It was easy to interpret Sophia's current actions as running away, and indeed, sometimes she couldn't help but see it that way herself, but lately all she could think about were the aspects of her life that were blissfully positive.
Moving to Lowtown could hardly be described as a blissful experience, but it would mean she'd be closer to Lucien, and that in and of itself was close enough, not to mention Nostariel. Interestingly, Ashton would be spending a good deal more time with the guard in Hightown now that Sophia was getting away, but she was fairly proud of him for making such a bold change, and was certain he would be a positive impact, something the guard force sorely needed lately.
Bran had tried to get Sophia to stay in the Keep and reconsider, but as usual, he held little sway over her, and she did what her heart told her to do, and that was to rid herself of all the horrid weights of living in that place while she still had the chance. While she still had the time. The future could bring any number of things to her feet, and she would have no choice but to confront them, but for now, she finally had the chance to become someone she had always wanted to be.
So it was that the famed daughter of Marlowe Dumar, the former Viscountess of Kirkwall and slayer of the Arishok, moved from her castle into a small room on the second story of the Hanged Man tavern, right across the hall from the one Nostariel had formerly occupied. Sophia wondered at the thought of them being neighbors, but she supposed they were hardly very far apart as it was. Varric had been rather flabbergasted at the news, and made every effort to ensure the room was well equipped, after he had determined that yes, she was serious about this.
The next few hours were spent organizing what goods Sophia had felt she needed to bring along from the Keep into her much smaller quarters. Some of it was painfully out of place, such as the set of armor hanging on a rack on the wall. If this was successful, Sophia figured this wouldn't be a permanent fixture, and she would eventually find somewhere more suitable. For now, she was just excited to be taking life by the reins again.
Nostariel hummed to herself, a pleasant little tune that she was sure sheâd picked up from Sparrow, or perhaps Ash; definitely someone who had a taste for lively music. A shanty of some kind, she was sure, but she didnât know the words. Considering what shanties were usually about, she probably didnât really want to, but the tune was pleasant enough, and served as measure and rhythm for the work of her hands and the small spade she was using, to unearth a particular-pretty purple hydrangea plant from the garden in front of the clinic. The plants next to it were doing well enough that it wouldnât be obviously missing from the whole view, and she had a feeling it would contribute more where she was taking it than where it was coming from, anyway. Fortunately, this one was only small, and shouldnât require more sun than a window could provide.
She moved it, roots and all, into a cheerful little pot sheâd painted a bright green, with darker green at the bottom in a gradient effect, then packed the rest of the pot with soil from the surrounding area, then stood with it, brushing her knees off with her free hand and stepping back into the clinic just long enough to stow the spade in the toolbox under her counter before she locked up behind her, swapped the sign over to CLOSED, and headed the long-familiar path to the Hanged Man.
If the rumors sheâd heard, about Sophia taking up residence there, were trueâand she knew they were, considering the sourceâthen it was in some sense a very strange reversal of fortune, though thankfully not one that Nostariel took to mean that Sophia was at rock bottom. The Warden had seen her at rock-bottom, and for her, that had been in the Keep, all alone, and miserable. Perhaps this was actually a step in the right direction. It was certainly something she planned to ask about. Well⊠that and the much more obvious, much more intriguing thing, which was that sheâd spent two months in Orlais with Lucien. The little harmless gossipmonger inside the polite Warden was practically slavering to know what had happened there.
Besides, turnabout was fair play.
When she entered the Hanged Man, Varric helpfully pointed her in the direction of Sophiaâs rooms, which turned out to be just across the hall from where Nostariel herself had once lived. The door was slightly ajar, and so the elf didnât so much wait to be admitted as announce she was coming in. âKnock knock.â The projected words were followed by Nostariel gently shouldering open the door. âSophia? I, um⊠I brought you a housewarming present.â She held out the hydrangea as if to provide evidence for the claim.
"Nostariel!" Sophia's eyes lit up as they fell on the elven woman, and she swooped over to the doorway. She smiled at the potted plant in her hands, accepting the gift and quickly moving it to a table beneath the window, before returning so that she could wrap the Warden in a hug. "I missed you. Come on, come in."
Returning to the hydrangea, Sophia made sure to position it where it would receive enough light. "It's beautiful. Very nice choice. I suppose I'll have to thank Aurora as well, though?" There were fairly few places in the city to acquire flowers such as these, and the garden outside of the clinic was probably the best, not to mention the most convenient.
âOh, certainly. She helped me plant and look after them.â Nostariel still felt a little bad that she hadnât been there to see Aurora off to Antiva, but she knew her friend would be back.
"You've heard the news, then? I'm free of Hightown, at least for the moment. Not exactly the most spacious quarters, but I think I'm right where I want to be." She could have bought herself any open place in Hightown, and indeed, that was one of the options she'd considered for getting out of the Keep, but this was just... better.
âItâs actually kind of nice, living here. Right on the pulse of Lowtown, so to speak.â At least, Nostariel had liked that about it. Sheâd needed a reminder that other people still lived and had troubles, because it meant that sometimes, she was able to drag herself far enough out of her cups to do something about it. This was obviously not going to be Sophiaâs problem, but it didnât hurt to be somewhere so central even so, though it was perhaps not the ideal permanent arrangement unless you were someone like Varric, who made a living knowing everything about everyone.
There wasnât much containing her questions, though, and Nostariel didnât much bother being delicate about it. They were friends, after all, and if you couldnât be frank with your friends, then you were dong something wrong. âSo? Orlais? You and Lucien? How was it? I want to hear everything.â Judging from Sophiaâs mood, and her current location, the news was good, and Nostariel bit her lip, smiling behind it in an exaggerated fashion, parking herself in a chair and crossing one leg over the other.
Sophia was actually quite eager to tell someone all of this. At least, someone who was not Varric. The details of her private life were not something she wanted bouncing around in the mind of a storyteller, especially one who had already made some efforts to build up her legend. She made for an interesting story, after all. Nostariel, though, was someone she could easily confide in, and it was only fair, considering how she had pried on the other occasion, when it was her friend bursting at the seams with exuberance.
She sighed pleasantly, settling herself down on the bed. The wood creaked a bit under her, but she paid it no mind. Leaning back on her hands, she dove in. "I know I don't look like it now, but a lot of the trip was actually a bit stressful. For Lucien more than me, I think, but... the issue of us was unfortunately left hanging over our heads for most of the trip."
Since Nostariel wanted to hear everything, Sophia started from the beginning, detailing most of the places they traveled to, meeting Lucien's father and seeing his home, the journey to the capital, the trial, and the subsequent party that followed. She'd enjoyed every step of it, but the stress of not knowing how things would pan out between them had steadily loomed the entire way.
"It was during the party that we confronted it, finally. I was a nervous wreck inside. He offered me his arm and we left the party behind for a moment, going to get some fresh air on a balcony. I used to think some of the views from Hightown were spectacular." She rolled her eyes, indicating how ridiculous that was now that she'd seen Val Royeaux for herself.
"I... thanked him for the trip, first," she continued, remembering how she'd felt in those moments of uncertainty. "I knew what we were going to be talking about, or at least, I was going to ask him about it if he didn't bring it up himself, so I just wanted to make sure he knew how much it helped me first, in case things went poorly." Even the thought of that happening was enough for her eyes to fall to the floor.
But it hadn't turned out that way, and she picked her eyes back up, smiling softly. "He said that he couldn't promise anything, that he didn't know what would be required of him in the years to come, but also that he could die tomorrow, and that it gave him some perspective. Then, well... he asked if he could court me. Somewhat timidly, I might add. He's the bravest man I know, but I do believe I scare him sometimes." It was remarkable, how he could walk into a dozen darkspawn without a second thought, but the thought of falling in love with her had left him fear-stricken for years.
"Not that he wasn't romantic about it, mind you," she added. "Desperately in love with you, were his words. I... well, I kissed him after that. There wasn't really anything else I could respond with. At least, nothing that I wanted to do more." She turned a little red. Talking about romantic relationships was... not something she was extremely experienced in. The drawbacks of being picky, she supposed.
Suddenly, Sophia flopped backwards onto the bed, golden hair splaying across the covers. She settled her hands over her stomach, and sighed. "I've felt about as light as air since then. It's nice, isn't it?"
âIt is.â Nostariel had kept her silence throughout the story, listening with rapt attention, though admittedly, sheâd been fidgeting quite a bit towards the end, attempting to contain her excitement. Perhaps that was a little silly of her, but sheâd been watching those two dance around each other for the better part of four years, and to hear that it had finally resolved in something good, even if it was something without a guaranteed duration, well⊠that was something worth being so enthused about, if anything was. Lucien and Sophia were two of her very best friends, and to know that they were happy in this way made her happy, too, compounding her own existing state of joy.
Was it ironic, that it was only after so much pain and death that things finally felt like they were becoming as they should have been all along? Well, it was definitely certain that little ever came easily. âIâm so happy for you, Sophia. I really am.â There were other things she wanted to ask about, of course, not least the obvious: what would they do if Lucien eventually had to go back to Orlais? But that wasnât something she expected either of them had an answer to at the moment, and it was assuredly too much of a damper to just throw out there in just this moment.
So instead, she made an observation. âYou know, Iâve tried to get myself to stop thinking of things like this, but in a lot of ways, that really is a fairy-story. The one you two have, I mean. Only⊠better, I think, because I know how hard youâve both worked for everything you have.â And she knew how much theyâd lost, as well.
Sophia pulled her legs up onto the bed and rolled over onto her side, propping her head up on her hand and letting the sunlight from the window fall across her face. "It is kind of like that, isn't it?" She smiled distantly, obviously thinking of something else. That sort of half smile had been near permanently etched onto her face since then. It was glorious how much more youthful she felt now, whereas before she had always desired to act older than her age, to grow up and saddle responsibility even before it was her time.
"Everything feels so much less overwhelming now. I still don't think I can go back to Hightown, but I really think I can make a life here. One that suits me better." She knew there were many who would say she was better suited for no role other than that of leadership, but she couldn't agree with them. Not now. "I'm going to help Lucien with his company as much as I can, and keep doing the work I've been doing for years already."
Now she would not have the weight of her inheritance looming over her. Sophia was not unaware that she was actively trying to recreate the life her mother had led before settling in Kirkwall, but she could find no reason not to. That, she believed, was what would make her the happiest.
Nostariel grinned, hopping up from her chair and clapping her hands together once. âExcellent. In that case, Iâve gathered a few of our friends together to help you get started. They should be down in the main area of the tavern. Varric and I are throwing you a housewarming party, you see.â There was a little mischief in her eyes, and the smile inched wider. âI hope you don't mind.â
Moving to Lowtown could hardly be described as a blissful experience, but it would mean she'd be closer to Lucien, and that in and of itself was close enough, not to mention Nostariel. Interestingly, Ashton would be spending a good deal more time with the guard in Hightown now that Sophia was getting away, but she was fairly proud of him for making such a bold change, and was certain he would be a positive impact, something the guard force sorely needed lately.
Bran had tried to get Sophia to stay in the Keep and reconsider, but as usual, he held little sway over her, and she did what her heart told her to do, and that was to rid herself of all the horrid weights of living in that place while she still had the chance. While she still had the time. The future could bring any number of things to her feet, and she would have no choice but to confront them, but for now, she finally had the chance to become someone she had always wanted to be.
So it was that the famed daughter of Marlowe Dumar, the former Viscountess of Kirkwall and slayer of the Arishok, moved from her castle into a small room on the second story of the Hanged Man tavern, right across the hall from the one Nostariel had formerly occupied. Sophia wondered at the thought of them being neighbors, but she supposed they were hardly very far apart as it was. Varric had been rather flabbergasted at the news, and made every effort to ensure the room was well equipped, after he had determined that yes, she was serious about this.
The next few hours were spent organizing what goods Sophia had felt she needed to bring along from the Keep into her much smaller quarters. Some of it was painfully out of place, such as the set of armor hanging on a rack on the wall. If this was successful, Sophia figured this wouldn't be a permanent fixture, and she would eventually find somewhere more suitable. For now, she was just excited to be taking life by the reins again.
Nostariel hummed to herself, a pleasant little tune that she was sure sheâd picked up from Sparrow, or perhaps Ash; definitely someone who had a taste for lively music. A shanty of some kind, she was sure, but she didnât know the words. Considering what shanties were usually about, she probably didnât really want to, but the tune was pleasant enough, and served as measure and rhythm for the work of her hands and the small spade she was using, to unearth a particular-pretty purple hydrangea plant from the garden in front of the clinic. The plants next to it were doing well enough that it wouldnât be obviously missing from the whole view, and she had a feeling it would contribute more where she was taking it than where it was coming from, anyway. Fortunately, this one was only small, and shouldnât require more sun than a window could provide.
She moved it, roots and all, into a cheerful little pot sheâd painted a bright green, with darker green at the bottom in a gradient effect, then packed the rest of the pot with soil from the surrounding area, then stood with it, brushing her knees off with her free hand and stepping back into the clinic just long enough to stow the spade in the toolbox under her counter before she locked up behind her, swapped the sign over to CLOSED, and headed the long-familiar path to the Hanged Man.
If the rumors sheâd heard, about Sophia taking up residence there, were trueâand she knew they were, considering the sourceâthen it was in some sense a very strange reversal of fortune, though thankfully not one that Nostariel took to mean that Sophia was at rock bottom. The Warden had seen her at rock-bottom, and for her, that had been in the Keep, all alone, and miserable. Perhaps this was actually a step in the right direction. It was certainly something she planned to ask about. Well⊠that and the much more obvious, much more intriguing thing, which was that sheâd spent two months in Orlais with Lucien. The little harmless gossipmonger inside the polite Warden was practically slavering to know what had happened there.
Besides, turnabout was fair play.
When she entered the Hanged Man, Varric helpfully pointed her in the direction of Sophiaâs rooms, which turned out to be just across the hall from where Nostariel herself had once lived. The door was slightly ajar, and so the elf didnât so much wait to be admitted as announce she was coming in. âKnock knock.â The projected words were followed by Nostariel gently shouldering open the door. âSophia? I, um⊠I brought you a housewarming present.â She held out the hydrangea as if to provide evidence for the claim.
"Nostariel!" Sophia's eyes lit up as they fell on the elven woman, and she swooped over to the doorway. She smiled at the potted plant in her hands, accepting the gift and quickly moving it to a table beneath the window, before returning so that she could wrap the Warden in a hug. "I missed you. Come on, come in."
Returning to the hydrangea, Sophia made sure to position it where it would receive enough light. "It's beautiful. Very nice choice. I suppose I'll have to thank Aurora as well, though?" There were fairly few places in the city to acquire flowers such as these, and the garden outside of the clinic was probably the best, not to mention the most convenient.
âOh, certainly. She helped me plant and look after them.â Nostariel still felt a little bad that she hadnât been there to see Aurora off to Antiva, but she knew her friend would be back.
"You've heard the news, then? I'm free of Hightown, at least for the moment. Not exactly the most spacious quarters, but I think I'm right where I want to be." She could have bought herself any open place in Hightown, and indeed, that was one of the options she'd considered for getting out of the Keep, but this was just... better.
âItâs actually kind of nice, living here. Right on the pulse of Lowtown, so to speak.â At least, Nostariel had liked that about it. Sheâd needed a reminder that other people still lived and had troubles, because it meant that sometimes, she was able to drag herself far enough out of her cups to do something about it. This was obviously not going to be Sophiaâs problem, but it didnât hurt to be somewhere so central even so, though it was perhaps not the ideal permanent arrangement unless you were someone like Varric, who made a living knowing everything about everyone.
There wasnât much containing her questions, though, and Nostariel didnât much bother being delicate about it. They were friends, after all, and if you couldnât be frank with your friends, then you were dong something wrong. âSo? Orlais? You and Lucien? How was it? I want to hear everything.â Judging from Sophiaâs mood, and her current location, the news was good, and Nostariel bit her lip, smiling behind it in an exaggerated fashion, parking herself in a chair and crossing one leg over the other.
Sophia was actually quite eager to tell someone all of this. At least, someone who was not Varric. The details of her private life were not something she wanted bouncing around in the mind of a storyteller, especially one who had already made some efforts to build up her legend. She made for an interesting story, after all. Nostariel, though, was someone she could easily confide in, and it was only fair, considering how she had pried on the other occasion, when it was her friend bursting at the seams with exuberance.
She sighed pleasantly, settling herself down on the bed. The wood creaked a bit under her, but she paid it no mind. Leaning back on her hands, she dove in. "I know I don't look like it now, but a lot of the trip was actually a bit stressful. For Lucien more than me, I think, but... the issue of us was unfortunately left hanging over our heads for most of the trip."
Since Nostariel wanted to hear everything, Sophia started from the beginning, detailing most of the places they traveled to, meeting Lucien's father and seeing his home, the journey to the capital, the trial, and the subsequent party that followed. She'd enjoyed every step of it, but the stress of not knowing how things would pan out between them had steadily loomed the entire way.
"It was during the party that we confronted it, finally. I was a nervous wreck inside. He offered me his arm and we left the party behind for a moment, going to get some fresh air on a balcony. I used to think some of the views from Hightown were spectacular." She rolled her eyes, indicating how ridiculous that was now that she'd seen Val Royeaux for herself.
"I... thanked him for the trip, first," she continued, remembering how she'd felt in those moments of uncertainty. "I knew what we were going to be talking about, or at least, I was going to ask him about it if he didn't bring it up himself, so I just wanted to make sure he knew how much it helped me first, in case things went poorly." Even the thought of that happening was enough for her eyes to fall to the floor.
But it hadn't turned out that way, and she picked her eyes back up, smiling softly. "He said that he couldn't promise anything, that he didn't know what would be required of him in the years to come, but also that he could die tomorrow, and that it gave him some perspective. Then, well... he asked if he could court me. Somewhat timidly, I might add. He's the bravest man I know, but I do believe I scare him sometimes." It was remarkable, how he could walk into a dozen darkspawn without a second thought, but the thought of falling in love with her had left him fear-stricken for years.
"Not that he wasn't romantic about it, mind you," she added. "Desperately in love with you, were his words. I... well, I kissed him after that. There wasn't really anything else I could respond with. At least, nothing that I wanted to do more." She turned a little red. Talking about romantic relationships was... not something she was extremely experienced in. The drawbacks of being picky, she supposed.
Suddenly, Sophia flopped backwards onto the bed, golden hair splaying across the covers. She settled her hands over her stomach, and sighed. "I've felt about as light as air since then. It's nice, isn't it?"
âIt is.â Nostariel had kept her silence throughout the story, listening with rapt attention, though admittedly, sheâd been fidgeting quite a bit towards the end, attempting to contain her excitement. Perhaps that was a little silly of her, but sheâd been watching those two dance around each other for the better part of four years, and to hear that it had finally resolved in something good, even if it was something without a guaranteed duration, well⊠that was something worth being so enthused about, if anything was. Lucien and Sophia were two of her very best friends, and to know that they were happy in this way made her happy, too, compounding her own existing state of joy.
Was it ironic, that it was only after so much pain and death that things finally felt like they were becoming as they should have been all along? Well, it was definitely certain that little ever came easily. âIâm so happy for you, Sophia. I really am.â There were other things she wanted to ask about, of course, not least the obvious: what would they do if Lucien eventually had to go back to Orlais? But that wasnât something she expected either of them had an answer to at the moment, and it was assuredly too much of a damper to just throw out there in just this moment.
So instead, she made an observation. âYou know, Iâve tried to get myself to stop thinking of things like this, but in a lot of ways, that really is a fairy-story. The one you two have, I mean. Only⊠better, I think, because I know how hard youâve both worked for everything you have.â And she knew how much theyâd lost, as well.
Sophia pulled her legs up onto the bed and rolled over onto her side, propping her head up on her hand and letting the sunlight from the window fall across her face. "It is kind of like that, isn't it?" She smiled distantly, obviously thinking of something else. That sort of half smile had been near permanently etched onto her face since then. It was glorious how much more youthful she felt now, whereas before she had always desired to act older than her age, to grow up and saddle responsibility even before it was her time.
"Everything feels so much less overwhelming now. I still don't think I can go back to Hightown, but I really think I can make a life here. One that suits me better." She knew there were many who would say she was better suited for no role other than that of leadership, but she couldn't agree with them. Not now. "I'm going to help Lucien with his company as much as I can, and keep doing the work I've been doing for years already."
Now she would not have the weight of her inheritance looming over her. Sophia was not unaware that she was actively trying to recreate the life her mother had led before settling in Kirkwall, but she could find no reason not to. That, she believed, was what would make her the happiest.
Nostariel grinned, hopping up from her chair and clapping her hands together once. âExcellent. In that case, Iâve gathered a few of our friends together to help you get started. They should be down in the main area of the tavern. Varric and I are throwing you a housewarming party, you see.â There was a little mischief in her eyes, and the smile inched wider. âI hope you don't mind.â