carelessgraces. | astoria.
“There will never be good choices in politics,” Astoria says, and she lets out a laugh, bright and ringing. Around them, guests are crowding closer to listen to her, but she keeps her voice pitched low enough not to be overheard. They will think it gossip – she lets her eyes flit between a handful of people, major players in the Orlesian courts in their own right, even more major players in the various scandals. ( Even Iain is here – excuse her, Lord Blackwood – with his wife, a lovely young noble from Ostwick, and Astoria is eleven years past being a woman scorned but she is certainly not above letting people think her endlessly amusing gossip is about him. The perks, she thinks, of being Inquisitor. )
“If there ever were good choices in Orlais, then they wouldn’t have lasted long. Celene is too independent – she wants to be in control, and she know what it means to be controlled. She worked for this throne. Her methods were inexcusable, but she worked for it. Gaspard, on the other hand, is an entitled little boy stomping his feet because he doesn’t have what he wants. Celene is a practiced negotiator and liar. Gaspard is easier to read, and a war hawk at best. But Celene owes nothing to no one,” Astoria muses, and she sighs. “Even if we save her life, that’s all she’ll owe us, and a life saved can be repaid simply by her pledging her troops. Gaspard, on the other hand – if we are the ones to give him the throne, we are the ones to whom he owes it.” She raises her eyebrows at Nimia, eyes sparkling as if they’re sharing some private joke. “Between myself and Gaspard, only one of us is irreplaceable. I think even he knows that it isn’t him.
“And even with Briala, we’d need someone whose loyalty is to us to keep tabs on him.” That will be easy enough to arrange. Astoria has plenty of spies, through Leliana and through her own family. “We could find him a mistress – someone trustworthy, whose allegiance is first and foremost to the Inquisition.
“What do you think of Briala?” she asks suddenly, and she lets her eyes wander toward Celene. She’s heard rumors that Briala and Celene were lovers – everyone has – and she wonders what harm must have been done to separate them, if the purge of the elves at Halamshiral was enough. ( A woman willing to turn a blind eye to these abuses isn’t always moved by a boiling point. “She seems competent – do you think we can trust her to have Inquisition interests at heart?” And then –
“How do we give her what she will want? Enough that she’ll remain our ally, but not enough that she’ll abandon us entirely once she’s gotten it?”
𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐀 𝐈𝐒 𝐀 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐓, 𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐊𝐒. And it is no surprise, not in the end, but Nimia’s gaze followers her own around the ballroom, the people no doubt trying to listen in, and it’s not until a half second later that she realizes what she’s doing. Letting them believe it is simple gossip her gaze lingers on them a moment longer ; they’re eating it up. Each of them with their heads bowed, heads inclined in their direction as if in hopes of catching a whiff of what the Inquisitor and Hero find so captivating.
For not the first time tonight, she misses Ferelden and her court.
❝ As you say, Gaspard is entitled, ❞ she sighs, forcing a smile and a light giggle for the sake of their would - be audience. ❝ He got us into this party ; he expects something in return. Orlais’ throne will be a fine reward, no doubt. ❞ Her tone betrays all her bitterness and distaste, and that placid smile is beginning to waver, but she pushes through. ❝ Puppeteering him may prove a bigger challenge than anticipated ; we may... need something on him. Just to impress upon him how precarious his situation is. Assuming we let him take it at all. ❞
A part of her wonders what more do they need from Orlais beyond the pledge of troops against the thread Corypheus poses? But the question answers itself as she gives a sidelong glance towards the Empress : nothing. Not yet. But the future will no doubt hold other challenges, and Orlais is a powerful ally to have. The girl she was a decade ago might have dismissed the idea of allowing Celene’s assassin to succeed, letting Gaspard take the throne with their own puppetmaster, purely out of hand. A life saved to get them what they need in the moment to save the world, that would have been enough.
( And Astoria would have thrown a fit, would have demanded she be heard in her machinations and schemes to demand more, and what a nasty argument it would have been. The thought of it is enough to bring a genuine smile to her lips, even as she aches for those simpler times. )
❝ In truth I like Briala, ❞ she continues, shoulders rising and falling with her sigh. ❝ I think her loyalty lies with whoever she believes can best help her protect her people, alleged... dalliances aside. And call me biased if you wish, but I believe her cause to be the most worthy of them. If you intend to have Orlais in your favor long after this is finish, she’s the way to go. More than simply promises of protection or aid in rebuilding Halamshiral ; she won’t trust it. She knows best what her people need, so give her the power to ensure they get it. That is how you make a long - term ally of her. ❞