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@thoselittledespairs
super-selective and private multi-muse blog feat. original and canon characters from d&d, critical role, baldur's gate 3, the dragon age series, and more. penned by kay (she/they/29) fluctuating activity. minors dni
traveling companions: @artifexx / @dwnstone / @eritvita / @fatedmuses / @shadovan / @intothewildsea / @severthebl1ght
carrd / thread tracker / wishlist / meme tag
promo and graphics made by: @
well. these next few weeks are going to be extremely busy for me. hopefully after next weekend, it’ll be back to regular programming from my end? i’ll be able to return to my writing like normal.
gonna do some more replies tonight. it’s been so weird being back at home and feeling off.
cute puppies below the cut
why are therapy sessions so draining ughhhh
@artifexx asked | [ DIRECT ] sender seeing that receiver is going the wrong way, takes hold of their shoulders from behind and turns them the right direction
"N-Now hang on a moment...! I just need to finish a few things and then I promise, we can go to bed. Something about the Inquisitor needing us to send forces to harvest a dragon corpse...nothing too crazy. Just putting the order in to have troops out to move in the morning, I swear it. You can watch me sign the document yourself and then we can be on our way to sleep." Cullen knew his pleading to his partner might be in vain, but it was worth the shot.
"On my honor and my sacred affections for you, Soren." He holds up his hand as he had done when committing to his Templar vows to show just how much he meant it. One document and then a good nights rest under the warm furs and tangled in each other's embrace.
@artifexx asked | [ CHEER ] seeing that receiver is scowling, sender rubs their thumb over the furrow between receiver's brows
She wasn't scowling. Why would the Inquisitor ever do that? No, she was a perky ball of sunshine who never had a frown on her face, even when the bad guy monologues a little too long. Finduilas had been perched awkwardly in her chair for quite some time chewing on the end of her pen when Siraj finally found her. One leg under her crossed, the other hugged to her chest as she tried to write a reasonable response to an absolutely outlandish request that probably should have gone through Josephine instead of her. But here she was trying to figure it out.
It wasn't until her partner's thumb rubbed her forehead that she was pulled from her dead end thoughts. Finduilas batted away at his hand playfully and with a bit of an exasperated kind of giggle before climbing out of her chair.
"Sorry about that, vhenan...I got lost in the letters. I'm not sure how this one slipped past Leliana and to me instead of Josephine...but it is titled to me...so I could see where the mishap came from."
@necropolich asked | [ PICK ] sender telling receiver to "hold still" while they remove something from their hair
There is some curiosity as she feels a hand at the crown of her head. She turns to look up at Emmerich as he sets to work, but goes back to her previous position as to allow him to get whatever it was he was looking for.
"Anything worth note back there?" Adelaide chuckled softly as she felt him picking something out of her long crimson trusses. "I took a fall back in the forest...must've gotten some kind of rubbish tangled that I wasn't able to get out myself earlier." She recalls the battle where she lost her footing while dodging backwards and rolled into a large grouping of bushes. At one point she thought she had lost all of her possessions to the thistles and barbs while extracting herself from the dastardly plant life.
"I hope I haven't any splinters or barbs. I suppose I might've felt them by now, but I am quite hard headed, as Varric likes to point out."
@fatedmuses asked | i see your light shine through.
Molly can't help but smile at Jester's kind words. Really, if it wasn't for her, they probably wouldn't be here to celebrate the end of all the chaos and all of their hard work. They hum softly and lean over to but their head against Jester's with a soft chuckle.
"I owe it all to you...you who saw my light and fought for my soul. I mean, of course I knew Caduceus was the one who revived me...but you...you made sure that no one ever forgot about me. I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you, Jessie."
@fatedmuses asked | i'm with you always.
"Good. I am glad to hear of it..." The commander uttered as he gave her hand a squeeze. "Run not too far from me, else I may do something very stupid of me." He tried to give her a more reassuring look.
"The coming battle is going to be rough. I don't want to put my coins in one purse, but even the others are nervous." His thumb smooths over her knuckles before he can bring himself to press a kiss upon them, but these moments seemed less tense when Elysia was around. It kept him from overthinking every decision up to this point.
@gezelligheiid asked | [ game ] sender lets receiver win a game they're playing
Her eyes narrowed as she looked at the board and back up to her cousin across the way from her. Fintuilasse sits back in her chair, her hands grasping at the embellished armes while puffing up her left cheek. Her loss in this game would be imminent. A few turns back, she made a silly little mistake only realized after she removed her hand from the piece. But Maedhros didn't take the win.
Sitting up a bit straighter, then, she watched his move across the board and an unamused look crossed her features.
"Maedhros...you're supposed to be teaching me the skills...not letting me win to prevent a bruised ego." She spoke, knocking over her king in forfeit so she didn't have to face the disastrous and inevitable loss even still. "You said it yourself. Battle is like chess, in a way. My enemy is not going to let me win when they see me pouting." Her eyes find the piece where it all went wrong and looks up to him a gain. "And don't even try to placate me and be coy. I saw my defeat a mile away."
ᝰ🚬 𝚉𝙰𝙲𝙷𝚁𝙿 .ᐟ (REQUESTED) RANDOM LYRICS BY GHOST PROMPTS. CHANGE ANY PRONOUNS IF NECESSARY. SOME MATURE THEMES MAY BE PRESENT.
it's the sight of a million regrets mounting over years.
now we have to pretend we didn't see what we saw.
do not forget your knives to save your lives.
we don't need another hero.
you never want this to be over.
and if you wanna go to heaven, well i'll see you right.
do you see the face on the tv screen?
i'm watching you fall!
you can do it any way you want.
the road that leads to nowhere is long.
if you got to say it, let me leave this room.
buy a piece of paradise, and you buy a piece of me.
it's the noise of the righteous dogma that hides the handmaid's tail.
had you had the chance today you could've sold out too.
it takes one to know 'em.
tell 'em all it is time.
was quite a scene, wasn't it?
it ain't always there to please you but he's the guy you wanna do.
there stood my god before me, do you know what they said?
we were speeding together down the dark avenues.
all we want is life beyond the thunderdome.
watch your step, he's out to get you.
wherever i go you're always there.
your looks and your feelings are just the remains of your past.
i should have known not to give in.
i won't back down.
can you hear me say your name, forever?
don't you stray, don't fade away.
put it back where it belongs.
you don't even have to leave your house or get out of your chair.
don't you forget about your friend, death!
i've been looking so long for you now.
back in the old cemetery.
don't you forget that you will die!
i wanna bewitch you all night.
she's just hanging around.
every day that you feed me with hate i grow stronger!
i have always kept you closer than you've known.
though my memories are faded they come back to haunt me once again.
those ivy league dopes, they wanna mock us.
god will take good care of you.
suffering for the lord is not an easy thing.
i've been talking to jesus all my life.
you tried to rid your mind of malediction.
see, the palace built of frozen tears is your own built prison.
i am afraid of eternity, too.
if only love could break these chains, life could go on.
can't make the same mistake this time.
if you choose to run away with me, i will tickle you internally and i see nothing wrong with that.
all the powerful magical mysteries never gave a single thing back.
besides all the stardom, all we got was blues.
light up in the middle of the day for how else could you see me?
i can never run and i cannot hide.
i'll get you everything you wanted, i'll get you everything you need.
every new generation hails a grand usurpation.
nothing ever lasts forever.
join us.
many a sin i have witnessed, and in many indeed i have been.
right here where it feels like i'm actually living, you are with me.
i just want you to see.
it keeps on giving me chills, but i know now.
i'm loving it!
all life is gone.
will you walk the line?
i've been quelling my urges to burst.
i'm with you always.
i'm number one, you're number two.
you will never walk alone.
you wanna shake it off but you're stuck inside.
if i could pause right here, i would open my heart and tell you with no fear that the path we have walked led us into the dark.
in your eyes it's gone before you know.
if you wanna get closer to him, get on your knees and start praying.
i will make you my angel.
through all the sorrow we've been riding high.
i don't wanna end like this.
you don't need to believe in hereafter, just believe in me.
there will be no doubt in your mind you'll believe in everything i'm saying.
my missiles are aimed to launch at your heart.
there's a darkness at the heart of my love.
i want a nice little boat made out of ocean.
can you feel me longing for you, forever?
i ain't talking about forgiveness.
would you let me touch your soul, forever?
you want a seat by the pyre?
there is a better place.
listen up, hatchet man.
who walks behind?
so, what do we do with our lives?
save me from the monster that is eating me.
wherever you may hide away, i'm gonna hunt you down.
it's the words that were never spoken that echoes through the times.
it ain't always what it seems when you cling onto a dream.
you wanna play with the sire?
tell 'em all this is war and not fighting a war is for suckers.
everybody goes away.
that glitter wasn't gold.
although it stinks, feels, and looks identical, a pack of fools can take the stand.
i keep on dancin' with the one i love.
if i could turn back the time i'd make all right.
we're leaving this city, so this is farewell.
listen up you motherfuckers.
ask yourself, are you righteous?
can you see what i see?
it ain't over now.
you won't get away from my grasp.
like your father in hell, what you've sold you cannot unsell.
you damaged my mind and my soul, it just floats through the air.
i know the light grows darker down below.
i wonder did no one hear the distant thunder?
what you've done you cannot undo.
i hope you're feeling it too.
i see your light shine through.
i'm coming back for you.
on the cover of the magazine there's no question why i'm smiling.
hey, baby!
we will go softly into the night.
you try to mask it but fall back in sin.
one day, fate will find a way through the marches of death.
we were searching for reasons to play by the rules, but we quickly found out it was just for fools.
you go down just like holy mary.
it's the continence of bishops with their choirboys en suite.
won't find me practising what i'm preaching, won't find me making no sacrifice.
now it's time for me to strike again.
you're standing in the wings, there you wait for the curtain to fall.
was i not all you were dreaming of?
i feel your hands are cold.
it is the end of your sadness and pain.
it's the sound of another deadline whistling past your ears.
luckily he wants to do you too.
so you want out now, don't you, love?
there is something inside me and they don't know if there is a cure.
you're the devil, you're just out to scare.
we all need something to believe in.
all you gotta do is call me.
she doesn't know about my girlfriend or the man i met last night.
you've been daddied by all the dudes that wanna dad.
we're here in the after of a murderous crafter.
but of all the demons i've known, none could compare to you.
i've been fighting the notion to, by love, be coerced.
keep your distance, walk away, don't take his bait.
it's the smell of the burning temples swept away by rhymes.
communication is key.
will our story shine like a light or end in the dark?
how could it end like this?
a man of faith is hard to find.
i'm victimized.
don't you forget about dying!
you're the phantom of the opera.
you keep a casket buried deep within.
you've got a lot of god's work to do.
all those dads never gave you the things that you should've had.
i'm counting my blessings and i've found true happiness.
you're the next in the chain of command.
the truth of the matter is i never let you go.
there is still time to make peace with your friend.
i get your point.
it is the end of a life grieved in vain.
i know that you're gonna scratch me and maim me and maul.
i'm done crying over someone like you.
one day he will come back from the bowels of hell.
we don't need to know the way home.
i can get you a pocketful of miracles if you promise to be good, try to be nice.
it's the tongue soiled in adulation that licks to no avail.
i have begged god for the remedy but i'm no longer sure.
this is what dreams are made of.
of all these dark roads that i roam, none could compare to you.
everybody leaves one day, i know it hurts.
what i want, i want now.
you've been playing around with magic that is black.
i'm runnin' wild with the one i love.
you know, and i know that you ain't got that long to last.
it's killing you.
you'll soon be hearing the chime close to midnight.
i see no evil.
it's the cruel beast that you feed.
when tomorrow comes, you will know.
we are the ones they left behind.
call me, little sunshine.
i'm done.
i'm runnin' crazy with the one i love.
you've been living so long in hiding and hiding behind that false mask.
just do as i say, not as i do.
you're so sharp, getting good reactions with your evil talk.
you can find me in the phone book, just call my toll free number.
drink me, eat me, then you'll see the light.
i put my love in you.
your desolation led you into this vile incarnation
a prophecy told we're building our empire from the ashes of an old kaisarion.
while you sleep in earthly delight, someone's flesh is rotting tonight.
she's trying to impress us.
do you believe in god?
you don't even have to touch that dial 'cos i'm everywhere.
remember always that love is all you need.
i've invested my prayers into making me whole.
i wonder when we are ever gonna change?
don't you vomit savage slurs, spewed up wickedly to hide from me.
if i could turn around i would've told you the truth.
something within your eyes said it could be the last time.
this is the moment of just letting go.
we will break away together.
you haunt me, you taunt me.
you can always reach me.
i am riding in the shadows behind you on a pale white horse.
i know you need it now to make you feel alive.
here they come.
many a rat i've befriended.
you shine like the sun and the moon and the stars in the sky.
many a mind i have haunted, and in many a way i have been.
will you spill the wine to summon the divine?
you have never stood this close to where you want to be.
i believe in the family with my ever-loving wife beside me.
i'll be the shadow, you'll be the light.
come with me to the holy land.
i'm dying to see you one last time together.
your beauty never ever scared me.
it's been a long time coming.
but it's not over yet.
it's just abracadabra, some hocus pocus sham.
put on the smiles and throw your holy rocks right at her.
long ago yet too close to forever.
is it all or nothing?
i'm dying to see you.
i'm your rock, baby.
there's a sting in the way you kiss me.
you know i'm helpless from your mesmerizing cat call.
it seems so perfect.
you have always waded in the shallows between me and the deep blue sea.
there's gotta be something better out there.
it is the end of your penitence.
there is still time to love once again.
that those who seek to go there are lost.
it's the truth of candour shown through a prism of deceit.
do you see the face on the billboard?
you know that it takes two.
you'd never want me to appear.
tell me who you wanna be and i will set you free.
this is the end of the avenue.
call out in the middle of the night, for when else would i hear you?
i'm running and hiding in my dreams.
PROMPTS FOR SILENT ACTIONS THAT SAY A LOT * i wrote these with the implication that the sender doesn't say a word before they perform the action. adjust as necessary, send 'reverse' for the reversal of the prompt
[ tug ] sender tugs receiver behind them during a tense moment
[ pull ] sender pulls receiver out of harm's way at the last second
[ tuck ] sender stares at receiver and quietly reaches up, tucking a fallen strand of hair behind receiver's ear
[ yank ] sender yanks receiver closer to them, ending up in semi-suggestive close proximity
[ steady ] sender grabs receiver's arm to steady them before they fall over
[ walk ] sender moves around receiver and walks closest to the street as they travel down the sidewalk, keeping receiver away from any potential danger in the roadway
[ untied ] sender drops to their knee and starts tying receiver's shoe for them
[ spoon ] sender lifts a spoon towards receiver's mouth, encouraging them to eat
[ trace ] sender traces receiver's lips with their thumb
[ pin ] sender pins receiver to a tucked-away spot in the shadows to avoid being caught
[ neck ] without a word, sender dips down to receiver's throat and kisses them soundly
[ handheld ] sender slips a hand behind their back and grabs receiver's fingers as they stand behind them
[ carry ] without asking, sender takes receiver's heavy bags from them and carries them
[ lock ] sender and receiver lock eyes across the room
[ drink ] sender brings receiver a drink and holds it to their lips, insisting they take a drink
[ reload ] sender reloads receiver's gun for them in the middle of a fight
[ shelter ] sender uses their body to shelter receiver from an explosion or attack
[ carry ] sender picks up receiver and carries them off the battlefield and into a safe spot before running back to the fight
[ toss ] from a secret hiding spot only receiver and sender can see as they avoid an enemy, sender silently gestures to receiver to toss them (their gun, something valuable, etc.)
[ stairs ] sender offers out a hand to help receiver ascend or descend a staircase
[ cover ] sender covers receiver's eyes so they don't witness something gruesome
[ fix ] sender comes up to receiver and fixes their collar and/or tie
[ shake ] to convince receiver not to do something, sender hastily shakes their head from a distance
[ watch ] from a distance, sender taps on their watch to show receiver they're running out of time
[ i'll go ] sender gently pushes receiver back, taking charge and insisting they will handle the dangerous task
[ reach ] through a locked gate, sender reaches for receiver's hand
[ ship ] as receiver's ship takes off from the planet, sender waves to them from the ground and watches them leave
[ protect ] after someone threatens receiver, sender rushes over and gets right in their face to protect them
[ punch ] after someone attacks receiver, sender rushes over and punches them in retaliation
[ nip ] sender playfully nips at receiver's neck
[ knuckles ] sender kisses receiver's knuckles in a polite gesture
[ squeeze ] sender gives receiver's butt a playful squeeze from behind
[ danger ] as an all-powerful receiver is about to lose control of their powers and cause massive damage, sender finds their eyes and tries to talk them down
[ goodbye ] without saying a word, sender approaches receiver and kisses them goodbye
[ wipe ] sender wipes a tear from receiver's face
[ location ] without saying anything and giving away the surprise, sender takes receiver to a secret spot
[ hold back ] sender has to hold back receiver from attacking someone
[ game ] sender lets receiver win a game they're playing
[ shower ] sender joins receiver in the shower they're taking
Alistair's expression sobers as he listens, and though the humor from moments before had been fun, there's a gravitas to her emotional confession that he knows has been weighing her a long time. He grows thoughtful as she speaks, the familiar sensation coming back to him like it hasn't been ten years already.
"I know it seems like platitudes, something everybody says," he eventually says, voice quiet. "But I understand. More than others, as it were." Memories of the Blight are surging through his mind, the feeling of being one of only a few who can end a threat, that knowing it will consume the world if left unchecked by you alone. He takes a deep breath and turns fully to her. "During the Blight, there were only two of us who could kill the Archdemon. Just two. And we had companions - good people, brave people like Leliana - but they couldn't do what we could. It had to be us." He pauses, because even as he tries to tamper it down the feelings return fully. "I felt the same way you do now. Like I couldn't ask them to follow us into something that was ultimately our burden to carry. Like their deaths would be on our hands if we let them come along."
His expression is gentle but firm. "I had a partner, at least. I know this, that I had somebody to lean on when you technically have none. But you should understand at least - you're not alone. They didn't follow us because we asked them to. They followed because they chose to. They knew what was right and they wanted to support us and see us succeed. Because they believed in what we were doing, and they knew the cost if we failed. Your friends are the same - they know the cost of failure, of not supporting you"
He reached out for her hand, knowing it was likely improper having just met but feeling it necessary in the moment. "But just as much, they want to protect you. You can't take that choice away from them, even if you want to protect them. And you shouldn't have to carry all of it alone just because you're the only one who can seal the rifts. Believe me on that one."
Finduilas listens thoughtfully as he speaks in reply to all in which she had spoken on. She is thankful, truly, that there is someone who really understands what she has been through. It is a heavy burden. Even heavier when you're the only one carring it. When he stops and turns toward her, the dalish woman is unprepared and catches his gaze, wondering if she might have upset him with how emotionally she must have talked. But instead, he is further understand, sharing in his deep understanding of the position she is in. She can feel the emotion in his words. Finduilas can't fathom what memories he relives when speaking on his own trials and tribulations.
The pain of it all wells in her chest, rises in her throat and makes her swallow hard against it all that wants to just rush out of her endlessly. When his hand finds hers, she has to stop herself from flinching and pulling away in fear, worried that the anchor could hurt him if her emotions continue to go unchecked. But the Inquisitor wills herself to stay in that moment with him, listening to all of the wisdom that he can share with her. She needs all the help she can get in these difficult times.
"I send men and women to die...and they do in droves...all in my name...for the sake of this world. I have stood and prayed over so many people...I hear them in my dreams, just beyond the veil and I am terrified that these spirits we fight every day are those who I failed in this life that have turned into demons just out of my reach. And yet people listen to my every order and put their lives on the line and I am unable to protect them all..." Her voice cracks, then, before she sucks in a deep breath and bites on her tongue.
"These people have become my closest companions and I would sooner throw myself at Corypheus' feet than to ever have to stand at the foot of their pyre or their graves. I know I cannot stop them, but how do I stop myself from trying to stand in front of them when all they want to do is stand in front of me?"
She stood nearby as he stripped down his armour, worry etched deep into the lines of her face as she watched. He seemed woozy, all out of sorts. Just what kind of illness had he been hiding this long? The flu? Her jaw set. He would just try to work through the flu, wouldn't he?
And then he told her how long he'd been eating plainly to avoid throwing up, and her heart clenched in her chest.
"A few days? Cullen," she said softly, in that scolding way that held no malice, just care. "Alright, I'll fetch some water for you instead. But I'm serious. I'm lookin' after you. Don't argue with me about it, either, I can out-stubborn you." Though her threat was made with a light tone, she was deadly serious about knowing her stubbornness could out-last him if she needed to. Woe betide any Templar from her Circle days who thought they could force her to do anything she didn't want to. She'd absolutely ended up in the dungeon for being so defiant, but she'd never let that fiery streak in her die.
Leaving the mugs on the desk, she came over and put her hand in the middle of his back, swiping the vials he'd gestured to and pocketing them on the way. "Alright, got the meds. Come on. You first - to bed." She peered up to where she knew he kept quarters, realising getting him to bed was going to be a task if he was too dazed or weak to climb a ladder.
He smiled softly as she chided him and once more he waved his hand nonchalantly like he was going to be fine. In reality, he knew that the worst was still to come. The healers had warned him of that. He thought he had locked the door so she could indeed just sweat this out. If no one saw his suffering, none would have to worry. Right? At least, that's what he thought. Of course, Cassandra had been watching him like a hawk in order to make sure that all was still well, but even he was able to hide some things from the Seeker.
With the hand upon his back, he went to the ladder and set up them like he had many times before. He closed his eyes and followed the muscle memory of climbing up. It helped with the vertigo he experienced from time to time. He took it slow...one rung at a time until he was at the top. The last of his burst of energy got him upon the wooden floor, far enough along so that Bree didn't have to try and climb over him once she caught up to him. He lay there on the floor for a minute to allow for his stomach and his sense of proprioception to also catch up.
"Leave me here a moment. I just need a second is all." Cullen utters as he throws his arm over his eyes, chest heaving in a few deep breaths to try and calm his nerves that also felt like they were on fire. Truly, he never had a second thought when it came to how he felt when it came to stopping his use of Lyrium. He couldn't bring himself to tell Bree about this yet, though. He was honestly afraid that she would try and convince him to start it up again so it didn't possibly kill him. But...he knew he was strong. He could do this. He would survive and be better than he ever was. He may not be able to fend off Mages any longer, but at least there were less chances for him to turn into an abomination should any of their shipments become tainted.
"Gaspard first, I'm afraid," he added, though it was no big surprise. Briala would undoubtedly have far more useful, and truthful, information than the Grand Duke, propriety had them meeting him first. He was the most important person in attendance after all, second only to the Empress herself. "Let us hope that he is so busy that our conversation will be merciful, and brief."
Finally, they were past the initial... greeting crowd, and through the first set of double doors. In this room, something of a foyer, dozens upon dozens of little candles, surely kept lit by mage servants, glittered in gold and silver from the crystal chandeliers. The long walls of the room were practically gleaming, and covered in enormous paintings, complete with gilded frames. Beneath them, their shoes clicked quietly over the endless smoothness of white marble. Even Siraj, typically turned away by opulence, had to admit it was impressive. As if straight from the pages of a children's story.
"Remember," he intoned as they moved onward at their stately pace, "Beyond this richness, these beautiful things, this money... she is still just a woman. She is just a woman, like any other woman. Merely human." Perhaps it was more for himself, than for Finduilas, but it was still true. Empress Celene was impressive. She was an empress. She had more money than either of them could have ever imagined, she held sovereignty over so many, she had all of these wondrous possessions. But at the end of the day, she was merely Celene. She was human, and she lived and died just like the rest of them. It was important to remember to respect her station, but to keep her humanity, and its flaws, in mind.
"One more door, and then we will be in the grand hall. Are you ready, meu amor?"
Had they not been in the eyes of what felt like quite literally everyone in this place, Finduilas might've made a face or let out an exasperated sigh. But she had to be calm, collected, and poised while under scrutiny from all of the masked faces around her. "Please let it be so...I do not think I would be able to deal with a conversation about war and whatever else the Orlesians speak about over wine and cheese." A fake smile to a noble to her left, a bow of her head to someone who bowed to her in turn.
"If the night doesn't end with at least two murders or an attempted coup, I will be very surprised." She speaks quietly as they finally cross the threshold and into the foyer. It is a wonder how something of such vast opulence could've been afforded. It seems like nothing is possibly out of place. All the tiles are in perfect order. The candles seem to never grow short. There is glitter and gold all around her and impressive was not the word that came to the Inquisitor's mind. Gaudy was more like it. It was cold and unimpressive, something that she could never imagine having. Such a grand place could never be a home.
Let her return to the woods and Aravels. If nomadic life was not what their shared life would bring, then at least a home made with wood and moss, meticulously and perfectly put together that could retain heat and keep a hearth to make sure that it was always warm and comforting to any and all who pass through.
"Yes...just a woman who so many want to kill. I suppose she and I have that in common, at least." A grumble, then, as she sees inside and past the grand ballroom to the woman who is sat in her throne, a blue speck from her perspective at the moment, but very obvious the Queen of this place. Suddenly she felt so small. Did people feel the way she was feeling in this moment when they came to Skyhold? Was her place of residence as cold as this place? For a little while it seemed a hostile and uninviting place with how dilapidated the Keep had become...but were people this worried about meeting her? For some reason now, she was more nervous than anything.
Her heart was racing in her chest as they continued this unbearably long walk. Finduilas breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth in a slow manner as to stop the panic from rising to a more severe level.
"No...I don't think I'll ever be ready...honestly, I feel like I could vomit...but I shall refrain and get this done so we can go home post haste."
"Every tavern gets those sorts, they're everywhere. This isn't the first time someone has tried to prove their masculinity by trying to fight me. I doubt it will be the last." It was simply an unfortunate part of being on the larger side, as far as humans went. Khaeryx's chosen form certainly wasn't the largest a human could be, but it was large enough to be seen as a reasonable challenge for the brash (and inebriated).
"A free room is unnecessary," Khaeryx had already paid for it, after all, "But perhaps instead a bowl of whatever food your kitchen has cooking this evening... and the bath would be appreciated." If there was one benefit to remaining in human form for long periods, it was the meals, both in taste and quantity. His natural form might not have need of eating nearly so often, but when it did, he could clear out a farmer's pasture with ease. This was cheaper, typically tastier, and had the bonus of not inciting a mob with pitchforks.
"I'll say I'm a little surprised, that you say it isn't typically like this. Not that your establishment would be one of bad reputation. It's just that most taverns tend to attract the... rowdy sort. Even those establishments meant to cater to nobility. Even they are usually filled to the brim with nobles' sons with too much pride... and whiskey."
"Truly, ser, it is very unusual for a fight to happen here..." Nox murmurs as she uses a wide tooth comb to try and gently coax the knot from it's tight formation. "There is a subtle charm that has been placed upon the Bailey...a calming spell for those who enter so people are more at ease when they enter the establishment. We like for people to leave their burdens and anger at the door. It's isn't enough to cause an overwhelming emotional control...just enough to ease one's troubles when they step over the threshold..."
Nox points, then, to a couple of emblems along the frame of the arched door. They light up with a rainbow hue as a patron enters before fading back to where it just looks like carved filigree from fancy wood working skills. "Plus, people who have bad intentions enter and turn around as though they were lost and forget this place ever existed." The woman looks across the tavern again to all of the smiling faces and those who seem to burst with laughter at conversations around. "While it may just look like an ordinary inn, I think it's the most magical place here." She speaks sincerely as she applies a bit of oil to her fingertips and works it into the worst section of knotted trusses.
"I've seen a lot of things...met a lot of different people in my time here. Because I showed kindness and grace to them, they in turn were able to give me boons in order to see this place thrive. So, when I say that what happened today is 'unusual', it really is unusual and I have to apologize sincerely that my precautions didn't keep you from being maimed; even if it's only your hair that has taken the offense."
