The Amell Legacy: Transgressions

[Haliel Lightsong]

Kissing is... I see. So kissing on the cheek is just a thank you between friends. ''It's fine,'' Lightsong says softly, still blushing. ''I just... I've never... no-one has ever...''

[Marian Hawke]

Then maybe, someday, I can repay your kindness. Marian smiles at her, taking a deep breath. "Shall we read a story? I, I don't know if you like travelogues, but..."

[Haliel Lightsong]

Lightsong spends the rest of the afternoon there, only remembering to give the produce and meat she had brought, along with the tea and fresh baked biscuits, as she's leaving. Which is somewhat fortunate, as it means Marian doesn't have to keep a straight face as she looks at the tomatoes, snap peas, mushrooms, broccoli and lettuce paired with bone-in pork chops that the paladin had thought would be good for stew. Tasty, yes, but stew? No.

The problem, aside from Lightsong's amusing lack of cooking experience, is that the aasimar had also left behind a very expensive looking holy text in the basket along with the food. Fine leather cover, expensive vellum papers, gorgeous illuminations and gold leafing on the outsides of the pages- the works. Naturally, Marian decides to go bright and early the next morning to return it, hopefully before the paladin can miss it- or get in trouble for losing it. Tracing her steps from her booty walk a few days ago, the merikos elf finds herself at the Temple of Mercy's Last Hope.

It's a massive complex, one of the biggest in the Bastionite District, with even just the shrine and service hall being four stories minium, with spires that rise up to the lofty height of ten stories. Mustering her courage to enter, one of the pages is able to give Marian directions on where to find her target with surprising ease, just with the name. Arriving at the side chapel, Marian spots Lightsong readily enough- she's front and center of a crowd, standing next to a very important looking priest. Lightsong herself is wearing clergy vestments, the first time Marian has seen her outside of her armour, which reveals that she has very much inherited her mother's build. A little slimmer but she's also younger. Her expression is serene, a demure smile fixed in place, and she stands next to the pontificating priest with placid patience.

''-and see we must all seek the path of mercy, kindness and compassion, least we be swept up in the sins of cruelty, avarice and sloth. Verily I say in truth, it is only through dedication to Bastion and the church that we might find contentment in life- or after it! Seek to emulate the like of Ray Lightsong here and even should you fall short, you will have taken long steps along the proper path!''

Lightsong's smile shrinks a little, but only for a few seconds, then she pushes it back in place. Casting her eyes down, she shifts her weight- she looks humble and slightly embarrassed but something about that position reminds Marian of Helene when the Seeker is trying desperately not to flee a crowd.

[Marian Hawke]

Hoo boy. This is going to get me banned, isn't it?

Marian hated bullies. When she'd been in the Temple of Scholastic Advancement, she'd been housed with dozens of other girls, which meant a complex social structure she'd had to learn as best she could. She never quite felt at home in the dormitories, around the other girls. She just didn't think about things how they did. And that meant she got bullied. Frequently. 

Girls of a certain age don't push or hit or dunk other's heads in toilets. They bully with words: pretty lies meant to sucker you into doing something, then harsh chastisement for actually doing it. 'Can you believe she actually did that?' 'What an idiot!' 'She should have known nobody would actually want to dance with her' 'Did you think we were friends?'.

Marian hadn't learned to stick up for herself until she saw younger girls getting the same treatment. Something about little Ann-Marie reminded her too much of Carol, and she lashed out, protecting the girl in perhaps the worst way: with her fists. Nothing clever or intellectual about that, and it left marks, which meant she'd been branded a troublemaker and punished while the girls she hit were coddled and soothed. But she'd protected Ann-Marie, at least for a little while.

(Until Ann-Marie ran away. Dropped out of school. Marian wasn't sure where she'd gone, but she liked to think it was someplace better. Someplace with good food and cute boys and no bullies.)

Seeker Helene was a lot like Ann-Marie. She was a grown adult, despite her appearance, but she didn't always act like it. Social cuts like the ones Marian and Ann-Marie had suffered hit her particularly hard, and she had no idea how to respond to them (a lot like Marian). That fleeting smile that doesn't quite fit; that shift, that downcast eyes. This is someone who is bracing for the other shoe to drop, waiting for the bullying to being.

Someone is in danger. Marian Hawke doesn't leave friends in danger.

"Lightsong!" she calls, rushing forward. "Thank Bastion, I've found you. Come with me."

[Haliel Lightsong]

The aasimar jumps, having been honestly a bit spaced out. Her eyes widen as she notices Marian but she doesn't hesitate a second longer. ''Miss Marian! What's wrong?'' Even as she speaks, she's moving towards the merikos elf. ''Do I need to change?''

[NPCs]

''What is going on? Who is this? Lady Ray Lightsong, you are not dismissed!'' The priest, another aasimar or at least a merikos, scowls at Marian, looking deeply affronted by the interruption.

[Marian Hawke]

"No, no, you're fine," says Marian, nodding. She grabs Lightsong's hand, tugging her. "Come on, hurry!" She doesn't even acknowledge the priest, starting to tug Lightsong back the way she came in.

[NPCs]

A handful of soft gasps come from the crowd of thirty or so. Along with a, 'how dare she lay hands on Saintess Lightsong!' that gets a few additional murmurs of agreement.

[Haliel Lightsong]

Lightsong colors brightly and hurries along with Marian.  ''Of course. Our first duty is to help those in need,'' she says loudly, knowing she'll be lectured and perhaps even punished later but... Marian.

[Marian Hawke]

Marian tugs her back out around a few corners, then comes to stop in a courtyard, grinning at Lightsong. "You alright?" she asks, all pretense gone.

[Haliel Lightsong]

''Of course, thank you for asking,'' the paladin says out of habit. ''But- I am worried about you! What is the problem? Is it your master?''

[Marian Hawke]

She shakes her head. "No problem. But you looked like you needed a way out of there. Oh, and I brought your book back, you left it at my place," she adds, reaching into her coat and pulling out the book. 

[Haliel Lightsong]

Lightsong stares at Marian for a long, long moment, expression confounded and baffled. ''What?''

[Marian Hawke]

"What what? You looked, um, well... bad. So I rescued you. You're welcome." She smiles broadly. 

[Haliel Lightsong]

''But- but- you lied?'' She doesn't sound angry, just... scandalized? And still confused.