After a longer pause I finished this unusual scene that could happen just between Halsin and another druid. Very NSFW! Enjoy <3
https://archiveofourown.org/works/50892262/chapters/168281662
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Khea followed the voices that called to her. They were getting louder and louder when she entered a well-known forest clearing. In the middle stood a huge oak tree. This was the place Halsin summoned the portal to Shadowfell. But it looked different. Rays of late evening sun filled the meadow with golden light. And there, under the sprouting oak tree, stood the familiar archdruid. His skin was glistening in the sunset's shine.
He wore an antler headdress and a Silvanus’ ceremonial robe revealing his chest, leaving very little to the imagination. In the circle around him, druids were sitting in similar garbs. Khea recognized Jaheira and other Harpers. They were chanting a song in a language unknown to Khea. It was a druidic ritual but Khea wasn’t raised in a circle. She didn’t recognize it and found herself intruding on them. For a moment, she was hiding there at the edge of the forest and enjoyed the strange hypnotizing scene, when she heard the rustling of leaves behind her. A group of deer approached her slowly but ignored her presence and walked past her into the clearing. Khea noticed more animals moving from other sides of the clearing: deer, foxes, rabbits, birds, even a young bear. They approached the scene and settled down nearby.
“Why don’t you join them?” Khea couldn't hear Thaniel approaching but she wasn’t startled.
“I feel I shouldn’t be here. Like I’m intruding.”
“Every druid is free to join. You don't have to be familiar with the ritual.”
“But… I don’t know if I can follow.”
“Come. I will guide you.” Thaniel grabbed Khea by her hand and led her towards the circle. “This is the Dance of the Dryads. Every year it is performed by Silvanites to welcome spring and revitalize the woods. But it can be performed whenever the forest is in need of restoration. The disappearance of the Shadow Curse is an ideal occasion.”
Thaniel sat Khea at the edge of the druidic circle about 50 feet from Halsin. Other druids made space for her to close the circle. The archdruid didn’t notice her, as he was preoccupied with something in his hands.
“The Dryad Dance, you said?” Khea looked questioningly at Thaniel.
“Yes,” he said, sitting right next to her. “It is a ceremony where the spirits of the trees join druids to celebrate, mate, and restore the forest, creating new trees. They need just a little bit of the druid's life force.”
“Mate?” Khea swallowed nervously. What did she get into now?
Mysterious female figures started emerging from the forest and approached. The dryads were fae creatures resembling elves with the hair seemingly made of leaves and branches, sometimes with barky skin.
“Don’t feel pressured, younger druids don't usually participate in the mating part. It is mandatory only for the leading archdruid to undergo the full ritual.” Khea was not satisfied, even for a bit with Thaniel’s remark. Halsin was going to couple with a tree spirit, and it looked like he would do it for all to see.
While they still chanted the song, a beautiful fae with green oak leaves in her hair and perfect curves approached Halsin, knelt at his feet, and seductively pressed herself to him.
Hot blood rushed to Khea’s cheeks. She thought about it for a minute. It wouldn’t be her first time with a stranger, no. Her first time with a woman, but that was not why she was so nervous. She felt a difficult mix of emotions. Embarrassment of something so intimate being so public, and a strange curiosity about the spirituality of the act. Jealousy of watching Halsin touch someone else when she is right there.
I have to think about it as an act of service towards nature. This is normal to druids; even Thaniel looks unfazed, like it is natural for them. And Halsin doesn’t have a choice, he is the leading archdruid since he is probably the oldest, older than Jaheira.
I would probably do the same in his place.
The singing voices were rising in volume when a slender hand touched Khea’s shoulder, and a dark-skinned dryad with long blonde willowy hair approached her from behind and turned to look at her in question. Khea looked for Thaniel, but he was already gone.
The dryad’s eyes burned with the heat of passion, and her eyebrows rose in question. She was asking Khea for consent to mate. Her gaze was almost hypnotizing. Without a second thought, Khea grabbed the dryad’s hand and pulled her closer.
The dryad smiled and gracefully kneeled in front of Khea, placing her gentle hands on the druid’s face, resting them there for a few seconds, then slowly brushing her hair.
Her touch was unfamiliar but pleasant. Khea studied the woman. Her only clothing was her hair, barely covering anything.
“Saelth,” the dryad’s voice was breezy as she laughed, “You are the first druid to ask.”
“Well, you are my first. I don’t know what to do, what to think of this.”
“Have you not been intimate with someone before?”
“I have, but not with a dryad. Or a woman. Not as part of a ritual, that is. I’m new to these druidic customs.” Khea awkwardly placed her free, unbandaged hand on Saelth’s chest, unsure of what to do, then proceeded down to her breasts and kneaded the soft skin there. She waited for her reaction. “Do you like this?”
“You are taking this from the wrong end. I am here for your satisfaction, not for mine. I need your life force to spark new spirits and trees to life, but that depends only on your pleasure. Tonight is about you. Close your eyes.” Khea hesitantly obeyed. Saelth’s hand started to slowly untie her clothes, then lay her down on the grass, finally undressing her completely.
It was still late summer, but as the sun finally set behind the forest horizon, the evening cool breeze brushed her naked skin. She shivered slightly from the temperature drop.
The dryad leaned into her and started gently testing her sensitive spots, on her neck, chest, down to her thighs.
“You are tense. Would covering us in darkness help you relax?”
Khea opened her eyes, glanced towards Halsin, then shut them close again.
“Then maybe changing my visage would help.”
The feel of Saelth’s hands changed to more rugged. When Khea checked again, Halsin’s naked form was leaning just a few inches above her. In the blink of an eye, she saw through the dryad’s illusion, but it was enough for an intense rush of excitement.
“I see,” Sealth smiled. Her treatment became rougher, mimicking that of a man, meeting all of Khea’s expectations and imaginations of how Halsin would handle her.
Saelth stroked her breasts, then pressed her mouth on her nipple.
“Yes... There…” Khea sighted breathlessly.
“Don’t worry, I can sense what makes you happy.” Saelth continued kissing Khea’s body, tickling her with her willowy hair, while her hands wandered aggressively below her belly, on her legs, then back through her inner thighs and finally found a sensitive bud of nerves on her clit.
Her breathing quickened, then she remembered there were other people around and opened her eyes to look. All of the druids were either joined by a dryad or mingled with multiple.
Then, she looked for Halsin again. He hadn’t yet noticed her. His robe was pulled away, revealing everything. He was kneeling behind the curvy dryad, one hand holding her hips, another pinning her down on her back.
Is this how he likes it? From behind?
His movements were deliberate, and the sole sight of Halsin’s moving hips and sweaty chest made Khea’s insides churn with lust. Her body burned with desires for the archdruid. Wild thoughts occupied her mind. How would his lips taste, how would he moan in her ear, how would his fingers pleasure her…
Khea couldn’t believe what was happening. The ritual ignored all the rules of society. No clothes, no restraints, just pure pleasure.
Saelth sensed Khea’s excitement rising. She positioned herself between her legs, one hand placed around her leg to secure her down, another placed on her entrance while her tongue worked on her core.
Khea couldn’t stop staring at the archdruid. Her mind was racing with all the different images of how he would take her, how he would make her cum. She held Saelth firmly as her climax was coming closer. Saelth pushed her fingers deeper inside her to find that sweet spot. Then all hell broke loose. Khea shut her eyes tight. Her body tensed, her groin pulsed with burning orgasm, and her mouth escaped a loud, involuntary moan.
Then she realized how unique an experience this was. She felt a strange presence of an entity - the spiritual connection to Silvanus, and his thanks for her worship. She never felt this relaxed during sex. No wonder every druid would willingly undertake this.
While her body was still twitching in an unusually long orgasm, she peeked again at Halsin.
He was looking directly at her. Her moans must have caught his attention. His eyes were hooded and shone with golden light, his jaw was tense, and his careful movements changed to animalistic rage while he pounded the dryad mindlessly. In a matter of seconds, he achieved his own climax, refusing to break eye contact with Khea.
The thought of Halsin watching her while he came, rushed a new wave of blood to her groins. Saelth wasn’t stopping, and a second wave of satisfaction followed not long after.
“I have a feeling you are very special to him. He can make you happy… And he will.” Saelth smiled as she watched the silent interaction between the druids. She pressed gentle kisses on Khea’s stomach while her orgasm eased down.
“And thank you,” The dryad’s skin was glowing with warm light. She placed one last kiss on Khea’s hand and left her there lying in the grass.
As Khea’s excitement died down slowly, she drifted off to sleep.
When she woke up, the sun hadn't yet come up over the horizon, but the early morning dew was already wetting her skin. In spite of a chilly morning, she did not feel cold. Two young deer were sleeping curled up at her side, sharing their warmth.
As she sat up to check on the other druids, some of them were still sleeping in the meadow.
Khea was sitting on her bed in the inn's infirmary and was packing her bag when a familiar horned head peeked from behind the screen separating her bed from the rest of the room.
“Are you packing already? Don’t you want to rest for one more day?” Wyll came to check on Khea from up close.
“No, Wyll, we have to go. The Absolute won’t wait for us. Let’s meet outside in an hour.” She packed the few clothes she had and some more bandages. “Please tell the others.”
“Well, you seem better today. As you wish,” and without another word, he left.
They can’t wait around for her injury to fully heal. No time for such luxury. They will say their goodbyes to Isobel and Aylin and continue to Baldur’s Gate. Also, Jaheira could spare some traveling rations.
Her thoughts were interrupted by heavy footsteps.
“I’m glad you are healing well, Khea.” Halsin approached and sat on an empty bed across her own. He smiled at her with warm eyes. “Even your cheeks are a richer color.”
Khea was caught in surprise. Her face reddened with embarrassment after remembering last night. She tried to avoid his gaze.
“I’m fine.” She just stared at her backpack for a moment. “So, the Shadow curse is gone. What now? Will you go back to the Grove?”
“I couldn't have done it without you. You helped me when you had your own troubles. I'm forever grateful. But I promised to help you with your tadpole problem in return. We saved Thaniel, Thorm is dead, but we are not done yet. A greater evil revealed itself to us. I will go to Baldur’s Gate with you.”
When she still shied away from his gaze, he crossed the distance between them and sat on the bed next to her. The mattress shifted under his weight, and she could sense the heat that was radiating from him.
“I’m yours. If you’ll have me,“ he was so close that his whisper brushed her skin. Goosebumps rose on her neck. As she finally looked at his face, he intensely watched her. There was a sincere wish to help their group. But Khea sensed a hint of something else. A second meaning to his words.
As he was leaning above her, she caught that aroma of herbs and forest that she loved about him. But the scent of sex on him overpowered everything else. Immediately, she felt her groins growing wet.
She studied his face from up close. His nostrils flared, and his eyes flashed with golden light. He shuffled closer to her.
For a moment, they both forgot what they were talking about.
“I’d like that...” Khea breathed out as her eyelids grew heavy, her lips parted open, and she leaned closer to him.
Halsin bent down to her, but when their shoulders touched and a sudden spark of electricity leapt between them, Khea jumped away in surprise.
“As would the others. We would appreciate your help,” she leaned away in shock, and tried to steer the conversation back to their plans. “I want to leave in an hour. We can’t linger anymore.”
“I will pack my things, then,” he inspected the bandages on her arm and chest. “I should also change these before we leave.”
“Don’t worry about it. I will ask Shadowheart.” She jumped from the bed as she tried to avoid an awkward situation, then turned away and waited for him to leave.
His expression sank, but he didn't pry her more.
“I will go fetch her then.” he stood up, studied her for another short moment, then left.
Khea was observing her reflection in the standing mirror next to her bed. Shadowheart was changing her bandages.
Black and purple bruises covered the majority of her right arm, her shoulder, and part of her chest. Beneath the bruises, an ugly scar stretched from her shoulder to her breasts.
“Will this ever fully heal?” Khea sighed in misery as she studied the injury in the mirror. It looked as bad as it felt.
“You’ll be battle-ready in a few days. The soreness could take a few more weeks.” Shadowheart stated while she prepared everything.
“What about the scarring?”
“It was a deep wound infected with Myrkul’s necrotic magic. There will be scarring and a lot of it. Be thankful you are alive.”
For a long moment, they were silent, while Khea watched herself in the mirror and Shadowheart worked on the bandages.
“I had some time to think. About Shar, Nightsong, and everything that happened in the past few days… And looks like… I was mistaken about Shar.” The cleric’s voice faltered, “The things that Thorm did in her name were unforgivable. Halsin told me. He has a history with him. And I don’t want to end like that.”
Khea didn’t dare to interrupt her thoughts, she just listened.
“And we would never defeat him without Nightsong. I think I’m glad we saved her.”
Shadowheart fell silent again and looked like she thought about something else before speaking again.
“About my parents… I don’t know what to think about that. I still can’t believe they could be alive. And the strange thing is… I still have my magic, even after disobeying Shar.”
It was just now that Khea noticed a faint glow about the cleric that was not there before. Similar to what Isobel and Aylin bore.
As Khea and Shadowheart entered the dining hall with their backpacks ready, all the other companions, together with Jaheira, Isobel, and Aylin, were already waiting.
There on Jaheira’s table sat the Thorm’s Netherstone.
“We are deciding who should carry this.” Wyll pointed to the stone. Khea came closer to the table, then slowly reached for the stone. The red opaque crystal in the shape of a tear was slightly warm to the touch, but other than that, quite ordinary and harmless.
Khea saw mostly disinterest in her companions - Astarion, Laezel, Karlach, and Shadowheart avoided the responsibility. Wyll’s face showed indifference. Then she caught Gale’s too intense stare on the stone.
“Halsin is coming with us. He makes the most sense, since he is not tadpoled, and there is the least risk for it to fall into the Absolute’s hands. And he is the wisest of us,” she took a step to the archdruid and held the stone toward him. “Will you take it?”
“You are the wise one. I wanted you to have it. But you have a point. It can fall into the wrong hands if you transform. I will take care of it, then.” he reached for the stone, and as he took it, the very same spark of electricity jolted between them. Khea flinched away.
What the hells? What’s with those sudden surges of energy?
“Thank you, Jaheira, for your help in the Moonrise towers. It was an honor to fight alongside you.”
“Save your thanks, young druid. Your group did most of the work. We wouldn't make it without you. But you will need me in the battle with the Absolute. Even if you get all the Netherstones, it can be difficult to destroy them. I need a few days to regroup my Harpers, and we will join you as soon as we can.”
“We will join you too,” Isobel spoke up. “I have some things to take care of here. But we will find you in Baldur's Gate later.”
“Take this glaive, cleric.” Aylin stepped closer to Shadowheart and presented a beautiful silver glaive she was leaning on, ”It belonged to one of the most honorable warriors I’ve ever known. It will help you protect your loved ones and shine light in places of dark uncertainty.”
Shadowheart cautiously reached for the weapon and examined its hilt. She looked like she realized something. Then she stowed it on her back.
“Thank you. I wanted to ask about my parents. What do you know of them?”
“I don’t know much. But you know who does. You know where to go if you want to find out.”
Shadowheart frowned and nodded.
“Are we ready then?” Khea checked her companions. “Let’s go. We will see each other in Baldur’s Gate.”
A group of Harpers came to bid their farewells. As they stepped outside, a small hand caught Khea’s.
“Thaniel, I was wondering if you would show up!” She squeezed his hand fondly. “I wanted to say goodbye.”
“No need to say goodbye yet. I will accompany you, at least to the edge of the forest.”
As they were setting up their camp, a light rain started to fall. Camping wasn't as comfortable as a warm bed, but it was nice to have some privacy in their tents once again.
Karlach poured Khea some tea, since her right hand was still wrapped in a splint.
They were sitting by a campfire set under a tarp roof.
“So, how are you and Astarion doing, Shadowheart?” Karlach pried.
“Well, it's going better than I expected it would. He poured out his heart to me when we came back from Shar’s gauntlet. He usually acts nonchalant, but that’s not his true face. What about Dammon?”
“Well, Dammon… He is a gentle guy, but in bed... Gods…”
“Laezel, I saw you going with one of the Harper girls.”
“Yes, I enjoyed her. She was satisfactory for my needs.” Laezel stated in her typical hissy tone.
Khea instinctively looked up from her tea. The archdruid was chopping wood further away from them, so he couldn't hear what they were talking about. He was naked to the waist. The rain wet his hair and body, and Khea couldn't help but sigh nervously.
“Here, since it was you that turned me away from Shar, it is just appropriate you help me dye my hair.” Shadowheart held a small bowl with bleach to Khea as she knowingly smiled.
“And how should I do it with just one hand, tell me.”
“I don't care, figure something out. You can do it.”
Khea paused for a moment.
“Do you remember what you said to me during the tiefling party?”
“You would never let someone touch your hair.”
They just smiled but stayed silent. As Khea reached for the bowl, a flash of electricity jolted between them.
“Control yourself! I can smell your arousal from the other side of the camp!” Laezel hissed.
“Are you horny soldier? Maybe for someone in particular?” They all looked towards where Khea was looking. Halsin seemed to notice their stares. He took some logs and approached them.
“Do you need more firewood?” he passed around Khea to place the logs into the campfire.
The strong sexual smell of his sweat caught her by surprise. Gods… How would she like to fuck him right now…
She squeezed her eyes shut to avoid staring at him and regain some of her self-control.
“Thank you, Halsin.” Shadowheart watched him silently until he went back to his work. “He could devour you just with his eyes.”
For a while, they were silent, Khea working on Shadowheart’s hair, while Karlach helped her.
“So what happened during the druid ritual? Something changed in both you and Halsin. You are looking at each other like animals. I mean… It’s common for Halsin, he always looks at you like that when you are not looking.” Shadowheart was always the perceptive one.
“I mean, you are all deviants and perverts, I know that by now. But his thoughts must be especially dirty. That man is a walking pleasure machine. Too bad I can't poke in his head too.”
“What do you mean? You probe in our heads?” Karlach shot a look of disbelief at the cleric.
“Well, of course. Through the tadpole. I wouldn’t want to miss those interesting thoughts of yours. And don’t tell me you wouldn't do the same. I noticed you are going through our bags, Khea.”
“I don't need to, right now. I can see how you are ogling him.”
“I'm not!” Khea blew up and, without another word, went to her tent.
A gentle rain fell on Khea’s tent. She was panting quietly as she was lying on her bedroll and was cooling down from her orgasm. But it did not bring her the release she needed, as it usually does. Her core burned with unsatiated need.
Why am I so unbearably horny?
She put on her cloak when someone approached her tent.
“Khea? Can I have a moment?”
She opened the flap of her tent. “Hi. Sure, come in.”
He entered and sat down next to her.
“I want to thank you for what you did in the Moonrise Towers. I just hope we will all live to see the Absolute’s destruction.” He paused, then took her hand in his, ”You are an extraordinary woman, Khea. You help others get on the right path, helped me realize that I don't have to live in Mystra’s shadow anymore. You showed me a purpose that probably no one else could. That I could do more, be more. So much more. And each day with you has shown me what life could be. For that, I am eternally grateful.”
He then caressed her cheeks and softly pressed his lips to hers in a long, gentle kiss. He tasted of red wine, his hands smelled of ink and old parchment. It was such a unique and strangely familiar aroma that she didn’t pull away.
Gale was a good man, honest. But as he kissed her, she felt… nothing. No attraction. No satisfaction to her urges. Only shame. She couldn't lie to him anymore.
“Gale, I didn't want it to come to this. I genuinely care for you. You are a good man and deserve someone who would love you with their whole heart. That you could be their whole world. But… I'm afraid that it's not me. I’m sorry that I led you on…”
He raised his brows in question and let go of her hand.
She was quiet, but he could see the truth in her eyes.
“I could observe how close you grew. I understand, you can't control your heart’s desires. I’m just… Disappointed…” He paused, “For giving me false hopes where there were none.”
He stood up and opened the tent flap, when he turned to her one last time.
“Know that I harbor no ill will. I would rather see you happy with another, than not happy at all.”
The amount of firewood grew pointlessly large, but Halsin needed something to cool himself off. However, the exercise didn’t help him calm his lust down. Normally, he would be glad for the coolness of the rain, but the smell of petrichor reminded him of her and made him even more tense.
And the fact that he saw Gale entering her tent did not help.
He stuck the axe to the chopping block and vanished into the forest.