Imprints in Stone [AU]

[Varric]

"...right where I want you?" Varric asks slowly, giving her a look. "What are you thinking I want?"

[Marian Hawke]

"I don't know," she snaps, tears of frustration coming to the surface rapidly. "I don't know what it is grown men are meant to want from underaged girls, but I know it's nothing good. But that's just par for my life lately, isn't it? So you've got me. Whatever it is you want, fine. Just so long as my siblings have a chance, I'll do it. I just want to know what I'm in for."

[Varric]

Varric blanches, gaze snapping to the ground. "Don't- don't ever-" He swallows a few times, trying to control his gorge. The implication of it, the abruptness of the accusation and the people involved- all had combined to crack his normal control and facade about sex. "Eternal Sage, girl, that's disgusting," he mutters. "Absolutely not. That's disgusting and foul, the mere idea of it." He shudders. "I've no interest- none- in you like that. Or your sibs. Or your mother, for that damn matter." Another shudder.

[Marian Hawke]

"Then, then what do you want?" The tears intensify, and she rubs at them, hating herself for crying, for showing weakness. "Nobody's this nice to us for no reason. Nobody's this nice to us, period. You're not my father, you're not my anything. What are you after?"

[Varric]

"I- I just explained all of this, not two minutes ago," Varric insists.  "Sister, you, Alydra, investment."

[Marian Hawke]

"You want something from my sister, apparently, which, not sure I'm okay with that. You think I'm, what? I don't even know. 'alright' could mean anything. I don't know much about Alydra, but that seems fine. And finally, what return could you possibly get on this? I can already read and write in three languages. You teaching me chemistry isn't going to make me better at that." She shakes her head. "I know when someone is feeding me a line."

[Varric]

Varric studies Marian for a long moment. "I don't... I don't have some sinister plan for your sister. She's a nice kid, why do I need some nefarious motivation to be nice to her? You don't agree that she deserves a good turn?"

[Marian Hawke]

"I do," she says, with a sigh. "but nobody else in this whole town seems to. We're outsiders, still. We'll never fit in. And Bethany worst of all, with all the rumors about her.  Add to that the mess with Father and now this... there's no reason for anyone to be this nice to us. Pleasant, sure. Polite maybe. Pay coin for work done, sure, that's fine. But you're... you're going out of your way to give me a chance, and I'm so tired of having chances taken away." She rubs at her eyes, shaking her head. "I just can't."

[Varric]

"...rumors?" Varric murmurs to himself, not having bothered to look into rumors about children as yet. Heard about their dad, of course, but... "Well... I can't blame you for having a... absentee father. Don't see as how that has any bearing on your character, just his. And maybe your mother's judgement, but again, nothing on you three. As for chances..." He shrugs. "I'm not from around here. Guess I just think different."

[Marian Hawke]

"Besides," she says, pulling her hair back to reveal the point of her ear. "You're a dwarf. Dwarves hate elves."

[Varric]

"I figured as much. Your build doesn't show it much, but it's there," Varric replies easily. "Again, that's not something you can do much about so I don't see why I should hate you for it. Seems daft to me. You're pretty down to earth and practical, so it's not like you're the typical fuzzy brained elf anyway."

He considers her a long moment. Need to tell her something. A part anyway. "My mother died when I was still young. For a dwarf, obviously. But years don't matter as much as who you are and I was still young. Father didn't handle it well. Older brother... worse. Guess maybe it bothers me, seeing another family getting worn done under the weight of a missing parent, a.... an uncaring parent and an indifferent village. You're blessed with your siblings. Carver might have a temper and need to prove himself, but he's solid, loyal to his core. Bethany needs to learn to look after herself first from time to time, but she's kind, caring person who just wants people to be happy with each other. You... I don't know as well. Seem a bit suspicious, which isn't always bad. A bit hot-tempered, a bit self-sacrificing. Kind of a bit of both twins really. But you they both speak well of you, even if Carver can be overly competitive about you."

[Marian Hawke]

Marian stares at him for a long moment, wiping tears out of her eyes with both hands. Finally, she takes a deep breath, lets it out. "I'm sorry," she says quietly. "I-- I got expelled yesterday. I was planning to go to university in Nyra and now..."

[Varric]

"Any idea what field? What did you want to study?" Varric asks quietly, glad to be moving to a new topic.

[Marian Hawke]

"I don't know. But I wanted to travel."

[Varric]

Varric considers her for a long moment. "Fourteen, right? Your age?" At her nod, he nods back. "That gives us three years, more than enough time. I'm qualified to catch you up to standard easily, and I can proctor a correspondence course as well. If we work out, if you're satisfied with working for me and I'm happy with your work, then when I go back to Nyra, you can be my factor here. Part of that will be doing a fair bit of local travel, to the surrounding villages, regularly, as well as an annual month or so trip to Nyra for face-to-face."