In The Eyes of Destiny (D&D 5e Fic One Shots)

The First Meeting

This chapter references "Lucian". He is another of the aforementioned warlords in the overarching story.  Also, an important note: Baldric is usually red, but he paints himself blue t hide who he is.

This is when they finally meet face-to-face. 

Well, sort of. 

♡

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Panic, fear and a racing heart. Baldric felt like he was running for his life. His makeup had come off at the worst time and now people were looking for him.

Their words filled his head.

He changed colour!

He must be hiding something!

Grab him, we must bring him to Lady Yasmin.

He's probably a spy!

He knew he was different, and he tried his best to make himself unseen. But it was too late, he was found out. Did the warlord here side with Lucian? Did the warlord here know what he had done in his youth? Did Lucian send word abroad to catch him?

His mind was so consumed with his fear, he stumbled and fell face first into the street.

He waited for the pain to come, but it never did.

Looking up from his place on the pavement, his eyes found the back of the very person he had been thinking about recklessly before he was chased.

And her arms were spread in front of him, shielding him with her small body.

He watched in awe as she held her ground in a defensive stance, and for a moment he thought he saw spectral wings floating around her tattooed back.

"Stop, you leave him be!" her voice was gentle, yet strong.

The crowd gawked at her, a couple men still raising their fists in anger.

"I said you leave him be!" she said again, this time more angrily.

Her words took on a two-timbered sound, resonating as if through two different voices.

"Look at him, he's a tiefling! And one who was trying to hide himself at that! What good could someone like that be?!" someone called out.

The crowed roared in agreement.

She grounded herself even further, her arms out in front of her, looking like she was ready to attack should anyone advance. As Baldric turned to sit up, he could feel the energy pulsing through the ground from her feet.

She was beautiful - like a sculpture of benevolence and rage. And the fact that she, someone he did not know, would come to his defense. It was almost unfathomable.

As guards advanced upon them, she turned her head to them sharply, "Take one more step and I will have you beheaded."

There it was again - two voices.

"How dare you pick him over your own people?"

There was a sharp change in the air, so thick that Baldric felt he could touch it.

"My own people?! When I came into this land you treated me like an outsider. Like a sideshow, like a traitor. Like I could not be trusted because of who I was or what I had become."

There was silence.

"I have done nothing but good for the people here and still, I am treated like this, even if it's behind closed doors, like I don't know how I am seen or talked about in this place."

Crickets.

"I am a Kalashtar. I am an outsider, but I am a Lady of this court and I protect this man under my sovereignty!"

Baldric was taken-aback. A Lady? In the court? Stepping up to shield him with her body even though he clearly had at least a foot on her?

No one in the crowd dare utter a word now.

The silver-haired woman said one final thing, the venom dripping from her voice, "Touch him, and you will die."