[Varric let out a long sigh. For a handful of moments, stretching into what he assumed were minutes, he was silent and caught up in his thoughts. The only sign of his lack of condemnation was the fact that he still held her close, still worked comforting circles against her back.]
[In truth, he wasn't sure where to begin. He didn't hold it against Vanille by any means. But then, he wasn't sure what was bothering her -- the fact that her friend had acted, that she had acted alone, or that it had happened in general.]
[He figured he could start with the first, start with a feeling he knew all too well.]
My... friend blew up a church. Killed a lot of innocent people because he believed it was the only way to achieve peace. Some sentiment -- violence as a means of achieving that. But he did it. And for a long time, I blamed myself for not seeing what he was going to do.
The thing is... for all of the Wordsmith's bullshit about being accountable for our actions, it shouldn't have to extend to our companions. You and I aren't what our friends do.
Like my friend, I don't think what your friend did was right, either. But I think they both had a noble goal in mind. I'd... do a lot of things to protect the people I care about. I'd do a lot of things to protect you, kid. But... I don't think it makes you a bad person to have not helped her, or for it to have happened anyway. You did what you could, and in the end you were brave enough to sacrifice yourself for the sake of those lives.
And in the end, it isn't your fault that you had to make that choice. Blame fate, the gods... whatever the hell makes a nice woman like yourself have to make a choice like that.
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[In truth, he wasn't sure where to begin. He didn't hold it against Vanille by any means. But then, he wasn't sure what was bothering her -- the fact that her friend had acted, that she had acted alone, or that it had happened in general.]
[He figured he could start with the first, start with a feeling he knew all too well.]
My... friend blew up a church. Killed a lot of innocent people because he believed it was the only way to achieve peace. Some sentiment -- violence as a means of achieving that. But he did it. And for a long time, I blamed myself for not seeing what he was going to do.
The thing is... for all of the Wordsmith's bullshit about being accountable for our actions, it shouldn't have to extend to our companions. You and I aren't what our friends do.
Like my friend, I don't think what your friend did was right, either. But I think they both had a noble goal in mind. I'd... do a lot of things to protect the people I care about. I'd do a lot of things to protect you, kid. But... I don't think it makes you a bad person to have not helped her, or for it to have happened anyway. You did what you could, and in the end you were brave enough to sacrifice yourself for the sake of those lives.
And in the end, it isn't your fault that you had to make that choice. Blame fate, the gods... whatever the hell makes a nice woman like yourself have to make a choice like that.