faderift | [Open] Blade to shackle-bearer, valiant of spirit

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[Open] Blade to shackle-bearer, valiant of spirit

WHO: Character(s: James Norrington, Alayre Sauveterre, Pel Ashara, NPC soldiers and templars and YOU.
WHAT: First Templar Training Session for Inquisition Soldiers
WHEN: 14th of Wintersbreath
WHERE: Skyhold Training Ring
NOTES: Warnings for Violence, Racism against Elves, Templars being badass.

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Norrington had told all of the other Templars that he would begin training the soldiers in direct Templar training on how to handle abominations, and he was as good as his word. He put up a list for sign-up for the soldiers, and it was filled within minutes. His own Templars came to help train the fifty-plus soldiers, and James took on lecturing duties. Explaining the differences between demons and abominations, and beyond that, spirits as best as he understood them. Informed them that no, not all mages were simply 'abominations waiting to happen'. It was a conscious choice of the mage within the Fade to make that deal with a demon, and typically? It was because the mage had lost control of their abilities through either fear or ... coercion.

Then he had each soldier run through practice drills on the best way to defend against demons, using his Templars (and any who volunteered) to walk them through step by step. Then, to demonstrate how it all worked together -- James called Templars into the ring, and took them on, sword and shield. The effect was just what he was hoping for, the men were completely rapt with attention. Which was good - he wanted for them to soak it in.

And if any of the passer-bys wanted to stay and watch? Learn something or just know how much training went into actually hunting and killing demons? Well. Visual demonstrations were always ... effective.

And afterwards ...

Afterwards, James would be hanging milling on the side of the ring - talking to the soldiers or his fellow Templars. If you wanted to speak to him, challenge him to some sort of sparring match, or just taunt from the sidelines? Now was the time.

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"Because Pel loves all of you."

He pressed his lips together, clearing his throat again. "Because - if I am successful, in my courting, there will be the next step."

The words Pel and courting enter her ears, but she can't put them together in a way that makes sense. Instead she lets out a closed-mouth hum of amusement, because of course he's making a joke, yes?

But his face and voice are very serious, and suddenly her face goes very white.

"I'm sorry?" she says, a bit breathless. One hand starts reaching out behind her, looking for something to lean against. Is he honestly courting Pel? Pel, of all people, is courting a human Templar?

"Excuse me, I-- I think I need to sit a moment."

For years now, she's worried that her interest in human culture was causing the rest of her clan to talk behind her back, labeling her a race traitor. Gavin was the only one who understood, and the two spoke together on whether or not that's what they were to everyone else. But once she arrived here, she didn't hold back. Ellana has made friends with humans, and wouldn't hesitate in doing whatever she could for them. And now she knows very well that she cares about Felix a great deal, but she's had no one she could tell. Having feelings for a Tevinter magister's son would make the rest of the clan hate her; she knows it. Tevinter magisters enslave elves. It's because of Tevinter that Elvhenan fell. The dirty looks she'd get from Beleth alone...

And yet Pel can just waltz in and-- no. She needs to take deep breaths. She needs to find a place to sit. Turning away, she looks around for any free spot she can go.

Oh ... oh that isn't good. James had been under the impression that Pel had told the members of her clan but perhaps she had only told her direct family. He followed her, concern filling his green eyes.

"I am ... so sorry. You don't look well, should I get you some water?" He looks around, then to his belt. "I have some healing potions, if you require one?"

Ellana moves to sit in the grass, drawing her knees up towards her chest. She exhales a slight laugh of disbelief, because his offer is so similar to one of the first things Felix ever said to her. She had dropped a book on her head in the library and he had asked if she was all right, and if she would like a potion for the pain. He'd shown her -- an elf -- kindness right from the start.

"No, I will be fine," she says, briefly resting her forehead against her knees. She just needs to come to terms with this revelation; that a Dalish apostate and a human Templar are a couple. And she thought having a crush on a Tevinter was the strangest thing that could happen. After several deep breaths, she turns her head, resting her cheek on her knees. She regards him quietly for a moment, wondering how he managed to capture Pel's attention. And wondering who else in the clan knows. Probably everyone. She's the last to be told anything. Everyone either forgets her, or doesn't think she needs to know things.

"Ir abelas-- I mean, I'm sorry. I knew nothing of this, and it's made me realize some things-- Well, that isn't important." She gives her head a faint shake as she lifts it from her legs. What this means is that the clan surely can't say anything bad about her and who she chooses to be with in the future if Pel's already in a relationship with a Templar, right? Not that anything like that is happening right now in Ellana's life, but she feels relief nonetheless.

"You asked how to impress the clan? We're all very different people, and so I can't give you a definite answer, but you seem willing to apologize and learn from your mistakes when it comes to my people, so you shouldn't worry overmuch. The most important thing would be to show Pel respect, and the rest of us will respect you in turn."

He was going to be in so much trouble when Pel found out about this. Not only did he blurt it to one of her clan without her knowing, but he had upset her so badly that she was about to curl up on herself. Maker, did they hate shems that much?

"Very well ... " He murmured waiting there as she curled up on herself. When she finally began to speak. He listened, a little baffled but he could see where this would be a terrible shock to her, so he made sure that he was kneeling on the ground over her and not looming over her like a giant ... well, human male.

"I am sorry she did not tell you - and if she was going to tell you soon I shall apologize again for spoiling the surprise." His mouth quirked up, "Do you think she will respect me after she finds out I nearly gave you heart palpitations?"

Much calmer now, Ellana offers James a smile and tilts her head a bit to regard him carefully. He seems an honorable man, willing to apologize or make things right where he can.

"She will still respect you, because she is not going to find out about this. You're not going to tell her, because I'm asking you not to, for my sake." There's no need to embarrass herself further here. Luckily no one is currently around to have seen her legs nearly go out from under her. "It's very difficult, you see, to be a person who is fascinated with human culture while living in a clan. It makes people judgy, as you can imagine. And when you told me of your intentions, I was shocked, because I assumed I would be the only one in my clan here who would consider courtship with a human. Well, there's Gavin, but Gavin's always been different like me. I needed a moment to work through it all. But now I have and so there's no need to tell anyone how I acted. I'm just relieved. No Ashara would dare call Pel a race traitor, so now they can't call me one either."

Honor is unbelievably important to James; his own, doubly so.

So when she asks him to keep his tongue, he searches her gaze and sees that she is quite serious. She does not want to draw this out, does not want to embarrass anyone, and now she has something in her own mind that she had been worried about.

His mouth curved up at the corners, although his gaze was a little sad, "I am sorry that they would call you such harsh things -- and pleased that you have had some of your burdens lifted with this."

He paused, "But are you truly sure you are going to be all right?"

"My people have strong opinions," she murmurs. "We have always needed to be strong, no matter what." But that is not a lesson she wishes to give him today, if, in fact, he doesn't already know. Maybe Pel has shared something of it with him. Ellana thinks that perhaps humans would understand them better if they were more open about themselves. They don't have to share the deepest secrets of their culture in order to foster understanding.

"Yes, I am sure. Ma serannas. Ah, that means 'thank you.'" And now her smile turns impish. "I'll be fine as long as you don't plan to turn me in for being an apostate." She is, of course, kidding, because who would he turn her in to anymore? "Is that how Pel caught your eye? Were you on the lookout for apostates?" Her tone makes it clear she really is joking with him, if the smile didn't already give it away.

"Well, that's because you are strong. The Dalish have survived much." There's a stab of guilt there - a proud people brought low by the organization he had dedicated his life to. Sometimes it was easy to see why Cullen had left. He pressed his lips together, looking down at the ground.

"Oh, thank you for the translation - and you are most welcome." He paused, then arched an eyebrow, "The Dalish are not what I would consider 'apostates'." A pause, then a wry, self-deprecating smirk. "Although I have come to understand that what I think of as an apostate is not ... exactly correct. I live, I learn." He shrugs, "You are in no danger from me."

It's incredible how many humans she's met who will openly acknowledge that. She knows that there are humans out there that are like in the stories she grew up hearing, but here in Skyhold, at least, there are far fewer who talk down to elves. If anything, some are merely ignorant of Dalish ways, and when corrected, they learn something new. Just as Ellana has been learning new things about the world of humans.

"I believed apostates were all mages who didn't belong to a Circle. I've heard a few Circle mages here say that now that the Circles are gone, they are all apostates." It's a curious thing. "What does being an apostate mean to you?"

Not a lot of Templars would, but he had been carefully taught, and beyond that he had a great deal of experience in the field where he could actually see the difference between apostates and blood mages, between the Dalish clans and the rogues who used their magic to rob and murder people.

"That is the official term, yes. And ... they are currently all apostates." His mouth twitched. "What is not commonly known is that now, all the Templars are also rogues. So, there is that." He paused, then stated honestly, "An apostate is a mage who does not use their powers for the betterment of all, but for their own selfish ends."

"Oh, because your Chant says it should be so," Ellana replies, her voice a little disappointed. "Adelaide-- do you know her? She said that magic should be used for important things that you can't do with your own two hands. But I use magic to carry heavy things. If I am carrying it for others, that makes it all right, but if I am carrying it for myself, I am selfish?" She shakes her head. "I think magic is useful, but I use it when I feel it's necessary. And that should be good enough for others."

...That was a very literal interpretation of what he had said. Were all the Dalish this literal? He was starting to think so. He frowned for a moment, before he put up a finger, "Let me clarify. Are you carrying heavy things like say - money you stole? A body you need to hide because you stole from them? Those are selfish acts with magic. Using magic to help you with lightening your load is like me using a cart. No one is going to say I cannot use the cart, nor should they say you can't use that magic. However if I am using that cart to run people over and steal their things, then I really shouldn't have the cart."

He paused again, "...Perhaps this is better left a matter of perspective, and let me say I do not think you are selfish?"

Ellana's nose wrinkles. No, she would not steal money or attempt to hide a dead body. But she takes it that he isn't asking seriously. That's a relief.

"And clearly not an apostate either," she adds. "Very well. I suppose it's better than what some others think of me."

Well honestly no. She seemed like a good person, and he didn't think she seemed the type to kill someone and carry their body around with magic. Honestly, that was a little creepy.

"No, you are not an apostate. But I've never thought of Dalish mages as apostates. You serve your gods and goddesses - they are not my Maker or my Andraste but at least you believe." He shook his head, faint frustration in his tone, "... My apologies. Faith is a driving force, one I believe we could all stand to be pushed by, once and awhile. No matter what anyone believes."

Ellana smiles faintly and lowers her voice a little, in the interest of not being overheard. "Another tip for you: wait until the Dalish elf you're talking to volunteers the information that they are devout before assuming they must be. We are a proud people, and don't like any assumptions to be made about us. Even though we make assumptions about other elves in turn."

James's eyebrows rose in surprise - he had thought most Dalish were dedicated to their Creators. He had not thought they could be as faithless as some in the Chantry. He tilted his head at her, with interest, before lowering his own voice. "My apologies -- but may I ask - does that mean you are not devout?"

"No, I wasn't referring to myself," she assures him. "I believe in the Creators, and I show them respect, even though they are now beyond our reach. And I hold Mythal the highest, as she values the same things I do."

He smiles at that, because as he told Pel, it is faith he appreciates - not where the faith lies. However, he lets his expression become serious once more. "I will work on not assuming things about your people. Thank you, for showing me the errors of my ways."

"I think everyone deserves a fair chance. Groups can easily ruin things for everyone, but individuals don't. As long as you don't do something to make me disappointed, then I think we can get along fine." He's willing to learn, and that's the most important thing. Some people are too stubborn and set in their ways. They're too concerned with being right, even when everything else suggests they're wrong.

"I can try not to disappoint you - I shall make no promises though." As he had learned in the days following the fall of Ostwick -- people could disappoint you quite easily. All he could do was try to be the man he wanted to be -- and that was someone who followed Andraste and the Maker's example.

"That's a wise thing to say." Ellana can't fault him for his response, because he surely can't know in advance what might disappoint her.

"It's good enough for me that you'll try."

"Experience has given me some perspective." He sighed, looking off in the distance. "Wisdom is something that I can only strive for. And for her, I will try."

"Good. That is what's important." She finally moves to stand, brushing off the back of her pants. "I should be going. You probably wish to clean up after your training."

He bowed, formally, to her and said with all sincerity. "I thank you for your honesty, and your frankness. I wish you a very good day, Lady Ellana."

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[Open] Blade to shackle-bearer, valiant of spirit

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