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cedric-k-rossignol · 1 month ago

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The French Crown Jewels Theory - Parts 1 & 2

The gem in Undertaker's ring is 'diadochos', the Phantomhive Family Ring is indeed a diamond, and Sirius (r!Ciel), Canopus, Vega, & Polaris all possess their own gems as well. All of this jewelry was sourced by Undertaker from the French Crown Jewels that were stolen/went missing in the midst of the French revolution of 1792.

Alright y'all, once again I am back on my medieval French literature shit. This time in Latin! Fun stuff. No poetry analysis in this one, thank God. Instead, I got to go back in time to my years wasted spent studying biochemistry! Fuck me!

I have tried to find evidence of this being discussed online previously and have come up empty (obviously the hope diamond has been discussed, but not in the context of the Golden Fleece), but please let me know if this has already been theorized and I just missed something!

The gem in Undertaker's ring is not a diamond but a mineral that was once known as Diadochos. From ancient Greece through to the middle ages this mineral was considered sacred and powerful, thought to be capable of summoning and holding the 'shades of the dead' and making demons clearly visible to its user.

The gem being Diadochos would also explain the color difference of the ring between season 1 of the anime (green) and what would later appear in further seasons and in the manga (unclear....no pun intended). It also provides a link to the French Crown Jewels...

Which brought me to what I believe is a confirmation that the Phantomhive family ring being sourced from "The French Blue" diamond (a portion of which is now known as The Hope Diamond) as was seen in season 1 of the anime will become canon in the manga. I also am going to predict we will meet a certain grim reaper named Hendrik Fals that's based on a real person.

Not only that, but the idea of another ring with a sister diamond (as seen in the anime with another portion of The French Blue) was an interpretation of what will happen in the Manga. R!Ciel is likely in possession of The Bazu Diamond, which was a part of Louis XV's insignia of The Order of The Golden Fleece. Canopus, Vega and Polaris likely hold the three yellow sapphires that surround the Bazu Diamond, and I believe the other diamonds in this piece have something to do with Undertaker's other mourning lockets.

This also supports my theory of Undertaker being a Breton (from Brittany, France) as I believe he's represented by the dragon called "le Côte-de-Bretagne" in the insignia. And of course, that he was the one to originally gift the Phantomhive family ring to Ciel's grandmother Claudia as a symbol of his devotion and commitment to her, and in doing so "cursed" her and her family (it's a metaphor y'all)

The French Monarchy had no shortage of drip, you think only one measly giant ass diamond went missing when people's heads were getting chopped off? Buckle up, I fear this is going to be a long one. Trigger warning for discussion of suicide and mental illness.

Let's get into it.

Part One: Undertaker's Ring

In researching French medieval age jewelry for my Floire et Blancheflor series, which involves two rings (one of which is magical), I came across a gemstone that was noted to be "the most powerful" (or something along those lines) but I'd never heard of it before - Diadochos/Diadocos And then I googled it, and nothing came up. I had to dig into scholarly articles and Latin text to get info on this, and even then it's sparse.

There were three main sources I could find; two books on minerals hailing from ancient Greece, the other a popular book from the middle ages - 'De Lapidis' by Marbode de Rennes. Translated into several different languages shortly after publication, the original Latin text was written in the late 11th century by a French bishop from - say it with me everybody - Brittany.

Coincidence? Maybe. But I doubt it. I really need to finish my Undertaker is from Brittany write-up...

All these sources make similar and frustratingly brief claims, as neatly summarized in one article on the the ancient Greek text Tetrabiblos;

1. The stone diadochos is similar to the beryl. 2. It is as useful for divinations through water, and for the summoning of shades (adductionibus umbrarum) as no other stone. 3. Furthermore, it makes the appearances (effigies) of all daemons thoroughly visible. 4. Do not apply it to someone dead (=a corpse), because it is opposed to the deceased. 5. For this stone is divine and sanctus and santified by a perpetual consecration.

Side note - I will absolutely be making another post about Tetrabiblos and it's companion volume Almagest. Written in the 2nd century by Claudius Ptolemy, they're the respective astrology and astronomy bibles of the middle ages. Tetrabiblos literally means "four books", and it's Latin translation is titled Quadripartitum means "four parts". There are some very interesting notes about demon summoning in this. All of Claudius Ptolemy 's books are addressed to an unknown person named Syrus. He also has what appears to be a relevant volume on music (this guy REALLY likes fours...) looked to see if anyone had mentioned this in a theory before and when I couldn't find anything I was shocked. Let me know if I've missed a post cause there is absolutely stuff to be discussed from Claudius and these books - I just can't get into it or this post will be 5000 years long.

So, Diadochos is actually now known as Beryl.

Whereas diadochos means "heir, successor", the word "beryl" is Old French for a "precious blue-green color-of-sea-water stone".

It's worth noting the element "Beryllium" is #4 on the periodic table of elements.

Gemstones high in beryllium include beryl (aquamarine, emerald, red beryl) and chrysoberyl. It is a relatively rare element in the universe, usually occurring as a product of the spallation of larger atomic nuclei that have collided with cosmic rays. Within the cores of stars, beryllium is depleted as it is fused into heavier elements.

Diamond is element #6... Interesting.

This stone was, as I mentioned, considered sacred and magical - used often in divination, and to create crystal balls. But it also had much more practical uses -

When the first eyeglasses were constructed in 13th-century Italy, the lenses were made of beryl as glass could not be made clear enough

Well that sure is interesting...

Season 1 vs Canon - Fight!

As I said, this mineral is now known as 'beryl' - but you would be more likely to recognize the names we use to refer to the different colours beryl comes in - morganite, heliador, gosenthite, aquamarine, and emerald. You're likely familiar with the signature colors of some of these gems, all of which are different shades of the same mineral.

As previously mentioned, 'beryl' is the Old French word for the blue-green color of the sea.

I think it's pretty widely accepted that the creators of season 1 were given information from Yana that hadn't yet been released to readers of the manga. The most obvious example of this (so far) is the 'Undertaker is a reaper' reveal. Now I have no idea what the creative process behind developing an anime is like, how much contact or creative input Yana Toboso would have had, but I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest it's possible that admist a wealth of information that was handed over, there was a note that said Undertaker's ring was one of 'Beryl', and the creative team went with the 'traditional' Beryl color of blue-green - which is why people think the ring in season 1 is set with an emerald.

Peep the fleur de lis 👀 y'all they knew not to leave THAT out at the very least.

And yes, emerald is a shade of Beryl - but this was never intended to be an emerald.

The difference in color is something that's always really bugged me, so I'm relieved to finally have an explanation that makes sense (to me at least). Now as for the colour Yana chose...

So What Fucking Colour is it Anyways?

If you know of better official art that demonstrates the color of this damn beast of a rock on his hand, feel free to point me in its direction because I was struggling. There seems to be a pattern of colour-washing the art or appears in, or Undertaker posing in a way that hides the ring from view.

This is a much-discussed character design that shows a lock of hair embedded/underneath the gem of Undertaker's ring (we will return to this detail in a future theory), as well as confirmation of the fleur-de-lis on the side of the ring, and then of course the gem itself. Perhaps a light yellow, or perhaps just showing the gold backing through the translucent stone?

We do get some shots from the anime in BOC and BOA respectively;

Well, I get why people think it's a diamond.

Even in official artwork sometimes it's white, sometimes it's yellow, sometimes it's tanslucent , sometimes it's a little...blue, dare I say?

Back! on! my! Chemistry! Shit!

Alright, and now we get into the chemistry of it all. I know, first history and now this bullshit. I'll keep it brief; excuse me my nerdy nostalgia for a spectroscopy graph.

Basically, the different colors of Beryl are due to impurities within it (unclean one!). The purest form of Beryl is goshenite, which is clear/white.

The other colours are formed based on what ions (charged atoms) exist within them as impurities - for emerald it's Chromium, for Morganite it's Manganese... And both the yellow and aquamarine colors are due to the presence of iron (element #26) ions.

Now when you think of the gem aquamarine, you probably think of a pale blue; and for most gems sold nowadays that true. As a March baby it's my birthstone, and I've been gifted many a pale blue aquamarine birthstone reminiscent of the water it's named for....

Oh wait a second, who else is a March baby? Motherfucking Cedric K. Ros(signol), that's who!

Okay, I'll admit; I'm sort of invested in his ring being an aquamarine gem because it would relate back to both his birthday and his 'rebirth' as a reaper when he drowned, and the more I string these crazy red threads through French history the more I'm convinced these details are critical to his character. So yeah, I'm biased - but before you write me off as delusional, just hear me out, because the chemistry is in my favor!

The best-known green beryl is emerald, which obtains its colour from Cr and/or V ions. However, a different green colour can be obtained from mixtures of the yellow and blue beryl chromophores described above. When yellow and aquamarine chromophores are simultaneously present, the colour becomes light green. Depending on the relative concentrations of the two chromophores, the colour can vary from light yellow-green to light blue-green. Shang et al. (2022) classified the colours of beryls containing these chromophores into five groups, from yellow to light blue.

Fridrichová et al. (2015) heated crystals of deeply coloured aquamarine and yellow beryl to different temperatures. After heating one of the yellow crystals to 300°C it was still yellow. Heating of additional yellow beryl samples to 500°C and 700°C in each case resulted in light blue aquamarine colouration. Another yellow crystal heated to 900°C lost almost all its colour.

All this to say; apply enough heat to a green beryl and it will turn to yellow, to aquamarine, to clear.

Here's a little basic color theory refresher for you as well; blue and yellow pigment together make green, whereas blue and yellow light create white light.

Here are some examples of various coloured aquamarine gems, some set in gold bands like Undertaker's, based on the verbiage with which they were advertised;

1. A clear goshenite gem; 2. A pale aquamarine; 3. A yellow aquamarine

4. A clear blue aquamarine; 5. A yellow aquamarine; 6. A yellow aquamarine

5. A yellow Aquamarine; 6. A yellow Aquamarine; 7. A pale blue aquamarine

All of these could conceivably be made from the same source mineral - what changes its nature is the amount of heat that's been applied to it.

Neat, huh? And I would argue symbolic for this story. Both in that there's a whole lot of manors being burned down, but also as a metaphor for life experiences and trauma.

The scientific debate on nature vs nurture continues, but it seems to be proven again and again that the way we develop is significantly weighted towards nurture. Nature plays its part, for sure - if there weren't iron ions in these gems, the fire wouldn't have an effect on the gem's color. It might get a little toasty, but then it would cool off and have no lasting effect on the gem's appearance, structure, chemical composition... But since there are iron ions that are a part of the gem, that were within it when it first formed (which it can do nothing to change), it is significantly impacted by its environment. If the fire gets hot enough, it can lose all of its color.

For someone like Undertaker, who I believe to have been (and continue to be) mentally ill, depressed, and ultimately suicidal to wear this ring is symbolic of the mental illness he was born with, and the trauma he experienced living in Brittany from 1331-1366 (Black Plague, The Breton War of Succession, and The Hundred Years War between France and England).

I've seen it mentioned in discussion that Sebastian is a physical representation of Ciel's trauma - a physical demon to represent his metaphorical demons. I also see the story of Black Butler as an allegory for generational trauma and inherited mental illness; that which we bestow upon our children like heirloom jewelry.

However, this metaphor is also sort of hopeful in that the change isn't necessarily permanent. The color of the gem can revert back towards its original hue over time depending on the circumstances.

Undertaker & Water

There's a panel in the manga that implies Undertaker's method of suicide was drowning. I currently have two different theories on where he drowned that are duking it out for the top spot. Currently the top contender is that he jumped from La Pointe de Plouha, the tallest cliffside on the Breton coastline, and drowned in the waters separating England from France - The English Channel. Plouha has a very interesting myth about the Ankou, the Breton version of the grim reaper, and I find it poetic for him to be reborn in the waters seperating him from a country he'd been at war with for most of his life - especially given that he would proceed to fall in love with a British Aristocrat.

This French crown jewels theory seems to support the idea that he drowned in the English Channel as I believe he's represented in the insignia by the dragon, le Côte-de-Bretagne (Translates literally to the coast of Brittany) - but I'm not ready to fully call it yet. Withholding my final judgement for the moment.

Regardless, if Undertaker did drown, his character being associated with Diadochos/Beryl/Aquamarine, stones intrinsically associated with water, makes a lot of sense. Consider after all, the arc where we first really met him - book of the Atlantic takes place in the middle of the ocean.

The Romans believed Aquamarine to be sacred to Neptune, the god of the sea. Supposedly the gems came from mermaid's treasure chests (they're actually formed in hydrothermal vents) so saiilors would wear it for protection against shipwreck. They also thought it had healing properties because the gem would appear to disappear when submerged in water.

Well, Undertaker did disappear when submerged in water, didn't he? He was reborn as a reaper, only called himself by his serial number 136649 (an oddity even amongst reapers, who have all also committed suicide), and (externally at least) completely disassociated himself from his former life.

Cloudia and Undertaker share the zodiac sign Aries, a fire sign, so there's symbolism in water killing him. Extinguishing his flame, so to speak.

As mentioned in Tetrabiblios, Diadochos is useful for divinations in water, and the same is said of beryl;

Beryl was a popular skying stone in the Middle Ages. Most sources indicate that this was done either through dowsing, attaching the beryl to a thread over a bowl of water, with the crystal just touching the water...An alternative method involved throwing the stone into a bowl of water and reading the disturbance it created.

Undertaker threw himself into a body of water, then revolted against Reaper HQ, had an affair with and sired two illigitimate half-human children on the Queen of England's guard dog, and went against the laws of Gods and men to raise the dead. If thats not a disturbance, what is?

There's also a religious aspect to look into. Book of the Atlantic takes place over the holy week that precedes Easter - and I have a theory outlining why I believe both he and Cloudia's birthdates fall on 'Holy Monday'. He was also born on the day of the Annunciation - that's the day that an angel came to Mary to tell her she'd been chosen to carry the Incarnation of God. He's also associated with the white lily, a flower associated with Easter, and he carries a lot of religious symbols. His cassock, prayer beads, and the crown of thorns on his scythe and on Cloudia's locket are not there for shits and giggles. This religious symbolism ties into my theory on the circumstances of his birth, and the thread that I believe ties the lockets together...

...all of which I've been in the process of researching and writing for a hot minute, I just don't know how to keep it brief 😩 I'm a dog chasing squirrels.

Anywho, religion - there is the concept of Baptism. Undertaker being reborn into a new life when he submerged himself in water.

Baptism is a Christian sacrament of initiation almost invariably with the use of water.It may be performed by sprinkling or pouring water on the head, or by immersing in water either partially or completely, traditionally three times, once for each person of the Trinity. The synoptic gospels recount that John the Baptist baptised Jesus.

Speaking of Jesus, since he and Undertaker seem to be so tightly knit, Jesus performed seven canonical miracles, and two of the most notable (imo) are with water; walking on it, and turning it to wine. The last of course was Lazarus, raising the dead...

Magical Properties

I'm not suggesting that this stone actually grants Undertaker any abilities, but it's interesting that the supposed magical properties align with his character attributes.

It's been theorized that Frances is always making comments on how slovenly Sebastian's appearance is because she has the ability (on some level) to see his demon nature due to her half-reaper blood that she gets from her father, Undertaker/Cedric. This is somewhat supported by Ladger and Sascha speculating Ciel's ability to see them is from his bloodline - which is of course, where we got Cedric K. Ros- from!

Then there is of course summoning the shades of the dead and holding them here on earth. And I find it super interesting that this specifically mentions not to "apply it to a corpse" because "it is opposed". Like, what the heck does that even mean? A vague warning that if you fuck around, you'll find out? I have not been able to find any further details on what this might be referring to, but it sure sounds ominous.

And finally a note that the stone itself is "perpetually consecrated" - unable to be desecrated or corrupted. The stone is "divine". I will have to come back to this in another theory, because it's a can of worms, and this post is long enough.

Finally, I must note that according to the French wiki, Aquamarine is a symbol for a happy & faithful marriage. Specifically 23 years of marriage.

La couleur marine de ce minéral fait qu'il a été utilisé comme talisman pour les marins. Symbole de fidélité entre jeunes mariés, c'est un cadeau censé leur garantir un mariage heureux, ce béryl symbolise 23 ans de mariage.

Frankly it doesn't seem to have the most reliable source, but it's worth noting that is you take Claudia's age when she died, 36, and subtract 23 years, you get an age of 13.

Giving you maaaaaaaad side eye Undertaker 🤨.

Now to be clear I don't think they ever actually got legally married; perhaps not even "spiritually" married. However it is very possible that they met in 1843 - Undertaker likely deserted the reapers around the time of Queen Victoria's ascension to the throne in 1837. We don't know what he was doing during this time, what goal he might have been working towards - but befriending Claudia's father, the current guard dog of the new queen, might have been part of it.

I have my own personal head-canon that he worked as a jeweler during this time, but I don't have any real support for that - just that it makes sense given all this damn drip the guy has, it would be a way to familiarize himself with the British Aristocracy and perhaps even The Royal Family themselves, and the black market trade of stolen jewels might have been of particular interest to him. More on that in a minute.

Anyways it makes sense within the narrative for them to have met when Claudia was 13, as much we might find him even knowing her at that age icky, because of how significant the number 13 is to this story.

Part 2: The Hope Diamond & The Hirsch Aquamarine

Alright so as discussed - Undertaker's birthstone is aquamarine. Let's say for the sake of this argument, you agree with my interpretation of Undertaker's ring being a pale aquamarine gem. While he and Claudia share a zodiac sign, and a birthday on the same 'day' of Easter, they were born in different months. Cedric in March, Claudia in April. Which makes Claudia's birthstone a diamond.

The Origins of the Hope Diamond

Going back to season 1 of the anime, where the animators had more knowledge then we did about future events (even if they were interpreted oddly), they made the Phantomhive family ring not a sapphire but a blue diamond. Specifically, a gem cut from "le Grand diamant violet de Sa Majesté" a French Crown Jewel that was stolen in 1792 in the midst of a revolution. This is commonly referred to as "Le Bleu de France" in English circles, but the French actually called it purple, not blue.

Back to chemistry briefly for this point - in a similar concept to what has previously been discussed with Aquamarine and Beryl, impurities in the French Blue is what provides it with its distinctive colour - specifically, Boron (element #5).

Visually, the gray modifier (mask) is so dark (indigo) that it produces an "inky" effect, appearing almost blackish-blue in incandescent light. Current photographs of the Hope Diamond use high-intensity light sources that tend to maximize the brilliance of gemstones. In popular literature, many superlatives have been used to describe the Hope Diamond as a "superfine deep blue," often comparing it to the color of a fine sapphire—for example, "blue of the most beautiful blue sapphire" (Deulafait)—and describing its color as "a sapphire blue." Tavernier described it as a "beautiful violet".

The diamond also exhibits a phosphorescent quality (it glows);

Phosphorescence: The stone exhibits an unusually intense, brilliant red phosphorescence after exposure to short-wave ultraviolet light. This 'glow-in-the-dark' effect persists for some time after the light source has been switched off, and this strange quality may have helped fuel its reputation of being "cursed." The red glow is a phenomenon of blue diamonds that helps scientists "fingerprint" them, allowing them to distinguish real ones from artificial ones. The red glow occurs because of a mix of boron and nitrogen in the stone.

It's worth noting that while an Aquamarine is changeable, it doesn't fluoresce when exposed to ultraviolet radiation like a diamond does.

A cursed blue diamond glowing red? Hmm....

You likely know this gem as The Hope Diamond, which is a recut section of the French Crown Jewel, which itself was cut from a diamond called "The Tavernier Blue", originally purchased by a French merchant in 1666 (yikes) in India, who then sold it to King Louis XIV, who is also known as Louis le Grand (the great) or le Roi Soleil (the Sun king).

Louis XIV's great grandson, Louis XV, had the diamond (as well as other gems) reset into a pendant for "l'ordre de la Toison d'or"- "The Order of the Golden Fleece". We will discuss this pendant more in Part 3, but it fell into disuse after Louis XV's death. It became property of Louis XV's grandson, Louis XVI, who married the infamous Marie Antoinette (also referenced in season 1 of the anime in relation to both the Hope Diamond and to Undertaker). Antoinette used many of the French Crown Jewels for personal adornment by having them reset - however, this pendant of The Golden Fleece stayed intact through their reign.

On September 11, 1792, while Louis XVI and his family were imprisoned in the Square du Temple during the early stages of the French Revolution's Reign of Terror, a group of thieves broke into the Royal Storehouse—the Hôtel du Garde-Meuble de la Couronne (now Hôtel de la Marine)—stealing most of the Crown Jewels in a five-day looting spree. While many jewels were later recovered, including other pieces of the Order of the Golden Fleece*, the French Blue was not among them and it disappeared from history.

A likely scenario is that the French Blue, sometimes also known as the Blue Diamond, was "swiftly smuggled to London" after being seized in 1792 in Paris. But, the exact rock known as the French Blue was never seen again, since it almost certainly was recut during this decades-long period of anonymity, with the largest remaining piece becoming the Hope Diamond.

*this is misleading - so far as I can tell, the only other piece of the Order of the Golden Fleece that was recovered is le Côte-de-Bretagne, the red dragon. This piece is now in the Louvre.

Is it terrible for me to say I see a resemblance between the dragon and Undertaker lmao?

So the French Blue (and le Côte-de-Bretagne, and perhaps the rest of the Order of the Golden Fleece) was smuggled to London... But I'm going to pause here, and talk about another gem that disappeared - the Hirsch Aquamarine.

The Hirsch Aquamarine

Not nearly as well known as the French Blue, this is a gem that was in the possession of Louis XV, the same King who had the French Blue reset into the Order of the Golden Fleece. (Fun fact, King Louis XV was also the one to cede 'New France' to the British... And so New France would became Quebec).

I have been unable to find a lot of details on the Hirsch Aquamarine - supposedly King Louis found having it on his person to be soothing. There is no record of it being sold, or even stolen - it simply disappeared.

Well, I'm going to say it was stolen. And this was the thief - j'accuse...!

I propose that reaper 136649 knicked it while on the job.

It is not noted as being among the gems that were stored at the hotel from which the Order of the Golden Fleece, or indeed being in the posession of a King after Louis XV. Perhaps he reaped Louis XV's soul when he died in 1774. Perhaps Louis XV, who found the gem soothing, had it on his person at his time of death (his cause of death was smallpox), and Undertaker decided to grab a little momento of their time together.

Why?

Well... He's obviously sentimental. We will leave it there for now.

So let's say Undertaker stole the Hirsch Aquamarine while on the job - how did he end up with the remainder of the missing Order of the Golden Fleece? Let's return to the French Blue, the Côte-de-Bretagne, and conceivably the rest of the Order of the Golden Fleece being smuggled to London

The Recutting of The French Blue in London

Historians suggested that one burglar, Cadet Guillot, took several jewels, including the French Blue and the Côte-de-Bretagne spinel, to Le Havre and then to London, where the French Blue was cut in two pieces. Morel adds that in 1796, Guillot attempted to resell the Côte-de-Bretagne in France but was forced to relinquish it to fellow thief Lancry de la Loyelle, who put Guillot into debtors' prison.

So in 1792 the Order of the Golden Fleece is stolen from a French hotel, and smuggled to London. The Côte-de-Bretagne then turns back up in France in 1796, and eventually it is sold to the Louvre in 1887. So we know in the manga, Undertaker is not in possession of this part of the insignia. Him being the dragon has more to do with symbolism of the dragon who guards the Golden Fleece in the Greek myth, and the symbolism of being from Brittany - but I'm getting ahead of myself.

However... It's looking more and more to me like we will end up going to Paris in the manga, and I'm betting our little Lord will take a tour of the Louvre and see the dragon...

The next time this diamond appears in history, it is 20 years later, and in that time it has been cut into what will become known as The Hope Diamond.

A blue diamond with the same shape, size, and color as the Hope Diamond was recorded by John Francillon as in the possession of the London diamond merchant Daniel Eliason in September 1812, the earliest point when the history of the Hope Diamond can be definitively fixed. The 1812 date was just days after 20 years since the theft of the French Blue, just as the statute of limitations for the crime had taken effect.

Well that's bloody convenient.

So sometime in between 1792 and 1812 the French Blue is recut, with the Hope Diamond appearing in the jeweler Eliason's posession in 1812, and the Cote-de-Bretagne showing back up in France still in Guillot's posession, but none of the other gems. Those - there is no record of what happened to them, nor what happened to the other recut portion of the French Blue.

Now, an oft-cited source peaked my interest, so I went ahead and tracked down a copy of the book Blue Mystery: The Story of the Hope Diamond, written by Susanne Steinem, published in 1976. Within it is a list of the supposed deaths that trail the owners of the diamond. I went searching for something specific on a hunch - and boy, did I strike gold.

7. Wilhelm Fals, a Dutch diamond cutter, is said to have recut the French blue, producing a brilliant of 44 1/2 carats. He then supposedly died of grief after his son, Hendrik, stole the diamond. As for Hendrik, he is said to have committed suicide in London in 1830. 8. Francois Beaulieu is said to have obtained the diamond from "a nameless suicide" presumably Hendrik Fals. Beaulieu was supposedly forced to sell it to Daniel Eliason for a fraction of its value - and then died the next day of starvation.

Hendrik Fals, whose father cut the French Blue, and who himself was in possession of the Hope Diamond in 1830, killed himself.

Now you might be scratching your head going wait, what? You just said the ring showed up in London at Eliason's place in 1812, but in this version of events he wouldn't have gotten it until after 1830. I also don't mean to be insensitive - Hendrik Fals was (supposedly) a real person, and if it's true that he committed suicide, that's incredibly tragic.

To be completely frank, the author of this book says that there is no evidence for this sequence of events - it's the mythology of the ring. There are a ton of events detailed in the book as legend that have no basis in fact. That the diamond is cursed is itself a myth (I mean, duh, but also in that there are not a weird number of deaths that follow it).

However - I 100% believe Yana Toboso has read this book. The fucking title is Blue Mystery. Hendrik Fals, in the Black Butler universe, is now a Grim Reaper.

And he became a Grim Reaper in 1830 - and Undertaker likely didn't desert until 1837, around the time of Queen Victoria's ascension to the throne.

Now, Undertaker still being with the reapers between 1819 and 1837 is weird, given that the massacre at reaper HQ of 1819 wiped out half of management. I doubt our boy 136649 is just chilling in the employee lounge after pulling a stunt like that. But I am certain at some point Hendrik and 136649 met, and well, if I wanted to know where the gems from the Order of the Golden Fleece were, Hendrik Fals would be an excellent place to start.

Other Posts

Like I said, I tried to google to see if this has been discussed before and came up mostly empty (again, obviously, there has been a lot of discussion on the hope diamond but nothing I could find in the context of the other French Crown Jewels). Let me know if I missed something!

I did find an old post discussing a poem that was referenced in the Public School Arc between @abybweisse , @thaliaarche and @white-queen-lacus that referenced Beryl which is interesting. Seems like the poem also mentions shades of the dead, and the river Lethe from Greek mythology which I referenced in my Rossignol theory post and part 2 of my Floire et Blancheflor series.

That's All For Now!

If you made it this far, you deserve a medal...or a knightly order.

I really tried to fit this all into one but I'm going to have to split it. Next Part will focus on analyzing the other gems in the insignia of Louis XV, a look into the elements that make up these gems, how the Bazu is likely to be the 'sister diamond' of the Phantomhive family ring instead of another piece of The French Blue, the properties of yellow sapphires and how they might relate to blood (more spectroscopy for me whoopee), how the Dragon, Bazu Diamond, and Golden Fleece symbolize Undertaker and the twins, the Order of the Golden Fleece and its History, and of course the myth of the Golden Fleece itself.

A sheepskin is a brutal fucking metaphor - I'm sure you can guess what comes next, it's not a new theory.

If you liked this theory, you can take a look at my other theories via this masterpost that I will update as I crank these out. The theories I've developed mostly have to do with French history, French Christianity, Breton culture, and medieval French literature... I hope and pray chemistry does not become a trend.

I hope you enjoyed my insane rambling, my ask box is open and I'm always happy to talk about this stuff and thanks so much for reading!

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midnightwind · 15 days ago

Text

Clipped Wings

Summary: Sent away for ruining a plan made by the Talon's themselves, Renn de Riva does her best to fulfill her new contract with Varric Tethras. A few letters home are all she has to tide herself over as they prepare to face down their target after a long year.

Word Count: 5690

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Chapter Two: Dear Runaway Heart

A collection of partially coded letters found set aside by the Fifth Talon, gathered over the course of a year.

Vi,

That was mean, even for you. You didn't tell them that the contract was approved? I tracked them for over a week. I rode a fucking horse, Viago. I haven't done that since you trained me. I hated that. I finally found them camped out in the woods and they both almost shot me. Would you have still felt vindicated if they had turned me into a pincushion? The little farm dwarf is still glaring at me. If they knew to expect a Crow appearing from the shadows, maybe they wouldn’t have almost killed me. Lucky I didn’t drop from the trees, I don’t know if I would have had enough time to explain myself before 7 bolts and 3 arrows appeared in my chest.

Maker… Whatever. They were fresh from some mishap, which didn't help. Cranky, tired, fed up, and surprised make a terrible cocktail. Their trail is apparently pointing them at the capital so I get to play tour guide I guess. Not that you've ever given me a job or taken me on a trip there. I do so wonder why.

Don't fret too much. I'll be on my best behavior, as befits my House. Wouldn't want to embarrass you. I’ll complete this contract, but if they die I’m coming home. No client means no gold means no job. I promise I won’t put them out of their misery myself.

-R

Hey Vi,

Varric said I should keep writing back home, that it might help. Something about my mood spooking Harding. I think traveling with a Crow is all that dwarf needed to be on edge…

We just passed through the capital chasing their apostate. Wish we had gotten to enter it proper, but their information kept us to the outskirts. They had a lead on some magic doohickey the man wanted, but all we found was an empty basement. Their contact, some elven servant, disappeared pretty quickly once they showed us the building and the guards sure turned up faster than usual. They accused us of taking the thing. Never even set eyes on it… Varric said Solas had a bunch of agents scattered around, usually elves, so I'd bet coin we were had by one of his guys. It’s been a while since I’ve had to outrun guards, but this is the job that keeps on giving…

I don't have enough on this mark to see any of this coming, Viago. Usually I have your dossiers and the de Riva recon to run with. Or you just tell me where to go and what to do and things just… Work. Harding doesn't trust me and half the things Varric shares about the mark sound fake or impossible. I can't ask around because no one ever seems to see him, or worse they’re lying and telling him that we’re looking for him. I could brush up on the myths for Fen'Harel, but that sounds ludicrous. Gods aren't real. It'd probably be as useful as asking Varric more questions.

Anyways, the next lead is taking us to Seleny. At least we can use the river instead of walking. So much walking. Thanks for that.

-Renn

Viago,

Guess whose boat got hijacked by Antaam? Sent several of the bastards floating face down back towards the capital for you. Hopefully those ones weren't part of some new Talon plot I wasn't told about. They're sure spreading through Antiva fast. I hope you're still getting updates from Salle. If you need me back to defend our turf, just write me a letter. We both know this job is a joke.

Seleny was nice enough, but uneventful. We missed the mark by a while, but the trail isn't quite cold. We're going south, again. He's still after contraptions for whatever ritual I guess he's doing. If I trust Varric's claim, anyways. It still sounds bullshit to me. Wish I had your take on the mark. Feel like I can't trust anything right now…

Give Teia my regards.

-Renn

Fifth Talon Viago,

The elven ruins south of Seleny were quite the trip. Either this Solas can evade demons better than any Crow assassin sneaks into a villa, or he was never there in the first place. Maybe as the Dreadwolf he just has the keys to every ruin. All the traps still worked, the previous residents were very cross to be woken up by us (not my fault), and there were even a few demons hanging around the place just to spice things up. Never dull, this trip.

In my defense of the traps, I did not have experience as a dungeon delver before this. Or elven ruins. Or ruins. The zombies were 100% Varric's fault, though. I told him not to mess with the urns. At least no one else had to deal with the traps I set off… Scrubbing thousand year old guts off my gear was not a fun way to spend the evening.

The demons were interesting though! They follow magic like moths to a flame. Which was bad news for me. I wasn't ready to be in such high demand. I remember our lessons about them, don't worry, but it's one thing to read about how they hunger for mages and a whole other thing to have them hunting you. To have them reaching ice cold fingers into your mind, whispering temptations and doubts…

Hey, Vi, why did you give me this job? Was it really to keep me safe? I know I fucked up, I know it was bad, really bad. But… did you have to send me away like this? I know the other Talons would want blood, but they might not have killed me. You trained me, you know I can handle the pain. I would have bled whatever they needed if it meant I could stay. You could have sent me home, properly home to Salle. I would have stayed in the apartments forever. Anything for you, Viago. I would have died, if that’s what you needed. I just… Why did you send me away like this?

I hope you're still safe. I hope Treviso is okay. I hope my letters

Fuck, Teia, I'm trying. Please tell him I'm trying. I'm sorry. Please. Please, get him to write back. I just

I'm so sorry.

-Mirenna

Beloved Teia,

Sorry for the double feature, but getting a letter out of the wilderness is quite impossible. We've stopped in Ansbury to resupply and plan our next move. We delved another ruin on the way over, this time much more smoothly now that I know what the traps can look like. Still found a few new ones, but that's just the learning curve. Good thing I've always been a quick study. Unfortunately, we don't really know what Solas is hoping to find in these ruins. Anything related to the Fade has a fairly distinct aura, but these relics do a variety of things. Some tear holes, others patch them, or they simply take a peek into the other side, spit out names of spirits and demons, pull in magic and store it…

We need information. I'm not a Fade expert, I'm just making my best guess at what all this is and does. But when we find a guide or a source, we get led into a fight or dead end. These Agents of Fen’Harel are dogging our every step and leading us in the wrong direction. Maker, they might be tracking us. He has a whole network working against us and we're just… three people struggling to share a meal most days.

You know me, T. I'm not the best with people who aren't Crows. I start talking about what poisons would be masked best by tonight's stew or the ideal way to slip a knife between the ribs of the last traitorous bastard to mislead us and things go really quiet. Harding looks like she's going to be ill and Varric just sighs… They tell stories about their time in the Inquisition, about their lives before that. The mundane details. They laugh with each other, they reminisce about the people they lost together, and I'm just there.

I know how to be a Crow. I know how to act a slave or servant. I don't know how to be… normal. I miss discussing the best lip stains with which to hide poison with you. The best tailor in town, the tastiest bakeries, the best perches to eavesdrop from, the finest smith for the sharpest blades. You always knew the best shops for the best prices. You single handedly saved my entire wardrobe for each Crow ball and party infiltration. I miss your company. I miss your advice.

I miss Vi. I miss training with him, the proper burn of a Crow workout. Brewing poisons at his side, sitting by the fireplace and reading quietly while he does paperwork. Maker, I miss his lectures! I would kill a man just to be stuck listening to Viago complain about dull blades. I miss gathering intel for him, seeing that little eyebrow raise he does when I do a good job, but he doesn't want to say it. I miss the snakes, I hope Emil is doing well.

I miss feeling like I'm part of something, T.

We’re going to follow the river west, towards Starkhaven. There's a few ruins along the way to check, but the trail is leading farther from Antiva. From home. Hopefully we catch him soon. It's only been a few months, but… Yeah. Please keep Viago updated with all of this, if you could.

-Your Little Wren

Teia,

Things could be better. A handful of ruins later, nothing to show for it, and a longer road away from home. I mean, there have been clearer signs of someone at least being in the ruins before us this time, but it's unclear if that was Solas or one of his agents. We’re definitely following someone’s trail! It's just a trail leading more north now. I guess I'm glad we’re not delving into Nevarra? My time with demons inhibiting ruins hasn't been amazing and that nation is… weird about them. The Veil has to be paper thin all over. Magic must be crazy.

I appreciate your advice on being more social. Trying to mimic you had… mixed results. Varric seemed amused and Harding just went really quiet. I think she blushed a little, even. But, I like making them laugh. Felt a bit like when I mess with Viago so you can get a giggle. Maybe I can't talk like a Crow with them, but I've been stuck listening to their stories for months now. I think I have a solid handle on what they find funny and what I can needle for my own amusement. You never stop being the little sibling, after all.

I think Varric noticed I wasn't doing well. He's been hanging back trying to talk with me more lately. He asked about the Dalish clan I came from. (Not good.) He asked about my parents. (Worse.) Even dared to ask how I got recruited by the Crows. (Better, but not good.) I cut him off before he could ask about my training. Very secretive and I think it'd just make him sad. People outside the Crows just don't understand what we have to do for this line of work.

I barely told him anything, just that my Clan kicked me out and Viago killed some slavers when he found me. He patted me on the back and offered a hug if I wanted one. I honestly don’t think my life was harder than anyone else’s before Viago found me. I mean, Crow training isn't great, but I asked for it. I chose to be a Crow. I like what I do. I like the people I work with. (You're my favorite, of course. Don't tell Viago.) But Varric just got this… look on his face, like I was some poor unfortunate soul put on this path by powers beyond me. He's started watching what I do in a fight or around camp or on the road and pointing out what other jobs I could do. Bodyguard, archeologist, botanist, alchemist… he's trying to offer me alternatives. Like I'm some down on their luck punk who just needs one person to believe in them.

I don't know, he's trying to be nice. Maybe even supportive? He's not a bad traveling companion, I definitely get along with him better than Harding. But it almost feels like… I didn't know my da very well before he died, but it almost feels like Varric is trying to fill that hole for me? It's a strange thing. I guess so long as he doesn't sit me down to discuss the birds and the bees, he can do whatever he wants.

Sorry for the rambling letter. Did you know Solas has a town named after him? Might not be for him, but isn't it funny? I'm hoping it's a sign that we're going to catch him there. It'd be poetic.

-Renn

The Most Radiant Talon,

I think this might have been my least favorite stop. Trying to ask after a man with the same name as the town was a test in patience I definitely failed. Took a few hours, but I almost started stabbing anyone who answered our questions with “You found it! Welcome to town.” Half of them were doing it for a laugh. Would have loved to hear their mirth after I punctured their lungs…

It was good for a rest, though. We got to have proper beds for the first time in a week. And real meals! Cheap tavern food has never tasted so good. You and Viago would hate this. Not to say I don't miss proper, good Antivan food (Maker above seasoning barely exists out here) but almost anything is better than Harding's “cooking.” I think most nights she just throws whatever she finds in the undergrowth into a pot and calls it dinner. I swear, when I get back I'm going to use a decent chunk of my payment on a meal so delicious it kills me. Would love company, if you want a treat.

Awful meals that could rival some of our poisons aside, things have been going… Okay with this group. Harding has finally thawed for me. Just took a few months and a lot of almost dying side by side in dusty ruins. I managed to get my hands on some reagents and a quiet evening at the fire to brew a coating for her arrows to help with the demons we keep running into. She seemed to appreciate the gift. We've spent a few nights discussing plants, although we have fairly different knowledge there. She's been teaching me about the edible stuff and I've been sharing the poisonous ones that can be used as medicine if reduced properly. So we have that at least. If things stay friendly, maybe we can chat business about ranged weaponry.

Varric loves to see it, obviously. Despite all our dead ends and shortfalls, he's been more smiley. Might just be the ale we finally have access to, though. He's currently trying to deal me into a game of Wicked Grace despite being able to see me very clearly write these exact words. I hear you snickering, go back to your drink, old man. I need to update my dear Talons back home before I cheat a weird dwarf out of a chunk of gold.

We're heading deeper into Tevinter proper, I think. Vol Dorma should be the next city hit, and in good time if we can buy horses. The Imperial Highway should speed things up. I wanted to stop in Vyrantium, as a treat, but I was out voted. No respect for legendary Crow contracts…

It feels like we're getting close to something. Maybe it's wishful thinking or a jinx, but it's like there's an energy in the air. Maybe I'll have real news to write to you about next.

-Your Enduring Wren

T and Vi,

We were being watched. Followed. Tracked. I caught them, finally, trailing us as we were restocking in the markets. Easy enough to slip away unseen, child’s play to get behind the tail, laughable to slip a sweet poison into their blood. As they stumbled into the wall and fell to the ground, I got to rummage in their pockets. Another elf, clearly working for Fen’Harel. A little wolf necklace tells you a lot.

They’ve been sending letters to the apostate, updates on Varric and those he travels with. Where he was staying, where he plans to go, etc. The important one was a warning from Solas himself. He’s sending his agents away from Minrathous, cutting off communication and telling them to be ready for the new world. Whatever he’s been working towards is almost done and it’s happening in the capital of Tevinter. He’ll know we’re coming, but I think I got to this agent before a timetable could be sent.

The agent is eliminated, our route is still the same, but we’ll be riding hard now. I think we’ll be cutting it close. Vol Dorma is still the best bet for last minute communications unless you send it directly to Minrathous. I’m giving this letter and the last to the fastest bird the messengers have. This job ends soon, one way or another. Hopefully I’ll be home in a few months.

-Renn

~◇~

The bar had steadily emptied out as the night stretched on, the barkeep throwing increasingly annoyed glances at the elf curled up in the corner. She had been nursing the same drink for a few hours now, the cup pressed to her lips but she never pulled a single sip from it. Her attention was instead fixed on the papers spread out before her. All of them were letters, written in the flowing script of the Seventh Talon. They were updates from home detailing how the occupation was going, the latest raids and losses, and a few sections dedicated solely to Viago. He refused to write to her and hadn't sent a single letter in the year she'd been gone. Maker, it had been a year… She missed Treviso sorely. She missed Viago more.

Which was why she had been sitting in the booth for hours, staring at an unopened letter. It had his familiar neat script, the wax seal a silly little snake because he just loved being on the nose too much. She knew Teia had been passing on her updates to him; she had explicitly asked the Talon to when she realized he was never going to write back, after all. Her last letter had been a shorter update, but she hadn’t expected it to finally get her Talon to pen one himself.

One letter shouldn't have felt so intimidating, but she was scared. What if he told her to stay gone? What if he was passing on another job that kept her out of Antiva? What if this was a warning that she was never welcomed back? She let out a shivering breath into her drink, ripples dancing in the liquid. The letter had been placed in her hand days ago, long before they had entered the capital. It was starting to crease from how often she worried the paper in her hands as they traveled.

“You have to read it eventually.”

She jumped at Varric's voice, cursing under her breath. Her mug clinked to the tabletop as she half turned a guilty look to the dwarf. He hummed a quiet laugh before sliding into the booth to sit across from her. He spread his hands out around the other letters, tapping the table with a finger.

“You'll keep imagining the worst of these letters if you refuse to read that one.” His voice had that infuriating lilt he got when he knew he was right, a little smug and a little mocking. He softened soon after. “Listen, whatever he wrote you doesn't change the good you've done with us. If you can't go home after this, you'll have a place with me. I'm not going to drop my Rook just because this job is finished. Trouble has a way of finding me and you're too damn handy in a fight to lose now.”

A weak smile brushed her lips, but it didn't reach her eyes. Working with Varric had been good, eye opening. Traveling Thedas had been amazing, between fighting for their lives and slightly miserable camping at times. But the Crows were her home. If she had lost that… Her eyes fell back to the letter in her hand, brows knitting. Fear was a cold stone in her stomach, reaching shivering tendrils up to her heart. It hammered behind her ribs painfully. With a steadying breath, she flicked a throwing dagger out from her sleeve and broke the seal.

Idiot:

I hope you're reading this. If the trail really has led you through Tevinter, it'll be harder to get messages through. The Antaam in Antiva are prickly about anything to do with our neighboring kingdom.

Back home, things have cooled, but they are not forgotten. Killing all those Antaam may have felt righteous in the moment, but the Talons are still complaining that your actions ruined weeks of setting up a larger, more effective strike.

I am one of the Talons still complaining. Remember, this trip with Varric is a contract. Crows don't fail contracts, especially Crows from House de Riva who may need to improve their judgement. But there is more at stake than honor. Whatever this ‘Solas’ is up to needs to be stopped. I've seen enough of his handiwork to know that.

Don't get careless out there. Don't fail. And don't get yourself killed, or I will come after you in the Fade myself.

-Viago

The greeting alone almost had her crying with relief, the noise that escaped her was half laugh, half sob. The whole thing was the closest the man ever got to saying ‘be safe, I love you.’ It wasn't even dusted with poison or anything. She pressed it gingerly to her chest, as if there was some kind of lingering warmth to be gleaned from it. Varric was leaning forward slightly, waiting. She simply gave him a wide grin.

“Good news then?” He asked.

“Yeah,” she breathed, slumping in her seat, “it's good news. I can go home soon.” I still have a home.

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I'll be sad to see you go, kid.”

“You can always visit. Treviso is lovely any time of the year, but Salle in spring is better.” She sighed wistfully, spreading the letter flat on the table. “The air heavy with nectar, flowers blooming everywhere… They decorate ships with them, you know. Masts and railings adorned with a rainbow of blossoms. Absolute nightmare if you have allergies.” That earned her a quiet laugh. “Ohh, or during Satinalia! One big party for the whole country, masks and wine and so much food! And, if you ever need a Crow, I’ll clear my schedule just for you. For old time’s sake.”

“A friend in the Crows is a decent card to have in hand.” He conceded with a grin.

“A rare privilege.” And then she shrugged, sitting upright and leaning in. “This is all assuming that we find Solas, though. You sure this lead is the one? The note I found could have been a fake. Don’t get me wrong, this has been a fun road trip, but our track record has been…”

“Shit?” He supplied happily.

“I was going to say bleak, but love the energy.” She cast him a lopsided smile. “All our dead ends in Antiva could maybe end with me getting to cut down some trespassing Antaam. I know how to fight them. The Venatori were pretty rare before the whole invasion, but I still don’t have that much experience with them.”

“You’ll get your hours in by the time we’re done here, I’m sure.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I take it you haven’t left Antiva before?”

She tapped a finger against the branching ink under her eyes. “Did a little traveling back with the Clan, but I was a kid and I wasn’t very good with established borders. More like ‘this chunk of forest has the best fruit foraging and spooky humans, that chunk has pretty coasts and humans in a lot of leathers.’ We avoided both. When I got picked up by Viago, I stayed pretty solidly in Salle or the surrounding cities. Venatori contracts meant traveling to Tevinter so they were pricey. Which meant House Dellamorte got most of them.”

“The famed Mage Killer, I assume. If he was the established specialist, why couldn’t I find a way to employ him?” Varric groused, crossing his arms unhappily.

“First of all,” she held a finger up at him, “rude. I’ve been doing a fantastic job and you are fully expected to write a glowing review of my work to Viago. Second, I’m… not sure. You have the means to pay for his services, but things have been quiet about him for a while. Maybe he’s been out on a long contract and the First Talon has been keeping it hush hush. Not my House so I really can’t say.”

“I never really understood the Houses. Does each one have a specialty?”

She clapped her hands gleefully. “Not specifically, no! But the Talon Houses have reputations and usually a star assassin to represent them. Dellamorte has the Magekiller, de Riva has our poison master, Cantori has the honeypot. Each House has a style, usually, but those inside the House may not always be molded to it.” She pressed a hand to her chest. “Like, I’m de Riva. I’m a deft hand at poisons, but my skill lies in speed. You have a job with a slim window? I’m a good bet to get it done. Quick and quiet is less a mantra and more a promise from me.”

“But you’re still focused on poisons. I’ve seen your morning brew. It’d kill men three times your size, I swear.” There was a familiar note of unease in his voice that always made her smile.

“Of course, I was trained by Viago himself. I’ve been sipping poison since I was a kid! Maybe even earlier, thanks to the Dalish. But Viago specializes in potent varieties. I don’t think anyone can match what he brings to the table. I pride myself more on my delivery of the poisons.” With a beaming smile, she dug in her bag before placing a translucent bundle of twine on the table. “You can poison someone in a lot of ways with access to their house, but there’s a risk of collateral. Poison their wine stash, you might get a servant who likes to sample instead of the master of the house. Dose their makeup and then whoops! The kid tried it on and died. You could sneak into the kitchen and hit their meals, but tasters exist for a reason.”

“And now I’m worried about my meals with you again.”

A bright laugh fell from her lips. “I don’t have a contract for you and a Crow doesn’t kill if there isn’t gold on the table for it.” She gave him a wink before unspooling some of the string between her fingers. “Anyways, my approach is simpler. People are terrible at looking up so I case the place, get access to the rafters, then dangle this little string over their meal or drink after the taster has been by. You use a proper poison, only need a drop. It travels along this string which is nearly invisible, plops onto whatever they’re about to eat, and bam! Contract done. I don’t risk anyone else taking the dose because the guy is convulsing on the floor or face down in the food.”

He grimaced at the image. “Effective, but the whole ‘casing the place’ takes time. You just bragged about being fast.”

“Ah, yes. I just use the usual poisoned darts or blades for rush jobs. You want clean and elegant, you have to allow for at least a day or two.” The twine was abandoned as she flexed her fingers at him like claws, electricity sparking along her hands. “Or I can make it hurt, if that’s what they want. An assassin mage has some perks.”

“Disturbing as always, Rook.” He shook his head with a chuckle. “What about places without rafters?”

She deflated at that. “Less fun, first of all, but usually I just have to go undercover.” Placing a hand behind each ear, she clicked her tongue. “Little makeup for the tats and a stolen uniform let me blend in as a servant. Act demur, bow and scrape, yessir, no sir, knife them in the night later or dose something they won't bother testing. More risk of collateral, but not every job gets to be perfect.”

“And aren’t we familiar with that idea.” He sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. “You’ve never opened up like this before. What’s different about tonight?”

Her eyes fell to the tabletop, roaming over the spread of letters as she chewed on her lip. “Might be going soft, to be honest.” The laugh that curved her lips died on her tongue. “It’s been a year, Varric. A year of dead ends, close calls, and empty rooms. I’ve been away on jobs before, but a year?” A hand clutched at the front of her shirt, an ache in her chest. “I miss home. I miss my family. I miss my leathers! Varric, I miss dressing like a Maker damned Crow.”

“Nothing’s stopping you from that.” He shook his head. “No one said you had to pack them away.”

But that wasn’t true, she had been exiled in a sense. It wasn’t right to wear the feathers, she hadn’t earned them back yet. “It would make us easier to spot, they’d stick out in Tevinter crowds.”

He almost rolled his eyes at that. “You would get pegged as Antivan, not specifically a Crow. Your traders go all over, including into Tevinter. This is your weird Crow honor thing, isn’t it?”

She huffed, sinking lower in her seat to sulk. “I got sent on this job as a punishment, Varric, fun as it’s been. Being dragged all over the country with no end in sight? My target always slipping through my fingers? Wearing my feathers would just… feel like I was fooling myself. I’m not a Crow again, not until this is done.”

“We both know that’s bullshit, kid.” The dwarf let out a low chuckle. “You were sent on this contract as a Crow. No one stripped you of your leathers. I can’t make you feel like a proper assassin, partly because I’m not a feathered maniac and partly because your whole business is a mess, but you can’t punish yourself like that. If wearing the silly outfit makes you feel better, like you have a purpose, hells, I’ll go pluck a goose for you with my own hands.”

She huffed a laugh through her nose. “White is so gauche.”

“So I’ll dip them in paint first, my point still stands. Your skills, your knowledge, your gut instinct? Don’t need a fancy outfit for those. Your honor is fine, shining even in my opinion.”

“I disobeyed orders.” Her voice was suddenly small.

He waved a hand through the air dismissively. “Orders you weren’t aware of and that were stupid anyways. You saved people, saved me, and that puts you right in my book.” When she sank deeper into her sulk he let out a long sigh, muttering under his breath as he dug in his pocket. “I was saving this for a rainy day, or even as a celebration gift if we managed to nab Solas, but you’re clearly in your head about this.” He slid a silver necklace over to her, a delicate metalwork feather dangling on the chain. “If you don’t feel like you can wear your official feathers, then you can wear this one as a reminder. You aren’t lost or cast aside or whatever else you’re thinking. You’re on a job and you’re still a Crow, if that’s what you want.”

She merely stared down at the jewelry with wide eyes. “How long have you had this in the wings?”

He shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. “Bought it back in Treviso. I have a… friend with a fondness for an Antivan woman. Thought it might be a nice little reminder since this whole Solas chase keeps pulling them apart, but didn’t feel quite right for the couple. Then you came along and I thought ‘maybe she’d like it!’ But you came with your own set of feathers and it felt like a poor fit for you, too.”

With a tentative touch, she ran her finger along the pendant. “Who’d your third choice be if I said no?”

“I don’t know, Harding? She could send it back to Sera, or hand it off to the next person who’s sweet on her.” He pushed the chain towards her again. “But it feels like a better fit for you now, considering.”

Her mouth quirked with a smile as she plucked the trinket off the table. “Well, I appreciate the sentiment even if you are just trying to pass off a bum gift.”

“So long as it makes you happy.” He grinned, holding his hands up in surrender. “Now, it’s late and the barkeep is looking mighty pissed at us. I sent word to our contact, but we're meeting her tomorrow so get some sleep. I know it’s a novel concept for you Crows, but things are about to get busy.

She laughed, gathering her letters up. “With our luck? The word you’re looking for is chaotic, I think.”

Requested Tags: @weaponizedvirtue

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