Blood from Stone [AU]

[Shannon zi'Marass]

"I have someone check there already, your house is empty. Locked and wards are up so they must have left," Shannon answers. 

[Smith Family]

"Lina is at work- she's somehow found herself in charge of... well, just about everything guard-related at the moment. She left us Beka to keep us safe, though Shannon here is doing Vangal's work as well," Jaina offers.

[NPCs]

Sighing almost inaudibly, the massive Junonite moves to Liz and sticks his arms out, a clear but silent demand to give Cindy over to be taken into the bedroom and laid out to be healed.

[Marian Hawke]

At that, she starts. "E-empty? But..." Where did they go? She shakes her head again, trying to focus. "Oh, um, okay. It's just, I think the guards she sent us are all d-dead, so... I'm not sure anyone's left to give a report but Bela and us."

She hands Cindy over, swallowing hard. 

[Smith Family]

"Second door on the left," Jaina informs the giant-blood, who grunts in acknowledgment. "Oh! That's right, Lina mentioned that your father was at his place up city. Where the ball was? Maybe they all went there? It's behind the inner walls, so it would be safer, I suppose. No chance of the riots getting in there." Was her voice just a hint sharp there? 

Yes. Yes it was.

[Marian Hawke]

Liz nods, looking relieved. "That-- wait, riots? What riots?"

[Smith Family]

The two ladies exchange glances, then Jaina smiles and nods. "I'll go make some tea and heat up some of the basil and lentil soup I made last night. Maybe add some bacon to it... Shannon, you can fill poor Liz in on what she's missed." Looking faintly perplexed but agreeable, the noblewoman almost meekly obeys her far social inferior.

[Carver Amell]

The holy light of Vangal reaches down and softens Carver, filling him -- for just a moment -- with boundless patience, mercy, and compassion.

Then it's gone, as always, and he has work to do, people to protect. But something's different, today. Today, a little more of that light lingers, well beyond when it should have faded. He feels... not comforted, not quite, but soothed, as though Beth had placed a cooling cloth on his head when he had a fever.

There's not much time to dwell on it. He checks on the others, relieved to see that an hour without him didn't significantly worsen anyone's condition, and stands watch as Merrill doses Varric again, wiping away the last of his ailments. 

"How are you feeling? Do you need a heal?" he asks, reaching out to lay a hand on his dad's shoulder.

[Varric]

Varric clears his throat again, then almost gingerly tries to speak. "No. I... feel fine." Aside from the empty ache of my hand (and if I even look at my emotions, I'll shatter). "I think that worked."

[Tethras Clan]

Studying him a moment, Merrill nods with a grin. "Yup. I don't see anything lingering."

[Carver Amell]

Carver sighs with relief. "Oh thank Vangal. Okay. So I can tell what happened in Cattown, Beth can fill us in on Summerhill, Helene has a statement I can read out, and Dad can tell us about Bartrand. Who wants to go first?"

[Bethany]

The room is quiet a moment, then Beth says softly, "I think Helene needs answers the most. So... Dad. What happened? What's all this about Orzammar and why is Tuiste leaving?"

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene looks away, toward the wall, rocking silently. Listening.

[Varric]

The dwarf flinches a little, gaze dipping to the ground. "I- I thought I had it... under control," he says softly. "It- they started writing about... seven months ago. Just probing stuff, asking about my status, about my holdings and the like. Figured it was just standard checking up and such. They've done it before but... they asked more this time. Evidently, someone down there has the fool idea that they can get a pet Light. Stupid- if the other Lights got even a hint I was beholden to a foreign government, I'd be investigated into the dirt, then impeached as soon as they confirmed it."

He starts to raise his right had to scrub at his face but checks himself before it comes out of the protective folds of his heavy cloak. "But they keep sniffing around, sent dozens of letters. Four months ago, they sent a messenger proper to ask about in person. Brushed him off, so they sent investigators." His lips come back in a snarl. "I... explained to them about proper respect in regards to the privacy of my family before they even got properly into the city."

[Helene Dakesh]

After over a day of mostly silence from Helene, it's become odd to hear nem make noise, but there it is: a small, low giggle, as if laughing about something naughty or something ne shouldn't find amusing.