Moments

Moment of Satinalia

A horde of legs and arms forced their monstrous way through the open door. Somehow I was in the midst of it all, trying to keep my drink vertical. It was all for naught as a wooden sword smacked into my elbow, sending mead sloshing over the floor. Who thought it was a wise idea to give the Orlesian nobles fake swords?

The owner grinned wide but didn't offer apologize, his eyes failing to focus on me. A mask teetered off his face, threatening to slip him into darkness. Josie called him a close relation of the Empress and someone the Inquisition needed to impress. I kept from killing him by smashing my foot into the table every moment the idea arose. My toe throbbed.

"Boss!" the voice towered above the crowd's cacophony as did its owner.

"Bull?" I answered, trying to shove past the non-pious nobles. Those were back in the makeshift chantry with Josie and Leliana, down on their knees scoffing at everyone else having fun.

The Qunari leaned against the bar, cutting off the flow of alcohol with his wide ass. Nobles tried to shoo him away, but cowered when he turned those horns to try and hear them. "Where ya been?" he called, waving me over.

"Oh, you know, someone had to open the feast, lead a prayer, and referee the jousting tournament," I said, sliding into the alcove he carved out for me.

"Ha! That was good fun, a bit of light work before dinner."

I eyed him up, "Says the man who picked up three chevaliers and threw them into the stands."

"The kiddies deserved a souvenir," Bull laughed again, thudding his tankard on the bar. Ribbons dangled off his harness, given to him by smitten maidens trying to win his favor.

"So..." I started, reaching for a mug, "I'm curious. What's with the masks?"

He laughed and sloshed down his tankard before reaching up and spinning three of the masks impaled upon his right horn. The left held five. Most were suspended through an eyehole, but a few were impaled on. "Sera's doing," Bull explained, "Well, the first couple. After that, the nobles thought it was a game and started trying to toss their own on."

"I see."

"Don't worry, I only killed a couple of 'em."

I sighed, taking a long drink. "That's Josephine's problem now."

Bull laughed again and slapped me on the back, jostling his horn decor. "Now that's the Satinalia spirit!"

"If I get anymore into the spirit I'm going to vomit suckling nug all across the chantry floor." Despite my pronouncement, I still dumped another glass of the only remaining liquor down my throat. No one expected the heaving mass of people happy to cast off the pious robes and throw themselves headlong into a full on Satinalia.

"It's quite a spread our ambassador put on," Bull said, picking at his ribbons, "I should pay her my respects."

"Josephine was tearing her hair out with worry we wouldn't have enough, but either Leliana calmed her down by finding lost stores or - more likely - spiked her wine. Last I saw Josie, she was running across the jousting yard screaming this was better than Antiva City."

"Sounds like a ringing endorsement to me."

"Have you seen anyone else?" I asked. Being the head of the party meant I barely saw anyone I knew or cared about. The day was a blur of names and wooden faces I couldn't possibly remember.

"I've seen lots of people, my boys are holed up down by the infirmary. They've got the good shit there and Krem's guarding it as if his life depended on it. Last I saw, Sera's with them, though she had that look in her eye."