The Amell Legacy: Transgressions

[Marian Hawke]

"With good reason," she says softly. "Look, thanks, but I'm used to being an afterthought."

[Varric]

You and me both. "No, seriously, you need to talk to Seeker. She cares for you a lot more than I think you credit her with. Not great at showing it, but she does."

[Marian Hawke]

Marian shrug a shoulder. "Maybe," she says, sounding doubtful. "Let's just focus on my sisters, for now."

[GamesMaster]

It turns out Lightsong's already solved one of their problems: by hiring Brianne, she's added one more resource for Varric to work with. And so, inside of a week, "Bella" is installed as a dog trainer in the zi'Amell household, and Brianne is added to the serving staff for the party.

The party is wonderful: everything in good taste, everything lovely, everyone of interest in attendance. Including the lovely Shannon zi'Marass, who Ariel can't stop staring at as she minds the dog, ensuring the "vicious brute" doesn't bite anyone else.

As they gather in the garden for drinks and the big announcement, Ariel drifts closer to the merikos aasimar, pup cradled in her arms. Still no sign of a beau. Just the family. Maybe it's something else? Maybe confirming Carol as heir, just in case people had the wrong idea about Beth?

[Shannon zi'Marass]

Said merikos aasimar glances around, sipping at her wineglass with every sign of being dreadfully, artfully, bored. As she looks towards Marian, a slight smile forms and she very nearly tosses her glass on the tray of a passing server. Body swaying and shifting in all sorts of very interesting manners in her jade-colored dress, she starts towards that side of the room with the grace and intensity of a stalking cat.

[Marian Hawke]

Marian tenses, clutching the pup. My disguise is good enough, right? There's no way she recognized me... Right??

[Shannon zi'Marass]

Shannon barely flicks a glace at the other apparent merikos aasimar as she glides past Ariel- and what little the glance held was hints of dismissal and superiority, not recognition. After giving her a few seconds to get past her, Marian risks a glance and quickly realizes what- or rather, who- Shannon's goal actually was. Her youngest sister, Beth.

Who just so happens to be clad in an amber dress with subtle emerald trim that compliments Shannon's jade with gold trim dress amazingly well. Coming to a stop next to the slightly younger woman, the other noble murmurs something that gets a warm smile a slight blush from Beth. At her feet, a very large and healthy looking cat with silver-grey fur sits and stares regally at the party-goers.

[Marian Hawke]

Thank Alydra, she breathes. Wait. Is she hitting on my sister?! 

Marian isn't sure what irks her more -- that she's being passed over for her human baby sister, or that someone's flirting with her baby sister. She's just fifteen today -- not even close to legal. 

(Then again, neither is she -- she is only a year and some change older. Actually-- Marian realizes, with a wince, that her real birthday had already passed while Helene was away. Her fake birthday, the one Gamlen had put on the papers, was a few months away.)

Oh, look. Mother's standing up to give a speech. Is she... drunk?

[Leandra Hawke ne Amell]

Leandra sets down her wine glass and leans down to say something to the very attractive merkos ef sitting next to her. Jadan, the man that hired Ariel just a week ago, laughs softly and inclines his head. On his other side, Carol sits silently with head bowed and hands in her lap, the utter picture of a demure and proper noble lady to be. As Leandra looks back to the room with a happy smile and slightly unfocused eyes, the music fades out to cue people to look at the head table. 

"Thank you all for coming here to celebrate this wonderful day. As much as my heart still grieves for the loss of my beloved brother, I could not bear to diminish this moment, this monumental moment. On this day, my eldest daughter, my heir and the future Lady zi'Amell has turned fifteen!"

[Marian Hawke]

Marian applauds politely, watching the family. Definitely drunk. Look at those eyes. Oh, Mother... I'm glad it's only that you're trying to reconfirm Carol's place as heir. Poor Beth, though, being an afterthought.

[Shannon zi'Marass]

"Beth..." The voice is unfamiliar but exquisite, showing both expensive voice training and innate beauty. And right now, it's filled with compassion.

[Bethany]

"It's fine, Shan. I was expecting it." Beth scoffs softly. "Literally, I stole and read her speech yesterday. It.. it gets worse. I get a mention eventually though, so yay, right?"

[Marian Hawke]

Marian flinches a touch. Oh. I should probably have tried that, really. That'd have been faster than this hell. Oh Beth... 

[Leandra Hawke ne Amell]

Several moments pass as Leandra continues on, winding her way between complimenting and thanking people for coming to the party and praising Carol. After nearly two minutes, she dips out into actual content. "My youngest, Bethany-"

[Bethany]

"See?"