faderift | And as we wind on down the road

And as we wind on down the road

WHO: Open to all
WHAT: The Herald of Andraste is laid to rest, and the remains of the Inquisition try to put on a good face for their visitors. Some of them try, anyway.
WHEN: Harvestmere 26
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: n/a

The day after the mysterious strangers from the rift arrive, the Herald's body is delivered back to Skyhold. At first, there is doubt-- the timing is convenient, finally found the very day the funeral is to take place, and many still cling to hope that the Herald has somehow survived. Most, but not all, are appeased by news that the Inquisition's chief advisers have all confirmed the identity of the deceased. Preparations are accelerated: what was once to be a symbolic memorial now requires actual rites, and while some prepare the body others break down whatever can be spared for the pyre, constructed in the center of the main courtyard by another crew.

The funeral itself is a somber affair, as funerals generally are. The Great Hall has been cleared and swept but little else-- all attendees stand, and they are lucky it is a clear day, since the late afternoon sun streams in through the gaping holes in the roof. The service proceeds along strictly traditional Andrastian lines, stately and stiff. Mother Giselle provides the service and the sermon, focusing on duty, sacrifice, and the Maker's plan and concluded with a recitation of Transfigurations 10:1 by the whole assemblage. It is all very predictable, but sincerely delivered. Cassandra and Cullen lead the honor guard. It is a mismatched collection of visiting dignitaries, suspicious observers, pilgrims, colleagues, and companions that slowly process up to pay their silent respects as Evelyn Trevelyan lies in state. Some may notice that the body has been carefully arranged to disguise the fact that her left hand is gone. As night falls they light candles and then the pyre, and as the flames catch and lick up toward the star-washed sky, Mother Giselle sings a haunting version of the Chantry hymn The Dawn Will Come.

The wake that follows is less staid. It seems as if every table and chair in the castle has been dragged into The Herald's Rest and the courtyards and every hidden store of fine wine and food has been dug out from Josephine's secret stores to impress the more exalted visitors. This isn't just a funeral, after all, but a political occasion, an opportunity to demonstrate that the Inquisition lives on beyond the loss of its first symbolic leader, and that it can still be a force for peace and unity.

That impression is dented as the night wears on, and opinions and stories get shared more and more loudly. Someone hops up on a table to give their own little eulogy and others follow suit. Of course eventually it turns sour-- a templar gets up and starts blaming the mages for killing the Herald just like they killed the Divine, and mages at the next table shout back. He's hauled down before things can escalate, but grumbling and dirty looks are unlikely to be the last of it.

The event carries on into the wee hours, and noise echoes around the stone walls loudly enough to make it difficult for any to sleep early. One team of Inquisition scouts and soldiers comes out of the barn to complain more than once, and eventually move their bedrolls down into a basement hall, growling about how they have to be up at the crack of dawn to head out on a mission to scout some Maker-forsaken bog of all the places. (Mire, one of them corrects.)

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For a moment, it's like she's forgotten how to walk. Ellana has been sheltered all her life, and she knew that this sort of thing was bound to happen, but could they not wait until after the Herald's wake? This was in remembrance of her, not the opportunity to fight each other. Ellana didn't even know the Herald, yet she hopes the woman wouldn't have wanted members of the Inquisition to turn on one another in her name.

But sense does return to the elf, and she walks out the door, hoping that Korrin is following her. It's true that the Vashoth is an intimidating figure, but she doesn't want anyone to gain up on her, especially since she -- like Ellana -- is a mage who has never been in a Circle. Once safely out the door, she looks over her shoulder to make sure Korrin is all right. She doesn't want to fight anyone, but she won't let Korrin defend her and then leave her to the wolves.

Korrin only waits just long enough to ensure that no one intends to pursue Ellana, casting a furious glance at any who might think to do so before stalking out of the tavern. Once past the door, she slams it shut, probably making anyone who's thought about departing through the front rethink that strategy for now. Her scowl remains, not directed at Ellana but at those bigoted idiots inside.

"Andraste's ass, what a pack of idiots. One fucking Templar shoots his mouth off and they forget what you've been doing all this time." Sure, it had been only one man shouting, but Korrin has no doubt his sentiments are shared by others, given the grumbling. "Talk about disrespectful, at the Herald's wake of all things...."

Certain she'd be fuming for a good while about all of that, Korrin glances over to Ellana. "Stupid question time; are you alright?"

Now outside among the fresh air, the oppressive feeling of the tavern is gone and she breathes deep in relief. Nodding to Korrin, she first slowly releases a breath through her mouth.

"I will be. It was bound to happen, but I didn't think they'd do it during a memorial for the Herald." Disrespectful is the exact right term to describe it. And to think, they probably thought they were honoring her to tack on their stupid rant after that first Templar and his mage-blaming.

"Thank you. That was so good of you. I didn't want to stay and argue. It would have made things worse."

Leaning against the tavern wall, Korrin steadies herself and sighs deeply. "It would have, no doubt. I was tempted to do it, but...not now, not for the wake. I knew the Herald, not personally, but enough to know this would never be what she wanted. We still have a war to fight, dammit. You'd think people would remember that."

She manages a slight smile and nod for Ellana, glad to do what she could. "Mages have to stick together, right? Especially non-human, non-Circle mages, since we're even more suspicious to them."

"Oh, yes," Ellana agrees, returning Korrin's smile with one of her own, albeit a faint one. "I'm afraid I don't feel like I have much in common with the Circle mages here. Some of the stories I've heard about the Circles sound awful, and I'm glad I've never had to live that life."

That doesn't mean life as a Dalish mage hasn't come with its own troubles, but nothing compared to the ones in the Circles.

"Hopefully people will cool their heads and move forward after this." If nothing else, Ellana is an optimist.

"I hope you're right." And really, Korrin does. "I remember back in Haven, mages and Templars having a similar spat in front of the Chantry, but it didn't turn as ugly as it could have been. And once there was more to do than cast blame, those tensions subsided. Maybe that's all we need, something to keep our focus."

But that's for the higher-ups to decide, not Korrin herself. She huffs, crossing her arms. "I'm right there with you on that. Just as I'm thankful every day that I wasn't raised under the Qun, I'm glad to never have been exposed to that Circle rot. How they endured it as long as they did, I'll never know. But I tried to help them out when I could once the Circles fell, here and there."

"I thought the rebuilding efforts would be enough, and who knows? Maybe after today they will be. But today people were upset, and not thinking clearly." Ellana is willing to let this all be water under the bridge as long as those voicing their displeasure manage to learn and grow from this.

"In elven there's a phrase: Dirthara-ma. It's a curse, but it translates to 'May you learn.' Even when we curse others for what they've done, we want them to learn from their mistakes. I hope those who are picking fights do learn."

"Dirthara-ma." Korrin says it experimentally, trying to get the pronunciation just right. "I like that. And you have a point. There's noting like people gaining self-awareness and realizing what asses they've been. I just wouldn't expect them to truly learn any time soon.

But on the other hand, I also don't expect the Inquisition leaders to put up with anything that would tear us apart. Unless this organization is far lesser than I believe it to be, anyone who takes this too far will get what they deserve." That in no way means she'll put up with people shitstirring, as she just demonstrate.

Ellana nods at her pronunciation. It's pretty good.

"That's true. I wouldn't expect them to intervene in every shouting match, but if we tear ourselves apart, then what's the point of all this? Those in charge won't let things get to that point."

"I should be thanking you, by the way. If I'd stayed in there much longer, I'm pretty sure my temper would have gotten the better of me. That's not the way I want to see this wake through, and I'd be ashamed of myself when sober."

Ashamed and severely hungover. At least now it'll only be the latter. Hopefully she'll make it through that without causing further incident.

"Ah, in that case, would you like me to walk you back to where you're bedding down? You wouldn't want to wake up tomorrow face down in a bush." She adds a teasing tone to her voice, sure that Korrin isn't drunk enough for that.

"Or in a cell, more likely." Korrin's just kidding. Probably. Given her mood, how much she's had and the tension all around, it could easily go south without much effort. She almost doesn't care about that, but her respect for the Herald keeps her from wanting to turn the wake into a fiasco...and besides, putting some distance between Ellana and that asshole seems wise. "Alright, I'll take you up on that. I couldn't stand not having something of a view, so I snagged some crashspace in one of the rooms above the main hall."

It's not much, and more often than not she has to share it, but Korrin doesn't care. She'll be on assignment again soon enough, more likely than not.

"Oh, that sounds lovely," she says, leading her in that direction. "I've enjoyed standing on the battlements to look out at the mountains. They're so beautiful." And so vast. She's sure she would get lost if she's ever on her own and strays away from the path that leads to and from Skyhold. Ellana's never learned as many survival techniques as the hunters did.

Korrin follows along, automatically slowing her pace to equal Ellana's. She's been around humans and elves long enough to manage that without trouble. "That's one of my favorite spots. Whenever I'm fed up with people being idiots, a few moments there helps restore calm. So are all your clan camping together, then? I never asked what the Dalish were doing for crashspace."

"We are. We've found a room and spread out our cots, but I don't spend much time there." It isn't because she doesn't like walls surrounding her. If anything, she likes the privacy.

"It's just that I've spent my whole life around them and now I have the opportunity to meet new people."

"I think I can understand that. I may not have grown up with my kith, but after weeks and weeks on the road with nothing but the same faces over again, I was dying for some new blood. We all were. First thing we'd do when getting back to civilization would be to scatter for a bit, just to give each other some space."

Without that...well, it would have ended in bruises and blood, probably sooner than later. You can't throw together strong personalities and expect them not to clash, especially under that kind of strain.

"And what's a kith? Is that your company?" she asks, glancing up at her. Korrin is introducing Ellana to all sorts of new words.

Just wait until she gets to learn the more colorful words and phrases in Qunlat. "More or less. It usually means a small military unit, comparable to a squad. 'Kith' is just shorter, so I go with that."

Korrin pauses in the main hall, trying to remember the easiest way to get to her quarters while in a brain-fog. Right, the rotunda. It's quiet now, at least, those noisy ravens either resting or out on missions.

It's only fair, since Ellana taught her an elven curse. She follows close behind, checking to see if Korrin's having any trouble walking.

"Are you doing all right?" she asks, just a little concerned. She's sure Korrin isn't too far gone, since she's not slurring yet.

A little embarrassed and trying to cover for it, Korrin simply nods. "Just looking around. Maker, did clearing all this seem to take forever. I didn't think its first use would be for...her, though. Not like that."

She stares, saddened, before shaking it off and heading through the rotunda. "I wonder what she'd have to say, about people using her name to divide us again. Nothing good, I bet."

"What was she like? I never even saw her. We came to Skyhold after we heard of Haven's destruction." Ellana moves beside Korrin on the stairs, watching the torchlight cast their shadows against the wall, both so different in shape and size.

Korrin's expression softens as she stares off, collecting her thoughts. "I can't say I knew her well. I never got to travel with her, as a few did, and we weren't always in Haven at the same time. Truth be told, I was a little too much in awe of her to say much. But I know that she was kind. She did all she could to help others, even when she had to go out of her way to do it. And...maybe it's just my impression, but she seemed sad as well. As though she knew there was no going back, that her power would set her apart forever."

"Oh, I hope she didn't feel so alone. There are so many here who respect and admire her, and more than that, would have wished to be friends with her. I know I would have. Helping others as she did is something I want to do too. I wish I could have known her. I wish she wasn't gone." Ellana shakes her head, feeling sorrow settle in her heart.

"She was still young, and was taken too soon."

Pausing mid-stride, Korrin can't help but stare down and nod, her expression at once grieving and angry. "It's not right, to do everything for everyone and...and have that happen in the end. She deserved a lot better, and not just as a symbol of hope.

Do you think the rift-folk will have the same fate? They have her mark. I'm not sure I can watch that happen all over again."

Ellana sighs and shrugs helplessly.

"I can't say. I never saw the Herald close a rift, but a few of the other mages said the rifters' shards look smaller than hers did. I hope they are able to close rifts, but not if this Corypheus targets them now too. They didn't ask to be dragged into this, anymore than the Herald."

And as we wind on down the road

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