OOM: leaving Kirkwall. finally.

[seeking_truth]

There's much to be done between the declaration of intent and their actual departure. Leliana sends her messenger birds flying on swift wings to all corners of Thedas, carrying notifications and news, requests and orders.

(The Divine is notified first, of course, before any other birds are sent. Several scouts are dispatched as well, each by different routes, to confirm and to bring word back with minimal risk of a message being lost to blade or bow or spell-strike. It's only prudent, in these troubled times.)

After speaking with Aveline Vallen to ensure that the Guard-Captain is willing to accept her aid, Cassandra directs that one of the first messages be sent to Lord Seeker Lucius Corin in Dairsmuid, requesting that he detach her former apprentice Daniel to Kirkwall for a time. She is blunt about the matter of the Gallows - or, more particularly, that the red lyrium remaining in the Gallows represents a problem that warrants the Seekers' involvement.

(For one thing, the statue of Meredith Stannard cannot remain there forever.)

She consults with Cullen on the needs of his troops, both on the journey to Val Royeaux and in the field after, but leaves their leadership to him as they prepare for departure. It surprises her not at all that he manages that as capably as he does everything else. (She tries not to let him see her concern as he continues the slow and laborous process of withdrawing from the lyrium, and simply does her best to assist if her help is ever requested.)

(It isn't.)

Leliana brings word that Lord Seeker Lucius has agreed to Cassandra's request, and that Daniel will be arriving in Kirkwall within the month. She also reports that she has sent notice to Josephine Montilyet to meet them when they arrive Val Royeaux; the Inquisition will need an ambassador, and Josie is more than well-suited. Between the two of them, they agree that Leliana will go on ahead to make sure that all is in readiness when the ships arrive, while Cassandra will remain to oversee their departure.

A few weeks later, that is exactly where she is: on the docks, watching while Captain Harald commands his crew to load the ships. All else is in readiness, save for one final matter.

Comments

[howtoactfereldan]

It seems like it's been threatening to rain all morning. Kirkwall's final gift. The sooner Cullen can take it and run (and then set said gift on fire), the happier he'll be.

By a wall near their quay, Cullen sits on his trunk. Ci sits at his feet, watching passersby with what seems like regal disaffection. Cullen hasn't yet tried her on maps of Thedas -- that's going a little far, even for a mabari -- but she knows what Val Royeaux means, and she knows what it means when people say dog lord with that particular tone.

It's a rather ineffective insult, to Cullen's mind. But he was hoping he'd never actually have to use any of the Orlesian he learned in training.

(He was hoping more of his templars from Kirkwall would agree to join the Inquisition.)

The book with the Sword of Mercy on the cover is in his hands; it's unique enough that it's imprudent to let it out of his sight. But Cullen wants to be gone so badly that he might just open up the thing and start playing Die Hard at full volume to make everyone scatter.

[seeking_truth]

"Messire, is there an errand I could --"

"Seeker, I insist for the last time that you cannot leave! The Guard--"

Cassandra spears the demanding noble with a hard look, causing him to stumble back a step as he chokes on his own words. She bends to the urchin and gives her a quiet word and a coin, then walks away from the still-sputtering man without a backward glance as the young girl runs off in the direction of the market stalls.

"Maker's breath," she mutters, as she draws near Cullen. "I will be glad to see the last of this place, at least for a while."

[howtoactfereldan]

"After all our efforts to make you fall in love with the place," Cullen says, cutting his eyes in her direction.

Ci gives Cassandra a somewhat warmer response: four tail thumps and a brief grin. Cassandra carries treats and has been known to be profligate with them. Cassandra is in Ci's good books.

[seeking_truth]

"It has its unique charms," she says, dryly. "So to speak."

Cassandra reaches into the pouch at her belt and comes up with one of the treats that Ci seems to like so well.

"Here you are," she tells the mabari. "Please try not to inhale it?"

[howtoactfereldan]

If the treats were bigger, Ci would have to chew them. As such, inhaling is completely justified!

Still, to make Cassandra happy, Ci chews the treat. With her mouth open. Audibly.

"Think we'll manage to get off before nightfall?"

[seeking_truth]

"I am determined that we shall. Not alone, either; Captain Harald keeps railing about docking the crew's pay if we miss the tide."

A hint of what might be wry amusement tinges her words.

"They seemed suddenly inspired to work faster."

[howtoactfereldan]

"Strange how that works."

Cullen rubs the back of his neck briefly. No headache, today, but he's not thrilled at the idea of being belowdecks for the duration of a sea voyage.

"What's left on the task list? Anything?"

[seeking_truth]

"Waiting, for the most part, and dealing with importunate fools with last-minute demands."

She sniffs. Audibly.

"But there is one thing I wanted to talk with you about. If now is a good time?"

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen's feeling prickly enough that he might be tempted, just a little, to sass Cassandra.

However, having some sense of self preservation, he says, "Of course."

[seeking_truth]

"I received a message. Or, rather, you did. Indirectly," she explains.

Sort of.

"It came in a particular code, through one of Leliana's birds, and was confirmed through a scout's missive."



"Divine Justinia would like to meet you. Personally. When we reach Val Royeaux."

[howtoactfereldan]

That's enough to get Cullen to sit up, pay attention, and put any thoughts of how badly he wants to leave Kirkwall out of his head.

It's a moment before he replies; ultimately, he chooses to say carefully, "I was unaware that Divine Justinia took an interest in the quotidian details of military command."

[seeking_truth]

"She does not tend to interfere in them," Cassandra says. "But she takes a great interest in many things."

She glances sideways at him.

"Especially, at present, in the leaders of her Inquisition."

[howtoactfereldan]

He's that, he supposes.

It'll take some getting used to -- not least because while Cassandra has kept her promise to let him recruit and bring in his own people, she's also been managing... everything else. And then some. Perhaps he'll feel more authoritative when they have some idea of what they'll need from an army.

Without thinking about it Cullen rubs the back of his neck again. "All right. -- are you worried I won't behave myself?"

He also has not made any secret, with Cassandra, of how angry he is with the Chantry; if Cassandra thinks to warn him not to speak his mind with Divine Justinia, Cullen can understand that.

[seeking_truth]

Cassandra snorts.

"That has never been a concern."

She turns to face him, absently keeping one eye on the doings shipside while they talk.

"Cullen -- Maker knows, of the two of us, I am the one more likely to lose my temper and do something rash."

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen gives her a beady look.

"All right," is all he says.

He could point out any one of dozens of failures of the Chantry since he took his vows -- failures that resulted in great harm and loss of life. Cassandra knows that. Cullen doesn't need to say it.

[seeking_truth]

"Oh, for the love of -- don't be that way," she snaps, irritated.

"You know what I mean. And it is not as though Most Holy is not aware. And this is not why I came to tell you this in the first place."

[howtoactfereldan]

At their feet, Ci grumbles. Cullen places a hand on her neck.

"I don't know what you mean, Cassandra." Calmer. "I can't read your mind. Nor can I reliably anticipate your every move. Please say what you mean to say."

If she's got a weakness, Cullen thinks -- and it's a big if -- it's this: thinking too fast, assuming everyone follows the line of it, and then not providing enough detail for everyone else to follow through. Which then results in Cassandra snapping, when whoever she's speaking to doesn't respond the way she anticipates.

Hence, Cullen knows, his presence. It's a good trait for an investigator and an enforcer. It's a terrible trait in a military commander.

[seeking_truth]

She huffs out a breath.

"I have no doubts of your diplomacy. None. Just so that we are clear."

"I came to tell you this because the message was meant for you. I will not hide things from you. I also wanted ... wanted to ..."

Her words slow a little, as though she is trying to choose them carefully, and her voice becomes quieter, so that there is no chance of anyone else overhearing besides the three of them.

"... if you didn't. Want to, to ... meet Most Holy just yet, I thought you should ... should have that choice."

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen listens, brow first furrowing before his eyebrows lift in surprise.

"I -- appreciate it, Cassandra. Thank you. Both parts." After a (somewhat stunned) moment. "A leader should know her officers. Regardless of any feeling I might have -- that supersedes everything else."

[seeking_truth]

"Yes, well. You are not wrong about that. But it can be ... overwhelming, the first time."

A slightly rueful smile appears, for a moment.

"As I recall."

[howtoactfereldan]

"...if there's a story there," Cullen says, "you do realize you're now honor-bound to tell it immediately."

Ci barks, once, in agreement.

[seeking_truth]

Cassandra flushes, rather a lot.

"You must understand there were ... circumstances, at the time. Rather a lot of them. Given that I had just ... flown a wounded dragon into the high dragon that the traitors were controlling in their attempt to assassinate Divine Beatrix."

[howtoactfereldan]

"Don't feel the need to engineer a similar entrance on my account."

[seeking_truth]

She laughs aloud, clear and bright as sunlight on steel.



"Seeker Pentaghast?"

It's the young urchin again, approaching from across the dock.

"The captain there, 'e says to tell you and the Knight-Captain that if there's aught else y'need to finish, to do it now, because ship's bell will be sounding soon and it's time to board."

[howtoactfereldan]

"That's the best news I've had in years," Cullen announces to no one in particular. "Ci? Anything?"

Her tail thumps, she beams at the urchin, she remains seated.

"We're prepared."

[seeking_truth]

"Tell Captain Harald we'll be boarding now, and thank you," she says.

The urchin bobs her head in a nod and runs off. Cassandra turns to offer Cullen a hand up.

"Ready to leave this place behind us?"

[howtoactfereldan]

"Years ago," Cullen says, fervent, and takes her hand.

He can shoulder his trunk without a problem; the contents inside rattle, a little. Not much in there. He holds his book with the other. Ci trots at his side.

And when the ship pushes away, and makes its way out of the Kirkwall harbor, Cullen doesn't look back. Not once.