The Druid Princess

Chapter Eight: Trap

The sun was starting to set, while the stars were slowly appearing in the sky.

Faint puffs of air coming from the group that just finished handling off the Goblins at the gate. "Is...everyone alright?" Wyll asked while also checking himself over for any signs of serious injuries.
"I think I'm alright, what about you two? I can tend to your wounds if you need me to?" Shadowheart gazed over at the pair standing next to each other.

Seeing how they didn't notice her offer, as Esme was attending to Astarions cut on the arm.

"You really don't need to do this..." His voice was gentle and soothing to hear, as Esme stared up into his red eyes. "We're a team, aren't we? So its the least I can do." She also wanted to do this as a thanks for saving her from an attack.
Others may have not be too found of the vampire spawn, but he has won over Esme. "Well, don't expect me to do the same." Though, he probably would help her and the others anyways.

Astarion had missed being amongst a normal group of people, in a matter of speaking to say. It was a lot better of what he had to deal with for over 200 years of pure shit.
So this, his heart felt warm. A feeling he wants to hold onto forever, though he wasn't ever going to admit that to any of them.
Esme stared into his eyes, a soft smile forming on her face. "You've already have." Reaching up to poop his nose, which sent him many different emotions.

"Alright, enough with the flirting. Lets get moving, before night falls."

"F-flirting?! I- I wasn't flirting!" Esme felt her cheeks heat up from the comment, not thinking her actions let alone words, were flirtatious at all. Wyll laughed at her reaction, as he walked past the opening of the gates door. "I was merely joking, Esme." Shadowheart walked alongside Astarion, seeing how he was lost in thought. Apart of her was going to question his silence, but that died when her mind focused elsewhere.

Beyond the gate, was a large open area. Which was oddly strange to the group. Was there something lurking about, or maybe it was just like this? No doubting it though, there was obviously something erie about it.
Wyll spotted where the camp was, not very far from them. However, things were slowly going to take an ugly turn for one of them.

"Wyll, isn't that the camp up ahead?" Esme pointed out, inching closer with every step she took. Wyll nodded, feeling uncertain about something. The goblins weren't exactly the brightest when it comes to defending their camps, but they also weren't stupid enough to not think about enemies intruding.

"Yeah- but I would be careful where we step. Theres bound to be a trap somewhere." He warned, though it was already far too late. Once Esme stopped, the ground beneath her had felt strangely different.
Before she could process her own thoughts and precaution of the situation she got herself into. The ground was no longer anything, along with her no longer seeing anything but darkness and the echoing of her muffled scream.

"ESME!" The three yelled in sync, as Astarion searched through his things to find a scroll of feather fall. "Shadowheart use this, I'll go after her!" He tossed the scroll while getting ready to jump down the large hole in the ground. "What- where did you even get this?" She asked, "I don't know, I stole it from Gale." Was all he said before leaping down, not even giving Shadowheart enough time to use the scroll on him.

Astarion wasn't even sure why he was risking his life to save someone, but here he was. Falling down a hole after a woman he's trying very hard to manipulate.
His eyes spotting Esmes body, as he reached out enough to be able to take hold of her clothing. Using that to his advantage to pull her into him. "I've got you-" He muttered, though their lives were now in Shadowhearts hands if she doesn't use the scroll right now.

Seeing how the ground was slowly becoming more clearer; and right before they were about to paint the ground with their blood. Shadowheart had managed to use the scroll on them right in time.
As their fall was now cushioned, though it appeared Esme must of hit her head on something before jumping in after her.

"I don't know if the scroll reached them in time or not." Shadowheart looked over at Wyll who was trying to peer down the hole. "We only can hope it did- for now. Let's put off getting to Halsin and finding a way to save these two." Wyll suggested, which Shadowheart agreed to.

••

The sound of water dripping into a puddle could be heard, and the slight smell of moss filled her nose. It seems she had fallen down into a cave, but how far down was she?
Her eyes slowly opening up, seeing the world sideways. Yet, she seemed to not realize her head was resting on someone.
"I see we're finally awake now?" The familiar voice belonged to only one sassy vampire spawn she knew, Astarion.
Her body jolted up rather quickly, eyes peering down to see Astarion was with her. "H-how-" She wanted to continue her question, but a sharp pain shot through her head. Reaching up to touch the side, only to feel something wet.

As she pulled her hand back into view, she noticed the red substance.

"Careful now, I don't exactly have anything to treat the small gash on the side of your head. Not to worry though, it's not too deep." Astarion sat up, checking over the rest of her for any other injuries. "You know, you're pretty brave."

Esme locked eyes with him, "What makes you say that?"

"Well, you've crashed a whole mind flayer ship and managed to survive from that. You stood between a bow just to protect a goblin from being killed, which truly you should have just let it be. Though, thats besides the point, you know how to handle difficult situations that most wouldn't." Of course there were many other things she has proven to be a worthy allie to him.

"I'm just only trying to survive like any other would." Esme didn't see how it was something to be proud of. She never enjoyed having to do any of those things. Though, she lived a shelter life as a child until she turned 21.

"That's the thing, not everyone is like you. You're always trying to save others or find a way to reason with them to avoid bloodshed. Most wouldn't put in that much effort." Astarion has noticed her kind nature, but also how naive she was as well. Considering the situation they had to face earlier, but she also wasn't dumb either. Esme knew she couldn't make everyone be at peace with one another.

However, there was something he had noticed in her eyes when they killed the goblins. It was guilt and shame, something he didn't quite understand about her.

"I don't wish to talk about this right now, Astarion. Lets just focus on getting out of here, please?"
Small droplets of water echoed through the dark cave, as Astarion smiled in response. "Of course darling." Though he was going to push her later on the subject, as it seems she was dodging something. Or if not that, then just simply found this topic too sensitive to talk about.
Either way, he would like for her open up about anything that bothers her.

At the same time, why should he be caring about her bottling up her emotions? Astarion stood up as he held his hand out for her to grab, helping her up.
Esme locked eyes with the vampire spawn, trying to remember every small detail of his face before accepting his hand.

"Now, shall we get out of this hell hole already?" He smiled down at her.