CHAPTER 4
xxx-xxx-1654, Unknown Caller, 2:00 p.m
S. did you speak with Vivienne?
-3454,2:05 p.m.
its handled nightingale-S
xxx-xxx-1654, Unknown Caller, 2:10 p.m.
she could be terminated.
-3454 2:15 p.m.
...excuse me? -S
xxx-xxx-1654, Unknown Caller, 2:30 p.m.
from her job! what do you think I was implying?
-3454 2:35 p.m.
you could recruit her -S
xxx-xxx-1654, Unknown Caller, 2:40 p.m.
your plan is better. keep me regularly updated
xxx-xxx-1654, Unknown Caller, 2:41 p.m.
these messages will be wiped remotely
For the second time that day, Solas poured a small helping of whiskey into his coffee. He wasn't one to drink; in fact, he had the same flask of liquor in his drawer for over a year now, but today had been extraordinary.
Leliana and Solas had hatched a plan that he would keep an eye on the Dr. Ellana Lavellan. The Nightingale and Vivienne, long time friends, given their connections to Orlesian royalty (and on-and-off-again relationship), had been in closer touch than he had thought. He learned that although it was likely that Ellana would have been the top candidate for her position, Leliana had done her part to nudge Vivienne to choose the Dalish Scholar. He did not appreciate how the spy mistress had kept the plan from him. What game was she playing?
Proposing that he and Dr. Lavellan plan an exhibition together would be an easy way for the Inquisition, the elite spy agency that Leliana may or may not oversee (it couldn't be confirmed, of course, that such a division existed, or that Leliana would have any particular job), to keep closer tabs on her research.
It wasn't that he was worried about her additional writing publications of the same nature as Fade Objects. He had seen to that. He was more concerned that, after skimming the book one more time, that she was wholly ignorant of the power of her magic. Although very little of the text addressed her magical process, her ability to describe artifacts in perfect detail hinted that she had remarkable focus and control.
To the uninitiated, Dr. Lavellan's abilities wouldn't necessarily be apparent. Magic wasn't as important as it once had been, and since the Circles had long been abandoned, there were very few with the knowledge enough to read the text and catch the nuance.
If, as Solas was more worried about, one of the Evanurius managed to read Fade Objects. It might cause them to kidnap the scholar, or worse, in pursuit of the orb. Solas at least had not been innocent, willfully or not, of their attention. Dr. Lavellan, however, was guiltless. Although Solas recognized that Dr. Lavellan was quite capable, he wanted to do his best to keep her from coming to harm.
Reflecting on their encounter that morning, he suspected that the task would be difficult. Replaying her anger over and over again was not joyful. He still felt a sense of chagrin after the confrontation. Although he respected the young scholar's anger, meeting her without any preparation prior had caught him off-guard.
He also didn't think he was off-base, thinking that if she were any other person, they would be going on a date later that week.
How does one design an art exhibition, anyway? He winced, realizing that he had minimal background in the arts, except for what he had absorbed from Mythal's ardent collecting habits and interest in Elvhen art and artifacts.
Admittedly, he was also an amateur painter, but that had been a hobby only. Nothing serious, but he enjoyed painting canvases when he had the time as a reprieve from the lab. Still, his subjects were simple, portraits, and wildlife. What did he know about science and art?
"Dagna!" he called out the door. "I need you to come take some notes!"
Yes, this was going to be an experiment, which Solas had never tried before.