[ Maybe the door is locked; Kostos didn't try it. He knocked, he got no answer, and since then he's been standing outside, leaning against the wall next to the door and looking at the ceiling and waiting. When he hears footsteps he looks at the source—a Dalish woman—and right back up at the ceiling, because he's waiting for the scoutmaster, and clearly...
[ Beleth rounds the corner, and sees someone waiting by her door. Not unusual, nor is it unusual that she doesn't recognize the man in question. What she hasn't seen in a while is that instantly dismissive glance. Lovely. But Beleth has endured far worse than a few looks, and approaches the man with a pleasant smile, key in hand. ]
Good day, serah. I apologize if I kept you waiting unduly long.
[ The door is promptly unlocked and opened, Beleth strolling inside like she owns the place (which...she kind of does). Kostos is only acknowledged once she reaches her desk, leaning against it and turning to face him. ]
[ Kostos is the kind of introvert for whom pleasantries with strangers requires seems to require more energy than actual physical exercise. Moving his mouth. Constricting his vocal cords. What a pain. So the first part, the good day and meaningless apology, just gets a pursed-lips, eyebrows-raised head-shake meant to convey that it's not a problem—not like he has an appointment—while he peels himself off the wall to follow her inside. ]
My name is Kostos Averesch. They sent me from Skyhold. [ Here's an upgrade from instantly dismissive: curiously skeptical. ] You are the scoutmaster.
[ Beleth raises an eyebrow at him, but her expression remains polite. It's not exactly an uncommon reaction, and truly, not that surprising--few Dalish would be interested in this kind of job. ]
I am indeed the scoutmaster. Beleth Ashara, at your service. [ Insert little head bob here. ] I've been told to expect a Kostos Averesch, I'm glad that we can finally have a chance to meet.
Are you still interested in becoming a scout, then?
[ It's his own request. On the whole, he would possibly be more useful with the soldiers—or doing research—or anything. Mages aren't generally known for their subtlety. He isn't really known for his subtlety, either: he only just not stops looking at her tattoos and meets her eyes instead. ]
I'm here to be a spy— [ A long pause to waffle obviously over forms of address before falling back on what he'd heard elsewhere. ] —Lady Belladonna. Baron Desjardins said that if anyone says I don't have the temperament, I should show you my trick.
[ He doesn't make air quotes, but they're there in his tone and his faint (and accurate) mimicry of an Orlesian accent. ]
A mage spy. [ It's said thoughtfully, rather than mockingly. ] I knew a man like that, once. He was quite good at both, used them remarkably effectively. [ She can say that now because Twisted Fate has fucked off to Creators knew where, and couldn't hear anything she said that was remotely complimentary. ]
[ She meets his eyes briefly, raising her eyebrow. She rather does like being called Lady Belladonna. She needs to get more people to do that. ]
I'll hold off on my judgement regarding your temperament for now, but I'd still like to, ah. [ This sounds so weird. ] See your trick. [ It sounds worse with an Orlesian accent. ]
—it's bad, [ Kostos interjects over her, as if to prove his own point about his temperament by interrupting, and by doing so in a very flat tone, but at least he's self-aware? And that might be a sense of humor about himself hiding under his entirely straight-faced expression.
The expression cracks just a little, though, both corners of his mouth twitching as quickly as if it was only an itch, when she repeats the line back to him. The ghost of a joke he is not going to make. Mainly because being alive has worked out pretty well for him so far and he's not ready to try out the other possibilities quite yet. ]
Fair. [ He holds up both hands. It would be easy to light the office on fire, is always his thought—but he doesn't do that, only pulls his sleeves away from his wrist one at a time, pantomime showmanship that's mismatched with his face and his drawled (and possibly inpertinent) command: ] Hold up some fingers behind your back.
Very well, your temperament is terrible. [ She agrees amicably. Whatever you say, dude. ]
[ The look on her face, her eyebrow slowly raising, hints that she has an idea of what kind of joke that ghost might have been, had it survived its infancy. Alas. But then Kostos goes on and gives her instructions, and the eyebrow just shoots up anyway.
Putting her hands behind her back so a strange mage could show her his trick. ]
If your trick is that you are secretly an assassin and will kill me once I comply, I hope you'll have the courtesy to lie about how I fought bravely.
[ She doesn't seem too worried about this possibility, though, even as she puts her hands behind her back, and holds up exactly four fingers. ]
[ Offhand, distracted—but a moment and a half later, once the magic that had been distracting him is finished and a white-light wisp of a spirit is bobbing between his upheld hands, he belatedly gives her a look with the faintest eyebrow tilt to say what. What a strange elf.
He cups a hand under the spirit for a second and then withdraws it, and it drifts away from him. But with purpose. That's part of the trick. Behind Beleth and back around toward him, making a pleased burbling humming sound and briefly detouring to hover near her plants, until Kostos gives the wisp a cross look to match the disapproval that the little thing is able to feel emanating from him.
It can feel gratitude, too, so he doesn't say thank you before sending it back where it came from and holding up four of his fingers to mimic Beleth's. ]
[ Beleth watches Kostos with a curious interest. She's no mage, and the Dalish rarely consort with spirits, so she hasn't had many dealings with this type of magic. The--that's a spirit, right? A wisp?? The wisp is also observed, as much as Beleth can watch it without moving.
Once he finishes his little party trick, Beleth looks genuinely impressed, and gives him whatever the Thedas equivalent of a golf clap is. The news that she's managed to make a rude hand gesture is greeted with surprise--she's never heard of that before. But then, shemlen hand gestures--especially foreign shemlen hand gestures--are not her expertise. ]
I apologize, I didn't intend to cause any offense. I'll make sure to avoid it in the future, if you'll be so kind to forgive me.
[ A nicer person would clarify that he'd been joking. Kostos doesn't. He folds his arms behind his back and gives the room another surveying look. ]
I'm a medium. There are not many of us. I can see what they see—the spirits—and they mind me better than most. It is the most useful thing I can offer, but it makes many people nervous. [ His mouth does something that isn't quite a smile.] Not you, of course. [ The statement almost sounds like a question, prompting. That's partly because he'd like an answer, but partly because telling people you know they're brave is the best way to have them agree that they are, just to keep from looking bad. After a beat, he suggests, in the same almost-a-question tone: ] I have heard Dalish are fearless.
[ Beleth does smile at that, gives a soft breath of a laugh, ducking her head down. Compliments like that work well on everyone, but particularly Beleth. She could probably forgive someone for stabbing her if they did it while telling her how nice her hair looked. ]
The Dalish do not fear magic, as long as it is used carefully, with proper restraint. [ I swear the blood magic thing is rare. ] But you seem to have the proper restraint, so far. I trust you'll continue to maintain that.
Few things make me nervous. [ That is a LIE, everything makes her nervous. Existing makes her nervous. ] I'm sure you won't give me any reason to add you to that list. Being a medium does sound fascinating, I haven't heard of them before. Are they like spirit healers?
[ Kostos thinks for a long moment. Unfortunately, that last line was all the charm he has. He's out now. So at the end of that long moment, he wobbles his head like sort of but not really and says, ]
No. Anyone can do that.
[ Which, shit, sounds condescending—
And it is. A little. Kostos has no idea why mages who can choose not to risk possession (more so than usual) and have the Templars breathe down their necks (more so than usual) and have to deal with spirits (more so than usual) would volunteer for it just to be able to reattach limbs or whatever.
—but, shit. ]
I mean, people learn to be healers. We [ he twitches a hand toward himself ] just happen. [ Unfortunately, says his tone. But after another pause, one long enough that it almost indicates he's done talking, he adds, ] Thank you.
[ An eyebrow slooowly rises at the condescending tone in his voice. And his words. The whole package is kind of condescending. But it's not Beleth's circus, nor her monkey, so she'll leave the bickering over magic to the mages. Not like it effects her.
So it's a little surprising that she feels a pang of sympathy over that whole we just happen bit. It's the tone that gets her, the tone of...'this is how I was born, whether or not I like it'.
So when she speaks, she does it with a small smile. ]
Well, I'm glad that you happened, then. And that you happened into my division. That is an incredible gift that you have, Kostos. I look forward to seeing what we can do together.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
arlathvhen) wrote2015-02-18 01:05 am
a visit.
Wait.
He looks back at her. ]
Re: a visit.
Good day, serah. I apologize if I kept you waiting unduly long.
[ The door is promptly unlocked and opened, Beleth strolling inside like she owns the place (which...she kind of does). Kostos is only acknowledged once she reaches her desk, leaning against it and turning to face him. ]
So. What can I do for you today?
no subject
My name is Kostos Averesch. They sent me from Skyhold. [ Here's an upgrade from instantly dismissive: curiously skeptical. ] You are the scoutmaster.
no subject
I am indeed the scoutmaster. Beleth Ashara, at your service. [ Insert little head bob here. ] I've been told to expect a Kostos Averesch, I'm glad that we can finally have a chance to meet.
Are you still interested in becoming a scout, then?
no subject
[ It's his own request. On the whole, he would possibly be more useful with the soldiers—or doing research—or anything. Mages aren't generally known for their subtlety. He isn't really known for his subtlety, either: he only just not stops looking at her tattoos and meets her eyes instead. ]
I'm here to be a spy— [ A long pause to waffle obviously over forms of address before falling back on what he'd heard elsewhere. ] —Lady Belladonna. Baron Desjardins said that if anyone says I don't have the temperament, I should show you my trick.
[ He doesn't make air quotes, but they're there in his tone and his faint (and accurate) mimicry of an Orlesian accent. ]
no subject
[ She meets his eyes briefly, raising her eyebrow. She rather does like being called Lady Belladonna. She needs to get more people to do that. ]
I'll hold off on my judgement regarding your temperament for now, but I'd still like to, ah. [ This sounds so weird. ] See your trick. [ It sounds worse with an Orlesian accent. ]
no subject
The expression cracks just a little, though, both corners of his mouth twitching as quickly as if it was only an itch, when she repeats the line back to him. The ghost of a joke he is not going to make. Mainly because being alive has worked out pretty well for him so far and he's not ready to try out the other possibilities quite yet. ]
Fair. [ He holds up both hands. It would be easy to light the office on fire, is always his thought—but he doesn't do that, only pulls his sleeves away from his wrist one at a time, pantomime showmanship that's mismatched with his face and his drawled (and possibly inpertinent) command: ] Hold up some fingers behind your back.
no subject
[ The look on her face, her eyebrow slowly raising, hints that she has an idea of what kind of joke that ghost might have been, had it survived its infancy. Alas. But then Kostos goes on and gives her instructions, and the eyebrow just shoots up anyway.
Putting her hands behind her back so a strange mage could show her his trick. ]
If your trick is that you are secretly an assassin and will kill me once I comply, I hope you'll have the courtesy to lie about how I fought bravely.
[ She doesn't seem too worried about this possibility, though, even as she puts her hands behind her back, and holds up exactly four fingers. ]
no subject
[ Offhand, distracted—but a moment and a half later, once the magic that had been distracting him is finished and a white-light wisp of a spirit is bobbing between his upheld hands, he belatedly gives her a look with the faintest eyebrow tilt to say what. What a strange elf.
He cups a hand under the spirit for a second and then withdraws it, and it drifts away from him. But with purpose. That's part of the trick. Behind Beleth and back around toward him, making a pleased burbling humming sound and briefly detouring to hover near her plants, until Kostos gives the wisp a cross look to match the disapproval that the little thing is able to feel emanating from him.
It can feel gratitude, too, so he doesn't say thank you before sending it back where it came from and holding up four of his fingers to mimic Beleth's. ]
That gesture is very rude, in my country.
[ No it isn't. ]
no subject
Once he finishes his little party trick, Beleth looks genuinely impressed, and gives him whatever the Thedas equivalent of a golf clap is. The news that she's managed to make a rude hand gesture is greeted with surprise--she's never heard of that before. But then, shemlen hand gestures--especially foreign shemlen hand gestures--are not her expertise. ]
I apologize, I didn't intend to cause any offense. I'll make sure to avoid it in the future, if you'll be so kind to forgive me.
Where are you from, again...?
no subject
[ A nicer person would clarify that he'd been joking. Kostos doesn't. He folds his arms behind his back and gives the room another surveying look. ]
I'm a medium. There are not many of us. I can see what they see—the spirits—and they mind me better than most. It is the most useful thing I can offer, but it makes many people nervous. [ His mouth does something that isn't quite a smile.] Not you, of course. [ The statement almost sounds like a question, prompting. That's partly because he'd like an answer, but partly because telling people you know they're brave is the best way to have them agree that they are, just to keep from looking bad. After a beat, he suggests, in the same almost-a-question tone: ] I have heard Dalish are fearless.
no subject
The Dalish do not fear magic, as long as it is used carefully, with proper restraint. [ I swear the blood magic thing is rare. ] But you seem to have the proper restraint, so far. I trust you'll continue to maintain that.
Few things make me nervous. [ That is a LIE, everything makes her nervous. Existing makes her nervous. ] I'm sure you won't give me any reason to add you to that list. Being a medium does sound fascinating, I haven't heard of them before. Are they like spirit healers?
no subject
No. Anyone can do that.
[ Which, shit, sounds condescending—
And it is. A little. Kostos has no idea why mages who can choose not to risk possession (more so than usual) and have the Templars breathe down their necks (more so than usual) and have to deal with spirits (more so than usual) would volunteer for it just to be able to reattach limbs or whatever.
—but, shit. ]
I mean, people learn to be healers. We [ he twitches a hand toward himself ] just happen. [ Unfortunately, says his tone. But after another pause, one long enough that it almost indicates he's done talking, he adds, ] Thank you.
[ For the proper restraint comment. Belatedly. ]
no subject
So it's a little surprising that she feels a pang of sympathy over that whole we just happen bit. It's the tone that gets her, the tone of...'this is how I was born, whether or not I like it'.
So when she speaks, she does it with a small smile. ]
Well, I'm glad that you happened, then. And that you happened into my division. That is an incredible gift that you have, Kostos. I look forward to seeing what we can do together.