exsiliumlogs | if I owned this city, I'd make it behave

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if I owned this city, I'd make it behave

Date & Time: A few days before the masquerade, early afternoon.
Location: Out and about in the city shops.
Characters: Elissa, Galadriel, and OPEN.
Summary: A Warden decides a friend needs a little nudge to go to the masquerade.
Warnings: None!

She wished she could feel a little better about this party. She'd never been to a masquerade before and hardly knew the first bit of decorum that went with it, but she knew from talk back in Highever that it was a standard practice in Orlais. Masks, high parties, frivolities and things she knew she wouldn't be interested in. What did catch her curiosity was that the Initiative was willingly sending them back in time to enjoy such a party. It seemed suspicious at best, enough for her to want to keep an eye out. But she also knew Leliana would be excited and she'd promised Zevran to take him shopping...

But there was someone else she was interested in seeing too, and she hoped she could spare some thought on attendance at this party.

[ooc: the first post is for Elissa and Galadriel but after that it's open for anyone else to encounter Elissa at any point. ACTION OR PROSE, IT'S UP TO YOU. I just set it up in prose.]

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And she certainly hoped she had the right apartment number as well. She hadn't often sought out people in the complex beyond her companions, and she could only hope that Galadriel was home at the time. For all she knew, the older woman was out and about already or tending to whatever else she had. She could very well be interrupting her as well. Ah, well.

She sought out Galadriel's door and knocked on it twice, pulling out her communication device just on the off chance that she wasn't going to answer. She could always message her...

And Galadriel answered, half expecting to see her daughter or granddaughter there. They seemed most likely to call on her. She was certainly not expecting Elissa, but judging from her from her smile it was a pleasant surprise.

"My Lady Cousland. What brings you here?"

She gave the older woman a smile and a polite bow, one where she bent at the waist, as a warrior did and not a lady. "I'm sorry to intrude if I've interrupted anything, Lady Galadriel. I was wondering if you were busy today and if you could join me in doing something out in the city."

Elissa's smile widened briefly. "I had thought to, perhaps, go shopping with you for this upcoming masquerade."

Somehow, a warrior's bow was more fitting. It suited Elissa, she thought. When her explanation was given, Galadriel gave a little a laugh. "I had not yet fully decided on attending, in truth. Yet between my daughter's pleading looks and this charming invitation, I am finding it increasingly difficult to refuse."

Blaine had a lot of spare time, so he found himself wandering a lot with no obvious goal in mind. People watching could be considered a goal though, right? So he was moving around at a leisurely place when he saw a familiar face that he was interested in talking to. She was 'window shopping' or so it seemed, and that usually wasn't something people minded being interrupted during, so he made his way over. "See anything good, Lady Elissa?"

Elissa was eyeing a very particular dress, but not for herself. It didn't seem to be Galadriel's size, either, which was a shame. The color and make of it, however, seemed perfect for the elvhen woman. Still, it looked nice enough and it had her attention until she heard Blaine's voice. Turning briefly to him, she flashed a slight smile. "Not for me, I'm afraid. And what's this 'lady' business, hm? I have no more of a title than you do here."

She tilted her head at the shop and shrugged. "I'm not familiar with many of the clothing customs here. Some of the dresses they have for sale are...strange." And revealing. She had avoided those.

Blaine looked at the dress and then to Elissa. Hmm, he guessed it wouldn't suit her quite right. A stronger pattern would do her personality better justice. "It seems to suit you. The mighty Lady Elissa who can crack heads with the best of them." There's a tilt to his lips but he's serious about that.

"The cuts are different than what I'm used to, but women's clothes will forever have more options than men's. Sometimes I'm jealous that it's not appropriate for a man to flash a little leg." He chuckles.

She snorted. "Perhaps you should cut a long slice up the side of your pants and show some off sometime. I doubt many people would judge you for it. You may even get some admirers simply for being so bold." Oh, she really shouldn't joke like that.

With a shake of her head, she looked back at the dress briefly. "Where I come from, that's unheard of. Most noblewomen don't even show off their shoulders or much of their arms. It's unheard of."

Blaine laughed at the suggestion. "I may do that. There can never be too many compliments about my legs." Be very careful what you wish for, Elissa.

"That dress is rather modest to what some women wear." The blonde smiled and added, "If the weather was warmer and the sun was out, you'd see some with booty shorts and bikini tops."

She laughed with him. He reminded her of Zevran when he said things like that, though she knew better than to let any of his insinuations get to her.

With a faint look of disapproval at the dress, she looked back at him quizzically. "...Booty shorts." Please, tell her that wasn't what it sounded like. "And bikini tops. Why would they wear such things?"

Which was a shame, because Blaine's insinuations and innuendos were more like hopeful promises.

The way she says that, with a vague sense of unsurity that was preparing to be disgust at the idea, made his lips cant even further upwards. "Because it's hot outside and the less clothes, the cooler you are. We don't have to worry about swords or arrows." Just guns, missiles, and bombs.

"Wearing something loose is just as successful a way to cool someone off, actually. Though I suppose I can see the appeal of wearing less." Hadn't she, as a child, found places in the tall grasses of Highever to sprawl out in only her shift and breeches? But that had been so long ago and he was implying that grown women did this all the time.

Her lips pressed into a thin line in thought. "No swords or arrows. I know a man here who has shown me his gun. He says the weapons used by the United Earth are present on his world but rare and powerful. Is it the same for your world?"

Depended on the grown woman, but Blaine himself preferred to wear less. Loose fitting and shapeless clothes weren't things he bought. "We have guns. Maybe some of the earlier versions of what the United Earth has." He had one on him, in fact, but he made no move to make that known.

"They're easy to get, plentiful, and your armor probably wouldn't do anything to stop it. We have materials that can stop bullets that you can wear, but they aren't for every day use nor cheap enough for just anyone to buy because they're paranoid. Besides, it protects your body and not your face, though that's better than nothing."

"Earlier versions?" It was a concept Elissa didn't quite understand, and rightly so. Swords and various weaponry had been around for generations. The dwarves and the Qunari were the ones creating the next generation of weapons, gaatlok, explosives, and all sorts of other things. She could make traps, of course, and those explosives were similar...but not quite the same.

She did, however, understand that she was powerless in the face of these weapons. "Then...how do you live like that, under constant threat of potentially being killed?" She could see a sword coming if it went for her throat. Knives were more difficult, yes, but she'd been trained for that. Guns and bullets were something else entirely.

"Yeah. It's just like with a bow. First you just took a flexible stick, tied some string to each end and got something that would hopefully fly right. Then you started to carve the bow into different shapes so it was more powerful and more accurate. Same with guns. New guns come out. Some are highly accurate so you can shoot from a mile away. Some fire hundreds of bullets in a minute. You can get a small one purely for self defense, though if you hit a guy once they're gonna stay down."

Blaine shrugged. "Even if there weren't guns, there would be knives, staffs, and swords. You wear armor. Are you saying you don't feel a constant threat of potentially being killed?"

On the less exciting side of shopping, Fiona was out buying groceries. Most of which, had already been bought and packaged in the oddest containers which she now carried with her. It wasn't nearly as heavy as it should be though, and she found herself strolling on her way back rather than any usual faster pace she was accustomed to. Hell, there was hardly anything else to do for the day, after all. Hardly anything to do ever around here really. It was an odd thing to complain about.

It was during her strolling along that she spotted Elissa and gave a short friendly wave. It was really just meant as a 'hello' anything more seemed out of place and anything less seemed awkward. So with any luck it would go no further than small chatter.

She spotted Fiona and tried her best not to smile at the sight of her. She seemed so out of place, this Warden with odd containers all in a bundle. It simply didn't fit, she supposed, which was an odd thought. Elissa said nothing about it, however, and simply gave Fiona a friendly wave as she passed by. "Fiona," she called amiably. "What all do you have there?"

She could take the joke, maybe. For now, she gave a short snort. "Food." She stated flatly. The packaging likely making it much more interesting than it was. "And what brings you out near the shops?"

Enough for an army. Sometimes, it was nice to remember that she and Alistair weren't the only ones with voracious appetites. She smiled wanly. "I was looking around at dresses. I'm hoping to convince a friend of mine to go to this masquerade. Perhaps she'll go if I tempt her with shopping." ...Oh, that almost sounds like she's describing Leliana. She winced. "I'm not so certain about dressing up for it, though."

She raised an eyebrow to her. "Are you going?"

The question brought out a snort of a laugh, "no, I'm not." Odd that it would even be asked, really. With an awkward shift in her weight, she'll readjust the bags she's holding. Refusing to settle them on the ground for a longer term conversation. "So who is it you are trying to convince then?"

Ah, well. She didn't know if Fiona was interested in those sorts of activities as it was. Better that she didn't assume. "Lady Galadriel. I'm no entirely certain if it's something she would enjoy...but perhaps, if she declines to go, she'll go shopping anyway. I'd like to get her something."

And so began Elissa's continued gift-giving to friends...

Leliana was... unsurprisingly, carrying at least five bags of clothes when she spotted Elissa and Galadriel, excitedly advancing towards them.

"Elissa!" When she saw Galadriel closer, she gasped a bit. She was an elf, and an especially lovely one too. She flashed her a polite smile. "Oh, hello. Are you a friend of Elissa's?"

The smile was returned, easily and readily. There is, however, a little delay before she answers the question. Galadriel glances over at her companion and her smile broadens a little, finally making it to her eyes.

"I suppose I am." Funny, that. She certainly hadn't set out to make friends when she first arrived- there was a danger in getting attached to people in a place like this. Fleeting: it's all too fleeting, particularly to her eyes. But, well, what do you call a woman who listens to your opinions, exchanges tales with you, and pulls you out shopping except 'friend?'

"I assume you would say the same." Once again, she glances at Elissa, waiting for a more proper introduction.

Elissa turned to Leliana and gave her a smile as well and a slight lift of her hand, though her gaze passed between them as they began to converse. She felt almost embarrassed to be claiming the elvhen lady was her friend; Galadriel was enough of a presence to humble even a former noble like herself, and she wasn't certain she wanted to place them on the same social standing even in a place like Exsilium.

But, at length, she nodded. "I believe so." She turned and beckoned for Leliana to step closer. "Lady Galadriel, this is one of my dearest friends, Leliana." She smiled a little broader at the bard. "And this is the lady Galadriel, Leliana, whom I've obviously met here."

"Any friend of Elissa's is a friend of mine. It is a pleasure to meet you, my lady." Galadriel was nothing short of radiant and she carried herself like a noble lady; she had never seen an elf like her before. She curtsied, thinking it at least proper.

"Are you two out shopping?" she asked with a hopeful tone.

Oh, that curtsy pleases her; so few people do so here. Frodo was the last and he knows better than most why she is to be respected. She bows her head, giving the slightest bend at the waist in acknowledgment- somewhere between a deep nod and a formal bow.

"The pleasure is mine."

And they were already hitting it off. Elissa's smile grew ever so slightly, glad that there would be no tension as far as she could see. To Leliana's question, she nodded, glancing once to the taller woman at her side. "I thought it might be best to start looking for appropriate attire to this masquerade, especially since I'm unfamiliar with the options we have." And what she had seen was too revealing.

Her smile sharpened at the edges, almost predatory. "Would you like to join us?" It was unfair how she said it, like she was setting up bait for a trap. "If you wouldn't mind, my lady."

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if I owned this city, I'd make it behave

Elissa and Galadriel

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out shopping

if this isn't okay, just ping me and I can change or delete

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