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The contact sparks up a suggestion of movement in Ellis' body, not exactly up and away, but a passing, indecisive tension. Bracing, a rolling of his shoulders and shifting on the steps, before Ellis settles under Bastien's hand, heeds the knock of his thumb.
It still takes a few moments for Ellis to choose his words.
This too might be familiar to Bastien, if Ellis were to explain it. The care that goes into giving over a piece of himself. He turns it over and over in his head, hesitating, paring down the sentiment to the heart of the thing before his attention lifts from their hands to Bastien's face.
"My family name was Ginsberg," is a small thing, isn't it? The ring might have told it to Bastien already. Ellis can't be sure, won't ask. "I stopped using it a long time ago."
Bastien isn't a rifter. And he is an intelligent man. He'll be able to spin out a conclusion for himself without Ellis needing to say it aloud.
It still takes a few moments for Ellis to choose his words.
This too might be familiar to Bastien, if Ellis were to explain it. The care that goes into giving over a piece of himself. He turns it over and over in his head, hesitating, paring down the sentiment to the heart of the thing before his attention lifts from their hands to Bastien's face.
"My family name was Ginsberg," is a small thing, isn't it? The ring might have told it to Bastien already. Ellis can't be sure, won't ask. "I stopped using it a long time ago."
Bastien isn't a rifter. And he is an intelligent man. He'll be able to spin out a conclusion for himself without Ellis needing to say it aloud.
Maybe he's intelligent. Unfortunately, he's at least equally imaginative, and with so little context Bastien spins out not a conclusion but an array of possibilities. A family Ellis was ashamed of, a family who was ashamed of him. A criminal history or a blood feud that would follow his full name across Thedas. A decision to leave behind something painful, tossing his name into the wind like ashes from an urn.
The heaviness of his no, when asked if he had family in Ferelden, had made Bastien guess his family must be dead—but only a guess.
He looks at Ellis' profile, searching and inquisitive, but he doesn't ask. After a pause he nods, squeezes Ellis' knuckles in parting before slipping his hand away, and strokes the silky spot behind Ruadh's ear instead.
"It's a good name," he says, tentative. Maybe Ellis hates it. "At least by the sound of it."
The heaviness of his no, when asked if he had family in Ferelden, had made Bastien guess his family must be dead—but only a guess.
He looks at Ellis' profile, searching and inquisitive, but he doesn't ask. After a pause he nods, squeezes Ellis' knuckles in parting before slipping his hand away, and strokes the silky spot behind Ruadh's ear instead.
"It's a good name," he says, tentative. Maybe Ellis hates it. "At least by the sound of it."
There are some kernels of truth in these possibilities. His family would be ashamed of the man he'd become, perhaps. Or the many he had been in that stretch of space between refugee and Warden.
And he had let his name turn to ash, scattered across Blight-struck Ferelden lands as he'd boarded the ship that would carry him into the Free Marches.
Ellis' gaze is tipped downward, watching Bastien's hand on his, the flex of his fingers before they lift away. Ellis runs his own thumb over the vacated space as Ruadh's head tips lazily into Bastien's hand.
"It was," Ellis agrees. Bastien's curiosity is not dissimilar to Wysteria's. Ellis is aware of the way it prickles at him, all this unspoken scrutiny. "I'd like it if you kept it to yourself."
And he had let his name turn to ash, scattered across Blight-struck Ferelden lands as he'd boarded the ship that would carry him into the Free Marches.
Ellis' gaze is tipped downward, watching Bastien's hand on his, the flex of his fingers before they lift away. Ellis runs his own thumb over the vacated space as Ruadh's head tips lazily into Bastien's hand.
"It was," Ellis agrees. Bastien's curiosity is not dissimilar to Wysteria's. Ellis is aware of the way it prickles at him, all this unspoken scrutiny. "I'd like it if you kept it to yourself."
Bastien catches that thumb in his peripheral vision. If the dog were not between them, that would be all of the prompting he needed to channel some of his relief at this repaired bridge into leaning against Ellis' solid shoulder again or giving him a silly Orlesian kiss on his serious Fereldan cheek. Some people aren't touched often enough.
But the dog is there, so it would have to be a thing, instead of nothing.
"I will," he says. Barring the unlikely case that giving away Ellis' family name will save a life or the world, he means it.
And then he twists down to kiss the top of Ruadh's broad, scarred head instead, since it's in reach.
But the dog is there, so it would have to be a thing, instead of nothing.
"I will," he says. Barring the unlikely case that giving away Ellis' family name will save a life or the world, he means it.
And then he twists down to kiss the top of Ruadh's broad, scarred head instead, since it's in reach.
I am indeed! Only in the city proper, mind you. I'll be conducting a few months of study relating to the development of new rune forms. I can't enchant anything myself of course, but working alongside someone who can might get us somewhere.
So if there's anything you should like me to bring back with me, or anyone you should wish me to say hello to then you need say only the word. I would be most happy to deliver your various messages.
So if there's anything you should like me to bring back with me, or anyone you should wish me to say hello to then you need say only the word. I would be most happy to deliver your various messages.
Take— [She instantly imagines the semantics of crossing the Waking Sea in a narrow little cabin with herself and the mabari stuffed inside it. How all her things will be insulated with a fine bristle of dog's hair.]
That's very thoughtful. Only I would hardly know how to mind him.
That's very thoughtful. Only I would hardly know how to mind him.
[It's very annoying, for the record. To imagine yourself as a cosmopolitan young lady off on her first solo adventure, only to find oneself abruptly required to take company. Particularly when she can hardly refuse what he's asking. It is a very thoughtful offer. The dog must mean very much to him.]
Well. [WELL.] Yes, suppose I might. If you think he won't be too unhappy about the whole arrangement. And knowing that Derangér will be very cross with me.
Well. [WELL.] Yes, suppose I might. If you think he won't be too unhappy about the whole arrangement. And knowing that Derangér will be very cross with me.
I've brought in a maid to mind the house and all it's various things while I'm away—Bronagh. But if it wouldn't be a terrible imposition to sometimes look in on them, I would be appreciative. I've said something similar to de Foncé, but I imagine him likely to forget more than he doesn't.
[Ugh, fine!]
Very well. I'll take your Ruadh along. But I can promise him nothing more exciting than long hours in a workshop.
[Ugh, fine!]
Very well. I'll take your Ruadh along. But I can promise him nothing more exciting than long hours in a workshop.
Oh not to worry. I've a stipend. Only write down what he prefers to have and I'll see to it.
[Bronagh has strict instructions to see after the goat and the chickens and the dog and not to rearrange any of the furniture. But there can be little harm in doubling up on any of it.]
But more than minding Derangér, there's something else you might do for me should you have the time.
[Bronagh has strict instructions to see after the goat and the chickens and the dog and not to rearrange any of the furniture. But there can be little harm in doubling up on any of it.]
But more than minding Derangér, there's something else you might do for me should you have the time.
Damn, [has the tenor of snapped fingers. Shoot.] I was hoping for some secret well of affection.
Well, I will ask all the same and if you find some way of achieving the same effect with an alternate then I wish you all the best. I'm leaving him with a great deal of our work, you see, and he has just taken on his new position and I think it very likely that Mister Dickerson will use that as an excuse to—you shouldn't say this to him. He'll be cross with me if he knew I said anything to anyone. —That he'll use it as an excuse to shut himself up in the Felandaris office or in the clinic for weeks on end, and I think the effect would be very poor on him. It would be good for his temperament, I think. Were someone to occasionally pry him out to be in the company of something other than paperwork and elven artifacts and the business of stocking the infirmary and so on.
I think he's lonely, and I would make some effort to alleviate it myself but I've run out of time. And I know he wishes to be your friend. But if that isn't what you wish then perhaps you might only do me the favor of encouraging someone else to engage him.
Well, I will ask all the same and if you find some way of achieving the same effect with an alternate then I wish you all the best. I'm leaving him with a great deal of our work, you see, and he has just taken on his new position and I think it very likely that Mister Dickerson will use that as an excuse to—you shouldn't say this to him. He'll be cross with me if he knew I said anything to anyone. —That he'll use it as an excuse to shut himself up in the Felandaris office or in the clinic for weeks on end, and I think the effect would be very poor on him. It would be good for his temperament, I think. Were someone to occasionally pry him out to be in the company of something other than paperwork and elven artifacts and the business of stocking the infirmary and so on.
I think he's lonely, and I would make some effort to alleviate it myself but I've run out of time. And I know he wishes to be your friend. But if that isn't what you wish then perhaps you might only do me the favor of encouraging someone else to engage him.
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