A/N: the hand continues to slip, and I guess this is now multi-chaptered? This segment is in the beginning of act two, prior to getting to the Shadow cursed lands around Moonrise Tower.
Prior to his abduction, the sun-drenched mountain pass would have spelled immediate death. Immediate, agonizing, burning death. Astarion drew in a deep breath, leaning against a piece of the crumbling monastery wall and enjoying the warmth of the stone on his cool skin.
They had been scouting the ruins of the monastery when they had spotted a convoy of stern githyanki transporting a trio of nervous haflings dressed in Absolutist attire. One of the captives had made a break for freedom, and not long after the scent of blood filled his nose. Lae'zel had been eager to follow after them, but Meia had urged caution. Just because they were no friends of the cult did not mean the githyanki would be willing to help them - a sentiment Astarion readily agreed with. If it was up to him, they would already be traversing the Underdark, instead of trying to find a way past the door neither Gale nor he could open.
Speaking of their party's "leader"... Meia was notably absent from their campsite. They had set up on a cliff overlooking one of the upper floors of the monastery, out of sight of the main door. This disappearance was unlike her. Usually when they broke for camp, she would be there helping set up the tents or making the evening meal. And while he doubted that she had gone far, she had gone alone.
The tiefling was no fool, but sometimes her lack of common sense disturbed him.
He probably should go find her. Make sure she wasn't in some kind of trouble - she seemed to have a knack for finding it. Reluctantly, he pulled away from the sun-heated stone and headed down towards the monastery ruins proper.
She wasn't on the upper floors of monastery, which was for the best given the territorial eagle that had taken up residence near the strange weapon the monks had created. He had half expected to find her in the library given her almost academic conversations with Gale about the nature of magic, but all he spotted was a nest of gremishka - he made a note to mention that before they headed out in the morning.
Astarion finally found the sorceress sitting beneath a tree on a grassy plateau just off of the destroyed kitchen. He cleared his throat as he approached so he wouldn't startle her. "Something on your mind my dear?"
"Hm?" she looked over at him as he sat down beside her. "Oh, just... thinking."
"What about?"
The tiefling sighed, pulling a leg up to rest her head on her knee as she looked out over the canyon. "Everything. The parasite, the fact none of us have shown any symptoms yet, Halsin saying it was unlike anything he had ever seen before despite studying ilithid infections for who knows how long, those three 'champions' we were shown at the goblin camp, the fact we very well may be walking into a bloodbath if we actually manage to get into this crèche... There's just... a lot on mind."
"Valid concerns, all of them." He pulled one of his own legs up, resting his arm lazily on his knee. "And all things we have no real control of, at least not at the moment."
"I know," she said, seeming to deflate. "I know, but I can't help but worry about it."
"Then let's occupy your mind with other things, hm?" he suggested, sending her a sultry smile. He had the pleasure of seeing her eyes widen before she resolutely looked back at her feet, the rosy pink staining her cheeks as he heard her pulse pick up. She was so very easy.
Astarion took advantage of her apparent shock to pry. "Do you have anyone waiting for you back in the city Meia? Friends, lovers?"
"I - no, not really," she replied, picking at some mud that had dried to her boot. The sorceress looked up, catching his eye for a moment before immediately looking back down again. "What about you?"
He didn't miss the hesitation in the question. "Not as such, no. The city is a vertiable feast of sweethearts, but there isn't any particular one waiting for me." Not unless you counted Cazador, but Astarion would never put that bastard in the category of friend or lover.
She let out a soft, "oh". There was a pause, followed by, "why not?"
He sputtered. "What do you mean, why not?"
"I mean, it's just..." Meia floundered, cheeks turning even brighter red than before. "You're... well, extremely attractive!"
Astarion laughed. "Is that all? You're right, of course, but you have to remember, I haven't seen my face since I was turned 200 years ago."
She frowned, and he wasn't sure if it was because she disagreed - though how could she disagree, he was stunning - or if she hadn't considered he could no longer see his reflection. Usually he found her easy to read, but he wasn't sure what she was thinking and it disquieted him.
"As for why," he continued, pretending he wasn't uncomfortable with the unexpected turn this conversation had taken. "Well, I simply haven't found anyone who... caught my attention."
The sorceress made a sound of understanding, and he could all but feel the discomfort that radiated off of her. "I could ask you the same question you know," he said, making her look up sharply.
"What?"
"Darling, don't play stupid, it doesn't suit you," he retorted airily. "How can a delicious treat like yourself not have someone waiting for you back in the city?"
"I'm not playing-" she cut herself off with a noise of exasperation. "No one was interested in me, alright? I was always just... the devil girl, who fell over her own feet, and dropped the stew pot on top of all the dishes, breaking everything. Ruining everything."
That was not the direction he was hoping to move the conversation in. "You are telling me none of the men around you had eyes? Or the women for that matter?"
Meia shook her head, shifting so she was dangling both of her feet off of the ledge. "It wasn't... It's not... No one wanted me, okay? I've always been a nuisance at best."
A thought occurred to him. "Have you not... Was that your first?"
"Huh?" She looked up, and then her blush returned abruptly as she realized what he meant. "No, no, I've ... I mean, I've had sex before, just... only once."
"Only once?" Astarion could not hide his incredulity. He had known she was innocent but he didn't figure her for this innocent. Another, far more concerning thought occurred to him. "Wait, how old exactly are you?"
"Just turned 25 this past spring, why?"
Okay, that wasn't so bad. She was just incredibly inexperienced. Sheltered, likely due to her upbringing in the temple. It was fine. Not that he had anything to worry about, really. He was using her to ensure his own survival, nothing more. "Just... checking."
Meia gave him a strange look. "Why did you come looking for me?"
"I noticed you weren't at camp, and I wanted to make sure you hadn't gotten into any trouble," he said. "You have to admit you have a talent for finding it."
"I don't find trouble, trouble finds me," she disputed. "Point in fact, yourself."
Astarion gasped dramatically, placing a hand on his chest. "You wound me, my sweet."
She laughed at his theatrics. "We should likely head back before any of the others come looking for us."
"Probably," he agreed, noticing she hadn't moved from her seat. He was in no hurry to end this rare opportunity of having her all to himself.
The contemplative looks was back on her face, but it was less troubled now. "I really wanted to watch the sun set though."
"Then let's watch the sun set," Astarion suggested, shifting so he was sitting just a bit closer to her. He had to admit it was nice to take a moment to enjoy the scenery. He heard it said that it a normal reaction for some to react to the news of their imminent demise to try to get the most out of their life in the meantime. It was certainly better than the alternative. Sitting around being morose wouldn't get this damn parasite out of their heads.
Slowly, the setting sun pulled closer to the horizon. He couldn't remember the last time he had stopped to watch a sunset, even when he had been alive. The closer it came to disappearing, the larger it seemed to be become, painting the few clouds in reds, oranges, pinks and golds. He took a subtle side glance at his tiefling companion, and saw she was completely enraptured by the view. Gods, she was beautiful. The sunset made the white scales that framed her eyes gleam, the purple in her black hair standing out even more than usual. The wide silver eyes that made her look like a frightened baby deer whenever he did anything that caught her off guard - no, closer to a lamb, given the curled rams horns she had. His eyes drifted lower, her soft pink lips, the slender expanse of her neck...
"Astarion?"
He shook himself, he hadn't meant to get to lost in his own thoughts. "Sorry darling, got lost in the moment."
Meia climbed to her feet, brushing the dirt off of her pants, and he could easily see down her shirt. He still had yet to replace it as he had promised - the memory of her below him without a stitch of fabric came to mind, and he quickly pushed that away. Though he was tempted to ask for a repeat, he ideally wanted her to come to him and not the other way around.
"Time to head back?" he asked, standing beside her. He rather liked the way she had to look up at him whenever he stepped in close like this. "Though..."
She took a half step back, and he moved forward to meet her. Astarion really wasn't sure where she thought she was going, she had chosen to sit right beside the tree after all. He favoured her with a predatory smile and saw her gulp.
"Though?" she asked, taking another step back.
He took another step toward her, and she squeaked as collided with the tree trunk. "Though," he repeated, drawing out the syllables as he placed his hands on either side of her head, "it seems a shame to waste a perfect moment of privacy like this..."
Meia's eyes flicked from side to side, and then she licked her lips nervously. "Astarion... Someone might come looking."
"Mmm, that's what makes it exciting," he breathed, leaning in to trail kisses along her neck. He felt her shiver as his teeth grazed her skin. Despite her complaint, she still tilted her head to give him better access and his smile widened. "Such an eager thing."
When she whined at his words, he nipped at her neck, making sure not to break the skin, teasing her. He felt her hands on his hips, pulling him closer - and then heard someone clearing their throat nearby.
"Ah, there you are," Gale said, and Meia let go as if she had been burnt. Astarion wasn't sure if he wanted to curse or laugh.
Composing himself, he turned to face the wizard, an exaggerated expression of nonchalance plastered on his face. "What can I do for you my friend?"
"A few of us noticed you were uncharacteristically absent at dinner tonight Meia," Gale pointedly ignored Astarion, and instead focused his attention on the blushing sorceress.
Oh was that how it was going to be? Astarion leant back and crossed his arms, listening with growing amusement.
"I, um, I was watching the sunset," the pale tiefling stuttered. She wasn't able to hold eye contact.
"Ah, of course. You'd get quite the view from where you were standing," the wizard said in a deadpan. Astarion's smile turned into a smirk. Oh, Gale was jealous.
Meia sputtered and Astarion had to stop himself from laughing. She was so cute when she was flustered.
"None the less, I must insist on reminding you of the importance of regular meals," Gale continued, then gave Astarion a look. "I'm sure you can attest to that."
"Oh, naturally," Astarion agreed, giving Meia a long look. "Frequent meals are incredibly important. Essential even." The way the tiefling's eyes widened told him she had understood his innuendo.
Gale cleared his throat again, more sharply than before. "Yes. And as such, she should come back to camp to eat. Right away. Don't want dinner going cold, now do we?"
"Yes, right, back to camp!" Meia agreed, darting away Astarion and quickly skirting around Gale. "I'll see you there!"
Her footsteps quickly faded into the distance as Astarion stood staring at Gale, neither of them moving. He raised one of his eyebrows, daring the brown haired man to say something.
The wizard didn't disappoint. "I don't know what kind of scheme you are scheming Astarion, but I will not sit idly by while you take advantage of her. She is too kind a girl, too sweet a girl, to be left to your hungers."
"And it's that very sweetness that draws me to her," he drawled, checking his nails. Abruptly he looked back up, staring Gale down. "Don't be a sore loser Gale, it's unbecoming."
"Sore loser?" The outrage was apparent in his tone. "While I admit I had interest in the sorceress, that is far from the reason for my objections! I am concerned for her wellbeing."
"Are you implying she's not safe with me?"
"No, I'm saying I don't trust your intentions with her." Gale glared back at him, unwavering.
"I'm not the one with a magical bomb in my chest," Astarion pointed out cooly. "Of the two of us, I'm the safer option by far."
The wizard stiffened. "While not untrue, that was a low blow, even for you."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I'm sure you'll figure it out," Gale retorted, turning and heading back towards their camp.
Astarion was left, staring after the man with dumbfounded offense. Somehow that was more insulting that the implication he was a danger to Meia. With a scowl, he began the trek back to camp. See if he care for the welfare of one of them again.
~)*(~
The zaith'isk had been a dead end. The Dream Visitor had some kind of secret that would distabilize the githyanki, and now the Undying Queen Vlaakith and her soldiers were hunting them. Oh, and Mystra expected Gale to blow himself up to destroy the Absolute. The more Meia thought about it, the more the panic started clawing its way out of her guts, threatening to strangle her, swallow her alive.
She took another steadying deep breath, pressing her shoulder blades back against the smooth stone behind her. Focus, hold the breath for a count of four, then release and let all the thoughts flow away with it... She hadn't appreciated meditation until she was nearly 20, but she was glad she had learned it now. Gods, what was she doing here?
After the incident yesterday, she knew she couldn't just slip away without causing alarm. So when she felt the need for some place quiet where she could hide, she found a section of wall she could sit behind where no one would see her. That way if she felt the need to cry, she could do so without all the well meaning questions. It always made her feel worse.
They still had a goal. Get to Moonrise Tower, find a cure. Halsin hadn't been wrong that the overland route was going to be dangerous - the closer they got to the Shadowcursed lands, the worse it got. It was if nature itself was trying to reach out and drag them into the growing darkness at the edges of the trail. After the serene beauty of the forest around the Emerald Grove, it was decidedly unnerving.
It had been Karlach who suggested they scout ahead, and Shadowheart had echoed those sentiments, pointing out that it would be good to see how dangerous the route would be before deciding which way to venture. Meia had agreed with their logic, only heading back to camp when they found the old man resting on the side of the trail who had said he had been looking for Gale. The following conversation had been uncomfortable for all of them, and Meia had left Gale to his thoughts.
Karlach had wanted to get Sussur bark for the designs they found at the forge in the destroyed village. And there was still the question of the Nightsong, which was supposedly somewhere in the Underdark. Even if it meant a slightly longer trip, Meia was willing to take it if it meant they'd be out from under those twisted trees a little while longer. She only hoped the rest of the party wouldn't be upset with the decision.
Meia took another steadying breath. It was going to be fine, she had the support of her traveling companions - even if she had been avoiding both Astarion and Gale since yesterday. She had taken Shadowheart and Karlach with her and Lae'zel into the bowels of the monastery where the githyanki had set up their base, which had been a good thing too, seeing as they had to fight their way out of the infirmary. And then fight the Kith'rak. And after that, they had to fight the Ch'r'ai and his soldiers. She had been utterly spent when Vlaakith had shown up. There had been no other option but to go into the Astral Prism.
Remembering the conversation with the Dream Visitor, an uncomfortable mix of guilt and distrust rose to the surface. While she claimed to be protecting them, being on their side, something felt... off. There was more that she wasn't telling them, beyond this secret she was harbouring that would mean the downfall of Vlaakith. Particularly since each one of them saw a different version of this guardian. Whoever or whatever it was didn't want them to see their real face.
That led her back to another concern she had been trying to avoid - Astarion. Given their conversation yesterday, and the all too familiar tactics of the Dream Visitor, Meia was beginning to doubt how genuine the elf was about her. It wouldn't be the first time after all - the entire reason she had been out in the street when the Nautaloid had appeared over the city was because she had overheard her most recent crush gossiping with his friends about how easy it would be to bed her, and how he already had her wrapped around his finger. If she hadn't snuck into the Lower City, she likely wouldn't even be in this situation right now. Gods she was stupid.
She had felt Astarion's eyes on her since she had come back into camp - she was sure she was in a right state. Her armour was singed and bloody in places, though only some of that blood was her own. She was sure she looked as exhausted as she felt.
A shadow fell over her. When she opened an eye, she saw that same pale elf standing above her, holding a plate of food.
"I brought you dinner," he said, sitting down beside her. "I noticed you weren't eating with the others."
She didn't even know where to begin. Taking the food was probably a good option. "Um, thank you."
He waved off her gratitude, settling in entirely too close. He wasn't touching her, but only just. "You've been hiding back here since you came back to camp. What's bothering you?"
"I..." she faltered, the fear of what he might say in response to her asking how genuine his interest making her reconsider. She might be overthinking everything and then offend him by suggesting otherwise. "How much did you overhear between Gale and Elminster?"
"Overhear?" the elf asked, his face the picture of innocence. "I have no idea what you're implying my dear."
Meia gave him a look around the buttered roll she was eating. His innocent look morphed into a conspiratorial grin. "But now that you mention it, it is awfully convenient that Gale's goddess found a way to stop this explosion that happens to allow him destroy the Absolute - and himself. A waste of a perfectly good cult if you ask me. And a perfectly good Gale."
"I'm just hoping he doesn't go through with it," she said, placing the half-eaten roll back on the plate and putting it on the ground in front of her. "It's an absolutely abhorent thing to ask of someone. And he's actually considering it!"
Astarion picked up her plate and handed it back to her. "I'm sure he'll see reason, given the right motivation."
She frowned at the plate. She wasn't feeling particularly hungry, despite everything that had happened today. Or maybe because of it. She balanced the plate on her knee, looking back over at Astarion. "What do you mean, the right motivation?"
He shrugged, once again picking up the plate and handing it to her. "When faced with the choice of killing himself for some supposed forgiveness from a diety who discarded him at the first inconvenience, I'm sure Gale will make the sensible choice. I have no plans on becoming collateral damage in his misguided quest of getting back into Mystra's good graces."
Meia pushed the plate back towards him. "I'm not hungry."
"You need to eat," he retorted, the plate not budging. "The last thing we need is you collapsing on the trail tomorrow."
"I was thinking we might want to head into the Underdark tomorrow actually," she said, accepting the plate when it became apparent he wasn't going to relent. She didn't miss his scowl when she put it down on the ground beside her knee on the opposite side from him.
"Were you now?" he asked, tone casual. She had begun to recognize his plotting voice. "Why would that be?"
"Well," she started, pushing down the anxiety that threatened to bubble to the surface, "there is that artifact that those adventurers were after."
He nodded. "Yes, the Nightsong. You think we'll be able to find it where they failed?"
"I mean, we certainly made a fair bit more progress than they did," she pointed out, a small amount of pride in her voice. "We found the entrance to the Underdark after all."
"True enough," Astarion agreed, and she pressed herself back against the wall with a squeak of alarm as he abruptly reached over her to pick up her plate again. She was now trapped between him and the wall as he moved to kneel in front of her. He held the plate out expectantly. "Do eat darling."
"Why do you care?" she demanded, no longer able to contain what she really wanted to know. "What does my eating or not matter to you?"
He looked at her for a moment, and she couldn't read his expression. After what felt like an eternity, he finally spoke, his words measured and careful. "Like I said, I need you alive. And... if I'm being honest, this group of weirdos is the closest thing I've had to real friends in over 200 years. So I would rather if you didn't kill yourself over something as foolish as refusing to eat."
The flutter of butterflies in her stomach was doing nothing to help with the anxiety induced nausea she was feeling at the moment, but she took the plate from him. Picking up one of the sliced apples, she looked him directly in the eye as she took a bite. The smile he gave her in response was a tad too smug for her liking, but there wasn't much she could do about that.
He sat back on his heels, giving her a little bit more space as he looked her up and down. "We do need to get you out of that though."
"Huh?" she looked down in alarm and noticed she was still dressed in her armour. "Oh, right. I forgot I hadn't changed yet."
"Good thing I brought this with me then," he said, reaching behind him and pulling out a folded set of drow clothing. "I noticed you favoured a black and green colour scheme, so I took a bit of time to clean and dye it."
Meia was speechless, unfolding the outfit to look it over. She couldn't help the smile that crawled across her lips, looking back up his expectant expression. "I... Thank you, I wasn't sure you'd remember."
"Naturally," he dismissed. "It would be terribly impolite of me to destroy your clothing and not find an adequate replacement. Go on then, try it on."
"Now?" she gawked at him, feeling her cheeks heat. How was it he was always able to catch her off balance like this?
"How else will I see if it suits you?" Astarion asked, glancing lower over her chest and waist. "Besides, it wouldn't be the first time I saw you in a manner of undress."
If she had been drinking anything at the moment he had said that, she was certain she would have spat it out. "Astarion!"
He had the gall to laugh at her scandalized tone, simply shifting so he was sitting cross-legged in front of her, leaning back on his hands. He gave her a lecherous look. "Go on my sweet."
Meia looked between the clothing and the smug elf. "Turn around? Please?"
"Hmm... only because you asked so nicely," he agreed, standing up and turning his back to her. "Tell me when you're ready."
She didn't think it would be possible to feel more embarassed than she had when Gale had caught them at the tree yesterday, but here Astarion was, proving her wrong. With no small manner of effort, she pulled off her armour, fornlornly inspecting the damage. She might very well need a replacement for that next.
Pulling on the clothing Astarion had brought her, the first thing she noticed was it was far more revealing than she intially thought. Looking down, she could see the shirt was slit with a long v that stopped below her navel, the wide strap around her breasts leaving the curve of her waist on display as well. "Um, I'm... dressed."
He turned around, and she watched his expression move from surprise to appreciation and then to that same predatory look that made her feel like he was about to pounce on her. "Oh yes," he breathed, stepping in closer. "That will do nicely."
She let out a small sound as she found herself pushed up against the wall, Astarion's body pressed against her own. She could easily feel the bulge in his pants but was quickly distracted by him tipping her head up with a finger, kissing her before she could say a word. When his cool fingers touched her exposed hip, she groaned into his mouth. Belatedly she hoped that hadn't been loud enough for anyone else to hear.
It was entirely too soon that he pulled back, fixing her with a pleased grin as he held her in his arms. "You are perfect, every time."
The blush on her cheeks was nothing compared to the heat she felt between her legs, and she hid her face in his chest. When he kissed the top of her head, she scrunched up her face to avoid making another embarassed squeak, glad he wouldn't see her expression and get the wrong impression.
"Now, my dear," he said, making her look back up. There was a softness to his expression she hadn't seen before, the smile on his lips creating crinkles at the corner of his eyes. "You have a dinner to finish. The Underdark is not a forgiving place, and you'll need your strength."
"And what about you?"
He blinked, seeming surprised by the question. "Oh, I'm sure I'll find some manner of creature on my hunt tonight. Unless... you're offering...?"
Meia made an inarticulate noise at first, and then tried again. "Um, yes, if you want?"
The vampire laughed again. "You can say no you know."
"No, I know that," she defended. "I don't mind, and it's honestly better you bite me than wind up hurt or worse."
"You are entirely too sweet," he said, shaking his head at her. "Very well. If you would prefer I feed from you tonight, then I happily will. But you have to finish everything on your plate."
She nodded, and then was caught entirely off guard when he stole another searing kiss from her, one of his hands cradling her face, the other running along the sensitive skin of her side.
"That's a good girl," he whispered as he broke the kiss, making her whine in protest. He rubbed circles against her cheek before he stepped back, the tips of his fangs visible as he smiled at her. "I'll see you later."
As soon as he disappeared around the side of the wall, Meia sagged back and slid to the ground with a groan, her head in her hands. So, so much trouble.
~)*(~
The Underdark was breathtaking. A truly unique sort of beauty he had never seen anywhere else. And a beauty that held some very real dangers, as they had found out within only a half an hour of their arrival courtesy of a Spectator, followed by a particularly territorial bullette. Dispatching the monsters hadn't been too much trouble, but it left all of them watching their step as they continued.
It was a good thing too, as they had sarcely gone much further when they had to dodge shots from arcane turrets. Astarion had managed to avoid getting hit, but both Shadowheart and Meia ended up more than a little singed. "Perhaps another route," he suggested, looking over the tiefling to make sure she wasn't seriously injured.
She nodded shakily, heading back down the steps and he once again took up position at the back of the party. It would be helpful if they had any idea of where to go to get to Moonrise from here, but for now they were bumbling in the darkness. It would be far too much to ask for a signpost down here apparently.
Somehow Meia had charmed her way into the colony of Myconids, and managed to end up a half dozen more things she wanted to do as a result. The last time he had tried telling her that she didn't need to stop to help everyone she came across, she hadn't spoken with him for half a day. He wasn't really inclined for a repeat on that one. Plus, one of the requests was killing the duerger who had massacred the mushroom people, and he wouldn't object to a little more murder.
Right now she seemed more focused on finding the Sussur tree in any case - he had spotted a glimpse of it while she had been talking with the Myconid leader and pointed it out before they had left the ruler's vantage point. After a brief discussion with Karlach, Meia had agreed to go see the tree first, and head down to the lake second.
It certainly helped that when she stopped to chat with the hobgoblin merchant, he happened to have a friend who turned out to be a rogue mindflayer. Astarion wasn't sure he bought the idea of an ilithid who had broken free from the hive mind, but the potential of finding out more about the damned worm in their head so they might cure it was too good a chance to turn down. "This mage tower wouldn't happen to be protected by arcane turrets would it?"
The hobgoblin looked over at him for the first time in the conversation. "It wouldn't surprise me if it had an extensive defense system. You'd need some kind of anti-magic field to turn them off and get inside - oh, of course, the flowers from the Sussur tree would work nicely. It's just to the west of here, you can't miss it."
Retracing their steps out of the colony, Meia led the way west, passing above the ruined village that sat on the lakeshore. There was an eerie sort of calm to the air, like the quiet before a storm. Astarion didn't like it.
Pushing his anxieties to the side for the timebeing, he took a moment to look up at the massive columns of roots that rose from the sandy dirt. Looking closer, he spotted something hunched along those gnarled roots with wicked hooked claws. "Watch out, it looks like we have company," he called ahead, gesturing with his head.
"Hook horrors," Shadowheart identified. "Looks like they've made this tree their roost."
"Just our luck," Karlach said, readying her axe and looking over at Meia. "Think you can hit them from here soldier?"
The sorceress looked up and grinned as she readied an elderitch blast. "Easily."
The hook horror squawked as the bolt of energy hit it, and Astarion became aware of several other bulky shadows moving along those roots. "Looks like it has friends," he warned, gripping his swords. They needed to get up to a better vantage point.
One of the other creatures above them let out a horrifying cry that seemed to echo off every nearby surface. From the rocky ledge to their left, there was an answering cry, and two more bulky shadows appeared looking down at the party. Fuck.
He made a beeline up the cliff, trusting Karlach would be able to handle the ones immediately above them. As he climbed, he became acutely aware of the full scope of the steaming pile of shit they had ended up in. There were at least five hook horrors, and a derranged looking drow with crazed eyes who immediately attempted to rush him as soon as Astarion reached the top of the ledge. Fortunately he was able to side step the attack, thumping the elf on his back as he passed by and knocking him down a step. Small blessings.
Karlach's cry of rage drew his attention back down below, and he witnessed one of the creatures jumping down between the three women, making both Shadowheart and Meia fall over as Karlach stumbled. His heart dropped into his stomach as the monster turned it's attention to Meia, hitting her repeatedly in fast succession with it's claws, drawing a pained cry he could plainly hear even from this distance. She needed to get up.
Astarion was barely able to keep his feet underneath him as one of the creatures jumped over him to flank. He cried out as the first strike made contact with his back, but managed to avoid the other two. Down below he heard an incantation, and then Meia appeared beside him, pieces of her armour hanging in shreds.
"This isn't exactly the safest place for you," he grit out.
She gave him a small, cheeky smile, and carefully moved so the hook horror was between her and the ledge. He recognized the words she chanted and gestures she made before the thunderwave went off, knocking the beast backwards and effectively halving his problems. "You're welcome."
"I'll thank you when they're all dead," he replied, slashing at the drow that was trying to climb back up the cliffside. The remaining hook horror turned its attention to the tiefling who had backed away from the ledge, and Astarion took the opportunity to strike the beast as it tried to move towards her. "Oh no you don't."
Down below, Karlach and Shadowheart were standing almost back to back, the flames of the red tiefling sitting nearly at the center of the cleric's spirit guardians. The two of them were surrounded; the sooner he could dispatch their enemies up here, the better.
Meia spoke another incantation, and red bolts of energy shot out from her extended finger tips, seeking out each of their enemies. He had never been much of a fan of that magical mumbo jumbo, but after traveling with this ragtag group for only a week, he could certainly see its benefits. To his right, he heard the drow let out a choking death gargle, crimson leaking from his mouth as he collapsed.
The hook horror jerked sideways at the impact of the bolt, then leapt over Meia's head. She turned too slowly, crying out as she was knocked forward onto the ground. The beast hunched over her, cutting up her back and she screamed in pain. When it bit a chunk out of her shoulder, she fell limp.
"No!" Astarion was moving before he processed what he was doing, stabbing at the exposed back of the creature and making it shriek from the unexpected attack. It tried to turn to face him, but his following attack sent it stumbling to the ground, motionless. Falling to his knees beside the sorceress, he dug through his pack, trying to find the health potion he knew he had stored there. "Get up damn you!"
He rolled her over, tipping the contents of the potion into her mouth. At first, he wasn't sure if it was working, but she coughed, starting in his arms, her silver eyes meeting his. "Astarion?"
Letting out a sigh of relief, he helped her sit up. "Come on, Karlach and Shadowheart still need our help."
The tiefling nodded, gingerly climbing to her feet with his assistance. Looking over the edge, he surveyed the battle that was still ongoing below them. One of the creatures was laying crumpled near the base of the roots, and Karlach dispatched another as he watched. Beside him, Meia spoke the words for the elderitch blast incantation, staggering the beast that was menacing Shadowheart. The cleric struck it with her newly acquired mace, and it disintegrated in a holy fire from the spirit guardians.
Quickly climbing down from the ledge, Astarion crept up behind the last of the beasts, his sword finding purchase between the thick plates of chitin. With a howl of rage, Karlach cut it's head off its shoulders, sending it rolling away.
"Everyone alright?" Shadowheart asked, pressing a hand against her side as she winced.
He could hear Meia before she joined them, the sorceress hissing and cursing under her breath with every step. "I'll live," she said.
"Might be a good time for a short break," Karlach suggested, swipping away the blood that dripped from the cut on her forehead and into her eyes. "Lunch?"
The pale tiefling cracked a smile. "Lunch sounds nice."
While the rest of the party broke out sandwiches, Astarion took a moment to survey the tree. Their best bet for getting enough bark for the weapon Karlach wanted to make would be from the trunk itself. From what he could see from down here, the flowers were dotting the exposed roots, a blue-white glow eminating from the delicate petals. It shouldn't be too difficult to collect a couple for the turrets at the mage tower.
The crunch of dirt beneath booted feet made him aware of Meia's presence by his side. She was already looking better after her meal. "Well, hello beautiful."
She blushed bright red, looking down at her feet. "What are you looking at?"
He gestured to the tree. "Just considering how we were going to proceed. Shouldn't be too difficult, now that those things have been taken care of."
The sorceress stretched out to touch the flower that sat on the exposed root near the edge of the sheer drop that cut through this stretch of the Underdark. She froze, her expression becoming distressed. The tiefling made a gesture he had come to recognize as her casting a spell, except nothing happened.
"You're looking drained, and I know it wasn't me. Is the plant bothering you?"
"It's the flower," she said, an abject horror clear in her voice. "My magic is... gone."
Astarion wasn't sure what to say to that. She stepped back from the tree and attempted to cast the spell again. Still, nothing happened. "Might I suggest getting it back? I don't travel with you for your personality, you know."
He had meant for it to be a joke, but it sounded a little harsh even to his ears. When she finally looked at him, there was a pain in her eyes that made his stomach ache. "That's not funny. I feel like I've lost a limb."
"It took your power and your sense of humour? How wretched," he remarked lightly, trying to pretend he didn't want to pull her into his arms and comfort her. This wasn't part of the plan. He cleared his throat. "Let's finish up here quickly - the sooner we can get your magic back, the safer we'll be. Until then... try not to die?"
She nodded mutely, picking at the pieces of her robe. Maybe the wizard would have some idea about that damned flower and her magic. He wanted to try at least.
Heading over to where Karlach and Shadowheart were chatting over the remains of their lunch, Astarion cleared his throat to get their attention. "I'm going to collect a few of the flowers before we head back to the tower. We may want to head back to camp after. I don't think Meia is in any state to fight further today."
"I've just about used up all my magic as well," Shadowheart said, taking a sip from her glass. Knowing her, it could either be water, or wine. Probably wine considering that fight.
"It's... more that the flower of that tree seems to have sapped her magical ability," Astarion explained, sending a worried look over at the sorceress. "She doesn't seem to be taking it well."
"Why not?" Karlach asked, looking between the pair of them and Meia. "She can just get it back, right?"
"Gale might know," Shadowheart hazarded, but she didn't sound particularly sure of herself.
"That's what I'm hoping," Astarion said. "Keep an eye on her, would you?"
Not waiting for a reply, he scrambled up the twisted vines that hung down from one of the roots above them. Taking a brief moment to get his bearings, he quickly set to gathering as many of the flowers as he could see. They were delicate, a few of the petals falling off the first one he picked up. He carefully put them into his pack, making sure to damage them as little as possible. He was only able to fit four in his bag, so that was going to have to do. Heading to the main trunk of the tree, he cut off a significant chunk of its bark. Hopefully that was enough for what Karlach wanted.
He climbed back down to the ground to see the bright red woman leaning on the butt of her axe, watching Shadowheart trying to talk to Meia. The sorceress hadn't moved, staring out at the giant tree, her expression blank. She looked so... lost.
Walking up beside her, he gently laid a hand on her shoulder. She flinched at the touch with a hiss, the sticky warmth of her blood seeping through her armour. He jumped back instinctively. "Shit! Shit, I'm sorry!"
Shadowheart made a tutting sound, sending him a disapproving look. "Meia, I told you to tell me if you needed more healing."
"It's fine," Meia whispered, gasping as the cleric pulled the fabric away to reveal the oozing bite wound.
"That doesn't look fine to me," Shadowheart retorted tartly, reciting the incantation for a healing spell as she pressed her hand against the tiefling's shoulder. Meia sighed with relief as the healing energy knit her skin back together. "Shall we continue?"
"I was thinking I could meet you back at camp," Astarion suggested. "I'll take these flowers to the tower, and we can attempt to crack into it in the morning, when we're all refreshed."
Shadowheart looked like she was going to disagree, but her expression softened when she took a sidelong look at the sorceress. "Fine. Be quick, and don't get yourself killed."
Astarion inclined his head. "Careful darling, you're starting to sound like you care."
The half-elf simply rolled her eyes, gently steering Meia back to the path that would take them back to the Myconid colony and the hidden outcropping where they had made their camp. Karlach waved as she headed after the pair, and then Astarion was alone.
Walking quickly, it still took a fair amount of time for him to get back to the stairs they had seen earlier that morning. He was glad he remembered the route they had taken. Approaching the top of the steps, he peaked around the corner to risk a glance at the turrets. If he sprinted, he should be able to avoid too much damage. Perhaps any damage.
Steadying himself, he took off at top speed towards the nearest turret, his pack in his hands. The construct was targetting him as he opened the bag and pulled out one of the flowers, dropping it beside the arcane machine. Then he had to dodge to the side with a curse as the other turret shot the ground where he had been standing moments before.
He had to dodge another couple of shots before he was able to drop a second flower and disable the turret. Those shots smarted - he had been just a hair too slow, and the bolt of energy had hit him in the leg, leaving an uncomfortable numbness he was hoping would wear off in time. Satisfied they would at least be able to approach the tower now, he dropped the remaining two flowers by the doors, turning on his heel and heading back to camp for some well deserved rest.
When Astarion reached the campsite, he quickly spotted Meia sitting off by herself at the edge that overlooked the canyon below, Gale watching from across the clearing. Suppressing the flash of possessive irritation, he went to stand beside the man.
They stood in silence for a moment, both watching the sorceress slowly, carefully repeat a gesture. Taking a sidelong glance at Gale, Astarion asked, "what is she doing?"
"If I was to guess," Gale said, leaning back and crossing his arms, "I'd say she's attempting the Light cantrip."
"Ah," Astarion replied, discomfort settling into the pit of his stomach again. "So she hasn't..."
"Regained her magical abilities? No."
A lump grew in his throat. Astarion really did not like the wizard's serious tone. "Will she?"
Gale shrugged. "Time will tell I imagine. There hasn't been too much research done on inate magic users who have had exposure to the Sussur tree. Mostly because most sensible ones would avoid it at all costs. Those who have come across it - well it seems to vary from person to person."
That was not the answer he had been hoping for. "Can we do something for her?" Almost immediately he caught Gale looking at him, so he hurriedly continued. "It's not as if I care about her mind you, it's just... well, she's useless in a fight without her magic. I don't want to have to carry her slack."
"Right," Gale said, skepticism clear in his voice. "Again, there's nothing I can think of that might help an inate magic user regain their abilities if they somehow lose them. It may be a case where she needs to rest and recover or recharge her magic, or it could be a situation where she has just... lost it."
Astarion didn't know what to say to that. After a long moment of silence, Gale clapped him on the shoulder, stepping away to head back to his tent.
~)*(~
Meia woke with itchy eyes, a stuffy nose, and an overwhelming feeling of pain. Seems like the fight against the hook horrors the day previous had left lasting impressions. She took in a shakey breath, still acutely aware of the overwhelming emptiness inside of her. Her magic hadn't come back. The prickle of tears blurred her vision again, and she closed her eyes, curling further into a ball. She didn't want to face the possibility it would never return.
Gods, she felt pathetic. She didn't think it could get worse from being infected by a mind flayer parasite and ceremorphosis, but here she was, without the one thing that made her special. The thing that actually made her useful, made up for being a clumsy, naive idiot. Would the others leave her behind now that she couldn't ... no, they wouldn't. Would they?
Her spiraling thoughts were interrupted by a knock against one of the wooden tentpoles near the opening. She looked over her shoulder to see Astarion in the doorway, and immediately turned back around. She did not want him to see her like this.
"Good morning darling - oh." The way his tone fell made it obvious that he was aware of her current mood. She heard him sit down beside her, the tent dimming again as the flap shut. "The morning didn't bring good news I take it."
She shook her head, trying to compose herself. "No. I'm still... magicless."
An uncomfortable silence fell, and she felt him shift, pulling on the edge of her bedroll as he did. "I'm sure it will return in time darling. I can still smell it on you."
That made her sit up, adjusting the shirt she had taken to wearing as a nightdress. "I'm sorry, what? You can smell my magic?"
"Less so now than you would usually, but yes, part of your natural smell includes your magic. Likely because it's in your blood," he affirmed, expression serious. "I have a very sensitive sense of smell you know. For example, when I fed from you the night before last, I could tell you had pleasured yourself before I arrived."
She made an inelegant sound, staring down at her knees as her cheeks superheated. "Astarion!"
"I don't know what to tell you my dear, it's not as if I can help it."
Meia hid her face in her hands, drawing her knees up and resting her elbows on them. "You are utterly impossible, you know that?"
"Clearly not, or I wouldn't be sitting here in your tent," he replied easily. "You should get up, the others have already gone to investigate that wizard's tower. Apparently the knock spell eliminates the need for lock picks, and far be it from me to complain at the opportunity to laze about camp for a change."
"They... all left?" she asked, looking over at him.
"Save for Lae'zel, but she's on the other side of camp working on sharpening her weapons. Again. I'm all for well maintained weapons, but she is bordering on obsessive," he said, rolling his eyes. "Oh, and that druid we saved is still here. Karlach had wanted to wake you before the rest of them left, but I insisted you needed your sleep, and Shadowheart agreed."
"Oh," Meia replied, a wave of relief washing over her. They weren't abandoning her. "Um, Astarion?"
"Yes, my dear?"
She could feel the gnawing of anxiety in her gut, and shoved it down. "You said... you could taste my magic in my blood?"
"Oh yes," he confirmed, leaning back on an arm as he gestured with his other hand. "Think of the flavour of an aged Callidyrran, with just a touch of an Amnian Dessert wine as a finish. Absolutely delectible. And very different from the drow mage I tasted who turned on us after we killed that giant floating eyeball - he was more like a Baldur's Grape, with a heavy lean to the tart side."
"Would..." she could feel his eyes on her as she faltered, and she took a deep breath. "Would you be able to check if it's still there?"
He made a sound of amusement. "You mean drink some of your blood to see if I can still taste your magic?"
Meia nodded, unable to look him in the eye. "Please?"
"Well," he said, and she could hear him shift closer before she felt his next words against her ear. "Since you asked so nicely, I could do you this one little favour."
Her mouth went dry as a shiver shot down her spine. She relaxed, letting him lower her back against her bedroll, just as they had done the first night she had allowed him to feed from her. He leant over her, pressing a gentle kiss against her neck before he sunk his fangs in, and she couldn't help the moan that forced its way out of her lips.
Astarion released her with a faint laugh, and she arched her back slightly as he licked the blood away from the puncture wounds on her neck. "Delicious. And no need to worry, I can taste your magic - it's faint right now, but it's still there."
"Oh thank Ilmater," she breathed, closing her eyes with relief. When she opened them again, she became incredibly aware that Astarion hadn't moved away. She froze, staring at him as he licked her blood from his lips.
"Thank whichever god you please," he drawled, running a finger along her exposed thigh and making her breath hitch, "but don't lose sight of who actually helped you."
"T-thank you," she stuttered, swallowing a groan as he kissed her. How was it he was able to undo her with a simple kiss? His finger moved up between her thighs, and she found herself instinctively spread her legs apart for him, granting him access. He was slow in his exploration of her skin, almost as if he was mapping her ever curve. When he pushed her undergarments to the side and slid his fingertip along her slit up to the sensitive bundle of nerves at the top, she arched against him, biting back a scream.
"Look at you," he whispered in her ear, nipping at the sensitive skin there while he moved his finger in small circles on her clit. "So eager, so needy. You're obsessed with me and I'm barely trying."
Meia couldn't hold back the whine as his fingers slid back down, slowly entering up to one knuckle, than a second. She gripped the blanket of her bedroll, acutely aware of the sound of her own laboured breathing in the small tent, and the wet slickness between her legs. Somehow that turned her on even more.
She felt him move, cracking her eyes open to see him kneeling between her legs. He slowly pulled his finger out, pressing a kiss to her hip before he pulled off her panties and reached beneath her to cup her ass in his hands, canting her hips up. When his tongue swept along her pussy, she cried out his name, immediately covering her mouth with a hand to try to muffle the sound.
"Come now darling," he purred, looking up at her from where he lay between her legs. "There's no need to be shy. I very much doubt anyone cares if you were to let loose a little."
He was beautiful, like a statue come to life. Her hand moved down to tangle in his perfect silver curls when he resumed licking her, his tongue lapping up to her clit, where he circled it a few time before sucking on it. The unexpected sensation made her arch again, her cry spiraling upwards unhindered. She could feel his laughter as his tongue retreated back the way he had come. He was going to kill her at this rate. She had never felt pleasure like this. While she was familiar with giving oral, she had never been on the receiving side before. If nothing else, Astarion was showing her how truly inadequate her former lovers had been.
"Gods - oh fuck, Astarion!" she screamed, releasing her hold on him to grab at her sheets again. He slowed his pace, letting her ride out her climax as he gripped her hips, pulling her closer to his mouth. She came down from the high, but he didn't stop, alternating between fast and slow, drawing whimpers and whines from the back of her throat as she gasped for air. Her world narrowed to the feeling of his tongue and the soft bedroll below her that was quickly growing wet from her sweat and her cum.
The pleasure was verging on overwhelming, nearly painful. He swapped to using his fingers and tongue, teasing gasps and moans from her as he brought her closer and closer to the edge, only to deny her at the last second. The first time he did it, she whined pathetically, and the second, she squirmed against his hold, trying without success to reach completion. He pulled away, sending her a stern look as he continued teasing her and she let out a frustrated mewl. "Astarion, please."
"Problem my dear?" he asked, dipping down to run his tongue along the length of her pussy, and she gasped, reaching for him. The pale elf denied her, moving just out of her grasp and she growled.
"Damnit will you fuck me Astarion?"
He licked his lips, the predatory smile back in place. The elf quickly shunted off his pants, climbing back on top of her. "All you had to do was ask."
All thought left her as he pressed inside, the sensation of finally being filled erasing everything else. She heard his appreciative groan, gasping as he started moving, slowly at first, then faster and faster. Given how hard he felt inside of her, he had been barely holding out. And gods did he feel good.
Meia let out a surprised yelp as he grabbed her by her hips and pulled her up in his lap, groaning as the new angle sent him deeper inside of her. "F-fuck Astarion," she gasped, his name becoming a whine as he bit along her neck, his sharp canines drawing blood. He impatiently pulled her shirt off, tossing it over his head before removing his own. This position gave her the opportunity to set the pace a bit better, and she very enthusiastically started riding him, causing him to moan in response.
He grasped her shoulder, pulling her just a little closer. She arched back as another wave of pleasure washed over her, making her see stars. Astarion kissed and nipped along both of her collarbones until she dropped her head on his shoulder, holding on to him for dear life. Gods, she was going to cum again. She could hear him muttering encouraging words in her ear, but she couldn't understand what he was saying.
Her orgasms were coming closer and closer together now, and she was wholly unprepared for him pressing her down below him, both of her legs up over one of his shoulders. She moaned loudly, pulling him down for a kiss, which he greedily reciprocated. She could taste herself on his lips. "You're so tight Meia," he gasped before spreading her legs wide and biting down on her neck. She screamed, muscles spasming around him. His movement slowed, short, shallow thrusts as he reached his climax.
Meia lay boneless on her bedroll, Astarion collapsed beside her. He cracked an eye, looking at her. The elf let out a satisfied laugh, rolling onto his back. "Mmm, darling you are incredible."
If she was capable of thought, she would have been embarrassed. Right now, she simply felt as if she was floating. Making an inarticulate noise, she reached out to him, and he grabbed her hand, bringing it to his mouth and giving her knuckles a kiss. She squeaked and pressed her head against his shoulder, and he laughed at her again. "And entirely too cute when you're embarassed."
She groaned, not moving her head fom where she hid. "Astarion you're not helping."
"What made you think I was trying to help?" he asked airily. "I was simply helping myself... to you."
Meia looked up to stick her tongue out at the pale elf, receiving a smirk in response. "Darling I suggest you put that away before I put it to work."
Her eyes widened and she once again hid her head against his arm, completely speechless. If she was able to come up with a coherent response, that would be one thing, but right now her brain refused to cooperate with her. She felt his hand brushing her hair away from her face, another chuckle following. "You make this entirely too easy my dear."
"I'm not doing anything!" she protested, looking up to find a good natured grin on the vampire's face. "You're the one being... you!"
"That I am, and you weren't complaining about it a few minutes ago," Astarion retorted, making her make another embarassed squeak. He shifted, resting his head on a hand as he lounged beside her, completely nude. "I'm happy to provide a repeat performance should you require further convincing..."
The comment came with a salacious look down her body, and she grabbed a blanket to cover herself. He raised a brow, drapping his other arm over his hip. Meia found herself rolling her eyes, shifting so her head was resting on her pillow. "You are such a smug bastard."
"Such language," he tutted, but his smile grew. "What will we do with that filthy mouth of yours?"
"A kiss would be nice," she suggested, a comfortable sleepiness seeping into the words. She yawned, covering her mouth with a hand. When she reopened her eyes, she found herself staring into his bright red eyes and she bit back a yelp of surprise. He tucked some of her hair behind her ear before leaning in and kissing her soundly.
Astarion pulled back, and she found herself following his movement, pulling him back in for another kiss. She felt him laugh as he broke away a second time. "Such a greedy thing."
"It's your fault," she muttered, poking him in the chest with her finger. "You're too damned attractive. It's honestly distracting."
"I do have that effect on people, it's true," he said wistfully, catching her finger in his hand. "You sound like you're going to fall asleep again my dear."
Meia tried to deny his claim, but her sound of disagreement was cut off by another yawn and he laughed at her. Seemed like all he was doing today was laughing at her. "That's not fair."
"Don't pout at me darling, I won't be held responsible for what happens next."
She groaned, hiding her face in her pillow. "Was once not enough?"
"Enough of you? Never."
His tone was heated, and she felt a shiver go through her at the prospect. Though she couldn't deny her interest, she knew her body would not be able to handle any more right now. "Later?" she asked, hesitantly.
"Of course my dear," he agreed, a smug satisfaction radiating off of him. "I've been meaning to ask you... what did you make of your experience with Loviatar?"
The unexpected question brought everything screeching to a halt, her eyes popping open to look over at him. "Huh?"
"Don't play coy now," he admonished, once again propping his head up his arm. "Between your expression and scent after the fact, you seemed to enjoy that quite a bit."
"I... uh..." she blinked repeatedly, trying to formulate a sentence. She failed. "Huh?"
"We've already established you quite enjoy when I feed from you," he continued, pulling a leg up and resting his free arm on his knee. "Why deny yourself additional pleasure when we could explore?"
Meia let out a strangled noise, feeling her cheeks heating up. He was doing this on purpose. She had quite purposefully tucked that experience away in the back of her mind and had been ignoring it. "It... was enlightening," she finally said, not missing his smile.
"Enlightening? Do go on," he encouraged, gliding his hand down her back. She shivered, feeling the heat beginning to pool between her legs again.
"I..." she broke off, biting her lip as he drew shapes on the sensitive skin above her tail. "I hadn't expected to enjoy it."
"But you did," Astarion supplied, rolling so he could rest his chin on her shoulder. "And I'm sure it was a delightfully new experience for you as well."
She nodded, her breathing growing heavy as he continued his movements along her spine. Abruptly he stopped, and she whined, drawing a laugh from the elf. "You are full of surprises my dear."
Meia made a disgruntled noise, pushing herself up on her arms. "Well what did you think of the entire thing then?"
The elf blinked, clearly not expecting the question. "I was honestly surprised you went through with it. Though I must say, I did thoroughly enjoy the effect it had on you. Come to think of it, your expression after receiving 'Loviatar's love' was markedly similar to how you look after I'm done fucking you."
That comment sent her face first back into her pillow. "Astarion!"
He laughed, and she could hear him getting dressed beside her. "You are so easy to wind up darling. Absolutely perfect."
She let out a frustrated groan into the pillow, only looking up at him when he placed his hand on her shoulder. "Things to try later, if you're willing?"
Somehow she managed to squeak out an affirmative, certain her pillow would catch fire with how hot her cheeks were. She froze completely when she felt his lips on her ear, his voice barely a whisper. "Good girl."
Meia was vaguely aware of him leaving her tent afterwards, her mind reeling. He was an absolute bastard. She knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was completely, hopelessly, fucked.