The Amell Legacy: Transgressions

[NPCs]

Dau seems pleased by Shiori's answer and nods. "Very good then. You may enter there and disrobe. You will slumber until morning and wake as you should have been." His eyes drift to Beth, question unspoken.

[Bethany]

"I'll stay here again," Beth confirms. "Thank you, Eldest Daughter of Raplin."

[Shisou]

"Th-thank you," says Shiori, quietly. "I'll s-s-see you in the m-morning, B-beth," she adds, with a brave smile. 

[Marian Hawke]

For once, Marian returns not after breakfast, but in the wee hours of the morning, when Varric has risen to work on brewing for the day before he sets out. She comes into the house wearing her normal clothes, with no discernible changes, and yet... there's a timidity about her, a meekness, that seems somehow more significant than the haircuts and piercings. 

When she sees him up, she flashes a quick, shy smile, ducking her head. It seems she's not going to pick a fight today, nor flee the room; instead, she moves over to where he's working, watching him for a bit, silent. 

Finally, just after he finishes a particularly tricky infusion, she gets up the courage to ask: "Can I... can I ask you something? No bullshit, no posturing, just you and me and Alydra?" The invocation of the deity isn't random, here -- it implies that she'll judge them both if either dissembles or tries to deceive the other, since she'll know the truth as written in her vast library of all knowledge.

[Varric]

Varric takes an extra moment to double and triple check the vial is sealed and tucked away, using the time to think and compose himself. "Alright. Go ahead and ask," he says slowly. What's up with (hurting) you? Haven't seen you like this in... months, honestly. Since Nyra at the least.

[Marian Hawke]

"You said... I'm not saying anything happened," she begins, quickly cutting herself off. "But... once you said... you said if I ever felt like... If I felt like rape was something I needed to get used to... you'd..." offer me a place to stay. No questions asked.

[Varric]

Varric stills, for just a second or two, then his hands continue prepping for another infusion. "I did. Didn't put a time limit or any conditions on it either."

[Marian Hawke]

"Do you... still mean it?" she asks, her voice a bare whisper. "If something were to happen... after all that's changed since then... would that still be open?"

[Varric]

"No conditions or time limits," Varric repeats, lifting his gaze to met hers. "Offer is still on the table if you need." And... and you say that it didn't happen but... 

[Marian Hawke]

"Okay," she whispers. "Thank you. I just... I just wanted to be sure. Just in case."

She flashes the least happy smile he's seen on her face, then, and turns to head up the stairs.

[Varric]

"Dammit girl, what're you getting yourself mixed up in..." Varric lowers his head, trying to figure out how to react to this. I... Bianca... No. I need to- but- No. Bianca made her choices years ago. I'll help if I can but I won't let Marian be (broken) hurt to save her. I can devote some resources (should do more) to looking after Marian. Lay in some extra healing supplies, some tonics (emotion and... cleansing) and maybe ask around about an aasimar named Tanna... 

[Marian Hawke]

Marian doesn't go to her room; she doesn't want to risk waking up Lightsong, answering awkward questions. And so she does what she hasn't done in a few days: she slips into Bela and Zev's room, where as it happens, the former is dozing while the latter goes through his morning stretches.

[Zevran]

Zevran frowns slightly, a tinge of annoyance at Marian just letting herself into his and Isabela's room as if it were her own. Before that really goes anywhere, he spots her expression and his frown shifts from annoyance to worry. "Marian?" he asks softly.

[Marian Hawke]

She swallows, taking a deep breath. "Hi," she whispers. "Can I... I was hoping I could crawl in with you two for a bit?"

Despite her best efforts, her eyes brim over with tears. Stupid. Weakling. Nothing happened. Nothing went wrong. Just -- just pick your chin up and keep moving forward. 

[Zevran]

"Of course," Zevran says, the words flowing as naturally, as uncontrollably, as the blood in his veins courses through his body. "You seem... cold, would you perhaps like to change into some flannels?" He nods his head towards the dresser, where the slimmly build elf-blood had gotten some heavier clothing to help tolerate the chill of underground life.