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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He'd come looking for her when he didn't see her, with an apple (he'd run out of cookies) and sat down next to her as he offered it to her.

"What this? Oh, no, no, I was just doing a little - ah - facial redocrating." He offered her a grin, which then faded. "Wait - what do you mean, 'you too'? Did something happen?"

Taking the apple, Ellana sighed, wishing she knew any healing spells to help him. But she didn't. Maybe someone else could help, if he wouldn't brush it off as nothing.

"In the tavern. After that Templar was dragged out, I tried to leave and-- and they accused me of blood magic." She rotated the apple in her hands, eyes lowered. "They have no respect for the Herald. This is the time for putting aside differences, not shouting at each other." Her eyes searched Gavin's face. "Not hitting each other."

He frowned, his eyes narrowed. "Do I need to get Merrick? Are we going to have to stab someone?"

It was probably a joke, but he delivered it quiet seriously.

"Are you sure I couldn't get a little stabbing in before the 'no hitting each other' rule comes down?" Okay so yes it was definitely a joke, his mouth twitching into a smile at the edges.

"I'm sorry, Ellana. You're right. It's stupid, and it's petty, and I'm sorry you were caught up in it."

Ellana leaned back slightly, brow raised at his question. That solution certainly wouldn't go over well. And Merrick was just of the temperament that he would do it without thinking of the consequences of such an action.

But she exhaled a soft laugh soon enough and nudged him with her elbow.

"I'm just disappointed, really. Not surprised." There was a pause where her nose wrinkled slightly. "Well, the blood magic accusation was a little surprising. You'd think they'd build up to that. First it's dancing naked under the moon, then the blood sacrifices, right?" Look, she'd been sheltered, but that didn't make her totally naive. She listened to all the tales the hunters brought back of humans, even though most were bad.

"It's a bit of a weird stretch," Gavin agreed wryly. "They stuck to the 'knife ear' regular old racism, with me." He reached over, sliding an arm around her shoulders and squeezing them.

"It'll get better. They're all upset, and lashing out at everything in their path. But they'll be better. They have to be."

The touch had Ellana leaning into his side, sighing to herself.

"Oh, they did that too. And rabbit. Not very creative. Were I judging a name-calling contest, I would deduct points."

His words sounded just like what Ellana would say too, and she gave a short nod. They were optimists, the two of them, and had hearts that were made to roam. He understood her better than anyone, and it wasn't because she hid who she was and he could see past it. Everyone knew what she wanted out of life and thought her naive for it. Like they knew better. But she and Gavin? Their wants just aligned well.

"They will. The needs of the Inquisition will bring everyone into line soon enough. We can't afford to be divided now."

"I always thought rabbits was sort of a weird one," he admitted. "Are they calling us cute? Because I think we're very cute."

He let her lean on him, giving her a little squeeze every once in a while. "

"Something will bring them together or we'll all end up in our own little groups again, which I think won't have too much of a chance of actually, you know, saving the world and all that. They'll realise that, soon enough."

She snorted. "Let's say they are."

It would certainly make the word sting less in the future. She would just have to make sure she didn't smile next time someone threw that insult at her. They would probably think she was mocking them (which she would be) and that might lead to them trying to start a fight.

"I think once we get Skyhold all sorted and can look towards getting out there and helping people, attitudes will change."

People assuming that he was mocking them when he laughed was pretty much the number one reason that Gavin got punched on a regular basis.

"I think so," He agreed, turning his eyes up to the sky, to the stars far above them. "... Are you doing alright, otherwise, Ellana? Settling in okay? I know it was a lot to take in, when you first got here."

"Mmm hmm," she said, feeling his head shift and tilting her own up towards the sky. She was going to teach Galadriel their constellations and had already shown her Mythal's scales of justice.

"I've met some wonderful people already. Funny people, kind people, charmers, and one who seems as regal as a goddess. I even had some fun kissing one in a dark corner, but don't worry, it's nothing serious." She knew that because her heart was broken before, that the others worried she gave over her heart too easily. But she was older now, and knew how to guard it better from being hurt.

That gets an eyebrow raise, and a slight tilt of his head to try to look at her, but of course he can't, in this position.

"Kissing in a dark corner?" He asks, his voice teasing. "That's something you're going to have to go into detail about."

Ellana giggles, but she doesn't mind gossiping with him about it. In fact, she's wanted to tell someone in the clan, just to be able to share it, and to show them that she's not the girl she once was who was heartbroken from giving away her heart too easily. She can tell the difference between lust and love. A few stolen kisses don't mean a lifetime.

"Well, from the charm he tosses around, I'm sure you've heard of Zevran by now, if you haven't already met him. He gives me lute lessons and I pay him in kisses. But the payment was only set up after I asked to kiss him the first time. It's a nice excuse to keep doing it."

"Oh- Yes, Zevran. I know him quite well, actually." He's glad that it's not especially light out here, because hopefully she won't notice the slight red tint at the end of his ears. He smiled. "You're learning the lute from him? You're going to have to play for me!"

"That's good. He's worth knowing." Or 'knowing,' as the case may be. She's not judging.

"I am! I've already learned an Antivan melody. Only three chords. You'll have to come by the tavern some night and I will, since I doubt I'll be able to get a lute of my own for some time."

"I'll definitely come by," Gavin replied, smiling warmly. "Though you might have to throw a shoe if I accidentally start to sing."

"Now you know I wouldn't do that," she said, smiling. "I value these boots to much to waste one like that. I'd just throw a tankard instead."

Gavin mock winced, but he was just glad that she already seemed to have cheered up a little bit. "I was going to go check on the others. You going to be alright?"

"I already am, now that I've spoken with you." She sat up to let him go, pausing to take his chin in her hand and examine his injury.

"You should get something cold on that to bring down the swelling, Gavin."

"Yes, Mother," He teased quietly, before ruffling her hair and standing up. "Take care of yourself, Ellana, I'll see you later." And, as he always did with goodbyes, he was gone before she could reply.

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And as we wind on down the road

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