Serenity | Halsin

Thirteen

I don't really remember all of the dialogue from this scene in the game so I'm going with my own here and there lmao

Her fur was the richest gold color and her eyes were like liquid topaz. She was large, but small for her kind. Her thick claws sank into the ground beneath her as she growled, confused by herself.

Halsin stepped forward as she lifted her head and peered at the man. She was afraid—no, she was terrified. The way her large eyes held his widely, and the way she huffed through her large snout and howled out.

"Roralei, it's all right. Hey, look at me."

The bear paced, its legs wobbling to the point of falling. She slipped and stopped moving, digging her claws into the soil as she trembled in place.

Halsin reached out and stroked her fur. The pure silk coat was soft against his skin as he studied her, moving around her in a full circle.

"The oak fathers have blessed you." He whispered. "You've found your emotional connection."

The bear panted heavily as it remained still.
"I know, it is a new feeling. It is a new body, that will take some time to get used to. But you did it."

Halsin pressed his hands to the bear's face. But as the animal began to glow and the body slowly shrank before his eyes, he watched as Roralei's human form sank to the ground, hugging herself tightly as she shook.

Roralei stuttered. "H—How—"
He kneeled before her. "You faced your emotions and your feelings."

She looked up at him. "You are my emotional connection."

He smiled. "I am honored."

Taking her face in his hands, the man leaned forward until she finally looked at him.
"I love you, too." He whispered to her.

Kissing her tenderly, Roralei closed her eyes and allowed herself to embrace the feeling of his lips against his own, feeling his warmth the closer he got to her. Her heart pounded inside of her chest, threatening to burst as he moved even closer.

There was no more space between them. Roralei moved back to lay on her elbows as the man moved to hover over her body, pinning her beneath his own. He leaned on his hands and knees to keep himself from crushing her considering his larger body. He was much larger compared to him.

The woman felt the sudden tingling beneath her skin, and she gasped as the bright yellow aura appeared. Halsin moved away, watching as she staggered to her hands and her knees. She blinked several times as she tried to fight the urge to shift, swallowing.

"It's all right," he assured her. "When the blood runs hot enough, it sometimes becomes hard to resist the transformation."

He helped Roralei to her feet and gripped her face in his hands before kissing her hard. The woman gasped, wrapping her hands around his wrists as she kissed him back. But as he pulled away, she frowned slightly.

"I think we should wait," Halsin said to her. "Until you're comfortable. You've only just learned the change. You're eager right now, I know. But let's get through the basics and teach you control first."

Roralei simply nodded. As she stepped onto the tip of her toes and kissed him, Halsin pressed his hand to the bottom of her spine and savored the quick moment. 

"You should be proud. The first time, I tore my clothes in half."

The woman laughed.

The next morning, Astarion stepped out from his tent and watched as the others gathered their things to prepare for their trip. He found himself watching Tav as she kneeled before the fire, using her hands to smear the remaining ashes with dirt.