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

4. The Pale Elf

Soon, I come across an abandoned backpack along a rickety old pier that contains bottles of fresh water! That means there must be a settlement nearby. I must be on the right track. With a newfound sense of purpose and determination, I follow the trail away from the beach, heading through the crash site ruins to push deeper inland. 

That is, until I run into some brain creatures just like Us, who I met in the nautiloid. Only these brain creatures don't seem as friendly.

"More of those wretched things," I grumble under my breath, as the move in to attack. But with my war hammer, I make quick work of them, and soon they are nothing but mashed brain matter smeared along the ground.

After I've taken care of them, I push ahead, following the dirt road that inclines sharply, leading me up the side of a steep hill. As I walk along, up ahead I see the first sign of life. Finally, after finding nothing but mangled corpse after mangled corpse, I see the silhouette of a man - a live, breathing man - standing at the top of the hill. As I inch closer, I can hear him calling out, his voice loud and clear in the stillness of the morning air.

"Hello?" He calls out. "Over here!"

He must be one of the survivors of the crash, just like me! And he sounds like he needs help. Perhaps I can do something for him.

As I come nearer, I can assess him better. He is a thin, high-elf with an angular face, his hair an unusual shade of silvery-white despite his younger appearance. He seems rather harmless, dressed like some sort of wealthy snob from the city. His outfit, though a little worn, is made of velvet, and stitched with fine, gold thread that glitters in the sunlight. And his delicate, pale skin doesn't show any sign of hard work. This elf doesn't appear very strong. I wonder how someone like him survived everything that happened to us on the nautiloid up until now. Maybe he got lucky, or maybe he had help too.

"What can I do for you?" I ask as I near this elf man on the road.

"Hurry, I've got one of those brain things cornered," he says, pointing in the direction of a cluster of bushes and brush. "There, in the grass. You can kill it, can't you? Like you killed the others?"

I raise an eyebrow. "How do you know I killed those brain things all the way at the bottom of the hill?" Was he a stalker or something?

"Don't worry about that right now," the elf replies, frustrated. "Can you kill it or not?"

What a helpless little princess, I think to myself with a scoff. His movements are nervous, fretful. He looks so scared of such a weak little enemy. Well fine, if the princess needs rescuing, I'll just get it over with and be on my way.

"Easily," I reply with a roll of my eyes. "Stand back."

"There," he points, as I step toward the brush. "Can you see it?"

I don't see anything, but I can certainly hear it, rustling around in the grass. I take one more step forward, spooking the creature from its hiding spot and it bolts. But instead of a brain creature, it's nothing but a common boar.

What the-?

I am about to turn around and tell the prissy elf that he was scared of nothing, when I suddenly feel his arms grab me from behind, while he simultaneously slides a dagger in front of my throat. In my surprise, I let him pull me down, and we tumble to the ground. He holds onto me firmly. He is strong. Much stronger than I gave him credit for. I begin to struggle, but he only holds onto me tighter, and the blade of the dagger presses uncomfortably into my skin.

"Shh, shh, shh. Not another sound," He whispers, his voice low and silky smooth, despite the danger flashing behind his piercing red eyes. "Not if you want to keep that darling neck of yours. Now, I saw you on that ship, didn't I? Nod." He commands.

And while I don't particularly want to comply with him, I'm not really in any position to fight him. And it's true, I was on the ship with him. No use lying about that.

I silently nod in response.

"Splendid," the elf replies. And now you're going to tell me exactly what you and those tentacled freaks did to me.

"Wait, you have it backwards," I reply. "They took me prisoner just like you."

"Don't lie to me! I- augh!" His words are cut off as a psychic link is established between us.

My mind twists. I'm looking out of unfamiliar eyes, prowling dark, busy streets. I try to hold the memory, but it fades to the worm. The light. The fear.

"What was that?" The elf demands, the knife digging deeper into my skin, threatening to break through it. "What's going on?"

"Put the knife away and we can figure it out," I say calmly.

At that, the elf's expression softens. He's looking deep into my eyes, taking them in. Reading them, and finding no threat there. Slowly, he slips his arm out from under me, and we both rise to our feet in tandem, our gazes not breaking from one another.

"You're not one of them," he says softly. "They took you, just the same as me." There is vulnerability in his expression. But it is gone as soon as it appeared. And then, the silly, flamboyant act is back. "And to think," he says with an unsettling smile. "I was ready to decorate the ground with your innards. Apologies."

I consider his apology for a moment. Can I really blame him for his actions? This entire thing with the mind flayers and the tadpoles is terrifying. Just like the githyanki woman from the ship, this elf doesn't know who to trust. And if I'm being honest, neither do I.

"Apology accepted," I finally say. "I guess I might have done the same were the roles reversed."

"Ah, a kindred spirit," the elf says, his voice as light as a feather. "My name's Astarion. I was in Baldur's Gate when those beasts snatched me."

"I'm in quite the state myself," I chuckle nervously. "But I think I'm Tav."

"A pleasure," Astarion says with a flourishing bow. "So, do you know anything about these worms?"

"I know we don't want them in our heads," I reply bluntly.

"No, of that much we can be certain," Astarion agrees. "These worms are already affecting me. I can feel it. Now, what to do about it..."

"And? What's your plan?" I ask.

"Well, getting out of here, for a start. Then finding anyone who might know about these worms. I need an expert. Someone who knows how to control these things..."

"Control them?" I practically blurt. "I want them gone."

"Well, yes, of course," Astarion replies quickly. "But first things first."

"And I need company for the road," I find myself saying, though I'm not sure why. "Why not come with me?"

"You know," Astarion says. "I was ready to go this alone, but maybe sticking with the herd isn't such a bad idea. And you seem like a useful person to know. Alright, I accept. Lead on."

And as he joins my side, my mind dances with thoughts of a perfect, pretty corpse.