Thread: The Left  Hand and Right Hand of the Divine (Javorcek X Clearsight)

First impressions meant a great deal. That was one of the few things Cassandra had taken away from her early life as part of Nevarran royalty. It wasn't strictly a high society belief but it meant something different to those of higher class. Not that Cassandra took it to the extreme but it did mean a good deal to her, especially considering who this woman was going to be. She was one of the hands for the Revered Mother, a woman who would be relied on to protect her as she became the Divine, and responsibility was not something to be taken lightly. It was hard to take away a good first impression, though Cassandra wanted to she could only see what was before her. Sure Leliana seemed very nice, and she was certainly polite, but those were not the qualities the warrior looked for. She had expected organization, a sense of togetherness from the person to serve as The Left Hand. Hell even some sort of cunning would have been nice, anything to reassure her that the person she would be serving with had the qualifications to fulfill the duty placed on them. It was not to be taken lightly. She noticed none of that at first glance and felt an immediate sense of dread, though Cassandra's face betrayed no emotion. Cassandra was well known, she had qualifications that earned her praise and a rightful spot, and more than that she was not one to brag or boast. She had been chosen because she had proven herself not only to be capable but faithful. She hoped Leliana would be similar, capable but simply not known, which truth be told was a possibility that could make sense. If someone was skilled enough to be The Left Hand and yet had no reputation that would make them all the more perfect, as reputations were generally earned by being known, which was not the goal of a shadow. Still, she would investigate, her lack of knowledge an unsound reason to condemn, even if it was hard for her to imagine the pale redhead standing in a disaster of a room was such a woman. I see. I will speak with you after we depart. She never minced words and simply gave a small nod before leaving the room, though not before noticing a previously unseen edge in Leliana's eyes. --- Cassandra would have been considered an elite soldier under the most minimal of descriptions, and a hero under others. She had the fortitude and experience only constant training accounted for, and despite her rare display of it she was quite intelligent. She had been chosen as The Right Hand for a reason. It wasn't some stun to show off a faithful and well known servant of Andraste, though in some crowds it would certainly provide such a bolster in popularity. No, she was chosen for the proper reasons, and she was showing that from the very first day of the journey. While most seemed to find the trek difficult, or at the very least troublesome, Cassandra showed none of that. She moved effortlessly in her armor and was always alert. Even as they finally stopped for a break she looked fresh and ready to continue. It was proof of her effort, of the time she spent training even when she wasn't using her abilities in the field. For Cassandra being a warrior was her life. Still, when they took a break even she had things on her mind aside from keeping an eye out and guarding. There were people assigned to that. She had yet to have a chance to speak with, and further evaluate Leliana. So as everyone else settled down to rest weary limbs, she went to find the redhead. It wasn't a terribly difficult task, the woman stood out, but she didn't approach her immediately after she picked her out. She instead watched her, observed how exhausted she appeared to be. That made it even harder to believe the things she had heard from the few people she had asked who knew of Leliana, some of her time before the march and during spent gathering tidbits of information. She hadn't learned much, but she had gathered that Leliana had worked with The Warden during the blight and played a role in the ending of it. It was an outstanding feat, one she would have admired, but also one she was hard pressed to buy. Perhaps she was simply biased. Her own beliefs would never let her stop training and perfecting herself, Leliana didn't have to be like her. She could have devoted herself to other pursuits and neglected her skills. It seemed foolish to Cassandra but it was her warrior spirit saying that. Finally she approached Leliana, walking up in front of her and sitting down across from the weary woman. You look quite beat. Has it been some time since you've made a journey? Starting with an innocent question seemed best, mainly because she didn't wish to offend. Some people found her usual manner of speech accusatory or inquisitive, which didn't always sit well. Truthfully she could be blunt, but it was who she was and rarely did she do so to anger someone. When she was mad or wanted answers she used more than words. Still, best be safe. She needed to get to know Leliana, which would be more difficult and troublesome for the Revered Mother, if they became uncivil.