Imprints in Stone [AU]

[Varric]

"SummerHill," Varric supplies, nodding slowly. "Yeah, that's... tell you what, the Astronomer is trying to keep on my good side, shouldn't be heard to get his husband to let us try a tour of the place."

[Carver Amell]

"She needs... I can't leave her with Gamlen. Malcolm's with her now, just to be safe, but we have to move her. And she can't come here. So.. so..."

[Varric]

"Of course," Varric says gently. "If nothing else... I made your sister a promise. To take care of her family if anything... Leandra is a bitch, a self-entitled bigot, but Marian still loved her, at least a little. So... so don't like her. Don't respect or trust her. But I will take care of her. If she's so bad off you don't feel she can be left alone, she needs a place like Summer Hill anyway. Best to let expert care for her."

[Carver Amell]

"Yeah," he says, relieved. "Yeah. Fuck her, but she needs help and she's kin so we have to help." 

He has a sip of his whisky, then says, "Will you come see her? Help see if she can be moved?"

[Varric]

Varric hesitates, running the logistics though his head. "How about... You head back, give this," he pulls out a small pouch from his desk. "To your uncle. Tell him to get an inn for a few days. Insist if you have to. Merrill will go get Wynne, she's better suited to diagnosing than any of us. Beth can run a message to the Doctor's estate, start things moving there."

[Carver Amell]

He blanches, not reaching for the pouch. "I.. I was hoping.."

He pauses to take a sip of his whisky. "I almost threw up," he says quietly. "Just seeing her like that."

[Varric]

"I'll come with," Varric says quietly. "We'll both tell the rest of the family before everyone heads out."

[Carver Amell]

"Thanks," he says, his voice still subdued, but a bit more relieved. 


This time, as he approaches his mother's home, Carver is no less anxious -- but he doesn't babble, not like before. A sick dread churns in his gut, worsening with every step. As they approach, he says, quietly, "You don't have to... we could just knock and grab Malcolm, we don't have to go back to the bedroom."

[Varric]

"Someone needs to talk to her and... well, to be blunt, I'm best suited," Varric says gently. "I don't care about her personally, so it won't hurt me."

[Carver Amell]

"It... it's real... she thinks..."

He takes a deep breath, coming to a stop a few feet from the back door. "She thinks she's talking to Marian," he says quietly.

[Varric]

"...talking to Marian like... prayer or..?"

[Carver Amell]

"Her... a bundle of her... her clothes, laid out, in, she's..." He swallows, shaking his head. "It's bad."

[Varric]

"Yeah, that's not... healthy," Varric says slowly, wincing. "Anything else?"

[Carver Amell]

"Gamlen said... said.." He swallows again. "She thinks Beth is dead. Don't bring her up."

[Varric]

"Wise Ancient," Varric mutters. "That's... just wonderful. Alright." He takes a deep breath, then adds almost as an aside, "just say sister or daughter, if you need to refer to Beth in front of Leandra. She'll assume what she wants."