The Search for Soul in Everything

Chapter 3

Astarion opened his eyes, the firelight beginning to die. It was a few hours later now, the cold breeze now chilling him a little too much to be comfortable. He went to cover himself, but as he sat up he found his gaze moving to Vanora's bedroll. She wasn't there.

He sat up fully, looking at the unoccupied spot in curious wonder. "Where did she go?" He couldn't imagine she was too far, right? She must've just left to find water.

But as minutes formed another hour, he found himself worrying. He shook his head, standing up to go look for her. He took a couple steps before he heard a twig snap behind him. His head whipped around, ready to strike a threat. What he found was the tiefling, leaning against a tree beside herself. He couldn't see much, only her silhouette. He quickly composed himself. "I can't imagine you were gone so long looking for water."

She stayed silent, taking advantage of the fact that he hadn't asked her a question. She was only allowed to answer questions. He sighed, a little frustrated. "Why were you gone so long?"

"I got hungry." She stated truthfully, she struggled to get the words out properly. Her silhouette was hard to see as she stood in the treeline.

"Oh," he said calmly, chuckling away the worry he held. "Did you find anything?" He asked her.

"Hyena." She said, unmoving from her spot in the trees.

"Vile creatures. They're violent when provoked, aren't they?" He chuckled.

She nodded. "I know that now."

He took a moment, thinking about her answer. She didn't know that before? As he wondered for a moment, the breeze bounded into his face, a clear smell of copper graced his senses. It smelled... different, but he knew that smell. Blood. "Don't move." He told her, his voice calm, but very firm. She didn't dare to.

He threw another log onto the fire, moving it a little before it lit. It quickly grew around the wood. The area became bright, and he turned again to see her. His senses heightened suddenly, everything becoming very sharp as he looked at her. There was blood splattered on her white shirt, covering her front. It was spread across her mouth and nose, dried and crusted. There was a visible gash in her arm, she held it close to her stomach as it continued to bleed. It dripped down her fingers and into the rest of the mess in the dirt below.

"Gods, help me." He whispered to himself, his mouth watering. He shook away the thought, walking closer toward her. As she took a small step back, she swayed a little. He stopped, growing frustrated at the girl. "Let me help."

She watched him for a moment, slowly shaking her head no. She didn't want him near her. She wanted him as far away as she could get. She started to shake, and she couldn't figure out if it was from the cold, the fear, or the lack of blood. Probably all of them. As she took another step back, she was no longer leaning against the tree. She swayed more, going off balance as she fell backward. She hit the ground hard, the gash in her side throbbing as she lost more blood. Her voice never sounded, she just gasped as she curled up and laid on her other side, now cradling her side instead of her arm.

Astarion stepped forward, determined. He walked to her, carefully starting to cradle her to carry her toward the fire. She let out a shout, slashing a blade toward him. He fell back as the blade nicked his cheek, barely drawing blood. He hadn't even known she had it. He could hear her pained breathing. It was forced through her teeth like a wild animal. Like a scared animal. She was on her feet again, looking at him through darting eyes.

He admired her resolve, just as he hated it at that moment. He stayed where he knelt on the ground. "Fine, help yourself if that's what you want." He sighed, frustration leaking from his voice. He got up, turning away to walk back toward his bedroll.

It took a lot of bandages to fully help her heal. When she fell asleep, she slept throughout the day and back into the evening before the tiefling finally woke up. When she did, she could smell food wafting through the air, a boiling stew on the fire. Astarion read a book as he tended the fire. A small cut across his face confirmed that she hadn't been dreaming. They felt odd, but the gashes she had before were comfortable on her body. Her shirt was still gone, bandages wrapped around her stomach and arm. Her undergarment was still thick with blood.

"Ah, you've finally woken up." The pale elf commented, slowly closing his book. He sounded frustrated. She tensed a little, doing her best to make herself smaller than she was. Fear. That's what she felt. It ran across her body like venom.

"Though I admire the secrecy, I have a question for you." He poked at the fire again, the stick he held glowing red at the end. He set it down beside him. "You weren't attacked by hyena's."

She remained silent, watching the fire for a moment. Astarion huffed in frustration. "What were you attacked by?"

She swallowed her voice, taking a breath to relieve some built up stress. "Knolls." She responded, her voice barely above a whisper.

The pale elf didn't say anything for a while. When he did, he chuckled a little. "You're frustrating, sometimes." He states calmly, looking at the purple tiefling in some manner she couldn't quite pinpoint. He cleared his throat, quickly looking at the fire again. "Your... shirt is hanging in the tree."

Vanora looked over, quickly grabbing the shirt to throw it over herself. It was still stained pink down the front. Astarion sighed. "Let's just be glad that you got back at all."

She was surprised that he let it go so quickly. That never happened when... it never happened before. She shook her head to change the thought.

Astarion watched her contemplation closely, her face contorting at something. She shook her head, disgust written on her face. She didn't like him, he was certain. Even if she needed it, she probably hated him for trying to help. He didn't really care, other than the fact he found the thought annoying. "I figured you didn't find any food. I found some potatoes and carrots around. Ham too, and it should be ready in a moment."

She nodded, standing for a moment to sit back down next to him, closer than she normally would. She grabbed the stick he had been kindling the fire with, poking only one place before the fire grew more. He was lost for words for a moment. Maybe she didn't hate him as much as he thought. He opened his book and started reading.

As he went to turn the page, her hand slipped in between the page and the rest of the book. She never touched him. She quickly skimmed the last couple of lines before she set the page down. He chuckled, making sure to give her time before he turned the next page.