As the Fire Rises

Chapter Sixteen: Matching Valleys

An aura of caution surrounded Aelius as he sat at the edge of Citrine's bed the wood elf touched the dimple in his chin and her own. "Matching valleys." A small smile left her lips. 

"Our eyes too, though yours weren't always like they are now. There was a painting of you that hung in our room one green like now and the other blue." Aelius smiled back, he touched his mother's chin. Citrine looked up to Astarion who stood above them, Diana peeked from behind his back. 

"He's not wrong, you let Volo carve out your eye in an attempt to remove the parasite. I certainly did not approve of your actions but you were never one to listen darling." She patted the empty side of the bed. Astarion sat Diana down and moved in behind her. "You never did listen to reason, you'd follow wherever your heart would lead you even if it objectively was the stupid thing to do." 

"Such as?" Citrine had pulled Aelius down to her laying him into her arms as they settled against the pillowed headboard one arm wrapped around him tightly the other upon Diana's lap. 

"Where to start?" Astarion's warm laugh filled the room. "Trusting me for one, you stood up for me when Gale and Shadowheart were weary about me being in camp and truth be told at the time they were not wrong for their suspicions and yet you saw something that could be there, something I didn't even know could exist." 

"Which would be?" 

"The ability to care for more than just myself my little elf, you gave me your heart, you gave me these two."  

Pain shot from Citrine and through gritted teeth she hissed. "And they were taken from you. They were taken, tortured, taught to kill, to torture others. They were pitted against each other, blades sharpened against the other's flesh." Aelius attempted to move away from his mother a sharp hand kept him in place. "Ten years, gone from dear papa, raised by one who loathed you more than anything. One whose life you stole, Lilliana only thought fit for the life you and Cazador took from her should be repaid." Aelius struggled against his mother's grasp. A thunderous wave blew Diana and Astarion back. Citrine pulled Aelius from the bed dragging him to the door, "One step and his neck is snapped in two am I clear?" 

"Citrine stop, he is our son." Astarion's words were filled with panic as he held his daughter close hand outstretched for his son. 

"Do not move closer! Diana, it is time. Prove yourself to Bhaal, it is your father who stands between you and him." 

Diana looked between her mother and father, his eyes filled with confusion hers wild. "No mother."

"No?" Her hand wrapped tighter around Aelius who sobbed in her arms. 

"No! I will not. Your wrong, this all this is wrong. I have been lied to my entire life. I have been told that I was not wanted not cared for. That Bhaal was my true savor. They were wrong. You are wrong." 

A maniacal laugh left Citrine, interrupted by a loud cracking of wood, her eyes widened as blood pulled from her head leaving her sandy blonde hair stained. 

"I think the fucking parasite was an improvement." Karlach stood with a broken board in hand. Aelius wrapped his arms around the tiefling tears flowing. Karlach looked to her friend, "Astarion, there is no other choice either she remembers and comes back to us or she needs put down. I love our soldier I truly do but these kids have been through enough. It is time."