BioWare owns all but my character's and her dog's names. : )
So, this is a spoiler scene for those playing the game, just FYI if you haven't gotten to the end yet. Of course it has my own twist, but I don't want to ruin things for anyone even in small ways.
Oh and a bit of a cliffhanger, hope you don't mind. : ) But it is just a cliffhanger there will be more, this isn't the end, I promise so stay tuned!
Again, thanks for all of your support, and reviews. And again mea culpa on the mistake of having this story labeled complete when it wasn't. Please tell me what you think! : )
Blessings!
Kai walked into the Landsmeet Hall, a huge room with a vaulted ceiling and balconies running along either side, with steps at the far end led to a dais with the throne on it. The Revered Mother was standing to one side of the dais waiting to give her blessing to Anora. All the nobility were lined up along the sides in the balconies and under them.
Kai went to join the rest of her friends and Fergus standing on the right side of the hall facing the throne. Her group was at the front of all the other nobles, just like at Alistair's funeral. Circles, circles, circles, Kai thought, she smiled as she was greeted by Teagan and Eamon when she walked past them to put herself closer to the aisle. Oghren clapped her on the back, nearly toppling her again, and grinned like a maniac. Sten and Shale both just nodded, Leli put herself next to Sten, and Wynne stood next to her. Zev, who had been her shadow lately, followed her to the aisle and stood slightly behind her and Fergus. Argus pressed close to her thigh.
Maker, it is hot in here, Kai could feel rivulets of sweat running down her back under her armor and the scratch seemed to be burning and throbbing now with the sweat and her body heat. She could feel the hair on her neck getting damp, and she wished for a cool breeze or a bucket of water to dunk her head in. Then, the large double doors in the back of the hall opened, and the orchestra started up a regal, strong, warrior's tune as Anora strode down the aisle followed by her soldiers. Kai watched as the pretty little viper walked down the aisle as if she owned the place. Which, Kai had to admit to herself. Anora officially did after this little ceremony.
Kai felt her heart start thrumming in her chest, and the rhythm went with the headache that developed in the back of her head. Andraste's holy knickers, it's just getting hotter in here, Kai thought dizzily. It must be all the bodies pressed so closely together in the enclosed space. It had been hot in the field at the cremation, but they had been in the open air. That had to be it, right?Either that or she was coming down with something. Kai had to ignore the urge to fan herself with her hands.
She watched Anora's beautifully clad back as she climbed to the top step of the dais and knelt before the Revered Mother. Kai felt her heart fluttering in her chest like a butterfly, and the Revered Mother's voice just became a buzz, as if a wasp were in the room. Kai suppressed the urge to laugh. What was next, her feet would hop like a rabbit? She thought she might have a whole damn garden before she was done. My, her thoughts were turning queerly today.
Kai's fingers itched and began rubbing the hilts of her daggers. Alistair should be up there, not that little viper. Her own head kept screaming it over and over again, not her, HIM! "Are you alright, little sister?" She turned to see Fergus looking at her with concern.
"Fine, brother dear, just not used to so many warm bodies in an enclosed space," Kai smiled, but Fergus didn't look convinced. Kai wasn't convinced herself, she could feel sweat beading up on her cheeks. She wanted to chalk it up to emotional distress similar to what she felt at the funeral, but it wasn't the same. She felt as if flames were crawling under her skin, and the headache was just a sickening hum in the back of her head. She looked again towards the dais still fingering her daggers, thinking now easy it would be to use them on Anora.
"My dear Warden, let me save you from yourself. When playing with vipers it is best to be subtle," Zev's voice purred behind her as she felt his quick hands take her daggers from her. "I think the Revered Mother is about done, and I will just hold these for you until you get back, no?" Zev's voice was smooth, but she could see the hidden concern in his pale eyes.
"I will be fine, Zev, thanks." She reached out and touched his arm. He felt so cool she almost wanted to cuddle up to him just to get relief. She noticed he looked at her hand as if it were branding his skin, but instead of pulling away, he simply grasped her wrist with the fingers of his other hand and felt her pulse fluttering under his fingertips.
"Kai..." but whatever else Zev meant to say got interrupted by Anora's announcing her name and beckoning her to come forward as the 'Hero of Ferelden.' Kai felt the headache's humming getting worse, spreading from the back of her skull up along the top and going now towards her forehead. The clapping and cheering of the crowds wasn't helping. The flames under her skin were burning hotter than ever, and she knew her cheeks were flushed. The scratch was burning like acid on her skin, and she wanted nothing more than to peel off her armor and gouge the sensation out with her fingernails until she hit the bones of her ribs underneath.
She made herself face Anora and took great pleasure in watching the woman's eyes narrow with hatred when she saw the armor Kai had on. Kai only smiled and watched as Anora's lips moved, but it was very hard to hear what she was saying. Something about Kai being a hero and giving her a boon, Kai almost laughed in her face. She was sure Anora wouldn't have given her the boon except that it would look bad for her not to do so. She managed to keep control of herself even though the heat was getting unbearable and the room seemed to be moving back and forth as if she were on some giant child's swing.
Kai heard her own voice from far away telling Anora she wanted a memorial to all the Gray Wardens built so that Ferelden would never again forget why they were necessary. She watched Anora's eyes narrow again, but her voice was honey sweet in reply, even suggesting that they get scholars to study the darkspawn. Kai watched Anora's mouth, the only thing she could seem to focus on at the moment, as Anora told her that the people of Ferelden were anxious to see their hero and she should tell the guards when she was ready to go outside and greet them. Then, Anora giggled and told her not to keep them waiting. Kai imagined what it would look like if she stuck her daggers in Anora's chest and watched the blood fountain out of her mouth. That would stop the giggling really quickly. Something was definitely not right, she must be sick. Maybe too much time in the cold rain, getting wet didn't make people sick, she berated herself. Whatever this was, she was glad Zev had taken her daggers.
Kai realized that Anora was done talking because everyone in the room was cheering her. Kai managed to get herself down the stairs from the dais without falling and congratulated herself on a job well done. How would anyone believe that she was the "Hero of Ferelden" if she showed the grace of a drunken cow, Kai wanted to giggle herself. She kept hearing a voice way in the back of her head almost crying her name. She thought it was Alistair's voice, but she couldn't be sure. It was so hard to hear it over the loud hum of the headache which now seemed to envelop her whole head, even her teeth hurt. What was wrong with her? If she was sick, she figured she better go greet the Ferelden people and then put herself in bed. So, she made herself keep walking down the aisle past everyone to the big double doors.
The guard was speaking to her, she saw his lips moving, but it was difficult to hear him because his voice kept fading in and out. Ah, he wanted to know if she was ready, Kai hope she kept her voice normal when she told him she was. He didn't seem to think anything was amiss. The guard opened the doors, and she walked out onto the stone balcony overlooking the courtyard of the palace. It was thronged with people. Kai wanted to laugh hysterically when it occurred to her that they looked like packed and salted fish in a barrel sent from Gwaren.
Instead, she found herself waving, and the crowd just cheered. Kai thought out here the heat might abate, being in fresh air, but the fire under her skin seemed to be getting even hotter, if that was possible. She felt as if she was burning from the inside out, and the damn sun was so bright it hurt her eyes. Kai put a hand over her forehead to block it out.
She figured she better say something. "People of Ferelden, I stand before you," feeling like a drunken dwarf her own mind said, "and you call me the 'Hero of Ferelden,' But I am not the true hero. That title belongs to Alistair Theirin, Maric's son. Some would call him 'bastard,' but he was your savior. Never let the word 'bastard' be used in connection with his name ever again, he deserves the honor of being recognized as Maric's blood. The blood of Calenhad, the Silver Knight, ran in his veins, and he proved it to you all. Don't let his sacrifice go without note. His remains are at Highever, and you should all remember him on this day. Let this day, be 'Alistair's Day' for as long as Ferelden stands. Say his name now, let it fall from your lips, the true 'Hero of Ferelden,' and Maric's son, ALISTAIR!" Kai pushed her fist into the air, and a roaring cheer went up from the crowd.
Pretty good for off the cuff, Kai old girl, she told herself, guess some of Mother's training stuck after all. And that speech is really going to piss Anora off. Kai felt laughter burbling up again. She seemed to be doing a lot of laughing lately. She felt as if the sun were burning through her skin from the outside to meet the flames under her skin on the inside. She was sweating so much her hair was getting wet. But she didn't care. The crowds were shouting his name. Chanting it, as it passed from those closest and moving back like wind across a wheat field, a chant for her beloved. She heard them saying his name, but her hearing seemed to be like waves lapping a shore. She could hear them chanting "Alistair, Alistair," but it would recede, and then come in loud again.
Kai took her hand down from her forehead, as she was having trouble keeping her balance that way. The sensation that the world had turned into a giant swing returned, no not a swing, like the word was an ocean tide and it kept coming in and going out again. Interesting, she thought, until she started to pitch forward. She felt hands grab her armor from behind, keeping her from breaking her teeth, her nose and her skull on the stone balcony floor. She supposed she should be grateful, but her head hurt even more, if that was possible. She thought she heard the crowd gasp in alarm, but she really couldn't be sure.
She saw Zev's worried face above her own, felt his cool fingers brushing her sweaty hair from her face. He seemed to be checking her eyes. What was that all about? She wanted to make a joke that he was the savior of damsels pitching face forward today, but she couldn't get the words out. Zev was breaking open a little vial and forcing some kind of bitter, thick liquid into her mouth.
She thought that Wynne was there, and maybe the others too, but she couldn't really move her head or her eyes, it hurt too much. She wanted to close them against the bright sun and sleep, but Zev would slap her cheeks and call her name. He was also unbuckling her armor with fevered fingers. She wanted to make a joke about his taking advantage of her in public, but it was too much effort, and her tongue felt thick and useless.
She could feel the armor breastplate lifting off her, leaving her in the cotton shirt underneath. She wanted to thank him, tell him that it felt much better, but before she could even try he was practically ripping up the shirt to look at, and touch with his cool fingers, the scratch along her ribs. "What in the Maker's name is wrong with her?" She heard Fergus's anguished voice as the tide of the world came back in again, but she didn't hear the response before it went back out.
She felt cool hands and magic snaking along her skin, particularly around her abdomen. Ah, Wynne, I am so glad I got your forgiveness, Kai smiled to herself. She really didn't see what the fuss was about. When the world came back into focus, she heard Wynne say something about needing to protect them both. Both of whom, she wondered, But the sounds went out on the tide again.
Funny, whatever Zev had put into her mouth seemed to be cool and soothing. It had tasted awful, but the flames under her skin seemed to be abating a little, at least around her face. And the ache in her head was better. She still hurt a lot, but it didn't seem to be building up as it had been.
She looked at the sky, so blue with clouds and the occasional bird flying across her field of vision, but a sparkling light suddenly appeared. She kept hearing waves lapping as if on a shore, and the light turned into a lot of little sparkles, like sunshine on water. It was like the light hitting the surface of the lake outside Highever where her family would sometimes go for picnics and to swim in the summer. Kai felt herself falling into to that water, and it was so refreshing and cool, she just let herself dive right into it.