Falling like ashes to the ground

Bajie generally enjoyed his visits with his friend Zoltan, they didn’t get to see each other that often, but their friendship went back to just a few years after Bajie first woke up and Zoltan was just a merchant that travelled around. Bajie had come at Zoltan’s request, so he figured it must be important for Zoltan to reach out like that, so Bajie hadn’t hesitated in going to Arlathan. Bajie had always avoided Arlathan back when he’d been awake the first time, at least during the time he’d had actual freedoms, before his fall from Andruil’s grace. Perhaps he should have run, but he’d always felt that at his core he was nothing but a coward. Helping Little Flea escape had been a fluke, he wasn’t sure what had come over him, but ever since then he’d decided he was all about looking out for himself first.

The meeting went a couple of hours, Bajie promised to do his best to help find contacts for Zoltan, people that could help with the food shortage problem from the fires that had plagued them months earlier. He wasn’t sure if he’d be able to help, but Zoltan said he’d make it worth Bajie’s time, so Bajie figured it couldn’t hurt to put some feelers out once he left Arlathan.

After leaving Zoltan’s office, he walked around a bit, taking in the sights. It was an impressive city, considering how long it had been abandoned. He found a nice little spot to sit amongst some trees and sat down, pulling his back off his back, he fished in it for a pouch. He found his pipe and the herbs and packed it down, but he couldn’t find his fire starter. He sighed and leaned back against the tree behind him. It was times like this he wished he was an elemental mage, but alas, he was not blessed with magic, so he just sat with a frustrated expression on his face.

Some weeks had passed since finding Ruth attempting surgery on himself. In her kitchen no less. After his wounds had been seen to, the two elves fell into a long conversation that slipped deep into the night. Megara did her best to console her friend, but nothing would fix this dilemma, this pain of the heart that was at the core of Ruth’s problem. Neither of them had any great luck in the romantic sense and not once, but a few times, passing acquaintances would query over the boundaries between friend and lover. Meg’s response was always the same. Laughter. The very idea so out of the realms of imagination it was all Megara could do. What a ridiculous notion. She loved Ruth, but not in any way romantic or carnal with desire. He was her family, her brother and only surviving confidant from the Kirkwall days, he knew where and who her heart was buried with.

Perhaps that was how she found herself in the tree. The anniversary of Kirkwall was looming, and while it had been a few years since she’d felt so burdened by those memories, space, solitude was sought. What better position to escape and observe than up and in the treeline? Yet she was never fully alone, not with Sylaise’s consciousness nearby. In the relatively peaceful setting, the soul admonished her gently.

[color=#aaaaaa]You are worried for him, but there are so many others just like him, if not worse, for us to help. You should not fear your skills, nor your ability. You are a leader, Megara. [/color]

[color=#008e02]“I am just a simple herbalist and healer. I’m not…”[/color]

[color=#aaaaaa]You doubt yourself. Don’t. You must go by your own words. Lean on others. Together is the only way we can defeat the Eth.[/color]

Megara would sigh, face leaning into the bark as a figure, a dwarf drew close to the tree she resided in. The production of a pipe, but no light caused her to grin and ignoring the soul seeking to talk her into a desk job, called out from her perch gently.

[color=#008e02]“You need a light, mister?”[/color]

He didn’t really know anyone in Arlathan. He knew of people in Arlathan, there were other ancient elves, which apparently the one currently leading Arlathan was, but none he’d ever met back before the big sleep. Zoltan was the only one in the city he really knew, so when someone started talking to him, it took him a second or two to fully wrap his brain around the fact that they were speaking to him.

He looked up and then smiled, as his brain fully wrapped around what she had asked him.

Actually that would be bloody brilliant! If you don’t mind. I swear I had my fire starter in here when I left home, but now I can’t find the damn thing. He couldn’t lie, he felt a bit on edge being in Arlathan, considering what it used to be. Reminder of a time long gone that Bajie would much prefer to forget. Though that was hard to do with Elgar’nan rearing his ugly head, but how much trouble could one crazy ancient elf that believed he was a god be. At least it wasn’t Andruil, now that would open some seriously festering old wounds.

Meg’s legs swung idly against the thick branch as she watched the man below look around and then up. She flashed him a wide grin once their gazes met. [color=#008e02]“Hai!”[/color] raising her hand in a short wave.

[color=#008e02]“No trouble at all! I’ll be a jiffy.”[/color] With a firm nod, the dales eyes searched for her previous footholds to make her way down.

[color=#aaaaaa]Please. Just… conjure some vines, don’t fall. [/color]

[color=#008e02]I will be fine. I got up here easy enough, now shush. [/color]

She took her time on the way down. Mostly to appease the spirit within her, but she also guessed the man wouldn’t appreciate her suddenly falling on him either. Safe and slow was better and once the bottom reached, she too would produce a pipe. [color=#008e02]“Yeah, I don’t have that problem. Lack of fire, I mean.”[/color] Holding the bell-end, Meg would gesture the nib at the space next to him.

[color=#008e02]“Mind if I sit?”[/color] She didn’t think it too much of an ask, though some smokers she knew used it as an excuse for some solitude, away from whatever stressed them. If he offered the spot, she’d gladly take it, perching to first fill her own bell with a special mixture of tobacco and herb. She’d take the fingers of her free hand to strike against the bark to perform a spark, offering it to him first.

Questions started flittering through his mind, not that any of them were any of his business. Nope, definitely not. This person was just helping him light his pipe, it wasn’t any of his business who they were or what they were doing there. Nope, he didn’t care one bit beyond getting his pipe lit.

He smiled as she came down out of the tree, and when she asked if he minded if she sat, he situated himself a bit better so that there was plenty of room and he wouldn’t be crowding her, but also so that he could talk to her and not be uncomfortably facing away from her.

Of course, plenty of room, have yourself a plop. Despite the fact that he could often be stubborn and anti-social, at his core he was actually a very sociable person, it just wasn’t something he ever really admitted to himself. Mostly because he liked to believe he was only out for himself, but even that was just a defence mechanism he’d adapted a very long time ago when everything had gone to shit in Andruil’s kingdom.

When the fire was offered, Bajie put the pipe to his mouth and leaned forward towards the offered flame, then breathed in a few puffs as it lit. Then he blew the smoke away, in the opposite direction of Megara so as not to be rude and blow the smoke directly in her face. Seeing her climb down from the tree had reminded him of things he’d much rather forget. Once upon a time, when things had been good. A son who had cherished climbing around in the trees. A son he hadn’t seen ever since he’d lost his standing amongst Andruil’s slaves.

The silence was starting to feel awkward, he hated an awkward silence. No he’d much rather fill silences with the sound of his voice, even if he wasn’t always talking with someone, he’d often talk to himself. He looked up in the tree and then back to Megara.

So does the tree climber have a name? I’m Bajie. They’d shared a flame, they could at least share their names.

[color=#aaaaaa]He seems out of place. [/color]

[color=#008e02]What you mean?[/color]

[color=#aaaaaa]Not sure, but conflicted radiates off him. [/color]

While she didn’t doubt the soul, Megara set it aside for now. He was just a stranger lacking a light, she didn’t have to prod and poke every bit of information out of him unnecessarily. Meg’s grin widened at the offer,[color=#008e02] “Cheers,”[/color] planting her butt comfortably onto the space her bare feet would play happily in the soil.

The pipes lit and the sweet smell of herb and tobacco gently drifted through the breeze. Meg leaned back into the trunk behind, enjoying a few deep draws, half appreciating the quiet, half-deciding what small talk opener to begin with. Yet he bet her to it, drawing a chuckle from her. Tree Climber was better than The Stoner being bellowed across the market place. God damn Ruth.

[color=#008e02]“Megara, but Meg is fine. …You don’t climb trees? They make nice hideouts.”[/color]

There was a part of him that was eager to get out of Arlathan and back to Antiva City. There were certain things going on with Aethra, that caused him to worry about her. Granted then he cursed himself for worrying about someone. It wasn’t like he’d gotten Aethra in that position, why should he worry or care.

Probably shouldn’t even bother going back, nope probably should get the fuck out of Antiva while the getting was good. He sighed and took a drag on the pipe. Trying to push all those thoughts out of his conflicted mind. Then he chuckled at the idea of going around climbing trees.

I mean, don’t get me wrong, if given the choice between surviving by hiding up in a tree or getting a sword to the gut, I’ll take the tree every time. He hesitated, he didn’t like admitting he had a weakness, that weakness being heights in this particular instance, and it wasn’t like he was a klutz, despite his large size he was quite light on his feet, but he still feared falling. He shrugged.

I just prefer having my two feet on solid ground. He looked up at the tree briefly, then took another drag off his pipe and shook the thoughts out of his mind, or at least pushed them to the back of his mind. Of course, the fact that he was a large guy, also meant that if he did climb a tree he’d have to be way more careful of what branches he chose, being that branches that would hold someone else’s weight, might not support his weight as easily.

Megara had never put a place as home, but people who loved and cared about her and she with them. It had been Kirkwall for a long time, and when that had fallen apart, the Inquisition. Now Arlathan had become her newest place, but for the people in need and the difference she could make. It also meant she could keep an eye on her most evasive friend.

The two sat in relative quiet, enjoying the peaceful surroundings. Her smile grew soft around the nip, casting a glance over to him as he spoke. [color=#008e02]“Yeeeah, between them options that’s a def surety.”[/color] She’d chuckle, [color=#008e02]“But they good for not just that. A friend of mine is always sleeping in them when he’s on the road.” [/color]

Taking the pipe out, she’d try her best Ruth impression, with frowning lines and all.[color=#008e02] “Better than havin’ some twat setting my tent on fire… I think he forgets that trees make excellent torches.” [/color]

Bajie chuckled, he tried to imagine himself sleeping up in a tree, but that just would never work. No even if not for his fear of falling, he tossed and turned way too much in his sleep. Which would mean almost certainly an outcome of him falling if he dared to try and sleep up in some large tree. Though there was also the whole thing about being comfortable. It was hard enough to do on the ground, let alone up on some hard and lumpy tree limb.

Well, you’re friend must not move much in their sleep if they can manage sleeping up in a tree. Then he raised an eyebrow at the comment about setting a tent on fire and the thing about trees and torches. I’m almost afraid to ask how one manages that, beyond general stupidity of course. He glanced over at the Eluvian, he hated using the things. He thought about going back the long way, but he wasn’t exactly geared for such a trip. He tried to push the thought from his mind and focus on his conversation with Megara and smoking. The smoking definitely made him feel better.

I have a friend, fairly new to magic, since this whole veil coming down nonsense. Tried to use a water spell to douse a campfire, used fire instead and nearly caught the whole camp on fire, including singeing his eyebrows a bit. He said, chuckling to himself as he thought about it and then took another drag on his pipe.

Megara’s smile curled as he laughed. It sounded less forced, more relaxed, and that was what she’d intended. A natural calm seemed to follow her. Perhaps that was what made her a good healer, the comfort she brought with her, with her smile, a silly joke or train of thought. Perhaps it was merely Sylaise and the souls influence?

[color=#008e02]“Ruth barely sleeps as it is. I swear he’s fuelled by caffeine and smoking elfroot. Toss in too much whisky on that list too.”[/color] Removing the nib, she’d let out a deep sigh, smoke billowing out around them. [color=#008e02]“Bandits?” [/color]She supposed, but they weren’t the only dangers. [color=#008e02]“He spends a lot of time on his own when out on the road. Tree’s are pretty safe and if you’re like me - and can’t get used to it - a good rope tether will save you breaking anything.”[/color] She’d grin, though part of her worried after her oldest friend. His current being had her growing increasingly concerned.

[color=#008e02]“Heh! Yeeeah. I’ve always had my talents, but it does make me giggle seeing some of the greenies at it, think they are all some bigshots.”[/color] Her head shook lightly, [color=#008e02]“Magic will humble you eventually.” [/color]

Bajie nodded and chuckled at all the right places. It was good to just relax and meet someone new, though there would always be that voice in the back of his mind, warning him about not getting close to people. Yet somehow he always ended up walking down that path, even still, he would always try to tell himself he was only out for himself and that the only reason he had friends was because they were like a commodity to be bought and traded.

As Megara stopped speaking, Bajie allowed a few moments of silence to pass as he smoked. Meeting a new person was always an interesting navigation. He asked himself lots of questions, like was this person worth knowing, would they be a commodity he could one day use to his advantage. Then there was the balancing act in general. He didn’t like to get too personal right out of the gate, but then if the conversation was going to continue, he had to say or ask something.

He took another drag, the weather felt too mundane, but it also wasn’t like he was going to dive into his deep and personals. Well, if he was going to figure out what sort of worth they might have as a friend, he was going to just have to ask some mildly personal questions.

So, are you a resident or a visitor? He asked, it felt relatively like a safe question. It skirted the edges of personal, but not blatantly a directly personal question either.

Megara didn’t need the use of mind magic to understand he was only half-paying attention, the rest of him was dating with himself. Ruth did the same, the nodding at the appropriate pauses, questioning the validity of people's words. Meg just left him to his thoughts, going back to sucking on the nib and inhaling a deep lungful of herb.

She didn’t interrupt the quiet silence between them, merely smiled wider and enjoyed the forest scenery. It was a nice spot, not far from a well-tread path, but out the way enough to be relatively secluded. One could forget the newly refounded city, bustling with new life a short walk away. Meg didn’t often enjoy the silence, though. While there was always something in the background, crickets for example, true silence scared her.

Feeling the log shift, Meg’s attention returned, the question asked shortly after. [color=#008e02]“Oh. Um. I guess I’m a resident now.” [/color]Her expression became thoughtful. [color=#008e02]“My house isn’t far and… my companion,”[/color] a hand gently pressed against her heart, [color=#008e02]“is very insistent we help, as best we can. What about you? Are we neighbours?” [/color]

So a resident, he filed the information away into his brain. Couldn’t hurt knowing someone else in Arlathan besides Zoltan. Now of course, he currently had no plans to help go up against Elgar’nan, but as he suspected Arlathan stood against him, it couldn’t hurt having more allies there that would know what was going on in that front. He might not plan to fight, but that was only if his personal freedoms weren’t threatened.

He thought about what he should say next, he knew how to answer her question, but he also considered offering at least a little bit more about himself than just answering her question. It was a delicate give and take, the art of conversation, and he wasn’t one to rush into it without thinking about his words beforehand.

Well, it is a lovely little corner of the world. I suppose you could say neighbours in a sense, in only that we both hail from Antiva. I never got to Arlathan back during its former glory, never made it out of Oranavra myself. He paused briefly, and then quickly added. Er, that would be Nevarra and a big part of Orlais today. So he’d admitted to being an ancient elf, that was pretty personal. Sure the last few years ancients were waking up left and right, but when he woke up twenty years earlier, they weren’t as common and he’d learned to keep that information more of a secret back then.

Between the puffs, Megara giggled.[color=#008e02] “Yeah it is. Aww, I can’t swing by for sugar though, or a glass of milk. Antiva’s pretty big.”[/color] With a shrug, she relaxed deeper into the trunk behind. Herb mellowed both body and mind as he spoke. She grinned along, until he spoke a word, a name of somewhere unfamiliar. [color=#008e02]“...Oh.”[/color] Her smile slowly widened. [color=#008e02]“I guess it must be really weird for you, yeah? After all that time asleep?” [/color]

She had some understanding of it. Her mind sometimes called places different as Sylaise’s consciousness melded with her own, bled through enough that Meg wasn’t sure where her mind ended and Sylaises’ began. While they had some balance, and Sylaise herself chose only to intervene when asked, there was a great deal of unknown when it came to finding the rest of the Hearth’s pieces.

[color=#cccccc]You have no need to be afraid, Megara. I will see that no harm comes to you. [/color]

[color=#008e02]“... You must have had one stiff neck. I get a stiff neck when I sleep too long too.”[/color] The few she had met hadn’t mentioned it, but why would they? They shared some things, but there was a great suspicion cast on the ‘young ones’.

[color=#cccccc]Now you are doubting your potential. Stop it. [/color]

Navigating the world he had woken up in twenty years earlier hadn’t been easy, but he was nothing if not a survivor. If he could endure being on Andruil’s bad side, then he could endure adapting to the world being different than the one he had gone to sleep in.

Still, that was years ago now, present day him had gotten on pretty well. Until Elgar’nan woke up, now he was utterly terrified of what would happen if more of the Evanuris woke up, especially Andruil. Solas and Mythal he could handle, the others less so to varying degrees

He chuckled at the comment about borrowing sugar or milk. Antiva was big, but compared to some of the other kingdoms less so. Though even if they had lived closer, enough to drop by to borrow things, he didn’t imagine he’d have either of those two things on hand. He shrugged at the question about it being weird for him after all that time asleep.

To be honest I’m a bit disappointed in the state of things, I had hoped by the time I woke up, if I woke up, slavery would be abolished and I’d awake to a utopia. Instead it’s a lot more like, same problems, different people. He paused, then chuckled again at the comment about having a stiff neck. Honestly the stiff neck was nothing compared to how badly I needed to take a piss He said, laughing some more.