faderift | Lunch break

Entry tags:

Lunch break

WHO: Inessa and Six/potentially Inessa and other people
WHAT: A lunch date/maybe other things
WHEN: Some time mid-month?
WHERE: Starting at the Gallows, going into the city from there?
NOTES: This might expand to a monthly catch-all, depending on interest. If you want to meet up with Inessa, PM or plurk me and I'll put up a starter.

A new month, a time to break out of the rut Inessa has gotten herself into. The past month she's very much kept to herself, both to take on work that Christine had left her and dealing with matters best repressed as much as possible. Was it the healthiest response? No, but it was what it was, and she couldn't bring herself to care until the passage of time had afforded her some distance from it all.

When the weather -at long last- lets up from freezing rain and cold snaps, she wastes no time in taking advantage of the opportunity. Sending a crystal message for Six to meet her at the docks if she's available for lunch, Inessa gathers her staff and Garahel, making her way over. More than a little stir-crazy at this point, Garahel celebrates the change in weather by rushing forward and enthusiastically barking up at seagulls. That they're well out of his reach isn't the point, he just needs to burn off some long pent-up energy. A soft smile lingers on Inessa's lips as she watches him, taking in a deep breath and savoring the -relative- warmth in the air.

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Six keeps walking, letting Inessa guide her as they make their way through. She has not ventured too much around Kirkwall - why would she, when everything she needs is in the midst of the Gallows and her rooms? She is not as curious as her sister was. Two seems happy enough to dart around and keep close to both her and Garahel, wanting to be with his friend but not wanting to be far from her either.

Frowning, Six hesitates for a moment.

"I am not bothered by humans or elves," she admits quietly. "I look too human for the people of this world, so much that they do not question that I am not one of them. It was the elves of my home that were the problem for me."

"As long as they don't see the ears, true...." Any point to the ears equates to 'elf', since half-elves don't truly exist in Thedas. She looks grateful that Six can so easily blend, though; having an anchor is enough of a social issue without adding visible elf blood, as well. And then the slight elven woman is silent for a moment while side-stepping some eager children barreling through the area. Garahel wags his tail, hopeful for some petting, but the children are too caught up in their game and Inessa urges him along.

"Dual heritage is always seen by some as a threat, isn't it? If you can manage to avoid the discrimination of the humans here, I can't blame you." Some elves would, but Inessa can't. Facing that day after day is soul-crushing, and if the same option was available to her, she can't say she wouldn't think to escape it. "It's not far, just a block ahead from here."

Six is lucky, she thinks, with the flick of her ears being not quite as distinct. There's no true defined point to them, no real shape that whispers of her heritage, nothing like what Adalia had. The two of them had some features that were similar, a reflection rather than a mirror, and Six wonders if she might be sad about that, sad that they do not look more alike. It tugs at her heart and she sighs, facing forward again.

"Humans do not care as much. You can still hold a sword, still fight, still win. Elves..." Six looks uncomfortable. "They think of us as beings without souls, creatures that mean nothing to them. My father had elven blood and my mother was human, so I am worse to them - barely even a mutt."

Garahel grunts at that, pausing to press himself against Six in a comforting fashion before picking up the pace. Inessa nods, lips forming a thin line as she ponders the ugly truths shared.

"To be an elf-blooded human here...well, I can't speak of it from personal experience, but it's hard. At best, you might 'blend in' at the cost of cutting yourself off from your heritage. If it's not used for blackmail, that is. It's strange to think of it being much the same way in another world, but in reverse. Are your elves akin to the immortal, ethereal types that come from beyond?"

She reaches down almost instinctively, stroking at Garahel's head before she looks back over at Inessa. It's not often that Six gets to speak of her home outside of Sarenrae, and she feels the weight of it before she breathes out gently and makes herself a little more comfortable, relaxing some of the tension in her shoulders.

"I have not spoken to many that had elven blood, not other than my sister. I know Merrill and some others, but no one that had human blood as well as their elven." Six sighs, shaking her head. "Something close to immortal, I suppose. They live for centuries, far longer than any human could hope for."

"Let me guess, they don't hesitate to remind others of that often." Inessa's tone is very dry; she might have gathered as much from several rifter elves by now. It's a trait that has lead her to keep her distance, which she doesn't mourn.

"And contact with humans didn't change that longevity? Hm. I wonder why that was different for us...well, according to legend." Inessa can't help but sound a little skeptical as she spots the cafe sign just ahead. She's no scholar when it comes to elven lore, but even she knows it's spotty at best.

Garahel rushes inside, only pausing at the threshold to bark for his buddy. "The owner loves to give him treats when we visit. I'm sure she'll spoil your companion as well."

"When they interact with others, yes." It's not something that Sidony is particularly offended by for the most part. She never interacted much with the higher elves or those that lived deep in the forests; that was never who she was. She kept herself with the people she knew would tolerate her height, her bulk, her uneasy nature, more like a bolting horse than a person.

"It has not seem to have done them much harm. There are many kinds of elves, however, and some might be longer lived than others. I had never thought to research it." Why would she? That is more Adalia's forte; her mind is not the strongest part of her and there's no point denying that. Passable, but not as smart as her sister.

Six watches as her mabari rushes up to walk with his friend, something soft settling on her face.

"He does not get spoiled with me. He will enjoy this as much as Garahel does."

Inessa nods, satisfied with the answers and not looking to pry deeply when the topic could be a sensitive one. "A comprehensive study such as I'm thinking isn't possible without access to other worlds, anyway. If nothing else, it's an interesting footnote."

She shrugs, then notes the shift in expression with a smile of her own forming. "That's what happens when you enter a Fereldan-owned business. Our companions are always welcome. It doesn't hurt that Garahel prevented a thief from escaping earlier, too."

She enters the establishment alongside Six, instantly at ease in the establishment and it's not difficult to see why. The cafe isn't fancy -nothing in Lowtown would be- but despite any signs of wear and tear, the overstuffed chairs look comfortable, and the well-kept fireplace keeps the entire area pleasantly warm despite the chill outside. Fragrant teas, warm bread and the soup of the day fill the air, as Garahel stands before an elven woman with greying auburn hair who eagerly fishes out treats from her apron for him and Two. "Why hello, you handsome boy! And I see you brought a friend! Here, I can't have you lovelies going hungry...."

"My sister might have had more information, were she still here. She has more elven blood than I do. Perhaps they were kinder to her." Six's mother was human, her father carrying the elven blood. While she doesn't remember much of Adalia's mother she does remember some things - the kindness, the softness, the tenderness, all the things a mother should be, surely.

But then she had left. Six understands why, but a child's heart is not as forgiving.

Glad she decided to leave her armour at home, Six relaxes and some of the tension settles from her shoulders, her head tilting as she looks around. It's a comfortable place, reminding her of some of the inns and taverns she had visited in her travels, and she turns her head to see the elf approach. If she's hesitant she doesn't necessarily mean to be - a small smile twitches on her mouth.

"Hello."

"Hello and welcome! Sit wherever you like, you've beaten the lunch rush." Inessa smiles and nods at the cheerful elven woman, who gives both mabari some loving headpats before letting them be.

"Hello, Nannerl. I'll have some jasmine tea and the soup of the day. Oh, and plenty of bread for the both of us." Glancing around, she chooses a table close to the fireplace.

"And you? What would you like, dearie? We've other teas, scones, croissants...."

Six clearly does not know what to make of it; she has not spent much time in places that are not inns and taverns, where the welcome is far less friendly. She suppresses her wince as she goes forward, breathing out as she finally settles down and sits opposite Inessa.

Then she's questioned about what she wants, and she seems struck for a moment.

"Tea. Any tea. And scones?" She should have asked for help, clearly.

"Tea and scones, it is!" Inessa smiles as Nannerl heads off to take care of their orders, humming to herself as she does so. Garahel plops down by the fireplace, though leaves some room for his buddy to enjoy the warmth as well.

"Good choice, their scones are wonderful. I should bring back some for Kain and myself to go...but there's no rush." She glances to the window, realizing that it's drizzling again. If they can stay in long enough for that to clear, all the better.

"Thank you," Six says quickly as the woman turns to leave. Two waddles over to the fireplace, tail wagging before he settles himself down, angled so he can keep an eye on Six but still be content and comfortable.

Hesitating, Six shifts, trying to make herself comfortable, before she speaks.

"They do that?"

"Oh, yes. I've gotten them to-go before...and it's only due to Garahel's training that the bag remained untouched. That and the mabari crunch treats." Such good boys, Inessa smiles at them fondly. She can't help but want to spoil them, but they've already gotten that on this outing. Anything more would be overkill.

She leans back in her chair, resting her forearms on the table. "I'd wanted to bring you here before...it's not much, but it's my small way of saying thank you. Your support has helped me a great deal, and I know this winter would have been worse without it."

"I don't think I've ever been to a place as nice as this before. I might have to take some back myself." Perhaps she can share it with Myr, or foist some off on Marcoulf. If Adalia was still here... But that is a ridiculous thought to carry. Her sister is gone and so Six must adjust her thoughts and her priorities; protecting people must come first.

Shaking her head, she leans forward just a little.

"I did nothing. You had the strength, Inessa, you simply needed to remember it. I recall being in the same state myself during the weakening of the Veil."

She shakes her head, not about to let Six downplay her role. "Strength is useless if it's forgotten, isn't it? Without someone to remind me of what was real and what wasn't, I don't know that I could have found it. Garahel tried to help, of course, but your words were what I'd needed most at that time."

Mabari aren't always the best solution, though she doesn't say that aloud to spare the feelings of the two near them. "You had your own strength, too; that it was battered by the constant assault is not a mark on your character. No one emerged unscathed." Even if they didn't speak of the matter or acted as though it had never happened, Inessa still noticed the shift in mood that lingered for days. "Do you still prefer the Gallows? I have to stay, for the griffons, but if not for them...I don't know."

The tea arrives just then, Nannerl taking care with both cups. Inessa nods in thanks and curls her fingers around her own cup, savoring the warmth before taking a sip.

"Then I am glad that I was there for you, Inessa. It is not often that I am able to be at the side of a friend in such times, but it is good to hear that I was able to offer you some kind of strength."

Her eyes flick to Two and she softens gently. Sarenrae would like her companion, she is sure of that, and so would have Adrian. He would have admired the strength and the intelligence of such a beast, their devotion, their true hearts and their simple nature. Shaking her head, she bows a head for a moment, hesitating before she breathes out and settles back in her chair.

"I do not know where else I might go other than the Gallows. I am comfortable enough there - it is where I train, where I work. It is easy." Dismissing, of course, any reference to her being good or strong or anything akin to it.

"Easy...it is that, true." She stirs her tea to cool it a little. "I like having my quarters and workspace so close to each other, that convenience is not to be underestimated. It was once the worst Circle in Thedas, but there is a satisfaction to giving it a new reputation now. I'll never be as relaxed as I was there again, but perhaps that's as it should be...and escaping to the city at large isn't guaranteed to solve anything."

She's as much reminding herself as she is explaining to Six, taking another slow sip.

"I do not know enough of the Circles to understand, I think," she admits, voice quiet. "I know a little, from what my sister told me, but it is not something I was adept with. Magic was given to me through my bond, not through study and learning, so it is a foreign concept in some ways."

She sips at her tea, winces a little, but soldiers on.

"I am glad that it is better now."

"It is...relatively, but it is. I don't know that the Veil will fully recover, but that's a city-wide issue. At least we've made it inhabitable again." Inessa's pride isn't so great that she thinks the problem will be hers to solve, or that it will see a solution anytime soon. Given the city's history, there may not be one. But she doesn't want to dwell on that grim note when warm scones are headed their way. Nannerl sets them down before Six. "Here you go, butter and jam on the side. If you want anything else with them, let me know."

She nods to Inessa to let her know that her food is on the way, and the latter sets down her cup. "I remember she said her magic was innate, very similar to mine. Study and learning helped refine it, but it was always there. I wonder if people fear it less, when it's gained through a bond like yours? Having a visible sign of a deity at your back has to be reassuring...and inspiring."

"There must be something that can be done. Why do we have shards if they cannot be used to help the people here?" Logically, she knows the shards come from being pulled from the Rift, not from some divine intervention, but she would like to believe otherwise. She would like to imagine some reason for her being here, that perhaps Sarenrae understood that her place was to come here, to aid these people, to find her sister again.

Pursing her lips, Six breathes out.

"People do not fear magic much in my world, not unless it is dark and evil." The Drow, perhaps, or something linked with a God of nefarious purposes. "Sarenrae gave me a gift from my Oath and people respect that. She is well known for her love of redemption and healing, for smiting the unjust, and they know that my presence will not bring them harm. I come to heal and protect; that is my duty."

That gets an approving nod; one of the reasons Inessa had come to like Six so well is due to the woman's unwavering sense of duty. It's something she shares, having a commitment to something greater than herself even though in her own case a god isn't personally involved. A smile curves her lips as she raises the tea up for a sip. "I respect that, and I know Thedas is better off with you and others such as you willing to do what you can to help. I know it was no one's choice to be here, so I can't fault those who struggle in a land on their own." Not completely, anyway. Those who do nothing constructive with the time given them and complain that Thedas has the audacity not to match their own world of origin...well, they have her puzzled sympathy and judgment in one. "I can only hope that if the tables were turned, that I would retain such a clear sense of purpose. You don't have darkspawn, but surely there are other evils, other dangers?"

Her bowl of soup arrives, with some hunks of warm fresh bread. She gestures to the scones, silently telling Six not to wait further on her account.

"I cannot do much without the powers that I had once, but I still have the strength in my arms. I miss what Sarenrae gave me, but I will not mourn it when there is more I can be doing." There's an intensity in that - she has something she wants to do, someone she wants to protect, and she cannot ignore it. She wants this world to flourish, wants to see it grow and become stronger, just as much as she wants to feel Sarenrae's light again.

Breathing out, she nods her head.

"I have been fighting one." For Adalia, but there is no need for that to be said. "Sarenrae guided me to a soul that needed aid and I gave what I could. Together we hope to destroy an evil being that would take the world hostage and leave it harmed and broken."

"A healthy attitude, to be sure. Focusing on what you can do is usually more productive than dwelling on what you can't, anyway." Inessa pauses to break apart some of that warm bread, dipping it into the soup. She's quiet for a moment, savoring the taste. Near them, Garahel begins to snore lightly.

"...why does it always come to that, I wonder? Some malevolent soul ruining it all for everyone else. They have to live in the world too, don't they? What's the sense in all that destruction?"

"If it is strength the Inquisition needs, then I will give it; I will not hesitate. I will do whatever I can for these people because it is the right thing to do." Six thinks that Sarenrae would be pleased with her for all that she had done, no matter the cost, with the prayers she had been offering each and every single day.

Shaking her head, she picks at her scones.

"Evil wants power. Power encourages people to chase it, to use it. The world matters less when you can be powerful alone."

"I suppose so, it just sounds so...unpragmatic, to me." Inessa shakes her head, possibly almost as offended at that aspect as she is with moral side of the equation. "Only a fool thinks they can manage forever alone, figuratively or literally. It would almost be fitting to leave them in all that resulting wreck and ruin, were it not for what would happen to everyone else."

She shakes her head, then takes a moment to wash down some of that delicious bread with tea. "That's the most anyone can ask of you. We'll give and give and...hopefully something comes of it, for the sake of everyone here. I feel as though we've been looking for the light at the end of that tunnel for a long time...but then I remember the First Blight lasted for nearly two centuries. Entire generations lived and died warring with the darkspawn, not knowing when it might end...or if. Yet they persisted. In light of that, waiting a bit longer doesn't seem so impossible."

"I have never attempted to make sense of it. My duty is to redeem or smite, whichever the path might be. I do what I can and understand what is possible, but the minds of such cruelty are beyond me." She had spent enough time trying to rationalise the actions of her father - not evil, but something close to it in his own way - for her to realise it was not possible. Actions spoke far lounder than words might.

But there is always more to do, and Six knows it.

"I do not know enough of the Blights either, I think. I have fought Darkspawn and done what I can to aid the fighters and Wardens of this world, but I know there is only so much I can do. I know they do not welcome people into their folds often."

"Likewise." Perhaps Six's way of coping was best, to Inessa's mind. Straining to make sense of an often illogical world was a path to madness, if one persisted. Inessa often attempted just that, when younger, but over the course of her life (and she's feeling so very old at 23) has come to realize that's an exercise in futility. Resigning herself to that and focusing on what she can do, rather than can't, has turned out to be a healthier approach.

She nods, stirring her soup before taking another sip. "And these are not normal times for Wardens, politically or otherwise. I wish I could say when that will change and recruitment might happen again, but I...really don't know. If this stretches on for a long time, our numbers might have to face a sharp decline. I would be okay with that, if there was another way to easily fight darkspawn." But there isn't, and that worries her. What will happen if there are no more Wardens to fight the archdemons still within the earth?

"...I'm sorry, that's a heavy subject that doesn't deserve such warm and inviting surroundings."

Six nods, agreement coming easier for her. She knows that this world is very similar to her own - she had seen the reflections more than enough times. It's not the same thing as being home, but she doesn't feel the idle homesickness that other people might have been suffering from. The only thing that she wishes she had was her connection with her God back; she wishes Sarenrae was here, but she's not sure how this world would take it.

The tea makes it easier, at least; she sips from her cup and breaks another piece of her scone off, eating it quietly.

"If I had my powers..." But that's not worth thinking about. "In my world I had the strength to smite evil and restore life to those that had been wounded. I could do that here, if..." If Sarenrae were here. "But I will do what I can to help, no matter what strength I might be lacking. The Darkspawn cannot be allowed to take more and more from the people of this world."

"No, they cannot...but you are more than your powers, Six. The person I see before me I'd gladly fight alongside, and that isn't because of whatever you could do before. You're still one of the strongest people I've met, so I wouldn't say that you're lacking. But I also know what it is to miss what you had before, in a different manner." Inessa smiles wryly and breaks off another piece of bread for dipping, as Garahel begins to lightly snore from beside the fireplace.

"I'll keep searching with what remains of my order in the south. If there is a non-Wardens can contribute, I won't be shy about asking for aid." The can't afford to be, after all.

"Then perhaps you ought to meet more people," Six says it with an edge of a smile, but there is something honest under it. Her eyes flick down to look over at the dogs, just to check on Two, before she relaxes and turns her attention back to Inessa properly. It wouldn't do for her to play a poor dinner guest, after all, even if she is still making herself more comfortbale here.

"If you need my aid you will have it,a lways."

"Thank you...and you have mine should you need it, it doesn't have to be related to my order or special interests." Inessa follows Six's gaze to the dogs and as though sensing it, Garahel's eyes open just a bit. He grunts and yawns, doing a full-body stretch and nuzzling Two.

"Poor babies, they lead such difficult lives, don't they? Stretching out in front of a warm fire like they own the place? I've never seen such hardship. Hopefully they won't be too difficult to rouse for the trip back." Nannerl would probably help with more treats, and it's only because that isn't a daily thing that she wouldn't refuse. Garahel will have to shed a little winter fat.

"Thank you, Inessa." It's said with genuine fondness, something settling on Six's face. She had believed, for a time, that her friendships here were fragile, easily broken - what had happened with Marcoulf have been proof enough of that - but now she feels a little more at peace. She has people she can believe in and she clings to that.

Laughing softly, she smiles at the dogs.

"I'm sure a whistle and promise of a walk might be enough. That or us leaving the room - Two would not let me go anywhere new unless he was on my heels. He is strangely protective."

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