A Discreet Meeting (Briana)

[Alexander]

Alexander was never truly a fan of horses. To be honest, he hated the beasts. He saw little need for them. The Ferelden army was never one that put much stock in cavalry, and Alex had similar notions about fighting on horseback. However, they were excellent at speed, and would undoubtedly be faster to ride one to the inn than walk there.

He wasn't in his armor today. He instead wore an unbleached off-white shirt, a black leather jacket, some grey wool riding pants, and knee-high black boots with stirrups. On top of that, he wore a cloak with a hood to cover his face. Many knew what he looked like, and it would lead to too many questions being asked if people saw him riding a horse with Briana behind him. He wanted to be left alone with her tonight... Maker knows that didn't happen often enough.

As he sat on a stool, leaned back against the post of the stable he had tied his already saddled up horse to, he began to whistle a light tune, and his thoughts drifted not to the unpleasantness of earlier in the day, but of times past. A small smile graced his face as he looked up at the stars, continuing to whistle, oblivious to the world around him.

[Briana Talon]

Briana walked briskly to the stables outside of Kirkwall. No longer in armor, she moved with lighter steps. She was casually dressed in dark brown leather pants and an emerald green tunic that was cinched around her waste by a wide leather belt that matched her pants. A slight breeze blew through her blonde hair that she wore loose around her shoulders. It was cool enough to wear a cloak and she did so to cover not just her body but also her face. Anonymity was important for this meeting.

She heard whistling and smiled faintly. It was a tune that she had become familiar with since meeting Alex. However that smile fell when the memory of what occured earlier in the day surfaced. With a heavy sigh she approached Alex and stood in front of him, not looking at him but past him to her horse that was already saddled.

"Glad to see your in good spirits Guardsman." Briana kept her voice low but it still had a bit of bite to it. She was not one to let things go easily and Alex's remarks were still fresh in her mind. Without waiting for a reply she grabbed the reigns of her horse, a dark brown bay, and hoisted herself up with ease.

Any further discussion Briana would prefer to have away from the walls of Kirkwall. The inn was a place they had gone to before so the route was familiar to her. She waited for Alex to mount his horse before she nudged hers forward and into a gallop. Briana was an accomplished rider, Templars did not always have the luxury of having mounts but they were still taught. Much like everything else, Briana caught on quickly.

When the Kirkwall started to fade in the distance, Briana slowed her horse into a walk. "Next time you want to question my position, how about you not do it in front of my Commander." Briana shot Alex a look.

[Alexander]

At the sound of her voice Alex stopped whistling and descended back into reality. He bore a soft smile, because even though her voice was laced with frustration and anger towards him, the fact that he was hearing it at all was nice. He responded "Aye, I only wish I could say the same about your spirits..." Alex was always quick forgive and forget arguments. Briana... Not so much. With a heavy sigh, he mounted his horse and began to ride. Uneasily at first, but within moments he remembered most of what he had tried to learn from the stable boys as a child, and steadily kept up with Briana.

As they slowed down, immediately Briana began to harp on the day's events. "I wasn't questioning your position." Alex began, matching his eyes with hers then looking back onto the road. "I was questioning the fact that templars haven't allowed the guard to do its job, then get mad when we don't do it. But I digress, we can talk more about this at the inn no? Let's just enjoy the night's ride for now..."

It really was a beautiful night. Not a cloud in the sky, and only a mile or so from the city and already Alex could see the stars, ever peaceful, ever constant. They reminded him of those cold camp nights in Ferelden, where he and his comrades would sit by the fire, telling stories of home, of glory, of prizes, of conquest, both material and intimate. He missed his old friends. It was a shame none of them could see him now. He looked at the moon and smiled softly, then looked at Briana, the light reflecting off of a strand of hair that had fallen in front of her face. Even with a cloak over her head, she looked as beautiful as ever.

Finally, after a short while, they arrived at the Inn. Alex hopped off his horse first, then grabbed the reins and tied it to the fence post. He then proceeded to head for the door once Briana had gotten off of her horse, and held the door open for her.

[Briana Talon]

Briana entered into the inn, which was actually a rather nice establishment though remote. It wasn't fancy but it was clean and well maintained. The staff was friendly and greeted them on sight. The barkeep smiled at Briana and motioned to the back of the inn where a private table was waiting. It was not that they were expected but whenever Templars visited the inn they were given the room where they could be left alone.

Briana shrugged off her cloak and draped it over the back of her chair. The barmaid was there ready to take their order before she could even seat herself. “I’ll have the honey ale. Make it a pitcher.” Briana was off duty and right now she felt she could use few drinks. It wasn’t until the woman left did she rest her eyes on Alex.

Even as irritated as she was she still cracked a smile at him. He had an uncanny ability make her do that regardless if she was mad at him or not. But it did not change what occurred earlier in the day. “Do you ever tire of criticizing my Order? You know we serve a purpose, one that does help protect Thedas yet every chance you get you feel the need to ridicule us.” Briana spoke calmly but her eyes reflected her anger.

[Alexander]

Even though Briana smiled at him, Alex knew the smile would not last long. She was clearly still very upset about what he had said earlier, albeit understandably so. He himself ordered a bottle of Antivan rum, a bottle he highly expected to be done with by the end of the night, and then proceeded to listen to Briana.

"I wouldn't criticize if it wasn't deserved..." Alex sighed. "Briana, for the love of the Maker, you and I both know they overstepped their bounds when they took control of Kirkwall. It was Meredith's fault everything happened the way it did, and yet somehow the guard gets punished by being stripped of all its legal power and placed under the templars command? Please, enlighten me on how that is at all fair..."

Before he could continue, the waitress returned with their drinks. He smiled politely, then poured himself a glass and downed a good amount of it. It was going to be a long night. She was undoubtedly going to get furious with him. They had had this conversation before.

"I don't ridicule you. I want to work with the templars, but not under them. Do you not understand that? Kirkwall is a free and sovereign city, and those who defend it aren't defending some king's realm or the property of the Chantry. It is a sovereign, free land. And the fact that the Chantry thought it could take over to cover up its mistakes is insulting."

He downed half the glass of rum, then proceeded to refill it, waiting for Briana's backlash.

[Briana Talon]

"Punishment? The guards are not being punished. After what happened...", Briana sighed and took a more than generous sip of her ale. Her eyes closed briefly as she calmed herself. "Meredith was insane. It was her not the Templars that are to blame. Besides the City Guard didn't exactly prove themselves to be competent when the whole qunari mess went down now did they?" Briana shot back. It was a low blow but there was truth to it.

Briana grit her teeth before taking another sip. "The Chantry is not taking over Kirkwall, it is trying to restore it and in order to do that it has entrusted soldiers that they believe will do their duty. Not to mention Kirkwall's Chantry was destroyed by a mage. That makes it our responsibility to make sure things get back to order. And the Chantry did not make a mistake. Meredith became corrupted by unnatural forces. But it's just easier to blame the Templars isn't it." What was the point. This song and dance had been done so many times over.

"You want to work with us?" Briana scoffed before finishing off her glass. "Alex, you cannot stand the armor we don so excuse me if I find it hard to believe that." She ran her hand through her hair, something she did out of habit when she was frustrated. This was an argument she didn't want to have. She would rather the two of them just smooth things over. It wasn't often she got to spend to time with Alex.

"How about you just tell me what you mean then, about us working together. Did you mean what you said to Cullen... Knight Commander." Briana corrected herself.

[Alexander]

The qunari attack was a low blow. A VERY low blow. Especially when Alex had been one of the guards who had tried to modernize the guard prior. They had been making good progress too, guard combat proficiency levels had been at an all time high, but then the incident with the Viscount's son occurred. Alexander found himself gritting his teeth a bit at that thought. That had been the fault of a few templars and an insane mother of the Chantry. And here was Briana blaming that on his guardsmen.

Alexander took a long, heavy, even breath. His nostrils flared and lips tightened, but he decided now was a good time to swallow his pride. This was an argument for a later date. Looking back at Briana's eyes, his features noticeably softened a bit. She was ever the dutiful templar. It was her sense of duty that had made him notice her in the first place, and while infuriating at times he couldn't entirely fault her for it.

There was so much more to her than that armor she wore. If only she'd let herself see it...

Taking off his cloak fully finally, he set it on the ground and unbuttoned his jacket. He pulled out a small note, which gave the details of location of the slaver hideout, and handed it to Briana.

"I meant every word. A contact in the old mercenary group I used to work for had one of his teams, comprised mostly of elves, go dark recently. When he investigated, he found they had been captured, the elves sold into slavery. He couldn't find anything, however, on the two human men on the team. It isn't illogical to assume that the slave ring is Tevinter based, which means there will undoubtedly be mages there, potentially blood mages..."

Alex still very much remembered the first time he had gone up against a blood mage. That had been the time he met Briana.

"What's concerning is that the hideout sits atop a known Deep Roads entrance... I have no idea if that means anything or if there's a correlation, but we need to at least investigate it in force, and if there are indeed mages there...." He paused, biting the inside of his lip. He really did not want to have to finish the sentence... "We need templar support on this one."

[Briana Talon]

Briana looked over the note, her brow furrowing at the information. Her dislike for slavers ran deep and the mention of Tevinters made her frown. "Looks like your man might be on to something here." The mention of needing Templar help made her grin and she met Alex's gaze. By his expression, not that she needed to see it, she knew that had to sting his pride to say that.

"So you might need Templar assistance. Templars actually being useful, imagine that." Briana chuckled, unable to keep herself from teasing Alex. She filled her glass with more ale and took a sip before gently putting the mug back on the table. "You know I'm just messing around, and yes I do agree that this situation would probably be handled best if we work together. Even though Templars would be better suited to go in alone... ". Again she was teasing, taking a verbal jab at the man in front of her.

She laughed at his expression. "Alex you are way too cute."

[Alexander]

If he hadn't picked up on her teasing tone, he would have gotten very, very angry. It irked him a little bit, and his face expressed it with a grimace. Evidently, she thought his annoyance adorable, as she commented as such.

He couldn't help but offer her a small smile in return. She was absolutely beautiful when her mood lightened like that. Alex didn't get to see it as often as he would have liked. Usually, it was mainly business and distance when they donned the uniform; understandably so mind you. They both had their duties. Times where she smiled like this was time stolen.

"I miss that, right there." Alex replied, grinning as he pointed at her smile. "That smile. That little light in your eyes. I don't get to see it enough." His grin softened as he placed his foot next to hers under the table, taking another sip of his drink. "What would I have to do see that smile every day?"

[Briana Talon]

Alex’s comment softened her demeanor further. It was hard to find time to spend with him, their roles as Templar and guard kept them busy and when they did cross paths it was in the official capacity. And that usually led to disagreements and confrontations.

“Perhaps if you didn't belittle my Order in front of me it might help.” Briana understood Alex’s unease about the Templars’ new role in Kirkwall. In fact Briana would prefer if the guard were given back the power to secure Kirkwall but until the Divine said otherwise, then the Templars would do what was asked of them. “Despite what you may think Alex, the Templars feel much the same as you and your guards. Our duty as Templars has never been easy and now with the added responsibility…” Briana sighed and smiled sadly at Alex. “I know I have not been the best company lately, and I am sorry about that. I am stressed and trying to deal with things the best I can.”

Her smile widened at Alex’s contact with her, as simple as it was. The man could drive her absolutely insane, but when it came down to it there was no one else she would rather spend her time with. Briana took another sip, enjoying the slight buzz she was finally getting from the ale.

“It would be nice if we could spend more time with each other, then perhaps you could see me smile every day. Just don’t mention our duties.” Briana grinned. It was good to Alex smile as well, he looked younger and carefree when he did. She couldn't help but stare at him and wonder how so easily it was for him to win her over. If she weren't a Templar then it would make things so much easier between them, but it was who she was and she did not regret it.

[Alexander]

Alex let out a soft sigh as Briana mentioned the day's comments again. A smirk formed, however, as a thought crossed his mind. "I know your stressed Briana, believe me we all are. I'm only surprised you haven't hit me yet." At that point, his smirk grew into an almost childlike grin, knowing he was just asking for it at this point. Sometimes he just couldn't help himself as messing with the beautiful blonde that sat in front of him.

Taking a sip of his rum, he looked at her grey eyes once more, taking in how soft they appeared in the tavern light. It made his heart beat slightly faster just looking at them, and she was the one woman who had made him feel like that in a long time. A very long time.

"And I promise, if it makes you feel better, I'll only talk bad about the Templars when you are not around." He smiled and winked. "But yes, we speak about duty enough when in uniform. Or perhaps we should just steal away tonight. Go off to Ferelden, live in a small hamlet out in the countryside. Away from all this madness. Wake up next to one another every day, our biggest worry being whether or not our crops will have too much rainwater..." He gently grabbed her hand and kissed the top of her hand, then placed it back down on the table, still holding it in his hand. He knew she would never do it, and he knew he wouldn't either. Duty held a strong sway in both their lives, so it was next to impossible to not talk about it.

"Or, tonight, we can simply pretend like we did just that." He took another swig of the rum, his eyes shining brightly, smiling for him as his mouth was blocked by the amber liquid that was slowly starting to reach his head.

[Briana Talon]

Briana smiled at the imagery, the dream life it would be if they could just escape their duties. But that’s all it could be… a dream. They had already chosen their paths in life and there was no turning back. She was a Templar who had sworn an oath. An oath she could never break. It was still nice to dream though.

She took another sip of ale and chuckled. “It is amazing how your mind is so full of idealism especially in the world we live in. Not that I think you should stop, its part of your charm.” Her grin widened. “Besides I don’t know how well I’d do with a hoe, these hands have held a blade for so long.” Her hands opened out exposing her palms, then Alex took one in hand and kissed it.

Her breath caught in her chest and her eyes looked deeply into his, not saying a word for a moment, just taking him in. It wasn't just his kiss that touched her, but it was him. No one had ever affect her like her did. Briana cleared her throat, hoping that what she felt was not seen in her eyes. “Let’s pretend then. That we are not soldiers but instead simple folk who have no worries or obligations and just enjoy each other.” Briana kept her hand in his but lifted the other to take another sip.

“Do you really know how to farm?” Briana teased, glad the night had taken a turn for a more fun and relaxed filled evening… or so she hoped.

[Alexander]

Alex soft smile showed as he lowered his glass, gazing into Briana's eyes. They spoke volumes, though he doubted she had intended them to. He wouldn't know if he would call what he felt for love, but he knew for a fact if she felt that way she'd never admit it either. She was a templar. Specifically, she was a templar in Kirkwall, an order that conducted operations he was rather vocally against. Also, it didn't help that both of them were as stubborn as mules. In his mind her stubbornness added to her charm... If it did drive him as insane as he drove her. Though it was a pleasant surprise to hear her agree to playing pretend for a little while. It was all he could ask for.

When she asked if he actually knew how to farm, he let out a small chuckle. "As a matter of fact, I used to work in the Cousland's vegetable garden when I was a boy." He never spoke about his past prior to the Ferelden army with anyone. He had only spoken lightly about it to Briana, mentioning how his father had been an Antivan merchant, but little else had been said. Truth be told, he didn't like talking about that past... He quickly shifted to his Ferelden army past.

"And when stationed in castles near the Kocari wilds I also ran the gardens there. The men always loved it when it was my turn to cook. I actually added vegetables and spices to our meals, making it less the grey tasteless paste many of my countrymen for some reason deem proper cooking and more an actual meal." He chuckled lightly and looked back at Briana, hoping she wouldn't talk more about his past prior to the army. It was a sore subject for him. "Perhaps, if you ask nicely, I could cook for you one day."

He still held her hand in his own, feeling her calloused hands with his own. They were rougher than regular woman's hands, yet one could still clearly tell they belonged to a woman. They were the only hands he wanted to hold. He wouldn't trade her for anything. If only he could admit it.

[Briana Talon]

“It is quite the imagery… you in a garden, picking herbs.” Briana chuckled. Actually the thought was quite endearing. It was hard to look past the armor they donned but they were more than just soldiers and when she was with Alex he reminded her of that.

The sudden change in subject didn’t surprise her. He had done it before. Whenever it came to his past Alex was vague and Briana was not the type to pry. If he wanted to tell her he would.

Her nose scrunched up at the mention of ‘grey paste’. “You’re serious aren’t you? I’ve heard the rumors about Ferelden cuisine but thought they were like the rumors of the country smelling like dog. No offense.” Briana gave Alex a cheeky smile. “At least you don’t smell like dog.” She was teasing him, she couldn’t help but tease him. The ale had given a subtle but nice buzz and she was feeling more relaxed than she had in months.

“So all I have to do is ask nicely? Really?” Briana’s eye lit up at the thought. “Well then, Alex will you cook for me one night…. Please?” She batted her lashes out of fun but her request was genuine. Even though she had no idea how it would be possible, but having dinner with him and knowing he cooked it for her was quite… sweet.

Her eyes drifted to their hands and how they were interlinked with each other. It was a simple gesture but it meant so much more. They could never show any affection in public, it wouldn't be proper. Not to mention letting their relationship be known… was it even a relationship? They never actually discussed it; they had just let things progress naturally.

“I will warn you ahead of time, I am a horrible cook so don’t even think about asking me to return the favor.” Her fingers danced along his. “But I could teach you how to grapple so you wouldn't have to rely on cheating to win.”

[Alexander]

Alex chuckled at the smelling of wet dog comment. It wasn't the first time he had heard that from someone who wasn't Ferelden. Alex, however, had a good sense of humor about it. And his grin widened when she batted his eyelashes at him. She was absolutely irresistible when she did that. That was the thing with Briana. When she put on her uniform, she was all strictness and templars and business and rules... But out of uniform she could have the softest of smiles, was witty and teasing, never cruel. If there were some way for them to have anything resembling a normal relationship Alex would take it in a heartbeat.

"I would love to cook for you. All we'd have to do is find the time." He replied, albeit with a tinge of sadness in his voice. To actually find the time to do so would be difficult. He'd have to come up with a damn good reason...

When Briana mentioned grappling and how he cheated the last time the grappled Alex's eyes lit up as he chuckled softly. Oh she was bringing this fight up again. "For the hundredth time Bri, I didn't cheat. I simply gauged the tactical situation and found a viable route of attack." He grinned. The 'attack' had been when he was pinned by her he had kissed her and shifted the momentum. It worked well, and the night had been one of the most enjoyable by far, but it still meant Briana always teased him for cheating. "It was a legitimate strategy, and you can't tell me you didn't enjoy it as much as I did." He winked, his cheeky grin growing by the second. "But if you think teaching me how to grapple without cheating will work go ahead. There are other things I could teach you..."

He leaned towards her, his mouth in a confident smirk and his eyes wanting. If he could kiss her right now he would. Those full lips and beautiful blue-grey eyes were calling him, and he wanted nothing more than press his lips against hers. Then he heard the commotion outside. Maker damn it... He thought to himself. He heard the sound of armor clanking through the inn, followed by the sound of a man in chains. There was only one group with the audacity to walk into an inn like that...

"I think your brothers are here to spoil the fun..." He sighed, leaning towards the door and popping it open slightly to see if he was right. "Yup... Templars..."