faderift | I'm one card short of a full deck, I'm not quite the shilling [open]

WHO: Jefferson and YOU.
WHAT: The hatter's settling in at Skyhold. Well. As settled as he can be. The guy's kind of twitchy.
WHEN: Latter part of Solace
WHERE: Skyhold and all associated locales.
NOTES: Will add warnings as needed.

They've been shepherded to this keep in the middle of the mountain range with the promise that they aren't the only ones. That they're working on a way to send them all back home again. It's more than he expected, the courtesy and hospitality, even if some of the people in the keep give them wary looks. There have been incidents. The extent of which he's not sure, but it's not a surprise. Traveling between worlds is tricky at the best of times.

And it's never left him with a souvenir like this one. The mark feels like an invasion, like corruption, and it makes his skin crawl. Occasionally he's taken to rubbing at the green mark on his hand, sometimes without noticing that he's doing it. It's done nothing to improve his already rather nervous temperament.

Still, best thing to do for the moment is try to adapt. Don't draw too much attention, observe the goings on in the castle. He keeps his distance from the soldiers and the training ring, though he does on occasion stop to watch. He flits into the tavern and out again, able to overhear some decent bits of gossip.

There's also a library, as it turns out. It's doubtful there'd be anything of use as far as getting them home, or surely they would have found it by now, but it can't hurt to have a look on the sly. He's not quite sure if 'Rifters' are allowed to go poking through their things, so he does so when there are relatively few people around.

This isn't quite the prison he expected it to be. But that doesn't change the fact that once again, he's been torn away from his daughter. That's a bitter pill to swallow, no matter how scenic the vistas or friendly the people.

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Her gaze falls on his hand for a moment, the fingers of her opposite hand brushing just under the shard in her palm. Both of them, and plenty of others. He's right, they can't ignore something that has literally become a part of them. The last thing they need is to find out that this is a resource they've been neglecting.

"So we make some friends." She leans back with a shrug, eyes narrowed into a wordless warning. No matter what he thinks, she's perfectly capable of making connections and getting the answers they need. She did the bailbonds thing for years, and most of that hinged on her being able to manipulate a situation to her advantage.

"Let me guess, you only like magic when it's contained in a hat?" That sour expression he's wearing says enough on it's own. For someone who had no issue with forcing her to try to use magic, he doesn't seem to be much of a fan.

"I like knowing what I'm dealing with." That's not a fault, no matter how sour Emma manages to look. He'd known she already had magic. Having it foisted upon them both, not knowing the rules? That would alarm anyone reasonable.

And, despite appearances, he's still fairly reasonable. Most of the time.

"Things that open portals to parts unknown is a tricky thing even when you know the rules. And this?" He wiggles his fingers pointedly. "Is bound to come with its own set. Never mind that anything powerful enough to tear holes in the fabric between realities might have an effect on a living body, given enough time. So yes. I have some concerns."

"You think I don't?" It's not like she's known for her acceptance when it comes to the unbelievable. She never wanted magic, but she's stuck with that wherever she goes. Hers isn't entirely sourced by the same power that brought them here, and all of it is a question mark - but they need to wield it like a weapon, because it's the only one they have.

"The sooner we get out of here, the less damage this can do." So yes, she's looking for a quick solution. He can tell her that's not possible, but when she's been separated from her son by the existence of a rift and some strange new world, there are some things that are worth a few risks. "No one wants us here, that should make them a little more accommodating when it comes time to open a portal and head out."

Either that, or these people are going to help them right off a cliff. It's hard to say.

"There's been some tension, to put it mildly. Incidents involving the shards. Faster would be better, assuming we can manage that, but if we miss anything in our rush?" His lips thinned as both hands lifted in a sharp gesture that meant nothing good, before letting them rest against the table once more.

"The last thing we need is to be thrown somewhere else. Or trapped between worlds. Or torn apart in the effort. The benefit of them not wanting us here only stretches so far."

"Then what do you suggest we do, Jefferson? We can't wait around here and expect someone else to find a way out for us." What she's suggesting is aggressive, but so is Emma. She fought her way back from a world where there was supposedly no portal back, and she did it with a pirate and another evil queen trying to beat them to it. This is what she does now, it's a part of her life now. He can throw out every worse case scenario they can think of, but the truth is that dragging their feet could have consequences, too.

"We can't do this without magic, and we have enough of it that it might be possible to pool our resources." She needs time to learn, sure. Time to formulate a plan. She's not suggesting they blindly put something together right this second, but she's not getting comfortable here, either. They can't plan on being here long enough for that.

"Maybe kicking down every door isn't necessarily the answer."

He sighs, rubbing his hand against his face before leaning inward, voice dropping lower. "There's been research, but it's all very recent. With a lot of 'incidents' along the way. And it's resulted in a lot of mistrust where our kind are concerned."

Because while they may have the goodwill of these people for now, if it comes down to it? He knows for a fact they'll chuck them out -- or worse -- if they prove a threat. And proof needed in a world like this can come awfully flimsy.

"I'm not suggesting we do nothing. I want to see Grace as much as you want to see Henry." He's gone very still, eyes fixed on her absolutely intent. "But we can't afford to lose what resources we have in the process."

When push comes to shove, people default to protecting their loved ones. They both know it, they've both experienced it. He talks about their kind but Emma is thinking solely of them.

They have children to get back to, so they can't wait around for the people here to decide they're good with rifters after all. Things could just as easily go in the other direction, and then what? They're not going to be cautious to the point of losing their chance, that won't help them get home.

"Sometimes kicking down the door is the only way in." There are other people they can talk to, and at least one of them is a friendly face. She'd like to touch base with Ruby, maybe see if she can point her in the right direction. If nothing else, she'd like to know if her friend is looking for a way out, too.

"I need to talk to Ruby, see what she's heard. She might be able to fill in some of the blanks, give us some kind of starting place." If there's hesitation there and a frown that falls a little heavier than usual, it's because she doesn't quite know what to expect from her friend in this situation. It seems like she's doing a lot of good here.

"Yeah. Fits right in, from what I've seen." He shrugs mildly, gaze straying to the shadows lining the far end of the tavern, observing their fellows here. "That goodwill could come in handy."

One hand lifts, rubbing over his mouth before dropping to the surface of the table, nails drumming lightly against the scrubbed surface.

"Getting to know our fellow Rifters wouldn't be a bad idea, either. People from different lands, with different abilities? It can't hurt to pool what we know...and stick with the people most motivated to see it work."

"As long as they're motivated to send all of us back to the right place, instead of taking advantage for themselves." It's a line of logic that has her hesitating at the idea of sharing too much with the rest of the rifters. She's not ready to trust Jefferson after some of the stunts he's pulled, but they're both looking to go back to the same place. Branching out means sharing what they know with people who have ties to other worlds, and are probably just as eager as they are to return to them.

"For now, the main thing is to make ourselves useful while we're collecting information."

The natives will be more likely to help someone who's pulling their weight. Maybe it's the savior in her, too - if she's stuck, she'd like to be doing something more than sitting around and twiddling her thumbs (which isn't much of an option here, anyway). They might as well lend a hand and see where it gets them.

I'm one card short of a full deck, I'm not quite the shilling [open]

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