FADE RIFT INBOX

[singularwill]

FADE RIFT INBOX

At the base of the tower is a large circular room, a mural slowly being painted across the wall, a little desk in the middle.

Send a raven, leave a note, or come and visit.

Comments

placed on top of whatever book is on top of the pile-

[rowancrowned]

[ written in precise script, clearly not yet perfected: ]

Solas,

My son has informed me you will be accompanying him on this adventure.
Ensure he stays hale and whole.

Yours,

Re: placed on top of whatever book is on top of the pile-

[singularwill]

[A servant comes and finds Thranduil later, with the following note:]

My friend,

I will do everything in my power to ensure his safety. Know that the cause is just, and that he will earn your pride.

Together we will ensure no elf remains under the hand of slavery.

Yours Sincerely,

Solas

[rowancrowned]

[ the note begins in the same script thranduil signed the letter in, and then halts.
a line is skipped, and the letter redone in common. ]

I am proud of him already. He needs no grand victory to be assured of my affection. He is young; the young seek glory through foolish methods. No parent ever wept less for a martyred child than for one taken by [another name in tengwar. ] for any other reason.

[singularwill]

[Another note, but this time the servant waits to take the reply back personally.]

Perhaps this would be best discussed in person, over tea. Please feel free to meet me in my study, at the base of the library tower.

Yours,

Solas

sometime after the antiva mission

[rowancrowned]

[ solas returns from whatever he was off doing to find a thranduil sitting in his chair, with a very lovely st honore laduree perched on his stack of books. thranduil has his own, but it's halfway gone, and he cuts dainty bites from it with a silver fork.

he raises his eyebrows when solas re-enters the room, and gestures with his fork to the pastry, and- smiles. ]

My son is in one piece. Thank you.

[ and apparently, cake is adequate compensation for legolas' good health. ]

[singularwill]

Your son is incredibly capable. But I was happy to be of whatever small assistance I rendered.

[He glanced at the cake as he stepped over to it... and then gentle picked it up.

He couldn't really resist it.]

And you? Have you had any trouble with your shard, while I was gone?

[rowancrowned]

[ yes, that is a Very Pleased smile. it's excellent cake, of course it is. he gestures to the chair with a fork, encouraging solas to sit.

he should have brought milk, or water, or wine. it is of little consequence now, however. ]

No. [ he looks at his hand, holding the fork. ] It has not since the rift where I met you.

[ he takes another bite of cream and fruit, then sets his plate down on the table, minding the manuscripts. ]

Quendi heal faster than mortals. I admit I am concerned as to how being... [ no better way to say it. ]immortal might affect the shard. I will carry it for the rest of time.

Crystal

[fleurdesel]

(( immediately after this conversation. ))

Solas- I've a question about the shards- about the Herald's anchor if you've a moment.

Re: Crystal

[singularwill]

Mm? Of course, I am at your disposal. What is the question?

Crystal

[fleurdesel]

Did it ever cause her pain? When she was not using it to close rifts or- just. On its own.

[elegiaque]

( a note is delivered, via an orlesian elf maid - katell - who does not linger to wait for a response. )

Solas;

I am writing to inform you of an incident with my shard. A horse charged me and I created, through no purposeful doing of my own, what appeared to be some manner of magical shield. I am, as you know, no mage. It was quite a surprise. I have not attempted to reproduce it.

I hope this information is somehow useful.
Lady Gwenaëlle Vauquelin.

[singularwill]

[The note was left untouched, as Solas had not been in Skyhold, when it was delivered, and instead ended up at the bottom of of a pile of his paperwork until he had time to sort through it again. Once he did, however, he immediately picked up his sending crystal.]

Lady Vauquelin, my apologies. I'm afraid I only just came upon your note. Do you have time to come speak with me?

[elegiaque]

( on the other end of the crystal there is - a startled, feminine sound; the rustling of movement; some hushed, impatient orlesian to the effect of it's a sending crystal, this is perfectly normal. then; )

In the rotunda? I will be there directly, thank you.

[rowancrowned]

There are rooms and even suites at the estate for the humans, a party to which Thranduil does not belong. There are tents for everyone else, in varying states of repair, but through an agent and by the grace of a cloak that covers his ears and shields his face—and by the coin of a few Orlesians who were poor with their bets—he has a room at an inn.

Naturally, he is not there but to bathe and sleep, and must return to the estate to conduct his affairs to listen—and to call on certain folk. Namely, to call upon Solas, and extend an invitation.

He finds him late in the afternoon, the second proper day after they’ve arrived, catches his eye and with a gesture, calls him into the gardens and the hedge-maze. It seems perfect for gossip until one realizes that the Duc, if he is of any intelligence at all, has eavesdroppers hidden within. Again, it is of no matter—he has Craft enough to keep them from being overheard.

“Did you walk all this way, Solas? I did not see you among those in the party who rode from Skyhold.”

(As a point in Thranduil's favor- no, he did not ride an elk. A horse was enough.)

[singularwill]

"Ah, Thranduil. Well met," He said, seeming genuinely pleased to see him as he stepped over. "And yes - I had a few things to attend to, and I am not - ah - exactly the idealised vision of the Inquisition, here in Orlais. So I thought it best to travel with somewhat less pomp and circumstance."

Unlike Thranduil, Solas had gone to absolutely no effort to hide who or what he was - his bald head making his pointed ears stand out even more clearly. Where he was sleeping was anyone's guess.

[rowancrowned]

He smiles- perhaps too many teeth in the expression- but says nothing, for a moment, letting them meander down the path for a little while. What he is, what Galadriel is- that is valuable. How and when it is revealed will have weight, and purpose- so for now, he needs quiet. Inconspicuous.

"We are what we are, my friend. But we are guests- and we owe a measure of respect to our hosts." And their Game, as short-sighted and amateur as it is. It has rules, he will follow them. Disregarding, of course, that he is an elf, and according to their rules should not be playing for what he is playing for.

He is blunt, speaking easily as they turn a corner and a pretty songbird warbles from a branch into the late afternoon air. "We must look the part- or I must, at the very least, alongside my cousin, but Solas-- I would very much like it to be a we."

Solas knows chiefest about the shards, about the Fade- in leaving his letters, he was impolite, and did glance at the contents of his desk. The other male is intelligent, and Thranduil values that. He knows Thedas, which Thranduil needs and- he is witty, which Thranduil likes.

crystal.

[elegiaque]

Alistair - the Warden Alistair - has agreed to help.

Re: crystal.

[singularwill]

Really? [There's a note of disbelief, and a Warden would hardly be his first choice, but --]

He should do. Do you have a place in mind?

[elegiaque]

( he wasn't her first choice, either, to be fair. )

Well, he said he's great at not hitting very hard. And that somewhere no one will see him trying to hit a girl would be ideal. I don't know, though, the only places I know for that sort of thing are the ones where everyone goes.

( because she likes to watch them. ergo. )

Halamshiral

[mythalenaste]

[Seeing Val Royeaux's alienage gave Pel the sort of perspective she needed, perhaps, to have some understanding of what Solas said to her. He hadn't meant that he had no idea what the Dalish ought to do for city elves, only that they should do something and he would judge them until they did it. He meant the Dalish have a lot to make up for, and he wasn't going to make it easy for them.

Maybe. That's what she wants to think he meant. She'll give him the chance to confirm it.

She approaches him as he sits by a campfire, offering a slim box. Inside are a number of very fine pens. She's regifting, but a gift to the Dalish is an incredibly meaningful, even intimate, thing.]

I was an ass, [she says flatly.] Sometimes I am. I've come to apologize. And I think I know what you really meant, about not telling the Dalish what they ought to do for other elves.

[singularwill]

[He was deep in thought when Pel approached, and so didn't seem to notice her until she was holding the offering out to him. He turned his head, an eyebrow arched as he glanced over her. He didn't immediately take the gift.]

Do you? [He sounded interested, rather than sceptical, but his tone was far from warm. Polite, cordial, but not warm. He gestured for her to take a seat, the gift still in her hands.]

[mythalenaste]

[Well, he's not telling her to fuck off, at least. She takes the offered seat and rests her elbows on her knees, still holding the pens out. She glances away.]

I think you meant we Dalish have had our heads up our arses too long and we deserve to work for our answers.

[Her eyes come to meet his after that, blue and impassive, only the thin line of her mouth indicating that this is a difficult admission for her.]

Crystal

[justice_is_blond]

I've... a question, a sort of request, even. Two, really. One, I'd like to learn more about helping the people with shards if I can - I'm assuming the request to see you or Bruce is in reference to something I was present for. And the second is along other lines. You've lived on your own; is it safe to assume you've an assortment of spells that aren't combat-based, but focused on the practical?

[It's a lot of words, a clear sign Anders is a little nervous. The things he's working on are important to him and important things so rarely go well.]

Re: Crystal

[singularwill]

Yes, and yes, would be the short answer to your respective questions. To the first, I think it is best to discuss it in person. You may indeed be able to help, but it is a sensitive topic.

To the second, of course. Is there something in particular you are trying to learn?

[justice_is_blond]

It's more that I want a lot of mages to be able to learn how to make it on their own, and many just don't seem to understand how or where to start. Shall I come somewhere and see you, and we can speak on both?