faderift | shut up and dance with me ;;

WHO: Merrill & OPEN
WHAT: Open log
WHEN: 29 Guardian - 18 Drakonis; can do earlier but then ignore the dragon bits c:
WHERE: Emprise du Lion, the way back to Skyhold, and Skyhold itself
NOTES: probably adorable

[ Victory, for Merrill, has always meant that the people they were meant to help and defend were safe, whether they were refugees or mages or her group of friends. As long as no one has been too seriously hurt, all of them have tasted sweet. This latest, though, is particularly good: the three dragons that had caused so much harm and scared so many in the Emprise have been defeated, and Merrill was able to help in the takedown of one.

She'd had ideas, good ideas. She'd been listened to. Magic and blades and mabari teeth had all flashed and sang and the dragon had fallen, and where Merrill isn't exactly known to make a ruckus, it makes her happy enough that she can be found celebrating -- at the tavern, because it had been insisted upon, but there's also some delighted humming and skipping through camp. This continues as Merrill starts on her journey back to Skyhold, ready for an adventure of a different sort; she's more than happy to chat with others on the road, or help if they need help.

In Skyhold itself, she can be seen with a little mongrel pup following at her heels. She is, if anything, a bit more subdued in the fortress; when she manages to navigate the twisting halls, she tends to be found in the library, trying to find anything and anything related to her people and to magic. It's a slow process, not in the least helped by her abysmal sense of direction or her willingness to be distracted by her dog, the weather, particularly nice stone work, and anyone who looks interesting. ]

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[ The library does, at least, have windows. It's more for the ravens than the readers, Merrill supposes, but it lets in fresh air and light. It also gives Barkley something to try and jump up to look out of, which he promptly abandons as soon as Katniss is sitting and he thinks he may be able to con some attention out of her. ]

Not much, but that's hardly surprising. Similar looking objects in old drawings, but it's hard to tell how much is just style and how much is accurate. They weren't really interested in preserving our history past what they could use.

[He'll find attention easy to get. Katniss hates cats, but dogs are always all right with her. They hunt, they're friendly, and they listen. She slaps one leather clad leg for Barkley to jump up, so she can scratch his ears.]

May the Dread Wolf take every last one of the bastards. [Was her firm, aggravated statement.] What do the almost globes look like, and what does it say they do?

[ It takes him two or three tries to actually make it up onto Katniss' lap, but once he's there, Barkley happily snuffles at her and wags his tail. He'll never take down a bear, but he's got a good future in rabbits, if he can learn to move in a coordinated fashion with his short legs and long tail. ]

It doesn't say anything specifically; that's the problem. Mostly they're just part of the drawings, but there are mentions of the Veil in each of the paragraphs that correspond with the drawings.

[Katniss leaned into the puppy's kisses, scratching his ears. She leaned up to look at Merrill.]

Okay, so there are things about the Veil, and these globes? But only in pictures.

Right. But I think the Veil must be related, then?

[ They really do need to just turn one of the things on. ]

Hmmmm. You know, we really just need to bite down on the belt and go talk to Cullen, so we can experiment.

[Katniss sighed, looking over at the other woman.]

Probably, [ Merrill agrees, poking at her book. ] It's all just been so... so insane lately.

Yes ... I know I said we should wait until it calmed down a little ... but at this rate we might be fighting Corypheus next week with hand puppets.

[She shook her head ruefully.]

Well, at least he'd be very confused.

[ That's something like an advantage. ]

[Now that had Katniss snorting.]

He wouldn't be the only one.

[She can just imagine the look on Cullen's face, on Harding's, if they tried to battle with hand puppets.]

It would certainly be something people would talk about for years. The Great Hand Puppet Battle of 9:42 Dragon.

[ Assuming anyone survived to talk about it, that is. ]

...As short and bloody as that would be.

[Because that is a disaster waiting to happen, she feels.]

Well, maybe they'd be enchanted hand puppets.

[ To make it... slightly less short. ]

Enchanted hand puppets ... would they in fact that they would swing up and hit Corypheus in the nose?

[That was ... pretty hilarious actually.]

They would! And maybe with little sparking fists.

And we could always stitch them back together.

Little sparking fists ... all right now I just want to see this happen. Even if it's just a puppet show.

[Because how about that for cheering everyone up.]

Oh, I bet the children would love that!

[ And some of the adults, for that matter. ]

We could make all sorts of puppets -- like griffons!

... Okay, wait, no. I am not doing a puppet show. I meant, I would like to see it. But not, you know, do it.

[There was absolutely no way in the name of the Creators, the Maker, or Andraste's sacred ass.]

Not even making the puppets?

[ what about the Stone or the Qun? ]

Oh come on, you want me to make puppets now?

[Amusement touched her lips, as she looked over at Merrill.]

I'll do the enchanting, of course.

[Katniss gave Barkley a scratch between the ears as she gave Merrill the most dead-pan expression in her facial quiver.]

I didn't know you wanted horrifying hand puppets that will scare small children, Merrill.

Well, we'll need one like that for Corypheus, at least.

[ This is said just as seriously, at least until Merrill ends it with a laugh. ]

[Katniss looks up at her for a long, long moment, before her mouth twists.]

I should have known you were putting me on.

I do think it's a good idea.

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