Shadows of the Forgotten: A Cursed Elf's Quest

FOUR

Sho spent the majority of the day writing letters to the previous members of their group, hoping that one of them may write back with some helpful answers. Just before midday she pulled on her boots, wrapped her cloak around her and headed out to the postal service on the edge of the lower city, south of Wyrms Crossing, or what was Wyrms Crossing anyway.

"Good day!" The man at the counter exclaimed as Sho adjusted the many letters in her arms. "How many to send?"

Sho peers down at the names scratched on each letter; Shadowheart, Wyll, Lae'zel, Gale, Halsin, Jaheira, Isobel, Minthara, and Karlach.

"Nine please." Placing down the letters onto the counter one by one, Sho suddenly stops at the final one. Karlach Cliffgate. Her heart stirs momentarily. She had forgotten her fiery companion did not survive the events within the city walls. A moment of heartache floods her body, Sho was so consumed with her nightly horrors she had forgotten that her closest companion was gone, and she could not turn to her when she needed a friend. A tough shoulder to cry on. Everyone had the fortune of being able to rebuild their lives, all except Karlach. Sho's eyes fill with tears, as she is snapped back to reality by the man at the stall.

"My dear, is something wrong?"

Sho quickly rubs her eyes, and clears her throat. "No, my apologies, I miscounted, just eight letters to send please." She gently stuffs Karlach's letter into her satchel.

"35 gold pieces for that my lady." Sho hands the man the coin as she thanks him and begins to head home again. 

On this walk she allows herself to sob over Karlach. In the many months since everything came to an end, Sho hadn't allowed herself the chance to mourn her best friend, she'd been so focussed on everything happening right in front of her, building her life with Astarion. 

After walking all the way back home, Sho was still sobbing, it had in fact turned into violent and almost uncontrolable wailing, luckily they lived away from most civilisation. Sho quickly wiped her tears away and looked at her front door to see Astarion in it's place, on the very edge of the shadow casted from the house. 

"Darling? What in the hells happened? What's wrong? Are you hurt? Do I need to kill someone or something?" He frantically exclaims, practically jumping out of his pale skin. 

Sho stopped in her tracks a few steps from him. Her knees buckled below her as she fell to the ground, landing on her hands and knees. The sobbing wouldn't stop. She could hardly breathe. Overcome with grief mixed with guilt. 

"Oh damn it all!" She makes out Astarion's voice through her frantic breaths and aggressive heart beat ringing in her ears. Within seconds she feels cold arms wrap around her body tightly, and the familiar feeling of being pressed against Astarion's chest. He calmly runs his fingers through Sho's hair. Her breathing begins to slow, the tears stop falling, and she no longer even has the energy to fight her sheer exhaustion any longer. With this, she falls into a sudden and deep sleep, as Astarion picks her up and carries her inside to their bed. Laying her down so gently as if he feared she would break. 

He gestures for Scratch to hop up onto the bed and lay with Sho, as he realises areas of his exposed skin are slightly cracked and charred, but are beginning to heal now he is sheltered once again. 

With not a single idea on what upset is partner so violently, he merely sits on the floor, folding his arms to rest them on the mattress, and placing his head on them so he can watch Sho as she rests, to stop signs of distress. Her hand moves slightly towards him, and with this he gently loops his pinky finger around hers, letting her know that he wont be going anywhere, even when she cant see him.