"Stay still, Merill. He's right, you are too weak to sit up and you need to stay awake until your magic returns." James soothed, squeezing her hand in turn. "Let him take care of you. Besides being a complete ass, he is a good healer."
His eyes narrow, "Oh yes, let's use Tevinter as the great example of what mage culture can be. Let us forget that they encourage blood magic and human sacrifice, just for power. Let us forget that they were the ones who started the Blights. Let us just sweep under the rug that it is now, a Tevinter Darkspawn Mage who murdered the Divine and ripped open the sky. Beyond that, I didn't bring her here - she brought me to you - I am guessing for your help with my ... overdose. I put her first because she is ill."
Now there's a sore spot, and one he's going to answer right now, "Let's make one thing clear. Meredith was not 'my kind'. Her, and the other monsters like her, were not my brothers and sisters. Not those who broke every single tenant I believe in. They were murderers, yes, and they should have been punished by the Seekers sent to investigate who clearly did a shoddy arse job, if they missed Meredith's corruption. But beyond that ... how many blood mages rose to power in Kirkwall, Anders? How many people were sacrificed for those who thought magic gave them the right to rule over other people? What about Hawke - did her mother deserve to die the way she did - at the hands of a madman? And Orisino - that man killed his own charges and used them to become a ... a thing."
He lifts his chin, "I can count corpses just as high as you can, ser. I won't say there were not mistakes made -- innocent lives lost before that could have been saved. There are sins that the Order must bear on its own, and make amends for ... but those of us who are left, who are true to our principles and our beliefs? We are not your boogeymen. We live to serve the people of Thedas, to honor our vows and take on the burden of crimes that we did not commit. You have no right to condemn me for the sins of others, or any of my people here."
Eyes flashing, "As for you - you have never taken responsibility for what you have done. The people you murdered. Not once have you offered to make amends for Kirkwall, for Grand Cleric Elethina. All you do is say 'it was necessary'. Your contacts were killed, and that gives you the right to murder innocent Chantry brothers and sisters? How do two wrongs make a right?"
He finally looks over to Meredith, his eyes quiet. "... As for her, yes you, she can tell me in her own time, what her sins are. But at least I can trust Meredith to atone for what she has done, and not blame others for her own mistakes. She owns them."
no subject
His eyes narrow, "Oh yes, let's use Tevinter as the great example of what mage culture can be. Let us forget that they encourage blood magic and human sacrifice, just for power. Let us forget that they were the ones who started the Blights. Let us just sweep under the rug that it is now, a Tevinter Darkspawn Mage who murdered the Divine and ripped open the sky. Beyond that, I didn't bring her here - she brought me to you - I am guessing for your help with my ... overdose. I put her first because she is ill."
Now there's a sore spot, and one he's going to answer right now, "Let's make one thing clear. Meredith was not 'my kind'. Her, and the other monsters like her, were not my brothers and sisters. Not those who broke every single tenant I believe in. They were murderers, yes, and they should have been punished by the Seekers sent to investigate who clearly did a shoddy arse job, if they missed Meredith's corruption. But beyond that ... how many blood mages rose to power in Kirkwall, Anders? How many people were sacrificed for those who thought magic gave them the right to rule over other people? What about Hawke - did her mother deserve to die the way she did - at the hands of a madman? And Orisino - that man killed his own charges and used them to become a ... a thing."
He lifts his chin, "I can count corpses just as high as you can, ser. I won't say there were not mistakes made -- innocent lives lost before that could have been saved. There are sins that the Order must bear on its own, and make amends for ... but those of us who are left, who are true to our principles and our beliefs? We are not your boogeymen. We live to serve the people of Thedas, to honor our vows and take on the burden of crimes that we did not commit. You have no right to condemn me for the sins of others, or any of my people here."
Eyes flashing, "As for you - you have never taken responsibility for what you have done. The people you murdered. Not once have you offered to make amends for Kirkwall, for Grand Cleric Elethina. All you do is say 'it was necessary'. Your contacts were killed, and that gives you the right to murder innocent Chantry brothers and sisters? How do two wrongs make a right?"
He finally looks over to Meredith, his eyes quiet. "... As for her, yes you, she can tell me in her own time, what her sins are. But at least I can trust Meredith to atone for what she has done, and not blame others for her own mistakes. She owns them."