Blood from Stone [AU]

[Varric]

"Don't be daft," he says, tone not unkind. "Watch her, keep holding her. I'll be right back." Carefully wiping his hands with a cloth damp with neutralizer, he steps back from the kit. "Don't touch any of this."

[Coquette Blacquin]

"Of course," she replies again, a small relief in her voice.

[Marian Hawke]

Soon enough, Merrill is roused, brought to the home, to the patient. When her exam is done, it's clear that Liz is sleeping.

Sleeping very, very deeply.

She won't wake, likely due to the tonic in some part. Without knowing what else might have been in her draught, it's risky to wake her with chemical or magical means. Merrill manages to steady her breathing, help her sleep more easily, but she doesn't wake. Won't for hours at least. She will need to be watched, carefully, but Merrill can handle that.

Now they just have to wait ..

[Tethras Clan]

Merrill had not woken well or fast, but that's why Varric has magic- and a vial of caffeine extract mixed with a few other nifty things. A lesser restoration spell seemed to vastly improve the poor merikos elf's condition, which is... both good and bad. That taken care of, the elf- and her faerie dragon companion- bed down in the bedroom to keep an eye on Liz, which leaves Varric and Cindy free to converse in private. 

[Varric]

"What happened?" Varric's tone is simple, matter of fact and unladen with anger or hate. "Start at the beginning and, if you can't trust me, then trust that Liz is more important than any secret you might have or your pride."

[Coquette Blacquin]

"There's nothing to hide," she says quietly. "We fought, some. She was... it was a stupid thing. Beth doesn't trust me, and she feels torn between her love for me and her loyalty to her sister. She gets ideas, sometimes, about how what we're doing is wrong, how she should be trying harder to stand on her own, should move out perhaps and court me in a more formal fashion. But when we try -- and we have tried -- it goes poorly within a day or two, and I hate to see her get so hurt, so... that's besides the point," she sighs. "We fought. It was exhausting. I went to bed, but she sat up. I awoke in the middle of the night, as I am used to, and I found her thus. I... I wish there was more to it. We went out last night, she got hurt, but she was healed from that, magically, this past afternoon, so that can't be..."

[Varric]

"Hurt how?" Varric asks slowly. "Was she checked for poison then?" Longshot really, but... possible. Sounds like... well. "How often does she self-medicate? Say for sure, then offer a guess if you think it might be more or less than she's obvious about."

[Coquette Blacquin]

"She took a series of blows to the arm, something cracked. Not a big break, but bad enough, painful, and my wand backfired. Beth healed her. I don't know... I don't know how often she's taking them. I honestly don't know. It could be every night, it could be once in a moon. She brews them herself, now, and even when she climbs in with me, she often gets up again later, and needs one to get back to sleep."

[Varric]

Sweet Dreamer... "Alright," he says slowly, taking out a notepad. "Write down whatever you know about her drug habit and sources. Names, locations, frequency... anything related to sourcing or use."

[Coquette Blacquin]

She stares at it a moment, then tentatively jots down a few names, a few locations. "These were places we've been shopping together, in the beginning. She's been hunting down more and more rare ingredients, however, and... the last time she went shopping, I took Vig so that she would have some privacy. He... Vig is a paladin, he might not... approve of some of the marketplace wares."

[Varric]

Varric frowns a little, but doesn't comment. Not like I'd care to take Carver (much less Aveline) to some of the business meetings I go to. "If you know neighborhoods, names, anything, jot that down too. There's a... chance that her ingredients were cut or impure." His tone doesn't seem to imply he thinks it's likely though.

[Coquette Blacquin]

Her writing slows, as she swallows hard. Gods. I hope that's all. That she bought some dodgy worms or something. Please. It's not likely and she knows it. My life is never that easy.

"This is all I have," she says softly, handing over the notepad. 

[Varric]

"Alright," he says softly. "I'm going to let Merrill know I'm checking up on her suppliers. Stay with them. Liz is..." Varric takes a slow breath. "Might be dodgy materials. Might have been a botched brewing- fatigue, poor instruction, arrogant improvisation, what have you." He has to turn his heart to stone before he can finish, "might have been deliberate." He swallows, looking her directly in the eye. "She doesn't get to be alone until... until we're sure. No exceptions. "

[Coquette Blacquin]

Cindy nods. "I swear on my life, my love, and every scrap of kindness I have ever received. I will not leave her alone. I will not... I will not let her go."

[Varric]

"Good." Varric takes a deep breath. "I know you love her. I know she loves you. But so did Carver and Merrill. I... it... You might not be able to heal, either of you, together. Not... all the way together." He holds up a hand. "Leaving would rip her heart out, just like Carver leaving would have killed Merrill. But you might have to step back some, until you're both whole enough that being together isn't rubbing wound to wound."