“Tell them the truth?” Astarion asked Karlach, not realising you were in earshot of their apparent late night heart-to-heart about you. “Tell them the truth so that they will watch the stars through tears, instead of following the one cold star that is their destiny?”

There was a beat of silence.

“No, no.. let them think I never loved them. One day they will follow a flag to the same fate as mine. We must leave them the strength for that hour.” He concluded, his voice aching.