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imperator-titus · 1 month

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Ghost from the Past [Part 6]

In which I've finally concluded that yes I deserve a poly ship. When I get this to Ao3 eventually, I will try to make the Astarion/Gale aspect a little more prominent early on. I think it's time to add the Bloodweave tag? They be flirtin' this episode.

Also yes Eletha is kind of a messy bitch.

CW: Sexually explicit material, non-Canon compliant Poly!Gale

(Prev)[Part 5] (Next)[Part 7] [Master Post]

[Yes I'm using this slutty gif. Finally, planned smut. gif by cheekylittlepupp]

They were going to finally deal with the goblins and rescue the druid Halsin when the sky opened up with a vicious storm. Everyone preferred the comfort of their tents, except for Eletha. In just her small clothes, she wandered around the drowning camp with nary a bother. She took this time to bathe herself and Bonnet.

When she walked past Astarion’s tent, he stuck his head out of the flap and growled at her, “What is wrong with you? Get in here this instant!”

Eletha stood under the awning of his tent, rain dripping off her skin and what little hair she had. “What’s your problem? I’m not bothering you.”

“Just get in here,” he grumbled before disappearing into his tent once more. Rolling her eyes, she followed.

Muttering and grumbling some more in annoyance, Astarion convinced her to take off her wet clothes. He practically ripped them off of her when she didn’t move fast enough. Eletha complained, but complied with his wishes, like sitting still while he toweled her off. It occurred to them both that this was the first time in a very long time that he’d seen her completely naked. Well, except for the new moon, but that didn’t count.

“I can dry myself, you know.”

“I doubt you can tell that you’re wet, so I don’t believe you.”

Astarion hesitated as he finished her hair and moved on to her back. He ran a finger along a rather prominent scar that went from shoulder to opposite hip. Putting on a smirk and a flirtatious tone, he said, “Aren’t you a proper adventurer? And I thought those scars on your face were just for show.”

Eletha hummed, distracted. Astarion wilted a little, disappointed that he failed to open a conversation with her.

On her neck, he found two faded marks. Clearly a vampire’s bite, but unlike his, they were neat, dainty, and close together. Whoever sank their fangs into Eletha’s neck had done so gently, perhaps intimately.

Astarion pressed his nose into the back of her neck, behind her ear where she kept her hair short. She made a small noise, a little startled, a bit excited. Taking in a deep breath, he groaned and sighed. The scent was somehow familiar and new, sparking something in the dark recesses of his memory. In a low voice he murmured, “You smell amazing.”

“That’s what happens when you bathe,” Eletha rebutted with a laugh, but he could tell her heart sped up and that the sound of his voice by her ear sent a thrill up her spine. “You know… it’s unlikely you’ll find much to feed on tonight, and tomorrow is a big day. You could have some of my blood. If you want.”

“You’re such a good friend, my dear.”

Astarion smiled to himself against her hair. Her smell was intoxicating. After pressing a kiss to her neck, making her breath hitch, he very carefully sank his teeth into her flesh. As he drank, savoring the taste, he pressed her back to his chest and let his hands wander over her skin. When one brushed against her breast, she managed to smack it away. The other trailed down her abdomen, and he barely passed her belly button before she snatched that one away.

“Naughty boy,” Eletha chastised, humor mixing with the edge in her voice. Astarion took his fangs out of her neck and chuckled.

“Please forgive me. I couldn’t resist,” he purred as she turned around to face him, an invitation in his eyes. “Aren’t high elves supposed to be too imperious for things like dancing in the rain like some common druid?”

“Oh, you want me to be mean, is that it?” she asked, stopping the bleeding on her neck, eyebrows raised.

“I said imperious. Noble. You’re more cold than commanding,” Astarion teased, haughty and confident.

Eletha hardened her eyes. With just a thought, they became sharp and clear, like a predator’s. Her voice was clipped and serious, as if she was another person. “Is this what you want?”

Astarion leaned forward just a little bit, eyes alight with delight. “Oh, yeeees. I think I like this side of you.”

In a flash, Eletha’s hand was on his jaw, controlling his head, digging in just enough to make him uncomfortable. A small gasp of surprise and arousal escaped his lips. For a moment, she looked down on him as if he was some trifling irritant, unworthy of her attention but demanding it.

Then her eyes softened and a smile bloomed on her lips. Wiping away her blood from his chin, she laughed. It was a little shocking how easily she changed. “I think the rain has stopped.”

Astarion watched as she gathered up her wet clothes, not even bothering to put them back on. “You’re going to leave, just like that? I’m hurt.”

“Oh, Astarion, you started the game, I merely finished it.”

“I wouldn’t call the game finished yet,” Astarion insisted, regaining his composure, putting on his ‘I’m starving and you look like a perfect meal’ eyes.

“You should play this game with Gale, I bet it’d be fun,” she told him with a little girlish giggle, like they were two friends discussing their crushes. If either of them had any hair, they’d probably be braiding it.

Astarion scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Please, Gale is colder than you. I have to admit, he is quite handsome…”

“And powerful. Well, he was. And have you been to a wizard’s tower? It’s full of secrets and valuables and dangerous artifacts.” A wicked little grin started to show on his face and she tittered again. “Besides, Gale likes you.”

“Gale likes you, my dear.”

“Oh, yes, that’s why he found a bunch of books on vampirism and ancient artifacts that protect one from the sun. Because he likes me.”

“You’re having a laugh.”

“And the way you two chirp at each other like birds in spring? I have to keep you apart or I’ll get a headache. And he was very upset when you got excited about being beheaded. Personally, I’d like someone’s hands around my neck. But you have to do it in such a way that they don’t fight for air. You just stop the blood from going to their head and they just…” Eletha made a little gesture with her free hand and softly went ‘poof.’

“You’ve been drinking too much,” Astarion insisted, shaking his head.

“Okay, keep pining for my old used-up body that you’ve had before and deny yourself the powerful wizard that has done some inventive things with a goddess.” Astarion opened his mouth to argue with her, but she flitted out the tent as if propelled by faerie wings.

----

When Eletha stalked her prey, moving silently through the trees and grass, it was with reverence.

In the heat of battle, she kept her head, allowing Karlach or Lae’zel to swim in blood and gore while she managed the field.

In the goblin camp, she walked tall and her presence commanded the vile creatures to back away. Astarion saw it return, that regal severity in her eyes and words. The soul passed down to her through the ages had to be thirsting for this moment, to have lesser beings groveling at its feet and brought to heel with word or blade.

Half the night he worried that this day would end in chaotic bloodshed, a lot of it their own. He could hear Shadowheart and Lae’zel offer prayers to their respective goddesses. Karlach danced around in front of her tent out of nervousness, not gaiety, oblivious to his staring. Wyll tended to his blade and armor with fanatic fervor and offered Astarion a serious nod of camradic understanding. Gale practiced his spells for perhaps the ten-thousandth time in his life and when he met Astarion’s eyes, he smiled cockily.

Eletha had sat by the fire, staring into its flames, her bare knees crushed into the stones that surrounded it. For a while now, he considered her naive. Despite her age and experience, she still insisted on helping others with little reward. But unlike Wyll, she sometimes knew that people couldn’t be helped and served her own interests instead.

Then they were in that kennel. A proper kennel, not the one Cazador kept him in. Those little goblin children threw stones at that bear and it roared in pain and rage. Eletha’s ears twitched and somehow, he could hear her breath shudder for just a moment. The goblins giggled and clapped with glee and before anyone could say anything, Eletha’s elven longsword was wet with blood and little goblin heads rolled on the floor.

After that, Astarion didn’t think her so naive. Judging by the looks on the others’ faces when this small scrap was done, they all were recalculating their opinion of their leader.

As Eletha cleaned her blade, the cave bear reshaped into a man, the largest wood elf any of them had ever seen. He even rivaled Karlach in height and thickness. His body was soft, but not patriar soft. No, those hands could crush stones and lift ancient trees and his core was thick and sturdy, like a great oak resisting a storm.

“I would ask for your forgiveness for my appearance, but…” Halsin looked down at the headless bodies of the goblins. Everyone else was pointedly not looking at them.

“I’m all for believing any creature can overcome its nature, but I can’t abide animal cruelty,” Eletha explained, voice becoming a little humored as she spoke. Her severity melted away and she grinned at him, a hand on her chin as she appraised his appearance. “Bonnet is going to adore you. I’m almost disappointed that I don’t bring her to these sorts of things.”

“Haa, I’m sure I will enjoy making her acquaintance-”

“Bonnet is a bear, by the way,” Gale said helpfully. Shadowheart snorted, strangling a sudden laugh.

“Ah, that explains your rush to my rescue.” His attitude changed once he noticed that they were all infected with mindflayer tadpoles. After some discussion, they came to an understanding, but first thing was first.

The hunt was on.

After dispatching the goblins guarding the entrance to the kennel, Eletha stopped Astarion with a gentle touch on his arm. That harsh look was back, but there was a mischievous air to it. She pointed a finger up and he scanned the temple rafters for what she was indicating.

“What do you say? Shall we rain terror down on the Absolute’s idiots?”

Astarion gasped softly and touched a hand to his chest above his dead heart. “I think I’m falling for you all over again.”

----

This time, when Eletha aimed to put a dent in their alcohol stores, it was out of revelry and not a need to push back a deep dark sadness that threatened to crush her into dust. Gone was the icy chill, or the dour frown, or the knives in her eyes.

She disturbed Gale’s peace with an offering of wine and a broad smile.

“What’s on your mind, Bhin?” she asked as she poured him a drink.

“It’s just… a beautiful night, don’t you think?” Eletha let him paint a picture for her of a normal night for him, fraught with wist.

“What’s Tara like?” she asked after he cleared up their misunderstanding.

“Astarion reminds me of her somewhat. The same sharp tongue. And sharp teeth,” Gale explained.

“Then I guess we’d get along.”

“As long as you don’t try to rub her belly. She hates that.”

“But what if I want to rub your belly?” Eletha asked with a smile before putting the mouth of her bottle to her lips.

“I’m afraid I’ve experienced pleasures far more thrilling than tummy tickling,” Gale argued quite seriously before going on a small tangent about his celestial love life. Then it dawned on him. “Wait. You were flirting with me. For once, I think it is I who has had too much wine…”

“You know, Astarion doesn’t really like his belly rubbed either, but he does like having his ears gently touched and a nice stroke down the spine,” Eletha explained, demonstrating how one could pet either a cat or a certain elf.

“Are you trying to foist me onto another?” She smiled as she filled her pipe with something more fragrant than her usual tobacco. Gale didn’t think that what he said was humorous in any way, but Eletha often seemed amused by some private joke.

“Young ones should stick together. And a vampire seems like a half-step down to a normal person after a goddess, yes?” she asked after drawing in a bit of smoke.

“Your logic is… interesting, to say the least.”

“Yeah, well, if you don’t blow up, you’ll live a long time, right? And I’m not exactly confident in my longevity, elf blood or no,” Eletha said before drinking some more.

“I believe I understand what you are trying to say.” Gale sipped his wine and Eletha refilled his glass. “I want to say this is disappointing… but I find it so… heartwarming, that you have so much concern for Astarion.”

“Don’t let him know,” she false-whispered, holding up her hand to hide her mouth and giving him a wink. More seriously, Eletha asked, “Can I paint you my own picture?”

“I wasn’t aware you had artistic pur- Oh. Yes, a story.” Gale chuckled under his breath. She wrapped her smile around her pipe, sparing him a witty remark that sparkled in her eyes. “Please. Speak to your heart’s content.”

“Despite being, well, him, Astarion was my only friend. In all honesty, he was the only one I could relate to or who could make me feel safe, even when he was getting us in trouble,” she told him fondly, building up her own wist. Then her smile fell and she took a drink. “Then one day, he was gone. And I thought I would never have a friend again. Never thought I could love someone or be loved.”

“Admirable that you haven’t chased him with a sharpened stick by now,” Gale said while she uncorked another bottle of wine for him.

“Anyway. I wandered for quite a while, alone. Sometimes I picked up an animal companion, but there was a lot of time where it was just me and the stars. Solitude felt good. I would meet people, but I might as well have been a construct, for all the care I afforded them. There was this village, it’s not there anymore. They grew the best apples. For decades I traded with this one fellow whenever I came through. We would share news, like what creatures had been seen lately, how the weather was shifting unexpectedly. He would offer me this delicious apple brandy, ‘recipe passed down for ten generations!’ he would boast. He let me set up my tent behind his house and his wife would insist on feeding me. When his children were little, they would play with whatever companion I had at the time. Then his grandchildren would play with them.

“Eventually, as most Aethen do, he died. The next time I came through, his son gave me one last bottle of the family brandy and thanked me for being his father’s friend. I didn’t even know we were friends.” Eletha toyed with her bottle and took a puff of her pipe, clearly trying to calm herself. “It was weird, how much it hurt. I hadn’t lost anything more important than a comfortable pair of boots since Astarion left.”

“A good pair of boots is hard to come by,” Gale said enthusiastically, happy to relate. He realized it probably wasn’t appropriate, given how Eletha seemed to be hovering on the edge of tears. Then she laughed and raised her bottle to his glass in cheers.

“The point being. After that, I was able to admit that sometimes, I was lonely. Little by little, I stopped being so cold. Actually learned people’s names. It still took me a while to realize when I was friends with someone.” Eletha looked over to Astarion, who was conversing, or rather flirting, with Halsin. A fond but sad smile graced her lips. “I look at him and I remember what it was like, being alone, afraid of the pain that comes with letting something in just to have it taken from you through no fault of your own. A human’s life is like the blink of an eye compared to mine, so what is an elf’s to an immortal? A single beat of a hummingbird’s heart?”

Gale was formulating a clever but sincere response when Eletha looked him in the eye so intensely that it made him stop.

“It must have been hard for you too,” she said bittersweetly. He looked down at his reflection in his wine. It was. It was hard for him. Then Eletha giggled. “There. Have I thrown you off my scent?”

Gale chuckled despite the lump traveling up his throat. “Honestly? No. You’ve only managed to become more interesting and complex.”

“Damn! I’ll have to find some way to become more repugnant.” With a sigh, Eletha stood. A wicked smirk tugged at her lips as she spied Astarion moving back to his tent. “I have some ideas. Please make sure Wyll doesn’t drink too much, I already warned him about the dangers of becoming me.”

“A drunken drowning would be quite the anticlimactic end for the Blade of Frontiers, I agree.” Gale watched as Eletha walked away and hooked arms with Astarion. It was strange, watching the two. They would throw on a different mask in the blink of an eye, become someone else to suit their needs or whims. Aside from them, the most duplicitous was Shadowheart, and even then, she was just guarded. People said he was hard to read sometimes, but Gale always felt like he was being honest when the situation didn’t necessitate secrecy.

It was sometimes hard to believe that they were ever in love. The rest of the time, it made perfect sense.

“Fancy taking a walk? Get away for a bit?” Eletha asked Astarion conspiratorially as her hand caught his elbow and snaked up his bicep. He lifted his eyebrows in surprise before putting on his own wicked grin.

“Oh? You want to go out into the woods, alone, with me? What will Gale think?”

“It’s a walk, darling. You look like you need to get out of here,” she answered, imitating him. He was flattered.

“Then lead the way.”

They walked quite a ways; Eletha smoking her pipe and Astarion taking sips of wine as they went. Eventually they came upon a hollow of trees illuminated by the brilliance of the moon.

“You know, I don’t know that I’ve had so much fun as when we were chasing each other across those rickety beams,” he told her with a practiced twirl of fondness as they found a suitable place to sit. Eletha chose to lean against a tree and he sat down beside her. “Even the cobwebs in my hair were worth it.”

“Rare to have fun instead of fighting for your life,” she pointed out lazily, soaking in the moon’s light.

“I would have changed my tune about you sooner if I’d known you could be so bloodthirsty,” Astarion purred, trailing a teasing finger along the back of her hand. “You were magnificent back there. Makes me wonder what other talents you’ve been hiding.”

Eletha sat up with a soft grunt. “Alright. You’ve caught me in a rare mood.”

“Oh?” Astarion was surprised for a moment. Last time they were in the woods together, just the taste of his lips made her sick. Well, that’s how he saw it, anyway. “A good fight has that effect on people, I just assumed you were immune.”

Eletha knelt in front of him, one knee on either side of his. She took a drink of his wine and some of it escaped in a little trickle from the corner of her mouth. Astarion reached up to sensually wipe it off and lick it off his fingers, maybe make a comment about her being as messy as him or just a generic postulation about how she tasted. Eletha smacked it away a little forcefully before running her fingers up the underside of his exposed forearm from elbow to wrist.

Empty wine bottle tossed aside, she leaned forward until their noses were almost touching. Astarion lifted his face to capture her lips in a fervent kiss, but she dodge him. With her hot breath on his ear, she whispered, “When was the last time someone took care of you?”

Astarion had an answer for that: never. At least where vampire Astarion was concerned. Despite the fact that it was completely unsexy, he opened his mouth to answer what was clearly a rhetorical question.

Then her mouth was on his neck and a gasp escaped his lips in a cold puff. Her fingers, rough yet dextrous, teased his own before finding his belt. Astarion moaned as her hot tongue ran along the bottom of his ear. The moan turned into a desperate whine when she retreated.

Sitting back on his thighs, Eletha spared him only a passing glance before focusing on undoing the fastenings on his breeches. When he reached for her, this time aiming to pull up her shirt, she smacked him away once more. He tried again, not easily swayed, and she captured his hand, just to kiss and run her teeth along the inside of his wrist.

Readjusting, Eletha untucked his shirt. Lavishing his stomach with kisses, licks, and gentle scrapes of her teeth, she tugged down the waistband of his breeches. Astarion groaned in the back of his throat as she brushed her lips over his cock through his underwear. She left kisses from tip to base as she painstakingly pulled down the offending garment. He actually quivered as her tongue left a stripe of spit along its length.

Normally, Astarion wouldn’t let himself be so easily pleased. He’d fake this reaction, of course, and pepper in reactions that reflected what his mark desired most in him. Some wanted the commanding, debonair noble while others wanted a mewling plaything. But Eletha wasn’t a mark and she’d proven time and again that his body wasn’t the price for her protection.

It really was shocking to him how good it felt when he could let go of the performance. He had to fight against the innate instruction to turn off, just go through the motions. Astarion even tried to stop her so that it could be her ‘turn’ and he could show her how good he was, but she swatted him away. When he persisted, she laced their fingers together and just… held his hand. It felt almost as good as her lips and hand wrapped around his cock.

There was just a tiny worry in the back of his mind. Was she doing this just to please him? Were these just motions?

Then he noticed that her hand felt hotter. Her strokes became more insistent. He could feel the back of her throat and the filthy groan she made traveled down his cock. Gasping, Astarion bucked his hips just slightly and when she came up, moaning for air, strings of spit connecting them, he whined again. The look in her eyes was hungry and her lips smirked with pride.

Thus began his undoing. With her left hand in his right, he laid his left hand gently on her head, following her rhythm with small rolls of his hips. Occasionally, unwilling to be done so soon, he would tug her hair just the slightest bit to pull her back and give his nerves a rest. She was relentless, swirling her tongue around him, groaning like a starving man eating at a king’s buffet.

Astarion felt a jolt of pleasure he’d never felt before and threw his head back with an unabashed moan. His hand had to leave her head, lest he push it down further in his blind ecstasy. Squeezing each other’s hand, Eletha took everything he had to give and made sure there would be no mess except for the wrinkles in their clothes and the disarray of their hair.

Boneless, Astarion watched her through hazy eyes as she made him modest and fixed her own clothing. He managed to offer her a husky chuckle and a half-cocky smile. “Are you sure I can’t interest you in some more fun?”

“That was fun enough for me, but thank you,” Eletha said politely, gathering up their discarded things.

“Why?” Astarion asked, maybe a bit too much like a plea. “Why do this for me?”

“Because I’m a little drunk, had some wizard’s weed, and well-”

Now that hollow far-away look came to her eyes. Eletha just… stared straight ahead, as if she could see something happening deep in the earth.

“Eletha…?” Astarion’s bliss shifted into something akin to fear. He reached out hesitantly, debating the ramifications of touching her while in this state. “Lorelai.”

Eletha’s head snapped around, startling him. For a moment, with her body rigid, she seemed to be seeing someone else in his place. There was terror in her eyes. Then her shoulders relaxed and she was herself again. Smiling as if nothing had just happened, she said, “What’s a party without a little fun?”

“Right…” Astarion agreed, dragging out the syllable.

“I’m gonna try to get some sleep. You should hang out with Gale. He really misses his little tressym friend. Sounds like you would be a good replacement,” she explained cheerily as she got to her feet, dusted herself off, and marched back to camp.

Astarion was magically transported to Gale’s tent. Not really, but he couldn’t quite remember getting from the glade to camp and making the decision to sit down with Gale of all people.

“Are you alright, Astarion?” the man asked him, offering him a glass of wine.

“I’ve had the strangest experience.” Gale gave him a critical look-over. “With Eletha, I mean.”

“I’m not really the kiss-and-tell sort,” he told him only to receive a look that said ‘do you hear yourself?’ Ignoring it, he added, “It can be very easy to fall back into the arms of an old lover. I am sure it is… complicated.”

“Did your dear Mystra ever… tend to your… needs… and refuse reciprocation?” Astarion asked hesitantly, searching for the words that both conveyed his intention and couldn’t be misunderstood by Gale.

“Well, if I set aside the fact that our intimate affairs are not quite analogous to those shared between mortals-” Gale started rather academically and a little smugly. Then he actually thought about it and his face fell back into neutrality. “No. I wouldn’t say that was ever the case.”

“It’s a strange feeling,” Astarion remarked, still trying to untangle his thoughts. “Also. That may have been the best orgasm I’ve ever had, and now I’m disappointed that she went to bed.”

Gale cleared his throat. “I’m sure she has her reasons. As… elusive as they might seem.”

Astarion tilted his head and put on a smirk. “Fancy a go? Someone like you might be able to teach me a thing or two.”

Gale chuckled and raised a warding finger. “I’m afraid you will have no such luck with me, Astarion.”

Astarion pouted. “Come on. You’re not curious? All this time out in the wilderness and you don’t feel the least bit pent-up? I’m not some backwater farm girl looking for a tumble, you know.”

“Whether I have those feelings or not is irrelevant. Who knows what a sudden increase in excitement could do to the orb? A moment of destabilization when I’m unable to control it and we’re all dust.”

“That sounds very exciting, if I may say so,” Astarion purred, a hand finding Gale’s thigh under the table. Gale huffed as he moved it away, making Astarion laugh. “Ticklish, Gale? A mighty wizard defeated by just the brush of a hand?”

“Careful. The tadpole won’t protect you from this wizard’s magicks.” Astarion found Gale’s thigh again and managed to slide up a little before Gale moved away even further. “I know you’re having fun, and I don’t slight you for it, it is a bit amusing, but I am afraid you’ve come to the point where if you persist, I will consider it harrassment and be forced to retaliate most fiercely.”

Astarion sat back up, retrieving his hand from beneath the table. “I apologize, Gale. I thought I might convince you to loosen up a little.”

“Your apology is accepted. Perhaps under different circumstances, I would have taken you up on your offer.” Astarion picked up his wine glass and held it towards Gale’s. Curious, Gale held his up as well and Astarion clinked them together.

“Here’s to different circumstances, darling.”

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imperator-titus · 1 month

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Ghost from the Past [Part 10]

I'm tired and entering the last week of my current grad classes so... nothing interesting to comment on. Please enjoy! Feel free to comment, rb, etc!

(Prev)[Part 9] (Next)[Part 11] [Master Post]

[Have an owlbear gif because you deserve him]

In the morning, Lae’zel, Karlach, Wyll, and Shadowheart headed out to do some scouting and search for any signs of the spirit Thaniel. Halsin went to Last Light Inn to check on Art Cullagh after assuring all the animals that he was coming back.

Astarion and Gale spent all of ten minutes pretending to read before starting a kissing contest. They rolled back and forth, trying to get leverage on the other, unpinning arms to tear at the other's clothes.

Gale had his hand up Astarion’s shirt when Astarion stopped him, one hand over Gale’s mouth and the other indicating that the wizard be silent. With a serious look on his face, he concentrated on the sound he swore he just heard.

Perhaps a few feet away from Gale’s tent, some stones crunched under someone’s foot as they shifted their weight. Then they walked away.

Astarion renewed their activities by playfully biting Gale’s lip and taking this moment of surprise to roll on top of him. He had Gale’s trousers undone when a new sound came from outside. It was Bonnet whining and Pellet, the owlbear cub, chirping erratically.

Gale practically threw Astarion off of him so he could quickly lace up his pants and see what was happening. After the initial shock, and arousal, of Gale tossing him wore off, Astarion followed.

“What are you doing?!” Gale cried angrily, rushing towards the campfire where the two animals were hopping up and down in distress.

Kneeling in the remains of their fire was Eletha, shuddering as she wept. Gale grabbed her from behind and as he pulled her away, she fought him. Kicking and clawing, she tried to get back to the scattered charcoal still glowing with heat.

“I’m sorry!” Eletha pleaded through her tears in Elvish. She stopped fighting Gale and instead clung to his arms wrapped around her chest and torso. “I’m sorry, I'm sorry.”

“Hush, now,” Gale commanded her, placing one hand on her head and stroking back her hair. “Astarion, go find something to mend her burns.”

Astarion stared on in disbelief until Gale snapped at him. “Listen for once!”

Bonnet was carrying over one of Eletha’s many bags as Astarion dug around in their supplies. Right, she’d have something for burns.

Why did Gale give him this task? He was closer to a cleric than Astarion was. When was the last time he had to clean a wound?

Because Gale knew better how to comfort. Stroking her hair, offering her kind words or distractions as she wept and gasped for air.

With Bonnet’s help, Astarion brought over a bottle of water, some rags, and her bag. He dumped out its contents and with keen intelligence, the bear found the items immediately. They were even labeled in her careful hand.

Eletha didn’t whimper or shift in pain as the potion caused her skin to bubble or when he wiped it away to reveal raw skin. All the while, she desperately muttered apologies. For hiding in her tent. For yelling at them. For things that had nothing to do with them.

By the time Astarion was carefully covering her burns with a salve, she fell silent, save for a few sniffles or shuddering breaths.

“How about I make you something to eat, hm?” Gale asked her softly, finally able to extricate himself from her clutches. “A good meal makes everyone feel better.”

Pellet crawled into her lap as Bonnet laid her large head on an uninjured portion of her legs, making it impossible to move. Eletha wrapped the owlbear in a hug and buried her face in his feathers.

Astarion didn’t know what to do. He didn’t eat, so he didn’t know how to cook, and thus wasn’t about to offer Gale help. He didn’t know how to comfort and the animals seemed to be handling that front.

A part of him felt that he needed comfort. It wasn’t exactly relaxing or pleasant to have his activities with Gale, the closest he’d come to sex since that night of the party, interrupted by his old lover and- gods, mother of his child- punishing herself in some insane way.

No wonder she got along with that Loviatar priest in the goblin stronghold.

What was he supposed to do?

Nothing. This wasn’t his problem. Eletha brought it upon herself. Who was he to tell her to stop? Why did he have to comfort her when she’d been keeping this secret from him this whole time?

Well, he had his own secrets. And clearly this one had been eating her from the inside until she cracked. And she had pledged to help him with his problems, even when she felt that he’d transgressed against her.

Nope. He’d done his part.

What was he going to do now, hunt down some elf nearly as old as himself, whose name he didn’t know, that he had no idea what he looked like? He was probably off in the Dales and they were headed for Baldur’s Gate.

Astarion returned to his tent. Grabbing the book he was currently reading, he hesitated at the sight of Eletha’s bag of holding.

He’d decided to keep the letter addressed to him, at Gale’s insistence that it was meant for him and now he knew its contents anyway.

Sitting on top of the bag was the faded letter with ‘E’Sum’ printed on the front in Eletha’s beautiful Elvish hand.

Part of him couldn’t make the decision to put it back in the bag and forget about it. It wasn’t for him.

But it was likely about him…

Eletha was still hiding her face in Pellet’s coat but Bonnet had apparently deemed her no longer a flight risk and was face-deep in the cast-offs from Gale’s preparations. Gale was humming a song to himself.

Astarion approached Eletha. She shifted her grip on Pellet as the owlbear shifted to regard him with those big innocent eyes. To think something so adorable would grow up to be a massive killing machine…

“It’s… okay,” he managed to say to her quietly, not wanting Gale to overhear. He had the feeling he was doing something wrong and the wizard would Bone Chill him out of spite. “I… know why you’re upset.”

Eletha sniffled and turned her head in his direction, but didn’t look at him. “I’m sorry.”

“I know. I… want to say I’m sorry, but I don’t think it’s all quite sunk in yet…”

Was this comforting? Was this how this conversation was supposed to go? He hadn’t rehearsed it properly. There always came a point when she stabbed him to death or ran off only to be taken by the shadow curse.

Astarion felt the tadpole in his head wriggle. He didn’t really want to open himself up to whatever she was feeling.

He did anyway.

He felt it intensely, those horrifying feelings that she transcribed to him. The dark pit made sense. He wanted to escape his own skin. Pieces were being taken out of him and he didn’t know how many more he could spare before he was used up, like a cake being sliced and served.

Gale was right. Astarion knew how she felt. To be controlled. To lose yourself. That hollow feeling. The rage against the things that hurt you. The fear of being hurt again.

The world became bright and green. A wave of calm washed over him, knocking off the darkness clinging to him. He was… happy. Safe.

Someone grabbed him from behind, but he wasn’t afraid. In fact, he laughed.

Eletha laughed, he corrected. Her stomach fluttered in excitement as warm kisses were pressed to her neck.

Of course, it was Astarion, resplendent in his beauty, smiling and laughing with her. He made it look so easy… Because for this version of him, it was.

Astarion slipped something around Eletha’s neck. It was a pendant, much like the one he’d snatched from her in the Emerald Grove, but this one glowed a subtle blue.

“Because I’m thinking about you,” Astarion whispered in her ear, watching over her shoulder as she inspected the gift. “So you know that I’m always thinking about you.”

“You’re such a sap,” Eletha teased him, but he could feel the radiating warmth of joy and love spread throughout her body.

Astarion tried to hold on to that feeling as he came back into his own mind.

Eletha’s hand was on his, softly stroking it.

“Good to see you two getting along again,” Gale said, holding out a bowl to Eletha. Pellet vacated her lap so she could take it.

Eletha moved the food around with her fork. “I'm sorry for interrupting you.”

“Interrupting?”

“You smell like each other,” she explained dispassionately. Gale choked on some of his food.

----

When the others came back, they found Gale finishing up their supper, Astarion lounging about with a book and a goblet of wine, and Eletha going through her things in a very meticulous fashion.

“We had a fantastic day lazing about camp, thank you for asking,” Astarion remarked sarcastically as everyone stared at Eletha.

“What… happened?” Shadowheart asked, hesitating as she put down her pack.

“Time and food heals most wounds,” Gale answered with a little smile, satisfied with how his latest soup came out.

“Lethi, darlin’, whatcha up to?” Karlach approached the arrangement of items taking up most of the free space in camp. “Lookin’ for something?”

“I took the journal, I told you already,” Gale called insistently over his shoulder.

Eletha stood up and inspected her things one more time. Then she walked over to Astarion, which caused everyone but Gale to hold their breath. The last time they saw the two interact, it had been explosive.

She held out a hand, palm up.

“Hand it over.”

Astarion chuckled nervously. “You gave me that bag, but if you want it back…”

“Not the bag-” Eletha paused, clearly thinking, “but I’ll take that back too. I meant the platinum.”

“I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“It’s really low, stealing from an insane woman,” she told him with a sigh of disappointment.

Astarion huffed and closed his book with a defeated thump. “Fine. You caught me.”

“You’ve been carrying platinum around this whole time?” Wyll asked in disbelief.

“While we’ve been living off the coin we find in people’s pockets and scraping together every copper we can get from selling the junk we find?” Shadowheart added a little indignantly. Then she shook her head. “Sorry. I probably shouldn’t be complaining about that right now.”

“It’s-” Eletha stopped, a far away look coming into her eyes. After a moment, conscious thought returned. “Well. I always told myself it was for my son. But giving money to someone you abandoned at birth isn’t really a good look, is it?”

“Ah… probably not,” Karlach told her sympathetically, patting her friend on the shoulder. “It’s the thought that counts?”

“Not really.”

Eletha counted the coins that Astarion reluctantly dumped in her hand.

She looked up at him.

They stared each other down silently.

He sighed and put one more platinum coin in her hand.

“Put it back,” she told him and a little smile bloomed on her lips as he huffed petulantly and put back the coin he’d palmed. “Thank you.”

“Glad to have you back,” Astarion retorted with a tone like a child sticking out their tongue.

“Now,” Eletha said brightly, addressing everyone, “tell me what I’ve missed.”

----

That night, after giving everyone personal apologies for inconveniencing and worrying them, Eletha brought a bottle of something to Gale’s tent.

“Is that… from Evermeet?” he asked in total disbelief, handling the masterfully crafted bottle with the utmost care.

“I know it’s not much-”

“Not much? I assure you, this is much.”

“Whatever, Gale, just take it,” Eletha told him angrily. The anger dissipated quickly, giving way to embarrassment. “Sorry, I just- I wanted to thank you.”

“Thanks isn’t necessary,” Gale reassured her, putting down the bottle next to the wine he’d just been drinking.

“It is. Mellia used to be there for me, when things got dark, but they’ve never been… that dark.”

“I’m glad I could help you, but I’m not sure that I did much. Especially not as much as Feywild wine.”

She waved his comment off. Smiling, she said, “I’m glad you and Astarion are getting along.”

“I didn’t know we were…” Gale chuckled a little, embarrassed.

“I’m not surprised in the least.”

“Am I that oblivious?”

Eletha shrugged, a smile on her lips. “A little. But Astarion has a way of… being obvious? But at the same time… not-so-obvious.”

“I understand what you mean.” Gale spun the bottle around slowly, looking it over again. “You appear clear-headed. Considering the circumstances.”

“Well, I finally found this thing,” she said, pulling a pendant out from under her shirt. “It makes the wearer calm.”

“A pity you couldn’t find it sooner.”

“I have a lot of stuff. And it’s been 50 or so years since I needed it, so…” Eletha shrugged as she put the pendant back under her shirt. “When I’m calm, the whole thing feels… silly?”

“It is a complex situation. Your… imprisonment was cause enough, in my opinion.”

“I’m sorry that you felt that. This… thing is hard to control.”

“It helped me understand your pain.” Eletha laughed and Gale smiled a little, although uncertainly. “What is so funny?”

“I’ve put you all through the wringer, you and Astarion especially. And yet… I just keep thinking about what we’d be doing now if I didn’t fuck it all up.” Gale opened his mouth to argue, but she held up a hand to stop him.

“I’ve been… insane. And when I’m not insane, I just self-sabotage. I was afraid of being happy, and the possibility slipped through my fingers. I’ve had to live with that feeling many times, it’s nothing new.”

“There is still a long road ahead.”

Eletha chuckled as she got up. “Oh, Bhin, you’re breaking an old lady’s heart.”

“Thank you… for the wine, I mean,” he told her, unsure of himself. She graced him with a warm smile before moving on.

Astarion was hiding in his tent. With the shadow curse all around them, there was no reason to go out at night. He had to find ways to entertain himself while he waited for everyone else to rest.

“Knock knock,” Eletha called from outside in a soft voice.

He didn’t really want to talk to her. But she wanted to talk to him and that was… good, right?

“Come in.” Astarion made space for her. As she settled in beside him, she pressed something into his hand.

A platinum coin.

His brows furrowed. “What is this for?”

“It’s rude to visit empty-handed,” she told him, amused. Eletha spied her bag of journals and letters. “I admire you. In a way.”

“Oh? That’s a new one. I mean, I’m used to being admired, but not in the way you mean.”

“Okay, maybe I don’t.” Eletha shot him an annoyed glare. Carefully, she picked up the old letter sitting out. “I feel guilty, because there’s a boy- a man- out there wondering where I went. Wondering why I don’t love him. Like how I always wondered why my parents didn’t love me.”

“That’s not necessarily true,” Astarion told her, trying to be helpful. “Maybe he thinks we’re both dead!”

“For once, you’re right.”

Internally, Astarion sighed with relief.

“Don’t act surprised.”

“Other than that, I don’t feel guilty. If I had my way, this wouldn’t even be a problem. I don’t feel bad for leaving, he didn’t deserve to be saddled with me.”

“I’ve been saddled with you for almost two months and it’s enough to turn my hair white,” Astarion said with a roll of his eyes. She laughed.

“I admire that… you’re responsible for who knows how many people becoming midnight meals for Cazador and it’s okay because you had no choice,” Eletha said quite seriously, fingering the soft edge of her old letter. “I had no choice. So why must I feel guilty?”

“Maybe we should go to the Dales when this is all over, hunt down our families, and slaughter them all?” A devilish smirk tugged at her lips and Astarion laughed a little too maniacally. “I knew it. Bloodshed makes everything better.”

“So does fucking, if memory serves me right.”

“Yes, well, that too.”

“Sorry. Again.”

“Oh, it’s fine, darling. I have the sneaking suspicion that Gale isn’t quite aware that we’re playing this game. Even after I’ve had my tongue in his mouth and a hand down his pants.”

“That makes it fun.”

“We’re two peas in a pod,” Astarion said with a giddy little smile. “I can see why I liked you. I still do, mind you. Aside from all the tears and terrifying aggression.”

“That means a lot to me.” Eletha leaned over and pressed a kiss to his cheek. If he had any decent amount of blood in him, he might have blushed. Holding up her bag of holding, she asked, “Mind if I take these back?”

“Go ahead, my dear, I’m afraid I’ve already read all the good bits.” He held up the platinum coin between his thumb and forefinger. “Besides, you’ve paid me more than generously for it.”

Through the space between his tent and the flap, Astarion watched as Eletha sat by the fire.

Pipe clamped in her teeth, she would open a letter and read its contents. Then the fire would momentarily blaze as the piece of parchment was consumed by the heat.

Finally came the last one, old and faded. She regarded it, despite knowing its contents by heart.

It went up in smoke, just like the rest.

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imperator-titus · 16 days

Text

Ghost from the Past [Part 12]

(Prev)[Part 11] (Next)[Part 13] [Master Post]

This one is for the horny fuckers reading this story. If you don't want to read smut (very valid of you), you can probably stop after Eletha and Astarion talk to the mirror image. If you want to read right up to the point of explicit descriptions of sex, stop after Gale gets Eletha to join them on the bed. You can come back after the last linebreak. (I tried to put in content warning tags and the post didn't show up in the tags, I apologize to people who have those tags blocked.)

Honestly, this might be my magnum opus of smut, I don't think I've ever written something this complex before. I even had a friend read it over to make sure it can be followed, which is not something I normally do.

Please enjoy!

“You good?” Eletha asked Gale as they sat around the fire the next morning. “You don’t have to come if you’re not feeling so hot.”

“With you, I feel most hot,” Gale responded, unknowingly smirking as he expertly flipped their morning sausage. Then it occurred to him what he just said. “I mean- That is to say- I feel fine. Thank you. I think it would be prudent of me to accompany you.”

She gave him a little smile. “I appreciate it.”

“You look like hell,” Astarion said to Gale as he walked up, taking the seat next to him opposite Eletha.

“Not as bad as you,” Eletha spat back defensively. Gale merely shook his head, not dignifying the insult with a response.

Astarion crossed his arms and pouted. “Well, there’s nothing to eat out here. And you have been stingy with your neck.”

A look crossed her face that said she didn’t think about that. Her demeanor became apologetic. “Oh. Right. I have some time.”

In the privacy of his tent, Eletha took off her shirt and neatly set it aside.

The wind was knocked out of her chest as Astarion’s body collided with hers and slammed her forward onto the hard ground. She opened her mouth to complain, only to grunt as Astarion’s fangs sank into her neck. He wrestled her a bit, like an animal dominating a rival or immobilizing its prey.

It wasn’t the pain that surprised her, but the ferocity with which he feasted on her. The sounds echoing her ears weren’t his normal pleased sighs. When his teeth left her flesh, she half-expected them to come down somewhere else to rip her apart.

“Hells, I-” Astarion stammered, shaking with the realization of what he’d just done.

Eletha remained face-down, a soft sound escaping her lips as she tried to speak.

“Stop. Stop. Don’t try to talk,” he pleaded in a panicked whisper as he dug through his things for a potion. Potions he’d been stealing from her. Potions she’d let him take.

Astarion flipped her over, the sight of her blood tantalizing yet horrifying. The two large punctures on her neck were accompanied by two smaller ones where his lower canines had sunk in too, as well as indentations of his other teeth. Desperately, he pulled out the potion’s stopper with those same teeth and, holding her head up, he slowly tipped the contents into her mouth.

The bleeding stopped. The wounds started to knit back together. After a moment, her eyes fluttered open and she looked around, disoriented.

Holding her tightly to him, he cried into her hair, “I am so sorry.”

“Can’t breathe,” she mumbled into his shoulder. Quickly, he let go. Eletha rubbed the healing bite wound. “I’m fine. Just achy.”

“I… I don’t know what came over me…” Astarion tried to explain, distraught. “I couldn’t stop… I could have killed you.”

“But you didn’t.”

“I nearly did.”

Eletha leaned forward.

Astarion licked the blood off his lips.

Smack! Her head met his in a swift strike.

“Let’s get out of this fucking place so it doesn’t happen again,” Eletha grumbled as she put on her shirt and Astarion rubbed the pain out of his forehead.

“You okay?” Shadowheart asked, clearly spying all the dried blood stuck to Eletha’s neck and chest.

“He always was a messy eater.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

With Halsin’s little spirit friend taken care of and after Astarion’s slip of feral hunger, Eletha suggested that they split up to deal with things more quickly. The next morning, Eletha, Karlach, Gale, and Astarion would investigate Moonrise while the others tied up loose ends and investigated the Sharran Temple further for Shadowheart’s sake.

Eletha’s cold-hearted mask really helped them infiltrate the Absolute’s stronghold with little effort required.

After satisfying their curiosity and freeing the prisoners, Gale excused himself shortly after they arrived at Last Light Inn. While they made sure the Harpers would allow the freed prisoners to stay, he wanted to rush back to camp and make sure dinner would be ready for everyone. They would need their strength in the next few days if they were going to deal with Ketheric Thorm and the Absolute’s army.

“He’s been actin’ weird, yeah?” Karlach asked the others once he was out of earshot.

“Gale’s always been weird, no?” Astarion answered, hands on his hips.

“Mystra did tell him to find the heart of the Absolute and-” Eletha made a sound like a bomb detonating while making a hand gesture that simulated Gale’s magic orb exploding out of his chest.

“We’re not going to let him do that, right?” Karlach pleaded, her eyes big and wet, her hands clasped, her knees bent in supplication.

“Of course not. If we can help it.”

On the way back, Eletha and Astarion talked about the feelings the blood merchant dug up.

“If it makes you feel any better, refusing was pretty in-line with how you used to be,” she told him as he expressed a small amount of remorse for giving up power for just a moment of discomfort. “You’re much too precious to do such a thing.”

“Hm. I don’t always want to remember who I was. But I like the way you speak about it sometimes. Even when you’re angry with him, there is a fondness in your voice.” If only the sky was clear and there were stars in the sky. If only their surroundings weren’t so twisted and dreary. This would be a nice little walk together. “If I called you ‘Lori’, what did you call me?”

“Oh, silly things. Like ‘Princeling’ or ‘Your Highness.’” Astarion smiled to himself. “But you were always my ‘Star,’ even when we were small. It’s hard to say it angrily.”

“It’s odd, thinking you took care of me once.”

“Once? I took care of you for thirty years, now I’m taking care of you again. I used to pick you up and carry you across puddles. I had to be your sparring partner because I wouldn’t hit you too hard.”

“I get the idea.” A moment passed in silence as they walked. “I don’t want to go back. To the Dales, I mean. Not unless it’s to slaughter the lot of them.”

Eletha let out a big sigh. “It’s fine if you want to go back. I don’t have to see them, just find them.”

“They tortured you. Stop making excuses for them,” he growled at her. “Imagine if I said ‘let’s leave Cazador alone, he wasn’t that bad.’ You’d think I lost my mind!”

“I just don’t want you to regret passing up the chance because of me.”

“Our families imprisoned you in your own body and none of the others did anything about it. Good riddance.” More gently he added, “You are the only family I need now.”

“And Gale?”

“What about him?” Her knowing gaze made him roll his eyes. “Fine. I suppose we can have a pet.”

“Speaking of… Where is Gale?” Eletha asked, noting that he wasn’t by the fire with the others.

“Maybe he’s in his tent. Crying.” He said it flippantly, but Astarion immediately made a beeline for Gale’s tent. Not hungry, Eletha followed.

“Good evening! I am here on behalf of Gale of Waterdeep. He wishes to extend you an invitation for a private conversation in a more suitable locale,” the projection outside the wizard’s tent told them genially.

“The hells is this?” Astarion asked Eletha, indicating the projection with a confused little sneer.

“You are speaking to a mere projection of Gale. His appearance, his voice, and a certain measure of his personality-” the projection did a little pose, crossing his body with one curled hand while raising up the elbow of the other, “reconstituted in this case to play as emissary and usher.

“Would you care to join him? What little I could glean from the portion of his mind that is open to me, it is a matter most urgent.”

“Both of us?” Eletha asked while Astarion held back giggles behind his hand.

“This message was meant for the both of you. I even have instructions for if only one of you was present,” the projection explained. “Simply follow yonder path and soon you will find him.”

“We shouldn’t keep him waiting,” Astarion told her with a cheeky little grin.

“Yes, Your Highness,” she answered with a good-natured shake of her head.

“I do like that. Could you do it some more?”

“Don’t push your luck.”

As they followed the glowing path, their surroundings changed into something much more pleasant.

“Someone fancies his illusions,” Eletha said quietly, admiring Gale’s handiwork.

“I love this time of night,” Gale said wistfully as they approached, staring up at the sky. “There’s an almost reverent silence that accompanies the peak of darkness, when you’d almost believe the dawn will never break.

“The cradle of eternity. The timelessness of lovers. That most beautiful of fantasies.”

“Are you quite all right? Do you have a fever or something?” Astarion asked in annoyance, not really impressed with Gale’s undoubtedly carefully-chosen words. Eletha placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him before sitting down beside Gale.

“I will be, soon. I am perhaps just one hard day away from being without any troubles at all.”

“Don’t talk like that,” Astarion commanded, warning Gale with a stern finger and a furrowed brow.

“This may be my last night alive. I wanted it to be under a canopy of beauty and wonder…” Gale continued without dignifying Astarion’s threat with a response. His eyes, open and honest, regarded him and then Eletha in turn. “... And with company to match.”

“Stop talking like that!” Astarion’s voice had venom in it, but because they knew him so well, they could hear the emotional wobble in it. “Throwing your life away for Mystra is the daftest thing you’ve ever done. I won’t let you do it.”

Gale rose to his feet. “Death is assured. Mystra’s forgiveness is not.”

“Didn’t you hear her when Lae’zel was ready to die for a lie?” Astarion asked, waving a hand at Eletha, who stood again in case she needed to break the two apart. “Gods don’t care about us. Mystra threw you away, even before your little Karsite experiment. She should be asking for your forgiveness.”

“Astarion, leave him alone,” Eletha pleaded, touching him on the shoulder. He rolled it out of her touch and shot her a glare.

“Tell him. Tell him he shouldn’t do it!”

“I…” Eletha looked from Astarion to Gale, whose glower softened just a bit to meet her eyes. “I don’t want you to…”

“It wasn’t my intention to upset you,” Gale told them both quite earnestly, a self-chastising tone in his voice. Their reactions hurt. This wasn’t how this was supposed to go.

“Then what did you intend, Gale?” Astarion asked cattily, crossing his arms over his chest.

“This is all so difficult to navigate… Harder than any game of chess…” Astarion stopped pouting and started nervously playing with his hands. His eyes went from angry to… scared. “If things were different, if we were home, I’d have taken the time to do things properly. And maybe I’d understand a little better what properly means, in this case…

“That is to say… I’ve grown very fond of you. Both of you. This has been so very complicated, but-”

Astarion grabbed Gale’s head and smashed their lips together. While they were in their heated kiss, Eletha tried to sneak away, a cheekily little smile on her face. Astarion’s hand shot out and grabbed her by the tip of her ear.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked, Gale’s arms loosely wrapped around him.

“I really appreciate being a witness to your union, but maybe I don’t need to be here for the whole thing?”

“What part of both did you not understand?”

“No, I understood it.” Gale’s face fell and Eletha stammered, her cheeks turning red. “It’s just- I’m very fond of you too, sweetling, it’s just-”

“I understand,” Gale said, resigning himself to her answer. Astarion gave him an admonishing soft smack on the face.

“No,” he told him, like a master telling his dog to drop something disgusting. Then he turned to Eletha and jabbed a finger at her face. “No. We had this talk. You deserve this. Just say yes like you want to.”

“I…” Her eyes flicked between their faces and she had to look at her feet in embarrassment. “If this is going where I think it’s going…”

“A hedonistic pile of limbs, I’m hoping,” Astarion said devilishly, raising a leg coquettishly.

“Hush. Let her speak,” Gale admonished, sparing him a playful smirk.

“It’s just that… The last time I crawled into bed with someone, I broke down crying in the middle and went on a three-month bender,” she eventually admitted. “You two should get to have fun. I’m fine. I promise.”

“If there’s any crying, we stop. At least, if that isn’t the game we’re playing. Right, darling?” Astarion looked to Gale, who was giving Eletha his sympathetic puppy eyes, and with a touch of his finger to his jaw, turned his face to him.

“Of course,” Gale answered quizzically, as if the question was so ludicrous that the thought never entered his mind. Detaching himself from Astarion, Gale took Eletha’s hand in his and gazed deeply into her eyes. “I'm scared too. I don't really know how to do this. But I want to try. With you.”

How could she say no?

She could, of course. If she really wanted to, she could walk away. If it started to go poorly, she could stop.

“We deserve some fun,” Eletha said to herself as much as them. Gale leaned down and met her lips in a kiss, one hand supporting the small of her back. This time he was much more sure of himself.

Astarion huffed playfully. “Now, now, don't hog her all to yourself.”

“I'm afraid I got carried away,” Gale said with a blushing grin. “It's just as well. I wanted to change the illusion to something much more impressive.”

“Oh, Bhin, you don't need to impress us,” Eletha reassured him. Quietly Astarion disagreed with a little “yes he does.”

“We’re not gods.” Once more Astarion argued, muttering, “Speak for yourself.”

The way Gale looked at her made Eletha’s breath catch. Astarion just believed that finally, someone worshiped him the way he deserved.

“I beg to differ.”

“So we’ve moved on to begging now? I can work with that.” Eletha glared at Astarion, willing him to shut up, but Gale only laughed.

“Maybe another time, when we’ve figured out how this works.”

“Don't encourage him,” she whispered.

“Just summon us a nice comfy bed.”

As Gale focused on setting the stage, Astarion sauntered up to Eletha with a thirsty smirk on his lips. Her heartbeat quickened as he started undoing her armor with expert dexterity. Needing something to do, she offered him the same help.

“Don't be shy,” he cooed, amused by her inability to look at him and the bright flush blooming on her cheeks.

“I'm not,” she insisted petulantly. He palmed the slight heft of her breast through her shirt. When she stepped away from his touch, he chuckled darkly. “You’re not a good liar.”

Annoyed with him, which wasn't new for her at all, Eletha approached Gale, who'd been watching them for a moment with keen interest. As if it was the most interesting thing she’d ever seen, she ran her hands over the sumptuous velvet of his shirt before trying to take it off. He laughed as their height difference became a problem and he had to remove it the rest of the way.

“It's okay to be nervous. I’m nervous too,” Gale told her sweetly before leaning down for another kiss.

Astarion came up behind her and placed kisses and playful bites on her shoulder and neck before pushing them both onto the bed. Eletha glared at him over her shoulder. “You're such a brat.”

As if to prove her point, he flicked her away so he could work on undoing Gale’s trousers. Gale rose up on his elbows and the two exchanged passionate kisses while Eletha removed the rest of her clothes by herself.

Astarion moved from Gale’s lips to his neck, marking his way with kisses and nips while his hands combed through his chest hair, gently squeezing the plush swell of his pecs. Astarion traveled down the wizard’s torso, lavishing it with his mouth and fingers.

Gale managed to come to his senses and held out a hand to Eletha, beckoning her onto the bed with a smile. “What are you doing over there by yourself?”

“Looked like you two were having fun, I didn’t want to interrupt.” Despite her protestations, she knelt on the edge of the bed within his reach.

His fingers touched her skin softly, so softly she had to refrain from twitching away as it tickled. Tracing the scars that littered her body, he was enamored by her. In return, she ran her fingers all along his arm and through his hair, gazing into his eyes deeply.

A shocked little moan escaped his lips as Astarion stopped teasing him and finally wrapped his cold wet mouth around his cock. Under his tongue, he could feel a rush of blood make it that much harder.

Astarion had to find some way to not shut off, just like how Eletha had to find a way to not psyche herself out or Gale needed to figure out how to not treat them like Mystra. It would creep in from time to time, their little internal battles.

Astarion pictured the look on Eletha’s face as she’d sucked the life out of him, how proud and interested she was in making him feel so good. So he focused on that.

When Gale’s other hand tangled itself in his curls, he smirked around the hot throbbing cock in his mouth, knowing that he was doing a good job.

Of course, Astarion always took pride in his work. He was very good, after all. He readily boasted about it. But it would occur to him that he never really took pride in it as he was working.

This was different. This was real. He wanted to do this over and over again, to learn exactly what drove them insane, how much he could tease before they had no choice but to cry out his name in ecstacy.

Red eyes flicked up to see if Gale was watching his performance, only to have Eletha’s ass take up most of the view as she straddled the wizard’s face.

“Come here,” he’d whispered without Astarion noticing, his voice husky with desire. A deft flick of his fingers summoned a mage hand that helped him guide her while his other hand was busy reassuring Astarion that he was appreciating his attention.

New to this sort of thing, even after all the years she’d lived, Eletha gingerly swung her leg over his body and knelt above him so she could see only his eyes when she looked down between her breasts and over the slight bump at the bottom of her stomach.

As the mage hand caressed her neck, Gale placed his free hand on her thigh. It traveled up slowly, tracing the peak of her hip bone before rounding back to the curve of her backside. He gave it a few gentle squeezes while the mage hand came down over her breasts, mimicking the same motion.

Then he moved his hand so that he could lightly run a finger up the inside of her thigh, causing her to tremble. Delicately, he found the start of her slit and pressed his middle finger against it, not so insistent as to part it, but enough that he could feel her body react to his touch.

Gale’s mouth fell open in a soft moan and he could feel her shudder as his hot breath washed over her skin. His fingertip brushed up and down a few times. He watched as his mage hand ran trails down her stomach and when it paid special attention to her lower belly, she broke through the haze of pleasure his fingers were creating to smack the magical hand aside.

“Don’t be like that,” Astarion chided, his slicked hand giving Gale’s cock a few more languid strokes as he approached the head of the bed. “I think it’s delicious.”

Kneeling in front of her, he pulled her into a passionate kiss. Gale’s finger finally pressed into her folds and became slick as it tested how receptive she'd become from his light caresses.

Eletha’s mouth opened with a surprised gasp and Astarion took this opportunity to slip in his tongue. The thought of mixing their spit and the taste of Gale’s cock sent a thrill up all their spines.

Eletha found balance by holding on to Astarion’s shoulder as her other hand trailed down his torso. He let out a soft little whimper of pleasure against her lips as her fingers wrapped around his half-hard cock.

Meanwhile, Gale slid his finger slowly in and out of her, pressing against different points to find the right spot to focus his attention. As a second finger joined the war effort, Eletha’s mouth pressed into a tight line against Astarion’s lips as she emitted a strained hum. He almost asked if she was okay when she rolled her hips down into the source of pleasure again.

Using his nose to reveal her clit, Gale breathed in her scent with a satisfied groan before swiping the swollen bundle of nerves with his hot wet tongue. He knew that he was doing a good job as she tightened around his fingers and her juices filled his mouth.

All the while, she stroked Astarion’s needy cock with one hand and clung to him with the other as his attention on her neck threatened to leave bruises. After a few minutes, Eletha had to lift herself up on shuddering thighs.

“Is he that good, my love?” Astarion asked her teasingly with a smug curl to his words, holding her up so Gale could slip out from underneath her.

Eletha came back to her senses and pushed Astarion back to fall amongst the pillows that Gale had conjured. Eyes full of desire, voice hoarse from restraining her own pleasure, she said, “Why don't you try for yourself?”

“I would enjoy returning the favor.” Gale wiped his face clean with the back of his arm, gazing at Astarion with the same hungry longing that he offered Eletha.

“I wouldn't dream of saying no,” Astarion replied with a smirk, parting his knees as an invitation.

Gale slid between his legs, crawling like a panther stalking its prey. Starting at the knee, he kissed and bit a trail up his inner thigh until he found his still-hard cock.

Astarion’s spindly fingers wove into the gentle waves of Gale’s hair as his head bobbed up and down. Letting his own head fall back, giving his neck a chance to relax, he focused on the sensation of Gale’s masterful tongue swirling and flicking and swiping.

His sensitive ears twitched at the guttural sounds of him throating his cock. Gale gasped for air and groaned hungrily as Eletha joined in the fun.

Rolling his hips to be perpendicular to the bed, she enthusiastically lapped-up the mix of juices leaking from his cock. His tongue and fingers had pushed away her uncertainties and now she felt almost drunk.

Every shift of her legs and every pulse of his cock in her mouth made her whine and shudder. Gale spared a hand to place on her head, play with her ears, while she clawed at his soft peachy ass.

Astarion lifted Gale’s head up with a gentle tug of his hair and the blissful look on the wizard’s face made his cock twitch with excitement. “You’re doing a marvelous job, beautiful, but I’d like to try something else.”

“Whatever you desire,” Gale responded in a husky voice.

Arranging them like furniture, Astarion set the next scene.

Sitting up, Eletha was able to more easily swallow Gale’s cock. Kneeling in front of her, he had no choice but to cry out in a needy groan as he felt himself slide into her throat. His hands stroked her face, running along the line of her jaw, or holding the back of her head. Eventually, he was rolling his hips forward, very slightly at first and then picking up the pace, fucking her mouth.

Meanwhile, Astarion was between her legs, slipping two fingers into her greedy cunt without resistance while his tongue attacked her clit. He could feel her squeeze involuntarily as his lips sucked and his tongue lapped.

When she spread her legs, giving him better access, he managed to add a third finger. Even in his position, even with the slutty sounds Gale was making, Astarion could hear Eletha moan. Gale’s legs shuddered as the sound undoubtedly sent pulses of pleasure up his cock, lodged in her throat.

Astarion was definitely excited, this was definitely fun, but he seemed to be the only one capable of a coherent thought at the moment. For now, this would have to be his show.

Ceasing his ministrations, he encouraged the two of them to decouple. “Sorry to ruin the mood, but this next bit is going to require some… consideration.”

“Y-yes… That is probably wise…” Gale agreed, trying to catch his breath. Eletha, collapsed into the pillows, only managed a weak nod.

“Being the god that I am, I could do this well into the morning. I am assuming you” he pointed to Gale with a finger after licking it clean “have some sort of magical stamina.”

“Oh yes.” Gale smirked confidently. “I built up a well of endurance that allows me to climax multiple times, with only a short refractory period, allowing me to-”

“Yes, yes, we get it,” Astarion interrupted hastily, even though that was some tantalizing information… “That leaves us with the princess over there.”

Eletha managed to open her eyes. Slightly embarrassed, she said, “I’ve always been sort of… one-and-done.”

“You poor thing,” Astarion cooed sympathetically, offering her a cheeky pout. Pretending to give it some thought, he asked, “So, why don’t you two have a little moment, hm?”

“I’m surprised, I assumed that you would want to go first…” Gale said, not exactly arguing, but he had thought about this at some length.

“I’m actually being very selfish. If this goes sideways, I don’t want to be the one to start it,” he explained flippantly, adding in a little shrug.

Actually, he was a bit scared, but he wouldn’t admit that. Scared of what it might do to him, or to her, to be wrapped around each other again.

Gale chuckled softly in the back of his throat, a knowing half-cocked smile on his lips as he looked from Astarion to Eletha. With gentle but strong hands, he grabbed her by the waist and brought her down out of the pillows so Astarion could have a better view.

Kneeling between her legs, he kissed his way up her body. Finding her breasts with his mouth, he gave a nipple a few experimenting sucks and flicks of his tongue. Her rough hands wandered over his sides, his back, his arms.

Gale took a moment to gaze into her eyes, shrinking the world to just the two of them. Eletha’s breath hitched. To be looked at in such a way…

As if understanding her thoughts, he lightly kissed her lips. She responded with more insistence. Gale lowered himself so that his impatient cock could rest against her wet cunt. With gentle rolls of his hips, he rubbed against her clit while they kissed sloppily, slicking his cock in the process.

Cock poised to enter her, he broke away to gaze down at her once more. Clearly, but sweetly, he told her, “I love you.”

This seemed to shock her a little. Gale was thankful he said it, made it obvious, and that her response was, “I love you, too.”

Locking their lips together, Gale finally slid into her, interlocking their bodies. His moan intermingled with her gasp as he felt her tighten and she felt the sudden fullness that his cock brought her. They stayed like that for a few heartbeats, kissing passionately as they gave themselves and each other a moment for their hearts to calm down.

Astarion watched with an equal mix of curiosity, hunger, and jealousy. The sickly-sweet way Gale made sure his partner was ready, the longing looks in their eyes, the honesty of their words… It was more than he ever could have imagined for himself. Would they do that for him, when it was his turn? Was he truly more than just a thing to be used?

On the other hand… Despite the fact that he’d insisted Gale go first, Astarion still felt a flare of anger to see someone else enjoy and please his former love. Eletha belonged to him.

His hand slipped down to his cock and started stroking it with a languid pace, ghosting over the shaft and tightening his grip as he passed over the head. Self-pleasuring had never been of interest to him, he was always too busy pleasing others to keep them distracted. But watching the two created a rare mood in him. Speeding up to keep time with Gale’s thrusts, he imagined how it would feel when it was his turn. Gale certainly seemed to be enjoying himself.

Gale lifted his head and sat back on his haunches as Astarion approached. The vampire took hold of his bearded face by the chin and smashed their lips together in a mess of open-mouthed kisses. He pulled away with a hungry smirk on his face before leaning down to playfully bite at Eletha’s pale breast, leaving a slight mark that claimed her.

“Perhaps we should give our princess a little rest?” he suggested, giving her clit a little stroke that made both Gale and Eletha shudder, thus proving his point.

Eletha sat up on one elbow to bring her mouth around Astarion’s cock. While she eagerly licked and swallowed, her other hand worked Gale’s shaft, slick and thick from pounding her throbbing cunt.

Kneeling on either side of her, Gale and Astarion battled for dominance with their mouths. Gale intertwined their fingers, reassuring him with light strokes of his thumb. Eletha switched between their cocks, one gripped in each hand.

The two broke away, Gale panting. He smirked. “I would offer you my neck, but I’m afraid the taste of my blood would sour the mood.”

“I appreciate the sentiment.” Leaning back, Astarion released Eletha from her duties. He swept back what little hair she managed to let grow and with a gentle smile that would have surprised him if he could see it, he asked, “Would you like to be lost in one another again, my love?”

When this all started, Eletha was worried that just being around them would bring her to tears. She felt reassured when nervousness was replaced with elation, lust and desire warming her whole body. But the ultimate test was always this moment, when the really old memories would replay themselves in real time.

Eletha looked up at Astarion and, at the sound of his loving words so honest and open, she could feel her chest tighten.

“I want to be lost with you,” she answered, forcing back the involuntary rise of fear.

With him. Him, not the young man she lost.

Gale graciously sat back to observe, admiring the way the two looked at each other. He couldn’t decide if it was the unsureness of new love or the deep connection of something old and true. Either way, it was enviable in its beauty and passion.

Astarion first buried his face in her neck, taking in the scent of her sweat mixed with Gale’s. Feeling her quickened pulse just below the skin, he wanted to bite into her, not only to drink, but to make them as whole as possible.

Eletha wove her fingers into the hair at the back of his neck and whispered against his ear, “I love you, my precious Star.”

Astarion’s voice wavered as he whispered back, “I love you too.”

With one smooth stroke, he entered her, eliciting a small gasp from her lips. Despite just accommodating someone of Gale’s size, she felt like a perfect fit.

He expected to employ his usual suave moves. Instead, he rutted and groaned, clawing and clutching at her, desperate to crawl inside her and die all over again. The effort of resisting the urge to either sob or go blank almost drove him crazy. It finally hit him that this wasn’t about Cazador or survival. This was a give-and-take, not just give.

It was a little too much and, after a few minutes of kissing and thrusting, he had to remove himself.

When he leaned back, Gale was behind him, his strong arms grabbing his waist before snaking up to his chest, peppering his neck with bites and kisses all the while.

A light chuckle brushed against Astarion’s ear before the wizard asked, “Might I make a suggestion?”

“Do tell,” Astarion answered sumptuously, slipping his protective sex-god mask on for just a little bit. Just long enough to come down from the emotional overcharge.

Gale offered the instructions with his deep resonant voice, his cock pressed into the cleft of Astarion’s ass.

Astarion laughed suggestively, spying Eletha out of the corner of his eye as he stroked Gale’s beard idly. “Do you think our little pet can handle any more?”

“Surely she has more strength than that?” Gale answered, sending her a smoldering smirk as his hands wandered over Astarion’s pale, lean body.

Eletha looked to the sky like a dying man resigning himself to his fate before closing her eyes. After offering up a silent prayer and strengthening her resolve, she said, “I am yours.”

“Oooh,” Astarion purred. “Our fearless leader at our mercy? What a treat.”

With Eletha kneeling on the bed, her hands on its edge, Gale stood in front of her while Astarion took position behind her.

Taking hold of her slim backside, Astarion spread her glistening cunt with his thumbs. Placing his cock in the space he made, he bucked his hips, rubbing against her and slicking himself again at the same time.

At the side of the bed, Eletha opened her mouth to accept Gale’s cock once more. With gentle strokes, he pet her head and offered her his admiration with his wide smile. “You’re doing a marvelous job. You look so beautiful.”

Gale slid a hand over her back towards Astarion. After slipping into her once more and giving her a few good thrusts to establish a rhythm, he held her ass with one hand while the other met Gale’s, the tips of their fingers playing with each other. If they could have managed to lean toward one another without awkwardness, they would’ve interlocked their lips instead.

Saliva coated Gale’s cock so thickly that it dripped down his balls only to be lapped up by her tongue when she took him down to the base. Being wedged between them, Gale’s reassuring words in her ears, Astarion’s hand occasionally giving her ass a light smack of encouragement, her cunt was so wet that it squelched and gushed with every thrust.

An unrestrained moan rose up from Astarion’s chest and out his throat as he desperately increased his pace. A similar sound, with a little more base, came from Gale.

Later, Eletha would be impressed at their timing, but in the moment, all she felt was the pulse of their cocks as Astarion filled her cunt and Gale her throat. Her breath came out in ragged gasps as they pulled out.

“Stay there,” Gale bid her. Astarion sat to the side, panting, and watched as Gale took his place behind her. Sitting with his knees pressed into the bed, he spread her open and watched, nearly breathless, as Astarion’s cum started to drip out.

Not letting a drop go to waste, he wrapped his lips around the entire mess, fucking her with his tongue to lap up the precious liquid. Eletha shuddered and mewed and tried to get away, but his strong hands on her backside kept them connected.

When he could find no more of his prize, he let her go, and she collapsed onto her side.

“You’re not done yet, are you, sweetheart?” Astarion asked, pulling playfully on her ankle.

“I need a minute,” she answered, breathless, closing her eyes to keep the world from spinning.

“I suppose I can allow you to rest a moment,” he said with a roll of his eyes and a little scoff. More devilishly, he added, “But don’t think you’re getting out of here before the grand finale.”

“Don’t tease her so much,” Gale chided him with a smile and a tap on the nose.

Eletha had to vacate the bed as the two started to play-wrestle and curled up on a comfortable sofa that Gale had, at some point, thought it prudent to summon out of thin air. There she watched them fight and bicker, all in good fun, until Gale was on his stomach and Astarion’s face was pressed in between the wizard’s plump ass-cheeks.

Kneading them like dough, he worked his tongue around the quivering ring of nerves nestled there and occasionally gave the sensitive skin behind his balls a firm, wet swipe. It wasn’t long before Gale was whimpering, hiding his face in a pillow and rutting a little into the bed.

“P-please,” he begged pathetically, his toes curling to ease some of the tension coursing through his body.

“If you insist.” Astarion stuck a finger in his mouth to coat it with his spit when a jar poofed into existence next to him.

He picked it up and unscrewed the lid to find a semi-liquid substance. It was odorless, tasteless, and had a consistency much like the juices he’d just wiped off his cock. No matter how much he rubbed it between his finger and thumb, this lubricant kept its slick nature instead of becoming tacky and irritating.

“Wizards. What else are they hiding?”

“Are you going to fuck me or not?” Gale called out in annoyance, wiggling his ass insistently, rubbing his impatient cock against the bed..

He was so fun when he was annoying. Probably how Eletha looked at him for all those years.

Astarion coated his fingers in the magical stuff and carefully pressed one into Gale’s needy hole. He watched as the wizard shuddered from his touch and his cock pulsed with a sudden orgasm. Gale was so lost in bliss that he didn’t care that he was rutting around in his own cum. Groaning with wild abandon, working on instinct, he came again as Astarion worked a second finger into his ass.

“What a delightful magic trick. Come for me some more, my sweet. You make such lovely sounds,” Astarion commanded sweetly, excited by Gale’s pliance under his touch. The poor man’s cock pumped out two more loads before he decided that he was ready for his turn.

While Astarion readied himself, Gale broke through the haze and reached out a bidding hand to Eletha. Astarion had assumed she was comatose on the sofa, exhausted from being worked by their tireless bodies. But she attentively got to her feet and approached the bed.

Gently, Gale took hold of her wrist and tugged her forward. With a little guidance, and a magic word to clean up the mess he’d made, Gale had her lie underneath him in such a way that he could easily kiss her.

“I missed you,” he told her with a fond smile, his voice husky and deep.

“How could you miss me with everything going on over here?” Eletha asked, chuckling softly, shy from his little touches. Even Astarion getting her feet out of the way felt intimate. Gale lingered over her, like a brave protector shielding her from harm with his body.

“I’m quite capable of thinking of you both.”

Gale’s head snapped back with an animalistic growl of pleasure as Astarion’s cock finally slid into him. Even the rocking of their bodies from the vampire’s precise thrusts sent shivers of excitement up Eletha’s body.

Gale’s mouth attacked every part of her he could reach as if it might be the only thing standing between him and death. As he panted in ecstasy over her body, his saliva dripped down onto her face and into her awaiting mouth.

She could feel his hot cum coat her stomach and before it could cool, Gale guided her hand to collect it on her fingers and then brought the hand to his mouth so he could clean it with his tongue. Eletha could feel her cunt throb at the sight and he didn’t need to ask her again to feed him his own cum.

Astarion grabbed Gale by his hair and pulled him back a little. Then he held him by the throat and pulled him back further, until Astarion could press his forehead into the wizard’s sweat-slicked back. Feeling his own intense climax approach, he took hold of Gale’s cock and stroked it in time to his thrusts.

Gale placed a gentle hand on his forearm and the simple intimate touch drove Astarion over the edge. He groaned like a feral animal as he filled Gale’s ass with his cum. With an orgasm much more powerful than the last few, Gale released his own on Eletha’s stomach. Thick strings of hot white cum even made it as far as her breasts and throat. As soon as Astarion released him from his grip and cock, Gale got on his hands and knees once more to lick her skin clean. Cum-drunk, he collapsed on top of her, covering her with his sweaty bulk.

Astarion wanted to say something witty, but he was still coming down from a high he didn’t know he was capable of achieving. And after watching Gale work, he had to come to terms with the fact that maybe he did have some things to learn…

“I want you to ride me,” Gale told Eletha when he could manage the words. His hand slipped down between her legs and ran over her swollen clit before sinking into her sloppy cunt. In her ear, he explained the fantasy he’d been playing out in his head for a while now. “Use me. I want to see how beautiful you are when you come on my cock.”

She had to come up with an answer, but she was too distracted to come up with something a little sexier than just, “Okay.”

That was enough for Gale and with one deft movement, he swapped their positions. He teased her with the head of his cock, gathering her juices as he ran it through her slit, rubbing her clit, just barely pressing it into her waiting entrance.

Feeling left out, Astarion knelt behind her. Having cleaned himself off, he pressed his chest against her back, his dexterous hands wandering her body. Her pulse thrummed like a war drum under the skin of her neck, calling out to him. With his nose behind her ear, he whispered, “May I taste you? Please?”

Eletha managed a hum and a nod, trying to fight back her orgasm just a little longer. Much more gently, more sensually, Astarion pierced the delicate flesh of her neck and let her blood flow into his mouth. Its vitalic zest washed over his tongue and he moaned in the back of his throat, making Eletha shudder.

Finally lowering herself onto Gale’s eager cock, she whined as it spread her open. Appreciably thicker from his heightened excitement, it stretched her cunt even further than before. Ignoring his own instructions for just a moment, Gale thrust up into her, eliciting a cry of pleasure.

As she started fucking herself, bouncing on Gale’s lap and rolling her hips, Astarion settled one hand on her hip and the other over her clit. Once he understood her rhythm, he slipped his fingers to either side of the bundle of nerves, pressing it between them, and started stroking, fingers curling and straightening in time with her thrusts.

Eletha flung her head back, making beautiful music as her cunt squeezed Gale’s cock so hard that he was briefly concerned that she might actually do some damage. He groaned in abject pleasure anyway.

After all the teasing, cock-sucking, and thrusting, she couldn’t last long. Astarion’s voice in her ear didn’t help one bit.

“Show us how much you love us. Come for us, my love,” he commanded her sweetly, eyeing Gale from over her shoulder.

Astarion’s hand slipped from her clit as she pitched forward. Hands clutching Gale’s strong shoulders, Eletha ground her hips into his with all her strength, rubbing her throbbing clit against him while his cock stroked a very sensitive spot inside her. Gale forced himself to keep his eyes open so he could watch her face as she climaxed and he filled her cunt with a seemingly endless supply of cum. There was so much of it that it gushed out with his thrusts, even with how closely they were joined.

On shaky legs, she let him slip out and rolled to the side, collapsing on her back, covered in sweat, unable to control her breathing. As Gale found her hand with his own, Astarion decided to take this opportunity to move between her legs. With a hungry look and a lick of his lips, he purred, “My, what a mess we’ve made of you, my sweet.”

Without further ado, he swiped his tongue through her cunt, catching the cum dripping out. She shuddered and whimpered as he feasted on the delicious stuff, fucking her with his skilled tongue in the process. With one last twitch, she pleaded, “I can’t take it anymore.”

“You did wonderfully,” Gale reassured her as Astarion honored her request and moved on to licking Gale’s cock clean. The wizard pressed a kiss to the back of her hand before sitting up. Running a dry hand through the vampire’s curls, he chided playfully, “Haven’t had enough, hm?”

“That looked fun. I want my turn,” Astarion replied, lips curled into a smirk as Gale’s cock managed to come to life in his lubricated hand once more.

Without any arguments, Astarion sat in Gale’s lap, draping his arms over each shoulder as he started a battle of lips and tongues. Feeling ready, Astarion lowered himself onto Gale’s slick cock and felt his own twitch as he moaned against the other’s mouth.

Gale wrapped one arm around Astarion’s waist and snaked the other up his back to hold on to his shoulder, helping set the pace. His ego set aside, Astarion buried his face in Gale’s shoulder as his hips bucked and rolled, finding the perfect stroke to hit just the right places.

“That’s right,” Gale whispered in his ear, so calm and collected for someone who just came so hard that, if Mystra hadn’t stabilized the magic bomb in his chest, they and everything within several miles would’ve been turned to dust. “That’s a good boy. You’re doing so well.”

“Mmm, Gale,” he whimpered, biting off the urge to tell him to shut up. His words of encouragement actually made him feel even better, despite thinking it would distract him.

Mewling, he bounced on Gale’s cock harder, desperate for a final release. Tears slipped from his eyes as he cried out, clutching Gale for dear life as he painted his lover’s torso with cum. Gale grunted softly as he spent his final orgasm in the fluttering comfort of the vampire’s insides.

“Oh no,” Gale breathed in shock, suddenly aware that Astarion was trying to not outright weep. Then he noticed Eletha clutching a pillow over her face to muffle the sounds she was making. Gale made gentle shushing noises as he started to take charge of the situation. “It’s okay. You’re okay. We’re alright.”

With a flick of his hand and a few practiced words, everything and everyone was made clean and fresh. Lying between them on his back, Gale gathered Astarion to one side and Eletha to the other, cradling their heads in the dip between his shoulder and chest. A warm, soft blanket materialized and floated down, covering them with a reassuring weight.

“I’m sorry,” Eletha managed to say eventually. “I got overwhelmed.”

“You needn’t worry about that,” Gale told her gently, placing a kiss on top of her head. Astarion said nothing, but he could feel his cold hand rest on Eletha’s arm, both of them lying across Gale’s stomach. “What matters is that we all enjoyed ourselves.”

In response, the two of them nuzzled his chest.

That was good, because if either of them had expressed regret, it would be Gale’s turn to break down into tears. For now, smothered in their collective embrace, he could rest easy.

After a few minutes, Eletha’s stomach growled. It was honestly monstrous in its tone and intensity.

She flushed and buried her face in Gale’s armpit.

“You forgot to eat, didn’t you?” Gale asked with a chuckle, amused but a little annoyed, but only because he didn’t like it when people neglected their basic needs.

“How could I?” Eletha argued, removing herself from the pile of limbs so she could find her clothes. “With your cute little mirror image telling me you had something urgent to talk about.”

“I suppose I should have added an instruction to advise you to at least have a snack…” Gale scratched his beard, mulling the oversight.

Gale tried to sit up, only to be pressed back into the bed. Astarion put more of his body on top of Gale’s, trapping him. “Just a little longer.”

“If that’s what you want,” Gale answered, letting the tension out of his body.

Eletha got dressed and gave them both a kiss before rushing off back towards camp.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

No one was around when she got there, so she settled by the fire and served herself. Ravenous, she took a few quick bites before slowing down to appreciate Gale’s good work.

“We were a little worried about you,” Halsin remarked with a smile as he approached. Eletha blushed and looked away, embarrassed. “I could not help but hear some of your more unrestrained sounds.”

“Corellon strike me dead, I don’t know if I can face the others if they heard. It’s one thing if they think they know what was going on…” She stuffed some of the stew in her mouth and regretted it as her sore throat had trouble swallowing it down.

“You were gone for quite a while, but you have returned alone…”

“I was starving.” Her voice was hoarse and she chuckled, which didn’t help. “I’m afraid of what tomorrow brings. I might not be able to walk.”

Halsin beamed, one of his genial laughs making her stomach flip. “Satisfaction suits you. You are practically glowing.”

“Satisfied? I suppose I am.”

“It is okay to admit that you are not, if that is the case.”

“It’s just… a lot. And I have a lot of questions. Like, will that ever happen again? How often can it happen without it killing me?” Halsin placed a hand on her shoulder and muttered some healing words. She sighed in relief.

“I can imagine that it’s a difficult situation, given your past and future. I regret to say that I do not have any good advice. My fancies have always been… fleeting.”

“It’s kind of you to try. I’m sure we’ll figure it out, if we don’t die in some spectacular fashion…”

“Oak Father preserve us.” Adding to his prayer, he said teasingly, “Including your poor insides.”

“Yeah. I think we might have to give ourselves tomorrow off.”

She glanced up at the sky, considering its impenetrable darkness.

“Besides, I’m feeling a little… hot under the collar, so to speak.”

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imperator-titus · 23 days

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Ghost from the Past [Part 11]

Sorry for the long wait! (Is it long? Well, I've certainly updated quicker...) I had to focus on the end of my grad classes (and now have more... woo...) I also had to start really thinking about the next steps for the story.

I thought this bit was gonna have smut. Probably the next part will have a lot of spice.

A lot of my struggles came from modifying Gale's canon monogamous outlook without totally disregarding it and Astarion's character growth after the Yurgir fight. Clearly it has to be a little different since Eletha already confronted him about what he wants from her. Astarion in this part gets kind of a "+1 Emotional Intelligence."

I'm really enjoying this story, and I hope some of you are too! Please feel free to hit me up about it! I've been really enjoying some comments over on Ao3. Much love!

(Prev)[Part 10] (Next)[Part 12] [Master Post]

[For those unsure, yes, this is a made-up line the OP did, and honestly, it was perfect! Gale, you are about to be the star of the show.]

In the morning, Eletha was ready to go before anyone got up. She’d even started breakfast.

“You’re up bright and early,” Wyll remarked, one of the first to greet her.

“Early, at least,” Karlach said with a little laugh, indicating the permanent darkness that surrounded them.

“I already have a plan of action for the next few days. We’ve wasted enough time waiting around for me to put my head on straight.” Eletha relinquished control of the cookware to Gale, who practically snatched the fork out of her hand.

“Are you sure you’re… okay?” Shadowheart asked hesitantly.

“Oh. No. No, I wouldn’t say I’m okay.” Seeing the looks they all gave her, Eletha chuckled. “I was never okay. Just… distracted. I can’t do anything about the whole… But I can do something about the problems that face us now.”

“Well said,” Gale said before turning back to their breakfast.

“Besides, I always feel better with a bloody blade in my hand.”

“I could not agree more.” Lae’zel’s eyes blazed with passion.

Before they headed out, Astarion approached Eletha.

“I know you said that I should stay behind with Gale and I normally wouldn't mind languishing around camp while you trudge waist-deep through curses and undead sludge, but-”

Astarion stopped mid-speech as Eletha stopped digging through her bag and started rotating around, hand outstretched to the sky. Seemingly, she wasn't listening.

“Relapsing into madness again so quickly?”

“It's a sun glass. Can't be combusting in the middle of a fight,” she explained, tilting the piece of glass until she caught a glimmer of light. As she tucked it into her hip pouch she asked, “What did you want to tell me?”

“I wanted to come along. That's all. Wyll said it was fine if I took his place,” Astarion answered, throwing his words away as if it was no big deal.

“Okay.”

Astarion pouted a little. “You're not going to ask?”

“No.” Eletha stopped what she was doing and looked at him from the corner of her eye. He huffed and started walking away. She rolled her eyes and called after him, exasperated, “Why do you want to come so bad?”

“To look after you, of course,” he answered, practically sparkling.

“Oh. You want praise.” He smacked her hand away when she tried to pat his cheek. She smiled. “Thank you. It's sweet of you to care.”

“I don't care and I'm not sweet. I have a personal interest in keeping you alive and not insane.”

“I get it. You're a magnificent bastard. So sorry, for implying you would be so weak as to look out for someone because you care.”

“That's right. I suppose all that brain damage hasn't made you stupid yet. Now that that’s settled.” Astarion turned and hesitated.

He ever so slightly wiggled his ass in her direction.

Eletha smirked. “Right. Best head out.”

As she passed him, she brought back her hand and smacked his backside so hard that he yelped and jumped a little.

“What is wrong with you, woman?!” he screeched, holding a hand to his stinging cheek.

“A lot.”

----

“This seem important to y’all?” Eletha asked, holding up the lute she just pulled off this weird doctor character.

“Are we gonna talk about how, in the past 4 hours, you've convinced someone to explode and another to let himself be brutally stabbed to death?” Karlach asked hesitantly, watching the mad nurses go back to their routines as if nothing happened.

“I dunno, I liked how that other one was full of gold,” Astarion remarked with a satisfied little smile.

“Why would he have a lute?” Eletha asked herself, ignoring Karlach’s question, looking over the instrument. She found some initialing carved into the neck. “That Art Cullagh guy seemed like the musical sort.”

“Well, he was insane. And he did seem to enjoy it…” Shadowheart said, regarding the gore with disgust.

“This place gives me the creeps,” Eletha said as she started to walk towards the back of the decrepit hospital.

“Because of the whole…” Karlach hesitantly made circles over her abdomen with a sympathetic pained face. Eletha’s eyebrows lowered in confusion.

“What? No. No, that probably happened in, like, the dirt, right? A pile of leaves?”

“You don't know?” Karlach asked, confused herself.

“Kinda blocked that bit out, yeah.” Eletha went through the doctor’s things, searching for anything interesting. Or valuable.

“I don't envy you. I've heard it ruins your vagina,” Shadowheart remarked flippantly as she cleaned her nails.

“That can't be true,” Karlach breathed in disbelief, her voice stressed.

“Oh, yeah, you can tear your arsehole like paper,” Eletha answered, tearing a piece of paper she found for effect.

“No! Don't tell me that!” Karlach cried in distress, closing her eyes and putting her hands over her ears.

“Is that why you're so shy? Worried it’ll be a disappointment for anyone but an ogre?” Astarion teased, indicating Eletha’s crotch with a cunty little wave of a finger. Eletha chuckled, smacking his hand like he was a child in need of a lesson.

“Not sure if I'm flattered or disgusted that you're thinking about my vagina.” Astarion’s lips curled into a mischievous smirk.

“I'm not the only one. Should I break the news to Gale that it's more like the Underdark than a cozy little cave?”

“Yeah, I got some glowing mushrooms in there and everything. Brightens the place up,” Eletha told him cheerily, mimicking decorating a home.

“Do you think a wizard can localize an enlarge spell?” Astarion asked after a comic hum.

“Aww, it's okay, I'm sure Gale’s more into technique than equipment.” Eletha patted his shoulder mockingly, a look of false sympathy in her eyes. Astarion laughed a little bark of a laugh.

“He'd be good for you. He could lend you a magic hand from the other side of his tower, no men involved,” he retorted cattily.

“He does know how to make a good steak.”

“Oh darling, you wound me.” Astarion dramatically swooned and Eletha had to stop him from tripping over himself.

“That's what you’ll be saying when he's done with you.”

“Gods you two are weird,” Karlach breathed,shaking her head as she watched them.

Eletha let Karlach and Shadowheart take the lead as they walked through the crypt and the Sharran temple beyond.

“You look like you want to say something,” Eletha remarked, not turning her head to regard Astarion trailing beside her.

“Well…”

“You look nervous about it too.” She squints, eyeing him suspiciously. “Don't tell me you're actually thinking about my holes right now.”

“Maybe,” he retorted haughtily, bobbing his head in a mocking manner. After a defeated huff, he went on, “I feel like I should apologize. I never considered the possibility that I ruined you for all other men physically, not just emotionally.”

Eletha rolled her eyes so hard they threatened to get stuck that way. “Corellon save me.”

Astarion clicked his tongue, annoyed at her reaction. “Would it make you feel better if I said I have selfish reasons too? I've been thinking about that night after the goblin camp for quite a while.”

Eletha smirked and snorted, giving him a suggestive lift of her eyebrows. “Parched, are you?”

“Practically dying.”

“Gale not living up to his divine endorsement?”

“He is a good kisser…” Astarion clicked his tongue at her again. “Don't change the subject.”

Eletha wondered how she got in this conversation and how she was going to get out.

“No one has exactly complained, but that's not exactly a long list of possibilities and they probably had enough sense to not say anything.” She shrugged. “It used to just be uncomfortable, but as you know, I have quite the pain tolerance now.”

He emitted a soft “aww” and gave her sad eyes. She didn’t totally believe them, especially when his tone was a little too humorous. “You poor thing.”

“Oh, look, a distraction!” she called out, pointing at a displacer beast skulking about.

Astarion sighed as he slipped his bow off his shoulder. “You’re no fun…”

----

“Did it go well?” Gale asked expectantly, following Eletha as she made for her tent.

“Bunch of cursed weirdos defeated, a clue to finding Thaniel, and a devil’s deal completed? Yes, a useful day,” she answered, laying down her weapons and stripping down to the clothes under her armor.

“That is good to hear, but I was referring to, well, you.” He followed as she went towards where they'd set up a more “private” spot to bathe. It was nothing more than a bucket of cold water but it was better than nothing.

“You don't have to worry about me, Gale.”

“Perhaps, but I do.” He blushed and turned away as she started undressing, just like that night she showed them her curse. “If you desire, I can discuss this with you another time.”

“I’m not bothered. Are you bothered?”

“I… assumed you would be a bit more reserved, given… certain details.” Gale cleared his throat. “Anyway. You’ve been through a lot lately. I felt it prudent to check in.”

“Do I seem okay?”

“You seem like you’re burying your feelings. I should know, I’ve been doing that for a long time,” he said with a little self-deprecating chuckle.

Eletha touched his cheek and smiled softly. “You’re sweet, Bhin.”

“I was hoping for valiant or at least charming-” He stopped with a stammer as she got on her toes to place a kiss on his cheek. Her body brushed against his and a small gasp escaped his lips in surprise. “I… ahem… I will leave you to your ablutions.”

She watched him retreat with a coy little smirk on face before continuing with her “bath.” After washing the blood and dust out of her hair and off her face, she called out, “I know you’re there.”

“And you let me watch anyway?” Astarion asked as he stepped out of his hiding place.

“Nothing you haven’t seen before.”

“Mm, yes, but not that little display with Gale.”

“Jealous?”

“A little. Your approach is much more subtle than mine, and I think it might be more effective.”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“The way your soft touch caught him off-guard. His heart leapt, thinking your lips would meet in a kiss. Your naked body just so happens to brush against him? I’m sure he’s in his tent thinking about it right now. He’s asking himself, how can I convince her to see me as more than just a fool, worthy of more than just her sweet sympathies?”

As he spoke, Astarion divested himself of his own armor and the clothes underneath it. It wasn’t the first time they’d washed the blood and road off in each other’s company. It was almost… comforting, that they could just be naked with no sexual context.

However, knowing Astarion, he’d probably encourage it.

“You’ve got quite the imagination.”

“It’s true, though, isn’t it?” he suggested with a smirk, taking the sponge out of her hand. She merely gave him a quizzical squint. He regarded the object as if it was very interesting. “You know, you make fun of me, for not having plans. But I had a plan, once.

“You were right. I did want to make you desire me, protect me. Our previous relationship made that complicated, obviously. So I prodded the others, as a backup. Lae’zel and Shadowheart were too guarded, too difficult. Wyll, the gallant monster hunter, spent a long time debating if I was worthy of living. Karlach, well, we couldn’t touch her. And she’s so… sweet, when she’s not terrifying. She likes you enough that she’d take your lead.

“That left me with Gale. Handsome, powerful, doomed Gale. A tough nut to crack, until you get under the social awkwardness, emotional miscues, and over-inflated self-importance.”

“Well, you have a lot of experience with that,” Eletha remarked, unmoving as Astarion very carefully rinsed the sponge and wet it again with fresh water.

“The secret, as you have probably guessed, is how utterly desperate he is to be touched.”

Astarion squeezed out the water from the sponge, watching as it dripped onto Eletha’s shoulder and ran down her chest, sometimes catching on a scar and running in another direction.

A gasp escaped from her throat.

“He hid behind that orb, but really, he was so desperate that it made him sick.

“I feel awful. He was supposed to be a sacrificial pawn and I feel awful. Those books… How he quivers under my touch…”

Astarion began wiping away blood and sweat from her neck and shoulders. Eletha wasn’t quite sure why she allowed him to. It felt… nice.

“Today you went after that orthon like he wasn’t three times your size, like it didn’t matter how hard he hit you. You did it for me, just like I hoped, but feared you wouldn’t.”

His hand traveled down her chest, cleaning the shallow valley between her breasts. “Did you have a plan for this conversation or…?”

He stopped following his hand with his eyes and gazed deeply into hers.

“When was the last time someone took care of you, my love?”

Eletha flushed and as she looked away, she took hold of his wrist and pushed it towards him. “Don't be ridiculous.”

“What's ridiculous about it? Gale wants us both. I want you both. And you want us. Why not a cheeky little three-sided thing?”

“You presume a lot.”

“My sweet, don't play so aloof. I've read your diaries.” With his other hand, he trailed his middle finger along one collarbone and then down her sternum. “You deny this part of yourself because you feel it's undeserved. Haven't you suffered enough?”

Eletha hesitantly let go of his wrist.

“Let me take care of you. Show you how much I appreciate you?” he purred, his hand taking hold of her waist, his lips approaching hers, their hips nearly touching.

Sensing the proximity of the body that once so perfectly interlocked with hers, the long-forgotten part of her body awoke with a heat that was searing in comparison to the chill surrounding them.

Eletha began to tremble.

For a moment, Astarion’s eyes appeared golden as they gazed deeply into hers.

“Please?”

Eletha opened her mouth to speak, but another voice was heard.

“Could you two move this somewhere else? I need to wash my hair,” Shadowheart complained, huffing and undoubtedly crossing her arms over her chest.

“Aww, Fringe, Lethi was going to finally get some…” Karlach complained quietly, although she could still be heard in the near-silence.

Eletha snatched the sponge out of Astarion’s hand and made a mad dash attempt at scrubbing the most important parts of her clean. When he stood there staring at her, she started cleaning him too, starting with his face so he couldn't argue. “Just a minute!”

Astarion glared at Shadowheart as he sauntered out behind a flustered Eletha. Karlach appeared apologetic.

From his position at the campfire, Gale appeared to be watching Eletha go into her tent, a worried look on his face. Then he saw Astarion, practically glowing in his underwear under what little light there was, and his expression changed to a glower.

“It's not what you think,” Astarion said as he passed him.

“Sure…” Gale grumbled, turning his attention back to the food he spent all day preparing.

----

Night fell, sort of, and Astarion stood in front of Gale’s tent.

“Can I speak with you?” he asked, trying to avoid any sarcasm and only using a little sass.

“I suppose,” Gale answered after a moment of silent consideration.

He was clearly upset, pouting as he flicked through a tome.

Astarion put his hands on his hips. “Look. We didn't do anything.”

“So you say.”

“Don't be like that. You were considering it too.”

“That is prepos-”

“You're not fooling me.” Astarion snatched the book away. Holding it more gingerly, he said deliberately, “I’m… sorry.”

“What are you doing right now?” Gale asked suspiciously.

“When I didn't know if Eletha was going to gut me or not, I… had a plan. You would fall in love with me and I would, well… have a powerful wizard in my corner. All I had to do was not fall for you. And I failed.”

Gale shook his head. “You have a funny way of showing it.”

“Because you’re blind.” Astarion sighed, the flow of his speech interrupted. “I see you with her. You can’t be jealous. Of course, it’s still not clear to me if you’re mad that I am flirting or that she is being flirted with. But what does it matter? We all like each other.”

“I thought this was an apology, not a call to a ménage à trois.”

“It is! Or, it's supposed to be. You know I'm not good at this.” Astarion offered the book back, only to move it out of reach at the last second. “Live a little, Gale. Expand your mind.”

Gale sighed wearily. “You've given me a lot to think about.”

Astarion’s lips curled in a self-satisfied little smile. “Hopefully something fun?”

Gale snatched his book back. Astarion huffed, although playfully, and left.

After a while, Gale left his tent and softly made his way towards Eletha’s.

“Are you awake?” he whispered, not wishing to disturb her.

“Come in,” she answered, making space for him in the small tent.

He could tell that she’d been drinking, but not as much as before, so that was good, right? Still, he felt the need to give her an out from the conversation. “We can discuss this some other time, if that would be more suitable.”

“I have the feeling you’re going to ask me something that will be easier to answer in my current state.” Eletha gestured for him to go on. “This is casual intoxication, not running away from my feelings intoxication.”

Gale would have to take her word for it. “Did anything happen between you? Today, I mean.”

“Are you asking because you’re concerned for me, or for personal interests?” She took a sip of her drink.

“Can it not be both?” Eletha hummed. He had a fair point.

“He was coming onto me. Genuinely, this time, which was surprising.”

Gale swallowed around a lump in his throat. “Were you going to accept?”

“I didn’t really have the time to fully consider it.” Eletha offered him her drink and, after a moment’s hesitation, he took it. “I was going to tell him off. Then he said something that made me reconsider.”

“He can be quite convincing,” Gale agreed sourly before taking a sip of her drink. It was just wine, not that hard stuff that seemed to magically appear in her hands.

“Well, he was right, which, if Astarion is right, you’ve kinda fucked up, yeah?” She grinned at him and he laughed, because she was right.

“He was right. I’ve been running away from happiness ever since he left. Felt I didn’t deserve it. When I’d try again, I’d just get hurt, and I’d punish myself more. Sometimes it was just the wrong person, it doesn’t work. But sometimes… maybe it could have worked? If I didn’t get this knot in my stomach that says I’m worthless?

“I’ve tried being friends. I can do friendship. And I feel bad, that maybe I’m getting your hopes up, and not because I like teasing you, but because I hate myself. I’m punishing myself, by getting attached and ruining everything.

“So I considered it. I wanted to say no, because it would hurt you, because I didn’t deserve it. But… I wanted to say yes, so it would hurt you and you’d hate me and that was its own punishment. And just a little bit… I was happy with him, once upon a time. Maybe I could be happy again.”

Gale listened intently. Eletha had a habit of rambling, but she chose her words and tone carefully. With practice, he could untangle them to find the naked truth underneath. This time, it was… familiar.

“Do you think you could be happy again?” he asked her sincerely, meeting her two-toned gaze with his big brown eyes, so open and sad.

“After all we’ve been through?” She laughed a little and his heart sank. Then she smiled. “Yeah. I do.”

“Then I wish you the best of luck.”

Gale held out her wine bottle, intending it as a symbol of releasing her from the burden of worrying about his feelings. Eletha took the bottle, but with her other hand, took hold of his.

“You deserve to be happy too.” Her words were so sweet. She was being so sincere and he just… had a hard time believing it was true. “If you want him, just tell him. And if he has to choose… I’m sure he’ll choose you.”

“I am not as sure as you. He loves you. You have-” Gale cut himself off before he could say something that might make her spiral again. Eletha appeared to understand what he was going to say, but she still seemed pleasant and level-headed. “Why would he choose me?”

“Because I’m old and boring. You’re young and exciting.” A mischievous smirk tugged at her lips. “And I’ll make him. He owes me for the rest of my life.”

Gale shook his head. “There is a wrinkle in your plan. You’d be alone.”

“My sweetling, I’ve been alone a long time. You have your whole life ahead of you” Gale opened his mouth to protest and the sharp dark gaze that instantly flashed in her eyes made him shut it again without her losing a beat “and my beloved Astarion is getting to start over. I can be alone a little longer. If you two are happy, then I will be happy.

“Besides. It’s not like we have done anything even close to what you two were doing. We haven’t even shared a kiss.”

Gale stared at their clasped hands. He thought about what Astarion said earlier.

“Would you like to?” he asked, squeezing her hand reflexively in his nervousness.

“I think that… I am just drunk enough to say yes, but not so drunk that I’ll be cursing myself in the morning.”

Eletha got to her knees and leaned forward, holding his face gently as she kept their other hands together.

Gale let out a breath of excitement.

Their eyes closed and their lips touched.

The first kiss was hesitant, testing the unknown topography, finding the way to fit just right. A pleasurable heat rose to the surface of Eletha’s skin as she deepened the next kiss.

Gale’s heart fluttered while his stomach did flips. This felt so different from his interludes with Astarion.

Those felt like a natural progression of a lanceboard game. They would have some heartfelt conversation that turned into an exchange of witty barbs and the only places to go from there were fighting or “fighting.”

That didn’t mean either was unpleasurable.

Actually. It was too pleasurable.

Eletha leaned back to catch her breath and make sure he was alright.

Luckily, this meant that she only got vomit on her chest and lap, not her face.

She was stunned as Gale pleaded for her forgiveness. “I’m so sorry, I don’t- I don’t understand-”

This time he managed to turn his head.

Rubbing his back soothingly, Eletha chuckled. “It’s okay. I know the feeling.”

If anyone noticed, they were kind enough to not talk about it the next morning. Eletha managed to clean herself up enough to help Gale back to his tent. There, she sat for a while, making sure he would recover.

“Words cannot express how foolish I feel,” Gale said weakly as she placed a cold damp towel on his forehead.

“It’s not the first time a wizard’s puked on me,” she answered, soothingly stroking his hair a few times before sitting back. It probably wouldn’t help to touch him too much right now.

“You must have a lot of interesting stories…”

“I promise to leave this one out of the ballad they’ll inevitably write about us.”

“It was enjoyable. Until the last bit.”

“I enjoyed it too,” Eletha said sweetly, a small smile on her lips.

A few minutes passed in silence. She was about to get up, assuming he’d fallen asleep, when Gale asked, “What was the first time?”

“So I was at this party in Suzail…”

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imperator-titus · 13 days

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I wanted to be cool and journal my new playthrough with Eletha but because of Patch 7 fucking with the mods that I JUST GOT TO DO THIS RUN, I'm playing in offline mode and every non-Steam method I've tried of taking screenshots has fucked me and made me so mad!

I'm not very good at photography so please accept these humble offerings of what I was able to capture!

didn't even finish recruiting shadowheart because it missed the part of that scene that I thought was the best shot, I was pissed lmao

I have some asset mods that I haven't messed with yet, but it looks like at least the one for higher definition hair worked because I like her hair a little better now than I did when I created her. When I get to camp I might tweak her appearance.

I'm unsure of how much will be roleplay and how much will just be decisions I want to make. Seeing as she can't ACTUALLY be Astarion's long-lost love... It won't be that important lmao I spent time debating whether or not she'd actually save Us, but I love Us, so I saved them.

Anyway: Girl's Night on the Nautiloid!

(tagging the tags associated with the story just this once so people know what I'm up to, in the future I'll only tag them when relevant)

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imperator-titus · 13 days

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Astarion: *just existing*

Eletha, after guzzling her hair regrowth potion: Hey Astarion look at me, I'm you now

Astarion: *looks*

Eletha, smug: Bitch.

Astarion: ... I don't know how I feel about this...

Gale: Hmmm... It's like a much more fun Simulacrum... You know, one time-

Eletha, turning to Astarion: He's telling you to go fuck yourself.

Astarion, sighing: Alright, but I'm not putting in any effort this time.

#testing costmetics mods and had to do it #Eletha Nightstar #Astarion #Gale Dekarios #technically #bg3 #bg3 mods #ghost from the past #titus post #bg3 tav #original character

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imperator-titus · 7 hours

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Gale Dekarios Photodump [1/∞]

Cast-offs from the first campfire scene and his first introduction (feat. Astarion in the background of some)

#bg3 #gale #gale dekarios #gale of waterdeep #bg3 screenshots #screenshots #eletha nightstar #bg3 tav #titus post #titus plays games

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imperator-titus · 8 days

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What have I been doing instead of writing or classwork? Modding BG3 and making my OCs, of course!

I posted pics before when I only had the vanilla game assets available.

First is the story's interpretation of what Astarion looked like before turning. Yes, I accept other interpretations of what he looked like, such as different eye colors or even his hair color. This is not what I believe to be the most-likely scenario for canon pre-vampirism Astarion.

(If you don't care about my story's OCs, then don't bother with the read more break. It is there as a courtesy to those who just want Astarion as well as to avoid how loooong this post will be.)

Mods used: Toarie's New Character Creation Presets (Andrei head, which I'm fairly certain is a tweaked Astarion with no bite marks, clearer skin, etc), Vessnelle's Hair Collection (M3, it's still not what I wanted but it was the best I could find, his hair should be more like ringlets and in a higher ponytail and no/different bangs) Other settings: Pallid Tone 1 Skin, Elf Gold 2 Eyes, White 3 + 75% Greying (Grey Neutral 2)

Eletha Nightstar/Lorelai Irithyl

Mods used: ASTRL Hair Color Supplement (Eletha has some more greying/highlighting involved) Changes for Lorelai: Toned down the make-up that was making Eletha look "tired", two blue eyes, No scars, No piercings, Less aging, Hair is vanilla "Sorcha Curls" Notes: I ended up not changing Eletha pretty much at all, all I would change is making her lips thinner Character Notes:

Class: Ranger (Subclass: Hunter)

Born: 1224 (268yo as of BG3), Dalelands

Race: High Elf (Moon elf)

Sex/Gender: Female/Cis

Orientation: Bisexual/Demisexual

Approx. 5 years older than Astarion

Last saw Astarion 1259 (233 years ago from BG3)

Fey's curse: Burns in a white flame every new moon

Highly skilled with Eladrin longsword, high pain tolerance, bitter old lemon of an adventurer

Folk Hero: not as famous as the Blade of Frontiers, but has probably done more and has a little following of adventurers, despite her best efforts to dissuade them

Left her family in 1260 after being forced to give birth

Magic Left (Gold) Eye: allows the wearer to see things as they were in memories

Quynn Irithyl

Mods: Toarie's New Character Creation Presets (Falorin head), Trips' Accessory Collection + Jerinski's Piercing Edits, Cerberry's Simple Hair (Hero) (Current Hair), Tav's Hair Salon (163) (Old Hair), ASTRL Hair Color Supplement

Pronounced "kwin"

Last name: Eletha's original last name

Born: 1260 (232 yo), Dalelands

Race: High Elf (Moon Elf)

Class: Ranger (In-game: Gloomstalker, 5e Monster Slayer)

Mellia (Melliana)

Mods: ASTRL Hair Color Supplement, Trips' Accessory Collection + Jerinski's Piercing Edits, Vessnelle's Hair Collection (F18), Frosty Faces (Allani Head)

Race: High Elf (Vampire)

Age: Unknown (Eletha thinks she's over 1000)

Sex/Gender: Female/Gender-fluid, but mostly Hyper-Femme

Orientation: Homosexual (Lesbian), but is known to hit on anything

Class: Sorcerer (In-game: Storm, 5e Shadow Magic, from being a Vampire)

Eletha's oldest friend (met 1268, 224 years ago) "Your Sanguine Companion"

Aluin of Suzail

Mods: ASTRL Hair Color Supplement, Kay's Hair Extensions, Frosty Faces (Divine Head)

Pronounced: All-win ("Win" or "Winnie" for short)

Race: Human

Class: Wizard (Transmutation)

Age: 232 (Met 1283, 209 years ago)

Sex/Gender: Male/Cis

Orientation: Asexual/Panromantic

Loves sweets and has a bad back

Bromthrum Starkhammer

Mods: Andmetta's Bulky Dwarf Heads (Thrain), Trips' Accessory Collection + Jerinski's Piercing Edits, Bububull's Big Dwarven Beards

"Provider of Fine Crafts" (Merchant)

Race: Dwarf (Gold Dwarf)

Class: Fighter (Champion)

Age: 120-ish (met 100 years ago)

Obsessed with Elves and Elven artifacts

Collects Elven longswords to show to Eletha

Tyrlumin

Mods: Trips' Accessory Collection + Jerinski's Piercing Edits, HGY Heads (Xan Head), Bububull's More Dreadlocs Vol 2 (Disowned Warlock)

"Lumin" (loo-min) for short, "Your Melodic Cha" (Cha = "Half")

Race: Half-drow/Half-human, seemingly

Age: Unknown (Eletha thinks he's a fey or lich or something)

Sex/Gender: Seemingly Male/Has claimed to be anything and nothing

Orientation: Asexual/Aromantic

Class: Bard (In-Game: College of Lore, 5e: College of Glamour)

Specialty: Harp, but commonly plays the lute

Very Gandalf, arrives exactly when he intends to

Heilar Moonstone

Mods: Ghoul's Customization Compendium (Shaved Head)

Race: High Elf (Moon Elf), Dalelands

Class: Fighter (Battlemaster), Longsword Master

Sex/Gender: FTM Trans

Orientation: Homosexual/Aromantic

Taught Eletha, Astarion, and Quynn

Eletha's pseudo-father-figure

Praises Eletha as his best student

Maephina Greensong

Mods: HGY Heads (Uche Head), Trips Accessories + Jerenski_Piercing-Edits_Trips, ASTRL Hair Color Supplement, Bububull’s More Dreadlocs

Race: Halfling (Lightfoot)

Sex/Gender: Female/Cis

Class: Merchant (not a fighter, except when she has to be)

Travels with Ravan the Loyal

Ravan the Loyal

Race: Orc

Class: Barbarian (Berserker)

Missing half his brain, undergoing a personality change

Incredibly loyal to his friends- just who that is can be unclear sometimes

Loves giving his friends shoulder rubs and picking them up like cats/babies

Zespira Hartford

Mods: Trips Accessories + Jerenski_Piercing-Edits_Trips, Bububull’s More Dreadlocs (twin hills)

Race: Zariel Tiefling

Class: Paladin (Oath of Devotion)

Deity: Tyr

Young and full of life, a natural do-gooder like Wyll

Fairly new to Eletha's list of adventuring followers, she was rescued when she bitt off a little more than she could chew with an evil necromancer

Travels with Gin, Nei-Fonn, and Venxiatel. They met through Eletha

Nei-Fonn Shiaong

Mods: Trips Accessories + Jerenski_Piercing-Edits_Trips, ASTRL Hair Color Supplement, Tav’s Hairpack (84)

Race: Human

Sex/Gender: Female/Cis

Class: Rogue (In-Game: Thief, 5e: Inquisitive)

Highly intelligent

Sister to Gin

Used to work with a traveling circus with her brother, met Eletha when she tried to pick her pocket (Eletha: Unlucky for you, I have a lot of experience with pretty faces attached to sticky fingers.)

Gin Shiaong

Mods: Trips Accessories + Jerenski_Piercing-Edits_Trips, ASTRL Hair Color Supplement, Vessnelle's Hair Collection (M23)

Race: Human

Class: Barbarian (Wild Heart)

Sex/Gender: Male/Cis

Orientation: Homosexual

In a relationship with Venxiatel

Brother to Nei-Fonn

Strongman in a circus, also tried his hand at fire-eating

Venxiatel

Race: Dragonborn (Brass)

Class: Druid (In-Game: Circle of the Land, 5e: Claims to be Circle of the Scale, which no longer exists)

Sex/Gender: Male/Agender

Orientation: Doesn't understand the assignment (Just likes Gin)

Very aloof, seemingly "forgetful", easily distracted

I think that is probably all for GftP OCs. I did a pretty thorough sweep of mods so I doubt I'll change anything anytime soon.

#astarion #astarion ancunin #astarion headcanons #astarion bg3 #character creation #bg3 mods #bg3 #bg3 tav #original character #Eletha Nightstar #Ghost from the Past #titus writes #titus post

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imperator-titus · 1 month

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Ghost from the Past [Part 8]

(yes I know I just posted today) The gang deals with the creche, wander through the Underdark (offscreen), and finally head into Act 2. The Boys find a bit of comfort in each other during a trying time.

CW: Eletha continues to spiral, mentions of Gale's suicide instructions from Mystra

(Prev)[Part 7] (Next)[Part 9] [Master Post]

Astarion took Eletha’s advice, as acerbic as it was, to heart and kept to his tent all night. He spent a lot of the night wondering what she was doing out in the woods all night. Watching for intruders? Getting blackout drunk and crying herself to sleep?

An indistinct commotion in the camp encouraged him to finally get up.

“Did you hear anything?” Karlach asked him desperately upon coming out of his tent.

“Darling, I hear plenty of things. You’re going to need to be more specific.”

“Lethi’s gone. All her stuff. Bonnet too.” Karlach’s practically vibrated with distress.

“I guess she finally got sick of us,” Astarion told her with a flippant little laugh. Then tears threatened her eyes and he backpedaled. “I’m sure that’s not true, Karlach, I just meant…”

It was just about then that Halsin, in bear form, came into camp. After transforming back, rolling his shoulders to work out some minor stiffness, he didn’t seem that concerned.

“I could pick up Bonnet’s trail, it heads into the mountains,” he explained to them all. “I also found a marker similar to the ones the Harpers use to indicate their movements. It was disturbed by animals; most likely, she left in the middle of the night.”

“Let’s go!” Karlach said ecstatically, flames leaping just a bit. Gale held up a warding hand.

“While we shouldn’t dawdle, there is not much reason for haste,” he said calmly, sounding much like he was already taking over leaderly duties in Eletha’s absence. “Leaving markers would imply that she has no intention of leaving us behind. She is well-seasoned. So long as she doesn’t confront the githyanki alone, I am not too worried.”

The group spent the morning packing their things and moving on into the mountains. After some times, Halsin was able to pick up on Bonnet’s scent and eventually spotted another one of the subtle markers. Following the trail, they found a nice area that overlooked the valley and was large enough to accommodate them all. There they also found Bonnet lying in front of Eletha’s tent, already set up. With the bear was a curious ball of brown feathers.

“Aww, it’s the little owlbear from the goblin camp,” Shadowheart cooed, trying to approach. The owlbear shot up, big round eyes alert. It chittered and hopped around before fleeing into the woods.

“Bonnet tells me that Eletha found the cub in the woods last night,” Halsin told them after conversing with the bear. “She’s also concerned about Eletha.”

“Not a surprise,” Wyll said under his breath, a little more concerned than insulting. “She did pick a good spot to camp, though.”

“‘Eletha has been here before, with the dark one,’” Halsin translated for Bonnet. “‘The dark one always knows when Eletha needs help.’”

“‘Dark one?’ Sounds ominous,” Shadowheart remarked with a little bit of amusement.

“‘I have never met her, but those who came before me said that she existed in only darkness and always smelt of blood.’”

“Ah, her vampire friend,” Gale said, a small smile of understanding on his lips. “A bit poetic, hm? Befriending a vampire, then discovering her long lost love has been turned?”

“Going to write a sonnet about it?” Astarion asked with obvious distaste.

“Perhaps.”

----

Having already navigated the pass, Lae’zel, Gale, and Astarion headed towards the monastery in search of Eletha and, ultimately, the entrance to the creche. The others stayed behind to set up camp and to rest after their confrontation with the hag.

When they approached, they found the front door open. Hands on weapons, they crept inside, wary that githyanki lookouts could spring on them without question.

Instead, a certain elf dropped down from above, landing in front of them in a crouch.

“I was starting to debate going back,” Eletha said calmly, unapologetic.

“What have you been up to this whole time?” Gale asked, lowering his guard. Lae’zel gave the area one last glance before sheathing her sword.

“Cleaning up.” Eletha flicked something towards the wizard and gestured behind her. “Entrance is this way. Gith ladies first.”

“A wise decision,” Lae’zel told her dryly as she passed. Eletha turned to follow while Astarion joined Gale in inspecting what Eletha had given him.

“How annoying. I would have loved poking around in an old monastery,” Astarion said, taking the medallion from Gale and trying to catch the light on the gem. “What do you think it is?”

“Something important to the Lathander monks. Perhaps only ceremonial.”

Eletha continued to let Lae’zel do the talking. When he managed to get close enough, Astarion stealthily took a sniff of her. Just general sweat and mustiness from crawling through the crumbling monastery. He was half-expecting her to reek of the dead monks’ distillery. She was clear-eyed and sure-footed, but just as cold and stoney as the other three had described her last night.

Lae’zel sneered at her kin’s lack of discipline while Gale was enamored with what he saw. It was cute how Gale could get so excited about things. It was even charming, the way he vibrated with excitement to meet this ghustil Lae’zel was so adamant to find. Astarion would have liked to watch the two talk, because the gith seemed to be of the opinion that she was by far Gale’s superior and Gale would fail to notice for a while before catching on, thus becoming quite rude.

They watched as Lae’zel climbed into the zaith’isk. Astarion and Gale shifted their weight nervously while Eletha stood unmoving. As the strange machine began its mysterious work, they could all feel Lae’zel’s pain. She ground out a gith prayer between her teeth, bracing against that pain.

It became quite clear that Lae’zel was not walking out of the zaith’isk.

“We’re just going to stand here and let it kill her?” Astarion asked Eletha, distressed and confused. “Is that the plan?”

“That thing looks set to kill her!” Gale agreed, raising his voice to be heard over the zaith’isk.

“Let her go,” Eletha told the ghustil, her voice hard and demanding.

“No!” Lae’zel cried out. “I will be cured! It is my right! Lash’a’kla! Lash’a’kla!”

Eletha’s longsword sang through the air and stopped a millimeter into the Stornugoss’s throat. “Release her.”

“Is’tik, this is purification! This is Vlaakith’s will!” the woman argued, unafraid of the blade.

“It’s going to kill you, Lae’zel!” Astarion yelled, trying to push through the psionic field to somehow free her.

“Release her!” Eletha commanded with a promise of bloodshed. When Stornugoos refused once more, it was the last thing she did. With all her strength, Eletha whirled on the zaith’isk and brought down her blade, wet with githyanki blood.

Lae’zel stared at the destroyed machine and roared. “No. It cannot be. Cannot! Purification is my right. I am githyanki! I will not be ghaik!”

“Quiet, you stupid girl,” Eletha spat remorselessly, already finding some place to hide the ghustil’s body. It would buy them some time to be in at least a better position to deal with an entire creche’s worth of gith. “Purification was death. You’ve been sold a lie.”

“No! You do not understand because you are is’tik! You do not know Vlaakith’s will!”

“Gods, even Vlaakith, owe you no truths. It’s easier to manipulate you if they make you believe that they want the best for you if you only follow their rules.”

“Please listen to her, Lae’zel. That thing was meant to remove your memories and destroy you, so that your experience might be an example for future gith,” Gale explained insistently, but kindly. It had rattled him, watching his companion come so close to death and be unflinching in her belief to the contrary.

Lae’zel continued to argue, spouting her usual gith rhetoric with renewed zeal.

Eletha smacked her, hard, across the face. Both Gale and Astarion gaped in shock, then tensed in panic. Lae’zel glared up at their leader, one hand to her swiftly-reddening cheek, her yellow eyes watering from the sting.

“I’m not your commander. I’m not your mother,” Eletha told her, struggling a bit with the word. “If you want to fall in line, fine, but I have one last thing to say about the matter: you are much too intelligent to let someone step over your corpse like a pile of horseshit in the street.”

“T’Chk!” Lae’zel sounded angrily, getting to her feet. Her hand wavered near her sword before wiping dirt off on her trousers. She appeared properly chagrined, if such an emotion was available to gith. “Let us meet with this inquisitor.”

----

Pilfering a priceless holy relic made up for having to fight their way out of a whole family of gith, Astarion thought to himself as they made their way back to camp. Eletha led them in silence, everyone too tired to speak. Lae’zel had to spend some time coming to terms with being labeled a heretic by her people. Gale and Astarion had no energy to spare for bickering or flirting disguised as bickering.

When they got back, Eletha immediately went into her tent to find a change of clothes and some towels. After picking up a bottle of monk liquor, she headed for the woods.

“Where are you going?” Karlach asked her, clearly worried. “You should eat something.”

“Bathing,” Eletha said, not offering any further explanation. After about ten minutes, Astarion stood and followed her trail.

He found her lounging in a river, sipping liquor and staring off into the scenery. Coming off the mountain, the water was only a little warmer than his skin.

“May I join you?” he asked when she only barely acknowledged his presence. Eletha merely grunted and shifted slightly in her little watery alcove to make space for him. Astarion discarded his clothes and slipped in beside her. “You’ve been here before?”

Eletha hummed before taking a sip of liquor.

“I don’t understand what your problem is,” he muttered a little angrily. “Gale says you’re running away from something.”

Eletha didn’t answer.

“Are you taking back your promise? To help me with Cazador?”

“No. Point a finger and he’ll be field-dressed in five minutes flat,” she told him dispassionately. Then she stood, the cold mountain water streaming off her body.

“What do you do, when you leave?” Astarion asked, looking up at her, feeling like an idiot for caring about someone who broke his nose and didn’t have the decency to buy him a drink after.

“Forget. Stop being me.”

How incredibly depressing.

So began the cycle. They would have some lead to investigate, driven by a clear-headed, steel-hearted Eletha. While on the surface, she would spend the night alone in the woods. In the Underdark, she holed herself up in her tent, taking a few bottles of something or other with her. In the morning she would be ‘fine.’ They stopped asking if she was fine, what they could do, what was wrong.

Astarion was, in a strange way, hoping that Gale’s impending self-detonation would have some positive effect on Eletha. She seemed to only regard them when they did something stupid. Reducing yourself and everything within a sizable radius to dust for your goddess sounded pretty ‘stupid,’ where Astarion was concerned. First off, he could be in that radius. Second, gods were worthless self-important arseholes, so trying to please them was just stupid from the get-go.

Third? It was a waste of a perfectly good Gale. Without Eletha to have fun with, Astarion became very drawn to the wizard’s side. Sometimes they commiserated about their leader’s state of mind, but it was nice just trading witty banter or discussing their latest literary find.

“Tell Gale he can’t blow himself up!” he demanded of her once this Elminster character wandered off from their camp.

“It’s Gale’s choice to blow himself up. We shouldn’t interfere with that,” Wyll told him sarcastically. More seriously he said, “There must be other options, Gale.”

“Of course, I will consider all parts of the matter, but the fact remains that Mystra has asked this of me.”

“I’ve never heard something so- Where are you going?” Astarion hissed at Eletha, who was walking away from the group.

“My tent. We have a lot of shit to do tomorrow,” she told him tonelessly, even more lifeless than the automatons in that wizard’s tower.

“Oh, go ahead, drown your sorrows while the rest of us try to convince our friend to not kill himself!”

“You think I don’t care?!” Eletha yelled at him, wheeling around so suddenly that he ran into her. Astarion stumbled back, surprised by both losing his footing and her flare of emotions. “You think it doesn’t hurt me? To have everything I love and care about go away?!”

“Well-” Astarion tumbled over the starts of several sentences. Eventually, he gave up finding the perfect one. “People fight for what they care about.”

Eletha was taken aback. Astarion started to panic as tears welled up in her eyes. Bonnet nuzzled her leg insistently. Scratch to whine while the owlbear cub trilled nervously.

“You did this to me!” she cried in elvish, straining through her tears. It made her sound girlish and shrill. “You did this to me! You broke me! You killed who I was supposed to be!”

Eletha tried to go to her tent, only to trip over the animals freaking out around her. She fell with a pathetic cry, the rough ground scraping her hands and tearing holes into her trousers at the knees. Sniffling, she let herself fall the rest of the way to the ground.

Astarion tried to approach, but Bonnet got between them, stood on her hind legs, and roared at him. The bear refused to let any of them near her, even going so far as to swipe at Halsin. Eventually, Eletha stopped sobbing into the dirt, actually trying to bury herself at some point. Instead, she chose to limp into her tent, where she sobbed some more until all was quiet.

“Yes, perhaps it is prudent that one of us take the lead from now on,” Gale said when the spectacle was over. He took a healthy swallow of wine straight from the bottle before handing it to a rattled Astarion. “We shall scout out the environs in teams, gather information. No… big decisions until Eletha is…”

“What if she never gets better?” Karlach asked, feeding their fire. This place, always in shadow, was cold. It was so cold that even Astarion had trouble with it, so Karlach had to be freezing.

“Well… I don’t know,” Gale answered rather honestly, well aware that there was no real answer. “She’ll turn into a mindflayer without the protection of the prism. We could take her with us… But she might become a hindrance. The prism has a fair amount of distance, perhaps if we can get to Baldur’s Gate, she will be safe from the parasite in… whatever place we can find to take care of her.”

“Ah, yes, let’s abandon the person freaking out about being abandoned,” Astarion said scathingly. With a false epiphany, he went on, drawing erratic lines through the air with a cunty finger, “But, oh wait, will you even be around to care by the time we get to Baldur’s Gate?”

“Maybe we should all get some rest,” Halsin interjected nervously.

“Yes, I think that would be best,” Gale agreed, trying to hide the hurt on his face as he got up and went to his tent.

After some time, Astarion invaded the privacy of the wizard’s tent. Obviously, a tent wasn’t a tower, and thus he could invade it whenever he wanted.

Gale chucked a pillow at him, which hit him in the face.

“I suppose I deserved that…” Astarion whispered, picking the pillow up to lazily toss back before entering the rest of the way.

“I may not have as many harsh words as Eletha to hurl at you, but I am not exactly pleased to see you,” Gale warned him, barely able to keep his eyes open.

“I just wanted to tell you that I’m sorry. For what I said.”

“This could have waited.”

“I don’t know how much longer we have together.” Gale laid his head back down and let out a sigh. “How do you apologize to someone, when you have no idea what you’ve done?”

“I imagine that you can’t,” Gale said after a moment of sleepy contemplation.

“I don’t want to leave her in some… Ilmater temple, with all the idiots and cripples that the other gods abandoned.” To this, Gale lifted an arm, inviting Astarion to lay beside him. He did so, curling into Gale’s side and lying his head on his chest. It occurred to him that, below his ear, there was a source of immense destructive magic, now quelled by the grace of Mystra. “She’s never even been to the Gate.”

“None of us want that either. We will cross that bridge when we get there.”

“But you heard her. I did this to her.”

“She may feel that way, yes. It remains to be seen what part you played aside from leaving.” Gale took a deep breath and Astarion could hear the air filling and leaving his lungs. “Please, Astarion, I need at least six hours.”

Astarion scoffed. “Humans.”

He tried to leave, but Gale pulled him in harder instead. It didn’t take long for the wizard to start snoring softly.

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imperator-titus · 1 month

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Ghost from the Past [Part 7]

In which half of the group flirts in the mountains while the other half is going insane in the swamp.

CW: The beginning of Eletha's PTSD spiral, she's aiming to drill straight down into the Underdark to get away from her problems, also Pregnant Character (Mayrina)

(Prev)[Part 6] (Next)[Part 8] [Master Post]

[(tumblr being fucky, half the time it works)]

“I think I found something that might interest you,” Astarion told Eletha as they left the druids’ sanctuary. She’d just finished talking Gale down after Nettie nearly poisoned her. Astarion held out a folded scrap of paper. “While you were busy, I took the opportunity to have a look around. This was hidden away with some of that nasty woman’s things.”

Eletha ignored the praise in the way Astarion drew out the word ‘nasty’ and snatched the paper from him. After reading the brief missive, she said, “If this is how it sounds, we could leverage it to keep the tieflings in the grove. I guess we’re going to the swamp. Lovely.”

Astarion made a sound of disgust. “Must we help every weakling on the road?”

“Think of it this way; we keep them off the road, they won’t get in our way. There’s enough going on already,” she explained, but it wasn’t like Astarion’s opinion mattered much. It did matter, yes, but not when he was just being whiney.

“A good observation. Besides, this Halsin might be more inclined to help us if we keep his grove from destabilizing in his absence,” Gale said as they made their way back out of the grove. Behind Eletha’s back, Astarion stuck his tongue out at Gale and mouthed the words ‘kiss arse.’ Gale only spared him a lifted eyebrow.

Eletha tried to stay out of the squabble between the two humans and Ethel, but Wyll insisted on jumping in to diffuse the situation. It came as no surprise to Eletha that Ethel was a hag; she’d come across a few in her time. Even after convincing the two young men to not fight, they still ran off in the direction of the hag’s abode. Wyll, of course, tried to stop them. Eletha put a hand on his shoulder.

“Leave them be. We can’t be wasting our energy on idiots,” she said sternly, nonplussed as he shook her off.

“How can you be so cold?” Wyll asked, hurt and angry. “I took you for someone who comes to the aid of others.”

“Young man, I haven’t survived wandering Faerun for over 200 years by chasing after every lost cause. If you’re going to keep that pretty head of yours, you should learn that.”

“But that hag has their sister,” he insisted, eye bright with heroic fervor. Eletha went from disappointed to harsh.

“People go to hags for a reason. It’s none of our business what their sister wants from her. People make their own decisions,” she explained firmly, a bit of steel in her words. “The more pressing matter is dealing with these druids. If you want to throw your life away for a family that doesn’t have a single lick of sense between them, be my guest.”

The morning after the celebration, the group was going through their things while discussing next steps. Lae’zel wanted to head for the creche, insisting that they’d already wasted enough time. Eletha wanted to go into the Underdark and search for this legendary forge that they’d caught rumors of.

“I don’t feel good about not dealing with that hag,” Wyll remarked rather seriously, his glance reserved for Eletha.

“Why are you looking at me? We have an even more adult in our presence now,” Eletha argued, indicating Halsin. The druid chuckled.

“I am not much older than you,” Halsin insisted. “Besides. It seems to me that you have the most experience in this situation. I obviously have some lessons to learn about leadership.”

She took a moment to consider this as she prepared some more arrows.

“Fine. We can split up. Lae’zel, Gale, Astarion, and Halsin can scout ahead into the mountain pass for this creche. The rest of us will track back and see what this hag is about,” Eletha explained with a sigh of resignation. “Any arguments?”

Without a complaint to be heard, they geared up and went on their respective missions.

----

“Marvelous,” Gale said to no one in particular, soaking in the splendor of the view.

“One of the Oak Father’s many gifts,” Halsin agreed in his own way, also giving their surroundings an appraising look.

“I’m just glad we weren’t roasted back there.” Astarion huffed as he came up to stand beside them on the cliff. It was rather breathtaking. There was so much green. Much more green than Astarion would have ever seen in Baldur’s Gate, if he’d been capable of it. And the way the light of the sun seemed to wind through the mountains like a river, drawing the eyes to the ruined monastery? No wonder the Lathander monks picked this spot.

Lae’zel made one of her annoyed sounds at them. “No time for gawking, is’tiks. We have wasted enough time already.”

“She’s quite wilful, isn’t she?” Halsin asked with a little laugh, breaking away to follow her. Astarion broke away next, but when he noticed that Gale wasn’t following, he stopped. The wizard was just… staring, oblivious to being left behind. Or perhaps he was enjoying a moment of solitude. But given what things could be lurking out here, Astarion called out his name.

“I apologize,” Gale told him once he’d caught up, using his staff as a walking stick on the treacherous path. “I was just thinking about how little of the world I have seen.”

“If we keep Lae’zel waiting, we both will be seeing a little less.” Gale laughed and Astarion smiled just a little.

“Most of us have lived life close to one locus or another. It makes me wonder, what is it like to be a true adventurer?”

“Judging by how Eletha turned out, it makes you into a bitter shell of a person, if you manage to live long enough,” Astarion remarked rather cheerfully for such an awful thing to say.

“I’m sure she has her reasons,” Gale argued gently.

“Well, of course. She did lose someone as great as me.” Astarion postured flamboyantly, managing to trip in the process on some stones in the path. Gale reached out and snatched him by a strap on his armor. Astarion’s eyes were momentarily wide in surprise, but once he was stable, he smirked at Gale. “My hero.”

“Perhaps if you reined in your theatrics, you would not need rescuing.”

“That’s rather rich, coming from you.”

The two started exchanging light insults and witty remarks while trying to trip one another. Eventually, they caught up to the others and quickly separated once they noticed that Halsin was smiling at them in good-natured amusement while Lae’zel was huffing in annoyance.

“If you two wish to swordfight, perhaps you should save that energy for the evening,” she told them with narrowed eyes. Gale tilted his head in confusion.

“Swordfight? I have dabbled in the rapier, as any gentleman has, but-”

“She means our cocks, you knob,” Astarion growled, massaging his temple.

“Ah,” Gale said immediately, believing he understood. Then he actually understood. “Ah. … How does that work, exactly?”

“Oh, Gale, how are you both so innocent and yet know so much?” Astarion emitted a filthy little chuckle and shot Gale a cocky grin, complete with sensually running his tongue over one of his fangs. “Maybe I can fill those gaps in your education sometime.”

“My education is quite thorough, thank you,” Gale ground out.

“Have they always been like this?” Halsin asked Lae’zel, leaning over and lowering his voice a bit.

“Our leader deems herself unfit to copulate with either of them, or anyone for that matter, despite their obvious prowess and compatibility. Thus, she has deemed it prudent to push them towards each other, to enrich their bond and tame some of their distractions,” Lae’zel explained rather clinically. Then she added, “Yes, they have behaved this way since I have known them.”

Astarion and Gale pointedly avoided looking at, walking close to, or talking to each other. Neither of them was going to dispute Lae’zel’s impression that nothing was going on between either of them and Eletha.

----

“Those poor boys,” Wyll said as their group came across the decomposing bodies of Mayrina’s brothers. They were in a swamp, so the smell wasn’t exactly prominent, but it didn’t help either.

“Boys? They were probably your age,” Eletha retorted with a humorless laugh.

“And yet you call me a boy.”

“Yes, well… You’re all children compared to me.”

After the fact, Eletha couldn’t have told someone what happened that day. One moment, the sun was still rising in the east and they were just outside of Ethel’s teahouse. The next, the sun was falling in the west, turning the sky a beautiful orange color, and she was walking up on a human man, presumably a Gur by the looks of him.

The others present would have described her behavior as ‘strange,’ ‘erratic,’ and ‘harsh.’ It wasn’t the cold Eletha that slaughtered her way through the goblin camp. It wasn’t even the pragmatic Eletha that first told Wyll to harden his heart a little. When Gale would later ask what was wrong with her, Karlach would answer, “Hells if I know. She just got weird.”

Eletha could hear two women arguing before they even opened the door. A chill started to seep into her spine.

“I don’t want a crumb left on that plate, girl,” Ethel said to Mayrina in a cheery voice, like the doting grandmother she painted herself as.

“Auntie Ethel, please. One more bite and this pie is gonna come back up to say hello,” Mayrina argued carefully, holding a hand over her swollen stomach.

“Don’t make me get the wooden spoon,” Ethel warned her, making it clear that she wouldn’t be disobeyed. “You’re eating for two, so get to it!”

It was then that Ethel noticed the four of them standing in the entrance to her home. Ethel’s eyes lit up with delight. “Ah, if it isn’t my heroes! You took ages. Come in - come in!”

Eletha stood stock-still, hollowed out by a gnawing sense of dread. Her eyes, focused and alert, stared unwaveringly at Mayrina struggling to do as Ethel commanded.

Ethel approached Eletha, trying to make eye contact with her. Concerned, she turned to the others, “What appears to be the problem with your friend, dearies?”

“Eletha,” Karlach hissed insistently under her breath. Ethel looked at Eletha again and a knowing smile wrinkled her face for a moment before Wyll addressed her.

“That’s Mayrina, right?” he asked despite knowing the answer. “I have some bad news for her.”

“Keep that hole under your nose shut. Or things will get messy,” Ethel nearly hissed at him, fixing him with a harsh glare.

“You know what that sounds like to me?” Shadowheart asked, smiling smugly. “Leverage.”

“What is it?” Mayrina asked, getting out of her seat and trying to get closer. Her voice wavered with fear. “What’s going on?”

“Auntie Ethel killed your brothers,” Wyll told the poor girl, glaring at the hag.

Then the girl was gone and so too was Ethel’s human disguise. With precision and unbridled ferocity, Eletha went at the hag with her longsword.

“Eladrin bitch!” Ethel sneered after a few strikes. Then she disappeared, but her voice, filled with amusement, could still be heard. “Jealousy becomes you, petal! You wear it so well!”

Karlach came up behind her as Eletha wiped the redcap blood off her blade. “Hey, soldier. You okay? You seem kinda…”

“You heard the girl,” Eletha said in a clipped, harsh voice. Her eyes were hard like stones. “Now we have to kill a hag.”

Navigating the hag’s lair was… hard. A gallery of desperate people, making deals meant to fix their lives, only to be driven to death and ruin. Eletha never dealt with hags, really. Out in the sticks, people tolerated them, for some odd amount of reassurance in dire times.

Dancing on the edge of a black pit, its deafening screams in her ears, Eletha was just as relentless as Lae’zel.

Then Ethel’s voice cut through the noise. The edge of the black pit crumbled away and Eletha fell.

“Wait!” Ethel cried out, hand outstretched towards Eletha. The hand flew off, trailing an arc of blood.

“Eletha!” Wyll yelled at her, running to catch up.

Then the hag’s head came off.

“You could have shown her mercy,” Wyll told Eletha angrily.

“You wanted this,” Eletha said, staring him down with those stoney eyes. “There is no mercy in this wretched place.”

“I’m so stupid. How could I have trusted her?” Mayrina asked herself aloud, shaking and terrified. Shadowheart was at her side, making sure she was steady on her feet. “I almost gave that monster my child.”

“Hey, hey, it’s alright,” Karlach cooed, giving the girl her biggest smile.

“Muh-my husband. She was going to bring him back. Bring Connor back to life. All I had to do was give her my child,” Mayrina explained without being asked, sobbing through her words. “I just wanted everything back- back the way it was. She was gonna teach them magic, give them a good life.”

“Hags eat children and turn them into more hags,” Eletha remarked dispassionately, going through Ethel’s things. Mayrina burst into big wailing sobs. They all shot Eletha a dirty look that she didn’t notice.

The group accompanied Mayrina to Connor’s body, to make sure she was safe.

“The thought of putting him in a wheelbarrow and making the journey all over again…” she said sadly, looking at her husband’s decaying corpse.

“We could bury him nearby, somewhere nice,” Karlach offered gently.

“No! Don’t put him in the ground!” the girl cried. Softly she explained, “Connor was afraid of the dark…”

“Do you really want your child?” Eletha asked, the first time she’d spoken in perhaps ten minutes of them fussing over Mayrina. They all turned to look at her.

“W-what?” Mayrina asked, confused, touching her belly. “I…”

“When you think of having to live your life raising it, can you imagine joy? Does the thought of teaching it about Connor, teaching it to love and fear the world, feel like something that will make you happy? To cherish this thing forever, to live your life in duty to it, because that’s what it means to be a mother?”

“That’s… I never thought of it that way…” Mayrina said to herself hesitantly, sniffling back tears.

“Eletha, what-” Wyll started, but was commanded to be silent with a simple gesture of Eletha’s hand. Eletha approached Mayrina and looked her in the eye, not with her stoney gaze, but with sharp wisdom.

“I… I can. Imagine joy, that is. In them taking their first steps… their first word…” Mayrina said fondly through her tears.

“Then you need to let Connor go,” Eletha told her firmly. Mayrina started to weep again.

“No! There has to be some way- I can’t do this without him!” Eletha placed a hand on Mayrina’s shoulder.

“I’ve lost many people. I carry them as a reminder,” Eletha said calmly, indicating the rings on her ears with her free hand. “I carry their stories with me. They have taught me things that have saved my life, changed the way I see the world. It’s the way of things, for humans just as much as elves. A piece of Connor will always live on with you and you will always carry on that love. You can’t teach your child to find joy in life if you can’t move on.”

Mayrina thought about this for a moment. Then she sniffled one last time, wiping her tears off on her sleeve, and puffed up her chest in new-found bravery. “I… I’ll try. But… what do I do about Connor now?”

“His body will return to the earth and feed new life. Who knows? Maybe one day you will pick a flower borne from a seed that his body nourished, and you will think of him.”

“That’s… beautiful… A little morbid… but beautiful.”

“Wow, Eletha, that was…” Shadowheart started to say uncertainly, almost impressed. Then Eletha’s eyes turned back to stone.

“We should search through her things and then head back,” she told them strictly. They all nodded in agreement, seeing no use in arguing with her.

Thus she found herself in front of the Gur loitering about.

“Ah, a fellow wanderer. Forgive the aroma,” he said in a friendly manner.

“I’ve used the same trick before. Hunting werebeasts,” Eletha told him after picking up on the scent.

“Ah, a fellow hunter, then.” As polite as one could, he sniffed her. “Ah, fey blood. I take it the lady of the house is no more.”

“My friend felt it necessary to investigate some business she had with a young girl,” Eletha explained in a calm manner with just a touch of irritation. “I apologize if you wanted to trade tragedies with the hag.”

“I won’t miss her, but I was hoping she could aid me in my hunt… No matter.”

“What do you hunt? We’ve been through this land quite thoroughly the past few days.” After some back and forth, he revealed his quarry. Eletha didn’t react. “What would you want with a creature like that?”

“A band of vampire spawn attacked our camp and stole away our children. We believe this Astarion knows where they’re keeping our little ones. If he’s captured alive, my people will make him talk.”

“I’m sorry to hear such a tale. If I come across any vampires, I’ll aim to capture rather than eradicate. I am headed to Baldur’s Gate myself, though I have some things to see to first,” Eletha responded calmly, only a little bothered.

“Thank you, stranger. Good hunting,” Gandrel told her. After bowing their heads to one another, Eletha rejoined her companions.

“I can’t believe we left that poor girl with a hag for all this time,” Wyll remarked with equal mix disbelief and venom. “To be tricked into giving up your child to bring back the one you love-”

Wyll found himself on his ass, Eletha glaring down at him.

“People make choices, Wyll, whether they’re good or not.”

“But she was desperate and Ethel took advantage of her!” he argued, getting to his feet.

“You must have been desperate, to make a deal with a devil, and now look at you,” Eletha said with a snarl. “Should someone have come to your aid? Would you have accepted someone making that choice for you?”

“That’s different. I help people.”

“Heyheyhey, let’s all calm down,” Karlach said nervously, bodily separating the two.

Eletha turned on her heel without another word.

“What in the Hells was that about?” Wyll asked, rubbing his backside.

“I don’t know. Ethel said something to her, but I didn’t hear what it was…” Shadowheart said as she kept stride with the three. They remained within sight of Eletha, but hopefully even her hearing couldn’t pick up their words. “And she was acting strange before that.”

“Maybe she was right. Maybe someone else should be making the decisions,” Wyll muttered angrily.

“She’s been all over Faerun. She’s worn out more boots than all of us combined,” Karlach argued. “She’s just been rattled. Give her some time.”

----

When the creche group got back, the moon was already in the sky.

“So, how was hag-hunting?” Astarion playfully asked the three gathered around the campfire.

“Weird,” Karlach answered, moving food around in her bowl with a spoon. The other two didn’t have much input. Astarion huffed.

“Well, we had a lovely time, thank you for asking.”

Astarion joined them as they all ate, not really listening as Gale filled them in on their trip through the mountain pass. Then Eletha stalked past, bow slung over one shoulder, a few waterskins over the other. She didn’t spare them even a fleeting glance. Astarion practically jumped to his feet to follow.

“Fancy some company?” he asked rather cheerily.

“No.” It wasn’t the first time Astarion ignored such an answer.

“Come now, you shouldn’t be going out there all alone.”

“You should stay in camp, someone’s looking for you,” Eletha told him dispassionately as they approached the edge of camp. “Something about stealing children.”

“Ah. Is that why you’re angry with me? Cazador made us do it. I forgot about it until you mentioned it.” He hesitated. “That doesn’t make it sound better, does it?”

“I don’t really care. Just don’t get caught.” The impersonal chill in her voice was both worrying and a bit tantalizing to Astarion. It was starting to feel like another one of their games.

“I know you’d never let anything bad happen to me, darling,” he purred, reaching out to grab one of her ears. Then he was holding a hand to his nose. “Gods, what was that for? Are you insane?!”

Astarion looked up into Eletha’s eyes and didn’t recognize her, as if something else was looking out from behind her eyes. Her entire body was ready for this argument to turn deadly.

“Stay,” Eletha commanded coldly in elvish.

“And go with you while you’re like this?” Astarion rebutted in disbelief and pain, his nose throbbing from her punch. “Go on then, be miserable. See if I care.”

“What happened to you?” Shadowheart asked upon his return. Halsin reached out and with some words, the pain in Astarion’s face dissipated.

“It’s not the first time a drunk has tried to ruin my pretty face,” he murmured, experimentally touching his nose. Then he fixed Wyll with a glare, although it wasn’t truly mean-spirited. “Thanks a lot, Wyll, you’ve ruined all my good work.”

“Don’t blame him, Astarion,” Gale told him with a chastising wag of his spoon. “It is reasonable to conclude that Eletha has been through something deeply traumatic. This situation with the hag and Mayrina likely reminded her of that trauma.”

“Mm, yes, Gale speaks truth. I have seen it myself,” Halsin said as Gale took a bite of food. His agreement made Gale excited.

“I have read some observations on the subject. It is theorized to be a response meant to protect the individual. Thus they become avoidant, harsh, and sometimes violent. They can’t be hurt if there is no one around to hurt them. Unfortunately, they also appear to be prone to destructive behaviors. I postulate that Eletha has traveled alone as a more reserved response. Then Astarion came along, the first shockwave of mental destabilization. Now this hag has destabilized her further, leading, to, well-”

“Breaking my nose,” Astarion interrupted at the same time as Wyll said, “Biting my head off.”

“At least she kept her cool during all that fighting,” Karlach pointed out, clearly a little upset by all of Gale’s theories. “She could’ve given Lae’zel a run for her coin with how she swung that blade.”

“I regret not being there to see it. Perhaps we will face more foes worthy of such ferocity and skill,” Lae’zel said with a fire in her eyes.

“If it becomes a problem, we’ll deal with it,” Gale said finally after considering Karlach’s words.

“She broke my nose!” Astarion hissed.

“You probably deserve a lot more than a broken nose,” Wyll remarked dryly, clearly annoyed with Gale’s final stance on the problem. Astarion glared at him.

“Maybe she should have actually bit your head off, you little brat,” Astarion spat at him. Before their fight could turn physical, Halsin scooped Astarion up like an angry cat while Karlach blocked Wyll with her body from going after him.

“Conflict was bound to happen,” Gale said to himself before sighing and getting to his feet with a groan.

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imperator-titus · 2 months

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Ghost from the Past [Part 1]

gnawing on the bars of my enclosure, I hate grad school rn and writing brings me comfort. I am the messiest, of-two-minds bitch about writing another fic (if you... have noticed my posts) I cannot ignore how DESPERATE I am to write something now A Non-Hero's Guide is done

anyway this is rough and subject to change of course but for ONCE I started with the beginning

tentatively titled *~*~*Ghost from the Past*~*~* which I know is super cliche

[edit: just some administrative stuff, no changes to the story right now!]

[Part 1 (You are Here)][Part 2][Master Post]

[gif by mercymaker]

Lying in a pool of slime, surrounded by roaring fires, Eletha tried to remember what she was doing to end up in this mess. It seemed like just plain bad luck; she was doing her normal thing, wandering near Waterdeep to do some hunting. One moment she was tracking a stag, the next she was here.

It’d been a while, she was due for an adventure.

A figure dropped in front of her and brandished its sword. Eletha put up her hands. “Just passing through, officer.”

“Doubtful, ghaik.” Their parasites communed in some way, sending their memories to one another. This proved to calm the strange woman. “It appears we are in the same situation. We must push to the helm.”

“Point and they’ll get an arrow in the eye,” Eletha told the woman, who hummed in satisfaction.

Eletha wasn’t much of a leader. She’d been wandering around Faerun for almost 230 years, alone. Well, not always alone. She had her animal companions and sometimes met people on the road. She’d met a lot of different people and creatures, but never whatever this woman was. She’d also never met a mindflayer. There was always time for firsts.

Lae’zel seemed young, but knowledgeable. And eager to be in front. Eletha could admire that, remembering what it was like to be young and imagining herself as a hero. True to her moon elf heritage, she was always on the go, but she’d lost a lot of that ‘hero’ mentality.

Besides, having someone else in front meant a higher chance of survival.

“Help!” someone cried, punctuated by the sound of fists on glass.

“Leave her. We must get to the helm,” Lae’zel warned Eletha. She waved her off, inspecting the pod instead.

“She could be helpful, but go on if you want,” Eletha explained.

“T’Chk.” Lae’zel made undoubtable complaints in her native tongue.

“Thank you,” Shadowheart told Eletha after introducing herself.

“We better go, or she’ll have an aneurysm,” Eletha said after nodding.

It wasn’t the first time she woke up on a beach, the details of how she got there hazy.

Naturally, she wondered where she was. Then she wondered if Bonnet, her most recent animal companion, was okay. Bonnet had all her good stuff; if she didn’t find her, it was going to be really annoying building up her stash from scratch.

“Hey, Cha, wake up,” Eletha insisted, shaking Shadowheart’s shoulder.

“Did you call me Cha?” Shadowheart asked after rousing, a little indignant but mostly confused.

“Sorry, force of habit.” Eletha had been around long enough to suspect Shadowheart was more than she was letting on, but she’d also been around long enough to know when to let sleeping dogs lie. “I keep mostly to myself.”

Eletha was quick to help Gale.

“I didn’t expect to run into a real moon elf,” he remarked after introductions. Eletha raised an eyebrow.

“As opposed to a fake moon elf?” Gale laughed nervously.

“I meant no offense. Only that you seem like a real adventure-y sort. The only moon elves I know are stuffy wizards.”

“I think I know the ones you mean.” His eyes lit up in excitement.

“So you’ve been to Waterdeep?”

“I was near there when I got, ya know-” Eletha wiggled a finger by her temple. Gale nodded sagely.

“Mm, yes, I do know.”

“Anyone hear that?” Shadowheart interrupted.

“Yeah, that’s why I came this way,” Eletha explained, sensitive ears wiggling as she tried to pin down the source of the sound. “Also, hoping to find my stuff.”

“You there!” the source of the noise called out to them. “Come here-”

“Astarion?” Eletha asked, squinting against the sun, struck with disbelief. The elf looked more shocked than her.

“A-ah…?”

“Astarion Ancunin?” she repeated, close, but not too close.

“No- I mean, yes,” he answered. He wasn’t ready to commit to a fake name on the spot.

“You look almost the same…” Eletha said quietly, mostly to herself. She took a step forward and her eyes narrowed even more.

Astarion put up his hands defensively and took a step back. “I’m afraid I-”

“You seriously don’t remember me?” Eletha asked, annoyance overriding suspicion. Astarion’s smile was strained, nervous.

“If I’m being honest? No. I’ve met a lot of people, darling.” Eletha barked a laugh devoid of humor.

“You were a dickhead then, you’re a dickhead now. Great.” She waved a hand at him to follow as she walked past him.

“Wait, there was one of those disgusting-” he tried to call out. Eletha threw a stone in that direction and a boar came rushing out of the weeds.

“Your ruses still need work,” she muttered angrily, along with a string of elvish insults.

They didn’t find her things, or Bonnet, but they did find Lae’zel. After that, they decided to make the best of camping for the night.

Eletha was no stranger to resting on the ground like a common animal. While doing her best to make it a little less miserable, Astarion approached her.

“So. We’re resting here? Turning in for the night?” Eletha only grunted, layering some underbrush into a makeshift. It was only for a few hours. Amusement curled Astarion’s lips and next words. “Not exactly my usual night. Curling up in the dirt and resting is… a little novel. You seem the type to manage just fine, however.”

“I am,” Eletha said, the sounds grinding out like two stones scraping against one another. Astarion chuckled nervously.

“So… we know one another?”

“Yes.”

“Did I… wrong you in some way?” Eletha snapped a discordant twig. “Well… it was certainly a long time ago, so I hope it won’t get in the way of us traveling together.”

Eletha stood slowly, the jagged end of the twig white-knuckled in her hand. Astarion’s eyes flicked down to it and then up into her mismatched eyes. She took a deep breath and Astarion weighed his options.

“If you want a drink, you have to ask,” she told him quietly, so only he could hear.

“W-what?”

“Those aren’t your eyes. And you’ve barely aged a day.”

“Darling-”

“Call me that again,” Eletha warned, the carefully restrained anger in her eyes flaring.

“Eletha,” Astarion corrected, but it clearly still made her uncomfortable. “I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You were always a horrible liar,” she said, almost sadly. She flicked the stick aside and shoulder-checked him on her way to the campfire.

“So, you know one another? How fortuitous,” Gale remarked as Eletha sat down next to him.

“I’m happier about running into you,” she told him after taking a bite of the stew he’d made for the night with what she managed to find. “This is good. But everything tastes good after a day like this. But thank you all the same.”

“Hopefully better meals will be around the corner,” he said with a smile. “And better bedding.”

“Wizards.”

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imperator-titus · 7 hours

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After rescuing Lae'zel, Eletha and Crew set up camp.

(Technically, I did this rest before rescuing Lae'zel because I always waited for later and didn't get some dialogue.)

Gale looked pretty moody by the fire, so she checked in on him:

Eletha, internally: oh, he's gonna be fun, huh?

(Also Astarion in the background of most of these is hilarious)

(Looking back, the lighting in this scene made Gale look awful

Gale: *makes an unfortunate joke about being pregnant with a mindflayer tadpole*

Astarion: Come here, I need to make faces at you, and look at my ass

More Fave Astarion expressions:

Eletha talks to Shadowheart, who is worried about her talking to Astarion

Eletha: Don't worry, he's just my ex who abandoned me

Shadowheart:

Bonuses: Astarion not even trying to hide the fangies

Eletha: Not Having A Good Time

Gale: That Bitch

#bg3 #astarion #gale dekarios #shadowheart #eletha nightstar #bg3 screenshots #bg3 tav #original character #titus post #titus plays games #ghost from the past #source image

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imperator-titus · 2 months

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Ghost from the Past [Part 5]

I continue to be a menace to society (and my grad school classes)

Having fun revisiting the dialogue for Astarion/Gale. I've debated if Halsin will be a main fixture, as this story has less development between the other characters, but I think Eletha would be very drawn to Halsin and Jaheira.

More relationship development, a little more emotional anguish.

Please feel free to comment or anything about what you like, I love hearing people's opinions/questions! Everyone has such interesting takes.

(Prev)[Part 4] (Next)[Part 6] [Master Post]

[I've run out of relevant gifs and tumblr keeps shitting the bed. feels naked here. so sorry, gif by greenstarzxo]

Eletha and Gale took their turn staying behind at camp, cooking and easing the pains of their journey out of their bones. With a bottle of wine, she chose to keep him company as he tended to supper.

“I’ve thought about that moment we shared under the Weave,” he said fondly after a moment of silence passed.

“Oh?” she responded in surprise. It wasn’t exactly the answer Gale was hoping for. Tentatively, he asked, “Do you?”

“It’s no fault against you, but… I try not to.” Eletha hurriedly took a fortifying sip of wine. “It was nice, in the end. I’m… ashamed you saw the first part.”

“What you chose to share with me was wonderful,” Gale reassured her with an easy smile. It gave way to his usual manner of pensiveness. “I’m not a big believer in fate, but I do believe in serendipity. Life is a tempest of events that sometimes we brace against and sometimes embrace.”

He looked her in the eye, open and bold. Eletha could feel her heart flutter. “You’re one such event that, one day soon perhaps, I’d like to embrace.”

“Bhin, don’t play with an old elf’s heart,” she said with a nervous chuckle, quick to return to her drink and staring at the campfire flames. “What does ‘perhaps’ mean to you, exactly?”

“If I recall correctly, the Waterdhavian Dictionary of the Common Tongue of Faerûn defines it as an adverb that conveys the meaning of 'it may be that', or 'possibly'.” Gale laughed as Eletha rolled her eyes dramatically. “Sorry, sometimes I just can't help being quite insufferable.”

A lot of that going around, Eletha thought to herself, knowing better than to say it aloud.

“Is that how you see me? As just a ‘young human male’?” Gale asked her when she had nothing to say.

“Isn’t that what you are?”

“I’m not that young for a human… Though I suppose I am young compared to a mage of my skill.” Gale clicked his tongue as he mixed their supper. “I suppose I am quite young compared to you.”

“I’ll stop calling you Bhin if you want,” she offered. Gale shook his head.

“I kind of like it. Keeps me humble.”

“Yeah, if only I was around to keep you humble before you put ancient magic in your chest.” Gale laughed.

“Indeed.” A few more moments passed in silence. Bonnet passed by and Gale offered her some scraps from his preparations. Then he asked, “Is that… a no?”

“I’m honestly really flattered that someone like you would even consider… me, in any fashion. I just… don’t want to drag someone into my problems,” Eletha told him honestly, voice tinged with regret. “With- well, you know who, back in my life… A lot of old demons are getting dragged back out of the hole I buried them in.”

“I understand. There is a lot to revisit there. Time heals all wounds, so they say, but there’s no rule on how long it takes.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t want to hurt your feelings. You’re a good man. You don’t deserve that.”

“It’s quite alright. I respect your honesty and compassion.”

“I would still like to accompany you back to Waterdeep, when this is all done.”

“You don’t wish to go home? I’ve been thinking, with all this traveling, that it would be marvelous to have you as my guide through the Dalelands.”

“I can’t go back there,” Eletha said definitively, taking a long drink of wine until her bottle was empty.

“I see…” Gale was worried, but he tried to not let it show too much. Eletha didn’t always respond well to concern, much like Astarion. It was a little funny how alike they were in some ways and so different in others. “Well, if that’s the case, my home will always be open to you.”

“That’s kind of you. I’ll have to introduce you to all my other traveling friends,” she told him with a wink. “They’re a bunch of weirdos, so-”

“I’ll fit right in?”

“Exactly.”

----

Old habits die hard. When Eletha felt herself slipping, felt that familiar darkness creep back in, she stalked their surroundings while the others slept. It’d be nice to have fresh meat, sometimes she found something worth foraging, but that wasn’t the purpose. The point was to wade through the darkness and wash away all sense of self. Here in the woods, there was no past or future, no responsibilities except the need to survive.

Her sense of self came back as something crashed through the brush. Astarion. As satisfying as it would’ve been to put an arrow in him for bothering her, she scanned the woods for the hidden threat instead.

“It’s just me,” Astarion told her giddily, limping to his feet. Smiling like a fool, swaying in a little circle, arms thrown out wide, he cried out merrily, “There you are! My… Well, I don’t know what you are. You’re not… my darling, my dear, my sweetheart. We’ve tasted each other’s flesh and I can’t even call you my friend.”

“The hell happened to you?” Eletha asked, slinging her bow over her shoulder. He was scuffed up, and not just from running through the bushes.

“I found a bear. Not your bear, obviously. He took a little of my blood, I took all of his,” he explained smugly, swaying and gesticulating animatedly. Fixing his hair, he asked, “What are you doing out here all alone?”

“Running away. Going to Baldur’s Gate all on my own,” she told him casually, not exactly as scathing as she expected it to come out. Astarion laughed and it was so honest and familiar that it made her chest hurt.

“I suppose I deserve that.” He sighed in satisfaction. “You gave me a lot to think about, you know.”

“Sounds dangerous.”

“And you call me a cock.” Reflecting the moonlight, his red eyes flickered as he watched her remove the stopper from her waterskin and take a drink. He sobered a bit in order to sound serious. “Those elves. In that vision you showed me. They were our families?”

Eletha took out and put back the stopper several times, sometimes even raising the skin to her lips before pulling it away. His heightened sense of smell could tell it was a liquor, stronger than the one or two cups she’d have with their evening meal. Sometimes he could taste it in her blood when he asked for just a sip.

“Yes,” she managed to answer eventually.

“I don’t know what I want to do. For so long I raged against Cazador for taking my old life away from me, but if I ran off so easily… Would I want to see them again? … Would they want to see me?” he asked himself. “Now I have someone who knows me. How tragic that it’s under such circumstances. Or is it fortuitous? If you’d met me back in Baldur’s Gate, you’d just be another snack for Cazador.”

Eletha took a large swallow from her waterskin and, before she could close it, he took it from her. He had to keep from choking, its strength surprising him. She must have an iron liver to be knocking back stuff like this. He fixed her with his gaze, his eyes roaming over her face, following her scars and lingering on her lips before flicking up to her eyes.

“You told me I have to ask you for what I want,” Astarion whispered, somewhere between dreamy and husky. “I want… for us to be friends. I want to be your Star again, if just for a moment.”

Eletha reached up and threaded her fingers into his curls as she crushed their lips together. Her ears were deaf to everything but the blood rushing through them and their soft moans. The only sensation she knew was his lips against hers and their bodies pressed flush against each other.

For a while now, she’d been walking along the edge of a pit with no discernable bottom. It was the pit where she threw all of the things she left behind. Her family. Her homeland. Her heart. She’d danced on that edge before, longing for something unavailable to her. Something hidden in that pit would sing out to her, bidding her to wallow in that comforting darkness. But she knew that if she went in, she would not come out.

It was so easy, too easy, to open herself back up to the pain he brought her. It was so easy to accept his caresses and meaningless words of affection. With him, she could revel in self-destruction, in the darkness, until the last vestiges of her sanity gave way and she succumbed to madness, where she could finally be free from herself.

The body pressed against her was cold. Its breath was practiced. It didn’t smell quite right. Its movements, while perfectly in concert with her own, were mechanical and impersonal. Its touch was just a bit too forceful, lacking in tenderness and comfort.

This wasn’t right. This wasn’t what she wanted. She’d thought about this for centuries and it felt wrong.

Eletha pushed Astarion away forcefully. His mouth hung open in shock. Hurt reflected in his eyes. She tried to speak, to tell him something, to explain herself. There were so many things she had to say to him.

Then she braced herself on the tree they’d been using for leverage and vomited. Violently. When she was done, her knees wobbled and tears streamed down her face.

Astarion made a disgusted noise, then clicked his tongue. “Aww. Poor thing. Let’s get you to bed, shall we?”

Thankfully, everyone was asleep. It didn’t look too good, half-dragging Eletha’s limping body into camp.

After making her as comfortable as he could in her tent, Astarion rose to leave. Unexpectedly, her hand snatched his.

“I won’t… let him hurt you… anymore,” she said deliriously, her blue eye hazy with exhaustion. Astarion laughed quietly.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” he whispered to her. He tried to leave again, but her grip was surprisingly firm.

“If you want… to see them… I can take you…” From the sound of her voice, he could tell that it wasn’t just the exhaustion that made it hard to speak. “You have to promise… to not let them… hurt me… again.”

“Why would they hurt you?” Astarion asked firmly, protectively. Anger flashed in his eyes.

“Because… I did something horrible…” Eletha tried to force back her tears. His shoulders sagged as he sighed. Of course. She was just fucked up from drinking. It did seem to be happening with increased frequency…

“You’re almost as much as of a good-two-shoes as Wyll. There’s no way you did something so bad your family would hurt you.” Astarion managed to get free of her grip and he attempted to tuck her in tightly so she couldn’t escape again. “Now get some rest.”

“No. I don’t want to,” she argued, fighting against the blanket. Quietly, as if the thing she feared could hear them, she whispered, “The bad thing is there.”

“The bad th- You’re a mean old bitch, not some child hiding in their mother’s skirts,” he sniped, reaching for one of her many bags. This one clinked as he rummaged around. “There must be a sleep potion in here somewhere…”

“You can… call me… your friend…”

“I wish I could,” Astarion said with a disappointed sigh, “but you won’t remember this in the morning.”

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imperator-titus · 2 months

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Ghost from the Past [Part 4]

Oh lord here we go again

I have actually been unsure of the real order of things, this has more been the order of what "feels right" and doesn't adhere too closely to the in-game progression (and also, for now, I did not cross-reference in-game conversations with lines I wrote). I feel like I'm jamming too much into Act 1? But Act 1 feels like an open wound, Act 2 is actually addressing the wound, and Act 3 is stitching them closed. This story has very much been opening a wound lol

Reminder that I'll start a tag list if someone wants! And please send me any questions or comments on the story (or other stuff) if you want because I am bored/lonely. Anyway hope you enjoy!

(Prev)[Part 3] (Next)[Part 5] [Master Post]

[gif by silverformymonsters]

It was late and Eletha was already most of the way through a bottle of liquor by the time she got to Gale. He was admiring an image of a woman he'd conjured.

“Mystra?” She asked, trying to not sound too sure of her answer.

“Ah! I didn't notice you.” He dismissed the image. “I was just… practicing.”

“Mmm. Secret’s safe with me.” She smiled at him, just a little mocking but full of fondness, like she found a child doing something a little naughty but harmless.

“Elves have a strong connection to the Weave. What is your experience with it, if you don't mind me asking?”

Eletha opened her mouth, but snapped it shut. The first thing that came to her mind was dark and… deeply personal. After a moment of contemplation, wherein Gale did not miss how she had to push the dark thoughts away, she smiled. “I have a wizard friend, we’ve been on a few adventures. Gave me my magic eye. He actually taught me some spells, but… I haven't been quite able to… get to them, so to speak.”

“Ah, that explains why you are so adept at handling my peculiarities,” he said with a chuckle and a smile. “Here, let us experience the Weave together.”

Magic surrounded them in a comforting embrace.

Gale felt that comfort, until it was replaced by flashes of memories that didn’t belong to him.

Elven faces, angered, weeping, blissful. They were somehow familiar and monstrous at the same time, distorted by their expressions. His skin was not his own, it felt more like a tight suit suffocating his body that no longer belonged to him.

A sensation cut through. Terrible, terrifying, transfixing. He’d known it before, briefly. Elminster insisted he knew how it felt to be dominated by magic before he used it on another. That horrible feeling of looking through his eyes but being unable to connect thought to action, limbs and tongue at someone else’s control.

A pervading feeling of loneliness, isolation. A loss of self.

Guilt.

A sound escaped his lips. A gasp? A strangled cry?

A hand squeezed his. He looked over to Eletha only to see an apology in her eyes. She realized Gale had seen her thoughts in that moment. Perhaps she’d seen his.

“Let me show you my favorite things,” she said softly, reassuring, and that feeling of comfort washed over him once more.

He is floating in a milky-blue pool and it is effortless and the water is the same temperature as his skin, it is as if he is hovering in mid-air.

There is not a single cloud in the sky and there are more stars than he ever thought possible. Someone is sitting beside him, delicately experimenting with their lute, and he can just barely make out their friendly discussion.

Standing high on a mountain range, he looks out on Faerun, its splendor laid out before him. He can make out his home, places he’s been, places he wishes to see. The air is sharp and crisp, it hurts but it makes him feel alive. The unspoilt white snow is hard on the eyes, but it is beautiful and makes him giddy.

A young man is intently focused on his face, pink tongue stuck out between his lips, tapping his filtrum in concentration. He’s suddenly aware that his vision wasn’t complete as things become blurry and then bleed into focus. The young man smiles, nervous and proud at the same time, and he thinks that, it is so hard to open his heart to humans. Their lives are so bright and brief, yet they could be so beautiful and warm. He offers up a prayer that this one will be around a while longer, because he is sweet and stupid and brilliant. His heart opens just a little and he hopes that it isn’t a mistake.

Rain patters down around him as he sits under the protection of a decrepit roof. With the iconography, some shattered, others overgrown, it was likely a temple of some sort. Beside him sits a figure, robed in black. Its hood is cast back, revealing a beautiful woman. Much too beautiful. He’s impressed and enticed, and a little jealous. She lifts a delicate teacup to her blood-red lips and takes a sip. He tells a joke and her eyes, red and full of laughter, leave their little fire and look at him. She laughs, revealing long fangs, and it is probably the most honest laughter he’s ever heard.

He is alone, but he is not lonely. He stands in a field of flowers, watching a herd of animals graze. One comes up to him and he offers his hand to be inspected. It licks his fingers and demands the fruit from his pack. This will be his new companion.

Faces and scenes flicker across his vision. So many cobblers to repair his boots. His fingers are rough and calloused. The young man, with gray in his hair and beard, teaches him magic and he feels like a child again, thrilled by the Weave using him as a conduit.

He is keenly aware that he cannot solve every problem, but he will solve the ones he can. He will never make up for things he’s done, but he will not let that stop him from doing some good.

Eletha’s hand left his and the magic bled away back into the Weave.

Gale had to come up with his own words and feelings now. As articulate and witty as he was, he was failing to find the right way to express himself. There was a pain in his chest, nostalgia for a life he hadn’t lived. He placed his hand on his chest. “Thank you… For sharing that with me.”

Eletha offered him a subdued smile. “When this is all over, I thought I could accompany you back to Waterdeep. You know, to keep you out of trouble.”

He was a little stunned. “That would be… Yes, I think that would be a grand idea.”

Eletha owed Shadowheart a bottle of wine and a chat, but on her way, she stopped at Astarion’s tent. He was ‘looking’ at himself in a mirror and undoubtedly smirking to himself as he watched her walk over.

“Spying is rude,” she said with a little humor. He huffed as he let his hand fall to his side and twirled around to face her.

“I’m just making sure my long-lost love doesn’t get lost in another’s eyes,” he cooed, mischief in his eyes, a wicked smirk playing on his lips. Eletha snorted.

“That’s quite the imagination you have. Writing our wedding vows for us? What flowers will we be using?”

“You’re cute for an old hag.” For a split second, Astarion panicked and tried to formulate a way to brush the insult off, but then Eletha let out a small laugh and all was well. “I was just thinking about… how I’ve forgotten what I look like. Or what I used to look like. Just another thing Cazador took from me.”

“I’m sure the others would share if you asked. You know, use the tadpoles.” Astarion sighed wistfully.

“But they don’t know me like you do. They don’t… love me,” he explained very carefully. “To be seen through a lover’s eyes?”

“I don’t think I see you the way other people see you.” Eletha sounded almost… regretful of this fact.

“What, am I monstrous? A vicious vampire in a children’s story book?” he asked with a strained laugh. He actually did worry that it could be the case. It was good to be feared, there was power in fear… but he didn’t want to be feared by her. In a low voice, not quite sultry, but just as inviting, he pleaded, “I want to know what you see. I want to be… seen.”

Eletha hesitated. She looked down at their feet in contemplation. Her throat was already raw from her moment with Gale. This would hurt, open the old wound further, but a wise woman once told her that the wound wouldn’t fully heal until she opened it all the way and scrapped out the rot. She had to run towards the danger, or else it would follow her forever.

Astarion felt his tadpole squirm and tingle again, but this time she didn’t stop the connection. He relaxed and let whatever she wanted to share with him come into his mind’s eye.

He was in an elven caravan, littered with all kinds of things, like way too many boots and shirts of varying fashions, knives that had no business being unsheathed on the floor, threatening to take off a toe. He sighed in frustration, but it wasn’t his voice, as he picked up some items and threw them out of his path.

A young man sat at a mirror, trying to tie up his hair in just the right way with a ribbon.

“I think the humans have a story about the dangers of staring at your reflection all day,” he said in Eletha’s voice in a mix of annoyance and gentle ribbing.

“Lori, you fool, we must strive for perfection in all things,” the young man said to her in a haughty tone. Finally satisfied with his look, he flashed a grin at her. Astarion was struck by how… natural it looked. “Tell me what you think.”

“So beautiful, they’ll be throwing money at us.” The young man beamed. Eletha sighed and shook her head. “I’ll have to protect your pretty face with my body. It would be a crime against the gods to scar such loveliness.”

With an audible snap, his vision cracked down the middle and distorted into two very similar but obviously different images.

On the right was the young man, smiling and laughing. His white hair was lustrous and bouncy, cascading from his head in a waterfall of curls that he tamed with a ribbon. His skin was pale and slightly blue, but flushed on the cheeks and ears. His golden eyes were round and bright, full of life and mischief and love. His voice was light and playful. The light of the caravan seemed to radiate from him like a halo.

The left vision was dark and discomforting. This figure, at first glance, wasn’t much different. With how jovial the young one was, it was no surprise that his face was graced with laugh lines. However, there was no humor about this one. His hair, while still curly and white, was dull and dampened in comparison. His skin was even paler, almost gray, and lacked the subtle glow that gave his younger counterpart vibrance. His body language was guarded, tense, like a wary animal. From under lowered eyebrows glared a pair of red eyes, sharp and narrow, lifeless. When he spoke, his voice was dark and hard, on the edge of a snarl with plenty of bite to go with his sharp teeth.

“You would do that for me, darling?” the two said in unison. In camp, Astarion could feel the connection attempt to sever, but something held it firmly in place.

“You would look good with some scars,” the young one said, only a little bit teasing, his smile dazzling. “Like a real adventurer! Each scar a story.”

“I have scars of my own, with stories that would make your hair fall out.” The older one grinned, it was a joke, but there was no laughter, no good intent. It was a wolf’s smile, full of threat. The grin dropped just as suddenly as it appeared and was replaced by a sneer. “Look what you did to me! You abandoned me and now what am I? A monster. You have no idea what it feels like, to lose everything, to belong to someone else.”

Eletha tried to speak, but it came out as mangled sounds of disagreement and anguish. He felt the tadpole lash as she tried even harder to stop their connection.

His vision cracked once more into more slivers, each holding an elven face that he just barely couldn’t recognize. They looked down their noses at him, full of judgment and revulsion. His heart clenched with guilt. They spoke over one another in a flurry of insults and remarks, all decrying in some way, “How could you do this to me? How could you do this to us? Abandon us? Have you no heart?”

Astarion felt the world fall out from under his feet as the tadpole finally broke the connection. When he came to his senses, Eletha was touching his cheek. He swatted her hand away, the sensation of it overwhelming, but he soon wished it back. Instead of asking for her to do it again, or grabbing her hand and holding it to his face, he glared.

“What is wrong with you?” he spat at her. Eletha’s eyes went wide, then lowered to the ground.

“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for you to see that. I-I just wanted to show you how beautiful you are,” she managed to say around a tightness in her throat. Without further explanation, which she was probably incapable of offering, she fled in the direction of Shadowheart’s tent.

Astarion huffed to himself. He barely had the capacity for introspection, now the waters were muddied by someone else’s perceptions of him. Did his old love think he was a monster, or did she think he thought himself a monster?

No wonder Cazador snatched him from death’s grip. No wonder Eletha fell in love with him.

No wonder he lured thousands of people to their deaths.

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imperator-titus · 2 months

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Ghost from the Past [Part 2]

once again, very rough, subject to change. I haven't fully decided if I want to integrate a tav/gale thing. I really want to try a run with Eletha with the poly mod, but I don't want to mod my game until I've finished honor mode (or beef this run because I've gotten to act 3 this time) I haven't fully gotten Gale's... tone and mannerisms right. I feel like I need to relearn Astarion's early personality. I'm still tweaking Eletha's story/background/mannerisms. I'm experimenting with in-game conversation timings and just... obviously making shit up

I'm hesitant to tag this gale content yet lmao I probably wont unless it ends up being tav/gale or he's like REALLY prominent

anyway, I hope you enjoy this bit

[edit: just did some cleaning up on the "administrative" side of things now that the title is official and all]

(Prev)[Part 1] (Next)[Part 3] [Master Post]

[gif by half-dorks]

“What’s your secret?” Astarion asked Gale as they both sat in camp while others were out.

“What secret is that?”

“Why Eletha likes you.”

“Does she? I never noticed.”

“She’s ice cold to everyone else.”

“You must be thinking of someone else. Eletha is quite kind to everyone, until they prove they don't deserve it.”

“Fine. She’s ice cold to me, and she already knows me!”

“Have you considered that you gave her ample reason to be cold to you? Besides, she's not always angry with you.”

“How do you mean?”

“She sometimes laughs at your quips, or looks at you fondly.”

“If you can see that…”

Later that evening, after they'd eaten and started turning in, Astarion approached Eletha.

“No need to sleep on the disgusting ground like a dog, dar- you,” he tried to coo, remembering a little too late how she prickled at his pet names. “You should join me in my tent. You would find it much more comfortable.”

“No thank you, I’m quite comfortable as it is.”

“On a bunch of grass and blankets?” He asked indignantly. After she hummed in acknowledgement, he approached so he couldn't be overheard. “The other day you said… that if I asked… well, this is me asking.”

She eyed him, but not exactly in a hateful way. Maybe Gale was right. “I'm not hearing much asking.”

“Maybe you could come to my tent, where I could ask you properly?” She followed him without much of a fight. “Would you… let me have some of your blood? Just a bit. Just to… sharpen the senses.”

“I’m aware. I knew a woman once,” Eletha explained as she pulled out her knife. He watched as she held the tip above the candle in his tent, sanitizing it.

“Should I assume you're doing this because we were… friends?” Eletha stopped what she was doing, took a deep, deep breath, and let it out in a long sigh.

“Yes. We were friends. Close friends.” “Look. I’m sorry I'm being coarse with you. Turns out, it's easy to think you've let something go until you actually have to look it in the face.”

“Well… I’m sure I deserve it,” he said sadly. She actually believed him and that hurt more than the cuts she made in the underside of her forearm.

“Not really. Now are we doing this or what?”

“I was hoping for your neck, but…” he carefully took hold of her arm like it was a precious heirloom, “blood is blood, I suppose.”

“The last time your mouth was on my neck wasn’t exactly a fond memory.” Despite this, she seemed unbothered by this offering.

He didn’t bother finding a response, the scent of her blood almost maddening. Lost in its taste, its power, he only stopped when he felt the sharp snap of her flicking his forehead. As he wiped off his face, he watched a little too intensely as she sealed the wounds with her heated knife. He met her eyes with rare earnestness.

“I won't forget this.” Eletha gave him a look that made him chuckle. “Well. Not anytime soon.”

----

Gale was right, Eletha was kind. Maybe too kind for his liking. Astarion would sigh in disappointment whenever she offered to help some poor idiot. Inevitably, she would give him a harrowing stare over her shoulder, he’d go ‘fine’, then she’d smile and move on.

She defended him, vouched for him, when he came out to the group as a vampire. She made him ask, which was a little humiliating for someone like him, but she spared some blood for him. She doted on them all like a grandmother, practically pinching cheeks and shoving food in their mouths. Of course, she had to be quite a bit older than them, considering she knew him long enough ago that he couldn’t remember her. He’d forgotten a lot of things, though…

Eletha was acting cagey for the past few days. Lae’zel accused her of being a spy for these Absolutist weirdos. She promised to explain soon.

On the road, Astarion readied his bow suddenly, the only one to hear a subtle sound in the underbrush while the others were deep in discussion. They all stopped and trained their ears and eyes on what he heard.

The bushes rustled. He pulled back. He let go.

“No!” Eletha cried. His arrow sank into her back, above the shoulder blade. It was inches away from slicing open her neck. Astarion was frozen in horror.

Eletha didn’t seem to mind. Instead, she was laughing, playing with the bear that came out of the brush. It looked more like a pack animal than a bear, a leather harness strapped to its back to carry bags of things.

“Bonnet, my sweet girl!” she cooed, scritching the animal’s face. “You found me! What a good girl!”

“When you said you had a companion I was imagining a more… dog-like animal,” Wyll remarked uncertainly, a slight chuckle in his voice.

“At least it wasn’t a wolf,” Shadowheart said thankfully, approaching Eletha to deal with the arrow. She shot Astarion a look. “Are you going to apologize?”

“I-” he started, finally coming to. He was ready to apologize, but then scoffed and rolled his eyes. “It’s her fault, she jumped in the way!”

“You’re impossible.”

“Hey, let’s go back to camp,” Eletha said happily, trying to free herself from the bear’s affection. “Bonnet doesn’t fight, so I’d like to take her back and take all this stuff off her.”

“You should rest your shoulder, too,” Shadowheart reminded her, a suspicious squint to her eyes. Eletha actually seemed surprised to see the arrow’s shaft wiggling in the corner of her vision.

“Oh! I barely noticed.”

“How could you barely notice…” Wyll muttered to himself, a little horrified.

“I’ll explain after dinner. Let’s get going.”

True to her word, Eletha stood before them all.

“Look, this isn’t that serious, especially considering… One of you is a bomb, another is a vampire, one has made literal deals with devils, and, ya know, Karlach set a building on fire.” A few chuckles sounded around the fire, easing the tensions. “That’s all to say… I’m cursed.”

“What kind of curse? Where did it come from? How long have you had it?” Gale asked, a mix of excitement and seriousness.

“Well, I guess it’s not so much a curse as a… side effect? I made a deal with a fey and my payment is… I burst into flames during the new moon.”

Silence covered the campfire. Wyll opened his mouth to comment, but then thought better of it. Without waiting for anyone to say anything, she continued, rather happily.

“Yeah, so, tonight’s the new moon so I’m gonna… be naked and on fire next to the river all night.” She gave the sky a quick glance and started undoing the laces of her boots. “Kinda cutting it close, but we’ll be alright. Worst case, need to find new small clothes…”

“Wait, seriously? You’re just going to be on fire all night?” Karlach asked, the situation just sinking in. “Won’t that… hurt?”

“Oh, yes, it’s excruciating. I got used to it a while ago though.” Eletha got down to her underwear before some of them started turning colors and looking away. “Sorry. Been a while since I’ve had an audience. Forgot some people are shy.”

Karlach held up a hand like a child in class. Eletha pointed at her and she asked, “Do you think we could… touch each other? While you’re on fire?”

“Oh, that’s a good question…” Eletha rubbed her chin in thought. Then she held out her hand, palm flat, fingers to the sky. “High five!”

Karlach carefully smacked her palm against Eletha’s. The elf didn’t yell like Karlach expected, just shook it off. “We’ll try again when the sun goes down.”

They didn’t wait long, the sun was already low in the sky when she got ready for her fiery transformation. They were all varying levels of curious. Eletha seemed more bored than anything. It was an incredibly novel experience by now.

Then it started. Her blue-pale skin reddened, then split, and from those cracks came white flames. They grew and spread until her whole body was covered in an even level of fire, like a very weird wick. The hair on her head quickly turned to ash and blew away, as did her underwear. Excitedly, Eletha once again offered Karlach her hand.

They high-fived. They shook hands. They exchanged playful punches. With each experimental touch, Karlach grew more ecstatic. Eventually, she scooped Eletha up and crushed her in a massive hug.

“I can’t believe it! I’m touching someone!”

“You hug me any tighter, you might put me out,” Eletha wheezed. Karlach loosened her grip. “You gotta refer me to your tailor. I’d combust for some fire-proof clothes.”

“You’re so funny!” Karlach cried, literally in tears.

After everyone went off to bed and Karlach finally tired herself out from having a new non-flammable friend, Eletha sat on the cool sand of the riverbank, looking much like a small bonfire.

“Mind if I join you for a bit?” Gale asked, startling her. He didn’t exactly employ a silent step. “I didn’t mean to disturb you.”

“No, it’s just-” Eletha wiggled a finger by her ear. “It’s loud.”

“I imagine the sound of ones own ears burning like the edges of a nice roast is quite… distracting. Luckily, most people wouldn’t hear it for long.” Eletha chuckled, a little bit exaggerated in order to be heard. “Ah! You didn’t take offense.”

“I have a thick skin.” Gale laughed, but it seemed to surprise him.

“I’m curious; what will you look like in the morning?”

“No hair. My skin will be normal, but tender. Recent burns tend to go away, but unfortunately- or fortunately, if that’s how you choose to see it- old scars don’t go away.”

“Fascinating…” Gale considered some things as they sat in relative silence. “What was it? For which you are so afflicted.”

“We don’t know each other well enough for that.”

“A fair answer.” After a moment of him scratching his chin, Eletha said, “Peace of mind.”

“Mm… a rare thing. Was it worth it?”

Eletha shrugged casually. “Sometimes. A lot of the time? It’s not really relevant. But when it is? I’m really glad. And by now, I’m used to it. Sometimes it’s fun. I’m a folk monster somewhere near Arabel.”

“Do tell.”

“Age-old story. Drunk village men, doing whatever it is humans do in the woods. Be drunk, fight, make a mess. They see me, white dancing flame, lose their minds. By the time I pass through town, trying to trade pelts and such, they’ve already distributed some story about a fire elemental on the loose. I come through maybe a hundred years later, still scaring kids with stories about the scary fire demon.”

“I’m sure a bard could dress it up for you.”

“I’m not really one for stories, though I’ve had a few adventures. Wyll has me beat, though. I’m just much older.”

“I am sure this one will prove to be worth recounting in many a tavern some day.” He chuckled nervously. “I came here hoping to thank you for helping me. I suppose you… understand some of my plight.”

“We all have our burdens. You’re my friend, don’t worry about it.”

“Ah… friend? Hmm… I like the sound of that. It has been a long time since I have made a friend.”

“I understand quite well. I would shake your hand, but…”

“Yes, this camp isn’t big enough for three humanoid torches.” Gale smiled and then laughed at his own joke.

“Go to bed, Bhin. Young’uns might be full of energy, but they still need their rest.”

“Quite right. Good night, Eletha. I hope you burn a little less tonight.”

While trying to go to sleep, Gale would realize how dumb that sounded. The sentiment, however, was received in the manner it was meant.

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