Chapter Text
Krill bangs a rock against the sword, trying to make it look sharper, to protect friends, Krill’s friends.
Lae’zel watches from a distance, observing the black dragonborn with curiosity, he seems simple enough, but the combat he displays hints to a deeper learning, a training with the blade. She approaches, quiet and purposeful. “Dragon, put down your rock and converse with me.”
Krill smiles, sitting the rock beside him, he looks back at Lae’zel, and flinches, sadness in his white eyes for a brief moment. “Yes friend Lae’zel, what do you want with Krill?” He seems friendly, cordial, but Lae’zel wants to see what makes him tick.
“You, I want to discuss you.” She states plainly, her eyes boring into his, like his mind was a book for her to read, only it seems the pages are blank. “Discuss Krill? I am simple boy, I swing sword, kill baddies, and eat food with friends, yes?”
Lae’zel gave an affirmative “chk.”
“Yes, you do all of these things scaled one, but then you return to here, to your sword. I am not sociable, I know this, but you are even less so, an anomaly. The rest of the camp regards you well, but I want to know your true purpose, not the false childlike act you play.”
Krill looks sad once again, a familiar sight in his eyes, as he looks to his blade, and bangs his rock against it again, turning his back to Lae’zel. “Krill is done conversing, please leave.”
Lae’zel doesn’t move, instead she snatches the rock away, making Krill panic, his eyes large and desperate. “Please give rock, need rock to make sword sharp, please give rock!” He pleads, still seated on the cold dirt.
Lae’zel shakes her head. “You want this, then you speak to me, show me that you are worthy of trust, you think I can’t smell the blood on you, the death? I know you are more than you say dragon, so tell me. What are you?”
Krill remembers being small, in a cave near Baldur's gate, he remembers the men in black cloaks teaching him, giving him his first knife. They called him Krill, they said “You are born to Krill, to Krill the world, for your father.” He smiled back then, his father? He must be a good man, to let Krill be with people, instead of alone in a cave.
They weren’t nice men, they would kick Krill, threaten him, but this was their way he assumed, a test of sorts. Krill slaughtered them in their sleep one evening, he rolled in the blood afterwards, bathing in the orgasmic sensory overload. Krill missed the men, he missed the company, and he felt guilty.
He would hurt many more people, and each time he savored the slaughter, he would feel wetness on his face, wetness that sprang from his cold white eyes. He had more friends, friends that needed him.. but for what he didn’t know, nor could he picture his father, his face.. he must be a kind man.
Krill feels the wetness on his cheeks again, once again back in the present moment, he reaches to his face and feels them, then he tastes them, salty. “I..I did hurt people.. didn’t I?” He asks himself, seemingly unaware that Lae’zel was still present. “Krill, he is no friend, he is monster, disgusting monster, and friend Lae’zel hates Krill…”
Lae’zel seems taken aback by the intense show of emotions, the normally smiling dragonborn was crying, his whole body shaking as he knelt in the cold dirt ground. He let out a guttural scream, it was bloodcurdling, and tragic. Years of pain spilled out of his maw, as he collapsed to the ground sobbing.
Lae’zel knelt beside him. “I.. never meant, I meant no offense dragon.” Krill coughed out. “Why you no call Krill Krill!? I.. I am too vulgar to deserve a name?” He leans on Lae’zel, his body trembling as his hands wrap around her wrist, holding her in place, as dark thoughts crawl into his skull.
“I.. I apologize Krill, chk.. I was too hasty to judge, and for what it is worth, when I look at you, I do not see any monster, I see a brave man, and warrior, one that I trust with my life.” Lae’zel comforts him, even as his grip tightens on her wrist.
“Trust.. with life?” His grip loosens, as he calms down slightly. “Thank you.. but from now on, Krill prefers to talk about the present, future. He likes to talk to friend Lae’zel.. She has kind eyes.” Lae’zel smiles, appreciating the compliment. “So do you.. tsk, I knew not that your kind flirted.” She teased, taking Krill’s rough hand into her own.
“Krill flirt? What is flirt?” He asks, genuinely confused.
Lae’zel leans against him, her body feels soft, warm. “Chk, I’ll teach you about it, perhaps some evening soon, Krill.”