003 🌿

[ancarrow]

WHO: Eirlys and OPEN
WHAT: Eirlys realises she belongs both to the Inquisition and the alienage, and simultaneously to neither of them.
WHEN: Beginning of Kingsway
WHERE: Skyhold, then Halamshiral
NOTES: If anyone has messages they'd like Eirlys to deliver to their CR in either Skyhold or Halamshiral, hit me up!

a) Skyhold
She'd made the journey back to Skyhold toward the end of August, to deliver a report about how things were going in Halamshiral. Eirlys is noticeably tired - not in the same washed-out way she's been noticed to be in the past, but a sort of determined resilience that's keeping her going despite how weary she is. She only stays a single night in Skyhold, making sure to do the rounds in the healing tents, and to deliver messages to friends of those that she'd left in the camp in Orlais.

It's during the latter activity when she finds out the news of Asher Hardie's death, and though she didn't know him well, she struggles to keep herself together when she remembers how she'd mixed the medicine into honey for him when she'd nursed him, the same way she'd done with her sister both in their childhood and more recently before her death. The purse he's left her, though, astounds her. She's never seen so much money all at once before, and she's not sure how best to put it to use. Placing it in the deep pocket of her cloak, she heads over to the chapel to pray to the Maker for him, but ends up just sitting with her head leaning against the stone wall, feeling rather numb.

Before she leaves, she ropes anyone she can find into an emergency session in the courtyard to make as many poultices and potions as she can to take back to Halamshiral with her, before loading them into the wagon along with anyone who wants to make the trip, watching Skyhold fade into the distance.


b) Halamshiral
It had become very clear to Eirlys, especially in the incident with the cart, that out here she wasn't regarded as a city elf with experiences and suffering in common with the elves of Halamshiral, but solely as a representative of the Inquisition - an outsider come to tell them how to live, one of a few token elves in a new offshoot of a human institution that had arguably bulldozed its way through southern Thedas. She couldn't blame them, there'd be plenty in Gwaren who'd be just as suspicious, but it still stings as the wagon moves through the narrow streets, knowing that most of the eyes that pass over her see her as an intruder and a target, and wondering whether the supplies she's bringing will even make it back to the camp.

The next few days sees her throwing herself into her work, helping with healing and renovating and logistics, but looking very nervous and unsure when she interacts with the local city elves and a little sad around the Inquisition, really not quite sure where she fits any more.

Comments

Skyhold

[fightorfright]

Amélie's sure she's seen the woman in the courtyard somewhere before. Given that she's currently wrangling stray people into helping her make potions and poultices, Amélie decides it's a fair assumption that she knows her from the healing tents. She doesn't speak to the other healers much. Kind of prefers it that way, really.

She doesn't have her staff with her today, as she hadn't intended to go to the tents yet, but... this woman looks like she needs help, and Amélie's in a generous mood. Deciding to make the woman's job easier for her, Amélie takes the initiative.

Strolling up towards the tables, she clears her throat before attempting to introduce herself.

"Looks like you could use a hand."

Close enough.

[ancarrow]

Eirlys smiles gratefully, making room at the table for Amélie and scooping out some more herbs from her stock into the pile in the middle of it.

"If you have the time, I'd certainly appreciate the help. These are all going straight to Halamshiral."

[fightorfright]

She takes her place in the space that the woman has made for her, hands working automatically as she goes through the now familiar motions of crushing plants and mixing ingredients. "What it's like there?" she asks after a moment's silence. "I've never been."

[ancarrow]

Eirlys adds some elfroot into her mortar and begins to grind it into a paste. "It's very different to any city I've ever imagined. The alienage is huge and sprawling, it takes up most of the city, and the walls shut the humans in their quarter instead." She smiles apologetically. "I'm afraid I'm the wrong person to ask about the splendour of the high quarter, though."

[fightorfright]

She fumbles a bit with some elfroot, feeling suddenly awkward. She hadn't met many elves until she'd gone to the Circle, and even then, Hamsal had been comparitively small to many other places. "The Alienage still sounds larger than most places I've been." She tosses a glance over her shoulder at the looming battlements.

"Skyhold still seems massive to me."

Skyhold

[circleprodigy]

The chapel is quiet, but there is one other present. Inessa stares at the statue of Andraste, her eyes shadowed and her hands clasped. She hasn't come here often, but when she does it's to savor the calm that the outside world never brings. Right now, though, the worlds seem to slide away from her mind. Garahel won't care, he's busy napping just outside, but it bothers Inessa that her normally indomitable focus is lacking.

Rubbing her temple, the Grey Warden woman sighs and glances over at the other elven woman with a twitch of a smile on her lips. "Not able to focus right now? Me neither." She sits back, giving up the pretense of praying for now.

[ancarrow]

It takes her a few seconds to come out of her own thoughts to acknowledge Inessa. Eirlys looks very worn down, as though bring in the chapel is just adding to the strain on her rather than relieving her burden.

"Aye. I'm afraid this isn't the sanctuary I needed it to be, not today."

[circleprodigy]

That voice triggers Inessa's recognition after a moment. She's heard it before, through the sending crystal. "...Eirlys, right? I believe we spoke earlier. I'm Inessa." Titles and other formalities don't belong in the chapel, so she'll keep it simple.

"I find it similarly lacking, unfortunately. Normally, when I enter, I can depart infused with the calm of this place. It doesn't seem to be working, this time." Her smile is brief and doesn't reach her eyes, a little worn herself and not quite able to keep the usual stoic mask from slipping. "What troubles you?"

[ancarrow]

Eirlys regards her a little more closely, offering one of the few genuine smiles she's given for quite a few days. "I remember you well, Inessa. I'm glad to put a face to the name."

She takes a deep breath in and lets it out slowly before responding The sanctuary doesn't feel too calm today, the silence feeling thick and oppressive rather than comforting. "I received the news today of Asher Hardie's death."

[circleprodigy]

That response provokes a small but genuine smile in turn, before it fades at such solemn news. Inessa's expression softens, having seen plenty of death in her time but exposure doesn't equal callousness. She's heard that name before...perhaps over the sending crystal? "I'm sorry. The name is vaguely familiar, though I hadn't met the man. Did you know him well?"

Skyhold

[gatheringstorm]

Freshly returned to Skyhold, Korrin's fondly thinking of her quarters and reaching it to pass out for a solid few hours. At least, that was the plan. But upon passing through the courtyard and seeing Eirlys shorthanded, the Vashoth mage decides that passing out can wait a little while. She turns her steps to the elven healer, flashing a smile as Eirlys meets her gaze.

"I've the time. Tell me what you need most and I'll get on it."

[ancarrow]

Korrin is always a welcome sight, and Eirlys shifts over to make room for her, before somewhat shyly holding out a jar containing a rashvine salve. The label attached to the jar reads, "Wᴀʀɴɪɴɢ! Tᴏxɪᴄ - Usᴇ Iɴ Mᴏᴅᴇʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ".

"Look what I wrote."

[gatheringstorm]

Taking the jar, Korrin scans the label, then grins. She throws an arm around Eirlys' shoulders, giving a gentle squeeze. "Excellent penmanship, Eirlys. You're really coming along with this, not that I'm really surprised. I thought you'd be a quick learner."

[ancarrow]

Eirlys is entirely unused to praise. She can't help but look incredibly pleased, even if her face has turned a deep shade of red, as she quickly stammers, "I wouldn't even know where to start with it, if it weren't for you."

[gatheringstorm]

"I am pretty awesome, aren't I?" Korrin grins, joking, then shakes her head. "You have a sharp mind, Eirlys. I can take a little credit, but you were the one who made the leap, not me. You did this. It's okay to admit that."

Skyhold

[wontforgetyou]

Most of the time Jamie is happy to be out on the road, getting the chance to go to new places and meet new people, but after Halamshiral he's tired as well, for more than one reason. Some of it's what he's seen, but some of it is personal, and he's just as glad when he gets sent back to Skyhold.

The news of Asher's death hasn't hit him quite as hard as some of the others. They'd never really talked, and while he does regret the loss, the only real reason he happens to be over by the chapel is sheer coincidence - but one that allows him to be there just in time to see Eirlys lean her head against that stone wall. His brow knits together, a sign of a faint worry that's still there when he crouches down next to her, reaching out with his hand to try and get her attention by gently touching her shoulder.

"Hey, are you alright?"

[ancarrow]

Eirlys is lost in her own thoughts and doesn't notice Jamie approach until she feels his hand on her shoulder, which makes her jump quite considerably. She looks up at him, confused, then relaxes when she sees who it is.

"Sorry, I didn't see you there. I'm..." She's not all right and she knows it, but she can't bear to burden herself on him. "I'm fine. I just had a bit of bad news, that's all."

[wontforgetyou]

"Aye, I'm not surprised."

He's fairly sure a bomb could've dropped just then and it'd have taken her a few seconds to snap out of it. However, he didn't mean to startle her, and as he pulls his hand back, he gives her an apologetic look, the unspoken 'Sorry' written just as plainly on his face as it would have been if he'd actually said so out loud.

"I'd not meant to startle you, but I wasn't sure if you'd have heard me if I called. Is there anything I can do?"

[ancarrow]

She shifts over in the pew to invite Jamie to sit with her, if he wishes to. "I'm not sure there's much anyone can do. I'm not sure why it hit me so hard actually, it's not as though I knew the man well."

[wontforgetyou]

He's happy enough to take her up on her invitation, and only a few seconds pass between the time she shifts over and the time he sits down. The thoughtful look that he has on his face stays a bit longer than that, even as he leans back to better study her face for a moment.

"Aye, well. You can talk about it with me if you like, maybe. Could be it'll help you figure out what's hitting you so hard here."

[justice_is_blond]

He's about ready to head back to the Warden camp for the night when he catches sight of the flurry of activity in the courtyard. For a few moments he pauses, watching, beore he heads over to Eirlys in the center of it all.

"What's going on? Could you use another set of hands?" He's not tired yet, and she's a friend. She can definitely have some of his time if she needs it.

[ancarrow]

Eirlys had been hoping to find Anders before she left, and waves as she sees him approaching. "I can always use another set of hands, particularly ones I know I can trust to do a good job."

[justice_is_blond]

He gives her a smile before nodding. "Of course. Where do you need me? And do you want to talk about what's going on?" It's easy enough to trust that she means well with this. He feels he has a measure of her. But he's always curious.

[ancarrow]

"We need more elfroot potions and as many poultices as possible," she replies, gesturing over to a spare bit of table nearby and picking her own ingredients back up almost automatically. "It's for Halamshiral," she explains. "I'm only back briefly, to give a report of the situation there. I figured I'd make the most of the opportunity to send out as many supplies as we can spare to the alienage there."

[justice_is_blond]

Anders begins work, utterly familiar with this preparation.

"I saw some of it, but I can't say I had time to look deeply. I've been running errands everywhere." All the same, what he saw hadn't been good. "It appears that the alienage is worse off than it seemed, considering your focus. Or has there been another attack on it?"