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

[samahl]

"Wherever they're comfortable, honestly. We can do it in my room if you like?" He wouldn't normally invite people there. It was Merrick's room too after all.

[el_tybs]

"Well as long as I don't have to lay on the ground I can probably make myself comfortable anywhere. So up to you really." Now that he thought about it he didn't know where Cyril had a room.

[samahl]

"Where do you sleep?" Cyril asked, because he realized he also wasn't sure where Sam stayed. It was probably a good sign that he hadn't figured that out.

[el_tybs]

"Somehow I had figured you'd already know that." There's a smirk there as he peers down at Cyril, obviously joking. The Elf just seemed like he knew where he was all the time.

"I sleep in the armory."

[samahl]

Cyril was trying not be completely creepy. He chuckles a bit. "That makes sense." Then, after a moment. "You could just come to my room. Merrick and I have it to ourselves and I think he's going to be distracted by his qunari friend."

[el_tybs]

"It makes sense because I'm a blacksmith?" Sam chuckles a bit as well, playfully giving Cyril a look. "If all your supplies are there then that might work. So long as Merrick isn't going to come looking for me later." Another chuckle, though this one is a bit more nervous. He's spent time with Merrick and the Elf just seemed to tolerate him, but adding Cyril to the mix? It was hard not to notice how protective he was of Cy despite what he often said.

Speaking of Merrick- "You're talking about Metaari? The one Merrick kissed during the arm wrestling match?"

[samahl]

Cyril grinned at the talk about Merrick kissing Metaari. "Yes," he said. "That's the one. I haven't actually met him yet. Have you?"

[el_tybs]

"Yes. Not very long though. Seems like quite the interesting character." There's a pause before Sam raises a brow. "Wait, you haven't met him? I'd assume you'd be the first in line to meet him seeing as you seem to know of him..."

[samahl]

Cyril shook his head. "I didn't want Merrick to think I was crowding him," he admits after a moment. "It's pretty rare for Merrick to be seriously interested in someone. I don't want to make it any more difficult."

[el_tybs]

Seriously interested in someone? He had figured there was something going on based on that kiss, but it sounded like it was more than a little something "So... Metaari isn't just a friend." He grins, able to tease Cyril with this. Maker knows how Merrick would act if he did so with him.

[samahl]

Cyril nods and smiles too. "Yes," he says. "So I don't want to mess it up for him. I want him to be able to figure this out and find out if it makes him happy. If it does, then everything else will be worth it."

[el_tybs]

"Well I hope everything works out." A pause a raised brow. "Not that I'm against it, but... Elf... Qunari?" He might be asking 'how' but not really asking at the same time, curious on how that works.

[samahl]

Cyril raises his brow a bit. "I've fucked a Qunari too, you know," he says bluntly. "It's a lot of fun."

[el_tybs]

Yeeeap, should not have asked. "No, did not know that... um... good to... glad you fun-?" Completely not sure how to be responding to that. Regardless that was probably going to be stuck in his head, much like everything else Cyril seems to say.

No, that isn't a blush! It is clearly the cold.

[samahl]

Cyril tilts his head a bit and he's smiling at the way that Sam is blushing. "His name is Taashath. He's here with the Inquisition. You should meet him if you haven't." After a pause, "Not to say you should sleep with him. I'm sure you're very happy with your current relationship."

[el_tybs]

"Taas?!" he asks a bit loudly though not shouting, but enough so that he snaps his mouth shut and looks at the entrance for a moment. When no one showed up, Sam looks back at Cyril. "I've met him. At first he thought I wanted to fight him....Seriously?" Obviously Cyril was serious about it, but he still has to ask.

He honestly needs to learn not to ask.

At the mention of Krem, Sam seems to blush a bit more. "Yeah," he mutters, trying not to look stupidly happy about it. Course it still was only some kisses and sleeping close. Nothing like what Cyril did.

[samahl]

That look on Sam's face drove away any hint of jealousy that threatened to crop up. The fact that Sam was happy meant everything to Cyril. He cared far more about that the possessing or 'getting' Sam in any sense.

"Taas can be a little intimating but he's also gentle and charming. He was so careful to make sure I wasn't hurt in any unnecessary way. It was wonderful." Then he realizes he's oversharing and chuckles a bit. "And I'll stop there. I don't want your head to explode."

[el_tybs]

"Yeah, we wouldn't want that." Well that hadn't really been oversharing, but knowing Cyril he could and probably would have started to get into some rather serious detail. He's not sure if he's quite ready to hear about all that.

"Well good to hear he treats you right. Otherwise there would have to be trouble." Fighting a Qunari would not be fun in the least, but he wouldn't stand for it if he had harmed Cyril intentionally.

[samahl]

Cyril grins at that. "Would you fight for my honor, Sam?" he asked, and then he leaned over his head and rested it on Sam's shoulder.

[el_tybs]

He blinks at that, raising a brow. "Well... yeah." A pause then a small snort. "Course I think the rest of your clan would take care of it before I could do anything." Just the mass of them would wash over whomever would do such a thing.

[samahl]

He chuckles. "They might. Or they might realize I likely got myself into the mess in the first place."

[el_tybs]

"Even if you did I don't think that would mean you deserve to be treated any less." Maybe a lot of getting his ear chewed off, that would be earned.

[samahl]

Cyril looks at Sam for a moment and then chuckles a bit. "You're too good for your own good."

[el_tybs]

"Maybe. Hasn't landed me in too much trouble just yet." He chuckles as well before giving Cyril a nudge. "Just don't do anything stupid, yeah?"

[samahl]

"I'll try to keep that in mind," he promises.