Chapter Text
Aylin knelt, wings spread, clad in her full armor, offering up prayers to her mother, the glorious Moonmaiden. The moon gleamed in the sky, full and bright, allowing her mother to look down upon all touched by its light. How joyous it was to be bathed in such light again, after a century of darkness, apart from her mother and her love both. She could barely stand to be away from Isobel for a single second, but for this, the first full moon of her liberation, she needed to commune with her blessed mother without the typically most welcome distraction of her fair Isobel.
Her meditation finished, she rose to her feet, eager to return to her love’s arms. Aylin’s wings dissipated, as did her armor, leaving her in the soft silks that Isobel had gifted her, so long ago.
Before that though, there was another matter to address.
She turned, shouting out into the night, “You may reveal yourself to me, sans any unease, the Moonmaiden watches over your kin knowingly, it is not an oversight that her light fails to scorch your pale flesh. Do not fear, child of the night!”
Astarion stepped out from behind a tree, glaring at her. “I have a name you know.”
“Do not fear, Astarion!”
He leaned against the tree, rolling his eyes; remembering how recently this tree had been infested with the shadow curse, with all the gnarled scars to prove it, he pushed away from it, but very casually.
“You have been watching me as I pray to my mother. Why? She would lend you her ear, if you offered devotions unto her!”
“It has nothing to do with any praying!” He flung his hands up, then grit his teeth, “I wanted to talk to you. Not your goddess mother.”
“You are doing so now!”
He glared at her, then took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose before asking, “How do you do it?”
“What is it you ask? I do a great deal many things, most very well!”
“Your Isobel. Your very mortal lover. You lost her once, and yet you’re all… giddy to do so again? Prancing towards her with bells on…”
“Ah! I understand. I have seen you with your own love, with a heart that beats all the quicker when you are near, as if countering the still one in your own breast.”
Astarion regretted this entire foolish idea, his hand automatically going to his stated still chest as he wrinkled his nose at Aylin. “Yes. Well. If you understand then… some answer? Explaining instead of telling me how very well you understand…?”
She laughed, sitting on a fallen tree, motioning for him to join her. “Do not let worry further wrinkle your brow, love is no less precious for knowing one day it will end. Do not let fear of inescapable loss tarnish the joy enveloping you, nor urge you to avoid the embrace.”
“I’m not scared of loss,” he huffed out, perching on the log as far away from her as possible. “I am very familiar with loss.”
“I do not think you are made timorous by the thought of your love departing, but of your own self whenceafter you walk without them, for unto eternity.”
“… that’s the same bloody thing!”
“Nay, they are distinct! The people you were once of are rich in knowledge of such separations, tis why they are oft keen to take but one shorter lived love and abhor any notion of repeat.”
“Is that your oh so grand advice? Enjoy the time now and then be alone forever?”
Aylin laughed, smacking the log with such force Astarion had to grab onto a branch to maintain his purchase. “No, no, oh cursed one! I have beheld you for but a short time, but I could not see you following your erstwhile kin, secluding yourself with naught but your fellows, recusing from mortal affairs.”
“Ugh, this is senseless, what was I thinking…” he grumbled while brushing the remains of bark off his hands. “Might as well have asked to borrow a cup of your immortality…” He then yelped, jumping from the log as she shook it once again with laughter.
“Alas, you would rue that outcome. I do not beseech my mother, nor any others, to bless Isobel with immortality.”
“Why the bloody hells not?” He stared at her, arms and hands spread in bafflement.
“Would she still continue to be my fair Isobel?” Aylin looked across the camp, finding Isobel conversing with Jaheira.
Astarion raised an eyebrow, tilting his head to the side.
“Or would robbing her of mortality change her?” She directed her gaze back at Astarion. “Twist her into someone, nay, something different? Strange and new to us both.”
He stomped his foot, growling out, “If you do not want to answer me, you can simply tell me to leave you alone, rather than lobbing insults.”
“Calm thyself, I do not cast negative judgments upon your current character. Only proclaim you art mislike how you were when mortal. Do you deny such?”
He huffed, crossing his arms and looking away from her.
Aylin laughed once more, standing up and spreading her arms wide as she proclaimed, “My precious Isobel! I shalt not seek to elevate her for she would be not herself! Oh, how she soothed a century of torment with but the merest touch. Oh, how I grieved when I lost her. Know this, Astarion of the moonlight, the depths of my grief are less than the shadows cast by the most waning moon, infinitesimal compared to the heights of my joy. To grieve for all the eons yet to come is a small price to pay to have her light in my life!”
“Hrm.” He looked Aylin up and down, evaluating her words. She certainly seemed to believe them. “I have lost so very much already, left with nothing. The bit of light I hold feels, at times, as if it is doomed to be swallowed by the stains on what remains of my tattered soul. I doubt very much so it will persist as you say…”
“Do not deny yourself for fear it will end! Live in the moment! Even if you shalt live forever!”
“I’m not alive.”
“You are near enough! It is an expression!”
“Aylin, I assume you’ve finished?” Isobel approached, embracing Aylin, looking at Astarion with curiosity. The vampire was already walking away, flinging his hands up.
“Yes! Pay him no mind, my love.” The post prayer kissing began.
Stomping away back to his tent, Astarion grumbled, covering his ears with his hands as the post prayer kissing escalated to other activities very quickly.
How pointless a conversation! How could he have ever expected the child of a goddess to understand, more the fool him. He had thought the hundred years of captivity might have made her more relatable, but no, of course not.
Ugh, why was he even thinking of such far distant worries. Didn’t he have enough current worries? Did he really need to outsource additional? This would be a problem he would be lucky to encounter; Cazador could kill them both! The whole lot of them, even! Or the brain, or… an endless list of villains, really.
Pointless waste of time. Pointless. None of this mattered. He was not even sure this was love. That he was capable of love, as twisted as he was, he mused, rolling his eyes and dropping his hands down, having put enough distance between himself and the noisy sapphics.
Oh.
The light of his tent was on, and the occupant’s silhouette was clear.
Live for the moment, even if you will live forever? Astarion supposed he had heard worse advice. Aylin had already lost Isobel once… she must know what she was talking about. Yes?
Astarion slipped into his tent, grinning as he purred out, “Hello there, darling…”