"Now you listen to me, child: The Couslands are one of the most important families in Ferelden, and if you offend them, there will be trouble. You had better be on your best behavior, or Maker help me, you will be punished." Her current caretaker promised. Kierrai rolled her brown eyes and pressed her forehead against the wall of the carriage.
"Damn, my plans to seduce every member of the family and burn the city of Highever are ruined." She said sarcastically. She blinked away black spots, taking a moment to realize that her derision had been rewarded with a hard slap to the face.
"Curb your tongue, girl." The older man ordered. She glared at him, refusing to rub at her stinging cheek.
"Don't think I will forget about that, Bann Ceorlic." She threatened. The man had the decency to blanch, but he quickly collected himself.
"Ha! As though you will ever be able to do anything, you little chit. You are a last resort, and a backup plan, nothing more. King Cailan will rule for a long time, and you will be cast out as the worthless bastard that you are." He said, near to shouting. Kierrai's jaw clenched, but she said nothing. The stinging in her cheek had lessened some, but she knew that there would be a bright red handprint if she checked a mirror. Soon their carriage rumbled to a stop, and she smiled softly at the revelation that the entire Cousland family would see that the Bann had struck her. She allowed the young driver to help her step out of the coach, offering him a warm smile of gratitude. He blushed and bowed awkwardly, stumbling as he made his way to the back. She chuckled. It never ceased to amaze her that even at only sixteen years of age, she could make men stammer and fret like inexperienced boys.
"Hail, Bann Ceorlic. It is good that you have finally arrived." A strong voice said. She turned to see Teyrn Bryce Cousland striding toward them, his wife, Eleanor, on his heels. The Bann put on a fake smile as he turned to them.
"It is a pleasure to see the pair of you again, Teyrn, Teyrna." He said meekly. Kierrai stopped herself from rolling her eyes at his show. The Teyrn turned to look at her, his eyes narrowing when he saw the handprint on her face.
"My lady, you must be Kierrai. I am Bryce, and this is my wife Eleanor. We are honored to have you staying with us." He said politely. She smiled at him.
"And I am honored to be had, my lord. It is a pleasure to meet you both." She replied sweetly. He raised an eyebrow at her demure behavior. She realized that he had probably heard of her reputation for being a spitfire, and she bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. She thought she noticed his lips quirk in amusement, but it was gone as soon as it had appeared. Kierrai noticed that Eleanor was studying her intently.
"Bann Ceorlic, what happened to this young lady's cheek? I am certain it does not usually have a large handprint on it. That would be a strange birthmark." The woman asked dryly. The Bann paled and tried to stammer out an excuse. Bryce raised his hand, and the other man stopped talking.
"Kierrai, what happened? Be honest, we do not accept sugar-coated answers in our home." Bryce ordered. Kierrai raised an eyebrow, but decided to listen.
"Ceorlic slapped me for being sarcastic. Personally, I don't think I deserved it, but it wouldn't be the first time someone hit me for my mouth." She answered with a shrug and a lopsided grin. Eleanor put an arm around her shoulders and Bryce rounded on the Bann.
"Bann Ceorlic, you may be able to get away with that sort of behavior in your lands, but in Highever, we do not strike our women." He growled. The Bann was visibly trembling.
"But…Teyrn Cousland, if you had heard what she was saying-" he stuttered.
"If I had heard what she was saying I would have kept my opinion to myself, as is proper when dealing with someone of higher rank." Bryce said coolly. Kierrai's eyebrows shot up in surprise. No one had ever come to her defense before, and never had anyone spoken of her rank. Bann Ceorlic began to get angry.
"That girl is not of a higher rank than me!" he said irritably.
"Oh? She is the daughter of our late King Maric. The same king that you swore fealty to all those years ago, if you recall. She outstrips us all, save King Cailan of course." Bryce pointed out.
"I think it is time for you to leave, Ceorlic. Thank you for bringing her to us." Eleanor said in quiet anger. Servants quickly appeared to carry her things up to the keep, and soon the Bann was on his way.
"I hope you get eaten by wolves." Kierrai muttered under her breath as she watched the coach drive off.
"All right, Kierrai, I do not know how the other families that you have lived with have treated you, but here, you will be treated as one of our own children." Bryce said, to Kierrai's surprise. She had definitely not expected that statement.
"Well that's a switch." She let slip. Bryce chuckled.
"I thought it might be. Anyhow, we do have a few rules." He began. She tensed, waiting for a long list of strict expectations. "First and foremost, you will be respectful. Now, when I say that, I am not saying that you need to be a boot-licker. If you have an opinion, feel free to give it. Just treat us as you would want to be treated." He said. She blinked at him.
"You…want me to say what I'm thinking? Even if it is sarcastic? Honestly, it usually is, so if you want to reconsider your offer I would do it now before I take full advantage." She sputtered, mouth agape at his surprising "rule". Bryce and Eleanor laughed heartily.
"Dear girl, you clearly haven't met us." Eleanor finally said.
"Also, if one of us gives an order, you are expected to follow it to the letter. You will know the difference between an order and a suggestion. Finally, we do not want you leaving the keep alone or after dark, but that is mostly for safety purposes." He continued. Kierrai raised an eyebrow.
"Is Highever not safe?" she wondered.
"It is, but there are people even in the best cities that would not hesitate to take advantage of a young, pretty girl on her own." He explained. She nodded, then smiled wryly.
"They could certainly try. I will obey your orders, however." She agreed.
"You should fit in just fine, then." Bryce said warmly. She fought a small spike of fear that entered her heart at the statement. She had never fit in anywhere, and already she felt like she was finally part of a family.
"Hopefully I won't screw it up." She thought. The trio arrived at the main hall of the keep, and she saw Fergus Cousland talking with his wife, Oriana. He turned at their approach, and his handsome face sported a wide grin.
"You must be my new little sister!" he said loudly.
"Fergus, you don't want to scare the girl." Oriana said in her smooth, Antivan accent. Kierrai grinned.
"Don't worry, it takes more than that to frighten me off." She said. Fergus laughed loudly.
"You'll fit in." Oriana said with a smile.
"Fergus, where is your sister?" Bryce asked. Fergus chuckled.
"Where do you think?" he replied. Eleanor groaned.
"That child will be the death of me." She muttered. Kierrai raised an eyebrow.
"Where is she?" she asked, genuinely curious. Bryce smiled softly.
"Sparring with the knights of Highever. Our girl is a fighter." He said, and Kierrai could hear the pride in his voice.
"What a coincidence! So am I." she replied with a grin. She was suddenly happy that she had ignored Bann Ceorlic's suggestion to wear a dress, because she had a feeling she would be fighting soon. Bryce and Fergus laughed.
"Maker, she's just like Zeriah!" Fergus exclaimed. Eleanor smiled fondly.
"Maker help us." She murmured. Kierrai grinned.
"I would like to meet this girl." She said enthusiastically. Fergus smiled.
"We'll take her!" he said energetically. He held out an arm for his wife and gestured for her to follow.
"Darling, I think I will go check on Oren." Oriana said, pulling away and leaving the two of them in the hall. Fergus chuckled and watched her go.
"She is uncomfortable with the idea of a woman fighting, and now there are two of you." He explained. Kierrai nodded in understanding.
"Yes, that makes sense. It took me forever to find a sparring partner when I lived in Antiva. Those women only care about poisons. No fun at all." She said. Fergus chuckled.
"You are just like her. Hopefully that doesn't present…difficulties." He said. Kierrai frowned.
"What do you mean 'difficulties'?" she asked hesitantly.
"Well, from my experience, it can be difficult to get along with someone who is so much like you. The things that annoy you about yourself are just as annoying in another person, and when the other person is just like you, you are more likely to notice the annoying things." He said. She furrowed her brow and Fergus clapped her on the back. "I think she'll like you just fine, little sister." He assured her. She caught her breath, surprised at his affectionate name. Before she could speak, they entered the sparring yard, where a ring of knights surrounded a pair of fighters. Fergus and Kierrai pushed their way to the front to watch the battle.
A pale girl, no more than one or two years older than Kierrai herself, stalked around a young, red-haired knight. Kierrai was surprised at how short the girl was considering how tall the rest of the Couslands were. Long black hair was pulled into a thick braid that fell to her waist, though a few strands fell into her large green eyes. When she noticed their approach, she quickly charged the young knight, knocking him to the ground with her shield, and put the tip of her sword to his throat.
"I win, Ser Gilmore." She said proudly. The knight nodded his assent and she grinned as she helped him up.
"Your skills are improving, my lady." The young man said in tones that were very brotherly. Kierrai looked at him appraisingly. Ser Gilmore was quite handsome, with a strong jaw and light red hair. When he looked at her for the first time, a small, approving smile appeared on his full lips. She returned the grin, biting her lip seductively. The knight's smile grew at her action. "Who might you be, dear lady?" he asked in a low, rich voice. Fergus cleared his throat, causing Ser Gilmore to blush slightly.
"I was about to ask the same question, though not in such a flirtatious tone." Zeriah teased. His blush intensified, but he stood his ground. Kierrai gave a friendly nod of the head.
"I'm Kierrai. I will be living with you for…for an indeterminate amount of time." She explained. While Kierrai wanted to stay with the Couslands for a long time, she had never been kept in one place for more than six months.
"You will stay with us as long as you wish to, Kierrai. And you did not introduce yourself properly: This is Lady Kierrai Theirin, daughter of the late King Maric, and sister to King Cailan." Fergus corrected. Kierrai bit the inside of her cheek. She hated titles. Zeriah stepped up, giving Kierrai a scrutinizing gaze. Eventually she stuck out her hand.
"I am Zeriah. I suppose you will be as my sister for a while, yes? Do you like to fight? With swords I mean, not arguing." The older girl questioned. Kierrai nodded.
"Personally I prefer to dual-wield a pair of daggers, but I am decent with a sword." She explained. Zeriah looked her over, more appraising this time around.
"A rogue, eh? I don't get the chance to spar with rogues very often. Will you spar with me while we are here?" Zeriah requested. Kierrai nodded.
"Of course. I would enjoy that very much." She agreed. Zeriah smiled at her, a very charming, winsome thing.
"Then we should get along beautifully. Would you like to go for a round or two?" she offered. Kierrai grinned back and nodded.
"I have been cooped up in a coach with Bann Ceorlic for nearly a week: I have a lot of frustration to vent." She agreed. Zeriah beamed at her and scratched at her chin, leaving a smudge of dirt.
"Well, what are you all doing standing around? Get the girl some armor! Leather, mind you, she did say she was a rogue." She ordered. The watching knights scrambled to follow her orders, and soon Kierrai was outfitted with light, mismatched leather armor that was a bit too loose for her tastes, but would work for this sparring session. Kierrai was surprised when they handed her a pair of actual daggers rather than practice staves. Zeriah noticed her perplexed look.
"I've learned that using real weapons is more accurate than practicing with sticks. You get a better feel for the weight and speed of things." She explained. Kierrai nodded in understanding.
"I know. I like to use real weapons as well. That is what they trained me with in Antiva when I actually found a partner. That was a few years ago but I've preferred it since then." She agreed. Zeriah studied her again.
"You surprise me every time you open your mouth." She said with a grin. Kierrai smiled back and rolled the daggers in her palms. They were decent, she supposed.
"Shall we begin?" she asked. Zeriah nodded and picked up her sword and shield. Fergus chuckled.
"I think I'll fetch Mother and Father. They'll want to see this." He said before leaving the square. Ser Gilmore stepped forward.
"Begin." He said clearly. Kierrai was startled as Zeriah immediately took the offensive. Most warriors she had fought with were content to defend at first due to their extra protection of a shield, but not Zeriah. The tiny girl immediately slammed her shield into Kierrai's stomach, causing her to fall to the ground. Zeriah was surprisingly strong for such a small person. Kierrai somersaulted backwards and was on her feet before Zeriah could take advantage, but she was more prepared this time. Zeriah slashed out with her sword, but Kierrai's dagger easily caught the attack. She pushed the sword away from her and kicked Zeriah's feet out from under her. She saw her green eyes widen as she fell to the ground with a thump. Kierrai wrenched the shield from Zeriah's arm and threw it away, holding one dagger to her throat while the other kept the smaller woman's sword away from her.
"You win." Zeriah said, voice slightly in awe. Kierrai grinned and climbed off of her, helping Zeriah to her feet.
"You're quite good." Kierrai admitted. Zeriah smiled softly.
"You are too, even though you cheat." She said wryly.
"I'm a rogue. Cheating is what we do." Kierrai replied cheekily. Zeriah laughed lightly.
"We need to go again. I have to figure out how to deal with your speed." She said. Kierrai nodded eagerly.
"Not so fast, ladies. There is a special dinner this evening to welcome our new family member, and you both need to get ready for it." Eleanor's voice called out from behind them. They turned as one to see Eleanor and Bryce watching them.
"But, Mother! She beat me!" Zeriah protested. Eleanor rolled her eyes and Bryce laughed.
"Pup, hopefully she'll be with us for a long time. You'll have plenty of opportunities to learn each other's fighting styles." Bryce assured them. Zeriah groaned, and Kierrai sighed softly. She had never liked formal events, yet she had grown up surrounded by them. Zeriah took her arm and led her out of the courtyard.
"I suppose he's right. But I would much rather fight than wear a dress and…mingle." She said, shuddering at her last word. Kierrai laughed happily.
"I agree completely. Unless there are some attractive young men at this dinner, I see no reason to attend." She replied. Zeriah chuckled.
"I'm sure there will be some. Ser Gilmore will be there, so you can flirt with him some more." Zeriah said, poking Kierrai in the side.
"Oh good. I was hoping to…get to know him better." Kierrai said with a mischievous smile. Zeriah giggled.
"Go for it. He needs a woman in his life, even if it is just for a night." She answered with a wink. "But so help me, if you leave me alone with Thomas Howe, I might have to kill you." She said seriously. Kierrai laughed. Her memories of Thomas Howe's appearance were fuzzy, but she could recall that he looked a lot like his father.
"I would never do that to anyone, least of all to someone I like. Is Nathaniel coming to this dinner?" she asked, remembering the handsome Howe fondly. He was about eleven years her senior, but she remembered having a crush on him when she was younger. Zeriah shook her head sadly.
"No, unfortunately the only Howe male whose company I enjoy is squiring in the Free Marches. At least Delilah will be here. She was always pleasant, if too ladylike for my tastes." She explained. Kierrai nodded.
"I agree. I stayed with them for about a month when I was nine, and Delilah and Nathaniel were the only ones who kept Thomas away from me." She said. Zeriah laughed.
"Maker, the boy's been at it since he was that young? I suppose that isn't too surprising." She admitted. Kierrai laughed as they arrived at her new quarters, which were just down the hall from Zeriah's. An older servant greeted them.
"My ladies. I have been asked to prepare a bath for you Lady Kierrai." She said calmly. Kierrai smiled softly at her.
"Thank you very much. What is your name?" she replied. The woman studied her for a moment, probably noticing that Kierrai addressed her as an equal rather than as a servant.
"You may call me Ora, my lady. I am to be your personal assistant, if you would have me." She answered. Kierrai grinned.
"Of course, Ora. But I would love it if you just called me Kierrai." She told her. Ora smiled warmly.
"Would you also like me to treat you as though I've been in your service since you were a child?" she asked. Kierrai chuckled.
"I would, in fact." She laughed.
"I'm going to go get ready. I'll come get you when it is time to go, all right?" Zeriah promised. Kierrai nodded and began to strip off her armor. She sank into the steaming water with a relieved sigh. The water felt incredible. She eyed the soaps that had been laid out for her and wrinkled her nose.
"Ora, are there any soaps that aren't scented?" she asked hopefully. The old woman chuckled.
"We have plenty of those, Kierrai. None of us knew what to expect with you, considering that you have spent much time in Orlais and Antiva." She admitted. Kierrai rolled her eyes.
"Those women are far too prissy for my taste. I don't like their smelly soaps or their makeup. I figure that if a person only likes me because of my makeup, they aren't really worthy of my time." She explained. Ora grinned at her.
"I like you, child." She said. Kierrai smiled.
"I like you too, Ora." She answered before dunking her head beneath the water to scrub at her long, dark hair.
After her bath, Ora helped her choose a dress for the evening. Kierrai had no idea how formal the meal was supposed to be, but luckily Ora had been instructed very well on how she was to dress. She wound up in a lovely mauve gown with swirling silver stitching across the arms and down the skirts. The dress had a wide open neck that bared most of her shoulders and a fair amount of her cleavage. A delicate silver belt buckled around her slim waist, and a dewdrop shaped amethyst fell between her breasts on a silver chain. She managed to convince Ora to let her wear her thigh-high boots, where various knives were hidden. Kierrai knew that nobody would see them, so it worked perfectly. As for her hair, Ora decided that she should leave it down, the loose auburn waves cascading to her waist, but with a slim circlet braided around her head.
A knock sounded at the door, and Zeriah poked her head in. She wore a gown of deep emerald green stitched with gold, a dress that made her eyes stand out even more. Her hair was loosely curled, but Kierrai suspected that was how it looked naturally. Like herself, she wore no makeup, and Kierrai felt glad that she would not be the only one.
"Are you ready?" Zeriah asked. Kierrai nodded.
"Let's do this, shall we?" she asked. They headed to the dining hall together, dreading the night they had ahead of them.