Baldur's Gate 3 One Shots

Ruined Battlefield - Kar'niss and Reader

Gender Neutral Terms for Reader
One shot for @The-PaleMeme

You approached the door to Kar'niss' room, lightly hearing him saying something. You knew he often prayed to the Absolute — especially in such trying times. Times where rebels who carried the worms were on their way to destroying the Absolute.

Normally, you would have turned around, opting to, instead, wait until Kar'niss had finished his prays and find you in his own time. But that was normally, and because normally didn't entail the faint sound of crying, you opened the door.

Just a crack, at first, then all at once the door had hit the wall and you were racing over to the drider, softly asking him what was wrong.

At first, he pushed you away, muttering, "Hey Majesty, Her Majesty..."

"Kar'niss?" You asked, gently reaching for his hand again. He turned to you, as if thoroughly surprised to see you here. The eyes on his forehead blinked one by one before his eyes littered with tears. Kar'niss lent into your touch, tears cascading down his cheeks. "What happened?"

"Her Majesty is powerless against them. They threaten her with powers Her Majesty did not know!" Kar'niss sobbed as you knelt onto the floor to sit beside him. He recalled the vision the Absolute had given to him in great detail, describing the faces of the 'heroes' who you had seen pass through the Underdark not even a year prior. 

In the middle of his re-telling, Kar'niss suddenly froze, silent except for his ragged breaths that heaved his chest up and down in un rhythmal motions. "Her Majesty..."

You knew that this was a time you ought to leave Kar'niss to his thoughts, but you had begun to fear the worst for him. With such a vision before, whose to say the Absolute wouldn't send him something more terrifying, utterly shocking him to the point where he might hurt himself, be it on accident or not. A sob racked his body and he heaved over, spider legs skittering around on the floor as he tried to stand. "Kar'niss, tell me what happened."

His gaze met yours and his eyes were glossy and red rimmed, "Her Majesty... is dead."

-

You could hardly get Kar'niss to speak with you for nearly a month. He had locked himself away in his room, denying himself food, drink, or sleep often enough to remain healthy, and his room was where he prayed and prayed, hoping for any sign of the Absolute -- any at all. 

You opened his door to see him lying on the floor, dirty and thin. Kar'niss was hardly able to lift his head to see you, weary and frail. His skin had lost its pigment and his eyes were dark and sad. You sad next to him, gently petting his hair. You fiddled with it for a moment before deciding to braid it, hoping to offer him some comfort. When you had finished the simple braid, you offered him the plate of food and cup of wine you had brought him, "Please eat, Kar'niss. I'm worried for you health."

He whined, feeling some sort of dead upon eating -- why should he when the one being he had devoted his life to was dead? But he realized that, perhaps, he should devote his life to you. You who had stuck by his side since the moment you met him, never casting mocking glares at him or spewing hurtful words. "I suppose we must eat..." he relented, feeling his stomach grumble at the smell of fresh bread.

You smiled at him sweetly, "If I'm not pushing it, perhaps I could get you to bathe? Since what happened, the skies are clear and the water is clean here."

"We would like that," Kar'niss agreed, suddenly feeling dirty and covered with grime. 

Kar'niss was still while you washed his hair and, although his eyes hurt, he relished in the warmth of the sun that hadn't touched the Underdark in so long. You undid the braid from before, rinsing the grime out and cleaning it with soap. Kar'niss leaned back into you, eyes fluttering closed. He fell asleep there, a new dedication in his mind. 

He would devote his life to you for as long as it lasted. 

His love could find someone new to cherish. 

- Many Months Later - 

Kar'niss approached the river bank, letting you slide off of his back where you had been seated beforehand on your long journey. The two of you were headed out of the Underdark and towards the North. Kar'niss had mentioned how he had always wanted to see the world and you had agreed, having never strayed far from the Underdark yourself. 

The two of you agreed on setting up camp as the sun started to fall below the horizon. The campfire flickered warm light towards you and Kar'niss, casting him in a soft, orange glow. You leaned into his side, taking his hand in yours. 

-

I hope you liked it! Sorry it's so short :(

-ghost <3