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Hi! [ She waves back, grinning, before schooling her smile into something a little less manic and offering him a hand to shake. If he doesn't take it, she won't be offended. ] I hope that you don't mind me coming down here to talk with you. I haven't had much chance to speak to another spirit healer in some time.
From near Amaranthine, yes. Are you? [ Her grip has calluses, is firm, but not in a grabby sort of way. She let's go of his hand with a little pat. ] I've been in Northern Orlais for the last little while, it's nice to hear at least the beginnings of a familiar accent.
Denerim. [He tucks his hands under his elbows, having nothing else to do with them now. The way his gaze flickers to her, then around, then back to her may indicate he's fighting with his own difficulties with eye contact. He'd like to be able to apologize for his existence without being rude, so what can you do?] And then the Circle at Lake Calenhad.
Oh, [ she breathes out a little, because yes, of course he'd have been to a Circle. Her gaze is soft, whenever he manages to meet her eyes, and she clasps her hands in front of her. ] I didn't... I never went to a Circle. My magic didn't show up until I was fifteen, and I was on my own already by then. I got married the next year. [ A shrug and she opens her hands. ]
[That gets a real smile instead of a nervous one. What he finds isn't real tea, which is still being rationed, but he finds an excellent substitute. The kettle gets put on.]
Sorry the best I've got is raspberry leaf, [he says, giving her an apologetic look.] But it's good raspberry leaf.
[Taking a seat himself, he glances away, toward, and away again.]
So how'd you learn spirit healing?
Sorry the best I've got is raspberry leaf, [he says, giving her an apologetic look.] But it's good raspberry leaf.
[Taking a seat himself, he glances away, toward, and away again.]
So how'd you learn spirit healing?
Raspberries are delicious, I'll take the leaves just as well.
[ Her warm smile stays on her face even as he turns away. ]
Through the Wardens, mostly. My husband, Helec... he tried, but he was no mage, just incredibly patient. [ She huffs out a small laugh at the memory. ] I could throw a lightning bolt when I met them, and heal little cuts and sprains, but not much more than that.
[ Her warm smile stays on her face even as he turns away. ]
Through the Wardens, mostly. My husband, Helec... he tried, but he was no mage, just incredibly patient. [ She huffs out a small laugh at the memory. ] I could throw a lightning bolt when I met them, and heal little cuts and sprains, but not much more than that.
[ And now he knows someone who managed it, strictly speaking. For a little while, at least. ]
Really? [ She grins at that. ] Oh, that's good to hear. [ A nice story about the Wardens, for once, is a welcome tale to her ears. ] I was very fortunate. Several instructors took pity on my ignorance. Did they go to the Circle, or was this after?
Really? [ She grins at that. ] Oh, that's good to hear. [ A nice story about the Wardens, for once, is a welcome tale to her ears. ] I was very fortunate. Several instructors took pity on my ignorance. Did they go to the Circle, or was this after?
Edited (I forgot like half of what I wanted to say here?) 2021-02-13 00:29 (UTC)
[There's a significant pause, but for good reasons. It's not that the enchanters didn't care about the apprentices in the Circle and what was done to them, but there had always been a lot of (mostly) unfounded rumors about the Templars circulating through the apprentice quarters, and the senior mages seemed not to want to feed into those. If any of them had been approached by an apprentice about a Templar, most would have turned heaven and earth to protect the children under their care. At least, that's what Colin supposes.
Nonetheless, hearing those words spoken explicitly is getting him a bit emotional, even though he is twenty-seven and this is not the Circle.]
I'll try, [he says around a smile.]
Nonetheless, hearing those words spoken explicitly is getting him a bit emotional, even though he is twenty-seven and this is not the Circle.]
I'll try, [he says around a smile.]
Honestly, most Templars aren't troublemakers. The problem in the Circles was that when there were Templar troublemakers, the other Templars wouldn't do anything about it because they were loyal to each other. And the Chantry didn't really look favorably on--
[He realizes who he's talking to and shuts up.]
[He realizes who he's talking to and shuts up.]
[ the sound she makes is distinctly un-Chantry ]
Oh, that bullocks. I'm not abiding with that nonsense. If the Chantry's got a problem with supposed cursed folks, they shouldn't've let a Casteless in their ranks. Well, I suppose we'll take it day by day with this lot at any rate.
Oh, that bullocks. I'm not abiding with that nonsense. If the Chantry's got a problem with supposed cursed folks, they shouldn't've let a Casteless in their ranks. Well, I suppose we'll take it day by day with this lot at any rate.
[He relaxes. He's kept his anti-Chantry sentiments under wraps around her in the past, but this just slipped out. Actually, it's sort of good that it did, because now he knows. She knows what it is to be marginalized and made to be less than a person.]
Really, they're a lot more worrisome as a group than as...this. They can get away from each other, they're not making each other pay if one of them informs on another, and the Chantry isn't rewarding them for putting down mages. Moreover, I'm the one giving many of them lyrium. I know from experience that makes them like me more. Probably not as much as it did in the Circle, though, since they can get lyrium from a number of sources now, but it can't hurt.
Really, they're a lot more worrisome as a group than as...this. They can get away from each other, they're not making each other pay if one of them informs on another, and the Chantry isn't rewarding them for putting down mages. Moreover, I'm the one giving many of them lyrium. I know from experience that makes them like me more. Probably not as much as it did in the Circle, though, since they can get lyrium from a number of sources now, but it can't hurt.
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