Post #2494160 in The City of Chains, a roleplay on RPG

Contrary to what rumor might have suggested about the Chevaliers as a whole, most of them were not really bothered by settings that were largely comprised of commoners. Actually, some of them were commoners, though it took quite a lot more for such a person to advance in rank than it did for the average scion of some noble house or another. It was a common thing to do with one’s spare children, to keep them from derailing their elder siblings. Violette supposed that the promise of prestige and rank was enough to draw the non-inheritors to the profession, but few ever realized just how much a profession it was. She scarcely considered herself a Lady anymore; she was Ser, and that was the only thing she was really interested in being. Campaigns and patrols and the occasional investigation had over the years brought her to many places like this one; just as loud, just as boisterous, and the alcohol just as terrible.

Presently, she sat with her sister at the table nearest the fireplace, Liliane’s blunt stare doing an excellent job of dissuading any other comers from attempting to keep the women company. This was largely because they were waiting on someone specific rather than because they would have cared on an ordinary day. She’d sent a message up to the Keep yesterday expressing her desire to talk to the Lady Sophia in a slightly less official way, and the returning missive had indicated that this was the best time and place for that. She certainly wasn’t going to disagree—the fire was warm and the ale, while terrible, was relaxing. Even the storyteller in the other corner was damned good, thought she’d never seen a dwarf at the occupation before. There’d be a real market for that in Orlais—the nobles loved nothing more than something they’d never seen. Maybe she should tell him so.

“Not drinking?” she asked her sister, who shook her blonde head in the negative. She usually refrained—Lili was not exactly the relaxing type. It made her very good at what she did, but… “You’re almost as bad as he is, honestly.” There was a sardonic smile in the statement, but she dropped the subject, disinclined to push. Tipping her chair back a little, Vi let it rest against the wall, her tin mug set amicably on a knee. They were just about due for that company…

Sophia rarely failed to be punctual when it came to new acquaintances, and Liliane and Violette were rather important acquaintances for her. They wouldn't be staying in Kirkwall for long, no doubt, but she was perhaps just as interested in learning about them as they were for her. Kirkwall, and all of the Free Marches for that matter, really had little on the same scale that Orlais had, and while Sophia certainly didn't think of Orlais as some magical kingdom in the sky (anymore), she had become very fond of getting to know those from outside places recently, for the broadening effect they could have on her view.

She had also become comfortable among commoners some time ago, and entered the Hanged Man with an easiness quite unlike how she'd first set into place years ago, when she had in many ways been little more than a girl. She was dressed comfortably, glad to get out of the day's dress and into a less constricting white blouse, with dark leather trousers and a pair of supple boots. Her braid actually wound around the side of her head today, leaving very little to blow around in the breeze.

Not that there was any breeze in the Hanged Man, for which she was grateful, as she was certain it would be a foul wind indeed. Once she'd acquired an ale for herself and exchanged greetings with both the barkeep and Varric, both of whom had grown more accustomed to her presence of late, she took a seat with the two lady knights, taking up a relaxed posture and starting gradually on the ale. The taste was getting no better, but her tolerance for it was. "Not every day here is as exciting as the day you arrived, thank the Maker for that," she said. Nostariel was an excellent healer, of course, but it would still be best for Sophia to avoid straining herself for a few days still. "How long are you staying in the city?"

“Not long,” Violette replied, the words coming out in a good-natured grumble. Her sister rolled her eyes slightly and relaxed her posture minutely, filling in the explanation a little. “We came bearing a message too important to trust to a letter, from Lucien’s father.” She glanced down at her own tankard, which contained what was purported to be the juice of some kind of local plant, and took a dubious sip, finding it bitter but not wholly unpleasant.

Violette sighed and nodded slightly, her demeanor brightening a little as a half-smile spread over the almost-masculine contours of her face. “A little intrigue and danger is just how we like it, Sophia. Feels almost like home.” The smile blossomed into a grin, and she shook her head faintly, swishing the plumelike tail that kept her bright red hair out of her face. “But perhaps today, the adventure should be in learning something, rather than killing something.” A lift of her shoulders, and she raised her tankard to her lips, knocking back the rest of what was there and motioning for another.

“They talk about you, at Court,” she said, her tone a smidge too neutral to be naturally that way. She quirked a brow at the Viscount’s daughter, amusement playing at the corners of her eyes. “Tales of a woman valiant enough to match any knight, with the grace to balance battle and rule on the edge of her fingertips, cloaked in honor and armored in faith. You’re very popular.” There was almost a little good-natured laughter in the last phrase, spoken as it was into the tin of her fresh tankard. “I’ve told no few of the stories myself, though we let the Bards handle most of it. They put it to song, after all.”

Sophia couldn't help but redden a little at the description of the stories about her, though she wasn't particularly sure why. She knew that her reputation among many, in the city as well as beyond, was for the most part phenomenal, but she'd really never taken the time to think on it all that much. She was typically too busy, she supposed, to give much thought to what court members in other countries thought of her, and maybe that was the reason she was spoken of so fondly. So often the politics got in the way of a leader doing what was best for her people, but Sophia found for the most part that being the Viscount's daughter allowed her to get around much of that. While her father handled the tasks better suited to an experienced politician, she could strike more focusedly at what she saw to be the true problems. She hoped that would not change when all of the burdens of leadership fell on her shoulders.

"Singers have a knack for glamorization, don't they?" she said, smiling. "I'm sure there are some who would rather characterize my courage as stupidity, and at times I'm inclined to agree with them. I would also say that my skills as a true ruler are untested as of yet. My father does still sit the throne, after all. I'm actually impressed I have a reputation in Orlais at all. Kirkwall's not exactly a major player on the world stage." Orlais was perhaps the most major player right now, and Kirkwall's power next to it was paltry. The city had no formal army, and the Templars served as the primary defense in case of an attack. It was not a particularly wealthy city either. Perhaps it was the relatively close location that allowed word of her deeds to drift to Val Royeaux.

Or perhaps... she allowed herself to think for a moment that she really was making enough of an impression to catch the eyes of foreign leaders even before assuming her rule, which she would not do for years yet. The thought warmed her slightly, that others would look on her dedication so kindly. Some of the nobles in Kirkwall certainly didn't, given the way she refused to pander to them as many previous rulers had done.

Determined to avoid becoming absorbed in self-centered thoughts, Sophia shook it from her mind. "You said you bear a message, though? From Lucien's father?" She felt a small nervous flutter in her stomach, wondering if this would be some kind of further complication.

“It helps, perhaps, to have friends in the right places,” Violette replied slyly, dodging the second question for the moment. “But your friend was insistent that we keep the truth as unembellished as possible. The right reputation is how the minor players become the major ones.” She shrugged, then amended a bit. “Well, insofar as they can, anyway. But don’t sell it short—Orlesians love a good story. Tragedies most, romances second, but good old-fashioned heroes’ tales are a close third.” Her smile dimmed a bit, but for all that it seemed somewhat more at home on her face. She tilted her head a little sideways, as though trying to decide something, then shot a glance at her sister. There seemed to be a bit of silent communication for a moment, but in the end, it was the younger of the two that took up the speaking from there.

“There has been a… development, back ‘ome.” She paused a moment, her lips pursing together. “You are as 'e described you, but ‘ow much has 'e told you? About the way 'e left?” She didn’t want to inadvertently say something she shouldn’t, but if Sophia was already in this particular loop, she at least saw no need to conceal the development from her, now that they’d delivered the message to its intended recipient.

Now the flutter twisted into an uncomfortable knot for Sophia, at the way the smile darkened, and the word development. She often found that careful language was meant to soften a painful blow. "We've discussed it several times," she said. "I didn't wish to pry at first, but we've come to know each other quite well. I do not believe there is anything Lucien has not told me." She had a great deal of difficulty even imagining Lucien keeping anything important from her, about as much as imagining him committing murder. If he were to hide something from her, she also knew with certainty that it would be to protect her.

The sisters seemed to accept this. “It’s good news,” Violette offered, “but nothing too definitive yet. Lord Drakon wanted Lucien to know that his situation with respect to the crimes of which he was accused is improving. His accuser’s house is falling out of favor, and with the Empress getting older and still unmarried, many are beginning to suspect they would prefer the predictable ruler a Drakon would make to the less… obvious kind.” Considering what the other options were shaping up to be, she could understand it even from their position. Frankly, they were all just lucky Lord High General Guy had no claim on the thing, because if he did, they’d all be ousted before they knew what was going on. It would be utter turmoil, and not that wise, but he’d run the aristocracy like he ran the Chevaliers. And nobody in the aristocracy wanted that.

“’E thinks that Lucien’s case would be better served if ‘e returned for another ‘earing,” Liliane added somberly. As ever, it was hard to get a read on her thoughts about that, but Violette was much more open about her reaction, though not necessarily the cause for it. She gave an irritated sigh. “More damn bureaucracy. The first trial was a sham—it’s not as though the second would be guaranteed to be any better, and the courtesy of a return visit would not be extended to Ser Rilien.” He, after all, had no status to hide behind and a death sentence on his head. Without the primary witness in his favor, there was still no telling what Lucien’s chances were. Still… it was a chance for him to come home, and in time, perhaps things would blow over on their own, without the unnecessary fanfare.

Good news was certainly subjective, and while it definitely wasn't bad news, Sophia found that she didn't enjoy hearing it much, all the same. It was most definitely good news that Lucien's situation in Orlais was improving, in regards to the crimes he'd been accused of. She wanted him to be able to return home freely when he wished, to not be stained like that in the eyes of people who did not know the true extent of his virtue. All the same... she'd previously thought the throne of Orlais was beyond him, an outside claim that had been pushed aside. She knew he wouldn't want such a thing, but he was the type of man who would do whatever was necessary of him to help, and if that meant becoming a ruler...

How selfish was she, to want Lucien to never be able to take the throne of Orlais? She could not think of a better man to lead, but that was precisely the problem. She could not avoid her inheritence of the throne in Kirkwall, except through death. And for a good deal of time now, she had envisioned that someday, Lucien would be beside her. There were so many complications to step around already, with only one of them holding a position of real authority. If Lucien became a true candidate for the throne, she didn't see how they could possibly...

"That is good news," she said, trying her best to look relieved, though she was one of the poorer liars in the city. "I..." she hesitated for a moment, unsure of what else to say. "Perhaps Lucien can clear his name for a second time, then. This one wasn't so difficult, after all." She was reminded once more of why she hated the position she was brought into by fate, as much as she valued it.

“Per’aps,” Liliane conceded, though the sharp-eyed look she was giving the Viscount’s daughter suggested that she was not oblivious to the slight duplicity in the sentiment she was expressing. Violette glanced from one to the other, catching on a little more slowly, though seeming rather unsurprised when she did. “Yeah, maybe. He doesn’t seem to inclined to find out at the moment, though.” She chose not to elaborate. Perhaps there was a conversation to be had there. If so, it was not hers to participate in.

“So then, Sophia, what made you decide to go traipsing about all over your city, righting wrongs from the ground up?” The redheaded woman smiled, volunteering the change in topic as an opportunity for them all to get more comfortable. Besides, she was curious. There weren’t many people who would do that, even if she did happen to know a lot of them personally.

Snippet #2494160

located in Kirkwall, a part of The City of Chains, one of the many universes on RPG.

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