The Winter's Queen [Magus AU]

[Tethras Clan]

~Wouldn't have brought it up if I wasn't willing to share it,~ Varric notes. ~Well, one of my favorites was about a month in her temp job serving as Aveline's assistant. She decided that the best way to a woman's heart- or bed- was the same as a man's: her stomach. So she decided to make some stew to bring in for their dinners.~

[Carver Amell]

And that.... doesn't work?

[Tethras Clan]

~Have you never eaten your sister's cooking?~ Varric snorts. ~She's a bit too free with substitution.~

[Carver Amell]

She poisoned the Captain?  His tone is awed and incredulous. And she's still alive?! He easily rounds the bend, feeling his way along as he's distracted by the story. 

[Tethras Clan]

~Well, poison is a strong word. More like... made her vomit for ten minutes. Evidently, if you're making stew and the recipe calls for red wine, you cannot, in fact, substitute in vinegar. Nor should you subsitine ground up bread for flour, even if it is stale. Finally, castor oil is not cooking oil.~

[Carver Amell]

Sweet Astea! He's actually stunned for a moment. That's-- That's atrocious! 

[Tethras Clan]

~Not her finest moment, no,~ Varric agrees. ~Aveline's kind, so she forced the first spoonful down, but the second had a bit of the meat that was cooked with the castor oil. So... yeah. All over her desk.~

[Carver Amell]

He pictures her desk for an instant, then laughs aloud as he wriggles his way up the tunnel. It's good to know little miss perfect really isn't! I was beginning to wonder if she ever made mistakes anymore.

[Tethras Clan]

~Aveline or Hawke?~ Varric asks, then realizes who Carver means at the second sentence. ~Oh, Hawke, yes, she makes mistakes. Most small, but some serious. Like everyone else really.~

[Carver Amell]

It's been a long time since anyone treated her like she was anyone else. Not since Bethany died. Bethie used to be so good for us. When she broke her arm, Bethie got her treated and helped her try to hide it from mom. My solution was to wrap up my own arm so she couldn't be too mad at her, but Hawke laughed and said it wouldn't help. 

[Tethras Clan]

~...yeah. Sometimes... sometimes families break under loss. I... when my mother died... it took the heart from our family,~ Varric admits. ~My father just... faded away and my brother and I aren't really brothers, just business partners.~ A pause. ~Weren't, I suppose.~

[Carver Amell]

Oh, I'm sorry, is he-- no, idiot, Varric is. Sorry. Uh, if-- when I get out of this, if you want I can tell him what happened to you? Um, I guess at some point there needs to be a funeral. Someone has to tell Father, too, and I don't have his address...

[Tethras Clan]

~Well... after this is all over, you should be set pretty well. If nothing else, Zevran will be getting some packages detailing my inheritance. He and Flirty will get most of it, but I'll have them get you enough for some high level divitations and the downpayment to a cottage or what have you in Sweetwater or Draslina.~

[Carver Amell]

You know you-- you know you don't have to do that, right? You don't need to pay me for this. I'm glad to do it.

[Tethras Clan]

~What, not like I'll need it, one way or the other, will I?~ Varric says simply.