(open) one foot on the ledge

[ichaer]

WHO: Ciri and YOU!
WHAT: Arrival, settling and other general shenanigans catchall log for the month.
WHEN: Pre-Orlais, Solace.
WHERE: Skyhold, various
NOTES: None, currently but will update if needed.

✖ a. camp

Ciri's arrival comes not long after the arrival of the first new Warden from the Western Approach and she is dressed in equally unmistakable armor. After the long ride across Orlais and the trip through the Frostbacks, she arrives thoroughly exhausted in every sense of the word. With some direction from staff within Skyhold proper, she finds the camp and gives it a once over with a tired sigh. She ultimately finds a quiet place, open and hopefully not in use. It is nice to have solid ground under her feet once again, hardly missing the sand of the Approach and the black mare clearly seems to share the feeling as she trots around the small area.

She finally has to call Kelpie back over to pull the saddle, saddlebags and reigns from her. Everything is left on the ground is a messy heap as she pulls her hood down, running a calloused hand through messy white-grey hair and pondering on where to start with it all. Where to start besides passing out horse treats but that was a given and Kelpie seems delighted by it nonetheless. She's glad at least one of them has energy because eyeing her mess of supplies, equipment and other such leaves her feeling even more exhausted. Carefully, she unlatches her sword belt and slips the weapon onto the ground which she soon follows.

Despite her exhaustion, she cannot sleep and instead takes to caring for her sword. The whetstone, a gift and one of the few things she took from Weisshaupt, is slowly run along the blade in rhythmic motions. It would almost be relaxing if not for a certain horse and her determination for attention. It's adorable, honestly and she'll happily trot over to anyone within range for some extra attention as well.

✖ b. skyhold

It's been a few days since her arrival but it has been hard to settle into a routine. At Weisshaupt, she had kept a routine. At Griffon Wing Keep, she had kept a routine. Rountine kept her hands busy, her mind busier and kept her from wandering into memories that were not wise to dwell on for long periods of time. So, although it might not be routine, she is glad to wander and take it the groups milling about that were not wearing armor like herself. After all, she has nothing bad to say about the other Wardens gathered here but she has spent far too much time in the company of just Wardens to be healthy.

She does not stay in Skyhold proper but that does not stop her from exploring the grounds. The library does not hold her interest for long but she follows the rotunda, curiously gazing at the books present before slipping down a nearby stairwell. The kitchens are found by mistake, wandering down the wrong stairwell and likely following her nose without thought. Still, Ciri does not miss the opportunity to ask for apples or carrots that would not be used for a treat for her horse.

Time is spent in the tavern, enjoying music that is not like the one she had been hearing in her head before it thankfully stopped and a needed drink. Although usually not the most talkative Wardens, she takes interest in her neighbors and asks of their origins or reasons for traveling to some keep in the mountains. Again, it is simply nice to have the noise around her. She wanders near the courtyard later, watching anyone that might be practicing with a careful eye and sometimes with noted interest. After all, t was always good to keep an eye out for things she could incorperate into her own work outs.

✖ c. battlements

It has been close to a week now. After close to a week of mostly sleeping, eating and more sleeping, she is already to get back to work. She disapproves of the soft ground underfoot at camp so she makes her way up into Skyhold. Here, there is more space but although they have all of this space it is terribly overcrowded. It is tough to find a place train with the entire event almost becoming a game as she searches. Almost every space is taken up and taken up for hours afterwards with some eager recruits waiting on the sidelines, waiting patiently for space to free-up.

It is what ultimately drives Ciri upwards, up onto the battlements and to where she only has to worry about guards passing by on their rounds. It is exactly what she is used to but she makes use of the flatter areas of the battlements' wall and falls into a familiar work-out. There is no pendulum to strike but she imagines one, slicing her blade through the air as she moves along the length of the wall in an almost dance-like and graceful manner she certainly does not give off in her everyday interactions.

If anything this is easier than the logs, blindfold and giant log threatening to throw her several stories to the ground at any moment. Yet she still twists, flips, cartwheels and jumps as if it was no different from her old training days in the woods with the Rats.

✖ d. wildcard

For literally anything else around Skyhold and nearby locations. Feel free to hit me up at kaldwin or through PM if you'd like for me to set something up.

Comments

[hlif]

There are few things better about having an elf from Halamshiral as your second-in-command when dealing with Orlesians unless she's also in charge of the money along with a woman that isn't shy about making her elfblooded heritage known. It makes them squirm as they hand over their gold.

"Idiot question but if you ask anyone about me, you'll find out two things: that I don't bathe enough because most folk don't know what kaddis is or that when your dog is half-blind maybe he needs a little help, or that I just come out with a lot of shite." His hold has a honey badger for their hold beast however, and that really explains an awful lot about Asher as a person. "Shame, he was a great guy. Last thing I ever did was throw a goat at him. Right over the walls of the Grey Warden camp. Wasn't a big goat but a goat is a goat."

If you're going to remember a friend, it's not a bad way to remember them.

"So, I've been to the Anderfels once or twice for jobs but never up to Weisshaupt obviously, what was it like up there? Heard the heat is fucking brutal."

[ichaer]

For a moment, Ciri stares at him with raised eyebrows and a half-smile. Honestly, she's probably smiled more today than she has in months. It's a nice change of pace.

"I appreciate the heads up. It's always good to know a thing or two about who you might be working with." That's her way of looking at it anyway. Still, the mention of a goat gets a pause and sudden bout of laughter out of her. "A goat, truly? That must have been quite the sight."

There are definitely worse ways to remember a friend.

"Sullen, dark and in dire need of some updating that didn't include ritual sacrifices and demon summoning." Ultimately, she shrugs. "As for the heat? Let me put it this way: it was cooler inside Weisshaupt while it was on fire than it was outside."

[hlif]

"Better than a ram, balance is all wrong with a ram." There was a whole discussion about rams vs goats and what would be best for throwing that didn't even touch the whole 'Avvar throw goats'. Or goat blood but a live goat had seemed funnier and now Camp Shady probably still had a goat since Asher didn't actually need a goat when he had two dwarves to cause just as many problems in his life.

"When in doubt, let's summon demons, what could go wrong. It's like no one cracks open a book or even heard about Kirkwall. I cleared out before it got bad there but we've got a long history of why none of that is a good idea." Even for someone happy enough to deal with spirits, or to make animal sacrifices if needed, any story he'd caught wind of thanks to Mal going up to Weisshaupt had made him uncomfortable. "Skyhold is the opposite, you'll be happy to know - if you think you couldn't possibly get colder? Think again. So if you want a slanket you come to me."