( Left on a shelf near the window closest to Adelaide's desk a three little ceramic pots with little plates under them, and slightly different varieties of violets in each.
Beneath one of the saucers is a note; )
Hey Captain,
So, as it turns out cultivating violets is really, really hard. Tried to find wild ones and grab some from the gardens and use samples from this place in Orlais, but no dice. I thought I better re-home these with you before I cultivate them to death. I might just stick with buying any violet-related schnapps ingredients from other people instead of trying to produce it myself.
If the weather gets really cold you might need to get them little sweaters. Or maybe just close a window? Seems too easy, to me.
Have a good day,
Red
Beneath one of the saucers is a note; )
Hey Captain,
So, as it turns out cultivating violets is really, really hard. Tried to find wild ones and grab some from the gardens and use samples from this place in Orlais, but no dice. I thought I better re-home these with you before I cultivate them to death. I might just stick with buying any violet-related schnapps ingredients from other people instead of trying to produce it myself.
If the weather gets really cold you might need to get them little sweaters. Or maybe just close a window? Seems too easy, to me.
Have a good day,
Red
[A little weary, but otherwise in decent spirits, all things considered.]
Hey, Adelaide. I wanted to let you know that the Rivaini mages are safe. The supplies you sent along with me were definitely needed, and put to good use. We're on our way back with them and as much as we could take with us from the Circle.
Hey, Adelaide. I wanted to let you know that the Rivaini mages are safe. The supplies you sent along with me were definitely needed, and put to good use. We're on our way back with them and as much as we could take with us from the Circle.
What can we have ready for you upon your arrival? It has been a long and trying journey, I am certain- we can set aside room for them and a meal so you might rest as soon as you reach Skyhold.
Cots, warm blankets, some warmer clothing. They definitely won't be used to the chill of the Frostbacks. And if you can, please set room aside as far away from the Templars as possible. They're still pretty traumatized and want nothing to do with them. The only exceptions would probably be those that came with us, but I still wouldn't push it.
I will speak to Norrington and make certain he and his are minding the rest. I think there is somewhere in the new barracks that is a fair distance from any templars- whatever I can do? Shall be done.
Good, thank you. He was there, he should know what they went through. But a reminder for his people can't hurt. These aren't the rebel mages used to their presence for the past several months. It'll take time.
...you'll be happy to know that Anders was there and I didn't punch him. Didn't even talk to him.
[Be proud, the urge was always there but she behaved herself.]
...you'll be happy to know that Anders was there and I didn't punch him. Didn't even talk to him.
[Be proud, the urge was always there but she behaved herself.]
You are the picture of noble restraint. I am certain I can find an appropriate bottle of wine or an extra bag of coffee as thanks for that.
[ So terribly proud- it isn't an easy thing to ignore him. ]
[ So terribly proud- it isn't an easy thing to ignore him. ]
Either will do nicely. I look forward to sprawling out with you somewhere and complaining about people again.
I will have more than enough room. Half of my students have moved to the new housing we finished adjacent to the Hold. I think we might have to look into expanding it some time in the future if we continue to bring in people.
[A jar of orange honey is left on her desk, along with a short note.]
Ade-ade,
I thought you might like this.
-De-de.
Ade-ade,
I thought you might like this.
-De-de.
( She bounds up the stairs to go and meet Adelaide once she hears word that they're back. She doesn't hear much else, but there are a couple of things she has in her hands when she knocks on the door. The first is a bottle of the new and slightly refined violet schnapps, and the second is a box of macarons that she may have had to make significant bribes to get hold of, but that the very enthusiastic tal-vachef had been excited to provide.
Ruby knocks, before opening the door out of habit, and smiling brightly at the sight of Adelaide. )
Hey. It's so good to see you, you have no idea.
Ruby knocks, before opening the door out of habit, and smiling brightly at the sight of Adelaide. )
Hey. It's so good to see you, you have no idea.
[ It had been a long, miserable march back to Skyhold. A few nights spent deeper in the bottle than she might have liked, in sullen commiseration with those that wished to heal and instead had to aid in murder. Aside from the odd deadpan comment she'd been stoic. Still. Calm and as certain as she could manage but now? She is home in the room she's earned for herself. Her desk as she left it. Remi curled on her pillow. Pack still dangling from her fingers where she stands roughly mid stride.
Frozen in a whirl of hypothetical. What could she have done differently, could they have been quicker, could she have possibly known how far gone the boy was, would a swift death as himself have been better-
Ruby shakes her from it. She turns, face still in that hard kept serene mask. ]
I- I missed you as well, Red.
[ Awkward and stilted and honest while she attempts to pull herself together. ]
Frozen in a whirl of hypothetical. What could she have done differently, could they have been quicker, could she have possibly known how far gone the boy was, would a swift death as himself have been better-
Ruby shakes her from it. She turns, face still in that hard kept serene mask. ]
I- I missed you as well, Red.
[ Awkward and stilted and honest while she attempts to pull herself together. ]
( Ruby's head cants ever so slightly to the side. She's here, but she's not here, it seems like, and Ruby's brow furrows a little as she takes a couple steps forward, setting down the wine and macarons on the first available surface. Sure, they were awesome, but they could definitely wait. They could wait an eternity, so far as Ruby as concerned, starting to move closer to Adelaide with a smile. )
How are you?
( Warm, but not quite so intensely chipper. It's a little more gentle, as she reaches for Adelaide's pack. She's feeling concerned feelings. )
How are you?
( Warm, but not quite so intensely chipper. It's a little more gentle, as she reaches for Adelaide's pack. She's feeling concerned feelings. )
Adequate.
[ The usual answer when she cannot find the words- but she isn't adequate, is she? She was inadequate when she was needed most. Insufficient to the task at hand. Lacking. Distinctly lacking in more ways than she can begin to count and the first crack in her composure starts with a beading of hot tears at her lashes. There's no attempt to stop them, no rolling of her eyes upward, no willing them away.
Her voice wavers, faintly, as she releases her pack. ]
We investigated the area as required. Reports will be written. There was a child abomination we failed to subdue before the rage demon forced inside took root.
[ The usual answer when she cannot find the words- but she isn't adequate, is she? She was inadequate when she was needed most. Insufficient to the task at hand. Lacking. Distinctly lacking in more ways than she can begin to count and the first crack in her composure starts with a beading of hot tears at her lashes. There's no attempt to stop them, no rolling of her eyes upward, no willing them away.
Her voice wavers, faintly, as she releases her pack. ]
We investigated the area as required. Reports will be written. There was a child abomination we failed to subdue before the rage demon forced inside took root.
( Oh, no.
The pack is set down quickly - not careless, it's Adelaide's, it's important, but very quickly - as Ruby steps forward. The distance between them is closed in a single, long stride, one hand pressing to Adelaide's back while the other cups her jaw. )
Hey.
( Things can't ever just be simple, can they? ) That doesn't sound like 'adequate.' That sounds more like you need to sit down. Maybe stop beating yourself up for five minutes.
( Because she knows Adelaide, knows exactly where this is headed, because LeBlancs like to hold their hands over a flame if that's what a standard demands of them. ) Del, look at me.
The pack is set down quickly - not careless, it's Adelaide's, it's important, but very quickly - as Ruby steps forward. The distance between them is closed in a single, long stride, one hand pressing to Adelaide's back while the other cups her jaw. )
Hey.
( Things can't ever just be simple, can they? ) That doesn't sound like 'adequate.' That sounds more like you need to sit down. Maybe stop beating yourself up for five minutes.
( Because she knows Adelaide, knows exactly where this is headed, because LeBlancs like to hold their hands over a flame if that's what a standard demands of them. ) Del, look at me.
I argued that we should- we can cure it. We have cured it, we had saved Anders and he was only a boy- [ Cracks spreading, creeping. Spidering on like frost and oh, how cold her skin as she wrestles with her emotions, how her breath clouds between them. Ruby's hand is a searing point of contact on her jaw, an ember glowing against her back. ] We could not-
[ Her voice cracks too, now, her few threads of composure snapping like twigs. Dry and brittle and she held it the whole ride back. Swallowed down her bitterness, her frustration.
A breath, a word- Del. Ringing like a bell as her tears spill over and she looks at Ruby, sees her and knows she is home. ] We couldn't save him. We couldn't-
[ Her voice cracks too, now, her few threads of composure snapping like twigs. Dry and brittle and she held it the whole ride back. Swallowed down her bitterness, her frustration.
A breath, a word- Del. Ringing like a bell as her tears spill over and she looks at Ruby, sees her and knows she is home. ] We couldn't save him. We couldn't-
( So gently, she tries to shush Adelaide's word. She doesn't know if getting it out will make it better or if the words will just sting, the lash of a whip over raw wounds. )
I'm sorry. You did everything you could. I know you did.
( You're Adelaide. Even if other people didn't do everything that they could, Adelaide? Adelaide was exactly the person to try everything, no matter what. Her thumb brushes away some of those tears, and she leans her forehead against Adelaide's, inhaling the cold air from her breath, letting the ever-hitched temperature of her own body try to warm Adelaide's at the cold spreads. )
It'll be okay. I've got you. C'mon.
I'm sorry. You did everything you could. I know you did.
( You're Adelaide. Even if other people didn't do everything that they could, Adelaide? Adelaide was exactly the person to try everything, no matter what. Her thumb brushes away some of those tears, and she leans her forehead against Adelaide's, inhaling the cold air from her breath, letting the ever-hitched temperature of her own body try to warm Adelaide's at the cold spreads. )
It'll be okay. I've got you. C'mon.
[ She can say it. She must say it. She's said it before with Lauren- before there was hope, before there was a cure but now? It sticks like nettles in her throat, cutting and bitter and raw. This is their failure.
Her failure.
'We killed him.'
Three words but all that comes out is- ]
We failed.
[ Soft and small and so very angry. She should've been better. She should've been able to see, should have listened. Assuming she knows, assuming she is- her thoughts scatter in the face of Ruby's warmth and compassion, her heart heavy and sore and shuddering like the rest of her. Somewhere in all of this she's begun trembling, shivering as she finally reaches up to cling back. ]
I failed.
Her failure.
'We killed him.'
Three words but all that comes out is- ]
We failed.
[ Soft and small and so very angry. She should've been better. She should've been able to see, should have listened. Assuming she knows, assuming she is- her thoughts scatter in the face of Ruby's warmth and compassion, her heart heavy and sore and shuddering like the rest of her. Somewhere in all of this she's begun trembling, shivering as she finally reaches up to cling back. ]
I failed.
You didn't fail. ( The words almost seem exhaled, for how soft they are and how they come with the painful draw of her breath as she listens to Adelaide tear pieces off herself. ) You couldn't save him. You can't save everyone, it's what happens.
( She presses a kiss to Adelaide's forehead, then to the apple of her cheek, stopping the track of another tear. Fiercely, she goes on. )
You did everything that you could. You tried, and that's more than what a lot of people would even think to do. You did not fail.
( The hand at Adelaide's cheek drops so that both her arms can wrap around Adelaide, as Ruby presses another kiss to her cheek and murmurs against her skin. ) I believe in you. You didn't fail.
( She presses a kiss to Adelaide's forehead, then to the apple of her cheek, stopping the track of another tear. Fiercely, she goes on. )
You did everything that you could. You tried, and that's more than what a lot of people would even think to do. You did not fail.
( The hand at Adelaide's cheek drops so that both her arms can wrap around Adelaide, as Ruby presses another kiss to her cheek and murmurs against her skin. ) I believe in you. You didn't fail.
[There's a knock on Adelaide's door.]
The door is open.
[ She calls from where she's going over her notes yet again, trying to decipher something found in the Venatori base. ]
[ She calls from where she's going over her notes yet again, trying to decipher something found in the Venatori base. ]
You know wine. You know a lot about wine, yes? Would there ever be a time when lye would be involved in making it?
I drink wine, Anders, And my family does have a vineyard in their name. But- Lye is for soaps and cleaning. Not for wine.
You drink a lot of wine, I figured you'd expertise. But the other is what I thought, thank you.
after the brecilian mission, vaguely early... whatever this month is
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eviscerates
2016-11-07 05:41 am (UTC)(link)
Captain?
( That quiet sound she can hear in the background? Definitely nothing at all to do with puppy sounds. Nope. No way no how.
Help? )
( That quiet sound she can hear in the background? Definitely nothing at all to do with puppy sounds. Nope. No way no how.
Help? )
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