Chapter Text
A knock at the door broke the quiet stillness of the moment, pulling Gale from his reverie.
He watched Celeste rise, his heart heavy yet overflowing.
She moved as she always had, a seamless blend of the confidence of a fighter and the grace of a dancer. She reached for his robe, just as she had so many mornings before, and slipped it over her bare shoulders. Lifting the collar to her nose, she inhaled its scent with a deep, contented smile that lit up her face before heading for the door.
Gale couldn’t help but admire her, his gaze lingering on her every movement.
He knew he could spend a lifetime studying every inch of her body, tracing every line and curve, and still find new reasons to marvel at her.
His love for her was a vast, boundless thing.
Difficult to put into words, even for him, and words were his craft.
After everything they had faced together, after all they had conquered, she had somehow come closer than anyone to breaking the most vital part of his existence: her heart.
Yet, despite the pain, the suffering, and the tears he had caused her, she had welcomed him back into her life, her arms open wide and full of love.
Adjusting to her world again would take time, Gale knew it.
It wasn’t just the rhythms of her life he needed to learn anew, it was the staggering reality that despite everything, she loved him.
Wholly. Deeply. Without hesitation.
A note of concern in Celeste’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He cast a quick illusion spell over himself for modesty and stepped into the hallway, where the air was cooler, the warmth of the room behind them confined by the closed door.
There, Celeste knelt in front of a child: a young girl, no older than five, with dark skin, brilliant green eyes, and a mass of curls framing her face. The girl’s hands were cupped over her nose, blood visible between her small fingers.
“Do you want to try to heal it yourself? I know you can do it,” Celeste said gently, her smile warm and encouraging.
The girl shook her head, and Celeste’s expression softened further.
“You don’t have to,” she assured her, raising her hand. The golden glow of her healing magic spilled between her palm and the girl’s face. The child squinted against the light, her tiny shoulders relaxing as the pain faded.
“All good now,” Celeste murmured. “Let me see.”
The girl lowered her hands, wiping at her nose with the back of her hand. A wide smile spread across her face, revealing a gap where her front teeth had been, and she gazed up at Celeste with so much love that Gale’s chest ached.
“See? All done,” Celeste said with a chuckle. “Do you want to say hello?”
The girl hesitated, glancing between Gale and Celeste as she chewed on her thumb. Then, after a moment of deliberation, she nodded.
Celeste opened her arms, and the child flew into them without hesitation. Her laugh, a sound of pure warmth and joy, made Gale’s heart swell. Lifting the girl into her arms, Celeste turned to him.
“Gale, this is Amaya,” she said, her eyes bright. “Amaya, this is the Dragon Slayer.”
She added dramatic flair to the title, and Gale couldn’t help but laugh.
Amaya peeked at him shyly, her cheeks darkening with a blush, before hiding her face in Celeste’s neck. With a small gesture, she pointed toward the door, clearly ready to leave.
“As you wish,” Celeste said softly, her tone full of affection.
They embraced for a long moment, Celeste holding the girl close until she was ready. When she set her down, Amaya ran off, not looking back as she disappeared through the door.
Gale stood in silence, watching Celeste, his heart full.
She hadn’t even noticed the way her warmth filled the space around her, extending to everyone she touched.
It was effortless, and he loved her all the more for it.
"Amaya," Gale said gently, as Celeste closed the door behind the girl. She nodded in acknowledgment, her shy demeanor lingering.
"You’ll love her," Celeste said, her voice warm with affection. "She’s a wild sorceress, and her magic is starting to cause... a few issues."
"Fascinating," Gale mused, his interest immediately piqued. "At such a young age?"
"You were barely older when you summoned Tara," Celeste pointed out with a knowing smile, nudging him back toward the warmth of the library.
As they entered, she reached into a basket, pulling out a tea pot and filling it with water. With effortless grace, she performed the spell to conjure the water, the quiet hum of her magic filling the room.
"Well done," Gale remarked, admiring the unconscious confidence in her movements.
Celeste’s smile deepened as she set the tea pot on top of the fire to steep. Meanwhile, Gale wrapped himself in one of the blankets he had brought and settled back down on the floor, his curiosity alight.
"A wild magic sorceress..." he murmured, rolling the words over his tongue like a fine wine. "When did her gifts first manifest?"
"I’m not entirely sure," Celeste admitted, sitting down beside him. "So far, we’ve seen bursts of wildflowers blooming in her wake and the ability to speak to animals. But since she’s non-verbal—"
"She doesn’t speak?" Gale interrupted, his brow furrowing in surprise.
Celeste shook her head. "No, she doesn’t. She seems to trust me, as you might have noticed, and generally feels more comfortable around women than men. We don’t know much about her past. She appeared on one of the trade wagons in Baldur’s Gate, and that’s all we’ve pieced together so far."
"Remarkable," Gale murmured, his mind already turning over the possibilities. "She’s quite young to display such pronounced gifts."
"Thaniel estimates she’s around eight years old," Celeste added, unpacking the basket.
"Even more intriguing! How does Thaniel determine someone’s age?"
Celeste shrugged, her attention shifting to the items in her hands; two tea cups and pouch. "I have no idea," she admitted, her tone light.
Gale leaned back against the wall, a pensive smile playing on his lips. "A wild magic sorceress with an untold story and an affinity for blooming chaos... She sounds extraordinary."
"She is," Celeste agreed softly, her expression thoughtful. "And she’s just getting started and will need someone to help her figure out her magic.”
“Well,” Gale smiled. “Good thing she has us on her side now.”