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WHO: Felix and OPEN
WHAT: A couple of prompts for people who wanted to interact with Felix.
WHEN: The days after the funeral
WHERE: Throughout Skyhold
NOTES: Mentions of death or dying, otherwise it should be okay. Also, please remember the general public doesn't know he has the Blight, they just know that he's dying 'of an illness.'

[Personal Quarters]

Felix spends most of his time in the quarters assigned to him. Some days he finds it hard to walk around much, as the dizziness gets to him. Healers are welcome, as are servants and friends. He keeps the place very clean, worried that somehow the treatments will stop working. He knows the Inquisition is taking a risk having him here and he does everything he can to stop the possibility of spreading the Blight. That includes staying tidy and burning sheets after a fever.

It also means cutting his own hair. The problem is that he has issues holding his arms up for that long. They start to tire and he gives up making the cuts straight or even. He's not trying to make a fashion statement, after all.

[Library]

When he is out of his room, he spends most of his time in the library. Obviously, part of that is that Dorian is there. Being around his friend feels like the way he wants to spend his last days. He had thought going home and trying to help the cause of the Inquisition would have been important, but this feels more right personally.

When Dorian isn't around, he spends his time reading. He enjoys learning about Southern history and can also be seen pouring over any new mathematical theories. It makes him realize how much he misses going to university.

[Garden]

Sometimes he's told he needs to 'get fresh air' and that prompts him to go out and sit at the garden. It's still so lovely to see what a well placed hot spring can do even in the middle of a frozen mountain. The air is still thin and frigid, nothing like what he might have back home, but there's something wonderful about the peace that one can find surrounded by the right amount of trees.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Ellana shrugs, fingers ruffling the edges of the pages in her book. She wishes the elves had more, but she wishes many things were different, and none of them are likely to happen.

"Why did you study in Orlais?" she asks, ever curious about people. It seems strange that a Tevinter would go to Orlais when they seem obsessed with being superior in every way. Why not stay in Tevinter to study?

"Tevinter..." he begins, trying to think of a way to word this without making it sound like he thinks poorly of his homeland. "It doesn't really offer courses in mathematics."

That was one way to word it. "There is also the fact that my own talent for magic was less than expected, so I couldn't really study at a Circle."

He forgets, for a moment, that 'Circle' means something different to Southern mages.

There's a brief look of surprise in her eyes, but she doesn't question him about his magical talent. In a way, she can sympathize. She's sure she didn't get the same magical training as Pel or Sorrel, because she's not destined to be Keeper. She was just trained to control her magic and all the basic spells.

"We Dalish don't have Circles. Our Keepers train us."

"Ah," Felix said after a moment. "Apologizes. We don't have Dalish Clans in Tevinter." Then, after a moment, he seems to be stunned by how stupid that sounded, a little mortified even.

"Of course we don't. I mean... My country isn't kind to elves." He stumbled a bit over the apology and then coughed a bit into his hand as if trying to make up for it. Then he changes the subject just to give her an out of not dwelling on his stupidity.

"The Circles I'm speaking of aren't like the ones in the South. For us, they're almost like schools. Attending one is a sign of talent and wealth."

Ellana waits as he stumbles over his words. She well knows that the Dalish steer clear of Tevinter and that the populace isn't kind to the elves who dwell there. At least he understands it would be a sore topic to continue.

"That's because mages are treated differently in the north. In the south, they are feared. At least by Andrastians. The Dalish treasure their mages. We become their leaders." There's a pause as she realizes that was a poor word choice, because it doesn't apply to her. "I mean, usually. Not me."

She fiddles with the book's pages again.

"Did you study mathematics, then? You said Tevinter didn't have what you were looking for."

He opens his mouth to ask her what she meant but she changes the subject so quickly that he takes the hint and lets it slide.

"I did," he explains, brightening up a bit. "The University of Orlais has some of the best minds when it comes to theory in the field. Attending had been like opening my mind to all of the possibilities of the world."

"Oh?" she asks, leaning forward in her chair. All the possibilities is a phrase that catches her attention and holds on tight. It's something she's always wanted open to her too. Being here in Skyhold feels like a start to all that.

"What do you do with mathematics? I mean, do the theories ever turn into something for practical use?"

Felix pauses for a moment, trying to figure out how to describe things. "In a way," he said. "Of course basic arithmetic is vital to tasks every day life, even something as simple as baking or planting requires it. When you get to the higher school of thought..."

It's clear he's searching for the words here. Sometimes he wishes he had Dorian's gift for gab. "It's like describing the world. There was puzzles and patterns everywhere. You only need the language to decipher them."

"And you know all that? It's a language to you?" She isn't quite sure she understands, but maybe it's a bit like magic. A mage can't really describe what magic and casting spells feels like to someone who can't feel the energy of the Fade flow through them. And she knows basic math, but doesn't see what need there is for more.

He nodded a bit at that. "At least I can speak a part of it," he admitted. "I, uh, I had to cut my studies short when my health began to get worse." That wasn't entirely accurate. It had been being attacked that had cut them short, but that attack hadn't exactly been good for his health.

"That's too bad," she says, expression softening. "And then all this with the Breach happened too, which has changed things for so many." Ellana closes her book and rests her arms on the table.

"The healers here can help you, can't they?"

"They do what they can, but I'm afraid I'm incurable. That was, after all, the source of my father's desperation." He frowns a bit as he thinks of the Alexius who is down in the dungeon of Skyhold. He hopes his father is well and remembers to go check on him later today.

"Oh," she says, taking a moment to process that. 'Oh' is what she usually says when she needs a moment. It's a filler word that shows she's still invested in the conversation, but doesn't want to blurt something out without thinking. It's especially true now as the topic returns to his father.

"I'm sure parents would sacrifice anything for their child," she continues quietly. It's so unfair that Felix is incurable when he's so young. And here he wants to study mathematics and is in the library trying to catch up. He should have all the time in the world to learn what he wants, without this hanging over his head. "I wish-- your illness, I wish it wasn't so."

He looks at her carefully then, because he also needs some time to figure out what he wants to say next.

"I'm... I'm very grateful that someone so beautiful would spare a thought like that for me," he says finally. He doesn't like that he caused her pain, but he wouldn't want to diminish the importance of that by waving it away. "Thank you."

"Well," she blushes and looks down at the table, unable to hide how pleased she looks on hearing that. She loves compliments. Really, she just loves being noticed, and thought of positively. "Ma serannas. That's how we say thank you."

He nods in acknowledgement of the thanks. "You're very welcome." Then, after a moment. "Your language is also beautiful. I... I wish we hadn't done so much to ensure so much of it was lost." It's strange to approach that grief but he still feels it needs to be said.

The admission actually startles her a little. She must look ridiculous, blinking at him in surprise, her lips parting, but it's just something she never expected to hear from a Tevinter.

"I-- I agree." she finally replies. "We have a written language too, but I've only ever seen a few words of it."

It's the least he can do. He doesn't think she looks ridiculous at all. If anything, he's still struck by her beauty.

"There are plenty of ruins throughout the countryside aren't there? Perhaps we'll uncover relics that have more of it written."

"I would love that," she says, leaning over her arms on the table a bit more. "I desperately want to visit elven ruins and can only hope that the Inquisition takes us in the path of some. There are many in the Dales, of course."

To walk among the paths her ancestors took and touch the stone they shaped and built with would be incredible. She'd probably cry.

"That would be something, wouldn't it?" He replies thoughtfully. "Tevinter ruins are found all around as well, but I'm afraid it means something very different."

"Yes." It's spoken softly and she looks away for a moment. When she looks back, she offers a tiny smile. "We should probably talk about something else that doesn't have to do with our different peoples. It'll just make us sad, don't you think?"

"You're right," he replies, looking a little embarrassed. "What would you like to talk about instead?"

Oh, right. She did suggest this, didn't she? That means she should also think of something, but as she tries to think up ideas, it all goes back to his culture. There has to be something.

"Do you, uh, do you have any games you like to play?" It takes a lot to keep herself from wincing. She feels so boring right now.

"I suppose it would be too much to suggest some basic math games?" he asks, a little embarrassed. That makes him seem like such a nerd.

"I know basic math," she's quick to assure him. Well, mostly. Multiplication and division are a little trickier, but she can do it!

"What do you have in mind?" Oh, Creators, what if she makes a mistake? He will think she's so dumb.

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