As the Fire Rises

Chapter Seven: Pretty Lies.

The streets of Baldur's Gate held fear in them, the star and lamp-lit streets were emptier than they had been in years. "Tell me about your father. How did I meet him?" 

Diana looked up at Liliana as they walked, Liliana nodded at her. "Well, you were captured after Orin mutilated you, mind flayers took you aboard their ship and well I guess when the ship crashed you had gone looking for survivors maybe? I'm not too sure about those details,  but he had asked for your help to kill an intellect devourer-"

"What is that?" Citrine interrupted. 

"It's a walking brain I think." 

Citrine hummed in amusement. "Go on." 

"You had agreed and had let your guard down I guess, he grabbed you and held a dagger to your throat." 

"Oh well that is quite romantic I can see why I fell for him then. A threat of death is the way to a woman's heart." 

"Sure, I guess. Where are we going?" 

"Wyrm's Rock, Liliana has informed me that the Duke is friends with your father and right now he's a bit tied up." Citrine's laugh was cold not like how her father had described it to be. "They should of killed the group I sent after them by now and be elbow-deep within Wyrm's Rock looking for Duke Ravenguard. He is one of their fathers according to Liliana and a good friend of yours. I figure since Gortash is gone, this will do for some fun."

"So you're going to kill them there?"

Citrine's laugh was loud, "Gods no, we aren't going to interrupt them at all, they will escape with the Duke and have a beautiful family reunion we will watch from the shadows until the moment is right, you're going to be stabbed and beaten by Liliana while I watch. If they are as heroic as Liliana here would lead me to believe they will double back for you and invite you in their arms. You are going to fill their head with so many pretty lies. Tell them you tried to escape that you were wrong about everything, that I remembered Astarion at least a part of me does. That when they brought me back soon after they were to kill you. That I'm locked away in some cellar as they try to bring Orin back to finish me. I'm sure you're a smart girl. Give them hope that their precious Citrine is somewhere there and that you've seen the error of your ways." 

"You want Liliana to stab me?"

"Stab you, gut you, slit you open the details don't matter." 

"And what if they see you?" Diana stopped walking, Citrine turned to her anger in her eyes. 

"Have you no idea who I am? I am the daughter of Bhaal only taken down by my own blood and my own hand. And yet you think that I do not know how to disappear into the shadows?" 

Diana pushed Citrine's hands off her shoulders, "That's not true, a fey killed you too. Not as tough as stories made you out to be. Don't ever grab me like that again." 

Citrine turned wildly to Liliana, "A fey? What fey?" her voice was guttural. 

"You gave your life to an Archfey for Astarion's ability to walk in the sun." 

"Then once again, by my own hand." Citrine's eyebrows knitted together, Diana could see the look of puzzlement and frustration clearly on her face. 

The three made their way to the passing, Citrine left the two to make way. Diana and Liliana sat in silence listening to the onslaught happening in the building. When the group came closer to the door Liliana grabbed her by the hair pulling her onto her knees slamming her face into the stone ground. Pain and blood flooded Diana's nose, she could feel the warmth of her blood sliding down her face as she squealed. 

She felt the dagger slid into her back, Diana had taken apart enough bodies to know Liliana hit nothing that would cause lingering damage but as the scream left her throat she felt helpless. Her own mother assigned her this pain to be beaten and diced, she understood the plan but as her tears fell she couldn't help but feel an intense anger toward her mother. Mother's were supposed to protect their children but she was no mother she had never been.