Ghost Story

[GamesMaster]

"If you wanted to know you would. But you're getting there. You wouldn't be dreaming death if you weren't getting in tune with the household."

[Varric]

That's at least something useful (attuned to the house?) maybe. "Dreaming death?" he fishes.

[GamesMaster]

"Death leaves a mark. A lot of people have died in this house. You dreamed one of the deaths. Maybe you'll dream the others tomorrow night, the night after."

[Varric]

"Lovely," Varric says sourly. Stabbed? By a spouse (the old lord? thought the wife died in child-- second wife) evidently. 

[GamesMaster]

Bethie gives a shy smile. "Maybe tonight. Do you want to try? Think death thoughts, open your mind."

[Varric]

And there we go. I've been trying to solve this mystery (bit of regret on that now) and that gives an opening. "We'll see."

[GamesMaster]

"Aye. That we will." With that, Bethie fades from view. 

[Varric]

Varric waits for a few moments, then slumps back onto the bed. Fuck today.

[GamesMaster]

Dear daddy: can you keep a secret? A really, really big secret?

By this point in the diaries, Beth and Carver are twelve, and Carver's changed his name everywhere while Beth's learned to spell. He's waded through her first adolescent crush already, as well as a few times she's broken something or written about a surprise present for someone, and none of them had as much to-do as this entry. 

I don't know if I should even be writing about this, but something happened today and I have nobody to talk to about it...

[Bethany]

Sometimes, timing is important. Sometimes even a few minutes, a handful of seconds, can completely change how a conversation or conflict will unfold. In this case, Marian had just finished wiping herself dry and adjusting her skirt back into place after some stress release when the annoying brats  her adorable siblings burst into the room. As is typical, even after Carver learned what he was, Beth is in the lead, tugging her long-suffering but supportive twin behind her. Horror at what they almost walked into locks her throat long enough for her to notice the look of terror on Beth's face; a look echoed but somehow worse on Carver's. 

"Mary, Mary," Beth sobs, slipping back into the nickname they used when 'Marian' was too long for them to bother using in full. Without pause, the adolescent rushes at Marian for a hug.

[Marian Hawke]

"Hey, hey!" Marian wraps her arms around her sister, holding her close and praying she can't smell the telltale scent on her fingertips. "What's wrong, Bethie?"

[Bethany]

Her sister lets out a torrent of words, the vast majority of which Marian can't make out. Something about Pluffy-- Beth's kitten-- and playing. A rake? Yearning and fire, apologies and pleading. Lots and lots of pleading.

[Carver Amell]

Carver, meanwhile, has his eyes lit up, a keen expression on his face. "There was this snake, and it ate Pluffy! Its jaw opened real big!"

[Marian Hawke]

Marian stares at Carver over the top of Beth's head, glad her sister can't see her twin's expression right now. "...Um. That. Happened."

[Bethany]

"ATE HIM" Beth howls.