faderift | born from dark water, daughter of the rain and snow

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born from dark water, daughter of the rain and snow

WHO: Herian Amsel, Leliana & Ruby Lucas and various and also open
WHAT: various! a catch-all for three losers
WHEN: throughout August
WHERE: Skyhold, Orlais, and much much more (not actually much more.)
(Herian will be in Skyhold for the first week or so of August, and then is heading back to Orlais, Leliana will be in Skyhold throughout, Ruby is probably in Orlais most of the month.)
NOTES: Prose or brackets are fine! If you would like to do a thing and these starters don't fit or you'd like something custom, feel free to pm me or prod me on plurk @karmacharging.
WARNINGS:
Herian's background includes themes of violence, torture and death, as well as discrimination and PTSD. While she will not in general be vocal about some of her own prejudices (against apostates, Dalish and nobles as some examples) it is very likely to come up in narrative and could come up in dialogue depending on interactions. Here is an opt out post if you'd rather certain things be avoided, or if you'd like to opt out of interactions with her in general.

Leliana is princess stabbity, it's hard to avoid depending on the thread so heads up for potential mention of Assassin Life, opt out here.

Ruby has potential for mentions of murder, cannibalism (both accidental) and depression, they are easily avoidable depending on threads, but here is an opt out post if you would like me to steer clear of particular topics, or opt out of interactions with Ruby generally.

( open. ) herian — halamshiral & around the estate.
There is a little stretch at the very beginning of the month when Herian travels to Skyhold with a collection of Inquisition requisitions and troops and others needing to make a return to Skyhold. The elves that she brought to Halamshiral travel, and that is the only reason for it that she has. She is not yet certain if the Inquisition is a damned thing, or if she should stay. For now, she is more than half certain she should take her leave and continue to try and help the elves of Orlais.

( a. ) patching herself up.
A scuffle with bandits on the return journey, and though she was unharmed and there were no others in the party, it has left her a little worse for wear. She is able enough with a sword, but trying to get by with a little magic on the open road as possible and no staff, she has to admit she has a way to go before she can be well matched against those who have held blades for so much of their lives.

She sits, now, far away from the healing tents, avoiding the smell of salves and herbs and all the rest that goes with it, though the prospect of avoiding a place where she knows Dalish to wander has a certain appeal as well. The thing is, though, that Herian is no healer, and her grasp of the medical is limited to helping in emergencies. As she tries to crush elf root in her hand and rub it over a vicious gasp across her forearm, her lip curls in something like a snarl for just half a moment before the expression is controlled again. There are other wounds, nothing life threatening, but a few that are rather painful.

( b. ) training.
Herian rises early to train, long before the sun has given thought to rising for itself. For hour upon hour she trains, sword drill after sword drill, until the sun is beating more powerfully against the earth, and she sets down her sword to dip a cup into a water bucket, and pour it down her back, another tipped over her hair. There is something of a commotion, and a couple of refugee children are belting through the yard, one shoving the water barrel so it almost goes topping over and drenching—

But Herian's hand grasps it, and although it is tall and very heavy, she manages to keep it upright. Possibly with some water dramatically splashed, yes, but not the whole thing. "Are you all right?"

( c. ) wildcard.
Very early in the month it's cool to do stuff in Skyhold, but later on she's back in Halamshiral.

( open. ) ruby — halamshiral & around the estate.
( a. ) in the alienage.
"I've—" Her voice wavers a moment, and she looks at the skeletons of buildings. They all seem like different types of carcasses, their flesh charred and their limbs warped and twisted. Buildings were one thing. People were another, and they carried the marks of all this on them as well.

Everything carries the scents of death in it that normal noses cannot smell, beyond all the obvious layers. There are times when the Wolf's nose is a gift, but this? This is seriously not one of them.

"I haven't seen anything like this in a long time." It's like the worst of Regina, but they had outright called her the Evil Queen. From what Ruby could figure, calling Celene that could risk your neck.

( b. ) wildcard.

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"Fuck." She doesn't often swear- she doesn't often have those she is comfortable enough around to do so but Ruby is as close to her as any. Ruby does not judge her for her slips, for her flaws, for her striving to have none. With Ruby she sets aside the masks to show the bones of her and has been nothing but accepted.

Perhaps she'd been too familiar. Perhaps she'd teased too much? Ruby says this is not her fault but she cannot help but feel at least somewhat responsible. She had a hand in this and, in turn, a hand in Ruby's distress. Her pain. Her tension and frustration and fear, for all these things coil through Compassion's awareness now that they are this close, now that it echos the turmoil churning in Adelaide's gut to know that this is a thing. Part of her should be flattered. Should feel some manner of pride that someone as wonderful as Ruby feels this for her.

The rest knows it to be ill advised. Being her friend alone is ill advised, to feel more, to wish for it? Foolishness.

"I did not intend-" To hurt you. To pull you this close. To cause this. Adelaide swallows and struggles between stepping away and offering some manner of embrace. Ruby, kind and far, far better at this than she might ever be, finds a happy medium. Hands upon her shoulders. Strong, certain, stable.

It helps her step back and look up, blue eyes dark and troubled. Both of them are worn raw by this but Ruby-

"I understand." She lifts a hand to rest against Ruby's fingers on her shoulder, squeezing. "Truly, I do. And I appreciate your honesty, even when it pains you to speak of this."

"That's what we do, Cap— um. That's what we do, Adelaide. We're honest with each other."

Despite

Despite all of this control, Ruby's shoulders shake for the briefest moment before she reins in it, forces some control on herself. It's a compromise at best, pieces of herself buckling. Her hands are on Adelaide's shoulder, and for a moment she leans closer, just enough to rest her temple against Adelaide's for a moment. Only a moment, because it's so close and she can smell Adelaide, the elfroot and lavender and ink and tea scents that linger in her clothes and her hair. Edges of violets are there sometimes, tannins and the scent of dust. She inhales deeply, painful and raw, the breath of someone steeling themselves to run or just to memorise a perfume that will soon be list to them or maybe just to steady themselves.

Maybe all of those things apply, now.

"I'm really sorry. I didn't... you deserved better than this." Than Ruby. Than Ruby falling in love with her, and the twist of shame in her gut has her drawing back again. "I, uh. I should go."

"It is not your fault." She won't let Ruby think that. Emotions are- relationships are complicated, nuanced things. Whatever they have, whatever may or may not be lost in their parting? They are friends first. And while she has befriended many a fool that has done many a foolish thing- Ruby pulls so much on her shoulders without thought.

As kind as she is to everyone around her, she is the least merciful upon herself. Adelaide's hands tremble with how little she is able to stand it. "This is no curse, no wound, no illness. This is- surprising and distressing for I know now that I have caused you upset, but only in that. Do not wear this about your shoulders with the other things you claim in your guilt."

It's not supposed to be that. She recalls so very little of her own love, of how it'd made her feel, of what came from it- but she knows that much. "This is not your fault. It simply....is. You are still my friend. You will always be my friend."

Ruby's smile when she leans back, is very small and very wry. She isn't convinced about that fault business. Adelaide had claimed her life to make Ruby straighten up and stay alive. It was Ruby who went and made the other parts more complicated. "Okay."

Okay, she says, and maybe that is a little bit of a lie, because she doesn't believe it at all even if Adelaide does. Very gently, Ruby takes Adelaide's hands in her own, folding her hands around them, holding them steadily, but not so tight that they might be inescapable.

"Friends. Definitely." And she's glad, truly she is, she is glad and she is grateful, and even so her voice sounds rough, like the words have to be dragged from her. Ruby tries to hold her head up, then, and musters up a smile that's something closer to what she normally has to offer. "Any herbs you're running low on? I can keep an eye out when I'm out there." One of her hands slips away from Adelaide's, and very gently nudges her chin, instead. Cheer up. Don't be sad. Be ridiculous with me.

Hey, they'll always have elfroot, if not Paris.

Adelaide almost believes her. Almost. But she has learned that tone, that sentiment, that sharp edge to Red's smile that means it's only half honest in ways she cannot even call out. Not after this conversation.

Space. They need space- or Ruby needs space and she...can sit quietly, do the work that needs doing, and wait until being near her will no longer drag that dagger in deep. She can be patient when it matters and this? This matters in more ways than she can properly articulate.

Her hands go easily, fingers curling to tangle with Ruby's and squeeze. They're friends. They will always be friends, even if things are currently complicated. The chuck to her chin wrings out a stuttered half laugh, a wry, pained twist of her lips. "Embrium and Arbor Blessing. The usual."

Pretend it's normal for a moment. Pretend things are fine. She can try.

They're not as good at pretending as they'd like to think, or maybe they've just gotten better at seeing through each other.

There's a half moment where she's almost able to make a ridiculous pun, but somehow in her head it gets distorted into are you Arboring secret feelings for me? and it makes all ability to pun into some non-awkward direction about three hundred percent impossible. At least Adelaide has less corny jokes to worry about, huh?

Less, but not none. Ruby leans slightly closer, conspiratorial, but for a second she has the sickening worry it'll be taken badly. "Hey, what did one hungry plant say to another?"

The joke is easier. The absurdities that made her roll her eyes or wring out a warm laugh. Something that speaks to her of simple kindness and consideration. That has no expectations. She lists in as much as Ruby, meeting her halfway.

"You wouldn't beleaf how hungry I am?" A rare day when she plays along but- if not now, when?

It makes it very hard not to change her mind. Simple say screw it and ignore her own gut and her mind and her sense and think that maybe staying would not only just be okay, but actually be a great idea.

She's not always rational. Ruby grins at Adelaide's pun, even if it only lasts briefly, a flare that dies down easy enough.

"Nice, Adelaide. You really rose to the occasion." And yet, Ruby shakes her head. "'I could use a light snack.'"

Are photosynthesis jokes too advanced? She's pretty sure they aren't.

"I have my moments." Few and far between as they are. The joke is- light and easy and absurd enough to twist out a raw scrape of laughter- if this is what had prompted the complication? She cannot regret it.

Not when Ruby and her absurdities, her sincere joy, brought light back into her life.

"Roul's watering them." A beat. "The violets. While I'm here he's- taking care of them since I am away."

"Good." Very certainly. Her smile is more at ease for the simple of fact of how naturally joking and being ridiculous with Adelaide seems to come. She huffs out a breath of laughter, and out of sheer habit, goes to brush Adelaide's hair out of her face.

Her fingers stutter partway through the action, hand faltering against Adelaide's temple and cheekbone, and the hesitation has the unfortunate effect of feeling like deliberately lingering contact. Her hand lifts away, but does not withdraw. '

"Then we don't need to have a custody battle over flowers. That's a plus."

"Julian and Marian would be heartbroken." She swallows past the knot in her throat, uncertain if it is the complication or the warmth that curls in her chest to have that gesture linger. She enjoys them, the little touches, the casual affection.

But does she enjoy them more from Ruby? Is there more here than platonic affection?

Picking through the moments to sort it out will take time.

"I'll come visit. And take them on outings."

Somehow even this has become a little ridiculous. Ruby will herself to drop her hand to her side, the other reaching for the latch on the door. "I better, uh. Go do stuff. I don't have a set plan yet, exactly. I might go back to Skyhold or maybe... I don't know. I hear things are still pretty rough in the Emprise, so maybe I'll head that way. If you need me before I go just crystal me, or something."

And a little smile, with that. "Look after yourself."

"Be careful. The rifts are still dangerous and the war is still on..." It'd be easy for Ruby to get caught up in such violence. She would come out alright, Adelaide knows but-

The fear remains.

"Call me if you ever wish for a word, or have a question, or a thought." The usual reasons.

"I will." Be careful. She's not sure she'll call, as much as she will probably want to. It just seems like a way to make this harder for both of them, even if she's entirely prepared to be there for Adelaide.

This is a mess. She really hates being honest, sometimes. Ruby rolls her shoulders, and lets the door start to pull open.

"I'll see you 'round." Somehow, probably. Maybe. Maybe not. There is an edge of self-preservation in this, after all.

With that, she tugs the door open and slips out, offering Adelaide a final little smile before she goes.

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born from dark water, daughter of the rain and snow

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