The Amell Legacy: Transgressions

[NPCs]

Ricky giggles a little, then attempts to grab at her face.

[Marian Hawke]

She lifts him up, letting him grab at her features, unconcerned he might shove a finger in her eye. 

[Varric]

"Marian," Varric says softly, loathe to break the moment but unwilling to let Marian evade.

[Marian Hawke]

She sighs, lowering the babe. "I don't know. Sometimes I do. Is that bad?"

[Varric]

"Yes," Varric says bluntly. "You shouldn't regret being alive."

[Marian Hawke]

"It's fine. I won't-- I can't-- I'm Unclaimed."

[Varric]

"Should be more holding you here than that," Varric presses, eyes narrowing.

[Marian Hawke]

She shrugs a shoulder. "Mostly. Sometimes. This is-- you don't understand what it's like for me. I don't talk about it much. But... I thought I was dead. I was dead, if I met Mileen. And I woke up in a different body, a body I don't-- a body just like -- it's hard. A lot of the time I regret it."

[Varric]

"No-one can know what it's like to be anyone else. Not really, not even with magic." Varric sighs a little. "But I will admit that your new, ah, condition is more unusual than most."

[Marian Hawke]

"I'll manage." She sighs. "Should I leave?"

[Varric]

"Absolutely not." Despite the sharpness of the words chosen, his tone is gentle.

[Marian Hawke]

"I'm not exactly a good role model for Ricky here."

[Varric]

"Sure you are," Varric disagrees. "He's going to face a lot of the problems you will because of how you look. Because of how your flesh pushes you. You can help lead him through it. And you're learning. We've known each other for what, six or seven months tops? That's not all that long towards changing parts of you forged over decades."

[Marian Hawke]

"I guess," she says, looking down at the baby. 

[Varric]

"Give it time, Marian. We're a family now. We'll figure this shite out together. Between you, me, and Helene's brains and Haliel's faith, we'll figure this out." Wow, Ricky is interesting to look at. Certainly no other reason to also avoid looking at her directly.