Messages - from Emprise du Lion

[the_effect_she_has]

FORM: Sending Crystals
SENDER: Emprise du Lion scouting party (various messages sent out)
RECIPIENT: To Commander Cullen, to the Magi Council, to friends and family
WHAT: Reports, personal messages, flirting, and general griping about SNOW WHY ALL THE SNOW.
WHEN: Covering the three weeks of Haring
WHERE: Emprise du Lion
NOTES: Mentions of violence, of physical torture, of death, and of course, complaining. Why snow why.

Further edit: Katniss's post is screwed up because I didn't realize sending crystals are only auditory. So, please if you will, Katniss is making weird noises in the background of her messages. If asked, she will describe what she is doing.

Comments

[perseverances]

Ahh, Katniss, good to hear from you.

[There's a small shuffling of papers, he's organizing reports and whatnot, and no, he definitely doesn't sound like he needs a nap. Well, maybe just a little bit.]

I had feared the Red Templar presence there, but the response I'm getting from you and other reports coming in from the scouting parties have me concerned. I must advise extreme caution when fighting them. While they were men at one point, unfortunately they are not now. I urge caution around them.

As for the dragons, well... I'm sure I don't need to tell you they can rend flesh from bone. Supplies are being prepared as we speak, and I'll make sure extra equipment is on the wagon.

[the_effect_she_has]

[Honestly, she could listen to this man read the Chant of Light and would still want to purr ... focus, Everdeen.]

Good to hear from you as well.

[She can hear the shuffling of papers, and since she couldn't sit idle while resting even if she tried - she picked up her knife and started to carve.]

I hear you, Commander. [There is a pause, while she gathers her thoughts, and then continues.] Merrick and I have been trying to avoid them as much as possible - and the mages and Lieutenant Aclassi are trying to keep to the village to keep up their 'merchant' cover. If they attack us, we'll take all due caution.

[A sigh.] Although my only two methods so far to kill them and make it look like an accident is an arrow dipped in poison, just nicking them on the skin -- or kicking them off a cliff. So any suggestions or weaknesses we can take advantage of? We'd be grateful for.

[There is a faint amused snort that passes her lips.] There's a cheerful thought - if we manage to avoid the red templars we still might get eaten by the flesh-rendering dragons. They never put that on the Inquisition recruiting material.

[She is tackling a particularly difficult corner, so she sounds distracted for a moment.] We'll send some of the herbs and stone we've been able to find back - along with some of the furs and the meat. If you could be as so kind as to ask your sister to make sure a portion of it gets to the refugees, Commander, I'd be grateful.

[Another pause, a thoughtful one, before she decides just to plunge in.] You sound tired.

[perseverances]

Weaknesses? Find the parts that are still human. [It sounds horrible, but sadly, it's the truth. It's the only way Cullen can think of that can help take down a Red Templar without having faced too many of them himself.

You can almost hear him smile as he says the next part.] There's never a dull moment in the Inquisition; didn't anyone tell you that when you joined?

Anything will we welcomed for the refugees, and I will make sure Mia hears of it first.

[He's quiet. Like he's been caught with a hand in the sweets.] Not enough hours in the day, unfortunately.

[the_effect_she_has]

Well, there's a part of the problem that just became ten times more difficult ... [As she is not entirely sure what could still be considered 'human'.] Good thing I'm great at shooting things through the eye.

[She found herself smiling in turn.] Well since you're the one who recruited me ... I'm going to go with 'No.'

[A sigh of relief from her end, and a very heartfelt.] Thank you, Cullen.

Mmm. [Is her response to that, before she states simply.] Yet all the hours you do not rest will come around at the worst time. Trust me, I know. [Her fingers pause, before she states quietly.] May I help?

[Not 'Can I', but did she have permission to try. The distinction was important.]

[perseverances]

If we put 'possible death and dismemberment' in our recruitment mantra then we would never get enough people to join.

[he's thinking of the people, Katniss. The people. You can't just tell someone they'd die.]

I sleep when I can. [At least he's honest about it.] What do you suggest?

[the_effect_she_has]

I don't know. In Fereldan it sounds like you're inviting people to a party.

[Of course he is. Because that is what Cullen does.]

Don't we all ... [She thought about it.] Well, the standards. Warm milk, reading, but the thing that always helped me was my father singing me to sleep.