Video 1

[theladyofhighever]

[the video opens with a sixteen year old girl who is doing her best to appear self-assured and confident. she's in armor and she's sitting ramrod straight in a plain, wooden chair. she takes a deep breath and speaks]

Hello. My name is Lady Mariane Cousland and I'm looking for sparring partners. I use a sword and dagger, but I'm willing to fight with any kind of swordsman. Or swordswoman.

I'm also willing to teach others to fight, so please let me know if you'd be interested in that.

[she looks away from the camera briefly, as though debating with herself whether or not to say anything more]

Any responses would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

Comments

[dragonsgrasp]

Exactly. In my experience... it's for the best that certain feelings are kept inside.

[It's only ever caused pain, when those secretive feelings are revealed, so why let them out?]

[theladyofhighever]

Yes. Very much so.

[and she thinks about her carefully hidden love for Morrigan, something she intends to speak of to no one. Alistair would never understand and Morrigan herself is long gone. there would be no use in confession]

[dragonsgrasp]

Which gives us quite a challenge here. All we can do is keep persisting, even when things happen beyond our control.

[He's determined, perhaps more determined than ever to fight and keep his mind as guarded as he can.]

[theladyofhighever]

Especially when things happen beyond our control.

[as is she. her mind is her own]

[dragonsgrasp]

Especially then. That's often when we must fight the hardest.

[At least he's not one to give up, when it comes to it. He's often preparing for the worst to happen.]

[theladyofhighever]

I'm no stranger to fighting.

[as is she. she knows that the civil war in Ferelden left deep divisions and that not all who swore fealty to their new king will be true. that's where his future queen will come in]

[dragonsgrasp]

Which is for the best, here.

[Even if some among them are untrained, if they have enough experienced fighters, it will surely help in their struggles. Plus, they can train some of the less experienced in even some basics, it will surely help.]

[theladyofhighever]

Certainly. That's why I'm offering lessons and asking for sparring partners. It would not do to allow my skills to wane here.

[she hopes that she can do what she can to help others. she's never actually taught before, but she remembers her mother's lessons starting from when she was old enough to stand]

[dragonsgrasp]

Agreed. Fortunately, there are enough of us who are willing to spar... I just hope that all those who don't have any such skills will be willing to train.

[That's going to be all too important, soon enough, after all.]

[theladyofhighever]

That is my hope as well.

[she thinks back to her first look at the Null during the prisoner exchange and represses a shudder]

[dragonsgrasp]

That's something for us to keep working on, then.

[Since who knows when the Null will attack again. Not if, definitely when.]

[theladyofhighever]

If they choose not to after everything, they are being foolish. I only hope that their foollishness doesn't cost them their lives.

[it feels to her as though all is balanced on a razor's edge. tilted too far in one way or another, they're doomed to fall]

[dragonsgrasp]

Or the lives of anyone else around them. Some people might be more willing to consider it if they think about the others who they owe it to to defend.

[He feels similarly too. They've gotten by more or less, with a few incidents along the way, but it's building to something, undoubtedly.]

[theladyofhighever]

Yes. After all, the death of one leaves the lives of others in turmoil. They should think about that before purposefully choosing to not learn their way to fight back.

[and lives (and emotions) in turmoil tend to leave others more vulnerable than they would have otherwise]

[dragonsgrasp]

That's all too true. Not everyone will consider that, but... they really ought to.

[There's no time for anyone to hide back or be cowardly now, not when they'll undoubtedly need everyone to be involved.]

[theladyofhighever]

Unfortunately, there's no way to command others to be sensible.

[after seeing the Null during the prisoner exchange, she understands the fear of them, but it's a fear which will have to be overcome]

[dragonsgrasp]

How true. It it were ever that simple, a lot of our problems would be solved. Probably many world's problems, for that matter.

[They just have to make the most of what they've got, at the moment, here and now.]

[theladyofhighever]

Indeed. If this place has taught me anything, it's that a lack of common sense is distressingly common.

[and pray that it's enough]

[dragonsgrasp]

Unfortunately. Let's just hope we have enough time to work on fixing that.

[Who knows how long they'll have before an attack happens, but they'll do what they can. They have no choice.]

[theladyofhighever]

[life has taught her that hope is useless without action behind it, but. she'll try]

Indeed. For we do not know when time will cease to be on our side.

[dragonsgrasp]

I would plan on having hardly any time at all, and having the Null interrupt at a time when no one expects it.

[He figures whenever there's a lull and everything seems ok... that's a time when they'll attack.]

[theladyofhighever]

So in other words, it could occur today, tomorrow, or a week from now and we must maintain our battle-readiness at all times. You've fought them before; what are their strengths? Their weaknesses?

[she doesn't like this feeling, this uncertainty. she became accustomed to fighting for her life every day during the year of the Blight and she detests this waiting]

[dragonsgrasp]

They're strong, and capable, tactical and also equipped with powerful weaponry. These weapons... they can kill even the strongest of fighters. [He knows that fact all too well.] They can shapeshift. On the other hand... they're not immortal. They can be killed the same as anything else, if you destroy their processers. They don't have any flight capabilities, making them vulnerable to attack from above.

[theladyofhighever]

May I ask what a processor is? [and she frowns slightly] Unfortunately, I've never taken well to the bow. Stealth, speed, and trickery were always what I excelled at.

[dragonsgrasp]

I'm not too good with mechanical things, myself, but the processor is... sort of like its heart or its brain. Something which runs it, and which, if destroyed, means certain death. [He may not fully understand how it all works- it's easier to call it magic- but he at least gets the basics, from how others had described it all.]

You can certainly also have the advantage over them with speed and stealth. My own fighting style involves attacks from above, so that was my own personal preference... but other ways of fighting also work just fine.