OPEN - I'm gonna do my best to take my place in the sun

[mythalenaste]

WHO: Pel Ashara and YOU
WHAT: Catch-all/open post for May/Bloomingtide
WHEN: All month
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: Will update with any warnings as needed.

1 - Outskirts



A grey wolf is haunting the slopes outside of Skyhold.

She doesn't appear to be stalking anything. She is simply roaming the hillside, taking in her surroundings, occasionally sniffing something out. Her yellow eyes do not search; she is only taking everything in, as if she is discovering the world.

She hears and smells you before she sees you, and isn't worried, though her ears turn to listen. If you come closer, she will look up at you, waiting for you to do something to make her reveal herself.

2 - Library

The hour is absurdly late, but she can't sleep knowing this paragraph is not written. More accurately, it has been written a great many times, but she doesn't quite like any of them.

You might find her toiling. You might find her asleep on top of her own drafts.

3 - Hot spring

For whatever reason, you have just arrived, are in whatever state of dress or undress as you are in, when the water is disturbed and Pel's head pops out. She wasn't under longer than fifteen or twenty seconds--not long enough for you to get much done, but long enough for her to, perhaps, surprise you a bit. Though she looks surprised herself, seeing you.

4 - Wildcard

Pel's Daily Schedule

Comments

[mythalenaste]

It's not until Sina hugs her that Pel feels the urge to cry. Not from the terrible memory, but from the kindness. She wraps her arms around Sina and clings to her as two quiet tears drop from her eyes.

"I'm all right," she says after a moment.

[eolasemah]

Regardless of Pel's state, Sina maintains the hug, shifting her head so it rests against the older woman's shoulder.

"One of our clan," she begins, pauses a beat, then continues: "Mirsedis. One of our hunters, born to Clan Rogelan. As I hear it told, they were poisoned by the shem'len of the village nearby." She speaks softly, reverently, her small voice tinged also with affront. "She saw her family die. Only she and her father were left, and he..." She hesitates then adds, "did that."

"She came to join us when I was little. She is one of our best hunters, but hateful. Ruthless. ...one cannot come back unchanged from witnessing such a thing." Sina lifts her head, her eyes raising to meet Pel's. "I'm glad his death did not kill you, too."

[mythalenaste]

That hurts. It hurts because Pel's story wasn't about Pel, and the story Sina tells isn't a narrowly escaped alternate.

"Elan--"

Her chest is tight.

"--was Merrick's father. Merrick was with me when it happened."

And the rest is already known.

[eolasemah]

That gives Sina pause. She hadn't realized. She barely knows Merrick, has only interacted with him once or twice, but suddenly she bridges the connection between him and the person he knows. It makes sense now, in an awful way.
Realizing how this has affected Pel's mood, she at least feels the need to add a happy-ish ending. "...she has Nymii now," Sina explains quietly, "she's not alone anymore. They love each other, she has a life. And she has us."

[mythalenaste]

"Oh, sweet Sina." Pel gives her a squeeze. "It isn't your task to cheer me up, or fix anything. I know that's what you've been taught as First, but it isn't so with me. You've listened, and that's enough."

She swallows.

"Merrick is mine to worry about. And I must believe he'll be all right, or else there isn't much point. So I do."

[eolasemah]

Sina offers a light smile which quickly dwindles again when she doesn't feel it. This is a difficult subject to smile over.

"...we're all here for him," she offers, "he may not know me well, but I have come to regard your clan as my own."

[mythalenaste]

"Don't tell him you know. But...you ought to know, if you're going to help represent us. Everyone back in our clan does, and they still barely have the patience for him. I don't want to see that happen to him here."

[eolasemah]

Sina seems to accept the gravity of this, and she gives a single nod of understanding. "We won't let it," she decides, and offers a small, reassuring smile. "There are too few of us to let anything weaken our presence further."

[mythalenaste]

"Ma serannas." She gives a fleeting smile, then turns back to her writing.

"'It is imperative that elves have a history to learn from--an advantage available to every developed society. Though we will never become our ancient ancestors, it is in our best interest to understand where we have been so that we do not retread old ground unnecessarily. We, like other nations, must have some grasp of our previous successes and failures so that we may take forward what is good and learn from the bad.'"