#things only start diverging after astarion. kills him.

[thedragonagelesbian]

9, 13, & 14 for the tav asks if you want to!

Thank you anon!! I never don't want to talk about my darling tav Cyrus

9: Is your Tav from Baldur's Gate? Why are they travelling there?

Main timeline Cyrus would consider himself to be from Baldur's Gate! He didn't grow up there, spending the first ~25 years of his life on the road with his mother and father, but as an elf, that's barely anything. After his mother passed on a voyage from Evermeet (Faerun's equivalent of Middle Earth's Valinor) to Baldur's Gate, Cyrus got stuck in the city for ~50 years as ward/employee of an orphanage in the Lower City, lured in first while in the throes of grief and unwilling to leave later because he saw himself as the only one protecting the human and half-elf children from the orphanage's negligent headmaster.

The orphanage caught fire and burned down when Cyrus was ~80. He nearly died trying to get everyone else out and was only just saved by a cleric of Ilmater (which is a little Anders cameo because I can't help myself). After a length recovery period, Cyrus has the sudden realization that the orphanage is gone forever, its charges scattered and lost throughout the Lower City and its profiteering headmaster dead in the fire (did Cyrus leave him to die... hm..................). This discovery is at once joyous and terrifying-- or, more precisely, terrifying because it is joyous. There is a part of Cyrus that firmly believes he should've stayed in the city to track down the children and find a way to keep supporting them, and that part of him is disgusted by how selfishly elated he is to cast off that responsibility and finally fucking leave.

But leave he does! He spends ~30 years as an independent adventuring paladin wandering all over Faerun being helpful and charming and very unintentionally breaking a lot of hearts before (in the main timeline) getting tadpoled. During that time, he never went back to Baldur's Gate. Still, it's the place where he spent most of his extended elven youth, so he still considers it to be where he is from.

(I also don't think Cyrus knows how old he is but does one day have a moment of 'oh I've probably hit my first century' and it is. Quietly devastating. An elf turning 100 is culturally a very big deal, but there's no one around to celebrate it with or to oversee his adult naming ritual.)

Ranger Cyrus does not consider himself to be from Baldur's Gate because this timeline is shifted back by about ~140 years and something ELSE traumatic and autonomy-stealing happens to him instead of getting tadpoled. As a result, he's been away from the city for a lot longer, and if you were to ask him where he's from, he'd say he's from nowhere, or suggest that he's lived most of his life in his cottage in [insert remote Faerun woodlands here I haven't worked out all the details yet].

Neither version of Cyrus were intentionally traveling to Baldur's Gate when they were abducted by the illithid, they just sort of happened to be in grabbing range.

13: What are their thoughts on killing? Is it a necessary evil or do they enjoy it?

Nine times out of ten, any version of Cyrus is going to view killing as a last resort (...maybe seven times out of ten for ranger Cyrus, he just doesn't have the patience to talk things out nicely). In that tenth edge case, though, if he's dealing with anyone particularly and intentionally cruel, unjust, and oppressive, he turns into a storm of righteous, murderous fury. Dealing with Nere is probably the best example of this-- Cyrus had been diplomatic for most of Grymforge, and thenNere killed one of the gnome slaves, and Cyrus was like 'okay well now I'm going to smite you to the Hells and back and I'm going to enjoy doing it'. 'Your god, my oath' remains my favorite paladin line in the whole game.

The other edge case is when dealing with entities of ontological evil (devils, demons, etc.) because Cyrus is almost always going to default to killing those things (i.e., doing the worst possible version of the Yugir fight rather than tricking him into killing off his lackeys/himself).

14: What hobbies does your Tav have?

Do self-sacrifice and martyrdom count as hobbies?

For real though, Cyrus loves gardening!!! It's a hard thing to keep going during the adventure, especially in the Shadowlands, but I imagine Cyrus' tent has a couple of small pots or box planters for growing medicinal and cooking herbs.

(Except shadow sorc Cyrus, who neglected his budding plants while dealing with the whole... dying & not coming back right & not feeling like his body is his own anymore thing, and then the plants died too. Shadow sorc Cyrus is having such a rough fucking time from start to finish it's hard to engage with anything that would make him happier. The only hobby he really keeps up with is journaling as like. The One Singular Thread by which he is holding on.)

He'll also spar casually with Lae'zel and Karlach for funsies.

Also not really a hobby, but Cyrus is a big fan of cat socializing and just being around someone else while they're doing a hobby they really enjoy. Sitting with Halsin while he whittles, listening to Gale talk out loud while trying to figure out a piece of magic, watching Wyll practice his lute (because we all agree that Wyll is a bard). Ranger Cyrus takes a longer time to start doing this, but he'll open up eventually!!!

[paganwitchisis]

The Price of Freedom Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Revelations and Comfort

Rated E for EXPLICIT!!

Word count: 3,670

Warnings: DEAD DOVE DO NOT EAT! Abuse, torture, smut, oral sex, rape, healing, beatings, dismemberment, breeding kink, act 3 spoilers, canon divergence, blood, violence, graphic depictions (It is Cazador after all)

Chapter one - here

Chapter two - here

You're on chapter three

Chapter 4 - here

AO3 link here

RATED 18 PLUS!!! This chapter has a little adult content (oral and masturbation)

As promised, the last chapter was short so here is the next chapter so soon.

But there was no way! He was dead, so creating life was surely off the table…wasn’t it? Does that mean his pregnant lover almost died? It was already bad he almost lost the most important person to him but now couple this with the fact that she may be carrying his child?

“It is definitely a Dhampir. That much is certain, but she will need to be watched closely. These pregnancies can be fatal for the mother. Often, Dhampirs feed on their mother’s blood if she doesn’t start consuming some. The fact she hasn’t had anything abnormal happen yet is a miracle in itself.”  Shadowheart muttered to Karlach as they continued to loot the gold and chest before them behind the throne.

“So, Fangs is virile, and soldier needs to drink blood? What the fu…Oh! Hey, Fangs!” Karlach finally acknowledged Astarion who stood behind them and was in a state of shock. The more he heard, the more he worried. His offspring could kill his lover? The woman he cared deeply about? Additionally, she may have to drink blood to keep up with the child?

But how did Astarion even feel about children?

In general he knew his concerns, but with Tav? Did those same concerns still apply? He has a chance at having a family. This was something Cazador had stripped him of ever having, or so he thought. This was so fast. How far along was she? Is she healthy aside from the battle wounds? When did they conceive? How long can she safely fight before she couldn’t? They still had so much to do, and the Absolute would not wait until a babe was born. There was so many questions and not enough answers.

“Astarion, take a seat.“ Shadowheart took charge as she could see his obvious turmoil crossing his mind.  Astarion listened, if for nothing else, then to get some answers.

“How far along?” Astarion asked before anything could be said.

“From what I can tell? About 10 weeks. Now keep in mind, I’m not as experienced with this sort of thing. You’re better off talking to Halsin or Jaheira, but I do know the basics on what is going on.” Shadowheart answered.

“10…10 weeks? Are you sure? That was…we…I mean we did it plenty but…that was right before I spoke to her about…” Astarion’s mind was racing. The math added up. It was the last time they had sex, the last time they were intimate before Moonrise and his confession to her about his intentions. She fell pregnant from a lie...from his game. Astarion felt like he would be sick.

“Look, you need to be strong, Fangs. She is going to need you. She doesn’t know.” Karlach cheered him on and Shadowheart continued to speak.

“The babe was conceived because you were well fed on humanoid blood. As much as I was healing Tav in the cursed lands, I can believe you got your fill from her. She was always bloodless. Especially after you two began sharing a tent. She will need to consume blood for the babe. This is only temporary. Once she gives birth, that will go away, but there is a lot of risk with this pregnancy. It is very difficult to conceive a Dhampir. I mean, the odds are astronomical. A woman who can do it is very rare. No one can know she has your child Astarion. If they did, well…I must reiterate what I said before. It is almost impossible for a living woman to have undead children and any woman who can do that is worth quite a bit to the wrong people.

Astarion kept thinking about one of those wrong people.

Cazador.   

Astarion snarled.

“She is mine! I won’t let anyone take her from me.” Astarion growled out and Karlach squealed about how cute his commitment was. Shadowheart just rolled her eyes.

Astarion knew he had a bit to consider and grabbed the water he had before and went to the other side of the room. Tav, he noted, was asleep but breathing normally. He cleaned himself up and changed out of his armor while thinking over what had happened. Did he want to be a father? This child could kill her, but the odds made it sound like the chances of having another were almost nil if they changed their minds later on. Then there was the most pressing one – Cazador. Astarion knew that Dhampirs are considered the worst among the dregs of vampire society but they had the best of both worlds. Little to no cons and yet they had vampiric abilities. They could walk in the sun without searching for a damned ring, even.

“Hey, Fangs!” Astarion was jolted from his thoughts when Karlach called out to him after he finished up. “What did he mean about the limiter? About what the vampire creep said about what the slime bucket did. You know, the fucker we’re gonna kill?”

Astarion couldn’t help the smile on his face at the nickname Karlach gave Cazador and grinned before answering Karlach “Aside from our… little wriggling friends, my powers are hampered by Cazador. When he sired me, he put something magical in place to limit my abilities. Starve me on top of that, and it makes sense I can’t access the abilities I am supposed to have. I know I should be able to walk on the ceiling if I wished. That was one, but as you can see, I’m just me.” Astarion answered bluntly. “He did that to all of the spawn.”

“What a prick!” Karlach exclaimed.

Astarion grabbed two more potions from his pack and his bedroll. He laid it down next to his lover and snuck in under her covers. He moved to hold her and she immediately snuggled into his arms. Astarion’s heart melted and he couldn’t help but smile to see her relax into his arms. Astarion tilted her head up and kissed her a few times to wake her up. When she was reorienting herself with the world, Astarion kept going. He kissed her nose, cheek and jaw. He kissed her neck and was extremely gentle on the wound. Tav was about to moan when Astarion swallowed it in a kiss.

“Not here, love. I need to talk to you, but once you’re healed, know that is definitely on my mind.”

Tav looked at him and was confused.

“But what you said. You said you…” Astarion kissed her hard to quite her as she began to point out what he himself had mentioned. Astarion leaned forward and whispered in Tav’s ear, tickling the sensitive tissue.

“There was a new development, my sweet, and now I can’t think of anything but having you over and over again. I….I think I am ready for this. Not now, not here. Back at the tavern.”

“If you don’t want to, or…”

“I know, my sweet. I know I can say no with you. Now, we have something rather important to discuss.”Astarion shifted to hold Tav in his arms completely and allow her to lay on his chest, an offer she took immediately. Tav wrapped her arms around his lithe waist and felt at home in his arms.

“When was your last monthly, my sweet?” Astarion asked the leading question, hoping she would get to the same conclusion sooner than it took him to realize something was off. Astarion was looking forward to her time of bleeding for obvious reasons, but yet even he missed it. Astarion chalked it up to the stress of the shadow cursed lands and battling the chosen of the dead three, but admittedly, he never thought to question even when they shared a tent why she never bled.

“I think it was around the time we were at the Creche…No…that can’t be right. I think it was before then…I was spotting during the Creche but I didn’t have my monthly then. Usually that means I was going to have it soon. I remember you were…Um…eager for when that would happen.” Tav answered honestly.

“It tastes like fine wine would soak your cunt every month, so yes. I very much would look forward to getting drunk on it. Add to that, how deliciously sweet and intoxicating you naturally taste, and, my dear, you’re lucky my head isn’t between your thighs daily.” Astarion whispered in her ear for her to hear only. Tav grunted and dropped her head onto his chest, willing the ground to swallow her whole. Shadowheart was doing her best to ignore the two while Karlach was sorting her pack not far from them.

“And I must say, dear, when you get aroused, you never fail to make me hard.” Astarion sent this sentence through the tadpole as he very gently adjusted his hips so she could feel the hardness between his legs. “Now, it has been a bit since your last cycle, hasn’t it? Why do you think that is?” This comment Astarion said out loud, but in a low whisper. He didn’t want her in denial. Not with the decisions they had to make.

“Stress?”

Astarion chuckled and shook his head. Testing a theory, he brought his hand up and squeezed her breast lightly. Tav recoiled with a yelp.

“They’re tender. This battle…”

“And couple that with your morning sickness?” Astarion was getting a little frustrated and decided to start spelling it out at this point if she was so firmly set to not believe the signs. It took a moment, but then Tav’s eyes widened and she propped herself on her elbows on his chest so she could look at him better.

“You aren’t saying….I couldn’t be. Can I? I mean, you’re…” Tav sputtered. Astarion kissed her lovingly to quell her racing thoughts. She was still badly injured and if his perception of her racing heart was any indication, she needed to calm down. Astarion wrapped his arms around her upper body and kissed her until she was nearly breathless. Astarion pulled back and rested his forehead on hers.

“You’re carrying my child, my love. You’re still pretty injured, and we can’t let you get worked up though, but I do want to talk to you about this because no one can know except our companions, potentially. No one else, if I’m going to protect you from Cazador, or any vampire, for that matter. If word got out of a mortal woman who could bear undead children…I believe Shadowheart’s words were that you would be ‘worth quite a bit to the wrong people’.  Apparently, the odds are not in our favor to have children, but if I am fed well on humanoid blood and you’re fertile in the right way… We can have children, Tav. Now, there is still a lot of unknowns, like how this will play out with the Absolute and the damn brain, but Shadowheart was clear you will need to consume blood to nourish the little one…assuming that…Well…” Astarion looked away, not able to say the words and finish the sentence, but Tav picked up on his intention right away.

“I thought you didn’t want or like kids? I mean, with how you talk about the kids who end up in our camp…”  Tav was trying to wrap her head around everything, but she sorely needed his input. How did Astarion feel about children? It was a conversation they never had because they thought he couldn’t, but now that it was an option…

Astarion kissed her forehead, now realizing how touch-starved he truly was. He couldn't stop touching her skin, kissing her and wanting to snuggle up with this woman.

“I will admit that in the beginning, I reacted…poorly. I’m sure you can understand why. If children felt comfortable around me, they were in danger, and I’ve seen Cazador do things to children as much as adults. It wasn’t that I hated them….I just didn’t want them to be another victim. Being around you and your love however,” Astarion kissed Tav briefly. “I learned otherwise. I’m sure you saw me with the urchins. Mol’s gang of kids trying their scams and sleight of hand tricks, or even the hag we had to dispatch to save the little girl from. Have I been acting like you would assume someone who has issues with kids would behave?”

“I will admit, when you insisted we deal with the hag so soon and wait on Cazador one more day, I was surprised.”

“I have my own complications, but even I knew to go after the hag and save a child, and ignore my own safety from Cazador. Who knew how long that little girl had left?” Astarion slipped his hand under Tav’s shirt and drifted his fingers up and down her spine. “But to answer your question, I don’t have an issue with kids, exactly. Did I want to be a father? At first, I would have said no, but after thinking it through…Tav, I want a family with you, and only you. I want the world to see your belly swell with my child, and although I know how dangerous that is, I want the world to know you’re off limits. That you are mine, and I am yours.”

“I am yours, though.” Tav said as she kissed his jaw.

“Don't. If you keep kissing me, I’ll make love to you here. This child was conceived through a lie, when I wasn’t even present. It won’t happen again. I’m going to keep filling you and filling you…and gods below if you get more aroused…You smell like food, and I’m starving. I will taste you with them here, so let’s settle down. You’re too injured for this, and we have an audience.” Astarion said quickly through the tadpole connection they had.

Tav smiled and replied to him about his original question.

“To answer your worry from earlier, I don’t plan to abort. I…I was forced to years before meeting you and it was a pain and baggage that I can’t compare. To know that you wanted to be a mother but instead of protecting the life, you snuffed it out. I wasn’t okay for a while after that, but to be honest, I fell pregnant not of my own consent either. Gods….this was maybe twenty years ago? It still bothers me, sometimes. I do like the idea of being a mother. Do I think I deserve it after going through the choice all those years ago? That is complicated, but I won’t make the same mistake again. For one, the circumstances are different. I’m not in an abusive situation. I wasn’t forced into it. You’re everything to me. Assuming you want me to be the mother to your child. I know there is a stigma on…”  Astarion kissed her again and shifted to the side so he was laying to the side of her. He dared not move on top or else he would lose all semblance of control.

“I don’t care about a stigma. You had an impossible choice and some may say what you did was a mercy compared to having a child in that situation. You know how much I care for you, and if you would, I’d be honored for you to be the mother to all of my children” Astarion whispered back, his hands wandering as well as his mouth. Astarion couldn’t help it. He almost lost her…lost them both today, and she was giving such a sweet and succulent scent with her arousal.

“All? How many do you plan on having, Astarion?” Tav giggled.

“Me? None, but you? You only have to say the word and I’ll fill you with one. I don’t care how big an army we make, darling, my come belongs to you. I’m all yours. Completely.” Astarion kept going back and forth between using the tadpole and whispering.  He wished for this conversation to remain private, but he could see Shadowheart’s look of disgust. Astarion began kissing her collarbone and avoided the sweet location where he would drink from her. ‘She was still healing’, he would have to remind himself. He couldn’t drink. Not yet. He was tempted to see what the difference in her blood would taste like. Gods, he had been tasting it and never knew! He had no idea to compare!

“Karlach, do you mind walking with me back to the front so I can pee? While I am at it, I can puke from these two being all over each other, when I must remind you, Astarion, she can’t have sex. She almost died. She needs rest.” Shadowheart directed the order of chastity to the vampire and looked back sweetly to the tiefling. “I don’t want to find a trap our distracted friend may have forgotten to deactivate.” Shadowheart rationalized.

Karlach just laughed and went to escort her out. They grabbed weapons and armor to leave in case of any issues should arise. Shadowheart left first. Karlach went to leave, closed the door before her, and said to Astarion; “I can give you twenty minutes, but she better stay healthy, Fangs, when we get back.” before disappearing to follow her friend. Astarion smiled and took his lovers’ lips appropriately. Without waiting, Astarion quickly undid the laces of Tav’s trousers and shoved them down with her underwear.

“We gotta be fast and quiet, darling. Just lay back and relax. Enjoy.” Astarion looked almost feral with his lust and desire. Licking his lips, Astarion dove under the blankets and Tav felt her labia part from his cool fingers. She felt his mouth and tongue work her clit at the same time as he sank two delicious fingers inside of her cleft and soon joined by a third finger. Tav had to bite the blankets to keep from crying out in pleasure. Astarion curled his fingers and went to work at a punishing pace. He sucked and licked with the flat of his tongue in alternating pressures. He knew exactly how to drive her crazy, but Astarion also wanted to give her a rapture with as little stress on the body as possible.

“That’s my good girl. Come for me. Feel good. The mother of my child deserves the fucking world.” Astarion went back down to devour her nerve cluster as if he was a man starved. Within minutes, Tav was crying out, her muscles contracting as Astarion helped her ride out her orgasm. When she was becoming overly sensitive, Astarion came back up and out from under the covers completely, licking his fingers and moaning how tasty she was. Astarion laid on his back and loosened his trousers after helping Tav get presentable. He snuck his hand under his underwear and began to jerk himself off without abandon. Astarion threw his head back and rut his hips into his hand. He was close, and he knew he was running out of time.

“T….touch me.” Astarion pleaded. “I need to come. Please, anywhere, just touch me, and not with your mouth, you minx. You’re still healing.” Tav smiled and brought her hand over. She cupped his balls and began lightly massaging them as Astarion’s hips grew more wild. He hissed in pleasure and took her hand away in time for him to spill his load inside his light blue underwear. Astarion moaned lowly, turned his head and kissed his lover as he finished emptying his seed. Astarion tied up his trousers in case they would be caught. He didn’t have time to clean himself up.

That was, until Tav pointed to her bag and he found a prestidigitation scroll inside. Thanking her with another quick kiss, Astarion used the scroll and snuggled up to Tav in time for Karlach to loudly talk on the way back, therefore announcing their presence. The door opened to Shadowheart glaring at the red woman.

“Don’t think I don’t know what you were doing, Karlach! You were warning them we were coming back! I swear, if she is sicker….”

“I would never hurt her!“ Astarion growled.

“Relax, Fangs. Everything is good. Also, Tav! Look what we found!” Karlach excitedly said and handed Tav a plain banded ring that had and insignia of a sun on it. It was black but thrummed with magic. Astarion sat up and helped his lover to do the same. She held it in her hand and kissed Astarion before sliding it on his finger.

“You know, my love, You keep treating me so well, I won’t know how to repay you.”

Tav merely kissed him before replying. “You don’t have to repay, love. I love you, Astarion Ancunin. You’re stuck with me.” Tav then chuckled to herself. “Especially with the baby. Unless you ever push us away, you have a family and you're loved.” Tav looped her arms around the vampire’s neck.

“Gods below, how the hell did I deserve you? How many times have you saved me now?”

Tav just laughed.

“Need I remind you that you kept me alive until Shadowheart could fix me? That you literally saved my life a few hours ago?

Astarion just smiled sadly as he recalled her life force squirting behind his hands. He remembered the panic and fear and kissed Tav back while Karlach found this as a romantic turn of events, and Shadowheart was already back in her bed, strangely facing away from them and now further away.   

Karlach left the two alone while Astarion looked at the ring in confusion.

“What’s wrong?”  Tav asked a very obviously worried Astarion.

“This ring. If it could help a vampire walk in the sun, you would think that after 200 years, Cazador would seek it out, and yet it is not in his grasp? It was so close to him, too…I find that hard to believe.”

Note: Chapters will be posted every weekend