Summary: Alternate Universe. The Blight doesn't happen. Kallian Tabris is married to Nelaros in Highever and is lady-in-waiting to Elissa Cousland. Elissa has less than two months to find a husband before her parents choose one for her. Elissa is at the ball at the King's Palace listening to King Cailan's speech. Meanwhile, in the Denerim Alienage . . .

Part 10

"Hey, Kallian! Hey look, it's Kal!"

It didn't take long for at least a few of the elves to start recognizing her. While she and Nelaros went through the Alienage they ended up stopping frequently and talking often to people that flagged her down. Even though it was getting late in the evening, the streets were busy. The tournament and ball brought in business to the city and that meant work for her people. Work meant coin for food and drink. Food and drink immediately meant celebration.

Extra torches were lit, tables and chairs were brought around the vhenadahl, music was being played and people were dancing and carousing. Kallian was glad that Nelaros was going to get to see the Denerim Alienage on one of its happier days. At the same time there was a little problem with it.

Because most were out of their homes and within earshot of one another, news spread fast about Kallian being back. She was back with her husband and had a bulge to her belly. There were the congratulatory comments and some gentle ribbing over her good looking spouse. Some asked if she was there to move back in with her father, to which she could proudly say she wasn't. Unfortunately, it didn't give Kallian the chance to ask the few questions she needed to as there was now another reason why she had to come to the Alienage.

Lord Fergus had confided something to her that he was afraid to say to any other living soul. While his reasons for keeping the secret were legitimately sound, she couldn't help but feel he was misguided. He made assumptions about elven life and how it dealt with certain matters. Kallian managed to straighten him out with some of it, but it didn't put his mind at ease at all. She didn't have much hope in finding the answers that Lord Fergus sought, but that level of trust shown to her warranted that she do what she could.

"Does everyone in the Alienage know you?" Nelaros managed to ask the question when they had a brief respite.

"Oh no," Kallian shook her head with a slight grin. "At least not personally. I, uh . . . I guess I have something of a reputation here."

"A good one . . . I hope?" his eyebrow arched while he looked at her suspiciously.

She could only sheepishly grin. While they'd gotten to know one another she'd let him know that her skills were unusual for an Alienage raised elf. They'd spoken of her mother, how she trained Kallian in using blade and leather armor, and how to sneak about unseen and even pick a lock. For a moment she'd been worried about letting him know, until he revealed that his father had also trained him in the use of a sword.

"Best way to know how to make a sword or armor is to learn how it works," he explained. "Swords are meant for combat, so he taught me how to fight with one. In secret, of course."

They were both elated to learn that they had more in common then they originally thought. She even challenged him to a sparring match with short blades. He'd managed to beat her out, but only barely. Indignant, she told him she let him win. Later that night they sparred again, but in a much different fashion.

Kallian wouldn't have said her reputation was spot free. She was occasionally accused of being too much of a trouble maker like her mother was. There was truth to it. Any shems coming into the Alienage to cause trouble she would often engage, getting them to leave through intimidation or coercion. It wasn't unusual for her to slip out into the city way past curfew, illegal dagger at her hip, slipping through the shadows to get some business done. While she'd never been caught, there were a few close calls, and she was certain that her father suspected a lot of what she did.

At the same time, anything she managed to gain from all of it she would share. A good score of them were thankful for her intervention and for being brave when they weren't able to. Their thankfulness made it worth the trouble and the occasional eye of suspicion.

Just as she was about to say something further to her husband she saw at a table a very familiar face. She smiled wide and waved, calling over to him.

"Soris!"

Her cousin looked around, then stopped when he spotted her. Soris seemed stunned as he could only stare at her with his mouth slightly slack-jawed. Undoubtedly, he was simply surprised at seeing her. At least that's what she thought at first. As she neared she noted something was wrong. He looked thin and worn, like he hadn't been sleeping or eating well. Worry began to really set in when he fully turned away from her, his head down.

Immediately, her head went over several of the odd ending conversations she just had with the elves that greeted her back. Anytime she would ask if they'd seen or heard from her cousins they'd either not give her a straight answer or deflected the question. One of them even pretended to see someone else they recognized and ran off to pretend to greet them. It all lead to one conclusion.

Something was wrong.

"Soris, hey," she said as she got up to his table. "No greetings for your cousin?"

Hesitantly, he managed to look up at her, "Hey . . . cousin. Didn't think we'd be seeing you for several years at least."

His voice sounded rougher than she remembered, "Same here. Things happened for me, I guess, so here I am now. How are you doing?"

"I . . . uhm," he looked down again. Soris either wouldn't or couldn't look her in the eye for some reason. Kallian was tempted to say he looked ashamed. "I'm fine."

"Good," Kallian replied, but she didn't believe for a moment that he was fine.

At that moment, Nelaros came up beside her to take her hand and squeeze it lightly. Looking at him he seemed to also sense that something was wrong and looked at her in askance. Kallian shook her head slightly. She wasn't sure, but she was definitely going to find out.

"Soris, I'd like you to meet Nelaros, my husband."

With that Soris did look up, "Oh!" He had the wherewithal to stand up and come around the table to hold a hand out to him, "Nice to meet you, Nelaros. Uh . . . welcome to the family."

He smiled at him as he shook his hand, "Thanks. Looking forward to meeting the others."

At that, Soris' face fell again, "Ah, yeah, sure."

Kallian didn't like the sinking feeling she was getting in her stomach, "Soris, you're not looking too well. Is everything alright?"

She saw the shifty look in his eyes, guilt drifted over him again, "Uhm, well. . ."

Her eyes narrowed a fraction of an inch, "Soris, are father and Shianni alright?"

Her cousin seemed to flinch and he raised his hands as if in surrender, "Look, Kal . . . things happened after you left. Some bad things."

"What?" that feeling in her stomach was now starting to grip to her heart. "What bad things?"

When Soris looked down to the ground and didn't say anything, she stepped forward to take him by the shoulders, "Soris, talk to me!"

"I can't ... I can't say it. It's my fault. I didn't do anything. I-..."

"What are you talking about?" She snapped.

"Kal," Nelaros put a hand on her shoulder, "take it easy. I'm sure there's some sort of explanation, but you need to calm down for the baby's sake."

Kallian took a deep breath at his words. He was right. Stressing out like this wasn't going to help her or the wee one.

"Baby?" her cousin looked up at her, then down at her belly, then back up at her again.

She gave him a smallish smile and nodded in confirmation. For the first time she saw something of a genuine smile from him.

"That," he gulped once, almost looking like he was near tears. "That's wonderful. I didn't even notice. Here you are looking confident as always. Carrying a child, traveling back here." He shook his head slightly, "You always were the strongest of us, Kal."

"What's happened, Soris," she asked, this time far more gently. "You need to tell me, please."

"I . . .," he shook his head more, "I don't have it in me to tell you. You'll have to talk to Uncle Cyrion. He can tell you everything."

Kallian felt some relief as he mentioned her father. He was at least alive, but that wasn't to say that he hadn't been harmed. Her worry started to shift more toward Shianni. Knowing her she figured her to be somewhere around the vhenadahl at least six mugs of ale in already. Instead she finds Soris practically withering on the vine.

"He should be home right now," Soris continued. "You can talk to him there."

She nodded, "Alright, let's go then."

"Me?" he shook his head. "I can't. I can't face your father."

"Sori-..."

"No!" with that he wrenched out of her hands, shaking his head more emphatically. "I can't. I'm sorry, I- ..."

He said no more as he quickly turned and ran off.

It was well after nightfall when Kallian stepped out of her old home. People still celebrated in the streets, but she certainly wasn't feeling any of it. Nelaros closed the door behind them and then draped her shawl over her shoulders.

"You should keep bundled up," he said, but his voice was muted.

Kallian nodded slowly in agreement, but she honestly didn't feel the cold at all. She felt numb and empty. If they'd only decided to have Soris to come to Highever, too. Maybe even have Nelaros come to Denerim with Valora instead. Between them Shianni might have . . .

"Kal, you certain you want to venture out right now?" his arm draped comfortingly around her shoulders. "Celebration or no, they may still enforce a curfew on us. We should stay with your father for tonight."

"I need to do this, Nel," she turned her head slightly in his direction. "I need . . . some sort of focus. Some aim. Otherwise . . ."

Kallian felt herself start to seize up. The whole time her father told the tale she managed to keep her rage in check. Soris' words primed her for the worst, but the depravity of the truth was almost too much to bear. Her fist clenched tight on the shawl and she took a shuddering breath inward.

"Otherwise I'd be charging up to the Arl of Denerim's estate right now trying to draw his blood with my blade," the tears she had held back in front of her father welled up and her voice cracked.

Nelaros came around to stand in front of her and wrapped her in his arms. Kallian allowed herself to silently cry, her face buried at his shoulder. First it was Soris' parents, then Shianni's, then her own mother and now Shianni herself. The grief and anger of a whole decade threatened to spill out of her, but the hand that stroked her head comfortingly was keeping it at bay. When her quiet sobs began to ease, she felt Nelaros shift his feet and speak.

"I'm not going to say everything is going to be alright," he said, kissing her cheek once before continuing, "because you know it's never fully alright for our kind. But I will say that I'm just as angry for you as I am for your cousin. Both of them. If given a chance, if I had nothing to lose, then I'd be right there with you to slit Lord Vaughan's throat." He held her a little tighter, "A villain like that doesn't deserve to live."

Kallian shut her eyes tight. Hearing him call a shem noble a villain and confirming the fact that he would kill him if it was possible somehow eased a portion of the weight on her heart. It wasn't enough to calm the underlying anger, but just enough to make sure she didn't do anything stupid.

Giving an audible sniffle, she raised her head to look at him, a small wan smile appearing, "Thank you. I think I needed to hear that."

Behind his eyes laid sadness and concern, but he returned the small smile, "So overtures of killing a fiend makes you happy. I'll make note of that in the future."

A single chuckle escaped between sniffles and she gently thumped a fist against his chest for the poor joke. She could tell by the way he looked at her that he was relieved to see her smile, even if it was just a little bit.

"Now, what is it we need to do and does it really need to be done tonight?" Nelaros' worried gaze returned as he took her by the shoulders. "I really think we should just get back to the servant's quarters at the palace for now. You must be tired."

Even as she wiped her eyes, Kallian was already shaking her head, "No, I'm not tired and with most being out and about in the Alienage now is the time for it. The drink will make for looser tongues."

He gave a small frustrated sigh, "I know this has to do with Lord Fergus, but I really wish you would tell me what it's all about."

"I wish I could, Nel," she said as she pulled away to settle her shawl about her shoulders, "but until I'm certain of some information I can't breathe a word of it."

His eyebrows furrowed as his frustration became more evident. She reached a hand up to touch his cheek reassuringly, "You're intelligent. I can't say it, but you'll know by my questions what it is I'm trying to find."

The worry lingered on his countenance as she gazed at her for some seconds. Whatever resistance he'd been forming in his mind relented, "Alright, but I'm staying with you through this. There's no way that I'll let you do it by yourself."

"Trust me. I feel better having you with me," she admitted.

"Good," a small smile crept to his lips. "So, where do we start?"

"Valendrian, our hahren," she replied, "if there's anyone who would know about this it would be him."

As they set off, Kallian pushed down on the thoughts of her cousin, intending to let her task cover her grief."