Prose and Poetry [Addy, Open]

[Honovi]

The looks Honovi got whenever she walked through the city - or town, village, hamlet, or anywhere else "civilized" people gathered - were always interesting. Not that she blamed people for staring, of course, especially since she'd given up on even trying to blend in years ago, regaining the pelts and various claw ornaments she'd shorn in an attempt to avoid notice when she'd first come north. If people were going to stare anyway, after all, they might as well have a reason to stare.

Besides, she felt naked without all the fur and charms.

What was really amusing, of course, was the reaction she got when she asked people for directions. Especially to a bookstore. Chuckling softly to herself she made her way to the little shop, hawk on her arm and red lion cub at her heels.

It was a small shop and very quiet, Honovi noted with approval. Very nice. Light filtered in through the storefront windows, the air smelling pleasantly of paper and parchment and oiled leather book covers, and Honovi smiled. Now, if the shop keeper wasn't the sort of person to follow her around radiating waves of disapproval she might have a new favourite book shop.

Browsing quietly through the shelves, she ghosted her fingers along the spine of a dark green leather book. Oh, it was lovely! Pulling it carefully down she couldn't help sniffing the pages, fresh parchment crackling under her fingers as she opened it. Poetry. Honovi smiled at the unfamiliar lines running down the page and started to read as Kachina curled up around her feet. She didn't know this poem, and she needed a new book...

[Arley Voegeli]

Denerim, the biggest city in Ferelden, It was a sprawling city. The loud voices in the Market District where loud and sounded of business and commerce, the men and women at their stalls calling out for people to look at the wares. It was a crowded place, and smelled of cooked meat and perfumes. Arley could see the Dwarven weapons merchant, Gorim, talking about his fine Dwarven crafts trying to attract customers, and select men with their freshly skinned and gutted meats. The market was bustling and you could easily get lost in all the commotion. Arley walked into a store, that was ran by a Tranquil man, his monotonic words greeting him as he walked through the thresh hold. The Wonders of Thedas is what it was called and it was a store that had some very peculiar items…

As he walked in and greeted the Tranquil man as he usually did he began to look around. Arley loved books, especially novels, and he preferred fiction over anything, but they were hard to find, but at this moment he was searching for a specific book. One on the elven Dalish clans, and another on the Chasind tribes in the Kocari Wilds, they where interesting to him, there seemingly primitive ways in the eyes of most “civilized” folk. He did not see them as the savages many portrayed them to be, in fact he has met many Dalish and Chasind, they weren’t normal by his standards, but most of them where more civilized than the people he met in the towns of Ferelden, despite their bad social graces, most where regular people who had families, jobs, but they just didn’t live in giant cities, and deem themselves better than everyone else because they had luxuries.

He thought it was fascinating, both groups of people. He had met one specific Chasind woman in his life that he had developed some feeling for, Honovi was her name. She was skilled, beautiful, and intelligent, all the things he valued in a woman, and even though she was more than 10 years his senior he would still search her out and try to be with her again like he did when she helped him through the Brecillian forest. He was hoping he could find her again, but her being in Denerim would be unlikely, though he still hoped.

He walked out of the store after he paid the man, he decided to find another bookstore that may have a bigger selection on the Chasind tribes and Dalish clans, and it didn't take him long to find what he was looking for. It was a small shop and I only had books so he imagined he would find the books he wanted. He walked in and started looking through the books. When he looked over his shoulder he saw something very unexpected....Honovi. He walked up to her and smiled at her as he usually did, "Whats a fine Chasind lady like you, doing in a big city like this?"

[Addy Castillon]

"Don't forget to stop by again! Thank you, and please have a nice day."

The day had been wonderful considering the sales the owner had made. A seemingly unending wave of curious readers had flooded the store, much to the owners surprise. Elves, merchants, even a few nobles had given her tiny shop the time of day. The store had recently begun to pick up remarkably, mostly due to the owners sudden and intense time investment. New books had been entering the store weekly in small increments, adding to the former owner's decaying collection.

The owner slowly strode toward the window, gently leaning against the windowsill as she peered out into the Denerim markets. Her long, thick blond hair was tied into a low side ponytail with her bangs pinned back with a small clip shaped like a butterfly. Her bright emerald eyes scanned the roads of bustling people. She smiled softly at the crowds crossing her vision, sighing happily and pushing open the casement windows to let the natural light flow in. She went back to her desk and sat down with a content smile. She picked up a book of her own and continued her reading.

Her name was Adelyne. She was a young girl from Denerim whose family, the Castillons, were killed by the darkspawn. She was taken from the orphanage by a kind elderly couple that owned the bookstore she currently owned. The couple, although her adoptive parents, cared for her as if she was their own. Both had recently contracted a sickness and neither had survived. In their will, they had given their young daughter the deed to their store, where the family had lived in the attic. At least, that is what she makes those who ask believe. Adelyne turned the page of her book, wincing quietly. Paper cut. Addy glanced towards the door and then back to her cut. She closed her eyes and held her hand over the tiny cut. Moments later, the cut was gone.

In truth, she was a mage. Her mother had decided alerting the templars was the best course of action, one Adelyne had not agreed with. She had high-tailed it to the ruined Denerim, where the rest of the story played out honestly. Well, she also hid the detail that the old woman was an apostate who taught her everything she knew. Ever since she was a child, Adelyne felt a presence she could only describe as compassion, which caused her to utilize her healing powers.

Suddenly, the door began to open once more. A woman entered, along with two animal companions. Adelyne's eyes widened in shock at the woman's hawk before lowering at her cub in bewilderment. She quickly stood up and bowed her head, hastily recovering from the shock. "Welcome, milady. If you need any help, please do not hesitate to ask if you need any help." She bowed politely before returning to her book. Suddenly, the door opened once more, this time a man. She stood up once more, smiling pleasantly. "Welcome, ser. If you need help, please just ask."

[Warden Darin Cathar]

A lone Warden peered from his hiding spot, softly moving to the next like a curiously mobile shadow, his dark-green coat blending very unsuccessfully against the gray stone wall. Curious; whenever he turned to face that wall, he could smell the faint odour of leather and parchment. But he had never heard of any book stores in Denerim.

As he continued moving along the wall, crouched so that his head would not be seen, his hands that had been feeling for the stone wall suddenly grasped air. Mavenna laid her hand on his shoulder, icy as ever, her shrill voice ringing clearly in the finally refreshing air.

"What are you up to? Nevermind. I see you're interested on the bookstore."

Darin, wrapped quite tightly in his dark-green travel-worn traveling cloak, froze on his place to gape at the sign above an open door from where the smells seemed to come from. Bookstore? Well... he did like books.

"Bookstore, I see," he mumbled nearly too softly to be heard, but somehow she did.

"Yes. We should check out their stocks, no?"

A woman turned behind a glass window, a beautiful blonde, but so quickly that Darin nearly doubted she was there.

"Yeah, let's go in."

Upon entering the homely bookstore the promised smells of leather, parchment and ink greeted them. Darin liked the smell, and apparently so did Mavenna; one of the few things they had in common was a love for books. It was the most peculiar company they received in the store, however.

First surprise was Arley. Well, not exactly a surprise, and not a very negative one at that either. The man was an idealist, eager to change the world as he saw it - by killing as many templars as possible. That was still a point he disagreed on with the man - idealists were fascinating, but sometimes overly enthusiastic - yet that was not nearly the last of his surprises.

Apparently the beautiful woman he had seen in the window was indeed authentic, but the woman she was speaking with was much more queer. Wearing pelts and fur like a barbarian, she yet somehow managed a sophisticated look on her face. Wha-- hawk? Apparently she had somehow managed to tame a hawk, because now it was sitting on her shoulder, eyeing the surroundings rather warily with those sharp hawk-eyes. They spotted him and Mavenna almost instantly, from the oh-so-familiar look of recognition on its... 'face'. What did they call birds' faces?

"Oh! This is about the Chasind!"

The apostate was already getting herself comfortable, having almost instantly found an interesting volume. Was the woman with the hawk on her shoulder Chasind? Nevermind. He peered over to the first bookshelf he could find and plucked out a book at random. "The History of Denerim, Part 1", it read on front of the volume he held in his both hands. Darin opened it at a random spot, just waiting for that beautiful woman to approach him and Mavenna.

'...Denerim was originally an outpost for the Tevinter Imperium. The once-great magister lords raised a great black tower out of the mountainside, which nowadays is called Fort Drakon, and is said to be nearly impossible to capture by direct assault...

Uh. He didn't like history that much, anyway, so he put closed the book and put it back on the shelf, turning his head to gaze at the storekeeper again.

[Honovi]

The little blond girl was amusing, staring as she did, and Honovi looked up from the poem she was reading to toss her a friendly smile.

"I would like to buy this."

Closing the book, she turned to take it to the girl only to find herself find a familiar face grinning at her. Arley greeted her with his usual flirtation, earning little more than a raised eyebrow from her.

"I'm a mercenary - the people who hire me live here. You're walking well, though. You have a healer among the Wardens?"

Before he could answer, however, a young couple walked in and the young woman exclaimed about finding a book on the Chasind. Honovi arched a brow as she glanced at the cover.

"That book is not accurate."

What it was, however, was disturbing. Books like that were the reason northmen thought her people were frightening savages that trained blood mages and ate human flesh. There was another book she'd come across that even described rituals in which children were sacrificed to Flemeth that was so graphic Honovi had needed to put it down. And even that hadn't stopped her from feeling queasy. Pulling an beat-up old notebook from her pack she offered it to the girl, instead.

"These are the stories of my tribe. My memory is not perfect, but it is better that what northern missionaries write down." She tilted her head at the little blond shopkeep. "I mean no offence, of course."

[Arley Voegeli]

Arley looked at the shop keeper before talking to Honovi, "Thank you Milady. Ill let you know if I need help," he said gingerly. Arley noted Honovi's bitter bluntness as usual. "It was a sarcastic question, you dont have to be like that, but anyway its nice to see you too," Arley shot her his usual wicked smile. "Yes we do have a healer amongst the Wardens," Then he turned his attention the to people walking in...It was Darin. What a suprise, Arley liked Darin, he wasn't very nice to him, nor was Honovi, but he enjoyed the fact that he was a hard man to hate. He seemed to have a certain....charm about him, most who tried to hate him couldn't, they just thought him to be an oddity. Mavenna exclaimed about a book on the Chasind. Of course Honovi interjected with her stern words. She told her "That book is not accurate."

Before Honovi could say anything else he said: "Now Honovi thats no way to treat a stranger! Be nice!" Though he was she he would be ignored, she said some other stuff to the group, her and Darin where almost exactily alike, though Darin talked more than Honovi, he knew that by personal experience. He noticed that Darin kept looking at the shopkeeper seemingly not paying attention to anything else. It made Arley giggle, he thought it was funny to see such a stern man like someone who was very outgoing. 'Opposites Attract I guess' Arley thought to himslef. Seeing as he found him self interested in Honovi, though she completely seemed to be annoyed by Arley, it didn't bother him.

"Honovi, you wouldn't let me take you to dinner, nor would you even aknowledge the fact that I like you. But even so, I've been searching for you...You know that?" Arley said in a soft whisper so no one could hear. "I would like to know something also, do I bother you? Because it seems to me that I do. Though whatever your answer is, you can just know, I will always be chasing after you." Arley didn't know why he liked her so much, he honestly thought he was just a fool, chasing after things that he knew would never happen, like a small boy chasing fantasies. But he still couldnt stop how he felt, and he wondered what the feeling actually was. Other than the fact that she helped him through the forest, she seemed to dislike him completely.

He gave Honovi time to chew on what he had said, either she would stop him and answer his questions, or she would just leave, if she left, he might not continue chasing her, but he couldnt be sure of that now, he waited to see if she would seek him out later as he walked up to Darin. "Hello Darin, how are you?" Arley asked and stuck out his hand in respect.

[Addy Castillon]

Suddenly, once again her store we being flooded with customers. Not that she minded. The more, the merrier her adoptive parents had already said, although this group of shoppers weren't what she had in mind. There was the hawk-woman, who looked like a barbarian but her the manner better than many of the people wandering Denerim. Then there was who begin to flirt with the hawk-woman, which wasn't exactly the most picture perfect couple. Her, covered in fur and charms of various sorts while he appeared to be a warrior.. Not many men in Denerim would flirt with a woman like her. Not to say she wasn't a pretty woman. As pretty as she was, the whole barbarian look was a tad frightening.

Then, another pair entered the mix. One appeared to be a warrior like the other man, while the woman didn't look like a warrior per say, but not exactly defenseless. She rose her eyebrow at the peculiar company that surrounded her bookstore. Oh well, she shouldn't care about how peculiar the company was, just that she sold a few books during their visit. "Welcome, if you need any help just ask." She smiled and nodded to the man that lead the duo inside. Hawk-woman announced she was ready to make a purchase, but was taken off-guard by the flirtations from the warrior-man.

Suddenly, the second woman to enter gasped over a book about the Chasind. Adelyne glanced over to the book, trying to catch a glimpse of the cover. She had no idea if the book was credible, to be honest. She had no literature from the Chasind, just a group of books with wild speculation and crazy allegations, such as their horrid sacrifices to Flemeth. She had her doubts about many of the allegations, but who knows? She hadn't read any kind of account from a Chasind point of view.

Speaking of the Chasind point of view, hawk-woman suddenly broke in and handed the girl a journal, stating that the book was indeed false. She smiled at the hawk-woman, who quickly turned to her and told her she meant no offense. She shook her head. "None taken. I don't have many books about the Chasind, much less one with facts." She glanced over to see the man looking at books in the history section. He didn't seem to look like much of a history-scholar. He was more than likely just looking around while his excited lady-friend shopped. He put the book back and turned to her. She flashed him a smile before turning back to the hawk-woman.

"I'll take your purchase whenever you're ready."

[Warden Darin Cathar]

Darin shifted his gaze slightly to take in the hawk-bearing woman. A Chasing? It had only been a floating thought, but...

Well, at least she now had a decent book about the Chasind. Mavenna looked askance at her, too, but only for a fleeting moment; the next she was beaming at her, accepting the notebook graciously.

"It is a great gift, in that case. I suppose that most people cannot see the Chasind from a neutral viewpoint."

Just as Darin adjusted his gaze to glance over at the blonde woman again, he found her flashing a smile at him, if only a brief one. Darin smiled back, just as briefly. An idea entered his head. He wondered whether there were any books about Grey Wardens in the store, and if there were, what they told about the Order. He had never had a chance to really read a book about Grey Wardens, although he had always been curious of how his Order was seen from others' point of view. He supposed much the same as his own views when he still was a peddler's son; distant myths, unimportant ones, tales and folklore that didn't affect your everyday life.

Well, it wasn't very important, but asking wouldn't hurt.

He walked confidently over to where the shopkeeper stood, carefully erasing any thoughts he had had about her beauty and placing them to the back of his mind. He really had to focus to not simply lose himself in her eyes, where an intelligent light flickered not much different from Mavenna.

He adopted a stony expression, or as stony as he could manage.

"I am looking for a good volume on the Grey Wardens. I could be interested to learn about the Seekers of Truth, too, if you have any volumes about them."

He shifted casually, unconsciously adjusting his gear, fingering the sword hilt under his cloak. It felt hard, but inviting; he almost wanted to grip it. Somehow he suddenly felt anxious, as if the wind had carried the feeling with it from outside. He fixed his gaze at the storekeeper's face, hoping that his own was at least moderately stony.

[Honovi]

Arley was just as talkative as always, it seemed, and Honovi arched a brow at his question.

"If I didn't like you I wouldn't be talking to you. But I am still not going to open my legs."

The little blond girl, however, was ready to take her order and her comment on having no accurate books on the Chasind struck her with an idea. Digging around in her pack for another notebook among the other meticulously stored items she flicked her gaze to the girl.

"Perhaps a trade, yes? I would not like my tribe's history to be lost, if you would like a copy of our stories."

If nothing else the girl wouldn't find another copy from anywhere but Honovi's own hand. Indeed, Honovi had never heard of a true Chasind book before - only the skewed views of Chantry zealots that filled their pages with false stories of Chasind barbarism when they didn't understand the ways of the first People. The Chasind were not savages, they simply held the old ways fiercely in their hearts.

It seemed the man - Darin, she thought Arley had called him - was attracted to the young storekeep, however, and Honovi frowned. The girl was entirely too young for that, especially with a boy obviously several years older than her, and Honovi did not approve.

"I am Honovi, and these are Kachina and Makya," she said, indicating herself, her red lion cub, and her hawk in turn, "Do your parents own this store?"[/b]

With any luck her parents would disapprove of young Darin's flirtations as well, and end them.

[Arley Voegeli]

Darin ignored Arley; he was mesmerized by the blonde shopkeeper. Arley chuckled and heard Honovis comment to him, he turned to her, "I do not only wish to get in between your legs," Arley said bluntly. "I like you I want to be with you, more than I want sex." Arley told her, and he was serious, he wanted more than to court her, he wanted a relationship. He noticed that it was hard for a Grey Warden to find love, as they had a big responsibility to uphold, and not only with Darkspawn. "When you leave, I would like to travel with you if that is ok," He didn't really ask more than invited, but she wouldn't oblidge him with a rely otherwise, or atleast thats usually went. Then she heard Darin's mage friend talking to Honovi, she was talking about her peoples story. "I wouldn't mind a copy, that is what I came for, and a volume on the Dalish. I can pay for both of our copies if you wish. Unless you want to trade for something other than coin." Arley looked at her, he didn't know if he was intruding, but he did come here for a book on the Chasind, and he was going to get one either way.

He also didn't know if it was a good idea to ask her if they could travel together, she really showed no interest, but it didn't matter to him he wouldn't mind one companion, he was alone most of the time, and it would be nice to have someone to talk to on those lonely night, other than the moon. Being a Grey Warden was a lonely life, and Arley didn't expect anyone to walk into darkness with him, especially since he was walking into some of the darkest places, so his plea was foolish at best, not many women wanted to be with a Grey Warden, the end was always early death. Though most Chasind's Arley met where a tad more talkitive, they all still got to the point quickly, and were very blunt. She told him that she wouldn't open her legs before, and in truth that wasn't really what he wanted, well, he did want that but still. She different and he liked that, that and he hadn't met many female Grey Wardens.

Either way he watched Honovi question the Mage, Maverra, and the shopkeep, but she was still polite, Arley wondered why she wasn't always that way. Arley guessed it didn't really matter, Arley saw that she glanced over Darin, he could almost hear what she was thinking, that they where too young for such flirtaticiousness. The thought made him laugh, she was so serious all the time.

[Addy Castillon]

Adelyne grinned at the the hawk-woman's reply to the warrior-man and his attempt at flirting. She was bold, yet respectful. A good combination to have, one of which the citizens of Denerim never seemed to recognize. Either they were bold yet rude, or reserved and unappreciative of honesty. Some people claimed Adelyne was too honest at times. What a coincidence, considering she was constantly lying about her origins.

"Well, I've never heard an offer like that before." Adelyne perked an eyebrow at the hawk-woman's offer to trade the books. She didn't mind the notion. She had never read any material from an actual Chasind; she hadn't even met a Chasind before. The idea of reading a personal account from one was very... intriguing. At the same time, however, she needed to consider her finances. She was not in a terrible financial crisis yet still she needed what she could to scrap by. She was only one young woman. She needed to supply both her store and herself. Then again, how much would someone pay for an actual account from a Chasind?

After she finished it herself, that was.

After considering it for a moment, she smiled at the hawk-woman, nodding. "Of course. You keep the poetry, and I'll take the journal. I'll have to read this myself before someone swoops in to buy it. And if you want something on the Dalish, sir, I'd say just look near the beginning of the 'D's in the history section." She smiled graciously and pointed toward the history section.

The second warrior man then approached her with a question. His smile was gone, replaced by a stonewall. Grey Wardens and Seekers of Truth? Odd topics. He did seem to be a warrior. Perhaps he was interested in joining one of those two organizations? He didn't seem like the scholarly type, not the kind to investigate a topic for no reason. Grey Wardens were heroes, but Seekers of Truth... Adelyne was an apostate. The very idea of Seeker wannabe being in her bookstore frightened her.

She glanced down to her desk. Her copy of The Power to Heal: A Guide on Understanding Your Talent laid there, cover up. She had bought the book from The Wonders of Thedas. It was a legitimate guide for Circle mages that was sold for novelty factor. Still, she didn't wanted any kind of suspicions surrounding her name. She picked up the book as casually as she could and laid it back on her chair.

"For the Grey Wardens I'd suggest The First Blight. Technically it's about the First Blight, but it gives a lot of info on the Grey Wardens and how they came around. For the Seekers of Truth, there is The Seekers of Truth which is just an historical account, and The Seekers is a fictional history novel. It's fictional, but it's based off of the first book I mentioned so they at least attempted to make it factual. If you'd like, I'll let you buy both on the Seekers for the price of one, since they kind of go together, mhm?" She flashed him another smile before the hawk-woman introduced herself.

She frowned at the mention of her parents. Truthfully, she had no idea what happened to her parents. Her adoptive parents, however, had died just in the last few months. Even if they were not her real parents, the idea of their passing still stung her heart. She forced a smile, shaking her head. "It's my pleasure, Honovi. I am Adelyne Castillon, and no. My parents were the previous owners but they passed away a few months ago."

[Warden Darin Cathar]

The apostate mage behind him put the journal in her pocket, not very gently, and rushed to find even more "interesting books", as she put it. He, to him books were enjoyable if they were good, but history was usually boring. Nothing about the Seekers, however, seemed "boring". Or unimportant. What crimes had Arley committed to get those Seekers after him? He hoped to find out something useful from the book.

"I'll take the First Blight and the more... serious book about the See--"

"Healing?"

This time her voice sounded... uncertain. Confused. She rushed past him to the desk, then immediately to the shopkeeper.

"I'd like to buy that book. On... Healing, it seems." She carefully put emphasis on "healing", little something that suggested a special interest.

Darin eyed Mavenna incredulously for a microsecond before the stony mask returned on his face. So, the woman knew something little about magic. Why was she suddenly so queer?

He shot another glance at the shopkeeper before announcing his terms.

"The First Blight and The Seekers of Truth, full price paid, questions allowed. How's that sound to you?"

Somehow that earned a frown from Mavenna. Did she think this woman might be an apostate? Certainly not. He had never heard of apostates upkeeping bookstores, much less avoiding the templars for her whole life. It was impossible, or close to it.

Abruptly he realized that he had muttered under his breath for gods know how long. The stony mask fell from his face, revealing a slightly frightened expression; in truth, he was absolutely terrified. Mavenna would kill him. If the templars wouldn't do it first.

He tried to speak, but his lips just wouldn't move apart. It seemed as if they were glued together, so unable he was to move them. He fixed his gaze on the shopkeeper instead, though, suddenly interested. Was the woman an apostate?

[Honovi]

Of course Arley didn't just want between her legs, and Honovi shook her head.

"Of course, you want true love. Look for it elsewhere, you will not get it from me."

Perhaps she was cynical, but she really had no interest in Arley beyond friendship. She'd done it all before and had no interest in trying again, certainly not with someone as naive as Arley. He was too you young and too sweet and too childlike, and she was entirely too realistic. Besides that, she just... wasn't interested.

After a brief discussion she exchanged books with the young shopkeep, and smiled apologetically when Arley asked for a copy for himself.

"I am afraid I will have to give it to you another time, I only have the two copies. I will have another finished in a few weeks, I can bring it to Vigil's Keep then."

Honovi turned her gaze back to the shopkeep just in time to see her take a book off her desk and try to hide it - The Power to Heal. So, the girl was a mage then. It was foolish of her to leave such books out in the open with now that war had been declared on any with the gift, and between that and the young man's interest she thought it a good time to mention the girl's parents.

Unfortunately, it seemed she was wrong. Her parents had died recently and Honovi bit back an apologetic wince, simply bowing her head in sympathy. She knew the feeling well, though in her case rather more than her parents had died, and words seemed inadequate for her misstep in asking about them.

The second woman, however, seemed to have seen the book Adelyne was reading as well. Unfortunate. Honovi took a protective step closer to Adelyne's side, hand resting casually on her belt by her quiver. The girl wasn't going to get in trouble for being a healer of all things and Honovi would make sure of it.

"Is there somewhere we could go to discuss business, Adelyne?" she asked softly, hoping the girl understood what she was trying to do. "I travel a great deal, perhaps I could find you new books."

[Arley Voegeli]

"True Love? You really think I would be that tacky? I do happen to realize that "True Love" is something that I will never have my life so either that was a bad attempt at a joke, or you must think I am that of a child, ignorant. Yeah I like you, and I do happen to be "attracted" to you, but I just want a friend. Someone to travel with, but take it how you wish." It would seem that she had become quite...bitchy since their last meeting, she was atleast trying to be polite then. He wondered what her problem was...But it didn't matter, he would leave her alone.

"They are your books? Suprising. Well don't worry about it, no point in going all the way to Amaranthine to give me a book." Arley walked over to Mavenna, "So have fun dragging Darin to a bookstore? I mean before he dissapeared into his own little world that is." Arley chuckled, he liked Mavenna she was easy to talk to, Darin and Honovi were different obviously, but barely gave respect to anyone, it made no sense. But still....Arley couldn't deny he liked Honovi, she was just very bad at social interactions, and Darin, well Arley didn't know what his problem was, but Arley did find it amusing that he annoyed them, or atleast it seemed like he annoyed them.

Though he was an optomist so he figured they would come around, but now he was going to talk to someone who might be a little more inclined to use a small amount of manners. Though he guessed it wasn't that big of a deal seeing as he was rude himself at times.

[Addy Castillon]

How did they catch on so fast from a simple book? The smile she wore as a mask was difficult to hold under the circumstances. None of them outwardly said it, but they all knew it. Well, except maybe the first warrior. He seemed to be somewhat of a fool. In the middle of this tension he was worried about the hawk-woman's love and how the woman interested in her book got Darin - the Warden/Seeker man, she assumed - to enter the book store despite the fact he too was purchasing books. Still, her smile fought to keep her face covered.

Inside, she was panicking. Was it really that easy to catch wind of her? To see some book sitting on her desk that is also sold as a novelty item? She glanced around from person to person, her smile speaking obliviousness. Fortunately, Adelyne had not only been taught magic, but also acting. Her adoptive mother did not teach her to be some theater star, but only to cover up silly mistakes such as the book. Still, the tension created by the assumption was enough to catch even the oblivious young shopkeeper.

"Of course. I got it from The Wonders of Thedas as a little novelty book. With all of the mage-hunting going on, you need to know how they work. That's what my mother told me, at least. Without the proper knowledge, you never know who could be whispering with the demons." She nodded in a matter-of-fact manner. These people did not seem malicious against mages. No, the hawk-woman even seemed to want to talk about it. She wasn't an idiot, and saw the implications from her words.

Adelyne couldn't let anyone, friend or foe know that she was indeed an apostate with a taste for healing. The number one guideline of an apostate was to never trust anyone. The hawk-woman could ask to help her and then slit her throat the next second. Adelyne doubted she would, but she had to be careful. Such was the life of an apostate.

"One moment, Miss Honovi. We can discuss business after I wrap up business with these fine folk, right?" Addy nodded to Darin before strolling to the history section. Carefully searching for the books he requested, Adelyne considered her next words carefully. She needed them off her back. No matter the situation, she was content with how she was now. Whether they were a pack of mages or a pack of templars, she was on her own now.

She grabbed the two books and walked back to the desk and opened the books, including the book on healing. The prices were carefully written inside the front cover. Each was fairly affordable. She had noticed the prices of history books were lower than the fictional ones. Adelyne just assumed that the fictional sold better when her adoptive parents were in control. After checking each price, all of which the same, she nodded briskly to the two.

"That will be fifty silvers each."