It had just been an ordinary night for Marian. A few hints of money if certain information could be obtained about traders in lowtown that could certainly feed the family for a week, so she was out bundled up in the cold listening in to conversation behind closed doors when her phone went off in her pocket. Thankfully, she had managed to turn it onto vibrate with no sound or she would have been caught in the act and probably thrown into a fight she didn’t want to combat alone.
Swiftly ducking around the corner and walking away from the building, she answered in a hushed whisper only to find that Fenris was on the other end of the line. That wasn’t completely abnormal as they tended to stay in touch for various reasons; one being she liked his voice, and the other being that he was a useful resource. But, the information he had for her tonight, turned her blood cold: Bethany was injured at home.
Gritting her teeth and fighting off the urge to ask Anders to reanimate the bastards just so that she could kill them again. She clicked off the phone with an abrupt acceptance of what had happened and a curt I’ll be right there. Roughly thirty minutes later, she found herself climbing the stairs two at a time to reach the apartment. Hastily unlocking the door and closing it behind her, she sprinted to the bathroom to find her sister sitting there playing a game on her phone as if everything was right in the world. Though, she could tell just from the posture in her body that she was not in pristine condition.
Reaching for her phone she keyed in the speed dial number for Anders. “You have exactly three seconds to tell me why I shouldn’t have Anders here healing you before he’s on his way.” She held up the phone shaking it with a stern look on her face. “Do you need water? Ice? Help to the bedroom?” She stood silent for a moment waiting to hear her sister’s response, which had better be good if she didn’t want an overly tired mage showing up at this hour to make a house call; something he didn’t do for just anyone.
Marian has a bad habit of not wanting to go to work if the job that she is doing doesn't interest her at all. This causes her to feel even worse about herself when she sees Garrett pushing through jobs she knows he doesn't enjoy to make ends meat. Unfortunately, it doesn't motivate her enough to go collect trash or clean houses for extra money.
Gluttony:
Usually Marian will see that everyone else is fed and full before she goes after anything... except when it comes to a very few foods that she just can't seem to ever get enough of. Ever gone to a table at a banquet where they were serving shrimp only to find them all gone? Well, Marian might have taken them, though she would never admit to it openly and does so in a stealthy manner. Her second weakness in the food department is pudding or custard of just about any flavor. It is her favorite dessert. If there was enough food to get to that course of the meal, then she doesn't feel bad about eating more than she probably should.
Envy:
Marian was always envious of Bethany and Malcolm's relationship, though she would never say it out loud, nor would she bring it up at this point after his death as she would think it would only upset her sister. It is one secret that she will take to the grave.
"But fire magick is fun, Beth." Anders chuckled, casually tossing a ball of the element in question from one hand to another as though it were nothing more than a ball of paper. "Can it be dangerous? Yes. But so can a pencil if I wield it right. And you have to admit, the idea of Viscount Dumas running out of his office with his trousers ablaze demanding that Seneschal Bran swat out his ass is pretty hysterical."
He allowed the fireball to slip through his grasp, momentarily appearing as though it would tumble carelessly to the floor before it suddenly turned to ice, the hard sphere smashing when it hit against the chipped tile flooring in the rear room of his reclaimed Darktown clinic. "I won't press it, though. If you'd rather work with something else, I'm open to suggestions. You're here to practice so I want you to pick the things that have interest to you. I'm happy to teach you anything that I can, but you have many natural affinities already. I'd like to see you strengthening the tools you already have before we start adding new ones to your arsenal."
2. My muse and your muse have been married for forty years, now mine lays on their death bed, in their final moments, yours comforts them.
"It wasn’t supposed to be this way." A cascade of chaotic silver curls fell like a curtain, shielding one woman’s face from the other. "I’m not supposed to outlive you."
"So you’d condemn me to suffer instead?" A short burst of laughter ends in a wheezing cough, drawing the first woman’s face up once more to gaze down in concern at her wife. "None of this was supposed to happen, Elissa, but it did, and we’ve had more years than I think either of us ever imagined. It’s been a good run. We should both be happy.”
"I am happy, Beth, well not right at this moment but overall…" Her words trailed off, the long fingers of one wizened hand coming up to cover and rub at her jaw as she thought back on their time together.
When Gamlen passed suddenly, Elissa didn’t think she would ever recover. It was all she could manage to care for their son, particularly when the eyes looking back at her belonged to his father. In the beginning the visits from friends and family were so constant they were nearly overwhelming, but Elissa was bitter and angry and lost in her own sorrow. She pushed them away hard, and eventually they just stopped trying.
Everyone but Bethany. Elissa still didn’t know why she’d persisted, but she was eternally grateful that she had. The years they’d spent together were the happiest of her life, and she had hope that the memory of them would help save her from living the rest of her own days in bitterness and fear.
As the day wore down, Bethany faded. The boy they’d raised, now a man with children of his own, came in to say his own goodbyes and held both his mothers' hands as one of them eased into the twilight of the Fade for the last time.
10. Lost in a jungle, my muse meets yours who is a wise cracking survivor who reluctantly agrees to take them to the nearest town — and they get lost along the way.
"Lost?"
Elissa looked up from the fire she’d been carefully snuffing to spy a dark-haired young woman perched in the branches of a nearby tree. “Well I’m not sitting about in the middle of this jungle for my health.”
"That’s a fine way to speak to someone who could lead you to the nearest village." The woman quipped, dropping down from the tree into a crouch with an impish smile. "You should be nicer to me."
"Nice to—" she started to snap, the heat and infernal mosquitos pushing her temper hard up against the limits of her restraint. "Fine. Please lovely tree lady can you please direct me to the nearest town?"
"Throw in that shiny lighter you’re carrying and I’ll consider it."
Elissa’s eyes narrowed now knowing this strange woman had been watching her long enough to see her use and pocket the lighter before speaking from her treetop perch. “How do I know that I can trust you?”
"Don’t." The woman shrugged, pushing up to stand and finding herself virtually dwarfed by the other castaway. "But what choice do you have? I’m the only one offering."
She was right, and Elissa knew it. With a sigh she pulled the lighter out of her pocket and handed it over, shouldering the rest of her belongings in a worn black pack. “Lead on then.”
"Nice doing business with you." The other woman replied, sliding the lighter into her own pocket as she turned into the trees. The fingers of her right hand moved subtly, weaving the mesh of a sleep spell as she lead the other deeper into the forest.
23. Your muse is a soldier in the war, mine is their lover back home — they exchange letters.
Bethany,
Time is short but I wanted to send something. The Korcari wilds are overrun. Those who say there is no Blight looming are fools. If you see signs there, please endeavor to persuade your family to leave the village. I will come for you when I can.
All my love,
Elissa
—————
Received word of an attack on Highever Castle but was not given leave to go and see the truth of it. You will receive word that I have gone AWOL. Do not worry. I will be safe but I cannot continue to serve my country while harboring such concern for my family. I will contact you as I can.
Know that I love you,
E.
—————-
Slaughtered. The reports were true. There was a massacre in Highever. None survived. Even Oren is gone. I am the last.
Reports say some in Lothering are showing signs of the taint. If you have not gone already, do not wait for me. There are things I must do before I leave Ferelden and when I do I will not return.
Make your way into the Marches, if you can. I know that you have family there. I will find you again.
With all my heart,
Lis
39. My muse has amnesia about only your muse’s existence — yours must find a way to remind them.
"They are beautiful children."
"Yes they are." Elissa pulled her sweater tighter against the breeze rustling through the trees in the backyard. Autumn was upon them already. Another year come and gone since the accident.
The other woman turned to look at her, lips curling into a smile she knew and loved, though the emotion that had once accompanied it was gone. “Where is their mother? Shouldn’t someone be watching them while my uncle is at work and you’re sitting with me?”
"I am their mother, Bethany." Her voice was calm and even. A simple recitation of fact, not an accusation. "Your uncle and I have been married for eight years. You helped lace up my gown before I walked down the aisle, and pick the flowers for the ceremony."
"I think I would remember that."
Elissa sighed, pulling her hair up into a loose bun and trying again. “You can’t. You were in a car accident and it’s left a void in your memory. You remember some things, and people, but not others.”
Her brow knit in frustration. “I don’t remember any accident either.”
"That was lost as well, but you /do/ remember being able to walk, do you not?" Elissa let her eyes pass down slowly to her friend slash niece-by-marrriage’s lap until she looked down to her blanket covered limbs as well.
Bethany stared for a minute, but said nothing, eventually looking back up to the children playing in the yard. “They are beautiful children.”
"Yes." Elissa said again, pushing to stand and release the breaks on Bethany’s chair. "They are. Come along Bryce! Leandra! We’re going inside."
Changed the litter box this morning before I went out. You owe me. BIG TIME.
Send ✉ for a text that wasn’t sent
I finally fully understand what Anders has been talking about. It’s like going into a prison every time I try to go see you, and half the time they won’t let ME in. I’ve blamed myself for you being there for so long…one day I’ll free you, even if it kills me.
Send ☎ for a rushed text
Don’t answer the door. Debt Collectors
Send ☏ for a loving text
I took you for granted too much when you were around, and now that you’re not here daily sharing my bed, I feel that I never get to say it enough – I love you and I miss you.
You cat is upset with you, she just peed on your side of the bed since you weren’t here and it leaked over to mine. -_-
Send ✘ for a hateful text
Father tried so hard to keep you and Garrett out of that dreaded prison they call a circle, and you walked into it willingly? I thought you were an intelligent person Bethany. Somewhere along the line you must have been dropped on your head too many times. Stubborn foolish little girl….
Our muses are stuck in TV Land, everytime someone somwhere changes a channel, they’re thrown into a different television series (it can be any one) and must get through it and act like they belong.
The madness had been going on for what felt like hours. Every time they seemed to get a little traction in the “show” they’d landed in the channel was flipped and they were back to scrambling to find their feet. Cop dramas, school comedies and action flicks had essentially all been ruined for him. He’d been in the midst of driving a car up a ramp to jump a cliff with his niece in the seat beside him trying to use magic to help them along, when he found himself standing outside a door with his hand raised to knock. He had a package beneath his left arm.
Sighing, Gamlen rapped his hand on the wood, hearing footsteps moving inside. He looked over his right shoulder, then his left, noting that Bethany was as of yet nowhere in sight.
The door opened to reveal…his young niece, who appeared to have grabbed a jacket to cover the fact that she was wearing what appeared to be a sexy nightgown, the trim of it barely visible beneath the coat, fur-lined stilettos on her feet. ”Careless Whisper” began to play in the background.
She looked unimpressed. He returned the look. ”And...just kill me.”
