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Leliana’s hand touches Mairead’s own. It’s strange, somehow. Chaste as handholding is, you might expect her to be more comfortable with it, but the Circle discouraged that kind of open display of affection. Sex was one thing, love was an entirely different issue. She knows plenty of the others pity her, but she is hardly some poor starving waif. It was not always so bad. Plenty of Circles were far crueller. Still, no Circle has ever encouraged any form of sex or romance, but especially not romance. Or at least, they do not encourage sex between two mages. Plenty find themselves - not in a Templar’s bed, really, but up against the wall or on the floor. Mairead is used to that kind of thing. This is different.
Leliana is far more generous with her touch than either Morrigan or Mairead. It is not uncommon at all for her to thread her fingers through Mairead’s, or place a hand on her shoulder, or kiss her. It’s nice that she’s so open with it, even if a part of Mairead is still so afraid every time.
Morrigan conducts the relationship in a manner that Mairead is far more familiar with. It would not be fair to say that she only touches her when she wants something, but that is a frequent cause and, no matter the reason, Morrigan’s touches are always brief. It’s a little strange, to see her own fear reflected in an apostate. She wouldn’t have expected it. Of course, she wouldn’t have expected most of what she lives with now. These days, she’s far closer to the kind of dangerous apostate they were all taught to fear in the Circle than she is to any Circle mage. Morrigan has taught her the kind of spells the Circle never would, and she’s learned how to cast bare handed in a pinch with the minimal amount of damage to herself. She’s a dangerous woman with dangerous lovers, stronger than she ever imagined.