Chapter Text
Two days since he had brought her to the fortress, two days since he had seen her threaten him with an owlbear if he tried anything. By the Black Hand, he had known that he would have to be gentle with her, but how much sleep did the woman need? At 11 am the morning after he’d retrieved her from the Elfsong, he’d cracked the door to see her passed out in bed, cuddling the dog tightly, the owlbear she thought would defend her from him snoring by the bed. He paused. She looked even more delicate and defenseless than she had in the tavern, her hair smushed across her face, her mouth wide open and drooling, her arm splayed up. This woman had saved his life with a word both times, she was powerful, but he could point a crossbow at her right now to end this…a mercy really, she wouldn’t feel anything…he could feel it in his head.
“She’s the cause of your failure. Kill her, prove you’re still my Chosen.” The voice echoed in his head. Enver however bit his lip, closing the door.
“It doesn’t matter the methods, only the results.” He growled back. “We do not break alliances…and I will not kill her like a coward.” He chewed his lip, pressing his fingers to his temples, a migraine pulsing. Bane was insisting “We cannot kill her, we need her, my Lord. Please, allow me to fix this, let me show you I’m still your chosen…but I need her first.” He held his breath, waiting for the retort. Fortunately, or unfortunately for Archduke Gortash, no retort came, instead only silence. His migraine was gone, and so was Lord Bane. He left her alone that day. He didn’t want to face the woman his god had practically told to murder in her bed, the woman for whom his god was close to abandoning him.The only proof he’d had of her being alive was at one point, the door had opened and her beasts came running out, barking and hollering for food whilst their owner slammed the door shut. Well, that was him told that day that he was expected to look after her pets whilst she lived there.
On the second day, however, he couldn’t wait anymore. He needed to start running the city again, and she wasn’t going to like him if she woke up and saw his methods of wrestling back law and order.
He stood in front of her door, a tray with food on it. Toast, bacon, juice, and coffee, all the things he had once sworn by for a hangover. Did she even eat? Or was she just powered by magic, being a pain in his backside and alcohol? He opened the door and walked through. She was there, still in bed, still sleeping, though this time, in a more dignified manner, her hair in a bun, turned on her side, hugging one of her pillows, looking almost peaceful. He tip-toed to the bed, putting to tray down in front of her and clearing his throat. He was sorely tempted to shake her awake, but she’d been very clear, no touching. A frown appeared on her forehead as she was woken up, her eyes opening slowly. He took a step back, hands up to show that he was not armed.
“I come in peace.” He said quickly. “Don’t shoot.” She looked at him, confusion and a hazy bleariness on her face as her body caught up.
“Time is it?” She muttered, sitting up, and looking at the tray in front of her. “Oh Gods, what do you want?” He lowered his arms, taking this as a sign she wouldn’t hurt him. The look on her face, however, told him he'd better turn on the charm fast.
“Can an Archduke not bring his co-ruler breakfast? Especially if she hasn’t eaten in two days?” He asked, a ravishing tone affected along with the smile that usually got people on his side. Regrettably for Gortash, Roisin was not most people.
“No.” She replied, almost spitting the venom out. She waved her hand at the papers under his arm. “So, are you going to explain why you’re here and what’s on those papers? Or are you just wanting to poison me and do it badly?” Enver put his head down.
“Bacon helps with hangovers.” He muttered quietly, trying not to pout at his peace offering being rejected. Roisin groaned, still holding her hand out for the papers under his arm.
“So does hair of the dog.” She said pointedly. Yeah, as if he was going to give her any more alcohol after seeing her like that. He took a knee, ready to plead with her, here on his knees for her to see sense.
She did not see sense straight away as he had hoped. As soon as he’d started to plead his case, she narrowed those ridiculously big brown eyes at him, looking like him like he was shit on her shoe.
“That is not happening.” She replied flatly, sat up, mouth open. “And the fact you’d come here thinking I would say yes means you’re insane.” Gortash rubbed his temples.
“Do you know what’s happening out there? Did you even bother to look in the two weeks you were trying to drown yourself in piss-poor ale?” He asked. “It’s chaos, the people are in danger, if you agree to this, I can get the rioters in line…”
“Use the damn Flaming Fists.” She growled. Gortash shook his head. He was trying so hard to get her to understand, but the hero was holding to her black-and-white views.
“Do you not understand?” He pleaded. “Humans aren’t infallible, the Flaming Fists are just as hungry and desperate as everybody else. I have tried, Roisin, and the ones who are doing their job are stretched too thin and being attacked daily. We need to give them support.” He pointed his finger at his blueprints. “At least allow me to help them…”
“With Gondians? You already kidnapped them?” She narrowed her eyes. He gave a deep groan, unfurling one more scroll, and jabbing it harder. Just look woman, he thought. She was so
intent on scowling at him, at not even looking, already with her mind made up.
“Just look will you? The backup is here in the fortress. Give me the word and the Steel Watch will be reborn. No slaves…” He could feel the look she was giving him at that and cleared his throat. “What do you want? For more people to die? Or for me to mitigate disaster as much as possible?” Roisin picked up the scrolls. It seemed like a compromise…and the Gondians were provided for…it was still odious and made her skin crawl. She'd seen how those Steel Watchers were made after all. She lowered the scroll, taking in a deep breath.
“You’re not even sorry, are you?” She asked. “I give you a chance to change and you want to go back to being a tyrannical monster straight away…” Gortash raised an eyebrow.
“You seem rather keen to call me a monster when you killed too." He said calmly, "Tamia Holtz was engaged to be married if you didn't know? Did that even cross your mind the families of those you left behind because you deemed them undeserving?" Roisin rubbed her head, growling. She didn't need an ethics lecture just now, she needed to get rid of this sodding hangover.
"Who?!" She demanded. Enver laughed, she'd just proved his point.
"My most loyal general who you murdered before you blew up my foundry." He growled, almost baring his teeth at the memory of her sneaking in after he thought he'd dealt with her. Roisin burst out laughing at his indignation.
"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't assign personalities to your oh-so-lovely minions while they tried blowing up the Gondian gnomes you fucking enslaved, I should have thought that of course, there had to be some nice slaveowners...right?" She spat with annoyance. "And no, before you ask, I'm not sorry I killed that bitch. She seemed rather keen to putrefy me, it kind of makes all sympathy go out of the window." Enver rubbed his temples, before taking a piece of toast. It'd be a shame to waste this; the man was loathed to waste food, a lifetime of food insecurity and starvation made him scared to waste food, especially now that he'd brought her this out of the kindness of his heart.
"Eat your breakfast, Hero. It'll help you soak up whatever alcohol is still in your system, but meet me downstairs when you're done. I'll give you thirty minutes." He said gruffly, standing up. "Dress simply."
"Simple?" She asked, the word making her stomach clench. What was he planning?
"Nothing ostentatious, nothing fancy, no robes, no armour. No weapons." He replied, stating the obvious as if she were an idiot, leaving her room.
"Ah, I hope that breakfast helped you?" He asked jovially. "Don't need you throwing up in my lap." He was dressed differently, in a white tunic with a brown waistcoat and brown pants, a brown hooded cloak covering him. Roisin frowned, he looked so different without those disgusting claws he thought looked fancy. She crossed her arms as he threw a black cloak at her.
"Wh...what is this all in aid of?" She demanded. He waited until she'd pulled on her cloak, then nodded, walking away.
"Come." He commanded. Roisin growled. Did he actually just command her as if she were a dog? Did he expect her to roll over and beg too?
"Excuse me?!" She snarled. "What makes you think you can talk to me like that?!" Enver froze, slowly ooking back at her.
"Apologies, I am used to giving orders to people like that..." Oh, if looks could kill. "They respond better when I do." He muttered. He wasn't wearing his coat today, and facing the woman who he was indebted to, who Bane wanted him to kill was rather unnerving. He took a deep breath. She wasn't a Banite, she didn't answer to him. They were equals, they were equals. "Please, come with me, there's something I wish for you to see." She narrowed her eyes.
"Why should I trust you?" She asked, not moving an inch. Enver kept his eyes on her, trying to stay calm. He couldn't get annoyed at her, she needed to trust him.
"Because I am showing trust in you. I have no weapons, I am not taking the steel watch or guards with us, you with your powers could kill me, if you decide to for me wanting to restart the thing you seem utterly opposed to, but I hope that you will believe me when I say that you need to see this before you outright say no...so please? Please come with me?" He asked sincerely. Roisin regarded him, but nodded beginning to follow from behind. He led her through the kitchens of the fortress, out into the servant's courtyard, a simple, shabby wooden carriage waiting, a normal cabbie sat on top, a single donkey strapped to it. It was one a person may hail in the city to get around long distance. Roisin raised an eyebrow.
"I thought you'd have a black and gold monstrosity?" She smirked. Enver, not picking up on the sarcasm, climbed into his side, looking out of the window.
"Well, I do." He replied, "But it wouldn't exactly be useful to us right now...can you please?" He asked, opening the door. Roisin didn't know whether to laugh in his face, roll her eyes or say something snarky, so instead, she just quietly got in. Of course, the man had something in black and gold. The Archduke banged the roof of the carriage, the driver whipping the donkey, causing it to begin to walk. Roisin, looked out the window, seeing the streets that she hadn't seen properly since before the battle. The Elfsong had seemingly escaped the worst of the damage of the city, but seeing the destruction and chaos of the city was shocking, something she hadn't realised as she'd tried to drink herself to death. Entire streets were gone, people were camped out in tents in the ruins of their homes.
Gortash sighed, leaning back, looking out of the opposite window, avoiding looking at her. How could he make this work? The hero had already decided she was not going to listen to him, and would probably not even try to help him. Why should she? She didn't understand the vision he had for his city, she probably had no ties to Baldur's Gate, she had to be a visitor here, a stranger...
"I grew up here, you know that?" She whispered, her heart breaking as she saw what it had been reduced to. "My childhood house seems to have gone. He turned his head, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh really?" He asked. "I never would have guessed." He didn't mean to sound so sarcastic, but she seemed a bit...flowery? Common? "I'd have thought you'd be better running barefoot in the forest?" That earned an eye roll.
"I'm a warlock, not a druid you numpty." She groaned. "I prefer a good hardy pair of boots to walking around barefoot..that and the idea of dancing in the forests naked on the solstice does not appeal to me." He chuckled at her insult. Well, she'd stopped calling him a bastard, this was a good start. He kept his hood down as the carriage carried them through the city. Around the streets, they couldn't go five feet without seeing the violence, or someone coming out of a building laden with items. The street was filled with screams, a gang setting on a tiefling, kicking, punching. She groaned about to get up when Gortash put his hand firmly on the handle, blocking her.
"Don't...you won't be able to stop them." He said firmly. "There are too many incidents like this, all around the city...the only Flaming Fists who I know won't join in the looting are the ones who are scared of me, the ones who actually follow me, but while the church of Lord Bane is strong in this city we're not so numerous I could solve this...please." He softened his tone, "I will be at half strength, weaker...you have a choice Roisin, you can get the Steel Watchers back working in four months, or a year...look around little hero, can you tell me that this is preferable to order?!" She groaned, burying her face in her hands.
"There has to be another way." She muttered. He shook his head.
"I told you the other day, Roisin, I don't want to destroy this city, I want to help, and I need to be the strong hand to help them. Freedom isn't free, don't you get that?" Roisin kept her face in her hands, screaming loudly, but finally, she looked back up.
“Take me through it again.” She muttered. Enver grinned.
"Well...I need you for the next part..." He said, trying to suppress his glee.
"Bullshit." Zanner spat. "You're not going to tell me he didn't know exactly what he was doing!" Roisin had gone to the gnomes herself, cap in metaphorical hand to beg. She didn't blame the Gondians and she sure as hell didn't blame Zanner. This man had been blinded, his family held hostage, and here she was asking him to swallow absolute horseshit?! She bit her lip, imagining Gortash swinging from the end of a rope. In that moment, she madly thought of just admitting it was true, that he knew exactly what he was doing, that he had seen the gnomes as utterly disposable. He saw her as useful, hence the only reason she was here as 'Laday Roisin Tavington,' newly minted member of the aristocracy was that he saw her as useful. She couldn't though, Gortash, as much as she wanted to spit in his face for it had been right. When she had traveled here, it was insane seeing the survivors divide between hunter and prey, the Flaming Fists who were secretly Banites, the ones who were loyal to Gortash, were the only ones holding up order on fear of displeasing their god's chosen. She swallowed hard, pushing down the last of her morals.
"Would I lie to you?" She asked the Gondian gently. "I saved your daughter, I saved all of your family members, and nearly drowned because of it, I remind you." She looked at the Gondians sitting around the room, looking them right in the eye. "Why would I come to you to ask you to return to the foundry if he was a villain? I risked my life to save you, to blow it up." Oh, she felt dirty. Every word she said was so shit-stained, but he had been right hadn't he? Order was needed, and that was the reason she had let him live and given him the city after all. Here was a prime example of the shit of ruling, to swallow the bile and do it for the greater good. The Steel Watch was needed now, more than ever, just to stop the city from falling into the abyss. She could see the gnomes squirm, knowing that she had saved them, knowing that she had fought the Banites to help them. Barcus, the gnome she had saved more times than any others stepped forward.
"If I may." He declared, the gnome still getting used to leading the Ironhand Gnomes, but clearing his throat, determined to say his piece to defend his friend, the friend who had saved his life countless times, who had saved him from his toxic friendship with Wulbren. "I know it may sound ridiculous...if...if it were anybody else, I'd say that we were being taken for fools, but this woman...this...this insane woman, she has no reason to use us or lie to us. If she says that the Archduke was hypnotized, well...we all have our shameful moments, I know I do. I nearly agreed with Wulbren to kill all of you...not that I'm proud of that, but I wasn't brainwashed by a giant brain." He looked up at Roisin, smiling. "If all you have is your word, well, your word is enough for me. I will propose that the Ironhand Gnomes also join the foundry, just to help speed up the effort." He was smiling, proud, happily sending his kin to the foundry. Zanner sighed, looking at Roisin.
"You look my people in the eye Roisin, because you can't look at mine...first, are you being truthful?" Roisin looked to Zanner's daughter, smiling brightly.
"I swear to you, I am being truthful. Archduke Gortash wanted to come and apologise himself, but he was scared and ashamed of what he did when he was under the control of the Absolute. He is not a monster, he wants to help you...we want to help you." Zanner nodded.
"Alright, that leads to my second question...will we be looked after? Or are you asking us to be slaves again?" He asked, an edge to his voice. Ah, at least she didn't have to feel so filthy now.
"I would never ask you to be slaves." She growled. "Full payment, lodgings with your families...and my personal guarantee Zanner, I'll be your representative. If you so much as breathe to me that you are being mistreated, me and the Archduke will hang the person from the rafters." She swore. Barcus spluttered at that.
"Hang on, just a 'you can trust me' would have been enough." He said indignantly. "No need to talk about death, hasn't there been enough of that?" Roisin looked at him, giving a chuckle.
"I couldn't have said it better myself, Barcus." She admitted. Zanner sighed, nodding.
She had achieved the impossible, not only had she given Gortash the Steel Watch back, but she had given him the Gondians and the Ironhand gnomes too. She returned back to the fortress, grabbing a bottle of red as she entered, drinking from the bottle deeply. Gortash was sat in their quarters, waiting for her, desperate to know what had happened having mindlessly been throwing the ball for Scratch since she left.
"Well?" He demanded. She ignored him, stalking back to her bedroom. Enver growled. She couldn't ignore him, especially when he was trying his best to help the city. "Hey!" He growled. "Answer me, hero! I am talking to you, woman!" He ran up. "What's this? Not talking to me? After I agreed to every little demand over those cursed gnomes?" He demanded. She turned around, her eyes filled with rage.
"Those cursed gnomes swallowed every lie I told them." She snarled, "Fire up your emergency foundry, Gortash, take back the city through brute force, the gnomes will work for you...all of them." She threw the bottle, shattering it on the wall. Enver was stunned, she was going against everything she stood for, she hated the steel watch, but she had delivered?! He could see the self-hatred in her face. Gortash breathed out. He couldn't help with her self-hatred, but she would see, she had done a great service to the city.
"Thank you." He whispered. "I promise you, I swear to you, everything you asked, it'll be so." He looked at her, smiling, taking a step forward. "You know, I think we'll make a very good team little her..." He didn't get to finish that sentence though, she slammed the door behind herself, leaving him alone. Alone but triumphant.
Present Day
Heapside, one of the larger districts of the lower city. Despite it not being too far from Wym's Rock Fortress, the last time she was running around here was with her friends trying desperately to solve a million and one things at once. She took a breath. A year hiding in the fortress, a year of only stepping outside on official duties meant that she was always with someone when she was outside. Now? Alone, she felt the ghosts come back. Patron help her, what she wouldn't give to slip into the Blushing Mermaid and just drown herself, just go for a drink and another and another till the voices stopped. She shook her head, she promised those families she would look, and by Gods, she would look. She needed this, to be useful, to keep going, to keep running. If she stood still, she’d die.
It was nice to go unnoticed for once though. To be outside the private quarters of their penthouse in the fortress, it meant that people were always looking at her, always wanting to stop her and touch her. She had to give Enver that, he spoke to her like she was just a person. He wasn’t in awe of her, he just spoke to her, person to person. Having a person treat you like you needed time alone was so rare for her, but the bar was on the ground these days. Currently, as a ginger man with a big busy beard, nobody wanted to come up and touch her. That level of anonymity was giving her a thrill, knowing that she would absolutely be doing this again.
There was a reason she had wanted to investigate for herself. Four people came, four disappearances, all of which were so close to each other. With each person saying the street they were from, she could visualise the places, each memory taking place in the backdrop of a conversation she'd had long ago with the dead or gone. Sat in the lower hall, she could see in her mind the map of each disappearance. It had rather annoyed her that Enver hadn't realised it too. The man claimed to have come from the city, but she had a feeling he had no goddamn idea where anything was unless it was somewhere with someone he wanted to kill or get money from. She'd checked their map as soon as she'd gotten to their quarters and there it was, a perfect pattern, all with one place in the centre. She stood at the shrine of suffering, a shrine to the god Ilmater, the god of the poor. This didn't make sense though, how could the God of the Oppressed be linked to these disappearances? She surveyed the area. looking for a lever or button, anything. In that moment, she missed Shadowheart. Her friend was always the more perceptive one.
Just then, something caught her eye. a piece of graffiti, scrawled on the bottom of the altar in the corner. Usually, people drew all manner of cocks around the city, but this one looked different. She crouched down to inspect it...it was a skull. The hairs on the back of her neck began to prickle as her throat began to tighten. A skull. A skull looked at her almost mockingly, grinning at her failures, he mistakes, her disasters. She gripped the altar, her breath hitching. She was back in the sewers.
Over a Year Ago
“Good Gods, the sewers.” Astarion groaned, “Why couldn’t we have killed the Lordling first? At least the fortress wouldn’t smell like shit.” Roisin rolled her eyes.
“Because as much as I would love to smash that bastard’s skull in, he’s not the one with my githyanki.” Karlach declared. Roisin nodded, holding her fireball in her hand.
“Don’t worry, that creep will get his as soon as we get Lae’zel back.” She smirked, "Not like he's going to play nice with me next time I see him." Gale laughed.
"What gave you that idea? The time you told him to go fuck himself and you rescued Duke Ravenguard? Or the part where you blew up the foundry?" Roisin smirked.
"Hey, maybe he'll be willing to carry on our beautiful friendship." She shrugged. “He might be reasonable and see that I was completely right and he was being a massive arsehole.” She looked at the tall red barbarian. “But if not...you still got that barrel of runepowder, Karlach?” Karlach smirked, saluting.
“I wrote his name on and everything.” She grinned. In truth, the barrel also included a crude stick figure drawing complete with stink lines, a raccoon tail and a speech bubble with “I suck” written on it (they had all gotten a little carried away one night at camp after a few drinks). They had spent so long planning Gortash's death that they had completely overlooked Orin, even though Orin had made it a point to bother them as much as possible.
"I say, don't you find it odd though?" Astarion mused, "We practically tell Orin that I'm the love of your life and your moon and stars..."
"I didn't say that." Roisin groaned irritably. Astarion threw his arm around her, grinning ear to ear, clearly about to say something very annoying, even down here in the sewers, even after she helped him murder Cazador and get revenge and then even after facing off against the head of a cult, he was going to be annoying.
"No, you just happened to tell her my deepest fear. Smart of you." He drawled. "I'm just saying, we expose our weaknesses to her and then she kidnaps Lae'zel? Not the move I'd have made." She rolled her eyes.
"Let me guess, you'd kidnap you? Star, if you got kidnapped, she'd probably give you back after whining too much about getting dirt under your nails." She sniggered. The pale elf looked at her askance, grabbing her hand and pulling her into him. For Astarion, every moment was a moment to be dramatic and clingy.
"I'm just saying, I'd hate to see you lose me, I'm pretty incredible." He crooned, kissing her gently. She laughed, pushing him off.
“You’re pretty vain.” She retorted. “But you’re right. Would be a shame to lose you after I just fought a rather big battle for your soul.” Gale groaned, currently grumpy that his robes were dragging in the sewage water, but also, with how the love birds couldn’t keep their hands off of each other, even in a time like this.
“Look, far be it from me to stand in the way of true love.” The wizard announced sarcastically, “But can you two not try and fornicate for five minutes? This is serious, Lae’zel is in danger!” Roisin rolled her eyes, but grinned.
“Come on, Gale.” She laughed, “We’ve faced worse. It’ll be like facing Myrku I’ll bet, and we’ve only gotten stronger since then.” She was grinning. The Lord of the Dead had been ridiculously easy for them. Honestly? she couldn’t understand how the next two were any harder than the ‘General.’ This was below them. Rescue Lae’zel from the annoying one who kept popping up around Baldur’s Gate, then they’d take on the Lordling. “We have the best sharpshooter,” she waved at Astarion who preened like a cat, bowing, “we have Karlach who can smash her face in and of course, you.” She grinned at Gale, “Who can just do Wall of Fire. She’s probably going to be that stupid, she’ll go running into the flames to stab us. Boom.” She gave jazz hands, laughing. Karlach grinned at her.
“Someone's in a good mood?” The barbarian laughed. “Penny for them?” Roisin smiled, taking Astarion’s hand.
“Don’t you all see? We literally went into Hell and we got out, and we got that smug bastard too! We can do anything!” How were they brushing off the fact that they had just killed a devil? “All of this, the Dead Three? Gorty? Orin? I don’t know about you guys, but my Gods, they’re just so…small now.” She grinned at Astarion. “When this is all over, you and me…we’re going to leave this city. We’re going to find a way for you to walk in the sun.” Astarion looked away.
“Slow down there Love.” He said hastily. Roisin’s face fell. Shit, she’d messed up. She knew that she had a habit of jumping into things too quickly sometimes, but this wasn't one of those times was it? She'd defeated Cazador, she'd freed him and they'd already died in each other's arms. Surely he felt the same for her as she did for him...right?
“I’m sorry.” She muttered. “Was…was I wrong?” Astarion shook his head.
“No no, I mean…I assumed that we’d be done when this was over. You wouldn’t want to be tied to a spawn like me after all, you’d want to get back to the forests, blasting at the rich or whatever you do.” She rolled her eyes.
“Okay, firstly, that was once and he threw his rubbish out of the carriage in the forest.” She groaned. “And secondly,” She looked at him smiling. “I meant what I said in the Iron Throne. If you want me, you have me. Forever.” She couldn’t explain it. They’d known each other for a month, but she loved this man. He needed her, he loved her, even though he had only said it once, he had meant it. Oberon would approve of her taking a break from her duties to cure vampirism. She would never give up Astarion.The idea of being without this sarcastic, glorious bastard was a terrifying concept. “What do you say? We drowned together, faced Hell together, we’ll finish the Dead Three and we’ll take down the Absolute, then you and me? We’ll be magnificent.” Astarion grinned.
“Well, who can say no to that?” He took her hands, “You know? I was rather angry when we were about to die in that watery pit, but then I thought no, this feels right. I got my freedom and I’d die with my favourite person.” He smiled at her. “But I agree, together, we’ll be magnificent.” Astarion purred, leaning in for another kiss. She grinned, leaning in eagerly, eyes closing as she felt his lips on hers. Suddenly, the sewer went dark, the torches diminishing, breaking the kiss off as Star jumped back, ready to fight.
“Fuck. Hang on guys.” Roisin began to hold up her hand, ready to summon a flame. Honestly, all the torches they’d just ignored on the way here and now they needed one? A thudding sound in front of her echoed, bounced off of the walls as she felt her lover collapse into her arms. She gasped, . “Star? Did you trip?” She asked, feeling the vampire’s back. He’d fallen weird. She laughed, rubbing him. There was no comment though, no screaming, no crying about how this was the worst thing to happen in his life…was he hit with a sleeping charm? She muttered the words, a blue light igniting from her hand.
Astarion lay limply in her arms, feeling rather heavy. She was about to laugh when she heard Karlach scream:
“ASTARION! NO!” Roisin looked up, trying to hold the light up to try and orientate herself, trying to juggle the half-elf and her own weapon. “OH GODS, OH GODS ROISIN…”
“Karlach? What?..” She had begun to say, but then she realised what was wrong with this picture. She looked down, screaming.
Caked in blood, she held Astarion’s body, but his head lay just beyond her feet.
It must have been a sight to onlookers, seeing a tall, burly man sobbing hard, having a panic attack. Thankfully, in true Baldurian fashion, the citizens kept a wide berth, thinking she was crazy. Unfortunately, this attracted the attention of the denizens of Enver's key to the city.
"Citizen." A metallic voice echoed behind her, breaking her concentration on the flurry of bad memories. A steel watcher looked down at her, ready to scan. "You are exhibiting signs of distress and psychosis. Please stand by for analysis. Do not resist, you will be attacked." She groaned. She may not look like herself right now, but they would see within. It had been an agreement when she had saved his reputation, that he could rebuild the steel watch on the condition that he no longer enslaved the Gondians and that people were only scanned if they exhibited problematic or violent behaviour. She grinned bitterly, seeing how her boundaries were now being used on her. Gods, she should have banned him from rebuilding the steel watch, but it had served a purpose.
"You saved the bastard?" Karlach had growled at her, rage building in realisation of what Roisin had done. Gods, the look on her friend's face when she realised that Enver was under a dome of invulnerability as they faced the brain. Roisin grimaced, glad the tiefling wasn't here anymore. Karlach would be furious to know that not only had Roisin saved him from the hangman's noose, but that she'd actively helped him rebuild his main source of power. It had been simple, in the first few weeks after their victory, looting had been rampant, and chaos threatened to consume the city. Enver had come to her room, plans in hand for a new console and a small supply of backup steel watchers he'd had in the fortress, pleading his case to try and keep order. She'd given so much back to Enver, all in the name of the greater good.
As she thought that, she noticed the steel watcher jerk. Ah, it had scanned a man having a psychotic break and sensed that he was none other than the Archduchess in disguise, probably flagging her lord husband. She stared up, chin out, daring him, baiting him to say something. The steel watcher, however, remained silent.
"Not talking to me, I see?" She asked gruffly "After I gave you everything you wanted?" She added that last bit mockingly. The robot remained silent. She groaned, wiping her face and trying to compose herself. "I've found something. If I get murdered...I don't know...pretend to mourn me for a respectable amount of time and then don't become a cunt to the city." She turned away. She'd lost so much because of Orin, she wasn't about to give her or the Bhaalists the satisfaction of winning again today.