crystal.

[elegiaque]

FORM: Crystal!
SENDER: Gwenaëlle Baudin.
RECIPIENT: Anyone with a crystal.
WHAT: Summary of content.
WHEN: Currentish.
WHERE: She's in Halamshiral; wherever you all are.
NOTES: Optional side quest. Also I know the difference between Kirkwall and Halamshiral and didn't edit her misspeaking a day later. You don't know.

This is Gwenaëlle Baudin. I need to make a brief trip from Halamshiral to an estate in the Dales, and given what happened the last time I took that road—

( understandably tersely, for those who do know what it was that happened, )

—I would prefer to do it with several able warriors. I've some other contacts I can reach out to closer to hand if no one is available, but I'm not in a great rush to do it, so if anyone is bored of the unrest in Kirkwall and would like to make a bit of coin on the side while touring some different, exciting unrest in what I assume will be remembered as the last days of Orlais before it was overrun by Corypheus, do be in touch.

Do not bother responding if you can't bring yourself to refrain from embarrassing the Inquisition in the High Quarter.

Comments

[esquive]

I know the road. Or ones like it.

[Simple enough: a rare, honest truth.]

[elegiaque]

I'm to understand the particular problem that plagued isn't any longer an issue,

( "they are all fucking dead", and she'd thought it would make her feel better, but it hadn't and she's stopped waiting for it to, )

but since I wasn't actually born yesterday I'm inclined to assume that neither were any opportunistic bandits in the meanwhile. I'd need you to join me in Halamshiral at your earliest convenience.

[esquive]

[These days - or in very recent ones - there's enough and varied kinds of trouble that might wait on a road into the Dales that he very nearly asks her to specify. But it's not really important, so instead:]

Easily done. Would there be a horse for me or am I meant to bring one with me?

[Details of a more practical kind.]

[elegiaque]

A horse can be provided for you from Halamshiral if you've not got one, certainly. What was your name?

[esquive]

Ricart, mademoiselle. If you saw any of the tourney, I fought with Ser Coupe.

[Ignore the part where they didn't win.]

[elegiaque]

I missed the melee, but that's—

( is coupe going to fucking appear out of no where to hear her say this )

—quite the recommendation for your services.

( DID SHE GET AWAY WITH IT )

[esquive]

[It was a match made of convenience, he's certain. A matter of rounding the right corner at the right time and he just happened to know how to hold a sword. But whatever. Sounds good.]

Yes, mademoiselle.

[elegiaque]

Better if you'd actually won, but we can't all be six foot ridiculous rifter elves with no concept of giving up.

( she's quite fond of iorveth. )

[esquive]

Not for sport anyway.

[elegiaque]

Not that the tourney is entirely sporting.

In any event; I expect it to be roughly a week and you'll be joined by Maharani Lakshmi Bai, ( no one offers her an easy out with their name and doesn't hear the full thing repeatedly, ) and Nell Voss. The pay is, I presume, more than adequate:

( if he asked for the sum she names of most people, he'd be laughed at. )

[esquive]

[Is there any point to hiding how bewildered the number leaves him? Apparently not; it must be obvious in his voice:]

Fair enough.

[If there's a short list of details not to question, that one sits at the top. Obviously. But--and oh, he's regretting just the taste on his tongue--]

Is there no able body at Halamshiral to hire for such a price?

[elegiaque]

Plenty. Would you like the noble answer or the mercenary one for my preferences? Both are true enough.

[esquive]

Why not both then.

[She seems to like talking. No harm in indulging the habit.]

[elegiaque]

The Inquisition offers essential, essentially thankless work for unremarkable pay and where occasionally competence appears it should be rewarded. This shouldn't be difficult work and it shouldn't interfere with doing any of that.

I don't have time or the resources to vet whatever hands I can acquire here for ties to houses with an interest in my lord's misfortunes. Kirkwall is far and short notice to insert anyone into my retinue to that purpose.

( and: the more money she spends now, the less celene gets her bloodstained hands on. but given where she is currently, even she thinks twice before openly saying so. )

[esquive]

[Well isn't that all sensible. Or a familiar enough breed of skepticism and paranoia-- caution that it holds enough water to satisfy his curiosity.]

Of course, mademoiselle. Then consider it practically done already. I'll see to the other two and meet you as soon as the way allows for.

[elegiaque]

Then I will expect you in Halamshiral. You will present yourselves at the Vauquelin townhouse in the High Quarter.