The Amell Legacy: Transgressions

[Marian Hawke]

"Why did you take me, then?"

[Helene Dakesh]

"Alydra suggested it was time."

[Marian Hawke]

"Do you do anything outside of what Alydra tells you to?"

[Helene Dakesh]

"No. Why would this one? This one serves Alydra. This one does as this one is told, and this one provides for the continued service to Alydra." At Marian's disgusted look, she continues, "Many do the same, if they are dedicated to a deity's service. Why is this one not allowed to serve as fully as others? This one is not impaired, this one has an adult's judgement and reasoning, but always this one is questioned for this one's dedication, as though it were something shameful or... or mis-applied."

[Varric]

"Neither of us are all that... well, maybe not faithful but... religious. So it's not you being that devoted that baffles us a bit, but anyone being that devoted. Shiny is the same way, I think. Or close to it."

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene shakes her head. "This one has been advised by elder Seekers, by faithful of other gods -- this one has been instructed that to live only for Alydra shames Alydra, that to live only for service tarnishes that service. This one can think of no higher purity, no greater calling. But this one is tasked to seek it nonetheless. Why? Why is that not enough? What more can this one give?"

Helene's voice is still too flat, too even, but there's a bit of pain in it, of sorrow and loss -- which, for her, may as well be a scream. "This one was asked once if this one's service, this one's devotion, was enough to ransom this one's life from the death that seemed certain. This one was forced to admit that it was not, but this one had no more to give." 

[Marian Hawke]

"Alydra can be a right cunt," says Marian, after a brief pause, when it becomes clear that Helene would not continue.

[Varric]

"Doesn't sound like Alydra is the one demanding Seeker act this way," Varric observes evenly. "Unless you meant that for something else?"

[Marian Hawke]

Marian glances at Varric. "The fuck do you figure that? Who else would ask for everything she is and not get a brush-off?"

[Varric]

"Sounds like Seeker offered everything in exchange for a purpose. And Alyda gave Seeke one, rather than..."

[Helene Dakesh]

"Correct," says Helene, relieved. "This one was asked if the bargain was fair, and this one had to conclude it was not. But this one had no more to give, and so, Alydra took pity upon this one, and accepted this one's offer."

[Varric]

Varric looks down at the ground, sighs, and then rubs his forehead. "Seeker. Seeker. I... Tabby, you want to explain this one?"

[Marian Hawke]

"Who asked you that?"

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene blinks. "The Ancient One, the First Seeker, he of the Grey Beard," she says, startled into more formality.

[Marian Hawke]

"Uh." She blinks, taken a little aback, before continuing on. "Right. Well. What he probably meant was that what you were getting was too little. A mortal's entire lifetime? And have you not said you were a child when you took up Alydra's service?"