t(-.-t) (the_warden) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2016-06-18 03:02:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, maia amell (the warden), morrigan |
“I don’t suppose you have any plans for next month?”
Who: Maia and Morrigan
What: A lazy morning and then a date
When: Recent
Where: Morrigan's place
Status: complete
Rating: PG
If Morrigan wasn’t careful, she could get quite used to spending the night with Maia on a regular basis. Not that that was a bad thing, of course, but Morrigan wanted to take things on the slower side. Serious relationships were frightening to her, and considering what had happened in her dreams and in knowing herself, she was scared that Maia wouldn’t want to be in it for the long haul considering how she’d broken things off in the dream. But she was trying not to think of that, and simply enjoyed what they had in the here and now.
She had no nefarious plans here, nothing that would make her break things off with Maia.
And her dreams seemed to play off of that. After all, she’d dreamt about telling Maia of Flemeth’s plans for her, how she extended her life by possessing the bodies of her daughters, and that Morrigan was next. She’d asked Maia to confront Flemeth, slay her, and to bring back her Grimoire. Morrigan had wondered if Maia would actually do it after breaking things off, but she had, and she was very grateful and touched by it.
Morrigan woke up with a sense of relief. Flemeth wouldn’t quite be hanging over her head anymore. Or at least not in the immediate future. Opening her eyes, the first thing she saw was Maia lying beside her, a sight that brought a fond smile to her face. She rolled over to check the time and that’s when she saw she’d received another gift from her dreams. Flemeth’s Grimoire itself.
Sitting up, there was a protest from the cat sleeping at her feet, but Morrigan was more focused on the book. She picked it up, fingers lightly gliding over the cover. The things contained within the book both exhilarated and frightened her.
Love or not, Maia still cared about Morrigan. Enough to deal with her mother, maybe enough to follow her to the ends of Thedas if she had to. But she had no idea yet, what was in store for her when they faced the Archdemon. The end was coming soon. She knew it was. And in the waking world she didn’t yet know if dream her would accept Morrigan’s offer. Maia had become something of a fatalist, in some ways.
The dream heartache had made her a little clingy, at any rate. Not too clingy, too clingy was bad. But she took every chance she could to wake up next to Morrigan.
She woke with a groan, and a few new scars (and slightly singed hair). She sounded far too chipper. “You could have told me your mother was a dragon. That would have been useful information.”
Morrigan looked over at Maia, a playful smirk crossing her face. “And ruin the surprise of it?” The smirk then turned into a smile. “I believed that you would be able to handle the situation.” If she had thought that Maia would die, she most likely wouldn’t have asked her to go there in the first place. Morrigan would’ve found another way to get what she wanted.
“Thank you for going there and doing that.” Those were two words that dream!Morrigan seemed to not have in her vocabulary. She couldn’t remember if she had thanked Maia in the dream when she’d returned or not, but she was certainly going to thank her here.
“You’re welcome,” Maia said. She stretched,and then leaned over to half drape herself across her girlfriend. Again, a little needy, but she just fought a dragon, she was entitled. “What’s that you’ve got there? Dream gift?” she straightened. “Is that what I think it is?”
As Maia half draped across her, Morrigan reached out to stroke along her dark hair. She could feel the singe in it, and she was just happy that Maia had come out of the experience in one piece. “Flemeth’s Grimoire, yes. Tis a slightly unexpected gift as I am uncertain how much I shall need it here.” There was also a part of her that was afraid to go through it. It held many of her mother’s secrets, she was certain, and she didn’t know if she wanted to know them.
“I suspect we’ll need it, and to study it and learn from it.” Maia wanted a look. Maker, she’d studied it on the trip from the Wilds back to where they’d left Morrigan, but a few days with it was hardly enough, especially when she only knew part of the language it was in. She’d left it up to Morrigan after that. Trusted her.
“I might have peaked at it on the ride back. There was only so much I could understand. I don’t know much of the language and I’m positive your mother used some kind of code, on top of it.”
“Especially were my mother to suddenly arrive here and begin to dream.” Which was the very last thing Morrigan wanted to happen. She didn’t want her mother anywhere near her, even without the knowledge of the dreams. Her relationship with her mother in this life was just as sour as the one in the dreams.
“I am unsurprised,” she said as she glanced at Maia. “I believe she did use a code of a sort to keep me from accidentally using a spell as a child. Though I believe portions of it are written in Elvish, which I thankfully have been studying and learning since I was a child.” In the dreams, that is. Elvish obviously didn’t exist in this world. Aside from Tolkien’s Elven language, but that was still a different language to the one spoken in Thedas.
The face that Maia made was almost comical. She couldn’t imagine having to deal with Morrigan’s mother. Something told her Flemeth would find this relationship hilarious and yet also be very pressury. Which would be bad(™).
“Do you want to try to decode it?” She asked. “Just in case? We could probably lock it in a safe if you wanted to.”
Even if Morrigan were on speaking terms with her mother, she would never tell her of it for the sole reason she knew her mother would laugh. Perhaps it would be more hilarious because Morrigan hadn’t seemed the type to fall in love, had always resisted the notion, and yet here she was, falling in love with Maia who just so happened to be a Grey Warden.
“It would no doubt be the best to decode it. Not only for the potential of my mother showing her face here, but also in the event something from our world shows up that may be referenced in this book.” And also because Morrigan did want to know some things about her mother, things she knew that had been kept from her.
Maia was already well passed fallen and straight into head over heels but that’s probably been established. The mage felt things too much. She always had.
She put her hand on Morrigan’s shoulder, rubbing lightly with her thumb. She’d been thinking about a few things. About what came for a Grey Warden at the end. “Do you...think there’s anything in that book. About stopping the Calling?”
Looking at Maia, Morrigan pressed her lips together. That was the elephant in the room, wasn’t it, what being a Grey Warden meant. And it wasn’t the duty aspect of it either, it was the physical one, what the Grey Warden became when they joined the order. Morrigan knew some of the secrets of the Grey Wardens, and drinking Darkspawn blood was one of those.
“That I cannot say for certain. If there is, do you wish me to tell you?” Morrigan felt her heart constricting, some emotions passing through her eyes. She didn’t like the thought of what could happen to Maia when her Calling came. Knowing how Maia was in the dreams, she didn’t know if the Maia here would want that out or not.
There was no duty here, about killing archdemons or fighting the darkspawn, because neither existed, hopefully. So what did that mean for her and Alistair and the Calling? Would it simply not happen? Or would she simply grow more and more mad, without any Deep Roads to disappear into?
“Yes.” Maia nodded her head. “I need to at least consider the possibility. For both myself and Alistair.”
Not for the first time, Morrigan was relieved darkspawn and Archdemons weren’t actual things here. Grey Wardens were not needed the way they were in Thedas. But that did leave things to wonder what was going to happen to Maia and Alistair here. The positive was that the corruption they both had tended to take years before it became too much and the Calling happened.
“Then you shall know of it should I find anything in this book about it.” Morrigan assured her girlfriend, setting a hand on her arm. There had to be a reason why Flemeth knew Grey Warden secrets, after all. There had to be some sort of record regarding the Wardens in this book.
Years, certainly. At least ten, maybe more, maybe less. It depended on who you asked and Maia didn’t have enough people to ask. The Keep had give her some details, but not near enough. “Thank you, love.” She stroked Morrigan’s cheek, then shifted to the edge of the bed and stretched.
“You are welcome,” she said as she leaned into Maia’s touch. Morrigan set the book aside for the time being. She would begin studying it later. For the moment, she had some other things on her mind. “Would you like some breakfast?”
“Are you on the menu?” Maia asked, before pulling Morrigan’s head closer to give her a proper kiss.
“I suppose I could be, yes,” she responded before she returned Maia’s kiss. She lifted a hand to Maia’s cheek, gently caressing it. Morrigan could certainly find herself getting used to waking up like this.
It was a delightful morning, one that Maia tried to extend out much longer than necessary. But eventually it had to end, and there were errands to be had, research to be done, plane tickets to price, and so forth. She got so distracted she was almost late to picking her girlfriend up for their date. She wore something relatively modest in the chest, but with a slit up one side and her shoulders bared. She always felt nervous when doing this part. She didn't think she ever wouldn’t.
The extended morning had been welcome. Sometimes such things were necessary, however once Maia had left, Morrigan had turned to doing some things in the greenhouse. While she wanted to craft some potions, she didn’t want to get involved in that only to abandon it in the middle of things to get ready for the date.
Morrigan’s dress was ankle length, though there was a high slit on one side that bare the majority of a leg when she walked. The fabric of the dress, which was black, had some sparkle to it. Not much, but there was some there when the light hit it. And then there was her new pair of heels. They were satin, burgundy-wine in color, with a strap that went across her toes and one around her ankle, and they were stilettos. She did note that Maia was running almost late, but upon seeing her pull up, she grabbed her purse and headed out the door, locking it behind her.
The sparkle was noticeable, and drew Maia’s eyes. It wasn’t hard to draw her eyes to Morrigan. To stare at her and absorb her presence. She noticed the heels quickly too, and something about them made her stomach twist a little and she squirmed in her seat. “Bugger.” They’d look really nice over her shoulders.
Maia scolded herself, and popped the lock on the passenger side door for Morrigan. “You look lovely!”
For as much as Maia could drive Morrigan crazy in the feelings department, she had noted that she could do the same to Maia. And she kind of relished the fact that she could give it right back to Maia. Getting into the car, she looked Maia over, a smile on her lips.
“Thank you. You look beautiful, love,” she responded.
Maia’s eyes darted to the flash of skin on Morrigan’s thigh, then she looked out the windshield so she didn’t run them into anything. “Thank you. I rather think we’ll kill it tonight, don’t you?”
“I rather think we shall. We do make a lovely couple, do we not?” Morrigan asked, glancing at Maia with a smile. And then her gaze ran down Maia’s body again, taking in that dress a bit more. Though it would have more of a visual impact once they were not in the car.
Dinner was at an upscale Italian/Japanese fusion restaurant. Maia had heard good things and she was always a little adventurous when it came to food. She parked and slipped out of the car. She came around to open the door for her date, which gave Morrigan plenty of time to check her out. All part of her plan, and everything. “Dinner should be nice.”
Morrigan did take the opportunity to get an eye full of Maia as she moved around the car. She then got out of the car, giving Maia a slightly pointed and intentional once over before lifting her gaze back to her eyes. “I do look forward to it.”
“The shoes are new.” Maia linked her arm through Morrigan’s, proving she was in fact observant enough to notice. Leliana would probably be ecstatic. “I like them, they suit you.”
Again she had naughty thoughts and again she scolded herself. She was in a mood and it probably showed.
“Thank you. I bought them a couple weeks ago. I was simply waiting for the perfect time to wear them.” Morrigan said with a smile, arm linked with Maia’s. Though she didn’t want to tell Maia where she’d gotten them. She felt that Maia would never let her live down the fact that she’d been civil to Leliana.
No,Maia wouldn’t let her live it down, not even a little bit. She’d probably bring it up every chance she got, ‘oh if you can be civil to Leliana you can do x.’ It would be a gold mine. “Well they suit you...I said that already, didn’t I?” Maia fanned herself, half-comically. “I can’t think straight when you do things like this.”
That would irritate Morrigan to no end. So she’d be keeping that under wraps for as long as possible. After all, it would definitely damage her reputation of being a bitch if she started to be civil to people that she couldn’t stand in the dreams. “Then t’would seem that I am doing things right as you are unable to think straight.” Morrigan responded with a little gleam in her eye.
She’d irritate Morrigan out of love? Maia rolled her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips. She patted her girlfriend’s hand as they entered the restaurant, and nudged her with her shoulder. “I’ll get you back, this I promise. When you least expect it.”
Pulling a chair out for Morrigan, she let her hand slide up her back.
“Is that not the best time to pay someone back?” Morrigan responded with a smirk. She’d expect nothing less from Maia. They did seem to go back and forth in catching the other one when they least expect it with various things.
The hand sliding up her back sent a little shiver through her as she sat down. She took a menu in hand and began to look over it. “Have you eaten here before?”
“I feel like we’ll be caught in a never escalating war.” Maia’s voice was chipper as she took her seat. She also had a feeling she’d win, at least for the time being. How many people would think she’d remember an almost offhanded comment about a trip to China? She didn’t want to pat herself on the back just yet though. “I never have, I checked Yelp!”
“I suppose we shall see,” she responded, looking over the selections on the menu. Morrigan, for one, did not expect Maia to remember the comment about a trip to China. As far as she was concerned, that was simply a dream to come to fruition some point in the future. “Ah, always the resourceful one! This has quite the menu, tis difficult to settle on something.”
“You wouldn’t think Italian and Japanese would play well together, but I think the flavor profiles might just work. It certainly seems popular enough!” Maia glanced at the menu, and quickly settled on a dish that appealed to her. It didn’t seem too strange, and honestly she liked both countries’s cuisines so they had to go well together, right?
“In the correct combinations, they certainly could compliment each other well.” There were some things that would not go together well, though what she was seeing on the menu all seemed to be appetizing in theory. It took her a minute until she finally settled on what she wanted. “Tis encouraging to see a place with such cuisine is doing well.”
With University on break, Maia had a lot more free time. Summer would be the best bet to visit China and have enough time to really take in the sights. She didn’t know quite what Morrigan’s job entailed when it came for vacations, but she was self-employed, right?
“Yes, it’s quite nice. Variety is the spice of life.”
That was the beauty of Morrigan’s job. She was self-employed and worked out of her own home. She could do whatever she wanted, when she wanted so long as she had the money to pay the bills and the like.
“Indeed it is. This is, without a doubt, a variety that is more than worth trying.”
“I have plans for dessert, but that’s elsewhere.” Maia winked at her. The staff brought them some wine, which she tasted. She was working up the nerve to spring the vacation idea on Morrigan. Really, everything was ready, she just had to load up the saved information and pull the trigger. “I don’t suppose you have any plans for next month?”
“Then I shall ensure to save some room for dessert.” Morrigan smiled as she took a sip of the wine, letting it settle on her palette a bit. At the question, Morrigan thought for a moment before answering. “No, I do not. Why do you ask?” That type of question could preface any number of things, and she wondered just what Maia had on her mind.
Maia sipped at her wine, letting the question linger a little bit as she thought of an appropriate response. “I was thinking a little retreat for the two of us. Something different, a little fun. Escape the dreams for a time, assuming they don’t follow us. But we have been, somewhat dating, for over six months… “
“I like that thought,” she responded. Morrigan would enjoy some alone time with Maia. And hope that the dreams didn’t follow them. Or at the very least not traumatize them. Though her eyes gleamed a bit at the mention of six months. “Does this mean you count our initial meeting in the bookstore as a somewhat-date?” That meeting had come in the latter parts of January. And she was curious to see if that’s where Maia started counting from or not. Considering they’d spent a while dancing around each other, it was not a bad place to begin counting from.
“And what if I am?” Maia raised her eyebrows in challenge. There were other dates that could be counted, but where was the fun in that? She was pretty sure she’d wanted to jump Morrigan’s bones the second she’d set eyes on her. “Would that be a problem?”
“Not at all. You had my attention from that meeting.” And gaining Morrigan’s attention was not an easy feat. Keeping her attention also was not an easy matter, but Maia was doing a fantastic job at keeping it thus far. “So, did you have some destination in mind?”
“Now that is no easy feat,” Maia echoed, unknowingly. She flashed a cocky grin, then pulled out her phone. “Do you trust me not to take you anywhere particularly bad?”
Morrigan smirked a bit as Maia echoed her thoughts. At least Maia knew that. Though it was Morrigan’s turn to raise her eyebrows as she saw that cocky grin followed by pulling her phone out. “For the most part. Just do not take me to some place like that tavern in Orzammar and we shall be fine.” Seriously, that tavern was disgusting. Everything had been sticky. Everything.
“It wasn’t that bad.” Maia, flipped through her phone, bit her lip, and then pressed a button. “So.” She put her phone away and leaned on her elbows. “Shall I keep you in suspense until we’re in the air?”
“Every single surface of that place was sticky, and I am rather certain it was not all from spilled ale.” Morrigan shuddered slightly at the memory. She’d wanted a very, very hot bath after walking into that place. She’d been tempted to jump into one of the lava flows, but had refrained. “If we are flying somewhere, I rather think I would learn of the destination upon reaching the gate.” Morrigan pointed out, considering the flight destinations were both posted and announced at the gates.
"What, you've problems with dwarf orgies?" It was a small miracle that Maia's face remained completely straight. "And you do have a point. And you'll need to know what sort of clothing you'll need to pack. As well as other things of interest you may wish to prepare for. Sketch books, camera, language dictionaries."
“When they are in a public place where other people come to sit, eat and drink, very much. They may do whatever they wish in non-public places. Or at least keep it confined to some dark alley.” Morrigan had strong feelings on that. She sipped her wine again, eyeing Maia. “You are enjoying knowing something that I do not, are you not?”
“I’m sure they only rarely do so in public.” Maia was only familiar with dwarven mating rituals thanks to a certain oft-pantsless dwarf’s many drunken descriptions of such. Her eyes twinkled, and she set her wine glass down. “Oh, I am reveling in it, love. I can only imagine what must be going through your mind. Will I take you some place naughty, like Amsterdam?”
“One may only hope.” Morrigan had overheard some of Oghren’s drunken ramblings. Not to mention how much he hit on her, which wasn’t anything out of the ordinary given the man hit on pretty much any female present. “Amsterdam had not crossed my mind. Somehow I would think you would go for something unexpected. Perhaps places less frequented by tourists. Though even then it still leaves many places to the imagination.” And not all of them were good places either.
Maia couldn’t really hold it in. It was on the tip of her tongue and she was so excited about it that she was starting to bounce in her seat. It built up and up and up until she blurted out. “Do you remember how you wanted to go back to China for a longer time so you could appreciate it more?”
And then Morrigan’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline. That was unexpected. Very unexpected. She hadn’t thought Maia would remember that, much less have it be their first trip together. “You remembered that?” She was shocked by it, intensely surprised, but certainly not against it. Far from it.
“It’s been on my mind off and on for awhile. I just remembered how interested you’d been in my own trip and how we might have almost met there. And that there is so much that both of us still wants to see.” She put her hand over Morrigan’s. “And we can do it together.”
“I am touched,” she said with a smile, glancing down at Maia’s hand over her own momentarily before lifting her gaze back to her girlfriend. “I am quite looking forward to the trip. Where in China are we going? And for how long will we be gone?” Pertinent questions so she knew what kind of clothes to pack and how much to pack. And clearly she would need to do some shopping as well.
“Beijing for starters. I intend to visit the Great Wall, and a dozen other places. I’ll send you the full itinerary. If we had more time I’d suggest a full backpacking trip. I probably need to brush up on my Mandarin…” She rubbed her thumb over Morrigan’s. “And I’m open to a few suggestions.”
“I suppose we could save the full backpacking trip for a time when you go on sabbatical?” Morrigan queried. It was a large assumption to make, but the take away from it needed to be that Morrigan was assuming they’d be together long enough to the point where Maia could take a sabbatical. Which obviously meant Morrigan was in it for the long haul. She gave Maia’s hand a squeeze. “That sounds wonderful thus far, though I am certain I shall have some suggestions of my own upon seeing the itinerary you have worked up.”
It was an appealing Idea. Maia bit her lip and nodded. “That’s not a bad idea at all, and it would be a good excuse to go there, and other places perhaps.” But backpacking through China would take up a lot of time.
Still, she’d take that as evidence that there was commitment there, if not in words. “Well then,” She said. “We’re going to have a grand time.”