As the Ash Settles

Chapter Thirty-Two: Children in Hell.

Karlach was weakened as the group made their way to the portal, a smile on her face. Citrine ran to her. "I can hear it beating, I can feel it too." Citrine hugged her friend.

"Enough waiting time to get back to my life's work." Lucretious began walking to the portal. "Hurry on, besides it probably isn't the healthiest keeping a baby here." Citrine stood straight at the words. There they were plain as day, Lucretious had let the cat out of the bad. Karlach looked down at Citrine who had turned into a board in her arms.

"Wait? No, Soldier, there's no way. There's a baby in you?" Gently pulled back from Citrine looking her over. "Still kinda skinny for a baby to be in there."

Astarion's voice boomed, "A baby in where exactly. I do hope we are talking about some hypothetical baby and not that someone didn't tell me something I really think I would have to be the first to know."

"Oh, she didn't even know until I told her yesterday calm yourself Astarion." Lucretious waved towards the portal.

"You knew yesterday? Was there not a good time to tell me?" He walked to Citrine pulling her from Karlach. "You mean to tell me you brought my child into hell?" Citrine stood silent.

"How about we give you some space?" Lucretious walked into the portal all but Shadowheart and Hope followed.

"I'll, just uh go. It was good seeing you. Wyll and I have plans on keeping in contact, this probably isn't the best time just talk to Wyll." Hope scurried off to another room.

"Shadowheart, please leave so I can talk to Citrine in private." Astarion's voice was more of a growl than anything.

"I'm not going anywhere until you've calmed down." Shadowheart crossed her arms. Citrine looked at her with pleading eyes. "Fine, but I'll be waiting right outside the portal and if you take too long I will be back." Shadowheart left eying the two as she went through the portal.

Astarion took a deep breath, in his eyes she could see he was gathering his thoughts. "How is this possible? How far along are you? And most importantly why didn't you tell me?" His voice was softer, he cupped Citrine's face to look into her eyes. "And what were you thinking going to hell with my child in you?"

Tears fell from Citrine's eyes as she looked up to Astarion. "I don't know, I don't know, I didn't want to ruin your plans, and because I'm stupid." He pulled her in for a hug. She sobbed into his chest.

"You're not stupid firstly, secondly what plans are you talking about?"

"You leaving." Her hands bared into his back.

He pulled away from her, shaking his head with frustrated laughs. "I didn't want to do this in fucking hell." He paced away from her, laughing losing himself. He turned to Citrine. "Fuck it to all the Gods. I was planning a much more romantic, loving not being dropped with huge fucking news." He cleared his throat. He pulled a box from the inside of his coat, Astarion grabbed her hand with his free one.

With a deep sigh, "Citrine, my darling, my love the moment I held a dagger to your throat and instead of pleading for your life you fought back I knew there was something about you after I tried to feed on you while you slept and you treated me like a person and wanting to do nothing but help. When you held me after having to face my own demons, I have loved you. I have loved you for so long, when I said 'no' even though you could have been granted power you still stood by me. I have loved you and did not understand that love." he got down on his knee. "My murderous, generous, animal-loving, saving people, sweet, kind little elf, and now apparently the mother of my child will you be with me forever? Will you plan to cheat death with me and be my wife?"

Citrine had not taken a breath his entire speech, the walls around her spun. She did not answer, she nodded slowly. Astarion slipped on the gold ivy-looking band that held a beautiful yellow sapphire. He kissed her hand "Yes, yes I will." He stood lifting her up and spinning her, he set her down pulling her into his embrace. "Yes, a million times over yes."

"Well don't all dramatic on me, one will do my love." He laughed pulling her close. "As much as I'd like to relish in this moment forever, there is a portal to hell in a circus that needs closing." He wiped the tears from her eyes. Holding her against him they jumped through.

Shadowheart was waiting just outside the portal as she promised. Citrine ran to her showing Shadowheart her ring. Shadowheart looked to the ring then to Astarion a small smile escaping her lips. "Gale," she yelled. Gale came back into the tent clearing everything and started to close the portal. Astarion walked to Citrine's side.

"We still need to talk and figure out how this happened." Citrine nodded to him. Her friends were back from hell and Astarion was not leaving nothing could be wrong.

Astarion left the tent to find Lucretious, spotting her talking to a few of the workers he interrupted. "How did you know?"

She looked at him smiling. "Well when you work with death you have to know life, and she is beaming with it. I've heard of vampires tearing through villages and impregnating someone, you must have been hungry."

Astarion looked at her with bewilderment. "I didn't though." Lucretious smiled as she turned back to her employees.

"Wait, she died after I don't understand."

"Are you not partly walking death? Life will find a way just as nature and death do. Something wants your children alive, be thankful they are not many as lucky as you two."

"Children, wait will they be vampires as well?"

"Children that's what I said three heartbeats within her body. One for her, two for the children. And what did you think they would be? They are half you are they not? Half vampire half elf well I guess a quarter high and wood. Able to walk in the sun, eat from both blood and food, yada yada. I have things to attend to now."

Astarion stood in shock, not only a child but two.

"Well hello, Father." Wyll's hand grabbed Astarion's shoulder. "Now I myself am not a father but as from one child who has had rather tense relations with theirs, remember your child is a part of you but they are also their own person. I'm happy for the two of you although dangerous times to be bringing a child to the world though I'd say there probably is never a right time."

Astarion looked at Wyll holding up two fingers.

"Two, well that is something. We should have a drink tonight, and toast to our family expanding. Thank you Astarion, I will make my rounds of thanking everyone but thank you. Karlach has a new lease on life and as do I." Wyll hugged Astarion who stood, arms hung by his side. Two children, not one but two.

Citrine was surrounded by Karlach, Gale, and Shadowheart all processing the news. Shadowheart was constantly grabbing between the ring and Citrine's stomach.

"I think Auntie Heart would suit me best."

"Gods no that's too close Auntie Karlach. I saw we let the kiddo choose."

Gale shook his head, "I think Uncle Gale has the best ring to it."

"Now, now we all know Uncle Wyll will be their favorite, you all shouldn't even bother." Wyll hugged Citrine, placing his hands on her stomach. "I'm going to teach you two to fight, to defend the weak, and protect those who can't."

"Two!" Gale proclaimed, "Well if you're teaching them that I must teach them the wonders of the weave, although I don't think Mystra deserves a hand in these two."

Citrine's breathing was growing short, and the circus around her began to spin, she tried to speak but the words did not come. The last thing she saw was the morning sky before she fell.