These Violent Delights Have Violent Ends

My eyebrows pinch slightly as I look up at him, reaching out to pull the jars closer before grabbing the herbs that will go inside them. 

"Sweet?" I respond in confusion.

"Apple glazed tenderloin it is," I respond as I pull the meat from the bottom drawer and toss it on the counter. "Apples are in the pantry back there. Once you're done with that, you can help me prepare those. And we'll do string beans and acorn squash for sides - unless you see something else you'd rather try."

"No, no," I shake my head, my nose scrunching a bit at the proposed meal as I get up and go where he'd directed me. 

"So this is your job for me..?" I ask as I dig out the apples he'd requested, "Help you cook dinner?"

"Well, I was going to cook dinner regardless," I shrug as I pull a knife out of the cutting block to snip through the butcher's twine that I had tied around the meat to let it soak in the herbs and spices. "But if you're here and offering, I may as well take advantage."

As I pull down the pan for the tenderloin, I glance back into the pantry with a slight frown as the faint hiss of a gourd filled with rice falls to the floor.

"Ljuba?" I say slowly, raising an eyebrow at the woman's backside as she squats by the basket of apples. "Do be careful of the snakes, will you? They are venomous, and they do like to hide in there sometimes..."

"Are you serious..?" I ask with a slight whine, taking a quick step back from the pantry as I turn to look at him.

I only smile to myself as I begin removing the bundles of herbs, tossing them casually into the sink. "Well... not about the rattle," I finally admit as I reach up to move a jar on the shelf above me. I've moved it as much to water the tiny succulents filling its glass walls as I have to expose the brightly colored snake that was curled up behind it, its body slithering into life at having its hiding spot disturbed.

"But do be careful," I chide seriously as I reach up to pull the snake down, his long body slithering between my fingers as I move him to the edge of the kitchen where he's happy to slip into the sitting room away from us. "They're all pretty tame, but if you step on one... just mind where you're walking."

"You are the most bizarre person to ever be inside of me, I swear." I sigh as I look back towards the pantry warily. I do not like snakes. 

"If anything bites me, Lavellan," I warn, looking back at him, "I'm reacting appropriately."

"Be my guest," I smile back at her with a shrug. "Most of them wind up gutted by the time they leave this place anyway. Just don't damage their heads. I need the venom sacs. And I'd like the bones intact, if you can manage it."

Staring down at the basket suspiciously, I kick it with my toe a few times before reaching in to grab a few apples - content nothing will jump out and bite me as I come back to the table. 

"Do you not like dogs or... Cats? Rats, maybe?"

"Cats and rats, sure," I respond as I place the succulent back on the shelf before returning to prepping the meat. "I use them in spellwork all the time. Along with the occasional bird, or a wild dog maybe. But I don't really have much use for them as pets. The one time I've tried, the dog died the first time I left him alone. Not even ten minutes, and the stupid thing ate through half a pot of deadman's beard.

"Snakes aren't that stupid," I say simply. "They eat the mice and the rats that wander in, but they never get into anything that will kill them. And around here, that's damn near everything. And it's so much easier finishing a spell that calls for a snake when you have a handful of them already slithering around somewhere. They aren't exactly a hot commodity for the trade ships to bring in, you know?"

"Then muzzle them," I grumble slightly as I take my seat back at the table, making a point to look underneath before curling my ankles underneath the chair. 

"You live above a bloody occult shop!" I point out after another moment of thought, "Hard to get, you just like the villainous appeal if gives you, don't you? With your wards on your door and your deadly 'clutter'. You're an odd bloke, you know that?"

"I do like the flair of the dark and dramatic," I admit with a smirk as I glance back at her just in time to catch her waving her knife in the direction of my... snake.

"So, is that what you do in the Deadmen?" I ask more seriously, curiosity getting the best of me as I continue cutting the apples. "Theatrics for the sake of intimidating?"

"Theatrics?" I ask, smiling lightly as I shake my head. "No, people don't usually witness the theatrics. Very few people have seen inside these walls, honestly.

"No, I do the one thing that you draw the line on," I admit as casual as ever as I put the meat in a large pan before pouring a jar of broth infused with fragrant spices over the top of it. "My involvement in that process is absolutely untraceable, though you ask anyone within the Circles and there is certainly a great deal of speculation regarding my proclivity and inclination toward such things. No one who has a clue is stupid enough to talk, though."

"You kill people," I nod softly, "Is it hard?"

"If they're any good, yeah," I shrug, intentionally misunderstanding the question.

"You know that's not what I meant," I say flatly, shoving the apple away from myself as I drop the knife and look up at him.

I inhale deeply before letting out a heavy sigh, my nail scratching at the corner of my eye. "That's a rather personal question, isn't it?" I finally ask as I look back at her before offering another shrug. "Yes? Sometimes... not usually. I don't even think of people as people most of the time. You're all insects in a web; I'm the web, and death is the spider - coming when I call, when the insects try to resist me.

"Pick your answer," I say flatly. "They're all of them true in their own moments. I'm a monster, guiltless and shameless. Sometimes I'm a father or a brother or a lover with a difficult choice that will follow me long after the spider has claimed me, too. And I'm all the greys in between."

I frown as I look back down at the table, sighing softly. 

"I don't suppose you'd lend a sympathetic ear to someone with a price on their head, then," I say lightly, shaking my head as the kettle whistles sharply. 

"I won't have anywhere to go if Richard makes that decision." I add quietly, "If Marn does something stupid and selfish, will you be the one knocking on my door?"

"If it came to something so violent - particularly where Marnin is concerned - Richard would want that pleasure for himself," I respond before glancing back at her with a faint smile. "But relax... talking Richard down off the edge is kind of my gig. And what little loyalty I have belongs to the person I find most reasonable at the time... so, as a witch who hasn't threatened to skin anyone recently, you have that advantage.

"Assuming you don't do something wholly and truly stupid to earn his rage?" I offer as I step over to the sink to wash my hands. "I'll do what I can to quell the storm, and keep your heart beating. If only because your pussy feels better warm."

"And here I thought you liked me because I had some merit," I laugh lamely, smiling slightly as I push from the table to grab the kettle so I can make my tea.

"Merit," I scoff as I dry my hands off on a towel. After squeezing in next to Ljuba, my hand creeping in to cop a feel of her ass after I've switched the oven on, I move over to the table to sit down and work on the apples.

"So dream drops, huh?" I ask as casually as I can manage. "Are you a Weaver then?"

"Ugh," I groan, "I hate that name. It sounds so... Retro in the worst way." I say, filling both of the mugs with water before returning the kettle to the stove and bringing the mugs to the table. The only open spot is the one beside him, so I settle in and place his mug before him. 

"But, to answer your question," I remark as I smell my tea fondly, "Yes, I am. Dream drops are just one of my many forgotten talents."

"You know, we haven't had a weaver here in a very long time," I say as I use the mug she's brought me to pour the water in the small pot with my tea ball. "I had to kill the last one that lived within the city. It was one of the toughest fights of my life. I very nearly lost my sanity to that witch. As it stands, I'm not sure she left me with much."

"Oh?" I set my tea stirring before relaxing in my seat, watching him just from the corner of my eye as I pick at a worn spot in my skirt.

"Can I ask why?"