Let No Soul Hunger For Justice: Nothing But The Truth

[justice_is_blond]

WHO: Adelaide, Alistair, Anders, Bethany, Nathaniel, Varric, Vasran, Velanna
WHAT: The Second Ritual
WHEN: 10th of Bloomingtide (May 10th)
WHERE: half an hour outside of Skyhold
NOTES: Plotting post.

They've kept to the same clearing as the last, because the location's good. Far enough away that no one could stumble upon them by accident, near enough in case something went seriously wrong, it works.

He has scarcely more hope this time than he did the last, but at least there's no singing involved. This can't go as strangely. In theory.

Comments

[fleurdesel]

Dorian has the utmost confidence in you and your fellows. He assured me you would not allow it to come to pass.

[ Cullen- is militant and a templar before all else. Josephine is a diplomat and her concerns would likely protect them in so much as it would look poorly for them to go back on the Herald's word. Cassandra-

Adelaide does not care much to think of her last conversation with Cassandra. ]

And in you I find is trust has not been misplaced. [ The others she will not speak of as she does not spend as much time around them in a professional capacity. ] What you have done to help me with the Council has been invaluable. Some mages that were...wary have been made aware of your support and while they do not buy in entirely to what we are trying to build, they are more willing to come to us with their concerns. They need not abide if they are uncomfortable doing so and they make no trouble- but that they know we are here to help them? Is worth much.

[fightingale]

( Leliana is quiet for a time, thinking. Her response, she realises, may sound awkward - a change in topic, of sorts, and yet... not truly. )

I have known mages who were truly noble in their character, compassionate in act and word, people of such bravery and faith that little could compare to it. Wynne taught me more about kindness and faith than almost any other.

( She exhales, slowly. ) I move freely, but I am a spy. I do whatever is necessary, and sometimes what is necessary is not compassionate, nor faithful, nor brave. There is no nobility in it. It is abhorrent, is it not?

I am prepared to do whatever I must for the sake of mages being free - mages, elves, all people who have been subjected to cruelty and suffering. The world should be better than what it is. The Inquisition can make it so, I know it. We begin with your Council, but the work and influence will spread far beyond that. It must.

( Compassion is the root of it, but compassion is not hers to wield. )

[fleurdesel]

I found her to be almost hypocritical in her politics. It is easy to bid patience when you are free to move as you like from circle to circle and travel unattended. Aside from that? I knew of her, but did not know her. I know...she tried. And that is more than most might say with the absolute mess of things the Spire became.

[ Adelaide takes a moment to swallow past the memory with more of the gifted wine- a fair year. A warm counterpoint to the ice in her gut whenever she speaks of the Spire's fall. ]

If ignoble acts are all that are left to see what must be done, done- we have failed already. To come to this point- everything has broken. Every system has failed. It might be considered naive to think that we should build the foundations with compassion and understanding- that we can manage it without ignoble acts but- such things were done to build the Chantry in the first place. Do we not owe it to ourselves to at least attempt to try a kinder path?

Doing what one must- it cuts at you just as much, does it not? You ache in hollow places you have built for yourself. [ That- that is a bit too much. ] I apologize. It is not my place to say such things.

[fightingale]

( Something in Leliana's countenance cools, with that. The truth is painful, but Wynne is a rawness still unhealed, when the injury was reopened with Justinia, and again with Evelyn. Her jaw tightens, and her fingers curl toward her palm. It is subtle, really, the slight changes in manner that some might miss, and others might notice without understanding. )

Wynne was not perfect. She would hardly be a person if she were. I have not done all I could, in the past. ( Her tone softens, just slightly. Perhaps I am a hypocrit as well-- but that is not a new thought. Wynne, though, Wynne had given her life to protect her students in Kinloch from templar and blood mage and demon alike, when the Spirit of Faith came to her and gifted her with more years. )

Patience was the call of she and Justinia both. A longer game, for a more stable peace, slow changes to set them in stone.

( That had not worked either, so: ) But I agree. A kinder path. A kinder world.

( Leliana gaze might have dropped, with that, but she makes herself hold Adelaide's own, and it is tempting to stand and leave immediately. ) It is you who is required to be honest. Not I.

( But she does not deny it, and that might be damning enough. )

[fleurdesel]

It might have worked, the longer game. If not for... [ She waves a hand vaguely.

If not for everything.

If not for every possible thing that might have gone wrong to have gone wrong in roughly the same year. ]

Have any of us? We do what we think will be enough and more often than not, it is sufficient. It is inevitable that a time will come when we do not offer all we can simply because we are unaccustomed to having to do so, or we misread the situation, or it is beyond all saving. I loose sleep less often over the Spire, now, but I will always wonder if more of my students would have survived if I had not spent the past three years arguing against such a tight focus on offensive magic. We weren't at war, there was not blight on the horizon- there was no reason for it.

[ And then, suddenly, there was a need for those skills. ]

...Compassion is aware of the ache. I thought it was bruising. We do not- we are not often aware of pain that is more than physical, for that is our focus. Because that is something I can heal. This is... [ She shakes her head, turning her eyes away from Leliana for a moment, staring into her wine instead. ] Something I cannot fix and it vexes me.

[fightingale]

( Literally everything. 9:40-1 Dragon, wtf has been going on.)

That is true. That does not mean I must excuse myself my own shortcomings. ( Still, she must say: ) I am sorry about your students.

( Compassion is rude as hell, tbqh.
When Leliana speaks her voice is very quiet. )

I would kindly request that Compassion spare you knowledge of those particular aches. They are not for public consumption, and there is no need to vex yourself on account of such things.

( She straightens her back, glancing back the way she came. It is not a retreat, it is a... timely exit in order to see to her work, necessary before the prodding of Compassion came along. ) I have distracted you from your work overlong, already. Do you have need of anything? I can see to it that someone attends you.

[fleurdesel]

I did not intend- when we are unable to help in the way we want- if I lose a patient to injury or plague, they become distressed and wish to seek out more ways to fulfill their purpose. Down here-

[ She flicks a hand at the Vault, far from anyone else in Skyhold at the moment for no one truly had business in the cool room. ]

There is no one to focus on but myself, and I can ignore them. I am sorry to have breached your privacy in such a way- it is one of the worst things a healer can do.

[fightingale]

You have breached nothing.

( Quietly, softly. )

It takes more than the speculation of spirits to disturb me, I promise you. Please don't be distressed.

[fleurdesel]

I do not like the idea of unsettling those that I hold in high esteem. You've done much to help when you have had every reason not to trust me in this and I am still mortified over what happened last time.

Even though I found your voice remarkable.

And wish I had a chance to hear it more often.

[fightingale]

( Leliana just-- stands there for a moment, uncertain quite what response she wants to offer. )

Flatterer.

( A brief moment of humour, dry as it is. )

I will serenade you at the next opportunity, you have my word.

( For the given value of what a spy's word is worth, but you know. Stuff. ) Good day, Councilor.

[fleurdesel]

It is not flattery if it is true.

[ Even if she looks as though she'd rather melt into the stone- ignore the blushing, Leliana, please. ]

I- good day, Sister Nightingale.