Noctisardor Bypass glistening shards

a small disclaimer, astier does not reflect my beliefs, thoughts or attitudes <3

So, the bear had teeth, and a brain to match. Astier noted the sharp, knowing look in Luhtar’s dark eyes. The giant had sensed the deception, had felt the deliberate placement of Astier’s body as a wall. But the Norseman made a critical error: he assumed he knew what lay behind the wall.

When the woman stepped from the treeline, shedding her fear as a winter coat to reveal a sudden, regal spine, Astier did not flinch. Instead, he felt a cold, sharp spike of relief. Perfect. Let the giant believe she was the prize being guarded, think that the "distraction" was this dark, sudden queen, so that he never lifted his eyes to the ridge where the true secret waited.

Astier allowed his shoulders to ease, just a fraction, stepping aside enough to let the tableau breathe, effectively offering the dark woman up as the answer to Luhtar’s curiosity.

„Astier,” he replied, the name cutting through the cold air with simple precision. He cast a sideways glance at the now-bold woman, then returned his silver gaze to Luhtar, offering a dry, unbothered arch of his brow at the accusation of prejudice.

„I do not judge a man by his blood, Luhtar,” Astier countered, his voice smooth, lacking any heat. „I judge him by how much noise he makes when the world is trying to sleep. And you are very... awake.”

The wraith turned his head then, fixing his single eye on the woman who had decided to join them. „And you?” he asked, his tone neutral, inviting her into the fray to keep the giant’s eyes occupied down here. „Do you have a name to go with the sudden spine, or do you simply enjoy dramatic entrances?”