"What?"

The sudden desperation is a shock. The sudden fear. To this point, Astarion had been so steady, so caring. To have him tilt so suddenly into terror is enough that Byerly nearly goes with him, nearly falls down into that abyss as well. Feels like he's starting to slide.

"It's - " Does he recognize them? Are these faces different for Astarion? Or are they the same, and in some improbable turn of events, it turns out that Astarion has known some of the people Byerly has fucked over? No - No, he wouldn't be asking who they are in that case.

"That's - " Byerly says, then swallows hard. A new face out of the mist, and Byerly looks to that one, hoping this story will be less grotesque and pathetic, but - it's not. "That's...Bann Peter, of Ram's Head Hill." He drops his gaze slightly. He could leave it there, but something impels him to keep going - that grim face, pale and bloody. "I - It was an early assignment, when I'd just started. He'd been intransigent, blocking the passage of an agreement to rebuild a part of Denerim, so I went in. Found his elven lover, found his bastard child. Normally it would be a simple thing, leverage against them, but he felt himself humiliated. Grew reckless. He - "

By takes a breath. "It turned out well for the Queen. His heir was a young man. Votes as he's told, now."

His eyes swing over to Astarion. Does this help? Is it enough?