Blood from Stone [AU]

[Carver Amell]

Carver, it seems, does not see things Aveline's way. There's a growl behind her, a literal, canine growl, though he doesn't get up. 

[Tethras Clan]

"Lock it down, corporal. "Well? Am I wrong? Do you actually want to stop hurting your family? Or would you rather be helpless? Because it's up to you. Your brother can protect you all he can, your sisters tend to you, your dad plan for you... but unless you start trying, it won't get better." She pauses, eyes boring into Liz's. 

"Because right now, you're the sort of person that would sell her family to a devil to avoid suffering. Right now, you're the sort of person that just tried."

[Marian Hawke]

Liz looks away, her breath rushing out of her lungs like she's been punched. "It was a dream," she whispers, barely audible. 

[Tethras Clan]

"It was a devil-sent vision. If you had said yes, your soul would have been claimed by a devil. You would be a hidden viper in the heart of your family. You could have been made to hurt Beth. Spy on Varric. Kidnap Merrill. Kill Carver. Any of that could be been compelled. And more- as soon as they realized what had happened, most of them would have instantly blamed themselves. They all would have dropped everything to try and get you back." She leans in, face only a foot or so from Liz. "And running wouldn't prevent it. It's far, far too late for that. You're their family and if there's one thing I know about the Tethras family it's that they don't give up, especially on each other."

[Marian Hawke]

This close, she can feel the lack of breath, sense the tension in every inch of Liz's body. Then, without warning, she pulls back, twisting free as Aveline tries to grab her. With a few muttered words, she's gone, vanished from the room with just a step. 

[Carver Amell]

Carver jumps to his feet, staring at her empty chair. "... i'll check Varric's office," he blurts, needing to be gone already, chasing after her even if he doesn't know where. 

[Tethras Clan]

"Short range teleport!" She calls out after him. "Beka, Hunter, find!" Find, not hunt or chase. She heads to the bedrooms, while the two mabari head outdoors by taking advantage of the levers set up for Silence and Hunter to let themselves out the back. Won't be able to get back in without help (or breaking something) but they can get started on trying to see if Liz fled the house entire.

[Carver Amell]

Carver nods, darting out the front door to hunt her down. How short is short? he wonders, scanning the yard, glancing to the house next door where he nominally lives. Shit. She might be anywhere in the compound.

They search the houses for the next hour, but it's child's play for the vigilante to hide until Carver's done looking, to slip out when he's got his back turned. Finally, resigned, he jogs down to Varric's Light office, knocking on the door, his hopeful expression fading as he lets himself in. "Liz been by here?" he asks, curtly. 

[Varric]

Carver's face (hope tinged with fear, eyes too wide), Carver's voice (tight, overly controlled to the point where it trembles), Caver's body language (fists flexing, eyes moving, seeking) all tell him enough to know this isn't a casual request.  "Explain. Start at the beginning, stick to highlights."

[Carver Amell]

"Can't, I have to keep looking. Aveline was-- Aveline spooked her, and she ran. Teleported. I didn't know she could teleport." Damn damn damn. 

[Varric]

Varric doesn't reply. Instead he pulls out a small metal bead and pops it in his mouth. Biting down, he exposes the fluid inside to carbond dixode rich air and moisture, which completes the extract. Focusing inward, he visualizes Liz's face and thinks. Loudly and with intent.

~Liz, it's Dad. Please come to my office. Safe here. Please respond, twenty-five words. Will help you. Always. Please.~

And with that, he waits (prays).

[Marian Hawke]

~Am safe. Thinking. Will be home for dinner. Tell Aveline I really am sorry.~ The response is quick, not leaving much time for him to worry, though it's enough of a delay that it's clear she thought about how to respond before doing so. 

[Varric]

Varric lets out a soft sigh. "She says she'll be back for dinner- she needed some space to think." He looks at Carver with a slight frown. "She also said to apologize to Aveline for her? What happened?"

[Carver Amell]

Carver growls, low and menacing. "Aveline said if she was really sorry she was broken, she'd get better instead of feeling miserable. Said she was-- said some vile things about the kind of person she is right now. She ran."

[Varric]

"Again, without the judgement and with more context."