fundamentally flawed.

[rorydouris]

pippabragadin‌:

“sing? me?” she pulls a face as she goes in for another sip of her drink, the freckles on her nose pinching together in the process. “marydenshouldn’t. especially if she doesn’t want this place to clear out in a blink. i’ll keep on saving my serenades for the bath i think.”

it’s a rare thing now for someone to actually be curious about her home ——– at least for something other than the one thing most want to hear about. ( and she’d already grown rather tired of having to explain it again and again on her trip across the waking sea. ) so perhaps it was that mindset that convinced her that rory wouldn’t find her stories about wandering around the coast or pretending to fish off the docks with a bit of bread and a length of string tied to a stick. getting to talk about it like this ————– it did her good.

    “fresh apples —- that sounds lovely right about now.” the food here isn’t as terrible as she would have guessed ( and she’s coming from a place where the stew on a daily basis was more surprise than actual stew ), but there are things that she misses that just aren’t like they would be at home. 

    “you’re going to have me raiding the kitchen after this, aren’t you?”

          “oh, well - ” rory started, chuckling a bit at the other’s scrunched-up expression, “i guess we can’t all be songbirds.” neither was she, anyway; vocal training had never exactly been a priority in the towers. (though the idea of a circle choir did amuse, if she was being honest.) “but on the bright side, if we cleared the tavern out, maryden might follow, and you wouldn’t have to listen to the seventh encore of... this.” she flashed a tentative smile in pippa’s direction as she spoke, her expression growing wistful as she thought back to the orchards of her youth: settling atop kaidan’s shoulders as to pluck at the fruit, the wind rustling against the leaves of the trees, fracturing sunlight against her warmed skin. it felt like a lifetime ago. she supposed, in some ways, it was.

          at the other’s question, rory suddenly straightened. “think they have any? fresh apples?” though she normally wouldn’t consider raiding the kitchen for loose treats, perhaps she was feeling nostalgic - she and her older brother used to dig through the larder after dark, even knowing they would absolutely be found out. she leaned in, her eyes wide and eager as she considered, “do you know if we could really find some? or just... fruits in general?”

[rorydouris]

cmpssn‌:

          light blues crept over to the other blonde–curves at the ends of his lips–upon hearing her repeat his name — it resulted in making him look… a little goofy, admittedly. the smile he fashioned on his features… twisted his demeanor uncomfortably. made him look… weird, after a few heartbeats. it was one no one else had yet made him do… before it’d been…corrupted… but fell, quickly ( thankfully ) when he heard it… maybe… wasn’t really nice to meet him. she was just being polite. it’s alright. she was being sweet, anyway. being kind even though she didn’t feel kind; that’s what mattered. 

          compassion’s brows buckled at the sudden twist of her demeanor, however. she went, completely, from being skeptical to… miserable — and he was actually confused! he, personally, felt warmed by philipp’s last thoughts. happy he could share them, so the apprentice could finally find peace. did rory not see it this way? to her credit, though, he did just lay… a lot on her, at once. never the smooth one, cole; and… funny… how he didn’t… know…? how to handle this. odd… for a spirit of compassion. tall, blonde, and lanky kept his arms to himself. feeling he knew she… didn’t… want to be touched. admittedly, he did want to comfort her that way, though.  

          cole studied his victim rory closely, nearly jumped at her… request? sounded more like a demand, truthfully, but light blues shot down to the movement of her fingers — and he… didn’t… know what to say. he was waiting to listen, actually, but… she was too angry, too sad. it was pointless. did he–did he do the right thing? “ …no, don’t you see? ” the spirit started up, suddenly feeling that… yes, he did do the right thing! did make the right choice! compassion also… dared touch her, gently placing his thumbs on the insides of her elbows to both get her attention and show her he wasn’t the one she should be afraid of.   

          “ you made his death easier. i know it’s hard… but without you, he would still be trapped here. instead? instead he can leave! and if i were him, i’d wish i could leave, too. he loved you, rory, and not only did you help him in this life, but you helped him cross over into the next! ”

         oh, compassion felt… very… passionately… about this. hopefully, his ‘ passion ’ wouldn't scare her; he eased off, anyway. it was never easy to let someone go — and it was that hurt cole often tried… too often to heal; and too often, it was a hurt he just… simply… couldn’t. the caring spirit attempted to do it again, unfortunately. with this particular one, however, he felt… personally… close to. dangerous. philipp was a mage. a mage who had not been made tranquil, but slain, by the templars. it was ‘ out of mercy ’, the stated officially, ‘ during his harrowing. he was going to become an abomination! ’ no! it was a murder! a slaying during a harrowing was… almost… as bad as-as forgetting a-a poor boy in the… the prisons of a circle tower!!

         rory had always prided herself on her sense of compassion - on her unwavering belief that kindness was a valid response even in the face of hate and anger, on her conviction that cruelty did not have to be returned in kind - but... there were days of struggle nonetheless. days where she doubted her decisions, herself, her entire belief system; she wondered, sometimes, whether she was in the right of it at all, or if all her talk of bravery in softness was just another broken coping mechanism, the same way people built up walls or drank away their troubles. she doubted herself now, too. her eyes fell to the ground, quivering and tear-marred. the way cole had spoken philipp’s words - had he been scared? afraid? alone? her hands shook at her sides and she pressed them hard against her lap, willing them to still - and suddenly cole’s hands were on her arms, stabling them, and her gaze shot up in reflex. “what - ” she started, but she wasn’t given the chance to finish as he spoke.

         philipp can... leave? rory suppressed a sniffle, her eyes searching cole’s for answers she wasn’t sure he had. she’d never thought about that sort of alternative; about philipp being trapped between here and the after. something not unlike discomfort crossed her features - she would never see death as a mercy, in any life, but she had not considered it could have been even worse. with a shaky sigh, rory considered the rest of cole’s words, teeth gnawing against her inner cheek. had she really done enough? been enough? uncertainty crept into her throat and settled in her belly, but cole seemed adamant. perhaps more so than any regular bystander, spirit or no; again, she looked him in the eye, and this time she wondered how much of his grief was for her - or for something he’d lost.

         hands still trembling, she reached up to mimic cole’s grip on her with her own hold, though her hands rested gently against the outer side of his upper arms. “i...” her voice shook when she spoke. how do you speak to someone after that? after they delved into your head and tore out your deepest hurts, laid them bare before you both? her thumbs brushed idly against his sleeves as she thought over her words. when her voice rose again, it spilled out in a quiet, broken laugh. “i always believed philipp was the stronger mage, out of the two of us. i still do.” her admittance comes with a shameful duck of her head. “he - he shouldn’t have had to go that way. he deserved better.” with a deep breath, she let go of cole, deciding instead to fidget with the ends of her hair. it took her a moment, but after a beat, she met his eyes again. “did you... know someone like that?” tentatively, a palm reached out again toward the other blond’s face - but instead of pinching his cheek, her fingertips brushed at the hair half-concealing his eyes. she wanted to hear his answer, and she wanted it to be the truth. it was easier to determine when matching someone’s gaze. while normally she would’ve been shyer, more respectful of his privacy and intrusion thereof, she felt... lost, after what he’d pulled from her head. vulnerable. she wanted to anchor herself again, and thought the question would help. even so, propriety caught up with her, and she withdrew her hand quickly. “i’m sorry.” she wasn’t sure what for.

[rorydouris]

pippabragadin‌:

           “you must be so tired with hearing all about kirkwall from me, hm?” she doesn’t mean to talk about home as much as she does; and more often than not she’s halfway through the story before she realizes she’s going on and on ( and on ) again. she offers rory an apologetic smile after catching herself this time around before resting her chin on her upturned palm. this was, of course, pippa's latest attempt at drowning out the background noise ———– maryden’s on her third reprise of empress of fire in the last hour, and not even her half - empty drink is doing the trick any longer. 

( though she supposes she really shouldn’t complain —- for the first time in forever she’s actually allowed to sit with a drink instead of serving them. and maryden’s a welcome addition to what she was used to ——– it’s just that if she has to hear about the ‘reign of the lion’ one more time, she might just end up on the floor rather than in her seat. ) 

       “come on, then. your turn. be a love and save me from getting this song stuck in my head. again. tell me something about markham.” 

          rory chuckled but quickly shook her head. “never!” she said with a small laugh, hoping to wave away the other’s concerns. she genuinely didn’t mind listening to pippa talk about kirkwall the way she did - truth be told, much of what rory knew of the place was tied to tragedy, and it was genuinely so moving to hear someone speak about it with warmth instead, calling it home. she played with the mug in her hands; while pip’s was halfway downed, rory had barely touched hers. (she’d been so absorbed in her friend’s stories that she’d nearly forgotten about it.) “you know, i once heard someone say the best way to get a song un-stuck is to just... sing it aloud. think maryden would let you perform a round?” she half-joked.

          if she was being completely honest, she didn’t know as much about markham as a local should - living in the circle, and the douris castle before that, meant she didn’t get to experience much of the city-state itself. so, what was there to say...? “oh, we have great apples!” she declared proudly, snapping up in excitement the moment she thought of it. “the orchards are beautiful, especially in spring - with all the blossoms.”

[rorydouris]

morriganwxtch‌:

Morrigan almost wanted to laugh at the girl but she was afraid she might spook her and send her running. The poor thing was nearly trembling and she had watched too many fawns such as she hiding in the woods only to be struck dumb by a predator and be taken down. Their situation seemed an apt such encounter. “Yes, lucky you.” She released the lock of hair to brush the back of her finger over her cheek, finding such soft skin dotted by a multitude of freckles. Her eyes were so very bright blue and seemed to pierce her very soul but they carried the look of an innocent that begged to be corrupted. When she speaks though Morrigan is almost struck dumb by the rambling list and cannot help but look at her almost mutely. To have such an admirer is a foreign feeling and one she can’t help but feel undeserving of. “You truly feel such? While many watch me with such close eyes they take care to focus on the abhorrent activities I divulge in.” 

          rory felt herself flush embarrassedly at the other’s idle remark; she certainly didn’t feel very lucky. she was never the kind to do well under pressure, and so the clumsy babbling left her mouth without much time for pre-assessment - the other’s reaction wasn’t at all what she’d expected. instinctively, rory winced as she finished, peeking through squinted eyes at morrigan to gauge how she felt about what was just said. what rory saw looked... surprised? “i do,” she confirmed, pursing her lips. “...‘abhorrent’ tends to be the descriptor people choose when it’s about anything they don’t understand, so i’d say that’s subjective.” rory swallowed a mouthful of air, chuckling more out of nervousness than any actual mirth. maybe she was simply being naive? what she knew of morrigan was hardly the whole story - she was not unlike everyone else, in that sense; except she chose to admire rather than abhor. “i’m glad for the opportunity to assist you in any way.” she bowed clumsily, gesturing respect and still-lingering excitement.

[rorydouris]

blvckwall‌:

“Do I look bothered?” he asked kindly, then paused with a slight laugh. “Sorry, I know I usually look bothered. I promise I’m not.” He indicated out of the barn, and looked back towards her. “How about I get the horses saddled up and you wait out there? I’ll help you up and we can go for a little wander.” He could barely remember his first time riding, he’d been doing it for so long if mostly felt like second nature now. 

          “uh, well - ” she started at his question, though when he laughed she visibly relaxed. he did look a little bothered - but he also looked kind, and rory was inclined to believe his promise despite her self-doubt. at his instruction, the mage nodded - she’d offer to help, but she had a feeling she’d only be in the way. “that sounds wonderful. ah, thank you, again,” she said to him. her head was still bowed in thanks when she ducked away to the gates, then stood waiting as directed, practically buzzing with bright excitement.

[rorydouris]

cmpssn‌:

compassion certainly heard that one… whether she wanted him to or not. and it was almost like a quick mental shout — enough to make him jump, even. he didn’t. but he could have. a heat began to radiate off his cheek where she’d pinched him, faded slightly as she patted it instead, but cole didn’t flinch this time. light blues stayed on the other blonde, rather, and he continued to keep still where he stood, as per request. though… when she introduced herself, asked for his name, proper, cole unfroze to look down at her hand. his movement was almost… mechanical in that moment, awkwardly reaching to accept her offer–taking her hand into his own–before giving her a very weak but gentle shake. “ …my name is cole. ” it felt… odd. more odd than he was used to, if you could believe it… but this was how rory wanted it. if he was to find the smile he sought or help her in any way, it’d have to be like this. had to be like this for most, lately, actually ; and he couldn’t rightfully understand why. everyone wanted to remember him instead of forget. not that he minded, he just didn’t understand. he heard her third request, he did… but her thoughts were suddenly raising in volume and then they were all he could think about. was it him? was he reminding her of the hurt? “ choking sadness, hugging my legs as i try not to wake the others who passed–but why not him? can’t be the same, not when he’s not here.‘ well, don’t get too cosy in your new status without me, hm? ’ i won’t. i can’t. ” compassion buckled his brows then, feeling the loss of philipp, himself, like the passing of an old friend and he hurt, too. but in his silence, the thoughts of the deceased apprentice sought him out like a lightning bolt to a metal rod at the top of a hill in the middle of a thunderstorm and suddenly, the spirit’s expression changed. “ …he was thinking of you before the templars struck his body down. ”  light blues dropped to the ground briefly, unable to focus looking directly into her eyes. “ ‘ maker, help me, i can’t. i’m not as strong as her. i wish i was, but i’m not. ’ ”

          he didn’t look particularly comfortable shaking her hand, and for a moment rory second-guessed her decision to push it. still, she returned the shake with a firmer grip than his, then nodded at his name. “cole,” she repeated, testing the word out on her tongue. “well, it’s... nice to meet you, cole.” oh, but she wasn’t sure if it was. and when he didn’t immediately answer why he was here, again, rory felt her indignation start to bubble at the back of her throat - but the sound that left her was a pathetic whimper as he started to speak. “h-how...” absently, she remembered hearing of the spirit’s ‘strange’ abilities, and it was with both horror and sorrow that she listened to and recalled those words: i won’t, and i can’t. the thoughts were familiar - an echo in the chamber of her heart; of trembling hands and blue-ruin eyes stinging hot with tears, of shaky breaths forced through a throat turned raw with screaming grief. she stared at cole now and felt that same grief start to crawl around her lungs, snatching the air from them so quickly she found it hard to breathe. her eyes wavered with tear-marred vision: he was thinking of you. this was a hurt from the oldest corners of her heart; it ached all the way to her bones, built into the hollow spaces between her ribs. the earth seemed to quake deep in her belly, and when she pressed a hand against her mouth to stifle a sob, she tasted dust on her tongue. “don’t - ” she tried, but her mouth swallowed those words and spat out a cry. “he was as strong as me. stronger,” she snarled through her teeth, conviction and grief blurring into something almost akin to anger - a dull, broken sort of anger that had her curling in on herself, trying to seek out a comfort she couldn’t possibly find alone. and right now, she did feel alone. those words cole had spoken - were they truly what philipp had felt...? rory hugged her arms close to her chest, all her previous determination gone, no longer daring to meet the other’s eyes. “tell me you’re lying,” she said suddenly, desperately, head bowed, gaze focused on the floor. one index finger and thumb rubbed idly at her sleeve, trying to ground herself. “tell me he - !” her breath caught in her throat, and her voice quivered. ...no, that wasn’t what she wanted. she forced her eyes to meet cole’s. “why - why are you doing this?”

[rorydouris]

iscbelas‌:

Isabela can’t help but grin at the pink flush that had crept up Rory’s neck and cheeks – would she ever get tired of making the girl blush? Probably not. Surprised that she hadn’t pulled her hand away – and instead, entwining their fingers – she squeezed gently, flashing the girl a kind smile. “I think that’s a perfect toast, kitten,” she nodded, taking a sip of her wine. She set the glass down, lifting her free hand to brush some strands of hair away from Rory’s face, letting her fingers linger for a moment, thumb carefully swiping over the girl’s cheek. “You’re not going to go lock yourself in the library again tonight, I hope?”

          isabela’s gentle squeeze of her hand left rory with another flush of warmth - but this was more of affection than embarrassment, and her smile quickly mirrored the rogue’s. she took a small sip of the wine, and it was better than she expected; a hum slipped past her lips, and she was about to remark on it when isabela lifted a hand to her cheek. ...oh. it was strange how comfortable the other’s touch was; she had to stop herself from leaning into it like a cat being petted. “i - well, possibly? maybe?” she admitted, teeth pressing against her bottom lip. “i’d planned to, yes. is that... not...?”

[rorydouris]

daggerbled‌:

Matias winces at the way she yelps in delight at the reveal, and a hand reaches up to press an urgent finger to his lips, shushing her. He’s ever so relieved when she quietens — though he’s a little less so to answer the question. ❛ Well, after the Frog Incident last week… ❜ he doesn’t explain, waving it off as something she need not concern herself with, ❛ …some eyes get a little suspicious whenever I bring an animal in. ❜ It’s not really an answer, but it’s all he provides. He flashes another smile her way, pure amusement inching its way into the curl of his lips. ❛ Will you be finishing those other questions, or do we move on? ❜ He adjusts the fennec so that one arm cradles it from below, and his shirt falls loosely around it like a blanket. Its head stays out, nose twitching in its sleep. He rocks it like a toddler, and it settles. ❛ Matias, by the way. I don’t think I caught your name. ❜

          when he shushed her, rory instinctively lifted a hand to her own lips to mirror the gesture, nodding to show she understood. “the... frog incident?” she questioned with another blink of suspicion, though the man seemed quick to wave it off, and rory figured she wouldn’t get a straight answer even if she pushed. so instead, she pursed her lips, trying to accept his words for what they were. “i - um,” she tried again when he teased her, though her attention was too drawn to the little creature to even remember what else she’d wanted to ask. eventually, she picked: “what are you doing with it...?” she let out one more coo at its twitching nose; a curled index fingers stretched out toward it, brushing a knuckle under its chin. rory had to stifle another squeal of delight. “oh! i’m so sorry,” she snapped up when he asked for her name, feeling impossibly rude, “i’m - i’m rory. it’s a pleasure to meet you, matias.”

[rorydouris]

blvckwall‌:

“Why would it be imposing?” he asked her gently. He suspected she may have felt out of place, or like a burden, at some point in her life – the way she hesitated, the way she checked to make sure she would not be wasting his time. When she agreed, he smiled, nodding his approval, and he stepped back, looking over the equipment he could see in the room. “No trouble at all, my lady,” he nodded. “It’s an important skill to learn, after all, and with all the seriousness of the inquisition, it can’t hurt to have a little bit of enjoyment.”

         at his question, rory pursed her lips. “ah, well, i mean - i just, i wouldn’t want to bother you or anything,” she mumbled with some degree of reservation; but when he reassured her that it wasn’t any trouble, the mage allowed her doubts to quiet, offering the warden a bright smile. “th-thank you,” she tried, trying to contain her childish excitement, nodding in agreement at his words. and she did agree with it, of course, but it was hard to think too much about anything else, now that she was going to get to ride a horse! ...until she started to fidget, at least, her usual nervousness returning. “how, um, what do i - where do i start...?”

[rorydouris]

iscbelas‌:

“It’s a little sweeter, just like you, kitten,” Isabela grinned. She couldn’t help herself, the other was just so sweet, so easily flustered – how could she resist teasing her? She noticed the look on Rory’s face and leaned in a little closer across the table, resting her hand over the girl’s. “It’s best to know as much as we can, as unpleasant as it may be,” she commented. “That way, we know what to expect, what we’re dealing with.” Squeezing her hand gently, she leaned back again, but kept her hand where it was. “But don’t let it give you sleepless nights, kitten.” She looked up and winked at Cabot as their wine was delivered, then returned her attention back to the girl. “Toast to being here now, being alive.”

          so. that was happening again. rory’s face flushed a bright pink at the rogue’s teasing - she really should be more immune to it, by now, but that doesn’t stop her from bowing her head, trying to shield her blush with the curtain of her hair. but the heat in her cheeks was only made worse when isabela reached for her hand, and rory startled, but didn’t pull back. it was... really nice, if she was being honest. her smile was warm, albeit shy. at the following comment, she nodded; it was difficult to accept, but she had to agree. “that’s... you’re right,” she said with a sigh. with one hand on her new drink and another still touching isabela’s, rory gave a soft laugh, “to being alive, and to doing our damnedest to keep it that way?” a bit more boldly than she usually dared, she tugged her fingers from under isabela’s hand, only to carefully interlace them with hers, gentle and tentative and playful in one as she brushed her fingertips along isabela’s knuckles.

[rorydouris]

lvllcn‌:

it hadn’t been easy. first, awaking in unfamiliar territory. a cold, dark cave with her wrists bound ; tight, itchy rope would leave horrid marks on fair skin for weeks. this wasn’t an inquisition camp. nor was it skyhold. was she still in the hinterlands or somewhere else entirely? the thought unsettled her. there hadn’t been anyone with her when she’d woken up… but she was with someone before she’d been put to sleep. rory. the blonde, her friend, had been with her when she’d lost consciousness. after burning though her bounds and escaping her cell, the brunette had thought her to be… gone? perhaps dead… before entering the room over and spotting several humans surrounding… something. quickly, the mage placed a freeze spell on them — before letting out a soft whimper and scampering over, pushing their bodies aside when she recognized her. “ …rory?! ” lè dropped to her knees before fingers went to the rope on her wrists and she attempted to undo her bindings. “ rory, love, what did they do to you? ”

          it was dark, and rory was aware of a pain, dull behind her wavering consciousness. it began first as a gentle prickling, as though millions of invisible, poignant needles were digging into her skin, piercing vein, muscle, sinew, nerve. the sensation escalated with every pale and reviving sense - and soon it was a mounting wave of blistering agony, a swell of pain that pulled open her eyes even before she awoke again in full. the feeling was so mindlessly, obscenely unbearable that she couldn’t even hear her own wordless, animal scream.

          panting, fighting to force air through trembling lungs, she struggled to recover her reeling mind. that’s right, she remembered, i’m in the hinterlands. in some maker-forsaken cave of the hinterlands, for who knows how long now, fighting to stay alert with each strike of her captors. her eyes were damp and swollen from unbidden tears. she didn’t know what they wanted - she didn’t have money, or information, or power. she curled on the ground, barely registering their words to each other. what she caught made little sense: the inquisition, bargaining, gain ground. her head pounded and she tried desperately to remain awake, aware.

          she couldn’t tell how long it had been when the door suddenly burst open - the ones overseeing her turned instantly at the sound, but froze as though by magic; and it was magic, in both the literal sense and otherwise. her eyes felt heavy, but she forced them open, needing to grasp the situation - and what she could make out brought a fresh swell of tears to her eyes, stinging hot. “lèonie?” she murmured with a broken breath, disbelieving, desperate. she remembered, now - she’d been on an assignment with the other, before... well. it felt so long ago. “i - i don’t...” she started, and her throat choked on the words as lèonie reached for the binds on her wrists. “oh, lè,” she half-wailed, half-whispered; and through every bruise and tear and crack, her blurred vision tried to examine her friend as best as she could. (if they had hurt her too, they’ll pay.) her eyes searched with a question, full of both hope and fear, but her voice faltered - and when her arms came free, she threw them around the other’s neck in a trembling, sorry hug, terrified to ever let go again.

[rorydouris]

daggerbled‌:

The animal under his shirt did indeed just growl at her. Matias chuckles at her accusatory interrogation. ❛ This? No, no — unrelated. I had a massive lunch. ❜ He flashes a playful grin at the young woman with full knowledge that she’s not buying it. Matias strokes the bump like a pregnant mother might her unborn child, and the creature beneath his coat seems to settle. He sighs theatrically, ❛ But, you’ve obviously caught me. Do you think you can keep a secret? ❜ His question is whispered despite them being the only two people in the basement at the moment, and he shifts the animal around a bit in the cradle of his arms. With his shoulders hunched in cheeky secrecy, he gently and slowly pulls up the hem of his shirt so that a little bit of what’s underneath peeks out; in the reveal, what appears to be a fennec is now napping against him.

          no one would believe that, not even someone as potentially gullible as rory. his grin made her smile a bit, though, convinced that whatever he was hiding was probably harmless - and when he offered to let her in on the secret, her eyes went wide, both hands coming to slap over her mouth. quietly, she nodded, leaning in instinctively as he whispered; and then he showed her what he’d been keeping hidden, and the silent secrecy was instantly shattered. “oh!” she exclaimed, a loud, delighted coo, leaning in far too close to the sleeping fennec; she bent down, a hand almost reflexively reaching out to pet it - she stopped just in front of its nose, suddenly remembering herself. rory grimaced, glancing up in embarrassed apology. her next words were quieter, though she struggled with finding the right question to ask first. “goodness! how did you - why do you - why is it - ? ...why the secrecy?”

[rorydouris]

blvckwall‌:

Once he was certain she was comfortable, Blackwall pulled his hand away, letting her stroke the horse on her own, letting her enjoy the moment. “It’s not too difficult,” he assured her. “Once you’ve gotten up on top, the horse knows what to do. And so will you. It’s mostly instinctive.” He glanced at her with a smile. “If you wish to, then I am offering.” He stepped back a little, giving her some more space to think over his offer. “We don’t have to go far, I’ll walk alongside and hold the reigns, if you like.”

          rory couldn’t help the surprise in her expression. “it’s... not imposing?” she questioned, though her eagerness at the idea overwhelmed her usual shyness. she didn’t want to take up too much of his time, but she also desperately wanted to accept - she weighed her choices with an all too solemn expression, nibbling lightly at her bottom lip - and finally snapped her head up after some time, her smile wide and eager. “i - i think i’d like that. that would be... really nice.” then, just in case, “b-but only if it’s no trouble! i would hate to borrow you if you’re busy.”

[rorydouris]

iscbelas‌:

Isabela glanced down towards the mug of ale, and she laughed softly at the question. “It’s definitely an acquired taste,” she agreed. Catching Cabot’s attention, she pointed to her empty wine glass and held up two fingers. “I think you’ll enjoy the wine better. Orlesian wine tends to be a little sweeter than our own.” She noticed the change in Rory’s posture when she mentioned Corypheus, not that she could blame her. “Still helpful,” she shrugged. “Any information is better than none.”

          “wine?” rory repeated, curious, “that does sound more palatable, actually.” she smiled at the other, and she tried her best not to let it falter completely at mention of corypheus. “that’s... true,” rory agreed with a surprising degree of reluctance. perhaps part of her didn’t want to know more, as stupid as that was. they needed information, but even knowing that, diving into it seemed... unsettling. “i’ll be working on it again come morning, though.” her voice was tired, though she hid it with a smile. their wine was delivered straight to their table, and rory said her thanks before turning back to isabela. with a shy laugh, she said, “i’d... toast to something, but i’m not sure what.”

[rorydouris]

daggerbled‌:

Matias ducks through the gates, far too conspicuous for someone well-trained in stealth. He makes a turn into the courtyard then up the stairs to the kitchens, cradling a suspicious, wriggling mass under his coat. He makes it past the kitchens and into the basement proper before he runs into an obstacle. ❛ Creators, ❜ he curses softly, flashing his most innocent smile at the person who spotted him, perfectly composed for someone whose mischief may be exposed. A curious sound comes from beneath his shirt, and Matias fishes for a quick excuse. ❛ Did you hear that? I’m told this cellar is haunted. You don’t think…? ❜ Another noise, obviously coming from the lump against his stomach. ❛ Spooky. ❜

          rory had come to fetch a book from the lower study; she hadn’t expected to nearly collide with someone else on her way out. she backed away with a soft but startled squeak, instantly moving to apologise - or, that was her intention, before an odd noise came from... wait, where? the blonde’s eyes went to the squirming lump under the man’s shirt, then snapped back up to his face. she noticed the vallaslin, at the back of her mind - which was a bit unusual, since he appeared otherwise human - but it definitely wasn’t the strangest thing she was seeing, right now. “did your shirt just... growl at me?” she blinked, halfway interrupted as the other made an excuse. a rather poor one, even to her. “so, what you’re saying is: that’s a poltergeist?” she interrogated, gesturing at the bump in incredulous accusation.

[rorydouris]

cmpssn‌:

perhaps the spirit had been getting too comfortable at skyhold. this was certainly something vivienne or cassandra would be shaking their heads in disapproval of. a couple of scoffs, perhaps a few ‘ i told you so ’s. but rory’s thoughts were warm, kind compared to others. it made him feel warm, happy. not to mention, compassion had acquired friends. friends. more people were actually remembering him now. they wanted to. it all made him very excited. but then he saw the way she’d reacted to him, his shenanigans. heard how she was feeling… and he caused it. it made him remember — for the better, truthfully. he was different. shouldn’t be acting so carelessly. not when he still made many nervous, uncomfortable. it was wrong. she sputtered at him and three heartbeats after, cole’s childish grin had dropped. he arched thin brows, before furrowing them… but then she took his cheek between her fingers and his brows went right back up. he tensed at the touch, looking intently into her eyes. immediately after stopping, of course, and appearing back on the ground… but his expression was that of a child’s who’d just been told ‘ no ’. disheartened. still, the spirit obeyed. calmed down and kept in one place. he’d froze, though. stared at her for what seemed like an eternity, trying to listen, before finally speaking. “ you’re confused… ” compassion started, puzzled, himself, and looking very much as though he were trying to find a solution right then and there. “ …but you don’t have to be. i’ll answer if you ask… ”

          the spirit’s expression made it feel like she’d just kicked a puppy. rory winced a little as he tensed, and she released his cheek with some degree of shame. was that... too familiar? she hadn’t done that to anyone in years; not since her brother... or philipp. the memory hurt to think about, and while she’d normally let herself hurt - let herself remember and relive and cherish - this hardly seemed the time, and she quickly returned her attention to the young man in front of her. when he answered, seemingly confused by her confusion, she faltered. “i... yes,” she replied, trying to remain indignant but sounding more meek than anything. she took a step back, and - more out of habit than conscious decision - reached out to pat gently at the side of his cheek, fearing she might’ve hurt him. she drew her hand back when he next spoke, though, and she struggled to find the words. “alright... well... my first question, or - well, i guess it’s not really a question, but - i’d like a proper introduction.” she knew who he was, to some degree, but she didn’t have a name, and that bothered her more than she could understand. stiffly, she stuck out a hand. she wasn’t used to doing things ‘properly’ either, when she thought of it. “my name is rory, and i’d like to know yours.” she waited for a moment to see if he’d shake her hand, feeling a bit awkward now that she was doing more of the talking. she’d never been any good at it - she either rambled on and on or had little more than a single sentence at a time. trying her best, rory cleared her throat, then continued, “and secondly, i... want to know why you’re here, i guess.” she sounded tentative, unsure. people didn’t usually come to visit her unless there was a purpose, especially if they didn’t know her. so the young man’s intrusion, with jokes and shenanigans in hand, felt a little bit as though someone was trying to prank her.

[rorydouris]

blvckwall‌:

He noticed the change in her body language, how she seemed to stiffen up at his suggestion, and he held his hand out for her, to help bring her forward towards the animals. “They’re gentle,” he assured her. At her admission, he glanced at her quickly, not wanting to make her feel more awkward. “Would you like to learn?” he asked. Standing shoulder to shoulder with her, he kept a hold of her hand, stretching it out towards the horse. “I must admit, I like the company of the halla and horses more than most people.”

          rory was surprised at the warden’s assurance, and she let him guide her hand toward the horses. at his question, she paused a bit, her hand led by his as she shyly stroked the horse’s muzzle. when her fingers brushed against it, she giggled in quiet delight. “i would,” she said, excitedly, a bit more confidently - then faltered a bit, “but i wouldn’t know how or where to start.” she let out a small laugh, though it trailed when she realised, “wait - are, um, are you... offering?” it seemed silly to ask; she’d likely just understood wrong. she ducked her head, then smiled at his remark. “it’s easy to understand why,” she said, “they’re gentle, honest - ” a small laugh, “ - would never consider affiliating with a darkspawn magister...” she petted the horse, still a bit tentative even as she cooed, “isn’t that right?”