Imprints in Stone [AU]

[Carver Amell]

Carver recognizes some of the items right away. He slides open the box, his shoulders sagging when he spies the tindertwigs. Good. We'll get a fire going. The silk is money -- enough coppers to get us a meal, I'll bet, he thinks, moving to unwrap the end. Maybe silver, but we're not that-- what is this? Is this even real money?

He looks up, frowning. Why would there be fake money in here? Real potions, I'd hope. Real map. Real tindertwigs. But fake money?

[Bethany]

When he tries with another roll, the shortest, he has better luck- gold coins. Five of them. That's... a lot more than a meal. The blade is probably even more amazing, as he recognizes that metal- black that seems to have an oily sheen and yet doesn't reflect a hint of light? Adamantine, the sharpest, strongest and heaviest metal known to mortals. Well, there's heavier, but not any that are used by anyone for anything save maybe some art or the like. 

"Why... why would Marian give this to me?" Bethany asks numbly. "This doesn't... this is all... random things. Survival things. This looks more like-" Wait, Marian had grabbed this from her room, right after Carver- "This is from Varric," she realizes. "Supplies." Not a gift from her. But... she's still looking out for us. 

[Carver Amell]

"Supplies," breathes Carver, looking up at his twin. "Bethany, we... we'll live, with this. He's -- they've saved us."

[Bethany]

Bethany looks back, eyes welling up again. "Of course they did," she whispers back, trying to be brave. For him. For them. "That's what- what f-family... that's what you do for people you l-love."

[Varric]

An hour later, and Bethany has a new, better made split on her leg. And thanks to Carver have the dumb yet effective idea of carefully licking the larger glass shards to try and get at least a few drops of healing potion, her leg is... better. Still broken, but Bethany bravely reports it feels like it's had a few days at least to mend, the sharpest pain past. The twins have also studied the map closely and feel fairly confident they know where to go in order to make their way to Raplin's Oak, where they plan to pay a healer and perhaps a guide. 

Said plan goes unneeded however, when Carver spots Varric flying- he can fly?- just over the treetops in a wide arcing pattern. A shout later, and the dwarf lands in front of them. "You- you're both alive," Varric says with naked relief. "Where's Mar-" He breaks off, a look of grief on his face as the heartbreak in Bethany's answers the question before he can even finish.

[Carver Amell]

Carver hangs his head. "She saved us," he says quietly -- the first words he's volunteered in hours. "But... but..."

How do I even broach the topic? Let it be, dumbass. There's no point anymore. She's dead. Who cares what was between her and Bethany? Who cares what you were left out of?

[Varric]

The dwarf takes a slow breath. Fuck. Just... fuck. I should have- if I hadn't taken (wasted) the time to gather the miners and the guards, if I'd just come back to the village (my kids) straight off. If I hadn't scouted, if I hadn't... Fuck. Focus on now. Fix what you can. Where's... ah, there she is.... standing knee high in the river. The hells? "Why is she...?" Varric asks, nodding towards the older woman.

[Bethany]

Following his gaze, Bethany blinks a few times. "I... I forget she was with us," she murmurs, trying and failing to feel ashamed. For now, anyway. That'll come later, when she's not in as much shock, when she's not almost numb with grief. "We... Marian gave us your bag, with the map and coins and...the potions got broke," she says, voice going numb at the end. "The demon that broke my leg clipped her hip and... they broke and-"

[Varric]

"Your leg is broken? Damn it, why didn't you-" Varric doesn't bother to finish, just darts over as he yanks out a wand. A few seconds later and Bethany's leg is as good as new. Her heart is another matter.

[Bethany]

So easy. Just... a few words and poof, leg's all better. If only I'd focused more on that. If I could have healed my leg, we'd never have... we could have moved faster. Carver wouldn't have had to carry me. We could have gone over the wall, gotten out of town faster. Marian might... my Marian might still be... Then and there, Bethany vows to change her focus. The arcane magics had seemed more interesting, more exciting. And they were what Marian and Varric could do. Not anymore. She'll learn to heal, so this never happens again, whatever it takes.

[Varric]

"...the town's secure. I brought in the guards from the mine and every miner and hunter I could gather willing to fight for their homes. Sent messengers to Raplin's Oak and Nyra for assistance, just in case, but..." He hesitates, then shakes his head. No, I can't bring them back there. They don't need to see... what's left. What those evil shits left behind. "So we're good to leave. If... if you both want to come with me, to Nyra," Varric tacks on, wincing. After failing them... I played out the best plan I could, given the hand I was given. But I still failed to keep my kids whole. 

[Carver Amell]

Carver hesitates. "Bethany," he says softly. "Go with him."

[Bethany]

Bethany goes very still. "Carver... if the next words out of your mouth are anything but some variation of 'while I get our useless mother so we can all get moving' then I'm going to..." Her mind blanks. "Ask Varric for something very painful to do to you."

[Carver Amell]

Still, Carver hesitates a moment longer. No... Bethany will need me to protect her. He hangs his head, giving a small nod. Alright. I guess we're moving to Nyra.

[Carver Amell]

Carver stares up at the stars, unable to sleep. He pushes away thoughts of Summer, thoughts of Drake, thoughts of Mike and Steve and Susan, thoughts of Marian. He pushes away questions about the future, about their schooling, about Bethany, about Mother, about Nyra. He tries to clear his mind, letting sleep rise to the surface, but instead of a nice clear soup, his brain insists on being a thick brown stew, murky and muddy and full of big chunks. 

He gets to his feet, shaking his head. Walking the perimeter of camp will help. Maybe gathering more wood -- there's always a need for more wood. Maybe looking for toadstools. Maybe--

There's a figure by the embers of the fire. Varric, he can tell from the size. And something laid across his lap -- no, someone. Bethany. Fearing the worst, Carver closes the distance rapidly (and nearly silently), but he doesn't smell blood or pain, so as he approaches he slows, his shoulders relaxing. 

Crap. What do I say?

"Hey."