Viva unlocked the door and slunk into the dark room. Better to not wake its occupant. Gently, she placed her items onto the floor and pulled out her pen and parchment. She checked again that she'd packed the stack of documents Alyndra had given her.

Shadowheart's limbs draped over the majority of the bed. Hopefully her sleep wasn't feigned. Viva didn't want to explain her jumbled thoughts. That's what the paper was for.

She tried to write to her mother, her father, Ramiro, even Bea. As she circled around her circumstances and the near impossibility of her survival, she imagined her father's white-knuckled grip on the paper, her mother pacing holes into the floor trying to figure out how to get to her. Viva blotched several of the attempts with silent tears. One burned between her fingers. A half-completed letter to Bea transformed into a fly and buzzed away. When she ran out of paper, Viva had only drafted one letter:

Félix,

I hope this letter finds you profoundly annoyed that I have yet to perish. I think you are the only person who would hear of my predicament and say, “Good, I hope that does happen to her,” which makes you the only person to whom I can write coherently.

Alyndra begged me to wait at the Pearl and let one of you come to bring me home, but I can't. I don’t want to worry everyone more than they already are, but you won’t care, so I can tell you. Imagine my face. That’s how my face is now. Imagine my face but with beady orange eyes and squid skin and tentacles and no soul. That’s how my face could turn out if my friends and I don’t get this fixed. Please don’t tell Mamá.

Much to your chagrin, I will return home as soon as I no longer pose a larger risk than usual. If you won’t pass along my love to everyone for me, then please do it for them.

Your least favorite sibling, Viva

P.S. Please thank Bea for saving the Hallowleaf documents for me. I’m leaving the records with Alyndra but taking the letters for when I miss my father. I can’t believe Mamá forbid you all from telling me that their house had been torn down. But, as I’m sure you would argue, I probably would have set everyone on fire by accident. I have matured so much since being abducted. 😊

It would have to do. She needed to get some rest before Lae'zel came knocking.

The nooks and crannies of Shadowheart's sprawled form left just enough space for Viva to position herself on the edge of the bed. As sleep came to take her, Shadowheart rolled over, hand falling onto her shoulder. Both women roused slightly as Shadowheart pulled her closer.

"Nocturne," Shadowheart sighed, still riddled with sleep.

Something in Viva knew it all along. Shadowheart was too lovely to have caught no one's eye. This Nocturne would surely be none too happy to know that it was Viva's forehead Shadowheart rested her own against.

Shadowheart's movements became less languid as a hand reached up to grasp for something just above Viva's head. Viva closed her eyes, hoping Shadowheart would awaken, realize her mistake, and roll back over.

"Oh." Shadowheart's hand lowered to rest gently against Viva's head. "Viva?"

"Mm?"

"Why are you in my bed?"

"Alyndra got upset when I told her I wasn't going home and Karlach said you were the one not sharing a room."

Shadowheart's fingers stroked Viva's temple. "The mind flayer tadpole—oh, excuse me, tadpoles—in your brain weren't enough to deter her?"

Viva barely dared to breathe lest she learn she was in a dream of her own. "I didn't tell her about the tadpoles."

"Why not?" Shadowheart's tone only held curiosity.

"I just…I know it's real. I know I can't wish it away, but if I tell them…it becomes more real somehow?"

Shadowheart shifted closer, her fingertips wandering gently down Viva's cheek.

"I have one other half-elf sibling," Viva continued, "my brother, Gael. Alyndra's actually his granddaughter but it feels strange to say that she's my great niece. Anyway, Gael died of old age about a decade before I was born."

"That must have been a great loss for your family," Shadowheart's lips brushed gently against Viva's cheek as she spoke.

Viva tried to shove down her wish for Shadowheart to keep talking. "My mother tries to hide how much the experience devastated her. I always think about how she'll have to go through it again because of me. Now it could be literally any day. And my father—I'm supposed to be there. He must be so—" Viva squeezed her eyes tighter to hold back her tears. "I'm letting everyone down."

Shadowheart shifted again. Her hand moved downward, fingertips slowly tracing Viva's jawline from her ear to her chin. "You're not. Even if the worst comes to pass, loss is the price for everything worth having. You are worth having."

Giving into temptation, Viva opened her eyes to Shadowheart's freckles, her sea glass eyes, her dark hair spilling in every direction. Dark hair and green eyes had always held a tender spot in Viva's heart. Her stomach twisted into knots as she asked: "Who's Nocturne?"

Shadowheart tilted her head. "I don't know. Who is Nocturne?" As the name passed her lips, her face crumpled into a grimace.

For a moment Viva thought that Shadowheart had succumbed to memory, to grief, but her right hand spasmed, nails digging into Viva's face.

A cry stifled behind Shadowheart's lips. Her right hand maintained a vice grip, the pinch of her nails tightening each passing moment. She looked to it, then back to Viva, panic welling behind the pain in her eyes.

"It's alright. You can hold onto me," Viva whispered, fighting off a wince. "It'll be over soon."

As the pain subsided, Shadowheart's muscles relaxed by inches. Viva tested stroking her hair, trying to subtly shift it away from her face and neck where sweat had started to bead. Shadowheart whimpered and lowered her head onto Viva's chest. Her hand released.

"I'm sorry," Shadowheart murmured.

"Why would you be sorry?"

"You're bleeding."

"That's just my birthmark."

Shadowheart lifted her hand and ran her fingertips over Viva's cheek. They came away wet and red. Her lips moved as she began to whisper a spell.

"Don't waste that. We can just tell everyone that I'm so fantastic in bed you couldn't control yourself."

When Shadowheart looked up at her with the beam that comes before uncontrollable laughter, Viva knew. Finally, she allowed her arms to snake around Shadowheart's waist, pulling her fully on top. The shifting of their bodies against one another as they laughed felt so natural, so right.

As they settled, Viva's breathing shifted, slow and deep as she gazed at the beautiful woman in her arms.

"But really, what did you mean about—?" Shadowheart hesitated to say the name again.

"You said it while you were asleep."

"Oh. I swear I don't know. How do you even know it's a name? Perhaps I just like music."

Viva traced a line up and down Shadowheart's back. "No. I think if I live to the end of this, I'll lose you, but someone wise recently told me that loss is the price of everything worth having. So, if you'd have me—"

Shadowheart's eager nodding created another burst of giggles.

"I'd very much like the chance to have you."

She didn't wait for further answer. Fingers lacing in that soft, dark hair, Viva brought Shadowheart's lips to hers, desire building with each kiss. Her knees lifted, pressing into the soft flesh of hips and thighs.

Shadowheart unclasped a metal fastening and her shirt fell open.

Viva set her lips hungrily on the newly exposed skin. Beginning at the neck, she worked her way downward.

Shadowheart's hands shook as she tried to untie the cord holding Viva's shirt closed at such a conservative angle. Viva kissed her through the smile that pulled at her lips each time the normally cool and collected cleric became flustered and had to pause.

Body and soul, she hadn't realized how long she'd wanted this. Her fingers slid over the curves of breasts and hips before securing around the leather waistband of Shadowheart's pants. She tugged once, gently. Her head leaned back to catch Shadowheart's expression and ask permission with her own.

Shadowheart shifted downward to kiss her once more.

Creak.

Both women startled as light flooded through the door.

"Wake up, dar—" Astarion drawled before realizing what he had stumbled upon. "Oh my!" he chuckled, "Vivanellia, you naughty girl! Shadowheart, I expected you to have more taste, to be honest."

"OUT!" Shadowheart shouted, throwing a pillow at him.

"And that's still not my name!" Viva protested.

Though the forest was nearly as dark as the Shadow Curse, that didn’t seem to bother the party as they worked their way toward the Creche. Though Shadowheart's singular focus had dissipated as they traveled away from Shar's influence, she still felt the sting of that night.

Even with her eyes glued to the forest floor in front of her, Shadowheart heard Viva quicken her pace to catch up with Halsin.

“Are we near Muscadine Grove?” Viva asked.

The rhythm of the druid’s steps slowed. “I believe so.”

“Is The Dusky Pearl Inn still around here?”

The smile in Halsin’s voice didn’t have to be seen. “I didn’t know you were familiar with the area.”

“I used to come here with my father, and a few of my siblings have lived in this region. My brother, Alonso, even lived in Reithwin for a time before the Shadow Curse took effect.”

Halsin chuckled. “Ah. One of Crescencia’s children. I should have guessed as much. I’ve yet to meet one of your siblings who failed to inherit your mother’s beauty.”

Something in Shadowheart prickled, but she dared not lift her eyes to the scene before her.

Shadowheart could almost picture the spark in Viva's eye and the smirk she tried to suppress as she giggled. “Halsin, I don’t want to know which of my family members you’ve been to bed with.”

Deep, rich laughter answered her. “Very well, then. They do say ignorance is bliss.”

The paint used for the plump purple grape on the inn’s sign was infused with mica powder so it sparkled in the torchlight, Viva explained to no one in particular.

Shadowheart wouldn’t have cared if the sign depicted Selune herself. The prospect of a night under a roof sounded heavenly.

Viva paused at the doorway and looked back to Lae’zel. “Hood up.”

“Is it not your custom to remove head wear when entering a building?” Lae’zel asked, measured between curiosity and offense.

“Normally yes,” Viva answered, her tone just as calculated. “However, a githyanki regiment overtook the temple of the main deity in this area and a kith’rak recently destroyed the bridge connecting this town to the rest of humanity.”

Lae’zel donned her helmet and gloves rather than lifting her hood. Every now and then Shadowheart could see her piercing gaze assessing the potential threat of the farmers seated at the bar or the parents trying to corral their three young children.

“You’ve got business!” One of the farmers called over the bar.

A young elven woman poked her head through the kitchen door. “Welcome to the—Vivi!” She dropped her dishcloth and darted around the bar, flinging her arms around Viva. “¡Todos han estado tan preocupados por ti! Por favor, dime que estás bien.”

“Estoy bien,” Viva confirmed, voice tight. She seemed almost as surprised as the woman who embraced her. “No sabía que trabajas aquí.”

The woman kept her hold on Viva's arms as she chatted away in Elvish. She gestured over to the notice board with her head. Shadowheart spotted a missing person poster with Viva’s face on it. The likeness was remarkable, but Shadowheart supposed that most elves had centuries to hone any craft they’d like to be good at.

Finally, Viva wriggled free and turned to the party. “This is my niece, Alyndra. Alyndra, these are my traveling companions." Alyndra’s golden eyes widened as she took in the party. Viva added, “They’re all friends."

"Pero es un—"

"Una amiga de nuestro lado. We were hoping to rent some rooms for the night before we move on.”

“Claro que sí, pero, Vivi...”

“My friends are tired. ¿Quizás podemos discutirlo después de alquilar los cuartos? Podemos pagar.”

Alyndra shook her head and began counting the party. “There are eight of you. We have four more beds in the big room and two privates that can fit two each. It's late enough I'll let you take them all for the price of one. Vivi can stay with me in my room. We need to catch up."

As the keys were distributed, Shadowheart nicked Viva's portrait from the notice board.

Though she wasn't sure if it was kindness or the fact that none of them wanted to be in the same room with her, Shadowheart didn't mind the privacy to study the poster.

MISSING

Viva Faintree Half-elf Black hair with red sections on left side Distinctive red birthmark on left side of face and neck

Last seen leaving The Friendly Arm Inn on 20 Eleasis in the direction of Baldur's Gate. Please contact Vincent Faintree of Baldur's Gate or House Veraverde with any information.

Underneath, Alyndra had scrawled a note indicating that she could also accept information as a relative of the missing person.

Shadowheart ran her finger over the sketch of Viva's face. Of course her family would move mountains to bring her home. The love she'd been raised in shone through in every word and gesture.