A bottle of white, a bottle of red

[fleurdesel]

WHO: Open to anyone that wants wine and warmth and a little company.
WHAT: Wine and no whining.
WHEN: After the mage meeting wraps up.
WHERE: Close to the healing tents, specifically the Orlesian section.
NOTES: There will be wine, drinking, unwinding, and nibbles.

The meeting had been stressful for just about everyone involved. Tempers had flared, opinions made known, a few rounds of confetti and arguing before some manner of accord. Whether it would last or however long it might? No one could truly say. In the interest of being quite done with the stress and headaches such debate brought on the Orlesian healing tents clearing out the potions, bandages, and poultices in favor of what cushions and braziers they had on hand for light and for heat. The space was open, warm, and inviting with an odd assortment of tin mugs or clay glasses set around flat side tables propped up with stones to keep them from wobbling and tipping the whole mass onto the ground. There are some dried fruits and hard cheeses, dried meat and hard crusted bread- whatever scraps they could scavenge or spare and a few bottles of wine or brandy. Across the entrance to the tents there was a sign:

Bring a bottle or food to share for entry.

Tacked below was a list of rules:

• Everyone is welcome, don't make a fuss
• Don't hog the wine
• Don't hog the food
• Don't fight or argue
• If you finish a bottle open a new one, don't recork it for someone else to find
• Clean up after yourselves

Comments

[eolasemah]

Sina had built herself up and then balked and built and balked until she finally decided, long after everyone else, to make her way towards the din by the healing tents. She had seen Pel go that way after the meeting, and she trailed innocuously in the direction of the only elves she could find. She could see that Pel was sitting with several others, including a few whom she'd already met.

Taking a deep breath, she approached, giving the most awkward and timid wave imaginable. "aneth ara," she said, so quietly as to be almost a whisper, and looked between those gathered.

[I'm assuming that anyone who posted to you previously is still here, is that okay? Is consolidation a thing?]

[mythalenaste]

"Aneth ara," Pel answers with a grin, beckoning her over. "Come on. You had good ideas, there."

[serannas]

"Sina," Ellana greets with a gentle smile, drawing up her legs so there is more room to sit with them. It's a surprise, seeing the shy elf here, since Ellana had assumed a party wouldn't be the type of thing Sina would attend. She's happy to be proven wrong.

[fleurdesel]

"Mm? Ah, Sina. I want to apologize for what happened with the fabric on behalf of the person that tossed down the confetti. He did not intend to frighten you." It'd been foolish, to be certain, but harmless.

[eolasemah]

Although Sina was shy, the meeting had troubled her, and she was reluctant to be alone. After going on a somewhat fruitless search for Nari (perhaps she was already here), she had thought instead to find those whose interests she knew to be in line with hers. All subtlety was destroyed as she picked her way towards the small cluster of women, the shard in her chest blazing like a bright green beacon in the low light.

Timidly she sat by Ellana, offering a smile of thanks, which she then directed to Pel and then Adelaide. "I know that now," she breathily replied, "I was... a bit jumpy." 'Was' was the understatement of the year; she cast furtively about the gathering, as if expecting an ambush.
"Pel, is it?" she asked, once she had settled, "I wanted to thank you. For speaking for me." She paused. "..for us."

[mythalenaste]

Pel offers up a little smile. "Someone had to speak up, is all. It wasn't any trouble to do it. What do you think of the results?"

[serannas]

Still smiling as Sina takes a seat, she too wants to know Sina's thoughts on the meeting. At least she'd gone, unlike Ellana.

"I heard there was a surprise shower of confetti from above."

[fleurdesel]

"Someone attempting to lighten the mood. And, I suppose, managing it to some extent." Not the best way to go about doing so but, there it is.

[eolasemah]

"I think.... I still don't know what I think," Sina confessed, glancing furtively to the one human present, though she smiled a moment after to indicate she meant no ill will. "But if there's to be a council, I would... be comfortable with you as our representative." She looked to Pel.

[mythalenaste]

Pel opens her mouth, then looks at Ellana. She has an uncomfortable feeling that anything she says is going to wind up bullying Sina into agreeing with anything someone else says. She and Ellana can't decide just between the two of them what's going to happen and leave Sina out of it.

"I'm...flattered. And honored. I don't suppose...are there any other Dalish mages here, besides us three? We could discuss this here and now if it's what we want."

[serannas]

Ellana's just starting to come around to the idea that she could do this, but then her heart sinks again and she sets her chin on top her drawn up legs.

"I don't know of any others," she murmurs. "Maybe they didn't attend, like me."

[eolasemah]

"..there is one more," Sina said, her face darkening strangely. "Clan Sabrae's First." She had seen Merrill once or twice before tonight, only at Arlathvens, but by now the blood mage's reputation preceded her. After a moment's hesitation, Sina added, "...I don't want her speaking for me."

[fleurdesel]

"I think, perhaps, this is not a conversation for my ears. Enjoy the wine, Pel, Ellana, Sina." Adelaide levered herself up to her feet as best she can without disturbing the cushions around them and picked her way around to the table with Cider.

[mythalenaste]

Pel gives a little wave to Adelaide as she leaves, still musing quietly to herself.

"No, not Merrill. She left the Dalish, she can't speak for us."

Ellana...wanted to be councilor. That's important. But Ellana is so green, so new and inexperienced, while Pel was raised for responsibility. Yet Ellana has other virtues Pel lacks, a moderate hand and persuasive power. Between the two of them, they would make a damn fine councilor.

...Oh.

Pel smiles.

"Ellana would start fewer arguments. She would be better at working with other types of people. But I have experience, and a loud voice when it's necessary. Why don't we both take that seat? Cast a single vote between us, but both be weighing in?"

[serannas]

Lifting her head, Ellana smiles back at the suggestion.

"That would be better than taking up two seats. Some of the others wouldn't like so many apostates on the council." And she would get to be a part of something big, taking the mages' best interests into consideration.

"What do you think, Sina? Would you be all right with us doing that? We may yet have other Dalish mages join the Inquisition who would want to be a part of the council too, but for now, Pel and I would make sure your wants are voiced."

[eolasemah]

Sina went quiet for a while, considering their suggestion with the amount of thought it deserved. Finally, she nodded, her timid smile returning as she looked from Pel to Ellana.

"Would you... tell me what's discussed after the meetings?" she asked, unsure of whether or not that would be acceptable. "...you wouldn't have to. I haven't known you long, but I trust you to uphold the People's ways."

[mythalenaste]

"Of course we would. Every word, if we can." A faint smile.

[serannas]

It's a nice reminder that even though Ellana has longed to go out into the world and explore, she would never abandon the clan. And just because she wishes they could improve their lives doesn't mean she wants them to let go of the past.

"I'd be honored to represent our people."

Sorry for the delay, I was moving!

[eolasemah]

"Then I suppose... it's done," said Sina, with a small smile. It was sorted, at least for the time being, and she was satisfied with the results.

Not a problem!

[mythalenaste]

Pel doesn't say anything, only looks over at Ellana and smiles. This is nice. Feels right. Might even give the two of them a chance to bond.

[serannas]

"Don't be afraid to call out to us on the sending crystals too," Ellana adds, before she catches Pel's smile and returns it. But then her attention turns back to Sina. "That way you can let your thoughts be known to us, and we can always keep you informed."

[eolasemah]

"I'll do that," Sina replied, though the thought of using a sending crystal concerned her-- she'd simply have to be shown how to use one, but that wasn't something she'd bother these two with at the moment.