faderift | 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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"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."

Lunch break

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