midnight august 1 | crystals

[aforethought]

FORM: Crystal
SENDER: Melys
RECIPIENT: :)
NOTES: Exactly at Midnight

[ The cheery crackling of a fire. Pleasant! ]

Know y’all are heathens, what you can't help unless you been properly educated. And I reckon with all the shouting on rights, and Marches there’ve been some holes in that education. Holes aching to be filled.

So! You oughta know, tonight’s a real important holiday: All Souls’ Day.

[ Is that smoke in the courtyard? ]

All Souls’ Day — that's Assed for short — is about remembering Andraste. Specially, the bit where she died. There’s plays, and songs, and somber reflections.

‘Course, it used to be for some piss-mute Vint god. And with the war on we got to be vigilant that Silence nonsense don't come back around. Got to praise the Maker right.

So go and make as much noise as you can. A real din. With me on three! One, two —

[ The garden shed is very much on fire. ] 

Fuck silence!

Comments

[notched]

[ Hhhrm. Not a fan. Reminds her of screaming witches reveling before fire along the charnel lane. ]

I'm satisfied, as a heathen. But thank you.

[ She supposes. ]

[aforethought]

Sorry? What's that? Could you repeat a little louder —

[notched]

[ Uh-huh......... Dully: ]

A bold sermon.

[aforethought]

[ yelling: ]

I just can't make it out!

[ipseite]

( alarmed— ) Melys!

[radiosa]

[ Not aware of the poor shed’s demise, only of the smell of smoke: ]

Are we having a bonfire?

[assistente]

What-- What is...

[Sweet Maker.]

Somber reflections, these are-- Is that-- smell...?

[Please say it's not related. Somehow. Please.]

[aforethought]

[ excited! ]

Petra!

[aforethought]

'Course, can't expect Kirkwall to do everything for us. Come on down!

[aforethought]

Somber as the pyre!

[ipseite]

What have you lit? ( there's amusement in that exasperation, for all her piety. )

[aforethought]

Shift off poodle-arse, [ that is a completely different pronunciation than usual ] And come find out.

[ipseite]

( mildly aggrieved, ) Melys. Allow me at least to dress.

( like, consider pretending you didn't know what she meant, petrana. )

[aforethought]

Aw, come on, you never got your tits out. It's a holiday, live a little.

[ipseite]

It is not a holiday for my bosom.

[aforethought]

Even ambassadors gotta rest.

[ all two of them ]

[ipseite]

( 'to what are my—', no, that way lies madness. )

We shall compromise. Do not set alight any more things before I arrive.

[aforethought]

Some holy broad comes out I'm not making any promises.

[ipseite]

( severely, ) Do not set alight any revered mothers.

[aforethought]

Do I look like a blonde?

[ipseite]

I'm sure I don't know what you mean.

( she definitely does and she's definitely choosing this moment to play dumb. )

A moment, a moment only—

a burning shed; mingle OTA

[aforethought]

[ When and if anyone makes it down, it's more or less what you'd expect.

Melys' own shirt is nowhere to be found (check the fire). That alcohol was almost certainly not purchased. Not that there's a great deal of it left (check Melys). ]

[ipseite]

( petrana has compromised; she is wearing a robe that looks too opaque, too large and too practical to be her own, wrapped tightly around her and knotted at the waist over a nightgown that is probably more frivolously immodest than she'd care to be seen to be. )

Well.

( she says, bracingly. )

That is on fire.

[assistente]

The-- pyre--?

[By Andraste let that be a coincidence, let that not be related to the smell, which is worse, or to the light that is flickering cheerfully outside the window--but it's midnight, he heard the bells, what could it be--]

Please say you did not do anything regretful. Please. In-- in celebration or solemnity, or-- If you have, please say it will be undone. Please.

[overharrowed]

[Julius is trailing a bit behind, largely because Petrana took the robe he'd been planning to wear. He's in trousers and shirtsleeves because it was the quickest thing to hand, and he didn't bring his staff but now he thinks that was rather a mistake.]

Since when does All Souls’ involve arson?

[Possibly since always, he's prepared to admit. It's not as if anyone would encourage Circle mages to burn things, even in Andraste's honor.]

[swordproof]

And for those of us that are not as willing to support Andraste and the Maker?

[aforethought]

'S a party, lighten the fuck up!

[aforethought]

[ solemnly, ]

I got no regrets.

[aforethought]

[ Melys slings an arm about Petrana without fanfare, or regard for anyone's general state of undress (for the tipping bottle of wine). ]

So bloody humid, didn't figure it to catch. [ She sounds excessively pleased that it has, grins over both their shoulders. ] This ain't your first — Maker, what were we all doing last year?

[swordproof]

What does that mean?

[assistente]

If there is a fire it must be put out! Or you will have regrets--soon, very soon--we all will--

[tender]

Wouldn't singing be a better way to make a ruckus? You might be able to get more people to participate in that.

[aforethought]

Means 's ain't no forum for your — [ muffled cursing, the sound of pounding feet ] — Your holy angst. If you don't think this matters for shit anyway, then what's it matter if you,

[ someone shout stop! the footsteps don't. huffing breath: ]

You, live, live a fuckin' little.

[aforethought]

Go on and start, then!

[aforethought]

[ the muffled sound of a shouting watchman, pounding feet, ]

Reckon you're — [ breathing very hard ] — Enough, enough a wet blanket for that.

[tender]

Any song? Over the crystal?

[assistente]

That's not-- That doesn't--

[He cuts off in despair. Wordless despair. And because he can't think of words any longer. If there are watchmen and if the sudden shifting shadows out there beyond the windows means fire--]

I will come! I will come, to help--

[Mostly to himself, too harried to focus.]

[aforethought]

How else're we gonna hear it?

[aforethought]

[ yelled, breathless: ]

That's the spirit!

[tender]

I thought it might be better to do it in person. After we'd had a bit to drink, and likely at a very inconvenient hour for everyone else.