bethen avilla ; the circle mage (bethe) wrote in thedas,
The dam had been breached, giving way to a flood of tears that streamed down her white cheeks and slipped between the fingers that tried desperately to catch them. If she couldn't stop the dampness, Beth could at least muffle the sound of her shuddering sobs. She had prepared herself for this possibility -- inevitability -- or so she'd thought, but comprehension and emotion were different entities. She felt a hand on her shoulder, knew by the size of it that it was Alderic's, though she was too distracted to be surprised. Warmth radiated from his palm and sunk through her robes, but it did little to console her. At least he was making an effort to display his sympathy; that was all she could really expect or want of him.
Solace could not come from her friend, who had never known much about her life before the Tower, which, up until a month ago, would have been the bulk of what he knew of her. Instead, comfort came from the source that had also brought her great pain. The Revered Mother had allowed the girl to get out her grief first, a burst of catharsis, sitting in observant silence for at least a minute before quietly saying, "Bethen, that is not all I have to tell you. There is some news that...may not alleviate your pain, but it is positive." She waited for the young woman to turn her bleary eyes up, breath hitched in her throat. Slowly, the priest continued in utter solemnity, "Your sister, Ana, and your brother, Ramon, are alive."
Shock had to take place first. She almost couldn't believe what she was hearing. Though many of her childhood fantasies involved receiving apologies and forgiveness from her parents (her devout mother, especially), Beth hadn't forgotten about her dear siblings. Had she done so, perhaps she wouldn't have 'adopted' so many younger brother figures into her life. It didn't occur to her that they would have been able to go on without at least one of their parents with them. A swell of irritation boiled up inside of her. Bethen felt deceived, and yet the rational side of her knew that wasn't the Mother's intent. The delay and order in which the information was presented was probably for the best; at least she could replace sorrow with joy. The last of her tears fallen, Beth began to dab at them with her sleeves, though she still couldn't quite speak, "Wha... Th-they--"
"Catch your breath, child. I will explain," hushed the cleric gently, again raising her hand to gesture for silence. Beth had no choice but to be obedient, far too shaken to protest, and eager to hear this explanation. "Given the oncoming horde, your father was donating his wares to support other families and aiding in the Chantry. Business was not well, especially when others were taking advantage of the situation for a profit. By the time an evacuation became necessary, after the King's army fell, your parents could only afford to send your siblings on to your aunt and uncle in Denerim." It was a lot of information to take in, so she allowed a silent moment to pass before continuing, "Your uncle perished in the Battle for the city, but the rest of your relatives survived. Ana is doing very well for herself there. She runs a bakery with her husband. Ramon lives with them, helping out around the house, and with your niece. She is a very sweet, beautiful child." Mother Catrin smiled at the thought of the girl, and the pleasure was contagious, as Beth unconsciously began to smile, as well. Though she couldn't picture what her niece looked like, it was a wonderful notion that her sister had not only lived, but she had managed to start a family of her own. Pity that their parents had not lived to see their grandchild, but their sacrifice hadn't been made in vain. "They've come to Lothering every year since the end of the last Blight, to visit the monument to those lost and pay tribute to your mother and father. It is in the town's center, if you'd like to see it later."