The Clinic
"Oh darling but he's a nice boy." Defended his wife as she stood by the teakettle on their stove, facing her husband as he sat down for his breakfast.
"I don't know Elora- I heard something about 15 teats and I'm not sure if that boy is even human." Replied the Doctor. His wife giggled, hiding her smile with a hand, she hadn't expected him to have been listening.
"Oh don't be that way- I'm sure she'll like him once they meet." She said, hugging her sides as she watched him eat a plate of eggs and ginger- a weird combination that the doctor insisted that he loved.
"Gah- you know how I feel about this matchmaking hobby of yours." Finishing his food, he set his utensils on the plate.
"Hobby? Our daughters future is a hobby?" Her anger flared. It shown bright behind her eyes.
"Our daughters future doesn't revolve around her marriage, Elora." He said, leaning back in his chair at the table. And so the old argument began.
"I only want to secure something stable for Alixanna to hold on to!"
"She has the clinic!"
"This little matchbox? No!"
"That "little matchbox" has saved dozens of lives- Elora our daughter has a gift- one that will only be wasted if she marries some uppity noble."
"We were once a pair of uppity nobles ourselves, Atlas. Until we came to this backwater town..." She crossed her arms and frowned, staring out the window.
"I just," she continued, "I just want our daughter to know where she came from. I want her to see that we come from a finer substance."
Atlas Ashgrave stood, pushing away from the table with a sigh. He picked up his plate and walked over to his wife, only to bypass her and begin washing his plate in the sink.
"I understand that, Elora. But marrying her off isn't the way... They will take her off to court, I'm sure of it, and not allow her to continue her medicinal studies. That is what I fear."
His wife remained quiet at this point- she knew she couldn't argue with her husband on the point of continuing their daughters education. It was of utmost importance to Atlas that she do so. Instead she simply smiled and squeezed her husbands forearm ,re stepping out of the room.
Atlas knew that this wouldn't be the last he heard of it- and that he'd have to make it up to Elora in some way. He knew his quick, biting tone often wore her out. The doctor began to brainstorm ways to make her smile as he made his way down the stairs into the main room of the clinic. There he rummaged through the shelves- absentmindedly picking up jars and pouches of preserved ingredients. It was on his to do list to make some salves. They were to be picked up sooner or later by an errand boy, Marcel.
His mind was all caught up on Elora, her dreams for their daughter, and Alixanna herself. He knew that she did not care for anyone arranging anything for her- much less a life partner. But... Perhaps his daughter did want to know their noble family? A marriage to a noble would mean returning to Gardenia.
"Bah!" He spat, grinding the herbs into a paste with his anger, "Like I'll allow my daughter to return to such an environment- the same one I struggled for years to escape from." He grumbled before setting the mortar aside, just as the front door opened and in entered his Ali-girl.
The fathers foul mood dissipated and he smiled at her approach- a rare expression to grace the old mans face. At her offer to help him he nodded,
"Morning- how is my Ali-girl?" He stood- slowly, lest he annoy is knee, and turned to inspect the shelves of ingredients again as he answered her, "We have a house call today. A child is sick with fever. I would go myself- but I feel like it is enough for you to handle. You can go once I've prepared your satchel with the necessaries."
He noticed that their yarrow jar was empty- he turned toward his daughter,
"Seems like we're out of yarrow- remind me to tell Farrest to fetch us some."
He began to pack the satchel with the necessary treatments for the appointment. Salves for cooling. Bitter roots for chewing.
Thieves Landing
Ezra placed a hand over his heart at her threats, he groaned as if it pained him to hear such biting words,
"The fair ladies tongue lashes out- sharper than any dagger yet coated with sugar- no doubt a poison to corrode my heart." He said dramatically, clearly seeing the hate behind her eyes but refusing to acknowledge it. The man smiled and dropped his hand,
"How was my Varric impression?" He asked with a chuckle, only to feel like his stay would be a short-lived one. Honestly he was surprised he lasted this long without a punch to the face or gut.
"Too tired for a row, I see- understandable. I wouldn't want to end up hurting you." He said with a snort, puffing up his chest absentmindedly as he said so- a pretentious alpha male. Something in the way her fingers tensed- as if ready to do him harm- unnerved him to the point where he bowed.
"I must take my leave. Sleep well and dream of me." He purred, not daring to touch her as he passed and made his way down the road.
Ezra Audigarde's ears and cheeks burned red- he seriously had a problem when it came to angry women.
"I think I'm infatuated with her infuriation.." He said to no one in particular.
~~~
A handful of minutes later Ezra stumbled into town. He really had no plans for the day- although getting something to eat began to rank higher and higher as the minutes passed. The pocket of hunger in his stomach was begin to grow voraciously. Maybe he'd stop by the bakery. The chapel served gruel- although that shit was nasty- he wasn't quite that desperately hungry yet.
It was these thoughts that he was jolted from when he turned a street corner and he saw them. They were hugging- the whole situation seemed rather intimate. So Ezra did something peculiar- he hid. He did not know why- but he felt that, if he were seen, it would make him feel like an intruder. And so he hid behind a fence- a rickety old thing that barely covered him- and watched them from between the posts.
Guinevere was a hot mess. Her hair was all wild and her face was red- no doubt from beating the shit out of the sparring dummy. And embracing her was Varric- who looked uncharacteristically serious. When they pulled apart Ezra found himself searching Varrics face for something- but he did not know what.
"What are you doing..."
Recognising the voice Ezra spun and looked up, his eyes meeting the soft brown ones of a village child.
"Mykiel-"
"Why are you being creepy again?" Asked the boy, trying to peak over his shoulder at Guinevere and Varric.
Embarrassed, Ezra waved him away from the view,
"Shhh- hush now they'll see us."
"Buy me a chocolate later or I'll scream."
"Mykiel I have no coi-"
"EWW EZRA WHAT AR-"
"SHHHH- fine fine I'll by you chocolate fine!"
"Two chocolates."
"Listen here you little tyrant-"
Mykiel drew in his breath to scream again- but Ezra covered his mouth,
"Two chocolates for the boy! Now go-" And he prodded the boy away. Mykiel skipped along, grinning madly.
@Adorabadass @BlueAjah