do you call yourself a fucking hurricane like me?

[elegiaque]

FORM: A published work, and a letter.
SENDER: Gwenaëlle Vauquelin
RECIPIENT: Anyone who purchases a copy; Martin Mercier.
WHAT: On the Inquisition: A Lady's Observations, by Lady Gwenaëlle Vauquelin, part five. A gossipy letter home.
WHEN: Mid-Kingsway.
WHERE: You know, around.
NOTES:

• Previously.
  
• This publication is always fronted by the title and a bust sketch of the author, making her easily recognisable around Skyhold to any characters who want to talk to her about it.
  
• There continue to be no references to the Grey Wardens.
  
  
  
  Circling back to subjects that she's repeatedly touched upon throughout the publication of this editorial and building on the previous edition's theme of ~understanding one another to better work together~, this month Gwenaëlle turns her attention to the concept of Thedosian unity in a broader sense than just what she's consistently praised the Inquisition for. With sincere thanks to Baroness Frédérique Durfort-Lacapalette (an eminent Orlesian scholar recently come to Skyhold) for bringing the works of Lord Alexander Luthor to her attention, and therefore providing a framework within which to discuss how the general lack of said Thedosian unity is in itself a weakness being exploited. Her criticisms of the Orlesian civil war in this context are framed as piously apolitical, not taking sides (nor, indeed, acknowledging them in any kind of detail beyond that 'two sides exist'; she doesn't even bother naming Celene or Gaspard specifically) but rather focusing on the immediate consequences of a divided Orlais. Namely, that in one of the darkest chapters of Thedosian history, one of its most glorious nations that obviously ought to be leading such efforts as the Inquisition makes cannot even unite itself sufficiently to offer better aid.
  
  Which is to say that there remains an authorial bias in terms of Orlesian nationalism even as she attempts to bring to a greater audience Luthor's arguments for a widespread perspective shift, but she is trying. She builds from this rather Orlais-oriented point to the broader one, that the harshly drawn lines between people present their own dangers when preventing the sort of cooperation that, as she has argued before, is essential to preventing the fall of Thedas, and that the borderlines of nations need not be erected quite so high within the minds of their people. Then, and only then, will they cease threatening the prospect of a future in the present with repeated mistakes of the past.
  
  
  
  M.M.,
  
  Did you know Jeannot and his stupid friend are here? de Fonce is a diplomatic disaster looking for somewhere to happen, presuming he survives his fellow members of the Inquisition long enough to go anywhere, which in fact I do not presume. Of course it is very good of Jeannot to lend his efforts and we are certainly not over-burdened by the Chantry but I am not sure at all that the efforts he is lending are those most needed. It troubles me.
  
  
  I hope you and your family are all well. I miss Orlais very much.
  
  Affectionately,
  Gigi

Comments

action, some time later.

[apologist]

[ He does not seek her out intentionally, because he is a gentle and patient soul, but the next time he sees her on the grounds--the next time after receiving a concerned letter from Martin, inquiring after his activities and is he still friends with that Valentine fellow etc. etc. etc.--he does stop, book in one hand and cane in the other, and fix her with a look that gently and patiently border on irritated. ]

Did you write to my brother?

action forever.

[elegiaque]

I write to lots of people, Jeannot Mercier.

( -- that is the voice of a woman who knows exactly what this is about, and is trying to haughty-nose her way out of it. specifically by continuing to walk pat him, as if she is simply above discussing this any further!!! actually!! )

[apologist]

[ He leans sideways, possibly further sideways than is advisable, cane braced outward, so as to block the entire corridor with his arm and shoulder and leaning torso. She could kick the cane, but he has some faith. At least that much faith. ]

And one of them is my brother?

[elegiaque]

( there's a moment where she's almost visibly contemplating whether or not she's that person.

she's not that person, but she thought about it. )

One of them might be your brother. I don't see how my correspondence is at all your affair.

[apologist]

He wrote to me.

[ He slides sideways so he is again upright, but not much less in her path. ]

And to my mother, undoubtedly.

[elegiaque]

Well,

( after an only very slight pause, )

that's very good of him, I'm sure. To take an interest in his family.

[apologist]

Of course.

Only I am deciding now whether I should write him back myself or allow Valentine to draft a response for me. [ Because one of them can lie without having to hold his hands over flames, is the point. It's an empty threat--Jehan knows it would be a sin either way--but.

For the moment. ]

In either case, is there anything you should like me to tell him? I don't know what he may have heard of your suitor, but I would be happy to pass along charming anecdotes to make the idea of a Marcher more palatable.

[action]

[slipshot]

[He was pretty good at faces, even if he was terrible at words, so it wasn't that surprising that he noticed when another publication came out that had the same face on it. The only reason he knew it was a different publication was that the words on the front were different - even though he gave up trying to actually gather any meaning from them.

The only other person whose face got put on books that he knew was Varric, so when he happened to spot Gwen, he immediately pointed at her with a surprised expression, and then walked straight over to her.]

You write books!

[As if he was not at all stating the obvious, and as if he had any context what-so-ever to say so.]

[elegiaque]

( what the fuck. )

--yes?

( that wasn't a question. either his announcement or her answer; she tries again a moment later, trying to seem a little less like a startled deer. she is not writing, currently, she's come outside for some clear air while she does her needlework, but - ) Yes, ( with a bit more confidence and a bit less alarm, straightening- ) I do.

...why?

[slipshot]

I saw your picture! It's very good - the likeness is excellent. [He seems completely oblivious to her surprise, smiling warmly at her. He steps over and sits down near - though not directly next - to her, glancing curiously at the needlework and then back up at her face.]

I kept seeing them around - I had not idea that the author was here. I'm Gavin, by the way. I'm a friend of Varric's, who also has his face on books. I wanted to ask- what are they about?

[elegiaque]

( what the ongoing fuck is happening. gwenaëlle is many things, but 'accustomed to elves casually being effusive at her' is not one of them, and mention of tethras pulls her brows together for a moment in an unavoidable frown.

what he thinks of her work, she can't even begin to imagine.

but. all that said -

as methods of approach go, complimenting her pictures and expressing interest in her work merit at least a bit of courtesy. )

I write about the Inquisition, ( after a very slight pause. ) It's supposed to help convince people to - help, I suppose.

[slipshot]

Oh, I had no idea! [He says it honestly - after all, Varric's work is hardly historical or propaganda, at least from what Gavin understands.]

So you're sort of a historian, then? Keeping track of what we're doing and letting the world know? That sounds - incredibly difficult.

[elegiaque]

Well -

( he's not wrong. a bit more ruefully than she might have intended, she finishes her sentence simply, ) Yes. I do a great deal of - I suppose I write a lot more than I publish. But one day it will all be important, I think. At the moment, it's -

( her lips purse as she both warms to her subject and is reminded of its innate frustrations; she could almost forget she's talking to some elf. )

It would be dangerous to publish too much of the. Living history. Anyone could read it. I don't imagine the Venatori are so interested in my thoughts, but -

[slipshot]

[His ears drooped a little as the thought ran through his mind and to its obvious conclusions.]

Ah. Yes. That would definitely... be a problem. But even if you can't publish it now, it is important to write it all down. I try to remember everything myself, but - an oral history, of this place, would be a lot harder to keep, I think.

What about the parts you don't see? Do you ask people?

note for gwen

[rowancrowned]

The tarty smith doubles as tarty diplomat.

[elegiaque]

( somehow, even her handwriting is prim; )

Lord Luthor is very accomplished.

[rowancrowned]

Terribly. What else can be do?

[elegiaque]

We aren't that well acquainted.

[rowancrowned]

Yet, I suspect.

[elegiaque]

What is so interesting to you about my acquaintances?

[rowancrowned]

That they are yours.

a note delivered somehow

[thetyrant]

I read your publication on the Inquisition, my lady. Quite insightful, and I'm glad of the glimpse into the political context of the world. I hoped I might trouble you with a question.

-Logan

[He knows better than to just ask, given how she rebuffed it last time.]

returned by a runner.

[elegiaque]

( smart man. context matters; where she'd decline to make herself too available to rifters generally, it's hard for gwenaëlle to pass up an opportunity to discuss her work, about which she is rather more passionate.

even if it is sometimes just frustrating propaganda. not this time, at least; for all that she is in large part literarily batting her lashes at certain individuals, she is rather proud of what she's produced this month. )

I hope to have an answer. Would you prefer to discuss it in person?

L.G.V.

[thetyrant]

Of course, if you're available.

-KL

[elegiaque]

I can be. There's a balcony not far from the library where I like to take my tea, sometimes; I'm sure one of the servants can direct you.

L.G.V.

( and there she will be - there is a bit of seating, and a low table, and fresh air. she's claimed a chaise, taking up more of it with her skirts than herself; sleek in silhouette, not in 'number of petticoats'. skyhold can be chilly. there is tea, and while she waits she works. )