[OPEN] Children of the sun

[stumbledfromtheashes]

who: Iona Lavellan (stumbledfromtheashes) and the Dragon Age folks; Iona Lavellan and OPEN
what: House shopping and catch-all for August.
when: August!
where: Around the Quarantine
warnings: None? Can’t see there being any, but I will edit if that should change.

[Starters to come in the comments; or feel free to toss one up of your own/message me about plotting something!]

Comments

Grateful you're sharing this moment with me [Closed to DA folks]

[stumbledfromtheashes]

Fen’Harel’s damn teeth, what she wouldn’t give for a bloody door. With a LOCK. As much as Iona appreciates communal housing... she’s beginning to think it’s time to move. To find a place of their own – because the thought of moving somewhere without Dorian doesn’t even cross her mind. He might prefer not to, of course, but her initial contemplation of the idea is planning for them both. Just in case.

And she’s had the thought of inviting Cullen to join them. Because it makes sense. Not because she would like to be closer to him. That’s simply a very nice advantage to the idea. (But it’s true. She would.)

They would need rooms enough for anyone else that might arrive from Thedas. Be it either of theirs, or another. Which is certainly a possibility. There’s kind of a lot of them, now.

With this in mind, and several requirements (wherever they end up needs to have room for a library, and some sort of yard, with a lot of plants; and definitely a wine or liquor cellar even if SHE wasn’t insisting on it Dorian would), she begins casually looking at places. Making a list of houses that should be looked at.

Once the list is compiled, she drags Cullen and Dorian and the rest of their lot from Thedas out with her.

[indigobird]

Hawke's actually rather flattered (not to mention surprised) that she was asked along to go house hunting with her fellow Thedosians. She honestly wouldn't have entirely blamed them if they didn't want her living with them. She's no one's Hawke, after all. And not to mention not the easiest housemate to live with.

But hey, she's not about to say anything. At least, not in regards to however much they may come to regret letting her live with them. Instead she's quite the happy, albeit curious tag-a-long. She's never house hunted before. Father and Mother handled that in Ferelden, and in Kirkwall they were gunning for the old Amell estate. She's never had to search and compare, to figure out what she wanted and what she was willing to compromise on. "So what exactly are we looking for in a house? Anything specific?"

[tevinteraltus]

Dorian was well and truly thrilled at the thought of finally getting out of communal housing. He could have left, of course, but the truth of it was, aside from the time he's spent traveling, or being on the lamb trying to keep his former mentor from knowing his location he's never actually lived alone and the thought had been terrifying. He would never, not in a million years or under threats of bodily harm admit that, but he really wasn't very good or knowledgeable about living alone.

He was more than happy to join Iona and the rest of their strange new family on a quest for a new home and he falls into step with them easily enough. To spite having adopted a more modern aesthetic of dress, he still carries a satchel with him along with his staff, because one never knows when they may need a notebook...or a flask. The former is pulled from a small pocket and flipped to a page containing what looks to be a list as he readies a pencil.

"Well, yes. We need a wine cellar, enough space for a sizable library, largish bedrooms with room for sizable beds and I would prefer a walk-in closet."

He looks around at the others, then, waiting to add anything to the list that is necessary.

[happiertimes]

Cullen is still not certain about the entire prospect. He knows what sort of person he is. However, waking up with a certain woman in his arms every morning has been pleasant. And should she want to put up with him, he won't tell her no.

So, when she brings up the possibility of getting a home large enough for everyone from Thedas, he finds it's easy to agree with her. A room with a door is too much to pass up after months of living in the barracks again.

"A yard with enough space to train would not be remiss. I know there is space enough in the barracks, but depending on the distance, it might not be very convenient." He is a man of habit, yes, but so what? "Although, I would be fine with a space that doesn't have fifteen other people snoring in close proximity again."

[nugqueen]

Leliana tags along for this house hunting venture, all too happy to get out and about and see the city more. She's been somewhat a recluse, still wrapping her head around things since Dorian had been nice enough to explain it all to her. She feels somewhat guilty for not knowing Relm or Iona, yet she knows the best way to remedy that is just getting to know them.

"I don't suppose there might be a castle laying around unused?" That was a joke. Leliana gives a nod to the group, a small smile to go with it. She didn't come across with Dalish elves very often in her work as they kept to their nomad ways and she was rooted to her duties within the Chantry and now the Inquisition, but Iona seemed nice enough. She was looking forward to getting to know her.

[happiertimes]

Cullen looks over at Leliana with a half-smile and snorts.

"Something tells me we aren't likely to get that lucky twice."

Although, looking around at the varied architecture of the rest of the Quarantine, they're as likely to find a castle as they are some sort of fantastical ship to live in.

[stumbledfromtheashes]

Iona smirks. “No. As much like home as that would feel. But perhaps something... castle-adjacent.” Really, as long as it has rooms enough for the lot of them, a library and a wine cellar, as well as a space for trees or a garden, she’ll be content. “I’d like enough space in a yard for there to be a corner for trees and flowers and somewhere to keep a hammock.” Not quite as organized as an actual garden. But somewhere she can go when being stuck in the Quarantine is itching at her.

A stopgap before she goes venturing outside the wall again.

[tevinteraltus]

"Please, I'd rather a nice manor house. Castles are far too drafty." He hazards a glace in Cullen's direction as they continue on their way. "And come with far too many holes. Surely there must be one lying about somewhere in this place."

[indigobird]

You fancy people with your castles. Yeesh. Some people have to make do with manors. "Just a manor? How quaint of you, Dorian." But all joking aside: "I do like our requirements. Kirkwall spoiled me a little, and I do miss having a larger, private bedroom. And... it's not a requirement, but if there's a small room that I could use, that would be nice. Just enough space for a desk and maybe a shelf." Of course she doesn't elaborate on what she plans to use this for.

[happiertimes]

Look, Cullen would be happy with just a larger than normal house. Manors are beyond him and the castle was out of necessity for the Inquisition. He is a simple man.

"Holes build character, Dorian. Not that you need the help." Besides, how often did he actually sleep back in Skyhold? Before that, he was sleeping in the tents with the infantry in Haven. And what office? "At least here we won't have to worry about a war room, Leliana."

[nugqueen]

"No, I don't suppose we would need one. Unless there seem to be wars coming up that require it?" Another quip. Still, she's lived in tents and lived in churches and pretty much half her life on the road - a castle is just wishful thinking. Skyhold had everything they needed for the Inquisition. With just a handful of them they didn't need much.

"A manor would work. Just something with a few rooms and all that. Who knows we might find something charming and conveniently abandoned?"