The Amell Legacy: Transgressions

[Haliel Lightsong]

Why do I feel... like that wasn't... "Thank you," she says softly, eyes lowering. "And- and besides, this is all likely just worry and mist. Your master and Mister Tethras aren't criminals or the like. There might be a little legal trouble with their actions, but if they were being held against their will and abused..."

[Marian Hawke]

"Yeah," she agrees, readily. "If they were being abused and tortured, as Mr Tethras says, then there's no trouble coming."

[Haliel Lightsong]

"Right," Lightsong says with relief, glad that someone agrees with her assessment. "Okay. So... let's get things squared away in here, then we can figure out what comes next. Breakfast, I should think. Or at least, getting what will be needed for meals for at least today." She pauses, frowning. "And... and figure out if you need me during the day. I do have service but helping others comes first if you need assistance with all this."

[Marian Hawke]

"Thank you," says Marian again, and she slips an arm around Lightsong briefly.

[Marian Hawke]

Now that the Master is home, and has a houseguest, it seems prudent to have more groceries in the house than basic strew fixings. So, just after eighth bell, Marian and Lightsong head out to the little market to pick up some things on Helene's tab.

They're coming back with arms full of grocery bags when they pass a kid waving leaflets around. In Aldis, most news is carried by word of mouth from travelling caravans, but there are exceptions; in Draslina, in the Alydran district, it is common to print important things using Gute Machines onto sheafs of flat, cheap, dingy-grey paper. Gute Machines were invented by a Zanonite named Gutenberg; Alydrans will use whatever is helpful, but many in Draslina refused to touch them just in case they're tainted with evil. The paper was cheap and dingy thanks to being made of recycled scraps, as some of the ink from the shredded scrolls colored the paper made from them. 

Today's leaflet was pressed into Lightsong's hands urgently. "Fresh word, mum, a missing Seeker, thought to be kidnapped!"

[Haliel Lightsong]

Oh dear. "Oh dear." Lightsong is an honest soul really. Turning to Marian, she offers a sickly smile. "Umm. I... I think perhaps we should get home soon?"

[Marian Hawke]

Marian looks down at her leaflet, noting that it has a whole paragraph describing the suspect as a surly, violent dwarf. "Yes, let's."

Two minutes later, they're inside the small flat, the groceries dropped onto the table haphazardly. "Should I wake them up, I should wake them up, oh dear, do you think he really is dangerous?"

[Haliel Lightsong]

"I am," Lightsong says softly. "If such things were done to you, I would do great violence in order to stop it. The real question is whether he was telling the truth about what was done to them both."

[Varric]

"Good question," Varric asks from the doorway deeper into the tiny apartment. "What brings that up?" We gonna have to fight? The scribe-girl, not much of a threat, but the paladin... even out of her armour... and who wears vestments and carries their sword and shield? I thought you were a Ray, not a Bright's.

[Marian Hawke]

Marian lets out a small squeak of fear, jumping a little. "M-mister Tethras! Ah, did you sleep well?"

[Varric]

Without seeming to realize that she's doing it, Lightsong shifts between Varric and Marian- though Varric certainly notices. ''Nice enough. Enjoyed the lack of manacles or bars on my door.'' Okay, that's an amusing face, but... ''Not exactly what one might expect at a hospital but this place wasn't exactly on the up and up, was it? So. They spreading the word about our daring escape already?'' Damn. That reaction time suggests someone found Renauld pretty quick.

[Marian Hawke]

"They're saying you killed someone," hisses Marian. "And k-k-kidnapped Helene!"

[Varric]

Score! ''Renuald, my personal torturer and the one that got reassigned to Helene. Crimes include beatings, using evil magic outside of combat- specifically pain-inducing magic- theft and at least passive sexual predation. I suspect more, but didn't see it personally so...'' He shrugs. ''Didn't kill him out right, just took him down pretty hard and left it to the gods to decide how that ended. Figured, it's a temple of Alydra in the middle of Draslina. If They wanted him alive, it would happen.''

[Haliel Lightsong]

''That is... understandable, I suppose, though still not acceptable,''Lightsong says reprovingly. ''He should have been given a chance to face justice in a fair and expedient manner.''

[Marian Hawke]

"Men like that never face justice," says Marian, her tone cold steel. Where did that come from?

She shakes her head, then, blinking off whatever that was. "Assuming you're even telling the truth. If it was so bad why doesn't Helene agree?"