Ghost Story

[Varric]

"Knock yourself out. Shame that you'll end up being why Beth dies," Varric says coldly.

[Carver Amell]

"The hell did you say?!" shouts Carver, turning with his knife to point it at her/him. 

Just then, they hear the sound of bells down in the village -- the cursed sound of bells. Carver pales. "No," he whispers. 

[Varric]

A pang of despair, of outraged shame, slams into Varric from somewhere deep (not?) inside himself. "But he said-- he promised--" Lied. Of course he did. Why not (rape someone) take the bribe and get to burn someone? Savage bastard.

[GamesMaster]

The dream world blurs, twists. The three of them are standing in the central square, Bethie -- a slim brunette with big, terrified eyes -- tied to a pole above a pile of bonfire material before them. The town guards, armed to the teeth, are between her and the family, holding the jeering crowd back. And it's a full, angry crowd. No faces he recognizes, not right away, but many are shouting taunts of "witch!" "burn her!", while others are turning slightly away with sadness and fear. 

Then he catches a glimpse of blue skin in the crowd. 

[Varric]

She looks familiar (not just from the ghost either, Varric notes as he forces himself to study the long doomed girl. Young woman really. Why is-- His head snaps around, eyes seeking the hint of familiar blue.

[GamesMaster]

There, between two stout villagers, he can see a glimpse again: a short figure, near his own height, wearing a cloak. He knows that cloak. He knows that hand, blue skin with fainter blue nails. He knows that figure.

[Varric]

"How?" Varric demands, voice raspy and strained. 

[Helene Dakesh]

The figure doesn't answer him, turning away to watch the spectacle before them. 

[Varric]

Varric attempts to bully his way through the crowd to get to nem, calling out Helene's name with increasing volume and demand.

[Helene Dakesh]

Finally, ne turns to him, smiling indulgently, as though he were playing some kind of prank on nem. "Varric," ne greets him, and it's nir voice, the voice he thought he'd never hear again, the voice he's nearly forgotten the exact edges to. 

[Varric]

Varric sinks to his knees, just staring at nem. 

[Helene Dakesh]

"You're supposed to be in Nyra. Did you come all this way to meet me? This one can assure you, Avato is guardian enough." Helene's smile has lost none of its radiance -- but Avato slumbers in nir tomb, waiting for nir reincarnation to wake him and find the diaries he guards. And how is it that ne sees him as Varric and not Marian, like everyone else in the simulated memory?

[Varric]

"I missed you," Varric whispers, drinking in the sight of his spouse. "I've missed you so damn much."

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene's smile fades into a look of puzzlement. "Varric? Is something wrong?"

[Varric]

I should play along. Have a few minutes with nem. "You died, my love. This isn't real, it's a dreamwalk." I never could lie you to, could I?