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WHO: Some creepy kid, some other creepy kid, Anders, and Leliana
WHAT: A proposal
WHEN: Early Solace
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: n/a for now

There is a blank spot in Leliana's ledger. Then, there isn't.

In a steady, but simple hand, the appointment reads:

Cole ☺
also Anders and the one with dark eyes

Individually, Cole makes sure the others know where they ought to be at the appointed time. When that time arrives, Cole is simply there in the rookery, offering a small handful of crumbs to one of the birds. The one which was hurt in the Fallow Mire, the one he helped nurse back to health.

The burns he sustained during the battle with Vengeance are still visible, but barely: minute wrinkles of skin along the sides of his bare fingers, on the side of his neck.

"Ravens know how to remember," he remarks. "She always sees me."

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"A dangerous thing to tell a spymaster."

He cannot appear out of nowhere as he once did, but he is quiet when he comes up the stairs, feet only barely touching the stone. Use of his abilities here still tires him, though he has studied further upon the magic of the world. It may be getting better, but it is not as it was before.

Then again, neither is he. Not entirely. The white ring on his finger reflects green light from the shard in his hand as the Outsider crosses his arms, leaning against the wall.

A young mage named him 'Raven', in this world. Seeing so many now reminds him of it, and of Corvo, and there's a faint smile.

Anders isn't as quiet coming up, though he tries to at least not stomp up the stairs. He looks a little nervous. The Outsider's comment gets a wry flash of a smile, though.

"That depends on what he's doing. And if it's in the line of sight of any of her ravens. It's also not like they can report." He perches on a stool nearby, taking a breath and waiting. This... well. It could be helpful, or it could set anything he wants to work on back significantly. The end result of this talk will be interesting, to say the least.

Typically, given the current state of her health, Leliana would send one of her agents to deal with this. Given that Anders is involved, however, and Cole, and a mysterious third part, she had deemed it reasonable enough to attend herself.

She appears more frail than she had during the fight with Justice; scars still twist up her neck from the poison, even with the cure consumed, and when she speaks it sounds like the catch of parchment over a rough surface, the shift and press of gravel underfoot.

"Gentlemen."

Enlightening as their discussion is, Leliana is less inclined to idle banter than usual. "To what do I owe this visit?"

Leliana walks slowly, but steadily. Proudly, really, holding her head up and she sinks into a seat and watches them, expectant. The walk, short as it was, has left her feeling drained. Sit, hold steady, do not waver.

Healing, but still hurting. Cole has no intention of forcing Leliana to exert herself any more than necessary. Hopefully, this would be done with quickly.

"We—" catching himself, because even if the Outsider was the first to suggest it, Cole was the one who took him seriously, "— I — want to talk about Adamant Fortress. The old walls hold nothing but nightmares. We shouldn't be there any longer. No one should."

Perhaps one of the others can elaborate on that last point.

If someone wants to elaborate in a way that means Leliana will actually let them do anything, it's probably going to have to be Anders. The Outsider is still too not-human-enough to do it, at present.

Instead, he offers this:

"We want to destroy it."

We, because they're all there for that reason, even if he personally won't be too hurt if they're told no.

His gaze lingers on Leliana's scars for a few moments when she first comes in, goes to Cole slowly as he talks, and jerks toward the Outsider.

Apparently he's going to have to be the translator here, and Anders holds up a hand.

"Let's slow down on the 'we' statements, shall we?" He looks back at Leliana. "I was approached and informed that Adamant Fortress is ruined and full of demons, that it's little more than a trap for unwary or greedy travelers, and had it suggested that it be destroyed. If it's true that it's merely a hazard and it's only going to harm people, then clearing it out of the way would be beneficial. But I have no desire to start a panic with a building exploding with no warning, and I've also no desire to wind up in trouble, so here we are seeking official channels."

Well. This is certainly a bracing conversation already. Leliana leans back in her chair, elbow propped on the arm and idly resting her knuckles against her mouth. To say that her gaze is expectant when she looks at Anders when the others have concluded their introduction to the matter is an understatement. Anders has the bonus leverage of having recently helped save her life, so she is prepared to give him rather more time.

"I see."

And she does. Adamant had been scorched to the very ground save for the keep when Wynne had been there, and the sheer magnitude of demons then, the horrors that had unfolded since... it was a damned place, and far too dangerous. "I cautiously believe the idea has merit. Do you have a plan in mind?"

Something of a plan, anyway.

"We want to wait until you're finished with it. Until the last of the Inquisition has left. He can start to pull apart the stones --" He being the Outsider, who Cole looks to with that comment, "-- but it won't be enough. That's why I went to Anders."

There is a nod, in response to Cole's look. He could do far more, in his own world -- never had, but could. That he can do less here and is willing to do it is something to be examined more closely at a later date.

"Cole and I are, I believe, also less likely to be bothered by any demons there."

Props to being (basically, in his case) spirits themselves.

"And we all know what I know how to do."

He doesn't miss much about being possessed, but immunity to demons had been nice. Now he's still working on reestablishing the defenses he'd learned as an apprentice. All the same, having Cole there will help, he believes.

"Will you be in need of further protection?" Quietly to Anders, though inevitably audible. Leliana was there when Justice was ripped from him, just as Cole had been. There were myriad reasons not to see any mage endangered by spirits, but Anders? Especially so.

"I believe this action would set a good many better at ease, myself included. Better I lay out the plan to the Advisors so as to avoid any unforseen repercussions. My people can ensure you have all you need."

A moment, and a frown. Speaking this much still strains her voice. "Am I to assume you'd sooner this was a small operation?"

"I would appreciate it, especially if they're good at fighting demons. Once the demons who feed there discover what we're about to do, they'll make their displeasure known. And all I have to do is get in range of one of them for them to know what's coming."

He can't keep his thoughts from Cole; there's not a chance of him being able to keep out something malevolent.

"I can try to keep him hidden, but it will be hard." It's something Cole can contribute to this whole endeavor, apart from the original idea. Still... they should be prepared for the fact that he can only do so much. "Anders is — loud."

"It would, perhaps, be safer that way." Granted, the Outsider doesn't actually have a preference -- but he can at least point it out. "Fewer chances of possession, easier to move quickly and quietly, and less of a chance that someone will have a large chunk of fortress fall on them."

The need to counter Anders' safety and reducing the dangers of possession, and the merits of a small group. Quicker to travel, fewer souls set in danger, more efficient all around. She considers it for a moment, but it is not so easy to pick through throughs and points and counterpoints as it had been before the poison. Her fingers curl to her palm to make a fist, and she frowns as she tries to pick through it again.

"Perhaps two groups? One to perform the task, the other to distract and tarry with demons as you do as you must. Except..." Another frown. "Ensuring everyone was clear of the blast with separate groups will not be near so simple."

The Rifter is right, but so are Anders and Cole. "We will provide what you need, in any case."

"Thank you, Leliana."

Tension bleeds out of him in those three words, replaced by gratitude. While there had still been the slightest chance that she would refuse, that that place might go on existing...

He can get go of it now. Start to.

As for the proposal of two groups: "I don't want more people to get hurt." It may be necessary, but... maybe they can keep the group meant for distractions to a minimum number of people.

He joins the frowning party, considering. If his thoughts are loud already, then a distraction wouldn't do much.

"One smaller group puts the risks lower." Not to him, but to more people. He's not so sure that others should be at risk for him. It's not like he's accomplished anything substantial here yet. "Perhaps Cole can teach me how to keep my thoughts a little more... quiet." Quiet definitely isn't his strength, but he can work on it.

"One or two more for protection for the group as a whole, and probably avoid splitting up simply so no one gets caught in the explosion."

"If there are further Rifts within the fortress, they may remain after it is destroyed. One of those additions should be another with a shard, if it is at all possible."

Or they could leave the rifts there, spitting demons out into the desert, but he imagines that isn't going to be a popular opinion.

Were the mood in the room not so serious, she might have scoffed. (If he had not saved her life, as well, but saving her life does not earn one an automatic immunity to her sharpened tongue.) Anders being quiet about anything seemed laughable at best. At least, however, Leliana still possesses a measure of tact, and this is not the time for humour that could be unkind, at best.

"None are necessary, Cole. It is a job that must be done." She absorbs Cole's thanks with a small nod, a smile that does not make it to being visible. There are memories she must speak to him of, matters with Wynne and the Spire and so much that came to pass which she still finds herself floundering when she thinks of.

"As you say." For both of the other men, Leliana reaching forward to grab a quill and start taking down notes. Her writing is slower than it was before the sickness, but the hand is steady and the writing clear and precise. "When I bring this proposal to the Advisors I will name each of you as involved participants. Are there any matters you have been involved in that might prove distasteful to the Advisors while I was unwell that I should be made aware of?"

Not solely for Anders, that, but if he happened to have an argument with ten templars or Cole distressed a dignitary or the Rifter was excessively rifty around Cassandra— "Better I can sooth any protest, if I know the source of them in advance."

Cole picks at a loose thread on the end of a glove.

"No...?" he says, unsure not because he thinks he might have done something, but because he's not always certain what will and won't be acceptable to the Advisors. "At least — I don't think so."

If he did upset any dignitaries, anyway, it's not likely they recall the event.

He's near-certain the question is for him, but he can't exactly be upset about her asking it. It's fair. Anders looks past her, studying the wall absently, trying to recall anything.

"Other than still drawing breath I can't think of anything. There's a new member of the mage council who I vaguely knew back in Kinloch Hold who is angry I'm alive; he may have renewed the complaints. But I've not actually done anything." His focus has been very much on helping, which doesn't leave a lot of room for causing trouble.

"My existence may offend," the Outsider offers, ever helpful. But it's true -- he is not human, not really, and he certainly doesn't look it to those who look closely. He and Cassandra had differing views on Tranquility as well, but nothing that, in theory, should make her object.

In theory.

"There is little to be done about that, however."

Well, unless Josephine really didn't like learning about omnivorous cows.

"I appreciate your collective candour." Surprisingly that is not actually a sarcastic or dry comment. My existence may offend seemed like it would make a fine comment embroidered onto a nice throw cushion, though. Perhaps they could get them made and distributed around Skyhold.

That really might be something Josephine wouldn't appreciate.

She stops for a moment, and sets down her quill after finishing the sentence she was writing. "I believe we can make this happen without causing any great interpersonal calamity. More than likely it will set a good many minds at ease." Even if they object to the hands carrying out the task.

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GUH I missed the ping for this, I'm so sorry for the hold up

<3 <3

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skipping order since she asked him a question, sorry.

no worries!

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