faderift | EVENT: TRUTH BOMB

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EVENT: TRUTH BOMB

WHO: Anyone
WHAT: TRUTH BOMB
WHEN: Bloomingtide 15-17
WHERE: The Gallows
NOTES: OOC information. Use appropriate content warnings in your subject lines, please.

It’s an ordinary day—so not a very pleasant one. The weather is dreary and muggy, and the day’s lunch is a soup that’s a little too watery and bland. The griffons are being their usual level of noisy and swoopy. The work is its usual level of urgent and difficult.

But in the storage rooms, something wiggles. Then it hums. Then it pops.

Outside of the storage room, there’s no actual sound, no shift in the wind, and no visible sign of a change. But the pop might be felt—like the moment something finally clicks, or two ideas suddenly fit together, except the opposite. In the heads of everyone in the fortress, something is suddenly not connected quite right.

The first sign of what’s gone wrong is that someone immediately stands up and tells the cook how bad the soup is.

A lot of people’s days are about to get exponentially worse.

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"You're welcome to hide here. Most aren't coming down here except by necessity, thanks to this, and I'm rather efficient." He flashes her a small smile before waving her closer. It's clear he's not unwanted.

"I'm definitely not going to recommend cutting anything out or off. Or hiding, for that matter. You're already feeling like you have to hide a part of who you are. Hiding yourself as well might make you feel worse." A short beat. "And if anyone comes in I can talk about something else, easily. I've always more to say on mage freedom and equality and rights."

"Efficient at hiding secrets or efficient with your work?" Her brows raise, just enough, but at least it gives her an excuse to come over and make herself comfortable, half draped over him as she now is. It's a familiar feeling and she accepts it, pleased and content, leaning against him and sighing softly.

"I'd rather you speak as little about mages as possible, honestly," and there's no fire in her voice, exactly, but a layer of tension that she can't quite hide. "They're not my favourite topic - not because I hate them, but I'd prefer not to think about it at all."

Anders snorts. "What secrets? What I'm afraid of is well-known, what I'm capable of is as well, what I dream of is also publicized. Speaking of things you'd rather I not speak about. Everything in my life does tend to tie back to that, though, so you'll have to pick the topic if you care to avoid, well. Everything me."

He's lightly amused as he talks, though a little more stiff than he usually is when she drapes on him.

"Just because yours are well known doesn't mean others are, dear." It's said wryly, her eyes dancing over him for a moment before she breathes out. "I'm not the sort of person who imagines that mages ought to be denied their lives and locked in towers, you know. My brother is a mage, and I had hoped that -"

There's a moment where, visibly, Sidony bites down on her tongue. Hard. Wincing, she leans back.

"I had hoped for something different." Still the truth.

"You asked if I was efficient at hiding secrets, so of course I'm talking about my lack of them," he says lightly back, resisting the very, very strong urge to pry.

"I didn't know about your brother, I don't think," is what he finally settles on. "But I'm glad to hear you use present tense. I always wanted a sibling, though I've no idea what one even does with one. Plays, I assume, and pranks. Maybe do each other's hair? And come back, Sidony. I won't push, though I'll also not deny I'm curious. I told you you'd be safe here and I'm not going to go back on that. Is he a safe topic?"

"Then we'll have to make sure you can keep others - not that I'm concerned, of course, otherwise I wouldn't have told you all that I have." Sidony has bared herself to Anders more than anyone, save Byerly, so it's clear that she trusts him.

Huffing, she shakes her head.

"He is my twin, and a few moments younger than I am. I doubt you'd know much of him, since he is still a Mortalitasi in Nevarra, but it has been some time since he and I spoke to one another." She writes him letters, but she does not send them. "He is, I suppose, if you'd like to hear more."

"Oh, others' secrets, yes. I can manage those. When other people are counting on me I'm good. Protect them, fail at protecting myself, that sort of thing."

He flashes her a smile and holds out his arms for her to come back. "I'd like to hear more, yes. Whatever you'd like to talk about, but that does sound interesting. I've a sister through Nate, but..." But no birth family. If his parents are alive he's quite certain they've no interest in him. Being a mage doesn't just define him. "Sometimes it's exhausting to be a mage. I wouldn't trade it, but I do envy the whole family thing, from time to time."

"Well, that is good to know. You have kept my most important secret close to your heart."

But she settles back against him all the same, despite her misgivings, offering him a small, soft smile. At least she can trust that he will not abandon her completely, and she trusts that he will be gentle with her. There is that, and she accepts it, because she knows she can believe in him with all that she has in her heart, deeply and honestly.

That is rather a lot, for her.

"My family is exhausting enough," Sidony admits idly. "And while I am sure Octavian would find you perfectly charming, he is also the favourite of my mother and father. He is the mage and I am not."

"Oh." And then a moment later, "Oh." If that's why she doesn't want to talk about magic, then it's suddenly a lot less personal for him and a lot more personal for her. Maker, if he'd been Nevarran...

"That's an attitude that's hard to really wrap my mind around," he says quietly. "Favorites, but also that parents could, well. My father rushed to the Chantry to get me taken away the moment we realized I'd magic. If it's any consolation, you're my favorite twin of any twins whatsoever. And that counts the mage twin that's here."

He likes Bethany too, but he likes Sidony a bit more.

Sidony's nose wrinkles, just a little, and she has to force herself to calm down for a moment. The idea of magic... It makes her feel so uncomfortable, so on edge, and she grips at his arm for a moment before she sighs, leaning against him again. At least she has this, she supposes, even if his magic makes her want to scratch his eyes out sometimes.

Not from hatred, but...

"That is kind of you," she says, voice soft and quiet. "I always wanted to be a Mortalitasi. It was my dream, ever since I first read about them when I was very small. But Octavian... He took that from me. He stole my dream."

He rubs her back gently, listening and giving her words the time to settle. They're back on magic, which isn't much of a surprise considering he's a part of the conversation, but he's not sure if staying on this topic will help or hinder.

"Would you like to talk about what it was about being a Mortalitasi that drew you? Or would you prefer to talk about... hm. We could talk about how you've likely surpassed the expectations of everyone around you, by becoming a fantastic surgeon? Or what your favorite food is."

It's not as if she isn't appreciative of his kindness, but she feels so sour and stubborn that she's not sure how to take it in stride. Yes, she might be his favourite of the twins now, but one day he might meet Octavian and then that might change. Everyone has always loved her brother better than her.

"I simply enjoyed the study of bodies. The fate of the dead, what caused illnesses, treating corpses. It is such an interesting thing, discovering how flesh and wounds are made and unmade." Petulant. "But I have not surpassed my mother or father's expectations for me. I am not yet married."

He'd gone the wrong way with it, apparently. Anders waves a hand.

"You know what? Forget their expectations. They can't treat you equally, they don't deserve to make any claims on your life. I feel you've an excellent mind for medicine and am glad you're here, but what do you want of yourself, Sidony?" It's not the fairest he's ever played, but he's nearly certain she doesn't actually want to be married off to have babies, and if this is the way she can figure that out, well, then it's fair.

"I want to study the body," Sidony's words come tumbling out; affected by the curse, there's nothing much she can do to bite her tongue. "To uncover the secrets of the dead. How a heart works, how the ribcage is best used, what makes surgery so difficult. To see what caused a death and how to prevent it - to share that knowledge with others, like me, and be known for my wisdom, not my beauty."

"You have me as your ally in this." He's not going to gloat, because that would be the asshole move and he likes her. But he is going to be glad that they've got that out there, clearly, undeniably out there.

"I'm just as fascinated with the body. Healing's amazing. I'm not about to deny that. But understanding why something happens and how? There's so much we don't know and every discovery helps. You save lives, Sidony. That's more than so many will ever do."

"And yet the Chantry would say that I am committing an atrocity." She scoffs; her opinion of that institution is clear. "Why is this such an issue? If we can figure out how a person died we can prevent it in the future. We should learn how the human body is designed - the brain, the heart, the lungs, each thing that causes us to feel pain or an ache or love. There must be an answer somewhere."

Frustrated, she crosses her arms, practically flopping against him.

"So many people in this place are nothing short of foolish."

"I'll have you know this is an area where the Chantry is not approved of." He pauses, sighs, and shakes his head. "I forgot and tried to say the opposite, so let's pretend I was sarcastic and joking there instead of straightforward, shall we? And let's also be thankful that Riftwatch has split from the Chantry, which means if there's any place where we could get away with forbidden things that are absolutely not atrocities, it's here."

There's a short pause as he checks to make sure they're still alone. "And in Darktown. Where unwanted bodies are not a rare thing. You'd be an invaluable ally in that, you know. If it's just me, there would be worries of blood magic and the like. But if I'm with you, I'm safer."

"I am well aware. I detest the Chantry and what it stands for - I have no desire to see it grow in more power. I'm not at all offended by the promise of the Inquisition becoming separate from it." Lifting her head, her lips twitch, just a little, almost a smile but not quite reaching her eyes. She's clearly still out of place from all of this truth-telling, but... At least he has not commanded her to leave just yet.

Her fingers stroke over his, idle, before she speaks, all honesty again.

"I already have bodies. I have an arrangement with a friend, for a few coin." Though she thinks that Byerly might allow her to have it without cost these days, but she shall not ask him.

He gives her a smile in return, not holding back. While he knows faith and the Chantry are important to others and he can't exactly blame them for that, there's a great deal of comfort to be found with people who likewise look down on the institution.

"Buying bodies? You're going all out on scandal, aren't you." It's not meant as a question, but just in case she feels she has to answer he'll follow that up quickly. "The offer will stand, and my research rooms are open for you to work in as well if you'd like. I keep the tainted material very carefully cleaned up and contained when I have any to work with, and right now I'm even out of it."

One day he'll have a cure he can actually recommend. Maybe. He can hope and try, at least.

Why should she respect a religion that gives her no place? Dissecting bodies would place her in the same position as a blood mage, and having a mage as her brother would seal her fate. No, Sidony has no time for the pathetic nature of the Chantry as a whole nor any desire to tangle herself up in it.

"Something of the sort. I imagine myself well protected, however." She doesn't think for a moment that either Anders or Byerly will turn her in to the Mother and Sisters of the Chantry, or to the guardsmen. She trusts in that if nothing else. "But at least we have this, together. You know I would be glad to aid you at any point."

Anything to help her studies. Anything, to help her grow.

"And I you."

He turns his hand palm-up to give her hand a squeeze. "It's in the aid of you, and in the aid of better treatment for the ill and injured. How could I not?" Anders is ready to eliminate Chantry agents, not help them hurt people who are his. Especially with a backwards Divine in place.

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EVENT: TRUTH BOMB

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