All I wanted was a way back home

There was a part of Nahreida that didn’t want to be far from home right now, not after what had happened to Cade. They worried about their close knit group, and even though none of her magic could just give back what Cade lost, it hadn’t stopped them from playing around with their tattoo magic in case they found a way to give them something.

At least with the Eluvian network up, travel was easier. Granted they didn’t live directly near one, so there was some degree of travelling involved. Nothing compared to how long it would take her to get from Rivain to Orlais travelling the traditional method.

Why she was going to Orlais was two-fold. She had shopping to do, which to be fair, she could have done at the closest city to them in Rivain. However, she also wanted to catch up with some friends that she hadn’t seen in months, namely one dashing Paolo whom she liked to constantly flirt with and tease and invite him into her little poly. She didn’t really expect him to, but the teasing and flirting was just so much fun.

She got to the marketplace and looked around, trying to decide if she had time to duck into one of the shops before the time she’d said she’d meet Paolo. She had a few minutes, she came up with a small bag and headed to the cafe. It was a nice day out, so she was glad they’d chosen the cafe that was partly outside. It was far too nice to be cooped up inside some dusty dank tavern.

She took a seat nearest the outside, where she could see him coming, and as soon as she did she stood up and beamed at him, kissing him on both cheeks.

Ah, it’s been too long. How have you been?! She sat back down and moved her bag off the table and by her feet.

Paolo went around the market, enjoying a pear as the winter chill hit his cheeks. Despite of the cold, today was one of the few sunny days where the sun was actually quite strong which made the harsh weather a bit more bearable. He was also in a good mood because soon he would see his dear friend Nahreida, an acquaintance he hadn’t seen in a while but that was also always a delight to see. Nahreida was always calming, like drinking a minty tea in a cold winter night.

“Nahreida, preciosa!!” he said greeting her excitedly “How are you doing? Any news to share with your favorite bard? Any gossip for me to delight on?” asked Paolo with a smirk after kissing her forehead and sitting on the chair, moving it to be next to her instead of facing the woman. He was a touchy feely person that loved closeness.

Nahreida always enjoyed her visits with Paolo, he was like a ray of sunshine even on the darkest of days. Something she really needed a dose of right about now. Sure the blights were over in Ferelden and Orlais, which was good, but then there was the Elgar’nan threat which definitely worried her. She also worried that if Elgar’nan was back, would Ghilain’nan be far behind? Her creator and tormentor.

I’m afraid nothing too juicy, or anything you don’t already know. Dowager King Frankie’s death had hit Antiva hard, though it was rumoured that there was someone pregnant with his love child, a Talon at that, but in the current political climate, she wasn’t going to believe everything she heard. I could use some fluffy gossip right about now to be honest. Some Contessa in a love triangle with a duke, or a baroness knocked up with a stable boy’s love child. Anything that wasn’t as dreary as the news she kept hearing.

“Well your company is good enough my dear Nahreida, just because a sky doesn’t have shooting stars it’s not less beautiful isn’t it?” he said before kissing his friend’s palm. “Oh! I have it for you! Did you know that in the last party Contessa du Gishlain had alive birds in her hairdo, and then the birdies got scared with a more catchy song and since they pooped they wanted me to pay the bill of the dress?? Incredibly! Plus the dress was already damn ugly, If I was to blame for the incident perhaps I did a positive intervention”

Nahreida smiled at Paolo’s compliment about her company. It was good to just have some time to catch up with friends and not worry about what was going on around them. The world was in chaos, finding comfort in the little things was what kept Nahreida sane. You always have the best gossip! She said as she laughed about the story that Paolo told her.

Paolo's stories never failed to amuse her, like a balm to her weary spirit. Well, it sounds like you saved everyone at the party from having to look at that dress for any longer. Nahreida retorted playfully, her laughter filling the space between them. You always seem to have the best stories!!!

“Well it comes with the territory of being the best bard, I know the best stories and the best ways to share them” he said as he winked at the woman. He turned a bit more serious “By the way talking about less fun gossip. I don’t know what the fuck is going around but rumor mill says that shit is stirring and that Thedas is getting exceptionally dangerous, so be careful will you my dear?” Paolo didn’t have anything confirmed but he had heard shit about Ferelden and Antiva that he didn’t like a single bit and he wanted his friends safe.

Nahreida smiled and then rolled her eyes slightly at the remark about danger, it wasn’t an eye roll in annoyance at Paolo, simply an annoyance that the Evanuris were coming back. Sure not all were bad, and she’d never had any personal bad experiences with Elgar’nan back in the day, but she was desperately hoping that Ghilain’nan didn’t get put back together.

Ah yes, the Evanuris are coming back, also known as the wanna-be Elvhen gods. Some aren’t so bad, like Solas and Mythal, but Elgar’nan and his followers are definitely bad news. Though personally I’m more worried about Ghilain’nan coming back. She is responsible for me being me, which I guess isn’t so bad, but I just feel like the world doesn’t need a mad scientist right now that messes with people’s DNA. She explained, her eyes rolling at the name Elgar’nan, but a slightly worried look at the name Ghilain’nan.

“Why all the Elvhen gods pick up names that are so fucking hard to pronounce, the only one I think I can say on a go from all the bunch that you mentioned is Solas” he said with a resigned sigh. Those kind of names made composing songs like a bitch, the fuck was he supposed to rhyme with Elgar,nan?.

“Pardon my ignorance but who is Elgar’nan? Like the god of the baddies evil people? Or just a creep?” he asked with genuine curiosity “Don’t you have like the god of the pretty ladies or the goddess of chill? Why Thedas is always about “incoming doom” and never “incoming orgies or parties?” he said with a pout.

Nahreida chuckled at Paolo's exasperation, Elgar’nan is actually the Elvhen god of vengeance and the sun. Not exactly a party guy, I'm afraid. As for a god of chill, I'm not sure. Maybe we should start petitioning for one. She winked, her playful demeanor returning.

But hey, who knows? With the ever-changing tide of the world, maybe we'll get lucky and the next reveal will be the god of wine and merry-making. Nahreida quipped, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

@Paolo Fibonacci

“Maybe we can name ourselves the deities of chill, think about i tour signs could be a beer a lute and a tattoo. I think that we should definitively look into that godhood business” he said with a smile. He had never been specially devoted and admittedly his sentence had been a teensy bit of a blasphemy to the maker but hey, there was no mother of the chanty hearing anyways.

“Yess or the love making deity, Maker knows that it’s been a bit of a busy month and I miss sex” he said in a low tone, he had enough friendship with Nahreida to admit that kind of stuff to her.