The Druid Princess

Chapter 2: Crash

Crash

The ground was warm, but also soft.
Esme slowly opened her eyes up, looking at the world sideways as she took a big breath in and exhaled it out. A small cough that followed behind from some of the sand invading her mouth when she inhaled.
It was strange how Esme even survived the crash at all, as she slowly gathered up all her strength to push herself up from the ground.
Checking herself for any injuries, but only just a few scratches on the palms of her hands.

Looking around, she wasn't able to recognize where she was unfortunately. Esme stared over at the ship that crashed, seeing all the smoke and fire slowly had been dying out. Wondering how long she was unconscious for. Though, that didn't really matter to her right now.

Survival was the main objective, and maybe finding her allies. If they made it out okay.
Esme walked slowly, feet slightly dragging, until she was able to get better balance. Her eyes soon caught a glimpse of a figure laying on the ground unconscious.
Which this figure looked very familiar. Esme approached the woman as she slowly knelt down beside her. "Shadowheart..." she called out her name as she shook the womans shoulder. Hoping it would wake her up.
"Hmm..."

Good, shes still alive.

Esme watched the woman slowly twitch her hand, seeing she was fighting to wake herself up. Shadowheart finally pried her eyes open, being greeted by the sky, and Esme looking over her. "Well aren't you a sight to be blessed by." Shadowheart slowly pushed herself up, seeing the crash in front of her. "I'm glad to not be the only one that survived." Esme stared back at the crash. "Yeah, lets just hope everyone else made it okay as well."

"I wouldn't bother, Lae'zel probably already ran off. Along with Spectre. They pretty much only think of themselves." Shadowheart looked at Esme who was now holding her hand out to help her stand up. "I mean, wouldn't you do the same?" Esme wasn't sure she'd leave allies behind, but she could understand how others would want to.
"No, having allies in this situation is what I prefer. Especially in an area I'm not quite familiar with." She did make a great point, why travel alone when you can have allies that might know their way around here. Esme nodded her head in approval.

"So I'm taking you want to stay traveling with me?" Esme smiled, as Shadowheart returned the smile. "You make great company, so why not?" She commented, as Esme felt her face flush from the response. She wasn't exactly the social type, so getting any sort of comment like that...always made her awkwardly shy. "Alright, lets search for any others before fully exploring this place." Shadowheart nodded in agreement. "Lead the way."

The pair walked alongside each other, silence between the pair. Shadowheart glanced around for resources. "So Esme, before all this happened. Where were you living?" Shadowheart wanted to try breaking the awkward silence, and also get to know her ally more. Esme pressed her lips into a firm line, wondering if she should share her life with Shadowheart.

"Well...I was just living in the forest outside of Baldurs Gate. Besides that...there's not really much to talk about. I don't really recall where I'm actually from." Shadowheart rose a brow in questioning, wondering what Esme had meant by that. "Should I dare pry further?" She asked, hoping to not offend Esme. "Um, maybe another time? I'm still processing the information myself." Before being abducted by Mind Flayers, Esme had found out some terrible news that she didn't want to believe-no- she refused to believe any of it.

Shadowheart nodded, respecting Esmes privacy. "Understood, I can relate to having little to no memory of my youth years." Something the pair share in common, loss of childhood memories.
Esme shrugged her shoulders back, "Who needs to remember those days anyways?" Her lavender eyes shined brightly in the sunlight, as Shadowheart nodded. "I like your spirit."
The pair continued walking until they came across three brains running around.

"Do you think they're friendly too?" Esme asked, both the girls peering from behind a large rock. "I don't suppose they are." The brains little legs were covered up in a fresh red substance, which it was clear that this substance was from someone they recently killed. "Are you ready to put on a show?" Esme glanced at Shadowheart who nodded. "We don't really have much of choice, given that's the only clear pathway."

Esme nodded, as she transformed into a bear. Claws ready to tear up the brains, as Shadowheart followed behind, keeping ready to aid to Esmes injuries.
Once they finished killing the three brains, Esme transformed back. Staring at the lifeless brains. "It still freaks me out that they have legs." Shadowheart smiled while attending to her wounds. "I do agree. Now shall we get a move on?" Esme nodded, as the pair continued to the path.

"Huh, it seems we might have ourselves a new ally perhaps?" Shadowheart pointed out a white hair elf, who seemed to be looking for something. Esme slowly approached the male who didn't even have to take a peak to know she and Shadowheart were there. "Can I have some help? I saw one of those brain thingys over there, your good at killing them right?" The male asked more towards Esme, as she knitted her brows in confusion. "I wouldn't say that, but why do you ask?"

"I have it cornered, but I can't exactly kill it on my own." Shadowheart rose a brow, clearly she was suspicious of him. She wanted to tell Esme to not trust him, but maybe Esme was able to read him too?

"Fine, I'll help."

What?!

Shadowheart couldn't believe how naive Esme was being, to not see that this man clearly must be lying or trying to trick them at least. Before Shadowheart could even intervene, Esme was already on her back with a dagger held against her neck.
"What are you doing?" Esme felt her heart race, unsure of his actions now. "Trying to survive dear. Now tell me what the hells you did to me?!"

"Wait- you got it all wrong! We're also infected!" Esme tried her best to not fight against him, wanting to at least earn his trust. Which it seems it worked, for now at least. He slowly loosen his grip, letting Esme get up as he slowly stood up as well. Putting his dagger away as he locked eyes with Esme.
"So we share the same wiggly worm?" He asked, only for all three of them to wince from the pain in their heads. Shared memories flowing through one another, as they connect.

"What in the hells was that?"

Shadowheart glared at the male, "Its the tadpole, somehow it connects us to one another. Not sure how, but all we know is if we don't get these things out of our heads soon... We might just end up turning into Mind Flayers." She explained, which really grabbed the elf's attention.

"Turn into- MIND FLAYERS?! As if it wasn't already bad enough for me." He sighed, as he looked at the pair. "Well, count me in on this quest of getting our friend out of our bloody heads."

"You want to join us?" Esme arched a brow, arms folded over her chest. "Obviously, but I don't mind traveling alone either."
"No, you can travel with us....But we should exchange introductions. This is Shadowheart, and I'm Esme." She thought about extending her hand out to him, but maybe it would be better to not.
The male gave a smug smile, "Astarion, now can we get going? I don't want to keep squawking around this area any much more than I already have."

A/N:
I'm not really going to go into detail for fighting, unless it's a bigger fight...if that makes sense? I'm just rushing the first few chapters of the members finding each other.