Blood from Stone [AU]

[Marian Hawke]

While the Keeper was looking over the body and her brother trying not to worry too much about his friend Jun, Garrett, Cedric, and Vig were up to a rare daytime mission to the undercity. Unfortunately, the goblin tribe they encountered had not only gotten off several lucky blows, they had also managed to make off with several of their potions. The healing wand had helped, but only so much; it had balked at Cindy's untutored touch before they were both fully healed, meaning Liz had to come to tea with her arm in a makeshift sling until her girlfriend could get the wand working again.

I'm glad Beth is a healer, she decided, knocking on the door with her good arm. I'll get this seen to lickity-split, have some tea and cookies, and be back to Cindy before she misses me. 

[Tethras Clan]

The door opens with a soft click and for a moment it seems as if by magic. Instead, a glance down reveals Glimmerwing. "My lady is in the kitchen, finishing a rum raisin cake. Your sister is in the living room, nose in a book. She has not moved since breakfast, you may have to poke her," the dragonling says serenely, then flits off. 

And, as described, Beth is indeed curled up on the sofa in the living room. She's squinting at a very large leather bound tome, mouth moving slightly as if repeating the words to help engrave them into her mind. She's just wearing a house robe and her hair looks untouched by a brush, though she probably ran her fingers through it once or twice. 

[Marian Hawke]

"Beth," sighs Liz, a happy smile on her face. "Catching up on some reading?" she teases, lightly, as she moves toward her sister.

[Bethany]

"Mmmh, not dead Carver, I ate breakfast," she mumbles without ever looking up. Or, evidently, actually hearing what was said. This isn't a side of Beth that Liz has had a chance to see- she was never the most studious of children. Smart and quick to pick up on things, but that was only used to get by, never to excel. Not like Marian had.

It's also almost three in the afternoon and, as Liz would know by know, breakfast is over by eight in the Tethras household. At Beth's feet, Silence lifts her head, looks Liz over, and sniffs. Her ears flick back and her nose wrinkles- evidently she'd either not removed the entirety of the scent of sewers on her or there's some blood scent. Either way, the mabari is on alert but looking worried, not riled. Her tails hits the ground sharply a few times and she groans softly, neither getting any reaction from the hyper-focused Beth. As Liz gets closer, she'd be able to see that the tome is untitled, the cover blank save for a stylized... cat on the cover? Maybe a cat? Could be a catfolk or maybe even a varang or something else similar.

[Marian Hawke]

Liz glances to the Mabari, frowning slightly. That's not good.

She doesn't know what to think about her sister being a bookworm. Honestly, she didn't think she'd ever get a chance to be part of Beth's life again; finding out something like this feels intimate, like knowing her dreams, and she backs away from it, tucks it into a corner of her mind for later, tries not to dwell. She doesn't feel she's earned the right to any hidden part of her siblings. Not after how she failed them. 

She clears her throat again, then squats, offering her good hand to the mabari to sniff at. "Hey girl. How's it going?" she asks, genially. "I wish you could heal me, then I'd let Beth alone to read her book in peace."

[Bethany]

Silence gives the hand a polite sniff, then licks it in a friendly way. Social forms complete, she pushes her head against Liz's hand to ask for pets. At Liz's comment, the mabari twists her head to study Liz carefully, an almost weighing look in her eyes. Snorting softly, she rises up to sniff at Liz's damaged arm, then carefully licks at a bit of exposed skin near the wound, a plaintive whine accompanying the gesture. 

There's a faint glow, then Liz feels a weak but welcome rush of healing energy slipping into her body. Ite feels of unbreakable loyalty, of loving devotion and Beth. Somehow, it feels of her little sister in some indefinable way. There's no vision or scent or label, just a single feeling of love that is undeniably Beth. When the feeling vanishes after a long second, her arm is... better. Still not healed, still not ready for use, but a good day or two further along the healing process, the worst of the sharp pain of new injury gone and the dull, throbbing ache of healing in full swing.

[Marian Hawke]

Liz blinks. "You can do that?" she asks, wondrously. "Wow. What a good dog!" she adds, reaching to ruffle Silence's ears. "Thanks, girl. You're amazing."

So said, she plants a kiss on Silence's head, then gets up from her squat. "Have a good read, Beth," she adds, turning toward the front door.

[Carver Amell]

Only to run smack into Carver's shocked expression. "Silence can... heal?" he asks, hesitantly. "Hunter's never done that. What did you do?"

[Marian Hawke]

"I... uh... asked... for... it?" she says slowly, each word a little smaller, a little more hesitant. "Was that bad?"

[Carver Amell]

"My sister's Mabari fixed your broken arm," he replies flatly. "With magic. She's a magic Mabari. How did you break your arm anyway?"

[Marian Hawke]

"I... um... fell... on the steps, it's not important," she says, swallowing hard. 

[Bethany]

Silence, still sitting, decides to take steps. Specifically, to break habit and her name.

"Woof"

Surprisingly deep and bass but not loud, the rarely heard bark instantly snaps Beth out of her book. "Silence, what's wr- Ma- Liz? Carver? What's- are you wearing a sling?" she demands, flustered but abruptly focused. Silence grunts, pleased, and lays back down.

[Marian Hawke]

"I, uh, I fell, but it's fine, it's okay, Silence healed it, I'm fine now," she stammers, clearly floored by Silence's behavior. 

[Bethany]

Beth tosses the book aside- well, she starts to, then checks the movement with a guilty wince. Setting the book down carefully, she then bolts over to inspect Liz's arm, not paying heed to any reluctance. Clucking her tongue, she comments, "that's sloppy, Si. You should always check to make sure there's no fractures or breaks. Curing magic only almost always sets it perfectly. Always cleanly, but sometimes it's just a little off, enough to leave a slight ache if overstressed or the weather's foul in later years." 

Silence grunts softly, causing Beth to glance back. "Oh. Sorry. Thank you darling, but next time nip me, alright?" The mabari grunts again, tail thumping once. "...you say you fell?" the healer asks a few seconds later, a slight frown forming.

[Marian Hawke]

"Ye-es?" she says, wincing. "Stairs were involved. We keep a wand on hand for this sort of thing -- I'm horribly clumsy -- only it backfired on Cindy, so I thought I'd just nip over and ask you to patch it up, but you were in your book and I didn't want to bother you but then Silence healed it and it only aches a little now, it's fine, it wasn't really broken, just strained, so, so I, it's okay if you don't want to waste magic on me or anything--"