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karniss-bg3 · 7 months

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Midnight Snack

In the late hours of the evening Tav found themselves hungry. Moonrise was uncharacteristically quiet and still, many of its denizens out on patrol or assigned to various parts of the withered city. Tav enjoyed these rare moments of solace and solitude especially considering how often they were under scrutiny by the dark residents. They wandered into the kitchen, an area that was in various states of cleanliness. Pots and pans were scattered about haphazardly and a slightly musty aroma lingered in the air likely from the build-up of dust and rot. Despite this Tav wasn’t willing to sacrifice a proper meal regardless of their surroundings.

They got to work gathering what pans and utensils they could scavenge which still held promise, dumping them into a wash basin to give a good scrub down. While elbow deep in the soapy water their ears pricked when they heard a familiar clicking nearby. However, it wasn’t at ground level. Rather it was along the walls within the room, shifting as it seemed to come closer. Tav knew that sound, growing accustomed to it in their short time in Moonrise. Carefully they let their gaze drift to their peripheral managing to catch a fleeting glance of a certain drider looming nearby, moon lantern suspiciously absent. Kar’niss had likely heard the commotion and opted to come investigate, perched on one of the walls close to the ceiling. Unfortunately, he was too large to walk upside down but he did take advantage of the darker corners to keep himself moderately concealed. Tav pretended not to notice resuming the task at hand but kept an ear out all the same.

Eventually they finished cleaning and wandered over to the wood stove, tossing in a few logs and lighting it with a fire cantrip. A fire roared into life with such fervor that Kar’niss backed away and smushed himself tighter into the corner, quietly hissing to himself. Tav said nothing as they dusted off their hands. They knelt down next to their travelers pack digging through the contents until they found the ingredients they were after. Much of the available food in this area was rotten or less than ideal, long past its expiration date. It made Tav thankful that they had extra supplies from their journey through the mountain pass. They cut up sausages, onions, carrots and a bit of garlic which were dumped into the heated pan on the stove top. The ingredients started to sizzle on contact, a notion that caught the drider’s attention, leaning forward with a hint of curiosity while maintaining a wide gap of distance.

“Hungry?” Tav asked, keeping their gaze on the food.

Kar’niss jerked from some surprise, gazing about with some haste as if confused on who Tav was asking. He realized no one else was in the room bar the pair of them which made him shift with some nerves.

“We do not eat what True Soul eats,” his voice quiet.

Tav used a spatula to stir the contents of the pan to prevent it from burning, the various aromas mingling together drowning out the musty smell of the room. “A shame, this is a good meal. Also, you can call me Tav if you wish. True Soul sounds so...formal.”

Kar’niss’ eyes squinted, crossing his arms over his chest. “No, Majesty bids we address you as She wills it.”

Tav hummed and nodded knowing better than to push the issue further. They went back to cooking, grabbing a bit of lemon to squeeze over the meat for added kick and finally some salt and pepper to taste. “Curiously, what is it you do eat?” Kar’niss took a cautious step closer, more of his twisted form revealed in the dim light. “Blood. We must feed every four days, more often is ideal.”

“Heh, sounds like someone I know,” they mused. “Well are you able to at least have a taste? You still have a mouth, seems silly that you can’t at least sample what I’ve made.”

The drider pressed his lips into a thin line. “We can, but why would we? Pointless.”

Tav dumped the contents of the pan onto a plate, using a fork to scrape it into a manageable pile. They’d then wander over to where Kar’niss was perched, peering up at him in his cozy corner.

“Because I still owe you for saving my skin the other day. I’d be a corpse if you hadn’t acted quickly. This isn’t much of a thank you, granted, but it is a start.” They’d smile and stab the fork into the meat and vegetables. “You’ll have to come down though, I’m unable to reach you from here.”

A deep, vibrating growl rumbled in Kar’niss’ throat although it was not threatening, more like confused annoyance. At first it seemed he had no intention of answering the request, perfectly happy high up on the wall away from the perceived pest. Tav waited patiently able to see the mental journey Kar’niss was going through due to his conflicted expressions.

“Tch, if it pleases the True Soul then it also pleases our Queen,” Kar’niss concluded.

Hesitantly Kar’niss descended, his legs clinging to the stone walls barely managing to keep him aloft. He’d lean down as Tav lifted up their arm, extending the fork toward his mouth once in range. The former drow sniffed at the collection of food skewered through the metal prongs, his head jerking back as if the smell offended him.

“Come now, it’s not as bad as all that. Just one bite and I promise I’ll let you be,” Tav said.

Kar’niss sighed, his reddish eyes darting between the fork and Tav, his arms defiantly crossed over his chest. He leaned closer, his lips trembling as if he worried the food would bite back. With a sharp snap of his head his mouth took in most of the fork, lips forming a seal. He’d then jerk back using his lips to free the food stuffs from captivity, backing up and away from Tav as he did so. With his mouth full at first he looked stumped as if unsure what to do. Who knows how long it had been since he’d consumed solids and his recent inexperience was showing. Tav looked on but allowed Kar’niss to take his time, recalling how temperamental the drider could be.

He’d soon will his jaws into working, fangs gnashing awkwardly at the portion with some struggle. Thankfully it hadn’t been a large serving, soon conquering the morsels and alleviating his mouth with an audible gulp. His expression scrunched and a shiver ran down his spine as if the entire performance was most unholy. “Awful. Tastes like sawdust,” He concluded with a spit. He stuck his tongue out and began furiously wiping his palms over the surface to rid himself of any remaining particles.

Tav blinked at his assessment before a wide smile creased their lips, followed by an amused chuckle.

“I suppose I didn’t know what I expected. Your taste buds were probably permanently altered when you changed considering your new diet. As you said, pointless. I thank you for humoring me all the same, Kar’niss.” Tav scooped up a fork full for themselves, popping it into their mouth with a pleased crunch. They didn’t seem concerned about eating after the drider, something he took notice of.

Tav retreated to a nearby table to sit and finish their meal. Even though their interaction appeared to have concluded, Kar’niss remained. He smacked his lips together, rolling his tongue behind his teeth, trying to collect a hint of the offerings natural taste. Alas it appeared such was not meant to be. He peered at Tav with some confusion. They were easily the most bizarre True Soul he’d ever encountered and he wasn’t sure what to make of them. He rubbed the back of his neck while his eyes blinked intermittently out of sync, watching the strange individual while they ate.

“I do have a question,” Tav began between bites, “before you changed, what did you like to eat?”

The question caught him off guard, his mouth opening as if to speak yet his voice escaped him. It took him time to think it over to recall such a distant memory, scanning the depths of his broken mind. He shrank in place when he dug too deep, memories resurfacing in bits and pieces, many of which made his stomach churn. It took real effort to shove certain thoughts away in order to focus on what he wanted to recall.

“Grilled...rothé. I liked grilled rothé and zurkhwood mushrooms.”

“Ah, underdark cuisine. Makes sense. Well, if I can ever get my hands on either maybe I can make it for you. It might taste like sawdust but it’ll be a nice break from blood, hm?” Tav finished off their plate feeling far more sated.

The drider’s face scrunched up with some anger, crawling down the wall to step on the floor below. “Why does True Soul care? We do not need these things! All that matters is our Majesty’s will, Her desires! We must focus on guiding more faithful to Her path and that should be your only concern.”

Tav looked up from their empty plate as Kar’niss stomped over, his form tall and imposing especially with Tav seated as they were. They’d look up at him able to glean the conflicted wave of emotions etched in his expression.

“Are you not one of her faithful?”

“Tch, we are Her most faithful!”

“Who is to say I was not sent here to reward you for your service?”

Kar’niss felt every muscle in his torso tense in unison as if a minotaur had punched him in the chest. He backed down from the table lifting one hand to grasp at his hair, bewildered by such a bold statement.

“What is the True Soul suggesting?” “I am suggesting that our Queen sent me to look out for you. She led me to the lyre, She led me through the mountain pass, and She led me to you. Is it really such a far fetched notion, after everything you’ve done?”

Tav knew what they said was dishonest and they were playing a dangerous game. But they couldn’t hope to make leeway unless they humored the notion of the Absolute to some degree. Their very presence at Moonrise risked being compromised at any given moment. They had spoken with many in the tower and deemed most of them beyond saving. Most, except for Kar’niss. Tav’s gaze settled firmly on Kar’niss maintaining their composure hoping their deception wouldn’t be perceived.

Perhaps it was because Kar’niss desperately wanted approval from the Absolute, or perhaps his mind was far too fragile and scrambled to notice, but he seemed to believe the statement that was made. His sharp fingertips scratched the front of his throat, his bulbous backside wiggling with a clumsy wag.

“Sh-She has...rewarded us,” He whispered under his breath. The hint of moisture collected in the corners of his primary pair of eyes, a shaken breath pulled deep into his lungs. “Majesty, have you really heard us? We are worthy of your mercy?”

Tav looked on while Kar’niss processed everything. It broke their heart to see the drider like this, lost to the cult mentality and the desperate search for acceptance. They knew they had a long road ahead but if they could disconnect Kar’niss from the rest of Her followers, perhaps healing could begin. They rose from the chair, collecting their empty plate to dump in the nearby wash bin. They’d approach Kar’niss whose gaze seemed transfixed on the ceiling, delivering silent, tear-filled prayers to his savior.

“You are worthy of more than just mercy, Kar’niss. Majesty has seen the sacrifices you’ve made, as well as the suffering that came with it. She might not always speak to us but she shows her approval in other ways.” Tav paused and bit their lower lip as a thought came to them. “Our Queen has just spoken to me. Tomorrow evening meet me here after the patrols have left.”

Kar’niss swallowed heavily, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. “She speaks?! What did She say, True Soul?”

“I can’t tell you, not yet. Tomorrow all will be revealed. Trust in our Queen and all will be well, alright?”

“Y-Yes...yes, She knows what is best, she will protect us with her endless wisdom. We will return here tomorrow.”

Kar’niss wouldn’t spare a moment more loitering in the kitchen. He had to retrieve his moon lantern from Balthazar, he needed to be prepared for what was on the horizon. He climbed back up the wall and headed for a hole in the ceiling, barely managing to squeeze his large body through, entering the second floor. Tav stood there and watched him retreat, exhaling a heavy breath of relief. That was close, too close. They had plans of their own now and the clock was ticking. They’d grab their pack and hoist it over their shoulder, the cogs in their mind working overtime.

“I really hope this works, for his sake and mine.”

#baldur's gate 3 #kar'niss #drider #bg3 #karniss #baldurs gate 3 #karniss x tav #sfw #karniss fanfic #bg3 fanfic #my writing #kar'niss fanfic #kar'niss x tav

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theskeletonprior · 4 months

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This Tav Tale was commissioned by @quaintrix who graced me with the opportunity to write this fun little scene with Kar'niss! Thank you for trusting me with Solinore. This was incredible fun to write! Interested in a Tav Tale of your own? Look here for details. It is the third day, and Kar'niss is so, so hungry. Solinore can help with that. Content Tags: Blood-drinking, cult fanaticism, drider snuggles, some body worship. Read it on AO3!

At least, Kar’niss thinks, he will die bathing in his Lady’s light. His Queen, who saved him, who gave him purpose. A kind voice, a mighty voice, drowning out the torment of the evil that had been done to his body and mind. “I know you test us, Majesty,” he whispers. “But I have been strong. It is the third day, but we are not broken. We do not lower ourself to taste the blood of heretics. The filth.For you, I will endure these hunger pangs. Your light is all I need, my Queen. It purifies us against the pain.” Except that his strength is flagging, and his hunger only grows. He knows this, in his heart of hearts. Kar’niss holds tight to his Lady’s lantern. It is so cold here, in this twisted forest, and the darkness is deeper even than that in the land below, the spider bitch’s stolen kingdom. May she rot. May she rot! Kar’niss’ legs carve gouges in the dirt, as he lowers himself, holding the light close. And then he hears it. The snap of a dry twig, just beyond the clearing. It’s a terrible effort to pull himself up, and he staggers when he tries, baring his fangs at the intruder. “You—” The hunger pang rips through him like a thunderbolt, and he catches himself on the lantern. The soft, silvery light illuminates her, catching in her coral hair, the streaks of blue like a fading day. He’s seen a sunset in his exile, terrifying, beautiful... “Did you send her to me, Majesty?” Kar’niss whispers softly, taking in this vision, aglow in the lamplight. Solinore... He remembers. He remembers her name. The True Soul.

“No divine intervention here,” Solinore says. “Just me. Are you...” She looks him over, assessing. “Are you hurt or something? You look a bit stuck.” She takes another step closer, and Kar’niss snarls, skittering back, forelegs slashing the air. Solinore puts up her hands.

“Hey, relax. Same team, remember?” Kar’niss can feel his Lady working through her, forcing his need into the light, filling his mouth with the taste of blood, connecting his mind with Solinore’s by a thin gossamer thread. He recoils.

“You shame me, Majesty... Why?” He rakes his clawed finger through his hair. “Have I displeased you?” Solinore risks another step closer to him, fearless, radiant. Somehow the cold recedes as she draws near, and then he sees it. A scar on her throat from a vampire’s fangs. Could she be a spawn? No... He can hear her heart, he thinks. Kar’niss moves suddenly, and even this is not enough to make Solinore flinch. He catches her face in his chitinous hand, feeling for her pulse with the pad of his thumb. It quickens, and her cheeks take on a deeper pink, growing warm enough that he can feel it. He leans close, the hunger drawing him in. She’s alive.

“What has laid its fangs to your throat?” he asks, and Solinore chuckles at the question.

“Why? Want to take a bite?” Kar’niss skitters back from her, nearly tripping over his own unsteady legs as he draws himself up to his full height.

“Disgraceful,” he gasps, rumbling deep in his throat. His own heart quickens. “Do you hear her, Majesty? A bite? A bite?” As though it is something so simple. So freely, so easily given. But the hunger twists inside him, the profane agony that Lolth had cursed him with. He grits his teeth against the pain, against the fury.

“Not to judge,” Solinore says glibly, “but you look like you might need it.”

“It is the third day,” Kar’niss confesses, breathing through the pangs, “and we are starving. But you... You must understand... She does not know, Majesty, what she offers to us.” She does not know what we are. What it means to be what we are.

“You’re in pain. I get the part that means I get you out of a bind, and maybe you owe me one. What else is there to understand?” Solinore looks at him so gently, so gently in the light, and she smiles as though she still thinks this is a small favor. As though he’s asked for a copper to buy bread. “You’re not going to hurt me, right?”

“No.” Kar’niss knows in that instant that he would never. His own body, mangled as it is, would rebel against him if he tried. What angel have you sent to me, Majesty? “But we are starving... If we dare too much, if this wretched hunger...” He reaches out to touch, the curve of his talons stopping short of grazing Solinore’s cheek, the dark scar there. “Protect yourself from us. Take your dagger and do what you must, True Soul.”

“Solinore,” she corrects him, stepping nearer again, into the reach of his arm. He can forget the cold, the darkness all around them.

“Solinore. Yes. Do what you must, Solinore, if our restraint...” He inhales sharply. “If our hunger proves greater than my resolve. If we prove unworthy to taste you.” Kar’niss can see that darkening of Solinore’s pale pink skin, and when she looks back at him, it’s with a certain bashfulness... Or perhaps she’s simply trying to decide which of his eyes to look into.

“I can look after myself, trust.” She has a grin like a fox. “I have a few tricks up my sleeve. You’re not my first, remember.” Kar’niss is daring, again, and he touches the marks on her neck.

“That pale one,” he remembers, “with the scarlet eyes.”

“You know, you’re not exactly sunkissed, yourself,” Solinore teases, “but yes. We’re...” She sighs, frustrated. A momentary shadow. Kar’niss can feel her displeasure and something else that he feels he should not chase. “Never mind what we are.”

“Is he...” Kar’niss traces the marks with the very tip of his claw, restraining the desire to pierce the flesh, to lower his head... The thread of the question frays away. “...a jealous god?” Solinore’s laughter is so loud and so bright that it startles him. He recoils, and that just makes her grin broaden.

“You got the first part right,” she says. “He can be jealous... That’s fine with me. It’s fine.” She shrugs her slender shoulders. “So are you going to let me help or am I going to come back tomorrow to find your princely self lying on your back with all your legs curled in? Pretty undignified, if you ask me.” Kar’niss scowls, his lips peeling back from his sharp white teeth.

“Such irreverence, Majesty; does she wish to enrage us?” he grouses. “But the offer...” He inhales deeply, leaning down so that his face hovers just inches from Solinore’s. His dark eyes reflect her mismatched ones, pale green and pink shining against black. “We have warned you, True Soul... Solinore. We have warned you.”

“I’ve got the idea,” she says, rolling her head to expose her neck. All of Kar’niss’ eyes train themselves on the smooth, unmarked side of her neck. So welcoming. Kar’niss rests his lips against her pulse, feeling it against the delicate skin, but doesn’t yet open his mouth to bite. The desire is difficult to resist but he knows he must be strong, he must not be the monster Lolth has made him. No... No, he must be careful.

“Are you ready?” he asks, and Solinore makes another flippant reply that only his hunger allows him to ignore.

“Let me have it.” Kar’niss inhales. It’s hard to speak, instead of biting, instead of tasting. You have blessed me with strength, Majesty. You have made me patient. You have made me gentle.

“Put your arms around my neck,” he whispers, a rumble belying the command, “and remember what we told you.” Kar’niss keeps hold of the lantern with one hand, but when Solinore winds her slender arms around his neck, he catches her up with his free arm, and crushing her against him, pulling her into his torso with his forelegs. He grazes her skin with his teeth, a last warning. Solinore doesn’t so much as shudder. She relaxes. And then, at last, he bites. He’s mindful of the marks the vampire left; the jealous one. Solinore makes a soft sound, an airy sigh, and it almost rings to him of pleasure. Pleasure? It doesn’t matter. The taste of her blood obliterates everything. The pain, the weakness, it leaves him like a stone disappearing into a chasm in the deep of the underdark. Like a memory dissipating into fragments. So far lost that there’s nothing left to even begin looking. When he lifts her off the ground, his strength is effortless, and he feeds from her while her feet dangle off the ground. It is difficult, oh so difficult, but his Lady gives him the will to pull away, his chest heaving. He does not let even a drop of her escape, laving his tongue over his lips.

“More, please... May I...?” Solinore’s arms go tight around his neck again, and she leans into him. The pressure, the warmth of her body, is an unbearable call. “Please, let me...” And then she says it. She blesses him, takes pity on the evil ravening thing inside him.

“Yes...” He kisses the wound he’s made, and latches on, filling his mouth with that incredible taste, swallowing. There’s something else, something sweet in the blood. It makes him feel as he felt when he’d first seen the Lady’s light, and it warms him, saves him. When he begs for more, he cannot even think of feeling ashamed. And each time she tells him yes, yes, yes... It is a miracle. Not the foul, ugly feeding he’s known, the curse he must fulfill. The vicious attack, desperate for another day alive. A deep purr reverberates from his throat, a vibration that he’s certain that Solinore can feel. She tangles her fingers in his hair, stroking through the silken strands, and he could almost weep for joy.

“Thank you,” he murmurs, the words still thrumming with that deep purr. He holds her close, the lantern still dangling up above them, breathing in her scent in that blessed gleaming. “Thank you, oh, thank you.” Solinore stirs in his hold, and he adjusts, to cradle her, and the lantern, safe in its silvery radiance. She looks tired, as she gazes up at him, but she smiles with a satisfaction that makes his heart jump.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Anything,” Kar’niss agrees, helpless, adrift on the taste of fresh blood.

“What’s that noise? I can feel it...” Her hand drifts, her palm flat against his chest. “Here. It’s... Almost like a cat, when you scritch their ears just right.” Kar’niss settles down carefully in the dirt, keeping her cradled close. He can hear himself, still, feel the vibrations down to his bones.

“Your blood tastes sweet as my Lady’s love,” he tells her. “We cannot help but express our pleasure, to taste something that is so... miraculous.” He leans in, swiping his tongue over the marks left by his teeth, licking the wound clean. There is some quality of his saliva that numbs the pain of his bite, though it thins the blood some to make it easier to drink. “We are happy,” he breathes. “Sated.”

“I know what I want,” Solinore says, toying with the ends of his hair. “For the favor you owe me.” Kar’niss bends close to listen. What could she ask of us, Majesty? He expected this, but when she speaks again, it takes him by surprise.

“Be my noble steed.”

“Your what?” His purring stops, choked off by the request. He very nearly drops her, but she’s still holding on with one arm. Solinore giggles, still drifting on the same after-current.

“Let me ride ya, drider.” Even he has to admit that the half-rhyme is... Somewhat amusing. His indignation softens. He can forgive her sense of humor; she’s lately bled for him.

“We will carry you on our back and return you to camp,” he agrees. “She must rest, mustn’t she, Majesty? After giving so much...” Kar’niss lets Solinore down, but keeps his body low, to make it easier for her to swing a leg over his lower back. He offers her his arm. “Come, then.” Solinore straddles him, pressing nearly flush against his body, and surprises him again by draping her arms around his waist instead of around his neck.

“Hyah...” She pats at his belly and Kar’niss is helpless against a chuckle. An indomitable sense of humor on this one.

“Do not let go of us,” he warns sternly, getting his legs underneath him. He rises slowly, pausing only once when he feels Solinore sway, but she proves deft at keeping her balance. Holding his Queen’s lantern high, he makes his way back towards their camp, her warmth at his back. When they are nearly there, he can hear Solinore humming softly, and just for a moment, he remembers how it had felt to be complete. The darkness in his mind swallows it greedily, but the tune lingers long afterwards.

#bg3 #Kar'niss #Kar'niss x Tav #karniss #karniss x tav #Tav Tales #The Prior's Commissions

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cheeky-little-pup · 6 months

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Ok what about a Beauty and the Beast retelling with Kar’niss - since he needs blood the cultists gave him a girl they found and deemed pretty useless and they put her in his room to feed on and while he does feed on her he’s kinda nice and apologetic about it and she can see he’s obviously in pain and not in his right mind and she knows the cultists do that to people - anyways one day there’s an opening and she tries to escape and she’s either found by the cultists or ventures too far in the shadows but Kar’niss saves her and he gets hurt so when they’re back in the room, although he’s mad as hell cause she could’ve died she helps him with his wounds and then she falls in love bla bla bla then Tav frees the Nightsong and the Harpers attack Moonrise but when they’re about to kill Kar’niss she begs them not to and Tav arrives and demands the Emperor extends his protection to him and in the end they go to Baldur’s Gate together to destroy the brain, the end.

#what do you think?#another fic I won’t write #make it smutty of course #Kar’niss #karniss #bg3 #baldurs gate 3 #baldur’s gate 3 #karniss x tav #tav #bg3 Kar’niss

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smetankaart · 4 months

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I'm sure if Kar'niss was romanceable he'd call Tav only "my queen"

#karniss #karniss x tav #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #if not romanceable why romanceshaped

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russica · 3 months

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Kar'niss appreciation 🖤

Fun Facts! Ryth would treat Kar'niss like a really close friend. He would care for him and tryband help him adjust after the shadowcurse. He'd beg Gale to keep him and with 9 big old puppy dog eyes staring back, that man would cave. Kar'niss would have a room in Gale's tower despite everything.

Naerym is a freak and is dtf the bug 🖤 Deapite being an embrace the Durge run, Naerym loves its bugs and be extension, Kar'niss. It raises giant spiders and actually treats them really well. It also treats Kar'niss really well. They'd go on a spree hunt then come back home and cuddle covered in viscera 🖤❤️ True love

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chronicsinner · 1 month

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#character ai #ai #cai #suggestive #karniss #kar'niss #karniss x tav

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littlelovelore · 2 months

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do not feed the shadows

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mooshywrites · 3 months

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~Masterlist~

Fanfic Requests ~ OPEN

Art Commissions ~ Closed

This is not a minor friendly page. 18+ only. On extended hiatus :)

Baldur’s Gate

My Series -

~Fem!Reader x Halsin~ Echoes of Love and Loss ~ complete

~Fem!Reader x Ascended Astarion~ Bloodied Stars ~ ongoing

Astarion -

~Gn!Reader x Astarion~ Something Borrowed, Something New - Fluff- Both you and Astarion have spent many months searching for something to allow him to walk in the sun again. However, you’ve had absolutely no luck. Who knew that the solution to your problems would come from just a little teasing

~Fem!Reader x Astarion~ Making It Our Own - Smut/NSFW - Astarion has made the incredible decision to settle down, buying a shop to run a fabric business. The place is definitely a fixer upper, but that doesn’t seem to be the Vampire’s biggest problem. It doesn’t quite feel like his own and he knows exactly how to fix that

~Gn!Reader x Sub!Astarion~ Unwind - Smut/NSFW - Astarion has been stressed lately, his embroidery business completely taking off. Between orders and customers, he’s sure his entire neck is full of knots. Luckily, you have something to help him unwind

Gale -

~Fem!Reader x Gale ~ Mage Hand - Smut/NSFW - Gale has been trying out a few new spells now that the world isn’t, well… ending. Ones that he didn’t deem useful in the chaos of his adventure. The latest one he’s learned intrigues you more than him. Doesn’t everyone need a helping hand?

Halsin -

~Fem!Reader x Halsin~ Bedtime Stories ~ Smut/NSFW - Halsin has ran himself ragged with bedtime stories, his charges demanding to hear a tale or two every night. He comes to you for help, hoping you have a few stories to spare. Unfortunately, this simple ask is going to leave the two of you with very little sleep tonight.

~ Fem!Reader x Halsin~ Rutting season ~ Smut/NSFW - After learning as much as you can about your Druid, surely there’s nothing about him you dont know about. Or could he be hiding a kink that you’re just dying to try?

Polyamorous! pairings -

~Gn!Reader x Astarion x Halsin ~ I’ll love you forever ~ Fluff/Angst - Being in a relationship with your pale elf and bear is easy. Coming to terms with how short your human lifespan is compared to yours? Definitely much harder.

~FemOmega!Reader x Beta!Astarion x Alpha!Halsin ~ Cold Relief ~ Smut/NSFW - Your heat is coming, and it’s coming on fast. Much too fast to hide it from your companions

Headcannons -

~ You fall into their laps accidentally

~ Giving and receiving flowers from them

~ Jealousy

~ Teasing them

~ Are we married now?

~ The Gentle Drow

~ Can we have a baby?

~ Can I touch your ears?

~ Tiefling and their Pale Elf

~ Picnic

~ Wedding Day

~ Being a Dad

~ How they like to kiss

~ What makes them blush

~ How they take care of you when you’re sick

~ How to tell they’re falling for you

Blurbs -

~ Bubbles and Ducks - After a long day, every throuple needs a way to relax

~ Ever the Gentleman - Wyll wont get to be the most charming one. Not with you around

~ Serenade - Baldur’s Gate men and their silver tongued bard

~ Revivify - Halsin wont lose you. Not today

~ Secret Turn Ons - What makes the Baldurs Gate men squirm?

~ Sensitivity - Everyone’s got a soft spot

~ Falling asleep on their laps - Naps can sneak up on even the strongest of heroes

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major-nasya · 1 month

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I’m so normal about him

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cornflowersisblue · 4 months

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Do the fools want to die in the dark, Majesty?

I'll be damned, how hot Kar'niss is 🖤

#drider #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #baldur's gate iii #kar’niss #bg3 karniss #karniss x tav #dnd drider #bg3 act 2 #bg3 romance #bg3 kar'niss #bg3 screenshots #larian studios

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karniss-bg3 · 7 months

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An Unexpected Outing

Blackened miasma consumed the skies above the Shadow lands, bathing the once vibrant area in darkness eternal. The aroma of moss, mold and rotting trees was potent enough to sting the insides of ones nostrils, a lingering scent that followed travelers around without end. Tav, by way of a miracle or pure deception, managed to convince Kar’niss to accompany them on a small trip away from Moonrise towers. The drider stuck close to Tav on their short venture out while keeping a greedy grasp on his moon lantern, holding it high to cast radiant light a decent diameter around them. All the while the shattered creature mumbled to himself, speaking of Majesty and begging for Her protection along the way.

Tav had grown accustomed to the incoherent ramblings almost coming to find them endearing. Occasionally, they’d glance over their shoulder at Kar’niss whose many eyes kept a diligent watch of their surroundings. Despite his intimidating size and shape there was a prominent nervous energy that lingered all around him, paranoia his constant companion. Any unusual sound or rustling in the brush made Kar’niss stop in place, swinging the lantern around with panicked urgency. “Mm mm, the shadows...mustn’t feed the shadows. We should be quick, we wish to return to Majesty,” he hissed. Tav turned to face the beast, looking up at their tense guide. “We won’t be long. I’m sure the herbs I seek are nearby. Despite the curse, I read that the plant I need is durable which means it may still grow out here.”

Kar’niss shot Tav a skeptical glance but eventually his body relaxed, for the time being at least. “Hurry along then.” They nodded and took in a breath, stepping away from Kar’niss to observe the flora that was within view. Much of it had succumbed to the shadows, wilted and withered down to brown and black stalks. What wasn’t dead had become corrupted and unusable, stripped of what nutrients and viable applications the plants may have had before. Tav winced with worry yet their determined nature encouraged them to press on against the bleak circumstances.

From the corner of their eye they caught sight of something unusual. Upon closer inspection they spotted a cluster of flowers that were strangely lively despite their surroundings. Black spade shaped petals were outlined in dark purple hues, the disk at the center a navy blue color with single thick stigma sprouting from within. Tav noticed a collection of orb shaped lights dancing around the outer layer of the fascinating plant, all no larger than a peanut in size. The glow seemed to intensify the closer Tav leaned in to look, transfixed by the hypnotic way they swayed around the cluster. A sickly sweet smell seemed to ooze from the flowers like that of a more pungent honeysuckle. Try as Tav might they couldn’t recognize such a plant, far outside of their knowledge. It did little to sway their curiosity finding themselves with the urge to reach out and touch this new discovery. “What is this…?” Tav asked, their hand beginning to outstretch. Kar’niss turned his head when he heard Tav speak. All of his eyes widened in unison when he realized what was happening. “NO!” Kar'niss shouted.

The sound of frantic clicking echoed throughout the abandoned woodlands as all of Kar’niss’ legs jumped into action. He rushed over to his transfixed charge and reached out. His arms coiled over Tav’s chest while his pedipalps snapped shut around their waist, hooking over their legs. Tav felt the ground pulled out from under them as Kar’niss lifted their body and jerked them away from the plant, backing up in swift succession to put distance between them. Kar’niss snarled and melded Tav’s back to his chest, keeping them hoisted from the ground and the apparent threat. “Mustn’t touch, True Soul!” Kar’niss growled.

The jarring experience was enough to snap Tav out of whatever spell had been placed on them. Their vision blurred briefly then corrected itself back to normal, allowing them to see with eyes unclouded. The strange, peanut sized orbs morphed to reveal their true appearance. Tiny two headed flies with four glossy wings buzzed around the flower, tiny gnashing teeth bared in anger at the pair. More began to rise from the disk of the flower until there was an alarming number, their bodies buzzing with aggression. “What—What is that??” Tav asked, eyes wide.

“Flesh eaters, death bringers, foul dregs of the shadow kin!” Kar’niss explained as he continued to hold Tav up and away, their legs dangling freely.

The flies began to swarm while a harrowing droning sound rose around them. Kar’niss took a step forward and lifted the lantern jutting it in their direction. When the blinding light made contact with the swarm it was enough to make them retreat and keep away, forcing them back into the darkness. Tav could now see the area better and noticed a body lying close to the flowers. It had been dead for sometime, much of it’s flesh stripped and what little remained had become defiled by hundreds of fly eggs and larvae. Tav squinted, feeling sick to their stomach, turning their head away so as to not look any further.

“Gods, I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” Tav frowned.

Kar’niss lowered the moon lantern when he was sure the threat had passed, the ridges of his brow creased into a deep V shape. “True Soul mustn't touch what they do not understand!”

Tav bowed their head, their heart rate steadily returning to normal after such a close call. With the danger gone they realized where they were perched. Kar’niss’ arm still clutched around their chest as did the pedipalps at their hips. They had never been this close to Kar’niss before, always pushed away or dismissed if they even tried. The bizarre exoskeleton that stretched over portions of his torso was hard to the touch as if covered by rough plastic. What natural skin remained was somehow still soft and vulnerable. This close Tav could study the details of the driers face which included those many eyes and the scars on his cheek and lips. They could feel his labored breath on their neck, shallow and strained as if every intake of air was a struggle. Above all else they could feel the strength of his grip, how easily he held Tav aloft as if they weighed nothing at all. There was a security in it, a comfort, a sensation Tav didn’t wish to end.

Kar’niss took notice of Tav blatantly staring at him. He grew self conscious as if snapping back to reality. His spider legs bent enough to lower Tav back to earth, releasing his hold and staggering away to place distance between them once more. His ever scrutinizing gaze held on his charge longer than it normally would until he cleared his throat.

“We return to Moonrise. You can find your precious herbs later. My Queen waits for us, we will answer.” Kar’niss didn’t give the chance for Tav to argue, spinning his hefty body around to begin the march back from whence they came.

Tav stepped forward and held out a hand. “Kar’niss, wait…” The drider grit his teeth with annoyance, sparing a glance over his shoulder. “What is it now?”

Tav stood there a moment, many thoughts whirling through their mind. “I just wanted to say thank you, for saving my life. I’ll remember that.” Tav smiled as they stepped forward to return to Kar’niss’ side.

The drider looked visibly confused while clutching the moon lantern tighter to their core, a few of their long legs shuffling underneath them as if from uncontrolled excitement. The antsy movement was swiftly quelled as he focused on maintaining control. “Hmph.”

He tipped his chin and started walking once more, his head held a touch higher than when they arrived. Kar’niss returned to his unhinged mantra, praising his Queen and Her protection. However, this time he spared a glance Tav’s way now and then, taking far more notice than he had in days past. The trip back to Moonrise held more promise than before and a spark had ignited in the drider. Only time would tell if it would grow into something stronger.

#baldur's gate 3 #kar'niss #drider #bg3 #karniss #baldurs gate 3 #my writing #fanfic #kar'niss x tav #sfw #romantic #I've had this in my head for weeks and finally got around to writing it #karniss x tav

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theskeletonprior · 2 months

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This Tav Tale was commissioned by @quaintrix. Thank you for coming back, and entrusting me again with Solinore! Interested in a Tav Tale of your own? Look here for details. Kar’niss has developed a new fascination. Content Tags: Consensual blood-drinking, attempted cult deprogramming via tadpole Read it here on AO3!

Kar’niss has developed a new fascination. He does not forget his Queen, no, but she has sent this True Soul to him for a reason. Solinore. So much slips away into the dark, but the taste of her blood is emblazoned on his mind. A single bright spark in the shadows, too eye-catching to ignore. He has not been so drawn to anything since he first held his Moonlantern in his hand to light the way. It’s difficult to think of anything else. His hunger is sated. There are not yet new faithful to guide to Moonrise. So Kar’niss follows this fascination. In spite of his size, it’s easy for him to move relatively undetected. The True Souls are not all created equal, and most keep their eyes ahead. They don’t look up. Kar’niss moves in the rafters with a second nature he hadn’t had before Lolth had changed him. He hears Solinore before he sees her, and as he peers down over the broken stone, he understands why.

Araj Oblodra. Her name rings out as clear in his mind as his own. That blood thief. His lips pull back from his fangs, his stomach twisting at the wrongness inside her. The stink of it. The taste. She has his blood, too. Taken from him when the third day had come, and his body was weak, and his desperation had made him incapable of saying no, fighting back. The cut was swift, long healed, but he feels it still. That vampire spawn is with Solinore, the object of Araj’s interest. Kar’niss knows without having heard it, what Araj must have asked of them. The swift cut. The bite. Flood his mouth with the foul taste of her.

They must tell her no, Majesty, he thinks. Say it, True Soul. No. Kar’niss doesn’t realize it when his tadpole connects to Solinore’s, doesn’t realize that she hears him, and is gone before she can look up and answer him. Back to his web, where Araj will not come, for fear that he might fling her from the walls. She does not have enough of his blood to control him anymore, to make him recoil from the idea of harming her. She has not learned now to make it last. His Queen in all of Her great glory protects him. Still, he knows it’s best not to linger, to let Araj see him. She is cunning, and wicked. If she sees him, she will watch, wait for that third day, when he is weak, when he is fragile. Kar’niss scuttles back to his nest, up high, higher, close to his Majesty. He settles in the silks, amongst his threadbare cushions, clutching one to his chest. He breathes slowly, closes his many eyes. The darkness comforts him. He is alone with his Queen, enfolded in her grace that softens his great forgetting. He is not lost, shattered. Merely adrift in the soft shadows. They can be beautiful again, as they had been in the murky before. Sometimes he tries to reach for memory, to what was lost. He knows House Oblodra, the wicked things they’d done before Lolth had leant her aid to House Baenre to strike them down, he knows that the enemy of that spider bitch is his friend, but he knows just as well that Araj Oblodra is not so dear as that. She wants his teeth in her, to watch what her filthy blood does to him.

Kar’niss’ grip tightens on the cushion, the stuffing itching against his chest where it pokes through, but in time, he relaxes again. He is nearly asleep when he hears ascending footsteps. Not the quickstep of goblins, in a hurry to reach his nest so that they can summarily flee from it, not the brisk, soldierly footsteps of one of Z’rell’s minions.

“Who comes, my Queen?” he wonders aloud, moving up in his web, clinging to the outside of the tower. Perhaps he will be fortunate, and it will be some poor fool who doesn’t know better to stay out of the silks. His hunger is not so urgent, yet, but he feeds when he can. The dry bones littering the ground are evidence of this, cracked open so he can suck the marrow out too.

“Ugh, this place is filthy.” Kar’niss has heard this voice before, how it shifts nimbly from honey into venom, thick as blood in the air. A decadent voice. Another answers, and this one he knows, too. Feather-light, relaxed, but in a practiced way. Delicate as lace, and as intricate. He stays out of sight, listening to their banter. Perhaps they mean to go elsewhere, or they’ve become lost in Moonrise. But the voices grow louder. Closer.

“You could’ve stayed downstairs if you’re going to complain the whole time, Astarion.”

“Oh, not to worry, darling. I shan’t complain the whole time. Just most of it.” The heavy curtain draped over what amounts to the doorway leading into Kar’niss’ nest flaps aside. “Wonderful! Nobody home. I don’t suppose that means we can leave now, does it?” Solinore doesn’t bother to respond. Kar’niss can hear her footfalls clearly now, brisk, fearless. She calls to him. He wonders if she knows she’d barely have to speak to conjure him. It is a wonder that she has come back to him of her own accord. You bless us, Majesty.

“Kar’niss?” He hesitates, barely daring to whisper to his Queen for guidance. What if she has struck a bargain with Araj Oblodra? The thought makes him bare his fangs. He doesn’t show himself. “I just want to talk,” Solinore tells him. He can feel her mind, so she must feel his. He’ll be found. His Lady is a bridge between them. “I saw you watching us.”

“What did you tell the blood merchant?” he asks from his place on the wall. Solinore chuckles, and it’s such a bright, airy sound that it almost lures him closer.

“We told her to fuck herself, obviously.” It’s so vulgar that Kar’niss believes it and he moves into sight. He takes in his... Visitors? Solinore, bright and pretty as the first day he’d seen her, and Astarion, handsome in his way but with a lip that’s curled in disdain for his surroundings. Squeamish. “I’ve got a question for you,” Solinore says.

“Ask. We are listening.”

“Why’d you warn us?” Those mismatched eyes look up wonderingly, a curiosity that Kar’niss meets with his own. He hadn’t. Unless he had merely forgotten.

“Did the dark swallow up another piece of us, my Queen?” The vampire spawn scoffs at him.

“Nothing in his head but cobwebs and a wriggling tadpole, I’m afraid. Let’s go.” Solinore waves him off, a faint furrow in her brow.

“You were watching us. You wanted us to tell her no. Why’s that?” Kar’niss has to contain himself.

“Araj Oblodra has stolen blood from us,” he says. “Her House is wicked, and none of what she offers will do you any good. You were wise, spawn, to keep your fangs out of her neck. She would prey on you.”

“You don’t say.” Astarion rolls his eyes. Red like rubies, deep underground. Jealous, he remembers. Solinore had called him jealous, once. Make me patient, my Queen. Kar’niss inhales through his teeth. This man means something to Solinore, and what he knows for certain is that she has been blessed by the Absolute. He must be here for a reason. For the moment, Solinore pays him no mind.

“You helped us,” she says. “So now, I’m here to help you.” Kar’niss cocks his head. Another strange offer, and one made for nearly nothing.

“We did not help. I watched, nothing more.”

“Well, then this is a steal for you,” Astarion chimes in, dodging nimbly when Solinore elbows at him. Kar’niss descends from his web. See my faith in you, Majesty.

“There is nothing that I need that my Queen cannot provide,” he says, and the vampire spawn laughs at him. The mocking sound makes Kar’niss bare his teeth.

“Quite a boast, with an illithid tadpole curled up nice and snug inside your brain.”

“Lies!” Kar’niss nearly lunges. “They call you an abomination, Majesty! An intrusion.” The snarl reverberates deep in his chest, his hand itching for his sword before Solinore comes between them. He bends, snatching her face in his hand, long claws brushing against the delicate skin as he searches her eyes as though he could see the truth in their mismatched color. This is not enough to frighten her, though he sees it when Astarion reaches for his scimitars. Solinore’s hand closes gently around his wrist, and then her mind touches his. It isn’t the overwhelming force of the Absolute, but something gentler. She is only asking, and he yields. He lets her in, and she shows him a vision of true horror. The illithids, the nautiloid... All of it through her eyes. It is a torment that passes in an instant, crowding his mind with day after day of this infection. Kar’niss cannot believe it. He has been taken in. Deceived. When he recoils, it’s with force enough to send Solinore stumbling. “Blasphemy! Blasphemy!” This cannot be, my Queen. There is steel at his throat before he can rear back, before he can arm himself.

“I think that’s more than enough.” The vampire spawn is not so gentle, but Kar’niss sees it in his mind, too. There is a presence, enfolding them in its protection, and when it reaches him too, he can only cry out. His memories... His thoughts. They are shattered.

“What have you done to me?” Kar’niss growls out the question, almost heedless of the killing edge resting on his throat. How could even a moment’s fear live inside him now? He does not need his sword to gut Astarion, to cast Solinore down from the tower. She has raised her fists to defend herself, but in seeing her, he cannot believe that someone who would save his life, who would turn away the blood thief, would lie to him. Something has disconnected inside him, and the anguish is more than he can give utterance to; he wants to retreat into the embrace of his Queen. Speak to me now, show me the truth. Show me Your light again. But there comes no light. There comes no voice. None, but Solinore’s.

“I’m sorry. It was the only way to help you see what’s really happening here. Your lantern... It’s just a pixie, in there. You’ve been lied to, but not by us. I know you want something to believe in, Kar’niss, but you won’t find that in this place,” she says.

“So you can try to relax,” Astarion chimes in, “or I can kill you out of mercy.” The challenge makes him bristle, but he relents, his posture slackening. It’s only his pride that keeps him from collapsing outright. He hangs his head, feeling the powerful reflex to call out to his Queen. Is there truly nothing but an illithid scheme?

“My lantern...” he breathes. “My light...” He makes his way slowly to the only bright corner of his nest, taking the Moonlantern in hand. He has to see it, himself. It’s as plain to him, now, as the scent of fresh blood. A trick. An illusion. The thing inside curses his name when he drops it in a voice he has never heard before. He lowers his body, legs curling in as if he’d been hurt. He almost wishes it was something so simply mended as a wound. Kar’niss hangs his head, clutching the lank strands of his hair, shuddering with the sobs he struggles to keep behind his teeth. He is ruined, and ruined anew. If this is some new lie dressed up as salvation, he knows he will draw blood this time. He will take the revenge that is owed to him, or fight to the death in the effort of claiming it. Kar’niss winces when he feels the warmth of Solinore drawing near. Her hand rests softly between his shoulder blades. It’s that small touch which undoes him, and he crumples into her.

“Save me.” He’d pled for that before, so many times, it is the only thing he has left to want. Solinore gathers him up, and her voice is so close, so familiar. It feels as if it’s only the two of them. He can forget the curled lip and indifferent gaze of the vampire spawn, repulsed in his moment of fragility.

“You can save yourself.” She says it with the kind of certainty that only someone who’s done it can have. Kar’niss draws himself up, and Solinore takes his hands. “You just have to breathe.” He follows her lead, the strange breathing patterns, and for the first time in a long, long time, his mind begins to clear. The pits in his memory remain, long stretches of wreckage left from Lolth’s wicked sorceries.

“That’s better.” Solinore’s hands are soft, and Kar’niss leans into the touch. He lets out one more slow breath, his many eyes slipping closed. It is nearly clarity. This feeling has been so far away that it returns to newness. “See? Pulled yourself out of it. And now, if you want, we can look a bit deeper. Try to put our tadpoles together, pick up the pieces.”

“No.” Kar’niss rests his hands over hers.

“What d’you mean, ‘no?”” Astarion interjects.

“Were we unclear?” Kar’niss turns on him, scowling. “No. My mind is mine, barely mine... I want it to myself. This debt is too great.”

“So? Pay it! I’m sure we could conceive of a use for someone who is so terribly adept at scaling walls.” Astarion’s expression is hard to read; Kar’niss can see the layers of artifice at work. He is difficult to pay any attention to when Solinore is so close to him.

“Come with us.”

“And maybe, just maybe consider a bath.”

The requests come at once, and again Kar’niss whips around to look at Astarion. “It’s been a stressful day,” the spawn self-corrects. “Don’t you agree? Nothing like a nice soak to take the edge off.”

“You are just a bit muddy,” Solinore concedes with a chuckle. “A lot muddy. No mirrors up here, huh?”

“No,” Kar’niss bares his teeth at the thought. He has done well not to see what he’s become. He can’t bear to imagine the sight. The unfamiliar face.

“Well... No mirrors required. We do happen to know someone who can heat a tub in just a snap, though. I can think of a few other ways to sweeten the deal.” Kar’niss looks at Solinore questioningly and she beckons him close and whispers. “I still have blood to spare.”

“We will go with you,” he agrees, “but not for that. To honor our debt to you.” Astarion lets out an amused hum.

“More for me, then. Shall we go? Please?”

Kar’niss will have to spin a new web to dwell amongst these True Souls... No, not True Souls. He doesn’t know what they are, what protects them. Not really. He tries to stay present, to bear the scrutiny of the strange spotted woman who wishes to assess his combat capability, the fascination of the wizard. He rather likes the horned man, who seems to understand what it is to be altered by the monstrous hand of evil magic. And the burning woman, true to Solinore’s promise, makes the water in their makeshift tub steam just by sticking her hand in it.

“Old trick I picked up in Avernus,” she’d said, to Kar’niss’ incredible bewilderment. And he’d seen it, too, in glimpses. That horrid inferno, the dusty red skies. “Give you some privacy.” And Kar’niss is alone with the steaming tub, magicked large enough to accommodate him, and his mind is quiet. Only the old, dull whispers, but even these are blunted somehow. He controls his breathing, forcing himself into the moment, the particular difficulty of bathing.

“Brought you a bucket.” Solinore’s voice startles him, and she shows her palms, the bucket dangling from the crook of her elbow. “Easy. Thought you might need someone to get your back.” Kar’niss nods. This is better than being alone, than the silence of his Queen, the simmering rage he feels at her falsehoods. “Might as well get mine, too, if you’re not too shy.” Solinore smiles, tugging her shirt open. Kar’niss does not avert his eyes, though he doesn’t allow them to roam, either. She strips down, and despite himself, he catches a glimpse of a birthmark on her shapely behind, like a masterful blot of ink. Her beauty is composed of so many small details that he has no doubt that he has yet to find them all. Solinore sighs as she steps into the tub, filling up the bucket. “Give you a splash?” Kar’niss lowers his head, and Solinore spills the warm water down his back. It’s a delicious feeling.

“More, please.” Another rill of warm water, this time down his chest. Solinore reaches out, moving slowly, beginning to scrub away the dirt and mud. When she wrings out the rag outside the tub, it’s murkier than Kar’niss supposes. He hasn’t seen himself; he avoids his reflection in the tub, watching Solinore instead. A low, rumbling purr escapes him as she scrubs at his neck, leaning down so she can reach his scalp.

“There’s that sound again... Enjoying yourself?” Solinore smirks up at him, satisfied with her good work. He can see the marks on her neck from the last time he’d fed, and the hunger coils in his gut, entangled with something else that he dares not acknowledge. She’s so bright, so lovely.

“I am...” It comes out of him like a confession, like a forbidden thing. This body should never feel the way it does then. “Let us show you how it feels.” He leans down close, letting his breath chill her damp skin. “Turn around, Solinore.” She turns slowly and Kar’niss gathers some of the bathwater in his hands, pouring it down the cleft of her back. He smooths his hands over her shoulders, his talons lightly tracing over her skin.

“You going to bite me?” Kar’niss goes stiff, mechanically scooping up water to let it roll back down her back, gently scrubbing her clean even as he processes the question.

“It is not the third day,” he tells her. But a question rises in his mind, and he allows it to reach his lips. “Do you enjoy it?” It’s difficult to be sure if the flush that rises is from the warmth of the tub, or if he’s flustered her, but it’s a pleasant sight all the same.

“I--” He has not seen her stammer before. “It’s not like that.” She folds her arms over her chest, but she doesn’t recoil from him. “I just... It’s not like you can do without. And isn’t it... Isn’t it better, not to wait until the third day? I saw how you looked.” Kar’niss can see her pulse jumping in her throat. It’s beautiful. “Besides... Easy clean-up after, I’m already in the bath...” He bends his head and kisses the marks he’s left, following the impulse right to the edge.

“This is enough,” he says, breathing her in. “We are sated.” He waits, feeling the tension like a strand of spidersilk. “But in time,” he continues, “the hunger will return.” It is there, now, but he restrains himself. Carefully, so carefully. “If it would please you, Solinore, there is much I owe, already.” She shivers, but he knows she can’t be cold.

“Call it a need for mutual back-scratching?” She peers over her shoulder at him and then rolls her head, exposing more of her neck. Suddenly his need, that wretched appetite, is not as hideous as it has been, he feels no disgust for what he wants, for the curse that makes him want it. There’s only this moment. He nips lightly, slipping his arms around her, embracing the warmth. He reaches out with his forelegs, feeling her, holding her securely as he had done that first time. He’s heard the sound she makes when letting blood, and now he knows it for what it is. Pleasure. His purr rumbles low in his chest, but he never bites, lapping softly at the thin rivulet of blood that wells from where he’s nipped her, one delectable drop at a time. Solinore reaches up, one hand tangling in his hair, relaxing in his grip.

“What you ask of me, is yours,” Kar’niss says, applying pressure to the nick he’d made to stop what little bleeding he’d caused.

“You sure?” she asks, playfully. “I could ask for another ride on your back. Or...” He knows what that smirk implies.

“What you ask of me,” he says again, “is yours.” Solinore turns that delicious rosy color.

“Then let’s stay here a bit longer,” she says. “Just like this.” In this new clarity, he can see the color of his fascinations, how it shifts towards obsession. That part of him is not so eagerly severed, even with the illithid tadpole quietened, the Absolute shown for some new deceiver, he still craves something more than blood. He needs no light but this. He starves for it each day. Something to believe.

#Tav Tales #The Prior's Commissions #Kar'niss x Tav #Kar'niss #karniss x tav #karniss #bg3 fanfiction #bg3 Tav #bg3 oc

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