faderift | Tell me a story long and true

Entry tags:

Tell me a story long and true

WHO: Mia Rutherford and OPEN
WHAT: So much to do, so little time. Bustling around Skyhold.
WHEN: Wintermarch. Feel free to fudge the dates as needed.
WHERE: All over the bloody keep.
NOTES: n/a

The weeks press on. The world looks to the Inquisition to see what happens next, the mages and templars struggle to prove their independence and their willingness to work towards the greater good, and a calm finally seems to have settled over the keep in the wake of the abomination attack. Personal trials seem almost trivial in comparison.

Almost. She's still noticeably avoiding Pel, and stiffly departing if the woman ever comes around.

But there's more to be dealt with than one sour encounter. She drops in on Cullen from time to time now, a little less concerned with keeping her distance than she is with how well he's dealing with the lyrium-induced headaches. She visits Katniss soon after hearing about the unfortunate scuffle with one of the soldiers, though part of her is pleased that she's holding her own. There are care packages to be made up and delivered to various families and individuals within Skyhold -- herbs for the healers from the travelers and scouts, and sometimes cookies for the children -- and all in all life is as busy as it should be.

Better than sitting at home in South Reach and fretting, with no one to tend to. Though what must it say about her that she only feels at ease when she's seeing to someone else's needs? Likely nothing she wants to hear, admittedly.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Quickly gathering together some of the packages, Ellana smiles and arranges them in her arms.

"Where are we going with them?" she asks, not yet knowing what they contain. No matter the destination, Ellana will see them safely delivered. It's good to feel useful and contribute to the Inquisition in any way possible. It's something so much bigger than herself, yet filled with people who all have the same goal.

"To the lower quarters. We've had a few families arrive, and I was hoping to get these to them as soon as possible," she replies, straightening with a breath taken. Alright, that's manageable at least.

"Some just arrived from Orlais, as I understand it. It's not enough that the mage rebellion had such an effect on the landscape, but I understand there's a civil war on. And of course, it's the common folk that suffer for it."

Ellana remembers vaguely hearing of the civil war, but not anymore details. She can be a bit judgmental of Orlesians as a whole, based on their history with the elves, but she does recognize such a thing does no good. It's best to get to know individuals instead of lump them together into a group. If she didn't do that, she wouldn't care about Felix now, being that he's a Tevinter and their history with the elves is even worse than Orlais's. And so even though Ellana may not be interested in the political squabbles that led to war, she can show kindness to those affected by it.

"It's good they were able to travel all the way to Skyhold, then," she remarks. "The Inquisition is helping so many." Where the Chantry is not, though she doesn't dare say that aloud.

"It was one of the first things Cullen told me about the Inquisition," Mia admits with a faint smile. "After his assignment. I'd not heard him sound so proud since...well. It had been some time. But he clearly knew it was meant to do great things, to help the people at a time when they needed it most."

That wistfulness gone from her gaze, she turns back to Ellana.

"In truth it's a large part of the reason I'm here, now. I remember how difficult such endeavors can be."

Ellana gives her an encouraging smile. She wishes she could say her reasons for coming to join the Inquisition were entirely selfless, but she can't. Of course she wants to stop this chaos that's been unleashed. She wants the rifts closed, and this Corypheus stopped. She wants people to feel safe again. But she also wanted to leave the clan and see the world.

"I think between you and Katniss, the refugees will want for nothing." Well, except maybe a safe home to return to.

"Let's hope so. There's a great deal that even we can't do alone, but we'll certainly do all we can." She hoists the packages a little higher in her arms. "And these, hopefully, will go a long way in giving solace to people who could sorely use it."

It wasn't all that selfless, she thought, knowing how much she got out of helping them. It was practically its own reward. But it sounded a bit too much like false humility, to say it out loud.

"Food, herbs, some clean clothing, and a few treats for the little ones. May not seem like much, but to people with nothing, who've lost everything? It might mean it bit more."

"It will," Ellana stresses. "Our clan had our little trinkets, but never much. Anything new felt like a great present, especially something that was just for us. We had to share many of the books, for instance." A romance novel Cyril stole for her is one of her prized possessions, because it hasn't been passed around the camp. It's just for her.

She shifts the packages too, though they aren't really heavy, just awkward.

"Clean clothes always feel wonderful to slip on."

"Oh? What sort of books?"

Now she's a bit curious for her own sake. She knows the Dalish mostly kept to themselves and eschewed most things having to do with human culture, for the sake of preserving their own. Books must have been controversial at best, little windows to a world they strove not to be a part of.

Ellana in particular seems like the idea must have enchanted her, even if her clan mates did not approve.

"Various kinds. Histories, children's tales, romances, adventures." It all came down to what they traded with humans, and that was rare. People like Beleth were good at playing the part and telling humans what they wanted to hear, and that in turn got them human goods.

"As you can imagine, the histories weren't popular, but all the books were used to teach us how to read and write, should we ever need it."

"Very practical. I see now."

The gears were working now, turning one over the other as her gaze slipped away. "I'm not sure how many of them can read, but perhaps would could get some sort of consensus. Books might be a lovely idea, for the parents as well. Tell me, what were your favorite when you could find them?"

"My favorite?" Her face goes a rosy shade of pink and she smiles a little in embarrassment. "I like romances." She has a romantic soul, and she loves reading about two people finding each other and discovering that they want to be together. Apparently there's a market for elf/human romances too, because the book Cyril stole for her is one of those. It's another reason she hasn't shared that one with the rest of the clan.

"But that really wouldn't be appropriate for the younger readers. They could have children's tales. Stories that teach lessons and morals."

"Ah. Too true. Though my sister did enjoy reading romances even when she was quite young," Mia chuckles. "And some of the books could be for the parents as much as the children, or those without children of their own. It's important to have variety, I think."

But she retains that smile whens he glances back at the young elf and that flush to her cheeks. She can hardly begrudge a romantic's inclinations. It must be nice, to still have such an unsullied view of the world, at least in some respects.

Some would prefer to think of Ellana as naive of the world and its ways, because of how she acts. But she's experienced loss and heartache just like anybody else. It's simply that she doesn't often show shades of past pain. Hearing that she has an unsullied view would strike her as a better description than "naive."

"We could see what the library has to offer. I know much of it is academic, but I've found stories there too."

None of them had come here without a sad story, it seems. Perhaps one day they'd be able to share that, too. But today was not the day for looking backward with regrets.

"A good idea. Though we might also see about the traders in Redcliffe...it might be nice to give them books they can keep, as well."

Perhaps too lofty a goal, but they could try, could they not? As much power as the Inquisition amassed, some of it might be just as well spent on the good of the people, a morale boost if nothing else.

"After we've delivered theses," she adds, nodding to the stack of packages they're both still carrying.

"That's a good idea. It's nice to have things to call your own. We could ask them about their reading habits when we get down there." And they're not far now. The tents that dot the landscape are a reminder that the Inquisition is gaining traction and people are coming around to all the good it's trying to do in the wake of the explosion at the Conclave and the rise of a new enemy.

"What sort of book do you like to read, Mia?"

"Oh, all sorts. I was hungry for them as a child, whenever I could get a hold of one. History, culture, tales from days gone by...I used to read aloud the ones we were given as children. Rosie was so very small, then, it used to help her sleep at night."

There's a wistful look that crosses her eyes as they make their way closer to the tents, across the stone steps and the muddy ground that never seems to fully dry, given the snow that blows down from the mountainside.

"I didn't know there was more than just you and Cullen," she says, sounding pleasantly surprised. Despite the Dalish teaching that they should have as many children as possible to further their people, Ellana is an only child.

"Maybe you could do the same here? Read to the children if their parents don't know how."

"Perhaps."

It would certainly slow down the usual rush of her day, which might not be so terrible, all told. She tried to crush far too much into the span of hours they were given.

Absently she tucks a loose lock of hair behind her ear. "Assuming their parents don't mind, of course. I don't mean to overstep any boundaries."

"Oh, of course. It's smart of you to think of that. I know I wouldn't want to offend anyone by making assumptions. With their lives turned upside down so quickly, they may wish to keep their children close at hand."

Now that they're getting close to the refugees, she lowers her voice. "Maybe we could say, 'If you would ever wish for some time to take care of things, we can sit down with the children and read them something.' I mean, once we actually get these books."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Tell me a story long and true

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject