The Amell Legacy: Transgressions

[Marian Hawke]

"I shouldn't-- I shouldn't have-- I'll see you tomorrow," she whispers, something defeated in her tone -- something awfully like Carol.

[Haliel Lightsong]

"I liked it- the first- I just- your tongue was in my mouth," Haliel tries to explain.

[Marian Hawke]

"Yeah," whispers Marian. "Yeah. Sorry."

[Haliel Lightsong]

Haliel takes a deep breath, trying to focus. "I'm not upset," she says hurriedly, seeing Marian twisting the door handle. "I just- I wasn't expecting... that. I should- we could try again maybe? But- maybe... less... of the tongue part?"

[Marian Hawke]

"No, I-- did you... like it? At all?" she nearly pleads. 

[Haliel Lightsong]

"I did!" Haliel says quickly. "The- the first part. With just lips. I like having you so close, your warmth and weight against me. Being able to... umm." She fumbles a bit, then just says, "your scent. You smell nice."

[Marian Hawke]

"But it didn't... do anything for you?" she whimper. 

[Haliel Lightsong]

"...do what?" Haliel asks carefully.

[Marian Hawke]

"Make you... wet?" she whispers. "Excited?"

[Haliel Lightsong]

Wet? She reaches out to touch her lips, then nods. "A little? Your tongue. And... right now I'm mostly worried and anxious about... this. About us."

[Marian Hawke]

"not--"

Her voice cuts off, strangled. "Like with a man," she whispers, then shakes her head.

"I can't, I can't do this, I-- i'm sorry. Forget I said anything. I'll see you tomorrow." Then she's pulling the door open, eyes clouding with tears. 

[Haliel Lightsong]

Like with- what?  "Marian, I don't-" Haliel falls silent, eyes filling with tears. I don't understand. What did I do wrong? Why didn't I like it like she wanted me to? Like I wanted me to? Slumping back onto the bed, she curls up and cries.

[Marian Hawke]

Marian thinks about running away, leaving Nyra entirely. She thinks about throwing herself at the Undercity, or into the pond at Blossom. But instead, she heads for the library, begging her master to give her enough work that she can forget her heartbreak. 

Why was I made this way? What's wrong with me?

[Carver Amell]

Over the next week, very few answers are provided -- at least, for Marian, Beth, or Haliel. Carol, on the other hand, throws herself headlong into sword training, becoming easily one of the hardest working students Haliel has seen. She spends much of her nights practicing instead of sleeping; Beth would scold her harder if she wasn't afraid of another tub incident.

Hunter grows like a pup should, becoming more and more rambunctious, eager to help his master with her training. Carol begins to build calluses on her hands, which she takes to hiding with gloves around the house so her mother doesn't find out.

As it happens, it's not the calluses she should have been worried about being discovered, but the slim volume under her mattress, which a maid finds and brings straight to her mother...

[Leandra Hawke ne Amell]

Leandra waits for tea, which she makes a point of ensuring both of her daughters are aware that they will be in attendance. She lets them both sit, lets them both get a glass of chilled tea and be served a plate of soft bread sandwiches. Then she dismisses the servants and sits there, waiting for the two of them to grow uncomfortable in the laden silence. Finally, she reaches under the table to pick up the book on her lap and places it softly in the center. 

"Bethany, would you care to explain what you were thinking?" she asks softly.