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Ashla was in a cheery mood. Gale seemed to be grouchy and anxious about talking with Elminster, he was scared of what Mystra wanted him to do. It was comforting however, to hear Ashla’s voice as she helped serve Elminster asking questions and just talking to him as an old friend. It had only been a few days since he discovered that Ashla was the daughter of Oghma and he was curious what she could to to possibly help him out with his condition.
He listened quietly keeping distance from the enchanting woman. Everything she did was magical, yet he had no thought that she would love a man like him. Plus with the orb she like the rest of the party was in danger. Sure they exchanged romantic poetry on a daily, Gale believed he was unworthy of her gentle love and gentle touches.
He sauntered over to Elminster and Ashla his arms crossed at the old wizard. Ashla was quick to notice the grimace he had on his face which caused her to raise her brow.
Elminster began to ramble, “now that was a splendid bit of cheese, I must tell you with that wine I could feast upon and indulge in for a thousand years, it was quite the treat after that whole—“
Gale interrupted, “Elminster out with it, why did Mystra send you.”
Ashla looked between the mentor and the apprentice, the tension so thick one would need an enchanted dagger to cut through it. Ashla hesitantly gulped putting her hand on Gale’s shoulder for the support neither of them knew the other needed.
“Oh right, sorry, well… uh… Oh Gale my boy I am so sorry,” Elminster whispered in solemn voice.
Ashla’s ears were now perked up as she could feel the turmoil in his head as he was about to explain Gale’s tragic fate.
“Mystra has asked me to be the one to bring this tragic message, it requires you to use the power within you to end the absolute,” Elminster stated plainly in a very solemn tone.
“The orb…” Gale whispered.
Ashla’s eyes widened realizing what they were asking him to do. Her heart pounded in her chest until her lungs hurt. She could feel the bile and acid rising from her anxiety burning its way up to her throat. Ashla shook her head angrily clenching her fist, until her knuckles turned white.
“No… gods no, the gods are not that cruel!” Ashla shouted, feeling as the whole camp’s gaze fell upon the back of her neck.
“Hold your tongue child,” Elminster shushed Ashla softly.
Ashla scowled as she began to zone out. Yet, as Gale listened to Elminster he said something he never thought he could earn again, *forgiveness*. Yet as he saw the distraught face of Ashla he became conflicted, was blowing himself up using the orb to destroy the absolute and getting Mystra’s forgiveness worth the pain it would cause Ashla.
Gale felt a bit vile rise in his own throat. His mind was conflicted and filled with worry, was anything worth killings himself over?
Gale looked back up at Elminster as he held up his hand and a purplish blue glow engulfed the three of them as the symbol of Mystra and magic appeared in the twinkling particles. Gale was still very much in a daze as he felt the orb stabilize. His eyes began to water, but then he blinked away the tears trying to be optimistic with this whole situation. Everything would be right as rain right?
Elminster bid his farewells and then disappeared into thin air. Gale watched as Ashla walked back to her tent, he wanted to reach out and comfort her. Gale desperately wanted to hold her and tell her it’s for the best. He’s a pathetic man and she should not waste any tears on him. He saw as the other members looked at Gale with soft eyes, all eyes that seemed to mourn him except his death had not even happened yet.
Ashla was in the lap of Solasta as she sobbed pathetically. Karlach and Shadowheart were close by offering comfort as Ashla struggled to calm down, Gale could hear Ashla’s voice, he could always pick it out now in the crowd even when they were apart.
“I never knew a god other than Cyric could be this cruel,” Shadowheart grumbled as she sat some distance away from the weeping woman, but far enough from Karlach her skin wouldn’t melt off.
“I’d hug ya if I could soldier…” Karlach said in a soft tone.
Solasta gently cradled Ashla in her arms, which was quite comical having the much bigger woman cradled in the arms of the smaller one.
“Ashla, it will be Gale’s choice if he does this all, you need to hold your chin up and support the decision he makes if you claim to love him,” Solasta instructed.
“I know,” Ashla croaked.
“Well go spend time with him and tell him how you feel,” Solasta smiled.
Ashla sighed trying to regain her composure. Ashla slowly got up looking back at her friends who gave her a comforting nod, well Solasta and Karlach did, Shadowheart just gave a weak thumbs up to her clearly disinterested or perhaps she did this because she was afraid still to let the party get close. Ashla slowly walked to where Gale’s tent was. Her one good eye was still very puffy and red, Gale took note of her appearance immediately.
He chuckled, “You’re taking this harder than me.”
Ashla looked at him slowly wiping another stray tear from her eye. She could feel another sob about to rip through her because of his nonchalant behavior.
“Look at me Ashla,” Gale instructed seeing her about to have another round of painful sobs.
Ashla hiccuped slowly raising her gaze slightly to meet his. Gale offered a small smile.
“I am not afraid of doing this, if Mystra is asking me to die to pay for my sins, I will gladly do it if it means I’m forgiven, the absolute is destroyed, and you are safe,” Gale stated in a blunt tone.”
Ashla became angry at that, how dare her. How dare he try to make the decision of keeping her safe it meant he died in the process. Gods, she was falling for him she realized.
Don’t you dare admit you are in love with him Ashla, Ashla thought to herself.
Ashla had become angry, she shouted “I do not want you to die! E-especially not for me!”
“Let’s not jump to that yet, Ashla, we do not know what we’re up against,” Gale insisted.
“Fuck you,” Ashla shouted storming off.
Gale was hurt by her profanity targeted at him, but she needed to come to terms with this. His feeling for her was becoming more clouded, and Gale was worried about what decision he was going to make when the time came. Gale retreated to his tent, untying the ribbon that held up his hoe letting the fabric fall to the ground. He could feel the wonderful feeling of the cold air tickling his long leg hairs. As he lay down in his bed roll looking at his abode since he left Waterdeep. The smell of books, the settle sounds of nature, and the pounding of his own heart made him remember he was alive and not dead yet. Maybe the brilliant Ashla would find another way where he did not need to end himself. His eyes grew heavy and he drifted off to sleep.
Ashla was the last to wake at camp the following morning. She missed her morning prayers, breakfast, and the plans of the day with the party. Ashla cursed at herself for sleeping in so much, when it was Gale who insisted that she not be disturbed because of the turmoil he had forced onto her.
Ashla heard Gale’s voice, “may I come in Miss Diedas?”
Gods why was he being so formal with her now she wondered.
Ashla responded in a groggy voice, “Enter.”
Gale slowly opened the flap and brought in a plate of sourdough bread and the last of the grape jelly he stole from Cypress who was at that moment throwing a fit to Lae’zel. He slowly brought the plate in and noticed how Ashla was dressed in a very thin nightgown which exposed most of her chest to him which made him blush. When Ashla noticed her state her own cheeks burned from her cheeks and up to her ears, which made her instinctively cover her own ears out of embarrassment. Gale felt his heart melt at the sight.
He then cleared his throat gently coaxing Ashla out of her bedroll, “I have bread and jelly for you, I would give you protein but Lae’zel and Karlach ate most of the eggs this morning.”
Ashla nodded lazily as she snatched the bread from him. She gobbled it down all the crying from the day prior making her famished. Her eyes rolled back at the perfect tangy sweetness of the bread and the jelly.
Gale was making small talk, “I see you are not dressed yet, I know armor is done faster however when two people are doing it. May I be of assistance this morning before the party gets antsier?”
Ashla paused in her eating looking up at Gale. She felt a tingle run up her spine imaging Gale’s skilled hands works the latches of her armor, her hand in his warm one as he did the gauntlets, and seeing him look up at her as he with those big expressive brown eyes as he did the laces of her boot.
“Y-yes that’s fine…” Ashla whispered, “just turn around while I do my base layers.”
Gale nodded turning around. He could gear the rustle of fabric, his cheeks burned as he imagined feeling her body on his. * No, stop it Gale* . He scolded himself as he thought about her.
“Done!” Ashla announced.
Gale turned seeing as she was working on putting on the chain mail she wore on her arms and her chest. It jingled and they both could hear the impatient rustle of camp. Ashla huffed feeling the stress which led to Ashla putting on her armor wrong.
“Ashla,” Gale said gently.
Ashla looked back at him her eyes glossy with tears from her stress. She didn’t want to let anyone down, neither did Gale.
“Don’t worry about them,” Gale urged, “take your time….”
Ashla nodded looking down at Gale as he did the straps of her breastplate, the straps a ragged leather from use. Ashla’s gaze was gentle, Gale’s own was like a devoted puppy. Both of their cheeks were painted in pink. Gale felt his heart racing, begging to let all his love out for Ashla as he continued to help aid with the progress of putting on her armor. He kneeled slowly helping slip on her heavy boots. Ashla felt unsteady for a moment, but when she put her hand on his shoulder she saw him peak his head up to her. Ashla’s heart raced, she felt the heat of her redness going to her ears which made her cover them embarrassed.
Both pulled away once it was all over looking away flustered.
Ashla cleared her throat, “thank you…”
Gale nodded, his eyes looking up at her with the same devotion he had for Mystra. Gods he was in love with her, what was he going to do. Gale then parted the fabric of her tent gesturing for them to leave.
“After you my lady,” Gale smiled.
Ashla sheathed her sword and smiled at Gale, she walked out first Gale following behind. His hand finding her skirt just to be close to her. Ashla smiled at him sweetly as Astarion, and Cypress were ready to go. The parties torches were held high as they entered the darkness that was the Shadow-cursed lands. Astarion looked smug as they waked through the lands. Ashla could feel Gale’s presence behind her as they walked across the creaking roots of the lands.
They saw a small group of adventures also traveling a path. Cypress hid behind a dried out tree with Ashla. Cypress was crouched down their eyes flaming in the darkness of the cursed lands, they were about to leap out when Ashla spotted the symbols of the Harpers and they had spotted her.
“Come out into the light,” the Harper commanded of the small party.
Ashla’s boot was on Cypress’ tail, they snarled looking up at the Saint with their teeth clenched.
“We will not ambush them,” Ashla commanded to the teifling.
Cypress growled, “You are no fun…”
“Oh I agree, darling,” Astarion huffed.
Ashla sighed stepping out with her hands up, showing she meant no harm to the Harpers. The Harpers lowered down their crossbows and other weapons, which cracked a small smile on Ashla’s lips. Then it happened. One of the Harpers was snatched by the darkness, a man named Yonas. The possessed Harper called to them to join him from the depths of the curse. The Harpers once again pulled their weapons free, ready to fight the darkness.
“We can help,” Ashla smiled, proud look in her eyes.
“No need, we Harpers can protect ourselves,” the leading Harper.
Ashla’s divine smite helped illuminate the area, which allowed for Astarion and Cypress to target the shadows with their bows. Cypress’ felt the arrow fly it was like a release of themselves. A smirk spread across the tiefling’s smug lips. Astarion threw a grease bottle and Gale threw a fire bolt. The spell so common from his lips it felt like a second language. Ashla’s hair whipped around as she felt the heat of the mini explosion from the combination of the grease and fire. Gale paused his eyes locking on the fighting Ashla who was kneeling beside an injured Harper healing them.
Gale’s heart raced a heat spreading across his cheeks and into his loins. Gods she was beautiful. She was fierce. She was Ashla.
Ashla was to focused on aiding the wounded when the claws of the shadows dug into her very soul. Her eyes went wide as her sword was set aside and out of reach. Gale jumped into action, his staff breathing life as a path of missiles went to the creature ending it. Ashla trembled for a moment her body still weaken from the creature’s attack. Gale was at her side gently helping her up, he casted aside the warm feeling in his loins as he checked for serious injuries.
Cypress had walked over with Astarion to the Harpers to talk. The world seemed to disappear as Gale gently held Ashla’s face, a moment of intimacy they never had shared because of the orb never being stabilized.
“Are you alright?” Gale asked softly.
“Yes, I’m fine,” Ashla responded softly, a blush spreading in across her cheeks and to her ears.
Cypress and Astarion and finished and were ogling at the two, the camp gossip had been betting how long it would take for the two to finally admit their feelings for one another.
Gale whispered, “you know… I once read a book about how in times of danger people often crave the touch of another…”
Ashla became even more flustered, “you… you are attracted to me in a place as horrific as this?”
“Of course…” Gale whispered lovingly into her ear.
Ashla pulled away when she’s realized they still had an audience. Gale and Ashla held one another’s pinkies as they continued traversing the cursed lands. Astarion could not wait to tell Solasta and Shadowheart the two’s shameless flirting.