faderift | Truth or Dare: The Imperial Court

Truth or Dare: The Imperial Court

WHO: Select Orlesian and Fereldan Nobility and the Inquisition
WHAT: Josephine and Vivienne have orchestrated a good-will soiree in response to this dastardly rumor.
WHEN: Drakonis 15, Evening
WHERE: Skyhold Great Hall
NOTES:
- A list of nobles in attendance can be found here. The list was provided by the mods but there will be no npc support for them. Play away.
- A secondary outside party is being held in the valley in the tent town for anyone who couldn't/wouldn't attend and/or behave in the fancy pansty party.
- The goal of the evening is to clear up a spurious rumor about Cassandra and Leliana, with secondary goals of establishing the Inquisition as a respectable presence in Thedas (and fish for more money). Any major disruptions that would Game Over the court approval should probably be brought to the advisors and/or mods.

To say that Josphine has far outdone herself with this little soiree would be the understatement of the year. The Lady Ambassador has pulled out all the stops in providing a festive and yet elegant stage for this political intervention. Because sometimes gossip can be more deadly than a sword.

The Great Hall of Skyhold has been converted into a grand receiving hall, glittering with hundreds of lights around the room, in addition to the repairs accomplished to the original chandeliers. Of course, there has been artful placement arranged so there are a few shadowy corners for rendezvous of the more suggestive nature. Just in case. The majority of the floor has been cleared for dancing, and a fine troupe of musicians have been installed for the bulk of the evening's entertainments. Some members of the Inquisition have plans to entice attendees with their own artistic performances in addition to the group of mages performing illusory tricks to oohs and aahs.

For those who feel their energy flagging, there are chairs set against the walls, with a few tables interspersed between. Servers hired for the evening circulate the crowds with wine, fine Orlesian and Nevarran reds as well as crisp whites from Antiva. Refreshments are set out on buffet tables, tasteful and extravagant nibbles, including imported cheeses, spicy saucisson, dried fruits and nuts, and the highly sought after deep mushroom and anise petits fours that are all the rage in Orlais.

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"Such a noble shift in your priorities," Fiona's smile did not waver, but appearently she agreed with Zevran's assessment of the situation and what really seemed to matter. Not the invitation, but the significance of the help she would offer if she could.

I did not trust it, my position is that a darkspawn is a darkspawn and by it's own nature inherently evil," and that position did not change regardless of the Architect's peculiar mannerisms, "however I could see how he might have enticed some of the other wardens to him, enticed them into becoming as he was and helping to fulfil the Architet's noble quest. It was tempting on the face of it...the Architect wanted to free the other darkspawn of their impulse to seek out and corrupt the old gods by hunting them down and killing them first and using Grey Warden knowledge to do it. No more Blights, is that not the ultimate goal of a Grey Warden, stop the Blights...ending them forever, no more archdemons? However that would do nothing to stop darkspawn from attacking the surface and those on it. His middle ground was to infect all of Thedas with the taint...those who survive, those with the disposition that Grey Warden's possess would become darkspawn-hybrids...that is the true end result of The Calling. The loss of life would be tremendous...but some thought the peace that would result would be worth it..."

"It has been known to happen now and again." Not often- but now and then. Especially if it would benefit him in some way. Keeping Alistair alive? Was terribly beneficial to him. He was not so noble as to claim to be entirely altruistic. "There is a reason the Grey Wardens are called 'Grey'. They do what they must to end the blight. But such a life as that- such an act? Would destroy everything the Grey Wardens seek to protect. They cannot truly have thought it would be worth it in the end."

"If you think that then...you are not entirely wrong. Warden Commander Genevieve...her brother Bregan and a fellow warden Utha, former Silent Sister, they joined the Architect. They became hybrids, ghouls...Genevieve had not been made fully aware of the Architect's plans, only that he was going to bring peace. She trusted it because her brother trusted it...and she owed Bregan everything. Bregan who became a Grey Warden so that she could become one too. When she found out she turned on the Architect...when the Architect killed her, Bregan also turned on the Architect. Utha, however, did not, she ran away with the Architect...I do not know what happened to her," she bowed her head and was silent for a moment, thinking about all of the Warden's that were lost in that venture, "I lost a few friends then...the lovers Julien and Nicolas, Kell ap Morgan...and his beautiful war hound, Hafter. Most Wardens would agree that this would be unthinkable...but Bregan came close and Utha...well, the promise of everlasting peace is tempting."

"It is bullshit." Sorry, Fiona, Zevran has had enough wine to narrow his eyes and then roll them at the sentiment. "There is no such thing. Even if the Blights end forever there will be war or famine or plague or demons ripping holes in the sky. There will always be something. Any plan to fix all of it in one fell swoop is madness; I cannot say they ought to have known better; but surely you, yourself, know better now."

"Ah, but do darkspawn experience famine or plague, do they care about demons and holes in the sky in the same way that we might? Naturally I do not buy into it, I never have, I just know why they might have been tempted.

"It could be worse, I suppose. We could have darkspawn coming from the ground and demons from holes in the sky." As well as a blighted dragon and an ancient magister. What delightful conversation this is, truly.

"There's always a silver lining, but some good things come out of these situations," Fiona had probably had as much to drink as Zevran and she was draining another glass of wine, "it might not have been the best time, but I was a mother, it was brief and the one bright spot in a very dark period of my life. Hmm...long time ago, however."

"Oh?" Now that seemed odd. What he knew of mages and wardens and children was that often they did not keep them. Either due to Chantry meddling or the taint and the work it simply did not come to pass. "Did you raise the child? I had a companion during the blight, Wynne, that had a son while in the Circle. She had to give him up to the templars."

"I knew Wynne, I also knew her son," Fiona smiled wistfully, her relationship with Wynne was...at times, rocky. Wynne was her strongest advisory against Fiona's own separationist ideas. She was the kind of patient, sit and wait, individual that Fiona was not. Fiona waited just long enough, when an opportunity presented itself, she struck, and did her best to strike hard, "for several months, yes, we bonded...but I was a Grey Warden after all, and later I was resigned to the Circle...my first thought was to try and get my child back. I would have them with me if I could...but I realized that would be no life, and no matter how much I wanted it to be so, it would not be permitted."

"She was a marvelous woman. If opinionated and nosy." Quite a bit of both. Perhaps it was distance and nostalgia that colored his memory of her; perhaps it was some manner of respect for the dead. But she had asked things that made him think when he bothered to pay attention seriously- when she was not so entwined with judging everyone for living differently. "I cannot imagine attempting to raise a child in the midst of what more or less a constant war. I do not envy you that."

"She was formidable as was Rhys, they shared some things in common," it was good that the two of them were able to reunite, given the circumstances, "no, he would not have had a proper life or a safe one were he to stay with me. Granted, giving him up was the hardest thing I ever had to do, but life goes on, yes?"

"Would you ever wish to meet him again, your son? I know Wynne was able to do so at least the once." Or so she had written one of the rare times she deigned to return his letters when he was somewhere long enough to be worth writing to. It did not happen all that often until Skyhold. "Or would you rather live on and leave him his life on his own?"

"I truly do not know...after nearly thirty-one years what use would a child have for a mother, I wonder? Skinned knees would not need kissing, hurt feelings would not need mending," there was nothing that she could do in that capacity, there was no practical way in which she was needed, though the years counting down her child's life? That was certainly something that had her on edge, absent she might have been, but her child dying before her? No parent wanted that, "...I...am tempted, but...to the best of my knowledge he is a success as a person...and that is all that matters. His happiness as well...matters."

Thirty one. Again he narrowed his eyes at her, something clicking through the veil of wine and consideration but-

The thought came and went without commentary. The world was wide and the possibilities endless. Wherever this son might be, successful man that he is- the likelihood of Zevran knowing him, of being able to say anything for him or to him? Is terribly low. "That, I suppose, is all that matters yes? That he is doing well."

There was really very little that could truly give Fiona away, well perhaps that she was also associated with Maric, but even still it was merely coincidence.

"Yes, and knowing that he is doing well puts my mind at ease, at this point it is really all I could ask for," Which was precisely the reason she would not involve herself in his life. Not at this point, it was certainly too late for that.

"In the least appropriate and smooth segue possible-" The music had lulled, another dance was about to begin. "Might I have your hand for a dance, Grand Enchanter?"

"How could I possibly say no to so much charm," Fiona laughed softly, she would not turn down such an offer in its innocence for they both knew it was friendliness. It could not and would never be anything beyond that for her heart belonged elsewhere, "you may call me Fiona, if you wish it."

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Truth or Dare: The Imperial Court

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