[sandbox]

[bringspeopletogether]

The letter he finally sends is maybe a little more impolitic than it ought to be, but if he doesn't send something now, he'll still be writing when his Calling arrives.



Fiona,

Ivette Cousland is looking for you. The name might ring a bell. Hero of Ferelden? Slayed the Archdemon some years ago?

Anyway. She's not having any luck, so I thought I'd try my hand at getting in touch.

Cousland's been searching for a cure for the Calling these past five years or so; she even retired as Warden-Commander of Vigil's Keep so she could pursue her research better. She knows your leaving the Wardens wasn't like mine. You didn't just walk away from Weisshaupt: you managed to un-Join somehow, with no ill effects. You're our last, best lead on the matter, so you can understand why she's rather eager to speak to you. It's very likely she doesn't have much time left, what with it being almost a decade and a half since her Joining and living through a Blight.

Frankly, I don't expect I have much time left, either.

Cullen and I are in South Reach these days. I'll always know where to find Cousland, if you'd rather speak with her directly. For all our sakes, I hope you'll be in touch.

--Alistair





Two weeks later, a raven knocks its beak against their window frame.

This is a matter best discussed in person, says the note attached to its leg. I can be to South Reach by the end of the month.

It's signed only with the letter F. Alistair spends the next few hours talking up a nervous storm, hands digging in his hair, half anxious, half furious. (This is exactly what he didn't want: for her to read this as an overture. For her to think she could have any claim to Alistair's time, Alistair's space, outside of giving him and Cousland the information they needed.)

Then he writes a letter to Cousland and sends the raven on its way.

Comments

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair's nodding.

"I was thinking that as well," he says. "If anyone knows the weirder and creepier corners of magic things, it's her. And if she doesn't know it outright she'll know where to start looking better than we will."

[howtoactfereldan]

"Well." He rests his head against Alistair's. "There's also how she knew about the process to begin with. Or whether it would work."

Then, carefully:

"There's also Dagna. I might write to Leliana and ask her to keep a raven on standby."

If Alistair had just let him do this three years ago --

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair stifles a wince.

"I'd still...prefer you frame it as a theoretical to Dagna." Subdued. (Chastened, almost.) "But if you can't..."

He shuts his eyes.

"Well. She'll have to put some effort into plucking my hair or badgering Kieran about it, I guess. Can't just run up to our tower anymore."

[howtoactfereldan]

"No." Softly. "Morrigan wouldn't let her badger Kieran."

Cullen touches his lips to the hollow of Alistair's temple. "And I won't let her badger you."

[bringspeopletogether]

He leans into the kiss, a little, without opening his eyes.





"All right." Very quiet.

[howtoactfereldan]

"Might also write Dorian," Cullen muses. "He might know who to ask."

[bringspeopletogether]

Plaintive, verging into exhausted:

"Please don't say Dorian needs to know about Kieran too."

[howtoactfereldan]

"No." Quick, soothing. Another kiss. "But he'd be able to find mages in Tevinter who might know things about Blight magic. Corypheus and the Architect can't have been the only ones."

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair's shoulders slump with relief. "Right," he murmurs. "Then -- yes, add Dorian to the list."

A beat.

"Not to call Blight magic easy, but this does seem a bit...easy, doesn't it? Like something Weisshaupt would've known about already?"

[howtoactfereldan]

"Not necessarily. The Anders are pious, and not known for taking counsel from mages. And I don't imagine a common tactic among the Wardens is to try diplomacy with the darkspawn."

[bringspeopletogether]

"Mm. I suppose."

He doesn't sound wholly convinced.

"But you'd think if they were determined to stop the Blight..." He trails off with a sigh. "Well, you'd think a lot of things about Weisshaupt. I shouldn't bother."

[howtoactfereldan]

"It's a worthwhile question. But I also think it will be much easier and safer for us to get this sort of information from Dorian, rather than from Weisshaupt."

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair wrinkles his nose. "We're in agreement there."

Hey, look, there's a cup of tea right there in his hands! Alistair should drink some of it.

Mmm, tea.

[howtoactfereldan]

He rests his chin on Alistair's shoulder.

Murmured:

"Does this mean I can drink mine?"

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair breaks into a chuckle.

"Yes, love." Warmly. "Thank you for indulging me."

[howtoactfereldan]

"Is that what I was doing?" He picks up his tea. "Here I thought we were strategizing."

[bringspeopletogether]

"Strategizing while indulgently letting me pretend there's no one else around for a little bit." He smiles crookedly. "You're quite a talented man."

[howtoactfereldan]

"I don't see anyone else out here." A sip of tea. "I don't think it's pretending."

[bringspeopletogether]

"But if I said 'I appreciate the caboodling, thank you, my love,' you'd make faces, soooo -- "

[howtoactfereldan]

"As though you don't enjoy forcing me to make faces." Another kiss.

[bringspeopletogether]

"Mm."

Right after the kiss breaks, Alistair slips a hand behind Cullen's neck and kisses him again.

"I suppose." Serene. "On occasion."

[howtoactfereldan]

"On every occasion." Peaceful.

[bringspeopletogether]

He slides his hand -- still warm from the teacup -- around to Cullen's jaw in a light caress. "And you never disappoint," he murmurs.

[howtoactfereldan]

He leans into Alistair's touch. "I do try to be reliable."

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair's smile grows.

He touches his forehead to Cullen's, simply resting there for now. Absently, he traces the pad of his thumb over Cullen's scar.