Imprints in Stone [AU]

[Carver Amell]

Carver doesn't miss a thing about Bethany. He sees her expression, his hand clenching into a fist, but he doesn't know how to help, can't figure out what she needs. Wine, something about wine -- something painful.

"Fine," he says absently, watching Bethany's face. A moment later he shakes himself out of it, moving to get the cider. What is it about wine?

[Bethany]

Bethany takes a deep breath, forcing back her darker emotions. I have to be strong, for Carver. I can't hurt him anymore than I already have. I need to... need to talk to him about... gods. Not now. Not right now, but... soon. "Thank you for bringing this, I hadn't realized the, ummm, Ciren clergy worked with the guard so closely. "Vangal and Junon, sure. Bastion and Naugrix maybe, even Alydra in Nyra but Ciren?

[NPCs]

"Hmmm? Oh, no, we don't," Seline replies, wondering what Carver's reaction was about. "Andy asked me personally. There we go, everything's here, go ahead and get something," she orders them both gently as Carver comes back in with the cider. 

[Carver Amell]

Carver's back stiffens, and he double-times his way back with the cider. "You're friends?" he grunts, eyes narrowed.

[NPCs]

"Very much so," Seline says evenly. "We've been married for two years now, as a matter of fact. Bright Danis, my husbands' priest since they were children did the ceremony, though it was done at my temple. Compromise is essential to a good marriage after all."

[Bethany]

Bethany pauses in the middle of serving out soup for her and Carver to stare. "But he's- Bright? An Astean priest... performed the ceremony? For him?"

[NPCs]

I'm glad that Andy thought to mention what happened to their village or I might have used the sharper side of my tongue here. "Yes. Andy isn't at fault for his mother's blood. He's a good man and a good husband, working to become a good guardian of our city despite his childhood and despite the doubt and hatred of those that see only his horns."

[Carver Amell]

"You married a de-- " what was that word "tiefling?" Carver bristles faintly. "You're not afraid to bring children around him?" Subconsciously, he moves closer to Bethany, as though ready to protect her.

[NPCs]

"I'll gladly bear his children and raise our children alongside him," Seline says simply. "Andy is not his mother. I... I can only imagine how hard it must be to... separate what happened to... Gold Shores from Andy, but they aren't the same. He has never and would never do anything like that. Ever."

[Bethany]

"Golden," Bethany corrects her a touch numbly. 

[Carver Amell]

"The blood of killers runs in him," snaps Carver, hands balling into fists again. "A man is destined to fill the shoes of his parents." 

This probably means little to Seli, but Bethany, who knows that Carver comes from a deadbeat father and an uncaring mother, can see the cut against himself for what it is. 

[Bethany]

"Carver Firethorn Hawke," Bethany hisses, grabbing him by the arm to try and yank him around. "We will not be our parents. You will never abandon me, much less the children you deserve to have one day. And I will-" She takes a deep breath. "I will never stop caring about you. And I will never, ever hate my children." Not that I'll ever have any, but that's not... that doesn't matter. He needs to hear it.

[Carver Amell]

"Mother doesn't hate us," he snaps. "She just... She just isn't Varric."

[Bethany]

Bethany snorts derisively, looking away. "Sure she doesn't," the young woman says bitterly, shoving a bowl of salad in front of her twin. Good thing she's already done serving the soup...

[Carver Amell]

"She's our mother, Bethany! She-- she's been through a lot lately, that's all."