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Dec. 3rd, 2014 02:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
witticasterThayes waited until Minaeve stepped out to have a look at a pelt one of the refugees brought to Haven, and until Lady Montilyet's stream of visitors finally staunched itself. She hadn't been lying when she said they'd see guests arriving at Haven, not just refugees. Her office was nearly as busy as the war room itself--and it saw a greater variety of people come through its doors.
"Oh--greetings." Lady Montilyet looked up from the parchment she was scribbling away on, her brows raised. "What may I help you with?"
Thayes pressed the door back behind her and took a seat on the low bench next to it. Every reason for coming seemed trapped between her ears, as though there was a broken bridge somewhere between her mind and her mouth. "Um."
Lady Montilyet set down her pen, looking across her desk at Thayes. It made Thayes feel rather small, sitting there with her arms resting on her knees, while a noble lady looked down at her. There was neither condescension nor scorn on Lady Montilyet's face, though--she was all concern, her brows knitting together. "Is everything all right? There haven't been more...incidents, have there? About your heritage?"
"No," Thayes answered quickly. It was kind of her to be so worried about how the others in Haven spoke to her...but then, if even the people of Haven didn't respect her, how would they convince the rest of Thedas? Perhaps it was just part of being a good ambassador. Did she express the same concern for the other elves within their walls? She shrugged, trying to brush off the thought. "It wouldn't be the first time I heard the words 'knife-ear,' anyway."
"If you're sure." That uncertain expression of Lady Montilyet's didn't ease. Clearing her throat, she added, "Forgive me, your Worship, but if there wasn't anything in particular, I do have a lot of--"
"It's talking to people." Thayes flushed, her dark cheeks going darker yet, at the way it came out. "I don't even know what to call you, or--or anyone else here."
That, apparently, was enough to bring the smile out on her face. She looked like she wanted to laugh. "Josephine, please. We will be working together for quite some time; I do not see a reason to stand upon ceremony here."
"But you call me 'your Worship.' Shouldn't I be saying 'Lady Montilyet' and...and 'my lady?'" It felt so much more natural to look at her and say Josephine, but calling everyone by their given names and being known only as the Herald of Andraste felt so lonely. Everything had moved so fast since the Conclave. It seemed impossible that it had been only a fortnight since she promised Keeper she'd return with everything they'd need to know. "I feel like I'm on some kind of--of pedestal. I hate it."
"Ah." Lady...Josephine paused. "Would you prefer to be called something else? I will still have to use your titles among any dignitaries who wish to kiss your hand, but in less formal situations, I would like it if you were comfortable."
"Could you call me Thayes? Please?" Simply being able to ask was a relief. And when Josephine nodded, Thayes couldn't help but smile her thanks. She felt lighter for it. "But even when I know what to call people, I don't know what to say. I don't know anything about Andraste, or the Chantry, or how to convince people to do something. I've seen what you do, how you handled the Marquis, and I can't do that."
"That's why I'm here. You don't need to handle people like the Marquis when you have an ambassador to direct them to. Still..." Josephine tapped her pen against the desk, looking at Thayes like she was a puzzle that needed to be put together. "There will be times you are away from Haven. You need to be able to speak with confidence. I could...help you with that. If you liked."
"Could you? Please--that's exactly what I need." That and a thousand things more, these days, but just feeling like she wasn't on the verge of putting her foot in her mouth every time she opened it would be a nice change.
With a nod, Josephine stood, leaving her endless parchments behind so she could sit down next to Thayes on the bench. Thayes couldn't remember ever seeing Josephine without something to write with in hand before; perhaps keeping so busy was part of why she was such a good ambassador. "It's not so hard. Let's start now--tell me about a conversation that's been troubling you."
"All right." It was a small thing to start with, chatting with someone already firmly on her side, but if anyone could help her figure out how to speak like a herald ought, Thayes thought it must be Josephine.
"Oh--greetings." Lady Montilyet looked up from the parchment she was scribbling away on, her brows raised. "What may I help you with?"
Thayes pressed the door back behind her and took a seat on the low bench next to it. Every reason for coming seemed trapped between her ears, as though there was a broken bridge somewhere between her mind and her mouth. "Um."
Lady Montilyet set down her pen, looking across her desk at Thayes. It made Thayes feel rather small, sitting there with her arms resting on her knees, while a noble lady looked down at her. There was neither condescension nor scorn on Lady Montilyet's face, though--she was all concern, her brows knitting together. "Is everything all right? There haven't been more...incidents, have there? About your heritage?"
"No," Thayes answered quickly. It was kind of her to be so worried about how the others in Haven spoke to her...but then, if even the people of Haven didn't respect her, how would they convince the rest of Thedas? Perhaps it was just part of being a good ambassador. Did she express the same concern for the other elves within their walls? She shrugged, trying to brush off the thought. "It wouldn't be the first time I heard the words 'knife-ear,' anyway."
"If you're sure." That uncertain expression of Lady Montilyet's didn't ease. Clearing her throat, she added, "Forgive me, your Worship, but if there wasn't anything in particular, I do have a lot of--"
"It's talking to people." Thayes flushed, her dark cheeks going darker yet, at the way it came out. "I don't even know what to call you, or--or anyone else here."
That, apparently, was enough to bring the smile out on her face. She looked like she wanted to laugh. "Josephine, please. We will be working together for quite some time; I do not see a reason to stand upon ceremony here."
"But you call me 'your Worship.' Shouldn't I be saying 'Lady Montilyet' and...and 'my lady?'" It felt so much more natural to look at her and say Josephine, but calling everyone by their given names and being known only as the Herald of Andraste felt so lonely. Everything had moved so fast since the Conclave. It seemed impossible that it had been only a fortnight since she promised Keeper she'd return with everything they'd need to know. "I feel like I'm on some kind of--of pedestal. I hate it."
"Ah." Lady...Josephine paused. "Would you prefer to be called something else? I will still have to use your titles among any dignitaries who wish to kiss your hand, but in less formal situations, I would like it if you were comfortable."
"Could you call me Thayes? Please?" Simply being able to ask was a relief. And when Josephine nodded, Thayes couldn't help but smile her thanks. She felt lighter for it. "But even when I know what to call people, I don't know what to say. I don't know anything about Andraste, or the Chantry, or how to convince people to do something. I've seen what you do, how you handled the Marquis, and I can't do that."
"That's why I'm here. You don't need to handle people like the Marquis when you have an ambassador to direct them to. Still..." Josephine tapped her pen against the desk, looking at Thayes like she was a puzzle that needed to be put together. "There will be times you are away from Haven. You need to be able to speak with confidence. I could...help you with that. If you liked."
"Could you? Please--that's exactly what I need." That and a thousand things more, these days, but just feeling like she wasn't on the verge of putting her foot in her mouth every time she opened it would be a nice change.
With a nod, Josephine stood, leaving her endless parchments behind so she could sit down next to Thayes on the bench. Thayes couldn't remember ever seeing Josephine without something to write with in hand before; perhaps keeping so busy was part of why she was such a good ambassador. "It's not so hard. Let's start now--tell me about a conversation that's been troubling you."
"All right." It was a small thing to start with, chatting with someone already firmly on her side, but if anyone could help her figure out how to speak like a herald ought, Thayes thought it must be Josephine.