i.

[serves]

Who: Cullen Rutherford
Broadcast: Fleetwide video
Action: The Marsiva
When: Now.

[It's with some hesitance that Cullen even touches the console. He knows how it works (somehow), but he's not exactly comfortable with the concept of broadcasting. His lips are set in a thin, grim line for a few moments as he thinks of what to say.]

--Maker's breath, this is absurd.

[That just about sums up his thoughts right now.]

Comments

video;

[unconfines]

Oh, you cannot be serious.

[It's been what, a few weeks? A few, blissful weeks templar-free, and now the fleet is down the one thing it had going for it, in his estimation. Stop the ride he'd like to get off now, thanks.]

[serves]

[Oh, look. It's the guy that blew up the Chantry, and he has the nerve to take that tone with him.

Cullen will gladly assist you into the nearest sun, Anders.]

You. Isn't there a cave around here for you to slither into?

[He can only assume that's where he fled to, after Kirkwall. Nevermind that he looks somewhat different than Cullen remembers.]

[unconfines]

[Anders bristles, defensive and angry, and then speaks loudly over him. He doesn't remember Cullen as being particularly offensive one way or the other during his stint in Kinloch Hold—aside from existing and being a templar, that is, which to him is crime enough. Anders had been fortunate enough not to be present during Uldred's uprising, if "fortunate" is the word you want to use.

In other words: go choke, Ser Noodles.]

No. Obviously. If there was, you can believe I'd rather be there than having this conversation with you.

Am I cursed? Do I smell? There has to be some explanation for how you all seem to find me no matter where I go. No phylactery could have helped you with this one, and we all know skill can't possibly be to blame. I mean, really! I don't even know precisely where I am right now, and yet still, here you are.

[serves]

[Wow, rude. Cullen patiently lets him spew out whatever it is he's saying, annoyance clear on his face.]

You were a curse on Kirkwall. A year later and that city and its people are still trying to recover. Are you happy with what you've done?

All you did was encourage murder and mindless chaos. Maker only knows how many innocent lives have been lost because of you.

encrypted

[dawnwillcome]

He doesn't know, Cullen. This version of him, he hasn't even been to Kirkwall yet.

encrypted

[serves]

You're joking.

[He sounds so thrilled. Only not.]

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[dawnwillcome]

Not about this. When he first arrived I had intended to say something to him, to demand answers, but he can't give them. It would have been pointless.

encrypted

[serves]

[Cullen sighs, shoulders dropping. It's a small sign of defeat.]

An eye needs to be kept on him. The man's proven he can't be trusted, and I doubt that was a sudden development.

encrypted

[dawnwillcome]

[Don't get mad don't get mad don't get mad.]

An eye needs to be kept on him?

[Oops. Got mad.]

Listen to yourself, you sound like- [She stops herself there. To think Cullen's arrival had put her in such a good mood just moments ago.] It doesn't matter. I'm handling it.

encrypted

[serves]

[She's mad. He can't blame her--he knows what he sounds like.]

Forgive me. But you didn't see madness in Kirkwall after what he did. So many people lost their lives because of this man and he didn't care. He betrayed Hawke, his companions--I can't trust him. Not after what I've seen.

encrypted

[dawnwillcome]

I'm not asking you to trust him. We've been cleaning up after his mess for months now, but if I understand it correctly, it's a mess he won't make for another ten years.

[She'll probably have the headache that's building behind her eyes for the next ten years, at this rate. The worst part is she can't even hold this reaction against him, because he's right. She wasn't there, and with everything Cullen has gone through, of course this was inevitable. She just wishes she had been able to stop it somehow.]

All I ask is that you try to... I don't know, ignore him. If you can.

encrypted

[serves]

[This whole situation is ridiculously frustrating.]

I'll do my best.

encrypted

[dawnwillcome]

I know you will. You always do.

Not really here

[wolfuncaged]

[Varric has been careful not to tell Fenris about who kicked off the war. After all, that part hasn't happened for him yet, and now...well, now he can tell why the dwarf kept it from him. He knew Anders was a danger, but even Fenris didn't think he'd go that far.

THANKS FOR THE INFO, CULLEN, YOU'RE A BRO. ]

[unconfines]

[There's a split second moment where he looks like he's been slapped. No one's yet given him the full story—it's all been bits and pieces of a life that doesn't seem like it belongs to him, distance and anger and people he doesn't know saying his name like they're disappointed to see him.

Have you ever been to Kirkwall?

He recovers, putting on something like a disdainful sneer, but the false levity in his tone is completely gone. He's panicking, now, and covering it with anger.]

I've never been to Kirkwall in my life. Shows how much you know. Is it a mage thing? Do we all just look the same to you?

[serves]

[Oh, how he wants to let Anders know in detail all the pain and suffering he'll cause. Jove, however, doesn't seem to appreciate Cullen's anger towards the mage--rationally, he can understand, but Maker how he wishes Hawke had put him down.

So, he reels it in. But he certainly isn't happy.]

I'm no longer a member of the order. I have no issue with mages.

[Just you, Anders.]

[unconfines]

[He scoffs, low and derisive and resigned.]

Right, because that's all it takes. You lay down your shiny breastplate and everything is hunky dory, is it? "Sorry about all those times we locked you up, let's put it all behind us, I think you count as people now, really!"

I'll believe that when I see it.

[The feed clicks off.]

video;

[howcanihelp]

[ exasperated ]

Anders, please. It's not his fault he's here any more than it's your fault you're here.

[unconfines]

[He knows that. He also doesn't particularly care—maybe it's not Cullen's fault he's here, but to Anders he's still a templar, and that supersedes everything else.

But he's genuinely upset now, and not just putting on bravado. This escalated faster than he expected it to.]

That just makes it worse.

[howcanihelp]

[ Uh-oh. RED ALERT. MAMA WARDEN MODE ACTIVATED. ]

Just leave him be for now. He can't get to you while he's on the station, and there's no Chantry here to back him up if he tries anything. I'm sure we'll work something out.

In the meantime, antagonizing him isn't going to help anyone, least of all you.

All right?

[serves]

[Maker take him.]

I'm--not going to get him.

[howcanihelp]

[ Hoo boy. Okay. Okay, she can do this. This is just like so many other things she's done. Acknowledge their reactions, explain your reactions, make sure everyone's on the same page, placate, and make sure the bottom line of "don't fuck with my people" is laid down.

She holds up a placating hand and smiles tightly ]

The last time we had any significant interaction with templars, I had to conscript him to keep them from executing him, or worse, for something he didn't do. And there are a lot of people here who are angry at him for things that he hasn't even done yet, as far as either of us are concerned, including yourself. I'm sure not without cause, but to him - to us - he's being blamed for something that for all intents and purposes, he hasn't done.

I'm sure you can understand why he might be slightly upset by that.

[ Look at this baby, all grown up and leading people and standing up for the people who follow her. ]

I trust you to not attempt anything, especially something that would be pointless without the Chantry here anyway, but he has no such trust, and I honestly don't blame him.

[ She hesitates, then adds ] For the record, however, he is under my command, such as it is, and as such is also under my protection.

I trust you, Cullen, but it's been ten years for you, you've clearly had significant negative interactions with him in the more recent past, and the last time I saw you... well. I have to say it. Just so it's all clear, you understand.

[serves]

I'm no longer a part of the order. After Kirkwall [Does she even know what happened in that city? She must not, the way she's talking. Varric is too kind.], I left. The Chantry has no bearing on what I do.

[He could explain how he doubts Anders just suddenly became a terror, but he's tired enough after trying with Jove, and he really can't mentally handle getting into an argument with Stephanie, of all people. She thinks poorly enough of him already.

and the last time I saw you...

Cullen's been far from relaxed during this whole thing, but he visibly stiffens at that.]

As I said. He's in no danger. [For now. But Cullen will be keeping an eye on him.]

[howcanihelp]

[ Yeah, she shouldn't have brought that up, and she knows it. It's written all over her face, but she doesn't really know how to apologize for being protective of Anders without making it worse. ]

Yes. I'm-- That was inappropriate, I'm sorry. Of course you'll keep your word. I've gotten used to having to defend... a lot of the people I care about, against less moral people. It's hard to get out of the habit.

[serves]

Of course.

[There's nothing left for him to say.]