InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "just like my last job"

Alistair Theirin (royal_bastard) wrote in colligo_threads,
@ 2011-03-19 19:32:00

Entry tags:

alistair theirin, anders

WHO: Alistair Theirin & Anders
WHAT: Two guys, a kitten, and some conversation
WHEN: Afternoon
WHERE: Alistair & Anders's apartment
RATING: PG
STATUS: In Progress

It had taken Alistair quite some time to get used to the modern set up and the various things that it entailed. After nearly two years of little more than a tent between himself and the elements, his time here had been as relieving as it was unusual. The novelty had worn off rather quickly, however, and it had left him with little more than a restless energy and an itching urge to get back to where he was supposed to be and finish what they'd started. But now that the possibility he could be king was a reality rather than just one of many other options, Alistair found himself hesitant to return and play out whatever they had left to complete. Besides, it was much more interesting here now.

Especially now that he wasn't staying in this apartment by himself. It was a rather odd combination, an ex-templar grey warden, an apostate, and a feline, but Alistair found it heavily amusing. Oh, if the revered mother could see him now. He would have paid anything to see the look on her face. It would have been a priceless memory that he could forever cherish and use to keep his spirits up whenever things got difficult. But as it was, unless she showed up here (Andraste forbid), he'd have to settle on using his imagination to picture the reaction. Luckily, he had a really good imagination.

"So, any plans for employment?" Alistair asked, figuring it was the most practical question that he could ask. There was very little skill carry over in this place for most professions. Warrior, Grey Warden, Templar, none of it had meant anything to anyone here. He might as well help this Anders head off any of the same issues that he encountered, even if their areas were rather different.

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oftwominds
2011-03-31 05:13 am UTC (link)

The impression was nothing like Gregoir, but Anders appreciated the effort nonetheless. Chuckling, he shook his head in amusement. While their confinements had likely been extremely different, with Alistair never having to spend weeks to months panicking over if he was about to made tranquil, it was still a shared experience. "Not so much stabby. Well, there was, but they have other ways of dealing with problem mages. But there certainly was a lot of guilt involved. After all magic is a punishment."

An actual full laugh broke out of Anders when Alistair suggested he come to Denerim. Lord Mewsy mewed lightly, batting at his fingers and he returned to teasing the kitten. "I'm not sure I'd be particularly welcome in Denerim. I hear the Wardens can be annoyed if you skip out on the parties."

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royal_bastard
2011-03-31 06:23 am UTC (link)

"Other ways that should be taken off the table," Alistair said, shaking his head. "Mentally neutering someone is no solution, and mass murder is even less of a one. We're hardly in a position to judge what makes someone capable of handling their gifts," Alistair was very careful to stress that last word, "properly especially when a lot of the people in charge see something as simple as insubordination is grounds for being severed from your personality."

And they were back to this again. Serious conversation times once more. But at least it was broken up a bit by Anders's laughter as Alistair grinned.

"Nah. People run off all the time for various reasons. They only get a little testy if you show back up asking for your position back," Alistair said, despite the fact that he wasn't really sure either way. He did know that people left all the time, but the last part was completely made up. "Besides, I was hardly thinking about the Wardens. I'm pretty sure the King is allowed a mage for an advisor. At least, I remember reading that there have been in the past during my histories."

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oftwominds
2011-04-01 10:28 pm UTC (link)

"It's even worse in Kirkwall." Anders tried not to think of Karl. Karl who had been there for him in times when he had no one else. And now he was gone, by Anders own hand nearly. But the Templars had killed Karl just as surely as he had, they simply had left his husk talking to do their bidding.

"Well you've already got the Commander." Anders pointed out, still wanting to avoid the actual reasoning behind his leaving the wardens. The king would hardly want to have someone this side of a maleficar as his advisor. It was adorable how easily he brought up the idea though. "I'm doing some good work in Kirkwall. I think Hawke is going to do great things. She must be, actually, since people keep saying I'm with her two years later."

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royal_bastard
2011-04-02 01:21 am UTC (link)

"Worse...how?" Alistair asked, a sudden, deep concern sinking into his voice. He wasn't very abreast of world politics, not with his attention having been focused purely on the Blight for the last two years, but the idea that any Circle could be doing things that warranted such a label didn't sit well in his gut.

"She's already got her position. Commander of the Grey can hardly be zipping back to Denerim just to give the poor king some advice. Besides, one, two, twenty, the palace has plenty of room, well outside the eye shot of the Chantry, and it's not like the King can be accused of harboring fugitives," There was a slight giddiness to his words, one that marked that he knew that what he was saying was definitely wrong in every sense of the word. He probably could have been marked as harboring fugitives...but Alistair wasn't entirely sure that Greagoir would risk such a move. "But if you've already got a path, I'm certainly not going to stand in the way. For all I know, it would end up being world changing."

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oftwominds
2011-04-02 02:38 am UTC (link)

Scoffing slightly as he thought of the Gallows, Anders tried his best to keep the rising anger from taking over. It was all so fresh, so painful. There were few people that Anders trusted and he had stabbed one of them to keep them from calling back into the soulless life of a tranquil. "They make people tranquil at the slightest provocation. Mages are literally housed in an imperium prison. The templars control the entire city for the most part, not just the circle."

Good, he was controlling himself. So far this place had yet to truly pull out his anger outside of the shock of arriving here. But this was a place that lacked templars and did not imprison its mages. "I'm not the sort of fugitive you should try harboring." Anders ruefully smiled, listening to kitten purrs. "But that's the hope. I'd do anything to make the lives of mages in Thedas better."

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royal_bastard
2011-04-02 03:05 am UTC (link)

Using an old Tevinter slave quarters for a Circle was truly stressing the limits of subtle symbolism. He might not care for the idea, but he could understand the economy in it. The other two facts, however, provoked a deeper concern, "The Templars' jurisdiction is supposed to stop at the gates of the Circle, never to spill into the city. The Chantry is never supposed to have dominion over government affairs. The Viscount should have put a stop to it before the Templars were seceded that much control. And the Grand Cleric should have put a stop to any violation of Chantry law. The Rite of Tranquality is only permissible for apprentices," He said, peering at Anders with a deep worry in his eyes before sighing. "But... I'm guessing neither of them did step in where they should have?"

It was a troubling precedent to set, because of one nation state in the Free Marches allowed their Templars far more control than they should be allowed, it would take little time for all of the Templars to be demanding the same latitudes. At the very least, Alistair knew that he'd be able to pressure the Revered Mother into keeping Ferelden's Templars under better control. But there was little reassurances in that for it still left the rest of Thedas open to veritable extermination should Rites of Annulment be invoked.

"I don't know," Alistair said, smiling at Anders's comment. "You don't seem so bad to me. Certainly far more reasonable than anyone would have made an apostate out to be," He said, chuckling. "And considering my last experience with an apostate was less than stellar, you've certainly redeemed my opinions. Though, I was hardly going to attribute Morrigan's vicious tendencies to everyone anyway."

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oftwominds
2011-04-05 03:45 am UTC (link)

A bitter laugh was all Anders could manage at Alistair's indignation. It was thrilling to hear someone that agreed with him, especially someone who had been raised so close to the chantry and had so much possibility when it came to actually making a difference in how mages were treated. The fact that others could see the injustice and not just fall into line with those in authority, it was promising. "The Grand Cleric as far as I can tell does nothing, she simply stands aside while events happen around her and refuses to do anything to actually help people. And yet people see no fault in her because she's so holy. As for the Viscount, he's utterly useless.

Kirkwall was possibly the most dangerous place for him to be, but it was where he was needed. There were mages that needed to get out and to freedom, especially with everything the templars were doing. And Anders had a feeling that it was only going to get worse. Someone needed to help them and if it was not him then who would?

"I've heard a bit about Morrigan from the Commander. I would like to think I'm a bit more friendly than that." he chuckled. "But no I've got to stay in Kirkwall. While there's work to be done in Ferelden there's a lot to be done there too. Someone has to stand up to the templars."

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royal_bastard
2011-04-05 05:28 am UTC (link)

"Unfortunately, that seems to be a rub with Grand Clerics. They like to think that things are planned by the Maker, that it simply isn't their place to interfere with His plans and that they should merely be allowed to play out however they do," Alistair said with a sigh. "They never stop to consider that if they only allowed themselves to be more proactive, they could stop so many injustices before they came to pass. If it helps, know that you will have a friend in Ferelden," Alistair said, nodding to Anders. While there were things that they disagreed on, their beliefs fell far more in line than they were against each other, and Alistair could see no way that he would ever, in future, fall far more in line with the Templars than with the man before him. "The members of the Circle deserve far more consideration than they have ever been given, far more appreciation for what they do for the nation, and far more freedom than the Chantry is willing to provide."

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