aceso | { inbox for fade rift }

[ he opens the door for her, beckons her in and to his desk. there's a pitcher of water on his desk and two glasses, alongside what looks like a finished field report that he was in the middle of reviewing when she arrived.

it's easily dismissed, gathered up neatly and placed in a drawer. he pours her a glass alongside his own, gently pushes it to her side of the table, and leans back in his chair. ]

Welcome back. I hope your trip was pleasant, madame?

Most assuredly.

[ She takes a seat and nods her thanks for the water, taking a sip before placing it back. Never one to mince words, she gets straight to the point. ]

Might I know the purpose of this meeting?

I would like an accounting of your time on the island.

[ the little adventure with the red lyrium sea monsters, and the feanorians showing up on his door. ]

You needn't go into strenuous detail, simply summarize whatever events you think important.

[ The request does catch her off guard for a moment. ]

Is this to be put on file for the research division? Who else have you asked?

[ bluntly: ] There was a complaint against your behavior during your time there. I think it important for you to provide your account of events before I make any judgment.

And I would have the whole of your perspective, to best understand your mood and circumstances.

[ Her brow furrows is disbelief, because she has no idea what he's referring to, but she may as well recount everything she remembers. Maybe something will trigger her memory and she'll understand what he's referring to without needing to ask him to spell it out first. ]

Well, I stayed on the shore as the rifters were rescued as I cannot swim. One of the red lyrium serpents was led into a tidepool and Warden Serra and I killed it.

[ Inessa became ill afterwards, but Christine can't recall being harsh with her. Besides, if Inessa had a problem with her, she'd confront Christine herself instead of going over her head. It seems the cowards's way to not take it up with her first. ]

I then studied what I could before I returned to the camp being set up. A rifter named Sarkan and I began healing members of the rescue party.

[ Was that it? Sarkan had been very short with the group and though Christine had much more healer's compassion, she did point out that it was foolish of them to hide their injuries. Did someone take offense to that? ]

After that day, I mostly stayed at camp to offer my abilities as a healer, though I did join Knight-Commander Norrington and the team he assembled to find the source of the red lyrium infecting the sea creatures. We tracked it to a crashed vessel and climbed aboard.

[ Wait; the dirty look Beleth had given her when Christine pointed out that her mocking James and the situation regarding red lyrium was unacceptable. Was that it? ]

At that point, the Knight-Commander wanted to know what we wished to do with the red lyrium shards, suggesting that surely we all wished to destroy it. Beleth Ashara then proceeded to mock him, saying she was going to suggest we line our pockets with it and take it home instead. I told her in no uncertain terms that we needed no sarcastic comments regarding red lyrium, and she gave me a look like she would light me on fire. [ Christine sighs, leaning forward in her chair a little as her face falls. ] I have seen the lives destroyed by red lyrium. I have ended the lives of Red Templars whose bodies were corrupted beyond salvaging, and I do not tolerate jokes made about it. Countless people have suffered. The people in this very city know how red lyrium drove Knight-Commander Meredith mad. She ordered the deaths of every mage in Kirkwall while under red lyrium's influence. It is a serious thing; not something one makes jokes about.

[ he watches her, still relaxed in his chair. ]

And do you think Scoutmaster Ashara's comment was made in bad faith, or that Knight-Commander Norrington took offense to it?

[ no more need for pretext. he does appreciate her thorough explanation. drawing it out of her detail by painful detail would have taken time and tried his patience. it's a skill to note and save for the future. ]

To be completely honest with you? I do not know the Scoutmaster's character in order to say what her intentions are. I could tell from the look she gave me that she does not like being called out for her behavior, but as she did not argue with me about it and swiftly moved on, I think she can focus on the situation at hand and not fall prey to squabbles. That said, she did turn me in to my superior instead of confronting me directly, which shows she has no wish to examine her behavior and possibly thinks her position makes her beyond reproach.

[ She pauses to take a breath. ]

The Knight-Commander I have worked alongside before plenty of times. He said nothing to Ashara at the time and though I cannot know his inner mind, I think him the type to brush these matters off. I thought her behavior disrespectful towards him as the leader of our expedition, and disrespectful towards all those lives destroyed by red lyrium.

Scoutmaster Ashara took the correct approach. Just as you would go to Skyhold if you wished to make a complaint about my behavior, the Scoutmaster went to your superior.

[ he sits up, hands folded neatly in his lap. ]

The issue here is not what she said, or how you may have taken it- though given the situation, I am taking that into account- but that you demeaned and spoke over the highest ranking member of the Inquisition present during a crisis. You are a healer. You know what can happen if soldiers doubt a superior in the middle of battle, if they hesitate. Your remark sowed discord, even if you did not mean to.

[ thranduil looks away to pull a sheet of paper from his desk, and to slide that and an inkwell towards her. ]

If you wish to register a complaint about her behavior during the expedition, I would recommend writing a letter to Spymaster Leliana. I welcome you to make use of my office to do so. We have several ravens that could take such a letter to Skyhold today.

[ he has no intention of discouraging her, only informing her of all of her options. ] But if you do so, the matter is out of my hands.

[ Christine weighs his words carefully, and finds that his observation about following a superior no matter what is flawed if that superior happens to be as immature as Beleth. Her dirty look was one thing, but Christine can easily imagine Beleth the type to stick out her tongue too. If Thranduil can't see Beleth's character, then perhaps she's skilled at hiding it and presenting a mature face to her fellow division heads. That would also mean she does the same to Leliana, since she was chosen as Scoutmaster in the first place. Hmm, wording a complaint will be tricky if that's the case, but Christine has to try.

Scooting her chair closer to his desk, she accepts the quill. ]

I appreciate it.

[ With that said, she writes her letter, pausing several times with the quill held off the paper as she ponders how best to word things. It's possible bringing her emotions into this will only hurt her in the end. The Spymaster is impossible to read, as is only right and necessary in her position, but Christine does her best and sets down her quill when finished. She's in an odd state of understanding when it comes to Thranduil's position, but at the same time, she wishes she could have his support on this matter. To her, respect goes up and down. Subordinates shouldn't be disrespected and stay silent, and Christine doesn't regret saying what she did. ]

[ he waits until she's in the midst of writing the letter to go to the door and flag down a runner. he waits there, foot holding the door open, his back to christine. the runner returns with a raven, which thranduil takes and coaxes into perching on the back of his chair.

he waits until he stops hearing the quill scratching on the paper before turning back around, careful with her privacy and the contents of the letter. another sheet- this he's careful to let her see-

Spymaster,

Attached is a letter from Madame Delacroix who wishes to file a complaint regarding an incident involving Spymaster Ashara, which I commend to your attention and intervention.

Sincerely,
Thranduil
Head of Research, Kirkwall

he takes her folded letter and wraps his own around it before spilling wax over it and affixing his own seal, then securing it to the raven. ]

Madame Delacroix, would you be so kind as to open the window?

[ Despite her wish that she wasn't verbally reprimanded, everything Thranduil is doing now is more than she expects. He's helping her file her complaint against his fellow division head, and she greatly appreciates it. She has no issues with rifters being in these positions (the fact she's dating one shows she thinks them ordinary people), but she had no idea how someone from outside this world would deal with running a division focused on research in this world. It's clear Thranduil is used to leadership and issues of protocol. ]

Of course.

[ She moves towards the window, knowing the raven won't be spooked by her. After opening the window, she turns and gives the bird an almost searching look. Her relationship to birds is very deep and involved, as she considers the Avvar belief that the souls of the departed return in the form of birds to be true. Looking at this one, she wonders if it's one such person. ]

My thanks in taking the time to do this for me. I know it is your duty to manage those under you, but I wished to say so anyway.

Thank you, [ he murmurs, and sets the raven free. it quickly becomes a dot on the horizon, then a speck, and soon enough he would rather not strain to see it, and so minds christine as he closes the windows. ]

There are obligations between us. I expect your to do your job to the best of your ability, and in return, it is my duty to make sure you are provided with what you need to do that job, Madame Delacroix. I would hope you would be comfortable enough to approach me with anything you need.

[ Christine watches too, though it fades from her sight far sooner than his. She loves watching birds fly. But she turns back when addressed. ]

I would.

[ Before today, she wouldn't have known one way or the other if she could be comfortable, but now she knows. ]

Is there anything else that needs to be said? I would not take you from your work with small talk if we are finished here.

Good, [ thranduil says, and shakes his head, palms spread, gesturing, before folding his hands before him. ]

No, nothing more. Thank you for your time, Madame Delacroix.

{ inbox for fade rift }

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject