The atmosphere was thick with merry that night, the fellow companions circled about the fireplace of Last Light Inn with wine and mead shared between them as they recounted the most glorious aspects of the hard battle won today. They had a right to their joy and festivities, of course, and such indulgences was a natural byproduct of massive adrenaline rushes that resulted in a victory. They could be allowed this.
But even the most victorious of battles had their losses. Even fights won had a mourning weaving through it. Astarion knew this well, he'd spent two-hundred years trying to find pride and joy in whatever small victories he could manage in a life that was pure shit, bile, and pain. He supposed it was nice that his companions were still able to savor such things, to find a silver lining, as the expression went.
Astarion was no stranger to jubilations and, frankly, he sought any reason he could for it ever since he'd been infected with the parasite. Tonight, however, he couldn't find it in himself to join in. Not even for an excuse to drink wine that, thanks to his undead status, tasted of vinegar but still helped him feel alive when it went down his throat burning.
He chose to linger instead at the archway of the door that led outside, ears twitching slightly at the sounds of the others regaling their parts in the battle and laugh, his arms crossed as crimson eyes scanned the horizon of the lands. There was something dense and solemn beneath the surface, something that pulled at him. That something was what made him so reluctant to the festivities to begin with.
He was only mildly surprised to realize that their illustrious leader was not among the party, the very one who constantly led them into these battles and was the main source to their victories.
Sneaking away was hardly any effort when they made merry so very loudly, but the rogue took soft steps in the direction of where they had last set camp and where Nepharia's tent was tucked away. The camp was quiet, looking so abandoned with not a soul in sight. But Astarion knew better, he could smell the scent of her blood faintly in the air. She was here.
He wasn't even sure if she could feel his presence of the sound of footfall when he approached, as she had succumbed to her grief. A grief that was justified as his gaze traced over the gaping wounds left where he knew wings used to be, caked in dried blood - some even still damp near the central tears. The scent was intoxicating for the vampire, to say the least, and it was his body's natural response that his mouth water as he grew nearer and the sweet metallic smell grew stronger. But Astarion had had practice in restraint now, thanks to Nepharia whom he looked down upon and felt nothing but compassionate sorrow for.
A part of her had been taken and a scar would be left to remind her of the freedom robbed from her. He could relate, and muscle memory of the pain of a knife carving into his back made him wince. He was luckier, however, it that he was branded with a scar rather than having had a piece of his flesh torn away and discarded like trash.
He knelt behind her, pausing a moment to decide if he should reach out to her or to speak up. Truthfully, he wasn't very good at comforting others. He and his siblings were not allowed the luxury of showing compassion and softness to one another, and those who dared still try were often mocked and belittled and beaten for their weakness. Yet he felt compelled to, to show her that she wasn't alone in her grief and that there was a soul out there who could possibly understand the grief that overcame her. Without another thought, his body acted, leaning over to place the most tender of kisses to one of the fresh scars upon her back. Nepharia had been the one to teach him such affections.
The way that she recoils and shifts into her disguise is what keeps him from making another move. Simply staying where he was knelt as her observed her, as the quiver in her voice sounded out and made his heart twist. He was familiar with such a reaction, because it was one that he practiced so devotedly himself.
❝ You are still you, Nepharia. You are still strong and capable and fearless, ❞ the vampire finally spoke, his words low and drawn out, ❝ No one can take that from you. Not even that deluded Ketheric Thorm whose very own arrogance now leaves his corpse as food for worms and maggots, no one to mourn him, as he rots while you are here to continue living. To continue thriving. ❞