#the pale drow

Halsin: I still don't.

Gale: *turns and looks up at Halsin* Think of it in more of a flower-is-beautiful and not in a tree-is-big kind of physicality.

Halsin: *sighs* Flowers can be deadly and wilt away.

Gale: Hmmm...

Wyll: He has questionable motives at best, but some do prefer a bad boy I suppose.

Gale: *snaps his fingers and points at Wyll* That's a good point.

Emperor: That still doesn't explain it.

Wyll: Touche.

Halsin: Enough is enough. I'm just going to ask him. *ignores Gale's attempts to pull him back and walks over to Astarion*

Astarion: *looks up from his book as Halsin approaches*

Halsin: Astarion, we were curious. What did you do to win over Iseult?

*Gale and Wyll peek around Halsin*

Astarion: *smirks* Is that what you boys were squawking about over there?

Gale: Curious minds. *nervously waves at Astarion*

Astarion: Of course. *he closes his book and looks at the men in front of him and then shrugs* I held a dagger to her throat when we met.

Halsin: *jaw drops*

Wyll: That...that was not what I was expecting.

Gale: Is that true?

Shadowheart: *walks up to the group of men* Is what true?

Gale: That Astarion held a dagger to Iseult's throat when they first met.

Shadowheart: *calmly nods* It's unfortunately true. I saw the whole thing. Her eyes lit up brighter than the fucking sun.

Astarion: What can I say? *a mischievous glint touches his red eyes as a full smile showing his fangs touches his lips* Some of us are just better at wielding our daggers than others.

Wyll: I actually hate you.

Iseult: *looking up from her book, mumbles to herself* Is?

Astarion: *sitting beside her* Darling, why don’t you put that book away. *smirks and lazily runs the back of his fingers up her arm*

Iseult: *still processing Is* Did you…did you just call me Is?

Astarion: Is short for Iseult. *he stares blankly at her like it is the most obvious thing in the world*

Iseult: You gave me a nickname?

Karlach: So what’s it mean?

Iseult: *looks up from the campfire into the tiefling's bright eyes* Huh?

Karlach: Your name.

Iseult: Oh! Um. Well it means “pale one”…my, uh, father chose Iseult.

Astarion: *tilts his head and watches but says nothing*

Karlach: Is it cause your the color of a corpse? A pretty corpse but…you still look kinda…well dead.

Iseult: *a small smile pulling at her lips* I wish.

Karlach: *expression falling and her eyes grow wide* What does that mean?

Iseult: My father isn’t exactly a kind man, but he is a clever man. Or rather he thinks he’s clever. I’m only half Drow. And I look very unlike my people. Though, I also look very different than humans too. But according to my father, I have too much of my mother’s coloring. So, he named me Iseult.

Gale: Hells...

Karlach: I…I don’t fully understand.

Shadowheart: *sneakily places her hand over Iseult's hand*

Iseult: *still smiling at Karlach* I don’t look enough like the Drow. My skin is too pale, my hair is too dark. Even my eyes are too muddy to be considered red. *she lets out a soft chuckle and gestures to her face* And not to mention the scars. So my father basically named me after slang we use to describe things considered ugly.

Karlach: Fucking hells...

Iseult: It's ok. I tend to like my name. Having pride in it is a big fuck you to ol' dad. *she smiles brightly at Karlach*

Karlach: *her face relaxes into an honest expression* I think you have the right of it there. And for what it's worth, I don't think you're ugly.

Iseult: Well of course not, I'm fucking gorgeous. Now, someone pass me the damn wine.

Iseult: *blinks away the sleep as she sits up from her bed roll* Hmm?

Astarion: *kneeling beside her* Wake up.

Iseult: What's going on, everything ok?

Astarion: I...gods. *he grabs her chin and makes her focus on him, he swallows* You are beautiful, Iseult.

Iseult: *her stomach drops*

Astarion: *his eyes flash like blood in the dying fire light*

Iseult: I think we're still drunk.

Astarion: *he lets out a pained chuckle* Stop that. I...I'm trying to be serious.

Iseult: *ignoring the stinging weight growing in her eyes*

Astarion: You are beautiful.

Iseult: *starts to shake her head*

Astarion: Stop. *tightens his grip on chin, not tight enough to really hurt but just enough to bruise* I will tell you every damn day until you believe me.

Iseult: *takes in a shaky breath*

Astarion: I know I'm supposed to say something like looks aren't important and it's what's inside that counts right now, and while you are arguably delicious on the inside, you are undeniably delicious on the outside. Why do you think I wanted to bite you that night? I had plenty of other choices. But if I was going to eat an apple for the first time, why wouldn't I pick the best looking apple?

Iseult: *closes her eyes*

Astarion: I am that shallow, darling.

Iseult: *lets out a strangled chuckle and opens her eyes to meet his*

Astarion: Let me be your mirror now, yes?

Iseult: *smiles and tries to ignore the tear that falls*

Astarion: *leans forward and licks the tear from her cheek, he lets out a soft growl* Delicious.

Iseult: *softly* Are you sure?

Astarion: Are you questioning my taste?

Iseult: Always, darling.

Lae’zel: *clicks her tongue in disgust*

Astarion: *smiling obliviously up at the sky*

Iseult: *trying desperately not to appear woozy*

Shadowheart: Are you drunk?

Lae’zel: It’s the tadpole. She is changing. We must end her life -

Iseult: No, no! No. I’m drunk. Yes. Drunk.

Shadowheart: *gasps* Is that - *points* a fucking hickey?

Iseult: *jaw literally drops*

Astarion: *smirks*