We're Back! A Gallows Tale

[sulahnan]

WHO: Athessa and YOU!
WHAT: Oh, you know. Getting back from the jungle and getting way too into her work.
WHEN: Now, Post-Jungle
WHERE: The Gallows & Kirkwall in general
NOTES: shrug.

I. Back on her Bullshit...or...not.

Athessa is quite possibly the best rested of the whole group that returns from the jungle, having found sleeping rough a lot easier than sleeping in a bed here. Weird. But in the few days that follow, she once again gets back to her habit of not sleeping well and prowling around in a cloud of root-smoke. She also has a small dagger strapped to her hip instead of going unarmed or strapping on her dual-wield blades, and an unusually heightened work ethic during daylight hours. Minimal antics, maximum...something else. Something like responsibility? Weird.

II. Can I Raas you a Question? (Closed to Raas, if that wasn't clear)

They don't know each other. They've never even interacted, at least as far as Athessa can recall. But where else is Athessa supposed to turn, when she doesn't know anyone else who speaks qunlat and doesn't want to snoop around unnecessarily before handing over what she found to the boss?

"'Scuse me..." She isn't timid, just a little awkward. It's not typical for her to introduce herself to someone just to ask a favor. "Do you have a minute?"

III. A New Kind of Office Visit (closed to Yseult)

Athessa knocks before entering, same as usual. But this isn't one of their scheduled check-ins or typical scout work that either of them expect from one another. They're barely settled after getting back from the jungle when Athessa is reporting to Yseult with a missive in one hand, and a qunari dagger in the other. Both are set on Yseult's desk.

"I...figured I should report this to you. I dunno if it even really matters, but I found these in De--in Sten's room."

IV. Wildcard

[ you know the drill ]

Comments

[raas]

Raas' only response was a hard look. When she confirmed Athessa wasn't making a joke, she added a very firm, "No."

[sulahnan]

Athessa chews on her lip again, then realizes she's doing it and blows out a breath.

"I'm starting to think that Sten has a kind of uncommon upbringing..." There's a tension coiling deep in every one of Athessa's muscles, one that she's used to by now, one that tells her to run. But this isn't a scenario she's familiar with. She doesn't even know how she can do anything about this. Or what this is.

"He was injured a while back, nothing too serious, but he wouldn't let the mage healers near him, so I offered to give him stitches the way Dalish do when there isn't a healer around. But when I used a poultice on him to help with the pain, he acted like he'd never seen anything like it before. He asked if it was magic."

It's not a question, really, but Athessa looks at Raas as if searching for confirmation that yes, the Qunari really are strange beings who eschew any and all pain relief, and believe that the concept of comfort is a lie. There is only pain and deception. Raas already seems completely disparate from the Tamassaran in Deimos' memories.