Hazelnuts and plaid

[Isabela]

"I was there for the bandit adventure. I didn't see this packet but I ended up with a few doses of various poisons myself. Black adder venom and cloudthorne venom, and one more I can't remember. Why didn't you tell me you'd found an ingestable?"

[Marian Hawke]

"Got distracted, forgot." Marian glances away. 

[Varric]

"This one requested honesty," Helene says testily, hand shaking lightly for a second. "It was lying and hiding things from Clan that caused this chain of events. Please desist."

[Marian Hawke]

"I didn't want you to know in case I decided to... I didn't want Bela thinking it was her fault." She takes a deep, shuddering breath, lets it out. "I never thought this would blow back on Merrill, or I'd have gotten rid of it."

[Varric]

"How could it not affect Merrill? She is your wife. She loves you. No target of that poison would have left her heart still beating."

[Marian Hawke]

"I know," she says, morosely, quietly. "I know, okay? I wouldn't have done it, I don't think. Only... there's a point where I drink just enough, not so much I black out, but enough, and all the pain wells up and overwhelms me, and I just want an out. Then I drink more and it goes away. Sometimes I'd stop there for a bit and just... think about life."

[Varric]

"That seems stupid." A second's pause. "Correction, I misspoke. It is certainly stupid." (Watch it. Accurate but wrong.)

[Marian Hawke]

"I know." She takes a deep breath. "I was out with Marianne and Joni last night. I don't remember coming home. I just remember waking up and Merrill was gone."

[Varric]

"Please provide full names, descriptions and occupations or addresses."

[Marian Hawke]

"I told you about them. Marianne Aboittoire and Joni Morganne. From class." Hawke runs her hand through her hair. "We were drinking at the Star's End. I don't know where they live except in uni housing. I mean I went there before but I don't know the address. They're roommates, in one of the dorms."

[Varric]

"This one does not wish to assume," ne explains a little too smoothly. "Have you spoken with anyone about this matter? The theft of the poison, it's near use or your, ah, stupid plan?"

[Marian Hawke]

"No," she whispers, hanging her head. "I was... I was in shock this morning. I told them it was my fault and they put me here to wait for someone to question me properly. I thought they'd sent you, but..."

[Varric]

"No. This is a Clan meeting." Helene smiles, a warm, supportive smile. "You have stumbled and pulled away from your loved ones but you are still," daughter mine, "our family. It was not accepted that you would commit the crimes which you have been accused of doing. As such, we are seeking more information."

[Marian Hawke]

"They're going to send me to prison," she whispers. "For a long time, even for manslaughter."

[Varric]

"That is not a set path," Helene says instantly, making a sharp cutting motion with nir writing hand. "There are numerous extenuating circumstances that must be factored in. Your depression is a major factor; it could be easily argued that you are not in your right mind and need medical assistance, not punishment. You did not intend to give the wine-- the poison-- to another and where, in fact, not certain about--" Helene's words slam to a halt and nir face (no, no, no, no) twists for a moment. "About your stupid plan." Ne swallows. "Each of those factors degrade the severity of the act by a significant degree. Your obvious remorse and," ne gives Marian a hard look that doesn't quite match the giver, "willingness to provide recompense and accept help-- professional help-- in actively dealing with your depression, alcoholism and idealization of self-harm all also impact your probable judgment."