It's a few hours early, so what.
Jul. 27th, 2010 10:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tehluggageSo yeah, it's ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
fangses's birthday! Woo! And I'm technically posting this on the 27th, but so freaking what, it's the 28th over there, and that's all that matters, right?
Siblingverse, somewhere around a thousand words, pretty much G. Enjoy!
As their reluctant little band travels deeper into the depths of the earth, Hana stares at the intricately carved walls and high, graceful ceilings of these Deep Roads, and wonders what Fade demon first persuaded the dwarves that digging even deeper was a really good idea.
There is no wind slipping by her, carrying the scents and sounds of the forest, there is only the stale smell of air that has lain stagnant for far too long. Even the ruins that held the cursed mirror were not as oppressive as these blasted caves, and their darkspawn infestation.
Hana casts her eye over her companions, ensuring that everyone is still present and intact, and perhaps marveling just a little that most of them seem to be perfectly comfortable here, trapped deep underground within the bones of the Frostbacks.
The dwarf – Oghren, she reminds herself – looks completely at home, teasing Wynne and loudly proclaiming the virtues of his home brew. Briefly, she wonders how he will fare aboveground, if indeed he accompanies them beyond Orzammar, but she suspects that anyone who drinks like that will be happy anywhere there is alcohol. Wynne also seems unaffected by the close confines of the Roads, likely a result of life in the Tower.
Hana shudders slightly at the memory. As terrible as the Sloth demon and his nightmare world in the Fade had been, it had somehow been worse battling through the Tower, floor after floor without any windows to the outside, and the horribly organic sounds of abominations everywhere.
At least here in the caverns, there is room enough to spread out, to be able to fight properly, though admittedly, that is the only truly positive thing she can say about them.
The rest of the party appears to be immune to her skittishness, thankfully. At least, everyone except for her brother. Like her, Telaan was raised in the open, in the forest, and these caverns are affecting him nearly as badly as her. Already, he has had to stop himself from using earth magic to kill darkspawn. The thought of what would happen if he used his earthquake spell here, deep under the ground, is enough to make her pause and shiver.
A heavy arm suddenly drops across her shoulders, causing Hana to jump like a scalded cat and whip out her knife. By the time she feels her heart start beating again, she realizes she is holding it to Alistair’s throat, who is smiling sheepishly down at her.
“Sorry about that, I – uh, didn’t mean to startle you,” he apologizes. “You just looked kind of nervous, so I thought maybe I’d try to distract you, sort of cheer you up. Um. Sorry.” He looks slightly crestfallen now, perhaps afraid he has offended her.
Hana sighs quietly, puts her knife away and tries to smile a little at him. “Thank you,” she says quietly. “I apologize for my overreaction. I…do not like these caves.”
He leans toward her, with a conspiratorial air. “I’m not a fan of them myself, but don’t tell the dwarf that. That’s a really, really big axe he’s holding.”
A laugh escapes her, and Alistair looks pleased with himself. His distraction has served its purpose, for now.
They continue on, chasing Branka ever deeper into the caves, and slowly, Hana’s nervousness returns. The further they go, the more it becomes obvious that the darkspawn are in control, and it is horribly unsettling to see what were obviously once proud structures abused and perverted by hurlocks, genlocks and the like.
Hana watches her brother out of the corner of her eye, trying to ensure that if his nerves do overcome him, she will be there to help, as Alistair was for her. She notices Zevran doing the same, and frowns, briefly. The assassin’s reasons for joining their band had seemed logical and sensible at the time, but now, with him making eyes at her little brother, Hana doesn’t really care about that. She will hold her tongue for now, as Telaan is an adult, he wears the vallaslin with honour, but she will watch them carefully. Years of being his older sister do not stop with a single ceremony.
Suddenly, there is no time for introspection. A band of darkspawn is upon them, and Hana briefly curses, yet again, the caverns that hobble her senses so. Then the hurlocks are there, and there is nothing but the battle.
All goes well, or as well as can be expected in such things, until Telaan forgets himself in the heat of combat, and lets loose with an earthquake spell. The entire cavern shudders, rocks dropping from the ceiling, and anyone still standing is knocked to the ground. Hana has a moment of pure, blind panic at the thought of this anonymous cave being her tomb, but is somehow able to keep from crumbling completely. There are still darkspawn left to kill.
She copes – somehow - until they are once again safe, then walks deliberately over to Telaan, stumbling only slightly along the way. He is collapsed on a convenient rock, shaking slightly.
Telaan manages to raise his head as she approaches, and her stern words vanish at the look in his eyes. She suspects it is exactly the same as in hers, as he offers up a weak smile and pats the rock beside him.
“Idiot,” she murmurs, and collapses gracelessly beside him. They lean into each other, both knowing the fear of the underground, and as always, taking strength and giving support in equal measures.
Hana still hates these caverns, but thankfully, she is not alone.
I managed to write, go me! ...And, er, you. Because it's your birthday, and that's what really matters here.
Happy birthday, o fangy one. May there be cake and presents and general awesomeness!
This 'verse is totally getting its own tag now.
fangses's birthday! Woo! And I'm technically posting this on the 27th, but so freaking what, it's the 28th over there, and that's all that matters, right?Siblingverse, somewhere around a thousand words, pretty much G. Enjoy!
As their reluctant little band travels deeper into the depths of the earth, Hana stares at the intricately carved walls and high, graceful ceilings of these Deep Roads, and wonders what Fade demon first persuaded the dwarves that digging even deeper was a really good idea.
There is no wind slipping by her, carrying the scents and sounds of the forest, there is only the stale smell of air that has lain stagnant for far too long. Even the ruins that held the cursed mirror were not as oppressive as these blasted caves, and their darkspawn infestation.
Hana casts her eye over her companions, ensuring that everyone is still present and intact, and perhaps marveling just a little that most of them seem to be perfectly comfortable here, trapped deep underground within the bones of the Frostbacks.
The dwarf – Oghren, she reminds herself – looks completely at home, teasing Wynne and loudly proclaiming the virtues of his home brew. Briefly, she wonders how he will fare aboveground, if indeed he accompanies them beyond Orzammar, but she suspects that anyone who drinks like that will be happy anywhere there is alcohol. Wynne also seems unaffected by the close confines of the Roads, likely a result of life in the Tower.
Hana shudders slightly at the memory. As terrible as the Sloth demon and his nightmare world in the Fade had been, it had somehow been worse battling through the Tower, floor after floor without any windows to the outside, and the horribly organic sounds of abominations everywhere.
At least here in the caverns, there is room enough to spread out, to be able to fight properly, though admittedly, that is the only truly positive thing she can say about them.
The rest of the party appears to be immune to her skittishness, thankfully. At least, everyone except for her brother. Like her, Telaan was raised in the open, in the forest, and these caverns are affecting him nearly as badly as her. Already, he has had to stop himself from using earth magic to kill darkspawn. The thought of what would happen if he used his earthquake spell here, deep under the ground, is enough to make her pause and shiver.
A heavy arm suddenly drops across her shoulders, causing Hana to jump like a scalded cat and whip out her knife. By the time she feels her heart start beating again, she realizes she is holding it to Alistair’s throat, who is smiling sheepishly down at her.
“Sorry about that, I – uh, didn’t mean to startle you,” he apologizes. “You just looked kind of nervous, so I thought maybe I’d try to distract you, sort of cheer you up. Um. Sorry.” He looks slightly crestfallen now, perhaps afraid he has offended her.
Hana sighs quietly, puts her knife away and tries to smile a little at him. “Thank you,” she says quietly. “I apologize for my overreaction. I…do not like these caves.”
He leans toward her, with a conspiratorial air. “I’m not a fan of them myself, but don’t tell the dwarf that. That’s a really, really big axe he’s holding.”
A laugh escapes her, and Alistair looks pleased with himself. His distraction has served its purpose, for now.
They continue on, chasing Branka ever deeper into the caves, and slowly, Hana’s nervousness returns. The further they go, the more it becomes obvious that the darkspawn are in control, and it is horribly unsettling to see what were obviously once proud structures abused and perverted by hurlocks, genlocks and the like.
Hana watches her brother out of the corner of her eye, trying to ensure that if his nerves do overcome him, she will be there to help, as Alistair was for her. She notices Zevran doing the same, and frowns, briefly. The assassin’s reasons for joining their band had seemed logical and sensible at the time, but now, with him making eyes at her little brother, Hana doesn’t really care about that. She will hold her tongue for now, as Telaan is an adult, he wears the vallaslin with honour, but she will watch them carefully. Years of being his older sister do not stop with a single ceremony.
Suddenly, there is no time for introspection. A band of darkspawn is upon them, and Hana briefly curses, yet again, the caverns that hobble her senses so. Then the hurlocks are there, and there is nothing but the battle.
All goes well, or as well as can be expected in such things, until Telaan forgets himself in the heat of combat, and lets loose with an earthquake spell. The entire cavern shudders, rocks dropping from the ceiling, and anyone still standing is knocked to the ground. Hana has a moment of pure, blind panic at the thought of this anonymous cave being her tomb, but is somehow able to keep from crumbling completely. There are still darkspawn left to kill.
She copes – somehow - until they are once again safe, then walks deliberately over to Telaan, stumbling only slightly along the way. He is collapsed on a convenient rock, shaking slightly.
Telaan manages to raise his head as she approaches, and her stern words vanish at the look in his eyes. She suspects it is exactly the same as in hers, as he offers up a weak smile and pats the rock beside him.
“Idiot,” she murmurs, and collapses gracelessly beside him. They lean into each other, both knowing the fear of the underground, and as always, taking strength and giving support in equal measures.
Hana still hates these caverns, but thankfully, she is not alone.
I managed to write, go me! ...And, er, you. Because it's your birthday, and that's what really matters here.
Happy birthday, o fangy one. May there be cake and presents and general awesomeness!
This 'verse is totally getting its own tag now.
