Anders (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
justice_is_blond) wrote2016-01-15 11:45 am
justice_is_blond) wrote2016-01-15 11:45 am
Inbox for Fade Rift
[Please leave a message after the beep that doesn't actually exist.]
( seeing as the crystals have not, as yet, developed a text function; this message comes by runner: )
Much obliged to you for your assistance on arrival; located the offices easily. Little call here for my particular specialty in healing, but have set up a workspace in the infirmary.
GERVAIS V
So...the other night, a Spirit of Compassion spoke with me.
[He says this very casually for someone who has been trying to accomplish this for several weeks, and who sat on the good news for days instead of cheering about it immediately like a normal person.]
[He says this very casually for someone who has been trying to accomplish this for several weeks, and who sat on the good news for days instead of cheering about it immediately like a normal person.]
You can't leave it there.
[There's pride and happiness in his voice.]
And the other night? Not even last night? What mage sits on news like that?
[There's pride and happiness in his voice.]
And the other night? Not even last night? What mage sits on news like that?
[A note is returned with the same runner:]
You're welcome. What's the specialty? I take it this is an easier way to communicate for you?
You're welcome. What's the specialty? I take it this is an easier way to communicate for you?
"You're welcome. And your life is yours now. You get to choose the shape of it." He smiles brightly once they're parted, despite how tenuous their future really is. He's not going to stop working on it, and Colin has a chance, a genuine, real chance at being free.
"I have so much hope for you. So much faith in you. And I'm more glad than I've words for that I can help."
"I have so much hope for you. So much faith in you. And I'm more glad than I've words for that I can help."
I am no doubt more eloquent in prose than I will ever be aloud, though I can't boast my brother's charm in either.
As to my work: in consequence of it I'm something of an accomplished midwife. I specialize in challenging births and surgical solutions to related complaints—little of the practise is magical in nature, though without it as an instrument I'd not have been anything like as successful. My interest in species interbreeding led me to reproductive health, and it has proved the more practical study.
But the same magic that has been of use to mothers will serve soldiers with torn flesh.
GERVAIS V
I do, apparently. Sorry. It told me I ought to have more patience and kindness with myself, and I wanted to think some things through on my own. It's, um. It told me I had some things to do before it would work with me. Which is good, because demons don't make you impress them before trying to possess you, so it's definitely a spirit. But it'll probably be a bit. Before it starts working with me.
It's all right, Colin, I'm teasing you. And it makes sense that there's more work to do. Mercy set me a task that I'll likely be at the whole of my life.
[He pauses for a moment.]
Would you like to talk about what Compassion is asking of you?
[He pauses for a moment.]
Would you like to talk about what Compassion is asking of you?
Um, the first one is it wants me to choose a templar and hear his story, then...things.
[That was probably the wrong part of the sentence to choose to omit, but he cut off too late.]
Then it'll tell me the next thing it wants me to do, [is what he decides to amend it to.]
[That was probably the wrong part of the sentence to choose to omit, but he cut off too late.]
Then it'll tell me the next thing it wants me to do, [is what he decides to amend it to.]
I... see.
[Compassion for Templars. Spirits are assholes. Or maybe they're just impartial and tied up in what they are, but he'd prefer to consider this Compassion spirit a bit of an asshole. Anders tries to keep that from his voice, though. It's not Colin's fault the spirit chose this.]
Do you have a Templar in mind to listen to?
[Compassion for Templars. Spirits are assholes. Or maybe they're just impartial and tied up in what they are, but he'd prefer to consider this Compassion spirit a bit of an asshole. Anders tries to keep that from his voice, though. It's not Colin's fault the spirit chose this.]
Do you have a Templar in mind to listen to?
Yes. [Colin sounds a bit more animated.] The spirit didn't specify it to be him, but I think it knew it would be. He's someone I--I thought--I guess we were friends. Or are, and I'm just hung up on finding out he's a templar. It said that after I listen to him, I am to forgive him. I don't know what for.
To the best of my knowledge, there is no Templar here who is actually innocent. So it will be forgiving them, him, for what he's done by action or inaction.
[Forgive a Templar. Maker.]
Is there any sort of... waiting for him to ask to be forgiven?
[Or is this Compassion spirit just interested in making a doormat of Colin? Anders is still working to sound pleased enough; that one is talking to Colin is a good thing and he doesn't want to diminish his student's joy or accomplishment.]
[Forgive a Templar. Maker.]
Is there any sort of... waiting for him to ask to be forgiven?
[Or is this Compassion spirit just interested in making a doormat of Colin? Anders is still working to sound pleased enough; that one is talking to Colin is a good thing and he doesn't want to diminish his student's joy or accomplishment.]
all the messengers, also I can't remember how to html text like that so time to pretend
justice_is_blond
2018-04-04 07:20 am (UTC)(link)
That may not be of much consequence in the Gallows, but I've a Clinic and school in Darktown where I've delivered many children and there are always more on the way. If you've time and desire, I'd appreciate another set of experienced hands; it would be nice to not be on alert for every birth. I'm training another, but he's young yet and soon-to-be mothers don't want a young man attending to them at that time if they've any choice in the matter.
~Anders
~Anders
Edited 2018-04-04 07:28 (UTC)
At very least, I am the man for an emergency. Once I've a notion of my workday and projects, though I imagine that will be in flux for the foreseeable future.
If you're looking for me and I'm not in a project office or the infirmary, you'll most likely find me off the forces offices.
GERVAIS V
If you're looking for me and I'm not in a project office or the infirmary, you'll most likely find me off the forces offices.
GERVAIS V
Um. [Colin doesn't sound impatient with Anders, but he is uncomfortable when he has to disagree with people he likes.] Innocent people don't need forgiveness. And if the tests were easy, there'd be no point. I mean it's easy to forgive someone who didn't really do anything wrong. I've thought about it and I don't really think this test is about the templar so much as it is about me. Forgiving someone who did something really bad, that's more about the person doing the forgiving than it is about the person being forgiven. Compassion wants to make a deal with that kind of person. And it probably doesn't want to channel through all that bitterness every time it has to heal a templar.
But I don't think he would've done something really terrible. I don't know. I do know I...miss him.
But I don't think he would've done something really terrible. I don't know. I do know I...miss him.
Edited 2018-04-04 14:33 (UTC)
( there are a few things she might say, a few she wants to say, a few that don't really matter, and eventually she settles on, )
You know, I do hope that all this running around is for naught, and the advisers sensible enough to do away with the phylacteries.
( the strike needn't happen, then.
how disappointing, if the hand must be forced. )
You know, I do hope that all this running around is for naught, and the advisers sensible enough to do away with the phylacteries.
( the strike needn't happen, then.
how disappointing, if the hand must be forced. )
That would be nice.
[He's quiet for a few moments.]
I don't think they'll be that sensible, though. The phylacteries represent power and control, and the non-mages of so much of this world have never trusted the mages.
[Anders sighs.]
Nine hundred years of history is not so easily overcome as one might hope. Or wish.
[He's quiet for a few moments.]
I don't think they'll be that sensible, though. The phylacteries represent power and control, and the non-mages of so much of this world have never trusted the mages.
[Anders sighs.]
Nine hundred years of history is not so easily overcome as one might hope. Or wish.
It's the 'don't know what for' that I was addressing.
[His voice is gentle.]
Some... Some of them are willing to learn. Some are willing to accept that there were abuses, and that staying silent and ignoring it was not right. For your sake, I will hope that your... that he is one of those.
[It is not a weakness to forgive. He should even be glad that Colin is so ready to, but his own baggage weighs too heavily for him to feel that.]
[His voice is gentle.]
Some... Some of them are willing to learn. Some are willing to accept that there were abuses, and that staying silent and ignoring it was not right. For your sake, I will hope that your... that he is one of those.
[It is not a weakness to forgive. He should even be glad that Colin is so ready to, but his own baggage weighs too heavily for him to feel that.]
Hey, I know we're striking and all, but this is important. It's an emergency. [ Gareth's voice doesn't carry any of his usual carelessness and amusement, which means it's probably actually important. ] You know cats and you know healing and I think this cat is, uh. Sick? Dying??? I don't know! I don't know cats.
Where? I'll be there right away.
[There's urgency in his voice in return.]
[There's urgency in his voice in return.]
They want time to prepare for the reaction to their decision, and to see what they may be up against.
[He's quiet again, contemplating what she's said. 'Running around,' it can't mean just the letter, but it's also not like she's an opponent. If someone has told her more of the upcoming details, it's not a betrayal.]
Do you think the running around will have any effect?
[He's quiet again, contemplating what she's said. 'Running around,' it can't mean just the letter, but it's also not like she's an opponent. If someone has told her more of the upcoming details, it's not a betrayal.]
Do you think the running around will have any effect?
Quite. I am most unpopular in our tower, presently. ( wry. )
I hope that it may. It may be that the effect is simply to make clear what the situation is, in truth.
( if they're to be treated like prisoners; if alliance was lie told to appease, that they believe themselves secure enough to abandon. )
I hope that it may. It may be that the effect is simply to make clear what the situation is, in truth.
( if they're to be treated like prisoners; if alliance was lie told to appease, that they believe themselves secure enough to abandon. )
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