Fairbanks
His heart pounded in his chest. His knees were weak, and his mouth was doing an odd mixture of going dry at the drop of a hat and then watering profusely to where he was almost actually drooling. Which would have really been cool given that an Orlesian noblewoman is staring at me, the third of Briala's perspective brides to be.
Yet it was not her looks per se that was driving this reaction. It was hard to pin it down. But she was not too attractive, not overly, without the Orlesian accoutrements or anything.
No, it was her bearing. Her outlook, her auror. It was more intimidating then attractive.
The woman was tall, straight of back, either through the tight corset she was wearing or through her natural posture Fairbanks couldn't quite tell. She was blond in her hair, piercing blue in her eye color, and was mask less so he could see her creamy white skin.
She was peering at him intently.
And that is what Fairbanks decided was the reason for his sudden attraction. There is intelligence in those eyes.
Yet he could not decide in how to take advantage of the situation.
"Ahem," The woman said in cultured Orlesian.
So much for my charming roguish accent from the backwaters.
"Your pardon Madame," He said inclining his head and smirking lightly.
She smiled lightly, traveling up through her cheek and really serving to lighten her rather severe features. Until that moment in time though.
"Don't mention it." She said, smiling lightly.
"So what do you think of the Inquisition?' Fairbanks asked. Oops. He could feel himself blanching at the question as if he were some young boy again.
She laughed lightly, clearly at the expression on his face. "The Inquisition is dangerous in the wrong hands, fortunately Madame Trevelyan seems to be the right hands."
"You don't fear that she will resort to remake Orlais in her image?"
"Maybe it needs to be remade. Though maybe not in the exact image that Madame Trevelyan suggests."
He toggled an inquiring eyebrow at her.
She refused to take up the challenge.
"So, Fairbanks, tell me a little about yourself, why should I deign to marry you."
Fairbanks blinked. "I assumed that through Orlesian custom it is usually the man who takes the lead in these sorts of things."
"I am not your typical Orlesian." The woman chuckled.
"I can see that." Fairbanks said more admiringly then perhaps he intended.
Instead she just smirked at the proclamation.
The two of them stayed like that for a minute. Hanging over a small railing in the middle of the garden.
Fairbanks finally opened his mouth. "I cannot see what one might see in me for marriage. Especially to a proper noblewoman. I have spent my entire life in the Dales. Looking out for people. But I do not know one end of a fork from the other or which side it goes to or how to hold my hand as I bow to a comtesse."
"Then you need to learn a lot if you hope to sit on the Council of Heralds." The woman said.
Fairbanks sighed deeply.
"Assuming you still want to?" She asked. Turning towards him.
"Yes, I still want to." Fairbanks admitted. "But is that really all I am, a way to advance your position?"
She quirked a small smile, "Actually I think you have more to gain from you marrying us then the other way around. It will be you who the alliance with us will elevate to the Council of Heralds. If you decide not to go through with it, we will go back to our estates and continue to plot the quiet change of the Empire."
"What changes are these?"
"Freeing the Elven Slaves and giving them more of a role in Orlesian society. To equalize our roles." She explained.
He arched a skeptical eyebrow, "you do not hear that at court often."
"No," She sighed, "but it is for the good of the Empire. With each day we become more reliant on our servants, despite everything that happened. If they rebel then we will suddenly find our lives uncomfortable. When the Elves of Halamshiral rebelled starting the Civil War Celene was forced into sacking the city. Because we could not bear the thought of Elven freedom. If the Elves were to disappear? If someone is successful in organizing them to an uprising across the Empire? And it's the right thing to do."
"And how will I bring this about?" Fairbanks asked, starting to get flustered. He blushed fiercely.
"We have an alliance, several likeminded noble families. We have the power and the Alliance to catapult you to the Council, and then along with that you will give us a voice. A voice you agree with of the Elves." She explained.
I see Briala did her homework after all. He said smiling lightly to himself.
"But how will this alliance propel me to the Council? I am an outsider." Fairbanks pointed out.
"Exactly" She snapped her fingers. "Which is exactly why you will work. Far too many of the other candidates for the position have allegiances and alliances tied up one among the other. Too many favors owed, too many enemies gained.
"As an outsider you are an unknown, you do not have the political baggage of most people, and our marriage with the forces I can bring gives you the legitimacy you need."
"And what of your political baggage?"
She smiled. "We are too small to have baggage of our own."
Fairbanks rolled his eyes, "Not sure how any of this makes me suited for the Council, wouldn't they trust an insider?"
"Again, no baggage. They will jump at the chance to elect someone with a fresh slate."
"Which is me." He nodded.
The two of them descended into an uneasy silence as they continued to look out over the gardens and paths of Skyhold.
"I," She blushed and turned aside, "I only hope you can come to love me in the end. If you do decide to marry me."
"Oh, I do. I definitely do…and I think I can…in time." He said, and somehow he meant every word.
She beamed at him.
Kara.
The Inquisitor leaned over the chessboard, hands clasped along hand, head resting atop them. Staring at her array of pieces with rapt attention. Chess really is not my game.
Her opponent was staring at her, waiting for her to make her move. Mask this time, thankfully, cast aside, but unfortunately her ravishing good looks came into full force. Either way, Kara was uncomfortable.
"Inquisitor it is your turn you know." Briala said.
"Indeed, I did not know that. I assumed it was your turn and I was just going to stare at the board until it caught fire." Kara returned dryly.
Briala chuckled. "Do you think Fairbanks will ever find someone to marry?" She pressed.
Kara sighed, finally settling on moving her knight up and across. Dashing deep into Briala's lines, like any good knight was supposed to do. Or Rogue.
She turned to face Briala now. Full in the face. "I don't know. I suppose you would notice more. You are, after all, the woman who vetted these…what do we call them anyways? Candidates?"
"Fiance's to be." Briala said, moving her bishop up, to about half way up the board. "You do seem…preoccupied Inquisitor." She said lightly.
"Me?" She laughed. "Why would I ever be so preoccupied by anything? It's not like the Inquisition has the weight of the entire world crashing down on it. Trying to maneuver through the halls of power of the Imperial Court. Standing astride Ferelden and Orlais. Trying to stay ahead of the tide, prevent from drowning."
"And what are we going to do about it?" Briala murmured lightly.
She laughed again, and moved one of her pawns forward, one step, inching ever closer to the Elf's lines.
"Right now we need to stand. We need to hold on a little longer, and maybe we can all take a break."
"Even if the Empire crumbles around us? The Inquisition is now important. You cannot change it by wishing it away." Briala pointed out before moving her own knight upwards. Obviously trying to pin Kara's forces down. Cause her to choose between sacrificing one or the other.
"That is why we need Fairbanks." Kara countered. "We need him. I'm not just going to separate us and disband. I am not that stupid. The Inquisition has a role, but we need to be smaller…more manageable. Willing to take a backseat and let the Orlesians be Orlesians."
"Hard to do when we are the only game in town, even with Fairbanks. You disbanded the Order, exiled the Wardens, put me on the throne through Gaspard."
"I know." Kara said, stretching back in her chair and rubbing the back of her head. She then looked back at the board, intending to make her next move. But blinked instead. Her eyes mouth opened slightly and she looked at Briala. Then back to the board. Her bishop had moved, even completely going from black to white. She now had two Bishops on white.
"You cheated." She accused, hurt and bitterness coloring her features.
"Yes I cheated," Briala laughed airily. "But that is the point. They will cheat. Unless you, unless we watch them. This is the nature of the game. They will stab you in the back. They will smile, while plotting your destruction. They will hold onto their power no matter what it is worth. And it will be worth a lot, to them. They will fight and claw grasping at the tapestries of the society they are building. This is the opponents you are up against."
"Couldn't you have just told me this?" Kara smirked at the elf.
"I thought you needed to be shocked into it, Inquisitor." She smiled lightly. "I am a product of Orlais after all."
Kara frowned, "There must be a better way forward."
Briala sighed, "Not with them in charge Inquisitor. They are liars, snakes," she smiled, "and most importantly, they are cheaters. To change the world, you may have to break them."
"Yet not kill them?"
"If you don't want to." Briala sighed.
Kara nodded. Her Elven spymaster had certainly given her a lot to think about, as she vacantly stared at the chessboard before her.
