Hazelnuts and plaid

[Aveline Vallen]

"Please don't ask me anything like that again," Aveline begs, shaking. "You've taught me that-- that I can love more than once, taught me that I can even want more than one at a time, but-- but it's always you at the center. Because it's you asking, I can put their lives ab-b-bove yours but only for you. I'll love them, care for them, support them. Absolutely. But you're first in my heart and always will be."

[Marian Hawke]

Why? her heart rages. Why am I so damn important to everyone that they can't function without me, that I'm the center of their being, that I'm-- Merrill. Aveline. Zevran too, I'll bet. Only Isabela seems to have a healthy level of attachment to me. Should I leave for two years on my own trip to Orzammar? 

She takes a deep breath in, lets it out. "The babes are our future. The future of our Clan. In time... in time I hope they can be at least equal in your heart."

[Aveline Vallen]

Aveline flinches-- before Marian speaks. I'm not sure what-- what she just thought but... "Marian, I do love them, even now, even when they're still just... potential," she finally settles on. "And yes, maybe one day they'll come first. I never would have thought anyone or anything could have meant more than my duty to the city and yet..." She lifts their joint hands, the paladin's grip almost painfully tight, in silent identification. "Is that-- is that enough? I can tell that-- that-- gods I'm terrible at all of this," she mutters darkly.

[Marian Hawke]

"That's fine," she whispers. "Aveline, I..."

Aveline's minder coughs a little, trying to get their attention. Hawke bristles, glaring at the woman. 

[Aveline Vallen]

Aveline's eye twitches and she gives a legit growl. Short and brief, but legit. And swiftly followed by a sigh. "Sorry, no, you're right," she grumbles. "Go ahead and wheel me after her."

[Wylde]

The minder gives a short, pacifying whimper, before starting to wheel Aveline back to the guard. "I'm sure once she's in the cell again you can keep talking," she adds. "Just, Johnny over there's fidgeted six times in the last two minutes."

[Aveline Vallen]

"What-- No, stop," Aveline says firmly. "I meant literally 'after her,' Wylde." Raising her voice to include the other guards, she explains, "I'll stay with her, in the cell."

[Wylde]

Wylde blinks. "Captain?"

[Marian Hawke]

Marian gapes. "Wait, what? Why? Shouldn't you be resting?"

[Aveline Vallen]

"I'll be in a chair," Aveline gripes sourly, glaring at the armrest. "Sitting, just like I've been for hours without being allowed to so much as get my own drink of water. Despite being fine. So yes, I will be sitting down, in the cell, with my beloved, where I can talk with her and hold her hand and maybe have a kiss or ten. Is that understood?"

[Marian Hawke]

Marian shakes her head. "Why? I'll be fine, I swear."

[Aveline Vallen]

"Well, for one, you'd consider yourself 'fine' while starving, on fire and being heckled by a jarvey. So there's that. And two?" She blushes a little but lifts her head up high. "I want company. I want family."

[Marian Hawke]

Her eyes flood again. "Normally I'd send you to M-merrill... Gods."

[Aveline Vallen]

Aveline swallows thickly. "When-- when she's back. We're all spending a couple of days together. The whole Clan. I'll drag people home to it if I have to," she says, voice darkening and eyes flashing. Dammit, why aren't you back yet Varric?

[Marian Hawke]

Marian nods. "We... we haven't had a Clan Truthing in a while..."