Ghost Story

[Varric]

"No." The word is flat and empty. "No. They won't answer."

[Marian Hawke]

"Oh..." she says, then resumes eating her porridge. 

[GamesMaster]

That evening, as Varric beds down (HIs houseguest says not to worry about her, she's got a sleeping spot), something weighs heavily on him. It's not unusual for him to sleep poorly, not of late. Not since...

He sits bolt upright in bed as an unearthly, desperate wail echoes through the house. Try as he might, however, he can't find the source; it's gone as suddenly as it began, and Emma seems perfectly fine, sound asleep in one of the sofas in the library, her favorite spot in the house.

[Varric]

"Deep sleeper," Varric comments as he sets a bowl of rice porridge in front of her. Need to go to town, get (news and gossip) more supplies. Fruit, more vegetables. He glances over the young woman. Maybe a few changes of clothing for her. 

[Marian Hawke]

Emma wears the same thin gown she wore the day before, a bare cotton gown that's seen better days; the hem is torn, and it looks too thin for winter. Her hair is no less tangled, and she yawns as if she hasn't slept enough. "Hmm?"

[Varric]

"You. You're a deep sleeper. Didn't hear me look in on you, much less the warbler wails that made me go look around in the first place," he explains.

[Marian Hawke]

"Warbler wails?"

[Varric]

"Wails that warble," Varric says blandly. "Loud ones, every twenty seconds or so for about five minutes."

[Marian Hawke]

"I.. don't recall anything like that. Weird."

[Varric]

"Like I said, when I checked out the library, you were out solid cold the whole time."

[Marian Hawke]

"You'd think it would wake me up. Weird." She shrugs. "Oh well."

[Varric]

Varric gives her a slightly disbelieving look. "That's it? It was clearly coming from inside the house; that doesn't concern you at all?"

[Marian Hawke]

"Well, was it creepy or more sad or what? I don't know what kind of thing makes noises like that, but maybe it's harmless."

[Varric]

Optimistic, naive or stubborn? "More preternatural than having a definable emotion."

[Marian Hawke]

"Preternatural?"