The Amell Legacy: Transgressions

[Haliel Lightsong]

Haleil flinches before she fixes a smile on her face. "I see. I'm sorry I misunderstood," she says, voice tight.

[NPCs]

"Okay, may the adult with over a hundred years of experience share his worldly wisdom? Great, thanks," Roland says cheerfully. "One, might well be falling. Suggest you find a Feather Fall spell however as that lady over there? Not interested. I know the love and leave'em type- am one myself. Only soul that has a chance of getting her to settle is that Zevran fella and even then I'd not give better than one in four odds. Two? You two might just want to ask the girl what her thoughts were on the matter, rather than guessing and fearing you know."

[Marian Hawke]

"It could happen," mutters Marian, sulky. 

[NPCs]

"She say a thing about making this a thang? Only word I heard about the future was to your sister, and that only about thanks for helping her find her man. Any promises, expressions of emotion behind having a good time?"

[Marian Hawke]

"Well no-- that's why I need to go with her. So she can realize-- I mean-- look, weirder things have happened. My dad wasn't supposed to be able to run away with my mom -- whoever heard of a noblewoman seduced by an elven bard?"

[NPCs]

Roland stills a moment. "...my count is fourteen actually," he says in distant voice. "What was his name? Your elven bard?"

[Marian Hawke]

"Uh. I think his name was Malcolm? He died when I was small."

[NPCs]

Roland pales. "Malcolm. Malcolm Gold Hawk?"

[Bethany]

Startled, Beth blurts out an affirmative. "How do you know our dad?"

[NPCs]

"He was my apprentice," the bard say numbly, staring at Marian. How did I not see his eyes? His smile?

[Marian Hawke]

"He--"

Marian swallows, her throat closing up. "You knew my dad?" she whispers.

Secretly, she feels a pang of jealousy for Beth, a bit of bitterness -- You had a father, even if he didn't actually sire you. Let me have this. But she feels guilty immediately, refusing to say a word of that. They're already close, and he's barely talked to me the whole trip. She already has this. Just one more thing the Good Daughter gets that the Bastard can't have. A father, a grandfather, a mother, a home... She knows it's poison, knows it'll just hurt their relationship in the long run, but she can't stop herself, not quite.

[NPCs]

"I- yeah. Gods. Gods." Roland grabs Isabela's barely touched ale and drains it in one go. "You have his eyes, his smile. Beth has his words, but- the shape, the color- it's Mal sure and true. Marian. Mary. He called- How did I not-" He tries to drink more but the mug is empty.

[Marian Hawke]

Marian swallows, glancing to Beth. "I... I should let you two..." she says, getting to her feet. 

[Bethany]

"What? No! Marian, he's our, um, dad's.. mentor or whatever. Gods, don't you want to know about him?" Beth asks, shocked.

[Marian Hawke]

"Of course I do," she says, letting a little of the bitterness seep into her voice. "But you're the one who-- I'm nothing like him, it sounds like. I can wait."