In the Chaos of War :: EverUndine & Maiz
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		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Bondage, D/s, S&amp;M =&gt; Bondage: Exotic Solos =&gt; Topic started by: EverUndine on 03-07-2015, 19:19:51</h2>
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				Title: <strong>In the Chaos of War :: EverUndine &amp; Maiz</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>EverUndine</strong> on <strong>03-07-2015, 19:19:51</strong>
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				He would be lying if he said that he was not impressed by the appearance of the mercenary leader that the Inquisitor had recently acquired. True, he had seen many Qunari before and so the bulky mass and impressive horns (were they bigger than the Arishok's?) were not so shocking as they were to many Fereldans in Haven. Some grew used to this 'The Iron Bull' (he had been clear when he introduced himself that the 'The' was indeed part of his name) but others remained intimidated by the man. It was mostly soldiers, he found, as he listened in when they talked amongst themselves. They were glad to have him on their side for no other reason than his sheer size, but they were not so keen to train with him. Most members of the Qun were thought to be mindless by the ignorant and if that was true then would the Qunari know when to stop, they wondered.<br><br>Cullen Rutherford had felt pity for him, felt the connection that one warrior had for another. He picked up a sword and shield and weaved through the straw dummies to stand before Iron Bull. The Qunari male towered over him by at least a foot and a half or two. "I think a warrior of your caliber would need more of a challenge." He raised an eyebrow, his scarred lip curving up into some semblance of a cocky smirk. That was how it all started. Soon after, he began to join Iron Bull on the practice field he also began joining him for drinks when he had the time, which wasn't often. He enjoyed the doc silence in which they shared, but sometimes the Qunari and he would laugh boisterously and trade tales from the battle field.<br><br>It became a routine, especially when Iron Bull came back from his missions with the Inquisitor. Cullen began to recognize how a mission had gone based on how Iron Bull agreed upon his arrival back at Haven. He could tell now that Iron Bull was perturbed by their most recent assignment. Yesterday they had returned from Redcliffe with Grand Enchanter Fiona, the mages and a sassy Tevinter mage names Dorian. The Inquisitor was talking about being thrown into the future with time magic and that there was a plot against Empress Celine and needing to seal the rift here in Haven with their new magical allies.<br><br>It made Cullen nervous to see so many mages walking around unchecked, leftover feelings from his Templar training. "So you don't remember the crazy future Lavellan was speaking of?" He queried, breaking the silence and waiting to hear the gruff drawl of Bull's voice in response. It had become a comforting sort of sound to the Commander by now. His mind wandered, thinking of the obvious physical attraction Lavellan had for Dorian. Strange what could become a comfort in the chaos of War, he mused as he gulped down the halfway decent Fereldan ale they had been lucky enough to obtain.
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				Title: <strong>Re: In the Chaos of War :: EverUndine &amp; Maiz</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Maiz</strong> on <strong>04-07-2015, 00:11:37</strong>
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				It was one thing to train with the Chargers, which Iron Bull of course did often. Combining physical activity and constructive criticism with endearing insults kept his mercenaries working well. Joining the inquisition meant meeting so many types of people and fighting styles, so he told his men to go out and learn how to fight in new ways. So the Chargers picked up trips from all over Thedas- the way a farmer protects his livestock from wolves, how an Orlaisian chevalier handled a sword, how a Rivaini ex-bandit sneaked about.<br><br>However, when Iron Bull attempted to do the same he was met with, well not exactly pleasant options. He wasn't surprised of course. He was not blind to how people icily avoided him outside of Lavellan. When the Commander of the forces offered to spar with him, he of course accepted. It would be good to learn more about (ex)Templar fighting styles, and besides the Commander made an effort to make friends. He was a good fighter too, which made it all the more fun. Their times together often ended in getting something to decompress after. It was an easy relationship, one in which he could admire the work of the other warrior and occasionally tell of some of the Chargers more ridiculous tales.<br><br>Not all his time was spent as leisurely as this, since there was always official Inquisition work to do. Sometimes this meant chasing around someone's druffalo or collecting plants to refill the apothecary's supplies. Othertimes it meant confronting dangerous and fucked up Tevinter magic. Inquisitor Lavellan's decision to recruit the mages had turned into a cluster fuck that apparently involved time magic. To hear him and the Vint mage ramble about what had happened was like hearing a dead-drunk sailor's story. It hardly seemed true, the dangers they spoke of.<br><br>But the way Lavellan looked at him was what disturbed him most of all. The look of fear in their leader's eyes when he saw Iron Bull made his stomach turn. He didn't show it, but soon the reason for why Lavellan acted the way he did came to light. Apparently red lyrium was yet another horror to worry about in the world. It consumed a person, poisoning their body, mind, and probably soul until they were mindless fighters for the Venatori. Or died which seemed the better deal to Iron Bull. The other option was something that struck a deep fear in him. Apparently his alt-timeline self had been poisoned with the red lyrium and then sacrificed himself in order to let the vint and the inquisitor have enough time to escape. Finding out you had died in another timeline was... it was something else.<br><br>Even sparring with the commander had not helped the issue much. Their post-fighting drink did nothing to rid him of the solemn mood though he tried to hide it. Of course, using subterfuge to hide one's emotions off the battleground was easy to do, and impossible to do when sparring.<br><br>Iron Bull looked up from his own hearty mug of ale. "No and I'm glad for it. Some freaky shit happened in that future that I would rather not know about up close and personal," he said, rolling his shoulders back. Lifting the mug he took a drink. "Sounds like it wasn't really me anyway but a... me that could have been. I don't know- ask the Tevinter about it."<br><br>He went silent again and drank more the ale. It wasn't that bad at all, compared to what they had before. "So, how does it feel to be around so many mages again, Commander?"
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				Title: <strong>Re: In the Chaos of War :: EverUndine &amp; Maiz</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>EverUndine</strong> on <strong>04-07-2015, 06:19:22</strong>
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				Cullen drained his mug and made a soft sound of displeasure in his throat. Having this many mages around him... it reminded him of all the horrible things that had happened while he was around mages. He had a general distrust of them, except Lavellan, he was different than most mages though. "To be honest, it makes me very nervous." His thoughts wandered, unbidden, to the horrors he suffered at the Fereldan Circle during the Blight. Subconciously he shivered, attempting to shut out the memories but failing to do so. "With any luck this whole thing will be over soon, Lavellan will be taking the best of the mages up to the Temple of Ashes tomorrow. First thing in the morning, he said. He wanted to throw a party when it's all done." Lavellan was always looking for some reason to throw a party, it made the corners of Cullen's lips tilt up in a small smile.<br><br>But there was something more that Cullen disliked about the mages being around. They all smelled so strongly of lyrium. It drove him crazy during the day, sometimes he would have to return to his quarters thrice daily for it. He had been trying to cut down, he detested the stuff but it was part of his Templar training that he had not managed to shake. He had been giving thought to stopping, but smelling it all day long was making it difficult. The Commander was not one to speak of his personal problems to anyone, but his friendship with Iron Bull had made him a little more open, as well as the ale. "I don't know how anyone can focus with so much lyrium around. It had been driving me mad, seeing it, smelling it, everywhere."<br><br>He went quiet for a long while, realizing only afterward that Bull was looking at him, the expression on his face unidentifiable to the human. Cullen stood, "I should- ah, be...going. We've much to do before tomorrow comes." And oh how right he was. Much planning went into their strategy, he held conference with Leliana, Josephine, and the Inquisitor as well as Solas. He got little sleep that night, the smell of lyrium kept wafting through his quarters and he tossed and turned in his sleep. He had stayed at Haven while the Inquisitor went to close the breach, but it seemed he had worried over nothing, they came back whole and happy. There was even a smile on Iron Bull's face and something fluttered in his stomach in hearing that loud laughter. He ignored that. Cullen had always believed it normal to...<em>admire</em> the better qualities in other men. One could appreciate the male form just as one appreciated the female form, they were like works of art, meant to be admired and Cullen was certainly capable of admiration. <br><br>He was finally able to sit back and enjoy himself when he heard the warhorn sound, a warning of attack. After that everything happened so fast. Red Templars were on their doorstep, his brothers marred and mangled by red lyrium. It twisted them, turned them to beasts. It was horrifying and in that moment he decided he would no longer take any kind of lyrium, he would not become one of those...those things. Not everyone made it out alive, but most were saved thanks to Lavellan's bravery. He faced down the dragon- archdemon- whatever it was, to save the lives of the Inquisition. Cullen did not sleep, he waited in the cold of the temporary camp, organized the search party for Lavellan, and was beyond relieved when they found him sitting in the snow and shivering from the cold. Dorian was by his side every minute he was unconcious and for some strange reason Cullen felt a need to sit with Bull and his Chargers. <br><br>All faces were solemn, all were quiet. No one greeted him when he found them. He watched Bull, feeling that, if Bull hadn't made it out, he would be more upset than if the Inquisitor hadn't. It didn't make any sense, he knew, but it seemed as if Bull's friendship had become one of the only things getting him through this awful mess. Cullen's attention was drawn to Mother Giselle and her song. He tilted his head toward the sky and sang too, a prayer to the maker to get them out of this, to get <em>Bull</em> out of this. The song filled him with hope. Lavellan had lived and so there was still hope. The Iron Bull had lived and so he still had a friend in the Inquisition. His eyes went back to the Qunari, watching him try to raise the spirits of his downtrodden men. He was an excellent Captain, he was respected, strong. Cullen just hoped it was enough to get the man through the dangers they all would face.
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				Title: <strong>Re: In the Chaos of War :: EverUndine &amp; Maiz</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Maiz</strong> on <strong>10-07-2015, 04:14:52</strong>
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				Iron Bull let Cullen leave, as flustered as he was The comment about lyrium ruminated in his head. He knew that the Inquisition's commander was formerly a templar and he had just assumed that he kept up the certain requirements it took to stay a templar. But it sounded as if his drinking buddy was weaning himself off. In all his years he had never heard of someone go off lyrium... at least successfully. It was a potent and dangerous thing, which Lavellan's visit to the future had proven.<br><br>He witnessed the breach close and.. it was such an amazing thing even if it involved an alliance with the mages. Magic was something Iron Bull was respectfully vigilant, something he thought was a reasonable emotion. Even of his own archer, Dalish. It wasn't a true fear but an unwariness. The mages of the south weren't tagged and collared like the saarebas of Par Vollen, and he wasn't sure if that made it better or worse. Still, whatever he had experienced with apostates and all that seemed like nothing compared to someone who once guarded two different Circles. Iron Bull made a mental note to ask Cullen about it, delicately, after they returned.<br><br>However, before he could, the world came on fire as Haven was attacked. Wretched templars attacked on direct orders of an Old God. The ensuing fight was intense but nothing would save Haven. They ended up in snow of all things, and the despair was clear in the frozen air. The great Lavellan, so quick to smile, had been lost while trying to save them. The search parties returned empty handed, to the sadness of everyone. <br><br>He wore what had been a bed covering around his shoulders like a cape. There had been no time to pack appropriately for a blizzard while fending off blighted templars, naturally. The cold wasn't half that bad since the Iron Bull kept busy helping with this and that. It was better than admitting that perhaps the boss of the operations, the one person keeping all these groups of people together was truly gone. Things were already starting to splinter amongst Lavellan's inner circle. He noticed an increased derision towards himself and other members of the Chargers because of their foreignness and their positions as mercenaries. Iron Bull was too Qunari, Krem was too Tevinter. It was not just the Chargers, but other outsiders and outcasts&nbsp; got the same treatment. Mages and nonmages were unfriendly. A confrontation at this point would not go well, and Iron Bull was already counter numbers and making strategy in his head.<br><br>Thankfully it proved unnecessary since somehow Lavellan showed his scrawny ass at the outskirts of camp. The Chantry Mother started to sing something hopeful and most the people who knew it joined in. It was warm to be around, even if he followed the Qun and not the southern goddess figure and her maker. Perhaps not all was lost and he and his band could stay. It felt right being in the Inquisition, though whether it was because he believed in its goals (his horns itch as he thinks of the Qun), because he wanted to serve the Ariqun, or because of the company (he thought as he smiled at Cullen), he was not sure.<br><br>Iron Bull had caught Cullen's eyes and edged towards him. He waited for the older cleric to finish the song. People started chatting and laughing and the morale had visibly changed before their eyes. "Nice song, Commander. You have a good voice," he said, laughing with not derision but with joy of being alive.
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				Title: <strong>Re: In the Chaos of War :: EverUndine &amp; Maiz</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>EverUndine</strong> on <strong>11-07-2015, 07:33:41</strong>
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				Color spread across his face, as he stammered his thanks. He was not used to singing in public, nor was he used to being complimented. "I- I'm not that good," he kept his gaze up at the stars, though it was difficult with Iron Bull's massive form next to him. He wished he could stay all night with the Chargers, with Bull, but he was the Commander and he had duties to attend to, he always had duties to attend to. He stood, the fur on his shoulders keeping him warmer. He worried about Bull with his bed cover draped over his broad shoulders. "I'm glad you made it out alive, Bull. I'll buy you a drink when we finally find a place to settle down?" He grinned and then realized how that had sounded and tried to explain himself, "I mean, we, the Inquisition, not- Oh, maker, nevermind," he turned and forced his feet to take him toward Leliana and Josephine. They were speaking quietly with Lavellan. <br><br>"Solas had advised we scout north, he believes we may find a ruin there that he has seen whilst in the Fade." Josephine's familiar antivan lilt carried farther than the rest, "I do not see what other choice we have, we cannot just sit here in the snow and wait for this Elder One or Corypheus to come to us!" They could all seem to agree on that fact. Deliberating through the night they concurred as a whole they would follow Solas' advice, they had no better option available to them. They traveled north, many died from injuries sustained during the battle at Haven. Cullen still hadn't taken any lyrium, his headache growing worse over the course of the journey but he used the pain to focus on the others, to remind him of those they had lost. A few times he caught sight of The Iron Bull, the broad expanse of his bare back, the length of his horns standing out from the crowd, and he wished he could join him. There was too much to attend to in the transportation of the remainder of their forces, however, his own pleasure, for that is what it was being around Bull, would have to wait.<br><br>Even when they arrived in Skyhold there was much to do, fortifications needed to be seen to and it was Cullen's responsibility to do so. In fact, Cullen did not sleep for the first two days, and he did not see Bull for the first three. His head was pounding when he asked about the Qunari's whereabouts. He had been told my many that the warrior could be found in the back of the pub and he could not help the smile that crossed his face, of course he would be there. He made his way to him, wearily taking a seat beside him. He felt oddly at ease with Iron Bull by his side, letting his head tilt back and rest against the tavern wall behind him the blond sighed. If he looked as bad as he felt he thought he might look like the walking dead. "Of all the places in Skyhold, I would find you at the bar, wouldn't I?" He chuckled, "I...I am glad to see you made it. The Chargers, too, of course," he added quickly, an obvious afterthought. 
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