Hazelnuts and plaid

[Marian Hawke]

"As if you're not all biased? You could have at least let me written to him myself. Damn you." She takes a deep breath, lets it out slowly. Maybe he'll come back, but.. like this? No. He'll stay gone. "Alright. Just... don't tell him anything else until the trial's done. He's not likely to come back, not for this."

[Varric]

Helene tilts nir head to the side. "Why?"

[Marian Hawke]

"Let's not put him thorough any more than he's already going through," she says, looking down at her toes again. Varric doesn't get the impression she's lying, though; her body language radiates shame, pain, regret.

[Varric]

"This one is confused. Please present an account of a time in which Varric has wished to avoid hardship if it would significantly impact one of his Clan?" Ne sounds a little upset there...

[Marian Hawke]

"He won't come back. I'm sure of that. He won't lift a finger for me, especially not once he hears what I did. He might not even come back when he planned to. Better to burn it down and forget."

[Varric]

Helene's eyes wide (what? Why does she--) "Please explain that conclusion!"

[Marian Hawke]

She shrugs a shoulder, shifting a little on the bench. "He was right, to leave. I know that now. And I know why he really left. I guess I don't talk about it much. It hurts to think about. But he was right. He's probably much happier now, without me."

[Varric]

"This one's communication with Varric suggests otherwise. Strongly so. He left because--" Helene hesitates, searching for the words. "He left because he misunderstood," ne finally says. "He thought that you were too dependant on him. He was not wrong in that regard. But he was wrong in how he went about helping you overcome this. I think he forgot how long a time two years are to merikos. And that not everyone can be as cold as he."

[Marian Hawke]

"You didn't tell him that too, did you?" she asks, and now there's a strong note of bitterness in her voice. She shakes her head immediately. "Sorry. Nevermind. I know you promised. Just... you're wrong. He left because he knew there was weakness in me. He thought he could burn it out of me by making me face it, but he was right: it was there, clear as day. I doubt he'll ever come back now that he sees how badly I failed."

[Varric]

"I... This one does not understand," Helene replies with a wince. "Tell him what?"

[Marian Hawke]

Hawke squints at Helene, frowning. Then narrows her eyes, frowning again. "Who are you?" she asks after a moment, voice cold. 

[Isabela]

"What do you mean?" Isabela cuts in. "You know Helene."

[Marian Hawke]

"I do. I know Helene never says 'you' when ne's nervous. Helene wouldn't leave Aveline's side if she was getting a ritual done; Helene would want to be there, checking over the ritual. And Helene would know what I was talking about. The fact Bela's covering for you means she's in on it. So I'll ask one more time: Who. Are. You?"

The temperature stays perfectly even in the room, not dropping a single degree. 

[Varric]

(Well shite). "This one is Clan," Helene says firmly. "This one has given the name Helene-who-was-Dakesh to the guards of this place." A beat. "This one would find it damned inconvenient to have to break out of jail before helping you."

[Marian Hawke]

"Zevran," she mouths, and slumps back in her seat. "Forgive me, Helene. It's been a long day. I just... Maybe you'd better go."