Ghost Story

[Marian Hawke]

"You'd better be," she mumbles. "I can't be alone again. If you get killed I'm coming after you."

[Varric]

"If I get killed, work your way to the Oak and send to Nyra. I have a prepaid resurrection on file with the Temple of Everlasting Mercy," Varric says, eyes narrowed at her implied plan. "Paid for it ages ago, when I was still adventuring and never needed it."

[Marian Hawke]

Her eyes widen. "You can do that?"

[Varric]

"Prepay for resurrection? Sure. I mean, it's pricey to say the least and you need a little pull or some favors but yeah." And of course, there's never a guarantee (especially given what I am). "Cost more than I paid for the place. Not as much as it should have gone for, mind you, but that's the joy of a foreclosing auction." He pauses. "Well. Okay, actually, no, the price was pretty fair, maybe even higher than it should have been given the nasty spirit lurking around."

[Marian Hawke]

Emma looks away. It feels blasphemous, paying in advance to be resurrected. As if you could be sure. "I.. You forget, I can't go to the Oak."

[Varric]

"We're working on that," he reminds her. "But I can also teach you a sending ritual, if you'd like."

[Marian Hawke]

"It... might not be a bad idea," she says slowly. "And a ritual won't get me caught. It's easier to hide. You can't accidentally a ritual."

[Varric]

"Yeah. Rituals are a pain in the ass to do most of the time on purpose. Not something you can accidentally cast, not without a curse of ill luck or something." He studies her for a moment. "This is, uh, hitting you pretty hard."

[Marian Hawke]

Emma nods. "I think... this has happened before. Losing someone important."

[Varric]

"To mob justice, like this is threatening to go?" he prompts.

[Marian Hawke]

"I... I think so."

[Varric]

"Was it your sister?" Varric guesses, eyes shadowed.

[Marian Hawke]

"Yes," she whispers, looking through him. "They killed her. For using magic."

[Varric]

"I'm sorry. I wish I had been here then," he says softly

[Marian Hawke]

"Just don't die." She takes a deep, shuddering breath. "Want to try another self-defense lesson?"