Ghost Story

[Varric]

Varric's gaze is on the sky, watching the sun continue to rise above the treeline. "Emm. Aah. Initials for Marian Amell. Fifty years is a long time for a ghost that doesn't feed. Things get lost."

[Carver Amell]

"What? You befriended a ghost?" says Marianne, thoroughly lost. 

Her father only nods. "I suspected... I thought perhaps if I came here to speak with her, she could rest. It's been too long. Nobody deserves to be trapped here like that. I'd hoped she'd gone to rest when I left, but I suppose that would be too much to ask."

[Varric]

Varric snorts. "Yeah, that's putting it mildly. No, she's stayed." Please be here still (come back). "And with company; Silence."

[Carver Amell]

Carver's face softens. "I always was jealous the mabari bonded to her instead of me. She was meant to be a birthday present for me, to soften the blow, but..."

[Aveline Vallen]

"But if you'd bonded with her, you'd not have Hunter," his wife reminds him, rubbing his arm. "He's sleeping in the cart, with my Beka," she explains to Varric. 

[Varric]

"Have to admit, it's one thing to hear of mabari's loyalty and such, but seeing it? Staying on this world for fifty years, just because she couldn't leave her person behind. Hells of a thing really." Varric rubs at his temple and sighs a little.

[Carver Amell]

"Fair enough. I don't begrudge her that, not anymore." Carver chuckles. "I know my Hunter would do the same, if it came to it."

[Varric]

"Where is she?" Varric's question is abrupt, rushed. It's also desperate.

[Carver Amell]

Carver blinks. "Marian? I don't know. I thought you did."

[Varric]

"Very accurate word choice, 'did.' She--" Varric closes his eyes and breathes slowly. "The demon made a play last night. We-- She won. It took her, I tried to get her back but I wasn't prepared for the right. Not enough. She stepped in, made the difference. Afterwards... she's been just gone. So. Where is she? Her remains," he clarifies, fixing Carver with a hard look.

[Carver Amell]

Carver flushes, lowering his eyes. "Oh." He takes a deep breath. "Yeah. I can tell you that. Just... remember, I was a boy at the time. I didn't know any better."

[Varric]

"Bullshit," Varric says very distinctly. "Even this shithole's verion of Astea has things to say about murder, much less kinslaying."

[Carver Amell]

Carver flinches. "But it doesn't say to disobey your parents, to fight to bury her on sanctified ground in the churchyard like she belongs. The murder was an accident, I never meant to kill her -- just scare her a little. I did my best to save her, and when they told me to hide the body, I was terrified I'd be killed if I didn't."

[GamesMaster]

"Wait, what? You killed-- what?" demands Marianne.

[Carver Amell]

"Mari. Go get some water for the donkey, will you?"