The Heroes of Baldur's Gate... and Me

Part 15: Consequences

I awoke to the early morning sun glowing through the fabric of the tent, warming my skin as a gentle kiss is pressed to my upturned face. I smile and open my eyes to see Astarion beside me, his eyes shining and his silver hair ruffled. Gone is his mask of confidence and sarcasm, only openness and honesty radiates from him.

I am lying nestled within the safety and warmth of his strong arms, tangled under the blanket, my legs intertwined with his.
I reach a hand up and cradle his face, as he smiles and leans into my palm.

Gods, he so sexy in the mornings.

"Good morning little maid." He purrs, his hand stroking my bare shoulder, his touch sending delicious little shivers down me.

I roll my eyes at him playfully. "We're still continuing with the maid nickname?"

He returns my look with a devilish grin. "Of course my dear, especially as I know how it vexes you." He smirks, his eyes burning into my mine as his hand moves to my neck. His fingers gently touch the scars on my neck from his fangs, his expression thoughtful.

"To think just a couple of weeks ago, everything was so different. I was still living in the shadows, blindly following the commands of my master..." He scoffs in disbelief, as if he cannot truly fathom everything that has happened. "Now look at us! This was originally not part of my plan!"

"Why did you need a plan?" I ask quietly, not quite able to meet his eyes. He is silent for a moment, his hand playing with a strand of my hair as he considers his answer.

"Because I was scared." He whispers, his thumb on my chin gently tilting my face up to him. "I was scared of how the others would react to my condition when they found out. And I was scared of how quickly my feelings for you had grown. I was drawn to you, like a moth to a flame. That first night I was in camp with you all, I heard you crying out in your sleep - it was like something in me stirred. The darkness in me reached out to the darkness in you."

His eyes burn into me, an earnest and slightly disbelieving expression on his beautiful face. "And when we spent the time at the grove, I had tried to keep my distance. But after our time surveying the goblin camp and that night, I was happy. You were initially scared when you saw my true form but then you seemed to accept me and I could tell you were drawn to me too."

He clears his throat uncomfortably before continuing. "But when we arrived back at camp and they said they had encountered a Gur hunter.... I panicked. I saw how Tav reacted to the news of a vampire... I thought if I could increase her feelings for me, she wouldn't turn on me."

He brings his hand back up to my face, his eyes pained as he looks into mine. "I'm sorry that I put you through that - to put you through more pain. It killed me seeing the hurt in your eyes and the hate you radiated when I followed you to the river."

"I didn't understand - I thought I had misunderstood what had happened between us. Maybe I was just a fling, a conquest." I explain in a shaky voice before he cuts me off.

"Never!" he whispers fiercely, his eyes intense. "Please don't ever think that. You are so much more to me."

I smile happily at his words, but there is still a smidgen of doubt in the back of my mind. "But - why me and not Tav? I mean look at her! She is beautiful, brave, talented, courageous!"

"And yet she cannot hold a candle to you!" Astarion exclaims passionately.

I roll my eyes at him again playfully, not quite able to fully accept his words or praise.

He presses his lips to mine again, with a soft kiss that gives me tingles. He pulls away and raises his eyebrow. "Well now we have to decide if we are going to tell the others. It is completely up to you, I just want you to feel comfortable. If you'd rather not tell them just yet then we can hold off - it will be our little secret."