Chapter Text
Ah! f*ck!
Astarion’s org*sm was so intense that it woke him from his trance. The memory of that first night feeding on Tav was so strong in reverie that it had called his physical body to act. He gasped and gripped the sheets as thick ropes of cum shot up onto his stomach, chest, and his lover's arm, draped over him in sleep.
sh*t.
He glanced down weakly at the tip of his co*ck jutting out of his small clothes and let his head fall back in defeat. It was bad enough he’d spent himself in rest, but now he had to find a way to get rid of it without waking Tav. She was a heavy sleeper, but with one arm around him and one leg thrown over both of his, it felt like the universe was f*cking with him. The answer to many a prayer lay beautiful and drooling on his shoulder, and he had cum all over both of them as if he were a teenage boy.
A change in her heart rate told him she was awake, just before she nuzzled sleepily against his shoulder. He’d be mortified if somehow he got more of it on her. May as well bear the brunt of it now.
“Morning, love,” he murmured. “Try not to move around just yet, I’m afraid I’ve made a mess of things.”
“Hmm?” Her tired eyes adjusted and grew wide as she began to stumble over her words. “Oh! When…how...I mean, not that I mind if you need to-”
Hells, he’d made it sound like he had a wank while she slept. He interrupted her, scrambling to explain. “No, no, it happened during my trance.”
“It’s okay, really! Here, let’s get cleaned up,” she said, carefully sliding out from under the covers, which had thankfully been moved out of the way in sleep.
Astarion watched her scoot over to the corner of her tent to create water in a basin. She fished some towels out from a small basket of linens and began wiping off her arm.
She then brought the basin and towels over to their shared pallet and began to work up a lather. She was being very calm, and it must mean she was hiding something. He had successfully spied on her thoughts in the past, so he decided to give it another go. When his parasite pushed against her mind, she smirked, and he started to retreat, but she seemed to let him in willingly.
It could have been worse. It could have been somewhere better, but could have been worse.
“What do you mean better?” He asked aloud.
“I thought I felt you poking around,” she said, keeping her eyes on her work as she carefully wiped up his spend. “You probably don’t want to know.” The apples of her cheeks flushed the lightest pink.
Now he definitely had to know. “The norm is to keep dirty thoughts like that to ourselves, but, do carry on.”
“Well, it's much more of a pain to get out of hair. But it's also much less of a pain to dispose of it…someplace less wasteful.”
Hells, he was getting hard all over again. He tensed as he tried to redirect his thoughts elsewhere.
She paused partway through wiping the soap off when she met his gaze.
“sh*t, I should have asked if you’d rather do it,” she said apologetically, offering the cloth to him.
“No, no, it’s quite alright,” he insisted. “Just unaccustomed is all.”
“I can imagine, I didn’t even know that could happen to elves,” she replied, tossing a soiled towel into her laundry pile.
He had actually meant being cared for in this way. Aftercare wasn’t really an option when your partner was being dragged off to their doom. Those that lived a little longer had taken their pleasure and made the mistake of trying to leave. And the others, well… it didn’t pay to encourage anything approaching concern for someone he’d lured to an early demise. His survival depended on divorcing victims from compassion or dignity. It made him feel sullied, even as she wiped him clean. I only did what I had to, he thought.
But he wasn’t at the Szarr palace any longer, and she still had sleep goo in her eyes.
Just as Tav finished wiping him down, he reached over to dunk a fresh cloth in the basin himself. “Come here, let me see to you.”
“Damn, I thought I had gotten all of it,” she lamented, looking herself over.
“You did. Eyes closed for me, darling.”
She frowned with uncertainty, but obeyed anyway, which he loved. Astarion gently rubbed the damp cloth over her lashes and around her eyes, careful to collect every stubborn bit of sleep. He took advantage of her eyes being closed by leaning forward to kiss her, and was rewarded with a soft hum of appreciation. He was very fond of all of her little sounds, especially the way she sighed when their lips would part.
“You must know,” he whispered between kisses, “how precious you are to me.” It came out perhaps a bit too earnestly, leaving Astarion feeling overexposed. So he added, “because that was an impressive amount of crust.”
She swatted his chest, and he grinned before tugging her back down into the blankets with another stolen kiss. He gathered her against his chest and tucked her head under his chin, determined to keep her from starting the day before it was absolutely necessary.
“You know that if you need some alone time to take care of things, you can always tell me,” she said, as gentle fingers traced circles over his shoulder. “Even if I’m asleep.”
“And if I don’t want to be alone?”
“You can tell me that too.”
“Even if you’re asleep?” He smirked.
A blush crept up the delicate ear in his line of sight, “You can wake me up beforehand if you want, but… it’s not required. Only if you’re sure it's what you want. That’s my only rule.”
Astarion had been on the receiving end of that equation more times than he cared to recall, but to be the one in control? Being granted possession of her body, at her most vulnerable? His co*ck twitched at the thought alone. If she noticed, she didn’t let on, and just snuggled into his embrace.
“Always so generous with me, darling.”
“I trust you. I’m sure it’s a terrible burden, but one you’ll have to endure,” she teased, and planted a soft kiss onto his collarbone. She was too perceptive, he thought. Her arms tightened around him, and it felt like the sweetest ruin.
She trusted him before, and it had only cost her life. Such was the fate of the savior, oftentimes. But where a revivify scroll was the solution to that problem, others weren’t so easy to straighten out. He went to work running his fingers through her wayward curls, as if the motion could untangle his thoughts.
Would he get to keep her when the saving was done? If by some miracle, they put Cazador in the dirt for good, and got rid of the parasites, would she find some other poor sod to wrap around this way? The monster in him that only knew how to take and taste compelled him to consume her before that fear came to fruition. The part that was more man than beast just wanted to be kept, and craved her comfort for as long as he could have it.
Trying to come up with any solution to those conflicting truths felt like trying to catch smoke in his hands. Astarion was powerless, and it was no use. But her body in his hands was something solid. And afterall, she had promised him it was his to use however he liked, as long as it was what he wanted. The answer to his conundrum, at least for now, was right under his nose.
It was the tip of that nose that traced along her ear, before he followed it with lips, tongue and teeth. His palms brushed over the fabric of the camisole covering her breasts, lingering on her nipples. As he closed one hand over her throat, she gasped, just as he knew she would. His eyes fluttered closed as the air became saturated with the sweet smell of her slick. There was a certain relief that came with the scent of arousal. That wordless praise was the closest thing he had to an old friend.
He needed a better view of all that tender flesh that yielded for him alone. When he rolled them so that she was straddling his hips, she held still on top of him, only reacting when he yanked her down to invade that sweet mouth with his tongue. That she would await his command even as he lay under her was euphoria incarnate.
Such thin material separated them from one another, but he knew from experience he could bring Tav to completion without even entering her. Astarion also knew this was against the rules they’d set, but asking for intimacy as a means for control was sure to make her question him. He was tired of not having the answers. If he could just bait her into grinding against him, he could make her use him for her own pleasure, so that he could retreat into the abyss that would silence his mind.
She was being surprisingly stubborn, though. Even as he tugged her hair, and nipped at her neck, she held still, keeping her hips just barely apart from his. It felt like defiance, despite her quivers and moans, so he decided he wasn’t playing dirty enough.
His hands snaked around her waist to close over her buttocks, squeezing hard enough to make her whine, before planting a sharp slap across one cheek. She moaned and her eyes slammed shut when he canted his hips upward and he braced himself for the pain and relief that would come when she sank that wet heat down into him.
But she didn’t.
And he was grateful.
His last act of authority was gently moving her aside, and turning away. She always saw too much, and he couldn’t bear looking at her while shame spread across his mind like a stain. He listened as her pulse evened out, and closed his eyes as he counted each steadying breath.
When he felt her turn over behind him, he tensed, realizing his mistake. He regretted putting his back to her. That was where her well-meaning touches would likely land. He had all but retreated into himself, dreading the sensation that never came. She draped his blanket over him, covering his scars. He waited, and waited, but all he received was a tentative question.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Yes.”
“It’s okay to say no.”
Her uncertainty made him tilt his head toward her with interest. “What is it?”
“How would you like to be the little spoon?”
He did turn at that, just enough to look at her as he co*cked one eyebrow. She looked like she was waiting for him to sprout feathers. He was not going to dignify that with an answer, but he did scoot back so that he was pressed firmly against her, separated only by the blanket.
“Is that a yes?” she asked with her cheek resting against his ear, and he could hear the smile in her voice.
He sighed heavily, relieved and teasing in equal measure. “Are you going to hold me or not?”
She laughed and pulled him close. “You’re awful.”
“You have no idea.”
******
Halsin continued to whittle what would be an owlbear figurine out of a piece of wood, as the cub sprawled at his feet. It was the first time he’d had a live model this close, but hardly the strangest thing that had happened since he fell in with the tadpoled bunch. Strange was a good word for the group assembled, he thought. But it would take a force unlike any other to confront the Shadow Curse, and each day that passed gave him more hope that it could really be done. Perhaps then he could spend his waking hours thinking of more than the pain the land had suffered under darkness’ cold embrace. This morning began as most others did, with Gale and Karlach preparing breakfast during Lae’zel’s morning training regimen with her combat dummy. Wyll’s slight whine and Shadowheart’s chiding drew his eye to the center of camp.
The half-elf had finished the last braid and started placement of some ornamental beading in the warlock’s hair, which was taking longer than expected if Wyll’s discomfort was any indication. “Do you want to have pretty hair your wizard will want to tug or not?” she asked sternly.
Wyll visibly wilted with his reply. “I’ll try anything at this point. He’s so worried about the orb being unstable that I may die having experienced nothing but courtly love.”
“Well, if it’s any consolation, you’re not the only one collecting dust,” Shadowheart replied sympathetically.
A nudge at Halsin’s side redirected his attention. Scratch sniffed curiously around his pocket, and he chuckled as he indulged the dog’s questions. “Your nose does not fool you, my friend. It’s a gift for your master, but you must swear to never tell a soul, or your mistress will have my hide.” The Druid explained. He thought he’d be the last one she would come to with a secret, but her logic was solid. She was nothing if not clever, their Tav.
He had guided her through the practice of conjuring a thorn whip the night before. She’d been a quick study, slashing and seizing various targets with increasing accuracy as she went. He recalled how her child-like excitement and easy laughter gave away to apprehension as the lesson came to a close.
“So serious all of the sudden,” he teased. “Surely you can’t be so vexed at the idea of returning to your lover.”
Tav’s gaze shifted to her tent, where Astarion had gone to read for the evening. “Funny that you mention that. I feel bad for asking, since you’ve done so much for me already today, but well…You’re the person he seems to like the least,” she said, almost apologetically. “There’s something I bought for him, that I need to hide somewhere. I know he’s less likely to be poking around you or your things.” She scanned the rest of the camp, making sure no one was within earshot, and pulled a ring from her pocket.
Halsin vaguely remembered that ring among the mindflayer merchants' wares, and that it was something to do with sight.
“I would have thought a vampire’s eyes were keener than any of ours,” he sai d curiously.
“You’re probably right, but when darkvision takes over, everything is in black and white.” She toyed with the ring in her hand as she continued. “Before the tadpole gave him the sun back, I can imagine he spent a lot of time without colors. With us headed straight from here toward the Shadow-Cursed lands, it made me sad that he’ll be without the sun again for so long. The colors won’t be as vibrant as in the daylight, but at least with the enchantment, he won’t have to be stuck in shades of gray anymore.”
“It was kind of you to consider,” he’d said. “Anyone would be lucky to receive something so thoughtful. It’s a wonder you didn’t give it to him straight away.”
She chewed her lip as she thought. “I started to. But I decided at the last minute to wait. He’s free for the first time in centuries, and I don’t want him to think it’s anything more than just a gift.”
He nodded, finally understanding. That the ring might be considered a symbol of commitment hadn’t occurred to him as quickly as it should have, but such things hadn’t been much a part of Halsin’s life, in dealings of the heart.
She shrugged as she continued on. “He should be free to do whatever he likes. He hasn’t gotten a chance to really live. He should be allowed to wonder what else…” she trailed off with a pained expression, “or who else is out there. As awful as it would feel if he ran for the hills thinking it was a proposal, I’d still feel guilty if he came to the same conclusion but accepted it outright.”
“Hmmm.” His brow furrowed as he considered his response. “I am out of practice with some civilized customs, so allow me some grace, as I mean no offense in asking. How old are you, Tav?”
“Forty-five. Not too far behind you,” she said with a wink.
She was good at that- reminding him that he wasn’t an old man, no matter how burdensome the passing of his three hundred and fifty years had become as of late. “I’ve been alive for some time, and so has Astarion. No matter the differences in our circ*mstances, I’d wager we have both seen enough to know when something is extraordinary.”
She frowned at first, perhaps not understanding, but then just smiled sheepishly and shook her head. “I’m a barmaid, Halsin,” she laughed.
“And much more besides. He sees you as I do- as we all do,” he added quickly.
“I’ll give it to him soon,” she said, sighing heavily. “I just don’t want him to stumble across it before I’m ready. Even if it is just an enchanted piece of jewelry.”
“Your secret is safe with me,” he promised.
“Thank you Halsin. I would hug you about it, but that would defeat the purpose of hiding something with you if he smelled you on me.” She laughed apologetically again. “Will you take a rain check?”
“I’ll be glad to, whenever it may be.”
Halsin couldn’t help but smile at the memory, when the dog and owlbear cub both turned to see Tav emerge from her tent, Astarion in tow. The two creatures shot off in her direction without a look back. He could hardly blame them for their enthusiasm, considering the kisses and squeals they always received from their mistress.
“How are my boys!” She cooed, kneeling down and nearly being toppled by Baby, who was spinning in circles all the way across camp to collide with her. “How did you sleep?” She asked as she peppered them both with kisses.
“Like the dead I’m sure, considering they were in my tent,” the vampire groused with arms crossed. But Halsin noticed there was no real malice in the complaint, and Scratch only had to nudge his hip with his snout once for Astarion to acquiesce and ruffle the dog’s ears affectionately. Scratch adored the pale elf, and had told the Druid at length about their many late night talks and how he had to teach his master to hunt. Although many would have doubts about the wisdom of traveling with a rogue vampire, Halsin trusted the love and loyalty of the camp’s four-legged creatures without question. Since his morning company had abandoned him, he decided to join the rest of the group now that they were starting to eat.
Just as Wyll got up from his spot in front of Shadowheart, Tav hurried over to sit in front of her. “Braid?” She asked with her biggest, saddest brown eyes.
“Sorrows guide me,” the cleric lamented with a roll of her green ones. “Fine, scoot back, you wretched thing.”
Tav preened as she sat back toward Shadowheart. “You love me.”
“Fortunately for you.” She smirked. Just as she started to smooth Tav’s hair into sections, her brow furrowed. “Ugh! What a mess. How did you manage…” she trailed off before turning to glare at Astarion who grinned and very deliberately winked. She had just opened her mouth to curse at him when Tav’s stomach growled very loudly. “Can someone bring her something to eat? I have my work cut out for me already.”
“Please!” Tav called over her shoulder, as another stomach rumble made them all laugh.
Nearly everyone in the center of camp moved toward the table to follow the request, but Halsin and Astarion were closest. They reached the plates at the exact same time, Halsin regarding the other man curiously, while Astarion’s eyes narrowed to ruby slits. A silent tension fell over the camp just before Astarion deftly snatched the plate from the stack, adding a “hmph ” for good measure. “I’ll be right there, darling!” he intoned.
Halsin pressed his lips together in amusem*nt as Astarion frowned at the spread of food in front of him, looking suspicious of the whole lot. The spawn’s scowl grew deeper by the moment as he gingerly reached out and tipped a strawberry over, recoiling as it landed with a little squelch into the adjacent bowl of porridge.
The Druid decided to take pity on him. Otherwise it appeared Tav was likely to receive a plate full of nothing but honey comb and a glass of wine to break her fast.
“She likes honey in her tea, so you’re not far off the mark,” he rumbled in an aside to the younger elf. “She usually has fig jam and toast, and a piece of salt pork. The only thing I have ever seen her refuse is celery, and she will know if it has touched the rest.”
Astarion pressed his lips together, but nodded silently, and began to add the aforementioned items. Halsin chuckled under his breath at the size of the portions Astarion heaped of all the recommended items onto the plate. The rogue raised a defiant eyebrow in answer, and Halsin just smiled and shook his head.
He watched as the vampire took the food over to Tav who clapped excitedly. “How did you know what I liked? You usually miss breakfast.”
“A sweet heart deserves a breakfast to match.” Astarion answered with a light tap of his finger to her nose. Halsin didn’t expect to get any credit for his suggestions, but he couldn’t argue with the Spawn’s sentiment.
“Thank you,” Tav smiled, reaching towards him. He held out the plate, but she shook her head.
“Hand,” she said simply, nodding toward his that was now resting in his lap.
He offered it to her with an eyebrow raised in question, as the slightest smirk began at one corner of her mouth. Tav gathered his delicate fingers in her palm and pressed a kiss onto each of his knuckles.
Astarion’s eyes grew wide, and his lips parted just before he turned away to collect himself. He turned back with his eyes narrowed when Karlach began to wolf whistle. He side-armed a strawberry at the tiefling that was snatched out of the air by a white blur of a dog.
Tav’s stomach rumbled again, and Scratch trotted over to drop the fruit in front of her, nudging it to his mistress through the dirt. “You really are the best boy,” she grinned, rubbing the dog’s chin. “But I think I’ll let you keep that if you’ll convince him to feed me the next one,” she said, turning a playful glance toward Astarion.
He shook his head with a heavy sigh, already gathering a piece of toast.
Tav accepted the bite of food, quickly kissing the fingertips of the hand that fed her. Astarion rolled his eyes in answer, despite the pink tips of his ears. By that time, Scratch and Baby had come to sit opposite the vampire, clearly expecting a nibble. “Open,” he ordered Tav, holding out a strawberry.
Tav accepted it enthusiastically, and this time caught his finger between her lips, and lightly sucked it clean of the fruit’s juice. Astarion’s breath caught as he watched her, and her eyes danced with laughter as he quickly looked away.
“Gross.” Shadowheart cringed.
Astarion gathered another bite for Tav, but she refused, instead tilting her head toward their pets.
“They’re going to get spoiled,” he warned.
“A bit late for that, I’d wager,” Gale teased affectionately from Wyll’s lap across the fire as Astarion tossed a piece of fruit to each beast. Halsin laughed and spared a glance toward Karlach and Lae’zel, who were making a concerted effort to look anywhere else. He’d watched them strategically drop bits of pork and toast to the creatures while the rest of the meal was being set out.
Soon enough, Shadowheart finished the intricate braid she’d woven into Tav's hair. “There! Just as you should be,” she said before planting a kiss on the crown of her head.
Astarion scoffed and scrunched his nose at their easy affection.
“Fine,” the cleric sighed, and quickly dropped a kiss onto his head. He cursed and turned to aim a shove at her as she quickly retreated from his expected ire, and Baby took advantage of the diversion. The cub grabbed the plate, scattering the breakfast and filling the camp with laughter.
Halsin was glad for such mirth and company, and that the rest of them were having good fun before they set off for the forge. He could see Tav’s attention had shifted as he followed her gaze. The full Cupid’s bow he’d been watching most of the morning pulled downwards as she turned toward the dark water separating them from their destination.
*******
“You there! Why are you in Gekh’s raft?” the Duergar demanded. He had boarded their commandeered boat after jumping from his own, and Tav was scrambling for an explanation that would save them from a fight on such a rickety vessel.
Damn. If he was asking about another Duegar, it was very likely they’d gotten rid of him the day before last with the rest back at the lakeshore. She decided to use that to their advantage. The best lies started with a kernel of the truth, afterall.
“Gekh’s dead. He and the rest fell fighting the Myconids. I’m here to report to the sergeant”
“The whole squad?” he asked.
He wore an amulet of the Absolute, and Tav decided to try and peek into his mind via tadpole and make sure he bought the lie.
Damn it. Gekh’s gone and screwed up. Nere’ll lose his head over thi- wait.That’s Gekh’s staff!
She saw the moment their suspicious passenger noticed the staff on Laezel’s back. He was reaching for his weapon, but it was too late. Without a second to waste, she shoved with all her strength, knocking the Duergar backward into the water.
A gasp over her shoulder served as a reminder that the rest of them weren’t aware of what she’d seen. “Sorry!” She grimaced reflexively.
Tav looked back at her companions who were all staring at her with the same mix of surprise and amusem*nt, which wasn’t always a good thing, considering these three.
“Not your usual style, but I’m not complaining,” Shadowheart said, nodding her approval.
Lae’zel hummed in agreement. “Efficient.”
“He recognized Lae’zel’s new staff.” Tav explained. “I saw it in his mind.”
“Ruthless looks good on you, darling, no need to apologize,” Astarion said with a wink.
The Dueregar, or what was left of him, surfaced, bobbing along as it was caught in the wake of the raft.
”Too bad we didn’t question him,” Tav lamented. “No telling what’s waiting for us up ahead.”
“It may not be too late,” Astarion mused.
Tav raised a brow in question just as he lifted a hand, as a green glow obscured his eyes and enveloped his form. The mangled corpse levitated over the water, glowing with the same magic.
“How can we guarantee safe entry to the forge?” Astarion asked the deceased.
An eerie rattle accompanied the answer it gave. “We are all friends under the Absolute, others are already there. Master Nere owes the non-believers a debt.”
Astarion asked a second question. “Is there trouble we should know about?”
“Rock fall, trapped gnomes and Nere. Poison gas inside. Only days left,” it replied.
“Is it more or less humid there than out here over the water?”
“More, much more, unless you climb high into the older parts.”
“Hells,” Astarion sighed, just as the green glow subsided. The duergar fell back into the water with a splash, snatched below the surface by an unseen force once more.
“Since when can you do that?” Tav asked incredulously.
“Since I spent a whole night reading The Necromancy of Thay while the spirits inside were taking the piss.” Astarion cringed away from water that had splashed into him from the corpse. Shadowheart grimaced and leaned away as he shook the droplets off toward her.
Oh. A twinge of guilt stole Tav’s train of thought. That was while they hadn’t been on good terms.
“ Tsk’va!” Laezel swore. “And you wasted the last question to ask about humidity. To what end?”
”Environmental factors are a key consideration for strategy, are they not?” He replied simply.
Lae’zel frowned, unsatisfied so far with his response. “That is true. So what have you decided?”
Astarion rolled his eyes and planted one hand on his hip. It was a familiar gesture of his, but something about it looked a little stiff to Tav. “That some of us are going to need to do hair masks when we get back to camp,” he answered. “This is going to be just awful for our curls,” he lamented with a concerned glance toward Tav.
“We got some good intel either way,” Tav said, cheerfully. She was glad for his new skill, and was sure that would be useful again in the future. “That was very quick thinking,” she added. His dazzling smile in return for her approval was infectious, but brief. Where normally he seemed to stand a little taller at her praise, he sank back toward Tav, winding his fingers through hers, squeezing just a touch too hard.
He might have seemed playful to anyone who didn’t know better, but there was a tightness in his voice, and the tell-tale crease between his brows. Tav watched as Astarion peered suspiciously over the edge of the skiff, into the water of the Ebonlake. She was sure the tadpole protected him from harm crossing water, just as it shielded him from the sun, but didn’t blame his not wanting to test the theory. It probably didn’t help that she’d just had to shove that Duergar to a watery grave.
“Hey,” she said as she leaned into his line of sight.
“Hmm?” he responded, eyes still focused on the ripples of the boat.
There was something she wanted to try. She weighed the pros and cons and decided now might be a good time. Either he’d be too distracted to actually hear her, which would work in her favor if he didn’t like it. If he did hear, maybe he’d have enough fun teasing her that it would take his mind off the water.
“Are you alright, honey?” she asked.
His brows shot upwards, and claret eyes crinkled at the edges, where her favorite smiles started. “Honey?”
“I think that’s the only one you haven’t already taken. I hope that’s okay,” she said.
“Hmm.” He appraised her blazing cheeks, and seemed to like what he saw, if his fangy grin was any indication. “I suppose I’ll allow it,” he replied, cheeky as ever.
A snort echoed into the abyss from the back of the boat.
“Lae’zel! Was that a laugh?” Shadowheart asked incredulously
“Did she not jest?” the Gith queried back. “That is her endearment of choice, although the vampire is hardly sweet, and she is the one who is food.”
“Lae’zel, I'd be hurt if you were an expert on all things charming.” Astarion drawled.
“I am perfectly charming, I'll have you know. On Crèche K'liir, I was known for my dazzling smile and charisma,” she replied with a proud upward turn of her nose.
“Really?” Astarion asked curiously.
“No.” Lae’zel deadpanned.
Shadowheart spit the ill-timed drink of water she had just taken and she and Tav cackled, and even Astarion cracked a half smile at Lae’zel’s smirk in response.
Torches mounted high in the cavern illuminated towering statues that Tav recognized right away; these were dedicated to Shar. She looked to her right as Shadow’s hand flew over her heart. She was glad she had chosen the group assembled to travel first to the forge. There was no one better to have watching your back in the dark than Astarion. She also knew that even the sight of a Githyanki warrior would be enough to discourage most from a fight. Now seeing the statues of the Lady of Loss made Tav even more grateful to have her best friend beside her. Shar could be terribly cruel, but hopefully having one of her children in their party might win them some favor.
As they approached the dock in their commandeered Duergar vessel, a figure came to meet them, shrouded in steam. Shadowhert and Lae’zel traded cautious glances while Astarion just shrugged. Tav stepped forward, hoping to charm their welcoming party and gain entry to the Grymforge.
