Imprints in Stone [AU]

[Marian Hawke]

"Please," says Marian quietly. "I'll die for you, if I have to. Please don't make me."

[Varric]

I... I don't think I could let her walk away. If she kills Marian... (gods).

[Coquette Blacquin]

"What else can I do?" she whispers. "I don't have anything else to give."

[Marian Hawke]

"Then retire," she says, simply. "You've given enough. More than enough. Please. I want... I want one of us to walk away from this. I want to be with you, even if I can't... even if I'll never... I want to be with you."

Her eyes cloud with tears, but she doesn't wipe them, doesn't look away from Silver's face.

[Coquette Blacquin]

"You'll never?" whispers Cindy. "What do you mean?"

[Marian Hawke]

"I'm broken," says Marian, quietly. "I'm broken. I can't. I just want to be with you, and with Varric, and with my family, please. I just want to go home."

[Coquette Blacquin]

Cindy closes her eyes. Takes a deep breath.

Lowers her hand. 

The Scale moves, then, lunging forward toward Marian, faster than any of them can react. He lifts his hand, and they can all see, almost in slow motion, as he reaches for Marian...

and pulls her into a hug, his cloak settling in around them, to protect her. To ease her pain.

[GamesMaster]

The darkness rises up to claim them all, then, as Cindy fades from the mirror, a stream of silver light flowing into the Scale. Reinforcing him-- her. Combining the two. 

The last image they see is Marian sobbing in Cindy's arms, the masks all off now, just embracing and clinging to each other again.


When they wake, Helene is still unconscious. That's to be expected, of course; so are Marian and Cindy, for that matter, also to be expected. They transfer the pair of lovers back to Cindy's bed, cuddled up together, tucking them in, and settle in to wait out Helene's awakening... and plan Merrill's delve.

[GamesMaster]

Two days into the coma period, there's a knock on the door: Don, carrying a covered basket, asking for Beth. He's shown to the sitting room, and Carver goes to fetch Beth, letting her know who is here for her.

When she enters, Don stands, offering the basket. "Hey. I uh. I heard your... family members? were ill or-- it was really kind of jumbled, I'm not sure what... I brought nuts?"

[Bethany]

Having taken a brief moment to have a mild panic attack- and then splash her face with water and neaten her hair afterwards- Bethany stills in the doorway. "Wh-what? You're- but I- you're okay?" she blurts out brokenly.

[GamesMaster]

"Yeah, of course," he says, with a fond smile. "I just... I came to check on you. Miki told me Carver recovered so I tried to stay away but..."

[Bethany]

"But you.. Miki stood by you? Even though..." Bethany whispers, feeling a surge of affection for the often irritating but loyal catfolk.

[GamesMaster]

He blinks. "What? Yes, of course. We're Tribe. But, I didn't come here to-- I came here for you. To see if I could help. I... it seems a bit foolish, but, when someone in the Tribe is hurting or, or passes, or something, we, I, the custom is to bring food, and well, I know zi'Tethras can buy you all the tuna steaks you want, but I thought, maybe some candied nuts, I remember you like them, and... and..."

[Bethany]

Bethany doesn't hear a word past 'we're Tribe.' Her breath catche, her vision swims and she reaches out to the wall to steady herself. As he trails off, possibly do to him noticing her growing distress, she finally forces herself to inhale sharply. "Thank the Bright God," she nearly whimpers with the exhale. "You're okay."

[GamesMaster]

Don hesitates, moving toward her, tail lashing with concern. "B-beth? Are you... you thought I was hurt?"