Navigate up river

Mica’s life has never been, terribly easy. Not that being a princess didn’t have its perks, but it also came with a lot of responsibilities that she just didn’t want, that she had never wanted. After her dalliance with a stable boy was found out, she was sent away to Val Royeaux, Orlais to learn dance under the great Benoit. Things seemed to be back on track. She met a lot of friends in Orlais, and also got into a bit of trouble, but ultimately she hadn’t forgotten about the stable boy and would eventually attempt to run away with him.

That failed miserably, and she was hauled back to Antiva by her mother. Unfortunately, the little escapade had resulted in her getting pregnant. She was forced to marry the first idiot that would have her, that was too dumb to do the math and realise the kid couldn’t be his. Eventually she would find herself back in Orlais, the last couple of years the entire Campana family had to go on the run from the Crows. She relied on friends from Orlais to help her get through the troubled times. She took her son with her, but the idiot husband stayed in Antiva. Since ultimately the Crows decided he was too dumb and unloved to be worth their time.

Lately things have gone from bad to worse, her big brother Frankie has been murdered. Their trusted and loved butler Alfred is dead, and Addy has run off. Deciding that dealing with Eularia can wait, she decided to go look for Addy. She left her son with her idiot husband, since despite his flaws he always proved to be a decent father, and she started the search. Deciding to start once again with her friends in Orlais to see if anyone had heard anything, like Tomas Mesenero, a good friend of Addy’s. While there she decided to check in on her friend Maeve, to see how life as a mother was treating her.

She showed up at the Beauvais estate and was let in, while the staff went to announce her arrival. She stood in the foyer and waited for Maeve or Lucien to appear.

Maeve had been taking a brief nap, now that the child was sleeping when a member of the staff announced Micaela’s presence. She jumped from the bed, combing her hair a little before heading towards the child’s room, to see if he was still sleeping and since indeed he was resting, she decided to introduce him to Micaela later.

She headed downstairs with a smile on her lips “Dear Micaela, it’s always a pleasure to see you” she said with a smile “And Lucien would have been also glad to meet you today, but unfortunately he is managing academic stuff”.

“Can I offer you anything?” asked the brunette.

Mica smiled warmly as Maeve greeted her. She always felt like she had more friends in Orlais than she did in Antiva. Not that she didn’t have any friends in Antiva, but most were family, so she didn’t really count them. She chuckled at the bit about Lucien being busy.

Ever the studious and dedicated professor! I heard through the grapevine he’s even done a bit of advising the Emperor, representing the University. There were a number of rumours about the Emperor that Mica had heard, everything from the absurd to the plausible. She’d heard he was a puppet for someone else, but no one could say who, and his new husband certainly couldn’t be the one doing the puppeting, they seemed far too in love.

When Maeve offered Mica something, anything, Mica tipped her head and thought about it for a moment. A drink would be nice, she could definitely use one with everything that had been going on the last week. She felt like she’d barely had time to breathe.

I would kill for a drink actually. I don’t know if news has reached you guys, or not but…. Suddenly she couldn’t find the words to say that her dearest older brother was dead, but being the King of Antiva, she imagined the news would spread across Thedas like wildfire.

“He has, which I do have mixed feelings about” she said relaxing on her chair. Usually when someone commented on that she just returned a polite smile and changed the topic but if she could afford to be sincere with someone it was Micaela. “I have to say that on one hand that makes me proud but on the other it does remind me of the old days and worries me. Lucien is splendid at the game but now that we have a family I am more worried than ever about stepping on the wrong toes and Lucien being the one chosen for the advising is surely going to ruffle some feathers.

“News have indeed reached me and you have my deepest condolences” she said with a sad smile. She couldn’t bear the thought of thinking about Vincent dying so likely Mica was grieving greatly “How are you…handling it? If you wish to speak about it of course”

Mica understood how dangerous the game could be, especially as an Antivan where the game could be even more deadly. As a royal she’d been forced to grow up, learning how to play it, having it grilled into her at a young age. She smiled as reassuringly as she could muster at the moment.

I’m sure it’ll be fine. I mean whose feathers is he going to ruffle, other academics. Most of the professors are more interested in the school than they are the game. Besides, she thought, she was positive Lucien had learned from his family’s mistakes where the LaRues were concerned. As far as talking about her brother and dearly departed butler, she frowned a moment, but then continued.

It’s, been rough. I mean I always expected that maybe one of the Talons would have him killed, but this, Elgar’nan fool. I don’t even understand who or what he is, let alone why he cared so much about my brother, and Alfred, poor Alfred. The man deserved better after a lifelong service to my family. She still wasn’t sure how Alfred had come to end up dead. Only that it had something to do with the tavern that Frankie and Eularia owned burning down, and that Adaria had been seen leaving it moments before the fire totally consumed it.

“Dear Mica you don’t know how hard I am hoping that this is just me being paranoid, but I have lived through so much that I prefer to be excessively cautious” because she trusted her husband’s skills but she had seen too much in the past few years and now she had way more to lose than when she was a solitary bard.

“I met Alfred while we lived in Antiva. He was a kind and a wise man; both your brother’s and his death are a lost for this world” she said with a sad expression.
She took a deep breath “So, on a more lighter note, any interesting plans short term? I was thinking about doing a charity ball soon ish, for all the people that are in need after all the recent blights fiasco”.

Mica nodded, the game wasn’t to be avoided. Anyone thinking foolishly enough that they could just putter along like it didn’t exist was usually met with death or dismemberment. She hated the game, hated royal obligation, hated the a lot about life as a princess of Antiva.

I hope you’re being paranoid too, but it is the game, only a fool would ignore it in the hopes of being safe. She frowned a bit when speaking of her brother and Alfred, she didn’t cry, no she was a princess and as such it was natural to her to fight back tears in public. She muttered a thank you, with a polite smile. Maeve could probably see through it, but then Maeve probably also knew Mica well enough by now to know not to press things when Mica got like that.

As the subject moved to future plans, Mica bit nervously at her bottom lip. When was the last time she’d just gone off on her own. She honestly couldn’t remember, probably back when she’d gotten knocked up, but she had to find Addy.

I need to find Addy. She’s gone off and I’m worried about her. I’ve heard she’s been seen with Zevran Arainai. The ball sounded lovely though, were her brother not dead and Addy missing, she’d probably have stuck around Orlais to help plan it.

“The game is always on. I knew this when I married Lucien, which is ironical because I left the bard life in order to step out of it” maybe in another life she would have lived an idyllic live in the countryside, with less luxuries but lower stakes but she had married Lucien knowingly and while she didn’t appreciate the constant tension, him and their son was totally worth it”

“I am actually close to Arainai, if you promise to not endanger him I could contact him to see if he is indeed with him” she said; she trusted Micaela but she had to be explicit about the safety of one of her best friends. If something ever happened to Zevran because of her she would never forgive herself.

There had been a time when Mica had thought the grand game so intriguing and fun, but that had been another lifetime ago now. She’d grown up into a much different person, and after having to flee Antiva because of the Talons and now with some Elvhen asshole killing her family, she was quite tired of the grand game. It could positively go fuck itself as far as she was concerned.

Quite honestly, when I was young and naive, I romanticised the game. Now that I’m older it’s hard for me to believe I ever felt that way. People have the capacity for so much, and yet can be so cruel to one another, and because they can. As the conversation moved to Zevran, Mica’s eyes lit up at Maeve’s offer to contact him. She figured it was a long shot to think that he’d know where Adaria is now, but at least he knew where she was and she might have said something about where she was headed next.

To be honest with you, I wouldn’t even consider asking if the situation wasn't as dire as it is. I’m in desperate need to find Adaria. I can't stress enough how crucial it is. She elaborated with a sense of urgency in her voice.

“I think that everybody has made the same mistake in the beginning, I also got caught in the glamour of the game when I was young.” She was promised money, beauty and splendor to end up as an almost slave to the whims of a egocentric monster. Luckily she had managed to find a balance, to enjoy the thrilling bits of the game without getting swept by it. Likely it was due to the fact that she had Lucien on her side, who had a way more healthy view of the Orlesian dynamics.

“I know, I will write him so that he does contact you” she said seriously “I just don’t want to be the one to arrange the meeting in order to give Zevran the chance to decline it” said Maeve with a smile “Don’t worry I will put a good word for you so that he is more inclined to agree to the meeting” said the brunette before sipping her drink. Zevran was one of her best friends and she wouldn’t want him to feel betrayed.

Mica was visibly relieved that Maeve had agreed, it was fine that Maeve wanted to write to Zevran personally to set up the meeting. Ordinarily she’d have asked Frankie, but then if Frankie were alive to ask, she wouldn’t have the need to go after Adaria to begin with.

You are a life saver. He was friends with Frankie, so he should understand the urgency in finding Adaria. It pained her to talk about Frankie, it was still all too fresh, but finding Adara took precedence over her own grief at the moment.

“Then it’s settled then, Zevran is a good man, he will try to help you if he can” she said with a kind smile. She hoped that the request would not endanger him but well, he friend was old enough to decide which battles he could afford to pick.