Who: Leliana, Cassandra What: Discussing the Chant of Light! When: Sunday Where: Over the Phone, then Leliana's Apartment Ratings/Warnings: PG-13 to be safe. Status: Complete!
The one who repents, who has faith, Unshaken by the darkness of the world, She shall know true peace. -Transfigurations 10:1
Maker, though the darkness comes upon me, I shall embrace the light. I shall weather the storm. I shall endure. What you have created, no one can tear asunder. -Trials 1:10
Cassandra had spent several days trying to get the Chant written down. She had a dozen pieces of paper, all scrawled with quick, precise words. She felt like it should be more flowing, more beautiful. Still the words spoken aloud filled her with warmth. It was enough to not reflect upon Leliana and her dalliances.
It wasn't like she was jealous, or had any right to say. She had her work, and now her new religion. She didn't need Leliana's touch, or her taste. She didn't need the sound of her voice. She did need her friendship (and all those other things besides but she refused to admit it to herself). She did need to know that these words spoke to Nightengale like they spoke to her.
Cassandra Pentaghast was a Templar of the Chantry. She'd always known she had been missing something. She just hadn't known she was missing Andraste.
The Chant had, indeed, spoken to Leliana. She'd spent her free time since she dreamed of it, working furiously in her music room, trying to get the sung chant she remembered transcribed down on sheets of paper.
She was worried if she didn't work fast enough, she'd forget it all. She never wanted to forget the Chant, again. Her fingers ached, in fact, from all the writing and playing she'd been doing, and there were smears of pencil lead on her fingers. She hummed a few bars, then shook her head, fixed a note here and there, and started again.
Maybe Cassandra was having an easier time with this.
Maybe Leliana was having an easier time of this. Cassandra shook out her hand, massaging her fingers and palms to get feeling back into them. And truth be told she wanted to hear Leliana sing.
Before she realized what she was doing, she was calling Leliana. Three pizza places, a call girl service and a Pimp Named Slickback later, she finally got Leelee's number to go through.
Ooo, the phone was ringing! Leliana wondered if it would be someone actually trying to reach her this time. She'd had some very fascinating conversations of late, including one with a girl who had sounded a little unhinged and kept babbling about people watching her.
She hoped that girl got some help, of course. She picked it up, " 'Alo? You have reached Leliana, who I sincerely hope was your intended destination."
"Thank the Maker, you would not believe the people I've spoken to this evening, Nightingale!" The relief was audible in Cassandra's voice, and she settled back in her chair, flexing her hand out. Just hearing her voice sent a surge down Cassandra's spine.
"It has been a very interesting weekend, no? The conversations I have had, I wish I could record for posterity. They would amuse me later on in my life." Leliana sounded extremely pleased to hear Cassandra's voice, but not really all that frustrated by the odd goings on of late.
"I've been keeping low in general. I'd rather not anyone find out truths about me I'm not ready to say." She smiled a little cheerlessly, "As much as a picture of you would not be amiss."
"My dear, if a picture of me is your desire, then you shall have it. You could come over and claim one right now, if you wish." Leliana's voice teased about what other things might happen if she came over, without even meaning to.
"I..I .."
Cassandra sighed, her accent thickening as her mind replayed images from their trysts years ago, "All right, but not for that. I want to share my notes with you on the Chant of Light."
"Ah! We can compare notes! I have been spending a great deal of my free time transcribing it to the music I remember! But I am losing some of the verses as I go." Leliana's voice took on a note of sadness, "I do not want to forget what it felt like to hear it."
"It's beautiful, isn't it," Cassandra whispered. She closed her eyes as the memory of it filled her with joy.
"I'll see you soon." She hung up and gathered up her notes into a folder, then ran into her bedroom to change. She was frumpy and in sweats and it was Leliana, she had to at least attempt to dress more nicely, right? That was the only reason.
It took her an extra twenty minutes to get cleaned up, and then she was on her way to Leliana’s. Ten more minutes and she was knocking on the door.
By most Californian standards, a half an hour was 'soon', anyway, and Leliana had plenty of time to get some wine chilled and a light snack prepared for her guest. She greeted Cassandra with a bright smile and a kiss on the cheek, then let her inside, "I think you will like what I have gotten down so far, but please, have some wine. It should go perfectly well with these apples I have cut up."
It was, after all, rude to have someone over without offering them good wine and food!
Cassandra did something unexpected, especially for her. She caught Leliana's face with her hand, and kissed her on the corner of her lips. Startled, she pulled away and closed the door behind them. Then she pretended that hadn't happened, "Apples sound divine, Leliana."
That was, indeed, unexpected, but Leliana delighted in it. To her, that meant that Cassandra wanted her more than she was willing to admit. That could only lead in good directions, though she doubted it would lead anywhere just that evening.
She smiled and lead Cassandra to her kitchen, motioning to the table with its array of delicacies and the wine bottle. She had her sheet music laid out there, too, so that Cassandra could look it over.
Not this evening. This evening belonged to Andraste, and they both knew it. Cassandra let Leliana lead her into the kitchen. She put her folder down opening it so Leliana could glimpse at her own precise writing.
She picked up one of the pages of music and looked it over. Music class from their private school came back to her, and she hummed the melody.
It made her eyes water.
Leliana poured some wine and hummed along, then sung a few bars, "O Maker, hear my cry: Guide me through the blackest nights, Steel my heart against the temptations of the wicked, Make me to rest in the warmest places."
"It's so beautiful." The words made Cassandra feel like she belonged, in a way nothing else had made her feel before. She listened to Leliana sing, with her eyes closed. It was difficult to not start crying.
"It is... I have such fond memories of hearing it, always above the chatter of the rest of the city, the Chant of Light," Leliana's tone was wistful and her eyes were a bit glossed, like she was recalling to mind a vision of the place and half of her was still stuck in it.
"I dreamed of studying it. Of learning it and letting it become a part of my being," Cassandra said, walking over to her and putting her arms around her. "I also studied the martial aspects. I was to be a Templar. I was to be Andraste's sword."
"I have had a dream about an order called The Seekers... I was a member of this order, though I do not think that I was a very good Templar. I am not sure just anyone was allowed to join. That dream isn't... well, it doesn't seem to be complete? There are parts missing." Leliana wrapped her arms around Cassandra and hugged her, "You would have looked glorious with a sword and in armor."
"My mentor approached me, but I woke before he would tell me anything except that he knew how I could serve the Divine." Cassandra replied. She nuzzled Leliana and inhaled her scent, "Maybe it was these Seekers?"
"Well, it might have been," Leliana purred. Cassandra was intoxicating when she got like this, and Leliana's mind was beginning to wander off into things besides the Chant and the Seekers. It always did when the other woman got too close to her.
It was a mind wandering that was entirely mutual. Leliana had walked into Cassandra's life right when she'd needed it most. Their whirlwind affair in high school had made a huge impression on her, and she hadn't really dated since.
"Maybe I'll dream more." She looked over at the table, knowing if she met the woman's eyes she'd be distracted from why she'd came, "If we can get the whole chant, maybe we can teach others the truth of it."
"It is certainly worth a try, though I think we serve better by living the Chant than forcing it on others. People will know the truth of it on their own, it will bring a light to them that is missing in this dark world." Leliana's voice lilted a bit as she spoke, as if she was writing prose instead of simply talking to a friend, or lover.
She peeled away from Cassandra and took her seat at the table once more, sipping her wine and picking up a slice of apple to snack on, "Ah, but you see, I have the stanzas written in some places but have already misremembered the words. You are so accurate, my dear, certainly you must remember the things I have forgotten."
"They need to know it exists," Cassandra replied. "Before they can realize the light it brings. Before they can realize they're in the darkness."
She walked over, pressing against her back and peering at the words on the page, "They already feel so distant."
"Together, we can finish all of the canticles and bring them close again," Leliana reassured her. She leaned back against Cassandra and snuggled against her.
Cassandra’s breath was warm in Leliana’s ear, “We can. We will.”