{ OPEN }

[aceso]

WHO: Christine and OPEN
WHAT: Returning from the Frostbacks with gifts.
WHEN: sometime after mid-Harvestmere
WHERE: Kirkwall (Inquisition holdings like the docks and stables)
NOTES: She put out a call for people to request items so now she's arriving with them.

{ stables }
Arriving back in Kirkwall doesn't feel like coming home, but it does feel like a relief because now Christine can settle back in after days of traveling by horse and ship. Her horse, Ambrose, is carefully brought off the ship, laden with furs and full saddlebags, but he's a large draft horse with a good temper, so he bears his burdens well. Making her way straight to the stables, Christine is helped by a stablehand and together they set the furs across the wall of Ambrose's stall and the saddlebags are set down in the aisle by a bench.

After feeding and watering her horse, Christine takes a seat on this bench and puts out a few calls to those who requested items from the Avvar hold she made contact with. Then she leans back against the stall and sighs, her journey at an end. She makes quite the picture, surrounded by animal furs and bags overflowing with mead and dried herbs.

{ lowtown }
There's tension in the city now that the Inquisition has elevated rifters to positions of power within its organization, and Christine knows it's ignorance that is leading people towards fear and lashing out. Despite being glad to be done traveling for a bit, her time with the Avvar makes her wish she could be back there, where they don't fear the Fade, or spirits, or strange magic. They take everything in stride and treat everyone equally as long as they're willing to pull their weight. But here in Kirkwall, she worries for the rifters.

She walks the streets on her way back to her house, looking out for any signs of trouble. Any raised voices have her on the lookout to see if it's a rifter getting harassed, or even a native member of the Inquisition. Perhaps they've outstayed their welcome here.

Comments

Stables

[iceblade]

It doesn't take Skadi long to come find Christine, given that she's at the stables as well. As the Stablemaster, it's where she's most likely found when not needed in battle. Striding over, she flashes a grin at the mage. The baby nug she spoke about is on her shoulder, half-hidden in her red hair. When they pause, it lifts his head and makes little squeaking noises.

"Welcome back, Christine. Meet the wee one, who I still need to name."

[aceso]

"Skadi, hello!" Christine greets, and the accent makes her feel like she's back at the hold once more. It's only been days since she was there, and yet she misses them so. All so friendly and jovial like Skadi herself.

Christine stands and tilts her head a little to acknowledge the little nug. They really don't appeal to her, but she's not one to tell a person their pet is ugly.

"Well I have brought you something to keep you warm." She reaches for a simple brown rabbit fur and hands it over. "I have your war paint as well." Christine is now addressing Skadi and not the nug, though a nug in war paint would be a sight to see. "Just a moment and I will find it. And you wanted a fur for yourself as well? I am afraid they were a popular request, so I can only spare one bear fur or two wolf furs. Your choice."

[iceblade]

Nugs aren't to everyone's taste and even Skadi isn't sure why she took one...except that it seemed helpless, and was staring up at her with those big eyes. Taking the rabbit fur, Skadi grins upon seeing the war paint as well.

"I'm glad to see there was some to spare. And aye, that's true. A bear fur will do just fine, I think." She can afford some patience after Christine took the time to acquire all this for her, taking out her coin purse to sort out the amount she owes. It's still strange not to just barter for them, but this will do.

"How was the rest of your time at the hold?"

[aceso]

"It was wonderful. I cannot say I have much experience with the holds -- and I know each is different -- but I can say without exaggeration that I have never felt more welcome anywhere I have ever been, except the time I went home, of course." There had been no awkwardness at her mother's house, and despite her mother's faults, the woman welcomed her daughter back with open arms.

"I believe my acceptance was helped by the fact that the augur vouched for me. She knew a spirit walked beside me."

[iceblade]

Skadi nods, perhaps a little smug but it's nice to have someone here be enthusiastic about her people instead of getting condescending remarks or side-eyeing. "We take matters of hospitality very seriously. When one has guest-welcome, they want for nothing. To do otherwise would be to anger the gods. That a spirit favors you is all the more reason for it. I doubt I'll have the chance to visit my kin for a time, but if you've a desire to see another hold, I think that could be arranged."

Lady knows Freya would be delighted and have all sorts of questions for the Spirit Healer, and the image of that gets her to smile.

[aceso]

"I will take any offer I receive," she states happily, adding: "Though I do not think I will be off to the mountains any time soon. I have my research and my duties as a healer to return to. But when I am next at liberty to travel that way, I would very much like to see your hold." Imagine that: she would then have visited three different holds! The prospect excites her.

"Which part of the mountains is your hold located? North, south, or the middle?"

[iceblade]

"We're more in the middle, I'd say. It still doesn't seem that far from Skyhold, but the right routes cut down on travel time by quite a lot." If the Inquisition was still only centered there, Skadi could perhaps manage monthly trips to see her family. As it is, she's content to bring as much of the Frostbacks to Kirkwall as she can, in the forms of furs and paints. "There's no pressure, of course. Lady knows when I'll be able to make the trek, anyway."

Stables

[el_tybs]

After getting the call it takes more then just a few minutes before Sam can actually make it to the stables; finishing his work and then making the walk over. Once he arrives it takes him a moment to actually spot Christine, not recognizing her right away within all the furs.

It brings a grin to Sam's face at seeing it.

"You're starting to look like you don't belong here in the lowlands," he jokes, walking up to the bench.

[aceso]

It's true. The furs plus the fact that her hair is done up in multiple braids instead of her usual pinned up twist makes her look not so much like an Orlesian, but a fair-haired Avvar of the mountains. She, however, is sadly not as impervious to the cold as they are, and so she was draped with many furs during her stay. She looks at home surrounded by them now.

Seeing him, Christine smiles brightly, though there is a bit of tiredness in her eyes, and stands to greet him properly with a hug.

"Ah, Sam, I am afraid I left a piece of my heart behind in the mountains."

[el_tybs]

The hug is returned cheerfully, though it takes him a moment to figure how hard he actually needs to squeeze for Christine to even feel it - that is a lot of furs.

"You sure you left something there, or did you just bring it all back with you? You even got braids this time."

[aceso]

The furs keep her cozy warm, but yes, she can feel that hug, Sam. When she pulls back, she lets out a laugh, touching a hand to the back of her head.

"The girls delighted in having a new subject for their hairdressing. I must say it has lasted without needing rebraiding going on three days now. And I was happy to accommodate them. The children of the hold do not fear strangers."

[el_tybs]

"Well if I didn't know you better, I would never guess you're Orlesian with all this," he says teasingly, leaning to the side to get a better look at the braids.

"Which Hold did you go to this time?'

[aceso]

She tilts her head a little and lifts her eyebrows in a pseudo-shrug, because it's not really that insulting to be mistaken for Avvar instead of Orlesian. She was once proud to be Orlesian, but the Civil War and the loss of her father in what was a selfish family squabble for power has left her rather disillusioned. That plus the influx of annoying Orlesian nobles in the Inquisition who would do well to keep their mouths shut. She has to keep correcting people when they hear her accent and call her "lady." Maybe she should just start wearing this look around here all the time and let people think her to be a barbarian.

"I went to Honey-Badger Hold, but they are having troubles of their own and I had no wish to impose upon them. They directed me north to a friendly group of Avvar: Falcon-Reach Hold. The augur saw my coming in her reading of the portents, because of Faith, of course. And so I was welcomed from the moment I arrived. It was a wonderful place."

hay gurl hay

[motherfucking_ghost]

She won't even get all the way back home before here comes Church--where did he come from, who knows, don't ask questions--and gives her a great big bear hug. Much more pleasant than anyone getting harassed.

"Missed you."

oo, mr church, oo

[aceso]

Ponce dances around the pair, wanting in on the love too, but for the moment Christine has to make the little one wait, as she wraps her arms tight around Church and presses her face against his neck to inhale his familiar scent.

"I missed you too. You are well?"

[motherfucking_ghost]

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm good. Haven't flung myself at more danger since the test." Aaaand less said about that these days, the better, really. "You been playing Santa Claus and giving all the good boys and girls some presents?"

[aceso]

"If you mean a type of gift bringer, then yes, in a way," she states with a chuckle. "Though gifts do not require payment and I do. I dragged all this on horseback and ship back to Kirkwall, so I should earn a little something, yes?" And now her coin purse is jingling with coins and she has favors from others she can cash in on later.

"Let us get inside. I want to to open up the mead I brought for us and catch up." With that, she gives him a firm kiss, relieved to be back in his arms once more. She thought of him everyday, even surrounded by buff mountain men (which is completely her Type), which should say something about their relationship, yes?

[motherfucking_ghost]

Still maybe don't mention the buff mountain men. Not that he'd get jealous or feel at all inferior. Nope, that is not a thing he'd ever feel. Not him! He's fully secure in his masculinity. "Mead's the magic word. And if that needs a little payment, then I think I have just the thing."

Normally he'd be making a sex joke, but he does have a little gift for her. He scoops up Ponce in an arm and keeps the other around Christine along the way. "Did the dust bunny miss me, too? Do you know how quiet the house has been without all the yapping and the tippy-tapping of little paws on the wood?"

[aceso]

Christine puts an arm around Church's waist, not keen to let him go either as they make their way back.

"He certainly did. I could tell. At night, he would lay his little chin down on his paws and looked so forlorn. I knew then that he missed you almost as much as I did." Ponce is more than happy to be back with Owner #2 and paws at Church's chest a moment before leaning his head in close to try and lick the man's face. Christine isn't the only one who wants to give him kisses, okay?

"Ah, there it is," she says, spotting their place up ahead. She never wants to consider Kirkwall to be "home" because, well, it's Kirkwall, but this is their little piece of homey happiness in the middle of a less than amazing city. "I will be so happy to sleep in my own bed tonight."

Lowtown

[thecookery]

Look, if raised voices are what Christine is looking for, she's in the right part of town to find them. And Lowtown does not disappoint.

Though in this case it's more one raised voice echoing from a nearby alleyway. It's kind of hard to catch individual words at this distance, but if her paranoia gets the better of her and Christine chooses to approach, she might catch the tail end of a rant that sounds something like, "--how worried your mother was?? Huh?!" and turn a corner to see the Gallows' head cook glowering down at a sheepish-looking elven boy who can't be any older than sixteen.

[aceso]

It's certainly a surprised to see Avery with the raised voice as opposed to a prejudiced local, and her brow furrows in confusion.

"Problem?" she asks lightly, standing at the entrance to the alley but not yet stepping in. The boy appears unhurt and merely embarrassed. Is he just getting a scolding?

[thecookery]

"It's none of--" Avery starts to growl before cutting herself off when she realizes who it is that asked the question. "Oh... Hi."

Indeed, the boy is looking thoroughly shamed but unhurt as he glances up toward Christine with a mix of worry and hope for escape (though Avery herself does appear to have some sort of bandage wrapped around her forearm). For a second she just stands awkwardly, before looking to the kid and answering, "Nope. I think I've made my point, eh?"

He nods his head vigorously at the possibility of this whole incident ending soon.

[aceso]

"That is good. I am sure we all have things we need to return to doing, hmm?" This is directed more at the boy than Avery, and it's more to give him an out than to scold him for being in alleyways.

[thecookery]

With a weak, little acknowledgement, he gives one last glance to Avery and then scurries off.

She doesn't attempt to stop him, but shouts at his retreating back, "Go home! And apologize!" before turning to Christine and shaking her head. Kids these days. "Unbelievable."

[aceso]

"It sounds as though he has done something wrong at home, and not to you?" she asks, just wanting to be clear about it. She's hardly about to bring up the young man on charges against the Inquisition, but one can't help wanting to know the issue when they stumble across someone yelling.