I could hear the commotion above me as I sifted through dusty bookshelves and creaky wooden chests that bore nothing worth noting. I had found a hidden basement and had decided to turn it over for anything useful, while my 'friends' pried any important information from three beastly looking bastards above ground. I clicked my tongue against the roof of my mouth, soundly disappointed at my lack of discovery, kicking over a stack of tattered looking books. My movements halted as the rather loud 'talking' I heard turned into shouting, and shouting turned into a couple of bangs and startling thumps. The party up there was most definitely over. I stuck my hands in my pockets, figuring I'd better head back up and see what all the fuss is really about myself. As I walked, kicking the pebbles that dare to lay in my path, I wondered what Wyll must've said to offend the three ogres. Surely he must get one or two bruises from this feeble battle, unless he hides behind...
"(Y/N)!" I had never heard that tone ever come from the Warlocks voice. It was shrill, frightened, and emulating pure panic as he screamed her name. Her name.
To be quite honest, my body seemed to have moved before I even realized what it was I was doing. One moment, I was kicking rocks and chuckling to myself, the next I was sprinting. I found myself, scrambling through the lowly lit basement, running for stairs that seemed miles away. Why was I running? What was I in such a rush for? Why did I care? I fumbled my way up those rickety wooden stairs, leaping onto solid floor, my head instantly snapping in the direction I had last seen my party. Through the gaps in the planks that lined the wall, I immediately spotted her. Her legs were trembling, her arms above her head, and the team scattered behind her like scared children while she took the brunt of the attacks. Like always. It almost made me mad. But even from this distance, I could see that (y/n) was losing. I moved on instinct, yanking my bow off my back as I ran towards the battle. She's sustenance, that's why I care, that's why I feel so...panicked. I watched, as the beast reeled his weapon back, causing her to stumble forward. Leaving her wide open. Any logical living being would feel this way if their only source of life was being threatened. I drew back my arrow as I ran, holding my breath on the last of my two steps as I jumped into the light and released my drawstring. I don't want her to die. My arrow whistled through the air, stabbing the bastard right in the eye, stopping his attack on (y/n).
And she looked at me.
I could see those piercing (e/c) eyes through the slit of her helm, as she turned back to see who it was that had saved her from almost certain death. It was only for a moment, a second really, but I could see her. I could picture the expression she was making by really only seeing her eyes, and she looked... I blinked. And the moment was over. (Y/n) turned back around, jamming her sword into the beast's belly, while the one on her left roared in anger.
She didn't see the attack.
My hand reached back into my empty quiver, my fingers grasping at nothing but air.
"LOOK OUT!" Shadowheart screamed as the ogre swung upwards, the blunt end of his club connecting with her chin, sending her flying backwards behind Shadowheart and Wyll. Knocking her helmet clean off.
She crashed into the wooden floor with a dull and deep thud, her helmet clunking into a far off corner. Landing right in front of that damned Waterdeep Wizard. I slid on my knees, taking her head into my hands, and holding her face against my chest. Did they see? Did anyone see? I looked at Wyll and Shadowheart, who now stood on the frontline, blocking one crushing attack after another. I could feel her blood slip through my fingers as I held her face in my hands, my eyes flitting over to Gale who stood behind me. His brown eyes wide as they looked back at me in horror. He knows.
"(Y/N)!" Wyll shouted, glancing over his shoulder to see his beloved childhood friend crumpled in my arms. I watched as his gaze flicked down to (y/n)'s bare and exposed neck, two familiar tiny pinhole marks barely visible. I clamped my hand over those markings, still pressing her face against my chest, my shirt becoming damp with blood. I looked around, assessing my options. Do I take her and run? Protect her secret? But for how long? Surely if I run off with an injured party member, the others will become suspicious. I bit into my lip, looking down at (Y/n), her face covered in her own blood, her eyes sealed shut. I'm fucking trapped. I looked back at Gale, his eyes still locked to (y/n).
"I can heal her!" Shadowheart shouted backwards, raising her shield to block another attack, "Astarion! Cover me!" I frantically looked between my party members and (y/n) in my arms.
"I will not leave her!" I blurted out, sounding more like an obsessive lover than anything else, "I can not!" Wyll looked back at me, an anger in his eyes as his mouth opened to speak...
"I can heal her." Gale said, "I know...a-." Gale stuttered, "a healing spell or two." Gale looked at me, pursing his lips with a slight nod, "I can heal her." I furrowed my brows, hesitant to trust anyone that wasn't (y/n). How would she react when she wakes up and finds out the wizard knows her true identity? What is the better of two evils? "Take her." He whispered. I nodded, wrapping her arm around my shoulder, yanking her upwards, dragging her further away from everyone with her head hung low with a sinking feeling in the deepest part of my chest, not knowing if I made the right decision or the wrong one.
But the thing that bothered me the most...
I don't want her to die.
