"You'll be fine animus," Dorian assured the Inquisitor at the steps before entering the austere building that housed the magisterium. "You'll be speaking to them in their own language in every way. Just remember they have to lie. It's a tradition." Fen'vhenan caught her breath, letting Dorian pull her in and place a quick kiss on her forehead. "How are you feeling?"
The elf took a very deep breath, considering. "Sanguine, da'nehn."
Dorian raised his eyebrows at the wordplay. It was an odd term, meaning both peaceful and bent on blood. "That covers all the bases." Then, smiling, "You'll do fine, and I actually think my father will back you up. Just remind them what a war could cost. I won't be far."
Vhen turned, moving up the last steps. The building was ornate, marbled and catchy to the eye. It was designed for intimidation. Yet as she entered, Fen'vhenan saw the one thing that could wipe that all away. At the entrance, watching over the street, was the image of a wolf. "Fen'harel enansal," the Dalish whispered, taking the last few steps no longer alone. With any luck, the wolf was with her.
- 0 ~ Meanwhile, elsewhere northerly ~ 0 -
Another dead end. Fen'harel growled at the implications, trudging through the area which was now forested with the beginning of a frustrated howl in his throat. It was difficult to hunt for any eluvian, much less a specific eluvian, and the mirrors were mostly shattered. He was starting to despair of ever completing his task. He couldn't fail, but if he kept having the same luck his path would keep getting longer until it far outlasted the lifetime of one mortal woman.
There was a heavy temptation to leave his course, to run to Fen'vhenan and this lifetime ignoring his duty by remaining at her side. Yet he was the one who had left, abandoning her...
'Servi Fenrir Fabula.' The voice was strong, yet a whisper in the wind. He turned it over, the phrase strange though he knew who spoke it. That was Vhen's voice. And while he couldn't quite make out the words, he sensed the intention: I belong to the Dread Wolf. She was drawing on a bond she didn't understand fully, but it seemed in a time of need, so...
~Swift and fleet in word and deed, da'lana.~
Hopefully that would be enough.
- 0 & - 0
"Esteemed members of the Magiterium- citizens of Tevinter." She left out the traditional qualifier 'free.' Hopefully they would think it an oversight for the moment. "I come to you not as a child of Elvenlin, nor or the Inquisitor of Southern Thedas." She turned her head to continue eye contact with the whole crowd, her red ringlets swishing against her face. Vhen forced herself to resist the urge to bat them away. "I am here to urge you as one who would be a friend to Tevinter- a daughter to Tevinter. Do not allow your instincts to allow you to overplay your hand. This is a mighty country, a proud country, but we should not allow the desire for glory to overwhelm the truth. War with Nevarra would be protracted. Bloody. To sign a declaration against peace would be to put not ourselves, but our children- our grandchildren- into battles that will be hard fought. It is not only the castes of the poor who will be affected. Who will lead these fights after all? Your sons and daughters! The families at risk will be your own."
Vhenan stood at the forefront, ready for the barrage. And it came all at once, each magister speaking out of turn until Pavus raised his hand.
"If we are to speak let us have order! For one, I believe Lavellan speaks the truth. She says she would be a daughter to Tevinter- she already is a daughter to me, and I think her well educated in this matter."
"Educated?"
"Charlatan!"
"She is nothing but a southern barbarian."
Vhenan closed her eyes. "Qui nuncio ita tenebricosum, unde negate refit question, et vobia maleficarum- omnia bella decoratis." She felt the air chill, and slid her eyes open slowly. The room was silenced, each eye upon her. ~I might have gone a bit too far.~ "Servius liberi esse libere. Non servi militat."
(Brief note on broken latin: revision on Catallus again to start: Do not go on the dark road to where they say none returns, lest things be 'malefic'- in this case a play on the fact many are known to practice blood magic- for you who would devour all beauty. Second part is a take on a known saying: We all serve the law in order to live freely. I will not serve war.)
With that Fen'vhenan stepped forward, offering a short now to the attending magisters. Many were smiling at her, a mixture of mirth and snakelike interest. A few were thoughtful. Only a very few were actually coldly cruel, unkind and calculating. She moved to exit, knowing the light cream edge of her dress would follow behind her whimsically and lend her exit a much more graceful and otherworldly flair than she was otherwise capable of handling.
"You could have had a bit more tact." Dorian was waiting, leaning right outside the door in the hallway.
"Possibly. Get me out of here. Somewhere safe."
He immediately straightened. "As you command, Vhenan."
It was the first time someone had called her by that name since she was left and it didn't burn. Progress.
"I don't think I can manage my... afternoon arrangement with... Jenny." Vhen wrinkled her nose. "Would you mind?"
"I don't think Jenny's friend would talk with me, animus."
"He's lived in Tevinter most of his life. Surely you wouldn't be the first good mage he has met."
"If I don't come back you'll know you were wrong."
Being the central figurehead of a movement was not Fen'vhenan's best place. She was Inquisitor by need, not choice, and public appearances took a lot out of her. So when she asked Dorian to meet with Fenris as arranged by the Jenny courier, alone, he accepted the task as something she desperately needed. That much was made clear when she practically collapsed into his arms halfway home and he wound up carrying her the rest of the way. It was a little odd, but then again what with the Inquisitor wasn't wierd? Varric was even planning on writing a book about the phenomenon after all.
Once Dorian had Vhen securely resting in her room, Dorian headed to the rendezvous point to wait. He found the city oddly different than he'd remembered as a boy, and a bit uncomfortable. He wasn't sure if it was Minrathous or himself that was so changed.
At the appointed time, he heard a heavier approach than most and turned to meet the newcomer...
Only to be pulled into a darkened alleyway and thrust against a wall. "Where is Lavellan?"
"Not feeling well." He barely gasped it out, but at least the hold lightened once he did. "She sent me in her stead. I see now how grave an error that was."
"She sent a mage." The disbelief was palpable.
"I happen to be very trustworthy you know."
"That remains to be seen." Fenris sighed. "The estate. Did she do that?"
"Her idea, yes. We both had a part in the execution however."
That brought a pause. "What's your aim in all this, mage? Do you plan to betray her?"
What? "What?"
"I've never known a mage without their own agenda." He smirked. "Well, not a smart mage. The last time I tried to trust one, Kirkwall went down in flames just before he ran off with my best friend."
Dorian considered that. "Tevinter is dying. My only goal is to stop that happening. If you're worried about your cause... so long as Vhen supports it so will I. Simple as that."
"Just like that?"
"Yes."
The duo glared at each other a minute, then Fenris backed down. "For now then. I've seen too much to dismiss you out of hand. Tell Lavellan... I will listen. I will only strike when she tells me. For now."
Dorian nodded in gratitude. "Many thanks, friend." He have a slight bow of deference, surprising the elf. The mage chose to gloat in silence however, hurrying back.
Even in the safest place here, it was better not to leave Vhenan alone.
