Not Quite Damsels, Definite Distress

[justice_is_blond]

WHO: Anders, Alistair, Zevran, Nathaniel, Teren, Merrill, Ciri, Jamie, Cyril, Velanna
WHAT: Rescuing two princesses who went into the wrong castle
WHEN: Around Haring 10th
WHERE: A village handwavily somewhere around Skyhold, on the Fereldan side of things.
NOTES: Minor violence warnings for now. Signup Post.

Sometimes people vanish. Sometimes there's a trail to follow, and luckily for these two, there's some information about where they were going.

Comments

[pinprick]

Nathaniel stares at them both. His expression may not convey horror, but he is horrified. And angry, and baffled. Baffled is more like what comes across.

"So you want to save all the mages...except him. You want to protect all the mages, but not him. Whatever world you're creating, he can't be a part of it. Because he's a person now without a vengeful, bloodthirsty spirit persecuting him as badly as the Templars ever did. Do you think of it that way? That he was more useful to you when he was hurting?

"You could come to the Inquisition. Sit on the mages' council and help Anders prepare the mages for a life of freedom. But I'm sure he has already told you about that, and you've still done this. And you want us to prove goodwill? You took the man I love and you dare to lecture me on the justice of your cause?"

[doneisdone]

It's Teren's turn to hold out a stilling hand at Nathaniel, offering him a warning look: you're getting emotional, you're bringing in your personal life. Stop giving them ammunition.
"So you mean to keep Anders here to fuel your cause, push him back into radicalism, against his will?" she says to Ashton, calmer than before, her voice low and deadly. "For someone who claims to know so much about his motives, it seems you've forgotten what happens to those who try to contain him."

Justice isn't there anymore, it's true, but she isn't convinced a good portion of Anders' power as a threat wasn't just... him. With or without the spirit.

"And what of Alistair?" she continues, her eyes narrowing, "what use is he to you? You've barely mentioned him."

[failedfirst]

Velanna glances sideways at Nathaniel as he speaks, wanting to stop him but not particularly sure how. It's strange not being the one getting entirely too worked up about something. She's not sure how comfortable she feels, being in this situation.

"There are many mages with the Inquisition. The Templars don't rule over us, and we come and go as we please. There were other ways of going about this. Anders has always been a fool, he's just a fool who did something foolish and got lucky. You should have spoken to more of us than just he."

[justice_is_blond]

Kian's the only one that seems to be listening to what everyone's saying. Ashton looks like she's just barely refraining from rolling her eyes.

"One mage for the sake of all mages. It's a position any of us would be honored to have, being central to changing our future. And it isn't like he has anything promising to say about the Mage Council or it making any progress." Ashton shakes her head. "If you love him, you'll--"

"Really?" Kian's finally had enough. "He'll what? Be fine with it? We don't have a use for Alistair, she's fishing for things to use. This isn't turning out as planned at all, and we're worried about more than what happens during the Inquisition. Most of us don't want a fight."

Ashton's eyes are narrow, arms crossed. She disagrees with some of that, but isn't about to say what parts. "We're not simply handing them both over. We would need a unanimous vote from the five of us and you're one, but I'm another."

[doneisdone]

"Take us to them," Teren cuts in, fixing her eyes on Ashton. "I don't want to waste another moment on your pithy squabbling when we don't even know they're alive. I want to see them. In the flesh. Before we negotiate anything, or subject ourselves to what passes for your governance."

She glances furtively to Nate, hoping this will calm him down. It's only superficially working for her, and only if they actually agree to her demand.

[pinprick]

Nathaniel knows better than to make it personal, but he did it anyway. Once the words are out of his mouth he turns his face away, anger boiling in him, knowing he just revealed to the enemy how much he values the treasure they have. He is very close to being done with negotiating, to storming out and launching a rescue effort tonight. Then Kian begins to argue, and Nathaniel looks at him. Stinging, hurt, but considering.

Egalitarians are perfectly fine with tyranny, his father told him once, so long as they get to be the tyrants.

He doesn't say it aloud. It wouldn't help if he did, and he has said too much already. He meets Teren's gaze, sullen but grateful, quietly surrendering the debate to her.

[justice_is_blond]

"And give you their location." Ashton's voice is flat, but Kian's already hit Done and has moved on to So Done With Everything.

"We outnumber them. If they go back for reinforcements we'll have time to move. We have the advantage and if we don't give them something they won't bargain and people are going to die. Some of them could be people we care about. We joined up to end that and I'm going to hold myself to that even if you won't."

"Even if one of them held a knife to your throat."

The look Kian gives Nathaniel isn't friendly... but it also isn't furious. "That comes up in negotiations." He gets up from his chair, legs stable underneath him again, and tilts his head toward the door. "This way. Unless you have a very good reason as to why we shouldn't show them."

Ashton considers for a moment before shaking her head. "All right. We play it this way."

Kian nods and opens the door, stepping outside.

[pinprick]

Nathaniel feels, though he does not say, that these people started out with a knife to his throat.

They walk, and Nathaniel is sure to get the lay of the land. The captives could be moved between now and the rescue, so he has to take in everything. Possible points of entry and, just as important, routes of escape. He is not satisfied until he has at least two of each.

[doneisdone]

Teren takes stock of similar things, though she just as often stares at the captors themselves, memorizing their body language, their tics, their tells. It's not hard, they're obviously nervous and out of their depth. This will certainly prove advantageous to her own party, but Teren is waiting to accumulate more details before she can start properly scheming.

Her hands clench and unclench at her sides, her tension building as they grow nearer. The boys had better be there. Unharmed, and unafraid. Or...
....else.