“ There has to be someone else. Anyone else! ”
“ There’s no one, Tallulah. ”
Unable to sit still, Tallulah was up again and back to pacing. “ What about Sanna? She — ”
“ She’s still recovering from her injuries sustained in the fight against the qunari. ” Orsino countered, having the gall to look amused.
“ Linus? Herrick? Melodie?” There might’ve been a note of desperation in her tone and he was just cruel enough to disregard it.
“ Linus is leading a fraternity meeting in an hour. Herrick left for Cumberland three days ago. I asked, but Melodie claims she’s having digestive issues and rushed herself to the infirmary. There is no one else qualified and unfortunately — ah, Knight-Captain. Come in. ”
At the intrusion, Tallulah’s pacing ceased, but the irritation was still painted across her features. As Orsino greeted him with the cool civility he regarded all in Meredith’s company, Tallulah could have sworn she saw something gleam in those sharp eyes — caught him sipping on the Knight-Captain’s displeasure like a fine, full-bodied wine. The corners of her mouth deepened into a scowl. Neither of them had been told about this sudden change it seemed.
“ Unfortunately, Enchanter Marton will not be able to lend his services today. ” How he managed to keep his tone from ringing with malicious glee was a mystery, but Orsino managed. Perhaps he didn’t enjoy lending one of his favorite mages out to be a practice dummy for a herd of greenhorn recruits, but when it came to the plays for power between him and Meredith, Tallulah was just another piece to maneuver against her. His bishop against her knight. “ Enchanter Amell has graciously agreed to stand in for him today. ”
I agreed to nothing. The protest was there, dancing hotly on the tip of her tongue she still had the good sense to bite for the time being. Not that there was mistaking her expression for anything other than distaste for the predicament she found herself in. ” I’m ready and will be waiting in the courtyard. Excuse me. ”
Her staff plucked from its lean against the wall, Tallulah breezed coolly from the First Enchanter’s office and down towards the training yard.
he'd walked onto battlefields with less tension in the air. less unbridled hostility. and, for the cool reception, there were few other words to describe it. orsino sat behind his desk looking all too calm and pleased, circumstances considered . . . and tallulah ——— he'd not had the nerve to glance her way again just yet. wherewithal to note her bristling was enough attention for now ——— prickling against his neck for the breaths she took, somehow, it seemed, in spite of him.
“ she what ? ” it was coming in waves. marton was out. that much he could both understand as well as accept. hadn't been a first. wouldn't be a final. not all plans went off without a hitch. he was there, in kirkwall, after all. in what followed sat the root for the slow - forming frown determined to overtake him entirely. slight at first and deepening into a scowl once eyes had cornered. “ and you've spoken to the knight - commander about this ? ” about throwing his prized pupil into the den of a lion who'd tasted blood one time too many already. no good terms to fall back on meant . . .
“ this doesn't feel entirely appro——— ”
“ you requested an enchanter and i am providing you with the best i have to offer. meredith would agree if she were here. ”
but she wasn't. he could see the satisfaction on the elf's face for their shared harboring of that knowledge. not something everyone in the gallows had the privilege of knowing. judging by the height of the sun slivered through the peek of a window over orsino's shoulder, she'd not be back for some time yet, either. postponing the training was within his rights as captain and it'd not be the first time he'd done it . . . perhaps, in that knowledge, there lay the reasoning for the sharp suck cullen gave his teeth before nodding curt in final, resolute, acceptance. coping with tallulah's fury for an hour'd not be near as bad as the stifled disatisfaction he'd receive for neglecting his duties.
“ as you wish, first - enchanter. ” there was bite there. a resentment too shallow to bury but feeble enough the common eye would overlook it. for the glimpse of a grin caught before the door was slammed closed behind him, cullen judged, begrudgingly, that he'd not been so lucky.
he could not see as much as hear the angry patter of the woman ahead of him, descending a stairwell he had half a mind to neglect, even for a knowledge that alternate routes would take twice as long and place him in the unsavory position of being late. his pride would handle the hit any other day. but not THIS one. childish as it was, the stomp of his boots dwarfed the echo that rattled about the corridor, provoking the turn of heads and, he hoped, made clear his stance on the situation not only rivalled, but exceeded, hers.
catching sight of her ‘ round the bend of a long - stretched hall ahead, “ miss amell, a word !! ” it carried enough he'd not needed to shout it . . . but that didn't stave off the fact that he had.
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