Imprints in Stone [AU]

[Coquette Blacquin]

"I can manage," she says, with a warm smile. "Garrett?"

Garrett sits up, frowning a little. "You're sure? You shouldn't push yourself, Cindy. If the healer says--"

"I'm well aware of my limits, thank you," she says, a little curtly. Garrett hangs his head.

"Alright," he replies meekly.

[Bethany]

Eyes narrowing, Bethany starts to chime in but subsides. Not my place, not my place, not my place. Silently, she salves and redresses Cindy's hand. "And done. There's a bathroom just across the hall if you'd like to wash up a bit first, then the kitchen is just down that way," she says, gesturing for the direction." That done, she gets a cane and hands it to the merikos elf. "Use that in your good  hand, along with some support on the other side, and you should be fine. If I catch you not using it, I have a bottle of sovereign glue I can use to make sure you remember to do so."

[Coquette Blacquin]

"Thank you, Beth," she says warmly. "Do you happen to know where my things are? I would like my gear, if it's no trouble. Adventurer comfort, you understand."

[Bethany]

"Sorry, no. You'll have to ask dad, I guess, I wasn't here when you were brought in," Beth says with a headshake. "There..." Bethany takes a deep breath. "Are some of Merrill's dresses, shirts and trousers in the wardrobe there that you can borrow, if you want to wear something less... nightgown."

[Coquette Blacquin]

That's better, but not quite the same as my hat. She knows better than to ask Garrett for his -- he needs it far more than she does. Still. It would be nice to have her things. 

Garrett squeezes her hand, and she smiles. "That would be lovely, thank you." Garrett must have hidden some of it. Good. "I'll get cleaned up and presentable then, shall I?"

[Varric]

After dressing and a meal- one larger by far than Cindy would like, not that Beth gives her much choice in the matter- the young woman finds herself lead to a study further down the hall. After showing her in, Beth heads off to 'check in on Merrill and maybe read to her a bit' which leaves her and Garret with a middle-aged dwarf with reddish blond hair and a far too observant stare. "Glad to see you up and about, Miss Cindy," he says with a faint smile, though it seems a bit more for the 'merikos dwarf' than for Cindy. "Have a seat."

[Coquette Blacquin]

"Thank you very  much for hosting me," she says politely, executing a perfect curtsy as she takes a seat. Garrett pulls his chair closer to hers, clutching at her hand desperately, making sure to sit on her good side so he doesn't hurt her, but needing to touch her, to be in close contact with her, to assure himself she's really here and awake.

"I understand you are Mr Tethras? Garrett has spoken highly of you."

[Varric]

"Yes I am. And dispense of any... misconceptions and move things along, I'm aware of... Garrett's past. Right now, he's my 'second cousin' but everyone living here save Merrill is aware of the truth. Pretty Beth is very much not thinking about it, but there it is. Garret here was once my student, quickly moving to be my apprentice before... certain elements intervened. That out of the way, how're you doing?" Hopefully that was direct enough for Cindy to catch on and not so direct that Garret (Marian) panics.

[Coquette Blacquin]

Cindy is quiet for a long moment, holding Garrett's hand, breathing together with him. As his breathing speeds up, she squeezes his hand tightly, breathing just a little slower than him; over the course of a long moment, he slows his to match hers, and together, they take deeper, slower breaths. All without a single word being passed between them, the only contact their hand, Garrett watching Cindy and Cindy watching Varric. 

"I see," she says, finally. "Then you have my thanks twice over, for looking after him while I could not." The statement is firm, drawing a clear line: Cindy is responsible for Garrett now, and she meets Varric's eyes, as though daring him to try and change that. Despite her pretty smiles and polite tone, there's real steel in her eyes as she sizes him up, and something dark, something menacing as well.

"But, truly, I am feeling quite well rested. I have very few concerns about my condition going forward."

[Varric]

"Family looks after family," Varric says simply. "Which includes you, given..." The dwarf nods at their joined hands. "I get the impression you'll want a bit of space however, so I'm in the middle of buying the places on either side of us. Was planning on gifting one to each twin- and Merrill with Carver- but that can wait. Sale should be final on the one to the left in a week or so, the other in three. The pair of you can have first pick."

[Coquette Blacquin]

"A house." She studies him a moment, frowning. "Why would you go to such lengths? We're not even certain we're staying in Nyra at all."

[Varric]

"As I said, the... effort was already in motion before your arrival, I just redirected the intent," Varric replies, purposely relaxing his normal control over his tells to help her read him. "And again, family. I get that not everyone thinks that way, but I do. Family, legacy, clan and kin... those mean something to me. Garrett's my cousin, so he's family. You're his family, so you are too. Both of you need a place to stay, to recover and... heal. I have the means, so I used them."

[Coquette Blacquin]

Something passes in her eyes, in the slight tension of her body -- something hard to read, but undeniably present. A bristling, an adverse reaction, a mustering of strength -- and then a deliberate release, a relaxing, a smile. The hint of steel and fang in her eyes is gone, replaced by sweetness and joy. 

"How very kind of you! Of course we will accept such a generous gift. Please, let me know if there is anything we can do for you in return."

[Varric]

"No debt involved. Consider it... a bit of compensation for not knowing you needed help in the past," Varric says slowly, not having missed a bit of that... bristlingly. Got a problem with family. Related to her being in that hellhole maybe?

[Coquette Blacquin]

"That's very kind of you." She smiles sweetly, not a hint of aggression on her person. "We'll be in more of a position to discuss details when I am more recovered. Is there anything else I should know immediately?"