Work Text:
"What was it like, seeing the sun for the first time?"
As the words left your lips, the arms wrapped around you tightened their embrace. Despite the warm breath against the nape of your neck, you kept your eyes focused on the faint embers in the air above the bonfire, fading into nothingness with each crackle of the flame.
"Like a dream." Minthara whispered, her voice laced with the tiredness of a long day made it deeper than usual.
That said long day has been stretching on for weeks so far, as luck would have it for your group of tadpoled misfits.
Her body was pressing against your back, her frame slotting perfectly into yours as if it was her rightful place, and yet from the way she held you each night, you had no doubt that she'd claw her place into your side and carve it if she had to.
"What kind of dream?" You wanted more.
"The kind where your entire cage shatters and you're akin to a lost dog in the wild after years of believing in a false reality." She remained composed as she spoke, "Lolth, her devotees aren't interested in the world above, the surface world served as nothing but an endless source of slaves to fall prey to our webs with each careless endeavour into the underdark"
Suddenly the burning wood and dancing flames didn't seem so interesting to your eyes anymore.
You turned around, her hands grasped at you for a split second before letting go when she saw you weren't pulling yourself away.
You were met with the same hardened expression you grew so fond of since you first saw her face.
Now fully facing her, with a gentle touch you held her cheek in your palm as you moved your thumb gently across her skin.
Her expression faltered.
"You're free now, from Lolth, the absolute and the cage." You whispered softly.
With a shake of her head, she rejected your comfort.
"One doesn't realise they are in a cage until they break free. I might have gotten rid of one but there is no proof I didn't just step into another."
You were about to interject when she hushed you with her thumb pressing against your lips, swiping at the soft flesh as her hand copied yours and held your face.
"As a mortal, my existence is limited, therefore my worldview will always be limited. Just like how I used to think the underdark was all there is to the world, I was proven wrong and if I begin to think the surface is all there is to the world, I will be proven wrong again."
Minthara trailed her hand from your face to your shoulder, going around to your back before dipping even lower.
She continued, "we are not omnipotent, we will never be. We are ruled by our own experiences and biases. And I accepted that reality when I was met with the blazing sun."
You inched closer to her, legs tangling together under the shared blanket.
"....I know you miss the underdark, you hang fluorescent lights around the camp, your tent also resembles it a lot."
There's a half smile to her lips as she reminisces about her previous home, the shining city of Menzoberranzan. The glittering stars above did resemble her home in some twisted way of fate.
"Maybe part of me is still in denial that the sun will always be there in the morning." She looked back at you as she spoke those words.
Extending the same olive branch a second time, you hoped to lessen her heavy burden. "After all of this is over, maybe we can revisit it together this time."
"There's no need" she shook her head again, "knowing my house they'd be on the hunt for me the second I take a step below the surface" She scoffed, "as they should, if they didn't I'd start thinking they grew soft and weak after my departure."
You buried your head in her neck in defeat, your lover's stubborns was a double edged sword. "Are you sure you'd be content with that? Never seeing the underdark again?"
Caging you in with her arms, she kissed just below your ear in a rare moment of affection. "With you? I'd be content with the depth of seven hells."