Blood from Stone [AU]

[Marian Hawke]

Marian wraps her arms around Garrett, soothed by his warm, solid form in her arms. She cradles him to her, burying her fingers in his hair, and lets the tears fall on his shoulder for a time.


Eventually, the tears dry up. Marian tugs Garrett upstairs, determined to get the day's business done with so she can go back to her rooms, spend more time along with her new eidolon. As it happens, she passes Varric on the way up, and tugs him aside into a study to talk.

"So... how's it going?" she asks, hesitantly, still holding Garrett's hand.

[Varric]

Taking a moment before replying, Varric studies the pair in front of him. Watching me (protective of Marian, but not threatening me), more curious than anything else, I think. Marian (looks so different and yet not) is keyed up, but the way she's holding his hand, it's not about him (not towards him anyway). As for the dwarf himself, he looks... better. He isn't wearing an awkwardly out of place heavy cloak this morning, instead hiding his right arm inside his jacket vest in a manner similar to how people wear it with a broken arm. His face still shows weariness, but the deep lines of it are gone. And his eyes are... lighter in some way. ''Still a bit flooded, but the pumps are going and everyone is accounted for.'' A beat and he chuckles. ''Sorry. Say rather... miles to go before we can rest but the lights of the city are within view.''

[Marian Hawke]

Marian rakes a hand through her hair and adds, "The dogs have the flock and the barn's in sight?" 

Then she shakes her head, resting it gently against Garrett's shoulder. "We need to talk. Garrett and I started going through some of his, ah, inheritance last night, and I wasn't sure what to do with one of them."

[Garret Tethras]

Garrett wraps an arm around her, eyes slitting mostly shut in contentment. Noticing Varric's questioning tilt of the head, he lifts up his paper belt, which is somehow outside his tunic suddenly.  ''They are souls. No. Not the souls. The deeds for them. The-''

[Varric]

''The contracts,'' Varric interrupts, eyes widening. Holy shite. I didn't... wow, okay, really thought those would... be gone already? Be lost? Damn. ''Those are Tentoplen-''  He cuts off at Garretts sudden harsh hiss of displeasure.

[Marian Hawke]

"They're Garrett's now, to do with as he pleases," says Marian, quickly. "So uh. He wants to do what I want him to do, and I don't know what to do with Bartrand. Any thoughts?"

[Varric]

Bartrand. Gods. ''I...'' He takes a deep breath, forcing himself to actually think and not just say the first thing, the easy thing. ''I need to... have a paper, non-magical copy,'' he says quietly. ''We need copies for all of them. Some of them might be still alive and knowing they're Claimed could be important. To help them recover from the trauma or to arrest them if they were willing. Even the dead... it could be... important, to be able to... explain their stories.''

[Marian Hawke]

"Yeah," says Marian gently. "I kinda figured that. Garrett, can you find Bartrand's contract?"

[Garret Tethras]

Garrett nods, a slight pause as he realizes the implied request in the words. It is slow, but the eidolon seems to be gradually becoming more... nuanced. More socially competent and worldly. He silently reaches down and pulls off a slip of paper. Then hesitates and takes another. And another. And... Seventeen times in total does the outsider takes out slips, the color leaching from Varric's face more and more with each one.

[Marian Hawke]

"Seventeen," whispers Marian, staring at them in horror. "What did he... what did he trade?"

[Garret Tethras]

Garrett pauses a moment, rubbing the slips with his thumb as he holds them. ''Multiple things. Possible offspring. Employees. Access to places. His soul, bit by bit. His body.'' He scowls suddenly. ''Sacrifices. Mortals. Slaves.''

[Varric]

Bartrand... how could you have... why? What could be worth that? Would could have driven you to that? You weren't that person when I knew you. You... you were my brother. Once. What... what happened?

[Marian Hawke]

"None of us?" asks Marian, her tone subdued. "Nothing dangerous to us?" 

She takes a deep breath, lets it out. "We have to cancel the contracts. Let him go. I think."

[Garret Tethras]

Garrett considers this a moment. ''Two. Two of his prices. Eight of his profits.'' A pause, then he explains as the understanding comes to him. ''He sold his offspring, but he is head of Clan. If Varric submitted, would apply to him as well. And the same for Bartrand selling access to any and all properties he has control or ownership of to any being belonging to...'' He falls silent, a primal instinct in him warning him away from speaking That Name. ''The Being that Tentos was slave to.''

[Varric]

Varric swallows thickly. ''What... what do you by... profits?''