She had lost the book the Tevinter Scholars had LOANED the University.
And she had tossed her office and lab to pieces looking for the tomb. On joint loan between the biology and mathematics department, she was going to be in so much trouble if she couldn't find the book. More so the University. It could cause a scandal let alone a war. And while she had giggled at the philosophy department saying that any society that separated it's scholars from it's warriors will have it's thinking done by cowards and it's fighting by fools, she also knew that the first act in war, in true war, was to target the scholars, the schools. Taking out the education system was the first step in damning a country to oblivion.
So there she was, hurrying through the corridors of the University, looking for Luce, and unable to find him. So she turned to the next person on her list of who she would go to -- Rene. And into his office she let herself, in a near panic, as she closed the door behind her and leaned again it, trying to catch her breath and explain at the same time, Book gone! Another huff. War! Oh, that made no sense, she realized as she struggled down a couple more breaths, waving a hand to try and cool herself down, her corset making her rather light-headed.
The book, the Theories and Prophesies of the Liar Zinovia is gone. It was on my desk, when I went to check on my recently transplanted trees, and when I came back it was gone. I've torn the place apart looking for the book and it's not there. Rene, I think I'm going to start a war if I lost this book... She was hyperventilating by the time she got there, her back on the door as she tried to figure out how to explain to Malachai that she lost the Consort Zinovia's prophesies.
He was enjoying a nap when she came barging through, the door bouncing off the bookcase with force before she closed it, all out of breath yelling and huffing between gasps. The newspaper lay draped over his face, the slight gap in the curtains allowing a single stream of light to illuminate the path through his office avoiding the chaise lounge.
Sensing she hadn’t marched past him in some panic, Rene half-groaned, half-yawned. I don’t think they are that unreasonable, Lia. Slowly, he pulled the paper down, his eyes still shut. She was overthinking, but she had also been in the depth of study and experimentation, so a break was required. If the Tevene were so easily offended I think we would all be dealing and arguing with sticks and stones, not parchment and ink. His voice oozed confidence despite the fatigued layer in his voice.
Then the irritated chiding began. Take a breath… come sit down. I’ll come help you after you remember to breathe
She ventured deeper into his office now that her eyes had adjusted to the room within, and she had heard the paper rustle to let her know where he was within the office. She wouldn't be like Nanny, and go and open all the drapes, she hated it when people opened her drapes with no warning, especially after she had finally got into a good bit of sleep. So instead, she came, and joined him on the chaise, knowing well enough where he would be, for her usual flop beside him to fret.
This wasn't an unusual occurrence now that she was working more closely on her research project with the University. How do you know though? For all we know they'll take great offense and then what? Bye Orlais, don't tell me you don't think they could, if there's anything I'm more certain of, it's that if they wanted too, they could probably cause the wards to finally fail. She let it go though, since he sounded sure of himself, and instead she tried to calm that irritation back out of him, her fingers going to that mop of curly hair on his head, gentle to try and comb it out some.
You're right, I probably.. it's like the people in the market. They're not really there. The book is probably exactly where I left it, and just the ... my mind isn't letting me see it because I'm still anxious over everything.
The lack of a curtain drawn was met with a suspicious slow rise of a singular lid. Others enjoyed, rather too fondly for his liking, the dramatic drawing of the blinds open that he’d only risked the one. The unfocused pupil searched blearily until clearly tracking her heading to his reclined form just before she unceremoniously flopped next to him. Rene offered a dusty chuckle, but made no comment until she carried on again.
I would say age before beauty, but then I need not flatter you given our recent trip. Brows wiggled knowingly. I don’t think your new Beau strikes me as one who really cares about ravaging Orlais itself. Now his grin became unfurled and feral with teasing her so openly. Though, there was an element of caution in her words. If the wards fall, they fall. No-one is even certain who cast them in the first place. Regardless, Luce and I have plans if the worst does happen. Tevinter invading over a book is the least of our concerns, Lia.
She’d probably scrape nails across his scalp for the comments he made over their recent trip, something which he didn’t overly mind but still flinched with a nod. I am a degree or two above you. I am right about many things, mostly the important things. Sitting up, Rene reached for a chord to tug, calling for an assistant. We’ll break for lunch, then I’ll escort you back to work it off searching for this book you’ve no doubt left in plain sight. All because some Vint fluttered his eyelashes at you and made your insides all… mushy and disgusting.
Lia stopped for a moment and watched his face as she rose up from her reclined position slightly, What do you mean you have plans if the worst does happen? Why wasn't I made aware of these plans? And don't give me it's because you didn't want me to worry, we all know I worry so much as is that there's no escape from the incessant march of things to worry about through my brain. Does it involve a boat? She wanted to know about these plans now, but all in good time, it was something she'd need to spend some time picking his brain for.
Just because you were accepted into the school first, I had to wait till Luce restore the family name and recognized me directly as an actual daughter before I could get in and start working on the degrees, give me time and I will catch up, you know I will. They only let me test so many at a time. Not like I don't already have the knowledge and the years of study, if they'd just let me sit the tests back to back then I'd have surpassed the both of you by now, you know it as plain as I do. And it's nothing to do with age. Okay, she could be insufferable at times, not that she wasn't at the best of times, but right now after he just woke up, those were her favorite times to tease him.
He did not flutter his eyelashes, okay, she paused, thinking back to the night in question, Maybe he did flutter them, I'm not sure, it was my birthday and you were making sure that the champagne was flowing excessively that evening! It's not my fault that my chaperone let me slip away to the bar and get accosted by an exceedingly attractive stranger who just happened to have soft kissable lips. And my insides have nothing to do with this, they remain, as always, un-moved, as a chaste and pure spinster should be. She sighed a little, thinking about her new friend from Tevinter, and how he really did have remarkable eyes. I don't think I've left it in plain sight, you know that's always the first place I look, and then under things, and then on things, then again, if someone happened to put it atop the high filing cabinet then that would explain why I couldn't find it, curse being so short, one would think my mother was dwarven or something to explain my lack of obvious height and growth over the years. And since no one would tell me directly and she died when I was little. A mystery still, since father decided to leave no notes at all.
Rene rolled his eyes, irritation at being prodded about the likelihood of their relocation. Nothing is set in stone, but only fools should ignore the fading magic and increasing… chill in the air. Procurement of a boat is not on the cards, but one cannot be picky when trying to outrun… whatever is coming to dine on our corpses. Shrugging he’d brush her concerns aside for the moment in lieu of chiding her lightly.
Oh Boo-hoo he chimed, You are established now. "Talk of Tevinter," I heard. Your influence carries more than you think. Be careful with that. Power, even new found power was tempting, one could easily fall under its influence or machinations. Rene rather she didn’t fall prey to some Tevene internal plot because of her discovery.
Her protest had him sit up abruptly. They certainly did. And you definitely fluttered them back. And his voice lowered to something more conspiratorial, I’m not just talking about your little birthday smooching. Pulling his body back deep into the lounger, Rene tugged the chord. Excuses. Soft kissable lips. Filthy girl.
Now he wasn’t so bothered by her rousing him, between observing both Phia and the Princess over the course of their trip he had been quite exhausted by ensuring they returned home no worse for wear. There had been no opportunity to press her on the details of her fraternising. He tried not to roll his eyes with her nervous babbling, hoping to sway him from prying into her affairs. There would be no such luck.
Perhaps he’s come to visit you and is waiting, naked, with only the book covering his person? Or was that perhaps a daydream of yours? He flashed her a wide, smug grin before dipping out of the chair to find a clean looking jacket to roam out with.
Lia picked up a book off his side table as he spoke, turning the volume over in her hands as he talked, toying with the cover as she looked at the inscription inside, I don't really think anyone will be coming on dine on our corpses, really Rene, that's just fear mongering among the people to keep us in order, isn't it? She leaned over a bit, as she turned slightly on the duvet, raising a brow as he talked of Tevinter. She sheepishly put the book down quickly, before she realized he was cautioning her friendships in the city new to her. No, not the book Rene, that would give me mild palpitations and you know that I'd drop something and go positively red in the face, like.. like my hair.
But she wouldn't deny it outright, which was probably more than enough to let him slip in and tease her even more. At least she loved him for it, their bond as great as her one with Luce now that they were older. In their youth, probably not, but with Luce having to assume head of the House, and with the baby, Rene, poor Rene, had become her latest confidant in just about all things. I mean that could be where the book went, I wouldn't put it past someone from Tevinter to come back and collect it as ransom for something, but surely you're kidding about influence, yes? I'm a bastard and a scholar with no prospects or money to my own name, I live in leisure because my brothers allow me to.
She watched him as he looked around for a clean jacket, picking one up from the arm of the seat, and sniffing at it a few times -- his scent, mingled with the scents of the University, maybe some pipe smoke, but nothing illicit and no alcohol clung to it's weave -- Lia offered it over to him, as she stood, sweeping her free hand down over her robe. I always like when you wear this one, you've not ripped the little bee I embroidered in the pocket out yet have you? I really should do that for all your coats, might be the only way we recover some of them all the more times you seem to lose things. She teased, trying not to smile. Now that you've adequately distracted me from my initial crisis, are we on the case?
There she was, hiding, as usual. Rene’s eyes rolled, growing frustrated by the lacking of confidence where there should be none. Yet, her quip about her face matching her fiery red hair had him cackle wickedly. And I’m certain he’d ask if the carpet matched… He wanted to avoid the topic of eating-faces, what little she knew the better of their increasingly dire situation.
You are family, pursuing your own career. Why wouldn’t we support you? You have an incredible mind, Lia. It would be a dishonour on our part, not to nurture it. Be that financially or otherwise. He would hear no more of this nonsense, taking his jacket and fixing her with a firm look. Don’t distract me with your adorable little details. It is high time you realise, your name carries more weight than you consider. Do you realise how many eager researchers I had to dissuade from you enjoying an evening? You deserved to shine, and you did… well, I’d argue you did more than that. Especially on one particular Tevene.
Rene’s brow arched. You must know your Smooth-Kisser is the leader of the Eyes. The Chancellor to the Archon. Probably the second most powerful man in Tevinter? Of course not, she might have suspected he was far more involved than he let on, but that also garnered the man a small amount of respect for her safety. It still didn’t sit right with Rene, protective of the more naive scholar. She had attracted the attention of a rather dangerous individual.
I bet I’ve adequately distracted you now. Come, we’ll wander and look for your book, but food first. He couldn’t quite rightly do this on an empty stomach and once reaching the door the expected servant was not the one who met them there, face white and chest heaving though he’d been running at full speed. Rene frowned, eyeing him up and down and pushing Lia behind him. Out with it boy, what’s the fuss?
Through gasps, he’d explain that Luce had sent him, urging him to reach Rene with haste. “Master said, ‘Elephant Circus’ and you’d know what that meant, ser. Told me to run, like there was a hound nippin’ at my heels all the way.”
Rene gripped the doorframe tightly, his head stiffly nodded. Thank you Henry, much appreciated. I suggest you do the same getting back, here, he’d fumble about a pocket, taking a few coins. For a horse to hire. Off you go, good lad.
And this is why you're my favorite, she said as she leaned up and placed a small kiss on his cheek. I'll make sure to embroider bees into the pockets of your vests next. Maybe a butterfly or three here and there. She turned as she heard the bells of the Chantry start to ring, a brow raised slightly, there was no service today, was there? That Tevene as you put it is a friend and confidant and no one that will unseat you from being the most important in my life, next to Luce. You and he come first and foremost, no matter how far up the chain of command my friend has climbed. Even if he is quite powerful. And no one really interests me like that, you know that. No one besides her new friend though, Rene was right to tease her about it, she was quite smitten with the man, even if she knew she needed to be careful around him. To be fair, my first kiss with him was when he said he was a visiting ambassador, and not second most powerful man in Tevinter, so you can't lay that all at my feet, I didn't go seeking him out like some.. woman intent on securing an empire through wiles and smiles.
The sound of the bells were getting louder, rung at a more insistent pace now ass she nodded, her stomach growling in reply for her. Food seems like the best bet at the moment, and Maker, do you think someone important has died? I've not heard them ring them like that outside of holiday services before. She looked over her shoulder and towards the window of the room as the knock came, Henry, the boy at the house. She'd been living in the hallway house, hidden away from an attempt on her life, should her parentage had been made known to their family enemies sooner, when the boy had been born, but she had seen him around Luce before, and around Rene before and knew the boy to be a good messenger, able to slide in and out of the streets like a knife through butter running. She didn't even mind when she was moved behind, shaking her head a little as she tutted at Rene.
What's this about then? Elephant Circus, Oh! Is the Circus come to town, is that why the bells are ringing like that! Oh Rene, we can look for the book later, let's go down and see all the animals they've brought. And that was the problem with an innocent mind, because it took several more seconds for the tumblers to fall into place, for the clarity of all things presented to line up just so -- bells, a code word, running like hells, and a horse to get back -- Blight. It had to be that the wards were falling and Blight was encroaching onto the city -- but the Wardens near by, they'd fight it off yes? They'd be able to push it back and keep the city from being overrun. She waited for the lad to be down the hallway, out of hearing range, knowing it probably wouldn't have mattered, I have a feeling we'll need to place a pin on that lunch then, won't we?
She was sad then, in that moment, that what had been starting out to be a fantastic plan for she and her brother to have an adventure, was turning out to be the day they'd most likely die. But she wasn't scared of that, only that they'd be apart from Luce when it happened, at least he was at home with the baby and Maeve, they were together, they'd be able to make a run together, most likely. They would be fine. It was getting Rene and herself to somewhere safe then, and they'd be fine too, it would be an adventure they'd commiserate together once they met up together away from the city, over a fire and drinks. In her mind, everything was fine...
