Alec's got it under control (beachdair) wrote in angellogs, @ 2020-09-03 02:03:00 |
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Current mood: | curious |
Entry tags: | alec vael, balthier, iomhar vael, noah fon ronsenburg |
Who: Balthier, Alec, Noah, Basch, Iomhar
When: Current
Where: The Bunansa family house
What: Balthier's chatting with a confused Vael.
Rating/Warnings: Vague discussion of a coup, vague discussion of a son who isn't the smartest described by a medieval equivalent man, Spoilers for Dragon Age 2: Exiled Prince DLC
Status: Complete
Balthier's house right now had him sitting on the table peering at instructions and doing a bit of hemming. The kettle was on, and it was an unusually cool day, resulting in the fall veggies in the garden looking fairly happy, but the summer ones looking pretty bedraggled.
There were a lot of questions hurtling through Alec’s mind right now, admittedly, as they tend to be, and for a moment he was regarding the device and the instructions with extreme skepticism. It’s a natural instinct at this point, of course, and it WOULD well make for an excellent plot to get him out of the way with magic.
Scanning the rest of the device reports, and apparently finding those adult versions of his nephews there, with one of them wearing his elder brother’s face, had calmed the tendency to see trouble where it wasn’t needed, and punching the coordinates into the device had been simple enough. The house he landed near was close enough he could take the final steps into this new world himself, and he was happy enough to do so, his court clothing feeling a bit overly done for this occasion, though he was glad of the ceremonial sword at his hip, just in case.
Balthier turns out to be a fairly tall man, with sandy blond hair and a look that said he probably looked a bit like a knob eared rooster as a teen. Time and some earrings helped, but he still had a swan neck and a cheerful smile. "Hello there. Lord Stanhope, right? Would you like to come in?"
Alec’s got the red hues that Sebastian and Iomhar seem to highlight, though a little more extensive than their own, close to Ellie and Meghan’s all over tone. He gives Balthier a nod, and offers a hand to clasp.
“Aye, so I am. Dugald, as I’m suspecting we’ll not want to be on sae formal a basis as that.” That’s a faint smile there. And it’s not, for all intents and purposes, a lie. It’s not legally a part of his name, but it IS the name he’s used before. “My thanks.” He adds, stepping inside.
"Oh I'm no one special at all. Son of a military man, in another world." Balthier produces cups. "Tea here, if you want to see what smells good to you."
“Family career, eh aye?” Alec’s grin twists up a little, wryly. “I ken that feeling. City business for mine, but I’ve fought my way out of enough scrapes and had the training. No one special myself, when it comes down to it, save for my rendered services.” Being born as the spare does have its benefits in that.
He’s curiously eying the tea. “Several types here? You know a healer, then?” That said, after a moment, he’s nodding toward one of them. “The orange and berry blend.”
"Not exactly. Healers like your home don't exist here, though you can get blends. This one's close to something I grew up drinking, and the rest are mostly varieties that I've tried. We weren't nobility but tasting new and interesting things was pretty common." Balthier sets up the tea pot. "I'm also not a mage, which - from what Sebastian said, it's a negative at your place? I know about magic, but I cannot cast it in any sense that matters from my homeland's definition. If you meet Sebastian, I'd advise being careful about what you say about mages. They're more free in his time, and he's related to one. So it's not a simple thing."
“Ah mages.” Alec shuts his eyes and winces. “It’s no great thing to be a mage. There’s rumors in my family there’s some hint of it, and in the Harrimans, another prominent family, but it’s rumor only. Never find fault wi’ a man’s shoes if you’re not the one to pay his cobbler, hmm?” He’s doing his best not to react TOO much to the mention of Sebastian’s relationship to one in particular. Balthier had mentioned other heirs, but they’d be Calum’s, so that’s odd, even if it’s technically still true. In any case, it implies the rumors have some meaning and, while he’s not a fan of locking anyone in circles, the life of a mage…
“That’s a hard hand to be dealt. For the mage themself. It’s good to hear that’s gotten better. There was talk of un-rest in our circle for...a good number of years.”
"Circles don't exist here. There's a guy who's from another world who's teaching people who want it who know magic? Different school. We had a talk about my stuff." Balthier pours the tea and gestures. "Cakes and cookies. Let's sit and talk until it gets very loud and I'll probably politely retreat since I cannot understand the accents when it really gets going. My stuff was basically a very angry and very powerful man attacked me before I ended up here, so I wanted to discuss how things looked to someone from another magical frame of reference. I suppose a bit like a spy and a soldier talking to a doctor, since they all have different references to how things are."
Alec does look relieved at the news. “That seems best, schools. There’s an Enchanter, up and coming, in Orlais who supports the circles from the public perspective but she’s aiming to turn them into centers of learning instead. Mages have to learn to control their abilities, or it comes close to a weapon they cannae handle with the chance to cause mass destruction but it’s NO reason to keep them from a life. Locking them away alone...it only makes things even worse. “
He raises a brow at the analogy. “Aye, that they would. Different ways of seeing the world. If you get a soldier who’s turned spy...the training it takes is harder for some...so I hear.”
“Ah, thank you.” he accepts a cup of tea and sips.
Balthier sips his own and leans back in his chair. "My father built weapons for the army, and wanted me to follow his footsteps. Until he got worse, it wasn't so bad, but I definitely saw more politics than I wanted. Noah, on the other hand, was originally an Imperial bodyguard. Very high ranking, but not noble either.
“The Prince Consort now, then? The man you mention from your home?” Alec nods slowly. “And well, familiar pressure IS a thing. No’ in mine…” He couldn’t imagine that coming from his father. His brother, well, he wonders where that streak came from in him.
“If you’re no wanting to be around politics it IS hard to avoid in the circumstances you’re describing.”
"Exactly. I decided before I did something rash that I'd get a man out of prison, turned out he was already out -" Balthier waves a hand. "And I ended up here. Wasn't in the best of shape, but I'm better now. Noah arrived a while later with his brother. He and Sebastian decided they'd court for a year, to follow customs and Noah wanted to make sure Sebastian was content with him. Megan, Iomhar's daughter, was recent. She's still coming to terms with things, since she believed Iomhar dead before she got here, so she had a lot of changes in her life."
“Sebastian?” Alec’s starring hard now. “No Cal...Corbinian?” It’s a slip, but one that’s reasonably made as someone close enough to the family, since he’s made it clear he’s in that role. “You did mention he was here? Has that got to do with the thinking Iomhar dead as well?” This is starting to be a madder day than he’d imagined.
“It seems there’s a great deal of Vaels here then.” He’s clearly amused by that thought. “I’m certain that is a full house. And that sounds…” he winces. “Never fun, when you end up in a cell even when it IS part of the plan.”
"I was planning on not seeing much of it, no. And aye. They ended up buying a historical castle since it felt a lot closer to Starkhaven. I've visited there." Balthier raised an eyebrow back at him. "Sebastian. A lot happened in Starkhaven and I don't want to be the one to break it to you. They're here, and healthy enough, and dealing with their things. Sebastian's working on being a mayor of a city, which involves a lot of meetings. Noah's got a job at a local bakery."
Alec’s been in the position more or less. His have been on purpose for the most part, with one that was unplanned and a bit of a mess when he was starting out.
“Ach. That’s…” he nods slowly. “That IS the important thing, at least. And...a mayor... “ He smiles slowly, nodding. “Smaller city than Starkhaven, I’ll guess, but I dinnae pretend much of this place’s making sense to me, yet so I may be wrong on that. Familiar enough in other ways, mind you.”
So, there’s many paths to take here. That’s useful.
“And what is it you’ve found to do with yourself in a place so different from home?”
"I paint theater sets and make jewelry." Balthier grins. "There's still politics, of course, but my old skills were mostly aimed at technology that doesn't exist here. We had magical puzzle locks and flying ships. Still, people fighting about the right color for their stage to yell on is different than the mess at home."
That doesn’t sound like the sort of skillset that would require too much adjustment here, which is a good thing. Alec will have to find SOMETHING. Family or not, he’d go crazy with nothing to call his own, and it’s fairly obvious that he won’t be slipping back into his old role in a place where Starkhaven doesn’t exist. He doesn’t HATE the change but for a few reasons. He does snort at that.
“Smaller messes do put things into perspective while being annoying at the same time. Doesn’t sound so hard to find something to manage here. Though I also must ask.” He shifts a little. “Are they...you’ve said everyone’s coming from different places. Those left behind...do they know we’re absent? I’ve family there...my son. He’s not...I don’t fancy the idea of leaving him to navigate the world alone.” he hedges, eyedarting. “He’s a little...simple. Not in a way that anything seems OFF exactly, but…”
Well, Goran doesn’t have the sense the maker gave a goat. Which is unfair to say out loud, so he doesn’t.
"Let's - bookend some unpleasantness." Balthier leans to top off his cup. "My siblings - remember I said I went to do something unsafe and unsmart by breaking into a prison. One comes from just before he'd visit me, which I do remember happening, but he didn't actually visit me. My sister, on the other hand, was just about to execute a rescue on me. They're my family, but they were from different moments. As far as I know, we don't vanish back in our world, and sometimes people do return for a while and then end up back here. It's not a one to one on time either."
He takes a deep breath. "And the unpleasantness - well - the Harrimans, if that's the right name, possibly were a family that executed a coup. At one point. Sebastian was not there. Calum and Iomhar were eventually killed, after others. That does not mean it will happen in your world. Miss Ellie, for example, knows a Sebastian who is not the one who is here."
“No, he’s...he HAD been in the chantry for a few years. Quite soon after the death of the old prince. And...the Harrimans…” THAT draws something and he looks quite surprised. “Lady Johanne...she IS the princess-consort’s dearest friend. The children played together. I can imagine that would...no’ be easily detected.”
It makes him feel a bit better, both knowing it hasn’t happened yet, and that, when it comes, it’ll probably be so subtle it won’t be possible to beat himself up over missing it. Some things are simply undetectable, and while that is never good enough, there’s times that good enough simply fails to apply.
“And...timing seems...well, we’ll hope it doesn’t come to me being missed. It’d bring about a LOT of problems, too early.” As for his brother...it’s a shock, but it’s one to deal with when there’s time to really sit with the news, perhaps after he’s gotten more details from those who are there. It’s heavy but it’s the sort of heaviness you have to carry for a while before confronting it. Otherwise you’d never get through some days.
"As far as I know, you end up back right where you left, which won't be fun for me." Balthier leans for a bun to nibble. "Mind you, I don't know what happened, for each of them, and it's not - I've got no place trying to force them to talk about anything they're not ready to speak about. From what I've seen, Iomhar seems to blame himself, unfairly, for a lot of things."
“No chance of using what you’ve learnt to change things or...the situation was so dire?” Alec’s frowning. “If you’d a way to plan against it...They warn of meddling in the past, but there are some desperate to try. There’s a magister in Tevinter who has that interest. Alexius or something on those lines. They suggest he’s not quite managed to reach it yet, but those consequences COULD ruin many things. But, the young and the ambitious always find a way. A bit of double edged sword in some cases.”
The rest of that he’ll have to work on himself. Luckily, it seems he’ll have the time. Iomhar in particular, he’s been keeping an eye on, with the idea of training him for ‘diplomatic service’ as it were. It will be interesting to get THAT story.
"Well, from what Iomhar said, he was saddled with being in charge of preserving the royal family's interests, in a situation where he had no good choices." Balthier sighs. "No bloody coup is kind. But - well - Jacob here is someone I know. He was a young man - the sort that would throw himself headfirst into things and was always told he measured about half way to what was wanted. He was told in his future that he'd be betrayed, and hurt, and eventually rescued from it. And he ended up going back to the past and having it happen to him."
Well, there it is. The confirmation of what it was happened. That’s true of the coup and it implies a great many things, but those are best set aside for later on. The theory of what might happen to people is, at least, a bit more useful in the moment. If there WERE a way for someone to return and change things...well, in theory, it’s a fascinating idea at least, and distracting.
“The dread of such a thing…” Alec winces, “Suppose I see the point. “If my own death were told to me, I’d try changing it if I might, but when the events I knew led up to it began...I see the point of how awful it’d be. With any luck, you’ll stay here, then.”
"I'm the happiest I've been in years. My siblings are here. I've adopted a young man who's -" Balthier waves a hand. "He's a gawky enthusiastic stork of a child, but one his parents found to be excess instead of loved. I'm trying my best. Speaking of your son - there are resources for making sure if he shows up, someone can try to get him to you." He thinks about it, staring off into the distance. "I think Jacob said it was not so bad? He lost the technology of now fairly fast, and got lost in what was going on until suddenly he was back here."
Alec laughs at that. “Mine...means well. He’s sweet, and biddable, and the world is going to destroy him, I fear, if he doesnae find the right partner to temper those impulses without crushing them. But, easier than if he were headstrong without listening to reason. I worry for the lad, but not about anything that’d cause greater harm to anyone. He’s eighteen just now. I’ll definitely have a look to the resources, just in case.”
And the technology is a point.
“Ah the transportation and such. I see where that’d spoil anyone.”
"I suspect I may've heard of him, but it's borrowing trouble, you know? Your world, and Sebastian's might not be the same. They're still Vaels." Balthier nudged the bread closer. "I'll split one, but seriously, eat a little. It may help."
Alec is taking a bit of it now, after another sip of tea. “Well, likely.” There’s an added eyedart as he says it which implies, well, something. “And that’s another odd thought. Different in terms of more than time as with you and your family?”
"I'm pretty sure he's not here, but I heard about someone who was a puppet prince in the coup. I hope it wasn't your son, because there was talk about blood magic being used in the palace, but -" Balthier shakes his head. "It's not necessarily what happened to your son, in your world. I didn't ask that many questions. I talked a bit about the coup because we discussed sword play, Iomhar and Calum and myself. Our training wasn't the same."
Which is a statement that has Alec blanching a little, then snorting a little drily. “What gave me away? Is it the eyes? Nose? Goran IS the one who they would use in such a circumstance, I fear. “ And it’s not good news, but it’s also news that’s rather far away, so he’s nodding.
“Well, perhaps the tide may shift...differently there. And if not...perhaps Sebastian is best suited to answer that. “
"Aye. But you remind me a lot of Iomhar, and Noah. They both gnaw at issues till they see around them, so why should I not tell you all I am confident about?" Balthier smiles. "It's the most powerful thing that Noah taught me. Truth's simplest."
“That’s me set to rights.” And the latter part of that IS true enough, though sometimes you’ve got to go with SOME variations on that. Points of view and the like, Alec thinks, acknowledging that with a slight nod.
“And I’ve given you SOME of that truth.” Alec acknowledges. “Dugald Stanhope is a diplomatic operative. “ In terms of his holdings, he’s a duke, and Stanhope and Starkhaven, well. It matches neatly enough. “ I AM the royal spare. Was, I suppose, now. I’ll try not reasoning that out yet until I’ve had a decent sleep, I think. “
"From the sound of things, Sebastian wasn't -" Balthier frowns. "Alien culture and all, but spares seemed like they weren't treated well, in his world. I'm assuming you worked with a spymaster, or were one. Iomhar implied between the coup and his training that he had a hard set of standards to stand up to. Sebastian spoke very fondly of his relatives who weren't his parents. An . . . uncle? Grandfather? Someone who taught him archery and cared about him."
“Depending on the prince.” Alec allows. “With my father, it was never much difference. Less for me in terms of protocol and appearances, but every other way, we were the same. My brother, well, there’s so much one can do to step in. Athair tried that, for Sebastian. And Iomhar...It was a bit early to spring on him yet, but let’s say I was watching and waiting, there. He’s always had the instincts to make a good spy...a good successor if he’d any inclination to that. It was better, when Sebastian finally made it to the chantry last...I want to say it was the spring. “
“Awful as it is to say, there was a better chance at finding someone there to...Kirkwall’s Grand Cleric’s a bit too cautious and dabbles in politics a bit much for the head of the chantry, but she’s a good woman. If anyone would see someone’s heart, it would be her. How he might react to it, well, it’s something I’ll admit to being curious about, though I AM glad he’s stepped away if it didn’t suit him. Forcing that should not have happened but better than that he bleed out in a tavern if my brother…” He shakes his head. “Starkhaven’s a bit of a mess at the moment.”
"He did get some comfort from the church." Balthier shrugs. "You'd likely be happy that he's more content now."
“That’s good.” Alec nods. “Iomhar and I were closer, but Sebastian was...it worried most of us with little room to step in. It’s good to hear he’s settled.” And Iomhar had, it sounds, from what he’s said. Calum could have gone either way. He had been doing a preliminary mission to assess the background of an Antivan princess right before he got here.
"I'd also warn you to uh -" Balthier frowns. "Alien cultures, right? The jokes about Sebastian's teen years before the church will get Noah making odd faces at you. They don't ring the same."
“Ah, no?” Alec blinks. “I’ll remember. Thank you for that. I’ll wager we ARE sometimes a wee bit too direct. ...Perhaps prone to understatement too.”
"It's more - from what Noah said, it was awkward at first, having his brothers back in his life but they were worried that Noah would mind that Sebastian slept with people. And Noah was more worried about why Sebastian wanted to do that." Balthier refills his mug "He's the sort of man who takes everything you say very seriously."
“Ah that.” Alec waves a hand. “Adults DO that. I suppose you’d keep it quieter if you were marrying someone, out of politeness but it’s likely obvious if they’re all old enough they’ve got children that there’s been a bit of bed hopping in the past, no? Unless the Daelish have left them at the doorstep.” he jokes.
“But ah, well. I’d wager it’s that he’s a young man. Was, sorry. And in want of the attention the rank would get him. It’s not something I’ll go making jokes about in front of him, mind.”
"You're welcome, if you think it's wise, it's just -" Balthier thinks about it. "I suppose I know Noah to be cautious about people, so it's tempting to try to smooth the path a bit? He's been kind to me."
“I hardly think it would be sae important as all that to tease my nephew with.” Alec says, “There’s far more ways to manage it that wouldnae be upsetting for his man. Though the others have likely told him all the stories as it is.”
And who better for that than brothers anyway, right?
“It’s not got that important of a meaning in his life that it needs to be discussed in any detail.” Alec is saying, as there’s a noise at the door.
"We're here," Noah says as he opens the door. "If you'll excuse me, I'll take Balthier off to the workroom while you hash this out." He's got a similar accent to Balthier, but a more Starkhaven burr to it. "I've brought my brother with me, Balthier, since I think this may be a while. Hello, Laird Starkhope. We can talk if you desire once your kin's done."
His brother definitely looks to be a twin.
“That seems a good idea.” Alec is standing and crossing over, offering a hand as he surveys them both, “Do the pair of you get doubletakes often?” he asks, grinning a bit. “Or people asking obviously stupid questions?”
“Like you’d not believe.” Basch snorts. “But, for the record, we come color coded for convenience.” As if the hair wasn’t also giving that away. “The others are on their way through. School’s starting after the week-end so there’s a bit of rushing around to be done.”
"Our mother probably picked the colors for convenience, but it did carry over." Noah leans to shake his hand. "Noah. My better half, Basch." He's wearing a slightly flour dusted shirt under one of the blue / green plaid shirts that Sebastian liked. The trousers were a brown pair of jeans that were just soft enough with age to be quite comfortable.
Basch does have a red tshirt, featuring, appropriately enough, a chocobbo. He’d found a website with fan gear and he’d had to grab one for everyone from home in some design or other. He’s holding out a hand after. “So, welcome.”
“Alec.” He’s shaking hands with Noah and Basch. “Well met. Balthier’s been telling me a bit about what’s happened here. It sounds like it has been a LOT for everyone.”
"I'm not sure I want to know what you've told him." Noah sets a tin down on the counter. "Tea. I brought soup, but I doubt the others will eat it, and bread. We've been well here? Considering that it's a totally different world and there's the usual chaos of life and when things are strange, it's still been good."
"Well, I welcome soup, and your company." Balthier hugs Basch. "The garden's a little bedraggled, I fear."
Basch returns that hug, resting his head on Balthier’s shoulder a moment. “It IS still summer. I’d not expect to look its best for another few weeks at least. I’m glad we’ve got a moment. Or however long we want, I suppose.”
“Not so very much from my side.” Alec admits, looking at Noah seriously. “I’ll take it you’ve heard enough that if I mention my father’s been gone two years, the rest of things will become clear enough without speaking directly. It sounds as if the worst came later on. I will say that it seems my... “
And there’s Iomhar, slipping into the room now, and Alec is turning and starring sharply. “Benneit?” he asks, before he corrects himself with a shake of his head. “Ah, sorry no. You just look SO much like him now.”
Iomhar’s blinking too as he crosses over. “Noooot exactly, no. I'm Iomhar. Older than you kent, I hear. That may no be a good thing, but we’ll see. We’d have to be in what, our twenties, minus Sebastian? Very early ones if that. That is...it’s mad. This place.” he shakes his head, grinning a little. He’ll eventually bring up the coup, but this is not the time to talk about the signs that he failed to notice, or the fact that when it came down to it, he was left over his head because of blood magic that no one managed to recognize. That’s too heavy for the moment.
“So.” he says instead. “You and Noah share a line of work. Well, previous experience.” he nods toward Noah. “Which I’ve been in myself.”
“Why,” Basch turns to Balthier, watching them with some interest. “Do I have the feeling that Risk game just got FAR more interesting?”