The Amell Legacy: Transgressions

[Haliel Lightsong]

"Fair point," Haliel says, reddening slightly at his bluntness. "But back to your point about friends. You really think that sex is the only difference between a life mate and a good friend?"

[Marian Hawke]

"Yes," she says stubbornly. "Diary of a Pavitra's main characters, Tonka and Gregor, call themselves platonic life partners. Tonka's not sexually attracted to mortals and Gregor is gay."

[Jassinth]

"If that is so, then why not be... platonic life partners, even spouses? Given what the Ray mentioned about the lovely Isabela," and how did not one but two strangers manage to woo her when I did not? I must work on my game it seems, "it seems clear that she will not mind if you seek pleasure elsewhere."

[Marian Hawke]

"I don't get--"

She takes a deep breath, turning away a bit. "I'm going to work on my formula. I just-- I just can't do this right now."

[Haliel Lightsong]

Haliel winces. "I- I am sorry, I should have let this drop right away," she says quietly. "This is far from an appropriate place to... I'll leave you be to work."

[Marian Hawke]

"Please don't hate me," she whispers, then turns away, moving to her bag to get out her sketchbook.

[Haliel Lightsong]

Never floats softly after Marian, the word soft and filled with love and sorrow.

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene starts, waking from nir dream into the absolute darkness of the cave, the light from the banked coals of their cookfire extinguished now. For a moment ne can't figure out why, but then ne hears it again -- a soft scraping sound, as if metal over stone. That's nir only warning before a hand clamps over nir mouth, pinching nir nose shut, stopping nem from breathing. Ne turns, desperate to get a look at nir attacker before ne passes out, but ne sees only inky black skin like the void between stars, so much darker than the air around that ne wonders how ne considered the night dark at all. Nothing is dark like this being -- it seems to suck light in, preventing it from escaping. And yet, those eyes, malevolent and cold and all the more horrific for being perfectly ordinary eyes, mortal eyes: ice-grey, with no hint of mercy or warmth to them. Calculating, but banal -- a great evil, but not a supernatural one. 

Then ne sits bolt upright, a squeak of a scream escaping nir throat before ne clamps down, not wanting to disturb the others. 

[Varric]

A shift to nir side, a soft silent nothing, then Varric's voice. "What's wrong?" he breathes out.

[Helene Dakesh]

"Nightmare," ne gasps out, panting, shivering. It felt so real -- and my lungs burn, like I wasn't breathing. Not night terrors. "Vision," ne corrects, in another breath. 

[Varric]

Varric tenses, shifting to scan the area around them yet again. "Us? Above? Nyra? Unrelated?" He forces himself to stop there, so ne can answer.

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene shakes nir head, still panting for breath. "A figure. A moment, please."

Helene fumbles beside nir bedroll, calming slightly when ne finds the sketchbook. A moment later, nir pencil glows, creating enough light to draw by, write by -- sketches first, then words, formed in samsaran, celestial, undercommon, whatever words flow to the surface first. What was the vision sent to tell me? ne pleads with her subconscious. Not just fear. Something else.

[Varric]

As soon as Helene starts moving, Varric does as well. In his case, he grabs a cloak, wrapping it around them like a curtain to prevent even that faint dim glow from being spotted. Light, after all, is only two things in the Underdark: bait, or a dinner bell. That done, he waits, outwardly patient. 

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene slowly untenses as the words come out, finally resting nir head against the sketchbook in silent prayer. When that's done, ne lifts nir head, turning back toward Varric.

"We have enemies down here. Not the tree's enemies. Our enemies, personally."

[Varric]

Varric stares a moment. "Well... shit." How did he even... wait, no, we're if not out of Raplin's Domain then at least near the border. Near enough that... "More competent than I expected," he murmurs. "Go on."