[ Astarion too casually brushes off the apology. The first time he'd ever spoken about this to anyone, he'd been made to feel like he was overreacting. The topic hasn't often come up since then.

As for the additional attention, it's one thing to draw eyes because of your fame and reputation. Astarion, for better or worse, draws curious glances wherever he goes. He supposes most people would assume he enjoys the attention, but the truth is more complicated than he cares to explain or think about. Sometimes it would be nice, he thinks, to just be able to turn it off without the need to draw his hood, or lurk in the shadows. It'd be nice to control it. ]

It's a struggle few have appreciated. [ But he'll tell everyone that he wakes up like this. Vampirism does have some benefits, he supposes.

He doesn't want to linger on the topic too long, though, lest this burst of empathy bleed into something closer to pity. So an eyebrow arches at besides being... ]

A Mirror Image, as it's so aptly named. [ He tilts his head slightly, then sighs. ] I never had any particular magical aptitude, but we all learn a spell or two when we're still young. [ It's all a blur, like so many memories of his mortal life. ]

It's similar for the elven folk of your world, I take it?