(open) one foot on the ledge

[ichaer]

WHO: Ciri and YOU!
WHAT: Arrival, settling and other general shenanigans catchall log for the month.
WHEN: Pre-Orlais, Solace.
WHERE: Skyhold, various
NOTES: None, currently but will update if needed.

✖ a. camp

Ciri's arrival comes not long after the arrival of the first new Warden from the Western Approach and she is dressed in equally unmistakable armor. After the long ride across Orlais and the trip through the Frostbacks, she arrives thoroughly exhausted in every sense of the word. With some direction from staff within Skyhold proper, she finds the camp and gives it a once over with a tired sigh. She ultimately finds a quiet place, open and hopefully not in use. It is nice to have solid ground under her feet once again, hardly missing the sand of the Approach and the black mare clearly seems to share the feeling as she trots around the small area.

She finally has to call Kelpie back over to pull the saddle, saddlebags and reigns from her. Everything is left on the ground is a messy heap as she pulls her hood down, running a calloused hand through messy white-grey hair and pondering on where to start with it all. Where to start besides passing out horse treats but that was a given and Kelpie seems delighted by it nonetheless. She's glad at least one of them has energy because eyeing her mess of supplies, equipment and other such leaves her feeling even more exhausted. Carefully, she unlatches her sword belt and slips the weapon onto the ground which she soon follows.

Despite her exhaustion, she cannot sleep and instead takes to caring for her sword. The whetstone, a gift and one of the few things she took from Weisshaupt, is slowly run along the blade in rhythmic motions. It would almost be relaxing if not for a certain horse and her determination for attention. It's adorable, honestly and she'll happily trot over to anyone within range for some extra attention as well.

✖ b. skyhold

It's been a few days since her arrival but it has been hard to settle into a routine. At Weisshaupt, she had kept a routine. At Griffon Wing Keep, she had kept a routine. Rountine kept her hands busy, her mind busier and kept her from wandering into memories that were not wise to dwell on for long periods of time. So, although it might not be routine, she is glad to wander and take it the groups milling about that were not wearing armor like herself. After all, she has nothing bad to say about the other Wardens gathered here but she has spent far too much time in the company of just Wardens to be healthy.

She does not stay in Skyhold proper but that does not stop her from exploring the grounds. The library does not hold her interest for long but she follows the rotunda, curiously gazing at the books present before slipping down a nearby stairwell. The kitchens are found by mistake, wandering down the wrong stairwell and likely following her nose without thought. Still, Ciri does not miss the opportunity to ask for apples or carrots that would not be used for a treat for her horse.

Time is spent in the tavern, enjoying music that is not like the one she had been hearing in her head before it thankfully stopped and a needed drink. Although usually not the most talkative Wardens, she takes interest in her neighbors and asks of their origins or reasons for traveling to some keep in the mountains. Again, it is simply nice to have the noise around her. She wanders near the courtyard later, watching anyone that might be practicing with a careful eye and sometimes with noted interest. After all, t was always good to keep an eye out for things she could incorperate into her own work outs.

✖ c. battlements

It has been close to a week now. After close to a week of mostly sleeping, eating and more sleeping, she is already to get back to work. She disapproves of the soft ground underfoot at camp so she makes her way up into Skyhold. Here, there is more space but although they have all of this space it is terribly overcrowded. It is tough to find a place train with the entire event almost becoming a game as she searches. Almost every space is taken up and taken up for hours afterwards with some eager recruits waiting on the sidelines, waiting patiently for space to free-up.

It is what ultimately drives Ciri upwards, up onto the battlements and to where she only has to worry about guards passing by on their rounds. It is exactly what she is used to but she makes use of the flatter areas of the battlements' wall and falls into a familiar work-out. There is no pendulum to strike but she imagines one, slicing her blade through the air as she moves along the length of the wall in an almost dance-like and graceful manner she certainly does not give off in her everyday interactions.

If anything this is easier than the logs, blindfold and giant log threatening to throw her several stories to the ground at any moment. Yet she still twists, flips, cartwheels and jumps as if it was no different from her old training days in the woods with the Rats.

✖ d. wildcard

For literally anything else around Skyhold and nearby locations. Feel free to hit me up at kaldwin or through PM if you'd like for me to set something up.

Comments

B

[thecookery]

"You're aware of how many people we have to feed here, right?" Avery asks, arms crossed, motioning to the rest of the busy kitchen staff with her chin. It's not a refusal exactly, but she'd been the nearest and the one whose work needed constant attention the least at the moment, so she's the one who has to deal with the request of this stranger, whether she wants to or not.

And obviously that inconvenience means giving her a bit of a hard time, at the very least.

[ichaer]

"And I am sure there are plenty of those that take your work for granted. A certain merchant in the courtyard, for example, that sent me in this direction when he said I should bother someone with far less work than him for something so trivial."

Ciri's own arms are crossed but she watches the busy kitchen staff move around with a tiny smile. It was chaotic in here but she enjoyed that sort of thing especially after spending so much time in the valley camp recently where things could be considered... sullen, more often than not.

"Which is ridiculous to think of it as trivial when the mounts here are better company than most."

[thecookery]

She scoffs. "And more useful than half." Even if some of the mounts here are a bit... well, they're no Fereldan Forders. But they'll do.

"If those yammering old blowhards spent half the time working that they do telling people how hard they work, they might actually have something to sell worth the prices they charge. Maker forbid."

[ichaer]

"We might as well include the rest of the farm animals if we are comparing usefulness to some around here."

This place was nice and all but she cannot help but wonder where they found some of the people eagerly throwing themselves in uniform and picking up weapons. Not that she had much room to complain, she was here because she didn't have choice and she was certainly not going to hang out in a desert.

"Tell me about it. I could buy some damn decent armor for the price they were charging for blankets and paint."

[thecookery]

This time when Avery scoffs, there's almost a laugh mixed into it, if you tilt your head and squint. "Between them and the horses, I know which would cripple our defenses faster if they went underfed. 'Trivial...'"

She considers it for a moment longer, then turns and grabs a few carrots that were waiting to be cut. She starts to hold them out, but stops to say, "Don't make a habit of this though." Then she holds them out. "And you're new, right? Talk to the horsemaster if you haven't. He knows what he's doing. Takes good care."

And he doesn't force Avery to make conversation when she visits the stables, which is pretty great in her books.

[ichaer]

She perks up immediately at the sight of the carrots, not expecting ones they had been prepared to use (peelings and bruised ones, maybe) but Ciri doesn't complain and happily reaches out for them. Her hands stop short, listening and grinning.

"I would say something like how I swear on my honor as a Warden but we're in a sketchy place at the moment." Considering literally everything that has happened recently. "Instead I'll be sure to let you know ahead of time when I finally push a merchant off the battlements."

Joking or not? Who knows. "Yeah, he seems like good people but I'm keeping her down in the valley with the rest of us shady folks for now. Lots more grass down that way and she's pretty happy about it after being stuck in the desert."

[thecookery]

Avery just nods. She's had a good deal of respect for the Wardens since she was quite young, after seeing the Blight up close and personal, but from what she's heard, the current situation with them is, well... what it is.

"Still cold as a noblewoman's teat down there," she grumbles. This one seems to give a damn, which is something, but it doesn't mean she necessarily knows more about looking after a horse than any of the other sods in the valley. "Keep an eye on her."

[ichaer]

Meanwhile, she had never thought much of them until the moment she was standing with a chalice of vile blood and lyrium in her hands. She still isn't sure what to think of the order as a whole but she could at least use her position for some good before another Blight came around and ruined everything.

If the world survived long enough to see another Blight.

"Always" She says and smiles, happy to see someone give a damn. Though that gives her an idea: "You ride?"

[thecookery]

"Me? Afford a horse?" Avery nearly laughs, eyebrows raised in a slightly mocking manner. In her scuffed boots and worn-thin tunic and trousers, does she look like she grew up with money? "I worked on a farm for a bit once though. Looked after the old draft there, among other things. Found they're better company than most people."

[ichaer]

She laughs, covering her mouth. "Hey, I can't afford one either. I got Kelpie from a Senior that wound up kicking it not long after I joined up."

Before then, she could have stolen one but that was reserved for the worst nobles they came across.

"I worked a lot of farms myself when I younger too. I never asked for much expect for the chance to ride which met hanging out with the oldest horse they had but it was enough." It made those days after Denerim and the Blight a little easier. "If you're ever up for it, come find me and you can meet Kelpie. She's the best and definitely better company than most."

[thecookery]

"Maybe," she says, eyeing the Warden up and down doubtfully. Reading people is far from Avery's strong suit, but the horse stuff at least earns the girl a point or two in her books. It'd be a very stupid thing to make up after all.

Her eyes narrow slightly. "If you're expecting me to shovel shit or something when I get there though, forget it. I don't do that anymore."

Was... Was that a joke? Maybe? It's hard to tell.

[ichaer]

Again, she laughs. "I might have spent way too much time in Orlais but their unique way of treating guests has not rubbed off on me just yet. It's more as thanks for the carrots but it's up to you in the end."

She ultimately shrugs, adjusting the basket in her arms. "But if you like horses, you should check out the griffons they brought back from Weisshaupt. Pretty good for a bunch of purring, murder birds."

[thecookery]

"Way to sell them," she comments, droll but not completely unamused. Avery's heard people talking about the griffons of course, and she'd be lying if she said she wasn't curious, but... there's something a bit strange and intimidating about a creature like that, isn't there?

In any case, she sighs after a moment and rolls her shoulders. "I've got to get back to work. But I'll think about it." To both offers.