The Amell Legacy: Transgressions

[Marian Hawke]

Bellflower watches them a few moments longer, visibly untensing as they gravitate toward the Mabari pups. Good. They need a strong protector. Without me around...

She leaves, before she can be spotted, and heads toward the Gilder Goose. I wonder if they do takeout? And I wonder if Varric is home for lunch? Something tells her she need to speak to someone used to unsavory dealings. 

[Varric]

Varric, as it turns out, is indeed at the tavern. And, well, no other phrase but 'holding court' seems more apt to be honest. The dwarf is surrounded by a score of patrons, all of them utterly rapt as he spins some yarn about using dozens and dozens of women's bloomers to protect a caravan carrying clothing from a massive swarm of immature stirges. Given his comments on keeping a low profile, this seems both daft and hypocritical. Still... damn funny story.

[Marian Hawke]

Bellflower pretends to ignore him, speaking to the bartender about getting some food tinned up to go. Still, when he hits the highlight of the story, she can't help it: she bursts into snorting giggles, leaning on the bar so she doesn't fall over. 

Goddamn. I wish I was that good at telling stories.

[Varric]

A few minutes later, Varric comes up to the bar as well, ordering a couple of bottles of swill for the tables near him- to uproarious approval- and some finer ale and stew for himself. That done, he takes a seat to wait. ''Heya.''

[Marian Hawke]

"Can we talk? Later? I need someone, ah, with more of your skills than Master's," she says quickly, unsure how long he'll be sitting here. 

[Varric]

Varric nods a little. ''Give me... thirty minutes to get clear. Met you there.'' With that, he takes his ale and stew- the bottles already at the tables- and leaves. As he goes, she can feel a brush against her jerkin. A quick check reveals a crude key with a 'four' etched into the handle.

[Marian Hawke]

Marian smiles when her fingers brush the key. This is so exciting. Like something out of a book. Maybe I'll get to be a real hero for a little bit, she thinks, as she goes about ordering the tins of curry delivered to her master for a pretty penny.

She heads upstairs, then, letting herself into Varric's room and sitting on the trunk with his things, waiting for him to arrive. 

[Varric]

Thirty-two minutes later, Varric slips into the room. ''You can lock next time, inn locks are shite,'' he comments lightly as he closes it behind him. ''So what's up?''

[Marian Hawke]

"If they're shite, why am I bothering?" she asks, tilting her head a smidge. "Anyway. I need to get close to the people I'm forbidden from being close to. I thought you might know a thing or two about that."

[Varric]

''Best your average thief is worse than shite. And yeah, I might know a thing or two. Need more than that though. Devils are in the details after all, and best to notice them before they notice you.''

[Marian Hawke]

She winces, then takes a deep breath. "Two targets. I wasn't noticed tailing them this morning, but what I saw was disturbing. I need to know they're alright, and one data point isn't enough to extrapolate from, especially with the confounding effect of a recent death in the family. That may have pushed them out of their neutral range."

That's probably the most words Marian's volunteered to him ever, outside of questions Helene's asked as part of her training.

[Varric]

Varric nods slowly, stroking his chin. ''Alright... So that's the objective. Just observation and evaluation, not contact or extraction? At least not at the moment?''

[Marian Hawke]

"Right. Extraction is likely impossible to begin with, and contact is inadvisable until more data is obtained, as the targets are potentially threats as well as potentially victims.  However, this disguise is... adequate, but not exceptional. Risk of positive identification by targets without disguise is one hundred percent, but with the disguise... perhaps sixty? Uncertain. Positive identification must be avoided. That said, there are obviously extenuating conditions making direct observation difficult: location, presence of armed guards and chaperones, limited quantities of extra-household leisure time... Of course, it's impossible to get into the house without being caught, at this one's present skill levels. I just don't see how I can get the data I need to do a complete analysis. Which is where you come in."

[Varric]

That was both adorable and impressive. Trying way too hard but well done despite that. "Good start. Disguise can be enhanced now that I have access to significantly more supplies. We can discuss options, see what you think they would remember most about you and how we can downplay that, but that can come after we have a better idea on the overall plan. For right now, I think the big question is what are you hoping to get out of this exactly. are you just checking up to see if they're okay, or do you also want to know about their lives? Do you want to see if it's safe to make contact? Do you need to see it with your own eyes or is Lightsong or me seeing enough? How much time, how much coin, how much risk are you willing to put into this?"

[Marian Hawke]

"All that I have," says Marian without hesitation to the last question, but the rest of it gives her pause. She doesn't try to interrupt and, after that brief outburst, falls silent again, thinking deeply.

Finally, she glances away from him, biting her lower lip. "I don't... Something seemed off about Car-- one of the two. Just a gut feeling but... I want to be sure they're okay. I'd love to know more but I don't... it's not a good idea for me to get too involved. Might be best if one of you checks up." The admission costs her, but... I can't get too mixed up in this. There's no way I can come back for real, be part of their lives. Not ever again. I have no family, not anymore -- as if I ever really did.