Chains That Bind Us (LadyNox & Bud)

[Andronica]

Closed.

[Bud]

Jacob rubbed his forehead and groaned, promising himself that he would never drink another drop. He once again tried to concentrate on the duty rosters pinned on the wall, wondering what the red headed harpy had put him down for this time. He hated this job, the endless patrols, the reports, everything. He would never be here if it hadn't been for one night of stupidity. He had dreams, dreams of tutelage by one of the worlds greatest scholars, travel high and low, from Val Royeaux to Weisshaupt, from Denerim to Minrathous...dreams of delving deep into the Deep Roads to study the creatures within, and even of travelling to Rivain and studying the Qun. All this was denied him now, instead of Darkspawn, he dealt with smugglers, instead of studying the mysteries of the Qun, he listened to the familiar story of petty thieves.

He sighed heavily, as he found his name on the roster. Once again he was to patrol the coast, Maker only knows what he was expected to find there.  He had thought the new Captain would go easier on him, both being from Ferelden and all, but that was not the case, "Jacob, stop lazing about and find a sword! The rest of your patrol is nearly ready to leave," the Harpies voice carried over and he groaned loudly. Muttering under his breath he shuffled over to the nearest rack, picking up the first sword he identified, and slotted it into its scabbard.

Turning slowly he dusted down the front of his armour in vain, hoping that she wouldn't notice its poor condition and approached the Guard Captain, coming to a stop a couple of feet short, "Captain, Jacob Pryer reporting for duty, ma'am!" he said pulling himself to his full height, a full head taller than Avelline, and saluting. He looked a mess, his sleeves of mail rolled up rust accumulating on the metal, and stains covering his tabard. His unkept brown hair cascaded down to his shoulders, and three day stubble was plastered across his face. That could not disguise, however, his well defined jaw, and piercing green eyes.

Cautiously he let his eyes wonder to the Captain's companions. He instantly recognized Varric, from the games he often partook in down at the Hanged Man. Abandoning all sense of decorum in front of his superior he spoke, "Varric, I believe you still owe me ten gold coins..." he smirked readily, thinking of the juice he could buy himself with said coins, already forgetting the promise he made to himself earlier. His eyes then wandered over to a face many now recognized, a fellow Ferelden, and a fairly regular visitor to the barracks, though the first time he'd ever been close enough to speak to her. This was his chance to learn something, anything, to break up the drudgery of his life.

"Serah Hawke!! I was wondering...I mean...I would love to....I mean...Darkspawn...is it true you have seen them? even killed them?" His face lit up with excitement as he bumbled over the words, struggling to find the right ones to convey his thirst, ignoring the glare of Aveline and the bemused smile on the Dwarf's face as he did so.

[Andronica]

While Aveline had turned back toward Hawke to begin discussing what was wrong with the Qun lately, or the bandits, or blood Mage cultists on the coast, she was promptly interrupted. Jacob came forward to introduce himself and be seen off to his patrol properly, which was perhaps one thing the red headed woman could imagine he did well. But the state of his attire left much to be desired about the way she ran the guardsmen, and in turn, it caused her to feel it was a bad representation of her command. She harrumphed at him obviously, folding her arms across her chest. But before she could continue to scold him, Varric spoke.

"You know, we ought to see if this lovely woman will give you more off duty hours so you can come to the Hanged Man more. That way I can take more of your coin and get your absolutely tossed again," he said with a chuckle. The dwarves merchant prince had his laugh for now and threw and apologetic glance toward Aveline, noticing that she was having a difficult time loosening up - and he didn't blame her one bit. However, his suggestion had to wait a moment as Jacob suddenly realized who else was with them. Hawke widened her eyes and grinned broadly when she was met with a barrage of questions.

It was a nice break from the usual work and harassment she endured around Kirkwall.

"Darkspawm? Yes, of course, Varric and Aceline both have gone it to the Deep Roads with me and fought them. It certainly wasn't easy, but I am glad we went," she admitted, even though she had lost her dear brother to the Grey Wardens when they went. If Anders hadn't accompanied them, then Carver would have been as good as dead.

"You should come with us, we'll he taking your patrol to the Wounded Coast tonight just in case the Tal Vashoth get a bit of confidence." Perhaps he could continue to ask her questions there, while also learning a thing or two. Or he could find some armour there that she bet would be better than his tattered chain mail. She waved her hand at him and began ti leave the barracks, "Come along then, we can't be late."

[Bud]

Jacob smiled shyly at Hawke, embarrassed now at his childish outburst and honestly surprised that she would even deem to answer him. Completely forgetting the presence of anyone else, he listened attentively at her response to the question, his face taking on the dreamy, almost child like look as he digested the hint of a scrap that he might learn something worthwhile. His mind ran off with dozens of fresh questions he wanted to ask, each new one popping up supplanting the prior as the next he wished to ask.

"Yeah, great, i'd love go on patrol with you, Serah Hawke," he said, his grin widening as he made to follow Hawke out of the door. He chuckled with glee, the prospect of a patrol with someone interesting to talk to, with the possibility of discussing the Qunari, Tal Vashoth, Darkspawn and other things invigorated him.

"Now hang on just a minute, Jacob!" Aveline's voice cracked like a whip through the air, stopping him short. He drew a sharp in take of breath and turned his head to the Guard Captain as they walked out of the door, "I have had it with you! You show up late, if at all! you're always hungover, you're tardy with civilians, you sleep on the job, and now you accost my guest, completely ignoring your commanding officer. I am putting my foot down now, this ends here! After patrol tonight you are suspended without pay until you can prove to me you have changed and-"

"Come now Aveline, cut the guy a little slack," interjected Varric, "He just got a little excited is all, everybody does it from time to time. Though I must admit, I have never before seen someone so happy to hear about Darkspawn." Aveline turned her gaze down onto the Dwarf and Jacob cringed, not wanting to get between the two friends. His face changed at the prospect of a suspension without pay, the wide grin falling into a deep frown, furrows of worry creasing his face, subconsciously he began to click his tongue against his upper mouth loudly, a nervous tic that carried through the silence as both the Guard Captain and the Dwarf maintained a staring contest.

[Andronica]

When Jacob finished wondering about the Darkspawn, for now at least, Hawke felt a small sense of relief. She didn't mind answering a curious child's questions, but this was a grown man from what she could tell of his stubble lined, square jaw. Despite his mildly intimidating demeanour in that shoddy and dirty armour, he had the wide eyed look of someone much young, more dangerously curious. That was interesting. Maybe it was part of his excitable reaction at seeing the new talk of Kirkwall, fresh out of the Deep Roads with stories of her own to tell. But before they could leave, Aveline out her foot down firmly.

It was obvious why she wasn't a big fan of the darkspawn, after what happened to her husband on the way over from Ferelden. Jacob couldn't possibly know that, but Hawke presumed that recent delve underground pulled up a lot of old memories for Aveline, who likely decided to accompany her out of a sense of duty and obligation despite that discomfort. Reaching out, she placed a hand on the red headed woman's shoulder in an attempt to calm her down. Se and Varric were already locked in quit the glaring contest, which she didn't want to escalate, and Aveline turned a blind eye to so much of what they did already.

"I'm sure you could use a break from watching over Jacob and having to correct his behaviour, then," said Hawke genuinely. Every other time she offered for Aveline to take a day to herself, she declined - and this was the result. "But he'll be safe with us and his patrol out on the Wounded Coast, and you have my word that I'll assess his skill while we're there. I won't bring him back until he shows me that he can be a true guardsman," she concluded, hoping Aveline might agree. Very reluctantly, the Captain nodded stiffly, then shot one last glare toward Varric.

"Now can we go before the Tal Vashoth come out of their caves and see that there's no patrol around? They'll get to have all the fun!" Hawke declared, motioning for the rest of the gathering soldiers to follow her.

[Bud]

Jacob exhaled deeply with relief at the reprieve and followed Hawke out of the door, honestly surprised that Hawke would go out on a limb for him and defend someone she barely knew from a friend. Falling in after Varric and just in front of the first of the other guardsman. Remaining tactfully silent until they were out of earshot of the Captain, he managed to compose his thoughts further as they exited the keep, the humidity of the Kirkwall air hitting them as they did so. He had come to love this city, despite his circumstances, loving the hustle and bustle, the seething under-currant between the Circle and the Templars, the Hanged Man tavern, all catered to his taste. It would be a shame to leave, because someday he must, he mused, if he were to ever follow his dreams.

He pondered Hawke's words from previously. Tal Vashoth on the coast? he had heard reports of them before, but on the few patrols he had made recently he had yet to see one. Smiling once more, Jacob looked skywards, revelling in the fresh air. He realized he owed Hawke an apology, not to mention a thank you for what she had done for him with Aveline, but pondered whether any attempt to do so would be met with anger on her part. Turning his gaze towards Hawke's back, he swallowed the lump in his throat nervously, deciding that he needed to try regardless, and spoke,

"Hawke...I'm uh, sorry for the outburst earlier and for putting you into a bad position with your friend. It's just, that I- you- she- they- well... never mind. Anyway...these Tal Vashoth, do you have any idea why they seem to be in such high numbers on the Coast, or what they want?" he enquired, once again probing for information to sate his thirst. One of the many reasons he disliked the guards was that everything was on a need to know basis and the Guard Captain had a habit of feeling nothing at all was need to know, not to mention the habit of constantly meddling in every patrol, wanting involvement in every decision, not trusting her subordinates to do anything on their own.

Hearing a hearty chuckle, he looked down to see the Dwarf looking over his shoulder at him as they walked through the streets of High Town, his eyes creased with the amusement he obviously felt at Jacob's blundering, "You know kid, Hawke doesn't bite...well, not much anyway, and never without a better reason than you've given her so far. Relax a little, enjoy the patrol and when we're done, we'll all go down to the Hanged Man and have a drink or three...on you of course."

Jacob nodded and chuckled, wiping his brow, before replying with solemn honesty, "I could be penniless and jobless by the end of the night, Varric. Everything rides on this for me, so its hard to relax right now. Hopefully I'll have a reason to celebrate and I can buy you those drinks at the end of it."

Varric fell into silence at that, sparing him one final subdued nod before turning his eyes to the front. They were approaching the steps to Lowtown, and beyond that the City Gates leading out towards the Wounded Coast.

[Andronica]

As Hawke and company were making their way through Hightown, with its busy-bodies and pristine white walls, she could have sworn she heard someone speaking near her. Evalin turned to look over one side of her shoulder but couldn't detect the small voice. When she turned again, she could finally see Jacob on her other side and facing her back - that made it rather difficult to carry on a conversation, but she smirked and humoured him none the less. It was becoming increasingly apparent to Hawke that he was a peculiar young man. Likely not much older than her, if at all, and certainly not as experienced with things outside of Kirkwall.

Waiting as he tried to get his messy string of words out, her brow rose in anticipation. "Oh, I wouldn't worry much. I've never been on Aveline's bad side, it's just difficult to tell that she has a good side. She's always got a lot on her mind, so it may help if you apologize for your tardiness on the job. After tonight, if everything goes well, that might be all you need to do," Hawke suggested, hoping she would be right about her red headed friend who was often more stressed than the Viscount, her mother Leandra, or Isabela - who always seemed to have assassins on her beautiful backside - all wrapped into one.

"But no, I don't really know what the Tal Vashoth are doing there. They could have a number of plans that involve the Qun or general terrorization of the coast. It's always hard to tell with them, they aren't very good with expressing themselves..." she half joked. They eventually came to the Lowtown stairs and Hawke remained quiet as they passed through the semi filthy area. It was a definite change from Hightown, but fortunately not as bad as the awful place where Anders worked. The gate of the city passed above them and the soldiers started to funnel out onto the coast. Dusk had set in, which bathed everything in a nice mixture of dim indigo and golden light.

"Hopefully we don't have a very busy night, Varric," Hawke said as the patrol began its route down the curved rocky sands and around old cave systems. She did want a drink at the Hanged Man, but returning home in one piece was preferable. A night without having to visit Anders to heal the latest bruise or fracture would be splendid.

[Bud]

Jacob nodded at Hawke's words, and remained silent as they continued on through Low Town, the City Gates and out onto the Coast. Perhaps he should apologise to the Captain, after all she had had to put up with a lot from him. He found it hard to speak to people about his problems, particularly the other guards, who all seemed to enjoy the job and the duties it entailed despite the long hours, particularly since Aveline took over. How do you tell such people you find the lives they lead boring without causing grave offence, and how do you tell them you feel you should be doing something better with your own life without sounding arrogant?

As they moved further from the city along the familiar coast road he naturally placed his sword hand on the hilt, looking either side of him, wary for an ambush, yet reluctant to look like a complete amateur. Trying to give off a sense of being relaxed despite the threat, he spoke up, this time surprisingly eloquent compared to his prior standards. His accent was a heavy Ferelden drawl, perhaps more noticeable now due to the higher volume he projected, "I've always been...curious about the Qunari. They always seem so very different to us, more so than the differences between Elves, Dwarves and Humans. Everything right down to the way they think seems strange, well, everything people say about them, as by accounts they say little of themselves."

Hearing a rustling in a set of bushes to his left he quietened down and turned his gaze on it momentarily to ascertain there was no threat, before continuing, "This isn't mentioning their treatment of mages or of conquered peoples...." he sighed, "My Father always says that to beat an enemy you must understand them. If that is the truth, with these Qunari we are well and truly buggered!" Chuckling to show the words' intent, his face fell into a deep frown, and he walked on in silence, contemplating the nature of the Qunari, or perhaps something else entirely.

[Andronica]

As the somewhat large group began to head along the rim of the Coast, intent on following it back to the start of their patrol route by going right through known Tal Vashoth areas, Hawke exhaled softly. These constant queries from Jacob weren't exactly tiring so much as they were unexpected. She was beginning to see why Aveline had lost patience with the man, when he had the countenance of a curious child half of the time. Although that might also be because he had other plans in store for himself, as their red headed friend remarked about his day dreaming. A rather clear sign that his ambitions were elsewhere.

Hoping she didn't come off as rude, Hawke paused. Some of the patrol stopped and looked back to her. She wasn't their guide by any means, but they knew she was an added piece of their security. Evalin merely waved them off so she could speak a little more privately with Jacob. "I think a lot of people hungry for knowledge, with a penchant for the curious, are interested in the Qunari. They have a mystery no one can shake... besides a basalit-an, probably." Hawke had never met a non-Qunari who was on such good terms with those people. Or creatures, whatever they might be called. She thought trees or rocks more resembled their emotional range than humanoids.

"But you're right, we are buggered if we want to try and get to know them," she agreed with a chuckle, then leaned in a little closer.

"Do you always ask these many questions? I've never met a grown man who seems astounded by as much as you. It's usually just the children in the alienage who clamour around for the answers to all of life's questions," Evalin added, partially teasing, trying to prod him out of his pondering state. Even though his hand was on the hilt of his sword, if his mind was wandering he wouldn't be any help in an actual fight - especially if he was taken by surprise. Varric merely grinned over toward Hawke and patted Bianca, humming to himself as he caught up with the rest of the patrol.

[Bud]

Jacob stopped as Hawke did and waited behind as the other guards shuffled on past him, looking at him with that strange look they so often did. He shrugged at them and turned his gaze, focussing on the lithe young woman in front of him, looking at her as a woman as opposed to walking reputation for the first time. As she spoke he admired her lithe form, looking her up and down for a moment, before making eye contact with her, staring into her eyes.

Nodding with agreement at her words on the Qunari, he took on a perplexed look as she leaned in closer to him and voiced the question he knew she must have been thinking. His inquisitiveness and excitement had gotten the better of him, and he had likely put his foot in it. A heavy silence fell between the pair for those few seconds as he considered his reply. Best be honest, he thought sombrely, scratching his chin with his free right hand whilst his left remained firmly gripping the hilt of his sword.

"I, uh....well, to be frank with you, this was never the job I thought I would end up doing. Growing up my mother used to tell me tales of all the places in the world she had seen, and encouraged me to always ask questions and never simply accept what others tell you. After the Blight, though I guess all things get put on hold, no? I fled with my father and sister to Kirkwall, and through circumstances found myself joining the Guard. I know we all have to make do after being thrust from our homes, but its hard accepting that the dreams you had are likely not going to happen. I just can't let them go, not yet, so I end up constantly thinking of what might have been, and that draws the ire of your friend. I guess I am asking so many questions because you seem to be living a similar life to the one I want...I'll uh, I'll stop if you don't like it."

Jacob nodded almost imperceptibly to himself satisfied that his tongue hadn't become tied and he had been coherent. The wind along the coast seemed to be picking up, whistling in his ear, and his already dirty boots being battered with dust picked up. It seemed a storm might be coming in, he mused to himself, and the last thing anyone wanted was to be caught out on the exposed coast when it hit. He wondered whether he should speak up about it, and see if they should turn back towards the city, but worried that saying so would make him look like a coward. One thing was for certain, though, he did not fancy wandering lost around Tal Vashoth and Bandit infested coast roads nearly blind in the middle of a storm.