Fated - FartasticDurge - Baldur's Gate (Video Games) [Archive of Our Own] (2024)

Chapter 1: Where is my mind?

Chapter Text

She opened her eyes, a massive headache brought white spots in her vision, so she squinted them shut. She massaged her temples and peaked at her surroundings with one of her eyes. It took a while for them to adjust to the darkness in the room. The place was unknown to her. She felt unfamiliar.

She looked at her hands. They felt like strangers and, as she touched them, quite smooth, slender, and pale. Have her hands always felt this small? Not only could she not remember her own hands, but nothing before that either. The more she dug into her head, the worse the headache got.

There was a sense of urgency, but to do what?

She started looking about the room. It was round and with tall ceilings. The structure of it looked almost organic. There was some semblance of light glinting from the middle of the room, where a small sort of pool was.

As she reached to touch it, the explosion pushed her backwards, she didn't even think not to do that.

Looking around the rest of the room she could see it featured the same alien constructions. Tiny little coffins with glass to show the prisoners’ faces. Some of them were empty. She hoped the inhibitors managed to free themselves as she did - she didn't want to think of the alternative. There was a dead tentacled creature on the floor. Good.

The sense of urgency was at the forefront of her mind now. The unknown felt dangerous. Despite the dangers, her curiosity pushed her forward, picking up any useful items.

There was only one door she could use. Next to it was a tentacle-looking piece of machinery. She touched it and felt her headache leave her body, as well as close all her injuries.

But that was not the best thing.

A flood of dream-like awareness flew into her.

A shopkeeper bell chimed a few times in the background. She was standing behind a desk, the orange tail of a cat moving under it. She was looking at a hand. A different hand, now holding a mug of tea, the steam rising and taking over her senses.

A shadowy figure's footsteps came closer, until it stood before her. It felt automatic, her voice was comforting to hear. "Hello, I'm Tav. How can I help you?"

She was back to the dark room where the tentacle machine no longer glowed. She touched it again and nothing happened. She was Tav. Or at least that's what the voice said. She looked at her hands again. The veins seemed less prominent, the color was paler, and the fingers were a little longer.

It felt so remote compared to the vision. She tried to focus on the memory that flooded her earlier, but no other details came to her. She tried opening her mouth. It was dry. Licking her lips, in anticipation of speech, a shrill and almost musical voice came from her. She said the same thing her vision-self did. This was not the same voice.

The sense of urgency returned to her, and with the unfamiliar hand, she opened the door.

She should have felt horrified at her impulse to remove a sentient brain from the skull of a dead man. But here she was, engaged in a conversation with it as they advanced through this structure.

"You saved us friend!" The brain had said, now on its own four tiny feet.

"Who are you?"

"We are Us." The brain continued, then pausing for a moment. "We must go to the helm; at the helm we are needed".

"Where is the helm? Why?"

"Can you not hear it? We will not survive here. We need to navigate out of here." And the brain started moving towards the big gash in the wall.

Tav asked more questions as they went along. She found out she was in a place called Avernus, the first of the Nine Hells. They were escaping 'a great evil'. The opening of the wall depicted all manners of chaos. Smoke from the burning ship, flying creatures and... dragons.

A slender looking woman, with silver armor and a large sword pointing at Tav, jumped from behind her, landing inches from her face.

“Abomination, this is your end!” said the green skinned woman, her face twisted with disgust.

The women’s minds intertwined. Tav saw a pale, blond-haired woman, black and gray robes adorning her slender physique. A worm crawling into her eye. This was her. She saw the green woman get the same worm in her eye as well.

“You are no thrall. Vlaakith blesses me this day!”

"Who are you? What made you think I was a thrall?"

"Who am I? Your only chance of survival. We carry mind flayer parasites. Within days we will transform."

"There must be something we can do!"

"We can do nothing until we escape. We must take control of the ship. That thing will stay friendly while it thinks us one of them." The woman said, pointing at the brain.

She didn't know how or why but she wanted to follow her. She had one goal - to leave this place. And whether that was Tav's goal or not - it would at least get her to safety.

A group of flying creatures stepped them in their tracks.

As one of the creatures flew at her, Tav’s hands thrown up in defense. Adrenaline coursed through her, a ray of ice left her outstretched hand, hitting the creature right in the chest.

She was not sure she did that, so she stretched her hand again at a different creature. She felt a warm feeling in her chest. She imagined a long stretch of frost leaving her hand again, hitting another creature. It collapsed to the ground.

From across the room, she saw the woman, sword aimed high, slicing through the neck of a monster. Its body collapsed on the floor, followed by its head, a few movements later. The four-legged brain tore through the middle of an attacker’s body with one of its claws.

“You fight well.” Her voice reached her shortly. At least she did not embarrass herself in front of the warrior, but she did hold up her own, with actual magic. Was she a spell caster? What else could she do? Who was she?

“To the helm.”

She was starting to wonder why collecting things from dead people didn't seem to bother her. The thought died when she saw a familiar tentacled machine. The blue hue suggested it might still be functional.

Before the woman, Lae’zel, could stop her, she touched the tentacles, the refreshing feeling washing over her.

She stood before a mysterious figure, cloaked in veils of apprehension. The figure felt like both guide and a guardian. It was a beacon in the darkness, offering solace amidst the haunting whispers of her surroundings. In its presence, with unspoken words, she felt the promise of transformation. The figure drew Tav to it like a moth to a guiding flame.

Tav was back on the mind flayer ship. Who was that being? She could make out some interesting objects in the tall, large room from her vision. Memory of trinkets, orbs, tomes, glowing lanterns, and crystal mirrors. She sensed something from those mirrors. Something intimate, something she was accustomed to.

“Let’s hurry.” Lae’zel's voice pulled her out of her head once more and she started climbing further into the ship.

More of the same alien technology. As she inched closer to some bodies, she heard a thump coming from one of the nearby pods. A raven-haired woman was pounding her fists on the glass.

“You! Get me out of here! Please!”

Tav started looking for any way to unlock the pod, to no avail. There was another console next to the pod.

“We have no time for stragglers.” Lae’zel said impatiently from behind her.

Ignoring her, she reached for the pod to open it. She had no idea how. It looked so alien. Taking a deep breath, she hovered a slender hand over the machine. She was not sure why, but it felt right.

She closed her eyes and imagined the pod opening. She felt a response from the machine next to the pod, confirming their link. She was too startled, and she let the hand fall.

Tav shook her head, closed her eyes again and lifted the hand to the console. This time she put more intent behind the thought. She felt discomfort, a new sensation washing over her now – authority. A shiver ran through her and then a sliding noise next to her made her open her eyes. The woman in the pod now fell to her knees on the floor next to Tav.

“I thought that was going to be my coffin, thank you.” The woman said, as Tav tries to help her get to her feet.

At the contact, Tav’s mind lurched into her thoughts, like with Lae’zel's, and saw a similar worm placed inside the woman’s eye. But also, that her gratitude was mixed with wariness, because Tav was joined by the gith woman.

“You keep dangerous company.”

“Did you feel that just now? We were in each other's heads."

“I did. It must be because of those parasites they put in us. That will have to wait. We need to get off this ship alive. Let me come with you."

That made sense. Anything else would have to wait. "All right. My name is Tav."

"Shadowheart. One moment." And she reached into her pod to grab something.

"What's that?"

"Nothing. Trust me."

"Enough chatter, let's go." Lae'zel interjected, annoyed by the delay.

"She's right." Shadowheart confirmed. "Lead on."

As the three of them continued exploring the ship with the brain in toe, they stopped at the door where another tentacled healing machine lay.

Tav hesitated for one moment, then she touched the machine, and a new flow of images came to her. She was surrounded by tombstones, wails of anguish coming from a group of people around her. They all looked upon her, she couldn't help the sadness creeping onto her.

But she took comfort in the words coming from her lips commiserating with the departed. And so did the people too, it seemed. She leaned over the body of the deceased human man. As she placed a feather between his clasped cold white hands, she closed her eyes.

Tav was back on the ship. She glanced at Shadowheart and Lae'zel, neither seemed aware of what happened. Or gave no indication of it. She filled that one under 'sh*t to deal with later'.

Looking at her companions, tensions seem to be quite high as Lae'zel said matter-of-factly. "We are nearing the helm. Once inside, do as I say."

"Who put you in charge?" came an outburst from Shadowheart.

"Kainyank." Lae'zel muttered under her breath.

Not wanting to start something, Tav took a deep breath and pushed through the organic material of the doors. Inside there was chaos. All manner of creatures were attacking each other. From the tentacled purple monsters to more flying small creatures, to wild looking boars and red flying humanoids.

Before she could brace herself to try to cast any magic again, Tav heard Lae'Zel's "Htak'a!" war cry as she ran into the room, sword in both her arms slashing an imp from top to bottom before it collapsed to the floor.

She hears "Impero tibi" from Shadowheart, which stirred some sort of recognition in her. Tav then saw the large, winged creature drop its flaming sword to the ground.

A red flaming boar was running straight at her, slipping past the four-legged brain, and getting a claw on its side, before she had time to raise her hands. And nothing happened. She tried to close her eyes and imagine how it felt to bring the magic to her hands the previous time, but still nothing happened.

The creature slammed her to the ground, sitting on top of her. She was frightened now. Tav looked around, grabbed the staff that fell to the floor alongside her and squinted her eyes in focus while trying to keep the boar's teeth from biting her.

The animal burned her hand and torso from contact. The pain was enough to bring tears of anger to her eyes and the boar made a whimper sound as it collapsed on top of her. She opened her eyes and saw the smoke rising from the boar, charred skin still crackling with the bolt energy coming from the hand holding it.

"Thrall, connect the nerves to the transponder, we need to flee this place, now!"

Tav looked around the room for any source of the voice, she saw a flash of golden-white eyes staring at her from the purple tentacled creature.

Supported by her staff, she got to her feet and ran towards the end of the room where she saw a similar console contraption.

She gazed at the spongy console, tentacled nerves flowing from it. In the huge gaping hole in the wall in front of her, a massive red dragon's head peaked through, its teeth and breath too close for comfort.

Tav could see it drawing in a big breath as it began to shout a roaring fired breath at Tav. She did not hesitate to grab and join two of the console nerves, just as the flames reached her.

Tav felt time flying by faster, then stop. The dragon was no longer on the ship. But the ship started losing control and Tav couldn’t keep her balance anymore. She crashed against walls as the ship started its descent towards collapsing.

She was flung against the large opening in the ship. She looked into those same golden-white pearlescent eyes of the tentacled being, as a knock to her head rendered her unconscious.

As Tav was freefalling from the ship she opened her eyes, she was pondering how curious this day had been. She closed her eyes and smiled as a surge of power took over her body.

She opened her eyes again. The sun was shining bright in the blue-hued sky. Her fingers were caressing grains of sand and dirt and smelling fresh air, smoke and sweat.

Tav rose onto her elbows. She didn’t feel dead. She sat upright, taking in her surroundings. A river flowing nearby, sand under her body and a massive tentacled ship that seemed to have crashed nearby.

How was she alive? She searched her mind for anything new, but nothing beyond the last day came to her. The last day. The mind flayers. The tadpole in her brain. She needed to find a way to remove this thing from her head. Perhaps this was the urgency she felt on the ship.

She got up to her feet, grabbed her staff, and started walking. She felt a tinge of disappointment at not having access to any more healing pods to bring back any more visions. Tav paused near a small pool of water, hovering over it.

There she was. The unfamiliar face, the long blonde fair, long ears and what looked like light eyes; maybe blue or green, she couldn’t quite tell in the reflection. Tav reaches for the ears, the woman in the reflection doing the same and they felt alien and surprisingly sensitive.

She closed her eyes, concentrating on the middle of her chest where she first felt the surge of magic. It seemed to reply. She didn’t ask a question, just confirmation that it was still there. Despite not knowing anything beyond today, her magic being somewhat unreliable in battle, she felt she could count on it. Felt confident that it would be by her side no matter what.

It didn’t take long for Tav to recognize one of the bodies on the ground as Shadowheart's. With a knot in her throat, she reached towards the woman, feeling for a pulse. She was alive, Tav shook her shoulders to wake her up.

“You're alive! I'm alive! How is this possible?” Shadowheart exclaimed, reaching for the many-sided box of blackened iron, and pushing it in her backpack.

"I was hoping you might know that."

"I remember the ship, remember falling... then nothing."

"Do you have any idea where we are? Or where our gith friend might be?"

"No. And you might want to reconsider calling her a friend. Seems like she ran off without us."

"Allright. What do you plan on doing?" Tav questioned, feeling a little out of her element.

"First things first. We need supplies, a camp and most of all, a healer. We might have escaped, but we still have these little monsters in our heads."

"You want to stay together?"

"We need each other, and we both know what's at stake. I can't think of better company."

"Allright. Let's get moving."

"One thing, just before we go." Shadowheart interjected. "I wanted to thank you again, for freeing me. It would have been all too easy for you to run right past my pod, but you didn't. I'll remember that. Lead the way."

As the two women began walking, looting through dead bodies on the beach, bags and boxed, Tav couldn't help but look at Shadowheart a little more closely now that they were under sunlight.

She had dark hair left to hang down on the sides, displaying longer ears, though not as long as hers, dark hair tied up in a ponytail at the back with multiple rings. She wore a black and silver circlet over her fringe, leather gloves, and a chain shirt that was emblazoned with a symbol Tav didn't recognize.

She seemed to have an aura of mystery and sternness about her, behind those green eyes, which made Tav want to ask her about herself, but decided against it. Tav wondered about that. Was she any good at reading people? Or was this just self-preservation?

Amid the crash site and chaos on the beach, they still managed to find new creatures that wanted to kill them. She watched as Shadowheart's hand started glowing with golden light as she yelled "Flagra" and one of the brains shuddered and collapsed to the ground.

Wondering if she could do the same, Tav pointed her free hand at one of the other brains, imagining a golden flame striking it while her chest filled with what was now becoming a familiar warm feeling. As the magic left her hand, she opened her eyes to look at the outcome, disappointment filling her when the flame barely burned the brain and was not nearly as yellow and bright as Shadowheart's spell.

The brain was sprinting towards her and she held out her hand again, trying to remember what were the words Shadowheart used. She uttered a small "Flagra", under her breath, but nothing happened. She then said the words with more conviction. Still nothing.

The brain was within reach, and with a mixture of anger, disappointment, and shame she imagined how a ray of frost would stop the brain dead in its tracks.

In her other hand, the staff's end glowed in a blue light, a cold feeling spreading through her fingers, going through her body, and leaving through her outstretched hand, hitting the brain, and enveloping it in a layer of ice, dead.

Looking towards Shadowheart, she saw as the woman, picked up her mace from a now-dead puddle of brain, looking at her, one eyebrow raised. If she had any questions, she didn't voice them and Tav felt a sense of relief, not sure she could provide answers considering her state.

They continued along the crash site, near the water, picking up supplies and Tav went back to ponder her messed up brain. Her magic seemed unpredictable; it didn't always do what she wanted. She didn't know what she didn't know or what the limitations were. She wondered if Shadowheart knew more. Or could explain the process behind it. She felt exposed at the thought of admitting she wasn't a reliable ally. Would Shadowheart leave her if she did? Did she want to be alone?

Further in the distance they could make out the outline of another pod and a man next to it, looking around. As they approached, she could make out the man's details better. He wore a golden embroidered doublet jacket. He had curling white hair along his elongated ears, pale complexion, paler than Tav even, with an air of refinement depicting perhaps a nobility or someone of higher importance.

"Hurry, I got one of those brain things cornered." He said when they were close enough to hear. "There in the grass, you can kill it, can't you? Like you killed the others?"

Tav nodded and walked towards the area where the man pointed, staff in one hand, the other outstretched, preparing to ice whatever creature dared to cross her path.

Despite the unexpected confidence she felt, she didn't expect to see a wild boar running for its life. She was almost relieved. Her relief was cut short however, when the pale man brought her down with him to the ground, a sharp object near her throat. She struggled against him, but he pinned her down, one knee holding her.

"Shh, not a sound. Not if you want to keep that darling neck of yours." He purred against Tav's ear. ”And you." He said, looking at Shadowheart. "Keep your distance. No need for this to get messy."

"I need her alive. Stow that blade or I'll show you just how messy things can get." Shadowheart threatened.

"Promises, promises. But I have other business, I'm afraid." The man snickered. "Now" He said, looking back at Tav. "I saw you on the ship, didn't I? Nod."

Tav looked into his red eyes, a simmer of anger bubbling in her chest. She tried a quick glance to see where her staff was, feigning fear as the man tried to hold her gaze. It was too far out of reach for her. Could she try to freeze the man? Burn him? Electrocute him? All the uses of magic she tried were with the staff in her hand and now she wasn't sure it could work without it. She nodded to buy some time.

"Splendid. And now you're going to tell me exactly what you and those tentacle freaks did to me."

What? He thought she did something to him? That she was in league with the tentacled creatures? Why? She tried focusing on the source of the magic in her chest and tried imagining how the knife they both now held would freeze his hand.

Nothing happened. Ok, she would have to do this the old-fashioned way. A familiar calm washed over her mind, and she spoke in a musical voice. "No, you have it backwards. They took me prisoner, just like you."

"Don't lie to me. I – agh!"

Tav's mind felt the resonance of another and saw through unfamiliar eyes, prowling dark, busy streets. She tried to hold the memory, but it faded to the worm, the light, the fear. She looked at the pale man again, his eyes wide.

"What was that? What's going on?"

"It's the worm. It connected us."

The man hesitated. Then he removed the knife and they both got up on their feet.

"You're not one of them. You got the same worm, just the same as me." He continued. "And to think, I was ready to decorate the ground with your innards. Apologies" he said, offering a dazzling smile.

"Glad to see we're all caught up now." Tav responded drily.

"Indeed, we are. Please, allow me to introduce myself. My name's Astarion. I was in Bauldur's Gate when those beasts snatched me." He moved with effortless grace and subtle fluidity, each motion of his hands drawing Tav into his orbit with an irresistible allure.

She stopped herself, surprised by the effect he seemed to have, and simply nodded.

"The strong and silent type? All right." He stepped closer. "Please tell me you at least know something about these worms."

That question seemed to pull Tav from the spell she was under, moving to grab the staff off the ground before responding.

"Yes, unfortunately. They'll turn us into mind flayers."

"Turn us into -" he stepped back, eyes wide in shock and started laughing, a dry laugh. "Of course it will turn me into a monster. What else did I expect?" Shoulders now slump and brows furrowed. "Although, it hasn't happened yet. If we can find an expert – someone that can control these things – there might still be time."

"Control them?" Tav was outraged at the suggestion. "We need to get rid of them!"

"Well, yes, of course. But first things first."

Tav was musing with a thought. Would asking a man that just tried to slit her throat make Shadowheart want to leave any sooner? Would it be best to just tell him to find his own way? Several heads made for a good brainstorming session on potential solutions. Before she could go through all the outcomes of this and have everyone stand around looking awkwardly at her, she decided to go with her instinct, that seemed to have helped her the most this day.

"You should travel with us. Our odds are better together."

"You know, I was ready to go this alone, but maybe sticking with the herd isn't such a bad idea after all. And you seem like a useful person to know... All right. I accept." He said as he took a deep bow before her.

Tav glanced at Shadowheart before taking to the road. She seemed to understand the unspoken question and approached Tav with a bemused expression on her face.

"Astarion's an interesting find. Let's hope any future acquaintances don't hold a blade to your throat by way of introduction."

Ok, so she didn't necessarily disapprove of her decision. And she didn't plan on leaving yet. Maybe she did have good instincts and she nodded once towards Shadowheart, in agreement. Perhaps there was safety in numbers, both for herself and for the rest of them.

She wondered if the gythyanki woman would be close by or did she indeed leave them to go her own way. Maybe they should try to find her. She did mention she knew of a way to get rid of the worm, by proclaiming to be her only chance of survival. Lae'zel didn't strike her as someone who would inflate her own abilities, considering her prowess in battle.

Walking uphill through the rubble, smoke, and fire, they were nearing a glowing purple circle. Tav approached it, feeling something ooze from it in a way that made her chest warm. Like when she cast magic. Without hesitation, she proceeded to touch the sigil. A burst of electricity touched her fingers, and she took a step back. A hand appeared out of the circle and a male voice came through.

"A hand? Anyone?"

She almost burst into laughter. A hand asking for a hand. This day was getting better and better. Seeing as this hand probably had a sense of humor, she slapped the hand.

"Ow! Perhaps I should have clarified. A helping hand?"

She grabbed onto the hand and started pulling. It was no use. The hand seemed to be stuck at the other end.

"Come one, put your back into it!" The hand insisted.

She looked towards her companions. Astarion rolled his eyes, crossed his arms, looking away and Shadowheart sighed as she reached to pull together with Tav.

The extra strength helped as the hand, along with the rest of the man, fell on both of them, knocking them to the ground. Tav looked at the shadow behind her, gazing upward until she saw Astarion's face, looking completely unimpressed. The man got off them and stood upright, helping them get up as well.

"Ooft hello. I'm Gale of Waterdeep. Apologies, I'm usually better at this." The man said smiling, shaking her hand.

Did he do this often? Coming out of random magical circles, falling onto random people, Tav couldn't help but wonder, a smile coming onto her face. He was funny. She liked his sense of humor.

"Tav. Are you all right?"

"A bit shocked, but friend it is a relief and a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Gale continued in an enthused manner. "Say, but I know you, don't I? You were on the nautiloid as well."

"Never mind the nautiloid, how did you get stuck in that thing?"

"I don't know what transpired exactly, but the ship broke into multiple pieces, and I suddenly found myself in free fall. As I was plummeting to certain death, I spied a glimmer quite near where I estimated my body to impact with less-than-savory propulsion. Recognizing the glimmer to be magical in nature, I reached out to it, with a Weaving of words and found myself on the other side, as it were."

Tav's eyes rose into her hairline. This man, Gale, knew magic, she would certainly want to keep him around.

"How about you? How did you survive the fall?"

She didn't really know. Some sort of magic perhaps as well. It wouldn't be realistic to assume it was not. How could one survive such a fall without magic being involved?

"To be honest, I haven't a clue." Tav said, feeling a little silly to give such an inadequate answer.

"Fair enough. But even so, I have the unfortunate suspicion your survival is still very much in jeopardy. Back on the ship, you too, were on the receiving end of a rather unwelcome insertion in the ocular region, were you not?"

Tav nodded.

"The insertee we speak of, this parasite – are you aware that after a period of excruciating gestation it will turn us into mind flayers? It's a process known as ceremorphosis, and let me assure you: it is to be avoided." Gale emphasized on the last part, continuing to add. "You don't happen to be a cleric, do you? A doctor? Surgeon? Uncannily adroit with a knitting needle?"

"You seem to know a lot about our condition to realize it's beyond most clerics 'skills." Shadowheart added, seeming as if Tav was at a loss for words.

"Most, no doubt. But I find myself hoping to be in the presence of the few. You don't happen to be one of them?"

“Can’t say that I am.” Tav replied.

"We're most certainly going to need a healer, and soon too. How about we lend each other a helping hand once more and look for a healer together?"

Tav couldn't help but smile at the 'helping hand’ commentary and, before anyone could protest about a new companion, and a potential 'helping hand' for magic guidance, she said. "Sounds like a plan. You're welcome to join us."

"Most excellent!" Gale enthused. "A parasite shared is a parasite halved. Or something to that effect. Oh, but before you think you're about to embark on a journey with a most ill-mannered man: thank you for pulling me out of that stone. It was an act of foresight kindness I assure you, for I have the feeling ample opportunities will present themselves for me to return the favor."

An eloquent man with a good sense of humor and offering to help her in both the parasite issue and the magic issue who didn't put a blade to her neck when they met? This must be Tav's lucky day indeed. Except for the part where she woke up on an alien ship, a worm in her head, the barest recollection of her past and how to use magic. Things were just now starting to turn in her favor.

The four of them started to inspect the rest of the area. Not too far they managed to find Lae’zel trapped in a wooden cage, with two horned humanoids declaring she was a menace. Tav took on her liaison role saying she would deal with the threat. She tried to get the horned ones to leave, before gathering that they knew of Lae'zel from a certain Zorru, in their camp nearby. They even offered information on how to get there, once Tav mentioned they were looking for a healer.

"Enough gawking. Get me down!" Lae'zel scowled at her.

Tav closed her eyes, feeling the warm sensation in her chest, and imagined how a flame would appear in her hand. When she stopped hearing the Tieflings in the background, she opened her eyes and aimed for Lae'zel's cage. The first fire bolt was as weak as the first time she cast it, but the second one managed to break off the weakened structure of the cage. So maybe fire was not her kind of magic. Lae'zel landed gracefully to her feet and then approached the group.

"The tadpole hasn't scrambled yet all your senses. Auspicious." Lae'zel sneered. "But the longer we wait the more it consumes. My people possess the cure for this infection. I must find a creche. You will join me."

"Careful, she obviously sees your kindness as a weakness. Don't let her take advantage." Shadowheart interjected.

Feeling the uncomfortable tension between the two women rise again as it did on the nautiloid, Tav asked. "And what exactly is a cheche...?"

"It is many things. A hatchery, training grounds, a shelter. Githyanki protocol is clear: when infected with a ghaik tadpole, we must report to a ghustil for purification."

Tav found herself thanking her luck; not one, but two viable solutions to one of her problem. And Lae'zel's confidence in the matter suggested she was certain of its potential fix.

"All right. We journey together. Let's find this cheche."

"You have made an ally from Cheche K'lir – few know such fortune."

"I'll trust your judgement, but I won't trust her. Not until I've gotten the measure of her." Shadowheart said loud enough for everyone to hear.

Lae'zel snapped back at her. "You've a sharp tongue elf. Would that your mind proves its equal."

"Half-elf." Shadowheart corrected. "I suppose the finer details are lost on a creature like you."

"Come." Lae'zel moved to speak to Tav directly, ignoring Shadowheart. "The horned ones mentioned a camp. One there – this Zorru – has seen githyanki. A creche must be near. We will ask this Zorru where he has seen my kin."

And so, the adventure began.

They set out to find a place to rest, before going to the horned ones’ camp, Lae'zel mumbling about wasting precious time on rest and the fragility of 'their kind'. They found a secluded area near a waterfall surrounded by nature; each picked a spot to set up their tents.

Lae'zel and Shadowheart had no problem pitching their tents in a matter of minutes. Gale requested assistance from Lae'zel, while Astarion complained about not being used to curling up in the dirt and leaving his tent unpitched to go into the forest.

Tav wasn't sure she knew how to set up a tent either but paid close attention when Lae'zel helped Gale set his up and managed to do a decent job in the end. Not wanting to start on the wrong foot, or continue on the wrong foot more like, with Astarion, she pitched his tent as well. If nothing else, then for the practice alone. Shadowheart threw her a bemused expression and shook her head.

Once things had settled down and everyone took to arranging their spaces, Tav decided she ought to try and get to know her new acquaintances a little. She wasn't sure how long they would take to find the means to remove the parasite in their heads, so she might as well try and be a little friendly.

She noticed Gale near the fire in the middle of the camp and approached him, only to be greeted by a somber "Go to hell."

"Well good evening to you too." she replied, amused. His back was to her, facing the fire.

"Ha! you're a good sport." He smiled, turning his face to her, before looking back at the fire. " 'Go to hell'. An everyday expression. So trivial it's almost meaningless. But we've seen Hell. It's real. And it isn't trivial."

Not wanting to sour the mood before she started asking magic questions and hoping he would go back to his jovial self, Tav asked "What's on your mind, Gale?"

"Devils, dragons, mind flayers - they used to be abstracts. Pictures on a piece of paper. What a difference a day makes. Now we have tadpoles slithering through our heads like carnivorous foeti. That's not abstract."

"I'm not too worried, we'll find someone to help us."

"That's the spirit. Wake up with the lard, find a healer before the wee one gets hungry." Gale ended, just before going towards his tent.

Ok. So not in the mood to talk magic then. She decided to check in with Lae'zel.

"A monster forms inside us yet you waste time with idle chatter?" Lae'zel said a way of greeting. "Do you suppose the parasites in us dare to rest? That the ghaik do not still pursue us with each peal of the bell? Take your rest. I will stand watch. Should a single tentacle split your skull, I will not hesitate to end you." She ended, taking a seat next to her tent with her blade held tight.

Mentally scratching Lae'zel off the small talk list, she then approaches Shadowheart who had her hands on a map, sitting by her tent.

"Doing the rounds are you?" Shadowheart asked, without taking her eyes off the map. "What were you two talking about?" she asked as she raised her head to look Tav in the eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"You and Gale."

"Just trying to make conversation"

"I see. I'd be careful with Gale."

"You don't trust Gale?"

"He's a wizard. All they care about is power." Shadowheart added matter-of-factly. "Let's hope we rapidly find a healer. I think you know how important it is that we find someone who can cure us. Best if we focus on that." And then she started looking at her map again.

Everyone was distressed at the prospect of sprouting tentacles. Tav was concerned, sure, but her head was filled with thoughts from all the things that happened that day.

As she sat in front of the fire, letting her mind wander, didn't realize that everyone had gone to sleep, and she was all alone - until she heard a voice behind her.

"Did you do this?" Astarion asked, pointing at his tent.

"You're welcome." Tav said, before returning to the fire to add more lumber.

"I didn't ask for your help."

"No, you didn't."

He sighed, paused, and then added. "You should get some rest."

Tav nodded but made no effort to get up. She heard the shuffling of Astarion entering his tent and she was all alone, again.

She tried to go to sleep soon after that. Tav tossed and turned while her mind kept relieving all of the visions she had to try and make sense of them. How would it be possible to be in two different bodies? Were those visions - memories? Who knew what sort of magic mind flayer technology she willingly threw herself into to even get those images? She took it for granted that her name was Tav. It felt right though. Could the rest of what she saw be true?

Who was that entity? Why was she in a cemetery? And her mind seemed to have a knack for overthinking.

And then she heard birds and saw the light from the rising sun. She felt exhausted.

Tav yawned and got out of her tent. Lae'zel was in the process of dismantling her tent. Shadowheart and Gale were not up yet, and Astarion's tent flap was opened, but he was not inside.

Chapter 2: Path where eyes can't see

Chapter Text

So, a good night's sleep was not something to appease Lae'zel with. Tav made a mental note of that.

They were all awake and gathered. It was much later than Lae'zel intended if her demeanor said anything with all the pacing and grunting.

On the way to the Teiflings camp, they got close to a ruin of sorts, which Gale suggested they look into. They didn't hear the voices at first. They stumbled upon a scene where a gang of looters were emptying a crypt, if their words were to be believed.

They thought they had competition as the group joined them. They began with anything but subtle threats. Most of them reached for their weapon. Tav counted five people that she could see on the outside of the building, plus any number on the inside. She wanted to try the nice approach first.

"The ship is full of monsters; I wouldn't go anywhere near it!" She told them, trying to sound as earnest as possible.

"Well, uh, in that case... C'mon you lot, no point in getting killed." Said one that could resemble a leader of the group. "Second worm gets the cheese, an’ all..."

"Second mouse gets the cheese, no?" asked one of the others.

"Nobody's getting any cheese! Now move it!"

Tav waited before they were out of sight before she started to look for an entrance to the building.

Shadowheart got close to Tav. "You're more cunning than you look. I thought we had a fight on our hands."

Tav smiled at her and proceeded to inspect the only entrance to the building.

"Ah, that is where I would come in, darling." Astarion said as he approached the door, lowering himself so that his eyesight was on the key lock. He pulled out a leather wrap from his pack. He unwrapped it in one quick motion and picked up two items from it. Then, within a few seconds, the door lock clicked.

He looked at Tav as he rose to his full height. His smug smile turned into a full grin once he saw the shocked expression on her face.

Once inside, the human man they stumbled upon was surprised to find them there. Tav was also surprised. She had no time to prepare to cast spells. She hit the man with her staff. Lae'zel and Astarion then finished him with their blade and daggers.

In one of the crypt rooms, Tav saw a pale face looking at her, before realizing it was her own reflection, in a small mirror attached to the wall. She got closer to it, inspecting the face, looking back at her. She could see, even in the dark room, that her eyes were hazel, pointy ends of her long ears sticking out of the blonde hair parted down the middle, framing the face. It wasn't a bad-looking face, it just made her wonder about the vision of her different hands. She picked up the mirror and stashed it in her bag.

As they got further inside the crypt, they found more of the same looters and supplies. A fight ensued. Tav was trying very hard to use her magic as much as possible. She also looked at Gale to try and discern anything he would be doing, for her to try and copy. She made a mental note to try and remember 'Perūrō' for lighting and 'Tormentum' for attacking multiple people with bolts of power.

When a large, angry man caught her by surprise, her instinct was to cover her hands to shield her face. But, she found herself in a bubble of sorts. The man's attack couldn't reach her through it. She tried to position herself better as the fights progressed. The opponents would have a harder time getting through to her if Lae'zel had anything to say about it.

When there was only one opponent left she decided to try 'Tormentum' she heard from Gale. She imagined the bolts hitting the man square in the chest. As soon as she did, she felt strange, her vision lowered, so she had to look up at everything around her. When she tried to speak the only thing out of her mouth was a resounding 'baa'. She saw Lae'zel deliver a final blow, and then everyone was around her looking at her from above. A few seconds later, she felt herself go back to her normal height, Gale stepping in front of her.

"So, you're a sorceress?" He said, intrigued. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"A sorceress?" Tav asked, eyes wide. "I didn't know."

"Come now, you sorcerers are born with magic at your fingertips, I don't believe you haven't been casting since you were probably a babe!"

Tav opened her mouth to say something, but she simply did not know if she did. Going by her instinct again, she decided it would be a suitable time to share.

"I don't remember much before the Nautiloid..." She said, looking at each of their faces to try and take in their reactions.

"Oh!" Gale exclaimed. "Memory loss isn't usually a symptom of ceremorphosis. If it is, they forgot to write it in any text I've read about on the subject."

Tav smiled at him.

He continued. "Then again, our case isn't exactly usual. Perhaps, whatever is causing our tadpole to remain in statis has also affected your mind. If ceremorphosis takes place, all traces of your former self will be subsumed into the mind flayer's hive. So, to still be here, if a mite forgetful? Still a win in my book."

"So why do you think I'm a sorceress and not a witch?" Tav asked.

"What you experienced just now would be considered a 'wild magic surge'. Wizards do not get those. Oh, the stories you could probably tell..."

"So, what you're saying is she is unstable and unreliable. And a liar." Lae'zel grunted, staring at both.

"Not necessarily." Gale replied. "Wild surges only occur once you cast higher level magic and even so, it's not that common, unless you're a child. Or an inexperienced magic user. Even those are below fifty percent, from my recollection."

"It didn't happen when I cast yesterday." Tav added.

"Perhaps you've only been using cantrips."

"Is this why you tried casting a guiding bolt yesterday?" Shadowheart asked.

Feeling self-conscious at the inquiry, Tav nodded. Then she added. "I'm not sure what I can and can't cast. So, I have been trying whatever I saw around me."

"A fair strategy, but sorcerers as well as wizards are still bound by the Weave. So it's not likely you will be able to cast cleric spells that easily, if not guided by a deity. I'm happy to show you the ropes, so to speak, once we have some free time."

"I would love that!"

"As lovely as this is, can we get on with it?" Astarion sighed and moved past the group to get to the next room. "These tadpoles aren't going to remove themselves."

Along the way Tav decided to pick up as many books as she could carry, Gale helping with the load. They had an unspoken kinship after the revelation. Tav was very grateful to him for his wisdom and kindness.

Deeper into the crypt, they found a room filled with traps. Astarion, suspecting good loot from the many traps, pointed most of them out and tried to avoid them or disarm them.

He disarmed the main sarcophagus and found only an odd coin and some spear, which he passed along.

Things took a turn when Tav pressed a button and the dead skeletal warriors that were on the floor, rose to greet the party. Tav decided to test Gale's wild surge estimates. She surprised herself to see that they did not happen for the rest of the crypt fight.

Using less of her focus on her magic as it was becoming innate, Tav was able to observe her companions in battle. Gale had access to most of the same spells she did, and he was a force to recon with. Shadowheart surprised her. She went to the middle of the room and cast something. It made all the undead in the room run the other way, screaming in pain. It gave them all the advantage they needed. Lae'zel slashed left and right with the flaming sword Shadowheart managed to get from the Nautiloid. Astarion was nowhere to be seen. Not until he dropped skeletons left and right, just to disappear into the shadows once more.

After the fight, they investigated a richly adorned sarcophagus. Tav clearly couldn't keep her hands to herself. She moved the lid aside, and a flowing undead dropped to his feet in front of them.

"So, he has spoken and so thou standest before me. Right as always. What a curious way to awaken."

They all stood before it in silence.

"Now, I have a question for thee: what is the worth of a single mortal life?"

Tav finally answered. "Little spooked by the crawling out of a tomb bit. What are you?"

"I am not the same as those thou hast slain, if that is what thy askest. Wilt thou answer my question?"

"Maybe."

The undead proceeded to ask the same question again. Tav pondered and then answered.

"No one's life is worth more than any other. We are all equal."

"In death that is so, child of Fate. Very well, I am satisfied. We have met and I know thy face."

And the undead walked away. They were stunned. Tav pondered her word choice. They felt true somehow. On a deeper level, she couldn't quite name.

Despite everyone feeling tired, they would not rest again until they reached the Tieflings' camp, least they felt Lae’zel’s wrath for wasting yet another day. On their way, they heard shouting in the distance. They decided to take to the high ground as Lae'zel suggested. A whole horde of goblins were attacking three humans at a gate. Tav decided to help.

Despite the multitude of goblins, it was not a hard fight. They had all the advantages. Each seemed to know and understand their roles, playing to their strengths. It did not take long. They followed the humans through the ivy-covered gate.

It was a nice-looking place, a grove of sorts with nature flowing into every corner; be it in the form of animal or plant variety. Further along the entrance, they walked into what seemed to be an open conflict between the humans at the gate and one of the Tieflings.

Tav tried to intervene, to appease each party, so this would not escalate. Reluctantly they agreed. The Tiefling, Zevlor went as far as to ask Tav to speak to the druid leader, Kagha, on the Tieflings' behalf. She decided to help, despite some of the party's protests.

She had some exchanges with the local merchants, including a smith and an older woman who made Tav's skin crawl. Then, she found her coin purse was not as light as everyone else’s. This earned her a few raised eyebrows from her companions. She added this to 'questions I can't answer as I don't remember who I am' pile to try and deal with later.

Lae’zel took it upon herself to almost torture the poor Tiefling Zorru for information on the githyanki creche he seemed to know about. Tav stepped in to try and temper everyone, lest they start a conflict with the Tieflings themselves. She thought Lae'zel could not be any unhappier before the intervention. She was wrong.

They met with one of the fighters from the gate and decided to strike up a conversation.

"I believe introductions are in order. The Blade of Frontiers at your ..."

The man's smile bent downward, and his thoughts merged with Tav's. She saw him, racing through the wastes of Avernus. Just ahead, a diabolical figure - red skin, single curled horn - blazed with flame, bloodied greataxe held high.

"Hells' great fires - you were on the ship."

"Yes - and we both carry parasites." Tav replied somberly.

"Mm - doomed to shed our skin and become illithid, or so the stories go. But I haven't sprouted any tentacles - not yet, anyway. Nor have you. Could just be good luck. I'm not so... "

Their minds collide once more. the man chased the fiend, ignited with rancor. She was an infernal wardevil, a threat to the living - evil incarnate.

"sh*t - you saw her: advocatus diaboli."

Tav was not sure what to make of his declaration, so she just nodded for him to continue.

"I tracked her through the Hells to the mind flayer ship. But the damned illithids infected me before I could end her. She's out there now, preying on the innocent. I don't kill her; she'll leave behind nothing but a trail of corpses."

"Let's join forces. I'll help you cast this devil back into the Hells."

"Chk." Lae'zel interjected." A tadpole feasts on our skulls, and you're signing on to chase devils?"

"We will need all the help we can get." Tav replied.

"Trust me, gith - I know the stories. Doomed to shed our skin and become illithid. And they say there's no coming back. I've seen your people in battle. I reckon you are no mere warrior, but a godsdamned army. I'd be a fool to let you turn your back. Pledge me your talents, and I'll pledge you mine."

"Chk."

"I'll presume that's githyanki for 'yes'. Now let's move."

Looking around the rest of the grove, they saved a goblin prisoner from being shot with an arrow. She kept talking about an Absolute goddess. Gale made a joke about a similar situation at the Yawning Portal in Waterdeep. She did put the Goblin Priestess on the 'maybe solutions’ for potential healing or cure.

"Hmph - the famous Blade of Frontiers, in the flesh. Clever, this hero act you've got going." Shadowheart said matter-of-factly as she approached him.

"'Hero,' 'Blade' - names strangers gave me. My friends call me 'Wyll'."

"Excellent. If we ever become friends, I'll know what to call you."

"Oh my. This is going to be a fun journey." Astarion chimed in.

They managed to get to the inner section where the healer supposedly was. The scene they stumbled upon was as tense as the rest of this location, a Tiefling girl accused of theft by the archdruid Kagha.

Tav, of course, managed to diffuse the situation, by appealing to Kagha’s sense of balance and not disturbing the natural order, which caught a variety of reactions from her companions. They had plaques filled with words like that all over the grove.

Tav took the opportunity to try and convince Kagha, that the Tieflings needed help, to no avail.

They met with Nettie, the local healer who almost wanted to poison them, safe for Astarion’s knowledge of poisons. He recognized it before the druid had a chance to use it on any of them. They reluctantly agreed to try and look for the actual archdruid of this grove, Master Halsin. He was captured by goblins.

Seemingly Master Halsin had been studying mind flayer tadpoles if his notes were to be believed. Or Nettie. Or the dead Drow laid on the table of the room they have been taken to by Nettie. So, a dead end and a potential new road. Shadowheart at least seemed more enthused about this prospect than the githyanki creche. Or the Absolute goblin Priestess.

Tav noticed Shadowheart wince for a moment, grabbing her hand as if in pain. She looked around, catching Tav's gaze on her. A few moments later, she approached Tav.

"I know that look - you're wondering why I was in pain before. Let's just clear the air about that now. It's just an old wound that hurts me from time to time. Nothing to be concerned about. It's nothing to do with the tadpoles at least in case your imagination is in danger of getting away from you. It's just... something I have to live with."

"How badly does it hurt?" Tav tried to sound as sympathetic as possible.

"Quite a lot, if I'm being honest. But it always passes quickly, so I can manage."

"Allright, just let me know if I can help."

Shadowheart smiled and moved ahead, making sure this matter was dropped.

The group managed to stumble across a harpy coven, trying to lure a Tiefling boy to a certain death. He thanked them once the harpies were dead, granting them access to the Tiefling kids' secret hideout, where they met with a pirate-looking Tiefling Mol. She was supporting an eyepatch and seemed to be in charge of the kids. She returned some looted gold to Tav, who had not even noticed she had been robbed to begin with.

Before deciding whether it would be a suitable time to turn in for the day, Gale decided to make some small talk.

"Why don't we take a little break? Allow ourselves a few moments of rest. Gives me a chance to talk to you about something, well, rather important."

"Rather important' no less? All right, go ahead." Tav said, expecting Gale to pull another joke.

"We've been on the road together for a while now, haven't we? Survived some perils, overcame some obstacles. Ever since you were kind enough to free me from that stone, I've seen you demonstrate remarkable guile and courage." Gale expressed, Tav waited for the joke to drop, but he just continued. "The way you stood in front of a crossbow to prevent a murder. The way you got Kagha to release the girl. The way you got that boy out of a harpy's clutches. In short: I've grown to trust you."

"Oh, that's very gratifying to hear..." Tav said, a little surprised at the direction of the conversation, the whole group looking at them.

"The reason I make a point of saying this is that I've grown confident enough to tell you something I've yet to tell another living soul. Except for my cat. You see, I have this... condition. Very different from the parasite we share, but just as deadly."

Tav's stomach dropped. Her mind started going to the worst-case scenarios. She could feel the awkwardness seep into the air, while Gale let this sink in.

"What kind of condition?"

"The specifics are rather personal, but suffice it to say that it is a malady I have learned to live with - though not without some effort."

He paused. "What it comes down to is this: every so often I need to get my hands on a powerful magical item and absorb the Weave inside."

Tav was relieved. But also, confused. "Your illness causes you to consume raw magic? I'm going to need more details... "

"I can say no more on the matter - not now anyway. It's been days since I last consumed an artefact - since before we were abducted. Just trust me when I say it's all of vital importance. It's only a matter of time before my craving returns. That is why I turn to you. I need you to help me find magic items to consume. It is vital. Dare I say it, critical."

"Don't worry - I'm happy to help." She was thinking that she would be getting the better end of this deal anyway, with Gale offering to help her out with her magic.

"Thank you. I see my trust in you was not misplaced! I'm sure we won't have to look very far to find what I need: Faerûn overflows with magic-infused treasure. As do our packs, as a matter of fact. We've such an item already in our possession, primed for the moment the need arises."

At that point, everyone, including Lae'zel seemed to have had enough fighting, personal revelations, and adventure for the day, so they decided to head back to their camp.

Despite feeling exhausted from lack of sleep, Tav took the opportunity to harass Gale with endless questions about magic. Gale showed extraordinary patience, answering all of her questions succinctly, while also expanding on topics she did not even know to ask.

He shared his own spell book, expanding on spell names, components needed and difficulty. By the time Gale's yawns were getting progressively more frequent Tav took pity on him and let him finally get some rest. Before she left his tent, with a stack of books, tomes, parchment, quills, and ink, she asked him one last question.

"Gale..." She hesitated. "Do wizards or sorcerers need anything special to... fall asleep?"

Gale pondered and then said "I don't have anything that would help right now, but we could look for some herbs tomorrow and try and make some sleeping potions. Though, I'm not sure why you would need it considering you have the unfair advantage of meditation. A few hours and you should be good to go."

Tav raised an eyebrow at him. "I don't need to sleep?"

"Well, it's not a magic-related notion, but one of your heritage. Elves have that unfair advantage. Although, if you are asking, I assume, this too has been lost to you."

"How... would one... meditate exactly?"

"Ah, I'm afraid that is not something I am accustomed with, but surely you could check with our other resident elf in camp."

Astarion. "Right...well, thank you so much for everything." She trailed off, not quite as excited as before, carrying her stack of novel items towards her tent.

"Good night Tav. And good luck."

She would probably need it. She thought about her reluctance. It's not that she had something against Astarion, but having a knife to your throat as a way of introduction probably did not help matters either. Not to mention that while everyone else at least tried to make an effort to participate in either conversation or any potential chore like cooking or tending to the fire, Astarion simply... vanished. No talking, except to scowl when someone asked him anything, be offended when Tav tried to help with his tent. Twice. And constantly disappearing into the woods once they reached camp. Always in the shadows. No wonder he was so pale, she thought.

Tav looked at his tent and the flap was closed, everyone else had gone to sleep at this point, if the subtle snores were any indication. She approached his tent. No sounds of snoring or movement. Although he probably meditated, and she wasn't sure snores were a part of it.

"Need something?"

"Hi." She said in a faint voice, as if she didn't want to wake him up. He was obviously awake. She felt dumb. "Uhm... could we talk?"

His flap opened. He was sitting cross-legged, a book in his lap, his posture exuding elegance even in a small, humble tent in the middle of nowhere.

"So... I'm not really sure how to... uhm... meditate... sleep. I didn't manage to figure it out on my own, so Gale suggested I talk to you."

"Did he now?" Astarion said, smiling, leaning back on his hands.

Tav shifted from one foot to the other, waiting. He just looked at her, smiling.

"So can you help me?"

"I probably could." Astarion kept smiling as one of his knees raised and moved from side to side.

"Will you, then?" Tav asked, trying to keep her composure. She wasn't sure why he was being so difficult. It would have been a simple request for anyone. Perhaps this is why she was hesitant to reach out to him in the first place.

"You know, for someone who claims they have no memory from before the abduction, you seem to be in your head a lot."

Her eyebrows rose in surprise. She didn't realize she had been so obvious. Especially not to him. Considering he didn't even look at her most of the time, except to either complain or... no - just to complain.

"I supposed I could try, given that I owe you one from setting my tent up the other day... and today." And he rose to his legs.

He was taller than Tav, probably by another head, his white curls adjusting with the movement of his body, his mesmerizing blend of deep amethyst and shadowed indigo eyes peering into hers. Tav started to feel that pull he had, like the first time he looked at her, unable to look away. He moved with such fluid grace that Tav didn't even realize he had gotten closer, his hand outstretched, leading her.

"Shall we, then?" His voice was a few octaves lower, inviting and stirring something in her.

She took a deep breath and urged her feet to move. What sort of a spell did he cast on her? She didn't see anyone else in such a state just by talking to him. Granted, he didn't talk to anyone. Not unless he could complain or mock them.

They had reached her tent on the other side of camp, she opened the flap and realized she didn't really plan this out. There were piles of books everywhere, clothes and all sorts of items spread throughout.

Tav started tidying the space up, pilling the books in one corner, clothes in another, while Astarion just sat down elegantly, looking through the book pile, smiling to himself. He had a sort of cat like grace with each movement. He stopped once he found one book in particular and his smile dropped. He recovered quickly, looking to see if Tav had caught his slip. She continued cleaning and once it was decent enough, she sat down, trying to mirror his posture.

"Can I get you anything before we start?"

He co*cked his head to the side, thinking. "A glass of aged brandy or any bottle of Mulhorand or Nimpeth would do nicely."

He smiled. "Though I doubt you would have any lying around."

Before she could stop herself, she said "I'll keep that in mind for next time."

"Next time?" He asked, smirking at her.

"If I ever need your help with anything else, that is." Tav quickly corrected.

He then proceeded to explain about trancing. Postures one could have, breathing techniques, and potential dreams that one could exercise after some time. Probably seeing her no less confused, he offered to have her mirror him in a simulated exercise.

They settled on sitting face to face, a few inches apart, legs crossed and arms in their laps. They we closer than they had ever been, Tav realized. He had closed his eyes, taking breaths through his nose, image picture perfect of relaxation.

Tav just stared at him. Took in his porcelain face and all the details she had not noticed before. Without any expressions on his face, she could see the subtle smile lines near his mouth, several beauty marks adorning his high cheekbones, sharp and angular, with a long straight nose between them. His lips, full and temptingly curved, seemed soft. Soft in a way one would need to touch just to confirm. They were not perfect though. On his cupid's bow, the left one seemed slightly plumper than the other. Imperfectly perfect, she thought. And the smell coming from him was exquisite. She couldn't name it.

"One would generally need to close their eyes for this part." He said, opening his eyes to look at her. "I didn't realize I needed to specify that too."

Surprised to be caught in the act, she squinted her eyes shut.

He laughed a low giggle in his throat. "Perhaps not so dramatically either. Ideally, this would help you relax, not age you prematurely."

She relaxed her face. It was quiet then, except for their breathing. It was nice, if a little ominous, not knowing what he was doing.

After a few more moments he rose to his feet. "You should probably lie on your back; it helps to trance faster if you relax all your muscles."

And then she heard the flap of her tent open and then close. She did as she was told, feeling the gradual relaxation he had mentioned. Her thoughts kept fighting for her attention and she let them, focusing back on her breath every time it happened. And she finally tranced.

Chapter 3: I'm on fire like a thousand suns

Chapter Text

She smelled fried eggs. And meat. She sat up. She felt great. Better than she… ever remembered feeling. Tav put her boots on and got out of her tent to find Gale handling multiple pans, in a red apron. She smiled at him. He smiled back once he took notice of her.

“I herby declare charge of most, if not all, cooking duties for the duration of our little adventure. It has been over three days since I last had a decent meal and I plan to put an end to it.” Gale said while adding another batch of eggs in the oiled pan.

“Where did you even get all of this?”

“Ah, a chef’s trade secrets, I’m afraid.”

They proceeded to go over all the potential spells Tav could be trying that day and all the plants to look out for. She was nodding over mouthfuls of Feywild Eggs and 'Orc' Bacon, surprised at yet another skill Gale was so good at. They also decided to split the party, informing everyone as they woke up.

Wyll would go along with Shadowheart, saying he could even handle it alone, but appreciated the company. Shadowheart also seemed happy to not have to see Lae’zel for a full day. Tav decided to keep most of the party focused on finding the creche mostly for Lae’zel’s sake, hoping Wyll and Shadowheart could join them soon. She wouldn’t have had an issue with sending the whole party with Wyll, but this way at least, everyone seemed happy.

They said their farewells, each group going in the opposite direction with their own map and supplies subsequent of Tav buying them from a merchant the previous day. Having noticed the imbalance in funds between them, Tav had no problem purchasing whatever they needed; and things they didn't need, including a pair of missile-snaring gloves for Gale, several special arrows for Astarion, and a new shield for Shadowheart. Wyll and Shadowheart would be going towards the Risen Road, while the rest of the group would head towards the forest.

Gale had positively beamed after the meal they had, chatting animated with both Tav about magic and Lae’zel about githyanki culture, customs, and the Astral Plane. He even exchanges a few sentences with Astarion.

Even Astarion seemed not to hate everything and everyone. It was rather nice.

Tav stopped every once in a while, to pick up plants, getting resounding sighs from Lae’zel and amused expressions from Astarion when seeing Lae’zel’s face. She pointed out healing potions would benefit everyone including her, so she stopped the commentary after a while to just the occasional grunts.

Upon reaching a hill that would overlook the whole crash site as well as the surrounding area, they met a man, appearing out of thin air, Tav was struck by his charismatic presence and refined demeanor. With his impeccably tailored attire and confident posture, he exudes an air of sophistication and power. His piercing gaze seemed to size Tav up with a mixture of curiosity and amusem*nt.

"My, my what manner of place is this? A path to Redemption or a road to damnation? Hard to say for your journey is just beginning." He smiled as he approached them. "What would suit the occasion? Hmm... the words to a lullaby perhaps?" He stood proud and unphased by their stunned appearance, "The mouse smiled brightly: it outfoxed the cat! then down came the claw and that, love, was that." He laughed and pondered. "They do know how to write them in Cormyr don't they?"

Despite the elegance of his appearance, there was an undeniable aura of danger surrounding him, leaving Tav intrigued yet wary.

"Well met. I am Raphael." Then took a bow, quite similar to how Astarion did, the first time they met. " Very much at your service."

"Pleasure. I'm Tav." Tav replied, crossing her arms, and staring at him.

"Charmed, I'm sure. In more ways than one... We should have a chat, you, and I, but not here. This quaint little scene is decidedly too middle of nowhere for my tastes. Come."

And with the cloud of fog, he teleported them to a whole new scene. A lavish ornate round dining table in the middle of the room adorned with all manner of trays filled with meats, pastries, desserts, and wine, surrounded by several tall dining chairs. To the left was a large fireplace, fire roaring and warming the whole room, a tall portrait of a red devil above it.

"There. Middle of somewhere."

"Can you be more specific than – somewhere?" Tav asked, trying not to look too alarmed at this man, who had the power to teleport them all so easily.

"The House of Hope." Raphael enthused as he outstretched his arms. " Where the tired come to rest, and the famished come to feed - lavishly. Go on. Partake. Enjoy your supper. After all... it might just be your last."

"I'm getting tired of your games."

"Are you not entertained? Well - far be it from me to disappoint."

A column of fire surrounded him and before them stood... an actual devil. Same features as Raphael before, but with large red wings flapping behind him, a set of four horns adorning his head towards his back and his eyes, now with black sclera had orange-fire irises.

"What's better than a devil you don't know? A devil you do. Am I a friend? Potentially. An adversary? Conceivably. But a saviour? That's for certain."

Tav's mind was running marathons but tried to keep her cool as she said in the same pitch as before. "What makes you think I need saving?"

"Come now. Why play hard to get when you're in deep over your tadpoled head? One skull, two tenants, and no solution in sight. I could fix it all like that" he said as he snapped his fingers and a small flame flickered.

"Then fix it. Or die by my hand."

"Yes... I like it when my clients put up a fight... " He laughed. " Try to cure yourself. Shop around - beg, borrow, and steal. Exhaust every possibility until none are left. And when hope has been whittled down to the very marrow of despair - that's when you'll come knocking on my door. Hope..." He snickered. "Such a tease."

"I'll have the last laugh in the end." Tav snarled at him.

"I've always wondered what a laughing mind flayer sounds like. All those pretty little symptoms - sundering skin, dissolving guts - they haven't manifested yet, have they? One might say you're a paragon of luck. I'll be there when it runs out." Raphael said, snapping his fingers, and in another gust of fog, they were back on the hill overlooking the crash.

Tav was quiet. Her companions had a variety of mixed responses about the encounter. Gale seemed to be flattered about dining with a devil, proposing to find his true intentions like this was a game of lanceboard. Astarion mentioned how he reminded him of someone who liked to play with people and how they would always win. Lae'zel was unimpressed and vowed to take his head as a trophy when she would be made Kith'rak.

Looking around for more herbs, Tav stumbled across a dead boar. She noticed it was still fresh, no apparent cause of death, and closed the distance between them.

"The pig's dead my friend. Staring at it won't bring it back. Come now, we'll never fix these brainworms if we stop and gawk at every piece of carrion we find." Astarion said as he tried to lead the group away from the scene.

Astarion surprised Tav with his reaction and she dropped down to inspect it, where she observed two puncture wounds on its neck.

"And? Is it dead enough for you?"

Tav eyed him. "You know something about this, don't you?"

"I..." Astarion hesitated, then said quickly "it's been drained of blood with wounds in its neck. It's been killed by a vampire. I didn't want to say anything because I didn't want to worry you. They're ferocious creatures. But don't worry, I'll keep watch tonight. We won't have to worry about nocturnal visitors. Now please, let's go." And started walking away.

Tav remembered she had found a book on vampires in the crypt. She made a mental note to look for more information on vampires tonight in her tent.

Not long after, they reached what looked to be an abandoned town. Tav was about to cross its archway, before Astarion pulled her back, pointing at the goblins on the roof of the buildings.

They looked around the walls of the town for another entry, finding a few branches that would help them climb the wall.

Because there was a group of goblins holding a gnome hostage on a rotating windmill, Tav lost all her patience and attacked the goblins. She used one of the more powerful spells Gale had shown her the previous night, causing a wild magic surge that enlarged them for most of the battle. Lae'zel was quite happy as the extra height and strength made it easier for her to slash through the goblins.

After clearing the space, they started walking past an old barn, where loud bangs and low guttural moans came from. A giggle sprang from Tav realizing what it was, locking eyes with Astarion who grinned back at her, eyebrows raising quizzingly. Tav nodded and Astarion moved to open the doors, a huge grin on his face, only to find a female ogre with a male hobgoblin in the middle of sex, causing a fight to ensue.

"You know..." Astarion said, as he approached Tav after the fight was over. "Some call the moment of climax a 'little death'. Our friends here just experienced the bigger version."

Tav laughed. It was a stupid thing to say. And it was funnier to hear Astarion saying it.

When they reached camp, Shadowheart and Wyll had already returned with not one, but two new group members, Karlach and a dog. Tav used a potion of Animal Speaking because she was excited to see how it works and found out the dog already had a name, Scratch.

Karlach was a tall Tiefling woman, with dark red skin, clad in dark, weathered armor adorned with several tattoos and scars on her arms. She had long black hair on the top of her head, sheared on both sides. Her two black horns resembled those of a ram, though the right horn had been broken.

Wyll had been on Karlach's tail thinking she was a devil but he discovered she was only a Tiefling instead. And had a tadpole, like the rest of them. They stopped by the grove on their way back to speak with Dammon, the Tiefling mechanic who could help with Karlach's unusual contraption in her chest. A mechanical heart. They were on a quest to find some infernal iron now to help fix it.

They shared stories of the day by the fire, Tav was excited to hear them, particularly with the new addition to the group. She was quite easy-going for such an intimidating presence, and everyone was animated in conversation with her. The bottles of wine they found also helped with loosening everyone up a little.

Gale and Tav continued their lessons on magic, Gale providing various encouragements of her mastery over magic the past day, making Tav blush. They decided not to focus on much more advanced magic at the time, some Latin pronunciation, since Tav would not be able to cast anything like that yet. Gale ended up talking about himself, his tower in Waterdeep, and his tressym, Tara. Tav was beaming at the thought of cats with wings, remembering the cat from her vision, particularly when Gale said Tara reminded him of Tav.

Not long after there was a black ripple in the ground, a cambion coming through. She was Wyll's patron, Mizora. She was not happy about Wyll sparing Karlach, for her mistress Zariel, the archdevil ruler of Avernus whom Karlach was forced to serve before escaping Hell. As punishment for his transgression, Mizora burned Wyll in the fires of Avernus, turning him into a devil and letting him know that the pact was still ongoing as she left.

Wyll had retreated to his tent after a few comments and sympathetic nods from the group. Tav couldn't leave him alone. She heard Karlach's voice coming from his tent as she approached it, although she couldn't make out the words.

"Been a long time since someone stuck their neck out for me like that." Karlach told Tav as she got out of his tent.

"He's a good man."

"You can say that again. But he says he wants to be alone now. So maybe don't go in there."

As Karlach started walking away, Tav cleared her throat. "Hm... hey Wyll. Can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Tav? Hey... can we talk tomorrow?"

"Uhm. Look, I won't pretend I know what you're going through. But you're still you, ok? And you got us. I'm here for you."

After a long pause, Tav wasn't sure he would say anything else and was debating leaving.

"She made a mockery of everything I stand for... the very thing I fight against. I'm a devil."

Tav sat down on the floor outside his tent. "Wyll... your willingness to stand up for what's right, even when it's hard. That's who you are. And no one can take that from you."

Another long pause. "Thanks Tav."

Tav went to her tent after some more time next to Wyll's tent, to look for the vampire book, but she couldn't find it.

The next day, the camp was silent as they all tried to give Wyll space with his new appearance. Gale had taken his cooking duties quite seriously, sprucing the most basic recipes into delicacies. Tav was wondering if there was anything he was not good at. They went over magic theory while they ate, and Wyll seemed happy with the distraction.

The plan for the day was to clear out a cellar they read about in a book in the Blighted Village and move on, Lae'zel growing impatient with all the distractions.

The cellar was filled with undead. Shadowheart stood between them, radiating divine energy across most of them, making them run in fear. While not an easy fight, it helped to focus attention on one at a time, Tav feeling more confident using higher-level magic.

When her wild magic surged, it no longer frightened her. It took a while for the rest of the group to catch on to what was happening, Gale was the first. Tav was screaming. She tried to say normal words, but they all came out loudly. Once the fight was over, Tav's volume also got back to normal. They laughed at Tav, everyone wondering what else she could be doing next time.

Behind a magic mirror, through many traps, they found a leather book with two piercing amethyst eyes and a large gaping mouth. The book had no notable keyhole. They figured they needed to find something to help open it or have magic high enough to destroy as they were unable at this point. Astarion, Gale and Tav were against destroying it, while the rest of them were not as vocal.

They stumbled upon another cellar in the same area, where they found some infernal metal for Karlach, which stunted the exploration of the area.

Seeing as Lae'zel needed to hit something at the news, they lowered themselves through a dry well, where they found trouble. A giant matriarch spider, along with a few smaller, and the constant summoning of spiderlings was enough to render even Lae'zel to needing a good night's rest and plenty of healing. They also found a large amethyst that was the same size as the hole in the book. On the way to Dammon, Gale and Astarion were fighting about who should get the book, Tav deciding she would keep it for now, until they had time to figure it out. It would have made sense for Gale to get the book, since he was the most magic-versed out of them, but Astarion seemed to want the book just as much and presumed to start flattering Tav to win her over. She was surprised by Astarion enough to make her pause on the decision until she had time to ponder all the options, adding that she may want to use the book herself.

Karlach got her engine upgraded, which helped with the overheating she'd experienced ever since she got out of Avernus. Dammon suggested keeping an eye out for any other infernal metal and he would try to help Karlach get back the ability to touch people without burning them.

"Dammon, I have to say, this upgrade is impressive. You really know your way around these engines. I can practically hear it purr."

"Well, I do what I can. And... I might be able to do more if you find any more infernal metal."

"Oh, will you now? So, you're just trying to impress me, huh?" Karlach teasted.

"Oh... I... uhm..."

"Relax, soldier. We'll find that metal. I want to see just how impressive you can be."

After Karlach turned her back on him, Tav could see how the Tiefling turned a deep shade of red.

Back at camp, everyone stepped into their roles. Gale with cooking while Tav kept endlessly distracting him with magic questions, Wyll with making the fire, Lae'zel gathered more firewood. Shadowheart and Karlach opened several bottles of wine and the fun started. While looking around the camp, Tav saw no trace of Astarion, but it wasn't that surprising at this point. He liked to keep to himself. She would have liked to have a chance to talk to him more now that he seemed to notice her existence apart from berating her choices.

One by one they all ended up going to bed as Lae'zel insisted they start early since they lost the entire day on unimportant matters. Karlach didn't seem to mind the blatant accusation and she even winked at Lae'zel which had the githyanki woman roll her eyes, which was a sight in off itself.

Astarion beelined for his tent when they reached camp. Although the day had not been particularly difficult, he has progressively gotten slower and slopier each day since the abduction. He tried to go hunting as much as he could, but after Tav discovered the boar in the forest, he tried to lay low. He didn't need this much blood back home, but he also didn't walk the entire day, fight, and tolerate this amount of people. He let his mind wonder in an attempt to distract from his hunger until his companions would sleep so he could go and hunt again.

He started thinking about his companions. Gale really got on his nerves today, trying to steal the magic book from him, but he put on his charming smile for Tav, which made her at least pause on any decision. Even in his state he could rely on his charms working on people. He would need any possible advantage against his master once he got the worm under control and back to Baldur's Gate.

He knew his master would not stop looking for him. He didn't want to imagine what his punishment would be once he got back to him. Cazador would probably believe him, but he wouldn't forgive. He never forgave anything. He would punish Astarion for merely having the audacity to walk in the sun when Cazador himself could not. For drinking anything other than rats. For not running back to him when he first woke up.

The list was growing longer and would probably be even longer by the time he reached Baldur's Gate. He remembered the first night away, the nightmares of his master reminding him he broke his rules.

'Thou shalt not leave my side unless directed.' - this had been Cazador's second rule. It was not his doing, but the mind flayers, but he knew Cazador would punish him for it, nevertheless.

He also probably broke his second rule. 'Thou shalt obey me in all things.' By not trying his hardest to get back to him. He wondered if Cazador would still have the same power over him now. He could now walk in the sun. He could step into running water.

His mind wandered to Cazador's first rule. 'thou shelf not drink of the blood of thinking creatures.' He wondered if he could disobey his master in other ways, could he not, in this way as well?

Astarion started thinking of his companions again. If he were to drink from someone, who would he choose?

Lae'zel and Wyll would probably murder him on the spot if he got caught. So they wouldn't be his first choice.

Karlach was not fire retardant. Also a no.

Gale was... Gale. Hard no.

That left Shadowheart and Tav.

Shadowheart might look tough in combat, but not hard to handle. He hadn't really tried his charm on her to say for sure she wouldn't put a stake through his heart. So, that made her a maybe.

That left Tav. Sweet, innocent, blank-headed Tav. Sure, she managed to get better at magic in just a couple of days, possibly surpassing Gale, to his amusem*nt, having to 'slow down' his lessons, probably in an attempt to suppress her getting better than him.

Astarion wondered what her blood would taste like. He remembered her, back in her tent, her heart beating fast. She smelled delightfully fragrant, like a delicate bouquet of flowers, middles notes of jasmine ending in a base tone of some sort of earthy wood like sandalwood. And... parchment?

It was quite pleasant if he were honest. Astarion didn't think Tav would stake him. She did try to help him a couple of times, which made him question her motivation. She had not asked for anything in return. Yet. He knew it was only a matter of time. He would do his best to not get caught, obviously, but given his current state, it would probably be best to go with the easiest mark. The trancing could be problematic. He wasn't sure how good she got in just a couple of days. But he couldn't wait any longer.

He listened for his companions. Snores. Deep breathing. Possibly drooling. That last one was probably Gale, drooling over Tav in his dreams. It would be kind of fun if he seduced Tav just to get under Gale's skin. The wizard, putting in all the effort, just to have charming rogue sweep her from under him. And under Astarion. Or over him. He didn't care wichever way as long as he got the upper hand.

He got out of his tent as quietly as ever, going in the direction of Tav's tent. He would just run for the woods and find the first doe or boar he could get his teeth into if this didn't work out.

Tav's tent flap was half opened. She was sprawled over some books, barely covered, probably had ended trancing mid-read.

As he got close to her, he could feel the heat coming off of her, the smell of her intoxicating him. He was becoming more predator, feeling his canines hover over his lower lip in anticipation.

He lowered himself, gently moving her hair away from her neck. He wanted to touch her neck, but decided against it. He would need to be quite gentle, not his usual biting down hard to get through layers of fur.

His mouth twisted in disgust imagining the rats. He needed to focus. As he got closer to her neck, feeling and hearing her steady pulse, feeling the pull of her blood, he could see the hairs on her neck rising, she was stirring slightly, but he was almost there, he couldn't back down now... and then she opened her eyes.

She had a wide eye expression on her face as she got to her feet, out of her tent, Astarion taking several steps back as well so they wouldn't collide.

"...sh*t." Astarion managed to say, then seeing the horror in her eyes. "No, no, it's not what it looks like. I swear!"

Her eyes were darting across camp.

"I.. I wasn't going to hurt you, I just needed... well... blood." At the thought of blood his teeth pulled over his lower lip again in anticipation. He didn't try to hide it.

She was looking at his month. "I can't believe I didn't see it. We even found the boar you snacked on!" she hissed back at him, her voice almost whispering.

Astarion was confused as to why she was trying to whisper. He then recovered himself. "It's not what you think, I'm not some monster. I feed on animals. Boards, deer, kobolds – whatever I can get."

Tav looked confused now, arms crossed as if to brace herself.

"I'm just too slow right now. Too weak." He felt disgusted with himself for admitting that to her, but he needed to persuade her. "If I just had a little blood, I could think clearer. Fight better." And with his best sultry tone and trying not to look too desperate he said "Please." Definitely not his best performance, he thought.

Tav uncrossed her arms, her brow furrowed. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"At best, I was sure you would say no. More likely, you'd ram a stake through my ribs."

"No, I needed you to trust me." And with his most earnest voice that would usually get him anything. "And you can trust me."

She looked at him for a few moments, Astarion could see she was thinking about it. Could the stars really smile on him this day, he wondered.

"Ok... I believe you."

"Thank you." He paused. He was too hungry; he was going to push it. "Do you think... you could trust me... just a little further?" He tried to sound as non-threating as possible. "I only need a taste, I swear."

She paused, then sighed as she put her hands over her face, rubbing her eyes. "Fine... Yes..."

"Really? I..."Astarion was shocked. How much was she willing to give? Her trust. Her blood. What else?

"Let's make ourselves comfortable, shall we?" He slipped back into his calm, soothing voice.

He made his movements deliberately slow towards her, she was watching him intently now. Like she may spring away at any given moment. He gestured towards her bedroll and her body stiffened.

"No" she said abruptly, before adding "I mean... I don't want to lay down, if that's all right."

He stopped, looking at her. He wasn't sure what to say. What if he said the wrong thing and she ended up denying him. No, he couldn't handle that thought, so he simply gestured for her to proceed.

"Can we..." Tav began.

"Yes?" Astarion was growing impatient and hungry.

"Can we just sit... like we did the other night? Can you..?"

Astarion thought back to the previous nights and realized what she meant. Like when she learned how to trance. To sit upright. She probably didn't fully trust him. I mean, who would? That probably felt safe to her. In control. He could work with that.

"Of course." He smiled reassuringly, trying not to show his fangs.

She moved inside her tent, Astarion after her, closing down the flap of it, in case anyone else decided to move about the camp and cause any more complications. He let her guide the whole arrangement, not wanting to push her, while simultaneously just wanting to sink his teeth into her already.

It was excruciatingly slow. But she was like a startled doe now. One wrong move and she would be dashing out of there. He could wait. He waited two hundred years for this.

She sat down, legs crossed, hands in her lap and watched him. Astarion mirrored her movements, if a bit slower, until their knees were touching. He could feel the warmth of her skin even through her clothes. Her heart was pounding. And in the small space, the smell of her all around was filling him, overwhelmingly so.

"Which side?" she asked gulping down and looking into his eyes.

He was startled by the question. And then she tucked her hair behind her ears, exposing her neck, moving it from side to side to let him choose. Choose what side he would sink his fangs into. This was delightful.

"Whichever one you want." Astarion was trying to sound casual, to show that he did this so many times before.

She thought about it for a second, then moved her head to one side, slightly tilted back to grant him access, swallowing hard.

It took all of Astarion's self-control not to flung himself at her, instead closing the distance between them slowly and reaching out to her with one hand first. He wanted to appreciate this moment, carve it into his memory forever.

The smell of her, her blood pounding underneath her skin with each heartbeat. He reached for her blouse, pulling it slightly lower, to reveal her neck, tracing her color bone with a lingering thumb, towards her shoulder.

He could feel the goosebumps it felt behind and smiled to himself. With his index finger, he traced one of the veins in her neck, rendering the same reaction from her. She gulped again, leaning slightly into his hand. This was familiar to him. She was just like everyone else. But unlike all the others, she would finally let him have the one thing he always wanted.

He leaned his head closer, moving his hand to rest on her shoulder, keeping the blouse there with his thumb, the other hand moving to rest on her knee. She tensed up at the new touching point.

He hovered his face inches away from her neck, breathing her scent through his mouth as if he could taste it. He wanted to prolong this moment, but the hunger kept demanding more. With the tip of his tongue, he traced the same vein he did before, drawing an involuntary jerk from her. He stopped. She didn't pull away. He knew what this was, of course. He knew how to get these sorts of reactions from all his conquests. He was still a little surprised to get it from their fearless leader.

"Can you not do that? She said, her neck muscles moving with the words, making him chuckle.

He closed the distance between them again, his teeth grazing her skin gently. He paused, making an honest effort to try and be gentle. As gentle as one can be when sinking their fangs into someone's neck.

When his fangs pierced her skin, his mouth instantly filled with her blood. He closed his eyes. The taste was unlike anything that had ever touched his lips. It was rich, exquisite, and almost sweet. He gulped down, feeling the hunger in his stomach quench slightly while simultaneously getting ravenous.

He let his mouth fill again, painfully slow, swallowing the second mouthful greedily. He was growing impatient, he wanted all of it, all at once, sucking at her neck to make the blood flow faster. Her now pounding heartbeat was helping the process.

Tav stiffened at first but started to progressively relax the more he drank from her. "Astarion" she said, a small voice, like a dream, one hand to his chest. His name, coming from her lips, did something to his insides. But he wouldn't stop. Couldn't stop now.

This only made him tighten his grip on her shoulder, the hand on her knee moving up to her thigh, gripping tighter, the next mouthful of blood stirring more of the desire to fill himself up entirely with her life essence.

"Astarion!" The voice was firm now, both hands pushing him away far enough to break his dream fog, his fangs releasing her neck in a gasp of air and blood.

They were both breathing heavier now, looking into each other's eyes, silence stretching the moment.

"Apologies." Astarion eventually said. "I was just swept up in the moment". He was smiling, he couldn't help himself. "That – that was amazing. My mind is finally clear. I feel strong. I feel... happy." He surprised both himself and Tav at his own sincerity.

He could feel the blood dripping on his chin from the abrupt release of her neck and moved his finger to catch it and bring it to his lips. He licked his lips clean to not waste any of it. He looked at her neck. It was still bleeding. He wanted to reach and lick it clean. Instead he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and extended it to her. She looked at him confused.

"For your neck."

She brought it to her neck dragging it along and putting some pressure to stop the bleeding. Another moment of silence.

With surprising speed, he moved to stand up. He paused before opening her tent flap and said "Thank you... This is a gift you know... I won't forget it." And then he was out.

Astarion was filled with life. Feeling everything around him. Hearing everything. He wanted to dance and run and drink more blood. He wanted everything. He felt more alive than he had in the last two hundred years.

He wanted to hunt. His feet moving now without realizing it at first, towards the forest. He wanted to sink his fangs into something, without being gentle, to rip something apart. He wanted to gorge on blood. Nothing could compare to hers though. He wondered if this was what Cazador got from all his conquests. It was no wonder now he didn't want any of the spawn tasting it.

It didn't take long for him to hear, far away in the distance, the movement of a four-legged creature. His legs were slinking close to the ground, careful not to make any sounds. He could hear the creature's heartbeat, feel its heat, even its breath. In an instant he had closed the distance before it had time to react, snapped its neck at the same time he sank his teeth into its neck, draining it. The blood tasted horribly acrid compared to hers.

He wanted more of her blood, he was willing to do anything. Cazador's last rule came to his mind 'thou shalt know that thou art mine.' He thought he finally understood it. He wanted Tav to belong to him, to have her. Her blood.

But he wouldn't do it for his master this time. He would do it for himself. He would give her anything she wanted, give himself to her if that was what she wanted. And so, the first semblance of a plan formed in Astarion's mind. And the final rule of his master, broken. His old master, he thought. He was his own master now. He smiled, feeling full and free for the first time in two centuries, as the carcass dropped to his feet.

Chapter 4: Secrets you keep safe inside

Chapter Text

The next morning, she was in her tent, staring at the canvas of materials that formed patterns in the ceiling. Her hand moved to find her neck. It was still covered in his handkerchief. She tried to remove it and felt the pressure of the dried blood sticking to it. It stung when it finally gave loose. Tav's fingers moved along the neck, searching. She felt the two bumps sticking from her smooth skin, confirming that she did not dream about what happened.

She sat up, probably too quickly, and felt the world spinning. Probably from blood loss. Tav moved to stand in front of the tiny mirror she picked up the first day, at the crypt. She looked at herself.

Her shirt was covered in blood, her neck was bruised, and two bite marks adorned it surrounded by blood crust. She cleaned the dried blood. It still looked bad. She moved her hair down to cover her neck. That would have to work. Looking for her robes, she noticed something at the entrance of her tent. A small bottle filled with a red liquid and a red apple. She picked them up.

She uncorked the bottle and brought it to her nose, smelling the familiar copper and iron herbal tea, and with a hint of magical electricity washing her body, healing her as she began to drink it. Tav looked mirror again. The bruising was somewhat better, and the two bumps were a darker shade of pink, closer to the color of her skin, but still sticking out. That was thoughtful of him.

Dressed in her black and gray robes, boots pulled on and apple in hand, she got out of her tent as she took a bite. Her companions were already up moving about the camp. Her eyes searched for something. They stopped when they found their mark. Astarion was looking back at her, standing with his back against a tree, feet crossed at the ankles, smug look on his face when he saw her eating the apple.

He looked otherworldly beautiful, his porcelain skin looking like it had a bit more color than she'd seen in the last few days. Her feet moved towards him, feeling the same pull he seemed to have over her, though over a larger distance than before.

His eyes were soft, the sun making them look a shade of bright scarlet. He looked like a sculpture, his hair was flowing slightly in the breeze, the only giveaway.

"Good morning." He said, his eyes locking on her neck and then lingering on her lips. "How do you feel?"

"Fine. A little woozy maybe." And she took another bite of the apple.

"It will pass. Just be grateful that I'm not a true vampire."

Tav raised an eyebrow quizzically.

"A bite from them and you'd wake up a vampire spawn like my good self. All of a vampire's hunger, but few of their power."

"Did you take my book?"

Now it was Astarion's turn to raise an eyebrow at her. She mirrored him back, crossing one arm over the elbow while she took another bite of the apple. His eyebrows raised in recognition and with an amused expression, he said, smiling. "Maybe..."

Tav waited, thankful to have something to do with her apple, leaving it up to him to fill the silence. Two could play this game he started.

"It's not entirely accurate, you know." Astarion continued when he couldn't bear the silence any longer. "If you have questions, you could always ask the more reliable source." He finished with a smile, just enough to bare his fangs, before closing his mouth to hide them.

"Ok." Tav's mind wondered for a moment, not sure how to properly phrase this next part or even if it was a good idea. Imagining the alternatives, she decided to go with it. "We should probably establish some... rules."

Seeing the confusion in his eyes, she continued. "I'm not sure everyone else would be as... willing... or react... to wake up with... being surprised, like I did... so..." She was struggling to form a complete, coherent sentence, Astarion looking more confused with each word "maybe, for now, if you need... food... talk to me first?"

Astarion's eyebrows disappeared into his forehead, mouth open.

"I would like to know before... you know... rather than wake up like that..." Tav continued "And I can't be certain the others won't... you know... if they were in the same situation..."

A few more moments passed before Astarion finally found his words. "Just so we're clear. You're saying you're willing to... help me." He grimaced at the choice of words, but went on "And there will be a next time? And you don't plan to tell the whole camp about... what I am?"

"Well, what's the alternative? You either go try what you pulled with me and be faced with a very possible scenario of being staked" she paused, looking towards Wyll's tent. She continued "or possible death" while she looked towards Lar'zel's tent. "With a quite low possibility of having the same reaction I did" while looking at Gale and seeing Gale eyeing them intently. She realized the proximity to Astarion and pulled back from him a little before looking back at him.

Astarion had recovered his composure, following her eye movements, looking at Gale for a few more seconds, then back to her. "And what do you want?" His tone was serious.

It was now Tav's turn to raise her eyebrows. Astarion sighed and shook his head. "You can't possibly be this selfless. You must want something in return."

Tav replied, a little louder than intended, "What is wrong with you?!"

Realizing that at least Gale, if not all in camp heard her, she shot Astarion an apologetic glance as she continued with a high, fake laugh.

"Haha. You're so funny Astarion. Who knew you could be this funny?" She fake punched him in the arm and turned around, keeping a smile on her face, taking everyone in, as she started walking towards her tent. The confusion on everyone's faces confirmed that she did good by trying to distract them. The only one who looked amused was Karlach.

"What's so funny, pale face? We could all use a laugh!"

"Oh, you had to be there!" Astarion managed to say, trying to keep up the charade and not look horrified.

They had a long day ahead of them if they wanted to keep to Lae'zel and Tav's list of inquiries that needed to be done before day seven.

They agreed to head to Auntie Ethel, one of the merchants they found in the grove, who had marked their maps, saying she had means of helping them, just not there. No one really expected much, but it was a fairly close point to their camp and their prospects were not that great as to have the option to turn down help.

On the way to Auntie Ethel, Tav would find herself engaged in small talk with none other than the resident vampire. He actually made a few jokes, but then went back to tease Tav as he did before, but there was no malicious intent, or at least, none that Tav could notice. She took this as a way of trying to be agreeable for the foreseeable future, which she appreciated.

On their way there, they met a Gur, called Gandrel. It turned out that he was looking for a vampire spawn. Before he could utter the name, Tav and Astarion shared a look deciding what would be best to do with this information. Before they had decided though, the man had called Astarion by name, as the spawn he was hunting, so the whole group ended up finding out about him and joining it on the fight that ensued.

"So, we've been travelling with a vampire?!" Wyll started, right after the fight.

Tav had moved to stand in front of Astarion, shielding him from the group. She wasn't sure if she protected Astarion from the group exactly, or the group from Astarion, but she knew a conversation needed to happen before anyone made any rash decisions.

"All right everyone, let's talk about this before we do anything rash." Tav said calmly, eyeing everyone, her hands extended in a manner that would suggest surrendering.

"You knew!" Came the voices of Gale and Shadowheart accusatorily.

"Not for very long." Tav admitted.

And it was Lae'zel who ended the whole argument saying that Astarion would be a useful ally and they were wasting time with this.

"Queen Vlaakith herself dwelled in undeath, and she was no less revered for it". She was right, of course and no one could really argue with that logic, so they continued their journey.

It turned out that Auntie Ethel was a hag, who wanted one of Tav's eyes, which made Wyll, Karlach and Lae'zel agree she wouldn't come out alive out of there. And she did not.

They also saved several people who were under the hag's thumbs, including a pregnant woman Mayrina, whose husband had died. And later, found a wand that would resurrect him. Unfortunately, the resurrection wasn't fully possible, and the man was turned into a zombie.

Near the swamp, they accidentally ran into some wood beings and a few powerful Mephits. But the most interesting find there was a correspondence between none other than Kagha from the druid grove and Shadow Druids, incriminating her for trying to use the Rite of Thorns. This was a rare practice, outlawed in most circles for causing more harm.

Tav and a few others agreed they had a moral duty to return to the grove and help the Tieflings and the unknowing druids.

In all the fighting that happened throughout the day, Tav noticed how Astarion was actually surprisingly faster, stealthier, and much deadlier. She didn't take nearly as many hits as she normally did, not needing much healing, and she would often see danger, mentally try to prepare to either cast something or shield herself, only to find Astarion slitting their throat, shoot an arrow or even push her out of the way.

On the way to the grove, Tav noticed how Astarion, who would usually hover on the outskirts of the group or into the shadows, had decided again, to walk right next to Tav in the front. He did not say anything, but she would glance at him occasionally only to find him looking back at her, winking, or doing what was now his signature grin. She did not miss the way Gale eyed them, casting odd glances at her. He would probably want to talk to her about it later and she was not looking forward to it.

Back at the grove, Tav tried to talk to Kagha and convince her of the unnatural ways of using Rite, but failed to reach her. So it ended in a fight, where several druids joined, as well as the Shadow druids who had been there in the wild shape of rats since they arrived.

Informing Zevlor, the Tiefling leader that they were no longer rushed out of the grove, he thanked them for their help. But he also tried to push further to get Tav to agree to kill the goblin leaders who were the main reason they ended up in the druid grove in the first place.

Tav agreed. She pointed out they would likely go to the Goblin camp tomorrow to see the Goblin Priestess for their tadpole issue and save Halsin. And Halsin could also potentially help, since he was the one with the tadpole notes, in the first place, if the creche option did not work today. Everyone but Lae'zel was not especially confident in the creche solution.

The road to there had been mostly cleared by Wyll, Karlach and Shadowheart. They found a few gnolls, hyenas and Zhentarim along the Risen Road on their way back a few days prior.

Only a few beasts remained, Tav took this opportunity to cast Shatter for the first time. The wild surge was not surprising, neither were the grappling vines.

It had become a sort of game among the group, everyone trying to guess when the next surge would happen and what it could be. Gale had previously made a list, to help Tav not be caught by surprise at any potential outcome and now they were striking outcomes off the list as they happened. Tav did not mind, she was happy to see them getting along, albeit at her expense.

On the way to Mountain Pass, on the Risen Road, they saw smoke coming from a nearby inn.

Counsellor Florrick of Baldur's Gate had been trapped inside, but the group managed to rescue her in time. New revelations from Wyll, who turned out to be Duke Ravenguard's son, a Grand Duke, earning the admiration of everyone who lived there, including Astarion.

It was also at this time when Gale approached her, she was feeling uneasy and expected a talk from him. She realized he did not look great, and he needed a second artefact to consume.

Because the second artefact had not had the same effect as the first Gale deemed a group chat, where he revealed that he was a child prodigy, a former chosen of Mystra, the goddess of magic. He had been cast out by her for trying to bring her some powerful magic, of Netherese origins, which was now caught in his chest.

He did not leave out the part where he was personally tutored by Mystra, got into a relationship with her and made love to a goddess. Tav was feeling slightly awkward at Gale's revelations and made a joke about skipping chocolate and flowers altogether.

But that that only made Gale's serious retort about being one for grand gestures even more uncomfortable. Tav was beginning to understand what he was saying. Or not saying rather. Even without memories, she wanted to believe she was not oblivious.

Gale flattered her with the attention. She couldn't deny that. But there was something that kept her from indulging in this dance.

Finally close to Mountain Pass, they knew they were on the right path when a red dragon flew over their heads, landing nearby. Lae'zel started walking so fast that Tav almost had to run to keep up with her. They met Kith'rak Voss, who was on a mission to retrieve an artefact for their queen. Tav urged Lae'zel to play along and not give out any information once they realized they were talking about the artefact that Shadowheart had been carrying since the nautiloid.

Kith'rak Voss seemed to buy both Lae'zel and Tav's explanations that they were searching for the weapon. Once he flew out on his dragon, Lae'zel appreciated Tav's intervention saying they would have otherwise been flayed for carrying the artefact. They would still need to walk a longer way to get to the creche, so they decided to postpone it until after they had a chance to visit the goblin camp the next day. So, they made camp.

Tav had decided to avoid Gale for that evening, choosing to approach Shadowheart instead. Despite them growing closer in the beginning, studying magic with Gale every evening hasn't made them grow any closer and she was the first person Tav had considered a friend. She wanted to make sure Shadowheart knew this.

Shadowheart teased that they would need drinks for a conversation like this, so she got a bottle. A few glasses in and Tav started joking about how that day had been all about sharing secrets, so there probably weren't many more to tell. Shadowheart was quiet for a few moments and nodded. Tav noticed her hesitation.

"Sorry if that was inappropriate to say. I..." she paused, trying to find the right words "I'm here if you ever want to talk... I have been told recently I am quite good at listening." she added, shooting Shadowheart a smile.

Shadowheart returned the smile. "You mean you're good at pulling secrets from people." She added teasing. She paused again, opening her mouth, and closing it back several times, undecided if she was going to share what was on her mind. Tav just waited patiently.

"Fine..." She ended up saying, in a more serious tone. "Let's see how well you handle this." She drank the rest of her glass, before setting it down, then looked at Tav. "I worship Shar, Mistress of the Night."

Tav looks at her, her eyebrows raised.

"Right, your memories..." Shadowheart continued. "Lady Shar is the Mistress of the Night - Selûne's twin and foe. Secrecy is everything for Shar's children. It's our code, our creed, our shield. I'm breaking Lady Shar's teachings just by telling you... I even keep secrets from myself - I had my memories suppressed, so that nothing I knew could be used against the Dark Lady. Once I prove myself, my memories will be restored."

Tav was stunned. And at a loss for words, she just nodded.

"Curios..." Shadowheart mused. "I didn't think you'd react so pragmatically. Perhaps I should have told you sooner." And then she filled her glass once more.

Tav asked a few more questions, she couldn't help herself. But Shadowheart answered most of them, surprised at the lack of judgment for her fate.

They switched to lighter topics after that, poking fun at each other's memory impairments and Tav's wild magic surges. Her eyes moved across camp looking at each of their companions when they eventually landed on him.

He was in his tent, sitting on his pillows, legs long and crossed on the floor, a book in his lap. She let her gaze linger wondering if the sudden change in him today was only due to her giving her blood or for the way she sided with him in the swamp.

He lifted his gaze at that moment, catching her looking at him and Astarion tipped his head to the side, a bemused expression on his face.

Startled, she choked on her drink, and looked away. Shadowheart was telling her to breathe while simultaneously spilling her wine onto Tav, trying to reach for her and both of them almost fell off their chairs. Then they were laughing. It was nice. It was probably also the time to call it in for the day. She noticed the silence as most of her companions had gone off to sleep.

Tav staggered towards her tent, almost stumbled a couple of times while trying to walk sneaky, and eventually reached her tent. As she was about to enter it, she heard a voice from behind her, startling her.

"Having fun, darling?"

She turned around to look at him, almost tripping on her own feet. She forgot how to breathe for a moment, and she swallowed hard.

"I..." Her brain forgot how to form words. “You have been real good today, you know…”

“Have I?”

Tav nodded. The drinking made her talk more. And not all she said was coherent. Or intended for audiences.

He closed the distance between them and reached a finger along her jaw. Tav swallowed, her eyes wide. "I guess you were right about the whole vampire thing."

"Well having been one for almost two centuries...I should probably know what I'm talking about." His thumb moved to her lips. "How exactly was I good today exactly?"

"You know... the murdering... and coming from the shadows... and the thing you do with your daggers."

"So, I put on a good show for you then?"

Tav felt how her heart was beating hard against her chest. She closed her eyes. What sort of vampire superpower did he have to get her into such a state? The smell of him was intoxicating, but not only that. The cold fingers were soothing in a way she couldn't understand. And his voice was music to her ears, his whole person was like a magnet, and she had no choice but to let herself be pulled. It was maddening.

She needed space to think. She tried to put some distance between them by moving backward, only for her boot to get caught by the entrance to her tent, grabbing onto him for support, and dragging him down with her. She landed on her back, him on top of her. She heard him chuckling.

"You know, I was going for a more subtle approach, but this works too."

Tav covered her face with her hands, grunting and gritting her teeth.

"Come now, no need to be coy. Your body has already given you away." He continued in his sultry tone.

This comment pulled her out of her trance, and she removed her hands to push him off her, her muscles tensing as she clenched her fists.

He complied, only to move to her side, their bodies still touching, an arm propping his head as he looked amused at her.

"What is wrong with you?" She asked in a tired voice, no malice behind her words.

"I don't think we're quite there yet, love..." Astarion replied while still smiling.

"So, you're ok doing whatever this is" she gestured to their bodies "but not whatever this is?" She gestured to his head.

"So... You're one for an appetizer before the main course, aren't you? But do be warned, too much anticipation can be... exhausting."

"I don't know what's gotten into you, if it's the blood or something but... just stop. I'm obviously drunk right now, who knows what I may end up..." She stopped herself and pulled her legs to sit in a cross-legged position.

"Oh, do tell." He moved to mirror her position, as he let one of their knees touched.

"I... don't remember much." Tav said while she slumped forward, enough to have a hand prop her head onto her knee.

"Nothing at all?"

"Just a few snippets... I'm not even sure my name is Tav, but I heard it, and it sounded right... so I just went along with it..."

"I was wondering about that... if it is short for something else."

She pondered it for a while, thinking back to the vision of her other self, saying the name, how normal and natural it felt. She looked down at her free hand, inspecting the long fingers, turning them on either side to have a better look. She shrugged.

"All right... keep your secrets." Astarion said as he moved to stand up.

She watched him as he walked away, wondering about what new game he was setting up. He had flirted with her before, but not so out front. Most of them have. She had done so with Wyll, before he was turned. With Gale, though quite differently. She tried to mirror each of their styles.

Wyll was a gentleman, barely any touches and so many kind, sweet, gentle words.

Gale was an intellectual. Constantly trying to impress her with spells and knowledge. Any touch was deliberate, almost calculated, then he would then look into her eyes to gauge her reaction.

Astarion however, he was a mix of the two and his own style as well. He was the one to use words that would leave her wordless. He was the one to seldom touch her, but make her want to reach for him.

But she knew these were funny little games they did to distract themselves from the hardships of the road. No real meaning behind them. And she would lie if she didn't admit she did like the attention.

When Lae'zel made a pass at her after the hag fight - so outright, no games, she was taken aback. She was flattered, of course. But it made her wonder if she liked girls at all. She thought of Karlach. She was so easygoing and enjoyed a bit of flirting herself. So maybe.

She sighed and let her head sink back onto her bedroll. She wondered what life she must have had before. Somewhere in a nice, quiet town, working at a counter.

And that one funeral. She tried to remember the words she spoke. Why did the group of people look at her expectantly? Why did it feel so comfortable at that moment?

"As you fall into the shadow, may she keep you in her mystery and shield you from your mind. I beseech the nameless guide. May she look upon you... wanderer."

She blinked as she said those words aloud. They rang true in her ears. But she didn't understand their meaning. Who was she? It?

Maybe it was some sort of dream, not a vision. How could she be a cleric if she was a sorcerer? Just some dream where she confused magic sources. Or imagined what a cleric's life would be like.

She closed her eyes. And his face appeared. His eyes were closed like that time in her tent, remembering his lips and how she wanted to touch them to see if they were as soft as she imagined them to be. He touched her lips earlier. Perhaps he was imagining the same. She groaned.

In an effort to try and meditate, she started enumerating all the arcane fields with spells she had learned about.

Abjuration - her Shield.

Evocation - Ray of frost (her favorite, if she had to pick one).

Enchantment - Astarion’s face.

No. She quickly tried to move past that... Charm Person, which was what he probably cast on her, since she was thinking so hard about him. Not that either. Wyll’s Hex spell.

"Yes!" she said proudly.

Divination - Anything Shadowheart did. She liked Guiding Bolt. That was radiant damage, but not Divination. It was Evocation. Guidance was Divination, yes.

Chapter 5: I see you when you...

Chapter Text

The sun was shining on her face. She opened an eye, it was blinding. Her head was spinning. Why do people drink if they feel like this the next day, she wondered. Her tent was wide open, she had fallen asleep like that.

She raised herself by her arms, taking in the camp. Lae’zel was up and packing. Karlach was carrying firewood, saw her, waved, and dropped the firewood. They both smiled.

It was probably a bad idea to drink before having to deal with a lot of goblins. She let her head hang and groaned. Never. Again.

By the time she was ready, everyone was awake. Gale was finishing breakfast. Porridge. Well, Gully Dwarf Homestyle Porridge, but no Yawning Portal Buttermilk Biscuits for the day, it seemed. Shadowheart came towards her smiling.

"Good morning!" She said a little too loudly for Tav.

"How are you so... well?" Tav glowered at her.

She hit Tav in the shoulder, smiling, and when her hand reached Tav she said, "Vincere est vivere!"

Tav felt how a fog lifted from her brain, her mind was clear, and she wasn't tired anymore. Her eyes went wide.

"You can cure hangovers?!" Tav screamed at her, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her flippantly.

"Yes, yes, and you owe me one." She beamed at Tav, tucking the Amulet of Silvanus back in her bag.

On the way to the goblin camp, Tav was looking for him. She doesn't see him. She wondered if he was upset with her somehow. She didn't exactly reject him, but she was a little drunk to play the game. If she would do anything with anyone, she would at least like to be awake for most of it.

As if, by magic, Gale showed up. She was glad for the distraction, particularly since they were discussing new spells. She decided to learn how to counterspell. Although Goblins weren’t notorious for casting spells, as per Gale’s knowledge, it seemed like something useful to know overall. They have been coordinating spells, Gale adjusting his spell book on whatever Tav was learning and so far, it had been a sound strategy. It was cute - matching complementary spells.

After a moment of silence, Gale finally managed to say, in his pleasant tone, a note of curiosity behind the words.

"So..."

Tav sighed. Not loud enough for him to hear, but she was bracing herself for whatever Gale had been trying to say with his eyes for the past few days. Ever since they found out what he was. Was he going to give her a lecture? Argue with her? Reprimand? Withhold any future magic if she didn't... She stopped.

If she didn't what? She didn't do anything amiss. She protected a companion from potential backlash for something he had no control over. Had she not done that with most of them anyway?

Having Lae'zel's back, when she was obviously single-minded and focused on her quest, even if it would be to the death of all of them.

Let Wyll stay when he made deals with devils and withheld information at every step.

Shadowheart and Shar. The faces they all made when she told them.

And even Gale. Giving him magical artefacts without much to go on when the others just hated wasting their loot.

"...how have you been? I have not been privileged to be in the pleasure of your company lately."

That was such a Gale thing to say. Not to say what he meant, but wrap the words in such a pretty matter, that he could probably insult you and you would have to say 'thank you'.

"A lot has been going on Gale..." That was all she managed to say.

"Oh course. I only meant to say that this absence has made me appreciate your company in a whole new light."

She had missed him too. But this was somehow worse than what she imagined. She would have preferred a stern talking. What could she even say to that? So, she just nodded, hoping that would be more than words could say.

He had decided not to push it and just walk by her side.

It probably shouldn't have been so easy to walk into a goblin camp with seven people. Gale suggested diplomacy, but Tav feeling a strange power course through her - authority -, made the goblin bow to her will, letting them press further into their camp without any problems.

Everyone was shocked at the sudden power, how the tadpole gave them the ability to just control others. Most of them agreed the power should not be used, except for Astarion. But even though Tav did not say anything on the matter, she did agree with him, having felt the power over the goblin herself.

She had been mostly nice to people they had met so far. Trying to help everyone they could. But goblins. Ever since that first encounter with them and the gnome in the abandoned village, she felt an odd urge coming over her. Like she wanted to hurt them, the way they hurt the gnome. She shuddered at the thought.

Tav had not had many violent thoughts exactly. She mostly tried to survive encounters. Feeling a bit less prepared than everyone. But lately, with the control she had over her magic, she felt this tingling in her chest when she would exert that power over someone else.

She remembered Shadowheart's words that first night in camp when she was suspicious of her and Gale's conversation.

You don't trust Gale? Tav had asked.

He's a wizard. All they care about is power.

Maybe there was some truth to those words. And maybe sorcerers and wizards weren't that different. No matter how much Gale tried to focus on their differences. They were both spell casters, with the same magic, the same spells. The same power.

They did not make it far into the goblin camp, when an overwhelming voice had them drop on their knees, gripping their heads in pain. The same authority Tav used unfolded on them hundreds of times more intensely.

The voice showed them a vision of their Chosen three. An armored male elf, exuding power and command. A younger man, with a quick, easy smile, and a pale young woman, with even paler eyes. The voice commanded them to aid the Chosen in the search for a Prism and how they would be rewarded by standing in the Voice's presence.

It was in that moment, that Shadowheart took out the Prism she had been holding onto even before the Nautilod, the Prism engulfing them all in a shielded force that pushed the Voice away.

The group had discussed the potential of the prism, Lea'zel noting the distinct gith runes on the object. She demanded answers. Shadowheart did not know why she had it, only that she needed to take it back to Baldur's Gate. That was her mission before being abducted. But the consensus of the group was that whatever the object was, it was guarding them from the voice, so it was staying close to them.

The goblin camp was chaotic. Goblins seemed to push Tav's buttons in a way no one ever had before. They freed Volo, a famous writer they met in the druid camp, who had been kept as a bard pet by one of the goblins, through sheer threats on Tav's behalf.

She then threatened another goblin, who kept an owlbear cub as a means of entertainment. Then went so far as to make a goblin kiss her feet when he tried to intimidate her into kissing his feet first.

While the group didn't necessarily disapprove of her choices, they even went as far as to approve of most of them, it had been unlike anything Tav previously done.

Astarion seemed delighted at Tav's displays. Particularly even more so, when they met a follower of Loviatar, the maiden of Pain, and Tav subjected herself to several lashes until it drew blood. Tav wasn't sure why she did that. She was curious, as she'd been so far, but there was something else. The pain drew an odd mix of intense emotions from her. A sense of serenity from the sudden sorrow of each lash. Followed by a burst of wrath as she demanded the priest to continue.

When the priest had finished, Tav turned around and faced the room, taking in a mix of reactions. The priest was elated by her outrageous display. Astarion and Shadowheart were smiling. Gale, Wyll and Karlach looked warily at her with eyes widened in befuddlement. Lae'zel's unimpressed gaze was what brought her back to herself, as the intense emotions left her body.

They found out from the drow leader, Nightwarden Minthara, that they planned on destroying the druid grove. So they took on the role of True Souls that came to aid. This news, however, made Tav take on an unusual calm and confidence. She had decided that the goblins, along with their three leaders had to die. Minthara was the first to die, everyone focused on keeping noise to a minimum and not alert the whole camp.

A quick interaction with priestess Gut in the main hall made the group suggest a private audience in her chambers. She was surrounded by a horde of goblins and any violence towards her would trigger the whole camp. Tav volunteered to meet her alone, as she demanded, Gale and Wyll were concerned by her decision.

Tav's calm demeanor made the group exchange looks, unsure what to make of her shift.

With the group waiting outside Gut's door, Tav left the room a few minutes later, after following Gut inside. She claimed to have used a few spells, but Gut would not be ‘helping’ anyone else again. Besides a few raised eyebrows and help from Shadowheart to remove some blood streaks from her face and robes, they did not raise suspicion.

Dror Ragzlin, the last of the three goblin leaders, was attempting to speak with a dead Mind Flayer to get information on the location of the weapon the Absolute wanted.

Tav cast 'Speak with Dead' when Ragzlin insisted through threats that she had to stay and help, only to realize through the tadpole that this particular Mind Flayer was the one who abducted and infected her. When the odd mix of serenity and anger filled her, she embraced it, as she signaled the group to attack.

She cast her first Fireball burning four goblins to cinder. She tasted blood and there was no stopping her. She took all of her rage, exhaustion, and insecurity from the last few days and threw them all at the goblins.

Karlach raged and pushed two more goblins into the same pit where they kept the giant spiders.

Lae'zel slashed through Dror Ragzlin like butter as Gale held him in a Hold Person spell.

From the top of the beams, Astarion shot arrows at newly incoming goblins, while Wyll slowed them down in a Hunger of Hadar spell.

Diving deeper through the Selune Temple, they eventually found the Warg pens, where they encountered a massive bear held prisoner, mocked, and prodded by Goblin children.

The group did not even wait for Tav's signal, already going for blood. The bear joined them in the fight, only to find a large elf - wild shaped, after the combat. He was Master Halsin, from the druid grove.

Tav was tired – she told Halsin the condensed version of their story, asking for help. Upon the druid's examination, he informed them that the tadpole was guarded by some sort of magic he had never seen before. He mentioned he overheard the goblins speak of Moonrise Towers, where he expected the origin of these tadpoles to come from.

Halsin offered to join them in search of Moonrise Towers and a solution to their problem, once he finished his business in the druid grove. He offered some reassurance though, that the magic enveloping the tadpole was probably what kept it dormant; since it had been almost seven days since their infection with no sign of transformation.

They had decided to camp there for the evening, slaughtering the remainder of the goblins, and going through the rest of the temple to see if they found anything worth taking.

Tav had quite a fever and felt tired towards the end of the day, so she went and picked a corner in the temple to set her bedroll and try to rest. The air felt heavy, her hands started to shake.

" Ch'k'l ghaik Vlaakith m' zath'ak! " Lae'zel exclaimed. "Can you feel it crawling through you? Tendrils squirming in your chest, gripping your heart, piercing your belly? Your bones popping, your flesh swelling?"

Tav could see that Lae'zel was exhibiting the same symptoms. The day had been too much, she couldn't deal with that as well. Their minds intertwined and she could sense Lae'zel's disgust and hesitation as she towered over Tav with a knife. Her fear. Not of the transformation, but fear of being insignificant, forgotten. The great warrior Lae'zel, a failure to her kind. She would wield no silver sword, ride no red dragon, forever unknown to the great lich queen Vlaakith.

Tav extended her hand to Lae'zel, a calm washing her. She didn't know how, but she was confident that was not their end. Lae'zel hesitated.

"I will wait. But know this: I am watching. If the sickness does not pass come dawn... I will end us all."

Tav nodded. She did not want to be a Mind Flayer any more than the rest of them. But they still had options. They just had to last a little longer.

Sleep, actual sleep took Tav shortly after that. When she opened her eyes she was enveloped in a blue-hued light. A face hovered over her.

"I came just in time, you are transforming."

"Who the hell are you?"

"Your salvation. And not for the first time. I saved you before."

A flash popped into Tav's head as she was falling from the Nautiloid, her body suspended mid-air just before should have crashed, the same face looking back at her.

"Don't worry. You will not become a mind flayer. Not while I'm around. I'll protect you." The figure said while standing and offering Tav her hand.

Tav hesitated. But she accepted the hand. Looking at her surroundings, she realized she was in an amorphous, otherworldly location, with objects and rocks standing still in mid-air. Painting the void with hues of celestial blues, iridescent greens, and shimmering violets were seen amid the bright nebula sky. It felt peaceful.

"We haven't much time, so listen closely ." The figure urged. "There is great potential within you. It comes from that parasite. Your instinct is to resist the power it gives, but you must accept it, nurture it. I will keep it from consuming you. But for the sake of both of us, you must learn to wield it. ”

In the distance a flurry of explosions hovered over a colossal skull, seemingly carved from the very fabric of the world, rising majestically from the swirling mists. Around the skull's base, tendrils of immaterial energy intertwined, forming intricate patterns that pulsed with a mesmerizing rhythm.

"A fight for the fate of Faerûn. A fight we are losing. For now. " The figure continued. "You can change that, but only if you embrace your potential."

Explosions erupted amidst swirling amorphous figures, their forms shifted and melded in the ethereal expanse of the void that surrounded the skull.

"Ihave to go. The enemy is closing in. I will be back ." The figure said before pushing Tav out of the path of the explosion. "Wake now. You'll feel better - I promise ."

Tav woke up. She got to the middle room they had camped in. Gale was still asleep, and so was Shadowheart. Wyll, Karlach, and Lae'zel were speaking in hushed voices.

"What's going on?" Tav asked.

Wyll started talking in the same hushed voice. "We were just talking about these dreams we had last night. Some lady telling us she was protecting us from transforming."

"What did she look like?" Tav whispered.

"What does it matter? We can't trust this creature!" Lae'zel hissed.

"Why not?" Came Astarion's voice from the distance. "It promised more power and protection. We'd be fools to turn down such an offer."

Going deeper into the temple, and solving a circle puzzle, they also discovered a way to traverse into Underdark, but they went back.

They agreed to go to the druid grove, let the Tieflings know that the roads were safe and to gather some more information from Halsin.

When they arrived at the grove the Tieflings were packing, having heard the news from Halsin. Zevlor, the Tiefling leader, told them they would host a party for them later that evening.

As they walked through the grove, looking at all the happy, hopeful faces, Tav couldn't help but feel a little proud. They had made that happen. They had delayed the tadpole. They could breathe. They could just enjoy this evening and whatever tomorrow would bring, they would deal with it then.

"So, this party..." Shadowheart said as she walked up to Tav, who was looking through other supplies they might need from vendors. "What are you wearing?"

"Uh... my usual camp clothes?"

"Come now, live a little. I'm sure this would look great on you." She smiled, holding up a dress.

It was a long flowy, flowery dress, with a corset and puffy sleeves, and a long slit on one of the sides. Tav raised her eyebrows.

"Given the number of admirers you seem to have, you might as well have a little fun." Shadowheart beamed with mischief in her eyes.

Tav made a noise in her throat and almost choked on the air. "What are you... What?"

"No. You are not this oblivious. And don't play coy either." Seeing as she didn't get anything out of Tav who was still bewildered she added, "Fine. Do whatever you want. But I am burning all of your other clothes, so you'll be stuck with this one." She said, mischief back in her eyes, walking away grinning.

Tav bought the dress and shoved it in her pack, not sure if Shadowheart was serious or not, but she did not want to walk around in her underwear in camp. And she did say she would enjoy this evening. Whatever that meant. And she did like the dress.

Some of the group left earlier, but the sun was starting to set when Tav made her way towards camp.

Astarion should have been in his element. But the poor company and the vinegar for wine the Tieflings brought did nothing for him.

He hadn’t made as much progress as he would have liked with her. She was always entertaining or indulging someone. And she always seemed to know exactly how to sour a mood even before he actually tried anything.

But it wasn’t a lost cause. He could hear her singing heartbeat anytime he looked at her longer or been in her presence. Just a slight complication. These things would happen in a longer chase probably, he told himself. Most of his conquests previously had been about sex, so just showing up, and saying a few words they wanted to hear would get them to the finish line.

With her though, not a lot to go on in terms of what she wanted to hear. He enjoyed a good challenge. He would make her come tonight, and then she would give him her blood and maybe even help him destroy Cazador after. If he did a good job. And he usually did. This would just be a longer con.

He was surrounded by annoying little Tiefling children when she finally arrived in camp. Didn’t even look at him and went straight to her tent. He was showing a few sleight of hand tricks to the little beasts. He guesses they weren’t so bad after all. He would never say that out loud, of course. He thought some of them might even make it in the rogue trade, with a few years of practice.

When she emerged from her tent, Astarion choked on his wine. Instead of the usual rags she wore around camp, she was now in a long light pink dress, hanging onto her, showing more of her body than anything she had ever worn, sleeves hanging down over exposed shoulders and neck. Oh, this would make things more complicated. And interesting.

Who was she dressing up for? He waited for her signature search of camp until their gaze met. It didn’t come. Rather, she went to talk to the Tieflings.

She clapped enthusiastically at a ridiculous display of children's magic by one of them. Listened with such intent, she couldn’t have possibly faked it, to a declaration from a bard. And fiddled with the dress, flustered while another pulled her into their lap and offer some wine.

She handled it well, she was their fearless leader, and she didn't get that role for nothing. Astarion assumed she would need to get all those accolades out of the way before she started looking for him.

As time went on, it had become clear to Astarion that that was probably not going to happen without some guidance. After all the Tieflings, she went on to most of their companions around camp and didn’t even glance at him once. He had hoped she was saving the best for last.

But he started having doubts once he saw Tav engaged in conversation with Halsin. She was fussing with her dress again and then he heard her laugh. A genuine laugh. And he most definitely saw the way Halsin’s eyes lingered over her, taking all of her in.

They had all looked at her tonight with those same eyes for it was hard not to. But he couldn’t tell if she was enjoying the attention. Perhaps not from the others, but certainly from Halsin.

The only competition he was actually concerned about. Of course, why would this be easy?

Her hand lingered for a moment longer on Halsin’s arm and before she started to walk away.

Maybe she wasn’t interested after all. She would often surprise him with her decisions or reactions. The decisions she made about saving every idiot they met. Murder every single goblin she ever laid eyes on. She even listened to each member of their weird little group and took their opinions into account.

But then he saw Gale guiding her to an area outside the main event and Astarion’s view. Of course, the wizard would try his luck too.

He got up to his feet, keeping to the shadows, trying to get an unobstructed view of the moment she would reject him. She would have to reject him. If she didn't, he would just have to play his role that much harder. And if she did reject him, this would probably be the highlight of his evening.

He couldn’t get too close to be in hearing range, but he could at least see them from behind the closest trees. Good enough.

He saw Gale moving his hands eagerly, while he seemed to give her a monologue. She was such a good sport tolerating the wizard day in and out. She started moving side to side, playing with the rings on her fingers. Even from that distance she could see her flush while taking a step back and not look at him anymore. But of course, she couldn't just tell him to bugger off. Of course not. Her bleeding heart wouldn't let her.

He then saw how the wizard touched her face and kissed her. He was angry with the wizard, but he couldn't tell from the angle if she liked it. Then he saw it. The way her body froze. She didn't lean in, didn't grab him or anything. He recognised that response for he had felt it many times in himself. He tried listening for her heartbeat, but the buzz of the party was too loud.

She just stood like that for several seconds, the wizard not taking the hint. As suddenly as it had started, she pushed Gale away and started running in Astarion’s direction. He hid behind one of the bigger trees for cover. She continued to run into the woods, past him.

And that is when Astarion would jump in. Having rejected everyone, surely, she wouldn’t say no to him as well, would she? He glanced back at the wizard. He looked stung, frozen in the spot looking after her. He would cherish that memory forever.

Tav was running like she never had before. She couldn't stop. She wanted to outrun the feelings that had crept up on her the moment the vision stopped. What felt like old feelings of fear and confusion. Her feet were tired and bruised as several branches hit her hard enough to probably leave marks.

She knew she ran for several minutes and ended up in a large clearing before her body finally stopped for breath. Her heart was pounding loudly, drowning the song of the forest.

She played the last few minutes in her head again. Gale told her he was interested in her as more than a companion, the standing hairs on her back and arms as he got closer to her. The sense of deja vu she got from the look on his face.

The vision lasted less than any of the previous ones. He just saw the man's face, but it was blurry. Just the outline of him and the rest was pure unbridled emotion. Panic, fear, terror.

The way this body - her body - reacted to the proximity of him and how it froze. She just stood there. Unable to speak, unable to move, while the man was just kissing her. It was sickening. And this time it was not that man, this was Gale.

When her mouth finally opened to say something to the man, he only started kissing her deeper. She didn't understand why this was happening to her, not once, but twice. Why did her body not respond to her commands?

When the feeling in her chest - her magic - started spreading through her, she finally found her body again and pushed Gale away. She didn't know what her old self did, but she hoped she did something too.

Standing in this clearing, she couldn't help but wonder how someone could manage all of this. This chaos of this life and loss of control, and she was growing tired of not having her memories.

Her hands started to feel cold, right at her fingertips and slowly moving up her arms. It felt like casting a spell, but it did not stop. It moved up her arms and she felt a knot in her throat when she could feel the cold feeling on her head too, going down her body, her breath caught in her throat.

She knew somehow, that if the cold reached her heart, it would stop. It felt oddly comforting. Not having to feel anything anymore. And she always preferred the cold, it was soothing.

Astarion's smiling face came into her line of sight, but his smile dropped when he looked at her. His mouth was moving, but she couldn't hear the words, his face was looking blurry. She started to feel the cold in her legs now, spreading.

It wasn't until Astarion grabbed her by the shoulders that she started to hear his voice.

"Breathe with me!" Astarion urged her.

The request confused her at first, then she heard her jagged sharp breaths. It was painful to breathe. It was like an invisible pressure was on top of her chest and she couldn't get enough air in as the world was spinning. She looked into his eyes trying to tell him that.

"Remember when you learned to trace?" Astarion urged her again, shaking her slightly as his face came in and out of focus. "Let's do that again. Follow me. Look at me!"

She looked at him. He was breathing deeply. She tried to take a breath, but it came in ragged and short and painful. The cold was spreading, she just wanted to close her eyes for a moment.

"No!" Astarion's voice demanded before it switched to a calmer voice. "Breathe with me, darling."

It took several tries for her to breathe on her own, as if she'd forgotten and was just learning how to do it again, Astarion's presence was an anchor, bringing her back to the present.

When she was able to breathe and her heart wasn't trying to get out of her chest any longer, Astarion helped her move to sit down at the base of a tree.

When his hands left her, she missed the comfortable chill of his fingers, the one of the night was not as soothing. But he sat down in front of her, within reach, looking at her as if he expected her to combust at any second.

It was a little funny seeing the usually apathetic vampire rogue look with such apprehension in his eyes. She wondered how much he would deny it if their companions found out he was capable of such concern for someone other than himself.

The thought made her smile despite herself. His brow furrowed, obviously not in on the joke, co*cking his head to the side.

"What is wrong with you?" He asked her. “You just got kissed by the wizard, who had you running for the woods, literally, and into a panic attack. You will have to let me in on the joke, darling.”

“It’s just funny that you are here. I assumed you had better things to do tonight.”

“Being patted on the head and vinegar for wine is not exactly my idea of a good time.”

“What is your idea of a good time then?”

“By the hells… Sex, my dear. A night of passion.”

Tav raised her eyebrows. There he was with his forward intents again. She wasn’t sure what to make of that. But this intention didn't want to make her run away. So he had that going for him.

“But...” Astarion continued, “seeing how the wizard had you running for the woods with just a kiss, I wonder what your reaction to sex might be… Although, in your defense, this is Gale we're speaking of, so I can hardly blame you.”

“How did you know about that?”

Astarion hesitated. “Come now. He’s been like a little puppy following you around since day one. And you obviously weren’t interested. I was just… curious to see how you’d turn him down. It was quite amusing seeing his face after you left him there.”

“I'm glad I put on a good show for you, then.” Tav groaned as she reflected his own words back at his and put her hands over her face. Muttering under her breath, she said to herself, “I will have to apologize to him…”

“What in the Hells is wrong with you?! The man kisses you and you’re the one who should apologize to him?!”

“It’s not…” Tav sighed, how in the Hells could she explain? She settled for “you wouldn’t understand…”

“Damn right, I don’t understand. I had half a mind to go stab the man myself and you just want to… apologize to him? Unbelievable…”

Tav sighed and leaned her head against the trunk of the tree. “Please… let’s not fight anymore…” Then she lifted her head and said sternly. “And no stabbing Gale!”

Astarion rolled his eyes dramatically. “Ugh. You’re no fun.”

“Right. I'm sure that's exactly why you followed me into the woods.”

“You are welcome by the way. You nearly fainted. You’re lucky I reacted so quickly.”

She looked into his eyes, while reaching for his hand and squeezed, trying to sound as sincere as possible. “I am really grateful for your help. I don’t know what would have happened if you weren’t here… Thank you.”

“Ah... yes, well... you're welcome, I suppose. No need to make a fuss about it.” Astarion eyed her suspiciously as he removed his hand and cleared his throat awkwardly.

The silence stretched between them for a while. It was comfortable just looking at him, sitting with him in complete silence.

“Tell me something about vampires.” Tav said after another moment.

Astarion relaxed with his hands behind him, supporting his torso, turning the question over in his head. “Let’s see… we are vicious creatures, who hunt you at night, trying to get you all alone before sucking you dry and leaving your carcass out to rot.” He paused. “And look extremely good while doing it.”

“I could have read that in the book probably, if someone didn’t steal it from me. Tell me something that’s not in there. Something about you. You did say I could ask…”

“All right. My old master Cazador turned me nearly two hundred years ago. I was a slave to him, and he was my tormentor. This tadpole has been the best thing that happened to me since then. I can stand in the sun, cross through running water, and enter people’s homes uninvited… I may be the most powerful vampire in the all the realm.”

“Turned you how?”

“It was a group of Gur who attacked me that night when Cazador saved me.”

“Saved you by turning you into his spawn?”

“He didn’t mention the slave clause at the time. It was only after that I realized how long eternity could be.” Astarion seemed lost in thought.

"That sounds terrible. I'm so sorry."

"Hm... I didn't even realize you were using your superpowers on me. Oh, you're good."

"What are you talking about?"

"Right... the whole act where you make someone tell you their deepest darkest secrets and you end up feeling sorry for them. That's what gets you going." Astarion's expression darkened as he got to his feet.

"That's not what this is..."

Astarion cut her short. "Then what is this about? Why can't you just bed me like everyone else and move on? Why do you need to drag this out?"

Tav got to her feet as she held onto the bark of the tree. "What?... Is that what you want?"

"How much more plainly can I lay it out for you?"

"Fine!" Tav screamed back at him, then walked up to him, grabbed him by the ruffles of his shirt, and planted a vicious kiss on his lips. Astarion hesitated for a split second before grabbing her by her waist and slamming her against his body. Tav deepened the kiss and the taste of him made her moan in the back of her throat. He moved one of his hands to grab a handful of her hair and push her harder into him, his tongue slitting into her mouth like he wanted to taste all of her at once.

Tav had to pull away after a while for breath. He only used the opportunity to move his mouth to her cheek, then her jaw, down to her neck, grazing her neck with his fangs. Tav shivered in his arms remembering the sensation of his bite. Astarion seemed to be of the same mind when he let out a growl of his own when his tongue followed the path of one of the veins at her throat.

"Do it..." Tav urged him, a hand raking into his soft curls, pulling him closer to her neck.

Astarion made an obscene sound but then moved his lips back up to her mouth again. He started walking forward until he pinned her between him and a tree. She could feel his hardness press against her stomach and her mind went blank.

She whispered through a moan. "Please..."

He pulled back to look at her, a smug look on his face. "So needy, darling..." He continued his trail of peppered kisses from her cheek to her jaw and ear, before heading down her neck, shoulder, and collarbone tasting her along the way.

Astarion let one of his hands slither down her body to where the slit of her dress began. His cold fingers touched the exposed skin of her leg and felt goosebumps as he trailed her skin.

He was excessively slow, much to Tav's frustration. She wanted him to touch her at the spot between her legs where the moistness was beginning to creep through her undergarments. Each time his fingers came tantalizingly close to where she wanted them, she shivered with anticipation, only for him to move them back to her thigh, making her groan in frustration.

He chuckled and moved his mouth to her ear, suckling the lobe. As he licked all the way to the high point of her ear, he whispered in her ear, "Tell me what you want."

"I want..." She whispered into the air. "Touch me... please."

She could hear the smile in his tone when he whispered back, in his honeyed tone. "Since you ask so nicely." And he began moving his fingers slowly to her cl*t, making her whole body arch as she pushed herself into his hand.

"So wet for me already." He told her as he moved his mouth back on hers, catching a moan that was ready to escape her lips.

Tav could sense nothing but him; his scent enveloped her like the embrace of the sun, contrasting sharply with the winter of his touch. Her eyes closed as she rested her head against the rough bark of the tree.

His fingers were trailing slow, deliberate circles, drawing out depraved sounds from her, while she gripped his shoulders for support.

As she took a break for breath through kisses, she looked into his eyes. His gaze was unfocused, eyes staring blankly at her, facial expression flat. It was like he was not there.

“Stop.”

Bewildered, he withdrew his hand immediately, blinking rapidly at her. “What’s wrong?”

“You… you don’t want this, do you?”

“Nonsense, darling. What gave you that idea?” He asked as he displayed his most charming smile.

Tav studied him for a moment. His smile looked a little too composed, it never reached his eyes.

“Astarion… you don’t owe me anything.”

He waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. “That’s hardly the only reason. If anything, it’s more of an excuse.”

“You’re not really… here though, so… I don’t want to do anything if you don’t want to.”

After a long stretch of silence, Tav looked at him again. “Are you hungry?”

His expression faltered, his shoulders slumped a bit. “Always.”

“Then you can just drink from me.” Tav said while moving her hair to one side, exposing her neck. “And that is all we will do… if that is what you want.”

Astarion huffed at her. “So that’s it? You’re just going to give away your blood and not expect anything in return?”

“Yes.”

His jaw clenched, and his lips tightened into a straight line as he looked at her. “Fine then. If you’re offering your blood so willing, what kind of gentleman would I be to refuse?”

He closed the distance between them, holding her by her jaw to one side as he put the other arm on her shoulder. He closed the distance slowly, before reaching her neck, waiting to see if she would change her mind. She said nothing. He pierced her skin. An involuntary gasp got caught in his throat as the blood coated his mouth.

Tav tried to not move, but with each gulp, he drew her closer, grabbing her by the waist and pinning her against him, his hardness pressed against her. Her arousal planned to betray her, but she focused on the cold of the night and stood still.

It was torture. Feeling Astarion's body react and hearing the noises he made not because of her, but because of her blood. Of course, he didn't like her like that. He made that abundantly clear the first few days; it was just wishful thinking on her part.

"We will need to set some rules." Tav said as she fought the urge to collapse against him.

"Hmm?"

"If we're going to do this in the future, you can't just... do this." she gestured to his co*ck pressed against her. "...it's not fair."

Astarion chuckled as he removed his fangs, still hovering near her throat. He licked the blood that was still dripping from the open wound.

Tav shuddered. "And none of that."

Astarion's head moved to look at her with a pout. "All right. Anything else?"

She thought about it. "No unnecessary touching." And then she pointed to the space where he was still holding her against him, his co*ck even harder now that he was full of her blood.

"I can't help it, darling, it's just how my body reacts to you."

"To my blood you mean..."

"Your blood is part of you, so it's the same thing."

"Not exactly. Just let me know when you need more... and keep your hands to yourself."

Either from blood loss or fatigue, Tav's legs were not listening to her as she tried to walk away. She sighed. "I'll just... catch up with you later..."

Astarion narrowed his eyes at her.

"Nonsense, darling." He told her as he approached her, reaching one arm under her knees and one behind her back, lifting her in the air like she weighed nothing.

She stiffened at his nearness, his body feeling somehow warmer now that he was fed, Tav felt guilty for enjoying the contact and proximity.

She was the one who set up the rules so she would also have to learn to deal with it. But not just yet, she thought. She wanted to remember him, the feel of him, his smell, his touch.

Her eyes grew heavy at his soothing presence, it reminded her of the safe feeling of arriving in camp after a long and arduous fight, her bedroll waiting to envelop her. She closed her eyes for a moment.

Chapter 6: Skyfall is where we start

Chapter Text

It was still dark outside as she found herself in her bedroll. She didn't remember the walk there. She got up to sit, the drowsiness of blood loss threatening to take her back to sleep.

She looked over her body, all manner of scrapes and cuts from running through the woods. Gale. She would have to talk to Gale.

As Tav lowered her head, she noticed the dried blood. She brought her dress bodice closer to her face and she could still smell the faint smell of him. She groaned. She would not be doing this to herself. And damn his strong scent, who wears that much perfume in the wilderness?

She took off her dress and went to stand in front of the mirror. She looked awful. Paler than usual with purple marks under her eyes and her neck... she looked like she had been mauled by a wild animal. Looking through her potions and scrolls bag, Tav pulled out a healing potion and gulped it in one go. It wouldn't do much for her drowsiness, but it would at least heal some of the scrapes and bite marks.

She put down the empty bottle on the table when she noticed his handkerchief. She had forgotten to give it back to him. She sighed. Then she got dressed, picked it up, along with some other clothes she needed to wash, picked up some soap and started walking towards the river.

A look around the camp confirmed no one was awake yet. Good. She needed the time to think and plan for how she would handle the situation she found herself in.

She was looking at the clothes as she was walking, most of them in various degrees of bloodied and soiled states, her fingers lingering on the handkerchief. It was white, but covered in stains of old crimson and maroon and she noticed that in one of the corners, there was a seam sown into it with golden thread reading the letters A.A. She realized she didn't even know his last name.

She was lost in thought when a voice called out to her from the direction of the river.

"Oak Fathers blessings to you!" Halsin smiled and wavesd at her from the river.

"Hello." Her voice came out a little strained and she cleared her throat. "You're up early." And then she realized he was probably washing up and she just walked in on him.

"sh*t." she said and turned around. "Sorry, I didn't realize... I can come back later." And she started walking in the opposite direction.

"That won't be necessary. You need not leave. Nature is meant to be shared."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course... unless you want to leave."

She considered it. She didn't really want to leave, just to respect his privacy, but he seemed to not mind, so she turned around, deciding to stay and do some laundry. She purposefully didn't look in his direction, though. She was sure he was probably naked. No one washed up with clothes on them, did they?

"Thank you."

"A fine camp you have here. Certainly an improvement on that filthy cage the goblins had me in." His voice sounded closer.

"I'm glad you're comfortable here." She replied as she started soaking the clothes in the river water. A few moments later, she heard splashing coming from upstream, and the sound of someone touching grass and shrubbery. She dared not look and only scrubbed the soap harder on the thicker grime of her shirt.

He sat down next to her, on a rock and when she looked at him, he was damp but fully clothed. She almost sighed in relief.

"I could aid you with that if you would like."

She looked at him and was about to thank him for trying to help with her clothes, but it would not be necessary, only to see him point in the direction of her neck. sh*t. She didn't realize she had pushed her hair behind her ears in the process of washing and now the somewhat healing bite marks were properly on display.

"Uh... I took a healing potion."

"I see. But I assume it did not help with all the blood loss."

She looked him in the eyes. No judgment, no reprimand, just concern. "No."

Halsin reached his hand to her slowly, muttering a low "Te absolvo" and she could feel her drowsiness fade away. She sighed contently. A low deep chuckle came from Halsin's throat.

"You will have to teach me that one."

"Of course. But feel free to come to me, if you ever need help... with anything."

The earnest look in his eyes made Tav feel almost ill-at-ease, and she had to look away.

"Thank you, Halsin."

"Anytime."

There was only the sound of splashing water her clothes made, for a moment longer, and then Halsin started discussing the plan to move forward to Moonrise Towers.

The sun had risen by the time they walked back to camp, and most of their companions were doing their regular chores. Tav saw Gale avoid any sort of look her way, excused herself from Halsin, and walked straight up to him. He was busy with breakfast, and when he eventually looked at her, he almost looked startled, his gaze moving back to the food.

"Gale... can we please talk?"

"Of course." His voice came across as brittle and high-pitched. He looked around the camp, then stepped closer to her, almost reaching for her arm, and then he stopped himself. When he finally looked her in the eyes, she noticed he looked tired, like he did not sleep much. "Tav, I would like to apologize."

"No, Gale. I need to apologize."

His eyebrows disappeared in his hair, and his mouth opened. Before he could say anything, Tav continued.

"I'm sorry for the way I reacted... I want you to know it wasn't anything you did... I just happened to have a vision... of a situation that was not... pleasant... at that same moment. I didn't know how to react or tell you... so, I just ran."

Gale just stared at her for a few moments. "I see... I would still like to apologize for my behavior. Whilst neither of us expected the reaction, it was still presumptuous of me to assume you felt the same and just... kiss you."

Tav thought about that. He was right of course, he usually was. She probably wouldn't have seen that vision if it weren't for Gale. Perhaps though, she might have had that same reaction with Astarion and things would have gone differently.

"Gale... let's just put this behind us. I would rather not dwell on that particular vision, if I'm being honest."

"Of course. I understand." He sounded a tad dejected but then continued, "I am here for you, if you ever need to discuss it. Or anything, for that matter."

"Thank you, Gale. I appreciate that. As I appreciate your guidance in anything magic-related or otherwise."

He looked disheartened, and Tav hated doing that to him. She thought maybe she should stop playing these flirting game altogether, since no one seemed to come unscathed from it.

"Can I give you a hug?"

"Of course." He said as he extended his hands towards her. "Well, I am here for you in whatever matter I can assist in."

"Thank you. I hope you know it goes both ways."

"Careful. I might take you up on that." Gale's tone was light-hearted but he had a tight smile on his face as he continued with his task and Tav decided to actually help for once. The menu for the day was Gurdats, a mushroom and cheese specialty, paired with Elven Marruth, pastries stuffed with all the vegetables Tav had generously offered to chop. Perfect for road trips, Gale informed.

They were all gathered around the table, eating, when Astarion decided to join them as well. He thought he should at least try to not be such a recluse, particularly since he heard the discussions were focusing on last night's party and he could not resist the chance to take a stab at someone. Metaphorically, of course. Tav had been clear about the stabbing.

"What about you Lae'zel? I couldn't help but notice how you disappeared with one of the Tieflings quite early into the night." Wyll asked in a teasing tone.

"Yes well, a warrior takes what they need to make sure they continue to be as efficient in battle."

"You have such a way with words Lae'zel. Did you tell the Tiefling that before or after you chopped off their head?" Astarion asked as he sat down at the table.

"I have no need for words, my actions alone proved my might. Unlike you, who likely put whoever you planned on bedding to sleep with your words alone."

Astarion didn't need to look at Tav to hear that her heart was beating faster.

"Well, you see discretion is the hallmark of a gentleman. Of course, there's an undeniable allure to proclaiming one's conquests from the rooftops. But, I find that some secrets find their sanctuary in the quiet whispers of the night." Astarion said as he extended a hand towards the sky as if he were painting that image on a canvas.

"Really?" Karlach asked as she placed her elbows on the table, all thoughts of food put aside. "I didn't see much of you, come to think of it. Who was it, fangs?"

"No one you need to concern your fiery fingertips with. What about you, darling?"

"Ugh. No need to be cruel."

"Oh right. Your condition puts quite the damper on your... physical interactions, doesn't it? Such a shame, really. But I'm sure you found other means to... entertain yourself?"

"Astarion!" Came the voices of several companions, while Karlach's face turned redder than he thought she could.

"What? You can pry, but I can't? If that's the case then be sure to think twice before poking your nose where it doesn't belong next time darling, hmm?"

The discussion quickly changed from gossip to planning for the days ahead. Astarion yawned. He glanced at Tav and noticed she was deep in conversation with Halsin, the druid pulling some berries out of thin air as he extended his palm to her. She put one in her mouth and then started chuckling. And then she put all of them in her mouth, which made Halsin laugh.

He hated that little display. He didn't understand his reaction. He had won. She gave her blood willingly, without almost anything from him. Although she had set some limits to their little arrangement, Astarion didn't completely give up on the idea of still trying to get her on his side with Cazador.

He almost succeeded the previous night, but of course, the observant little minx saw through him. He let his confidence get the better of him. He was so used to his conquests being so focused on themselves that they would even forget that he was there sometimes. Of course, she wouldn't be like that.

She took on a whole camp of filthy goblins just to appease some sniffling Tieflings. She stopped at every stranger's request for aid. She let him drink her blood without wanting anything else in return. He expected her to at least take some pleasure as payment, but that only backfired on him.

She was reckless, too kind-hearted and it would eventually get her killed. Hells, he would have probably killed her off that first night he drank from her. But of course, she only saw the best in him, too. For such an observant creature at times, she could be so blinded in other circ*mstances.

No matter, he would use this slight on her part to his advantage. He would continue with this delicate dance, a few whispers and subtle nudges, leading her down the path of being so ensnared in his web, that she would have no choice but to subject herself to his every whim.

And then she looked at him and gave him a slight smile that did something to his insides. It was subtle, an inexplicable pull that tugged at the edges of his consciousness, making him feel uncomfortable. It was probably just her blood.

He brushes it off as a fleeting moment of intrigue at what her smile might be saying without words. What was she thinking about when she smiled at him like that?

They made their way back to the goblin camp, higher on the Mountain Pass to get closer to the githyanki creche.

They've decided, at Lae'zel's suggestion to only bring a smaller group so as not to raise too many eyebrows once they arrived. Tav had a bit of a tough time deciding who to bring, however. Besides her, Lae'zel was an obvious choice, she would be their guide among the githyanki people.

The next obvious choice was Shadowheart. In case of any fighting, a healer and spell caster would make a terrific addition. Plus, she noticed how Lae'zel and Shadowheart started to bicker less over the past few days, and she was certainly intrigued to see what some quality time may yet bring.

The last spot was the hardest. Having two spellcasters in the party already, that only left Karlach or Astarion. Given recent events with Astarion, she felt odd bringing him, but also not bringing him felt like a waste, since he fed recently, so he was even more deadly. She felt bad for rarely including Karlach in the smaller groups but decided to go with Astarion as it seemed the more logical and less wasteful choice.

Not far into their hike, Lae'zel spotted githyanki writings, which confirmed they were on the right path. Despite the beautiful scenery, they fought several undead who were dispatched quickly thanks to Shadowheart's abilities.

A merchant also ended abruptly, when she suggested the group steal a githyanki egg to sell to her and insulted Lae'zel's people for lack of morals and calling them brutes. Tav lost her temper, started a fight, and summoned her first Magma Mephit as a wild surge. Once that was handled, she noticed how Astarion was watching her intently.

"You know, you're becoming quite a murderous little thing. I like it."

She frowned. Astarion's words made her ponder. She had lashed out a couple of times, lost her temper with goblins, and the Gur before that, and now anyone who threatened her companions. She wouldn't exactly call herself a murderous thing, but maybe he was right. She had changed from that first day on the Nautiloid.

As the sun reached its zenith, casting a golden glow over the Lathander monastery nestled among the rugged peaks, the vibrant colors of midday came alive. Distant mountain streams glistened like silver threads against the verdant landscape, creating a mesmerizing tableau of natural splendor and serene tranquility.

"The view is almost worth the walk." Shadowheart said.

Despite its old age and obvious signs of desecration and battle, Lathander's monastery was still standing, its weathered stone walls whispering tales of centuries past.

The group found a puzzle of sorts, which made Astarion remind them how much he disliked puzzles, several weapons of Dawnmasters were scattered throughout the temple. When placed in the right spot they produced an interesting light surrounding the stained-glass window depicting the locals' history and a certain artifact called the Blood of Lathander.

After inspecting most of the buildings still standing, the only other possible location for the githyanki creche was in the basem*nt. As they were about to descend, the Dream Visitor's voice cautioned Tav to stay away from the githyanki people. When looking at her companions, she also realized it was only speaking to her.

Tav let Lae'zel take the lead in the creche. She had decided to play nice for the time being, despite most of the gith being rude since the moment they stepped on the premises. She even went as far as promising to save the only githyanki egg in the creche by taking it with her. They saved a young gith from being murdered for the sake of exercise. And got a large discount from the local trader when they bought a bulk of supplies. On their way to the doctor, Lae’zel made some small talk.

“We are permitted to walk so freely. Such a lack of discipline would be punished severely in K'liir."

"Walk freely? This place is as tight as a patriar's purse." Astarion retorted.

"We should have been disarmed on entry. I'm pleased we weren't, but it's strange."

"No doubt they found me too intimidating."

She was still giggling from Astarion's comment when they reached the crèche's ghustil (the doctor), Lae'zel sought to be the first one in line for purification. Tav looked over the device, the Zaith'isk, that was supposed to extract the tadpole and the hair on her back and arms role. It was a device part organic, part synthetic, resembling ilithid machinery, humming with psionic energy.

She had a feeling of uncertainty that made her demand she should go through it first. Lae'zel was taken aback by her request, she agreed begrudgingly to go second.

Tav was right. The Zaithískseemed to hunt in the dark, the power growing exponentially, and the pain was felt throughout the group with their shared connection. When the pain became unbearable and Tav was worried about death, the Dream Visitor intervened and exploded the device before it had a chance to complete the extraction.

Seeing the doctor's reaction – blatant outrage for the destruction of the device, her life's work, and none for Tav – running out of the room and locking them in, Lae'zel said angrily, “Tsk'va! The Zaith'isk - it might have killed you. I felt your torment. Someone must have tampered with it. We must inform the inquisitor.”

When Astarion finished unlocking the door and opened it, a battle ensued, which made Tav quite angry, since she had tried to preserve the peace the entire day and her temper was flaring again.

She pushed past Astarion screaming 'Arde' and a massive fireball dropped on the githyanki people. Unfortunately, a wild magic surge occurred as a result of that spell, slowing Tav down for the remainder of the fight. The rest of the party dealt with the remaining gith who were in various degrees of burning.

As they opened the door to the commander of the creche Y'llek, Kith'rak Therezzyn, they met with a fleeting group of githyanki warriors. They were leaving the room at Inquisitor W'wargaz's (one of Vlaakith's inquisitors) words that they must focus on finding the weapon. Confirming that the weapon was the prism they'd been carrying, Tav disagreed to be parted with it, and a new fight followed.

Tav moved to deal with the two massive wolves, remembering Shadowheart's dislike for them. Astarion tackled the remaining mage, while Shadowheart and Lae'zel dealt with the commander. Despite dealing with the wolves by only using two lightning bolts, Tav had taken several claws and bites, and needed some healing potions before moving ahead.

The walk to the inquisitor was even more foreboding than the rest of the creche, everyone expressing doubts about his ability to help. Lae'zel had become quieter with each interaction the group had with her people. It was unnerving.

The talk with the inquisitor started in a civilized manner, only to end up raising Tav's suspicion enough to where she deemed, he could not be trusted when he mentioned several personal details about the group he couldn't have known unless they were watched.

Tav could see Lae'zel grow uneasy with each retort and when the inquisitor finally mentioned that the weapon was requested by Queen Vlaakith herself, Lae'zel's resolve became steadfast, like a fortress built stone by stone. Each rebuttal fortified her stance, solidifying her conviction until it became an unassailable bulwark against opposition.

It had been one of the few times that they had engaged in using the tadpole's communication means, when Lae'zel seemed to have switched teams, her conviction in the inquisitor absolute due to her devotion to her queen.

"Hand over the artefact or die by my hand!" Lae'zel had said, pain-stricken eyes boring down on Tav.

Tav replied in her mind, not with words, but with images of all the times they had spent together, all the challenges they faced and won, and how she stood by her despite the numerous conflicts in the group. She let Lae'zel know she understood what she was asking of her was heresy – to betray her queen – but also how she had never led her astray either.

It was not due to Vlaakith that they were here, standing together despite all the obstacles in their purification, not with the help of her people or her queen, but with the Dream Visitor and each other. Lae'zel could feel Tav's conviction and her honesty – and when they finally decided to take down the inquisitor, it was Lae'zel herself who threw the first strike.

It was not an easy fight. Having fought with several githyanki already, their toll was left on the group, but with Lae'zel's newfound determination and the skills of each companion, Tav couldn't help but be proud they had made it this far.

Amid the chaos of battle, Tav found herself in a tactical disadvantage with two mages on her. A moment of freezing panic coursed through her, a knife drenched in blood came from one of their throats and Astarion's face, half smiling, half angry replaced the view. She had been trying to keep her distance in the aftermath of their previous encounter and expected Astarion to not want anything else to do with her because of it. But when he extended his hand to her, pulling her to her feet, all her doubts melted away.

What followed could only be described as a synchronized choreography of movements. Their backs to each other, they pirouetted through the chaos, a ballet of incantations and blades, shielding one another from the onslaught, while delivering striking blows against anyone who dared get near them.

When the music of battle finally stopped, Tav could see Lae'zel and Shadowheart breaking apart from a dance of their own, confirming Tav's earlier images, that together they were an unstoppable force, no inquisitor, nor Vlaakith herself could deliver what they had just did.

The irony of that thought was not lost on Tav, once the avatar of Queen Vlaakith herself emerged into the now silent room.

"You are permitted to look upon me. You are invited to kneel." Vlaakith's voice resonated off the walls.

Lae'zel fell to her knees before her goddess and perhaps Tav might have done so as well, if not for the newfound confidence she had in herself and her companions. She crossed her arms and stood tall while looking the undead queen in the eyes. Vlaakith's avatar got remarkably close to Tav's face, trying to break her resolve.

"You bear that which is ours. But are you friend, or are you thief?"

"Yours? We found it. The artefact is ours."

Ignoring Tav's confidence that bordered on arrogance, she continued, "The Astral Prism - it is corrupted."

Lae'zel's voice came through this time. "I shall cleanse it for you, my queen. Tell me how."

"There is someone inside. Their mind is warped, broken - a blight. They are an agent of the Grand Design. Sent to sabotage the Astral Prism - our last defense against the return of the Illithid Empire. Find the one inside and destroy them."

"I won't do a tyrant queen's bidding!" Tav haid loudly.

Lae'zel's voice tried to cut off Tavs. "The Deathless Queen has spoken! You will obey!"

Vlaakith's avatar left shortly after that, leaving the room in disarray, the open portal to the Astral Plane crinkling with static electricity.

As Lae'zel threatened to kill everyone in the room if they would not enter the Astral Prism and kill its occupant, Tav reluctantly agreed to go.

The Astral Plane looked the same as it did in her dream when the Dream Visitor first appeared to her. It was timeless, boundless, and dangerously beautiful.

When she entered the cave, by herself, as requested by the voice, and when she was face to face with it, she demanded answers.

The Dream Visitor commended her actions to stand against Vlaakith, but delivered only partial explanations, focusing on detailing how Vlaakith was lying to her people. How she only pretended to know how Gith destroyed the Mind Flayer empire. In truth, she knew nothing.

Keeping them safe was enough for Tav now, despite her reservations. The Dream Visitor also warned her how the whole creche had now turned against them, irrelevant of the outcome of Vlaakith's mission.

While Lae'zel was not happy with the outcome of that encounter, seeing her own people turn against her was enough to keep her from turning on the group again.

Tired from all the battles of the day, they advanced with a stealthier approach. As they tried to depart from the creche, leaving no one standing, breathing heavily as Shadowheart held up the Blood of Lathander bloodied mace with a final look at the location.

Standing in front of Vlaakith's portrait, Tav picked up a piece of charcoal from her components bag, and drew a mustache, a monocle, and several floating penises around her face. Behind her, she could hear Astarion and Shadowheart's muffled laughter before turning it into fake coughing.

"I can't believe I walked into a gith creche voluntarily and got out alive. Again." Shadowheart's voice rang loud in the silence that followed the massacre.

"I'm not surprised that the gith's insane device didn't remove our tadpoles. I'm just disappointed." Astarion replied.

The journey back to camp unfolded in a wordless symphony, each step a note in the melody of introspection, where unspoken thoughts echoed louder than anything spoken.

Despite the exhaustion, Tav couldn't sleep or trance, just sitting and staring at the sky - a canvas of celestial artistry, adorned with an abundance of stars that twinkled like precious gems scattered across a velvet expanse.

When the owlbear from the goblin camp showed up and gobbled a large chunk of rations from Tav's hand, Astarion's presence scared it away; probably disliking being called a "delectable little snack".

They started their next day quite a bit later than usual, the previous day's battle still hung heavy in the air. Despite her companion's admiration at standing up to Vlaakith, Lae'zel seemed to not fully comprehend yet all the implications of their actions.

Tav felt guilty at the turn of events, knowing and perhaps understanding better than most how such a decision would affect a person and uproot their entire existence. She may not have betrayed a god, but she did have her whole person erased and was just coming to terms with the fact that she was a mixture of comfort and unknown in various proportions.

They decided that while the road through Underdark might be longer, it was perhaps safer as per Halsin's suggestion and Shadowheart's curiosity towards Dark Justiciars.

Despite the emotional and physical exhaustion, the journey towards Underdark left Tav with a sense of equanimity that seemed to resonate in her interactions with everyone. She fell back into a comfortable step along Gale, with whom she shared a mutual adoration for the Weave and spellcasting, as well as expressing her confidence in her skill despite the wild magic surges. She was not sure she could have ever achieved that on her own without Gale's guidance.

Even when she stept in the same line as Astarion, the awkwardness of the Tieflings party seemed to have dissipated somewhat – their silent communion akin to two rivers converging, flowing together in a harmonious rhythm that whispered of shared but unspoken understanding.

They made camp while still in the Mountain Pass area.

Astarion found himself feeling not quite as distant from the group as he previously had. They were growing on him for some reason. Not unlike his spawn siblings for that matter - a mutually beneficial companionship, brought on by unrequested ghastly events.

They were all surrounding the fire, mug of ale or wine in hand, recounting old tales of their previous lives or certain details of battles they had shared. He wouldn't necessarily want to share, on the contrary, but the distractions were nice, given the amalgam of pure sh*t they had experienced recently.

He would often find himself drawn to her. She had a certain aura about her that would just draw people in. He was used to being the one to do that to his conquests, most of the time, but now that he was on the receiving end of it, his feelings were a bit more ambiguous.

It was no wonder they had chosen her as their leader. A few minutes with her and you would find yourself wanting to sell your best items and give her all your gold, just to appease her or be in her company. She would, however, never request anything of anyone and give her time and attention unconditionally. It was mildly infuriating.

Everyone but him. Ever since that nettling Tiefling party, where she laid down the rules of their so-called arrangement. He hadn't asked for her blood since then, although he would have liked to have her every day, and every day she would go about continuing to ignore him more, only to throw him an occasional smile that would make his innards churn. He didn't understand it. Sure, she intrigued him. In a way one might want to decipher a puzzle, but just so you can know how to break it.

But if he was honest with himself, it was something else too. He just couldn't put his finger on it. So, in the hopes of deciphering whatever this was, he would put on his charm again and let the pieces fall where they may. They usually fell his way – he just needed another moment – one without interruptions and make her his... somehow.

They had decided to start taking watches at night, on Halsin's suggestion, when a certain inquisitor Voss teleported to their camp. He had spoken along the same lines as the Dream Visitor, condemning Vlaakith for enslaving the githyanki people, while being unaware of any means to stop a potential Ilithid scheme.

Lae’zel had agreed to meet up with Voss in Baldur’s Gate to discuss future plans.

Astarion wasn’t sure what state they would be in by the time they would even get close to Baldur’s Gate, but any near future in the Underdark made him feel restless. The lack of sun after he had only just learned to enjoy it again, along with a limited supply of blood options made him want to ensure any potential alignment with Tav would be beneficial. He had gone off to trance before taking his first watch.

Just a few minutes into his watch Astarion was already bored. Was he supposed to just stare off into the darkness? Then he saw the pile of neatly stacked books near Gale's tent.

When he approached the wizard’s tent, he paused for a moment. There was a distinct smell he found oddly familiar. It was not Gale’s. It was the parchment. The same smell from her. He groaned at the realization. Any association between her and the wizard was disagreeable, at the very least.

He picked up a book and sat on one of the small fireplace logs with his legs crossed. He was already several hundred pages in when he heard movement coming from her tent.

"Well, if it isn't our fearless leader... Off to playing guardian of the night, are we? I suppose those lightning bolts come in handy for scaring off any unwanted guests."

Tav chuckled. "You’re in a good mood. I take it no more unwanted visitors?"

“No. You must have scared them all away with that murderous aura you’ve been wearing lately.” He grinned at her.

Tav sighed. “I’m not murderous… I just… it’s not like they didn’t deserve it.”

“Oh, I’m not judging, darling. I think murderous looks quite good on you.”

She snorted. “Of course you do…”

“What?” he said innocently as he watched her take a seat on a different log.

She smiled at him. That smile. If Astarion had a heart it would have probably skipped a beat.

“So… what are you reading?”

“Cloak and Dagger Chronicles: Tales of Espionage and Skullduggery.”

“I’m surprised you still need any tips on that matter, considering… how murderous you looked in the githyanki creche.”

“My, my who knew you could be such a flatterer.”

After a pause, Astarion continued, a mischievous grin forming, “But do go on. What else do you like about me?”

Tav’s face was red and she responded in a higher voice. “I didn’t say I liked that…”

“Oh… and here I was thinking we were exchanging flatteries.”

“I’m sure you get plenty of those… looking the way that you do.”

That stung. Sure, people were drawn to him because of his looks, but words rarely came into play. They were usually too self-involved to say anything to him. Also, not being able to see his reflection in two hundred years left him feeling wretched.It was always implied. It was the only reason Cazador kept him for so long. The only thing he was good for.

“I have not seen this face since it grew fangs and my eyes turned red. It’s not like I can look into a mirror either. Another quirk of my affliction.”

“What color were they before?”

“I… I don’t remember.”

Tav got up from her log and sat closer to him, her heart beating faster. She looked at him intently, which made him feel uneasy.

“I’ll be your mirror. What do you want to know?”

“I…” He paused for a moment. What did he want to know? He wanted to know if his hair looked as good as he thought it did. What people thought of his eyes. What she thought of him.

“I want to know what the world sees when they look at me… what you see.”

“Well… one of the first things I noticed about you were your skin color and ears. That they looked similar to mine.”

“Ok…” he tried not to sound too disappointed, but he did not expect that. She was hardly one with poetic words, so he tried to not let his disappointment show.

“Then, your eyes. They’re red, sure. But when you’re in sunlight it’s usually when you look happiest. They're a light scarlet shade then. But in this light or when you’re angry, they look a deep amethyst and shadowed indigo shade. They’re both beautiful though.”

“Oh… go on.” He was not expecting that either, but in a good way now.

She chuckled. “Then, your hair. I have no idea how you make it look like that without looking into a mirror, honestly. Is it a vampire thing?”

“Like what?”

“Like it was sculpted by someone. I mean, even when you get blood and gore on it, it still looks… “ Tav gestured something unintelligibly.

“Anything else?”

She pondered. “I like that thing you do with your knives.”

Astarion pulled out a knife and started doing the butterfly trick. “You mean this?” He moved his hand behind him to do a backthrow and caught it in front of her face. “Or this?” And he finished with a finger roll before throwing it behind his head and heard it land in a tree. “Or that one?”

“Showoff!” she teased. “The last one. Without all the extra showing off.”

They smiled at each other. Astarion wanted to kiss her. He looked into her eyes, questioning, he was getting closer, and her heart started beating faster.

She didn’t stop him. Her taste reminded him of bottled summer essence with notes of citrus lingering. She was warm. He deepened the kiss and as his hand moved to caress her jawline, he could feel her quiver. She pulled back, concern in her eyes, studying him.

“Astarion…”

He just looked at her. She probably got her answer because she was back on his lips, her hands on his shirt. Her warmth was spreading through him at the touch, like an unattended flame.

She pulled back a few moments later for breath. She had that same inquisitive look in her eyes, though, perhaps, a little more subdued.

Her eyes got wide, and she opened her mouth to say, “sh*t… your watch ended… some time ago.”

He chuckled. “I got a little distracted. And I don’t mind if you don’t.“

Astarion stayed with her until she had to wake up Wyll for the next watch. This was nice, he thought.

Chapter 7: I lose control

Chapter Text

When deciding whether it would be a promising idea to shatter the Moonstone in the Selune Outpost in Underdark, Tav decided it would be best to not anger any gods, considering how that tiny Moonstone obliterated a huge Minotaur before their eyes.

So, they went sideways, and if the statues of oddly sculpted Drows were any indication of what was to follow, they probably would have picked the Moonstone option. A Spectator appeared shortly after, corrupting the now-unpetrified Drows to fight alongside it. Not the best way to start off in the Underdark, but at least they couldn't complain it was boring.

The Underdark was unlike anything Tav remembered ever seeing before, a subterranean realm of eerie beauty and perilous depths, where twisted caverns echo with the haunting whispers of ancient secrets and bioluminescent fungi painted the darkness with ethereal hues.

Despite its beauty, the perils continued, when a brief time later, they encountered a Bullete. Deciding this was probably the more dangerous area, they headed towards the outpost to destroy the Moonstone, gods be damned; only to encounter several Minotaurs.

They thought that was enough excitement for one day until a cryptic voice came through their minds. "More are coming. They are coming. You are coming." Astarion tried to make a joke suggesting he was in fact, not coming - but everyone was too engrossed in deciphering what the message meant to pay him any heed.

In the attempt of still trying to discover the less perilous parts of the Underdark, they ended up finding a Zhentarim hideout post. Tav was rummaging through some crates, when she found several bottles of wine. She was in the process of trying to figure out how to make sure they would not break on the way back to camp when she heard Astarion.

"Oh, I'll take that. I'll be sure we make beneficial use of this one." He said in a low, husky voice, before winking at her and securing the bottle in his backpack.

It was just enough to send Tav spiraling, red-faced up to the tips of her ears. What did he mean when he said 'we'? We - the group or we – her and Astarion? Was there a ‘her and Astarion’? If there was a – her and Astarion, what was he planning? Did she want to know what he was planning? Probably, since he was the mischievous type and would undoubtedly end up getting them both in trouble.

The spiraling continued even after they finished looting the Zhentarim post, arriving shortly at a Myconid colony. The Myconids were sentient fungal creatures, resembling humanoid mushrooms. The group found out that they were recently attacked by Duergar and when they met with the leader, the Sovereign, he offered great gifts in exchange for employing the group to slay the rest of the Dwarfs, near the beach.

Tav also decided to help a deep gnome, who had been poisoned, by helping her find the antitoxin. Tav also decided to help a woman find her missing husband. She also agreed to have a friendly Mind Flayer rummage through her mind in the hopes of finding more information on the larvae implanted in their head, once they found the necessary mushrooms needed for the concoction.

The group – mainly Astarion – had also concluded that now, since they were no longer under the immediate threat of transformation, Tav would probably stop at every person she met and give them whatever they asked for. He was sure to let her know how he felt about that.

They found the missing husband, who was in quite a perilous situation surrounded by potentially explosive mushrooms. When they pulled him to safety, Tav decided she was going to collect every single mushroom she found there, slowing the group down even more. Though besides Lae'zel's occasional grunts and Astarion's huffs, no one had anything more to say. Her attention was particularly drawn to a blue-tinted rose-looking mushroom. No one in the group seemed to know what it was either.

Among the darkness of the Underground stood a Sussur Blossom tree, like a luminescent sentinel, its delicate blossoms emitting a soft, pulsating glow amidst the darkness, casting an otherworldly ambiance over the shadowed caverns.

Once Tav was in the proximity of a flower, she felt a shiver run through her. Inside her chest, the source of her magic, felt like it was being drained. She tried casting a cantrip – but the magic in her fingertips failed repeatedly.

"Hey, what's wrong? You look spooked." Karlach had said.

"I think it's this flower... my magic is gone."

"Gone - gone? But... you're a sorcerer. Isn't magic... you?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's temporary."

"Ok soldier. You might want to learn how to swing a sword. Stay behind me until then. I'll crack anyone who messes with you."

"Ok..."

The feeling faded shortly after no longer being in the proximity of the flower, but it left a lingering thought with her, that she should perhaps not rely on her magic constantly and learn how to wield some sort of weapon, just in case.

Once the Duergar were dealt with, the Deep Gnome was saved, and the husband returned, they made their way off to the wizard tower in the distance to get the mushrooms for the friendly Mind Flayer, Omeluum. They were, however, distracted by an odd entrance to an even lower part of the Underdark where they stumbled upon a ritual of sorts.

The creature claimed it was a god of the Kua-Toa people and when Tav challenged him due to his suspicious nature, he turned out to just be a vicious Redcap. The group slayed the creature with almost no effort, which the Kua-Toa took as a sign that Tav was now their new god: Mahkloompah!

"If you’re expecting me to drop to my knees before you, forget it.” Shadowheart had said as she crossed her arms in from of her, after the Kua-Toa's declaration.

"Oh Hells, why not? All hail Mahkloompah!" Wyll added empathically, raising his fist in the air before everyone else joined in on the chants.

The tower was lit by blue hued light from the arcane braziers, making the navigation a lot less perilous. This magic seemed to also power the elevator, granting them access to all the floors.

They went through all the floors of the tower, that were in several degrees of damage or disuse, looking through all the books and coffers.

Both Tav and Gale were in heaven at the ample collection of both magic-related books as well as some literary ones, which they skimmed through before adding them all to their backpacks.

"Tav, would you look at this? An original copy of 'Magic of the Weave - An Introduction'! The binding alone is exquisite, and the pages... Oh, they're in pristine condition! This must be a first edition."

"Gale this is incredible! The craftsmanship on the cover is just stunning." Tav said as she caressed the faded golden pattern on the book.

"This book... it holds a special place in my heart. 'Magic of the Weave' was the first book on arcane studies I ever read. I still remember the thrill of opening it for the first time, the sense of wonder and possibility that poured out of every page. It's like holding the very essence of discovery in your hands."

Tav looked at Gale and she couldn't help but share in his excitement over such an amazing find.

"Here, take it." Gale said as he extended the book to her. "I want you to experience that same thrill, that same excitement over the possibilities. Imagine the secrets, the forgotten lore, and the untapped potential waiting to be discovered within these pages."

Tav's eyes lit up with genuine excitement as she took the book from Gale. She gazed at him with a warmth that spoke volumes, an unspoken understanding passed between them, a bond forged through their shared passion for the arcane.

With the rest of the items procured in the Underdark as well as the tower, Tav was now quite literally walking at a snail’s pace, trying to keep up.

It was Astarion however, who took several of the heaviest items and stored them in his own backpack with a heavy sigh, followed by a quick wink and smile that made Tav's heart skip a beat.

When they finally made it to the top of the tower and met the robotic constructs, it was Tav who recognized some of the phrasings used by them as a form of introduction, from some of the books they had found on the lower levels. Upon reply, the constructs seemed to accept them as masters of the tower, which granted them free access throughout the building.

When the tower was fully explored, except for one room they didn't manage to open, the group decided to camp there for the night. Having the constructs meant that they could all rest without the need for a watch.

Tav was on the last few pages of 'Magic of the Weave - An Introduction', when she saw Astarion sneaking around the sleeping companions to push a lever and motion for her to follow him. He didn't look distressed, like he would need help, so Tav followed him reluctantly.

"If you're quite done with the most boring book in the world, I actually have a fun thing I'd like to show you."

"Boring?! It's because of books like that that I am even able to become – oh so murderous - with spells, as you put it."

"Of course, you would be focusing on that part" Astarion said as he reached for Tav's hand to drag her along, "but let us focus on the fun part now, shall we?"

They headed towards the back entrance of the lowest floor in the tower, only to find the last door they had been unable to open before, now fully open. Astarion grinned at her smugly, gesturing for her to proceed down the stairs to an even lower level.

The chamber they entered was a combination of a basem*nt with protruding branches and a frail-looking bridge, connecting them to the highest part of the room and then some stairs. The room featured several bookshelves, alchemical working stations, and containers.

Tav squeaked with excitement at the unexplored area, before turning to Astarion with a guilty look on her face. "Shouldn't we bring the others?"

"And let Gale spoil our fun? No darling, I think not. Let's keep this between you and I."

Tav grinned with mischievous eyes as she went to inspect the closest bookshelf.

"Of course you'd look for the most boring things first." Astarion teased as he moved to inspect a chest next to her.

Tav stuck her tongue out at him, still looking through the books.

"Cheeky little thing." Astarion retorted as he moved to his backpack and picked out the wine bottle, he had taken from her earlier. "I think tonight might be a special kind of a drink night." He had said courtly, with a bow, as he opened the bottle taking a swig, sighing satisfactorily before passing the bottle to Tav.

"Oh? What’s the occasion?" Tav asked as she took a tentative sip. It was a dry, heavy, rich red wine that left a lingering pleasant oaky, vanilla sensation. "Wow, this really is good."

"Only the best for you, dear. As for the occasion... to surviving yet another day with these damn worms in our heads!"

Tav was still looking through books as she passed the bottle back to him, without looking.

"Hold still." He told her as a silver object was dangling in front of her before touching her chest, his hands clasping it at her back. He then turned her around to face him, adjusting her hair behind her shoulders to get a better look at her.

"Perfect."

Tav's heart was racing at the attention and proximity. To distract herself, she then picked up the dark red-hued stone to inspect it. There was no magic feeling coming from it, but the beautiful delicately crafted fiery stone reminded her of his eyes at the peak of dusk.

"Thank you, it's beautiful."

Astarion placed an index finger under her chin to meet her eyes. His eyes were soft, half-lidded gaze studying her intently. After a few moments, he closed the distance between them, his lips softly caressing hers, his cold fingers lingering at the crook of her neck.

When he withdrew from the kiss, his hand lowered to her arm, and Tav was breathless, her cheeks reddened, a whirlwind of warm sensations spreading throughout her body.

Astarion smirked at her speechlessness. He moved his hands on her upper arms, guiding her to walk backward until she felt the pressure of what she presumed to be one of the workstations behind her. Astarion lowered himself in front of her slowly as he held her gaze, to the back of her thighs, maneuvering her to sit on the workbench.

Tav drew in a quick, sharp breath at the unexpected movement. His hands maneuvered her legs to make room for himself while simultaneously pulling her closer to him.

Tav watched him with curious eyes. He didn't break eye contact with her this whole time, he seemed to be there with her.

Tav moved a hand on his chest to try and balance herself, her eyes still locked on his, looking for any change. The next time their lips collided, Astarion moved his hands on her waist and sliding all the way down to her hips and thighs.

When Tav had to pull away to breathe, his mouth moved to her neck, his teeth grazing the thin skin there, and his hands moved underneath the back of her shirt, leaving trails of goosebumps with each long caress of his cold fingers.

Tav's spine arched into him once he reached a particular lower area, and she could feel him smile while he was still trailing kisses along her jaw.

She could feel the warm wet pooling between her legs with each pulsing sensation between her legs and she moved her hands to grab onto the sides of his shirt as if she could hold onto him for dear life. The smell of him was mesmerizing. It felt like it would remain imprinted on her brain because it would be the only thing that could bring her back to life.

Her breathy whisper of his name made him trail roughly into the material near the inside of her leg.

"Tell me what you want." His eyes were squinting slightly, a corner of his mouth turned up and his voice was gravelly.

His look almost intimidated her. The only time she'd seen him so focused was whenever he was getting ready to murder someone. She wanted him to continue, but she did not want to say the words, so she strode to move his hand to where she wanted it to be.

"No." He said firmly, as he leaned in for a quick kiss on her lips. "Tell me."

This felt like a new game they were playing, where they would both win, but she had to lose first to get there. But somehow that made her want him more. She would let him win if it meant getting more of him.

"Please - touch me." Tav told him as she held his gaze.

When he grabbed the hem of her shirt and lifted it over her head, the radiating coolness of him enveloped her, the lingering gaze over her naked torso did not make her want to cover herself. It felt freeing.

His fingers moved to unlace her pants with dexterous fingers, pulling them down and her along with them, off the table. When he placed her back, it was still not his fingers, but his hardness that pushed into her. She was surprised to see that while she was almost entirely naked, he was very much still fully clothed.

The new friction only made her want more and she started pulling at his shirt to rectify that. He grabbed her hands, tutting at her disapprovingly. "Not yet love."

When his fingers finally reached close to her cl*t, she was thankful to have his shirt to grab onto. A gasp escaped her lips when he started moving them over her underclothes.

"So wet already and I barely started." He grinned before biting down on her lower lip.

The pressure was getting too much for her, her moans turning into whines, she grabbed at his wrist to keep it there, the slow agonizing movement of his fingers finally driving her over the edge, and she collapsed into him, riding his fingers past the point of the white flashes overcoming her vision.

"By the gods!" she said after a few moments of resting her head on his bicep.

He chuckled, and she felt the vibration all the way down his torso as she clung to him.

As she held onto the sleeve of his shirt, she could only see the differences between them now. Her - naked, a clinging, sweaty mess. And him - fully clothed and completely silent. She drew back and looked at him. Two of his fingers were in his mouth and he drew them out with a smirk.

"Delicious."

Her eyebrows rose and her mouth opened when she realized that that was the hand which touched her moments ago.

As he reached her, brushing his hands up her thighs, she could taste herself on his tongue and lips and she felt a shiver run through her and reach its apex at her engorged cl*t.

"Wait!"

Astarion froze. He moved back to give her space, but she grabbed him by the shirt and tugged at it, grinning.

"Your turn now." Tav smiled at him as she pulled at the thin fabric of his white shirt.

Astarion stood there, eyes wide. Tav's smile began to waver as the seconds went by, wondering if she had done something wrong.

But in a swift move, his shirt was off, his fingers already on the laces of his pants. Tav took the break to fully admire him as she planted her arms behind her back to support herself. His pale skin looked like it was sculpted by the gods themselves, with every sinew of his muscular frame towering over her like an oak. The smile on his face could rival the dawn's first light.

He took his time taking off his pants and boots like he was putting on a show, watching her to see her reaction. When he was fully undressed, he stood at a distance from her, grabbing his throbbing co*ck into his hand and stroking it slowly enough, that it made Tav clench her knees together and bite on her lower lip. He had no right to be such a remarkable sight.

He kissed her deeply, tasting all of her, but his co*ck stopped right at her entrance, making Tav groan into his mouth in frustration.

"What is it? Is this what you want, darling?" He chuckled against her lips, teasing her cl*t with the tip of his co*ck.

"Yes..." She groaned back while trying to align herself to feel more of him.

"I suppose you've been patient enough."

He entered her agonizingly slowly, filling her halfway, before pulling out completely.

Her whispered moan turned into a growl, and she bit him hard on his lower lip. Astarion made a growling noise of his own and slid back into her, filling her to the brim as he grabbed her ass to hold on.

The feeling of him filling her inside and enveloping her on the outside overwhelmed her senses. It was bliss. It was peace. She wanted to surrender.

His hands tighten on her hips, holding her close as he thrust harder and faster. The sound of flesh slapping against flesh filled the room, drowned out only by your mutual panting and Tav let go of everything as the sound of her moans echoed off the walls.

"Such sweet noises you make for me."

With his increased pace, she arched into him, the sound of the table wobbling and slamming rhythmically against the wall with each thrust of his hips, getting her closer to climax.

She looked into his lust-filled eyes as she began to move her hair, lifting her neck slightly so he would have access to it. He paused for a second as he licked his lips and he bit down on her, hard.

When he finally stopped drinking from her and picked up the rhythm of his moves inside her, he whispered in her ear. "Now, be a good girl and come for me." The words did something to her, taking her over the edge, and she collapsed into a mess of spent around his still hard co*ck.

"Oh, you like that, do you?" He teased as he licked a trail of blood that was falling down her neck."

He came shortly after as well with a few deep thrusts. They stood like that for a while, his co*ck slowly becoming softer, still inside her, both of them breathing hard and not daring to move, lest they break the magic.

When he finally pulled out, she let out an unintentional sound at the loss, which made him chuckle.

When he moved to pick up his shirt, Tav could see the outline of something light pink on his back. She got off the table and moved closer to him.

"What's that?"

Realization dawned on his face; his eyes wide, while he quickly tried to put on the shirt to cover himself.

"It's nothing." His voice was now taut, his eyes knit together in a deep furrow.

"I'm sorry..." Tav began to say, "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

He let out a laugh. "You didn't." Then he continued in a huskier voice. "I almost forgot about it for a moment, truth be told." He said as he looked away in the distance.

"Do you... do you want to talk about it?"

He paused for a long time as he dressed up slowly. The action took long enough for Tav to wonder if he heard her in the first place, some kind of resolve replaced his features when he turned to her.

"It's a poem. From my old master. He considered himself quite the artist and used his slaves as a canvas."

He paused and then looked Tav in the eyes. "He composed and carved that one over the course of a night. He made a lot of revisions as he went..."

Tav's mouth dropped. Those were scars. Her first instinct was to feel sorry and want to comfort him, but then she quickly switched to anger.

"I'm sorry for what he did..." She began, and then in a harsher tone. "He's going to pay for what he did to you."

Astarion's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Oh... I didn't expect that. Most people just pity me and then move on." And he moved on to his usual light, charming self. "I appreciate the murderous thoughts... even if it is just pillow talk."

Tav's anger subsided as quickly as it came. "It's... that's not..." And then she said firmly as she looked into his eyes.

"It's a promise." She couldn't quite recognize the expression he had on his face now, for it shifted back to his normal mask once more.

"That's a sweet thought." He said as he moved to kiss her on the cheek. "But don't make promises you can't keep."

Both of them eventually got dressed. Tav fidgeted with her hands through small talk, unable to look at Astarion. Astarion cleared his throat several times while he stood in the middle of the room with his hands in his pockets. When she couldn't take the silence anymore, she started walking towards the door, as she mumbled some excuse that she needed to finish her book. Tav caught a sight of a small wave from Astarion just as she left the room. Her mind was filled with thoughts and questions about what had just happened.

She couldn't help but wonder what this meant. Sure, they had sex. And he opened to her a little more than just teasing and she quickly promised to kill a vampire lord for him. She groaned at herself. Great. A guy paid her a little attention, and she then promised to kill anyone who ever wronged him. She was pathetic. That's why he probably didn't even take her seriously.

But she was serious. She was becoming a powerful sorcerer, each day she could feel the energy inside her expanding and overflowing with power. She felt powerful. Maybe she could take on a vampire lord once the tadpole was removed.

And even if this was just a one-time thing, she would keep her promise.