Hazelnuts and plaid

[Marian Hawke]

"You were already..." she says, then gently, hesitantly, pats Aveline's stomach. "He came to me in jail, came to find out if I was alright. Then he left with Isabela."

[Aveline Vallen]

"Oh. That's... fair," she allows with a huff, then grunts. "Budge over just-- yeah, that's better," she says after Hawke shifts so she's leaning more against the paladin's shoulder. "I'll assume he's off discovering something useful or the like then. Right now, I want to spend time with my--" don't you dare! This is not the time and hormones bedamned! "beloved. Catch up on all the things I should have made time for weeks ago. Like... well, like your drinking. Trying to forget? Drown out dark whispers?"

[Marian Hawke]

Hawke nods. "Drink works as well as sex," she whispers. "I did a lot of both."

[Aveline Vallen]

Aveline looks distracted for a few seconds, then twitches sharply. She clears her throat, cheeks red, then clears her throat again. "Yes, sex is distracting," she agrees quickly. "But-- Ah. Your new uni friends?"

[Marian Hawke]

Hawke nods. "They're not Clan, exactly, but..."

[Aveline Vallen]

Aveline blinks, distracted from her, ah, distraction. "Really? I hadn't realized that they-- Huh." She winces, feeling even worse about how busy she's made herself of late. "I've never even met any of them," she mutters guiltily.

[Marian Hawke]

"None of the Clan have. I've been keeping my identities separate. I enrolled as Mary Amell."

[Aveline Vallen]

Aveline nods. "I knew that much at least," she confirms, though she's frowning slightly at the strangeness of the disconnect. "About the alias. I just-- well, I would have thought that if you were considering them almost Clan-- proto-Clan I suppose-- then they would know who you are, so meeting us wouldn't be an issue."

[Marian Hawke]

"No, I... it's not like that. I just meant, I've been with them repeatedly. Usually I don't do a lot of repeats unless my heart's guiding me, but in this case... we're just friends. Ever since the Wager it's harder for me to... to grow attached to new people."

[Aveline Vallen]

Sorrow floods Aveline's face until she can soothe it back. "Oh," she says quietly, the arm around Hawke pulling her in closer. "So by 'not Clan but' you meant more that they're... Not Clan and won't ever become Clan, like as not, but that they're," self-disgust and regret flavor her tone, "filling in for us because we've not been there for you."

[Marian Hawke]

"You had to work," she argues. "You didn't do anything wrong."

[Aveline Vallen]

"Last month, perhaps," Aveline disagrees. "This month? I could have easily-- well, okay, I could have taken an evening or even an afternoon and evening off without much effort. But I wanted to finish some projects up so I could take that time off." She shakes her head. "I shouldn't have stayed away. You shouldn't have pulled away. Both of us need to remember our Clan words."

[Marian Hawke]

"Yes," sighs Marian, cuddling up to Aveline. "I'm sorry, still."

[Aveline Vallen]

"Sorry is good," Aveline agrees, closing her eyes as tension just leaks out of her. Marian. My amata. I should never go this long without holding you close again. It's not good for either of us. "Better is love. I love you." Not waiting for-- or needing-- a reply, she tilts her lover's head back to gently kiss her. The world can wait. Right now, I just need... this.

[Varric Thedas]

The next few hours are far less comforting and enjoyable for Varric back in the star chamber. The next three witnesses are trivial really; more uni chums, there only to confirm and expand small details of Joni's testimony. Other than what amounts to gossip, the only real yield of those interviews is a worsening of Varric's mood as Hawke's poor academic habits and self-destructive behavior is brought up again and again. 

I could have gone my whole damn life (and after) without knowing how many marbles Hawke can fit in her mouth (why is that even a thing!) or that she'd won the 'underwear scavenger hunt' this year (and how I weep at the implication this isn't the first time that event has disgraced our fair world). 

The witness after that is far more interesting and not just because he at least starts out as a possible suspect as well. For good or ill however, Zevran is rather quickly moved off the 'probable suspect' list onto the 'to consider again later if reasonable leads fail.' Him having also gotten poisoned (later confirmed by testimony by the Joyous that lead the ritual to heal him) does most of that but the last push comes from Zevran reluctantly admitting that the wine he and Isabela had drunk last night had come from Hawke. An apology gift for having to cancel a date the night prior with Isabela evidently, and an apple-based elven wine that Zevran and Merrill are both partial to. Far more than anyone else in the Clan, though Isabela enjoys it well enough. Aveline doesn't drink anymore and prefered ale, Varric thinks the stuff is no better than juice, and Marian prefers cocktails unless she's drinking with her Papa. 

After the Joyous, the final witness of the day is that of the senior ranking guard of the three-man patrol that had been the first on the scene. Most of his report was confirming that they hadn't found anything of note-- to the case-- at the Lily and Oak house; no other poisons, no signs of intruders, no illegal magickal workings or artifacts, no signs of torture or captives and so forth. Varric ends up heading for Voice, along with Helene, with the final answer ringing in his ears.

"No other poisons, no, but we did find some razor blades and a silk noose stashed away in a wall panel. Behind Hawke's desk. We're not sure yet how old they are but there was a little bit of blood on one of the blade's that we believe to be hers. Sage zi'Hawke's I mean."