Blood & Wine - A Spawn Astarion Fan Fiction

Nymeria

The stars above feel like they are in the millions without a forest canopy overhead, I suck in a breath at the chill in the air and the pale hand creeping up my outer thigh.

Astarion leans over, covering the view with a much more precious one, half lit by the moon. His ruby eyes trace my face like he hasn't seen it in a while. He hasn't. It's been days, almost weeks since I've seen him last.

"Do you wish we had met in another life?" I ask, reaching up for him, my hand touches his cheek, but doesn't register his cool skin.

"Not. One. Bit." He gives me a fanged smile, "Even with all the blood, the death and the danger I would not trade a moment of it. It's our story. It's the only one we have."

"You aren't here though." A sob gets stuck in my throat, "You're so far away from me. I can't feel you."

"Yes, my love. But this is quite the beautiful lie, isn't it?" He asks brushing his lips against mine. "Don't worry. I will see you soon. I promise."

"How can you be sure?"

Astarion pulls away and looks into my eyes again, "You need to trust me, darling." His tone grows a bit harsher, "You need to. Wake. UP."

—

Something jostles me from my sleep and I realize the wagon is slowing to a stop. The front dips as Ildra climbs down, making a series of clicking noises with her mouth. I crawl forward until the chains around my wrists pull taut, hoping to see where Ildra disappeared to.

I feel the tension release as my bindings pool at my feet and turn to see Stanzi at the far side of the wagon.

"Let me look at that wound." She says.

I gather the chains in my hands and move towards the back of the wagon letting my legs dangle over the side as she settles next to me, her linen pack beside her.

"What about?" I ask, thinking of Ildra and how she would reprimand her sister for helping me.

"She's tending to the horse." Stanzi begins to dig through her supplies when Myra runs up beside her, grabbing hold of her mother around the middle and pressing her face against her tunic to peer up at me sheepishly. Her hair is done up in braids, something I am coming to realize is common among the Gur people.

"Myra, sweetheart, you can go play, but stay close." Stanzi says trying to dodge the young girl as she pulls out green glass bottle.

Myra stares at me for a moment, a smile reaching her eyes before she runs off like a shot towards the edge of the dirt path. I follow the movement as Stanzi begins to unwrap the bandage at my shoulder.

"She's quite the handful." Stanzi laughs, "She likes you."

"You don't see many tieflings where you're from." I look up at Stanzi, watching as she stares at my wound. She grimaces before taking out a cut of linen cloth and wetting it with whatever liquid the green bottle contains.

"This might hurt." She says as she dabs the dampened cloth to my wound. "No, we don't see many like you."

I suck in a breath and look over to Myra as a distraction, watching as she walks in a straight line, toe to heel trying to balance before jumping to gather up a fistful of flowers.

Stanzi sighs to herself, "I feel horrible. I have been traveling with you for days and I haven't asked your name or where you're from." She digs into her pack and grabs another length of linen, ripping it. "You didn't have to help us, but you did."

"Nymeria." I respond, "My home, well, it doesn't exist anymore."

She places her hand on her chest, "Stanzi" she nods back towards the little girl, "Myra, my daughter and Ildra is my sister."