{ CLOSED } Seeking Out Missing Woman with an Anchor

[zombra]

WHO: Church, Inessa, Tessa
WHAT: A mission to find a missing shardbearer ends badly
WHEN: sometime in Harvestmere
WHERE: Ferelden
NOTES: CW: body horror

The journey so far has led them here, to this grassy bank opposite the farmhouse under investigation. The three are hunkered down, waiting and occasionally peeking over the edge to keep tabs on the occupants of the house. The stakeout is hardly exciting work, but from the clues they'd had from Jacob and the suspicious way these people have been acting it's pretty clear that the subject of their mission is being held inside.

Finally, just as the gray clouds overhead part to reveal the autumn sunshine, the door opens and the two exit. The horse is hitched to the wagon, the wagon is loaded, at the husband and wife take off down the road at a decent clip.

"About freaking time," Tessa mutters, glancing up at the sky. "Thought it was gonna rain for sure and they wouldn't go out. But now's our chance."

Comments

[circleprodigy]

Inessa lets out the breath she didn't realize she was holding, relaxing a bit as the couple exit the room. When Elsie stirs, she renews her magic and afterwards searches in her bag for some lyrium bottles. It would probably be more practical to keep them for battle, just in case, but the poor woman has been through so much that Inessa can't bring herself to care. If she spends her time ensuring that her end is as painless as possible, it's magic well-spent.

When Tessa re-enters the room, she glances over. "We should go, sooner than later. Staying here won't do her any favors, she deserves to be somewhere more comfortable." And anywhere away from abusive parents would be more comfortable, guaranteed.

[motherfucking_ghost]

"C'mon, boy. Job's done." To Garahel, and he doesn't really want to use any identifying names even if the themselves are perfectly identifiable just because if word gets round, if something happens, then that's just...on them specifically.

Oh, sure, he's Inessa's preternaturally intelligent warbeast, but Church has bonded with him well enough to be comfortable with the biggest goodest boy.

Even through the blanket, the anchor tendrils give off a glow, and she still feels so hot like they just put her under an electric one, but...it is what it is. He could say something else to mummy and daddy dear, as their once daughter is carried away, something about how they're not going to burn her body right away, or they'll never know where she died only how, or...something that's not going to do any good.

It's just time to go, and that's that. "We've got you, 's okay, we're gonna take a nice and easy ride, get you as cozy as possible..."

[zombra]

"Yeah," Tessa replies, agreeing with Inessa that they should go. As she stands, she glances around the room. If these were normal circumstances she'd take a moment to find something familiar to take with them for Elsie. But they aren't moving her to a new location where they'll treat her and she'll be in tip top shape again. At this point, she's not sure they'll make it back to Kirkwall before Elsie dies. So she forgets that sentimental notion and heads out to give room for Church to scoop up Elsie.

Stepping outside, she finds the sky a darker shade of gray than before, with the gentle patter of rain against the roof. If the sky could express emotion like a person Tessa would say it's crying for the life that's slowly being snuffed out. A life that could have gone on, had fear not dominated the situation. Tessa looks down at her hand and the familiar glow it gives off along with the slight sting that's not so bad because Church is near. How could she have forgotten how powerful the anchor is? It can help close rifts. Just yanks them closed with an almighty crackle. Now she's reminded how strong it is. So strong it will keep growing and reaching out even without the body part it shines through.

She slides her glove back on and tries not to dwell on it anymore. There are more immediate matters to tend to. They'll be heading straight back to their camp to spend an uneasy night watching over the subject of their search. And then... well Tessa doesn't want to bring it up while Elsie's still breathing, even if they're all thinking it. They've got to tell Jacob somehow, and transport a body back to Kirkwall. This is gonna suck.

[circleprodigy]

Garahel, still a bit tense, looks up and whines at Church, but listens well enough and pads away from the two older humans to follow the rest. Inessa quickens her pace to keep up with Church's longer strides, trying to keep an eye on Elsie as best she can...and the overgrown anchor that's now killing her. Granted, she can't see more than a glow through a blanket at this point, but that's not stopping the determined elven Warden from being at her side regardless.

The trip back silent, at least when it comes to Inessa. The heatrbreaking present and near-future is enough that she doesn't have the strength to voice it aloud, now that there aren't parents to chastise. Besides, she's in the presence of two other anchor-bearers, and that Elsie is a horrifying peak into a possible future can't possibly have escaped them. So, she'll remain focused on Elsie as long as she's breathing, respectfully giving the others space unless they bring it up. And after the tormented woman breathes her last...well, there will be another issue to address.

[motherfucking_ghost]

Even for someone as mouthy as Church, he feels the mounting pressure that is watching someone die. He's rarely had to deal with something like this. It's much more common here. Back home, much less. Bullets are clean enough that, even if you survive, you'll either die pretty quick, or you'll heal. He doesn't like this, any of it, and they do have to tell Jacob eventually, and this could be them in the future--not specifically this, but...something like it. Something like Sina.

Elsie lingers on (and it is lingering, that's exactly what it is) for a good while longer. Makes it to camp. Makes it until the rain peters off and the twinkle of stars just barely come through the clouds. And even makes it almost to morning. Almost.

"You guys know a good way of preserving a body?"

It sounds rough, but he doesn't mean it in an insensitive way. It's just...time is of the essence.

[zombra]

Tessa spends so long that evening just staring into the flickering flames of their campfire that she could swear she sees images moving there. Images of her with the anchor spreading up through her arm unchecked and of people running from her as green light pours from her mouth and eyes. She hadn't considered the anchor to be like an infection before, but it is, isn't it? Or some parasite that's taken control of a piece of her. What if one day it takes over her brain like the zombie virus does to people?

She thinks way too long on all this since none of them are feeling too chatty, and it's only the need for sleep that turns off the constant questions in her brain, but rest is short lived and she's up again to bear witness to Elsie's last moments. The question isn't a surprise since the thought's crossed her mind too.

"Can you, uh, pickle bodies? Like I know it sounds gross, but that's a way to preserve food so... thought I'd ask." She feels kind of stupid for asking, but it's not like she knows the intricacies of mummification here.

[circleprodigy]

Garahel, noting the mood, doesn't pester anyone into playing fetch with him, though he does take turns leaning on people to give and receive comfort. Inessa, having lapsed into silence while keeping vigil by Elsie, finally speaks up though she doesn't take her eyes away from the poor woman. There's no more need for the frost at her fingertips now, but she looks at them thoughtfully.

"...I could encase her in ice; Winter's Grasp is a simple enough spell. I would have to renew it every so often, but it's not a high price as long as I keep lyrium potions on me."

[motherfucking_ghost]

Garahel's assistance hasn't gone unnoticed, and other than hugs and rubbing and squishing that good face, he'll get more attention later for his duties. Church rubs the back of his neck.

"Just let us know if you get too tired, okay? We don't need to drag two--" He winces and doesn't finish the sentence. "Sorry. Soldier humor. Not funny."

[zombra]

Normally Tessa's kind of wary of magic. She's not pigheaded enough to ignore that it's been magic that's been keeping Elsie from hurting too much in her final hours, but she's just not a huge fan. Magic's one of those things she'll never understand. Inessa may as well be speaking Greek to her.

"Sounds good. Are we gonna have problems with getting a ride with her that way? Like I dunno all the laws about transporting dead people here." Hell, she doesn't know the laws about transporting dead people back home either, but she figures you've got to have a license or paperwork for that kind of thing.

[circleprodigy]

"Local laws are not my area of expertise, to be honest. But if we say it's Inquisition business -which it is- I suspect they'll let us pass." Inessa shrugs, not sure what else to offer there. As a Grey Warden, she's used to more or less the same approach and not being overly bothered. No one wants to interfere with Warden business or get conscripted.

Nodding to Church, she manages a ghost of a smile. "I will, but I shouldn't need to rest longer than it takes for the ice to hold after each renewal. We'll make this count."

[motherfucking_ghost]

"If anyone looks like they wanna arrest us, they're gonna have to deal with the Inquisition, and also, y'know, a mage, two spooky demons in human guise, and a borfy wardog. So I mean." Try and stop them, honestly.

"Who's best at words here, between us? Cuz...someone's gonna have to write Jacob. About all this."

[zombra]

"Inessa," Tessa answers without even having to consider it. She knows she isn't the right person to provide comforting words. She could try, but she'd probably make a faux pas or unintentional say something unfortunate.

"I think you'd be the best person."

[circleprodigy]

Nodding slowly, Inessa stares sadly at the inert form of his fiancee. Tessa and Church have helped plenty, and she wouldn't want to put that task on their shoulders anyway.

"...alright. I'll start drafting something now, I think. The longer I put it off, the harder it'll be to write later."

[motherfucking_ghost]

"We'll take care of the heavy lifting, literally, if you do the magical lifting and the...wording." Yeah, nobody was ever going to suggest Church write anything. "And Garahel can do the barking. All right, let's get this show back on the road. Before mom and dad get some fellow farmers together with pitchforks and shit."