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Let me repeat: she approached me with her sword drawn.
Good reason was that she saw me at the ball with Anders.
I've only asked for him to be left alone. I don't know why your people are having such difficulty following such a simple request. If she approaches Anders that way, Justice is going to come out and there will be a real mess.
Good reason was that she saw me at the ball with Anders.
I've only asked for him to be left alone. I don't know why your people are having such difficulty following such a simple request. If she approaches Anders that way, Justice is going to come out and there will be a real mess.
I haven't-- I spoke to the initial group that arrived here. Cassandra is... I am not the Inquisitor that she knows. For me to order her or give her such direction isn't right. She hardly knows who I am. She has no reason to trust me.
[ And as much as that pains her, she has to give her friend the patience and space to let them re-learn each other. ]
Cassandra is a Seeker of Truth. She was sent to investigate the destruction of the Chantry. Please, understand where she is coming from.
I will speak to her. I cannot promise she will listen to me.
[ And as much as that pains her, she has to give her friend the patience and space to let them re-learn each other. ]
Cassandra is a Seeker of Truth. She was sent to investigate the destruction of the Chantry. Please, understand where she is coming from.
I will speak to her. I cannot promise she will listen to me.
Whether she knows you or not, you are the bloody Inquisitor. How many people in Thedas do you hold power over without knowing them? I'm doing all I can to prevent trouble on this side and I'll not have it happen on yours because she doesn't know you. Control your damned people.
[The feed cuts off.
Hours pass before his voice is heard again. Still gruff, still steamed, but calm this time.]
Inquisitor Lavellan. I may have been too harsh with you. I'm sorry for that.
[But not for everything.]
[The feed cuts off.
Hours pass before his voice is heard again. Still gruff, still steamed, but calm this time.]
Inquisitor Lavellan. I may have been too harsh with you. I'm sorry for that.
[But not for everything.]
Edited 2015-04-30 22:39 (UTC)
[ Any protest she has dies when the line disconnects. And, really, she takes the time to listen to his points, the hours between their talks settling enough that she can look at what he said and take it to heart.
She's surprised when he calls back. ]
You don't need to apologize, Ser Howe. You have every right to be frustrated with the situation and with me.
[ She sighs. ]
And you were right. It's my job to keep the peace, regardless of where we are. That's my duty. But ordering people, pushing them to do things-- That's not who I am and that's not how I lead.
[ I am not strong enough to do something like that. ]
She's surprised when he calls back. ]
You don't need to apologize, Ser Howe. You have every right to be frustrated with the situation and with me.
[ She sighs. ]
And you were right. It's my job to keep the peace, regardless of where we are. That's my duty. But ordering people, pushing them to do things-- That's not who I am and that's not how I lead.
[ I am not strong enough to do something like that. ]
These people are not my soldiers. They chose to fight alongside me; none of them were ordered or conscripted into the Inquisition. They are free to stay or leave my side at any time and I would not force them to do otherwise.
Cassandra Pentaghast does not expect my orders. She has always had a voice, long before I was ever looked upon as anything more than a murderer of the Divine.
Cassandra Pentaghast does not expect my orders. She has always had a voice, long before I was ever looked upon as anything more than a murderer of the Divine.
Of course not. I didn't even know the Divine was dead until Cassandra told me. But that didn't stop them from assuming I did it. They had me shackled and dragged into Haven while they attempted to stop the Breach when it first formed.
[ She sighs, rubs at her forehead. ]
The truth is much more complicated than that. Regardless, Cassandra put the Inquisition in motion with Leliana. I didn't.
[ She sighs, rubs at her forehead. ]
The truth is much more complicated than that. Regardless, Cassandra put the Inquisition in motion with Leliana. I didn't.
[Man the weirdest shit happens to these people.]
Regardless, you're a Maker-damned leader. You have the world in your hands. You're not doing them any favors by serving them tea and holding hands and talking about their childhoods. Your Seeker tried to intimidate me. That is beyond tea and holding hands, and it is your responsibility to deal with it.
Regardless, you're a Maker-damned leader. You have the world in your hands. You're not doing them any favors by serving them tea and holding hands and talking about their childhoods. Your Seeker tried to intimidate me. That is beyond tea and holding hands, and it is your responsibility to deal with it.
[ Her voice hardens, perhaps for the first time since entering this world. It is icy and threadbare, direct. ]
Do not presume to know how I interact with these people or what our relationships are.
I will speak with Cassandra. As I said, I cannot promise that she will listen to me, but I will still speak with her on this matter.
Do not presume to know how I interact with these people or what our relationships are.
I will speak with Cassandra. As I said, I cannot promise that she will listen to me, but I will still speak with her on this matter.
Do you ever miss when things were simple? When we were fighting certain doom and evil and... not worrying about trivial matters such as... relationships?
[ A sigh. ]
[ A sigh. ]
[ She's so sorry, Cullen, but she has to laugh. Not at his expense, necessarily, but at the situation. ]
I'm starting to wonder. It's so much easier sending troops to destroy an enemy's camp or rifling through the Exalted Plains for people. Relationships are...
[ A sigh of her own. ]
They're messy. I'm sorry.
[ Because regardless of what's going on with him - and she's certain a mage friend of theirs is at least partially responsible for the weight on his shoulders - she can sympathize with the struggle. ]
What's bothering you, Cullen? Besides the lack of demons and rifts, I mean.
I'm starting to wonder. It's so much easier sending troops to destroy an enemy's camp or rifling through the Exalted Plains for people. Relationships are...
[ A sigh of her own. ]
They're messy. I'm sorry.
[ Because regardless of what's going on with him - and she's certain a mage friend of theirs is at least partially responsible for the weight on his shoulders - she can sympathize with the struggle. ]
What's bothering you, Cullen? Besides the lack of demons and rifts, I mean.
I have suggested that Cassandra make the other Seekers aware of this. Beyond that, I have not decided.
Ideally, I would like the information to be known. I would like for the Tranquil to be able to have the choice to be given their powers back. But I do not know the extent of the damage Tranquility has caused nor what its effects are. I would like to ensure that there is a safe and manageable way to help these people without causing more harm or pain and without opening up other avenues of trouble.
[ Like possession. ]
Ideally, I would like the information to be known. I would like for the Tranquil to be able to have the choice to be given their powers back. But I do not know the extent of the damage Tranquility has caused nor what its effects are. I would like to ensure that there is a safe and manageable way to help these people without causing more harm or pain and without opening up other avenues of trouble.
[ Like possession. ]
Edited 2015-05-01 00:02 (UTC)
[ She is grateful that this is text. The sound that escapes her is one of horror. ]
It is an awful fate. I would not wish it upon anyone.
I do not want Tranquility to exist as a punishment or as a way to leash or persecute mages. Its intended purpose for the Seekers, to my knowledge, was one of peace and focus. Using it on mages as it has been is diabolical.
It is an awful fate. I would not wish it upon anyone.
I do not want Tranquility to exist as a punishment or as a way to leash or persecute mages. Its intended purpose for the Seekers, to my knowledge, was one of peace and focus. Using it on mages as it has been is diabolical.
It doesn't help that we're surrounded by some that would likely be our... enemies under different circumstances.
[ He means Anders, of course. ]
I never had time to think about personal matters before. It was always... work. And now, I can't stop worrying about things. About whether or not I'm making idiotic mistakes. [ And she still doesn't know about some... other things. ] It's also... Cassandra. She told me a little about the Inquisitor that she knows and Maker-
[ Where does he even start? ]
--If she seems more dour than usual, she has good reason to. The things her Inquisitor has done...
[ None of it seemed right. ]
I've never been more grateful for you, as a leader and as a friend.
[ He means Anders, of course. ]
I never had time to think about personal matters before. It was always... work. And now, I can't stop worrying about things. About whether or not I'm making idiotic mistakes. [ And she still doesn't know about some... other things. ] It's also... Cassandra. She told me a little about the Inquisitor that she knows and Maker-
[ Where does he even start? ]
--If she seems more dour than usual, she has good reason to. The things her Inquisitor has done...
[ None of it seemed right. ]
I've never been more grateful for you, as a leader and as a friend.
I wonder, sometimes, if we would not be hated by some of the people here if we were back in Thedas. It's not just the dynamic or the balance of power, but simply because of who we are and what we are doing.
[ Beyond the Inquisition and its decisions, but that they are a mismatch of so many backgrounds. How they've managed to mesh so well is still astounding to her. ]
We aren't dealing in life or death scenarios for the moment. A mistake or two won't be irreparable, I promise. I think it's been difficult for some - myself included - to remember that. Sometimes it's like...walking on thin ice.
[ Like with Nathaniel.
But now Cullen piques her interest and she frowns while she listens, brow furrowed as she sits back. ]
Cassandra hasn't told me much of Adaar. I had wondered-- What has her Inquisitor done?
[ Beyond the Inquisition and its decisions, but that they are a mismatch of so many backgrounds. How they've managed to mesh so well is still astounding to her. ]
We aren't dealing in life or death scenarios for the moment. A mistake or two won't be irreparable, I promise. I think it's been difficult for some - myself included - to remember that. Sometimes it's like...walking on thin ice.
[ Like with Nathaniel.
But now Cullen piques her interest and she frowns while she listens, brow furrowed as she sits back. ]
Cassandra hasn't told me much of Adaar. I had wondered-- What has her Inquisitor done?
[He wouldn't be able to do this any other way. Even as it is, it's extremely painful.]
At Kirkwall, they made mages who passed their Harrowings Tranquil over the smallest things. One might be made it because they made a sarcastic comment to a templar, or because they were sending letters to their loved ones. They might also be made it if a templar wanted them more pliant and easier to take advantage of.
People say that Kirkwall was just a bad situation, but those things happened all over Thedas.
They don't have the ability to tell you they want to be cured. They can't even imagine what it was like to want such a thing. But the minute they're returned, they would rather have death than go back.
At Kirkwall, they made mages who passed their Harrowings Tranquil over the smallest things. One might be made it because they made a sarcastic comment to a templar, or because they were sending letters to their loved ones. They might also be made it if a templar wanted them more pliant and easier to take advantage of.
People say that Kirkwall was just a bad situation, but those things happened all over Thedas.
They don't have the ability to tell you they want to be cured. They can't even imagine what it was like to want such a thing. But the minute they're returned, they would rather have death than go back.
Edited 2015-05-01 00:52 (UTC)
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