Tav snorted and chewed her lips together to stop herself from barking with laughter. However she thought this day would end; having started it going to battle against the Netherbrain, flashing her left breast at the Emperor was not how she imagined it. Apparently, Mind Flayers can blush because his high cheek bones were dark purple and his eyes were wide. 

“Peek-a-boo.” She spluttered with mirth and then closed her left hand over her breast to shield it from view. At the random and childish phrase, all tension fizzled away and was replaced by finding humour in her wardrobe malfunction. “For the record? I was trying to give you the medal, not a free peep show.” 

Of course. I don’t remember that being one of your methods of distracting your opponents or earning more coin. 

“Oh, you cheeky shit.” She forgot herself and released her breast to smack him, since her right hand held the medal. A second later she realised what she’d done, and yanked her hand back over her breast. “I don’t suppose you have anything I could wear, do you? Or is it all armour and Ilithid battle gear you have down here?” She chucked the medal onto the table and swept up the much-needed bottle of wine. Fuck my life. How embarrassing! At least it didn’t happen in front of the others. They’d take the piss out of me forever. At least the Emperor will be a gentleman about it. 

Will I? He chuckled, standing and floating off toward his makeshift bedchamber on the upper right platform. What makes you so sure I’m a gentleman? He teased her and lowered to his feet in front of a trunk. With a flick of his wrist, it opened up, and he swept his pink gaze across various clothing items he had. In truth, he had several garments that would modestly cover her, but why would he give her one of those? After all? This could be his moment. Perhaps seeing your breast has ignited a passion within me, and you are moments away from being divested of the rest of your gown? So I can witness the rest of you for myself. He decided on a short black night dress, and couldn’t wait for her to ask him why he owned it. Almost as much as he couldn’t wait to see her wear it. He arched backwards over the stone ledge and flew down gracefully to sit in his chair beside her once more. Here. He rolled his wrist, and the dress floated in front of her like it was on an invisible hanger. 

“Fuck off.” She sniggered and leaned her head left and right to look for the rest of the dress. “Oh, I’ve got to know.” Tav’s tail flicked with glee at the end, and she leaned around the side of the dress to grin at him. “Are you the Empress at the weekends, and I never knew?” 

No, though I am not opposed to the concept. As always, he led her to the destination he wanted her to reach. This was left behind by one of my past lovers. I had it cleaned, of course. It is the only female clothing I own. Technically, he was telling the truth, and if she was trying to gather any insight from his expression, she failed to detect anything untoward. Will it suffice? 

“Sure.” She shrugged, not seeing the glint in his pink and black eyes. Nor did she see the disappointment when she simply pulled the skimpy black dress over her head and over her white gown. Decent once more, she plucked up the bottle and took another swig. She placed her chin on the back of her right hand and wriggled her fingers. “So tell me your plan to ‘reforge the Knights of the Shield and make this city great again’.” Tav teased him, but it was affectionate. This also wasn’t the first time she imitated his tentacles. One of the ways she dealt with all the pain in her soul was with humour. Therefore, Balduran had his retort ready to go to indulge her and keep her happy. He lifted his hands and made pretend horns with his fingers on either side of his head. 

With the assistance of the only person in all of Faerûn whom I trust with such an important task, and to be the public face of the operation. 

“And why would this person dedicate themselves to your cause?” More finger wriggling. 

Out of the goodness of her heart, because she has nothing else planned for her future, and to have a purpose, of course. He laughed and wiggled his finger horns. Her shoulders bounced and she struggled to contain her glee. Truth be told? If anyone else had carried on as she had, Balduran would have been insulted and cast them out of his mind and presence. But Tav wasn’t anyone else. No, in fact, there was a time he thought they were headed towards something deeper than mutual trust and necessity. Something far more intimate. 

But then the vampire swept her up and took that fleeting hope off the table. Until now, at least. After all? Her mind sought him out most nights after Astarion cast her aside. She trusted Balduran so keenly that she sided with him and handed over the Netherstones without hesitation. She stood by him, and when all her companions were celebrating across the city, Tav was here. With him. Laughing and filling the ache of her loneliness with his affection. Having spent so much time inside her mind, Balduran knew her. Really knew her. He knew almost firsthand how she fought to become the woman she is now. Not just a Bhaal Spawn. Not a slave to her dark urge to kill. He’d been there as she screamed in terror on the other end of a black out over the corpse of that poor bard. How she was haunted by the intrusive thoughts every day to do wicked things. And yet? She resisted every time, and fought even harder to be good. 

All the Tiefling wanted was for someone to praise her for her efforts. To appreciate her. To cherish her. Astarion failed in this task, but Balduran had never turned away from a challenge. Not only would the city respond well to Tav, hero of Baldur’s gate, if she entered the political field as a force of protection, but they would thank her for it. Balduran lost himself in a fantasy of her sitting with him for hours in this hideout, much like he used to with Staleman. Pouring over maps, bouncing ideas off each other, and laughing over stories from the highest and lowest places across the city. Sat side by side and toasting to the success of the Knights of the Shield, and the thriving city they raised from the ashes. He shared the fantasy with her, gently pushing it into her mind, and waited for her reaction.