i wake up and my arms are wings, my heart a feathered, hopeful thing.

[elegiaque]

FORM: A published work, and a letter.
SENDER: Gwenaëlle Vauquelin
RECIPIENT: Character(s) Anyone who purchases a copy; Gregoire Leblanc.
WHAT: On the Inquisition: A Lady's Observations, by Lady Gwenaëlle Vauquelin, part three. A gossipy letter home.
WHEN: Mid-Solace.
WHERE: You know, around.
NOTES:

• Previously.
  
• The first draft of this seen by the advisors contained some sidelong references to Halamshiral and oblique criticism of Empress Celene; regardless of whether or not they objected to this, if those references survived the first vetting, they were ruthlessly cut from the eventual publication by her editors. This may be why it took longer to be released this month, and totally not because this week has been a write-off and I forgot.
  
• Look, the Dalish, she wrote something nice about one of you, everybody get off her back. There are still no references to Grey Wardens.
  
• As mentioned in threads, the pamphlets this is published in all have a sketch of the author as well as the title listed above.

Having previously highlighted the work being done by former Templars through contributions to her work made by Knight Commander Norrington, in the interests of fairness part three of her work discusses what she refers to as the Inquisition's council of apostate mages. The presentation is positive and respectful - for instance dwelling for a time on the work done to house the refugees that flock to Skyhold, how the mages have coordinated with other groups in order to improve that situation - but it's also not accidental that she refers to them collectively as apostates before naming the councilors that serve and the projects that they're involved in, or that she discusses each of those councilors with a deliberate even-handedness as they are, obviously, all equals now. In terms of singular stand-outs among the mages of Skyhold, she takes the opportunity to briefly praise Morrigan for her dedicated independent research, a credit to the position of arcane advisor and a great loss for the Imperial Court.

Which is a neat segue into some discussion of the Orlesian civil war, which (by the time of publication) do not contain any overt or subtle biases to favour one side of the other but emphasize the importance of the Inquisition's work toward still having an Orlais to fight over at all, the Inquisition's support of Orlesian stability and some sanitized details of what was done to protect and empower Emprise du Lion in the fight against Corypheus and his manipulations.



G,

If Vivienne has me killed please do something very dramatic and embarrassing. I know some mercenaries who like me very well and would probably help.

Love,
G.

Comments

sending crystal;

[arcaneadvisor]

[A pity that the sending crystal only allows Gwen to hear her but Morrigan's smirk can be heard when she speaks, and the young lady is more than familiar enough with it to know the sort of look on Morrigan's face presently.]

You have my thanks. [Let no one say she is incapable of gratitude and civility, after all.] I am flattered to find myself singled out in such a way given my reputation. [You know, as the usurper to the Court mage of Orlais position without playing the Game.]

I am certain that all upon the Council will be glad to hear themselves spoken of so fairly.

[You have wine for later, right Gwen?]

[elegiaque]

( a breath of a laugh-- )

You think so? I did so want to be fair.

( she is an awful brat, this creature, and audibly pleased with herself. what she's never really got the hang of in person, she is much better at in print; the only problem is that things written down have a tendency to follow you off the page, sooner or later, but -

a bit of boldness. it's a very small bit, she persuades herself. perhaps vivienne won't even notice or care. )

[arcaneadvisor]

Each member of the Council given equal treatment as befits their new place in the world.

[And the thing is, Morrigan has taken an interest; if Vivienne makes a move, there Morrigan will be. And does Gwenaelle not have an official sanction as it were, an approval from the advisors? Perhaps that should serve as a reminder too.

But then what is Vivienne without the Game compared to others who thrive without it?]

[elegiaque]

I wished, ( very thoughtfully, very mild, a hint of her sly humour showing through all the same, ) to be sure to show the appropriate respect.

( u lil shit.

...but it means the world to her to have Morrigan in her corner. would she be as brave without her? she's quite happy not to know, at least for now. )

[arcaneadvisor]

If one member of the Council felt slighted...I am sure the others might look at them in another light.

[Then again, Morrigan does spend an awful lot of time calling it their little Circle now, doesn't she?

She absolutely should not be encouraging this, she can imagine the looks she is being given by certain people but well, if she cared she would not be who she is. And this is exciting, and intriguing, watching a young woman grow into herself. More and more she finds herself looking forward to what the next of these bulletins will bring, their next talks. Fate or chance, whatever it was that prompted their meeting, she is most certainly glad of it.]

[elegiaque]

It'd be terribly unfortunate if that were to happen.

( yeah, you assholes. she is entirely too upbeat about the prospect of having set a cat among the pigeons there, especially considering she does have some familial loyalty for lady leblanc, but well.

it won't be boring. )