We were at the Winter Palace for the peace talks. All hands were needed, so I went as a guard disguised as a servant. The mask covered my vallaslin, so I looked quite ordinary. As the talks began to crumble, we began to hear shouts from outside. The doors slammed open, and in came a whole battalion of Red Templars. I had little time to think. I cannot recall if I herded the nearest people into a separate room or if I was among the herded, but the next thing I knew, I found myself in a small room with my friend Merrill, as well as Lady Mantillon and her entourage.
Red Templars were trying to break open the door. I began to cast, barricading the door with as much ice as I could summon while Merrill used a bit of Dalish magic to strengthen the vines outside the window. We helped the Dowager out first, as some of our people were on the ground, and we were all able to escape alive. And that is my tale of the Winter Palace.
I have included my measurements, but I request that if you're going to use my money to have clothes made, at least have the dressmaker cut the pieces out only, and deliver them to me to sew together. It saves a great deal of money.
You are very kind to offer to write reviews of my book. I am sure having one good review and one bad, both written by legitimate human scholars, will lend credence to my own legitimacy. I shall strive not to read too much into your friend's criticisms, but she may make herself look quite silly if she believes she knows more about the Dalish than a Dalish. Perhaps her criticisms should focus on tone and organization rather than content, unless it is to criticize the over-inclusion or lack of inclusion of certain topics and anecdotes.
I do agree, regarding the halla kept by the Inquisition. They are not cattle. I was disappointed in the clan that sent them to us. They should have known better. Of course the halla are not forced to go where they do not want to go, but we should in return see to their needs as they see to ours, and give them wide spaces to run and fresh grass to eat.
The Dalish revere Andraste as one who helped to free the elves from Tevinter, but we do not worship her or exalt her to a near-godhood status. It would feel very strange to me to ask Andraste to bless you. So instead of asking the blessings of gods and prophets, I will simply say, Yours.
Yours, Lady-called-Pel
P.S. Regarding the dress, I suggest avoiding pale colors, which make me look washed-out. And do avoid yellow if you can.
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no subject
Yᴏᴜ ᴍᴜsᴛ ᴅᴏ ᴍᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴏɴᴏʀ ᴏꜰ ᴛᴇʟʟɪɴɢ ᴍᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴀʟᴇ ᴏꜰ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴠɪsɪᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ Wɪɴᴛᴇʀ Pᴀʟᴀᴄᴇ! I ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀᴛᴛᴇɴᴅᴇᴅ ʙᴀʟʟs ᴀɴᴅ ꜰᴇᴀsᴛs ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴍʏsᴇʟꜰ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴏꜰᴛᴇɴ ꜰᴏᴜɴᴅ ɪᴛ ᴇxᴄᴇᴇᴅɪɴɢʟʏ ʙᴏʀɪɴɢ, ᴇsᴘᴇᴄɪᴀʟʟʏ ᴀs ᴏꜰ ʟᴀᴛᴇ. (Wᴇʟʟ: ɴᴏᴛ ᴠᴇʀʏ ʟᴀᴛᴇ. I ʜᴀᴠᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ʀᴇᴛᴜʀɴᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ Oʀʟᴀɪs ɪɴ sᴏᴍᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ɴᴏᴡ.) Tʜᴇ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ᴏꜰ sᴏᴍᴇ ᴇxᴘʟᴏɪᴛ ᴏʀ ᴍɪsᴄʜɪᴇꜰ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴅᴏɴᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇʟʏ ʜᴀʟʟs ɪs ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅʏ ᴛʜʀɪʟʟɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴇ ᴀɴᴅ I ᴍᴜsᴛ ʜᴇᴀʀ ᴏꜰ ɪᴛ sᴏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ I ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ᴅᴇᴛᴀɪʟs ꜰᴏʀ ᴍʏ ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴏᴡɴ.
Iᴍᴘᴏʀᴛᴀɴᴛ: ᴡɪᴛʜ ʏᴏᴜʀ ɴᴇxᴛ ʟᴇᴛᴛᴇʀ, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ɪɴᴄʟᴜᴅᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴄᴜʀʀᴇɴᴛ ᴍᴇᴀsᴜʀᴇᴍᴇɴᴛs, ᴀɴᴅ I sʜᴀʟʟ sᴜᴘᴘʟʏ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴛᴏ ᴀ ᴅʀᴇssᴍᴀᴋᴇʀ ɪɴ ᴛʜɪs ᴄɪᴛʏ. Yᴏᴜ ᴍᴜsᴛ ᴛʀᴜsᴛ ᴍʏ ᴛᴀsᴛᴇ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ I ᴡɪʟʟ ᴀssᴜʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ɪs ᴇxᴄᴇʟʟᴇɴᴛ ɪɴᴅᴇᴇᴅ. I sᴜᴘᴘᴏsᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴍɪɢʜᴛ sᴛɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴛᴀᴋᴇɴ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀ sᴇʀᴠᴀɴᴛ--ᴜɴꜰᴏʀᴛᴜɴᴀᴛᴇ ʜᴇʀɪᴛᴀɢᴇ! ᴜɴꜰᴏʀᴛᴜɴᴀᴛᴇ ʙɪᴀs!--ʙᴜᴛ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟᴇᴀʀɴ ᴘʀᴏᴘᴇʀ ᴄᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴜᴛ ᴀ ꜰɪɢᴜʀᴇ ᴜɴᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴀᴛ ʟᴇᴀsᴛ ᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴄᴏɴꜰᴜsɪᴏɴ. I ᴘʀᴇꜰᴇʀ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs ᴛᴏ ᴄᴜᴛ ᴀɴ ᴜɴᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ ꜰɪɢᴜʀᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴄᴏɴꜰᴜsɪᴏɴ.
Oɴ ᴛʜᴇ sᴜʙᴊᴇᴄᴛ ᴏꜰ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʙᴏᴏᴋ, I ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴍᴜsᴛ sᴜʙᴍɪᴛ ɪᴛ ꜰᴏʀ ᴘᴜʙʟɪᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ. Fᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ sᴇᴇ, ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ɴᴏᴡ ᴀs ᴘᴏᴘᴜʟᴀʀ ɪɴ Oʀʟᴀɪs ᴀs ᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇʏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ! Iᴛ ɪs ᴀɴ ᴇxᴄɪᴛɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ sᴄᴀɴᴅᴀʟᴏᴜs ᴛɪᴍᴇ. Lᴀᴅɪᴇs ᴀɴᴅ ɢᴇɴᴛʟᴇᴍᴇɴ ᴏꜰ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴇsᴛᴇᴇᴍ ᴀʀᴇ ᴛᴜʀɴɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴇsᴛ ᴛᴏ sᴜᴄʜ ᴛʜɪɴɢs ᴀs ʏᴏᴜʀ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ʜᴀs ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴡʀɪᴛᴛᴇɴ ᴏꜰ, ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜ MUST sᴇɪᴢᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴏᴘᴘᴏʀᴛᴜɴɪᴛʏ ꜰᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴏᴡɴ. Sᴛʀɪᴋᴇ ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀɴ ɪs ʏᴇᴛ ʜᴏᴛ, ᴅᴇᴀʀ Lᴀᴅʏ Pᴇʟ, ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜ sʜᴀʟʟ ꜰɪɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀsᴇʟꜰ ᴘᴏᴘᴜʟᴀʀ, ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ ʀɪᴄʜʟʏ ʀᴇᴡᴀʀᴅᴇᴅ. Wʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴀɴʏᴏɴᴇ ᴀsᴋ ꜰᴏʀ!
Oɴᴄᴇ I ʜᴀᴠᴇ ꜰɪɴɪsʜᴇᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʙᴏᴏᴋ (ᴡʜɪᴄʜ I ʜᴀᴠᴇ ɴᴇᴀʀʟʏ ᴅᴏɴᴇ ɴᴏᴡ) I sʜᴀʟʟ ᴡʀɪᴛᴇ ɪᴛ ᴀ ᴡᴏɴᴅᴇʀꜰᴜʟ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴡɪʟʟ ɪɴᴄʀᴇᴀsᴇ ɪᴛs ᴘᴏᴘᴜʟᴀʀɪᴛʏ. Pᴇʀʜᴀᴘs ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴀ ꜰᴏʀᴡᴀʀᴅ! Fʀᴇᴅᴅɪᴇ, ᴀs ᴀ sᴄʜᴏʟᴀʀ ᴏꜰ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴅɪsᴄɪᴘʟɪɴᴇ, ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴘᴇʀʜᴀᴘs ᴡʀɪᴛᴇ ᴏꜰ ɪᴛ ᴀs ᴡᴇʟʟ. Sʜᴇ ᴍᴀʏ ʙᴇ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʀɪᴛɪᴄᴀʟ ᴛʜᴀɴ I ꜰᴏʀ ɪᴛ ɪs, ᴀs I ʜᴀᴠᴇ sᴀɪᴅ, ʜᴇʀ ᴘᴀʀᴛɪᴄᴜʟᴀʀ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅɪsᴄɪᴘʟɪɴᴇ. Sʜᴇ MUST ʙᴇ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʀɪᴛɪᴄᴀʟ. Oʀ ᴇʟsᴇ ʜᴏᴡ ᴡɪʟʟ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴀᴅᴠᴀɴᴄᴇ?
I ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʀᴇᴀᴄʜᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴀʟʟᴀ ᴀɴᴅ I ᴀᴍ ᴇɴᴛʀᴀɴᴄᴇᴅ. Oɴᴄᴇ I ᴍᴇᴛ ᴀ ʜᴀʟʟᴀ, ɪɴ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴ. Iᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴀ ᴛʀᴀɴsꜰᴏʀᴍᴀᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴇxᴘᴇʀɪᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ I ᴀᴍ ɴᴏᴛ ʏᴇᴛ ᴄᴏɴᴠɪɴᴄᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ sʜᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ ᴋᴇᴘᴛ ᴅᴏᴍᴇsᴛɪᴄᴀʟʟʏ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇ ᴋᴇᴘᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇᴀsᴛs ʜᴀs ᴅᴏɴᴇ ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ʙᴜᴛ ᴇɴᴄᴏᴜʀᴀɢᴇ ᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ʜᴀᴘᴘɪᴇsᴛ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇ ꜰʀᴇᴇ. Dᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀɢʀᴇᴇ?
I ʟᴏᴏᴋ ꜰᴏʀᴡᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴏ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴄᴏɴsᴜʟᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏɴ ꜰᴜᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴀʀᴛɪꜰᴀᴄᴛs ᴀɴᴅ ᴏʙᴊᴇᴄᴛs, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʟʟ ᴏꜰ ᴏᴜʀ ꜰᴜᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴄᴏʟʟᴀʙᴏʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴs ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ. I ᴀᴘᴘʀᴇᴄɪᴀᴛᴇ, ᴛᴏᴏ, ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴅᴇꜰɪɴɪᴛɪᴏɴ. I ᴋɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ᴡᴏʀᴅs ʙᴇꜰᴏʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴇꜰɪɴᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ꜰᴏʀ ᴍᴇ ᴀɴᴅ I ᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴀᴘᴘʀᴇᴄɪᴀᴛᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴀᴛ ʟᴇᴀʀɴɪɴɢ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ɴᴇᴡ, ᴇᴠᴇɴ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪɴᴜᴛɪᴀ. I ᴀᴘᴘʀᴏᴠᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴄʜᴀɴɢɪɴɢ ᴛʜɪs ꜰᴀʀᴇᴡᴇʟʟ ᴛᴏ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ʟᴀsᴛɪɴɢ: ꜰᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ɴᴏ ʟᴏɴɢᴇʀ ɪᴛɪɴᴇʀᴀɴᴛ ᴡᴀɴᴅᴇʀᴇʀs, ʙᴜᴛ ʙᴀsᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴀ sɪɴɢʟᴇ ᴄɪᴛʏ, ʙᴇɴᴇᴀᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɴꜰᴜʀʟᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ɪɴᴄʟᴜsɪᴠᴇ ʙᴀɴɴᴇʀ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ Iɴǫᴜɪsɪᴛɪᴏɴ. Wᴇ ᴍᴜsᴛ ʀᴇᴍᴇᴍʙᴇʀ ᴛʜɪs ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs. Iɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ꜰᴀʀᴇᴡᴇʟʟ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴍɪɢʜᴛ sᴜʙsᴛɪᴛᴜᴛᴇ Aɴᴅʀᴀsᴛᴇ, ᴏꜰ ᴄᴏᴜʀsᴇ, ᴏʀ ᴘᴇʀʜᴀᴘs ᴛʜᴇ Mᴀᴋᴇʀ Hɪᴍsᴇʟꜰ, ꜰᴏʀ ᴍʏ ᴏᴡɴ ʙᴇɴᴇꜰɪᴛ, ʙᴜᴛ I ᴡɪʟʟ ɴᴏᴛ ᴀʀɢᴜᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇᴄᴇssɪᴛʏ ᴀs I ʜᴀᴠᴇ sᴀɪᴅ: ᴡᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ᴜɴɪᴛᴇᴅ ʙᴇɴᴇᴀᴛʜ ᴛʜɪs Iɴǫᴜɪsɪᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴇ ᴍᴜsᴛ ᴇᴍʙʀᴀᴄᴇ ᴀʟʟ ᴏᴘᴘᴏʀᴛᴜɴɪᴛɪᴇs ᴛʜᴀᴛ sᴜᴄʜ ᴜɴɪᴏɴ ᴘʀᴇsᴇɴᴛs ᴛᴏ ᴜs.
I sʜᴀʟʟ ʙᴇ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ᴄᴏʀɴᴇʀ ᴏꜰ Kɪʀᴋᴡᴀʟʟ, ᴇᴍʙʀᴀᴄɪɴɢ sᴜᴄʜ ᴜɴɪᴏɴ, ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇᴍᴀɪɴ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ʏᴏᴜʀ ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ ɪɴ sᴏᴍᴇ ɢᴏᴅ ᴏʀ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ,
Vᴀʟ ᴅᴇ Fᴏɴᴄᴇ́
no subject
We were at the Winter Palace for the peace talks. All hands were needed, so I went as a guard disguised as a servant. The mask covered my vallaslin, so I looked quite ordinary. As the talks began to crumble, we began to hear shouts from outside. The doors slammed open, and in came a whole battalion of Red Templars. I had little time to think. I cannot recall if I herded the nearest people into a separate room or if I was among the herded, but the next thing I knew, I found myself in a small room with my friend Merrill, as well as Lady Mantillon and her entourage.
Red Templars were trying to break open the door. I began to cast, barricading the door with as much ice as I could summon while Merrill used a bit of Dalish magic to strengthen the vines outside the window. We helped the Dowager out first, as some of our people were on the ground, and we were all able to escape alive. And that is my tale of the Winter Palace.
I have included my measurements, but I request that if you're going to use my money to have clothes made, at least have the dressmaker cut the pieces out only, and deliver them to me to sew together. It saves a great deal of money.
You are very kind to offer to write reviews of my book. I am sure having one good review and one bad, both written by legitimate human scholars, will lend credence to my own legitimacy. I shall strive not to read too much into your friend's criticisms, but she may make herself look quite silly if she believes she knows more about the Dalish than a Dalish. Perhaps her criticisms should focus on tone and organization rather than content, unless it is to criticize the over-inclusion or lack of inclusion of certain topics and anecdotes.
I do agree, regarding the halla kept by the Inquisition. They are not cattle. I was disappointed in the clan that sent them to us. They should have known better. Of course the halla are not forced to go where they do not want to go, but we should in return see to their needs as they see to ours, and give them wide spaces to run and fresh grass to eat.
The Dalish revere Andraste as one who helped to free the elves from Tevinter, but we do not worship her or exalt her to a near-godhood status. It would feel very strange to me to ask Andraste to bless you. So instead of asking the blessings of gods and prophets, I will simply say, Yours.
Yours,
Lady-called-Pel
P.S. Regarding the dress, I suggest avoiding pale colors, which make me look washed-out. And do avoid yellow if you can.