The exclamation stunned her momentarily into silence, but once the words sunk in, Deidre couldn't help but laugh. She felt her spine melt against the back rest of her chair, an arm folding over the base of her ribs as traces of mirth bubbled from her mouth. She was never reserved in her emotions, freely indulging in laughter just as she did almost everything else in her life. At Conlan's smirk, she threw her own back at him in turn.
The more serious inquiry, however, tempered the line of her mouth. She nodded -- unlike her companion across from her, she had no qualms answering questions honestly. After all, what did she have to hide? "I'm an archaeologist. Chantry-based," she told him. "From Denerim. I was recently admitted as a probationary addition to Queen Anora's Blight research panel. I don't know if you remember the decree, but after the last one, Her Majesty decided to put together a group of scholars to learn more about the Old Gods and the Darkspawn. I've been trying to get on the board for three years...now I have my chance. I ran into the Circle's party on the road, and I ended up staying with them all the way to Amaranthine. I have a few friends stationed at Kinloch Hold."
She inclined her head towards Conlan curiously. "You?" she asked. "Did you volunteer? For recruitment, I mean. Are you one of the knights from Redcliffe?"