As the man lowered his bow and sat back down, Athelya relaxed her grip on the staff. It was a decoy from her real tool the orb that had gained her sanctuary with the Dread Wolf. An odd thing, he had looked upon the orb and saw it for what it was. So he had taught her without realizing what she was, it was something that amused young Athelya. So many people saw so much and did not realize what is was they saw exactly. For this reason no story would be quite the same depending on teller and listener, something she had often argued with her Uncle Varric Tethras. The Viscount of Kirkwall and one of her few allies who the elvhen maid suspected was catching onto her plan. Several of the reports Kieran brought to her had noted that Varric was diverting the Inquisition and Inquisitor more heavily towards her friend's advice. Often pointing out reasons it would work, or was reasonable much more than he pointed out the flaws. Several of his recent books had small snippets of side characters and their lives which Athelya noted seemed to relate back to how her adoptive relations were doing. A reassurance cleverly hidden. Perhaps the Dread Wolf saw this as well if he bothered to read the books. Though that was something Athelya doubted.
Turning her attention back to the man as he chattered on about not knowing anyone was living in the ruins, the mage took a seat herself. Careful as to not disturb the orb upon her hip or accidentally sit on it. Her lips twitched as she remembered the one time that had come about. Though the thought of living in the ruins, of rebuilding them to house the glory of her desperate people, was appealing to Athelya. Something she hoped would come about if her plans ran course and true. But that was a ways off as of yet and she still fought to keep those dreams moving. Guiding the hands of powers greater than her own as she tried to sharp through others what she willed herself to do. "I do not live there per say." She noted with a slight chuckle. "I come from time to time to rest my head and remember what had been, is, and will be again. The Veil is thin here and my friends find it appealing to their characteristics." She noted, the orb seeming to underline her point as a glimmer of green light ran over it. Laying a long fingered hand over her foci, the mage felt the power slip about her fingers like a warm trickle of water. Will was the key of magic, it formed and shaped the powers of the Fade through the Veil. Giving an outlet to the power in the form of what the mage desired.
But her desire was in her curiosity. The desire to know and understand the lives of those around her. 'Windy' Varric had called her for her whirlwind search for answers. Windy for the wanderlust the dwarf had seen in her veins. Perhaps it was a inherited trait, Athelya thought as she watched the small fire crackle quietly. In the end it didn't matter as she listened to 'Sparrow's' story, drinking in what he told her just as she drank in what he didn't tell her. "I did not have brothers, nor sisters." Her voice was curious as she slowly offered up a piece of herself to gain more of him. To learn more of this human who wandered so close to the ruins. "My mother was a warrior- of sorts- of the Inquisition and one child was plenty." Though there was a bit of lie in that, Athelya knew though it was never said aloud. Her mother would have given her brothers, sisters, but there was only one man who held Selwyn's heart. Her mother had settled for no other even when urged by her dear friends. Perhaps that slow sorrow in her mother's eyes had been the hardest of prisons of all, even more than the well meaning isolation Athelya knew.
Tearing the leg from the rabbit over the fire after she removed her glove, Athelya bit into the meat. It was cooked well with just the right tenderness that Athelya enjoyed in her game. Swallowing the bite, the elvhen maiden gave a slight choked cough. "My name-? I did not say?" She arched a pale brow, taking another bite as she thought back on their conversation. Indeed he was right, she had not said. Pausing before taking another strip from the rabbit's leg, Athelya considered if she should tell him. Her name was no grand secret but a human knowing something would potentially lead more this way and that wouldn't do for her plans. Not to mention the hot water if her so called superior's found out. "I am known as Athelya. Though I won't bother with a last name, nor clan name. I doubt you would know it." Or he would know it all too well. Harellan was name she had taken when she fled Skyhold, but Latharelfen was the name her mother had granted her at birth. Love of the Dread Wof, or the fate of one who had. Those of her small sect of loyalist who wanted a world where elves were no longer servants, no longer a 'lesser race' but where they could be with their half-elven kin and friends from other races. But that was neither here nor there. "As for the magic... Aye, it was I who cast the spells." Her free hand gave a slightly mocking bow, as she continued to nibble at the rabbit leg. Speaking between her bites with a careful wording. "I was restoring and cleaning a few of the statues. Though the pillars and fallen columns are a tad too much for me yet."
Turning her attention back to the man as he chattered on about not knowing anyone was living in the ruins, the mage took a seat herself. Careful as to not disturb the orb upon her hip or accidentally sit on it. Her lips twitched as she remembered the one time that had come about. Though the thought of living in the ruins, of rebuilding them to house the glory of her desperate people, was appealing to Athelya. Something she hoped would come about if her plans ran course and true. But that was a ways off as of yet and she still fought to keep those dreams moving. Guiding the hands of powers greater than her own as she tried to sharp through others what she willed herself to do. "I do not live there per say." She noted with a slight chuckle. "I come from time to time to rest my head and remember what had been, is, and will be again. The Veil is thin here and my friends find it appealing to their characteristics." She noted, the orb seeming to underline her point as a glimmer of green light ran over it. Laying a long fingered hand over her foci, the mage felt the power slip about her fingers like a warm trickle of water. Will was the key of magic, it formed and shaped the powers of the Fade through the Veil. Giving an outlet to the power in the form of what the mage desired.
But her desire was in her curiosity. The desire to know and understand the lives of those around her. 'Windy' Varric had called her for her whirlwind search for answers. Windy for the wanderlust the dwarf had seen in her veins. Perhaps it was a inherited trait, Athelya thought as she watched the small fire crackle quietly. In the end it didn't matter as she listened to 'Sparrow's' story, drinking in what he told her just as she drank in what he didn't tell her. "I did not have brothers, nor sisters." Her voice was curious as she slowly offered up a piece of herself to gain more of him. To learn more of this human who wandered so close to the ruins. "My mother was a warrior- of sorts- of the Inquisition and one child was plenty." Though there was a bit of lie in that, Athelya knew though it was never said aloud. Her mother would have given her brothers, sisters, but there was only one man who held Selwyn's heart. Her mother had settled for no other even when urged by her dear friends. Perhaps that slow sorrow in her mother's eyes had been the hardest of prisons of all, even more than the well meaning isolation Athelya knew.
Tearing the leg from the rabbit over the fire after she removed her glove, Athelya bit into the meat. It was cooked well with just the right tenderness that Athelya enjoyed in her game. Swallowing the bite, the elvhen maiden gave a slight choked cough. "My name-? I did not say?" She arched a pale brow, taking another bite as she thought back on their conversation. Indeed he was right, she had not said. Pausing before taking another strip from the rabbit's leg, Athelya considered if she should tell him. Her name was no grand secret but a human knowing something would potentially lead more this way and that wouldn't do for her plans. Not to mention the hot water if her so called superior's found out. "I am known as Athelya. Though I won't bother with a last name, nor clan name. I doubt you would know it." Or he would know it all too well. Harellan was name she had taken when she fled Skyhold, but Latharelfen was the name her mother had granted her at birth. Love of the Dread Wof, or the fate of one who had. Those of her small sect of loyalist who wanted a world where elves were no longer servants, no longer a 'lesser race' but where they could be with their half-elven kin and friends from other races. But that was neither here nor there. "As for the magic... Aye, it was I who cast the spells." Her free hand gave a slightly mocking bow, as she continued to nibble at the rabbit leg. Speaking between her bites with a careful wording. "I was restoring and cleaning a few of the statues. Though the pillars and fallen columns are a tad too much for me yet."