Stone's Throw

[Varric]

The stoic, often dispassionate and even sometimes outright surly dwarf looks away, cheeks red. "Yeah." He clears his throat. "I love you too, Helene," he says softly.

[Helene Dakesh]

"As I have said, I do not wish to hurt you, nor to damage our relationship."

[Varric]

"You're the best thing in my life," Varric says, voice still soft. "I don't want to lose you either. But I also want you to be happy. Fulfilled."

[Helene Dakesh]

"I am happy," ne says quietly. "I have you, and my studies, and our adopted children. This is a desire of mine, but not all desires must be fulfilled."

[Varric]

"But it would make you happier."

[Helene Dakesh]

"Well, yes..."

[Varric]

"And making you happy, you being happy, makes me happy."

[Helene Dakesh]

"Yes. Unless the harm outweighs the effect."

[Varric]

Varric nods to acknowledge nir point. "If they're compatible, you're willing to use a ritual for the impregnation, correct?" He clears his throat, explaining, "it might be possible for me to... Without actually..." He scowls at himself as he gestures weakly as if to fill in the blanks.

[Helene Dakesh]

"Neither of us are merikos," Helene points out. 

[Varric]

"Not sure if that matters for a ritual," Varric replies, head cocking to the side. "Or most accurately, I'm not sure what issues, difficulties or so forth a ritual bypassing that would entail. I'd imagine that it would, at the least, result in either a full-blooded samsaran or a dwarf."

[Helene Dakesh]

"It's my understanding that you cannot combine disparate species without human blood to ease the combination."

[Varric]

"Naturally, absolutely," Varric agrees instantly. "But rituals can break a lot of rules, so I don't know but wouldn't be all that surprised to find out there's a loophole or edge case somewhere in there." He shrugs. "Not expecting it to work out but... I'd at least like to look that way, I guess?"

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene nods. "Of course. It is far more likely to be a dwarf in any regards -- samsaran births are exceedingly rare, even when rituals are used."

[Varric]

"Most likely case would involve a human, ah, participant," Varric muses. "Or perhaps an Outsider? A tulwath of Alydrea perhaps?"