blooming in adversity

The former Templar…now one of Leliana’s agents…sighed. “I’m all right.” 

This was not entirely true. Though he was no longer officially part of the Order, Leliana had arranged with Cullen for him to receive his lyrium ration like any other Templar. After all he did serve the Inquisition, and required it to maintain  his abilities.

However, in the aftermath of the escape from Haven, there was a shortage of lyrium. Samson was far from the only Templar suffering from withdraw. Like  most of his brethren he was pale and and shaky, with dark circles under his eyes. And though icy winds swept the battlements where they stood, he was sweating profusely. And yes, he had just stumbled on the stairs, due to a sudden dizzy spell.

“Thank ya fer askin’,” he said warily. Like so many others, he was ashamed to ask for help.

Daisy frowned, her hand still hovering close to his arm, but not touching. She felt it rude to touch him. Yet she didn’t believe that he was okay. Not entirely. 

Perhaps it was because Daisy knew Templars and knew about the fact they had to take lyrium. She had always been wary of them, especially after having to fight them after the Circles fell, but her time in the Inquisition had diminished it. She considered Cullen a friend and the others who were here were fine. She was always aware of their history, but her compassion supersede any worry.

“You can tell me if you’re not. I will not judge you.” Her voice was soft and quiet. She lowered her hand and instead moved to stand beside him. Perhaps it was because she was the Inquisitor he didn’t want to talk about it. But she wanted to help. Wanted to do anything she could for others. “But it’s fine if you’d prefer not to.”

“I didn’t mean to trouble you, but you look like you’re in pain. Can I do anything to help?”

Daisy did not recognize the man, but she reached out towards him regardless, worry clear on her face. Perhaps she read the situation wrong, but she thought she had seen him stumble and looked pained. If he was hurt, she could heal him. If it was sickness she could help him still. She couldn’t do nothing. 

Daisy was sure to know what to expect when she crossed Josephine’s office on the way to the war room. Only this time, as she closed the door behind her, did she notice someone was standing there. For a moment she blinked but then she realized it was Leliana. That wasn’t a strange sight. It was that Josephine was not here at the moment.

@lathal ♥’ed for a starter!

“Tell me about your home. If you want to.”

Sun spills into the room and across the table. It is midday and the noise of the tavern is a pleasant buzz. There are not too many chances to relax like this, all warm and simple. Her tea is just hot enough not to burn her tongue, but Daisy always drank hotter than most people. She figured it was an odd side-effect of her Winter magic. 

She had thought to get to know Iveani better. She liked the other woman. She was kind and knew thing that Daisy did not know. She wasn’t sure how she felt, but she had hopes that she returned the sentiment. About wanting to know her better. 

The Inquisitor’s faith was on her, and so Aylen would not give up either. She was an optimistic woman, she wanted to see the bright side of things - or a brighter future at least. They were still alive, battered but well enough to walk at least until they found shelter. They would find shelter. They had to.

“It is. Come on, it’s not far. Just a little more,” she encouraged, letting the woman lean on her as they moved forward. They came closer and closer, enough to finally confirm that it was indeed the entrance to a cave. She did not get the Inquisitor inside right away though. She made her lean against the stone outside. “Wait a moment. I’ll make sure there are no threats inside, then we can enter. I won’t be long.”

She stepped into the cave then, as quietly as she could with soaked boots and dripping clothes - which wasn’t very quiet honestly. She did find signs that animals had once been there, but she could see they were long gone. The cave was larger than it looked from the outside, narrowing further ahead into a narrow tunnel that went on into the darkness, and that echoed with the sounds of falling water. It was safe enough. She stepped back out to get Daisy, offering her arm to her again. “It’s empty. Come here, you need to sit down.”

Daisy moved as best as she could alongside Aylen. She really did feel blessed that she was not alone. If she had to navigate this storm and her own exhaustion by herself, Daisy wasn’t sure how well she’d cope. She had never been any good on her lonesome, especially in tense situations. It was almost shameful to consider, but Daisy didn’t think relying on others was a bad thing. 

She didn’t really have much energy to put into thinking too hard. Which was it’s own blessing. She simply was glad for Aylen’s presence and that she seemed to be doing better, if only a little more. Soon they’d be able to rest away from the storm. She just had to keep going. 

Daisy waited against the stone, eyes closing for just a moment. She could hear the sound of rain and thunder, almost as if it pulsed through her and then her eyes fluttered back open. Aylen returned soon after and she leaned against her, glad for the support. 

Once inside, she almost collapsed into a heap on the floor, but she made sure to lower herself as gently as she could. She was soaked and a fire needed to be made. She rested her staff against a wall and got to work on removing her boots and socks. She had to get out of her wet clothes or she’d caught a cold. 

protector / protectee starters || @inmournfulnumbers || accepting

Daisy frowned, looking back at Hodge. 

“I don’t get into trouble.” 

She didn’t. Or at the very least she tried not to. It wasn’t as if she wanted to get involved in things, but sometimes it was hard not to. She looked around Redcliffe for a moment, as if a problem would manifest itself in front of them, and then back to her companion. They were just here to resupply and then back out into the Hinterlands. 

Happy Birthday!

All Hodge could offer in reply was a nod. Her voice grew hesitant at the recollection of those memories. Pained. Even he could see that, close as he was with one hand in hers. Hodge had met other mages in Skyhold, both refugees and combatants in the rebellion, most avoided talk of their experiences. For many, it hurt too much. Unmoored from home by Templars, a locked in a strange place filled with strange people, clinging to familiarity wherever they could find it. The Circles weren’t all devoid of happiness, but even those who grew accustomed to them always started the same way. Some never lost the feeling. For a moment Daisy shed the title of Inquisitor, for a moment she was just another mage like them.

“Can you?” Her giggling banished the guilt beginning to pool in his chest for daring to ask in the first place. A smile quirked his lips, it was a funny thing to imagine after all. So much had changed since then, remembering how he might have looked all those years ago was near impossible. He was hardly so playful now, or so he thought himself. But it was a sweet memory.

Until she asked if he missed them.

“I…” Chewing on his words before he uttered them, Hodge broke from her eyes once more. Feelings were complicated. When he’d first joined the Circle he’d missed them, terribly, as many did. Crying for ones mother in the night wasn’t uncommon among apprentices and Hodge had been no exception. But he’d grown up away from home. He’d changed. Going back now… Would they even recognize him? Did he want them to? The boy they’d known was gone, replaced by a man still picking up pieces of himself.

“… Aye, I miss them, sometimes. But they may be dead, they lived in Kirkwall when I left.”

“I think to think I can.” Daisy giggled. It wasn’t too hard to imagine Hodge younger with his mother, but she was certain that anything she thought of was probably wrong. After all, she had no idea what his parents actually looked like. She wasn’t sure what he might look like. But the feeling she got from it, the thought of dancing with his mom, happy and carefree. Daisy felt like she got close to that. 

The warm feeling that was starting to spread through her, dancing with Hodge, almost having the rest of the room disappear away. Daisy was so happy she had asked him to dance with her. That he said that he had said yes. It was nice to have everything else melt away until it was just the two of them moving together and talking. 

That was until she made a mistake.

Daisy realized now that she shouldn’t have asked. She understood how it felt to lose someone you loved. She even knew what it was like to lose family. It was difficult and heartbreaking. Daisy hadn’t wanted to upset Hodge or bring up painful memories. She stopped dancing, looking up at him with an expression of understanding but also sorry. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know. That must be hard to deal with.” Daisy wanted to hug him. To do something to bring the atmosphere back to the calm and warm feeling, but she also wanted to do something for him. “You don’t have to talk about it. I’m here though, if you need an ear.”