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[mythalenaste]

WHO: Mia Rutherford and Pel Ashara. Also Cullen, later on.
WHAT: Mia heard a rumor about her brother. She wants to know what's up between him and Pel.
WHEN: Current
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: Possible talk of drug withdrawal. Will update.

Pel's not in Cullen's office every day, but often enough. Now she's leaving it, having provided him with a fresh cold compress with analgesic herbs. She's still pulling her shawl on as she closes the door behind her and starts at a brisk walk along the wall.

Comments

[mythalenaste]

There are accusations?

Wait.

Perpetuating. Like there are accusations currently being circulated.

How it looks, how harmful...and she can't be talking about the lyrium. The lyrium can't have reached the rumor mill, because that's not a rumor, that's news. There's only one thing Mia could be accusing her of to "discredit" Cullen somehow.

Pel's eyes widen and go somewhat glassy, only briefly before she turns her face away to process this. She's an elf and Cullen is the Commander and Mia thinks she's sleeping with him to exploit the scandal somehow. She weighs her response carefully. Because as bad as that rumor could be, it's nothing compared to the truth.

She swallows and casts her gaze about for listeners, then looks back at Mia. Her hackles are down, and she looks significantly humbled. Sympathetic, even.

"I'm not trying to hurt him."

[lettersfromhome]

"So it is true."

Some of the sharpness ebbs, and she shuts her eyes, taking a deeper breath. Maker give her strength, but this was a disaster waiting to happen. "If this gets out, it won't matter if you're trying or not," she manages, after a moment. "Especially in the wake of this new order the mages are trying to establish for themselves, after that matter of the abomination. Given Cullen's view of...such matters in the past, you know how any in opposition will take this, and any change of heart he may have had since then."

It could get bad. Very bad. Whispers of corruption in the ranks is the last thing they need, the last thing he needs, right now.

[mythalenaste]

"That's why we're trying to be discreet." This is the least comfortable conversation she's been trapped into since arriving at Skyhold, and she's conversed multiple times with the man who left her at the altar. Wait, what did she say? This is because she's a mage, not because she's an elf?

Pel peers owlishly at Mia. "Wait, what do you think is going to happen?"

[lettersfromhome]

Mia's eyes widen at the question, and she very nearly drops to a halt. "You can't be serious."

No. She's Dalish, so she can't be familiar with the way things are in the Circle. It's not her fault for not knowing. One hand rubs at her eyes wearily before dropping to her side. "When abominations arise, things tend to become very ugly for the mages in proximity. That's not the best way of dealing with the problem, but common enough that people expect it as part of the way the templars keep us safe."

Her eyebrows raise. "Now, when an abomination appears in our very walls, the mages push for reform. For more freedom, more leniency. And the former Knight-Captain of Kirkwall is seen allowing this, after his very vocal opposition to such things in the past. It will be seen as progress until the precise moment they find out about you two. Then? It will be seen as weakness. Corruption. And it won't be just the two of you that suffer for it."

[mythalenaste]

"But that's not what the mages are doing. We're imposing restrictions on ourselves, and following through with them. Without anyone telling us that's what we should do."

[lettersfromhome]

"Do you honestly think it will matter?"

She could almost pity the woman. Were things as simple as all that. "It's foolishness. But that's what people are, foolish. Frightened. Eager for something to blame. Change frightens them as much as anything. And they're especially eager to blame people like you when the opportunity arises. You don't need me to tell you that."

[mythalenaste]

"No, I don't. But I'm doing everything I can. I can't run about in a panic over who might blame me for what when I'm doing everything I can. I'm an elf and a mage, I'm two steps away from being murdered at any moment."

[lettersfromhome]

"No. And you can't be expected to worry about who else might be blamed alongside you." Mia shook her head again with a heavy sigh. "That's why he has family. To worry about these things for him. Well, it wasn't as though I was planning on sleeping any time soon."

Fears confirmed, there was little else to say or do. Grow a few new gray hairs, perhaps. There was a pause before she spoke again, quieter. "It might not matter much to you, given all you face, but he's worked very hard to come to this place. To the position he's in, the good he can do, and a cause he can be proud of. I can't tell either of you what to do, but...I would not see him lose that. Not after all he's risked to come this far. Can you understand that, at least?"

[mythalenaste]

"Ah..."

Pel is pretty sure there was a lot of stuff there she shouldn't have heard. That, plus the earlier bit about Cullen's previous opinions about mages. She read Tale of the Champion, she knows some things, but there's always author bias in there, as well as Varric just not seeing everything that went on. She glances toward Cullen's office door, quietly hoping he will turn up and make this problem go away.

Wait. Did she just imply Pel is sleeping with Cullen to make herself safer? No, she can't mean that, because sex in exchange for safety is rape, and she knows Cullen wouldn't do that. But she doesn't know Pel wouldn't offer that, or think that's what it was.

"Don't confirm any of the rumors," she says quietly. "If they're rumors, as many people will discount them as not. Don't deny them either. Please."

[lettersfromhome]

Mia says nothing at first. It's dizzying to think how far he could fall, how much he could lose, if anyone put this all together. And Maker knows some would love to try. There's a sick swoop in her stomach that says he's in danger, and once again there's little to nothing she can do to help him.

And Pel? She's too naive, too idealistic. The world's going to chew her up given half a chance. She doesn't like the woman much, but Cullen obviously must, and so a part of her has to try and protect her too. "Just...be more careful," she murmurs, glancing towards Cullen's office before shaking her head and breaking away, moving towards the tavern instead.

Maybe a few bottles of wine would stem the desire to march up there and rattle Cullen until his teeth shook. Stupid. Reckless. Abysmally foolish. Even if the girl didn't know better, he damn well ought to have.

Maker, what was she to do now?

[mythalenaste]

Is it possible to be more careful than to not be doing the thing Mia thinks she's doing? The stakes are so much worse than the picture she's painting. Pel turns around and heads back to Cullen's office. He can't be blindsided by this.

She slips inside, makes sure the area is clear (including upstairs), and locks the door.

"Your sister thinks I'm sleeping with you," she says bluntly, though with a lot less confidence than she normally would. All this has her a bit confused. Do the common masses have a vote in the Inquisition? Mia seems to think they could do a lot of damage. If James, a Knight-Commander, isn't worried about how a relationship between them would look, why is this such a disaster? Shem politics are stupid.

[perseverances]

"What?" Cullen sits up suddenly, then curses inwardly. His headache is particularly fierce right now, and he had been glad that Pel had come in when she did. There had been a lull in the reports for the day, and he was using his much needed free time to get some much needed rest.

This, however, requires his immediate attention. "That's preposterous. Mis isn't one to listen to rumors."

[mythalenaste]

"She confronted me and said I'd be your ruin whether it's true or not. I expect she's not wrong, but what are we to do about it? You can't spit in Skyhold without it potentially ruining three families."

[perseverances]

"Whom I see in my personal time is of no one's concern," he says flatly. But he knows what she means. He's the Commander, in a position of great importance to the Inquisition. He's never been one to listen to rumors, so anything that he hears goes in one ear and out the other.

He takes a moment to sigh, rubbing a hand down his face. "I'll speak to Mia and let her know what is going on." He shakes his head. "Pel... I am sorry."

[mythalenaste]

"Don't be. I'm not complaining. I just wanted you to know. Though frankly, there are worse interpretations people could have of this. So long as we don't rule out the thought that you and I are sleeping together, people aren't wondering why I'm really in your office."

[perseverances]

"I'll not have anyone thinking we are sleeping together. I'm not in the business of ruining anyone's reputation, least of all a friend's."

Nope. He's not having any of this.

[mythalenaste]

"It's not my reputation that's at stake. If anything, sleeping with the Commander of the Inquisition earns me respect. You're the one who can get hurt. And like I said, it's better this way. They'll mutter rumors but nobody will know. Those who are curious will be satisfied enough not to ask further questions, and those who are wiser will mind their own business."

[perseverances]

"I don't want anyone thinking I give preferential treatment." He moves to stand, to walk around and clear his mind.

"Perhaps..." No. He really shouldn't be thinking this. Anything is better than the thought of having people sleep around. "Perhaps it is time for me to tell everyone. It is better for everyone to know than to keep secrets."

[mythalenaste]

"You know that's not true. If you do that, everyone will question every decision you make. Your men will wonder if you're putting their lives in danger even though you're not. This way, at worst, people are only questioning whether the Council of Magi is receiving leniency from you."

She hesitates.

"And I can step down from the Council. Ellana has come into her own, she can handle the Dalish Council seat by herself. Then, nobody will have any excuse to leverage anything against you."

Her eyes are drawn to the narrow windows behind his desk. There's snow all year round in these places. Does that mean it's going to be cold in the summer, too?

...Oh for.

"Or," she says flatly, wishing she could kick herself, "I could teach your sister how to make the compresses without using magic. If she's in on the secret already."

[perseverances]

"No. You are not stepping down. The Council does good work around here, and I would see that it continues to do so. If people think that the Council receives leniency from me then they should continue to think so." A beat, "I will not give anyone leniency."

He'd apologize about the cold, but truthfully, it doesn't bother him. He's grown up with Ferelden winters, and the cold they bring. He's quite used to it now. And, a bonus, his armor keeps him warm.

"Mia knows about what is happening. If you wish it, teach her, but I hope you don't stop coming around just because of some stupid rumor. I will not have friends scared off."

[mythalenaste]

"I'll teach her." Pel feels relieved that Cullen thinks so highly of the Council, and of her. "And when I visit, I'll leave the door unlocked. That should be enough, don't you think?"