#shadowheart x florwyn

[eldritchelfwriter]

Writing Update - the return of Stormheart!

I'm getting ready to post the first chapter of a brand new story that happens after the events of Shadowheart Begins featuring Florwyn and Shadowheart and solving some of the leftover loops from Shadowheart Begins.

In the meantime:

I've put Shadowheart Begins and Reaching For You into a series called Stormheart on AO3

I'm tidying up the little other character POV things I've done on tumblr recently and adding them to that series too

The new work will be added to the Stormheart series when it arrives

OK that is all. As you were.

[callmelyrus]

”’I think I’m ready to be held now, if it’s still on offer,’ Florwyn says faintly.

’Of course,’ Shadowheart murmurs, pulling Florwyn into her arms, as she has been aching to do the entire time.”

I cannot stop re-reading Shadowheart Begins by the amazing @eldritchelfwriter ❤️ Here’s a little something something I cooked up of these lovely ladies.

[eldritchelfwriter]

It's Florwyn and Shadowheart!!!

@cylinderarts thank you so so much for your 'quick little something' gift!!!!! ❤️🥰

[eldritchelfwriter]

A silly Christmas drabble, in a world where Shadowheart and Florwyn celebrate Christmas.

Just written in downtime on Christmas Day! (Yes Southern Hemisphere).

Spoils the end of Shadowheart Begins, for those who haven't caught up.

* * * * *

It's the stupidest situation to be in, and Florwyn can only point the finger of blame at herself.

Shadowheart had noted that the branch of a certain pine tree at Athaelond was a perfect candidate for a Christmas tree, then wistfully bemoaned their lack of suitable ladders and gear to be able to take it for themselves.

Little did she know that she had spurred a sudden determination in her partner to procure that exact branch for their tree, whatever it took, and using rather more creative means than Shadowheart had envisaged.

Now Florwyn is trying to keep her balance while straddled on a branch five metres up in the air, while she works a saw she doesn't have the strength to use properly, at an odd angle it was not designed to be used at.

Anyone who could not call on the winds to break their fall would be considered foolhardy to attempt the same thing - though Florwyn must admit the task has proved far more difficult than she had first anticipated.

"Is it working?" a doubtful voice calls from below. "It doesn't look like it, from here."

Florwyn pauses from her frustrations with the saw to look down at little Silfy, bundled up in a coat and a purple scarf and matching woollen hat knitted by Emmeline, which fits perfectly over her horns.

She and Owly are standing well back from Florwyn's proceedings in case of a mishap that seems more and more likely, looking up to watch her with equal interest.

"Not entirely, darling," Florwyn calls back.

"Maybe we should ask mum for help?" Silfy suggests.

Florwyn winces at the clear inference that Shadowheart is the stronger of the two of them and would be far handier with a saw. Because it is true on both counts.

But Shadowheart cannot whirl up and down trees on gusts of wind, as Florwyn can, which is why Florwyn had thought she could surprise her by getting it down herself.

Instead of replying, Florwyn grits her teeth and puts every ounce of strength she can into the next thrust of the saw with increased determination.

The saw has other plans, however: it unexpectedly fails to move, and she nearly overbalances and falls off the branch altogether. She tries to wrench it free, wondering how stupid she must look up here, but no amount of manoeuvring or twisting can make it budge: the saw is stuck tight.

With a deep sigh, Florwyn whirls herself down in a gust of wind, leaving a mini flurry of snow stirred up from the ground in her wake, to join Silfy, defeated, leaving the saw stuck tight in the branch high above.

Half-elf woman and tiefling girl gaze up at the branch, the edges and handle of the saw just visible to them from below.

Great. Now she has neither the branch, nor Shadowheart’s work saw.

"You're going to get in trouble, mama," Silfy says, unable to conceal a hint of glee.

But Florwyn knows better: if Shadowheart hears a word of this she won't be angry - she will laugh herself silly.

"Silfy," Florwyn says softly, looking up at the branch as though it has done her a personal wrong. She has tried the saw: now it's time to do things her way. Something bright begins to crackle in the palms of her hands. Consequences be damned, she will have this branch or no one will. "There are some things we don't need to tell mum."

Silfy's eyes light up as she hisses out a long "yes!"

Lightning flashes once, twice, three times, followed by a thud as the branch falls to the ground, a trail of powdery snow settling down in its wake.

Florwyn and Silfy walk over in silence to assess the damage. A few missing needles aside, the branch is intact, the stump slightly smoking and blackened, the saw still stuck tight.

Florwyn shoots Silfy a triumphant smile.

On the ground, it's a lot easier to manoeuvre the saw without having to contort herself into odd angles: Florwyn manages to wiggle it free, and saws off the blackened stump without a word, while Silfy and Owly watch.

"And you didn't think I could do it," she teases, feeling a little as though she has cheated by using lightning to bring it down, and not particularly caring.

Silfy's eyebrow is raised, a smirk on her face. "And just how are you going to get it to the cottage mama?"

Florwyn rolls her eyes good naturedly at her daughter and her continued lack of faith, feeling as though she can do anything. More than that, she wants to prove that she can see this through, given all the effort expended so far.

Buoyed by her success at bringing the branch down, she picks up the branch by the stump and struggles to pull it up over her shoulder to start dragging it. The weight is far heavier than she had been expecting.

She manages a few steps, goaded by Silfy's smug little disbelieving face, and then a couple more just to try and save face while her muscles scream. She puffs with the effort before admitting defeat, unable to take another step, and lets the branch drop to the ground, scattering yet more pine needles.

After all the effort spent so far, it can't end here, she thinks resentfully. She deliberates on whether she could hurl it through the air to the cottage with wind - before remembering that the needles would be unlikely to survive such drastic action.

"Mama," Silfy says, tugging at her sleeve, and pointing to Owly.

"Oh, you clever thing," Florwyn praises, while Silfy looks pleased with herself. They tie their scarves together to make a makeshift rope, and Silfy coaxes Owly down while Florwyn manages to roll the branch onto the owlbear's back with help from Silfy.

They work together to tie the scarves around Owly and the branch, and then stand back to admire their handiwork.

And then they are off, a triumphant trio who return to the cottage in parade, Owly at the lead, flanked by Florwyn and Silfy keeping their hands on the branch to keep it steady on Owly's back.

"What on earth - ?!"

Shadowheart stands on the snowy deck, watching their return and the strange sight of Owly wearing a Christmas tree on his back.

"It's the very branch you wanted," Florwyn says, feeling rather proud of herself, despite everything. It had better have been worth it, after all of that.

"What?! How did you even - !"

"Magic," Florwyn says mysteriously, enjoying Shadowheart’s astonished expression.

Shadowheart comes over to help them unload Owly, while Florwyn gives Silfy a wink, which the tiefling girl returns behind Shadowheart’s back. No one else needs know of the ridiculous situation she'd ended up in.

"So this was the big surprise?" Shadowheart says, a humorous but rather impressed smile on her lips.

"You have no idea what I went through for this, Shadowheart," Florwyn says, smiling. And with any luck, you never will.

"Very well done, you," Shadowheart murmurs, pressing a kiss against her cheek.

Now that Shadowheart is closer, Florwyn can see that the pale tinge to her cheeks is not from the cold: she must have had an attack from the Sharran wound while they were busy with their errand.

No point mentioning it though, it only upsets Shadowheart to dwell on it.

Shadowheart hides it well, as together they manage to haul the branch inside - though Florwyn can tell she is still upset, and is trying to think of ways to distract her.

"Coat," Florwyn reminds Silfy, as she hangs her own on the hooks by the door, together with her hat and scarf.

"Um, Mama?" Silfy whispers as she hands Florwyn her winter weather gear.

"Yes sweetheart?"

"The saw ..."

Florwyn groans. After all of that, she still managed to leave the saw behind!

"You're still in trouble, then, aren't you?" Silfy says playfully.

Florwyn sighs.

"Looks like it, darling," she says sheepishly. Though she is more worried about the Sharran wound attack than the abandoned saw. Usually she is around when it happens to offer silent comfort and hugs; it pains her to think of Shadowheart going through it alone.

Florwyn comes to her decision.

"Silfy?"

She catches their darling little tiefling's shoulder before she runs off.

"You can tell mum," Florwyn sighs. "Everything."

Silfy's face lights up with glee before she runs off, though Florwyn lingers beside the coat hooks, not keen to be in the same room to hear all the details of her humiliation in person.

A few moments later, she hears exclamations, followed by a burst of unending laughter from the next room: Shadowheart's.

Florwyn smiles, and goes in to join them.

It had all been worth it, after all.

[eldritchelfwriter]

Alternate POV snippets now on AO3 ... and they are slightly different

I tidied them up a bit and expanded a couple of ideas that I hadn't conveyed to my own satisfaction in the tumblr postings.

Getting ready to post the start of the sequel to SB. :)

Isobel POV during Shadowheart Begins:

Shadowheart POV during Reaching For You:

[eldritchelfwriter]

Naww thanks so much for the support of Shadowheart Begins!

It's been so weird without the girls taking up my every thought lately. But as a little thanks to the Shadowheart community, here's a sneak preview of something brewing for the Stormheart gals.

Because it's all still very much in draft, just bear in mind this snippet may not even be in the final fic. :)

Sneak post-Shadowheart Begins preview

“Why are you fretting, hmm? You don’t think this old lady can make a little mountain?”

Florwyn stands beside Jaheira, watching her coax earth and stone out of the ground, helpless to be any use whatsoever. They may both interact with the natural world, but their powers have nothing at all in common: wind, rain and lightning are the opposite of stone, earth and living things.

“It’s too much,” Florwyn says anxiously, wringing her hands together. “You do too much …”

You do too much for me, is what she means, even if that is not quite what has come out. Although Jaheira seems to have caught the inference.

“Well we cannot risk a forest fire every time the lightning wants to give you its little hug,” Jaheira says, shrugging her shoulders. Just druid business – protecting the natural world, her words seem to say.

Though, the fact that she had dropped everything and invited herself over with a solution when Florwyn had confessed in a letter that she had not yet found a suitable place for experiencing storms at Athaelond seems to say otherwise.

“Of course,” Florwyn murmurs, unable to do anything but watch as Jaheira coaxes more of the enormous obelisk she is creating from the ground.

“And I could not have you – ” Jaheira puffs with the effort for a moment as more stone rises up from the ground, the tremors tingling in Florwyn’s feet like thunder. Then she suddenly glares at Florwyn. “ – taking in the storms underground? After everything we worked on?! You should have written to me sooner.”

“It was just the one time,” Florwyn says, feeling almost as though she needs to apologise. Gods it had been awful. “I honestly had no idea you could do something like this. We’d been thinking of contacting Gale for help setting up something suitable …”

“Well now you know!” Jaheira says, still glaring at her.

Florwyn is not at all cowed: by now, she knows that Jaheira’s glares don’t contain any real heat. Rather, they are a cover for other things Jaheira is less comfortable with expressing.

“If you ever move house, you will contact me straight away to do this again, hmm?”

The tone dares an argument that wasn’t even brewing within Florwyn, so Florwyn merely nods.

“Is it enough, now?” A sweating Jaheira says, gesturing at her handiwork and wiping her brow from the effort she has expended over the past hour.

Florwyn has already said several times that it was enough, and been overridden when Jaheira had pointed out that a storm would likely be even more enjoyable if she was able to be higher up still.

“It’s plenty, Jaheira – truly.”

Jaheira rolls her eyes. “We do not want to settle for adequate,” Jaheira says patiently, her weathered face softening. “We are wanting to create a storm sorcerer’s dream come true, cub.”

Affection and gratitude pierces Florwyn’s heart at that. She mumbles something about testing it out before twirling up in gusts of wind to the top of the obelisk to wipe her eyes without the old druid seeing how much she has been moved, how much she almost can’t stand that Jaheira has made this structure for her, out of love as much as from earth and stone.

[eldritchelfwriter]

A different perspective on the Stormheart gals

@callmelyrus asked for an 'outsider's' perspective on the stormheart gals and how they are at camp in their ask related to that ask game I posted recently - here's a quick something I've knocked together that dovetails with Shadowheart Begins chapter 9.

* * * * * *

“What do you suppose I’ll find up there?” Isobel asks Jaheira with a small amount of trepidation as she gets the breakfast tray ready.

Jaheira raises an eyebrow and smirks. “Well, let me just suggest that you knock first.”

Isobel shakes her head, smiling, in disbelief.

The first night the adventurers had arrived, Jaheira had plied the tiefling with alcohol to find out more about them all – and especially the Sharran among them given the history of Sharrans in the area.

What Jaheira discovered has apparently been a secret topic of gossip among the adventurers, unbeknownst to the two women at its heart: the Sharran, Shadowheart is in love with the quiet sorcerer! But apparently they’d had some kind of falling out no one could get to the bottom of that was both making the women miserable, and jeopardising the secret betting pool on when they would finally acknowledge their relationship in public.

Isobel would scarcely have believed it – a Sharran in love! – had she not seen Shadowheart’s reaction when she had seen Florwyn, lying mortally injured on Isobel’s bed, for herself.

None of Shadowheart’s behaviour matches what Isobel would have expected of a Sharran at all – oh, other than that rather pedestrian show of animosity when they first met that only showed Isobel that Shadowheart has rather blunt claws.

According to the information Jaheira teased from Karlach, there has been wild speculation among the adventurers for some time that Shadowheart is no Sharran by choice, even if she doesn’t know it yet (and they have sensibly not shared their suspicions with her).

Perhaps this love affair of Shadowheart’s is actually doing the impossible, and breaking through the indoctrination that should already have consumed her?! Isobel is a sucker for a good romance story, so she hopes it is true – but the pragmatist in her wonders whether Florwyn truly knows exactly what she has gotten herself into if things should go wrong.

Outside the door to her own room, Isobel listens at keyhole and hears muffled talking. That’s surely safe to butt in on.

She balances the tray on one hand and knocks before entering – relieved to find that both women are dressed (even if Florwyn is still in a blanket, her clothes having been torn to shreds the previous day), and sitting on the edge of the bed, their eyes puffy from tears. It looks as though her entrance has caused them to break apart a hug. (A Sharran! Hugging!)

So, they seem to have made up after whatever tiff had broken them apart, then. The romantic in Isobel metaphorically punches the air, not just to see two young women in love navigating their way back to each other, but to see a Sharran so clearly bowled over!

That’s a point to love, Isobel thinks to herself, hiding a smile.

“How’s our patient this morning?” Isobel asks, deciding not to make comment on their tear-streaked faces.

“Good as new, thanks to you and Shadowheart,” the sweet little sorcerer says, looking as though she never met the spells and arrows that had harmed her yesterday. Florwyn turns to Shadowheart. “Would you bring me some clothes to change into? I can’t very well go on in this blanket.”

The Sharran leaves, brushing her fingers against Florwyn’s hand as she goes, a smile on her face as she nods to Isobel on her way out.

Isobel sits with Florwyn as the sorcerer eats the leftover stew from last night, quietly performing a medical check to make sure everything has healed as it should, while wondering to herself what it is about this woman in particular that seems to have opened up the Sharran’s heart. But people had tried to do the same with her – tried to understand what it was about plain, mortal Isobel that would attract Aylin (she blinks tears from her eyes, the grief is still so fresh), when all she had ever done was love her, to the best of her ability, and with her whole heart.

“Well, you’re very lucky, Florwyn,” Isobel says when she is satisfied. “If Shadowheart hadn’t been at full capacity, we might not be having this conversation.”

Florwyn sighs. “I know. Gods, do I know.”

Isobel struggles with herself for a moment, as to whether it is wise to interfere.

“She seems to be very unusual, for a Sharran,” Isobel says, putting out a cautious feeler.

Florwyn’s fork stops on the way to her mouth and she looks at Isobel warily. “I know that Selunites and Sharrans don’t get on,” she says softly. “But please, Isobel, give Shadowheart a chance.”

“Am I not allowing her to go about her business unhindered?” Isobel says, smiling to try and break Florwyn’s tension. “I’m not saying I wouldn’t defend myself if occasion arose, but you needn’t worry about my seeking out a fight, verbal or otherwise.

Florwyn continues to eat, still watching her cautiously. “I don’t think you need to worry about a fight, Isobel.”

“Yes, as I say,” Isobel says lightly. “Unusual for a Sharran.”

Florwyn considers Isobel properly, and Moonmaiden those pale grey eyes seem to penetrate right into the heart of Isobel.

“Is there something you wish to say?” Florwyn says evenly.

“Has Shadowheart told you, what would happen if other Sharrans caught you both together?”

Florwyn finishes chewing her mouthful and swallows. “No, but I can guess,” she says, her body language becoming defensive.

“I’m not bringing it up to put you off,” Isobel says quickly.

“Then why …?”

“Because I want you to succeed, Florwyn, quite badly,” Isobel says. The full inference is left unsaid – for Shadowheart to choose Florwyn over Shar, but a look of understanding passes between them that makes Isobel sure the sorcerer knows what she is meaning. “But if things go another way … well, you’ll need to be on your guard. That’s all.”

“Thank you,” Florwyn says shortly, giving nothing of her emotions away in her expression.

Time to leave them to it, Isobel, the Selunite tells herself, hoping her interference has done more good than harm.

"Florwyn," she adds, getting up and taking the breakfast tray and used breakfast things for her. "Whatever you're doing, keep doing it. We could really do with some more love in the world."

And she turns away for the stairs as her throat tightens and tears threaten once more, as she thinks of her own love, her dear angel gone where Isobel cannot follow.

Moonmaiden, she prays silently. My love story may be over, but I pray that a new one could begin, and have the resilience to overcome troubles as Aylin and I did.

Here in this darkest of places, may Shadowheart and Florwyn’s love become a light that shines a new beacon in this land.

[eldritchelfwriter]

FIRST CHAPTER OF THE SEQUEL TO SHADOWHEART BEGINS NOW RELEASED

Rejoin the Stormheart gals in new work, Wind Change ..

Chapter 1 preview

“Why are you fretting, hmm? You don’t think this old lady can make a little mountain?”

Florwyn stands beside Jaheira, watching her coax earth and stone out of the ground, helpless to be any use whatsoever. They may both interact with the natural world, but their powers have nothing at all in common: wind, rain and lightning are the opposite of stone, earth and living things …

“It’s too much,” Florwyn says anxiously, wringing her hands together. “You do too much …”

You do too much for me, is what she means, even if that is not quite what has come out. Although Jaheira seems to have caught the inference.

“Well we cannot risk a forest fire every time the lightning wants to give you its little hug,” Jaheira says, shrugging her shoulders. Just druid business – protecting the natural world, her words seem to suggest.

Though, the fact that she had dropped everything and invited herself over when Florwyn had confessed in a letter to not having yet found a suitable place for experiencing storms at Athaelond seems to say otherwise.

“Of course,” Florwyn murmurs, unable to do anything but watch as Jaheira coaxes more of the enormous obelisk she is creating from the ground.

“And I could not have you – ” Jaheira puffs with the effort for a moment as more stone rises up from the ground, the tremors tingling in Florwyn’s feet like thunder. Then Jaheira suddenly glares at Florwyn, sounding put out. “ – taking in the storms underground? After everything we worked on?! You should have written to me sooner.”

“It was just the one time,” Florwyn says, feeling almost as though she needs to apologise. Gods it had been awful. “I honestly had no idea you could do something like this. We’d been thinking of contacting Gale for help setting up something suitable …”

“Well now you know!” Jaheira says, still glaring at her.

Florwyn is not cowed: by now, she knows that Jaheira’s glares don’t contain any real heat. Rather, they are a cover for other things Jaheira is less comfortable with expressing, and that Florwyn is half-terrified of, that they do not discuss.

“If you ever move house, you will contact me straight away to do this again, hmm?”

The tone dares an argument that wasn’t even brewing within Florwyn, so Florwyn merely nods.

“Is it enough, now?” A sweating Jaheira says, gesturing at her handiwork and wiping her brow from the effort she has expended over the past hour.

Florwyn has already said several times that it was enough, and been overridden when Jaheira had pointed out that a storm would likely be even more enjoyable if she was able to be higher up still.

“It’s plenty, Jaheira – truly.”

Jaheira rolls her eyes. “We do not want to settle for adequate,” Jaheira says patiently, her weathered face softening. “We are wanting to create a storm sorcerer’s dream come true, cub.”

Affection and gratitude pierces Florwyn’s heart at that. She mumbles something about testing it out before twirling up in gusts of wind to the top of the obelisk to wipe her eyes without the old druid seeing how much she has been moved, how much she almost can’t stand that Jaheira has made this structure for her, out of love as much as from earth and stone.

[eldritchelfwriter]

Spoilers for the end of Shadowheart Begins: a head canon

This will never be in a fic, but I head canon that when Astarion takes over the Arcane Tower in the Underdark from which he organises the released vampire spawn, the spawn start reading El's D'vanya Mettle series that has been left behind in the tower.

Fights are had over the books as everyone wants to borrow them at once and a few spawn are killed, fighting over the books and whose turn it is to borrow.

It leads to a sudden surge in sales as Astarion is compelled to buy a bunch of full sets of the books in order to keep the peace.

Several vampire spawn book clubs are born to discuss the books and it becomes one of the most popular vampire spawn regular social events.

[callmelyrus]

And what a doozy the reveal is!

What might have happened for Shadowheart & Florwyn after Reaching For You?

Massive spoiler zone for Reaching For You, the Dark Justiciar redemption one shot over on AO3, so don't read if you haven't read that!

Originally I was just going to type up some thoughts about things that might have happened next but instead I've ended up stream of consciousness writing the whole plot of a sequel story that I strenuously advise that I will never write. Don't consider this 'canon', it's just thoughts that flowed out, have your own head canons for sure.

Apologies that there are a couple of REDACTED's where there's something that hasn't been revealed in Shadowheart Begins yet that I don't want to spoil, but I think it would be relevant here.

There are 3,000 words coming so grab a cup of tea.

* * *

Florwyn and Shadowheart have finally reunited, but they have a long way to go, to find their new way as a couple and as individuals.

Florwyn is mindful of not wanting to push too hard and fast after everything Shadowheart’s been through, and they are both a little awkward with each other at first. Shadowheart has her own room in the castle and space to rest. She sleeps a lot, in the first couple of weeks after her ordeal in the Harper safehouse.

Shadowheart is privately a little afraid to be alone, but doesn’t tell Florwyn. Fortunately, Cirrus the dog, of his own accord has taken to sleeping at the end of Shadowheart’s bed, rather than Florwyn’s.

She has a lot of nightmares about Shar, and every day she wakes up wondering if being here, with Florwyn, is real, or if she’s dreaming. Then, a soft knock on the door each day at the same time reminds her it’s all real, and she sees Florwyn bringing her tea in bed with that patient and loving look in her eyes … every day, tea and a chaste kiss while Shadowheart recovers and starts to make the first steps toward being a person without Shar. They are very polite with one another, still trying to find their way. And for Shadowheart, receiving any kind of kindness at all feels overwhelming. Frequently she is secretly in tears when Florwyn leaves, just to be cared for.

One day, Florwyn pulls open the curtains in Shadowheart’s room and the light that pours in doesn’t scare Shadowheart any more. She greets Shadowheart, gives her her morning tea and leans in for her kiss, but this time, Shadowheart asks her to wait a moment. Placing the cup of tea on the bedside table, with nervous hands, Shadowheart pulls Florwyn in for a kiss that is anything but chaste and leaves them both dazed.

“I love you,” Shadowheart whispers. It’s the first time she’s said it since that moment in the Harper safehouse.

And Florwyn can see, there’s new life, and new spark in Shadowheart’s eyes.

“I love you, too,” Florwyn whispers back, heartened.

It’s a new day in every way, and this time, Shadowheart and Florwyn spend the whole day together, as Florwyn shows her properly around both the castle, and some of the grounds, Cirrus gambolling along at their sides.

That night, they resume their old habit, of reading together with a drink, but this time it is in front of a fire in the lounge – a room that is covered in books from wall to wall, save for the fireplace. Their eyes wander over the top of their books at each other frequently.

As much as Florwyn is mindful of Shadowheart’s recovery and the big personal journey she has ahead of her, Shadowheart is also mindful of how much she hurt Florwyn all those years ago. Florwyn’s heart is still tender both from that hurt, and the loss of her wife. She doesn’t want to push too far and crush the fragile thing they have between them, any more than Florwyn does. Just holding each other and a few kisses feels like a great deal as it is, given how affection-starved Shadowheart (and Florwyn) have been for a long time.

Night time reading and drinks continues for a while, the space between them growing ever more electric, and then Florwyn leaning herself comfortably against Shadowheart turns into a fierce desire in Shadowheart to kiss her that she cannot and does not ignore. The stories they had been reading soon topple to the floor as they kiss and slowly, almost gingerly allow their hands to roam and relearn the feel of each other. And then they are holding each other for so long, that they fall asleep on the sofa and wake up in each other’s arms to Cirrus licking both of their faces, wondering where his breakfast is.

The next night, it’s even more electric and neither can read at all. They once again end up making out but suddenly stopping when things are about to get frisky. And Florwyn asks, “can I ask, why you stopped?” and basically, Shadowheart is like “I was stopping for you because seemed like you wanted to take things slow,” and Florwyn is like “oh I was being extra respectful of you” and they both realise they absolutely want to fuck each others pants off and there is no reason not to, so they do just that right there and then in front of the fire, and all is wonderful in the world as they both realise just how much they still love each other, after the intensity of the time with the Harpers and then the sudden change to being just alone together.

They move into the same room together and wake up beside each other every day now, because there’s no need to hold back from the fact that they’re both utterly besotted with each other.

There are good days and bad days for Shadowheart. Sometimes she is so filled with grief and regret she cannot get out of bed. On others, she finds Florwyn on the castle rooftop experimenting with sorcery, or takes Cirrus on rambles through the countryside, or tries her hand at baking and other little domestic thing, trying to take care of Florwyn and be as thoughtful of her as much as Florwyn has been of Shadowheart.

Florwyn can see that this life here is a little lonely for Shadowheart, but they have to be pretty careful about going out given Shadowheart has a lot of enemies and did essentially just abandon the Sharran church which has now indeed been decreed illegal. Florwyn sends out letters to Karlach and Astarion who each visit separately. (Karlach incidentally, did not have her heart fixed as per Shadowheart Begins, because Shadowheart never met Yrre. She went to Avernus with Wyll and they eventually found a cure there).

Things are a little frosty at first with Karlach, Shadowheart still feeling hurt by her sense of rejection in the aftermath of her decision at the Gauntlet. But Karlach is nothing if not forgiving and loving and also just incredibly proud of her for finally choosing the light, and it’s hard to stay mad at Karlach, so things melt between them fairly quickly. It feels even easier with Astarion, because he is a person who made a fair few questionable choices in life, so she feels like she isn’t being judged by him, for all that she is facing up to the enormity of the consequences and loss her decisions have brought about.

Eventually though, it becomes clear that Shadowheart needs a life of her own, not just being inserted into Florwyn’s. She feels useless without her power, and her religion, and is still trying to build up her sense of self. She needs something of her own, to fill the gap where her old life use to be.

Jaheira comes to stay and while her and Florwyn are catching up, Shadowheart goes on a walk on the rocky shore by the castle, just thinking about stuff. And there she finds an osprey with a broken wing. It breaks her heart that she cannot heal any more. And something in her needs to see that osprey fly again. She gathers it up, paying no mind to its slashing claws leaving deep cuts in her arms as the frightened bird is taken to the castle, to Jaheira.

Florwyn is immediately freaked out to see how badly Shadowheart’s arms are bleeding, but Shadowheart is only interested in whether Jaheira can heal the bird – not her. She isn’t even bothered by the pain, what is pain to an ex-Sharran, anyway? Jaheira seems to understand what is going through Shadowheart’s mind better than Florwyn. She heals the bird first, and Shadowheart’s arms second.

The bird picks himself up, and Shadowheart watches him fly off, until she can’t make him out any more, feeling teary. She had needed to see that broken things could be healed. She is a broken thing that needs healing herself. And she wants to be able heal again, somehow. That was the only thing that had felt good, under Shar. Perhaps in healing others, she can start to heal all of her own wounds. People have burned her time and time again … but animals don’t judge. Perhaps she could start there. Only … she isn’t a cleric any more, and she’s not in any shape to commit to any gods right now.

Jaheira doesn’t seem surprised, when Shadowheart asks her if she can teach her druidcraft. And when she learns to talk to animals it’s as though a whole new world opens to her. The osprey becomes her friend, as well as other creatures that roam near the castle. Every time Jaheira visits, there is more to learn, and she spends the time in between working hard to master what Jaheira has taught her, with Florwyn’s proud encouragement.

As she works, she begins to come to terms more and more with the darkness she was not only involved in, but actually helped propagate. She wonders what became of the cloister, and who is in charge now. She has a feeling will be XYZ, her former ruthless deputy. And as she works through the things she ordered and was part of as the head of the Baldur’s Gate church, eventually, everything comes back to where it all really started – the decision that changed everything, killing the Nightsong, Selune’s daughter. No apologies she makes can ever take back everything she’s done, everything she’s part of, but she needs to start somewhere.

On a moonlit night, by herself, she tearfully apologises to Selune. And she feels a sense of a mother’s grieving heart understanding the grief she herself feels for her own, fucked up life and everything she’s done. And she feels forgiveness. “Why? How could you? After what I did? What I’ve done?” She asks, weeping. Selune shows her the true memory of what happened the night she was taken which kind of breaks her, but now she knows the truth, and Selune tells her that it is remarkable that she has been able to turn to the light after all that was taken from her, all the brainwashing she was subjected to. Selune, too, is sorry for what happened to her as a child and what she was subjected to since. Selune tells her to find her own path and as a result of the meeting, she is a circle of the moon druid multiclassed with life domain cleric.

There comes a time though, when the sporadic lessons with Jaheira aren’t enough, when Shadowheart needs more. She needs to find what she is capable of, and who she is, and to do that, she will need to go out into the world and leave Florwyn behind for a while, not just slot into Florwyn’s life. It will be a risk to be out in the world, when there will be Sharrans with a grudge, but staying safe and isolated isn’t going to help her grow.

Their farewell lovemaking is desperate, their parting heartwrenching, and Shadowheart leaves the castle and joins Jaheira and the Harpers, so that she can learn “on the job” with Jaheira. It feels good to do some good in the world – she wants to do some good in the world, after all the darkness she once spread. It feels like she’s starting to pay off a debt by putting some good into the world.

But she can’t be known as Shadowheart, out in the world where there are angry Sharrans. Jaheira asks her to pick a new name and she shrugs and says the first name that comes to mind.

“Call me Jenevelle.”

She doesn’t even know where she’s heard the name before, but it has a familiar ring to it.

Gradually she rises through the ranks of the Harpers, gaining respect. She doesn’t see Jaheira as often as time goes by, but when they do there is a fair bit of banter and jokes that she had better not piss off her “mother-in-law.”

For a few years Shadowheart and Florwyn’s relationship is long distance, seeing each other for odd weekends or weeks here and there where their reunions are desperate and intense and buoyant until the inevitable crushing moment of departure. They send each other regular, heartfelt letters, each savouring the arrival of a new letter, and treasuring the letters and rereading them often.

Meanwhile, Shadowheart realises the strange patterns she is seeing in the work the Harpers are undertaking follows a plan that had been devised by her deputy in the cloister that she had shelved. She knows who took over at the cloister after her now.

While she and the Harpers are working to take down the (now illegal) Sharran organisation, Florwyn is reflecting on what she wants in life too. She had been living a life of almost complete solitude for so long, something that Zeera couldn’t handle (hence frequent travels to visit friends), and it obviously isn’t suitable for Shadowheart either. She realises she has become what she has always despised – she’s become a bit like a wizard in an ivory tower but a castle instead. REDACTED.

The castle and its everchanging weather is brilliant for a storm sorcerer, surrounded as she is by an ever-chorus of wind that never leaves her feeling alone, but it’s gloomy and lonely for anyone else. Perfect if she wants to be alone all of her life. But she doesn’t want that, she loves Shadowheart too much. They’ll need to come up with a new dream for life together, if this is going to work.

The letters continue, and Shadowheart is becoming more confident. She can’t change her past, but the future is in her hands, and she’s shaping it herself now.

Shadowheart and the Harpers manage to fight and disband the Sharran organisation, and Shadowheart can only pity her old deputy. She can’t believe she used to be part of all that.

Then one day, Shadowheart receives a letter from Florwyn telling her that Cirrus has died. And something in Shadowheart knows that she is done here now, and it is time to move forward with something new. She and Jaheira, whom she is quite close to by now, talk long into the night.

Florwyn runs out to greet her when she returns home, flinging their arms around each other as Florwyn weeps, Shadowheart feeling rather weepy too, but not just because of the dog. Because Florwyn’s arms are where she belongs now. She feels worthy of Florwyn, and like she can be an equal partner to her now.

Florwn exclaims over Shadowheart’s new hair cut and style, which felt like an important step for Shadowheart in defining the new her, and for a few days they are caught up in the excitement of being together again, of kissing, and holding and making love and all the wonderful little things about each other. It feels like their love has only deepened through their time apart.

Florwyn is of course expecting Shadowheart to leave again soon. But she can see how much more confident, and happy Shadowheart is. She likes these changes in her, she can see that this time she has had has been good for. But it also makes her heart hurt to think that perhaps she is too unexciting for Shadowheart, because she feels deep in her heart that this visit is the end of something, though she doesn’t know what yet.

Then Shadowheart gets up the courage to tell Florwyn that Jaheira has given her a job offer, something different to what she was doing before. Something she would enjoy, and would enable her to keep doing good. But it would mean moving closer to the city … would … is there any chance … would Florwyn come with her?

Florwyn’s tears make Shadowheart think the worst until Florwyn flings her arms around her and says of course my love, anywhere you are is my home. And Florwyn explains she had been thinking much the same sort of thing, and that she’d like to dream anew with Shadowheart, something for both of them. And so they leave the castle behind.

To the small farming community nearby, they know they can go to ‘Jenevelle the healer’ any time – whether for themselves or their livestock. But to Harper trainees, the little wildlife rehabilitation centre she and Florwyn run is a secret training centre for twelve weeks of the year. Here they learn about subterfuge, and spying and all the things that Shadowheart learned as a Sharran that were intended for dark deeds but which she teaches both for good, and so that the Harper trainees can understand the enemies they are up against. Here, also, Shadowheart trains animals as messengers for the Harpers.

Here also the arcanists among the Harpers learn to spot arcane traps and the like from Florwyn. REDACTED.

They go into the city sometimes, to purchase more books of course, but also to visit Alfira’s school. Alfira doesn’t say anything, but she has suspicions about who Florwyn’s druid/healer partner ‘Jenevelle’ might really be.

One day when there are no Harper trainees, and Shadowheart is outside planting vegetables, while her dogs and other animals play around her, a voice calls out in greeting.

It’s a surprise visit from Jaheira, who has become as much a mother to Shadowheart, as she has to Florwyn. For the first time Jaheira doesn’t just seem old, she seems frail. But she is pleased to see Shadowheart. She is ushered excitedly in by both Florwyn and Shadowheart, and eventually, after the initial catch ups, Jaheira gives them her news. She is retiring from the Harpers – for good this time.

She is proud, so proud of them both. Her stay with them is short, but somehow, it feels like she is saying goodbye without saying goodbye, as she hints that there is only one last great adventure for her now, and it’s nearly time.

They are both try not to weep and cling to her when she leaves, but she puts up with them. But she seems excited for a new adventure again, something completely different. It is clear from the way she talks that she is looking forward to being reunited with Khalid.

Things would have gone very different for both of them, if not for Jaheira. Two orphans who were lucky enough to have someone take them under their wing and give them a guiding hand and a bit of love. Is that something they would want to do for others one day, too? Something to think about …

Holly, their silly Irish setter bunts her head into them, wanting a pat, breaking the moment. And then Shadowheart takes Florwyn’s hand, and says, “come on, love. Let’s go inside.”

They are both home. Because home will always be with each other. But perhaps, there could be room for more, in the home of love they’ve built.

Once again it is the end of something. But perhaps, it could be a start to something else, too.

* * * * * *

For the record I felt very teary when it came to saying that Florwyn and Shadowheart were having time apart, and I straight up started crying at the Jaheira bit at the end.

If you have guessed the parts that are redacted, I'd appreciate if you could keep them to yourself and out of the comments for the moment so that it will hopefully be a surprise for readers of Shadowheart Begins when the reveal comes. :) (I have no intention of revealing or confirming in advance what it is).

[eldritchelfwriter]

when did you know Florwyn was the author of the D'vanya Mettle books and Shadowheart was the biggest fan? was that planned from the beginning or did you decide later on during Shadowheart Begins? how did you come up with D'vanya's name and each of the book titles? and how did you manage to keep the secret till the last chapter???

Don't read the ask or answer if you haven't finished Shadowheart Begins. MASSIVE SPOILERS.

Oh Anonymous, I knew from the start. 😎

Shadowheart has a big pile of books in her tent area and reading is one of her idle animations - I'm one of those people who love looking at other people's book shelves and was thus annoyed that I couldn’t read the titles while simultaneously amused to think she was perhaps reading mystery novels.

Knowing how heavy some of the themes in the fic would be, having a little thread going through that could be used for comic relief as well as (hopefully) feeling like a fun pay off at the end seemed like a cool idea to try. The idea of Shadowheart as an unhinged fan also just absolutely sent me!

When it came to the chapter where D’vanya Mettle first made an appearance, I thought to myself "now you'd better think of something good for her name, since this'll be haunting the whole fic." Well, I couldn't think of anything so I put the first thing in my head down so I could keep writing and come back to it later with a better idea. And then when I did come back to it, my mind went blank and I just went "well, it'll have to do!" And that's how D’vanya Mettle got her name. You don't know how many times I've told myself "I can't believe you stuck yourself with that."

As to the book titles - oh I was trolling you all when I created those, knowing what I knew. No special thought into the titles, I just hoped it would be something that would amuse readers during the story and then give you all a bit of a laugh at the end when you realised how hard I'd been trolling. 🤪

Keeping the secret was hard!!!!! As were all the SB secrets, and that particular one I had to keep for so very long til the literal end. One reader did work it out before the end (actually well before the end) which was kind of a relief and a worry - good to know that the clues "worked" if you looked for them, but at the same time I was stressed everyone would figure it out before the end and ruin the surprise!!

Thanks for this fun ask, Anonymous!

[eldritchelfwriter]

There's been a thought plaguing my mind for a while. I'm intrigued by Florwyn's preference of wind. Emmeline asks her and she does share, but the reader doesn't know what is being said! If you have an answer, I'd love to know! Why nor-easterly?

Ooh what an interesting question!

This is partly answered in chapter 13, when Shadowheart is trying to work out a gift for Florwyn:

“She’s a painter in her spare time, and I assume she would have everything she needs for that. She loves reading and books, enjoys tea and whisky – sometimes together, and she loves,” and here Shadowheart rolls her eyes. “The smell and taste of a nor-easterly wind – not a scent, I believe, that can be found in a shop.”

I don't know if there is necessarily an answer beyond that, I just thought it was fun for Florwyn to have a favourite wind, and nice to end with the idea of 'there's a good wind blowing.'

What that particular part in the ending meant to me, though, was not necessarily about what Florwyn would have been saying, but just the fact that Florwyn, who has been so tight-lipped about her sorcery for much of the entire story, is here just happily opening up to Emmeline about something few other than herself could really understand but sharing her love for it anyway, knowing she isn't going to be shut down or looked at strangely. The fact that she is able to tell Emmeline without hesitation says something about both where their relationship has got to, and where Florwyn is at in her sorcery these days.

I believe when I initially came up with the idea of Florwyn having a favourite wind, I did google a bit and found out that there is a big storm called a nor-easter in some parts of the world (not mine) but mostly, I just thought it rolled off the tongue and sounded a bit more poetic than all the other options. :D

[eldritchelfwriter]

The secret of [redacted] in Shadowheart Begins

As promised in the final chappy notes, here is the secret behind [redacted].

DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE NOT FINISHED THE FINAL CHAPTER.

The secret of Florwyn's storm form mechanics!

Now, this is stuff that Florwyn herself was working out during the story, because she was never able to "keep" the storm energy when she was a captive, and that first storm in I think chapter 4 was literally the first one she had joined after being a captive.

Every time she joins a storm she receives what I think of as a "storm charge" of storm energy that can then be used (and once used up she has to wait for another storm to get another charge).

The first storm where all the trees were splintered etc gave her her first charge

The first charge was almost all used in the aftermath of the Gauntlet when she went crazy after Shadowheart didn't come back

The second storm in chapter 17 where she allowed Shadowheart to see her gave her her second charge

This was mostly used in the aftermath of believing Shadowheart had died in Lorroakan's tower

Because of my plans for the ending, this meant she HAD to join another storm (finale part 1) before we got to the end because she was pretty much tapped out - which gave her the charge required for the dramatic finish

The first two uses were fairly unconscious triggered by strong emotion, and she had been able to assert conscious control in the third use

So now you know, there is a sort of mechanic behind her storm form based on receiving a usable charge from a storm, that once used needs to be recharged from a new storm to be able to put it in play again.

[eldritchelfwriter]

Cheers everyone! Shadowheart Begins is a wrap! 120,000 odd words, 24 chapters, 7 months of my life devoted to Stormheart and learning about the crazy amazing and supportive world of fanfiction!

I'm celebrating by giving these storm whisky glasses their maiden outing, with Storm Islay whisky. Yes I got the lightning tshirt especially for today too. 😁

And my commemorative Stormheart dice arrived today! Such great timing!

[eldritchelfwriter]

(lovingly) Ok I'm gonna be one of those Why the name change? 😂

LMAO!!!! This will be our little secret ok? 😂

Seriously when the chapter came up to come up with the author name and her fictional heroine I thought to myself: ok think of something good, because this is going to be haunting the entire rest of the fic.

D'vanya Mettle and A.L. Merrington were just off the top of my head placeholders.

Never did think if anything better. 😅

[eldritchelfwriter]

If you want to prep for the final chapter of Shadowheart Begins dropping in less than 12 hours, just listen to this on repeat. (Thanks fogno!!)