(closed) the coldest story ever told

[byblow]

WHO: Zevran Arainai, Maxwell Trevean, Pel Ashara, Salem Ghilan, Alistair
WHAT: A Dalish mage Ron Swanson, a Dalish warrior who throws eggs, an Antivan assassin and his many knives, a Warden who's probably technically exiled, and one single actual human nobleman on whom we are hanging all of our hopes and dreams try to make a dude stop being a big meanie.
WHEN: Haring 5-?
WHERE: Northern Ferelden
NOTES: Plotting post!

Comments

[mythalenaste]

Pel smiles, bouncing the baby gently. Look, all her ignorance of shem life and she's helping.

The baby's mother is darting back, looking horrified. Pel doesn't even notice her arrival until the baby is being snatched out of her arms. She looks ready to tackle the kidnapper to the ground when the woman starts shouting at her.

"Not my child, you filthy knife-eared savage! Stay away from us!"

Pel looks stunned. The mother turns on her heel to power-walk well away.

[dreadinquisitor]

It was so abrupt and quick, Maxwell might have been less surprised if she'd just hauled off and slapped them. He blinked at the woman for a moment, then his face stiffened, brow wrinkling.

"A fine thank you, to the people trying to help," he said to her back.

Turning back to Pel, he shook his head.

"I'm sorry."

[mythalenaste]

Pel folds her arms against herself tightly, clearly shaken. She presses her lips together briefly, then takes a deep breath, expression growing stone cold.

"I'm fine." She uses her neck handkerchief to dab at the wet spot the baby left. "It's the baby who deserves sympathy, growing up with that for a mother."

[dreadinquisitor]

"I can dislike both," he muttered with another shake of his head, pushing his grouts around in his bowl with a little more force - his appetite suddenly fleeing.

When he looked back her and so how clearly she was not fine, he exhaled a long breath, and tried some wry, self-deprecating humor.

"I'm a decent multi-tasker when I try."

[mythalenaste]

"I appreciate it." She does. It's little comfort, but it's stabilizing, knowing Maxwell thinks that way. Knowing he's on her side.

[dreadinquisitor]

"Come on," he said, gesturing with one hand and turning decidedly away from the direction the woman had gone. "I'm sure there's plenty to be done elsewhere."

Somewhere they were offended and offending.

[mythalenaste]

Pel follows Maxwell away, wondering if Vivienne had a point about uniforms and looking "professional" or whatever.

"We're going to help them, aren't we?"

[dreadinquisitor]

"Despite themselves," Maxwell nodded with a little sigh. "Because the Inquisition is better than that. We're better than that."

[mythalenaste]

That gets a smile from her. "That's what I hope."