Ghost Story

[Carver Amell]

"Nobody's spoken of that in fifty years," snaps Carver. "How did you know."

[Varric]

"Why do you deserve an answer?"

[Carver Amell]

"Because it's my family, goddammit, and if you're a risk to them--"

"Dad," says the youngest. "Your heart."

"Blast my heart!"

"Sorry about him," she says, putting a hand on Carver's other arm. "He's just really protective."

[Varric]

Varric sneers at Carver. "Your family? Hardly. You ruined that decades ago. You abused and rejected Marian and you forswore Bethie. There's no place for you here, Carver Verburry."

[Aveline Vallen]

"Bethie?" Aveline says sharply, catching the particular form of the name used.

[Carver Amell]

Carver shakes off his daughter, drawing a dagger at his hip. "How dare you speak that name in this wretched house!"

[Varric]

"That the same dagger you tried to kill Marian with?" Varric asks blandly, though his next words are prevented by the older redhead stepping between Carver and Varric. 

[Aveline Vallen]

"Children! Enough! Caver, remember who you are, not who you were back here." She glares at them both, the shield on her back glowing a strong steely light. "You're better than that now."

[Carver Amell]

Carver flips his dagger around, taking a deep breath as he runs his thumb over the shield emblazoned on the hilt. Deep breath. Remember who I am. 

"Fine," he says, his voice steel. "Mari, Aveline, let's go. There's nothing here for me after all."

[Varric]

Mari? "Why'd you come here in the first place? What were you hoping for?"

[Carver Amell]

"Does it matter?" he asks, bitterly. "I came to lay old ghosts to rest. But it's clear I'm not wanted here."

[Varric]

"So you're just going to give up because a mean old bastard was rude to you?" Varric challenges Carver. "Do you want to make amends for what you did or not?"

[Carver Amell]

"I meant that literally -- there's a ghost here and I intended to help you lay it to rest. But I'm not narcissistic enough to think I'm the only one who can. If you don't want my help, I won't force it on you."

[Varric]

"Ghosts. Plural," Varric says tightly. "Why now? It's been almost half a century."

[Carver Amell]

"A boy turned up at the home of a good friend of ours, claiming he'd seen a ghost in Golden Shores and befriended it. If it's willing to talk..."