Blood from Stone [AU]

[Helene Dakesh]

'Beloved', mouths Helene, and to nir embarrassment, tears well up in nir eyes. "S-see that you do," ne says, trying to keep up the light-hearted banter.

[Varric]

Varric would argue to the death if someone tried to call him on it, but his own eyes are a touch wet and his checks perhaps just a little redder than normal. "Of course. How could I do any less for a worthy such as yourself?"

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene bows nir head. "I am unworthy of you," ne says quietly. "You are brilliant, clever, and so much braver than I. You withstood things far worse than what broke this one. I am proud, every day, to be called your spouse."

[Varric]

"I am also stubborn, paranoid and prone to taking liberties with other people's privacy, independence and property. You? If you've deliberately hurt someone that wasn't trying to do the same, I would be deeply shocked. You are a good person, better than I by far."

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene shakes nir head. "I have hurt people deliberately. I tend to escalate the situation unreasonably. It is a thing I had to unlearn in Draslina. I am afraid I have been... backsliding, of late." Ne winces. "It was... perhaps uncalled for to hit Carver as I did. And I was perhaps excessive in hurting Bartrand, though I cannot bring myself to regret it."

[Varric]

"No no, you were the soul of restraint in regards to... both, honestly." Varric smirks a little. "I think all of us have smacked Carver from time to time. He's robust, not that you hit him all the hard. I should work on that with you, actually. Self-defense training I mean. You... you can't always cast."

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene looks down at nir hands. "I was able to cast when I needed to," says Helene quietly. "Not to control the creature summoned, but to cast."

[Varric]

"...yeah. Yeah, you did. I just... I worry." About everything. About everyone. All the time. "Constantly." Shite that was out loud, wasn't it.

[Helene Dakesh]

"I know," ne says quietly. "You rarely come home anymore. You skip meals sometimes -- this one is aware, despite your attempts to dissemble. You sleep poorly. This one worries."

[Varric]

Shame and guilt squirm in his guts as Varric stares resolutely at his hand. "Never-  I never meant to... I just wanted... It got away from me. I thought I could handle it, give everyone peace, a place and time to heal. But..."

[Helene Dakesh]

"You are so much like your son," says Helene with a small, sad smile. "This one only hopes this one will be allowed to assist in the future."

[Varric]

"Which one? They keep multiplying," Varric mumbles to himself.

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene flinches. "Carver," ne clarifies. "This one is... uncertain what to make of the other."

[Varric]

"Yeah, I figured. Just... making a joke really." Varric scrapes up the last of the porridge. "As for Garrett... gods only knows. I am...  it shouldn't have been possible, not in the slightest."

[Helene Dakesh]

"This one suspects..."

Helene hesitates, courage faltering. "It is my fault," they whisper. "I could not complete the ritual. I was... distracted once more by the devil. I never meant Marian to take up the casting."