Those tears in Adelaide's eyes are enough to make Korrin's own suspiciously bright, hit hard by the pain and horror the Spirit Healer had endured. She herself was used to a life of battle, but that? That was a massacre. Not the same at all. And before she realizes, Korrin is already shaking her head, unable to listen to Adelaide blame herself. Shoving down that forming lump in her throat, Korrin speaks gently. "You didn't know what would happen, Adelaide. No one did. The Circles have existed for age upon age; it seemed like they were going to stick around forever. Who really thought it would all fall apart?"

Mages had always talked about desiring freedom all the time, of course. And after the attempted annulment Kirkwall, Korrin had heard about increased unrest all over. Still, no one really seemed to believe that talk would go anywhere, that there would be true, full-scale rebellion. Even as she approved, it caught Korrin by surprise as much as anyone.