A/N: This piece was written for the LJ Anders group, under the 6 senses prompt. I am writing about the prompt "smell."
This piece also acts as a follow-up to a piece that I wrote as a fill for a pair of prompts on the BSN forum: a Nathaniel prompt "conspiracy" and an Anders prompt "He certainly hadn't expected that to happen." The predecessor to this piece is on my account under my author name (jenncgf), as the second chapter to the story "Anders' first apprentice." I have endeavored to make it unnecessary to read that piece to understand this one and instead make this a standalone, although I'm fairly proud of it so you should go read it anyway. :)
Thanks!
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From birth, Anders' sense of smell had been highly developed. He just somehow could always smell things that others couldn't, as if his nose was more mabari than human or something. It was what had drawn him to healing and herbalism once his magical talents had become apparent; he could actually smell and heal an infection before it had time to set in, and when he mixed potions and made poultices, he could gauge their effectiveness by their aroma.
It was also one in a long list of reasons why freedom from the tower had become an imperative for him, especially after Uldred's rebellion. The smells of despair and helplessness from the Circle's inhabitants, dust and mildew from the books, mortar slowly crumbling, sweat and lyrium and armor grease from the templars, and the spells themselves as mages wove their power into corporeal form, had overwhelmed Anders' senses because of their constancy. The relentless assault upon his olfactory organs had added to the emotional oppression in a way that made simply being in the tower unbearable. Once the smells of dead, decaying bodies and brimstone from the slain and abominations were added to the mix, Anders could barely think straight.
The other mages, and later Wardens, teased him about his near-compulsion with cleanliness. It wasn't that he was prissy – it was self-preservation on his part. The scents of death and darkspawn and blood and illness made him nauseous if he was exposed to them for too long. He wasn't particularly thrilled that he and all his comrades in the Grey Wardens smelled faintly of darkspawn either, but at least it was a faint smell. For now. He wondered if the smell would get worse as the taint of the darkspawn blood ultimately succeeded in overtaking the body's systems. He figured it would and hoped that when his calling came, it would come quickly.
At any rate, his sense of smell had not been in his favor that day. Because of that stupid bet he lost (and he was still stymied as to how he could have lost such an easy bet!), he had promised to be Nathaniel's slave for the day. Truthfully, the tasks that Nathaniel had presented to him were not bad at all, and in fact had allowed him time to catch up with some of his friends on a one-on-one basis throughout the day. But Nathaniel couldn't know that the smells involved were making him crazy.
The first thing Anders had awakened to that morning (and entirely too early that morning, if anyone had asked him, which they hadn't) was Nathaniel standing over him calling his name. "Time to get up," he had said. "Your first task today is to go fishing with Ragnar." Ragnar was a young dwarf who formerly had been one of the casteless in Orzammar. Once he had gotten used to life on the surface, he had discovered that he loved fishing and would take every opportunity to try to catch fish for dinner.
Anders groaned at the assignment, but somehow managed to roll out of bed and get dressed in a tunic and breeches while still asleep. Somehow his boots managed to get on his feet, although he didn't know how that had happened either. When he first became coherent enough to speak, he was walking out of the keep with Ragnar leading the way to his local fishing spot.
Fishing had gone well. Ragnar had caught several large fish, and even Anders had caught one or two. He didn't really have the patience to sit still. Despite his inability to stop squirming in his seat, he found that he was having a good time. Ragnar was a dwarf of few words, and with everyone else's insanity in the Wardens, Ragnar tended to sit on the outskirts of most conversations. He didn't seem to mind, but Anders realized that morning that he'd never just sat with the young dwarf and had a conversation. They talked quietly so as to not disturb the fish, and Anders learned that Ragnar may not have had much to say, but everything he said meant something. He also learned that he really enjoyed spending time with Ragnar.
The problem, of course, was by the end of their excursion, Anders reeked of fish and pond and dirt. Ewww. When they got back to the keep, he intended to excuse himself and wash and change. Nathaniel had other plans for him.
"Your next task today will be to teach Arthur how to make a decent health poultice," Nathaniel had said. "He's waiting in your herbalism laboratory."
Since I smell bad anyway, I might as well get elfroot stink all over me too. Anders changed direction and trudged over to the storeroom where his sole Warden apprentice was already waiting. They spent the rest of the morning mixing and measuring and generally making a big mess of things, but by the end of the session Anders was pleased to note that Arthur was a quick study at herbalism. This was especially good since Arthur wasn't such a good healer and in fact preferred to roast, freeze, dirtball or electrify his opponents (not necessarily in that order). As they worked, they talked, and Anders reaffirmed his belief that Arthur was a perfect fit for the Wardens and was getting along well with everyone.
They finished working and cleaned up the lab just in time for lunch, so they headed down to the dining room and ate quickly. Anders rose from the table to go to his room and get that now-necessary bath just as Nathaniel called him over to his seat. Anders groaned to himself quietly and went to find out Nathaniel's bidding. Somehow I doubt it's to take a bath.
"Oghren said his still broke," Nathaniel said. "Since you helped him set it up, you need to help him figure out how to fix it." And so Anders went back upstairs and passed by his quarters, pausing only long enough to look longingly at the empty tub and his closet that held all his clean robes. He sighed and went to see Oghren.
Working with Oghren on his still was actually one of his favorite activities when they had down time at the keep. Since they had been Elissa's first Wardens in Ferelden, and the only two Wardens under her command for an entire day, they had bonded early on. They tormented each other endlessly and often mercilessly, but deep down they both loved bantering with each other. Their friendship started out as a quest to each out-insult the other. It was a wonderful thing.
"Hey, Sparklefingers!" Oghren called out when Anders opened the door to find a huge mess and a heavy fermenting smell in the 'still room,' as they had taken to calling the storeroom where Oghren made his (in)famous brews. "I got a leak here and I can't find it. The kid said he'd send you to help me."
Anders rolled up his sleeves. This is going to be a mess. "Well, I'm here now," he replied. "Let's take it apart and see if we can find the problem."
-0-0-0-
Anders was tired.
He sat alone at the dining room table and idly played with the tankard of ale before him. He had raided the kitchens and scrounged up an early dinner, as evidenced by the nearly-empty plate that was also sitting on the table.
He could distinctly pick out not only the fish, pond, dirt, elfroot and lyrium that he had mucked about in that day, but also hops, grains, fermented nasty things, his own sweat and now food and ale among the scents that were emanating from him.
"I stink." Anders decided he should go and bathe while he could before Nathaniel caught up with him again. After all, Nathaniel still hadn't asked Anders to do any favors for himself or Elissa. Anders felt slightly concerned about how that might go. He wondered if Nathaniel was saving the worst jobs for last. He rose from the table and walked quickly to the doorway, where he nearly ran over Nathaniel.
"Ah, there you are." Nathaniel eyed Anders appraisingly while Anders internally groaned. The bath will have to wait. "It's time for your next task. Follow me." Nathaniel turned around and left the dining hall. As Anders followed his friend down the hall, he noticed that Nathaniel's hair was freshly washed and a whiff of pine followed him. Anders thought uncharitable thoughts the entire time they walked. I just want to get clean. Is that too much to ask? He was so busy grumbling in his mind about the fact that he had to do what Nathaniel wanted, all for a stupid, stupid bet, and all he wanted to do was get clean and get the smell and the ick off of himself, that he didn't immediately notice where he was when Nathaniel stopped in the hallway. He looked around and realized that they'd stopped outside his own room.
Nathaniel turned around. "I thought you might like to relax a little after being so busy all day, so I took the liberty of having the servants draw you a bath. Get cleaned up and come find me. Elissa and I will be in our room."
Finally! Anders barely paused long enough in his excitement to close the door behind himself and toss all his dirty clothes in a pile on the floor. He tested the water in the tub; it was still very warm. He quickly gathered his soaps and got in his tub, scrubbing himself until his skin had turned pink and washing his hair until it shone. He soaked for a few minutes and then decided to just get it over with and find out what Nathaniel was going to have him do next. He exited the tub and dried off, combed out his hair, and chose a clean tunic and pair of breeches. When he was done, he sighed with relief. "Thank the Maker. I couldn't stand myself any more." He took one last look in the mirror and gathered his boots, deciding to carry them until he had to put them on, and padded over to Nathaniel's room across the hall.
When he knocked on the door, he heard Elissa's voice call for him to enter. He pushed open the door and walked into the room to see that Elissa was in a long robe with her hair hanging loose. She looked like she had taken a bath as well. She stood when he entered the room.
"Come in, Anders," she said amicably. "I expect you're looking for Nathaniel."
"Yes. He said I should meet both of you here."
Elissa stood and walked to where Anders was standing. "So he did." She stood in front of Anders and looked up into his eyes. Her eyes were the loveliest shade of green. He also noticed the scent of roses that wafted from her skin and awoke his libido. She stepped just a little closer. "We wanted to talk with you."
"Oh really?" When in doubt, he always went straight for the flirting. Especially now that Elissa was looking up at him through her eyelashes. He was positive she knew what that did to men; after all, she used that very same approach to get her way often enough when she came across a recalcitrant freeholder who gave her trouble. So why was she using it on him? It wasn't like he needed any encouragement! Still, a bit of flirting was always fun, especially since he knew there would be no hard feelings after- "Wait, what did you just say?" She had been talking while he was musing and the words finally registered in his mind.
Elissa chuckled, a low, throaty sound that did nothing to calm his only-too-male-and-sadly-recently-deprived hormones. "I said," she replied, "that you, my dear Anders, were set up to lose that bet."
"I knew it!" Actually, he hadn't. Still, it sounded like a good thing to say at the time. But now that she had said that, all the pieces fell into place. He crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. "So, Oghren taunting me to get me to brag about spellcasting?"
"He knows best how to get you to say what he wants."
"The training dummy not disintegrating when I cast on it?"
"Arthur and I were hiding close by. He cast spell immunity on the training dummy." She grinned when she said it. Okay, that was pretty funny in retrospect. At the time, he'd thought there was something seriously wrong with him though.
"Ragnar...?"
"Arthur thought it'd be funny if Ragnar pretended to cast a spell after Arthur dropped the immunity, so he made it happen."
"And the training you were supposed to be doing with Arthur, that Elvish thing?"
"The arcane warrior technique? Yes, we did that today while you were helping Oghren fix his still."
"So, Nathaniel organized all this." Anders frowned at his commander. "And the rest of you were all in on it."
Elissa grinned at Anders' last statement. "Yes. This was all in retribution for the herbs in our bed, as well as the pranks you played on the others."
Oh, right. Anders stopped frowning and felt sort of sheepish. "Um, yes. About that... sorry?"
Elissa laughed. "Well, I think we got even with you and then some. Besides, I stopped itching a couple of days ago. But Nathaniel and I decided that it was overbalanced the other way now, and, well ..." She stepped even closer to Anders, so that she was now but a hair's breadth away, and tilted her head back even farther so that she could maintain eye contact. Anders knew his eyes had gone wide – this was not anything he'd ever expected – but he didn't get the chance to say anything before the distinctive smell of Nathaniel's pine-scented soap crept up on him and he felt the warmth of another body behind him.
"We thought we'd make it up to you, if you wish." Nathaniel's voice sounded right by Anders' ear and Anders thought he caught a faint whiff of the mint leaves that Nathaniel enjoyed chewing. "It is entirely up to you if you would like us to … correct the balance." Nathaniel was speaking quietly the entire time, but at the last part his voice dropped lower. Anders noticed that Elissa's eyes went a little glassy at the change in tone and her breathing had quickened slightly. The smell of mint was stronger now – either Nathaniel had stepped closer behind Anders, or his breathing had also become more rapid.
Anders took but a moment to choose. He let his arms drop from their crossed position and reached behind him to feel a muscular thigh. He squeezed Nathaniel's leg through its fabric covering and used the other hand to cup Elissa's chin and draw her lips gently to his. "You went through all this trouble. I would hate to spoil your plans," he murmured with a smile as he bent his head down.
-0-0-0-
When he awoke, he lay in bed with his eyes closed. He really wanted to remember the dream he'd had the night before. The dream had been particularly vivid – he still remembered all sorts of details, like the taste of soft skin, the sounds of moans and sighs and husky laughter, the vision of green eyes that saw nothing in a face that expressed pure pleasure, the feel of arms and legs and hands and mouths and … other things … touching, pressed against him, doing all sorts of things that seemed so real in their ability to make him lose control …
Wait.
Come to think of it, he was very relaxed. And sore in places that a man generally didn't feel sore unless he'd partaken of some particularly vigorous activity the night before. And the sheets beneath his face and body felt different than usual. He breathed in once, to test the air. He smelled a combined scent of roses and pine and thunderstorms and musk, and smiled. That wasn't a dream. He opened his eyes to find himself lying face-down on Nathaniel and Elissa's bed and felt the bedclothes pulled up to his waist over his naked form. He was alone.
Where did they go? He propped himself up on his elbows and noticed the note lying on the pillow.
Anders,
We thought that you might be a bit tired after last night, so we decided to let you sleep in. After all, you had a busy day yesterday.
Anders grinned at this and read on.
We took the liberty of gathering a clean set of clothing for you and putting fresh water in the tub. Please feel free to take the day off as a thank you from the both of us for being a good sport. You will also find a large selection of fruits and cheeses, along with some smoked fish, Oghren's special brew, and fresh bread.
Anders looked behind him, and sure enough, there was a mountain of food set on a platter on a nearby table. It looked delicious. He recognized one of his nicer sets of robes folded neatly on one of the chairs near the table, and the tub across the room was filled with clean water. His soaps were lined up in a row next to the tub.
We have sent the majority of the Wardens to Amaranthine for the day. Arthur has plenty of health poultices with him, should any problems arise. The day is yours and you have the run of the keep effectively to yourself. If you wish to see Elissa or myself, we will be working in the study or training in the courtyard.
-Nathaniel.
P.S. Did you know that you smell like an oncoming storm? And then after you cast, you smell like the earth after a good solid rain?
Anders laughed as he remembered that moment. Overcome by sensation, his magic threatened to spill out of him – he was overwhelmed and the magic just welled up and it had to get out so he put one hand on Nathaniel, the other on Elissa, and let go with the most benign spell he could think of at the time that would safely let the magic flow out of him. He hadn't been thinking, and he unwittingly cast a rejuvenation spell. He also hadn't thought that his position between Elissa and Nathaniel at the time would allow the spell to use his body as a conduit, and so it caused some … interesting effects. Needless to say, he was going to remember that little trick for future use.
He stretched back out on the bed. "I hope they hadn't planned on any of this as a deterrent," he murmured to himself. He chuckled as he began to plot his next pranks. After all, he had the entire day to himself. He could certainly come up with something worthy of retribution in that amount of time.