[ His tone is bright and sharp, sunlight on cut glass. ]
I could do the accent, but I might myself regress. Now, let's see. But what I have learned... found new ways to shame... Here we are. While you may be content to make mockery of our name and house, you should be aware of the ways you make mock of yourself and your homeland.
Ha. Note he never actually says directly what it is I did. There was a time in my life when these letters arrived so thick and fast that I could scarcely tell exactly what he was referring to.
And have proof on paper? Nah. Word must have gotten back to him after the ball.
[ Dorian's being flippant about it, but it's not the good kind. It's the sort he gets when he's threatened, baring his teeth and pretending to smile while doing it.
No doubt. And, by the by, this is certainly best imagined with much anguished robe clutching, so I hope you're following along.
If you insist on acting as representative and spokesperson of the Imperium within this Inquisition (which, by the way, is a somewhat liberal interpretation of what I've said prior on the subject) then you must respect its politics and place in the world. You are no longer a boy, free to act without consequence.
I could almost be convinced he believes that himself.
[ There is the sound of paper flipping and shuffling, being set aside. The edge lessens in his voice. ] Started strong, but ends on a bit of a whimper, if you ask me. Continues on with a few half-hearted jabs, something again about duty, as if he still has any intention for me to see the inside of the Magisterium.
I could write him back. Inform him we danced much better than these spurious rumours clearly led him to believe.
[ There's a small chuckle before he pauses. It's entirely possible Dorian will consider this latest barrage from his father enough reason to call the whole thing off. Or continue on in spite of him, to spite him specifically. It's a coin toss at this point. ]
Gotta say, I was expecting worse. Maybe assassins.
[ To this, this first part, Dorian says nothing, but he does polish off the glass of wine he'd started working on upon opening the letter. He's formulating something clever to say when Bull speaks again, instead. ]
My quarters. I'd considered a more dramatic backdrop for the sake of dramatisation, but then I remembered I avoid drinking on the battlements.
[ Just kidding. No he doesn't.
But his voice is, in fairness, cleanly sober, not exactly the sodden thickness of the stupor the last brush with his father urged him into. ]
[ It's pretty blunt, as these things go. But it's also devoid of any weight of expectation. He can say yes or no and the only thing that changes is whether or not Dorian spends the night drinking alone.
It'd be entirely fair if he doesn't want him there, to be honest. ]
[ A pause settles. Off guard, and then thoughtful. He imagines the wealth of poison he might attempt to purge, given the excuse, endless words and far too much information. He imagines his empty room, the lengthy evening ahead.
The ease of Bull's offer is almost too transparent to need to navigate. When his chest twinges deeply, he makes a decision-- ]
No need, [ breezily, and decides it's the wrong answer immediately after, even if there is a quality in Bull's voice that implies there is no wrong answer. ] I have every intention on being poor company.
Yeah. I know how you get when you got your mind set to something.
[ It's fair. After all, he wouldn't have to deal with this latest diatribe from his father if not for their association. It makes more sense than anything that a couple of fun tumbles wouldn't be worth this sort of drama.
He's not writing him off, no, but it's better to prepare for a blow that doesn't come than let it take you by surprise. ]
Your old man's full of it, though. Just for the record.
[ His laugh, mild and low, has affection in it. Not for his father. ]
Believe me, this little bit of correspondence is as good as things have been for years. I haven't had a decent duty lecture since I was made an Enchanter, which, by the way, is usually code for marriage.
I suppose dancing with a Ben-Hassrath spy decreases my prospects. [ Musically, sweetly optimistic in affect; ] We should do it again sometime.
Don't know about that. We had plenty of people eying us for other reasons during that little dance of ours, too. I know the difference.
[ Looks that surveyed, imagined, and coveted. Looks of those who thought they knew what this was and who they were. Fantasies are all well and good, until someone feels the need to start imposing those ideas on someone else.
Dorian's father could learn a lesson or two, in that regard. ]
Probably not interested in the marriage part, though. So.
[ Wrong kind of riled, really, but the semi-laugh in reply is knowing, and a little fond. ]
Of course, [ he says, easily, as if he hadn't been indecisive after the fact. But it would be too easy, to drag in all the bullshit the letter implies. It's good for a laugh -- although Bull hadn't really laughed -- but they were, the two of them, meant to be having fun. There was a lot of that that Bull could find elsewhere.
Still, he opts not to leave it at dismissal as he adds; ] You might find me on the training grounds tomorrow morning, if you'd care to go a few rounds.
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no subject
[ His tone is bright and sharp, sunlight on cut glass. ]
I could do the accent, but I might myself regress. Now, let's see. But what I have learned... found new ways to shame... Here we are. While you may be content to make mockery of our name and house, you should be aware of the ways you make mock of yourself and your homeland.
Ha. Note he never actually says directly what it is I did. There was a time in my life when these letters arrived so thick and fast that I could scarcely tell exactly what he was referring to.
no subject
[ Dorian's being flippant about it, but it's not the good kind. It's the sort he gets when he's threatened, baring his teeth and pretending to smile while doing it.
Tevinter, through and through. ]
no subject
If you insist on acting as representative and spokesperson of the Imperium within this Inquisition (which, by the way, is a somewhat liberal interpretation of what I've said prior on the subject) then you must respect its politics and place in the world. You are no longer a boy, free to act without consequence.
I could almost be convinced he believes that himself.
[ There is the sound of paper flipping and shuffling, being set aside. The edge lessens in his voice. ] Started strong, but ends on a bit of a whimper, if you ask me. Continues on with a few half-hearted jabs, something again about duty, as if he still has any intention for me to see the inside of the Magisterium.
I could write him back. Inform him we danced much better than these spurious rumours clearly led him to believe.
no subject
[ There's a small chuckle before he pauses. It's entirely possible Dorian will consider this latest barrage from his father enough reason to call the whole thing off. Or continue on in spite of him, to spite him specifically. It's a coin toss at this point. ]
Gotta say, I was expecting worse. Maybe assassins.
no subject
I wouldn't neglect your blindside, put it that way. Fraternising with qunaris, what will he do next.
[ A break long enough to, you know, drink. ]
But you aren't wrong. Recent disputes have him on the backfoot, I think.
no subject
[ Which is in itself a statement. He's not going anywhere unless Dorian wants him to. No one else gets a say in this.
He deliberates for a moment, and then -- ]
Where are you now?
no subject
My quarters. I'd considered a more dramatic backdrop for the sake of dramatisation, but then I remembered I avoid drinking on the battlements.
[ Just kidding. No he doesn't.
But his voice is, in fairness, cleanly sober, not exactly the sodden thickness of the stupor the last brush with his father urged him into. ]
no subject
[ It's pretty blunt, as these things go. But it's also devoid of any weight of expectation. He can say yes or no and the only thing that changes is whether or not Dorian spends the night drinking alone.
It'd be entirely fair if he doesn't want him there, to be honest. ]
no subject
The ease of Bull's offer is almost too transparent to need to navigate. When his chest twinges deeply, he makes a decision-- ]
No need, [ breezily, and decides it's the wrong answer immediately after, even if there is a quality in Bull's voice that implies there is no wrong answer. ] I have every intention on being poor company.
no subject
Yeah. I know how you get when you got your mind set to something.
[ It's fair. After all, he wouldn't have to deal with this latest diatribe from his father if not for their association. It makes more sense than anything that a couple of fun tumbles wouldn't be worth this sort of drama.
He's not writing him off, no, but it's better to prepare for a blow that doesn't come than let it take you by surprise. ]
Your old man's full of it, though. Just for the record.
no subject
Believe me, this little bit of correspondence is as good as things have been for years. I haven't had a decent duty lecture since I was made an Enchanter, which, by the way, is usually code for marriage.
I suppose dancing with a Ben-Hassrath spy decreases my prospects. [ Musically, sweetly optimistic in affect; ] We should do it again sometime.
no subject
[ Looks that surveyed, imagined, and coveted. Looks of those who thought they knew what this was and who they were. Fantasies are all well and good, until someone feels the need to start imposing those ideas on someone else.
Dorian's father could learn a lesson or two, in that regard. ]
Probably not interested in the marriage part, though. So.
no subject
[ Glass clink, self-awareness setting back in. Stop flirting with qunaris after refusing invitation from them, Dorian. ]
Anyway. I suppose I ought to let you go, before I really get started.
no subject
[ Shameless to the last. Bull eyes the crystal for a moment before adding: ]
You change your mind, just let me know.
no subject
Of course, [ he says, easily, as if he hadn't been indecisive after the fact. But it would be too easy, to drag in all the bullshit the letter implies. It's good for a laugh -- although Bull hadn't really laughed -- but they were, the two of them, meant to be having fun. There was a lot of that that Bull could find elsewhere.
Still, he opts not to leave it at dismissal as he adds; ] You might find me on the training grounds tomorrow morning, if you'd care to go a few rounds.