Ghost Story

[GamesMaster]

"Assaulting an office of the peace, of course."

[Varric]

"Shooting an attempted child murderer is a crime in Golden Shores?" Varric asks, making sure to pitch his voice so it carries up and down the street. 

[GamesMaster]

"That's a heavy accusation," drawls the sheriff. "How's about you come along to Jeb's, and we'll see what John has to say when he wakes up, hmm?"

[Varric]

"Think I'd rather have a Justicar be doing the questioning, thanks. You know, someone that can cast some Truthings and hasn't spent their whole lives being ruled over by the guy in question," Varric says blandly.

[GamesMaster]

"Then you can wait at Jeb's until we can get one from Nyra. Shouldn't be more than a week or two."

[Varric]

"Think I'd rather post a bond actually." Varric jerks a thumb over at the jail again. "Place isn't as bad off as that but the.manor still needs a lot of work. Not one to cool my heels or twiddle my thumbs."

[GamesMaster]

"You think you're funny, don't you?" says the sheriff. "Here are your options: you come along quietly, or you come the hard way."

[Varric]

Varric considers this for a moment, lips pursed. Will not help things later if I escape or fight back. But Emma; I can't just leave her. "I don't want to hurt you boys," Varric says gently. "You might have stood by, even helped this asshole capture and torture a little boy, but it was out of fear and ignorance. You can do better. Let's work this out peacefully, yeah?"

[GamesMaster]

"We're taking you into custody one way or another. We can talk bail later, after we've had the full story."

[Varric]

"I'm willing to stay until he wakes up," Varric agrees, still tense. "He's going to need healing though, if that's going to be any time soon."

[GamesMaster]

"We'll see to his care. You come along now."

[Varric]

Varric gives the sheriff a long, considering look, then shrugs. "His death I suppose," he replies, gesturing at the guard to lead on.

[GamesMaster]

Jeb's guest room is sparse, but comfortable enough: a bed, an empty dresser, a vase of flowers. And yet, knowing he can't leave, knowing he's stuck here as surely as he was once trapped in an underground tomb, his spouse both inches and miles away...

They hold him until evening, as he frets and worries about what might be happening outside. Finally, they come to ask his side of the story, taking down notes and saying very little. He tells the truth: he entered the building, saw Marc under attack, and acted to save the child without thinking. They seem unimpressed, jotting this down and leaving him be once more.

It's late in the evening when the sheriff comes back to speak with him. "You still want a Justicar?" he asks, gruffly. 

[Varric]

Varric opens his eyes slowly from where he's seated cross-legged on the bed. "Has something changed to make it wiser not to?" he asks curiously.

[GamesMaster]

"We're ready to pass our own judgement, except for the whole justicar thing. We'll have to put you on house arrest once you post bail, it'll take a few weeks to get one, the whole mess will take that much longer."