KoraKendalls: Geez, yes. Unfort they often are so rare. And it's so easy to make someone smile. Thanks for leaving this comment. Enjoy reading. :)
Chapter 16 - Another One Bites The Dust
Oh it was all so... cozy. Peaceful, actually. Fluffy furs, a warm, soft, and very naked female body snuggled close to mine. The salty freshness of the sea mingled with the honey-sweetness of the linden trees. Early birds chirped in the trees, mingling with the buzzing of bees, accentuated by the distant thunder of the waves rolling against the shore. It was moments like this that had made my life livable during the Blight. Suri had been a source of happiness and strength for me. I used to enjoy the early hours when the sun was rising, golden light flooding our tent and I could watch Suri in all her ebony beauty, still fast asleep. Even in her sleep, when she was relaxed and at peace, she wore a constant and incredibly cute pout. She just hated camping and never really got used to it. I loved it simply because I could fuss over her, massage her shoulders or feet—after some rather awkward lessons with Zevran to learn the exact techniques—and give to her in return for all that she was giving me. I smiled sadly at the memory, a sadness that didn't tear me apart anymore, but filled my very being with bittersweet melancholy.
Suri had worshipped life as long as it had lasted. She had always tried to make the best of it and live it to the fullest. And she would have expected nothing less of me. Actually, I'd have driven her crazy with my mourning and whining. It was one thing she clearly disliked about me. Well, that and the filthy smelly socks, of course...
Ahhh, the good old days!
Chuckling, I nuzzled Rori's neck when she stirred in her sleep, softly mumbling to herself. I trailed little kisses across the crook of her neck and shoulder, adorned with the cutest freckles. How could I have possibly resisted the challenge of kissing every single one? On her shoulders, nose, cheeks, hands, knees, toes... Humming an old children's song—Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes—I set to work.
Rori's delight only lasted until I took hold of her foot. "Whoa! Wait! What are you doing...?" she squeaked, wiggling her foot to free it from my grasp. She was so incredibly ticklish.
"I am worshiping the freckled goddess," I purred with a lopsided grin before I sucked her toe into my mouth. I held an iron grip on her ankle when she bolted, my fingers moving across the sole of her foot with skilled ease. Feet have erogenous zones... Oh, you know that, don't you? Well, I didn't. Not until I met Surana. And Rori was as blissfully oblivious as I had been until that very moment when Surana pressed her fingers right there...
"Alistair! Stop that! Now! Don't you dare... OHHHH MAKER!" Rori's shrieking turned into a loud, lustful moan.
Haha! Gotcha! I smirked triumphantly. Maker, this was so... exciting... thrilling... It was... WHOA! Really, this was a whole new experience. With Suri I had been the student—a stammering, bashful, blushing nerd with a terrible fear of failure. And believe me when I say, I failed. Constantly. If embarrassment could kill, I'd have died a thousand times. It was only due to Suri's perseverance that she had the patience to teach me like she did. Before Suri, I had been a boy. Now, I was a man. A rugged, manly man.
Coaxing Rori to lie prone, I kissed her calves, took special care of the sensitive area of the hollow of her knees, moved my lips across the inside of her thighs and then dove my tongue into her moist velvet heat. Oh how she moaned! It got even better when I pushed her closer and closer to the edge and she gasped my name over and over again like an incantation.
"Damn right," I chuckled, my lips moving against the slick sweetness of her folds. "I'm going to work magic on you." I flicked the tip of my tongue against her clit teasingly and that did the trick—she came right into my face. I didn't give her any time to recover before I mounted her from behind while her body was still trembling from the aftermath of her orgasm. Maker's Breath! She was so damn wet. Her inner walls clenched around me so tightly, I had to still myself—and her, my hands resting on her hips—for a moment to regain control or I wouldn't have lasted long.
"So I guess that's your magic wand?" Rori giggled, wiggling her cute little ass to shake off the hold I had on her. She clapped her hands over her mouth as soon as the words had left it, blushing prettily at her own bluntness. Her large blue eyes reflected both her mischievous desire and her bashfulness. She was so eager and yet timid, she reminded me of myself, so clueless and scared to mess up majorly.
"Maker... that was... awkward..." Rori laughed nervously, casting her eyes down. I so could relate. I had once called Suri 'my little chocolate muffin' when she ordered me to talk dirty... She was really huffed and took upon herself to enhance my vocabulary afterwards. I now know a whole lot of rather obscene words that would cause Mrs. Couldry to hit me so hard her ladle would be nothing more than splinters. Um... err... eww... The thought of Mrs. Couldry wasn't exactly a turn on... Let's just say none of these words were suitable for Rori. My guess was she had heard most of them, albeit in a far less than pleasant context. So I opted for silence as I ran my hand down her spine in a gentle caress and smoothly slid my hard length out and back in ever so slowly. Silence is golden, you see. Only Rori disagreed.
"Say something," she mewed.
"…Say something?" I muttered, my eyes half closed, my mind blissfully numbed by the tingling sensation that spread from my loins as I rocked my hips against her, driving myself deeper into her with every thrust.
"I love your voice," Rori explained breathlessly. "It's deep and strong and gentle. I love the soft rumbling when you say my name... It's such a sexy, manly voice..." She looked over her shoulder, her dark eyes shaded by her lust, her voice trembling with desire and yet she was surrounded by an air of innocence.
"Sexy and manly, huh?" I grinned. "Your desire is my command."
"Mmmm," Rori purred, swaying her hips to meet my rhythm.
"Maker, that feels incredible," I gasped. "You're my sexy little... err..." My little what? It had turned Suri on when I called her my bitch. I never understood why. For all my life I had been taught to treat women with respect and then my first love came along and had me call her a whore. I could barely say it out loud. It always left a foul taste in my mouth. Suri, she was such a wonderful person and that was all I ever wanted to tell her. My little... I searched my mind for something hot and sweet... something... something Rori-like... adorable innocent Rori with her shock of red curls, those cute freckles adorning her pale skin... Maker's Breath! She was so very... tasty... And then I blurted out the very first thing that came to my mind: "... my sexy little... strawberry cheesecake... with raisins..."
Blinking, Rori looked at me over her shoulder, her brow furrowed. And then she burst into laughter. Oh blast! I just should have stuck to telling her how beautiful she was! But nooo! I couldn't leave well enough alone. And now I was blushing, stammering, and grinning foolishly. Again. Welcome back to reality, Alistair!
"Strawberry cheesecake?!" Rori laughed so hard, it shook her whole body. Maker's Breath! She was adorable. Her titter swept my embarrassment away and had me join in. Silly little brat. "With raisins? Really? You flatter me, my cute snuggle-bear!"
"Cute!? Snuggle-bear!? Whoa! Careful who you mess with! I will wreak dire revenge on you!"
"I'm always up for a challenge."
"You're so very tasty, my sweet sugar bun." I leaned forward to teasingly bite her shoulder. That got me and her into a whole new angle. "Maker's Breath!" I groaned same time Rori breathed, "Sweet Lady Andraste!"
"You like that, babykins?" I purred into her ear, gently nibbling her earlobe. One arm wrapped around her waist I pulled her against me, lifting her off the ground into a kneeling position.
"Like it? I love it, my darling cutie-pie!" Rori hiccupped in between her gigglefit and her lustful moans. I had to keep my hold on her or she would have collapsed onto the furs again.
"Honey-bunny," I growled, my voice a deep rumble, trembling from the effort to bite back a laugh.
"Munchkin," Rori moaned as my rhythm picked up pace, long, hard thrusts all in and out again, my hips bucking against the softness of her buttocks. All the time I couldn't stop laughing. Every time I managed to suppress the urge, Rori's "Hehehe!" would infect me again.
"You're such a snickerpuss," I scolded her breathlessly.
"You're one to talk, Ser-Laughs-a-Lot!"
We chuckled and chortled, giggled and snickered. I'd never had so much fun in bed before. I mean, sex with Suri had been fantastic—but rather earnest. Sometimes even a bit... scary. Where she led, I would follow. She taught me everything I know, but she didn't accept any fooling around during her lessons. Every so often I would destroy her mood by doing something stupid. I never was completely relaxed around her. With Rori, I could goof around without getting lectured about how immature I behaved. She was someone I could play with. She neither had Suri's grace nor her exotic beauty. She didn't possess any of Suri's sexual artfulness or skill. But the way she made me laugh, how she accepted me in all my foolish glory, her bubbling laughter, her bright smile, her exuberant passion and timid innocence—these were charms I couldn't resist.
I loved the little games we played, the teasing, the jokes. It was like a vacation from reality—a floating trip in our own little rainbow bubble, only she and I together, making mad love to each other.
"Maker! You're so damn tight, my sexy little snickerdoodle," I moaned, my voice deep and husky as I felt her inner walls clench around my manhood. "Maker's Breath!" She was so damn close. I was so damn close...
"Oh yeah!" Rori cried. "Make me come, poopsy-woopsy!"
"What!?" I laughed and came so hard I collapsed on that giggling mess of a girl. "Poopsy-woopsy!?" I pinched her buttocks for that one. Maker, I so enjoyed horsing around with her. She just gingered up my life. Like, literally. Ginger, red hair, get it? Haha. Um. Anyway... "You're a bad girl, shnoodle-bum, you know that, right?"
Her body tense, Rori's impish grin fell off her face, replaced by a wary timidness. "And... you're going to... punish me?" she whispered hoarsely.
"What!? No! No!" Blast it! I quickly lifted myself of her and wrapped her into my arms to nuzzle her nose and shower her face with soft kisses until she relaxed and snuggled against my chest. "Hey, Puck…" I began gently, "I would never hurt you. You know that, right?"
Rori smiled softly, kissing my lips. Then her smile broadened into an impish grin, her eyes gleaming mischievously. "You're a good man... cuddly-wuddly..."
"Okay, that's it. You asked for it!" I growled before I started tickling her mercilessly. She squirmed and squeaked, kicked and bucked but there was no escape. Beware the wrath of the ticklespawn!
"Alistair! No!" Rori giggled breathlessly.
"Mwahahaha!"
"ALISTAIR! STOP!" Rori shrieked at the top of her voice right into my ear. Groaning I let go of her and clapped my hands over my ears. "Did you hear that?"
"I'm pretty sure all of Thedas heard that." I complained sullenly, rubbing my ringing ears.
"Someone screamed..." Alarmed, Rori sat up, cocking her head to one side as she strained her ears.
"Was it perhaps you?" Pulling faces, I wiggled one finger in my ear, hoping beyond hope it would stop the ringing.
"No! Yes... I mean, someone else screamed." Now we both listened carefully, scanning our surroundings warily. I couldn't hear a thing now thanks to Rori, but still reached for my clothes—the ones actually in reach—and my sword. At least I didn't drop that on my way from the lake to the pavilion. In the distance my shirt swayed in the wind softly as it dangled from a branch. My pants were nowhere to be seen. "There," Rori whispered, pointing a direction somewhere across the meadow between the bushes. "It sounds... as if someone is in pain..."
Oh, just awesome!
I was already putting on my smallclothes and boots. One moment we had been fooling around, laughing, teasing each other. Moments like that never lasted. Not for me. Whatever was waiting for us out there, I wasn't going to like it. "You stay here," I ordered as I unsheathed my sword, swinging it a few times to warm up my muscles. The protest I expected never came. I turned around to find Rori gone, turned once more and just in time spotted her sneaking across the meadow before she vanished between the bushes. "What the...!? Argh! Women!" I have to admit, though, she looked pretty sexy in nothing more than her underwear and boots.
I scrambled after her through the high grass, making enough noise for two, and just caught up with her when she emerged onto a small clearing surrounded by hazel and elder bushes. Right in the middle a tall man with copper hair had collapsed on the blood-soaked ground. "Slim!" Rori gasped, dropping her daggers as she knelt down beside him to press her hands on the bleeding stab wounds littering his torso. Blood gushed between her fingers. "Alistair! Go and get help! Hurry!" She pulled Slim's head into her lap, cradling him. "Hush, don't speak," she murmured when Slim opened his mouth, uttering some gurgling sounds accompanied by a gush of blood. "Alistair will fetch help."
I stayed right where I was. "What if the attacker is still close by?" I protested, tightening the grip on my sword as I nervously scanned our surroundings. I wasn't going to leave Rori alone, no matter what she said. And by the look in her eyes, I was facing a verbal lashing. Well, fuck that! I really liked Slim but I would be fucking damned if I lost yet another woman I cared deeply for. Even the prospect of having to confess to Mrs. Couldry I let her son die didn't have me falter. Sure, I felt like a terrible, evil man. I was condemning one life to protect another. It was decisions like that I hated to make, decisions I used to drop on Surana only to complain afterwards when I didn't agree. Now Rori didn't agree and boy, was she about to complain!
"He is not," a familiar voice slurred behind me just when Rori lunged into raking me over the coals. Both Rori and I spun around to find Zevran standing right behind us. He was breathless and covered in blood, his hair was a mess. "He got away," the elf gasped, wiping sweat from his brow. "I saw him attack Slim. I was too far away. When I got there Slim was already on the ground and the murderer on the run." He knelt down next to Rori and Slim, taking the wounded man's hand in his. Couldry gurgled angrily and tried to get up, pulling his hand free. It was badly cut, the defensive wounds spreading from his hands across his lower arms. "Easy, my unfortunate friend," the elf said softly as he pushed Slim down again. "There's nothing you can do now. Just rest." Couldry's glare bore into the elf, his eyes shaded by pain, fear, and contempt. "Did he say anything?" Zevran inquired.
"He tried, but he's too weak," Rori replied, gently stroking Slim's sweaty hair from his brow. The elf nodded slowly.
"Too bad," he sighed. "Again the assassin has escaped without a trace. Again an innocent has lost his life on his Majesty's service."
"Oh yes, just rub it in, Zevran. I don't feel bad enough yet," I muttered under my breath. "And he's not dead!"
"Alistair, you and Rori get help," Zevran ordered, grabbing Slim's hands when he tried to reach out for Rori. His lips moved, his eyes searched hers, desperate to tell her something, to make her understand. "None of you should run around alone. We wouldn't want to lose our precious monarch. I'll stay with Slim. Hurry! He's running out of time."
We didn't need to be told twice. On leaving the clearing, I looked back over my shoulder. Slim pulled free from Zevran's grasp, his hand hit the ground and with his trembling fingers he scratched a letter into the blood-soaked dirt. Frowning, I turned to take one step back to decipher the message, but Rori grabbed my arm to drag me along. Right. No time to waste. Whatever Couldry had to tell us, he would do so himself when he recovered.
We ran as if the Archdemon itself was on our heels. Under my breath I cursed the spaciousness of the blasted park. We followed a narrow wooded trail, lined by thick undergrowth on both sides. It was perfect for an ambush but we didn't have time for caution, so we just rushed through and right into a group of armed men around the next turn.
"Sergeant Kylon!" I breathed at the sight of my palace guards. And—Maker bless them!—they had a mage with them. "Wounded man. There." I managed to wave my hand into the vague direction while gasping for air. Blast, I was out of shape! Too many months of heavy drinking and sitting around on my throne. "Hurry!"
"Are you injured, your Majesty? Lady Rori?" Kylon asked without as much as quirking an eyebrow. He and his men just acted as if it was completely normal to meet their king in nothing but his underwear and with an equally underdressed woman in tow, bashfully hiding behind his back. Ahh, the benefits of being king! Nobody points out to you when you behave like a complete idiot. Thankfully, I have a rather well developed sense of self-awareness when it comes to idiocy. And yes, I felt like a complete idiot. Without saying a word, Kylon just took off his cloak and handed it to me. Grinning foolishly, I wrapped it around Rori's shoulders. "We've been searching for you all night long," the Sergeant added with a hint of disapproval tinting his voice.
"Sorry," I muttered. I just couldn't get used to the fact that I—according to Eamon—was the most important man in Ferelden. "It was very inconsiderate of me to not inform you about my whereabouts." Sergeant Kylon stared at me as if I had sprouted a second head. "What?"
"It was my fault, your Majesty," Kylon said slowly. "I should have kept myself better informed."
"What? No! I mean... You don't have to take the blame for my misbehavior..." Really? Just because I was king didn't mean I had a carte blanche to act like a dick.
"Who cares?" Rori blurted out, still seeking cover behind my back. "Slim needs our help. Now!" Kylon opted for us returning to the palace and I agreed when it came to Rori, but she was sick and tired of waiting and, dragging the startled mage along, already darted down the path to where we had left Zevran and Slim.
Arriving at the clearing we found Zevran cradling Slim's lifeless form, pressing the taller man's head to his chest. "Alas, he's dead," the elf greeted us, his face as long as a fiddle. "My dear friend bravely set forth on his very last journey. Farewell, my brave friend, you will be missed." Zevran heaved a deep sigh as he gently laid Slim down, closed his eyes, and pressed a kiss to his forehead. Blast! Again Zevran lost someone dear to him. I somehow had gotten the impression Couldry was more like a business partner, but now it seemed Zevran had truly cared for him. I felt so sad for the elf. And for Slim. And for poor Mrs. Couldry. I dreaded the moment when I had to tell her.
"Did he say anything?" Rori asked as she knelt down beside Slim again to hold his cold hand, stroking it gently. "Anything that could help us find his murderer?"
"Nothing," Zevran sniffled.
"He tried to scratch something into the dirt..." I exclaimed.
Pointing at some undecipherable lines in the earth, Zevran shook his head sadly. "It doesn't make any sense. I'm afraid he didn't have enough strength left to tell us whatever it was he wanted us to know."
"But you saw the murderer?" Rori asked hopefully. "You can describe him." And the elf could; well, if you want to call 'hooded figure of average build and height' a description. All we knew for sure was that some intruder was somewhere in the palace perimeter.
"It's not necessarily an intruder," Rori muttered to me when Kylon divided his men to search for the murderer and, guarding the king, transport the corpse back to the palace.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean it could be someone you know, an insider. Someone close to you. Someone you trust," she said, her voice hollow. "Someone like Howe."
"And who might that be?" I wondered, running through my close advisors, acquaintances, and servants in my mind. None of them fit the bill. I just couldn't imagine any of them were capable of such crimes.
"My father never saw it coming," Rori whispered as if she had read my mind. "They were veterans of the rebellion. He thought that made them friends for life." Pause. "Slim made the same mistake."
"What do you mean?"
"Haven't you seen his injuries? Whoever killed him got very close without Slim getting suspicious. It was someone he knew and trusted. Mark my words!"
"But... I cannot distrust everybody. How should I?"
"I know. All I'm saying is: Watch out and be careful. When there's something a little… odd, don't just let it pass." She paused, frowned, and slowly turned to Zevran. "Why are you covered in blood?"
"Whoa! Rori! Easy! Zevran is a..."
"What? Friend?" she snorted.
"It's alright, Alistair, my concerned friend," Zevran patted my arm when I opened my mouth to tell Rori off. "There has to be an investigation. These questions need to be asked."
"And answered," Rori insisted.
"I held a dying friend in my arms, my little suspicious imp." the elf retorted sourly.
"Your shirt was already stained when we first saw you today," Rori shot back.
"I tried to help Slim. When I saw there was nothing I could do, I followed the attacker," the elf huffed, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
"And what were you doing out here in the first place?" Rori inquired coolly.
"Rori! Please! We shouldn't start accusing each other!"
"Same as Slim," Zevran snorted, ignoring my attempt to keep the peace. "You know what he was doing here?" he went on. "Slim was out here to watch over Alistair and you, to make sure you both were safe. He disliked the nobility; he didn't trust them. But you were an exception—because he loved you."
"Wh-what!? But I... I didn't know..." Rori stammered, completely surprised by this revelation.
"Ahh, my poor lovesick friend." Zevran pressed his hands to his chest, then wiped a single tear from the corner of his eye. "He sat there in the bushes, looking out for the assassin, while you got laid by our handsome royal friend here. He couldn't have possibly overheard the noises of your... exertions."
"I... I didn't even know he was there…" Rori said meekly.
"Of course not," Zevran went on mercilessly. "You didn't waste a single thought on him; didn't once take his emotions into consideration because you hardly noticed he existed. Oh, the heartache he had to endure!"
I stepped in when Rori started to cry. "Stop that! It's hardly her fault!" What in the Fade was wrong with people? We shouldn't tear each other apart over this tragedy. We had to unite and stand together.
"You're right," Zevran admitted. "It is not her fault." He looked me directly in the eye, then turned on his heels and walked away. "Are you going to tell the grieving mother the truth, or shall I?" he called before vanishing between the bushes.
"I will," I growled unnervedly. Groaning, I rubbed my temples. I had a splitting headache. And I so needed a drink. "What a jerk!"
"He just lost his friend," Rori sniffled, wiping her nose at the hem of Kylon's cloak. He hurried to equip her with a handkerchief.
"Your accusations," I snapped, "certainly didn't help matters!" Sighing, I rubbed my face. "I'm sorry, Rori. I'm being unfair."
"I pushed him too hard," Rori apologized. "I... I just thought... it was all a bit odd... I didn't really think it through. I'm sorry."
"Yeah. Right. We're all having a tough time." I felt like a complete jerk. Zevran was right, it was my fault. If I hadn't snuck away, if I hadn't been frolicking in the forest... I was responsible for his death. There was no denying it. Maker preserve me! How many more people had to die for my sake? I wasn't any better than any of them just because I happened to be king. I hadn't known him well, but Slim seemed like a good man. He had helped his people whenever he could, and although he had been a thief, he had possessed a heart as big and strong as a marbari's. He didn't deserve his fate. Maker, he didn't!
"Alistair?" Rori gently took my hand. "Are you alright?"
"Yes... no... I... I guess, I'd like to be alone..." Without waiting for her reply, I walked away, hardly noticing where I went. I just followed my own feet, a heavy weight pressing me down. With a heavy heart I returned to the palace to cause a mother great sorrow. There were no words to express how sorry I was. And nothing I could do to erase the injustice Mrs. Couldry and her son had suffered.
I found Mrs. Couldry far too quickly. She was sitting on my chair behind my desk in my office and looked so very small and frail I just had to hug her. Somehow, it all ended up feeling as if she hugged me. It was kinda awkward. I didn't even manage to comfort a grieving mother properly.
"I am so sorry, Mrs. Couldry," was all I had to say, my voice choked by the effort of biting back my tears. Words were meaningless. They wouldn't bring Slim back. He and his mother didn't owe me anything and still they had helped me, had made it their mission to keep me safe.
"No maudlin, young man," Mrs. Couldry said matter-of-factly when I let go of her. I pretended not to notice how she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. She needed that solid wall of composure to endure. That much even I understood. "We've got business to attend to." She occupied my chair again, beckoning me to take visitor's chair. I couldn't help smiling. She was such a bossy old lady. "I have to admit, I didn't see that coming," she sighed, thoughtfully tapping her ladle against my desk.
"I'm so sorry. This is all my fault," I muttered.
"Don't waste my time with that nonsense, lad," Mrs. Couldry snorted. "It was the man who wielded the knife that took his life, not you. I don't want to hear anything further about this matter. Have I made myself clear?"
"Ma'am, yes, ma'am."
"You need to get in with your sister," Mrs. Couldry informed me.
"Goldanna? What about her?"
"The nobility doubt you're really Maric's son."
"Surprise, surprise."
"They will soon officially start an investigation. You'd better buy her off before someone else does. Make sure she understands her fate is connected to yours and she will say anything to keep you in power."
"You really believe she would lie about me for her own advantage?" I exclaimed in disbelief. Mrs. Couldry just cocked an eyebrow. "Okay, stupid question. Forget I asked." This was Goldanna. She would have sold her own granny to Tevinter slave traders without a second thought.
"It's not the gold alone. She wants to be someone of importance," Mrs. Couldry pointed out. "Find her a position with a nice title and no real influence."
"So I butter up Goldanna. And what do you do?"
"I will find the murderer of my son," Mrs. Couldry said grimly, slapping her ladle against her palm. Whoa! I wouldn't want to be in the murderer's shoes. Mrs. Couldry meant business. "I can't yet see the whole picture, but I'm getting closer."
"Just don't get yourself killed."
The old elf just snorted. "Mind your own advice, son. Don't trust anyone."
She lifted herself off my chair and walked towards the door. There was determination in her but nothing much else. The way she held herself reminded me of Suri when we had finally confronted the Archdemon. I so wanted to hug her again but I was afraid I'd only have met the ladle.
"Not even you?" I asked tiredly.
Mrs. Couldry turned in the door, her expression grim, merciless. "Nothing and no one, son."