Astrid and Eadwulf have actually been married for like, a decade. They got married for a mission a long, long time ago and just never got around to filling out the paperwork necessary for a divorce. Besides, a divorce is entirely unnecessary as they both enjoy A) sleeping with each other and B) tax benefits.
Post-campaign, Caleb and Essek get married in a rush of “oh God, oh God, Caleb is human, I only have a few decades with him AT MOST, here have a ring and spend the rest of your life with me PLEASE.”
they might’ve rushed into it a little bit, but they are young and happy and in love. It’s fine.
What’s not fine is the lingering emotions Caleb and Astrid have for one another. They sit down to have a conversation and end up making out, right as Wulf gets home with groceries.
Wulf: “Bren, why are you sitting at my kitchen table, making out with my wife?”
Caleb, who was never told his two childhood friends married: “Your WIFE?”
later on, after much conversation:
Essek: “Hey Astrid, does this mean I get to make out with your husband since you made out with mine?”
Astrid: “NO!!!1!”
Wulf: “I dunno, babe, it doesn’t seem fair if he and I don’t get to make out, too.”
Caleb: *nods in sage agreement*
Astrid: “Don’t you start.”
Characters: Astrid Beck, Luc Brenatto, Caleb Widogast
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A flash in her periphery is her only warning before a crossbow bolt appears out of nowhere. Just in time, Astrid flings up her shield, a follow up spell dancing on her finger tips, every sense alert.
Had they been found? Where there others? Who had-
"Wow, that was so cool!"
The high chirp sounds from her right, and half hidden in the leaves, she spots the head of the small halfling boy.
With a soft curse, Astrid lets the disintegrate spell fizzle.
"I can see you, you know," she snaps angrily. She ignores the responding "aww" with a roll of her eyes, and forces her quickened breath back under control. No child in Blumenthal would have been able to get away with such behaviour.
She sighs and leans back against the tree, idly spinning her dagger in her hand. The muscles of her underarm are tense, the unreleased arcane energy crackling through the crystals. Sure, the child might have been harmless, but another Volstrucker could sneak up at any moment. She wouldn't put it past her late master to have prepared a fail-safe, and given her fellow Volstrucker orders in case Bren proved more than they could handle. Master Ikithon always had a plan. He should not be underestimated, even with his hands bound and his voice silenced.
The dagger is light as it dances between her fingers. The aasimar protecting Ikithon would not be able to stop her if she forced her way inside. Only Caleb's soft but persistent whisper had stayed her hand thus far. But as she dragged up years and years of pain for her testimony, killing the source of her anger became harder and harder to resist.
She clenches her hand around the hilt, her knuckles turning white. One tiny cut and the world would be rid of him forever. He had taught her well. If she positioned it just beneath the collar, she could-
"Can you teach me that?"
Astrid flinches. The kid is standing in front of her, his wide gaze trained on the dagger.
"Mom only showed me how to shoot," the kid pouts, shifting from one foot to the other, his toy crossbow hanging limply in his little fist.
Astrid runs her hand through her hair and glances around. Sadly, there are no other adults are in sight to distract him.
"Has your Mom even used a dagger?" she huffs.
The boy nods eagerly, voice filled with awe.
"Mom had a dagger, but it was cursed! It ate her alive, and she almost died!"
Astrid grunts non-committally. It is hard to tell if the boy is telling the truth, but the story seems in line with the Mighty Nein's shenanigans.
"Have you ever fought a monster?"
Astrid blinks at the change of topic. Involuntarily, her mind flashes to the man locked inside the house. She pushes the thought away and rakes her memory for a suitable situation as the kids keeps staring up at her.
"I fought an ogre once," she admits.
The kid frowns.
"What's an ogre?"
"A very big man."
His face falls in disappointment.
"But my Mom has fought many of those," he whines. "That's boring!"
"Well, was your Mom only seventee-"
Astrid snaps her mouth shut, cutting off her own indignant retort.
What is she doing? Feeling upset that a four year old does not deign her monster 'cool' enough? It had been her first real mission, and she and Wulf had won through a clever use of a lightning bolt, which had triggered an avalanche. But she is a Volstrucker. They do not argue with children.
A tiny hand pats her own.
"Don't worry," the boy chirps. "You'll fight cool monsters someday too!"
Before she can reply, he darts away. As she stares after him, dumbfounded, she almost misses Caleb, who is approaching with two bowls. He glances at the boy and back at her.
"He likes you," he mutters with a soft smile.
Astrid shrugs, and for a second Caleb stares down at her.
"Ehm, Caduceus has made us some food. If you want."
Tentatively, he hands her the bowl, pointedly ignoring the dagger. Astrid slips it back into its sheath, refusing to feel self conscious, and takes the bowl.
"Danke," she mutters. The food smells good, as always. Caleb sinks down into the grass next to her, and she takes a tentative bite from what looks like to be an aubergine.
"You are good," Caleb says after a moment of silence. "With him"
Astrid raises an eyebrow and Caleb shrugs.
"You did not scare him away," he amends.
Astrid scoffs.
"You did not teach him proper fear."
Caleb chuckles. "Ja, that is true. He is a menace."
They both pick at their food, both glancing everywhere but at each other, until Astrid can't take the silence any more.
"Why are we here?" she blurts out.
He frowns, turning towards her. "You know why-"
"Not that. Why are we here?"
She gestures at the Grove. Down near the patch of destroyed plants, Wulf is holding a shovel, accompanied by the drow. The drow is wearing colourful mittens. Wulf is wearing a straw hat. Trent Ikithon is locked inside the house, being spoon-fed by a firbolg.
"This is ridiculous."
It comes out as a whine. A plea. Pathetic, she thinks, but she can't stop tears burning behind her eyes.
The firbolg has joined Wulf and the drow, holding flowers to replace the ones that died.
"Ridiculous, yes," Caleb mutters, following her gaze. "But that is life."
But Caleb's expression is not one of happiness. He looks at them with wistful longing and apprehension, and Astrid wants to scream. Because if he does not understand this, he who crashed back into her life, disrupting everything - if he can't show her what she is supposed to do, then how can she deal with it on her own?
Be Bren! she wants to yell at him. Be the boy who made me laugh. Who held me during the night and who kissed me until we were both breathless. Be the boy who was happy.
Instead, his voice stutters as he recounts Ikithon's experiments. Instead, he buries his head in the halfling's shoulder, whole body shaking. Instead, his gaze lingers on the drow, uncertain and prepared for disappointment.
Astrid takes a shuddering breath. Ikithon would have berated her for showing even a little emotion. Instead, she feels a brush against her palm as Caleb slips his hand in hers. He is watching her again, gauging her reaction.
She thinks of pulling away. They can't be what they were, the three of them. Too much has changed. Too much is steeped in regret. But she is so tired. And is she not allowed this one little comfort? So she rests back against the tree and closes her eyes, one hand clutching her waist and the other clenched in Caleb's.
Their fingers are still entwined when Jester bounces towards them to summon them for dinner. Caleb stands first, but before she can miss his touch, he holds out his hand to her with a small smile.
She swallows, before letting him pull her to her feet. He keeps holding on as they are submerged in the whirlwind that is the Mighty Nein, and they sit next to each other during dinner, Wulf having joined on her other side.
As the sounds wash over her, Astrid finally relaxes. The group is loud and overwhelming, but their clamour drowns out the sceptical voice inside her head. The expositor nods at her from across the table, expression serious. The halfing woman is recounting another one of their adventures to her awestruck child and exasperated husband.
"Astrid, I made my hair look like yours!"
Jester grins at her.
"Sehr schön," Astrid answers.
"Caleb, was that good? I assume it is good!"
"Ja, it was."
Astrid shakes her head as Jester turns her attention to the half-orc. Caleb squeezes her hand, and with a huff, she meets his small smile with her own.
It won't be the same as before. But maybe, with Ikithon truly locked away, they could plant something new.
