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Darkness had begun to settle over the camp at Wyrm’s Crossing. Shadowheart had started her nightly prayers, Scratch chased the owlbear around, nearly knocking over a (playfully) irritated Gale. Meanwhile, Astarion lingered near Tav’s tent, sporting dark circles around his eyes.
The high elf sensed his presence and rolled her eyes as she opened the flap.
“Spit it out, Astarion.”
“Right to the chase then, my dear! Blood. I need it, you have it. If I’m going to be in any condition to fight tomorrow, I need to feed. You know I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t necessary.”
The words fell from his tongue like a well-rehearsed scene from a play, pouting for good measure.
But it was true. He was looking a bit gaunt… even for a vampire.
Tav sighed and begrudgingly waved him inside.
“Okay. But take it easy this time. I also need to be able to fight tomorrow.”
Astarion sat down on the spread of blankets and leaned back against a pillow as he beckoned Tav to sit between his legs.
“Might as well get comfortable, darling” he said with a wink. “Not a drop more than what I need. You have my word.”
The bard almost reconsidered when she saw the desperate glint in his eye, but she sighed and sat down anyway, leaning back against his chest.
No sooner had she settled than his teeth were in her neck. Cold and sharp as they sliced through her skin.
She gasped and tried to extricate herself as his arms tightened around her middle.
It was too much.
The vampire he was miles away. It had been too long since he had fed.
“Astarion… that’s… enough…”
Her voice came out weak.
Her eyes struggled to stay open, and she started to drift.
Suddenly his weight was gone, and she heard a commotion as she fell backwards into the pillows.
She forced her eyes open just in time to see Minthara yank Astarion off her and toss him out of the tent with incredible precision.
“You have been afforded five seconds to explain why I should not stake you right here, spawn.”
Ah.
Minthara.
Astarion spluttered out a defence as she started counting down.
”5…4…”
“We had an arrangement! She lets me feed occasionally so I can be stronger in our battles to come. I would never do anything to put her in danger. I just hadn’t fed in a while and perhaps I got carried away.”
Minthara landed another swift kick to his ribs, sending him a few feet farther from the tent with a thud before he scrambled back to his feet, hands raised in surrender.
Tav stumbled to her feet and out of the tent, pressing a hand to the wound at her neck as she weakly called out.
“Minthara… it’s alright… come away from him now.”
Minthara was at her side in a moment, slipping an arm around her waist to keep her upright.
The rest of the camp had begun to gather around to see the commotion.
Shadowheart gave Astarion a disapproving look.
“Astarion, I thought we talked about this. You know you need to be careful with her. She can barely hold herself up this time.”
Minthara snapped her head around.
“This time?” she hissed.
“This has happened before, and you allowed it?”
She now looked incredulously at Tav, who was growing delirious from blood loss.
“Vampires… need blood,” Tav shrugged, leaning heavily on Minthara.
Minthara glared and then shifted her attention to Shadowheart.
“And you allowed this?” she spat.
“You know, I’m actually going to head back to my tent. Night everyone!” Shadowheart said quickly, retreating.
“No, Shadowheart, don’t leave me with her!” Astarion protested.
“Goodniiiiiight!” Shadowheart sped off towards her tent.
Minthara narrowed her eyes and turned back to Astarion.
“If I ever see you leave so much as a hair on her head out of place again, I will exsanguinate you myself, spawn.”
“Understoo-”
“I do not care whose idea it is. If she is ever returned to me in less than the perfect condition I left her in, Cazador will be the least of your worries.”
Her eyes flashed with the threat.
Astarion looked like he was going to say something else but thought better of it. He gave a small bow and retreated back to his tent.
Tav sighed and tucked her head into the drow’s shoulder.
“You didn’t have to be so harsh on him, you know. It’s not his fault.”
Minthara brought Tav back into the tent and laid her down.
“I will pretend I did not hear that.” she said coolly, “I will also pretend I have nothing more to say about your astounding lack of judgment, since I suspect you will soon pass out from blood loss anyway.”
Tav let out a small laugh as Minthara pulled a blanket over her, scowling.
“You’re probably right… but please stay,” she asked softly.
Wordlessly, she slipped under the blankets behind Tav, pulling the smaller elf against her chest.
“Minthara…?”
“Yes, my pet?”
“Thank you.”
The drow pressed a kiss to the back of her neck and quietly cast a healing spell on the wound as she did so.
Eventually, they both drifted off to sleep.