entranceway | first. ( text. )

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first. ( text. )

What a strange place this is. There's so much magic here, and like none I've ever seen before. And this network! It's a wonderful little invention. Though not as wonderful as these closets. They gave me the most delightful pair of shoes when I asked. A bit unfashionable, but nothing that can't be changed.

It's a shame there doesn't seem to be an exit. It makes this quite the gilded cage, does it not? And one does wonder how all the magic is powered. Even with blood magic and lyrium both, this is quite the feat.

[ which, in her experience, means it's probably something terrible that will kill everyone or worse. which is what has her frowning at her device even as she makes a somewhat cheerful-sounding post. bless written missives and their ability to appear blase when leliana is too annoyed to mask her feelings entirely. ]

At the very least, I suspect this will make for an interesting story someday, no?

— L

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It's a small one. I'd say it enhances those dashing good looks instead of ruining them.

[ and she regrets saying that the second he calls her old. scowling at him, she lightly slaps him on the arm. ]

Hasn't anyone ever told you never to call a woman old? I know you have some trouble, but you should know that much.

[ but, now that they've both mentioned knowing each other, and he says that i actually remember she can't help but ask-- ] You don't remember Robyn?

['Some trouble'? What is that supposed to mean? Some trouble with what? Women? The elderly? Elderly women? He's just offended on principle now. Whatever that means it was entirely uncalled for.

Pouting, Alistair rubs at his arm, about to ask just what 'trouble' she thinks he has. Before he can though, Leliana asks him about Robyn, effectively distracting him from his wounded pride.]

Nnno. I don't. [But she clearly does. Even if the two have already spoken since Leliana's arrival she wouldn't be talking about the Warden so familiarly if she knew someone else in Robyn's place.] You do? You're from her Ferelden?

[ elderly? call her elderly to her face, alistair, and she'll show you elderly. ]

Oh.

[ on the one hand, that's kind of wonderful. it means that, should the warden and alistair's lives post-blight ever come up, leliana won't have to tell alistair that his lady love died killing the archdemon. on that other hand, that's really kind of terrible. poor robyn. poor alistair, too. ]

I'm sorry. That must have been very strange for you. [ which is also probably the understatement of the century.

Come. [ she takes one of alistair's hands and tugs him along as she steps backwards. ] Let's move out of the hallway, shall we? In case someone else needs to get by.

[He's not suicidal thanks]

Strange is one way of putting it.

[Just as it's strange knowing that Leliana isn't the same woman he knows. She looks the same - or the same as the one he knows will given time - and acts and sounds the same but she's not. He's been trying to avoid thinking about the him that Robyn knows but when he does he can't think of them as being the same person. They're just not, no matter how much they might have in common. But it's hard to think of Leliana as someone else - the physical differences help but it's still difficult not to look at her and see the person he knows.

Maybe he'll figure out a way to keep them separate. It doesn't seem like it's going to impact their friendship too much at least. If he's lucky he'll be able to avoid thinking about it altogether and avoid the problem entirely.

As he thinks it over, Alistair nods and follows after her, smiling faintly once again.]

I don't take up that much space do I? [But the hallway isn't the best place to catch up with new/old friends.] Fine, I'm coming.

Do you want me to answer that question truthfully?

[ she's kidding. alistair totally does not take up that much space. but in the years since the blight and the battle in the arbor wilds, leliana has become a little... cautious. reunions and discussions are not things for public places where anyone could happen upon them. thus the dragging alistair off to her newly acquired room. ]

Sit, sit! [ she gestures at wherever there is a place to sit in the room, then sits herself. she folds her hands in her lap and smiles at alistair. ] Now, tell me how you have been. How long has it been since you arrived here?

Oh, ow! Guess I should cut back on the cheese then.

[Not likely. Or needed. But he'll pout and pat at his belly all the same as she leads him into what must be her room. Dropping down into the nearest seat he grins back, happy to see her no matter how strange it is.]

It's been a few months for me. Long enough to get used to the place - as much as you can. [He shrugs.] Like I said, you're the first person from home that I really know. I mean, there's Isabela from the Pearl in Denerim but she wasn't exactly a friend.

[And it turns out he's met Cullen before too but that's also not the same.]

There's lots of us here though. And most seem to come from after the Blight which is weird. Good but weird.

Isabela? Interesting.

[ leliana remembers her from the pearl. and kirkwall. and isabela's work with the inquisition. this is her making a mental note to maybe get drinks with her sometime. ]

Just how far back are you, anyway? You said the Blight was still happening. What about the Landsmeet?

You remember her?

[Isabela hadn't mentioned being with the Inquisition. Unless Leliana remembers her from the Pearl or encountered her in Kirkwall where she told him she'd ended up after leaving Denerim.]

About that far. I was on my way to the Landsmeet when this place kidnapped me.

[So the outcome of that is still a mystery. Though he has a fair idea what he expects it to be after meeting so many people from the future. An idea he's getting used to, more or less.]

Mmn. We met again a few times after the Blight. You did as well, if I remember right.

[ but--hang on. ]

Though I suppose if you don't remember Robyn, things could turn out differently for you than they did for the Alistair in my world.

[ with a small sigh, leliana shakes her head. this is just getting downright confusing. ]

[Well, that should be interesting. Whether he might end up in Kirkwall - as Fenris had suggested - or Isabela would return to Ferelden at some point it would be interesting to see her again. Or something else entirely could happen. Not everyone agreed on what he would be doing when the Inquisition was running around.]

They could. I don't know any more. What happened to... him?

[Still weird. So weird. But he's had enough people tell him about future possibilities for him that he can deal with it. Sort of. Mostly by not thinking about it as much as possible.]

He stayed with the Wardens, after Robyn killed the Archdemon.

[ after robyn died killing the archdemon. there's some things that leliana will never be able to forget. the sight of robyn's lifeless body is one of them. but that's not something to burden alistair with, especially since he doesn't seem to remember her. ]

Recently, he was helping the Inquisition with something. I saw him just a few months ago before he left to deliver a message to Weisshaupt.

[So the pair of them had stayed with the Wardens. Until the Inquisition's time. Then, according to what Robyn said the Inquisitor had told her, she left to try and find a cure for the taint. While he dealt with the problems in the order.]

I heard about some of that. The Wardens and... what they tried to do.

[And it's not gotten any easier to stomach since he first heard the news from Carver. Grimacing, he shakes his head.]

I can't believe they'd do that. Even with... everything. [The Calling. Leliana doubtless knows about it already but old habits are hard to break, even with someone he trusts.]

The Calling made them desperate. [ she says quietly, one shoulder raising in something like a shrug. ] Desperation often drives people to do terrible things.

[ like loghain at ostagar, though leliana will not mention that thought out loud ever. like herself at certain points in her life. ]

It does not excuse their actions, but it makes them... understandable. And the Wardens have always done whatever is necessary to fight the Blight, no? It is why the Right of Conscription exists.

I know but-

[But blood magic and summoning demons? He can't imagine what could make that sound acceptable. Even when all the Wardens were hearing the Calling they should have been able to find another way. Maybe that's his own naivety speaking. He has no concept of what the Calling is truly like, only what he's heard. But desperate or not, is it really so difficult to know where to draw the line?]

Conscripting people isn't the same as summoning demons or blood magic. We can end Blights without resorting to that. Without becoming monsters ourselves.

[The Wardens are better than that. They have to be.]

[ it's this, more than anything else, that drives home just how young alistair is. still young enough to have near complete faith in his order. to not be frustrated with the less glamorous side of being a warden. ]

It's good that you have that faith in them.

[ especially when so many back home have lost that. ]

The Wardens need people like you.

[ to have faith, and to hold them to a higher standard. ]

You say that now, just wait until the next time you find me stuck half-way up a tree with no clothes on.

[The attempted jest falls flat. It's still hard to think about what the Wardens could become if they can't change the future. Shaking his head to dislodge those thoughts, Alistair leans forward and smiles as best he can.]

Enough about me, what about you? I heard you've been moving up in the world. Spymaster for the Inquisition now, isn't it?

Someone's been telling tales, I see.

[ she's highly amused by that. ]

My actual title is Seneschal of the Inquisition and Left Hand of the Divine. But, yes, I am its spymaster as well.

[ which is basically to say she stabs people and ferrets out their secrets. and if her expression is anything to go by, she really, really loves her job. ]

[He's really not surprised. Not that she's essentially become a bard serving the Divine or that she enjoys it. Scared, maybe. Surprised, not at all.]

No, I was the one telling tales. He just told me what you've been up to. I thought he might need some blackmail material after that.

[Because that's what friends from when you were just a Chantry sister are for. Although he's just as quick to add-] I wouldn't really tell people bad things about you... Please don't hurt me.

[A plea not helped by the way he's grinning. But heartfelt nonetheless!]

[ she rolls her eyes, though it's with a fond smile. ]

Unless things are very different where you are from, I didn't do anything worthy of blackmail during the Blight.

[ well. there is the whole killing marjolaine thing. though that's more of a touchy subject than actual blackmail material. ]

I won't, I won't. [ wait for it... ] Much.

Are you sure about that? You don't remember any embarrassing stories from that time you don't want getting out? Because I sure do.

[Or is he thinking of all those embarrassing stories about him? He does have a lot of those. Either way, his definition of blackmail material is a little looser than hers. But threatening to embarrass friends is the best kind of blackmail.

He pouts at Leliana's threat and shakes his head sadly.]

Why is it all the women high up in the Chantry are so cruel? I thought being around the Divine would make you nicer.

Like the time you asked me about women and started by saying, "Leliana, you're female, right?"

[ ... though that may not have happened if he doesn't have robyn where he comes from. all this difference is going to get confusing fast.

but either way, leliana is pretty sure all those embarrassing stories are actually about alistair and not her. ]

Me? You're the one trying to blackmail me and give others the ability to do so and I'm cruel? [ she has to laugh at the irony there. ]

I never-!

[But.... it does sound like something he'd do. Come to think of it, maybe he should ask her for advice on women. Except he can't really start a relationship in Wonderland, even if there were someone seriously interested in him. It wouldn't last once they find a way to go home.

Those stories really are all about him though, aren't they?]

I'm trying to make you seem more normal. Less... stabby. And scary. I'm helping.

[He's doing it out of love Leliana, why can't you appreciate that?]

The more scary I seem, the easier my job is, you know.

[ but even though she's correcting him a bit, she's smiling. it's cute that he's trying to help.

... no comment on the being stabby, though. ]

You aren't scary- weren't scary before.... Or, not as scary. Not when you didn't want to be. And you still got things done.

[Which, hm, may actually be worse come to think it.]

You know what? Forget I said anything. Let's talk about something else. I still need to be able to sleep at night.

[ darkspawn didn't need to be intimidated. and she was different, then. trying to be someone else. ]

Very funny, Alistair.

[ except in all the ways its not. ]

I see your time here has not changed your wit.

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