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Astarion woke from his trance with the inescapable feeling that something was wrong. But he hadn't dreamed, and Smoke was curled up at the foot of his bed, as usual. Everything should have been alright. Except the feeling didn't go away with the full return of his awareness.
His senses strained to listen for Tav's heartbeat, or the tinkling of their jeweller's tools. It felt like the middle of the day, they should still have been working.
Silence greeted him.
He sat up and stretched lightly, before scratching Smoke behind the ears. She nibbled at his fingers, then went back to her nap, for once oblivious to his nerves.
Dressing up would have usually taken him a good while, but the nagging feeling of urgency was such that he hurriedly put on the exact same outfit he'd worn the day before, and immediately headed for the door of his bedroom. One inch was enough to see that Tav had left the shutters open, the early afternoon sun bathing the living room in golden light.
A sigh escaped him as he pressed himself behind the door to avoid the light.
"Tav?" he called, knowing full well they wouldn't answer him, since they appeared to have left the house.
His back to the wall, he focused on the hand motions Gale had taught him the first few months he'd been living in this house. He hadn't done this in so long —Tav was usually always there to close the blinds for him. If he messed up now, he risked opening the shutters of his own bedroom instead of closing those of the living room. But waiting for Tav to come back didn't feel like a very appealing idea, when such a feeling of unease crawled under his skin.
One deep breath, then a second for good measure, and he twisted his fingers with a flick of the wrist. The arcane words he still remembered, despite the fact that Tav didn't use the same ones Gale had taught him. The clatter of wood echoed in the other room, and his precious skin remained untouched by sunlight.
In the living room, he found nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing that could have caused the persistent impression that he needed to hurry. Tav was nowhere to be found, but it wasn't that unusual for them to be out, at this hour.
But when he inspected their crafting spot more attentively, he found a hastily scribbled note, his guts twisting unpleasantly at the sight. A note couldn't be good. Tav never left a note when leaving for a few errands. Astarion neared the high table, the mess of Tav's tools very visibly having been abandoned in the midst of a work session, and picked up the piece of parchment on which Tav's hurried handwriting sprawled.
Love, I'm going back to the Feywild for a bit. Cyran was right. I will continue what he started. I'm sorry I didn't say anything before I went, I just need to do this. I'll see you soon.
Oh. Oh no, this was bad. Worse than bad, this could be disastrous.
How long since Tav had left? It couldn't be more than a few hours.
He'd come home shortly before dawn, and had waited for them to get up before heading to bed himself. He'd wanted a hug. And had gotten one, in the small hours of the morning. Tav always woke up bright and early, whenever the drugs failed to keep the tide of their mood from rising, as they had, recently.
But they hadn't said anything about going to the Feywild, and he'd gone to rest unsuspecting, while they attempted to tame the endless stream of energy by losing themself in the focus of their craft. He hadn't even heard them leave the house, after that.
"Shit," he swore.
Where could Tav have possibly found the means to cross the border without the help of their protegee? Surely Meli would know better than to agree to a foolish request like this, in the state Tav had been in for the past tenday. And without Meli, Tav's desire to visit the place of their childhood remained nothing but wishful thinking.
He could hope the note was just that. Wishful thinking. But he couldn't be sure. They very well could have found a way to cross. There were at least two entry points to the plane of Faerie in this city, he knew that now, so it wasn't impossible. He needed to go after them.
But the sun trapped him in the house, rendering him unable to even go look for someone that could help him help Tav. If only he had their magic, he could at least send a message to—
The sending stone.
Gale had left a sending stone here, one of the times he had visited. His friend would be the only recipient of any messages, Astarion knew that much, but it was a start. If his senses were correct about the hour, Gale would likely be teaching, but no matter. Tav's safety took precedence over a bunch of bored students, and gods help him if the wizard dared to disagree with that.
Astarion made for Tav's bedroom, his steps frantic.
Blessedly, they'd left the blinds closed upon leaving, and he didn't have to waste time fiddling with magic again. Now, where did Tav keep that damned thing? He would have prayed to the gods that they hadn't taken it on their foolish little journey, if he had thought that might help. But he knew better. He went through the drawers of both nightstands, then the vanity, and found nothing but Tav's usual medicine, and a vial of oil that only ever served to ease the pain of cruel memories. But no stone.
With every subsequent drawer devoid of stone that he opened, more and more curses crossed his lips, as the cold anxiety in his guts slowly but surely twisted into something that felt like panic.
But just as he thought he might well and truly lose his mind, he found a small velvet satchel while searching their wardrobe, in the pocket of their favourite coat. And inside, a tiny round rock, the black surface polished so smoothly it was almost reflective. One single symbol carved on the even surface of the stone.
He let out a sigh of relief and sagged on the bed behind him. Mirror had been sleeping there and meowed in protest when Astarion half landed on the cat.
"Quiet," Astarion hissed. "You could have warned me they were doing something so catastrophically stupid."
Mirror moved to the other side of the bed, and went back to sleep, turning his back on him with absolute disdain. Little monster. Astarion got up and attempted to outpace the worry in the living room. Talking to a rock felt beyond idiotic, but it wasn't like he had many other options, in this moment.
"Helloo, my dear magical friend," he said. "Might I bother you for a minute?"
Silence. Was this even how one was supposed to use a sending stone? The faint tug of power he'd just felt while speaking the words out loud let him hope that it was. He put his back to the wall of his own bedroom in an attempt to steady his nerves.
"Gale?" he tried again, bringing the stone closer to his mouth.
He thought he heard a clearing of throat coming from the vague direction of the stone in his hand, but he might as well have imagined it.
"Wizard, answer your damned stone or you might find your life expectancy dramatically reduced by yours truly!"
A second cough echoed from the stone, this time clear enough that he was sure it was real. Then Gale's voice rose from the tiny rock in his hand. "Astarion, I am rather busy at the moment, the class I am giving is—"
"I don't care. Get your magical arse in my house, right now! It's a matter of… how would you put it? Utmost urgency?"
"Surely anything you might ask of me can wait for a more opportune moment."
"No! Don't you dare putting that stone away. Tav is missing, and it's the middle of the day! I…" He closed his eyes, and let his head rest on the wall behind him. Hells, why was this still so hard? Nearly seven years, and still, he struggled to get the words out when the one he had to ask wasn't Tav or Shadowheart. Perhaps Jaheira. Maybe even Halsin. "I need help."
More silence came from the stone. Astarion clutched the little black thing, panic threatening to overflow.
"Gale of Waterdeep, I swear to you if you do not—"
Sudden light blinded him as a floating circle of magical runes appeared out of thin air in the middle of the living room he shared with Tav, Gale's outline glowing at its centre. The light died down abruptly, and Gale stood there, in his heavy teaching robes. Astarion could have kissed him. Or rather… hugged him. No. Patted him on the back. Maybe.
"Well," he said instead. "Took you long enough."
"Hello, Astarion."
"Yes, yes, hello. How is your mother? And your wife? Any other children on the way?" Gale, infuriatingly, did not pick up on the sarcasm dripping from his questions, and appeared ready to offer detailed answers to each. "Not now!!" he growled at the man.
"Right, my apologies. Tav is missing, you say? When is the last time you saw them?"
"This morning. But—"
"This morning? Well, in that case, there's hardly cause for alarm."
Astarion clicked his tongue impatiently and handed him Tav's note, which Gale, to his credit, read dutifully. He then raised an inquisitive eyebrow.
"And that is… bad?"
"Bad doesn't even begin to cover it, my friend. There is a reason they don't live there anymore."
"Tell me then. How might I be of service?"
What now, indeed? What would be the smartest thing? The fastest way to solve this problem? Even if Gale was able to offer him travel to the Feywild himself —and Astarion hadn't the faintest idea if he could— the eternal sun would deny him entry. He could ask for a polymorph, but that would only last an hour, and it was unlikely he could find Tav in such a short amount of time. The most sensible option would be to find a way to contact Tav's godmother. Or their closest friend in Waterdeep. But Gale had never met Siovi, nor Meli, didn't even know what the archfey or Tav's protegee looked like, and would therefore be entirely unable to send any kind of message to either of them reliably.
Tav was another matter, though.
"Would you be so kind as to send them a message? Let's gauge the absurdity of what they're doing."
"Of course. What should I tell them?"
Astarion took a seat at the kitchen table, willing his brain to focus on a precise amount of words that could perhaps get through to Tav, and break their state of overconfidence. Then dictated to Gale, who had come to sit across from him.
"Tav, darling, where are you? I hope your little note is nothing more than your idea of an unamusing joke, but if it's not, please come back so we can talk about it first."
"That's too many words Astarion," Gale said without missing a beat.
"Damn you! You're the last person I would expect complaints from about 'too many words'. Just… make it work. Please."
Gale nodded patiently, as if Astarion was none other than one of his students. Then fished a small coppery wire from one of the pouches secured on his belt. He twisted it in a dexterous pattern before speaking.
"Tav. Astarion is wondering if you have a terrible sense of humour. Can you come back so I can watch you prove him wrong?"
Really? Now was the time Gale decided to be funny? But, reluctant as he was to admit it, Gale's message probably had a better chance of success than his would have had. Not as demanding. He was still about to protest, for good measure, when Gale tilted his head as if listening to someone.
"Well," Gale started saying after a bit. "They are most definitely in the Feywild, but—"
He stopped abruptly, listening again. Then frowned.
"Tav, slow down. Where did you say you are going?"
Gale waited for a new message to answer his question, but didn't seem to be receiving one. Tav's voice then echoed in Astarion's mind, words flowing uninterrupted, barely a space for breath in between them.
"Love why did you call Gale? I'm sorry I didn't warn you this morning I didn't want to wake you up but I promise you—"
The magic cut them short, faltering before they were done speaking. He didn't even bother answering, knowing a second message would follow immediately. And indeed, Tav's voice filled his mind once more, in less time he had needed to form that thought.
"Fuck! Stupid spell. Look, I'm fine. Everything's fine, love, you don't have to worry. I'll be back home soon. I just know I can do—"
He'd been counting the words, waiting for the moment the magic would stop so they wouldn't have time to cast another spell before he'd said his piece. "Tav, darling, you know this is a bad idea. Or you would have gone to Meli, first. Come back and we'll talk about it. Please."
One more time this day, silence was the only thing that answered him. If Tav didn't bother send a message back, that meant he had probably angered them enough that they would only double down on the recklessness. His let his head land on the table with a loud thud, and he clenched both hands in his curls. He couldn't let them go there. He couldn't.
"Shall I try again?" Gale inquired.
Astarion shook his head, still on the table. "No need. There's nothing we can say that'll get through to them, now."
In moments like these, the old ache of Storm's absence woke up to poke sharply at his feelings. His lover had always seemed to know what to do or say in the face of Tav's instability. So much so that Astarion had barely even realised said instability had been there, when they'd all been travelling together.
"I need… I don't know."
The warm memory of Halsin's abode floated in his mind, then. Thaniel's presence, had said Halsin the first time Astarion had visited. That was what kept the Feywild's doors open there. Perhaps the spirit child could also contact an archfey, if asked politely enough.
He straightened up abruptly, watching Gale intently.
"Halsin," he said. "I need you to get me to Halsin. Can you do that?"
"Certainly. Although it would advisable to have something tangible for the spell to latch on to. Magical travel does not come easy, even to one gifted such as myself."
Astarion fought very hard against the desire to roll his eyes, and instead spoke as calmly as the anxiety twisting his guts allowed. "What do you need?"
"Do you have anything that belongs to the place? Preferably something that would come from inside, or you will have to outrun the sun when we land there."
"Ah. Yes," he said, getting up. "Let me see what I have."
What he had was, in fact, very little.
The glass bead Doni had gifted him the first time he'd been there still sat on the desk in his bedroom. But he knew for a fact it didn't come from Halsin's home, having found a matching pearl originating from the Emerald Grove in Storm's pack when he had sorted everything out with Tav, years ago. The dress he was currently embroidering for Shadowheart had spent enough time there that it could be considered from the place, maybe, but he didn't want her to see it before it was done, if he could help it —it would be a risky bet, anyway, the dress had been bought in the city, and spent many months in Shadowheart's cottage rather than at Halsin's refuge.
But then he remembered the wooden animals Halsin always liked to give Tav, whenever these two saw each other. That would do. Hopefully.
Once more, he intruded in Tav's room. The search for Halsin's craft was less frantic than that of the stone had been, but no less uncomfortable, Mirror now being awake and glaring at him the whole time.
"I know," he muttered to the cat. "I'm not supposed to be in here when they're not. Piss off."
He found a few figures lining the top of a bookshelf, in various shades of wood, all seemingly crafted with great care. Most of them ducks or other kinds of birds. A fond chuckle escaped him, but he set his mind on one of the only animals that was not of an avian nature. A cat, gifted only a couple of months prior. A cat with… butterfly wings? He shook his head at the absurdity of it, and headed back to the living room, where Gale was patiently inspecting the bookshelves nestled in the reading nook Astarion had redecorated himself.
"Will this do?" he asked, handing over his prize.
"Was it crafted there?"
"Hells if I know. I sure hope it was. Although, I cannot guarantee about 'inside'."
"Well. What's life without a little danger. Let's try it. For old time's sake."
Their arrival to Halsin's dwellings was not a subtle one. But at least the little trinket had gotten them to the right place.
The moment he heard the children screeching at the sudden sight of two men appearing out of thin air, Astarion thought it might have been polite to warn the druid beforehand. That thought was short lived, however, as he landed side by side with Gale in a room with large windows, and all of them were open. So much for landing on the inside and avoid the sun.
Instantly, his skin burned, pain robbing him of both speech and thoughts. Gale's reflexes saved him from further incineration as a flick of his fingers sent the old and heavy blinds moving shut, much too slowly for his liking. At least all the windows appeared to have somewhat decent coverage. When sunlight mercifully stopped ruining his skin, he sagged against the closest wall, dropping to the floor and allowing himself a few moments to ward off the scalding pain.
Looking at his hands, the skin only slightly red and chaffed, he surmised the damage felt worse than it actually was. He still couldn't find the will to stand up again.
"Astarion?" came the familiar voice of the druid he was looking for. "Gale!"
He peered in the direction of the voice and was met with the sight of kids gaping at him, more curious than upset for the most part. Halsin must have told the same nonsensical tales of vampire heroes to those new kids, in the year and a half since Astarion had last set foot in this place.
Gale and him had landed in the middle of the communal room of Halsin's shelter, the ones the kids had adorned with epic paintings of the adventures he'd lived at Tav's side, seven years ago. As always when he came here, his eyes searched for the silhouette of Storm, in the middle of the paintings. Side by side with Tav. Not so painful as it used to be, even on a day like today, where he wished Storm were here to bring Tav back to reason. The images always brought a smile, now.
But today he wasn't here for reminiscing. He watched Halsin cross the room to meet him, Gale hovering in the vicinity.
"Good afternoon," Astarion said from the floor. "Lovely day, isn't it?"
The concerned face of Halsin floated in his field of vision as the druid crouched in front of him. "Things must be dire for you and Gale to come here in the middle of the day." He arched his neck to look back at Gale. "What is it?"
"Tav appears to be in need of help," Gale offered by way of explanation.
Hurried and heavy footsteps sounded down one of the corridors leading to the room, and not only Shadowheart, but also Karlach, rushed into the room.
"Is everybody alright?" Shadowheart asked precipitately. "We heard screaming, and— Gale, is that you? What are you doing here?" Then she spotted him, sitting on the floor with his back to the wall. "Astarion?"
"Fangs!" Karlach cheered. "Man, you look almost as singed as me!"
Astarion flicked a rude hand gesture her way, and was rewarded by her boisterous laughter.
Shadowheart hugged Gale briefly before kneeling besides Halsin while Karlach headed towards the kids, probably to distract them. "What's going on?"
"Tav has gone to the Feywild," Astarion said, hoping Halsin might pick up on the urgency. "I think they're going into Unseelie territory."
And indeed, Halsin didn't miss a beat. "Oakfather. Unannounced?"
The alarm in Halsin's voice eased some of his anxiety. He nodded. "I was hoping Thaniel might be able to help, somehow. Maybe warn their godmother. Unless… you can do that?"
"I cannot, I have never met her. But I will try to reach Thaniel. I am honoured that you thought of coming here for help, I am certain he will be as well." Halsin sat crossed legged on the floor right next to him, and Astarion found some relief in the idea that he wouldn't have to get up any time soon. "When did they leave?"
"This morning. Or early afternoon, at most. I'm not sure when, exactly, I was resting."
Halsin nodded and closed his eyes without further delay. Now the only thing to do, infuriatingly, was wait.
Shadowheart joined Karlach on the other side of the room, and they both attempted to tame the curiosity of the children and lure them away. The promise of honeyed candies seemed to get the better of most of them, but a few had to be forcefully manhandled, and left the room carried over Karlach's shoulders.
Once the last of the kids disappeared, Gale scoured the room slowly, taking in the paintings the tiefling kids had covered the wooden walls with nearly seven years before, when Halsin had first sheltered them here. It might be the first time the wizard visited this place, Astarion realised. He remembered the day he himself had first set foot in this place, and had taken in the images of Tav, and Storm, and all the others. New kids populated these halls, now, and the epic tale had been improved upon, embellished and exaggerated. The illithids he had thought resembled sea beasts years ago had truly become monsters of the depths. An entire army now obeyed Tav's command at the gate of the Grove. And Storm's lightning was now a true beacon of light surrounding the entirety of Last Light Inn, protecting everyone inside alongside Isobel's magic.
Tav themself had been at the origin of some of those inflated stories, but things had truly gotten out of hand the day Volo had found his way into Reithwin, pretexting a need to document the recovering of the land after the Shadow Curse. A dragon or two had slipped into the tale in places where there had been nothing but Sharran undead and angry giths.
Astarion was about to inquire as to the nature of Gale's thoughts regarding the half truths spreading on the walls here, but the smell of wheat fields and honey filled the room, suddenly. Wavering soft light gathered in front of the meditating form of Halsin. Seconds passed, and the light took the shape of a horned child, not even tall enough to reach Halsin's sitting height.
And Thaniel stood there, timeless eyes staring at the druid.
"You called for me," he stated, even more soft spoken than Astarion recalled. Oliver still had the wild spark of the two, it seemed.
Halsin smiled warmly, opening his eyes. "I did. Thank you for coming, Thaniel. I have a friend in need of help. We were hoping you might be able to offer assistance?"
Thaniel wasted no time in explanations, and immediately turned to Astarion. As if he already knew who needed help, and why. How much could one child know? Curious eyes searched his face, and for a moment, Astarion worried his undead nature might rebuke Thaniel and deprive him of any possible help. But the kid smiled.
"Land saviour. I have felt you visit before."
"Yes, well. You, erm…" Astarion shifted uncomfortably on the ground, self conscious, "…make the place welcoming."
"What do you need of me?"
"Is it possible for you to contact an archfey? From the Summer Court. A… minor archfey." He grimaced. "Please don't tell her I said that."
A hint of mischief glinted in the child's eyes. "What would you have me tell her, then?"
"Tell her… tell her Natavriel has crossed the border, and is headed to visit the Winter Court. I think. Possibly."
"Possibly?"
"They weren't exactly forthcoming as to the details of their trip!" he snapped.
Thaniel ignored his outburst. "Do you have her name?"
He almost answered without thinking. But to his knowledge, none of the people present in this room knew of Siovi, and a name was a precious thing to the Feys. He bit his tongue, fangs digging into flesh. An old reflex that he still couldn't shake whenever he held back words of any kind. His tasteless blood did nothing to heal the scorching of his skin, but the split second of hesitation seemed to be enough for the child to understand.
Warmth flooded in him when the voice of the child-spirit echoed in his mind. As if he were standing in those sun-kissed wheat fields that he could smell around Thaniel's presence.
You can be commended for your discretion, I am sure she will appreciate it.
Astarion smiled, the memory of sun on his skin blissful enough to dull his worry. Why was he here? Why such hurry? Maybe he could just keep quiet, the child would stay, and the feeling of the sun with him.
Focus, he admonished himself. Then directed his thoughts at the child. Her name is Siovi.
Thaniel tilted his head at him, his face unreadable, and immediately disappeared into a mist of light, warmth leaving with him.
"Wait!" Astarion scrambled on his knees, almost reached out as if to catch the kid. Too late, of course. "Blasted child."
Gale had come back to stand behind Halsin, and frowned. "What happened?"
"I gave him her name. But he didn't say anything!!"
"Then he had all that was needed," Halsin said calmly. "It was a good thing, I think, that you did know her name."
Astarion sagged back against the wall, closing his eyes against the burning pain that lingered on his skin, still. "That was a gift from her," he explained. "A reward for… restraining my own nosiness, once upon a time."
Gale snorted something that felt like laughter, but the wizard looked at him innocently when Astarion cracked one eye open to raise an eyebrow at him.
"So?" he asked Halsin. "Now what?"
"Now, we wait."
As the hours passed and neither Thaniel, nor Siovi gave sign of life, Astarion grew restless. Sunset came, and with the shelter of night, he took to pacing in the high grass surrounding the old house.
Gale had sent another message to Tav, at his insistence, to confirm that they were alright. The message had been met with no response, but Gale had promised him he had felt it go through. Which at the very least meant they were still alive. Astarion had then pestered the wizard until Gale grew genuinely irritated at having to explain over and over again why scrying into the Feywild wouldn't work.
Hunger was starting to nag at him. His skin had mostly healed, despite the absence of fresh blood, but the worst spots were still itchy. The idea of hunting while Tav was still missing, however, was as unappealing as could be.
Halsin came to join him shortly after nightfall, sitting quietly on the steps leading to the porch of his refuge. Manor would have been a more appropriate title, really, given the sheer size of the building and its faded elegance, but the druid insisted on not calling it that.
"It isn't usually this bad, is it?" Halsin inquired after watching Astarion complete two full rounds of the courtyard. "This is the first time they plan a little escapade with no warning, unless I am mistaken."
Astarion hummed, halting his steps.
"Yes. You're right, it isn't usually this…" He offered a noncommittal hand gesture. "…this. But it keeps coming back every now and then, even with the drugs. Even after all these years. We think… that maybe the tadpole threw away the balance they had found before. They were the one most heavily affected, after all, with that astral tadpole the illithid forced upon them." Halsin nodded along, humming thoughtfully. "What makes it worse is their own frustration with the whole thing. Because after three centuries of chaos they had finally found a relative sort of peace that lasted for decades, and now it's… gone. They're struggling with that. I think they were hoping it would stabilise again, after a few years."
"Yes, that was my understanding as well, last time I seriously spoke about this with them. But it shows no sign of that?"
Odd thing, to be the one to offer details to Halsin. The druid had been the one in the know of Tav's issues while they had been travelling. But it seemed, unsurprisingly, that Tav would rather not involve anyone unless they absolutely had to. Still, to this day. Infuriating little fey creature that they were.
He came to sit on the stairs, side by side with Halsin.
"Hard to say. Sometimes it feels better. Today it feels worse. I think…" He sighed. "They told me that sometimes when the highs start to fade, they… panic. And try to chase the wave before it goes away."
"I see. And visiting the Unseelie would be exciting enough to kindle the flame again."
"That's my guess, yes."
He tried not to think of the marks Tav's last visit to the Feys of Winter had left on their body. Two hundred years ago. The situation had been different, he tried to reason himself. Surely Tav would not be hurt on sight, anymore. So much time had passed. But who was to say what two hundred years meant to the Feys? It might even have been longer than that, for them. Or shorter. The grudge could still be strong enough that Tav would be in real danger.
There was no way to know, with his limited knowledge of Faerie's politics. And his ignorance was what truly maddened him. Maybe he was overreacting. But then again, maybe not. And he was not about to let things happen and find out.
"I should have kept a closer eye on them. But they'd already been coming down for the past couple of days, I thought… that they would talk to me before doing something this stupid, at least. Or call for Meli, like they usually do."
"I don't think either of you holds the blame for this situation, Astarion."
"No. I know."
Shadowheart appeared behind them both, two cups of tea in hand, struggling to open the doors with her shoulder. Once she was through, she handed one to Halsin, before settling one step below, her back nestled against the druid's legs. Astarion spared her his usual teasing at not having prepared a cup for him, choosing a different line of attack.
"Isn't it past your bedtime, princess? We're well past midnight by now."
"Well if you truly wish it, I could head to bed, but I'm afraid that would mean stealing your present company and leaving you alone to wait."
When he didn't say anything, she sipped her tea with the satisfied air of someone having won the battle without really trying. Halsin's hand came to toy with the long strands of white hair tumbling freely on her shoulders, drawing a small smile out of Astarion. There was a special kind of feeling, in watching people one cared about be happy. It was the feeling Tav kept chasing around at every corner, he knew, and lately he had found that he understood more and more why they did.
He was about to offer more quips for good measure when golden light flooded the courtyard of Halsin's abode. He had to recoil as the barest hint of light touched his still sensitive skin. A portal had opened in the middle of the tall grass, the light of an eternal setting sun pouring out of it.
Finally.
The portal closed, sunlight leaving, and Astarion wasted no time in making his way towards the tall figure that had stepped into the courtyard. Siovi stood there, as imposing as he remembered, golden freckles on ebony skin, her long hair floating in a wind that hadn't travelled with her to this Plane. And in her arms, the lithe, unconscious form of Tav made his breath hitch.
Astarion robbed Tav from Siovi's arms, immediately kneeling so that his hands would be free to check them for injuries. Blood, he would have smelled. But broken bones and other less open affliction could have still hurt them and escape his immediate notice. His examination revealed nothing that could have justified a loss of consciousness.
He looked up at the archfey looking down at him, vaguely aware of the lingering presence of Halsin and Shadowheart, somewhere behind him. "What did you do to them?!"
"If they had started screaming at me in enemy territory, we would have both been done for. I suppose I do not have to tell you how dangerous venturing into Winter's domain is, even when one is allowed. And Natavriel is… distinctly not. I had no choice."
The harshness of her tone made him realise how rude he must seem to her, not even greeting her, stealing Tav away from her, then promptly treating her with such disrespect. He couldn't bring himself to care much, Tav's warmth in his arms taking much of his attention, but still offered a muttered apology. One that she accepted with a tilt of her head, a single long golden earring coming free of her hair as she did so. Tav's handiwork, no doubt.
Astarion placed a kiss on their forehead, all of the day's anxiety melting away as he took in the lingering scent of the Feywild in their hair. Sun-kissed wheat fields, once again.
When they would wake up, there would be screams, or there would be tears. Maybe both. But all that mattered in this moment was that Tav was here, and Tav was safe. He looked up at the archfey standing silently in front of him.
"Thank you."
"No. It is I who owe thanks, I believe."
She knelt to kiss him on the forehead, her long hair tickling his face, and he was too stunned by the sudden proximity of such a powerful being to do anything but let it happen. Her scent overwhelmed him. Holding Tav sometimes felt like holding a little piece of summer, but this was something else entirely. His entire body felt warm, suddenly, and gooseflesh ran along the back of his neck and down his spine, the lingering feeling strangely pleasant.
"I feel… different?" he breathed when she pulled back. Amber eyes stared at him and he frowned at her. "What did you do to me?"
"I seem to be doing a lot of things to a lot of people, in your mind." She giggled almost gleefully. The ease with which she went from ancient being to childlike creature to ancient all over again had always unnerved him, in the few times he had been in her presence. But he kept quiet, and waited for an explanation of the lingering warmth he could feel in his body. "From now, until the next time the sun goes down," she said, "sunlight will not harm you."
"The next time…" The words sunk in. "A day? One day of sun?"
She cocked her head at him, something like a smile on her ageless face. "You saved my child, today. This, is the boon of my gratitude."
"One day," he whispered. Then, as the cogs of his mind started working again, "You can do that?!"
Dark fingers reached out to smooth a stray curl out of Tav's face, and they stirred in his arms. But didn't wake up.
"This will take immense power out of me. A day is all you get, Child of Night."
Astarion pressed his lips together to keep himself from protesting. Angering the archfey that just gifted him the sun, only if for a day, would be an incredibly stupid thing to do. Even for him.
"But," Siovi added, and he couldn't help the hope that bloomed, "should Natavriel deem it a good idea to invite you to visit my domain, you will be welcome there. Welcome, and protected."
"From the sun?"
"And anything else that would harm you, yes." She stood up, towering over him and Tav both. "Don't come too often."
A bark of wild laughter escaped him, and Tav shifted again, mumbling something unintelligible against his shoulder.
"I will make no such promises."
She offered him a true smile, then. It looked almost predatory, and he had to convince his body that she was no threat, that there was no need for fear.
"I like you," she mused, as if talking to herself more than to him. "I do not like that I like you."
"You know," he said before he could think better of it, "those were my exact thoughts on the day I met you."
Her own chuckle seemed to surprise her. Or maybe the surprise had come before the laughter, he couldn't quite tell which had birthed which. "Oh, I can see why they care for you. Fearless child."
He clutched the unconscious form of Tav a little tighter. It always moved something in him, whenever he was reminded that they spoke of him with nothing but love every time they visited this timeless being that they called family.
"If you speak of this boon to anyone who could otherwise benefit from it, I will take it away. And you will be repaid with my wrath. This gift is yours, and yours only. Do not share it."
One fleeting thought was spared for Dalyria, but he wasn't about to try and bargain now. "This won't be a problem, I think," he said cheekily. "I've never been really good at sharing."
"Good." She bent down once more to kiss Tav on both eyebrows, then straightened up again and smiled at him one last time. "Goodbye, Astarion."
The portal opened again, then, right in front of him. And if there had been any doubt that Siovi was indeed capable of offering him the sun —even if only temporarily—, those doubts melted away the moment light hit his skin. A split second of instinctive panic overcame him, but warmth spread and he could only stare wide-eyed at the radiant view of those sun-kissed wheat fields he had been smelling for the entire day.
Siovi's gaze moved to the spot where Halsin and Shadowheart had lingered behind. One tilt of her head, no doubt to acknowledge the druid that looked over these lands, and she stepped through, the breeze in her hair now matching the wind sculpting waves on the golden meadows. Maybe he imagined it, but he felt like she kept the portal open much longer than necessary. And he stared, and stared, and stared some more as the eternal setting sun of the Feywild spread before him, like a gift he hadn't even asked for.
And what a gift it was.
He heard both Halsin and Shadowheart rush towards him, Shadowheart even calling out his name in worry. Still, all he could do was stare, on his knees and bathed in golden light, Tav nestled safely in his arms. Such warmth he held, in this moment.
"Oh," was all Shadowheart said when she and Halsin finally reached him, and found him unscathed in the sun.
Was he crying? He hoped not, that would be embarrassing. The stupid smile on his face would already be enough of a jesting matter, once Shadowheart would have recovered from the shock of seeing him sunbathing for the first time in seven years. No need to add tears to the joke.
"Are they well?" Halsin asked.
"Do you really think I would be idly sitting in the sun if they were not?" he chaffed as the druid came to crouch at his side. But the bite was entirely absent from his words, his smile ruining the jest. "Yes, they're alright."
The portal closed, finally, and the night enveloped him once more. Astarion let out a mournful sigh, holding Tav a little closer in an attempt to keep the warmth for a moment longer.
Shadowheart knelt before him. "You've not burned."
"Astute observation, as always. Did you notice the grass is green, too?"
She swatted his hand away when he reached out to poke her in the shoulder. "Oh, you're so funny. What happened?"
"It would seem doing the right thing occasionally proves fruitful. As long as you're doing it for the right people, of course. I must say, it is rather comfortable, to have an archfey be in your debt. Maybe I should ask Tav to be reckless more often."
He would never do such a thing, but he couldn't deny the appeal of being owed more favours.
Halsin narrowed his eyes slightly, looking him up and down. "That was Natavriel's godmother, was it not? And she put a spell on you."
"Ha, you make it sound so romantic. It's only for a day, nothing very serious. A casual affair, if you will." Shadowheart laughed, proof that she did think he was funny, despite her earlier protest. "But yes, the archfey that raised Tav just extended her most gracious boon to me."
"A boon to walk under the sun unharmed," Halsin mused.
"I had no idea the Feys could grant something like that," Shadowheart whispered.
"Well me neither. Colour me surprised as well. Though I believe it is supposed to be a secret, so do be quiet about it."
A nod from the druid answered him.
"Do you have a bed for Tav?" Astarion asked, unable to keep the smile off his face at the knowledge of the dawn that was waiting for him. "I want to hunt before the sun rises and I can't do that with our darling bard in my arms. Maybe I'll rest a bit, too, before dawn. I will not waste my hours under the sun doing something as undignified as resting."
"Sunbathing, though, perhaps? That would certainly call for a nap," Shadowheart teased.
"That's hardly the same thing."
"If you say so."
Tav shifted again in his arms, still slumbering. Why, they were practically drooling on his clothes! He half chuckled, then traced the white lines of their tattoo with soft fingertips. The story beginning on their cheek was one he knew by heart, after all these years.
Take the light in the middle of the darkness. Always.
That was a lesson he had learned well himself, one that the engraved ring dangling on the chain around his neck made sure he never forgot.
He allowed himself a moment to mourn the fact that Storm would not be by his side to see the sunrise again. To mourn the fact that Tav would probably be angry beyond reason when they would wake up, and might miss that same sunrise with him. To mourn the fact that the day's end would no doubt come much sooner than he would like and he would have to say goodbye to the sun once more.
And then he focused on the future that was waiting for him.
One day of sun, for now. Then a few more, if Tav agreed to go to the Feywild with him. Which they would, undoubtedly. And then… who could tell? Opportunities were boundless, and impossible was not a word he liked to abide by. If the Feys could help him once, surely they could be persuaded to help him again.
Tav still in his arms, he stood up and nodded to Halsin.
"You know, I've always wondered what this place looks like, without the weight of darkness. Be it that of Shar's curse, or that of the night. I suppose I am about to find out."
One step at a time.
"Shall we?"
He moved towards the house, ready to make the most of his night so that he could enjoy the day that was to come, and take every second of joy that he could, while it lasted. Every second of light, in the middle of the darkness.