[Haven holds one prisoner. It takes some time for Kaisa to finally discover this fact—it comes up so offhandedly, in a conversation at the war table about something else entirely, something far more immediately relevant, and it takes Josephine and Cassandra both to firmly, not unkindly, prevent Kaisa from derailing the entire event when she latches onto this single, simple fact. Haven holds one prisoner. They don't even tell her their name.
It takes a day, with all the usual bustle and business, before she has spare time enough to investigate for herself. It means skipping her lunch. There's always so much to do, so much asked of her, so much unasked that she throws herself into regardless. While moments of rest should belong to her, she's always so quick to give them away for the sake of always, always doing.
Three separate people have to give her directions; she's horrific at finding her way around on the best of days, and here she tries to find her way to a place she's never seen and has only been dimly aware of the existence of until now.
Only one soldier is stationed at the prison. He's a newer recruit, a young human, and seems to have no idea what to do with himself at his post, and less of an idea of what to do when the Herald herself arrives and asks to be let in. He fumbles, allows it, and ends up, in his uncertainty over where he ought to be, standing awkwardly a few feet into the entrance. It's so narrow in here; Kaisa feels her size even more than usual, and unconsciously hunches into herself as she goes. Josephine has criticized this trait before, in a gentle exasperation hoping the Herald might conduct herself with more dignity, but so rarely does Kaisa truly notice when she's feeling smaller than she is.
The single occupied cell isn't very deep in the prison. Still, Kaisa almost walks by it and takes a clumsy, scrambling step back (she hears more than a bit about her clumsiness, too). When she sees the prisoner, she realizes she hadn't gone into this with any particular expectations, but that he's Dalish (and this dawns slowly, too; remembering what she's been told the tattoos mean) still surprises her.
But she only stands there stupidly watching him for a fraction of a moment.]
Hello. [A little pause, a glance aside, and back again.] It seems awfully lonely in here.
He knows it was only a matter of time before they got their heads together long enough to remember to do something with him, but he hadn't expected The Lady Herself. Or so he assumes: the people who bring rations at least are willing to inform him of the general situation, so he knows something about a magical qunari sealing up sky holes. He can't imagine there are many others walking around the place to confuse her with.
He eyes her up and down, briefly. He's not an expert on qunari, but he'd bet this one's a little on the young side. Something about the way she holds herself. Oh, fantastic.]
This is a prison. Probably better it's less populated.
[And... he wants to ask what she's here for, but whatever it is he's stubborn enough to make her lot work for his compliance, too, so he just settles back and watches.]
[She hesitates, tilting her head just so. Part of her expects that he might have something to say to her, and she wants to offer the space for it, but he just watches her. It takes, as it usually does, a moment for thoughts to get moving, for her to remember that she is a force more than a person, and what this suddenness must be like for one solitary prisoner the rest of the Inquisition has nearly forgotten. Without thinking, she shrinks just a little deeper into herself.]
[What a question. And strangely enough she seems sincere by it, but unfortunately he don't trust like that.]
Is this an official interrogation?
[His tone isn't rude, just guarded. Thus far he hasn't surrendered any information that wasn't directly asked of him, and they've all been too busy to ask. They don't know his clan or his title, most likely. He's not sure what advantage the information would give them, but he likes to keep his cards close to his chest nonetheless.]
No, not at all. [She shakes her head, frowning.] I don't see a need for anything like that now.
[She...assumes, anyway, that any questioning has long since taken place, if he's become just an afterthought at the war table. Leliana had been the one to mention the prisoner; she's hardly the type to leave him as a loose end. That in mind, it would make more sense that she hadn't heard a word of occupancy in their prison for so long, were Kaisa more capable of reflection.]
I was told about our prisoner, and just wanted to see the situation for myself.
[And, lightly, with a little nod, she offers:] I'm Kaisa.
[He inhales a breath and then blows it out in a sigh. He doesn't have any reason to lie to her, and not cooperating at this point would be crossing the line into hostility, which he's not actually interested in doing. Just yet.
So, fine. Introductions.]
Hello, Kaisa. My name is Neriel, since you asked.
[His tone of voice is falsely pleasant, as if they're meeting over tea. He looks around the cell, then shrugs at her.]
And how do you find the situation, now that you've seen it? If I'd known you were coming I'd have tidied up a bit.
[There are a few tragic truths about Kaisa, and the most relevant one at the moment is that she is an oblivious nitwit. Her lips quirk a little at the comment about tidying, like she's found the joke funny. Any intended unkindness doesn't quite stick to her—but the expression settles quickly enough, even so.]
I haven't decided how I find it yet. Are you receiving adequate rations? The— [She glances aside. The soldier posted at the front watches something through the doorway outside, and Kaisa's gaze lingers in that direction for a few moments until she feels satisfied that he's simply distracted before returning to Neriel.] The guards are treating you well?
[It isn't that she expects a negative answer, or even that she carries any concerns about how things are being run—but certainty, hearing it from him, feels important.]
[Apparently, she really is just here for small talk. He can hardly believe it.]
It's hardly a private suite, is it? Look, Your... [He gestures at the entirety of her, kind of helplessly.] ...Mysticness, if you're really so concerned about my comfort you could go find out what the hold up is. I'll take execution over the boredom at this point. Or just get me released, since you all seem to have bigger things to worry about at the moment.
[That's tossed out casually, like he doesn't seriously expect that to be an option. But a guy can dream, right?]
[The frown begins at "Your Mysticness" and continues on unimpeded as he goes on. Her first point of address is:] I'm not looking to have anyone executed.
[She'd get a say in something like that before it happened, wouldn't she? She'd be able to stop it? And there she goes, latching onto an offhand comment about an unfortunate possibility as her latest issue to be dealt with—she'll have to find Leliana and Cassandra, too, and would Josephine have a hand in such things? Maybe she should just bring it up at the war table... Her eyebrows knit together in concern as she considers this, but (mercifully) it isn't as though she's about to sprint from the prison to deal with that right this second.]
I was hoping to hear your side before I went off to find out what's been keeping you. I would rather prefer the prison empty, really—not, ah, again, not that I mean I'd want anyone executed for that.
[If you just stupidly obliviously cinnamon roll your way through everything enough people will feel bad enough about being mean to you that eventually you'll be in charge of an entire castle!! She's well on her way!!!! There's some visible relief on her face when he clarifies about the execution, but the thought hasn't left her. It's going to be something to make a situation out of, in that way that she does.]
Ah, yes, that would do it. Releasing the horses ought to gain you some favor, at least?
[She says it with a little smile—possible evidence that she is, in fact, capable of telling jokes; just as likely continued earnestness; short-lasting, regardless, as the thinking wheel gets turning and her expression purses in concentration. Surely someone would have said something to (or, at least, around) her about an attack on Haven's supplies while it was under her ward, so this couldn't have been all that recent.]
You've...been here for a while, though, haven't you? [She doesn't sound entirely certain, but continues on anyway.] I don't see why, if that's all it was... Not to say it's not a problem. You shouldn't do it again. [oh my god, child] But I'm certainly not going to let you rot in here over it.
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no subject
It takes a day, with all the usual bustle and business, before she has spare time enough to investigate for herself. It means skipping her lunch. There's always so much to do, so much asked of her, so much unasked that she throws herself into regardless. While moments of rest should belong to her, she's always so quick to give them away for the sake of always, always doing.
Three separate people have to give her directions; she's horrific at finding her way around on the best of days, and here she tries to find her way to a place she's never seen and has only been dimly aware of the existence of until now.
Only one soldier is stationed at the prison. He's a newer recruit, a young human, and seems to have no idea what to do with himself at his post, and less of an idea of what to do when the Herald herself arrives and asks to be let in. He fumbles, allows it, and ends up, in his uncertainty over where he ought to be, standing awkwardly a few feet into the entrance. It's so narrow in here; Kaisa feels her size even more than usual, and unconsciously hunches into herself as she goes. Josephine has criticized this trait before, in a gentle exasperation hoping the Herald might conduct herself with more dignity, but so rarely does Kaisa truly notice when she's feeling smaller than she is.
The single occupied cell isn't very deep in the prison. Still, Kaisa almost walks by it and takes a clumsy, scrambling step back (she hears more than a bit about her clumsiness, too). When she sees the prisoner, she realizes she hadn't gone into this with any particular expectations, but that he's Dalish (and this dawns slowly, too; remembering what she's been told the tattoos mean) still surprises her.
But she only stands there stupidly watching him for a fraction of a moment.]
Hello. [A little pause, a glance aside, and back again.] It seems awfully lonely in here.
no subject
He knows it was only a matter of time before they got their heads together long enough to remember to do something with him, but he hadn't expected The Lady Herself. Or so he assumes: the people who bring rations at least are willing to inform him of the general situation, so he knows something about a magical qunari sealing up sky holes. He can't imagine there are many others walking around the place to confuse her with.
He eyes her up and down, briefly. He's not an expert on qunari, but he'd bet this one's a little on the young side. Something about the way she holds herself. Oh, fantastic.]
This is a prison. Probably better it's less populated.
[And... he wants to ask what she's here for, but whatever it is he's stubborn enough to make her lot work for his compliance, too, so he just settles back and watches.]
no subject
[She hesitates, tilting her head just so. Part of her expects that he might have something to say to her, and she wants to offer the space for it, but he just watches her. It takes, as it usually does, a moment for thoughts to get moving, for her to remember that she is a force more than a person, and what this suddenness must be like for one solitary prisoner the rest of the Inquisition has nearly forgotten. Without thinking, she shrinks just a little deeper into herself.]
What's your name?
no subject
Is this an official interrogation?
[His tone isn't rude, just guarded. Thus far he hasn't surrendered any information that wasn't directly asked of him, and they've all been too busy to ask. They don't know his clan or his title, most likely. He's not sure what advantage the information would give them, but he likes to keep his cards close to his chest nonetheless.]
no subject
[She...assumes, anyway, that any questioning has long since taken place, if he's become just an afterthought at the war table. Leliana had been the one to mention the prisoner; she's hardly the type to leave him as a loose end. That in mind, it would make more sense that she hadn't heard a word of occupancy in their prison for so long, were Kaisa more capable of reflection.]
I was told about our prisoner, and just wanted to see the situation for myself.
[And, lightly, with a little nod, she offers:] I'm Kaisa.
no subject
So, fine. Introductions.]
Hello, Kaisa. My name is Neriel, since you asked.
[His tone of voice is falsely pleasant, as if they're meeting over tea. He looks around the cell, then shrugs at her.]
And how do you find the situation, now that you've seen it? If I'd known you were coming I'd have tidied up a bit.
no subject
I haven't decided how I find it yet. Are you receiving adequate rations? The— [She glances aside. The soldier posted at the front watches something through the doorway outside, and Kaisa's gaze lingers in that direction for a few moments until she feels satisfied that he's simply distracted before returning to Neriel.] The guards are treating you well?
[It isn't that she expects a negative answer, or even that she carries any concerns about how things are being run—but certainty, hearing it from him, feels important.]
no subject
It's hardly a private suite, is it? Look, Your... [He gestures at the entirety of her, kind of helplessly.] ...Mysticness, if you're really so concerned about my comfort you could go find out what the hold up is. I'll take execution over the boredom at this point. Or just get me released, since you all seem to have bigger things to worry about at the moment.
[That's tossed out casually, like he doesn't seriously expect that to be an option. But a guy can dream, right?]
no subject
[She'd get a say in something like that before it happened, wouldn't she? She'd be able to stop it? And there she goes, latching onto an offhand comment about an unfortunate possibility as her latest issue to be dealt with—she'll have to find Leliana and Cassandra, too, and would Josephine have a hand in such things? Maybe she should just bring it up at the war table... Her eyebrows knit together in concern as she considers this, but (mercifully) it isn't as though she's about to sprint from the prison to deal with that right this second.]
I was hoping to hear your side before I went off to find out what's been keeping you. I would rather prefer the prison empty, really—not, ah, again, not that I mean I'd want anyone executed for that.
[This is going to bother her for days.]
no subject
I--wasn't serious about the execution. And, to be fair, I did, ah, set fire to a cart.
[He pinches the bridge of his nose. Really, from their perspective, it makes sense. He'd arrest him too.]
After I released the horses, of course. They didn't do anything wrong.
no subject
Ah, yes, that would do it. Releasing the horses ought to gain you some favor, at least?
[She says it with a little smile—possible evidence that she is, in fact, capable of telling jokes; just as likely continued earnestness; short-lasting, regardless, as the thinking wheel gets turning and her expression purses in concentration. Surely someone would have said something to (or, at least, around) her about an attack on Haven's supplies while it was under her ward, so this couldn't have been all that recent.]
You've...been here for a while, though, haven't you? [She doesn't sound entirely certain, but continues on anyway.] I don't see why, if that's all it was... Not to say it's not a problem. You shouldn't do it again. [oh my god, child] But I'm certainly not going to let you rot in here over it.