foxsays | ooc: inbox/plot with me

Whatever has been plaguing Skyhold of late somehow hasn't touched Araceli; privately she'll say it's the sea in her blood, that it keeps her safe even so far from her, when she hasn't seen it, smelt it, touched it in so many months, but she knows better than to say such things here when they might be repeated when something is gripping Skyhold at present. Seeing anyone she loves hurting or in pain is a lead weight in her belly, that she can do nothing only makes it worse so she slips away to find something she can read to Korrin, to bring her something light to eat, some tea she can sip.

That Korrin is gone is troubling, and the only delay is from the cursing fit she has before she hurries off, asking around. It makes it easy that there are so few matching Korrin's description about and the tavern isn't really a surprise but she still needs a moment before she heads in.

The barman doesn't need to jerk his head towards the corner but he does, and she manages a tight smile, swallowing carefully. It isn't Korrin's fault. Something is wrong with her, something that the healers are struggling to treat, and at least Araceli knows where she is and that she hasn't somehow managed to hurt herself as she slips next to her, tucked close to her side.

"Sirena?" Her voice is soft, and she's never been good at keeping the worry out of it, trying to see what Korrin and others can apparently see but there's nothing there and that only makes her fret more. "Why are you here Korrin, you should be in bed, resting, not somewhere so loud." The leg next to Korrin's nudges gently, the side of her mouth attempting a smile as her small hand rubs soothing circles, as if this were any illness, something easier to soothe, something that might burn itself out like a fever.

Staring off in a daze yet again, Korrin frowns softly as voices other than Araceli's reach her first. But the lovely lady suddenly at her side isn't one to be ignored, even as Korrin is in no shape to give her the attention and appreciation she deserves. Her eyes try to focus, though she barely lifts that head as though it's far too heavy for such actions. How she made it as far as the tavern, Korrin probably can't even recall.

"The noise...it's good. When it's quiet and I'm not focusing on them, I can hear them. The spirits. It's weird, I'm no medium. Shouldn't be hearing them at all. The Veil isn't that thin here, either. When I try to focus on them, they shut up, but when I don't, they won't stop. 'Sannoying."

Sometimes the usual tricks fail and so she moves from Korrin's side, dragging a chair until she's directly in the woman's line of sight, the scrape of wood on wood loud in her ears but it's noise. It might help, it might help Korrin's eyes to focus on her for a moment when she doesn't actually need to turn to look at her as she keeps her left hand out of the way.

There might be a day when she isn't so suspicious of it but no good comes of playing with fire and so she reaches out with her right hand to take Korrin's face instead, to tilt it up enough, elbow resting on the table, thumb under her chin. Nowhere else to go, only her, only Araceli. (This is not the time to speak of Leandra when she is so tired she is near to tears, of Rajani, Brunilda, Argyris, Eir, Nerissa when they are still so homesick they cannot bear to look at an unfamiliar country, when Araceli's face has had to be the friendly port in a storm, yet is this not such a moment? Or is this when the drowning soul clings for a lifeline, when they are too frightened to know if they are ready for the sea to take them?)

"What do they say? The spirits that you're hearing? I don't see or hear anything at all, and I know my hand feels much as it always does, I know enough to know that should there be something odd about the Veil then perhaps it should begin to pain me or to ache in some fashion."

"Your hand is so lovely and cool right now...." Well, compared to Korrin's burning up, it is. She sighs in relief at that and upon hearing that Araceli's other hand isn't acting up. "Good. It'd better leave you alone. It's not thin, not like the mire, it's just...they're everywhere, all over the place. Some of them are just curious, they can see that I notice them. Some want to help, I think. It's mostly just snippets, brief stuff...can't get more than that."

She frowns, though, having even less filter than usual or the next part wouldn't be mentioned. "There are some demons, too. Fear and despair...some others. They can't do anything, but drawn to people that match what they are. Fucking leeches...."

Well that's something at least, so she she does smile, wishing she'd thought to bring something else to cool her down with but at least she has Korrin's attention for the moment and that might help her cause. Listening carefully, she nods, the cool mask of a guard slipping over her face because it's easier to treat this like a threat that can be dealt with, at least for the moment. Gather information, put the pieces together, get Korrin somewhere safe for the duration, help where she can, wait it out but she isn't good at waiting, not with people she cares about.

Demons sees the mask tested but it holds, only the tightening of her throat to give her away, how it suddenly feels as if she's swallowing sand. She needs a drink but that won't help when the plan is to get Korrin out of her as fast as she can.

"I'm here kadan." Sirena is what she calls Korrin, because it means something back home, because of what the sirens and the mermaids are in her culture, but she knows exactly what the word means when Korrin says it to her and maybe it'll be an anchor to ground her with, to hold her attention. "Do not listen to the demons, or to the spirits, listen to me because I am here, I am flesh and blood and I am here, I am alive and warm, I am the one that loves you. I sleep in your arms and warm your bed at night, I wake you in the morning even when you wish to sleep later," leaning forward, she kisses her, not as deep as she usually would, it feels like it's taking advantage when Korrin isn't herself but it's a reminder, not just for them but to whatever is watching, the spirits and the demons, for them to back off because there is a person that is real and that can touch Korrin.

They are not welcome when they make her feel this way, and even if Araceli can do nothing else then she can try and she will keep trying until she's exhausted all her options.

"You know you need to come back with me, don't you? It won't be comfortable here with the table in the way for a start, and if you want music then I can bring my lute from the room and play for you."

Korrin's mind isn't in the best shape for focusing on anything at the moment, but if anyone can make her want to try, it's Araceli. 'Kadan' does help with that, considering she's more used to that other nickname, but it still makes her smile and bring a warmth to those eyes were there was only sullen misery before. It's true that there's not much strength in her to even lift up her head, let alone return that kiss in the way that she wants, but she tries, dammit. There's enough left in her to make it a promise that there will be more to come, later, when they're both well.

"I love you too, kadan." That needs to be said first above all else, no matter that Araceli already knows. It gives her the mental strength to focus and she nods her head, gathering the energy needed to push herself up from the table. "Your music is always worth hearing, but if I stumble on the way, don't try to take all my weight; I'm not going to bring you down, too. Maybe if Taas is around...." And not sick; this hit too suddenly for her to go check on him herself.

There's nothing quite like seizing the moment and as soon as Korrin seems to agree to her idea she's at her side again, an arm around her for support to help her get to her feet as she nods, at least managing to laugh. "Don't worry, I won't. I promised the healers I would do my very best to go on trips wherever they need me to go about Skyhold at present and if I hurt myself getting us back to your tent then I can hardly do that, and they will hardly trust me either, will they? I may have to sit on you for a time until I'm sure you're asleep though. No more sneaking off, even if I'm asleep, wake me next time Korrin, wake someone, please."

Especially if there are demons. It isn't that she doesn't trust Korrin or that she thinks the way so many natives of Thedas apparently must, believing that mages can't be trusted, that they fall prey to demons at the drop of a hat but in her state it could be so easy for one to hurt her in some way, and there would be nothing she could do.

"If I need help I'm sure I can find someone, I'll check in on Taas once I get you back, I know he can't use the sending crystals and I should remind him that I owe him a punch." Man needs to stay vigilant, she will strike when he least expects it and likely from above.

Her lips twitch a little at that, wishing she was in the mood to egg that on. Taas has it coming, of course, and he ought to be well aware of that even without her earlier warning. Knowing him, he'll laugh it off but it's still Araceli's right to respond to his trolling. "Try not to hurt yourself, kadan. We don't need to take turns at the healing tents, right? But thank you. I dunno if he has someone watching him or if they're sick too or whatever."

Probably, isn't almost everyone sick? Once Korrin is reasonably certain she can move without pitching over and taking Araceli down with her, she'll move forward. Her steps are tentative, a little wobbly, but with aid she might be able to manage all the way back. Possibly. "Alright, alright, no more sneaking off. If you need your rest, I'll wake Lux for company. He's not a bad listener."

"Once I know you're not going anywhere, I can go check on him." Where she'll start she's not sure but fortunately there aren't many people of his size so it should be a relatively short trip, and she can maybe go look for Kas and Sina while she's at it, leaving Lux to guard Korrin. If Korrin tries to leave, he'll yowl and wait for her, or if she takes too long then he'll come looking for her and hunt Korrin down, perhaps with some help this time. Few people really know just how well-trained he is because that's all part of the act - have him look like a silly pet she dotes on and no one really pays attention to him when he appears and warns her of trouble or fetches exactly what she asks him to.

"Is there anyone else you want me to look in on while I'm doing the rounds? Or anything you want? I can do a trip and try to get settled in the tent properly this time before the healers need me to go get something and we have time before it's the rush for dinner." If Korrin's even hungry although keeping her strength up might help her to shake this off quicker, and Araceli is always hungry anyway.

"I promised, didn't I? And I keep my promises." True, but Korrin's also not in possession of a great attention span right now. More feverish wandering isn't off the table, despite her best intentions. She'll do her best not to make more work for Araceli, though. Her current burden has Korrin feeling guilty enough, even if she wouldn't put it that way.

"Um...Kas? You know how he is; if he's sick, he'll try to 'be a man' and tough it out or be freaking about real demons. I...don't know what I want, or if I can eat at all. I'll try, but promise nothing there." At this point, food is so very far down the list of priorities, and Korrin has no idea when her appetite will return. Perhaps at best, she'll have some tea or soup, something light, but that's all.

"A shame I have no quill and ink so I can get that in writing from you though I wouldn't trust half the folk here to be witnesses or signatories right now so you're in rare luck today Korrin." That's teasing, of course it is, and though Araceli is a bad patient herself it's because she's had a broken wound, a gash, a shot from a pistol, a bad sprain or something like that - things that require her to be still, to go nowhere and do nothing. When she's sick she at least just whines from a mound of blankets for soup and tea, swatting at anyone that tries to come too close to her without any of those things, even if she loves them.

Nodding, she spares a glance to her left hand as she helps to bear Korrin's weight, glad she's possessed of a certain sort of stubbornness herself. "Well he's more my size, I can drag him if I need to or I can threaten him with you, he doesn't need to know you're in no fit state to act on threats, I'll keep my hand tucked away. Just to be safe." Her hand might be doing nothing but does she want to take the chance that it might cause any sort of problem? "Something Fereldan then. Very bland. Boring. Something that has never even heard the whisper of the existence of pepper even but lots of tea, with honey and I'll scrounge up as many lemons as I can, the cook won't miss them and the healers have more need of them than her dinners."

Mention of such bland food, even though Korrin has no appetite to begin with, has Korrin pouting. "No spice at all? That's harsh, Araceli. When this is over, I'll be begging for them, you know. How can I recover on something with no real taste to it?" Right now, that's more complaining just to complain, but later on it'll be a genuine grievance. The sky is blue, life is unfair and Southerners don't know how to make proper cuisine, it's just the way Thedas works.

"Threaten him with me all you need to, if it helps him calm the fuck down and behave. I'll want to see him when I can, but I know he can't ask for better attention than yours. Speaking of promises, I'll make this up to you as soon as I can." Somehow. That talk of a trip to Val Royeaux comes to mind again, but right now isn't the time to figure out details, not when her attention keeps sliding away.

Rolling her eyes, she would like to give a shrug but obviously she can't when she's trying to get them from the tavern to the healing tents in as little time as possible when Korrin is able to bear her own weight so she doesn't have to leave her so she might find assistance. At least people are smart enough to clear out of the way. "Soup should be fine I think, it'll be easy to eat and well think of it as incentive, should you need one. Once you're well and we've both slept, barring one of us being called away suddenly to go deal with something then I'll cook for you again." Probably after she's had a chance to sleep since she doesn't fancy lopping off the tip of a finger with a knife because exhaustion has at last rendered her clumsy but at least Korrin sounds more like herself again and that's what counts.

"I'll tell him you said that, that somewhere deep down in your bones there is the sternest of creatures lurking, fiercer than the dragon you slew." Sighing, she resolves to perhaps make the time to talk of home again, about what the other parts of work entail although it's a strange thing to speak of another lover for the first time because before it was just bedding girls and then amongst the queensguard it is all of them and Leandra, and it's difficult to know how exactly to speak of it without possibly offending, when she knows Korrin won't spill her secrets even if it means it might make it hard for her to confide in another friend about anything Araceli might tell her. "You don't owe me, Korrin, you don't make things up to me when you love someone, this is what you do; you look after them, you love them, this is what the sea made us for and what it teaches us when it gives us life."

Araceli's right, of course, and that truth quirks her lips just a little bit. "I know, I just don't want you thinking I ever take it -or you- for granted. I tell myself how lucky I am all the time, but I want to be clear in showing it, too." And if it's at all possible to so now, she would. However, it's all she can do to keep putting one foot in front of the other, to remain upright and not let her mind-fog envelop her. The glimpses and whispers of the spirits -and darker beings- hardly help, either. This is one time she can't give Araceli her full attention, no matter ho much she would dearly love to do it.

"Besides, after all this crap I can hope for a small window of time to steal you away and spoil you as you deserve, can't I? That's incentive, too." At least, she thinks so. Admittedly, it's as much for Korrin as Araceli. Taking a brief time away just to enjoy life and each other...well, it paints a very tempting image. Once she can rely on herself to be upright and coherent, she'll find a way to make it happen.

"I know I'm young," because she is, for all that she does tend to act older since she moved out younger than she suspects would be the norm for Thedas at least, "but I know when I'm being used, and those people are gone from my life as soon as I can be rid of them. I've become very good at it. You always show me, I just have to look at you and I know." Other people comment on it to her after all, about the pair the two of them make, the way she talks about Korrin and likely the look she gets in her eyes, and there's just that feeling of calm that washes over her. She feels safe, no matter what happens.

Feeling safe in Thedas is a rare and fleeting thing when the foothold for a rifter is so insecure.

"Absolutely, I will have plenty of time to think of all the things you can do to me, that I can do to you. Maybe sketch out a few corset ideas I have been thinking of - it was practical enough that I came here in my guard uniform but the things I have at home, ah sirena your eyes would fall out of your head if only you knew what I own." That isn't that much of an exaggeration although it feels very ridiculous to say when she's starting to stagger already under Korrin's weight but at least the healing tents are within sight so she grits her teeth, muttering under her breath softly. "You have run home shot and stabbed far more than once, over the rooftops in the dark, just a little more."

Smiling softly at Araceli's words, Korrin tries to focus on the images provided rather than the ache in her bones and the flush in her skin. "You and corsets will always be some of my favorite thoughts. I have no doubt that whatever you create would be well worth seeing. I'd have to steal you away for sure, to show my appreciation--"

The strain doesn't go unnoticed and Korrin frowns in concern and guilt, unable to make it any easier on the much smaller and slighter of the pair. "We can pause, Kadan. I don't want you straining yourself...and I'm pretty lightheaded, as it is. I can take a breather." She had a feeling it was going to be slow-going, anyway. The healing tents being in sight doesn't mean much if the pace is the way it is. And though it would be nice to be dry, she doesn't want Araceli collapsing to make it happen.

"Perhaps if you cannot sleep you could help, I know you brought back some dragonhide, I wondered if some of it could be worked soft enough, or if their claws or teeth could be used for decoration." Korrin's seen her scrimshaw dice after all, carefully handed down from her father and carved from the bones of a whale long long ago. Used with respect and love so that it still gets to live on somehow.

Nodding, she eases them both down to the ground, remaining upright herself though bent at the waist, hands on her knees as she takes a few deep breaths. "I hope the healers find out whatever this is soon Korrin, a sickness can be treated when it's a real sickness, but how do you treat it when it's magic?"

"Dragonhide corsets? Now there's a thought. It should be possible. Though I should tell you something about the teeth when I can think straight..." Which so isn't now, sadly. That's not how she'd want to remember such a moment, barely able to stand upright and feeling miserable all over.

As she's eased to the ground, Korrin slumps and takes in a few deep breaths of her own, needing them after the strain of...walking. Ugh, it feels so pathetic to even think that. She frowns, frustrated. "Fuck if I know how to fix it. If I didn't, I'd be a Spirit Healer. Adelaide or Sam or Christine...they're our best shot at fixing this." If they can.

ooc: inbox/plot with me

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