Beautiful. Gorgeous. All words others would use to describe him could be used to describe her, too. Long, cerulean curls trailing down her back. A flawless heart shaped face the color of the sky on a sunny summer's day. Freckles sprinkled across the bridge of her petite button nose and the top of her cheek bones. It was very obvious she was an air genasi. If it wasn't her complexion that gave it away, it was the way she spoke. There was a sort of breathiness to her voice like it carried a slight breeze. It was soft and beautiful, yet when she got angry, it came out like a destructive whirlwind.
Astarion won't ever forget the first time they met. He had tried to manipulate her. Wrestled with her in the sand on a cliff near the Chionthar and held a knife to her throat with a smirk.
Her younger sister traveled with her. Almost a complete carbon copy of her with the exception of a long tail ending in a crescent-shaped tip and black twisted horns that jetted out of her head beneath her pigtails. She struggled against Shadowheart's grasp as she desperately attempted to come to her sister's aid.
However, glancing over at the other two caused him to lose his guard for a moment. The air genasi gained the upper hand and switched their positions, baring her teeth at him.
The details of this memory that remained engraved in his mind were her large doe eyes, golden and blazing like the shimmering sun and the plump strawberry lips that rested just below her nose twisted in a scowl. She was a protector. He needed a protector.
"Who the fuck do you think you are? I knew I should've better than to help a lowly noble like you," she growled, pressing the dagger further against the vampire spawn's neck. "You're all the same."
"You know nothing about me," Astarion spat back, holding her intense gaze.
"And neither do you about me." The air genasi gave him one last deadly glare before slightly loosening the pressure of the blade against his neck. "I'm going to remove this dagger from your throat. If you so much as think about retaliating, you will cease to exist. Do you understand?"
The vampire spawn held her gaze for a few more moments before finally nodding. He rose to his feet as soon as the blade was casted aside. The two adventurers continued to stare each other down as they caught their breaths.
Suddenly, there was a sharp pain in both of their minds. It freaked them out once they realized they had accidentally caused a link to peer into each other's minds, seeing short, indecipherable glimpses of each other's memories.
Astarion witnessed flashes of images. Two older air genasi, faces scrunched up in rage, gestured angrily at the door of a hut. The air genasi's younger sister getting sliced in the face with the full force of a whip. Then, the younger sister again, unconscious, yet resting on the back of a large animal with soft sapphire fur.
When the images stopped, the vampire spawn opened his crimson orbs as he and the air genasi continued to pant from the short, yet exhausting experience.
"You're really not like them," he muttered, crimson eyes widening slightly in realization.
The genasi scoffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Of course, I'm not. Instead of attacking someone right away, maybe you should be a little more perceptive."
Astarion briefly narrowed his eyes at her comment before taking a breath. "Well, I'm guessing that's all behind us now, hmm?"
"Oh, I wouldn't say that-"
"And here I was about ready to decorate the ground with your innards," the vampire spawn interrupted her with a wave of his hand and a sardonic smile. "Apologies."
The genasi raised an eyebrow, unamused at his sad excuse of an apology. She rolled her eyes once again and uncrossed her arms, moving them to her hips.
"Where are my manners?" Astarion continued in a voice so charming, it sounded almost fake. "My name's Astarion. I was in Baldur's Gate when those beasts snatched me."
"Well since we're apparently on good terms now after you blatantly tried to slit my throat..."
Astarion shrugged his shoulders with a bit of an amused smile.
"I'm Skye. That's my little sister, Misty and that's Shadowheart." As she pointed to each of them, Misty shot him a mischievous smirk while Shadowheart continued to glare at him.
"Wonderful!" the vampire spawn exclaimed with a clasp of his hands. "Now, what do you know of these tadpoles in our heads?"
Skye let out a deep sigh and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I would assume just as much as you do, which is practically nothing."
"I figured as much."
Upon realizing Astarion wasn't as much a threat as an annoyance, Shadowheart finally let go of Misty's arm. The young girl ran over to her sister, who eyed her with a warning.
Misty ignored it, the mischievous grin on her face only growing. "You know, Skye, I think we need all the help we can get. I quite like him."
Skye shot a blazing glare at her mini-me. Meanwhile, Astarion grew rather amused by the interaction.
The older air genasi pulled her sister aside by the arm and scolded her out of earshot. "Did you forget that just minutes ago he held a blade to my throat?"
Shrugging her shoulders, Misty donned a look of indifference. "He said he was sorry."
Skye let out an exasperated groan as she ran her fingers through her hair. "This is where you're so difficult, Mist. We need to be careful. We need to watch our backs."
"We need a group of people to fight alongside us," Misty countered, glancing back over at Astarion, who was obviously trying to read their lips. "Shadowheart's already on our side, I don't think one more would hurt. Plus, if either of them turn against us, we'll just kill them. Easy, peasy."
Two firm hands wrapped around the younger genasi's wrists in frustration. Skye knelt to Misty's level, loosening the grip around her as she took a deep breath. "My job is to protect you. That's what I'm trying to do."
"You want to protect me, Skye? We need a team. They need a cure...I mean so do we, but that's beside the point-"
"Misty," Skye warned sternly.
"If you've taught me anything, sis...it's that anyone is stronger with a team. Maybe you should take a hint of your own advice."
Skye continued the staring contest for a moment before finally giving in with another loud groan. She whipped her head to the rogue. "Astarion, would you like to join us?" she deadpanned.
The vampire spawn's ears twitched at the question as another sardonic smirk crept onto his face. "You know, I was going to go at this alone, but maybe sticking with the herd isn't such a bad idea." Astarion's hands found his hips as he gave her a halfhearted bow. "Alright, I accept. Lead on."
Skye began walking again as he followed. Mischievous as ever, Misty trailed back with Shadowheart. "They're gonna get married one day. I just know it," she quipped before scurrying further ahead, unaware of the confused, yet somewhat amused look on the cleric's face.
For a child, the little wisp wasn't bad company. She was witty, sarcastic, and clever beyond her years. Astarion was never a fan of children. He found them to be quite pestering. Yet, this one was different.
By dusk, they managed to corral a whole group of misfits. A wizard who got himself stuck in his own portal and a fighter who apparently hated their cleric's guts already. According to Skye, they'd met the gith on the ship before it crashed, where the odd rivalry began.
After they set up camp, the little wisp decided to cause some mischief. Gale was drinking a bottle of Stagswift Tonic outside of his tent when Skye summoned him. Out of the corner of his eye, Astarion watched as the younger air genasi stealthily grabbed the opened bottle and dumped out the contents, replacing it with the dirty dishwater from their last meal.
The corners of the vampire spawn's mouth twitched in amusement as the little wisp scurried away, hiding behind a tree to witness the result of her harmless prank. Astarion pretended to be invested in the tome he was reading as the wizard returned to his tent and picked up the bottle.
As soon as the liquid hit his mouth, Gale's face turned a sickly shade of green. He spat it out in front of him, unaware of the stifled chuckles coming from beside the tree. Once the wizard regained his composure, he cleared his throat. "Very funny," he remarked dryly, scoping around for the possible culprit.
When he finally turned his back to the tree, the little wisp sprinted towards her tent and flew inside. Crimson eyes roamed the camp once again to find the older air genasi sneaking off into the clearing behind their camp. Intrigued, Astarion closed his tome and followed.
Skye moved silently through the dense forest, her breath mingling with the evening mist. The trees stood tall and proud, their branches weaving a canopy that obscured the sky, but she knew where she was going. The gentle rustling of leaves and the distant hoot of an owl were the only sounds that accompanied her. Her air genasi heritage granted her an ethereal grace, making her one with the wind as she moved. She followed the faintest hints of light, the barely perceptible whispers of the breeze guiding her steps.
Finally, she emerged into a clearing. The sky opened up above her, a vast expanse of deep blue velvet studded with countless stars. The moon hung low, casting a silver glow over the meadow, illuminating the soft grass and wildflowers that danced gently in the night air. Skye smiled, her eyes reflecting the starlight as she made her way to the center of the clearing. She lay down on the grass, her cerulean curls fanning out around her, and gazed up at the sky. Peace at last.
"Isn't it beautiful?"
Skye rolled her eyes at the sound of his irritatingly charming voice. She refused to look at him, keeping her gaze fixed on the stars.
"The stars, I mean. They're not nearly this bright in Baldur's Gate."
The air genasi sighed. "Can't say I've ever been there."
Astarion clicked his tongue, nodding his head. "Ah, right. The life of a druid." He approached Skye cautiously, gesturing beside her with a graceful flourish of his hand. "May, I?"
Golden eyes flickered to crimson for the briefest moment before landing back on the illuminating sight above. "Knock your socks off," she replied dryly.
The vampire spawn lowered himself next to her, crossing his legs in a pretzel. "You know, darling, we both got off on the wrong foot."
"I wonder why." Skye glared at him, the sun in her eyes blazing deep into his own. She studied him, noticing how he attempted to conceal the slight discomfort of his body language.
A soft chuckle escaped from his lips, causing a weird feeling to grow in the pit of the air genasi's stomach. "I suppose you prove a point."
It was at that point she noticed it. The crimson eyes. The pale complexion. At first glance, she thought he was an elf hybrid. Yet, those teeth. Those pointed teeth. As she continued to study him, she watched the little color he had disappear from his face. "You're a vampire, aren't you?"
Astarion blinked at her. "I'm sorry, what are-"
The air genasi's brow rose in slight amusement as he tried to deflect. "You aren't exactly doing a great job at hiding it."
"I'm not a monster. I feed on animals - boars, deer, kobolds-"
"Kobolds might be a bit of a stretch," Skye quipped with a hint of a smirk as the vampire spawn shrugged. She took a deep breath. "Listen, Misty and I...we didn't come from a great place and honestly, we've been through a lot. She's the only person that matters to me. So, I'll make a deal with you. I'll keep your secret, but if I catch those fangs anywhere near my sister's neck, I will kill you. Do you understand?"
Astarion met her gaze evenly, his crimson eyes unflinching. "You have my word," he replied.
There was a pause between them, yet it wasn't the awkward kind. It was quite peaceful, in fact. Skye drew in a breath as she returned her gaze to the stars. "How are you...able to walk in the sun? I thought vampires couldn't do that."
"It's true. Normally, I would burn to ashes by now, but it seems my tadpole has other plans."
The air genasi didn't respond, but nodded her head instead.
After another moment of silence, Astarion spoke up again. "You've hardly torn your gaze from the stars since I arrived."
"Jealous that my eyes are drawn elsewhere?"
"Well, obviously, darling. I'm the most beautiful thing to ever exist."
Skye scoffed softly, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Keep telling yourself that."
Astarion let out a genuine chuckle without a hint of his usual insincerity. "Oh, I do, constantly. It's one of the perks of being me."
They laughed again before Skye took a deep breath and pointed to the illuminated night sky. "I draw my power from them. There are many secrets hidden among different constellations."
The air genasi pulled a dark blue crystal from her pocket and held it in one hand. She waved her free hand around it, generating an orb of golden light. Constellations began to project around them as soon as the light clashed with the crystal. Skye dispelled her magic and put the crystal away. "I've been studying this for twenty years. I don't really need it anymore. It's more so for Misty, now." She finally met Astarion's eyes, who was sporting an unreadable expression. Skye cleared her throat. "Speaking of, I should be getting back before she starts causing trouble."
"Oh, don't worry, darling, I can assure you it's already happened," Astarion commented with a cheeky smile as the air genasi slapped her forehead. They both rose to their feet. "I would say I'd return to camp with you, but I've yet to hunt."
Skye nodded with a soft smile and pivoted on her foot. "Goodnight, Astarion. I'll see you in the morning."
The vampire spawn watched her retreating figure until she disappeared into the darkness, his thoughts a whirl of contemplation. That went a lot better than he expected. To be honest, he didn't know what to expect when she discovered his true nature. He had braced himself for hostility, for rejection, even for violence. But Skye had surprised him. She had listened, assessed, and then made a decision based on more than just instinctual fear.
Not only had she lightened up around him after he promised not to harm her sister, but she had also shared a glimpse of her druidic magic with him—the dark blue crystal, the way it resonated with the starlight and projected constellations. It was a small gesture, but for someone as guarded as Skye, it spoke volumes. It was the beginning of trust.
Maybe she could be of some use after all, but she would never put him before the little wisp. Yet, she had shown a glimpse of trust, however tentative, and that sparked an idea—a plan.
"A nice, simple plan," Astarion murmured to himself, as if speaking the words aloud would solidify his resolve.
He would get her to fall for him.
The thought lingered in his mind, both audacious and calculated. If Skye developed genuine feelings for him, she would protect him, just as fiercely as she protected her sister. It seemed like a foolproof strategy—or so he thought...