The Eve of Departure

Jaqueline sat cross-legged in her favorite chair in the darkest corner of the study.  She had always felt at home surrounded by all of the dust-covered tomes left to molder out of the watchful eyes of everyone else.>/i>

When she heard the familiar footsteps enter the room, she seemed to unfurl herself from the darkness.  Shifting so she sat in the chair like the proper lady she was supposed to be, she waited for Julian to appear at the end of the aisle in front of her, ready with the feigned surprise that one might expect from disturbing an engrossed reader.  

She knew why he had come, though she didn't plan to make it any easier on him.

Julian needed to ask his sister quite a big favor. He always comes to her for favors because she was so good at covering for him when he was away with business. He needed to go to Orlais, more specifically Val Royeaux. He had a client, he needed to meet with. On top of meeting the client, he also would be near the University of Orlais. Their brother would be getting ready to make his journey back toward Antivia. He worried about his brother, especially with how the blight has become such a nuisance as of late. Julian knew where exactly his sister would be. One of her favorite spots was to be in the study. Particularly, a specific corner in the study where her favorite chair awaited. Julian entered the study with movements followed by determination. With purpose. As soon as he made his way into the corner, he gave his sister a huge smile. "Jaq....my favorite sister....how are you doing this evening...." His movement quickened as he approached his sister. Filling the gap between them. 

Jaq startled at the sound, looking up from the book sitting delicately on her lap with wide eyes.  The immediate smile quickly shifted into suspicion.  The whole change was part of a well-practiced routine, but one that had served her faithfully for years.

In a very flat tone, she responded.  

"I'm your only sister, Julian.  At least, the only one we know about." 

She closed the book and the motion sent swirls of dust dancing in the air, further excited by the exaggerated sigh she released noisily.  

With a voice teetering somewhere in the middle of exhaustion, frustration, and amusement, she asked,

"What do you need?"

Julian couldn't help but create an even wider smile for his sister. "But your are the favorite sister...whether your the only one...you know your my favorite." He sent his fingers and went in to poke her playfully as he spoke. He has done this many times and it always ended in the same way. She knew him to well. But he would always follow up with a shocked and over-dramatic gasp. "What? Your accusing me of wanting something? You don't think I came to see how my lovely sister is doing? Sitting here in her favorite spot, on her favorite chair..." His head moved as he loved at the study, then the chair, and then his head paused at the closed old book in her hands. "Potential favorite book?" 

The corner of her lips turned up in a gentle smirk.  Even when she knew he playing her, she couldn't help but adore his antics.  

"It isn't a favorite...but still worth reading.  It's on the evolution of hapoid gears, if you want borrow it next."

  
The smile finally broke across her face, and she rolled her eyes.

"So tell me, then, why you've come in looking like the cat who ate the canary.  Dear brother, you have the distinct look of someone about to get into mischief."

She set the book on the table beside her and gazed at Julian, amusement lighting the corners of her eyes.  Sometimes she found his charm infuriating, but most of the time she just enjoyed the show he put on.

Julian tilted his head slightly as he looked at the book on gears. It wasn't his thing but knew his sister enjoyed those sorts of things. It was too technical for his taste. He shook his head and smiled back at his sister. "Maybe another time. I'll leave that book for you to finish reading. Maybe if it has some theories on the fade or magical properties in some way....I might find a reason to pick it up." His charade ended quickly as it had started. He knew his sister and his sister knew him. He gave a slight sigh and then gave his sister a longing look. "Mischief? No....never. I need just a little favor from you. I'm planning on surprising brother back in Orlais. His semester should be ending soon, and with the blight around Thedas growing more difficult...I want to make sure our brother returns home safely..." He spoke charmingly as he walked behind his sister. He paced a few steps behind and then peaked over the chair and placed his head on his sister's shoulder. "You know, just cover for me like you always do. I know the trip can take up to a week but I'll make it quick. You know my shortcuts.....plus I'll even throw in a trinket or two for you. A gift of appreciation for my lovely sister...doing your favorite brother a solid....what you say?" 

Jaq lifted an eyebrow at her brother, an expression that conveyed the expected level of doubt.

"I do love presents, though escorting Tomas should hardly need too much of an excuse. Tell me, Julian, what else will you be doing in Orlais?  Should I expect some trouble to mysteriously be reported in the wake of your little visit?"

 
 She smiled, then quickly added, 

"Not that you'd do it, of course, just that it often seems to happen nearby wherever you are."

She gave her brother a knowing look - the same one she used to give as a child that meant she knew he was holding back on the important parts of the story.

Julian turns his head to look at her from his sister's shoulder. A sudden overdramatic gasp and shock were written on Julian's face. "What? Trouble? I would not dare cause any trouble. I have our family to lead eventually....I need not to get in trouble or father would scold me for causing such strife.....But if you must know....I have a friend there that requested to meet. And I thought why not, since our brother is there might as well surprise him at the same time...." Julian lifted his head off his sister's shoulder and moved around the chair to face his sister. He lightly sits on his sister's lap. "I hear Orlais has wonderful masks. I could bring you back a nice fancy one. Or maybe some interesting trinket mechanisms....a treasure of sorts?" 

One corner of Jaq's mouth tilted upward in a smirk.

"Masks are your thing, darling.  I prefer the face I have, thank you very much."

  Jaq gave her brother a gentle shove off her lap. 

"There is, however, a...spice I'm interested in.  Hard to find...possibly something that could be purchased in only the most out-of-the-way places."

She stood, and walked to a nearby bookcase, pulling a worn book from the shelf without having to spend any time searching for it.  The layer of dusk was thick, and Jaq blew off the spine before opening it and quickly finding a page.  She reached back and pulled a pencil from her hair, it having somehow been tucked away unseen until this very moment, then scribbled a few words on a slip of paper.  As she handed it to her brother, she met his eyes for an intense moment, making sure he understood the implications of her request.

"If you can't find it, don't worry.  It would be better to come back empty-handed than to be indiscrete about it."

Julian rolled his eyes as his sister commented about the masks. The shove didn't help, as Julian scoffed back. He took a few steps toward an empty chair and sat down. He was certainly intriqued by the request. Now what sort of things was she planning. A sort of spice? He looked at his sister with a slight glare as he was trying to figure out what she was trying to hide. "Spice huh? Now, what would you need a hard-to-come-by spice? hmmm?" His head cocked as he waited to see how his sister was going to answer his own question. They both had their own secrets but for most things they tell each other anything. "But since I love you so much....I'll take it under advisement. And what sort of spice is it? Details do help with such a request..." Julian winks at his sister with a grin. 

Jaqueline smiled at her brother  

"It is...something to help with a womanly issue I have every now and again.  I'm sure you don't want me to give too many details on that.  Let's just say that it is sometimes frowned upon by those who have no call to use it."

Jaq returned the wink to Julian, her face etched in devilish enjoyment.

He sat in the chair waiting for the answer. And the answer he got was not something he ever wanted to hear. His eyes went big and he covered his ears. "Nope....nope...say no more....fine...I'll get the spice. Just tell me what it's called and what it looks like...I get you that spice and we don't talk about it ever again...." There was a pause in the air as he shook his head to try to rid the thought of his sister's use of the spice. As he tried to get rid of such thoughts, he try to think of something else. Magic. The elegant forms of magic. Which reminded him, he did have to see his mentor when he came back. Julian a few seconds later looked back at his sister. "I'm sure me being away won't be a problem unless somehow father actually comes seeks me out but he has been so busy as of late it shouldn't be much a problem. Just can't let him know I went to go visit Tomas..." 

Jaqueline laughed, a whimsical sound full of life and light.

"The name is on that paper I gave you.  It's a fine powder, usually soft white...though I've read it can be more beige in various parts of the world."

She paused for a moment before adding,

"And Julian...it can be dangerous to those who don't know how to use it correctly.  It isn't the sort of thing you taste-test, k?"

She turned and put the book back on the shelf from whence it came, and somehow it seemed just as dust-covered as those around it.

"As for father...don't worry about it.  If he looks for you, I'll just say I was having a womanly issue and you went to go find something to help ease my burden."

She knew he could hear the teasing tone in her voice and had to work hard not to slip into more laughter.

Taking the piece of paper he placed it in his pocket for later. He nodded to his sister with a smile. He got up from his chair and walked toward his sister and gave her a big hug. [color=#c10300]"Your the best. Thanks. I appreciate it."[/color]

Releasing his hands from his sister's grasp, he moved toward the closest wall. He paused shortly before speaking back to his sister.  
 [color=#c10300]"So how are you doing? I know I've been busy lately....miss our chats?" [/color]

Jaqueline's expression softened.

"I'm okay.  I miss our chats more than you can imagine."

She stared down at her hands for a moment, before adding.

"Sometimes it just feels like we're all just people who used to know each other...each having drifted so far away that we're now strangers."

She closes her eyes for a moment, inhales sharply, and pastes the smile back on her face.

"That's just me being overdramatic.  I'm sure it's just that life has been so busy lately we haven't had a few seconds to take a breath.