[The courage she had to face him withered at his approach, because for all he had protected her, it would not have been difficult for him to simply put one of his pretty daggers right through her neck. Certainly, she'd given him plenty of reason to do so. As he spilt his words out all over the place, she had to pick through them to understand where the truly important ones were. They were, naturally, all important, but...
She needed to know what it was that set him off this time. Besides Raphael. They'd had their guesses on what his back said. Of course, at the time she'd translated for him, it was only conjecture. And it was true that if he was part of something larger, it was a very dangerous thing to bring everyone together. They knew that. And at the time, he'd not wanted her involved then either.
But she had braved a Githyanki creche, the Gauntlet of Shar, the Shadow-Curse, burning buildings, an Illithid colony. What was to stop her from going against Cazador? She had stood against Myrkul, the God of Death, and lived to tell the tale. Was she going to let a vampire lord stop her?
No. Of course not.]
And what do you suppose will happen when you no longer have the protection of the artefact? You will turn and become a thrall for that thing we saw down there. Is that the life you want to live? Do you think that's worth it? I didn't fight this hard, this far, to let you just throw it all away. It's fine if you don't want to come into the city. I won't force that on you. You can stay behind with some of the others if that appeals to you, but like hells am I just going to let you walk away. If you can't face Cazador, I can.
[Lifting a hand, she splayed her fingertips right over where her heart thumped. Somehow, Astarion was always so good at making her feel so very alive. Whether she was angry or stirred by him towards other passionate pursuits, somehow he always made that happen.]
I am still not afraid to do what is necessary, to do what I think is right. I won't hold you to the same expectation, but wherever you're running to, it's not going to stop me from doing what I have to. At a point, one has to stop running. One has to face adversity, even if it's fear. It's fine if you're afraid and it's fine if you feel that you can't fight. Because I will fight for the both of us.
[Because he was worth that, at the very least. Nepione might have been willing to fight for all of them and she had certainly proven it more than once. If she had to prove it one more time, she wasn't going to let anything stop her.]
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2023-12-22 04:36 pm (UTC)She needed to know what it was that set him off this time. Besides Raphael. They'd had their guesses on what his back said. Of course, at the time she'd translated for him, it was only conjecture. And it was true that if he was part of something larger, it was a very dangerous thing to bring everyone together. They knew that. And at the time, he'd not wanted her involved then either.
But she had braved a Githyanki creche, the Gauntlet of Shar, the Shadow-Curse, burning buildings, an Illithid colony. What was to stop her from going against Cazador? She had stood against Myrkul, the God of Death, and lived to tell the tale. Was she going to let a vampire lord stop her?
No. Of course not.]
And what do you suppose will happen when you no longer have the protection of the artefact? You will turn and become a thrall for that thing we saw down there. Is that the life you want to live? Do you think that's worth it? I didn't fight this hard, this far, to let you just throw it all away. It's fine if you don't want to come into the city. I won't force that on you. You can stay behind with some of the others if that appeals to you, but like hells am I just going to let you walk away. If you can't face Cazador, I can.
[Lifting a hand, she splayed her fingertips right over where her heart thumped. Somehow, Astarion was always so good at making her feel so very alive. Whether she was angry or stirred by him towards other passionate pursuits, somehow he always made that happen.]
I am still not afraid to do what is necessary, to do what I think is right. I won't hold you to the same expectation, but wherever you're running to, it's not going to stop me from doing what I have to. At a point, one has to stop running. One has to face adversity, even if it's fear. It's fine if you're afraid and it's fine if you feel that you can't fight. Because I will fight for the both of us.
[Because he was worth that, at the very least. Nepione might have been willing to fight for all of them and she had certainly proven it more than once. If she had to prove it one more time, she wasn't going to let anything stop her.]