[OPEN] Dance of the Herbal Tea Fairy

[eolasemah]

WHO: Sina and you!
WHAT: Deliveries of herbal concoctions, helpfully plucked and dried from our very own Skyhold gardens. Need a tea blend, a potion, a poultice, a pinch of a rare herb for your nefarious research? Surely you've sent word down to the gardens, and the delivery is on its way.
WHEN: Throughout Haring
WHERE: All over Skyhold
NOTES: Just assume you've made the request and say where you are in your reply! Also please feel free to run into her somewhere even if you're not waiting on herbs.

Sina, dressed warmly in her cloak and scarves, with boots too large and gloves with holes for the fingers, traverses Skyhold with a basket of small herbal packets for wherever in the Keep they're needed.

She's too shy to meet eyes with most passersby, and could likely be mistaken as a servant by some if not for her vallaslin and the green glow emanating from her sternum, even beneath the scarves. But now is the time to be brave and make herself useful, with a hopeful side-effect of meeting more of Skyhold's populace.

Comments

[gatheringstorm]

Korrin doesn't normally need much in the way of herbal supplies, but after offering people strong liquor and getting Chaya's recipe for a hangover cure, she's making an exception. There might not be enough to go around, and she doesn't want to overtax Chaya's generosity. It's as much for herself as it is for anyone who doesn't take her advice, of which she's sure will be plenty. So she'll send word to the garden and be waiting on the second floor of the tavern while writing letters. Might as well get those out of the way before her scouting mission in Emprise du Lion.

[eolasemah]

Although the tavern frightened her, Sina had made a commitment to her duty and she would take it seriously. She picked her way through the crowded first floor, and was met with only mild relief when the second floor was less rowdy. She straightened some when she noticed Korrin, a small smile twitching up the corners of her mouth as she made her way over.
"Hello again," she greeted sweetly, "you called for some ingredients?"

[gatheringstorm]

Glancing up from regaling her company with the latest news of the Fallow Mire, Korrin smiles at Sina. She remembers the Dalish woman from their last conversation, about her chest-shard. Her curiosity and concern satisfied, she doesn't linger on it now, nor does she go out of her way to avoid looking. Her focus easily turns to the herbs, nodding.

"Hello, Sina. And yes, I did. I figure that since I have liquor to share, I might as well have some hangover remedies prepared. It's only fair, right?"

[eolasemah]

"I suppose it is," Sina said, offering out the basket for Korrin's perusal and nodding shyly at her company. "It seems... insensible that people would drink so much, when there is so much that requires our alertness. But..." She blushed and smiled, realizing nobody had asked for her opinion. "...never mind. Forgive me."

[gatheringstorm]

Leaning over, Korrin peers at the items and nods, satisfied. That blush and smile are adorable, unasked opinion or not, so she just smiles warmly in response, no rebuke. "Don't worry about it. And you're not wrong, at least when we're out in the field. I'd never have condoned this in the Fallow Mire or elsewhere. But when surrounded by fortress walls, it can help to take an evening off and unwind a bit."

And she wouldn't subject Sina to qunari liquor unless the latter is really insistent for some reason, but.... "Speaking of unwinding, you're welcome to join. You don't have to drink that stuff; I can always get something set aside for those who don't want to destroy their stomachs, anyway."

[eolasemah]

Having passed off the order, Sina was ready to step away again when Korrin gave the invitation. Sina blinked widely at her, then looked between the woman and her companions, almost entirely strangers. "Oh, I--"
Her face flushed again, right to the tips of her ears. "Ma s-- thank you. But I should go." She ducked her head and backed away, stumbling into an occupied chair with a small sound of dismay.

[gatheringstorm]

Strangers, yes, but that's all the more reason to fix it, in Korrin's mind. She leans back, folding up her letters for later. It's nothing that can't wait, especially when she'll need something to do in Emprise du Lion anyway.

"You work as hard as anyone else here, as far as I've seen. You deserve a break, too, if you can afford one. At least think about coming back after you've made your other deliveries."

[foxsays]

Since the Mire, she hadn’t slept and even a return to Skyhold where she could bathe, eat regular hot meals and stay warm and dry, sleeping in a real bed and not a tent on wet ground hadn’t helped the way she’d hoped it would. Oh there was drinking until she was warm and something like content but she had no desire to drink the Inquisition dry on her own. Even trying to tire herself out with more trips scaling the walls of Skyhold proper or sparring in the training yard hadn’t helped so it was time to look somewhere else although.

Lux ran ahead of her as usual, sniffing anyone of interest or batting them with a paw so of course upon spotting someone with a basket, he stopped to investigate, up on his hind legs to investigate, Araceli finally catching.

“Lux get down, sorry Sina, I think he’s just excited to see people who weren’t in the bog with us.” Hopefully she’d managed to grab him out of the way before he decided to try stealing any of the herbs.

[eolasemah]

Sina paused in her haste to get away, clutching the basket handle in her pale, thin hands. She seemed to consider what Korrin had said, albeit dubiously. "I'll... I'll think about it," she decided, with a quick but genuine smile.

[eolasemah]

Though this was a surprise, Lux was granted a cheerful smile as Sina gently lifted the basket out of his range. "Not for you," she gently informed him, and looked up to meet Araceli's gaze.
"That's all right," she said, beaming, "I'm excited to see him too." She took a few more steps to approach Araceli, looking her over. "How did it go? Did you find anything interesting?"

[gatheringstorm]

Considering it is enough for Korrin, who doesn't want to pressure Sina into anything but wants to make it clear that she's welcome. She smiles back with a firm nod. "That's good enough for me. I'd like to spend as much time as I can with everyone before I head out."

[eolasemah]

Sina nodded to her as she stepped away, clearly intent on making her way out of the tavern. But she would consider it. She would! She just... might not have the gumption to slink back in here without the clear excuse of making a delivery.

[foxsays]

"You would think I starved him, the way he behaves when no, he always gets his own meal and some of mine too." With a grin, she hoisted the fox up in her arms, arranging him with his feet in the ear, tail wagging madly all the while until she set him back down again. “I think it depends on what you call interesting. We don’t have the undead where I come from so that was...an experience I suppose we must call it. I didn’t know how tightly clothes could stick to me until then. I found out what blood lotus is because of course, this whole world is strange to me. Oh and that I dislike camping in the rain,” the cheer in her voice was false, the smile just as fake before she sighed and shook her head. “I am very glad to be back, did I miss anything interesting in Skyhold?”

[eolasemah]

Sina laughed at the spectacle of a fox behaving so puppyish, but her mirth quickly died at the mention of what Araceli had seen.
"...undead," she repeated, the color draining from her face, "...I don't understand." It sounded hideous, somehow, but what could undead mean if not simply alive?

[foxsays]

Perhaps she should have been less blunt but it was hard now that she was away from the place, somehow having become accustomed to knowing the slightest disturbance of the water would have corpses rising from it, firing arrows or bearing cold iron in their hands.

"The corpses of the dead, they just came back, walked out of the water whenever someone happened to disturb it - and people here clearly do not go to the sea often, I know it was mud not sand but the struggle to traverse such conditions." Unable to help herself, she shivered, rubbing at her arms. "Then there were tales of demons too, more of those wisps. Oh and more demons from rifts when new arrivals joined us. A place I hope never to return to."

[eolasemah]

Sina's hand went to her mouth in silent horror, her eyes wide and startled as she stared at Araceli. She'd never heard of the existence of such things, let alone met anyone who had to deal with them.
"Creators," she said weakly, looking at Araceli as though she herself was a ghost. "..I hope no one has to."

[amygdalae]

Bruce was working in the garden once more, since he's always liked being hands on and doing this, at least, made him feel like he was able to contribute a little more to the Inquisition since he had to restrict himself on several other things.

Presently he was where the elfroot plots were, making sure that everything was well prepared for the cold that was settling in. Firstfall had already brought in some of the chill, but now that Haring had arrived the cold would only get worse, and he wanted to ensure that they'd last through the month.

[foxsays]

Lux immediately moved to press against Sina's legs as Araceli sighed quietly and set a hand on the elven woman's arm, squeezing gently.

"Forgive me, my line of work and I am accustomed to speaking bluntly of many things but we owe it to those who lost their lives to maintain and presence there." Again she sighed, shaking her head. "Better we keep control of a place than allow it to become a potential threat, don't you agree? But let us not speak of such things, where are you off to with your basket?"

[eolasemah]

Returning to the elfroots as she often did at least once a day, Sina noticed Bruce there. She'd seen him around before, worked side by side with him periodically, but never actually introduced herself or learned his name.
"How are they?" she asked quietly, folding her hands in front of her as she approached.

[eolasemah]

Still processing what she'd learned, Sina stooped to scratch Lux above the base of his tail, and seemed to accept Araceli's explanation. "I do," she agreed, albeit shakily, and offered a little smile. "Bless you for having the courage to deal with it." With a final pat to Lux, she straightened again and looked down at her basket.
"I've been delivering herbs throughout the keep," she said, "I thought it would keep me warm." A faint smile crossed her features. "And I'd like to be of use."

[foxsays]

"I don't know if courage has much to do with it, it's easier maybe when you don't really know what you're dealing with at first. I had a job to do and I did it, and it was the right thing." It was easier to think less about the Mire because she had more questions than answers when it came to the them and how magic really functioned. And even more questions about the mark on her hand and the connection it had to everything about them.

"The person I shared a tent with in the Mire had the gall to tell me it was only going to get colder. Colder! I cannot imagine it being colder than it is!" It means more snow and wasn't that a singularly horrifying thought. "What sort of herbs? Though I only know that blood lotus definitely isn't to be used for healing."

[eolasemah]

"It probably will," Sina said with a sigh, looking around them at the perpetually frosty grounds. "Not only are we in the mountains, but we're in Ferelden, which isn't known for its balmy weather." She grinned, and rooted through her basket, looking for something. "The Free Marches get cold too, but at least where my clan usually wanders we're closer to sea level."

She withdrew a small packet marked 'tea - restful sleep', and offered it out to Araceli. "All kinds of herbs," she belatedly answered, "but mostly for medicines and teas, wherever they're needed." She rested her hand in the basket again. "...some like to smoke them, but I won't supply that." She had more important things to do, as, she snootily believed, did they all.

[amygdalae]

Bruce glanced up from what he was doing, regarding the elf with a patient smile as she approached him.

"They're doing quite well, despite the cold," he replied, looking rather pleased himself. "I think they should be able to withstand the rest of the month, at least." Still, it wouldn't hurt to be careful - staying in a place this high up, who knows what could happen.

[eolasemah]

"I worry about the ones from warmer places," Sina said with a small, uncertain laugh. "We need them just as much, but they're so much more delicate." Creators forbid they botch something like the royal elfroot-- what were the odds of finding that again?

"I like to think... the springtime will have a good yield," she continued thoughtfully. "Even if we have to help things along." A crooked little smile followed. She would be Keeper someday, and she knew ways to commune with nature that would surprise most gardeners.

[amygdalae]

"Every herb is equally important," Bruce agreed with a nod, turning back to the plants once more. "Perhaps we can ask some of the mages to see if its possible to enchant an area to allow the plants from warmer areas to grow normally here."

It might be hard, perhaps impossible, but if it could be accomplished it'd certainly make things a lot better for all of them - especially the people who depended on these herbs.

He looked at the elf once more than she spoke, a little intrigued at her words. "Would you be able to do something?" He was pretty certain that she was a mage, although he never tried to pry - it was partly to respect her privacy, and also because Bruce didn't want to give anything away about himself being a mage.