Dance Amongst The Roses | Astarion x OC | Gale x OC

Chapter 5: Deal with the Devil

"Good morning. How are you feeling?" Astarion approached his tent as Christinus finished securing the last pieces of his gear.

"I'm fine, just a little bit woozy," he admitted, now meeting Astarion's gaze.

"It'll pass. Just be glad I'm not a true vampire. A bite from them, and you might wake up as a vampire spawn, like myself. All of a vampire's hunger, but few of their powers."

He was a spawn? The concept vaguely echoed in his memory, tied to the infamous vampire lord his grandmother often complained about in the lower city. "Is that how you can stand in the sun?"

"Oh no. I should be cinders in the light. I hadn't seen the sun for two hundred years before we crashed here. Someone - or something - wants me alive. They've changed the rules. Standing in the sun, wading through a river, wandering into homes without invitation. They're all perfectly mundane activities now," Astarion explained with a sly grin. "As for my other quirks - well, we can figure those out in time."

So many uncanny occurrences. Parasites, strange powers, a vampire that can bask in the sun. Perhaps Astarion was onto something? Were they part of a greater picture? "Do you..." Christinus began hypothesizing, "think the tadpole is responsible for it?"

"That's my theory, but who knows? I'm just glad you're being sensible about these revelations. I was worried I'd be burned at the stake," Astarion confessed, his eyes flickering over to the rest of the group steadily approaching the pair. "Although, there's still time."

"So we're traveling with a vampire, are we? Of course we are," Gale sighed. "A word of warning, Astarion: I taste absolutely awful."

"I'd just better not wake in the night to find fangs at my throat," Shadowheart commented. Ironic. Lilith, on the other hand, remained eerily silent. Something about the camp's two light-haired elves had changed. There was a delicious tension, a small ember burning. Her body fed on the emotion, a nice surge to fuel her magic.

"Listen, everyone," Christinus turned towards the group, his expression oozing charm. "If he were a genuine threat, he'd have made his move by now. Let's stay open-minded. We need each other, and I trust him."

"He's got a point. We're in this together, no matter what comes our way." Astarion played along with the persuasive tone, genuinely flattered by the effort. His newfound companion continued to surprise him.

"If Christinus is willing to vouch for you, then I'm satisfied. Right, Shadowheart?" Lilith wrapped an arm around Shadowheart's shoulders, a wide grin on her face. Shadowheart reluctantly nodded.

"You say all the right things, but I'm not sure you mean them. Still, I'll respect the decision that's been made." Gale concluded.

"There we go. We're all pals again. Shall we proceed?" Astarion picked up his bow and gestured forward.

The team had unanimously decided to pursue the crèche as their next course of action. Lae'zel, being githyanki and holding the map, naturally assumed the role of leader for this expedition. She moved swiftly but stayed vigilant, a testament to her training. As they followed Lae'zel's lead, Christinus found himself gravitating towards Astarion. Something about his demeanor had shifted. His features were clearer, more defined in the elf's eyes. He was--

"I know I'm beautiful, but your staring is a bit much. Those glowing eyes of yours can be unnerving," Astarion remarked, wearing the faintest hint of a smirk, his features mostly coiled in caution.

The elf's eyebrows raised in surprise. He'd never had anyone insult his eyes before. Though, by all accounts, this should have been a blow to his ego, he somehow found it amusing, even charming. It was refreshing not to be handed shallow praise.