As the Ash Settles

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Tiny Footsteps.

"Boo, has been fighting off many of the remaining shadow hordes, Thaniel has been healing the land but Boo and Minsc must kill off what fights back." Minsc voice's carried through the manor. Citrine looked to Astarion as they entered their home. He kissed her head before she could take off. She ran straight to the sunroom, she threw open the glass doors to tackle Jaheira and Minsc.

She wrapped her arms behind Jaheira, who as swift as the wind turned grabbed one of her arms pulling it back into a full extension. "You've gotten slow child." She released Citrine's arm as she smiled at her. Jaheira placed both her hands on Citrine's stomach. "You must be quicker, on alert always for these ones."

"I was going for a hug." Citrine rubbed her elbow. As she did large arms engulfed her, pulling her tightly into them. "I've missed you too Minsc."

"My witch is right Citrine, you can not keep still." He let her go and she hugged the two. Astarion walked into the room nodding to Gale, Wyll, Karlach, and Shadowheart.

"I am not your witch Minsc, I am your friend." Jaheira did not hide the agitation in her voice.

The friends sat until the moon rose high, Jaheira and Minsc filled them in on how well the land was healing and how the Harper's were keeping busy. Karlach and Wyll discussed their time in Avernus as well as the couple of trips they had taken back there since leaving to help Hope and the others with the refugees. Citrine felt a tinge of sorrow, she missed being out in the fray helping others. Her eyes slowly drifted off into meditation as she listened to the voices of her family.

The morning sun came shining through the glass panes. She could feel the warmth of a fleece blanket upon her. "Good morning my sweet." She lifted her head rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Her pillow had been Astarion's lap, she furrowed her eyebrows at him. "Don't look at me that way, you looked peaceful like you needed the rest. I've meditated in much more uncomfortable positions." He kissed her head. She looked at him in silence her eyebrows still knitted.

A thunderous roar shook the manor, Citrine perked up, eyes widened. "Don't you dare. Stay here!" Astarion ran up to the glass walls "To all the damn gods everywhere." He left the room in a stomp. Citrine slowly made her way up, tentatively she followed him.

A red dragon upon their roof left her in wonder. The yells from Astarion fully woke her. "Lae'zel what in the ever living hells, you can not keep that here." The dragon's wings fully spread and the sound of their home being relieved of the pressure crackled. "Lae'zel" Astarion was not pleased. The dragon flew down landing in the field in front of their home. Atop the dragon was Lae'zel, her hair was longer, and new scars had formed across her face. She looked more powerful than ever. She slid down her dragon's side she threw a bag to the ground, patting it as it spread it's wings once more and had taken back up to the skies.

"Tsk'va home life has made you weak. You worry what others might say Astarion." Lae'zel's eyes fell to Citrine who was staring up at the morning sky, her eyes fell to her stomach. Lae'zel picked up her bag and threw it into Astarion's arms he heaved at the weight. Citrine had finally looked back at her as she ran to Lae'zel, whose eyes were locked on her stomach. Lae'zel hugged her friend gently. She had seen pregnancies but it still shocked her how fragile childbearing was to some creatures.

"You made it!" Citrine smiled, tears welled in her eyes.

"I've course I have made it. These children will be my gi, they need to learn to fight, to be strong, to gut their enemy before they can see it coming." Citrine just smiled at Lae'zel.

"As touching as this reunion is, I'm going to have to get up on our roof and see what damage your dragon might have done." Astarion's agitation broke the two's hug.

Lae'zel took her pack from Astarion as Citrine pulled her towards the home.

It did not take long for the others to come downstairs, the landing of the dragon had woke them all. Citrine had already started on breakfast for the bunch.

"Oh thank the gods I thought we were under another invasion." Shadowheart yawned.

"And yet you arrive slowly, unarmored. Typical istyk."

"And hello to you Lae'zel." Gale firmly grabbed her shoulder in a friendly manner.

The group sat as Citrine cooked, all of them listened intently to Lae'zel as she spoke of the Astral Plane and her encounters.

Haslin and his horde of children soon arrived, Citrine overjoyed with the children running around the house, Astarion still annoyed had mentioned several times over the hours how Lae'zel's dragon had left serval cracks that would need fixing. Arabella and Yenna stood close to Citrine the entire time. Arabella told them all how she often left the group to go progress her learnings. Yenna joined Citrine at every meal to cook.

"The beauty of the Tree Father has blessed us all well. Children of your own, Astarion how does it feel?" Halsin beamed as he ruffled the hair of a small tiefling who had been hiding behind Halsin the entire time thus far.

"Like I'm going to wake up and this will have been some cruel dream."

Citrine had been nothing but smiles, in the morning Tovier would be here and they would get to the door but for now, as she looked around her living room her family was together. Wyll had taken to his old ways and was kindly teaching the children proper forms while fighting. Karlach tried as carefully as she could to watch her language but when a human girl had gotten one up on Wyll she high-fived the child with a "Fuck yes kiddo!" Shadowheart was prattling on about the children needing to know their rights to religious freedom. Gale had been keeping a careful eye on all of them, Lae'zel and Astarion still bickering. Halsin made a good father to these kids, he kept an ever-watching eye but allowed them to make mistakes and to learn from them. Minsc and Jaheira still bickered away themselves but Minsc would often interrupt to show the kids Boo whenever they asked.

Tovier arrived the next day, to Citrine's joy everyone welcomed Tovier to their family. Citrine got her wish of the hand-printed door the kids of Halsin's painted on canvas' as they did so. Citrine looked back admiring her children's door, the hands of all those she loved printed into a beautiful circle. Life was beautiful.