Chapter Text
"I hope I don't end up regretting this."
Andromeda glanced back at her partner for the night, who was glaring at the grand entrance to Proskur's castle. The look of utter contempt on Kallith's face was distinguishable even with the crimson mask covering most of her features.
Supposedly love is found through the heart, not through appearances, which is why the lovers ball was also a masquerade. Any guest that showed up miserably single had the chance to find the love of their life by seeing their true personality and not just their face.
Or by taking things up to one of the lavish bedrooms and showing them a different kind of love.
And the way Kallith was looking that evening, wearing a silk jumpsuit that reveals a muscular, scarred back, with her normally messy hair styled into soft curls that fell around her mask and framed her face, Andromeda wasn't exactly going to refuse if she asked to go upstairs for a while.
She wouldn't deny that Kallith was attractive, all tieflings were in some way. So if the rogue needed to blow off some steam, then she could also blow her anytime of the day.
Andromeda regularly flitted from one person to another, with the amount of time she spent with them depending on how long they could hold her attention and how long she stayed in one place for. But they had never been anything to her than pretty, alluring distractions. There was nothing intimate about it. Sex was temporary, relieving at best and mildly uncomfortable at worst.
She had had a lover once, a long time ago.
Dorothea was calm and steady, an anchor that she could return to whenever Andromeda drifted out at sea. She had hung the stars that made up Andromeda's constellation. The angel, her angel, was a blessing in disguise to everyone and anyone. She was too sweet, too trusting, her bleeding heart was a gift as much as it was a target.
And then that target had been struck and she too had bled out, a gentle smile on her face as she took her last breath.
Andromeda never wanted to see someone she loved die in her arms again. So it was easier to avoid falling in love with anyone else, to avoid falling in love with an irritatingly fascinating rogue that kept letting her walls crumble to pieces around her and making Andromeda yearn for another glimpse of the hidden garden that Kallith was desperately trying to crawl out of.
Kallith tugged at the jumpsuits tight collar. "I still think I should've worn armor underneath this."
Andromeda adjusted her own jester mask, watching two scantily clad noblewomen strut past them. "Oh yes, because that would be the picture of elegance and wouldn't arouse any suspicion whatsoever."
She linked her arm with Kallith's, tilting her head up at her partner in crime and motioning towards the castle's entrance. "Now if we're done lurking outside the door like stragglers, I believe we have other matters to attend to, darling."
The tiefling grimaced, falling into step beside her and keeping her voice low as they approach a pretentious looking guard that was greeting guests. "Don't call me darling. You sound like Runym."
Andromeda raised one eyebrow, waiting until the guard scanned their invitations and waved them through to respond. "And? Is Runym not the literal embodiment of charisma?"
Kallith rolled her eyes, reaching out to snatch a dessert off the silver tray a maid hurriedly running past them was carrying, popping the tiny tart into her mouth and swallowing the entire thing instantly. "Mhm, she sure was extremely charismatic when she put both of our faces on wanted posters. Gods, why are the rich so minimalistic with their servings? You'd think that being able to afford plenty of food meant bigger portions."
The main hallway opened out into two grandiose spiralling staircases that led up to what Andromeda assumed was the ballroom, given the muffled classical music from behind the wooden double doors. A few nobles were lounging around on the ground floor, relaxing on plush, velvet sofas or smoking pipes near the windows. None of them paid any attention to Kallith's blasphemous statements.
Andromeda threw a quick glance behind them just in case as they went up the staircase, pausing when they reach the double doors. They're even larger up closer, with detailed carvings of flowers and vines along the edges. "Try to save your critiques of the upper class for after this ball. Insulting the food won't get you in their good books."
She pushed open the doors slowly, pretending not to hear Kallith grumbling under her breath. A huge ballroom loomed in front of them, the length nearly five times that of a regular tavern and yet it was already crowded. The walls were a mixture of arches and carved pillars and the ceiling rose high enough for even a giant to stand comfortably, with a grandiose staircase at the back that led up to galleries where guests could observe from above. A massive, sparkling crystal chandelier hung above the dancefloor in the centre to provide light, as well as the moonlight streaming in from several stained glass doors dotted along the sides of the room that led to balconies overlooking the lush gardens.
Andromeda was given approximately two seconds to observe her surroundings before Kallith immediately dragged her over to the tables near the entrance that were piled high with fancy food and a range of imported alchohol. The tiefling grabbed a plate of chocolate truffles and selected one, her moodiness evaporating the moment she bit into it. "Oh by the Gods that's so good, Andie you have to try this-"
Kallith stopped at the look on her face, her hand already reaching for another one. "What? Am I supposed to eat them with a silver spoon or something?"
Andromeda shook her head, hiding an amused smile and turning to pick up a strangely coloured piece of cheese, eyeing it warily before ultimately deciding it wasn't worth the risk and placing it back down on the plate.
"Two lovebirds that decided to show up fashionably late I see. I suppose it's one way to make an entrance, isn't it?" A succubus in a peacock mask and a rather revealing outfit made of feathers grinned at them both as she strided over to the tables, her arm wrapped around the waist of a tall half-elf in a bejeweled mask that looked very much like he was trying not to explode at the touch.
Andromeda laughed and waved a hand dismissively, a tad annoyed that their entry hadn't gone unnoticed. "You know how carriage traffic is, especially on nights like these. Trying to find parking near a castle is a nightmare."
The succubus hummed and reached over to select a glass of champagne, her long nails tapping it slowly. "Oh, I can imagine, it looked like hell down there." Her wings fluttered lightly, one of them brushing against her companion's back and eliciting a sharp inhale from him. "Have you travelled far?"
Kallith shook her head, quickly swallowing down the remains of another truffle. "Not really. We came from Elversult, as members of the Moonstorm house. "
The succubus raised one perfectly trimmed eyebrow, regarding them both more closely than before. "Moonstorm house? That's a name I haven't heard in a long time. Although I can certainly see the resemblance. If you two were humans, you'd be the spitting image of Yanseldara and Vaerana. Wouldn't you agree?"
Her hand squeezed the half-elf's waist and he coughed, his face reddening as he glanced over them briefly. "They would indeed, my lady. A keen observation."
His partner gave him a pleased smile that showed far too many teeth before turning her gaze back to Andromeda. "Don't mind him, he's just shy. Though I must say, I'm rather impressed with our host's taste in decor. I wasn't expecting such a luxurious item as the centrepiece."
She gestured towards the chandelier, which had also caught the attention of several other guests judging by the fleeting whispers and envious stares. "It's almost like a work of art really, whoever made it clearly has experience."
Craftsmanship wasn't exactly Andromeda's area of expertise, so she quickly elbowed the rogue's side, who looked up from a plate of desserts and nodded in agreement, turning to study the chandelier thoughtfully. "It's certainly impressive that a merchant managed to get his hands on it. Astral diamonds have been going around lately, but viridian crystals are far from easy to obtain. He's either incredibly lucky or incredibly wealthy."
The succubus' smile widened. "Oh my, how knowledgeable of you. It's nice to speak with someone who knows what they're talking about. Yelnan here is delightful in the bedroom, but he isn't very cultured."
The half-elf flushed a dark red, averting his eyes to stare down at the floor instead. She took no notice of him as she stared at Kallith with an expression that was borderline ravenous. "Would you care to accompany me to a gallery to have a better view? I've been wanting to try and discern the materials since I saw that chandelier."
Kallith forced out a polite smile, her jaw clenching. "Perhaps I could entertain you later this evening? The night is still young, and I came here to spend time with my lover."
The succubus cocked her head to the side, her eyes darkening almost imperceptibly.
Andromeda delicately lifted one leg and dug her heel into the tiefling's foot. "I think you should go, dearest. It's always good to make new acquaintances and besides, I wanted to look around and admire the castle's architecture. I know how it bores you so."
Kallith's eye twitched. "Well, if you truly don't mind, then I suppose there's no harm. I'll be up in the galleries if you need anything, love."
Andromeda waited until they had already ascended the grand staircase before she cursed under her breath.
The problem wasn't Kallith's ability to appeal to the nobility with flattery and adulation, despite her reluctance to do so.
The problem was that there wasn't anything wrong with the ball.
The opulent decorations, the spacious castle, the courteous host, everything was executed perfectly. She doubted any of the guests would lend them an ear if they were to attempt to ruin the merchant's image through nasty rumours or petty gossip.
Andromeda mulled over their current predicament as she paced back and forth between tables littered with expensive silverware and exotic canapés, nearly jumping out of her skin when she suddenly heard a voice from behind her.
"Psst, Andie. Over here." She turned her head to see a familiar scaly hand pull back the thick curtains, revealing Bongo in a stained apron and a glittering carnival mask.
She blinked at him for a moment before moving closer to the glass door, pretending to gaze outside and lowering her voice to a hushed whisper. "How the hell did you get past the guards?"
He gestured at his appearance, his hands dusty with flour. "One of their chefs was running late, so Tanelye and I...interfered a little and I went instead. We figured you guys would want backup just in case. How's it going?"
"Great, it's going great and it's not supposed to be. I can't see any potential disasters happening anytime soon, unless an explosion occurs in the kitchens." She looked at Bongo out of the corner of her eye, stepping back from the window. "Can't you oversalt the food or something? Serve absolutely horrendous dishes?"
He frowned and shook his head. "That'll only work if every chef does it, otherwise they'll notice I'm sabotaging shit on purpose and I'll be kicked out. And if I start throwing hands in there, then the guards will suspect that there's other intruders too. I gotta go before they notice I've been gone for too long, but whatever you're planning on doing, do it sometime soon."
Andromeda watched him slip back behind the curtains and make his way out of the ballroom, before she turned around and immediately bumped straight into another guest. "Ah, I do beg your pardon-"
A tall figure dressed in an extravagant outfit that was a mixture of a chokers, waistcoats and furs was gazing at her curiously. A fox mask covered his entire face, a wine glass held in one hand as he tilted his head at her. "Hmm, what a shame. I was hoping to be able to speak to both you and your reptilian friend, but it appears he's already left."
Well shit.
Andromeda smiled as widely as she possibly could and kept her voice low and smooth, praying to every God that existed to let her bullshit her way out of this. "It helps being friends with one of the chefs when you want to make a special request for a dish. I wasn't expecting such a limited range of choices on tonight's menu with our host being such an influential figure in the trade industry as of late."
The man laughed, the sound both mocking and pitying, and Andromeda knew she was completely fucked. He glanced over to where the host in question was standing in the centre of the room, right in the spotlight, surrounded by several noblewomen that didn't look anything like his fiancée. "A famous figure perhaps. Influential? Absolutely not. I think someone ought to knock him down off his makeshift pedestal, wouldn't you agree?"
She relaxed slightly, but didn't take her eyes off him for even a second. This man had ulterior motives, and Andromeda had a sinking feeling she would be better off not getting involved in any of them. "What exactly is it that you want from me, stranger?"
Fox-mask turned back to face her, amusement evident in his tone. "I expected Rurvei to try and cause chaos, but I wasn't expecting her to rope a few mismatched adventurers into her plans. Although I will say that it's a pleasant surprise."
He raised a gloved hand to point above where the merchant stood, towards the crystal chandelier suspended from the ceiling. "Let me tell you a secret. A chandelier with that kind of craftsmanship wasn't made by a lowlife such as him. It was sent by none other than the Duchess of House Crownsilver from Suzail, the capital of Cormyr. If such a thoughtful, valuable gift were to fall and shatter all over the dancefloor, I'm certain that his reputation would soon follow."
Andromeda noted the rather thin silver chain the chandelier was hanging from, one that looked aesthetically pleasing and all too easy to snap. "But if this gift is so very important to the Duchess, surely he'll be on his guard all evening, keeping an eye on things?"
He shrugged and loosened the fox mask slightly to take a sip from his wine glass, giving her a glimpse of pearly-white, sharp teeth. "I imagine he'll probably be a little...occupied upstairs by then. All sorts of things can happen behind closed doors, you know. I might even pop his pretty eyes out and keep them as a souvenir after I'm done."
She refrained from making a face at his words, thinking that maybe they should've sent Ren'ya in instead. The drow would've gotten along just fine with whoever this bastard was. "As much as I'm enjoying this delightful conversation, I'm afraid I have other things to take care of. Enjoy the rest of your evening sir."
"Oh, I know I will. Go on then, don't keep your lover waiting for too long. And tell Rurvei I send her my regards." The man stared at her for a moment longer before giving her a small wave and disappearing into the crowd, not bothering to elaborate exactly who his regards were from.
Andromeda scanned the galleries above for a pair of familiar red horns, cursing when they're nowhere to be found. It had been thirty minutes at most, Kallith couldn't have gone that far. She weaved her way through the throng of people, praying she doesn't find her in one of the double bedrooms.
A hand grabbed her shoulder and she twisted around hopefully, only be met with a drunken smirk from a boyish looking noble. "Where are you off to in such a hurry, sweetheart?" He took a step forward and leaned in, close enough for Andromeda to smell the alcohol off his breath. "You've got the whole night ahead of you to meet potential partners. Such as myself. I know we're not supposed to see each other's faces to form a connection, but I wouldn't mind seeing everything else."
She brushed his hand off as politely as she can, inhaling deeply to remind herself that socking someone in the jaw isn't proper noble etiquette. "I'm flattered, truly, but I'm afraid I already have a lover, one that I must be getting back to."
His smile only widened at her refusal, his words slurring as he reached out to grab her arm again. "Mmm, but I don't see them anywhere. Your lover left you all alone, poor thing. Let me take care of you, I promise I know all about how to please such a pretty little-"
Kallith slapped his hand away, her other arm snaking around Andromeda's middle and pulling her back against the rogue's chest. She gave the noble a smile that displayed all of her fangs, her tone laced with thinly veiled venom. "That won't be necessary. Now if you'll excuse us, my lover and I have other matters to attend to. I'm sure you can entertain yourself some other way, like with your goddamn left hand."
The noble didn't even have time to respond before Kallith was already tugging her away, keeping a hand firmly on her waist and dragging her out of the ballroom towards one of the more secluded balconies.
The air outside felt sharper, like a slap to the face after the stuffiness of the crowded ballroom. She grinned up at Kallith, both amused by her protectiveness and slightly irritated at her disappearing act. "My hero. Thanks for the help back there, but would you perhaps like to tell me where you-"
Kallith abruptly let go of her to slam the doors to the ballroom shut, the handles rattling from the force of it. "Andie. Shut up. Just for a second, be quiet, please."
Andromeda closed her mouth, her eyes flitting to Kallith's clenched fists and the tension in her shoulders. She stepped back to get out of the tiefling's way, watching her move towards the edge of the balcony.
Kallith leaned against the railing, running a hand through her hair and tousling the carefully styled curls until they went back to the usual messy strands that fell past her horns. It was a simple motion that Andromeda really shouldn't have found as attractive as she did.
Silence fell between them for a short moment, Kallith's gaze drifting to the courtyard below while Andromeda crossed the balcony to stand beside her, raising her eyebrows quizzically.
"I just....needed a break for a bit. It's honestly exhausting sometimes, y'know? I get tired of it all too easily, more often than not these days." The rogue let out a quiet sigh, raising one hand to gesture back towards the stained glass doors that did little to block out the muffled music coming from inside the castle. "It's not really me in there, in that crowd. I'm not me when I'm mingling among nobility, or entertaining drunkards at a tavern, or striking up conversation with someone I could give two shits about. I don't know how you can put up with it all the time."
Andromeda watched her with a curious expression, and for once she is unsure of how to respond to this rare moment of Kallith showing her more vulnerable side. She's used to the sarcasm and banter, the subtle digs and lighthearted jokes that made up the majority of their conversations. This side of Kallith was a side Andromeda wasn't experienced in countering. But it was a side she craved to know about, to see more of, so Andromeda did what she did best and attempted to lighten the mood of the situation while simultaneously poking her nose where it doesn't belong.
She snorted softly, glancing over at the castle as if in thought before she looks back at Kallith, tilting her head at the other woman. "Are you saying this is you out here then? Out under the moonlight on a balcony overlooking partygoers who are far from sober?"
Kallith hesitated slightly before she responded, the earnestness in her voice surprising Andromeda a little. "I'm not entirely sure, if I'm being honest. It's hard to tell who I really am sometimes, when I feel like I have to change from person to person. And there's moments where I don't like who I have to be. I don't want to be someone I hate."
Andromeda tentatively reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, causing Kallith to look up and meet her gaze. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I know damn well that I'm not myself when I have to wipe Rurvei's pristine, pompous asscheeks to save you guys from being sent to the dungeons. Who you have to be when the situation calls for it doesn't make you who you are. You are the only person who gets to decide that, Kall. Not me, not whoever you were in the past and certainly not a bunch of haughty pricks."
Kallith let out a small laugh at her words, a small smile tugging at her lips and a fondness in her eyes that wrenched apart what was left of the logical side of Andromeda's brain. "Thanks, I appreciate it. And I appreciate you and your ability to meatride the upper class even more."
The rogue paused briefly, her voice low and soft as she grasped the hand on her shoulder and squeezed it lightly. "I lost it a little back there 'cause I hated who I was in that crowd. It made me realise something that I hadn't thought about properly before. It made me realise that I feel the most like myself when I'm with you. We may butt heads, and perhaps we're not the best influences on each other at times, but I never have to be someone I'm not when I'm around you."
For the first time in years, Andromeda is left lost for words.
Her brain was short-circuiting, trying to come up with an appropriate response that wouldn't make it unbearably awkward, that wasn't a stupid joke or one that didn't sound outright pathetic. Every response died on her tongue, and all she could do was stare back at Kallith silently, trying not to melt at the way her eyes softened.
The silence was suddenly broken by a rock soaring past her shoulder and clattering against the stained glass door, an exasperated voice following it. "Tanelye! Careful! You could've broken that door!"
Andromeda quickly tore her gaze away from Kallith, leaning over the edge of the railing to peer down at a guilty looking Tanelye and an apologetic looking Allowyn. "Hey, you could've also hit me, y'know. That rock was a bit too close for comfort."
Tanelye rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. "Sorry, my aim was a bit off. We didn't want to alert the guards by yelling to get your guys' attention, so I improvised." Allowyn waved up at them both from where he stood, his armor covered in an assortment of vines and branches and a crown of leaves sitting atop his head.
Kallith stared down at him, her brow furrowing. "Allowyn, what in the nine hells are you wearing?"
He tilted his head at her in confusion as it if should be obvious. "It's camouflage, of course! My disguise is rather good if I do say so myself. When I crouch, I look just like a bush. None of the other guests have noticed yet, and the guards certainly didn't!"
"It does actually work, he's short enough to pull it off." Tanelye agreed, earning herself a playful shove from the dwarf. "And Ren'ya let me borrow her ring of invisibility so she didn't have to go. We came to check on you both, and to help out if you need it."
Kallith turned to her, raising her eyebrows expectantly. "I do hope you found something useful, because I certainly didn't. The only thing I got out of those agonising conversations was that our esteemed host has made a name for himself among Cormyr's royalty."
"A name that'll be tainted soon enough." Andromeda raised her voice to call down to the sea elf "Tanelye, do you think you could manage to sneak into the castle? Specifically the ballroom?"
Tanelye tilted her head thoughtfully, considering it, before nodding and giving her a thumbs up. "It might be a bit tricky with how many guests there are but sure, I doubt anyone would really notice if I accidentally bumped against them. What do you need me in there for?"
She drummed her fingers impatiently against the railing. "I want you to make a big crystal chandelier fall and shatter where everyone can see it. The chain is thin, I bet you could snap it with your hands if you tried, but...." Andromeda trailed off. "The problem is it that's attached directly to the ceiling in the centre of the room, and the galleries overlooking the dancefloor are all at the side."
"Uhhh. Even I might be too short for that." Tanelye turned to Allowyn. "I don't suppose you have a bow on you?"
The dwarf shook his head. "None of us really use ranged weapons, just spells. And I'm not exactly a mage."
Kallith grinned, crouching down and rolling up the leg of her jumpsuit to reveal several thin, wickedly sharp throwing knives strapped to her thigh. "I think I can help with that." She undid the strap, sliding it off and letting it dangle from her fingers as Andromeda tried her absolute best to keep her eyes from straying downwards.
She gave Kallith a pointed look. "Why didn't you tell me you were carrying those on you?"
The rogue shrugged, leaning over the ledge and throwing the strap down to Tanelye. "You didn't ask. They were my backup plan. It's always good to carry a weapon, just in case a sharp tongue doesn't do the trick."
Andromeda briefly wondered if she should be offended or not. "Just break the chain of the shiny, big, crystal chandelier Tanelye, you can't miss it."
The sea elf gave her a salute before suddenly vanishing into thin air, the only sign of her presence being the grass rustling as she took off towards the castle entrance. Allowyn ran after her, sighing frustratedly. "I keep telling her to warn me before she does that- Tanelye! I need to see where you're going to be able to keep up!"
They moved to head back to the ballroom, Andromeda's hand hovering over the door handle as she met Kallith's gaze. "You ready to go back inside and face the upper class once more?"
The tiefling rolled her eyes, smiling in spite of herself. "Let's just get this over with."
The first thing she noticed when they stepped inside was how most of the guests were gathered near the centre, with every other candelabra having been extinguished so that the chandelier was the only source of light in the room.
Under the spotlight stood the host, the chatter slowly dying down as the guests excitedly exchanged hushed whispers.
The merchant clapped his hands to get everyone's attention. His arm was wrapped around the shoulders of a high elf dressed in all white that looked uneasy, her mask a cruel mockery of a wedding veil. "Esteemed guests, lovely ladies and distinguished gentlemen, you all have my thanks for being here tonight. And now we come to the highlight of the evening, for where would a lovers ball be without a romantic dance?"
Her eyebrows shot upwards when she turned to see Kallith already extending a hand out to her. "May I have this dance, my fair lady?"
Andromeda took it, a tender smile on her face. "I thought you'd never ask."
She let Kallith lead her onto the dancefloor, their fingers intertwining as Andromeda placed her other hand on her shoulder.
The music changed to a fast-paced waltz, increasing in speed as the song progressed. Some guests were exchanging partners with every spin, the world around them a flurry of sparkling dresses, sleek suits and carved masks.
Andromeda spotted the succubus they had encountered in the beginning across the dancefloor, leading the half-elf in a dance that looked like it was a bit more than just romantic. "You don't want to swap partners and chat to your new friend for a bit? I won't take it to heart, I promise."
The tiefling wrinkled her nose, grimacing at the thought of it. "Gods no. I don't want to have to converse with that woman ever again. I'd take your company over hers any day."
She grinned as Kallith twirled in her in a circle with a graceful sweep, their steps fully in sync. "Good to know."
They fell into a comfortable set of movements, their bodies swaying in harmony to the rhythm of the music as Andromeda's gaze drifted up towards the galleries above.
She watched a knife fly through the air, miss the chain by an inch and hit the opposite wall, embedding itself in the potrait of a haughty looking countess. Kallith stifled a laugh as they turned around in another circle, her eyes crinkling in amusement beneath the mask.
"We might need to get Tanelye to work on her aim a bit after this."
Andromeda snorted at that, shaking her head in exasperation. "A bit? If her knife-throwing is this horrendous, I'm never letting her anywhere near a bow."
She glanced around at the other guests nearby, the inner circle slowly becoming tighter and tighter as they danced nearer to the centre, the chandelier's light beaming down on them. "She might want to get a move on with it. If anyone is dancing underneath the chandelier when it falls, it won't be pretty."
Her gaze moved to where the merchant was, her eyebrows shooting upwards when she recognised his new dance partner to be the stranger in the fox mask from earlier. His hand was placed firmly on the merchant's hip, his grip just a tad tighter than what was really necessary for a dance. The merchant swallowed nervously, and Andromeda could see beads of sweat forming underneath his gaudy mask.
Kallith accidentally trod on her foot when she stopped dancing and tilted her head in confusion. "Andie? Are you-"
The man turned his head to stare back at her, and the carved wooden grin of his mask seemed to stretch even wider under the flickering light.
Oh.
Oh, fuck.
Fox-mask twirled the merchant around and spun him out, letting go of him at the last second and throwing him off balance. The merchant stumbled backwards.
Another knife whistled through the air and this time it hit its target, piercing the thin chain and cutting it in half.
The chandelier fell to the ground, crushing the poor man's skull and shattering with a sickening crash. Glass flew everywhere, thin cuts appearing on Andromeda's skin as crystal shards were scattered at her feet. It had missed her and Kallith by mere inches.
Blood leaked out slowly from underneath the collasped chandelier, staining the dancefloor and glistening in the moonlight that was streaming in from outside.
Then someone screamed.
The room erupted into complete chaos, with every guest frantically scrambling towards the exit and half of them shrieking their heads off.
"An assasin! He'll kill us all!"
"Move, move you sluggish bastard or I'll make sure the next chandelier that falls hits you!"
"I can't DIE! I'm too beautiful to die this young!"
Andromeda swore as someone's tail smacked her in the face, twisting around to grab her partner's hand so they wouldn't get lost in the fray. Fox-mask was nowhere to be seen, having seemingly disappeared. "Gods above and below, that motherfucker-"
She stopped when Kallith didn't budge and glanced back at her in concern. The tiefling was frozen in place like a statue as she stared down at the remains of the merchant's body with wide, panicked eyes, her breathing ragged.
One of the merchant's hands hadn't been crushed completely, the marred limb stuck under a section of the broken chandelier. It twitched weakly, as if it was pleading with them. Kallith inhaled sharply, her entire body shuddering.
The crowd was slowly thinning out as more and more guests shoved their way outside, it wouldn't be long before the guards came running to see what all the fuss was about, and Andromeda wasn't sure if she could conjure up a believable cover story for this. She swallowed, tugging insistently at Kallith's hand. "Kall, I'm sorry, but we gotta go. We can't be seen here."
The rogue didn't budge.
She tried again, this time placing a hand on Kallith's shoulder and shaking her roughly. "He's dead, Kall, you can't do anything to save him, he's gone. It's too late and if we don't move we'll probably end up even worse."
Kallith didn't react at all, she barely even flinched at Andromeda's touch as she stood there petrified.
Andromeda reached out with both hands to cup the tiefling's face, jerking her head away from the body and forcing her to look her in the eyes. "Kallith. We have to leave, now."
Kallith blinked.
And suddenly Andromeda's hand was grabbed this time and she was yanked forwards, Kallith's grip almost painfully tight as she shouldered other guests aside and bolted towards the staircase like a deer would whenever it hears a twig snap.
They ran upstairs and into the maze of corridors, Andromeda nearly slipping in her accursed heels. Each door they passed only led to more hallways that looked exactly the same as the one they had just gone through, the rooms seemingly endless.
Kallith skidded to a halt when they came to a fork at the end of the hallway, one past twisting to the left and the other leading to the right, neither of them looking particularly promising.
Andromeda opened her mouth to speak, but she was cut off by the sound of footsteps behind them. Loud, heavy footsteps that didn't have the daintiness or gracefulness of noble feet. Several of them.
She didn't even have time to glance behind her before Kallith lunged towards the nearest door and wrenched it open, quickly tugging Andromeda inside.
The room was barely big enough to fit two people, it was more of a closet than anything. Maybe some kind of storage room, judging by the musty smell, even though neither of them could see more than a foot in front of them once the door closed.
Her back was pressed up against the door, just as Kallith's was against the wall opposite her, their bodies crammed together. They were close enough for Andromeda to be able to hear the rogue's heartbeat, her chest heaving as the thundering footsteps grew louder and louder.
Andromeda held her breath and waited, silently cursing herself for not bringing her pan pipes along with her. A spell could've really come in handy right now. The walls seemed to waver slightly, the ground rumbling beneath her feet.
Armored boots thumped against the velvet carpet as a group of guards rushed past, none of them bothering to stop and check small doors. Their footsteps eventually faded after a few minutes, the hallway falling silent once more.
She gave it about three more minutes and then Andromeda shifted, already itching to get out of the cramped space. "We should take our chances and get out of here before they decide to come back and double check every room."
Her fingers barely grazed the door handle before two brawny arms wrapped around her, pulling her back and holding her suffocatingly close. Andromeda realised it wasn't the walls that had been moving, Kallith was shaking, the tiefling's body trembling violently as she clung to her.
A hand slowly traced the curve of her spine as Kallith leaned down to bury her head in her shoulder, like Andromeda would disappear if she couldn't feel her skin against her own. Her mask slipped off, falling somewhere on the ground as she murmured against her collarbone, her voice low and pleading. "You're always moving, always running from one place to the next every goddamn second. Don't leave, just wait for once before you rush off throw yourself into danger again. Please, stay with me, stay in my arms so I know you're safe, so I know you're still here and not-"
The rogue let out a shuddering breath, her arms tightening around her body and pressing her against her chest. "I can't watch you die, Andie. I can't."
Andromeda coughed, wheezing slightly in her crushing grip and managing to gasp out a few words. "I'm not planning on dying anytime soon Kall, I'm here and I'm staying, but can you let me breathe?
She felt Kallith's lips curl into a brief smile as she silently loosened her hold a bit, giving her room to move but not fully letting go just yet. The taller woman closed her eyes, leaning against her and relaxing into the embrace.
Andromeda raised one hand to rub soothing circles on the tiefling's back and lifted the other to gently scratch her scalp, her fingers tangling in the messy strands as she began to hum softly.
They stayed like that for a while, holding each other in the darkness with Kallith's arms wrapped around her waist and Andromeda's hands caressing her skin as their heartbeats slowed.
Eventually Kallith lifted her head from Andromeda's shoulder, her expression unreadable in the poor lighting. "Thanks. For staying with me. For being here." Her voice cracked slightly. "It....it means a lot."
Andromeda nodded, leaning forward and pressing her forehead against hers lightly. "I'll stay with you as long you'll have me, Kall, you know that. I'm here if you need it, and if you want to talk about it later, then I'll be there for you too. Anytime."
The rogue exhaled softly and drew her into another hug, being careful not to squeeze her too tightly this time. Kallith pulled away after a moment to give her some space, although it wasn't exactly possible with how they were squashed together in the tiny room. "We should probably go now, before some poor maid opens the door and gets the fright of her life."
Andromeda laughed quietly and pushed the door open, poking her head out to double check that no one was around. "All clear."
She stepped into the hallway and Kallith followed after her, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the bright light again. The castle was quiet, no indication that there were guests or guards anywhere nearby. The rooms they passed were all empty, without any sign of life.
They walked in silence back towards the main area of the castle where most of the exits were, the layout much clearer now that they weren't running through a panicked crowd. Kallith spoke up as they were nearing the front entrance, her tone curious. "Do you think that the royals up in Cormyr will make a fuss over this guy? I wonder if he was actually important to them, or just an entertaining plaything."
Andromeda shrugged, stepping over a pile of squished desserts that had gotten knocked over in the fray. "Who knows? And who cares? If they start getting oodles of revenge, then that's Rurvei's problem to deal with, not ours."
She continued walking down the corridor until she realised that Kallith wasn't following and glanced back to see the rogue staring at her with an incredulous expression. "Did you seriously just say oodles?"
"What's wrong with oodles? It's a perfectly acceptable word to say in today's society."
Kallith shook her head in amusement, rolling her eyes. "I think you might be a couple centuries too late with that one, but sure, have your oodles."
Andromeda placed a hand on her chest, giving the rogue a mock-offended look. "Well excuse me for appreciating the wise phrases of the pre-Spellplague pirate era. Now if you're done critiqueing my exquisite vocabulary, I think we should start oodling our way back to Elversult. The royals of Cormyr might not give two shits, but I guarantee you that the people of Proskur do."
Kalltih laughed, her lips twisting into a mirthful grin as she gazed at her affectionately. "Gods Andie, you wonderful fucking bastard. Y'know, sometimes, I think I-"
"Kallith! Andromeda! There you guys are!" Kallith cut off as a voice called down to them from up ahead. Bongo was standing at the top of staircase, waving at them. An shift in the air beside him revealed a webbed hand that gave them a quick wave as well, before it vanished again and dusty footprints started appearing on the stairs. Tanelye was clearly having a bit too much fun with the invisibility ring.
"We were looking everywhere for you two, we thought you had gotten arrested or something. You're both okay, right? That merchant's body has already been taken away-" He trailed off as he took in their disheveled appearance, sweaty skin and Kallith's noticeable lack of a mask.
"Oh shit! I fucking knew it, I knew it! No wonder you both-" Bongo stepped back, raising his hands apologetically. "My bad, I won't interfere with any more of your alone time. Tanelye, wait up! I told you they were-" His voice slowly faded as he ran down the stairs after the sea elf, an infuriatingly smug smile on his face.
Kallith groaned, running a hand through her hair in frustration. "For fuck's sake. Of course it had be Bongo who spotted us first, the prick." She quickly moved to sprint after him, but not before Andromeda caught a glimpse of a slight blush blooming across the tiefling's cheeks. "Hey! Firstly, it's none of your goddamn business and secondly, we were not-"
She moved to follow them, before quiet applause rang out from behind her. She whipped her head around to see Fox-mask leaning against the archway, his gloved hands clapping slowly.
Andromeda narrowed her eyes at him, the smile vanishing from her face. He raised his hands in mock-surrender, chuckling softly. "I come in peace, little adventurer. I merely wanted to thank you."
She raised her eyebrows, watching him warily. "That won't be necessary. I don't want any thanks for being your unwitting murder accomplice."
The man clicked his tongue, seeming disappointed by her response. "Oh please. You act as if you've never done something like this before. I think we're rather similar, you and I. Perhaps we're more alike than I had originally thought."
Andromeda paused at that, her brow furrowing at the audacity of this stranger to compare them, when the only thing she knew about him was that he was cunning and a tad murderous. Not exactly the ideal adjectives she'd use to describe herself. "If this is some twisted attempt at flattery, then you can save it. That's not a compliment to me."
Fox-mask sighed, but kept his tone pleasant and smooth. "Young people nowadays and their objection to good old-fashioned slaughter. If it makes you feel any better, that marriage was in no way consensual, the bride had been blackmailed into agreeing to it."
It did make her more feel at ease over the merchant's death, but she certainly wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of knowing that.
He straightened up, lifting a hand to make sure his mask was secure. "But I suppose that's a story for another time. It's not wise for me to linger near the crime scene, and I shouldn't keep you any longer. Your lover would miss you too much."
Andromeda's expression hardened. "She's not my lover."
He simply tilted his head at her. "I think you might want to tell her that then."
She turned on her heel, completely done with the conversation. He called out to her one last time as she walked away, his voice filled with glee. "Remember to send Rurvei my regards. Be a dear and ask her to invite me to the wedding, won't you?"