Trevelyan returns the handshake, firm but not lingering too long. No need to make things weird right off the bat, and as far as he is concerned, they both have a lot in common, what with being thrust into leadership positions without really asking for it.
Or at least, that is what Varric's stories seem to imply. Maybe one day he'll get the truth out of Hawke, but for now he will settle on at least trying to convince her that their cause is one worth fighting for.
Maybe by the end of it, Trevelyan will even believe his own words. (Though, thwarting the end of the world is probably worth it, just isn't something he ever saw himself as being the figurehead. He, a mage! Hah!)
"Varric tells me you might have some knowledge on who we're dealing with?" Right, down to business then. "Honestly, we could use all the help we can get. I won't ask for more than you are willing to give."
She sighs at this, a little of her bravado deflating. "No, you don't need to worry about that. Keeping Thedas safe is as much in my interest as it is in yours, so you have my support."
Maybe not her loyalty, maybe not her friendship. It's just business. Business, and a little personal - because Varric summoned her, for one, and because her history with the Grey Wardens is personal. She's going to be looking out for a shock of black hair in the crowds for as long as there are Grey Wardens around. Maybe Stroud will know more.
"You've already dropped half a mountain on the bastard. I don't know how what I could say will be of any more help, though..."
Trevelyan sighs in relief that Hawke agrees almost immediately. "And Varric told me to prepare a speech and everything," he jokes, shaking his head. "And he knows how much I hate speeches."
It still feels strange, being expected to be this big leader when he has absolutely zero experience leading. He doesn't even remember what happened that night at the Conclave, so how can he be expected to save the world? Just one of a million questions he will continue to keep asking until he can get to the bottom of why any of this is even happening.
"Varric mentioned something about you lot coming up against him before? He even might have mentioned that you thought you had destroyed him." Which, of course, does not bode well. How do they make sure Corypheus stays dead this time? "If you know of any weakness that we can exploit, or any hint of what his endgame might be."
To business then. Right. "I did, yes, but I thought for sure we'd put him down. When we learned of him the first time, it was because the Grey Wardens had started disappearing... He was controlling them, using their power to funnel his."
She deliberately, methodically, doesn't think about Carver being manipulated by that arch-bastard, because Carver would know better than to be swayed.
"You have a former Warden in your mix, any word from him? Has he been hearing the song?"
That was disconcerting - probably the biggest understatement of the year, even. The Grey Wardens were supposed to be protectors against entities like Corypheus, so if he could control them...
Well, it was hard not to assume they were utterly fucked.
"Blackwall? He hasn't reported anything of the sort yet. I could ask, in case he thought to try playing this one close to the vest," Trevelyan replied, a concerned edge to his tone. It had been somewhat difficult to speak with Blackwall as of late. The man offered up plenty of his knowledge about the Grey Wardens, but peculiarly very little about himself.
"There must be a way to break that control he has on them." Trevelyan refused to believe he was unbeatable. There had to be a way to stop him, and if that lay with the Grey Wardens, then he supposed he would have to seek them out. "Maybe Blackwall will have more insight."
It gets very difficult to deliberately ignore the concerns for Carver, but her brother's a little shitbag - Grey Warden or not - so if he started hearing the song, somehow Marian likes to believe he would've written to her all about it. Flexed his big manly muscles about how he can go fight the Blight or something.
She shakes the thought away, and focuses on Trevelyan. "I might have someone - I'll reach out to him. He's a Grey Warden, high up enough in the ranks to know if something shady's going on right now. I'll let you know."
There is a breath of relief at Hawke possibly having something up her sleeve that might help them. He won't get his hopes up just yet, and knows that they still have a long road ahead of them, but it feels like progress, which is far more than what they had before this arranged meeting.
"Thank you, I truly cannot state enough just how much I appreciate that you are doing this." He manages the smallest of smiles and tries not to show how much the pressure is starting to get to him already. It feels like they had only just arrived at Skyhold and despite the charming accommodations, he can't actually remember the last time he got a decent night's rest. "If there is anything we can do for you, if you need housing while you are visiting, please do let me know. As it turns out, I have quite the pull around here." The smile of his widens just a bit, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
She lets out a crack of laughter at that. She imagines he quite does, she's seen his soldiers follow him with awe, in some cases.
"You can keep the Seeker off my trail a little longer, I'm not ready to be interrogated for the sake of the Order." She pulls a face at the idea, and then regards him one more time. Head to toes. Not a templar, by the look of it, and from what Varric tells her, also a mage.
"We should talk about the mage rebellion. But wine, first, I think."
That seems like a fair trade, and Trevelyan can think of plenty of ways to keep Cassandra at bay. He has a feeling she is going to be quite occupied with giving Varric a piece of her mind, anyway. Which, Trevelyan is probably going to owe him as well. But if it means getting a little bit of time away from having to plot their next move? He will take it.
"I will do what I can," he reassures her with a nod. Cassandra will probably be cross with him, but at this point he is starting to lose his patience with everyone that he cannot bring himself to care all that much.
"Ah yes, wine. To the tavern, then?" If only he had his own stash, then he could perhaps find an excuse to retreat from the public eye, but he is confident that no one would dare bother them while they were together. Not that Trevelyan would unleash his magic on anyone, but carrying his staff with him was enough of a threat.
She flashes him a sharp grin at that, and the somber demeanour is shed, shaken off like drops of water. She slaps his shoulder once, with possibly more strength than a mage should have (but then, Marian's a wild one, an aposthate, unbound by Circles).
"Now you speak my language. Lead the way, Inquisitor."
Nothing like drowning all the worries of the day at the bottom of a tankard of ale. She has been travelling alone for weeks now, in her journey here, and Andraste help her but she really could do with a rowdy tavern.
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Or at least, that is what Varric's stories seem to imply. Maybe one day he'll get the truth out of Hawke, but for now he will settle on at least trying to convince her that their cause is one worth fighting for.
Maybe by the end of it, Trevelyan will even believe his own words. (Though, thwarting the end of the world is probably worth it, just isn't something he ever saw himself as being the figurehead. He, a mage! Hah!)
"Varric tells me you might have some knowledge on who we're dealing with?" Right, down to business then. "Honestly, we could use all the help we can get. I won't ask for more than you are willing to give."
no subject
Maybe not her loyalty, maybe not her friendship. It's just business. Business, and a little personal - because Varric summoned her, for one, and because her history with the Grey Wardens is personal. She's going to be looking out for a shock of black hair in the crowds for as long as there are Grey Wardens around. Maybe Stroud will know more.
"You've already dropped half a mountain on the bastard. I don't know how what I could say will be of any more help, though..."
no subject
It still feels strange, being expected to be this big leader when he has absolutely zero experience leading. He doesn't even remember what happened that night at the Conclave, so how can he be expected to save the world? Just one of a million questions he will continue to keep asking until he can get to the bottom of why any of this is even happening.
"Varric mentioned something about you lot coming up against him before? He even might have mentioned that you thought you had destroyed him." Which, of course, does not bode well. How do they make sure Corypheus stays dead this time? "If you know of any weakness that we can exploit, or any hint of what his endgame might be."
no subject
She deliberately, methodically, doesn't think about Carver being manipulated by that arch-bastard, because Carver would know better than to be swayed.
"You have a former Warden in your mix, any word from him? Has he been hearing the song?"
no subject
Well, it was hard not to assume they were utterly fucked.
"Blackwall? He hasn't reported anything of the sort yet. I could ask, in case he thought to try playing this one close to the vest," Trevelyan replied, a concerned edge to his tone. It had been somewhat difficult to speak with Blackwall as of late. The man offered up plenty of his knowledge about the Grey Wardens, but peculiarly very little about himself.
"There must be a way to break that control he has on them." Trevelyan refused to believe he was unbeatable. There had to be a way to stop him, and if that lay with the Grey Wardens, then he supposed he would have to seek them out. "Maybe Blackwall will have more insight."
no subject
She shakes the thought away, and focuses on Trevelyan. "I might have someone - I'll reach out to him. He's a Grey Warden, high up enough in the ranks to know if something shady's going on right now. I'll let you know."
no subject
"Thank you, I truly cannot state enough just how much I appreciate that you are doing this." He manages the smallest of smiles and tries not to show how much the pressure is starting to get to him already. It feels like they had only just arrived at Skyhold and despite the charming accommodations, he can't actually remember the last time he got a decent night's rest. "If there is anything we can do for you, if you need housing while you are visiting, please do let me know. As it turns out, I have quite the pull around here." The smile of his widens just a bit, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
no subject
"You can keep the Seeker off my trail a little longer, I'm not ready to be interrogated for the sake of the Order." She pulls a face at the idea, and then regards him one more time. Head to toes. Not a templar, by the look of it, and from what Varric tells her, also a mage.
"We should talk about the mage rebellion. But wine, first, I think."
no subject
"I will do what I can," he reassures her with a nod. Cassandra will probably be cross with him, but at this point he is starting to lose his patience with everyone that he cannot bring himself to care all that much.
"Ah yes, wine. To the tavern, then?" If only he had his own stash, then he could perhaps find an excuse to retreat from the public eye, but he is confident that no one would dare bother them while they were together. Not that Trevelyan would unleash his magic on anyone, but carrying his staff with him was enough of a threat.
no subject
"Now you speak my language. Lead the way, Inquisitor."
Nothing like drowning all the worries of the day at the bottom of a tankard of ale. She has been travelling alone for weeks now, in her journey here, and Andraste help her but she really could do with a rowdy tavern.