The Amell Legacy: Transgressions

[Merrill]

"I can take care of you when you're deep in misery," Merrill whispers. "Make sure you eat and stay clean and... Just look after you."

[Carver Amell]

Carver swallows, nods. "Alright. I-- thank you, Merrill. You're... you're really good to me."

[Merrill]

Merrill flushes warmly, pressing her face against his back to hide. This... this is how I can help. Can make it even. He can protect me and earn things with his adventuring. And I can keep the house and take care of him when he's feeling the worst of his sadness. 

[NPCs]

Roland chuckles softly. "So things are going well there? I mean, I could have guessed, given the whole naked in your bed thing but... more than just a fancy then?"

[Carver Amell]

"Yes," says Carver quietly. "She helps. First I needed a purpose, then I needed to bleed, and now this... she helps. I don't ever want her to stop helping."

[NPCs]

And why hello red flag. "Needed to bleed?" Roland asks, careful to keep his tone curious.

[Carver Amell]

"I--- I cut myself, sometimes," he whispers. "It helps."

[NPCs]

The elf pauses a moment, processing that tibet. "Alright, gotta admit that one is new to me. Know plenty that little rough sex, spanking or a bit of slap and tickle. Even know a few that like to use a whip or knife in bed. But as a way of dealing with grief and sadness... that's new."

[Carver Amell]

"It... sometimes I.... I can't... it's like my feelings go away somewhere and I can't find them. And cutting myself helps. The pain brings the feelings back. Makes it clear. I... Merrill helped me. She hit me instead of letting me cut myself."

[Merrill]

"I- I have a h-h-healing spell again," Merrill mutters into Carver's back, a note of wonder and disbelief in her explanation. "J-just in case."

[NPCs]

"Probably safer to have someone else do the hurting anyway. Harder to get carried away or the like, I would think." And hitting is less likely to go terrible than cutting. "Doesn't have to be right now, but I can help the two of you with that. I only touched on spanking a little in that group talk, there's a lot more ground to cover, if you don't mind listen to an old man ramble."

[Carver Amell]

"I... I think I'd like to... I'd like to hear you ramble. I might, um, miss some things, but..."

[NPCs]

"Imma bard, son, and over two hundred years old- I can ramble for months without repeating mahself," Roland says with a low chuckle. "Now... seeing as you two have a clear interest in spanking, we should start there. Now, you can always go bare handed- a quick slap or two can add some spice to even plain aasimar style sex. Sorry, that's the basic 'woman on her back on a bed, man between her legs and pumping' without any flourishes. Keep in mind that you want to clear that sort of thing with your partner first, o'course, but most times, if they're up for a full spanking session, then an off spank now and then is prolly fine."

Getting out a flask, he takes a sip of journey wine to wet his mouth. Let's see... should introduce them to padded paddles, I'm thinking... Settling himself in, he continues to ramble.

[Haliel Lightsong]

Early the next morning, Haliel knocks on Helene and Varric's door with a troubled, contemplative expression firmly in place. The dwarf is already up and gone, despite it being an hour before breakfast, not that Haliel knows this. Or would care, as she's here to speak with the samsaran. Nervously shifting the tea tray she's made up as sweetening for imposing, she waits. 

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene noticed.

Helene notices a lot of things lately. The tension in Varric's shoulders, the over-firmness of his voice that belies anxiety, insecurity. The statements coming out of nir (former) apprentice's mouth, growing darker, more hungry, more sinister by the day. The desperate way Haliel tries to pretend she's not hurt by the apprentice's turning away; the look in Marian's eyes when she sees Bela flirt with Zev, or the look in Bela's now that Zev and Marian are getting along better. It's a complicated dance, and ne doesn't know where to begin to interfere, to stop any of it. Ne wants everyone to go away and leave nir alone with Varric; ne wants everyone to sit and talk things out and start cooperating so they can all live together happily ever after. Ne is small and cannot fix it, and ne desperately wants it to be solved or go away.

A knock on the door. Helene, grateful, puts aside the book ne was deep into reading, calling out, "You may enter."