I'm headed straight for the castle

[make_my_mark]

WHO: Lara Croft and Open
WHAT: Lara has made the journey from the Emprise to Skyhold and is looking to get more acquainted with all this Thedas Inquisition Rift Fade stuff.
WHEN: Late Guardian, after the dragon mission
WHERE: Skyhold, Various
NOTES: None, though spoilers for Rise of the Tomb Raider are possible if that's a thing you're trying to avoid

So this was definitely real then.

Lara had allowed herself a small measure of denial, but it had been weeks, with the cold sinking in her bones; with the strange mark on her palm glowing and tingling unpleasantly. She'd met elves, and dwarves, and qunari. She'd fought a dragon and had a piece of it's skin, a shimmering shade of blue she could barely describe let dream up herself, hanging from her belt.

She'd really traveled across unknown time and space through something called the Fade to this world called Thedas.

It was terrifying, and as she'd come realize the truth of it there had been a few moments of panic. Of a fear stronger than any she'd felt even on Yamatai. A fear for herself, for Jonah, for her world, left with Trinity still operating. Still capable of great evil, and with her gone....

But this was real. And falling apart would get her nowhere.

With Leliana's map and her offer echoing in the back of her mind, Lara set out for mysterious Skyhold.

She wasn't quite sure what she expected - another village, perhaps - but the great, towering castle was certainly more than that and despite everything, her heart skipped, excitement and wonder swelling in her chest as she moved down the bridge.

It was terrifying; but it was also amazing.

Walking through the entrance, her head tipped back, mouth parting on a little gasp of wonder. She couldn't stop herself from drifting toward the nearest wall, fingers running over the stone curiously.

~.~

The castle was even bigger on the inside, she discovered, with so many people.... It was dizzying, but in a good way. It was hard to get swept up in darker thoughts and worries when there was so much to see and learn.

She lingered at the bulletin board, smiling at the familiarity of it even if so much of what was actually posted went over her head. Though she did note the message about rifters, rubbing at her gloved hand absently as she read the details of looked like a support group of sorts.

Turning, she called to someone passing, "Excuse me. Sorry, but can you tell me where the-" She glanced at the note again, "Herald's Rest is?"

~.~

She wanted to see Leliana again. She was one of the people she'd met first after coming through the rift, and she'd certainly seemed to know a great deal about what was going on. And while she'd been - difficult, to read, she had also been kind. And Lara didn't know anyone else at Skyhold.

Talking to Leliana would be as comforting as it was practical.

Though it took some questioning and some searching to finally find the right tower. And then there was the library, stacks upon stacks... She stopped at the top of the stairs, mouth agape, eyes widening.

It a sight as thrilling for her as that of the dragon.

Comments

[make_my_mark]

"I won't deny that I'm curious about everything, and that it didn't take some degree of force to walk away from the books downstairs," a twitch of a smile, "but I also can't pretend that I understand more than I do."

She let out a breath, leaning her arms on her knees, gauntlets clinking softly against the chain-mail hanging around her thighs.

"I'll offer whatever I can, and I do want to be part of figuring out how this all works, how I can go home - I expect to some degree I'll even have to be. But I know nothing about magic, how it works. There's only so much I'll be able to do."

There was a part of her that was that was a little afraid to admit it. Knowing had always been a strength of hers. Something she'd always been able to rely on. Even if she hadn't immediately had the answer, she knew where and how to look... It felt like Yamatai, that same sort of helpless in the face of the impossible. And she'd just started to come with terms with that. Had just started to get some, small hold on it....

"Having something more, might be beneficial."

She wasn't ashamed of her coping mechanisms.

[fightingale]

"I am no mage," Leliana replies, very quietly. "And in truth, I knew sinfully little of this world before the Fifth Blight. I was as blinkered by my privilege as a rifter might be. Do not write yourself off so quickly."

And yet, she well understood Lara's hesitance. A quiet of contemplation follows, before Leliana is ready to answer. Lara is unproven, technically, but certainly the skills she claims to have hold potential. When Lara says that something more might be beneficial, though, her mind goes so fast to Marjolaine - she who owned Leliana, sculpted her. She who Leliana had so idolised.

She will never be the same as Marjolaine. She will be respected and obeyed, but not worshipped. She would not own people in such a way.

"I understand," she says, very softly. "I can grant you such missions, but do not believe yourself bound to it. I would not wish that upon any soul."

[make_my_mark]

Lara knew nothing about Leliana's past, other than the few new names Morrigan had offered in the courtyard, but she sensed that the offer - how it was worded - was of importance. And she appreciated that.

For both of them.

"Thank you." A small nod. "And you have my word that if at any time something feels - inappropriate, for me, I will say so."

[fightingale]

"Good. I will hold you to that." Leliana pauses, and is about to speak further when a scout ascends the stairs. "I fear duty calls, Lara. Perhaps we can arrange for a review of your skills a little later?"

The scout has not drawn closer, remains respectfully distant, and Leliana has not yet looked directly too him, but keeps her focus trained on Lara. "My time is little, but do not hesitate to call upon me."

[make_my_mark]

She looked back at the sound of footsteps on the stairs, eyes ranging quickly over the newcomer before turning back as Leliana spoke.

"No," she shook her head, corners of her mouth turning up in a polite smile. "That's alright. I think I have enough to get started with."

There was a whole library just below them.

She pushed out of her chair and started to step back.

"Thank you again."

[fightingale]

Her nod is slight, but approving nonetheless. Lara knows where to find her, now, and she already has some basics to grant her insight as to where she might like to dig deeper. Leliana cannot immediately offer her more than that, and even if she did, she doubts Lara would need it.

"You're welcome. Another time," she says, in lieu of farewell, before turning her attention to the scout.