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[samahl]

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[samahl]

Oh, cookies! [Cyril replies with a smile as he takes them. He doesn't mean to act flippant about whatever Colin needs to tell him, but rather to provide some reprieve from any anxiety. He doesn't know what Colin might have lied to him about, but he's ready to hear what Colin has to say. He steps aside to let Colin in.]

You should come in so we can talk.

[keenly]

[Good. Good! Stepping inside, gonna talk about this privately so his friend doesn't get blind-sided when this gets out. Colin waits for the door to close, sits down on a chair, and rests his elbows on his knees, fingers interlaced.]

So I know the Dalish see these things differently from the rest of the world. So it's not that I was hiding something thinking you'd hate me for it or anything. It's the rest of the world what made me nervous. Still makes me nervous. I was afraid if I told anyone at all it would get out. But I guess since it's going to get out eventually, it ought to be on my terms.

I'm...a mage.

[samahl]

[Cyril's brow does raise at the confession, but it's purely out of surprise not of hate or distrust. He really hadn't expected someone who has his own business and moves freely to be a mage, and that, he realizes, is part of the problem with their society. He expects human mages to be huddled in groups, all sharing the trauma of imprisonment.

He moves closer, though he doesn't invade Colin's space entirely.]

Thank you for telling me. [He starts there, because it can't be easy to do so.]

Have you... Did you manage to escape a Circle? Or were you with one before the rebellion?

[keenly]

[Colin is somewhat surprised. Cyril has come across as a real "burn it all down" sort of progressive, but he'd expected a shrug, rather than for him to move closer and act like Colin has a harrowing story about his escape like...well, like Anders. And maybe Anders is, unfortunately, one of the few examples outside cultures have of southern mages. That come to their attention, anyway. And other notable mages don't usually draw the attention of non-mages even in wider human society. It's why Colin had to memorize names from history books after he was taken away--nobody knew those names in the common households of Denerim.

But questions, as weird or uncomfortable as they might seem to Colin, are sort of the point in sharing stories. And now, he has the opportunity to be another Circle mage shaping Cyril's understanding of the Circles.]

I didn't escape until the Circles dissolved. [He supposes that counts as an escape.] In all the chaos, I ran as far and fast as I could. I thought they'd still find me with my phylactery, so I wanted to beat the news to Denerim. Of course I didn't, but I wasn't caught. I got signed up as a purser aboard a merchantman, though, so I don't know if they tried to find me after that. Sort of hard to search for mages aboard ships.

[samahl]

[Most of Cyril's understanding about Circles actually comes from Sam. Sam, who wasn't abused the same way many mages were, but who still craved and desired his freedom. Anders serves as another example, but most of what Cyril knows about Circle life has come from his lover - a man he would do anything to protect from having his freedom stripped away again.]

I'm glad you were able to stay safe. [He offers Colin a small smile.]

And I'm glad you eventually found your way here.