To Spin a Web[ANORA, OPEN]

[Nathaniel de Beniér]

Years come and pass, but some things stay the same. Plotting and intrigues, for example. Even now there were layers upon layers of plots beneath the shallow shell of Orlais, almost all of them with a different goal, but there was one that very possibly would entail the whole Empire, quite possibly even swallow it whole if let to grow. Nathaniel de Beniér was proud for being one of the masterminds behind it, the others being Cecille and David, and they all shared their goals. The ultimate goal was to dethrone the Emperor of Orlais, an usurper to the throne, but currently there were several smaller goals to accomplish before they could even think about organizing armed rebellion against the Emperor, Gespard de Chalons. There even were hopes of quietly deposing the man of his throne with assassins and soon replacing him with the Empress, but there was still the matter of finding her... wherever she was. She had not left Orlais the last time they had heard of her, but everything was possible nowadays. Especially with the war raging on in the background, a war between templars and mages. Much more especially because apparently Gespard had allied with the templars.

They had all traveled to Cumberland, Cecille, David and him, but arrived at different dates to avoid suspicion from the Emperor. David had won the tourney and became the Emperor's champion, entitled to a rank in the army and some influence borrowed from his master, and Gespard could not even guess what viper he was currently nestling. The former Grand Duke would be dealt with as surely as there was day and night, and he pushed the matter aside from his head for the moment. He didn't have to push it deep; his next task would be important andrelated to Gespard, so there was no need. Queen Anora had arrived at Cumberland with her entourage. It had presented a chance so rich that the rebels-in-secret had barely believed their ears when they first heard the news. Or their fortune, for that matter. The Queen of Ferelden, known for her political skill and vast intelligence, would surely grab half the opportunity to lessen Gespard's influence over her and Ferelden. She didn't need to know that the Empress was alive, however. She was a dirty fighter, and could well choose to use that information to her advantage. And they wanted her at every disadvantage they could manage. That was the only way to keep her from betraying you; keep her uninformed and ignorant and use her blatantly. Cecille was more skilled in this game, but he intended to do a better job than she ever could today. Such enthusiasm was rare in him, he observed.

Her apartments in Cumberland were far from flamboyant, but he supposed that in Ferelden it would've been called a great palace. It was a large block of white marble with some pillars outlining the small stairs leading to the fresh garden before the front door, and in the Nevarran fashion, vines spiraled up the pillars, making it look something that resembled a jungle - Nevarrans liked it that way, he was sure, but how about outlanders? He himself could not live in the place for more time than was necessary. He couldn't count on her appreciating his views, though. She had been here just a few days, but according to the spies she had accommodated amazingly well to the circumstances. What that meant in letter, though, he would find out soon enough. He climbed up the short stairs, seemingly in no hurry, looking around for a servant to carry a message. To his amazement, he found none; what was he to her? A beggar? He had sent a pigeon three days before to inform her of his visit, but apparently she had forgotten. Or then it was a ploy to unsettle him. Well, at least that wouldn't work. He walked casually to the small garden area, expecting a servant to appear at any moment to bring him in, but as none came, he sat on one of the cool stone benches that stood on the sides of the small paths that would all eventually lead to the front door, waiting patiently for someone to appear. Sooner or later, somebody would see him.