Ghost Story

[Marian Hawke]

"Most men, very few women, and I don't know the rest of those words," Marian corrects. "The books in the library are very clear on that."

[Varric]

"The library books here are limited in number and very slanted in tone and opinion," Varric says dryly. "They're very Life is Love sect. Most of the Astean church has a much different view on, well, most matters to be honest."

[Marian Hawke]

"Novels don't have a slant, they're just novels. And the novels agree."

[Varric]

Varric stares at her. "What." He shakes his head a little. "Of course they do! They're written by people and people always have a slant, a bias. It's natural and unavoidable."

[Marian Hawke]

"Not like you're saying, not like the nonfiction has."

[Varric]

"What do you think I mean by slant?"

[Marian Hawke]

"Novels are informed by the author's experience. If they all say men are pigs, it's because a lot of authors have experienced men being pigs."

[Varric]

"True, that does track," Varric agrees with a nod. "But also consider the idea of significance bias; one or even a dozen experiences with men being pigs will have more of an impact than the hundreds of men they met that weren't pigs. And also, fiction influences life. People, men, read those books and they model their own behavior after the males in said books based on the assumption that they should be acting that way."

[Marian Hawke]

"I've had sex with... I want to say at least two people. And from what I can barely remember, it tracks. You don't have sex. You can't claim to be an authority on it."

[Varric]

"Again, this town is filled with horrible people. Not everyone, but a lot," Varric replies with a scoff. "As for the lack of personal experience, so what? Research is a thing, Emma. I've studied sexuality rather extensively." He winces, gaze slipping away. "Looking for a reason why it wasn't... right. Needing to understand."

[Marian Hawke]

"You're sure you don't just need... something else? Something more... exotic?"

[Varric]

Nopenopenopenope. "I'm perfectly fine," he assures her. "Besides, I'm getting to the age where even allosexuals start losing interest in sex."

[Marian Hawke]

"I still wish I could do something for you. Something special."

[Varric]

"Special for me wouldn't be sex. Special for me would be something mental, something academic or intellectual."

[Marian Hawke]

"Nothing I'm good for," says Emma morosely.