born from dark water, daughter of the rain and snow

[dashing]

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.

Comments

( closed ) for bruce.

[dashing]

"Stop!"

She yells, but it comes a moment too late. A wagon highly loaded with bales of hay is being brought into the estate for the stables and the Inquisitions horses hence is badly steered, veering too close to the low hanging branches if a tree. They catch some of the bales of hay, and they tumble heavily down the back of the wagon.

Herian is running in that direction of the minor chaos without thinking, a snarl at the corner of her lips that does not make it into her tone, which stays calm even now, even with the harshness that weaves into it. "Someone might have been hurt through your recklessness."

And with that, she draws her gaze away from the fool humans, and moves towards a man that had been accosted by hay. "Stand you harmed?"

Ruby, A

[circleprodigy]

Inessa glances over to the tall human woman, her own expression devoid of shock (now, anyway) but grim taking into account every last detail. She refuses to turn her gaze away from this horror. As an elf, the charred buildings are a stark reminder that she can't afford to forget how the rest of the world often sees her kind. She has rights and privileges beyond those of most elves, who are far more vulnerable. That she can't afford to forget.

"I can't say it will be the last such instance. And Empress Celene was considered an advocate for elves when and where she could afford to be; they made some tangible gains under her reign. Yet, in the end, they're disposable when inconvenient. This might not be the only area she puts to the torch."

Herian, A

[circleprodigy]

Inessa isn't often near the healing tents anyway, being fortunate enough not to need them. Instead, she's taking advantage of the current downtime to wear out Garahel with a game of fetch, sending him scrambling after that ball as though it has a treat hidden within. During one of his runs, he spots Herian and barks in recognition, heading over and ignoring the ball for the time being. His tail wags as he comes up to her, a soft whine escaping as he notes those wounds.

When Garahel doesn't return to her in the usual amount of time, Inessa heads over to see what's causing the delay. Spotting Herian, the elven woman raises an eyebrow. "Garahel, are you pestering her? Come away, now." But he remains put, so she approaches to retrieve him and promptly takes note of the woman's injuries.

"If you want a healing spell, I can provide. Anything more and I'll be unable to assist, however."

what an entrance

[amygdalae]

In retrospect, maybe he shouldn't have chosen to rest under a tree that was so close to the roads.

Though in Bruce's defense, it wasn't as if there was a lot of space; there was a fair portion of the Inquisition's forces stationed here in Orlais and this place was certainly no Skyhold. He barely had a place to sleep when he needed to, let alone rest during the day when pretty much everyone was active.

Besides, it was just supposed to be a quick break; the last thing he had expected was to be struck in the head by tumbling bales of hay.

The impact wasn't great by any means but Bruce still found himself lying on the ground anyway - thankfully face up because he certainly didn't want to have an reenactment of the other time when he had been unceremoniously tackled face-first down into the snow. As it is he lies down there for several moments, taking the time to recollect himself, but before he could get back up he hears footsteps approaching him, and a sharp voice asking if he was fine.

"I--yeah." Bruce gives himself a second more before he does go to make himself sit up, rubbing his head with a stifled sigh. At least he hadn't had anything important or fragile on him because this would have gone in a while different direction in that case.

First Up - Ruby in the Alienage

[the_effect_she_has]

Katniss frowns as she slowly walks through the rubble, looking over at the young woman who looked so stricken by this violence. Something in her twisted - when had she become accustomed to such horror? It still filled her with sadness, but she wasn't shocked by it anymore.

"Clearly you didn't go out to Emprise du Lion." Is Katniss's quiet response, as she tilted her head to the side, listening to the whispers in the background, "This is - yes. This is pretty grisly."

i try, i try

[dashing]

With little hesitation, Herian holds her hand out to the stranger to help him haul himself up with the counterbalance of her weight. From her guess he's not injured in any way that means he can't stand, but she reaches and brushes a couple of pieces of hay from his shoulder.

One of the humans grabs up a hay bale in each hand, strings pulling tight across his hands, and Herian gives him a look, before turning back to the stranger. If she knew him, mayhaps she' make best that this was the final straw.

Alas, she resists.

"We can attend the medical tents directly, if you have need of them."

[dashing]

The sound of a dog's bark still sets her just slightly on edge. Herian stills, looking towards the mabari with a cold, controlled deliberateness. "Garahel," she says, in a quiet greeting that feels very foolish but that Fereldans seemed to insist was necessary. Only half a moment later her gaze shifts to Inessa.

"He causes no trouble." And yet, Herian is not at ease. Perhaps it is not so easily read, when she is so controlled in each moment and each breath. She remembers what dogs can do, and it is a determination to be brave, to be a knight, that has taught her not to withdraw from the presence of hounds rather than finding them anything— unpleasant.

Looking at her own wounds, she frowns a little. "I am not sure all of these can be soothed by magic's touch, or are worth the expenditure of energy. If you'd not mind, though, hastening the recovery would be much appreciated."

[eviscerates]

"I was there," Ruby replies, tone— odd. 'Odd' is the only word that'll do, nothing else seems adequate. Nothing seems like it'd fit. "Only for a little while. I was... I think I'd just gotten here."

She'd been more concerned with Emma than with anything else.

"'Grisly'. Good word for it."

It's horrifying. Ruby blinks a couple of times before looking to Katniss. "You doing okay?"

[eviscerates]

"What could make her do that?"

If she made the effort to help elves where others did not, if they did a little better under her reign... that meant she cared, right? It meant they mattered enough for her to make an effort. And then this? Part of her wants to believe that something forced her hand, that she hated the action, anything.

Part of her isn't sure that makes any difference, or that it would be worth any voice.

[the_effect_she_has]

"Ah. It was ... worse, earlier on. This fits it pretty well though." Katniss murmured, as she knelt down, brushing some ash away from a tin soldier. She frowned for a moment, before rising once more.

She looked over her shoulder, then said simply, "Just listening to which way the winds are blowing."

She can hear them, a few elves in the background murmuring about the Inquisition soldiers. Remarkably well-informed, at that ...

[circleprodigy]

The elven Grey Warden is silent for a moment, watching her mabari sniff around the area. To her eyes, he's somewhat subdued, picking up on her mood perhaps or just sensitive to that of the area's. Her own tone is calm, almost resigned. This isn't the first atrocity to happen to elves, and it won't be the last.

"From what I've been told, it stems from the feud with her cousin. He wants to take away the crown from her; it's the entire reason behind this civil war. He tried to paint her as too lenient on the elves, so she retaliated...while the elves of Halamshiral were in the midst of an uprising, no less. I said they made some gains, but their treatment is still very far from what humans receive. The word of an elf has little weight against that of a human, especially a human noble. Thus, they can have considerable room to act as they please."

[circleprodigy]

Despite the cold response, Garahel seems pleased she remembers his name and wags his tail at her. He knows enough not to jump or paw at Herian for pettings, but he nonetheless remains close until his mistress arrives. Once she's here to take over, he plops down on the ground.

Inessa glances over to her mabari as though to confirm Herian's words, then turns her focus to the knight-enchanter and her wounds. "I'll do what I can. It must have been quite a battle. I'm told a knight-enchanter's barriers rarely falter." She's not casting blame, just a little curious. But if Herian seems unwilling to discuss it, she'll try not to pry more than that. Concentrating, she casts a simple healing spell, infusing her fellow mage with some much-needed relief.

A+ all around

[amygdalae]

Bruce blinks for a moment at the offered hand, somewhat surprised by it since its not as if he had suffered any sort of big injury and he could easily get up himself. But he doesn't want to be rude after she had went out of the way to help him, so he takes the offered hand and lets her help him up.

"Um, thanks," he manages out once he's back up on his feet again, giving another blink when she moves to brush loose hay off from his shoulder. He runs a hand through his hair and grimaces slightly when he can feel strands of it in his hair - he'll have to deal with that later. First, though... "I'm fine, really. I can give myself a look over later if I have to."

He sends what he hopes is a reassuring smile towards the other.

( closed ) for adelaide.

[eviscerates]

Ruby is on edge. That's not necessarily unusual. She's a Wolf, and there's a tension in this place. So many places here just smell of smoke and of blood soaked into wood. Other people can't smell it, it's too old and worn away and coated in dust, but a Wolf can pick up on many things. It reminds her of Regina at her worse, and though Ruby's done whatever she can to help, she's been quieter than usual. Tense and pensive. Tensive, she said once when someone asked how she was, with an effort at a smile, and it didn't really wash.

Ruby's accepted she's weird, as well as on edge.

She lingers outside the room that Adelaide has been afforded thanks to her name and her humanity and everything else, hand hanging over the door before gulping a breath and committing to knock. It's just a little thing, knocking. Easy, simply, probably not going to make the world get dragged into some horrifying death vortex that kills them all. No big deal.

But it feels like one. It feels like she's being hollowed out, she feels nauseous and tangled up and lost, all at the same moment. It shouldn't be like this, and—

And it doesn't have to be. Maybe it won't be. Maybe Ruby can leave and come back later. Maybe she left the gas on or the lights in the kitchen, or maybe she needs to go check on some lasagne, or something. Or maybe Ruby can stop being a damn coward and make sure she doesn't become a liar, and just— do this. Inhale and exhale, and Ruby shakes out her shoulders a little, as if she were preparing for a run and not a conversation.

Warm and bright and totally fine, "Hey, Captain? Is now an okay time?"

( closed ) for adelaide.

[fleurdesel]

Halamshiral has been...a trial. Returning to her roots, returning to the Game when she'd never been an earnest player in the past? It has taken effort and patience Adelaide does not have in great reserve. Those she speaks to see The LeBlanc Crest and it earns her both more leeway and greater expectation. Meeting those has been difficult. Maintaining her standards and theirs? Exhausting. But she has gotten word round of what she needs, gotten a foot in the door among the nobility.

That has to be worth something. There is good that can be found if she establishes herself. uses these privileges to aide those around her.

Still she knows better than to wander about the alienage. They have healers far better suited to that situation. Being there would help no one, not the elves, not herself, not her family. One of the few bright spots has been having her friends here, somewhere she does not need both the literal and figurative masks that come with her station. Ruby, in particular, has been a blessing.

Two raps on the door and she blinks herself back to the present from the notes strewn about the writing desk she's been given. A proper office for a proper Lady. "Of course, Red."

Tired, but she's always tired, it is nothing new. "Come in."

[eviscerates]

The tiredness isn't lost on her, and it inspires concern and guilt and a faint Adelaide, why that's fonder than it should be. Fonder than is appropriate.

"Thanks." She sidles in, closes the door behind her, and leans back against it for long moments. The noble scholar in her natural habitat, and the Wolf entirely out of hers. Unfortunately internal David Attenborough wouldn't help, here.

"I, um." Her voices is calm, but there's tension in the way she moves her wrists and her hands, not wringing them, just--

Not fluid. Not easy. "I think of need to talk to you about something. And it's not a bad thing, I don't... think, but it's a thing you should know and if I don't tell you then it'll be lying by omission, and that's not what we do."

Somehow they'd developed a solid honesty rapport. She liked it. Needed it, really. "So... can we talk now or would you prefer I come back another time when everything is less... the way it is."

[fleurdesel]

"What is it?" Familiar words in an unfamiliar tone- she snaps them at students, sighs them at mages with their requests, writes them with frustration to her brother and mother, bites back curious glee when among fellow researchers. Here it is...quieter. Softer. Uncertain for she has never quite seen Ruby this unsettled. Not even in the fade.

Adelaide sets her pen aside, turning in her chair to face Red properly. As though that would be invitation to come closer. To lean against her desk as she often does, to bump their shoulders together casually as has become habit. To occupy the same space as though she has a right to it- and that is one that Adelaide gave her, gladly, months ago.

She isn't certain what is more unsettling. The distance or discomfit in Red's eyes. "...Charlotte?"

[eviscerates]

She almost wanted Adelaide to tell her it was a bad time. Maybe later or tomorrow or back in Skyhold. That's the coward part. The part that knows how badly this could, would, go. Monsters were horrifying. She was horrifying.

Ruby smiles, a recklessly unhappy sort of thing, gaze dropping for long moments before she makes herself look at Adelaide.

"Well, first of all I need to mention that I'm telling you this with zero agenda or expectation or anything. I'm not telling you because of that. I just-- I think you deserve honesty. So... yeah."

Her arms cross over her chest, protective in contrast to her efforts to be open. The silence is palpable and feels heavy enough to be mired in.

"I... I have feelings for you that are beyond friendship. As in not-platonic. And I realise that's horribly inappropriate and kind of gross of me to just pretend like I don't, especially since we work together and... and everything."

A sigh, and her hands drop and twist together. "I just figured you should know, and if I need some space to just get my head around it and stop being an idiot then I didn't want you to think you'd done something wrong. Because you haven't."

A smile, finally, wry and trying to hard to be something brighter. "Sorry, Captain."

[fleurdesel]

Of everything she might have expected- this is near the bottom of the list. It isn't...

The last time she'd heard anything like this was well over twenty years ago. Hushed whispers in an alcove, lips against her fingertips, a hand curled tight in her robes as they simply held one another. It'd been bright and brief and wonderful, the absolute certainty of consideration, of affection. To know where she stood no matter their disagreements.

Then the Harrowing.

Then the Rite.

Then the Loss.

It is not for mages to strive for Romance. Love is not for them. Love of the Maker, love of their works, care for their patients, respect for their peers, this is for them. But not Romance.

Strong emotions that twist and invite demons. That invite so much more than social discomfit and there must have been signs- has she been encouraging this? Has she been flirting or prompting this deliberately? This is, in some way, her fault no matter how gently Red might put it. "I-"

Should probably have something to say about this.

"I don't understand." Something better than that but- they were friends, yes? Acted as friends did, with affection and kindness and teasing. She's done something wrong here, obviously. Something she can adjust, something she can fix.

oh god almost tagged this logged in with Herian

[eviscerates]

Probably she should have expected that. Right? Or just expected the calmness of this, because Adelaide is Adelaide and Adelaide is all about control, and sometimes Ruby thinks that maybe all the things she puts into control aren't really healthy but honestly she gets it and also it's not really any of Ruby's business, so—

Ruby's fingers curl in towards her palms, and she swallows. It feels more like trying to shift gravel than simply lubricating her throat.

"Which part's hard to understand?"

Not being ridiculous or teasing, the way they so often are. They do serious plenty often, too, but this is different. She's asking so she can explain, or something. Or something, which is the extent to which Ruby planned this out. The quietness is bad, she suspects. Not that she expected it to be not bad, but having it compounded, that kind of sucks. A lot.

You knew how this would go, she reminds herself. You knew.

[fleurdesel]

"How you are so certain." That's the crux of this. Being certain that this is the emotion, the attraction, that this is what is happening. Has been happening. She cannot pick it apart like she does her wounds and poultices, cannot categorize every moment and gesture and see 'ah yes, this was the symptom of the greater illness all along'. It is abstract as many concepts are and Compassion-

Compassion bids her stand and without knowing why, without having a reason to not? She stands. Follows the silent direction until that aching space between them (when had it become so strange to stand far apart? When had it become an ache?) is no longer quite so wide as to seem impossible to breach.

What she'd asked- it'd been like twisting a knife. Even this far, even without blood she can feel that much through Compassion and never-

Never has she wished to cause Red pain.

"I don't- Mages don't-" Words fail her even as she reaches out. Curls her hands around Ruby's to help. To try to find the words. "I am dangerous."

To say this with all due seriousness, with absolute certainty and sincerity to a woman that is a wolf- it is probably some manner of laughable.

[eviscerates]

As Adelaide moves closer, Ruby wishes she wasn't backed against the wall. It has the relief of knowing she doesn't have to make herself move back, doesn't have the obligation to make herself move instead of accepting the contact, and... yet. It's not so simple. It's never that simple. Even as it's a relief that Adelaide is drawing near rather than maintaining or widening the distance, she's not totally sure what to do with it.

Uncertainty, the Ruby Lucas constant.

Her breath hitches, and it's almost a laugh, if laughs can be a little strained and a little sad, with a dash of gentle incredulity. It's both expected and startling. No, she has no idea what she's doing. Adelaide's hands are holding hers, that consistent relief of coolness against the elevated warmth of Ruby's own skin. For a moment she doesn't react, but it's barely a moment. Barely half a moment, truthfully, before her fingers tighten with Adelaide's.

Ruby shakes her head. "If you all yourself dangerous, Adelaide, then I really am a monster." It's similar, isn't it? That Adelaide have no control over herself and her instincts and her desires, like Ruby and the Wolf. It's not what she expected, and even so. "I trust you. I trust your control and your judgment. I think you control yourself too much, honestly. You aren't dangerous except when you choose to be."

Her hand squeezes Adelaide's gently. "Certainty is kind of... I just know. Same way you know that you're standing in the sun even if you're blindfolded." She shrugs, loosely. "I know. I'm... I don't expect anything from you. Knowing doesn't mean this has to be bad."

She hopes. She hopes, she hopes, she hopes. "I can just go away for a while, or something. Give us both space."

[fleurdesel]

"I-" Need something better to say. Something more to offer in the face of this that would be satisfactory for both of them. Some answer, some solution that would not result in her losing her friend. She has fewer than she'd like- she always has.

For a few months, perhaps, there'd been more. Then lies. How unfair is it that honesty might wrench Red from her fingertips? "I am not bothered."

Wait, no, that is not the proper answer. Her fingers tighten around Red's as she shakes her head at herself, teeth raking over her bottom lip. "I mean to say that this is- you are a dear friend to me, Charlotte. If...if what you need for yourself, for your well-being is time away-"

Then take it. That is what she ought to say. If Ruby needs to leave for however long or short a time to settle herself, if she needs to be alone or at the very least away from her? That is what she ought to do. "...I do not know that I have anything to offer that is worth this depth of your regard."

Save perhaps to return the sentiment but- does she? They are friends but-

Like standing in the sun while blindfolded- but Red is warm. It is a byproduct of the wolf and moreover? She is warmth, she is kindness and joy and self depreciating humor and compassion. How can one not feel warm when sharing the air with her? There is a question unasked of Adelaide until this moment and she does not have an answer.

And that will not do.

[eviscerates]

It is a very kindly worded rejection. Very gracious and very kind, and very Adelaide. A noble with a bond to Compassion, a mage dedicated to helping people. A person that most people called cold or severe or any number of things that ignored entire dimensions of her, and neglected a heart that gave. It was so completely wrong, but shockingly she didn't think going around and correcting everyone's opinions of Adelaide LeBlanc would do either of them many favours.

Charlotte. No one's called her that at all since she was a teenager. Red had become so pervasive a nickname that her grandmother used it before using her name. She'd probably make a comparison to pumpkins running rampant in a vegetable garden, if she was here. One little shoot that suddenly took over everything and seemed to obscure all else.

Okay, it's not the strongest metaphor. Literature has never been Ruby's strong suit. Ruby's not really sure she has a strong suit, truth be told. Making Adelaide smile and laugh had gotten to be something she had a knack for, she thought. Something she was good at. Maybe not such a great talent, as it turned out. Adelaide had a really nice smile.

"You don't need to offer me anything," she starts, and there's something—

It's not hurt, and urgent isn't right either. A sad kind of reassurance, maybe. "And honestly I can't think of a lot that I'd hate more than not seeing you, but that is... that's probably a clue that it's exactly what I should do. I mean I'll— I can still work on the brewing stuff. Maybe train someone to cover it if I go away for a while."

Her smile is painful. Feels like she's taking pieces off herself to try and make it stick, but at least she knows. At least it's done, and this is done, and whatever strange, complicated, adoring feelings she's been feeling will be done. She wants to hug Adelaide, because unfortunately Adelaide is the first person she thinks of running to when she's hurting, and Adelaide is exactly the person she can't go to, in this.

It occurs to her that she should probably stop calling her Captain, and that hurts more than it has any reason to.

[fleurdesel]

"I cannot simply stand here while you bear your heart and offer nothing either. You expect nothing and that is- it is a kindness. I wish I could say the right thing but...I am not terribly good at this." Her hands squeeze Ruby's gently. Give her work. Give her puzzles. Give her an illness or a wound or a technique that requires refining. Give her a problem that she might solve.

Give her a girl with a too kind and too warm heart that she has come to care for as dearly as any of her peers in the spire, and she knows not what the right course might be. Ruby is a rifter. She has a home to return to, a life. It is not fair to expect her to carry the weight of this thing- and it is terribly heavy to feel something like this. A comforting weight like armor, like a second skin...like a fur coat.

Like leaning against the wolf and knowing without a shadow of a doubt that she would come to no harm.

It is a weight that is meant to be carried by both but there is no comforting armor for Adelaide, here. A vast, yawning question that she cannot answer. "I wish you well. I wish- this distresses you. It's been distressing you."

Compassion had noticed, Adelaide had simply thought it Orlais with its rules and its quiet bloodshed. "I do not want to be a cause of upset. However long you need, whatever space you require- it is yours, Ruby. I'll not keep you if it pains you."