We were barely done with breakfast when Inquisibabe knocked on the post of the doorframe. (It was getting warmer, just slightly, and so many people were coming in and out we just left the door open.) I smiled at him and waved him in. The Tweedles peppered him with questions about his hand before Eadras could hush them. He gave them some non-committal answers and made small talk with the others. Soon, he leaned against the wall near me.
"I don't know which one she was," he said, finally. "I don't recognize anyone but you and that lady cleaning her knives." It was then I realized why he was here. I admit, I looked at him with surprise. He seemed unhappy that he couldn't pick out her face. I may have felt a teensy bit more respect for him at that point.
"You will be kind to her," I said. He nodded. So I called over Leorah, and introduced them. He asked her to take a walk with him, and they headed for the door. "Herald!" I called. He turned. "I hold you responsible for her safety until you return her to us."
"She won't be harmed," he replied somberly, and escorted her out. They were gone through school time, and most of Ethelathe had left for work by the time they returned. She returned smiling, though, so that was good. I didn't ask her what they talked about, but she told me he'd apologized to her for his neglect. On and on how the Herald of Andraste got on his knee to her requesting her forgiveness. Well, well, well. The man knows how to apologize, if her bright face is anything to go by. No signs of kissing, but I figure he's going to be into the Seeker, anyway. Maybe Josephine. He's definitely one to check out ladies, and doesn't seem to notice manly strutting.
She was heading out to the sewing room when Varric of all people came strolling up to the door. Ethelathe was POPULAR today, I'll tell you. We greeted each other and Eadras shooed me out. "Talk to him outside. You're distracting the boys from their work."
Didn't know I was a distraction, but hey, who am I to argue. So when Mssr. ChestHair started meandering, I traipsed along. We'd been walking around the edge of the frozen lake for about five minutes when he said, "you forgot your shoes. I would have thought you'd notice by now." I looked down, and so I had. Oops.
I shrugged and said I was sorry. Offered to go back for them. He smirked at that. "Why bother?" he said. We walked for another few minutes. We'd been silently walking next to each other for way too long. He actually seemed nervous.
Exasperated, I blurted, "What exactly do you want, Master Tethras? We've been walking for ten minutes saying nothing."
"You're a hard person to talk to. Some of the people are a bit spooked. More so than with Chuckles." I didn't see why, and said so. "The paper on the Chantry board, did you do that?"
"Yes… why?" I queried.
"It won't come off."
"It will."
"Okay, WE can't get it off."
"This has people really upset? Putting paper up?"
He just looked at me. "Fine," I said. "Let me get my shoes and some nails and a hammer. I'll take them down and repost them in a more Andrastian fashion." So we went back to Ethelathe Cottage, I put on my shoes, and we went up to the board. God. Scary Nightingale and Scary Apostate were both there, but they must have kicked everyone else out of the area. Deep breaths. Oddly enough, it was not itchy around the board, or around Chuckles this time. There was something weird about the way it felt, though. Not wiggly, but like someone had pushed and pulled at what I did.
Ignoring two scary people, I reached up and smoothed my hand over the sheets. I didn't let my SELF out or anything. The sheets came down in my hands. I handed them to Varric as I went, with a smile. I turned to the scary lady, keeping my eyes off the Wolf. "I brought nails to put them up the Andrastian way. I apologize for doing it incorrectly in front of your holy place." I took the pages from Varric, and proceeded to hammer the nails through the tops. They weren't nearly as neat and tidy.
I smiled at Leliana when I was through, as they'd all three stood there and watched me hammer in six nails. She pursed her lips at me. My smile fell. When I'm nervous I blurt shit out. I said I had to go to the scullery, because today was soap-making day. A voice I'd not heard in real life sounded behind me. "You made up the schedules and gave yourself soap-making?" Chills skittered down my spine. He sounds exactly like in the games.
"It's a dirty, smelly chore that no one likes. Why would I inflict it upon someone else when I have a choice not to? I won't ask someone to do something I'm not willing to do. Tomorrow, I'll be cleaning privies. I'm not too good for either task, My Lord." Keeping my eyes down, turned and curtsied to him as I said My Lord. Varric inhaled audibly. I curtsied then to Leliana. "My lady." I think my voice was much warmer speaking to her.
As I started heading toward the scullery, Varric rushed up to walk with me. "Not a mage?"
I smiled at him. He's got this look to him that's just endearing. "So people keep telling me," I said. "The Templars and mages, mostly." As we were walking, I realized that he wasn't very much shorter than me. Maybe 2-3 inches. Interesting. Somehow I'd always assumed that dwarves were very much shorter than humans, but then again, I'm not human here. "How tall are you, Master Tethras?"
"It's Varric. Why do you want to know?"
"Because I seem to be only about two inches taller than you, and I was curious about my own height."
"Now, Chrissy. I've been near you almost an hour and haven't asked you but two questions. Looks like you're the one being invasive now."
I was horrified. I'd never said he was invasive! I told him that, too. "Well, you said you avoided me about the questions thing."
I sighed. I headed over to a low wall and planted my butt. I still had time for lunch before needing to report to work. I patted the wall next to me. "I guess you're the designated find-out person, yes?" He didn't say anything. "How much are you going to tell other people if I share some of me with you?"
"Depends on what you share, I suppose."
"How about this. I don't personally remember anything of Thedas prior to waking up in the healer's tent. My memories don't match this place at all. I find myself in a place where every single elf I see save one is treated like the dirt on someone's boot. That one stands above and does nothing to help while being served by the rest of us like he's a pampered noble or a chantry sister. I know he's a great and powerful mage, but I'm still resentful. I'm told repeatedly that I'm not a mage by a Templar and people from the mage tent, but I can do things that aren't easily explained away, and I do them in service of my fellows. I saw three Templars on a hill raise their hands to me and cause me the most pain I've ever felt, and people around me were astonished when I stood back up, aching in places inside I didn't know I had. I halfway think this is a dream that I'm hoping I'll wake up from, because this place is horrible. It's dirty and it smells. It's brutal. And people mistreat their animals. At the same time, even if it is a dream, I would think less of myself if I didn't do something to protect people who can't or won't protect themselves. And worst is that there are at least five other people who are exactly in my position, two of which are here in this camp but better at hiding or just ignored. And that's just the start."
Varric looked at me. "That's quite a story, kid."
"Figured you wouldn't believe me. Feel free to make something up, then. It doesn't matter."
"Whoah, I didn't say I didn't believe you." He held his hands up, placatingly.
"Varric, I have to get lunch and head for the scullery. We really do have soap-making today. You have your story. Have a good day, okay?" With that, I hopped down from the wall and strode off. Got myself some lunch, and got to work. I really had hoped he would believe me, and I'm unreasonably hurt that he doesn't.
Soap-making really is dirty and smelly. It's not like you can get lye from the store around here. You have to get hardwood ash, filter water through it, boil the water until an egg floats in it (don't eat the egg), and then add fats. One lady got splashed by lye water, but we doused her in vinegar before she was burnt. Boiling the fats in lye water (add lye to the water, not water to the lye) stinks. A lot. The stirring gets old, too. When the soap is ready, pour/push it into molds, and wait. It'll set up fast and be ready to use in a week or two. We didn't get done until well after dark, and we all went home tired. It's hard work.
They'd already put the Tweedles in bed when I got back, so no cuddles. I'm freshly bathed and heading for bed. Goodnight. Time to blow the visibility off this thing. Herald butt better get his in gear. I want to go home, baby.
Current logistics:
Medikit for every man, woman, and child in Haven as of yesterday. I didn't count them, someone else did. I'm losing the threads, and I have to do better. Dealing too much with higher ups and forgetting what I'm supposed to be doing.
Timeline:
14 Herald leaves for Hinterlands
20 Mother Giselle Arrives
23 Herald back
24 Day off
25 DAY FRICKIN OFF, damnit.
26-33 Val Royeaux
34 Day off in Haven
35 Extra day off in Haven
36 Another day in Haven
37-44? Fetch mages in redcliffe? Therinfall redoubt, 37-45
46? mages arrive (templar arrival date 50)
47? Prep for breach (Templar 51)
48? Seal the breach (Templar 52)