walking down the trousers of time

[freedom_is_grey]

Ysalwen is standing by the fireplace, cloak in hand, half-turning to go out the back door and then turning back, scanning the crowd as if looking for something.

Or someone.

Liranan, too, is practically vibrating in place.

Taking cues from your person can be a difficult thing to bear, for a mabari.

He cannot make this better!

Comments

[freedom_is_grey]

Ysalwen beams at him.

"It will give me something to practice deflecting!"

Thanks, Cullen. She was looking for something like that!

[howtoactfereldan]

"...challenge accepted."

[freedom_is_grey]

"I didn't have any doubt."

Though now may be a good time to turn toward schematics and the card catalog, at least for Ysalwen.

And then the simulation package on her tablet. Because if one can model the expected energy outputs of a cracked casing, for instance, one probably ought to look at that before even dreaming up an experiment.

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen, meanwhile, is trying to really make sure there isn't any magic involved in this strange tablet in front of him. He... wouldn't mind smiting it, actually.

Not with Ysalwen next to him, though. He has enough sense for that, at least.

Ci curls up at his feet while Cullen tries to understand what a word processor is.



Ten minutes later, he discovers the chess app.




Thirty minutes after that, he finally gets up to go browsing.

[freedom_is_grey]

Ysalwen has gotten up before him, looking for a particular book on mathematics and another on welding.

By the time he hits the stacks she's started working equations on her tablet, brow furrowing as error messages populate her screen.

Missing boundary conditions are a pain. Once she has those sorted, however, she sets the tablet down to let the simulation run, then turns to her welding book.

Methods, temperatures, cooling profiles -- all of these are of great interest to her. Particularly in thinking how magic might aid in each desired approach.

[howtoactfereldan]

Not too long after that, he returns with a small stack of books. One or two look more like pamphlets, really. One is a very small diary.

They go on the table before Cullen sits down, unsmiling. He takes in a breath and releases it before reaching for the one on top.

[freedom_is_grey]

Ysalwen looks up from a note she's been making on thermal transfer coefficients a second or two after Cullen's exhale.

Ah. He's found some books.

She turns back to her own work, a faint hint of tension singing across her shoulder blades.

Few of those books and sundries look like works about siege engines, you see.

And look, now she's mis-transcribed at least two variables in this equation, as well as several of the constants for materials of interest.

Maker take it!

[howtoactfereldan]

He's taken the diary first, which means that the title of one of the pamphlets is clearly visible:

A Treatise on Lyrium, Regarding its Uses, Its Effects on the Physical Form, With Attention Paid to the Stimulation of Mana and Effects on the Uncursed

Uncursed, of course, being anyone not a mage.

[freedom_is_grey]

Ysalwen makes a little noise low in her throat, though whether it's directed at that particular word in the title of Cullen's pamphlet -- cursed, is it? -- or because honestly, why in Andraste's name is this algebra not working out --

That is probably unclear anywhere outside her own head.

[howtoactfereldan]

He glances up -- is she trying to get his attention?

It doesn't have anything to do with the books, does it?

[freedom_is_grey]

She looks up a second later, meeting his gaze even though her own brow is furrowed and her gaze abstracted.

"Hmm?"

Oh. Noises.

"Oh. Sorry. Um."

[howtoactfereldan]

"I didn't mean to interrupt." Quiet, gaze steady.

[freedom_is_grey]

"You didn't."

Did he? Or --

"Did I? It's just these equations -- "

Dammit, numbers. Stop contradicting yourselves.

[howtoactfereldan]

Ah.

He drops his eyes. "Yes. Sorry. I should -- "

She doesn't want to know, he supposes. He can respect that.

He puts his attention back to the diary.

[freedom_is_grey]

"You found what you were looking for, then?"

Ysalwen keeps her body relaxed as she asks that. It takes some doing, but --

She manages.

[howtoactfereldan]

He flicks his eyes up.

Hesitant: "I -- don't know. It depends on what's in these."

[freedom_is_grey]

She meets his gaze, expression solemn but not closed.

"Me, either, really. Would a second set of eyes help? Or -- I'm good at cross-referencing, if there's anything you think is useful in what you've already got. Once you've had time to look, I mean."

[howtoactfereldan]

"I'm frightened, Ysa."

Said like the sky is blue or the sun rises in the east.

"I just... need to know what to expect. To make arrangements, while I can."

[freedom_is_grey]

Oh.

That hurts, probably more than either of them would like.

"I hate to admit it, but fear is only sensible. I wish it weren't, but -- "

There's a hesitation in the way she holds herself, then she reaches out to take his hand.

If he'll let her.

"What arrangements? I'll help with that if I can, too."

Planning for your own death is, well.

She thought she'd have to do that, once. And siring an Elder God baby isn't going to be enough to save anyone, not this time.

[howtoactfereldan]

He curls his hand tight around hers, looking away.

"It's... not as though there's much. My sister should know, but only if -- what everyone says is true. I can't imagine anyone else would care. If there's a way for Ci to come find you, if it happens -- you'll look after her?"

[freedom_is_grey]

She tightens her own grip in response -- it's not quite white-knuckled, but it's not a delicate, careful touch, either.

"I will. Of course I will."

Her eyes are not damp. They're not. Maybe later they will be, but now is not the time.

"And -- I care. But I suppose my answer will be in you coming back. Or Ci coming in alone."

It's far, far better than nothing. (She wishes, distantly, that he had more people to tell.)

"I'll pray. Andraste, I think, is the type inclined to listen. If that's -- not presumptuous."

Would the ashes have cured this, too? If only she'd kept some, they might have tried.

[howtoactfereldan]

"It's not." His voice is even.

He doesn't say You can't deny that I deserve every bit of the suffering coming to me.

"That's -- why I listened to Cassandra. She knows what I think of the Chantry, now. She says -- an Inquisition will serve the Maker, not the Chantry. That much I believe in."

[freedom_is_grey]

Since he does not say it, she does not have to decide whether to protest or lie. Or both.

If she knew, she would be grateful.

"That's something," Ysalwen says, after a moment. "That's a start. You -- I'm glad. I'll want to hear what you make of it. When -- "

Well.

"When -- if -- should you come back."

Or maybe he'll come back dead. It's happened for worse people. Though maybe that's it's own form of suffering, too. Andraste's ass!

[howtoactfereldan]

"You won't be rid of me right away," Cullen says, a little dry. "I'm not a complete fool. I'm cutting the amount gradually, over several weeks. As far as I know no one's tried that. All the reports are on templars who stopped all at once."

[freedom_is_grey]

"Oh. Oh, good!"

She doesn't smile, because this is still all going to go terribly, and there's going to be so much pain, but --

Well.

He'll still be here for awhile.

"I -- don't actually want to lose you. So you know."