My thanks to Bioware for the universe in which we play, to everyone who reads and reviews, to my ladies Zute and Zevgirl, and finally, to my recently acquired beta, Mille Libri, whose gentle poking got me to be more creative and to think through a few things a bit more logically. I did not, however, get her to read this again after my revisions…I hope I've done her justice!
A Day in Court
30 Harvestmere, 9:30
Kallian awoke filled with more energy than she'd had for weeks and, finding that Zevran was awake and in his usual morning state, promptly took advantage of her husband. As they lay together afterward, she found that the fears and guilt she'd felt over the past few days had faded away, new concerns filling their place. She confessed to feeling slightly ill at the thought of presiding over matters of justice.
"I have never seen legal proceedings before, I don't know all our laws…I suppose that's why I have Varel and the others, but my ignorance makes me so dependent upon them. I feel vulnerable as a result." She lay with one leg draped over his, propped up on her elbow as she traced the lines of his tattoos with her other hand.
Zevran wound her hair around his fingers and smiled up at her. "You needn't feel that way for long. The keep has a fair sized library. There must be some books on the subject you can read."
"I will have to, you're right. I have much to learn and much to do, and we need to prepare a nursery for our son, try to determine if we need a wet nurse and then find one. Maker, we need to do so many things. We aren't prepared for this."
He laughed and pulled her down into an embrace. "One step at a time, bella. We have several months. You must be hungry, yes? We shall eat first."
Her stomach growled in response and she laughed out loud. "To the dining hall, then."
xXx
"This isn't funny, Anders." Kallian looked down at her feet, which were hanging a few inches above the floor as she sat on the throne. She swung them back and forth. "I look like a child."
Anders and Oghren both laughed again and then beat a hasty retreat to the nearby keg, where the dwarf refilled his flask. Nathaniel snorted with displeasure and turned his attention back to Kallian.
"We could get you a footstool," Varel offered, a hint of amusement in his voice. He turned to Elspeth and tipped his head toward the door, and the maid hurried out of the room.
Kallian pursed her lips. "Hmm. That will do for now, I suppose, but honestly I would feel much better if we could find something…smaller. And more comfortable. This thing is hard as rock, but if I put a cushion on the seat…pfft." She hopped off the oversized chair and began to pace back and forth.
"So, Varel, Garevel. Who have you arrested, what happens, what do I do?" She paused and laughed to herself. "Forgive me, I think it's safe to say I'm nervous."
Garevel looked at the parchments he held. "We have a shepherd named Alec, charged with stealing two bushels of grain from the crown, and a soldier from Vigil's Keep's own guard, one Danella, charged with desertion. The maximum penalty for both crimes is death."
"Oh." Kallian stopped walking and rubbed her forehead. "Oh…wow. What was their motivation?"
Garevel looked confused. "Excuse me?"
She rolled her eyes at Nathaniel. "Why did they do what they did?"
Elspeth returned with a footstool and, at a nod from Varel, placed it in front of the throne. Before leaving, she announced, "Dinner will be ready at mid-day as usual, my lady."
"Thank you!" Kallian called after the elf as she slipped back out of the room.
Garevel cleared his throat. "I don't know, my lady. If you like, I could ask the soldiers who found and arrested them?"
"But what exactly would they know? No, I'll ask the prisoners myself. I think it's something worth knowing." She smoothed out her gown, turning to face the throne. Shaking her head, she sat on it and put her feet up on the stool. "All right, bring them in."
Several minutes later, the prisoners were brought up from the cells and Varel declared the court in session. He sat at a table to Kallian's left, keeping notes on the proceedings, while Nathaniel stood at attention to her right. Alec was brought forward first, the man's shackles practically falling off his wrists and ankles he was so thin. He hung his head low while the charges against him were read aloud and silence descended upon the room as Kallian considered the man before her.
"Alec, why did you steal this grain?" By the looks of him, it seemed obvious to her, but she wanted to hear him tell his story.
The man jumped, clearly not expecting to be spoken to at all, and turned his face up to hers. "I b-beg your pardon my lady, but my family is starving…" His voice faltered and he struggled to raise a hand to his face to wipe a tear from his eye. "I was desperate to feed my wife and child. We have some sheep, but the money their wool brings in could provide more meals than the sheep, and they need grain as well. I…I know what I did was wrong, my lady, but we have so little out here because of the Blight and I didn't know what else to do."
Kallian watched him for a moment, trying to assess his character. Nothing about him made her think he was a bad man; he had simply been desperate and she had seen too much of that in her lifetime. Who am I to judge this man? I am certain I have done worse, and perhaps not always with the best of intentions. She sighed inwardly, not doubting others before her must have had the same struggles. Try to be fair and just, and serve to set an example for others, she told herself, remembering a lesson her father had taught her.
"Thank you, Alec. That will be all." Kallian waved Varel, Nathaniel and Garevel to her side, speaking in low tones.
"Garevel, would you please get the man a chair or stool to sit on and take the shackles off his arms, at least. I hardly think he's going to attempt to escape with all of us gathered around him. He's clearly in poor health, and if I find out he wasn't given sufficient food and water while he was in our cells…" She pursed her lips to stop herself from saying more. "Go."
Leaning in closer to Varel and Nathaniel, she sought their counsel. "What are my options?"
Varel explained that she could have the man hanged or flogged, but that hanging was typical, and Nathaniel added that his father would have done both. Kallian's forehead creased with a frown. Surely Alistair wouldn't kill a man for trying to feed his family and keep his sheep alive? She thought back on the times during the Blight when they had been forced to steal to survive. They had been able to hunt and forage for food, too, but there had been times when she'd put their survival above what she knew to be right. Knowing that Howe reserved the sole right to hunt and forage on his lands, Alec had few options. She resolved to throw out Howe's restrictions on the surrounding forestlands and turned her attention back to the man now seated in front of her. Sliding off the throne, she went down to stand before the shepherd.
"Alec." She waited for him to look up at her. "Stealing is wrong, you know this, and we cannot allow such an offence to go unpunished." If it were possible, the man's shoulders slumped even more and they began to shake as he silently cried.
Kallian reached out to put a hand on this shoulder. "However, I shall be lenient as you did not intend to harm anyone. Quite the opposite, really, and I cannot fault you for wanting to take care of your family. If I had known about your situation I would have done what I could to help. I realize I have been neglectful in truly investigating the state of the arling's people. I regret that and intend to remedy the situation as soon as possible.
"Here is what I propose to do with you, Alec. First, you are hereby conscripted into the army, where I trust you will serve the arling faithfully for as long as you are able. You will stay in the infirmary under the care of our healers until you are well enough to take up a post here within the keep and begin training. Our soldiers receive room and board and are paid a wage for their service. Your wage will be docked the cost of the two bushels of grain you stole, at a reasonable rate, so that you may repay the Crown for them."
The man was now openly weeping with gratitude and reached out to take Kallian's hand in his, pressing a kiss to her fingers. Garevel lurched forward as if to protect her, but Kallian stopped him with a quick wave of her free hand.
"Th-thank you, m-my lady, th-thank you," Alec sobbed.
Kallian held his hand firmly in hers. "I trust you will make much of this opportunity to redeem yourself, Alec. We will speak again, and I will see to your family's welfare. Anders? Sergeant Maverlies?" She looked up to see the two of them stepping forward.
"Anders, please take Alec to the infirmary, assess his condition and do what you can to hasten his recovery. Maverlies, I would be grateful if you could find Dorothy and instruct her to ensure this man has three meals a day and water to drink. He must regain his health. Have a guard stationed outside the infirmary as a precaution. Garevel, remove the man's shackles."
As Alec was led away, Kallian turned to Varel. "I want you to find his wife and child as soon as possible. Send Petra along with a few guards, perhaps one or two of the women here, and some rations, grain for their flock, however small or large it might be. I don't want this unhappy situation to be further compounded by their deaths, if there's anything I can do about it. We can bring them and their sheep here, find a place for them. Let the family bring with them whatever possessions they wish."
"Yes, my lady." Varel made a note in his journal.
Once Garevel returned, Danella was brought forward and the process was repeated. She insisted that she had asked for leave several times after receiving word that her parents' farm was in danger of being attacked by darkspawn, reported in the area. Finally, in desperation, she had left her post and fled to their farm to the northwest of the keep. When she arrived, the farm was under attack, and while her family had survived, their crops and home had been burned to the ground. Given a choice between execution and imprisonment, Kallian chose to sentence the woman to a year in prison, followed by a return to service.
"Where are your parents and brother now, Danella?" she asked as she approached the woman.
"Camped nearby, my lady. They had nowhere else to go and followed me back here when I was arrested."
As Danella brushed tears from her face, Kallian noticed dark bruises under the shackles around her wrists. A purple tinge along her jaw line spoke to a recent punch or backhand to the face. She shot a look at Garevel, disappointed to see that he averted his eyes almost immediately, and resolved to look into the matter further. She turned her mind back to Danella's family. They were homeless farmers; she had fallow fields that needed seeding and an overgrown conservatory that had to be reclaimed.
"Varel, please send someone to fetch Danella's family. I don't like the idea of them out there while darkspawn are still wandering about. I think we can come to an agreement that will allow them to live and farm here at the keep under our protection. Danella, I would like you to write them a note explaining that they are not in trouble, I simply think this the best thing for their own safety. If they choose not to stay, they will be allowed to leave."
"Yes, my lady. Thank you," came Danella's reply, grief and gratitude distorting her voice.
"In the meantime, you will serve your term of imprisonment here. In order to keep your skills well honed for your return to service, you will participate in a daily exercise and training regimen."
Turning to Garevel, she whispered, "You'll need to arrange a rotation of guards who will be responsible for supervising her during these sessions." He nodded and turned to leave, but Kallian put her hand on his arm. "I want it made clear they are not to treat her badly. I'm not saying she should get special treatment, just make sure she's not mistreated. Am I understood?"
Garevel shifted uncomfortably, but nodded again. "Yes, my lady."
"Take her back to the cells, and collect a quill and parchment along the way so she can write this letter."
Kallian pulled her skirts up and went back to the throne to sit down, only half hearing Varel as he declared the day's court session adjourned and made additional notes in his journal. Kallian was proud she had made it through the event with relative ease, considering how nervous she had been at the start. She hoped she had ruled fairly, and felt she had, but her eyes narrowed as she reflected on several points that bothered her. Finally, she drew herself out of her thoughts and looked to Varel.
"I wish to meet with you, Zev, Nate, Anders, Captain Garevel, Sergeant Maverlies, Mistress Woolsey and Dorothy in one hour, my chambers, to discuss a few changes I'd like to make around here." Standing, she swept out of the room to find Zevran.
xXx
Kallian found Anders and asked him to make Danella his next priority, suggesting that he attempt to discover how she had been treated since her arrest. From there, she tracked down Zevran, finding him sparring with Private Evalyn in the inner bailey, and asked him to join her. On the way to their chambers, they collected some tea and food from the kitchens. Anders and Nathaniel were waiting for them outside their rooms.
Kallian leaned against her desk and waved the Wardens over while Zev put together a meal for them. "Anders, what do you have to report?"
Anders looked grim. "Alec says that he was fed once over the course of two days and Danella says the same." He paused to take some tea from Zevran. "Thank you. Ah...right. Alec's current condition is generally due to malnutrition, and time in our lovely prison did nothing to help. I suspect that he will improve dramatically now that I've had a chance to see to him and you're insisting on better treatment."
"And Danella?"
Anders grinned and promptly looked contrite. "I shouldn't look so..."
"Happy? Maker's breath, I hope you didn't proposition her. That would be highly inappropriate, Anders."
"My dear lady, I am offended," he replied, barely managing to look offended. "I will confess the notion did cross my mind, because she is a lovely girl, but let us not forget that I do have some experience in the matter of imprisonment and being at the mercy of my captors. No, it's more that I suspect things are going to get rather interesting around here."
Kallian's eyes narrowed, which Anders took as encouragement to continue. "She told me that she fully expected to be chased down and arrested, if she couldn't turn herself in first, and when Garevel's men caught up with her, she surrendered."
"I gather they didn't just say 'thanks' and bring her in?" She sat down and ripped some bread from the loaf Zevran had brought up and began eating.
"You are correct. She was roughed up. The bruises on her wrists are from being yanked around by the shackles since her arrest and one of the men backhanded her this morning when she asked for something to drink with her meal."
Kallian was so angry she had difficulty swallow what she had in her mouth and finally drank a mouthful of tea to wash it down. "Who?" she demanded.
"She refused to say and that's when our conversation ended. She fears retribution, of course."
Kallian shook her head. "I will not tolerate that kind of behavior. I won't press the issue with Danella, but if I do find out who did it, I'll backhand him myself and toss him into prison for a few days. Pfft, listen to me. Maker's balls." She wiped her mouth with a napkin, pushed her plate away, and began pacing around the room as she thought about what she wanted to say when the others arrived.
Zevran caught her by the wrist as she passed him, his expression grim. "I do not like this either, Kalli, but one step at a time, yes? Calm yourself and try to eat. The others will be here shortly and we will deal with it then."
Smiling at Zevran, she nodded, took her seat, and ate some of the stew he had served her. After a few mouthfuls, she looked at Nathaniel.
"Nate, I wish to make changes around here, but I…well, what do you think?"
He didn't speak immediately. He finished a mouthful of bread, took a sip of tea and leaned back in his chair, fixing his gaze on Kallian.
"The people of this arling have overlooked many things over the years, too many things, and I fear we are now paying for it." From the look on his face and the surprising softness of his voice, Kallian suspected he wasn't just speaking of the people. He spoke slowly and thoughtfully. "Delilah opened my eyes to the reality of what my father became and what he did to this arling. This place can be great again, it can be the hub of trade that it once was, a thriving community. Who better to lead the way than the Hero of Ferelden? You will have my support, Commander."
"Thank you, Nate." She was surprised to feel tightness in her throat and the prickling of tears in her eyes, and took a moment to overcome the wave of emotion that welled up within her. "Do you perceive that anyone here will object to reform?"
He shook his head. "Samuel is the only staff member I recognize from before I was sent to squire in the Free Marches and I don't imagine he will object. Varel is a good man and Mistress Woolsey came with the Grey Wardens, solely dedicated to the treasury. I don't think either of them will resist. I wonder about Captain Garevel, though. I cannot say much of his character beyond what we may have discovered today and my own experience with him."
Kallian looked up from her stew. "Hmm. I do find him to be a bit…well, he always seems rather confused by my concern for the prisoners, their motivation. He was taken aback when I asked if you'd been fed or given water, as though it never occurred to him to do so. I don't know if that's just ignorance or a belief that prisoners don't deserve fair treatment. And then there's this business with Danella. How did he treat you?"
"Well," Nathaniel said with a slight smile, "in his defense, I wasn't as… compliant as Alec and Danella were."
"That isn't what I asked you, Nate. Come on."
He shrugged. "He wasn't a complete ass, not like my father. Set the ground rules and let him know you'll keep an eye on him. If he doesn't shape up, he can be replaced."
Kallian jumped slightly as a knock sounded at the door. "Well, now is the time," she said with a sigh.
Nathaniel shook his head. "Be firm in your convictions, Commander. You have our support and you have already begun to draw the admiration of the staff and the people you've brought to the keep."
Kallian stood, taking a deep breath to steady her nerves. "Thank you, Nate."
Zevran opened the door, admitting Varel, Garevel, Dorothy, Maverlies and Woolsey, followed by Alison and Bronwyn, who brought more goblets and ale with them. The two maids served ale and left again, while chairs were arranged around the room. Kallian looked at the crowded space and decided to find a better room for their office.
Once everyone was settled, she cleared her throat. "I think it's clear Rendon Howe's influence and policies are still being followed here at the keep and to say that I am not happy about it would be an understatement. I am the Arlessa of Amaranthine for the foreseeable future and I need everyone at this keep to be on board with me, not the ghost of a cruel man who betrayed this arling and his country, and actively sought to undermine the Grey Warden order, very nearly handing us all over to the darkspawn.
"We will begin anew, today. From this day forward, prisoners of this keep will not be abused in any way, unless they first attack one of us. Even in that circumstance, the prisoner is to be subdued with reasonable force if possible. Any guard found guilty of disobeying this order will be punished. Varel, Garevel, we will have to discuss suitable ways to respond to such offences. These penalties will apply to any member of the keep." She paused to let the significance of that statement settle upon the others.
"Furthermore, all prisoners will be fed three meals a day and provided with enough water to drink and bathe, daily. They will be allowed out to a confined area, under guard, where they will exercise and train for a period time every day. Their imprisonment will be the punishment I mete out, as it is my duty to do so. The abuse, humiliation, starvation and dehydration of our prisoners will not be tolerated. Am I understood, Captain Garevel?" She pinned him with a cold stare.
His eyes met hers and he nodded. "Yes, my lady. I understand."
Sensing that he meant it, she continued. "If a prisoner has a skill that may benefit us, I see no reason why we shouldn't take advantage of it. If a prisoner has no skills, they should learn something useful. I do not wish to release weak, unhealthy, underfed and unskilled people back into the arling, for fear they will be forced to return to a life of crime in order to survive.
"Finally, the ban on hunting, fishing and foraging in the forest, rivers and up the mountain around the keep will be lifted and however we get the word out to the people, I want it done immediately. We do need to be careful not to allow too much, however. Perhaps a token fee or a limit on what each family can fish or hunt should be considered."
Varel nodded. "We could reinstate the licensing system the previous arl had in place. I believe it is documented in the library."
"Good, let's look into that as soon as possible. If anyone objects to any of these reforms, they are perfectly welcome to end their employment at the keep and leave, or face the consequences of going against my orders." She stopped talking and looked around the room. Zevran was smiling at her and tipped his head ever so slightly in her direction.
"These reforms have been a long time coming, Commander," Nathaniel spoke up. "As your second, you have my full support and cooperation."
"Thank you. Well, that is all I wished to say at this time. We have much to do for tomorrow. It is my hope we can have Danella's and Alec's families collected and at the keep for tomorrow's celebration, so I want those search parties sent out immediately. If any of you wish to take part in the fishing or hunting parties going out tomorrow morning, feel free to do so, please just let Varel know you'll be gone."
Everyone drifted out of the room eventually, leaving Zevran and Kallian alone. He closed the door and turned on Kallian, pulling her into his arms.
"I think that went well, don't you?"
"I think you did very well. Nate and I will keep an eye on our Captain. I was watching him and I do not think he is a cruel man, just misguided, but we will see." His eyes drifted downwards. "But enough business."
"Do you like what you see?" she asked coyly, pressing her hips forward.
"Very much, my lady Arlessa," came his response, whispered against her forehead. "I have something to show you."
He led her out into the hallway and toward the back of the keep to a room a few doors down from theirs. He opened the door and let her in. It was a small suite of rooms, with two bed chambers along the back wall, the main room they were standing in, which had a fireplace, and a small bath to the left. Kallian walked through each room, finding the entire place completely empty and cleaned spotless. The windows in the bedrooms faced southeast onto the forest and along the mountainside. She returned to Zevran's side, a smile lighting her features.
"A nursery?"
"Yes. The larger room would be for the child, the smaller, his maid's or ours if we need to be closer. Your father has written that he will build our son a bed and wardrobe, and bring it to us in Wintermarch. He will bring Shianni and Soris with him." He pulled a small roll of parchment out of his pocket and handed it to her.
Her eyes glistened with tears as she read the letter and realized just how much she missed her father and cousins. "It will be good to see them again. When did you do this?" she asked, waving a hand around the room.
"The day after you left. The room was very sparsely furnished to begin with, so was easily emptied and cleaned. Several of us were able to do it within a few hours. Do you like it?"
Kallian's smile grew even brighter. "Like it? I love it, Zev. It will be perfect. Thank you so much."
She kissed him and put her arms around his waist, resting her head upon his chest with a contented sigh.
"There is more news," he breathed into her curls. "King Alistair and Anora are to be wed on the fifteenth of Wintermarch and we are invited, of course."
She laughed lightly, enjoying the sound of his voice rumbling in his chest. Tipping her head up to look at him, she kissed his chin. "Of course. Perhaps we can recruit more Wardens and guardsmen while we are there, see how Ser Cauthrien is doing. Maker, I really must write to her in the meantime. I should do that now, while I'm thinking of it."
"Oh no," Zevran chuckled. "No more work this afternoon. You are supposed to be resting, are you not? I think you should take a nap," he whispered into her ear.
She giggled in response and did not object when he swept his arms under her knees and carried her back to their own chambers.
xXx
1 Firstfall, 9:30
This Satinalia comes with much reason to celebrate. When we awoke this morning, Garevel reported that a dozen men and women had arrived in response to our call for recruits to the keep's guard. I am disappointed that none wish to join the Wardens, but I will not complain. We desperately need soldiers, too, and any recruit is a blessing. Zevran will be working with Garevel and Maverlies to see how fit they are before any appointments are made.
In the meantime, the hunting and fishing parties were very successful. Several large pike, two wild boar and a variety of fowl will be served at the feast this evening, along with deep mushrooms, and an assortment of root vegetables. Every seat in the great hall will be adorned with a bag of sweets and a few silver coins for good luck, prosperity and a sweet life. I've just finished putting them all together now, with the help of Myriani, Aoife, Ana and Brianag, and have sent the ladies off to place them. I managed to find small gifts for the Wardens, and have commissioned Wade to craft a gift for Zevran. In all, I don't think I could have asked for a better Satinalia celebration, given how things were when we first arrived here two weeks ago.
I am also very happy to report that Alec's wife Morag and son Donnan were found alive. They are all staying in the infirmary until Anders and Petra are happy they have recovered enough to take up residence elsewhere. The six sheep we found with them have been penned in the outer bailey where Myles is building a shelter for them. With water and grain available, and grazing land nearby, I believe they will do well and may be able to breed in the spring. Danella's parents, Eoghan and Grainne, and their son Marcan, were squatting in an abandoned home not far from the keep. Petra has seen to various injuries, everyone has enjoyed a hot bath and refreshments, and all have agreed to consider my offer of a home and the opportunity to ply their trade under the protection of the keep. Truly, our blessings are many.
~ KA
Kallian and Zevran sat on a log within the large ring of light provided by the bonfire, both wrapped in their cloaks, mugs of hot mulled apple cider in their hands. Every single person on the grounds was out, dancing and singing, playing games or simply standing by the fire. Even the young children were nearby, trying to stay awake. The feast had been enjoyed by all and the mood around the fire was light and jolly. Several soldiers had musical instruments – lutes, drums and recorders – and had been playing songs for quite some time now. Rosa and Lucius gnawed on meaty bones nearby and Ser Pounce appeared to be playing a game of tag with Anders and Myriani's daughter Talindra.
The gifts she had purchased for everyone had been well received. She gave Anders a bell collar for Pounce and Nathaniel a new set of locksmith's tools. A bottle of MacKay's Epic Single Malt went to Oghren, and to Mhairi, a book of stories about kings and nobles. Zevran had proven a bit more challenging, and Kallian commissioned Wade to craft a pair of full-tang daggers with ivy engraved along the blades. Ivy represented fidelity and eternity, and adorned their wedding bands. The result was so beautiful, she had almost kissed Wade. The white steel blades and pommels gleamed, the brown and black leather-covered hilts were incredibly comfortable to hold, and they were impeccably balanced. She wasn't entirely certain, but she thought Zevran's eyes looked rather wet when he unwrapped them. He put them on immediately and wore them even now.
His gift to her was a silverite chain and amulet depicting a vhenadahl, the tree of the people. She reached up to her throat and touched it, turning to watch Zevran. He had jumped up to grab Phillip's son Colin, who was running circles around the fire, and was tickling his bare feet. The little boy squealed and laughed with delight. Watching them together, indeed seeing everyone enjoying this moment together, filled her heart with joy.
Zevran's eyes caught hers and he put Colin down, sending the boy on his way with a light pat to the bottom. With a flourish, he bowed and held out a hand. "Will my lady dance?"
Putting on airs, she took his hand and stood, offering him a curtsy. "As you wish, my lord."
As they danced, Kallian offered a prayer of thanks to the Maker and Andraste for the many blessings she enjoyed. She was happy, full and content, and wanted for very little. As if he knew her thoughts, Zevran gave her a squeeze and whispered to her, "We have all we need and soon we shall have a little boy of our own."
She smiled up at him. "Indeed, husband. It seems strange to say it, but I cannot imagine being anywhere else."
Morag is pronounced MORE-ak
Eoghan is OH-in, like Owen
Grainne is GRAW-nya
Marcan is MAR-kawn
