Clutching at straws (open)

[Knight Commander Cullen]

Maker help me.

Knight-Commander Cullen found himself thinking with a sigh and even considered banging his head against his desk for a good sanity check measure. What was the world coming to?

Hunting down mages in the area was hardly ever successful. He had a few contained in The Gallows at the moment but most of them had come willingly. At least some people saw the light of things. The mage revolt had caused such a terror to this world that no one felt safe. Cullen didn't lock the mages up like Meredith did and he certainly hadn't made one Tranquil without seriously thinking about it first.

Mages had free rein of The Gallows and just had to follow a few simple rules such as a curfew and allowed to have their magic nulled by the surrounding Templars to keep the peace. It was hard work, but it kept the environment safe and relatively happy.

This was not what was driving him insane though. Whatever he did wasn't enough. It would never be enough.

And now that the paperwork was done he couldn't stay here any longer.

Decked out in his civilian clothes, with a brown cloak that was hooded and kept him covered from head to toe, Cullen left The Gallows and headed into the rest of the city in hope of respite.

People often recognized him when he took walks like this but nine times out of ten no one bothered him. He just hoped this time would be the same.

[Alexander]

It had been a busy day for Alexander. The guards were naturally bitching about having to be retrained, the people were filled with complaints about the martial law (many of which he agreed with, but couldn't do a damn thing about), and arguing with one of the templars about how he couldn't just order guards to do what he wanted to simply because he was the "superior military order." He swore, if it weren't for the fact that they were at least commanded by someone sensible they would have had a rebellion on their hands by now, larger than even the mage rebellion had been.

Keeping the peace in Kirkwall was proving increasingly difficult. Naturally, many guards were angered at the fact that they were being snubbed by the templars even though, in truth, they were the idiots who started the mess in the first place. The people were chaffing under the constant curfews and midnight raids. Alexander had met Cullen once or twice before. He was not a bad man. However, Alex had the feeling a lot was going on underneath his nose, and try as that man might the problems were still getting worse. Despite the facade of normalcy during the daylight hours, areas would always grow suspiciously quiet whenever templars (or guards, for that matter) happened to pass by. People were constantly afraid of being named an enemy and imprisoned.

As a result, Alex preferred to walk around in civilian clothing. Walking in an off-white shirt, brown leather pants and vest, and black boots, he blended in rather well with much of the rabble of the city. He was listening in to a merchant conversation when he saw a certain blonde cloaked man pass by. Blinking, not recognizing him at first, it took him a moment to realize who he was. Walking up to the man and tapping him on the shoulder, he spoke quietly, so noone would here him.

"Gallows a bit to constricting eh commander?" Alex said, moving up besides him. "I don't blame you, the place always gave me the creeps... I don't know how you stand it." By that last phrase, he also meant being a templar, but he tried to keep that part silent enough. "What brings you out to this part of the city?"

[Knight Commander Cullen]

At the tap on the shoulder, Cullen very nearly lashed out and punched the guard captain in the face. As it was, he caught himself just in time and instead just clenched his fists.

It was nothing against the guy, it was just that he hadn't been expecting to be touched and had assumed the worst. All warriors should have a reflex like this anyway. It kept them safe.

"Ah, Guard Lieutenant. You might say that, yes." Cullen responded just as quietly "I'd say you get used to it but..." But what? Cullen couldn't really answer that one so instead took a different route "When you're married to the cause you've got no choice."

Although most marriages didn't have a shackle like Lyrium to keep you in place. Not that it bothered The Knight Commander. He quite liked his place in life.

"So what can I do for you? Or have I happened to stumble upon your own strolling route? Either way the company is welcome I suppose."

[Alexander]

Alexander nodded as Cullen spoke of being married to the cause. "Believe me, I have a good idea what that's like." He sighed, thinking of Briana, then back to reality. "Glad you didn't punch me though. I didn't want to get dragged to some dark dungeon because I swung back." He replied in jest, but there was just a ting of bitterness to it, very light, and barely noticeable. He was commenting just as much about Cullen raising his fist as he was about the current situation, where the templars had almost free reign, even though the entire situation, in Alex's opinion, was entirely their fault.

"Honestly, you kinda just stumbled onto my path." He chuckled lightly. "It's not often you see the Knight Commander out and about."

He then turned and began to walk with Cullen through the streets, taking a look at the crowd. By the looks of them, they had no idea that nearby, in a cloak, stood the most powerful man in Kirkwall, and Alex was grateful for that. "So how are things going with the rest of the Order? Naturally, with your comrades in control of news, it's been a bitch trying to get information on how the world's turning."

[Knight Commander Cullen]

"If you want to get technical, you could have tossed me in the dungeons for punching you since technically i'm off duty. Such as it is...If some crazed apostate came running down the street i'd be right back into it again but...You understand."

He had to smile at the news that not often people saw him. It meant he was doing his walks correctly...it was only now he'd got it wrong. He wasn't going to go into that though. Where was the fun in that?

As for the order...

"A million things are happening in the order. Half of them I cannot even begin to explain."

[Alexander]

Alex sighed. Of course he couldn't tell him. They couldn't tell him anything. It's Secret or Need to know were words he heard alot when he demanded explanations, and unfortunately Aveling does not allow him to press the issue in any official capacity. Thankfully, this was a highly unofficial one.

"If I tried to toss you in the dungeon, I'd probably be branded a heretic and dragged through the streets, so no I don't think I'll be doing that." He chuckled. "But can you at least give me a little bit of news? How's the mage war going? Is Orlais still in Civil War? What about Ferelden? How's the situation there?"

[Knight Commander Cullen]

"Well it wouldn't be my choice, I don't think anyone - including Templars - are above the law. I'll probably get murdered for that but..." Cullen sighed. The world of Thedas was a bit huge pile of ruin these days and nothing was going to fix it. His own life wasn't worth worrying about which made things all the more worse.

"Frankly, you know as much as I do." Cullen admitted and was well aware that admitting that would probably cause some kind of uproar. He needed to be a figure of god-like nature but...he wasn't like Meredith. He couldn't stand up there and look high and mighty.

[Briana Talon]

“Take the left Jace!” Briana ordered to her fellow Templar as she ducked into the alleyway that she knew the thief would eventually emerge from given the route he had decided to take. Why did they always run? She spent more time running in armor than without which kept her in impeccable shape but it was still irksome to have to run in armor.

Just as she exited the alleyway she saw the thief breaking through the crowd and right into her extended arm which she used to throw him to the ground. “I told you not to run.” Briana scowled at the man who was older than she had originally thought. He was quick for an old guy. Jace came panting up within seconds and grabbed the man by his arm bringing him to his feet.

Briana gave Jace a look as he continued to catch his breath. “What?” Jace grinned at her. “I am in great shape, Briana. We could always work out together if you have any doubts.” His eyebrows wiggled some in a teasing manner.

Rolling her eyes, Briana chuckled and lightly pushed him and the apprehended man in the direction of the jails. “Just take him and go.”

Jace took on the professional stance his armor demanded and guided the prisoner through the dividing crowd within the market. Briana shook her head and began apologizing to the merchants and civilians for the disruption. Especially the two men the thief had practically pushed through before Briana took him to the ground.

It was then she was able to get a look at them and see their faces. Briana kept her composure though she was surprised to see her Commander out and about without his armor. She rarely saw him without it. Briana gave him formal nod. “Commander.”

Then there was Alex… he too was out of armor and speaking with Knight Commander Cullen. Briana wasn't sure how to interpret that. She knew how Alex felt about the Templars and the two had their fair share of… conversations (putting it mildly) about it.

“Guard Lieutenant Alex.” Briana kept the greeting formal. No one knew that she spent some of her spare time with the guard. It was not customary for Templars to associate much outside their Order so she remained distant and kept her focus on the Knight Commander.

“I apologize for the… run-in.” No pun intended. Briana smiled at Cullen. “Several Templars had inquired as to your whereabouts today. I politely told them you were a grown man. I hope that was not presumptuous of me.”

[Alexander]

Alex's eyes widened momentarily, with a small smirk forming, as Knight Commander Cullen just stated his biggest argument. Templars are not above the law. However, Alexander's momentary excitement died down a bit when he realized that, if templars were the law (which, technically, they currently were), it was next to impossible to actually enforce secular law. He also found it hard to believe the man was in the dark about everything, but Cullen had proven in the past to be one of the more reasonable templars, so Alex found it difficult to grow angry at him. After all, he was much better to deal with than Meredith had ever been.

Before he could respond, however, a thief pushed between the two of them, followed shortly by templars. Templars.... Maker damnit all to hell why were templars chasing a thief and not... Oh right, the templars had taken over most of security, and guards were regularly sent back to him stating that they had been told to leave. It irked Alex that secular justice was being handled by a non-secular...

Well, the Maker definitely has a sense of humor, for before him stood Briana. He bit his lower lip and shook his head, his anger at the sight of secular law being enforced by a non-secular group dissipating... slightly. Still, he responded to her formal greeting with his own, tilting his head a bit. "Ser Briana." His reply was cold and formal, as he knew the drill. She was in uniform, and they were next to her direct superior. Anything else would be inappropriate.


He waited for the commander to reply to Briana's apology, then stated. "With all do respect, thieves are something that should be handled by the guard... If your templars didn't regularly drive my men off their routes, this run in wouldn't have happened." He looked at Cullen, trying his best to avoid Briana's gaze, which he was pretty sure wouldn't be favorable at the moment. He then looked over at Briana and continued. "Not that you did, just matters of secular justice rightfully belongs in the hands of the guard... Though I'm certain we've gone over this before..."

[Knight Commander Cullen]

"At ease, I'm clearly off-duty." which was complete nonesense however, everyone knew that there was no 'off duty' these days when it came to the Templar order. "Although I do hope that thief was a mage..."

He smiled as he spoke. He knew full well that Templars also had to deal with guard work these days. Hopefully, he'd change that soon. This was all a waste of time and resources when they could be out doing their own duties for once.

"No need to apologize and it wasn't presumptuous of you. I am indeed a grown man though in retrospect I should have left a note of some kind."

He then turned to Alex "Don't worry, I intend to do something about that. Assuming I'm permitted."

[Briana Talon]

Briana's gaze hardened on Alex as he spoke about the responsibilities that should be handled by the guard. Not that she didn't agree with him, it was more the fact that he chose to take a jab at the Templars who were only doing what had to be done.

"Well Guardsman, when the nobility of Kirkwall requests that Templars see to a matter that the city guard has failed to accomplish then it is not a matter of who watches over what but who can accomplish the task." Briana kept her tone level but Alex knew very well what that particular tone meant.

Briana sighed softly before addressing the Knight Commander, her expression softer. "It was not a mage, but an accomplished thief that was using magical runes to steal items in Hightown including the Chantry." If the Chantry could be called that. It was actually an abandoned nobleman's house that was converted to be a house of worship, at least until the Chantry could be rebuilt.

"The criminal has been caught so there is no further need for us to dabble into the affairs that should have been handled by the city guard." Briana glanced over at Alex before setting her gaze back on Cullen. "I do agree that mages are our priority, but we still must see to the protection of all within Kirkwall." Briana was not there to argue but she would not be judged for doing what was demanded of her. "I am confident Commander that you will set things right within the city. Templars have their duty as do the guard."

Briana smiled at Alex but it did not reach her eyes. "Perhaps instead of just speaking out about what the guards should be doing and be more proactive about doing it then the Templars can focus on what their true purpose."

[Alexander]

Alexander grimaced as Cullen spoke. "I highly doubt that thief was a mage... And what do you mean 'assuming you're permitted?' You're the knight commander. You have every power to give us back our jobs..."

That was when Briana came in, commenting on the failure of the guard, Alex was livid. Well, internally he was livid. Looking at him you could barely tell he had changed his relatively neutral expression at all, but one thing he always did when he was angry was take a deep breath and flare his nostrils. It was subtle, but anyone who knew him well enough, like Briana, could probably tell just how angry he was at her statement. His eyes, however, remained steady, as did his lips as he replied.

"With all do respect, the guard would be able to handle the protection of this city if we were given back our license to operate as we see fit. Why it was taken in the first place is still something that we don't fully understand, seeing as how it wasn't our fault in the first place...." His face visibly tightened as he held back his tongue, his nose scrunching as he averted his eyes from the two and looked at the ground, realizing full well he should stop now before he caused a scene. Biting the inside of his lip, he let out a long exhale and then looked back at the two templars.

Speaking of being proactive, however, Alex regained a small spark in his eye. Truth be told, he had been doing something, trying his damndest to make sure Aveline didn't find out either. He still maintained some contacts from when he was a mercenary all those years ago. They had proven useful in gathering information about criminal groups that overstepped the lines and grew far more dangerous than the others. And recently, they came upon something they thought could potentially be big.

"Actually, I may have stumbled upon something that would serve both your end of stopping potential blood mages while perhaps giving us an opportunity to show you putting your faith in the guard will be well placed. One of my guardsmen on the outskirts of the city (one of the few places the guards had any form of control at all) reported seeing suspicious activity, possibly a slaving ring, near the wounded coast. I asked him to look into it, and he's to be reporting in what he found tonight at an inn roughly 2 miles or so from the city walls. If you'd like, I could take Ser Briana here with me, that way any information I receive that could potentially be dealing with tevinter slavers would be shared, and we can coordinate an assault on their hideout."

He looked at them both, trying to gauge their reactions. He told them only what he needed to tell them, and not an ounce more. He knew much more than he let on, and... altered one factoid or two. But the fact remained that he was going to share information, and it'd be a good excuse to steal Briana away from the Gallows for a few hours. He then decided that, for this, he may as well play along with protocol by saying, "What do you think Knight-Commander?"

[Knight Commander Cullen]

Cullen sighed at the whole ordeal as he listened to the two make their arguments. Both had very valid points but both also seemed to forget that Knight-Commander was not the highest position in the career ladder. He had superiors too and they liked to keep a lid on things. He couldn't force them to believe he knew about as much as they did...then again, he wasn't entirely sure just how much was known...

"I'll look into some way of getting the guards and templars to work together at least. We need a united front, not one that is at war. It's not going to help anything if we're all at each other's throats. I don't know what you two think, but I for one do not want to live in a world where it's myself against the rest of the world."

As for this new information about the slave ring, Alexander had the right idea and he was quite happy to let the man know that. Credit should be given where it's due. "You know, you'd make a fine Templar. I'll just put that out there before I go any further. Yes, take Briana with you and see what you can discover."

He then turned to Briana and with a formal superiority of a Commander talking to his lower officer "When you're done, report back to me. Assuming how this goes, there may be a promotion in order..."

[Briana Talon]

Briana said nothing while Alex and the Knight Commander exchanged thoughts. Her expression remained stoic at Alex's clever ploy to lure her away from the city. She was still annoyed and only nodded with Cullen gave her instruction.

"Very well. I will take my leave and meet the Guardsman at dusk." Briana glanced over at Alex but not long enough for their eyes to meet. After saluting the Knight Commander Briana briskly walked back to the Gallows.

((OOC - Briana leaves the thread.))