Imprints in Stone [AU]

[Carver Amell]

"Because," he says simply. "I love her. And I have faith in her. She would never hurt me. Even if I hurt her, badly, she wouldn't hurt me. Couldn't let me come to harm. If we go to the hideout, and I... imitate her," he says, with a small grimace. "We should end up on the moon."

[Bethany]

"Car-"

Bethany snaps up a hand, interrupting their dad. "Can I talk to Carver privately? For just a moment?" There's a pause, just a moment, then Varric calls the mabari over, saying he'll scout the area just nearby. Once he's out of earshot, Beth takes a deep breath, still staring right up into Carver's eyes. "I'll ask once and accept whatever you tell me is true. Is this- Are you sure about this or is this punishment, a chance to hurt yourself again?"

[Carver Amell]

Carver looks away, swallowing, breathing deeply. Finally, he looks back, meeting her eyes. "I... I don't know. I think I'm right. But I don't know."

[Bethany]

"Alright," she says simply, rising up to kiss him on the cheek. "Shall we?"

[Carver Amell]

He nods. "Alright. Let's." 

[Tethras Clan]

Varric and the mabari aren't far, and the map is fairly accurate as far as they can tell, so it's not that bad of a trip. Nothing attacks them- in fact, a series of animals seem to escort them along. Unicorns, warthogs, giant orange and black striped cats with house cats wearing tiny hats, shiny fish swimming in the air and dancing dragons. They have to pass through The Really Neato Temple Street (filled with temples that the various churches would probably love to have had the funds to build. Varric can't help but notice that Vangal has roughly three times as many temples as the other gods), the Overly Elaborate Maze of Living in a City ('Only Sunny would great a special part in her mind to house all the rules about city-living') and finally Cooking with Beth at Home for Our Family (where it takes almost fifteen minutes to walk through their kitchen despite it being the same size and them not repeating any of the distance). 

But eventually they arrive at The Totally Secret Hideout for Actually Pretty Nice Bandits. Which is a small shack with a mundane looking door with one of those shuttered peepholes and a tiny etching of a bandana on the door frame. "Classic," Varric murmurs approvingly.

[Carver Amell]

Carver nods, taking a deep breath. "Okay. Wait here, I'm going to check out the scene and see if there's a way to get to the moon." 

[Varric]

"Splitting up really isn't a great idea in Delves," Varric says, shaking his head. "Why the suggestion anyway? Last I knew, you weren't much for magic and don't know the ritual- unless Merrill taught you?"

[Carver Amell]

"The... ritual?" he says, blinking. "Oh! Good idea."

[Varric]

Four sets of eyes study for him a long moment. "Yes. The ritual," Varric says in a clipped voice. "You were the one that was there first, go ahead and knock Carver."

[Carver Amell]

Carver nods, turning back to the door and knocking firmly. I hope this works somehow.

[Tethras Clan]

The panel slams open and someone grunts inside.

[Carver Amell]

"H-hi," he says hesitantly. "Have you seen Merrill?"

[Tethras Clan]

Another grunt. Though... it almost sounds like a meow...

[Carver Amell]

He frowns, then tries again in Catfolk: "...is sunshine-cat inside?"