[ OPEN ] Take a Break

[fleurdesel]

WHO: Adelaide & The Healers of the Inquisition & friends
WHAT: Informal gathering, refreshments offered.
WHEN: nowish
WHERE: Skyhold, Orlesian Healing Tents
NOTES: Drinking, swearing, bitching about troublesome patients, etc. Announcement post here

It has been a difficult few months for the Inquisition- terrible battles, dangerous missions, strange illnesses. The Healers are well overdue a moment of semi-organized rest and relaxation. Much as she had before on behalf of the mages nearly a year ago, Adelaide takes the time to arrange for said respite. The Orlesian healing tents have been cleared of the potions, bandages, and poultices in favor of chairs, cushions, and braziers. Lanterns and the odd throw of fur or knit wool warm the space. Having more time to settle in and become established- there is more room, more places to sit, more tables propped up for holding glasses and mugs. The space is open, warm, and inviting with an elegant assortment of copper mugs and porcelain cups set around flat side tables arranged with an assortment of teas, honey, and small pots of cubed sugar and carafes of cream bribed from the kitchen. To one side there are bottles of wine and a small keg or two of ale and mead, tankards and glasses waiting. There are dried fruits and hard cheeses, dried meat and hard crusted bread, butter and sausage and a few odd baked tarts here and there. Across the entrance to the tents there is a sign:

Must be a healer or a friend of a healer for entry. Unless urgent (imminent death) no patients will be taken at this time.

Tacked below was a list of rules:

• NO WORKING
• Tea and coffee are to the left, wine on the right, food in the center. Please keep things in their proper place.
• Don't hog the wine
• Don't hog the tea
• Don't hog the coffee
• Don't hog the food
• Serve yourself and whoever else is waiting for a glass
• If you finish a bottle open a new one, don't recork it for someone else to find
• Brew a fresh pot of coffee or tea when you finish what is available
• Clean up after yourselves

Comments

[unharrowed]

"That's a dog?" Your Ferelden is showing a bit, Vasran. But given how exasperated with the creature Christine seems, she's suddenly less concerned about the potential offense of her remarks.

She holds out one hand, to see if he might jump at it, or sniff. She can't help giggling at the way his tail waggles back and forth.

"He's quite a jumpy little thing, isn't he?"

[aceso]

"Mmm. Contrary to the belief of some, other dog breeds beyond mabari do exist." Now Christine's Orlesian is showing.

The dog leaps at the chance to sniff this stranger's hand, and for an instant Christine fears he's going to bite Vasran, but Ponce merely sniffs the hand and continues wagging his tail. Friend, then, he supposes.

"He was rather isolated while living with my mother. There were only two people he saw everyday. Now the world is very big to him."

[unharrowed]

"I'd think a dwarf's boot would be big for him." But she's smiling as she says it. She can't decide whether he's cute or not. The fluffiness of him, at least, helps to distinguish him from a rat.

She moves her hand upward to fluff at some of that fur on top of his head, but she's ready to pull it away if he gets bitey.

"Your mother sent him here?"

[aceso]

That gets a laugh out of her, and some of the tiredness in her eyes seems to fade away.

"I brought him back with me after visiting my mother. She needed to move in with my uncle and he would not allow her to bring Ponce." He wouldn't allow her to bring many things, and that still angers Christine. He shouldn't have offered his sister a place in his home if he was making her feel like a guest and not a member of the household.

[unharrowed]

"Ponce," Vasran repeats, having caught the name this time. She pulls her hand back in order to pick her teacup off of its saucer.

"Does he do any tricks?" Because any dogs can learn tricks, can't they? Even if they're not as clever as a mabari.

[aceso]

"He barely listens to me at all. Getting him to do tricks would be a miracle." She shakes her head and lets out Ponce's leash a little more so he can sniff around Vasran's feet.

"My mother pampered him, I am afraid. He has no wish to see it end. But I am not so easily swayed by a furry face."

[unharrowed]

"Hm." Ponce was sticking his nose under the hem of her robes. It was... sort of precious.

"Well, he's an agent of the Inquisition now. He must make himself useful." Her manner and tone were a rough imitation of the Lady Nightingale — as well as Vasran could do, having only had passing encounters with her. "What do you think? Perhaps the cats could train him to hunt mice."

[aceso]

"And he would bring them into my bed to show me, no doubt." Christine watches him with a careful eye, but there's something more to her expression than simply fearing he'll chew on someone's shoes. She's worried about him getting into something he shouldn't and getting himself killed, and Christine could never face her mother again if that happened.

"I honestly do not know what such a little dog could contribute. If they are not ratters, I think they are only companion dogs." There's a pause and she muses more to herself: "Perhaps he could sit with my patients."