The Amell Legacy: Transgressions

[Bethany]

It's good he stops when he does, as when he does turn back, it's to see Beth moving her hands in obvious casting gestures. Breaking off, she rushes over to him. "What is wrong w- your hands, Carver!" 

[Carver Amell]

He pushes her away. "I'm fine. I'm just really mad."

[Bethany]

"Yes, and you've really fractured your hands, you big oaf. Let me heal you- for my sake if nothing else," she adds.

[Carver Amell]

He sighs, holding out his hands to her, to let her deal with it. "He had no right," he growls. "I'm glad he's dead."

[Bethany]

The bard hums softly, then sings a quick line to heal Carver's hands. "...no, he really didn't. I... I know he just wanted his twin to be happy but-" Beth shakes her head, scowling. "It... especially recently, I've had trouble hating him as much as I used to. Knowing how desperate I was to help you, it... I considered some really... questionable things, to try and find out why you were hurting yourself."

[Carver Amell]

Carver sighs. "I'm just broken, Beth. There's no why to it. I'm just... broken."

[Bethany]

"Maybe you were broken... but not anymore, brother mine," Beth says lightly, squeezing his freshly healed hands.

[Carver Amell]

He shakes his head. "I'm only-- this is-- this is a miracle, Beth. I never thought this was possible. But I'm broken. Sooner or later I'm going to feel bad again. I don't want you to think it's your fault when it happens."

[Bethany]

"It's not- Carver, don't you see? This is why you got so sad? It always happened when people made you do girly stuff. And you tried to- to- to mutilate your tits. That's... pretty clear, now that we know the answer." She smiles broadly at him. "See? I mean, sure, you'll have shitty days still, that's normal but... you're okay now. You're the way you should be. You have a family again- and maybe a pretty girlfriend with big doe eyes?"

[Carver Amell]

But he still shakes his head. "It's not-- that stuff was particularly bad but Beth, I was sad all the time. Even when things were going right. I wasn't sitting around thinking, woe is me, I have to be a g--" 

He shakes his head, giving up on the word. "Just everything hurt, I had no energy, I could barely think, I wanted to get up and do things but I couldn't. I was just... broken."

[Bethany]

"Tessaline's Burden," Beth supplies, smile turning sad. "I know. But... but that has a reason behind it, Carver. It's like... like getting sick. It affects everything and sometimes you're not sure what did it exactly, but there's a cause. And we fixed the cause. Other stuff might... give you some sniffles, even a bad cough or whatever, but you're never going to be that bad off again. I'm sure of it." Despite her words, Carver knows her well enough to know she's at least partially praying she's right. She believes it... but she doesn't know it like she's trying to put on.

[Carver Amell]

Carver sighs. "I don't know, Beth. So much I was sure of turned out to be false -- I just don't know anymore. I could have run away and done this years ago, before I grew-- uh-- before my body changed. I could have confided in you. I could have poisoned Gamlen. But then again, I never thought you'd-- well, you know. So who knows what worse could have happened?"

[Bethany]

Beth flinches, eyes dropping to their joined hands. "I... I really am sorry for... For.. taking away something that made you happy, even if it- Well. . I... I think he's dangerous and I, well, I proved that I guess, but that doesn't excuse me doing it in the first place. Arranging for you to see him shouting or- or h-hitting me, I mean. I n-n-never expected him t-to..." She shudders for the third time, finally having to stop to prevent herself from vomiting.

[Carver Amell]

"You-- you thought he'd just hit you?" asks Carver, slowly. "You didn't-- it's just-- the way you were talking-- it sounded like you wanted me to think he was ch-cheating."

[Bethany]

"What?" Beth blurts out, then twists to the side to gag violently. She spasms twice, then finally loses control of her stomach.