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Oh man, thanks.
[It's not so much that she's surprised Herian remembered as that she, herself, forgot. Possibly a function of the different month names, or just of how intense the last few weeks have been.]
You want to come in? I didn't have a surprise sister here to plan a party, so.
[It's not so much that she's surprised Herian remembered as that she, herself, forgot. Possibly a function of the different month names, or just of how intense the last few weeks have been.]
You want to come in? I didn't have a surprise sister here to plan a party, so.
I could, or we could go out? Whatever you prefer. On your birthday it is your choice, assuming you are not bound to your work today.
( She has rearranged things a little to allow herself the time, but things can be changed and switched about. It isn't easy, but she is willing to do it, for Cosima. )
And since you asked me, I also present you the choice of a gift now or later.
( She has rearranged things a little to allow herself the time, but things can be changed and switched about. It isn't easy, but she is willing to do it, for Cosima. )
And since you asked me, I also present you the choice of a gift now or later.
Alright, that one's easy, I'll totally take the gift now.
[Franklin has reached critical wiggle mass, so she puts him down.]
And we could go out! I don't think anything I'm working on is so urgent it can't keep until tomorrow.
[Franklin has reached critical wiggle mass, so she puts him down.]
And we could go out! I don't think anything I'm working on is so urgent it can't keep until tomorrow.
( Franklin is skittering, bounding around the two of them, and Herian rolls her eyes fondly as she tells him to sit (which he ignores) and reaches for something from her pocket. It's a small wooden box, a warm red wood with pale veins and knots within it, smoothly polished and oiled.
Herian realises something, though, as she hands it over. ) I could not find adequate wrapping materials and thought that might be of use. The gift itself is inside.
( Slightly awkward, if only because she wants the gift to be well received. Inside the box, should Cosima choose to accept it, is a silver ring, still a little textured from hammer, but smoothly so. The silver is very bright, and set into the ring is a dark blue stone with patterns of lighter blue, and bright green circles within. ) I, um—
( Ah, those tongue tied moments. Thanks, Cosima. ) I was not certain it was the correct size.
Herian realises something, though, as she hands it over. ) I could not find adequate wrapping materials and thought that might be of use. The gift itself is inside.
( Slightly awkward, if only because she wants the gift to be well received. Inside the box, should Cosima choose to accept it, is a silver ring, still a little textured from hammer, but smoothly so. The silver is very bright, and set into the ring is a dark blue stone with patterns of lighter blue, and bright green circles within. ) I, um—
( Ah, those tongue tied moments. Thanks, Cosima. ) I was not certain it was the correct size.
[Cosima takes the box, clearly charmed, but her eyes widen when she opens it.]
Oh my god, Herian, this is beautiful.
[She takes it out so she can try it on, suspecting Herian did better at sizing that she's worried about. After all, it's doesn't have to fit any particular finger.]
I love it, it's gorgeous.
Oh my god, Herian, this is beautiful.
[She takes it out so she can try it on, suspecting Herian did better at sizing that she's worried about. After all, it's doesn't have to fit any particular finger.]
I love it, it's gorgeous.
( Herian's smile brightens, relief and delight mixing together. It's the sort of smile only Cosima tends to see from her, and she steps closer, one hand coming to rest at Cosima's waist as she holds the other out to hold the box, to make the trying on of the ring a little easier. )
It's enchanted. Whenever you have need of light, you just need to focus for a moment, and it should illuminate the space around you. I believe the trader said that between uses it needs to recharge in the light of the sun or the moons, but wearing it or leaving it on the windowsill should be sufficient.
It's enchanted. Whenever you have need of light, you just need to focus for a moment, and it should illuminate the space around you. I believe the trader said that between uses it needs to recharge in the light of the sun or the moons, but wearing it or leaving it on the windowsill should be sufficient.
What!
[Cosima is delighted, transparently.]
That's amazing, and now I feel like I am gonna have to step up my gift game the next time it's a gift-giving occasion.
[Once it's on her finger, she turns to kiss Herian soundly.]
Thank you. It's wonderful.
[Cosima is delighted, transparently.]
That's amazing, and now I feel like I am gonna have to step up my gift game the next time it's a gift-giving occasion.
[Once it's on her finger, she turns to kiss Herian soundly.]
Thank you. It's wonderful.
( Herian appears almost sheepish, though she smiles into the kiss, and when Cosima thanks her, leans close to kiss her again. )
You're welcome. I hoped it might be useful when you are working. ( She understands how important Cosima's work and her science is to her, even if she has little grasp of the nuances of it. Very fondly she brushes Cosima's hair back, her other arm draped around Cosima's waist. )
And your gift was perfect. There is no need for such measures.
You're welcome. I hoped it might be useful when you are working. ( She understands how important Cosima's work and her science is to her, even if she has little grasp of the nuances of it. Very fondly she brushes Cosima's hair back, her other arm draped around Cosima's waist. )
And your gift was perfect. There is no need for such measures.
Yo, this is Cosima. What can I do for you?
[She's been here so long that her first thought is not "Sarah" so much as "hey, this Fereldan stranger sounds a lot like Sarah," the way she'd spent the first few months thinking she recognized people from behind and always being wrong. Brains play tricks, but Sarah isn't here, so obviously that's not it.]
[She's been here so long that her first thought is not "Sarah" so much as "hey, this Fereldan stranger sounds a lot like Sarah," the way she'd spent the first few months thinking she recognized people from behind and always being wrong. Brains play tricks, but Sarah isn't here, so obviously that's not it.]
[ There's a pause while Sarah tries to collect herself. The description had obviously been of her Cosima, but until she'd heard her voice, it hadn't seemed real. It still doesn't. ]
It's—uh, it's Sarah.
It's—uh, it's Sarah.
What??
[It's more a yelp than a question and there's a moment in which she may or may not have dropped her crystal.]
Sarah, shit, where are you? Are you OK? Are you with the Inquisition -- wait, of course you are if you've got a crystal. You're not hurt, though?
[It's more a yelp than a question and there's a moment in which she may or may not have dropped her crystal.]
Sarah, shit, where are you? Are you OK? Are you with the Inquisition -- wait, of course you are if you've got a crystal. You're not hurt, though?
Yeah, I borrowed this from a woman who says she knows you. [ Among other things. ] I'm okay. We've been stuck here in this frozen place for nearly a week, but the Inquisition brought food and blankets and shit. [ She takes a shuddery breath, not sure if she's more relieved or confused. ]
Oh my god. Are they bringing you back to Kirkwall? I can try to get out to you, but I don't know how fast I could get there. I, uh. Don't do a lot of field work these days.
No. Don't come here. It's awful.
[ And Cosima is definitely the least sporty of all her sisters. The thought of her trudging out through the tundra would almost be laughable, if it weren't so depressing. ]
She said it could take a couple weeks to get back.
[ And Cosima is definitely the least sporty of all her sisters. The thought of her trudging out through the tundra would almost be laughable, if it weren't so depressing. ]
She said it could take a couple weeks to get back.
Yeah, transit options really do leave a lot to be desired. Everything seems so damn far apart.
[She still wishes she could be there. Of course this would be one of the times the rifters arrived out of easy reach.]
You made it through the demons okay, though? I was under attack the second I came out of a rift, and I understand that's pretty common. Or is that the awful part, because... fair enough.
[She still wishes she could be there. Of course this would be one of the times the rifters arrived out of easy reach.]
You made it through the demons okay, though? I was under attack the second I came out of a rift, and I understand that's pretty common. Or is that the awful part, because... fair enough.
That was awful, too, yeah. I was really sick when we came through, so I couldn't fight, but Helena's here. [ Which is good, except she's already tried to kill somebody and now she's in shackles. But Sarah won't mention that for now. ]
Wait wait wait. Helena like, killed-Katja-tried-to-kill-you Helena?
[That... doesn't entirely sound like good news based on the last news Cosima had about Helena.]
[That... doesn't entirely sound like good news based on the last news Cosima had about Helena.]
[ That's such a weird thing for Cosima to say. Like... such a weird thing. There's another pause. ]
Yeah, like Helena, Cos.
Yeah, like Helena, Cos.
...oh, shit.
[She's mainly thinking aloud:]
This happened with Delphine too, we may not be from the same point in time, that could get really... um. I guess you'll catch me up when you get here? As long as you're not worried Helena's going to hurt you in the meantime.
[Cosima sounds deeply dubious of this assumption, for the record.]
Have you met a woman named Herian Amsel yet, by any chance?
[She's mainly thinking aloud:]
This happened with Delphine too, we may not be from the same point in time, that could get really... um. I guess you'll catch me up when you get here? As long as you're not worried Helena's going to hurt you in the meantime.
[Cosima sounds deeply dubious of this assumption, for the record.]
Have you met a woman named Herian Amsel yet, by any chance?
[ She's not even going to touch that shit about the timelines right now. It's about as weird as all the rest of this, and they definitely need to talk about it, but first— ]
That's the woman who gave me the crystal. She seems well into you, Cosima.
That's the woman who gave me the crystal. She seems well into you, Cosima.
[Cosima's tone softens, unconsciously.]
I trust her. The Inquistion is... it's really complicated, and I'll have a lot to catch you up on when you get here. I know trust isn't really, like, your thing all the time but you can let Herian watch your back on the trip here, OK? I don't know who all else is in the rescue party offhand, but I can promise you that much.
I trust her. The Inquistion is... it's really complicated, and I'll have a lot to catch you up on when you get here. I know trust isn't really, like, your thing all the time but you can let Herian watch your back on the trip here, OK? I don't know who all else is in the rescue party offhand, but I can promise you that much.
OK, OK, we're even then, [with a laugh.] So. I know you said it's my choice, but do you have, like, fancy dinner plans that are based on going out? Or staying in? I don't want to undo some grand gesture when I don't really care either way.
[ Normally Sarah would argue, but because it's Cosima telling her this, she just accepts it. More complicated organizations to deal with, awesome. ]
... Okay. [ She hesitates. ] The thing you said about being from different points in time? Helena can't remember things that happened to us before we got here.
... Okay. [ She hesitates. ] The thing you said about being from different points in time? Helena can't remember things that happened to us before we got here.
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