InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Take me to your leader."

Alistair (gryphonshield) wrote in theconsolelog,
@ 2018-06-05 15:46:00

Entry tags:

alistair theirin, elissa cousland, status: complete

WHO: Elissa Cousland & Alistair
WHERE: Princess Peach's Castle - Elissa's room
WHEN: June 5th, late morning
WHAT: Morrigan is being confusing and Alistair needs to discuss things with his fellow Warden
WARNINGS: None
STATUS: In-Progress

In no world did Alistair think he would be able to understand or justify someone like Morrigan. To her credit, and he had to give it to her, she had raised their son well. She had said nothing bad of him (to his knowledge) and the boy didn't dislike him. She'd let him see him now. And yet, she brought up a lot of information with little to no reasoning to his attention. And her new ways of trying to get under his skin...

There was one person Alistair hoped he could trust. The only one he followed in his own world, even if she were slightly different here, she was still his fellow Warden. The Hero of Ferelden--and the only person he was certain he could call friend. Their world hadn't allowed him many others.

He knocked at Elissa's door at what he hoped was an acceptable time. He would have rather spoken with her earlier but it had been too late in the night. He had some sense of manners, even if sleep was not a friend to either of them. "Knock knock, it's not the servants, but I did bring you breakfast." Because the food here was delicious. "Don't get any ideas though." She wasn't the queen here. Just the commander of the wardens in Ferelden, and in her absence, in his time, that had fallen to him. And his glorious adventures into the Fade...

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gryphonshield
2018-06-06 04:02 pm UTC (link)

“I meant the room service, your Highness,” he replied with a smirk as he stepped into her room to lay out his findings from the kitchen. An assortment of pastries, fruits, and of course, cheese. Alistair didn’t forget Bastien either and squatted down to give him the largest bone of meat he could find without one of the little mushroom fellows chastising him for taking all the good stuff. It wasn’t all for him at all!

Different times aside, Alistair still felt comfortable in Elissa’s presence. They had endured much together and shared troubles no one else would understand. She could be direct, but it’s what made her a good leader, one Alistair was content to follow. Everyone else in Thedas may have moved into “but what have you done for us lately”, but uniting treaties and being the last of few left to fight an Archdemon was no small thing, and certainly shaped them both. He knew she had his back, and he would always have hers. Not something you came by frequently from their home.

“Why does it have to be trouble! Can’t I just stop by to say hi to my dearest friend? Say I missed her even if we are different..versions of other decisions?” Maker that was a mouthful. Not even he was buying that. With a small defeated sigh, the older Warden picked at some of the grapes with a mild shrug. “Morrigan is being weird: not that it’s a surprise, but. She’s doing that thing where she has an intended purpose but not quite giving all of the information. She wants to go speak with the dragons in the mountains to see what ‘knowledge they have to offer’”—his Morrigan impression wasn’t very good anymore, given he couldn’t lace it with malice. She wasn’t exactly being cruel to him anymore. Which also was weird, but welcome, given they did share a son. One Alistair wanted to see. “And she wants me to go with her. Not you. So that little voice in the back of my head that likes to run about screaming ‘danger’? He’s awake.”

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elissa_cousland
2018-06-06 04:54 pm UTC (link)

"Oh, that, right. Never crossed my mind." Elissa closed the door behind him as Alistair entered, nabbing a piece of cheese from the tray. Bastien barked happily, licking at Alistair's hand before heading off to munch on his bone. To make up for that one time he'd snapped at his hand, trying to take his food bowl before he was finished.

Despite having married him for political reasons, Elissa had lately come to think of Alistair as a brother, given all that they had in common. Born of nobility, having given that all up when joining the Wardens. The loss of friends and family, the struggles they had faced in dealing with the blight. And of course there was the slight guilt in knowing that they were both alive because she had manipulated him into doing something that he probably found worse than 'swooping' things. Though, it was a necessity, given that as much as she would have liked to be in his place, the ritual had required him.

"Missing the pillow fights, are we?" Nodding, she took a bite of her cheese. "Ah, of course. Should have known." There had been countless hours during there travels that she'd had to listen to their ceaseless bickering and banter. "Well, I suppose I can understand that. Her wanting to talk to dragons, I mean. The dragons we know usually hold the souls of the Old Gods, so the ones here might have information? It's only natural that she'd want to inquire into what they know."

As for her taking Alistair and not her? That she could sort of understand as well. After all, she came from a different time, a different place. And to her, she was still feeling the Calling. Granted, not as strongly, but still. Why risk the possibility of having her taint one of them and starting a blight here? Plus, there was the more logical explanation, and it didn't have anything to do with him fathering her son.

"So, you fear that she wants to do some blood ritual or something, using you?" She smiled slightly. "I don't think that's the case, Alistair. It makes sense to take you and not me. You're a warrior, having a sword and a shield, not to mention actual armor. I have two daggers and a bow, wearing leather." Granted, it was perhaps the best leather to be found, but still. "My only skill would be sneaking, which doesn't always work with dragons. So, if things happen to go bad, you're the one to have there." She didn't dare say she thinks highly of you because, truth be told, she wasn't entirely certain about that. Though, there was definitely a change between the two.

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gryphonshield
2018-06-06 05:14 pm UTC (link)

“Definitelty the pillow fights. Now those were the days..” Yes, sibling was definitely a bond Alistair would akin her to. Family, if not anything else. Aside from Kieran, Elissa and the other Wardens were all Alistair had. Which is why he took to his duties more seriously and really didn’t feel like he was himself when he wasn’t around them.

He didn’t know that she still heard the Calling. If he had, he may have been more apt to talk to these mystic dragons to get help for her. His “false” calling had disappeared after Corypheus released his hold on the Wardens. So if she still felt it, that was a problem indeed. One in which he would have to fix.

Alistair considered what may have been obvious before, hidden in his forever careful thoughts towards Morrigan’s “ideas”. Yes, he was the tank of their team along with Shale, Sten, or...did the drunken dwarf really count. That did make sense. “Yes, but you’re the one whose actually killed one before. I don’t know, it’s just how she says it. Like she speaks about looking for information inclusively. Like “we” and “us”.” He wasn’t going to mention her new habit of physical contact, that of which he was certain to make him squirm for her own amusement. “You must admit it would be the perfect way to get rid of me..but as cunning as she is, I think Kieran is too smart to be manipulated even by her...he’s so incredibly smart. It’s astounding.”

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elissa_cousland
2018-06-06 07:24 pm UTC (link)

Elissa could relate, the past couple of months when she'd be alone she just hadn't felt right. And since coming here, she'd learned of the false calling, which hers could still be, given that she was from a time before the others. But, one could never tell.

"Technically speaking, two," Elissa countered. "Well, one and a half, since the first was Flemeth, and not really a dragon. And, apparently not dead either. But that was just me getting lucky with the final blow. And of course the archdeamon had to be you or I, and... just on the off-chance, I thought it was best if it were I." Not that she had actually doubted Morrian, or she wouldn't have agreed to the thing in the first place. "'We' and 'us' meaning you and her? Not the three of us?" Well, that was interesting. Very interesting. Almost as interesting as Alistair's apparent inability to grasp the situation.

"Aside from myself, have you ever.... really conversed with a woman, Alistair? Not the banter that you have with Morrigan, but... an actual conversation? A glimpse into the workings of a woman's mind?"

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gryphonshield
2018-06-06 08:25 pm UTC (link)

Ah, so modest. Alistair did miss his friend, he hadn’t smiled so much in a very long time. He took a seat adjacent from where she had been studying tomes, similar to what Morrigan had been doing. Though the witch was likely more looking into doing magical things. Elissa was trying to find more information, Alistair had been scouting and keeping watch.

“I don’t know, that’s what I meant about the vague implications without explanation. It isn’t as if she’s included either of us in her werabouts up until now.” He let his hands drift into the air with a shrug. When was Morrigan not frustrating. “She’s just happy not to be running from her mother anymore—I guess that means she’s content here for now. I don’t know. I can’t tell with her.”

The next question gave him pause, frowning and blinking up at her. “Um, no? After the Blight you went to rebuild the Wardens in Ferelden while I went to get rid of the remaining Darkspawn. Until you left on your journey the only women I’ve spoken to are the other Wardens we trained or the townspeople in passing...what does that even mean, workings of a woman’s mind? Does that even apply to Morrigan?”

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elissa_cousland
2018-06-06 09:31 pm UTC (link)

Elissa had been researching everything she could about the area. The only thing that was of any use was the fact that the odd green pipes could be used for travel, there was just no means of knowing which went to where other than taking a chance and utilizing them. As far as she could discern, there was no 'map' to them. And most of the information about the surrounding area was of little to no help.

Elissa nodded. Though, truthfully, she had expected that, given her last conversations with Morrigan, agreeing not to try to find her. "And you find that... odd?" she asked, picking up an apple and taking a bite from it. True, it was odd given Morrigan's typical behavior, from the days when they had first traveled together. And for some reason, Alistair was still thinking of her in that sense.

"Think about it, Alistair," she said. "Morrigan is a mother now. With your son. People change, motherhood can change a person in ways that you can't imagine. She's... trying to do better." Ugh, and he thought that Morrigan was difficult? She'd all but connected the last dots for him, why couldn't he see what she could? Unless there was more that had transpired between them that she didn't know. "We're all different people, Alistair. Even you. And... well, especially Morrigan. And I can't say anything for certain, but both of you are different." When you're together. "Remember back in Lothering when we first met Leliana? You thought she was completely crazy, but as you got to know her, your opinion changed. It's... like that, only with Morrigan. And things. Between you." Am I going to have to draw you a map, Alistair?

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gryphonshield
2018-06-06 10:06 pm UTC (link)

"Given how she wouldn't let me see my son for ten years because she was afraid her mother was going to suck out his soul like a wet noodle, no, I don't find that odd." She had explained herself and it was obvious the fear of Flemeth that came from Morrigan. She was no saint, but, if even she was willing to give up her body for Kieran then she had definitely changed. Alistair could see that, they all had for certain--but he didn't trust so easily. Not when he'd been kept in the dark for so long.

Yet her current actions, allowing him to be with Kieran and informing him of information that pertained to keeping Kieran alive--the fear in her eyes, he could believe that. And that if she didn't have to run and protect her son then..no, maybe that wasn't odd.

"I would have helped her if she let me," Fear got the best of people, he knew that. And was he scared of Flemeth? Absolutely. But he would have done all he could to protect Kieran and his mother, despite their relationship. He wasn't about to let the boy grow up like he had. "Yes. Very different. Which is why we're having this--" Alistair almost spit out a perfectly good piece of cheese. Maker, no. "...so you're saying maybe she isn't manipulative and doesn't necessarily have ulterior motives to feed me to dragons. Maybe she just wants to our son to have a father around like it should be so she's including me in their lives now?"

He wanted to believe that. Really, he did. It was just very hard. But Elissa was right--Morrigan was very different, even if he'd been defensive. She was being almost kind. She hadn't insulted him once, come to think of it. She hadn't...done anything other than make sure he got to spend time with Kieran. He was wrong about Leliana. She was a very good friend to them. She even wrote from time to time.

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elissa_cousland
2018-06-06 10:42 pm UTC (link)

Elissa nodded. "You have to remember that Morrigan was raised doing things on her own. Having anyone to rely on, having to rely on others, was completely foreign to her. She likely wouldn't have known how to ask for help, even if she could admit to herself that she wanted to."

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying." No, it wasn't, but it was close enough. Especially since she wasn't entirely certain, other than the fact that she wasn't going to feed Alistair to dragons. And... she wasn't certain that Alistair was quite ready to see what she was seeing, from an outside perspective. He just wasn't ready for that. Maybe he'd see it on his own. Eventually. Maybe Kieran would tell him, given that from what she had seen, he had seemed quite bright.

"I understand that you two spent some time together in Skyhold," she said. "I was wondering, if... you might have spoken to Leliana while you were there, seen how she was doing?"

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gryphonshield
2018-06-06 10:53 pm UTC (link)

More truth, if Flemeth had scared Morrigan into hiding away for nearly ten years and asked them to go kill her own mother for her, then clearly, it wasn't a healthy upbringing. They were just a rag tag bunch of sad little children back then, weren't they?

In any case, he knew that Elissa would be able to clear things up for him. Point out the things he was overlooking for the sake of his own emotions or hiding behind them, anyways. Sigh. He'd have to just...give Morrigan a chance. She was doing the same for him. If their son was her priority then at the very least, he owed her that. If anything at all. "Fine, I'll go with her to see the dragons. But if I don't come back..you know why. And creatively come up with a way to tell Kieran his father didn't become dragon shit."

Not the way to go, if there was any. He perked at her own question, noting the change in tone. "I stayed to help the Inquisition after they freed the Wardens from the blood magic and to help fight Corepheus. But yes, I did see her briefly. You wouldn't even know it was her...talk about change. I think I'd be more afraid to cross Leliana than I would be Morrigan. But she's more than fine. The spy master of an incredible army, advisor to the Inquisitor, and right in her own element. If anything she was only sad about loosing the late Divine, but she seemed well enough to me." He studied the other Warden carefully before asking. "Has she not spoken with you?"

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elissa_cousland
2018-06-06 11:07 pm UTC (link)

Children indeed, Elissa had barely been of age herself when she'd been conscripted. Alistair and Morrigan hadn't been much older, either. The only real veterans they had were Sten, Shale, and Ohgrin. "I'm more than certain that you aren't going to wind up as that," she said.

She shook her head. Not so much, lately. We were together in Denerim for awhile, then she returned to Mother Dorthea while I went and dealt with the Architect. We sort of stayed apart after that, given everything that was going on. Then she got involved with the Inquisition, and I was dealing with... my issues, at the time." Which might or might not still be an issue, she wasn't certain. "I'd just gotten a missive from one of her messengers and replied before I found myself here."

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gryphonshield
2018-06-06 11:38 pm UTC (link)

Oh. Oh, so in this Elissa's world, she and Leliana were together. That made much more sense. Though Elissa didn't seem very happy at all, even with news the Leliana was doing well. Though he supposed that being away from someone you loved couldn't be very fun at all...least when you were married to someone you didn't love for politics. Their oaths as Wardens sure did carry a heavy burden. But Alistair had no regrets.

Finally turning to face her fully, he let the concern show on his face, still somewhat unscathed from the years save for a minor scar on his cheek. He was usually pretty good about his shield. It was any of the arrows or flanking that had really eaten into his flesh. "Your issues...you heard the calling first, even though it wasn't real. Are you..alright?" It was an all inclusive question. Perhaps the subject of her and Leliana was private, and he was alright if she didn't want to share that. But he was here for her if she did. As far as her health and the taint..that was another matter entirely.

Something would have to be done to fix that. It wasn't her time.

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elissa_cousland
2018-06-06 11:57 pm UTC (link)

Politics did make for strange bedfellows, though that little arrangement had caused quite the stir at the Landsmeet, at least until Elissa put her foot down. Of course, he hadn't known of that, and she wasn't entirely certain that she was with Leliana where he was from.

She nodded. "I did. And in my world, you hadn't felt it at all. Which, was why I was under the impression that it was real. Of course, it could be that since I was the one that slew the archdeamon, I am simply more attuned, and thus heard Coryepheus' calling early. I'm not hearing it so much here, though." She shrugged. Was she alright? That' she honestly couldn't say. "When you are facing that sort of situation, you start to look at everything you've done, question things, wonder if things might have been different."

Not the best mindset to be in, given the circumstances. She needed to find something to keep her occupied.

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gryphonshield
2018-06-07 12:18 am UTC (link)

Alistair nodded slowly as she explained. It would have made sense. But the problem was, the false Calling was over. She shouldn't be hearing anything. It turned down the corners of his lips and he stood to meet her, placing hands on her shoulders. "You shouldn't be hearing it at all." His light blue eyes were laced with concern, and now, he had his own reason for wanting to scale the mountains to see the dragons. If they were magical, could speak, and willing to share their knowledge, anything was possible. He knew the tales of getting rid of the taint. It could be done.

"I'll go with Morrigan to the dragons, and see if we can find anything there. If not, we'll find another way. There's another town I heard speak of. One with a dangerous mystic, disease--but there could be something." He tried to give her a reassuring smile, squeezing her shoulders gently. He was no Leliana, but he wanted her to know she wasn't alone.

"Like you've always said--you've done what you had to for Thedas. People move on and forget, but I won't. You did more than most would have, Elissa. If we had to do it all again, I'd follow you all the same." If she needed something to keep her occupied, he'd figure something else out too. "Maybe you can see about the other inhabitants walking around with the strange outfits. Maybe they're stuck here too. Maybe someone knows more than we do...especially about those boxes."

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elissa_cousland
2018-06-16 07:02 pm UTC (link)

"I know. But, like I said, I'm from an earlier time than you, so it could just be the false calling still." There was really no way to know for certain, at least not now. It was diminished, but if that was because she was adjusting times, or simply because she was either away from where either Corypheus or an archdeamon could speak to her was unknown.

She smiled, similarly resting a hand on his shoulder. "Good to hear, Alistair. I think it would be quite the eye opener for you." Not that she knew that exactly, but... it was possible. and more than likely, regardless of events in that department.

Elissa nodded. "I think it's some sort of communications." Se gave a slight shrug. "I think it's writing, though I don't recognize the language. But will see what I can do to learn more about them, as well as everything else in the surrounding area."

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