strategic_guile: (I can see it even if I don't want to)
Blaine Thorps ([personal profile] strategic_guile) wrote in [community profile] exsiliumlogs2013-01-02 03:12 am

There can't be too many secrets between allies;

Date & Time: [Forward dated] January 9th; Some time during the day...
Location: Room 207
Characters: Closed to Elissa Cousland;
Summary: Blaine has a ton of questions, and interrogations are always better with food
Warnings: Blaine being himself.

Once her foray into the outlands was done, Blaine gave Elissa approximately one day to sleep, patch herself up or whatever else she needed to do before he invited her over. There were things to discuss. He shouldn't have delayed it for so long after she nominated him, but he was distracted by... someone, as he tended to be sometimes. Then she announced her trip and playing twenty questions with someone going out into the wilderness wasn't productive and he didn't want even the slightest chance of being a distraction by giving her too many things to think about. He was sure she was used to being out in the wild, and maybe he was just using that as an excuse to procrastinate himself. He was well aware that he wasn't going to be the only one asking questions, and he wasn't sure how much he was going to tell her. The blonde wasn't worried, but he was... cognizant of potential issues.

Blaine had just finished stir frying rice and vegetables when there was a knock at the door. He poured it into a bowl as he called out, "Come in!" because the odds were it was his guest. If not, his gun was tucked into the small of his back and ready.
ladyspitfire: (ᴄᴜʀɪᴏᴜs | we barely understood)

[personal profile] ladyspitfire 2013-01-02 03:58 pm (UTC)(link)
In hindsight, she should have had someone go with her. Whatever she'd found on her journey had not shaken her, though she was silent about what had happened. A lack of a supplies and a limp was enough, in retrospect, to give anyone who noticed that she had probably run into some form of trouble...or that she'd been clumsy and had fallen. Both were acceptable and she didn't elaborate to her companions.

But she was surprised when Blaine invited her over, no doubt to speak with her about the defense meeting and probably to clear up her expectations over the nominations. She was grateful for the half-day of rest she got, still stinging over her expedition, but she pulled herself together and made her way to his apartment and entering when he bade her.

At long last, she was finally making use of the clothes they sold in the market, wearing dark pants and a long-sleeved shirt, a far cry from her tunic and breeches. The fabric felt strange but it covered up what it was supposed to, specifically the scars she had from Thedas, and that was the important thing. She offered him a slight smile. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long."
ladyspitfire: (ᴇʜ | I'll tap into your strength)

[personal profile] ladyspitfire 2013-01-02 08:53 pm (UTC)(link)
"Surprisingly." She was a little stiff in her gait but little else, her demeanor as light as usual, despite the suspicious circumstances. "I packed most of my clothes from home when I left and I didn't have much to choose from that was clean when I came back." One of her breeches had rhinestones on them and she wasn't going to wear them to a potentially serious meeting.

She shook her head but did as he offered, taking a seat at the table. "I'm all right. I'm used to long bouts of traveling." She'd just been out of practice at it, woefully so, and she had already vowed never to let that happen again. "Whatever you've made, it smells good." Rice and some kind of glaze, it seemed, which...probably wouldn't be enough to satisfy her Grey Warden appetite, but she wasn't here for a full meal.

"Thank you." Elissa reached to put some rice into her bowl, nodding. "A small mountain range. I couldn't cross it just then and I might try again in the spring when it warms up. But I got a good look at the land itself."
ladyspitfire: (ᴄᴜʀɪᴏᴜs | shooting down any notion)

[personal profile] ladyspitfire 2013-01-03 12:54 am (UTC)(link)
She snorted in amusement. "You're not the first to offer. I think my taste in clothes might entirely abhor you." And she would be sticking with them so long as they were clean. She didn't have the money to ask for custom jobs or anything of the sort, even if all she wanted were some new tunics and something to wear to bed that didn't look obnoxious.

"Thank you, just the same," she said. A hot meal was better than anything else right then and she certainly hadn't been expecting it. It wasn't often that anyone invited her over for food, even if they were meaning for serious discussion.

She took a few small bites while he spoke and took a moment to wash her throat with the drink he'd provided before speaking. "I'm used to going alone." That and she couldn't ask people to disrupt their plans for a little idle curiosity. "And I took my dog." She wouldn't comment on needing an escape, not directly, but she offered a simple shrug instead. "It's good to get away every now and then. I'm certain more people would take advantage of it if the surrounding areas weren't wastelands."

Elissa had another small portion of the rice and gave him a thoughtful look as she did so, eventually settling back into her chair. "I know you didn't call me for small talk, you know."
ladyspitfire: (sᴛᴀʀᴇ | knife into me)

[personal profile] ladyspitfire 2013-01-03 01:57 am (UTC)(link)
"Yes, a dog. Back home, he fought just as much at my side as any of my other companions. I've had him for years." She smiled pleasantly. "In Ferelden, mabari war hounds are very special animals. They bond themselves to individuals...but only those they deem worthy. To have one is indicative of status but to have one bonded to you is a testament to your character. They're invaluable allies and friends." She almost wish she'd brought him, but that would have assumed too much familiarity between them.

Elissa nodded, having a few more bites of her food as it was. Food was always better, drink more so. She took a long sip from her glass and set it back down before she answered, though she seemed prepared for the question. "Because of all the reasons I gave at the meeting. I don't want someone from my world at my side; it allows for too much corruption, too many people listening to me without question my judgment. You have a good head on your shoulders. You're smart, calculating, and you've given the impression that you know very well what it will take to get out of this place." Cooperation and possibly deceit, a necessary evil to get out unscathed.
ladyspitfire: (sᴍɪʟᴇ | can never have enough)

[personal profile] ladyspitfire 2013-01-03 03:45 am (UTC)(link)
"Very much so. He's a warrior, just as I am." Well...not entirely like her. She didn't have his strength, though she had the mabari's cunning. Fereldans and their dogs truly were like peas in a pod. "He's always off doing something. Usually bothering Anders' cat. I've brought him with me on the few fights we've had so far. I'm always wary, though." When the undead were eating people, she'd kept him far away from the action, afraid she'd lose him too.

She shook her head. "On the contrary. You've presented yourself as an individual interested in the defense meeting but not too interested, you've offered side remarks and given your piece. But you never speak about yourself." In many ways, he reminded her of Zevran and Leliana...both of whom were rogues, well versed in ways of deception. "I'm more familiar with those ways than I seem to be."
ladyspitfire: (sᴋᴇᴘᴛɪᴄᴀʟ | raise your hands)

[personal profile] ladyspitfire 2013-01-03 05:00 am (UTC)(link)
"He doesn't have armor like we do. Say he sunk his teeth into something poisonous. He has the good sense to avoid that most of the time, but in the heat of battle, I would be concerned." And how would she be able to help him if they were in trouble together? He'd fought darkspawn at her side and that was enough. But there could still be complications.

She nodded, her smile genuine. "That's another reason why I wanted you as my second. It may be selfish, but you have a good eye for people. You let them talk to you and you can get information." It was a trait they had in common, actually; people spoke to Elissa about everything that bothered them. "But I know you'd have a better idea of the needs of the people and you could easily translate your opinions to me."

This was, of course, all assuming he had wanted the position...and he didn't decline.
ladyspitfire: (ᴇʜ | I'll tap into your strength)

[personal profile] ladyspitfire 2013-01-03 03:49 pm (UTC)(link)
"I pick and choose my battles for him. At least here. But it always feels sort of like a small betrayal." Atticus was a faithful companion and he was hers. To deny him battle if he wanted to fight was just wrong. She truly was a Fereldan at heart, more concerned for her mabari than for her own safety. She had armor and blades, tactics to getting out of fights quickly. The dog did not and he'd stand between her and an enemy without hesitation.

The question, though unsurprising, was one she needed to think on. She sat back, considering, before she finally spoke. "I think it would be useful to our goals, for starters. But yes, I'd like for you to do that. Information is invaluable. Two people gathering it in different manners are bound to be able to see a more clear picture than just one of us." And then they could make more reliable decisions.

"I also meant what I said. I want you to be a check and balance for me. As much as people might like the way I operate, I know my methods can be improved. Besides that, you can tell me when someone's advice could - and should - be disregarded because of their bias or their hotheadedness, for instance."
ladyspitfire: (sᴍᴀʟʟ | for I hold her pain most dear)

[personal profile] ladyspitfire 2013-01-04 03:03 am (UTC)(link)
"Exactly," she consented. It was precisely what she meant. She'd rather the dog be angry with her for a few days than to die, even if there was the possibility that he'd be returned here. She didn't want to contemplate such a fate. Not for such a dear companion.

His smile may have been playful, but the look in his eyes was one she recognized immediately for what it was. It was cunning, the same glint that flickered in Zevran's eyes when he was ready to play and win, when he would draw his blades and saunter up to a target who never stood a chance. And that was exactly what she wanted.

She shrugged. "I'll take my chances. I'm not afraid of a challenge," she said, reaching over to take her glass and finish off what was left of her drink. "Like you said, it'll be fun."
ladyspitfire: (sᴄᴏᴡʟ | what do I do withthis)

[personal profile] ladyspitfire 2013-01-04 04:47 am (UTC)(link)
If Elissa felt affronted by the question, which had the potential to be a much larger invasion of her privacy, she didn't show it. "I don't have any enemies." Here, at least. Anora wasn't an outright enemy, thankfully, or the voting would be even worse than the both of them imagined. "The only person who isn't entirely an ally would be Anora...and for the reasons I told you before. She's a queen. I have no borders to adhere to or crown to follow, something she detests." That and other things. But it wasn't necessary for her to speak on that.

"You've met Duncan and Fiona. They're my allies. The same can be said of anyone else here from Thedas so far. If you ask about the world, they'll respond." She paused, realizing that might give him incentive to make a network post asking for such. "Alistair, Zevran, Leliana, Shale, Anders, Nathaniel, and Justice are my companions and allies as well. Cailan is another I'd call an ally." And a friend, she supposed, but perhaps that was also too forward of her. "The others I would possibly call allies, though I know very little about them. None of them have been antagonistic."
ladyspitfire: (ᴅᴏᴡɴᴄᴀsᴛ | and drain it dry)

[personal profile] ladyspitfire 2013-01-04 10:26 pm (UTC)(link)
She shrugged. "Do they need my leadership? I'm not a commander here, nor am I a warlord or a noble." Not any longer. "I haven't needed to ask them for their forsworn loyalty or for their blades. I only hope that they do their best to protect one another and to do what they think is right. I trust the strength of their character enough to do so."

It was a lot of people. She often wondered what the Initiative saw in Thedas, especially as they were not as far advanced as many other worlds were. Wardens were in shorter number now, but not at first; the Wardens easily outweighed the others who were present. But now they had a rich amalgamation of people from her world, past and future, and she had no more answers than when she asked this of herself before.

"I would say it's unlucky. Our king and queen are here, as I'm sure you know. They should be safe at home." And then there was the matter of the dead, Cailan and Duncan...and herself, who supposedly would vanish in a few short years.
ladyspitfire: (sᴛᴀʀᴇ | knife into me)

[personal profile] ladyspitfire 2013-01-05 01:45 am (UTC)(link)
"There's no landmine to speak of. That's something I can assure you. But I can't promise that we won't eventually get other visitors from Thedas that I'm less than friendly with." Like Loghain. If Cailan and Duncan had appeared, it was only a matter of time before she was face-to-face with the Teyrn. Others could follow, people like Howe, and the thought that she could one day see her parents' killer even after she'd driven a blade through his cold, black heart was enough to set her on edge. The look in her eyes was as hard as stone for a moment and then it passed as she closed her eyes and sat back to think.

"Perhaps the Initiative has a sense of humor." It was said without opening her eyes, though there was a ghost of a smile playing on her lips. Morrigan would have a laugh about that. "If someone eventually arrives that I don't like, believe me, you'll know immediately." She was grateful he hadn't been around for Anders' debacle. He might have the impression that all of her friends were thieves and killers...many of which were, actually.
ladyspitfire: (ᴄᴜʀɪᴏᴜs | this will be the last time)

[personal profile] ladyspitfire 2013-01-05 04:23 am (UTC)(link)
"A wise move," she commented with a half-smile. Better not to test the patience of the Initiative. He had the right idea. But that also had her curious. "What sort of people inhabit your world, Blaine? Who are you concerned about re-meeting here?"

Elissa shook her head. "Whether it's in my favor or not, I want to push for actual combat practice. I want people to have the opportunity to learn from others and to be prepared to defend themselves against threats. Those who do not know to fight should allowed to be taught self-defense, if they would be so inclined. I want to ensure the safety and protection of as many people as possible."
ladyspitfire: (sᴄᴏᴡʟ | that I cling to)

[personal profile] ladyspitfire 2013-01-05 05:41 am (UTC)(link)
So he truly did come from a world more similar to Exsilium than her own. He'd mentioned it briefly before, nothing in exact details, and she didn't want to pry. Now it seemed like she would be asking a few questions of her own into his past. "I wouldn't want my family here, either." True answers, both of them safe, and hardly indulgent. "Do you have enemies too?" It was a concession on her part, a desire to know the truth if she granted him some leeway of her own.

She shrugged. "If someone else is organizing it, I will want to help. But if we're going to have a defense, they need to be organized and ready. We need to be prepared. As much as I want to be easy and lenient on them, they have specific goals in mind...as do I."

Page 1 of 3