Chapter Text
The crew sets back out the next day when a man stops them for help--High elf? Halfing? It wasn't clear, but he was quite...beautiful. He pointed in the direction of a supposed "brain thing," and Hania went to search the bush, they noticed only a boar, but they had little time to question the man before he held them at knife point. "Now--I saw you on the ship, didn't I? Nod?"
Thinking on their feet, Hania cracks their forehead against his, sending him reeling. Before he even has time to finish the threat, their minds link parasite to parasite...
"What was that? What's going on?" The man manages to sputter out.
"If you put the knife down I can explain." They try to reason with him, but his walls are up. "I'm not an idiot, it has to be those tentacled monsters...something they did...They took you too. I saw it during...whatever just happened. And to think, I was ready to decorate the ground with your innards. Apologies."
They nodded, "I probably would've done the same." They confessed, and he chuckles softly, "A kindred spirit. My name is Astarion, I was in Baldur's gate when those beasts snatched me." Hania's eyes light up at the mention of their home, "I was taken from Baldur's gate as well." The reply, sweetly. Astarion looks around awkwardly, before speaking again, "We clearly move in different circles...so do you know anything about these worms?"
They catch Astarion up to everything they've learned thus far, ultimately deciding they can help each other out. Honestly, he didn't think much of them, he felt they were just a means for survival...pretty enough, but...nothing special. He wasn't privy to the backstory Hania had shared with the party, and as it stood, he was the only one who hadn't. That night, he finds Hania anxiously digging in the sand and putting a hag bane circle around their tent. He seats himself on a nearby log, "You there--Hania was it?" The bard nods in reply, finally looking up. "Uh--Yes! Sorry." They seem preoccupied, he notices the hag's bane by their bed roll, "Fear of hags?" he smirks, Hania nods, a bit sheepish. "Yeah--I had some run ins with Hags, and I'd rather they not catch wind of us." He wondered how he might exploit this...Make himself seem more necessity than he is. Recount his hag murder count and stretch the number? Or carefully let slip that he too has run into a few hags and single handedly bested them in battle? Hm...before he could settle on a tactic, they'd crawled into their bedroll...They appeared to be shaking. "Not a night time person I presume?" He lays adjacent to them, and they face him. "No...not especially..." Hania sighs. "Want me to keep watch?" He asks, and Hania's face rises slightly. "If you wouldn't mind...?" He nods, "Of course not darling. I'll keep you safe, if you'll keep me safe." He says such with a sultry undertone, some sensual implication that pinks at Hania's cheeks, "Uh...Y--yeah. Of course..." They look away, flustered.
He had them now...The plan came together rapidly after that, he would visit them nightly, inviting them to keep their tent pushed closer. He'd make small talk, imply a lot in fewer words, leave them hanging on his every dulcet tone...The nights where he'd catch them plucking listlessly on their lyre were the...more difficult nights. Their little face cast skywards as they sung softly under their breath...Absently, he doubted they could repeat the lyrics if he'd asked...
He didn't feel inclined to interrupt them, or so entitled to their personal moment...He would wait patiently, waiting until they were done zoning out before he approached..."Hania, darling. New song?"
"Ah--! No...not really. I'm not quite sure what I was doing," They smile at him "Hello Astarion, are you alright?" They always offered him concern, but he wasn't falling for that...they were all the same: Prey. If he couldn't exert power over Cazador, he would exert it where he knew he wouldn't be forced to stop or be punished for speaking out of turn. The hunt was the only place that reminded him he was no weakling...He'd fool Hania like he'd fooled countless others before. Make them obsessed with him so they'd never betray him..."I'm fine love, but I appreciate the concern...I simply came out to chat."
"You do seem the social type." they didn't know how right they were...But there was something sad behind their eyes...he recognized that look but wasn't sure from where...it was softening him. He didn't like that. "Something troubling you, my dear?" He pressed. Hania shakes their head, "I'm...just grappling with the reality of it all...and the scratching and writhing noises in my skull are making me sick..." Astarion notices hag's bane by their bedroll, "Hag proofing again?" He speaks trying to sound casual, "oh--yes. If I sleep outside, I have to cast a circle and put out the bane flower..." He noticed how they shook. "You've done more than enough, now get some sleep. I'll keep watch..." He knew they were his when he noticed the subtle way their eyes widened, cheeks peaching with blood again, his plan clearly working..."er--thank you..."
Hania downplayed much...they were desperately afraid of hags...During Hania's first encounter with a sea hag, they were told they were hag spawn...At 33 years old, they only have a few years left before a hag spawn transformation would occur---assuming the hag spoke the truth...Gods...they hoped she was lying to stir the pot...Hags do that right?
***
The day they had discovered the glamoured bog in search of Auntie Ethel's house...Hania couldn't tell why they were shaking every time the old woman was around. Not until the party came across two brothers accosting Ethel. They introduced themselves and claimed that Ethel was a hag--Hania's blood ran cold..When they'd all chose to hear the brothers out, Ethel snapped and she let her true colors show...The bog's glamour disappeared from it's beautiful, lush deception into the smoking, cesspit it truly was beneath.
They ran into a Gur hunter..."Astarion? What on earth for?" Hania hadn't told him Astarion stood beside them. When Astarion reached for his blade, Hania gave him a look to put it away. The man explained Astarion was a vampire who'd stolen children from him tribe...Hania lets this man live, feigning ignorance. "Good luck!" They wave ushering the party away before taking Astarion aside, "What the hells did you do!?" Their whisper sounded more like a hiss.
"Well what did you want me to do? Cazadors orders--I am physically unable to refuse him...I'm not happy about it either but those children are probably dead by now." Hania sighs.
"I know you'd have done better if you could have." And that sentence made him feel...odd. Different...but good?
They prepare to enter the hags lair, Hania wasn't ready to be labeled a coward. Not yet...and they also couldn't just stall with a young mother and unborn baby in peril...Hania wracked their brain over what they could do once they'd arrived at the teahouse on the way, but...they couldn't think of any thing...Astarion placed a concerned hand on their shoulder. They look up at him, a weak smile on their face. It was wordless but his sentiment was conveyed perfectly. Astarion kept his eyes on them, every tremor, every hard swallow, every hitch in their breath...He noticed it all.
Ethel's lair painted a terrifying picture...her victims all on display. Some tortured, some dead...all were mislead and suffered greatly for it...Hania casted 'speak with the dead' learning the terrible story of one such victim; her family attempted to steal away her daughter out of spite...She said she never wanted to see her family again...so Ethel gouged out her eyes...Astarion could see the distress on Hania's face. Not the fear they walked in with, but there was resolve now...They needed to put this hag down...
They had managed to find their way into Ethel's potion room. "Wow...all these potions...Hania you should chug one of them." Karlach laughed, but Hania flinches, "What?!" tears in their eyes before they realize they'd over reacted. "Ah--I'm sorry. I was distracted--reading the bottles." they fake a laugh trying to brush off how...odd their reaction was. Astarion looks concerned--on purpose of course! He need to secure his place in the party...
The final showdown was...cathartic in a way. It showed Hania that regardless of what they may or may not become by 40, that who they were before transforming...was a braver sort. More brave than they realized. They didn't even hesitate to fight the hag--scared though they were, this witch had to go.
Astarion was pretty miffed when Hania didn't accept the hag's bargain; Power for her life...but given their fear--he understood it enough...Hania deals the killing blow, coldly...it was a different demeanor for them entirely...If Astarion weren't a stronger man he might actually swoon a bit even. Mayrina was distraught, devestated...Hania let her scream at them, and then pulled the young girl in for a hug, "You've really been through it..." Mayrina starts to cry. If there was one thing Hania understood...it was the lengths a person would go to escape grief. And it was the only reason anyone would seek out a hag...The crew found the hags wand and use it to bring back Connor...but..."Mayrina, this is what Ethel had always planned to give you when it was over...he's all yours if you want him...even like this." Hania explained. "Everything a hag offers will come with conditions." Mayrina nods, eventually cheering up. "Who knows...they say you can find anything in Baldurs gate...maybe we can find a cure...thank you for...what you were able to do...come along, love." And with that they leave.That night, Astarion sat with them at camp again,
"You...did well." He struggled, afraid the statement was more sincere than he wanted to admit...Hania smiled at him. "I appreciate it..." They sink to the ground "Because when I think about what I did I---I'm about ready to vomit..." He pats their back, "Honestly, the smell of that putrid swamp alone could do that." He chuckled.
"Euuuugh! Tell me about it! What do these bog dwellers wash with!? Swamp mud and toad mucus? No...that would be far too moisturizing." The two share a laugh. Something about Hania put him at ease...He oddly enough, never felt like Hania was sizing him up--
Oh no...could this be a sign that Hania isn't interested? He has to think of someway to insert himself into their thoughts...But he couldn't be obvious. The two had been splitting a bottle all night, sharing stories and sassy comments as they both become more and more intoxicated and more...fond of each other by the minute...
He passed back more wine, it was Cazador's method for many things from carnal encounters to feeding...He had no intention of drugging Hania with either purpose...but...Gods their blood smelled...divine He could refuse it no longer, the hunger...He crept to their bedroll in the middle of the night, and attempted to take his first sip of a thinking-creature...When Hania's eyes fluttered open, and they flipped out. They'd woken up to several such happenstances during their time at the Blushing Mermaid Tavern, this was nothing new. They locked their legs around his waist and swung him onto the dirt floor, pinning his wrists. "State your business..." their eyes narrowed, and Astarion explained he was out for their blood. "I know i should have asked first...but I was....getting desperate." Hania didnt grapple long with it before agreeing. He did look weak...and he was their friend--they felt obligated to help him...
"And you're sure you can stop yourself?" Hania asked, and he nodded. "Alright...Please be careful. And next time--Hells! Just ask me like a normal person! That was f*cking terrifying!" Astarion laughs softly, as he stoops over them, his breath hot on their neck. Hania lets out a small, pained sounds as they feel his teeth sink into their neck. "Mmh--ah...son of a---..." Their hands against his chest as they attempted to bear with the pain. Shortly though, they'd no longer felt it. They'd read somewhere that vampires possess a hormone...or bacteria in their saliva that helps numb the victims skin before feeding--but they recall it being a voluntary salve; Astarion was purposely soothing the pain. He nearly drained Hania, until they'd shoved him off. And he looked...good. Better? He swore this blood would be beneficial to their mission, and Hania could see just how true that was...
It was objectively stupid for them to believe him, but...his chest warmed knowing that they'd trusted him to that level...
...He needs it to stop...
