Like Real People Do, Chapter 10
Like Real People Do, Chapter 10
Gale Dekarios x Named! Tav x Astarion AncunĂn
Chapter Synopsis: A familiar face reappears in the Shadow-cursed Lands and Seraphina has a long overdue discussion.
Chapter One. Chapter Two. Chapter Three. Chapter Four. Chapter Four and a Half. Chapter Five. Chapter Six. Chapter Seven. Chapter Eight. Chapter Nine. Chapter Nine and a Half.
Read on ao3.
Word Count: 4.8k
Notes: Ooof okay so this was one was getting pretty long and had to be split into two chapters, so Chapter 11 will be coming pretty soon. I really appreciate the support this fic has gotten so far :) Thank you to the folks that have been reading about my lil lucky sorcerer.
Learn more about my Tav, Seraphina.
"I had a thought, dear However scary About that night The bugs and the dirt Why were you digging? What did you bury Before those hands pulled me From the earth?"
Chapter Ten: What Did You Bury?
Seraphina wanted to create a storm.
Before, it was often her way of quelling her hottest of rages. A concentrated storm over the water or over a small patch of land. It soothed her to harness the power of a hurricane, the steady flow of immense power, all of it bending to her will. It helped her feel in control and âin controlâ was what Seraphina desperately needed to feel in this moment.Â
The aged wizard in front of her wasnât responsible for the source of her anger, but his arrival and the dreadful message he had to deliver were making Seraphina spiral into despair. In the journey so far, there had been no luck finding a solution for the viciously hungry orb inside of Gale and now there was one presenting itself, but it was no cure. This solution was not one that gave Gale more time, freedom, or his life back. It promised only destruction and oblivion.
âAnd to you,â the wizard said, turning to Seraphina. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, as if he could feel the wrath radiating from her. âI commit into care Gale himself. I count on you to shepherd him well on this strangest of journeys.â
She had a million things she wanted to say. She wished desperately that she had some modicum of control or power to be able to heal Gale and she was close to cursing the gods. As much as the anger sat with her, so too did the feeling of submission. This wasnât Elminsterâs request. It wasnât him asking Gale to sacrifice himself to destroy the Absolute. It was not a demand from a foe that they could strike down. It was from Mystra. This was a divine command.
What would she want Gale to say if Tymora had given her such a ghastly quest?
âWeâll find another way,â Seraphina responded.
âOr some other fortune altogether,â Gale murmured.
An eerie quiet hung over the camp as the elder wizard left. Seraphina stuck by Galeâs side, the two silently preparing dinner. They both kneeled at a tree stump next to the hearth, slicing vegetables, as a broth gently boiled over the campfire. Seraphina was praying in her mind, over and over, waiting for Gale to speak.
I have faith in our path and in our own luck. By your light and grace, Smiling Lady, we will find another way. A blessing of your luck will save Galeâs life.
âIâd have hoped to introduce you to Elminster in less dire circumstances, but those are hard to come by these days,â Gale said, finally breaking the silence.
Seraphina halted cutting a potato and looked up at him. He was staring at the carrots he was dicing. She gulped, going back to her task.
âHe didnât seem much a friend, showing up and demanding you kill yourself,â she said coolly. âItâs not a demand he wanted to make of me. As Mystraâs Chosen, he had no choice but to deliver her message, however much it pained him to do so,â Gale replied, turning and dropping the carrots into the pot.
Seraphina took a deep breath as she handed him the potatoes, her hands trembling. Words couldnât quite make their way from her brain to her lips. She kept sending them back up to be revised, trying to grasp at the feelings she needed to articulate.
âFor Mystra to have sent himâŠthe severity of her bidding could not be clearer. Or weigh more heavily on me,â Gale continued. âTime seems so infinite when you are youngâŠa month is an age, a year is a lifetime. It is a strange feeling, to realize how little of it one might have left.â
Seraphina froze as she dropped in the onions and stared at him bewilderment while he only met her with a rather calm expression. âYouâre seriously considering what Elminster said?â she asked.
âOf course â he offered the clearest solution to our problem. All I have to do is find the right place and time, close my eyes, and let go. Then the slate will be clean, wrongs will be righted, the Absolute will be goneâŠand I along with it,â Gale said matter-of-factly.
Seraphina huffed a nervous laugh. âThereâs surely another way. You donât have to go through with this. There isnât only one path.â
âIf there was another, Iâm sure the goddess of magic and the greatest wizard who ever lived would have identified it, but alasâŠonly one solution is offered.â
âYour goddess offers only one solution. I think that you are far too eager to believe her,â Seraphina replied. âIs she always so demanding?â
âI doubt sheâs asked many of her followers to blow themselves up. Thatâs a fate sheâs bequeathed exclusively to me. She wouldnât ask such a thing if it werenât our only means of survival. However much sheâs annoyed at me.â
âPlease stop insisting that your death is our only way to destroy this plot. Itâs not. I refuse to believe it.â
âSeraphina, the truth is, I was living on borrowed time already. Consuming those items would only have kept the orb sated for so long. If anything, I feel more at peace than I have in months. At least now I know my death will have purpose. It wonât be a distant âbangâ in the footnotes of history.â
âYouâre not blowing yourself up, Gale. I wonât let you,â Seraphina declared as she stood. Gale rose and stood in front of her. She looked down at her feet.
âLetâs save such certainty for the moment such a decision is upon us. You may feel differently, once we know what weâre truly up against. But all that remains ahead of us for now. The Heart of the Absolute must be discovered before I can stop its beating.â
She rubbed her sweaty hands on her pants.
âI canât believe youâre talking like this,â she uttered.
âLetâs be optimists, eh?â Gale put his hand on Seraphinaâs shoulder. His hand moved from her shoulder to the nape of her neck, his fingers gathering in her hair. Softly, as if she were made of glass, he made her head tilt back, her orange eyes filled with tears as she took in his face. He was close enough that she could see the flames of the fire flickering in his deep brown eyes. Pink dusted across his cheeks as a gentle smile graced his lips.
âIâm trying to focus on the positives. Can you do that with me?â he whispered.
Seraphina grabbed the sides of Galeâs robes, pulling him closer. His other hand rubbed small circles on her arm, grounding her to this moment with him. He lowered his head as she rose to her toes, their foreheads resting against each other. She closed her eyes and they stood, breathing each other in. As friends do.
Slowly, Seraphina blocked out everything else. The bubbling of the cauldron. The taunting between Astarion and Wyll as they played lanceboard. The sharp clangs of Laeâzel and Karlach sparring. Soft chatter from Halsin and Shadowheart and the grinding sounds of their mortar and pestle sets as they created potions.Â
All of it vanished until all that remained was the sound of her and Galeâs synchronized, deep breaths, and the overwhelming certainty that she was falling in love with a man that was determined to die. It hit her that this was truly the closest they had gotten physically in the time theyâd known each other. They were close to crossing the line and permanently changing the rhythm of the careful tango theyâd been dancing for weeks. And then she heard the melodic, boisterous laugh of a pale elf. Astarionâs smile entered her mindâs eye and her heart tore in two. She urged the image to leave, suppressed the thought of the inevitable choice she would have to make, and thought only of Gale, her friend, the incredible man that deserved to live. That deserved to believe on his own that he deserved to live.
We have defied death before. We can defy these odds too, she thought.
âYes. I can focus on the positives,â she whispered.
Seraphina allowed optimism and trust in luck to guide her through the night. She laughed and joked over dinner. She challenged Karlach and Wyll to some Talis games with drinking penalties. She allowed her spirit to feel immense joy because she was positive that Gale was not going to die. Not at her hands or at Mystraâs command.
x x x
âFlagra!â Seraphina shouted.
The guiding bolt flew from her fingertips, eviscerating the shadow being in front of her. She hastily waved her torch, searching for more. The Shadow-cursed Lands was giving their party quite the welcoming.Â
The cold, menacing environment of the shadows had everyone on edge â expect for Shadowheart, who was quite at home in the darkness. Their anticipation was quickly justified when, while mid-conversation with a group of Harpers they crossed paths with, the shadows attacked.
Wyll, with one torch in hand, used his other to blast a shadow off the nearby cliffside. Astarionâs arrows eliminated two of the beings. Karlach and Laeâzel were a blur of swinging blades as they huddled close to the light from Shadowheartâs spirit guardians. Seraphina stumbled backwards, bumping into Gale. The two carefully shuffled back-to-back as their heads pivoted, checking for more enemies.
âI hope I can trust you to watch my back,â Gale said with a laugh as he launched an ice knife at an approaching shadow.
âAlways,â Seraphina winked as she cast a few magic missiles. She turned to see Gale staring at her. He smiled at her as he seemed to come back to himself and their present predicament, turning to throw a chromatic orb of fire. Her breath caught in her lungs as she watched Gale become illuminated by the flames, his rugged features and blazing eyes making her face hot.Â
A group of shadows closed in on Karlach, Laeâzel, and Shadowheart. Seraphina quickly ran over.Â
âArdÄ!â Seraphina yelled.Â
As quickly as the fireball left her hand, she felt the surge and her bones began to shrink. She yelped again, only for it come out as a meow. Frantically, Seraphina looked around to see that Laeâzel and Karlach had both been turned into dogs while Shadowheart was also a cat.
âYour leader is a wild mage?â Harper Lassandra commented, swinging her torch at a shadow. Shadowheart meowed as she ran to hide under Wyllâs feet. Karlach and Laeâzel barked incessantly, Laeâzel taking a swipe at Seraphina. Seraphina hissed in response.
âGods, Seraphina, right now?â Astarion shouted, exasperated.Â
âJust hit them out of it for bloody sake!â Wyll retorted.
Gale sprinted over, a pained expression on his face as he raised his quarterstaff. âForgive me for this,â he said, swinging at her.Â
She let out a squeak as the staff hit her back, the polymorph effect ending and sending her back to her natural form. As Seraphina stood, it seemed the dust was settling. Harper Lassandra marked the location of a âsafe placeâ on their map and the Harpers hurried on while the party trailed after them.
Gale slowed his gait, keeping pace with Seraphina, and he turned to her with a heated gaze that made Seraphinaâs knees weak. His eyes seemed to glow, even in the gloom that surrounded them.
âItâs quite thrilling, to fight off such grim creatures as this region throws at us. Especially being at your side,â Gale said breathlessly. âI once read a book that explained in some detail the effect a brush with danger has on oneâs desire forâŠother forms of stimulation. Have you ever read anything on that subject?â
Seraphina grinned. What a sweet, silly man. She became more smitten with him each day.
âRead it? I couldâve written the thing,â she laughed.
âI believe you,â Gale continued. âYou never look so beautiful as at the end of a stirring battle, your cheeks flushed, gaze brightâŠyouâre quite irresistible.âÂ
She wanted him with such fervor that her swirling thoughts would make a servant of Loviatar blush.
âI wish I had said it to you first. You look soâŠdominant and confident when youâre using the Weave to strike someone or something down,â she murmured seductively. Gale chuckled as he blushed.
âPerhaps itâs just the thrill of our near undead experience talking. But standing at your side through such darkness and disrepair, it only makes me want you more.â
Seraphina halted in her tracks and Gale stopped too. She walked closer to him, Galeâs half-lidded eyes staring at her lips. She looked out of the corner of her eye to see that the group had continued walking.
âAnd what are two people who want each other so desperately supposed to do with all their pent-up emotions?â she whispered. Gale carefully leaned forward, and their noses brushed, the brief contact igniting more arousal in her. He suddenly squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his jaw, slowly straightening his back as he took a step away.
âThis is neither the time nor place to indulge such feelings, Seraphina. We must be patient and push all such thoughts aside. For now,â Gale sighed. âLetâs get to this âsafe havenâ so that ourâŠpassion doesnât lead to our untimely demise at the hands of the shadows. Lead the way.â
Seraphina nodded, pushing down her lust. They quickly picked up their pace and caught up with the others. She wasnât going to let Gale brush this conversation off though.
x x x
Seraphina had hoped that she would be pinned beneath Gale tonight, but instead she was being held in place by magical vines, several fighters at the ready behind the druid threatening her life.
âTymora, save me,â she whispered.Â
âA pathetic deception â I know who you really worship, True Soul,â the druid, called Jaheira by the Harpers, spat.Â
âStop!â a small voice cried out.Â
Mol, a tiefling child, appeared next to Jaheira. Seraphina sighed in relief, happiness filling her. The refugees were okay.
âWhat are you doing?â Mol yelled. âSheâs the one who saved us!â
âSheâs the one who protected the Emerald Grove?â Jaheira asked.
âSeraphina?âÂ
Seraphina felt her heart stop and any joy she felt vanished. The world was spinning incredibly quickly, or time had completely stopped. At that moment, she couldnât tell what was happening, but she was certain that she wanted all of this to be a dream, some sick, forced hallucination from the Absolute. She looked past Jaheira and she prayed that she was wrong and that her ears had deceived her, but she knew what the reality was. He was here.
Behind Jaheira stood another Harper. An elf with ivory skin and bright blue eyes. His long, ash blonde hair was swept behind his pointed ears. His face hadnât changed, except maybe that was a new scar on his jaw and his cheek was bruised. The elf was bulky and tall, his shoulders wide with his leather armor stretching over his muscular figure. A Tymoran pendant hung round his neck. He looked as shocked as she did.Â
Seraphina wouldâve preferred for the vines to put her out of her misery.
âYou know this one, Vadan?â Jaheira said, turning to him.Â
âYes. Rather well. You can trust her,â Vadan stepped closer. Jaheira looked at him, back at Mol, who eagerly nodded, and she willed the vines away.
âVery well. Settle in, then come join me for a drink,â Jaheira instructed.
As everyone except Vadan and her party made themselves scarce, Seraphina remembered that she had thought on this moment for ages. What she would say to him. How she would say it. If she would say anything.
Vadan opened his arms and smiled meekly. âA hug for old timesâ sake?â He asked.
Seraphina couldnât move her feet. She knew her companions stood behind her, waiting to follow her lead. Astarion looked Vadan up and down with a scowl on his face. Gale looked back and forth between Seraphina and Vadan, barely concealing his apprehension and irritation.
Seraphina tried to keep her voice level. âHello,â She stammered awkwardly. Vadan still had his arms open.Â
âI think that we all just need a moment to rest after the chaos of the past few hours,â Gale interjected, stepping forward and placing a hand on the small of Seraphinaâs back.Â
âOh, I can show you all â â Vadanâs arms dropped.
âWeâll fetch you if we need anything,â Astarion interrupted, stepping in between him and Seraphina.Â
Vadan looked at Seraphina, back to the wizard and the vampire, before his eyes returned to her. He nodded curtly and turned on his heels.
âSay the word and Iâll make that hunkâs handsome face unhandsome,â Karlach said.
âDarling, are you quite sure that Tymora is your goddess? It seems like she quite enjoys leaving you high and dry with a good dash of bad luck,â Astarion commented.
âChk. You shouldâve gutted him on sight,â Laeâzel huffed.Â
âTell me what you need, and I will see that it is done,â Gale murmured into her ear.Â
Seraphina turned back and smiled brightly at her party.
âWeâre finally somewhere safe. Why donât we get a bottle of wine and cool our nerves?â she asked, dodging everyoneâs remarks.
âPlease. A glass would do wonders right about now,â Wyll said.
The group stumbled into Last Light Inn and huddled at a table while Seraphina acquired two bottles of spiced wine from the innkeeper. She glanced over and saw Vadan at a table on the other side of the room, playing a game of Three Dragon Ante with a few other Harpers. He looked up and their eyes met. He smiled nervously and she turned away, trying to focus on Galeâs lecture on shadow magic. Unfortunately, his words were not enough to drown out the fact that Vadan had stood up from his game and was now walking over to their table.
Seraphina took a huge gulp of wine as the distance between them lessened. As her heart pounded, she became convinced that it would burst. Astarion suddenly turned his eyes on her, an eyebrow raised.
Of course he knows, she thought. And then Vadan was standing before their table. Seraphina nearly laughed as she saw her companions glare at him.
âSeraphina, could I have a word?â Vadan asked.
âCanât you see weâre busy?â Astarion snarled.Â
âAstarion, cool it,â Seraphina snapped. Astarion gawked at her, seeming both embarrassed and offended at her scolding. She didnât expect it to come out of her mouth either. She stood, draining her goblet.
âMake it quick,â Seraphina said. She followed Vadan out to the docks, and he gestured for her to sit sat on a crate. They both settled down and Seraphina waited for him to speak first.
âItâs good to see you,â Vadan started. He looked her up and down and Seraphina suddenly became self-conscious about every aspect of her appearance. She probably smelled horrible, and her armor was covered in viscera. The last time heâd seen her, she was well-fed, bathing regularly, and donning comfortable, pretty attire that accentuated her curves. Though Vadan had seen her both ways and declared that he found her beautiful regardless of everything else.
âI wish I could say the same,â Seraphina replied flatly. âThough it is certainly a surprise. Last I heard, you had taken a Cormyrian wife.â
This was a partial lie. She and the party sheâd been traveling with just before the nautiloid had settled for the evening outside of Evereska when a group of Harpers passed by their camp. A few of them were good companions of Vadanâs and, though they seemed reluctant to pass on the news, told her that Vadan had become swept up in a romance with the daughter or niece of a Cormyrean noble.Â
Vadan laughed bitterly. âThere was someone, briefly, but Faena and I werenât a good match. Things ended quite bitterly.â
âSeems that keeps happening to you.â
âItâs hard to find a better match when youâve already met the soul that completes yours. I told her that I needed to find you.â Vadan said wistfully. He looked at her so tenderly that Seraphina had to turn to count the number of planks beneath her feet.Â
âHow did you end up out here? And infected with a mind flayer tadpole?â Vadan asked.
âAm I to assume that you suddenly care about me now?â Seraphina asked. She looked up at him. She wanted him to see the rage in her eyes.Â
âIâve always cared for you, Seraphina, and you know that. I regret every morning that Iâve woken up without you as my wife,â Vadan replied. He reached out and cupped her cheek and she didnât stop him. Seraphina wanted to nuzzle his hand and for him to kiss her cheeks and forehead and nose before he kissed her lips as he used to before, but she wasnât going to give him more than this.
âWell, if you must know, they are myâŠfriends. We were all abducted by a nautiloid ship. Weâre heading to Moonrise Towers to finally purge ourselves of these things in our heads,â Seraphina replied. Vadanâs eyes widened in horror. His other hand went up to her face and Seraphinaâs breath caught in her throat. His thumb rubbed her cheek.
âThis never shouldâve happened. Wouldnât have happened if I hadnâtâŠif things happened differently between us. Iâm so sorry, my flower,â Vadan murmured.Â
âYouâre too close, Vadan,â Seraphina choked out. She snatched her face away from his touch.Â
âYou know that I didnât want to leave you, Seraphina. I feared for my life and yours. Iâve thought of you every day, wished that you were waiting at home for me.â
Her lip curled in disgust as his choice of words. It wasnât just his language, but the fact that he had always wanted a demure wife.
âYou doubted the Smiling Lady and me,â she spat.
âPerhaps I just selfishly wanted you and I to stay alive so that we could live our life together. Perhaps I wanted my wife and I to grow old together,â he replied, an edge in his tone to match hers. He straightened up and shook his head, his voice softening. âBut how I handled things was foolish. Tell me, is your trial over? Are you her Chosen yet? Last I heard, it wasnât.â
âNo, itâs not. But what do you mean by âlast you heardâ?â
âIâŠI was in Baldurâs Gate not too long ago. I went by your home. Your family wasnât exactly happy to see me, but they told me thatâŠthat you had just come back from Avernus. I asked them about your magic, and they told me that you were still a wild mage. Turns out, I had just missed you by a few days.â
âAnd what business do you have going to my home?â she asked sharply.
Vadanâs eyebrows lifted as he smiled sadly.
âI wanted to see you, Sera. I told you â I left Faena because it was impossible to forget you. I couldnât move on from the hurt I caused you,â he whispered. Seraphina scoffed and crossed her arms. He sighed.
âWhich one of them has stolen your heart away, eh? Itâs hard to tell between the pale fellow and the wizard. They both seem hellbent on taking my head,â Vadan chuckled.Â
Both of them, Seraphina thought. She wanted to rub in Vadanâs face that she had two handsome men vying for her affections, but the truth was that she had no idea what to make of her situations with Gale and Astarion.
Seraphina hadnât answered yet, so Vadan kept going. âItâs not my business. But I want you to know that Iâve missed you. Youâre not a mind flayer yet, so I take that as a good sign. If we survive all this, IâŠI hope that we find time to talk.â
âWhat is there to discuss? All that youâre interested in talking about so far is your own pain. You know nothing of the pain, embarrassment, and anguish I faced. You lied to me that morning instead of facing me and declaring the truth.â
âTell me what I must do to make up for what I did, and I will follow through. Tell me, so that I can make you my wife when we cure you and leave this cursed land.â
She stared at him. For a moment, all she could hear was the muffled sounds of the Inn and the sloshing of the waves.
âYouâre serious?â she breathed.
âWe will get this tadpole out of you. If Tymora doesnât think that saving a city from the Hells was worthy enough, then forget the trial. And then, we can get that townhouse we always talked about near Heapside Strand.â
Her heart thumped wildly against her chest. They had discussed the life they wanted together ceaselessly. Their home would partially operate as a Harper safehouse, Vadan continuing to travel and work as a spy while Seraphina worked at The Ladyâs Hall in the Upper City. When the time was right, they would grow their family.Â
Her stomach flipped. That kind of calm wasnât in the cards for her. She wasnât even sure that it was what she wanted. She honestly hadnât given much thought to what she wanted for her life after her trial was over. Vadan came along and painted their future in his vision, and it seemed pretty enough, but it still wasnât a future she chose. Then the cryptic warnings from Gale crept into her mind. She wouldnât exactly be able to choose what kind of life she wanted after becoming Tymoraâs Chosen.
âI can see through you, you know,â she replied. He blinked at her in confusion.
âWhat do you mean?â
âYouâre a coward who couldnât handle his wife surpassing him.â
Vadan recoiled.
âWhat in the Hells would make you think that?â
âYou aspire to be a High Harper. You want to go off on your adventures and come home to a wife who doesnât leave the city because she knows her place,â Seraphina snapped.
âI only wanted to protect you. You shouldnât have ended up in Avernus or in the middle of this shadow curse. Is it so unreasonable that I wouldâve liked for my wife to be kept from danger?â Vadan barked.
Seraphinaâs blood boiled beneath her skin as she clenched her fists.
âDanger is where I thrive. I thought you knew that. I thought you respected that.â
âSeraphina, if you wanted for anything else, I would not stop you. Youâve had your family and that damned temple in your ear for far too long. Theyâve convinced you that your life is a worthy sacrifice in the pursuit of some so-called redemption,â Vadan replied. âYou want to have children and a permanent place to come home to at the end of the day, and I promise you that day will never come when you walk as Tymoraâs Chosen and must spend your life fighting a holy war against Beshaba. You donât even know if your storm sorcery will be restored after this! You could be a wild mage forever.â
âHellwhispers refuse to be shamed anymore. My family name will said with reverence in every Tymoran temple in FaerĂ»n and â â Seraphina started before suddenly stopping. She shook her head and jumped to her feet. âThere is little purpose to another repeat of the same argument. There is no future between us, and I do not owe you my time.â
She moved to walk away, her eyes burning as she held back her tears, her feet itching to be as far away from Vadan as possible.Â
âYou do not need to be Tymoraâs Chosen for that. You are a hero, Seraphina. Youâve already transformed the Hellwhisper reputation,â Vadan whispered. She halted in her tracks. She slowly turned to look at him.
âYou deserve to be content. You deserve the future that you want. I may not have been worth giving up the honor of being our ladyâs Chosen, but I hope that, one day, someone is. Or maybe thereâs someone who makes the sacrifice of being a Chosen worth it. And, well, either way, FaerĂ»n is deeply lucky to have you as a force of good,â Vadan smiled, but his lower lip wobbled.
âVadanâŠâ she whispered.
âSeraphina, darling.â Astarion.
He meandered over from the stairs and Seraphinaâs legs carried her to meet him halfway. She wanted him to whisk her away from this hell. She wanted to flee as far as she could. But it didnât matter how far she went or where â she couldnât escape the nugget of truth in Vadanâs words. The truth that had been haunting her and that was becoming as inescapable as the shadows in this cursed land.
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More Posts from Owlseeyoulaterpal
Like Real People Do, Chapter Eleven
Gale Dekarios x Named! Tav x Astarion AncunĂn
Chapter Synopsis: Seraphina stumbles in her faith while events at Moonrise Towers lead Astarion to finally get something off his chest.
Chapter One. Chapter Two. Chapter Three. Chapter Four. Chapter Four and a Half. Chapter Five. Chapter Six. Chapter Seven. Chapter Eight. Chapter Nine. Chapter Nine and a Half. Chapter Ten.
Read on ao3.
Word Count: 5.3k
Notes: Time to make way for the angst.
Learn more about my Tav, Seraphina.
Chapter Eleven: Tell me where your love lies
Tell me where your love lies Waste the day and spend the night Underneath the sunrise Show me where your love lies
Seraphina was silent as Astarion exchanged words with Vadan. The words, harsh and insulting from Astarion and passive-aggressive from Vadan, floated in and out of her ears. Astarion took her hand and led her into the inn. If he was speaking to her, she didnât process any of it. She was underwater â everything was muffled and murky. He didnât lead her back to the table where their companions were now playing a card game with a few Harpers. Instead, Astarion walked her upstairs.
The vampire pulled a brass key from his pocket and unlocked a room. He shut the door behind Seraphina and, with two quick fire bolts, Astarion lit candles in the room. It was when his hands settled on her hips and pushed her against the door that some of the fog lifted.
âIâm not too fond of another elf taking you away like that,â Astarion whispered, pressing his body against hers.Â
âAstarion, I have to get back downstairs â âÂ
âHush,â he continued. Astarion leaned forward and kissed Seraphina hungrily. Her body responded. She allowed him to kiss and nip down her jaw and neck, his hands working at the clips holding her armor together. She tangled her fingers in his hair, desperate to hold on to something. His fangs grazed her neck before they pressed lightly in one spot and he paused, asking permission. She nodded and she waited for the expected pain, but none came, as Astarion instead slowly grazed his fangs down her neck.
âYou donât seem to be that present,â Astarion whispered, one hand squeezing her ass and the other holding her jaw. âIs your former lover on your mind?â
âI didnât take you for the jealous type, Astarion.â
âWhat is there to be jealous of? A barbaric oaf who thought he could just waltz up for a hug after how he left you?â Astarion scoffed. âOr the wizard who thinks asking if youâve read any naughty books is adequate seduction?â
âYou have incredibly stiff competition. Donât act so sure,â she replied, forcing a smile.
âAnd yet youâre right here with me, beautiful,â he grinned, kissing her again before lowering his lips back to her neck. âMay I?â
Seraphina nodded. When she felt the pain of his bite, she returned to her thoughts, grateful she didnât have to continue faking happiness for just a few moments.
What did she truly want for her life? It seemed ridiculous to think about when death or transformation into a mind flayer hung over her head, but only entertaining the possibility of survival was keeping her sane. Her current path had led to her to the hells and put her at risk of becoming a mind flayer. If she had acquiesced to Vadanâs request to end her trial and stop adventuring, right now she would be comfortable in a home with a warm hearth, blissfully unaware of the Absolute until her husband arrived home with stories of his recent conflicts.
If she survived this and passed her trial, she would spend most of her time on the road, risking her life, fulfilling Tymoraâs divine commands for centuries. If she survived and ended her trialâŠwhat would that life, a life exiled from her family and her temple, look like? All she really knew about herself was that she liked traveling and helping people. It would be a life without designated purpose or direction. A real life where she made her own decisions and chased her own whims. Sheâd be alive.
It could be a life where she wasnât at risk of death all the time. A life where lovers didnât run because it was dangerous to love her. In the time since Vadan, she had fumbled through flings and people who were seemingly incapable of loving or entirely unwilling to love her. She obviously had no idea what she was doing, as Vadan had often told her when they traveled together. He knew what was best for her. She had no idea what her purpose was.
Maybe she should leave this room and go back to Vadan. Apologize and reconcile their relationship. She could end her trial. After confronting the cult at Moonrise, the tadpole would be gone if she was lucky, and they could go to the Gate and be married. She didnât know what she wanted, and he had everything planned out. It would be wiser to follow Vadan rather than continue fumbling through the fog as she had in pursuit of some destiny that had been planned for her long before she was born.Â
Sheâd been a foolish puppet, blind to every possibility that wasnât the future Tymora, her family, and her temple decided for her, and now death was her only reward.
A snap.
âSeraphina.â
Seraphinaâs eyes focused on Astarionâs hand in front of her face as he snapped again. Their armor was scattered on the ground, the vampire having nearly completely disrobed her while she got lost in her thoughts. She couldnât make out his expression. He seemed just as irritated as he seemed concerned, her blood staining his lips. He had become impossible to read lately. Had she ever been able to read him? As she looked into his crimson eyes, sadness hit her in a wave, and Seraphina frowned. Astarion was just another soul that she had attempted to flood with kindness and sympathy, hoping that he would love her, when the reality was that he only wanted her body. He only wanted her body while she was desperately holding out her heart.
And then there was Gale. Gale who was charming, erudite, compassionate, and supportive. When she looked at her life, there was no one like him in its archive until she stopped at that unstable sigil near the nautiloid. She felt a sense of peace and confidence with him that she had previously only associated with her faith in Tymora. Gale had become important to her in a way that few other traveling companions had before. How lucky the world was to have him, and yet he was resolute in doing what was necessary to gain his goddessâ forgiveness, which meant his death was imminent.
âYou donât want this,â Astarion said, furrowing his eyebrows.
âIâŠIâŠâ she stammered. She gulped. âCan you just hold me?â
Astarion froze for a moment. She watched his eyes dart to look at the door behind her, as if he wanted to run. His eyes flicked back to her, and a silence stretched on. Seraphina held her breath. Were they finally going to say it? Was he going to call whatever this was between them something and declare that he wanted her for more than her blood and stolen moments in their tents or in the forest? Or was he afraid of this? Was he afraid of her too?
âCome lay down, darling,â he murmured, squeezing her waist. No. They werenât going to talk about it. She silently followed him over to the bed. The mattress was barely big enough for both of them, creaky, and slightly damp. Astarion rested his head against the pillows and awkwardly held open his arms. She laid on top of him, pressing her forehead against his bare chest and wrapping her arms around his stiff torso. She felt his arms slowly wrap around her.
She breathed in his scent of bergamot and brandy, the smell that had soothed her heart over the last few weeks. After a few minutes, she felt Astarion relax beneath her, his hands beginning to rub over her back and arm. She hummed, some of her dread ebbing away. She wouldâve liked to stay like this forever.
âWhatâs on your mind, love?â Astarion asked.
âDo you care?â Seraphina replied.
âStrangely, yes.â
âI fucked up everything in my life in order to end up here.â
âYouâre just now realizing that? Youâre not special for that,â Astarion responded. âDarling, something went wrong for every single one of us in our little band of freaks.â
âWhatâs your plan after this?â
Astarionâs hands paused, stopping on Seraphinaâs lower back and wrist.
âWhat do you mean?â he asked.
She shifted, resting her chin on his chest to look at him. He was genuinely baffled.
âWhatâs your plan after we destroy the Absolute and weâre free?â Seraphina asked.
âYou may be free after we get these parasites out, but I wonât. Iâll only be free if I kill Cazador,â Astarion replied, his nose crinkling when he said the vampire lordâs name.
âAnd Iâm going to help you do that. But what comes next? What do you want?â
Astarionâs mouth opened and closed again. His lips twitched.
âIâŠI havenât ever been able to consider that,â he murmured.
Seraphinaâs heart broke for him. She removed one of her hands from around him and gently pushed a few hairs behind his ear. His eyes closed briefly.
âI hope weâll all have time to figure out what we want after this,â she whispered.Â
âHmm. You truly are a little optimistic fool, arenât you?â Astarion hummed as he guided Seraphinaâs cheek to his chest.
âOne of us has to be,â she replied.
âWell, I am hopeful for somethingâŠâ
âGo on.â
âBut it may require some help from a devil.â
x x x
Raphael happened to be right downstairs. Seraphina tried to shake away memories of the last time a devil took a worrying amount of interest in the party that she traveled with while Astarion laid out his request for a deal. After a talk, where Raphael seemed far too eager to find a method of payment, Seraphina parted ways with Astarion, resuming her duties as the leader of the party. She paid the innkeeper for dinner for her people, accompanied Karlach to get her second upgrade from the smith Dammon, led Halsin to an unconscious man named Art, traded to get potions and new equipment for everyone, and finally sat down for a drink with Jaheira.Â
Seraphina wasnât pleased with being drugged with a truth herb when she had intended to be honest with the High Harper, but she understood the druidâs actions. Seraphina took the party with her to meet the cleric Isobel and receive the blessing that would protect them from the harsh land and any sense of calm was immediately shattered.
The attempted abduction of Isobel by Absolutists made it clear that the party had to infiltrate Moonrise immediately. After briefly meeting the infamous Ketheric Thorm, they all scouted out the tower, taking notes about the floorplan and guard posts and formations.
âOh gods,â Astarion gagged, gaping at a strange doorway that was filled with a purple-pink fleshy membrane. âAll of them deserve a grisly death for this alone.â
âWell, with the offal on the walls and the ghoulish lighting, I think theyâve certainly achieved the macabre ambience they were going for,â Gale added.
âI bet you wonât stick your hand in it,â Karlach snickered.
âYouâre more than welcome to do the honors of such a task, my friend,â Astarion replied.
âIs anyone putting down gold for touching it?â Seraphina said mischievously as she reached out towards a closed door.Â
âCan you not see that this monstrosity resembles the flesh on the ghaik ship? Donât touch it,â Laeâzel hissed.
âItâs bad enough to have the one tadpole,â Shadowheart grumbled.
âOr in Astarionâs caseâŠfive,â Wyll commented.
âStill alive and tentacle free. Any of you are welcome to try it the next time we split open a True Soulâs skull,â Astarion replied.
As most of her companions wandered into the kitchen, Seraphina continued through the door next to her, carefully peeking her head through. It was yet another dimly lit room, but this one vaguely smelled of herbs, blood, and smoke. At tables against the wall stood a drow woman with braids across the side of her head. The tables were covered in various bottles, pieces of parchment, and alchemy tools.
The drowâs head whipped up at the sound of the door opening and she grinned, waving in Seraphina. As she stepped in, she heard a light flurry of steps and felt a pinch on her backside. She looked only to see Astarion behind her.
âHey!â she squeaked, swatting his hand.
âItâs dangerous to wander off by yourself,â he shrugged with a smirk.
They both walked over closer to the drow.
âAraj Oblodra, trader in blood and the sanguineous arts. It is a pleasure to stand before a True Soul. And your pale companion,â Araj smiled deviously at Astarion, who recoiled. âIâd like to offer my services, if youâre willing?â
âWhy are you interested in my pale friend?â Seraphina asked.
âPlease,â Araj scoffed. âYou think someone in my line of work wouldnât recognize a vampire spawn when they see one? I assume he belongs to you?â
Seraphina looked at her with disgust.
âYour assumption would be wrong. Astarion is his own person.â
âIâm sure he really believes that. How utterly adorable,â Araj laughed mockingly before fixing her condescending gaze on Astarion.
âAstarion, Iâve dreamt of being bitten by a vampire since I was a young girl. Iâve longed to dance on the edge between life and death. Iâll even compensate you â a potion of legendary power that forever increases the strength of the one who consumes it.â
âI will have to decline,â Astarion replied right away.
âExcuse me? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and youâre squandering it.â
âI gave you my answer,â Astarion growled, his fists clenched.
âCanât you talk some sense into your obstinate charge?â Araj turned to Seraphina.
âHe said no, so the matter can be dropped. I think weâll be going now,â Seraphina said evenly, glaring at the drow. She and Astarion swiftly exited the room. Anger remained on Astarionâs face, his eyebrows furrowed, his nose crinkled, and his mouth twisted into a scowl.
âAre you alright?â Seraphina asked. âI think we have enough info that we can head out â â
âWhy wouldnât I be fine?â Astarion snapped.
Seraphina blinked.Â
âA-after what just happened, I was just trying to make sure you felt okay,â she stammered. She straightened and looked him in the eye before she whispered. âIâm not your enemy, Astarion.â
Astarionâs face softened and then he immediately frowned.Â
âIâm fine,â he murmured. âIâll see you later, darling.â
Astarion walked away and Seraphina considered going after him, but it was obvious he needed his space. She wandered out towards the front room, her short stature making it easy for her to weave through the crowd of brainwashed fanatics.
âPraise the Absolute,â a few cultists said as she walked past.
A cold shiver trailed its way down Seraphinaâs spine and fear settled in her bones as one of the men, wearing a dark cloak with the hood flipped up, continued smiling directly at her. He stood near a table with various equipment, potions, and weapons.
Alright, heâs just eager to make a sale she thought. She walked over to him, pulling out her pouch of gold as she touched the fabric of a robe.
âYou might want to hide that little pendant of yours.â
Seraphina looked up from the robe in bewilderment. This close to him, she could see what he hid under his hood â black antlers peeked out from the very edges of the fabric. Rage began to flow in her veins.
âYour vile goddess wonât be able to protect you from being struck down at my hand,â Seraphina hissed, lightning sparking at her fingers as she prepared to shock the man.
âThat wouldnât be a very smart move, Tymoran. At least not before you hear the message I bring.â
Gods dammit. The less attention they drew while in the lair of the Absolute, the better. She lowered her hand, and she tucked her Tymoran necklace under her armor.
âI have no interest â âÂ
âYou intend to kill the General, yes?â the man cut her off.
Seraphina clenched her jaw. Both of their eyes quickly darted around the room, scanning. No one seemed to be paying attention to them.
âThe only person listening is your lover. The vampire, yes?â the man said. Seraphina gulped. Her skin crawled knowing that the Black Fingers probably knew quite a lot about her party. She chose to ignore the comment as she watched, out of the corner of her eye, said vampire idly walking nearby in her orbit.
âWhy do my intentions matter to Beshaba?â
âThe Absolute is a threat that she intends to see eliminated. You seem like an asset in that endeavor.â
âGet to the point.â
âYour goddess continues to test you even while you risk your neck to defeat a cult that could destroy FaerĂ»n. Why continue trusting in Tymoraâs fickle luck when you, as a bringer of misfortune, could ensure the ensure the end of this crisis?â
Seraphina gawked at him.
âBeshaba is a fool if she thinks I would follow her,â she spat.
âAccept Beshabaâs boon and you will be able to save yourself. Or her misfortune can befall you and someone else will take your place.â
âNo,â Seraphina hissed.
âMy ship departs for Baldurâs Gate in 17 hours. I will be at the docks if you see reason,â the man said.Â
Seraphina quickly walked away, her legs unstable and her entire body coated in sweat. She tried to even her breathing as her surroundings blurred around her. In the distance, she could see the deep purple of Galeâs robes. She stumbled closer and grasped his arm.
âSeraphina?â Gale said. Concern washed over his face, and he grabbed her upper arms, helping her to stand. Shadowheart turned and her eyes widened at Seraphina.
âGods, what happened to you?â she asked.
âCould you try and give the others a little encouragement to get back to the inn faster? Weâll be right behind you,â Gale said to Shadowheart.
The half-elf looked to Seraphina, who nodded.
âAlright. But I donât want to lose sight of either of you,â Shadowheart replied. She walked towards the front of the group. âYou know, I overheard the innkeeper say he might cut dinner off early tonight.â
âWhat? No way heâd actually do that!â Karlach said.
âThen letâs pick up the pace a little, shall we?â Shadowheart said.
As the others began to walk a bit faster, exiting the doors of Moonrise, Seraphina saw Astarion, towards the back of the group, staring at her. His crimson eyes were as big as dinner plates. His eyes flicked towards Gale, but the wizardâs gaze was focused on the tiefling. Something crossed Astarionâs face, a slight frown pulling at the edges of his lips, but Seraphina didnât have time to decipher it before the vampire whipped around and caught up with the others. She would endure his questioning about what he overheard later.
âTake a deep breath in,â Gale said softly. Seraphina complied.
One. Two. Three. Four. Five.
âHold it.â
One. Two. Three. Four. Five.
âExhale for me.â
One. Two. Three. Four. Five.
Seraphina could feel her heart slowly reducing its thunderous beating. Gale grabbed her hand and squeezed.
âTell me. What do you see?â
At first, she looked at her surroundings and looking at the darkness, only slightly dispelled by the silvery protective aura that surrounded their bodies, only made the void in her stomach become larger and more consuming. She turned to look at Gale instead. His gentle smile. The lines that surrounded his attractive face. His gray hairs, signs of stress more than they were aging. His gorgeous, welcoming eyes.
âThe biggest, brownest, most beautiful eyes Iâve ever seen,â Seraphina gushed.
Gale chuckled.
âMost beautiful? I can only assume that you havenât looked in a mirror in quite some time,â he replied, smiling before his face became serious. âWhat happened? Did that trader say something to you?â
She looked ahead towards their party. Did she want to burden him with this?
âHeâŠhe was a member of the Black Fingers.â
Galeâs face twisted in anger, and he opened his mouth to speak.
âWe canât go do anything to him. Not in front of all those cultists,â she said quickly.
âDid he threaten you?â
âNo,â she replied. âHe had a message from Beshaba.â
x x x
âMake your move.â
âI will if you could hold your tongue for just a moment.â
âI thought you were supposed to win tonight, Gale.â
âYes, and I will. You are surely wise enough to understand that victory takes time.â
âMhmm. Your steps towards victory just seem to be making you sweat.â
âI think you are more likely to be the cause of that.â
âSeraphina? Do you have a moment?â
The tiefling and the wizard looked up from the game of lanceboard that they were playing cross-legged on the ground in front of Galeâs tent. Astarion stood over them, his fingers tapping on his leg. Gale gave her a small smile, though she could see the disappointment in his eyes.
âI think I have a long moment while Gale figures out how heâs going to save this game,â Seraphina grinned. âIâll be back,â she said to Gale, standing.
Gale nodded at her as she followed Astarion into his tent. He wasnât moving with his typical swagger and confidence. He seemed stiff and wilted as he kneeled and gestured for her to do the same. She sat and looked at him expectantly.
âI want to thank you,â Astarion said. Seraphina quirked an eyebrow.
âYouâre welcome?â Seraphina replied quizzically.Â
âFor what you said while I was in front of that vile drow. I spent two hundred years using my body to lure pretty things back for my Master. You could have asked me to throw myself at her, what I wanted be damned. But you didnât. And Iâm grateful.â
âAre you getting sentimental on me?â Seraphina smirked.
âOh, donât look at me at like that. Iâm as surprised as you are,â Astarion laughed. âItâs justâŠit would have been so easy to bite her. To just go along with what I was being told to do. A moment of disgust to force myself through. And then I could have carried on, just like before.â
Seraphina shook her head.
âYour life is your own, Astarion. You make your own decisions now.â
âThe entire reason for my existence was to seduce anything with a pulse. And every instinct I have tells me that nothingâs changed,â Astarion frowned. âThat Iâm still just a means to an end. You made me see I never stopped thinking like I was still his slave, even in freedom. But Iâm more than that. More than a thing to be used.â
Seraphina twisted her lips as she considered Astarionâs words.Â
âIf you feel that way about sex, why sleep with me? Did you think youâd get something from it?â
Astarion paused. He lifted one hand and gently grabbed the back of Seraphinaâs neck, pulling her into a kiss. Even with the familiarity of his mouth, this kiss feltâŠdifferent. His tongue moved slowly, greedily, as if he was trying to memorize how her mouth felt. His fingers wandered into her hair and pulled, tilting her head back and making her open up more for him. Seraphinaâs hands went to Astarionâs shoulders, gripping and dragging him closer. His passion made all the breath leave her body.
She felt ready to say it. She wanted to tell him the words that had danced on the edge of her tongue for the last few days. I love you. Despite and because of everything, I love you. He pulled away and she thought he was ready too. A goofy smile made her lips curve up.
Astarion smiled back at her, but it didnât reach his eyes.
âGods, youâre beautiful,â he breathed.
âAll that nearly distracted me from what I asked you,â she replied.
Astarionâs tongue darted out to lick his lips and Seraphina felt his hand tremble on her neck.
âI slept with you because I needed protection. People donât trust vampires â perhaps understandably â so I needed to get someone on my side. And seducing you was easy, frankly,â Astarion said, huffing out a laugh with a gentle smile. âImagine how stupid I felt when I started to genuinely feel something for you.â
Seraphinaâs smile dropped.Â
âTrust me, I was not happy about it. You were a complication in my plan that I didnât see coming. And yetâŠâ Astarion continued. Seraphinaâs blood pumped violently in her ears. Astarionâs hand went from her neck to her cheek, and she snatched away from his touch.
She pored over her memories from the moment she met the vampire. The first night after the nautiloid when she offered to continue traveling together and he told her he didnât want her to run off from him. The subtle and overt flirting that started in private and that soon bled over to often happening in front of the others in their party. All the times heâd held her and kissed her. His rare, but tooth-achingly sweet words of affection that made her insides warm and her heart flutter. All of it a farce.
âAstarionâŠyou were manipulating me while I was â Is this conversation just another part of your plan?â Seraphinaâs voice cracked.
Astarionâs face crumpled.
âIt may have started with dishonest intentions, but thatâs not what it is now. Thatâs not how it has been for some time,â Astarion replied, his tone urgent. âI didnât want to, but I care for you now, and I want you to know the truth. You deserve that.â
âIs there anything else youâre hiding?â
Astarion hesitated, his eyes flickering to the corner of the tent. His gaze returned to her.
âWeâŠhave met before,â Astarion started. âOne night a few years ago in the Blushing Mermaid.â
Seraphinaâs eyes narrowed, searching her brain for the memory. No. Surely, she would remember meeting him. Surely. And yetâŠ
There it was â a foggy half-forgotten memory. In her mindâs eye, among the many drunken nights she had spent at the Blushing Mermaid, there was that one night with the handsome, white-haired stranger that split a bottle of Suzailian Sweet with her. The stranger whose hot kisses and honeyed words nearly led her away from her companions that night. Rose, her halfling companion, had asked about him and Seraphina remembered saying he was a good kisser, but it was weird how cold his skin was.
Astarion wouldâve only been in that tavern trying to seduce her for one reason.
âYou were going to take me back to him,â she murmured.
âYes.â
Bile rose up in Seraphinaâs throat.Â
âWhat is this between us to you now if not something dishonest? What do you want now?â Seraphina demanded.
âIâŠIâm not sure. I have no idea what Iâm doing,â Astarion said, his voice cracked, and her anger dulled for a fraction of second as Astarionâs sudden vulnerability struck her.
âI want usâŠto be something real,â he whispered. Her entire body burned. She felt violently ill as she looked at the man that she had desired to share her soul with. Maybe she still did have that desire. But how could he be trusted?Â
âIâŠI donât know if I can forgive you,â she uttered, her chest tight, her breathing short as if she was wearing thousands of pounds of armor.Â
âSeraphina â â
âGods, I fell in love with you,â she sobbed, her entire body shaking. âWhatever this was is over.â
âI â yes, alright. I can understand,â Astarion replied, deflating instantly, his red eyes glistening. âPerhaps thatâs for the best for both of us. If you want me to leave camp â â
âNo,â she said quickly. âIâŠIâm sorry. IâŠI have to go,â she choked out. Seraphina ran from Astarionâs tent as if she was fleeing a fire.
Why am I apologizing? What do I even have to apologize for?
As she made a beeline towards her own tent, Wyll stood over Galeâs shoulder, offering his lanceboard advice.
âSeraphina, glad that you could return to our â â Galeâs smile dropped when he saw Seraphinaâs face up close. âAre you alright?â
âWe need to get some rest. We have a long walk to get to the mausoleum,â she said shortly, zooming past the two men to dive into her tent. As soon as she entered, it was as if the gate flew open. Her tears flowed and her cries racked her body. She blubbered through a scroll of silence before curling into a ball, her knees tucked to her chest. She sobbed and screamed until her head ached and her throat was raw. She was almost glad that Astarion didnât fight her on her decision. If he had, her resolve mightâve disintegrated to ash.Â
Seraphina couldnât deny that she wanted a real relationship with Astarion. She thought all those sweet moments like that first night in the forest, their late-night conversations, the first time he kissed her â she thought all of it was building towards something beautiful. But now, looking at the beginning, it all feltâŠtainted.
But what if she went back and told him everything that her heart had yearned to say for weeks? What if she said âyesâ to a real relationship with him? Astarion had spent two hundred horrible years not knowing what it felt like to be loved. She wanted to give that to him and experience the true, genuine Astarion. Seraphinaâs stomach flipped. She didnât know if she would ever forget how Astarion had deceived her for so long.Â
And then one thought snuck in unbidden: Gale would never do this to me. He had made his feelings clear at that party after they defended the Grove. He was honestâŠat least she thought he was. She had also thought Astarion was being honest like the fool that she was.Â
She cried until her face and eyes stung and she felt weak. Hours later, she crawled out of her tent and looked around the camp, silent and dark. Without thinking, her feet carried her to the purple tent that had flickers of candlelight peeking out between the flaps.
âGale?â she whispered with a frail voice.
âCome in!â
She stepped inside, carefully dodging a pile of books that had fallen over into the entrance. Gale lounged against a pile of pillows, a brown, well-used book in his hand. His welcoming gaze made her want to throw herself at him so he could hold her all night.
âIâm sorry for interrupting your reading,â the tiefling whispered, her tail twitching as it tried to wrap around her leg.
âOh, thereâs no need to apologize. You are far more interesting than the journals of this Balthazar fellow,â Gale said.
Seraphina quirked an eyebrow,
âI doubt that,â she smirked, trying to let her mood shift. âIâm curious myself what heâs been up to.â
âI wouldâve asked you to join, but it seemed like you needed to be alone,â he replied.
Gale examined her face, his narrowed eyes very briefly darting down to the puffy bite marks on her neck, and his nostrils flared as his eyebrows furrowed.
âDid Astarion hurt you?â he asked.Â
Seraphina sighed, her breath shaking.Â
âItâs complicated,â she responded. âYes, but itâs nothing that canât be remedied.â
Gale frowned, but he gave her a sad, knowing look.
âIt is quite upsetting to witness someone break a heart like yours,â he murmured.
Seraphina thought of Mystra.
âI feel the same way about you,â she said, crawling further into the tent to sit next to him. âAnd then for that same person to demand something horrific of youâŠit is a shame indeed.â
âLetâs not discuss that for now. How about we start from the beginning?â Gale flipped to the start of the journal.
Seraphina sighed. She leaned her head against Galeâs shoulder, and she let his rumbling voice, vibrating from his chest and through her own body, lull her into tranquility. In the back of her mind, she thought of the assassin who was waiting at the docks. Even considering the offer that his goddess extended was blasphemy. Serving Beshaba would be an upheaval of everything that she had been taught and believed in her entire life. And yet the safety of being able to direct misfortune upon her enemies, and away from herself and the people she loved, called to her.
Gale, initially introducing himself to you: I have a pet cat đ and sheâs great đ
Gale, literally any other time: Tara is not just a CAT she is a TRESSYM đĄđĄđĄ she is an accomplished wizard đ§ââïž and my lifelong companion and best friend đŻđŻđŻ
I wonder if there's even a way through this. Yeah, you know, I... I wonder if we might've run out of road. SUCCESSION 4.01 (2023) If you don't win tomorrow, I'll leave you. I'm serious. Does that help you? CHALLENGERS (2024)
I open commissions to visit doctors
I need to visit orthopedist, dentist (to remove a wisdom tooth and treat caries), dermatologist (skin do funny things) and trichologist (i hate my hair condition rn loosing too much hair) so poor girl needs money :(
I appreciate your reblogs <3
Aftermath
Listened to Cinema by Harry Styles writing this...
18+, a note from after the tiefling party.
Taglist:
@boufsy @owlseeyoulaterpal @lanafofana @amorgansgal
@auroraesmeraldarose @aryancunin @miradelletarot @marlowethebard @silent-words
@netherese0rb @sorceresssundries @mumms-the-word @crimson-and-lavender
Tav- I saw you at the party. You should get drunk more, I think. Flushed cheeks look good on you. Your laugh spilling from your lips so easily made me want to pin you underneath me and made me want to hear it again, over and over. Perhaps other things, too. You were quite popular, werenât you? Astarion looked at you like you were a choice little morsel⊠do you want to know how angry that made me? To think of you with him, I⊠well. It would be ungentlemanly of me to say⊠but thereâs a time and place. If I said I wanted to rip you from his arms and taste the wine on your lips, what then? If I said I wanted- want- to press you so close to me I could feel your heart in my own chest, what then? I have destroyed our friendship, I fear. Did you stay with him last night? Are you reading this with the taste of him in your mouth? Tell me. Since thereâs no godsforsaken privacy in this place, Iâll send my simulacrum to fetch you. If you donât arrive by sunset, Iâll know itâs Astarion you want. But if you show up⊠donât expect to rest. You wonât go hungry either. I promise Iâll feed you. Gale
Tav-
I saw you at the party. You should get drunk more, I think. Flushed cheeks look good on you. Your laugh spilling from your lips so easily made me want to pin you underneath me and made me want to hear it again, over and over. Perhaps other things, too. You were quite popular, werenât you? Astarion looked at you like you were a choice little morsel⊠do you want to know how angry that made me? To think of you with him, I⊠well. It would be ungentlemanly of me to say⊠but thereâs a time and place. If I said I wanted to rip you from his arms and taste the wine on your lips, what then? If I said I wanted- want- to press you so close to me I could feel your heart in my own chest, what then? I have destroyed our friendship, I fear. Did you stay with him last night? Are you reading this with the taste of him in your mouth?
Tell me.
Since thereâs no godsforsaken privacy in this place, Iâll send my simulacrum to fetch you. If you donât arrive by sunset, Iâll know itâs Astarion you want. But if you show up⊠donât expect to rest.
You wonât go hungry either. I promise Iâll feed you.
Gale