The Amell Legacy: Transgressions

[GamesMaster]

In the end, they do go through Shiori's tunnels -- after stopping by to pack up Varric's things, because while Marian might be willing to flee with only the cash hidden in her breastband and the clothes on her back, Varric isn't going to abandon his alchemy kit if he can help it, thank you very much.

The tunnels turn out to be full of giant spiders, of course. Which makes great target practice for Marian, who still proves to be dangerous with a blade but decent with a crossbow. Can't hold a candle to Varric, who could honestly have cleared them out singlehandedly, but it's a good chance to practice teaming up with the Paladin.

"Lesson one: don't hit your allies"

They make it out to the plains, but of course their timing isn't optimal, so they end up having to camp in a clearing halfway to Goldengreen. They'll make it to the village by lunch the next day, as it's only eight hours walking total, but nobody wants to arrive at midnight, so they camp for now. 

It takes a bit to get a fire going without magic but they manage it thanks to Marian's eclectic reading habits. Without fresh rations, there's no cooking to be done, and no washing-up; Carol stares listlessly into the fire, silent, eating when Beth prompts her. Shiori tells a story, but it falls mostly flat; nobody's really up for a farce at the moment, and that's the kind she knows best. 

[Marian Hawke]

Marian finally breaks the awkward silence after Shiori finishes the first leg of the story and aborts. Now or never: stop being a coward and speak up.

"I wanted to... well, if we're all going to be travelling together, I thought maybe we should... It's just, I keep being told honesty is important. And, um, I'm not. Very honest. Ever. So I thought maybe... maybe I should try harder to be."

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene looks up, startled, eyes wide. "Honesty is a virtue," she says, slowly. "Is there a particular topic? Or--"

[Marian Hawke]

"I tried to kill myself," she blurts. "Uh. I mean. Sorry. I didn't really try-try, just..."

[Varric]

And yet again, I am proven correct in my sublime judgement. Traveling between cities- fuck hamlets, villages, outposts, homesteads and anything with less than five hundred people- sucks. Yep. Still sucks. And traveling without a caravan is even worse. Still... at least... umm... at least... Well, Tabby can set a fire. Lightsong can... not need food, evidently, which is handy. Oh! Vigile can hunt. Granted, a single rabbit will just barely make a modest addition to breakfast tomorrow but it's something at least. And... gods about Soushi, find some pacing already! Way too long between that set-up and payoff. You only mentioned the color of his vest the once, and nearly two minutes ago. Need to work with her. Maybe Bethany as well, she seems to fancy herself a bard.

His attention pulls back out of his head as Marian starts talking. Well, I'll be damned. She's actually going to open up. Let's see how she does with this...

...gods damn it.

[Bethany]

"What?" Bethany asks weakly, head swimming and her lungs tightening. I can't- I can't- there's no air and- I can't-

[Haliel Lightsong]

"Marian? What- what happened? When?" Unnoticed by the paladin, her aura flares out, flooding the clearing with an unseen golden glow- and them all with hope.

[Marian Hawke]

She ducks her head, fidgeting with her hands. "A-- a long time ago. I just... I've been... reminded. About it. With Carol and all, I..."

[Helene Dakesh]

"This one understands," says Helene quietly. "This one, too, has contemplated such an act in the past."

[Marian Hawke]

Marian's head snaps up. "You-- what?"

[Bethany]

"But- but you can't- you can't have-" Beth shudders painfully, then jumps a little when Vigile hops into her lap and rubs his face against her throat. Gratefully, she clutches him to her tightly.

[Marian Hawke]

"I didn't," she says quickly. "I'm fine. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-- Carol?"

[Carver Amell]

For in the flickering firelight, she can see Carol wipe tears from her cheeks. "I... I thought... I thought I was the only one who..."

[Bethany]

Beth shudders again, head bowed over Vigile. "I... Sometimes... sometimes at night, when I couldn't... couldn't see a way out, I thought about running. Not to anything, just... running until I was so lost I didn't exist."

[Haliel Lightsong]

Lightsong is... very quiet, watching all of this with pain in her eyes.