A/N Just wanted to warn everyone that this is somewhat of a darker chapter; Shianni isn't exactly dressed when Kallian gets to Vaughan and subsequently loses it. The fact that Kallian specializes in quick effective strikes meant to cause pain and bleed her opponent out and has some skill as an "interrogator" really doesn't help keep the scene happy and cheery.
"Wakey Wakey! Eggs and Bakey! Get up Kali! You don't want to miss you own wedding!"
Kallian Tabris groaned and rolled out bed before looking at her mildly drunk cousin "Wedding? Fuuuuuck"
"Or maybe you do" Shianni said "Here" she held out the bottle in her hand "This will make it a bit easier to get through"
"No thanks, if I have to get married to some guy I've never met I'll do it with dignity, not drunk before breakfast like some slattern"
"Hey!"
"You walked right into that Shi, admit it"
"Fine, be that way, anyways your father's in the kitchen and he wants to speak to you before you go to meet the groom"
"He probably found out about my plans to run away and join the Dalish" joked Kallian "better go see what he wants"
Shianni left the room singing some limerick about an elven bard, King Maric and a wedding. Kallian watched her go before getting dressed, shaking her head. She loved Shianni but sometimes she had to question her cousin's sense.
When she left her room she was greeted by her father. "Good afternoon Kallian, I'm sure Shianni has already told you that your betrothed has arrived from Highever a day early. We decided to move the wedding up to today, lowering your chances of escaping"
Kallian grinned impishly "A small chance is still a chance"
"Ever the optimist" her father chuckled, before adopting a more serious tone "I don't want you mentioning the training your mother gave you, the knives, the lock picking, the poisons"
Kallian raised her eyebrows at her father emphasis on the word poison "Worried I'll go all Antivan on my new husband?"
"I'm not worried that you'll do it over something petty but I worry that if he stepped too far out of line that you wouldn't hesitate"
"I wouldn't poison him, it'd put me too high up on the list of suspects" Kallian grinned
"I'm not sure if your joking and I don't think I want to know" her father sighed "anyways, go find Sorris, he's in the center of town fretting about the wedding"
"Great, we can plan our escape" Kallian went to leave but her father stopped her "you should put your wedding dress on first"
"Okay" Kallian took the dress into her room to change, once fully dressed she looked at herself in the mirror, she had to admit she looked good, and the dress even had a nice ruffle at the small of her back where she could hide a pair of small knives, not her daggers but something at least.
Kallian found Sorris not far from the town square. He turned when he saw her approach "Cousin!" he called out "come to celebrate our last hours of freedom?"
"I was more interested in planning our dramatic escape, if you're interested" she quipped as she hopped on top of a barrel
"Escape? Where would we go? Off with the Dalish, to live in some forest?"
"Sounds like a plan, now all we need is a dramatic diversion, something with chaos, the city guard and-" a yell from the town square cut Kallian off. The two of them looked over to see three human nobles walk into the town square.
"It's a party!" called out the leader of the three "Grab a few whores and have a good time!"
"Clear off shem!" Shianni yelled "You're not welcome here!"
The human walked over to her "I go where I want, you knife-eared bitch" he hissed "and I think I'll start my fun with you"
Kallian clenched her teeth and stepped forward, she wasn't going to leave her cousin at the mercy of some human "If you know what's good for you shem you'll leave. Now." Her voice was low and dangerous, if this human had a lick of sense he'd leave.
Unfortunately he didn't "Well aren't you a feisty one" he chuckled darkly "I'll enjoy taming you." Seeing Kallian's opinion on the matter clearly across her face he continued "Now make it easy on yourself and come quietly, or else I'll-" A bottle smashed into the back of his head, knocking him unconscious. Behind him stood Shianni, holding the bottle in her hand.
"Are you crazy!" cried out one of the Human lackeys "That's Bann Vaughan, the son of the Arl of Denerim!"
"Oh shit." Shianni muttered, looking like she was about to throw up.
"Then just think what will do to you" Kallian held up one of her knives, grinning evilly "I love the feel of Shemlen flesh beneath my blade"
Without their leader, the two humans quickly left, carrying an unconscious Vaughan between them.
"Oh fuck" Shianni, still looked like she was about to throw up. "I really screwed up this time"
Kallian was also worried about what Vaughan might do, but there was nothing she could do about so she put on a brave face "In order to take revenge he'd have to admit that an elven women knocked him out, he won't do that"
"Yea" Sorris chipped in, "That shem looked too proud to ever admit he was bested by any elf, let alone a woman"
Kallian broke off of the group to speak to the man who was her betrothed, Nelaros; he seemed nice enough and he was comely but Kallian was still against the idea of an arranged marriage and wondered if there was any way to call off the wedding without causing a huge ruckus. After a few minutes of talking to him Sorris came over to her, touching her arm softly and quietly muttered "Cousin, we've got a problem"
Kallian made her excuses to Nelaros and followed Sorris "What is it?" She asked, worried that Vaughan may have come back. Sorris jerked his head toward the entryway to the alienage, where two humans and a dog were making their way towards the town square. Kallian looked them over, they were heavily armed but didn't show the malicious intent that Vaughan and his lackeys had shown. "We'll go talk to them, see if we can get them to leave." She decided "If they want to cause trouble or won't leave we'll kill them."
"Kill them?" Sorris questioned "Cousin you scare me sometimes."
"We'll only kill them if they won't leave" Kallian shrugged "There's too many vulnerable people here today and I won't let them get hurt by some Shemlen thugs" She approached the two humans, an older, bearded man with dark skin and hair and a young women with long, wavy, black hair that contrasted her pale skin and blue eyes. Both were carrying a sword and several daggers. "Leave humans, you're not welcome here." Kallian declared
The man raised his eyebrows "I will not as, I have urgent business here that I need to see to"
"What business could a shem possibly have in the alienage? On the day of a wedding?" Sorris inquired
"Ah, so today is the wedding? Who do I owe congratulations to?"
A look of sadness passed over the women face "These two, judging by the looks on their faces" She said "and I doubt the girl's to happy about, by the how much she looks like my sister when the matter was broached" The sadness intensified briefly before she mastered herself and resumed a neutral face.
Kallian stepped forward, moving her hands so she could reach her knives without showing the man too much movement "Urgent or not I'm going to have to ask you to leave, I will not have Shemlen here today"
"I will not leave" the man replied "Do you intend to force me?"
Instead of answering Kallian slowly reached for her knives, preparing to make a lunge for the man's throat before he even saw them but was stopped by the point of a dagger pressed into her back; blocking her left hand's path to her blades and ready to sever her spine at a moment's notice.
"She faces down an armed stranger without hesitation or fear, truly she is as formidable as you said Valendrian" The man said to the village elder that now approached them.
"You know this human Valendrian?" asked Kallian, letting her hands fall away from her blades and turning her head to the women sheath the dagger on her belt with a jolt of surprise; she hadn't see her leave the man's side.
"Duncan is an old friend of mine and very welcome on this wonderful day" Valendrian replied.
"Thank you, old friend. This is a new recruit that I have picked up: Lady Alice Cousland" Duncan indicated to women.
"Just Alice" She said turning to Kallian "What do you have under that fold? I wasn't sure anything was there until you started reaching for them."
"A pair of small knives" Kallian replied "They're useful for concealed carry, even if they're not daggers"
"Where'd you get them" Alice inquired eagerly "They seem like they would be a great thing to have a formal events."
Kallian decided that she liked this human. "I have a second pair in my house, if you'd like to buy them"
"How much?"
Kallian thought for a moment "pair like that? 30 silvers"
"Done"
Kallian grinned "I've got a wedding to attend but after that I'd be more than happy to get them for you"
"If we could get back to the matter at hand" Duncan interrupted "I am a grey warden and looking for recruits to aid the army at Ostagar. From what Valendrian's told me you are a good candidate."
"You're looking for recruits? Here?" Kallian asked "An alienage doesn't seem like a place where'd you find many potential gray wardens"
"There is no place where you'd find many potential gray wardens and I am familiar with how talent can be found in the most unlikely of places"
"Perhaps we could speak more of the matter after the ceremony" Valendrian interjected "I see that the priestess has arrived."
"Very well" Duncan acquiesced "Let us move on then"
The group of them went over to the stage in the town square and Kallian and Sorris stepped up onto the stage beside their respective betrotheds. Just as the mother was about to begin the ceremony there was a disturbance at the edge of the crowd.
Vaughan walked through the crowd, backed by his lackeys from before as well as a group of armed and armored guards. Kallian gulped, there was no way she could take out this many guards with only her knives. "Sorry to interrupt mother but we're having a party and we're dreadfully short of-" he chuckled evilly "female guests"
"Milord" the mother cried out "this is a wedding!"
"If you want to dress your pets up and have a tea party, that's your business" Vaughan brushed her off "Now let's see… the brides, those two, the one in the tight dress and… where's the bitch that bottled me?"
"Right here Milord!" One of the guards called out as they grabbed Shianni.
"Let go if me you Shemlen pigs!" Shianni cried out, struggling ineffectively against the guards. Not for the first time Kallian regretted not forcing Shianni to learn more combat, at least Sorris knew something.
"I'll enjoy putting you in your place bitch" Vaughan leered
"If you touch I'll cut you balls of human!" Kallian cried out
"Such strength of will, best save you for last" Vaughan nodded to one of the guards and before Kallian could react the pommel of his sword struck her in the temple and everything went dark.
oOo
When Alice saw the guards she had immediately reached for her daggers and moved to intercept them when Duncan stopped her. "We are grey wardens" he said "we do not interfere"
"We can't just let them do this!"
"We can and we will, besides" Duncan chuckled "If half of what Valendrian said about Kallian was true, these men will find that they have bitten off more than they can chew"
Realizing that forcing Duncan to stop her would cause too much trouble for them to handle Alice watched as Vaughan knocked Kallian out and collected the rest of the women.
As the men turned to leave Kallian betrothed, Nelaros, Alice thought his name was blocked their path "No!" He cried out "I will not stand by while you do this!"
Without hesitation Vaughan ran him through "Then die" he chuckled "and have no choice in the matter"
As soon as they left the alienage immediately exploded in outrage; some of the elves wanted to storm the Arl's mansion and others wanted to simply wait it out, claiming that violence would only make it worse. Alice could see Sorris attempting to gather a group to bring the women back but he was no leader and the crowd was too fearful after Nelaros' death to do anything just yet.
Remembering the knives Kallian had on her Alice shrugged and turned her attention to the entrance of the alienage; if what Duncan said was true then the women would be walking through that gate in no time.
oOo
Kallian came too on a cold stone floor, with the other women looking down at her. She attempted to use her hands to sit up but found them bound behind her "What happened?" She asked.
"After they knocked you out they rounded us up and took us Arl's mansion. They locked us in here and took Shianni to Vaughan's room, they said we're going to entertain the guards and that Vaughan's going to save you for later!" Nola hysterically replied.
Kallian checked to see if her knives were still there, they were. Slipping one out and getting to work on the ropes she asked Nola "How long have we been here?"
"Only a few minutes they only left us here so they could make a space for us to entertain them" the word "entertain" had a hysterical note to it.
"Calm down" Kallian said, cutting through the ropes and holding up her knives. "I'm going to kill the first guards that come through that door and then you're going to get out of here, do you know the way?"
"Y-y-y-yes, I remember"
"Good" Kallian made sure to keep her voice calm and controlled "when you get out, get to the alienage as fast as you can, I'm going to get Shianni and then join you ok?" She heard a key turn in the lock and without waiting for an answer she stepped beside the door just before it opened, revealing two guards. Kallian plunged her blade into the throat of the first one as the second one swung his sword at her head, she ducked and sliced his femoral artery before burying the blade in the back of his knee, causing him to fall over.
She turned to the other women "Get out! Run!" She yelled and they scattered. Kallian bent over the bodies of the guards, removing her knives before putting them away and then taking the daggers they had been carrying. She noticed that the one guard was still alive and bleeding out, she smiled and walked away; she saw no reason to ease his suffering.
Steaming with rage, Kallian headed towards where she assumed Vaughan's room would be. As she was doing so she strode into what appeared to be the mess hall. "Hey!" one of the men yelled, apparently an off-duty guard. Kallian didn't hesitate; she simply hurled one of her knives into throat of the man before drawing the guard's daggers and killing the second one, she disarmed the last one and knocked him to the ground before pressing the dagger to his throat.
"Where's the girl!" She snarled, pressing the second dagger into the crock of his arm; it wouldn't kill him, just hurt a lot "Tell me!"
"Th-through that door" stammered the guard "Vaughan took her to his quarters; they're past the main entrance and at the end of the hallway. I don't want to die"
Kallian smiled grimly "Too late" and slit his throat and headed in the way he had mentioned. She hardly slowed the few times she encountered guards, killing or incapacitating them before leaving them to bleed out on the floor. Kallian knew the guards she left alive would either bleed out before anyone could help them or be crippled and took pleasure in it; everyone who had let this happen would pay.
Kallian quickly reached the door to Vaughan's quarters, which was guarded by his two lackeys. She quickly dispatched them; mildly regretting that she couldn't take her time with them before bursting through the door just in time to see Vaughan draw himself out of Shianni.
Seeing her, Vaughan scrambled for a weapon but Kallian was on top of him before he could reach anything. "Please don't kill me!" he begged "I'll do anything"
Kallian smiled darkly and drew her blade across his groin. Vaughan screamed as his balls bounced across the floor. "You'll live" She promised "For a little while." Grabbing his hand she held it against the desk and plunged a dagger through it. Vaughan screamed. "You have a debt to pay Vaughan, and I intend to collect." She plunged the second dagger into his gut, moving it around until she could smell thing stink of cut intestines. Then she grabbed Shianni's torn dress and helped her put it on. "Can you walk?" She asked, knowing better than to ask of Shianni was ok.
"With help sure" Shianni replied "I just hope we don't run into any guards"
"Don't worry, there all dead Shi. Everyone who hurt you is dead."
"Then let's get out of here"
Together they left for the alienage, the sound of Vaughan desperately screaming for healer music to their ears.
A/N That was way longer than I thought it would be. I'll bring Theron in the next time we see Kallian and Alice as I'm keeping his origin pretty much to the letter. Anyways the next chapter will start with Elisa, Alistair, Neira and Solona arriving in Ostagar, they will not be greeted by King Cailan however, as that will happen to Duncan's group only. Also since the recruits are going to trickle in over the course of about a week there'll be more time for them to interact with one another and we'll find a bit more about them.