"You look awful." Isabela pointed out. Kierrai stuck her tongue out at her. Her mysterious sickness hadn't gone away, and she wasn't sleeping very well because of it.
"Shut up, whore." Kierrai replied, grinning at her best friend. Isabela laughed loudly, drawing the eyes of everyone in the group as they made their way through Sundermount.
"Really, Kierrai, you should go see Anders or something. Find out what is wrong." The pirate whispered, sincere worry in her amber eyes. Kierrai sighed and shook her head.
"Maybe we should all focus on the task at hand, yes?" she said, changing the subject. Isabela scoffed.
"Whatever." The rogue replied. Kierrai smiled at her and they kept walking. The smile was wiped off her face when they heard a loud roar from above.
"Shit. Didn't we already kill this thing?" she asked as the Varterral dropped from the ceiling. The battle was long and difficult, and Kierrai was more exhausted than ever by the time it finished. Sebastian was looking her over for injuries when someone spoke.
"Now you, I wasn't expecting." A very familiar voice said. Kierrai immediately perked up. A handsome elf was making his way over to them. Isabela squealed with glee.
"I thought I smelled Antivan leather!" she said wryly. Zevran laughed.
"Isabela! If it isn't my favorite pirate wench." He exclaimed. She laughed.
"Shouldn't you be dead by now?" she asked.
"I could say the same, my dear. It seems we were both fortunate to find powerful friends, no?" he asked. Kierrai limped around the corner to see one of her favorite people standing there chatting with Isabela while Hawke, Varric, and Fenris observed.
"Zev!" she shouted before nearly tackling him to the ground in her excitement. The elf's eyes widened.
"Princesa! You and Isabela run with the same crew? How surprising! Where is this husband of yours? Tell me he is the handsome one in the white armor." He said happily. Kierrai grinned.
"That's the one. I'm not sharing, either." She teased. Zevran pouted at her, but turned to the rest of the group.
"How do you do? My name is Zevran Arainai, adventurer and occasional assassin. I must admit, I was waiting for an assault by the Crows, not the mighty Champion of Kirkwall." He said with a flourish. Hawke raised an eyebrow.
"How do you know I'm the Champion?" he asked.
"Slayer of Qunari, Deep Roads explorer, ruggedly handsome. You underestimate your fame." The elf replied seductively. Hawke raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"How do you two know each other?" he said, referring to Isabela. Zevran grinned.
"How does anyone know Isabela?" he teased. The pirate glared at him.
"Yes, well you'll never know Isabela again if you keep that up." She snapped. Zevran laughed.
"If it helps, I know Kierrai in the same way. Though that ended many years ago." He said wryly. Kierrai laughed.
"Oh, the days when I was a rake. Good times." She said, reminiscent. Sebastian rolled his eyes at her. "What? If you and I did not behave so badly when we were younger, we might have never met." She pointed out. He grinned and kissed her forehead.
"Very true, love." He agreed.
"There must be more to it than leaving the guild." Hawke said, bringing them back to their mission. Zevran shrugged.
"That is offense enough to the Crows. I may have also killed the last four assassins they sent after me, and all their men. Oh, and the guild master! In fact, if you were a Crow, you might make a fortune bringing me in. You should consider a career change." Zevran joked. Kierrai gave Hawke a stern look.
"Don't even think about it." She growled. Zevran laughed.
"You always were the protective one, princesa." He said.
"I've been hired to find and capture you." Hawke admitted. Zevran nodded in understanding.
"Ah, let me guess: A man named Nuncio has asked you to capture a dangerous killer, yes? What did he say this time? That I killed his wife, butchered his parents, sold his children into slavery? Or did he tell you he was a law man from Antiva, charged with apprehending a ridiculously handsome fugitive?" he said in sultry tones. Kierrai smirked at Hawke's surprisingly interested expression.
"He didn't mention how handsome." Hawke said flirtatiously. Isabela got a pleased smile on her face at the exchange.
"Ah, so you've noticed. I credit my high cheekbones and pouty lips." Zevran flirted back. Kierrai giggled, knowing that Zevran was going to get what he wanted. "Bring me to Nuncio if you wish, but I warn you, he surely intends to kill you. The crows do not like loose ends, unlike myself." He said with a wink. "But you are a man who can clearly handle himself, yes? Why worry? So, you can either tie me up, gag me, and then manhandle me, or you can take me to Nuncio. Which will it be, I wonder." He teased. Kierrai groaned the second he said "tie me up". She knew him too well.
"I like your list of options." Hawke said. "But does it have to be in that order?" he flirted. Zevran smirked.
"I knew you couldn't resist my obvious charms. It's the accent, isn't it?" he replied coquettishly. Kierrai laughed.
"You two know him best. What do you think?" Hawke asked both Kierrai and Isabela.
"I've had better." Kierrai said with a shrug. Isabela crowed with laughter, and Zevran stuck his tongue out at her.
"I meant about letting him go or not." Hawke said, rolling his blue eyes. Kierrai gave him a cheeky grin.
"If you don't let him go, I will have to do something about it, Hawke." Kierrai said sincerely. Hawke turned back to Zevran.
"You're very compliant for a fugitive." He pointed out. The elf shrugged.
"Compliant, yes, and very bendy. But truthfully, I know when I am outmatched. I would rather take my chances against the Crows." He answered. Hawke shook his head.
"None of your tricks. You're coming with me." He said sternly. Kierrai stared at him for a long time. There was something in Hawke's eyes that said he had a plan, but Kierrai would be watching him.
"Ah, as you wish. Let us see what Nuncio has to say." Zevran agreed. The elf walked beside her and Sebastian as they made their way to the Wounded Coast.
"He's up to something, Zev. He isn't going to give you away, not when he risks my wrath." She said surely. Zevran laughed.
"Let us not focus on this, my dear. Why did you not tell me you had a bun in the oven?" he asked curiously. Kierrai tripped and would have fallen if Sebastian hadn't caught her.
"A what in the where?" she asked, shocked. Zevran looked her over.
"I am quite certain you are carrying a child, princesa. Did you not know?" he asked. Kierrai put a hand on her stomach. That would explain her mysterious sickness. She had been feeling strange for a long time. She and Sebastian looked at each other in surprise.
"We didn't know. I…I suppose that makes sense, but we will have to see someone to be sure." She stammered after a long time. Kierrai noticed that Sebastian's stance immediately became more protective of her. She placed a hand on his arm. "How do you feel about this? If he's right, I mean." She asked worriedly. He beamed at her.
"Kierrai, fathering your child would be the most amazing thing to happen in my life. It would be the ultimate expression of our love." He said, his voice thick with love for her. She kissed him tenderly, feeling happier than ever. The arrived at the rendezvous point where Nuncio waited for them.
"Champion, you delivered! Just as I knew you would. It's a pity. The Crows could really benefit from having you in their pocket. Alas, orders are orders. No loose ends." The Antivan said. Zevran sighed.
"I would say I told you so, but that would be so expected of me, no?" he said.
"Boys, let's give the Champion a much deserved reward." Nuncio said before attacking. Kierrai sighed.
"So predictable." She said wistfully. The fight ended as soon as it began. The Crows were not prepared for such fearsome competition. By the end of the fight, Zevran was laughing.
"We are all in one piece? It is a good day then! I hope we all learned a lesson, yes? You cannot trust a Crow…unless he is ridiculously handsome." He said happily. He bowed to Isabela. "My dear Isabela, it has been a delight to see you again. And you as well, princesa. Keep writing letters, my dear. You both travel in…fine company." He said with a smile. Isabela frowned.
"That's it? You're leaving? What about sex?" she said in all seriousness. Zevran laughed loudly.
"Still blunt as a dwarven hammer, huh? Well why not?" he asked. Hawke stepped forward.
"I hope you haven't forgotten about me." He said to Isabela. She shrugged.
"What? You can come too." She said matter-of-factly. Zevran nodded.
"Indeed!" he agreed. Hawke shrugged.
"Let's find some place quieter." He suggested. Kierrai rolled her eyes.
"It was good to see you again, Zev!" she called.
"And you, my dear lady!" he replied. The remainder of the group stood in silence for a moment.
"Those two have curious standards…" Varric commented. Kierrai stuck her tongue out at him.
"Hey! They aren't the only ones who have been there." She said, feigning insult. Everyone laughed.
"I'm certain they can all find their way back to Kirkwall. Let's go see Anders, love." Sebastian said to her. She nodded eagerly. The group separated when they made it to Kirkwall, and Kierrai and Sebastian made their way to Anders Darktown clinic. He looked up when they entered.
"What do you want?" he said wearily. Kierrai knew that he and Sebastian didn't get along, but she still considered him to be a friend.
"Anders, I need your help." She asked. He paid closer attention to her, noticing her dark circles and pale skin.
"Are you all right Kierrai?" he asked. She shrugged.
"Anders, we think I may be pregnant. Is that something you can determine?" she asked hopefully. He nodded calmly.
"It is." He said, gesturing for her to come closer. She did as he said, Sebastian on her heels. Anders placed his hands on her stomach, and she could feel the magic course through her body. After a moment, Anders pulled away and gave her a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Well?" she asked nervously.
"You are definitely pregnant, Kierrai. I would say you are about three months along." He answered. Kierrai and Sebastian looked at each other with wide grins on their faces. Kierrai threw her arms around the mage.
"Thank you, Anders! Thank you so much!" she cried. He returned the embrace awkwardly.
"Of course, Kierrai. I will see you another day, I have many things to do. Congratulations." He said, pulling away from her. Kierrai turned to her husband and hugged him tightly.
"We're going to be parents!" she exclaimed. Sebastian smiled warmly at her.
"I love you, Kierrai." He murmured.
"I love you too." She whispered. They left the clinic, but before they got out of Darktown, they noticed a small child, crying on the side of the road. Kierrai took Sebastian's hand and led him over to the girl. "Where is your mother, child?" she asked softly, kneeling to look at the child. She couldn't have been more than five years old, and she was very tiny. Her blonde hair was filthy, and her face was so thin that her large hazel eyes were her most prominent feature.
"Gone." The little girl cried. Kierrai looked at Sebastian.
"What is your name?" he questioned. The tiny girl looked at him.
"Ziri." She sniffed.
"Ziri, when was the last time you ate something?" Kierrai asked. Ziri shrugged.
"I don't know." She answered. Kierrai looked at Sebastian pleadingly. He gave her a quick nod, and Kierrai turned back to the girl.
"Ziri, would you like to come with us? We will feed you and take care of you, sweetling." She crooned. The little girl looked at her with trust in her eyes. She put her arms out, and Kierrai lifted her up. She was nearly as light as her onyx daggers.
"What's your name?" Ziri asked.
"I am Kierrai, and this is my husband, Sebastian." Kierrai responded. Ziri nodded and cuddled up against her chest. They returned to their home in Hightown with the child. They got her cleaned up, fed her, and put her to bed. Kierrai and Sebastian watched the little girl for a long time.
"Kierrai…" Sebastian said after a time. She sighed.
"I know. We cannot keep her here. Not when we will likely face war in Starkhaven." She whispered sadly. He nodded and placed his chin on the top of her head.
"We can take her to the Chantry, love. They will care for her as well as anyone." He murmured. She closed her eyes, but nodded.
"We will take her when she is well enough to be moved." She agreed. They went to bed, and Kierrai fell asleep with Sebastian's arm lying protectively over her stomach.