[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

[howtoactfereldan]

A content sigh.

Then, softly: "Better now?"

He would like some tea. Maybe. And not that he'd ever accuse Alistair of procrastinating, but...

[bringspeopletogether]

"Much." No louder. "Thank you, love."

He punctuates that with a brief kiss before unwinding himself from Cullen.

[howtoactfereldan]

Who then promptly picks up his tea. "Inside?"

(He does keep hold of Alistair's hand.)

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair wrinkles his nose, but says, "I suppose running away would also fall under 'ruining ten years of Ivette's work,' wouldn't it."

Surely they'll be done by now and he won't have to hear all the gory details repeated and discussed ad nauseum.

With his own tea in hand, he nudges open the door with his elbow.

[highnever]

Ivette looks up at the door, focusing quickly on Alistair.

Lightly enough:

"Given everything, it seems likely that we should ask Morrigan to join us. Would you like to contact her, or shall I?"

(She's betraying nothing with her expression.)

[bringspeopletogether]

"I'll write to her," he says -- a measure quieter again, as he settles at the table. "She's due a letter from me anyway."

He glances to Cullen.

"Cullen had a few ideas for others we could contact as well -- people who might know a thing or two more about Blight magic."

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen leans against the door jamb, sipping his tea.

No louder than Alistair:

"The Inquisition's arcanist made a study of blighted lyrium. Should we need something fabricated, she'd be the one to ask."

Pause.

"And our comrade Dorian Pavus was recently raised to the Magisterium, in Tevinter. He's well positioned to make inquiries in the Tevinter Circles and in their archives. I can also write to the Inquisition's former ambassador for the same thing, but Dorian would be the safer choice."

[highnever]

"...Dagna?"

Ivette gets a fond, far-away half-smile. "Of course. Suddenly I don't mind running all around Lake Calenhad to secure her permission to study."

[bringspeopletogether]

"Yes." Alistair grins, fleeting but heartfelt -- and just as fond. "She's as mad and brilliant as ever. A simple 'how are you?' would get me five minutes of chatter about her latest project every time."

A beat.

He adds, "And I'm certain Dorian would be deeply offended if I didn't also mention his brilliance, so yes, he's brilliant as well."

Fiona remains silent, but one corner of her mouth twitches upward at that.

[howtoactfereldan]

"I won't tell him if you won't," says Cullen, mildly enough.

[bringspeopletogether]

Cheerfully: "We have an accord."

Fiona continues her contemplation of the table for a beat, then says, also a measure softer, "From what I understand, Weisshaupt has been quieter than usual as of late. But if there is a way to access their own archives..." She passes a hand over her eyes. "They didn't allow many to see their records. Would they make an exception for the Hero of Ferelden? There could be more information on the brooch there than even I was privy to."

[highnever]

"They would not make an exception for the Hero of Ferelden."

Very quietly. Her good humor is gone.

"Their hospitality left much to be desired. I did not linger there overnight. It seemed wiser to camp in the wastes."

[bringspeopletogether]

Well. That's...not surprising.

Alistair still wishes he had been wrong about the Wardens, sometimes, but -- well.

He seems rather less shocked by Ivette's admission than Fiona, who pulls in a small breath and says, no louder, "I see."

[highnever]

"Neither the Wardens of Orlais nor the Wardens of the Anderfels were too pleased by the return of the Wardens to Ferelden. And given that our entire population could be counted on two hands, and included the mage who destroyed the Kirkwall Chantry..."

Ivette shrugs.

"Easy enough to justify denying me access. One last poor decision made by the Warden who got all his brothers killed at Ostagar." Flat. "Even should we succeed, they might not listen. I'd be far more inclined to bear any news of a cure to Anora Mac Tir first."

What's life without a bit of leverage, after all?

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair puffs out a breath -- it would be a low whistle, if circumstances weren't quite so dire -- and rubs a hand across his face.

(He's not aware of how much that gesture looked like Fiona's, a few moments earlier.)

"If I had an ounce of subterfuge in me," he says, half to himself, "I'd -- pretend to grovel long enough to get back in their good graces and try to leverage my way in there. Make up a few stories about the Fade in exchange. But you've all seen my work, I wouldn't last two minutes without trying to set someone's hair on fire."

He looks up.

"Do we know anyone who is in Weisshaupt's good graces these days?"

[highnever]

Ivette turns to look at Cullen, who says:

“Not good enough for this, I’m afraid. The Inquisition was on friendly terms with King Wilhelm, thanks to the timely delivery of a stuffed wyvern for his son, but as I understand it, Wilhelm would bow to the Wardens on this.”

“Indeed,” Ivette says, her mouth pressing into a flat line for just a moment before giving way. “...though I’d love to hear more about this wyvern, if you’ve the notion later.”

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair quirks a smile; it's gone in half a moment.

"Right." Quieter. "No help from Weisshaupt, then. No surprise there."

Three Wardens at the table -- well, two Wardens and one ex-Warden -- who've stopped Blights, saved the life of a king, and would have walked over broken glass for the ideals Weisshaupt preached, once upon a time. And here they are, unable to get any help from the organization they all once pledged to die for.

Some days, Alistair still finds it very hard to keep his temper in check when he thinks of that fortress up north.

He beings ticking off names on his fingers. "So -- Morrigan. Dagna. Dorian. Any more contacts besides them?"

[howtoactfereldan]

“I think that’s fine to start.” Quietly, before he has more tea. “Those are our best choices, and they know how to be discreet. If they don’t pan out...”

Cullen’s gaze gets distant. “Divine Victoria still has her network of spies. We oughtn’t to rule out the possibility that she could get someone in and out of Weisshaupt, though the odds aren’t good there, I think. And Josephine — Lady Josephine Montilyet of Antiva,” he says for Ivette’s benefit. “The Inquisition’s ambassador. One of Leliana’s friends, from her days in Orlais. Josephine can make official inquiries and call in favors, but that would be awfully public. And I could make some general inquiries of Bram Kenric, of the University of Starkhaven. The city’s had enough to do with the Blights that the university might have archived something useful, and Kenric’s demonstrated quite the open mind. But I think we’d need more to go on before I write.”

[bringspeopletogether]

"I've no idea if such an endeavor would be successful," says Fiona, still quieter than not, "but despite all the...difficulties, and changes, with the former Circles, I've held on to my own ties here and there. Friends. Former colleagues. I could attempt to call on them as well."

A fleeting glance to Cullen.

"Discreetly, of course."

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen says, very quietly:

“Did you suspect anything of Remille, before you went into the Deep Roads? Did anyone?”

[bringspeopletogether]

"No."

That comes out as a long sigh.

"No, we did not."

[howtoactfereldan]

“It might be best to hold off on any contact with broader circles, then, unless we turn up something that could use their input.”

He does at least sound a little apologetic about it.

[highnever]

Lightly: “Agreed. If dealing with Avernus taught me anything, it’s that we don’t want to risk any of this information falling into the hands of someone like Remille. Avernus was bad enough, with all those experiments.”

[bringspeopletogether]

Fiona nods.

"If there's more help I can provide, I'm glad to do it." She looks to each of them in turn; Alistair only holds her gaze a moment before glancing away. "But it seems as if I may have done as much as I can for the moment. In which case I should perhaps take my leave...?"

Alistair's fingers curl, but he makes no reply.

[highnever]

Ivette blinks, glancing first at Alistair, then at Cullen — but then recovers. “If you’d like. — though if I could beg a favor? If you could keep Leliana apprised of your whereabouts...? Only so we can reach you quickly.”