The Amell Legacy: Transgressions

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene sighs once more. "This one apologizes, this one is... This one reacted as this one would to a pupil."

[Varric]

Varric clear his throat. "This is... a new dynamic. For both of us. I've never... whatever this is, I..."

[Helene Dakesh]

"Is this not... friendship?" asks Helene, softly.

[Varric]

Varric flicks a glance at nem. "At least, yes," he says carefully. 

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene is quiet for a long moment. Finally, timidly, ne says, "this one understands that Varric is not interested in more. This one would be. But this one dares not hope."

[Varric]

"I..." Varric's mouth feels as dry as that granite dust he recommended to Marian. Like he'd been gorging himself on it, coating his mouth and throat with it. "It is... if you had to... pick. Between having... Just one book, a complete story but just the one book. Or... or having two books but they're... incomplete. Not- not like- All the pages are there but there's... an element missing, that's normally in that kind of book... Which would you pick?" What the hells was that? That's just- just gibberish.

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene frowns. "Depends on the quality of the former and the element missing from the latter, this one would think."

[Varric]

Yeah that's fair enough. Coming on a little bit too oblique I think. "Assume the writing for both options is equal. Both of them are similar genre, same author, and same level of editing. The extra book for the second option... Just adds some elements of... warmth. But no heat at all. The author just isn't any good at it."

[Helene Dakesh]

"This is a... A romantic book? But lacking the... Ah." Helene hesitates. "The situation is more that... No books a are published in my language that contain heat. Therefore, a book without is better than a theoretical book with."

[Varric]

Language? What does that mean... Some type of characteristic or quality clearly, one that would prevent... Heat. Hrrrm. "I have to admit that I don't understand what's wrong with your language or why it would prevent that, but if you would prefer a book without it..." He jerks a shoulder with forced casualness.

[Helene Dakesh]

"This one is defective," Helene says quietly, then shakes nir head. "This one is burdened."

[Varric]

"Burdened..?" Varric frowns, mind racing to try and follow- Helene can see the moment when it clicks, when he looks at nem and puts nir halted growth together with theoretical sexual relations. "Oh. Right, I- I forget that you- err, that... you're written in that language. It's not relevant. To me, I mean, I know it must- I don't mean to diminish what it does to your life, just-"

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene nods vigorously. "You have no interest in that type of relations, and so, did not consider myself in that sort of situation. This one understands, now. This one only brings it up to say, this one has no other book to compare with. This one will not, cannot, obtain these relations. And so, this one cares not that Varric is not interested in pursuing them. This one... does not understand what a relationship without relations looks like. But this one is willing to do research."

[Varric]

Varric rubs his chin. "I... There's... more. You.... you wouldn't be able to... read it in public. At home, with family, yes, but if... if the publisher found out, it could cause the author to default. So. Not really much on offer, I guess."

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene frowns. "This will need... This one cannot parse this portion of the metaphor."