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[Minaleth]

Tellervo wrote...

Okay, it's technically Tuesday where I am, and I'll be busy as hell today/wednesday, so....

Challenge time!

prompt:Zevran's a real smooth talker, yeah? Give me a situation he needed or thought he wanted to talk his way into, and turns out things are not as advertised--he needs to talk his way out. Art/fic/radio drama/interpretive dance/toolset--whatever. If you can make it work, do it. Time limit is one hour, because this one might be tricky in some media.

deadline: by 4 pm eastern US on Thursday. Judgment Day is Friday.

prize: uh... I can't draw for crap, so I guess I'll write you something? That's not a great prize, I know, but that's what I can do. No restrictions, except that the content you're requesting can't be illegal to produce in my neck of the woods.

Summary: Zevran talks Morrigan into telling him which room is Warden's tonight. He takes some wine and finally hopes for nice evening *chat*. Alas instead of sexy half naked Warden he discovers Oghren  who is suddenly in very talkative mood.
Bonus: Morrigan doesn't know either which room it is since Warden is hiding from them both ... for now.
The end.

[Shadow of Light Dragon]

beggargirl wrote...

I just read through your whole fic last night from start to finnish.  WOnderful! 

Thank you

Minaleth wrote...

Summary: Zevran talks Morrigan into telling him which room is Warden's tonight. He takes some wine and finally hopes for nice evening *chat*. Alas instead of sexy half naked Warden he discovers Oghren who is suddenly in very talkative mood.

Zev's lucky that's all Oghren was in the mood for.

Tellervo wrote...

Okay, it's technically Tuesday where I am, and I'll be busy as hell today/wednesday, so....

Challenge time!

Hmmm...this requires coffee.

[Corker]

An hour of writing, but a bit more time spent thinking and rereading the source material.  Plus two more minutes to copy-paste it here and add in the italics.

Antivan Fiction

"Pure Tellari Swamp deathroot in that bottle; this one, Korcari Wilds.  Both are excellent, but I know some people prefer one over the other.  Fifteen silver for either, and that is the price for 'family.'"

Zevran sniffed in disdain and indicated a third bottle filled with a brilliant blue liquid.  "And that?"

"You have an eye for quality, my friend.  The House of Crow's own special mix, only improved even further.  Forty silvers."

"Forty silvers?  Lorenzo, I have just come from Antiva City.  Do you mean to tell me your Trevino alchemy can compare to the best the capital has to offer?"

The poisoner looked indignant.  "I learned my craft at the feet of Maestro Giovanni Serrano.  I would - I have staked my life on the quality of my goods.  You will find nothing better in Antiva City, I swear."

Zevran raised a skeptical eyebrow but shrugged one shoulder.  "Very well; forty silvers.  If it works as advertised, I shall return for more."

"Excellent, excellent."  Lorenzo shuffled to pluck the crystal bottle from its perch.  "Will you stay for supper, my friend?  Teodora, our other guest, is quite lonely..."

"Which was Teodora?  The one painted like a ****?"

"That's Julia.  My wife."

There was a moment of awkward silence, but Lorenzo did not seem inclined to take offense.  His wife *was* painted like a ****, after all.  "Well," Zevran finally cleared his throat, "alas, I have a prior engagement this evening.  But I thank you for the offer."

Lorenzo shrugged.  "Hurry back, if you want more of this," he hefted the bottle before handing it over, taking the silvers with his other hand.  "It sells quickly."

_______

Dinner with Maria had gone splendidly.  She was a cagey creature he had been pursuing for weeks, but dinner seemed to be the tipping point.  He charmed, he flattered, he danced with her.  It was not unexpected that she claimed to be tipsy from drink and asked him to escort her home.

Her home, that was unexpected.  The villa sprawled behind the iron gates, an elegant mansion fit for a nobleman.  And above the gate perched a wrought iron crow, black wings outstretched.

"You naughty minx," he forced a smile and a laugh.  "This is your home, truly?  And here I thought this was Maestro Ualla's dwelling."

She waved negilently at the guards and the gates swung open.  "It is.  Is it not usual for a woman to live with her husband?"

"Your... husband?"

"As if that bothers you, Zevran Aranai."  She stepped forward and glanced over her shoulder, beckoning.  "The stories have made it out here to Trevino, you know."

Husbands in principle, no; Crow Master husbands whose loyal guards were watching him enter the villa in the company of his wife, yes.  That bothered him very much. 

So did offending the wife of a Crow Master.  He sauntered ahead, mind working furiously.  He could escort her in and take his leave the very moment he thought of a plausible excuse - hopefully, that would be quickly enough that the guards couldn't begin to suspect that anything had happened. 

Maria perhaps expected this.  They were scarcely through the door of the dark and sleeping house when she twined one hand in his hair to pull him close; the other went straight to his belt.  He didn't dare break the kiss too soon or show too  little enthusiasm, but when she got the buckle undone and pulled the belt free he had to grab at the waist of his trousers to keep them up.  He needed time and space and he needed it now.  "I hate to break the mood, amora," he confided in her ear, "but there was rather a lot of wine drunk tonight, and..."

Maria sighed, rolled her eyes, and gestured imperiously at a nearby door.  He darted a quick kiss at her neck.  "Just a moment," he insisted, and hurried to the garderobe.

When he emerged, pants in hand and a brilliant excuse on his tongue, Maria Ualla was lying unconscious on the floor, the small crystal bottle that had been in his belt pouch still in her hand.

-------

The pounding at the door woke Lorenzo and Julia both from a sound sleep.  "What?" demanded Julia sleepily.  "What at this hour?  Lorenzo, I have asked and asked - "

"Silence, woman," he grumbled, pulling himself out of bed.  "Will you tell the House of Crows no?  Coming, coming!" he shouted.  "Cease or you will bring the guard, you fool!"  But the pounding continued as Lorenzo made his way from his quarters in the back to the front of his shop.  "Who goes?"

"Open up! Lorenzo, open!"

"Who is that?  What are you thinking, coming at this hour, with this noise?"

"Zevran Aranai, Lorenzo!  I need one of your cures, presto!  This woman, she is dying!"

"You botched a job and brought it here?  Are you a rank novice?  Go, go, leave!  There is a midden four blocks south, leave her there!"

"She is Maestro Ualla's wife, Lorenzo, and she was last seen with me!  Open!"  The pounding on the door became thumping as the assassin outside began launching himself bodily at the door.

"Madman!  I do not know you!  I will call for the guards!"  Lorenzo cast about frantically, looking for something to barricade the door with.

"And I will tell them you sold me the poison!"

"Bastardo!"  Lorenzo yanked open the door; behind him, Julia was beginning to whine and wail.  "Maker's mercy, what happened?"  Maria's mouth was flecked with bloody foam and her eyes rolled in her head.  It was not the usual effect of the toxin.

"She drank it.  Andraste's blood, I left her alone for a few minutes and when I came back...  who drinks poison, Lorenzo?"

The alchemist growled in his throat.  "Lay her down here.  Mages do, when they think something blue in a bottle is lyrium."

"Mages... she's an apostate?"

"She's dying, you idiot!  Drank an entire bottle of... let me see... this might work..."

"Hurry!"

"Here."  Lorenzo thrust a plate at him, a small smudge of gritty paste in its center.  "Apply that to a blade and put it in her vein."

"I'm not a barber-surgeon!"

"Nor am I, and you are the fool who let her drink the poison!  I am not going to stab Maestro Ualla's wife!  You are!"

"Fine, fine... where should I..."

"A vein, a vein!  No matter which one!  Do they not teach you these things?"

Of course, of course they did... Zevran forced himself to calm; drew a dagger and scooped up the paste on its tip.  The inside of her elbow and...

Maria jerked, spasmed, and suddenly bolted upright, screaming.

"Are you all right?"

Wide-eyed with shock, she gestured dramatically and a bolt of white-hot energy slammed into Zevran's chest.

"Right enough," Lorenzo said.

[Minaleth]

Corker, that was too funny. Brilliant even.

I see assassins have difficult life anywhere, lol.

[jenovan]

LOL! Fantastic, Corker XD

[soignee]

amazing corker

[Corker]

LOL! Thanks, all! And here I was worried it was too derivative.

[soignee]

idk what to do for the prompt D: my comics take like 5 hours to draw and ink, and my writing energy is low so...

D: D:

[Minaleth]

soignee wrote...

idk what to do for the prompt D: my comics take like 5 hours to draw and ink, and my writing energy is low so...
D: D:

See how mine sux and do better!

[Corker]

Illustration + explanation?  Like, come up with the situation Zevran is talking himself into or out of and illustrate one moment from it.  Then caption the picture with the short, short, short, 1-3 sentence version of the situation just to contextualize it.

Pooooosibly cheat and use an in-game motor-mouth moment?  He's got a few party banters that get away from him (but he recovers, I think), and Earring Gift Round 1 fits the description of the fill, IMO.  (Zevran opens mouth, realizes he's in emotional water over his head, tries to cover for it.)

ETA: The one who ripped of Quentin Tarantino should not speak of using source material as 'cheating.'  

Modifié par Corker, 03 août 2010 - 03:32 .

[payroo]

@ minaleth: Oh I lol'ed! Devious Morrigan... I like her can'ttouchthis pose in the first panel.



@ corker: XD hilarious!

[Tellervo]

You could just draw a single scene in the sequence and briefly explain how he got into it.

[Sarah1281]

Alright, here's my entry:


Angélique Amell gave a girlish giggle and kissed Alistair on the cheek before tossing her long golden hair behind her and bouncing away.
 
Alistair watched her go with a silly little half-smile on his face before starting and furiously scrubbing at his skin where his fellow Warden’s lips had touched.
 
Zevran watched the sight, amused. As he had suspected, Alistair was furiously fighting his own attraction to their illustrious leader and he had to admit, he was rather curious as to why. Was it the mage thing? Wynne’s ‘you’re not old enough to have a girlfriend and save Ferelden’ thing? The ‘I was almost a Templar and had resigned myself to celibacy’ thing? There was only one way to find out and it would certainly make the long walk to Orzammar pleasanter.
 
“Girl trouble?” he asked, the innocent concern in his voice belied by the sly smirk upon his face.
 
“You have no idea,” Alistair muttered, still trying to get any trace of Angélique off of him.
 
“True, I do not,” Zevran replied easily. “I would like to, though.”
 
“Why?” Alistair asked suspiciously, wincing a little as rubbing at his cheek became painful. He reluctantly lowered his hand. “So that you can laugh at me?”
 
“No, no,” Zevran assured him. “So that I may help you. And then, perhaps, laugh at you. But at least you’ll get some advice, no?”
 
“I suppose…” Alistair said slowly, clearly wavering. “And it’s not like I can ask anyone else. Leliana would tell me to go for it as she loves a love story, Wynne would tell me not to risk it as I’m a Grey Warden and have responsibilities, Sten would probably order me to use real words, Angélique’s dog hates me, and can you even imagine what Morrigan would say?”
 
“Yes, everyone else would be most unhelpful in this matter,” Zevran agreed readily. “So why don’t you tell me all about your problems?”
 
“I don’t have ‘problems’, per se,” Alistair began. “I have one problem and her name is Angélique.”
 
“Oh?” Zevran inquired, raising an eyebrow. “It didn’t look that way earlier. She even kissed you goodbye before leaving.”


“And you saw my reaction to that, didn’t you?” Alistair asked grimly. “Or rather, my delayed reaction?”
 
“Yes, you looked pleased before acting like you thought she had poisoned you,” Zevran confirmed. He paused. “Do you think that she poisoned you?”
 
“Oh, if only,” Alistair said with a heavy sigh. “I hate Angélique. I really do.”
 
“It didn’t look that way earlier,” Zevran said dubiously. “Not that I judge, of course. Sometimes hate sex can be the very best kind.”
 
“I was always raised to think that sex should only be done between two people that love each other very much,” Alistair said stiffly. “And it’s a good idea if they’re married, too. And by ‘married’, of course, I mean ‘to each other’ and not having a sordid affair.”
 
“Ah, but you were raised by the Chantry,” Zevran pointed out. “And incidentally, Chantry sisters…not nearly as inhibited as you might think. In Antiva, those vows really tend more towards guidelines anyway…”
 
“I am not hearing this,” Alistair said, staring quite determinedly at a tree in the distance.
 
Zevran decided to take pity on him. “Ah, but we were talking about Angélique, no? What is it about her that makes you uncomfortable?”
 
“She’s the most vapid, oblivious, self-centered person I’ve ever met. Yes, she’s pretty and yes that’s affecting me but she’s just not worth it,” Alistair growled. “And she seems to have decided to set her sights on me. I really have no idea what to do.”
 
“Surely you’re exaggerating,” Zevran said confidently. He may have only entered Angélique’s company a week and a half ago but surely the beautiful woman who saved his life couldn’t be that bad?


“I’m not,” Alistair insisted. “It’s like…you know how I hate Loghain, right?”
 
“I think everyone who has been in your company for longer than five minutes is aware of that little tidbit,” Zevran said dryly.
 
“Well say I had my sword pressed against Loghain’s neck and one of his men had taken Angélique prisoner and threatened to kill her unless I let Loghain go,” Alistair said, trying to find the best way to explain the situation. “My first instinct would probably be to kill Loghain and then thank Loghain’s man. I would never actually do that, of course, because it would be wrong and because Angélique is the only other Grey Warden in Ferelden but, Maker forgive me, I would want to. Desperately.”
 
“I’m really not seeing a problem here, Alistair,” Zevran confessed.
 
“You don’t?” Alistair looked surprised. “I see several.”
 
“Well, your murderous inclinations towards your fellow Warden might be a tad disconcerting if you can’t control yourself but you’d think your years in Templar training would be good for that if nothing else,” Zevran said dismissively. “And you have a choice here. You can either ignore your attraction to Angélique and continue nobly suffering as you pine away for your one true love to come alone-”
 
“Which sounds like what I have been doing,” Alistair interrupted. “But you don’t have to make it sound quite so…”
 
“Quite so what?” Zevran prompted.
 
“Quite so pathetic,” Alistair finished.
 
“I am doing nothing of the sort,” Zevran claimed. “If you feel that what you are doing is pathetic then perhaps you should consider a change?”
 
“But…I don’t think it is,” Alistair disagreed.
 
“Then there should not be a problem. But your other option, if the waiting around and hoping your attraction will go away option doesn’t work out, is to just give in and have angry hate sex until you get over her,” Zevran announced. “Or until one of you kills the other, whichever comes first.”
 
“Didn’t I just tell you that I couldn’t do that?” Alistair asked, aghast. “I don’t even know why I’m bothering to talk to you at all if you’re not going to listen.”
 
“I was listening,” Zevran insisted. “It’s just that you told me what you were raised to believe by the Chantry you’re no longer a part of and I don’t really see why that must dictate the rest of your life.”
 
“Well…” Alistair looked uncertain. “I really don’t know. It’s kind of complicated.”
 
“Tell me all about it,” Zevran invited, hoping he was about to hear something good he could feel free to tease the former Templar about later.
 
“Well, I suppose it all goes back to my childhood,” Alistair mused. “My mother died in childbirth and my father hardly loved her, their…liaison was just for fun. I never even met the man, you know, but I can’t help but think that if they had loved each other then I would have had a far happier time of it. And then there’s Arl Eamon. He refused to take politics into account when he married and even though his wife is, when, Lady Isolde and I don’t see how anyone could want to marry her they seemed very happy together. And he was always impressing upon me the need to not fool around with just anybody and to definitely not carelessly reproduce even though I was only ten when I was sent off to the Chantry. That, of course, couldn’t have helped my issues on the matter given their take on sex and I spent many of my formative years there. And then, of course-”
 
Zevran watched in horror as Alistair seemed intent on regaling him with his entire life’s story. Sure, a little teasing material was always good but this seemed like the kind of thing that would occupy him all the way to Orzammar and he suddenly found that he wasn’t quite as desperate for a diversion from the walking after all.
 
“That…that’s all very fascinating, Alistair,” he interjected the moment the other man paused to take a breath. “But all this Chantry talk…it’s much more Leliana’s specialty than mine, I suspect.”
 
“But I already told you that-” Alistair began to protest.
 
“Yes, well, just have her try to get to the root of your sex complex,” Zevran cut him off. “She’s probably the most qualified among us to do that anyway and the most knowledgeable about the Chantry. You can feel free to come back and ask me about Angélique in particular once Leliana’s helped you with your issues if it’s even still a problem. Who knows? You might just figure out what to do on your own before then.”
 
As Zevran practically shoved Alistair Leliana’s way, he hoped the almost Templar would be able to work it out on his own. Either way, that was hardly his problem anymore, he decided as he sidled up next to Morrigan, his mind racing for the best way to go about melting Morrigan. He had a bet to win, after all.

[Sarah1281]

*wonders if four hours is too soon to develop a complex*

[soignee]

you wrote about Angelique, Sarah. It's a winner in my book.



Here, Zevthead. I bring a gift:

http://tiny.cc/eoky1

[Herr Uhl]

I don't dare to look directly at it.

[Korina1982]

I think this challenge thing is a great idea. There's a lot of nice stuff being posted.

I couldn't think of anything besides the first earring convo, but here's what I have. One hour of writing, plus the time to fire up the game and kill Taliesen so I could hear the actual conversation:

Edit: Then another 2 minutes to fixed borked formatting!

-------------------------------------

Zevran stopped in the open doorway to Keiran's room and stared at the earring in his hand.

It's just a thank you for freeing me from the Crows. That's all. It doesn't mean anything.

That was what he told himself, but what was this odd feeling in his chest?

Keiran, of course, choose that moment to turn around and notice him standing in the doorway. “Hey Zev,” he said warmly. Then he smiled, in that way that he never did for anyone else, and that odd feeling intensified. “Did you need something?”

After steeling himself, Zevran strode across the room with more confidence than he felt. “I wanted to give you this,” he said as he held out his hand.

“An earring? I appreciate the offer, but you really don't need to give me anything.”

“I know, but I want to. I acquired this earring after killing my very first mark, a Rivaini merchant prince. In fact, this was about all he was wearing at the time. I took it to mark the occasion and have kept it ever since... and I'd like you to have it.” He said all this as if it was no big deal, but Keiran's reaction surprised him.

“Then I will accept your gift, Zev. Thank you.” The other elf looked positively elated.

Uh-oh. The Warden was clearly getting the wrong impression.

Zevran quickly clarified, “Don't get the wrong idea about it. You killed Taliesen. As far as the Crows will be concerned, I died with him. That means I'm free, at least for now. You can do whatever you wish with the earring... sell it, wear it, or whatever you'd like. It's the least I could give you in return.”

Keiran's face fell. “Oh. So... it's just a reward for helping you?” he asked quietly. Was Zevran imagining things, or did the other elf look hurt by what he'd said?

“I... look, just... just take it. It's meant a lot to me, but so have... so has what you've done. Please take it.” This was embarrassing... he'd almost said something foolishly sentimental. Zevran hoped the other man hadn't caught his slip...

But when Keiran raised an eyebrow and gave him an odd look, Zevran knew he wasn't fooled.

Zevran cursed silently in Antivan. This was going all wrong!

After a long silence Keiran answered, “I'm sorry, Zev, but I just can't take it... not if you say it means nothing.”

Greatly annoyed with himself, the elf in front of him, and the situation, Zevran gave up. “You... you are a very frustrating man to deal with, do you know that?” he said angrily. “You root around in corpses and dig in piles of who knows what in search of treasure, but you don't want this? Fine! You don't want the earring, you don't get the earring.”

Zevran stormed off, leaving a stunned Keiran behind. Damn that man for making him feel so strange!

Modifié par Korina1982, 04 août 2010 - 12:22 .

[Nonvita]

*magically shows up in time for Princess and Alicorn*

PRINCESS AND ALICORN! My eyes have ne'er beheld such beauty! (Or, at least, not since Charsen's original Alicorn.)







Oh, and hello everyone. Hope you're all doing well! Not feeling great today or I'd stick around longer. =/ I miss you guys.

*a poof, a cloud of smoke, and she is gone again*

[Herr Uhl]

Nonvita wrote...

*magically shows up in time for Princess and Alicorn*
PRINCESS AND ALICORN! My eyes have ne'er beheld such beauty! (Or, at least, not since Charsen's original Alicorn.)

Not your princess though.

Oh, and hello everyone. Hope you're all doing well! Not feeling great today or I'd stick around longer. =/ I miss you guys.
*a poof, a cloud of smoke, and she is gone again*

Nuuuuuuuu!

[soignee]

get well soon, Nonners! I send you Alicorn to canter around after your every whim

[Nonvita]

Herr Uhl wrote...

Not your princess though.

CLOSE ENOUGH. I like to pretend! That's what imaginations are for, OK. But of course YOU wouldn't have one, would you, Herr??? The Princess Soignee portrayed is an everyone's Princess--she can be whoever you want her to be. She's like Bella. If I wanted to, I could be her. I COULD BE HER, HERR. STOP TRYING TO SAY OTHERWISE! *collapses into a puddle from overexerting herself in her delicate state*

soignee wrote...

get well soon, Nonners! I send you Alicorn to canter around after your every whim

Aww an Alicorn! *beckons him close so she can draw stars on his rippling abdomens with pink markers.

Modifié par Nonvita, 04 août 2010 - 12:32 .

[Herr Uhl]

Nonvita wrote...

Herr Uhl wrote...

Not your princess though.

CLOSE ENOUGH. I like to pretend! That's what imaginations are for, OK. But of course YOU wouldn't have one, would you, Herr??? The Princess Soignee portrayed is an everyone's Princess--she can be whoever you want her to be. She's like Bella. If I wanted to, I could be her. I COULD BE HER, HERR. STOP TRYING TO SAY OTHERWISE! *collapses into a puddle from overexerting herself in her delicate state*

What be your problem?

I have a hard time deciding if I like dwarf princess better than human princess. *ponders*

[Giggles_Manically]

If Sarah saw that pic she would dissaprove I think.

Somewhere between -10 and -25.

[Herr Uhl]

Giggles_Manically wrote...

If Sarah saw that pic she would dissaprove I think.
Somewhere between -10 and -25.

Lay off it.

[Giggles_Manically]

Modifié par Giggles_Manically, 04 août 2010 - 01:21 .