Imprints in Stone [AU]

[Tethras Clan]

"Ah." The sound lingers for a long moment. "I... if I lost Isabela, I would... yes. I would rather endure chains again."

[Helene Dakesh]

"This one lost this one's mind. This one lost this one's friend, this one's family. And... and this one... Alydra led this one to these sacrifices. This one could not... this one's faith wavered." They blush then, shivering, keenly embarrassed and regretful to admit it.

[Tethras Clan]

"If your faith could not waver, it would not be faith. It would be... something lesser. If faith is not a choice, then it is no virtue," Zevran says softly, resting his chin in the crook of their shoulder. 

[Helene Dakesh]

"This one has never had a choice," says Helene softly. "This one has always belonged to Alydra. This one... When I was small, I nearly drowned in much the same manner."

[Tethras Clan]

"There is... a difference, between having no choice and being the type of person that could not live with themselves if they made any choice but one." Zevran presses a kiss to their temple.

[Helene Dakesh]

"This one has always been small and broken and worthless," they whisper. "Alydra has always wanted this one anyway. Made this one greater, more whole, more worthy."

[Tethras Clan]

"I will not deny that... service to the gods, to that sort of cause, makes a person greater. A part of something greater. But... that does not mean that a person is... broken without that cause," Zevran says slowly. "And you are certainly not worthless. Even without your gifts or connection to the divine, you are a person worth knowing. A friend worth having. Just because you are you."

[Helene Dakesh]

"This one is defective," they whisper. "This one is more defective than before. This one..."

They hesitate, not wanting to bring up the occasional hallucination, the sense of unreality that sometimes permeates their days, the feeling that all is not quite how it seems. Instead, they shake their head. "All is not restored to how it was. But, this one... this one persists."

[Tethras Clan]

"Can you... do more? To heal?" Zevran asks carefully, not wanting to pressure them.

[Helene Dakesh]

"There is risk," they reply gently. 

[Tethras Clan]

"Life is risk. Is... living with the complications worse than the risk? Can they be reduced?" Zevran asks.

[Helene Dakesh]

"It is... acceptable. This one is... this one was very afraid of these sorts of complications, but now, they are... they are less than what this one went through."

[Tethras Clan]

"But perhaps it would not be a poor thing to see if they can be reduced? Safely?" Zevran suggests, wondering what sort of things these 'complications' are but not wanting to press.

[Helene Dakesh]

"Perhaps. this one... This one funded the original rituals, but, Varric funded the restorations. This one would not... there is a cost, and it is not small."

[Tethras Clan]

Zevran snorts. Loudly. Then taps them chidingly on the forehead. "Dearest oracle, you can be quite silly at times."