That girl had had some nerve, talking about ceasing hostilities when she'd just tried to kill her. Lae'zel wondered what Sara would've done had she actually done so right in front of her. Would she have turned her out of camp, even killed her? She might have felt like she couldn't afford to; even putting the artifact aside, they needed Shadowheart's healing powers.
She briefly wondered if she might leave one of the two of them behind in camp that day, but it seemed not. Maybe she hoped a few more battles fought together-and there would be fighting, here in the Underdark-would lessen their hostility. They'd shared plenty already the previous day, but Lae'zel admitted to herself it was possible that it would work.
It was true that despite everything, she was developing a bit of an admiration for the half-elf. Part of her was even impressed by her getting the better of her the way she did the previous night. There'd been surprising strength in the way she'd managed to hold her down, and Lae'zel would remember the ferocity in all the words she had spoken for a very long time.
Now they were getting ready to head out, Gale and Shadowheart still fumbling with the armor the former especially wasn't used to wearing, while Sara briefly talked with Wyll and Karlach. Lae'zel was holding her own new red helmet, perhaps a little worried about how she would feel once she put it back on; she was fairly certain it was making her feel more violent, at least when a fight was clearly imminent.
Of course, when she watched Sara now, the feelings that filled her were still of a very different nature. Feelings she knew their leader didn't return. She wished that could make her aggravated at her this morning, for letting Shadowheart off so easily for what she'd very nearly done the previous night. But her heart would not cooperate.
And she knew she wasn't even hiding it all that well, even before the voice behind her inquired, "Ogling our dear leader again? Or trying to devise a way to accidentally topple Shadowheart into one of those chasms today?"
Lae'zel fought back the impulse to whirl around and put her sword to Astarion's throat; she feared that would only amuse him. "You do not get entrusted with my mind, vampire," she hissed, without even looking back at him.
"I wouldn't expect to be," he replied, unfazed, "but some things are obvious enough. Also given how alike the two of you are-"
"Alike?" Now Lae'zel did turn around, and gaped at him. "I am nothing like her!"
But he just shook his head and said, "Not the first time I've heard those exact words from people like the two of you. You'd be amazed how many of them I've encountered in my time. You're both of you zealouts who have made your lives all about serving the side you're on, which you think is oh so different from any of the other sides that are in your way, and really, it's not."
"You really think there's no difference? I admit, I do not have extensive knowledge of this Lady Shar she worships, but from what the rest of you have told me...if you think Vlaakith is anything like that..."
Astarion shrugged. "I suppose I myself know only what I've been told about them both. So maybe I'll turn out to be wrong. But I don't think I am." And he turned and walked back to his tent.
Feeling more fury at him than she even had at Shadowheart the previous night, Lae'zel strode over to where Gale and Shadowheart now had all their armor and gear on. She watched the former flick an alarmed gaze over the two of them, and might have rolled her eyes had she been in less of a temper.
Then she saw Shadowheart roll hers.
That meant nothing, she told herself. It was a perfectly reasonable reaction for anyone in their situation.
But then she found herself locking gazes with the other woman. She didn't like the touch of smugness she had, but beneath that was an anxiety, a lingering anger, and a determination that all felt disturbingly familiar.
As Sara came to join them, Lae'zel turned her head away, and roughly strapped on her helmet. She was now hoping it would make her feel a little more violent, and right away.
It didn't.