#he gave Astarion a special cloak

[darkfire359]

Everyone is talking about Astarion’s wonderful plotline, voice, expressions, et cetera et cetera, but no one is talking about what a monster he is in combat. I swear he could 1v3 the rest of my party. Sharpshooter is so busted with dual-wielded hand crossbows and thief rogue, holy shit. Why would I use a bonus action to hide when I have a 95% chance of hitting with a shot that does 1d6+1d4+19 damage (before counting sneak attack) and auto-kills enemies if they have <=10 HP afterwards?

Gloomstalker ranger multiclass means that I get 5 of these attacks on the first turn of combat (actually 7 with bloodlust elixir, i.e. permanent haste that stacks with Haste). Add in 2d6 sneak attack, which will often crit given all those attacks (plus blinding raven familiar + durge cloak invisibility giving advantage) and occasional 1d6 poison damage (if Astarion needed healing for some reason), and he is frequently killing ~200 hp worth of enemies per round.

And with the huge initiative bonus, he usually just wipes them before they even get a turn. Not that them getting a turn would matter—even if they get in range of him, he walks around with 22 AC, a charm reaction, and Protection from Good and Evil giving disadvantage to most everything in Act 2.

And this all consumes 0 resources per fight (though Hasted Astarion is obviously even better). I keep thinking I’ll have to long rest at some point, but I just… don’t. I’ve fought something like 15+ combats today since Act 2 start and everyone is still at full health. One of my short rests I took entirely to renew the charge on a ring of jumping.

I feel like I’m missing out on precious Astarion cutscenes and I have no one to blame but Astarion.

[grandmother-goblin]

Simple Magic

AO3 - Masterlist

Summary: When Sarana shows up to Gale's room with a basket full of food, he invites her in for a drink. Turns out, she had other things on her mind.

Relationships: Gale x Female!Tav

Word Count: 7.3k

Tags: Smut, romance, light dom/dub, blow jobs, cunnilingus, penetrative sex, inappropriate use of mage hand, she calls him "Sir", mild begging, mild praise kink.

A quiet knock on the door to his room pulled Gale out of the book he was reading. He bookmarked his page with a Sorcerer's Sundries receipt and got to his feet, his muscles aching from hours of disuse. “Just a moment,” he called and stretched his arms above his head, trying to wake his body.

“No rush,” Sarana’s distinct voice replied from the other side of the door. It was high pitched and sweet, like a storybook princess or perhaps a fairy. There was an almost whimsical quality to it. If Gale was being completely honest, her voice did not fit the rest of her at all.

Gale quickly checked himself over in the mirror, taking a moment to comb his fingers through his hair and straighten his clothes. He didn’t look his best, but it was good enough. After weeks on the road, Sarana had definitely seen his worst. But still.

Even if Sarana couldn’t be his, he still wanted to look nice for her. It was pathetic really, but Gale just couldn’t seem to get her out of his head.

Though neither of them admitted it, there was something going on between Sarana and Astarion. Gale had noticed her sneaking off to Astarion’s tent every couple of nights, but he didn’t think much of it. He didn’t think it was anything serious. That it was just a little, meaningless fling. That he still had a chance.

Hells, she even got his hopes up. When Sarana’s mind had connected with his whilst they were cloaked in the Weave, she had imagined kissing him. She had wanted him to see the image. Wanted him to see the way she would stand on her toes and loop her arms around his neck as she pressed her lips to his. Her hands tangled in his hair as he lifted her off her feet….

Not only that, she was always flirting with him. Making little excuses to touch him or to have a private conversation. So many private looks and smiles when no one else was looking. Something special just for him.

Or so he thought.

But then he saw Sarana and Astarion embracing one night and…. Well, it wasn’t the kind of embrace he would expect from two people who were just blowing off some steam. Her head tucked against Astarion’s chest as they just held each other, Sarana swaying slightly in a way that made Astarion chuckle. As much as it hurt, it was sweet.

Gale was happy for them.

So instead of humiliating himself, he just let her go. Who was he to get in the way of what she really wanted?

Though part of him couldn’t help but wonder what she saw in Astarion.

Sarana and Astarion seemed to disagree on just about everything. Sometimes, Astarion was downright rude to her, questioning everything from her intelligence to her judgment. On more than one occasion, Gale heard Astarion mutter some snide remark under his breath when Sarana was doing something nice for someone else. The two of them bickered all the time, but perhaps that was just their relationship.

Or perhaps she was only interested in Astarion for his good looks. While Gale thought himself decent in that department (he did get the attention of a goddess after all), there was a reason why Astarion tended to turn heads.

Feelings for Sarana aside, the two of them had a perfectly normal, completely platonic, definitely-not-awkward relationship.

Everything would be fine.

Gale tucked his shirt in and gave himself one last look over before he opened the door.

Standing in the hallway, with a bright smile and blonde hair that shone like gold under the light of wall lanterns, was the gentlest Gith that Gale had ever met.

Lae’zel didn’t even consider Sarana to be a true Githyanki. Or even Githzerai, for that matter. She was only Githyanki (they assumed) by blood alone, having been raised outside of a crèche and away from her kin. According to Sarana, her adoptive parents just found her wandering alongside a country road one day. The couple never discovered where she came from and no one ever came searching for her, so the halflings took Sarana in and raised her as if she were their own.

“Hey,” Sarana greeted with her usual chipper tone as she adjusted a wicker basket under her arm. “I noticed that you didn’t come down for supper so I brought you something to eat since the kitchen closed for the night. Just some fresh fruit, bread, and some really yummy cheeses that I got from the market this afternoon. Oh! And a bottle of wine because I remembered you like this kind. At least, I think you do…”

Sarana thrusted the basket toward him. “Probably not as good as the stuff you can cook, but I didn’t want you going hungry.”

A light chuckle passed his lips, feeling a little flustered over the gesture. Sarana just did things like that. For everyone. She was always looking for a way to lend a helping hand or some way she could give. One time she literally gave a tiefling child her shirt and spent the rest of the afternoon walking around in her bra (not that she or anyone else seemed to mind).

Heat rose to his cheeks as she watched him expectantly with those bright ocean blue eyes. “Thank you,” he said as he accepted the basket. “That’s very kind of you.”

Gods. She was cute. Gale never would have thought the words “Gith” and “adorable” went together until he met Sarana. Slender face with high cheekbones framed with black markings, a petite nose, and full pink lips that seemed to always have a kind word.

How he wished he had had the courage to make a move on her sooner. Perhaps then Astarion wouldn’t have snatched her up.

She was such a good person. A paladin for crying out loud. Sworn to uphold values of mercy, kindness, forgiveness. To be a light in the dark. To stand against wickedness. What would a man like Astarion, who was chaos and debauchery incarnate, want with a woman like her?

It was just that… she really didn’t seem like Astarion’s type.

“Do you want to come in?” he asked before he could really think about it. He really shouldn’t invite a woman to his room so late at night. Especially when that woman was already spoken for.

But another part of him struggled to find any harm in asking. They were friends, after all. They didn’t have to stop spending time with each other just because she was with Astarion. That would have been ridiculous.

Mustering a bit of confidence, he held open the door wider, gesturing for her to come in. “At least share a glass of wine with me,” he said. “I feel like it would be rather sad to enjoy all of this alone, wouldn’t you agree?”

Those captivating eyes of hers widened for a brief moment, as though surprised by the suggestion. He swore he saw a hit of pink coloring her golden cheeks, but it could have been a trick of the light. She twirled a loose strand of hair around her finger as she smiled up at him. “I’d love to share a glass of wine with you,” she said and then she pointed to his chest. “As long as you help me figure out what cheese goes well with it.”

“Oh, it would be my pleasure,” he said as he let the door close behind them. “Back in Waterdeep, I took a class all about wine. The history of it, how to pair it, how to detect the nuances in the flavor. There’s a lot more to it than one might initially suspect.”

Sarana’s eyes glittered in the orange glow of the dwindling fireplace as she listened to his every word. That was something he always liked about her. When he spoke, she listened. Really listened. Given his predisposition for being verbose, he had grown used to people zoning out after a while. But not Sarana.

Gale set the basket down on the little table at the front of his room. He removed the deep red cloth that covered the contents of the basket to find a lovely arrangement of everything Sarana had mentioned, plus a few more items like a small jar of honey and a tin of herbed butter. “You brought a feast,” he chuckled as he removed the bottle of wine. “Surely you don’t think I eat this much.”

“I didn’t know what you’d want to try,” she said, holding her palms out in a gesture that suggested she meant no insult.

With a simple hand gesture, he uncorked the bottle of wine and floated over two wine glasses from the cupboard. “The thought is very much appreciated,” he said as he poured a healthy amount of wine for them both. “Wine first, then we’ll figure out what cheese will go best with it.”

Her fingers brushed against when he handed her a glass, and he tried to ignore the little spark that shot through him. Gods, he was like a teenage boy with his first crush. Just a simple touch from her and his skin felt like it was on fire. It was embarrassing.

What was worse was the fact that Gale could never act on those feelings. Even if Sarana was interested in reciprocating, he couldn’t bear the thought of playing second fiddle to someone else. He couldn’t do that to himself. Or to Astarion, for that matter. Though they had their differences, Gale wasn’t about to try to whisk away someone who undoubtedly made Astarion happy.

The man needed a good influence in his life. Gale didn’t understand their relationship, he wasn’t about to drive a wedge between them.

But still…. The temptation was there. To test the waters, so to speak. After all, Sarana was interested in him once upon a time. Maybe, just maybe, some of those feelings still lingered.

Before he could indulge that thought any further, he took a sip of his wine. It had raspberry overtones, but it was also pleasantly acidic. One that he definitely pointed out to Sarana once before. He let the flavor linger in his mouth as he watched Sarana take a sip from her own glass.

Her delicate pink tongue darted out to catch a little droplet of wine on her lower lip. “So tell me what you’ve been up to today,” she said, her voice bright and friendly as she took a seat at the end of his bed. “I was worried you weren’t feeling well.”

Some part of his brain screamed at him to sit next to her. Side by side on the bed, where they could inch closed together as they talked in hushed whispers and he could— no. He couldn’t let his mind go there.

Gale sat down in the same armchair he had been in practically all day. A perfectly respectful and friendly distance away from the bed.

It had always been easy for him to talk to Sarana. She was an active listener and always had a good question or funny remark about whatever they were discussing. Oftentimes, Gale ended up dominating the conversation, but she never seemed to mind one bit. She would sit quietly and listen to him for hours, her curious eyes on him the entire time.

Yet, he couldn’t help but feel like there was something a little different that night. Something about the way she paid attention to him. It was subtle. Her eyes were on him as they always were, but they were wandering. Like she was taking in every detail, watching his lips as he talked, darting to his legs when he shifted in his seat. But her expression was as bright and friendly as always.

Perhaps she was just a little distractible due to the late hour and a bit of wine.

When Gale finished his wine, Sarana stood from the bed with her own empty glass. “I should listen to your wine recommendations more often,” she said and held out her hand for his glass. “Want to have another glass with me?”

“Are you trying to get me drunk?” he teased and passed her his empty glass.

“It wouldn’t be the worst thing.” She giggled and refilled the glasses, pouring them a little less than he had poured them. “I’d probably get to hear you tell me more about Tara.”

He leaned back in his chair with a small smile on his lips, watching as Sarana put the stopper in the wine bottle. In that moment she had her back turned, his eyes trailed down her slender body.

Soft pink leggings clung to her curves and she paired them with a flowing white top detailed with gold embroidery. The shirt was cut low in the back, held together by a gold clasp at the nape of her neck. One of the first things she did when they got to Baldur’s Gate was march right up to one of the finest clothing shops in the city and bought an armful of new clothes. Though he was accustomed to her heavy armor or her more casual clothes, she seemed more at home in her new outfits.

When Sarana passed Gale his wine glass, he expected her to return to her spot on the bed. But she didn’t. Instead she seated herself right on the arm of his chair. Close enough that he could feel the heat of her body and smell her perfume. Something feminine and sweet, like jasmine and vanilla mixed with something he couldn’t quite place.

“But if it’s all the same to you, I’d rather talk about something else,” she said and crossed one leg daintily over the other. “Something that has been on my mind for a while now.”

Gale swallowed.

She was so close he wanted nothing more than to pull her into his lap. To feel her weight on him and the warmth beneath the palms of his hands. He would caress her as he whispered adorations in her ear.

Instead, he cleared his throat and shifted away as far from her as the chair would allow. She was with Astarion, he told himself over and over in his mind. He had to respect that. Even if at that moment, he really didn’t want to.

“By all means,” he said, doing his best not to let his discomposure sneak into his tone. “What’s on your mind?”

She took a sip of wine and set the glass down on the end table. “You, mostly.”

Something in his brain sputtered. “Me?” he asked, blinking at her. “What did I do?”

The levity he forced into the question was false, but the way his heart pounded in his chest was very real. Sarana hadn’t even finished her thought, and his heart already wanted through itself at her. Gale reined in back with another sip of wine.

“Nothing at all,” Sarana said and lightly touched his arm, making his skin prickle. “Well, nothing bad. At least, I hope you won’t see it as a bad thing.”

Gale stared at where her fingertips touched his sleeve for a moment before he looked back to her, his brow furrowed.

Her hand squeezed his arm as she took a deep breath. “I like you, Gale,” she said. “I really like you and I have for a long time. You’re amazing and kind and funny and your friendship means the world to me. I don’t want to lose that, but I would never forgive myself if I didn’t at least… ask if you wanted to be something more?”

Warmth rose to his cheeks as he stared at Sarana, almost dumbfounded. A bright, giddy feeling that bloomed in his chest was quickly swallowed up by dread. Disappointment. And, ultimately, sadness.

Gods, he wanted to tell her he felt the same way. He did feel the same way. He wanted to let her know how he longed for her as well.

But he couldn’t.

With a heavy sigh, Gale stared into his wine glass like it was a divination pool, looking for the right words. The right way to answer. “I care for you deeply, Sarana, but — ” he turned toward the fireplace as if he could watch any lingering hope he had for a relationship with her go up in flames “ — Even if Astarion would be okay with the idea, I just can’t do that. I’m sorry.”

“What?” Sarana leapt off the arm of the chair, startled like a cat who had their tail stepped on. Her face paled and she covered her mouth with her hands. “Oh my gods, I feel like such a bitch. I didn’t realize you two were a thing. I’m the one who should be sorry. I never would have said anything if I had known.”

Gale’s head whipped toward her, his brow furrowed as his brain processed what she had said. “What?” he asked incredulously. “Where the Hells did you get that idea? How could — you’re the one in his tent every night.”

“I don’t know what he does after he drinks my blood!” she replied, looking positively mortified. “Should I leave? I should probably leave. Please don’t tell Astarion about this. I think the only reason he tolerates me is because I feed him.”

“Wait, wait, wait.” He stood from the chair and set his glass on the fireplace mantle. “You sneak off to his tent every night so he can drink your blood?”

Sarana just blinked at him, looking adorably (infuriatingly) confused. “Only if he doesn’t get it from somewhere else during the day,” she said like it was completely normal. “I have a spell so I can heal it right away, so it’s not an inconvenience for me. I just don’t want him going hungry.”

Gale pinched the bridge of his nose and took one deep breath in, then out. A bizarre mixture of frustration and elation ebbed and flowed inside him, neither one overpowering the other. “So you and Astarion aren’t in a relationship?”

“No!” she said, her eyes big and sincere. “I care about him, but like he’s my annoying little sister. Not… ew. I don’t even want to say it out loud.”

The look on Sarana’s face was all the confirmation Gale needed. He didn’t need the tadpole or to detect her thoughts to know if she was telling the truth: Sarana and Astarion were never in a relationship.

He had been mistaken.

The times in which Gale felt like an idiot were few and far between, but at that moment he felt like a complete moron. Gale screwed his eyes shut and took another deep breath. “This whole time I thought you and him were together.”

Sarana’s mouth fell open and he could practically see the wheels in her head turning. “Oh,” she said. “I guess I could see how you would think that given… yeah.”

At a rare loss for words, he could only hum in agreement, his mouth drawn into a thin line.

For a few moments, they just stood there with nothing but the sound of the fireplace crackling between them. The soft orange glow from the fire flickered across her skin, making her look as though she were bathed in golden light. Like a goddess. A very embarrassed, slightly confused and uncomfortable goddess, but a goddess nonetheless.

He had spent weeks denying his feelings, trying to protect himself from inevitable heartbreak. Just the thought alone that Sarana was already in a relationship was enough to keep the emotions he felt around her at bay. But as soon as he knew that wasn’t the case, it was like a floodgate had been opened, overwhelming him in the best possible way.

A smile tugged at his lips as his heart tried to pound right out of his chest. “Sarana,” he said, his voice much steadier than he felt. “I’ve been in love with you almost since the moment we met. I just haven’t said anything bec— ”

He didn’t get to finish that thought as Sarana flung herself at him with enough momentum to throw him off balance, making him stumble back into the armchair. Her body molded against his as she captured his lips with her own. It surprised him enough that his hands remained suspended in the air for a few seconds before he enclosed his arms around her and kissed her back.

Her knees pressed against either side of his hips, straddling him. Soft hands cupped his face as she kissed him as though she could breathe him in. Her fingers threaded into his hair, pulling his head back slightly so she could deepen the kiss. A tremor went through him when her tongue slipped past his lips and his trousers suddenly felt a little too tight.

It had been so long since he had been kissed. With Mystra, their time together was spent in the Weave. Incorporeal, ethereal, wonderful in its own way. But it was nothing like this. Nothing like the simple magic of a real kiss.

Gale’s hands traced over the vault of her ribcage and down to the slight swell of her hips as he breathlessly broke away. “I take it that the feeling is mutual then,” he said, his mouth brushing against hers as he spoke.

“Gods, yes,” she said and her mouth crashed down on him once again. When the velvety tip of her tongue brushed over his lips, he opened to her again, tasting the wine on her breath as he drank her in. With her sharp little teeth, she gently nipped his lower lip in a way that caused pleasure to pool in the pit of his stomach.

There had been so many nights when Gale had woken up with his face flushed and his cock half-hard from just dreaming of such a moment. A moment of her in his arms, wanting him, her lips against his as their bodies pressed together as if they could fuse into a single being. The real thing was so much better than his dreams. The dreams never told him how warm she would be, how soft her skin would feel, or how she would caress his face like he was the most precious thing she had ever held.

His hands lowered from her hips over the curve of her backside and gripped her thighs. His lips trailed down the column of her neck, from the pulse point beneath her jaw to the pesky neckline of her blouse. Without even thinking, he reached up and undid the clasp at the back of her neck, letting the top pool around her waist. Her breath came in soft gasps as his mouth traversed the newly revealed flesh.

His parted lips dragged slowly over the slight curve of her breast, over the scars and adorable black markings that dotted her skin. When his mouth closed around the sensitive, pink peak, Sarana arched into him. He flicked his tongue over her, and she moaned when his teeth grazed against her skin as he sucked gently. His hand covered her other breast and shaped her in his palm.

“Gale,” she gasped as her hips rolled against the thick ridge in his trousers, her fingers tight in his hair. “Take me to bed. Please. I need you so badly.”

Gods, if he didn’t need her too. His cock ached, desperate to be inside of her. His flesh burned with the desire to meld against her own, without a single barrier between them.

But he was an arch mage. Mystra’s former Chosen. A master of the Weave. He didn’t want to disappoint Sarana by just throwing her on the bed and rutting into her like a mad beast. Not when he had so many other wonderful things at his disposal.

He wouldn’t dare give Sarana any less than he gave Mystra. Not when Sarana deserved so much more.

“I can do more than just take you to bed,” he replied as he caught her gaze, her cheeks flushed pink and her eyes dark with desire. “I can take you places beyond your wildest imagination. Make you feel sensations most mortals would never get to experience. We could bond in the way the gods do, intertwining our spirits in the Weave.”

Her fingers trailed from his face to his throat as she traced the dark lines of the Netherese mark beneath his skin. “I don’t want magic,” she said and began to work on the buttons of his shirt. “I just want you.”

Gale felt himself frown slightly. Not because he was upset, but rather confused. Magic was his entire life. Separating him from magic was akin to separating from his own heart or lungs. It was a part of him.

But perhaps Sarana didn’t see it that way.

“Are you sure?” he asked, his throat feeling a little tight as she slipped his shirt from his shoulders. Once his arms were free from his sleeves, he grasped the curve of her backside and gave her a squeeze. “I could conjure up anything you could possibly dream of. We could go anywhere, do whatever your heart desires.”

“Whatever my heart desires, huh?” she asked, something mischievous sneaking past the lust in her eyes. As she leaned close to his ear, he felt her hand reach between them and undo the buttons of his trousers. “In that case, why don’t we take off the rest of our clothes,” she said as her fingers ghosted over his erection through his briefs.

He pressed himself into her palm. “I thought that much was a given.”

“Then,” she said and nipped his earlobe, sending a shiver down his spine as she started to stroke him, “I want you to sit back and relax while I suck your cock.”

Gale nearly choked on his tongue.

That couldn’t honestly be the first thing on her mind. Could it?

Out of all the things he expected to come out of Sarana’s mouth, what she just suggested wasn’t even close to the top of the list. It wasn’t even in the top ten.

He cleared his throat. “Surely there are other things you’d want to do.”

“Of course there are,” she said as she kissed down his neck, nipping at him in a way that would definitely leave a mark. “But I’ve been thinking about this in particular for a long time.”

Before he could figure out how to reply, Sarana removed the rest of her top and slipped out of her tight leggings, baring herself completely to him. With a sultry grin, she lowered herself to the floor between his knees.

Big blue eyes looked up at him so sweetly as she hooked her fingers into the waistband on his briefs. Gale lifted his hips, allowing her to tug his pants and briefs off of him, freeing his cock. It bounced just inches from her face, hard, thick, and desperate.

“Sarana,” Gale said, at a loss for words for the second time that evening. Part of him wanted to tell her that she didn’t need to do that. That her pleasure was more important than his own. It had been so long since he had been pleasured in such a way, he wasn’t even sure if he wanted—

That thought stopped in its tracks the moment he felt her warm, wet mouth wrapped around the head of his cock. Then her tongue flitted over the tip, tasting him, and his body nearly jerked in response. Her hot breath fanned across the tip of his shaft. “Gods, you’re gorgeous,” she said as she held him in her hands, admiring him for a moment before meeting his probably lust-filled gaze. “Let me take care of you.”

The gentleman in him warred with his baser urges. The gentleman would take things slower. The gentleman would take care of her needs first. Yet, the gentleman also could never have imagined the sight before him — Sarana kneeling between his legs, her blonde hair cascading down her back in golden waves, and her hand wrapped lovingly around his cock.

The gentleman could piss the Hells off.

Gale threaded his fingers through her hair and guided her closer. “I suppose I can indulge you,” he said and summoned a spectral hand. “So long as you don’t mind if I take care of you as well.”

“Careful, Gale,” Sarana said and licked him again, teasing him. “You’ll spoil me.”

He nearly lost his concentration on the spectral hand when her lips closed around the head of his cock, sucking lightly. His head fell back against the armchair as she took him further into her mouth with an edacious moan.

For a moment, not a single thought entered his mind. It was just the sensation of her warm, wet mouth sliding up and down his length, the gentle way she caressed his balls. And that view. The sight of her on her knees, lips wrapped around his cock while she gazed up at him adoringly. Like there was nowhere else in the world she would rather be.

The spectral hand coasted down the curves of her body with a feather light touch. Gale couldn’t feel what the hand felt, but he could control it as if it were his own. When the spectral hand dipped between her legs, Sarana moaned around his cock as the hand fingered her. Closing her eyes, she rocked into the motion.

“Fuck,” Gale hissed. His fingers tightened in her hair as he lifted his hips, urging her to take him deeper as the spectral hand picked up speed.

Sarana whined around his length, but she took him beautifully. The movement of her hips started to grow erratic as she fucked the spectral hand, and he cupped the back of her head as if to steady her. “That’s it,” he whispered as he forced himself further into her mouth. “Just a little more.”

She relaxed her jaw as his cock slid along the length of her tongue. Deeper and deeper. Her eyes began to water and she looked up at him adoringly even as the head of his cock nudged the back of her throat. But she didn’t pull back. If anything, it seemed to turn her by the way her hips were moving faster.

“Look at you,” he said as she took him to the hilt. “You’re so damn perfect.”

That little bit of praise seemed to send her right over the edge. She moaned around his solid length, riding out her orgasm even as she continued to suck him. It was too much. It took everything he had not to come right then and there.

He slipped his cock from her eager mouth before he could unload down her throat. She stared up at him with her reddened lips, her eyes dark with lust as she ran her hands along his thighs.

With his fist still in her hair, Gale tilted her head back and crushed his mouth against hers in a bruising kiss. He wasn’t sure where the bit of roughness had come from, but Sarana seemed to enjoy it. Maybe she was a little more Githyanki than either of them originally thought.

“Get on the bed,” he ordered and nipped her lower lip.

Her lips brushed against his when she spoke. “Yes, Sir.”

If Gale thought he couldn’t get any more aroused, those two words had proved him wrong. His cock twitched, eager for more attention as Sarana strutted over to the edge of the bed. Leaning back slightly when she sat, she spread her thighs, watching him beneath her thick lashes. Then she dragged a fingertip through her folds, looking at him as if to say ‘What are you waiting for?’

Sarana was his. After all that time pining over her, believing she was with another man, she was finally his. It was like she flipped some sort of switch in her brain. She might have called him ‘Sir’, but the gentleman in him was long gone. The man that took his place knew only carnal desire and possession. That man wanted nothing more than to claim her in the most primal way.

He stalked over to her slowly, his eyes locked on where she touched herself. With just a thought, the spectral hand gathered both of her wrists together in a tight grip. He took her jaw in his hand and kissed her softly, trying to convey something. What that something was, he didn’t quite know. Perhaps he just wanted to assure her that she was still precious to him, even if he was being a little rougher than he normally was.

But he liked it. Dominating her. Having her at his whims. How she so willingly placed herself under his control.

He liked it a lot. And she clearly liked it too.

Smiling into the kiss, Sarana arched her back so her stiff nipples brushed against his chest. “How do you want me, Sir?”

“Bend over,” he said, his voice sounding almost like a growl and completely unfamiliar to his own ears.

Obediently, she did exactly as he asked. The spectral hand yanked her forward until her top half was against the bed with her ass in the air. Her pussy was pink and glistening with her arousal. With her face pressed against the bed, she tossed her hair over her shoulder so she could watch him from the corner of her eye.

He gripped her upper thighs, spreading her wider. Then his hands coasted up the curve of her asscheeks, massaging the firm flesh. There was a sudden desire to mark her skin, to claim her in some private way that only he knew about. He dropped to his knees and gently nipped the junction between her ass and her thigh, making her jump.

“Aren’t you a pretty sight,” Gale murmured, nibbling around the curve of her ass as she trembled with need. When he reached her center, he inhaled her scent like a bloody animal before he buried his tongue in her cunt.

Sarana gasped as he fucked her with his mouth. “Oh my gods,” she said as he flicked his tongue over her clit. He spread her wider before devouring her again, alternating between licking and spearing her until she was a shaking mess. “Fuck, I’m going to come.”

A soft cry tore from her lips as he drank in her orgasm. Her clit was so swollen and sensitive to the slightest touch she nearly screamed when he dragged his fingers through her folds as he stood behind her.

Her pussy was still pulsing when his fingers slipped inside her. “Was that too much?” he asked, his voice low and husky. “Or is there more I can do for you?”

“More, Sir,” she whined. “Please.”

“You’ll have to tell me what you want.”

“You,” she said as she squirmed on his hand. She tilted her hips up, desperate for something bigger than just his fingers. “I want you in me.”

Gale withdrew his fingers. “What was that?” he asked and gripped his length in his hands, but didn’t touch her yet. “I’m not sure I heard you.”

“Sir.” She tried to rock back, searching for him, but he gripped her hips and held her still. “I want your cock, Sir. Please.”

“Well,” he said and notched himself against her entrance. “Since you asked so nicely.”

With his hands on her hips, he held her still. Then he slowly eased his way into her, savoring the sight of her taking every inch of his cock.

A breathless “yes” passed Sarana’s lips once he sank into her completely, and she tried to shove herself back against him with need. She writhed helplessly around his solid length with a whine.

Gale groaned at the way she felt around him. So tight and warm and slick. “You take me so well,” he said with a shallow thrust. “Do you want me to be gentle or — ”

“Rough, Sir” she said. “As hard as you can. We can be gentle later.”

In all of his fantasies involving Sarana, he never imagined taking her like this. He imagined candlelit dinners and making love in the Weave or in a bed covered in rose petals. It should have been romantic. He should have done it right for her.

Yet, none of that mattered. He didn’t need to impress her. He didn’t need to put on a show. Sarana wanted him; no magic required.

Well… mostly. She certainly didn’t seem to object to the spectral hand, but that was beside the point. Sarana liked him just as he was. Not as a wizard or as a prodigy or for the things he could do with the Weave, but as a man. And that meant the world to him. She meant the world to him.

The spectral hand kept her wrists pinned to the bed, holding her in place as Gale pulled out almost completely. Sarana whined and wiggled her hips, desperately trying to get him deeper.

Gale’s fingers dug into her hip bones and he plunged back into her so hard that the bed shifted. A pleasured moan ripped from Sarana’s throat as she tilted her hips to meet him. Her breath came in harsh pants as he slammed into her over and over again.

Sweat slicked down their bodies, making it easy for his hands to slide over her. He leaned forward, kissing the back of her neck as his hand found her breasts. As his thrusts became slower he could feel her hot cunt clenching around her. She was so close. Each moan she made, each breath she took, grew closer and closer together.

When his fingers found her clit, her whole body tensed as her walls gripped his cock. Sarana trembled as another orgasm tore through her, her cunt fluttering around him as she moaned his name.

His own muscles grew tight as he slammed into her. Firm, steady movements quickly became rough and erratic. With two more bruising thrusts, his hips snapping around the curve of her ass, he groaned as he found his release. Her pussy pulsed around his length as he spilled inside her.

With just a thought, he dismissed the spectral hand and freed Sarana’s wrists. He flipped her over, needing to be face to face with her. To make sure she was okay. “I wasn’t too rough, was I?”

“You were perfect.” She smiled up at him. Bright, beautiful, and full of love in her eyes. It was the way she had always looked at him, but now he saw that warm gaze in a whole new light. She wrapped her legs around him, pressing his still firm length against her core as she looped her arms around his neck.

Gale brushed a strand of hair away from her face as he grinned back at her. He pressed his forehead to hers. “Stay with me tonight?” he asked as his hands cupped her face, stroking the black markings that dotted her cheeks.

“I’ll stay with you as long as you’ll have me,” she replied and pressed her lips softly against his.

Then she made a faint whining sound, a sound that she made when she was unsure or embarrassed. Sarana looked away toward the wicker basket that still sat on the table, full of untouched food.

“Is there something wrong?” Gale held her chin between his fingers, turning her attention back on him.

Sarana bit her lower lip. “That… uhm. That wasn’t too much too soon, was it?” she asked, her voice small as her eyes looked anywhere but at him. “I feel like we should have at least gone out to dinner first but I — ” she chuckled and played with the hair at the nape of his neck “ — I’ve been wanting to do that for a long time.”

“I’ve been wanting that for a long time too,” he said and her eyes finally settled back on him. “As for dinner, well, you tried but we failed colossally on that front. Besides, I don’t think I would have made it to dessert before I’d try to get you alone.”

Sarana laughed. “I don’t think I would have made it past the appetizers.”

“How about this,” Gale said and kissed the corner of her jaw. “Let’s wash up, have some dinner, and then I’ll take you to breakfast tomorrow morning. There’s a great restaurant that overlooks the water and I heard they have some of the best coffee in the city.”

She cupped his cheek and brought his mouth to hers. “It sounds like a date.”

—

Waking up with Sarana in his arms was a feeling Gale wouldn’t trade for all the riches in the world. He hugged her close, her back to his front, his cock already thick and hard against the curve of her backside from the moment he woke up. Sarana tilted her hips back in invitation, and he slid into her welcoming heat.

He rocked into her with steady, unhurried strokes. His fingers rubbed lazy circles around her clit as he kissed her neck. It wasn’t long before her breath quickened as she came around him, and his release followed behind shortly after.

Yes. Waking up with Sarana was something he could definitely get used to.

Although he would have loved to have stayed in bed with her all morning, reality awaited just outside the door. Mindflayers, demons, the Absolute, the damn tadpole that was still lodged in their heads. But still, it was nice to pretend for a while that it was just the two of them and the rest of the world didn’t exist.

Somehow, with great effort, they both managed to get dressed again and made themselves presentable. Or, at the very least, tried to make it so it wasn’t obvious to everyone that they had spent the last twelve hours in bed, only seven of which were spent sleeping. They both had slight dark circles under their eyes but that seemed to be the worst of it.

Once they were out of the bedroom, Sarana leaned close to Gale as they made their way down to the first floor of the tavern. “Do you think we should tell people about us?” she asked.

The question made him smile. Us. Him and her together. He could still scarcely believe it. How everything had happened for them to finally be together. Separated by a stupid misunderstanding.

“I wouldn’t worry about that,” Gale said and placed his hand on the small of her back. “They’ll all find out in their own — ”

The moment they reached the main room of the tavern, Astarion greeted them with a knowing, shit-eating, grin. “Well good morning,” he drawled as he leaned his elbows on the table where he was seated, resting his chin atop his folded hands. “You two look like you slept well.”

Jaheira scoffed into her coffee. “Looks like they haven’t slept at all.”

“Stay up late having fun, did you?” Minsc added without bothering to look up from feeding Boo a carrot. “Not to worry. Minsc heard not a peep!”

Knowing Minsc, that statement could either mean he actually heard nothing at all, or he heard everything. His face did not give the answer away, and Gale was afraid to ask for clarification.

Just as Sarana’s face was turning from gold to a lovely shade of scarlet, Jaheira rolled her eyes and said, “Walls are thick. We didn’t hear anything.”

Sarana did not seem completely assured by Jaheira’s words as she took a step back towards the stairs. “You know what,” she said with a sheepish laugh. “I forgot my shopping basket upstairs. I’m going to go get that really quick.”

As much as Gale wanted to pull her into a hug, to assure her they had nothing to be embarrassed about, he let her go. If she needed a moment to breathe, then who was he to stop her? “While you’re up there, can you grab the green book from my dresser?” he asked. “I need to return it to the library.”

“Yes, Sir,” Sarana said and darted up the stairs.

Heat rose up Gale’s neck and Astarion choked on his drink.

Oh, he wouldn’t hear the end of that any time soon.

[thebawdybaldurian]

The Birds and the Bees

Summary: Halsin presents Tav with an unusual birthday gift, stalking her across the city, and teasing her with a series of mind-bending orgasms, before finally catching his beloved prey.

Content and Warnings: Halsin x female Tav. Predator/prey/hunt kink, use of a magical sex toy, public teasing/arousal, public masturbation, masturbation with clothes, olfactophilia, knotting, arousal as a wild shaped druid, light breeding kink, edging, oral sex, PIV sex, biting.

“Happy birthday, my heart,” Halsin handed Tav a box about the size of his palm.

It was made entirely of natural materials and quite beautiful in itself. She opened it, finding something nestled between two layers of silk. It was carved of smooth wood and resembled a long, narrow beehive with a large bee connected via a trail of honey. Tav looked at it curiously. The way it was sculpted, it didn’t appear to be for decor, as it would tip over if you tried to stand it up. “It’s lovely,” she smiled. “What is it exactly?”

“A special hive for my queen,” he smiled, taking it from her and sinking to his knees. He tucked his head under her skirt and pulled her panties down a bit.

“Oh?” She gasped as he nuzzled against her clit, sliding his tongue between her folds.

He held back the usual greediness of his tongue, intending only to make her slick for what he planned next. He slipped the ridged hive inside her, hearing a knowing moan escape her lips. The bee nestled snuggly against her clit, forming a very inventive sex toy. He slipped her panties back up to hold the toy in place and escaped from under her skirt. “Does this do what I think it does?” She looked down at him with blushed cheeks.

He smiled with a nod, pulling a small, stone-like object from the pocket of his robe. He slid his thumb across it, an aura of arcane purple light beginning to pulse across it. Tav felt a pulse as well, between her legs, the toy buzzing to life. “Mmmm,” she grinned widely, shifting her hips a little. He slid his thumb over the stone again and dispelled the magical bond between the two items as she let out a disappointed sighed.

“Not to worry, my love,” he grinned mischievously. “I just wanted to give you an easy head start before I seek out my prey. Once the stone is activated, it works in proximity to the hive��the closer I get to you, the harder it thrums.

“Really?” She smiled widely.

“Tracking just your scent through the city would be difficult…I’ll listen for you whimpers too.”

“Oh my…” She giggled amorously, pulsing her muscles against the ridged object nestled in her canal. “You’ve been talking to Astarion, haven’t you? About teasing me in public?”

“He suggested something of the kind…and I know how much you enjoyed Nym’s vibrating toy. She put me in touch with the maker of hers and I had this commissioned for you.

“That’s so incredibly sweet…and sexy,” she shifted again, feeling the throb between her legs only getting worse. “This will slow me down a bit…so give me a decent head start, yeah?”

“Thirty minutes?” he asked, giving her a long kiss. “Since you know this city much better than I?”

“Deal,” she grunted as his hips pressed the bee harder against her clit.

She walked with a slight awkwardness to grab her shoes and cloak, slipping them both on. Halsin gave her one last kiss goodbye before sending her off into the city. Her awkward gait remained, as each step shifted the toy inside and against her. She’d only gotten a few blocks away before her panties were completely soaked. It was quite crowded this deep in the city and she only had half an hour before he would be activating the toy. She needed to get outside the city as quickly as possible before the sensations overwhelmed her.

She could hide a little in her long cloak, but there would be little to prevent anyone from hearing even her quietest cries. She continued walking, each stride bumping the bee against her clit. She already felt her knees wobbling a little and knew she wouldn’t make it far in this state. She turned south towards the docks, hoping to snag a ride on one of the carts headed out of the city. She was near trembling by the time she made it to the harbor, her clit throbbing angrily and begging for release.

“Pardon, sir,” she asked an older dwarf who was almost finished packing up a wagon full of spices that was headed for Candlekeep. “Could I trouble you for a ride to the city gates? I’m supposed to be meeting someone there, but feeling a little ill on my feet.”

The man looked her over, sucking his teeth loudly. “You got coin? You ain’t gonna git sick all over my merchandise?”

“No sir,” she shook her head, fumbling in the pocket of her cloak, hoping to find a few spare coins. She hadn’t thought to grab her handbag. She found a few copper, hoping it would be enough. He frowned at the amount. “I’ll sit in the back, not trouble you a bit.”

“Alright,” he finally conceded, nudging one of the crates further back so there was room for her to nestle against the tail gate of the wagon.

“Thank you,” she began to climb up, stumbling a bit as she felt the hive activate with a low hum. “Ahhhh,” she gasped, her face turning bright red.

“You sure yer alright? Maybe you should go to a healer instead?” He asked as she quivered into a sitting position.

“Yes, I’m fine,” she insisted, clutching tightly to her dress under her cloak. “The person I am meeting is a great healer…he’ll….umm…get me taken care of quickly.”

“Just holler if you want me to stop and let you out if you feel sick,” he shut the gate and ambled towards the front of the wagon.

She nodded, slipping a hand down the neck of her dress to pinch her nipple, needing another sensation to focus on before she erupted from the vibration between her legs. She covered her mouth with her other hand, muffling the squeak of desperation as the toy slowly melted her cunt. She said a silent prayer of thanks as the wagon crawled to a start, the wheels rumbling loudly on the cobblestone street.

“Fuck,” she whimpered, reaching down to pull her dress up and push her panties aside. The hive slipped out a bit, dripping with honey, but she took a firm hold of it. She needed to come, hoping that an orgasm would satisfy her for the moment and help her endure the continuous hum. She eased the ridged hive slowly back and forth, allowing her clit a brief respite from the buzzing bee. She used the natural bumping of the wagon to ride out a quick, but dizzying climax. She’d swallowed her moans as best she could, hoping the loud clatter of the wagon had covered the rest.

She craned her neck to look over at the driver, who seemed oblivious to the personal aroma she was adding to his spiced goods.

After activating the stone, Halsin had taken his time leaving the house. He was already half-aroused from the thought of Tav dripping a trail of honey across the city and began to rub himself, burying his face in one of her shirts. Her scent put him in a frenzy and he soon found himself fully stiff and fucking the soft fabric. He didn’t allow himself to spill inside it, milking all his arousal down into the thickening knot at the base of his cock.

With her scent embedded in his nose and the primal need to bury himself in her, he set off, wild shaping into a scraggly street dog. The mingling aromas of the city made it difficult to keep track of her, forcing him to pause frequently to pinpoint a direction. She’d initially been heading in the direction of Wyrm’s Crossing, but had made a turn south at some point. He found a tiny dot of her honey on the street that led towards the docks. He lapped it up, trying to think of what she might be up to. Would she jump on a boat to make things even more difficult for him?

He followed the trail of her honey, lapping up every spot and only making himself more excited. He had to stop at one point to lick his cock back into submission. By the time he arrived at the docks, he had several un-spayed wharf bitches trailing around him, whimpering and presenting themselves to him.

“Ahhh look at the balls on that ol’ boy!” One of the stevedores noticed the harem of dogs trailing behind Halsin. “Gonna be a lot of hungry pups on the street this winter,” he nudged his compatriot.

Halsin suddenly shifted back into his humanoid form, glaring at the man. “If these dogs had owners that properly cared for them, that wouldn’t be an issue,” he growled.

“Easy druid, I just try to keep them fed,” the man held up his hands in fear. “I can’t really stop them from fucking all the time.”

“You could if you had them all fixed. It is a simple spell,” Halsin replied, trying to soften his anger a bit.

“Yeah, and do you see a lot of wizard-types around here?” The man eased a little, glancing down at the thick bulge tenting against Halsin’s robes. “We siphon what we can from the meat wagons, but none of us have coin for that sort of thing.”

“Then I will come by myself one of these days,” Halsin gently scratched behind the ears of some of the confused dogs still circling him, wondering where their stud had gone.

“That’d be swell…some of the lads and I…could offer some sort of…recompense,” the stevedore swallowed hard, glancing down at Halsin’s erection again. “Quite eagerly, in fact.”

“I need no compensation…or favors,” Halsin caught both the man’s meaning and lingering eye. “Though, did you happen to see another elf pass through here recently? Golden hair and wearing a green cloak?”

“Uh maybe…Sal?” He asked his compatriot, who had been silent and stunned by Halsin’s transformation. He’d never seen anyone wild shape before.

“Uhhhh,” the younger man shook his mind clear. “Yeah, I think so. Pretty, but looked in a bit of distress?”

“That’s her,” Halsin smiled a little.

“Hopped on a spice cart that was headed east.”

“Thank you,” Halsin nodded. “I’ll come by as soon as I can to help with the dogs.” He wild shaped into a falcon and took off into the air, leaving the two men speechless again.

“By Umberlee, I’d suck the sea out of that man,” the older stevedore sighed, shifting his cock around.

“Do…you think they ever…fuck in beast shape?” The younger man wondered, shifting his cock as well.

“The hells if I know,” the other man replied, shooing the whimpering dogs away so they could get back to work.

Halsin soared overhead, scanning the streets for any wagons traveling east. He could have easily tracked the scent of the spices, but since Tav had gone more mobile, he decided he should as well. It also helped that he didn’t have a cock in this form, though his cloaca was still swollen and throbbing. He circled a few different wagons before finally spotting one with a green-cloaked figure reclined in the back.

Satisfied by her first climax, Tav had sunk back against the side of the wagon, trying to catch her breath. The numb satisfaction of her clit had been manageable, until the vibrations increased in intensity. “No,” she whimpered quietly as her body began to quiver again. “How did he catch up on such a lead?”

She sunk further into the bed of the wagon, lifting her knees up slightly and bracing her feet against the opposite side of the wagon. She lay writhing under her cloak, trying to endure the growing stimulation. She glanced up into the sky, seeing a bird circling far overhead. “Is that you, my bear?” She asked quietly to herself, pulling her cloak open to reveal her naked, dripping thighs. Her dress was still pulled up around her waist and there was a little puddle forming on the cloak underneath her. “I hope so,” she spread her legs wide, pulling her panties aside again. “Or else some random bird is going to get quite the show.”

She slipped the toy completely out for a moment, showing off the wetness and letting a flow of nectar seep out before putting it back inside her. The vibrations increased as the bird dove suddenly, making her cry out loud enough that the driver heard. “You alright back there, miss?” The dwarf looked back, unable to see her from behind the crates.

“Yes, I’m fine,” she yelled back, trying to hide deep moan. “But if you can speed up at all…”

“Aye,” he stirred the horses a little more, increasing their pace.

Tav let the rocking of the wagon assist her again, guiding the toy in and out of her with each bump. She balled up a bit of her cloak and stuffed it in her mouth, watching as the bird swooped high and low above her, making her toy vibrate with agonizing ecstasy. Her legs shook against the side of the wagon as a scream made itself audible above the muffling of her mouth and the clamor of the wagon. The driver began to slow the horses, looking back again to try and check on his hidden passenger. “Miss, I think I should let you out here, so you can get to a healer.”

“Alright,” she gasped for air, covering herself back up and trying to collect herself before the wagon came to a stop.

The driver went back to help her open the tail gate, which she climbed out of with an unsteady posture. She was covered in sweat and her eyes were glassy. “Dear Gods, what sort of malady is this?”

“The best kind,” she whispered to herself, thankful that the aroma of spices had covered up the intense fragrance of her arousal. She wandered off as the dwarf asked if she needed any more help, which she waved off with a glistening hand. The vibrations had returned to a gentle hum, which meant Halsin had either stopped pursuing her or the strangling contractions of her second climax had somehow broken the toy.

Her cries had broken something, though it had been Halsin’s concentration on his wild shape. He’d managed to tumble onto a roof top before shifting back to his humanoid form, leaving him breathless and sweating on his back. His cock was aching painfully now, his leather trousers barely able to contain the thick swell of his erection. His laces groaned, so he loosened them to relieve the pressure on his stiff member. It managed to spill out, more red and engorged than he’d ever seen it before. His knot had grown even thicker, larger than his heavily swollen balls. He would be lucky to get it inside her. He was forced to stroke himself for a few minutes, milking out a copious amount of pre-cum onto his already slick shaft.

“Thiramen….salen clarael…souraes…” He moaned her secret Elven names, picturing her writhing body in his mind. He could smell her all the way up here, her musk and sweat mixed with the trace of the heady spices that she’d been riding next to. She was his beloved, his heart rose, his divine prey, and he was going to feast on every inch of her. He stroked himself just enough that he could concentrate on another wild shape and then returned to his hunt.

Tav had wandered into a tavern in a post-climax haze, ordering and downing an enormous mug of ale in just a few gulps. She was tempted to rent out a room and collapse onto the bed, but waded back out into the streets after ordering a length of hard sausage to nibble on. She’d slipped into the privy beforehand, pulling off her dress and using it to dab away the sweat and slick that coated her body. Her panties were beyond saving, but she was forced to keep them on to ensure the toy stayed in place. It still hummed steadily, never letting her stray far from arousal. She pickpocketed someone on the way back to cover her tab and then made a swift exit.

She gnawed on her sausage as she slowly tread over Wyrm’s Crossing, nearly nude under her cloak. The protein gave her some much needed pep as she hoped to at least get to the scrubby woods that surrounded Rivington. It was a familiar place, where he’d first hunted and stayed tied to her for hours, his knot continuously squeezed as he stimulated her over and over. She fully expected something of the sort, her mouth beginning to suck and lick the sausage she was gnawing on. She played with her breasts under her cloak, feeling the hum of her toy growing slowly. He was gaining on her again and she couldn’t wait to put her mouth around something thicker.

Halsin had shifted into a crow briefly to get down from the roof and then changed into a wolf, far enough outside the main city that people would simply move out of his way and not alert the guard. Some stopped and gawked at the enormous black wolf, fur shimmering in the golden dusk light. “Gods, I hope that is a druid,” people murmured and pressed themselves against walls as he neared Wyrm’s Crossing. He paused at the tavern Tav had stopped in, snuffing the air and smelling meat mixed with her saliva. He licked his lips, glad that she’d taken some much needed nourishment. He continued on, crossing the bridge and heading towards the woods outside Rivingtion where he knew she would be waiting for him.

She’d barely made it to the tree line before her legs had given out, the hive thrumming inside her once again. She unfastened her cloak, leaving it on the ground with her dress and crawled further into the woods and away from the road. “Oh Gods….fuck…” she whimpered loudly as her hands and knees crunched against the layer of autumn leaves under her. She finally sunk to her forearms, unable to continue on and summoned a Mage Hand to rip off her ruined panties. She sat crouched, her ass held high in the air, whimpering lowly as her fingers clawed into the ground. Her cunt ached, ready to be filled with something more substantial.

Halsin followed her scent and quiet whimpers, finding her clothes near the edge of the wood, soaked in her sweat and arousal. It was enough to beckon his cock from its sheath again, the slight breeze tickling against it. He shed his own clothes and cast Air Walk on himself so he could approach her silently. He soon spotted her further in the woods, writhing and squealing loudly as the vibrations reached their peak. Her cunt was bright red and leaking nectar into a thick puddle under her, begging to be bred.

He didn’t even have time to shift completely from his wild shape, bounding silently towards her, and immediately lapping up her honey with his tongue. She let out a surprised moan, not hearing him approach. He pulled the toy out and mounted her with one swift motion, a cascade of honey arcing across his stomach as he entered her. She let out a loud cry as his thick cock spread her wide, gratefully taking every inch of him after such a long tease.

She yapped and squealed like his prized bitch as he pounded her, biting gently into the back of her neck. “Souraes…..souraes,” he growled between his teeth, feeling even his bulbous knot slip inside her slender, but hungry slit.

She let out a guttural, primal groan, skirting the edge of pleasure and pain as his enormous knot stuck inside her. She’d wanted this moment to last longer, but her muscles clenched instantly around him, tying them together as she came in a dizzying wave of pleasure. Her entire body collapsed and was only held up by his knot and mouth around her nape. He eased her down gently, still pumping his hips against her slowly, not yet spent. “I’m sorry, my bear,” she panted loudly as he lay her prone against the crackling leaves. “I couldn’t hold out any longer.”

“Uhhhnnn…it is alright….huffff…my love…this feels…divine,” he circled his hips with as much movement as he could while tied inside her.

He held as much of his weight on his arms as he could, but still sunk her deep into the cool layer of ruby and gold leaves. They crackled softly as he continued to pump inside her, his grunts and heavy breaths adding a little rhythm to the quiet, dusk-lit wood. She began to sing a low, breathy song in Elven about the making of the first werefey.

She matched the rhythm of his hips and grunts, pausing only when she climaxed. Her buzzing hive had ended up on the ground underneath her, still humming against the earth and tickling her pearl. She lost count of how many times she came as he humped her, finally spilling inside her from near exhaustion.

“I didn’t want to stop,” he let out a happy, relieved sigh. He nuzzled against the dark bite mark on the back of her neck, shifting completely to his humanoid form.

“I wouldn’t have objected if you hadn’t…but…ummmhhhhhfffff,” she squeezed against him one last time, the hive still buzzing underneath her. “I don’t know if I can physically come any more without going unconscious,” she giggled, feeling another warm spurt of his cum inside her. “Can you turn it off?”

“I left the stone in my pocket at the edge of the woods with all of your clothes,” he smiled, kissing her shoulder and gently rolling them to one side, leaves stuck against their bodies. The bee flitted loudly against the dry leaves, making them both giggle. “I suppose we could slowly crawl back over there,” he picked up the buzzing toy, leaves clinging to its sticky surface as well.

“Mmmmm, allow me,” she nestled closer against his back and summoned another Mage Hand, sending it to drag their clothes back to them.

He reached into the pocket of his robe, finally quieting his wonderful gift as she covered them both with her cloak. They would be here well past night fall and settled in as comfortably as they could. Halsin conjured a bed of soft clover under them to keep her a little warmer.

[dndfantasygirl]

Little Red Rogue (Chapter 1: Sweet Child O' Mine)

Rating: Mature Word count: 4.1k Pairing: Astarion x Female Tav (named) Warnings: violence, strong language, innuendo, minor non-con touching

Summary: Astarion is awestruck when he sets his eyes on an innocent elven woman, who may not be as innocent as she seems.

*Link to AO3 Post

She's got a smile that it seems to me Reminds me of childhood memories Where everything was as fresh as the bright blue sky Now and then when I see her face She takes me away to that special place And if I stare too long, I'd probably break down and cry

~Sweet Child O' Mine, Guns N' Roses

------------------------------------------

Fraygo’s Flophouse was a haven for misfits, a sanctuary for the lost and the forsaken. Its walls echoed with the raucous laughter of patrons from all walks of life, each one seeking solace in the embrace of the dimly lit tavern. But even in a place as notorious as Fraygo’s, there were moments that defied expectation – moments when the ordinary gave way to the extraordinary.

So when the innocent-looking elven woman pushed open the tavern door, the rowdy room fell silent in awe. All eyes turned to her, their gazes lingering on her figure with a mixture of curiosity and desire.

Astarion watched from his shadowy corner as she stepped into the dim light of the tavern, her presence commanding attention despite her unassuming demeanor. She was absolutely breathtaking – a vision of ethereal beauty amidst the grime and squalor of Fraygo’s.

Long, blonde curls spilled from beneath her red hooded cloak, framing her delicate features in a halo of golden light. Large violet eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief, their depths betraying a wisdom far beyond her years. A button nose and rosy cheeks adorned her pale face, lending her an air of innocence that belied the danger that lurked within.

It was impossible not to notice the effect she had on the patrons of Fraygo’s – the way their eyes lingered on her form, the way their hearts quickened at the sight of her beauty. For the pale elf, however, his gaze was drawn not by lust, but by curiosity.

In a tavern filled with thieves and brigands, what business could such an innocent-looking woman possibly have? It was a question that gnawed at Astarion's mind, driving him to unravel the mystery that lay hidden beneath her seemingly unassuming facade.

And as he watched her weave through the crowded tavern with a grace that seemed almost otherworldly, Astarion couldn't help but wonder what secrets she carried with her.

The young elven woman settled onto a stool beside a burly man with a long scar etched across his weathered face. Despite the rough exterior of the tavern's patrons, she exuded an aura of innocence and charm that was impossible to ignore.

Astarion observed from the shadows, his curiosity piqued by the unfolding scene before him. He watched intently as the woman flashed a sweet smile at the scarred man, her violet eyes sparkling with an inner light that seemed to captivate those around her.

As she engaged the man in conversation, her laughter rang out like a bell, so sweet and melodious that it bordered on suspicious. Astarion's lips curled into a grimace as he witnessed the man's blatant interest, his hand inching ever closer to the woman's thigh despite the rising tension of her muscles.

But just as the man's fingers brushed against her skin, the atmosphere shifted once again. A hushed exchange passed between them, the woman's words barely audible over the din of the tavern. Whatever she said seemed to send a shiver down the man's spine, his hand recoiling as if burned by an unseen fire.

Astarion's eyes widened in shock as the scene before him unfolded with alarming speed. In an instant, the innocent facade of the elven woman shattered, revealing the true depths of her deception. With a swift motion, she unsheathed a dagger from her boot.

Before anyone could react, the woman lunged forward. Astarion's breath caught in his throat as he watched in horror as the blade found its mark, gouging deep into the scarred man's eye with a sickening squelch.

The tavern erupted into chaos as the man's screams pierced the air, his agony echoing off the walls like a macabre symphony. But the woman showed no mercy, slamming his head into the table. The blade in his eye made a sickening sound as it pierced through his thick skull, sending shockwaves of revulsion through the onlookers.

As golden curls whipped around her face, the woman turned to face the angry mob of patrons, her eyes flashing with a fierce determination. With an almost unnatural speed, she grabbed her basket and made a break for the entrance.

As Astarion watched the enigmatic woman vanish into the night, a strange and inexplicable impulse gripped his heart with an ironclad hold. It was as though an unseen force tugged at his very essence, urging him to follow in her wake. He couldn't explain it, couldn't rationalize it, but there was something about her – something that set her apart from the countless souls that had crossed his path in Fraygo’s Flophouse.

She had inflicted pain without hesitation, yet there was a peculiar allure to her presence – a magnetic pull that defied reason and logic. Despite the chaos she had wrought, she radiated an aura of comfort, a sense of familiarity that whispered to him in the depths of his soul.

And so, he followed.

Astarion knew he was straying from his purpose, abandoning his duty to procure a new victim for his master. The consequences of returning empty-handed would be dire, to say the least – punishment meted out with a cruelty that made even his undead heart quiver with fear.

But in that moment, none of it mattered. All he could think about was her – the woman with the golden curls and the violet eyes that held secrets untold. It was as though a spell had been cast over him, clouding his judgment and dulling his senses to all else but the pulsating need to be near her.

Surely, he would come to regret his decision later, when the weight of his failure bore down upon him with the crushing force of inevitability. But for now, his body moved of its own accord, driven by a primal instinct that defied reason.

------------------------------------------

As Astarion caught up to her in the dimly lit alleyway beside the Stormshore Tabernacle, his keen senses took note of her composed demeanor. Despite the exertion of their chase, she seemed remarkably unfazed. The corners of his lips twitched upward in admiration; it wasn't often that someone managed to surprise him.

With a silent grace that belied his predatory nature, Astarion closed the distance between them. He was accustomed to the rush of adrenaline that accompanied the pursuit, but for once, there was something different in the air – a tension that seemed to crackle between them, palpable even in the shadowy alley.

As she pivoted on her foot, their eyes locked in a silent exchange that spoke volumes. 

“You're from the bar,” she whispered as if the empty streets were filled with people.

For once in his long and storied existence, Astarion found himself utterly speechless. It was a sensation as unfamiliar as it was unsettling, a rare moment of vulnerability that sent a shiver down his spine. As her apple-red lips quirked into a sly smile, he felt the weight of her gaze upon him like a physical touch, sending a jolt of electricity through his veins.

In the span of a heartbeat, Astarion snapped out of his momentary daze, his instincts kicking into overdrive. With practiced precision, he summoned forth his charming facade, his features morphing into a coy smile that masked the turmoil raging within. It was a skill honed over centuries of deception and manipulation, a finely crafted mask that concealed the complexities of his true nature.

“Well, aren't you the observant one,” he purred, his voice dripping with honeyed charm as he effortlessly regained his composure. “But then again, I always did stand out in a crowd.”

As he spoke, Astarion's nimble fingers danced with practiced ease, employing the subtle art of sleight of hand to pluck a pristine white handkerchief from the depths of her cloak. With a flourish, he presented it to the woman before him.

“And you dropped this on your way out,” he continued smoothly, his tone laced with a hint of playful mischief as he extended the offering towards her.

The woman accepted the handkerchief with a knowing smirk, her violet eyes gleaming with amusement. There was a fire in her gaze that both intrigued and unnerved him, a spark of defiance that refused to be extinguished.

“How often does that cute little trick work on all your lovers?” she quipped, her words laced with a teasing edge that caught him off guard.

A nervous chuckle escaped from Astarion's lips, betraying the confident facade he had carefully constructed. Her teasing words had caught him off guard, a rare occurrence for one so adept at maintaining his composure. It was as though she possessed a talent for unraveling the layers of his carefully crafted persona, leaving him feeling strangely exposed.

But Astarion was not one to let his guard down so easily. With a swift motion, he readjusted his mask, the familiar guise of charm and wit settling back into place like a well-worn cloak.

“I’m Ruby,” she greeted with a chuckle, extending her hand toward him. “Well, technically Ruby-Alazne, but just Ruby is fine.”

Astarion accepted her hand with a grace born of centuries of refinement. There was a warmth in her eyes that softened the edges of his defenses, a glimmer of genuine connection that he couldn't quite ignore.

“A pleasure,” he replied, his voice smooth and velvety as he pressed a gentle kiss to the back of her hand. “My name is Astarion.”

As they walked together under the canopy of the night sky in the Lower City, Astarion found himself falling into step beside Ruby almost effortlessly. There was a certain magnetism to her presence, a captivating blend of contradictions that intrigued him more with each passing moment. With no destination in mind, they wandered aimlessly through the labyrinthine streets, their footsteps echoing in the quietude of the night.

He hadn't even realized they had begun walking together until the rhythm of their steps synchronized beneath the twinkling stars above. There was something undeniably alluring about the way Ruby moved through the world – a delicate balance of strength and vulnerability that drew him in like a moth to a flame.

“Sorry about what happened back there. At Fraygo’s, I mean,” Ruby spoke suddenly, her voice tinged with a hint of embarrassment as a soft blush painted her cheeks.

Astarion turned his gaze towards her, his curiosity piqued by her sudden confession. “Tell me, darling,” he inquired, his tone laced with genuine interest. “What were you doing there? Fraygo’s is no place for a lady such as yourself.”

At his words, Ruby's expression soured, her steps faltering as she came to a halt in the midst of the street. With a defiant tilt of her chin, she crossed her arms over her chest, her violet eyes flashing with indignation.

“Excuse me,” she retorted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “I'll have you know I’m not as innocent as you seem to believe.”

A large smirk adorned Astarion's face as he gazed at Ruby, his curiosity piqued by her cryptic response. “Trust me, I saw that attack. Who are you, Ruby-Alazne?” he queried.

Ruby merely shrugged in response, her demeanor nonchalant despite the weight of his inquiry. “Some call me a slayer. Others call me a savior. Alas, I'm just an average monster hunter,” she replied with a casual air, as though her profession were nothing more than a mundane occupation.

As her words sank in, another chill ran down Astarion's spine, a cold shiver that seemed to pierce straight through to his core. Did she know what he was? The thought sent a surge of unease coursing through him, a primal instinct warning him of the danger that lurked beneath her seemingly innocuous facade. Then again, he’d rather succumb to death by her hand than return to Cazador empty-handed.

But before he could voice his concerns, Ruby continued speaking, her words slicing through the tension like a blade through the night air. “That man back there was a werewolf and a predator to children,” she explained matter-of-factly, her gaze steady as she met Astarion's wide-eyed stare.

For a moment, he was rendered speechless by her revelation, his mind reeling at the implications of her words. Did she expect him to be relieved? Grateful, even? The notion was absurd, and yet there was a flicker of something akin to gratitude stirring within him – a twisted gratitude for the reprieve from his own impending demise.

“Oh, don't worry,” Ruby continued, her voice tinged with a hint of amusement. “I don't kill just any ‘monsters,’ just the bad ones.”

The pale elf felt his mask beginning to slip once again, the carefully constructed façade crumbling beneath the weight of her revelation. With trembling hands, he reached up to straighten it, a futile attempt to conceal the truth that lay beneath the surface.

“Whatever do you mean, my dear?” he stammered, his voice betraying the uncertainty that churned within him. It was a feeble attempt to deflect her accusation, a desperate plea for reprieve from the judgment that loomed over him like a shadow.

But Ruby was not so easily swayed by his words. With a snort of amusement, she dismissed his feeble attempt at deception.

“You’re not as deceitful as you believe,” she retorted, her voice tinged with a hint of triumph. “I know you're a vampire spawn, Astarion.”

At her words, he felt something within him snap – the last vestiges of his carefully constructed facade crumbling away to reveal the truth that lurked beneath. His mask fell to the ground with a soft thud, forgotten in the wake of her revelation.

He broke.

His crimson eyes widened in shock and disbelief, the truth of her words searing through him like a branding iron. In that moment, he was stripped bare, his vulnerabilities laid for all to see.

As Astarion stood there, his crimson eyes wide with shock and fear, he found himself caught off guard by Ruby's unexpected response. The woman's violet eyes mirrored his own momentary astonishment, a fleeting glimpse of understanding passing between them like a whisper in the night.

“Don't worry, I won't tell anyone,” she reassured him, her voice gentle despite the weight of their shared secret. “Trust me, I'm a dhampir. I know how it feels. The neverending hunger. Though I can't imagine not being able to stand in the sun.”

A flicker of recognition sparked within Astarion's mind at her words. Dhampir – the offspring of a vampire and a mortal. It was a rare and enigmatic lineage, one that held a unique understanding of the struggles that plagued his kind. No wonder why she was so intriguing… she was part vampire.

Her admission struck a chord within him, stirring a whirlwind of conflicting emotions that threatened to overwhelm his senses.

A hint of remorse painted Ruby's features, a shadow of regret that tugged at Astarion's heartstrings. “I'm sorry you have to live with that,” she offered softly, her words carrying the weight of empathy born from her own struggles.

But even as Astarion grappled with the revelations unfolding before him, a nagging question lingered at the back of his mind. Why was she being so open? Why was she so trusting?

“Why are you telling me all of this? I don't even know you.”

Ruby sighed, her breath hanging in the chilly night air like a wisp of smoke. With a resigned shrug, she resumed walking, her footsteps echoing in the quietude of the deserted alleyway. “If I'm going to be honest,” she began, her voice tinged with a note of vulnerability, “I've never met a vampire spawn before. When I saw you in Fraygo’s, I saw that look in your eyes. You're being controlled by your master, aren't you?”

The words hung between them like a veil of shadows. Astarion felt a surge of apprehension knotting in the pit of his stomach as he met Ruby's unwavering gaze, her amethyst orbs betraying a depth of understanding that sent a shiver down his spine.

For a moment, he found himself lost in the swirling depths of her gaze, searching for answers that remained just out of reach. Was she friend or foe? Ally or adversary? The uncertainty gnawed at him like a festering wound, a reminder of the dangers that lurked in the shadows of the night.

He cleared his throat, tearing his eyes away from hers as he struggled to regain his composure. “Of course, I’m being controlled by my master,” he admitted bitterly, his words heavy with the weight of centuries of servitude. “I am a vampire spawn, after all.”

He could've sworn he'd seen her eyes well up, a fleeting glimpse of vulnerability that stirred something within him – a glimmer of empathy born from their shared torment. But in the darkness of the night, he couldn't be sure. The air around him felt thick with tension, suffocating him with its oppressive weight.

Ruby reached for her basket, her movements fluid and purposeful as she rummaged through its contents. “Basket of Holding,” she explained casually, as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world. Astarion watched with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation as she delved deeper, her slender fingers probing the depths until she found what she was looking for.

It was an odd tome, filled with writing that might as well have been written by a toddler. Astarion's gaze narrowed as Ruby flipped through the pages, her finger trailing down one of them with a sense of purpose that sent a shiver down his spine.

“Is his name, Cazador Szarr?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, yet it reverberated through the stillness of the night like a thunderclap.

The mere mention of his master's name made Astarion feel smaller than he'd ever felt before, a sense of dread settling over him like a suffocating blanket. The air around him seemed to grow thick and toxic, a deadly poison that threatened to consume him whole.

He realized he was hyperventilating, his breath coming in ragged gasps as panic seized hold of him with merciless claws. Without warning, a warm hand touched his arm, grounding him in the present moment with a jolt of clarity. The sensation was fleeting, yet it was enough to anchor him in the tumultuous sea of his emotions.

Then, as suddenly as it had come, the feeling was gone, leaving nothing but a lingering sense of unease in its wake. Astarion glanced up to find Ruby looking at him with a gentle, remorseful smile, her eyes filled with a depth of understanding that he couldn't begin to fathom.

He quickly pulled his arm away, his heart pounding in his chest as he struggled to regain his composure. With a clearing of his throat, he attempted to mask the turmoil raging within him.

At the palpable shift in Astarion's demeanor, Ruby's smile faltered, her expression sobering as she took in the gravity of his reaction.

“My job is to make sure monsters like Cazador are gone for good,” she spoke softly, her voice tinged with determination. “I’ve been tracking him down for some time. Must have been fate for me to have met you.”

Astarion scoffed, the bitterness in his tone mirroring the anguish that gnawed at his soul. “Well, you might as well stop while you can. Anyone who has ever gone after Cazador has never lived to tell the tale.”

The words hung between them like a curse, a grim reminder of the countless lives that had been snuffed out in the pursuit of vengeance. For centuries, Cazador had remained untouchable, his power and influence casting a shadow over all who dared to challenge him.

But Ruby's resolve remained unshaken, her gaze steady as she met Astarion's defiant stare. With a graceful motion, she closed the tome and tossed it carelessly back into her basket, her movements imbued with a sense of quiet confidence.

“Luckily for you, I’m not just anyone,” she declared, a confident smirk settling on her lips. It was a gesture of defiance – a silent vow to stand against the darkness that threatened to consume him.

Astarion's heart clenched at her words, a surge of fear mingling with a flicker of hope that danced on the edges of his consciousness. Ruby may have been skilled and determined, but she did not understand the true extent of Cazador's power – the depths of his cruelty and malice.

“Ruby, you don’t understand what he’s capable of.” 

As Ruby began to open her mouth to argue, her head suddenly throbbed with a sharp, searing pain. The intensity of it caused her to double over, her hands instinctively flying to cover her ears as if to shield herself from the onslaught. Astarion awkwardly stood above her, unsure of what to do. 

But before he could even process what was happening, Ruby reached out for his hand with a desperate urgency, her fingers clenching around his wrist with a vice-like grip. Despite the turmoil raging within her, she pulled herself up with his support, her cries of pain echoing in the darkness of the alley.

“We’re not safe here,” she gasped, her voice strained with anguish as she stumbled forward, her grip on Astarion's wrist never wavering.

Astarion's mind raced with a whirlwind of confusion and fear as he struggled to make sense of the chaos unfolding before him. He stopped in his tracks, pulling the dhampir back with him.

“What the hells is going on, Ruby?” he demanded, his voice tinged with frustration and concern as he yanked his hand free from her grasp.

But Ruby could offer no answer, her cries of pain drowning out his words as she reached out to him once more, desperation etched into every line of her face. He kept his hand just out of her reach, his own sense of self-preservation overriding any semblance of trust or empathy.

“Please, Astarion,” she whimpered, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m trying to help.”

“Tell me what the fuck is going on!” he demanded, his voice ringing out into the night with a sternness born of desperation. But beneath the surface, there lingered a seed of doubt – a nagging suspicion that gnawed at his resolve like a festering wound.

Ruby's response was lost amidst the cacophony of her own torment. She held her hands over her ears once more, her body wracked with sobs as if tormented by invisible demons. Tears streamed down her face, mingling with the shadows that cloaked her features in darkness.

Astarion watched in stunned silence as Ruby begged him to believe her, her words lost in the tumult of her anguish. But try as he might, he couldn't bring himself to trust her – not when the world around them seemed to be unraveling at the seams, not when she was acting like a madwoman lost in the throes of her own delusions.

In that moment, Astarion found himself torn between conflicting impulses – the urge to flee from the madness that threatened to consume them both, and the desperate need to uncover the truth that lay hidden beneath the surface of their fractured reality. But try as he might, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Ruby's plight than met the eye – a truth that lurked just beyond his grasp, waiting to be uncovered.

Astarion's heart raced as Ruby collapsed onto the cold cobblestone street before him, her body contorting into a trembling ball of fear and agony. He felt a surge of panic rising within him, a primal instinct urging him to flee from the unseen horrors that lurked in the shadows.

But before he could react, Ruby's voice pierced through the darkness, weak and trembling. “Astarion,” she whimpered, her words barely more than a whisper as she weakly pointed behind him. “Mind flayers.”

His blood ran cold at the mention of the dreaded creatures – aberrations from the darkest depths of the Underdark, with minds as alien and incomprehensible as the void itself. He turned, his heart pounding in his chest, to confront the threat that loomed behind him.

The last thing he saw was piercing eyes gleaming in the darkness, their gaze filled with a hunger that sent a shiver down his spine. And then, there was the tentacled maw, gaping wide with anticipation as it surged forward to consume him whole.

Astarion's world exploded into darkness, his senses overwhelmed by the onslaught of psychic energy that engulfed him. His mind reeled, a cacophony of voices echoing through his consciousness like a chorus of the damned. And then, everything went black.

[smolgloves]

Tavern Brawl

Summary: Freya is back in Skaars Hollow, but trouble now greets the group.

Tw: alcohol consumption, murder/attempted murder, violence, blood drinking, dehumanizing language

The splitting headache from last night's fun had hit Freya harder than any drunk night had ever done before. She leaned back into Tav's neck, clutching her stomach as a wave of nausea hit; they were nice enough to find an old hooded cloak to put on for her to keep hidden from other travelers and the blinding light of the sun but no matter how careful they walked, their movements sent Freya's insides churning. “Please tell me we're almost there.” 

“It won't be much longer.” Tav spoke. “How much did you drink last night?” 

“I didn't keep track.” 

“I believe it was four.” Wyll laughed. “You were trying to prove you could handle the wine better than Shadowheart.” 

“I suppose that's why she's not with us right now.” Lae'zel spoke. “How pathetic of her to lose a drinking match with a tiny istik!”

Tav let out a gasp. “Gods, Freya, no wonder you feel like shit.” 

A flamboyant voice gave a laugh. “Maybe we should have thought about this before offering alcohol to a girl the size of a mouse.” 

Freya shot her head out of Tav's hood and locked eyes with the vampire. A devilish smirk twisted on his face caused a mix of shock and anger to knot up in Freya's gut. There he was walking along in the sunlight like it was a normal thing, his pale skin free of any burns! “What in the nine hells are you doing here?!” Freya snarled. “Shouldn't you be a pile of ash?” 

Astarion's eyes nearly lit up. “I'm special, Darling. The sun cannot hurt me anymore.” 

“It's more complicated than that…” Tav's voice fell into a whisper like they were debating on telling Freya what they meant. “Astarion has been infected with an illithid parasite… as have all of us.” 

Freya waited for the punchline to come but everyone remained silent, waiting in bated breath for her response. “You're serious?!” She hissed out before her throat tightened. Tav spoke but their words were muffled by the millions of thoughts running through Freya's head. Mind flayers weren't something many borrowers faced but they were still a name that lurked in their nightmares nonetheless. She didn't even think when she made a leap from Tav's shoulder in an attempt to flee from the would-be mind flayers, but Tav swiftly caught Freya and kept her in a loose fist. No amount of writhing was going to free the borrower. “Put me down!” 

“Bloody hells, Freya!” Tav exclaimed. “Just calm down and let us explain!” 

“Not until you let me down!” Freya shouted, still squirming to break free. “I will not be in the grip of an illithid!” 

“Okay, just don't run yet.” They dropped to their knees and set Freya on the ground, watching as she scrambled back for some distance. Freya almost expected them to reach out after her but Tav kept still. They didn't even flinch when she pulled her peashooter out and aimed at them. 

“Gods, it's almost like the little thing likes to jump to her death!” Astarion laughed but annoyance laced his voice. Freya was tempted to shoot a pebble at his other eye, but Tav quickly shot him a glare that practically said: “Don't start.”

Freya's gray eyes darted between the group. “Someone better start talking!” 

“So like I said, we were all infected with the illithid parasite.” 

“For a while now.” Wyll added. 

“How long?”

Tav turned to their comrades giving a silent exchange to one another before turning back to Freya. “Honestly, I lost track, must have been over a week now.” 

Freya's knowledge on mind flayers was rather limited but she knew enough to know anyone who was infected should have turned by this time. “Why haven't you transformed yet?” 

“That's what we're trying to figure out.” Tav replied. “We're hoping to find a cure and answers while traveling.” 

“The creche is the only place where we'll find the cure.” Lae'zel narrowed her eyes at the borrower. “We mustn't waste our time with these distractions.” 

“Skaars Hollow is on the way to the creche.” Tav responded bluntly. “Besides, taking out the goblins will help us earn some gold and we definitely need that for the road.” 

“So you just expect me to trust your word?” Freya squeaked out. 

Tav's softened when they looked over at her. “I wish I could give you a better answer.” 

A debate stirred in Freya, she was already pushing her luck by talking with larger beings who kept around a vampire that could walk in the sunlight, now she was talking to time bombs who could sprout Tentacles at any moment?! Yet she really wanted to believe Tav. Freya weighed her options, the only other one was to split ways with them now and travel back to Skaars Hollow alone. A whole day would go by, before she makes it back home and that would only increase her odds of getting in more trouble with the council. As bad of an idea as it was, she knew that she would get back faster while traveling with Tav. If no one has transformed yet, then maybe they won't transform at all, or at least until Freya is safely back to the colony. “I suppose I can extend my trust a little longer since we won't be around much more.” it was. It didn't stop the glimmer of ache poking it's way through her relief. Despite everything she'd grown rather...fond of the odd band.

“Yeah, we'll be out of your hair soon enough.” Tav smiled to hide a fragile look on their face, but Freya could tell they didn't want to necessarily part with her either. If things were different, maybe Freya could imagine herself venturing with this group, but borrowers and larger beings don't belong together. Still it hurt to know this would likely be the last time she ever saw Tav again. 

“It's so nice to see you come to your senses.” Astarion smiled but venom laced each word. “But we're burning daylight dealing with you.” 

Freya clenched her jaw, on second thought, there could never be a lifetime where she could travel with a group where Astarion roamed freely. 

~~~~

Everyone made it to Huskin's Tavern in one piece, goodbyes were said and Freya wished Tav well on their travels, before slipping in the a borrower entrance behind the tavern and started walking down the dark wooden halls. Now that her crazy journey was over, she could go back to doing her normal routine. Yet when Freya reached the borrower supply room located in the wine cellar, she couldn't help but feel alone. No one was there laughing and drinking wine, telling stories about their crazy adventures. Of course there wasn't anyone here, everyone should be at the colony, distributing this week's rations amongst each other. Freya knew she should get back to the colony before they noticed she was missing, if they haven't already. However, she wanted to see Tav one last time before they were gone for good.

The borrower ventured back into the walls and made her way to the shelves that held alcohol behind the counter, Freya kept to the shadows, hiding behind the towering bottles of liquor as she watched. Tav, Wyll, Lae'zel and Astarion were sitting at the bar, tense looks painted on their faces. 

“We're not trying to cause any problems.” Wyll said, his voice carried a sense of hope. “We just want to help.” 

“This plague is too much for the likes of you.” Huskin, the bartender, laughed. He was a rather large human whose face was covered in nasty scars from his youth. An elder once told Freya that he was part of a notorious gang back in Baulder's Gate years ago but left after shit went down. What happened was a mystery to this day. 

“So you know something.” Tav asked, their patience was growing thin. They must have been pressing him for a little bit now. 

Huskin leaned in close to the halfling. “Like I'd tell you, pipsqueak.” 

Instead of decking him, Tav just gave a smirk and pulled out a small pouch from their pocket. “Oh, not even for a little bit of coin?” 

The air grew silent as the two stared each other down. Freya couldn't see Huskin's face but she could just sense that cold smile still on his face. He turned towards Astarion who had remained eerily quiet during this discussion. “I think your friend's bounty is worth more than whatever you have, my friend.” 

An icy glare shot towards Huskin, even in Freya's short time with Astarion, he never gave such a murderous look quite like this one. 

Tav knocked back a shot. “I've already claimed his bounty.” 

“Right… I suppose you always let your bounties roam freely with a sword strapped to their side.” 

“He's useless to me, dead. Remember, the bounty calls for him alive.” 

“Then perhaps we can make an arrangement.” He leaned in real close to Tav, their noses damn near touching. “Your friend for information about the plague.” 

Tav gave a sly smile. “Deal.” 

“What?!” Astarion shot up from his seat. “You're really going to do this and for what?!” 

“Quiet!” Tav said in a cold tone. “I'm doing what's best for me!” 

Underneath That scowl was pain that flickered in Astarion's eyes. Freya couldn't blame him, this was a completely different side of Tav! A side that made her stomach twist in a knot and question whether or not Tav was who she thought they were. Astarion may have been an ass, but he didn't deserve to be sold out by a friend. She watched in horror as two patrons of the bar came up behind the vampire and grabbed him by the shoulder. He was about to resist, but Tav halted them. 

“Ah, you're not taking my bounty until you give me what I want.”

“There's a cave south of here.” Huskin replied. “A couple of interesting folks took camp there, this plague started ever since.” 

Wyll raised an eyebrow. “And no one wanted to investigate that?” 

Huskin Let out a boisterous laugh. “Even if anyone wanted to, they couldn't get past the barrier.” 

“Barrier? What kind of barrier?” Tav asked. 

“A magical one, obviously.” He scoffed. “Not to mention the goblins that lurk about, not many make it back from that place.” 

Freya took in the information, she knew about that cave but never trekked that far. It was one of the forbidden places to go to, rumors of beasts lurking in the shadows waiting to make a meal out of curious borrowers were told of that place, but there were also rumors of rare plants that could be used to make potions stronger than anything Freya has made before. It was a herbalist's dream, but even Freya wasn't bold enough to venture that far out! 

Tav leaned back in their chair. “Well, is there anything else I should know about this cave?”

“None that will keep you alive.” The bartender glared up at the vampire, forming a sinister smile. “Now since we're done here, I suggest the lot of ya fucks off. I don't wanna see you interfering with my bounty!”

The two thugs that held Astarion and went to drag him out the door, he was fighting to get out of their grasp but didn't utter a remark. Freya couldn't explain it but something felt off. 

“We were just going,” Tav counted out a few coins in their hands, they frowned and turned towards Wyll. “Would you mind helping me with the tab?” 

“With pleasure.” A devilish smirk formed upon Wyll's lips, he stood up but instead of reaching out to give gold, he spun to the two men dragging Astarion away and thrusted his hands forward, there was a sonic boom and both of the men were knocked back a few feet, crashing into a table. With his restraints free, Astarion drew his blade in an instant, followed by everyone else. Freya stood back, trying to wrap her head around what just happened. Her gray eyes darted from Tav to Astarion, they both possessed sly grins on their lips, clearly a deception method but Freya wondered if this was one they had performed multiple times. She didn't have time to dwell on it as Huskin shouted for the cooks to come out of the kitchen for backup. 

“So this is how it's gonna be?” Huskin growled, grabbing a wine bottle from the top shelf and chucking it towards Tav. They narrowly dodged it, the glass bottle shattered on the wall behind them. Within seconds, Chaos ensued, more lackys burst out from the kitchen and blades clashed; Freya could hardly tell who had the advantage! She did, however, see Tav fighting off The thugs with only their hands. It was quite a sight to see, their limbs were burning with a bright flame that only scorched their enemies! Freya has heard of monks that used the elements as extensions of their fists, she couldn't believe she didn't realize it sooner! That would explain Tav's more gentle demeanor, a much different Tav than the fierce fighter she was witnessing this moment! 

A scuffle caught the hidden borrower's attention, a half-orc had shoved Lae'zel back and pinned her to the bar, she snarled and grunted but even with her githyanki strength, the orc was much twice as big as her. He gave a toothy grin as he attempted to press her own blade into her throat. There wasn't much time to think, Freya reached for her peashooter and fired a pebble at the orc. She didn't get him in the eye like she hoped for but the small rock smacked him right in the cheek, causing him to flinch and search for the culprit. The split second of a distraction was all Lae'zel needed to shove him off of her and swing her sword, delivering a killing blow. She snapped her head over to the bar and locked onto the borrower with a fierce stare before turning back towards the fight. Freya could swear she saw a faint smile on the Githyanki. Adrenaline rushed through Freya, she couldn't do much but she could help Tav in little ways! The halfling was fighting off Huskin, Who swung an ax at them.They were nimble but even Freya understood the confined space was soon going to hinder them. She darted along the shelf with the intent of getting closer to get a better shot at Huskin, until a loud crash came behind her, causing the shelves to quake! She only looked back for a split second to see that one of the cooks was thrown into the wall. Everything happened so fast, in an instant, the wooden ground beneath Freya's feet collapsed on her, a scream erupted from her as she began her descent. She braced for a crude impact, yet she was blessed with a firm yet surprisingly soft landing. Freya opened her eyes to see she was on the chest of the cook that was thrown into the shelves she hid on. It was a bloody miracle she ended up there, but her luck was running out as he groaned and sat up; the borrower scrambled off him and made a break for it as soon as her feet hit the ground. She knew all the secret entrances like the back of her hand, if she can slip back into the walls, she could maybe get to another vantage point and help Tav before it's too late!

A hand slammed down in front of Freya and she skidded to a halt. A shadow loomed over her and dread squeezed her heart as she stared up at the man. He was a half elf with face tattoos, there wasn't much known about him but Freya had swore she once heard him mention a murder he once committed to the other cooks. His piercing blue eyes locked onto Freya and a sinister smile curled on his lips as his hand inched closer to her. 

Before Freya could even react, pale fingers wrapped around the cook’s shoulders and yanked him back. Astarion's face came into view, a wicked smile curled on his lips before his mouth went agape and he pierced the neck with his sharp fangs. A guttural cry erupted from the elf's throat as the vampire seemed to sink his teeth further into his neck, finally, Astarion ripped away from his victim, taking a chunk of flesh with him. Blood gushed out of the elf and rained down on the Freya. The elf dropped to the ground, his lifeless face now twisted in fear. The borrower stared up in horror at Astarion, his mouth dripping With blood and a hungry look that Freya has only seen in predators who tried to make a meal out of her. Ice shot through her veins the moment his wild, hungry eyes locked onto her. Time slowed down, the only thing racing was Freya's mind thinking just how easily Astarion could snatch her up and make a quick meal out of her. 

To her surprise, he never tried to reach for Freya. All he did was roll his eyes and rush back to the fight, leaving the borrower to herself. Freya felt like her heart was about to burst, the bar became a great shield for the tiny woman but the deafening sound of steel blades clashing steel made her jump now! She still wanted to help Tav, but she couldn't even think straight anymore with the stench of blood assaulting her nostrils! 

First things first, get back in the walls! Staggering her way through puddles of blood and broken glass, Freya could hear Tav scream out in pain, followed by a loud crash!

“No, you can't die. Get up damn you!” Astarion yelled out.

Freya froze in her tracks, fearing the worst had happened. Was it already too late to save Tav? Could she have helped them if someone didn't throw that elf into the wall? Freya was so caught up in her dreadful thoughts that she didn't notice anyone coming up to her until a firm hand clasped her shoulder and pulled her back to the inside the walls.

“Where in the bloody hells have you been, Freya?!” The older woman snapped. “Your uncle and Kes have been freaking out!” 

Freya locked eyes with the woman and instantly recognized her as Mirable, a woman who was the lead scouter for her colony. A trusted soldier that all listened too, the search party that followed behind her mirrored the same piercing glare Mirable gave to Freya. “I… got pinned here once this fight broke out.” 

“Do not play ignorant, girl!” Mirable snarled, her grip on Freya's shoulder grew tighter. “That elf saw you, the gith saw you! You were gone a whole day and you returned the same time this violent group showed up?!” 

She saw… of course she saw! Mirable was a master at stealth. To try and deceive her was a foolish act that could only benefit Freya if she was trying to look more guilty to the council when they hear about this. “It's not what it looks like, I swear!”

Screams grew more intense outside the walls, causing the borrowers to flinch back from the walls. Even Mirable let the stoic mask slip long enough for Freya to see fear in her brown eyes. “We must go!” She ordered her troops before shooting a frown at Freya. “You have a lot of explaining to do.”