Strange Amongst Your Kin - prompt from sunday_reveries
"Some birds are not meant to be caged. Their feathers are too bright, their songs too sweet and wild. So you let them go, or when you open the cage to feed them they somehow fly out past you. And the part of you that knows it was wrong to imprison them in the first place rejoices, but still, the place where you live is that much more empty for their departure."
-Stephen King
Their first meeting hadn't been chance, and never could have been. Bhaal had recognized the smell on the boy long before setting eyes on him - that faint brimstone odor imparted by his own bloodline and the distinct smell of his servant Istar. The scent of rich earth and plants and all the wild things of the world. And of course the smell of magic; Istar's familial connection to the other Bhaalspawn was a sham, a grand illusion concocted by the two of them and carried out with powerful spellcraft. Their bluff had allowed Istar to move freely and without doubts being thrown upon his presence.
He introduced himself as Jonathan Starag to Jacob, Istar's middle child. He'd done his research beforehand, as quietly as possible, since Istar's mate was paranoid and could have become violent if Bhaal had revealed himself directly. Better to hide under a false name and weasel his way in by using Jacob as his backdoor, at least until he had his strength and godhood back.
He'd discovered the boy was genuinely interesting, when he tried to be. Though he was always uncomfortable around 'Jon', like he expected something horrific to happen. It was annoying and frustrating and he half-suspected that Jacob would go through life alone. Which was also frustrating. Especially later, after the sex and after he told Jacob who he really was. It felt like he was being blamed for Jacob not being able to get close to anyone, though his abilities could just as likely have come from the other side of his 'family'.
Of course the boy told all of his 'cousins' and his brothers, and one of the few people he had made friends with said it would be better if they didn't see each other again because his Bhaalspawn roommate wouldn't approve. Even so, when Jacob requested the removal of his godly essence, Bhaal acquiesced. Why not? If the kid thought it was such a curse and held so many bad memories, why not excise him of his bloodline and his family ties? Hells, he had offered it in the first place, because he had gotten tired of dealing with the boy going on about how much he hated being a Bhaalspawn. Still, he felt poorly after doing it. He was used to the hatred, but such blind loathing was startling.
He hadn't gone near the Bhaalspawn after that - not physically, anyway. Perhaps it was better that way; having a collection of irate demigods and adventurers coming down to bitch at him would have been irritating. Even so, he wished he could connect with Istar's family, bile and venom or no. He missed his oldest and most loyal ally.
-Stephen King
Their first meeting hadn't been chance, and never could have been. Bhaal had recognized the smell on the boy long before setting eyes on him - that faint brimstone odor imparted by his own bloodline and the distinct smell of his servant Istar. The scent of rich earth and plants and all the wild things of the world. And of course the smell of magic; Istar's familial connection to the other Bhaalspawn was a sham, a grand illusion concocted by the two of them and carried out with powerful spellcraft. Their bluff had allowed Istar to move freely and without doubts being thrown upon his presence.
He introduced himself as Jonathan Starag to Jacob, Istar's middle child. He'd done his research beforehand, as quietly as possible, since Istar's mate was paranoid and could have become violent if Bhaal had revealed himself directly. Better to hide under a false name and weasel his way in by using Jacob as his backdoor, at least until he had his strength and godhood back.
He'd discovered the boy was genuinely interesting, when he tried to be. Though he was always uncomfortable around 'Jon', like he expected something horrific to happen. It was annoying and frustrating and he half-suspected that Jacob would go through life alone. Which was also frustrating. Especially later, after the sex and after he told Jacob who he really was. It felt like he was being blamed for Jacob not being able to get close to anyone, though his abilities could just as likely have come from the other side of his 'family'.
Of course the boy told all of his 'cousins' and his brothers, and one of the few people he had made friends with said it would be better if they didn't see each other again because his Bhaalspawn roommate wouldn't approve. Even so, when Jacob requested the removal of his godly essence, Bhaal acquiesced. Why not? If the kid thought it was such a curse and held so many bad memories, why not excise him of his bloodline and his family ties? Hells, he had offered it in the first place, because he had gotten tired of dealing with the boy going on about how much he hated being a Bhaalspawn. Still, he felt poorly after doing it. He was used to the hatred, but such blind loathing was startling.
He hadn't gone near the Bhaalspawn after that - not physically, anyway. Perhaps it was better that way; having a collection of irate demigods and adventurers coming down to bitch at him would have been irritating. Even so, he wished he could connect with Istar's family, bile and venom or no. He missed his oldest and most loyal ally.