[ OPEN ] We shift and turn and swear and yearn

[fleurdesel]

WHO: Adelaide & you
WHAT: Catch All for the month
WHEN: June/Justinian
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: Wine, swearing, PUPPIES, allusions to demonic violence. Prose or Brackets are fine, roll with what you like most. If you want a specific prompt hit me up on plurk @ here!

[ Courtyard -> Stables ]

When her sister wrote 'their arrival is imminent' Adelaide had not quite considered how imminent Juliette meant. Perhaps she might have been better prepared for signing off with the courier when they herd the rather rambunctious litter of several month old mabari pups to one of the few empty stalls in the barn. Playful things that they are- Dennet is a horse master not a hound master and it will be some time before the appropriate point of authority finds their way down to check on the five puppies ready for imprinting or...whatever it is these dogs do- but they will need minding until they are handed off and as she'd had the fortune to sign for them- Adelaide finds herself sitting in the barn, trying to keep the dogs from gnawing on one another, on her, or on anything valuable. Moments like this are a thorough reminder as to why she is a cat person.


[ Library ]

She can be found, as ever, at her table tucked into one of the unoccupied nooks of the library- a cold cup of tea at her elbow, a sheaf of notes she writes and reorganizes- a quill on occasion hovering over a sheet of blank paper and mimicking her notes stroke for stroke so she might produce them in duplicate. So long as she remembers exactly how she's laid out the paper, it works well enough. For questions, comments, concerns, condemnations or complications that have arisen during research she has made herself thoroughly available.


[ Return of the Attache ]

"No." That is all she has to say. No. She won't bother to stop or listen, she won't bother to mind him in the slightest- that same family attache doggedly tails Adelaide about the hold, hovering just behind with a leatherbound sheaf of papers in his hand while he awaits for some sign that she'll take them or at least listen. He spends the bulk of his time holding the odd extra book or pen or, in a singularly distressing moment, a pad of gauze against a seeping wound as she mends a patient in the healing tents. He's a step down from a personal valet- he is not meant to be dealing with literal bloody commoners and yet- this is his life. Someone please help him convince Adelaide to at least take the papers and look at them.


AFTER JUSTINIAN 19th

[ Stairs ]

After the final ritual is all said, done, and finished Adelaide finds she has a wealth of extra time due to no longer needing to spend several hours picking apart what went wrong with the last and what could go wrong with the next- and at least a few hours extra that she'd otherwise spend training with Martel in the evenings due to the incontinence that is her leg. Magic, even hers, can only do so much and the nasty break in that last fight leaves her less walking with the calm poise she's known for and more hobbling from place to place, staff less an afterthought and more a requirement for keeping her weight off her leg. At the moment she's glowering at the stones underfoot as she takes one slow, shuffling step up the stairs at a time. Her research is in the library- and eventually she would make her way there. Just- give her some time.


[ Healing Tents ]

Here, at least, there are fewer stairs. Adelaide splits her time between minding patients and beginning new notations on old research she'd set aside- tending to those she could while moving as little as possible for the first few days. Her humor is...subdued, somewhat, but that is easily explained by the weight of her work of the past months finally catching up now that she is forced to spend less time on her feet. Now and then she might be caught dozing, chin tipped to her chest, fingers still holding the page of her book in place.

Comments

[fleurdesel]

"How is she, your Araceli?" It is something of an abrupt change in topic but- messages sometimes got through. Araceli and Korrin were tightly bound in affection and devotion- to imagine one losing the other, or one that thought they might lose the other? She cannot imagine the grief. Korrin had mentioned attempting to reach her and if even one message went through the fade-

She knew how they sounded, on the other side. The fear they might inspire.

[gatheringstorm]

Korrin distracts herself with lifting the belly-rubbed pup onto her lap and playing with its feet while she gathers her thoughts. "She's pissed. Not at me, but when I got back, I let slip about that desire demon that pretended to be her to get at me, and some part of her still hasn't calmed down from it. I think she'd go and take on all the desire demons in existence, if she could. She also sent a lot of messages that my crystal never picked up on, so there's that extra guilt."

[fleurdesel]

"It is enraging, the idea of a demon wearing one's face." Adelaide cannot imagine anyone that would see her in place of Desire- but she can imagine readily enough how furious that would leave her. "Perhaps...a retreat is in order? Some time away from work and the war for the both of you."

[gatheringstorm]

Undoubtedly, Korrin would be furious as well, so she can understand it even as it hurts to see Araceli so upset. The sooner she can help soothe at least some of that anger, the better. "Hm, now that's a good idea. There always seems to be a fresh crisis to keep us here or send us elsewhere, but it doesn't hurt to hope for better timing this time around. And she can never get too much of the seashore--ow! Hey, you. Puppy paws and boobs do not mix."

Lifting the intrepid climber in her hands and raising it up to her face to give a stern look, she's met with a lick to her nose.

[fleurdesel]

"Says you." Adelaide snorts a laugh, tugging one of the puppies into her lap to tickle. It is different from playing with a cat- less flailing and more gnawing, but they are endearing little creatures. "I will see if we cannot find a window where the Council is not quite so direly needed. I do not think we have anything important on the docket."

[gatheringstorm]

Gently headbutting the offending puppy, she lets it paw at her horns for a moment before settling in the crook of her arm. "Excellent. And speaking of Council meetings, I bet puppy breaks would benefit us as much as the tea. Just a thought." Is it even possible to remain so heated when faced with such fuzzy, feisty, adorable beings? Korrin honestly has her doubts. A few minutes of playtime might do everyone some good.

[fleurdesel]

"It would do quite a bit for morale, would it not?" Something for her to consider. The vault is not so far from the stables... "Can you imagine Vivienne sitting here, covered with puppies?"

She'd either be contrary enough to find it charming or stuffy enough to demand to take no part in it.

[gatheringstorm]

Korrin can indeed imagine it, and lets out a laugh which startles the pup in her arms. She'll give it extra belly rubs to make up for that. "Oh, Maker. I can see that raised eyebrow and disdainful sniff now. That or she'd smile indulgently like it was her idea. Either way, we win, since it takes the edge off other crap. Right, cutie?" The pup yips happy, tiny paws waving.

[fleurdesel]

"One cannot argue over the budget when one is distracted by puppies. This is a known fact." Though the budget is not quite so tight as it had once been- it could do with a little more room. A round of suggestions for raising money would be most welcome, truly.

[gatheringstorm]

"Exactly. You don't care about budgets, do you? Not with that round, furry tummy needing attention." Rubrubrub. "...don't tell Mal, he might encourage me to get one so I can match him and Asher at last." And she loves her fellow mercenary buddies, but spoiling their dogs seems easier than raising her own. "Do they have names?"

[fleurdesel]

"The Avaar with the opinions and the Fereldan that sounds like a Dwarf?" Strange fellows, those, strange company for Korrin to keep. "Yes- Leon, Bélier, Rouge, Chignon, and Bob."

A beat.

"She allows her children to name them."

[gatheringstorm]

There's an amused snort when she gets to the last name, glancing down to the pup in her arms and wondering if he was 'blessed' with it. "I'm sure I've heard of worse names, by people old enough to know better. If I ever get one, I'm calling it Anaan. It means 'victory'." And mabari are nothing if not badass. "'The Avvar with the opinions'; Asher would love that. It's so true, but for all his issues, he knows how to treat mabari right. I'll definitely have to make sure he knows about these cuties. I can see them now, climbing all over Bronson or Jayne."

[fleurdesel]

"That one is Rouge." She reaches out, scratching the puppy's ears. "Mon petite Rouge, oui?"

There is no upward swing to her voice- merely a gentling. Something softer, sweeter, something she does not often have cause to use. "Ah, that would be a lovely name for a Mabari. I have never thought what I might call one as I, myself, am ill suited to a canine companion. And I would encourage having older dogs come visit as well, it is supposed to be good for them."

[gatheringstorm]

"Hello, Rouge." Korrin tickles that fuzzy tummy, prompting him to wave those paws around and bat her dragon tooth necklace. "Nope, you can't have that." She frees a hand long enough to tuck it into her shirt, where it can be safe from puppy curiosity. "It'll be good for those older dogs, too, I think. We've spoiled them a lot. They need some energetic pups to keep them on their toes."

She raises an eyebrow, curious. "If not a canine companion, would you have another kind? Cats or nugs or...please, not nugs. Dorian's right, their feet are the stuff of nightmares." They're harmless, but Korrin just does not understand the appeal. At all.

[fleurdesel]

"I share responsibility for a kitten gifted to me by Anders. He keeps finding them and handing them out- my students hold a great deal of affection for them." Remi is not her cat. not even when he spends most of his day with her or sleeps in her bed at night or-

He is not HER cat.

"But were I to have time enough for a pet of my own- I think a cat. They mind themselves well enough and are not so terribly demanding of attention. Dogs require...more than I am able to spare." Like some people, honestly.

[gatheringstorm]

Korrin wrinkles her nose as though she's caught a whiff of some truly rancid garbage at mention of Anders. How Adelaide can tolerate that abomination is beyond her, and she's not sure she wants to know. "As long as it's just kittens and not getting students to think it's a great idea to have something possess them. Or blow up chantries."

No, she'll never not be bitter about any of that. But at least the presence of mabari pups means she doesn't raise her voice or continue the subject. Wagging tables and friendly nibbling on her hands has that effect on her. "Dogs aren't for everyone, I understand. Though don't tell that to our Fereldan friends, they probably won't. Cats will demand attention, too, but at least it's in their own time and less often."

[fleurdesel]

"There is a reason I do not permit him to spend much time around my students, Korrin- and if he were so enamored with remaining an abomination I would not have spent the better part of the past three months attempting to find a cure." She has yet to manage it, but in time? They will find something. If they were fortunate afterward there need be no more incidents like Lauren's that ended so terribly.

"In their own time, yes, but never more than I have the opportunity to give. Puppies require constant minding- and I spend enough of my time wrangling students, apprentices, and the Mage Council as you well know. I've no time or energy to keep up with a dog."

[gatheringstorm]

"I'm still allowed to worry about you, though." Korrin knows she can't stop Adelaide from trying to help Anders, nor would she. The Senior Enchanter is a grown woman who's done her research, and a friend who's judgment she trusts in most if not all things. And yet, the thought of the risk she could encounter attempting to separate Anders from the spirit has her stomach twisting in knots. It's a good thing the pup is there to lick her and yip pleadingly for attention, which she immediately provides.

"And if you need more people to help out with this bunch, I'll happily offer while I have the time here. Not that I have a ton of free time either, but I can spare a little, make sure they've blown off enough steam so that they're not being pests." One of the mabari pups squeaks and wobbles, pawing at her leg. Pests? Never.

[fleurdesel]

"I am only half certain that the next ritual will kill me." Only half but that's more than most would be comfortable with- at this point? She's resigned to being injured at the very least. After the demons from the last one...however it goes? It will not go without blood. "You are more than welcome to say 'I told you so' should I survive."

It is dangerous, this work- but it is worth so much. They could help so many, prevent so much death-

And such things are hard to keep in mind when puppies are rolling about and licking one's fingers. Adelaide shakes off the cloud with a soft chuff of laughter. "Honestly? What I need most is for them to be exposed to many people, to be played with. They have Kennel Hands and my sister's children in Feredlen. Here they will have whoever visits."

[gatheringstorm]

Korrin shakes her head, keeping her tone mild since there's no changing Adelaide's mind on this, not with Compassion egging her on. "I don't want to say 'I told you so', I want you to be alive and unhurt. It's not about being right, it's about protecting my friends. I won't help him, but if there's some way I can prepare for you, I'll do it." Even if it means being an absolute pest to any non-participating healers, because she'll do it in a heartbeat.

"...did I spill something on my sleeve? Is that why it's so tasty?" She gently boops the nose of the pup licking it, not having recalled spilling anything but who knows why pups do anything. "Are any of them spoken for?"

[fleurdesel]

Adelaide reaches across for a moment, over wiggling puppy bodies and fresh sweet straw, squeezing Korrin's hand. "It isn't about helping him in particular. He is...simply the only stable abomination we have on hand for testing. It is a sample size of one which is terrible for proving a theory or a method but I work with what I have and try to be grateful that we don't have more urgent cause for this. Honestly the odds are higher of this one killing him- which would solve quite a few problems I should think."

Morbid talk to be having over baby mabari, but such is life. "Have a flask of your maraas-lok on hand. One way or another? It will be a night for drinking."

If she is fortunate, and she does not count on such fortune, it will be a positive sort of drinking.

"Leon-" She gestures to the pup in her lap, petting his silken ears. "Is quite taken with Commander Rutherford. He tried to follow him out and as much as the man will likely argue against keeping him, even I know a mach when I see one."

[gatheringstorm]

Responding to the squeeze with one in turn, Korrin nods and manages a small, determined smile. "As you wish. There will be plenty of maraas-lok available, as much as you need." She wouldn't blame Adelaide at all for needing a dreamless sleep after that ordeal, whatever comes of it.

Reaching over to gently scratch Leon's head for a moment, she nods in approval at the notion of the Commander having a pet. "Good. He's a little tightly-wound, isn't he? Understandable, but still. A mabari pup to nuture might be just the thing he needs. And Leon would make a wonderful mascot, too."

[fleurdesel]

"The burden of command." She does not envy him the position. "Can you imagine Cullen inspecting the troops with Leon at his heels?"

It is a positively delightful mental image, one that pulls a soft snort of laughter from her. "Marching back and forth in front of the men standing at attention? Or perhaps tripping while trying to keep up, at least until he grows into his feet."

[gatheringstorm]

Korrin laughs, despite herself. "Poor Leon, but I think the troops would still love him. If anything, he might end up being the most spoiled dog in Skyhold, and that would be quite a feat." She pokes that puppy tummy. "They still have a way to go before they can be as fat as Jayne, though."

[fleurdesel]

"I mean to deliver Leon to Cullen's office with reports one day. He will not be able to let him go if I do that." A basket of puppy, supplies, and a bed for the pup to sleep in. It'd be terribly efficient. "I am no expert on Mabari but...Jayne seems quite large for the breed, does he not?"