The Silver Queen [AU]

[Carver Amell]

"I sleep in your bed," he points out. 

[Tethras Clan]

Zevran rolls his eyes. "Then you move in there and I sleep in here with Helene," he points out wryly. "We put a very pointedly large padlock on the door or something."

[Carver Amell]

Carver glances away. But I'd miss you. 

[Tethras Clan]

"We could make it work," Zevran says softly. "You- us- would be worth making it work." He takes a deep breath. "But I would greatly prefer not coming to that point in the first place." He glances at Helene. "It would be... that might be wise. To throw the bones about the three of us talking to her. Not ambushing or confronting, talking."

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene nods, quietly moving across the room to their pack, digging out the knucklebones they use when they're unsure of the best course of action. The men and mabari wait with baited breath as they cast the bones, reading the symbols: skulls and infinity symbols, some face up, some face down.

"Mixed results," they say, after a moment. "Mostly good. I can try different combinations."

[Tethras Clan]

"Just Carver and I? Then just him or I alone," Zevran suggests quietly. 

[Helene Dakesh]

They throw the bones again. "Similar results," they say, then cast once more, and once again. "Woe for just Carver. Better results for just Zevran."

[Tethras Clan]

"Because I know about... similar events most likely," he finally finishes, kindly not pointing out Carver's temper. Rubbing his temple, he tries to think this through. "Can you... throw for direct and gentle approaches?" he asks slowly. "Or can you get some kind of advice that's less... yes, no, maybe?"

[Helene Dakesh]

"This one can cast a Divination," says Helene, hesitantly. "This one is typically uneasy doing so for.. smaller matters."

[Tethras Clan]

Zevran considers that a moment, then shakes his head. "Given the... unrest- hah. No, given the uncivil fucking war we're considering plunging into, I think keeping one of our strongest fighters here, to say nothing of the... morale issue losing our 'bela would inflict, is more than a small matter."

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene frowns for a moment, then nods, slowly, face clearing. "Understood," they say gently. "This is... This one gets the sense that things have gone horribly awry in the Free Colonies of late. There is sometimes a sense of... tension, or perhaps, disappointment, underlying the visions this one has. This one has not been given a vision of much importance in some time, possibly because this one has lost access to most adventurers. This one has asked if this one should return to Drasslina in the hopes of being more useful, but this one has received wisdom that this place is sufficient for this one, that this one may continue in the path that makes this one feel.... better. But this one has perhaps been lax in this one's duties in guiding the group toward opportunities to become involved and mend things."

[Carver Amell]

"Helene," says Carver, his tone compassionate. "Why didn't you say anything? Why is everyone keeping secrets?"

[Tethras Clan]

Zevran looks down at his hands, lost in thought. Finally he starts to speak softly, almost to himself. "Yesterday I heard news from Teurnal. Their Regent's eldest granddaughter was meant to make a trip to Glaley a few months ago. Thanks to the unrest, she changed her plans to instead summer at a friend's estate in the countryside. The ship she'd planned to use was attacked by pirates, only wreckage stained by smoke and blood. On her way to the estate, she- and her troop of well trained, well funded guards- passed by a small village just in time to be the deciding factor in a desperate defence by an adventurer group against a fledgling warlord. Would have been the fifth village he'd sacked and razed." Bandits and even monster attacks are common on small villages but it's rare for mortals to be that destructive.

He shakes his head slowly. "And Carver and I both heard from that wagoneer about Sweetwater's unexpected surplus..."

[Helene Dakesh]

"This one helps where this one can," says Helene softly. 

[Tethras Clan]

Zevran shakes his head. "That's not- I just- these things, these... strokes of chance, these events. They're not... really out of place, not for those that live lives on the grand stage, as it were. But for some reason, they feel..." He trails off, not sure how to put the feeling he gets about them into words.