Accidentally Public

[mythalenaste]

FORM: Sending Crystal
SENDER: Pel
RECIPIENT: EVERYONE (accidentally; intended for Varric)
WHAT: Varric hired Pel to give him opinions on his new chapters. She delivers.
WHEN: The day after the funeral
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: Spoilers for the next chapter of Swords and Shields

Varric, this is really silly.

First off, the knight-captain can't just escape this complex web you've spun because something even more sinister killed everyone else.

Second, she can't be pregnant. Her lover is a woman. And don't say it's blood magic. You only get to use the blood magic excuse once a serial.

Maybe you should keep writing the next Hard in Hightown?

Comments

[kremdelacreme]

_{[Thus far he's just been listening to all the chatter and keeping his laughter muffled, but he knows that tone. That sudden 'oh shit'.]}

Please don't scrap anything those were really good ideas.

_{[whispered so nobody can tell it's him. Nobody can ever know he reads this tripe. Nobody.]}

[hugeinorlais]

[Was that a whisper of vindication?]

What's that? Do I hear someone with a positive outlook on this story?

[And, to Pel, albeit really messily as this is a group conversation:]

I told you it was a more satisfying conclusion with all the murders!

[mythalenaste]

If you want to end it with all the murders, go straight ahead. You're the one with the reputation at stake. Just tell me why it's more satisfying than making sense.

[kremdelacreme]

What if it was a momentary tryst while she was away from her lover, for her to have gotten pregnant?

_{[Sorry he's getting a little excited now.]}

If her lover goes to get her, could she have help? Maybe hired someone discreet, maybe as a guide or extra muscle. That way she can still go in, have the daring rescue! More realistic, and maybe she can still get sick. Just...not everywhere. And the murders, keep most of them. More climactic that way.

_{[So glad he's in his quarters at the moment, nobody can see the big dumb grin.]}

[hugeinorlais]

[Too many people talking over each other. Pel was right, the murders were terrible and shoddy, but the new ideas from the voice of vindication weren't too bad. Varric waits for everyone to quiet and considers it.]

What about a love triangle?

[Ugh, no. Too overdone.]

No, strike that, what if we add a mercenary earlier on and set up a three way relationship? Could be they lover goes back for him after the Guard--wait why am I still talking about this?

Everyone can hear this.

[Varric huffs.]

You, Talky, write your ideas down and drop them in my mail. Pel...fine, we can lose the murders.

[mythalenaste]

You don't need to add anyone, you can use--

Shit. Varric, I'm not supposed to move around much, I was punched in the chest. Could you meet me in the--it's not a barracks, just that wide room where a lot of us have set up cots?

[hugeinorlais]

You were what? [He'd spent the evening getting absolutely drunk in his room. What had he missed?]

Shit, you do know you don't have to work while you're recovering from...well, anything, right? How did you even--Who would punch you?

[Okay, it doesn't matter, all these questions were things he could ask when they weren't being listened in on by, apparently, all of Skyhold and southern Thedas.]

Don't answer that, I'll be there in a minute and you can tell me everything. Now let's finally stop chattering about my romance novels before the Seeker really does clap one of us in irons for distracting the officers.

[mythalenaste]

I'm not hurt. [There's a tone in her voice like that of a person grown weary of dealing with dramatic people overreacting to things like getting punched in the chest.] I can work, I just have to lie still for a day or so.

[kremdelacreme]

_{[And now it's obvious who it is as he raises his voice.]}

Who punched you and can I reduce him to pulp?

[mythalenaste]

...Krem, I'm not hurt. I'm just in pain. Nothing broken or anything. Anyway it's been taken care of.

[kremdelacreme]

You did just hear what you said, right? Because that sounds like the literal definition of having been hurt. It doesn't matter if nothing's broken, especially regarding a hit to the chest.

_{[Gonna fiddle with his crystal a moment, then cut off the group communication so it's private, instead.]}

Told you I'd be there to help...

[mythalenaste]

Wasn't a closed fist, it was the heel of her hand. The healer said it'll be fine in a day or two.

[She hesitates at that last, feeling guilty now.]

I'm a mage. I guess that's as bad as being an elf. There's a lot of danger to being an elf and a mage and you can't protect me from all of it.

[kremdelacreme]

I know, but it won't stop me from worrying. No matter how capable I know you are it's still a massive risk sometimes.

[mythalenaste]

If I tried to defend myself in the way I am capable, I'd be arrested.

[kremdelacreme]

They can arrest people for throwing barriers up now?

_{[Ire. Lots of it, none directed at Pel.]}

[mythalenaste]

A barrier doesn't make anyone invincible, Krem. Anyone determined can break one pretty quickly.

[kremdelacreme]

It still gives you time to get the hell out. A few seconds are really all you need, unless you've been grabbed.

[mythalenaste]

You're thinking of battle, where anyone who approaches you is going to try to kill you. This isn't battle. Friends and foes all look the same. By the time I know someone's going to attack, they're probably already too close. A good mind blast will do the trick bett--

Look, I was up against a templar. Magic wasn't really going to do anything but make things worse, whatever I used. Any time I use magic against a non-mage, it will be considered a disproportionate force. Because it is.

[bunko]

[Loudly and with authoritative passion:]

Hexagon.

[offortune]

[ Right on the heels of hexagon as if they are next to each other, another voice, deeper but just as certain: ]

Sevagon.

[bunko]

--Oh, at least.

[el_tybs]

[For the longest time Sam just stares at the stone. For the life of him he cannot figure how to just turn it off, but by this point he's somewhat invested.]

Though I don't have the faintest idea on what is going on... you know the three of you sound really great talking to one another. Have you thought about doing reading together?

[hugeinorlais]

A dramatic reading? Of Swords and Shields?

[Oh...that's an interesting idea.]

[el_tybs]

I don't see why not. There is obviously a captivated audience here hanging on ever word.

[A chuckle.]

Though perhaps a different crystal system so that we aren't broadcasting on the ones needed for super serious announcements?

[mythalenaste]

But then we wouldn't reach our agents abroad. Unless we sent them new stones somehow.

I like the idea, but maybe not Swords and Shields. I don't think I could play both the knight-captain and her lover.