[He's lying to himself by way of pressing Fenris' deep-throated tenor to the back of his mind for just a fleeting moment, obscuring the obvious (first) thought that comes to mind when he imagines either flight or freedom; it's there, bearing down along his spine with all the weight of an undeniable truth, but there's a great deal Astarion finds himself capable of ignoring when he sets his mind to it.
It isn't a denial. He's not so stubborn as to shun the only good thing he's ever known for the sake of saving face, although it's taken time to make peace with the idea of letting someone into his long shadow. But if he's to mask what could be used against him— against them— or seen by higher hands as liability, well, the logic that he leans on needs to function like his first.]
Unless you've unearthed a loophole that I've yet to find: no, my dear, I do not.
Kirkwall is our weakness, after all. All Corypheus need do is take the city in a southbound show of force, and wait: it won't take longer than a month for us to either be caught funneling in or out like rats to alleviate the burning of our anchor shards, and he'll have all the Rifters he pleases for those rumored experiments of his.
Ergo until something changes or we find a much more viable way out, call me our most devoted soldier.
no subject
It isn't a denial. He's not so stubborn as to shun the only good thing he's ever known for the sake of saving face, although it's taken time to make peace with the idea of letting someone into his long shadow. But if he's to mask what could be used against him— against them— or seen by higher hands as liability, well, the logic that he leans on needs to function like his first.]
Unless you've unearthed a loophole that I've yet to find: no, my dear, I do not.
Kirkwall is our weakness, after all. All Corypheus need do is take the city in a southbound show of force, and wait: it won't take longer than a month for us to either be caught funneling in or out like rats to alleviate the burning of our anchor shards, and he'll have all the Rifters he pleases for those rumored experiments of his.
Ergo until something changes or we find a much more viable way out, call me our most devoted soldier.