Blood & Wine - A Spawn Astarion Fan Fiction

Epilogue - Nymeria

"We understand." Stanzi rubs her daughter's back.

"Your salts." I laugh to myself, "Come."

We walk up to the front door of the cottage, and I gather a leather pack I had stashed while waiting for Stanzi.

"It's a bit more than usual, but I figure anything you have left over can be used by your fledgling alchemist here." I nod towards Myra and hand the leather pack to Stanzi. "That should be enough for a couple antidotes and healing potions at least, and I will make an effort to have these ready for your next visit."

"Yvira is so grateful for all of your help." Stanzi says, "You should come to camp when we return." She nods to the door, "Both of you."

"We would love that. Thank you." I heft the wicker basket higher on my forearm.

Stanzi nods. "We should be going. Not much sun left." She nudges her daughter, "Come along, Myra."

"Safe travels." I call out after them, giving them both a little wave as they continue down the dirt path.

When we decided to settle closer to Baldur's Gate, I didn't realize I would see Stanzi and Myra as much as I do. The two have become a bit like family, and in spite of our differences and everything we've been through, the Gur tribe has come to accept us both as friends.

Turning, I walk into the cottage, closing the door behind me and setting the basket on the table along with the other alchemy supplies I keep out to dry. I reach above me to the bundle of balsam I have hanging and touch the leaves softly, testing to see how much moisture remains.

"I would strongly advise against that, my lord!" Astarion calls from the other room.

Just then, I hear a crash. Fox is an orange blur as she rushes out of the study and towards the bedroom. Behind her, Lord Cedric Greenwood saunters out, his black fluffy tail swishing as he leaves a small blue paw print on the wood floor with every third step.

Astarion emerges and looks up at me, a blue ink stain traveling up his white shirt with a good amount of it clinging to his pale fingertips.

"Gods." I mutter, taking in the sight, "Your notes."

My heart is in my throat at the thought of him losing any of his research. We have spent the last couple years ridding ourselves of the tadpoles in search of a cure for his "condition" and chasing after the Ring of the Daywalker. Each lead has driven us farther down another rabbit hole, but still a good amount of gold richer. It's allowed us to live fairly comfortably, only needing to pick up a bounty here or there for a bit of extra gold.

"Safe." Astarion says, holding his hands out to look at them. "Thankfully, I'm the one that caught most of the ink." He looks down at his shirt and picks at the fabric, pulling it away from his side gingerly, then begins to wipe his hands on the clean side. He huffs out a breath, "Fuck." With one movement, he pulls his shirt over his head.

I stare at him, mouth agape, as he flexes and contorts his body, looking to see how blue his pale skin has become. He resembles a beautifully carved statue in the candlelight.

He looks up at me, a glint in his ruby eyes. "It has been three years, my love. Three years of sharing my bed and tending to my wounds. You'd think you would learn not to stare." He tuts and walks towards me. "Keep doing it, though."

I reach forward and run my hands along his shoulders, letting my nails gently rake over his skin and down his chest and abdomen.

Astarion looks past me towards the door. "Are you still expecting Stanzi?" He asks.

"She has come and gone already. Why?" I look up at him, and he smiles.

"I have something fairly pressing to attend to, and I would not like to be disturbed." His eyes flit down to my lips, and he reaches up and brushes his thumb over my cheek before leaning in to give me a kiss.