OPEN: this will be a better year

[faderifting]

WHO: Everyone
WHAT: First Day
WHEN: Wintermarch 1 (forward-dated)
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: Scouts from both the Western Approach and Emprise du Lion are welcome (but not required) to have returned to Skyhold in time for this event.

There have been better First Day feasts, and less crowded ones, and cheerier ones. It isn't a good year for many to look back on, and this one isn't starting any better. Reports from both Eastern and Western Orlais are grim. Many in the Inquisition can't afford to take more than a few hours away from their work, if that.

But for those who can, the ambassador does her best. At lunchtime some tables, hot food, and finery are reserved for visiting nobility and wealthy pilgrims--cause for grumbling in some quarters, perhaps, but they're the people filling the Inquisition's coffers, and allowances must be made--but there's plenty of stew, bread, and ale for everyone, even with the soldiers and refugees who stay outside the fortress invited inside for the holiday. The recently repaired garden and its carefully tended plants aren't off limits, but anyone noisy and holding a drink will be stopped at the door; the battlements, with their potential for deadly falls, are blocked by Inquisition guards. But the courtyards brim with people, most of them happy despite the possibility that the world might end before another First Day arrives.

If the courtyards are too full of tipsy visitors for comfort, there's also the valley beyond the fortress, expansive, barren, and covered in snow. By the river the soldiers help the refugees make a bonfire larger than would ever be allowed inside Skyhold's walls, and some lend their shields to use as sleds down the embankments. A group of scouts start the most intense game of hide and seek Thedas has ever seen, with snowballs to the face for whoever is found first. In the camp, a refugee girl with her hand wrapped in a green scarf chases other children around the tents, shouting raaar, I'm from the rifts!

Comments

[el_tybs]

Keeper magic again. Once more he's heard it mentioned or seen it, but he still isn't quite sure what it is. "Is it different then other magic?"

[eolasemah]

Of that she's not certain. "It's just a different school, I think," she muses, "...it's particular to the Dalish, and each clan has its own ways."

[el_tybs]

It would make sense that he hadn't heard of it before now if it was particular to the Dalish. "So the magic differs from clan to clan?"

[eolasemah]

Sina nods, finding the question a little amusing. "We only convene about once a year," she points out, "there will naturally be differences in method."

[el_tybs]

"That makes sense." He supposes it isn't that strange of a thing. After all Adelaide was teaching him with techniques that he had not seen in his own Circle. It was probably just because he was used to so many people learning the same thing; the Circle had so many mages while the Dalish had so few. "So what are you growing in here?"

[eolasemah]

"All sorts of things," Sina says, and slowly gets to her feet, careful not to spill her tea. "But mostly herbs for tea and medicine. Some food and flowers, but I think most of the crops will be grown outside the keep. That's not really... my area of expertise." She smiles self-consciously. "Most of the flowers have a purpose, but a few are just pretty. They won't be visible until springtime."

[el_tybs]

"Outside the keep? Where all the snow is right now?" That's not his expertise at all, but he is certainly interested to know how it all worked. "Springtime is a ways off. Will we be good until then?"

[eolasemah]

Realizing how ridiculous she sounds, Sina grins sheepishly and nods. "I don't know," she answered truthfully, "I don't deal much with food supply. Just medicines and the like."

[el_tybs]

"well hopefully someone is taking care of that otherwise we'll be in trouble, yeah?" He hadn't the faintest clue either, but he supposed the Advisors had it covered. "So you supply the medicines that we use at the tents?"

[eolasemah]

"Hopefully!" she agrees. "Yes, or at least we did until... you know. But everything will grow back. That's the nice thing about plants." They can fix themselves, she muses, a bit wistfully.

[el_tybs]

Ah, yes, because of that. "How long do you think that will take?" Not that he's particularly worried, but if they don't have their own supply they might have to get from outside sources.

[eolasemah]

"I'm not sure," Sina answers honestly, "I'm not used to the climate here. It's colder than what I know, but we've put in a request to the mage council for assistance in warming certain patches of the gardens. For the desert and tropical plants, mostly."

[el_tybs]

"Couldn't you pot some of them and bring them down to the hot spring area, or even the armory for warmer temperatures?"

[eolasemah]

As someone who has spent most of her life outside, Sina has never even considered such a thing. She stares at Sam like he's telling her a new scientific discovery.

"...is that...." she says hesitantly, "...a thing that can be done?"

[el_tybs]

Sam blinks and looks back at Sina with equal surprise.

"Um... maybe? I'm only familiar in potting elfroot, so I don't know how other plants would take to it. There's a window near where I sleep in the armory if you want to see about testing out a couple plants."

[eolasemah]

Sina stares at him for a moment more, then smiles oddly and nods. "Yes, we must," she decides. Congratulations Sam, you're part of this experiment now.

[el_tybs]

Well so long as he's part of the experiment and not actually the experiment he'll be fine with it.

"I'll be continuing lessons with Lady LeBlanc on Monday. I could... show up after to help transfer any of the plants you want then?"

[eolasemah]

"Yes, sounds perfect." Sina beams at him, suddenly remembering her tea and taking a sip from it. "Will you tell her hello for me?"

[el_tybs]

"I can," he says with a tilt of his head. "I don't know if you need the practice, but you know you'd be welcome to join us if you liked."

[eolasemah]

Sina hesitated, then shook her head. "I'll be, ah..." she paused, feeling strange no matter how she said it, "...training separately."

[el_tybs]

"Ah." Had he said something wrong? He wasn't trying to sound pushy or anything. "I figured I would offer at least."

[eolasemah]

"I appreciate it," she says, sincerely. Offers are always nice, even if she can't take them up.