The Amell Legacy: Transgressions

[Varric]

Varric shrugs a little. "I got caught in a cave-in, could have died, just to maybe save Helene.' He meets her gaze solidly. "I cannot regret it in the slightest. But that's me- question is, would you trade Lightsong's life for the chance of having a shining career?"

[Marian Hawke]

Marian shakes her head, before he's even done speaking. "No. I'm glad I did what I did. But... I wish I'd done it better."

[Varric]

"Ah," Varric says softly. "Yeah, that drive I get. Still... nothing you can do to do it better. It happened, it's done. Learn from it, grow from it and make a plan for next time. Obviously not the exact scenario but... You wanna work on your mutagen? Get it working properly?"

[Marian Hawke]

"Yes," she whispers. "I-- what if I can't? What if that's the last arcana I'll ever brew?"

[Varric]

"Then we find another path," Varric says patiently. "If not mutagens, then bombs. If not bombs, then maybe extracts. If not extracts, maybe self-trances. Or bard song. Or hells, maybe Shiny teaches you the way of the holy knight. If something stops working, if something never starts, you regroup and try something else. We regroup and try something else."

[Marian Hawke]

She wipes fresh tears from her eyes, giving a mute nod. "I... I keep thinking... if it's gone, if this is all I can manage, then why did I ever agree to come back? Why did..."

[Varric]

"There's more to life than that Marian. More than success and fame or whatever. I won't try and say it's not a big deal- I got a hunger to prove myself as well. But there is more than that. Enough to be worth living anyway."

[Marian Hawke]

"I'm so sick of being worthless," she whispers, shivering a little. Louder, she says, "Let's go over my mutagen. See if I can do it."

[Varric]

"You're not worthless," Varric says sharply, unwilling to let that go again. "And it's getting real insulting that you keep insisting on the fact."

[Marian Hawke]

She sighs. "I guess," she mumbles. "It just seems.... Well, I just discovered I have a talent and now it might be gone forever."

[Varric]

"Which hurts. I get it. But please remember that the lot of care about you a great deal, alright?"

[Marian Hawke]

She nods, swallowing. "It's... hard. I keep... I feel... I feel out of sorts, today. Low. It seems so pointless. Of course I'll never amount to anything. Of course I threw away my talents before I even knew I had them."

[Varric]

"Pain can do that sort of thing," Varric soothes her. "Drains you down, wears you out. Best to keep busy, yeah?"

[Marian Hawke]

She nods, then, reaching to her bedside table to pull out her sketchbook. "Let's go over the mutagen."

[Isabela]

The plan was simple: Jadan was fond of going to the theatre, and of course, he'd have his bodyguard with him. The man was paranoid, and he'd undergone losses; Beth said Zev was usually invisible, but Isabela trusts he'll be there, watching his master. Isabela was going to distract Jadan, catching his eye and tempting him with her wiles, while Vig was to use his nose to sniff out Zev. When found, he was to pass the message quietly and discreetly: run, you've been freed. 

Unfortunately, there was a hitch in her plan. Sure, Isabela is well able to catch and hold Jadan's attention. But either Vig's nose is lacking -- or Zev isn't here.

If not here, where? 

As he returns to report his findings, he spies Isabela willingly following Jadan, towards his carriage. Should he follow? Or go looking for Zev on his own?