Imprints in Stone [AU]

[Bethany]

"I- nothing! Mum, no! Varric's great! I- Joey broke my nose and Varric fixed-"

[Leandra Hawke ne Amell]

"Broke your nose!" Leandra's voice has reached shrill, ear-bleeding levels. "Marian, look at what you caused!"

[Varric]

Varric frowns, getting to his feet. "Marian didn't start the fight," he begins.

[Marian Hawke]

"Yes I did, I'm sorry, it's all my fault, Bethany was just standing too close, please don't yell at her, it's my fault," she stammers, this time actually moving between them, spreading her arms. "I'm the bad one, please,"

[Varric]

"Bethany already told me that Joey started the fight going after her, you stepped in to protect your sister," Varric corrects Hawke in a firm tone. "So it's Joey's fault and neither of yours."

[Leandra Hawke ne Amell]

"And who are you, exactly? Why did- why did you bring your sister here?" Leandra demands, switching her focus back to Marian.

[Marian Hawke]

"I-- I thought she'd be safe, here, with an adult. I didn't know you were home. I didn't want to leave her alone while I went to find you." Stop fucking helping, Tethras!

[Leandra Hawke ne Amell]

"Why didn't you bring her to the teacher?" her mother fires back.

[Bethany]

Because the grass was covered in ice during late spring. "I asked her to," Bethany blurts out. "I knew Varric could help. Mr. Mendeis, ummm, well..." Bethany sniffs a little, trying to draw their mother's attention. "He doesn't seem to like us very much." Before Leandra can blame Marian, she adds, "I think it's because of... father."

[Varric]

"Probably just as well," Varric cuts in smoothly. Like I said, Bethany's nose was broken pretty badly. Strong girl to have been able to not be crying out in pain. Doubt this Mr. Mendeis could have done much to help unless he's also a Bright. Not many people have healing wands after all."

[Leandra Hawke ne Amell]

That draws Leandra up short a bit. A wand? Those are very expensive... why does he have one? And he used it on Bethany? "...that's very kind of you," she says carefully, eyes narrowed.

[Marian Hawke]

"I already agreed to work for him, to pay him back," says Marian. I need to stop this, Carver and Bethany will kill me if I get their job taken away. And whatever he might be, he's no child molester. 

[Varric]

Thankfully, Varric catches the toss without blinking. "Girl's smart. Good head for sums, decent handwriting. Need to polish her dwarven a bit, but she's here and ready, which makes her a better pick than a better trained scribe from Nyra. I was figuring a couple of hours after school each day doing parchment work. Maybe running messages intown, picking up deliveries, that sort of thing."

[Marian Hawke]

Marian nods enthusiastically. "Anything, to get Bethany the help she needed."

[Leandra Hawke ne Amell]

Even if he's lying about her nose being broken... Not like Marian is going to get a better offer. And after letting her sister be here so often, it would serve her right if- Leandra instantly feels ashamed at the very thought, her temper cooling with the guilt. "I... Marian is finished with school, as matter of fact. But I think the two of us need to have a much longer conversation, in private, before I'll be allowing any of my children to be here again, Mister Varric."