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Bernie agreed that the price to pay for regular blankets of snow was quite steep. “It’s more enjoyable when you know that you have a fire and hot food and drink waiting for you.” Her tone darkened a little. “It’s a rare year that we don’t lose one or two who stray too far from shelter and get caught in a whiteout. You can freeze to death ten steps from your door and never see it.”
Sofia grimaced. Tangling with darkspawn had ensured that her list of top five ways to avoid dying all involved those monsters, but freezing to death in the cold was somewhere quite high on the list as well. To push back both that thought and the imagined cold, she asked for more coffee. She was already getting a little fidgety from it but pleasantly so; it wasn’t like when she’d been in the Circle and almost bounced off the walls with restlessness. If it became too much, she’d just switch to straight whiskey.
As Bernie made the coffee, she mentioned how the Circle had sometimes been cold, but it was easy enough to avoid those spots. It piqued the other woman’s interest.
“What was it like? Kiran seems to have had a good experience.”
“As did I.” Sofia saw no point in hiding any of the facts; she chose to be utterly truthful. “From what I have learned since leaving, I was granted a great deal of leniency due to the influence of my family. They could not pressure the Chantry, of course, but the occasional generous donation to the Circle’s coffers no doubt eased my time there. It helped that I was a studious child and I genuinely love being able to perform magic, even if my talents did not lie towards healing like I had hoped. The enchanters allowed me to study as a chirgeon, alongside my magical studies, and I never wanted for food or rest. Even before I went in, I was not given much free rein, so I did not long for freedom as some might have done.”
She took a sip of the coffee, savouring the ambrosia on her tongue before it slipped down her throat. “But many mages have issues with how the Circle is run, and even protected as I was, I saw hints of it sometimes. Since I left, I’ve come to realise the scope of the problem is far greater than I could have guessed. It is a shame – joining the Circle should be seen as a privilege, something to aspire to, even. They could be great centers of learning, and indeed some are, and to a poor child they should be a blessing. A chance for education, and regular meals, and a soft bed – and a place to be safe, taught how to deal with the temptation of demons. Instead, most are little more than prisons.”
She sighed. “I do not believe it was what the Maker desired when He dictated that magic must serve man. But unless the Chantry chooses of its own volition to start over, I do not see how it could change.” Except with extreme violence.
She lifted her head from the cup, and her face gentled into a smile. “That was probably more than you were looking for. For myself, I was happy there; as I am with the Wardens. I like having people around. As I imagine you do?” She indicated the rest of the tavern. “This must be a little difficult to deal with otherwise.”
Sofia grimaced. Tangling with darkspawn had ensured that her list of top five ways to avoid dying all involved those monsters, but freezing to death in the cold was somewhere quite high on the list as well. To push back both that thought and the imagined cold, she asked for more coffee. She was already getting a little fidgety from it but pleasantly so; it wasn’t like when she’d been in the Circle and almost bounced off the walls with restlessness. If it became too much, she’d just switch to straight whiskey.
As Bernie made the coffee, she mentioned how the Circle had sometimes been cold, but it was easy enough to avoid those spots. It piqued the other woman’s interest.
“What was it like? Kiran seems to have had a good experience.”
“As did I.” Sofia saw no point in hiding any of the facts; she chose to be utterly truthful. “From what I have learned since leaving, I was granted a great deal of leniency due to the influence of my family. They could not pressure the Chantry, of course, but the occasional generous donation to the Circle’s coffers no doubt eased my time there. It helped that I was a studious child and I genuinely love being able to perform magic, even if my talents did not lie towards healing like I had hoped. The enchanters allowed me to study as a chirgeon, alongside my magical studies, and I never wanted for food or rest. Even before I went in, I was not given much free rein, so I did not long for freedom as some might have done.”
She took a sip of the coffee, savouring the ambrosia on her tongue before it slipped down her throat. “But many mages have issues with how the Circle is run, and even protected as I was, I saw hints of it sometimes. Since I left, I’ve come to realise the scope of the problem is far greater than I could have guessed. It is a shame – joining the Circle should be seen as a privilege, something to aspire to, even. They could be great centers of learning, and indeed some are, and to a poor child they should be a blessing. A chance for education, and regular meals, and a soft bed – and a place to be safe, taught how to deal with the temptation of demons. Instead, most are little more than prisons.”
She sighed. “I do not believe it was what the Maker desired when He dictated that magic must serve man. But unless the Chantry chooses of its own volition to start over, I do not see how it could change.” Except with extreme violence.
She lifted her head from the cup, and her face gentled into a smile. “That was probably more than you were looking for. For myself, I was happy there; as I am with the Wardens. I like having people around. As I imagine you do?” She indicated the rest of the tavern. “This must be a little difficult to deal with otherwise.”