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[ A few days after Katsa's escape, there will be a text message for Hermione waiting for her. ]

When you have a moment's peace, please contact me. Securely.

Tonight. Your room.

[ And, not long later, in her room, Lavellan might notice a face in her fireplace, waiting to talk to her.

:D ]

Edited 2015-04-25 01:22 (UTC)

[ WELL THAT'S. A LITTLE CREEPY. But you know, that's fine, as it's much more secure than anything else. The tavern's been closed all day so she can tend to Katsa, and no one is around to hear her. ]

Good, you're safe.

[ ...And that's a neat trick. She tries to smile, sitting down in front of her fireplace to speak with her. ]

I have her here with me. But she was worried about you, about what happened after she...left.

I'm fine, there's no need to worry about me.

[ She sighs and it's like she's there, in the room, pursing her lips. ]

Tell her I'm okay, please? No one has any idea that I might have helped and I don't think anything could come back to me. It's all okay. Is she safe? Is she - how hurt?

[ Her smile is a little lopsided. ]

We're going to worry regardless. You're our friend.

[ She sits back, knees raised, arms rested across them. Her back leans against the desk behind her in the small office she keeps in the tavern, where she can keep warm and be alone. ]

The physical pain is dull and dealt with. But she doesn't know what he did to her mind. I have no way of knowing what he did, either, but I can ask around through some sources of my own.

[ Tarz. Her eyes narrow. ]

Do you know the man who did this to her?

I am. And I'm here for you, I promise.

[ She breathes out, feeling the weight of all of this on her own shoulders. She is Marchioness and she is in charge, in part, of the Seelie, but there is nothing she could do to help Katsa. She feels stupid because of it, as if she should be punished - one by one her friends are trickling away and she is losing track of them. ]

I'll send over some potions, for hurts and for sleep, with an owl later. It'll help, I promise.

[ And then... ]

I knew of him. I've only spoken to him once.

I know you are.

[ Her eyes close for a moment and she sighs, feeling drained. This shouldn't have happened, and for all that she is angry that Katsa made such a foolish decision... This went too far. She can't bear the idea of a friend being punished in such a way, destroyed from the inside out, and no one knows how. ]

Thank you. I'll be on the lookout. I have some herbs that are helping but they'll only take us so far.

[ Hermione is risking so much for them. But she has to know. ]

Can you tell me of him? I'm afraid he'll come looking for her. I need to know what to prepare for if we need to get out of here.

[ It's not entirely a lie, she realizes. She has no intention of going after Tarz at the moment...but it will be good to know what to avoid, what he's capable of. ]

I'll send what I can. I've got some runes, as well, and I can charm a few things for warmth and protection. As long as it helps, that's what's important.

[ She's determined. Hermione is determined to undo the wrongs that she's seen happen to one of her friends and she wants to fight to make sure it doesn't happen again. She wants to protect them - that had been her title for so long, after all. Protectress.

But for the rest... She frowns. ]

I don't know that much. I know he's a passionate Seelie general, very dangerous, and that he doesn't trust people without honour. He's... He's frightening. All steel and emotionless, doing what he has to do for his court.

Ma serannas, Hermione. Thank you.

[ As long as it helps... Yes, she can get behind that. Lavellan lifts a hand and briefly pushes it through her hair, longer now, and sighs. Just keep going, get through these next few days. There's little she can do now but wait until Katsa recovers, and keep watching for anyone who might have followed or known where to go. ]

A general? Then he's far more entrenched in the court than I anticipated.

[ It makes sense. Duty, honor, caring little for the Unseelie and their lives. All steel and emotionless. Her eyes narrow at the fire for a moment, attempting to parse what can be done about this. ]

He has a stronger foothold then most, then. He wouldn't personally go looking for a single Unseelie woman, would he?

Of course. It's the least I can do.

[ Hermione watches her through the fireplace, concerned for a moment, but she bites her tongue. Now isn't the time to be nice or sweet or to throw kindness at people - now is the time to be determined and strong and she had learned that over the last year. She nods her head, careful, knowing she's giving away information. ]

He is. He's important and he doesn't answer to me - he answers to the Marshal, just like the rest of us do.

[ When she had asked for Katsa's notes she had been told to go through those levels and she had been frustrated, unable to help. ]

I don't think he would go to search for her by himself, no, but if he saw her in battle? He'd crush her, or try to.

I spoke to him at Samhain. The Marshal. He seems a decent sort.

[ But neither of them can just go asking favors, unfortunately. He wouldn't be as amenable hearing it from an Unseelie, let alone the Marchioness. It would raise too many questions and get Hermione in trouble. She refuses to do that. ]

On the battlefield is one thing. She doesn't believe in this war; the likelihood of her being there is slim enough. So long as that's all he'll do...that's fine for the moment.

[ Provided, of course, he doesn't send hounds for her or something worse. ]

Do you know any memory potions, Hermione? Something we could use to find out what he did to her?

He is. Lancelot is a good man, a brave and smart and very valiant. He's incredible, he really is.

[ Hermione believes it, too, feeling it come over her before she breathes out, trying to force her emotions down and smother them before she gets a little ahead of herself. It's hard, it's difficult, but eventually she speaks again. ]

No, I think she'll be safe for a while. I'll do what I can to divert attention for her but I can't do too much - I am a Marchioness. I could lose my life, not just my job.

[ She's already had hounds after one friend. She can't risk another. ]

I have - a pensive. If the memory is in her head I can take it out so we can all look at it. But if he wiped her memories...

And we don't want you in danger.

[ Katsa would absolutely lose it if something happened to Hermione. Lavellan doesn't even want to entertain the notion. Her position as Marchioness is important, not just for all of them but for the worlds. If anyone can discover a way to stop all of the worlds from dying, it's her. ]

Look after yourself. We can keep an eye on our skins, provided Katsa doesn't go running back to Glaschu. If necessary, I'll take her back to her palazzo.

[ Deep enough in Dorchadas to keep her safe. Lavellan frowns and nods, understanding. ]

Then we wouldn't find anything. I understand. For now, I don't know if looking into what happened will help her any. She just wants...Liam's body back.

I don't know what possessed her to come this way in the first place.

[ She sighs, breathing out hard. ]

I'll see what I can do about Liam. I know that Tarz is giving the results of Katsa's... Time in the Citadel to Lancelot and he and I are good friends. I already told Tarz I wanted a copy, so it won't be strange for me to ask for it.

[ Even if the fact that doors were easily opened might implicate her. ]

If there's a copy I'll duplicate it and make sure you have one, if I can.

[ To see you. But it would be so cruel to say, to let Hermione think that even a part of this was tied to her. She has enough on her shoulders and what Katsa did was of her own volition. She knew the consequences.

Lavellan echoes Hermione's sigh. ]

Anything you can find that will help will be greatly appreciated. But please, don't put yourself in more danger. Your life isn't worth a few answers.

[ No more friends can die. No more can hurt. Not now. ]

And if there's anything I can do over here, please let me know.

I promise I'll do my best. Lancelot would understand, Nasrin. He would.

[ Lancelot's best friend was Unseelie once, after all. Besides, the monarchs already know how dangerous Hermione might be. She swore to choose Harry over them any day of the week, to their faces, as fierce and determined as ever. ]

Just... Keep her safe, please.

[ She pauses, her voice quiet and tired. ]

Please, Nasrin. I don't know what I'd do...

I know. I have faith in him if you do.

[ He had seemed kind at Samhain. It must be an awful burden on his shoulders to do what he must. It's small wonder that both Hermione and Cullen speak so highly of him. If she could express her gratitude, she would, but the less people she must endanger, the better. ]

Hermione.

[ She reaches out towards the face in the fire, expression both fond and sad. Her and Cullen both, running against the odds and putting themselves in danger. What will she do without them? ]

We would be lost without you, lionheart. I'll look after her but you must look after yourself too. I won't let anything happen to her.

Be safe, lethallan. Please. For her.

[ Hermione wishes that she could step through the fireplace and wrap her arms around her friend, to hold her and let it be close. It was possible, of course, since she had Floo Powder, but it wasn't safe, not right now. She could visit later, on a trip to Treun.

For now, she just breathes out. ]

I'll do my best. I've got a lot of people looking out for me. I'd hate to let them down.

[ And she means it. What would happen at the Citadel if she faded away? What would happen to Dorian if she, who was determined to let him see the good still in him, disappeared? What would happen to Katsa if the person defending her here on the Seelie side was gone? A thousand reasons that made her more determined to stay and fight.

The compliment isn't lost on her and sh breathes out. ]

I'll do my best. Can - Nasrin? What does that mean?

[ But it isn't about people looking out for her. It's that Hermione is important to every single of them. She deserves so much more than she has; she deserves to be happy and safe and alive. Instead, she is Marchioness, and trapped between propriety and duty, to others and to her court.

Lavellan doesn't envy her position.

She looks up, frowning briefly, uncertain if she's overstepped her bound... She wonders if her Keeper, if her clan, if even Solas would be disappointed that she using an elven word for a human. But now, she doesn't care. She might never see Thedas again. ]

It... It has a meaning not unlike 'clansmen'. Blood kin, family. It's a...familiar term of endearment.

[ It's not the easiest place to be, but would she give it up? No. She's determined to use her position to help and do some good and she is determined to be the one that fights, that keeps her head held high and resists the urge to force more war. There's so much blood on her hands already that it frightens her - she doesn't want there to be more. She isn't sure how she would handle it, how she would survive.

Hermione has to be strong so that everyone can lean on her.

Her expression, greet and mixed with embers in the flame, softens, and she smiles. ]

Am I allowed to call you it too, Nasrin? Lethall... An?

[ It's hard for her to say no to Hermione. And she doesn't want to. Hadn't she always advocated for humans and elves to have stronger connections, for the fighting and the feuding to be over so the Dalish can work on recovering themselves as a people and not just one clan at a time? To teach the language, to see how others - humans, dwarves, and Qunari - can help them uncover the past and work towards a brighter future...

And yet there is so much within her that tells her not to teach her these words, to keep her lore and culture to herself. But it's time to change that.

She is First to Clan Lavellan; she is Thedas' Keeper. She will bring about that change. Lavellan smiles, dips her head into a nod. ]

Lethallan, yes. And you may, if it pleases you. The Dalish do not teach our language to outsiders, especially not to humans. But you are-- You mean so much to me, Hermione. I want you to have this word and its meaning, because so few of you ever will.

[ It could be said that Hermione isn't entirely aware of what all of this means - because it's true. She doesn't know the importance of sharing the word, no more than what Nasrin has told her, and she has no idea what it means, in the other woman's heart, for it to be shared and so easily given away.

She hesitates, she pauses, before she can't hold back any more. She can't stay away when her heart is telling her to go and find and offer comfort, and she stumbles through the fireplace and almost falls into Nasrin, wrapping her arms around her friend and holding her close. ]

Then I'll be your lethallan and you can be mine. I'll do everything I can to honour this, I promise. I won't let you down, not ever.

[ And she means it, holding her friend all the tighter for her promises. ]

[ Lavellan starts in shock when Hermione comes through, opening her arms to catch her when Hermione sprouts from the fire, magic so profoundly beautiful that she's awestruck for a moment, her friend tumbling into her arms. Hermione holds her fiercely and she returns the gesture, face by her shoulder, and is surprised to feel heat behind her eyes and tears pooling there.

No. No, she can't cry here, not in front of her. Not in front of anyone. When did I become so weak? she wonders, when a year ago she was sentencing people for their crimes and wielding the weight of an entire organization in her hands. Now she is ready to empty her heart to a circle of friends she has only known for a year, who know her well enough to love her, because she is so lonely and she misses too many people... Only now does she begin to realize she might never go home.

Her heart is here with these people. And so long as it is, she will love them and she will protect them, and she will do anything she has to in order to ensure their safety and happiness.

Throat closing in on her briefly when Hermione calls her lethallan, she tugs her closer, holds her tighter, and laughs brokenly, her heart split in two. It is only now that the tears begin to fall. ]

Don't worry about letting me down. No matter what happens, Hermione-- You are so dear to me. I'll do anything to keep you safe.

[ And she will love her unconditionally, regardless of her station or her court. This is the least she can offer her. ]

[ For a long moment she doesn't know what to do; she holds on to Nasrin and squeezes her arms around her a little tighter, drawing her close and letting herself hold on to her and resist the urge to break out in a few tears of her own. Her hand lifts and rests on the back of her friend's head, letting her fingers stroke gently for a few moments before she forces herself to try to find the right words to speak. ]

I'll do anything to keep you safe, too, to - to protect you.

[ Her eyes close and she rests there for a moment before she leans back, her hands lifting to rest on her cheeks, to brush her thumbs over Lavellan's cheeks, her expression softening as she tries to wipe away her tears. ]

I can admit that I don't know how important being a lethallan is but I am going to live up to the word. I promise. I am going to do anything I can to protect you, to keep you safe, to - to make sure you're happy. That's what's most important.

[ And then, careful, influenced by a friendship that says that kisses are a sign of true joy and companionship, she leaves a kiss on Nasrin's forehead, reaching to hold on to her again. ]

I'm here for you, for always.

[ Lavellan ducks her head briefly, ashamed and embarrassed, and reaches up with her hands to wipe away her tears. This is so unbecoming of her, to weep in front of anyone, to show such weakness. I must be strong for every man and woman beneath the banner of the Inquisition. I can be nothing less than my best. And here is Hermione, whom she had been hoping to encourage and to show strength for, wiping her tears for her.

She laughs. It hurts too much. ]

Lethallan is... The Dalish do not share their culture. They do not like humans. Too much has been taken from us. We would never share our words with others, not like you, not like anyone else.

[ I am a traitor to them and every single one of my kind. But she is so tired of lies. She wants to love. She wants to give all she can of herself in defense of her world and all of the others. Why can't she be expected to look after everyone, no matter her race, and include them in words that are as important to her as the hearts of her comrades and friends?

She reaches up, tucks some of Hermione's hair behind her ear. Lavellan smiles, pressing the last of her own tears away. ]

But you are my kin and my blood and there is nothing I would not do to see you safe. To see Katsa and Cullen, Aveline and Porthos and Zuko and all of the others safe. [ Even those she does not know who are kin and beloved to Hermione and the others. ] I will do anything to see you all happy and safe.

[ And she brings Hermione close again, holds her, and kisses her hair. ]

You are worth anything I can give.

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