( open ) who have given their love

[chantes]

Who: Leliana + OPEN
Where: Multiple locations
When: February 27 + 28
Rating: PG
Summary: A new arrival is getting her bearings
The Story:

ｒｏｂｙｎ ｃｏｕｓｌａｎｄ

( It was over. The breach had finally been sealed, and when the Inquisitor had returned from the sight of the battle she'd explained the story. Corypheus was gone -- destroyed and banished, with the lights that had been seen signalling the end of it all.

It had been destructive, and a little satisfying to hear.

Though she hadn't breathed a sigh of relief then, preferring to wait until they'd returned to Skyhold -- to find safety before allowing herself to celebrate, Leliana was relieved. Though Thedas would no doubt still be chaotic for some time the threat was over, and some tensions were easing slowly due to the Inquisition.

When Leliana turns, lowering her bow, she'll discover that she was right to not yet celebrate yet. The change in location has her confused, finding herself now in a forest rather than the ruins of the Temple of Sacred Ashes. There's a frown for a few seconds, and her companions are nowhere in sights. It's with a few careful steps that Leliana moves through the forest, an arrow prepared in her bow to remain ready to strike should a threat reveal itself.

Leliana walks for a while, suspicions rising as she finds herself evidently alone, until the sounds of arrows into wood drift into her hearing. She follows, hoping for answers, though it would seem that a question would come first.

Robyn?

Although Leliana could only see the woman from the side, and though she hadn't seen her in ten years, there was no mistaking the sight of her friend. It couldn't be, though-- Robyn was dead.

It was hard not to be sucked in by the sight of her, to be wishful even if that hope felt foolish. Leliana didn't want to think that she had seen stranger things, but there was only one way to know for certain. Raising her bow Leliana released her arrow into the target that Robyn had been aiming at. Friend or foe she would receive answers )

ｔｈｅ ｇａｒｄｅｎｓ

( It was all real apparently. Though much made little sense Leliana could at least believe that Robyn wouldn't lie to her. She may not understand Wonderland but Leliana had at least accepted it was real. If it was real, and if they truly were to be stuck here then Leliana needed to know her way around the place. Coming from the forest the gardens were easy to find, and a pleasurable sight once she was there.

She had her bow at her back now, walking slowly through the gardens as if she'd chosen to come here willingly. As much as this place was strange and unsettling she could not help appreciating a beautiful sight. There were few good things that Leliana could think of for Wonderland but this would be one of them, though perhaps the rest was to be discovered. Robyn had told her what had been important, and then they'd spent longer discussing everything but Wonderland. If there was beauty to behind perhaps it would be wonderful to do so.

After a few minutes of walking Leliana bends down to sniff one of the flowers, almost to check whether they were as real as Wonderland was )

ｔｈｅ ｃｈａｐｅｌ

( The chapel had come up in their discussion, in her "Wonderland 101 by Robyn Cousland". She expects nothing like a Chantry, perhaps only a chapel in name alone, but it's more than that.

It takes mere feet after Leliana walks in to understand why it is here, and why Robyn keeps watch over it. Robyn won't be alone in that, and as Leliana walks through the chapel she bows her head, stopping at the front )

Blessed are the peacekeepers, the champions of the just.

( She hasn't come to pray, or to offer a full verse, but she can still show respect in this moment, and until she returns again )

Comments

[heroica]

[ It's a day like most others. The Warden is outside, practicing with a longbow (not her forte, not like the crossbow, but worth the practice). She's drawing it back, feeling the way her arms tense, taking note of her stance... until an arrow, not her own, flies forward. It pierces the target dead-on, and the surprised young woman turns, brows raised, to congratulate the other archer.

The sight stops her words, stops her thoughts. Robyn's mouth falls open slightly even as her mabari bounds forward to greet the newcomer. Her grip on the weapon goes slack as everything but her heart slows down, and it's all she can do to stare and continue staring. ]

L - [ Leliana. It's been months since the bard was last in Wonderland, since she vanished right around the same time as... so many others. Robyn's close friends from both Ferelden and Wonderland have been disappearing one after another, so many that she'd begun to question if her own time was drawing near. Here, though, is one who'd gone. Returned.

Robyn isn't cynical enough to ask if it's a trick or illusion. ]

... You've come back. [ She breathes, dazed. ]

[chantes]

( The turn of the woman is confirmation enough -- it's Robyn, or something in her shape. There's a part of her that's reaching -- her remaining innocence that wants to believe that it is Robyn, with how much she misses her friend, but Leliana has lost too much to jump without giving it some doubt.

Because, really, how could it be her dear Warden?

Stepping forward Leliana leaves a more comfortable distance between them to talk, her bow lowered once again as she walks )

Back? ( There's a slight furrowing of her brow with the question ) I don't remember coming here before.

( Unless... )

[heroica]

[ As they stare each other down, Oren, the dog, does circles around Leliana. He seems to recognize her scent (unable to tell that her memories differ) and waits impatiently for her to notice and pat his head. Discerning as the spymaster is, she's likely to tell from the mabari's appearance alone that this is not Calen, the dog that had journeyed with them during the Blight. ]

... You don't. [ She repeats weakly. There is not much familiarity in Leliana's tone or in her gestures, and Robyn swallows her disappointment. This is hardly the first time that someone has failed to remember her, but it stings every time. ] I see.

[ If Leliana doesn't remember Wonderland, then there isn't much use thinking that the woman will remember the Warden herself. ]

I apologize, my lady. [ Robyn speaks again after a pause. ] I mistook you for someone else.

[chantes]

( It takes effort to not frown again, finding Robyn's back-tracking unusual on its own. It's certainly been a long time but there is little different in Leliana's appearance, and she is not masquerading before Robyn.

Between that, and the hound sniffing at her ankles, Leliana opts to crouch, gently stroking his head, eyes on him for the moment. He isn't Calen, but mabari are smart -- he seems to trust her, and that may be a good indication that perhaps something about that is true )

I would hope that you wouldn't.

( Leliana continues to pet Oren, lifting her head to Robyn again )

There were many moments dear to me, even through the trouble.

( It's an offer -- a test some may say. Is it truly Robyn, going hand in hand with this mabari? Should she trust this image, as Oren trusts her? Now, petting the mabari, remembering doing so with another, she wishes so )

[heroica]

[ Robyn, of course, looks impossibly young, the same girl who'd run forward with an unfamiliar sword, striking a blow that only one other on the field knew would be fatal. She blinks, trying to suss out what Leliana might mean... and remembers all she'd learned and heard about the woman from the Inquisition years. ]

Do you know who I am? [ She asks finally, frank. There's no use in drawing all this out if it's going to be painful by the end, anyway.

Oren stays still when Leliana begins petting him, though his back half wags furiously with the clear happiness of it all. ]

[chantes]

( The pause that Leliana gives, both in silence to the question and Oren's petting, serves only for her to decide how to answer. Fact, or sentimentality, though in the end there's really no question about how she responds )

Robyn Cousland. ( There's one final scratch on Oren's head before Leliana rises, continuing ) The Warden that fought against all hope.

( She's stepping closer now, any doubts that she had of her friend gone. Whatever has brought them together again must have something unusual to it, to not only bring Robyn back to her but to cause such a confusion. Hopefully-- hopefully this works )

You inspired many, bringing hope -- reigniting dreams. The battles were nothing in comparison to the woman, who reminded Ferelden that they could trust again.

( Who reminded Leliana that she could trust again. That sentence causes Leliana to pause again, the light that had been brought to her face from her tale falling, and she stops in front of Robyn )

I thought you were lost. I saw-- ( But Robyn knows what Leliana saw, and she doesn't want to finish that particular sentence, quickly moving to the next ) How are you here?

[heroica]

[ Feeling returns to her body as if she's thawing out from a long winter. Bit by bit, the Warden seems to perk up, eyes bright, cheeks rosy with the embarrassment of Leliana's praise. ]

You do remember. [ She can't help but smile, then, big and glowing. Thank the Maker. ] I hardly did all that on my own, as you know better than anyone.

[ If others, strangers in the distant future, wanted to laud her as a hero - well, she doesn't like it, but she can't argue with them for fatal reasons. Leliana, though, she is happy to disagree with. ]

I did little in the scheme of things. [ She asserts, but softly, stepping nearer. ] Without you all at my side, none of it would be possible.

[ She'd been a noble's daughter, after all, with no worldly experience to speak of.

Then comes the more difficult part. Robyn chooses her words carefully, happiness fading a touch as the subject changes. ]

I was. I did - [ Die. She bites her lip. ] ... This place has magic not found in our world. It brings... people, and creatures, from impossible places. It does impossible things.

[ Changes memories. Revives those who were dead. ]

Gardens

[jivitadana]

[It's still a bit cool out due to the season, but it was getting much better. The gardens were a good place to take a walk if someone wanted to get out of the mansion for a bit. The beach was also nice as well. Today though he picked the gardens because it was a shorter distance from the mansion and maybe it was a little too cold out by the sea.

He did take off the silver headphones from his ears and turned off his mp3 player when he saw someone else in the gardens too. That bow reminded him of someone at home who used the same weapon.]

There's more like those on the other side of the fountain.

[He did wonder if the plants changed each year or with the seasons, but he hadn't been here long enough to find out.]

[chantes]

( Leliana had heard the approaching footsteps, ignoring them until they approached her. Robyn had mentioned that others were here, others that were from other places. Leliana could accept that the magic of this place was strange, she had already seen evidence of that, and it gave her little to go on for the others here. What worlds did they come from -- what did they know?

Turning from the flower Leliana gave a nod to their words, interest crossing her expression )

I didn't know how far this place extended. ( Which wasn't surprising with how recently she'd arrived -- she'd barely started looking around ) Are there many different ones?

[jivitadana]

There are. Did you want to look around?

[Minato hadn't been in Wonderland as long as other people here, but he knew the gardens and the grounds well enough. He assumed she was new, judging from her question. Luckily there wasn't an event going on when she arrived, which was some relief, he thought.]

[chantes]

It seems like a wise idea.

( And taking a step towards him she gives a small nod )

If there is more beauty like this it would be lovely to see it.

( It's not the real reason, but it's what she's going with -- and an added bonus )

[jivitadana]

I like the ocean. I can show that to you too.

[This place seemed to have most of the basics of landscapes except mountains. He wondered why then that was. The hills didn't count.]

I'm Minato. And you?

[chantes]

Leliana.

( She allows a small smile as he mentions the ocean. How long had it been since she'd simply gone somewhere for the scenery? How long had it been since she'd been able to? )

I would like to see it, though is it far from here?

slides in late, gardens!

[normandysbest]

[Shepard tries to keep herself busy in Wonderland, and despite the temperature, she's always been a bigger fan of doing her daily runs outside than in. She's jogging through the gardens, wearing her workout pants and hoodie her tracking visor playing a custom playlist when she spots the other woman, and slows to a stop. Not many people come out here, and much less to mess around with the scenery, unless...]

You new around here?

[She calls it out, trying to be inviting as she shuts her music off and takes a moment to wipe some sweat from her brow. Wouldn't be the first time she spotted a new person in the gardens and had to give them directions.]

holds close

[chantes]

( The question draws Leliana's focus away from the flowers, and she gives herself a few seconds to look over the woman before responding, a small nod given first )

I was just brought here. Wonderland, I believe she said.

( Robyn had explained much, and Leliana offers the second part to save the woman from having to jump into any introductions on the place )

snuggles!!!

[normandysbest]

Yep, that's the place.

[Just like she suspected. Though, by the sound of it, this woman's already spoken to someone.]

I guess somebody's already given you the run-down? Or, just left you to explore or whatever.

[... She's just now realizing how weird this must look, especially since this other woman is in like... robes. There could always be more explaining to do.]

Er, sorry, forgot to introduce myself. I'm Shepard.

[chantes]

Leliana. ( And there's a little nod to go with the question that Shepard had asked ) I have a friend here. She told me much of what I may find here, but I would always agree to hear more.

( There was definitely nothing wrong with learning a little information, especially about your captors -- and Leliana was very fond of staying informed )

[normandysbest]

[Well, that's good! She's not alone here. I mean, not great that Wonderland keeps taking more people, but... she'd certainly have felt a little more at home if she knew someone from her world when she arrived.]

Well... you got any weird questions you don't wanna ask your friend? I've been here a good 10 or 11 months, so I think I've got most of the weirder aspects of Wonderland down pat.

[A small pause.]

And uh, you've been told about events, right? Because I feel like that's gotta be the weirdest thing about this place.

[chantes]

There was one from my home some months ago. I'm told that tunnels spread out across Wonderland.

( Leading only to the darkspawn and death, if Shepard remembers it. Robyn had said that it had been a few months ago, though not so specific with a time frame for Leliana to know. She's not quite certain how to classify weird with what she's experienced -- to some events would be, and maybe some will be, but she's seen, and felt fantastic recreations before )

I only hope that is the last time it's brought here.

all the cool kids meet in the chapel;

[morework]

[ The dogs wake Cullen just before dawn. He turns, and finds the other side of his bed empty. Searching Wonderland is futile. He does it, all the same. The result was expected: Hawke is gone. They say that if a person goes for good, their room disappears as well. With their room shared, how is he supposed to know?

Cullen makes his way to the chapel. Will he come back? No, the real question lies beyond that: Should he come back? It takes less than a day to miss him. Just as little time to wonder if Hawke deserves to be free of this place. Kirkwall is hardly a reward by comparison either. And Wonderland still has to be stopped. It's nearly enough to pretend his reasons are selfless, when he thinks that he needs Hawke to return...

Cullen catches the prayer, just as he enters. He wondered about her disappearance just the same. And today of all days--The Maker has a strange sense of humour. Or does he owe the irony to their captors? ]

It brought you back.

[chantes]

( It's a voice that Leliana doesn't anticipate, at least not then, when Cullen speaks. She has to wonder what he's been doing in all of his time here, how he's managed given his need to stay busy, and how then an extended time here would similarly affect her )

I'm told so.

( Her head's still dipped for a few more seconds before Leliana turns just enough to catch a glimpse of him. It was all real, and perhaps here unexpected things were to be expected. Leliana had already been told of some of them but the surprises had yet to really begin )

But it has been months, if I've been correctly informed.

( Odd, considering how recently she'd just seen him )

[morework]

[ Cullen nods. Starts to count back. How many, exactly? ]

You remember none of it yourself?

[ He barely makes it a question. This is hardly news, so what doubt is there, really? --The truth is none. No doubt. Only a sinking feeling in his stomach that vainly wishes she'll prove his assumptions wrong.

(She won't. He doesn't wait for her answer.) ]

Who filled you in?

[chantes]

The Warden.

( Her Warden, considering some didn't seem to remember her. Leliana was troubled at how that worked, but then this place seemed to be in another world also )

It-- ( There was a pause for a second ) It is good to see her again after so long.

[morework]

[ She answers this and his next question both. Another world then. Where Aedan Cousland never existed. ]

Again. You knew her- back in Ferelden?

[ Cullen glances at their surroundings. He will want to know more of what separates their worlds. He may not be able to hear it all without cursing. And this is still a chapel. ]

We should speak elsewhere. Did you have a chance to look around?

[chantes]

We travelled together for many months.

( He knows this, of course, or at least that Leliana had travelled with the Warden. They'd first encountered each other during that time at Kinloch Hold, but it was different. Now what Robyn had alluded to was making more sense, but it would be something for Cullen to explain -- who he thought her companion was )

Robyn showed me some of this place but there is still much more to see.

( They'd also spent more time catching up, talking more about Wonderland than seeing it as they'd talked in Robyn's room )