speak gently to the erring

[circlejerked]

Who: Anders (circlejerked), Robyn Cousland (heroica), and Nathaniel Howe (noble_son).
Where: Room three, fourth floor.
When: March 4th.
Rating: PG.
Summary: The Thedosian Wardens come together to investigate a new lead on Wonderland. Also known as: a cautionary tale in what not to do with a powerful artifact.
The Story:



<sub>[It's time for Wonderland's Wardens to have a meeting.

How did Anders come to this conclusion? The minute he stepped out of the shower that morning and saw that a tiny, delicate-looking locket on his table--a permanent fixture these past few months--was sitting wide open, front panel flicked open as if my an invisible hand, he knew it was going to be one of those days.

Making a national crisis out of jewelry like an Orlesian desperate to fit five diamonds on their specially-handcrafted diamond ring instead of four isn't his usual style, but when said locket had originally belonged to the Duchess, whose exact words as she'd handed it over had been "it will open when it is ready"...

... Under those circumstances, well, having a crazy lady's magical, mysterious locket suddenly sitting open on his coffee table raises a few questions. Just a few.

Thus, private messages go out, one for Nathaniel, and one for Robyn, inviting them up to his room after breakfast. (He's not so cruel he'd expect anyone to ponder riddles before they've had their coffee.) When they arrive at Anders' snugly appointed apartment, subtly sprinkled with the kind of simple charm afford to Fereldan farming cottages or the like, they'll find him in an armchair with the locket still in its place on a corner of the table in front of him, next to a bookmarked novel and a bowl of incense.

Embossed with a flower design on the lid, the locket might not look like much at first glance--until you consider the small golden key sitting inside it with a note tied to it that reads Eat me.

Wonderland symbolism, gotta love it.]</sub>

Bet you're wondering why I called you here. Come on in, make yourself at home.

_{[He may have neglected to bring up the locket until now. So there's that.]}

Comments

[noble_son]

Maker forbid. [Nathaniel mutters to himself as he sets off quickly down the hall. He doesn't draw a weapon - no need to alarm Robyn any more than she is likely already alarmed - but he does take the stairs down to the next floor several at a time.

If he wasn't so light on his feet, he would definitely trip over himself.]

I can put a warning out, if you think it necessary.

[heroica]

You may need to! [ she calls over her shoulder, coming to a halt soon after. The dog seems to have vanished, perplexingly, and the Warden pauses to catch her breath. ]

Do you see him? [ She asks the others, glancing quickly around the halls. Robyn utters a frustrated groan, and then: ] We should split up and report in if anyone can get a hold on him.

[ He's still a mabari, and is therefore both strong and quick. Now, apparently, he's also gained some level of intelligence. ]

[circlejerked]

<sub>[Just where in the Maker's green earth had that mutt run off to?

Long legs and a healthy survival instinct make Anders a fast sprinter in his own right, but by the time they make it to the staircase, it's nothing but empty corridors on either side, and an empty staircase above and below.]</sub>

It's just a dog. How far could he have gotten?

_{[Unless he's turned invisible. Or gained super speed. When the Duchess of all people gives you a solid metal object with instructions to eat it, anything seems possible, and Anders resists the urge to rub his hand over his face. What's done is done; no use regretting the fact now. They have to find that damn dog before they can think about anything else.]}

All right. Nathaniel--why don't you keep going down? I can go up. Robyn, how about covering the halls? He's probably puking it up in a corner somewhere, isn't that what dogs do?

_{[Honestly, if any house pet is puking up what they've ate in a corner, nine times out of ten it's probably going to be a cat, but dogs aren't exempt from ruining carpets.]}

[noble_son]

We can only hope. [Nathaniel grimaces slightly at the thought, not anticipating that eventuality with any kind of pleasure, and takes the first few steps down. A dog smart enough to open a door can't be all that smart, surely?]

I don't hold much hope in capturing him should we find him. [He says then, glancing back over his shoulder.]

Is there a plan? I doubt I could hurt him, but I wouldn't want to damage myself, either.

should we wrap?

[heroica]

Maker, I don't - I've never had this particular problem. [ Robyn replies, half-amused, half-strained. ] ... If you can trap him somewhere, that... would be ideal. He won't hurt you. [ She adds, quickly, mostly confident. ]

We should go. [ She stresses. ] Before he gets into any more trouble...