The noise he makes is somewhere between surprised and mirthless. But maybe she would, with the worlds she's seen before Thedas, assume the reason to be an improvement here.
"We're needed here," he corrects gently. "There's a lot of work that needs doing, and people I wouldn't abandon. Whatever I can do for them, I will."
He means Corypheus, and he means attitudes towards so many here in Thedas (elves, mages, dwarven castes, for instance). He means the mages' cause too; he'd promised Derrica to do what he could for that even before Kostos ever made his announcement. A thousand delicate threads, to people, to causes, to this place, that can't be undone without unraveling who he's become.
Ellie falls into uncomfortable silence, caught out by his answer. It seems so simple, the idea of being needed. Wanted. The idea of being able to do some good.
It shines a light on things Ellie keeps hearing, but doesn't really take to heart.
She's used to being a hindrance, rather than a help. She wonders, in her heart of hearts, if she ever really stopped thinking of herself as cargo.
I think we are here to do good, Nicky had said.
She plucks at her fingers, at the phantom ache in them, and slowly nods.
I am sure there are many flowers and trees that could use water in the meantime.
"I think as long as we're alive, there's something we can do."
The answer comes so easily, something he's spoken and thought more times than he can count. It might sound hollow coming from someone else.
He looks from her hands, to her face, and says, "I don't know what we're going to be able to do, or how much. I don't know how much work will be left when we're done."
Whatever done could possibly mean for them. Vanishing, or death, or capture, or actually saving this world, the Circles undone. Wouldn't that be nice?
"But it'll be more than if we hadn't tried. We're here, and that means something."
"As long as we don't make it worse," Ellie says flippantly, giving a small shrug. They've been doing all right so far, though. No major disasters, no unleashing an apocalypse, no mass casualty.
"And I mean, without us, this asshole noble wouldn't have gotten his counterfeit flower. So really, we're helping."
Ellie gently nudges Holden's arm, flashing him a half-smile, her attempt at humor.
"I've done that before too," he replies, dry. Major disasters, causing a war, mass casualty. "I'd say we're doing alright."
But his tone is light, follows her lead into less fraught territory. He reaches out to give her shoulder a brief squeeze; and then, in a put-upon tone,
"Well, whether it's counterfeit or not will depend on our friend Elarra."
Elarra's shop is near, now, tell-tale sign painted in bright colors. From the looks of her collection as it peeks through glass, if she doesn't have their flower, no one very well might.
Before opening the door he adds, wryly, "But I wouldn't say that too loudly around here."
And with that, they make it to their destination for another round of flower searching and haggling.
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no subject
"We're needed here," he corrects gently. "There's a lot of work that needs doing, and people I wouldn't abandon. Whatever I can do for them, I will."
He means Corypheus, and he means attitudes towards so many here in Thedas (elves, mages, dwarven castes, for instance). He means the mages' cause too; he'd promised Derrica to do what he could for that even before Kostos ever made his announcement. A thousand delicate threads, to people, to causes, to this place, that can't be undone without unraveling who he's become.
no subject
It shines a light on things Ellie keeps hearing, but doesn't really take to heart.
She's used to being a hindrance, rather than a help. She wonders, in her heart of hearts, if she ever really stopped thinking of herself as cargo.
I think we are here to do good, Nicky had said.
She plucks at her fingers, at the phantom ache in them, and slowly nods.
I am sure there are many flowers and trees that could use water in the meantime.
"You really think we can do something?"
no subject
The answer comes so easily, something he's spoken and thought more times than he can count. It might sound hollow coming from someone else.
He looks from her hands, to her face, and says, "I don't know what we're going to be able to do, or how much. I don't know how much work will be left when we're done."
Whatever done could possibly mean for them. Vanishing, or death, or capture, or actually saving this world, the Circles undone. Wouldn't that be nice?
"But it'll be more than if we hadn't tried. We're here, and that means something."
no subject
"And I mean, without us, this asshole noble wouldn't have gotten his counterfeit flower. So really, we're helping."
Ellie gently nudges Holden's arm, flashing him a half-smile, her attempt at humor.
Somehow, she's made things a little too real.
no subject
But his tone is light, follows her lead into less fraught territory. He reaches out to give her shoulder a brief squeeze; and then, in a put-upon tone,
"Well, whether it's counterfeit or not will depend on our friend Elarra."
no subject
The touch doesn't startle her, so she doesn't tense under it. Instead she flashes him a small half-smile, accepting the subject pull.
She chuckles under her breath, starts them moving onward.
"I dunno. Is there an underground rare plant smuggling operation in Thedas?"
If not, they may want to get in on that.
gently puts a bow on this
Elarra's shop is near, now, tell-tale sign painted in bright colors. From the looks of her collection as it peeks through glass, if she doesn't have their flower, no one very well might.
Before opening the door he adds, wryly, "But I wouldn't say that too loudly around here."
And with that, they make it to their destination for another round of flower searching and haggling.