Plucking fruitlessly at the trailing fabric as if he might be able to miraculously fuse the ruined fibres back together, Connor glances up when he hears a woman's voice from beside him. "You would do that?" He asks, a furrow of confusion materialising between his brows, "Why?" It's not as though they know each other - perhaps if they did, she would feel differently about offering him her help.

at  his  second  question,  lyra  was  a  little  taken  aback.  she  knew  that  this  world  could  be  harsh  -  she  had  seen  that  first  hand  -  but  she  hadn't  realised  how  distrusting  some  people  might  be  because  of  it.  "  why?  "  she  repeated  before  she  shrugged  her  shoulders,  "  well,  why  not  ?  this  place  is  all  about  coming  together,  right  ?  i'm  happy  to  help.  "

⋰⏆◝ﾉ     𝔹𝔼ℝℕ𝔸ℝ𝔻  𝕍𝔸𝕊𝕂𝕀ℝ     ⤐     lyra  fernmore  .

"𝚈𝙾𝚄  𝙽𝙴𝙴𝙳  𝚃𝙾  𝙲𝙻𝙴𝙰𝙽  𝚈𝙾𝚄𝚁  𝙴𝙰𝚁𝚂,   𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴."   and  here  he  thought  it  was  far  too  early  in  the  day  for  anyone  to  possibly  have  had  too  much  to  drink.   what  is  it  she's  doing  with  her  eyes   —   ?   "no  sherry.   the  cider's  been   —   "   his  brow  furrows  and  he  gestures  around  the  room,   vaguely  to  the  general  area  behind  her.   "out.   about.   getting  drunk   —   for  hours  now."   he  frowns  thoughtfully.   "actually,   it  might  be  done  already,   if  you've  not  had  any  yet.   sorry,   girlie."   an  idea  hits  him  as  he  squats  to  tap  the  cask  and  take  a  drink.   eyes  turn  up  to  lyra,   still  standing  over  him.   he  holds  the  mug  out  to  her,   dark  liquid  sloshing  inside.   "want  to  be  the  first  to  sample   —   this  stuff?"

But then as she threw herself into his arms, he let out a deep laugh, wrapped her into a bear hug and let his body ease once more. "You are sweeter than any honey." He chuckled, pulling her onto his lap. She was so small against his frame, and his arms encircled her tightly and protectively. "You have made me a happy old man by coming to see me tonight, so consider that gift enough." He raised a hand to press a finger against the tip of her nose.

"Now tell me." He pulled back more just to look at her, the ale making it far more difficult than usual for his eyes to focus on the features of her face. "Are you well? Drunk as a dwarf, I should hope. If not, I insist you drink more."

and  it  seemed  to  work  as  she  wrapped  her  arms  around  him,  "  thank  you  !  "  she  giggled.  lyra  prided  herself  on  being  kind  despite  everything  that  she  had  been  through.  she  was  determined  to  keep  that  kindness.  "  you  are  hardly  an  old  man,  cassian.  "  she  gently  told  him  off.  "  i  will  only  allow  that  as  long  as  you  let  me  gift  you  something  later  on,  hm?  "

lyra  raised  an  eyebrow  as  cassian  started  and  she  shifted  a  little  in  his  lap  so  that  she  could  turn  to  look  at  him  properly.  "  i  am  certainly  getting  there.  though  i  think  you're  already  succeeding  in  that,  right?  as  the  birthday  boy  should!  "

danyhra  herself  isn't  exactly  used  to  community,  either.  she  can  understand  the  position  that  lyra  is  in.  when  you're  constantly  on  the  move,  it  is  hard  to  build  community,  build  relationships.  she's  had  friends  in  passing,  but  never  anything  all  that  deep.  but  now  being  here…  maybe  there's  a  chance.  that  is,  so  long  as  her  past  is  not  found  out.

she  turns  to  find  lyra  standing  there  and  her  neutral  expression  quickly  turns  to  a  small  smile.  they  aren't  especially  close,  but  dany  had  been  growing  a  fondness  for  the  other  woman.  she's  just  so  sweet  and  kind,  it's  impossible  not  to  like  her.  she's  the  kind  of  person  the  elf  can  only  hope  to  be,  honestly.

“that's  sweet  of  you,”  she  says  with  a  light  chuckle.  “but  i  don't  wanna  give  you  even  more  work!”  still,  she  looks  around  the  tavern  to  see  if  there's  anything  small  and  easy  that  she  could  pitch  in  with.  “here,  wanna  help  me  scrub  down  the  bar?  i'm  trying  to  clear  all  the  dust  and  get  it  nice  and  shiny.”

as  the  other  gave  her  a  task,  she  quickly  nodded.  lyra  enjoyed  being  busy.  she  liked  to  have  a  task  at  hand.  at  least  that  way,  she  could  keep  her  mind  off  of  anything  that  she  had  come  before.  "  of  course.  "  lyra  smiled  as  she  reached  for  a  cloth  of  her  own,  "  absolutely  no  problem.  happy  to  help.  "

she  set  to  work.  there  were  a  million  questions  that  she  wanted  to  ask  the  other,  a  million  different  things  to  say  but  it  was  like  her  mind  was  moving  too  quickly.  eventually,  she  managed  to  settle  on,  "how  are  you  settling  in  here?  "

Now that was a very good question. Lyra and Zevran were of two people of the same mind, he'd also asked the head chef that very question. "Well you see, I asked the Chef and I said, you are a very accomplished Chef I assume, why not you pick the food?" Zevran shook his head. "And then they said to me, Zevran I have never catered a gala for this kind of occasion I was only the understudy in Haven. Then they looked as though they were going to cry, so you see I think the kitchens are very overwhelmed."

"  oh  ...  oh  dear.  "  lyra  muttered  as  she  listened  to  the  story  of  the  chef  and  she  wished  that  there  was  more  that  she  could  do.  "  well,  i  hope  that  they've  managed  to  compose  themselves  now.  the  pressure  of  an  event  like  this  ...  it  must  be  a  lot.  how  are  you  coping  with  the  whole  thing?  "  she  questioned.  was  it  an  attempt  to  divert  attention?  maybe  a  little  bit.

When Connor’s mother had heard of his invite to the celebration for the newly appointed Inquisitor, she had wasted no time in commissioning a formal set of robes for the occasion, sending them over to his temporary dwelling in Redcliffe Village before he could even try to dissuade her.

The garments are certainly fashionable, slate blue and embroidered in accordance with an Orlesian woman's taste, but they're also damnably itchy, and Connor has spent much of the banquet subtly fidgeting with them, trying to convince them to lie more naturally against his skin. It seems an apt metaphor for his discomfort in this setting - perhaps he should not have come.

"  oh.  be  -  "  careful  was  what  lyra  was  about  to  say  but  the  word  quickly  died  in  her  throat  as  she  heard  the  rip  to  his  robes.  she  chewed  on  her  lip  for  a  moment  and  wondered  if  she  should  give  it  more  attention  or  if  she  should  avert  her  gaze.

eventually,  she  settled  on  the  former.

When the invitation, along with a personal letter from Josie, had arrived by crow, there had not been a second thought on whether or not to travel to Skyhold. It was a both a thrill and a change of scenery in ever darker growing times she needed. But now, as she stood before the heavy wooden door leading into the great hall, she was met with an unfamiliar sensation of nerve. Her breath curled white in the cold air, fingers lingering at the carved handle of her sister's office, the sound of laughter and clinking goblets bleeding faintly through the cracks. It wasn’t like Orlais. Skyhold was raw and unpolished. No courtly masks here, no façade. Not a single indication of a dress code of sorts, sending a noblewoman like herself into a spiral of doubt. The words of the invitation had rung clear in her mind, but the simplicity of them left her unmoored.

She rubbed her palms over her upper thighs, the coarser fabric of her trousers catching against her skin. An unfamiliar sensation after practically spending two years in nothing but the finest silks and lace. But this was not Orlais. Here, silks would only catch the wind and pride would only make her sister’s work harder. She could not, would not, be the Montilyet who turned her nose up at stone and snow.

She was born and bred for politics, then why did this feel so foreign? This place had her consider and reconsider rather she should smile, brightly or a little dimmed, or keep her face calm and unreadable. What mask should she choose, when there was no actual mask to wear? The thought made her lips twitch in a quiet, rueful smile. For once, the world demanded sincerity, and it terrified her perhaps more than deceit ever had. -- She exhaled softly, pushed the doors open, and let the noise of celebration wash over her. With a flash of self-deprecating humor, a charm born of nerves and grace, she stepped forward and spoke; her voice carrying just enough to catch on the air, “I do hope I’ve not arrived too late to catch up to the joyous festivities.” A few heads turned, curious smiles meeting her own. Yvette’s lips curved faintly as she crossed the threshold, the scent of roasted meat and spiced wine chasing away her hesitation. Whatever awaited within Skyhold’s battered walls, she would face it with poise and warmth.

Develva hovered by the infirmary. The Dalish had always felt the most at home by her herbs and medicines, so much so she dedicated herself to the goddess of healing. She was curious about the way the other factions healed and if she could incorporate her skills with theirs. Nobody was currently using it as the infirmary still needed repairs, but there were still medicinal herbs and plenty of supplies she could explore.

The only misgiving that Develva could not forgive was the amount of humans present. The druid rarely left Emerald Graves, and having a human lead the inquisition made Develva uncomfortable. She heard a clatter come from the corner of the room. It must be another one of those stinking humans who love skyhold so much. Almost shadow-like, Develva slowly crept to the noise "I would prefer to be alone while I work" The druid took in the new comer with a tilt of her head.

"  i'm  sorry.  "  lyra  responded,  quickly.  "  i  simply  wonder  if  i  could  offer  my  services  ?  i  gathered  a  lot  of  the  things  that  you  are  looking  at  now.  perhaps  i  could  help  you  figure  out  what  you  require?  "  although  her  words  were  gentle,  there  was  something  beneath  them.  a  sense  of  defiance.  she  would  not  let  someone  make  her  feel  like  she  did  not  belong  in  the  place  that  would  soon  become  her  home.

Lace was many things a good dwarf should not be; Andrastian, a surfacer, a member of a non-dwarven inquisition. But there was one thing she held strong to and that was she was steadiest when her feet were on the ground. Heights were for the tall folk who didn't come from the Stone. And sure, she'd never been underground but there was something ancestral that told her to stay firmly attached to the earth.

And despite all that, Lace found herself peering over the gaps in the battlement to watch the many people already at work, preparing for the gala. She'd be down there soon enough but for now, she planned to indulge in a quick bout of people watching until the queasiness in her stomach grew too much to handle.

In the early hour, Lace hadn't expected many to be passing through this part of the wall so the approaching steps had her stepping away from the edge. "And here I thought everyone not assigned a task would be trying to rest before the whirlwind of the next couple days."

lyra  glanced  to  the  person  nearby.  she  wondered  about  heading  over  or  not  ...  ultimately  deciding  that  this  time  was  to  get  to  know  people,  to  speak  to  those  new.

a  small  smile  slipped  onto  her  lips  as  she  realised  that  the  other  seemed  to  think  similarly  to  her.  "  i  have  a  few  tasks  that  i  need  to  sort  but  i  will  get  to  them  soon.  i  was  just  --  "  she  took  another  deep  breath,  "  taking  a  moment  before  the  chaos.  what's  your  excuse?  "

Cassian had worked wonders that night to prove the true lengths of gluttony. He'd eaten like a king, drunk like a fool, and yet somehow still his belly ached for something he couldn't name. As the midnight hour and the dawn of his birthday crept closer, he wandered ━ yes, wandered, there was absolutely no staggering involved ━ out into Skyhold's gardens to breathe in the night's chill and bathe in the silver light of the stars.

Two flagons of ale in hand and half a pie clenched between his teeth, Cassian dropped himself onto one of the garden's low walls with all the grace of a falling sack of flour. Ale splashed down his tunic as he set the drinks beside him and tore the remaining crust from his mouth, leaning back to study the night sky as if it might hold all the answers he refused to look for.

Footsteps stirred behind him, soft against the gravel. He didn't bother to look. "Sit with me." He said, offering one of the flagons outward without turning his head. "It is bad luck to let a man toast his birthday alone."

though  after  taking  a  few  steps,  she  lost  him  pretty  quickly.  she  wasn't  sure  if  it  was  just  her  general  fear  of  being  in  the  dark  or  if  he  was  more  sober  than  she  had  first  thought  that  he  was.  perhaps she was more drunk than she had thought that she was. though  just  as  she  was  about  to  start  panicking,  she  heard  his  familiar  voice.

"  ah.  just  the  man  that  i  had  been  looking  for.  "  lyra  chimed.  her  eyes  widened  as  she  took  in  what  it  was  that  he  was  saying.  birthday.  birthdays  had  always  been  a  big  thing  for  her  family.  her  parents  ensure  that  they  celebrate  every  year.  it  had  been  something  that  she'd  tried  to  continue  in  the  last  ten  -  by  herself.  though  it  was  difficult.  before  she  could  think  better  of  it  -  or  he  could  push  her  away  -  she  wrapped  her  arms  around  him.  "  happy  birthday  cas  !  i  wish  you  would  have  told  me  earlier.  i  could  have  made  you  something.  "

where:  herald's  rest

— 

dany  had  been  settling  into  her  assigned  quarters  when  she  had  been  informed  of  the  hasty  decision  to  hold  a  sort  of  makeshift  ball  in  an  effort  to  honor  the  new  inquisitor.  likely,  also,  to  put  out  feelers  for  those  who  may  wish  to  join  them  in  the  inquisition.  the  elf  is  still  honestly  unsure  of  what  has  drawn  her  to  their  cause,  there  is  just  this…  inexplicable  pull.  something  deep  down  telling  her  that  this  is  where  she  is  meant  to  be,  after  everything  she  has  endured.

washcloth  in  hand,  the  apostate  scrubs  at  the  bar.  it'll  take  a  lot  more  time  to  get  this  place  to  where  it  used  to  be,  but  dany  is  willing  to  put  in  the  work.  it  had  been  hours  of  this,  trying  to  make  the  place  at  the  very  least  acceptable  by  the  time  the  guests  begin  rolling  in.  the  sweat  beads  at  her  forehead  and  comes  as  a  sign  for  her  to  take  a  moment  to  breathe,  so  she  does  just  that.  leaning  on  the  back  bar,  she  sighs  heavily,  the  ghost  of  a  smile  on  her  lips.  turning  around,  she  looks  at  those  who  will  soon  be  her  coworkers  moving  things  about  the  space,  returning  chairs  to  their  rightful  place  and  such.

a  sudden  tapping  along  the  bar  draws  her  attention  though,  and  she  quickly  whips  her  head  around  to  face  the  culprit  behind  the  noise.  “sorry  about  that.  what  can  i  do  for  ya?  we're  still  getting  the  place  in  order,  but  i  might  be  able  to  whip  something  up  if  you  need  it.”

it became even easier when lyra was given a list of tasks to complete. it was something to take her mind off of having to put down roots here. today, it was taking her mind off of the fact that there would be a ton of people in skyhold for the celebration - some she might know but most that she wouldn't. she didn't like the idea of it.

and because she was so desperate for a distraction, she had flown through her list. which was what found her tapping on the bar, looking for danys attention. " oh. no. i don't want anything. " lyra spoke quickly as she shook her head, " i was actually here to ask if you needed any help getting ready for the party, dany ? " she smiled a little as she looked to the woman in front of her , " i got done with all of my tasks and have a little bit of time so thought that i might as well help where i could. "

𝐖𝐇𝐎:              bernard  vaskir,     open  to  all {   1/5   } 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄:         skyhold  main  hall 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍:           15  solace,   9:41  dragon,   late  afternoon

"𝚂𝙾𝚁𝚁𝚈  𝚃𝙾  𝙳𝙸𝚂𝙰𝙿𝙿𝙾𝙸𝙽𝚃."   𝙷𝙴'𝚂  𝙽𝙾𝚃  𝚂𝙾𝚁𝚁𝚈.   skar  emerges  from  the  cellars  with  a  large  wooden  cask  slung  precariously  over  his  shoulder,   one  sturdy  arm  wrapped  around  the  perfumed  barrel,   scent  of  spiced  citrus  radiating  from  it  and  almost  strong  enough  to  cover  up  the  stench  of  cheap  booze.   "no  sherry  to  be  found."   he  takes  a  few  steps  back  towards  the  chatter  of  raised  voices  in  the  hall  with  little  regard  for  if  the  inquirer  follows  him  or  not.   "this  tastes  almost  like  whiskey,   and  there's  plenty  of  ale  to  be  had   —   that  dwarf  in  the  corner  is  who  you'll  want  to  talk  with."   please,   just  talk  to  anyone,   anyone  but  him.

Zevran blocked the busiest part of Skyhold, the entrance to the warmth. He stood with a journal and a pencil he'd lifted from someone's office. While people were cleaning, decorating and fighting over who got what bunk, Zevran was on duty helping out the overwhelmed kitchen by doing what he did best... second best... no what he did third best! Talking to people.

"Now before you come in from the cold, you must answer this very important and vital to the cause question." Zevran looked at his list trying to guess what answer this person was going to give him. He'd gotten a lot of answers very quickly in this area and most were the same but, he had gotten a few bizzare ones from people who weren't used to being out of the cold. Anything to get indoors.

lyra  had  been  busy  recently.  she  shouldn't  have  expected  differently  in  a  place  like  this  and  so  she'd  been  up  just  as  long  as  the  sun  had  been.  gathering  ingredients,  tending  to  people.  doing  her  best.  she  hadn't  anticipated  being  stopped  by  anyone  on  her  way  back  inside.

moodboard: healers