With a polite nod to the cluster of Sisters enjoying the weather just outside the Chantry doors, Lucien passed within. His mother perhaps would have sighed at him and shaken her head with the knowledge that he was not there to pray, but in the end, she would have indulged his desire to be outside instead and handed him a blank tablet to draw on. Sheād have made them lunch, a skill she herself possessed, set everything down on their grounds and made an afternoon of it with him, her too-small, too-slight child who would rather study the world and recreate it on canvas than destroy it in the heedless stampeding of youth. It was a quality sheād always had time for, though his father was another matter entirely.
He wasnāt exactly sure what prompted the thought, but memories of home had been assailing him more often recently, as perhaps his sense of nostalgia for it sharpened to a more acute point. It was not a complaint that he would voice aloud, but homesickness did strike him, at times quite brutally, and he supposed that was really his own fault, for refusing, on some level, to put his roots down here. He still felt like a transient, and as on campaign, that mindset could only be sustained for so long before it began to wear.
Not, of course, that he had come here with the intent of conquering anything, save perhaps his own shortcomings. Glancing up at the massive golden statue of Andraste, he shook his head slightly at his own train of thought and refocused on the reason he was here at all.
Rumor had reached him that, a few days prior, Sophia and some guards had run into serious trouble when attempting to clear out some particularly-notorious bandits on the Wounded Coast. Heād not been able to pin down any of the specific details, but apparently, bandits had not been the only casualties. It rather warranted a visit, he thought, to see how she was doing. He could not tell if sheād been injured herself from the general nature of rumor. By some accounts, she was fine, by others, sheād limped out of there with a dozen wounds and all alone. Unlikely, if the story had spread, but concerning all the same.
Some of his worry was unwarranted however, as the Seneschal had informed him that she was in fact well enough that she was presently not in the Keep, but here in the Chantry. Taking his best guess as to where, he followed the stairs upwards to the more quiet areas of the building. She was easy enough to spot, knelt and bowed slightly forward at prayer. Loath to disturb her, Lucien stopped a respectful distance away and folded his arms behind his back. He could wait.
Sophia did not immediately notice Lucien's presence, respectfully quiet as he was, and absorbed in her thoughts as she was. The Chantry had served as her sanctuary for the past few days, and she tried to firmly restrict her activities here to prayer, and not contemplation. Her thoughts seemed as likely to attack her as help her sort out her troubles, and indeed, she hadn't achieved anything remotely close to peace of mind since her recent encounter with the demon possessing Sparrow.
She looked very little like herself this afternoon, though it was probable that she looked better than the previous two days. The demon's mental assault seemingly had carried after effects of the physical variety, and she'd felt extremely sick the first day afterward, eating hardly anything and spending the majority of the day in bed. The rumors had no doubt spread among the guard, and thus soon the rest of the city, about how she'd quite nearly collapsed after returning to the city, though the only visible wound she'd suffered was a single arrow to the abdomen, which had been healed quickly enough through alchemy. Today she appeared slightly thinner than usual, and still a little pale, and her hair was hastily done up in a messy bun just to keep it out of the way, though even this effort was starting to unravel. The most obvious sign of distress would of course be the tears, which she quickly wiped away with the sleeve of her dress when she realized someone was in the room with her.
She blinked once or twice before actually seeing Lucien, and when she did, her face lightened up with what was probably not happiness, but closer to relief. "Lucien," she said slightly hoarsely, having not spoken to many people recently. She rose to her feet and walked towards him rather quickly, almost as if she meant to hug him, but then seemed to think otherwise, standing awkwardly in front of him for a moment before moving to take a seat, indicating he could do the same if he wished. She cleared her throat quietly.
"I'd been meaning to meet with you, I just... haven't been well the past few days, and... planned on composing myself a little first. It doesn't matter, though, I'm glad you're here. Has any of what happened spread through the city?"
The state she was in spoke volumes about what must have transpired, though he felt he lacked the lexicon to put it all together. Probably for the bestāhe had no wish to know everything sheād rather keep to herself. Everyone was entitled to a little privacy, especially when they were so clearly troubled by something. Stillā¦ that didnāt mean he didnāt want to help. Removing the double-headed axe from his back, he propped it against one of the chairs and sank into the same, regarding her with obvious concern. The news that she had thought to seek him out wasnāt particularly surprising; heād grown rather used to doing jobs at her request, and often at her side as well. He couldnāt help but think he should have been there for this last one as well.
āOnly a little,ā he said quietly. āAnd of course, reports vary. All I really know is that you ran into some trouble in an incident with bandits a few days ago, on the coast. Beyond that, the stories diverge. Iād thought to inquire after your healthā¦ā he let the sentence trail off into a frown, which finished it about as well as any words would have. She did not look well, but if he had his guess, the primary injury was not a physical one. His tone invited her to elaborate if she wished, but if she would rather keep the conversation to business, he would understand.
"I had arranged a meeting with Sparrow," Sophia explained, and the words alone seemed to reduce the tension in her a little. Maker knew she didn't feel comfortable speaking about this with anyone in the Keep. "To help her find a pair of criminals in the city. But that was the same day we heard reports of a missing patrol on the coast, and I decided to take some guards with me and investigate. You remember Sparrow, right?" She nodded at Lucien, assuming he did. "She decided to come along and help. I saw no reason not to let her join me. The actual mission went quite well... we found a guard lieutenant under siege by Evets Marauders, I rallied them, and we defeated the bandits, only..." She trailed off for a moment here. She was leaned forward in the chair, her elbows propped upon her knees, and she brushed loose strands of golden hair back behind her ear.
"I saw Sparrow using magic during the fight. I had no idea she was an apostate, the entire time I'd known her. I didn't mean her any harm at first, but... either she was possessed during the battle, or she had been possessed earlier. The demon took control of her. I... I tried to kill her. The remaining guards and I. We had to, she was an abomination, I didn't even know if she could regain control." She had regained control, only for a moment. If only she hadn't, Sophia could have fought to the end, and none... or less, of her current doubts and uncertainties would be plaguing her. But of course it hadn't worked out like that...
"She killed a guard lieutenant, subdued the others, and then seemed to regain control of herself. I... I hesitated. I didn't want to hurt her. But then the demon returned. I was caught off guard, she got in close, used some kind of magic on me. I collapsed, and had... visions. It was..." She blinked furiously for a moment, before stopping to wipe another pair of tears from her face. She didn't know if she was capable of talking about the nightmare. If there was any point in talking about it. It was just a nightmare, wasn't it? And yet it gave strength to all the doubts she'd been pushing back the last few years.
"She escaped," was all she ended up saying, sniffing.
As soon as the mention of Sparrow made it out into the open, Lucien could picture where this story was going, and he pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and first two fingers, as though a headache were forming there. āMakerā¦ā he murmured under his breath. It seemed appropriate, given where he was and what he was hearing. Heād never known that Sparrow and Sophia were more than passing aware of the otherās existence, let alone to the point where the half-elven woman would invite herself along to help with one of the ladyās missions. Theyād both been at the expedition party, but he recalled no conversations between them, and the only other time he'd seen them in one room, Sparrow had left after the briefest of exchanges. If he hadā¦ he would have said something. Maybe not the whole truthāhe did not desire that Sparrow should die for what the foul thing under her skin did. But enough that Sophia would have known that it was not an offer to accept.
He had to own up to this. He couldnāt just omit that he knew this, that heād let it pass. He believed in Rilien, and saw trying to save Sparrow as the right course of action, but that was not a decision he got to make for anyone else, least of all someone whoād suffered at her hands. āThose of us who ventured into the Deep Roads were subjected to something similar,ā he said plainly. āThe spellā¦ I believe it is called Waking Nightmare.ā She certainly didnāt need to tell him the content of her terrors in order for him to understand. Heād shaken his off, but put that down to the simple urgency of the situation. He didnāt suppose it would have been any more pleasant for Sophia than it had been for Nostariel or Ashton. āI did not know she was responsible at the time, but I did find out later. Rilienā¦ he is set on saving her, and Iāve done what I can to help thus far.ā
He paused, expecting there would be questions here, probably difficult ones. Letting his arm fall away from his face, he resolved to answer them, no matter how uncomfortable it doubtless was. With what sheād endured, she had every right to demand an accounting of his inaction. And though he had a choice about whether to give that accounting, for him it was no choice at all.
Several things went through her head at the admittance that Lucien too had been subjected to this magic, none of which helped to make her feel any better. She didn't think she'd expected him to make her feel better, or for anything to do that, for that matter, but at least getting it off her chest had been something she felt was necessary. She didn't expect him to make things somehow worse.
Her immediate thought was to wonder why he hadn't thought to warn her, but it occurred to her that he would be unaware of their meetings, of the growing friendship Sophia had allowed herself to have with the woman. He could not have known how close Sparrow had been to Sophia on those several occasions. No, that wasn't his fault. What she could blame him for, was inaction. Once he'd learned of her possession, he and his friend Rilien, they had done nothing to contain her, and the threat she posed upon the city. Now, as a result of that, someone had died, someone that very easily could have been Sophia herself.
Her gaze was accusatory only for the briefest of moments, before she realized she wasn't capable of it, not right now, and she looked away, dabbing at her eyes again. She'd known Lucien long enough to know that, while he didn't share her beliefs on some things, he wouldn't have done this if he hadn't thought it right, and the best course of action. She had reason to doubt her own course of action, as well. Had her threatening stance towards Sparrow encouraged the emergence of the demon? If she had been more willing to make peace with her, could it have been avoided? There were too many unknowns to condemn anyone for this.
"Do you really think she can be saved? I've... never heard of a mage returning from possession before." Granted, she still thought the best place for Sparrow, if she could be saved, was the Circle of Magi, but at least their desire to see her live was something they shared, and so it was this that Sophia chose to focus on. She wouldn't allow herself to go down the other paths that presented themselves here. Their ends were... too painful to think about.
Momentarily or not, he felt lanced by the implications in the glare, and dropped his eye for a moment, sighing through his nose. It was hard to answer that, and if anything, that actual question she asked was even more difficult. He was not an expert on magic; most of what he knew was second-hand information from Rilien, and though heād asked the Tranquil a number of questions on the subject, in an attempt to understand what being a mage was like, he had a feeling heād barely even scraped the surface of everything it meant. It was certainly far too complex for him to conveniently label with words like good, bad, uncontrolled, or the like. āHeās mostly been able to contain her damage for a while,ā the chevalier said, partially in answer. āBut I believe the issueā¦ grows.ā
He considered it a moment, then shook his head. āI truly do not know. The complexities of magic are far from my expertise. But Rilien is asking for very specific things. I believe he intends to force the demon out with some sort of alchemy. If there is anyone who would know something like that, itās him. It seems the events near their end, for better or worse. I can only think that the chance to prevent further death is the one worth taking.ā Until now, the demon had not been responsible for any fatalities that heād known about, and perhaps that had deceived him into believing that it never would be, that it was only a matter of time before she was right again. He was almost certain that Rilien would not detach himself from Sparrowās side once he heard what happened.
āI cannot determine with any surety, but I suspect that the fact that the rest of those present yet live means that Sparrow still fights her circumstances, and it seemsā¦ cruel to commend her to the grave alongside the demon.ā Not that there was necessarily any difference in the eyes of some. āI confess I have no established doctrine to turn to with which to support that feeling. It is not a popular view regarding those possessed. All I can do is what I take to be right. I will certainly make no attempt to stop you from doing the same.ā
Sophia stood, pacing slowly around to the back of the chair, leaning against it, weighing Lucien's words in her mind. "I had thought to go to the Templars with her description, ask them to search for her, before you came. I might have gone there today. But I don't think I want to now." The words felt like a sin beneath this roof, but she couldn't stop herself from saying them. Maybe her dream had been right, and she was weaker than she thought. But on the Coast, when she had been trying to get Sparrow to simply lay down her life, that Sophia might be able to rid the world of the demon, and in so doing kill her... the moment she'd seen Sparrow resist, and regain control of herself, she'd known she couldn't kill her. Monsters and horrors she could fight, she could release from their torment, but what had happened to Sparrow was something else. She was dangerous, it was true, but if she could still be saved, and no other lives could be lost...
Was it the right thing to do, or the weak thing? She could not know, so she had to simply trust her heart, and trust Lucien's.
"I think... if there's any way that I can, I'd like to help. If this can be resolved quickly and quietly, with no further death, I would like to save Sparrow. Do you think you could ask Rilien if there's anything I can do?" She'd gotten the sense that the Tranquil was either not fond of her, or not comfortable with her, not in the same way he was with Lucien. He was... hard to read. If he didn't trust her enough to allow her to help, she would be able to live with it. She just wanted him, and Sparrow, to know that the offer had been made, and that she was willing to contribute the effort as well.
āOf course I will,ā Lucien said with a nod. āI doubt very much that he will turn down assistance freely-offered. Heās rather pragmatic in that way, which I suppose comes with the territory.ā He did not make an attempt to hide his relief, though it was subtle all the same. More a relaxing of his posture than anything, and a nearly imperceptible easing of his facial expression. He had been truthfulāhe would not have stopped her from going to the Templars. But he wouldnāt have liked it much, and likely would have felt it necessary to give at least Rilien some form of forewarning. Whether this would have made any difference in the end, he didnāt know and didnāt care to contemplate. The important point was that sheād chosen differently. He was the smallest bit tempted to assert that it was very much like heād heard people describe her mother, that willingness to take the hard way if it seemed like the right way, but he refrained, unsure if such commentary would be welcome, especially from him.
Instead, he chose to shift the tenor of the conversation a bit. āYou mentioned earlier that you were planning on finding me for some reason. Is there something I can do to help you?ā He felt rather the opposite of helpful at the moment, and it was not a feeling he enjoyed in the slightest.
She'd actually meant to find him specifically so she could air her feelings on what had happened, and hear his thoughts, and she'd done that. She was most glad for it, too. Without him, she'd have undoubtedly gone on to make what she now viewed as the wrong choice. But, as it happened, there was another reason she needed to speak with him.
"Yes, there is," she said, forcing herself to come around to the topic. It was quite a long way from where they'd just been. "As it happens, I'm turning twenty-five at the end of next week. My father is insisting on organizing a rather elaborate celebration for the occasion. I've tried arguing with him on it, but this seems to be one of the few things he's holding steady on." Lucien would no doubt understand her aversion to a grand spectacle meant purely for her, given the nature of those who would undoubtedly be in attendance. The nobles were so much fun.
"Normally I'd never consider dragging you to such an awful event, but I've heard some... disturbing things, coming from the guard. It hasn't been a very publicly advertised event, as it's been by invitation only, but there's been talk that an assassination of some kind is being planned. Either for myself, or my father, or both of us, I don't know. I suspect one of the attendees might be the one behind it, though I know not who. As we both know, the city guard hasn't always been the most incorruptible force in the city, so I can't feel as though I can fully trust them." Her hair was bothering her again, so he brushed it aside. She'd really need to just redo it soon.
"I'd feel much more comfortable if you were to be there," she said. "I'd also like you to speak with the Warden Nostariel, and Ashton Riviera, and see if they might be able to attend as well. And if Rilien isn't busy, I would like to have someone there with... some experience in matters such as these." It occurred to her that Rilien could very likely be busy preparing for whatever he had in mind for Sparrow. Perhaps Lucien knew someone else trustworthy.
Lucien grimaced immediately upon the mention of a large social gathering, though he did not seem surprised to learn that her birthday was approaching. The expression only soured further when assassins came up, and his jaw tightened. Ordinarily, he would stay as far away from such an event as possible, as keeping company among nobles, some of them Orlesian in descent, greatly increased his chances of being recognized by people who had reason to attempt an assassination on him. But it was immediately obvious to him that it was a risk he was simply going to have to takeāhe wasnāt going to be elsewhere when her life was so obviously in danger, not if he could avoid it. He raised a brow, trying to ease out the evidence of his displeasure, quiet as it was. āI donāt suppose I can get away attending in full armor, can I?ā he asked, and it was light enough to almost constitute a joke.
Truthfully, that would have made things easier, but the guards would be posted around the events, and to be most effective, he needed to be in them. Of course, that would probably mean no (obvious) weapons and little in the way of protection. Heād be the shield, if it came to that, and he hoped it didnāt. It was, however, a distinct possibility. āI can certainly pass the invitation on to them, and if Rilien is busy, I think I know someone else who can move just as subtly, if I can secure her agreement. Do you have any idea who might wish to perpetrate such an act? ā¦I realize that may be like asking you to list every noble you know, if your family is anything like mine.ā That was a joke, if a true one, and he smiled a bit.
Her smile was slightly more full, and it was a beautiful thing, given how she'd been emotionally when he had found her here. "There's several families and individuals that could gain a great deal if my father and I were killed," she said, the smile fading. "I can go over them later, when the others are with us. If... any of them need more suitable attire, I can have something arranged. I'm afraid armor, either of the leather or plate variety, will not be acceptable. There's... also one other thing I should say..."
She bit her lip, knowing he wouldn't like this. Sophia could tell he wasn't overly comfortable with attending this at all, that he was doing it for her, specifically. But she was going to ask him all the same. Today seemed like a good day for bigger steps.
"It's... expected, that I have an escort. Father lined up the usual suitors, most of them sons of noblemen in Hightown, but I'm pretty sure I've turned them all away at some point over the last... eight or nine years. I'd prefer it if you could fill that role instead. I don't trust any of them. I trust you." That, and it was tactically beneficial. He'd have a perfectly useable excuse to be by her side, and near her family, at all times. The tactical benefits, however, were obviously not the reason she was suggesting it, judging by the current reddened state of her cheeks.
The tactical implications were immediately evident to the soldier in him, but even he was not so oblivious as to fail to notice the fact that she was blushing. He was, however, oblivious enough to assume that it was the nature of the request itself that caused it, and not the fact that she was making it of him. Propping an elbow on the armrest of his chair, he caught his jaw on the heel of his hand, clearly considering the thought. The reasoning was solid, even if it would further increase his chances of running into someone he shouldnāt, and the opportunity to both preserve decorum and remain close enough to she and her family to be useful if someone did strike was undeniably appealing.
Lucien opted to take it on the chin, so to speak. It made him uncomfortable, but she was worth it, end of story. āI cannot imagine the alternative selection would much please your father,ā he said, though the smile he flashed robbed the comment of its seriousness. Sophia was of a steel-strong will, and he expected that the Viscount had grown somewhat accustomed to it by now. He, as said inappropriate escort, would likely catch some ire from various corners, but it was nothing he couldnāt deal with. āBut you make it very difficult to refuse. If it is what you think best, then,ā he swallowed, a bit thickly, āI suppose Iād better refresh my knowledge of Marcher custom.ā
"Thank you," she said, smiling again. She'd expected the bit about her father not approving. That was no matter; she'd speak with him, and he'd see her way sooner or later. The acceptance was a bit more... businesslike, than she would have hoped, but she didn't really want to try and go over what that could have possibly meant. He'd agreed to it, and that was the important part.
"For everything, that is. I needed this today, I think. My thoughts have had a way of turning against me lately, but I'm very certain that you've helped with that." Truly, she felt much better already. She was going to help with Sparrow's situation, put personal effort towards making it right, and she had friends that she could trust to stand by her when doubt struck. There was little else she could ask for.
His expression softened, and he nodded once. āIām glad to be of help, truly. It brings me no joy to see you under so much strain. If ever I can help in such a manner again, wellā¦ the things you ask of me need not be always of the kind where weāre risking our lives.ā He stood, replacing his axe at his back and rolling his shoulders, easing away any remaining tension. āI will go find Ashton and Nostariel, and see what I can do about a fifth. I hope youāll get some rest in the meantimeāthat many nobles in one room is bound to be taxing, assassination attempts or no.ā
He wasnāt exactly sure what prompted the thought, but memories of home had been assailing him more often recently, as perhaps his sense of nostalgia for it sharpened to a more acute point. It was not a complaint that he would voice aloud, but homesickness did strike him, at times quite brutally, and he supposed that was really his own fault, for refusing, on some level, to put his roots down here. He still felt like a transient, and as on campaign, that mindset could only be sustained for so long before it began to wear.
Not, of course, that he had come here with the intent of conquering anything, save perhaps his own shortcomings. Glancing up at the massive golden statue of Andraste, he shook his head slightly at his own train of thought and refocused on the reason he was here at all.
Rumor had reached him that, a few days prior, Sophia and some guards had run into serious trouble when attempting to clear out some particularly-notorious bandits on the Wounded Coast. Heād not been able to pin down any of the specific details, but apparently, bandits had not been the only casualties. It rather warranted a visit, he thought, to see how she was doing. He could not tell if sheād been injured herself from the general nature of rumor. By some accounts, she was fine, by others, sheād limped out of there with a dozen wounds and all alone. Unlikely, if the story had spread, but concerning all the same.
Some of his worry was unwarranted however, as the Seneschal had informed him that she was in fact well enough that she was presently not in the Keep, but here in the Chantry. Taking his best guess as to where, he followed the stairs upwards to the more quiet areas of the building. She was easy enough to spot, knelt and bowed slightly forward at prayer. Loath to disturb her, Lucien stopped a respectful distance away and folded his arms behind his back. He could wait.
Sophia did not immediately notice Lucien's presence, respectfully quiet as he was, and absorbed in her thoughts as she was. The Chantry had served as her sanctuary for the past few days, and she tried to firmly restrict her activities here to prayer, and not contemplation. Her thoughts seemed as likely to attack her as help her sort out her troubles, and indeed, she hadn't achieved anything remotely close to peace of mind since her recent encounter with the demon possessing Sparrow.
She looked very little like herself this afternoon, though it was probable that she looked better than the previous two days. The demon's mental assault seemingly had carried after effects of the physical variety, and she'd felt extremely sick the first day afterward, eating hardly anything and spending the majority of the day in bed. The rumors had no doubt spread among the guard, and thus soon the rest of the city, about how she'd quite nearly collapsed after returning to the city, though the only visible wound she'd suffered was a single arrow to the abdomen, which had been healed quickly enough through alchemy. Today she appeared slightly thinner than usual, and still a little pale, and her hair was hastily done up in a messy bun just to keep it out of the way, though even this effort was starting to unravel. The most obvious sign of distress would of course be the tears, which she quickly wiped away with the sleeve of her dress when she realized someone was in the room with her.
She blinked once or twice before actually seeing Lucien, and when she did, her face lightened up with what was probably not happiness, but closer to relief. "Lucien," she said slightly hoarsely, having not spoken to many people recently. She rose to her feet and walked towards him rather quickly, almost as if she meant to hug him, but then seemed to think otherwise, standing awkwardly in front of him for a moment before moving to take a seat, indicating he could do the same if he wished. She cleared her throat quietly.
"I'd been meaning to meet with you, I just... haven't been well the past few days, and... planned on composing myself a little first. It doesn't matter, though, I'm glad you're here. Has any of what happened spread through the city?"
The state she was in spoke volumes about what must have transpired, though he felt he lacked the lexicon to put it all together. Probably for the bestāhe had no wish to know everything sheād rather keep to herself. Everyone was entitled to a little privacy, especially when they were so clearly troubled by something. Stillā¦ that didnāt mean he didnāt want to help. Removing the double-headed axe from his back, he propped it against one of the chairs and sank into the same, regarding her with obvious concern. The news that she had thought to seek him out wasnāt particularly surprising; heād grown rather used to doing jobs at her request, and often at her side as well. He couldnāt help but think he should have been there for this last one as well.
āOnly a little,ā he said quietly. āAnd of course, reports vary. All I really know is that you ran into some trouble in an incident with bandits a few days ago, on the coast. Beyond that, the stories diverge. Iād thought to inquire after your healthā¦ā he let the sentence trail off into a frown, which finished it about as well as any words would have. She did not look well, but if he had his guess, the primary injury was not a physical one. His tone invited her to elaborate if she wished, but if she would rather keep the conversation to business, he would understand.
"I had arranged a meeting with Sparrow," Sophia explained, and the words alone seemed to reduce the tension in her a little. Maker knew she didn't feel comfortable speaking about this with anyone in the Keep. "To help her find a pair of criminals in the city. But that was the same day we heard reports of a missing patrol on the coast, and I decided to take some guards with me and investigate. You remember Sparrow, right?" She nodded at Lucien, assuming he did. "She decided to come along and help. I saw no reason not to let her join me. The actual mission went quite well... we found a guard lieutenant under siege by Evets Marauders, I rallied them, and we defeated the bandits, only..." She trailed off for a moment here. She was leaned forward in the chair, her elbows propped upon her knees, and she brushed loose strands of golden hair back behind her ear.
"I saw Sparrow using magic during the fight. I had no idea she was an apostate, the entire time I'd known her. I didn't mean her any harm at first, but... either she was possessed during the battle, or she had been possessed earlier. The demon took control of her. I... I tried to kill her. The remaining guards and I. We had to, she was an abomination, I didn't even know if she could regain control." She had regained control, only for a moment. If only she hadn't, Sophia could have fought to the end, and none... or less, of her current doubts and uncertainties would be plaguing her. But of course it hadn't worked out like that...
"She killed a guard lieutenant, subdued the others, and then seemed to regain control of herself. I... I hesitated. I didn't want to hurt her. But then the demon returned. I was caught off guard, she got in close, used some kind of magic on me. I collapsed, and had... visions. It was..." She blinked furiously for a moment, before stopping to wipe another pair of tears from her face. She didn't know if she was capable of talking about the nightmare. If there was any point in talking about it. It was just a nightmare, wasn't it? And yet it gave strength to all the doubts she'd been pushing back the last few years.
"She escaped," was all she ended up saying, sniffing.
As soon as the mention of Sparrow made it out into the open, Lucien could picture where this story was going, and he pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and first two fingers, as though a headache were forming there. āMakerā¦ā he murmured under his breath. It seemed appropriate, given where he was and what he was hearing. Heād never known that Sparrow and Sophia were more than passing aware of the otherās existence, let alone to the point where the half-elven woman would invite herself along to help with one of the ladyās missions. Theyād both been at the expedition party, but he recalled no conversations between them, and the only other time he'd seen them in one room, Sparrow had left after the briefest of exchanges. If he hadā¦ he would have said something. Maybe not the whole truthāhe did not desire that Sparrow should die for what the foul thing under her skin did. But enough that Sophia would have known that it was not an offer to accept.
He had to own up to this. He couldnāt just omit that he knew this, that heād let it pass. He believed in Rilien, and saw trying to save Sparrow as the right course of action, but that was not a decision he got to make for anyone else, least of all someone whoād suffered at her hands. āThose of us who ventured into the Deep Roads were subjected to something similar,ā he said plainly. āThe spellā¦ I believe it is called Waking Nightmare.ā She certainly didnāt need to tell him the content of her terrors in order for him to understand. Heād shaken his off, but put that down to the simple urgency of the situation. He didnāt suppose it would have been any more pleasant for Sophia than it had been for Nostariel or Ashton. āI did not know she was responsible at the time, but I did find out later. Rilienā¦ he is set on saving her, and Iāve done what I can to help thus far.ā
He paused, expecting there would be questions here, probably difficult ones. Letting his arm fall away from his face, he resolved to answer them, no matter how uncomfortable it doubtless was. With what sheād endured, she had every right to demand an accounting of his inaction. And though he had a choice about whether to give that accounting, for him it was no choice at all.
Several things went through her head at the admittance that Lucien too had been subjected to this magic, none of which helped to make her feel any better. She didn't think she'd expected him to make her feel better, or for anything to do that, for that matter, but at least getting it off her chest had been something she felt was necessary. She didn't expect him to make things somehow worse.
Her immediate thought was to wonder why he hadn't thought to warn her, but it occurred to her that he would be unaware of their meetings, of the growing friendship Sophia had allowed herself to have with the woman. He could not have known how close Sparrow had been to Sophia on those several occasions. No, that wasn't his fault. What she could blame him for, was inaction. Once he'd learned of her possession, he and his friend Rilien, they had done nothing to contain her, and the threat she posed upon the city. Now, as a result of that, someone had died, someone that very easily could have been Sophia herself.
Her gaze was accusatory only for the briefest of moments, before she realized she wasn't capable of it, not right now, and she looked away, dabbing at her eyes again. She'd known Lucien long enough to know that, while he didn't share her beliefs on some things, he wouldn't have done this if he hadn't thought it right, and the best course of action. She had reason to doubt her own course of action, as well. Had her threatening stance towards Sparrow encouraged the emergence of the demon? If she had been more willing to make peace with her, could it have been avoided? There were too many unknowns to condemn anyone for this.
"Do you really think she can be saved? I've... never heard of a mage returning from possession before." Granted, she still thought the best place for Sparrow, if she could be saved, was the Circle of Magi, but at least their desire to see her live was something they shared, and so it was this that Sophia chose to focus on. She wouldn't allow herself to go down the other paths that presented themselves here. Their ends were... too painful to think about.
Momentarily or not, he felt lanced by the implications in the glare, and dropped his eye for a moment, sighing through his nose. It was hard to answer that, and if anything, that actual question she asked was even more difficult. He was not an expert on magic; most of what he knew was second-hand information from Rilien, and though heād asked the Tranquil a number of questions on the subject, in an attempt to understand what being a mage was like, he had a feeling heād barely even scraped the surface of everything it meant. It was certainly far too complex for him to conveniently label with words like good, bad, uncontrolled, or the like. āHeās mostly been able to contain her damage for a while,ā the chevalier said, partially in answer. āBut I believe the issueā¦ grows.ā
He considered it a moment, then shook his head. āI truly do not know. The complexities of magic are far from my expertise. But Rilien is asking for very specific things. I believe he intends to force the demon out with some sort of alchemy. If there is anyone who would know something like that, itās him. It seems the events near their end, for better or worse. I can only think that the chance to prevent further death is the one worth taking.ā Until now, the demon had not been responsible for any fatalities that heād known about, and perhaps that had deceived him into believing that it never would be, that it was only a matter of time before she was right again. He was almost certain that Rilien would not detach himself from Sparrowās side once he heard what happened.
āI cannot determine with any surety, but I suspect that the fact that the rest of those present yet live means that Sparrow still fights her circumstances, and it seemsā¦ cruel to commend her to the grave alongside the demon.ā Not that there was necessarily any difference in the eyes of some. āI confess I have no established doctrine to turn to with which to support that feeling. It is not a popular view regarding those possessed. All I can do is what I take to be right. I will certainly make no attempt to stop you from doing the same.ā
Sophia stood, pacing slowly around to the back of the chair, leaning against it, weighing Lucien's words in her mind. "I had thought to go to the Templars with her description, ask them to search for her, before you came. I might have gone there today. But I don't think I want to now." The words felt like a sin beneath this roof, but she couldn't stop herself from saying them. Maybe her dream had been right, and she was weaker than she thought. But on the Coast, when she had been trying to get Sparrow to simply lay down her life, that Sophia might be able to rid the world of the demon, and in so doing kill her... the moment she'd seen Sparrow resist, and regain control of herself, she'd known she couldn't kill her. Monsters and horrors she could fight, she could release from their torment, but what had happened to Sparrow was something else. She was dangerous, it was true, but if she could still be saved, and no other lives could be lost...
Was it the right thing to do, or the weak thing? She could not know, so she had to simply trust her heart, and trust Lucien's.
"I think... if there's any way that I can, I'd like to help. If this can be resolved quickly and quietly, with no further death, I would like to save Sparrow. Do you think you could ask Rilien if there's anything I can do?" She'd gotten the sense that the Tranquil was either not fond of her, or not comfortable with her, not in the same way he was with Lucien. He was... hard to read. If he didn't trust her enough to allow her to help, she would be able to live with it. She just wanted him, and Sparrow, to know that the offer had been made, and that she was willing to contribute the effort as well.
āOf course I will,ā Lucien said with a nod. āI doubt very much that he will turn down assistance freely-offered. Heās rather pragmatic in that way, which I suppose comes with the territory.ā He did not make an attempt to hide his relief, though it was subtle all the same. More a relaxing of his posture than anything, and a nearly imperceptible easing of his facial expression. He had been truthfulāhe would not have stopped her from going to the Templars. But he wouldnāt have liked it much, and likely would have felt it necessary to give at least Rilien some form of forewarning. Whether this would have made any difference in the end, he didnāt know and didnāt care to contemplate. The important point was that sheād chosen differently. He was the smallest bit tempted to assert that it was very much like heād heard people describe her mother, that willingness to take the hard way if it seemed like the right way, but he refrained, unsure if such commentary would be welcome, especially from him.
Instead, he chose to shift the tenor of the conversation a bit. āYou mentioned earlier that you were planning on finding me for some reason. Is there something I can do to help you?ā He felt rather the opposite of helpful at the moment, and it was not a feeling he enjoyed in the slightest.
She'd actually meant to find him specifically so she could air her feelings on what had happened, and hear his thoughts, and she'd done that. She was most glad for it, too. Without him, she'd have undoubtedly gone on to make what she now viewed as the wrong choice. But, as it happened, there was another reason she needed to speak with him.
"Yes, there is," she said, forcing herself to come around to the topic. It was quite a long way from where they'd just been. "As it happens, I'm turning twenty-five at the end of next week. My father is insisting on organizing a rather elaborate celebration for the occasion. I've tried arguing with him on it, but this seems to be one of the few things he's holding steady on." Lucien would no doubt understand her aversion to a grand spectacle meant purely for her, given the nature of those who would undoubtedly be in attendance. The nobles were so much fun.
"Normally I'd never consider dragging you to such an awful event, but I've heard some... disturbing things, coming from the guard. It hasn't been a very publicly advertised event, as it's been by invitation only, but there's been talk that an assassination of some kind is being planned. Either for myself, or my father, or both of us, I don't know. I suspect one of the attendees might be the one behind it, though I know not who. As we both know, the city guard hasn't always been the most incorruptible force in the city, so I can't feel as though I can fully trust them." Her hair was bothering her again, so he brushed it aside. She'd really need to just redo it soon.
"I'd feel much more comfortable if you were to be there," she said. "I'd also like you to speak with the Warden Nostariel, and Ashton Riviera, and see if they might be able to attend as well. And if Rilien isn't busy, I would like to have someone there with... some experience in matters such as these." It occurred to her that Rilien could very likely be busy preparing for whatever he had in mind for Sparrow. Perhaps Lucien knew someone else trustworthy.
Lucien grimaced immediately upon the mention of a large social gathering, though he did not seem surprised to learn that her birthday was approaching. The expression only soured further when assassins came up, and his jaw tightened. Ordinarily, he would stay as far away from such an event as possible, as keeping company among nobles, some of them Orlesian in descent, greatly increased his chances of being recognized by people who had reason to attempt an assassination on him. But it was immediately obvious to him that it was a risk he was simply going to have to takeāhe wasnāt going to be elsewhere when her life was so obviously in danger, not if he could avoid it. He raised a brow, trying to ease out the evidence of his displeasure, quiet as it was. āI donāt suppose I can get away attending in full armor, can I?ā he asked, and it was light enough to almost constitute a joke.
Truthfully, that would have made things easier, but the guards would be posted around the events, and to be most effective, he needed to be in them. Of course, that would probably mean no (obvious) weapons and little in the way of protection. Heād be the shield, if it came to that, and he hoped it didnāt. It was, however, a distinct possibility. āI can certainly pass the invitation on to them, and if Rilien is busy, I think I know someone else who can move just as subtly, if I can secure her agreement. Do you have any idea who might wish to perpetrate such an act? ā¦I realize that may be like asking you to list every noble you know, if your family is anything like mine.ā That was a joke, if a true one, and he smiled a bit.
Her smile was slightly more full, and it was a beautiful thing, given how she'd been emotionally when he had found her here. "There's several families and individuals that could gain a great deal if my father and I were killed," she said, the smile fading. "I can go over them later, when the others are with us. If... any of them need more suitable attire, I can have something arranged. I'm afraid armor, either of the leather or plate variety, will not be acceptable. There's... also one other thing I should say..."
She bit her lip, knowing he wouldn't like this. Sophia could tell he wasn't overly comfortable with attending this at all, that he was doing it for her, specifically. But she was going to ask him all the same. Today seemed like a good day for bigger steps.
"It's... expected, that I have an escort. Father lined up the usual suitors, most of them sons of noblemen in Hightown, but I'm pretty sure I've turned them all away at some point over the last... eight or nine years. I'd prefer it if you could fill that role instead. I don't trust any of them. I trust you." That, and it was tactically beneficial. He'd have a perfectly useable excuse to be by her side, and near her family, at all times. The tactical benefits, however, were obviously not the reason she was suggesting it, judging by the current reddened state of her cheeks.
The tactical implications were immediately evident to the soldier in him, but even he was not so oblivious as to fail to notice the fact that she was blushing. He was, however, oblivious enough to assume that it was the nature of the request itself that caused it, and not the fact that she was making it of him. Propping an elbow on the armrest of his chair, he caught his jaw on the heel of his hand, clearly considering the thought. The reasoning was solid, even if it would further increase his chances of running into someone he shouldnāt, and the opportunity to both preserve decorum and remain close enough to she and her family to be useful if someone did strike was undeniably appealing.
Lucien opted to take it on the chin, so to speak. It made him uncomfortable, but she was worth it, end of story. āI cannot imagine the alternative selection would much please your father,ā he said, though the smile he flashed robbed the comment of its seriousness. Sophia was of a steel-strong will, and he expected that the Viscount had grown somewhat accustomed to it by now. He, as said inappropriate escort, would likely catch some ire from various corners, but it was nothing he couldnāt deal with. āBut you make it very difficult to refuse. If it is what you think best, then,ā he swallowed, a bit thickly, āI suppose Iād better refresh my knowledge of Marcher custom.ā
"Thank you," she said, smiling again. She'd expected the bit about her father not approving. That was no matter; she'd speak with him, and he'd see her way sooner or later. The acceptance was a bit more... businesslike, than she would have hoped, but she didn't really want to try and go over what that could have possibly meant. He'd agreed to it, and that was the important part.
"For everything, that is. I needed this today, I think. My thoughts have had a way of turning against me lately, but I'm very certain that you've helped with that." Truly, she felt much better already. She was going to help with Sparrow's situation, put personal effort towards making it right, and she had friends that she could trust to stand by her when doubt struck. There was little else she could ask for.
His expression softened, and he nodded once. āIām glad to be of help, truly. It brings me no joy to see you under so much strain. If ever I can help in such a manner again, wellā¦ the things you ask of me need not be always of the kind where weāre risking our lives.ā He stood, replacing his axe at his back and rolling his shoulders, easing away any remaining tension. āI will go find Ashton and Nostariel, and see what I can do about a fifth. I hope youāll get some rest in the meantimeāthat many nobles in one room is bound to be taxing, assassination attempts or no.ā
The Chanter's Board has been updated. New quests are available.