Ghost Story

[Marian Hawke]

"We'll see," she disagrees. "I can learn a few things at least."

[Varric]

"A few things, the genius says. Sure, we'll have you learn a 'few' things about wilderness lore. Maps'll be easy with your head for numbers. Herb lore is good to have, if only for brewing." He studied her for a moment. Scrawny, even now, but fairly lanky. Good hands, clear eyes. "Would you prefer rapidness or stopping power?"

[Marian Hawke]

"I have no idea."

[Varric]

"Think it over out loud," Varric encourages her, wanting her to come up with the choice on her own.

[Marian Hawke]

"I don't really want to learn to fight. I don't want to fight anyone. I guess stopping power, because then I can end the fight faster."

[Varric]

"Sometimes it's a something, not a someone. Deer for food, owlbear to not be food and so on," Varric points out. "But if you're reluctant to really hurt people, we can look into nonlethal measures after you hit competent."

[Marian Hawke]

"How do we start?" she asks, sounding apprehensive, almost defeated.

[Varric]

"Well," he says, worry in his eyes, "how about with what you're scared of about this?"

[Marian Hawke]

"You want me to go out in the woods and learn," she says, quietly. "I can't do that."

[Varric]

"We can stay in the yard," Varric says quickly. "Plenty we can learn for now without going past the barn. Work our way up to more, yeah? No real hurry after all."

[Marian Hawke]

She hangs her head, gives a small nod. "I can try. I don't... the yard is..."

[Varric]

"Just for a little while each day. And you can call the lessons done whenever you need to," Varric assures her. 

[Marian Hawke]

"I can't," she whispers. "It's too much. My memories, the yard, learning all this new stuff, fighting, magic... I can't do it all at once."

[Varric]

"Okay. That's alright. This is a lot. Which would you prefer to work on first then?"

[Marian Hawke]

"I-- none of the rest is worth anything if I forget it all, right?"