Blood from Stone [AU]

[Coquette Blacquin]

"I trust a thousand year old pavitra's opinion of the situation more than yours, Dwarf, knowing where your biases lie," he snaps. 

[Marian Hawke]

Thankfully, between the heat and mentioning the feline in conversation, Liz notices her grip and loosens it somewhat.

[Vigile]

"If I am the pavitra in question, then I am most emphatically stating that you would be better served not killing yourself!" Vigile nearly shouts. "Especially as such an act would very likely destroy both Lady Liz and your mother Jaina."

[Marian Hawke]

Liz is silent, the weight of it crashing down on her, smothering her, stealing the breath from her lungs. Her grip tightens again, and she buries her face against Vig's fur, focusing on breathing, trying to shut everything else out.

[Coquette Blacquin]

Cedric stills as well, and for a moment the room is silent, save for his ragged breathing, save for the echo of Vig's words playing in their minds. 

Then Cedric takes a deeper breath, and replies, in a quiet yet firm tone, "I did not ask for your opinion on how to resolve the situation. But I trust your understanding of it. We spoke, last night. I agree with your assessment. The solutions must be my own. They are always mine to implement. I am the one who caused the situation, and I will be the one to resolve it. No-one else."

[Varric]

"You caus- Liz was broken down by a damned demon, not you," Varric hisses. "If you think your- your failing to save her all by yourself was such a crime as to warrant three deaths, then I would give my opinion, not of solutions, but of observation, that you're being a fucking moron. You want to make it better? Make it up to her? Then stay and do it!"

[Vigile]

"Lord Tethras, while I cannot fault your intentions, perhaps you could be silent in regards to browbeating and insulting one of my charges?" the pavitra asks frostily. 

[Coquette Blacquin]

Now Cedric does something Varric's never seen before: he raises his voice until it's a roar, filling the space: "THIS ISN'T ABOUT MARIAN!"

[Marian Hawke]

Liz goes absolutely still, not even breathing. Oddly enough, frost begins to form across Vig's coat, which he rapidly realizes is because it's forming across her skin.

[Varric]

Varric takes a deep breath, then another. "Alright then. Then tell us what it's about, because we can hardly know if you don't tell us." He pauses, another deep breath taken before speaking again. "And I owe you an apology. I pride myself on getting all the information I can before acting. I failed to do so this time."

[Vigile]

Vigile twists, not to escape, but to rub his cheek against Liz's. He purrs loudly, unthinkingly, offering comfort in a deeply primal way. Thankfully, his nature leaves him unharmed and unchilled from the light frosting.

[Coquette Blacquin]

"This is about..."

She takes a deep breath herself, looking away from them both. "This is about my mother and I. Or, it's not just Jaina, either. It's about... all sorts of things. I.. It's complicated. Vigile was able to put words to something I had been feeling all night without being able to identify it, and I.. I have been ruminating on the matter since. I left Liz in your capable hands, to keep her safe and healthy. I thought she would be safe there -- but if you tell me she is not, I will resume her care."

[Vigile]

Vigile twists again to stare at Cedric. "I did what?"

[Varric]

"...if it's about Jaina, or mostly about her, she should have a say in how it's handled." Varric frowns at Cedric, trying not to make assumptions again but not really having a whole lot to work with as yet.

[Coquette Blacquin]

"You said-- Vigile said -- that I was poisoning her. That breaking her heart would be kinder. And I realized that was the trouble, all evening, I kept wanting to... but I couldn't. The gulf between us cannot be healed. And so. I felt I should leave, begin again in some other place. But what would have changed? I cannot be, I cannot be other than what I am. What I was long before I was damaged. This is the extent of my ability to, to be other than what I was. This is the limit. And so."