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

27. The Wizard's Hunger

Later that morning our party departs, continuing on its way along the risen road, following Wyll to the location of Karlach. But I find it difficult to concentrate on the task at hand. As my companions march ahead of me, I lag slightly behind, watching my boots scraping rhythmically along the dusty road, my eyes unfocused eyes, my mind filled with thoughts of... Astarion... Damn it!

The memory of his scar keeps flashing in my mind... something about it fills my stomach with bile. The langue it's written in is strange... twisted... I couldn't make it out at the time, yet something about it has been tugging at the edges of my memory. It seems... familiar... wrong. I know my mind should filled with thoughts of the magical night we shared together, but right now all I can feel is concern for my vampire companion... what horrors had he been forced to endure at the hand of his master? And what will his master be willing to do to get him back?

I chew on my lip until it hurts, wondering, worrying, fretting. Until Wyll's voice tears through the wall of thoughts, bringing me back to the present. He's speaking to Astarion, which piques my interest even more.

"Killed a few giant bats in my day, Astarion. But never hunted a vampire." Wyll sounds playful, but I can detect a hint of malice behind the words. I suppose I can't blame him in a way... a monster hunter teaming up with someone who many reprieve to be a monster... a vampire spawn. It's no wonder he's uneasy. However... I still don't like it.

"Just to remind you, I'm merely a spawn," Astarion replies. "It won't count. But, if you're looking for a true vampire, I'm happy to recommend one. Ever heard of a vampire called Cazador?"

"I don't think so... why? Friend of yours?" Wyll questions with uneasiness edging in his tone.

"He's the patriarch of the Szarr family," Gale pipes in sagely, clearly oblivious to Astarion's history with the tyrant. "Nasty fellow, if the histories are accurate."

"I'm sure they are..." Astarion replies, his voice and his gaze far away. There's pain in his eyes, but it is only there for a moment before he pushes it away. Quickly switching subjects, he turns to Wyll. "A question for our master monster hunter: How would you approach killing a vampire?"

"A full on vamp, you mean? Lure it into the sun. Drive a steak through its heart. And that's not the end of it. The suckers are wile... no offense."

"None taken," Astarion shrugs. "Wiliness keeps me alive - more or less."

As we travel, the banter between my companions continues on ahead of me, but I am not fully present for it... other than the sense of unspoken tension growing between Wyll and Astarion. As my mind drowns in thought their words become unintelligible to my ears. I have to keep Astarion safe... that's the only thing I can think about right now.

As if detecting my thoughts, Astarion briefly glances back at me over his shoulder, and something akin to concern flickers in his eyes, before he turns back to face ahead once more. Was... was i just imagining things, or was he checking on me while I lag silently behind the rest of the party? No... I shake my head. There's no way he cares about me. I'm just someone useful to him. He simply needs me... needs me to be okay so we can deal with our tadpoles. I shouldn't read that much into it.

As my thoughts churn, I lose track of time. I'm unaware of how long we've been walking, and I almost don't notice when Gale's stride gradually becomes more unsteady, or the way he's beginning to hunch over as he walks. Soon, he stops in his tracks, winded.

"Spare me a moment... if you please," he says, working to steady his shallow breaths. We all stop and turn to face him, questions in our eyes. 

"Are you alright?" I ask.