OPEN

[mythalenaste]

WHO: Pel Ashara and YOU
WHAT: Beboppin' around Skyhold
WHEN: The middle of Wintermarch through the middle of Guardian.
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: Catch-All. Will update.

OOC: Pel can be found in any of her usual places: the library, the garden, and the tavern. Or make up your own place to find her. PM me for a starter if you want one.

Comments

[madame_de_fer]

"Tea, of course, my dear. Do come have a seat."

Naturally Vivienne's aware that Pel has seen the now unneeded Council uniform and the sandals made to match it. Dalish and their odd notions about footwear is still beyond her comprehension. That is a matter for later.

"I heard the most astonishing news and I felt I must ask you about it directly."

[mythalenaste]

She sits, looking at Vivienne and not the goodies surrounding her.

"Is this about me leaving the Council?"

[madame_de_fer]

"Not quite, though I did mean to ask you about that later. Perhaps we should discuss that now."

Vivienne is looking Pel right on, looking for signs of illness or some other malady of mind or spirit that might have prompted such an abrupt departure. Just because she doesn't see anything doesn't mean it's not there, however, and she's of a good mind to send for a healer as a precautionary measure.

"I'm concerned," emphasis on that word because it's something of an understatement, "by your abrupt departure. Is that truly what you wish or are there underlying circumstances forcing your hand?"

[mythalenaste]

"Both...?" The lingering question mark at the end tilts upward into the air. "I no longer have the trust of my chief supporter. And I hated being on the Council, and I have too many other things to do. I was starting to become someone I didn't like."

[madame_de_fer]

"How dreadfully disappointing."

The words hang in the air between them. The questioning raise in Pel's voice says far more than her own words. It's not entirely her firm decision of what she wants, it is a question. Of course, one could argue that one shouldn't be surprised by the decisions of the Dalish, after all they did refuse to help in the second Blight and were known in the past to kidnap innocents to sacrifice to their gods. Matters of the past which Vivienne has felt held no relevance in the present day.

"I had thought you made of sterner stuff." And Vivienne so dislikes being proven wrong. "But of course, if you feel you were becoming not yourself, you are right to turn away. Artifice for whatever the reasons seldom serves anyone well. I have never found you to be especially false in any way, though you would know yourself better."

[mythalenaste]

"Whyever would you think I'm made of stern stuff? Anyway, Ellana is better at it than I am. This way I won't be jeopardizing her by being too argumentative. And anyway, I'm with the Inquisition as a researcher. I was spending more time on politics than on research. And Varric pays me to read his books for errors. Don't snip at me about not being strong enough when I don't see you working three jobs at once."

[madame_de_fer]

"Now, darling, there's no need to bristle at me." After all, Pel is the one who broached the subject in the first place like she felt a need to defend herself Which, Vivienne notes, she's not doing particularly well and shouldn't feel as if she must do regardless. At least she's polite enough to point that out. "I did tell you I was concerned. If you'd been bullied, I'd be the first to rally to your defense."

The snark about the work Madame de Fer is doing within the Inquisition doesn't even get so much as an eyelash flit in response. Not all work is done openly or in public, indeed the quiet things done behind closed doors and over drinks can be some of the most vital to the success of the organization. If anything, the only response the dig receives is Vivienne settling in just that little bit more to be comfortable.

"But as I said, that was hardly the reason I invited you. Taking adequate time to rest is so terribly important." Especially if Pel is feeling so overwhelmed that she feels the need to abandon the Council and yield having a hand in shaping what the future holds for Thedas.

[mythalenaste]

Oh.

Well.

Pel deflates pretty quickly then, glancing to the side in embarrassment.

"Sorry." Her cheeks burn, but she ignores it. It doesn't matter. The point is addressed, they are moving on.

"Why'd you invite me, then?"

[madame_de_fer]

Vivienne's not quite letting Pel off the hook by offering assurances that it was nothing at all. It's a subtle way of teaching the Dalish without being confrontational or snarky. Instead, she adepts her approach to the subject to something she feels will prove more effective.

Dropping her voice into a conspiratorial level, as if sharing girly gossip, she mentions lightly, "I'd heard Knight-Commander Norrington is courting you."

[mythalenaste]

Pel's face darkens.

"Oh, bugger all," she grumbles. "Everybody thinks it's their business. You going to scold me as well?"

[madame_de_fer]

"I presume that means others have done so." There's a raised eyebrow asking for confirmation of that fact, though Vivienne is quite certain it's true from that prickly comment alone. She's not tsking... yet.

Vivienne makes a business of pouring her tea, settling in, enjoying a first sip before moving forward with the topic. "Whether or not it is their business is a moot point, darling. Romances give them something more pleasant to gossip about than the latest skirmish with red templars or stray darkspawn."

Vivienne isn't going to scold. They are both adults and capable of consenting to whatever relationships they choose. She is, however, rightly concerned with the potential consequences if this is what they are choosing.

[mythalenaste]

Pel selects a pretty little confection. "I think you misunderstand the kind of scolding I'm getting. This isn't from mages who feel scandalized, it's from elves. People I'm close with. Telling me how stupid I am and a traitor to my race."

Nibble. Nibble nibble.

[madame_de_fer]

Well. That certainly gets Vivienne's heckles up. How presumptuous of people to speak of their relationship like that. She frowns. Firmly.

"He pays you a great compliment by paying you court formally. I would by no means consider you a traitor, nor stupid, for treating a relationship with all the respect and care it is due. How impertinent."