As the Ash Settles

Chapter Thirty-Six: Blindfolds.

Citrine woke to Astarion cutting her bindings with his dagger. Though she slept exhaustion still coursed through her. Though she had no thoughts of hurting anyone. Astarion looked up at her dagger in hand.

"How are you feeling my darling?" He continued to cut the rope.

"Murderous." His body froze had he been too quick to free her? Her sweet laugh broke the tension. "Tired, and a little hungry." She lifted herself back onto her elbows, mismatched eyes searching in his crimson ones. Finally free of her bindings, she moved closer to him, falling into his embrace.

"What do you want to eat?" Citrine eyed his body up and down, she bit her bottom lip.

She crawled onto him, her lips kissed his neck, her tongue danced to his earlobe. She bit him softly, her hand moving to his pant buttons. Kissing up on down his neck while she stroked him. Whispering into his ear, "Berries. I'd really like some berries, maybe a little honey drizzled on them." she backed off of him, looking up at him with her eyes widened. "Please." her voice in a whine.

"You are the devil." She laughed at him while he composed himself. "I'll be back, with that right away."

"Just keeping our game alive and well." She said through giggles. She looked out the window the sky like watercolors. She pinched herself, she couldn't help but feel as if all of this was some cruel dream, yes she still had thoughts of murdering random people but as she looked down at her ring, Astarion was going to stay. Her friends were back from Avernus and soon a home to stay. She did not know how she carried his children but she was happy.

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Three months had flown by and their little group had been working day and night fixing up the manor and the property. She had no more thoughts of gutting any bards or anyone. Citrine put most of her effort into the greenhouse and nursery, she refused to let anyone hire professionals to fix anything. She wanted the manor tended to with love and their hands, as she painted the nursery walls a soft green, she blew the hair that kept falling in her face. She wanted the room filled with green, the walls and plants to hang in every corner. Green was life and she wanted that for her two little ones.

The movement of her brushing the paint to the walls calmed her. "I thought we agreed to wait until the others arrived? Wasn't that what you wanted, a painting party?" Astarion's voice broke her trace, Citrine carefully stepped down from the stool she was balanced on.

"There are other rooms that need to be painted besides when everyone is here we will have to go and pick up more paint for each of them. Oh, Astarion can you see it? Each of their hand prints making a circle the door, then when these two are big enough their own in the middle?" Citrine was smiling ear to ear, green paint in her hair and on her clothes.

Astarion smiled at his bride-to-be, "Whatever you say, my love." He grabbed the brush from her hands. He picked up where she left off.

"Lae'zel should be here any day now and Halsin and his kiddos too. Jaheria and Minsc if everything went well should be here tonight."

"Wait he's bringing orphans?" Citrine tutted at him.

"No, he's leaving a bunch of children alone at a grove without any adult supervision. Of course, he's bringing them." Astarion sighed as he continued to paint.

"This house will be packed to the brim."

"Isn't it lovely?" Citrine sighed, opening the window.

"Lovely isn't quite the word I was looking for but if that is how you feel."