Like Starlight and Wine (A Baldur's Gate 3 Astarion x Tav Fanfic)

17. First Attempt At Healing

Kagha's words still echo in my mind as I step away. Her cold heart - her self-righteous attitude. She thinks herself a savior - a hero to her people, but in reality... she's a monster.

Is his the sort of thing Astarion meant when he talked so ill of hero's before?

I refused Kagha's offer, of course. I have no time to be anyone's sword for hire. She had hissed at me like a viper herself, ordering me to get out of her sight, and I was glad to be rid of those venomous eyes. But I still can't help but wonder what will become of the grove - what will become of the tieflings as they're forced out onto the road at the mercy of the goblins.

"That woman has more venom in her heart than a snake in its fangs," Gale comments to me. "But at least the child is safe. What is youth if not a time to be forgiven for one's transgressions?"

"Putting a child on display like that was monstrous," I agree. "I'm glad we could intervene when we did."

"Couldn't agree more," Gale says. "That girl wasn't innocent, but that doesn't mean she was guilty."

On our way out of the cave, Rath suddenly stops us.

"You did well to speak up for the girl," He says. "That snake is fickle. A tragedy prevented."

"That Kagha seems dangerous," I remark.

"Well seen," Rath nods. "Well spotted. We've let a snake replace our leader."

"How did Kagha take over the whole grove?" I wonder.

"She's the first druid in Halsin's absence," he explains. "With him caught - or dead - by goblins, none may gainsay her. But more will die if her ritual is finished. I doubt those exiled by the rite will survive long outside. I would give anything to see Halsin return home. If you ever head that way, would you keep an eye out for him? Halsin is an elf with the presence of a bear. He left west with the adventurers. You won't mistake the First Druid for anyone else."

"I'll keep my eyes peeled," I offer. "In the meantime, we're looking for a healer. We heard there's someone called Nettie around here who might be able to help us?"

"Of course. She's off to the side, through that doorway in the Druid's Chambers. Although... she hasn't been receiving anyone since Halsin disappeared."

We've heard that before, but right now Nettie is the only chance we've got. I thank Rath, and then we make our way into the Druid's Chambers.

As we enter the room, the first person we see is a dwarf druid woman standing over a short, stone-slab table, working on something... a small pile of blue feathers... No, wait - it's a little bluejay bird. I can't tell if it's alive or dead, though it doesn't stir. She frets over it, inspecting its injuries.

"I see you," she says to us, not looking up once to acknowledged our approach. "Just give me a moment."

I eye my companions silently as we wait.

"Vis medicatrix!" The dwarf woman says an incantation - a healing spell - and a surge of light courses out of her fingers, enveloping the bird much in the same way my healing spell worked on Astarion when he was on deaths door after I fight with the harpies.

The bird finally stirs, but it is still weak. It lays on the table, exhausted, but alive.

"There," the dwarf druid says. "It's up to her now. Life or death." Then turning to us, "now, what is it you needed?"

"We're looking for Nettie," I say.

"You found her," she responds plainly, referring to herself. "But I still don't know what she can do for you."