and when the broken-hearted people living in the world agree [open]

[lettersfromhome]

WHO: Mia Rutherford & YOU
WHAT: Pre-Orlais Catch-All for July
WHEN: Beginning of the month up to Orlais shenanigans.
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: n/a

For not being caught up in much of actual events of the keep, it certainly is exhausting keeping up with everything.

That might be life with Zevran and the baby talking, however. As many people seem happy to pitch in with helping Zevran with his son, Mia still quietly thinks the best hands are her own. And his father's, of course, but the poor dear seems to be at his wit's end on most days. He's trying to do well for the boy, though she'd expect no less from him. Still. Sharing a room with him means watching the toll it takes and, when she is available to, helping take the baby off his hands so he might get some Maker-blessed sleep.

Of course, she can't spend the entire day with the baby, much as she'd like to. She still has duties to attend to around the keep, and the recent activity with assassins and spirits being purged from abominations doesn't mean that the refugees are any less eager to get the things they need. Luckily, construction for the new appointments for them seem to be going well. Katniss has managed a wonderful job in that regard, and Mia's more than happy to lend a hand, even if it's as simple a thing as making sure the workers are eating, too.

That doesn't leave much spare time, but she does what she can. She makes herself available now and then in the gardens, and now more than ever she's been taking the time to drop in on her brother, if only to briefly chat and see that things are well before letting him carry on.

They've all got their fair share to do around here. And keeping busy...well, it keeps a lot of things off your mind, that way.

Comments

[serannas]

Ellana comes across Mia when she has the baby out of the room to allow Zevran some sleep. She smiles faintly at the tiny elf child before greeting her friend.

"How are you? Is the little one a handful?"

[lettersfromhome]

"No more than any other child, I'm happy to say," Mia replies with a little tug at her lips, glancing down at the dozing baby in her arms.

"While he's certainly more active than any child his age I've known, he has his father's sweet temperament. That does tend to make things a little easier."

[serannas]

"Oh, my! I wouldn't know what to do with a child that had boundless energy. I would probably need someone to tell me, because I couldn't keep up." She thinks back to the children in the clan, the ones who called her Lala because they couldn't pronounce Ellana, and how active they could be. Luckily, she wasn't involved in their upbringing.

"I do like spending time with children, but that's with the knowledge that they'll return to their parent or caretaker soon enough."

[lettersfromhome]

"I could hardly blame you. They're a lot of work, and it never really ends. You can start sending them to bed when they're older, but this young? You are all they have in the world."

There's a tender look given to the child as she reaches to stroke one delicate blond curl atop his head. "Some people aren't meant for it. And some feel as if they're meant for nothing else, only to never have the opportunity. The Maker works in strange ways."

[serannas]

Ellana doesn't know about the Maker, but peoples' hearts work in strange ways. Mia looks comfortable with the prospect of having this life.

"You know, seeing you with a child? It suits you well."

[lettersfromhome]

Yes, well. She was raised old-school Andrastian, Ellana. These are the sort of things you learn from childhood. Pray to the Maker, listen to your mother and father, and hope one day to marry someone suitable.

You don't get everything, as it turns out. Her lips curve upwards at the observation, just the same. "Does it? I've been looking after children since I was one," she murmurs, looking down at the dozing child with fondness in her eyes. "Never to have any of my own, I suppose it's not that surprising."

[serannas]

Ellana is a moment away from asking her if it's really too late, but common sense makes her stop herself. It might be seen as rude. It might be something Mia doesn't wish to have brought up.

"Well, he's a dear. Sleeping while people are talking around him. I spent time with the children in the clan, but luckily I never changed diapers or tried feeding them. Those things would be a disaster if left to my care."

[foxsays]

Since catching up with Zevran herself and finding out about him and Mia, Araceli hasn't made it her mission to track down the other woman, that makes it sound far too official or sinister in her mind, and she sent her a message and a gift instead. But she does keep making attempts to find her when her own work and studies permit, as well as sorting passage to Rivain which isn't the easiest thing to do when you're doing it from Skyhold, so many miles from the nearest port.

She's cutting through the gardens as a shortcut when she spots Mia, collecting Lux from where he's been lounging happily amidst some of the pots, a book tucked under her arm, her curls flying as she hurries over with a smile.

"Señora! As radiant as ever, how does the day find you?"

[lettersfromhome]

Mia has up to this point simply been enjoying the sun and the smell of the herbs growing in nearby planters, a moment's respite from the usual hectic rush of her day. Not that she'd have things any other way, of course.

But she brightens considerably when she notes Araceli making her way over, and she makes certain to sweep her skirts to the side, enough to make room on the stone bench she's claimed as hers for the time being. "Off of my feet, which I find myself more than a little grateful for." Her smile curves wider.

"And just when I thought I'd come outside and warm myself, here comes another spot of sunshine to brighten my day. How have you been, dear?"

[foxsays]

"You deserve it, especially with the most recent addition to your life." There's a little smile on her face that turns into a smirk; Zevran telling her about sharing a room with Mia had been a surprise but she's not going to pry since everyone is an adult and it's not her business. "Everything is going well? I heard about the work being done in the valley so that the refugees there can finally live in buildings and not tents."

Even with a Vashoth heating pad in her tent, she's still not a fan of camping when it must be done.

Tucking herself next to Mia gratefully, she laughs before heaving a dramatic sigh. "Busy. Very busy. My studies eat more and more of my time, not less. And trying to organise a ship to Rivain from Skyhold is a little like pulling teeth at times."

[lettersfromhome]

"The addition? I'm not sure which you might be referring to," she replies cannily, arching a brow but smirking faintly as Araceli makes herself comfortable. "Although yes, everything is going quite well. Construction hasn't been too limited by some of the more recent unpleasantness. I'd be pleased if the only assassins that ever made their way inside these walls were our own."

She clucks her tongue sharply. "It's made things difficult all around, I'm afraid. But if you look to the right sorts, they seem more determined than ever to see things continue. Every obstacle we encounter seems another Maker-sent challenge to overcome."

[foxsays]

"Zevran's little bundle of stickiness. Or that was what he seemed to be when we met in the hot springs, he almost tried to teeth on Korrin's dragon tooth after she was named as an aunt." Luckily for all, that potential disaster was neatly averted but it's still a shame Mia wasn't there to see the moment of horror on Araceli's face when she shouted for Korrin only to hear a baby gurgling. The reminder of Leliana's condition sobers her again, and she sighs quietly. "I am sure some of us will be called in at a future date, after last time...what's done is done, better to put energy into finding those responsible and dealing with it for now, no?"

Charter certainly keeps a bard student busy anyway.

"We can only hope that Corypheus and his forces have even worse to overcome if everything I have heard about the Maker and wicked men from Tevinter in the past is true." Which it may or may not be, the Chant isn't really for her but there are days when it feels like everyone is running until they're red in the face just to stand still. "There will always be people like you whenever some of us start to flag, and Korrin is practically a force of nature, especially when the Mage Council meetings haven't gone well. It makes me want to make sure her cause succeeds, so that her hard work won't ever go to waste."

[lettersfromhome]

"We haven't heard anything too terrible out of that corner lately. No new fears of abominations or things in that regard?" No news, in this case, being the best news they can hope for, for the time being.

Mia's hand lifts and flutters dismissively. "I have no say in it, and I'm grateful, to be honest. I'm sure many would consider my opinion biased, based on my relation to the commander, but in truth? Most of the mages here seem completely reasonable people, and I have no reason to believe that the great majority are anything but. Now, Tevinter? That's another story entirely."

A brief huff escapes her as she shakes her head. "I fear dear Dorian may be the exception to the rule, there."

[the_effect_she_has]

Katniss is in and out, over the next few weeks. It's the life of a scout after all, but she tries to at least wave at Mia before she's off again. This time though, she's stuck around for a few weeks. The wound on her side, with all of Sam's excellent healing, still twinged and slowed her down a few paces. So while she healed, she got back into helping Mia with the refugees, and of course, teaching Lucci how to sign with his hands when he wanted something.

Today, though, she finds Mia and perches herself on the stone wall next to her, looking tired and a little sad, but giving Mia a quiet nod and a smile, "What are we up to today?"

[lettersfromhome]

She's seen the way the young woman pushes herself, and it would seem a touch hypocritical to tell her to slow down, wouldn't it? Still, she's glad to see she's taking a moment as well.

"What aren't we up to, ever?" she responds with a wry smile, gesturing vaguely with one hand before reaching up to tug the fur around her shoulders a little closer.

"For the moment? Simply taking a breath. Sometimes it's important to do so, to take a moment and bring things back into perspective. Don't you think?"

[the_effect_she_has]

"Saving the world, one person at a time." Katniss stated with a dead-pan expression, before she pulled her long legs up and sat cross-legged on the battlement itself.

Resting her fingers together, she looked at Mia thoughtfully, ".. I suppose. Although every time I stop to think, then I really have to think. Then it's all -- jumbled horror in my head."

[lettersfromhome]

"Yes, well. There is always that risk, isn't there?"

The people here have all seen enough horrors to last a lifetime. But perhaps lately she's been looking on the brighter side of things. For no particular reason at all. Things just seem to be...well. Going well in some regards, at any rate.

"One of the reasons we stay so busy, no doubt," she added with a knowing arch of her eyebrows.

[the_effect_she_has]

"Yes, I suppose there is."

She looked at Mia for a moment, before she cleared her throat and looked up at the sky.

"I haven't been avoiding people ... that much." Her mouth twisted wryly, "Or at least I thought I had been subtle about it."

[lettersfromhome]

"You don't do subtlety well, dear. Too much Ferelden in you for that."

Mia chuckled warmly, reaching out to pat Katniss's shoulder fondly. There is a pause, a brief glance over her hair before her face draws. Not as much time for dressing fancily lately, is there?

Well, she's hardly one to judge. She's been a little less than polished herself, with a baby to help see after.

[justice_is_blond]

"Hello there." It's a friendly enough greeting as Anders comes into the gardens with quill and pen. They've got people who can do this, take note of what's growing and about when they can expect more of the garden herbs to be ready, but he likes it. The herbs don't ever mutter about him, and he doesn't have to worry about them flinching.

"Escaping from the little one for a little peace and quiet?" ...Until he went and opened his mouth and ruined the quiet, if that's why she's here. It's a good thing he's never tried claiming he's a genius.

[lettersfromhome]

"Ah. Anders."

It's a civil if somewhat distant greeting. She hasn't quite forgiven him, on a number of scores, but there's no reason to antagonize the man. They're adults, and capable of behaving as such, are they not?

His observation earns a faint nod, a little gesture at the lush growth around them. "It's not quite the lone blossom on a mountainside but...it is rather peaceful. But I take it you're here on business."

Here her eyes fall quite pointedly on the quill and pen in his hand, before lifting to him with an arched brow.

[justice_is_blond]

He'll take it. Civil is quite all right in his books. Anders will also take a seat nearby, on one of the benches.

"More or less. I've a break, and recording what we can expect soon and what we can't needs doing." Breaks happen to other people. Even without Justice he knows there's always more work to be done, and that he'll never quite do enough. "It's far easier to recall if I've seen it, too. Notes are one thing, reading that... Mm, that the elfroot should be ready for another harvest in about a week isn't quite as easy to remember as the sight of them."

There's a pause as he makes a note of the elfroot anyway. "How is Lucci on toys?"

[lettersfromhome]

Well that's an abrupt change of subject. She starts for a moment, but then her expression turns warmer. Softer. "That depends on what you might consider a toy. I'm fairly certain anything that isn't latched or bolted down he might consider as such, and even then he might make the effort regardless," she replies with a faint smile tugging at her lips.

"He's grown very fixated on what things do, what they feel or taste like. Which, as you can imagine, proves a little problematic if one isn't careful."

[justice_is_blond]

Plants are plants. He can only say so much on them before it becomes a conversation about how to try using them in different potions which would probably bore most people. Mia gets a very small smile as Anders records the state of another plant, listening to her.

"Babies and things in the mouth. You've no idea how many panicked parents I've seen after their little one has swallowed something ridiculous. All it takes is a split second, too. Button, a copper, a rock, anything is fair game if it's in reach, and anything can be in reach in moments." A beat. "Though I was in part asking because I'm traveling to Dairsmuid before long here, and if I bring him back another toy cow I think Zevran might kill me."

[lettersfromhome]

"Provided he has the energy. Should he feel lacking, I might kill you in his stead."

Though a wry smirk says that he needn't worry, she is just teasing. In this particular instance.

"I'd wondered where they all came from. Why cows? I have to know," she continues after a moment, shifting slightly on the bench to regard him more directly. It's not the sort of thing that immediately comes to mind for...well, any discernible reasons, really.