No dreams that I remember. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
I'm not sure how many showed up to the bonfire last night, but if I had to guess, half of Haven was still laying on the ground around here, snoring, when I awoke. Several of us had apparently ended up sleeping in a pile which actually included inquisibabe. That man sounds like a freight train. It's adorable, he's curled into Varric's side, and he's using a leg as a teddy bear. Josie's leg. As I untangled myself, I realized I was cuddled up to Andrew's friend, Gunther, that I'd met earlier. At least everybody was wearing clothes. No hangover, which was a surprise.
First thing I did was check on the boys and Cara. They were fine, still sleeping. I was up rather early, after all. Andrew and Garalen were some of the only people in tents, and they had one to themselves. They'd *ahem* left the flap open. I closed it for them, because I'm nice. Not so nice I won't be TELLING them I closed it at the most embarrassing time I can find, though.
Leliana caught up with me as I was picking up some of the inevitable trash. "Where'd you train as a bard?"
"I didn't. Where I come from, every child is exposed to music as part of their general education. Once they reach about 12 or so, they have the opportunity to include it among their more advanced studies, as well. Most don't do so, but the early education sticks. We don't associate bards with your Orlesian Games. I'd say that fully half of my people could function as a rudimentary minstrel, at least for children, and an eighth of them could pass for a professional if pressed. Our true professionals are VERY good. Maybe one in a thousand."
I looked at her. "I heard you singing last night. You'd probably be able to go professional in my land. I'm no better than the average tavern singer. Back home, we have this thing called Karaoke, in which we all go to a tavern and entertain each other with our musical stylings. We do this for fun. We're a musical people." I shrugged.
It's hard to explain the fact that music permeates every aspect of our lives back in the States. We hear it shopping, driving, in elevators. It's the background to everything we do. We even carry it around with us with ipods and the like. In Thedas, music doesn't float every moment of every day. Can you imagine how someone from Thedas would react to a shopping mall, with every store playing not just different music, but different styles? And then the mall itself playing something else in the halls? And we're all shower singers, or car singers, or something.
She looked at me. "How come everything you say sounds completely implausible, and has the ring of truth to it?"
"Because it is true."
"You don't move like someone who knows about fighting. Then you stand up to people who could easily hurt you, apparently without fear. You walk like a highborn. Then you work as hard as the meanest scullery. You are a puzzle, Chrysopal." She said this rather musingly. Leliana musing is… not comfortable.
"I took some classes a long time ago in hand to hand, but it didn't really stick. I was just doing it for fun and exercise. I could probably get out of some holds, maybe get a few blows in, but I'm not a warrior. Varric says I tend to tell the truth in a way that confuses everyone. It frustrates him as well. I don't mean to, really. I just know that if I lie, you guys will know. I'm a horrible liar. So I tell the truth, and then everyone says I make no sense. I make perfect sense to me." I shrugged.
"We can't find Virginia on our maps."
"I'm not surprised."
"Could you place it there?"
"Actually, no. I'm not sure where it would be, and I was not conscious for the trip here. I wouldn't be able to reconstruct the journey."
"I see." She eyed me carefully. "Enjoy your day, Chrysopal." That woman walks SCARY.
I was about done with maybe an eighth of the trash when people started waking up. Josie attempted to gently remove her leg from Inquisibabe's grasp, but he slid up it and hugged her thigh, head perilously close to more delicate bits. She blushed the loveliest shade of rose. I walked over and poked his side. "Hey, let go of the Ambassador, before she turns purple."
Josie turned a brighter pink. I was bent over them, and Sam let go, grabbing at the hand I was poking him with, but letting go of Josie. He apparently wasn't awake, because he rolled over, taking me with him. He ended up with his head on my stomach, me on my back, his arms wrapped around my middle. Josie was getting up, smiling. "He is apparently a cuddler, Chrissy. Didn't Varric call you Cuddles?"
"That's the last time I rescue you," I slung at her playfully. I tried to push him off, but he just wiggled and repositioned, holding tighter. Josephine dissolved into giggles. Of course, Varric woke up then, because Sam's legs were moving around.
He sat up, holding his head, before glancing over. "If you think I'm not putting this in a book, you're apparently going to pay me quite handsomely."
"Could you get him off me?"
"Me? I'm just a dwarf. With a headache. He's our fearless leader. And really, who could blame him for wanting to cuddle, Cuddles? I have got to go write this down." The little shit was grinning.
"Me! I can blame him. Varric!" It had no effect. Varric wandered off, laughing, leaving me trapped by a snoring, drooling human octopus. Josie was offering to get someone, and putting up suggestions, when Egghead showed up.
"Can I help?"
"Oh yes, Ser Solas, please," Josephine begged. "He positively refuses to wake up, and he rolled over on Chrissy when she got him to let go of my leg." I kept my mouth shut. Some emotion flashed over his face, but it was gone too fast for me to identify it before his usual urbane expression returned.
Solas walked away and got a pitcher. Oh no, he wouldn't. And I was wrong. He proceeded to pour the contents of the pitcher, SOUR ALE, all over inquisibabe's head. Which means he dumped it ON ME. Sam sat upright, letting go and sputtering, of course. Solas squatted next to him. "You had an unwilling pillow, Herald. Do try to get permission before drooling on the ladies." Sam turned his head, saw me covered with ale, and started stammering apologies.
I stood up. I was soaked. This was NOT the way to make me happier with him, so I glared at Solas. And at Sam, for grabbing in the first place. Equal opportunity glaring. Men. And Sam, as I was leaving, asked, "What, no good morning kiss?" Asshole.
I turned around. "Considering you were drooling on Josie's upper thigh not ten minutes ago, I think not. Perhaps she would appreciate an apology? Or maybe you could convince her to kiss you. She was blushing a beautiful rose. Besides, I don't kiss oafs." I was a bit annoyed. What a wonderfully expressive face he has. I love doing that to people. Josie was standing there, in shock, when he started his apologies on her.
Ugh. Solas followed me as I walked off. "Is there a reason you dumped a pitcher of ale on me?" I practically snarled it at him.
"It is the usual way we wake him up in the field. He sleeps like a dwarf. Usually, I admit, we use water."
"Water would have been better. Sour ale stinks, and it's sticky, and…" He interrupted.
"It also, apparently, got you annoyed enough to speak with me." Was that a SMIRK?
Damn it, he was right. I glared at him, then turned and stomped back to Ethelathe cottage. I'd clean up the field after I cleaned up me. Did the school thing and some paperwork. The boys had a lot of fun at the party last night. They talked about it nonstop, so math ended up being food portions and numbers of dancers, just to get them to concentrate.
It was about mid-day when Blackwall, The Iron Bull, and Inquisibabe headed out, on new horses, with spares. That way they'd move faster. They'd been invited to Redcliffe. Looks like Sam's going to side with the mages. Hopefully he'll ally, not conscript. It may throw my timelines off, their having higher quality horses and swap-out mounts.
And Squee! Dorian! And Cole. I just realized that if I get sent back when they close the breach, I'll never meet Cole! I'm so torn now. Well, a little torn. Home.
Anyway, them leaving reminded me that I needed to check with Gethon and the stables. Master Dennet's arrival could be a big shake-up, and finding places for all the horses wouldn't be easy. I'd been shooed out of bonfire cleanup, after all. Is it bad of me that I find it a point of pride I cleaned up a bunch on my own before they got involved? I didn't even argue with them about not participating, which got me some suspicious looks.
Everything was fine at the stables. Gethon and the others like Master Dennet well enough, and he seems to respect the guys. I did happen to overhear a bit of an argument between Madame de Fer and Dennet. Apparently he's not willing to tack up "his" horses in the way she requires. "You can do whatever you want to your horse, Lady, but you'll not be doing that to mine." She'd wanted a "more spirited" mount. Seriously? After she tied and punished and tortured the spirit out of the last one?
I was still displeased when I got to the tavern, and ended up ranting about it to Sera. I didn't mean to. She really pulls stuff out of you. How she's worse than Varric, I don't know, but she is. Somehow we ended up discussing how I worked in a stable in my first year of college (hey, it was decent money), and I ended up explaining all the different tack that pissed me off to her. And which ones I'd taken off Viv's horse. And the concept of high school. Don't ask me how we got to the concept of high school. I was there, and I don't know. "You mean, it's like the boringest party ever, fancy clothes and hair and stuff, putting the little shits on display so they can pair off, but it's every day for 4 years?" Yes, that's what she got out of high school. A "low-brow stupid long Orlesian meat market." She was more… colorful in her language.
Anyway. I checked on the board. I couldn't help myself. It said "Ir Abelas" without using squiggles.
I wrote, "Only because you got caught."
Elias and I made sure that some extra packs of spare clothing and medikits were left in a corner of the Chantry. Not that I was allowed to carry any. Still grounded. Found little Laura there. She was crying because Stephen (the other little orphan boy I know) doesn't want to play with her because "girls are stupid." I told her that he'd change his mind by the time he was twenty. A girl after my own heart, she said she didn't think he'd live that long. So, I introduced her to Josie.
It was love at first sight, truly. Not in a "I want to adopt you" way, but in a big brother/big sister program way. Laura complimented Josie's fluffy quill, and Josie melted. Then she invited her to use it. I left them chatting and conducting writing lessons. My boys are far more advanced in their letters. I'm not sure if that's a childminder issue or if they didn't think it was important to school the orphans. Or maybe the girl. Don't know. Anyway, Josie's got this.
In my opinion, Laura's chances of survival just went up. Now to manage Stephen. I don't trust those childminders. At least all the other young children have been claimed or relocated. Another thing to put on my mental list. I have to make sure everything's in place so it goes smoothly if I'm not here.
Dinner was lovely. We got meat pies at the tavern and had them outside in back, where the tents are. I love Cook's meat pies. She hasn't shared the recipe yet, but I'm still asking. I admit, I ate Dee and Dum's leftovers, too. Hey, I LOVE those meat pies. School, singing, bed. It turned out to be a good day.
Logistics:
Medikit for everyone. Half again as many in spares, stored in the Chantry.
Go bags. Everyone has been instructed that if there is a party after the breach is closed, they are to move their go bags to the Chantry. I used the "Please, it's just a bad feeling. I don't want to talk about it." They think I'm a seer, but I'm not.
I also asked that the boys be moved up to the Chantry for the party. "I'm concerned someone will attack Ethelathe while we're all distracted." Cara promised to take them there before the party and care for them.
Timeline:
14 Herald leaves for Hinterlands
20 Mother Giselle Arrives
23 Herald back
24 Day off
25 Day off.
26-33 Val Royeaux
34 Day off in Haven
35 Extra day off in Haven
36 Another day in Haven
37 Leave for Storm Coast
37-45 Storm coast
45 Payday from hell
46 Day off
47 Day off
48 Leave for Hinterlands
48-52 Playing in hinterlands
53 Day off
54 Leave for Hinterlands
54-58? Fetch mages in redcliffe
61? mages arrive
62? Prep for breach
63? Seal the breach
9 days before my shot to go home. Pray for me, baby.
