A Cruel Twist of Fate [closed]

[wickedchase]

WHO: Twisted Fate, Nerva, Korrin, Zevran, Beleth, Cyril, Ruby, Sera, Katniss, and special sending crystal guest star, Sina!
WHAT: A companion quest and elven relations all wrapped up in one.
WHEN: Post-Illness plot. The band of merry travelers will be gone from Clouch 23 to Clouchreach 28.
WHERE: Traveling to and from the Serpentine River.
NOTES: The plotting post.

Comments

Beleth OTA

[arlathvhen]

[ Beleth is about her average amount of talkativeness--That is to say, she can be chatty, but only with particular people, though she's open to be approached. She's brought her hart with her, and while she tries to walk most of the journey, she tends to get winded enough to ride him, as the day goes on. The sickness is over, but leaves some lingering effects--particularly when you actively avoiding trying to get healthy.

At the campfire at the end of the night, she seems more tired than usual, but will bring out her lute and pluck at it a little, taking requests and offers to learn different songs. Even if you just hum it, she'll give her best shot to replicating it. ]

[gatheringstorm]

[Korrin is more or less in the same boat, when it comes to health. She's past the crisis point, enough to come on this journey, but her stamina isn't quite up to normal. Still, she refuses to hold them back even as she won't refuse a break here and there. As the group pauses for one of those, she heads over as Beleth dismounts, offering assistance.]

It feels like we were just doing this, doesn't it? Heading off to speak with a clan, that is, only with a wonderful 'vacation' spent at the healing tents to break it up.

[arlathvhen]

I thought that it was pretty neat. Aside from the sickness part, I suppose.

[ She'd been more or less dragged to the healing tents after a great deal of arguing. She shrugs a little, glancing off to the side for a moment, before changing the subject. ]

It is nice, though, getting to visit so many different clans. I imagine if you're dragged to many more, we're going to have to figure out how to honorarily adopt you into one of them.

[gatheringstorm]

You've a lot more patience for spirits than I, then.

[Spirits and demons are things this mage doesn't care to deal with any more than necessary. Let Solas or whoever hang out with them. But her thoughts pull away from that unpleasantness as she chuckles at Beleth's last comment.]

Does that come with a free hart? I'm more of a nuggalope person, though. [One day she'll have one of her own, just wait.]

[arlathvhen]

Some spirits. You could speak to them. I talked to Hope, it was very kind.

[ She laughs quietly, patting Vaharel on the flank. ]

I actually bought him from the Skyhold stables, he's been there since I came to Skyhold. I spent a lot of time around him, and eventually I saved up enough money to actually buy him. I hope you get a nuggalope, though--do those actually exist? I thought they were myths.

[gatheringstorm]

Katoh, from my company, swears they exist. She's not one to make up wild stories, either, so I believe her more than I would most of the others. She even said they have curved horns, like mine. It'd be badass, wouldn't it? Horses just can't compete with that.

[And dracolisks are okay, but they look too spindly for Korrin to feel comfortable on them.]

[arlathvhen]

What if it has weird hands like nugs do?

[ She held her hands up, wiggling her fingers. Thing of the nug fingers, Korrin. ]

How can you ride on something with those hands?

[gatheringstorm]

[Korrin laughs at the idea, finding it more amusing than horrifying.]

That just means it'd have a decent grip, right? You have to admit, that could be useful. It might not, though. Katoh didn't say anything about hands, so maybe they're different.

[arlathvhen]

[ Beleth has to snort at that, shaking her head. ]

You know what, Korrin? I really do hope that you find one, just so I witness that.

[ She pauses for a moment, contemplating whether it's a good idea or not to change the subject so suddenly, and so seriously. But--better now than never. ]

Korrin, before you started dating Araceli, you, like--You had a crush on her, right? You were infatuated. How did you know when it wasn't just infatuation? I mean--When did you realize that it wasn't just 'Wow she's cute', it was 'Wow she's cute and I want to date her'.

[samahl]

[It's at the campfire and he settles down next to her. He angles his body a bit to give her something to lean against if she wishes it.

They aren't as close as both of them are to Merrick, but he can still see that she's more tired than she lets on.]

I'm afraid I don't have my brother's voice, but if you'd like to play something I know I can try to sing with you.

[arlathvhen]

And I don't have Merrick's talent for the instrument, so we're even. It's a pity that he can't stand nobles, or he would make a far better bard than I do. He has the musical talent, and the fighting skill.

[ Maybe a wandering minstrel that works for ordinary people. But back to music. Beleth thoughtfully plucks away at the lute for a few moments, trying to think. While she could use Dalish songs, she's also reluctant to let outsiders hear them. Even ones that are her friends. ]

There's Merrick's song. Or Alistair's song. I keep writing songs about men that I'm not even with. I'm going to start rumors, some day.

[samahl]

[He chuckles a bit.] You should start writing them for women too and really confuse people.

[After a moment,] I know Merrick's song, so I could sing that.

[arlathvhen]

I don't know what woman I would write a song for. Korrin, maybe? But her girlfriend is also a bard, so she would be better suited. And likely to take offense. I will think long and hard on a suitable subject.

[ That's a lie. ]

Do you want to sing that one, then? Or I could teach you Alistair's, if you want to know that one. Though...I suspect you have a bias towards Merrick.

[ Just a suspicion. ]

[samahl]

[He is biased towards Merrick, but he also has a genuine interest in her work.]

Teach me Alistiar's.

[arlathvhen]

Alright. Just so you have some background--When, ah. When that Templar attacked me...Alistair was the one who saved me. He saved my life. I told him that I owed him, and if I could do anything for him, name it. And he said that all he wanted was my undying love.

[ She gives a quiet laugh, ducking her head--color rising to her cheeks, which she laboriously ignored. ]

He was joking, of course, but I decided that I was going to run with it, just to have a little fun. So, ah. I wrote this song.

[ And with that preamble, she began singing. ]

[samahl]

[Cyril makes a mental note to do something nice for Alistair. Maybe bake him a cake?

Then he settles down to listen to the song. Parts of it make him smile and chuckle a bit to himself. When she's done he claps softly.]

That's really funny with the background story.

[arlathvhen]

Thank you.

[ She smiles fondly, ducking her head. ]

I wish I could do more for him. I try. I--I think I help him? I try to help with the nightmares, and when he's upset--But. You probably don't want to hear me rambling about some guy. Even one like Alistair.

[ombranera]

Beleth.

[ Zevran sidles up and drapes an arm across her shoulders, eyes on the road more than on her. They've words they need to exchange and for once- he is not at all certain how it is this should go, or how she might take it. ]

We need to talk, you and I.

[arlathvhen]

[ As soon as he touches her, she freezes. Just like when he came up to her when she called him late at night, just like she keeps freezing whenever anyone surprises her like that. Maybe one day she'll stop. Or just get used to it. But she's already gotten used to moving on quickly after she recovers. ]

Ah--? Of course, Zevran.

[ Small frown. ]

Did I do anything wrong? I'm sorry, if I did.

[ombranera]

Wrong? No, nothing wrong. I merely wish to discuss something with you that may not be entirely pleasant.

And I am, perhaps, a little disappointed that you did not bring the matter to my attention and I had to hear of it from Alistair- but I can understand why you chose to keep it to yourself. I can even respect that choice and thus- only a little disappointed to be late to the game rather than in you for making said choice.

[ He rubs her shoulder idly, a gesture meant to soothe. ]

I am of course speaking of Cade Harimann and your...argument? Fight? Assault?

[arlathvhen]

[ She tenses when he mentions it won't be pleasant, and as he continues to talk, that tension only grows. Dammit, Alistair. But she can't be too mad at him--Zevran would have found out sooner or later, Beleth knew. If it had to be anyone, Alistair was probably the best person to here it from. He had been there, he knew both Beleth and Cade. ]

I didn't tell anyone. I lied to everyone who asked what happened to my face.

[ She mutters it quietly, gesturing to her nose, to the way it's now tilted a bit, a scar marking the place it juts to the side. ]

Everyone who knows heard it from someone else or saw it themselves.

[ The disappointment stings, but then he says it's okay, she thinks. That's what it sounds like. And his touch is gentle and kind, so she relaxes, just a little. She's not happy about the subject, but all considered, she owes it to Zevran to let him ask his questions. ]

What do you want to know?

[ombranera]

Ignoring what was done and how it has been handled. What would you have seen done, and how do you wish it handled? Pretend no action has been taken, that we are immediately after the fact.

[ He will lead in to the rest, the flogging, his change of how things might be handled- how much he says depends upon her response. ]

[arlathvhen]

...

[ She frowns, fingers twisting together as she thinks on the question. It's a tricky question for sure--because Beleth can't bring herself to say a simple answer, to condemn nor forgive Cade for his actions. After she mulls on it for a time, she thinks she has an answer--kind of. ]

I had wished--I wanted them to give him a harsh punishment. I wanted them to say that what he did was terrible, that hurting me wasn't acceptable. I don't care what. Prison or exile. But then, I would come forward and plead for leniency for him. I'd give a rousing speech, everyone would be moved, and decide to let the matter drop and never speak of it again.

[ It sounds even dumber out loud. She shrugs. ]

I didn't want Cade to be treated harshly. But I didn't want the Inquisition to brush it off the way that they did.

[ombranera]

If I ever doubted your ability to recognize a situation you could turn in your favor for the greater good or the good of your people and plan how to do so? It has been laid to rest.

[ Beleth has come a fair way from simply changing how she behaved around others to earn the desired response. This? Is the thought process of a Bard. He will always worry for her but that? HE must be proud of. More than enough for him to drop a kiss to her forehead. ]

An excellent plan. I suppose you do no care for the current state of things, where he is watched at all hours by a Tranquil?

[arlathvhen]

[ She's a bit surprised by the sudden praise, but she happily accepts it, smiling and softly bumping her shoulder against him. ]

You haven't seen anything yet, Zevran. Just wait until I take over Orlais.

[ She blinked at his question regarding Cade, slowly tilting her head. She hadn't exactly been around the Templar a lot since the incident, hadn't quite paid attention to anyone watching over him. But she supposed that if Zevran said that was the situation, than it was. Though she couldn't quite figure out why he would care, nor why he would bother to bring it up with her at all. ]

I...can't see that really doing him any good, I suppose? I mean--Those Tranquil are kind of, ah. Unsettling. I think that I'd be on edge if I had to have on following me around all the time.