As the Ash Settles

Chapter Sixteen: It's all Fun and Games.

"What kind of game?" Shadowheart came forward, her voice was strong, she pulled Citrine up with the rest.

"I ask a couple of questions, you answer truthfully, I might like the answers and choose one of you to be gifted the ring in question." He smelled the air. "A vampire, Ring of the Sun-Walker I'm assuming? Dangerous weapon in a vampire's hand. You can not hide the stench of death from me." Citrine's mouth open to speak, Shadowheart shook her head, mouthing "no."

"That was easier than expected, but I wouldn't say it would be a dangerous weapon, we are the heroes of Baldur's Gate after all. We just would like to continue with our heroics. Saving people, kissing babies." Astarion twirled his hand in the air. "So on and so on."

"Sit." there was no offer in Hyrsam's voice, it was a command. They did so, the music was darker and more excited. "Do we have an agreement to play?"

Astarion spoke up, "Do the others really need to play? I mean this is for me after all why should they have fun as well?" His eyes darted to Citrine sitting next to him. Gale and Shadowheart took seats across.

"Everyone or no one." His answer was plain and simple the others looked to Astarion nodding. "Good, the rules are. Be honest I will know if you lie. No, secrets at my table." They continued to look at him.

"The first question is an easy one. What do you love most?" Citrine wondered if the nymph at the circus had once been one of his dancing ones. Even if it was Orin at the time, she would have known how the nymph behaved to imitate her, she did not know how changelings got their information of those they mimicked. He jumped onto the table, his hooves caused the tableware to rattle slightly. Pointing to Gale, "You first."

Gale took a moment, he looked to Citrine, then up to the stars, his brown eyes pondering the question. "The weave. I love the weave more than anything." Hyrsam looked pleased with his answer. He waved over to Shadowheart. Walking on the table closer to the group, plates snapped under his hooves.

"My found family." She said proudly. This too seemed to please Hyrsam, he pointed next to Astarion.

Astarion turned his head to Citrine, his red eyes looked into her unmatched own. He swallowed clearing his throat. "Her." his voice was like a whisper. Hyrsam took a mighty leap landing next to Astarion on the grass. His mouth inches from Astarion's pointed ear.

"Louder." his handsome smile turned more wicked. The music stopped.

"Her." Astarion obeyed.

"No names? How dull, but I'll take it." He walked over to Citrine, "Now does the wood elf love him most back? Or is he alone in his affections?" there was a mischievous air to his tone.

"I do." She said her eyes not leaving Astarion's.

"That must be a relief for the vampire, is that why you want the ring? To be able to walk in the sun with your love? To not hide her in the night?" Citrine looked over to the saytr.

"He doesn't hide me in the night, and no he doesn't want we have others that are important, we need to help them so we can continue to help others."

"Tsk, tsk was that a lie?" Hyrsam's lips curled upward.

"I didn't lie, we do have to do those things."

"But, he does hide you in the night, tell me elf could he survive if we played this game until morning, would he sit here with you, or pull you to the safety of the trees?"

"I would choose to go freely."

"I suppose that is fair. The second question same order, what do you fear most?" He stood straight, moving his hand to the back of Citrine's shoulder. His grasp was tight as if he was anticipating something.

Gale shifted in his seat, "The orb exploding and killing everyone near me and far." Hyrsam said nothing looking to Shadowheart.

"The wrath of Shar." she said plainly.

"Vampire." Hyrsam was excited there was no trying to hide it in his words.

"Cazador somehow coming back and having to follow his orders again."

"So a spawn, not even a full-fledged free thinking vampire, scared of his sire coming back from below, answer me this did you kill him? Did you defy your master for one second and break free of his will?"

Astarion looked the satyr in his eye. "By other means I was free, and I did. I killed him."

"Elf?"

Citrine, tears brimming in her eyes. She did not want to have to answer, she would of course, do anything for Astarion to not have to fear the sun. "The day Astarion leaves me, I fear him being gone the most." She looked down at the table a single tear fell onto the white cloth.

"And yet you seek the item that would allow him to leave whenever, not just in the dead of the night, but in the glory of the sun. How-sweet." He walked around the table, to Shadowheart and Gale. "The next part only one of you will participate in." He grabbed one of the branches that bore apples, snapping it in four and shuffling them in his hands. "Whoever draws the shortest, will go for a walk with me, we will discuss something and if I approve you will have the ring. A small task for such a great item. Do not show your stick until all have pulled." He walked over to each as they pulled, Astarion being left with the last one. Hyrsam's eyes were filled with glee. "Show them." he hissed. The four put their sticks in their palms reaching out to the middle of the table, they all slowly looked to Citrine. The air was caught in her throat. The last time she played a game with an entity that she needed something from she had to surrender her body to them.

She stood slowly up from the table, Astarion grabbed her wrist. "We can walk away."

"No, you can't just walk away. The game has started it will be seen to the end. Now come elf follow me." Hyrsam walked to the other side of the meadow disappearing into the tree line. Citrine looked at her friends and followed him into the woods.