"One must always forgive another's passion."
South of Broad ~ Pat Conroy
Evelyn sat behind her desk across from her spymaster, who was sorting through a small pile of reports and newly arrived correspondence.
"What would be the repercussions if we sent a team to rescue our agent?"
"The message stated that she could maintain her cover for a bit longer, but not much more. Maybe one or two more days. I know that she probably wants to leave undetected, otherwise it would compromise the mission and, possibly, other agents."
"Then let's go with the option of creating a diversion." Evelyn rested her chin over her clasped hands. "A distraction— to give her an opportunity to escape."
"I like that much more," the spymaster concurred, pulling out another note from her pile. "Too much effort has gone into gathering the information."
"And once she's back safely…"
Leliana looked up at her quizzically.
"I'd like to meet her. We give all sorts of commendations and medals to the guards and soldiers, hold formal ceremonies—yet, the agents who accomplish so much, face danger constantly... they're unsung heroes," she pointed out.
Leliana grinned.
"We rely on anonymity, but your recognition will be deeply appreciated."
She raised the note she'd earmarked to Evelyn's eye level.
"Sera regrets she will not be going to Halamshiral." She slid the note across the desk. "She wrote this to inform me that she has to stay behind to assist a scullery maid who suffered an injury earlier this week."
"I'm not going to force the issue," Evelyn sighed.
"It's a shame," Leliana continued spryly. "I know you were counting on causing quite the 'frisson' at court. Imagine a mage Inquisitor, accompanied by a Qunari—"
"Bull dropped out early! Decided the Chargers needed him in their next mission—which they haven't even been given yet," she grumbled.
"An elf—"
"Either one would have been welcome. Neither one wants to attend," she shrugged.
"And a Tevinter—"
"Thankfully, Dorian's still going. He told me, 'The desire to vex the Royan court is stronger than any instinct of self-preservation.'"
"He'll fit in more than he knows…" Leliana remarked cannily. "Look carefully: the note has a complete drawing of the maid's mishap," she added with a hint of mischief in her eyes, pointing to the bottom of the hastily scribbled note.
A crude drawing of a hand with an abnormally large middle finger dominated the lower half of the page. An arrow labeled "Injury" pointed at it. Evelyn shook her head and snorted, passing the note back to Leliana.
"Do you keep all of these?"
"I do...Someday they may make sense." She tucked it among her papers.
"One more invitation…" Evelyn slumped back in her chair. "Do you think Vivienne…?"
"She is away on personal business—the Duke has taken a turn for the worse recently— but I don't think she would be a wise choice, given her connection to the empress and the Council of Heralds. The court may bristle at the impression Vivienne helped pen a skewed political agenda—"
"Ironically, I do have a political agenda…" Evelyn smirked.
"No need to flaunt it, though." Leliana slipped the messages into a larger folder. "Especially since we don't want to tip off any Venatori operatives as to our intentions before then…"
"The tailor is going to be livid...All these changes to our guest roster."
"There are still two weeks, though. Who is going so far?"
"You, me, Cullen, Josephine, Varric, Dorian…Why don't we ask Cassandra?"
"She was planning on being on the ground with our troops, just in case."
"Cullen can delegate the task to someone else—I'd rather she were inside, keeping a trained eye on any suspicious activity."
"She's not going to be happy…"
"Ask her to report to the tailor today so he can take her measurements. As Sera would say, 'We're going to be all matchy-matchy!' " Evelyn teased.
"I'm just intrigued that you are having me do the dirty deed…" she shot her a reproachful but amused look.
"I like to abuse my powers once in a while." Evelyn chuckled, taking a sip of her already cold tea.
Leliana smiled slyly as she reached down into the diplomatic courier satchel on the ground, by the chair.
"There is also one more thing." She pulled out a thick velvet pouch. "This arrived for Josie earlier this morning. She wanted you to have it right away." Along with the pouch, she handed Evelyn a note in heavy cream-colored stationery.
"Ambassador Montilyet,
It is rare to hear of those in Orlais treating spirits as anything other than beasts to kill, and rarer still for anyone to care enough for one to help them. I have given the amulet to your people freely, in hopes that the Inquisition will continue this open-minded approach. We wish you luck in healing the sky, whose rifts have damaged the Fade even in Rivain.
Yours in peace,
Lady Annamaria of Dairsmuid"
Evelyn's eyes peered back in surprise at Leliana.
"She did it!"
She quickly rose from behind the desk.
"Can we continue this later?" she asked apologetically.
Leliana folded her hands over her lap with an expression of satisfaction.
"We're all done for now. I saved the amulet for last; I knew you'd want to be out the door the second I gave you this…"
Evelyn scanned the room for her boots while buttoning up her collar.
"You are most definitely worthy of your title, dear spymaster!"
A/N: I took a little freedom with the note that is provided in game. The text actually reads, "We wish you luck in healing the sky, whose rifts have damaged the Fade even here in Rivain." I remember the mission to find the amulet could be undertaken on the War Table on the Ferelden side, so that might have confused me (among many, many other things...*sigh*)...and I decided Rivain is just too darn far away and we have lots of stuff to do!...