Lavellans PSL

[mythalenaste]

PSL

I am the voice of the past that will always be
Filled with my sorrows and blood in my fields
I am the voice of the future
Bring me your peace and my wounds, they will heal

Comments

Arrival of Merrick and Cyril

[mythalenaste]

Corypheus is dead. Solas is gone. Celene and Briala rule in Orlais, Alistair and Anora in Ferelden, and soon, Leliana from the Sunburst Throne. Pel will soon be ready to wrap things up in the Inquisition, or at least she hopes as much. Too much is already at stake for her. Too many things can go wrong, and there is so much more to lose than she thought when she drank from the Well of Sorrows.

She didn't tell Cullen the news until after Corypheus was dead. Telling him before would only have brought him pain. Now, it brings him hope, though it also brings him the same fear it brings her. Well. Not exactly the same fear. The child will be human, which gives Pel an entirely separate sort of anxiety. But raising a human child is small potatoes compared to what Mythal might have in store for its mother. And, perhaps, for the child.

Being pregnant hasn't made life slow down. She's still on her feet most of the day. Happily, she has never once found it necessary to wear shoes in Skyhold, or swollen feet would have been the same problem for her as for other mothers-to-be. She hasn't sent word about the child to Keeper Deshanna. She's fairly certain that the moment they know, she will no longer have a clan.

It's still early, though. Early, when she is constantly nauseous and tired, when Adan is giving her medicines that she can't keep down and Mother Giselle keeps telling her to do what she can never do: rest. Today, there is a light flurry falling from the sky, and Pel is sitting in her quarters, picking through Alexius' latest report.

Her door opens. There is no knock.

"What have I said about--" she begins, standing up with an icy glare, but the guard interrupts.

"Your Worship. I present to you Merrick and Cyril Lavellan."

He ducks out, leaving Pel with her mouth hanging open.

[dalishious]

The journey hadn't been difficult for Merrick at all, even climbing through the mountains, so that wasn't why he was feeling irritated. Indeed, the sole source of his grumpiness was their sudden proximity to seemingly everyone in Thedas, the vast crowds of humans (human nobles, no less) clustered inside the massive castle. It made Merrick massively uncomfortable--and just as it was with all of his emotions, he channeled it with anger.

Seeing Pel, however, helped a bit. He didn't smile at the sight of her, but his shoulders relaxed a bit as Cyril moved immediately to greet her. She looked--different. Incredibly different. And it wasn't just her swollen belly, either. Something in her eyes was older, darker, and he didn't like it one bit.

[notyourherald]

By contrast, Cyril was enjoying himself. He had even stopped to look up a couple of the human nobles before being amused at the way they reacted. When he say Pel he grinned and went over to her.

"My, my. Isn't it the Inquisitor. What an honor. To think we're able to meet such an esteemed individual." He was teasing, but his face showed that he was very pleased to see Pel and he came closer to give her a hug.

[mythalenaste]

Pel throws her arms around Cyril and holds him tight. She's only sixteen weeks along, her baby bump is still small, but it's very much clear that it is a baby bump and not mere weight gain. She can feel it press against Cyril and swallows, chest constricting in fear. It will take no time for them to guess she is carrying a human child. She doesn't want to lose the boys who are like brothers to her, who came all this way to see her and may well march all the way back to tell the clan...

She holds Cyril tighter, briefly, before breaking away to embrace Merrick whether he wishes it or not.

"I've missed you so much," she whispers, a prayer to whatever god will listen for them to stay.

[dalishious]

Merrick has never been good at hiding his emotions. They reigned every aspect of his life, and right now was no exception. His arms go around Pel and he doesn't hug her as much as clutch her, his fingers digging slightly into her back as he rests his chin on the top of her head. She's so small--has she always been this small? Maybe Merrick has had a more extensive growth spurt than he thought.

It's difficult to speak just then, so he just holds onto her, waiting for Cyril to do the talking.

[notyourherald]

"We've missed you too," Cyril responded, quietly. His voice was meant just for the three of them at the moment. "But I've heard that you've been only a little occupied. What with saving the world and all."

He spoke with real warmth even though he was teasing her. He was just so pleased to see her again that he couldn't stop smiling.

[hallapologies]

No reactions to the baby bump, then. Pel breaks the embrace with Merrick and takes his hands, offering Cyril a tired smile.

"Saving the world isn't so bad," she offers, her voice returning to its normal low register now that she's not choking out sentiment. "It's saving it three or four times in a row that has me occupied. Fortunately I have some of the best people in the world who've been here for me. I..."

There's a bronto in the room and she has to address it.

"I should tell you about Cullen."

Not Commander Cullen. Just Cullen.

Meeting Everyone

[mythalenaste]

Josephine has decided to treat Merrick and Cyril like visiting dignitaries, even after they make it clear they are joining the Inquisition. They must be seen to be treating the Inquisitor's clanmates well, thereby setting an example. A delectable breakfast is brought up to the room. Brandied fruit and cream, hearty oat bread, and boiled quail eggs in a delicious savory sauce, with a pitcher of some lemony drink with ice and fruit floating in it. Pel, accustomed to such treatment, doesn't even properly dress herself for it, simply wrapping up in a quilted dressing gown and picking at breakfast like a bird. A number of things required her attention immediately, so she was occupied even at breakfast, poring over some messages and signing off on a few treaties as she nibbled.

After breakfast, Pel dressed and began walking her clanmates around Skyhold to introduce them. She starts in the tower, walking them through the room frescoed so exquisitely by Solas when he was here. She doesn't explain it. She just marches them up the stairs to the library. It's Dorian's favorite haunt, but he isn't there when they arrive. No, they're moving up the stairs to see Leliana when they meet Dorian face-to-chest coming down the stairs.

"My," he clucks without missing a beat. "These must be the Lavellans that have everyone all a-twitter. Let me guess--"

He points to Cyril. "Cyril, and--" pointing to Merrick "Merrick? I have heard everything about you, and I do mean everything. This one runs at the mouth a bit, part of her charm."

A dimple appears at the corner of Pel's mouth. "Behave."

"Decrying my lies and slander? I thought we were friends." Dorian gives a little bow. "Dorian of House Pavus, previously of Minrathous. Perhaps we should take this out of the stairway. As much as I enjoy looking down on you all, it is putting a crimp in my neck."

[dalishious]

To be honest, Merrick has been dreading this. After living for years with the same clan for most of his life, tucked away from the rest of the world, meeting new people hasn't been something he's done very much. Therefore, he's quite on edge and grumpy as they make their way through the castle, occasionally bumping into people with whom he has to make introductions. He already feels at capacity when they climb to stairs to meet with the person they were supposed to be meeting.

He'd been in a very bad mood, glaring at everyone who glanced his way, but his response to this person is quite different. He goes very still, and his eyes get a little wide, his lips parting just a fraction. His cheeks feel very hot, when did it get so hot in here? It's a damn castle in the middle of the snowy mountains. How stupid.

[notyourherald]

Cyril, on the other hand, is loving every moment of it. He enjoys all of the trappings that Skyhold has and enjoys seeing the people who Pel directs them too. He's as charming as ever, making jokes to put people at ease while giving them honest attention.

Then Dorian is there and he's beautiful. His eyes widen too but instead of standing there with a blush on his face he chuckles and moves closer to offer his hand to shake.

"Oh, I know an excellent back rub that can help with that," he teases very lightly, flirting openly and easily, settling into offering to his hands on this strangers body so easily that it feels almost like second nature.

[tevintering]

Dorian had a moment where he had settled his gaze on Merrick after his speech, but then the second elf was there, all bright colors and smiles as he offered his hand and openly suggested something that could easily be taken as lewd.

Dorian chuckled softly and took the hand. "I'm sure," he said. "I've heard that both of you are very skilled with your hands. Still, I'd rather avoid the annoyance if possible." He then held out his hand to guide them somewhere more comfortable.

[mythalenaste]

Between Cyril and Dorian, Merrick is very easy to overlook. Perhaps that is why Pel's eyes stray to him, looking away from the fireworks she expected to see a blush on Merrick's dusky cheeks. His entire demeanor has changed, but Cy and Dorian are acting as they always do. How can she not notice? She's never seen Merrick do this.

She slyly slips between the two, hooking arms with Cyril and Dorian and guiding them toward a seating area in the library.

"Wait to corrupt each other until I don't have to listen, please," she says evenly, though at the same time she is thinking. Merrick is clearly affected by Dorian. She's going to watch this careflly.

[dalishious]

...Of course. It's always like this.

Merrick still hasn't spoken, feeling a little lightheaded and dizzy, and wonders if it's just the altitude. Right, that's probably it. There's no way he'd react like this because of a human. Not a chance.

That still doesn't explain why his heart is pounding so fast, but whatever.

Meeting Cullen

[mythalenaste]

It's only a small, Skyhold-wide dinner party, for which the new Lavellan members of the Inquisition are the guests of honor. The real reason for the dinner party is so the boys can meet Cullen. Neither ambushing the man in his office nor having a private meeting were acceptable--both invited the boys to act unnecessarily hostile, and neither were good for displaying Cullen at his best, as Pel's partner and occasional arm candy.

She and Cullen are fashionably late, of course, after the boys have already been introduced. Pel is wearing a dress inspired by elvhen aesthetics, with a high collar, a wide sash, and a jagged hemline. Just outside the door, she slips her hand into the crook of Cullen's arm.

"They're going to love you," she murmurs. "They might hate you at first, but it's only on principle. Then they are going to see you the way I do, and they will love you."

[equitem_templarii]

"Do you think I've not enough experience with my own clan to know the dynamics?" Cullen asked her with a soft, crooked grin sent her way as they entered. He'd been the reason they were late, primarily because he was, for once, worried about appearances. It was one thing to concern oneself with propriety at a noble ball to an empress and court that a Fereldan, on principle, ought to not give a damn about. Another entirely when concerning familial introductions. There were some rituals that transcended race and time, and meeting the new, potential in-laws was precisely that.

Plus, of course, the day to day workings of a new institution, quickly and abruptly risen to a position of high import required a lot of attention to detail. And paperwork-- Maker the paperwork. All it had taken was a sharp look from his beloved to give him enough impetus to get a move on.

Though, as reformist as he had become in some of his world-views, he was insistent at least that she not overdo it tonight. After the customary greetings offered to supporters, nobles, and monarchy alike, he led her to the head of the table and pulled a chair out for her. "They may not love me as you do, and for that, I will promise not to be offended."

[notyourherald]

Cyril felt more than a little comfortable. He had on nice clothes and was surrounded by good food. He made his way through the banquet easily yet somehow never strayed too far from where Merrick was.

Then Pel arrived with her, well... whatever Cullen was. He was stunned by a moment by her beauty, but also by how handsome her gentleman was.

Damn, she really knew how to pick them.

[dalishious]

Merrick had fully expected to hate this--and he did, at first, grudgingly making himself look presentable and steeling himself to just put up with it. Then he arrived, and found everything--well, comfortable. Pel's friends were surprisingly easygoing. Thenm he realized who Pel had seated him next to-- and, strangely, found himself relaxing even more.

Then there was Cullen. The man was soft-spoken and handsome in a boyish sort of way, and he could see why he and Pel had gravitated toward one another. He seems as though he could stem her tide, keep her steady when she threatened to become the force of nature she often was.

He nods toward him and then makes a comment.

"Why is there so much food? There's way too much, even for all of us."

[hallapologies]

Pel gives Cullen a peck on the cheek before she sits, giving his arm an encouraging little squeeze just as she lets go. Cullen is good with questions like these, questions about the world of humans and their politics surrounding food and the embarrassment of a host running out of it. Later, she'll have to explain the shems are used to eating more than we are thing, though she has said things like that to Cullen a number of times before.

Her urge to answer and control everything is swallowed down with a sip of wine. This is Cullen's time to shine.

"Cullen, this is Merrick. He is one of the hunters of Clan Lavellan." No introduction the other way. The Dalish aren't really concerned with introductions, having so few of them. Pel was instructed in some human etiquette by Keeper Deshanna with the expectation that she would one day be Keeper, but it wasn't a concern for the rest of the clan, besides Lulwen.

[equitem_templarii]

There were a handful of Dalish who had come to the Inquisition, likely spurred to action and trust by their leader, herself. But since there were so few, the ones he hadn't recognized were the ones he knew had to be from Pel's clan. He nodded with respect toward Merrick before glancing at the food as it was questioned. "I'm afraid you'll have to ask Lady Montiliyet regarding the amount of food. Though given the company, I think she is trying her best to impress everyone. Though, to be honest, it's a bit disappointing if you run out."

Providing was everything, humans liked to provide to the point of comfort, not simply survival. Though they also had the means and the land to do so. Something that he realized humans likely took from the elves at some point.

"We could provide you with something a little less... decadent," he chuckled as he watched one of the tables light some dish on fire, the resultant gasp of several nobles, and nearly rolled his eyes, "than this fare. To be honest, I'd be happy with something a little less... foreign."

Merrick and Dorian

[tevintering]

It's some time after they have all settled down and Cullen has been introduced to Pel's family that Dorian is able to lean over and speak to Merrick.

"Well, now that you're done attempting to scare our dear Commander, you must tell me what you thought of the book."

He smiled at the elf then, and added. "Remember to leave no compliment of my impeccable taste understated."

[dalishious]

Merrick's shoulders had been hunched a bit during the conversation with Cullen, but they noticeably relax when Dorian addresses him. He's had quite a bit of wine at this point, and is able to lower his guard enough to smile.

"Luckily for you, I rather enjoyed it," he cheekily replies. "Less blathering than other books by humans, at least."

[tevintering]

"I feel as if I should point out that many believe the author's elven servant did most of the writing. Which, if true, it's a shame he wasn't able to publish under his own name," he knew all of the uncomfortable implications of that though so he moved on quickly enough.

"I'm happy you enjoyed it and pleased to know that my impression of you was so spot on. I knew I was an excellent judge of character."

[dalishious]

At that, Merrick's heart begins to pound again, and he can't think of anything to blame it on this time. He takes another sip of wine, and wishes he had something much harder. Most wine scrapes the edge of being too sweet for him.

"That's your impression of me?" he replies lightly. "That I can tell a good book from a poor one?" As usual his humor is very deadpan, but there's a slightly more lighthearted tone to his voice that he rarely takes on for anyone else. He carefully looks away as he speaks, trying not to look too eager to hear the answer.

[tevintering]

"A trait that few value and many more should," Dorian responds easily. The corner of his mouth lifts a bit as he speaks. He wishes that Merrick would look directly at him, though. He finds he really likes the elf's eyes.

"To be honest, I have had time to form an opinion. Our lovely Pel does enjoy sharing stories, when we have moments that allow it." Honestly, he only brought it back in hopes that it would make Merrick look at him in surprise.

[dalishious]

It works. Merrick's blue eyes widen a bit as he looks back at Dorian, His expression a little apprehensive, like an animal that knows it's being cornered. His tongue darts out briefly to slide against his lower lip, which he then bites nervously.

"Do I want to know what she said about me?" He ventures, one hand around his wine glass in preparation to imbibe profusely in case the answer is less than favorable.