faderift | [OPEN] So Much Is At Stake

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[OPEN] So Much Is At Stake

WHO: Character(s) Vivienne and OPEN
WHAT: Catchall leading up to Orlais happenings
WHEN: Beginning of the month up until Orlais event starts
WHERE: Skyhold (early) / Val Royeaux (one week before event start)
NOTES: Open to all. Val Royeaux segment is a shopping trip en route to Halamshiral (which is available for 'guests' to tag around with each other.) Prose or brackets is fine, I'll tag to match.

Early Solace
Courtyard
Even with whispers about ongoing strife in Orlais, little notes and letters finding Madame de Fer's hand confirming as much, she remains in Skyhold for the time being. Her business is much as it has been. No small part of her day is spent working with the younger mages present in the Fortress. With no Circle to provide these youngsters with solid training, they find themselves trouble in trying to alleviate their boredom. The best solution she's found is to take an active role in not only learning their names and personal quirks, but genuinely trying to seek out responsible mages to serve as mentors to guide them. Much of her time is spent finding suitable adults willing and able to work with their younger members.

Balcony
Not quite as many new mages are joining the Inquisition as there were in the early days. Those who do are often either Rifters, or rebels who didn't follow Fiona to Redcliffe, for good or ill. Regardless of affiliation, Vivienne attempts to stay apprised to the numbers of the magically gifted present in Skyhold. It's especially important that she does so now, as the recently appointed mage liaison. For her part, she tries to remain as available to find on her balcony as she may. When a new name is brought to her attention, an invitation is sent out to join her for tea where she holds court from her chaise lounge.

Anyone passing through the Main Hall of a late night might find her still awake upstairs and intent on an alchemy project.

Gardens
Any morning following a late night dabble with alchemy will find the Iron Lady strolling through the Skyhold Gardens. She examines the plants as she passes through, calm as always, though sometimes a thoughtful hum gives away her extra consideration of something she sees.

---

Val Royeaux
Convinced now that the Inquisition will be making a move into Orlais in short order, Vivienne's routine alters. She decides that a little detour en route for shopping is absolutely demanded. Nevermind that the capital is actually beyond where they will be traveling, or that it seems perhaps frivolous to be indulging in retail therapy when there are far more serious matters to attend to. She, of course, insists that if they are to deal with Orlesians, those agents should at the very least look presentable as such. ~~No, plaidweave is unacceptable. Find something else.~~ Shopping is happening. They've plenty of time to conclude their business and meet with the intended encampment at Halamshiral.

She doesn't travel to the capital alone, however. There are a number of people she's invited to join her for the excursion. Not all of them are particularly pleased to be present, but somehow the Iron Lady's gotten her way. Not that blackmail was involved in any way, that's far too cheap to someone who revels in playing the Game. However, her bullying victims might perhaps feel otherwise. She's arranged lodging for them all at Bastien's townhouse, though the Duke is not in residence at present. Playing hostess is quite fun for her, thus Vivienne will point out the best shops, the tastiest pastries, and of course the most ideal restaurants to see and be seen.

Her own personal shopping involves inspecting a golden pig, which she decides firmly against, browsing fabrics, pretty jewelry pieces, careful inspection of practically every bookseller she can locate, and much time inquiring with the local herbalists.

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Turning slowly and carefully to face the worker in question, there's a look in Araceli's eyes that dares them to make a comment; she has coin to spend that she can spend elsewhere, and when Araceli speaks to so very many people in the Herald's Rest who in turn speak to so many others, how quickly would it spread if she was dissatisfied with the service she received? If she was disgusted by how her dear friend was treated? Smiling at Ellana, she clears her throat and beckons one of them over to see just how far she can push them.

When she's a bard, she'll be able to ruin people the way she does at home, and she can't stand how the elves are treated in Thedas, when it makes her sick to her stomach and so angry she could spit nails.

"Excuse me, I would like to try this on? If you would be so kind?" And because Araceli only has one pair of hands, she hands the garment to Ellana as she removes her coat to set it down so she can unbutton her coat, smiling a serene smile at the woman approaching them.

Ellana takes the fabric with a smile, brushing thumbs over it. Such finery was rare in the clan, though that didn't mean they never had anything soft to wear. Furs were soft and some fabrics too. But this is a silky softness, and she imagines if she had something like this to wear that she'd never stop running her hands down it.

"It would look nice with anything," she says, imagining different shades against it.

"All the beautiful things I left back home," Araceli sighs, the assistant arriving with a screen to protect Araceli's modesty while she changes (or theirs since this is Araceli, the body isn't a shameful thing in her mind) out of her shirt and underwear, piling her hair loosely atop her head out of the way. "You know where Korrin will say it looks nicest though, don't you?"

The assistant looks intrigued, despite herself, holding out her hand for the corset as she waits behind Araceli, mouth pursed as she tries not to smile.

"She's going to say it looks wonderful on me but best on our bedroom floor," Araceli confides with a wink, and the assistant's cheeks go bright pink where her mask doesn't cover them, suddenly very busy with laces and fabric. "You should find something in green though, with gold accents. Or ivory silk with amber detailing if you can find it, I'll count how many jaws and glasses drop wherever you go in it."

Ellana hands over the corset, also curious at what Korrin would say. And then she blushes pink, a slow smile spreading across her face.

"Of course. I should have known." And since she has no laces to do up like the assistant, she's left lacing her own fingers together awkwardly.

"Oh, I don't know that I should buy anything. All my clothes are practical." Except her soiree dress, which she still treasures.

"Everyone--"

Araceli huffs out a deep breath, eyes wide, mouth falling slack because the first moment when a brand new corset is cinched is always the most unpleasant of moments (there will be lines on her skin later, a little phantom corset to rub away for the rest of the day here) and her voice is slightly strained.

"Everyone needs impractical things. Pretty things. Things to make them feel special when there are awful days so you can have a long bath and do your hair, your make up, dress up even in your own room just to feel wonderful and beautiful. Not that you need that but sometimes it's about the act. Taking all that time to yourself. Spoiling yourself. It feels illicit." Allegedly. Not to Araceli who has absolutely no shame when it comes to spoiling her friends or her loved ones but there are so many people she knows who have a hard time trying to justify it.

Ellana isn't too sure she wants to wear something that makes it hard to breath, judging from Araceli's reaction. She worries her lower lip as her friend continues speaking, and while she can see what she's saying, she still isn't entirely sure a corset is for her.

"How do you breathe in one?" she finally asks, unable to resist.

"Practice," the shopkeeper replies, adjusting the laces first as Araceli does some more fidgeting before she nods and steps out so Ellana can get a look at her in it.

"You don't lace it as tight as it goes at first," Araceli explains. "It's little adjustments, it's like other things - you break them in, maybe an hour or so a day until they're comfortable. But trying them on is a shock unless they were made exactly for you which is what I'm used to. But I wanted to leave with one today, the rest I can have made for me and delivered."

Everyone likes presents, right?

Practice. Ellana has been practicing at a lot of things since leaving the clan, but practicing breathing seems like... well, not fun. She shifts from one foot to the other, debating whether or not she really wants to have trouble breathing just to see herself with actual cleavage for once in her life. And then she considers the implications of an elf trying on a corset and the fuss it might cause, especially if she decides not to purchase it. They'd probably take it out back and burn it.

"Would I--" She stops herself, annoyed with how meek she sounds. Annoyed that being in this city is making her act the way her clan always said the city elves acted. She straightens her spine, inhales a steadying breath, and reminds herself that she's as good as anybody. "I'd like to try one on, just to see the shape it gives me."

Plenty of other necessary things aren't an awful lot of fun either but corsets are undeniably very beautiful, and Araceli is a huge fan of very beautiful things, and that she can go to relatively little effort to garner the reactions she does when she wears them? That's power. She likes that. She'll take whatever power she gets in Thedas especially when she has nothing close to rely on the way she would in Castileos either, no matter what skills she came prepared with.

Grinning, she bounces on the spot, utterly delighted. "That's the spirit! Señora? My friend, Councillor Ashara of Skyhold, will need her measurements taken? I think gold and green will bring out her complexion best?"

Why yes, Orlesian, Araceli is small and ready to brawl or she will trash your reputation with her big mouth since she gossips to every single scout and soldier in Skyhold so do not doubt that steely determined glint in her eyes.

The shopkeeper and her assistant exchange a look, no doubt weighing the options here. If they serve the elf and one of their regular customers walks in... but on the other hand, if they don't serve this elf who is apparently on some council in the Inquisition... The organization may not have the support of everyone in Orlais yet, but with Madame de Fer a prominent member of it, perhaps it's wise not to get on her bad side.

Beckoning her assistant closer, the shopkeeper hands her the measuring tape and goes off to see what they have ready made in those colors. Ellana is brought behind the divider for privacy and is quickly measured. At least the assistant makes no comment, unlike those brought to Skyhold for the soiree. Oh, those tailors didn't want to speak to her either, but they spoke around her.

Within minutes, the two women and going over the numbers and a corset just as Araceli described is brought forward and slipped onto her. Ellana holds the front against herself and the moment the laces are tightened she lets out a startled sound, unsure how to breathe.

It's a very wise choice to serve Ellana; you never know who might be a bard after all and one day the Maid on the Shore plans to make herself known when the time is just right. At least the pushiness of home (just the right amount) has paid off well, and maybe that will be a little on the spot lesson too. Cards and dice are good for reading a situation, but nothing beats getting to put it into practice.

When there's a moment where the assistant isn't hovering, Araceli leans in with a conspiratorial smile. "I'll get your measurements on the way out. I did the same for Korrin at Skyhold." The way they spoke about her kadan in front of her and in front of Araceli too? Unforgivable. The only way some people learn is by loss. But she moves out the way to let the women get to work because she's excited for her friend, for getting to be part of this.

Unable to stop herself, Araceli swings up on her toes to smile at Ellana, eyebrows raised. "How does it feel? Because those colours are going to look stunning on you, I promise."

"Ma serannas," Ellana whispers back with a smile. She has no idea what size she is. To her, clothes either fit or they don't, and if they're too big, they can be belted, right? This corset certainly isn't too big, but she's trying her best to breath normally so she doesn't get lightheaded.

"Very tight," she replies, but then she casts her gaze down and for the first time in her life, cleavage greets her. She's never had a line of cleavage before. She stares in wonder before a small smile curves onto her lips and she looks up again.

"I love it."

Ellana, if you ever mention that sort of thing around Araceli you're going to get something that isn't a lecture about tailoring, because a lecture implies something stern. Araceli's opinion on clothes and what they can do is altogether a more passionate thing. They're just another tool of the trade, a weapon in the arsenal, and if her father taught her how to gamble and to read a person, then her mother (well, her mother taught her a different way to do that too) taught her how the clothes maketh the lady and what they can do for you.

"You need to have it Ellana, you look incredible!" Her cheeks are starting to hurt from smiling as she looks at her friend because they should have this. Everyone should have this. "Sweep your hair up, wear a necklace that draws the eyes there too so there can be no mistaking where anyone is meant to look."

There are more lessons. Araceli tends to let the girls out plenty when she's playing cards and dice, that isn't an accident.

It's tempting to want to poke at her own breasts, because they hardly seem like they belong to her right now. And each inhale of breath makes them lift even more. She raises her arms to pull back her hair, exhaling a whoosh of laughter because everything is so tight she has to learm how to move her body to accommodate the corset.

But she does get her hair in her hands and twists it up to hold against the back of her head for a moment before letting go. The hair unravels itself back in place and she grins at Araceli.

"This is fun! But what do I wear with the corset to make an outfit?"

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[OPEN] So Much Is At Stake

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