The Amell Legacy: Transgressions

[Varric]

"After my mother died and... I got pretty angry for a while," Varric says with a shrug. "It was satisfying for a while, the idea of Proving Them All Wrong! and so forth. Very dramatic daydreams and elaborate plans of succeeding so hard that all of my rivals and naysayers flung themselves down the nearest pit in shame. But in the long run, it didn't suit. So."

[Helene Dakesh]

"This one cannot understand patterning oneself after a villain in a bard's tale. No matter what was done to this one."

Of course, Helene never went through puberty either...

[Varric]

Varric spreads his hands. "It made sense at the time. Evil doesn't have limits, so it's rather freeing. At least on paper- never had a fantasy or two about slapping the shit out of someone that talked down to you? Or continued to misgender you, despite you correcting them, to the point were it's clear they're trying to be offensive?"

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene shakes nir head. "This one has never corrected one's assumptions of this one's gender. This one... This one's existence can be trying to deal with. This one tries to minimize the impact on others as much as possible."

[Varric]

"Yeah... I have noticed that," he admits. Which is why I've started correcting people when I hear it. "But my points stands- never thought about slapping someone or at tearing into them verbally for being an offensive asshole?"

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene shakes nir head. "Not... often," ne admits. "Biting is forbidden."

[Varric]

"It's unhygienic anyway," Varric allows. "And our teeth are ill-suited for it. Betting to punch or kick." He frowns. "I should show you a few things, just in case," he adds, mostly to himself. "Anyway, it was much the same for me, just longer because... well, like I said, I had a lot of anger and reasons to prove myself."

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene glances away, deep in thought. "This one... gave up the idea of self-defense, of vengeance or freedom. This one strives to obey, to serve. Perhaps... This one is perhaps not healthier for it."

[Varric]

"If you can't defend yourself, then you can't defend anything else. Ideals, faith, family..."

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene chews nir lower lip. "In truth, this one would struggle to defend any of those. But this one can serve. If that means combat, it means combat. If that means putting aside this one's own needs for days at a time to aid another, this one will try."

[Varric]

This one's own needs... "Well... what are your needs?"

[Helene Dakesh]

"At the moment, few. This one is rested, safe, uninjured. This one was referring to service this one has done in the past."

[Varric]

"Okay, sure, your survival needs are met but surely you have more than just your basic animal level needs," Varric says with a frown.

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene shrugs. "This one has companionship. This one would have taken a break from scholarship had the treatment this one underwent been completed anyway, though this one does begin to miss it. This one is worried about Varric and Varric's friend, but the danger is not imminent. This one has recovered from shutdown. Today was looking pleasant until Varric reported an emergency situation."

[Varric]

Ne really is a simple soul, in the best possible way. "Nothing else though? No... old dreams or... I don't know, a craving for candied nuts? Anything?"