Imprints in Stone [AU]

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene looks back, eyes brimming with tears, touched. They nod, once, then turn to go, twisting their fingers together. As they reach for the door, they straighten a little, shoulders back, stilling their hands, pulling on their masks. 

[Andy za'Frane]

Two days after Helene's presentation and confession, Carver spots a familiar face waiting for him after dropping Beth off at the temple. Standing, the tiefling holds up a brown paper bag and a pair of mugs to show he's brought food again, then starts towards the younger man. "Morning Carver. Been a week or two, how've you been?"

[Carver Amell]

"Fine," replies Carver out of reflex -- a little stiff, a little curt. Why's this guy bothering me now? Varric's back, he can leave us alone.

[Andy za'Frane]

"Fine... things are good, or fine... I don't want to talk about what's wrong?" Andy replies just as cheerfully as before.

[Carver Amell]

"It's good. Why are you here? Varric's still here, you don't have to check in on us." He eyes the food suspiciously. "My tutor will be here soon."

[Andy za'Frane]

"...you do remember that my wife and your sister are friends, right?" Andy asks slowly, then taps his plain cotton shirt. "Off-duty. Slight ulterior motive, but non-guard related. Specifically, Lt. Vallen got word you've dropped most of your classes and made some noises about seeing what you're doing, so I figured I'd swing by and warn you. And see if I can help."

[Carver Amell]

Carver scowls. "Those classes were stupid," he says, mulishly, turning away slightly. "I have a tutor now. Seeker Helene. Sh-- they're cool."

[Andy za'Frane]

"Not much for lectures?" Andy asks with a grin. "I get you. I was... okay with it," aside from the teacher referring to me as 'High Risk for Sin' all the time, "but Lovan did terribly. I had to carry him through maths and catechisms. History was fine, that was stories to him, but anything that you have to just... know stumped him."

[Carver Amell]

"yeah, well." Carver manages to shut it before he says something about being stupid -- either himself or Lovan -- but not before he scowls and turns away. "I'm still learning about Vangal so it's fine."

[Andy za'Frane]

"That's... fine," Andy says slowly. "Do you want to still be learning about it though? Because you don't sound like you're happy about that."

[Carver Amell]

"I have to," he says, crossing his arms. "I'm going to be a Paladin."

[Andy za'Frane]

Andy scratches his jaw thoughtfully. "There are other ways to protect people, if that's all you want. You don't have to swear to Vangal. And... I mean, besides the general dogma, I'm not sure how much of the doctrine you actually need to know to be a paladin, come to think of it."

[Carver Amell]

"I want to know what I'm getting into. I don't want to get tricked and end up having to leave Beth and, I don't know, move to Drasslina."

[Andy za'Frane]

"That's understandable," Andy allows. "Probably be easier- safer too maybe- to let Varric look things over instead. I get the impression he'd outdeal a devil sometimes."

[Carver Amell]

"He picked out my new tutor," Carver confesses. "If I make vows I'll have to be at the temple all the time. I need a, a knight or something, where I can fit my schedule around Beth's training and stuff."