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[fleurdesel]

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Adelaide

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[mythalenaste]

Really? After a thousand years living like that, I'm surprised something like the Chantry's destruction didn't happen sooner. Doubling down would only make someone else more likely to pop.

[fleurdesel]

Have you ever been effected by a Templar's power? It is...unpleasant. The threat of it alone is more than enough to earn compliance.

[mythalenaste]

It's that bad? What's it like?

[fleurdesel]

Have you ever exhausted your stores of mana before? Overspent yourself? That- but in an instant, and you are cold and hollow and all the color is leeched from the world.

[mythalenaste]

[There's an unnerved silence.]

The only time I've spent my mana like that was when my Keeper made me do it in practice once so I'd know my limits. She always said never to do it again, that I must always have a little at least in reserve in case something unexpected happens. To face someone with a sword who can take all of it away and leave you helpless...

[Deep breaths. Shit, that's terrifying.]

[fleurdesel]

For all our spells and skills, they can wipe it away with their will and cut us down. For all their plate and their swords we can destroy them with a thought and a word. To them we are dangerous, ripe for possession, and even though there are good men, kind women, those that mean well and mean to protect us from ourselves and their brethren they are far too few. Likewise we resent them for it, for their constant presence, their preaching, those of us they take away forever in the name of safety. Even with those like Vivienne, like Daylen that respect them for their work and mind them- too many of us are made to be afraid. Too many of us learned to hate them.

[ She gives Pel a moment to absorb that, perhaps more than a moment. ]

Do you understand the tension now?

[mythalenaste]

It's exactly why the Dalish don't move into the alienages. It's against everything I believe.

But there needs to be a gesture. Maybe it needs to come from mages. But it definitely shouldn't be me who thinks of it. Maybe this training group will be a beginning.

[fleurdesel]

That I have been...working at. Somewhat. Taking tea with the Knight Commander is not much- but doing so publicly as a show of goodwill? When we both have the time I have attempted to do so. I think the more of us that make the effort to be civil, to be cooperative in the interest of what is best for the Inquisition rather than just the mages or the templars, the better things may become.

Dorian's initiative with Knight Captain Maria will help a great deal if it does not end in blood.

[mythalenaste]

I can't think of two better people to lead it. And I'm glad to have you on the Council. You've given this orally trained savage as much respect as you give anyone.

[fleurdesel]

Is there a particular reason why I would not? Savage, noble, circle, apostate- none of that matters here. What matters is what needs to be done and how we see it through. Anything more is irrelevant.

[mythalenaste]

I have noticed mages being more accepting of elves than other people. How much does that matter, in the Circle?

[fleurdesel]

That depends upon the mage, but to me? Precious little. My most skilled mentors and students were elves, aside from being slightly more distracting by dint of being stupidly pretty and aware of it; they were no more or less than anyone else in the Spire. Some of the templars came down harder on them for their own reasons, something about a natural affinity for the Fade and spirits.

[mythalenaste]

They think elves are better at magic?

[fleurdesel]

As all of those templars in particular are dead, I do not think we will ever know.

[mythalenaste]

It's foolish. I have very little affinity with spirits.

[As for the Fade, she doesn't say. She's...having weird ideas.]

Granted, I haven't had much use for them, either. But I'm certainly no medium.

[fleurdesel]

Most prejudices tend to be.

[ That is simply how they worked. ]

It is less being a medium and more their skill in the Spirit school of magic. One does not need to be able to speak to them to do well in that- though human and elf alike were watched carefully when studying that with any great intent.

[mythalenaste]

The only time I had use for spirits was when I was too young to deal with them. Hard work does the job in most cases. Magic just fills in gaps where it can, and we go without where it can't.

[fleurdesel]

...when did your magic manifest?

[mythalenaste]

Before I can remember. I think I was a year old.

[fleurdesel]

...That is- [ Bullshit. That's impossible. Magic does not simply manifest that young. ] ...unprecedented.

[mythalenaste]

That you know of.

[fleurdesel]

The youngest manifestation recorded in the Spire was a child of six. It simply does not happen so young. Not without some manner of traumatic and violent stimuli which I doubt is the case here.

[mythalenaste]

I couldn't tell you if there was, or why it happened that way. But it's the reason I was sent away from my clan. Please don't call me a liar again.

[fleurdesel]

I said it was unprecedented. I did not say you were a liar.

[mythalenaste]

[She relaxes a bit.]

Some families lose their hair early, or have childbirth that comes too soon. Maybe my family's mages trend toward the premature as well. I don't know, myself. I've only ever met my parents for two days out of every ten years, and we don't much talk about the thing that made them give me away.