There is a noncommittal motion from John as he considers, tries to think of how to sum up the various functions he has been present at.
"To some extent, yes," he answers, hands folding. "Normally, we are sent somewhere to persuade this lord or that merchant, or to try and divine certain answers over the course of a dinner."
It sounds unremarkable. John is conscious of that.
"One of the drawbacks in breaking from the Inquisition is that we're more limited in our funds, as well as our supplies. We seek to supplement that where we can."
Which reminds him, the Merchant Princes—
His gaze turns back to the papers across the table briefly, one list pulled out and set aside to be revisited.
Unremarkable as it may be, such events will offer unique insight into the structure and priorities of this organization. Or if not, how it comports itself among outsiders.
"I would like to accompany you," she says. Decision made, just like that.
Madi is not accustomed to the chasing of funds, not in practice, and one can only learn so much from reading. And if Riftwatch is unofficially holding flesh auctions at a Tevinter estate, that is worth knowing about. If not, and it proves to be an unremarkable dinner party...then it is still not a loss.
Whatever the dinner party turned out to be, it would be more tolerable with her present. The smile he directs her way is very soft, weighted still with the newness of having her here, a part of these proceedings.
"I'll need to give her a few lines to introduce us with," John says, lifting Wysteria's note. "I'd like to know what you're comfortable with having shared."
It matters less for John. The descriptors come easily: Quartermaster, Master of Information, terrible pirate. Those facets of his life had been circulated whether he cared for it or not. But Madi—
"If you'd like to go unremarked upon, I'll say as much to Wysteria."
"If I need an introduction, I will make it myself. As I am not a representative of Riftwatch, and until I know what is to be expected, I will simply observe."
The plan is not to become a permanent fixture here, after all. The plan is, was, has always been to fetch reinforcements. To liberate Nascere. To bring John home.
But it is foolish not to consider the very real possibility that those plans may fail. And if they do, what happens next? Madi's expression softens from the intensity of concentration, matching that of his smile and returning with one of her own.
There is a weight to that admission. No, Madi is not a member of Riftwatch. But what John had said before her arrival holds true. He sees use in their presence here.
The papers in front of him carry sketched out plans that are meant to benefit more than just their war. He knows exactly what Madi must see: disparate causes, one of which has to be continuously wrested into line with their business.
"Both of which are a great comfort to me," John tells her, before sobering slightly. "But have you considered whether you would care to become a representative of Riftwatch?"
He could hazard a guess at her answer. It is not hard to read a no, to understand where Madi's attention will always settle.
Madi's attention will always settle with her people. With her mother, with John, and Kofi, and Eme, the well-being of those on their island, and Nascere, and the people made to suffer under the yoke of the Imperium. And what she has seen of Riftwatch is more than the disparate causes.
She sees the treatment of a symptom while the disease rages on.
"I have not," she admits. More and also less than a no. "Is this what you want me to consider, in the event that Nascere is truly lost?"
"I think we need to consider the possibility no matter the outcome."
Whether or not Nascere is lost to them, well—
There is no way for John to look at that head on just yet. The question of Riftwatch exists almost outside of it entirely. Do they not still need allies? Do they not still need a way to influence the tide of this war?
"There's value in having our hand in these affairs. You know our fight is bigger than what we accomplish on the beach in Nascere."
Does he even want to stay? When had he grown so used to the endless stretch of necessary battles that must be waged from behind a desk in Kirkwall?
They do need allies, they do need a way to influence the tide of war, but what can Riftwatch offer other than more conflict, more indecision, more variables that may leave them without solid ground to stand on?
"And you believe you are able to direct Riftwatch toward a common goal? Does this organization have the strength of conviction to achieve momentum?"
"They aren't easily directed. They have a common goal but possibly three different personal agendas for each person."
It sounds like chaos. But what is he to say otherwise? He cannot lie to her. There wouldn't be a point in it, when she would discern the truth after listening to her crystal for only a minute or two.
"But we have common ground. I believe there's enough here sympathetic to the same things we have hoped to accomplish. We can marry our hopes for the future, if we do it properly."
This is a moment where John could say to her: The mages will hear us better if I speak to them.
But he does not. Because Madi will ask, why is that? and John doesn't yet know how to answer her.
It isn't simple, she knows. As all things that matter, they take time; this war will not be won in a day, and Riftwatch will not be reformed in a day, either. But what has been accomplished in the last two years? What is needed to accomplish that which has not yet been possible?
Madi's question is not an accusation, despite the skepticism on her face. It might be a challenge, a request for John to present proof of the value he sees, but it is not a call to arms. She wants to know the answer. The real one.
Which is true. All other complications aside, what he had told her of this place is John's truest impression of it. Riftwatch is as disparate as a pack of pirates, all tearing off in different directions.
And worse, John doesn't know the right appeals off-hand.
"You'll understand when you meet Yseult and Thranduil."
Though he thinks Madi might make more in-roads with Yseult than John or Flint could.
The letter, the event, that is no longer the crux of this conversation. John takes a moment, considering his own assessments of the pair.
"Thranduil is a Rifter and an elf, and his interests follow as you might imagine. The stakes are high for him, considering the Chantry's viewpoints on Rifters, so he seeks to avoid damaging our relations with them. But he can be swayed, if an appeal is made correctly."
If.
"And as for Yseult," a pause, a shrug, John's hands spreading slightly over the tabletop. "She is a cautious woman. I believe her goals are not contradictory to our own, but she is unwilling to take risks, and less willing to hear argument when she has made up her mind as to an outcome."
A slight smile eases across John's face, as he raps one knuckle lightly against the table.
"I'll admit, I'm interested to see you in a room with them."
Already her mind is turning, thinking of appeals to make to a Rifter elf reticent to damage Chantry relations. One would need the means to ensure no reprisals would be taken by the Chantry against Rifter, and against native elves because there really isn't a reason the institution would exclude an already oppressed people from being blamed. Is there a way to garner enough external support to become untouchable by a force as wide-reaching as the Chantry?
But then John talks of Yseult, of caution and believing and risks and stubbornness, and he smiles.
She's seen that look before. It feels almost like an inside joke, though it is with himself more than her or anyone else.
Madi rolls her eyes, but the set of her mouth betrays a suppressed smile. It's true, his assessment of Riftwatch aligns very closely with a certain mess of pirates, but that doesn't matter when there are greater stakes at play.
She doesn't want to admit that he's right, and he's teasing with her.
Yes, they have a serious matter looming over their heads. Yes, there is much to do to try and mitigate it. But there's room enough for this, teasing out a smile from her in spite of herself.
"I'm sure you've never heard of such a disorganized assembly."
It occurs to John that the pirates might be easier managed than Riftwatch, but that's not conducive to teasing.
"Don't flatter us too much," John answers, voice warm, light.
His hand stretches across the table, seeking to catch hold of her.
"Some of it will be familiar to you," he says, more serious. "But they are not so united as your people and mine. That's the trouble. And not all of them are so convinced as to the measures that need taking."
"That is the trouble," she echoes, lost in thought for a brief moment before taking his hand between both of hers.
"I will try, in the time that I am here, to see the worth you see in this place, and how it might aid in our efforts. You know that I cannot promise what I cannot bring into being."
All she can do is look, listen, try to find the threads that bind them and endeavor to make them stronger than the knives that would sever them.
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no subject
"To some extent, yes," he answers, hands folding. "Normally, we are sent somewhere to persuade this lord or that merchant, or to try and divine certain answers over the course of a dinner."
It sounds unremarkable. John is conscious of that.
"One of the drawbacks in breaking from the Inquisition is that we're more limited in our funds, as well as our supplies. We seek to supplement that where we can."
Which reminds him, the Merchant Princes—
His gaze turns back to the papers across the table briefly, one list pulled out and set aside to be revisited.
no subject
"I would like to accompany you," she says. Decision made, just like that.
Madi is not accustomed to the chasing of funds, not in practice, and one can only learn so much from reading. And if Riftwatch is unofficially holding flesh auctions at a Tevinter estate, that is worth knowing about. If not, and it proves to be an unremarkable dinner party...then it is still not a loss.
no subject
"I'll need to give her a few lines to introduce us with," John says, lifting Wysteria's note. "I'd like to know what you're comfortable with having shared."
It matters less for John. The descriptors come easily: Quartermaster, Master of Information, terrible pirate. Those facets of his life had been circulated whether he cared for it or not. But Madi—
"If you'd like to go unremarked upon, I'll say as much to Wysteria."
no subject
The plan is not to become a permanent fixture here, after all. The plan is, was, has always been to fetch reinforcements. To liberate Nascere. To bring John home.
But it is foolish not to consider the very real possibility that those plans may fail. And if they do, what happens next? Madi's expression softens from the intensity of concentration, matching that of his smile and returning with one of her own.
"Observe, and support."
no subject
The papers in front of him carry sketched out plans that are meant to benefit more than just their war. He knows exactly what Madi must see: disparate causes, one of which has to be continuously wrested into line with their business.
"Both of which are a great comfort to me," John tells her, before sobering slightly. "But have you considered whether you would care to become a representative of Riftwatch?"
He could hazard a guess at her answer. It is not hard to read a no, to understand where Madi's attention will always settle.
no subject
She sees the treatment of a symptom while the disease rages on.
"I have not," she admits. More and also less than a no. "Is this what you want me to consider, in the event that Nascere is truly lost?"
no subject
Whether or not Nascere is lost to them, well—
There is no way for John to look at that head on just yet. The question of Riftwatch exists almost outside of it entirely. Do they not still need allies? Do they not still need a way to influence the tide of this war?
"There's value in having our hand in these affairs. You know our fight is bigger than what we accomplish on the beach in Nascere."
Does he even want to stay? When had he grown so used to the endless stretch of necessary battles that must be waged from behind a desk in Kirkwall?
no subject
"And you believe you are able to direct Riftwatch toward a common goal? Does this organization have the strength of conviction to achieve momentum?"
Or is moderate the best they can hope for?
no subject
No, that's not quite right.
"They aren't easily directed. They have a common goal but possibly three different personal agendas for each person."
It sounds like chaos. But what is he to say otherwise? He cannot lie to her. There wouldn't be a point in it, when she would discern the truth after listening to her crystal for only a minute or two.
"But we have common ground. I believe there's enough here sympathetic to the same things we have hoped to accomplish. We can marry our hopes for the future, if we do it properly."
This is a moment where John could say to her: The mages will hear us better if I speak to them.
But he does not. Because Madi will ask, why is that? and John doesn't yet know how to answer her.
no subject
It isn't simple, she knows. As all things that matter, they take time; this war will not be won in a day, and Riftwatch will not be reformed in a day, either. But what has been accomplished in the last two years? What is needed to accomplish that which has not yet been possible?
Madi's question is not an accusation, despite the skepticism on her face. It might be a challenge, a request for John to present proof of the value he sees, but it is not a call to arms. She wants to know the answer. The real one.
no subject
Which is true. All other complications aside, what he had told her of this place is John's truest impression of it. Riftwatch is as disparate as a pack of pirates, all tearing off in different directions.
And worse, John doesn't know the right appeals off-hand.
"You'll understand when you meet Yseult and Thranduil."
Though he thinks Madi might make more in-roads with Yseult than John or Flint could.
no subject
"And how would they direct this organization? What are their personal agendas?"
no subject
"Thranduil is a Rifter and an elf, and his interests follow as you might imagine. The stakes are high for him, considering the Chantry's viewpoints on Rifters, so he seeks to avoid damaging our relations with them. But he can be swayed, if an appeal is made correctly."
If.
"And as for Yseult," a pause, a shrug, John's hands spreading slightly over the tabletop. "She is a cautious woman. I believe her goals are not contradictory to our own, but she is unwilling to take risks, and less willing to hear argument when she has made up her mind as to an outcome."
A slight smile eases across John's face, as he raps one knuckle lightly against the table.
"I'll admit, I'm interested to see you in a room with them."
no subject
But then John talks of Yseult, of caution and believing and risks and stubbornness, and he smiles.
She's seen that look before. It feels almost like an inside joke, though it is with himself more than her or anyone else.
Madi raises her eyebrows. I'm listening. Go on.
no subject
"She's unyielding."
As much of a compliment as it has been a frustration. What he does not say: Now that I think of it, she reminds me somewhat of you.
"Not to be underestimated, but if we can sway her, it'll make all our lives easier."
no subject
One doesn't need to be stubborn to have their guard raised by the sense that she's being coerced.
"And you only believe her goals do not oppose ours? Have neither you nor Flint been able to learn what she wants?"
no subject
"Riftwatch is made up of a lot of people who don't know exactly what they want, but they're very certain about what they oppose."
Which isn't necessarily an answer to Yseult, but.
"Everyone here has their own private objective, some more easy to guess than others."
A slight grin. Are they any different?
no subject
She doesn't want to admit that he's right, and he's teasing with her.
no subject
Yes, they have a serious matter looming over their heads. Yes, there is much to do to try and mitigate it. But there's room enough for this, teasing out a smile from her in spite of herself.
"I'm sure you've never heard of such a disorganized assembly."
It occurs to John that the pirates might be easier managed than Riftwatch, but that's not conducive to teasing.
"They do grow on you, given time."
did she just call him a barnacle?
what a compliment
His hand stretches across the table, seeking to catch hold of her.
"Some of it will be familiar to you," he says, more serious. "But they are not so united as your people and mine. That's the trouble. And not all of them are so convinced as to the measures that need taking."
no subject
"I will try, in the time that I am here, to see the worth you see in this place, and how it might aid in our efforts. You know that I cannot promise what I cannot bring into being."
All she can do is look, listen, try to find the threads that bind them and endeavor to make them stronger than the knives that would sever them.