#halsin x enelya

[halsinsbiceps]

I've FINALLY finished my playthrough of BG3.

I was not prepared.

I have feelings.

Please respect my privacy during this difficult time.

[halsinsbiceps]

So apparently I don't have an account on AO3, which I thought I did.

Anyway, if anyone is interested in my F!Tav/Halsin slow-burner, please give this a read. Once I have an account up and running, I'll post to AO3.

Please be kind, as this is my first fanfiction since I was like 14 and my first piece of writing I've ever introduced to the Internet.

Fic below the cut.

A Great and Sudden Change

A Baldur's Gate 3 Fanfiction

Chapter 1

Enelya woke face-down in the sand.

Granules clung to her hands and cheek in wet clumps; water soaked her leather druid armor and chilled her skin. A dull ache throbbed behind her left eye. Thick, fishy air gusted her hair into her face, along with the acrid scent of smoke and charred flesh.

The moment she cracked her eyes open to the light, the throbbing exploded into a blinding headache. If she had not already been on the ground she would have been leveled by the pain.

So instead she lay with her cheek pressed into the muck, and willed herself to remember what had happened.

She had just left Baldur's Gate, well-rested and with a restocked pack, headed east along the River Chionthar on her way to the Emerald Grove to meet with the druids there. The birds had been singing happily and the sun was hot on her face when everything fell silent, and a shadow overtook her.

Then she was trapped in a box…or some sort of pod? Flashes of tentacles and flesh, wet and pliant, flooded her mind. A small worm, teeth bared as it neared her face, panic rising in her chest. Pain seared through her face before everything fell into darkness.

Next she saw a humanoid creature with yellow skin in shining armor, then a woman with black hair and large green eyes. In the next flash she saw demons, imps...and a mind flayer, its squid-like face vivid in her mind's eye, and its voice pushing into her mind as it commanded her to the helm of the Illithid ship. Finally, she remembered the ground rushing up to meet her as she plummeted from the sky.

Enelya promptly retched into the sand.

When her stomach finally stopped heaving, she pushed herself onto her knees and wiped gritty vomit from her chin and cheek. Keeping her eyes closed, she blindly reached into the satchel hanging at her side, feeling her way through the bag until her fingers wrapped around the cool neck of a glass bottle.

The healing potion worked quickly to wash away the bitter bile coating her tongue. The throbbing behind her eye all but disappeared, while her nausea and aches lifted almost immediately. She stoppered the bottle with a relieved sigh, then tentatively opened her eyes.

The first thing she noticed, aside from the quickly setting sun, was the smoking wreckage of the nautiloid. Black smoke plumed in ominous pillars into the orange and pink sky. Tentacles the size of trees lay limp all around her. Following their line of destruction through crushed rocks and snapped trees, she saw the collapsed body of the ship through the smoke.

Gods, it was huge.

Enelya stood shakily. The warmth of the sun was fading as it sunk behind the hills and cliffs that surrounded her. She needed to find shelter, and quickly.

She came upon the first body as she rounded a rocky outcropping. She felt bile rise in her throat as she took in the mangled flesh of the fisherman. One of the brain creatures from the ship lay still in a pool of blood next to it. As Enelya continued down the beach, more and more bodies cropped up, each flanked by still more brain creatures.

After the seventh body her stomach heaved again. She caught herself on a rock as she gagged, her palms snagging the rough surface.

"Are you alright?"

Enelya instinctively pulled her dagger from her belt and spun as her training overtook her sickness for the moment. Green eyes met hers. The woman from the ship stood before her, her hands raised in a sign of peace. "I'm sorry," she said. Her voice was soft, almost child-like. "I didn't mean to startle you."

Enelya shook her head. The fear waned into relief, though her heart still banged against her ribs. She sheathed her dagger. "It's alright," she replied with a sigh. "I'm rather jumpy, it seems."

The woman nodded. "As am I. Makes sense, I suppose." She hesitated, then asked, "Do you know where we are?"

"I don't."

The two regarded each other warily for a moment. The woman was well-armored, although Enelya did not recognize the markings adorning her breastplate. Her dark hair hung over one shoulder in a banded braid, exposing ears that were not quite as pointed as Enelya's own.

"I'm Shadowheart," the woman said suddenly. "And I wanted to thank you, for rescuing me up there. You had precious time to waste, but still stopped to help me. It says quite a lot about your character, especially with that gith pushing you along."

A shiver ran across Enelya's mind as her emotions were assaulted. Disgust and suspicion flowed through her, but not at the woman before her. The githyanki's face flashed before her eyes, a sneer twisting her scarred face. As quickly as the emotions came, they went, leaving Enelya feeling almost empty.

Shadowheart pressed a hand to her temple. "Damn," she said. "I forgot about that. Haven't seen anyone else around here. Have you?"

Enelya shook her head again, still reeling herself from the sudden onslaught of emotions that were not her own. "It's only you, me, and these poor souls, I fear."

Shadowheart eyed the darkening sky. "Well, either way, we should find shelter. Tomorrow we can look for a healer."

"'We'?"

Shadowheart gave her a small smile. "Our odds are better together, don't you think? Besides, I think I can trust you. Why save me just to slit my throat?"

Enelya relaxed slightly and returned the smile. "I appreciate that."

"Come on then. I saw a fortress or something this way. It's not much, but it'll keep the wind at bay."

Shadowheart led her down the beach, away from the bodies. The silence that fell over them wasn't quite comfortable, but they quickly fell into sync and began collecting bits of driftwood at Enelya's suggestion. Once they reached the ruins, they had enough between them to keep a small fire going through the night.

Once the fire was lit and roaring quietly between them, Enelya pressed her back against the cold stone wall of the ruins. A heavy door was set into the wall, but it was locked up right. Shadowheart lamented the loss of real shelter as she jiggled the knob.

"Just not in the cards for us," she sighed. She sank down on the other side of the door from Enelya, keeping a fair distance between them. They watched the fire in silence.

"Enelya."

Shadowheart turned her head. "Sorry?"

"I'm Enelya." She waved her hand. "I forgot to tell you earlier, when you introduced yourself."

"Ah." Shadowheart's gaze returned to the flames. Embers flew into the air with a crackle, and she followed them with her eyes. "I suppose I can forgive your lack of manners this time."

Enelya laughed quietly, a sound that surprised her. "Careful, you don't know me yet."

"True." Shadowheart shot her an amused look. "But I have a feeling we'll get along just fine."

Enelya sighed and rested her head against the wall. After another moment she looked over at Shadowheart. "Where are you from?"

She sensed the other woman's uneasiness in her hesitation. "Baldur's Gate," she said after a pause. "I was headed there when that thing took me."

Enelya waited for her to continue. When she didn't, Enelya said, "I'd just left Baldur's Gate myself. It was my first visit. Quite a town, isn't it?"

Shadowheart snickered and closed her eyes. "You could say that. Where were you going?"

"East, towards Elturel." Enelya shifted into a more comfortable position.

"You're a druid?"

"That's right. From the High Forest."

Shadowheart sighed. "I've heard stories about the druids. It always sounds so peaceful, living out amongst nature. Romantic, even."

Enelya didn't reply, and they sat in comfortable silence again for a time. Shadowheart's head lolled to the side, and she jerked awake with a mumbled apology.

"Get some rest," Enelya told her the third time she startled. "I'll take first watch."

While Shadowheart quietly dozed against the wall of the ruin, Enelya tried to quiet the worrying thoughts flitting through her mind. In the morning, they would find out where they were, and with any luck, a healer.

And this would all be over.

[halsinsbiceps]

The Dance of the Dryads

Here it is!

I'm so excited (and nervous!) to share my very first smut fic with you all! It's a sort-of companion piece to my main fic, A Great and Sudden Change, but it can be read on its own as well.

Please be kind with your comments, and ENJOY!

Fic below the cut or over on AO3.

F/M

Halsin (Baldur's Gate)/Original Female Character(s)

Romance Smut Fluff My First Smut Fluff and Smut Okay I think you get it Soulmates Thiramin Kissing Cunnilingus Vaginal Fingering Penetration what else do i put Post-Coital Cuddling Breeding Kink You know Halsin has a breeding kink Halsin -Freeform

The thin silver clasp twisted under Enelya's fingers as she attempted to fasten the oak leaf-shaped pin at her shoulder. She cursed as the fastening jabbed her finger and a bead of blood welled up. She stuck her knuckle into her mouth before it could stain the white cloth of her dress.

"Everything alright?" Francesca poked her head around the curtain. 

Enelya released her hand from her mouth and examined her skin. "More or less," she said with a sigh. "I wield a dagger easily enough, you'd think I could handle a brooch."

"Let me see." She turned and handed Francesca the offending clasp, stooping a bit to let the smaller elf reach her shoulder. She fastened it with ease and smoothed out the surrounding fabric with her delicate fingers.

"Nel, you look amazing."

"So do you, Francesa," she replied with a smile. She turned to examine herself in the mirror. The blonde hair she usually tied back hung in loose, natural waves around her shoulders, obscuring the vine tattoo that ran along the sides of her face and neck before plunging over her shoulders and down her back. Her face was clear of any kohl or stain. The Dryad Dance was a ritual to revere nature in all its forms; makeup was strictly forbidden. Why makeup and not clothing, Enelya wondered, but she supposed civilization has enough of an influence at this point that modesty was a redeeming quality in the eyes of many.

Francesca's gray eyes met her brown ones in their reflection. "Are you ready?" She asked. "We're about to begin."

Enelya nodded. They left the rooms where a dozen druids had prepared for the beginning of the ritual, dressing themselves in clean white robes that draped loosely across their bodies. The men kept their chests bare, but everyone's arms were adorned with bands of oak leaves.

As they lined up at the base of the treeline surrounding the Grandfather Tree, Enelya's insides tingled with anticipation. It had been some time since she had partaken in the Dryad Dance; usually she was stationed deeper in the island, scouting and guarding the lands along the Unicorn Run or the many shrines to the Elven gods. Even when she was present, she had never performed any of the ritual dances. This would be the first time she did so, and as a newly ordained High Ranger of Mielikki, no less.

Her heart swelled with pride and gratitude. 

Within the clearing, hundreds of elves, druids, and rangers from across Faerun gathered to take part in the holy celebration of Silvanus. They talked and laughed and drank in the dying daylight as they waited for the carousing to begin. Once the sun had set and the torches lining the grove were lit, the first dance would begin, and when it was done, the dryads and hamadryads would emerge from the forest to mingle - and mate, at times - with the revelers.

A small hand slipped into hers and squeezed her fingers lightly. Enelya caught Francesca's hand and pulled her to her side, the smaller woman laughing as she stumbled into her embrace. 

"You'll be great," she whispered up at Enelya. Her hair fell about her face, catching in her eyelashes and on her petal-pink lips. Francesca was as elven as they come, with a petite, slender frame and long, dark tresses. She was calm and patient and wise - born to lead, a natural fit as a First Druid. She was all the things Enelya was not, but despite their differences and childhood rivalry, they had become close friends.

Enelya thanked her friend and sent her back to find her place as the forest finally shrouded them in darkness. A hush fell over the clearing, and for a few heartbeats, all of nature seemed to hold its breath.

Then, with a sudden thunder of drums, the torches were lit and the ritual began.

Enelya's body moved of its own accord, keeping time with the music as she stepped forward into the clearing with the rest of the performers. Her hips rolled sensually; her hands turned gracefully at the wrist. She swayed like the bough of a willow tree, moving along the perimeter of bystanders to encircle the Grandfather Tree. Once everyone was in place, they approached the tree reverently, caressing the rough bark as if it were the skin of a lover. 

Pipes rang out, bright and ethereal, and Enelya spun in place, planting her feet into the earth as she rolled her body up from her knees to her neck. Her hair fell in a curtain over her eyes as she swung her head in a circle. She brought her arms up to sweep it back from her face, her fingers brushing against her flushed skin, when the hair along her arms and the back of her neck began to raise.

She snapped her head up to glance around her but continued to dance, the music driving her body almost without thought. She searched the crowd as she spun past, their faces a blur, yet the prickling along her skin didn't stop. 

She was being watched. 

With a final few beats from the drum, Enelya threw herself to her knees on the ground and flung her head back, arms wide to welcome the spirits of the forest and the god Silvanus to their domain. Cheers and shouts of excitement erupted on all sides of her, and she couldn't help the smile that split her face as she caught her breath. She continued to rake her eyes over the throng, looking for the person whose gaze lingered on her. Several people gave her a quick smile or a word of praise before glancing away; no one met her eyes directly. The drums and pipes struck up a new song, quick and light. 

Francesca bounded up to her, eyes shining. The smile fell from her face when she saw Enelya's puzzled look. "Nel, what's wrong?"

Enelya shook her head. "I'm fine. It just feels like…someone is watching me."

Francesca blinked at her. "Well...you were just writhing around, scantily clad, in the middle of the forest in front of hundreds of people," she said, a laugh bubbling up from her chest. "I'm sure there's more than one person admiring you from afar."

Enelya rolled her eyes and nudged her friend's shoulder, although a smirk played at the corners of her mouth. "I mean really watching me. Even now I can feel their eyes on me, like…like I'm being stalked by a wolf." Something that had happened to her a handful of times in the depths of winter as she scouted.

Francesca nodded, but her eyes had focused on something past Enelya. "Or…maybe a bear?"

"A bear?" Confusion read plainly in Enelya's voice and on her face.

Francesca gripped Enelya's elbow and turned her to face the opposite direction. When she saw what Francesca was looking at, her breath left her lungs so forcefully she felt as if she had been punched.

The largest elf she had ever seen was slowly but confidently making his way through the crowd. His eyes were entirely focused on her, glancing away only to greet another with a kind smile before finding her again. Fine chestnut-brown locks hung about his face, while a red tattoo wound its way along the right side of his face and down to a broad, naked chest dusted with hair. Enelya's lips parted and her eyes drifted slightly lower, following that hair as it trailed along the plane of his stomach before diving from view beneath a skirt of oak leaves. She dragged her eyes back up his body to his face.

He smirked, and Enelya felt her heart stutter.

" That ," Francesca said softly at her side, "is Master Halsin, Archdruid of the Emerald Grove. And it looks like he's the one hunting you."

Enelya swallowed, her tongue thick all of a sudden. She knew that, given the nature of the Dryad Dance, there was a good chance she would end up laying with someone by the night's end, but had not planned to find someone so quickly, much less someone as storied as Halsin.

Halsin had quite the reputation among the Circle. First and most importantly, he was a great leader and a renowned healer, as well as one of the Emerald Enclave's foremost experts on the Underdark. But his name was whispered among the druids for another reason as well, one much more suited for bedrooms and brothels…and now he was staring at her, looking positively predatory.

She herself was no maiden, having had a good number of casual lovers in her 296 years; but she had only ever been the object of another's true affections twice in her life. The first was with a fellow druid when they were the tender age of 100, to whom she'd vowed to lay with if they were yet virgins at that age. They had been lovers for a little over two years, trying to make it work but ultimately his heart lay elsewhere. The second, and most recent, was a ranger some twenty or thirty years her junior with strong hands and a tongue gifted in the ways of speech, among other things. She had learned much from their short time together, but even so, that had been nearly a decade past. 

This, however…this felt different. As if her body and mind knew something she did not. As if they knew Halsin, reacting to his gaze in a way that made her very skin crawl with anticipation.

Halsin moved closer, and Francesca pulled her towards him. "Come. I'll introduce you!"

As Francesca pulled her through the crowd, Enelya pondered this feeling of familiarity, like Halsin's eyes had met hers before. She knew they had not actually met, which was hardly a surprise given how often she had been afield when such gatherings took place. Halsin had been Archdruid of the Emerald Enclave for nearly a hundred years, she knew, but had little reason to travel to the High Forest. She had no idea why her body and mind were reacting in this way.

Well…maybe she had some idea…but that surely couldn't be…

All thoughts left her head when she found herself standing in front of the man in question, craning her neck ever so slightly in order to meet his eyes. He returned her gaze, smiling down at her with hazel-blue eyes, the left brow of which was marked by a scar that looked frighteningly similar to a swipe from a bear. It sliced through his brow before skipping down across the bridge of his nose, ending at his bottom lip. The healed skin shone softly in the torchlight.

"Master Halsin, how good it is to see you again," Francesca said. Her teasing tone had been replaced by something more polished and disciplined. She laid her hand on Halsin's forearm and turned to Enelya. "Might I introduce Enelya, Druid of Tall Trees, Ranger of the Emerald Enclave, and the newest High Ranger within the Church of Mielikki." Francesca's eyes danced with pride as she listed Enelya's honorifics.

"Is that so?" Halsin's voice rumbled from his chest, soft and low. He extended his arm, but instead of the usual gruff grip of forearms druids usually made, he caught her fingers in his large hand and brought it to his lips, keeping his eyes trained on hers as he pressed a chaste kiss to her knuckles. "Congratulations," he murmured into her skin.

Liquid fire pumped through Enelya's veins, her hand becoming hot in his palm. "Thank you, Master Halsin," she replied. "It is a pleasure to meet you at long last."

He released her hand, his fingers brushing hers as she withdrew. "The pleasure is mine."

She offered him a coy smile. “Oh, I highly doubt that.”

His eyes widened slightly, then crinkled at the corners as his scarred eyebrow quirked in amusement. Silence fell over the trio as Halsin and Enelya continued to stare at each other.

"I will fetch us some mead," Francesca said suddenly. "Master Halsin, would you care for some?" 

"No, thank you, Francesca," Halsin said with a wave of his hand. 

Enelya tried to shoot Francesca a pleading look, but her friend only winked as she walked away. When she had gone, Enelya looked up at Halsin, suddenly feeling unsure of herself. “Um…did you enjoy the dance?" she asked.

Halsin nodded with a hum. "I did. It has been some time since I've been to the Dryad Dance, but the rituals continue to marvel me." He held her gaze as he spoke. " Your dancing was especially scintillating."

" Just my dancing?" Enelya teased. Emboldened by his flirtations, she stepped closer to the druid to lay a hand on his forearm. Her fingers traced the taut muscles. "I felt your eyes on me even after we stopped, Master Halsin," she murmured. Her eyes flitted up to meet his again through her pale lashes.

His eyes darkened, pupils blown wide as he leaned down. His lips brushed along the shell of her ear as he spoke in a low, gravelly voice. "You are captivating. I cannot take my eyes off you…it’s unlike anything I've ever experienced before." His hot breath ghosted along the curve of her neck. "I am eager to continue our discussion in private, if you would have me."

Enelya openly shivered at his forwardness. Her fingers pressed into his arm as lust curled through her body to settle at the apex of her thighs. She turned her head to speak into his own ear; her cheek brushed against his in a pleasant drag of skin. 

"I would like that," she replied softly. "However, the night is still quite young, and many seek your attention, I'm sure."

A quiet groan slipped from his throat. His large hand came up to caress the inside of her arm. The musicians launched into another rousing song. Around them, people began to dance.

“You speak the truth, as much as I wish it were not so. I would much prefer to spend the evening with you." He reluctantly pulled away with a final sigh in her ear. “Very well. Let us part ways for now. But, meet me at the base of the Grandfather Tree at the witching hour, and we will…get better acquainted."

Francesca returned as Halsin departed, nodding her head in a silent goodbye before turning to Enelya, her eyes alight with a salacious glimmer.

“You two looked rather cozy,” she commented as she handed Enelya a goblet of mead. “Care to divulge any of Master Halsin’s intentions?” She playfully bumped Enelya’s hip with her own.

Enelya watched Halsin’s hulking form as he mingled and drew in a shaky breath. “Oh, Francesca…”

Francesca pulled away, a startled look on her face. “Nel, are you alright?”

Enelya rubbed her hands over her face. “Yes…no? I feel like I’m on fire. Nothing like this has ever happened to me before.” She looked at her friend. “It’s as if Halsin is a bard and I am his very first lute, so familiarly he tunes and plucks at my strings…” She blushed at her poetic outburst, the metaphor suddenly sounding sexual.

“Oh, for the Oakfather's sake! Nel!” Francesca grabbed her free hand excitedly. “He is your thiramin . Your souls recognize each other!”

Thiramin . Soulmates. A common enough concept in most cultures, but among elves it was spoken of as if it were a myth. An elf might never meet their thiramin, but that did not mean they could not find love. But Enelya had given up on both those things. It should have surprised her more, the fact that she was suddenly bound to another, a total stranger. But it felt right, even comforting - like the most natural thing in the world. 

So that was it then . Enelya took a swallow of mead. 

"I might need a little more of this."

Midnight finally arrived. Enelya found herself standing breathlessly under the Grandfather Tree, watching the carousing continue around her as she leaned against the ancient oak. She had taken the time between meeting Halsin and now to mingle with others from her circle and dance with Francesca. Many had disappeared into the dark of the treeline in search of privacy; several dryads had been among them. The knots in her stomach twisted tightly, her head pleasantly fuzzy with drink.

A large, hot hand clasped hers, fingers intertwining as it pulled her away from the tree. She allowed herself to be led, Halsin cutting a swift path through the revelry. Enelya bit her lip and kept her eyes glued to the expanse of his shoulders. She smiled when he glanced back at her, and his own mouth twisted up in a smirk that held promises meant only for her. 

Halsin turned to her when they entered the forest proper. He pulled her closer until they stood only a hair's width apart, his head lowering until their lips were nearly brushing. "Where shall we go?" he asked in a low whisper. 

She hummed and trailed her fingers over his chest, glancing up at him playfully. "Follow me, Master Halsin."

His hand tightened around hers.

She led him through the forest, leaves crunching under their feet. Torches lined the paths and shone down from the walkways spanning between the enormous trees. It was one of Enelya's favorite sights, the warm glow giving the City of Trees an even more surreal atmosphere than usual. The music faded to a quiet thrum in the distance as they walked.

They reached a set of stairs that wound around a huge oak. Still holding his hand, she led him up. Her heart beat erratically as they climbed, the anticipation of what awaited flooding her body. Finally, they reached the door to her room. She pushed it open with a quiet creak and stepped into the room. Pale, bright moonlight fell in beams through the open windows. Gauzy white curtains drifted in the cool evening breeze that carried music and laughter into the room. 

The door had barely latched behind them before Halsin's hands were on her, gently pulling at her hips to draw her closer. She laughed and pressed her palms to his bare chest, feeling the taut muscles beneath her hands. He grinned before lowering his lips to her neck, pressing quick kisses along her throat and jaw.

"Mmm…I've heard rumors about you," she sighed, the heady mixture of her arousal and the mead making her bold.

"Oh? And what might those rumors be?" His kisses lingered at her neck as one hand came up to tug at the filmy fabric clasped at her shoulder. His other hand gripped her hip tighter.

"That you are...quite experienced." Enelya gripped his shoulders. "And…selfless…"

"Well." He brought his head up to look down into her eyes. His own were tinged gold around the irises. "I'll be sure to maintain my reputation."

His petal soft lips met hers gently, moving against them to pull breathless sighs from her as his tongue dipped into her mouth. Enelya brought her hands up to snake through his hair, fingers scraping along his scalp and tangling themselves around braided strands. She gasped against his mouth when he rolled his hips, his erection evident as it pressed against her.

He growled and pulled the silver clasp she’d struggled with earlier out of the cloth and stepped back as it puddled at her feet. A quiet sigh escaped him as he took in her naked form, glowing in the light of the moon.

“Gods, look at you.”

As he stepped towards her, Halsin gave a sudden, choking gasp and fell forward onto his hands and knees. The gold ringing his irises flared to a bright copper. In the next instant, fur rippled up his back and neck, and he let out a strangled snarl as he transformed into a hulking brown cave bear before her eyes.

Enelya leapt back, muffling a scream of surprise with her hand. Halsin - the bear - both? - looked up at her with something like embarrassment in its eyes. It huffed and shifted in the small room, and in another flash of light Halsin stood before her in his elven form once again, although less confident now as his shoulders curled inward. Enelya's hand drifted from her mouth as he stammered an apology.

"I - forgive me, the beast inside can be…difficult, when I am - that is, when blood runs hot…ugh…" He looked away, shame blazing in his eyes.

Enelya bit her lip. Part of her wanted to giggle and tell him it was alright…but another part knew that even the lightest laughter might further injure his pride. So she extended her hand and stepped forward to slide it along his jaw, cupping his cheek and drawing his eyes forward to meet hers.

"When I was young - 87, I think? - I was preparing to lay with someone for the very first time." She spoke softly, a smile in her eyes. "When the time came, he hovered above me, about to…well…I got so nervous I turned into a field mouse."

Halsin chuckled and leaned into her hand. His body relaxed. "And what happened then?" he asked.

"Oh, I ran away and avoided him until he left the circle some years later." She caressed his cheek. "You need not be ashamed of your nature when you are with me, Halsin."

He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to hers. "Thank you," he murmured.

His hands and mouth found her again without another word, pulling her to him as he walked her backward until her back pressed against the rough bark of the giant oak that served as a wall of her room. He kissed her lips once, twice, then moved back to her neck, slipping down every few inches until his hot, wet mouth found her breast. 

Enelya whined when his tongue laved across her nipple, flicking at the hardening nub. Halsin drew it into his mouth, rolling and sucking it between his teeth before releasing it with a lewd pop. He showered her other nipple with the same attention before settling onto his knees, his eyes finding hers. 

"I long to taste you." He kissed between her breasts, then her stomach, just above her belly button. "May I?"

" Please ." The breathless plea tumbled from her lips.

Halsin circled his tongue around her navel, then trailed down over her lower abdomen, alternating between licks and kisses. When he reached the top of her mound, he skimmed his hand along the back of her left leg and lifted it, slinging it over his shoulder. Enelya released a stuttering sigh as his head dipped down.

He kissed along her slit, softly nipping at her labia with his lips. She whimpered and arched her back. She felt a smirk against her quim, as well as a rumbling chuckle that shook her.

"So eager." He kissed the join of her thigh. "We have all night, and all day, if you desire. I don't intend to leave you until you are entirely sated, my heart."

Enelya cried out softly when the tip of his tongue found her clit, flicking the tiny nub until she writhed above him. Then, he pulled away to press hot, open mouthed kisses along her other thigh.

"You taste ambrosial. The sweetest honey on my tongue."

She gasped as a wave of arousal surged through her at his words, a hand coming up to clap over her mouth.

Halsin's head reappeared from between her legs, a concerned look on his face. "Is something wrong?"

She shook her head. "No…just the opposite, actually."

A smirk graced his lips, and he lowered his head again. "You liked that, didn't you?"

"Yes," she sighed. Then she cried out in pleasure as he dove between her folds.

His breaths came hard and fast as he rooted into her pussy, his nose rubbing her clit as he sucked and licked wetly at her entrance. One hand pushed her leg up and out, holding her behind her knee. Every few seconds his tongue slid up and around her clit, circling and sucking before dipping back into her pulsing cunt. 

The rough bark of the oak tree bit into Enelya's back as Halsin ravaged her with his mouth. She shuddered and ground down against him, one hand moving to tangle in his hair. He lapped at her incessantly, tasting her, while his right hand gripped the thigh slung over his shoulder. His left hand snaked up and pressed firmly against her belly, holding her hips still against the tree.

She let out a strangled keen of pleasure as her orgasm crashed over her. Halsin continued to lap at her as she arched and ground against him, until she whimpered and released his hair.

He slowly lowered her leg, holding her steady by the hips as he stood. She let him guide her to the bed and lay her back on the mattress, her body gelatinous. He settled on his side next to her.

"I thought you said we should take our time," she muttered.

Halsin chuckled and kissed her, dipping his tongue into her mouth to slide along hers. She could taste herself on his lips, sweet and tangy and altogether pleasant. 

"Once a bear tastes honey, he will not stop until it is devoured." 

Enelya snorted out a laugh before she could help herself. "Are you going to make bear innuendos from here on out?"

Halsin laughed as well. His hand slid up her waist to settle under her breast. "That depends. Do you want me to?"

"I do, actually," she replied. Her eyes lit up in challenge. "I wonder how many you have prepared?"

"I'm afraid you will be sorely disappointed."

"Are we still talking about innuendos?" She grinned up at him. Halsin hummed and leaned over her.

"Believe me, I have many more… innuendos in me than you might think."

His mouth sealed over hers, silencing their banter as his thick fingers trailed over her stomach and through coarse curls to probe at her slick entrance. She moaned and let her legs fall open at his touch.

Halsin pressed a digit into her, then another when he met no resistance. "Is this alright?" he asked lowly.

"Gods, yes."

He lowered his head to suckle at her nipples while his fingers slowly began to pump and curl into her, his stiff cock pressed against her side. She slipped a hand down his softly rounded stomach to undo the skirt around his waist. As it fell open she tossed it away into the room with a clunk , then reached for his large member where it stood proud and beaded with moisture at the tip.

Halsin gave a shuddering groan against her breast as her fingers wrapped around the base and gave it a firm stroke. He began fingering her faster and brought his head up to look down at her. 

"What would you like, Enelya?" A ragged exhale punctuated his question when she swirled the palm of her hand over the weeping head of his cock. She whimpered in response.

"I want you inside me."

He wasted no time, pulling away from her hand and settling between her legs with a quick kiss against her lips. He removed his fingers gently, then gripped his cock and dragged it through her folds. Her breath hitched in her chest and she pulled her knees up to his waist when he finally prodded into her with the swollen tip. He was larger than she expected, but not overly so; she'd have no trouble taking him. 

He entered her slowly, allowing her to stretch around him. Halsin focused on her face, watching for any signs of discomfort; she met his gaze, staring into his lovely hazel eyes, her mouth falling open in a gentle sigh

Once he was fully seated within her, he leaned in to kiss her. Their tongues explored languidly as he began to thrust into her. Enelya hummed happily as a familiar, tingling heat spread through her body from the top of her head down to her toes. 

Halsin moaned. "You feel incredible, my love. Gods…" His head dropped against her shoulder.

Enelya inhaled sharply and gripped at his arms. "D-deeper," she gasped.

He growled and slid his hand up her thigh to grip the back of her left knee. He pushed it up against her shoulder; at the same time he pressed his other palm down on her inner thigh, opening her right leg like the wing of a butterfly. His hips surged forward, his thick cock brushing against that sweet, spongy spot at the front of her walls.

She cried out. The pressure built with every thrust, her body splayed out before Halsin like a prize. His grunts as he fucked her filled her with a raw, primal need, and her fingers scrambled to find her clit, rubbing in tight, hard circles.

She came hard with a shout, her walls clamping down on him. He continued to pound into her, drawing her orgasm out until she collapsed back onto the pillows. Then he chased down his own release, pulling out and coming on her stomach with a huffing, guttural groan. He collapsed next to her, then pulled her body against his and kissed her softly. 

"Thank you," she whispered. "That was…" she trailed off, then kissed him again. 

" That ," he said with a deep chuckle against her lips, "was just the beginning."

They remained in Enelya’s rooms for nearly two days, Halsin leaving only to find them some food; he came back with a satchel full of cheese, bread, fruit, and wine, along with his own belongings. When they were not taking pleasure in each other’s bodies, they share the stories of their lives, whispering to one another as if they were afraid to disturb the peace that had settled over the room. 

She told Halsin about her childhood in the Misty Forest, before she joined the Church of Mielikki and came to the High Forest. In return, he spoke of his misadventures throughout Faerun, including how he had gotten the scar over his left eye. Enelya slowly dragged her fingers along the grooves in his forehead before leaning in to kiss them each one softly. Then he laid her back on the bed once again, their whispers turning into cries of passion.

Finally, on the second day, as Enelya sleepily lay curled against Halsin’s thigh while he sat up in the bed, he cleared his throat.

“My heart.” He brushed her hair from her half-lidded eyes. “Before I go…there is something we should discuss.”

She sat up. The sheet pooled around her hips, leaving her breasts bare as she slipped her hands into his. “What is it?”

Halsin’s thumbs skimmed over her knuckles. His thick brows were furrowed in thought as he stared at their joined hands. “The other night…I felt as though we were connected in a way I’ve only ever heard about. Two souls, linked as one.”

Enelya nodded, looking down at their hands as well. “ Thiramin ,” she said softly. "I felt the same sensations. As if we are two halves of a whole, fitting together seamlessly."

Halsin released one of her hands to bring his to her chin, guiding her to look into eyes full of affection. “I did not expect to find this here, or now. You are…” He paused, then leaned forward to rest his forehead against hers with a sigh. His fingers traced along the curve of her jaw. “You are part of me. Made of the same soul.”

Enelya’s heart swelled as she reached her own hand up to tangle in the hair at the nape of his neck. “A bit frightening, isn’t it?” she asked. “And impulsive, jumping straight into bed with each other. Certainly not the usual path, for elves our age.”

Halsin chuckled, pulling her closer to press a soft kiss to her lips. “I could not help it,” he murmured. “You intoxicate me. And when I am intoxicated, I am very rash indeed.”

Enelya gasped when he pushed himself up to tower over her. He licked into her mouth, swallowing her sigh as he guided her down against the mattress. His hand left her cheek to cup her thigh, guiding it up to catch on his hip as he ground his erection against her core. 

“Mmm.” She arched into him. “You are truly no better than a ninety-year-old, and with the stamina to match.”

He hummed, pulling away to gaze down at her lustfully.

“In the past, I often found myself giving in to desire wherever it flourishes. I can see myself being sated for eternity with you at my side.” He gave her a meaningful look.

Enelya froze. “What are you…” Her mind spun, trying to make sense of what he’d just said; it sounded like he'd just asked her to...

“Come to the Emerald Grove with me.” His eyes searched hers for an answer.

Her breath caught in her throat and she moved to sit up. He pulled back and away, allowing her room. His hand lingered on her thigh as she stared at him. 

“I...I can’t.”

His face fell, but she reached out to him before he could speak. Her hands caressed his shoulders. “It is not for lack of wanting,” she added. “But my work is here. My family…”

“Bring them.”

She laughed. “They would not come. But I love -” she stopped.

“You love…?” he asked softly, affection in his eyes.

“...that you would think of them, welcoming them into your grove, to make me happy. In truth…this is all so sudden, Halsin. Normally a thiramin courtship might last months, or decades, and here we are, rushing into it as if we are running out of time.”

“Enelya." Halsin took a hand from his shoulder and gripped her fingers delicately. "I want this. I want you . I have never been one for convention, nor for following the rules of society. Why must we delay our happiness when we can seize it?” 

She opened her mouth to reply, then closed it, her brows furrowing. Why, indeed? She could continue her work scouting the lands of Faerun and spreading the word of Mielikki, helping those in need; she could do so in any corner of Thoril. In truth, she had never considered leaving the High Forest…but now, with Halsin gazing at her so expectantly, so hopefully, she felt a giddiness rise in her chest and spread a grin across her face. 

"Yes."

A grin to match hers lit up Halsin's face. He leaned in to kiss her, but she leaned away, bringing her hand down to press against his chest. 

"Wait. A few conditions, first."

He settled back and nodded solemnly, his eyes crinkled with a smile. "Of course."

"First, I need a few weeks to make arrangements here. I have to see my parents, and let them know." 

Halsin's face softened. "Take all the time you need…in fact, I could come with you, if you would like."

Enelya smiled and gave his hand a squeeze. "I know you're eager to meet them…but that will come, in time. You're needed at your grove."

"As wise as you are beautiful, my heart." He kissed the back of her hand. "Very well…is there something else?"

She nodded. "I would also like for us to have our own space. I know you share rooms with the others in your grove, but I'm not accustomed to that. Besides, we will need a place to call our own, if…" She licked her lips nervously. "Someday...we are to have children."

Halsin's eyes darkened suddenly, and his lips parted. "Is that what you desire? To have a family?" 

Enelya bit her lip and thought for a long moment. "I never gave it much thought," she admitted. "I suppose I did want a family, once. And when it never happened, I chose to let nature run its course, whatever that may be. So…if it's what you want…"

She found herself on her back once more, Halsin poised over her, eyes blazing with want. "If I had my way I would plant my seed in your womb right now," he growled. 

Her eyes widened. His words - and the way he spoke them - sent a jolt of arousal straight to her loins. Her toes curled into the sheets beneath them. 

"Well…you may as well try." Her voice was barely a whisper, her eyes glinting in a way that he was learning tested his resolve. 

His lips crashed to hers, nipping at the swollen skin with a fervor that made Enelya dizzy. 

"We shall have our own space," he murmured as he pressed kisses to her throat. "I will make it so, as soon as I return to my grove. Whatever you desire, my heart, you need only ask."

She sighed and ran her fingers through Halsin's hair. "Then take me one last time, Halsin. The next time we meet will be when I come to you."

The weeks passed, then turned into months; no birds arrived with news. When Halsin finally reached out to Francesca, worried about his thiramin, all she wrote was that Enelya had been called deep into the forest. She did not know when she would return.

After six months Halsin stopped writing. He stopped preparing their home at the bottom of the hollow. He stopped believing she would ever come to him. He stopped holding on to her, and tried to move on with his life. But even as he threw himself anew into researching the Shadow Curse; as he lay with another; as he was captured by the Absolutist cult that took hold in his forest, he knew she was out there somewhere. 

And when he was out of hope…

She came.

[halsinsbiceps]

A Great and Sudden Change Update

Well hey there, folx!

It's been a long time. I've been lurking around, liking a bunch of stuff and enjoying what you're all posting. I see I've gotten some new followers and reblogs; thank you all for the love!

I wish I could say I'm making a comeback, and while that's kinda true...I'm kinda not. Life is, as you all know, ever-changing and likes to hand it out in spades when it does. For the most part things have been good, but have left me with less time to write and spend on my own hobbies.

The biggest thing is that we're MOVING! So excited about this, being closer to family, and being back where my heart belongs. But also so fucking sad, because our life was here for so long.

It'll be good, I promise. And hopefully, that will mean more writing!

Thanks for coming along for the ride.

And in the meantime, enjoy Chapter 9 of A Great and Sudden Change!

Fic below the cut, or read on AO3 here.

Throughout the arguments against Kagha, Enelya was reminded - not for the first time in recent months - why she chose to not follow the path to leadership. 

Halsin heard each member of the grove out with a patience Enelya admired. It was no wonder he was held in such high regard; each person's words were just as important as the last. Still, she did not envy him the charge of being Archdruid. She could tell by the way he held himself - back straight, shoulders tense, eyes focused on each speaker - that his duties weighed more heavily on him than she had believed. 

Kagha and the druids who had followed her orders stood against the far wall. Kagha kept her arms crossed as their peers voiced their concerns and condemnation of the group's actions. Her eyes frequently flicked over to Enelya, and every time a scowl would etch into her face anew. 

Enelya did her best to ignore the venomous glares from the woman, but as time passed her skin began to crawl, the tadpole churned in her head, and she wished the ordeal were done and over with. She gripped the staff Halsin had given her and tried her best to pay attention to those speaking, but many of them made the same points as the rest, and soon her mind began to drift. 

Would this have been her life, had she not been waylaid by grief in the weeks after meeting Halsin?, she wondered. Sitting at his side, listening to the issues of the grove come forth each tenday? It was not unlike nobles and patriars in the great cities holding court, she mused. Druids might largely deny a relationship with civilization, but there were truly more similarities than not.

When the arguments against the offending party were finished, Halsin allowed the perpetrators a chance to defend themselves. Nearly all groveled before him for forgiveness, claiming they only wanted what was best for the grove and did not intend to align themselves with the Shadow Druids. Halsin heard them all with a careful, stony expression. When it came to be her turn Kagha chose not to defend herself, instead responding to Halsin’s inquiry with stoic silence. 

Finally, sometime after nightfall, Halsin rose from his stone chair and spoke, gesturing between himself and Enelya.

"Leave us."

Rath approached Halsin and the pair spoke in low tones. The guards took Kagha’s arms and led the accused parties out of the sanctum. Rath stepped away and joined the other druids as they filed out until only Enelya and Halsin remained. When the stone door slid shut above them, Halsin released a loud sigh and sank back onto the stone seat. His head fell back against his shoulders, and he rubbed his face before letting his arms drop limply to his knees. 

Enelya found herself slowly moving towards him, as if drawn by some unseen force. He was not looking at her - his eyes were closed - but she could tell he was aware of her presence in the way his body tensed and his breathing changed. It was only when she stood directly in front of him, her knees knocking softly against his, that their eyes met. 

Enelya longed to slowly reach out and slide her fingers into his auburn hair; to gently press the pads of her thumbs into his temples and scrape her fingernails across his scalp. She wanted to trace the tattoo that twisted down his cheek with a feather-light drag of her fingertips. She knew he would melt into her touch; that his chest would reverberate with a groan as his head fell forward to rest against her stomach. The tension would seep from his body, and his hands would slide up her thighs, gripping her hips as he pulled her down onto his lap…

Gods, she wanted it.

Halsin looked up at her expectantly, hazel eyes darkening and reflecting her desire, yet full of unanswered questions. When he spoke, it was a hoarse whisper.

"What happened, Enelya?"

She shivered - whether from the damp chill of the room or from hearing her name on his lips, she wasn't sure - and stepped away from him, shaking her head.

"Halsin, I know you are eager for answers, but this is really not the time for this conversation. Your thoughts should be on Kagha’s punishment, and I should be looking for a cure for... this .” She brushed her fingers vaguely across her temple with a deep sigh.

“I have already made my decision, and will enact it tomorrow." The tone of finality in Halsin’s voice allowed for no further discussion. Faithwarden or no, she didn't dare question his authority again after their confrontation earlier in the day. Halsin continued, “As for the rest, there is no more to be done tonight.”

“There is plenty to be done,” Enelya argued. She gripped the staff in her hands again, knuckles whitening against her skin. “You could tell me more about this Moonrise, or what you do know about the tadpole, for starters. Instead you'd rather rehash our brief history?”

He frowned and rose from his seat. Silence hung between them as he gazed at her, the frown deepening. "You were not one to avoid an uncomfortable discussion,” he finally replied. “But it appears you are no longer the person you once were.”

She raised an eyebrow at his statement. “You barely knew me.”

"No,” he admitted softly. “But I knew your spirit. Your soul drew me in, the way you shone brighter than the moon itself.” He raised his hand above him in a sweeping gesture. “The way you stood proud and tall, and danced with abandon. It was no wonder you were a champion of Mielikki. Now…” He shook his head. His hand dropped back to his side. “You do not hold yourself in the same way. There's a darkness in you, as if your brightness has been eclipsed."

Enelya crossed her arms. "I owe you no explanation for my change. The seasons come and go and yet you do not ask the trees why their leaves fall in autumn."

"You don’t owe me that, but you do owe me the truth.” He stepped even closer, close enough to touch. “I waited for you, Enelya. And when you didn't come to me, I sent birds to find you. When that didn't work, I wrote to Francesca. All she said was you had gone deep into the forest, and she did not know when you would return." He paused. “Or if you would return.”

Enelya did not reply. Her gaze drifted to the floor near Halsin’s feet.

He reached out then, slipping his fingers under her chin to lift her head until their eyes met.

"The truth is all I ask,” Halsin repeated gently. “Or, if you won't tell me that, then tell me our coupling meant nothing to you. Tell me you didn't feel the same connection I did, and the matter can rest."

His eyes bore into hers, and she was suddenly aware of his proximity, his warmth, the way his chest rose and fell with each breath. Her own chest tightened under his gaze, and she bit back the urge to nuzzle her face into his large palm and let him comfort her the way she craved.

She nodded, her throat dry.

"The truth, then.”

Halsin released her chin and stepped back. Enelya tried to ignore the crumbling sensation in her chest as he did so, instead gathering her thoughts and inhaling deeply to steady herself.

“Not two weeks after you left, as I was preparing to go to them…my mother and father died." Her voice was measured, matter-of-fact. Detached. "I honored them. I buried them. And then I retreated into the forest to grieve." She unfolded her arms and held them out from her body in a supplicating gesture. "There. Now you know."

Halsin's pained look reflected the sorrow he felt. "I am deeply sorry for your loss, Enelya."

She shrugged and let her arms fall back to her sides with a quiet thump. 

"...but why did you never write?"

" Gods , Halsin!” The words burst out of her and she glared at him. “What do you want me to say? I emerged from the forest after six months , and there was no word from you. Francesca said nothing to the contrary.” She paused briefly, biting her lower lip as she looked away. “I believed you had lost interest, or that you had found another, and I thought it best to leave you be. Our physical connection was brief, Halsin, and we can't make a garden grow where roots won't take." The words fell flat, even to her own ears.

Halsin shook his head, unconvinced by her entirely unconvincing argument.

“No. It's more than that," he said. "I knew from the moment I set eyes on you that this was more than mere desire. You know it as well as I, and I think you know it still. The roots of thiramin are dormant, they simply-”

“ Enough. ” Enelya’s sharp reprimand interrupted him and echoed in the large chamber. At the same time, she held a hand up to stop him speaking. Her eyes remained focused on the wall behind him. Her next words were quieter. "You deserve more than what I have to offer, Halsin."

His brows furrowed in confusion, and Enelya thought she saw a flash of hurt cross his face. "Why do you say that?"

"You see it better than I can explain. I’m no longer your thiramin , not really.” She shuffled her feet, lowered her head and whispered, “I’m broken.”

He reached out again, this time gripping her arms firmly, willing her to look at him. When she didn't - she'd surely fall into his arms if she did - he spoke urgently. "Enelya, none of us make it through this life unscarred. Do you think I would have asked you to be with me if I didn't want something imperfect? I want all of you. I want your pain and your anger and your sadness. All of it. But if you truly wish to break our bond…” He sighed and eased his grip, rubbing his thumbs once against the bare skin of her biceps as his voice dipped to a gravelly whisper. “...then I will not force you to stay."

Enelya believed him. She believed Halsin would take her just as she was and do all he could to make her see her worth every day for as long as they both would live…but she also knew he deserved better than that; deserved more than her tainted, angry self.

So she stayed silent and prayed that the lump in her throat would not give way to tears; her teeth ached from clenching her jaw. Water lapped softly at the rocky walls below them. 

Halsin finally huffed in frustration and pulled his hands from her arms. He spoke in a low, quiet voice, nearly a growl. "Go."

She raised her head then. "What?"

Halsin waved his hand in dismissal. "Go. Celebrate. Rest." A weary look settled onto his face as he sank down onto the stone bench once more. "I must tend to some things here. I'll be along later.”

Enelya nodded numbly, then turned and climbed the stairs out of the sanctum.

She felt Halsin's eyes on her every step of the way.

The grove was largely silent, only the chirping of crickets and the occasional shout or laugh breaking through the evening air. It had cooled to a comfortable temperature after sunset, and as Enelya made her way through the hills to the ruined chapel she found the slight chill on her skin to be a comfort. The knot that had formed in her chest during her discussion with Halsin slowly loosened as she walked.

“I want all of you.” Halsin’s words echoed in her mind. She could still feel the gentle brush of his calloused fingers on her arms.

Giddiness welled in her chest but was tempered by her sadness and her determination. Regardless of what she wanted, their thiramin must be broken, for Halsin’s sake. She could not drag him down this awful road with her. She clenched her jaw, pushed the thought of him from her mind, and kept walking.

As she reached the hollow outside the ruins where they had freed Lae’zel, a quiet whimper reached her ears, shortly followed by a soft thump and a groan.

“Silence, istik , or I will slice you belly to neck.” Enelya recognized the low rasp of the gith’s voice. Her heart sank, and she sprinted toward the sound.

“I told you what I know! They’re in the mountain pass, I don’t know how many!”

“Lae’zel!”

The githyanki’s head snapped up. Her eyes narrowed when she caught sight of Enelya striding toward her. “Leave us be.”

A young tiefling man knelt before Lae’zel, holding his stomach gingerly. Judging by the way he shook and how he kept his eyes fixed on Lae’zel’s boots, Enelya guessed he was terrified.

She shoved Lae’zel away from him. “What are you doing?” she snapped. Her pain and frustration boiled into anger here, away from prying eyes.

Lae’zel’s eyes flashed at the provocation and she stepped forward again, bringing her face close to Enelya’s as she snarled. “He knows where to find a creche . Since you have been less than accommodating in my endeavor, I have chosen to take matters into my own hands.”

The tiefling scrambled to his feet and ran back to the ruins, leaving the two women to glare at each other. 

“You don’t get to go around accosting innocent people for information,” Enelya said in a low voice. She could feel her veins pulsing, anger bubbling to the surface. She bit her tongue as Lae’zel pressed even closer to her, struggling to keep her frustration in check. The gith’s breath was hot on her face.

“And what would you have me do, istik ? Stumble around this forsaken place until we become ghaik ?” Lae’zel spat. “No. I will find this creche , and a ghustil will cure me of this tadpole. It is the only way.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“My people were slaves to these mindflayers long before you even drew breath, elf. We know how they are defeated. We know how to cure ourselves of their parasites. A zaith’isk will purify me, and I will return to my path of glory.” Lae’zel stepped away then, although her glare lost none of its venom. “And I will go alone.”

The anger dissipated from Enelya’s body suddenly and her eyes widened in shock. “Lae’zel, if you leave the protection of the artefact, you’ll die before you make it to the mountains.”

“I will fall on my sword before that happens.” Uncertainty briefly crossed the gith’s face, and Enelya seized the opportunity like a hawk on its prey.

“And if you can’t?” She kept her voice soft, placating. “We were lucky last night, but ceremorphosis could be instantaneous. I know you don’t want that.”

“Do not presume to know what I want!” Lae’zel snapped again. “You have all but ignored my wishes, my advice, instead prancing around playing she'lak to everyone we come across.”

Her accusation gave Enelya pause. She hadn’t realized she was ignoring Lae’zel; the gith had been quiet, keeping mostly to herself. But she was right. Enelya had been so wrapped up in helping others - saving the tieflings, saving Halsin, stopping Kagha - that she hadn’t given any thought to helping herself, nor helping those who were helping her. Beneath Lae’zel’s angry facade, Enelya sensed there was another message: the woman was feeling left out, and wanted to be heard. Enelya shook her head.

“I’m sorry, Lae’zel. I should have taken your advice more seriously.”

Lae’zel scoffed, but her eyes softened ever so slightly. “Your apologies are a weakness.”

“Maybe among githyanki , but I do my best to listen to all my companions.” Enelya held the other woman’s gaze sincerely. “I dismissed your insight, and I should not have. Truly, seeking out this creche may be the best lead we have, now that we know Halsin cannot heal us.”

Lae’zel’s chin lifted in pride. “It is our only lead.”

“Then we will discuss a plan of action with the others in the morning. I know you are eager to be purified, but we must stick together. I ask you to be patient just a bit longer while we prepare ourselves for what’s to come.”

Lae’zel considered her solemnly. “You are soft,” she said finally, her lip turning up into a small sneer. “But you are right. Our survival seems to be contingent on the artefact, and I will not leave its protection until we know more. But you must swear we will seek out the creche at our first chance.”

“I swear it.”

Enelya stuck her right hand out. Lae’zel eyed the offered hand warily, then slapped it with her own.

Enelya laughed suddenly, and she felt lighter than she had in days. “No, it’s a handshake.” She grabbed Lae’zel’s wrist and slid her hand into the gith’s, squeezing firmly. “It means we’re holding each other to our word.”

Lae’zel scoffed, but gripped Enelya’s hand in return. “Your customs are confounding,” she grumbled.

Enelya shrugged and released Lae’zel’s hand. “You’ll get used to them.”

Lae’zel returned to the ruins with Enelya in silence, stalking off to her chosen corner. Karlach intercepted Enelya and handed her a drink.

“Look!” Karlach reached out and pressed the tips of her fingers against Enelya’s forearm before the elf even realized what was happening.

“Karlach!” Enelya gasped and pulled her arm away, then paused when she felt no pain. “Wait.” She reached out and grabbed the tiefling’s arm. “You’re not hot!”

“Ouch, let a girl down easy,” Karlach said, feigning hurt as she pressed her other hand to her chest. But a moment later she grinned. “Dammon - that’s the blacksmith - he had some extra infernal iron laying around and fixed my engine, for now anyway. Great, innit?” She suddenly pulled Enelya into a crushing hug.

“Oh!” Enelya laughed breathlessly and patted Karlach’s back awkwardly. “I’m glad, Karlach. You seem happy.”

“I am! And now, I need to find someone to cuddle with. You should too.” With a wink, Karlach waltzed off to the fire, where a group  of tieflings and a handful of druids was already gathered and dancing, drinks in hand. Enelya shook her head with a smile and went off in search of her other companions.

Besides Karlach, no one seemed to be in a particularly festive mood. Lae’zel still kept her distance. Gale was quite melancholy, waxing poetic about his magical malady. Astarion complained about the wine. Wyll was on edge, barely able to converse as he continuously glanced over his shoulder. He finally excused himself and slipped away to gaze pensively over the river.

It was when Enelya sat down next to Shadowheart that the evening finally took a more interesting turn.

The women sat in comfortable silence and nursed their drinks for several minutes, during which Halsin appeared through a crumbling doorway. An excited chorus of cheers erupted from the group dancing around the fire. Zevlor approached him with a wide smile and gripped his arm in welcome. Enelya watched Halsin’s movements keenly, unaware that she was also being watched.

Shadowheart smirked and took a drink of wine. "You lied."

Enelya glanced at her with a frown. "About what?"

"About knowing Halsin." She gestured over to the hulking druid, who was now speaking animatedly with Zevlor and a number of others who had gathered. "The tension is practically roiling off you.”

Enelya hummed, hesitating before answering. "It's…complicated," she said, looking down into her own empty cup.

"Oh?" Shadowheart sounded intrigued. She grabbed the bottle of wine next to her and leaned to pour a generous amount into Enelya's goblet, giggling as she did so. "Do tell."

Enelya chuckled at the younger woman's eagerness, then sighed and rolled out her shoulders. She gazed upwards, watching the embers from the fire spark and pop into nothingness against the night sky. "You know about soulmates, right?"

"Yes, I know about soulmates. Not sure how much I actually believe in it, but…" Shadowheart eyed her. "You and Halsin are…?"

" Thiramin is what we call it in Elven. Not just anyone can be a soulmate for us, like humans believe. Only one true thiramin exists for each elf, and we might go our whole lives without meeting them. Halsin and I met two years ago, and it was an immediate and…” Enelya shifted, trying to find the right words. “ Intense connection."

Shadowheart sucked in a breath. Her eyes gleamed. "Did you…"

"Oh yes." The wine was making Enelya bold, her tongue more loose than it normally would be. It felt good, she realized, to talk to Shadowheart about these salacious bits of her life. She bit her lip as she raised her glass again. "Several times."

Shadowheart giggled. "You climbed Mount Halsin!" she teased. It seemed Enelya was not the only one feeling the effects of the vintage swirling in their cups.

Enelya laughed in earnest then, loud and throaty with her head thrown back. "Gods. We stayed in my room for two days. It was…" she trailed off, her cheeks warming from the wine and memories. 

Shadowheart nodded. "I'm sure it was."

They sat in silence for a moment, each of them quietly watching the man in question as he chatted with the others, unaware of their gazes. 

"I'm going to break thiramin ," Enelya said abruptly. 

Shadowheart looked at her in surprise. 

Enelya continued, "I can't bind him to me any longer, not after everything I've done - to him, to others. And with this tadpole, my days are numbered. Better to give him that than nothing." She smiled ruefully and sipped at her wine.

Shadowheart murmured her sympathies. Enelya thanked her, then paused.

"Actually…a cleric of Shar would be able to perform the rite I need." Enelya looked at her hopefully. "If you're open to it, that is. It would be helpful."

Shadowheart thought for a moment. "Normally I would…but I have no memory of such a rite. It would have to wait until we get to Baldur's Gate, if we don't find someone who can do it otherwise." Shadowheart ran a finger around the lip of her cup. "And, if I'm honest, even if I could do it, I probably shouldn’t."

Enelya frowned. "Why not?"

"My own feelings toward Halsin are…also complicated," Shadowheart said slowly. She swirled her wine in her goblet. "My Lady does have rules, you know. It would be quite the conflict of interest to pursue a man I have released from a soulmate."

Enelya's mouth dropped open into an o, and she glanced away. "I see." 

"But if you don't want me to…I mean, you'd have to be dead to not notice someone like that!"

"Agreed," Astarion drawled as he plopped down behind Shadowheart, goblet in hand. His eyes roved lasciviously over Halsin.

"You're undead ," Shadowheart reminded him, her eyebrow quirking in amusement. 

Astarion waved his hand dismissively. "A technicality, my dear."

Enelya chuckled and stared into her cup. "Shadowheart, if you would like to try your hand at climbing Mount Halsin yourself, be my guest."

"Truly?"

"He is not beholden to me, thiramin or no. Halsin has a very open mind about relationships, and we aren't…in love, or anything like that. We barely even know each other really. Even if we were together, he would be allowed to pursue his desires, and I mine."

"Wait, you two were…" Astarion looked over at her, confusion and excitement in his eyes. 

"Yes," Enelya replied. "We were."

He gave a harsh, barking laugh. "Well, that is interesting!" He flashed a smile, then took a gulp of wine and grimaced.

At Astarion's laugh, Halsin finally caught their eyes on him, and with an amused, curious quirk of his brow, he excused himself and made his way across the clearing.

"I can't help but feel I am the subject of your discussion," he said as he reached them. A smirk twisted at the corner of his mouth.

"Why yes, Master Halsin," Shadowheart said. Her words were teasing and slightly slurred. "Enelya was just telling us how the two of you met." 

"Is that so?" He looked down at Enelya, a glint in his eye. "Well, Enelya…please don't go spilling all of my secrets." He looked down at Shadowheart, and a heated look passed between them. "I would like to keep some things to myself."

A sharp pang of jealousy roiled through Enelya’s gut. She gripped the metal stem of her goblet and tried to ignore the feeling. Jealousy and envy were not becoming traits amongst elves and druids, where casual relations and polyamory were the norm. Halsin was not her possession, even if they were currently bound by thiramin . It was her choice to end it, and to avoid her longing until she could. She would not deny him or anyone else a chance at happiness.

She watched Shadowheart as her eyes followed the movement of Halsin's hips as he slowly sauntered away. Then she looked back, and to her surprise, Astarion’s crimson eyes were trained on her. 

He glanced away quickly, but not before Enelya caught the pity in his gaze.

[halsinsbiceps]

I'm writing a ✨smutty, fluffy one-shot✨ and I'm basically just screaming in my office.

My cats are very concerned.

I wanted this to be a surprise but I'm too excited

[halsinsbiceps]

Lately I've been writing and editing bits of my fic that AREN'T Chapter 9.

I've also been drinking a lot of tea and falling asleep watching Agatha Christie's Poirot.

And obviously swooning over Halsin and his upcoming FOREHEAD SMOOCHES LIKE FUUU~

[halsinsbiceps]

I feel like I can breathe again. Chapter 4 is FINALLY coming along and making sense. It's a bit mashed up and mostly exposition/explanation....so a bit boring, but a necessary step if I don't want it to just be, "The tieflings were saved, they met Wyll, then went and defeated the goblin camp, yay party!"

[halsinsbiceps]

As I'm sure you've all figured out, I've been on hiatus.

I decided to take the holidays off and focus on my family and health. It's a hard time of year, and my creative energy is always low. I put what I did have into some other projects (mostly gifts), and now that things are quieting down I'm looking forward to getting back to writing.

It's still going to be a while. I haven't finished the next chapter and I would really like to get a few under my belt again before I start posting. But there are lots of ideas floating through my head that need to be put on paper.

Thank you all for your patience, and for those who have sent messages and commented on my story on AO3!

[halsinsbiceps]

A Great and Sudden Change - Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of AGaSC is up - just in time for my birthday!

I'll be honest, I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter, but I really can't sit on it any longer. It's 5,000 words and I already cut 2,000 over to the next chapter.

Let me know what you think; is it missing something? Or is it some sort of issue with me reading my own writing?

Thank you all for the love!

Fic below the cut, or over on AO3

Warm, leaf-dappled sunlight pulsed against her eyelids, trying its best to prise her eyes open. Birds twittered back and forth overhead, and as Enelya woke she could smell the piney tang of balsam on the breeze. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d woken up so refreshed. She stretched languorously, smiling as a soft breeze tousled her hair.

Then the memories of the night before rushed back to her and she shot upright, a horrified gasp wrenching itself from her throat.

Rather than being met with Illithid companions, a wholly normal-looking Gale looked up in surprise from his seat nearby, a slim tome in his hands. “You’re awake!” The book snapped shut and he rose, stepping carefully over their sleeping companions to kneel beside her. 

"How are you feeling?" His voice was quiet, his eyes worried as they flickered over her body.

She took a moment to assess herself and found - to her surprise - she felt good . No headaches or body pains plagued her, and the tadpole remained blessedly still in her skull. Her only complaint was a rather stale-tasting coppery film coating her tongue. 

"I feel fine," she said softly. Her eyes met Gale's, her brows knit together in confusion. "But I shouldn't feel fine."

He hummed in agreement. "We were not far from transformation last night, if what I have read is anything to go by. And yet this morning I myself woke up feeling more refreshed than I have in quite some time." Gale paused. "However, there is something I must discuss with you, apart from the tadpoles and our brush with ceremorphosis, that must not wait."

Enelya shifted to tuck her legs under her. The frown on Gale's face worried her.

"What is it?" she asked. 

Gale licked his lips, suddenly looking nervous. "Well…it is something I was rather hoping to keep to myself, and I was quite confident I could contain it. However, with the presence of our unwelcome guests, I seem to be having a hard time managing a certain…condition with which I have been afflicted."

Enelya's brow furrowed. "If you need a salve, or other treatment, I am happy to help, Gale."

He chuckled a bit bitterly. "Ah, no. It is rather more magical in nature. You see…" He loosened the collar of his robe, pulling it open to expose the dark circular mark on his chest. "This mark is the outward symptom of…an orb, I suppose you might call it. Raw, unadulterated Weave is balled up inside my chest, and it needs to be fed, so to speak. Every few days I must consume a magical artefact in order to quell its hunger. If I do not…well…suffice to say the effects are rather dire."

Her mouth went dry. "How dire?"

Gale glanced away, then back at her. "I will erupt," he replied. "For lack of a better term."

She stared at him for a long moment, uncertain that she'd heard him correctly. "Erupt."

"Yes." 

Another long pause stretched between them.

"Do you know…what level of eruption you would…be?" She fumbled for words, unsure of how exactly to ask someone to rate themselves in terms of explosion.

Gale shifted awkwardly under her gaze and began to refasten his robe. 

"Based on my knowledge of Netherese magic - for that is what created this - I'd wager I could level a city the size of Waterdeep." He offered her a soft, wry smile. "I have been able to find small trinkets on our travels thus far, but their effect has been dwindling. I believe the tadpoles are causing the hunger of the orb to manifest tenfold, and I cannot sate it." The worry lines along his forehead deepened, and it suddenly struck Enelya that he wasn’t just dealing with some affliction.

He was dying .

She laid her hand on his where it had settled on his crouched knee. "Gale, I'm so sorry."

His surprised eyes found hers, and for a moment his mouth moved soundlessly as he tried to speak. "I…that…Gods. I don't deserve your mercy."

"What do you mean?"

"Enelya, this was no mere accident. I brought this upon myself. My hamartia, my hubris…" Gale shook his head. "I have put you all in mortal danger, and still you offer sympathy where most would cast me out."

It was Enelya's turn to shift uncomfortably. "Regardless of how it came about, being faced with your own impending death is a heavy burden. And I know you want to keep it close to your che-'' She winced. "Sorry."

Gale smirked. "Quite the pun," he replied.

She sighed. "You know what I mean. This cannot stay between us. You have to let the others know as well."

"More secrets, hmm?" a voice asked. Astarion sat up at his resting place across the clearing. Dried blood crusted the corners of his mouth, and Enelya foggily recalled wiping it from his chin the night before. 

"Enelya and I both have some dirty laundry to air out, wizard," he said as he sat up. He swiped at his mouth with his fingers and grimaced, flicking away the dark flakes. "You can join our little confessional, if you'd like."

Gale glanced at Astarion, then back at her. "Is this true?" he asked.

"I'm afraid so," she admitted. "It seems we all have a story to tell."

The rest of their group woke slowly. First Lae'zel, who kept away from the others for a while;  then Shadowheart, who roused and checked everyone over.

“Did anyone else have strange dreams?” Shadowheart asked abruptly, once she finished her examinations. Her serious green eyes scanned them.

Enelya vaguely remembered a strikingly handsome elf with skin the color of charcoal and shining golden eyes, but little else.

"I was visited by a woman of the most ethereal beauty, promising me protection, and power beyond my comprehension," Wyll said, his voice soft. "But only if I embrace the tadpole and what it offers."

The others murmured in agreement. They had all had the same dream, but with different visitors: elf, human, or gith, their message was clear.

"So we just need to accept the power of the worm and these visitors will keep us from changing." Astarion shrugged and spread his arms. "I don't see the harm in gaining an upper hand where we can."

Wyll shook his head. "Gaining the upper hand is one thing, but in situations like this, you must always give up something in return. I'm not sure if I trust this visitor, protection or not."

"Well, it certainly seems that none of us are strangers to a little sacrifice, hm?" Astarion folded his arms across his chest, eyes gleaming. "Enelya, perhaps now is the time to tell everyone what we discussed last night. Would you like to share first?"

Six questioning pairs of eyes trained on her, and Enelya's stomach did a flip. 

"It's as good a time as any, I suppose," she replied. Then, with a steadying breath, she clasped her hands behind her back and raised her chin.

"Several months ago, I was commanding a scouting mission in the High Forest. I had information that a sect of Shadow Druids was nearby, and although it was not a sanctioned mission…I chose to act on that information." Enelya paused before continuing. "A member of my party was killed as a result of my decision. I was relieved of my duties and tried for my negligence, and then exiled until such a time I am able to redeem myself."

A heavy silence hung over the group.

"Hells, Enelya," Wyll swore softly.

"I know this is a severe breach of trust," she said. She spread her hands, palms up, in front of her in a pleading gesture. "I understand if any of you want to leave. But I vow that while I draw breath you have my protection, and I will act only in your best interests. In our best interests. Else may Mielikki strike me where I stand."

Another long, tense moment passed. Then Shadowheart sighed. 

"Well, you haven't been struck by lightning, so I trust you're telling the truth," she said. "As far as leaving goes, even if you wanted to, the artefact I carry is protecting us. If anyone walks away from its area of effect, who knows what could happen?" She shook her head. "Besides, a poor judgment call isn't exactly what I'd call a deal breaker."

"No? And what about, say, having a vampire as a companion?" Astarion shot Shadowheart a fanged grin.

She was unfazed. "It took you long enough."

"What?!" Astarion clutched at his chest, genuine surprise on his face.

Around the circle, the others nodded as if it had been the most obvious thing in the world. Enelya's mouth dropped open. 

"Am I the only one who didn't figure it out?" she exclaimed. 

It was Shadowheart’s turn to look surprised. "You didn't?"

Enelya shook her head.

"Dammit!" Astarion crossed his arms and stomped a petulant foot in the dirt. "I was hoping for a little more drama."

"Allow me," Gale said. He stepped forward into the group. "For I've a tale full of drama."

A chorus of quiet groans went up from the group, punctuated by a t’chk from Lae'zel. Gale launched ahead, unperturbed. 

“It is the story of a man who fell in love with a goddess…”

Despite their initial reaction, by the time Gale was done with his tale the group was wholly invested. Most of them had sunk down onto the logs that circled the fire; Karlach sat on the ground at Gale’s feet, legs crossed and peering up at him with child-like wonder. Enelya felt it as well. Gale was a masterful storyteller. 

Astarion clapped sardonically as Gale finished speaking. “Quite the epic, wizard. Who knew you were so interesting after all!” 

Enelya rolled her eyes, then fixed Gale with a soft, serious look.

“I might not speak for everyone, but we will do what we can to help you with this…orb. There must be something we can do.”

Gale glanced around at the faces of their companions and seemed surprised to find them nodding along with Enelya’s words. He looked back to her, incredulous. “You would all do that for me? Allow me to continue traveling with you, despite my condition, and help me?”

“Well, yeah!” Karlach stood and stretched her limbs, towering over the wizard. “Wouldn’t be very good friends if we didn’t.”

A look of surprise, then happiness, spread across Gale’s face. “That is…most gratifying to hear,” he said softly. 

"So.” Astarion ticked off items on his fingers as he listed them. “We have a vampire, a servant of Shar, a murderous Githyanki, two walking bombs, and a druid seeking redemption from her vengeful ways. Anything else we should discuss?" 

He looked pointedly at Wyll, who cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably. “Not that this is going to be much of a surprise,” Wyll said. “But we all know warlocks make some…dubious deals to get their powers.”

Gale scoffed quietly. Wyll ignored it and continued.

“Some time soon, my patron will come and make me pay for not killing Karlach, and you will all bear witness.”

“And who, pray tell, is your mysterious benefactor, Wyll?” Astarion’s eyes positively glittered with mirth as he watched the younger man squirm.

Wyll glared back at him. “I am bound by contract and cannot say.”

“Psh, you’re no fun. Well, no matter. We’ll find out soon enough!” Astarion turned on his heel and began gathering his things. 

Enelya looked up into the midmorning sky and frowned. “Astarion’s got the right idea,” she said. “We need to get moving. Let’s get packed up and head out.”

The group dispersed, each going to their own corners to pack up what few belongings they had. Enelya reached down and grabbed her Bag of Holding before moving into the woods a ways, eager to change into her own armor for the trip back to the grove.

As Enelya stripped off her muddy robes she relished in the freedom of her partial nakedness. She was in sore need of a proper bath and full change of clothes, if the pungent scent of her body was anything to go by, but the warm breeze still relieved the stickiness under her arms as she raised them to pull her hair back into a high tail. 

She jerked on her leather pants, then stooped to pull her druidic armor from her bag. It was similar to Halsin’s own, but the pauldrons of her armor were made of simple brown leather, carved with woven druidic knots. The same leather covered her arms and torso, soft and molded to her body like a second skin. Emerald green cloth draped her shoulders and chest, banded at the waist by a leather belt and flowing to her knees. The symbol on her chest showed her to be a Druid of Tall Trees: an arc of five oak trees, their roots entangled beneath a golden half-circle. 

Enelya’s fingers brushed over her sternum, caressing the insignia almost reverently. She missed the trees of her home towering over her, their enormous trunks and branches supporting a city. She especially longed to walk along its paths at night as torches lit her way and danced above her as they wound up spiral stairs and along rope bridges that kept the trees connected. 

She sighed and adjusted her armor as she pushed thoughts of home to the back of her mind. She wasn’t sure she’d ever make it back there, alive or dead, and certainly not any time soon. But if she was going to try, she had to stay focused on the task at hand. 

The walk back to the ruins was mostly silent as they each considered their dreams from the night before and the task that lay before them. Only Karlach spoke at times, exclaiming excitedly when she spotted a butterfly or engaging in small talk with her companions. As heavy as her thoughts were, Enelya was glad to see someone so full of life and hope for the future. 

"Does everyone call you Enelya, or do you have a nickname?" Karlach asked as they came over the ridge near the Emerald Grove. The sun was almost straight overhead, so the tiefling was perspiring even more than normal between her overheating engine and the lack of shade. Enelya offered her an amused smile. 

"I go by Enelya."

"Oh. I mean, it's a pretty name! It suits you. But it's a bit of a mouthful, innit? I was thinking we could call you Nel. Ooh! Or Nelly!"

Enelya's chest tightened. Her parents had called her Nelly in her youth, and her friends back home had used Nel regularly. But they were all gone, dead or turned away from her when they heard what had happened on her watch; what she'd done. 

She shook her head. “It’s Enelya .” 

It came out more harshly than she intended, a snap instead of a reminder. Karlach’s eyes widened slightly and dropped to the ground in front of them. 

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. 

Enelya was quiet for a moment as she berated herself. Karlach wanted to be her friend; she wanted to be everyone’s friend. Ten years fighting in the hells must have been incredibly lonely , Enelya thought sadly. Her heart sank, and she touched the tiefling’s arm gently. 

“I’m the one who should apologize,” she said. “It’s been a while since anyone called me either of those names…it hurts, in a way. But I think I would like it if you called me Nel.” She smiled at Karlach. She smiled back, a toothy grin splitting her face.

“Thanks. That means a lot. I’ll still call you Enelya, for now. But maybe, once we know a little more about each other, you’ll feel more comfortable with me calling you Nel?”

Enelya was taken aback, but her chest swelled with affection for her new companion and she nodded. “Thank you, Karlach.”

They shortly found themselves back at the ruined chapel. A voice called out and suddenly the tiefling refugees gathered around, cheering and clapping them on their backs and shoulders. Lae’zel ducked out of the throng and retreated to a less populated corner, but the others took a moment to bask in their victory, exchanging pleasantries and accepting offers of food and drink. Karlach was especially excited to see members of her own race. 

Zevlor reached Enelya through the throng and clasped her hand tightly, genuine awe on his face. “You did it!” he exclaimed. She laughed breathlessly and nodded. 

“ We did.” She gestured to her companions, scattered around the ruins now. 

Zevlor nodded, but kept his eyes trained on her and stepped closer. “Are you alright?” he asked softly. His clawed fingers curled around hers just a little more tightly. Concern - and something akin to affection - flickered in his flaming irises.

A flush crept up Enelya’s neck as she nodded. “I’m fine,” she replied with a smile. She gave his own hand a squeeze before stepping back. He mirrored her actions, although a bit sheepishly, and dropped her hand.

“Tonight, we celebrate!” he declared loudly. The group around them cheered, and quickly dispersed to begin their preparations for the evening. Zevlor caught her gaze again in the bustle.

“Halsin is here,” he said. “I believe he would like to speak with you.”

Zevlor led her through the ruins, out to a crumbling balcony where Halsin stood looking over the Chionthar. He turned as they approached, a relieved smile cutting across his tired features. “You’re here. Good.”

Zevlor retreated back into the ruins, leaving the two of them alone. Enelya sighed and leaned against the balustrade with her hands.

"I see Volo made it back unscathed," she remarked. She and Zevlor had passed the rogue on their way to the balcony. He had nodded to her solemnly as he tuned a lute, sitting next to a colorful young tiefling bard who was watching his every move.

"Yes. He arrived early this morning, a bit worn but in decent spirits." Halsin’s arms crossed over his chest as he eyed her warily. "He mentioned there was some fighting last night, amongst your companions."

Enelya nodded, straightening as she openly shuddered at the memories. "Lae'zel was going to kill us. For good reason," she rushed to add when Halsin's eyes widened. She bit her lip and crossed her arms and leaned closer to the druid. "We were dangerously close to transforming, Halsin," she said. She kept her voice low and her eyes trained on his. "All the symptoms compounded at once. Astarion had to carry me back to camp from the river."

Halsin's brows drew into a frown. "How are you still alive?" he asked. “You should all be Mindflayers by now.”

"We should,” she agreed. “We were all visited by…well, we don't know. We each dreamt of a being who told us the same thing: we would be protected, but we must give in to the powers of the parasite. Apparently it's the only way to ensure victory against...whatever is going on."

Halsin brought a hand to his face, running it over his mouth and chin in thought. "Strange…do you believe what this visitor said?" he asked.

"Honestly? I don't know what to believe anymore. Or who, for that matter.” Enelya offered him a weak smile. “Except you, I suppose.”

His eyes softened. He took a step towards her, his hand reaching for hers. “Enelya, I-”

"Halsin!"

Halsin looked over Enelya’s shoulder at the sound of his name being called. His face brightened, and she turned to see Rath and Nettie approaching them. Halsin strode forward and clasped Rath in a hug, the men slapping each other's backs. Then he knelt down to pull Nettie into his arms. The dwarf burrowed her face into his shoulder, hugging him tightly as Enelya and Rath shook hands. 

"You got him out," Rath said. Relief was evident on his face, making him look years younger than he had just two days before. “And the goblins?”

"Dead or dispersed," Enelya replied with a smile. "Thankfully the others came with me. There's certainly no way I could have done it alone."

Nettie and Halsin had ended their embrace, Nettie quickly dashing her hands under her eyes to wipe away any errant tears. Enelya smiled softly at her. 

"Thank you," Nettie said. Her voice held a slight quaver. "I don't know what we would have done without Master Halsin."

"You would have endured," Halsin replied. He laid a hand on Rath's shoulder, squeezing it gently. "Of that, I have no doubt."

Nettie shot a questioning glance up at Enelya, who nodded silently. 

"I've told him about Kagha's actions, as well as my suspicions. Were you able to find anything?" Enelya asked the dwarf. Hope fluttered in her chest.

"We have." Rath looked to his leader with sad eyes. "We found a number of items in Kagha's personal effects. Key among them was a copy of Faldorn's Canticle, along with a letter from the archdruid of the Shadow Druids."

Nettie handed the offending items to Halsin.

The hope in her chest had leapt into excitement, but that victory turned to ash when Halsin's shoulders sank as his eyes scanned the letter. He cradled the book in his fingers as if it were going to leach its tainted doctrine into his skin. She blinked back the shame she felt at hoping for this; it was clearly a devastating blow to Halsin. She reached out to him, her hand resting gently on his bicep. 

"That's it, then." Halsin nodded, then straightened. "Where is Kagha?"

"In the grove, down at the sacred pool." Rath’s tone was cool and firm.

He nodded again. "Come." He slid the book into a large pocket at his side, glancing at Enelya as he did so. She nodded, the look on his face clear.

Rath quietly informed Halsin of the other goings-on in the archdruid's absence. Nettie and Enelya followed along silently, the elf slowing her pace to keep in stride with the dwarf. 

"Have you or Master Halsin discovered anything else about the tadpole?" Nettie asked.

Enelya took a shaky breath and let it out slowly. "Yes and no," she replied. "Apparently Halsin knows where they're coming from. We haven't gotten the chance to discuss it further, but it's a much bigger problem than we thought." 

Nettie nodded. Worry flitted across her face, but she said nothing more. 

As they entered the Emerald Grove, they were met with an eerie silence. Halsin strode ahead of them, jaw set as he seemed to steel himself for his inevitable confrontation with Kagha. Nettie broke into a jog to keep up with them.

Druids appeared from the Hollow below. A voice exclaimed, "Master Halsin has returned!", and soon a growing group followed them, whispers turning into excited shouts that Halsin was back. 

They found Kagha at the base of the Idol of Silvanus, directing several more druids to begin the Rite of Thorns anew. At the sight of Halsin, they all dropped to their knees and bowed their heads. Kagha turned just in time to see Halsin take 'Faldorn's Canticle' from his side and fling it to the ground at her feet. Its leaves fluttered open to an earmarked page. Enelya recognized the words.

Balance is a myth…

Kagha's eyes widened, first in surprise, then in anger as she realized what was happening. 

"Explain yourself," Halsin demanded. His brows folded down angrily, hands clenched into fists at his sides. Druids surrounded them, circling the pool in silence as the scene unfolded.

"I did what you would not." Kagha's voice was low, venom dripping from her words. "I protected us, drove out those who would do us harm while you abandoned us, chasing after some relic to change the past. Your naivete very nearly cost us our home."

Halsin's jaw flexed. 

"What is it, Master Halsin?" Kagha hissed. She stepped closer to him, eyes narrowed. Enelya stepped forward herself, but Nettie grabbed her hand. "Have I struck a nerve? You know I'm right. You are weak ."

There was a quiet, collective gasp at Kagha's words. Halsin did not react; at least, not outright. But Enelya saw the almost imperceptible downturn of his eyebrows and the way his chin pulled up towards his mouth. 

Her own hands clenched. Kagha had struck a nerve, and expertly so.

"I should exile you for your misdeeds," Halsin finally growled. After a pause, he sighed and squeezed his eyes shut. "But…you acted in the Grove's interests. You may remain, but make no mistake: you are a novice anew, and must earn your ranks again. If you so much as step off that path, I will allow nature to crush you."

Enelya's head spun; her stomach roiled in disbelief. Surely Halsin had not simply waved away Kagha's crimes without so much as exile. Her own mistakes and sacrifices she had made to protect her people flashed before her eyes: her parents, dead and buried; every Shadow Druid she had killed in the following months; Daegal’s face as he fell to their blades…all these and more were seared into her memory. Her anger bubbled to the surface and boiled over into indignation before she could stop it. Gods, he was so young…

She could not let his death be in vain.

"That's it ?" Enelya stepped in front of Halsin, glaring up at him. "She colluded with the Shadow Druids! She invoked the Rite of Thorns, nearly slaughtered Silvanus's protected, and she walks away with a slap on the wrist?"

Halsin shook his head. "Enelya, please. I know it doesn't make sense, but she is passionate. The Grove still nee-"

"So if I were to slit Rath's throat right where we stand, you would just throw me across your knee like a child?" She threw her arms out incredulously. "Maybe a good spanking would set her right!"

"Enough!"

Halsin's eyes flashed a dangerous gold, but Enelya didn't back down. Instead she stepped forward, going nearly toe-to-toe with the larger druid, jaw set and chin tilted in challenge. "She has called your leadership into question. She has sown doubt and ignorance among your followers. This isn't just about her actions, Halsin, it's about what will continue to grow here. Ideas cannot be stymied with a stern word, and anyone can grovel for forgiveness. Can you trust her? Can they trust her?" She cast her arm out and behind her, gesturing at the druids gathered around them, all the while keeping her gaze fixed on Halsin. He remained still, but his nostrils flared as she continued.

"I will tell you: you cannot , and should not , trust her, nor those who have agreed with her. If you do…” She shook her head. “Gods, maybe you are weak." 

An expression flickered across Halsin's face so quickly Enelya could not read it, but she knew she had struck a nerve as well. Good .

She turned to look Kagha in the eye. "'A disease of the flower must not reach the root,” she said softly. “Pluck the petals. Sever the branch if you must. But cut out the rot before it infects the whole of the wood.'" She moved closer to the other woman as she spoke, whose face had paled at her words. "That is what the Oakfather meant, you self-righteous bitch. You are the rot, and I will cut you out myself if I have to."

A heavy hand settled onto her shoulder. "You've made your point, Enelya." Halsin's voice was low, but level. "Stand down now, or-"

The sudden crack of wood striking stone interrupted them. Halsin snapped his head around in alarm, and as another crack resounded, Enelya turned to see what he was looking at.

Rath struck his staff against the ground again, his eyes focused intently on Halsin. Nettie took her staff in hand and, with a deep breath, began to pound her staff on the ground as well. Soon a cacophony rang out around them, nearly all the druids joining Rath until the noise was nearly deafening. 

Enelya's heart swelled with pride and ached with sadness at the same time. The druids demanded to have their voices heard by Halsin; an informal trial to contest his decision. She turned back to him slowly. His mouth was set in a grim line, his brow furrowed, but he nodded in resignation. The pounding ceased. 

"Very well." Halsin drew himself up tall and addressed the grove. "Come into the sanctum, and I will hear your arguments." 

As the druids made their way into the inner Grove, Halsin's weary eyes settled on Enelya. "Well?" he asked.

She averted her gaze. "It's not my place to-"

Halsin threw his head back and laughed. "Oh no, you don't. You insert yourself into our politics, rally my own people against me, and then say it is not your place?" Halsin tutted and gestured toward the sanctum. "You started this. You will see it ended."

“I speak on behalf of the Emerald Enclave, Halsin. You know this. My involvement is purely-”

“No,” he interrupted. His eyes were gentle as he gazed at her. “Those were not the words of an impartial agent. You are in pain, Enelya. You need not hide it from me.”

Her mouth snapped shut. Of course he could read her like an open book. He knew there was more to her anger.

Halsin looked at her for another long moment, then held his hands out as if in supplication. A warm glow emanated between them. Enelya stepped back and watched in wonder as a long, rod-like shape took form in Halsin's hands. The light faded, and Enelya saw the elder druid holding a beautifully carved quarterstaff. He held it out to her. She took it gently into her hands, feeling a warm spark of magic pulse against her palms. Her heart rose into her throat as he placed a large hand on Enelya's shoulder. 

"You burn like fire. You howl like wind." Halsin gave her shoulder a squeeze. "You are Faithwarden."

She sucked in a sharp breath and shook her head, eyes blurring with tears as she thrust the quarterstaff back at him. “I cannot accept this.”

“You can, and you will. It is mine to give to whom I deem worthy, and I trust you more than words can express. I need your wisdom." He brought his other hand to grip her opposite shoulder. "I need you , Enelya."

She looked up into his eyes and saw he spoke truthfully. He could see her worth, trusted her when others would not, and gave her a place where her voice held weight; something she had been missing for some time now.

Enelya nodded and bowed her head. Her tongue felt thick as she replied. "Thank you, Master Halsin." 

"Now come. There is much to do." Halsin turned her with a gentle push of his hand, and together they went into the sanctum.

[halsinsbiceps]

hehehehehehehehe~

[halsinsbiceps]

A Great and Sudden Change - Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of AGaSC is up on AO3!

I have a request: please comment or shoot me a message if you don't think Astarion's "outburst" in this chapter fits his character. I'm not necessarily sticking to canon, but I want to be faithful to the characters. If people feel like it works, then I won't worry about a rewrite.

Thank you for reading!

Fic below the cut.

A Great and Sudden Change

Chapter 5

"Is that all you’re wearing?”

Enelya looked up from the clasps of her travel robe to find Astarion eyeing her up and down. She held her arms out and inspected herself in the gray pre-dawn light. “Yes? It’s all I’ve got; everything else was lost on that damned thing.” She gestured vaguely in the direction of the Illithid ship. Including my new bag of Holding, she thought irritably.

“Darling, we’re all but traipsing into the midst of a goblin horde, and you don’t have a single bit of armor?”

“I don't see you fretting over Gale,” she commented. She slung her quarterstaff over her shoulder and tightened the strap at her chest.

“He’s a wizard. He fights at a distance and has plenty of wards and cantrips to protect himself. What do you have, outside of a frigid glare?” He crossed his arms, waiting for an answer. 

“...I have Barkskin."

Astarion sighed and grabbed her arm. “Come on,” he said as he led her deeper into the ruins. “There was a smith somewhere around here. Surely he has a cuirass or jerkin, something to keep that soft little body of yours safe.”

Enelya scowled. “I’m hardly little , or soft, and I can handle myself even without armor.”

“I don’t doubt that, but I also do doubt any of these goblins will let you waltz up to them and twist their arms out of their sockets like you did to Lae’zel.” Astarion began opening and peering into crates.

"What are you doing?" she hissed. She glanced at the sleeping forms across the room. 

Astarion gave her a look that read, My dear, isn't it obvious?

“We are not stealing armor from them!” 

“Do you have any gold jingling around in one of your many pockets?” he asked with a quirked brow. He lifted a jerkin by the shoulders, tilted his head in thought, then discarded it. “Consider it borrowing against your credit.”

“What credit?”

“The credit for saving their skins from a group of murderous druids.” He pulled out a set of simple leathers, regarded them a moment, then held them out to her. “Here. These seem to be about your size.” When she didn’t move to take them, he rolled his eyes. "Gods, you're more stubborn than a rothé."

"And you're clucking over me like a mother hen. I mean no offense, but you don't seem to be the kind of person to care about others." She crossed her arms. "What's going on?"

Astarion shifted his feet, not quite meeting her eyes. He suddenly seemed uncertain, a far cry from his normally arrogant self. Finally, he rolled his eyes and made a noise that was somewhere between exasperation and disgust.

“I actually take great offense at that," he said. "I care quite a lot, if you must know, and not just about my own self-preservation. For whatever reason, you’ve become the leader of this little group. Impressive though your skills may be, that doesn't mean you need to forgo protection, or be some sort of martyr. And if you insist on endearing yourself to every marginalized group we come across, you’ll need to survive long enough to see yourself become a folk hero.” His eyes - an unusually dark red, she noticed - bore into hers. “You’re important ." He held the armor out again. 

This time Enelya took it from him. “Thank you," she said quietly.

As she changed, she considered Astarion's words. Was she truly putting herself in danger needlessly, carelessly even? She didn't believe so; she was simply doing what she could to help others...right? A lack of armor certainly didn't mean she was trying to be a martyr; her own had been in her bag of Holding, and she hadn't truly needed it in weeks. As for her importance…she tightened the final strap of the leather breastplate and shoved her thoughts to the back of her mind to be dealt with later.

She knew better than to believe she was any more important than anyone else.

The armor fit well enough; a bit tight around the shoulders and hips, but she could handle the discomfort for the additional safety. Astarion nodded approvingly when she stepped out from behind the crumbling wall that served as a privacy screen, a leather hood clutched in her hand.

“Much better. Now, before we go…I would appreciate it if we can keep my little outburst between us. We wouldn't want the others to get the wrong idea about me, would we?" He looked at her expectantly, a cool mask settled back onto his fine marblelike features.

She bowed her head. "Of course, Astarion."

"I'm glad we understand each other. Shall we?” He gestured to where the others had gathered to make final preparations.

They departed as the first golden rays pierced the skies overhead. A fine mist hung through the undergrowth of the forest and swirled around their ankles as they walked. Enelya gripped her staff and shifted her shoulders, the leather creaking as it warmed and stretched to fit her frame.

“They’ll be alright.” 

Enelya glanced to her right to find Wyll walking beside her. “Who?”

“The tieflings. I saw you look back as we left. We stand between them and the goblins, and the druids will leave them be. They're as safe as they can be for now. You chose a good spot for them.”

“I hope you're right. The grove would have been better,” Enelya said with a soft sigh. “I probably made things worse for them, truth be told. But thank you for saying so.”

“You're welcome.” 

A pleasant lull followed. When Wyll did not drop away from her, she cleared her throat to speak.

“About that devil. The one you were chasing in Avernus…”

He bowed his head. “Karlach."

"Sorry?"

"That's her name. A powerful devil from the Hells. She's a danger to the entire Sword Coast." Wyll's face was grim. "I have to bring her down."

"Why, exactly? Is it so important that you have to keep hunting her?"

“I suppose in the grand scheme of things, Karlach doesn’t seem like much of a problem. But she’s been terrorizing innocent people and leaving bodies in her wake for the better part of a decade. My…source said she was planning to return to Faerun, and I was supposed to kill her before she could.” Wyll shook his head. “You see how well that’s gone.”

She nodded slowly. “Well, if she’s as dangerous as you say…we should take her down.”

“‘We’, huh?” Wyll chuckled. “You really are a bit of a bleeding heart, aren’t you?”

Enelya felt herself bristle at the comment. “And if I am?”

He shrugged. “That makes two of us. Couldn't walk away from someone in need if my life depended on it. Kindred spirits, you and I."

She blinked, put off by the comment. "I was raised to help where I can. My parents, my Circle, my church all expected it. You must have been raised in such a way as well."

Wyll raised a fist to his chest, a proud smile on his face. "Baldur's Gate, born and raised. Been a while since I've been home…" he trailed off wistfully, then seemed to shake it off. "If you don’t mind me asking, where do you hail from?”

“The High Forest, in Northwest Faerun,” she replied. “I am a druid of the Circle of Tall Trees there.”

“Ah. That explains why there is such an otherworldly air about you.”

Enelya quirked an eyebrow. “'Otherworldly'? Was that your line for Shadowheart as well?”

She heard him take a surprised breath, but to his credit he bounced right back with his own quip.

“Actually I told her her eyes were as green as emeralds glistening in the sun. She didn’t seem to mind the compliment," Wyll replied in a good-natured tone. 

Enelya smiled as well, then. “That’s not bad. A bit cliche, but I’ve heard worse.”

“You've been flirted with a lot, I take it?”

“Mmm…when you’ve lived for nearly 300 years you do.”

“300? You don’t look a day over 130.”

“Oh, very good!" She laughed. "What else have you got?"

"Plenty where that came from, I assure you…but a gentleman can't give away all his secrets."

"Then perhaps a gentleman should not speak." Lae'zel suggested as she overtook Wyll in clanking strides. Her withering glance did indeed shut Wyll up, but he turned to wink at Enelya before dropping back to walk with Gale.

They walked for some while in relatively comfortable silence. Wyll and Gale spoke quietly about their respective powers; Gale made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that wizardry was infinitely superior to other forms of magic casting. The warlock bore the criticism with a patient smile, even if it didn't quite meet his eyes.

Enelya gathered her hair into her hands and began plaiting it out of her face as the sun rose higher into the pale sky. The reverie of walking afforded her precious time to focus on her own thoughts, something she'd barely had since her abduction. The issue of these parasites dominated her concern at the moment. If the one in her head and the one Halsin and Nettie encountered originated from the same place - and how could they not - then she and her companions were still living on borrowed time. More than they had originally believed, but borrowed nonetheless. With any luck Halsin would have discovered something to help them, but luck was in short supply these days.

Which led her to the next concern on her list…the closer they crept to the goblin camp, the tighter the knot in her stomach twisted. She breathed deep, willing herself to focus on the task at hand, yet she could not keep her mind from conjuring scenarios of what it might be like to meet Halsin again. Would he be pleased to see her? Would he even remember her, or care? They barely knew each other, after all.

And yet…they had spent the better part of two days in her rooms in the High Forest, their bodies so intertwined that at times Enelya couldn't tell where hers ended and his began. She could practically feel his large, calloused hands sliding up along her back as he nipped and suckled at her throat, guiding her hips while she-

Her thoughts were interrupted by her hair prickling up on the back of her neck.

Enelya slowed to a halt, noticing they stood on a stone bridge. She tried to focus her hearing on something - anything - but there was only eerie silence except for the rushing of water beneath them.

“I feel it too.” Astarion stepped up beside her, a small crease forming between his brows. “Death.”

"There." Gale pointed across the bridge.

Several bodies of varying sizes lay at the end of the bridge. A man sat slouched on top of a crate nearby, staring down at them. As they approached he looked up from beneath a pile of brown curls.

“Aradin?” Gale sounded surprised. “What happened here?”

“Well, if it isn’t the foul blood lovers.” The man scoffed. “Damn gobbos ambushed us. Wiped out whoever didn’t get killed at the keep. 'cept me.” He nudged one of the bodies with his foot. 

Enelya took in the carnage. Several goblins and a few adventurers lay dead. “You were the ones with Master Halsin.”

Aradin rolled his eyes. “Gods, if I hear that name one more time…Yes. He run off and got himself killed, and we got nothing to show for it 'cept this scrap of paper." He waved it around in his hand. "Gold's not much use when you're dead, is it."

"What were you trying to find?" 

"Some hot-shot wizard in Baldur’s Gate hired us to find this Nightsong. Dunno what it is or what it does, but he'll pay through the nose for it. Couldn't get in when we was with the druid, couldn't get in now. And now I’m headed back alone." Aradin sniffed as he ran a thumb under his nose and hopped off the crate. 

Enelya moved forward, hand raised to stop him. "Can I see that missive?" she asked.

Aradin all but flung it at her; it fluttered lazily to the bloodied earth. "Have at it." With that he walked away without a second glance.

Enelya bent to pick up the paper, now damp with blood at the seam. "Pleasant fellow," she said drily. "I thought he stuck around after they got back?"

"Oh, no. Zevlor gave him a blow about the ears and they ran off as soon as he could see straight." Gale’s words were tinged with sadness. "He's not much more than a kid, really. I hope he makes it home."

Enelya hummed noncommittally as she squinted down at the paper in her hand. "Lorr-oak-an? Does that name ring a bell, Gale?"

He took the missive from her and scanned it with a frown. "'The Recluse of Ramazith's Tower'…yes, I've heard of him. Mostly that he's a bit of an ass, but that’s no surprise. Most wizards are not as humble as myself."

Over Gale's shoulder Enelya noticed Astarion and Shadowheart exchange a wry glance, while Wyll hid a smirk behind his hand as he pretended to yawn.

"I've never heard of this Nightsong, however," Gale went on. "Surely you cannot call something a "storied artefact" when no one has heard of it."

“No one, in this case, being you,” Astarion said with a smirk. 

While Gale floundered to produce a comeback to his jab, Astarion continued. "Even so, we have a lead on a bit of treasure someone will pay handsomely for," he said. "Once we figure out this tadpole nonsense, maybe we can all work together to find it and split the reward, hmm?"

Shadowheart snorted. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. As Aradin said, gold is no use if we’re dead. We should press on.” She strode ahead.

“Shadowheart is right, much as it irks me to say it,” Lae’zel said as they followed the cleric. “I am eager to rid myself of this ghaik parasite. I have my doubts about this druid’s abilities, however. The only true way to cleanse ourselves is to use a zaith’isk .”

“Now, pray tell, what is a zaith’isk ?” Gale asked, his retort seemingly forgotten. They passed into a deserted town as Lae’zel explained the healing instrument used by the Githyanki. Shadowheart stopped walking suddenly, her eyes focused overhead. Enelya stopped as well and followed her gaze to find a goblin peering down at them from the rooftop of a nearby building. She slowly slid one hand behind her back to grip her quarterstaff.

“Looks like we’ve got some company, boys!” the goblin called. A handful more goblins popped out of the windows and doors of the building. Enelya could see five in front of them, and if the shuffling behind them was any indication, there were at least three more flanking them. Lae’zel and the rest of the group had fallen silent, readying themselves for a fight. 

“What’s yer business?” the goblin called down. As they spoke, a strange symbol over their left eye began to glow. At the same time, Enelya felt a surge of confidence flow through her, striking down any feeling of uncertainty. She felt powerful. Authoritative. The tadpole squirmed in her head, and she felt her body relax significantly of its own accord. Curious, she leaned into the feeling. An unseen force seemed to take control of her as she stared the goblin down.

“We need not explain ourselves to the likes of you.” Her voice rang out boldly with words that were not her own. “You will let us pass.”

The goblin immediately cowered before her authority. “I-I’m sorry, True Souls!” they exclaimed, their eyes wide and fearful behind their helm. “Please, make your way in peace. You will find our leaders at the ruined temple, just that way.” They pointed west, through town.

Enelya led the way, not sparing the goblins another glance. The authoritative sensation waned, and as they reached the center of town, Shadowheart grabbed her elbow. 

“What was that?” she asked. The worry in her eyes was evident.“That… power . Did you feel it?”

“I’m not sure,” Enelya admitted. “It definitely came from the tadpoles, though. I let it direct me, and they just bowed down.” 

A sudden, sharp pain pierced her brain, as if someone had stabbed her in the temple with a white-hot ice pick. She gasped and clutched at her head. Shadowheart reached out to steady her. 

“What’s wrong?”

The pain lingered as Enelya straightened, blinking away the shadows at the edge of her vision. “I…I think it bit me.”

Shadowheart’s eyes narrowed. “We must be careful,” she said softly. She extended a hand and cast a healing spell. The pain in Enelya’s head dissipated. “Whatever this thing is capable of, it comes at a cost. It could be speeding up the ceremorphosis.”

“She’s right,” Gale said, a troubled look on his own face. “We should avoid using this power until we know more, at the very least.” 

"That's not our only problem," Wyll said. He had drawn his weapon and was turned to face the north, leading away from the path the goblin indicated. "Karlach is here. I can sense her, that way.” He pointed with his rapier. “We need to kill her before she can wreak any more havoc."

Enelya shared an uncertain look with Shadowheart, then eyed the sky. It was still quite early; they'd made good time. Surely a quick detour to dispatch an Infernal threat wouldn't take long. She gave a quick nod, and Wyll's face lit up as an almost giddy grin spread over his face.

"Excellent! Follow me, and be careful."

Astarion muttered under his breath, but followed the group.

They made their way out of town through a large oak door that was hanging off its hinges. Wyll stopped for a moment, taking in his surroundings. Suddenly he turned and focused his gaze on a barn not far from them. He gestured for the others to follow as he began to slowly approach the building. 

As they neared the building they each drew their weapons and fanned out. Wyll continued to take the lead, creeping closer to the door so he could open it. Enelya could hear movement inside from where she stood near a window, and hazarded a peek inside just as Wyll reached the entrance.

What she saw gave her pause. 

A large Tiefling sat in the middle of the barn, curled into a ball with her knees pressed to her chest as she breathed heavily. She was wreathed in flame. A low, anguished moan escaped her as she threw her head back. Enelya saw one horn was broken off; the other curled back and away from her face.

Wyll kicked the door open with a bang .

Karlach hardly reacted, only shooting him a pained look. "Fuck me," she said with a shaky laugh. "You found me, then.

" Advocatus diaboli, " Wyll said as he stepped into the barn. He held his rapier steadily in front of him. "Now you meet your end."

Karlach opened her mouth to quip back at him, but instead grit her teeth as flame flickered anew around her body.

Enelya slipped around the corner of the building and entered the barn herself.

"Wyll, wait. This is no devil."

Wyll spared a glance in her direction. "You see what I see, Enelya. Look at the flames. This devil was in the front lines in Avernus. She's Zariel's right arm! I must take her down."

Suddenly Enelya was knocked back as her senses were assaulted by a connection to her tadpole. She could see the planes of Avernus stretched out in front of her. A war axe swung wildly as she fought, her eyes scanning the red skies. Sweat poured from every pore, steaming into her eyes and down her neck and back. In her chest, her heart ground out a mechanical beat.

A flash of light, and above her was a ship, all writhing tentacles and smoke pluming from its sides. She didn't think, just reacted; sprinting towards the craggy cliffs of brimstone, the Blade of Frontiers not far behind. A single thought rang in her mind over and over.

My way out .

The connection snapped.

"I'm not a devil," Karlach whispered hoarsely. She struggled to her feet, clutching at her chest. "I was sold, sent like a horse to slaughter, and forced to fight." Another wave of flame flashed over her. She grimaced. "But go ahead. Kill me. I'd rather die than go back to Avernus."

"Good news for you, then." Wyll flourished his blade and stepped forward. 

Enelya stepped in front of him, locking eyes with him.

"Wyll."

He glared at her. "Enelya, move."

"You know this is wrong."

"And you don't know what you're asking me to do. Please," he whispered. His voice was strained as he searched her face imploringly. "My source…my contract is unforgiving. I must do this."

She shook her head. "She's innocent. A victim of the Blood War. Can't you feel that? You saw her memories. She's infected. And…she’s a tiefling, Wyll. Not a devil." 

Wyll looked past her, at Karlach, who had gone quiet and still. Hesitation and fear were written plainly on his face. Enelya reached a hand out and pressed her palm flat against his blade, slowly lowering it.

Wyll finally withdrew his weapon, only to fling it to the floor and toss his hands in the air. " Shit! " He spun, kicking a bucket across the room and running his palms over his braided rows of hair. Then, without another word, he stormed out of the barn. 

Enelya released a shaky breath and bent to pick up Wyll's rapier. Then she turned to Karlach. "Are you hurt?" she asked.

Karlach nodded. "Yeah. Pretty bad, too…" She lifted her hand to reveal a gaping wound in her side. Blood trickled freely down her hip. "Not exactly helping my ticker," she said with a short laugh.

Enelya frowned, unsure of what she meant. Either way, she needed a healer. She moved to the door. "Shadowheart?" she called.

"I'm here." The cleric appeared in the doorway. "What do you need?" Then, seeing Karlach and her bloodied body, she moved to her side, hands aglow.

"Wait!"

Karlach's warning came too late as Shadowheart laid her hand over her wound. There was a sizzling sound, and Shadowheart screamed as she pulled her hands back, reeling away from Karlach with red, blistering palms.

"Oh my gods, I'm so sorry!" Karlach's eyes were wide with horror. "I'm burning too hot, I didn't mean for-" 

"It's alright. Te curo ." Shadowheart’s hands were bathed in a soft blue glow. She held them up to show Karlach, her skin healed and smooth. "See? All better."

Karlach let out a relieved sigh. "Still, I'm sorry. Something's up with this thing; it's been acting up since I got out of Avernus." She pounded on her chest. There was a metallic thump and a strange grinding sound. "Doesn't help I've been run through, though. It's working overtime. Do you have a potion or something?"

Shadowheart murmured again, casting her hands in Karlach's direction. The tiefling sighed happily as the healing spell washed over her, watching with interest as the hole in her side stitched together gently. The flames surrounding her ebbed until none remained. A distortion still rippled the air around her body, but Karlach’s shoulders relaxed away from her ears as the grinding noise stopped. 

"Thanks. That's a lot better. Still hot, but I'll take it." 

Gale, Lae'zel, and Astarion came into the building. "All well in here?" Gale asked, glancing between them. 

Enelya nodded. "Yes. For now at least. Where's Wyll?"

"Gazing despondently into a chasm, at the moment," Astarion said. "I feel the same way. This was horribly anticlimactic; I'd hoped we'd finally kill something. " He eyed Karlach up and down. "So this is our newest charity case, Enelya? You're certainly gathering all the strays you can find."

Enelya ignored his comment and turned back to Karlach. "You look like you can handle yourself. Want to come kill a bunch of cultists?"

Karlach stared at her, a bewildered expression. "What, just like that? I mean… fuck yes, but…you know nothing about me. What if I'm actually a devil in disguise and I slaughter you all once your backs are turned?" She waved her hands around her head and widened her eyes dramatically.

Enelya's eyebrow arched with amusement. "Are you?"

"Nope!" Karlach grinned.

"Well then, that's settled." She turned to the others. "Make sure she's got what she needs. I'm going to go get Wyll, then we're heading out. No more delays." 

Gale gave a mock salute. "Yes, ma'am!"

Enelya paused briefly to stare at him. "Please don't do that again."

He nodded sheepishly and lowered his hand.

She turned on her heel and left the barn, scanning her surroundings as she went.

She found Wyll at the edge of town, indeed staring down into the abyss at the churning river below. She quietly came to stand beside him. 

"The call of the void?" she asked. He looked up at her

"Somewhat. If I throw myself off this cliff it might prove to be a better end than what I have coming."

"Care to tell me more about this deal? The contract?"

"...I can’t, I’m afraid. I'm sure all will be revealed soon enough, though. Don’t worry."

"Alright. Well, until that end…" She held out his rapier. 

He reached out and took it from her. Before he could pull away, she laid a hand on his.

"While you draw breath, you have purpose." She caught his gaze and held it, squeezing his hand meaningfully. "The Blade of Frontiers has a lot of saving left to do. And besides…do you really trust the fate of the Sword Coast to those ruffians?" She nodded her head back towards the barn, her eyes glittering with mirth.

He smirked back at her. "Gods, no. Thank you, Enelya." He considered her for a moment. "This…isn't your first time leading, is it?"

She hesitated before releasing his hand. "No," she replied. She paused again, unsure of what else to say. The truth certainly wouldn't do; not as they were staring down a keep full of goblin cultists. She needed them to have faith in her. So she kept it at that, offering him a tight-lipped smile of her own. 

"Ah. Well, keep your secrets then," he teased. "Gods know we all have enough to go around."

They met the others at the barn, then took to the path once again. They went back through town and across another bridge, ignoring the jeers and curious looks from the goblins stumbling around. By the time they reached the main gate of the defiled temple, Enelya was feeling beyond anxious. There were goblins everywhere, and their group of seven wasn't exactly inconspicuous as they tramped along through the mud. 

"Hold up!" Yet another group of them guarded the gate, flanked on either side by worgs. Their leader stepped forward, his green-yellow face a smashed mess of features. He peered up at her. "Can't just wander in here. We're celebrating a raid. Gotta wear our war colors," 

The same mark from earlier glowed on their faces, and with it, that same overwhelming feeling of confidence. Enelya eyed the group - six goblins spread out along the wall, and two worgs. They could take them easily…

She hoped.

"What color would that be?" she asked, crossing her arms.

He pointed at a fresh pile of worg dung with a smug smile. "That right there. Perfect shade."

Enelya glared at the goblin. "You can't be serious." 

He smirked. "You wanna get in? Gotta get dressed up."

Enelya hesitated, then stooped to scoop up the warm dung with her fingers. She heard several groans from the group behind her.

"Can't help noticing you're not wearing any yourself," she commented.

"Don't have to if you was part of the raid. Now." He gestured to her face, an excited smile splitting his own. "On ya get."

She hefted the dung in her palm for a moment, considering its weight. The stench alone was enough to make her stomach turn and her eyes sting.

Perfect .

She focused on the tadpole; it wriggled as it effortlessly linked to her companions'.

Get ready .

With a flick of her wrist, she flung the dung into the eyes of the goblins. At the same time, she swung her staff off her back and through the air, connecting with the leader's head with a sickening crunch . He collapsed into the mud without so much as a whimper.

Astarion rushed past, daggers glinting in the sunlight. " Finally !" He slit a goblin's throat as he passed, making his way to the platforms surrounding the wall.

The quiet morning erupted into chaos.

The air sang in Enelya's ear as Karlach brought her greataxe down into a worg's head. Gray chunks of brain splattered into the air. Then Karlach pulled her axe free and swung again, this time taking another goblin's head clean off.

 A shout came from behind her. Before she could even turn, three Magic Missiles and an Eldritch Blast shot past her and practically eviscerated the other worg as it lunged at her. Gale and Wyll both let out whoops of victory. 

And just like that, the fight was over. Enelya heard a gurgling death rattle as Lae'zel pulled her sword free from a goblin overhead. Shadowheart was making sure everyone was alright, but the only injury was her own twisted knee from slipping in the mud.

"Right." Enelya wiped gory bits of bone and brain off her quarterstaff with a worg's fur. "That went well."

"Definitely," Astarion drawled. His eyes were alight with excitement. Enelya had a sneaking suspicion that he was a bit bloodthirsty.

"Are we all good?" she asked. She pulled her leather hood free from her belt. "We should keep moving if we can. Shadowheart, is your knee alright?"

"It's fine," Shadowheart replied breezily. "Not even worth using a spell for."

Enelya nodded, then twisted her braid into a knot and dropped the hood over her hair. "Let's go."

Through the gate and around the wall they went, their weapons sheathed but eyes peeled for trouble. Ahead of them the temple loomed. They could hear the driving beat of a goblin drum from within. 

Enelya wondered, as they began to cross the final, broken bridge to their goal, why this seemed so easy. 

Then the world went black.

[halsinsbiceps]

I just finished writing Chapter 3 of 'A Great and Sudden Change' and I'm exhausted. 4500 words and didn't even cover all the stuff I thought I would. Moving on to editing this evening; I plan to have it up before the holiday weekend (Labor Day if you aren't in the U.S.)

Also gonna reblog Chapter 2 for funsies.

Thanks for all the love! ❤️

[halsinsbiceps]

Chapter 2 of 'A Great and Sudden Change's is up on AO3!

Thanks for all the love on my first chapter!

[halsinsbiceps]

A Great and Sudden Change - Chapter 4

I just posted Chapter 4 of AGaSC on AO3!

You guys have no idea how glad I am to be done with this chapter...again, it's a lot of exposition and talking about Shadow Druids, making sure the characters know what's going on, all that fun stuff.

Anyway. Fic below the cut!

Thanks to Zevlor’s foresight, the tieflings had been packing themselves up since the morning, not long after Kagha had ordered the Rite of Thorns to begin. Much of their time was spent loading wooden crates and burlap sacks into wagons and scouring the Hollow for any forgotten belongings and useful items. 

Shadowheart and Astarion rejoined them mid-afternoon to provide a report on their scouting. Outside of an apparent stakeout by some long-gone bandits, the ruins were clear and ready for the refugees. Shadowheart also warned there was some sort of temple deep in the ruins that should be avoided before they pitched in to help with minimal complaining.

About an hour before dusk Zevlor approached her as she paused to flex her sore, stiff fingers near the makeshift jail. “That should be everything,” he said. “I have yet to do a proper headcount, but everyone is gathered at the gate.”

Enelya nodded tiredly and moved to head there herself, but Zevlor stopped her by laying a warm hand on her shoulder. 

“None of this was your fight,” he said softly. “But you bought us time to get out before the druids forced us. You saved Arabella, and then you helped us gather our things. You…” He paused, searching for the right words, flaming eyes shimmering with gratitude. “You have shown more kindness than we have seen since before Elturel fell into Avernus. We can’t thank you, or your companions, enough.” 

Enelya’s heart nearly burst with gladness at his words. “You're welcome. I'm happy to help, Zevlor.”

"That seems to be your motto," he said with a small smile. It quickly twisted into a doubtful smirk. “Your companions, however…” He trailed off before producing a small burlap bag from his belt. He took her hand and pressed it into her palm; the weight and soft chink told her it was coin.

“It’s not much, but I took up a collection,” he said in reply to the question in her eyes. “You deserve some reward for your assistance, and your-”

“No.” Enelya pushed the pouch back into his hand, bringing her other hand up to curl his clawed fingers around it. “I do not accept this gift.”

“But the others…”

“They will deal with it.” Enelya’s voice was firm. “I mean it, Zevlor. I’ve dedicated my life to bringing balance between nature and civilization; between druids and those they deem outsiders. This is my duty and my honor. And besides that…” She smiled. “It’s just the right thing to do. Keep your coin. You will need it more than we will."

Zevlor listened to her in awe. “Your generosity knows no bounds.” He tucked the pouch back into his belt. “You’re a good woman, Enelya.”

She shifted uncomfortably at the compliment, deflecting it as she ducked her head. “Let’s go make sure we’ve got everyone.”

At the gate, Zevlor counted his people. Only two were missing, but accounted for, as they finished burying one of their own on the slope overlooking the grove's entrance. Kanon had been slain as he tried to open the gate for Aradin’s band, and although Enelya hadn’t known him, she grieved the tieflings' loss.

Enelya took the time to check on her own rag-tag group. All of them looked about as good as she felt - tired, hungry, and dirty. When the caravan rolled out, they shuffled silently along with it. 

As weary as she was, Enelya felt peaceful as she walked. The tieflings were not in very high spirits, but seemed content with being moved to a safe location. Dappled light filtered through the trees and cast long shadows against the cliffs. Birds sang out their final songs of the day as the sun lowered; a light, chilly wind blew in from the west, cooling their sweaty bodies. It would be a welcome night for a bowl of stew and a warm fire. 

Once they reached the ruins everyone spread out to lay claim to sleeping spots. Most of them stayed out of the building itself, but the children raced ahead and slipped into the chapel. Shadowheart followed them, calling out a warning to not venture too deep. Enelya bit back a laugh when she heard high-pitched mocking echo back and Shadowheart returned with a scowl. 

The refugees settled in quickly, and by the time the sun had fully set a crackling fire roared in the center of the ruin, a cooking pot full of thin gruel suspended over it. Enelya's stomach churned at the thought of food. When was the last time she ate, she wondered; Baldur's Gate? Three days ago? Four? 

Her companions set up their own spots some ways away from each other and the tieflings. Enelya had a hard time believing they had all met only in the past twenty-four hours; the way the day dragged on, it felt more like two days. She watched them each in turn: Lae'zel stood with her back to them, gracefully moving through a series of movements. Astarion and Gale both were trying to make their respective corners more comfortable; Gale even conjured a couple of large throw pillows. Shadowheart perched cross-legged on a rock, brows furrowed as she fiddled with an object in her hands.

Enelya approached her first. "What's that?" she asked.

"Oh!" Shadowheart looked as if she'd been caught doing something she shouldn't have been. She paused. "Just a puzzle box. Nothing important." She tucked the toy away and flipped her braid back from where it had slipped over her shoulder. "Did you need something?" 

"Not really. Just…checking in, I suppose.” 

"Hmm. Making the rounds?" Shadowheart asked. "Well, I'm doing alright. You, though." She gave her a once-over. "You look like you've been wrung out like a wet rag."

Enelya chuckled. "That's about how I feel." 

Shadowheart shifted over and patted the rock next to her. Enelya gave a weary smile and sank down onto the stone, her body aching in protest. For a long moment they watched the others in their group go about their business.

"How well do you know this Halsin fellow?" Shadowheart suddenly asked. “I know he’s a druid, like you, but you don’t necessarily all know each other.”

An image of Halsin appeared from her memories; his kind, hazel eyes smiling down at her as his large hand brushed over her cheek, cupping her jaw as his head dipped down…

Enelya's breath caught in her chest and she shook her head to rid herself of the vision. "We met once, during a ritual in the High Forest - my home. Otherwise I only know him by reputation." Even to her own ears, the words sounded uncertain.

Shadowheart glanced sideways at her, not quite buying her story. "Quite the reputation, to be the target of a daring rescue," she commented. She leaned in conspiratorially. “Are you sure there isn’t more?” When Enelya only stared down at her fingers as they twisted in her lap, Shadowheart nudged her with an elbow. “You don’t need to tell me everything ,” she said softly. Her green eyes were understanding. “But we need to trust each other, don’t we? Entwined as our fates are.”

Enelya chewed on her lip, mulling over the other woman’s words, then sighed before turning to Shadowheart. "Before...all of this…Halsin sent for aid from the Emerald Enclave, the order by which most, if not all, druids abide. He had made some sort of discovery - what exactly, I don't know."

Shadowheart regarded her solemnly. "But it might have something to do with these goblins?"

Enelya shrugged. "Maybe? All of this has only happened in the past few days. Halsin is a skilled healer, and incredibly well-read by our standards. For him to ask the Enclave for help, it must be serious. And to be captured besides…he knows something."

“I see.” Shadowheart thought for a moment. “So did this Emerald Enclave send help?"

"Rather less, actually." Enelya smiled ruefully. "They sent me."

“ Less?! ” Shadowheart stared at her. "How is that less?" she demanded. "You've already helped everyone along your path, and y ou're hurtling yourself headlong into danger on a whim!" She shook her head and looked up at the sky, muttering under her breath. "I'm coming with you."

Before Enelya could protest, someone cleared their throat. They turned to find Gale had joined them, hands clasped behind his back. "Speaking of comings and goings," he said, his gaze falling on Enelya, "I believe you have a rendezvous with some druids."

Enelya slid off the rock. At Shadowheart's confused look, she told her she’d explain later and set off for the hollow where they'd discovered Lae'zel that morning.

Gale fell into step alongside her. "I'd like to tag along, if that's alright," he said. "After our little experiment this afternoon, I must say my curiosity about these Shadow Druids has been piqued. But I wanted to ask: how is your noggin?" He tapped his own temple for emphasis.

Enelya snorted. "To be honest? It feels like it's been squeezed through a sieve…but you're welcome to join me. I’ll do my best to answer your questions."

"Most excellent!"

They made their way out of the ruins in silence save for the chirping of crickets and the crunching of gravel beneath their feet. Enelya could see well past the light of the fire, but Gale shortly conjured a light for himself, the small purple flame dancing playfully along his fingers.

They were the first to arrive at the hollow. Enelya sighed and leaned against the rocky face of the cliff above them to stare up at the stars, her arms crossing to ward off the night-time chill. Gale settled in beside her as the flame in his hand extinguished. 

"I find it hard to believe the Shadow Druids are evil simply by virtue of their name," Gale said after a few moments. "What exactly have they done to earn scorn amongst the rest of your order?"

Enelya took a moment to reply, furrowing her brow as she looked up at the sky. Gale waited patiently for her answer.

"The Shadow Druids beliefs are…antithetic to ours. Where most druids encourage balance, they say there is no such thing. They believe there is no place for civilization amongst nature and would rather spread darkness than light, often by any means necessary." Enelya shifted against the wall. “It’s not unheard of for druids to be killed for resisting them.”

"An extremist group, then? I believed druids were all opponents of civilization and its encroachment on the wilderness."

"Not so. Followers of Silvanus are more wary of expansion and will often do what they can to impede progress; grow walls of thorns, sabotage deforestation efforts...the druids of the Emerald Grove are Silvanites, which I suppose makes it more understandable why Kagha was so easily swayed to their cause.”

“And…you are not Silvanite?” Gale asked.

She shook her head. “I am a follower of Mielikki - the Lady of the Forest. We encourage living in harmony with nature within a civilization. We teach survival skills to those who have none, and we protect the forest from those who would harm it. But civilization has many things to offer that benefit us as well, and so we are more open to sharing space."

He hummed in approval. “That’s a rather pragmatic belief.”

She smiled. “It is, and an important one. The Shadow Druids, and Kagha, by extension, live in fear of what will happen if we open our borders and our minds to outsiders, to other ways of thinking. I can understand that fear, but...” She met Gale’s gaze. “I trust that people are inherently good, and that they only want the best for themselves and others. If sometimes they prove me wrong, that’s alright. I don’t judge the many by the actions of the few.”

“Ah. You are an optimist, then. Refreshing.” 

She hesitated, then tore her eyes away from his. “Not really,” she admitted softly. She scuffed at the earth with the toe of her boot.

She heard Gale inhale, about to ask a question when suddenly he straightened his posture. "Your friends are here," he murmured.

Enelya turned to see Rath and his friend step into the hollow. She pushed herself off the rocky wall and moved to meet them, Gale only a few steps behind.

"Rath," she said in greeting. "Thank you both for coming." She nodded at the dwarf. "I'm Enelya. I apologize for not introducing myself earlier, but….well. You were there.” She offered them a tight smile. “This is Gale. He helped me send the message.”

“A pleasure, I’m sure,” Gale said.

"I'm Nettie," the dwarf replied. "I'm the apprentice healer, under…Master Halsin." She paused briefly as she spoke, her brows furrowing. Enelya could practically feel her concern coming off her.

"I'm afraid we don't have much time." Rath's face was solemn. "Kagha has only spiraled further since you left and instituted a curfew. State your piece."

Enelya nodded once. "How well do you know Faldorn's Canticle?” she asked.

"The doctrine of the Shadow Druids? I've heard of it, but have never read it, of course." Rath looked disturbed by the very idea.

"Well, I have. As part of a mission, I became quite familiar with the writings. Obviously we all know the gist of it, but….Kagha directly quoted it today in the grove,” she explained. “Along with her insistence that the Rite of Thorns be carried out, I'm confident she has been corrupted to their beliefs.Have either of you noticed anything, any behaviors, that might prove this?”

Rath and Nettie shared a troubled glance. 

"Kagha has always been a bit….distant," Nettie said. "But in recent weeks we've noticed her becoming more and more secretive, even combative. Arguing with Master Halsin more than usual, snapping at everyone…things have been quite tense.”

“What were the arguments about?” Enelya asked.

“She wanted to stop letting in so many outsiders,” Rath replied. “It’s how she’s always felt, but now she seems desperate to close us off from the world, and she’s gotten her claws into several of the others. We’ve seen and heard her speaking to them; they always clam up when we come around. We’ve discussed this very concern, but we thought she might be trying to stage some sort of coup to wrest power from Halsin, not invite the Shadow Druids into our midst.”

“Normally her behavior would be understandable, even warranted with everything else happening. But her actions, her fervor …I would write to the Enclave, but we have no evidence. Which is another reason why I contacted you.” Enelya paused to take a shaky breath before continuing. “I need you to find something, anything , that would prove Kagha’s involvement with the Shadow Druids. Then we can alert the Enclave so they might judge her.”

Rath lowered his chin to his chest in thought as Nettie frowned. “I’m not sure Master Halsin would agree with the Enclave’s involvement. He prefers to handle things internally.”

Enelya met her gaze. “I’m afraid that is not possible. Now that I am aware and involved, as an agent I must report any outlawed activity. I really should have sent a bird just for the Rite of Thorns, and for her threats against Arabella. Regardless, first we have to find Halsin.”

Rath’s head snapped up. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, I’m going to find him and bring him back to the Grove. If I can,” she added.

Nettie bit her lip, trying to hide the relieved smile that crept onto her face. “That would mean the world to us, and the Grove, if you would. Master Halsin is beloved by our people, mostly, and our animals are mourning him.”

“I’m confused about one thing,” Enelya said. “What made him decide to go with Aradin, if the Grove was in so much danger from the goblins?”

Nettie hesitated before looking at Rath, who nodded. She turned back to Enelya and Gale.

“About a week ago, Master Halsin and I were in the forest, meditating and gathering herbs, when we were attacked by a drow and a few goblins. We killed them, but…this thing crawled out of the drow’s head after, through its eye.” Her face was grave. “It was a mindflayer parasite.”

Enelya felt Gale tense beside her. “How is that possible?” he asked. 

“We don’t know. But Master Halsin caught it and has been studying it all week. He’s barely rested. His belief is that there are more infected at this goblin camp, but wherever it came from, it’s not a normal parasite. It’s been altered, somehow.”

Gale moved closer, an excited look on his face. “Go on.”

Nettie shot Enelya a confused look, but continued. “The drow should have undergone ceremorphosis days before it attacked us, if not weeks. But the transformation never happened, or it was delayed. We don’t know. All I know is that when Aradin said he was going to that camp, Master Halsin jumped at the chance to go see for himself.” 

Enelya swore softly under her breath.

Gale raised his eyebrows. "Seems your theory was correct, Enelya."

"Theory?" Rath asked, his blue eyes curious.

"I believe he was taken prisoner of his own accord,” Enelya said. “From what I know of Halsin, he is…not one to go quietly."

"That would not be surprising," Nettie admitted. Her eyes glinted with mischief. "Master Halsin doesn't follow the beaten path. If there's something to be found, he'll find his own way."

"All the more reason to get him out of there,” Rath said. “Not only could his knowledge be paramount in stopping whatever is happening, he is in grave danger...if he is not dead already." 

Nettie looked down at the dusty earth, her eyes suddenly fearful. Enelya's heart went out to her; she could easily see how dear Halsin was to her.

"We'll do our best to get Halsin back…but I won't make any promises," Enelya said softly. "Do what you can to delay the rite, and find evidence against Kagha." She held out her right arm. “Mielikki guide you.”

“Oakfather preserve you.” Rath and Nettie clasped her arm as they departed, Nettie giving her an extra squeeze and a quick nod, her eyes flashing in determination. Enelya and Gale watched them go before they turned back to the camp.

"A mindflayer parasite," Gale mused as they walked. "It seems our little excursion is not some random event after all."

Enelya did not reply. Worry ate away at her thoughts. Exhaustion crept into her body, numbing her limbs. Behind her eye, the tadpole twitched.

Perhaps sensing her concern, Gale tried another tack. "You're quite the investigator.”

Enelya shrugged and stepped over a branch. "It's my job."

"A druid detective? Sounds rather like a crime novel. ‘The Druid Detective and the Case of the Missing…Druid.” Gale chuckled, then cleared his throat. “You'll have to tell me more about your adventures sometime."

Enelya stopped just inside the ruins and turned to him, arranging her face into what she hoped was an expression of empathy. “Gale, I appreciate you trying to lighten the mood. Truly. But if I’m honest, I’m too tired to banter. Maybe tomorrow...” She trailed off, one hand coming up to rub at her eyes. They felt as if they were full of grit, and watered when she closed them. 

Gale nodded. “Understood,” he said. “Let’s get some rest, shall we?”

“ Gods yes. Thank you.” Enelya made her way down the stairs, looking forward to a hot bowl of food and passing out on her bedroll.

It was not to be so, as Shadowheart met them near the fire. "We have a guest," she said, gesturing behind her. A man leaned against the wall, facing away from them and looking up at the moon. "His name is Wyll, but he calls himself the Blade of Frontiers, and he has already made a pass at me." Her tone was derisive, but Enelya noticed a tiny, pleased quirk at the corner of her mouth.

"Charming." Enelya sighed inwardly and sized him up from afar. He had a strong body, his muscles shifting under dark skin as he turned to look over his shoulder. His left eye focused on her; the right was milky white with blindness. He shoved himself off the wall to face them.

"You must be Enelya." He moved closer, extending his right hand. As he stepped into the firelight, Enelya could see his eye was not blind, but rather a smooth stone, complete with an etched iris and pupil. "The Blade of Frontiers, at your service."

The connection between their tadpoles happened almost seamlessly as Enelya slipped her hand into his. She could see into his memories as he chased a devil through Avernus, sweat dripping down his temples and into his eyes. The next moment he was in the Nautiloid ship, a Mind Flayer lowering a tadpole towards his left eye. Her own tadpole quivered in excitement. Then the connection severed.

She found herself staring at him, mouth agape. "You were on the ship!"

"I was. Though I understand I didn’t board in the same manner as you and your companions.” His eye glinted in the firelight. 

“Picked up in the Hells,” she said, crossing her arms. “Taking on more frontiers than this one, then?”

Wyll chuckled and ducked his head in an almost shy manner. “It’s…a bit difficult to explain,” he said. “But essentially, I was hunting a devil, and we ended up on that ship. She’s still out there, and I must find her. I was hoping for your help."

Enelya heaved a sigh before she realized it. She was about to turn him down when he interrupted her by raising his hands placatingly.

“I also know you are leaving in the morning to track down this…Halsin. If it’s all the same, I’d like to join you. Maybe we can kill two birds with one stone.”

“Of course!” Astarion appeared from the darkness, a salacious smile on his lips as he looked Wyll up and down. He seemed to be drinking the other man in, much to Wyll’s discomfort. “The more the merrier!”

“Hold on.” Shadowheart leveled a narrow-eyed gaze at the elf. “You’re coming too?”

“After what our dear new friend told us? Absolutely.”

Enelya looked at Wyll. “What else do you know?” she asked.

Wyll smirked. “I know these little stowaways of ours aren’t normal, and that there’s a cult in that goblin camp. I ran into some others out in the wilds being led by someone with a tadpole. They called him a True Soul, and they were under orders from the Absolute to find survivors from that Illithid ship. Then, when I told them I was one, they tried to gut me.” He shrugged. “Unsuccessfully, as you can see.”

Gale raised a pointed finger, shaking it as he spoke. “Now that you mention it, there was a goblin in the Grove, in the jail,” he remembered. “She called me a True Soul as well, and started rambling about this Absolute. I assumed she was mad, so I’m afraid I didn’t pay much attention to what she said.”

Wyll focused his gaze on Gale. “Is she still there? Or did you bring her with you?”

“Ah. Sadly, she was shot by that poor dead tiefling’s sister.” Enelya’s stomach rumbled and her brain ached with the effort of keeping all of this information straight. Devils? Cults? True Souls? She wanted nothing more than to ignore everything and feed herself. Instead, she groaned in resignation and rubbed at her temples. “Well, better have it all out then. Gale and I have also just learned some interesting information.”

Lae’zel wandered over as her companions listened closely to Enelya’s recap of their meeting with the druids - how the tadpole was altered, and that Halsin went to find out more, as well as her suspicions about the Shadow Druids. Gale turned to her as she finished, a curious look on his face.

“Do you think the Shadow Druids are involved?” he asked lowly. The others did not seem to pay him any mind and continued talking amongst themselves. 

That thought had crossed her mind as well, as much as she hoped it wasn’t true. “At this point, I don’t think it wise to leave anything off the table,” she replied softly. “Who knows how entangled this web truly is. It can’t all be coincidental, can it?”

The group agreed to wake at dawn and set out for the goblin camp immediately; to Enelya’s surprise, even Lae’zel seemed eager to join them. As everyone retreated to their bedrolls, she finally snuck away to snag a bowl of gruel from the pot. An elderly tiefling greeted her with a warm smile as she approached.

“Here you go,” she said gently as she handed Enelya a steaming bowl. “I know it’s not much, but it’ll fill your belly.”

The steamy, oaty scent wafted into Enelya’s face and her stomach growled loudly. “Thank you,” she said quietly, “for sharing your food and your fire with us. Your generosity will not be forgotten.”

“Pish!” The tiefling waved her hand, but beamed with appreciation all the same. “You have more than earned a little slice of it, love. Now go eat and rest. Those bags under your eyes are nearly enough to carry me in!”

Enelya laughed, an odd sensation as it reverberated in her chest, and nodded her thanks once again before returning to her little pocket of camp. Around her, tieflings slept or chatted quietly. Her companions had turned in for the night; she could hear gentle snores from Gale’s roll. She noticed Astarion’s roll was empty, but shrugged it off; elves only needed short trances and meditation to receive the same benefits a human did from a full night’s sleep, after all - a perk of their heritage in which she fully planned on indulging once her bowl was licked clean.

Minutes later, Enelya’s belly was indeed full and warm, and she laid back on her bedroll. Her hand slipped into the pouch she always carried with her, finding what she was looking for almost immediately as the smooth, worn wood brushed against her fingers. She pulled the little carved duck from the bag and stroked its head, the wood shining softly in the firelight. She still remembered when Halsin gave it to her as they parted, nearly two years ago now, and the feel of his lips as he kissed her goodbye. 

As her eyes fluttered shut, she cleared the gnawing, worrying thoughts from her mind. The issue of these tadpoles was proving to be bigger than she’d hoped. Still, with Halsin’s help, they could soon be rid of them.

But that was tomorrow’s problem. 

[halsinsbiceps]

I think I want my Tav (Enelya) to have had a...*ahem*..."run-in" with Halsin a few years back in the High Forest. Maybe she's one of the elf maidens he talks about.