C'est la vie

[aceso]

WHO: Christine + OPEN
WHAT: A catch up post.
WHEN: Kingsway 8th to the start of Harvestmere
WHERE: Skyhold + off somewhere with Korrin
NOTES: Mention of the death of a loved one possible?

Part of her wishes she could have stayed with her mother, but now that Maman was living with Uncle Pierre, Christine knew she was safe (and that her uncle wouldn't want a mage in his house). Besides, she has her duties to the Inquisition as a healer and a researcher of red lyrium. When she returns, she plans to throw herself back into her work, but the new addition to her life has other plans.

{ adventures in dog-sitting }
The dog is her mother's. She repeats this to anyone who asks after the lively little fellow, lest they think she actually chose to adopt him of her own volition. Oh, no. This duty was put on her by a woman blubbering into her handkerchief, asking what was to become of her precious Poncelet because her brother wouldn't allow her to bring him. Uncle Pierre is a real ass. But Christine takes this very seriously despite her dislike of ill-behaved canines. She watches little Ponce like a hawk, and it takes awhile for her to warm to the idea of anyone else looking after him. But she does give in because she needs to work without a yapping dog at her heels. One day finds her marching after the prancing dog holding a broken leash in one hand.

"Ponce, sit. Sit." But every time she approaches to try and catch him, the dog scrambles further back, thinking it's a game. The poor thing has spent its life with a sickly woman who never played more than tug-of-war with him. It's time to have some fun.


{ at the healing tents }
It's business as usual for this healer. Christine spents her day attending to patients, both bedridden and walk ins. When not doing that, she can be found in a tent with an opened flap, mixing up potions or poultices. It's quiet, repetitive work that leaves far too much time for thinking. Thinking about her father and the opportunity she missed to ever know him. She has gotten most of her tears out, but at times she stares off into space, tears collecting in the corners of her eyes. Sometimes Ponce can be seen sleeping on a pillow in the corner, his leash looped under a chair leg so he doesn't run away. Whenever someone enters, however, he wakes up and starts barking at the stranger.


{ creating a spirit blade }
Once she returns from visiting her mother, Christine throws herself into as much as possible, and one of those things is becoming a Knight-Enchanter. She's watched Korrin wield her blade and has seen how long her barrier can sustain itself. It's something she wants to pursue, so she makes contact with Commander Helaine and is impressed with her forward manner. She's instructed on the book to read and given two kinds of items she must collect to form her spirit blade. The reading comes first, naturally. And once she's understood everything written, she and Korrin head out to gather the supplies. First is the Exalted Plains for lazurite. No one can blame her for putting off a return to the Fallow Mire for wisp essence.


{ learning to ride a horse }
Another skill Christine wants to have is learning to ride on her own. She knows it's terribly inconvenient to always be asking others on missions to let her ride with them. Her first lesson is with one of Master Dennet's apprentices and she's grateful he starts her out on a very tame mare. She does her best to follow instructions, but can't help being stiff on the horse's back for fear of falling off. If others approach, her voice is high and breathy as if she may be in danger of passing out or at the very least shrieking at any unexpected movement.

Once the lesson is over and her feet are on solid ground again, she's more amenable to chatting and explaining why she wishes to learn.

Comments

Spirit blade time!

[gatheringstorm]

Returning to the Exalted Plains is easy for Korrin, who is not at all eager to return to the mire. She can't imagine heading back into Orlais is easy for Christine, though, and the Vashoth mage quietly looks out for her. If she wants to talk, Korrin will listen; otherwise, they'll focus on the task at hand. Acquiring a spirit blade is a goal she'll happily support, of course. The sooner Christine is a Knight-Enchanter, the sooner they can train together in that discipline.

She glances down at the map snagged from the nearest Inquisition camp, giving it a look-over when there's opportunity. "From what the requisition officer said, we should be close. And keep an eye out for demons, too. Wherever they're roaming, wisps might be with them. If that can save us a trip back to the Fallow Mire, I say we take it."

[aceso]

Christine is in a very awkward place right now. She's grieving for a man she hardly remembers, and yet it's the missed potential to ever know him that's the cause of most of her tears. From speaking with her mother and her mother's maid, Christine gets the sense that her father was a man full of good humor and kindness, and he was taken from this world far too quickly. A miniature on him sits within her satchel: a gift from her mother. She finds herself looking at it all the time and isn't sure when that will change.

Her brow lifts at Korrin's words and she has to smirk slightly.

"Ah, but it would be too much to ask the demons to bring their friends with them and make things convenient for us, would it not?"

[gatheringstorm]

Noting where Christine's gaze has gone to yet again, Korrin expression is sympathetic. She can't take that pain away, only give her the opportunity to vent and/or work it out through combat. As it is, the recent events have had her sending more letters to her own parents.

"Maybe? But if there's one thing I've learned, it's to not underestimate the variety of demons that want to dogpile you in a place like this. Besides, the Veil isn't only thin in the mire. I'd think that plenty of spots in this area would qualify."

[aceso]

"Indeed they would." She releases a sigh, knowing that places where many have died tended to attract spirits and weaken the Veil. The Exalted Plains is a prime location.

"The crafting of a spirit blade is fascinating reading. To be able to construct it like this will make it feel like an extension of myself. Is that how it feels for you?"

[gatheringstorm]

Peering around as they talk, since this isn't a place to let one's guard down, Korrin smiles. "Yeah, pretty much. When you're involved with the crafting from start to finish, it's a lot more personal. My hilt was made to invoke the Valo-Kas, since they all have dragon-shaped weapons. It means more to me than if I'd just found it somewhere. Sam helped, you know. I think I convinced him to at least consider the path when he's up to studying more."

[aceso]

"That's wonderful," she says with a smile, but at the same time, she has no idea what motif she'd want hers to have. Does that make her rather bland? She wants no Circle image, and after her recent woes, she wants nothing to represent Orlais or the House of Valmont, who sends good men and women to die in the place of cousins bickering.

"Perhaps mine could have the eye of the Inquisition? Though that by its very nature invokes the Seekers as well. Hmm, perhaps not." She shakes her head. It will require more thought. "Sam? How many specializations can one man have under his belt?"

[gatheringstorm]

That gets her to chuckle. "I know, right? He's going to make the rest of us look like slackers. But he seems to be having fun exploring new forms, so maybe that will hold off for a while longer."

She tilts her head, thoughtful. "Maybe a hilt to match your staff? A spirit blade with an ice-like hilt could be an awesome sight."

that is not a dog, that's just fur you stuck a lead on lady (he knows, he's pulled that con before)

[inagutterson]

Yngvi does not, as a rule, absolutely hate doglords but sometimes you have to just put your foot down. And if you want to mark a point where Kirkwall went to shit (dogshit, to be precise) it was when the doglords came in their droves. So. All the same, he misses Asher - who wasn't a doglord, he came before that, with money, and all his Avvar stuff and jobs - and Asher's dog. Bronson was a great lad, top bloke. Old boy needed his rest and that's why he's just--

Okay well Stroganugg sits? Yngvi did not know that his little shadow companion would do that, odd. Could be a money-spinner if he plays his cards right though.

Still, he needs to say something and that's Christine, and her and Asher had a thing, and he should go reintroduce himself. Which he does so by asking, in his most curious yet horrified tone: "What the fuck is that?"

i can't believe you fit all that in a subject line without it cutting off

[aceso]

Christine sighs as the bit of fur with eyes turns and starts barking at Yngvi. The weird short person sounds hostile. Is he hostile? Ponce will bark to show him who's in charge here.

"Apparently it is a dog, but I am not yet convinced it is not some type of small demon." Because this little nuisance wakes her up at the crack of dawn by pouncing on her or -- Maker forbid -- licking her face. He's constantly prancing away when she tries to get close to pick him up, and he's turned up his nose at most of the food she's tried to feed him. This is the ultimate test on her patience.

[inagutterson]

You know what, Yngvi will help. He will bark back. He is bigger than you small pretender, and he will also growl because that's how you do the top dog thing, Asher used to do it with Bronson all the time. Only this little shit would probably bite him if he tried to wrestle it so he just keeps growling then remembers that Christine is probably going to expect an answer.

One last bark. Yeah, who is the big dog now furbag, it is Yngvi Congealedinagutterson you overgrown pair of ears.

"Nah, not a demon, doesn't have the mind for a demon. Now a cat maybe, I've met some cats in my day growing up but that? Good boot up the arse and I reckon it'd show you his belly but a cat would eat your foot for trying it." Look you wouldn't believe the ferals in Darktown, the size of the things that survived being eaten because let's face it, doglords have no respect, no respect at all. "Does it have a name, this...look I think every nug but Stroganugg was bigger than your walking fluff propped up on legs."

[aceso]

This is very close to giving her a headache. Thankfully Yngvi quits while Ponce keeps backing up, body shaking and growling for all he's worth. That brings him close enough to Christine that she's able to swoop down and capture him before he gets away from her again.

"I do not want to hit him," she says, the dog realizing he's no longer allowed to play and relaxing a little in her arms. "And his name is Ponce. My mother named him. She calls him--" And hear she imitates her mother, who has a more theatrical way of speaking, "My little Poncelet." Said as Ponce-lay in the Orlesian fashion.

[inagutterson]

What a ridiculous creature. A fennec is bigger perhaps. Maybe he should compare them. Weren't they super trendy once or was that just another scam someone ran, he doesn't know, he wasn't involved, that was just the Satinalia letter from everywhere that was read to everyone with gusto. He had an ear full of mashed potato.

(It was a good dinner.)

"Kick. Not hit. Different things." But the elaboration on the vast gaping chasm of difference is lost when he nearly topples over, wheezing on a choked laugh. "What? Tell me you were drunk. Asher said you weren't one of them sorts of Orlesians like we knew in Kirkwall, that's what de Launcet would call her dogs but she'd get drunk and they'd eat her face so that's why she doesn't have dogs."

Probably.

[aceso]

Christine merely gives him a surprised look. Maybe he still has mashed potatoes in his ears.

"I said my mother named him, not I. Were it up to me, I would not have gotten a dog in the first place, but she did, and now I am stuck with him."

Healing Tents - lmk if you want anything different!

[youwonscience]

Cosima is officially no longer on bedrest after her ordeal, but lyrium has a hell of a kick (especially when someone's system is weak to begin with). So she's good about coming in for follow-ups as requested. She's looking steadier, at least, if still not quite 100 percent.

She smiles, though, and makes a detour as she catches sight of Christine (and the dog). "Hey - it's been awhile. You go out and get a boyfriend since my arrival?" The barking does not seem to phase her, though she doesn't reach to pet him uninvited.

Cosima and Christine haven't exactly been in close touch, but Cosima feels strongly that the memorable circumstances under which they met gives her enough grounds to at least say hello.

[aceso]

Christine turns from her work to greet Cosima, though her expression quickly becomes puzzled at just what the woman means. Of course it clicks a moment later and her eyes dart towards the dog as she releases the sigh of the long-suffering.

"I would hope I would have better taste than such a troublemaker." Christine, what are you saying? Your taste in men is awful. "Hush, you," she says to Ponce, who seems content to ignore her and keep at it. She gets down on one knee before the dog, setting a hand on his back.

"Stop." Ponce pauses, licks his nose, and settles down, letting out one final growl that sounds like a whine coming from such a little dog.

"How are you? I heard of what happened. Such a terrible thing." But at least they're all back safe now.

[youwonscience]

Cosima's smile dims, though it doesn't completely vanish. "...thanks. Yeah, it was, uh. Rough." She seems disinclined to elaborate. "You guys patched me up pretty good, though."

And are continuing to do so.

Cosima peeks around at Ponce, trying not to restart the cascade of barking. "Where'd you acquire the troublemaker, then?"

[aceso]

"My mother. He is hers." Staying here with her doesn't mean Ponce belongs to her; oh no. She has no desire to sink to the level of dog owner. At that point, you might as well call her a Fereldan.

"She is simply unable to care for him now and I was the only one she would accept taking him."

[youwonscience]

"Ah, mothers can be like that, I guess." As much fun as teasing her about Ponce may be, under the circumstances, Cosima leaves it for now. "How've you been? I meant to look you up after I got settled in, and then somehow a couple months went by."

[aceso]

This past month has probably been one of the hardest months since the mage rebellion and escaping Orlais. She looks away for a moment, recalling the heartbreak at learning her father was dead from the Orlesian civil war before she ever had a chance to contact him again. But she isn't one to lay all that out for someone. The only ones who know are those who went to the front with her and saw her break down into tears at the news.

"It has been a trying month," is all she says before bringing her eyes back to Cosima and forcing a smile. "It is good you have settled in, though I am sure you rather wish to be home. Hopefully the Inquisition has been accommodating?"

horsing around

[amygdalae]

Bruce is a pretty common sight at the stables by now, what with the dracolisk (still unnamed) that he more or less is in charge of now. Well, it as well as the other that had formerly been Highwind's. It's mostly Inquisition property now, but it seemed like the dracolisks have taken a shine to one another - probably because there's not many of them in here.

And of course being at the stables means that he sees Christine attempting to learn how to ride. He doesn't really watch, mostly notices the fact that she's there and makes it a point to not bother her. Still, he is still around when she's done on that particular lesson, looking somewhat exasperated as he once again busies himself with getting the dracolisk to stop nibbling his hair.

[aceso]

There's a buzzing sound in her ears as she descends from the horse and she has to find a place to lean against because her legs feel like they may give out from under her. It feels ridiculous to be so frightened of this, but she is a worrier by nature and she sees herself being thrown and hitting her head off the ground.

Eventually she calms down and moves over to where Bruce is being given some special attention.

"How nice you have someone to do your hair for you," she states dryly.

[amygdalae]

There's a sigh at that, the exasperation all too audible in it as Bruce attempts to get the dracolisk to stop - but of course it doesn't, and Bruce gives up for the moment with a sigh.

"I think losing my hair is more probable than anything else," he returns, voice equally dry. Now that it's not being hindered anymore the dracolisk happily presses its snout into his hair, and needless to say it gives off a very interesting picture of Bruce right now.

Bruce pointedly ignores it as he continues to speak with Christine. "How was your lesson?" Since it's not like he couldn't not notice it anyway.

[aceso]

"Perhaps you should shave it all off, or would he simply take to licking your bare head?" The thought practically makes her shudder, and she quickly dismisses it. Her gaze shifts over towards the horses and she resists shrugging her shoulders.

"It was very informative. Beyond that, I was not thrown, so I suppose it was a success."

[amygdalae]

The thought does make Bruce laugh a little, surprisingly. "Maybe I might try that one day." Probably not while they're all still up here in Skyhold, though - he doesn't want his ears to freeze off.

It was nice to know that she was making progress though. "Think you'll be up to riding a horse by yourself the next time you leave Skyhold?"

[aceso]

"That depends entirely on when I will next leave and how far we will be traveling." But that's not really an answer, is it? She shifts her weight to one hip and crosses her arms, giving the horses a good look.

"But perhaps. If I spend a little time here everyday, then perhaps. I am sure you had riding experience before coming across this one, no?"