Imprints in Stone [AU]

[Marian Hawke]

"My class isn't very big," she points out. "But yes, I am."

[Bethany]

Bethany thinks about trying to explain. About how much it wears, to always been in the middle. About how it tires her, always making peace, always having to give in and put herself to the side in order to keep things flowing. About how she just wishes that she could do something for herself without feeling guilty that she's not taking care of mother, Marian or her twin. About how hard it is to never be sharp, never lose her temper, never shout.

"...okay," she whispers.

[Varric]

"Top is top. Decent dwarven, good grounding in the classics... how's your maths?" Varric asks curiously.

[Carver Amell]

"Okay." Carver nods, the matter firmly settled in his mind. "Whenever anything's wrong you come get me, okay? I'll always protect you, Bethany."

[Marian Hawke]

"Fine, I guess. Why?"

[Bethany]

But what if what's wrong is you? "...I know."

[Varric]

"I'm Alydrean, education is important," Varric replies easily. "What kind of school system do they have here anyway?"

[Marian Hawke]

"One schoolhouse. We're all taught together from workbooks, there's only five or six in my grade." Which is a grade or two higher than her age would indicate, not that she volunteers that information. One of the guys should have graduated by now and has been held back, so it's not like they're all the same age anyway. "You can stop going when you're fifteen, and there's no school during harvest season." 

[Varric]

"Tch. Well, I suppose that's better than some," he allows. "What're you working on right now?"

[Marian Hawke]

"Uh, something called Algebra, I guess it's gnomish? Formal writing and spelling. And occupational studies."

[Varric]

"Algebra? Yeah, gnomish," he confirms. "Hmm. What's X if... 2+X=3X-4?"

[Marian Hawke]

She rolls her eye upward, her mouth moving slightly as she thinks it over. Two plus x is three x minus four, so add the four to both sides, 6 plus x is 3x, subtract an x, six is two x, so x has to be half six, which is "three." 

[Varric]

"Seven seconds without paper," Varric says with a grin. "Budding little genius you are. What kind of sciences have you been taught? Got any alchemy?"

[Marian Hawke]

"Alcawhat?" 

[Varric]

"...alchemy. Herbalism, chemistry and metallurgy combined into one discipline?" he asks, looking pained.