Imprints in Stone [AU]

[Bethany]

That gets a second look from Beth, and a slight wince of conscience. "...yeah, I guess he does," she admits.

[Carver Amell]

"Good. He should be sad. He abandoned us." Carver takes a deep breath, then turns to Beth. "Can you keep Merrill safe? I don't know what he'd say to her."

[Tethras Clan]

"He was never mean," Merrill chimes in. "Never... he's a bit older, he never really spent a lot of time around me, but he wasn't mean. Sometimes he'd even talk to me. And, umm, they... the.... b-bad ones. They didn't... do m-much. Around him."

[Bethany]

"So at least he wasn't a bully." Just weak and cowardly. Yay?

[Carver Amell]

"Great. Sounds like he's more of a coward, then." Carver sighs. "Do you want to talk to him? Or do you want me to chase him off?"

[Bethany]

"...we should at least hear what he has to say," Bethany says reluctantly. "I... It's weird, how we..." How I hate Leandra and you want to redeem her. How you hate him and I want him to have some kind of justification. Wait... "What about you? I'm on the fence about it, if you don't want to... I know I wouldn't want to talk to Leandra, so I can't ask you to do this."

[Carver Amell]

"I want to tell him off. I want to hate him. I want to punch him so hard he decides to not marry the elf and comes back and wants us again." He shivers. "But I mostly want to make sure he doesn't hurt you."

[Tethras Clan]

Merrill sighs softly, a deep yearning to have someone think that way about her filling her heart. 

[Bethany]

"...hold off on the punching. I'll give the nod if we get there. But... yeah, he deserves some yelling. A lot of yelling," Bethany agrees. She wraps her arm around Carver's free one and starts for the camp. 

[NPCs]

Malcolm is evidently pretty deep in his thoughts, as he doesn't notice them until they're about fifteen feet away. Surging to his feet, he looks them over and sags with clear relief. "You're all alright. Thanks be," he exhales.

[Carver Amell]

"You were worried?" asks Carver, a dark look crossing his face -- but only briefly.

[NPCs]

A look of hurt crosses Malcolm's face in turn, before settling into acceptance. "I might not have the right to be, but yes. I... I wanted to try and... and talk with you, both of you again and... I ran into Nare- Raynare rather, on my way here and... She said you all ran into the woods. It's mostly safe but..."

[Bethany]

"...you didn't go with her? Given..." Bethany trails off when he shakes his head. 

[NPCs]

"I, uh, I broke things off with her," he says hoarsely. "She... she'd been... She's always had a sharp tongue to her, always been a bit... biting, but she'd promised that was kid stuff. That she'd stopped. She hadn't." If that was the wife I wanted, I might have stayed with Leandra. Maybe.

[Carver Amell]

I broke things off with her.

Carver swallows, his mouth suddenly dry. Isn't that what he wanted? For his father not to get married but instead come back and be a dad again? And yet-- and yet-- he said the one and not the other. But he was worried! But maybe that doesn't mean anything. Maybe...

He digs a hand into his pocket, wrapping his fingers tightly around the little tin soldier as, despite himself, his heart makes a wish: please.