faderift | MOD PLOT ↠ NONE TO RETURN

WHO: All characters signed up to participate in the Battle of Ghislain
WHAT: The Inquisition regroups and heads home
WHEN: Covers the period immediately post-battle (11.28) through the journey back to Kirkwall (11.29-12.1)
WHERE: North of Montfort, Orlais, and on the road to Val Chevin
NOTES: This is Post #2, covering the immediate aftermath of the battle and the journey back to Kirkwall. It's a free-for-all. Post #1 covers the battle itself. More info on the OOC post.

The Inquisition and Orlesian armies eventually limp to a halt along the Imperial Highway north of Montfort, where wide fields and gentle hills offer clear lines of sight and a sparsely equipped fortress provides some shelter and fortification. It's a soundly strategic location—if Ghislain is lost, Montfort is the last major city between the invaders and Val Royeaux—but among the rank and file there may be too much chaos to appreciate it.

For the remainder of the day and well into the night, the fortress and surrounding land are a frenzy of activity. The wounded who were not left on the field must be triaged and tended to with limited supplies, while many healers and surgeons out of commission themselves and the remainder worked to the bone. Scouts, soldiers, and even support staff in sturdy enough condition to keep working may be tasked with assembling camp from the few remaining supplies, taking reports on known casualties or acquired intelligence, or further fortifying the new location. The Orlesian army sends one of its battered cavalry units toward Ghislain to attempt to provide some warning, and from the Inquisition's number a few patrols are sent back toward the battlefield or toward Ghislain, with stern orders not to re-engage, only to watch for signs of pursuit, and to direct any stragglers.

Those who remain in the fortress are in for a long, miserable night, with meager rations and makeshift bedding, if any of either, while the wind shifts directions and grows colder. By morning a number of the wounded have died, but attempts to build a pyre are hampered by the sudden swell of a storm that starts with freezing rain and then transitions to early and unpredicted thick, heavy snow.

For a few hours that morning the two armies attempt business as normal, but it soon becomes clear that the storm is getting stronger, and they risk being snowed in with more people than they can feed. Many, including the Inquisition's Gallows contingent, are ordered to disperse. Many crowd into wagons, with any transportable wounded receiving further attention en route and neighbors hunching close to preserve heat whether they like one another or not, while those able to do so follow on foot or horseback over the rough, flash-frozen highway toward Montfort and then west toward Val Chevin. The storm doesn't abate until they've nearly reached the city, but once there they're able to stop, eat, and spend a few hours indoors thawing out before proceeding home.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Because you freaking out and trying to hit people would have been useful while I'm bleeding all over the place.

[ She replies gently, running her thumb over his palm as she does. ]

Plenty natives died today, Ben. I think if I'd been among the dead there are living natives and rifters who would have made sure I was mourned properly. But I'm alive, so it's not worth wondering about.

I wouldn't have freaked out.

[He frowns a bit, but isn't completely put out by it. Her thumb does the trick in calming him down from his earlier rise in temper.]

No, I guess it isn't worth it. You got off lucky. We all did.

[They were lucky they were able to retreat at all. The enemy could have kept right on coming if they wanted to. They'd practically taken a page out of the First Order's play book in razing everything to the ground.]

Be prepared, though. When you're better again I'm going to push you twice as hard to make up for lost time.

[His expression breaks into a grin as his touch moves on to trace the lines of her hands, counting every little mark or callus to himself as his thumb slides down her wrist to count the veins and freckles he might find.]

[ She groans a little as he mentions training, her head falling back against her bedding. ]

I'm going to need it. It took me weeks to get back into my routine after the rifters got sick.

[ Her head turns to the side and she watches his fingers trace her hand, a soft expression settling over her face, her hand turning to touch any part of his arm she can reach. ]

You might find you'll need some time off too, for that wound on your shoulder to heal.

[He huffs out a laugh once she points out his shoulder. He shrugs for good measure, showing just how little he's letting it bother him.]

I'll be fine. It's you I'm worried about.

[He can't help but feel goosebumps when she touches him, making him want to lean just a little bit more into her and kiss her. He did his best to reel it in. She was injured, after all.]

I think you'll find I'm quite durable even when injured.

[He smiles almost sadly, recalling Chewie shooting at him.]

[ Rey scrunches up her face as he shrugs his shoulder, frowning at his cavalier attitude towards his injuries. Of course, she knows quite well that he can power through far more grievous injuries than this one. ]

I know. But I don't want you pushing yourself when your life isn't on the line. You don't have to do that.

I've never really been good at setting limits for myself. I was always taught to let things like pain and anger fuel me.

[He hasn't really made a conscious effort to change that either.]

I know things are different now. I'm trying to be different.

[Unfortunately being able to make that choice, to 'go back to the light' as it were, wasn't something he would consider any time soon. It was like an open wound on his soul that he didn't want to touch and so it festered in him like poison.]

It's alright. It isn't... really a bad thing, that you're so good at continuing to move even after being shot or stabbed or... nearly cut in two pieces.

[ She says the last thing a little wisely, her eyes focused on her fingers tracing lines over his skin, rather than on his face. Considering she'd been the one to nearly split him in two. Now, she's appreciative of how strong he is. ]

But when you have the option to slow down a little... I can take care of you.

[ Her eyes flick up to his face, soft for a moment, before she cants her head to the side to indicate her injured shoulder. ]

Maybe not so much right now, but. You could slow down this time to take care of me?

When you put it like that, it sounds as if I need to start doing better at not getting injured in a fight.

[He chuckles a bit, continuing the light exchange of touches shared between them.]

I think I can do that. Taking care of you.

[It must have taken her a long time to even consider letting other people in, after so long just taking care of herself. It had taken him a long time too and in some ways he was still bad at it. Still, he wanted to try. It started now.

He's careful when adjusting her in the bed, once his boots are removed, and mindful of her shoulder and his ribs that still twinged a bit despite his protests that he was fine. It doesn't take him long to settle in beside her in the makeshift bed she's been provided. She fits in his arms easily as always. Once they're both comfortable, he presses a kiss to the top of her head.]

Edited 2018-12-06 18:45 (UTC)

[ Rey has never really had someone to take care of her. Even asking him to do it felt strange, but she also knows this is probably the only way to get him to slow down and do the healing he needs to do, too. She also admittedly likes the idea of someone taking care of her. As long as that someone is Ben.

When he settles into the small bed with her she smiles, leaning her head against his shoulder. It's a little annoying that she can't really move around once they're settled due to her shoulder, but she'll deal with it. ]

I'm sorry I made you worry.

Don't be. It doesn't matter now. We're both here and that's what matters.

[Now, they could rest. Nothing else mattered to him but the two of them being alive. He was grateful for small moments like this, where he could be here for her and she for him. It was strange to think how so many months ago something like this would have been impossible for either of them. Sometimes he still questioned the hows and the whys of it, but not in this moment.]

You should rest.

[His hand slides up and down her back, attempting to coax her into sleeping. They both probably needed it.]

[ She sighs, nodding her head against his shoulder, her eyes closing as she curls against him as best she can without jostling her arm or leg. His warmth around her helped ease the discomfort. ]

You too.

[ She mutters, already half asleep. Now that he's here, it doesn't take her long enough to fall asleep in earnest, probably one of the few people in the healer's tents able to get something akin to real rest. ]

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