💜 Cassaundra | ✝️ | she/her | 🧋 🎨 Full Time Digital Artist (Bachelor of Visual Arts - University of Washington) 🏰 🎮 Gamer | Aka: ElvenPrincess | Elves/Fantasy/Dragon Age | Main OC: #Visériel Lavellan 💜 ✨ Fascinated by fantasy worlds, epic adventures, powerful love stories, chocolate, elves, & cats 🐈⬛ • Do not use my art/No reposts! • 💖 I hope through storytelling to enlighten & enrich others lives. 💖 ➡️ https://linktr.ee/eluvianarts ⬅️
There was a thing going around on Twitter some time ago asking what outfit your Tav would wear to a fancy ball & I couldn't decide between these 3 dresses, so I drew them all! The gold dress was suggested by a follower ✨
Dress 1 (the top): Golden dress as seen on Gossip Girl worn by Blake Lively as Serena van der Woodsen.
Dress 2 (bottom right): Versace dress as seen during the 2018 Met Gala worn by Blake Lively, (I honestly had no idea she wore so many pretty dresses! She just keeps popping up when I search fancy dresses!)
Dress 3 (bottom left): Zuhair Murad dress from the Spring-Summer 2007 Haute Couture fashion collection in Paris, worn by model Natalya Piro.
"I've been dead in the ground for long enough. It's time to try living again." - Astarion 🌻
Something super different from my usual portraits, but I had a vision & wanted to see it sketched out.
I wanted to turn Astarion's scars into a floral pattern to represent him reclaiming his own life, growing into his own person, & the freedom that comes with choosing to live again. 🪻🌻🌷🌹
Also, the sunflower was 100% inspired by that quote you can get from Minsc when he shouts to Astarion that Boo will bring him a sunflower. 🥹 I love their friendship so much! 😭🫶
I couldn't wait to draw Saoirse in her draconic form! No longer limited to just the shimmer upon her face, now a majestic display of brilliant gold emanates from her wings, her hair, her fingertips! With the power of flight & a resistance to fire, her flames seem to burn even brighter. That said, she'll keep her daggers nearby just in case. 😉
*Note: This story takes place after the events of Baldur's Gate 3
They'd left Baldur's Gate about a week ago after most of the party had dispersed for the time being & now they had only each other for company. After so many perilous battles during the tadpole fiasco, (as it was now referred to), the safety of the rather boring journey they were on now was a welcome rest.
They stayed an extra day at one particular inn that was exceedingly well kept & well furnished. Although the room they booked was meant for the recently wedded, thus costing a pretty penny to the average traveller, both Saoirse & Astarion were more than happy to charm & deceive the owner into a discount for it.
A fine dinner of pork loin & potatoes had been kindly brought to their room, & Astarion was surprisingly satisfied by the quality of the spiced wine that accompanied the meal.
The dim light of the many candles that filled their velvet-draped room exuded an aura of sophisticated passion that neither lover was about to ignore. Life was to be lived, & they wanted to savor every moment they had together.
Sitting beside her on the sturdy bed, Astarion took Saoirse's hand in his, a thought lingering on his lips.
"My Light," he began, "I wasn't quite sure how to ask you this, but I think now is as good a time as any."
He took a breath & turned himself toward her as the words came spilling out. "Do you remember that first night? You know, the one where I tried to exchange sex for protection, but found myself falling for you instead? Yes, that one. Well, I can't help but recall that in the morning you seemed a bit too excited by the fact that I told you I didn't want to go too far..."
The stunning ruby of his vampiric eyes searched past the piercing blue of her own into their vibrant violet centers. The golden scales that decorated her strong elven face glittered & glimmered in the glow of the candlelight. The question finally freed itself from his thoughts, "I would allow myself to go further with you now. If that's what you want. Is that what you want?"
She had wondered if he might ask her someday. "My Star", she replied, "I would not have you do anything you detest, or which brings you discomfort. But I do want you to explore your own feelings & desires now. You're free & I would have you grow to be the most magnificent version of yourself in every way. I love you & only want what is best for you..."
She paused, but seeing on his face that he had clearly noticed she'd avoided answering the question directly, she continued, "But to answer your question, yes. If it brings you no pain to do so, I desire for you to lose yourself in me. I only want all of you forever". With the quip of her last words, her eyes narrowed enticingly.
A cheeky grin appeared on his face & he brought her hand up to his lips, placing a slow kiss upon her knuckles as he held her eyes with his.
"After all, what do any of us want?", he echoed.
"Pleasure," she replied in turn, "Yours. Mine. Our collective ecstasy..."
~~~~~ (nsfw story under cut) ~~~~~
He heard only her as she moaned freely, his name whispered within every breath she panted against his pale neck. He tasted only her on his tongue, mingled with sweat & the hint of spiced wine from earlier. He saw only her as the light danced upon her shimmering skin, slick now from exertion, & slightly reddened in places. He felt only her as she rocked into his desperate thrusts, her hands clawing into his hair, legs wrapping tightly around his back.
This truly was ecstasy; this truly was freedom! Nothing else mattered nor would ever matter again but her. She was his heart, his heat, his life, his Light! As she vowed to bring him safely into the sunlight again, so he vowed to bring her life immortal! He would sacrifice an eternity of days in the sun to spend every moonlit night by her side!
He watched as her neck arched back in euphoria. Then he closed his eyes as he too was filled with unimaginable bliss & they toppled over the edge together.
(*Cue lots of gentle skin-kisses, filling the washbasin for a rinse, & aftercare cuddles*)
As the purple light of dusk began to fall gently over the camp, Saoirse made her way toward the river to refresh herself after the long day of travel. Astarion watched as she passed his tent & felt his fingers twitch in response to her nearness.
Throughout their daily journeying & violent encounters she seemed so intimidating, so clever, so raw in power. But here in the camp she was softer, her edges smoothed out, her gait lighter in step. It was as if she could fully embrace that part of her which demanded blood & the other part which commanded peace. He felt himself intoxicated by both parts of her in equal measure.
He could've chosen to ignore these feelings, to tell himself her light was too bright for his life in the shadows, but never has a candle dimmed by sharing its light with another...
And so he followed, wading after her into the water where he could feel her waiting for him. She had wanted him to come, but had left the choice up to him. Another compelling invitation.
Standing behind her, close enough to feel the droplets bounce off her skin, he let her make the next move. She turned to him, her gemstone gaze & glittering face enveloping him in sanctuary as she brought her fingers up to tenderly smooth a strand of hair behind his pointed ear. With her he was safe. With her he was free to finally embrace every wonderful feeling he had thought forever out of his reach. With a gentle exhale he felt all tension in his body melt away under her touch.
And as the rushing water from the falls washed the bright crimson from their blood-stained clothes, it too drenched their hair, soaked their skin, & cleansed their very souls. Down down down by the river.
Thank you for all the love on the previous StarLight art! Saoirse has def become a consistent character in my portfolio now along w/ Visériel 💜 Would you like to know anything else about her? ❣️
"This is a gift, you know", were the last words he had spoken to her that night she had first offered her neck to him. "I won't forget it", he had finished.
And every day she invited him again, and every night he came to her as if on ceremony.
He had promised not to wake her, yet he now felt an unidentifiable desire to see her eyes flutter open & gaze hungrily into his own as he leaned over her, to hear her careful breathing as she pretended not to feel his teeth sink into her skin, to feel her long fingers weave into his hair & press into the back of his head as he drank...
These stirrings were... pleasant. And he thought perhaps... Perhaps he wanted this. Wanted more. Perhaps tonight he would not approach her as quietly as usual...
~~~~~
I like drawing art & writing short little stories, so you get both this time! 🥰 As per usual I let this "study" get away from me 😅 Luckily for you all, it will happen again. 😂
More StarLight (Astarion/Saoirse) art to come! 🫴✨💖
