Blood from Stone [AU]

[Carver Amell]

"What about the wards at home? Shouldn't they be keyed to alert someone or stop this?"

[Bethany]

"..." Beth bites her lip. "Well... has he been home lately? The wards here are good, sure, but he hasn't had the chance to get them upgraded or personalized much yet..." A memory stirs and she frowns. "Wait. The ball. I mean, the night after. Silence cued me that he came home for like five minutes. And... based on what I'm gathering, came back here. So..." Beth shivers, looking around nervously. 

[Carver Amell]

"If he was here he'd have noticed us, and turned up by now," Carver says, with a dark look. "So he's not possessed, he's just being an asshole. And missing. And fuck him. We have bigger problems to handle right now." 

[NPCs]

In the basement of CrystalWing, Helene is discovering that Carver is very incorrect. Specifically, that nir attempts to divine Varric's location (as the finale of a whole slew of other divinations) have just revealed that Varric is here, in the manor. It wasn't a scry, so ne isn't sure exactly where, but here in the building at least. Before ne can really think that over, there's a knock on the locked door of the ritual room. It automatically locks if a ritual starts, given how... finicky some rituals can be though most of the family has a key for it. Perhaps Kevin was sent down with food? Or Merrill might have forgotten her key.

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene, still wordless, rocks back and forth, considering nir options. Ne should open the door. But that requires getting up. And ne is tired. So very tired. Ne wants a nap.

Ne settles on crawling, reaching up to open the door just enough to break the seal, to let the intruder in. 

[NPCs]

Well, I was going to ease into this but if you give me a set-up like this... Grinning, the dwarf on the other side of the door slams the door open, hoping to stun and demoralize Helene long enough to really get to things. 

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene stumbles backwards, landing on nir butt, staring up in shock at the figure in the doorway. 

V-varric?

Ne can't comprehend what's going on. The idea that he might think anyone else would be in here, would use this ritual room, is inconceivable, and yet the idea that he would treat nem like this, would be cruel and physically harmful, is just as inconceivable. Stunned, trapped between abhorrent ideas and impossible ones, ne stares up at the dwarf in terror and disbelief.

[NPCs]

"Oh dear," he says, tone filled with regret and chagrin that is utterly at odds with the amused grin. "Did I catch you with the door?" He ambles into the room, turning to carefully shut them both in. And then locks it, which also makes the room soundproof. 

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene swallows hard, shifting back a little further from the door. Ne can't make sense of what nir senses are telling nem: ne has learned from experience that that tone is sorrowful, but that face is cheerful. There is no known condition in which ne would expect Varric to act like this. Ne wonders for a brief moment if locking the door is meant to signify something -- perhaps a taking in of confidence, perhaps he will explain what is happening, perhaps...

[NPCs]

"...you still don't get it, do you? Amazing." He clicks his tongue with amusement. "Really thought you'd be smarter than this. I guess the damage makes that all your education and native ability..." He shrugs, gesturing vaguely. 

[Helene Dakesh]

Damage. Damage. Damage.

Helene lets out a low, whimpering moan, rocking back and forth as ne tries to put the pieces together, tries to get nir brain engaged. This isn't possible. Varric would never-- would never--

Varric has abandoned you. Varric no longer cares for you. That, of all things, makes sense; that is something ne feared would happen eventually, when Varric came to understand the extent of the damage damagedamagedamagedamage defects within nir mind.

[NPCs]

"Wealth and riches, look at you! Jittering on the ground, moaning like some animal. Or like the little girl you look like." Humming, he moves over to the supplies and drags a box of minerals and ores to place in front of the door. Just a few of things, just to be sure. Doubt she can even get up, much less make for the door, but no sense in being sloppy at this point. "Marrying you was a piss poor investment really. Brain damaged, weak-willed, no connections, no wealth and a child's body. Doubt your womb even works, not that anyone would want to try anyway."

[Helene Dakesh]

Brain damage. Little girl.

Helene's rocking increases, until ne is slamming nir head back against the scrying mirror ne had been using previously to try and find nir husband. Soon to be ex husband. Varric is leaving me. 

[NPCs]

He ignores her for a few moment as he stacks some stuff in front of the door, still humming absently. Finishing he takes a seat on the stack of crates. "On the other hand... be a damn shame to have paid for goods never used..." He studies her thoughtfully, fingers tapping on his thigh.

[Helene Dakesh]

Goods never used. 

Something about that lights up nir brain, sending a new train of thought spiraling underneath the panic and despair. Goods used. Used goods. This one is the goods. What use is this one? The thoughts feel sluggish under the effects of the fear and pain. Doubt your womb even works. Varric knows this one's womb is nonfunctional, knew before the wedding. Goods never used. Varric had no need for this one's body, only mind, this one's mind, damaged and broken and rotting as it is, this one's mind was what Varric sought. Goods never used? This one did not use this one's mind? Or some other good? But what does Varric want with other goods, unless-- unless--