As the Ash Settles

Chapter Five: Sandy Trail.

Keep to the coast, travel north to Waterdeep following the coast line, little could go wrong with the plan, plenty of caves along the shore. Plenty of supplies, everything would work out just fine as long as they stuck with it and part of their plan was if Citrine was ever feeling the need to spill blood alert the group and she restrained. Though no matter how many times Astarion made jokes about that being exactly the way he liked her, worry still flooded her. He gave up everything for her. His ascending, the parasite, the sun; not that all of those were pleasurable but now the fact of it being that she might kill him again left her with a pit in her stomach.

The trip from the nautaliod crash to Baldur's Gate hadn't been a short one but from Baldur's to Waterdeep would be a month at the least, then there was the ring to get, Avernus after. Of course Halsin would want to know what was going on, "Daddy Halsin" the name suited him, and he would take care of those children better than most.

A soft pull on the arm from Astarion and Citrine's mind went back to the present. "You know, as much as I already miss the sun, you do look beautiful in the moonlight." Citrine could feel her cheeks reddening.

"Could I kiss you?"

"How could I say no?" his response gave Citrine pause. She looked at him puzzled, was he truly asking because he did not know if he could? Centuries of forced intimacy had they led to him believe he did not have a say within his own relationship?

"By saying 'no', I will not ever be mad, or think less of you for not wanting to be touched or needing space. You are more than just a body to me. You are your own person with a say of what you can or can not do." A stunned look came swept across Astarion's face.

"I meant more of a 'how could one not want to kiss you' kind of way, but the concern is appreciated. If there is one thing I have learned from our time with that vile drow, is that you respect the choices I make for myself.  I wasn't allowed to say 'no' before. To anything, I think it was another game for him. For Cazador." Astarion linked his fingers in-between Citrine's as they continued to walk, Gale and Shadowheart yards away. "When you convinced me not to ascend my first feeling toward you was anger, then disgust; but I realized it wasn't about you. I felt those things about myself. I was angry because I hadn't known freedom in so long and I thought that was my ticket to it and then disgust because- well I don't know how much you know about full fledge vampires but our feelings they become a need for a physical replacement in a way love becomes obsession, I would of stopped admiring you and claimed ownership, if you would of tried to leave I would of slaughtered you or made you a prisoner so no one else could of ever had you. You would of become a fixation rather than a person. I was angry and disgusted that I knowing that was still hungry to become what I hated most. But, you helped me."

"I wouldn't of left you, if that means anything."

"No, I wouldn't of allowed you to leave me. I would of tried to coerced to be my spawn making promises of us being together forever. That isn't to say I don't want that because I do. I very much do want to be with you- forever. I'm lucky you're an elf, we get centuries together. But, I would of made you promises of being my favorite my top priority when power and hunger would of been my focus. I know I've said it before but thank you."

Astarion moved blocking Citrine from walking forward, the night breeze from the Sea of Swords dancing around them. With one hand still in hers, he placed the other on the nape of her neck. Pulling her chest to his own, she fell into his embrace. Bending down his lips millimeters from her own. "No." A gasp of longing left her throat. She opened her eyes to meet his own his face held a devilish smile. "Oh, I did rather enjoy that." She smiled back at him.

"Oh, so that's how we are doing things? You get to tease me, excited me, run my blood hot, then take it away." Citrine laughed holding her body close to Astarion's. "Just remember two can play at that game." Astarion kissed the top of her head.

"Darling, I'm a professional at teasing there is nothing you can do that I can't do twice as badly. Besides I like my snacks to be warm."

"That sounds like a challenge to me."

"A challenge that you my dear would lose at every time."

Citrine dropped Astarion's hand, breathing heavily her breast traveling his chest "Well there is this one thing I'm really, really, really good at." with a large sigh she side stepped Astarion, taking off running sand kicked up, laughing she ran towards Gale and Shadowheart. "Racing!" She yelled through laughter. Astarion caught off guard took off after her, coming close but falling behind. Citrine beating Astarion to Shadowheart and Gale still laughing. "Really you'll have to do better than that if you plan on what was it, me losing every time? I think that was it." Turning around her eyes meeting his, still running he pounced at her playfully knocking them both to the ground. He skillfully landed the fall so that she fell into his lap.

"I meant sex my sweet." growling into her ear. "Raw, passionate sex."

"For the love of gods could you two be any more immature?" Shadowheart's stern voice broke the tension in the air. "You know if you two are going to treat this like a game, we might as well take our sweet time it's not like Karlach and Wyll are waiting in Avernus for us. Oh wait, they are doing precisely that."

"Now, Shadowheart we have at least a month's travel by foot, just because you didn't get any sleep last night doesn't mean we have to spoil their fun." The words that came out of Gale's mouth seemed genuine enough but a twinge of jealousy could still be tasted.

"I'm sorry Shadowheart, you're right." Citrine pushed herself off Astarion. "I appreciate you two being here. I really do, you're my best friend." Citrine lended a hand to Astarion pullsed him up. The four walk in silence for sometime, the sounds of the ocean filling the air.

"No, Gale is right, I'm just tired. Getting used to a new sleep pattern is hard enough. I'm glad you two are finding some joy in all that has happened." Citrine let go of Astarion's hand and moved to Shadowheart, and embraced her.

"We will all be together again. I truly do believe it."