To Baldur's Gate

Chapter Eight

Any trace of our camp was gone within the hour. Gale helped me pack up what little I had, though I protested the entire time. My arm was completely healed, and I felt invigorated thanks to Shadowheart, so Gale's insistence on helping me was completely unnecessary. Oh well. 

Lae'zel rushed all of us back to the road and on to the next adventure. She seemed to have some idea of the path ahead, so she remained in front of the group, with Shadowheart and I tagging along behind her. I could hear the idle chatter between Astarion and Gale as they brought up the rear. Nothing interesting there. 

"How did you sleep last night, Tav?" Shadowheart asked. 

"Me?" Her question caught me off guard. Was this her sly way of telling me she had seen us last night? I couldn't tell. "I slept well, thank you. Yourself?" 

"Like a babe. Nothing like the sweet sounds of darkness to lull one to sleep." She replied. 

I smiled, relieved. Though there was nothing wrong with what passed between Astarion and I, a part of me hoped it would remain secret to the others. The act felt intimate. It was something precious for just the two of us. 

"Do you often leave your hair down like this? It's beautiful in the sunlight." Shadowheart reached out and twisted a curled lock of my hair around her finger. "Is it naturally curly? I'm envious." 

In truth, I had left my hair undone purely to hide the nasty bruise just above my collarbone, but she didn't need to know this. "I couldn't find the time this morning to braid it. And yes, it's been curly since I was very young. My mother has curly hair as well, so it was passed down to me." 

"You have family in the Underdark? What are they like?" Shadowheart was full of questions this morning. While she spoke, I noticed Lae'zel cock her head to the side, listening intently.

"My father was a kind man. A bit of a dreamer, much like me," I began. "I'm sure you know many drow have a way of turning against each other - manipulating and killing their way to the top. Most of my childhood we were at war with a neighboring village over such things. One night, they sent a squadron on a raid. The soldiers broke into our home and killed my father in front of us." I could still hear my sister's screams in my nightmares. My mother's tear-filled eyes, boiling with hatred as the men taunted us. If I closed my eyes, I could remember everything from that night. 

"Gods. Tav, I'm so sorry," Shadowheart whispered. 

"After that, my mother was different. We had strict rules and harsh consequences. Stepping outside of the village for forbidden. Sneaking up to this realm earned you lashings. Or worse." 

"But you went out anyway?" Shadowheart's eyes were sparkling. "I'm surprised you've lasted this long."

"The only thing that kept me coming back were my sisters," I answered. Their faces appeared in my mind, one by one, and a sickly-sweet ache burrowed its way into my chest. 

"What are their names?" Lae'zel asked, her voice surprising me. Her face was forward, looking away from me, but emotion thickened her voice. 

"The youngest is named Della. She's the most like our mother. Completely untrustworthy, conniving and vicious, but she's the funniest person I've ever known," I rattled off. "Then there's Raefi. She loves her books and stories - I would always see her sneaking scrolls out of the village temples to read. I always told her I would get her out. That we would go on a real adventure, far away from the Underdark." I paused and reminded myself that the distance between my sisters and I wasn't permanent, no matter how definite it felt. "Once I reach Baldur's Gate, I'll find a home and bring both of them with me. They deserve to see the world outside of the Underdark." 

Shadowheart put a hand on my shoulder. "You'll have to send for me when that time comes. I'd love to meet them." 

"If we survive, do not send for me," Lae'zel said. "I'll want no more of this ragtag group once we've separated." 

Shadowheart and I laughed at her bluntness, but Lae'zel's stance went rigid a moment later and all humor was silenced. While Shadowheart and I stopped walking to try and see what had caught Lae'zel's attention, Gale was too absorbed in his conversation to notice our sudden halt. He stepped on Shadowheart's heels, making her yelp. 

"What's happened?" Astarion asked. 

I continued looking forward and finally saw the familiar figure that had stopped us in our tracks. 

"Friends!" Wyll stood in the middle of the trail before us. "I had hoped to cross paths with you. Lady Luck must be with me today." 

"Who the hell is this?" Shadowheart asked, shoving Gale away and drawing her weapon. 

"Let me handle this," I sighed, stepping past Lae'zel and walking toward the young man. "What brings you outside of the grove, sir?" I asked him. 

Wyll gave me a dazzling smile. "I seek your help, traveler. There's a devil in these parts - I've followed her tracks all the way to the very outskirts of the Grove we met in. I mean to kill this devil, but I fear it may be too powerful for me alone."

"What do we get in return?" I asked. 

"You and I have the same problem," Wyll said, pointing to his temple. "I can guarantee your safety in the quest to remove these parasites. I'll follow you to the end, sorceress." 

"I already have a group of companions to accompany me on my journey," I countered. "What else can you offer besides protection?" 

"I will aid your cause," Lae'zel interjected, stepping forward. 

The group of us looked at her in surprise. Determination sharpened her gaze as she held out her sword to Wyll. 

"For the information you have given me, I will assist you. You have my sword." 

The others glanced between the gith and me, waiting for my response. After a brief consideration, I smiled weakly and held my hand out to Wyll, which he grasped tightly. 

"One more man for the camp couldn't hurt," I said, giving his hand a shake. "The lot of us against one devil? The poor thing hardly stands a chance." 

"Aw hells, I guess I'm in too," Gale announced. 

Shadowheart was completely lost, that much was evident on her face, but she took her place next to me and enlisted herself as well. Astarion rolled his eyes at the scene playing out before him. 

"Have any of us even fought a devil before? Does anyone know what they're doing?" He asked, voice incredulous. When no one answered, Astarion scoffed, throwing his hands up to the air. "Fine, fine, I'll join as well. But if this goes to shit, don't expect me to stick around." 

With all of us united, I looked to Wyll to charge the way forward. 

"Wonderful! I believe I have her cornered. It shouldn't be more than a mile or two, but we must make haste. Come, we march on." Wyll took the lead and we continued on together down the path.