"Have you heard the latest news, Dorian?"

Dorian glanced up from the documents he was reaching, bringing a hand up to scratch at the newly shaved sides of his head. He was still getting used to his hair being so short after so long of having it long, but he liked it. It was refreshing, a way to show that he was staring a new.
Maevaris had also been a great help, allowing him a safe place to stay whenever he visited, which he appreciated greatly. He didn't have much in the name of coin, but he was able to get by thanks to her and a few handfuls of acquaintances as well as distant relatives.
"That depends on the news, Maevaris," he mused while standing up from the chair. "Being on the move eludes me of most big news, but I do pick up on the smaller things. Did you know that Neromenian has been voted the town with the best apples?"

"Neromenian and apples?" Maevaris laughed, shaking her head some. "Oh dear, they really must be desperate for any sort of recognition after that last scandal with Magister Esamuel."

"Balls deep in another woman? Please, that is like a regular Tuesday for most Magisters, isn't it not?" Dorian smirked while Maevaris giggled.

"Depends on the Magister," she grinned before waving her hand at Dorian, stepping into the room. "But enough of that. No, what I meant was the latest unrest in Orlais."

"Do share," Dorian said while looking at his friend. "Is it any worse than what happened in Kirkwall?"

"It very well may be," Maevaris said, walking over to a nearby table and grasped a bottle of wine, uncorking it and filling two glasses with the red liquid.
"It is said that the elven population is rebelling and that the Empress of Orlais is involved in some rather interesting affairs."

"When isn't she?"

"Be nice," Maevaris scolded, but there was no malice in the words. She offered Dorian one of the glasses of wine, which he happily accepted.
"This is, apparently, more than just a juicy scandal, even by Orlesian standards. I do not know the details, but Halamshiral was the location of more than one battle. It seems that Celene and Gaspard may very well start their own private war against one another. Or so the rumours say."

Dorian hummed as he took a sip from the wine, savouring the rich flavour. "I am sure the Magisterium is all over those news," he said after a few seconds of silence.
"They have everything to gain from the fall of Orlais."

"Which makes it all the more important that Orlais do not fall into unrest. I am not sure Thedas is ready for that after the mess in Kirkwall. Makers breath, the south is still recovering from the fifth blight."

Dorian let out another hum in agreement as he took another sip, carefully shifting in his chair. "Do you think it will come to that, Maevaris?"

"Hopefully not," Maevaris said while moving around the chair Dorian was lounging in.
"Celene prefers to have her own battles in private, but Gaspard may very well raise his voice if he gathers enough support for his cause. Either way, it is… interesting to watch."

"Interesting, eh?" Dorian asked while smirking, the rim of his glass touching his bottom lip.

"I have other words I could use, but I prefer not to use them in civilised company," Maevaris smirked as she leaned at the back of Dorian's chair, one arm resting over the top of it, the other still holding onto her glass of wine.
"If anything, I have other things I find all the more… intriguing at the moment."

"Oh?" Dorian asked, not even bothering to look up to meet her gaze. He could hear the grin in her voice.
"Another lovely suitor fighting for your hand?"

Maevaris laughed and waved her hand. "Oh, please. You know I must beat off my suitors with a stick. Alas, none of them can compare to my darling Thorold."
Her eyes got a slightly sad look to them before she once again smiled. "No, I am more interested in your own escapades."

Dorian knew that Maevaris had gone through some hardships while he had been under a literal house-arrest, but he did not know the details. All he really knew is that when they had spoken when she had found him a year ago, is that she had a new resolve when it came to challenging Tevinter and their old-fashioned norm.
Still, despite his desire to let her change the subject away from her late husband, the question caught Dorian completely off-guard, making him almost choke on his own wine.
"P-pardon," he asked while wiping the droplets of wine off his face.

Maevaris just chuckled, her smirk widening on her face. "Oh, don't you pretend like you do not know what I am talking about, Dorian Pavus. Or am I to believe that my accountant keeps forgetting things in my estate every time you come over to visit me, just so he can return, hmm?"

Dorian was certain that his ears were burning with embarrassment by then, quickly taking a gulp from his wine in an attempt to calm himself.
Rilenius had been visiting an awful lot as of late and Dorian wasn't about to hide the fact that he was more than a little glad when he did.

Rilenius, despite his low status in Tevinter, was a bright man. Clever, funny and kind.
Heck, the only thing "wrong" with him was the fact that he was unable to cast magic, but to Dorian, that meant nothing. He knew better than most that magic wasn't everything.
No, Rilenius had more than one gift that made him better than most Magisters Dorian knew about and Dorian had to admit that he had a soft spot for the quaestor.

It was juts a shame that he could never allow himself to think about… more.
More was dangerous, even for a pariah such as himself.

"Dorian?"

Blinking his eyes, Dorian looked towards Maevaris as he realised he had just allowed himself to drift away.

"I… I apologize, Maevaris. What did you say?"

Maevaris just giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. "Oh Dorian… You really are precious," she murmured. "If only you could see…"

"See what?" Dorian asked, but Maevaris just kept on smiling, which in turn only added to the slowly rising colour on Dorian's cheeks.
"Fine, be that way. See if I care."

"Oh, but you do, Dorian. You do so much," Maevaris mused as she nipped on her wine.
"But fine, I shall stop my teasing. I do, however, have another question for you. One I hope you can answer."

"Ask it and we shall find out."

"Have you considered staying?"
Dorian rose an eyebrow, which in turn made Maevaris sigh. "Please, Dorian. Do not dodge the subject. You have been drifting from one end of the Imperium to the other for the better part of two years now."

"Then you should still know my reasons for drifting, Mae," Dorian merely said as he returned his attentions to the documents he had been reading earlier.
"I still have many things to figure out for myself."

"The answers you are searching for will only continue to elude you, should you continue this way. Sometimes, you need to remain in one place and face them," Maevaris said, holding a finger up as Dorian opened his mouth to protest.
"You know I am right, darling Dorian. You are not a coward by any means, but you are afraid and I don't blame you for being afraid."

Dorian slowly closed his mouth, eyes still on the document in his hand.
She was right and he did know it. Despite being more willing to look his current situation in his eyes, he still didn't feel comfortable remaining somewhere for too long. He was afraid of someone finding him, of chaining him back up, not because of what he said or did, but simply because of exciting.
He had joined Maevaris a few times, discussing Tevinter's politics and stances in public debates, and he was more than able to hold his ground.
It was the looks he couldn't take. That knowing look people sent him, knowing who he was, but not acknowledging it or worse, using his name as a subtle insult.

That was what he was afraid of.
Of being torn down, simply because of a name. A name where he had broken free of the chains that came with it, but afraid that they would simply come back, stronger than before. Even after his father's dismissal, the name was still lurking.
It would always be lurking, always call for him. Always trying to tempt him to take the "easy way out" in one way or another.

"I will think about it," Dorian ended up replying, sighing softly as he reached for his glass of wine. It was an answer he had given before, but it was the only honest answer he had.

"Make sure that you do," Maevaris replied, moving away from Dorian's chair so she could lay down on the sofa across of him. "You know I only want what's best for you."

Dorian grimaced at those words, but choose not to say anything about how… uncomfortable those words made him.
His father had once claimed the very same thing after all and that had left him nothing but pain and sorrow. He knew that Maevaris was not his father and genuinely wanted what was best for him, but he did not need another person claiming that "they knew what was best for him".

He wanted to find that out for himself.

Sensing Dorian's discomfort, Maevaris steered the topic to something more pleasant, not wanting her friend to get lost in his own dark thoughts. "Oh, I completely forgot! Did you hear the latest about Magister Mariana? Rumours in the Magisterium says that- "

Dorian allowed Maevaris talk, letting out appropriate hum and reactions at the appropriate times. He knew that Maevaris knew that he wasn't listening, but it allowed for a comfortable understanding to appear between them. She could talk and distract him, he would allow himself to be suitable distracted while still allowing himself a chance to breathe and to think.

"Madam?"
The soft voice of the elven servant Maevaris had employed broke the talk, making both mages look towards the owner of said voice.
"There is a letter to Master Pavus."

"A letter? To me? From whom," Dorian asked, setting both his wineglass and the documents he had been reading aside on the small table by his chair.

"It does not say. It was delivered via a messenger, Master Pavus," the servant said, bowing her head as she approached Dorian and offered him the letter.

Dorian took the letter from her with a soft thank you, looking the letter over before freezing when seeing the seal on the back.

"Dorian?" Maevaris voice cut through his shock, making him look towards her. Her face was one of worry, having sat up on the sofa. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes," Dorian replied, his voice slightly hoarse.
"Yes, I am fine. Just…"

"Yes?"

"This letter… It is from Alexius."