#* in.

before they were separated, such a gesture may have come with some hesitation, but by now, all thoughts of propriety have flown out the window. she has been dragged in chains. she has witnessed something so terrible her mind buried the memory. she has been accused, interrogated, and quite frankly, manners don't feel like they should matter much after all of that. so she hugs her mother, and breathes in her perfume, and attempts with great effort to keep it all together. (despite this attempt, her voice wavers.) ❝ i thought i would never see you again. are you alright? ❞

❝ I-I'M SO SORRY, ARE YOU HURT? CAN i help you up? ❞

THE WOMAN WHO WAS NOT HERE A SECOND AGO fixes cullen with a look: a quirk of the brow, the barest flicker of a wry smile. ❝ the girl who would have worried about you needing company is long gone, commander. no need to form your defenses; i'm just a spectator. besides, i'm hardly to blame that you chose the best spot for avoiding sleep. ❞ and it really is an incredible spot. skyhold is deep in slumber, but it is so vast when it is empty, and moonlight spreads in a thin sheet across the mountains around its nestled form. elizabeth folds her arms atop the thick stone wall and looks out, not at the snow-capped peaks behind her, but at the empty courtyard in front of her, bathed in silvery light. ❝ your body will give out soon if you continue on like this, ❞ she murmurs, though she continues to direct her gaze away from cullen. ❝ you're slipping. ❞

❝ goodness gracious, jack. have you ever heard of coercion? ❞

" alright , " she said stupidly , possibly setting herself up to be murdered later . she tried to add a bit of a confident swag to her walk , but it came out awkwardly . " what type of deal ? "

you could call zoey hypocritical . her late ' father's ' money is far from clean , too . she ' s doing her best to wash it , sure , but this hal motherfucker didn ' t look like his dad sent him to help her do so . " listen. just tell me what exactly you want slash came here for , i ' ll pretend to listen , then i'll make you leave . KAPEESH ? "

the   question   causes   jules   to   pause.      he's   never   thought   about   it   before,      but   he   actually   finds   himself   blanking   on   anything   to   say.      how   hard   can   it   be   to   describe   yourself ?         “   uh,      i   dunno,      i   guess   there's   not   much   to   tell.      i   like   guitar.   ”         it's   the   easiest   thing   to   fall   back   on,      but   even   jules   can   tell   that   it's   a   lacklustre   answer.      he   purses   his   lips,      thinks   for   a   minute,      and   then   continues.         “   and   hiking.      pretty   much   anything   outdoors.      gives   me   a   lotta,      like,      inspiration   for   songs   and   stuff.   ”

the   little   lick   he's   playing   on   his   guitar   is   cut   short   with   an   ugly   noise   upon   ben's   question.         “   huh ?   ”         jules   finally   picks   his   head   up   to   look   at   the   man   leaning   impatiently   in   his   doorway.      he   lowers   the   guitar   to   his   lap   and   clears   his   throat.         “   oh.      yeah,      totally,      man,   ”         he   lies,         “   hold   on,      how   much   did   you   say   it   was   again ?   ”         with   that,      he's   digging   through   a   small   wooden   box   next   to   him,      producing   a   tiny   stack   of   bills      ───      what   he   sardonically   calls   his   life   savings.