[Audio]

[angha_firebird]

B...Bobby?

[There's horror and traumatized fear in her tone.]

Zachariah?

Zhaneel! Varric...

[She isn't bothering to withhold her cries, or whimpers of pain. She had done something terrible. Horrible. She deserved to be punished. She deserved...]

I am... so sorry...

[Crying can be heard before she is able to switch off the audio. She doesn't

Comments

[Audio]

[sayhitobianca]

[Well. This isn't good. Varric hasn't seen anything on the journals about her, except a post that said she was dead. He knows she was sick, though, and he knows what- what had happened to him, so he can only assume the worst.]

Whatever you're apologizing for, Birdie, it's not your fault.

[Now if only he thought that was true for himself.]

[Audio]

[angha_firebird]

Varric...

[What a relief to hear his voice!]

It... it is, though. I... I did... horrible things...

[Maybe.... maybe she was dangerous. To her friends. Maybe this madness would eat at her again. What then?]

[Audio] - Sealed to Aara

[sayhitobianca]

That wasn't you, Birdie. That was the illness. You can't be held responsible for things you couldn't control.

Nothing you did was your fault, you hear me? Anyone who tells you different is going to have to answer to Bianca.

[Audio]

[angha_firebird]

...Bianca...?

I still have yet to meet... Bianca.

[Though maybe she shouldn't meet her. Aara didn't know. She was so confused. Her memories just returned and they are all chaotic and filled with blood and pain and sadness. Her heart hurt...]

[Audio]

[sayhitobianca]

[He smiles a bit.]

You've seen her. Bianca's my gorgeous beauty of a crossbow.

[Audio]

[angha_firebird]

[Aara actually finds a bit of a trembling smile, at that.]

Ah. I see.

[Audio]

[sayhitobianca]

And she always knows what she's talking about. So you better listen to her, all right?

[Audio]

[angha_firebird]

Varric...

[He can't do this to her. It's not that easy. She wishes it was, though. She really wished it was.]

I... how--what happened? After Zhaneel...

[Audio]

[sayhitobianca]

[Yes it is. It's absolutely that easy. Varric's real good at turning lies into truth.]

A lot of messy, complicated things, Birdie. Zhaneel came back.

So did I.

[Not something he really wants to tell her, but she'll find out anyway.]

[Audio]

[angha_firebird]

...

So...you died, too.

Was it... was it awful?

[Audio]

[sayhitobianca]

It wasn't pleasant.

But it's over. Dwelling on it won't change anything. Stuff like that, you just gotta move on. Keep on looking ahead, or it'll drag you down.

[Of course, he still had to talk to Riku. But he was waiting until he was sure he had his memories back.]

[Audio]

[angha_firebird]

I don't want it to drag me down...

But Varric...

Do you think... something like this... will ever happen again? That we might hurt loved ones... again?

[Audio]

[sayhitobianca]

Then don't let it, Birdie.

[He pauses, then sighs.]

There's always the possibility. Anything's a possibility. Doesn't mean you should keep yourself hidden away to avoid it. Life not's worth living without a few risks.

[Audio]

[angha_firebird]

[That's not what she wants to hear, but she's grateful for his truths.]

How... how are you, Varric? Are you... letting it drag you down?

[Audio]

[sayhitobianca]

[He smiles a bit.]

Not me. There's not much that drags me down. Hanging out in a tavern helps with that.

[Audio]

[angha_firebird]

Oh.

[A pause.]

Maybe... I should join you then...

[If it truly helps. She doesn't really mean it when she says it, but Aara would gladly do anything if it would 'help.']