crystal ||

[degenere]

FORM: Crystal
SENDER: Valentine Nicasus Maxence Mérovée Olivier de Foncé & Kostos Averesch
RECIPIENT: Everybody
WHAT: This is fine
WHEN: Shortly after this

Inquisition. [Very somber, very Orlesian.] Especially members of the Scouting Division. We must demand your attention. Our beloved Head of Scouting, Beleth Ashara, has been tragically and most temporarily laid low by an ill-founded and frankly poorly researched experiment. In these coming weeks, please, join us in offering sincere prayers to Andraste for Beleth’s healing and recovery.

But tragedy must not forestall the work of the Inquisition! Beleth Ashara, eternally professional and aware of the solemn charge of her most important position, has temporarily assigned the duties and tasks of leading the Scouting Division to me: Valentine Nicasus Maxence Mérovée Olivier de Foncé.

[A pause, to properly savor the announcement--and then, as a small but gracious afterthought, he goes on--] And to her other dear friend--or at least, I imagine they must be dear friends, as I am with Beleth, for who better to trust with important work and secrets of the Division than friends--her dear friend, Kostos Averesch. You cannot see his face, of course, but he is quite thrilled.

Don't. [ --misrepresent his expression, which is distinctly not thrilled? address him? talk anymore at all? All of the above, maybe. Also: ] It is very temporary. [ If the Maker has any mercy at all. ] If you acquire information of immediate, war-changing importance, direct it to the remaining division heads. If you have questions about your pay or routine responsibilities, direct them to--him.

[ The one with the long name. He refuses to learn it, or at least to admit he's learned it. ]

[Very helpfully:] Valentine Nicasus Maxence Mérovée Olivier de Foncé. Val. And if you acquire any letters of well-wishing for Beleth Ashara, or come across any woodland creatures that need taming, you might direct either to Averesch, who is followed around by a large raven and might, possibly, be able to speak with animals. And if you acquire any interesting gossip you might direct it to us both.

[ Unseen, and unheard, Kostos' head lowers into his hands in defeat. ]

Above all, do not worry, Inquisition! Do not worry, scouts! We are more than capable of handling all that is asked of us. And we are, of course, treating this temporary but quite important reassignment with all due solemnity. In the name of the Inquisition, and of Beleth Ashara.

Comments

[writteninblood]

Adalia, I don't know how you figure that it's not your first job to help fix it when you've poisoned someone with a grenade and you're the only one who could know the exact amounts of what went into it. But then, I also don't figure what a doctor has to do with it either, so.

[Don't mind his tone, he's actively freaking out at the moment. Beleth isn't Sorrel's only living family, but she is as dear to him as his own heartbeat, and so... He can only be so calm.]

So, if you've got an argument that's going to convince me that my twin sister's welfare isn't as urgent a concern as the disposition of thousand-year-old artifacts, I'd be really interested in hearing it. So go on. What is it that's so time-sensitive.

[thunderproof]

I didn't poison her, are you serious?

❰ excuse adalia for a second while she seethes. it's not as though she's unaware of how this is going to look, coming so closely on the heels of the phylactery announcement, but having it be put so brazenly into those exact words is not going to help her case, should she have to make one. ❱

Sorrel, I understand you're worried about your sister's welfare. I'm sorry my grenade didn't work as intended, and that its defect affected Beleth so adversely. But I am not a healer, and such work is not my expertise. I have a real job, and I intend to do it to the best of my ability. Time-sensitive or not, Elven Artifacts is my job, given to me by the Inquisition, and I'm going to damn well do it.

My friend Arohaerd has offered to assist me in looking into a concoction to provide Beleth clarity. Your sister is being cared for by the Inquisition, and is as safe as we can make her. The confusion will be temporary. In the meantime, I will be doing my job.

❰ fuck you very much, adalia out. ❱

[arlathvhen]

[ Whoa there. Beleth can’t exactly follow what they’re talking about, but she can understand tone. ]

Do not speak to my brother like that.

[ She’s not mad about the grenade—whatever, mistakes happen. But nobody (except her) gets to be a jerk to him. ]

[thunderproof]

❰ sry beleth she's ignoring u cuz ur confused and probably talking would just make that worse. also: ur brother started it by saying she poisoned u. ❱

[arlathvhen]

action/Crystal

[writteninblood]

[Sorrel's response is clearly audible though he's not actually speaking into the crystal]

Bel, no.

[Oh my gods no. No, no. Come here, you confused, angry cottonhead.]

You have to rest. Come on. Don't--don't yell at Adalia, she's just doing her job.