To Baldur's Gate

Yay chapter twenty!!! Thank you all so much for sticking with me on this fun little story. Much love <3 <3

Just as always, the Underdark seemed to suck the very essence from my body. While the air was humid and the lands were bustling with life, a place had never felt so much like a barren tomb. After a few miles of walking with all our packed-up things, we began to edge closer to my childhood home and village. Astarion seemed to be particularly interested in the history of my relationship with my loved ones. 

"So your mother ... is not your biggest fan, I take it?" He asked. Astarion had surprised me by walking at my side the majority of our journey in the darkness, but I appreciated it. 

"She loves me, but she doesn't like me very much." I shrugged off the building anxiety that always came when talking about my mother. "She wanted me safe, and I wanted to explore. After my father was killed, keeping us close was her only priority. What we wanted always came last."

"I've seen the scars on your back, Tav, and I'm guessing a loving mother wouldn't give her daughter those." Astarion's voice was laced with a quiet malice. 

I felt the need to protect her from his wrath. "My mother only wanted us safe. It was my fault for running away all the time," I argued. "She had been through so much - I don't know how she would bear it if she lost a daughter as well." 

Astarion hummed thoughtfully, as if he didn't buy my excuses. Not that I blamed him. My words sounded hollow even to my own ears. As much as I loved my mother, a darker part of me loathed her entirely, for all that she had put me through. I was quick to accuse her of being too harsh or too cruel, but I was even quicker to defend the very actions that had caused me so much pain. 

"I supposed I shouldn't speak too much on mothers, seeing as I can't remember mine," Astarion said. "But I do know that I haven't seen you this pale since you were nearly dead after fighting Kagha. 

"It's probably just the light here. Or lack thereof." 

"No, love, I don't believe it is." A lazy smile grew from his lips as he stretched his arms to the sky, displaying his muscles biceps and torso. My eyes were drawn to the sight, and I was immediately hungry for him. 

"Will we reach the village before nightfall?" Gale asked from behind me. 

"We're nearly there. Only bit farther," I replied, and as the words left my mouth, my throat sank into my stomach. The place I had fought so hard for so long to escape was now going to be our safe haven for the night. That is, if my mother allowed us to stay. 

"I'm excited to meet your sisters, Tav," Shadowheart said. "Do they look like you? I bet with so many girls you all look pretty similar." 

My sister's faces popped into my mind and my nerves softened for a moment. "Della and I look most like our mother, but I have my father's eyes. It always made me feel so special, to have my own piece of him forever." A surge of emotion swept through me and I swiped at my eyes quickly to avoid crying in front of my friends. "Raefi looks the most like him though. Once you see all of us together it'll make more sense."

The drow village was just up ahead. I could see the torches lit and the campfires in the center of town being assembled from where we were walking, and my anticipation grew with the pounding of my heart. Walking into the village, we were greeting by hostile stares and hungry faces, most of them familiar enough for me to name. If they recognized me, they didn't say anything, not that I expected them to, but it was jarring all the same. 

"What's wrong with them?" Karlach asked. Ever the obvious. 

"We don't like strangers," I explained, making my way through the quickly assembling crowd of people and going toward my old home. With every step, I could see clearly my mother standing under the threshold, red scaled arms crossed over her chest. Nausea rolled around in my guts, and I had the urge to vomit right where I stood. 

"I'll admit, I'm a bit nervous to meet your mother," Astarion murmured. 

I gulped down shaky breaths. "Why?" 

"Because I'm in love with her daughter." 

I gasped, looking up at him and losing all air in my lungs. "What did you say?" 

"Let's speed up. We don't want to keep her waiting," Astarion blocked my question and took large strides forward to where my mother was. Before saying anything, he bowed before her, with the elegance and grace that only came from growing up in courts and finery. 

"Greeting and salutations. I am Astarion. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, my lady." His velvet voice had my mother raising one eyebrow and looking down at him with a curious gaze. The others in my group followed Astarion and bowed before my mother, introducing themselves one by one. When only I was left, I met my mother's eyes and felt some part of my heart soften. I knelt before her, hands stretched out to her, and tried to breathe through the rapid beating of my heart. When I rose, I brought my hands to my chest as if to shield myself from whatever blow she could throw at me. 

"Hello, mother."

"You've come home," she stated. Though she tried to hide it, I could see the glassiness of her eyes and hear the tremor in her musical voice. 

"I'll explain everything to you, mama. Can we come in?" I waited for her response anxiously. My friends were silent as they regarded my mother - this beautiful and fierce looking draconic drow before us. 

"You better have a good reason for showing up like this. All of you, inside," she ordered. While the others murmured their thanks as they passed her and went into the stone building, I stepped closer to my mother. Her face was unreadable, and I half expected her to slap me across the face like she had on other occasions. When she raised her arms, I closed my eyes and flinched, expecting the sharp sting of pain, but was instead enveloped in warmth. My mother hugged me and I felt her chest heaving with quiet sobs.  

I hugged her back, relishing the embrace. She smelled the same as always - lavender and clean laundry. "Come, mama. Let me introduce you to my friends."