Frosted Fiend - The Extras

What If Vadania Survived?

As the blade moved to strike through the chest of the crimson skinned tiefling, she twisted in their hold and the steel only pierced her shoulder. A wound she could easily come back from. As strong as dwarves are, they can be hotheaded and aren't always the smartest which meant all the tiefling had to do was amp up her acting skills. She screamed in pain and was left to lie, bleeding, on the floor. The human who'd stabbed her ordered the dwarves to leave, which meant Xalthorian could throw herself towards the wounded woman.

"Vadania! H-how did you-"

"No time to explain, darling. Let us leave."

Xalthorian nodded despite her shock and lifted the tiefling's body with relative ease. As the entire population of tieflings in Koldir left through the huge wooden doors of the mines, a raven flew high above like it was keeping watch. Morthos lead the community of tieflings as far away from Koldir as possible, with Xalthorian carrying Vadania the entire journey. The crimson tiefling had succumbed to sleep at some point, her head resting lightly on the dwarf's collarbone. After a few hours, the tiefling elder called them all to a halt and began to set up a camp for them all to use for the night. Xalthorian laid Vadania down on a bed roll with as much gentleness as she had and sat beside her, properly bandaging her wound and aiding with the healing in anyway she could.

The pair were in a rather spacious tent, two bedrolls fit comfortably side by side and even Vadania could stand up with no fear of the tent being pierced by her horns. The tiefling was laid on one of the bedrolls and the dwarf was sat beside her with crossed legs, her eyes closed and her brow furrowed in concentration. Xalthorian attempted to clear her mind but the vision of her lover's blood was so defined in her memory, she couldn't escape it no matter how hard she tried.

"Darling?"

A sigh left Xalthorian as she slumped forwards a little, exhaustion etched in her features.

"You do not have to speak, Xal. I just... I suppose we should talk."

Xalthorian could even tell what kind of expression Vadania had, one of confusion and apologies.

"Thank you, for helping my people. Sorry, our people. I must apologise to you, my dearest, I am the reason you were stripped of your name. I... I know how much family and name means to you, to your race. And now they call you a fiend, when you used to be one of their family. I have walked into your life, given you my heart and then been a part in destroying everything you have known for the past eighty years. I must apologise for that, although I will never apologise for giving you my all."

"Vadania."

The tiefling looked up at the dwarf with wide golden eyes, almost begging for forgiveness silently. Xalthorian had opened her eyes and the silver of her irises had met the brilliant gaze of the one she'd given everything for.

"The name means nothing to me. But you mean everything. If my supposed family have it in them to rip me from what was my home and to remove my name, then they are no family. I see now, from being around your people -our people- that the Frostbeards were never a family to me. It was always you, and Morthos and the tieflings. Vadania I may ask very little of you but I must ask this; never think that these events were a consequence of your actions. I gave you my heart and I will never regret that. Yes, I am not a Frostbeard. I am a Frostfyend. And I am so grateful that you and the others have accepted me."