? You’ve been honest with me, Aveline, and I thank you for that. But I need you to be honest with the both of us in this. I have no idea how this would work. I know there must be boundaries, but I don’t yet know what they are. What I do know is that…” Another exhale. “I’ve wanted to kiss you since I saw you in the main room, and I don’t imagine that feeling’s going to pass on its own. But if it is too soon after all, tell me now. I’ll not think any less of you for changing your mind.”
 

Aveline Vallen

Guard Captain of Kirkwall
Canon Character
DAO/DA2 Timeline
Posts
45
#12
There was a tentativeness in him once she had finished speaking, as if he was just as unsure how to proceed as she was. Sure, it would be easy to stop talking. And she certainly wanted to stop a couple of times and ignore words. But this was important. It was obviously so important to both of them that they both had a hard time with articulating exactly what they needed to.

That Edwin Thatcher was just as lost in this kind of thing as her was reassuring. That the thing they had shared together at the tavern, and the words they were sharing now, were just theirs in this moment, was special.

And… these things that shouldn’t be dismissed… are we speaking of past things…? I would hope we’d both come to the conclusion that there was nothing wrong in what happened the other night. We haven’t any regrets, and as much as I tried to deny it at first, I think it was good that it happened. For both of us.” He was trying to make sure everything was clear, as if there was a this thin barrier to pierce before they could find their way back to that place.

She looked down at his hand when she felt it touch hers, and she turned hers over, fingertips brushing over the tender skin of his wrist. When she looked back up at him, a bit of her hair had fallen into her eyes. She tossed her head a little, getting most of it out of her vision.

Or are we speaking of the present… and perhaps the future? You’ve been honest with me, Aveline, and I thank you for that. But I need you to be honest with the both of us in this. I have no idea how this would work. I know there must be boundaries, but I don’t yet know what they are. What I do know is that…” Her smile grew just a little, and she felt very shy suddenly. But brave at the same time. A similar feeling when she had him accidentally pinned to the wall after their duet. “I’ve wanted to kiss you since I saw you in the main room, and I don’t imagine that feeling’s going to pass on its own. But if it is too soon after all, tell me now. I’ll not think any less of you for changing your mind.

So the decision here for her was did she respond verbally? Some of what he said felt that it was needed, but a very strong urge in her wanted to just show him. That was what she was used to. Action, doing, instead of this. So in the end, she made the decision for that. After gazing at him for what felt like forever, her hand clutched his wrist and pulled him to her.

The kiss that followed was something in between both of the other night. Slow but firm, needy but confident. Her other hand moved to the side of his neck, wanting to feel the warmth of his skin. It was for all accounts, a very brief kiss. When she pulled back, she was looking up at him with a small nervous grin on her lips.

Hopefully that answers most of your questions, Edwin.” Her voice quiet. She swallowed a bit nervous herself. “As for what is too soon, anything more physical than this closeness. I’m not ready for that, but I’m sure as hells okay with this.
 

Edwin Thatcher

Theater Major
Posts
65
#13
She didn’t pull away from him when he rested his hand atop hers, but then he supposed he hadn’t expected her to. She wasn’t a duplicitous person, and nothing she’d said tonight had led him to believe she would rebuke a simple touch. Still, he felt a warmth spread from his wrist outward when she turned her hand to better fit with his. His heart raced through a handful of beats, and he curled his fingers ever-so-slightly beneath her hand.

Deep down, he knew he wasn’t taking that much of a risk by admitting he most certainly wasn’t thinking of just the other night. But whatever this was felt fragile enough that he didn’t want to chance it. He could say with all honesty that this was the first time he’d felt anything real--beyond that ever-present bitterness, and perhaps a few stirrings of camaraderie for the people he’d befriended over the years--in a very long time.

It felt like a lifeline; something he would be foolish not to cling to. Something he’d be foolish to throw away.

She did seem to consider his question, though, and for a moment he thought he understood a bit better how she felt when he was staring at her so intently. It wasn’t unpleasant, but he felt far more exposed than he would have consented to being with anyone else.

When her fingers closed about his wrist and she pulled him closer, his heart did a swift little flip. She was going to answer him with action, not words, it seemed. And Edwin was all too ready to reciprocate.

The kiss was the perfect outlet for the anticipation he’d felt since seeing her in the main hall. It unraveled in a slow, predictable way as he acknowledged and indulged in it. Her lips were soft, but her mouth was firm against his, a confidence in the action that silenced his worries. He leaned into the kiss, giving that assurance back to her, his free hand finally finding its way her hair, the strands threading through his fingers.

When the kiss broke, he left out a soft breath, a smile curving his lips. He’d known it wasn’t just a trick of the ale that night. He never would have come here if it’d been just that. Still, it was nice to have it confirmed; to know their apparent affinity for one another was not confined to one specific set of circumstances.

“Hopefully that answers most of your questions, Edwin,” she said quietly. “As for what is too soon, anything more physical than this closeness. I’m not ready for that, but I’m sure as hells okay with this.”

His eyes glinted, the corner of his lips tugging upward. Now that he had a definitive answer, it was easier to find some of the confidence he’d lost in discussing what he was thinking and feeling.

“You know, I find I still have an unanswered question or two.” His hand remained precisely where he’d put it, his fingers stroking through her hair, following the slight, natural curve of it. If they had moments like this in the future, he hoped he could convince her to wear her hair down more often. “Just so we’re perfectly clear…”

He initiated the kiss that followed, though he was sure it hardly came as a surprise. Where the first of the night had been a perfect answer--succinct, yes, but perfect nonetheless--this one was a bit more playful. He drew her bottom lip ever so gently between his before breaking the kiss, that smile returning to his lips.

He’d been around enough oversharing Hanged Man patrons to know that a large number of people would eventually grow bored of just this. Right now, Edwin couldn’t count himself among them, and he wasn’t certain if he’d ever be able to. There were so many different ways to kiss someone; so many different things to communicate. Why wouldn’t someone take the time to explore and search out all those subtle differences?

“I think that answers my questions, yes. Though I may have more a bit later,” he said, his hand finally leaving her hair. His fingers traced the slope of her neck before he withdrew. After a pause, he said, “In all seriousness, if I do ever cross a line, please let me know.”

He didn’t think he would--not intentionally, at least… these were boundaries he did not easily cross, as well--but having those words said upfront would make him even more aware of it.

Edwin sat back and let out a slow breath. It felt almost like relief; perhaps it was. While he still felt the hint of nerves, he’d managed to overcome them enough that he thought very little of the fact that he’d not removed his hand from hers, his fingers tracing lightly over her skin.

“Well. I wasn’t entirely sure how this would go, but I’d say it’s gone… rather well.” He smiled, thinking himself rather foolish before; believing he could just sober up and ignore all of this. He was quite glad he hadn’t, though thinking of that night again put another stray thought into his mind, and he grinned. “You know, I blame all of this on that duet.”

He didn’t, but as he found his footing around her once more, it only felt natural to tease a bit.
 

Aveline Vallen

Guard Captain of Kirkwall
Canon Character
DAO/DA2 Timeline
Posts
45
#14
Oh that mischief came back now that he knew her answer to things, she could see it in the curve of his lips, the sparkle in his eye. And it made her smile. When she didn’t know the intention behind such things, she found them frustrating. But even as frustrating as she found them, she realized that they were very much part of him, and that in the end, she enjoyed them.

You know, I find I still have an unanswered question or two.” He seemed fascinated by her hair, even as he jested with her. She refused the desire to lean into his hand because of it, because he seemed to have it just where he wanted it. “Just so we’re perfectly clear…

This time he initiated the kiss. And it was a perfect example of him. Mischievous, warm, and searching all in one. She let him lead, but she wasn’t unresponsive. She just followed the motion of his lips against her, letting him push it to where he wanted. There was a rather satisfied sound in her throat when he drew in her bottom lip, and she felt the blush once more creep across her skin as he pulled back.

He seemed softer when she looked at him, as if there was a burden that had been at least somewhat lifted. He always had a hard edge she noticed, even if it was slight, even if it wasn’t intentional. Right now, he looked like a man who had very little worries outside this room.

When he spoke again, she sucked her bottom lip into her mouth, tongue running along it as if to taste what he left behind. She felt a slight creep of chills move across her skin at his more delicate touch. A sensitivity or just the fact she was exposed, she wasn’t entirely sure. “I think that answers my questions, yes. Though I may have more a bit later. In all seriousness, if I do ever cross a line, please let me know.

I will, Edwin.” She’d used his name a lot tonight. It was intentional on her part. To make him more real in her mind, to make sure he knew that she was only thinking of him in this moment. The corner of her mouth quirked up, but no where near as confident as he was right now, “And I can probably think of a few more myself later. I am pretty good at interrogation.

He sat back, and she wished she had more furniture. More room. A couch. Something that didn’t have them facing each other in separate chairs. There was the bed, but that had connotations she just wasn’t ready to even discuss, may never be ready to discuss. She didn’t let go of his hand, wanting to keep some sort of connection while they spoke.

Well. I wasn’t entirely sure how this would go, but I’d say it’s gone… rather well.” She gave a soft laugh at that. She could understand the worry, she wasn’t sure how this would go either. But it very much appeared that they were on the same page “You know, I blame all of this on that duet.

Her lips pursed and one brow lifted as she looked at him. Her hand tightened around his just briefly, “Don’t think I didn’t notice you changing the lyrics. It was always a golden haired woman, you know.

Her expression softened just a little, “And I hadn’t realized you’d been paying that much attention to my thighs, Edwin. I’m pretty sure the original mentions hips, not thighs.

Maybe she could be the one to make him blush this time. “While it’s not an experience I want to repeat anytime soon, it was fun despite feeling completely out of place. I thank you for pushing me.
 

Edwin Thatcher

Theater Major
Posts
65
#15
That soft, approving sound she made was going to stay with him long after he’d left this room--he was certain of that. Fortunate, then, that they’d come to an accord. Because if things were still hazy between them--if he was not able to look forward to moments like that in the future--he would surely be driven to distraction at every idle moment.

At least now when his mind wandered he would be able to remind himself that he need only seek her out when she had a bit of time to spare to see if he could elicit a similar reaction from her again.

“I will, Edwin,” she said after he asked her to be clear with him if he ever did cross a line she did not wish crossed. “And I can probably think of a few more myself later. I am pretty good at interrogation.”

“I am yours to interrogate whenever you wish.” Too late he realized the gravity of those words, but… did it matter any longer? In this space, in this way, it was true. Even if it was fleeting.

He sat back in his chair then, a smile on his face that turned into a wicked grin as he teased her about their night at the tavern. When he’d first met her, he would have thought her incapable of such a feat; incapable of being anything less than rigid. He was very glad to be wrong--even if he knew it wasn’t on her list of preferred ways to spend an evening.

“Don’t think I didn’t notice you changing the lyrics. It was always a golden haired woman, you know.” The look she gave him and the way her hand tightened around his only made his smile broaden.

“Was it? I don’t remember that,” he lied. “Here I thought it was just a very nice coincidence.”

“And I hadn’t realized you’d been paying that much attention to my thighs, Edwin. I’m pretty sure the original mentions hips, not thighs.”

Maker, he had forgotten about that part. Now he wasn’t ever going to forget it. He had to will himself not to look away from her face; not to let himself confirm that such a change of the lyrics had been very, very warranted. His own face heated, and he cleared his throat.

“I’ll be sure to write my retraction and deliver it to Madame first thing in the morning,” he said, “though I rather liked my version. As the designated ‘younger man,’ I do have to bring a few innovations to the table.”

“While it’s not an experience I want to repeat anytime soon, it was fun despite feeling completely out of place. I thank you for pushing me.”

“You’re the one who agreed to do it,” he said with a smile. “You could have declined; I would have let you have that refusal.” After a bit of teasing, no doubt. “It was a thing of beauty to see that determination of yours put to work on a far lighter task, though.”

His finger traced a lazy, undefined pattern over her palm as he thought back on her performance. The first one this time. No mention of thighs to be found there. No, that song was far more somber, and Edwin’s tone changed to match it.

“I never got around to saying it that night, but your Orlesian sounds rather natural. There’s a lovely cadence to it that I find few speakers can achieve--myself included. Did you live in Orlais for a time, or was it something your father taught you?”

He hoped it wasn’t too somber a change, but he supposed they’d now established that she could simply kiss him if she ever wanted him to shut up. Really, though, he found himself interested in the answers to questions he might have only asked in passing before.
 

Aveline Vallen

Guard Captain of Kirkwall
Canon Character
DAO/DA2 Timeline
Posts
45
#16
I am yours to interrogate whenever you wish.” He joked back, though if she had let herself think overlong, such a jest could have made him uncomfortable due to his previous occupation in her jail. Thankfully it didn’t change the tone of their conversation, and she chuckled lightly at his words.

When she called him out on changing the haircolor, he feigned ignorance. It had been intentional, and his nonchalant way of saying it hadn’t alerted her to the fact. However, that was not the best thing to come out of discussing the song itself.

No, Aveline finally succeeded in making him blush. She felt like she spent at least half the time they were together blushing, it was about time he joined in the fun. He cleared his throat a moment later, “I’ll be sure to write my retraction and deliver it to Madame first thing in the morning. Though I rather liked my version. As the designated ‘younger man,’ I do have to bring a few innovations to the table.

Which reminds me, how old are you?” She asked, laughing a little. “And so you don’t feel so on the spot, I’m thirty-one.

She went on to let him know the duet wasn’t exactly an experience she was looking to repeat, “You’re the one who agreed to do it. You could have declined; I would have let you have that refusal. It was a thing of beauty to see that determination of yours put to work on a far lighter task, though.

I don’t even remember why I agreed to it, but it was likely a combination of ale and the way you were looking at me that persuaded me.” She grinned. “And once I say that I’ll do something, I don’t back out of it.”

Just like this. She wouldn’t be backing out of this, even if it was only scarce moments. The investigation was ramping up, and she was sure sleepless nights were on the horizon. That and whatever else Kirkwall threw at her. There were plenty of criminals causing her to not have so much free time.

Edwin’s demeanor changed after a moment, and while he didn’t look upset, he did not seem as mischievous. His thoughts had turned to something else, “I never got around to saying it that night, but your Orlesian sounds rather natural. There’s a lovely cadence to it that I find few speakers can achieve--myself included. Did you live in Orlais for a time, or was it something your father taught you?

Was born in Orlais actually. I barely remember it, we moved to Ferelden when I was still so young. My father was a chevalier before that, but his patron found himself on the losing side of their vaulted game.” It had been leave, or they all die. At least that’s what her father had told her. She could still hear his voice sometimes, and it was easier when she spoke Orlesian. She’d been told it was flawless before, but she had spent most of her life speaking it to her father when it was just the two of them. “So Orlesian was my first language, but I grew up in Ferelden. They tend to knock the Orlesian accent right out of you quick if you aren’t high society.

I shouldn’t be surprised you can speak it.” Her face blossomed into a warm smile, <<Though I am curious to hear your accent. Perhaps you will indulge me?>>
 

Edwin Thatcher

Theater Major
Posts
65
#17
“Which reminds me, how old are you?” She asked with a laugh. “And so you don’t feel so on the spot, I’m thirty-one.”

That earned her a full-blown smirk; likely the first one he’d given her this evening. “Twenty-six.” He laughed softly. “Five years, then. Not so large a gap as in the song, I would wager. It’s almost a respectable difference in ages. I hope you’re not too disappointed.”

They spoke a bit more of the duet, and Edwin praised her for having the courage and determination to do something that clearly wasn’t to her normal tastes.

“I don’t even remember why I agreed to it, but it was likely a combination of ale and the way you were looking at me that persuaded me.” He answered her grin with one of his own. “And once I say that I’ll do something, I don’t back out of it.”

Oh, he’d certainly seen that. There was an implication there, too. She wasn’t the flighty sort; she wasn’t going to change her mind about what they’d agreed to tonight. She wouldn’t have committed to it if she was unsure, and Edwin took a great deal of comfort from that fact.

The tone of the conversation changed then as he asked her about her familiarity with Orlesian. It was a frustrating language, he’d always thought as a boy, but a lovely one to speak in if one could understand the internal rhythm.

“Was born in Orlais actually. I barely remember it, we moved to Ferelden when I was still so young. My father was a chevalier before that, but his patron found himself on the losing side of their vaulted game.” Leaving Orlais hadn’t been by choice, then. He felt a strange kinship with the man in that. It was an odd curiosity of life, how differently things could go if certain events did not transpire. “So Orlesian was my first language, but I grew up in Ferelden. They tend to knock the Orlesian accent right out of you quick if you aren’t high society.”

So he’d heard, though his mind had darted too swiftly to the next thought to voice that. He’d heard many chevaliers were of noble birth. Lesser nobles--sometimes in name alone--but nobles nonetheless. He couldn’t help but wonder if that had been the case for her father, but he supposed it hardly mattered now. He’d been all but exiled.

His thoughts jumped from those to Aveline herself. Specifically, her name. He’d thought there was something familiar about it, and now he understood why. “Your father must have named you after the Aveline, then. I remember reading that story.”

Truth be told, it wasn’t the most pleasant story. It had a rather horrendous start, and an awful end, though he supposed it was meant to be an inspirational tale. At his most cynical, all Edwin saw was a world full of fools who continuously rejected a woman of merit, only to realize the error of their ways all too late.

“I shouldn’t be surprised you can speak it,” Aveline said, gently pulling him from his thoughts with a warm smile, <<Though I am curious to hear your accent. Perhaps you will indulge me?>>

Edwin laughed softly, amusement marking his features. <<It’s nowhere near as impressive as your own. I am fluent, but any competency I had with the nuances of the language is long gone.>>

He switched back to Common then, recalling a memory that seemed innocuous enough to share. She already knew he’d grown up wealthy enough to have tutors, after all. “I was better at it when I was a boy. My tutor would become very cross when I got it wrong, and he always made me start over each time. I think the phrase <<that is a very fine hat, may I ask where you acquired it>> is forever burned into my memory,” he said with a grin.

His expression softened a bit. He still had her hand in his, he realized, and his finger hadn’t stopped moving, mapping out a picture of her palm. “I did always want to see it. Val Royeaux, at least. But thus far I’ve not yet made it out of the Marches.”

He fought back the rather bleak thought that he was unlikely to ever make it out of Kirkwall, now, and that his time “abroad” was a particular sort of horror.

“Enough about that,”
he said, knowing the transition clumsy. She’d see through it. He was certain of that. But he trusted her not to press him. “I think your performance on that stage warrants certain compensation--at least a fair trade. So next time, you get to push me into an activity of your choosing.”

He shouldn’t be thinking of a “next time.” A few stolen moments here and there were one thing, but they were both going to be rather busy soon. He doubted they’d have time to spend an entire evening together like they had the other night. Yet perhaps if he put the thought into the world--and the challenge--they could find a bit of time for it after all.
 

Aveline Vallen

Guard Captain of Kirkwall
Canon Character
DAO/DA2 Timeline
Posts
45
#18
Twenty-six.” The grin that bloomed across his face was enough to make her want to hide hers again, but she was strong. She kept her eyes up, and hands where they needed to be -- including the one still holding his, though her grip was not as tight as it had been. “Five years, then. Not so large a gap as in the song, I would wager. It’s almost a respectable difference in ages. I hope you’re not too disappointed.

You look quite younger than that, you know.” She’d pegged him for maybe twenty-two. Though it wasn’t a big difference, she wondered if it had been her own perceptions of his nature that had informed her judgment. “And no, not disappointed in the slightest.

They talked of the song, the changes in lyrics, which while she was able to tease him about played its part in keeping the blush on her cheeks. Though she hoped it had diminished by now, at least not blooming across her whole face at this point. She was no where near her mirror, and wouldn’t check even if she was, though the urge to do so was there.

But for all those teases, Edwin turned the conversation to something semi-serious. He asked about her Orlesian and how nearly flawless her accent was when she had sang the song. Of course, she informed him that it was in fact her birthplace, and the reaction she hoped she wouldn’t get, she most definitely got, “Your father must have named you after the Aveline, then. I remember reading that story.

She winced, and held back the groan that wanted to escape her, “You have the right of it. Not like I particularly care for that story, but he had hopes of me following in his footsteps. And in a way, I guess I have. Just not with the same titles.

Of course chevaliers were more like knights, than they were guardsman, but she could still fill a noble purpose in her line of work. And the skills he had passed on to her were definitely not going to waste.

That he could speak Orlesian was a curious thing to her, and she did wonder how he sounded when he did. Often she was enthralled by those who were fluid with it, though not to the point of pure distraction. It just made her feel a little nostalgic, as if she were touching a piece of her life she left long ago.

<<It’s nowhere near as impressive as your own. I am fluent, but any competency I had with the nuances of the language is long gone.>> He said in what was perfectly passable Orlesian but there was a definitely tone of Kirkwaller in there, and she couldn’t help but grin.

I was better at it when I was a boy. My tutor would become very cross when I got it wrong, and he always made me start over each time. I think the phrase <<that is a very fine hat, may I ask where you acquired it>> is forever burned into my memory,” he added, and she couldn’t help her curiosity with all his mentions of tutors and education. But as much as he had revealed, it had been carefully calculated to not give away anything that could identify what type of life he had lead other than being somewhat privileged.

I did always want to see it. Val Royeaux, at least. But thus far I’ve not yet made it out of the Marches.” She looked down at where his hand was in hers as he spoke, his fingers moving as if of their own accord. It was nice, a connection.

I don’t know if I would ever want to see it. I’m sure it’s beautiful, but… the people who run it are not.” She frowned a little, thinking back on the tale of her father’s disgrace. “Though maybe some day I will move past such petty thoughts.

She thought about the rest of what he said, “The Marches have quite a bit of variety in them alone, though, don’t you think. Each city with its own type of ruler and laws. It appears chaotic, but it works. I have yet to travel to another Marcher city, though I did have the unfortunate opportunity to likely find myself beneath them at one point.

She gave a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes at that. She would rather not think much about those days spent trapped and confined in the Deep Roads, or the horrors she saw there. He seemed to sense the need to change subjects, or maybe his own thoughts had darkened, “Enough about that. I think your performance on that stage warrants certain compensation--at least a fair trade. So next time, you get to push me into an activity of your choosing.

My choosing?” She chuckled, shaking her head. “So, should I get you kitted up to help me train in the practice yard? I wonder if such a thing would enlighten us both?

He used his words, not weapons, in his line of work, but she could not help but be curious as to his level of martial skill. He’d been taught history, art, and Orlesian. Surely whatever family had seen to such an education had not let defense go by the wayside.

Though that isn’t quite a thing that happens on an evening out. I suppose I will just have to let inspiration strike me when we go again. Though if we go back to that tavern, I suggest implementing a single ale limit on us both. Maker, that was much too strong.
 

Edwin Thatcher

Theater Major
Posts
65
#19
“You look quite younger than that, you know. And no, not disappointed in the slightest.”

The smirk remained, but he felt something cold try to wash over him, like fog rolling in from the harbor. He didn’t feel younger. He didn’t even feel twenty-six. He felt much, much older. Those endless days spent in that mold-ridden basement had added ten years to his life, at least.

But he didn’t want to think about that. Not here. Not with her. Right now, these walls were a safe haven. This contact he had with her--their hands touching so innocently--was grounding him in the present; tethering him to a reality that was far less bleak than his memories.

They spoke of more somber things then, and he asked after her name. The pinched expression she wore in response told him everything he needed to know.

“You have the right of it. Not like I particularly care for that story, but he had hopes of me following in his footsteps. And in a way, I guess I have. Just not with the same titles.”

“Oh, the story’s rubbish. I was just thinking that, actually,” he said with a grin, though the expression quickly softened. “You have the respect and admiration of many, and you didn’t have to go through the trouble of dying to get it. I think it’s fairly safe to say your father would be proud.”

She asked to hear his own accent, and her response was about what he’d expected. He was rusty, and lacking the elegance her own speech had. At this point he was just glad he recalled proper grammar. What he needed, though, was some time spent Orlais, and he voiced as much.

“I don’t know if I would ever want to see it. I’m sure it’s beautiful, but… the people who run it are not.” Aveline frowned. “Though maybe some day I will move past such petty thoughts.”

Usually he was canny enough to avoid putting his foot in his mouth. And if that failed, he could typically find some way to play it off and act as if he’d had the intention of making himself look foolish all along. He could do no such thing here.

Instead, he just spoke the truth. “They’re hardly petty thoughts, considering.”

“The Marches have quite a bit of variety in them alone, though, don’t you think,” she said, and Edwin drew in a sharp breath through his nose. “Each city with its own type of ruler and laws. It appears chaotic, but it works. I have yet to travel to another Marcher city, though I did have the unfortunate opportunity to likely find myself beneath them at one point.”

Her expression was enough to ward him away from asking about that particular topic, despite his curiosity being piqued. “Beneath them” could only mean one thing, and he wondered at the circumstances of such a trip. He also wondered what she found down there. So many of the tales he’d heard seemed… less than believable.

Regardless, it wasn’t a topic to discuss tonight, and he certainly didn’t wish to speak of his experiences in other cities. So he moved on, catching her interest with mention of their next outing.

“My choosing? So, should I get you kitted up to help me train in the practice yard? I wonder if such a thing would enlighten us both?”

Edwin’s brows lifted and he smiled, bringing out the dimple on his right cheek. “I suspect it would, though I’m certain I’ll be outmatched. I was instructed in the supposedly honorable art of dueling, and found my own way to less than honorable tactics. I think I could hold my own, so any time you wish to extend the invitation…”

He liked the idea of seeing Aveline with a sword in her hand a bit more than he cared to admit. She would be focused. Determined. And he couldn’t help but think of the many ways he could distract her.

“Though that isn’t quite a thing that happens on an evening out. I suppose I will just have to let inspiration strike me when we go again. Though if we go back to that tavern, I suggest implementing a single ale limit on us both. Maker, that was much too strong.”

Edwin just grinned at that. “And here I thought I wouldn’t be able to convince you to go back to that tavern. It’s only the singing that’s off the table then. I suppose that’s fair enough.”

They’d be far busier in the very near future. Chester’s information would bear fruit soon, and he was certainly committed to seeing this investigation through now. Still, he wouldn’t mind the reprieve. It might be better to plan something, but he didn’t want her to feel guilty if she inevitably got caught up in the mountain of paperwork he was currently preventing her from completing.

Better to play it by ear, but that left a rather… awkward question.

“I likely shouldn’t make a habit of seeking you out here, should I? Tonight will be easy enough to explain away, but consecutive visits… not so much. ...Not that I had planned on making a habit of dropping by.” Maker, he thought he was past this. “But if I did drop by, I imagine I should write first?”

Edwin was very close to rolling his eyes at himself. He was making it sound as if he intended to steal away in the night and scale the side of the Keep until he found her window. He would have business with her, sometimes, and it was perfectly reasonable to call on her then. So long as he didn’t make the visits too frequent, no one would suspect him of having any other motives.
 

Aveline Vallen

Guard Captain of Kirkwall
Canon Character
DAO/DA2 Timeline
Posts
45
#20
Oh, the story’s rubbish. I was just thinking that, actually,” Thank the Maker he wasn’t going to fawn over the story. Though when his expression changed from that mischievous grin she felt a little on edge. He was so quick to move from playful to praising, and it was sometimes hard to be prepared. “You have the respect and admiration of many, and you didn’t have to go through the trouble of dying to get it. I think it’s fairly safe to say your father would be proud.

What could she even say to that? Compliments, even ones that held grains of truth, were hard for her to take. She worked hard to gain that respect, likely twice as hard as many who had held the position before her. She felt a sting in her eyes thinking about her father, and she squeezed Edwin’s hand before trying to move on in the conversation.

Orlais may have been her place of birth, but such a place would never feel like home for her. She would be like a fish out of water in her bluntness, and Edwin seemed to believe her thoughts on Orlais were justified, “They’re hardly petty thoughts, considering.

That earned his hand another squeeze, as she did her best not to let that old pain surface. He wasn’t trying to bring out her grief, but it was still in there, observed when she had time, memories both good and bad.

The conversation moved on after a brief foray into discussing the other cities of the Marches, and they were on to their next possible social activity. Her suggestion brought about a wondrous change in Edwin’s expression. Had he always had dimples? Only one cheek presented one as he smiled a half smile, but it was enough to enrapture her for the brief moment before he spoke, “I suspect it would, though I’m certain I’ll be outmatched. I was instructed in the supposedly honorable art of dueling, and found my own way to less than honorable tactics. I think I could hold my own, so any time you wish to extend the invitation…

Well, he hadn’t back down. Still, she was fascinated by that dimple, and her free hand came up to cup his chin. She ran her thumb along the indentation, grinning herself. “I quite like that. I hope I get to see more of it in the future.

Of course, that didn’t really speak to what he said. He mentioned instruction yet again. But the conversation was moving fast, so she decided to hold off on her question for the moment, “And here I thought I wouldn’t be able to convince you to go back to that tavern. It’s only the singing that’s off the table then. I suppose that’s fair enough.

I wouldn’t mind hearing you up there singing again, but I certainly don’t think we need to inflict my singing voice on anymore people,” she was grinning when she said it, in hopes he’d take the self deprecating remark in the playful spirit she had meant.

He seemed to turn inward a moment, “I likely shouldn’t make a habit of seeking you out here, should I? Tonight will be easy enough to explain away, but consecutive visits… not so much. ...Not that I had planned on making a habit of dropping by. But if I did drop by, I imagine I should write first?

She gave a soft laugh, and leaned forward a bit. “I’ll show you another entrance to the barracks when you leave. You won’t have to go through the Keep itself, though, yes, a little prior notification will help. It won’t get you as many odd looks, and likely keep rumors from flying too much among my subordinates.

Though she very much liked the idea of surprise visits, the fact that she lived hee in the barracks would make them awkward quickly. Better to have things planned. People would still likely talk, but they could say whatever they wanted.

Her thoughts turned to his earlier comment once again, her interest in his past piqued still, “I am curious, and please know that you don’t have to answer this, but what life did you lead before that you had such an education? I have guesses, but it’s not fair to make assumptions. And if you don’t want me to pry I will respect that.

She brought her hand to his face again, wanting to feel over his well-trimmed beard, and steal another touch of that dimple in case he smiled enough for it to show again.
 
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