for sam

[samahl]

Inquisitor Cyril Lavellan had a bit of a reputation. He was kind and passionate and he played the Game with the best of them, but he also was known to be a bit of a flirt. He could often be seen flustering his military adviser and was never above charming nobles by teasing them. Enemies played up the rumors and made him sound like a hyper sexual elf who rose to power by bending over for the right people - never mind that he preferred men and most of the people who put him in power were women, or that they had done so because of his mark.

Despite his flirtatious ways, though, no one actually had reliable stories of taking him to bed. People assumed he and Dorian Pavus were lovers, but Dorian never said a word about the two sleeping together. Anyone who saw Cyril interact with The Iron Bull at the tavern might also assume the two of them were fucking, but again Bull never seemed to actually make it to Cyril's room.

Cyril was a flirt, but he was also very closed off. He considered people his friends, but he was extremely protective of his heart. He used to sleep around easily, but now with his position it felt like anyone who might be interested in him would care more about his throne. So he found himself falling uncomfortably into celibacy.

He wasn't sure how he felt about that.

Then one day he was riding his Dalish All-Bred, a beautiful black and white horse, when the horse tossed him. It was so unexpected. The animal had had no problems riding close to Rifts and demons but a silly fennec had spooked it by running too near a fire and casting a long shadow.

He felt his arm break and screamed. Solas was there, as the mage had been travelling with him, as was Bull and Dorian. They had gotten him back to the Inquisition camp. Despite traveling with two mages, neither of them were spirit healers. They set the bone as well as they could and then made plans to return to Skyhold.

The moment he returned to the castle, Cyril went to the healers tents. He was grateful he had made the mages allies, it meant they were near to heal him.

Comments

[samahl]

"That should be easy enough because it's basically what everyone in the main castle eats..." He sighs a bit. "You'll have to tell me how it compares to what they're making the mages eat normally and then I can see about closing the gap between the two."

[el_tybs]

"I didn't realize the kitchen was making the meals different for the mages here. There are certainly looks at times when we come to get food, but it didn't seem like the food was different; it's definitely better then what most got in the Circles though. I think the difference will be how they make it for you versus everyone else."

[samahl]

"I am not sure they are," Cyril admits after a moment. "It's just... if they are, it's because the nobles are used to certain standards and we can't have large amounts of food with that same quality and except our cooks to remain sane. I just want to make sure that we limit the differences as much as possible without putting too much on our kitchen staff.." He shrugs. "If I had my way, we would start making them cook their own food, perhaps. That will take care of it, but I doubt Josephine would agree."

[el_tybs]

"As much as I would like to see some nobles cook their own food, I would be inclined to agree with advisor Josephine's possible answer on that. Unfortunately we need to meet certain... standards for our noble guests otherwise we wouldn't get the funding we so require. It's a hard truth, and an annoying one at that."

Sam tests the sling a little bit, making sure Cyril's arm was properly sitting and secure. "I'm sure plenty of people complain about the food, but honestly the food is not bad. At least there are warm meals everyday."

[samahl]

"I'm glad. I didn't invite your people here to misuse them. I want this place to be a sanctuary for all of my allies."

[el_tybs]

"I meant people in general, I don't necessarily consider all the mages my people. We're a group with something in common, but we're all very different. Like I'm human and Fereldan, who happens to be a mage."

[samahl]

"That's an interesting way to think of it..." he comments thoughtfully. "It would be hard for me to do the same."

[el_tybs]

"You mean referring to being Dalish?

[samahl]

"Not just Dalish, but an elf in general."

[el_tybs]

"So you consider all elves, from the city and from the Circles, your people?"

[samahl]

"That is what we mean when we say The People," Cyril teased him a bit. "Though I wouldn't force all of them to be the exact same. There are as many ways to be an elf as their all elves."

[el_tybs]

Hearing that has Sam tilting his head. "That's a rather open minded way of going about it. Is that shared among all the clans? Several of the elves with the mages said they had not been welcome in some Dalish camps they came across."

[samahl]

"No. It's not even something that all of my clan believes," Cyril points out. "But then, I've never been very good at being Dalish."

[el_tybs]

Sam raises a brow at that. "And why do you say that? Is there a certain way to be Dalish?"

[samahl]

"That depends on who you ask," Cyril replies, teasing. Then he gets serious. "Usually you at least have to believe in the Creators and revere them as gods. I don't. I don't really believe in any kind of higher power. Creators or Maker or anything else."

[el_tybs]

The teasing doesn't phase him, less so with what Cyril continues with. "Really?" He honestly seems surprised by that. Not that there is someone without faith in a higher power, but from what he's heard about the Dalish and their creators... it does seem surprising. "Can I ask why?"

[samahl]

Cyril shrugs after a moment. "The world just doesn't seem to be the type of place that someone would have thought up. Not unless they were really sadistic, and if that was the case they aren't worth worshiping."

[el_tybs]

"Well I haven't thought of it like that... Can't say I agree that there isn't someone with greater power though. Not that I believe that there a god or creator, but someone with a lot of power that got things going." Course it always seemed like it was a mage or someone with magic.

[samahl]

Cyril tilted his head a bit. "Really?" he asked, curious now. "What exactly do you mean? Like someone playing The Game really well, or something else?"

Lost The Game

[el_tybs]

"The game?" It takes him a moment to realize that Cyril means game with a capital 'G'; that Orlesian thing. "No, nothing like that. Something else... I suppose. Corypheus is a good example. He's no god, but he is a extremely power figure that has been able to rip the sky and Veil. Also a bit of proof that there is some merit to the stories of the Maker punishing those who trespassed. Even if there is no Maker... something or someone did that to him."

Dangit! .. Just lost it again!

[samahl]

Cyril presses his lips together before he can reveal that the object that allowed Corypheus to do that was elven. Instead, he focused on Sam's words. "So you think there might be a.... really powerful mage behind it all?"

[el_tybs]

The way Cyril presses his lips together isn't lost on him, but he takes it as some sort of worry based on the question being asked. "Maybe? Maybe not a mage, but something regarding magic. History seems to dictate that magic is always a factor in major points of our history."

[samahl]

"It is, isn't it? And yet humans seem to think of it only has a path to destruction. Never mind that the Hero of Felderan was a mage, or that he had two mages in his inner circle."

[el_tybs]

"People... tend to focus on the bad more then good most of the time." It's not just humans, but he's purposely trying not to make this a racial argument. "The Hero was also a Warden who saved them from a Blight, which seems to be enough to change people's opinion."

[samahl]

"Well that solves it then, you'll all just have to become Wardens. Elves too," Cyril replies, with the tone of someone who realizes he's saying something ridiculous to point how to silly the whole thought process is. "We'll both have to get used to darkspawn."