Regarding (im)mortality

13: Departure and coming home

The rest of the day and the following day was spent introducing the Spawn to Rhyl's group. Mainly the 6 of them that had worked directly alongside Astarion and thus had established some kind of authority over the ones that had been locked in the cages. Out of those 6 it was Leon who most often spoke for them. As self proclaimed leader of the group he approached them the second they entered the stronghold but was swiftly cut off by Davros. "Fall back in line, Spawn", he told him with a glare that spoke of barely contained violence.

"My name is Leon", he said instead of listening, "I'm the leader of these Spawn and I would like to hear what you have decided. After all you just decided all our fates without any of us present."

Astarion was about to object but in truth he hadn't spoken much during the discussion, leaving the negotiations up to Arista who had done so with their best interest at heart.

"It's fine Davros, he's one of those that weren't in the cells", she said now but then nodded at Astarion, encouraging him to take the lead.

He smiled at her for a second before turning to his brother who posed as such a good leader when he was the youngest of the spawn, after all his daughter was barely 10 years old by the time Dal killed her and she had been very, very mortal.

"We've been invited to build our housing just outside the city, a probation period to see if we can control our bloodlust and to teach us how to fight. If all goes smoothly we'll be invited to join our settlement with the city and we'll be part of the city watch and the standing army of Ken'ghym. Blood will be supplied by the townspeople though not fresh off the vein but bottled."

Leon blinked a few times, digesting what he had just heard. "So you're saying we really get a place to stay?"

Astarion couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Yes. If you can behave that is. Whoever steps out of line will be executed by me personally", he added in a growl, he didn't want to tell them about the canon that might just be pointing their way more often than not. It would be the same as those control collars that Rhyl suggested.

"As if you could", the other man scoffed in response.

"Enough!", he growled, "I helped kill an avatar of Myrcul, a chosen of Bhaal, a madman devotee of Bane and I helped kill a fucking Netherbrain! I killed Cazador while you were suspended in the air like the fucking sacrificial lamb you have been created to be!"

To his credit Leon had the decency to go even paler hearing those words. "Wh-What are you saying?"

"That I will murder everyone who dares stand in the way of the new life I carved out for myself. I finally have the chance to belong somewhere and I will NOT let you or any other of the spawn ruin this for me."

Behind him Arista smiled, pride in her partner flooding her senses and jumping on their shared connection over to him.

After that the news spread around the Spawn that they would be moving pretty soon so everyone started to get ready while Rhyl and the others took a tour around the stronghold to make assess the level of bloodlust that the Spawn might show.

Then, the next morning they started marching towards the city, Rhyl having sent Shadowclaw ahead to inform them of their upcoming arrival.

---

It had taken them almost a month to arrive at the secret city of Ken'ghym. On their way they found ways to feed the Spawn but never enough to actually satiate them. But then again a vampires hunger was boundless, so there was nothing that would ever truly fill their bottomless bellies. At last though the city came into view.

"I didn't imagine it to be this big", Astarion said as they finally laid eyes on the massive structure.

"It started out very small that's true. But over the years many other Drow exiles found us and made it their home. It grew with each one of them", Arista answered him, smiling. It was clear that she was excited to return, to see her parents again and many of her friends.

Upon approaching the city they walked towards the field where the Spawn would make their homes and saw that building materials were already laid out all around it. "Your people work fast", Leon remarked.

"Well we didn't build a city out of nothing by working slow", Arista dryly responded until she suddenly started to dash, Astarion blinked in confusion, his vision in the darkness of this place clearly not as good as hers but he could feel her happiness bubble up inside of him. She must've seen someone she had dearly missed.

So, walking after her, he found her in a tight embrace with a much older male Drow. Looking closer the family resemblance was plainly visible, though he looked most like an older version of Div.

"Father!", she happily greeted him, "It has been so long!"

"It has", the man replied as he wrapped his arms around her with a small smile forming on his lips, "Though the tales of your heroics have reached even down here so at least I had some news of your whereabouts. I can't imagine it was easy not knowing how we fared down here while you fought an entire Illithid plot", he chuckled and pulled back a bit to look at his daughter.

"True, I was dying to hear from all of you and now we can finally catch up", she smiled and then stepped back, sliding her arm around Astarion's waist, "Father, this is Astarion", she then looked up at him, "Love, this is my father Alak'ven Kil'arn."

The man eyed him up and down and Astarion felt as nervous as ever, being judged by someone his lover respected so, so much. He cleared his throat and mustered an awkward smile. "Nice to meet you Sir."

"So this is the one that caused you to break your Oath?", Alak asked with a weary look, "I felt the bond shatter even down here when you did, you know?"

Now Arista was the one giving an awkward smile. "Uh ... well... but I did regain it", she said. It was quite amusing honestly to see her in this state, here she was her fathers daughter first and not the honorable Paladin that took no shit from anyone. Here, in front of this man that raised an entire city for his people, she was still the apprentice that nervously awaited judgment or praise.

"Just tell me why?", he asked, "I wish to understand your reasoning behind releasing 7000 vampire spawn into the Underdark. A place where we built our city to protect our people, I might ad."

She swallowed, straightening her spine and Astarion reached for her hand, holding it to show his support. "The vampire that created all those Spawn did so using the first seven he made. So much pain and suffering had already been created. I didn't want to load even more guilt onto them by ending the lives of the ones they lured to him. Not after they had just found out that they'd been kept in starvation all those years. They deserved a chance at freedom. Enough blood had been spilled those past 200 years", she quietly explained.

Alak looked at her and then at the Spawn behind them as if measuring them up, lastly his gaze landed on Astarion. "You and I will have a private chat. For now let your brethren settle in and start building their homes. The first delivery of blood is on its way", he said.

"Of course, Sir", Astarion managed to answer, dread creeping into his heart.

Then Alak placed a hand on Arista's cheek and smiled, "We're glad to have you back in any case Aly."