Love's Bite | Astarion x Tav Fanfic

Forgotten Enemies

I decided to take a slight detour on our way to the Mountain Pass. I had heard rumours of a hag in the area, and truthfully, I wanted to do some looting. Travelling was expensive, especially with Gales affliction.
"This place is disgusting. It smells of rotten flesh, and there's too much mud," Astarion complained.
I rolled my eyes, "we are almost there," I said.
"I am inclined to agree with Astarion," Lae'zel said.
I focused my attention and attempted to navigate through the ankle-high water.
I barely noticed the man standing in front of me, "ah stranger. Please forgive the aroma."
A man with long hair and a beard stood in front of me. As I examined him, I caught it a waft or something metallic and sickly sweet. I could feel my lunch wanting to come up.
He must've seen my discomfort.
"It's powdered iron vine. Most monsters will think twice before making a meal of me," he said.
I heard Shadowheart gag behind me.
"You're a monster hunter? I'm surprised, I thought all gurs were vagrant cutthroats," Astarion chimed in.
"What monster are you hunting?" I asked.
"Something terrifying no doubt. A dragon? A cyclops? A kobold," Astarion threw his guesses.
"Nothing so dramatic. I'm hunting for a vampire spawn," the Gur said.
I froze, then glanced at Astarion. His face said it all. We knew exactly where this was going.
"His name is Astarion, but I fear his gone to ground. I hope the hag of these lands can flush him out, if I can afford her blood price."
I had no idea what to do. Obviously I wouldn't allow him to capture Astarion. That left me with two options, lie to him, or kill him. If we let him live, would that come back to haunt us?
I watched the man. He seemed harmless enough, yet something stirred within me. A primal call insisting that I end this man's life. It was so easy. He was alone, and we were a group of four. Better yet, it would benefit Astarion.
"The hag isn't around here," I said, praying that he would just pass without hassle.
"I see, well thank you, and I bid thee farewell," the man retrieved his backpack and moved on.
I watched, waiting for him to get out of earshot.
I turned to Astarion, "who was that?"
"He's a part of a group known as the Gur. They've been hunting me for a while now," he said.
"Will he be a problem again?" I asked.
"Hopefully not."
I frowned. There was more to the story than he was telling me.

We continued forward through the putrid bog, approaching the hags hut. It was large wooden structure, that looked as if it had started to decay from its surrounding environment. As I climbed the stairs of the deck, I sensed the redcaps become more vigilant. They knew we were trouble. Slowly, I opened the door. Inside, stood an old women.
"I don't want a crumb on that plate," she yelled at a poor woman sitting at the dining table.
"Aunt Ethel, one more bite and this pie will come back up," the young woman said.
I walked in, heavy footed, making my presence known.
"Well, if it isn't the cheekiest pup of them all," Aunt Ethel turned around.
In an instant, I realised something. I had seen her face before. We had intervened in a quarrel with her and two men. Those two men, were now dead.
"You best have one hells of an apology for me young girl," she shook her head.
"Please Aunt Ethel, I can't eat anymore," the young lady said
"Quiet Mayrina," Aunt Ethel snapped.
"That's Mayrina? We have news for you," I frowned.
"Keep your peeper shut," the hag said, before snapping her fingers and making Mayrina vanish.
"I....." my mouth opened to speak, but I was interrupted by the door opening behind me.
I spun around, it was the Gur man.
'Shit,' I thought.
"You four?" He looked surprised.
"And who are you dearie?" Aunt Ethel put on her doe eyes.
"My name's Gandrel. I've come here to make a deal with you," he approached the hag.
"Of course dearie, what do you need?"
I glanced at my companions.
Lae'zel looked mildly annoyed, Shadowheart remained stone faced, and Astarion knew the jig was up.
'We are screwed.'
"I'm searching for a vampire spawn named Astarion. No price is too great. We need him found to pay for his crimes," Gandrel said.
Aunt Ethel's face twisted into a devious smile.
"One second dearie," she turned to me, "you're here to save Mayrina aren't you?"
I stared at her silent.
"Well then, he's right there. No need to make deal, just make sure they don't come knocking on my door ever again," she cackled, and with the snap of her fingers she disappeared.

We stood there a moment, unsure what to do. Was Gandrel going to react?
After the shock subsided from his face, it was replaced with a deep frown. He withdrew his blade, then lunged at Astarion.
I used my thorn whip just in the nick of time.
He was dazed for a moment. Lae'zel went in for the kill, and just as she did, the redcaps interrupted. They aimed a spell in her direction,  which she only narrowly avoided. Gandrel evaded her blade when she went in for a second attack. I knew we were in for a fight.

————

I dragged myself back to camp, having just defeated Gandrel, the redcaps, and Aunt Ethel's minions. I was exhausted beyond measure. The only thing that brought my mind peace, was the idea of sitting by the campfire and eating a nice meal.
"Ahhhh," I moaned as I sat down. My legs ached.
Gale waltzed over and handed me some roast beef and a bottle of wine.
He smiled, then offered to sit with me for a while.
I declined, my brain could not handle small talk in that moment.
He hung his head, then pouted a little bit before walking off.
I downed my food. In that moment, it was the best meal I had ever eaten.
"Hello Darling," Astarion said, as he sat down beside me.
I frowned. He had just caused us extra trouble, and he had the audacity to stride over here and flirt with me?
"What?" I asked, clearly pissed off.
"What's going on in that pretty little head of yours?" He asked, with a mischievous smile.
"Don't start with me. Dealing with Gur was more work than we needed."
"And you handled it very well, might I add."
My frown deepened. Why was he so nonchalant about this?
"What exactly did you do to warrant Gandrel making a deal with the hag for your capture?" I asked.
"They're just remnants of my old life with Cazador," he said. That name rung in my head. He always said it with such hatred.
"Yeah well those remnants just made my life a whole lot more difficult, and I'd like to know why," I insisted.
He signed, "well....you see, Cazador made us lure people for him to feed on. Some of those people had a very close connection to the Gur. Which is why they're so insistent on finding me."
I watched him. He still wasn't taking this seriously.
"Why are you unconcerned? You lured how many people to their deaths? And could potentially lure us," I felt the heat rising in my cheeks.
"You're......" I began.
"A monster?" He finished, his tone turned serious.
I didn't say anything.
"I was enslaved for almost 200 years. You're probably right, you know. I did awful things in Cazador's name. Sure, I couldn't control myself, but it was still me. These shoulders bear the weight of thousands of lives, and each one paid for with the price of my own bodily autonomy. I was a puppet, mean't to do my masters bidding, barely able to think for myself. I'll probably spend eternity in the hells for what I've done."
I watched Astarion. My heart ached for him. In that instant I saw the man he was and why he was way the way he was. Astarion didn't downplay the situation, he had to make light of it, otherwise the burden of it all would crush him.
"You're not a monster. I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to say that. I'm just angry, and exhausted," I said.
"Perhaps."
I could tell he didn't believe me.
"Astarion, I know you're not a monster. This dark urge causes me to lose control. But at the end of the day, I know right from wrong, and so do you. You're not who Cazador created you to be."
He lips curved into a small smile.
"That may be so, but when this is all over, and the parasite is gone - there's nothing left to protect me from him. I will become his monster again," he said softly.
"We won't let that happen."
"How nice...." he paused to think.
"Well, I suppose I should thank you for not letting that Gur capture me," he said.
"That's okay," I said, smiling.
When he returned the gesture, I felt my stomach flutter. I had fallen for him.