002 🌿

[ancarrow]

WHO: Eirlys and OPEN
WHAT: Bloomingtide catch-all
WHEN: Throughout Bloomingtide
WHERE: Around Skyhold
NOTES: No warnings inherent. Prose and brackets are both fine.

a) Healers' tents
It didn't take Eirlys long to settle herself in at the tents, and at the end of her first month back with the Inquisition she looks as though she's been there all her life. She tends patients with equal parts pragmatism and compassion, throwing herself into the care of illnesses and injuries she knows about and hanging back to observe when magic is required rather than simply potions and poultices. When it's quieter, she can be found sat cross-legged outside the tents with her mortar and pestle perched on top of a rock, chopping and crushing herbs, or inside scrubbing the beds and equipment clean.


b) Courtyard
Eirlys thinks back often to the day in the Hinterlands when a simple supply run had turned into a demon attack. It had been the second time a rift had opened right in front of her and both times she'd been powerless to do anything against them. Even though she knows she'll never be a powerful fighter in the front lines, she's very aware that a rift could open up any time, any place, and she needs to be prepared for that. She hovers around training and sparring sessions in the courtyard, watching intently from a distance and hoping she can pick up anything that might save her life.


c) Various quiet spots around Skyhold
She's stolen some paper, ink and a quill from one of the desks, hoping they won't be missed. Seating herself in a nook where she hopes she'll be ignored, she places a vial of elfroot in front of the paper, the name of the herb written on the label in Wellow's spidery handwriting. It's the only word she recognises, so it seems as good a place to start as any. Gripping the quill rather ungracefully in her fingers she tries to copy the word, but only succeeds in scrawling an inky line across the page. On her second attempt she gets to "elfr" before the nib of the quill snaps and her hand drops to the page, smearing ink across the paper and her skin. Her face burns red with her embarrassment and disgust at how she can't even do something that must be so simple and she screws the paper into a ball, hurling it across the room.


d) Wildcard!
Eirlys can most often be found at the healers' tents, the kitchen, and the Andrastian chapel. If you'd like a specific prompt for your character, please hit me up at viridianwings and I'll be happy to set something up!

Comments

[ancarrow]

"Andaran atish'an," she repeats a little more confidently, looking pleased with herself.

[serannas]

"Good! That's exactly it." Ellana clasps her hands together, feeling pleased. "So now you know how to greet others. Now I'll tell you how to say goodbye: Dareth shiral. It means 'safe journey.' 'Shiral' is an important word to the People. We attach it to words to speak of different kinds of journeys."

[ancarrow]

"Of course 'journey' would be an important one." She looks across at Ellana sadly, feeling just a little of the weariness of scores of generations of their kind.

[serannas]

"Yes," she agrees, tilting her head to give Eirlys an understanding look. "We have another root word that means 'journey' too. It's 'ara.' Aravas, aravel, and even Ashara. That means 'she who is on a great journey.'"

[ancarrow]

"Ara," she repeats, wishing she could write the words down. "At least that's an easy one to remember."

[serannas]

"That's true. I probably shouldn't load you down with too much at once, should I?" This is a good start, and she doesn't want to make Eirly's head spin.

[ancarrow]

"Perhaps not," Eirlys agrees, relieved. "But with such a patient teacher, I'm sure I'll be fluent in no time at all."

[serannas]

Ellana beams at the compliment. "Well, I'll do my best! Do you think that's enough for today?"

[ancarrow]

"Maybe," Eirlys agrees. "Although maybe I should repeat the words you've taught me a couple more times, to get them into my head properly." She repeats them one by one, slowly, tripping over the unfamiliar sounds a little, but just about managing to tick them all off.

[serannas]

The whole while, Ellana smiles encouragingly, nodding along, and when Eirlys finishes, she clasps her hands together.

"That was great! I'm really proud of you. It's so much easier to learn a new language as a child. To do this now -- well, I know I would have difficulty with any language at this point in my life."

[ancarrow]

She turns crimson at the praise, made even deeper by her embarrassment at realising she's blushing. "Oh, no, I know you'd be wonderful. You have the right temperament to learn, the curiosity and the patience."

[serannas]

"You think?" she asks, knowing she's a curious sort, but never assuming that her patience would lend itself to learning something like this.

"Well, now that you mention it, I am learning to play the lute, and musical notes are a bit like a language."

[ancarrow]

"Really? That's incredible!" She looks sincerely impressed. "I'd love to hear you some time."

[serannas]

"Oh, I'd be happy to! Maybe Kallian will come sing for me. I play; she sings." Because there are very few people that Ellana will let hear her sing. She just doesn't think she has a voice worth listening to. Not when beautiful singers like Kallian are here and available.

[ancarrow]

"Wonderful. Little things like music, they seem ever so much more important here." She's surprised at herself for how philosophical she sounds there.

[serannas]

Yet Ellana seems to understand the sentiment. "War makes you look more closely at things, doesn't it?" she asks. It makes her wonder about other Dalish clans out there, hiding themselves away in the forests. If they're lucky enough to not be near the place a rift has opened up, then they probably have no idea of the danger the world is now in.

[ancarrow]

Eirlys nods in agreement, her expression thoughtful and a little sad. "You learn to appreciate things all the more when you know they could be taken away at any moment."

[serannas]

The words make her think of Felix and her expression shifts to slightly sad, but only for a moment.

"Very true. Well, I should be off. You probably have healer's things to do, and I'd better take care of some things myself. Same time tomorrow?"

[ancarrow]

"Certainly, I'll be here." She stands up, dusting the cobwebs from her dress that have clung from where she's been sitting. "And thank you, Ellana. I never thought I'd be in a position to learn any of this."

[serannas]

"I never thought I'd be in a position to learn a great many things, but here I am!" she replies, cheering up even more. "I'm glad I can help you with this, Eirlys."