Ghost Story

[Varric]

"Perfectly reasonable," Varric replies with a faint wince. Loud. "But do you see anyone around you trust?"

[GamesMaster]

"I don't know. No." 

[Varric]

Great. "Okay." He glances around, noting with gratitude that no-one has noticed them as yet. "Alright. Can you trust me? And keep a secret?"

[GamesMaster]

The little boy nods, looking on the verge of tears. 

[Varric]

"Good lad," Varric says warmly, ruffling his hair. The gesture is a bit awkward and perhaps a little too rough, but hopefully still comforting. "Alright, take this," he says, pressing a pair of vials into the boy's hand. "I need to go back in and get that idiot out of there before he burns to death. You go hide by the general store. If anyone but me, your mother or someone you absolutely trust comes near you, drink both of them. You'll turn invisible and run twice as fast as ever. Head to the old manor house and call out for Emma. Tell her that her boss said to hide you. You got all that?"

[GamesMaster]

He nods. "If anyone comes, drink the vials, run for the manor house, call Emma."

[Varric]

"Right." He ruffles his hair once more, then Varric steps back. "Alright, go hide." Without waiting for a reply, he heads back around the side of the guard house to go rescue the zealot.

[GamesMaster]

By the time he emerges with John, the focus has shifted; now many of the neighbors are involved in trying to cut the fire off from damaging nearby buildings. Thankfully, outside the cities, buildings are spaced much further apart; there's little chance of the store down the block going up, whereas in Nyra the whole district would be in danger. 

Which means there's more eyes looking out for his emergence, more eyes spying the unconscious paladin he's dragging. "What happened here?" growls the sheriff, three of his men falling in behind him. 

[Varric]

"Fuck if I know," Varric grunts, chest heaving as he finishes dragging the much, much larger aasimar out. "Came-- came into town-- place on fire."

[GamesMaster]

"Uh-huh. And he was unconscious when you found him?"

[Varric]

Varric rolls his eyes, gesturing at the paladin on the ground as he continues to work on catching his breath. Heavy fuck. "No, he passed out shortly after I shot him, obviously," the dwarf says dryly. "Hence the bolt sticking out of his shoulder."

[GamesMaster]

Not even going to spin me a pretty lie? The sheriff raises an eyebrow, shrugging. "Alright, son, I hope you realize you're under arrest."

[Varric]

"Question about that," Varric asks slowly, glancing to the side. "Jail's on fire. And collapsing in on itself. So..."

[GamesMaster]

"Not to worry. We've a guest bedroom we can hold him in at my place," offers one of the men. "Was my mother's until she passed."

"We'll be holding you at Jeb's place," agrees the sheriff, with a nod. "For the time being."

[Varric]

"Second question. For what charge?"