"Well, well, what have we here?"
Both Hawke and Holli turned at the sound of the voice, both fearing they had been caught exploring places they shouldn't have been.
There was a woman practically slinking down the stairs towards them, her golden eyes piercing and seemingly seeing right through them. She looked kind of goth. Holli would put money on this woman being the occult expert.
"The leader of the new Inquisition and his little fabled Herald of the Faith," she purred. "Delivered to the masses in their time of need by the blessed Andraste herself."
Her voice oozed sarcasm and a sense of superiority. Holli instantly took on a blank affect in response to the almost mean-girl tone.
"You certainly reek of something otherworldly."
"And you reek of too much perfume, but I was at least going to have the good grace to keep my mouth shut," Holli replied, her tone bored and dismissive.
Hawke elbowed her in the arm for the sudden attitude.
"She said I stunk first," Holli hissed quietly. Saying something 'reeked' usually wasn't a good thing.
"Perhaps I could have chosen my words more carefully," the woman said, seemingly amused by the exchange. "I am curious as to what could bring such an exalted creature here to the Imperial Court."
"The canapés. Have you tried them? They're delightful," Holli said.
"I also recommend the wrapped water chestnuts," she said with a slight one-sided smile. "I am Morrigan. Some call me advisor to the Empress Celene on matters of the arcane."
Holli fucking knew it. Damn, she was good.
Morrigan started walking, indicating for them to walk with her.
"You both... have been very busy this evening, hunting in every dark corner of the palace," she noted.
They hadn't gone everywhere together, coming back to each other and the advisors to share the information they'd found.
"Perhaps you and I hunt the same prey?"
"I don't know. Do we?" Hawke asked slyly, in an almost exaggerated fashion.
Morrigan chuckled. "You are being coy."
"I'm being careful," he said.
"Not unwise, here of all places. Allow me to speak first, then. Recently I found, and killed, an unwelcome guest within these very halls. An agent of Tevinter. So I offer you this, Inquisitor: a key found on the Tevinter's body." She handed him the key, and Hawke examined it. "Where it leads, I cannot say. Yet if Celene is in danger, I cannot leave her side long enough to search. You can."
"I think I already know what this opens," Hawke mused.
"Proceed with caution, Inquisitor, Herald. Enemies abound, and not all of them aligned with Tevinter. What comes next will be most exciting."
She left them to it then, gliding off, likely to get back to Celene's side.
"Well, that was interesting," Hawke mused. "Quite a defensive little thing you are."
Holli frowned up at him. "She had mean girl vibes, but I was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt since she's goth. Then she said I reeked."
He just sort of looked at her. "Right... Not sure I'll ever understand girls."
"Good thing you're gay then," she muttered, walking back into the grand ballroom with him.
He chuckled at that. "Not sure how I feel about that word. Dorian told me its origins."
"Would you prefer knob goblin?" She laughed. "Jokes, jokes. I'll never say it again."
"You're a disgusting little girl," he laughed as well, not taking offence to the term.
In her world it was mostly an insult, but also not. Really it depended on who said it and what the context was, she guessed. She had picked up the name from Curtis.
There was a sudden stab of grief at the thought of him, and she absently rubbed at her chest like it would help.
Best not to go down that road; save it for later. When she was alone, she could have a little breakdown. As a treat.
-
"You've got the right idea, Cole," Holli said, drawing her knees up on the chaise and arranging her dress around them.
"Which idea?" He asked, sitting on the arm of the chaise with his feet on the cushion.
"Hiding out in here," she replied.
It had taken a while to find him, she and Hawke coming across him in their explorations. It was good to see he was okay, but he'd already had a little incident in an attempt to be helpful. He'd come in here to hide in the aftermath.
"I don't... think I like being around the people out there," he said.
"I hear that," she agreed.
High school had its share of drama and backstabbing and cattiness, but this was another level. Made all the more pathetic by realising these people were adults, that they considered this a game, and that it had very real consequences for those without any power.
Before coming here she'd learned some horrible things about all three of the major players in this conflict. Since getting here, their stories only got worse.
And they were in a position to decide how this played out and who came out on top if they did it right.
Holli tipped her head to the side, resting it on his knee as she let out a breath.
"I can't wait 'til this night is over," she muttered.
She let out a pleased hum when she felt his fingers start playing with her hair, her eyes slipping closed.
"Do you think we should support Celene?" She asked.
"She fears losing what she's built, but sometimes what she builds is a cage," he said.
"Gaspard?"
"He hides his heart under steel, but his chest is hollow and echoing."
The door to their grand hideaway opened, and they watched Hawke enter with Fenris in tow.
"Here you are," he said. "I need you out there distracting the masses."
"Why, what's up?"
"I need to slip away for a moment. Possibly a long moment."
Holli's eyes flicked to Fenris. "Ew, is now the time?"
"Get your head out of the gutter," he sighed. "It's business, or politics maybe."
"Fine. Anyone specifically I'm supposed to be distracting?"
"All of the big three, that sister, Morrigan, do something to draw a crowd."
"What, just jump on a table and hit the griddy?" She snorted in amusement.
"I don't know what that is, but if you think it'll work..."
"Not without making me look like a fucktard."
She wasn't great at drawing attention to herself. She could get up and give a presentation or a speech for class easy, but she already had people's attention. How was she supposed to gain it in a massive ballroom full of people?
"Can I use magic? Like, they won't sic a bunch of Templars on me for it?"
"There aren't any Templars here," Fenris told her.
"And everyone already knows you're a mage. As long as it's nothing dangerous, I think you could get away with it."
"What if I accidentally blaspheme? I won't get stoned or burnt alive at the stake?"
"What would this accidental blasphemy entail?" He asked, amused.
"I don't know. That's why it would be an accident."
Holli had a couple of ideas: one to make herself the centre of attention and another to just create a massive distraction that would draw notice to something else.
"How long do you need them distracted for?"
"I'm not sure; if you could keep it going indefinitely, that would be fantastic. Too many people have noticed us about. It's drawing suspicion."
Holli nodded, getting up from the chaise. "I'll see you later, Cole."
"I'll come," he said, getting up and following them.
"Are you sure? You don't have to."
He'd just told her how he didn't like being around these people.
"I can help," he said.
"Okay. I've got an idea."
-
Hawke stalked back into the grand ballroom having changed back into his formal attire and cleaned the blood from his face and hands. This whole palace was a den of corruption and backstabbing where no one but those he'd come with could be trusted.
He hoped Holli had managed all right with her distraction.
"Inquisitor Hawke?"
Hawke looked to the voice, nodding politely towards the woman.
"We met briefly. I am Grand Duchess Florianna de Chalons. Welcome to my party."
Hawke remembered her. "Why am I not surprised that you want to see me now?"
Holli hadn't been very successful then.
"This is Orlais, Inquisitor. Nothing happens by accident. I believe tonight you and I are both concerned by the actions of... a certain person."
Oh, he was concerned by the actions of a fair few persons.
"Come, dance with me. Spies will not hear us on the dance floor."
Dancing with her was the last thing he wanted to do as he followed her to the floor.
"Very well. Shall we dance, Your Grace?" He asked, at least attempting to inject some enthusiasm into the question as he offered his hand.
"I'd be delighted."
She accepted his hand, and they moved onto the floor, lining up with the other dancing couples.
"Tell me," she said. "What do you know of our civil war?"
"I assure you, the effects of this war reach far beyond the borders of the Orlesian Empire."
"Perhaps it does. I should not be surprised to find the empire is the centre of everyone's world. It took great effort to arrange tonight's negotiations. Yet one party would use this occasion for blackest treason. The security of the empire is at stake. Neither one of us wishes to see it fall."
"Do we both want that, Lady Florianne?"
"I hope we are of one mind on this."
"In times like these, it's hard to tell friend from foe, is it not, Your Grace?" He asked, twirling her about the floor.
"I know you arrived here as a guest of my brother, Gaspard. And have been everywhere in the palace. You even left your little Herald to entertain and dazzle to draw attention from your own activities. She is a curiosity to many; I suspect she had an easy time of it. But you... you are a matter of concern to some."
"And am I a matter of concern to you, Your Grace?"
"I've yet to reach a decision. The evening is of great importance, Inquisitor. I wonder what role you will play in it. Especially given your history. Do you even yet know who is friend and who is foe? Who in the court can be trusted?"
He knew none of them could be trusted. He just wasn't sure who was an outright enemy yet.
"If I've learned anything, Your Grace, it is to put my trust in no one."
"In the Winter Palace, everyone is alone. It cannot have escaped your notice that certain parties are engaged in dangerous machinations tonight."
"I thought dangerous machinations were the national sport in Orlais."
From the corner of his eye he caught Holli entertaining a group of nobles, Empress Celene watching at a distance, and Gaspard nearby and laughing at whatever the girl was doing. Briala was nowhere in sight, but then, she was probably still dealing with the mess in the servants' quarters.
"You have little time. The attack will come soon. You must stop Gaspard before he strikes."
The man was certainly keeping a level head about it all; one would never guess what he was up to.
"In the Royal Wing garden, you will find the captain of my brother's mercenaries. He knows all Gaspard's secrets. I'm sure you can persuade him to be forthcoming."
"We'll see what the night has in store, won't we?" Hawke said, bowing with the end of the song and taking his leave.
He wove his way through the throng of people crowding around Holli, politely asking that they all excuse her; she was needed.
"À bientôt!" Holli said, smiling sweetly to her adoring crowd.
"You speak Orlesian now?" He asked as he steered her away.
"It's just French mostly!" She said. "I mean, I knew the accents sounded Frenchy, but I never thought the language would be the same. Maybe it's not so surprising; we all speak English."
Hawke didn't know what French was, but he had bigger things to worry about and news to impart.