Thankfully places usually reserved for getting drunk tended to look the same no matter the land one found themselves in. And as always, Anders had no trouble finding the nearest bar. Maybe it wasn't wise to drink anything in a place he just arrived and he might need his wits about him to run, but that had never truly been his style. After escaping from the tower he'd wanted to live a little and enjoy his freedom. He could have a drink, just one. He felt he earned it by not being more upset about arriving wherever the Inn was supposed to be. More importantly his cat wanted a drink.

He found a spot at the bar and pulled Madam Fluffy out of his coat, setting her down so she could stretch her four tiny legs a bit as he waited for a barkeep. While waiting and occasionally petting he happened to glance at the people around him, or rather he happened to glance at Merrill.

He blinked once at the sight of her then couldn't help what fell out of his mouth next. "Andraste's burning knickers. Merrill?" Anders, surprise to him, was very pleased to see her. Really he would have done with any familiar face but as he hadn't seen another until now he was mildly thrilled. "What in the Maker's name are you doing here of all places?"

Anders hadn't been prepared for the hug. The last time he'd seen her he and Hawke were heading off to the next Circle, the hug she'd given him then had been less warm, likely because it had been a strained and stressful time for all of them. They'd had the benefit of Hawke and her jokes to smooth over any awkwardness then, now it was just the two of them. Still, he hugged her back and let her go with a gentle smile.

"It's just me and the cat." he nodded to the kitten who was cautiously sniffing the air in Merrill's direction. "Varric, I don't know if you heard or not, joined up with some religious organization. They're supposed to be dealing with that green thing in the sky. Anyway, Corypheus is apparently involved so he wrote to Hawke and of course she went. That was a few weeks ago I suppose. I was headed off to the shops this morning and suddenly I'm here instead."

"He was supposed to be. If he wasn't what he is then he would be dead for sure. Archdemons require a Grey Warden to kill them, the Warden takes their death within themselves and so Warden and archdemon die together. If they aren't killed by a Warden they can go from body to body. Corypheus, I don't know if he is an archdemon but I know it was Hawke who dealt the killing blow. He may be like them, he may be the beginning of another blight, Hawke didn't want to risk me being controlled by him again so she went alone." He didn't feel any particular loyalty to the Wardens now and they had bigger problems than him spilling their secrets.

Madam Fluffy purred and arched under Merrill's hand. Hawke had a talent for bringing people together, and it also seemed that she was very good at doing the same with cats. "Something happened but he never spoke of it to me. I asked him once, before he left, he just said magic was involved." He couldn't help but hope he would have the same magical luck the Hero of Ferelden had if he was ever in a position to kill an archdemon.

"I haven't seen it yet though I was given a key. I thought I needed to get her tended to first." He rubbed his cat's chin. "Poor thing hasn't had a thing to drink in a while."

"The little card that is made from that strange material? Yes, I've not seen anything like it either, even in the circle." He'd always been happy to leave but he did occasionally miss some of the inventions he'd found there. He remembered one of the senior enchanters had put a spell on his mirror to never fog while using it in the bath, he kicked himself often for not writing that spell down.

He made a kissing noise at his cat before he picked her up and held her in his arms, "That would be nice, I think she and I could use a proper rest. I don't really recognize the writing around here though, do you understand it?"

"It's something worth investigating." He agreed. Hopefully someone could read the language or at the least figure out the numbers, that would have been helpful. It probably would have been very helpful when it came to Merrill stealing a bottle. It could have been full of window cleaner for all they knew, not that Anders cared. He would have taken anything she offered.

"One four two." He shook his head. "He didn't have the brand and he didn't seem as emotionless as he did... Disinterested? I don't know. He didn't feel tranquil." He was sure he would know a tranquil when he met them, they were relatively easy to spot."

"Merrill, are you going to get us lost?" This was the same girl who had to carry string with her to find her way though hightown and lowtown. He might have trusted her more in the forest, he'd spent enough time with Velanna to know that the Dalish could track and find paths through the wilderness better than any other. In a building or city though he was sure it was better to trust Hawke's mabari, at least he had an excellent sense of smell.

"Right, I should have left Hawke a note. I may end up in a strange inn being led around by Merrill. Please come and rescue me before the gray bits in my beard start to take over." He shook his head and followed her, sure they would be walking for a while.

"She'd demand to know why I didn't have sandwiches ready for her when she came to save us." He muttered. If she showed he would give her more than just sandwiches. She would come eventually though, Hawke always came for him when he was in a tight spot. The fact that Merrill was there too just meant she would come looking sooner. He had to believe that. "If it's anything like back home then it should be across the hall, right?"

"Maker, what-" Anders stopped, frowning. "Do you think the Circle is a circle? You imagine I'm afraid round or circular buildings?" He pinched the bridge of his nose. Of course she would think that, he was only surprised she hadn't said something like that before. Thankfully Kirkwall had been rather square. "Oh Merril."

He pulled the key from where he'd hidden it in his coat and he offered it to her. "Just try the door. If I run screaming you may just have to deal with me sleeping at the foot of your bed for a while."

"Right. Of course. I'm being absurd. What as I thinking?" He sighed, watching her trying to work it out. Surprisingly he didn't roll his eyes at her. He briefly wondered if the staff would tolerate him just laying down and napping in the hall. He did need to water and probably feed his cat though. He would have to go searching for something.

"I've pretty much outlined every subject I am touchy about several times now, I know the others were fond of using my manifesto as loo paper but I had hoped at least one of you had read it first." Anders muttered more to himself then to her before he moved to open the door and went inside, holding it open for her.

For a moment or two he was quiet as he looked over the colors and the bed and the rock. Eventually he burst out laughing. "By the Maker. Justice lived in the fade, saw all the weird and terrible colors there and yet he hates this. Absolutely hates the look of this room."