Ghost Story

[Varric]

Something tells me I can guess (don't want to) how you tried. "It's alright. Emma, stay here and keep working on your studies. Make sure you keep you bow close to hand, and the bag I gave you last night. Stay out of sight."

[Marian Hawke]

"What are you going to do?" she asks quietly. 

[Varric]

"What needs doing," Varric says with a faint shrug. "Where did they take him, exactly?"

[GamesMaster]

"The little jail in the basement of the guard station. There's nobody in it most of the time, so they let Jo-- Sir Magnel use it."

[Varric]

Varric nods curtly. "Where are you other two?"

[GamesMaster]

"Hidden."

[Varric]

"Good. Gather what you can, just in case you need to run. Best you don't know what I'll be up to more than you already do right now."

[GamesMaster]

She nods. "I'll pack a bag. And a separate one, for Marc. Just in case. Thank you. Thank you so much."

[Marian Hawke]

"Wait," says Emma quietly, as Rhea heads for the door. "I can think of one thing I can... I can try. If there's a chance the Sheriff is left guarding him, after the... after the confession, but before they string him up, maybe he can be bribed. There's... most people want... at least one thing I have. If it comes to that, I'm willing."

[Varric]

"Emma, stay here and keep working on your studies. Keep your bow and that bag I gave you with you. Also find your gods be fucked common sense because you should damn well know better than to think I'd let you hurt yourself like that. Rather kill the sheriff than let you do that and even that's more than a few lines down my list of ideas." His tone never wavers from the brisk, half professional, half friendly tone he'd been using.

[Marian Hawke]

"I hate being trapped in this fucking house," she mutters in flawless Elven. "If it's down to you or me getting hurt," she adds, in Common, "then let me pay you back. Alright? Don't run off and do anything stupid when you could have... whatever you needed."

[Varric]

Varric takes in a lungful of air, then exhales it just as slowly. "Have you ever studied dwarven culture? Sorry, I should be specific in that I mean Outland mountain dwarves."

[Marian Hawke]

Emma shakes her head, silent.

[Varric]

"One of the foundations, the-- hah-- bedrock of our value system is that youth is preserved, That elder's sweat to earn for the young, that elder's blood is shed to the last drop before the newer generations are put into true danger. So no Emma, I won't let you hurt yourself for me. That's not how it works. I go first, always. And when you're older, when you're my age-- respectively of course-- you can place yourself in front of the generation after yours."

[Marian Hawke]

"You not coming home safe would hurt me way worse than me doing... that," she argues. "Just so you know."