faderift | OPEN: this will be a better year

OPEN: this will be a better year

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!

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Burns grinned, wiggling his eyebrows as he ran off, while the others made themselves comfortable. Norrington hooked himself against a wall, before he smirked a little at the look on Sam's face.

"Well, that's a delight."

The look on Burns' face confirms that he might just do what he's fearing. He's going to have to be careful with how much he drinks. Sam is fine telling stories, but nothing too embarrassing.

"Well maybe you can tell me a little about what you all have been doing so that Burns doesn't miss anything."

The boys all started talking one after another, all over each other. Norrington's lips quirked up in a wry expression, as he shrugged at Sam. He did ask - and now he's got to get all of it all the same time.

He did hold up one hand, "...Perhaps it would be better if we asked Sam what he wanted to hear about most?"

Sam literally has to lean back at how everyone seems to jump at him again, laughing all the while at how excited they were.

"Well... what got you to join the Inquisition? Why now?"

They all looked to one another and put their gaze on Norrington. Who looked more pensive than angry,, before he spoke, "The ... 'orders' from Seeker Lambert finally caught up with us, just as the news of the Herald in Val Royeaux. We decided it was better to follow the solemn oaths we gave -- then the grandstanding of a madman."

Well so much for keeping it calm and happy. Another sigh and Sam nods at the new. So if they hadn't gotten either of those they'd probably still be out there searching. "Perhaps you could talk to the Adviros, Nightingale in particular, about keeping an eye and ear out for that?"

Norrington's eyes widened a little, before he tilted his head at Sam. "Do you truly think they could help?" A pause, "I ... would not want to use up valuable resources on this. Not when we are at war."

"If you are going to say it is just personal perhaps not just so they don't show favoritism to Templars over Mages, but if you bring up concern on how she left Ostwick and a possibility of her joining the enemy's army..." If James were to bring it up like that the Inquisition might be more inclined to do something just to keep their enemy from expanding.

Norrington looked from Mullroy to Murtogg, and they both looked at one another. As if -- it couldn't be that easy, could it? Norrington hesitated, before he stated quietly, "Let us establish ourselves a little more. Then we will ask."

"That would probably do better, waiting. Can't be asking for much if you haven't done much, right?" Honestly just asking was easy, but that didn't guarantee that they would actually do anything, just put it on the table.

"Alright... how about, what did you see out there? Where did you travel?"

Norrington's gaze narrowed thoughtfully, but finally he nodded. "When the time is right, I will approach them." Until then, he would work with the others in repairing the Templars shattered reputation.

Bush returned with two mugs, one he pushed into Sam's hands, "We've been all the way up to the Anderfels, and back again, Sam m'boy. You wouldn't believe how devout they are up there."

At suddenly having a drink shoved in his hands, Sam blinks, turning his head to Burns with a 'thank you' following shortly after. That had been rather quick.

"The Anderfels?" They've got around a lot farther than he was expecting. "Where haven't you been then?"

All of them looked at one another, before they all said calmly, "Tevinter."

Because there had rarely been a Templar who had gone to Tevinter.

Sam blinks at that before giving a bit of a roll of his eyes, head bobbing side to side in a 'yeah yeah' manner. He should've seen that one coming. "Alright, fine. Was there... any place any of you really liked? Want to go back?"

They all smirked at one another, as Norrington shrugged. Burns pressed his lips together, "Oh, I could love living in Val Royeaux. For the women, the liquor, the women ..."

Sam scoffs a bit by that answer. Good ol' Burns. "I'm sure you would. A number of people around here would probably agree with you on that," he says raising up his mug. Zevran for sure.

"I wouldn't say no to the men either ... Ah, Val Royeaux..." Burns sighed, putting a hand to his chest while Mullroy and Murtogg scoffed. Norrington just rolled his eyes, before resting his gaze on Sam.

"What about you, Sam? Where have you traveled since you joined?"

Ah. Certainly Zevran and most definitely Cyril in that case.

At being asked his own adventures, Sam gives a long sigh, rubbing his eyes tiredly at that. "I've been to Redcliffe and the Hinterlands. As well as the Fallow Mire." He's been through and around Ferelden a good amount now that he's thought about it. "I just recently got back from Emprise du Lion. That had been... quite the trip." Both bad and... good, to which Sam hides behind his mug a bit.

The other templars peppered him with questions, while Norrington remained silent for a few moments as he considered what Sam had said. Then he blinked for a moment.

"Emprise du Lion? Why there?"

He was expecting that question to come up, and of course James would be the one asking the serious question. Sam sighs, shaking his head.

"There's been a number of things being said about the area and I was chosen to go with the scouting group. There are... red templars there, as well as spires of red lyrium. They're having the locals mine it."

Well naturally. James was probably a serious baby. He was a serious child, after all. All the Templar's eyes narrow at the mention of the 'red templars', and the red spires of lyrium.

"...and are we going? To Emprise du Lion?" Norrington asked, his voice a little more intent.

Sam shakes his head at that. "I'm not sure. There was another scouting group for a different location. It'll be up to the Advisors I think to decide where we go next. We just got back the other night so it might be some time before we find out."

The Templars all looked to one another, then back to Norrington, who said, "Then ... I suppose we merely wait."

There was a moment of silence, before Burns shook his head. "Enough of this - Sam, what Norrington doesn't want to ask because he's a big chantry prude is this - how available are our options around here? Will they sleep with Templars? Good ones, I mean, not those creepy red bastards."

Norrington snorted softly, "Of course you would ask that -- but ... " Now he was curious, about, ah, several things, "Do you have someone, Sam?"

Thank the Maker he hadn't decided to take a drink like he had considered on doing to pass the silence, because for sure he'd be choking on it right now. As it were the question has Sam's eyes widening, and letting out a huffed exhale. Yep that was certainly something Burns would say, but with no lead up to it, it definitely throws Sam for a loop.

Course when James throws in his own question it is certain that Sam is turning a decent color of red that wasn't from the cold or drink.

"Honestly I don't know about that Burns. There's a lot of different types here so I'm sure you'd be able to find someone," he says with a bit of a sigh, putting his mug down and rubbing his face. Hopefully he doesn't ask for any recommendations.

For a moment Sam is tempted not to say anything about himself, but knowing Skyhold and how things got around the lot of them would find out sooner or later. "And, yes, I do have someone."

"So ... what you're saying is open market? Excellent." Burns rubbed his hands together, and then yelped as Norrington flicked a bread roll at his head. "Ow, sir! And oh ho Sammy boy, is he cute? Does he have brother? Does he have a sister? OW. Sir!"

"Stop." Norrington could tell by the sheepish look on Sam's face that this was a ... sensitive subject. "It's enough if Sam is happy."

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