faderift | (open-ish) out of the slumbers of my head 

WHO: Leliana & open-ish - see notes
WHAT: FREEDOM. talks about freedom/the Chantry/wherever it takes us.
WHEN: throughout late-late-late Drakonis and early/mid Cloudreach, can be after hearing some rumours.
WHERE: Default setting will be the Rookery, others possible on request.
NOTES:
1. Likely referral to imprisonment and torture in narrative, others to be added if they come up.
2. It's not exactly open-open because I'd like to be able to keep the different threads unique and avoid burn out on the topic, but if you are interested then just shoot me a pm or talk to me on plurk and we can figure it out!
tldr I am flexible with who/when/where and such, but hammering out some info first would be greatly appreciated.
3. Prose or brackets are totally fine, I'll match style :]b

Too long has she stayed her hand. First it was her ignorance that silenced her, and then it was loyalty, the belief that Justinia wished to make the world better, stronger. A more just world, where all would benefit rather than a rare few. As time has passed, though, and as the Inquisition grows, Leliana has realised more and more that Justinia's peace and her vision for the Chantry were not enough. For all that Justinia had once been a worldly woman she had not fought in the Blight, had not fought side by side with mage and elf alike. She had moved as a player of the Grand Game must, small moves, small changes, and stability had always been her first thought. It was Justinia who had threatened to deny aid to Celene in the settling of mage and Templar if Celene did not cease the elf rebellion simmering in Orlais before the burning of Halamshiral. Justinia was a good woman, a good friend and teacher and mother, and she had great vision. Even so she had been blinkered by the prejudices that ran rife throughout Thedas, the small mindedness that seemed to define each country in different ways. No one should be enslaved or punished simply for being; no one's personhood should be compromised by the simple facts and circumstances of their birth.

Most often she is in the Rookery and must be sort out between scouts and ravens bringing reports, or meetings with the other Advisors. The tower is cold, and candles flicker from a shrine to Andraste and make shadows dance. (And, if visitors come late in Drakonis and early in Cloudreach, they may find evidence of Dorian's prank, for which there will be dire consequences.)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

If Merrill thought she could get away with it -- and if she could reliably get around Skyhold, and if she wasn't certain whether or not she would be distracting the birds too much -- then she would likely spend a lot more time in the rookery. As it is, she giggles in delight when Baroness de Plumes notices her, wiggling her fingers -- a ring on her fingers, which may attract attention -- before turning it into a bolder wave for Leliana.

"Oh, I wouldn't mind being brushed," she giggles again, stepping closer with her hands open so that the Baroness can see she isn't holding anything scary. "Or being glittery, I suppose, on certain occasions. May I-?"

Pet the bird, that is. In fact- "I could brush her, or if there's another bird who could use some attention...?"

Merrill is a strange woman, she thinks. In her experience, however, the strange sorts are usually the best of them. The people who fit in with the crowds and the norm usually did not excel at thinking beyond it.

"The Baron and Baroness can be a little temperamental," she starts, musing on it. Temperamental tended to mean that Baron Plucky and Baroness de Plume were horrifying monstrosities when anyone but Leliana tries to deal with them, though she would never admit it, and rarely even acknowledges it to herself. The Baroness closes her eyes, content as Leliana continues to brush her, and Leliana instead whistles for another bird.

The raven, a little more slender than the Baroness and extremely curious, opts to land on Merrill's shoulder rather than on the table. "Merrill, this is Marian Squawke. Squawke, this is Merrill." And the raven caws, true to her name, before starting to hop down Merrill's arm to better look at her.

"She's not rolled in glitter, but she does rather enjoy being petted."

'Temperamental', to Merrill, tends to bring up images of Fenris. In turn, she is now imagining birds ripping out hearts and trying not to giggle about it. Thanks Leliana!

Marian Squawke, however, makes her giggle in delight for a whole other reason. Carefully adjusting her arm so the raven can get a good look, Merrill coos at the the bird, gently reaching out to stroke her feathers.

"What a beautiful girl," Merrill informs Squawke, only just stopping herself from blowing the bird a kiss to look at Leliana with a smile. "Do you name them all?"

Marian, for her part, is glad to be appreciated as she is due, and hopes closer to Merrill and caws quietly, posing so Merrill can better admire her and leaning into any strokes, because please focus on her neck especially. She is magical and deserves maximum attention.

Leliana watches with some amusement, resisting the urge to shake her head. "I do. Not everyone appreciates my name selections," she admits, faux-gravely. "I think they simply lack vision."

But... as fun as this is, she observes Merrill with a focused curiosity. "I suspect you did not come here to discuss ravens." Charming as Squawke is.

Merrill certainly agrees with Marian's opinion, at least. Careful Leliana, she's going to make your bird fat by sneaking up here with treats and then petting her. Cuddlebird.

"I like them! Though of course I've only heard a few, but some people are just too picky about it, I think." This time she doesn't stop herself from blowing the kiss, scratching just under Squawke's chin. "Though no, not on purpose -- though it is a lovely topic, and such lovely birds!"

Merrill. Focus.

"But- well, I've been hearing some things lately. That you don't agree with Cassandra, mostly."

"Thank you." Regarding the birds and their names, the faint air of amusement almost drifting into a smile and not quite making it. The suggestion of it might have to do. "Unfortunately Varric Feathras is away, or I might have been able to introduce you to the two of them."

And then the actual reason for the visit comes, and Leliana is silent a couple of moments, looking towards the window. "Cassandra and I have very different perspectives," she replies, somewhat neutrally. "There are some matters where are disagreements are more... stark. Was it a particular matter of concern?"

"Varric Feathras! If you get a new one, can you call it Cawver?" She's getting you a little brother to pick on, Marian. Somehow.

Her fingers don't still in the feathers, not quite, but she does slow them as she thinks. Leliana is wary now, cautious, or at least Merrill thinks so -- how does she respond to that? "She's a good person, at heart. But she doesn't understand how locking up Galadriel looks, does she? I mean- she can't understand how it looks, or she wouldn't do it. Right?"

"I will take it into consideration," she replies, and she would like it to be cryptic but it basically means yes, I'm going to get a new raven as soon as possible.

And at that Leliana allows herself to sigh. Or, rather, she would sigh and by default it is controlled and held in, and she manufactures the gesture. Being genuine and letting things happen naturally as a bard, as the Nightingale... it is difficult. She does not know how much she manufactures and how much does happen on impulse, at times. It all bleeds together too much.

"She does not understand, no. The Seekers traditionally answer only to themselves and the Divine." Not justification, but an explanation, of sorts. "The... emotional ramifications of her actions and what they might mean are not what she is grasped, though she believes in her heart that she has acted in the best interests of protecting people. I do not agree on that."

And that's how Merrill never left the birds alone, probably.

It's a sigh either way, whether manufactured or not. It helps, as far as Merrill is concerned, to know that Leliana is aware of the issue -- and that she feels similarly. That Cassandra is trying to help and simply not grasping all the nuances, that while her intentions are good, her actions are not.

"May I ask why she believes what she's doing is protecting people? No one seems to know, and that makes it even harder to believe, for those that don't know her, that she isn't doing it because Galadriel is an elf and a Rifter and a woman with mage-like power."

"Based upon words spoken in an interrogation that only Cassandra and Galadriel were present in," Leliana starts, laying out part of the problem, "Seeker Pentaghast believes Galadriel is a threat to the Inquisition and to Thedas. I cannot," she continues, preempting the question she has heard more than once, "provide specifics as to the nature of the threat, only that it was massive in terms of its repercussions and the danger it presented. To repeat it would be akin to inviting others to follow that course."

She is not happy with the situation, for all that she is a great guarder of secrets, and that she above all people knows the importance of protecting information and the repercussions.

"I realise that is not especially comforting on any count."

No, it's not comforting at all. In fact, Merrill pauses in her petting of Marian Squawke to simply stare at Leliana for a moment.

"How in Mythal's name is anyone supposed to know what to be on the lookout for if no one knows what the potential threat is? I don't believe Galadriel had any ill-will toward Thedas and the Inquisition until all of this started, but don't you think it's possible that, if she did, she could have told others? That they could still be ready to make good on that threat? If we don't know what it is, then we can't possibly do anything."

And then, should threat become action, it really will hurt them all.

(open-ish) out of the slumbers of my head

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