So prompts. Enasal finds herself in a heist mission but her only companions are Sera, Cassandra and Solas.
Enasal and the sea. Idk, some story about her and her thoughts on it? Some titanic reference?
Due a failled spell Enasal floats in the air for 3 days. If untethered she would float into the sky
So I’ve answered the third one here.
And the first one is safely nestled in my Ask/Prompt document :)
Enasal knocked her head on the war table a few times, letting out a groan.
The disapproving huff was definitely Josephine. The stifled giggle Leliana, and the clinking of armor and shuffling of feet was Cullen - probably trying to show her he was smiling.
He had started doing that a lot more recently.
“Enasal, this will be good for you.” Josephine insisted, “You need a break, and the sea air is good for you.”
“I hate the sea.” She argued. “When we went to the Storm Coast I stayed as far away as possible - last time I touched the water I was seasick for days.”
“Enasal,” Cullen started, “I promise you, I’ve been assured you will be nowhere near the boat.”
“Please don’t make me go.” She begged, looking up at Cullen.
“That’s not going to work this time.” Cullen said, “This is something you need to face - what happens if the Inquisition needs to cross the ocean for any reason?”
“You said no boats!” Enasal exclaimed.
“Think of it as your first step.” Lelianna suggested, “You’ll go to the ocean, feel the wind in your hair and the smell the salt - it’s good for the body and soul.”
“Besides,” Cullen added, “You've been restless.”
She knocked her head against the table again.
Josephine leaned down toward her, “There will be shells - you don’t have any shells in your collections, do you?”
“I have snail shells.” She muttered.
“But do you have conch shells? Or clam shells - there are so many colors.”
“And shells that look like little hats.” Leliana supplied.
Cullen tried to catch her eye, “And we all know how much you love stones - and sometimes you’ll find glass that’s been smoothed by the waves.”
Enasal looked up with a glare - they were preying on her magpie ways.
“The Iron Bull and Cassandra will be with you.” Josephine promised, “They want to help.”
She was all frowns when she, Cassandra, and Bull gathered near the gates. Cullen had her in a hug, trying to reassure her that she'd be just fine.
No, sharks would not come onto the shore and eat her.
No, she would not get seasick just from being on the shore.
Everything was going to be fine.
Dorain gave her a few books with the insistence on how lovely it was to read with the sound of the waves and the wind in your hair.
Varric had a grin on his face that frankly worried her - he had something planned and she had a nagging feeling it had nothing to do with the sack he handed her. “For your collections.” He said, “You can show me when you get back.”
She peeked in the sack, squinting her eyes in suspicion, “What are you planning?”
His grin widened, “Now, Seastorm, why do you always think I’m up to something?”
“I don’t - except when you have that grin on your face!”
He clapped her on the back, “I won’t lie - I got a friend who wants to help, she has a bit of a surprise for you.”
When she opened her mouth to protest he held a hand up, “It’s good, I promise.” He put an arm around her, “If you see it and don’t want it - no hurt feeling, no pressure. Trust me - she’s not one to force things like this.”
He ruffled her curls, “You’ve got this, Seastorm. It’s just water.”
Bull tried to keep her spirits up, and without Solas around to scold him, he had fun carrying her on his shoulders and tossing her up into trees and over rivers. Cassandra wasn’t exactly pleased with the risky play, and she spent most of their travels grumbling and scoffing.
But once they made camp, she perked up considerably. Dorain had given her and Enasal the same book, in hopes of giving them something to bond over. Bull would be happy to report that it seemed to be working, as both women were reading silently by the fire.
“Enasal?” Cassandra asked.
“Have you read the third chapter?”
Enasal’s eyes flicked to her before staring down at the pages of her book. “No, I… I’m still on the first chapter.”
Cassandra glanced down at her own book and flipped it back to the first chapter, skimming through to remind herself of the events. “What do you think about Ser Markl?”
Enasal wrinkled her nose, “I don’t like him. He’s… ah…” She snapped her fingers, “An animal… not trustworthy-”
She gave her fingers a final snap and pointed at her, “Yes, fishy! Like the ocean!”
Cassandra shook her head, but offered a rare smile, “I will wait for you to catch up.” She put her current book back into her bag and replaced it with another one. She was quick to hide the cover, pressing it against her thighs and leaning over it.
Early the next day, they arrived in a small fishing village and threw their bags into the inn before they prepared to drag Enasal onto the shore.
“Bull?” Cassandra asked as she leaned on the doorframe, “Does Enasal always take such time preparing her room?”
He snorted, “She doesn’t fold. The only reason she doesn't chuck her armor on the floor is because Cullen scolded her - wrecked her.”
Enasal stuck her head out of her room, “It did not!”
“You cried in your room for an hour.”
“Don’t you tell him that!”
Bull chuckled, “I didn’t and I won’t.”
Cassandra stood straight, crossing her arms over her chest, “Enasal, you have dallied enough. Get your bag and let's go.”
It took some time to get Enasal outside. First she “forgot” her bag and had to go back to the inn, then she suddenly decided to grab her boots, “just in case”. After the third attempt to return, Bull plucked her off of the ground and carried her partway to the shore, until her kicks and protests prompted him to drop her to the ground.
She hesitated at the line where soil met smooth pebbles. Beyond, the waves crashed on the shore, spraying sea salt into the air.
Enasal ruffled her curls, wrinkling her nose at the feel of salt in her hair.
Cassandra came beside her, “Enasal, do you feel ill?”
“So, it is already better than your first encounter with the ocean.” She continued, “Perhaps-”
Stones scattered as Bull settled himself down into the stones, sighting, “Feels good, Boss.” He said, “Warm, good for the muscles. You should try it.”
Cassandra took a seat, leaning back over her book and falling into silence.
Enasal kicked at a pebble - a very dark pebble - one as black as night. She bent down and picked it up, feeling it around in her hands. It was smooth and warm and she couldn’t help but smile. A few feet away, a burst of white caught Enasal’s eye. She had never seen a clamshell before, and she scooped it up, running her fingers over its ridges with a smile. She let out laugh when she turned it over, marveling at the shock of purple on its underside. She tossed it into her bag with a grin.
By the end of the day, Cassandra had selected a new book, one she hid just as suspiciously as her previous. Bull needed to be pried from the now-cooled rocks and Enasal’s face was burnt, but grinning at her new treasures.
She had been hoping to find some of the smoothed glass Cullen had mentioned to her - maybe he wanted some.
The next day, they brought Enasal to the docks.
Her face was redder than the day before, but more from a distinct feeling of betrayal. “You said no boats!”
“You don’t have to go on, Boss.” Bull promised, “But Varric’s got a friend-”
“I knew it!” She snapped.
Cassandra was equally upset, “What has that convincing dwarf -“
“A friend from his days with Hawke.” Bull interrupted, “She’s only going to take you out for a few hours, show you how to keep your feet under you and your lunch in your stomach.”
The mere thought made her nauseous.
She thought back to her advisors, her friends. They all wanted for her to come back stronger and braver - after all, who was afraid of a little water?
Bull put a hand on her back, leading her down the docks and pointing to a large ship beyond the docks.
“What’d say? Take a trip?”
Enasal swallowed. She could already see the ship bowing and rocking from this distance, and could only think how much the rowboat would be like.
Cassandra squinted at the sails, “That flag… it can't… Varric!”
A woman waited near a dinghy, boots clear to her hips and piercing decorating her pretty face.
Rivani, Enasal thought to herself, leafing through everything Varric had told her to try to remember her actual name. Had he even told her?”
Instead, she snapped her fingers a few times before offering her hand, “Varric’s friend?” She asked.
The woman grinned, taking her hand and giving it a solid shake, “Well, Varric’s little Seastorm - aren’t you a shot of sunshine?”
“Sorry, I didn’t catch your actual name.”
“Isabela.” She said, “Admiral, Isabela.”
Cassandra snorted, “Admiral? I somehow doubt that.”
Isabella winked at Cassandra, “‘Seeker’ I presume? Varric’s got you penned to a ‘t’, doesn’t he?”
“Admiral!” Enasal purposeful interruption was weak as her gaze turned to the dingy and the disheveled men manning it. Her face turned pale, completely forgetting her efforts to keep the peace.
“The Siren’s Call II?” Bull asked, “And the first one?”
“Somewhere at the bottom of the sea, I’d wager.” Isabela said, “Trust me, this one won’t fail us.”
Bull snorted, “Don’t tell me this is one of those unsinkable ships-”
“None of that!” Isabela argued, “You’ll curse the lot of us - saying that about my ship.” Her gaze softened as she glanced back and Enasal. She smiled at her and settled into the dingy, motioning Enasal to follow, “No need to be afraid, poppet, my men and I don’t bite strangers.”
Bull was next, sinking the boat a few inches and chuckling in satisfaction. Cassandra got on with a little difficulty, but not without cutting looks between Isabela and Bull. Once settled the group turned to stare at Enasal, glued to the dock, slowly shaking her head.
“Wanna go back, Boss?” Bull asked.
“Varric said you might not want to.” Isabela soothed, “No need to look so pale, poppet. You don't have to. We can all get out and go to the tavern - I have quite some tales and quite a few questions for you. Need to sort through Varric's truths and lies.”
Cassandra leaned forward, “Try, Enasal!” She gestured to the empty spot by Bull, “Come sit. We can always turn around.”
Bull offered an arm. Still glued to the dock, Enasal reached forward and grabbed his hand. Leaning forward as if she was trying to get on.
“Boss.” He said, “Gotta move your feet.”
When her feet didn’t seem like they would obey, he sighed and moved his grip to her wrist, easing her forward and scooping her up and into the boat. She clutched his arm the entire ride, eyes growing wider and wider the closer they got to the ship.
It took a bit of coaxing, but eventually Enasal agreed to climb the rope ladder up to the vessel - although saying she sat on Bull's shoulders while he climbed might have been more accurate.
The moment he lifted her off, she stumbled and almost fell. He caught her by the arm and she squeezed her eyes shut, already looking green. “Okay, I’m here.” She stumbled again, “I’m just…I’m going to go lay down, I feel really sick and-”
Isabela caught her hand, pulling her to the bow of the ship and guiding her chin up. “Eyes open, poppet. Fix them on the horizon. Take deep breaths - the salt is good for your lungs.”
Enasal nodded, clutching the railing and gulping down air.
“Your hair is so soft!” Isabella exclaimed, hand in her hair, “Oh, it reminds me of my sweet Kitten.”
Enasal flipped through her memories of Varric’s stories, “Daisy… wait, Merril?”
She nodded, with a sigh, “She’s back in Kirkwall, helping the city elves like the sweet thing she is.”
Leaning on the railing, Eansal stared out at the waves. “Varric talks about her a lot - I think he worries about her.”
“Oh, poppet, Varric worries about everyone. He’s not as selfish as he likes to say.” She moved beside her, “I do miss my Kitten.” With sudden energy, she slapped the railing and leaned on it to face, Enasal.
“See? Wind in your hair and salt in your lungs!”
Isabela continued, “Funny that Varric calls you Seastorm, yet you’re afraid of the sea.”
“I was on a boat once.” Enasal said, “I was sick the entire time.”
“Where were you, poppet?”
“The passengers slept under…” She swallowed, feeling a bout of nausea and blinking rapidly before finishing, “Under the ship.” She took another steadying breath, trying to burn a hole in the horizon beyond, “At least they were nice enough to let me up long enough to get sick over the side - when I managed to make it.”
Isabella laughed, “I hope by now you wouldn’t allow that behavior to stick. You have to show seamen whose boss or they'll run all over you.”
Enasal gave a weak smile.
They stayed out much longer than they had originally planned, and Enasal seemed to be enjoying the wind and the sea air. Much to Enasal’s delight, Isabella allowed her to steer for a brief moment but took care to correct course the moment Enasal’s attention was on something else.
As they readied to return to the dinghy, Enasal clapped her hands together, “Admiral Is-”
She grinned, “Isabela, we’re in need of eyes and supplies-”
“Enasal!” Cassandra scolded, “A pirate?”
Enasal pointed to Bull, “Qunari spy.”
“We also have our own personal spymaster.”
“And a Tevinter apostate.”
“And a regular apostate.”
“Alright!” She snapped, “Fine!”
Enasal laughed and turned back to Isabela. “Would you be able to help us out?”
“Oh, Poppet, I don’t like to be tied down… usually.”
“No…” She snapped her fingers a few times, “Bull? That one minstrel group that came through Skyhold, what’d you say to them?”
“No strings attached, Boss.”
“Not...quite the same thing, but okay.”
Isabela crossed her legs and leaned against the railing. “I suppose I could pass on anything I hear and send some goodies your way, for a price.”
Enasal grinned - she figured that would be the case. “Send a letter to Josephine in Skyhold. She’ll negotiate payment with you.”
The woman winked, “A nice enough arrangement. Do send Varric my regards - and tell him I know he’s lying about the hypnotism thing.”
With the agreement settled, Enasal climbed over the edge and down the ladder. Sitting on the dinghy, no longer noticing how it rocked beneath her, she did her signature two-handed wave and cried out a final farewell.
It wasn’t so bad, after all.
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