Blood from Stone [AU]

[Marian Hawke]

"I-- I don't-- I can't-- Mistress will know what to do," she whimpers. 

[Bethany]

Bethany stares a moment, then swallows. "...Liz... how often... how often do you need to... depend on Cindy to... tell you what to do?" she asks in a strangled voice. Gods, how did we miss how badly she's still...

[Marian Hawke]

"Not-- not often, just-- I--" 

She swallows hard. "I get... I get confused, sometimes, I..."

[Bethany]

"Like about what?" she asks gently, still rubbing Liz's hands. "Take your time, love. It's okay, you're safe with us."

[Marian Hawke]

Safe. I'm safe. It's safe. "I... I remember... it's very confusing, I, the Delve, I recall... it... I don't know what to do with it."

[Bethany]

"...what do you recall?" Bethany prods carefully.

[Marian Hawke]

"I-- there was-- I remember..." 

She shudders. "The demon king," she breathes, in a low whisper. 

[Bethany]

"The... demon king?" Bethany repeats slowly, baffled, her mind throwing up image after image of the various Lords of the Pit.

[Marian Hawke]

She swallows hard. "The Demon King. He was in my delve."

[Bethany]

"...okay. Who... how is the Demon King. I mean..." Bethany offers a wan smile. "I assume there's more to it than just... Kinging all the Demons."

[Marian Hawke]

"G-g-garrett. The Demon King."

[Bethany]

"Your... male, uh, persona?" Bethany asks blankly. "...why is he a... demon king?"

[Marian Hawke]

"In... In m-my dream." She takes a deep breath, shuddering. "He d-d-didn't w-want to d-die. But... but I can only be one thing."

[Bethany]

"Okay, but why is he the demon king?" Bethany presses, needing that point settled before anything else.

[Marian Hawke]

"Be-be-cause he's a d-demon?" she asks, timidly.