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The group was silent as they made their way out of Sorcerous Sundries. Tav was still seething that Lorroakan had been so casual about asking them to enslave a sentient being for his own personal gain. He could tell from the tension in Shadowheart’s shoulders that she was, too. He was just about to ask the others if they should go back and beat the wizard’s arse when they stepped out from under the striped awning into the street.
“Are all wizards shameless egomaniacs?” Astarion asked, in that charming, “innocent” way of his. Sometimes his 10 charisma showed more strongly than others. His head was tilted back a hair, to watch for Gale’s reaction over his shoulder.
“That man is a stain on the Weave, and an embarrassment to wizards everywhere,” Gale said, projecting his voice as if he were addressing a crowd. “Besides,” he added, crossing gloved arms over his chest and taking a stance in the street. “It’s not ego if it’s documented fact.” He turned his head to address Astarion directly. “Are all vampire spawn spoilt little brats?”
Astarion balled his delicate but deadly porcelain hands into fists and stuck out his chest. “Little?!”
“Okay, stop.” Tav stepped between them. “I’m going to ask you two to save your combative foreplay for camp. We’ve got bigger issues right now.”
“Who’s going to tell her?” Shadowheart asked, following Tav’s train of thought.
The tiefling sighed, rubbing his forehead. “I’d better. I’m really not sure how she’ll react. If Aylin lashes out, I’d rather it be at me than any of you.”
“That sounds like a splendid plan!” Astarion smiled, relieved.
But Gale didn’t look so sure. “Is that wise?”
Astarion’s high pitched giggle was as good an answer as any. “Is anything he does wise?”
Tav wanted to object, but the vampire had a point.
“I’ll talk to her,” Shadowheart volunteered. “Woman to woman. Besides, we have a connection now.”
“We’ll do it together,” Tav said, not confident in the tenuous connection Dame Aylin and the cleric had forged so far via the goddess they had in common.
Shadowheart nodded, resolute.
“So it’s back to camp, then?” Astarion drawled, giving Gale a certain look out of the corner of his eye.
“Soon,” Tav said. “We’ve got to warn the rest of the list, first.”
Astarion made a face. “The rest of them are probably already dead, too.”
“Probably is not the same as definitely,” Tav told him, pulling the murder list from his pocket and looking at the remaining names. “Keep it in your pants a little longer, ‘starion. I have faith in you.”
The rogue scoffed in disgust. “I told you he was listening outside our tent.”
“Spying on an exhibitionist. Sounds like a victimless crime to me,” Gale said casually, falling in behind Tav as he began wandering down the street toward their next destination.
“Well excuse me for being offended on your behalf!” Astarion said, following behind, indignant.
“You needn’t be,” Gale said, turning back to him with a warm smile. He took Astarion’s hand in his and raised it to his lips, dropping a kiss on pale knuckles.
“Why do they have to be so disgusting?” Shadowheart asked, racing forward to walk next to Tav so she wouldn’t have to witness anything further.
Tav smiled at her conspiratorially, pressing a finger to his lips to motion for silence. Behind them, Astarion was still sputtering. “I…that’s not…don’t tell me what to do, Gale of Waterdeep!” He raced off ahead of the group to hide his fluster.
“I don’t think he realizes he’s the most charming when he’s not trying to be,” Gale mused aloud, smiling after him.
“I’d love to see a more authentic Astarion,” Tav said, without turning around. “His forced artifice is…”
“Annoying?” Shadowheart offered.
“Not fooling anyone?” Jaheira added.
“...a lot,” Tav finished, glancing apologetically back at Gale. “If you don’t mind me saying so.”
“He is himself,” Gale said. “And being so, no season knows, nor clime/ nor hours, days, months, which are the rags of time.”
“I’m confused,” Tav said. “Did he just tell me off?”
“It’s poetry,” Jaheira explained. “We have reached the very serious stage of poetry, it seems. And not aimed at you, cub.” She patted Tav on the shoulder, reassuringly.
“It means Astarion will be the way he is until he’s ready to be something else,” Gale said, patiently. “And judging him for it won’t help matters.”
“Point taken,” Tav said.
“He’s a self-serving git, and always has been,” Shadowheart said. “He’s not going to change now just because he’s sleeping with Gale.”
“We shall see,” the wizard said, with a knowing smile.