Heart to Heart

Chapter 13

"Are you going to stop staring at me or are you actually going to do something about your glaring?" Karlach asked as we were in the tavern for the night, getting something to eat.

"You'll least expect it from me," I said.

"Sure, mate," she said and took a sip of her drink. "I've been sneak attacked more times than you can imagine. Nothing," she reached up and grabbed an arrow that was whizzed her way. "Can get me caught off guard anymore."

Looking at the arrow in her hand, she turned and found the doors to the tavern swinging open and closed as someone who had just there disappeared. Turning back to face me, I was looking innocent as always, even though she knew I was anything but.

"And you, you're just going to try to get me killed, aren't you? Too afraid to do it yourself?"

"I know you're a skilled fighter, Karlach. You were Zariel's champion after all."

"That title means nothing to me," she sneered. "I'd rather be a champion of shitting than Zariel's champion."

"Either way, you're a champion that has been through more battles than I can count. You're strong and have more knowledge of a weapon than I could ever achieve. Maybe that has something to do with your barbaric ways."

"Barbaric ways?" Karlach asked, placing her hands on the table, abruptly standing up.

The others scooted away from her as flames erupted around her.

"Just because I am strong does not make me barbaric. Zariel was the barbaric one back in Avernus and you know damn well that is the truth. I may wield an axe and have the strength of Halsin, but that doesn't mean I am barbaric."

"Maybe I shouldn't have used barbaric. Maybe more of a brute."

"Brute?!" Karlach's jaw clenched and the muscle popped out slightly. I could feel the flames of her engine growing hotter and hotter to where the others were watching our surroundings.

"Y/N," Shadowheart whispered. "I-I think you might want to back down on this."

"If you find me a brute," she grabbed the table we had connected to others and flung it aside.

It collided with a wall and broke into several pieces. The owner of the tavern was not going to be happy.

"Y/N," Shadowheart warned.

"Y/N, listen to Shadowheart," Gale said.

"You're making a big mistake," Halsin said.

"Whatever happens, don't get me involved," Astarion said and walked out of the tavern with Lae'zel and Wyll.

"If you find me a brute, then you might as well consider the first person to see what this brute can do," Karlach snarled.

"Bring it on, Sparky."

That really got Karlach going. She grabbed her axe that was attached to her back and was about to raise it. Halsin stood up and grabbed the wooden handle, getting Karlach to lower it.

"Enough. If you two wish to fight it out, take it outside. You're doing enough damage here."

Karlach reached over and grabbed my shirt, dragging me out of the tavern and towards the camp. Throwing me to the ground, she let me get my sword and I stood up, facing her.

"Last chance, Y/N. I have been nothing but trying to be peaceful with you. Sure you're pissed at me for throwing you through a portal and being the reason Wyll has horns. But you can't let that go?"

"I can let the other things go, but not Wyll."

"Why's that? Is he your lover? Someone you find yourself wanting to be with even though you look the way that you do? Afraid that people will look at you weirdly for falling in love with a human while you're nothing but a tiefling? Nothing but a monster with claws, horns, and a tail? Is that what you're afraid of, Y/N?"

"I am afraid of losing everyone I have ever cared about!"

"Well guess what, Y/N, you're not the only one who has suffered loss!" Karlach snarled, more flames erupting from her. "You're not the only one who suffered at the hands of someone we thought we could trust! You're not the only one who has had it rougher than what we should have got. So stop trying to act like you're the one who knows what pain is!"

I took in a deep breath as Karlach turned away from me. Who does she think she is? She knows nothing about me. About what I suffered and what I am afraid to lose and what I am willing to sacrifice. She wasn't a friend who knew me and knew my past. She was simply a tiefling who got to see luxury within Zariel's palace. But I couldn't look past the pain she suffered. Shaking my head, I charged towards her. Raising my blade, I placed it by her neck and grabbed her horn, pulling her head back to expose her neck. She snarled as her tail was about to wrap around my ankle. I placed my foot firmly on her tail and she let out a small whimper, some tears filling her eyes as she was in pain.

"I'll stop acting like that if you stop acting like you know me. You know nothing about me."

"I may not know everything about you, but I know you were a prisoner of Zariel. That is what we have in common and that is the common ground we can come together on. So," she reached up and grabbed my blade, pulling it away from her neck. She lunged forward and bent her foot backwards, swinging underneath my leg, I was pulled onto Karlach's back and then I found myself looking up at the sky.

Karlach walked above me and cocked her head to the side. She was about to reach her hand out, but she pulled it back. Even though we had minimal contact once more, there was a small burning sensation on my arm.

"So, what do you say, soldier?" she asked. "Truce? We don't need to keep fighting one another. We are the same you and I."

"We are not the same. So stop trying to pretend we're equals."

"We're equals in that we are both tieflings and we were both used by Zariel. I may not have suffered what you went through and you certainly didn't suffer what I went through. Can we start over, Y/N, and come together as possible friends?"

I let out a sigh and nodded my head, "Fine."