Post #2686495 in The Canticle of Fate, a roleplay on RPG

Dear Lord D’

Estella stopped short, aborting the progress of her quill across the page.

Lord D’A

No, that sounded too terse. She ran her right hand down her face. She knew a dozen different ways to address nobility by this point, but none of them seemed appropriate here.

Julien,

No. No, definitely not. She scratched her quill back over that one several times, until she couldn’t read it anymore. Maybe she should pass on adding a note to this official request for aid. Lady Marceline might not notice, right?

She sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping. No, that wouldn’t do either. She was the Inquisitor now—however silly she felt holding the title, she couldn’t do it that disservice. Frustrated, she crumpled the parchment page in her hands and threw it into the fireplace. Watching it curl and blacken gave her no satisfaction, but she did it anyway. Never did her situation seem stranger to her than when she remembered her time in Court. She was the opposite of qualified to be a diplomat, the opposite of qualified to be anything.

When a knock sounded at her door, she felt an immense sense of relief. “Come in,” she called.

It was Ser Séverine that entered, in her templar armor, appearing to be in a better mood than usual. She bowed briefly upon setting foot inside. "Inquisitor," she greeted, eyes glancing for a moment to Estella's desk. "The Viscountess sent a rider ahead. She'll be arriving shortly."

Her poor mood going up in smoke, Estella smiled. “Excellent! Shall we go meet her at the gate?” Any excuse not to write more letters would have been welcome, but Sophia’s arrival was actually a good one. Unhooking her cloak from its spot near her office door, Estella threw it over her shoulders, clasping the russet fabric over her shoulders and shrugging it forward.

She pulled her own office door open, tilting her head. “After you, Captain.”

Séverine led the way, and by the time they reached the gate, it was rather obvious that the word had gotten around, as a good number of Inquisition personnel, ranging from soldiers to servants to Chantry sisters, had gathered to wait alongside them. Sophia had built up for herself no small amount of popularity, especially among Free Marchers, who made up a good portion of the Inquisition's forces.

They did not need to wait long before the main gates swung open, a pair of Inquisition guards clearing the way for the small mounted company that rode through. Several Kirkwall guards rode in first, in steel plate armor and orange cloaks, followed by templars, one of which gave a salute to Séverine as he passed. She returned the gesture, placing a closed fist to her chest.

The Viscountess herself rode in the middle of the column, atop an impressive white destrier. She was just into her thirties now, but if the stress of ruling a city-state was getting to her, she certainly wasn't showing it. It was a rather mysterious skill of hers, that ability to appear fearless, completely in control. Her polished silver armor reflected the afternoon sunlight rather magnificently, and a heavy scarlet cloak, her family's color, draped down behind her.

"Lady Inquisitor," she said, smiling as she brought her horse around and dismounted before the target of her gaze. "Estella. It's good to see you."

“Viscountess,” Estella replied in kind, though for once the need to use a title didn’t automatically make her uncomfortable. Sophia’s presence was a poignant reminder of a much simpler time in her own life, one where she was just a mercenary girl, and the people like her were the ones who made the important decisions. It was strangely comforting—but Estella’s fears were not the kinds that could be assuaged so easily anymore.

“Likewise, Sophia.”

One of the Inquisition’s grooms approached to take Sophia’s horse, several more attending to the mounts of her company. “I hope the journey was a smooth one; we’ve rooms for everyone if you’d prefer to rest now. Otherwise, I’d love to hear about Kirkwall—over some tea, perhaps?” She folded her hands loosely behind her back; even the crowd wasn’t so daunting just now.

"Tea sounds wonderful." Her smile was redirected at Séverine beside Estella. "I'm glad to see you well, Knight-Captain."

"Viscountess." Séverine made a bow, one of utmost respect to Sophia.

A guard approached Sophia, lieutenant judging by his armor, and she turned to him. "You're dismissed, lieutenant. See to it that everyone gets some food in them. We're among friends here." The guard nodded and took his leave, as the grooms escorted the horses off towards the stables.

"The journey went well," she said to Estella, once they were walking back towards the keep. "We landed at Jader and rode along Lake Calenhad. The roads are coming along well. I'd feared the trip would become more difficult once we were in the mountains, but it wasn't so bad." She tugged at her cloak slightly, no doubt from the chill of the air, which was nearing winter quickly.

"This is a remarkable place you've found." Her eyes scanned the battlements, astutely surveying Skyhold's fortifications.

Not quite as remarkable as how they’d found it, Estella thought, but she didn’t say that out loud. A secret was a secret, after all, even if more than a few people were in on it by this point. “It… looks a lot more defensible than it did before,” she said instead. “It was a bit of a ruin when we got here, but for someplace so old, I guess it’s pretty impressive that it was standing at all.”

They reached the stairs to the inside of the castle, and Estella led Sophia up through the large, arched doorway and down the front hall. “This is, erm… well.” She gestured vaguely at the throne on the dais. It still daunted her that it was there. “Thankfully I don’t have to use it very much.”

Sophia scoffed, but it was gentle. "I'm sure you sit it just fine. I've heard only good things."

Her own office was off to one side. They ran into a servant on the way down the corridor—it was about then that Estella realized her own means of making tea were in her personal quarters and not her office. Lady Marceline’s etiquette lessons resurfaced in her mind, and she stopped. “Pardon, Kaye,” she said, earning the young man’s attention. “Could you send down to the kitchen for some tea?”

He snapped her a hasty salute that was absolutely not regulation, eyes darting nervously to Sophia. “Yes’m—er—Lady Inquisitor.” He darted away.

“Thank you!” Estella called after him, shaking her head. “Anyway… the office is this way.”

The fire kept it warm; Estella shed her cloak and replaced it on the hook, offering a hand out to take Sophia’s, too. “Feel free to make yourself comfortable. Most everyone who comes to see me stands. It’ll be nice to actually have a conversation without feeling like I should be standing, too.”

"Thank you." Sophia unclasped the heavy cloak and removed it from her shoulders, handing it to Estella. She made her way to a seat, peeling off her riding gloves as she went. Beside her, Séverine cleared her throat.

"If I may ask, Viscountess, how is Knight-Commander Cullen faring? Everything remaining calm?"

Sophia removed her sheathed sword and sank into a chair, resting the gloves in her lap. She nodded reassuringly. "He's well, and the city is more peaceful than ever. I'd not have left it for this long otherwise. There are always going to be those that disagree with the way things are now, but their voices are steadily growing quieter. Cullen asked me to commend you on the work you've done since leaving Kirkwall. I see that the Inquisition has also come to regard you highly."

"Thank you, Your Excellence. Please let the Knight-Commander know that my position here is temporary. I'll see the task to its conclusion, but I'd very much like to return to Kirkwall when the Inquisition is no longer needed."

She nodded again. "He assumed as much. We'll be glad to have you back."

Séverine saluted, both to Sophia and Estella. "I'll not take up any more of your time, then. We can speak more later, I hope." With that, the Knight-Captain took her leave, and Sophia looked to Estella, relaxing more visibly.

"I must admit, it's a different atmosphere here from what I expected. Many speak of the Inquisition like an army, but I didn't get that sense. There's more passion here, more to be bonded by. You've come through a great deal together."

Well, the last was certainly true. “I still think it was a dream, sometimes,” Estella confessed, sighing. “A nightmare—the Haven part, anyway. I grew up around more magic than most people will ever see in a lifetime, and still… I would have never thought something like that was possible.”

Something like Corypheus. Like the lyrium dragon and the red templars. Like the rifts and the Breach and being one of only two people who had the ability to really deal with that. Like leading anything bigger than a party of a few mercenaries on routine jobs.

But thinking about it like that generally didn’t help her attitude about it, so she tried not to. “I… don’t really think of us as an army. I mean, I suppose we have the numbers for it, and the talent, but… most of the time I’m in my office doing paperwork or trying to write letters to important people, and the troops are training or surveying. Aside from Haven, there haven’t really even been any battles, in the usual sense.”

Come to think of it, she’d still been in more battles, properly construed, in Kirkwall than here.

"Well, if Haven is any indication, there are more to come. And for the official portion of my visit, I wanted to let you know that Kirkwall will offer any aid we can to the Inquisition. I'll have something in writing for Lady Marceline soon, but I thought I'd speak to you personally first. I'd have made the offer sooner, but Kirkwall's position has been understandably tenuous lately. We're finally getting our feet under us again."

Estella had expected something of the kind—she hadn’t thought Sophia was visiting purely for social purposes. There was far too much going on for that, and the journey was far too long. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t appreciate it. “That’s reassuring to know,” she said with a small smile. “I have a very high opinion of Kirkwall’s capabilities, after all.” And Sophia’s, of course.

Indeed, that seemed to conclude the official business, and Sophia rested back in the chair slightly, exhaling. "So, how've you been? I understand the position of leadership came somewhat unexpectedly to you." The look in her eyes seemed to imply that she knew that would be difficult for Estella, or at the very least not come naturally.

"If my own experience can be of any use, I'd be glad to help."

Estella paused; the tea had arrived, and she didn’t really want to talk about this particular matter with other people around. She would have preferred to be plainly honest about her insecurities—hiding them felt too much like lying, and she abhorred that. But… more than one person had made the case to her—in one way or another—that sometimes what she could appear to be was more important than what she really was. The Inquisition needed her to be stronger than she was. More than she was.

So she would try.

“Thank you, Anna,” she said mildly, and the serving-girl nodded, seeing herself out with a polite bow.

Estella took up the cup that had been filled for her and stirred some sugar into it, frowning thoughtfully. Tapping the spoon on the ceramic edge, she set it back down on the saucer and raised the cup itself to her lips, easing back slightly into her chair.

“It’s strange,” she said. “I never asked for this. I don’t imagine many people would, but…” She knew enough to know that she feared having any kind of power over people or events, probably more than most people would. She’d certainly never been ambitious in that way.

“It’s daunting, knowing that some decision of mine could kill people. Will, someday.” That much was clear. No war was fought without losses, and—army or not—they were at war. “And trying to manage public opinion on top of all of that… I don’t understand how anyone does it. I feel like I’m just… pretending, hoping I’ve got everyone fooled long enough to figure it out. But that part doesn’t seem any closer than it did at the beginning.”

Sophia tended to her own tea as Estella explained, her words clearly stirring thought. After a long drink she set the cup back down. "I think you will figure it out, for what it's worth. Those who ask for thrones are rarely fit to sit on them, in my opinion. I think the most important part is that you never backed down from the challenge, even if you doubted yourself. You can see the necessity of your position, and your efforts." She said the last words somewhat gravely, her eyes faltering for the briefest of moments.

"I let doubt overcome me for a time, and another was allowed to rule because of it. Someone who desired to rule. Many people died because of that. I don't think my hesitation was the sole cause of that, but it certainly contributed. So personally, I think you've already shown admirable qualities in a leader."

Sophia smiled softly, tilting her head a little to the side. "I saw you learn a great deal in Kirkwall. Even if it takes time, I know you'll continue to learn here. And in the meantime... I don't think you need to pretend for the people here. They've been with you long enough to know who you are. To know that you weren't born into this. They know that you're a soldier, who fights with them, and bleeds with them, and shares in both their victories and defeats.” She paused, as though giving one last appraisal. “Mm, I think you’ll be fine. You will continue to be fine.”

Estella considered that for a while, then nodded slowly. “Thank you. I hope you’re right.” Pushing out a breath she’d held for too long, she managed a smile. “It certainly hasn’t been all bad. I’ve met a lot of interesting people, and it does feel like we’re doing some good.”

"I've heard about some of these interesting people," Sophia responded somewhat wryly. "One in particular became quite famous with his claims. The Blood of Andraste, this Tevinter man Romulus." The way she said it carried her skepticism, but there was interest there as well. Sophia was a devout woman, and private in her faith, two things that were well known to most.

"I should like to speak with him myself, but I'm curious what you think. If he is what he says he is. Such a thing would be remarkable."

“I’m not sure they’re actually his claims, as such,” Estella replied. Romulus seemed to be less-than-completely sure on the whole thing, which she thought was a temperate and wise position to take when dealing with something so tremendous. “Or at least, the person claiming most openly isn’t him. Apparently there might be some way of proving it soon, but…” She paused.

Estella’s own faith had wavered—and continued to waver. Oddly enough, becoming a Herald of Andraste had weakened rather than strengthened it. But she still believed that Andraste had existed, if not as the Bride of the Maker than at least as a flesh and blood human. A mage, though she didn’t make a habit of pointing that out in southern company. Still, the historical records were there—and they included that she’d had children, at least one of whom had all but disappeared after the smoke cleared on her pyre. So to speak.

“I’m certainly no expert on divinity,” she continued at last, shaking her head. “But I don’t deny that it’s possible. It would explain a few things, at least.” Things that currently lacked an alternative explanation, at that.

"Hm." Sophia pondered that for a moment. "I'm actually glad to hear that he's reserved about it. For much the same reason it's good for one not to covet a throne." She smiled then, sitting up straighter. "Thank you for the welcome, Estella. I'm happy the Inquisition is in the hands of friends, and good people."

Snippet #2686495

located in Thedas, a part of The Canticle of Fate, one of the many universes on RPG.

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