Falling like ashes to the ground

She couldn’t help the snort at his words. [color=#008e02]“Yeeeeah. That’s the trouble with history though, often repeats itself.”[/color] Withdrawing the nib, Meg would let out a long sigh, the idea of waking up to a utopia was optimistic but she’d chuckle in agreement. [color=#008e02]“Yeah. The names and faces change but all in all, we’re not that much better off.”[/color] Not that Meg was an expert on her people's history outside of the main tales, she relied on Ruth for the more nuances that had happened.

[color=#008e02]“‘Suppose that’s why there’s a heap more of us trying to change that, this time around.” [/color]While she smiled wide, it appeared  more goofy than those previous, though it quickly shifted into a laugh, joining in with his. [color=#008e02]“Ooooo that’s gotta hurt,”[/color] wincing after a moment.

A stray curious thought came to mind, one that Meg couldn’t quite shake either. [color=#008e02]“So… an Ancient then… you ever meet the Hearth Keeper, Sylaise?” [/color]

It was sad that history repeated itself, and if Elgar’nan had anything to say about it, things were only going to get worse from here on out, now that he was whole and awake. History really would repeat itself, only in a more precise, deja vu, kinda way. He nodded in acknowledgement as he took another drag.

He laughed with her about the needing to pee thing, granted he laughed now, but oh man when he woke up he felt like he was brimming to burst. Not a great feeling on top of the whole groggy confused feeling of where am and oh of course the most important question fo when am I. As the conversation shifted to him being an ancient, he shrugged.

Who hasn’t? Tried to stay neutral in the shit storm back then. I mean I never met them myself. He thought about that day he helped Little Flea escape Andruil’s kingdom, told her to head straight for Sylaise’s Kingdom. There’d been rumours she was better to slaves and that she’d take fleeing slaves from other kingdoms in order to protect them. He didn’t want to talk about Little Flea though, so he decided to leave that bit out.

There were rumours, rumours that she only took slaves to keep them safe from the likes of Andruil and Elgar’nan and anyone else who was shit to people. Rumours that if a person could make to their kingdom they’d be safe. He paused and took another drag, trying to push thoughts of Little Flea out of his mind. Like I said, I’ve never met Sylaise personally, but compared to Elgar’nan I’d consider them a Saint.

Megara had been a witness to many storms that had crossed through Thedas. She’d seen the refugee’s fleeing the darkspawn, provided aid and healing when Kirkwall fell and when another explosion rocked the chance at a peace between mages and templars she took the initiative and left what she knew to Haven.

Their laughs echoed around the clearing, lifting what tension seemed to gather around his eyes. He, like other ancients she’d met, had seen their fair shares of horrors and unrelenting cruelty. [color=#008e02]“Yeah, of course, I just wondered is all.” [/color]

Listening, her head nodded along. [color=#008e02]“She would say that it was a choice to shut her eyes. There are a great many things about then that she regrets.”[/color] Hubris and an unwillingness to look beyond her borders left many suffering. And then Meg realised how it sounded. [color=#008e02]“Oh… I should have probably mentioned that earlier. You kinda are meeting her now.”[/color] She’d grin around the nip, head sinking into her shoulders a little.

[color=#008e02]“Took a drag too many… but She chooses to fight this time, if it comes to it.”[/color]

At first Bajie just tipped his head curiously at the way Megara spoke of Sylaise. He didn’t blame Sylaise really, for having stayed neutral. He wasn’t exactly running to join the fight against Elgar’nan. How long before he finally had to admit to himself that he wasn’t just in it only for himself, that he actually cared what happened to the people around him, even the people he didn’t know.

Well there’s a reason hindsight is twenty/twenty. If he had a coin for everyone he’d failed in his life. As Megara kept speaking of Sylaise, suddenly Bajie paused mid-smoke, eyes went a bit wide, though he tried to hide his surprise, but he wasn’t doing a very good job at it. He’d heard of the shards, heard that’s how Elgar’nan is walking about again, that someone had found all the shards that were often inside of people.

That must be, interesting? Not sure I could handle sharing myself with another consciousness. One of the reasons I’m glad I’m not a mage after the Veil came down, bloody spirits and demons all over the blood place. He wanted to ask if Sylaise had heard of a girl named Little Flea, if she’d made it to Sylaise’s kingdom, but even if Little Flea had made it to Sylaise’s kingdom, what were the odds Sylaise would have met them personally.

Interesting was one way to describe it. Meg hummed in agreement. [color=#008e02]“It’s not… terrible either. I was not… coping well with life before. I put on a smile, laughed with people, carried on the good fight, but deep down I was a ghost wandering my way through.”[/color] Looking at the bell of her pipe she’d sigh. Admitting out loud still irked her, but (at this time) Nairn would want her to find happiness, even if that didn’t involve his love, hers would sustain her. [color=#008e02]“I think that's why she sought me out, we helped each other.” [/color]

Then her grin returned, [color=#008e02]“Only problem is, I’m a bit of a coward when it comes to leadership things. It's a bit scary for someone who’s spent their life hiding their talents.”[/color] It was either hide or risk being thrown into a circle and luckily she had landed as part of a network of thieves and smugglers the latter could be avoided. Others though were not as lucky.

[color=#008e02]“Oh yeah, it sucks for some. Do you know.. That the Champion of Kirkwall has a demon?”[/color] Her brows lifted, curious if he’d heard the rumour of not. [color=#008e02]“Went on a rampage at the Hawke estate. Nobody died, but yeah, didn’t want to piss her off before, be suicide now.”[/color]

Bajie nodded and listened as Megara spoke about her experience. He supposed it might be comforting if the right two entities were paired up like had clearly been the case with Megara and Sylaise. Though he couldn’t imagine what he would need in a partner to be able to tolerate being paired with someone that intimately.

Well, it's fortunate that you found each other then. He said, truly meaning it. It was good to see that something positive could come from such a situation. He wasn’t sure what to say in regards to the personal information she had divulged. He thought about his own past experiences, but then also quickly reminded himself, he didn’t really know this person well enough to divulge that personal of details back.

He simply nodded and replied, That's brave of you, sharing yourself like that. And I'm sure you'll handle these leadership things just fine. One step at a time, right? He then paused, considering the new information about the Champion of Kirkwall. That sounds... complicated. But then, isn't everything these days?

Perhaps because they were both suffering loss that the two had bonded so easily. A shared pain that the other could offer a sympathetic ear, a kind word or nudge to keep shuffling forwards. Her brows rose high as she nodded steadily.[color=#008e02] “Yuuuup. I don’t like to think about what, or who I’d be if something else came to stay.” [/color]

A flash of scepticism crossed her face and Meg couldn’t help the scoff of a giggle. [color=#008e02]“I dunno, I can be a bit scatty, goofy. Foolhardy maybe, not sure about brave, but I suppose… I did an okay job with the Inquisition,”[/color] her voice faded as her mind recalled those eventful few years. Being a part of the inner workings of the Old City was a different animal entirely though, and she struggled accepting that level of responsibility.

She offered him a grin with his comment on complicated. [color=#008e02]“Yeeeeah.”[/color] The wave of feelings brought up when faced with Revas and June had taken her a little by surprise. She’d recognised the sensation, the skipping of her heartbeat reflected Sylaise’s excitement in finding her mate. [color=#008e02]“Complicated is quickly becoming the normality.”[/color] Again, her shoulders would shrug, pipe once again drawn on with an inhale.

Bajie might not know every Evanuris personally, but he knew enough about the lot of them to know that Megara could have faired a lot worse than getting Sylaise as her companion. Then he chuckled a bit at her comment about being a bit scatty and goofy. He took a drag on the pipe and then added in his two coins.

Oh, I don’t know, sometimes that can be good in leadership. Makes you relatable. I mean, as long as it’s a bit and not all the time. Besides, in my experience, the ones that don’t want leadership are usually the very ones that should have it. He chuckled softly. And yes, the world seems to have a knack for complicating things, doesn't it? He took another puff from his pipe, letting the smoke swirl around them.

He thought about his life back in the old days, it was a thousand lifetimes ago, but there were moments, randomly, when he felt like he could reach out and touch them if he tried hard enough, especially with the return of Elgar’nan, how long before others returned, how long before a war with the Evanuris ripped Thedas apart at its seams.

Me, I’m more the adviser sort, not a big fan of being someone others depend on. Not that Aethra didn’t depend on his advice and his training of recruits, but somehow he rationalised that as being an entirely different thing than it would be if he were in a position of power and leadership himself.

If rumours of the champion’s struggle were true, then Meg held a different fear. What happened when, not if, the other shards surfaced? What would happen to her? Of course, Sylaise had pressed she would refrain from imposing her consciousness more than necessary, but control would easily fall into the Soul’s favour. And what about after? It was a daunting prospect, how changed would she be and what kind of spirit would replace should Megara survive it?

The sea of unknown’s had her next toke of the pipe a long one.[color=#008e02] “Mmm. There are a lot of unknowns. We know a fight is coming, it’s just a matter of time, and after that, I think a lot of things will be different. A good different, but yeah, if leadership is where I’m heading.. Then it’s stupid to fight against the current.” [/color]

Choosing to remain confident in the self she was sure of, Megara relaxed. [color=#008e02]“Knowing oneself is good, but we sometimes need a second eye, gives us perspective. Advising works both ways tho',”[/color] she’d grin, chuckling against the pipe while her eyes trailed up to judge the sun. She should probably make tracks back to the cottage, fix Ruth a bite to eat for when he woke from his usual hangover. Idiot.

[color=#008e02]“Well, if you feel like givin’ any advice, my doors easy to find.”[/color] Her shoulders shrugged, [color=#008e02]“just ask for me at the office set up near the eluvian. It’s pretty easy to find.” [/color]

A fight was definitely coming, he wanted to avoid it, wanted nothing to do with it, but as much as he felt that way, he also wasn’t stupid enough to be ill-prepared for it. Elgar’nan, Falon’din, it was only a matter of time before more awoke. He shuddered at the thought of Andruil walking the world again. Not that the others weren’t just as bad, only he didn’t have the personal experiences with them that he had with Andruil.

Well, from what I’ve seen, I think you’ll make a fine leader. Not that he’d seen a ton, but he liked to think of himself as a good judge of character, and Megara seemed like a good sort of peoples. Heh, I’ll keep that in mind. He said in response to her telling him where to find her if he ever felt like giving advice.

Well, if you’re ever in Antiva City, feel free to look me up. I can usually be found at the Nero estate. If Meg knew much about the Talons, the surname Nero would be familiar, otherwise it was just another name. Speaking of the city, I should be getting back. It’s been a pleasure. He meant it, mostly, even though he liked to pretend he didn’t care about people, that they were only tools in his chest, but there were always those he failed to convince. Aethra being one of those, but then Aethra knew his past, so it was a bit harder to hide behind the charade with her. Once farewells were given, he headed towards the Eluvian.