BioWare owns all but my character's and her dog's names. : )
Hello everyone. Sorry about the delay in chapter due to my birthday. But thanks for all the birthday wishes too! I am really blessed with wonderful fans. And that I have fans at all is the best birthday present, which includes writing for you all! : ) Thanks for all your support!
So on with the show join Kai four months after her second Rip Van Winkle impression. : )
Blessings!
Kai stayed ducked behind the crenelation of the wall overlooking the Alienage in Denerim with her Dalish longbow across her knees. Leliana, with her own longbow, was crouched further down and to her left, and Wynne was to her right. Shianni, the spunky young elf and new elder who had helped them in a battle against the archdemon's general, was sitting next to Wynne. Eamon's and Teagan's archers fanned out to either side of her along with the elven citizens who knew how to use a bow of any kind. The stone was cool despite its being the dog days of summer when even the nights stayed muggy and hot after the sun had gone down.
Kai was stifling in a light cloak with the hood pulled up, which she was wearing over her leathers. As she was "dead," she really couldn't afford for anyone to see her; she was a little too solid to be a ghost. Somewhere down below, hidden amongst the houses of the Alienage, were more of Eamon's and Teagan's men along with Zev, Sten, Shale, Oghren and Argus as well as more of the elves fit and willing to fight. Some of the elves were armed with weapons compliments of Eamon and Teagan. Others were armed with whatever weapons they could make out of garden tools, kitchen implements, pieces of buildings, even rocks. Whatever might gouge, stab or bludgeon.
Thanks to Zev and his assassin skills, which included spying, not just killing, he had obtained information that Anora was sending an armed contingent into the Alienage on this night to "quell a rebellion against humans." brought on by the food shortage and the ill treatment the elves had received for years, except, there was no uprising. The elves were hungry, but they were not starting a rebellion. At least they weren't until Kai and her group had talked to the hahren, the elder Shianni, and told her of Anora's plans. Those plans included using the excuse of a rebellion to sell the elves into slavery to the Tevinters just as her father, Loghain, had done. But unlike her father, Anora was cleverer. A rebellion would give Anora the reason she needed to make slavery more palatable for the nobles and the people of Ferelden, plus give Anora an income. This income was not to be used helping the Ferelden people rebuild, mind you, but to continue the construction of a monument to her father, the regicide, who had almost sacrificed Ferelden to the Blight. Kai shook her head in disgust.
Eamon, Teagan and her group of friends had protested strongly when she insisted she was coming. I don't blame them, she thought, as she rested a hand on the small swelling of her belly beneath her tightening leathers. It fluttered as though in response to her touch. But, she had convinced them that she would stay cloaked and at a distance firing arrows from cover, not wielding her blades in close combat. That, coupled with Wynne at her side in case of any injury, had finally convinced them. Well, it was that or they would have had to truss her like a pig and lock her in a closet. Still, she was here. Kai allowed a small smile to play on her lips.
"You can be the most pig headed, stubborn person in all of Ferelden," Alistair's exasperated voice sounded in her ear. I prefer "implacable," it sounds classier, she thought into her own head, to which she got a deep sigh in response. She gave a mental smile. What am I supposed to do, sit around the various castles and safe houses we move to, eating sticky buns and getting fat? His only reply was a grumble. She laughed into her own skull and called him a worry wart.
Her internal conversation with Alistair was broken off by the sounds of the back gate to the Alienage being opened. Kai had anticipated Anora's men would lock the gate leading to the long narrow bridge which had still not been repaired since the battle with the archdemon. The elves had done a makeshift repair with boards which created a wobbly but serviceable shortcut to the gate to the marketplace, but the soldiers would not want any elves to escape, so that gate would be locked. Furthermore, no large number of heavily armored soldiers was willing to cross tottering boards, which had left them only one gate to come in by.
The plan was to have the Alienage look as normal as possible. Lanterns glowed, candles shone in windows. Some of the citizens, those who were too old or feeble to fight or those whose weapons were everyday items, stood around in various places to make it look as though it was a night like any other. Those too young or unable to fight were hidden in safety.
Everything was designed to lull the soldiers into thinking the elves were unaware. The soldiers were to be allowed to come in until the last man was behind the gate, and one of Eamon's men disguised as a dirty drunken beggar would wait outside to close and lock the gate, cutting off the soldiers' escape route. Kai and those on the wall would rain down arrows on the armored men, which would mostly be a distraction, as the arrows would more than likely be stopped by their armor. However, this would give those below a chance to take most of them down, they hoped with minimum of casualties for their side.
Kai allowed herself a furtive look down below and watched as the armor clad men walked into the Alienage, their metallic footsteps echoing off the stone walls. Kai signed with her hand for the archers to nock their bows. When she heard the gate close behind the soldiers with a loud clank, she stood up and took careful aim, letting her arrow fly and lodging it in her target's throat between his helmet and his breastplate. He gurgled and went down. Before the man even finished falling, she was nocking her second arrow and looking for another target.
As with anytime she was in battle, Kai's senses became acute and her adrenaline sang in her veins. As master archers, Kai and Leli would actually be aiming for openings to incapacitate or kill. Others who were not as skilled were told to fire at the soldiers and try not to hit their own. She put another arrow through an eye socket as one man looked up to see where the arrows were coming from. He went down like a sack of beans. Part of her brain was horrified that she was killing other living human beings, but she had learned to tune it out. Later, she would probably empty her stomach in disgust, but right now she focused on her task.
It was then that she saw a soldier she recognized, Sergeant Kylon. He was the poor man who had been stuck with all the nobles' bastards to keep the peace in the marketplace. She and her group had done some work for him. He was a kind and honorable man who had spread the word that the Wardens were to be trusted.
"HOLD!" Kai yelled down into the fracas. "HOLD!" But she could not yell loudly enough. "Wynne, I need to get their attention, think you can help?" Kai raised an eyebrow at the mage. Wynne just nodded and began to cast an earthquake spell, aiming it at the middle of the crowd of fighting men and women below. There was a deep rumble as the earth trembled beneath the seething mass of people. The ground rippled like water in a pond when a pebble has been dropped into it, causing friend and foe alike to concentrate on standing rather than fighting as some people began to fall.
When the trembling stopped, Kai had her fellow archers quickly move the long ladder they had used to get to their perch into position against the wall so she could climb back down into the square. "Leli, cover me," Kai told the bard as she began to climb down hand over hand.
Kai reached the ground, strode to Sergeant Kylon and helped him to his feet. "Please tell your men to hold, ser. I think you and I have much to discuss and I would like to stop the bloodshed." Kylon looked at her as if she had gone mad, and she realized he didn't recognize her due to her hooded cloak.
"Why should I do that?" Kylon continued to look at her as if she were a snake about to strike.
"Because you know my intentions are honorable, as you know me." Kai lifted her hood away to let him see her face. Kylon's eyes got wide, and he smiled and grasped Kai's outstretched forearm in friendship as she gripped his.
"By Andraste's knickers, I believe I do, good lady!" He turned to his men and gave the order to stand down. "We were told you were murdered by persons unknown."
"As you can see, news of my demise has been greatly exaggerated. Kylon, by the Maker, why are you helping the pretty little viper against innocents?"
"Because those who don't do what she says have their families disappeared or they themselves disappear if they have no families to be threatened," Kylon looked down, abashed.
"So I had heard, but I did not have confirmation until now. It has gotten as bad as that?"
"Yes, Warden, the disappearances are subtle. She hides her true face from the people, and so far they are fooled." Kylon looked at her with a guilt shining in his eyes. "We haven't had much of a choice."
"Kylon, you cowardly fool! How dare you give the order to stand down, I am in charge here! And why do you tell this, this traitor, such lies?" a high pitched male voice shrilled from behind Kai. She turned to find a thin man with a face like a ferret. His hair was slicked back, and he had a mustache with the ends waxed in the Orlesian fashion. His armor was expensive and well-made and had Anora's coat of arms on it. Ah, a sycophant then.
"This is no traitor. She is the Hero of Ferelden. You are not worthy to lick her shoes, Wadeth! And I only tell her the truth," Kylon snarled back.
"The truth is that Queen Anora has power, and she has the right to use it and to give it to those she favors. The Hero of Ferelden is dead, all two of them, or they are supposed to be. This little guttersnipe is a traitor to our queen. I will personally find it a pleasure to run her through and make her death a reality. I wonder what kind of favors Anora will give me when I present your head to her, little bitch?"
Wadeth's last words barely passed his lips before his eyes widened in shock and a cough brought blood to his lips as he fell forward. His body landed with a dull thud on the ground, the dirt turning into mud as his blood soaked into it.
Zev stood calmly where Wadeth had been, wiping off a dagger. "Ah, that was the wrong thing to say," he murmured.
Kai turned back to Kylon, motioning for Eamon and Teagan to join her. "Wynne, keep an eye on things, use whatever spells you think you need. Archers, stay alert!" Kai shouted up to figures on the wall. She took Eamon, Teagan and Kylon inside one of the houses and closed the door. Kai turned and leaned against it trying to look casual as she faced the men in the room. Both Eamon and Teagan were furious with her for exposing herself, but were hiding it behind neutral masks. She could still feel the disapproval rolling off of them in waves.
"Truth be told, my love, I am not happy with you either," Alistair's angry voice said into her ear. She made mental shushing noises.
"Arl Eamon and Ban Teagan, may I introduce Ser Kylon?" she motioned toward the two men. "Ser Kylon, Arl Eamon and Ban Teagan, now that the introductions are out of the way, may I propose a plan?"
"I certainly hope you have a plan, dear lady, or any one of those men you exposed yourself to will tell Anora you are alive and well," Teagan's voice broke in fear for her.
Kai made a dismissive gesture with her hand. "Kylon, you say your men and their families are threatened, well then, I propose we give them an out. How many of the men are loyal to you, and what number were that little dead weasel's flotsams?"
"That is easy my lady. All but four of the men out there hated that worthless piece of trash. The four I mentioned were part of his 'gang'. In fact, Gwydion in particular would kill the little maggot again if he could. Wadeth and his four supporters raped his sister, and he could do nothing to stop it." Kylon looked at her. "Why, dear lady?" Kai just put up a staying hand, opened the door and motioned to Zev.
Once Zev was inside, Kai turned back to Kylon. "I want you to describe where they are and what they look like, the four men who were friends of our dear departed maggot, to Zev here. Zev let me know when you have their positions in the crowd, please." Kylon and Zev made their way to the window. Kylon stood looking out the window where he could be seen. Zev looked while staying out of view. Kylon, to his credit, acted calmly as if he were just looking out the window while talking to those inside.
Zev nodded to Kai. "Zev, get Leli, Shale, Sten, Oghren and yourself on those men. Try to do it without drawing too much attention to yourselves, if you can. And let Wynne and Shianni know what is going on." Zev smiled and slipped out the door.
Kylon turned his back to the window, "Now what, dear lady?"
"Now we give Zev and the rest a moment to get into place," she smiled grimly. It only took a few minutes. and there was a soft knock on the door. One of the elves poked her head in and gestured to Kai.
Kai walked out, and the others followed. She noted where in the crowd her people were. "Men, I understand you and your families are being threatened. I would like to offer you a way out and a way to take back Ferelden when the time comes. If you join us, we will help you get your families safely out of Denerim. You will be able to disperse among some arlings and bannorns loyal to the Theirin line. We ask you to hide your weapons and armor until we have called you."
"The Theirin line is dead!" a voice shouted out from the crowd.
Kai took a deep breath. "The Theirin line lives in me," she placed a hand on her belly for emphasis. "What is happening now should not be happening in Ferelden. Her people are hungry, nothing has been rebuilt, your families are threatened, and your honor sullied by the petulant orders of a spoiled woman. I am asking you to stand with me when the times comes. Those who feel they either can't or won't join, I give you my word on the blood of my father Bryce Cousland and by Andraste's grace that neither you nor your families be harmed." Kai watched the faces in the crowds carefully for any sign of more men, other than the four they knew of, who would not go along. It seemed Kylon still knew his men; in fact all of them save the four looked hopeful and relieved.
One young man walked up and bowed on one knee in front of her. "For killing that bastard Wadeth, I would follow you and fight demons in the Fade. You have my sword and my life, my lady."
"Your name, good ser" Kai asked him as he started to rise.
"Gwydion, my lady."
"I am sorry to hear about your sister." Kai looked him in the eyes. Gwydion bowed his head. Kai motioned for her group members to bring the four men of the four looked terrified and kept looking to the dark haired one who wore a feral smirk. Ah, the second in command of the gang. One of the men broke as if to run, though where he meant to go she had no idea since they were all locked in. He took two paces before one of Leli's arrow took him in the back, as his hand reached reflexively for it, two more followed. He fell with a sickening thump. The second man took one terrified look at his fallen fellow before stumbling only a step or two; Argus leapt on him, knocking him down and ripping out his throat.
Kai looked at Gwydion. "Are these the men who abused her?" she gestured towards the two that had fallen and the two still remaining. Gwydion nodded. "Does anyone here think they are not being given proper justice?" Kai asked the crowd. There were no dissenting voices raised. In fact if anything, they looked as if they wanted to be the ones who handed out the justice themselves.
Kai turned to the one with the smirk. He had greasy black hair and stubble. He might have been considered handsome except for the cold, arrogant eyes and the scar running up from one corner of his mouth. His smirk had been replaced by fear. "I will not run, they were cowards," he growled with bravado while fingering the sword strapped to his side.
"And you think raping a woman who was powerless to stop you is brave?" Kai asked him coldly.
"She was a toy. Why pay for it when you can have it for free? The strong take what they want." Anything else he might have said got cut off when Gwydion ran his sword through the man's belly, up to the hilt.
"She was not a toy!" He pushed the man's body off his sword with his boot.
The last man, a greasy faced fellow with thin blonde hair, stared at them with eyes that bugged from his head in fright, "Puh...Please, I..."
Kai cocked her head at him, "Please? Did she ask you to please stop? Did she beg, and did you stop? Did you try and stop them, no, I thought not. You are a disgusting coward."
"I...," whatever the man was going to say didn't get finished; Kai planted her two daggers into the man's chest up to their hilts. She turned away from him, took two steps and then spun back, yanking the daggers out. With a double-handed sweep, she sent his head flying in a fountain of blood. Before his head had even hit the ground, she turned back to the sergeant, "Kylon, get your men and get their families moving. Go to the bannorns to the north and the Terynship of Highever. Tell your men to hide their armor as they carry it with them; they are not to wear it. They should wear civilian clothes. Their families should only take the clothes and provisions they need, and one toy per child, leave the rest. They only have a few hours before sunrise, and they need to be out of here before then. Split the men up into small groups, deciding who goes where. We don't want to arouse suspicion. They must disappear like smoke. Tell them that word will be sent to the teryn and banns so they will be expected. They will have a home," Kai nodded to him.
"Yes, Warden, may I say how grateful I am to be in your company again?" Kylon grasped her forearm in a soldier's shake once more before turning to his men. "You heard her, move out!" Kylon and his men turned toward the gate which was opened once again. One of the others must have given word to their accomplice outside.
Kai turned towards Shianni, who had come down from the wall. "We need to strip the bodies of anything useful and then get rid of them and clean up the blood. I want the Alienage to look as if nothing happened, as if the men never were here at all. Is that understood?"
Shianni just nodded, feigning innocence. "What soldiers?" she asked Kai with a feral grin.